The slick mess on the other side of the mountains mired the prisoner wagon in mud that packed itself around the wheels and flung it at Oliver.

The four brigands talked enough to catch their names. Changan, the leader with bat ears, constantly yelled at the other three and was possibly a Player. Edar stood taller and broader than all the rest. Ridu chewed his fingernails most of the time. Stiny spoke with a nasal voice and wore a perpetual sneer.

Inside the cramped confines of the wagon, Oliver sat opposite two other prisoners. The first was a young woman named Charity. She sat huddled in a corner, her long dark hair veiling her face as she stared intently at the floorboards. No matter how often Oliver glanced her way, she didn't return his gaze or utter a word.

Beside her was a man with a gray beard that stood out against dark skin. "And I’m Saj," he said, extending a calloused hand. "Used to work for the salt merchants down south."

Oliver shook his hand. "Salt merchants?”

Saj smiled, a thing he seemed to do before saying anything. "Yep. I'm worth my salt.”

A drizzle made it past the wood roof and made Oliver damp. The bars were cold against his back.

Saj leaned back, too, propping a leg up. "So, what's your story? What do you do?"

Oliver considered his answer for a moment. "I plan to rule all this," he replied evenly and gestured in all directions.

Saj waited as if a joke were coming. "You’ve lost your mind. You’re headed to the goblin mines. That is where you’ll work until your body is broken."

"Shut up back there.” Changen pounded on the bars.

After a time, Saj whispered. "The people here don’t care that we’re kidnapped. They’ll look the other way."

Oliver rolled his hood and tilted his head back. "My main concern is getting some sleep in this offroader."

The wagon jolted violently as it hit a deep rut, causing them to brace themselves. Then it slowed and stopped.

"Damn this mud." Changan climbed down and shouted at his men as they shoveled. "Put your backs into it."

The brigands struggled to push the wagon free, their boots slipping and sucking. The horses snorted and strained against their harnesses.

The blast of a horn sliced the air. High up in the pass, an army emerged from the mist. Rows of armored soldiers squeezed along the path.

Changen climbed back in the driver’s seat, and the wagon rolled forward again. He took a long look backward. "Emrich thinks he can take the valley."

Oliver closed the display while the man looked back. He opened it again and navigated to the ranking page. He touched a name, and it brought up additional information. He Found: Changen—Player Rank 256—Fighter Level 35. He found the head of the army: Lord Emrich—Player Rank 50—Fighter Level 25.

Could Oliver defeat either one of them? He may not have the same level, but he was dual class, one of which was very powerful. Also, how do the ranks work? Changen sat far lower in the ranks even though his level was high. It must be that by commanding an army, the Player raised in the ranks.

Saj looked puzzled. "What are you doing?"

"Checking out my competition," Oliver replied.

"Huh?"

"It's complicated," Oliver said, shaking his head.

At the front, Ridu stood, getting a better vantage. "I don’t think we’re going to outrun them."

Changan spat off the side. "Sit down. I don’t need your assessment."

The wagon lurched forward but soon became mired again.

On a rocky hill crest ahead, two fur-clad figures appeared. They stood silently, watching the scene unfold.

"Who are they?" Ridu whispered nervously.

"Westerners," Stiny hissed, taking out his crossbow.

"Just a couple of savages,” Changen said. “Ignore them and dig."

The barbarians moved to another hilltop when the wagon made it another half mile or so.

"What if there’s more we can’t see?" Edar said, fear creeping into his voice.

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Ridu swallowed hard. "We have a Credola army behind us, barbarians beside us, and Valemen ahead. We should just run for it."

"One more word out of any of you," Changan snapped. "And I’ll find another bunch of losers to carry."

Oliver wondered if all four were Players. He didn’t want to scroll too far down the rankings to find out. They wouldn’t be much of a threat if they were that low on the list.

Changan's patience wore thin as the sun dipped. He jumped down and started hitting the horses. "They’re goddamned useless."

Stiny flipped Changen from behind. "They’re just animals."

Changan turned to glare at him. "You’re coming with me."

Stiny leaned the crossbow on his shoulder. “Where’re we going?”

“There’s got to be some towns close. The rest of you, watch the prisoners.”

The two men trudged up the hillside, disappearing into the rocky terrain.

Edar and Ridu thumbed a pipe full and lit it. The smoke was unmistakable. Weed. They were probably Players, and they sat smoking and joking for hours.

Oliver pulled on the loose bar, which was connected to the wooden ceiling. The iron moved back and forth in a rotted hole. "Help me with this," he whispered to Saj.

They worked together, wiggling the bar repeatedly until it gave way.

Oliver turned to Saj and Charity. "Follow me, and don’t make a sound."

She glanced up. Her eyes were large for her face. She gave a nod.

One by one, they slipped through the gap and ducked at the back of the wagon.

Oliver’s first step squelched. He looked around and found a stick and made a little noise getting to it.

Edar and Ridu were preoccupied, their attention focused on blowing smoke rings.

Oliver flourished the stick, testing its weight. "Stay behind me," he whispered.

As they crept around the wagon, Edar spotted them. "Hey! They’re escaping!"

Ridu drew his axe. "We did what Changen asked. Now we’ll have to cut them up."

Oliver stepped forward. "We can get back in the wagon," he said, but didn’t mean it.

Edar laughed. "You're slowing us down. We thought of killing you anyway."

Without warning, Edar lunged, swinging his mace. Oliver sidestepped the blow, bringing his stick down hard on Edar's wrist. The brigand cried out, dropping his weapon and cradling his arm.

Ridu charged with his axe raised high. Oliver met him head-on, deflecting the strike with his stick. He delivered a swift kick to Ridu's knee, causing him to stumble. Seizing the advantage, Oliver struck him across the back, sending him sprawling into the mud.

Edar retrieved the mace and swung. Oliver ducked, then thrust the end of his stick into Edar's gut. The brigand doubled over, gasping for air, yelling out as the stick end snapped off under the skin.

"Stay down," Oliver warned, his eyes fierce. He had no reason to kill them.

Saj and Charity huddled near the wagon.

"That was surprising," Saj said. “Who are you really?”

"I told you. Now," Oliver took the weapons from the Players. He unhitched the horses. "Let’s get out of here." With a slap on their hindquarters, he sent the horses galloping away.

Changan and Stiny emerged from the hillside, leading an ox downhill.

"What the hell is going on?" Changan shouted with his hands forming a cone around his mouth.

"They're loose!" Ridu shouted back, struggling to his feet.

Changan drew his sword and ran ahead, advancing toward Oliver. "You're going to pay for that."

Stiny wound his crossbow and prepared to fire.

Oliver searched the chest behind the driver's bench, digging out his swordstaff.

An arrow whistled through the air, embedding itself in the ground at Changan’s feet. He froze.

The barbarians appeared once more, standing atop a nearby ridge. The woman notched another arrow.

Changan's confidence wavered. "Damn barbarians!"

Edar and Ridu exchanged fearful looks. "We need to get out of here," Edar urged.

Changan hesitated, glancing between Oliver and the barbarians.

Another arrow landed closer.

"They both have bows?" Stiny said. “Let’s get out of here.”

With a snarl, Changan sheathed his sword. "Fall back! We'll deal with this later."

The four brigands retreated, disappearing over the slope.

Oliver watched them go. Avoiding a fight with four Players at once was likely a good thing. "Well, now we have to walk.”

Saj stared at the two figures silhouetted above. "You preferred the wagon?"

The barbarians descended, and the man and woman approached with measured steps.

"In our homeland, this type of thing doesn’t happen," the man said. “We do not capture man, beast, or monster. You kill them or not.”

Oliver nodded. "Thank you for your help."

The woman regarded them thoughtfully. "Why do you fight when they do not?"

Saj showed open palms. “I can tell you the worth of gold, stones, luxurious items. But my skills don’t include violence.”

"If this isn’t your homeland, why are you here?" Oliver asked.

The man glanced toward Lord Emrich's army. "It’s not uncommon to sail to the east to prove oneself a man. A red dragon now lays claim to Lake Emerald and all the lands south to the mountains. My party was ambushed, and only my sister and I survived its fire. We couldn’t return, so we found ourselves in these strange lands. I hope to reach the Sea People and sail back home."

Charity spoke without looking up. "Thank you for helping us."

The woman in furs offered a faint smile. "No need to thank us. We should travel together if you’re headed north."

Oliver watched the ox stop at a patch of grass. "That seems as good a direction as any."

They followed the barbarians into the rugged terrain. Saj stumbled countless times in the dark. Charity whispered occasionally, talking to herself.

The path ahead was uncertain, and Oliver felt small in the world for the first time since his capture. No, I was given power, so I must bend everything to my will if I hope to defeat Coda.

Behind them, the abandoned wagon sat mired in the mud, and a figure sniffed it. Tatters of skin fell from a skeletal face. Another undead creature wondered ahead.