The first thing I became aware of was voices. Next was the daylight streaming in from the window. The area of the bed next to me was cold and empty.
With that realization I sprang up and looked around the room. On the other side I saw Alice sitting on one of the chairs and snacking while talking with Zeph.
Again I got all worked up over nothing.
Settling back down into the bed I listen in a bit on their conversation.
“So there I was in the land of the tinks, trying to find a river I wasn’t even sure existed. As I wandered through the forest I came upon a peddler. I asked the peddler; ‘Do you know where the river is?’ and the peddler responded; ‘The river flows in many directions. Where do you wish it to take you?’”
“I always hate people who talk in riddles.”
“Yes I’m not very fond of them either. But tinks can be odd like that so I humored him. I told him I wished to find shelter along it’s path so I could fish in peace. The peddler said back; ‘The river has many places to seek shelter upon it’s banks. There are many who take part in fishing as the river is bountiful. If it is peace you seek you should go east to where the river flows and follow it’s path south.’ He then sold me wire to fish with and I went on my way.”
“Is it true that if you ask a tink peddler a question they will always answer you truthfully, but if you don’t buy anything from them afterward you get cursed? I heard from my father that if you don’t buy anything you become cursed, and whenever you meet another tink peddler they will always lie and lead you astray.”
“I’ve always heard that as well but I don’t know for sure. I’ve always bought something just in case. It wouldn’t surprise me if it were true though, the tinks are creatures of mana and are very strange and mysterious. Back to the story, I followed the peddlers advice and went east until I reached the river. Then I followed it upstream to the north.”
“Didn’t the peddler tell you to go south?”
“Something I’ve learned about tinks through experience is that if they have a good heart they will never lead you to danger, even if it is danger you seek. Since it was danger I sought I had asked the tink to guide me to peace, and simply went the other way.”
“Is it true that a tinks hair color will change depending on if it’s good or evil and that’s how you can tell whether they have a good heart?”
“Almost. Tinks wear their hearts on their sleeves and cannot help but change their appearance to match their emotions. A tink’s hair color will change depending on their feelings, and since tink’s are generally inclined to be kind and happy their hair is usually something like green or blue. The only colors you must be very careful with when dealing with tinks is black or red. If it's red that means they hold hatred deep within their heart and are willing to kill. If it's black it means a tink is almost at the end of their life, and they can be extremely unpredictable when in that state. Anyway, are you ever going to let me finish my story?”
“Sorry, I’ll be quiet now.”
“Alright. So I followed the river north until I found a cave. I knew it was the place I was looking for, I could see footprints all over the bank of the river. So I ventured into the cave and lit my way with magic. Soon I came to a fork in the path and had to choose which way to go. Eventually I just decided to go right. So I continued on until I found a large space that had been used as some kind of room, and in that room I found a man that had been captured! He sat on the stone ground, chained to the cavern wall.”
Alice gasped.
“Yes, it was horrible. His clothes were ragged and he looked half starved. I freed him and we devised a plan to deal with his captors. The captive said there were three captors. They were all tinks with flame red hair, and he had overheard them plotting to assassinate a member of royalty. Using the string I had bought from the peddler I fashioned a clever trap and he called out for help from his captors. Soon enough one of them arrived and was ensnared in my trap. With two left we decided to take the fight to them, and following the other path in the cave led to their main lair. We lurked outside and saw them talking about their horrific plans. That's when we decided to strike first! We jumped them from behind and managed to capture all of them.”
Zeph stopped talking and seemed to get lost in memories.
“What happened then?” But Alice wasn’t content to let it end so simply.
“What else would you want out of the story? I could regale you about how me and the captive became fast friends, or how long and boring the journey back to town was if you’d like. Sorry but there isn’t much more to the story.”
Alice slumped her shoulders but quickly perked back up, “Alright, what’s the next one about then?”
“I think not, little one. Look, your brother has awoken. We have things to do today and it is already later in the day than I had intended to do them.”
Alice turned to me, still laying in bed, and ran up to me and started trying to tell me all about the stories she had heard.
“I know Alice, I think I heard most of the last one. Come on, have you had water or have you just been snacking? Both? Alright, guess I’ll help myself as well before we get going.”
As I grab food and water for myself Alice asks, “Where are we going?” I look in Zeph’s direction.
Zeph gets up from the chair and starts what seems to be a well practiced stretching routine. “The church,” he says.
******
As we make our way through Hornhaven I notice Zeph is taking us on a rather roundabout route. With a start I realize we’re completely avoiding the streets me and Alice usually hung around. Honestly even after a night of rest it still doesn’t feel real that our mostly quiet life had been intruded upon so abruptly. Alice didn’t seem to notice as she kept trying to tell me all about Zeph’s stories.
We arrive at the cathedral and Alice leads us inside.
“So where does that priest you talked about usually hang around?” Zeph asked me.
“We’re visiting mister Zak? Oh why didn’t you say so!? He’s usually over here.” And Alice completely steals my chance to respond and takes the lead again.
Zak isn’t at his usual desk against the wall so Alice surmises he must be in his office room. I hadn’t even known he had his own office space. I guess in a cathedral this large it’s easier to get your own space.
Alice leads us through the halls until we finally arrive at a door Alice doesn’t even bother knocking on before flinging it open. Past the door is a room full of scrolls on shelves and a desk with a tired looking demonic man who is entirely too pale.
“Mister Zak!” Alice shouts with joy as she runs around his desk to him.
“Oh Alice! I was worried about you! Where’s Stein?”
I walk in on cue and say, “Good day, father Zak.” I walk around the desk as well to stand next to him.
“Ah Stein, I should have known you two would be alright with you in the lead.” Zeph stepped into the room behind me, and Zak turns to him as well, “As see we’ve brought a new friend, who’s thi-” As Zak looks the man over I see a flash of recognition on his face.
Moving faster than I can react Zak grabs both Alice and I from either side of him and shoves us behind him. “You. What the hell are you doing here? How’d you find me?” I can practically hear the venom in his voice.
Oh boy. I should have figured these two have history after Zeph wanted me to describe Zak to him yesterday. Even still, I wouldn’t have expected this level of animosity coming from Zak.
Zeph freezes, a look of surprise on his face. “That’s not the reaction I was expecting honestly.” Shock is replaced by thoughtfulness. “Though I guess I really should have, considering what you must’ve heard.”
“I heard you-” Zak cuts himself off from speaking and I feel his grip tighten on my arm.
So it’s something that shouldn’t be said in front of children. Maybe I had the right read on Zeph after all. Well, lets see how the rest of this plays out.
Zeph sighs. “I’ll just say this then. Zak, you were always an excellent judge of character.” He takes his hands out of his pockets and spreads his arms in a gesture that says look at me. “Do I seem like I’ve changed so much in the time since we last met for me to be the person you’ve envisioned? In your eyes, right here and now, have I truly changed that much?” Zeph finishes his appeal to Zak’s reason and stares him down while holding his pose.
A long and tense silence comes over the room as they take each other’s measure. Next to me Alice looks absolutely lost.
After a bit the tension seemed to lessen, and Zak said, “The road has certainly seemed to take it’s toll on you.”
Zeph lowered his arms, “It has been a long and arduous journey. We’re both a long way from home.”
“What’s your relation to Stein and Alice?”
“I helped them out of a tight spot. I came here today to call in a favor you owe me, and it’s related to them.”
Zak stiffens up again. “Zeph you should know if it comes to choosing between protecting the innocent and repaying the debt I owe you I will-”
“I won’t make you choose. My favor is in regards to their well being.” Zeph sighs again, “Why don’t we just relax first. I had hoped our little reunion would be a lot more lighthearted than… this.”
“Ah, yes. I suppose you have a point. I’ll get tea if you’ll wait a moment.” Zak leaves and quickly returns with a tray of tea to find that we had found a set of wooden folding chairs and were using his desk as a table.
We all take a sip of the tea. To my surprise it tastes similar to the style of green tea popular in the east. I had been expecting the black tea I was accustomed to. I guess I just expected it because it seemed fitting for the renaissance vibe this world had going for it.
“Ah, that’s right. Zak, these two are a bit injured. You’ve been taught the healing magic of the church, haven’t you? Would you mind?”
“Ah yes, I noticed Alice’s scrapes as she came in. Come over here Alice, I'll fix you right up.”
With Alice sitting on Zak’s lab he held his hand over some of her scrapes and said, “Let the goodness of our lord seep through my hands, that this body may cease to know pain.” A golden light enveloped Zak’s hand as he held it over Alice’s wounds, and when it stopped glowing I saw that the marks on her face had completely vanished. He repeated the process a few more times over her bruise and other, smaller scrapes.
“Wow, I had no idea magic could heal as well.” Internally I wonder what the concept behind the spell was.
Since the incantation had such a religious focus I wonder if the concept is explicitly related to the faith or if it can be extracted and used independently.
“Okay Stein, you’re next.”
“Er, right.”
Walking up to Zak he repeats the process on the cut on my face. After he finishes that I lean in and whisper, “Is it possible to heal something without actually seeing the wound?”
Zak frowns, “No, I need to know what I’m healing to be able to treat it. Why?”
I move so Alice can’t see my right shoulder as I take off my bandages. When Zak sees the stitched laceration he hisses and looks at Zeph. “Why wasn’t this brought here yesterday?”
“We had some shitty circumstances. I didn’t want to move too much.”
“Alright, fine. I guess I can understand after what I witnessed yesterday. So who’s willing to tell me what exactly happened in that alley?”
Alice raised her hand, “I can start!” I think everybody was surprised to hear her be the one to want to tell the story, but all of us understood why after we heard just how mellow her version of events was. After she went Zeph filled out the rest with a cheesy made up story about how he had rescued me as I tried to fight off the entire gang myself. Nobody questioned the clearly false version of events. We all knew it’s better Alice doesn’t know how brutal that fight really was.
After Zak finished healing my shoulder and tried to inconspicuously pull out all the stitches in my shoulder so Alice wouldn’t notice, I asked, “You said you went there yesterday Zak? You mind if I ask why?”
“Well primarily I wanted to check up on Alice again, but I also had some news. I guess I may as well share it now since you’re both here. I received letters from both of the orphanages I had sent appeals to. Unfortunately they’ve both been rejected. They say they’re too full as is and can’t take on any more residents. I’m sorry.”
A depressing silence fell over the group as Zak looked like he had just delivered a death notice.
“That’s okay, mister Zak! I’m sure you’ll come up with something even better next! I know you won’t abandon us, so it’s okay if we just have to wait a bit longer.” Alice’s words, which were meant to cheer everybody up, only seemed to increase Zak’s anguish.
Nevertheless Zak responded, “Yes, you’re absolutely right Alice. This was just the first attempt. I can’t just give up now and still call myself a man of the people. Don’t you worry Alice, I swear I’ll find a means to take you kids off the street!” Zak gives Alice a genuine smile and the depressing atmosphere he had created dissipated.
Recognizing the need to start up a regular conversation, Zak turns to Zeph. “What have you been up to recently? Last I heard you were doing something or other around the eastern border. I hear your group is a little odd.”
“It’s just never-ending territory disputes out there. My group these days is a little odd. The idea is a specialized force that can adapt to and overcome any situation they’re put in. Haven’t lost many so far so I’d say it’s going well.”
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“After what… happened, do you still have your ambitions? I don’t think you left much to build off of.”
Zeph turned very serious, “I’ll never abandon my ambitions. Some day I will return home. And when that day comes…” He trails off and doesn’t finish that statement.
Zeph sighs, “Enough about me. How has life as a man of the faith been treating you? I see you still don’t get out nearly as much as you should.”
This led to the two old acquaintances engaging in a lengthy discussion that Alice and I had absolutely no room to butt in on. After about half an hour of us just listening along to them catching up Zak realized that Alice looked bored out of her mind.
“Oh, I’m sorry Alice. I think I’d like to keep catching up with my old friend here. Would you like to go play with the other children?” Alice perked up at this. Zak truly had a deft hand up his sleeve. “I think we were hosting a tour of the main gardens today. You remember where that is, right?”
“Yep! You coming, Stein?”
“No thanks, I’m good here. And Alice!” I have to yell to stop her from walking off while I’m still talking to her. “Be sure and knock when you enter people’s rooms! It’s terribly rude to just barge in.”
“Okay! Sorry for barging in earlier mister Zak! I’ll be more careful next time!” And with that she dashed off down the corridor outside.
Zeph closed the door behind her, “Alright, let’s talk business.”
I saw Zak frantically try and motion towards me. “The kid’s not going anywhere, Zak. He’s part of this discussion.” Zak seemed to deflate.
“I’m guessing Stein is directly related to the favor you mentioned then.”
“Actually my favor has more to do with the girl.”
“Alice? What do you want with her?”
“Before that I want to ask, have you heard of that special program the archbishop over in the empire has put together?”
“In Bolis? I’ve heard of it but haven’t cared too much to keep up with the program. I hear it's some sort of political play the government pressured him into setting up.”
I cut in here, “Sorry, where exactly is this empire?”
“Oh sorry Stein I forgot you don’t know any geography. I have a map here somewhere…”
Before Zak even found his map Zeph said, “The Bolisian Empire is the largest nation in Alta, the western continent. Currently we’re in the kingdom of Maulia, which is on Nourne the eastern continent.”
“Here it is.” Zak finally found his map and spread it out on the table between the three of us. Zeph pointed out where we were currently, Hornhaven, in the kingdom of Maulia. Looking over the map I saw Maulia sat almost in the center of Nourne, and to reach Bolisia you’d have to cross over a country and an ocean.
“That’s quite the distance.” I observed.
“Yes, it would likely take somewhere around three months to get to the capital, Bolis, from here.” Zak mused. “Why do you bring it up anyway Zeph? From what I’ve heard it's more for noble sons and daughters who aren’t well loved by their parents.”
“My favor would be for you to get the girl into this program.”
Zak rubbed his temples, “You do realize how enormous of a favor that is, right? I’m not even sure it would be possible to have her accepted into the program.”
“I’ve heard you’re on good terms with the Maulian archbishop. Just go to him and have him enter her.”
“It’s not that simple. Like I said, it's mainly for children of noble birth, and the only ones accepted beyond that are children that have either been visited by Bymos himself or those with very exceptional gifts. Even if I went to the archbishop with this idea I’m not sure he would be willing to pass it through, especially considering Bolisia hasn’t exactly been very friendly when it comes to foreign relations.”
Zak’s words remind me of something and I jump in, “Didn’t you say illusion magic was pretty rare? If she’s able to do that at the age of 12 wouldn’t that qualify as being gifted?”
“Hm, yes it certainly is a sign of remarkable talent, but even then I’m not sure if it's enough.”
“Hang on, that girl can use illusion magic? You’re aren’t just making that up?”
Zak looks surprised, “Yes, Alice can indeed use it. I saw it myself the day before yesterday. It’s very impressive.”
“Damn kid, when you said she put up an illusion I thought you had come up with some kind of smoke and mirrors trick to keep people away. Zak, you should know that’s more than enough to say she’s got immense talent.”
“Yes alright maybe, but it still doesn’t cover how we’re going to get Stein in with her. Stein is proficient in magic, yes, but as far as I know can’t use any unique varieties of it. And there's no way I could swing both of them by on Alice’s gift alone.
As he spoke both me and Zeph became very quiet. Zak was looking down at the map thinking to himself, and didn’t notice.
“Zak.” Zeph called him back to attention. “The kid isn’t going with.”
Zak looked at Zeph, confused. Then his face slowly began to harden. “What exactly do you mean by that, Zeph?”
“I’m only going to ask this favor of you with the condition that you also write up a contract between me and the kid. I’ve heard you’re this city’s contractor, so I’m requesting your services as a member of the church.”
I hear a coldness in Zak’s voice I didn’t know he could muster. “That is not happening.”
I softly interject, “That’s the deal, father Zak. We already talked about it.” If it had been some random person Zeph had brought me to to try and make this proposal I would have outright refused. But instead he had brought me to Zak, the only person in this city I felt I could actually trust. I had to give it to Zeph, he was crafty if nothing else.
Zak’s gaze never even left Zeph’s face, “Stein, you can’t make decisions like that. Not when you don’t understand the consequences. I don’t know what Zeph told you the deal would be but I seriously doubt he told you everything. When people make this style of contract you don’t just enter an agreement for employment, or be recruited. It’s far more similar to being enslaved.”
“I have no intention of enslaving the boy.”
“No, but you wouldn’t risk calling in this favor without putting something in the contract to bind him, would you?”
Zak’s words hit home and Zeph had no reply.
“Explain.” I said.
“Normal contracts between two people include the condition that the contract can be terminated when either party finds that the continuation of the contract is no longer in their best interest. If a sailor makes a contract with a merchant for the shipment of goods, but pirates appear and the sailor is forced to weigh the lives of the crew against the value of the cargo he is left the freedom to choose life before the fulfillment of the contract. What Zeph desires is something else entirely. To ensure you don’t decide to back out at some point along the way he’ll bind you to this contract. It’ll strip away any freedom you have to leave him, no matter how dark and ugly the things he makes you do are. As I said, it’d be like you become his slave.”
Zak takes a moment to pause his speech then concludes it with, “Such an idea is absurd, I’ll have no part in it.”
“Zak,” I say softly, “That’s the deal.”
Not only Zak, but Zeph too looks at me in surprise. Zeph gets the first word in, “You knew, kid?”
“It was obvious you would put some measure of loss prevention in place. You have to, when you’re working with a kid who might decide he made a mistake and try to run off back to his sister. But that won’t happen. Alice is the only thing that matters to me. If I have to sell myself into slavery to ensure her freedom, I’ll gladly accept this contract.”
“Even if you feel that way Stein, my conscience won’t allow me to consign you to such an awful life.”
“Our lifestyle as it is isn’t tenable. You said it yourself Zak, remember when you came to visit our alley? If we have to keep waiting on some miracle that may never come I’d rather take action and choose our fate. Besides, we can’t remain in this city any longer.”
I shift my gaze from the map to Zak, “If you went to the alley yesterday you must have seen it, didn’t you Zak?” That body.
“I… Stein, what really happened yesterday? Some boys the guards took into custody said you killed that man, but I just can’t believe it. Tell me what really happened.”
So I told him, and when I was finished Zak said, “When I saw Zeph walk through that door I had figured he must have done something. Even after hearing the guards say you killed somebody I just couldn’t believe it to be true. But you’re right, you can’t stay here any longer.”
Zak gave a long sigh before continuing, “The guards have your and Alice’s description, so the longer you stay the more likely you’ll be to get caught. I don’t know exactly what the punishment would entail since you’re still a child, but it would at least include a period of imprisonment. And during that time I can’t imagine Alice managing to survive on her own…”
After trailing off Zak returns his gaze to Zeph, “Even so, I can’t condone you bringing Stein into a life of hell without him having any idea of what he’s really signing up for.”
“I have no intentions to deceive the kid.” Turning to me Zeph continues, “The life of a warrior is one of endless conflict. The life of a mercenary is one of unrelenting struggle. Struggle to put food on the table, struggle to find work, the struggle to not die on the battlefield. Those tales I told your sister were fanciful versions of things I’ve actually done, but none of them were the whole truth. I know you overheard the one from this morning. That tale was how I first met Zak, actually?”
“You told her about that? A little dark for a tale of adventure don’t you think?”
“Take away somebody’s motivations and you can make anybody seem like a bad guy. Kid, those tinks who I made out to be villains, they were really just angry and misguided people. Their home had been annexed by a foreign government and their town was suffering from food shortages because of it. They thought if they killed the lord put in charge of the domain they could change things back to the way they were.”
“Yeah, I was sent as an envoy of peace.” Zak helped fill in the story, “But they just couldn’t be reasoned with. They took me captive, but made sure I was well fed and taken care of. They truly didn’t wish for any violence, but couldn’t see any way out of their desperate situation.”
“In the story we captured them all, but in reality after capturing them when I realized they couldn’t be reasoned with I executed them as well.” Zak looked away at Zeph’s words. “Mark my words kid, true stories of heroism and triumph are outweighed by those of strife and misery 100 to 1 in the life of a merc.”
“Stein, if you go down this route you may not even live to see next year. Even if you survive, your chances of seeing Alice ever again are next to none.”
“I understand that. But even if we’re apart, as long she’s safe it's fine with me.”
“What do you even see in Stein, Zeph? What makes you willing to call in this favor for a boy who isn’t even an adult yet?”
“When I walked into that alley and saw the kid standing over the body of that man I knew he would be an asset. The kid doesn’t hesitate when it matters and he learned how to be proficient in magic enough to kill in a mere two weeks.”
Zak closes his eyes and thinks for a while. When his eyes open he says, “Fine, I’ll write your damned contract. And I’ll see to Alice’s safety.”
“Thank you, father Zak.”
“Let’s get to it then. We’ve wasted enough time already.”
Zak gets up and starts rummaging around the room for the necessary supplies so I take the opportunity to ask what I had been wondering, “How do you two know each other anyway?”
“Well you heard how we met,” Zak said while bustling around the room. “After that we became more or less war buddies.”
“You were a soldier, Zak?”
“I tried my best to be a negotiator but it never seemed to work out that well. Then when I inevitably failed Zeph would come in and wreak havoc.”
“You know if you had been halfway good at your job I’m pretty sure some of those battles could have been avoided.”
Zak comes back to the table and sets supplies out, “Maybe that's true. Regardless, my repeated failures at peace weighed heavy on my mind. Eventually I decided enough was enough and I left that life to be a priest. All I had wanted to do was help people, but there is no kindness on a battlefield. Every time I thought I saw some it turned out to be a mirage.”
“For what it’s worth you seem to make a better priest than you did a warrior.”
“Yes, what was the phrase you always used to say? ‘That uniform fits you terribly’ or something to that effect?”
“Sounds about right.”
“Back on topic, Stein, I want to outline the specifics of what this contract really means. This won’t just be a written agreement on paper, it’s an ancient form of magic that will bind your very souls to each other.”
This sparked a memory, “Like a binding vow?”
“Yes, that was the original form of this magic. The art of binding vows was originally taught to us by Bymos. The modern form of that ancient magic is a contract.”
Zak pauses, looking down at the various papers and ink he had gathered and said to me, “Stein. Even if you’re content with going through with this, I’m still not. I’ll be here to make sure you’ll at least retain your basic human dignity.”
“I’m still shocked at your lack of faith in my remaining human dignity.” Zeph said, earning him another scathing gaze from Zak.
“Thanks, father Zak. Let’s get started then.”
******
Over the next half hour we eventually settled on a contract that all of us could agree on. There had been a lot of bickering between Zak and Zeph, but eventually they came to a consensus and we had ourselves a finalized contract.
“Alright, you two. Zeph I’m sure you’ve done this before, but I’ll explain what we’ll do for your sake Stein. Each relevant member of this contract will read out loud the portions that they are a part of. So you two will, in sync, read out most of the contract together. And I’ll read out the final bit myself. After we’re done we each prick ourselves and drop blood on our names here, at the bottom. Do you both understand?”
“Yes.” Zeph and I said in unison.
“Do you need to rehearse it Stein?”
“I can read it myself.”
“Very well. You two can start whenever.”
Standing together Zeph and I looked down at the page of text in front of us and began to read off it in sync.
“The participant Stein will agree to serve the interests of the participant Zeph Morgan until both parties agree upon the dissolution of this contract or the death of either member.”
“For the duration of this contract the participant Stein will be bound to complete, to the best of his ability, any appropriate duties required of him by Zeph Morgan or an authorized member of Zeph Morgan’s independent enterprise.”
“The participant Zeph Morgan shall hereby be bound to uphold a standard of care for Stein outside of any duties assigned to him, including the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter, with an additional standard of care being procurement of any equipment deemed necessary by Stein for the completion of his duties.”
“The participant Zeph Morgan shall also be bound to uphold a standard of safety for Stein outside any appropriate duties assigned to him for the duration of this contract.”
“Should either party intentionally breach the terms of this contract they will be cursed with ceaseless pain and misery until they decide to take action to return to these terms.”
“Should either participant breach this contract in a way that results in the death of the other member, both participants' souls shall immediately be released to the Wheel. “
Zak read off the last paragraph himself, “As an addendum, the additional participant Zak Hop shall be charged with the safety and well-being of the individual Alice until her delivery into a church program which guarantees a life of safety and comfort at least until the age of 18. Should the participant Zak Hop neglect this duty his soul shall be cursed and be returned to the Wheel sooner than fate has ordained.”
Using pins we each pricked our fingers and let a drop of blood fall over our names at the bottom of the page. The text on the page glows golden then returns to normal.
Zak picks up the top piece of parchment and hands two of the three that were directly underneath to Zeph and me. Looking at it I see it's a perfect replication of the parchment we had just read off.
“One copy for each of us, and the original will be stored in the church's archives.”
“Father Zak, what does it mean when it says we’ll be cursed if we breach the contract?”
“A curse is like a spell put on somebody with an activation condition. The effects they can have can vary, but the most common in a slave contract like this is the instant death one. Here, where it talks about your soul being released to the wheel. We also included the pain one, which I’m told makes it feel like your body has been engulfed in flame. Others include paralysis of the limbs, loss of sight, erectile dysfunction.”
“Why is your death curse worded differently than ours? Yours mentions fate, like our deaths are predefined.”
“Bymos has granted us many things, one of which is the concept of clockwork fate.”
“Clockwork?”
Zak smiled, “We don’t know much about it either, but it is said that every person's life is like a gear. Those gears spin and spin and interact with other gears and those interactions are the events that we live. It’s said the size of our gears is proportional to the influence we’ll have upon the world.”
“I’ve always hated that concept.” Zeph spoke up unexpectedly, “It’s like saying some people are more important than others just because they happened to be born with a bigger gear.”
“If you think about it, it really is purely logical. A noble will affect far more lives than a farmer or a seamstress will, and that’s something decided at birth. This shouldn’t come as a surprise Zeph, we both know just how cruel this world can be.”
A long pause followed that.
“Yeah.”