After they ran out of material, they tried out Derek’s new telepathy ability.

“And so my Lord, I do humbly swear to follow thy wishes in all things, even unto death.” Samuel declared, bowing and scraping dramatically. Regardless of his acting ability, it appeared to satisfy the “subordinate” condition of Derek’s new ability.

After experimenting, what finally worked was thinking his message while picturing Samuel.

To Samuel, it was like someone else had just thought something in his own brain.

As they were talking, the light coming from the windows slowly disappeared as day turned unto night. Samuel tried to get some sleep, but had limited success as he was used to beds, not wooden floors.

“My back is going to be so sore.” Samuel grumbled. He was met with silence, and when he looked over to Derek he found him fast asleep, drooling on the floor.

“Seriously? That’s just unfair.” He muttered.

Eventually he fell asleep.

.

You know an annoying human reminded me that I never described what they looked like. Why does it matter anyway? You all look the same regardless. Whatever, Derek had blond curly hair and was tallish. Samuel was

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

s pretty tall but skinny with long brown hair. Happy? No? Fine, whats her name the soldier lady was average height and had black hair. All human faces look the same to me so you’re not getting that sorry. Anyways…

They awoke to their instructor shaking them awake. She was clad in the same leather armor, but this time had a sword belted on.

“Hello!” Derek said to her in the local language.

She looked surprised, then spoke rapidly in response. Derek simply held up his hands.

She frowned, then repeated the familiar follow command. Instead of leading them to the armory with practice weapons, she led them to one with real weapons this time. Samuel and Derek exchanged looks.

“I’ve got a bad feeling we’re about to become front-line fodder.” Derek muttered grimly. As expected, she handed them a couple of well-used rusty swords with pitted blades . They received no armor, and were instead brought outside to join a contingent of leather armored soldiers. Their instructor gestured meaningfully at the archers, reminding them exactly what would happen if they tried running.

Samuel felt his insides hollow out as fear filled him up. Panic in a desperate situation tended to be eventually muted by shock and adrenaline, but dread just went on and on. He had no illusions of “battlefield glory” or any such thing. They could run and hope the archers were bad shots, but he doubted they could survive whatever monsters they had heard in those woods.

Sensing Samuel’s mood, Derek put his arm on his friends shoulder as they joined the contingent and walked to the gates.

As they walked their instructor pulled out the board again. She drew soldiers charging to teach them attack, soldiers running for retreat, then finally drew a gruesome picture of soldiers being filled with arrows as they ran from a battlefield. However her face softened after and she drew some soldiers arm in arm, laughing and talking. Derek could tell what she was saying. You're one of us now.

For better or worse. He thought.