“Wait, wait so you actually decided to join the Liberators? I didn’t take you for a freedom fighter.” Ren murmured, his face didn’t seem all that surprised from the news. I shrug in response, it’s not like I joined for the cause of Liberating the deserts, or fighting to free other slaves. It was simply the only way I could see myself getting the power I wanted, needed to survive in this world. And Da’in had promised just that but first, she told me to prepare for our departure. Which wasn’t for another 24 hours, how they could tell the time with the sun always in the sky I had no clue. 

Her terms were simple yet dictator styled, questioning about where I came from and how I had supposedly crossed the Layfront border. I figured explaining my situation honestly might help me, having a powerful ally on my side to help in my search had its merits. But after explaining to her I had come from another world through a black hole she didn’t seem to believe me and assumed I had either gone crazy in the mines or simply just didn’t want to tell her.  

Her other terms were as followed, I must join the Liberators, I must obey each and every rule enforced by her and the Captain, I must listen and obey to any and everything she says, and finally, I have to travel to Denebay tomorrow. Some of them seemed a little strict but considering I had already agreed to them I didn’t complain, I was getting three meals a day and a fresh set of clothes so there really wasn’t a reason to. 

“Why not join? You could get rid of those rags and enjoy a decent meal for once.” I ask slurping my soup, it tasted of beef something I hadn’t tasted in weeks, yet it felt like a lifetime. “Well…… gray is my color, and I would be known throughout history as the handsome prince who saved the desert.” Pondering the offer he glances over at Celeste, “what do you think?” 

Listening to the conversation she gave a small shrug, unlike before in the mines her hair wasn’t disheveled and fell to her shoulders in a clean manner. The rags she had worn were replaced by a leather tunic that stopped at her knees, “doesn’t matter to me what you do, but you can count me out. I already found a job here at the blacksmith, Taro offered me the job this morning.”  

“You got a job with the blacksmith? But… aren’t you a girl why would he offer you a job?” He said it jokingly but she was not amused simply scoffing at him, “because I’m a girl I can’t be a blacksmith? Anything you can do I can obviously do better Ren.” With that she stormed away, walking through a crowd of villagers. “I think you made her mad.” I murmur patting his back, “so you are you in or what?”  

For once Ren seemed unsure of himself I could see that as he stared into the crowd where Celeste had disappeared. “You know Finn, both you and Celeste are the only friends I have.” It was surprising hearing Ren talk seriously for once. “But I don’t think I can join, you’ll be leaving and if I go Celeste will be here all alone. I don’t worry too much about you but Celeste…… she hasn’t been the same since we left the mines, she needs me. And I know it’s what Bator would want.” He looked me in the eyes as he spoke not looking away for a moment. 

I knew he had thought about it and accepted his decision with a nod followed by a pat on the back, “I think it’s for the best. For both you and for Celeste.” I knew the path I would walk would not be void of blood, and I was glad they wouldn’t get mixed into the violence that I know was ahead of me. “Don’t worry I’ll be sure to see you off tomorrow, but I’ve got a job to get to. Apparently, someone left the pig pen open last night.” With that, he ran off leaving me to my thoughts. 

Da’in has given me coin to buy supplies for travel, although I didn’t understand fully how the money system worked here. From what I observed in the market and from the hagglers, the triangle shaped coin was worth the most, the square is worth only a quarter of a triangle and the small circle coin only being worth 1/10 of a square. I didn’t know what the names were so I called them Tri, Sqa, and Circ. There were other shaped coins which I assumed were worth more than the triangle but I hadn’t seen many of them and figured no one wanted to spend that much money on anything. 

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She had given me three Tri pieces and told me to buy a weapon and as many bandages, I could carry, I’ll admit it frightened me a bit but my determination wouldn’t flinch from the talk of pain so easily. With only 3 Tri pieces I couldn’t afford a weapon made from a blacksmith so I walked through the market until I came across a run down shop, a majority of the weapons covered in rust. “Welcome to Rudy’s wares we sell anything from knives to swords how can I help you?” The man was scruffy, his hair dropping over his eyes and his beard was grizzly, he sat on his stool and his eyes seemed to be lost in the clouds as he spoke.  

He didn’t seem too interested in helping so I simply nodded and rifled through the junk he had, looking for something that wasn’t rusted or above 2 Tri. There were mostly broad swords in the shop, and I immediately dismissed using one. With my thin arms and body, there was no way I’d be able to use it, there were old whips but that brought back unpleasant memories. The knives and daggers were in the best condition but I didn’t want to use anything that reminded me of my torture sessions with Wickum, I felt cold just looking at them.  

There was a wide range of weapons, from sticks to boomerangs, staffs, axes, swords. Some I didn’t even know how it could be used as a weapon. Nothing felt right, then again, I suppose I’ve never gone shopping for something to possibly kill someone with. It was gnawing at the back of my mind, I had to commit murder in order to survive. The choice seemed to get heavier with the realization, that I would possibly to a life, many lives if the need arose to accomplish my goal. “I guess if I’m going to be a killer, I might as well be the best killer I can be,” with that I decided and walked away from the shop towards the main building. 

Walking through the curtain a smoky aroma floated through the room, sitting at the bar a man sat talking to a hooded figure. The armor he wore unlike the other Liberators was polished, revealing your reflection when glanced at. His short black hair was neatly trimmed absent of sand surprisingly, even his beard was neatly trimmed around his face. With his bulging muscles he could easily over power me, that’s what I thought until I realized his arm was missing. Right below the elbow, nothing was there and I wondered what a cripple could possibly due in the Liberators. 

He puffed on a short pipe, blowing smoke throughout the room causing me to cover my mouth. The smell brought back memories, and my grandfather’s image surfaced vaguely. Entering the room, I could see he was talking with the hooded man, the black cloak reminding me of the mines kept me on high alert. Da’in was standing behind her father staring deeply at the man, she seemed jittery and continuously tapped her foot, before seeing me at the entrance. 

“Over here Finn, come and meet the Captain.” Striding over I could feel the eyes of the cloaked man on me, he made no attempts to hide his obvious fascination. Standing beside Da’in I look at the armless man, his eyes were sharp but his smile friendly as he pulled out the stool, “I hear you joined the Liberators I’m Captain Rafuel, come on have a seat lad I’ll pour you a drink.” 

“We don’t have time to drink, we have to prepare for our departure tomorrow.” The air seemed thin in the room, even so, I responded, “It’s nice to meet you, Captain.” 

The captain released a sigh before looking at Da’in, “you never were one to take it easy, the reason I brought you here was to meet the beast-men you’ve been so skeptical about.” Nodding his head towards the cloaked man he let down his hood revealing his face. 

Perhaps if it had been any random beast-man it would be fine, for I wasn’t expecting to come face to face with my demons so soon. Because when he dropped his hood I knew who he was, he was the one who had captured me in the desert, the one who had introduced me and Leo to our horrible fates.