Crossing the bridge with one hand on his sword’s pommel, Zan kept his eyes locked on everyone he encountered. He wanted to be hyper-aware of his surroundings and where others were in relation to him, least they ambush and kill him. Though such a gruesome fate seemed unlikely, considering everything he knew about these people.

Feet on the ground, the bridge crossed, Zan searched for no one.

How could he search for something he did not know or understand or existed? Poorly, was how.

Wandering the rebel encampment, Zan got it into him to ask around for what was happening. He received a lot of answers — “We’re fighting tyranny!” “Battling for a better world!” or even more idealistic answers such as “We can envision a better universe than the Kingship conceives!” — yet no matter the response, Zan was not so sure on what was happening and why it was happening. At best, he vaguely appreciated missing a lot of history.

“Zan? Is that you?” a voice asked him.

Turning to see who spoke, it took Zan a moment to find the voice in the sea of faces. The further he wandered from the town, the more rebels he noticed. Just how many are there? He wondered.

“Yeah, it is. It’s good to see you,” Zan replied to Whiskey, a half-smile on his face.

They embraced, then released. “What are you doing here? Sorry I did not have the time to ask in the forest.”

“Oh, no. It’s okay. I am here with Jiehong trying to find an academic. Someone who knows the Old Tongue. We investigated the structure you told us about in the woods. It was indeed part of our order. Or close enough, anyway… skipping ahead, we found a locations list which supposedly has more structures. The list, however, is written in the Old Tongue Script.”

“Ah! That’s a bummer. I don’t have a clue myself who could help you with that. I don’t recall ever meeting anyone with those skills. Not like I run in those circles to begin with, even so,” Whiskey replied, thinking on the matter.

“Same. Everyone we’ve talked to has said to check out the library. Neither myself nor Jiehong are students, though. I don’t know what kind of reception we will receive. Jiehong is investigating, though. I hope he gets something out of it for us.”

“Are you two leaving, soon?”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Maybe? I don’t know… I am supposed to meet Jiehong soon. If we don’t have any luck at the library, I suppose we will be leaving. Check out more towns, you know?”

“Absolutely,” Whiskey said. “Well, if you need anything, let me know. If I have the power to help, I will.”

“Sure, sure… I have to ask: why not join with us?” Zan asked suddenly. He remembered the words of the Screen Master and how it would be fortuitous to recruit Whiskey, considering her ability to enter the command center.

“I can’t, Zan! I have other obligations. With my village safe and the invasion, now is the perfect time to throw my lot in with the rebels. I had sympathy for them for a long while now. Now, it is the time,” Whiskey said.

Zan thought about the angle he should take. He knew little about history or the rebels. He knew slightly more about his Order, the Shiv, but hardly much. What he believed was this: his cause was greater, at least for the time being, than the rebel cause.

So he went with that…

“Why the rebels, though? Do you think you can do more good with them than with us?” Zan asked.

“I do. I wouldn’t be with them if I didn’t,” Whiskey said.

“I think you can do more with us, as small as we are. Consider: your rebel friends did not, could not, help with the forced labor camp. But we, my Order, could help you.”

Zan made a good point. He knew because he could see Whiskey’s face react.

“You make a good point, Zan. Unfortunately, I have made obligations to the rebels. I cannot simply up and leave.”

“So, they are forcing you to stay?”

“No… well, in a sense. It is not as bad as it sounds, Zan. I knew what I was signing up for when I signed the service contract. Being under contract, then, I have my duties.”

“You could surely leave if you had good cause. Do you think if I talked to the commander, or whoever is in charge of these issues, there would be a chance of you joining with us?” Zan asked, more desperate now to snag a new member for the Order after he tasted sweet partial victory from his poignant points.

“Unlikely. Zan, thank you for your faith in me and your concern, but I am with the rebels. There is not much which can change that,” Whiskey said.

“I had to try,” Zan replied.

“I know you did,” Whiskey said, smiling.

“Will you ever join up with us?”

“If you guys survive long enough? Maybe… I think it depends on what will happen with our little rebellion, though.”

“Sure, yeah… good point. Assuming you’re not on duty, would you like to spend a spell chatting with Jiehong and myself? I know he misses you.”

“That’s awfully sweet of him, but I should really check in with—”

Something caught Whiskey’s attention. Her response trailed, and she spotted in the distance a rider with a white flag.

“Who is that?” Zan wondered aloud.

“It is a messenger. The white flag is the universal sign of a peace traveler,” Whiskey explained.

Not knowing exactly what a ‘peace traveler’ was, Zan remained interested.

With the traveler in range, the conversation began. The traveler said, “Ma’am! The enemy has been spotted. A large column is moving through from the adjacent province. Scouts have identified lots of raw resources within the column. We suspect the forces of the Expanse are attempting to set up a forward operations base.”

Taking the news well, Whiskey told the man, “There will be a response. Gather local allies and wait for my command.”