" A Name?" SBO-1 was confused by Thorin's question, "Isn't SBO-1 my name?"
Thorin shook his head, he already expected the boy to have some trouble understanding this matter. -" People would become suspicious if you introduce yourselves with such a strange name, and besides that, SBO-1 is your code name, you should come up with a real name,"
SBO-1 thought hard about what name he wanted, but nonetheless, not one seemed to fit him. -" Arhggg, I don't know..." SBO-1 felt frustrated as he couldn't come up with a name, but, he suddenly had an idea. " Why don't you give me a name?"
-" Are you sure?" Thorin didn't feel comfortable at first, but, as he gave thought to it, he realized that he was the closest person to SBO-1, and he even considered the boy to be an adoptive son.
-"Of course! I don't think there is anyone better!" SBO-1 became excited since he would use this name for the entirety of this mission, and possibly the next one as well.
Thorin sighed and began to think, he didn't know what to name the boy. " Do you have a preference for your name?"
-" It's all up to you, I would be happy with any name you gave me." SBO-1 answered with no hesitation, Thorin meant way too much to him, so he would be content with whatever he came up with.
Thorin looked at SBO-1 with his eyes full of emotions, and his thoughts wandered about his long-deceased son. " Long ago I had a child, he followed my footsteps and joined the army like me, but, fate is a treacherous thing and he died in his first year there." Thorin gasped for air as the tragic memories made him even more emotional. " His name was Vysard, what do you think about it?"
SBO-1 was shocked, he never expected THorin to give him such a meaningful name. " Are you sure?" He felt more than happy to bear the name of such an important person in his life.
Thorin smiled as he patted SBO-1's head. -" You will be called Vysard II, for now, if you ever want to change your name don't feel afraid of it, and just tell me, and I won't be hurt by it."
-" I wouldn't dare!" SBO-1 was emotional, it was clear that Thorin gave him this name as a show of love and respect. " I'm now called Vysard II, and I won't change it!"
A burst of creepy laughter echoed from outside the tent where Thorin and Vysard were speaking, causing the two to become alert. " Oppius, What do you want?" Thorin immediately recognized the owner of the voice.
-" Dinner is ready," Oppius laughed again as he entered the tent and stared at SBO-1 with a venenous smirk. "SBO-1... or maybe I should call you Vysard? Why don't you go eat? I need to talk with Thorin privately."
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Vysard felt a tingling sense of danger coming from the man, but, he eventually left the tent as Thorin gestured him to do so.
Thorin watched as Vysard left and returned his gaze to Oppius, but, this time his face was completely serious. -" I don't take people meddling in my business lightly, Oppius." Thorin's aura shot up as he spoke, his fury evident on his face. " What do you want?"
-" Your business? The Cardinals would take offense to that." Oppius's venomous smirk widened. " I heard that some of them are very concerned about your relationship with SBO-1."
-" This is between me and them," Thorin raised his tone as Oppius mentioned the Cardinals. "It's better if you mind your words while talking to me."
Oppius frowned as he felt the overbearing pressure of Thorin's aura. "This is more like it. I was surprised how docile you were acting earlier today." Oppius as he took a seat next to the entrance of the tent. " I almost believed that your reputation was misleading, Arch-Inquisitor Thorin."
-" My reputation?" Thorin didn't lessen the pressure on the sleazy man. " Don't worry, soon enough you will see if I'm really that harsh."
-" You shouldn't feel so offended by my comments." Oppius let out a sigh as the pressure was finally bothering him. " After all, don't we have the same goal?"
-" Goal?" Thorin became confused as he didn't understand what the man was talking about. " What would make you think that?"
-" The cardinal pressure on you, isn't just because of your close relationship with SBO-1." Oppius gave a slight pause and took a deep breath as he tried to hold his emotions. " It's true that you're harsh and demand way too much discipline of those under you, but, any of the Sun Blessed will admit that you treat them far better than any other people in the Chruch."
Oppius smirked again as he noticed Thorin was interested in what he was about to say, so he continued. " They are afraid, They are afraid of us! And they are even more worried about someone of your reputation constantly calling for the better treatment of the Sun Blessed, they know that the chains that bound us are only weakening with each passing second, and the day they came off, it will be their end."
-" And the end of all of the Sun Land." Thorin scoffed at Oppius, even thinking that he was delusional. " If the Chruch of the Sun God were to fall, all of the Sun Lands will be engulfed in chaos."
-" So? Is the peace and prosperity of the Sun Lands a justification for treating us like slaves? For using us as they see fit, and then disposing of us like sick animals after we are no longer needed?" Oppius's face twitched in anger. " It isn't our fault that our freedom can only be achieved by the doom of those maggots."
Thorin was taken aback, he never expected Oppius to be so direct. -" Quite dangerous words, aren't you afraid that I would speak out about this?"
-" You won't, you know that what you fear will come true if you say anything." Oppius smiled lightly as he opened the tent to leave. " Besides that, your dear SBO-1 would be the one most affected by the turmoil in the Chruch, you know too well how the upper echelon is afraid of him."
Thorin let out a sigh after Oppius left, his hand trembled with anxiety. -" I hope that nothing happens in the twin's Cathedrals while we are away." Thorin looked south with his eyes full of emotions, he didn't want to admit it, but, the man had a reason to be so full of hostility.
While wolfing down a plate of soup, Vysard kept his attention towards Thorin's tent, he didn't know what they were talking about, but, he had a foreboding that it wasn't anything good, so when he noticed Oppius leaving the tent, he quickly got up to check on Thorin.
-" Thorin? Is everything all right?" Vysard was hesitant to enter the tent, but, his worry for his father figure spoke louder.
Thorin was sitting with his head in between his hands. -" You don't have to worry." Thorin looked a bit shocked, but, he soon recomposed and continued. " Vysard... One day you will have to make a choice, I won't blame you for what you chose, but, I hope that you come to terms with whatever you chose, and don't regret it."
Vysard grew pale as he never saw Thorin acting so melancholy. -" Is everything alright? Did Oppius do something to you?"
-" Even if he wanted, he couldn't. I just came to understand that some matters are inevitable." Thorin scratched his head and gave Vysard a serious look. " Before I hoped that this wouldn't happen, but, I was just deluding myself." Thorin sighed as he patted the boy again, and cursed his fate.