Gosh, it's weird to think of myself with a new name... Takeo thought. He knew in his bones that it wasn't his old one, but... it was his now. It will take some time to get used to it. This had thrown the young man into a bit of a funk. He had been weary of those two bloodied guys. Xander had been nice enough, but there had been this dissonance between his behavior and his outward appearance that didn't lend itself to trust. Connor, on the other hand, had been quite grumpy. And while he had seemed to be wary of him, and maybe even a bit rude, he had disclosed a lot of information that had seemed to be important and probably even intimate, at least according to Xander.

As Connor's temper cooled somewhat, Takeo took the opportunity to fetch the trouser that was waiting for him the Reward chest. It was so very strange, as the container was definitely bigger on the inside. Sliding his hand into the chest was like reaching through a bowl of water. He could feel the fabric of the trousers, but it felt like it was further away, the sensation dimmed by the distance. Still, he grabbed it easily enough, pulled it out, and found two little sheets of paper waiting under it. It was a simple pair of black trousers, somehow with folded legs, and larger than what he was used to, with a leather belt. Without asking permission, he quickly put it on, and it fit him perfectly. He let the robe fall back over it. He was really happy not to be so much naked anymore, even if he disliked not having underwear. I'll have to look for some later... Despite that, they were quite comfortable, but they probably wouldn't amount to much against a Goblin. I'll have to cut the robe to have access to my dagger if I secure it to my belt, he thought but stowed it for later. Then he took out the two sheets of paper and looked at them.

"Oh, that's nice!" exclaimed Xander. "It looks like nothing fancy, but it's an upgrade from your robe... Usually, gears from Reward Chest aren't cursed, but you should refrain from putting on anything that hasn't been properly identified. Who knows what magical effect they can hold? But it should be fine... probably" The swordsman winked, and glanced at his hand. "Oh, and isn't that Talismans?" he asked, pointing at his hand.

Takeo looked at his new trousers, a bit surprised and confused. That's something I should have thought by myself... he thought. Well to my defense, that's my first days in a magical world, but still.

"That's still less work for me," grumbled the moody Connor. "I'll try to fashion you some boots, might not be as comfortable as true ones, but they will probably beat walking barefoot." Xander's exclamation had caught his attention, and he looked at the items in question. "Indeed. Wonder what they are, though."

"Thanks," replied Takeo to the crafter-to-be. "I'm sorry for the trouble." He was a bit ashamed to appear to be so needy, but he didn't have much choice. His feet truly weren't meant to be bare. Just remembering his short walk by the carnage made him turn a bit green. He didn't feel like he'd hurt himself, so that was that, but boots were important for a reason. He was glad that Connor was willing to help him, despite his obvious dislike of applying his Abilities to crafting. "Are Talisman anything good? Or is it just a fancy name for a tourist trap?" he asked, a bit worried.

Connor was the one to reply, "Well, I don't know what's a tourist. Talismans could be traps, but mostly they're like single-use bottled Abilities. It is quite useful IF you know the effect of the Talisman." He paused, "Otherwise, it's a danger on par with a bomb. You should store them away. Once we find a Haven, we'll be able to identify them, and then you'll be able to use them safely."

Scary, thought the young man, and carefully lowered them into his bag. But... Maybe the Book can help me with that? he pondered.

Meanwhile, Xander was taking a peek at his own Reward, "Oh, shiny!" he exclaimed. "I got myself a ring!" He was looking at it with a big smile, and he was clearly very happy with it. It didn't look that impressive to the Newcomer, it seemed plain and simple, with barely any decoration. His parents weren't one to wear jewelry, and that's something he kind of inherited. Once at the hospital, the idea never really came up.

"Is that good?" he asked, curious.

"Yeah, I'll have to wait until we reach the next Haven, though." He looked at Takeo, "I'll be able to identify it there." He paused, "Usually rings are big things. They have a wide variety of usage, from protection to empowerment and many other uses." He looked at his hand, "It's also good money." He put it in a purse along with a few Orbs.

Finished with his looting, he walked toward Connor and laid his backpack against the too-white arena wall. "Come, Takeo, let's sit down and rest a bit. Are you hungry, or thirsty?" he asked as he rummaged through his pack, and took out a light blue metallic canteen and a paper wrap containing jerky.

"WATER!" exclaimed Takeo. He was so thirsty. He didn't know how long it had been since he had fled his waking room, but it seemed an eternity to him. "Please, water," he asked this time, more calmly.

Xander chuckled and handed him the canteen. "Here, drink slowly, you don't want to make yourself sick."

The bottle is so thin, how could it hold anything more than a mouthful? he wondered. But Xander invited him to drink again, so he wouldn't disappoint. He unfastened the plug from the flask and took a sip. "Gah!" he exclaimed. "It's so cold!" He relished the sensation. It wasn't the blessed water he had previously tasted, as it didn't rejuvenate him, but it was still so good. He took another sip. "Thank you," he said, handing the canteen back to Xander. "I'm sorry, I haven't much to share..."

Xander laughed this time and took the flask back. "Sure, don't worry about it." He helped himself several mouthfuls, way too many for that small container, he mused.

Now rehydrated, and sited, Takeo could feel himself settling down. He wasn't alone anymore, these people seemed to know what was going on and that relieved him a lot. He still had to process his flight from the crazed goblin, but he dutifully pushed these thoughts away for the moment. He was safe, and he was with "friends". He could rest. So far, so good, he thought. I haven't been molested for my loot, not that it was much, but still. According to them, the Orbs are money.

"So, Takeo, could you tell us about your recent experience?" asked Xander. "I'm curious to know what happened to you." He was looking at him with a kind smile behind a face full of grime.

The young man shivered a bit "Say, Xander... I don't want to appear rude, but do you have something to clean yourself with? You kind of look like you went through a bloodbath recently."

That took him aback and made Connor laugh like a madman. "Mouhahahahaha!" he exclaimed. "He's right you know, someone could mistake you for a deceased goblin!" He was laughing so hard that he had to hold his belly.

Xander looked mortified and quickly took a look at himself. He had absentmindedly cleaned his hands and face somewhat earlier, but he clearly hadn't paid attention to much else. "Oh!" He paused, "Err, yeah, well sorry. I had a lot on my mind... I'll take care of that, sorry." He dove back into his pack and took out a towel, a satchel of powder, and his magical gourd. "Shit, that's going to take some time..." he muttered as he began to unfasten his armor.

Seeing the young swordsman flustered made him look a little more human to Takeo, and that made him feel more at ease. He was glad to share his story, maybe they could help me make sense of it. He took one of his remaining apples from his back and bit it. They are so good. It almost feels criminal to eat them... He suddenly wondered what his book would say about it. I'll have to ask it later. He took another bite and started his tale.

Xander was a very good public, enticing him to continue with well-placed questions between curses when he found some goblins' remains. Connor was a bit more reserved but seemed intrigued just as well. His story wasn't a long one, and he didn't want to prod his... older memories. He was glad to have a good excuse to stop, as he was starting to feel tired again. He finished his apple, and put the core back in his bag. I'll have to find a way to dispose of it later...

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Thank you for sharing your story," replied Xander, after a moment. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I'm glad you are here with us now." He seemed to ponder something for a moment, then added, "I'll give you the short version about our own experience. Please, ask if you want more details."

Takeo nodded, only too happy to listen. He made himself a bit more comfortable. He wasn't used to sitting on the floor, but it was better than standing up. He was still a bit tired, but he was feeling better. His mind was wondering about the book, he had so many questions about it! But he didn't want to interrupt Xander, so he waited patiently.

"Right, we were born in Sandford," started Xander, including Connor in the tale. "It's a small village in the Haven of Sandford-"

"What's a Haven?" asked Takeo, interrupting him. He was curious about this new word. It was not the first time the young swordsman had used it, and he was wondering what it meant.

"Ah, sorry, I forgot you wouldn't know," replied Xander. He pondered his reply. "Okay. Err... A Haven is a very peculiar kind of Realm." Seeing Takeo's incomprehension, he tried to elaborate. "Okay, what's a Realm then?" he asked rhetorically and encompassed everything with his arms. "See around us, the arena. It's a Realm. If we took the time to climb the wall and explore, we would soon reach the limits of this Realm. There's probably nothing beyond the walls. It's a finite space, with a defined border. It's a Realm."

Takeo nodded, he understood that, even if it was so weird. "So, a Haven is a Realm?"

"Yes, just a bigger one. It's a Realm that is big enough to allow thousands of people to live within." He paused, and added, "It's a bit more complicated than that, but it's the gist of it." He looked at Takeo, and asked, "Does that make sense?"

"Sort of?" replied Takeo. "I think I understand what you mean, but it's still a bit weird." He looked around and tried to imagine how there could be nothing beyond the walls. "How does the 'limits' look like? Is it a wall? An invisible one? or a fog?"

"Well, how did you get that invisible wall idea? It's kind of like that, to be honest, but beyond the world is blurred." He shrugged, "The Priest explained that it was a bit like a painting, but that there wasn't anything beyond." He paused, "I don't know, it's a bit weird, but it's not like we can go and check, right?" He laughed a bit dejectedly.

Takeo didn't like those explanations, because they explained nothing. But Xander didn't seem to be able to explain better, so he let it be. He would have to check that himself later. He nodded, "Right."

Xander relieved, continued. "So, we lived in Sandford for sixteen years, and then we had had to leave to earn our Seal." He showed his right hand, and removed his glove, "And never come back."

"You were thrown out?" asked Takeo, both surprised and vindicated. He was intrigued by the young man Seal, but that wasn't the most important right now. "Why?"

Connor answered, grumbling "To get a Gurtav blasted Seal, that's why!". Takeo's brow twitched. Who's that Gurtav? he wondered. He was about to ask but refrained himself. He didn't want to interrupt again. I'll ask later.

Xander sighed but agreed, "Yes, that's why. You must understand that a Seal is much more than a simple tattoo on your arm. Just by adding a few Orbs to your Seal, you can have twice the Strength of an unsealed man. And that's just the beginning." He paused, "The point is, living in a Haven is a privilege. You have to earn your keep, and people with Seal can put in more work than those without." He looked at Takeo, "Does that make sense?"

Takeo nodded, "Yes, I think so. It's like a... job facilitator? Besides, why can't you come back?"

His impromptu teacher shrugged, "Not really. Well sort of, but no. For example, take Connor, he'd been dealt a bad Seal," and that got him ranting again. "But if he were to leave the Path and settle in a Haven, he could still load up his Seal with Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity and work in the fields. He would be able to plow from dawn till dusk without pause and not even end up tired."

"Wow," exclaimed Takeo. "That's amazing!" Not that he was very familiar with farming, but he could imagine how much work it would be. "So people without Seal can work but not as much as those with Seal. That doesn't make them any less people..."

"Ha!" exclaimed Connor, "Tell that to our old Souverain! He was a Sealist, and he made sure that people without Seal were treated like dirt. He was a real piece of work, that one."

Xander nodded but was a bit more reserved in his opinion. "Well, he was a bit of a jerk, but he wasn't all bad. It isn't as simple, and it's true, it's also a bit of a political issue." He looked at Takeo, apologetically. "I'm sorry, that's a bit tangential. The point is, living in a Haven isn't safe as many monsters are roaming about, and it's a lot of work to maintain, thus it's easier to make it work with Sealed people than not." He paused, "This said, at sixteen it's traditional to leave your Haven and earn your Seal. You can think of it as a coming of age ritual... albeit a deadly one."

"Deadly?" asked Takeo, a bit worried. "Why?"

Xander sighed, "Because you have to earn it, in a way..." He paused, "Well look around. We were in an Arena, and a few moments ago, we were fighting for our lives. Of course, we already have our Seal, so it's not quite like earning it, but it's close enough."

Connor added, "And that's the beginning of the Path. The first step is to go through the Door and leave your Haven. Then, you get a Seal, and you're on your own, you have to find the next Door up until you reach a Haven again." He took a moment to think and continued, "Also most of us just follow the Path that has been trodden by thousands before, so they know what to expect. It's not that bad, really. Dangerous at times, but not that bad."

The Newcomer was a bit surprised at that admission. "So, you're saying that you're not the first to go through this Path?"

Both Connor and Xander winced at that remark and became quite uneasy. "Yeah, well, we're probably not the first, but we have made a choice..." started Xander, grasping for a good way to explain himself. "We're not following the Path as it was intended. Or so we believe. We want to be challenged, so we took... another way."

Connor tried to bring some more clarity to the matter, "Look, you see there, there are three Doors. Xander hasn't yet explained about these, so I'll fill you in. Not that I know too much anyway, but the basics are simple to grasp. Each Door leads to a different Path. So far so good, right?"

Takeo nodded, "Yes, I think so."

The grumpy archer nodded, "You've seen that Doors are one-way right? You can't jump back into the Door you just left, and no Path loops on itself by itself. Except for some people."

The Newcomer nodded at the first part, but the second part was a bit more confusing. Connor caught on to that one and explained some more, "Well, you've to understand that some Pathers have very powerful Abilities and skills. They can do things like communicate across realms or even travel between them. So, some people have been able to go through a Door, and then come back, or tell others about it. And that's how we know what troubles were lying ahead, had we followed the trodden Path from Sandford. It would have taken us six Challenges to reach the next Haven, the Plains of Ghyl, and prepared as we were, we would certainly have made it."

"But?" asked Takeo, sensing that there was more to it.

"But, we didn't want to. We wanted to be challenged! Where's the Adventure in following a Path that has no mysteries? Do you think Lord Robert just followed the easy way out? No! He went wherever pleased him, and he made his own Path!" Connor was visibly very passionate about the subject, and Takeo was a bit taken aback by his outburst. I prefer it when he is like this than when he is sulking. He concluded with a very dramatic, "That's why we took the Hero's Door!"

Still, that's not the first time Connor's mentioning other people. Who's that Gurtav? And this Lord Robert? he wondered. It smelled like something religious, and he didn't like that. Overly religious people tend to... overreact. He left that can of potential worms alone, as there were more pressing matters on hand.

"So, you're saying that you have no clue as to where we are, nor where we're going?" asked Takeo, a bit worried. He was starting to feel a bit lost, and he didn't like it. But, it wasn't any worse than before, and at least he was with friends. Right?

Connor nodded, "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. We have no clue where we are, or where we're going. That's the whole point of the third Door, it always leads somewhere randomly." He paused, a bright fire shining through his eyes, "And that's the Adventure!"

Xander, the calmer mind of the two, added, "It might have been a bit reckless, but we're not alone. We have each other, and we have our Abilities. We'll be fine." He looked at Takeo, "And now, we have you too. We'll get you to the next Haven we find, and you'll be able to settle down there, should you want to."

This was a bit overwhelming for the young man. Care what you wish for, isn't it? He was glad to have found companions, but he was a bit worried about the future. I'll have to think about it later. He looked at Xander, "Thank you, I'm glad to be with you too." He paused. "Do you mind if I get some time alone, I need to think about all this."

Xander nodded, "Sure, no problem. We'll be here if you need us."

"Oh and before I forget... What's at the end of the Path?" he asked, suddenly remembering one of his questions.

Connor snorted, "Well, that's the thing. Not sure anyone really knows. Lord Robert ascended, is that the end of the Path?" He shrugged, "Anyway, what's important, it's the Path itself, not the end." He threw the young man a conspiratorial wink, "And that's the Adventure!" and he laughed. Definitely a bit crazy, thought Takeo. And another bunch of things to add to my ever-growing list of unknowns...