181 Civil Discussion

Frey saw the two nobles go down. At first, he thought that they had just tripped, but then a long chain made of dark meteoric steel reached out from the thick layers of vegetation. Four men, all with their heads shaved and wearing dark, charcoal-like masks, stepped into the light of the rising sun. Their heavy scaled armor all had a mixture rust, stains, and deep scratches. The man at the front, who was covered with layers upon layers of the same black chains which had stopped the nobles, moved his arms. The chains, as if bending to his will, lit up with a dark blue mist and wrapped around the two nobles, binding them together.

Each of their drawn weapons had symbols which had been burned off. One had a Harnwood mace with bones sticking out of the end. Another had three curved swords at his waist, which seemed to constantly flash in the sun. The last one, whose weapon stood out among the rest, had a purely black broadsword with obsidian crystals in its hilt. He had a burning stare that seem to gravitate towards both Thomas and Elero. Doevm narrowed his eyes at the weapon, a flash of recognition in his eyes. Both groups aimed their weapons at each other.

The man at the front slowly walked forward with his chained arms in the air. "Easy there. We don't want to hurt you." As he got closer, Frey could make out many red marks from the chains constantly rubbing against his skin. "My name is Trak-"

"That's far enough," Elero cut him off.

Trak halted his steps: "We didn't come out here today to have a fight with another group. Since this chance has presented itself however, it would be a shame to let it go. We are looking to cooperate with you." He kept his gaze only on Doevm and Frey, while only occasionally glancing at Thomas and Elero.

"According to the terms of the game," Doevm stepped forward. "That's illegal, so I'll need some kind of explanation if we are going to go further. But first and foremost, those two are our prey." He pointed to the two nobles. "They denied our kills from us and almost got my group killed. Let us take what they have, let us go, and you can avoid a fight."

Trak shrugged: "While they did almost kill your group, the same can be said for some of my men. You see, these nobles escaped, nearly killing four of my men in the process. We thought we had pat them down, but they had a scroll that blew an entire part of the base up. We need points for healing potions, and they have them. Just let us take care of them and you'll never see them again, until initiation is over of course. We did capture them after all. Not you, us. So instead about talking of the past, how about we talk about the future?"

"No. I can't sneak around them," Thomas whispered back. "The one with the black sword is watching me. What should we do? Doevm doesn't seem to have any kind of plan yet, and it's not like we are in the best state right now. Can we beat them?"

"I don't know," Frey whispered back. "But they have some serious gear. I don't think I've ever seen weapons like those, especially the chains. Just leave it to Doevm. He'll think of something."

Doevm narrowed his eyes: "What kind of deal will a man who cheats and steals propose to me?"

Elero moved close to Thomas and Frey. Light layers of blue life essence appeared around her nose. "I smell a faint something from the one with the black sword."

"What kind of smell?" Thomas asked.

"Smells like he was the one who threw beast bait at us while we were distracted fighting," Elero whispered back.

"Well," Trak continued, oblivious to the rest of Doevm's group. "It is a competition after all. Of course I'm going to cheat and steal. What sane man wouldn't? But that is another matter, and we have little time, so I'll get straight to the point…"

"Are there any more around us?" Frey whispered. Elero, ever so slightly, shook her head. "Can you hear heartbeats at this range? Doevm once said something about a heartbeat and truthfulness." Elero shook her head again.

"What I essentially want-" Trak took another step forward.

"You noble hag!" The Black sword-wielder yelled at Elero. He stepped forward and tightened the grip on his weapon. Around one of his ears was a layer of blue life essence. Frey jumped in front of Doevm. Thomas and Elero got into stances. All pointed their weapons at the approaching man.

"Gregen," Trak hissed to the black sword-wielder, not daring to avert his gaze from Doevm. "Calm down." Trak put a hand in front of his comrade and the chains around his arm moved to block Gregen's path. The chain had slid into the water and barely made a ripple, but each thick link rattled against each other with dull, heavy clanks. Gregen stepped back and so did Trak.

Trak kept going, a bit of sweat going down his cheek: "Doevm right? I saw your fight in the Colosseum. And you." He pointed to Frey, who tensed up. "Both of you have the potential to grow strong, to become something more than any noble expects of you. We can help you by helping each other. Commoners should stick together after all. You won't be treated differently because of how you were born or the debt you inherited from your parents."

Frey narrowed his eyes: "And if we refuse?" He scanned the area in front of him, expecting something to jump out at him.

"That's fine-"

"Refuse?" Gregen practically cried. He grabbed the chains which blocked his path. "How could you refuse?" He jabbed his finger at Thomas and Elero. "Haven't they been treating you like peasants?" He put extra emphasis on the last word. "You should be happy to join us. Use your strength for something other than those nobles, for something greater. Isn't that why you got strong in the first place? To protect yourself, your friends, your family because the nobles wouldn't?" He shook the chains around. "You have something to protect, don't you? Live through what the nobles put you through, by joining us, then go back to your family."

"W-well," Frey glanced at Thomas. "Getting stronger is why we are all here and why we want to win this competition. Why would I throw the prize away?"

"You already have thrown the prize away by siding with them," Gregen continued. During his rant, Doevm and Trak stared at each other, at their companions, and at their weapons. Frey knew those looks. It was the same one that Captain Marcus had when looking over a map or when Doevm prepared for a fight. Gregen continued: "The nobles will prevent you from growing, but then send you away to fight for them, just like in the year-long war."

"No," Frey shook his head, wondering why the hell he was listening to this man, who was practically foaming at the mouth. "They wouldn't do…" Then he glanced at Thomas, who lowered his head and bit his lip.

Greg huffed: "They will put you through hell and back while they sip elixirs to grow. They will do it as many times as they need to all the while claiming it to be for the good of the kingdom. Then you will leave because you have no choice. When you die, what will become of the people you promised to protect?"

"That's enough," Trak glared at Gregen until he backed away. When Trak looked back to the group, he held a glint of hope. His attention now centered on Frey. "I'm sure that you have felt glares from nobles. You know what it is like to be treated as lesser people." He paused. Frey remained silent; his glare fixed. "So I ask you not to choose a side, as if this is some kind of war, but to ally yourself with us until we all graduate. If we don't, the nobles will come after us one by one because our failures in the academy bolster their growth."

"If I'm fighting for a cause, it isn't yours," Frey's hands were getting slippery on his spear. 'Doevm, say something to get me out of this won't you?'

Gregen sneered: "That fight in you, that's what I want. I admire that will of yours. But it is directed at the wrong people. You have no enemies here. We all serve the Kingdom and seek to make it better. We don't want to be stepped on is all. You can hold your head up high."

Trak took another step forward. So did his group. They gradually floated apart from one another in a semi-circle around Doevm. Trak smiled: "I want to be friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Nobles are born with more power than us. They don't work as hard yet they get so much further in life. That is unfair, but that is life. The only way we can compete with that power is to cooperate with each other, just like back at the year-long war." He reached up and took off part of his mask, displaying the many scars across his face. "The only ones I matter to, are the people I fight next to. I won't let anything happen to them no matter what a noble does or says. Won't you fight beside us?"

"And what if I should refuse?" Frey asked, but Trak wasn't looking at him.

"That is a tempting offer," Doevm finally managed to get a word in. He put a hand on Frey's shoulder and squeezed.

Frey stepped back and whispered to Thomas: "Get ready to move with us. Go for the mace-wielder. I got Gregen." Thomas gave an ever so slight nod.

"The guy with three swords is mine." Elero whispered.

"I got to ask though," Doevm continued, pretending not to hear their whispers. "What do you want to do after graduating? How will growing stronger together help us after we are separated on the battlefield?"

"Strength," Trak said. "We want to grow stronger so we can live through the war and come back home. I don't seek changes or rebellion like that group of idiots. I just want to be able to go home with my friends and comrades by my side."

"Sounds good." Doevm said. "Honestly, if I wasn't on a team, this would be my best option. It has been the best option in the past. Any regular commoner would take it in a second." Doevm's next words froze Trak's smile. "However there's one problem."

"What?"

"I don't believe a damned word you've said." The two groups charged in.