Ade sighed as he crested one final dune. Ever since the nomads had sold the Oasis to Zar the Elders and his grandfather things had changed for the better. Their initial departure had been somewhat tense, but those feelings quickly faded away once they reached their next destination and could turn the bags of gold into much more useful treasures. New tents and repairs for existing ones were the first priority, but an almost endless water jug also found its way into the possession of the elders, giving the tribe an unprecedented level of security. The newfound wealth combined with Ade’s burgeoning skill as a Pathfinder gave the tribe the confidence they needed to invest in their future growth, in more ways than one.

More than a few families found themselves with a new addition in the months following their departure from the Oasis. Only a few of them had been actively trying for a child, and the rest deemed themselves either lucky or unlucky to have been affected by a small piece of the magic of the Oasis. Ade found his skills stretched in new directions, as neither pregnant women nor newborn babies made for very capable travelers, and Ade was pushed to use every bit of his skill to find the smoothest, safest paths possible as the tribe moved from place to place. Pathfinder Ahten was always near his grandson, and his grandfather’s presence gave him the confidence he needed to push his limits, knowing that if any mishaps did occur there was a supremely capable pathfinder able to help fix things. Ade had truly come into his own over the circuitous journey around the Sands that only now led them back to the Oasis where so much had changed. The few rumors they had heard about the newly formed city of Zaros had been unsettling, but had been dismissed when weighed against the tribe's existing relationship with Zar and the resources that the Oasis offered.

Upon arriving in Zaros, the Elders had parted ways, leaving the rest of the tribe behind to take in the sights while they negotiated a business deal or three. Ade had received a few lessons on negotiation and diplomacy, but was still too young and inexperienced to be allowed to join the elders and had been left with the rest of the tribe. Most of the nomads had made their way into one of the local eateries, eager to eat food that hadn’t been cooked over a campfire, but Ade was more interested in exploring Zaros and seeing just how much the place had changed.

It took Ade a while to put his finger on what emotions he was feeling as he strolled up and down the streets. At first glance, Zaros seemed to be just another bustling city, one that had exploded in size as opportunists from elsewhere came to make something of themselves. That impression wasn’t wrong, but the longer Ade walked the streets the more Ade realized that there was another emotion buried deep under that spirit of growth. Despair, with a deep intensity that seeped into every interaction, no matter how much most of the population seemed to ignore it, intentionally or otherwise.

It wasn't every person that Ade passed, but he continued to spot people with lifeless eyes, going about their work with none of the animating energy that their peers had. It was only after reaching the central part of the city and spotting a specific building that the pieces finally clicked. An auction house, built up to such a degree that it dominated the small square in front of it, the natural flow of the crowds forced to adjust to the steady tide of humanity that entered and left, usually dragging those hopeless individuals behind them. Ade found his feet stuck, unable to move as he processed this strange revelation.

Slavery wasn’t practiced by the nomads, but that didn’t mean it was an unfamiliar institution to them. Ade had interacted with more than a few slaves this last year, permanent servants of the higher ups of the various places he had travelled. The magistrates and city leaders hadn’t tried to hide the relationship that they had with their human property, but the circumstances Ade had previously been around slaves had done that for them. Those slaves had been in their positions for years. Not only had they become resigned to their fates, but that duration had allowed them the time needed to rebuild and reclaim their identity. They were obedient slaves, and while the threat of power was presence, it was quiet and distant from lack of use.

This auction house had none of those factors working in its favor. Not only were the slaves coming and going new to their circumstances, unwilling to accept their new fate in life, but there was no veneer of civility to restrain the efforts of the slavers. The building was a proud edifice to the horrors that intelligent beings were willing to inflict on others, just because they could.

Ade had travelled enough that he would have bristled at the implication he was sheltered, but the shock of what he was seeing was enough to leave him lost in thought. He could easily have spent several minutes slowly letting his worldview adjust, but his train of thought was cut short by a strange squeaking noise that seemed to be directed towards him. It took Ade a few moments to realize that the unusual sound he had been hearing was being made by a rat, and not a normal rodent. Larger than rats that Ade had seen in other cities, the noisemaker had perched himself in the entrance to an alley, and once Ade made eye contact with the creature it backed away slowly, keeping his unusually intelligent gaze on him as it encouraged him to come closer and figure out what was happening. A small part of Ade’s mind was worried about an ambush or trap, but his curiosity easily overrode that line of thought. Using trained rats as bait for a mugging was a little too outlandish to actually be something that happened.

Ade made his way into the alley, ducking past a few piles of trash that had built up before he caught up to the rat. The small creature had come to a halt just outside a small grate placed low in the wall, and once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Ade realized that there was a person looking out at him from a dark room. She beckoned him closer, and he carefully kneeled down, positioning himself so that he could see her face to face.

“We do not have much time.” She stated seriously. “The Oasis Spirit has warned us that your people are in great danger. Zar couldn’t stop you from leaving last time, but he now rules this city with an iron fist. Having you run free endangers that rule, if only slightly.

“Wha?” Ade started to ask, only to be preempted by the girl.

“The spirit was still new when you found him. His power has grown with time and with it so has his ability to communicate. He wishes to be free of the control of evil men, but for now he simply wishes to help those who first helped him.

She quickly pushed a small bundle through the grate. “These copied keys should open up the gates as well as most of the common shackles that they use. Now go! Save yourselves before it’s too late.”

Taking the precious bundle, Ade stood up. The slave’s words had had a tinge of desperation to them, just enough for Ade to accept them as the truth, and that left him very little time to sit around and think. Pocketing the keys, he began to bull his way back to the row of taverns that most of the nomads had found their way over to. Just before he left the alley, he heard the girl's final words. “Just don’t forget about us.”

The words stayed in the Pathfinder’s mind, but he would have time to react to them later. For now, he simply needed to move. Every step brought him closer to the safety of his companions, but Ade was now fully aware of the avaricious gazes that tracked his movement, watching as he weaved his way through the city. Fortunately, they were content to watch for the moment. He managed to reach the closest tavern without incident and stumbled inside, eyes quickly moving to locate one of his friends to head over to, his posture changing as he did so.

Poise was not something Ade had expected to pick up during his early lessons on leadership, but it eventually made sense. Actions spoke louder than words, and both were far more meaningful than simple body positioning when it came to inspiring followers, but there were times that neither words nor actions would be available. By being aware of how he was standing, Ade was able to convey a simple message for others to pick up on, one that only needed his presence to be visible.

As he strode across the hard packed floor of the tavern, Ade could feel his body moving in accordance with his desires. The tavern was filled with his fellow tribesmen, but there were just as many residents of Zaros present, individuals who ultimately followed Zar’s orders. Simply yelling out his fears would hurt Ade’s nascent plan almost as much as it would help, and Ade found himself using every half-learned principle he could remember to convey a sense of seriousness. It wasn’t his usual posture, and he hoped that it would be enough to convince his compatriots to listen to his otherwise innocuous suggestion of heading to another tavern to regroup with their friends.

It was a much larger group that left the tavern, and Ade was grateful that at least a little of his worry had infected the others. Some of the younger men were simply interested in sampling the drinks of another location, but most had sobered up quickly and had fallen into an unofficial escort position around Ade. As they quickly strolled towards their next target, Ade could only hope that the elders would be alright until he could rescue them from Zar.