Inside the guild, Kuber and the boys made a quick way through the torch-lit corridor and arrived at a large chamber that stored empty dark barrels. These barrels weren’t small like the ones they had just ridden inside. They were huge, needing two men to wrap their arms around them. Made of heavy dark wood, they were treated to make them air and watertight.

“Are these for us?” Pandit inspected the inside of the barrel. While he got busy checking his new home (only for the next few days), Kuber had a conversation with Mannat.

“Are you sure you want to do this? If you wait then perhaps in a month’s time you will get to leave the town and go out of the town safely. Maybe it won’t even take that long.” Kuber feared for the boy's safety. He didn’t want him to go this way.

Mannat shook his head. He had made up his mind. For him, this was the only way.

“I can’t wait that long,” Mannat said.

Kuber grabbed his shoulder and ended up hugging him. He kept it short since it was an emotional hug and pulled out a coin pouch from his shirt after they separated.

“Take this,” Kuber handed the pouch to Mannat. “You never know when you might need some help. I hope the money will be able to take care of some of your problems.”

The pouch was heavy, in not only weight, but also expectations, worry, and responsibility.

Mannat didn’t hesitate and took the pouch. They needed every coin they could get.

“Thanks,” Mannat said.

“Get in now before someone comes around and finds you here,” Kuber told him.

Pandit had already settled inside the barrel, feeling like his heart was going to explode, which did happen when Kuber came to close the lid shut. “Take care of him, will you,” Kuber told the boy.

Pandit couldn’t speak. A nod was all he could give. His excitement shot through the roof when Kuber closed the lid, enveloping him in pitch darkness. Every nail he hammered reverberated through the barrel like a nervous heartbeat, shuddering Pandit. Goosebumps erupted on his arms. It was happening. It was really happening! The thought that he didn’t want to be there echoed in his mind, but it remained an echo of his consciousness. He didn’t let it come out and become a reality.

“Don’t make a sound now. I’m going to send some workers over to move you out. Try to stay still as much as you can.”

Those were the last words the boys heard before the room grew so silent they could hear their own heartbeats echoing inside the barrels.

Mannat had no problem dealing with the darkness and the suffocation since he was used to being alone. His night out’s at the clearing had long prepared him for this day. Pandit remembered the time he had shut himself inside his room after seeing his brother turn into a monster. Mannat had come to his rescue when he needed a friend and he came again because Pandit needed him at this time.

“What are you thinking about?” Mannat asked the darkness. There was no answer so he asked again. “Do you think you can hold on?”

Pandit didn’t answer right away, but eventually, he whispered, “Are you not worried about getting found out?”

“Don’t worry.” Mannat appeased. “There is no one nearby. Don’t forget, I can sense people.”

“Ah, you are cheating.”

“I am, aren’t I? Don’t worry, look to your left, there is a slit in the barrel to let some light inside. You can look through it without worrying about getting caught.”

Pandit felt the inside of the barrel with his hands and found the slit. It was thin, thin as the width of parchment, but it made him glad.

“Did you find it?” Came to the voice again, a whisper in the air.

Pandit wanted to thank him when Mannat told him to quiet down.

“They are coming.”

Pandit settled down in the barrel and before he knew it, two pairs of muffled footsteps emerged from the distance and stopped near them.

The men held the barrels and bounced it between them until it could no longer stand straight. The men on the left caught it when it was about to fall and then the two slowly laid it down on its belly. The next part was difficult. Someone had forgotten to tell the boys that the barrels would be rolled out of the chamber.

The rolling motion almost sent Mannat tumbling inside the barrel, while Pandit offset it by grabbing onto the barrel walls. Mannat was seeing stars by the time his barrel stopped rolling. He was ready to turn into a living fountain and sprout everything foul and obnoxious inside the barrel. He actively meditated to calm his mind, bringing peace to his volatile stomach and churning heart.

The workers left the barrels on one of the carts, and a long quiet wait awaited the boys. The carriages didn’t move until dawn came, the sun grew comfortable in the sky, and morning set in. The sun also brought light to the dark world inside the barrels.

The two barrels were unrecognizable in the mix. Who would have thought that the criminals whom the soldier was looking for in the town were hiding right under their noses, waiting to be transported to freedom?

The soldiers had another fruitless day of searching for the count’s assassin.

Meanwhile, Tempa, the captain responsible for the army recruitment, led a raggedy bunch of people to the eastern gate.

There was nothing soldiery about these people. They were the hawkers, beggars, and laborers. They all had gathered there to leave their past lives behind to gain new lives, a new lease on freedom. The few hunters who had joined the call looked the most promising ones among the lot. They were fit and energetic. A soldier’s job was not so much different from a hunter’s job. One of them hunted animals and the other hunted criminals. Only, the soldiers were not allowed to kill on sight, unless necessary or ordered.

Kaju was right to believe Pandit had all the qualities required from a sergeant. One’s foundation mattered in the army. Perhaps, it was possible to catch up on the difference of a few attribute points, but Pandit was in a league of his own in terms of his physique.

There were over two hundred people gathered at the square, laden with expectations, dreams, and a bit of fear. Each of them carried an assortment of stuff, like bedding, food, and water.

They would journey on foot to the regional capital, the mountain city. Their first and only assignment during the journey was to stay with the group and not fall behind.

One week and two hundred people with barely enough food for one meal a day. They would learn to forage for food in the forest and learn to beg from the villagers they come across during this time, as their meals grow thin and more people join them. They would make bonds with their fellow sufferers and learn a hint of what the army was all about -- long walks on empty stomach.

There were murmurs among the recruits that stood in ten rows of twenty people each in the open. Some said they would be transferring hardened criminals this time. Others believed the count himself would be traveling with them.

The murmurs grew quiet when they saw a long train of twelve humongous carts approaching them. They carried one hundred and twenty-two barrels with the Blacksmiths hammer and anvil insignia inscribed on them. Mannat and Pandit hid among these barrels, inconspicuous and impossible to be positioned correctly.

Four huge buffaloes pulled each cart that weighed close to a ton.

“Attention!” The hard voice pulled everyone's eyes to the front. Tempa stood against the recruits on a horse. His ferocious eyes swept through the lot of them.

“We all know why you all have gathered here. Some of you want to find stability. Some of you might simply want to get away from this place. Circumstances forced some of you to join the army. But I know one thing: you all want to make money. You have come to the right place to straighten your lives, but you are not soldiers yet. There is no soldier in the empire that wouldn’t shut up and listen to their commander when they are talking.”

The murmurs ended abruptly. The whispers stopped. A few people still couldn’t hold themselves back, but Tempa was not trying to instill discipline into these people. He knew only half of them would make it to the city. The rest would return to their villages in defeat. He had been a part of this raggedy bunch once, forced to join the recruitment by Kaju because he had no hope otherwise. The walk might seem easy, but it would not only weed out the sick and the weak-willed but also bring out leaders among the men. The stars always shine the brightest in the dark.

“Now, the carts and their ordinance is the Empire’s belonging, and you all will protect them for the course. Divide into teams of twenty and gather around each cart. If anything happens to your cart then consider your recruitment revoked.” Tempa ordered.

“How long is this going to take?” Pandit asked Mannat. He was staring out of the gap in the barrel, but could not see anything other than barrels. He could hear them loud and clearly, however.

“Have patience. We’ll be moving anytime now.” Mannat replied in an equally quiet whisper. Mannat kept his senses spread out, to make sure there was no one nearby who could hear them. He was sure no one would find them unless they made a mistake first. It would be a tragedy if that happened.

Mannat sensed Tempa’s mana surging and coming to a boil. Looks like it’s time. He thought.

However, a sudden situation halted Tempa from reaching out and ordering to start the march.

One of his men intercepted a count's soldier riding toward him. The soldier in black uniform abandoned his horse and approached Tempa along with the soldier who had stopped him, carrying an official letter addressed to the captain.

“Sir,” The soldier raised three fingers to his heart in a soldier's salute.

Tempa ordered the soldier to stand at ease. He took the letter from the soldier and read it before passing it to his lieutenant to keep along with the other official documents.

“What is this about?” Tempa asked the soldier.

“Sir,” The soldier stood attentive with his head raised and throat open. “The count’s assassin is still loose in the city. We have come to believe them he might be impersonating the recruits to escape the town premises, sir.”

“What a load of crap.” Spat one of Tempa’s men. “You bunch are only trying to pressure us into your demands. What is it this time? Food, water, or is it money you want?”

“Sergeant,” Tempa didn’t say another word. The man voluntarily stepped back. “Will there be anyone here to search the men, or are we to stay in this town indefinitely?”

“There will be men here, sir.” The soldier said.

Mannat heard their words and passed them to Pandit who clicked his tongue in frustration. He didn’t panic, but the situation made him vigilant. This was not supposed to happen.

It wasn’t long before the count’s carriage arrived at the premises and a man, whom everyone in the town had come to recognize from his winged-wolf insignia, stepped out of it.

Mannat’s breath grew rapid when he sensed the familiar mana signature.

Even Tempa couldn’t keep his calm when he saw the Invigilator. He climbed down from his horse and approached the man.

“Are you the captain?” Teej, Mannat’s uncle, asked Tempa. It was clear from the way he carried himself that he held not a smudge of respect for Tempa, his men, or his drive.

Raising a wanted poster in front of Tempa's face, Teej asked him if he had seen the fugitive.

“No,” Tempa replied, staying calm, staying firm. His feet were steady, even when his heart raced inside his chest.

Teej looked at the recruits. “He could have slipped into the mix without your knowledge.” He turned to his men. “Go take a look. Drag him out if he’s among these things.”

His guards in red and gold came into motion. The three of them swept through the confused and agitated recruits without leaving a single face upturned.

“Bring me the ledger. I want to know where these people come from." Teej told Tempa.

Tempa did as was asked, and told his lieutenant to help the man as much as he could. He didn’t stop the Invigilator or his men. Not only was his rank beneath the man, but he was also hoping to get through this predicament without trouble. There were already far too many eyes on him. He didn’t want to add another one to them.

As for the truth, he knew the truth of the matter. Kaju had told him the real side of the story. The so-called fugitive in Teej’s mouth was a mere boy, but that was the invigilator's power and status. Even the count didn’t have the authority to challenge his words. If he said the boy was a criminal then he would be a criminal everywhere in the empire, unless the Emperor himself pardoned the boy.

The invigilator frowned when his men returned empty-handed. With a snort, he threw the ledger back to Tempa and started walking away.

Mannat, Pandit, and Tempa three of them sighed in relief.

However, just as they thought their troubles had ended, Tempa stopped in his tracks, turned, and looked at the carts from the blacksmithing guild.

Tempa followed his sight and his heartbeat rose with it. The boys were in one of the barrels. He just didn’t know which one. He considered it a blessing in disguise.

“What’s in the barrels?” Teej asked aloud. He wanted an answer; he didn’t care who gave it to him.

“Arrowheads, the barrels contain arrowheads,” Tempa answered. His men weren’t qualified to answer the man. “The recruitment and the ordinance is part of the same warfare drive to fill the armory and garrison.” He added when he saw Teej’s frowning face.

“Open them,” Teej ordered and Tempa’s heart sank.

Although it was not him or someone he knew in the barrels, but they were Kaju’s men and he didn’t want to fail him. Not after all the favors, Kaju had given him.

“SIR!” Tempa shouted, surprising himself and his soldiers. He broke down in a sweat. The invigilator looked ready to decide whether to roll his head or spare him depending on his performance.

Checking his voice, Tempa said, "The barrels are the guild’s property and belong to the Empire. You don’t have the authority--”

“But I do have the authority to cut your head for insubordination.” The invigilator’s men unsheathed their swords and stared at Tempa, who was sure they would not care to kill him if Teej ordered them.

“Follow my orders or not. I’ll have the barrels opened. You decide whether you want to march the recruits out of the town or not.”

Tempa controlled his urge to blather at the man and ordered his men to open the barrels. He was sorry. Perhaps, if he hadn’t told Kaju to hide the boys in the barrels they could have made a run for their lives. Now they were but sitting ducks and he couldn’t help them. Not unless he decided to sacrifice all of his men and himself. They wouldn’t regret it, but he wouldn’t do it to them for anything.

“Did I hear that right?” Pandit asked Mannat from inside the barrel. “What are we going to do?”

Mannat raised his head and peered at the lid separating him from certain doom. “We wait,” He told Pandit dropping his head and growing quiet.

Pandit didn’t say another word either as soldiers jumped onto the carts and started prying the lids open with their swords.

Although costly in terms of expenditure, Mannat opted to use mana vision to see the soldier’s positions. His eyes glowed blue as mana circulated through them.

There were twelve carts, each carrying ten barrels. Even with only one soldier going through each cart, it wouldn’t be long before the boys were found.

Mannat knew it would be disastrous if that happened. They were strong, but not strong enough to get through so many soldiers at the same time. They would have gone out of the front gate if that were possible.

Pandit counted the seconds with bated breaths.

The barrels moaned and groaned when the soldiers pried the lids open with their swords. One after another, the barrels were opened. The soldiers got through them one by one, until the invigilator saw a soldier standing over a barrel as if he had seen a ghost.

'You!” Teej called out in excitement.

The soldier almost pissed his pants when he saw the invigilator talking to him.

“What have you found?”

“Nothing sir,” The soldier stammered out. He pulled an arrowhead from the barrel with a shaking hand and showed it to Teej who stopped right in his tracks. “Why were you standing over the barrel without moving.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” The soldier saluted, breathing laboriously. “I was catching my breath, sir.” He said red-faced.

“Useless,” The invigilator reprehended before looking away at the others.

The soldier put the lid back on the barrel and closed it shut striking the nails with the pommel of his sword. He moved on to the next barrel, which was coincidently the one Pandit was hiding in.

Pandit heard the soldier tap the lid above his head and grew vigilant. He sat up inside the barrel on his haunches, ready to spring out of the barrel the moment the lid opened. Dangerous sparks spun rapidly in his eyes. He would only have one chance to get away. Getting tangled with the soldier would be the death of him. He made up his mind. He would not hesitate to kill the soldier if the dice rolled that way.

The soldier shoved the tip of his sword under the lid, unaware of the danger awaiting him inside the barrel. He jerked the sword up and down to pry the lid open. The barrel moaned and squeaked as the nails came out of it. He pulled the sword with both hands to make one last effort only to stop in his track at the last moment.

A rider arrived at the camp in a hurry, bringing news that they had just apprehended the criminals. “We caught them. They were trying to get through the front gate in disguise. But we caught them!” The rider explained.

Both Mannat and Pandit heard the soldier.

“Finally, there is good news,” Teej grinned. “Let’s go,” He ordered his men, setting back in the carriage himself.

“Sir, what about the recruits?”

“Let them march into hell,” Teej said before closing the door shut.

Everyone stared at the carriage as it disappeared into the streets. Tempa shared a vigilant glance with his lieutenant and ordered the soldiers at the carts to close the barrels again.

Pandit peaked out through the opening in the lid that had almost been pried open. His heart was still in his mouth. He was a hairsbreadth away from getting caught. He had no idea what he would have done if the rider was late.

“Are you all right?” Mannat asked from the next barrel.

“Yeah,” Pandit whispered.

The barrels muffled their voices, but they couldn’t muffle the sound of Pandit’s thumping heart from reaching Mannat’s ears.

“Try to settle down for now. We are already here for the ride. Get some rest. We’ll talk once we are out of the town.” Mannat said and grew quiet, too. Perhaps, it was for the best. He knew when his friend needed time to settle his thoughts.

He also understood that Pandit might be in shock, but he would be fine in time. This wasn’t the first time the boy's neck had come close to the edge of the sword. He would push through this time too, like all those times in the past. He had to. It wasn’t over yet. They had barely stepped out of their comfort zone. They had a long journey ahead of them.

A journey that they didn’t know where it would take them.