Shabar couldn’t believe his luck.

His father had told him before how luckless he was. And the old man made sure to never sweeten his words, always either scathing--like a whip cutting him open--or brutally blunt. He had only those two ways to show any of his emotions.

Might have something to do with him falling down a cliff fighting a bear, but that was just another day in Holden Shair’s, Father of Shabar Shair, life. Always on the edge and full of adventure.

He would always go on about how Shabar was closer to a black cat than an actual human. How even a casual stroll down the road would turn to a life threatening battle for the entire village in nothing but moments. And worse, the older his father had gotten, the more brazen and extreme his examples were. Almost reaching the epitome of bad luck.

Then again, his father had yet to be wrong.

Just look at where he stood now.

Instead of making it to the city of brotherly love and gold--Petrous, Pirate and Mercenary Jewel--he was stuck here doing worthless, meaningless, bullshit. Honestly, he could be deep in large chest of treasures as large as his ships deck by now. Especially with his well earned name and reputation

The Hardened Sheilds!

Greatest vanguards of Myceni, got to be with how luckless they were. A simple transport mission less than thirty kilometers away turns into a marathon to get away from a herd of carnivorous antelopes lead by a beast on the fourth level of the Path.

The weakest ones were quickly weeded out only leaving the most adaptable and by far, the most powerful.

Now, he sat on a seat made of thin and cracked wood creaking dangerously every time he shifted. More importantly though, he was doing nothing but surveying his men give out a batch of fruits from the most exquisite batch only his new master could afford. Not only were they one of the most difficult to find, then had enough mana in them to help a breakthrough on the first steps towards the Path.

Safe enough for anyone without a Path yet to eat, but that wasn’t the problem.

Things cost a leg and arm just to get a single bite.

Yet, here he was giving them away like bronze coins. And to who? Frickin commonors so thin a stiff wind could blow them a kilometer in distance.

TO add on to his woes, the bastards were not even grateful. Not one has touched a single fruit. Suspicion and fear clearly written on their faces. Each and everyone of them, even the most brave of men hesitated just to reach out even after he clearly told them they were free with no ties.

Then there was this old gezer that wouldn’t leave him alone. How he could even stand was beyond Shabar’s greatest dreams. Thinnest one among them, if he was asked. Probably hasn’t eaten in a month.

The old man waved his hands around addressing Shabar and the entire crowd surrounding the fruits. “Ya sure? Don’t seem safe to me, I say. Food ain’t supposed to be so clean. What’d you do to them? Whitened them with that acid stuff? Where the brown spots and bugs. Ain’t right is what I say.”

“Sir,” Shabar’s jaws strained with how hard he had them clenched. He knew he was going to have the worst headache of his life, it was just his damned luck. “Are you questionin’ the lord’s integrity.”

Shabar knew how to hit them hard and furious. Got to be quick witted to escape a web-weaving broodmother, twice.

“N-nah. You misunderstand. I got nothing against them lords. They high up and we down here, ya know.”

Shabar raised an eyebrow. “No I don’t. The lord said to give them fruits out, so all of ya are going to grab a few each and get out my face whether ya like it or not.”

Cujoy probably had it so much easier than him. He was his second in command but everything went his damned way. The fool could walk through a horde of man-eating crocs and come out the other side unscathed, probably taming a few of them too by smiling at them.

The Father got to balance everything don’t he.

The old gezer looked around trying to find if any soldier or guard heard their little argument. Something like that could get him hanged if he didnt cave fast enough. And that was usually based on how cruel the nearby officers were.

The man gulped and reached out with a shaking hand and eyes closed. Tears hanging on the edge of his eyes.

The man was about to sully himself in fear. Stupid commoners.

Shabar himself saved a few already in his pack behind his seat. Things were gold bars expensive and here he was watching another man hesitate to eat it.

Utter insanity.

Just as he was about to touch one, a scream sounded out from Cujoy’s stall. The old gezer stepped back with a sneer. He stared daggers at Shabar, probably was wishing to shank him in some alley. Thin bastard couldn’t even pick up a knife if he tried.

“Told ya, you muddle headed bastard. That acid thing covering the fruit. Nothing comes so clean, not even from the lord’s. Ya trying to thin our numbers aint ya?!”

That got the crowd going. Everyone was muttering dark whispers. How they couldn’t trust no noble and his lackeys. And insane conspiracy theories about thinning the herd.

“Get out the way!” Shabar pushed his way through the crowd to see what had happened. Instead of the death and destruction he had begun to imagine, a whole different scene had taken place.

In the center of a veritable sea of isolation was a kid that looked no older than ten, but was probably fifteen at minimum. The kid was stuffing his face with fruit after fruit. Even though he clutched his stomach in obvious pain, he still ate like a savage tasting food for the first time in his life.

That was not mentioning the tears and snot that rolled down his face.

“What the hell is going on?!” Shabar yelled as he stepped into the space left wide open by the encirclement.

The kid looked up and tried to speak, stuff his mouth, and huddle as many fruits to his small body as he possibly could at the same time.

“He gone mad!” The old gezer remarked.

“Shut up you!” Shabar released a bit of his aura to get the old man off his back. “Kid, nobody gonna take your fruits, they free for everyone to eat. Now, slow the hell down and speak up before I beat it out of ya. Understood?”

The kid bit his lip for a moment, clearly hesitating between listening and continuing on his task. But his fear of the aura and getting beaten half to death finally won out at the end.

After his last gulp, the kid started crying, tears running down his face like a broken dam. “Them fruits from heaven, sir. I never tasted something so good. Them from heaven.” Then he returned to stuffing his face as fast as possible.

For a moment, a deafening silence took over the entire mass. Each person, hundreds upon hundreds that heard held their breaths in unison.

Only thing that was heard was a resigned, “Shit.”

Then like a flash, all hell broke loose.

The riots had begun, and they weren't going to stop anytime soon.