Kyon began to study the book. He could memorize the pages with incredible speed. He just leafed through the book, and the text imprinted on his memory. From the outside, it looked like he was looking for pictures. He had underestimated his abilities. It took him only a couple of hours to devour the whole book.

{The local alphabet consists of 52 letters. The language is quite complicated. It has lots of terms, an abundance of polysemantic words that change their meaning depending on the context.}

Kyon had worked out the pronunciation of each symbol. He could easily render the written text into the spoken language.

{Now I know 80-90% of simple and 40-50% of difficult words. That’s enough to have a small talk.}

Communication had always been important when learning a new language. However, all Kyon had to do was to close his eyes and imagine a conversation with himself. Hello, to schizos!

He had found out that the symbols on his formation meant “Kyon.” The good-natured fat supervisor was Bob, which by a curious coincidence, also meant a hearty breakfast, or breakfast on a bun. And Bob’s companion’s name was in line with the idea of an aggressive crowd.

The book “Prodigy” told a story of the man who had found an abnormal child in one of the remote villages. The kid was stuck in the emotional and spiritual development of a three-year-old. He couldn’t do evil. The child wasn’t burdened with human vices and weaknesses. He had never known hunger, cold, pain... He had an innate need to give.

The man spent a lot of time studying the unique nature of the boy. Before he knew it, he was fond of the kid as if he was his own son. He taught the child how the world worked, explained human nature, morality, the principles of life and survival. The child was smart, but his heart refused to change, no matter how hard his adopted father tried to improve him.

Then the man decided to take drastic measures to change the nature of the child. He went to find the legendary Heart of Desire to transform the boy from the inside. Kyon also read in the story that the adopted father had a unique body that made him stronger than anyone else.

It was the end of the first out of three parts of this amazing story.

Kyon did not appreciate the plot. It was too unrealistic like a fairy tale for kids. But it also revealed the curious traditions of this world.

It was repeatedly mentioned that power ruled the world, the tangible, physical force. The weak stayed at the bottom while the strong soared to the top. Kyon thought at first that “power” meant intelligence, stamina, integrity, stratagem, but it turned out nothing of the kind. Power meant force in all senses of the term.

Kyon decided it was a mere fantasy, a figment of someone’s sick imagination, but the world in the book was too carefully designed. The power didn’t mean only combat skills and physical strength. It also implied spiritual development.

Kyon didn't believe the soul existed at all, but the “fictional” system of development described in the book struck him as unusual. He learned that there were several phases of soul evolution. Each of them consisted of 10 different stages. The power of personal elemental energy depended on the stage of development. It could be transformed into a specific attack, for example, a jet of flame, lightning, stone boulders that fly over long distances.

{It’s all too strange.}

A knock at the door interrupted Kyon's thoughts.

A tall warden with the formation of a 2nd ranked slave barged through the door. He was carrying an unconscious body on his shoulders.

«What happened?» - Martha exclaimed anxiously.

«A rockslide...» - The visitor muttered hesitantly.

«Did you say a rockslide?» - The doctor asked with a suspicious squint.

«Uhm... Yes.»

Martha put her hands on her hips, snorting her disapproval:

«Tell me who beat him up.»

«I can't, or it will be the end of me.» - The warden was obviously afraid of someone.

«Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Spit it out.»

The man said after a moment’s hesitation:

«Mob went on the rampage again. I mean, don’t get me wrong, he usually keeps it together. Please, don't sell me out. He knows I saw everything…»

«I get it. Poor thing. Put him over there.» - She pointed to an empty bed – «You may go now.»

Martha shook her head, making sure that the injured man was comfortable. Then she brought in a device that looked like a magnifying glass and infused it with a tiny bit of energy to scan the body. She found out a couple of hematomas, a few cracks in the bones, a broken rib, not to mention the numerous bruises and grazes... {Mob is a cruel, inhuman cretin!} - Martha sighed sadly. She performed the necessary treatment procedures and went to her office, feeling depressed.

{I get it that he likes me, but why on earth does he take it out on others?} - She mused with a vacant look at the pile of documents before her.

When a slave got injured, the responsible warden had to bring him to the hospital. Mob usually took it upon himself, and everyone knew his true motives. Martha felt a nasty pang of guilt for yelling so carelessly at this abuser. People were suffering because of her outburst.

Kyon silently observed the scene around him with one eye open. So, it was Mob who had punched the bald guy and the new patient.

It was about midday. However, Kyon couldn't determine the position of the sun in the stone box without windows. The bright glow from the lamp had increased by a third. Apparently, artificial lighting changed depending on the time of day.

Martha came in, looking over her shoulder as if she was bringing something illegal.

The bald man was still dozing. She quietly approached Kyon and put a tray before him:

«You're not supposed to have lunch, that’s why I’ve brought you mine. Eat. But don't tell anyone.»

A heap of rice topped with a fragrant piece of meat looked pretty delicious. A glass of fruit drink and a couple of unusual fruits completed the "proper lunch."

«Thank you, but aren't you hungry?»

Martha smiled. He was so sweet. The boy didn't use to speak much, but today he indulged her with a complete sentence.

«I’ve already eaten. Don't worry about me.» - Unfortunately, right at this moment, her stomach treacherously rumbled. Martha blushed and rushed to her office, slamming the door and shouting from there: - «I'm on a diet!»

Of course, there was no “diet.” Her maternal instinct kicked in and demanded taking care of the boy. Kyon smiled and examined the contents of the dish. He was starving.

{She is an amazing woman! I wonder why she is being so kind to me. I must remind her of someone. On the other hand, I am cute, aren’t I?}

The scent of roast meat, a rare treat in this place, made the bald man open his eyes. The smell of food made his mouth water and his stomach rumble in protest to his skipping breakfast.

Kyon turned to the bald guy and read his name on the forehead:

«Borya, I'll share it with you, but don't tell anyone.» - With those words, he held out a small piece of meat and fruit.

Martha heard the voices, looked out and shook her head disapprovingly. She understood that Kyon had to share his meal to avoid problems in the future, but she regretted giving away her own lunch in vain. After all, she had brought it specially for him and not for the injured man.

Borya did not refuse the present and swallowed it in a single mouthful. When they were done with lunch, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve like a savage and asked:

«You are Kyon, aren’t you? The Kyon who went missing three days ago?» - He didn’t wait for an answer: - «Oh, shit, there’s no mistake... You're the only little brat in the whole village! Where have you been?»

«Yes, it’s me. Where have I been, where have I been... One minute I was there, and the next I was gone. I was much better off there, anyway, than in this dump hole. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you the details. A rock hit me straight in the head. I have lost my memory and I woke up in hospital…»

«Ha-ha, I like your sense of humor! And yet, three days without food or water... You're tougher than you seem. You look like a stiff wind would blow you down. John, your warden, got it in the neck for losing control of his flock.»

«John, the warden?» - Kyon looked faintly surprised.

«You must have seriously hurt your head... Don’t you remember anything?»

«Nope. Absolutely nothing. I have no idea what's outside the room. I can barely remember my name.» - His goal was to test the waters and get more information from the nuthead. Borya knew he owed the boy for the meal, so he started to bring his young friend up to date:

«John is your warden. He is responsible for the 28th group... yours, I mean.»

«Is he someone big here?»

«You don't remember even this? Alright, listen...» – Borya made himself comfortable in his bed, and the story began. Kyon learned that the mountain range belonged to the Stone family. He was in one of the three spiritual stone mines. There used to be some ancient catacombs where they carried out further work, so to speak. A few thousands of slaves worked in each shaft, divided into 16 individual sectors with three hundred workers in each. Kyon worked in the third sector, along with Bob, Mob, and Martha. Martin and Flitz, the authorities, were in charge of the whole mine.

The formations on the slaves’ foreheads ensured convenient and effective control. They didn’t only track the location and health condition, they also showed the status of the marked person. The 3rd rank was the most common and the lowest. The wardens responsible for a group of 9 people had the 2nd rank. Byron, the leader, aka the only chief of the sect, had the 1st rank.

The working day lasted 15 hours. A mobile market stall arrived on the only day off, at the end of the week. It stopped for a couple of hours at each sector, delivering letters, selling groceries, offering endurance potions, medicine, tea, beer, providing a service of local currency exchange and transferring money to relatives... And they could sell freedom there.

Kyon had already figured out that the local slaves were, in fact, low status workers with more or less freedom. They earned and spent money and were entitled to a day off.

They got paid once a week. However, they received only bag lunch and water for standard labor performance. Over-fulfillment provided them with the mine currency. It was nothing but a piece of paper for the outside world. Here in the mine, it was a valuable resource that motivated everyone to work their asses off.

Borya told him about the dubious benefits of the 2nd rank workers (a separate bedroom from the rest of the slaves), and the prerogatives of the 1st rank. They didn’t only have a private living area but also could order a woman. The last point evoked morbid jealousy in the bald guy.

The first mine consisted mainly of the peasants who had voluntarily signed the contract and sent money to their families every year.

The second mine was for ordinary criminals who did their time and benefited society.

The third mine was meant for seasoned criminals, hostile races, captives, prisoners.

{Martin and Bob said that I was brought here separately from the rest of the slaves. I wonder what I have done. What if someone set me up?}