“What kind of idea do you have?” Tus asked. From what he saw, everyone here already knew about the question as their faces were left unchanged.

“That is for you to come with me to Erkshem and adopt yourself under my Regime’s cause. You’ll increase your strength through training from us. As you never handled the second heart before, it will be very helpful to you. At the same time, you will refine your skills through duels and after each duel, prizes will be awarded and you won’t have to worry about being hunted by the alliance. When I rescued you, I activated a part of the heirloom I have and it disguised myself at the time when everyone was focused on that scout. No one, besides that monster behind, you saw my actions.” Yarla went on to explain, while Tus thought about what she was saying.

‘So she saved me... Okay, I guess I could give it a try. Even though it might be just part of her own schemes… What did she say? Monster…” Tus turned around to see a four foot tall black robed figure standing behind him.

It took its hood down, showing stone-like skin, piercing grey eyes, lack of a nose, and two rows of razor sharp teeth that reflected the firelight. The entire being emitted a deadly and eerie presence that dictated that it could come and go as it pleased while ending lives.

“Nice to meet you, delicious transcendent.” Gargoyle said in a voice that revealed its obsession while looking Tus up and down.

Shivers went through Tus’s body as he stood up. He yelled, “Why is it here?!”

Worill spoke, “Tus calm down. Its name is Gargoyle, a tamed monster. It won’t harm you.”

“That isn’t an answer to my question. A tamed monster is still a monster of Oblivion. It’s still dangerous.” Tus backed to the opposite side of the fire pit, staring at the still smiling monster.

“You don’t have to worry.” Gargoyle pointed a thin arm that had sharp five inch fingernails to Haya, “My condensed soul core was given to this female by my original captors. I don’t have full control over my body, she does. Even though I want to cook you over this fire pit with some seasonings, I wouldn’t dare to or have the ability under any circumstance.”

Haya reached into a bag and brought out a pebble sized dark red crystal that had an invisible tether connected to Gargoyle.

Gargoyle continued, “My primary purpose is to be a bodyguard during your second trial. Even though these mortals are able to understand what a trial is, the second one is one in which they can’t help you at all. So, in good faith, my mortal captors gave me to these mortals around you in order to have you strengthen. It is their hope to help raise a seed.” ‘While also creating a tie that you must act upon.’ Gargoyle refrained from saying this.

‘So I was sent a bodyguard that wants to literally eat me… I don’t know how this can’t go wrong...’ Tus thought to himself.

“What do you mean no one would be able to help me?”

“That is just one of the restrictions of the second trial. You’ll know what the second trial entails in a few days.” The monster chuckled.

“Anyway…” Yarla who kept losing control of the conversation was feeling a bit exasperated that was rare for her, “You’ll have protection from the second trial, a group who will serve to protect your new identity that I’ll hand out to you, a warm place to increase your own strength with tutelage, and plus any additional privileges that you want.”

Hearing the sales pitch, Tus was already pretty convinced. When he heard ‘any additional privileges that you want’ he was utterly persuaded. Still, he needed to clear something up.

“Based on what I know about you, you wouldn’t make such an offering without some kind of string attached…”

“Tus you don’t have to worry. The duels that milady spoke of before are the primary things she needs of you. Our Regime is close to being able to confront the head regime. However, the few who are able to get a higher ranking, besides milady, are limited. We need you to help push us up a notch so that we can finally end the head regimes reign.” Worill explained, obviously also trying to get Tus on their side. With a light flashing in his eyes, he went on. “Besides, you are still a servant that I picked up off of the road and you still haven’t repaid us for the food bill from the Golden Flame. It would be impudent for you to just run off, right?”

Tus groaned inside, ‘That food was so good. Definitely worth it.’

“Fine, I’ll tag along.” Tus agreed to their requests.

Yarla let out a slight smile that appeared to be unpracticed. “Thank you for officially joining my family, Rolon Tusseria.”

“What the hell kind of a name is that?! I want a different one!” He openly complained with a fiery voice.

In this cavern, two parties set apart. Tus, Worill, Yarla, Gargoyle, Arl, and Ruia set forth for Erkshem. Shel went with the rest of Haya’s squad back to their encampment to collect the rewards, declare their ‘vacation’, and guide them back to Erkshem.

…………

“Those alliance bastards, I’m going to kill them all!” An extremely loud roar made the land vibrate and the rivers run in the opposite direction. A four hundred foot dragon lied around thirty incomplete and pale bodies. The land was riddled in scars and mile deep holes that had heat rising.

“Please, Gradual, spare me!” In front of the oversized lizard a man was kneeling while holding the spot where his left arm should have been. By his side was a comrade who hate filled gaze directed at the man

“Why should I spare you?! You fucking ‘scouts’ caused me to lose my dinner’s scent entirely!”

The man trembled as he hurriedly cried out, “I helped you out here and I know of a Warrior who is coming! I can help you avoid him!”

The Gradual stopped roaring and looked down at the little human in front of it with its dominating gaze, “Warriors? Pfft. What do I need to be afraid of your stupid Warri…” As the Gradual spoke, it realized that a presence that caused instinctual fear was moving at an astounding speed towards it. It growled, “Fuck me.”

The Gradual swiped in the air and created a yellow tear that had sand blowing out. Before it entered into the tear that was just enough to fit its entire body, it yelled out, enough for that person to hear, “In the future, I’ll claim this Land as my playground. Just wait!”

At the same time that the tear closed, another man, kind of short with green hair, green eyes, and pointed ears mysteriously stopped in the air above the scout who had his head to the ground crying from the pain of losing his arm. He wore grey plated armor and a long sword on his back. All of which had brightly glowing white hieroglyphs.

He surveyed the wasted area around and said solemnly, “It’s is a pity that I didn’t arrive sooner and I’m sorry that this land has suffered so. You…” The man looked down onto the crying scout and squinted his eyes, “Willingly betraying us living beings for the dead is inexcusable.”

The man who was kneeling on the ground opened his eyes in fear, raised his head, and tried to explain himself.

“Whatever you have to say does not matter anymore.” Upon saying those words, the man who tried to explain himself felt a pressure beyond his imagination, and was ruthlessly smashed into the ground. All of his bones, muscles, and internal organs were rendered into a gross paste.

The ‘Warrior’ looked into a different direction, unfazed from what he had done as if it was a matter of course. “I apologize to you as well on behalf of the alliance for trying to hunt you down and kill off your kind. For you to know, I don’t go along with their greed and I’ll give you a favor that you may repay young one. Escape as far as you can, and if I and the others don’t succeed by the time you return for vengeance, then please destroy the corruption. I, Eol Dorial, am once again sincerely sorry.” His body briefly glowed a bright green light that spread into incalculable miles, restoring the land nearby, while at the same time, subtly erasing something.

After he finished his soliloquy, his body vanished in the same way it appeared.