The rat man, Micalas Trer, was a dagger man of the Ju Bandits, in the position of a forced sacrificial pawn. He joined them because he was primarily poor, but was also taken for his limited knowledge of a few people that entertained those who decided to bring him in. Such as one of the two who subdued his raiding party effortlessly. They were known far and wide across the country, but whose appearances were relatively unknown.

Micalas was a very low tier servant of the Gem Regime around the time of the civil war and almost immediately left due to what he had witnessed.

Yarla, the Massacring Witch, who killed countless people in two days, and Worill, also known as the ‘deranged, bloodthirsty’ butler. Worill’s mindset was so erratic during those times that no one, but the core regime members could control him. From what Micalas has seen, when Worill met with enemies, he would use the most brutal means to kill them. That is, if they had no value. Those maids and servants under him, and those around him received either random dismissals, hiring’s with the threat of death, harsh insults, and grand complements. Sometimes he would even become absurdly emotional for no reason and talk to some stranger like they were his dearest family member.

Even though he showed unpredictability that tinged with obscene butchering, his loyalty was unquestioned, and his talents that he had shown were remarkable. His grade was rumored, but not known, as it was classified by the head of the regime.

This staring into the eyes that Worill did, was also trademarked as the ‘go with, die, or become servant’ stare. Every enemy who encountered it faced those three choices.

Micalas chose what he thought was the right choice. Ditch the jerks and maybe live, but also maybe die peacefully, or stay and have his body either dismembered or ever so slowly, be frozen to death by the grasp of ice. The last one was a torturing method where a persons’ metabolism was slowed to the lowest point, so they wouldn’t die of thirst for weeks, and ice would puncture the skin while expanding.

“It is to the south-east, near the old silver mines by Plateshire.” Malacas said as he shivered.

Worill gave a warm hearted smile, “Okay, you can go.”

With quick footsteps, and without turning his head for his certain companions Malacas fled into the dense foliage.

“For the rest of you…” Worill thought for a moment before he gave another, very warm hearted smile that instilled more terror than before, “You shall be our servants. Put these on, or cease to disappear…” With a wave of a white gloved hand, a neat stack of purple clothing appeared on the ground. After that, he gave a quick instruction, “Make your choices.”

‘Lord did tell me to get more hands at the palace and I really do like milady’s idea. I might get some chump change to boot.’ Worill thought to himself happily.

Tus looked on the situation, at the same time thinking, ‘Why does this look familiar?’

…………

“Hiho-hiho-hiho, off to be enslaved servants we go!” A long line of suffering people wearing purple clothes walked behind Tus’s group. Every single person, excluding Yarla and Worrill, and including the monster Gargoyle, wondered what was happening.

After the former marauders put on their uniforms, Worill clearly instructed them to chant a sentence that any proud man would choose death instead. Then he had them form a line while hitting a couple stubborn few with his cane.

When the group reached the perimeter of Blemerm, Worill placed an obscure brand on each of their necks that disappeared underneath the skin. He then instructed them to camp here without talking to anyone.

Oddly, a few of those brands lit up, the eyes those who had them dulled, and their faces contorted in pain.

Tus used his talisman during the process, not wanting to openly ask as it made him terrified.

After placing it against his forehead, Tus heard the old man’s voice again. ‘Erkshems’ Branding: A few regimes in Erkshem practice an old magic that is considered to be evil by many. The origin of which is rumored to be from Oblivion, a way for devils to rule over monsters as they don’t have the strength of demons. That is also partly the reason why it is considered evil. The other part is when a person, animal, or monster becomes branded. The brand locks down that things’ internal energy, mind, and, theoretically, their soul. If a branded entity is instructed to do something, and they refuse to do so, their mind is locked in a mentally imagined chamber that has a torture method based on the intentions of the brander. A simple pawn is abused by imagined physical punishments that last, on average, an hour. A key power piece that the brander wants completely on their side, would be subjected to physical abuse in that imagined world while also being urged to submit, the amount of time of which lasts until the entity is on the verge of death or by the control of the brander.

‘The strengths of this branding is that it can be set in almost permanently and the amount of people who can be branded by one is as much as the brander can supply and direct internal energy. Weaknesses is that if the willpower of an individual is strong enough to overpower the brander, the branding will be rebounded, killing the brander. A person who is mentally unstable will cause the effects of the branding to be diminished as their mind is harder to lock down. The last weakness is that if a branded entity dies, the brander will also suffer a part of their mind becoming dormant for at least five years, rendering them unable to think clearly or fluently as before.

‘As a warning to those who under my Family’s care. If you are going to be branded, do not under any circumstances, become branded. If you must, choose death.’