The small group walked down the narrow passage as strange bright lights lit their way. Last night, Eli had barely paid attention, so he didn’t know the layout, but he was reasonably sure he was on the third floor, at least. He hadn’t even noticed the beautiful murals on both sides of the hallway and would have stopped to look more closely if he wasn’t already busy. Making a mental note, he’d check them out when he didn’t have such a big audience for his sightseeing.

They came to the end of the hallway where it branched. To the right was more hallway, and on the left was an open door with stairs leading up and down. Dara led the way down as he glanced at more of the strange lights that gave off a slightly dull illumination, as if through frosted glass.

“Dara, what are these lights?” he asked as they descended. They were almost like the old-style lightbulbs back home, except about a quarter of the size.

Dara paused as she reached the floor below and glanced back at him with her eyes following his gesture. “They’re useful, don’t you think? A powerful family in Galdish makes them. They’ve made much of their wealth around these lights, and just about anyone with the means would have them. I wouldn’t recommend the copies, though, as they’re cheap versions of the original. Remember, only work with the Argitsuas if you want the best lightwell,” she finished with a smile.

“Wow, that’s quite the sales pitch. Did you invest in them?” Eli finished with a chuckle as he caught up with her.

“Well, the Argitsuas family is closely tied with mine, but they really do make the best.” Her face flushed red with the admission even as she retook the lead down another corridor.

“I was just messing with you,” Eli said, throwing her a smirk. “Wait, why aren’t there any in my room? They gave me a lamp last night.”

“That guest room doesn’t have lightwells,” she replied. “Some people don’t like how bright their light is, and the controls for individual units are costly. My father has mentioned just how fortunate we are to have so many in our home,” she said in a long-suffering tone as if repeating a phrase she’d heard countless times.

Eli shrugged as they entered a small room with two different doors, a guard next to each one. Taking the one on the right, they entered a larger room with a squad of elites sitting around a table talking loudly, and he was struck again by how women guards were serving alongside the men. He’d seen a few yesterday, Eyonne being an excellent example, but he’d grown up in a time when women were primarily relegated to non-combat positions again. The human race had lost billions during the Fall, and with at least half the human population gone, many regions were still barely holding on. His country, the reformed US, still had some women in specialized combat roles and command, but there was intense pressure to conform to the old ways. Other countries had gone much further as their women were turned into little more than baby factories.

Maybe because abilities are so important here? But then, wouldn’t the importance of family put societal pressure on controlling the family line and abilities by controlling the women? Oh, or are there cultures here where women rule over men? But then, how do you subjugate someone that might create fireballs out of thin air?

The elites around the table went quiet at seeing them. A moment later, they stood at attention, reminding Eli of his time in the war. He was impressed with how quickly the group moved from sitting to standing without knocking over anything on the way up. A bit of amusement bubbled up – military bearing and discipline apparently transcended worlds.

Dara simply nodded to the guards as she stopped and turned towards him. “I’ll leave you here, Eli. I should really get going, as Eyonne does love punctuality. Thank you again,” she said with a bow.

“Huh? Oh, alright. I’ll see you around, Dara,” he replied as he tried to bow back in the same way while imagining how awkward he had to look coming from a handshake culture. Before and after the Fall, the repeated pandemics had dealt a heavy blow to the gesture, but people still tended to touch knuckles or elbows over any sort of bow.

He shook off the thought as he nodded to the elite holding open the door. Inside, Wybert was sitting behind a wooden desk with half the surface covered with stacks of papers with a pen and ink jar near one end. Three tiny windows set high up provided a bit of light, though the two oversized lightwells inset within the ceiling helped brighten things further. Two oversized wooden chairs sat in front of the desk, while four smaller armless chairs were against a nearby wall with two large full bookcases covering the opposite wall.

Wybert looked much better, but then again, he’d seemed only a few breaths from death last night, so being up and about was near miraculous. Eli wasn’t sure, but he’d have guessed the man was also in his 30s with only a few lines around his eyes and not a hint of grey in his hair. Given Dara’s age, the guy either had her very young or was older than he looked.

Wybert’s eyes looked clear and ready to tackle whatever came his way, though at least the slight dark circles gave some hint that he wasn’t fully recovered as he stood up from behind his desk. Walking over, he stopped in front of Eli and went down to one knee, bowing. “I owe a blood debt and acknowledge this before the Oververse.”

There was a bright flash like when Dara had said much the same thing, leaving Eli blinking away the man’s afterimage briefly floating in front of him. At the same time, a tiny thump went off inside his chest, like when he used his energy. A bit of worry bubbled to the surface, but nothing else happened, and he was left staring at the warlord kneeling in his own office. “Okay, um, can you stand up? Maybe we can chat? I don’t think we’ve been introduced, but my name is Eli Tal.” He bowed back as he said this, unsure since so many of this world’s cultural rules were largely a mystery to him.

Wybert stood back up again smoothly as if performing in a ceremony. “Gifted Eli Tal, since I have no one to announce me, my name is Wybert Easone, Wolf of the North, under the direct guidance of his magnificence Dia Aaric the Mighty.”

Eli hesitated, taking a moment to unpack all of that, and finally cleared his throat. “It’s great to meet you, Mr. Easone, or is it Gifted Easone? I don’t know much about how that works here, so please forgive my faux pas since I’m not sure what Dara has shared with you. Oh, and you can call me Eli.”

Wybert absorbed his babbling with a serious, almost stern look. Looking at him now, Eli had a hard time reconciling the dark piercing eyes of this warlord with the confused and injured man from last night.

“Gifted Tal, can I treat you as a guest?”

“Uh, sure,” he said with some hesitation as he dragged out the words, wondering if he’d already said something stupid. “I don’t really understand what you’re asking, so could you explain?”

Wybert gestured as if waving away the problem and motioned to one of the oversized chairs in front of his desk. “Just a ritual so we can talk more freely. As a guest and not some visiting power, the rules are different. Please, would you like to sit? A drink, perhaps?” Wybert gestured to a sideboard along one wall that Eli hadn’t even noticed earlier when he’d entered.

“Oh, hell yes, I could go for a drink. Do you think we can ignore all the formality? Can we just assume that each holds the other in the highest esteem and go from there? As I said before, I don’t know what Dara told you, but I could use some information. Oh, and please call me Eli. There’s no need for any titles,” he finished, trying on a smile.

Wybert nodded minutely as he walked over to the sideboard, where there were a few bottles with different colored liquids. Two of them were an amber color, while the other was a deep blue. Pouring from one of the amber bottles, Wybert only half-filled two of the glasses. “I particularly like this drink,” he said. “It’s a special one.” He handed the half-full glass to Eli before sitting behind his desk. “Please sit.”

Eli finally sat, looking down at the drink in his hand. It was the color of whiskey, but the fluid slowly moved like cooking oil as he swirled the glass and was more viscous than any drink he’d had back on Earth. He wasn’t opposed to a little liquid courage for this chat but then gulped, hoping Wybert didn’t think he’d done anything shady with Dara.

Wybert gestured to the drink. “That’s deora,” he said. “It’s made from a small plant that almost exclusively grows in Droch. The local tribespeople make their own version, which has a hell of a kick, but they keep their recipe secret. The damn stuff will knock you on your ass if you aren’t used to it,” he continued, his eyes going briefly distant before he seemed to shake the memory away. “Sadly, it’s hard to get the real stuff, and this is just our own version of it. We do our best to process the drink in our own way, but I think something is lost in the process.”

“To your health,” Eli said without thinking, raising his glass in salute.

Instead of toasting in return Wybert sat still in his chair, his face turning slightly red as his eyes bored into Eli’s for a few heartbeats. Finally, slowly, Wybert took a sip of his drink, but his eyes didn’t waver in their examination.

Pushing on and trying to ignore the piercing eyes studying him, Eli took a sip of his drink and was instantly coughing. Trying not to make a mess, he managed to not spew the liquid over his host’s desk as he struggled to swallow the last drops seemingly stuck in the back of his throat. It tasted spicy, with heat and a warm explosion when it hit his stomach. While he wasn’t much of a drinker anymore, he’d had a rough patch years ago and could confidently say he’d never had anything like it. Then again, he’d never had rubbing alcohol flavored with habaneros, which is what it tasted like.

“Wow, that is…wow,” he said as another cough escaped.

Warning! Poison detected

Surprised, he toggled his status.

Name: Eli Tal

Species: Human

Race: Restricted (Anomaly)

Level: 9

Evolution: High Mundane

Abilities: Tracking, Identify, Manasight, Healing, Flamethrower, Lifesight,?

Modifiers: Alcohol Poisoning

It took him a moment, and he almost laughed when he realized what Guide was referring to but paused as the change in his level snagged at his attention. He wondered if it could be related to the partial evolution notification he’d received while healing Wybert.

“How do you like it?” Wybert asked after taking a second sip.

“I can honestly say that it’s like nothing I’ve had before,” he replied, shaking away thoughts on his changing levels.

“You said you would like information, and I have a debt I’d like to pay. At the same time, I’d like you to tell me about your trip here since saving my daughter.” The warlord’s face had relaxed somewhat, but his eyes continued to study Eli as if picking him apart.

“Um, okay? I’m not sure what I can tell you that Dara hasn’t already,” Eli said, confused since she’d told him how she’d talked with her father this morning.

Wybert’s gaze sharpened, and his lips almost disappeared into a thin line, his eyes boring in for a few moments as if trying to find something in Eli’s gaze. “You two shared a vow,” he said in a tightly controlled voice. “Dara couldn’t divulge much about her trip here, other than that my brother betrayed her, our family, and only the spirits know who else. So please, could you tell me what the hells happened on your way here?” he finished, half out of his chair as his voice grew louder by the end.

Surprised, Eli was about to explain, but Wybert just shook his head and sat down again, gesturing before taking another drink. “I apologize, Eli. You saved my daughter’s life and mine, which I’ll never forget. I just can’t believe my brother did this. Either my daughter is lying to me, or my brother is a monster.” He looked down at his desk, but his eyes stared through the thick wood as if seeing something else – something horrific.

“What if she’s mistaken?” Eli asked. At Wybert’s pointed look, he continued quickly, “I’m saying that we are missing a lot of information. Dara herself reacted much like you – just as unable to believe her uncle could do this. Since magic is possible, could someone have made him commit these crimes? Surely you’ve already suspected the same?”

Wybert signed before nodding and putting down his drink. “That was one of the options. Honestly, that was my first inclination, but I must guard against those thoughts since it’s far too easy to let such ideas cloud my judgment. Being so close to the matter, my actions must be clean and clear.” His hand slashed at the air like a blade to emphasize the point. “No, I can’t work upon an assumption of innocence. It is far too important to move quickly and decisively.”

“Okay, I can see that,” Eli said as he thought about Wybert’s words. “So do we want to make a vow to exchange information? That works for me. Heck, maybe we can just modify the one Dara came up with? We just need to swear by the Overv-.”

“Stop!” Wybert barked as he jerked forward in his chair. “Don’t say it, Eli – don’t swear so lightly by the Oververse. You really must be an Outlander.” He said the last with some exasperation as he leaned back again. “Just know that the consequences for a poorly worded vow are serious.”

Eli sat back in surprise at Wybert’s outburst but grew thoughtful by the end. “Alright, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m new around here. So if we’re not swearing by the Oververse, what would you suggest?” he asked, genuinely curious.

“Oh, we can swear by the Oververse, but we’re not going to improvise,” Wybert replied. “Tanca, Eyonne, and Ghlan all reported how you and Dara were improvising vows to the Oververse. Absolute madness.”

“Wait, but what is the Oververse? How can we swear by it?”

“Outlander indeed,” Wybert said with a nod. “The Oververse is an overwhelming power that enforces the rules of our world. There is no going around, standing against, or ignoring it. Think of it as a force of existence if that helps, and do not take it lightly.

“Being an Outlander,” Wybert continued, all levity absent from his voice. “Please take this lesson to heart: don’t improvise with the Oververse. It is imminently literal. Whatever you swear, be sure you’ve considered any stray implications or pitfalls, as I’ve seen people injured or killed by poorly-worded oaths. Instead, we have specific, narrowly worded vows tested and vetted for safety and security. I’d suggest we take such a vow.”

Wybert picked up and passed a single sheet over to Eli, who looked at it with interest. The paper only had some pictographs and squiggles taking up the top third on one side. He was no scholar, but he’d never seen the language with its strange lines interspersed with a handful of hieroglyphic symbols. One of them, in particular, looked just like a bird in profile. As he watched, the shapes blurred before the English translation appeared.

“Hmmm, ‘swear to tell the truth…yadda, yadda, no self-recrimination, and total anonymity unless I personally okay it? Yeah, that works for me,” he said and nodded as he finished reading.

“Excellent,” Wybert said with a smile that reminded him of Dara – the resemblance was unmistakable. “I can assure you that we’ve used this oath for ages during investigations. I only changed a few words to meet the exact nature of our situation, but any changes are specific, as you can see. Your secrets and the source of this information will only be known to the two of us, which I will also swear to in return.”

Eli stood as he felt like this kind of vow deserved it and grinned as Wybert stood almost simultaneously. “I swear to give honest details about my time with Daralis Easone,” he said as he slowly and carefully read down the page, enunciating each word. “I shall not tell any lies or otherwise try to hinder the pursuit of the truth in matters relating specifically to Duarte Easone. I do not assume any liability for my actions and will not implicate myself in any crimes. My secrets are my own and cannot be shared without my personal permission. Upon Wybert Easone’s own oath to the Oververse in agreement, I so swear by the Oververse.”

“I agree with Eli Tal’s oath and make my own by the Oververse,” Wybert said roughly, and a flash brightened the room as their vows were confirmed.