He would definitely repeat his action despite everything, that thought makes him believe that he is still a human being.

His body is lifted as abruptly as it was laid down, a cloth bag wraps around his head, depriving him of his sight, his hands are tied behind his back without him feeling pain from the coldness of his fingers, despite the clear irritation his skin showed.

He didn't have the strength to resist and knew it wasn't in his best interest to do so when was clearly at a disadvantage. He didn't know where they were taking him or what their objective was, in the worst case, he would have to resort to Lyaria or the old man.

At first, he tries to remember the twists and turns they made, but gives up when he loses track of the place in a town he didn't even know, from the beginning the idea was impossible. The men who were escorting him did not speak to each other or to him, from the sound of their footsteps he deduces that there are four of them including the one who was pushing him from behind.

Finally he can hear the characteristic sound of doors opening indicating that he was now inside a building, the sounds of footsteps also increased, as well as the noise produced by people talking. Anyway, it doesn't take long until those sounds are left behind having crossed more doors and down stairs that with each step lowered the temperature.

It doesn't take much for Ezer to figure out where he was, after all, his family had a place that gave off the same familiarity. His hands are untied and the bag on his head removed, before even his eyes adjust to the environment, he is hustled into a cell whose bars squeak as the door closes.

The men who escorted him retreat, leaving Ezer alone in partial darkness. He just huddles in a corner hugging his knees looking to conserve heat, falling asleep almost instantly as he does so, his accumulated tiredness reached the point where his body and mind can't resist forcing him to rest.

However, before losing the last shred of consciousness his mind wonders.

“Will Lyaria... be alright?”

The night did not have much time left to be replaced by the day, despite everything, Ezer sleeps the few hours he had left in the cold of the dungeons.

At the moment when his eyes open having woken up from the interruption of silence, a man is standing in front of his cell. The features of his face seemed very familiar to him and it didn't take long for him to recognize who it was.

“The fate of your life will be decided in a few hours, prepare for that.” Even being half asleep, Ezer can recognize the seriousness of that man's words.

Despite being in a cell, that was the first time in weeks that Ezer didn't need to worry about anything other than sleep, he didn't have to be vigilant for any noise and he didn't have to attend to Lyaria and her fever either. Although, just as it had advantages, it also had a great disadvantage, the cold of the stone bricks penetrated to his bones despite the multiple layers of coats, without being able to mitigate it by making a fire like every night in the woods.

With advantages and disadvantages Ezer wakes up energized, although is sure that he could continue sleeping for a whole day or even hibernate for the whole winter. However, the words of the man in front of his cell wakes him up completely without leaving a hint of tiredness in his mind.

“A public trial will be held in the main square before noon. There your punishment will be judged for breaching the treaty of three hundred years ago. “The man had a hard face with several spots on his skin due to old age, but what stood out the most was his white hair that was clearly not due to age, and only served to highlight his deep blue eyes.

Ezer doesn't rush in and ponders the man's words, he was aware of a supposed treaty between his family and the Adangar that ended hostilities between them, although he clearly wasn't sure about the clauses or the fine print.

“No army is allowed to post near the borders posing a clear threat, no courier is allowed to cross the border without the explicit approval of an outpost. The response in case of transgression of the first is war, in case of the second, the capture and disposition of the intruder will be in charge of the authorities that capture him.” He stops his explanation to continue it the next second. “This is the situation you find yourself in, we could torture or kill you without fear of reprisal. Even if you are a direct descendant of the Inmerlan.”

"I'm not a spy, and I don't mean to do any harm, either. Also, it is clear that you were the first to break the treaty.” Ezer remembers the pack he met within his family's lands in which Lyaria was also, he had already assumed the objective of their presence long ago.

“After the treaty there was a slight communication between both parties that, with the passage of time, decreased to the point of non-existence. So we decided to start gathering information on our own, seeing how humans lived generation after generation, forgetting us with the passage of each one. The beastmen that inhabited the other side became nothing more than a legend, with the stories of our wars being modified to make them more believable, such that the fights were against barbarians instead of people who took the form of animals. Naturally or forced, I never found out, your family completely forgot us, as well as the treaty. Although this was still respected, not out of honor, but because one of the parties was ignorant of the other and we were both wounded just like we are now.”

Ezer had a strong curiosity about why there were no records of something as important as what lived behind the mountains or because he had no knowledge about it despite being a direct descendant of the family, something as big as this could not be easily forgotten.

"Do you think they deleted all information on purpose?"

“I suspect that, although I have no proof. But whoever did it was very smart.” The man smiles.

“Why?”

“Because there can be no war if the enemy is not recognized. Our race was busy surviving the beasts and winter all this time, we didn't have the strength to start a war. While you, before you declined to the point where you are today, you had the resources to start it. However, every war has a price and that is why I believe that someone deliberately withheld the information by deciding to preserve their forces.”

“Though it didn't help, my family is barely holding on.” Ezer says it bitterly.

“It could have been much worse, if they had been weakened by a war…” The conversation stops for a few seconds in which they both sink into their thoughts.

“Why are you telling me all this?”

"I feel like it's going to be the only chance to talk quietly. Ezer, what is your goal? What would you do if you could live one more day?”

“I… I would find a place to live, a place where I don't have to worry about surviving.” Ezer takes time to find an answer that he didn't even know if it was really what he wanted.

"Not a bad idea, not for a common man. Having a home, a job, a few coins to live on, a woman to love and children born of love. But is that really the best? To die of old age without having done anything and without your name being remembered?”

"That..." The man's words echoed in his head, forcing him to rethink his idea.