206 Ruined Church

Doevm and the rest of the group swept through the chamber. Any evidence of their brief stay, such as the dried sweat and on the stage or the uprooted moss, was either burned or stuffed into their spatial rings. After finishing up, they traveled to the winding caves below and washed their hands in a nearby pool of water.

"So is that everything?" Thomas asked as he wiped his hands on his last clean set of clothes. Doevm raised an eyebrow. "It just seems sudden," Thomas continued. "I feel like we haven't really explored this cave. I know you found a new spear but it seems like there should have been something more back there."

Doevm shrugged. "This place was a gamble anyway. I am just happy I found something." He took out the map and a light crystal before walking down one of the winding tunnels. "Come on, I'll lead us to the way out." The rest of the group followed behind him. Frey was at the very back.

"I think I liked staying here," Elero said after a few minutes. She ran her hand along one of the small tunnel's smooth walls. "But I need to feel sunlight again. I never thought I'd say this but I missed that stinking swamp."

"I am ready for this whole thing to be over," Thomas complained, taking a moment to stretch his sore limbs. "I want to sleep on something soft. I can even settle for carpet. Anything is better than an Amphiboard. That reminds me: when initiation ends, how are we going to divide up the loot?"

"That's if we win," Elero responded.

"If," Thomas chuckled. "Like we'd lose. We've trained, we know how they operate, and most importantly, Doevm has a plan."

Elero sighed: "Ok I'll bite. Assuming that we win, which is a very small chance, what do you want Thomas? Do you want a new spear to replace the one your father bought you?"

"I mean," Thomas took out his rose-like spear. "You're not wrong. I saw what he tried to do and, while I appreciate it, this is a little girly. Even Eugene was chuckling behind my back." Doevm clicked his tongue. "Or maybe I can get a throwing spear like what you have Frey," he tapped the person leading them on the shoulder.

"Wrong person," Doevm said.

"Oh sorry. Wait, why are you at the front?"

"I'm tired," Frey's annoyed voice echoed through the cave. "But yes, a throwing spear seems to be a good idea." When Thomas glanced back, and since Doevm held the only source of light, Frey was covered in shadows. The only things Thomas could make out were Frey's hunched shoulders and downcast head. His loud, clanking feet dragged on the flat ground.

Thomas rubbed his chin. "I still don't think attacking Trak's group is worth it just so I can get a throwing spear." Just before he turned back around, he bumped into Doevm. As he went to apologize, he realized why Doevm had stopped. The cave had ended, and a familiar sight stretched out as far as they eye could see: the swamp.

'That's right,' Thomas thought, a certain dread eating at his mind. 'We have to fight people now.' He frowned at the steep drop leading to some ruins. "Doevm, so which direction are we going?" No response.

Doevm stared at a certain part of the ruins: "Didn't there used to be a bedframe there?" He whispered to himself before shaking his head. "Let's drop down to those ruins and take a quick break." And with that, the group slowly slid down, taking care not to get caught in the many roots and vines. Doevm came down last. He had taken a few moments to cover up the entrance with vines and leaves.

"Are you ok?" Elero asked as Frey finally reached the bottom of the slope. "Today is going to be pretty busy with fighting. If you need to stay behind and recover, you should. Did anything happen while you were on watch?"

Frey smiled: "I'm fine. Let's just get initiation over with." He stepped into the ruins and, after a bit of searching, he found a room where they could rest. The roof had collapsed on most of the rows of long benches. At the back were shattered bits of stained glass and a single, rotten podium. Frey and Elero sat down and munched on some cooked frog meat.

Thomas tried to go in as well, his stomach rumbling, but Doevm stopped him. "I need to teach you how to make bombs and attach them to your spears."

"Can't I learn while eating with the rest?" Thomas asked as he pointed inside the room, more specifically at the rapidly disappearing food.

Doevm shook his head. "I am not fond of those kinds of places, especially not now. It won't take long and you'll still have time to eat." Thomas sighed and spent the next few minutes learning how to tie a messy, disgusting organ to a spear via a specific knot. "And that's it," Doevm said after their little lesson. "When you throw the spear, the knot will force a bit of white stone inside the concoction inside of the organ and it'll explode."

"This won't kill people, right?" Thomas let out a nervous chuckle.

Doevm smirked as he walked out of the room: "I don't know. I'll get some more white stone for you."

Thomas carefully put his new spear into his spatial ring and took out a piece of frog meat no bigger than his head. His stomach rumbled and a bit of drool came from his lips. 'This used to be so gross,' he thought but, as he went to take a bite, Elero walked through the door. He flinched and the piece of meat slapped the dirt.

"Oh good you're not doing anything," Elero said as she shambled into the room.

"Now I'm not," Thomas sighed, contemplating holding burial for his breakfast.

"So," Elero said. "What do you think of the lower class?"

Thomas scratched his cheek: "Do you mean Doevm and Frey? They're fine. I wouldn't say that we know each other like family but Frey's my close friend."

Elero shook her head: "I mean the lower class in general. What do you imagine their lives are like?"

"What's with this all of a sudden?" Thomas asked, taking a step back. "Peasants live their lives and I live my life." Elero narrowed her eyes. Thomas swallowed his saliva. "If the lower class try, they can live a happy life. If they don't work hard, they end up like bandits in the woods."

Elero seemed to contemplate for a moment. "Do you know what the word "Peasant" means?" Thomas nodded. "Tell me what you think it means."

"Commoner. Someone in the lower class."

Elero looked to the ground for a second and scrunched up her lips. "Half right. It's an insult. It means that they are lesser in every way, shape, and form, and can never be more than that."

"But-"

"Like it or not that is what the word means," Elero insisted. "But you seemed to have not realized what you were saying so I won't judge you for it. It's just good to know where you stand." Just before she turned around, she glanced at the meat on the ground. "Some things seem good. Some people seem good. There is always a side you aren't seeing."

"So what?" Thomas shrugged. "Are you trying to talk about my friends again? What about you? Don't you have a side we aren't seeing? So do I, so does Frey, so does Doevm."

"Some are worse than others," Elero's words drifted on the foggy air. "What scares me more than someone who hides that part of themselves, is someone who claims they don't have that side."

"Whatever," Thomas rolled his eyes and brought out another piece of frog meat. Before he could sink his teeth into it, Frey appeared at the doorway. "What do you want?" Thomas cried.

"It's time to go," Frey pointed over his shoulder at the rest waiting outside.

"I'll be right out," Thomas put his tiny morsel of food back into his spatial ring and took out his Amphiboard.

…

"Follow them."