Chapter 25: Preparation Pt.1

It was still the Mid-level of Obura, but Lord Prestonheim's tent had bustling knights enter and exit the tent all morning. This was after the conversation between Servus 132-X and Lord Prestonheim had the night prior. Servus 132-X convinced the Commander to let him scout the burrows first, while waiting for the reply from the one of the princes of the Principalia.

Upon catching wind of his plan, the dwarf, the beastman and the elf cornered Servus 132-X and asked him questions.

"Were ya out of yer mind?!" the dwarf slapped Servus 132-X's shoulder hard. " Are ya planning tah die there?"

Servus 132-X tried his best to explain, "Well, I--"

But before he can finish his sentence, the gloomy beastman butted his way into the conversation. "W-was it because of me?" The beastman had tears welling in his eyes, "I-I made you do this! I am so sorry!" The tall beastman kneeled in front of Servus 132-X and grovelled to apologize.

"W-what in the god's balls are ya doin, lad?!" The troubled dwarf tugged the beastman by the arm, trying to make him stand, "You're a beastman, try tah act like one! Don't embarrass your beastkind. S-stop yer grovelling!" He tugged his arm again.

Embarrassed the beastman hurriedly stood up and stayed silent for the rest of the conversation.

Servus 132-X shrugged his head and sighed. "This would be our first step to freedom. I have to do this!" He stood up and tried to exit the tent, but was blocked by the elf.

The elf pushed him back to his seat and signed to him so fast, that even the dwarf wasn't able to catch most of it.

"What was she saying?" Servus 132-X directed the question to the dwarf.

"Err...I don't know either," the dwarf scratching his head. "Look, lass yah have tah give us some consideration. Even I, only have the proficiency of a wee lad when it comes to the Amang-Indecens System." The dwarf sighed.

The elf took a deep breath and conveyed her message slowly to the dwarf. Her gestures were forceful and emotion-filled. The voiceless elf shouted at Servus 132-X, the pent-up feelings she had with their current situation.

"You don't have to do this alone!" The dwarf interpreted. "Why can't you lean on us?"

The dwarf looked at Servus 132-X straight in the eyes. "The lass has a point."

Servus 132-X has never been comfortable with these type of conversations. He simply cannot risk their lives because of his rash actions. He wanted them to be free from their bounded lives. Free from paying the price of the freedom they chose when they followed him. He made up his mind--he should be the only sacrifice to this cause.

"This was a gamble I opted to do, out of my fear of death", Servus 132-X answered the elf. "The gamble you had no choice but to follow." He stood up from the chair and walked to the opening of the tent.

Before stepping out of the tent, Servus 132-X looked back at them with their dumbfounded faces, "I led you here on this path with your lives and I shall carry it until we get our freedom." He stepped out of the tent, bearing their lives on his shoulders.

Servus 132-X walked towards Lord Prestonheim's tent. He passed along the knights who were preparing huge planks of lumber and knotting bundles of ropes for the upcoming descent. The knights took turns to glare at him, cursing him under their breathe.

He never cared about that. He never cared about the knights nor Lord Prestonheim. He only cared about their freedom. The same freedom he's trying to pay today with his sweat and blood.

He was almost near the Commander's tent, when Tristam met him by the entrance. The young knight gestured his hand, indicating Servus 132-X to stop. Inside the tent he could hear the audible sounds of the two men arguing. This wasn't new to him, from the sound of the voices inside.

" Lord Prestonheim and Servus 305-M?" He asked Tristam.

Tristam tried his best to stifle a laugh. He nodded to Servus 132- X in agreement. " Wait here, let me break those two up before they start punching each other," he smiled.

The young knight made his way inside, and within a few minutes, the tent became silent. Tristam walked out of the tent sighing. He glances to Servus 132-X and gestured him to follow.

Servus 132-X felt the heavy air when he went inside the tent. He could feel the clashing energies of both men looming over the small space where the tent is. Lord Prestonheim stood silently at the table, staring at an empty parchment. On the other hand, the red-haired slave, slumped himself into a chair facing the Commander.

Lord Prestonheim broke his silence, "Ah! Finally, Servus 132-X you came," the Commander tried his best to sound jovial despite the heavy atmosphere between him and Servus 305-M.

The Commander gestured his hand to a seat and asked Servus 132-X to seat beside the other slave. Servus 132-X promptly followed and sat beside Servus 305-M. As he sat down, the other slave looked at him with a disappointed look on his face.

"Bah! Is this him?" Servus 305-M scoffed. "No offense to you, but this is supposed to be a knight's job!" the red-haired slave patted Servus 132-X's back.

Servus 132-X observed Lord Prestonheim massaging the bridge of his nose. He knew they have been at it for a while now. What surprised him, is how the other slave could talk liberally to the Lord Commander to the point of insulting him.

It seemed like they knew each other for the longest time. Judging on how the Commander treated the red-haired slave, it seemed like at some point, Servus 305-M was once part of the higher class.

He could be wrong, but from the way Servus 305-M sat and his manner of speaking, it was clear to him he might've been a citizen acquainted with Lord Prestonheim.

Servus 305-M stared intently at Servus 132-X. "Lord Prestonheim claimed it was you who volunteered?" He tapped his finger at the arm rest.

"Yes." Servus 132-X answered him confidently.

"I had high hopes for you," Servus 305-M clicked his tongue. "But in the end you are but a fool."

"Enough!" Lord Prestonheim commanded the slaves to keep quiet and punched the table hard.

The Commander's booming voice and his heavy-pressured exousia, filled the room that it caught the slaves' attention. Now, they're ready to listen.