Chapter 5: An Issue

Chapter 1: Strategic Complications

"Oh, Fredlin," a voice called out as a man approached, a limp figure slung over his shoulder. That limp figure was me. Though I appeared unconscious, I wasn't—not entirely. He had struck me hard with the hilt of his sword, enough that I should've blacked out, but something in me refused to shut down. So I played along, staying motionless and silent. Better to observe and survive—for now.

"Where were you?" asked a gruff voice, the same one from before. I didn't know exactly what was happening, but every instinct I had was telling me that I was in danger. Cooperation seemed the most rational choice—at least until I had more information or an opportunity to escape. The man's expression back at the stream had made it crystal clear: he wouldn't hesitate to kill me if I made myself a problem.

"Just took a walk," Fredlin replied, smug satisfaction in his tone. "And guess what? I stumbled across another goods."

"Should I be concerned? You seem unusually good at collecting strays," the gruff voice said, skeptical.

"That's exactly why I do this, old man. Can't waste talent like mine," Fredlin chuckled.

"Tsk. Get over here—we have a situation," a female voice cut in sharply.

Movement.

And then—

BAM!

I hit the ground, hard. He had dropped me like a sack of beans.

"What's the issue?" Fredlin asked, the humor gone from his voice.

"It's about the canyon," a younger male voice responded, smooth and composed. "You do know about the recent alliance between Asteria and Yuphena, right?"

Silence.

Awkward, telling silence.

"Yes... I do," Fredlin said, though the hesitation in his tone betrayed him.

"Sigh. Where exactly were you the day common sense was handed out?" came the biting voice of another woman—sharper, more vibrant than the first.

"I was with you, of course," he replied, followed by an awkward sound I couldn't quite place.

"Enough," the smooth voice interjected. "The problem is, now that Yuphena and Asteria are allied, we can't move through their territories while transporting strays that possess those relics."

I could feel eyes on me. I didn't move. I couldn't afford to blow my cover.

"Damn it," Fredlin muttered.

"So what's the plan? A detour?" he asked irritably.

"Exactly," the smooth voice confirmed.

"Wait a minute," Fredlin said, now sounding apprehensive. "We're east of Asteria. If we go any farther, we hit Yuphena's border. There are only two ways to reach Cambria—the canyon or..." He trailed off.

I didn't like where this was going.

"Yes," said the gruff voice, exhaling. "That's our only option."

"That's suicide," Fredlin snapped.

"I warned them," the vibrant woman chimed in.

"It's the only viable route," the gruff voice maintained.

"Viable? You're calling that viable? If these relic-bearing strays are the issue, why not just leave them? We take only the ones without relics and cross the canyon. We're bound to find more strays afterward," Fredlin argued.

By now, I knew what they were referring to—specifically, the peculiar watch-like device on my wrist. A relic.

"Are you serious?" the quieter woman finally spoke, incredulous. "Over three hundred of the strays we've captured carry relics. That's more than sixty percent of our haul from the past four months. You want to just abandon all that?"

"Are you being deliberately stupid?" Fredlin snapped. "Do you have any idea what kind of creatures roam that route? They're ranked above Tier IV in hostility. We're not equipped for that."

"Tsk," muttered the younger man. "Here's an alternative: split the group. Those with relics go through the Wanderer's Path with the hired mercenaries. The rest go with us through the canyon. If they survive, great. If not, well..."

His tone was devoid of empathy. Cold. Calculated.

"That might actually work," someone said thoughtfully.

"But the mercenaries... They won't want to risk that path," another warned.

"They will for the right price," said the vibrant woman, almost dismissively.

"Then it's settled," the gruff voice declared. "Fredlin..."

"Yeah?" Fredlin responded.

"Take the boy. Chain him with the others. And keep your eyes on him."

Then a pause.

"Must be exhausting, pretending to sleep all this time."

My eyes snapped open.

Every face around me was grinning—wicked, knowing grins.

They had known all along.