“Night is falling, we need to prepare. Let’s gather at the mouth of the cave.” The few inhabitants of the room either nod or don’t respond at all as they get to their feet. They look tired, and the fighting hasn’t even started. I can’t say I blame them… most of them haven’t slept much at all, and tonight is unlikely to help that. Our newly enhanced bodies can deal with a lack of sleep significantly better than before, but battle and tribulation has a way of sapping one’s strength. Hopefully we can get into a routine tomorrow of sleeping the morning away after surviving the night. This is likely to be the worst one.

Lauren and Nate are in the next room together. Alone. My stomach tightens slightly at the sight, and the knowledge that they stopped talking when I approached hurts. It isn’t jealousy, I’m just worried that my speculation about Nate having mind powers is real, and that, coupled with Lauren not being in the best place, could end really badly.

Like her not being your pawn anymore?

She isn’t my pawn.

You’ll be just like him.

…

I used to be the kind of person that manipulated others, yeah. I used to be very good at sensing what people wanted to hear, and using that to coax them to my way of thinking. Frankly? I still am… but I only ever did that to push them along a path they already wanted to go down, but lacked the guts to do so. I wanted them to ask that girl out, or try a difficult project… go big or go home. That sort of thing. I manipulated people to be better, but for their own definition of better instead of mine. I know that sounds high and mighty, but it was… how I was. I don’t regret it, but it isn’t something I typically do anymore. Not unless people ask.

And Lauren… asked.

So yeah, maybe I’ll be like him, but I won’t be Nate. I won’t tell her what to do. I won’t use some bullshit mind power to compel her to act the way I want. I’ll talk to her, be there for her, and try to use my Energy to fix her, while minimizing any influence I have over her decisions.

Plus, Nate seemed perfectly happy to let this person, who was clearly hurting, be his proverbial mad dog. Who would question the authority of the one guy the crazy assassin girl doesn’t want to kill?

It isn’t right. I know I’m the minority in thinking that. Everyone here tends to agree on just one thing: Nate’s the leader. And they don’t seem to mind things staying that way.

I do. I think there’s no way in hell Nate doesn’t get corrupted by the power he holds. Everything about the way he acts already reeks of the idea that he thinks of people as pawns and tools, not as humans. As time passes, he will only bring more people under his control and become harder to take down. Imagine a kingdom in which everyone is too brainwashed to care that they’re suffering? Humanity has a chance for a new beginning here, and I’ll be damned if I see what’s left of us ruled by some asshole with magic powers.

…

God damnit. I could have left all this and gone off on my own. It would have been so easy to leave them to their fate. But now? I can’t leave until this is resolved. I just…

Really hope it doesn’t kill me.

Ugh, the best part about a high Intelligence stat is how I can think so much and have very little time pass. “Time to get ready guys.” I start to leave before Nate answers “Wonderful, thank you Anthony. Please get the others.” I physically cringe as he finishes, reacting to the slamming headache. That… that was worse than usual. Is he getting stronger? Fuck, is it a skill? And if he levels it through use…

How long before I can’t resist anymore?

I suppress the shiver and nod before heading to the next room. Kaythe senses my mood and *click*s (alright?) at me. I don’t want to speak because I’m sure Nate will hear me, but I shake my head. Kaythe seems to understand and curls tighter around me. The pressure is comforting.

[Congratulations! Domination milestone reached! Domination at 40%] [Domination synchronization increased! Primary Skill sharing efficiency raised! +2 Perception, +1 Dexterity]

[Congratulations! Skill levels gained: Tamer +1 (3)

Monsters gain a fraction of your Primary Skills, increasing with bond percentage. If the bonded ally exceeds any of your Primary Skills, you receive a boost to those stats.]

A welcome addition, but the timing could have been better. So Kaythe far exceeds my Perception but less so when it comes to Dexterity. Unsurprising. However, now isn’t the time to focus on such things. I have an ‘order’ to follow, after all.

I send the remaining people towards the entrance. We probably have twenty minutes, max. One last thing before I can head over…

---

“Zathis.”

“Hello Anthony! Are you here for more training?”

“I genuinely wish I was. Tomorrow, if I’m still alive, I’ll be sure to take you up on the offer.”

“Are you… undertaking a dangerous mission?”

I shake my head, sadly. “The Shades… Dwarf Shades… will likely be back tonight. They attacked our camp last night, dragging off some of our number. We don’t know what happened to them. We have no reason to think they’re satisfied.”

Zathis’ eyes widen slightly, unease flickering across his massive face, but he says nothing.

“I came to tell you… you may want to shut the doors to this room. If they get past us, they might come for you as well. If it isn’t too much to ask, please look after Kaythe for me, until I get back.”

“...You came, not to ask for my aid in battle, but to ensure my safety, and that of your companion? Surely you recognize that I could crush these enemies easily, even from here.”

He’s right. It’s very tempting to ask yet another favor from him. It would be nothing for him to hold off the onslaught tonight. But life has taught me never to take advantage of a generous host. I fully believe he would help if I asked, but…

“I would not ask you, after training me and allowing us to live in these halls, to also defend us. Especially not against those that were your brothers. They may be Shades, but I can’t imagine it would be easy to raise your hand against them. Besides, they only found this place because of us… because of me. We can at least clean up after our own mess. This is our responsibility.”

The giant looks at me strangely, as if uncertain. It’s fair, honestly. I would doubt my intentions too.

The truth is: we need the levels, experience, and good will. Zathis is a master of earth magic and an extremely valuable resource. He also seems to be a pretty fair guy, so he will likely repay us in some way for defending the halls he guards from the living mockeries of the ‘honorable death’ that this place apparently symbolizes to the Dwarves. Kaythe resists climbing from my shoulders at first, but I think he knows there’s nothing he can do to help. He’s a scout, not a warrior.

“Good night Zathis, I will do my best to greet you when the sun rises.”

The honorable giant remains silent as I leave. The doors remain open.