When he’d been taken prisoner, Kenneth had imagined his fair share of grim situations. Luckily, most of it so far wasn’t that bad, all things considered.

  However, when Pinkie, who had a clear vendetta against him, threw him inside here, part of him had feared any number of things could have happened in the night: being beaten, partly eaten, and whatever else.

  Yet he had never expected that “whatever else” would include being used as a body pillow by four muscular Nok.

  ‘Urg… have I gotten used to breathing with them on top of me, or has my chest just gone numb?’ Kenneth thought his entire body covered head to toe in a giant pile of muscles and scales.

  But as bad as being pinned down and unable to move and barely breathing was, it was far from the worst as the warm enclosed space, coupled with the body heat of all four guards, had him sweating buckets upon buckets as if he’d been running a marathon.

  Attempts were made to try and wake any one of them up and get them off him, but they were simply too heavy, and with his chest being compressed, his yells were little more than wheezing whisper’s that went unheard.

  In those moments when everything was dark, each second felt like hours, and sweat continuously squeezed out of him, ebbing him ever closer to dehydration; he couldn’t help but think, ‘I’ve survived being used as a scratching post, two Nok assault on an outpost, the untamed wilderness, and an MMA fight with a crocodile, but this is how I die. By sweating.’

  Slowly, his eyes began to close. Perhaps he was passing out again, or this was the end; however, suddenly, he heard something. It sounded like muffled words. At first, he chucked it up to something like auditory hallucinations, but miraculously, one of the Nok on top of him began to stir.

  She rose up, allowing Kenneth’s head to be freed.

  “Where is Black Beak?” A very deep voice questioned.

  The Nok that rose rubbed her eyes and groggily looked in the direction of the voice, yawning, “Errrrrrr… what is it? Ohhh… Split… Whhhhhyyy, are you here? I was having the best sleep in my life. I felt like an egg again.”

  “Where is the prisoner you were meant to watch?” Split questioned in a raised tone.

  All the noise began to get the other three guards' attention as they began to stir.

  “The commander will have your scales peeled for letting the prisoner escape. Perhaps they’ll remove the once cloughed in your brain,” Split told them.

  Slightly wobbling, the only guard on her feet let out another yawn and closed her eyes as if she’d fallen asleep standing up.

  Split walked up to her and slapped her across the face to wake her up.

  Staggering from the force and pain, the woman quickly found her balance, and her eyes snapped open. With an angry hiss, the woman looked ready for a brawl.

  However, all the noise fully woke the rest. They slowly rose, sharing the first one’s drowsiness, and all questioned what was going on, unintentionally revealing Kenneth underneath.

  Even with all the pressure off him, he didn’t move.

  Both Split and the angry woman noticed and halted hostilities as the question was asked, “Did all of you kill Black Beak?”

  Suddenly, he sprung up, gasping, coughing, “Holy Hell, I thought I was gonna die!”

  “See Split, Black Beak is right there, safe and guarded,” The woman said, sucker-punching her when she wasn’t looking, spilling blood.

  With a still expression and narrow gaze, she reached up to her mouth and grabbed a loose tooth, which she proceeded to pull out, whereupon she turned her attention to Kenneth, ”Get up, Black Beak. The commander wants you before her.”

  Practically panting, his chest hurting with each breath he took, Kenneth turned his head and looked up at Split. Her scales were blue, and she wore a simple green tunic.

  “If you bathed with your clothes on, would the mix of colors turn you yellow?” He asked her.

  She froze for a second, then grabbed his leg, “You can walk, or I can drag you.”

  “Sounds nice,” He replied.

  Flexing her muscles, she locked her brawling hand around his leg and dragged him toward the exit. Even with her leather clothing, he could see defined and toned muscles underneath that flexed even harder as she dragged him up the stairs.

  “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow,” Kenneth repeated in pain as the back of his head hit each step all the way up to the thick triangular stone door.

  To anyone looking, it seemed like a wall as it had no handle or lock; however, it required neither as it simply used gravity, resting on a sloped angle. For any normal Aki and probably Sil, it would be hard, if not impossible, to open on their own. Yet Split did so relatively easily, though exerting a lot of effort.

  She dragged him outside from that sauna, and almost instantly, he felt the cold winds. But it wasn’t enough as, despite knowing it was a bad idea, he shakily unzipped his coat, releasing a wave of steam from his exposed body.

  “Don’t mo--”

  She stopped mid-word and looked down at him steaming, her surprise, confusion, or whatever it was, was evident from her scales changing color.

  “Aaahhhh… that was better… now it only feels like I have to vomit before I die,” Kenneth said.

  Continuing to drag him, Split asked, “Did those four throw you into the river?”

  “What, oh…! No, but could you?” Kenneth asked her.

  “There are no rivers on the way to the commander,” She replied.

  Being dragged on the nice and cold ground, Kenneth and Split received some odd looks, not that he was in any condition to notice or care, “Hey after you throw me in the pool, can you make sure I don’t pass out right after? I think I might pass out while I drink, so can you hold my head while I swallow? I really want to drink and not drown. ”

  She didn’t respond as she dragged him right, then straight, then left until they arrived at a well beside one of the rivers that ran through the village.

  A bit redundant, but Kenneth didn’t mind as she propped him up against the well and drew a bucket of water from it. Reinvigorated by the sight, he quickly and clumsily unzipped his mask and downed over half the bucket in half a second, gulping with such force his throat hurt.

  Stopping only because his need for air became greater than his need for water, he lowered the bucket, “Thanks, I needed that.”

  Keeping her sight locked firmly on him, she replied, “It’s the law. Any who ask for water will get it.”

  Still thirsty, Kenneth went to drink the rest of the water from the bucket, but just as he was about to finish, a slender man with clothes and a mix of white and pale grey scales floated by them, his lowered half gone.

  He choked on the water, some of it shooting out through his nose as he coughed, “Am “Cough!” Am I hallucinating, or did you see it too?”

  She barely glanced at the man. “He’s training, so what?”

  “Oh yeah. Some of you can do that, blend in with the surroundings, and be invisible,” he said, wiping water from his mouth.

  “You know about it? Most heretics we’ve taken prisoner call them Ghosts, “ Split replied.

  “I was intimately acquainted with two in the past, both of whom tried to kill me,” Kenneth nonchalantly replied, regaining his strength.

  Split glanced at him, “When most meet someone born with that kind of magic, they will probably die. Must have been untrained “Shedlings” if you managed to live.”

  “So what should I call you? I’d prefer not to call you some crude nickname if I can avoid it,” He said, placing the bucket on the ground and reluctantly rezipping his coat.

  “I’ve heard you managed to put a heretic together that the former commander ripped apart,” Split said, changing the subject. “Tell me, did you do it to another? The one who Split my tail… and damaged Noksafgro. The one in black and white who enjoyed wearing Doka’s red robe.”

  She stared at him with an unreadable expression, yet her bright green eyes were brimming with such intensity.

  By now, Kenneth far from felt the fear such an expression would have given him in the past, but still, he knew to be ready if she didn’t like the answer, “Her name is Wilf, and yes, she’s alive.”

  Split moved closer and crouched down beside Kenneth. Without word or warning and faster than he could react, she suddenly grabbed him by his throat.

  Despite this, he continued to pant like a dog. She wasn’t trying to choke him out… yet, but in his weakened state, even after having consumed water, he couldn’t resist and only watched as she picked up the bucket on the ground and smashed it against the wall with incredible speed and strength, breaking it into pieces.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “Listen closely and carefully because I won’t repeat myself,” She said as her scales turned a dark shade of blue. “If anyone asks, especially Noksafgro, you tell him the heretic died a slow death.”

  Her words were filled with a rage that hadn’t been there before, but he felt there was something more hiding; just beneath the surface was a shift in her tone when she said Noksafgro’s name.

  “Okay, Okay, no need for threats. I won’t tell him,” He told her.

  “And don’t forget it,” She warned him, letting go and walking away. “You’ve had your water. Now follow; the commander is waiting.”

  After something to drink, he could think clearly once again; however, his body wasn’t as quick to hydrate as even though he could stand and move about, he could walk in a straight line about as well as a guy who'd downed five bottles of whiskey, and three wine coolers.

  Despite this, in more or less silence, both made their way to the Great Pyramid or whatever they called it after having fallen up against a couple of smaller ones on the way.

  The cooling breeze quickly became a thing of the past. The moment he entered the large room, he immediately noticed it was filled with far more people and guards than yesterday, along with the shadowy silhouettes having one more member.

  ‘Three guesses as to who that is,’ Kenneth thought as he was let to the middle of the room where a chair made of stone stood at the edge of the shadows.

  “Black Beak, please take a seat,” Nokuji said, her voice sounding far calmer than yesterday.

  “Am I going to get jumped again?” He asked, gesturing to Noksafgro at the edge of the table.

  “Precautions have been taken,” Nokuji replied

  ‘Not like I really have a choice in the long run,’ Kenneth thought as he took a seat. The scene was all too familiar to the one he had for who knows how long back at Laoli, though with less comfortable seating.

  “Black Beak, I’ve had time to think about everything that was said in this room, and I believe I allowed my feelings to cloud my judgment,” Nokuji said. “If you were able to put that Aki back together, then you would be quite extraordinary.

  “Yet your word and the word of Nokqotir would pale in comparison to a demonstration.”

  “So got someone wounded in need of healing. I’ll see what can be done,” Kenneth nonchalantly replied.

  Nokuji leaned forward in her chair, “None with severe enough injuries. What a perfect use for some of those heretics Nokqotir brought with her.”

  “Excuse me?” Kenneth replied.

  “What don’t you understand? We rip one or two apart, and then you’ll put them back together,” Nokqotir said.

  “No,” He firmly and coldly replied. “I won’t have you butcher them for your curiosity. Yes, I can put people back together, but my skills have their limits, and so too does anyone's body. They won’t ever be the same.

  “Village commander, Lord, Nokuji, whatever I should call you, you called me putting the man who killed your mother together; his injury is nothing but a bad memory, but it is far from. Yes, his arms function, but it won’t ever be the same.”

  Nokuji let out a sigh, “What a shame. Your allegiance to the heretics is sturdy indeed. I had hoped you're more cowardly or opportunistic than that.”

  “We could always break Black Beak,” Noksafgro suggested.

  “Hmph… you could try, but I don’t recommend it,” Kenneth said, hiding the sensation of his guts twisting in his voice as he held up his hand and showed off his broken finger. “This annoyance has already encumbered me and reduced my efficiency.

  “Now, you are probably thinking of going for the feet or striking the chest, stomach, even head, but one strike is all it takes to kill someone. One misplaced strike with just a little too much power. And I hope I don’t have to explain how I’m different, including my insides. You may know where to strike one another to avoid killing each other, but with me, that would be far riskier.”

  “So threateningly sounding Black Beak, but I’ve already told the commander of your magic, so we know it’s useless,” Nokqotir said with smugness smeared across her voice. “All that is needed is to break one or two of the slaves I brought here.”

  He could feel his heart beating rapidly, the sound pounding in his head. However, in his mind, all he could see was the calm look in that man's eyes, “Do what you will with them. It’s not like I particularly know any of them.”

  Nokqotir let out a pitying laugh, “Oh, Black Beak, such an obvious lie is amusing to watch. I’ve seen the concern you have for the heretic.”

  “Were you too busy looking at your prisoners to see the care I gave you and your subordinates? You like to think I did it because you made me do it, but it wasn’t. I did it because I’m a healer, and I help,” Kenneth said with anger and pride in his voice as his gaze shifted to Nokuji. “You said my allegiance with the Aki was sturdy, but you are mistaken in that.”

  “Enlighten me then,” Nokuji replied.

  “My allegiance only went as far as aligning interests; I have never been loyal, not out of patriotism or because that was the right side to fight for, but because they wish to be taught my people’s art of healing,” Kenneth answered her.

  “You’ve taught healing?” Nokuji said, her voice rising in interest.

  “I would have explained a lot more yesterday before I was so rudely interrupted, but now is as good a time as any,” Kenneth said. “I’m a healer, one who doesn’t need glowing hands to heal, but tools, all of which I can teach how to use to put people back together and heal the burning death.”

  The room felt silent, all except for Nokuji, who slowly rose from her seat with a hand on the table, “You lie. No healer can fight the burning death.”

  “Black Beak speaks the truth,” Nokqotir interjected. “With the use of some special water, the burning death can slowly be put out. Me and my former subordinates experienced it first hand.”

  Nokuji slowly turned her head to look at Nokqotir.

  The gears in her head probably turned until they all clicked, and she violently stepped away, knocking over her chair. “You are inflicted! You and your subordinates slept with my people!”

  The room suddenly broke out in a panic as all not hidden in the darkness suddenly turned as pale as pearls, looking at either Nokuji or Nokqotir, except for the one sitting beside her who seemed unaffected as they predatorily stared at Kenneth.

  Nokqotir turned in her chair and quickly said, “Commander, I understand your fear, but be assured all of my people are healed of the burning death.”

  “And even if they aren't and it has spread, I will heal them,” Kenneth interjected.

  “Forget that! I say we bury this filth before it spreads!” Nokmao yelled out into the room.

  “I second that! Noksafgro shouted. “Guards Kill Black Beak and--!”

  “They are not inflicted with the burning death!” Split loudly spoke, causing everyone else to quiet down. “Their eyes are normal, and if they made the track from heretic territory to here, they shouldn’t be alive. I would stake my life on it.”

  “Yes! Yes! We wouldn’t be alive if we were not healed!” Nokqotir hastily added.

  Nokuji looked at Split for a moment, “Nokmao, do you concur with… Split’s assessment.”

  “…Yes, I do,” She somewhat hesitantly replied.

  With a few simple words, the tension in the room had been defused as everyone grew more at ease. Well, all except Nokmao, who let out a snapping hiss.

  Yet that was completely ignored as Nokuji turned her attention to Kenneth, “So you are able to heal the burning death. Oh, you are quite something.”

  “Yes, and now that we’ve established that, I think it’s time I asked a question, Kenneth said. “What precisely are you going to do to the slaves?”

  “They will be trained, of course, and become obedient, with the most useful being allowed to breed. The rest can always be useful when the hunters can’t find any prey,” Nokuji answered him. “Was that the answer you were hoping for? Because I could swear, they meant nothing to you.”

  “Doesn’t mean I want to see them hurt. So shall we make a deal, or bargain, or whatever you want to call it,” Kenneth said.

  “Bargain? Do you not realize the situation you find yourself in?” Nokuji asked him. “You can either be my prisoner or guest, and if you refuse to cooperate well, my second in command made a fine suggestion, which you just confirmed.”

  Kenneth leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, “I realize the situation quite well. I have something you want that I have, and you have something I want set free.

  “I’m realistic enough to understand that you don’t want to do that, and your second in command has already shown me what she’d be willing to do and what each and every one of the prisoners is capable of. Because of that, I have to be utterly pragmatic and… cold.

  “So bring any number of them before me, make them scream and beg; I will endure until I grow numb because as long as one is spared and set free, that will be better than the alternative.”

  The room was quiet, all except for a single short hiss from the one person at the commander’s table who hadn’t spoken up until now.

  “We could always strap you down and remove one of your organs since you don’t need all; I bet even if you don’t feel pain, it isn’t something you want happening again.”

  Meeting the threat head-on, Kenneth replied, “One lung, over half of my liver, spleen, gallbladder, one kidney, appendix if I still had that one, and a meter or two of my intestines, just to name a few.”

  The figure who’d threatened him fell silent.

  Nokuji turned her head slightly to the same figure as she let out a sigh, “I see you will be difficult then. It will take time, yes, but if nothing else, I’m certain the healing waters can be extracted from you--”

  “Cold filtered water, Lactose Monohydrate, Cornstarch, Sodium Nitrate, Magnesium sulfate, Potassium phosphate mono, glucose monohydrate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, one litter cold water,” Kenneth said with no hesitation.

  While he hadn’t ever seen it as a disadvantage, his habit of learning and memorizing practically useless information from his home did come in handy this time. Well somewhat.

  “What is this nonsense?!” Noksafgro angrily questioned.

  “That is the ingredients for penicillin or the healing water,” Kenneth replied, though he knew that recipe was far from as reliant as how it was actually made in his world.

  But he had a sneaking suspicion if they knew the first and most important ingredient was mold, things could end badly for both them and him.

  “…And why are you so willing to give it away all of a sudden?” Nokuji questioned.

  “Because wholeheartedly, I doubt anyone in this room understood a word I said,” Kenneth replied, a belief invigorated by a couple of confused looks. “My craft takes time to learn and even longer to understand, and adding time on top of that with torture and threats is far from your best interest.

  “I told you already I’ve taught the Aki, and my students have learned a great many secrets that can allow the average person to be a healer without magic, and considering how few healers there are in Aki society and the tower as far as I’ve seen, I would venture a guess the number is near the same. Or am I wrong?”

  “You keep talking,” Nokqotir said. “But we can change your tune if we bring in the little on-“

  “Time and resources are the advantages the Aki currently have over the Nok. I don’t need to tell you that your home is different from the Aki’s, meaning certain ingredients found easily with them will be harder here,” Kenenth told them matter-of-factly. “How long do you think it will take you to get everything you want out of me without my full cooperation as opposed to having it?

  “And how long do you think it will take for the lead of a decade or two the Aki to become supremacy? Keep in mind they know a lot more than a simple recipe for penicillin.”

  “…”

  For a short moment, silence filled the room.

  Nokuji moved and shifted in the shadows slightly, “…All of the slaves Nokqotir brought with her. You are asking for their release in exchange for your cooperation?”

  “Commander, you are not bargaining with this thing!” Noksafgro questioned in surprise.

  “Yes,” Kenneth replied, both ignoring him.

  “Considering what would be gained, the exchange is fair. No more than fair, but even so, I cannot simply let that happen,” Nokuji said, her voice firm and uncompromising. “If I let them go and the wilderness wouldn’t kill them, and even one made it across the “Flatlands,” the heretics would now know where you are since Nokqotir made sure to leave no witnesses.

  “One thing is heretics striking wildly, but another is a precise thrust, and so I offer you this instead. All the heretics will stay, but they won’t be slaves, only merely hostages who will be treated fairly as long as they come to know their place.”

  “This isn’t what I asked for. And precisely why should I trust your word on it?” He questioned.

  “This is what I offer, and my mind will be as unbent as my will on this matter. As for trust, whenever you desire, you can visit them and see for yourself if I’m keeping my word,” Nokuji answered him.

  “And if I don’t like what I see?”

  “You have made your arguments, haven’t you.”

  He far from liked this feeling, his heart palpitating and stress rising, but he knew if he wanted everything, most likely, he would get nothing.

  He leaned forward, “I guess we have a deal then, but one thing to add: the kid with purple fur. I want him by my side at all times.”

  “Done,” Nokuji said with no hesitation. “Of course, before you can visit the hostages, I would like confirmation of your capabilities.”

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Kenneth replied.

  “Now that that has been settled, I wish to know something more,” her tone growing slightly more serious. “What exactly is your relationship with that little girl who chose you?”