As Aaron climbed the slope toward his new home, the heaviness returned with every step. The bathing had ended on an oddly warm note. The debate had given way to laughter, shared stories, and the soft calm of floating bodies. Aaron had heard stories from the attendants, and the others had listened to stories of Earth in rapt attention. After sending the attendants off, they had made their way to a park behind the academy.

  Aaron noticed small villages of nine cottages all over the landscape. Those would be their new homes. Rhea and Theon had gotten to know the academy, serving as helpers for teachers and events during the Argo.

  Aaron’s steps grew heavier as they climbed. The warmth of the pool faded. That weight in my gut's back again. Each cottage came with a personal slave. A Bonded one, not a Favored. As they walked through the richly flowing first gardens, birdsong gave way to tension.

  Raised voices sliced through the trees—sharp, officious, angry. Aaron froze mid-step. His breath caught. Muscles locked. Shit. His heart thudded hard against his ribs, each beat louder than the last. Not now. Not here.

  “This is most irregular! Most irregular indeed!” snapped the stern voice of a gray-haired matron in the white tunic of the Favored. “Surely divine providence takes precedence over the way you run the accommodations?” Aaron froze. That voice—he knew it. Bug. The warrior from the trial of wit. A member of the conspiracy. He was lagging behind in the last position, so no one noticed his misstep. His heartbeat quickened. Please let me not have a major screw-up for once.

  They walked around the final bend in the path and came upon a scene. Bug and Bark stood in a half-circle with two women. One wore familiar fabric armor. The other—Aaron’s eyes narrowed—stood encased in sleek, segmented power armor. Its obsidian-like surface shimmered with a matte sheen. Theon’s eyes grew wide. “Titan suit,” he murmured.

  Bug was still in his insectile armor, flanked by Bark’s wooden presence. Behind them, twenty knights stood in full plate armor, their weapons a blend of old and new—halberds, bucklers, warhammers, and double-barreled shotguns. The armor was oddly slanted, providing a ridge in the center of the body that made the soldiers look like boats with keels.

  Nonetheless, this formidable force was barely sufficient to stand against the old woman. Bug stood at the front, wearing a deep frown. “And how will your troop of heroes fit into two small barracks? You could not even accommodate three girls in there in your time, boy!” Bug closed his eyes, and the other combatants behind him chuckled with barely restrained mirth.

  The trio joined the standoff. Only now did Aaron notice the group of eighteen naked men and women standing in the background. A third male, the rest female. Bile surged. A pile of brown Bonded tunics lay to the side—enough said.

  “It was ordered by the Senior President. Please, take care of your new students. We will do our duty, you will do yours.” Bug’s gaze flicked away, the tips of his ears burning red.

  The old woman spun around, pointing a finger at the trio like the point of a spear. “You. Pick your slaves and houses,” she gestured. “Those four are already occupied. And they insist that the Champion sleeps in the house between the two occupation forces.”

  She turned around and walked toward the ninth building. It was bigger, and an open dining hall could be seen. Why does a Favored speak to a mage like that? Maybe it’s like the military—rank bends to function. Though insisting on that in front of a general takes real stones.

  The woman spun back around. “I am Esnita, pleasure to meet you, Champion.” In the same breath, she swung around to Bug again. “And do not think I will cook for your horde.” Then she disappeared.

  Aaron and Bug looked at each other. His face was perfectly neutral. All the power-armored figures bowed at their hips and went halfway down. The wry smile on Bug’s face did not escape Aaron. The armored soldiers all fell onto one knee and lowered their heads. “The Guard greets the Champion! May he bring glory to the Polis!” they intoned, nearly in unison.

  “We meet again, Champion,” acknowledged Bug. “By the order of the Presidents, this force will guard you during your education. Rest assured, we will follow your orders and only show necessary force. Will you co-command your guard, Champion?” he intoned formally.

  Aaron’s eyes flicked between them. How the hell am I supposed to respond? How am I supposed to acknowledge them? Transfer command somehow to me?

  With a deep breath, Aaron pushed on. “I am honored to accept this guard. Tell me who you all are,” Aaron commanded in a loud voice. The soldiers and mages bowed deeper.

  “Rise,” ordered Aaron sheepishly. I can’t get used to this prostrating-on-the-ground bullshit. This feels like I’m at a Renaissance festival.

  “The soldiers are Lancers, Bucklers, and Musketeers for the Presidential Guard.” Aaron noticed the confused noise that Theon and Rhea gave off at this. Bug continued, gesturing at the Titan-suit-wearing figure. “As for us mages, this is Master Shard, Archmage Healer, Expert Artificer, and Geomancer. She will take care of your health.”

  “Shard?” Aaron inquired about the English name. He narrowed his eyes. No other name had been translated until now.

  “A blood name. Warriors are given them in the line of duty, Arex,” Bug explained. Aaron studied his face. There is no irritation, even though he has been seconded to someone younger and less skilled, and I interrupted his speech. This might actually work out. Also, he offered me beef jerky.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Aaron gave a curt nod to the armored healer, then gestured for Bug to continue. “The Wraith Suit wearer is Magus Blade, Expert of Liquomancy and the Estokar.”

  The petite woman inclined her head. “She is a well-trained counter-assassin.” Aaron’s blood froze. A healer and a counter-assassin? Why? Who’s coming for me? His hands felt cold. What the hell am I being set up for? Then, reflexively—Is it too late to sign up for Hogwarts instead?

  Rhea tapped him on the shoulder. “If they fail, you still got your revivals. So no reason to worry,” she explained with a grin. Bug mirrored it, then pointed to the druid Aaron had christened Bark in his head. “This here is Magister Bark, Expert Analyst and Adept Druid. And finally, I am Master Bug, Archmage Cryomancer and Entropomancer.”

  As both of them inclined their heads, Aaron coughed. The confusion overwhelmed him. Yet his instinct told him to hide it. Must be the social strat points, a distant part of his mind analyzed. How… oh, of course.

  Aaron stopped coughing and smiled at them. “I nearly failed to remember your names after the trial,” he said with a friendly smile. Both of them smiled back politely. Very funny, Mysterio Mindmage. Why did he do that?

  Aaron looked to the soldiers and other mages. They looked politely neutral. So the others are not from the Mindmages' cabal, then? And this is how they notified me of that. Or they just decided to troll me. Grandfather would do that without hesitation.

  A hundred eyes pressed in. He straightened his back. Time to fake confidence again. “Dismissed!” Blank stares. No one moved. Right. Not that kind of army.“Do whatever you need to do, I will settle in on my own.”

  He was met with nods, and the soldiers started bustling about two cottages and a pile of crates. Theon took over the lead as they walked over to the slaves, as Esnita returned from the tall building.

  Esnita returned, hands on her hips like she owned the hillside. “Are your divine affairs done, Champion?” she inquired sweetly. Aaron barely managed a nod before she pointed him toward the row of naked slaves. “Good, now pick your personal servant and inspect the lodgings. The communal dinner is in two tenth-cycles. I will explain the rules there.”

  She got out a wax tablet and pointed at the slaves. Aaron suppressed a grin. An old dragon housekeeper. Maybe I can teach her to use a British accent?

  His eyes fell on the Bonded slaves, and his smile fell. Yeah. A literal slavedriver. His gut twisted. What the hell is happening to me? Why am I making light with slavers.

  Aaron glanced at Theon and Rhea. Theon spoke a few sentences in three foreign languages. Fascinating. I understand it, but I don’t even know the languages.

  Several slaves responded to the question if they understood him in some of the languages. Theon motioned for two girls and one boy who had replied in two of the languages over into a corner. A slight man, a plain woman, and a good-looking woman. Both women looked foreign.

  Rhea leaned over. “Bet you a backrub that it’ll be the plain one.” Aaron’s stomach twisted. This isn’t a joke. These are people. And she’s turning it into a game. His jaw clenched, shame bleeding into his gut. We are betting on which slaves we’re getting? No way. Those are Bonded. They are just leased state property until they find a patron. Can I do that for mine?

  Aaron shook his head. Rhea shrugged. “Chicken,” she said over her shoulder, walking over to the group of naked young men. Esnita gave him a strange and stern look. Aaron shook himself out of the disgusted feeling.

  He looked over the group. It was ethnically diverse. Some of them looked to be in their forties. The youngest in their early twenties. His eyes fell on a girl who smiled at him with a flirtatious confidence. She was beautiful. I could choose her. If I free her… Nope. No. That’s not happening.

  His skin prickled with disgust as he walked over to the men. He pointed at one who looked to be in his early forties.

  “Please tell me your name,” said Aaron carefully.

  “Axalmer, Anax,” he replied crisply. Aaron looked him over. His body was in excellent shape. What do I ask next? Are you a good slave? No—Bonded. Sounds like I’m dealing with a dog.

  “Are you familiar with the tasks required of you?” Aaron asked carefully. The sickness in his stomach redoubled. I am picking up a slave for myself. Aaron’s jaw tightened. Could I refuse? Ask for a freeman instead?

  His throat closed. If I start flexing my status, I become part of this.

  He swallowed hard. No. There has to be a line. A point where I say no.

  His fingers twitched. Is this it? Is this where I sell the next piece of my soul?

  It horrified him how easily his head kept smashing into rock. Another piece, then.

  Theon walked over, the pretty girl in tow. “Kiry, these are Aaron Hellionis Ultima Melas and Rhea Neonis. Their word is my word unless it is against my interests,” he instructed the gray-skinned girl with brown eyes and white-blond hair. “She is from the Eternal Kingdom.”

  He turned back to her with an anxious smile. “Now, how was your village organized…” Theon kept questioning her.

  Rhea had settled on a young slave slightly less muscular than herself. He nodded in greeting. He held a wax tablet in his hands, on which he wrote. “I am Zerai.” His dark skin and blond hair matched the look of Aaron’s bath attendant.

  “He is mute. Born mute. I do like the strong silent types.” Rhea slapped him playfully, and he seemed to chuckle.

  The words slammed into Aaron’s chest. His lungs stuttered. A ringing filled his ears. He’s hers. The thought made his skin crawl. He nodded. Now I introduce my slave. “Axalmer,” was all he got out.

  I can’t do this. The way they are treating them. Aaron shook his head to clear it.

  And the way they take that treatment. They don’t even seem to be upset. What is going on? I get why the bath attendants were so happy, but this? They have just been given to nineteen-year-olds as personal servants and… more.

  He barely had time to breathe before a shadow passed overhead. A strange bird lowered itself from the sky. It looked like an eagle with the beak of a parrot.

  “Message. For. A. A. R. O. N.,” it croaked.

  +++ Shout-Out Time +++

  Upload schedule: Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri 4:47 PM EST / 10:47 PM CET → Each chapter is 1500 +/- 500 words long.

  What do you think of Aaron's decisions? Would you have done the same?

  Comment below, Like, Favorite or Recommend. It really helps. Thank you :)