Episode Three
1400 Words
Jarek held both hands up as he exposed his palms for all to see in the form of a surrender.
"Listen to me," he said. "Just listen. This material in my possession is worth more than anything you will find out here by robbing people. I know where to find more of it. A lot more."
The man in front did not lower his weapon. "Talk faster."
"There are veins of it running under this whole area and beyond. Shadow-infused stone, energy crystals, trace ore deposits. I can find them. You cannot, not without the right knowledge." Jarek kept his hands up.
"So instead of taking what I have right now and walking away with one sack, you could have a steady supply every week."
The man laughed once, "Why would you share that with us?"
"Because I need people who can dig."
The men looked at each other. Nobody lowered their weapons but nobody moved forward either.
A few minutes passed in silence, but they were all strategizing on the next move they could take…
Mira leaned close to Jarek's ear. "Attack them. We can take them."
"We are already low on energy," Jarek said quietly without turning his head. "The Eternal Night is closing in. If we fight and burn what we have left, we will not make it through to morning."
Mira was quiet for a second. Then she exhaled through her nose. "You're right."
The board in Jarek's vision was blinking red at every edge now, the timer sitting at one minute. Then a new line appeared beneath the countdown.
*Warning: Failure to select Option A or Option B will result in a penalty. Tomorrow's task will be tripled in both distance and quantity.*
Jarek did not panic…
Instead, he reached down, picked up the sack, and held it out toward the men.
“It is yours now.” Jarek said.
One of the men tapped the other aggressively, signifying he should get the sack.
Jarek didn't take his eyes off the person who stepped forward to take it.
The board flashed again. *Host is not complying with either listed option.*
Jarek ignored it…
As the men turned to leave, Jarek spoke. "Are you not going to check it first? What if I just handed you a bag of ordinary stones?"
The leader stopped…
He pulled the sack open and looked inside. The shadow-infused stones was pressed against each other, each one giving off that faint tremor that you felt more than heard.
"This is exactly what we have been looking for," the man said slowly.
He turned back around with forty seconds on the timer.
"Then don't walk away from the person who knows where to find more." Jarek took one step forward. "Is this really how you want to live? Waiting in ruins for someone to rob?"
The leader squinted his eyes and raised an eyebrow. “What are you offering?"
"Join my team and help me build something here. I will make sure you don't starve."
One of the other men snorted. "Build what? This place is in ruins. Even if we manage to build something, any kingdom that spots us out in the open will send soldiers and we have nowhere to defend from."
"We will figure that part out," Jarek said.
Mira grabbed his sleeve. "Are you out of your mind?" she whispered sharply.
He did not look at her… He just kept his eyes on the five men.
Ten seconds on the timer…
Nine.
Eight.
The leader looked at his men and they all looked right back at him in silence. Something passed between them that did not need words.
"Fine," he said. "We are in."
The timer stopped…
Jarek let out a slow breath and smiled. "Then I will need that sack back."
A few seconds passed. Then the leader handed it over.
"Mining starts tomorrow," Jarek said. "Tonight, keep the fire going. Do not let it drop. The dark feeds on dying flames."
The men nodded and moved toward the fire without argument.
The board appeared again. It was no longer blinking red.
[Option A Complete — Recruits Acquired]
Reward: One week of food supplies, claimable on demand.
Loyalty Scores Assigned:
Bren — 21%
Cael — 21%
Dorvin — 12%
Sev — 11%
Rook (Leader) — 7%
Jarek read the scores twice…
Rook, the leader, sat at the bottom with seven percent. Bren and Cael were the highest at twenty-one each. He turned that over in his head. He could work on Rook first since the others followed wherever Rook went. Or he could focus on Bren and Cael and let their trust spread to the rest on its own.
He was still thinking about it when Mira appeared at his shoulder.
"This is a mistake," she said quietly. "You might seriously regret this."
Jarek nodded once. "I know I might. But it is worth the try."
He looked over at the fire. Rook was crouched beside it, feeding it carefully with the orange light moving across his face. The others sat nearby in silence, eating from what they had left.
Jarek watched them and thought about the great hall, the cold stone floor, his father's eyes full of a fear he did not have the courage to explain, Dorian's evil smile, and Seraphine's hand resting on his father's shoulder like she had always owned him.
He thought about his mother…
He did not say what he was thinking out loud. He just held it within him where it sat quietly and burned steadily like a forge that had not gone cold yet.
Rook walked over a while later and crouched beside Jarek. The fire crackled between them.
"How did you end up out here?" Rook asked directly without any ounce of aggressiveness.
Jarek told him…
He told him about the accusation, the hall, the exile, the gates closing behind him.
“What's your mother's name?” Rook asked.
Rook went completely still, waiting patiently for his answer.
"Lady Sansa," he said.
His voice had changed. The easy tone he had been using since he agreed to join was gone. What replaced it was a deeper voice, signaling restlessness.
“Lady Sansa?”
"Yes," Jarek said. "She was my mother."
Rook stood up slowly. He did not look at the fire anymore. He looked directly at Jarek and his eyes were wide open with something that was not surprise — It was recognition.
"Your mother," Rook repeated. "Lady Sansa is your mother?"
The other four men had gone quiet…
Now, they were watching Rook silently and they knew something would go wrong very soon.
"She was the one," Rook said while he clenched his teeth. "She reported me. She handed the evidence to the house council herself and she stood in that room and said every word that got me thrown out. My crew, my work, and my f*cking entire life inside those walls!" He took one step toward Jarek. "Gone. Because of her."
Jarek did not move back. "I did not know that."
"I do not care what you knew." Rook's hand moved to the blade at his side. "You are her son and that's all that matters."
Mira was on her feet before Jarek had time to react. She stepped in front of him with her own blade already out. "Back up," she ordered.
Rook looked at her for a second, then back at Jarek over her shoulder. The other four men stood up slowly behind him.
The fire between them was the only thing moving.
The board appeared in Jarek's vision…
[Urgent Task Assigned]
Using materials currently in your possession, forge one stealth blade.
Target: Rook.
Reward upon completion:
— Essence Reserve restored to 100/100
— Forge Rank upgraded: Apprentice → Journeyman
— Rook's full knowledge of house operations unlocked through Legacy Transfer upon blade completion
Timer: Until sunrise.
Jarek stared at the board.
He had never killed anyone. His mother had built her entire life around the forge as a tool to protect people and keep the darkness back.
Using something he made with his own hands to take a life was the direct opposite of everything she had stood for.
But Rook was standing five feet away with his hand on his weapon and four men behind him. And Mira was the only thing between them.
Jarek pressed his thumb against the ring…
- Writer
