Past Meets the Present

Chapter 3: AUCTION

For the past several years, I never saw anyone else except Zackery, HABIT upon occasion, and a few guards here and there.

The books Zackery gave me were boring as fuck. They were a lot more wordy than they needed to be and made me fall asleep a few times. I did get the basics of what I needed to know. This world is a lot more complicated than it really should be.

Speaking of this world, another "person" in this world is coming to visit. In a few weeks anyway.

I've heard he's one of Zackery's colleagues, even though he hates him. Don't quite understand that though.

I was in my room, found out there was another room I could train in that branched from my room. I was testing out the different weapons. So far, the one I hated the most was the mace. They're fucking impossible to use.

I heard a door close in my room. Weird. Thought that was locked. My visitor snuck into the training room.

"Ah. Hello, friend. Trying to escape again?" I say, throwing one of the knives at a target, hitting straight on the mark.

"You know it. Any luck with the mace?" HABIT asks, his grey beast-like form crossing into my peripheral vision.

I glare at him. "Guess."

"That's a no then. They're easier to use than you're making it seem." He says, chuckling.

"Says the weapons expert. Have you found one you can't use yet?" I ask, aiming the next metallic, crimson blade at the human shaped target.

"Not yet." He looks around at my array of training weapons and picks up a cleaver.

I throw, hitting the target again right near where the heart should be. "You hear we're gonna have a visitor soon?"

"Yeah. Why do you think I'm trying to escape again?" He says bitterly, twirling the cleaver between his fingers.

"Makes sense. I'm not one to trust simple guard gossip, but I heard the guards saying he might take us with him." I grab another knife.

He looks up. "You mean we might get out of this place? About goddamn time!"

I burst out laughing. "Just gossip, sweetie. Just gossip. Don't put all your trust in a simple rumor."

"Where do you think that rumor started though? Guards usually know what's going on."

I nod. "Good point."

I pick up a javelin and throw it at another human shaped target, making the same mark. "You might want to get going soon. Zackery likes to make his rounds."

"What? You kicking me out already?" He says, pointing the cleaver at me.

"Nah. Just making sure you don't get caught. Again." I say, picking up another javelin.

We exchange simple banter for a few hours before he needs to leave so he doesn't get caught sneaking out.

The next day, we were all called to meet somewhere (can't remember where). It was time to meet our visitor, and new master. The Auction had begun.

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