“Hey, I was going to get look for you, but they’ve kept me very busy since we came here. Worick said you’d be fine working with the villagers.”

“Uhhh, ok,” said a confused Todd. He was surprised Sasha would be fine with the fascist style government Vlad had implemented. 

“He’s been kind enough to help us find info on where we can find Malfus. Now we won’t need to visit my contacts up North!”

“I mean that’s great but that won’t help us break out Gnar and Gubba. I’ve been barely scraping by the last couple months, I can’t imagine how they’re treating them,” Todd said as he frowned.

“Worick said they could leave whenever they want. Are you sure you’ve been treated so unfairly?” Sasha asked in disbelief.

Todd paused. “Yes. If you need proof come see it for yourself.”

“Well, I guess I have time for a quick peak,” Sasha relented.

As Todd led Sasha out the door, a women frantically rushed forward to Todd’s companion.

“Sasha we need your help! Kendall dropped Worick’s ancient cutlery and she doesn’t know what to do!”

“Look normally I’d help. You know I would, but I told my friend Todd I would check out the village. You gals have a lot of experience, you’ll figure it out,” reassured Sasha.

The women’s face paled as she watched Sasha walk outside and follow Todd into the village.

Dirty impoverished people starkly contrasted the excess of noble life. Todd walked Sasha through the broken huts filled sparsely with frail and sickly individuals. Sasha kept her head down. It was hard to look at the brutality surrounding her.
They marched into the mines.Todd took her to Gale’s and Riley’s remains. No one had bothered to remove the rotting bodies because it was a waste of time and there was really no good place to put them. This was a real shock to Sasha, who had been told of the good conditions the workers were given.

“I’ve seen enough,” said Sasha gloomily.

They headed out of the mines towards Worick’s estate. They opened the door to the cellar and entered.

Armed guards ambushed Todd as he entered the mansion. A crowd had formed around to watch Todd get pushed onto his knees. Sasha was pulled away towards the person had taken away Gnar on his first day.

“You’ve been quite the trouble maker. Lena told me you took out one my girls for tour of my little village. I can’t be having your filthy hands touch my things,” replied Worick smugly.

“Worick you’re a piece of shit,” Sasha remarked as she struggle to break free from the guard holding her arm.

Worick ignored Sasha’s remark. “Guards, take the miner back to where he belongs. I want the inspectors to know he’ll have bring in twice as much ore if he wants to eat. If you catch him anywhere near my house, I want his head on a platter.

Todd was dragged out of the luxurious house, back to the entrance of the mines. They pushed him in and slowly made their way back to wherever they worked. Todd sat in the cool cave, filled with a fiery anger. He didn’t care what it took. Who he had to kill or what wrath he would bring upon himself. Worick was going to die. He just needed to free his goblin friends first.