[Rana POV]

The moment me and Lanie heard about what happened to Aiden from Louis, we told everyone to get back to the hotel and get ready. We are setting out to find Aiden and get him back.

While I helped Lost Fang get everything packed, Lanie installed a tow hitch onto our camper so Lost Fang could tow us during the search because Aiden was the only other person who could drive. With the campers packed and our vehicle hitched and ready, we all were about to set off when we spotted a halfling family rush over to our group.

"Wait!" The adult male spoke, visibly distressed. "I know where Aiden Ortega is!"

"What!?" We all were shocked by this sudden announcement, I was the one to ask questions. "Where is he!? Is he safe!? How do you know him!?"

Introducing himself as Eder Stoop, he then introduced his wife, the halfling woman with dark green, curly hair, Jillian, and their children, Ander and Bree. After we gave our names, Eder explained himself.

"Last night, I tried to rob your motorized carriages for easy money." He began, ashamed of himself. "Aiden discovered me and chased me to an alley where we were captured by slavers. After they sealed us, we were transported to the Colosseum and forced to fight a Metal Worm for the amusement of the spectators." This startled me and everyone else. "Aiden's quick wits and skill decapitated the beast while I poisoned it. When the fight ended, I was given freedom while he remained." Eder pulled something out of his pocket, it was my husband's ring. "He told me to come here and tell you he would never stop trying to find another way out."

Lanie held the ring in terror, while I reacted more vocally.

"You piece of shit!" I picked Eder up by the collar. "You turned out husband into a slave and left him! I bet you stole his ring as well!"

"Rana, get yourself together!" Louis tried to calm me. "He may have gotten Aiden enslaved, but he also came to tell us where to look for him."

"That's right!" The halfling I was ready to kill tried to reason with me. "I came to do more than just tell you, I'm here to help you get him free."

"Why would you help us?" My anger didn't weaken.

The halfling looked at me, tears of desperation in his eyes. "I'm going to help you because your husband gave up his chance of freedom for me." Stunned, we all listened. "They were about to release him, but he told everyone I was the one who technically killed the Metal Worm. I tried to get him to stop, but he reminded me that I have people I needed to get back to as well." He looked at his wife and kids for a moment. "If you don't want me to help, I won't. If you want to beat the crap out of me, I won't stop you. But one thing is certain, I owe your husband my very life... I promised him as I was being freed that I would be a better husband, a better father, and a better man. If I don't honor his sacrifice for me, I will never be able to live with myself again."

His speech was true, I could see it in his eyes, but I still couldn't trust him. I was about to strike his face, but Lanie put her hand on my arm.

"Rana, let him down." She pleaded. "If Aiden felt he deserved to be free then I trust his choice. Remember, Aiden may be new to this world, but he is an intelligent and just man." She smiles at me. "And you know our man is strong enough to survive until we come to his rescue."

Ah... I can't say no to that face. As much as I wanted to hit this guy, Aiden felt he deserved forgiveness, and I need to respect that. "Alright, you can come with us. But, if try to trick, betray, or cross us in any way, I will crush your throat as your children watch." I glared at him, my Lizardman predatory instincts at work.

Terrified, he nodded. "If we hurry, I might be able to find him without time passing too far."

Getting Eder, he asked us to call him "Eddy", and his family set up in Louis's vehicle, we began our mission to the Colosseum to find Aiden or any clues to where he could be. Mine and Lanie's camper being towed by Ra'sh, we decided to sit at the table and talk.

"Do think we can find him?" I asked her, needing comfort.

She looked at her cup of tea. "Very few people have ever escaped slavery from the Paganish Realm... the odds aren't in our favor." She took a sip before looking at me. "It's microscopic, but he's survived unfair odds before."

"That's true." I looked out the window, watching the people go about their days, seeing families stroll along the streets, the vendors working to support themselves, even musicians playing for coins here and there. "A lot of time can pass where he is... do you think he'll forget about us?"

Lanie was hurting, I grabbed her hand to reassure her that she wasn't alone. "I don't know... but I have hope that he'll remember us. He can be very stubborn when he sets out on something." She chuckled. "Remember when he got the idea for these campers, he must have stayed away all night getting the basic diagrams drafted."

I laughed with her. We were silent for a while, but as we sat there, we both understood what the other was thinking. We might be scared, but we trust Aiden to stay safe because he trusts us to find him, and we will. It may be a long journey, but I and Lanie made a silent promise to be reunited with our husband. It may not be soon, but we will never stop having hope for the future.