The moment they reached the entrance, things already took a turn for the worse. Firstly, the village gates seemed to be guarded by men who resembled the rhino-headed soldiers he’d thieved from previously, and although he doubted they were the same people, Dar had to don his hooded jacket just in case, leaving Etoile to brave the cold in his tank-top. Their next course of action was to find some nearby campers who were willing to explain the situation, and fortunately for them, there seemed to be plenty. But the local language was clearly not English. Nor was it French or Japanese or any other language that Etoile showed mysterious proficiency in.

“I know a few phrases in Spanish and Arabic.” she offered “But I think I’ll slaughter the pronunciation,”

“It’s fine. You’ve done enough.” Dar could only say as Dolly shook her head in silent exasperation. “Just stay close to us.”

After an hour of bouncing from one party of strange humanoid species to the next, Dar finally managed to come across a group of humans who were neither chained nor caged together. Under normal circumstances, that thought may have been unusual, but it didn’t take a seasoned actor like himself to deduce that most of the surrounding people handled slaves or prisoners for a living.

Is there some sort of war going on?

The fellow humans he’d just encountered were of all different ages and builds. Some were incredibly young or muscular, sharpening swords as they chatted, whilst others were small and frail, clutching walking sticks in their noodle-like arms. The only thing they had in common was their clothing, which consisted of a long grey garb and mantle reminding Dar of the pilgrims he used to see when traveling abroad.

“Excuse me,” Dar said, patting the shoulder of the closest guy in front of him, “We’re kind of new here. Can we ask you something?”

His heart sank as the man turned round to face them perplexedly.

"Yirgh miu rhosonan?"

Dar gave a simple nod. He could make out the meaning behind those foreign words just from the facial expressions and tone of voice alone, but he knew extracting any detailed information through such basic means was nigh impossible. Using body language was also an option, but Dar knew too little about this world's culture to pull off anything meaningful.

If worse comes to worst, I'll just pretend to be starving or something for some free meals.

"Sorry for bothering you," he muttered.

But as Dar bowed his head in what he hoped would be a universally recognized apology, and turned to leave, the man suddenly let out a gasp and got up from his seated position.

"Yirgh khoiri, ushin." The man said hurriedly, motioning the three of them to stay put before running off into a nearby tent "Osri rhippae."

"Okay..."

Was it something I said?

"Dar, Dar!" Etoile whispered, looking at him expectantly "What did he say?"

"I don't know..." Dar replied. "Is the embodiment of triolingo herself seeking answers from me?"

"C'mon. Just give it a try," 

"Etoile, it was pretty obvious." Dolly interjected "If you can't figure it out, then that isn't our problem,"

 Just then, a middle-aged man emerged from the tent, his travel-worn robes billowing slightly in the wind. Everything about him screamed 'scholarly' from his silver monocle, right up to his long greying beard. Even his back was slightly crooked, as though burdened by the presence of invisible books.

"Welcome, fellow travelers," he said, spreading his arms widely "How may I be of service?"

 

 

 

The scholarly man was friendly enough if not a little theatrical. After allowing the three of them to eat with the rest of his companions, he offered to personally escort them past the village entrance with his assistant: a stocky woman who seemed a little older than the twins.

"I'm quite the prominent figure, you see. One look at me, and the ogres should usher you three into the village in no time." he explained impressively "I was personally summoned here to search for the 'Wellspring of Two Worlds' after all."

"Right..." Dar said. He was already starting to lose confidence in the plan the scholar had proposed, but right now, he was the only one they could communicate with. "So, we should be able to enter no problem, sir?"

"That's right, my dear boy!" he exclaimed, ignoring the queue entirely and leading them straight to the guards "Your fluency in Classical Rustarrian never ceases to amaze me. A little uncouth, I might add, but trust me. A few years of glyphic study under my wig, and you'll be able to at least hold a teacup to my candle."

He paused for dramatic effect, giving his best 'Confused you, have I?' expression before smirking to himself. As annoying as his habits were, Dar simply nodded whilst Etoile pretended to gag behind him. However, the actor felt as though something seemed a little off about his assistant.

Why does she keep sneaking glances at me?

"Now don't give me that, my boy! I've been studying the Classical alphabet for most of my life, so such a result is to be expected. I wouldn't mind teaching you three after completing my research. But I am warning you, the difficulty of the ABCs is no joke. Expect much sweat, blood, and tears to be shed,"

"We can read, you know," Etoile said irritatedly "If you're talking about English,"

He merely threw his head back and laughed until a towering shadow promptly appeared, looming over him.

 

***

"Name?" A brutish voice grumbled

"Malfried the Great Sage o--"

"Occupation,"

"As I was saying," The scholar said indignantly "I am Malfried, Great Sage of Edelweiss, journeying in search of the 'Wellspring of Two Worlds'!"

"So, you're one of those human fanatics? The opening rites of the Sacred Boundary don't start until three days. I advise you to go back to your camp, Oldie,"

"You dare insult me!" Malfried cried out, nostrils flaring. Fanatics? Oldie? Which barbaric Clan did this peasant hail from? The scholar would make the ogre regret his words if it was the last thing he did. "I'm warning you, idiot brute. Tread carefully. For your next words may well be a declaration of war!"

"And who are those four standing behind you?" The ogre guard continued monotonously, as he began scrawling the details on a piece of parchment "Are they slaves?"

Malfried looked back briefly, realising that he hadn't asked the newcomers about their origins. The twin girls did dress like slaves, one wearing a plain sleeveless dress covered in what smelt like animal droppings, and the other dressed in what appeared to be a potato sack. However, their looks rivaled the highborn daughters of the South. Maybe even better.

Perhaps they serve the young man as his mistresses? Heh, he's a youthful one for sure, but they deserve someone greater. Shame they couldn't meet me in my prime,

But that couldn't be right. Malfried refused to accept that mere slaves were capable of speaking such an ancient language. It took him thirty long years to become fluent after all. 

Then they must be great female scholars chasing after my footsteps. I cannot possibly blame them for their ragged clothes.  Ah, the dirt caking their robes testifies to their purity and sincerity in learning. Do not fret my dears. There is no longer any need to grab my attention. 

I fully recognize your efforts...

"So?" The ogre said, snapping the scholar out of his daze "Are they with you?"

"Yes. Fiel here is my assistant. The other three are my companions. Now, can we enter or not?"

"Relax. I'll just be checking for evidence then you'll be on your way."

The ogre immediately seized Dar by the scruff of his neck and lifted him to examine his collarbone. It then repeated the same process with the rest of Malfried's current company, before questioning them individually.

"Fiel," the Sage said as he watched his three new companions stare blankly at their interrogator "Can you deal with this ingrate?"

"Of course," she said before turning back to the guard ogre. "Excuse me,"

"Yes?"

"Apologies sir, our friends are from the Central continent. They are unfamiliar with the Ogre's tongue."

"Fine." the guard said, returning to his post "You can all pass. Next!"

 

***

Dar's heart was still hammering from being grabbed without warning. The stench of rotten meat emitting from its mouth was so overpowering, that he could almost taste it and that was almost enough to make him forget about his hunger.

"That was easy," Etoile said, strolling beside him "Maybe we didn't need that old guy after all."

"We'll stick with him for a bit longer," Dar replied "We can't communicate with anyone else,"

"But did you see the way he looked at my Dolly?" she protested, hugging her sister tightly "He gives me the heebie-jeebies,"

Dolly managed to fend Etoile off with an onslaught of ponytail whips to the face, before joining Dar's opposite side. The place was surprisingly well-lit. Orange lanterns decorated the rim of nearby houses, intensifying the whole oriental theme the village had going for it. And the air was filled with the sounds of strumming instruments mixed in with the cries of village children. Despite most of the horned inhabitants standing at an imposing two meters tall, the place seemed akin to any other peaceful village Dar could imagine.

Then a large muscular hand reached out and rested itself on Dar's shoulder preventing him from walking past the gate's threshold. He instantly froze up as he heard the rasping of a blade leaving its scabbard. Standing beside him was a fully armoured Rhinohead warrior with a helmet lodged between its elbow and gilded breastplate. Dar could see that the warrior looked quite human, the only clear difference being the stubby rhino horns protruding from its long white hair.

Give this heart of mine a bloody break already... I'm a fragile guy...

"Khara rei yirghos?" It boomed, staring down at him then indicating to Etoile "Asa rei a miu. Dha rhippae,"

Malfried saw the commotion and attempted to step in, but the flash of blue steel slowing centimeters away from his neck caused him to stop in his tracks.

"Gurima," The armoured warrior said, its face twisting into a wide smirk "Gurima a khorimo, o Malfried,"

Whatever the warrior had said to him, it was enough to make the scholar pale and back off slightly.

"My boy," Malfried began gravely "I cannot help you anymore. He wants that girl as his personal slave."

Dar looked in the direction the scholar was pointing at, and then backed off, brushing the warrior's hand off his shoulder.

"But Etoiles not a slave though! Didn't they already check?" he protested "Tell him that!"

The armoured warrior crouched down until its head was level with Dar's and began to watch his stony expression bemusedly. Dar knew it wasn't out of respect. It was more akin to an adult crouching down by a child.  And he knew the message it was trying to convey without needing to understand its words.

'The gap between our strengths is too big. There's nothing you can do to stop me.'

"Os shar khoiri pa i ohduro. Miu jir kireh ishonai i rhedou. Ha Yirgh ghoris?"

"'I've isolated myself in the mountains for too long," Malfried translated, now staring at the glinting edge of the warrior's sword in apprehension as it drew nearer. "'But my appetite has not changed in the slightest. What will you do?'"

Dar first looked at Dolly, who was trembling beside him, clutching her dagger in her whitened fists, then back to everyone else. All gazes were fixed solely on him.

Since when was I the one in charge of lives for god's sake?

He hated the thought of being responsible for something he'd never signed up for. And he hated himself for not being able to think straight when it mattered. But there didn't seem to be any other option.

"Fine," he decided "Do what you want,"

The warrior walked off with Etoile in tow, not even bothering to wait for Malfried's translation. Like Dar, it knew what he said without needing to fully comprehend. And all Dar could do was curse his weakness.

*Ping!*

 

Drawing a single deep breath, Dar accepted the quest and roughly swept the panel into non-existence.

"You didn't need to tell me [System]. I already know."

I'll get us out of this.