Varga took a slow sip of her broth before continuing. "The trial I took as a child helped me discover I'd been born with the gift. The method our tribe, and even the humans, use to awaken it is through a dungeon.
For some reason, it not only awakens the gift but strengthens it afterward upon completion. Some even say it's the gods' way of giving all their creations a chance against the abominations of the Dark road's ."
This was a truly interesting information. He thought.
"So, what you're saying is that in order to awaken this gift, you have to enter and complete a dungeon?" he asked, seeking clarification.
Vaga nodded.
"But how do you know someone has the gift in the first place?"
Vaga's expression turned thoughtful. "There are different signs, depending on which branch you fall under," she began.
"Enchanters tend to show slight enhancements in strength, speed, and stamina, beyond what's normal. They perform well in physical activities." She paused, collecting her thoughts.
"As for the Manipulators, or the Shamans, they seem to get a sense of the world, an ability to do things that are normally impossible. Like controlling the fall of a leaf from a tree during the hot seasons." Vaga's eyes sparkled with a hint of excitement as she continued to explain the intricacies of the gift.
"But in truth sometimes it doesn't manifest till later in life so, we Krags have a trial for those who have reached their adulthood to take the trials, gifted or not the dungeon would judge your worth"
She paused, then added, "Those who pass become full tribe members. Those who awaken their gift gain status in their respective tribes or human cities. They even get their own titles after completing their trial in the dungeon.
She smiled slightly. "I was given the title "Truth seeker'' after my own trial."
Femi's eyes narrowed slightly as he thought about the title. "Truth seeker" seemed to fit her well somehow, especially with her glowing eyes, but he didn't voice it out loud. Instead, he let her continue her explanation.
"Usually, those found to have the gift are given special positions," she said, her eyes gleaming with a hint of excitement. "And that's what I plan to use, but that's a story for another time." She leaned in, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "There are few Kuros users within my clan."
Vaga's gaze intensified, her eyes locked onto Femi's. "That's why I asked you before," she said, her voice becoming more deliberate. "I find you to be different from the other Rat men I've encountered during the raids we go on. One thing I've noticed is that you're not like them. You're faster, you're stronger, more agile even if lower than the standards of a krag. You have shown enhanced cablities that shouldn't be within your kind."
Femi's mind scrambled, as Vaga's words hung in the air. "So, I must ask you again," Vaga said, her voice firm. "Have you been to a dungeon?"
Femi's eyes widened in surprise, and he tried to argue, " wait first let's think about what you are implying..." But Vaga's eyes were unyielding.
"Have you been to a dungeon?" she repeated, her voice unwavering.
Femi's mind began to dance alingo as he tried to process what Vaga was saying.
"What is she implying?" he thought to himself. " He thought about rats, how they were supposed to be quick and fast. He couldn't really gauge himself against other Ratmen, since he hadn't met one before.
"But aren't they supposed to be quick and agile normally?" he wondered, thinking about the typical depiction of rats. He couldn't come up with a suitable explanation, so he decided to tell a half-truth.
"Okay, okay, calm down," he said, exhaling. "I don't know, but ...I might have been in a dungeon once."
Varga's eyes burned into him, as she leaned in closer.
"You see, I woke up in a dark place made of stone, and I met monsters," Femi began to explain, recounting his tale of how he found himself in a dungeon. He told her about the skeletons and goblin, but deliberately left out the voices he heard, the skeleton boss and how he had lost his arm.
After sharing his story, Femi felt a wave of relief wash over him. For some reason, keeping that part of his experience to himself had put a lot of pressure on him.
"Interesting," Vaga said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "So, from what you're saying, you managed to escape the first level of a dungeon, but you never completed it. You never met a guardian?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
"A guardian?"
"The strongest being in the dungeon?" She answered.
The skeleton king, Femi thought but said nothing.
"So you defeated skeletons and a goblin and left," Varga mused, skeptical. "Is that what you said?"
"Yes, exactly," Femi replied, keeping to himself the part about the skeleton king that used Kuros. He wasn't sure why he chose to omit those details, but he felt a sense of something warning him not to speak of the fallen king skeleton as he looked at Vaga.
And he has learnt to trust his instincts.
"Then your trial was incomplete," she concluded. "Most dungeons have three levels, the ones that are usually given to whelps and younglings at that age, at least.
"Yours might've been the same." Varga eyes were locked onto Femi's. "But I could be wrong, and you don't know the name?"
Femi shook his head, lying through his teeth. "Nope, I don't know."
Varga took a slow sip of broth and contemplated for a moment, then began to sip more of her food. Femi followed suit, noticing that she seemed lost in thought. After a while, she looked up at him again.
She said. "I noticed it....during our fight with the armoured bear. For a moment, it was as if you disappeared and appeared, but you didn't just vanish. You were moving at such speed it was hard for me to keep up."
She set her bowl down."I want you to describe what you felt when that happened."
Femi tried to recall the moment. "My heart began to beat like it wanted to come out of me," he said.
Vaga nodded thoughtfully. "The heart, yes. The heart is were Kuros lies dormant in the body."
"Let's finish our meal, we have much to discuss after," she said, her eyes sparkling once again glow with excitement. "I think I've just found a way..."
"A way for what?" Femi asked, but Vaga, went back to eating, so he took it as a sign to continue eating his broth.
Femi found the entire situation baffling. He had expected something to happen, like Vaga showing anger or suspicion about his being in a dungeon. But instead, she took it in stride, like it was a normal thing. "What did I expect?" Femi thought to himself as he went back to eating. "This is a strange world, after all."
------+-----
In the old cabin, Areius and Victor sat down at a wooden table, surrounded by the warm glow of fire. The interior of the cabin was cozy, filled with hides and fur hanging in the corner. The air inside was thick with the scent of aged wood and burning pine. Arius, with his massive frame, occupied a lot of space on his chair, which was a sturdy wooden construct that seemed to be holding up well under his weight. Victor sat across from him, smiling brightly with his white teeth gleaming in the firelight.
"Let's get to business, shall we?" Areius began, his deep voice rumbling.
Victor chuckled. "The goods, yes. But before that let's talk about something.....interesting."
"Interesting" Areius repeated
He leaned in."Yes, I have news for you that you'll find interesting. And since we've had past dealings, I'll give it to you for free."
Areius's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Free? That's very interesting," he said, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table.
"It seems that a new force has joined the fight," he began, his expression turning serious. "A force coming from the western region, attacking the southern cities.
"The force coming from the west... there's no other force other than the western coalition of humans, Eldrida and the other old races." Arius's brow furrowed in thought.
"Could it be the goblins. They have been raiding small villages both here and in the south but it's nothing serious that the southern cities haven't already handled."
"No it not goblins, The western coalition seems to have their hand full with the new enemy, but news on that has been hushed, even for me" Victor said with a light smile and dramatic sigh.
Victor's smile disappeared, replaced by a look of gravity. "No. There are... whispers, that the Grey Ones have returned."
Arius's face darkened, his expression turning into a frown. "The Grey Ones? A joke? They haven't been seen in hundreds of years."
Victor shrugged. "That's why most say rumors, but rumors like that seem to upset the nobles and they are panicking. While they still fight in the east, some are pulling back part of their troops. While others have began to recruit new soldiers to be sent to the western border."
Arius's eyes narrowed, he contemplated this news for a moment.
Victor continued, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "What's also interesting is that they're pulling back to their more important cities, leaving the outskirts.....vulnerable."
His grin returned. "If you know what I mean."
Areius smiled slowly, a knowing glint in his eye. "I see."