Aiden stayed quiet after Rethan finished. The tea was still warm in his hands, yet he barely noticed the heat. His eyes moved across the five of them, then drifted to the walls and ceiling of the lounge. The story he had just heard reminded him that this was truly a different world.
He let the silence sit for a few seconds. Nobody rushed him. Talren and Karsen watched him closely, ready for any shift in tone. Havel sat with his back straight, hands close to his cup, like he was afraid to touch anything else. Marrek kept his shoulders tight, his gaze dropping now and then as if old memories were pulling at him. Rethan looked tired, not in his body alone, but in his eyes.
Aiden breathed in slowly through his nose and let it out. His mind tried to map what he had heard into something logical. Kingdoms under larger powers. People bought and sold in systems that were treated like normal. A world with nobility, rank, and bloodline authority.
He felt irritation rise, then he pushed it down.
In the same breath, another part of his mind clicked into place. Magic and aura were real here. He could accept that without much struggle. He had watched a mutated deer throw lightning. He had watched a siege class beast gather energy in its mouth and melt metal made out of his ship, with a single blast.
He looked at Rethan again, then Talren.
"How strong would I be in the Ravanis Kingdom?"
The question came out calm, yet his eyes stayed sharp. Aiden needed a reference that matched this world.
The group exchanged quick looks.
Talren was the one who answered. He leaned forward slightly, elbows close to his sides, as if the chair still felt strange under him.
"With your strength alone, you'd go toe to toe with the upper elite of Ravanis. I'd place you around the top thirty."
Aiden nodded once. That number sat in his head like a weight. Top thirty meant there were still many people above him. It also meant the line between him and the top was not small. He had a lot of cards up his sleeve but it was good to know the overall scale of things.
He kept his face steady and asked the next part.
"What about the strongest in Ravanis?"
Rethan answered after a short pause. His voice stayed even, yet his fingers tightened around his cup.
"Ravanis is under Zerathis Empire. So it follows the same concept of ruling. It's a place that values magic above all. The strongest mage rises, and that one becomes king. The current king is a fourth tier mage. He should be able kill the beast you fought in two spells, and in one spell if someone holds it in place."
Aiden did not reply right away. His eyes lowered for a moment, then lifted again, focused and still.
A fourth tier mage.
Aiden let the words sit in his head and did not answer right away. His eyes stayed on the table, but his focus was already elsewhere. He replayed the fight as if he was reviewing a system failure, going over what worked and what almost got him killed.
He remembered the serpent like beast pushing through the trees and how fast it moved and how strong it was.
Now he pictured what Rethan described. A person, not a beast. Someone who could choose the moment to strike, aim with intent, and release power with control.
If the king was that strong, then there would be others under him. Maybe not at that level, but enough to cause a headache.
Aiden's right hand moved without thinking. His fingers tapped lightly against the side of his cup, then stopped. The small motion grounded him.
Aiden was not a hero. He did not think he could save everyone in this world, and he did not want to pretend he could. Still, when people needed help right in front of him, he could not ignore them and walk away like it meant nothing. If he had the ability to help, then extending a hand was the least he could do.
If he turned them away now, and something happened to them after that, he knew that the decision he will make would gnaw on his conscience forever
Their camp was gone. Their supplies were gone. They had nothing left to their name. Leaving the forest was pretty much a death sentence.
The others understood this as well. No one rushed him or tried to force an answer. They knew Aiden had already done more than anyone could ask. He had saved them, fed them, and opened his place to them without demanding anything in return.
Aiden kept his expression calm, but the decision had already settled in his mind.
He could not save everyone, but he could save them, and he was not going to turn his back now.
Aiden's thoughts moved fast as he processed what this choice would bring. Ravanis was far from here. Even if scouts found signs of people in the Outer Zone, they would still need time to confirm it, then send word back, then gather enough people and supplies to return. After all of those and done, then and only then, would they pursue them at the Forest of Death.
One factor that would help them a lot for sure is the upcoming winter. There are two months left till winter. Snow would hamper their search, so likely they would postpone it.
Then at least another month of time for the roads to thaw enough for real travel. That gave him about six months of time.
Six months.
Aiden felt a small smile try to form, then he stopped it. Six months meant time to repair, reinforce, and plan ahead.
If they get lucky, even. They might just give up entirely after six months later. You never know.
People would find this place in the future, no matter how hard Aiden tries to hide the ship. That part was always going to happen.
The real question was, after preparing enough, what kind of place they would find when that day came.
Aiden set his cup down and leaned forward a little. He kept his voice calm.
"I won't send you out."
The words were simple, yet they hit the room hard. Talren blinked once, and Aiden saw his shoulders loosen just a bit. The others did not relax. They stayed stiff, waiting for what came next.
Aiden looked at them one by one, making sure they understood he was not speaking out of pity.
"My place is a bit small for everyone to live comfortably..." he said.
The moment he said it, the room shifted. Havel's fingers tightened around his cup. Marrek's gaze dropped. Karsen sat straighter, like he was bracing for bad news. Rethan stayed quiet, watching Aiden closely.
Aiden kept going without raising his voice.
"But if you help me, we can make it livable." he said.
He watched their faces as the words landed. They were used to promises that hid a trap. They were used to offers that turned into chains later. Aiden could see that caution in their eyes, and he didn't blame them for it.
He gave a small nod and kept it simple.
"I can promise you one thing," he said. "Inside these walls, you will be free. As long as we help each other out, you guys can stay here as long as you'd like."
Aiden let a small smile show this time. He did not rush to explain everything. He waited a breath, then leaned forward again, keeping his tone calm.
"I've got a proposal for everyone."