Chapter One Hundred Thirty One

Joe turned back around and stared at the people, pausing in his pan to look at the guards before marching back to the slave master. He sat on the log, ignoring the man's whimpers and phantom pain. He'd healed the leg and there was no more pain. He knew this intimately after having experienced it every night for months and months. As soon as the leg was healed, pain pretty much vanished as the healing acted much as if the wound had experienced months of recovery. There was still a twinge, but even that faded within moments.

A deep sigh brought him back to the present and he glanced back down at the slave master. The man flinched when Joe looked down but remained silent, Joe's flat gaze clear in his unwillingness to engage with the slave master for the moment. Joe found himself rather paralyzed, wondering about options but unable to pick anything. He'd made so many plans to escape, but like most, failed to plan for success and now struggled to find what to do with the guards and slave merchant now that he was free. Maybe… just walk away? Is that's an option… Joe shook his head. No… to dangerous!

Joe turned to the guards instead, leaving the slave master for later and called out to the old guard, his personal one assigned to him and the one who'd helped him get the last couple more collar balls to add to his collar to free himself. The older guard came forward, cautious but still prideful.

He approached and came to a stop, but said nothing, offering, instead, a deep bow at the waist. Joe stared back in thought for a bit before finally finding a question he wanted to ask, if not what was actually needed.

"Why?"

The guard's eyes knit in confusion and Joe realized the man's confusion so took a deep breath and tried again, "Why did you help me?"

Confusion drained from the man's face and he nodded slightly as he began to speak, "I was… very foolish to do so, but I have never seen a man successfully fight the collar before. You were the strongest… the first," the guard ended with a shrug.

"Hope," Joe offered in short reply.

The guard cocked his head, "Maybe. I still thought you would fail. None have beaten the collar. It is well known. But …" the man's eyes flicked down to the almost glowing iridescence that sat on Joe's neck before looking back up, "… it seems there is a first for all things."

"If you thought I would fail, then why?"

The guard chuffed, "Maybe I am naïve as well. And hopeful. You were the closest… if I had done nothing, it seemed … I felt it was my only chance as well and I would have never known if I didn't take the chance. And I would likely have never been punished. I did not … do not know what you did with the collars. I still do not understand."

Joe fell silent at that, thoughtful. He sighed and turned the conversation.

"What is your name?"

"Klannard."

Joe nodded, "Klannard. Huh… Good to meet you," Joe replied as he stepped forward, offering his hand for a shake.

The guard froze a bit before stepping forward and taking it, the two shaking hands before stepping back. The fell into strained silence for a moment, Joe processing and Klannard unwilling to interrupt.

"Who are the good guards here," Joe asked.

Klannard paused at that, eyebrows raised before grimacing, "Likely, before my time here, I would have said none. However, this…" Klannard's hand raised to his neck then paused in surprise that he was able to do so before brushing across it where his slave collar had rested, a brief moment of wonder, relief, and gratitude passing his face, "… brooks no resistance. All of us have done wrong to others."

Joe immediately shook his head, bringing his own hand up to slide across the collar on his neck, somehow feeling bulky and thicker than before. Not really thicker though… some other feeling… sense… Joe cut off his thoughts and turned his focus back to Klannard, grimacing in annoyance.

"This collar, as you said, is absolute. Any actions you took at the behest of the collar are the actions of the one commanding, not the one doing. Would you call me murderer for killing the two other kids while being forced to by that man?" Joe finished with a wave towards the cowering slave master.

The man paused at that, thoughtful, but said nothing. His eyes remained knit in thought and Joe noticed, continuing.

"Would you blame the sword for murder or the man wielding the sword?"

The realization hit quickly and along with it was a sort of relief that visibly slithered through the entire man's being until his whole body seemed to shift into another state; pure relaxation, relief, calming him.

"You claim I was a tool."

Joe grinned, "A robo… a golem, maybe? A little bit better than a tool."

The man snorted at that, a cut off chuckle but it brought a smile to his face, "It brings a sense of understanding; something I could believe."

Joe nodded, "With such absolute control, any action taken using the collar, at least to my own thoughts, are the responsibility of the one giving the command, not mine."

The man nodded with firm understanding, "Then those who chose to act on their own?"

"Hmm… I would add those who didn't act on their own without any specific order, even a general order, from the master. And, hmm… those who did not find joy or happiness… or pass on their rage over their own circumstances."

Klannard considered for a moment, but was rather quick in coming to a conclusion, glancing back at the small group that had been standing with him, waving at them, "Then… only they."

Joe's grimace slipped through at that and he sighed as he nodded, "Good people?"

"Good people, sir."

Joe ignored the sir and nodded then paused before looking out across the slaves, walking past Klannard to call out to the crowd of ex-slaves who had been sent here to be trained, "Anyone have any claim or anger against these guards?"

Joe waved at the group Klannard had been with then pointed at Klannard as well. Over the next twenty minutes, a half a dozen came forward, expressing anger over slights and wrongs. The ex-slaves started off speaking truthfully, and Joe's truth telling got a work out as he parsed each story or complaint from the ex-slaves then dug out the truth from the guards as well. All the slave's complaints proved legitimate, but so did the guards' innocence as they all acted out exacting commands given them by the slave master.

This revelation soothed most of the indignant slaves and Joe then separated the four guards before speaking with them as well and ascertaining their innocence. From what he could piece together, pretty much all felt such guilt they couldn't even truthfully defend themselves or claim innocence in such a way as his truth sense could accept it as truth. They all truly believed themselves despicable. Another five or ten minutes trying to wrestle with that implication to offer some peace to the tormented ex-guards finally gave some revelation to his truth telling and allowed Joe to turn to less pleasant duties.

Then rest of the guards were called forward and almost all believed in their own innocence enough they did not trigger his truth sense; a result that left Joe deeply concerned about being able to trust his truth sense. The few that felt guilty got their own one to one conversation with him, more vigorous in trying to understand them and what was going on.

Finally, he turned to the slaves in training once again and asked for any complaints against this new group of guards and almost everyone stepped forward; people calling out with vehement rage and in tears of painful confession. Getting through all the stories took much longer than actually verifying specific cases since verification quickly trapped the guards in enough specificity that they triggered his truth sense and Joe found himself feeling little remorse by the end. Every one of the guards ranged from despicable to disgusting.

He turned away from that effort and finally returned to the slave master, settling on the log next to the slave master. By now, Joe was emotionally wrung out and had no desire to continue. But neither did he have a desire to have this lingering so he called over the quite guilty guards and had them line up next to the slave master. Most of them Joe would have little problem with having a death sentence after he'd gathered the evidence and verified it against a few sources and even the guilty one.

But he had no real desire or knowledge of where to drop off these people to any criminal justice system. What am I even going to do? Frog march them to the sheriff? Is there a sheriff? Didn't notice any police station… only guards… and even if… nothing illegal about slavery... and if they use property law… nothing wrong was done… this… Joe grew frustrated. And… probably going to have big problems if a slave marches in to drop off guards and a slave master… Joe reached a hand up to trace some fingers across his collar at the thought before sighing. Which… can I make the collar invisible? Make it just kinda fade into…

Joe tried to will that to happen then realized he couldn't see it to verify and frowned before tabling that thought. He then turned his thoughts back to what he would do. Even as he considered his options, Joe found himself falling into paralysis on what to do despite finding the easiest solution which his rage desperately tried to entice him to take. In spite of that desire, Joe found himself rejecting it. Killing them would be the easiest, yet he feared bending to his own desire for revenge.

At the same time, a sinister whisper at the back of his mind demanded more, fighting against the simple solution as being too good and easy for the guilty and they deserved a worse punishment of some kind. But while he normally would have been plagued with concern, worried to find a just response, he found that he really couldn't care less. His only concern was his own safety and security. He never wanted to fall into this again.

And what he actually found himself wrestling with was killing them to guarantee his safety and finding a much more exquisite way to enact his revenge. They deserve to be punished… not revenge… Thoughts whispered and echoed through his mind but there was little resistance to any offered. And despite the concern for safety and security, Joe knew there was little point. He wouldn't kill all of the people here, slave our guard. And many had already escaped into the woods and would likely be spreading the story as he'd never got the chance to tell them to remain silent. Shoulda asked right at the beginning!

He sighed and felt his desire for revenge vigorously defending its position as viable. There was no point. Everyone would know soon. So you could do it… you could… Reason warred, knowing that leaving men who hated him free would only have them returning in their own personal revenge as well. He was no fool. Killing them all would be the easiest, meet justice, be fair, and ultimately much kinder than the twisted nightmares his mind was offering as solutions. The men would be free to... Joe blinked even as a vicious grin leapt to his face for a moment. Now, only kindness resisted and it quickly fell before cold rage. Joe looked at the guilty guards and then back at the slave master before focusing on the slave master first.

Joe sighed and settled in next to the man, a certain peace settling upon him as he now was certain of a path forward. He reached a hand out and laid it on the slave master's shoulder, ignoring the man's flinch of fear. Time to… oh…. A new thought hit, and he grasped that with glee, able to flee responsibility once again and give himself just that bit more time to think.

Joe glanced towards across the field then back at everyone around. Need to get this done ASAP. Joe stood again and then looked at the good guards and Dulan and his group. Do I need to be careful? Hmm… no… think I'm close enough… I'd hear any fights…

"Hey guys. Mind if you watch things while I'm gone? Don't get into fights, and keep people safe. OK?"

Klannard nodded quickly even as Dulan glanced between the guard and Joe before nodding. Joe grinned and then dumped out a bunch of weaponry, most of it.

"Take what you can. If you do not have combat jobs, support those who do. Please don't fight with these guards. They're good people, it seems."

The good guards stepped forward and retrieved their own equipment even as about half of Dulan's group, including Dulan, picked up some weapons. One or two of Dulan's group came eagerly and left disappointed, not having a weapon available. A quick conversation with them had Joe pulling out three weapons that matched their jobs: two daggers and a spear. The daggers went to the woman who'd charged beside Dulan at the very beginning before finding herself frozen in place with Dulan.

Joe then told everyone to leave each other alone before jogging off across the field, disappearing into the dungeons. Both took longer than he expected, much to his annoyance. The rat dungeon, despite only being a single floor of rats, made taking out swarms of them difficult. That said, a weapon made it much easier and he cleared out the waves rather easily until the core presented itself. It didn't seem to have any boss and the loot proved banal: coin.

The mine dungeon was a struggle simply because of how different it was. He spent way more time searching the large open area with rough columns of rock before diving into the long looping tunnels around the edge then turned to searching walls carefully until a column in the central open area proved the answer, holding the dungeon core in a hidden recessed area high in the column. Man… dungeons are not as uniform as I thought… or am used to, I guess? These ones are weird…

Still, having found the dungeon cores, he set them to prepare to be taken, especially taking the time to flood the mine dungeon with mana to enhance its preparation time to keep a lot of its design elements. He then turned and left, climbing back out of the dungeon to find everyone staring at him as he came over, jogging but not really pushing himself. There was a certain peace in his step, certainty of direction and a plan giving him a drive to move on.

He settled back onto the log next to the slave master before clapping the man on his shoulder, false camaraderie oozing from him as he settled, "So. I thought I would let you know I have made a decision. Not sure if you would like it, but hey. It is what it is."

The man tensed, staring up at him with fear, and Joe struggled to resist that little shiver of glee that twisted its way up through his heart. Joe turned his gaze from the slave master over to the guards. His lips pursed in displeasure, both at those who'd tortured him and at his own almost overwhelming desire for revenge. Looking at them twisted his thoughts and heart into knots, making his efforts to keep them under control difficult. For a time, he fell into silence, turning away from the targets of his rage, reevaluating his choice, worry reigniting over whether he was making the correct choice or not. Despite his efforts, his thoughts did not clear and he finally gave up struggling, accepting his decision.

Deep within his mind, almost too deep for him to hear, a deep rage chanted in primitive rhythm, primal and ancient. He deserves it. He deserves it. He deserves it. He deserves it…

Joe breathed deep, ignoring the siren call, or possibly disregarding it, and turned, glancing down at the slave master and thought carefully, "A question, slave master."

The man looked up at him, trembling with some fear before nodding, "Of course, Great One!"

"If a slave controls or owns another slave, can he release that slave?"

The slave master blinked in surprise before shaking his head, "No."

"Is there any way to get out of that… or around it?"

"Hmm… the master can give the slave to another, including a non slave."

Joe nodded, breathing a deep breath and settling back. He'd leaned hard on his truth telling skill and heard only truth in the man's words. However, Joe still felt concern. Trust… but verify... and I don't want any others… so…

Joe turned to the guards, "You have a choice. You die here, or you go with him."

The guards all stepped back, fearful before glancing at the slave master Joe pointed at. The few guards that had stayed to the side beside his personal 'protector' shifted with despair. Joe noticed at turned to them.

"Not you."

Klannard quickly noticed and bowed his head, "My thanks."

Joe fell to silence for a time then turned back to Klannard once again, "What is the legality of what is happening here?"

Klannard frowned, "Legality?"

"Would … is there any authority or … would a leadership… a clan, I guess? Would a clan punish or capture these men for what they did here for being wrong… like how the guard would capture thieves or murderers?"

Klannard listened then quickly came to an understanding shortly after Joe began and he shook his head although he didn't reply until Joe was done, "No. This is acceptable by all peoples."

Joe paused at that, frowning to himself then looked back at the man, "Even to you?"

Klannard fell silent at that, a bitter smile on his face, "Before, yes. Now… no. Never."

Joe nodded, sighing deeply before he turned away, waving him off to focus on the other guards. They stared at him, several becoming angry at the apparent escape he'd offered Klannard and the guards with him. By this time, Joe frankly didn't care about their thoughts, and simply stared at them. All of them measured him before accepting Joe's offer, picking the slave master.

Joe nodded then called them forward, "Then line up."

They all came forward and when Joe pulled a single collar ball from the collar around his own neck then held it up to press it to their necks, many began to shift uncomfortably, some looking to revolt. Joe stared at them for a time before speaking.

"It's your choice. Accept this or death."

Every guard fidgeted before ultimately choosing life, coming forward to be collared once again. He did not claim them, however. Simply slipping a masterless collar around their neck. Don't care enough to drop them off at a judge or … well… anything… donno if anything would happen anyway, so… Joe then turned to look at the slave master, resisting the punch of rage with difficulty.

"And you. I'll allow you to choose your fate; better than what you offered me. Do you wish death or the punishment that I will offer."

The man paused at that, much shrewder about what Joe was offering and narrowed his eyes in thought, "May I know the punishment?"

"Did you offer me the knowledge of what would become of the small animal? The children? My torture?" Joe began roaring at the end, rage twisting his face before he breathed heavily and pulled back slightly, holding in his rage with effort as he continued, "Did I receive such consideration?"

The man had pulled back in fear when Joe's rage surfaced, Joe's response roared into his face without concern for propriety and he shivered on the ground in worry. He stared at Joe in fear for a time, waffling over his choices until fear of death finally chose for him, as slim as that future might hold.

"I will accept punishment."

Joe nodded, then paused as a shiver ran down his spine and he found himself unable to identify if it was concern or glee. Doesn't matter… doesn't matter… Joe stepped forward and knelt down beside the slave master. Mana swelled and a glyph formed and Joe stared at it, studying its form simply to keep his gaze away from the man. Mana swept from him into the man's body, slowly rejuvenating and returning the slave master to health, including all limbs.

* * *

Ilyelanralo stared up at the eccentric with fear, confused by the man's actions. The man knelt by his side but did not look at him, instead looking at the air above where his hand floated. What is he looking at? Why is he… Ilyelanralo blinked in shock when he saw his legs beginning to reform, including his fingers. He's healing me? Why? Wonder joined the fear, but did not last long as fear grew. Why?

* * *

Joe stayed kneeling for a good several hours, bringing the man's limbs back into existence. For some reason, healing seemed to take longer with a greater effort, his mana flowing into the man at a slowed pace with reduced effectiveness. He hadn't really noticed it before, likely a bit more panicked when dealing with the kids, but now that Joe was healing someone that he wanted little to nothing to do with, he was able to more objectively notice the difference. Desperate to not focus on the man, he distracted himself focusing on his healing and so more easily noticed the difference.

Still, he spent the time focused upon how his mana flowed and the function of the glyph that remained solidly in front of him. It was fascinating enough to draw him away from the man his mana was flooding into and healing. When he was finally done, Joe stood and stepped back. It took effort to turn to look at the man, teeth gritting but he did so and prepared. Its time…

"Claim the guards that were just collared."

The slave master looked at Joe in confusion and some trepidation but nodded his head and seemed to leap at the chance. With practiced ease, the man claimed each man and their collar shifted color to show they were not claimed; mastered. Joe watched on with tightly controlled displeasure.

When the slave master was done, he looked back at Joe with caution. The two stared at each other and Joe could see the man reevaluating plans. It was obvious as the man decided if he could send the guards he had back under his control at Joe, but immediately dismissed it when Joe had proven overwhelming even when all guards had been commanded to constrain him. Joe saw the defeat and nodded before grinning with feral glee, a certain joy leaping up through him to see the man's hope die. Joe grit his teeth and quenched that desire, breathing deep.

"Right. Next," Joe stepped forward and pulled another collar ball from his own collar before holding up before the slave master, "Your turn."

The slave master stared at the collar like it was poison, fear tearing through his face even as resignation and horror twisted in wild chaos through the muscles of his face. The man panicked a bit, breathing hard before he began to shake his head.

"No. No! I refuse."

Joe's grin returned, schadenfreude roaring with exuberance which Joe couldn't resist, "You chose. And now you will reap. Take the collar."

The man stood firm, attempting to ignore the fear obvious under his façade, "No!"

Joe stepped forward and grabbed the man's hand, "We can do it again, if you want?" Joe asked as he pulled up his dagger and laid it against the man's pinky finger once again.

"No… no no no!"

Joe sliced across the man's finger, failing to slide through the gap in the knuckle, grinding down the bone and slicing flesh off all the way to the bone. A screech wailed out across the field.

"I can wait and just keep doing this."

"No! This is not allowed! People cannot be forced…" the man gasped in pain.

"I believe I told you this as well, did I not? But I'm not forcing you. This is… you are spoils of war; my personal war against you and this camp," justifications rattled off through Joe's mind, hatred reacting and uncaring of what was happening.

"No! No no no no…" the man shifted to panicked rejection.

Joe found his joy flattening, and he turned to firm focus. His hand yanked the man down to the log, pressing his hand against it even as his dagger pressed up against the ruined pinky once again. He sliced through it, then didn't even wait and moved the dagger to the next knuckle. A snick and a thunk and the next knuckle spun off. Joe continued to the next and finally began speaking.

"Very easy to stop this. I'll just keep going. Let me know when you are ready."

Joe returned to his silent work, uncaring. And the man screamed. Joe took finger after finger even as he enacted his mana and began healing the last finger he'd just snipped off. The pinky would be regrowing and healing even as he began on the ring finger and by the time he'd made it through all the man's fingers and thumb, several of the fingers had regrown enough he could begin again. And the man screeched in pain. Until the screeches began to form words.

"OK! OK! OK! I accept! I accept!" the man sobbed out even as Joe slammed the dagger down one last time, slicing off another knuckle.

Joe didn't remove any of the blood that dirtied his hands, turning them a brilliant slimy red. His dagger slammed into log upright then his hand dipped down to pick up the collar ball that he'd set down on the log and lifted it up to the man's neck. When the ball rested near the man's neck, it shimmered, but no change occurred and Joe waited a few moments. The man's fear faded before panic and he began panting, eyes desperately trying to look down at the collar but unable. Mana still streamed into the man's hand, healing it, and Joe waited. The collar did not form and so Joe put the ball back down on the log in a small dip where it could rest and not fall off before pulling the dagger out of the log. The man began babbling again.

"No. NO! I accept. I'm sorry! No. I accept."

The dagger slammed back into the log again and a slimy red covered collar ball came up to the man's neck once again. The ball shivered, but did not activate. Joe waited a few moments, then turned back to the dagger. The man's pleas and promise to accept were ignored and Joe returned to snipping knuckles off. Howls of pain returned but the resistance did not last nearly as long and when the man called it off, offering to accept the collar, Joe responded promptly once again, mechanically stabbing his dagger into the log and pulling up the collar ball. This time, the collar took, swarming around the man's neck and slamming into place. Joe spoke without emotion.

"I claim you."

Another sense formed and another connection slithered into his mind. Joe stared at him for a bit before turning his thoughts back to what the man had previously said. Trust… but verify…

Joe carefully spoke, "I release this slave who once was the slave master."

The man looked up at him with surprise and some relief but the grew bitter as his collar did not respond at all. Joe grit his teeth then turned to look at Klannard and Dulan. Can't use Dulan… He glanced back at Klannard.

"Mind helping me with a test?"

Klannard nodded quickly and Joe began, "I give the slave master to Klannard."

Klannard blinked in surprise, then grinned with glee before suddenly stopping himself, looking at Joe. Joe watched on for a bit before taking a deep breath.

"You are a better man than I, Klannard."

Klannard paused at that then shook his head, "No. It is easy to be good before overwhelming power."

Joe frowned at that, a bit confused then seemed to understand. He hid a grimace, not liking the fear he seemed to engender, but too tired to even consider it at the moment. He simply nodded.

"Can you release him?"

Klannard nodded, a bitter smile twisting his face, "I release Ilyelanralo."

Joe saw the collar coil up and fall off, a ball dropping to the ground even as the slave master began sobbing with some relief. Joe ignored the man before kneeling down and getting the collar. Guess I can't do that… didn't really want to… to dangerous, but… He leaned forward pressed the collar to the slave master's neck once more.

"I claim you."

The slave master hyperventilated, rejection wildly erupting before he shivered in fear and simply nodded, the collar immediately slithering up and around his neck. Might as well save him the pain. Joe thought as he stood up, looking down upon the man for a moment. Rage resisted his mercy for a time before Joe powered through, suddenly pulling a hand back and slamming it into the back of the man's upper neck. The slave master's eyes rolled up into his head and Joe stepped back with a sigh. He stared down, rage punching through his being and savaging his control. Moments passed before he was able to continue, and he reached down and pulled the man's ruined hand up on the log. An axe formed in his hand and he shifted it to a good grip before slamming it down and cutting the man's hand off at the wrist. He then stared for a time before sitting with a defeated slump of his shoulders, slamming the axe into the log next to the dagger.

He stared at the man for a time before sighing and restarting the rejuvenating glyph to return the man's hand back. He stayed there for a time until a soft shuffling drew his attention, and he looked up to see Dulan walking to his side. Joe stared up, then turned back to the man's hand slowly reforming.

"Why?" Dulan asked with a soft curiosity.

"Huh?" Joe looked up at the man, a bit confused but saw Dulan looking at the slave master's slowly reforming hand and Joe understood, "Oh. I healed the hand too quickly. I think I'd likely cause cancer or something bad like that… I pushed his healing too hard, so… now I'm trying to return it back to what it should be."

* * *

Dulan stared down at Joe in great confusion, but said nothing. The eccentric was strange and chose his own reasons, but Dulan found the eccentric a very strange oddity. Why heal? It was a meaningful punishment in its own right. Dulan did not try to correct the eccentric's misunderstanding, unconcerned with why he'd cut off the hand again in the first place and more why the eccentric would even try to heal. He left the man to rest as he pulled the dagger and axe out. At least… I can do this. And hope he finds a way to free me as well…

Dulan turned and left the eccentric alone, lost in his thoughts and went to the small stream. A quick washing of the dagger and axe was all that was needed before he filled a bucket and returned to the eccentric's side. A quick dry and the axe and dagger were ready for whatever storage the eccentric had, and the bucket was ready for the eccentric's hands. If I could have but a storage item… But Dulan did little else but allow the eccentric the time he wanted.

* * *

Joe stood from his place, the healing now complete. The slave master had long roused from being knocked out, Joe allowing his mana to also heal any damage done to the slave master's head and brain. He simply cowered at Joe's feet, unmoving as Joe worked. He remained silent, even now as Joe stood over him, looking down.

"You ready?"

The man shivered before nodding and Joe began, "Stand."

The man jerked upwards like a mannequin then looked at Joe with visible fear.

Joe spoke, "You are mine. That will never change. But what you will do is seek out the slave master you despise and fear the most. Take these slave guards with you. You will give yourself and the slave guards to this master. You will not release these guards into their control however you will no longer be allowed to give any command or demand to the slave guards. They will be controlled entirely by your new master. The slave guards are not allowed to obey you or listen to you from that moment except for a single purpose I will reveal later.

"For yourself, you will not release yourself into any others' control either. However, you will place yourself under their control and they will have full command and control of you in any way they wish. You will treat their commands as my own. You will treat them as if they are your complete master, except for a single purpose I will reveal soon.

"However, before you begin working for him and relinquish yourself to them completely, you will inform them that you must be trained first. You will then seek out the slave trainer you are most horrified with, and report to them to be trained. Once the trainer believes you are prepared for your new life as a slave, you will return back to the master where you dropped off these slave guards and submit yourself to them. You will obey them as you would obey your true master. They will be, for all intents and purposes, your slave master for the rest of your life and theirs.

"I will only give you one command and it cannot be broke nor demanded by any, neither by this master you will offer yourself to nor by the slave trainer who will train you. You may ignore any of their commands that infringes upon my command that I give you now: You and the guards will not reveal anything about who I am. Nor will you allow any method or person to reveal any detail about me through negligence, deliberate attempt, or in some way of subterfuge to get around negligence or deliberate attempt. This includes the guards you take with you. None will learn of me because of you or the guards nor will none be allowed to learn of me because of you and the guards.

"In case of transfer of ownership for you and the slaves with you, you will all be transferred as one single group. Never will you split, but never do you have any choice in decision but to state that you must move as a singular group. This will be the case in all and ever kind of type of transfer of ownership. The only exception is if the one not with the group is dead and you know for a fact they are dead. Do you understand?"

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The slave master, now slave, stared in horror, his head shaking in terror as he desperately attempted to reject what Joe was saying, but when Joe ended his command, the man snapped to attention and replied in the affirmative before collapsing in gibbering horror. Joe felt nothing, simply staring down upon the man.

"You will enjoy the same that you have offered others. Go."

The man jerked to his feet, marching off into the woods even as he looked backwards with desperation, "Please! Do not do this to me! You know not what you do! Please, please do not do this to me! You do not know how horrifying you have…"

The slave master's voice cut off, his head jerking around to look forward even as his attention was forcibly turned to the slave guards as he walked by, barking out a command, "Slave guards, follow me."

The slave guards that were enslaved and controlled by the slave master settled in behind the man without the herky jerky movements of a slave collar controlling them, their obedience long melded to the control's control. Many grinned with glee to see the slave master in such a position, but a few smarter ones looked between the slave master and Joe, fear beginning to slither its way up onto their faces.

As soon as the guards were following behind, the slave master turned his head again in comical desperation even as his body continued to march forward, "Please, great eccentric! Mercy! Please. Mercy!"

Joe watched him go, not deigning to reply to the man at all, but whispered softly to himself, fighting against his own discomfort at what he was doing, "Did you offer mercy to the thousands… more… who went to the same fate you go to now…"

Joe watched the small group march off and he remained standing for a time before he went back to his log, crumpling upon it, his rage spent. As he sat, he saw his kid. No… he's a halfling… gotta remember that… He saw the halfling that had acted as his 'kid' for the last round. The man, as odd as it was to describe him as a man, seemed anxious and Joe looked up at him.

"Yes? Is everything ok?"

The man shifted, disconcerted, but spoke quickly, "I wanted … I was hoping to find where my people, my family is?"

Joe paused, quickly looking back to the still retreating and mewling slave master but before he could even speak, Klannard stepped up.

"I know where the halfling's family is and his people."

Joe calmed but then started again, "And the rest of the kids?"

Klannard paused at that and Joe continued, explaining further, "You know where the rest of the kids come from?"

Klannard nodded, "Yes. I was sent to retrieve both."

Joe grimaced, clenched teeth making his jaw quiver but he nodded and calmed, relieved that he wouldn't have to deal with the slave master any longer. He turned to look at the halfling.

"That good? We'll drop you off on the way."

The Halfling seemed relieved but fidgeted at the news and Joe quickly caught it. He pushed the halfling.

"What?"

The man twisted in the wind for a bit before seeming to firm himself, "Could… could you free my peo… my family?"

Joe felt a headache slam into existence between his eyes, "You people are all enslaved?"

"My village."

Joe grit his teeth, angry, "Right. No problem."

Joe glanced up at Klannard and the guard simply nodded, "It should be easy enough for you."

Joe sighed, a bit relieved even as the halfling backed off with his own joy quite evident. The halflings… and the kids! Joe turned his gaze back to the retreating and increasingly panicked slave master as his cries for mercy became almost hysterical. He felt a bit of joy to see the man's panic, then grimaced, finding uncertainty rising once again. With that doubt, certainty was lost as he began to doubt himself and his choices, wondering about the rightness of the choices he'd made. And beneath all of that doubt, rage twisted in and coiled. And Joe collapsed into himself.

* * *

Dulan watched the babbling and fearful slave master march from the field, the slave guards going with them and felt a certain freedom and joy. Whispers around the field swelled to murmurings and comments before the noise breached into full celebration as shouts turned the clearing into a place of loud celebration. The people began bouncing in glee even as control collapsed.

Dulan and his people rounded up around the eccentric, widely spread out to give the man his peace and then sent one to run to the eccentric's tent to return any property the eccentric might want. Another sprinted off to gather their belongings from their tents into the center of their group, off to the side of the eccentric. Dulan was now quite certain the celebration would turn rather violent. Dulan glanced over and noticed the four guards the eccentric had pardoned sidling closer to their group, not quite with the slaves but close enough to offer support. He looked at the impromptu leader and nodded. Klannard… right? If I heard the conversation with the eccentric right. Klannard nodded back and turned to shift with his group. There was a certain friction between the two groups, especially as the guards had their weaponry back, but the majority of the focus each group had was turned towards the increasingly wild slaves. However, before he could settle into protecting the eccentric and just watching the resulting chaos, Cassia, the acrobatic woman who'd charged with him across the field in one last glorious charge, offered another piece of wisdom.

"You gonna let them have the slave master's villa?"

Dulan glanced down at her, then over back at the villa, one wall broken and collapsed, "Ooh… yeah. Anyone can get in now. Uh…"

"Don't really want any to be gettin' my controller."

Dulan glanced down at the woman, "You're worth a controller?"

Cassia smiled, "You as well, if I were to guess."

Dulan nodded before turning back to look at the villa. He stared on silently before Cassia spoke up again.

"Probably lots of nice stuff, too!"

Dulan frowned, thievery not much of something that he often pursued but then grinned when he realized that it was the slave master's belongings. A certain greed swelled as he considered. Probably some very good… cultivation aids…

Dulan glanced down at the woman, "That how you ended up with a collar? Thievery?"

Cassia frowned, cocking her head to the side before replying, "Technically."

Dulan's eyebrows rose at that, waiting, but the woman declined any other explanation.

"We can't touch our own controllers… if the eccentric was anything to go by."

Cassia frowned at that, then turned to chewing on her cheek before looking back up at the man, "And?"

Dulan snorted, grinning slightly, "Don't really want any to touch my controller."

Cassia nodded at that, "Yeah. But… Would rather I knew where it was…"

"But who's gonna hold it," Dulan asked with a bitter frown.

Cassia stared up at him, "Only one that matters," she jerked a head back behind them while also jerking a thumb towards the eccentric.

Dulan looked at that man, then down at the woman, "Seems… I would trust him more than most others. And besides, if he wanted it… none here could gainsay him."

Cassia nodded, "Bah… that makes it only better for us. He put his entire plan … his freedom at risk for a bunch of slave kids. He's a bleedin' heart."

Dulan snorted and turned back to look at the villa, "Well… go ask him, then."

Cassia backed away, hands going up even as she shook her head, "Oh, no. You are our great leader and the voice of the eccentric. It is only right you should do so… better hurry up, too," she ended as she jerked her head towards the villa pointing out several of the more enterprising and greedy freed slaves beginning to creep close.

"Not so much of a 'bleedin' heart' as you thought, eh?"

Cassia's face softened slightly, a bare whisper of a change but enough for Dulan to notice but she said nothing and Dulan allowed her the escape she wanted. He turned away and his eyes traced passed the villa and realized some people were already closing upon the rubble. Dulan cursed, snorting with anger and turned back to the eccentric. Right… this is just awesome. He closed with the eccentric with deep caution, very careful of impinging upon the eccentric's place. So… then…

* * *

"Uh… sir? Eccentric? Great One?"

Joe came out of his thoughts with a jerk, pulled back from the abyss. His eyes looked up and saw Dulan standing before him and Joe offered him a wan smile.

"Sorry. Seems like I wasn't quite able to get you … or her free," Joe frowned with the realization, self-deprecating.

Dulan quickly waved off his concern, "Oh no. You are also not freed yet, either."

"Oh. I'm free now. Mostly. And no one will take …" Joe clenched his teeth, cutting off his words.

Dulan seemed surprised and cautious. Joe smiled and waved for him to continue, "Please never fear speaking in front of me. The only response I will ever give back, even if you insult or anger me completely, will be one of words. Although… I won't claim perfection. There might be some words you could speak to me that would… make me so angry as to lose myself."

Dulan smiled politely and then bowed, "I thank you for the chance to do so."

Joe snorted, "It's a central tenet of my people."

Dulan's eyebrows jumped at that, surprised but nodded, "I hate to bring up duties, but, the villa will be raided soon."

Joe glanced over towards the villa and sighed, before snorting a bit, "Let them."

Dulan knit his eyebrows closer and Joe noticed, frowning a bit in confusion and Dulan quickly cleared his face and nodded, "Of course, sir. We will do as you command."

Joe's own eyebrows knit in turn, his frown of confusion quickly becoming angry, "Dulan. I told you that you can confront me on things. I was simply confused why you are bothered by it or why you think… please explain. I'm confused. That is all, nothing more. Please. Speak to me truthfully, absolutely and always from now on."

"Ah, well," Dulan began with deep caution, "the villa… hmm… the slave master likely had great wealth. Any cultivation aids or benefits to one's future likely lay in the villa."

Dulan paused at that, taking in Joe's face with some seeming attempt to parse Joe's thoughts and Joe simply waved him on, uncertain of what his response should be nor what the man got from his careful inspection, "Ok? And?"

"Ah, well… As you said… you can see… Cassia and I both still have our collars, and like you, well… we both were worth a controller as well. I … would rather my controller not be taken into, well… anyone else's hands."

Joe nodded at that and immediately stood, "Yeah. I can see that. But, from what I can see. You can't touch it. I wasn't able to touch mine. Do you have some way to carry it or something? I wouldn't want my controller in any one else's hands, really."

Dulan nodded quickly, "And neither would we, but… we lack any kind of storage item like you so … I think we … I, at least, but also Cassia. We would like if you carried them for us?"

Joe stood straighter, sighing deeply and immediately feeling the weight of the request, "A lot of trust in me."

Dulan thought on that cautiously before nodding, "You have shown yourself worthy of it, eccentric."

Joe nodded again, "Well. Let's get those for you at least."

Joe marched off across the field and Dulan followed after, Cassia quickly sidling over to join in. Joe noticed Dulan quickly point out a couple people to follow after and commanded the rest to stay in a loose circle around a pile of belongings, some of which Joe quickly realized were his. He almost paused to ask about them then simply shook his head. Later. Control artifacts first. But… when did that happen?

The freed slaves were kind of going a bit wild, many acting out in manic ways that Joe wasn't certain he really liked to see but didn't really feel he had a place to make a comment, either. He chose to ignore much of what was happening until he noticed some few groups that seemed to be forming up for unsavory purposes. The men and few women formed small teams and shifted far from one another with a few groups already collecting resources for personal gain or use. Joe grimaced but marched past them until he found one group seeming to collect young women in a central location and Joe's evaluation of them fluctuated between gratefulness for protecting some of the most beautiful young women and girls in the camp to suspicion straight into disgust. His march towards the villa came to a straight halt. Joe grit his teeth, saw the girls, while fearful, were being left alone and instead turned towards Dulan.

"Have a… I think it might be a good idea to have a couple people keep an eye on that group there. If you see them … taking any of the women, shout out. I'll get your artifacts then we need to deal with them."

Dulan snorted, grimacing himself, "Criminals. Yes. They will likely be a problem."

Joe twisted his lips into a snarl and then glanced at Dulan as he resumed his march towards the villa after Dulan set aside a couple men to watch the group and Joe continued the conversation, "They are criminals?"

Dulan nodded, glancing at Joe and noticing his confusion and launched into a deeper explanation, "Most… well… many slaves are criminals. Thieves, murders, and their ilk taken to forcibly be turned to use for the kingdom or city."

Joe found his jaw tightening at that as he pursed his lips, "How are these chosen… uh, decided to be criminals."

"They are found guilty of their crimes."

"How?"

Dulan stared at Joe, his own confusion evident in his cautious and slow reply, "I… would think much like you just did? Priests know the truth."

Joe snorted and turned to look back on the closing villa, starting to dance between the scattered stone debris of the shattered wall, "It is pretty easy to deceive a priest's skill."

Dulan seemed surprised by that, "Truly?"

Joe nodded, now having reached the unstable pile, "Yeah." But… then again… if so, yeah… a better use than a prison sentence… and a better control… Joe acknowledged that even as he felt his lips twist in distaste even as his mind fled from the thought, unwilling to explore it.

The two paused the conversation as they climbed the pile, falling into soft grunts of effort that echoed from the small group of four or five. They made it inside and came around the corner only to hear a soft voice cry out. Everyone pulled back in caution, Joe included, as weapons or fists rose to defend themselves or those who could not defend themselves skittered to the rear far from the exclaiming cry.

"Who's there?" Joe immediately barked out, tonfa already in hand even as he settled into his stance.

There was a small meek cry quickly covered and Joe relaxed slightly as did the others. Joe slipped more cautiously into the main room, keeping his eyes carefully spread around the room but his focus in the direction of the soft cry. The slave girl's room… the little window I slipped through first. Joe sidled around the corner, cautious to maintain distance. He got around the corner and found the girl curled up on her bed, pressed as far into her own corner as possible. Joe stared at her for a time then felt some small amount of relief when he saw that she was free of the collar. He glanced between her and Dulan for a bit before sighing and making another choice, again.

"Do not bother her, but please do watch her,"

Dulan nodded and waved over another person who stood in the doorway as Joe turned back to the storage room which had held the collars and control artifacts. Joe waved Dulan and Cassia over and entered the storage room.

"There you go," Joe waved at the two control artifacts still there.

Dulan and Cassia quickly came forward, both reach out and easily lifting the control artifacts before both frowned and dropped the ones they had to pick up the other. Both failed, of course, but the sense of relief Joe felt from them was palpable when they knew they'd found what was there control artifact. Joe watched as both stared at the things for a bit before looking back at Joe.

"You sure?"

Dulan nodded quickly although Cassia seemed concerned and Joe frowned in commiserate pity, nodding at Cassia, "If you don't like it, we can try to do something else. Find another way you could carry your own. Or we could destroy it."

Dulan shook his head, "I'd rather not. The guild will learn of this quickly. And they will also make another if it is broken. Standard guild procedure. Charge for the first broken one, with penalty, and build a second and charge for the second at a premium price greater than the first and an even greater penalty. They will not give up easy income. But, they also cannot make a second if the first is still functional!"

"Oh! That's… a relief!" Joe exclaimed softly even as more tension fled his shoulders before continuing the conversation, "So these control artifacts are kinda normal?"

"Not so much, but I have seen it."

Joe quirked an eyebrow at that and Dulan shrugged, "I had duties for my master… before I was enslaved."

"He had many slaves."

"Yes. And was quite frustrated with the slave guilds … actions."

Joe nodded and placed a hand on both controllers then paused, glancing around the storage room before pulling out a smaller piece of rope and slicing bit off. He turned back to the controllers and tied the rope around the controller.

"Just want to make sure I have which one is which," Joe said as he lifted up the control artifact with the rope around it, "Can you try to touch it? Just to make sure?"

Dulan nodded, reaching out a hand, and Joe watched with some morbid fascination as he was unable to actually touch it. Joe even tried to power Dulan's hand forward, forcibly trying to make him touch the artifact and the man's hand would be repelled like some kind of living magnet. Joe snorted and turned back to the woman.

"Can you touch this?"

Cassia easily reached out and did so and Joe nodded, satisfied, as the rope tied control artifact slipped into his storage with ease followed by the second. Double check everything. And… seems like if it's not mine, I can put it into the inventory storage just fine. Huh…

Joe nodded and turned back out from the storage room and returned to the hiding slave girl in her room. The woman guarding the room backed off and Joe settled down on a knee. He stayed there silent for a time before sighing deeply.

"The slave master, your master… yeah. He's gone. He's not coming back. He'll never come back. This place will probably be abandoned soon and if it isn't, well… probably not going to want to stick around nor are you going to want to be here even if it is abandoned since the slavers will probably come back to see what's going on.

"You can choose what you want, but I wouldn't stay here. Right now, some rather unsavory characters have stayed outside only because we're here. If we leave, they'll come in next, so… Yeah. We're going to leave now. You don't have to come with us, but maybe… maybe you should at least follow after us so you aren't in here alone when the other's come in. I'll give you a few moments, but we can't stay here long. Another group of not so nice people are outside collecting up young women and girls and I don't feel like leaving the women there with them too long. So…"

Joe then stood up, the young girl flinching and staring up at Joe. Joe almost reflexively tried to calm the woman, but the urgency of the current situation wasn't something Joe had the time to deal with so he simply nodded at her and turned back out into the main hallway. He came to a stop there with a sigh, then turned his gaze to look out through the hole in the wall, getting the other group that concerned him in line of sight.

Dulan pulled up to his side, speaking cautiously, "So we will be here for a time?"

Joe glanced at him then back at the doorway leading to the young woman's room, "Yeah. But not too long."

Dulan smiled, a great brilliant thing and nodded, "Thank you, sir. Right! All you lot. Spread out and find everything. Bring what you find back."

Joe glanced over at the man in surprise, cocking an eyebrow but then turned to look back out the hole again. It took a bit of time, and just when Joe was sure she wouldn't respond, she came out, shivering with some fear and standing as far away from everyone else as possible. Joe noticed the movement and saw her standing there, hands pulled up to her chest but empty of any luggage. Joe noticed and then nodded, offering a soft smile of pity.

"You don't want any extra clothing or … something?"

The young lady jumped at that, then quickly nodded, glancing back at the room. Joe offered a soft encouraging smile with a nod and waved back into the room.

"Bring out what you want. Don't worry about space. We can take everything. Oh! And bring out the slave collar that you had on you."

She nodded and turned towards the room. It only took another few moments and she returned with a large pile tied up in a ball contained by what had been one of the blankets on her bed. Joe noticed and walked to her side, taking a moment to glance in the room to make sure she'd taken as much as she wanted and found it empty. He nodded once and returned to her, but remained a good distance away before holding out a hand.

"I'll carry that for you, if you want."

She stared at him, then cautiously nodded before the blanket bag fell forward onto his hand and he evaporated it into his inventory storage, causing her to jump back in shock. Joe smiled and popped it back out in his hand and offered an encouraging nod.

"Don't worry. All here," he said with a soft smile.

She stared at him without real emotional response but nodded softly and Joe nodded back before turning back around.

"Uh…" a soft sound came from behind him and he turned to see her holding out a hand gripped into a down facing fist.

Joe knit his eyebrows in confusion but stepped forward and held out a hand. She hovered hers over his and opened her fist. A three balls dropped into his hand and Joe looked up at her with some surprise.

"Three?" Joe asked with some surprise before glancing down to see the collar balls in his hand then looked back up with a nod, "Thank you."

Awful lot of collars on her. Most only had one. Only a few had two. Almost no one with more than two here other than me… maybe 1 or 2 others. So… He glanced back up at her with curiosity.

"You strong?"

She quickly shook her head no and Joe's confusion grew but her fear kept him from interrogating her and he turned away. His return to his vigil had him noticing the activity around him and he blinked in surprise when he found a pile of materials almost as tall as he was growing in the middle of the floor. Joe quirked an eyebrow at Dulan who came rushing back from around the corner where the kitchen was. Dulan noticed and only grinned, unrepentant as he shrugged.

"Spoils of conquest," he said.

Joe huffed a small laugh and shook his head but acknowledged the truth that all this would be abandoned or more likely looted by the end of day. Cassia, who had been watching on when she came around the corner, whooped and Joe glanced at her with a quirked eyebrow. She quickly quieted and dropped off her latest haul before turning to run out of the room. Dulan frowned, looking down at what she'd brought, various luxuries, before looking back at her as she ran back up the stairs. Joe noticed and found himself feeling rather flummoxed.

"You'll steal a man's food, but not his wealth?"

Dulan turned his gaze back at him then frowned with shame, "The food … we have need of it if we are to survive and he was responsible for our feeding. This food is needed for us and, well… it is technically ours. Besides, it will go bad and then…"

Joe cut him off, "You have no need of my opinion. You are right. He was responsible to feed us so this was likely our food… although probably not that nice piece of steak," Joe offered with a twist of humor at the end.

Dulan huffed and laughed, shaking his head, "Likely not."

Joe nodded, falling into introspection before turning to look at Dulan with curiosity, "You do not have or practice spoils of war here?"

Dulan looked up at Joe from where he was carefully putting down the food next to the growing pile and replied quickly as he stood up, "Oh. Of course we do. From rightful conquest. The spoils of such conquest is normal. But this… thievery…"

"So spoils from conquest is acceptable?"

"Of course."

"But this is thievery?"

"Yes?" Dulan replied, seeming both cautious of how he spoke with Joe and a bit confused by Joe's questioning.

"But you do not see what we did just now, fighting against such absolute power and tyranny as a form of war? Small scale and limited, but no less a fight for freedom and to escape the control of others?"

The man paused at that, then turned to look at the softly whooping Cassia as she returned once again, cautious not to draw attention to herself but still exuberant in what she found. He watched her for a time before looking back at Joe.

"An interesting way to look at such things."

Joe smiled, happy to see Dulan growing more comfortable with him, "My people… some of the people of my plane still practice looting and seeking out wealth through combat and war. My clan, we do not do such things nor do we accept things like that," Joe hid the small clench of his teeth, well… not exactly doing well by oil either, though… wonder if that might not fall into that category… Joe thought before continuing, "… or, we try not to do such things. There are corrupt people amongst my clan, so… take some of the things I say with a grain of salt, but, on the whole, looting is not acceptable."

"You seem rather… OK with it here and now."

Joe shrugged, "It will all go bad before another group returns. I'll be taking all with me as we leave, so to leave this here would be a waste."

"Still looting."

Joe smiled, "As you said, the slave master will not have need of it nor can he," Joe's smile turned bitter at that, "but there are many here who do need it."

Dulan seemed shocked at that, surprise flickering across his features but said nothing and Joe sighed deeply, pulling back from being lost in thoughts and looked back out across the field. He frowned, noticing the group that had been saving the prettiest of young women growing rowdier and he made the decision to move on.

"Right. Gotta get out there and clean things up now. No more time."

Dulan nodded but Cassia pouted as she dropped off a couple more things before turning to run off, "I'll be right back."

Joe didn't even acknowledge her, simply walking forward to suck up all the stuff into his storage inventory. He got almost all of it except for a couple left over boxes and a bag and he frowned. He popped open his inventory to find every storage spot full. A few only had a single item in it, but the spots were full and he turned to look at the rest with annoyance. Don't really want to open up my storage space, but… he sighed deeply and turned to look back at Dulan, measuring the man carefully. Dulan didn't notice, speaking with one of the others but Joe found fear twisting wildly through his guts, paralyzing his ability to trust. He clenched his teeth and sighed deeply before making a decision, his storage space opening with silence, the door appearing beside him. Gonna have to do something about my control artifact anyway, so…

Joe opened his mouth to speak, then found himself paralyzed and had to force himself to speak, "Dulan. Could you help me real quick?"

Dulan's head snapped up at his name being called then paused when he saw the door in empty space beside Joe. The pause was quick, however, and Dulan quickly jogged towards him.

"Yes, eccentric," Dulan replied as he arrived at his side.

Joe nodded to the man and turned into his doorway without saying anything and Dulan followed behind, seeming a bit worried but marching in with bravado. Joe walked in and stood over his control artifact before turning to look at Dulan. Dulan had paused after a single step inside and was staring around in stunned wonder. Joe allowed him his time, glancing behind him to see several others staring in through the doorway as well. Joe waited until Dulan finally turned to meet his gaze and when Joe looked down, Dulan followed his gaze and looked back up at Joe with both fear and concern. Joe closed the doorway to his space at that point, shouts of surprise cutting off when the door shut. Dulan looked at him with greater fear but Joe quickly explained, hoping the explanation would ease the fear.

"I want to move my artifact to a place here, blocked off if I can, but we don't have much time. The air will go bad if we stay here too long. But," Joe trailed off and reached down to try to touch his control artifact but found himself unable to.

Dulan calmed down as he watched Joe then nodded, "You need me to move it?"

Joe nodded, "If you are willing."

Dulan huffed, "I think it is more if you are willing to trust me so much."

Joe grinned and chuffed a small laugh himself, "Yeah… I don't have much choice, do I?"

Dulan's grin turned into a grimace and he nodded walking forward to reach down and grab the artifact. Joe found himself tensing and struggled to move back to allow Dulan access to his control artifact, but was finally able to step back and Dulan rose with the artifact held in hand, cautious to keep it held far from the buttons. Joe felt himself almost hyperventilating and pushed hard to keep himself calm. The two stared at each other for a bit before Joe finally nodded and Dulan nodded back as well. Dulan then walked to his side, holding the artifact out just to his side towards Joe so Joe could easily see it, and the effort calmed Joe enough to begin moving.

Joe led Dulan over to the corner of the room where he'd tossed the left over logs, a couple now mostly charcoal although most of the rest were a drying mass of logs. The two stopped at the pile, staring up at it for a bit until Joe reached forward, activating his infusion to cycle into his torso, arms and legs with only a small trickle to hit his brain. Time slowed only slightly, but his strength increased massively and he lifted the logs up easily, piling them up carefully into a pyramid shape once more, leaving a small gap in space just large enough for his control artifact to rest before he piled up all the rest of the logs, burying the artifact under a massive pile of logs as high as he could go. It wasn't much as he didn't have too many logs, but at least it was buried and a bit more protected and Joe felt only immediate relief as soon as Dulan dropped it into the cranny between the logs. The two fell silent once Joe was done, relief flooding him and Dulan looked at him with chagrin and a bit of bitter envy.

"Wish I could do the same. I … trust you more than most, eccentric, but I still do not like having my artifact in any other's hands, even yours."

Joe chuckled darkly, "I know exactly what you mean."

Joe then willed the door open, the location opening in exactly the same place, "But now at least we can get all the loot in now."

Dulan looked at Joe, quirking his own eyebrow in humor before nodding as he looked around, envy a bit plain on his face, "That we can."

Joe noticed easily enough and smiled genuinely, one of his first in many months, "Well, if you trust me a bit more, trusting me with your status, I might be able to help you get these two space abilities, if you are interested."

Dulan's eyes widened, grinning but then frowned, "Hmm… I do like my class I have now, though."

Joe's grin grew, "Like I said, if you trust me."

Dulan's eyes narrowed at that, thoughtful, "I will have to consider… carefully."

Joe nodded at that then turned to look at the gawkers staring in through the doorway once more, "Haul all that stuff in, if you want it. Let's do it quick."

The four men and woman grabbed things quickly then cautiously entered, pausing to stare around in curious wonder before growing used to it over the several journeys into and out of his space. Soon, all of it was pack away in the opposite corner from his pile of logs and they all exited shortly after. Leaving the villa came quickly after and the young shyly fearful woman followed after. Most returned to the now tighter and closer group as the crowds of slaves had grown ever wilder. The small bit of separation between the four guards and the slaves that had stood by Joe's side was now essentially gone, the two groups having kinda melded into a double bubble like formation. Joe came out and the couple people who'd been assigned to watch the criminal likely rapists had fled back to the group for protection. Joe frowned when he saw that and then hid a smile when he saw Dulan's own frown as well. Joe relaxed, calming himself. Not professionals and not my employees or anything… relax. Still, concern welled and Joe looked over at the group and noticed the women and girls were not doing too well. Concern swelled into indignation when one of the men grabbed one of the women and began pulling her away into the tree line.

"Right. That's… head back to the group. I'll be right back."

Joe sprinted across the field towards the group but did not enhance his stats with any mana, wishing to be able to speak with the group as he ran and unsure how his speech would come out in time dilation.

Joe's shout was loud, but the crowd was difficult to overcome, "Hey! HEY! Stop! Enough."

The crowd of people, hearing his bellow, turned to look then quickly quieted when they realized who it was. Slowly, silence began to fall on the meadow and soon the group he was targeting came into the field of silence and quickly realized what was happening. The men looked on, most with some fear, others with carefully hidden disdain, but all with terrified respect. The man that was dragging away the woman was quickly called to attention, and he turned with anger quickly quelled. Joe slowed to a jog as he came into range of the group.

"Are there any other women you have collected but were taken to… other locations."

Several of the men grimaced or scowled before quickly smoothing out their faces and silencing protests and mockery. Almost all looked towards one of the men, and Joe turned his gaze to him as well. He stood to the side with two women as unsavory as the men that surrounded the crowd of cowering women. The man's face flickered, annoyed betrayal quickly smoothed to calm indifference.

"No. All are here. We collected them for their own… protection," the man spoke, a subtle nuance twisting the meaning of protection into an obvious unsavory hint, "We will, of course, be quite grateful. As a sign of our respect and thankfulness for our freedom, please, you may choose first. It is only fair, seeing as how you have freed us all."

Joe hid his disgust and unpleasant upset behind smooth indifference, then struggled to hide his smile as the man finished speaking before finally deciding to simply allow the smile free, "Oh. I am given first choice?"

The man saw Joe's grin and immediately relaxed, certain of Joe's character now even as several of the women held captive moaned softy, despair lacing voices while lost hope deadened faces, "Of course. Please accept it as… my gift."

Joe's grin grew and he nodded, "Great, then I choose… her, and her, and her… I like those three as well. And that one over there… and the one he's taking. You know what? I like them all. I'll accept them all as my gift."

Joe's grin fell by the end of his little speech, shifting to a barely there smile on a blank face. It took a bit, but by the time Joe had picked almost half of the girls, the man understood what Joe was meaning to do and his confident smile turned to a rage quickly hidden behind blank hooded eyes. The man looked at Joe for a time before a blatantly fake smile returned to his face.

"Of course. It would only be fair, eccentric," the man ended with barely hidden vitriol lacing his title.

Joe ignored it and simply waved all the girls over, "Follow me. Head to that group of people over there," Joe advised, pointing to where his friends and the kids gathered.

Several of the men there roused, angry but did nothing. Several looked at who was obviously the boss, but his snapping replies shut them up quickly and soon all the women were half way across the field. When they arrived safely with the others, Joe turned to look back at the man.

"Are there any others here against their will?"

The man stared at Joe for a time before grinning softly, "How would I know another's will?"

"Your attempt to not answer the question concerns me deeply. Let me try again. Are there any others here against their will."

The man's smile dropped, face quickly shifting to neutrality before he spoke, "That I am not certain of."

Joe nodded, "Guess, as best you can."

"It is outside my expertise."

"Being beaten bloody could very well be your new expertise."

The man froze at that, narrowing his eyes then quickly seeking neutrality again. The two remained silent in a staring face off. Joe was remarkably calm, the other did not appear so. He finally spoke.

"No. I don't think so."

Joe heard the Truth of the man's statement and calmed, but did not stop his suspicions from remaining on high alert. He turned to the two women draped over the man.

"Do you wish to escape?"

The two women both curled their lips in disdain, one simply looking away while the other snorted, "I seek nothing. I am satisfied here."

The man froze with the last's response, very much unhappy with what she'd said somehow. He gripped the woman by the arm and squeezed and this worried Joe even more until he felt the truth of the woman's statement. She… wants to be here? OK. Guess that's that, but why did he squeeze her arm? Joe spent time trying to figure it out as he turned away, but found himself at a loss.

"Thank you much. I will be on my way"

"Of course, sir. A man of impeccable tastes."

* * *

"My thanks and my goodbyes, sir."

"As always, good man."

He kept his grip on the woman who'd foolishly scorned a power, keeping silent and plastering a pleasant smile on his face. Eagle eyed, he did not take his gaze from the eccentric until he was certain the eccentric was satisfied and would not retaliate.

"NEVER antagonize a power in my presence or in my command! I will not die for your folly, understood barren cannon fodder!?" he turned to the woman and spat out with vehement rage, "Understood!"

She quickly bobbled her head, and the man turned away, shoving her away with a bitter curse. Fool! We need to flee!

* * *

Joe moved back to what he was now seeing more and more as 'his' group and the kids. They did stick by me… although seems more opportunistic, but… He walked into the perimeter, everyone there nodding as he walked by and he nodded back before sitting on 'his' log, collapsing with an exhaustion that was more mental than physical. He remained there for a time, resting until he felt like he was ready to engage in conversation once again and called out.

"Hey. Dulan. Cassia. Wanted to talk a bit with you real quick."

Dulan and Cassia both turned back to be by his side, standing at an attention that made Joe a bit uncomfortable so he waved them to sit next to him on the log. They prepared to sit on each side of him, but he split them apart so they could both see what he was doing easily and settled them down. He almost simply began, then realized that might be a bad idea so instead offered a short explanation.

"I wanted to talk with you about… your collars. And the control artifact… and I guess any plans? I'll do what I can to get you guys freed but I'm not sure what else you want to do. And I want to explain the control artifacts to you, although… yeah… Dulan, you should know, right?"

Dulan nodded quickly, "I am very familiar with the control artifacts."

Joe grimaced and Dulan sighed, looking away with bitter self-recrimination before speaking again, "I recognize my double standards, but I … didn't understand."

Joe snorted and nodded, "Maybe that's fair, but that requires a certain… willed blindness."

Dulan looked back at Joe then turned away again, the bitter smile turning more to a snarl and Joe simply sighed, "Well, now you know."

Dulan looked back at that last comment, searching Joe's face for what seemed like some kind of acceptance or forgiveness and the bitter unhappiness softened to shame accompanying a small nod, "Now I know."

Joe nodded back and turned to Cassia, "But you haven't seen a control artifact before?"

Cassia quickly shook her head, "Never seen a controller."

Joe nodded and popped her controller out of his inventory. Her eyes locked on the artifact as she flinched and quickly hunched in on herself a bit and Joe reacted with his own bitter anger.

"Sorry. I'm not going to use it. But I just wanted you to see it and understand it. Try to mess with it. If you can understand it, it will help you fight it a bit better and figure out things… if things go bad."

She turned him, looking at him carefully before cautiously nodding. Joe nodded back, a relieved sigh filling his lungs before he began.

"Right. So pretty easy. A couple buttons and that's about it," Joe began then went through the buttons and their purpose.

He turned to explaining everything he'd learned, including being able to interact with it if using another object, but being locked if thoughts of escape or other 'baked in' commands in the collar were countermanded. She did get herself stuck, pressing the paralyze button and then was paralyzed in place while pressing the paralyze button with a stick. Joe chuckled a little at that even as Dulan watched with some fascination from the side. Joe explained the warning quickly at that point, not needing more before he pulled the artifact away and released her.

She cursed and complained bitterly over that situation although she didn't blame Joe, even thanking him for the explanation and experience. Dulan quickly asked if he could try with his artifact and soon Joe had both artifacts, one in each hand, and allowing them their best efforts to manipulate or do what they could. The perimeter group and the four guards soon were watching on with half an eye on guarding and half on learning what they could as they watched two of their own wrestle with the control artifact. Even the ex-guards seemed interested, watching on with interest but their duty and experience as guards seeming to drive them to be more aware of their surroundings. Joe noticed one or two others in the group of ex-to-be-trained slaves also rather diligent in their guarding and made note of it

Still, by the end, both Cassia and Dulan seemed much more relaxed about the whole control artifact thing and were even beginning to play with it, betting one another to accomplish certain tasks. Joe helped them with what he could but things ended rather rapidly as Joe found out they were as limited as he was. The control artifact had very strict limitations in how the linked slave could interact with it and those limitations were very similar to the collar although the collar was a bit more lenient, allowing it to be touched if you could convince the collar of such. Joe had never been able to figure out how to touch the control artifact, however. Maybe if I can convince it like I convinced the collar? Need to itch? Not… itch… but… hmm… it's in danger… about to be crushed or destroyed? So I can pick it up to 'save it?' That… might be a good idea. Then I can save it in my inventory! Glee at the possibility swelled and Joe wondered, considering but then calmed. After these two are done…

Soon, the two grew stuck and frustration swelled and Joe finally sucked both back into his inventory, promising to retrieve it when they wanted but confessing exhaustion but really wanting to test if he could get his own control artifact in his inventory. The two quickly backed off, agreeing and allowing Joe his privacy and Joe stood, immediately opening his space door and walking in before closing it behind him. Right!

Joe's excitement quickly soured as despite his efforts, Joe was never once able to actually touch the artifact no matter how he attempted to convince himself. And after almost ten minutes of effort and exhausting his ideas, Joe opened his space and left, shutting the door behind him. His return brought a hush to the conversations but he ignored them and wandered back towards his tent in exhaustion as he sought sleep. However, he paused and looked at the pile of junk in the middle of the circle. Should do something about this first?

"You guys want all this?" Joe asked, pointing out the pile and the group looked towards him.

Dulan got a lot of glances so he stepped forward to speak, "These are most of our belongings… and the guards," Dulan's smile twisted slightly at that with a quick glance to Klannard and the three around him, "have their packs. We do not have much, compared to the guards," Dulan snuck in another barb, "but do have some few things we wish to take with us."

Joe nodded, "OK. Let's pack these things up. Ignore all my stuff. Don't want any of it," Joe stated, his gaze sliding across the pile of junk that had been brought from his tent before slowing to a stop on the chess board and half-finished pieces, "Well, maybe…"

Joe trailed off and marched over to grab the chess board and pieces then flipped open the space door and walked in, settling his stuff in the front left side of the large open space before turning to point to the other corner. He was about to speak, directing the others to drop stuff there but found no one had followed him and he marched back outside to see everyone staring at his doorway with some fascination.

"Ah, yeah. Bring all your stuff. But ignore mine. Don't want any of it. Just bring it all in here," Joe stated before turning back to his room to direct everyone.

It took a moment, but then Joe heard Dulan shout out and rally a few of the guys who all began hauling stuff in. Joe watched on for a bit, directing people to the pile before joining the line of guys hauling things in. They got into a rhythm rather quickly, although Joe found himself unable to relax, hyper vigilant to always keep the corner of his space where his control artifact resided in line of sight at all times. No one went near it, but Joe couldn't find any peace until he finally shut the door again. It was with relief when he did so, and they all found themselves now circling an empty space but for a log.

Joe smiled then nodded, "So… I'm very tired. See you guys tomorrow. I'll probably sleep for three or four weeks."

Joe laughed at his joke and turned to his tents. He didn't notice, behind him, that all of them were glancing at each other with looks of speculation and consternation. But Dulan quickly rallied them, including Klannard, following after Joe.