My mother came nearer to me. I could feel my heart beat faster with each of her steps.
"What have you been doing till now?" She asked.
But I was so lost inside that I couldn't hear her.
She repeated again.
"SEKEN!"
I looked at her, like a doll.
"Have you truly lost your bearings? As a mother your conduct shames me…" Variasa shook her head.
Even then the trembling didn't subside.
Seken's mother must have caught the sight of him, because her expression changed rapidly.
"You are still cowering in my presence. Sigh…" Though she pretended to be filled with pity, her face was curled in disgust.
"You smell of dirt and sweat, go and prepare yourself this instant.
She curled her fingers, and if the servants around her understood her gesture, assembled near her.
"Take him, and make sure he is clean enough so that he is worthy of going to the tribute." Seken's mother turned around, not sparing another glance at me.
Inside I was filled with questions. Tributary again?
It must have been that much important, to warrant this much attention from a big family. Atleast I hoped that Sokyro House, was one of the biggest in this world.
So that they could come and save him when the time comes. Otherwise I had no hope of saving myself.
I was led to the bathhouse. The entire house was vast. It was nothing that you would see in the real world, and everything a person would hope to one day have.
The way stretched far, and I was led through to two different doors till I reached the bathhouse.
The servants stood near me, as I took a look around it.
Gold casing filled the interiors of the furnishing in geometrical patterns. The centre was pooled with water that looked lavender in colour for whatever reason surrounded by four pillars that were black in colour and a mirror stood at the centre of one of the furnished cases.
I looked back again and the servants were still there.
"Aren't you going out?" I said the first sentence, since I came into the house. They looked at each other in confusion.
I must say I wasn't that much versed with how conversation was done here. I just hoped that it followed the regular game logic. After all, the NPC's in this game looked well crafted.
After a few moments, one of the servants took some garments, which I felt were mine and kept it on the table.
"Please call us young master if you need anything." The servants bowed.
They left shortly after that.
The shaking of my hands had stopped at some point.
I got out of my game clothes and kept them near the waters. They looked finely smooth in the hands, like silk. After that I stood in front of the mirror.
A smooth oval face, with even smaller eyes looked back at me. I had black hair, and all in all, my physique looked quite average. There weren't any muscles on my body, but the main thing was I didn't look anything older than 11-12 years of age.
I took a step near the mirror. There were scars on my body. Not those made by cutting from sharp weapons, but constant bruising. And they took a whole lot of my upper torso.
I tried turning backward somewhat and I was shocked.
Fresh bruises were etched onto my back. Likely from recent beatings.
I got inside the water. The water was mildly warm, and it soothed my pain in the body. But then I felt a flash of itchiness from the back, the bruises hurt from the water.
This wasn't what I had been expecting. They could have tuned down on the pain, but it feels so realistic.
My face scrunched in concentration, I decidedly focused inside. This has always helped me in real life, and I have been doing it since, I have been toiling around in my village.
This was where I could log out. A perfect checkpoint. I searched for a hint of save button, but none appeared.
And any of my attempts to log out, was met with rejection.
[Cannot logout during mission.]
"This!"
"What should I do now?" I grew concerned, and suspicious. Why hadn't the system allowed me to log out?
But before this sense of dread could get me, the system provided a response to me.
[1. Cannot Logout during mission Progress.]
That I knew already, but there were two beneath.
[2. Can Logout after successful completion of the Mission.]
I wasn't even made aware about the specifics of the mission, it was just a single word asking me to survive. But survive what, and for how long?
And there was this third rule. That made sense actually to be honest.
[3. Can logout after mission failure.]
My mission was plain and simple. Just survive, so if somehow failed. That is, for whatever reason I died, then did it mean, I could logout.
That actually made much more sense, made things easier.
But the gamer inside me didn't appear to agree with this option. A gnawing feeling clawed at the hand.
I scratched the palm of my hand, and then decided on what to do next.
So, since this is a sword world, that would mean, I might meet death due to battles, or I might be even assassinated, or maybe there is a war out there in the waiting. I focused on the words in the story description.
A simple paragraph floated in front of me and I made out the two significant sentences from it.
'The peaceful, broken with the chaos that will ensue soon.'
'Your destiny bleeds you to take part in the upcoming dangers of the world.'
A frown appeared on my face.
"The danger that it speaks of might involve everyone."
***
Regen Sokyro had made preparations for the upcoming battles after the tributary was done. As the heir of the Head of Sokyro House, he had a huge responsibility, to uphold the honour and dignity of his family in the tournament. As it has been taken care of by his father in his youth and then father's father before that, and all the other ancestors.
It was a huge deal of respect in the sword world. Specifically those who revered the 'Sokyro House' in particular.
But for now, he was here for something else. His cousin in particular.
Regen got to know from one of father's guards, that he had come home, and this time too, he had run away in low spirits.
How many times has it been now? Regen worried for his brother, especially when he didn't had powers to defend himself against those who loved to speak ill about him.
While Regen passed through one of the courtyard, and stepped on the doors, to another room he heard a conversation.
"He has been distraught again. It has happened many times this month already."
It must have been one of the servants speaking. Then he heard another voice.
"He should be ashamed. Even as the son of such a powerful man, he isn't able to lift the sword."
Regen's jaws grew taut. He walked in their direction, and spoke in a powerful voice.
"ENOUGH!"
The faces of both servants changed immediately, they fell to their knees. Their face one of terror.
"Forgive us young master, we weren't aware of your presence." One of the servants spoke fearfully.
"Forgive us." the Other repeated afterward.
"Then does it mean. You are granted permission to speak ill of the members of this family, in my absence."
Regen shouted.
"We beg for your forgiveness."
"Young master, please forgive us. We know the severity of our sins."
The servants chattered frantically. But Regen's mind had already become calm by then.
"You should be grateful that we aren't allowed to shed blood before the ceremony. Now get lost, don't dare come near me in the future, or I will have both of your heads."
"Yes sir. We understand."
"Yes sir. We understand."
They both shouted together, before frantically leaving the wing.
Regen watched them leave, before focusing his attention on the bathhouse door. A figure stood there, a small boy clad in clothes made particularly for the ceremony, his face impassive.
"Seken." Regen said. The boy must have heard the servants talking. Regen expected him to be sad.
Instead Seken tilted his head in confusion.