Zectas Volume V: The Sequestered Seminary of Sawtorn by John Nest, You The Reader, Overus

OrkElf underlings, like Cynar," said the boy.

"No, they aren't my—" Smoke was about to correct Daniel, but Esper strongly set him to place.

"We aren't Faux's underlings!" she interjected. "He is a friend who gave us a chance at life."

"Well, it is not much of a life to live," retorted Daniel, looking at the surroundings inside the Souer Settlement dwelling.

"But even this, is still better than our lives under Cynar," added the boy. "My sister and I are actually from Vlahui City. We were watching the 996th Magi Gagnant Tournament," he explained. "I was still probably nine then, and my sister maybe seven?"

"Wait, what?" said Smoke incredulously. "If you were nine, three years ago, then you're twelve years old now?"

"Yeah, I know I don't look my age," replied Daniel sourly. "I haven't even grown out of my royal clothes from before. In fact, Jack is already fifteen years old."

"Really?" said Smoke. He shook his head in utter disbelief.

"I don't know if it is something Cynar puts in our food or drink, but the children under his care haven't grown at all," expounded Daniel. "I tried refusing to eat or drink anything once. Cynar dangled me over a pit of sand cheetahs trapped inside it. Slowly lowering me down. I have the scars to prove it," the boy lifted his shirt and showed his back filled with disfigured skin caused by several traumatic injuries.

"And how many children does Cynar have altogether?" asked Smoke.

"Well, including Jack, my sister, and myself, Cynar has six royalties all in all," answered Daniel. "But counting the other children, he probably has sixty?"

This time it was the OrkElves who questioned Daniel's story.

"Wait? You mean you're really royals?" asked Esper. "That sounds hard to believe."

Colere nodded. "Exactly. If you were, then why didn't anyone come looking for you?"

"Wait," said Smoke. "Daniel, what is your ranking for the throne of Vitzytl?"

"Well, I am 30th in line," replied the boy.

"And what about Jack?" continued Smoke.

"Hm. I think 25th or 26th?" answered Daniel with a shrug.

'Maybe the lower ranked royals paid Cynar to kidnap them?' wondered Smoke to himself.

"What is it that you want Faux to do exactly?" asked Esper. Her body leaned closer towards the boy and stared into his eyes.

Daniel stared right back. "I want him to free my sister, and if he can, free the other children under Cynar."

Esper sat up straight and turned to Smoke. "I think he is telling the truth, but I don't think you should do it."

"And what about that other kid? Jack was at?" she asked. "How dare he steal all of your gems! He should have returned it when you caught up with him," Esper said to Smoke.

"Well, I guess there was no—" began Smoke, but was interjected by Colere.

"I agree. I mean this Cynar character has abducted royalties, and the authorities are doing nothing about it," added the burly OrkElf. "In fact, we have never even heard about him before, and that means he has to have some powerful connections to pull that off."

Smoke looked at his two new friends. He agreed with Colere's theory and nodded. He then turned to face Daniel. The boy's eyes looked defeated. Daniel weakly shook his head.

"I understand if you don't want to go against Cynar," said the boy. "I mean, why would you want to help out a stranger? But in Jack's defense, he needed to give whatever he stole from Faux, otherwise the other children would be punished in his place."

Daniel ruffled his hair and covered his face with his hands. "Jack isn't like me. I'm only looking out for my sister and myself, but he.... Well, he looks out for everybody, even me."

"Hm. I guess I don't know Jack," quietly said Smoke to himself.

However, someone else took offense over Daniel's remark.

"Hey! Faux, isn't like that," Esper suddenly yelled. "Do you see this place? Faux built this by himself. And he did that only after a day of knowing us."

"So, you're telling me that Faux, just knows when to help the right