The voice belongs to Sandskar. The Ancient had followed him here. Still in his cloak form. "What the fuck...." Thaedric muttered, he sat up, and ignored all the people shying away from him.

"You’re here, Sandskar. Why?"

When Sandskar spoke, it was directly to his head. "I don’t know. The portal should have stopped me from crossing over but here I am. But it seems I can’t change shape to my real self or use most of my powers."

Thaedric sighed. He would have to deal with that later, for now– he stood up, the black cloak around him warping around him as the guards pointed their weapons at him.

One guard shuddered and whispered. "I hope he’s not mad like when Malak first returns."

Thaedric looked at Malak who was grinning in front of him, his bald head shining. "I lost."

"You did." Thaedric nodded. He remembered what he promised Yama but that could also wait, besides, Malak was the one to be feared in this prison anyway.

"My luck stood strong, Orso," Thaedric told the clan leader of the Ometra.

Orso growled, the fur on his body bristling. "Your luck has my mirror broken! Now I can’t make more of you!"

"More of us?" Thaedric narrowed his eyes. Did Orso know the true nature of the darkroom?

"Yes! How will I raise other slaves tiers quickly? And then there’s the Iridessa....." he pointed at Thaedric. "You better be worth it!"

The guards were still pointing their weapons at him and Thaedric realized they were waiting for him to snap or do something but he wasn’t Malak who was probably a psychopath anyway.

Orso grunted. "You raised it to tier two, rank three. Not bad. Unlike Malak who got to their three in his time."

Thaedric shrugged. He looked back at the broken mirror. ’The Ancient Destroyers. That world. I must know everything I can about it’

"What now?" Thaedric asked Orso. What he didn’t ask was, what are your plans concerning the palace? What are you planning with Elder Cormac and the Iridessa that was supposed to collect him?

Orso snorted. "Now you go back to your prison and if I need the Reaper blood I will call you to make money for me."

Naturally, Thaedric was fast. Very fast thanks to his superior Bloodline but now he is in tier two and Mama flowed through his veins like blood. It raised his natural speed and strength.

So it shouldn’t have surprised Orso when Thaedric appeared at his side with a dagger pointed at his throat. Yet he was surprised and slow to react too.

The one fast enough in the room was Malak and all he did was smile as if he were watching a show.

"Drop your weapon!" The lead guard shouted when enough time for Thaedric to slit their Master’s throat had passed. He even wanted to do it and get it over with but Orso is useful. For now. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Still, Thaedric didn’t drop the weapon. He pressed it closer to Orso’s throat and watched the fear flicker in his eyes. Orso understood that there was nothing he could do that was fast enough to save him.

"If you kill me here, you will also die because my clan will fall on you after." Orso said.

Thaedric nodded. "Of course. I know. But that’s not why you are not dead," he smiled suddenly. "It’s because I’m a slave and you are my master, right?"

Orso nodded fast, hope shining in his dark eyes.

"So that’s why I want to make some suggestions. First, I will live with Malak from now on. Second, I’m not wearing a collar. Try it and I’ll gut you in your sleep. And lastly," Thaedric smirked. "I will help you win all the fights you want."

He pressed the blade closer before Orso nodded. "Alright. I agree!"

Thaedric slid back smoothly, he bowed to Orso as the guards surrounded him. The lead guard leveled his sword on Thaedric’s neck. "What should we do with him, Master Orso?"

Orso adjusted himself. His face was rigid with fury as he watched Thaedric with dark eyes. But Thaedric had predicted this well, Orso was a businessman and at the end of the day, he would side with profit.

"Leave him," he turned to go then slowed. "But if you failed to win all the fight as you said. Then I’ll kill you." He walked out of the room after that.

The lead guard looked at Thaedric as he if had just seen something he had never seen before. He put his sword away. "You made Orso back down." He sounded as if he didn’t want to be impressed.

"Looks like that," Thaedric said. He had turned to study the pieces of the mirror on the floor, the dark surface still as ever. To think this thing took him to another world.

’That reminds me’ Thaedric thought. "Malak. Why don’t we see what your room looks like?"

He was answered with a grin.

The word that there was another survivor of the dark room was like a leaping fire that spread before Thaedric and Malak came out of the room.

The looks that were directed towards Thaedric were different this time. It was filled with respect given grudgingly but he could have cared less.

Malak’s room was just as they left it earlier. The only difference was the two guards stationed at the door, they ignored them. Putting guards was just a way for Orso to show that he was still in charge.

Malak closed the door and looked at Thaedric, his eyes steady on him. Red eyes burning like blood jewels. "So you survived."

"I do. And your contractor sent his greetings."

Malak stiffened, and red light poured out of his eyes, he growled, sounding like a wolf. Or a dog. "That bastard!"

Thaedric tilted his head up from his place at the table. "You don’t get along with him?"

"No, I don’t! He tricked me!"

"Yes. That sounds like Yama." Sandskar said in his rough voice.

Malak crouched, ready for attack. "What is that?" He demanded.

Thaedric sighed. "It’s a long story."