“I’m home,” Soren called out as he entered the room. His father immediately came running to gently hug his son. “Welcome home,” he said warmly, noting his son’s troubled face, “Was there something the matter this time?” Soren hugged his father and buried his face into the man’s shoulder. “Yes…I don’t think you’ll like it…” The dark elf man had to quirk an eyebrow at that. Lately his son hadn’t been opening up to him about his experiences about being a supporter, so this was a welcome change. “Alright. Let’s discuss it in the kitchen then.” They stopped hugging each other and went into the kitchen for the chat, both of them sitting down at opposite ends of the table. “So, tell me, is anything the matter?” he asked, worry in his eyes. Soren remained silent for a moment before he spoke. “Father…what was the name of the person you’ve escaped from?” The man’s face darkened. “Indila Roshan.” He jolted when he heard his son groan, his expression morphing into fear. “No, don’t tell me that they found you! Please tell me you’re alright!” “I am alright. It’s just…I think I met one of Indila’s daughters.” Pause. “…Which daughter?” Another pause. “Is the name Parvati Roshan familiar, Father?” Suddenly the man stood up and began to walk away. “Father? Where are you going?” he asked as he stood up as well and followed after the man. “Packing, we have to run,” his father said as they headed up the stairs, “I thought we would be safe here. I thought they wouldn’t find us. I didn’t think I would be wrong.” “But the slave catchers haven’t found us,” the dark elf boy said as he watched his father grab a bag and began to stuff many things within it, “And Parvati…she says she’s pretending you never really existed, that she won’t tell her mother where you are.” “You can’t trust them!” he suddenly shouted, turning on his son with wide eyes, “You can’t trust an Amazoness when it comes to escaped slaves. They will drag you through hell and back just to have us under their thumb again.” He groaned and rubbed his temples. “Son, you don’t understand how Telskyurians work. I’ve seen it first hand, they will do everything that they can to catch an escaped slave. And when they find you, the punishment is dire…” “Were you ever caught, other than that one time long ago when we first started running?” “No, but Indila herself is ruthless. One man I know tried to escape, he failed and was nearly killed for it. I was lucky that I had help and was able to escape the country, but I know. I saw. She’ll do whatever it takes to bring me back and she won’t hesitate to use you if it fits her agenda.” He began to put things away again. “Pack your things, we’re leaving.” Soren hesitated for a moment. “Now?” “Yes, now. The longer we stay around here, the more likely we will be captured.” “But what about Briareus? I can’t just leave him!” “He’ll be fine on his own, he’s a god. Besides, the other members of your familia will help him whenever he needs it. Now go and pack.” “Isn’t there another way…?” he asked weakly as his father slung the bag over his shoulder. “Soren, go. Pack your things so we can leave.” The boy didn’t budge. “Soren!” “Father, we can’t run forever,” he finally said, gazing into the man’s eyes, “But I think here we’ll be safe. I think Parvati meant it when she said she wouldn’t tell her mother that you’re here.” “How can you be sure of that?! You can’t trust a Telskyurian!” “I don’t know, it’s not like I’ll ever see her again. And if I do, I can always ask her if-“ “Why would you ask her? I bet in her next letter to her mother that she would tell her about us. No, we should run, before there is any trouble.” “Father, there has to be another way.” “No, there isn’t. Go pack you’re thing already.” The boy took a deep breath and shook his head. “I won’t…I feel like we’ll be safe here…” His father got close to him and raised a hand up, as if he were about to slap him. The hand remained upraised, trembling, before it dropped to his side and he began to hug his son. “I’m sorry, I’m just so worried for your wellbeing…” he whispered, nearly starting to cry. Soren hugged his father back and they remained that way for a few moments. Then an idea began to bloom forth. “…You know how there are some people trying to colonize the eighth floor, right?” he asked, “Maybe we can move there. It’s in the Dungeon, the people will have to deal with monsters to reach the eighth floor. We can be safe there, it would take a while before anyone can come down there and I doubt the slave catchers can stand up to what lies on the eighth floor.” They stopped hugging and looked into each other’s eyes, Soren’s full of hope while his father was full of skepticism. “Are you sure that will work?” “Yes, I’m sure! I’m sure we can get a ride down there or something, it just needs to take time. So can we stay, Father?” There was a long moment of silence before the man slowly nodded. He grinned and hugged his father tighter. “Thank you so much, Father!” “I just hope you know what you’re doing…” his father sighed as he went to put everything back. No one will find us there, I’m sure of it, the boy thought to himself, a sense of excitement coursing through his veins.
