"I''m in need of a bath," Abad said, affecting an air of disinterest. He knew the tactics of salespeople and wouldn''t be goaded into parting with more of his limited funds than necessary.


    The goblin''s fake smile broadened. "Then you''re in for a treat! We''re running a sale for new patrons today. The fee is two crystals for an hour in the communal pool, an additional crystal per extra hour, four for a personal room, another crystal for access to our fine soaps and oils. Five crystals for a body servant to assist you, eight crystals for a massage, and twenty crystals for..." his red eyes gleamed in the dim glowstone light, "... private relaxation with some of our highest-rated staff members." As the words left his lips, a group of attractive men and women, all of them some version of animal person and each branded with a lotus symbol on their neck, walked out of a side room. Two of them, one massive bullman and one sleek bald woman whose flawless skin glinted in the soft light, were far more healthy looking than the others. Looking closer, Abad realized the woman glinted due to the fine scales decorating her skin. Those two were the highly rated staff, he assumed.


    He looked the creatures over. None of them looked unhealthy exactly, but they didn''t look well either. Most were a little too thin, their eyes a little too dark. Each was dressed in bathing clothes, which really amounted to a small bra for the women and thin bottoms for all. The goblin clearly knew how to market his staff, though it was clear he didn''t care for them well unless they made him good money. He reached out with [Fey Senses] and nearly retched. All of them, save for the goblin, the two animal people he had noted before, and a woman at the far end of the line, had severely diminished essence. It was as if it was being drained away from them, and several had almost none left to give. But where could it be going? By what means was it being taken?


    The goblin saw his hesitation and spoke, "Ah, contemplating our special services are we? Odana is an expert at inducing relaxation in men, and Kimari," his eyes turned toward the bull man, "is known for his strong touch for those who have the taste for it." The goblin''s tone disgusted Abad.


    He had little interest in "special services," being too proud to pay for what had always been freely and eagerly offered to him. The suggestion in the goblin''s words made his low estimation of the creature drop even further. He had always found using servants in that way to be distasteful. Far too often, the appetites of other masters were too crude and vulgar. He found them to be counterproductive and often outright destructive to his goals.


    Once they learned their place, servants were possessions to be polished and elevated. Each was a symbol of their master''s wealth, status, and power, thus they needed to be well-cared for. Education, proper attire, combat training, weapons and armor, grooming and feeding, growth in their unique talents; every expense was an investment that compounded with every passing year. And loyal servants were effective servants. If treated well, a servant might die for their master. Treated poorly, a master might die at their servant''s hand. Many had over the centuries.


    He had tried many times to explain these finer points of rule to his peers, but few listened. He was often called fussy for it. But his hoard extended far beyond the riches, knowledge, and art he had collected. In the past, his greatest treasures were those who served him, like his loyal familiar. They were the treasures seen most by others. While he had never cared about them as individuals, once polished to a mirror finish, his servants had brought him much pride, one of the only true emotions he had felt in his life. At least until lately.


    Now, it felt like ashes in the wind. It didn''t matter how many he had bound to him or how dutifully they served. He still died, and he was still stranded in this new age, a castaway adrift in a time that wasn''t his.


    Looking over each of the servants, most were demure and submissive. However, when his eyes fell on the white-haired wolf girl at the end, the one with more energy than the others, he saw something interesting. Her yellow eyes showed defiance as they locked onto his, and her tail slowly swished as she considered him, like a predator observing its meal. She made no attempt to hide her disdain. Marks on her skin showed that she had been whipped recently, meaning she didn''t want to be here. She would hold no loyalty to the goblin, marking her as the safest among the attendants. There were questions he needed answers to, and a disloyal servant was good for that. If he could get her to open up, she could could be useful.


    He pulled out the bag Keila had given him. Opening it, he poured the contents into his hand. Thirteen small circular stones glowed with a soft inner light in his palm. It wasn''t much, so he reminded himself to not be too greedy, lest he spend it all. He thought for a moment, then he made his decision.


    "I''ll take the private bath, an extra hour, the oils, and a body servant. That one." He pointed to the wolf girl.


    He deserved this.


    She scowled as he pointed at her, her ears laying flat on her head and her teeth baring in the soft light. Her tail swished more aggressively.


    "My good sir, that one is new and quite... inexperienced. I recommend Jorva, as her skills will guarantee your satisfaction." The goblin pointed at another woman.


    Abad glanced at her. She was youngish, maybe in her mid-thirties if these creatures aged at the same rate as humans, and she had some sort of sheep or goat ears, two small horns on her head, and a soft smile on her lips. Her lowered eyes and gentle demeanor marked her as well-versed in her work. He reached out with his senses. She was nearly empty inside. "No. I''m sure she''s wonderful, but the one I indicated will be perfectly fine." He handed all thirteen crystals to the goblin, whose eyes gleamed as he took them. However, as the little green man turned toward the wolf girl, she practically snarled, causing him to hesitate. "My lord... other members of my staff are—"


    "It''s fine. I wish to bathe now."


    The man bowed and held out his arm to welcome Abad into an archway on the far side of the greeting room. The wolf girl huffed as she was beckoned to follow, and her footsteps were nearly silent as she padded along behind him. They passed through a large room, which was the communal bath. Men and women of all shapes and sizes occupied the waters. He could see the dirt and grime built up on the bottom of the pool. He didn''t regret his choice to take the side room at all. After several moments, he was guided into said private room, which contained a smaller pool with water pouring from a pipe set in the wall. He grinned. This would be perfect.


    The goblin closed the door behind the wolf girl, who made no attempt to mask her hatred of him as she leaned against the wall furthest from him, her arms folded across her chest. Without paying her any mind, he stripped everything off and sank into the pool, sighing as the waters began to scour the grime off. While his river bath had been serviceable, this was the beginning of true cleanliness, and he had heard that cleanliness was next to godliness. He hoped that soon he''d be practically divine.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A few moments of bliss later, the door opened again, and a tray of assorted tonics and soaps was placed on the lip of the pool by a woman. She nodded to him professionally before quietly slipping out again, but not before she glared daggers at the wolf girl, who scoffed. He chuckled as he picked up a small bar of soap and began his holy ritual.


    As Abad purified himself, the woman kept her eyes trained on him, obviously wary of his intentions. Her nose twitched subtly from time to time, and her tail swished in frustration.


    "They haven''t broken you yet, I take it?" he asked casually, not looking at her.


    "They will never break me." The girl growled. "I am stronger than any of the other weaklings here. I''ll endure."


    He laughed, the sound echoing throughout the bath chamber. "Good. You have fire." He gestured at the water. "What''s your name?"


    "You don''t deserve to know."


    "Maybe yes, maybe no. Can''t know until we''ve learned more about one another, can we?"


    "You''re just another filthy Te''ra looking to make my kind submit to you. I refuse." Her golden wolf eyes bore into his.


    "Te''ra?" He hadn''t heard that word before.


    "Humans. Elves. Short ones. You."


    Ah, it was a word for mortals.


    "Come, bathe with me. I have absolutely no intention of making you submit to me, and I honestly couldn''t care less if I got what I paid for. But you might as well be comfortable. You''ll be stuck here with me for three hours. You might as well make yourself comfortable."


    "No."


    He shrugged. "Have it your way." He went back to scrubbing, turning away from her. She may have been a waste of time, but the water felt fantastic.


    "Why do you smell?" Her words were sharp and clipped.


    "Pardon?" He turned toward her.


    "Why do you smell?" she repeated.


    He frowned. "Because I was on the road for almost two weeks and couldn''t tend to myself properly. When you spend days riding behind two oxen, you get the distinct pleasure of breathing ox shit for hours on end." He smiled again as he lathered his long black hair. It felt good to have his natural hair color on display. "But that''s all over now. The dark times have ended, at least for the moment."


    She didn''t respond. Again, she sniffed the air and replied, "No. I smell shit and mud from the Te''ra every day. You smell like something else." Her brows were scrunched.


    "I''m a mage of moderate power. Perhaps you smell that on me?"


    "You are no mage." He eyes narrowed. "I know mage smell."


    Her nose was keen indeed. He decided to change the subject. "Why are you here? Obviously, you have no love for this place."


    Her glare intensified. "They came to our forests, hunted us. My people are not permitted to be unclaimed. My mate and I were taken. He killed seven of them before they captured him. I killed eleven."


    "And where is your mate now?"


    "I do not know..." A shadow crossed her face. "He is alive. I know it."


    "I''m sorry. What happened next?"


    They brought us to a castle, where I was bought like cattle. By that filthy Te''ra." She nodded toward the door.


    She meant the goblin, he realized. "Filthy indeed. Goblins are quite foul. At least in my time, they were."


    Her eyes narrowed further. "Your time?"


    He pretended to pay her no mind. "I am elven. I have lived for a long time."


    "You don''t look it." Her eyes narrowed. "I''ve known Elara Te''ra. You smell different."


    "Tell me more. Who sold you? What happened after you were sold?"


    She huffed. "A man. Omara Te''ra. He had brown hair. Claims many. Sells more. They brought me somewhere near, took me to him, gave me this mark." She pointed at the brand on her neck, her teeth baring as she did. It was wickedly inflamed, with clear fluid weeping from the torn tissue. "I cannot leave. When I do, my bones ache, and the farther I get, the more pain I feel until I am made to return."


    So it worked somewhat like the brands of old, but the compulsion and pain didn''t sound like what Keila had described claiming to be. From Keila''s description, a patron chose a vassal or visa versa and they both were supposed to benefit. Claiming was supposed to be willing and reciprocal, but the wolf girl''s words proved otherwise. How was it these creatures could be bound unwillingly?


    She scowled at him. "Why do we speak of this? Do you wish to shame me further by forcing me to relive my failure?" Her eyes glowed with rage. "Do not lie to me. I can smell your lies."


    "No, I simply wish to know the story of the girl with the furious eyes. And I''m getting useful information from you as I do."


    "Information?" She said the word slowly. "Why?"


    "I''ve been away for many years. I don''t know much. Your tale has clarified things I didn''t know. Thank you."


    She didn''t respond. Tired of standing, she made her way to the edge of the pool. Hesitating a moment, she slowly descended into the water, staying as far away from him as she could as she did.


    "I know nothing about your people. Can you explain to me who and what you are?"


    "Lupana Fey''ra."


    "Which means?" He eyed her as she sunk into the warm water, stretching out her long limbs. Her white ears flicked in the steam. Looking down, she seemed to consider the soap bubbles covering the surface of the water. A moment later, she pulled away her bathing clothes and placed them on the marble lining the pool.


    "Wolf people."


    "And how did your people come to be in these lands?"


    "The Sod''ra created us in the old war. We were warriors, workers, servants. We fought bravely and served with honor. When the war was over and the Creator was taken from us, the Te''ra said we were dangerous. We were not allowed to be free."


    "What war?"


    Her eyes narrowed again. "Scion''s War is the name the Te''Ra use."


    Ah, so they were native to this world after all. Only Zaros of the Seven or Tarn or Avara of the Thirteen had the power to twist life in this way. He had an idea which of his "friends" had escaped the seal. "Interesting. Thank you for that information. I am..." He realized using his fake name wouldn''t work with her. "I am Abad-Shai."


    "I do not care."


    "I don''t need you to. I am simply being polite." He laughed again. "Do you have a name? Or shall I simply call you wolf girl?"


    Her lip twitched. "Zethari."


    "It''s nice to meet you, Zethari. Will you teach me more while I bathe?"


    "No. Why do you smell?" She asked again.


    He laughed. "You are stubborn, aren''t you? That''s not such a bad quality. I am known to be quite stubborn myself when I find something that interests me." He eyed her for a moment. It would be risky to reveal himself, but he was sure his estimation of her was correct. She hated her predicament and would reveal nothing to the others. As long as she didn''t panic, he''d be fine, and he wanted more information. She would only give him what he wanted if she trusted him more, and she seemed to have a soft spot for the Sod''ra as she called them. "Very well. If I tell you why I smell, will you help me learn the ways of this time?"


    She said nothing, didn''t move a muscle, but her eyes were fixed on him.


    "Don''t be too surprised now." He let his [Mask of Many Faces] fade. As the spell receded, he watched as his skin turned to its natural grey and his nails grew black.


    Her eyes went wide. "Sod''ra. Nightstalker." Her voice carried both surprise and awe as the word tumbled from her mouth.


    His scroll opened in his mind, and a new entry emblazoned onto it.


    <hr><hr>


    [Nightstalker]: With the silence of a stalking predator, you move without sound. When following an unaware target, your perception sharpens, revealing even the slightest movements of your prey.


    <hr><hr>


    He smirked at his new title. "Is that what Sod''ra means?" He lifted a brow at her.


    "Yes." Her voice became quiet as her entire demeanor changed. For the first time since they met, her eyes softened. "You are a friend to my people."


    "So you''ll answer my questions?"


    She nodded.