Azimuth: The Elden Throne

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/Drip… Drip…/

/Silence…/

"..."

Still in his cold cell, Dale remained silent as he waited for the guards to return…

"Pss… Pss! Hey, you, the lad on the cell beside me." Someone's voice echoed in the corridor, prompting Dale to open his eyes and walk to the window

"Me?"

"Who else? We're probably the last two left to be butchered in this section, everyone else already kicked the bucket for this Winter."

"..."

'Winter?... That's why its so damn cold.'

Things made a little more sense now, no wonder it was so cold, it was Winter in these lands, a fact Dale never learned.

The cell's walls were probably around 10 to 12 degrees Celsius, and he was wearing nothing else aside from a few rags, with a metal chain binding his neck tightly.

Sitting on the cold, hard stone ground didn't help either.

'If I don't die out there for a blade or an infection resulting from a wound, then I'll die here from hunger, cold, and the unsanitary conditions of this place.'

"What do you want?"

"Right to rat's head aye?... Well… I assumed you'd be like this."

"Look… Don't take it too badly but… I've heard your conversation with the guard, it was hard not to."

"..."

Dale said nothing, but it was evident he wasn't pleased with this.

"Don't be so silent! I'm not trying to get in your way. I'm not that petty… But I want to live too."

"... Truth be told, I've been here for half a year already, and all due to a mistake of mine."

"Half a year?"

"I know it sounds like a lie, anyone else would've died in the first week or two, but it's the truth."

"I've been forced to go through the cycle of victory and defeat numerous times by now, to the point this place has started to become comfortable."

"I win against 8 enemies in a row, then I'm placed against something I can't defeat, being forced to either surrender or give up my life to their nasty hands and consideration…"

"I usually don't kill my enemies, I believe that not murdering those that don't deserve it will one day pay me well… And although I can't say if everyone here is worthy of mercy, that is not something I can wholeheartedly decide."

"Besides, that has already paid off given how long I've lived… But I can't rely on luck forever, I can already tell that the spectators are growing tired of watching my struggle, there's only so many different creatures and situations I can win and lose. Sooner or later, I'll face my last opponent, and it'll likely not result in my victory."

"I didn't live my life to die a jester for an audience of bloodthirsty fools… And that's when I've heard you."

"We're in similar conditions, we can help each other here."

After a moment considering his words, Dale replied with a stoic expression, his expression cold:

"... Even if that is the case, I am confident in living through my next ordeal."

Beyond Dale's gaze, the man seemed to smile slightly before replying:

"... That does seem to be the case, you should be able to live, just like you did before… But what about after?"

"If they dragged you here once, they can do so again, and they'll do it for as long as you bring entertainment for the audience, and with it, profit."

"If you leave when they're uninterested, then there's a chance you can live a normal life, but never trust these bastards, once you get in their hands, they won't let you go so easily."

"To live longer, you need leverage, a hidden knife… I can give you mine in exchange for my freedom."

"I only need to leave this place, once I do, I'm free to go whenever I like, you can keep my things and use them however you see fit… After all, it seems like you'll need it."

"You look like someone with ambition, you won't stop beating a few alley vagabonds in subpar equipment… So? What do you think? Willing to listen?"

"... Everything you said is subjective, how will I know if I'll need anything you have to offer? And how does it compare to what you need to live?"

'He's treating me for a fool, I'm not so easy to convince.'

'I'm not thinking much about things since this is but a memory, not my life to live, but I won't move without a clear goal with visible rewards in sight. I can't work towards far-away goals either.'

"... You really leave me with no choice kid, look at me, I need to keep whatever card I can for as long as I'm trapped here… But so be it, I'll tell you."

"You may not know, but I once worked for 'Oonperang', I didn't climb very far into their ranks, but I did become a three-striped banner honored."

"..."

'Oonperang, I've heard about them, they're like Military Officials, but not part of this place's army. Unfortunately, even in the future, I went through the entirety of my document folders but found no mention of this nation, if it even is one.'

'This place is not within Zenith, as for Azimuth... With the little knowledge I have, it's hard to do any sensible research without compromising too much of my time.'

'I even have some suspicions that this place may be located within the region of the first game of the trilogy...'

"Before coming here, I was just shy of becoming a Twenty-man Leader and turning my life for the better when I was accused of… Well… Deflowering the daughter of one of the Marked Unit's Heads."

"... Did you do it?"

"I… I did… But I had everything ready… I was ready to ask for her hand as soon as I became a Twenty-man Leader, my achievements would've been enough for that… Alas, I couldn't hold myself."

"..."

'I don't know much of the customs of the people of this land to know if that's a crime or not, nonetheless, I'm better off remaining silent.'

"Regardless, my story matters little here, what matters is what I can provide you… Everything I've learned, including a portion of my wealth."

"Techniques exclusive to the Oonperang, including enough wealth for an ordinary person to be able to live for a few years in modesty without much worry."

"Once I leave this place, I won't need those anyway… Well, the techniques not so much as I've already learned them, and although I could use the coins, my life comes first."

"I plan on returning and discussing my future with my beloved once I leave, if she's willing to remain by my side, then I'll face trial at the hands of her father, if not, then I'll leave on my journey, that's all."

"And for the people that abandoned me when I was at my lowest, I have no loyalty for upholding their meaningless honor, take whatever you need, I couldn't care less if I'm leaking their secrets."

"... Let's say I accept, what do you need me to do?"

'Leaking secrets... Wouldn't they hunt me for knowing those things? Not that it matters but it seems this guy is either clueless or is scheming something.'

"Huff… Alright, it's simple…"

"In this place, the only thing that matters is the satisfaction of the audience, this means you can break the rules for as long as they're satisfied and throw coins at you."

"The Sovereigns will allow you to run wild for as long as you maintain that atmosphere and preserve their honor at the same time."

"Once you defeat your opponents, if you still have the energy, you can declare a "Beast Hunt"."

"If you're unaware, a beast hunt is where a group of three or more individuals face off against a ferocious monster within the enclosed space of the arena."

"And to the victor who just became an Official Gladiator, they'll have to prepare a fitting beast and individuals to face it…"

"There are only so many beasts and warriors able to face them remaining in this shabby place, everyone else is in those 'high-

Rise' lands..."

"As such, they need people to fill in the gaps else the audience may think it's unfair... And would you look at that? I'm one of the favored handlers in the people's lips..."

"There is a high chance I'll be chosen for this fight… No… It can only be me."

"One final fight at the height of excitement, there is no way the Sovereigns will permit such an opportunity slip by their hands."

"They'll definitely wish to close the curtains on the both of us with one decisive act."

Dale, on the other hand, wasn't convinced by the plan.

"... This only seems to indicate they'll try their hardest to kill us and turn us into "symbols"." Dale retorted with a scoff as he rested his right hand on the wall

"Yes, they will… But does it really matter? It has always been like that."

"... Not quite. This time, if we win, we'll upset them." Dale replied, tapping his fingers on the stone

"Not necessarily, it'll all depend on the profits they make…"

"And if they don't profit?"

"Then… They'll have us work the rest out."

"Humph... The more you speak, the less I'm inclined to help. I need to understand how valuable what you can provide me is, right now."

"... You're a tough negotiator, very well, I'll give you some advanced payment…"

'I wanted to do this anyway, to increase his chances of living longer…'

"Stay away from the wall."

Dale did as he said, stepping away from the wall…

/PIERCE!/

/CRUMBLE!/

Like a spear piercing through a block of ham, the man's hand penetrated through the wall, opening a passage to Dale's cell.

"..."

'His hand went through the stone blocks and the thin metal layer in between… Quite sturdy… He could've been lucky too since there are many gaps in the metal layer.'

'However, if he can do this... How come he's still falling?'

'He's hiding the severity of the situation... What does he really want?'

Not long after he pierced the stone wall, he pulled his hand, this time, speaking through the crumbling hole on the wall.

"Here, did you see it? This is but a basic application of the techniques I know, mastering it completely would make you unbeatable against any other warrior."

"Unbeatable? Then why are you here?"

"... Fine, stop with your irony, I understand…"

"But even if exaggerated, my argument still stands, this technique works as an entry one to multiple more, and mastering them all can, at the end of the journey, turn you into an unbeatable warrior."

"I've seen some of the Unit's Elites fighting… They're monsters… And I've been deprived of the chance to be one of them."

"How is it? Is this enough? I know many more and I can teach them to you…"

"That's not enough, what makes me believe that you won't just run away once everything's done?"

"I wouldn't do that, I may have fallen, but not that low."

"Honor means little here, not when you're stepping in shit and piss."

"... I could try and recite the training method to you, but we have little time for anything… Urg! Alright, take this…" The man said with extreme unwillingness as he passed something to Dale from the wall

An extremely small metal vial of an unknown substance.

"Treat it with the utmost care, that's a rare Drop of Salka, an extremely potent healing drug."

"A single drop can turn even the strongest of man into a beast unfazed by swords and wounds, there should be about twenty inside it. I managed to smuggle it by hiding it inside my fake pinky finger... The guards were too occupied stealing my old equipment to care about these little things." He said as he showed Dale his fake finger

"For a trainer warrior, those twenty drops would only be enough to stimulate their bodies, but for an ordinary person, it'll kill you."

"Take it in the most extreme of circumstances or when you're safe from harm, because as long as you can't harm yourself, the Salka will close up wounds."

"... Side Effects?"

"Tsk, you're more nagging than her… Taking a drop will cause severe headaches for hours and pain in the healed regions, that's all… As long as you take a single drop at a time that is."

"Do I need to voice out the rest? It doesn't get pretty."

"... No… Our time's over, they're coming." Dale said as he turned to the door

"Hm?"

/Step…/

"!..."

'He heard them coming before me?... This kid…'

/Creak!/

"Number 13… Stand before the light, it's time for your fight…" The guard said deeply as he opened the metal door to his cell

"..."

"Don't forget me, take care, I need you alive to get out of here."

Dale did not reply nor turned his head to face the man beyond the stone wall.

He didn't know how much the future would change, but he felt things were starting to get interesting.

The chance to experience things he hadn't before, the chance to bring back techniques from a completely different culture and civilization…

Yes, it seemed that, this time, he would go back home with something worthy of his time.

He stepped forward with confidence, approaching the guard with a stoic, stone cold expression.

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