The Interrogation.

Zaruth wakes up the next day feeling refreshed. He then feels down as he realised its another day at the orphanage. He gets up from his bed and proceeded downstairs for his breakfast.

Porridge again.

After slurping his porridge much to Madam Olsen's chagrin, he takes a look at today's timetable. He sees that there is a 2 hour free period today and he smiles. It means 2 hours a the better old lady's place.

He skips instead of stroll today. He wants to make most of this rare time to read more books. Maybe he will read General Geoffrey again. He thinks General Geoffrey is amusing.

He forgets to listen to other people's conversation this time and just continues skipping towards the inn when he caught something in the corner of his eye. He looks towards the right but just sees the short stone wall that surrounds the town. He thinks he is just seeing things so he continues making his way.

He sees something again. This time he knows he is not hallucinating as he spotted something that resembled a face. He saw a figure donned in all black running as well.

Curious, he decided to investigate. He runs to the walls and jumps and hang on to the wall. He struggles as he attempts to hold on to the wall. As he does, he spots a figure clad in all black wrestling with another figure. A woman with bright orange hair.

Instincts that seem to come from nowhere made Zaruth run to them. But it was just the instinct to run and help, not help who. He runs there and skids to a halt as he realises that. But as he stops he sense imminent danger coming from in front of him and ducks. His heart starts beating against his chest as adrenaline runs throughout his whole body. He knows he is supposed to feel fear and nervousness but now he feels nothing.

Another sense tells him to roll to his left but he feels a cut on his body as he rolls.

"Ahh!" Zaruth screams.

The adrenaline stops coursing through his body and all previous feelings and the pain come back to him like hungry hyenas to a prey. Fast and wild.

He feels giddy. He feels weak. He feels as he's about to faint. Then he closes his eyes slowly as he feels at peace and serenity.

He wakes up. He notices that he is in a cave of sorts. All he sees are rocks and stones and pebbles. He tries to recall his memories but a voice stops him from doing so.

"Hey kid."

Zaruth turns behind to see a woman. She seems familiar. Then, it him like a truck. It was the lady from before, the one with bright orange hair. Zaruth was confused with what was going on. He hopes he was back at the orphanage and was just dreaming. He pinches himself and yelp in pain and realised he isn't dreaming.

"You're not dreaming kid."

Zaruth looks up again and the woman is still there looking at Zaruth. Zaruth wanted to know what was going on and the woman in front of him is the only way he is going to get information.

"Where am I?" The most important question.

"You are in the medic room of our base," she replied.

That was not the answer he was hoping. He was hoping for somewhere more familiar, like the inn or orphanage. Nevertheless, he continues.

"Why?"

"To repay you. You practically saved my life. I had to beg boss to bring you in here you know?" she replied.

Zaruth looks down and thinks hard on what he did to save her. He thinks he saved her by distracting her opponent in black but isn't sure.

"Oh. So where do I go now?"

"Ahh. See the thing is, I wasn't supposed to bring you here in the first place," she said with a sheepish laugh.

"What does that mean?" Zaruth was confused.

"Uhm. That means that this place is secret. And we need to kill you. Sorry about that!"

Zaruth was even more confused. He thinks she is joking around. She didn't seem serious about it, she was laughing, so it didn't come across as serious to him.

"Hold on Reb," another voice chimed in.

Both Zaruth and the lady stare at the door where the voice came from and saw a man with long black hair tied in a man bun.

"Boss says he can live if he passes the test."

"Ooh the test! Follow me boy! We are about to save your life!" the lady says as he grabs Zaruth by the arm and drags him out the door.

Zaruth feels the strength of her grip and gave a yelp in pain. In the journey to somewhere, he notices that all around are stones and rocks and pebbles and realises he is in a cave. A base in a cave.

Soon, they arrived in a similar cave from just now only this time there are two more people. He is brought to sit on a metal chair forcefully by the lady.

"Hello there. I am going to ask you a few questions, and I am going to need you to tell me the truth all right?" the man sitting in a chair opposite him asks.

Zaruth nods. He just wants to get home safely and quickly.

"Alright first question, do you truly respect King Mavark?"

Zaruth almost disagreed. Most probably he'd have to lie and say yes to save his head.

"Yes."

In an instant, the man standing next to the one on the chair with his arms crossed rebutted his answer. "Lie."

Zaruth gulped. They had already figure it out. He was doomed for. Memories of his short life reeled back in his brain. There were not much from it apart from reading but that's besides the point.

He was going to die because he didn't have allegiance to the king. He cursed himself for being a non-believer.

The man in front of him smiled. He knew it. He was going to die. He closed his eyes and wait his due execution.

"Ahh, so you don't like the king?"

Zaruth shook his head. He was going to die anyway.

"Okay then, you have passed!" he said in cheerfully.

Zaruth was surprised. It was a complete 180 degree turn in attitude. What happened?