The Pit

Once more, Kyle was on the road. He wasn't alone, however, he was forced to travel with a green-skinned man with dark brown hair wearing a purple coat over a white shirt, and black pants, and boots.

All he needed was a cowboy hat and he would look the part of a smiling desperado. The man was only a level 19. He was someone Kyle could handle if he released his full power.

He was curious who this person was and needed a ride out of town anyway, so he decided to go along with him.

Riley, the almost cowboy, thought Kyle gave in because he was intimidated.

It was an amusing story he would tell Sif later if he could ever find her. Rollins would find it pretty funny too.

They had traveled for nine days and took a split in the road that leads to a large mansion. It was the property of the Barron Butz Kingsley. He was an aristocrat who had a certain amount of powers.

It still wasn't clear to Kyle who was who and what was what. The little town he came from had limited information.

Even the Temple didn't have much. Backwoods people deserve a backwoods Temple. Riley didn't talk too much. He didn't seem to care for Kyle too much.

When asked why he wanted Kyle to come with him; he was only told he had no choice. He guessed he was being kidnapped? It didn't seem like he was being enslaved.

Otherwise, why was he allowed to sit in the carriage with Riley and not forced to walk outside?

The Kingsley estate was massive and the mansion was three floors high but its total size was 520,000 square feet, according to Riley!

It was white with a red and black tiled roof and a fountain with the sculpture of a giant fish monster attacking a boat in the front of the mansion.

The creature had fourteen tentacles and three arms. Water sprayed from each of the tentacles creating a beautiful rainbow sphere effect.

"Come with me," Riley said.

Kyle noticed guards all around. Most of them ranged between a level 12 to level 16. Riley must be a guard or servant because his outfit was similar to the uniforms he saw so far.

They walked to the back of the property and some men were opening up a big pit in the ground. Riley and Kyle walked up to the edge of the pit.

"What's this pit for?" Kyle asked.

"Find out for yourself," he said as he shoved Kyle. Kyle was knocked off balance but managed to grab Riley's sleeve and brought him with him into the pit.

Two men were watching from a second-story balcony. They were dressed in a refined version of Riley's uniform.

"There goes Riley!" the man with pink-skin and light yellow hair and a large mustache said.

"I always thought he was useless. Look at him getting pulled to his death by someone six levels lower than him," a large man with bulging muscles that could barely be contained by his clothes said.

Both of the men started laughing evilly.

While they were laughing, Kyle and Riley were falling into the pit. Their fall ended abruptly as they both hit the ground. Kyle rolled out of the fall and reduced his injury.

What little injury there was healed quickly. Riley wasn't so fortunate. Even though his level was much higher than Kyles, at the moment; he fell wrong and broke his arm.

Riley struggled to get up before glaring at Kyle. He knew what happened in the pit and he was more confident in his death than his survival at this point. It was all this kid's fault!

"Here we are, you wanted me to guess about the pit, but we might do better if you tell me what's going on?" Kyle said.

Riley was upset but realized his chances would improve if he had someone to work with. Kyle wasn't very powerful, but he wasn't very frail, either. If things went south at least he had a meat shield.

"This is the training pit, it's like a mock dungeon. Barron Kingsley has a dungeon he's been exploring for years. It became pretty expensive and he decided that instead of hiring adventures; he would create his own disposable teams out of unaffiliated nomads," Riley said.

"What makes you think I'm an unaffiliated nomad?" Kyle asked.

"Whose your backer? What organization do you belong to? Which kingdom's prince are you?" Riley shot out three quick questions. Kyle did not respond to any of the questions.

"As I said, an unaffiliated nomad. No one would miss you, and if you survive the training and the dungeon, your reward is freedom, supposedly."

"Supposedly?" Kyle was confused were they free or not?

"That's the deal you're given, but most of those who survive the dungeon are sent back in until they never come back again," Riley said with a bitter smile.

Now that he had fallen into the pit he would be treated like every other person. Either die here or eventually die in the dungeon.

"Why wouldn't we try to escape then?" Kyle asked. He knew there must be more to it.

"When you leave the training pit; you are fitted with a slave seal. Whether you want to or not; you belong to Barron Kingsley," Riley said while looking really depressed. He had so man dreams.

He would now finish his life as the slave of that maniac Kingsley.

"Actually, I should be able to block the slave seal from functioning. You might temporarily find yourself sealed by it, but who knows."

"Gramps? Is that you?" Kyle asked in his mind. Only he heard the words just now.

"Yeah, who else could it be. Look at you, sent out on a simple mission to get some materials for your teachers, and deal with a few goblins, and here you are.

You didn't even bother fighting those mercenaries; serves you, right kid. Cowardice must always be punished," Gramps said.

"Heroism too according to your philosophy," Kyle remarked.

"Let's not get into that for now, check your radar; you're about to have a party."

"Riley, get ready, there are some things heading for us!" Kyle was ready and Riley drew his sword for the coming battle.

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Enough power stones were contributed so we'll deliver three chapters today instead of two. This is the second Sunday release. We'll have a bonus chapter to look forward to later!

Next week, let's aim for 250 stones and get 3 extra chapters.

Today's power stone heroes: lover_of_Milfs, and pfsingers

Thank you all for your support! This book wouldn't be possible without you.

--Straythought