A Mother's Chains

Joshua made his way to the guild happy that his plans were working out so far. He may have started in this world at the bottom with no money and no stats, but in a brief time he had gained a lot of power and was building a network for income.

As he entered the guild building the receptionist greeted him again. "Oh, Joshua you are back!" She said.

"Yeah, um what was your name again?" Joshua replied.

"I am so sorry!" She replied. "I forgot that you were new to the guild and didn't introduce myself. My name is Misha, and I am the lovely lady of the guild who oversees the quests and quest boards! Honestly, this place would be completely lost without me."

"Right, Tonya said there was more of my reward." Joshua said.

"Again, it was my fault!" Misha replied. "I was caught up in the moment and forgot to give you this." She pulled out a card and handed it to Joshua. "This is a pass that will get you into the upper city. The next part of your reward is waiting for you in the palace. The quest was handed down by the kingdom, so they wanted a hand in providing the reward personally."

"Wow, a pass." Joshua said while looking at it. "This would have been so helpful earlier."

"It would have?" Misha questioned with a confused look. "Why would a pass to the upper city have been useful earlier?"

"No reason…" Joshua replied.

"Right…" Misha replied. "Well, I am not going to take that as an admission of doing anything wrong and just ignore it."

"I would like that, yes." Joshua said. "So, I am to go to the palace?"

"You are!" Misha said. "They are expecting you tomorrow morning! So, it is a good thing you stopped by here! Because they still would have been expecting you, and failure to show up for a royal summons is considered treason and is punished by beheading."

"So, I would have died." Joshua said with a sigh. "Because you forgot to tell me something."

"I do apologize." Misha said with a smile. "I hope you can forgive me."

"Does omitting important things that can end up getting you killed happen often?" Joshua questioned. As he did, all the men in the guild looked down on the ground as if they all knew a big secret and were ashamed of it. Joshua sighed, knowing that meant yes.

"No!" Misha replied. "Never happens! You were just such an anomaly it threw me off!"

"Okay…" Joshua said, knowing she was lying. "I will report to the palace in the morning then. You know so I can keep my head attached."

"That would be wise." Misha said.

Joshua could see the sun setting out the front window of the guild and remembered that his mother requested they meet at the fountain so that she could take him to his new home.

"Well, I have somewhere to be." Joshua said as he turned around and left. He gave Misha a wave as he walked out of the swinging doors that marked the entrance of the guild.

He walked over to the fountain which was at the heart of the lower city and waited for his mother to come and meet him. He found it strange that she was not there when he arrived. He continued waiting, even as the sun retreated past the horizon and the darkness of night engulfed the land. A few magical streetlamps caught fire as the night fell.

His mother wasn't there. He thought back to the woman he met in the upper city that referred to people in his mother's situation as slaves. His stomach dropped as he started to believe that horrible woman.

He walked back to his old house and knocked on the door. His mother answered the door with her face swollen from being beaten. One of her eyes was swollen shut and her nose had dried blood underneath it.

"Mom?!" Joshua yelled in shock.

"Oh sweety, I am sorry." She said. "I cannot go with you; the master was very adimate about it. Now run away before he finds you here. He blames you for my rebellion against him. If he catches you, he will kill you."

"Who is at the door wench?!" The lord of the house yelled out.

"It was just some kids playing a prank, my lord." She yelled back.

"Well hurry and get back in here!" He yelled back. "I am not done teaching you yet."

"That bastard." Joshua said as a rage bubbled in him that he had never felt in either of his lives. He wanted nothing more than to kill this man who hurt his mother. Even if she wasn't his real mom, since he wasn't really Joshua, he still had Joshua's memories and to him she was everything. It took every fiber of his being not to charge in and stab the man with his sword.

He knew if he killed a nobleman, it would be the end for him and his mother. In fantasy worlds the kingdom always side with the dirty nobles over the common citizens. It was a trope in every tale. He just clinched his fist as tightly as he could, so tight that blood started to drip on the ground.

His mother saw this and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "Go, my sweet baby." She said. "Live your life and forget about me. I will be fine. I love you."

"I love you too." Joshua replied. "I will save you one day. I will save everyone here. I promise you mother I will return for you!"

He turned and ran, wiping the tears from his cheeks, his heart filled with the desire for vengeance. His drive to obtain power and money were never stronger.

He walked to the upper city and showed the guard his pass. He was allowed right through. He then searched for an inn near the palace and stayed the night.