Chapter 9: The Gate of Ashwood
Torches flared along the palisade, shadows leaping across sharpened logs. A horn bellowed once, sharp and alarmed. Figures gathered at the gate, spears leveled, voices barking orders Elias couldn't make out.
He slowed, chest heaving. His two bound warriors followed in silence, their ember eyes glowing faintly. From a distance, they looked like faceless soldiers marching behind him—an omen of war.
The girl smirked beside him. "Ah… Ashwood. A quiet little place. Until now."
"Quiet?" Elias muttered. "They're about to spear me through."
The system flickered across his vision.
> [Echo IV Triggered.]
Trial: Judgment of Men.]
Objective: Enter Ashwood alive.]
Secondary Condition: Gain trust of at least one resident.]
Failure: Expulsion + Hostile Pursuit.]
His stomach dropped. It's not enough to survive monsters… now it's people.
A voice bellowed from the wall. "Stranger! Halt! What devilry walks with you?"
Elias raised both hands, though the effort made his wounds flare. "I'm not your enemy! I need shelter. Food. Just—let me speak to someone in charge."
The guards shifted uneasily. One spat over the wall. "Those things behind you—what are they? Spirits? Cursed golems?"
Before Elias could answer, one of the obsidian warriors tilted its head unnaturally, its ember eyes flaring. The tether in his chest tugged, searing pain rushing through him as if the creature reacted to their hostility.
The girl whispered, amused, "They smell fear. You should command them before they command you."
"Not helping," Elias hissed.
The guards bristled, lowering spears. A young woman in a leather cloak stepped onto the wall, her voice steadier than the rest. "Hold! He bleeds like a man, not a monster." Her eyes, sharp and calculating, locked onto Elias. "Stranger, swear by the moons you mean us no harm."
The system pulsed:
> [Choice Detected:]
A: Swear truthfully (risk exposure of System).]
B: Lie convincingly (risk system penalty).]
Elias's throat tightened. If he admitted the truth, they might kill him on the spot. If he lied… what penalty would the system enforce?
His bound warriors stepped forward unbidden, the ground cracking beneath their feet. The guards roared, spears braced.
The girl chuckled low. "Choose carefully, Elias. Men's judgment cuts deeper than claws."
The woman on the wall raised her hand. "Well? Speak now, before my men loose their arrows."
The system's timer appeared once more.
> [Decision Required. Time: 00:00:20]