Surprised at the sudden turn of events, Magnus was speechless at the sight of his ex-commanding officer.
"Hello, Magnus, my boy! What did you need from me. They're only going to let us talk for a few minutes.", the General said, seeing that Magnus was mute at the moment.
"Look, I need you to do something for me. It's important.", Magnus said, staring at the floor, as the previous Administrators had left him on his stomach.
"I will do anything you want...", the General responded.
"What's the catch?", Magnus asked, not believing that his luck had finally improved.
"Finally grown out of your naivete, I see. I will do as you wish, but only if you join me once again. I was planning to do this after the War, but, as you know, I was booted from my dominion.", the General said, informing Magnus that his suspicious were on point.
Magnus started sweating. Was it worth it to be this man's puppet again? What choice did he have? Backed into such a dark, corner that was like the one he had been in countless times.
"I need to know what you mean. On your side?", Magnus asked, sure to milk him of all info, unlike last time.
"Look, I'll get you out of here, I just need you to agree. Say 'Yes' and all will be as you wish.", the General said, pressing Magnus for time.
Magnus knew this was most likely a negotiation tactic, but he didn't see any upside at the moment to refusing him. His previous attempts at escaping failed, and all he was doing at the moment was getting his humanity back. He was being rushed, and couldn't think things through all the way. He decided he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
"Alright, I'll do it. Just get me out of here!", he responded to the General, who was in his formal Administrator wear. It was just a toga, like the officials wore in Ancient Rome.
The General smiled a wickedly happy smile, and unfettered Magnus. Magnus felt a chill go down his spine.
"I'm on the council, Magnus, and so you shall be under my protection. Thus, you will act as one of my sons. Yes, we have servants and classes here too. This place has changed since your AI informed you."
Having been teleported, Magnus squinted his eyes at the bright light in the city street. All authority figures among the Administrators could teleport in the Realm of Trial. Thus, the General had taken him to the street of the city. He was free from that dungeon.
"Let's go to my estate. As a council member, I have one. An estate, I mean. We can conduct your initiation into my house as soon as we get there.", the General told Magnus as he lead him through the streets.
Magnus was no longer chained, and the General wasn't forcing him to go anywhere. Magnus would be stupid to try to pull a fast one. He depended on the General for help now, and he couldn't risk losing that.
They arrived at the estate within an hour.
The General spoke.
"Call me Jack by the way. Referring to me as the General here would be rather unfitting."
As he finished, he pulled open the doors keeping them from entering the large, gray house. Upon entering, they were greeted by all of the busy servants running around, trying to keep all of Jack's children in line.
All of the servants on the main floor and up the stairs turned and bowed, saying in unison, "Welcome home!", and immediately continued scurrying around.
"Welcome to my abode, to-be son!"
Magnus go the chills as he said that. His previous encounters with his step-father had ruinied the words "son" and "father" for him.
Magnus hesitated for a moment as Jack walked on in, but he followed after a second.
Jack clapped his hands and announced to the house, "Everyone! We have another one joining the family!"
Immediately, all the servants stopped scurrying and looked at the man next to their master. He was not a child, but an adult, looking around 24 years old, face covered by a beard and complexion hidden by long, blonde hair.
"Magnus, we have to get you cleaned up before we begin the ceremony. You look like you were kept in a dungeon for almost one hundred years!", Jack chuckled to himself as he understood the joke midst an ignorant crowd.
A few female servants pushed on Magnus' back, leading him to the baths. They pushed him into a room and closed the door. It was so sudden, he didn't have time to react. Still wondering what was going on, he turned and tried opening the door. It was locked.
He turned back around and looked in front of him. It was a great, big, open-air bath, along with a pair of scissors and a razor. He understood what he must do.
After bathing himself and washing his long, golden locks, he looked in the mirror, grabbing and pulling on some hair and putting the scissors next to it, ready to cut. He couldn't see much besides shapes through the steamy mirror.
He closed his eyes and heard a snip. As soon as he heard something soft fall on the ground, the door opened, revealing a team of servants who were supposed to groom him. They stared at him in horror of what he had done.
When Magnus opened his eyes and looked that the door which had been unlocked and opened, he saw the faces of disgust. He wiped the water off of the mirror and looked at what he had done.
Magnus made the same disgusted face. The women came over to him, and took the scissors. They cut his hair and shaved him, so he wouldn't have to repeat the mistake.
Once they were done, they lead him to a room with a nice suit hanging in it. They took his towel off and dressed him.
Once they were done, they lead him back to the main hall, where Jack was standing. He was in a suit too, but his was colored red and green, the color of his coat-of-arms.
"Well, Magnus, you ready to get a new father? Again?", Jack asked him, as the other children came into the main hall too.