William was guided to the armory, located behind the doors before the thick pillars supporting the gargantuan Hall of Progress. It was a hexagonal room just like the one he woke up in.
There were rusty weapon racks and armor stands equipped with scale armor sets, made of a darkened material that looked like a mix of metal and wood from their chained boots to their helmets covered by ivory fangs at their visors.
Various locked expositors stood in the middle, their glass too old, scratched, and blurry to see what hid below them.
"You surely left a good first impression on Oraesh, Will," Artur whistled with sarcasm. "And I almost thought he'd like you and go a little less harsh than usual on you."
"I don't care if he likes me or not. He's just like you. When are you gonna answer my questions? Why so many secrets?"
"Relax, William," said Miris. "We told you we'd tell you. Take it easy; it's bad for you to be stressed in your current condition."
"No," he cuttingly responded, looking at her. "I don't even know what's so bad about this condition you're talking about. You said I could turn into some kind of monster. What's that? And you," he looked at Artur. "You knew what was gonna happen back on Sunia. Who the hell are you?"
Artur's joyful expression on his shaved head disappeared. He traded tired looks with the Oksidi girl before sighing and speaking.
"Will, I know it's not easy. I understand if you still don't trust me or anyone in here. This is nuts, I know, and you and I were technically enemies back there, but I can guarantee you there's nothing to fear about us. You've got my word from Sunian to Sunian."
"I'm going to tell you a little secret, William," said Miris. "Zho and Oraesh still don't want you to know that for some reason. They want whatever happened on that coast to be a secret, at least currently. Even I don't know. Artur's forbidden from telling me either."
"Yeah," continued Artur. "You've already met Oraesh and his so easy-going personality. He's gonna grab one of those spears next to you and ram them up to our butts if we tell you, so do our rears and yours a favor, Will. Even if you don't trust us, just follow along. You'll get your answers in time."
His emerald eyes didn't move apart from William's gaze. Miris squeezed her fine lips and connected her dark irises with his too. William sighed and looked down, feeling as if Artur had almost read what he thought, which was true.
Judging by what he knew, both his compatriot and the Reniramian girl appeared to be merely the underdogs of the ones playing the cards; Oraesh Khugazid, and Zho Ming.
"Alright. Whatever," discussing with them was pointless. "We'll see what those two have to say."
Both liches simpered with a nod. The door behind creaked as someone opened it. The western old man with messy white hair entered the room, closing it before approaching.
"Artur, Miris, you absent-minded dorks —Woah!" he grabbed himself from an expositor, almost tripping over with a rack he didn't spot. "Holy bumpers. Didn't you tell the boy that Oraesh is your leader? You're all gonna be put to sweep the whole monastery for talking at him like that."
Artur chuckled, Miris shaking her head as he helped the old man stand up.
"C'mon, Aeschylus. Don't even remind us of that. He would put us to clean the monastery in any way. But it's kind of strange he's been spending quite some time here at the mountain. Last year he'd only come up once a month to check out Zho wasn't going soft on us."
"You know him. Always up to something. I honestly don't care much so long as he leaves me alone to work. Did you cut your hair, Miris? I could swear you look different today."
"Eh, Mr. Charalampos…" she signaled William with her head.
"What? Oh, yeah," the man's honey eyes changed to William. "You aren't looking half-bad, boy. I'm glad I haven't lost touch with those kinds of old necromantic rituals. It was so much of a pain removing your putrid skin and putting it back in place. Did you know that decomposing skin breaks apart like viscous cheese? And don't let me start with the stench. Puagh. I was pretty sure you'd wake up with your lower-half rotting and stinking. Tell me, does it feel itchy down there?"
"What?" William raised one eyebrow. Artur chuckled and Miris covered her face as she shook it.
"Ah, never mind," said the old man. "What did I come here for…? Ah, yes! To remind you three that Oraesh and Zho are waiting for you. Oh, and to introduce myself, of course. You're before Aeschylus Charalampos of Seras himself, boy, father of multiple great technological advances, and my own philosophical school. Wanna hear about it? It's about—"
"C'mon, Aeschylus," interrupted Artur. "I'm sure that William will have time later for your three-hour lectures. Let's not make Oraesh wait even more. Have you picked up your weapon, Will?"
"Ah, yes," William remembered. He had forgotten for a moment why they were there and hadn't paid attention to the arsenal before him.
He didn't need time to choose, though. He picked up one of the black spears and sliced it up, separating it from its stand. It was a sturdy design covered by metallic margins at its top and a metal base at the bottom as the counterweight.
The blade at its tip was larger than what he was used to in his previous Sunian spears: it was slightly curved, giving it the appearance of a shark's fang.
Yeah. It was perfect. Whatever he'd be fighting, he knew there was no other weapon more reliable than a good spear. He gripped it hard and nodded at his companions.
"One of those old sticks?" questioned Aeschylus. "Why don't you pick something more elegant like a sword, boy? Maybe I can lend you a steam crossbow if Oraesh allows it."
"Maybe you'll want something heavier like an ax," said Miris. "Your arms look strong enough to hold one, William. I'm sure you can easily carry one."
"Are you two kidding?" said Artur. "William's quite a skilled spearman. Veteran infantry unit of the Sunian Liberalist Army. He alone himself fended off various enemies before they were forced to capture him back there. He wouldn't have reached Reniram alive if he didn't know what he was doing. The spear is the main pillar of every army, right, Will?"
William looked at his weapon, doubtful about his incoming challenge, yet confident about his choice. It was time to go back out there and make sure that man Oraesh realized he underestimated him.
"Besides competent leaders and well-trained soldiers? I guess so," he responded. "I'm ready. Let's see whatever Oraesh Khugazid is got for me."
The four left the room. It was time to go back and face whatever combat test Oraesh and Zho wanted William to face. He just hoped his body was in a good condition.
After being underfed and malnourished aboard those ships, killed, rotten, and then brought back through a wicked ritual surgery, he only hoped his muscles would not fail him at a bad moment...