When Hua Tang had told the two that he had books, he had told them the truth.
But…
"Those are no skill books!" Basila roared, her eyes shining a bright red color. Hua Tang knew a blood elf when he saw one. Those dangerous and merciless conquerors.
The ones, the People of the Desert, had torn down. Cannonball by Cannonball.
Earning a new name.
One of many.
"Sure, they are!" But Icarus was ever the optimist. Unlike Basila, he had actually begun to read the book. It did not disappear in a mana poof, sure, but that didn't mean that it wasn't a skill book! "Basila, how is he going to get his hands on a skill book? Those have mana signatures."
Icarus turned the page. Oh, so if he used a leaf to train his mana control, and he started to meditate…
Basila sat by him, chewing on her bottom lip.
Icarus blinked. He had expected the girl to put up some resistance. She was a fiery one, his lady.
"What?" Basila asked, as she nudged him. "Won't you read aloud? Master Tang gave us just one book!"
Icarus chuckled. Now that was more like Basila.
"Mana is in all of us," Icarus began to read. Not knowing that this passage was going to change his life forever. "Even in our blood…"
Icarus blinked. Wait! But if that was true, what were the slave runes doing? The Emperor had told them that they drain a person from their mana!
But if that was the case, how was that person still alive then?
Icarus continued to read.
"Without mana, a person can't breathe. There is only one way to live without mana: to cannibalize your own soul for the essence, which one could freely get from nature. This is how Lich are born…"
"That bastard!" Icarus was up on his feet.
That was how Lich were born? So… his entire clan was going to end up as Lichs?
He couldn't let it happen! He had to save them!
"Yes, that is what our dear Emperor Constantine is doing," Hua Tang said, as he passed Icarus a loaf of moldy bread.
Icarus began to eat without a second thought. Using his fingernails to get the moldy patches out.
"How are you eating that?" Basila's eyes were wide. Icarus was going to get sick!
"You get mana from nature," Icarus told her. He had always been good at putting two and two together. "But if you're hungry, how are you going to breathe? You die! People die of hunger, Basila!"
For the first time, Icarus allowed himself to yell at his lady. Oh, she had given him a system, but he was getting fed up with her.
She had rune crafting, so he was sure she didn't go to bed hungry.
She had a knife, and he was sure that she knew how to use it. All ladies of the elven court were taught self-defense.
He wished the common women had the same privilege. One could whip someone all they wanted, but a beast was a beast.
And a goblin didn't care whether they got whipped or not.
She was a spoiled princess!
He couldn't waste his time with her!
"I want to break the contract!" Icarus yelled, stuffing the last mouthful into his mouth. He was going to make do without the system!
"Master Tang!" Icarus said, bowing low seconds later. "Please, teach me how to undo a slave rune!"
Hua Tang looked at Basila, who was shaking her head. Tears running down her cheeks.
"Why?" Master Tang knew that people had their limits. Basila was not the easiest person to deal with.
But she was a blood elf.
And the boy needed the system she had offered him out of the fancy of youth.
"My family lives in the ghetto!" Icarus said, not ashamed in the least. They had escaped horrors which were worse than what most people faced.
They had survived!
They could bounce back to their feet, if… if they could keep their humanity!
"Hm… and everyone there gets a job," Hua Tang said, as he looked Basila in the eyes. "And to make sure they do it, everyone gets a slave rune."
Basila covered her mouth with both her hands. Looking at Icarus in mute horror.
"I can teach you, yes," Master Tang dangled hope like bait before a fish. "But are you strong enough to get them out of here?"
Icarus balled his fists. His defiance clear in his eyes.
"Look at yourself, Icarus! You eat moldy bread in a sewer!" Master Tang knew that there was no growth without the pain of being taken down. Brick by brick.
The boy had spirit.
Judging by the glassy look in the girl's eyes, she was being rebuilt as well.
Good, the old Guild Master thought. It had been a lot of time since he last trained adventurers.
He loved to shape young minds. And these two were going to break in his teeth before he turned them into something great.
Just like he liked it!
"I'll drink sewage if it means my family won't lose their souls!" Icarus said, his tone leveled.
He was no child to yell his intentions.
Even if he didn't have a plan and the old man before him was his only hope.
"Icarus!" Basila whispered, but the boy didn't turn towards her.
Hua Tang wanted to sigh.
Oh, and the two had gotten along so well…
"And what is the difference between them eating moldy bread in the ghetto," Hua Tang knew he was being cruel, but these kids weren't ten years old. They were old enough for some tough love. "And being a Lich?"
Icarus took a hold of Basila's moldy bread and tried to tug it from her grip.
But the girl surprised him by breaking it in half and offering him the half with the least mold on it.
Icarus blinked, but he knew that Master Tang wouldn't wait for an answer forever.
"Because a Lich can't eat moldy bread. Or even freshly baked bread!" Icarus yelled.
Master Tang sighed.
Well… that was the truth. But the boy was no philosopher.
"Eat up and keep reading," the old Guild Master turned his back on them.
He had rats to grill. The kids needed to be fattened up.