“Get up!” Mike had been so tired he didn’t remember falling asleep, but Haliard’s gleeful shout catapulted him into full wakefulness. This resulted in him once again slamming headfirst directly into the bottom of the bed above him.

  “Oh dammit,” he said as he fell back into bed rubbing his head. He slowly opened his eyes as Haliard kept talking to him. It was partially understandable. Maybe one word in seven was coming through just like he had heard it. “Hold on, Haliard, I’m getting up.”

  Swinging his legs out of bed, Mike groaned. His new friend’s hair and beard were wet, and he was smoothing them down as he waited for Mike to get out of bed.

  “I can understand some of what you’re saying but let me cast the spell again.” Haliard came over to him and Mike grabbed his hand. At this point, casting Identify was as easy as blinking. Haliard stepped back, giving Mike room to rise.

  “If your spell is helping you learn the language, it is very powerful. Most translation spells don’t. That might be why it last for such a short time.”

  “What is it you do that lets you understand me?” Mike stood for a second before realizing his body had a need. “And, um, what’s the rules on the bathroom?”

  “I’ll get out of your way.” Haliard moved around so the bed was blocking the portion of the back wall that was a toilet. “My gift allows me to understand any language. Spoken or some more esoteric methods. I still have to learn to speak it myself, and it doesn’t help at all with written ones, but it’s part of the reason why they stuck you with me.”

  “Part of the reason?” Mike did what he had to do and came back around the bed. Haliard was waiting by the door for him.

  “You were summoned by Aric for his trial and belong to him. I belong to his father Lord Eric and have been loaned to his son to train up his personal champion.”

  Eric and Aric. Mike knew he would get confused about that two or three times before he got it straight, especially with him not understanding the language. Mike opened his mouth to ask for more information but surprised himself at what came out.

  “I don’t want to be a slave.”

  Haliard drew a deep breath before turning to Mike.

  “We’ll talk about it later.” The usual warmth and humor that had been present even after Mike woke him up by shouting at night was gone. “When it’s safe. Please, trust me. Just keep going for now.”

  He smiled again as the door in front of them crept open.

  “Besides, no matter what happens, it will be less boring than the place you come from.”

  Grabbing Mike’s shoulder, Haliard pulled him into the hallway. It was carved from the same stone as the room, with a channel of light running down the center. Six doors lined each side, though only three other rooms had figures emerging from them. Four of them were doubled up in a room like Haliard and himself, but the one emerging from the first room caught his attention.

  It was a single crystal, almost seven feet tall, hovering with its bottom point inches above the floor. The color of clouds at sunset moved through it as it drifted down the hallway to another door, this one closing off the entire hallway. It dipped as the doorway opened and it went through, followed by the rest of them.

  Mike stood there, mouth opened, until Haliard shook him. The older man gave him a smile as Mike looked at him in shock.

  “If that is the weirdest thing you see today, I’ll eat my hat. And I mean that bet, as I don’t own a hat. Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone while we grab breakfast. Then we can start training.”

  Mike shook himself and started forward, walking behind Haliard. Mike took the time to reach out and touch him once again casting the Identify spell. He wanted to make sure it was up and running.

  “Do you all speak the same language?” Mike smelled food through the doorway and his stomach grumbled. The forgotten breakfast sandwiches he had dropped were supposed to be his breakfast hours ago. It wasn’t a full day, not yet, but he realized beneath all his nerves and fear, he was starving.

  “Yes, but it might take some time to get used to listening to Sum, since he doesn’t have a mouth or anything and manipulates the air itself. He was summoned by Master Eric for his first trial and has been with the family ever since. The rest of us were bought or stolen. You and Sum are special for that.”

  “Which one…”

  “The giant floating crystal. Sum isn’t actually his name, but it’s the closest the translation can come.”

  “If he was what… Master Eric summoned the first time, no wonder the two of them were disappointed in me.”

  The door opened into a long hall, with a table down the center. There was space for dozens, but the seven of them were it. Other doorways like the one Mike was currently emerging from were dotted around the room, with a single huge archway leading down a darkened hallway. Along one wall was a table, bearing platters of food along with plates and forks. It looked to Mike like a hotel buffet.

  It smelled heavenly though, and he went over to the line forming. The four human figures glanced at him as he got in back, one of them calling something to Haliard as he joined Mike. There was a faint sense of meaning coming through; Mike knew he was the one they were talking about.

  “He has a translation spell Karl, let him cast it on you and you can ask.”

  More garbled nonsense from the one Mike now knew to be called Karl. Each of the men was dressed in the same loose white clothing Mike and Haliard were wearing.

  “He’s cast it on me dozens of times. It helps him learn the language, believe it or not.”

  They all glanced at him appraisingly at that. Karl raised his eyebrows, and Mike noticed for the first time that he had no eyes. Where they were was just a smooth expanse of flesh, unbroken. His nose was far wider than normal, almost a muzzle. The figures he had thought were human might not be.

  Mike shivered as he felt attention on him, like a physical weight. He glanced at the crystal, floating at the table while waiting for the rest. It was like a caress on his mind, a touch that he could feel. He pressed his will against that feeling, almost instinctively. It was like a dart flying from his fingers when he fought the zombies. His mind gave shape to energy and thrust it outward.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  There was a soft chime in Mike’s mind as a new alert window appeared on the edge of his vision. He ignored as he turned towards where Sum was hovering. It was impossible to tell if the facets and faces of the crystal were studying him. There was no face to give a hint. But Mike tried his best to study it back, leaning sideways to get a better angle.

  “Hmm, good job,” a voice whispered beside his head. Mike snapped to see that there was no one there. He was so stunned that the voice was so close that he didn’t realize he understood the entire sentence, despite it being spoken in the language Haliard and the other used. It was the first complete thought he had gotten out of the language.

  “Thank you?” Mike tried to speak the language for the first time, forcing it hesitatingly out as he translated instinctive knowledge into practical experience.

  “Don’t do that to him until he has a chance to get used to us, Sum!” Haliard called out to the crystal. “He’s still jumpy.”

  “Sorry.” This time the voice emanated from in front of the crystal, pitched loud enough that Mike could hear it across the room. It didn’t sound too apologetic, but Mike was baffled enough to excuse it.

  “He does that to everyone the first time he meets them; he can’t help it. It’s part of being a psychic crystal.”

  Mike didn’t answer, instead focusing on the food in front of him. His stomach audibly grumbled, drawing a laugh from Haliard. There were trays full of toast, scrambled eggs, and rashers of bacon. Mugs of juice were beside them. It was far more food than the seven of them could account for, especially if Sum didn’t eat. Mike didn’t hesitate but grabbed a plate and piled it high with food. He grabbed juice and sipped it.

  “This is delicious, what is it?” Mike asked Haliard as he waited for the older man to get a plate. His appetite matched Mike’s own, with the plate almost spilling over.

  “Pineapple and orange juice mixed together. The vessels are enchanted to summon just one thing every morning. So, eat up, this is your breakfast for the foreseeable future.”

  There was writing around the rim of the mug that Mike hadn’t noticed until he checked it out. Glancing down at the platters of food, he saw that similar figures were carved into the circumference around it. He didn’t recognize any of the symbols but assumed they must be magical in origin.

  Haliard led him to the table where the others were seated. There was room for many more, but the seven of them were together. Sum was floating serenely where a seat would otherwise be, but the others were digging in as Mike sat down.

  “Mike, this is Karl,” Haliard said, indicating the man with smooth flesh where his eyes would otherwise be. Karl said something, but Mike didn’t understand it.

  “Haliard, can you ask them if I can cast my translation spell on them as you introduce them?” Mike said around mouthfuls of food. He was piling the eggs and bacon on the toast and eating it like an open-faced sandwich.

  “Oh, good idea. Are you all fine with Mike casting his translation spell on you? I’ve had no weird effects.” The other men and floating crystal agreed. Karl held his hand out and Mike shook it, casting his spell at the same time. Another little notification window popped up, reminding Mike that he had one appear when Sum examined his mind. He focused on that one and brought it up.

  New Skill!

  Lesser Psychic Resistance

  Your ability to throw off psychic influences and mind manipulation is increased by a very minor amount.

  That was interesting. It confirmed what Mike had suspected; that Sum was using psychic powers to reach into his mind. Is he using them to float too? Mike thought to himself as he brought up the next window, the one that appeared when he cast his spell on Karl.

  Karl Liberstrung

  Baerling

  Class: Halberdier Level: 21

  “Can you understand me now?” Karl asked. His voice was high and nasal despite his lack of a nose, vibrating in his almost-muzzle.

  “I can, can you understand me?”

  “Didn’t get a word of that. What did he say Haliard?” Karl said, shaking his head.

  “He understood you. I guess it only works one way, eh Mike?”

  Mike focused on the knowledge the spell had slowly given him. “I’m learning.”

  “Ha, I got that,” Karl said with a laugh. The man next to him leaned over the table, shouldering Karl out of the way to extend his hand to Mike. Once again Mike made contact and cast his spell. He instantly flicked the new window open to view it.

  Aaron Mistober

  Human

  Class: Mystic Archer Level: 23

  “Whew, that tingles a little.” Aaron leaned back, shaking his hand. He opened his mouth to say something else but was shoved out of the way by another guy. This one only had three fingers on the hand he extended towards Mike, with his pinky and ring finger missing. Another casting of the spell resulted in it gaining a new level, giving it a two-minute duration.

  At the same time, Mike noticed that the mana bar was getting low. He thought he could cast the spell a few more times, but it would need to regenerate while he ate. He reached forward to the new one’s hand and cast it.

  Julian Mistober

  Human

  Class: Shield Sentinel Level: 20

  “Brothers?” Mike asked Haliard.

  “Yes, by oath if not by blood. And the last one…” The final man leaned forward extending his hand. Mike grasped it and cast again.

  Bradiac Furlingthorpe

  Half-Elf/Half-Human

  Class: Prophet Of Doors Level: 23

  “Welcome to the loser bracket,” Bradiac said as he pulled his hand back. Mike glanced at Haliard, but the older man was glaring at Bradiac.

  “That’s not the way to greet the new guy.” Haliard turned to Mike to continue, but the spell cast on him had worn off and it turned back to gibberish. Mike put his hand on his shoulder and cast it again.

  “…just a run of bad luck. Mike, you’re a sign that it’s turning around.”

  “I didn’t get most of that,” Mike told him.

  “Basically, House Blurington has lost a good number of fighters in the past two years,” Aaron said while gesturing down the long, empty table. “But now that young Master Aric has summoned you, I’m sure things will get better for us.”

  “Which is why I need to get you up and training,” Haliard said. “All of you, let’s eat and get outside.”

  Mike didn’t need to be told twice. He dove into the tray of food before him, almost shoveling it in. There was little conversation, with Mike no longer casting Identify. He was waiting for his mana to refill when he felt Sum’s attention again. He looked up at the floating crystal.

  Mike hesitated, but reached out placed his hand on the smooth face of the crystal. It was warm to the touch, and almost completely smooth. He cast his spell once again, feeling it twist in a way it hasn’t before. The mind he was contacting was so odd that it was a new sensation. He flicked up the identifying card.

  ∑ni=1(ai±bi)

  Starlapped Crystal

  Class: Psychic Berserker Level: 34

  “Sum isn’t your name, is it?” Mike asked.

  “No, but it is a good nickname among friends.” The crystal didn’t move, but Mike felt it manipulating the environment around it. The psychic power of it was working on the air itself.

  “It is unusually friendly.” Mike pushed his plate away, full for the first time in too long. “I expected gladiator slaves to be a little more… martial and angry. Fighting for dominance.”

  “Why?” Karl replied once Haliard translated Mike’s statement. “We spend all our time together. Eating, training.”

  “Plus, Haliard could kick all of our asses at once,” Julian added, stuffing food from his brother’s plate in his mouth. “No point in fighting for position when it’s obvious who is at the top.”

  Mike glanced at his friend, who was blushing faintly beneath his iron gray beard. I couldn’t make out his class, level, anything. I wonder what power he truly has.

  “If I’m in charge,” Haliard said, picking up his plate. “Then I say we get up and get moving to the training yard. I’ll run the new guy through his paces, get him started. The rest of you work on agility today. Sum, you just do what you do.”

  Mike picked up his plate and fell in behind Haliard. The man dropped his plate next to the trays of food and headed towards the large arch. The hallway there stretched for a dozen yards before ending in a T junction. Mike could see sunlight coming from the right-hand turn.

  “We’ll work on your cardio and agility, taking you through your paces, until lunch. After that break, we’ll see what you can do with weapons.” Haliard led the way, heading down the hallway to the sunlight. Mike thought about the gym membership he kept not using as he started down the hallway, followed by the rest. He knew he would soon come to regret the times he skipped.