A/N: Wow. I am so sorry about the delay on this one. These are strange times we're living in, folks. School, work, and life in general have me even more drained than usual. But I think my muse has sufficiently returned, so here's the next chapter of this monster. Pray to He who is in Heaven that the next installment doesn't take as long.

Me personally? I make no promises.

Anyway, brace yourselves. This chapter was a rough one.


Chapter 5: The Kenovium Cages

The first thing that Eddy became aware of as he gradually roused from his slumber was the severe discomfort that wracked nearly every fiber of his being. The awkward position he was in, lying on his side in a fetal position with no support to prop his head and neck up, seemed only partially responsible for the dull aches. The ground beneath him was cold and hard, barely warmed by his body heat, perfectly flat and nonconforming to his body. The only part of him that was actually warm for some reason was his back.

A sudden jolt woke Eddy up entirely, prompting him to sit up with a startled grunt. An orange shape in his peripheral brought his attention to Edd, also unceremoniously stirred, sitting mere inches apart. Their close proximity quickly explained the warmth against Eddy's back, and his shock at this discovery was clearly mutual.

Brushing that rude awakening aside, the two looked around, quietly deducing where they had wound up this time.

Metal surrounded them from all sides. Dense metal bars boxed them inside a tight, claustrophobic space. The ceiling was far too close for comfort, reaching a short two or three inches above Edd's head. A flat sheet of somewhat damp wood served as their floor.

"Oh my…" Dread was apparent on Edd's face. He shivered from both the chilling touch of the metal and a deep sense of dismay. Following Eddy's lead, he gazed out beyond the bars…

Their cage was tied down in the back of a moving, open-top cart, currently traveling down the dirt road of a sprawling, less heavily wooded field. Several more cages lined the cart, each of them occupied. Ed was lying in the one next to theirs, sprawled out on his back with his legs propped up against the bars and drool streaming from his mouth, while the inmate in the cage in front of them was sitting up with their back turned to the duo.

Men riding on the horseback flanked the caravan. Upon closer inspection, however, Edd realized that half of the "horses" weren't horses at all. They instead resembled large lizards with powerful legs that supported them from underneath rather than the sides, V-shaped heads lined with sharp teeth and horns of varying design, and dense, scaly plates that covered their underbellies, rather like how one might imagine a wingless dragon. The riders themselves were adorned with gothic plate mail armor such a dark shade of grey that they were nearly black, decorated with garments in matching patterns of red and purple.

"You gotta be kidding me…" Eddy grumbled, scowling at the riders before reaching through the bars to poke their third companion. "Ed. Wake up, Lummox."

"Aaaaawwwwwnnnnn…" Ed rubbed his eyes and stretched, seemingly oblivious to the confined space that held him back. "Are we under attack again?"

"N-Not exactly, Ed," Edd mumbled anxiously. "Try not to sit up too…"

CLANG

"OWW…!"

"…quickly."

Ed rubbed his pounding head where he had slammed it into the low ceiling. Once the pain had subdued somewhat, he finally acknowledged the cages that contained him and his friends, grunting with fear and skittering about like a pacing circus lion. "Where are we, guys?!"

"I'll tell ya where we are! Up a creek without a paddle!" Eddy replied angrily as he grabbed the bars and turned his attention towards one of the armored riders. "Hey! What's the big idea?! Whaddya want with us?! We didn't do nothing wrong!"

The rider turned a sharp glare on Eddy and shouted back at him in a strange, foreign language.

Eddy raised an eyebrow at the incoherent response. "The heck did you just say?! No speak da language, buddy! Just let us out!" He pointed to the lock on the cage's door. "Out! You understand that?!"

He recoiled when the knight banged on the cage, retracting his arm before Eddy could take a swipe at it. Another foreign insult was slung, then the rider returned to his place among the order.

A knot tied in Edd's stomach as something occurred to him that he hadn't considered before. The language that the knight spoke in was not one that he so much as recognized, and there were no indicators that he understood what was being shouted at him. While Eddy continued to harangue the guard, Edd turned to the cage in front of him, tapping the bar to get its occupant's attention. "Um… Excuse me?"

When his fellow prisoner turned to face him, Edd was struck with another shocking revelation. His first impression was that this person was an elderly woman, with her sallow, wrinkled face, salt-and-pepper hair tied in a messy braid, gnarled frame, and deep, wise eyes. The features that truly struck him, however, were her greenish-grey skin, pronounced forehead, dull-pointed ears, and prominent, slightly chipped fangs that protruded upward from her lower lip.

Edd swallowed the lump in his throat, mustering the nerve to speak to this inhuman woman. "Do you know where these people are taking us?"

The old woman didn't speak. She barely moved beyond a slight drop of her chin.

"Please… If you understand what I'm saying, please say something."

For a moment, she remained silent. Then she adjusted her position, cast Edd a curious stare, and finally spoke, seemingly more so to herself than to him. Much like the riders, the language she used was wholly undecipherable.

Ed peered through the bars, casting a nervous glance at Edd. "What'd she say, Double D?"

"I… I don't know, Ed…" Edd timidly stared back at him. "I can't discern what language she's speaking in."

"Unbelievable…!" Eddy snarled before leaning into the bars and raising his voice for everyone in the vicinity to hear. "Does anyone here speak English?! ANYONE?! ENG-LISH?!"

The same knight he had aggravated earlier banged on the cage again, shouting incomprehensibly at the raucous young man.

"Eddy, save your voice," Edd insisted with despair. "We're not on Earth anymore, remember? There's a distinct possibility that the English language was never developed here."

"Then how are we supposed to get help?!"

"I don't know…" Edd pulled up his knees and curled up in the corner of his and Eddy's shared cage, his eyes downcast. "Explaining our situation in any considerable detail would be a monumental feat with this language barrier. What's more, even if we could communicate with them, I somehow doubt that these people would be willing to offer their assistance."

Eddy glanced around at the company of riders, scowling and nodding in agreement. "Yeah. And I probably wouldn't want it anyway. So we're gonna escape, then, right?"

"H-How we would even go about that is beyond me! This is different from evading basic predators or navigating unknown territory. We're prisoners of beings with equal intelligence and significantly more experience than us. I…" Edd rested his chin on his knees, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. "I don't know what to do anymore, Eddy."

Seeing this display of hopelessness, Eddy let out a sigh, sat down against the bars, and stared at Edd from the other side of the cage. "C'mon, don't give up on us now. You're the smart one here. If anyone has a chance at out-thinking these whack-jobs, it's you."

"I don't see how I could. Subduing the griffon, escaping that pit using the dragon fangs… those were your ideas. We've only gotten by as long as we have because of your quick thinking and Ed's physical strength." Edd pulled his frayed hat down over his eyes. "You two have adapted to this world so much faster than I have."

"I've adapted 'cause I roll with the punches! That's how I've always been and you know it!" Eddy held his hands up, showing Edd the scabs and scrapes decorating his palms. "I'm the doofus who made those amulet things go nuts, remember? I have as much of an idea what I'm doing as you do. And hey, your plans have worked too! Drowning the ants, finding shelter, following the eleons, finding those fruit trees; those were on you!"

Ed smiled at his companions through the bars. "We've survived 'cause we're together! We help the party in our own ways!"

"Exactly!" Eddy jabbed a thumb back at Ed. "We all got a role to play, Double D. I might be the street-smart one, but you're the book-smart one. You just gotta stop worrying! Stop thinking about what could happen and start thinking about what we're gonna make happen!"

Edd slowly lifted his head back up, looking between Ed and Eddy. Their words of encouragement were greatly appreciated, even if what was being asked of him would be a tremendous hurdle. "It's going to be difficult to adjust, especially to the concept of magic."

"Hey, you'll get the hang of it. You ace everything you set your big brain to. Once you get a handle on this world and its rules, you'll be able to work out a solid plan, I'm sure."

"Yeah, Double D!" Ed beamed with excitement. "Who knows?! Maybe with practice, you'll become the bestest wizard of us all!"

"I'm glad you think so." Edd nodded once, then looked around at the cages, the riders, and the environment once again. "You're probably right. Escape seems daunting, but it's surely not impossible. I just… need a moment to think."

Eddy shrugged and let himself slouch into the best lounging position he could get. "Fine. Think all ya want. But if I sense any more self-pity, I'm gonna come over there and knock some sense into you."

"Hm." Edd grinned despite himself, grateful to have any kind of backup. "Duly noted, Eddy."

The old woman in the next cage stared inquisitively at the three boys, intrigued by their funny language, curious about their behavior. It was hard to tell what was on her mind, but the way she studied the Eds, practically looking right through them, seemed to imply that she was searching for something within them and fascinated by what she saw.

Sensing the eyes on him, Eddy glanced up at her out of the corner of his eye. "What're you lookin' at?"

The woman grunted, unamused by Eddy's tone. She directed her attention to Ed. Seeing this, the oaf offered her a smile and a wave. "Hello!"

She seemed to understand that the gesture was a greeting, responding with a curt nod. "Avay."

"Ooh, are you an orc?" Ed questioned with a starstruck expression, soaking in her inhuman features. Her clothes quickly garnered his attention, sporting tribal furs, beads and bones. Her body itself boasted similar decoration, with her braid tied around a small bone with withered feathers dangling from the ends, a wide variety of piercings present on her face and ears, and a small, black, vine-like tattoo just barely visible on her neck. "A shaman orc!"

The orc woman rubbed her chin and tilted her head as she scrutinized the boy. She then pressed her hand to her chest, a sense of purpose present in her eyes and tone. "Ushug."

Ed blinked, not quite comprehending what she was trying to say. When she patted her chest and repeated the strange little word, he seemed to catch on. "Oh!" He responded in turn, hand to his sternum, smiling and nodding. "I am Ed!"

"Ayamed." Ushug slowly nodded back. Her firm expression softened as she held her hand up, pointing to her palm before gesturing for Ed to come closer.

"Ooh…!" Ed was tantalized, reaching his arm between the bars and allowing Ushug to gently grab his hand. She held it palm-up, tenderly brushing her fingers along the creases in his skin, studying them intently like they were ancient texts of utmost importance.

Eddy craned his neck and glanced at the duo. "Heck are you doin', Ed? What's the point of getting your fortune read if ya can't understand what she's reading?"

Ed beamed back at him, keeping still for Ushug's sake. "Just lending a helping hand, Eddy!"

"Oh, like I haven't heard that one before."

A soft, airy chuckle wheezed out of Ushug's mouth. She looked up from Ed's palm and into his eyes, a tiny smile spreading across her face. Upon releasing his hand, she pressed a fist over her heart, nodding to him with an emboldened grin. Oblivious but encouraged, Ed returned the gesture with a hearty guffaw. Ushug then turned to the other prisoners, pointing to Ed and eagerly proclaiming something in her native tongue, ending this decree with a wild cackle.

Eddy awkwardly gritted his teeth, unsettled by the madwoman's display. "Uh, yeah, I think I'll skip the palm-reading."

Ushug's uproarious laughter prompted Edd to lift his head. Though he had been lost in thought, he was at least aware of Ed's interactions with the orc, deeming them harmless enough to leave them be. Her positive reaction to whatever she had discovered within Ed, however, caught Edd by surprise. He wasn't one to take stock in fortunetellers, and it was unclear what had her so fired up, but given their situation, it would have been nice to have a native's judgment to defer to. She was in the same spot of trouble as them, after all.

"Excuse me…" Edd sat up, grabbing the bars and drawing closer to the orc. "Ushug?"

The shaman turned back around, meeting Edd's gaze. She quickly settled back down, sitting upright in front of him and nodding respectfully.

Once he had her attention, Edd placed a hand to his chest, cutting right to the chase. "Eddward." Then he reached through the bars and offered his hand. He wasn't expecting to attain any substantial knowledge from this experiment. He merely wanted to see what her reaction would be.

Sure enough, after merely staring at his hand for a moment, Ushug gently cupped it, nodding and grunting with reassurance. Then she proceeded to study the lines in his palm in silence. Partway through, Edd couldn't help but snicker, peeking back at his cellmate through his peripheral. "No snappy quips, Eddy? No jokes about how I'm giving in to the whimsical nature of this world?"

Eddy smirked back at him. "What? Were you expecting one?"

"At this point? Always."

"Hey, going crazy is better than giving up, I say. That's what I did."

"Ahh…" Ushug smiled, pleased by what she saw. She patted Edd's hand and looked him square in the face with a fierce grin. She then pointed to his chest, gripped a fist, and murmured something in a highly encouraging tone.

"I think we made a friend, guys!" Ed happily proclaimed.

"A weird friend who laughs like the Wicked Witch of the West, but whatever," Eddy grunted. "I'll take anything at this point."

"Any allies we can find in this outlandish realm are greatly appreciated," Edd concurred, grinning between his pals and the orc woman.

Turning back to Ushug, the Eds watched as she reached into the scraps of hide surrounding their cages, procuring a small bit of white chalk. She then started drawing on the floor of her cage, creating two small pictures, rudimentary but still distinguishable. Once completed, she pointed to the picture of a double helix, then gestured to Edd. Then she tapped the picture of an incomplete oval, then nodded to Ed.

"Wait…" Edd leaned in, shocked by the orc's scrawlings. "Those are two of the symbols from the dragons' chamber!"

"Cool!" Ed bounced in place, already giddily questioning the meaning behind the icons. "We're already part of the lore here!"

Eddy sat up, finally curious enough to get involved. As he gazed down at Ushug's drawings, he realized that the only one missing was the X-shaped symbol. The one on the gold medallion that he had tampered with. If Ed and Edd had some sort of connection to the other two that she was picking up, did that mean…?

Shaking that thought out of his head, Eddy decided to steer the conversation back on track. "Hey…"

Once he had caught Ushug's attention, Eddy gestured in a wide arc to the riders flanking their cart. "What do they…" Then he pointed to himself and his companions. "…want with us?"

Ushug pondered the foreigner's motions, piecing together what he wanted in a matter of seconds. She crouched down and started drawing again, sketching a series of stick figures. The first one held a sword in one hand and gripped the second figure's arm in the other. The second one had what looked to be crudely-drawn chains linking its arms. The third one held up a small bag and was wearing a crown.

"Huh…?" Eddy grunted with confusion. Ed scratched his head, staring vacantly at the sketches. Edd squinted for a moment, then went wide-eyed and choked on a lump in his throat. Seeing his reaction, Eddy turned to the latter and asked, "What's she trying to say?"

"It's an auction," Edd mumbled. "They're going to sell us as slaves."


"So where do you reckon those three came from, sir?" one of the Kadian knights asked the captain.

"Peh…" Dwennon glanced back over his shoulder, smirking at their latest find. The three young men were conversing with the orc woman. "With those rags, it's anyone's guess. Even the barbarians in the northern tribes would know better than to dress so scantily."

"I've never heard the language that they speak with."

"Nor have I. Perhaps they come from Vesi. Though what a couple of hoodlums from Vesi are doing in Daear is beyond me." Dwennon had to let out a small chuckle when he noticed the shaman reading one of the boys' palms. The old hag was still at it, was she? What prophetic balderdash was she going to threaten them with this time? Whatever it was, Dwennon was prepared to be entertained.

He heard the elderly orc laugh. He watched as she turned to the other captives and began to ramble madly, "The boy is a dragonheart! His soul is alight with the will of Halal! He will avenge us! He will bring the hand of death upon these fools! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!"

Dwennon laughed under his breath and slowly shook his head at the orc's decree. The rider flanking him didn't seem so amused. "Sir, is this really a matter to be scoffed at? What if she speaks the truth? If the man really is a dragonheart-"

"Merek, Merek, you're being paranoid, my friend!" Dwennon gleefully chided. "The old hag sees nothing. She's only attempting to rile us up. Even if the boy were a dragonheart, all of that magic is useless inside a cage of pure kenovium. It'll dampen even the sharpest of wills."

Unconvinced, Merek looked behind them again, listening in as the orc read the palm of the skinny one. She seemed excited once again by what she saw, murmuring, "Ahh… you as well. A bringer of life."

Merek grunted nervously. "Are… Are they all…?"

"Please." Dwennon rolled his eyes. "Three dragonhearts taken down by Apetian paladins? No matter the merit of one's will, without experience, they may as well have none. Now stop your fretting. They're harmless."

Shortly after the captain said his peace, the boy in the yellow tunic started throwing a tantrum again. It seemed the orc woman had somehow revealed the nature of the slave trade to them and he was not especially happy about it. He grabbed the bars and started screaming again in his barbaric language, heedless of his companion's attempts to calm him down, the racket quickly getting on everyone's nerves. Dwennon groaned and waved to the knight riding closest to the lad. "Ector, do what you must to shut that one up."

"Cranky little bastard." Ector promptly whipped out a spear, pointing it threateningly at the young man in the cage. The boy recoiled slightly and ceased his angry chatter, but maintained a fierce scowl, looking the knight directly in the eye. Ector reeled back as if preparing to throw the spear, earning another flinch from all three of the strangely-dressed youths, then simply leaned forward and smacked the spear on the cage. Seeing the rapscallions recoiling garnered a laugh from Ector as he replaced his spear and turned away…

"HHHCCCCCKKKKK… PTOO!"

Then Ector flinched and whipped around, staring irately at the spit smearing down his shield. The boy in yellow shot him a smug grin after wiping his lips off, the one in orange grabbed his friend's arm and nervously murmured to him, and both the boy in the green coat and the orc woman laughed approvingly. All of them quickly shut up when Ector reached into one of the satchels attached to his horse's saddle and procured a whip, holding it up for them to see. He pointed to the boy in yellow with a dangerous glare, then led his horse forward, leaving the young man in a proper state of uncomfortable silence.

"You see?" Dwennon mused, grinning at the scene, then at Merek. "They're harmless. They'll learn their place soon enough."


Come twilight, the caravan pulled off the road and the knights established a camp. Their horses and drakes were tied to posts, tents and bedrolls were laid out, and the process of gathering firewood began.

Edd had spent the entirety of their trip studying as much as he could about the knights, their weapons, their beasts of burden, and their environment in order to concoct an escape plan, though so far his list of ideas was severely limited. At the very least, his curiosity about this new world remained strong, and examining what little there was to see kept his mind somewhat at ease.

From what Edd could tell, all of the knights were human, though there was one fellow he wasn't quite ready to peg in that category. He was an abnormally tall fellow, nearly reaching eight feet in height and boasting an impressive musculature, which he was currently putting to good use as he effortlessly carried hefty chunks of wood into the campsite for the bonfire. On the other hand, excluding one particularly short fellow with long, pointed ears, every other prisoner in their cart seemed to display similar traits to Ushug, but this was harder to gauge through the rows of bars. It really made Edd wonder how many intelligent races occupied this world.

With his chin resting on his knees, Edd stared into the center of the circle the knights formed around the firepit. He watched as one of the knights raised his hand, pointed two fingers at the woodpile, performed a simple yet intricate gesture, and finished with a snap. Just like that, a campfire sprung to life, completely mesmerizing Edd. The incident with the medallions certainly pleaded its case for the existence of magic, but to see another human being utilizing it, even if the spell was undoubtedly minor, was a wonder of a different nature.

"Cool!" Ed seemed to agree with that notion. "Fire magic!"

"Yeah, great, I'm sure that saves them a lotta time spent rubbing sticks together," Eddy grunted less enthusiastically, laying on his side. "Now tell 'em to hurry up and feed us!"

"Eddy, aren't you a little concerned?" Edd warily questioned. "What if that knight holds true to his threat of violence?"

"Doubt it," Eddy responded with an indifferent shrug. "If they're gonna sell us, they're gonna want us in good shape, aren't they?"

"I wouldn't be so quick to assume anything about these men."

"Supper for Ed, Double D?" Ed mumbled, gripping the bars and staring longingly at the food that the knights were starting to prepare.

Edd averted his gaze, rubbing his stomach as his own gastric juices began to protest. "I suspect we will be made to wait until they've eaten, and I severely doubt our meal will be of equal culinary merit."

The time spent waiting for their captors to finish their meal was an unbearable drag for Ed and Eddy. The two watched the knights chow down on what looked to be roast and mixed vegetables with feverish envy, drooling from the savory smells that filled their nostrils. Neither of them said anything, perhaps out of fear that any kind of distraction would only further delay their own dinner. All they could do was dream of steak and pray that those dreams came true soon.

Edd kept his eyes on the ground, straining to distract himself from his roaring stomach and the stimuli that aggravated it. Rather than dwell on thoughts of food, his mind retreated back to the realm of magic. Difficult as it was to wrap his head around the concept, Edd had more or less accepted its existence. He had to wonder if magic was only accessible to natives or if there was any possibility of learning it himself, if only for the sake of adaptation. Somehow, in a way he couldn't explain, he felt deep down inside that there was a chance for him.

He recalled the mental image of the knight conjuring flame. The hand motions involved were just precise enough that he could recall every detail. Feeling curious enough to experiment, Edd found a patch of grass to focus on and raised his hand. Point two fingers, trace two spikes and a swirl, then snap. It seemed simple enough, though whatever mental or instinctual input might have been required remained a mystery. It was still worth a try, at least. He was short on ideas.

Edd enacted the motions. Nothing happened.

He tried again, envisioning a fire where his eyes were concentrating. No dice.

He gave it a third try, straining to will his own body heat to fuel the flame. Not even a spark.

"Are you trying to do magic, Double D?!"

Ed's voice snapped Edd back to reality with a flinch. He turned to face the smiling oaf through the bars. "I am… certainly making an attempt. I feel tremendously out of my league, but I suppose I would be remiss if I didn't pursue every possibility."

"You can do it!" Ed cheered. "Make it so!"

Eddy tore his eyes away from their captors' meal to offer Edd a smirk. "Yeah, Double D! Make something happen! We're gettin' bored in here!"

"Alright, just… just don't pressure me, please." Edd returned his focus to the patch of grass, resuming his attempts at mimicking the spell.

Ushug had been observing quietly up until that point, going unnoticed by the Eds as she studied Edd's motions. She seemed to understand the situation, recognizing that the young man was still untrained in the magical arts that his will was so greatly attuned to. However, despite her curiosity, she eventually felt compelled to speak up. "Ayamed?"

Ed craned his neck to look back at Ushug, answering her call. "Hello!"

Ushug briefly glanced at the other two. Edd's concentration remained unbroken and Eddy kept his attention on him. She turned back to Ed with a stern grunt, pointing to Edd, waving her hand, tapping the bars of her cage, and finally shaking her head.

"Oh." Ed seemed to understand the message, and it left him feeling disheartened as he faced his friends again. Though neither of them were looking his way, laser-focused on Edd's spell, he nonetheless stated, "Maybe this metal is anti-"

FWIP

The Eds gasped in unison when, right when Edd snapped his fingers, a tiny flame sprung to life in the grass. It barely lasted a second, the evening dew snuffing it out immediately, but the mental images of the orange tongues of light and subsequent puff of smoke could not be erased. It had taken tremendous effort and an abandonment of the logic Edd was so used to, but for one brief moment, there was hope.

"MAGIC!" Ed pressed his face against the bars, blown away by his pal's accomplishment.

"Well now!" Eddy beamed with pride and gave Edd a firm slap on the back. "Check out the big brain on Sockhead!"

"I…" Edd stared down at his shaking hands with a stupefied, breathless smile. "I really did that, didn't I?"

"I told ya, didn't I? You got this figured out!"

"Way to go, Double D!"

Ushug was completely stunned, her eyes tracing the wispy outline of the smoke from Edd's flame. To accomplish such a feat, even if it was a tiny one, with no experience, within the magic-dampening field their cages created… it was unprecedented. The display of power hushed her up on the spot. After a few seconds, she lowered her head and released an ecstatic cackle. These boys truly were full of surprises.

Looking to the side, Ushug noticed something that the Eds had missed. The boys had assumed that the knights were too preoccupied to noticed Edd's little stunt. The narrow eyes of scrutiny that the captain shot them suggested otherwise. Still, Ushug laughed. Perhaps he was starting to realize what a grave mistake he had made.

The moment of reverie between the trio was interrupted when the captain's voice rose above the knights' quiet banter. He gestured between his men and firmly issued orders, leading one of the guards to stand up, grab one of the pots hanging over the fire, and march over to the cages.

"It's about time!" Eddy grunted impatiently, inching closer to the bars.

"Food! Ed hungry!" Ed pleaded, desperately watching the knight's every move.

"Now don't get overly excited, gentlemen," Edd nervously suggested. "Don't expect a homecooked meal."

Eddy waved him off, salivating as the knight approached them. "I don't care if it's last month's leftovers, as long as it's…"

SPLURCH

"…edible." Eddy's rosy dreams of steak were quickly shattered when a ladle of foul-smelling, moldy, meaty slop was plopped right in front of him. Likewise, Edd recoiled and visibly gagged when he was given his own portion, while Ed merely stared at his with vast disappointment.

"What is this?!" Eddy demanded, his hunger rapidly fading. "Did they just grind up all the organs they didn't wanna eat and cook it halfway?!"

"That is entirely plausible," Edd moaned, turning away from the horrid excuse for consumables.

"Stinky meat!" Ed complained, and considering this was coming from Ed, that said a lot.

"Sheesh, even Rolf's cooking is five stars compared to this!" Eddy continued irately, absolutely refusing to put the concoction anywhere near his mouth. Edd seemed just as hesitant to give their dinner a try, and Ed and Ushug were choking the stuff down with clear disgust, but Eddy would gladly take starvation over food poisoning, and he was getting really fed up with the people who were reducing him to those two options.

Without a second thought, Eddy scooped up the slop and chucked it at the knight who had delivered it, nailing him right in the cheek.

Edd emitted a startled cry at the sight. "EDDY-!"

"Yeah! Eat it!" Eddy shouted, ignoring his cellmate's protests. "See how you like it!"

The knight slowly, tensely turned around, scowling furiously through a faceful of mystery meat, his body shaking, his hand reaching for his hip.

"Oh…" Just like that, Eddy's bravado shattered when he realized that he was dealing with the same guard he had antagonized earlier.

In an instant, the knight whipped out his spear and thrust it between the cage bars. Eddy just barely dodged aside in time with a yelp while Edd scrambled into a corner and Ed started panicking in his personal cell. Eddy then reflexively reached up and grabbed the spear just beneath the metal tip, beginning a sort of tug-of-war with the guard that culminated in Eddy turning the spear into an awkward angle between the bars until it snapped in half. Splinters scattered to the ground. The tip flew off and landed amongst the pelts that separated the cages.

The act of defiance earned a foreign verbal thrashing from the knight so intense that the spit that hit Eddy's face almost felt acidic. The rest of the patrol was observing the squabble by then, many of them drawing their bows in case the prisoner showed further signs of hostility. The captain spoke up, pointing to Eddy, then to somewhere off to the side. Whatever order he issued, the offended knight seemed feverishly willing to comply.

"Oh, dear…" Before Edd could comment any further, another knight approached the cage and pointed a sword at him, the bladed tip an uncomfortable two inches from his throat. With his eyes on the lad, the knight blindly handed his comrade a key, which was promptly used to open the cage door.

"HA-! GAH!" Eddy tried his best to evade his captor and leap to freedom, but the knight quickly grabbed him by the shirt and started carrying him away. "YA JERK! LEMME GO! I WANNA HEAR MY RIGHTS!"

"EDDY!" Edd watched helplessly as he was locked back up and his friend was dragged towards a nearby tree. Nothing he could say would dissuade their tormentors. Knowing this only made what was about to happen that much more painful.

"NO! DON'T HURT HIM! EDDY!" Ed couldn't help but beg and plead despite the language barrier, grabbing the bars and rocking back and forth until his cage started to shake.

Eddy continued to kick and scream as he was stripped of his shirt, then pressed face-first against the tree. His arms were stretched out, then tied together so that he was awkwardly hugging the trunk, unable to let go when the knights finally stepped away. The ropes resisted his attempts to snap them or wriggle free, holding him in place as his disgruntled captor readied the whip. Edd covered his eyes with his hat. Ed wailed at the top of his lungs.

At the first CRACK, Eddy's angry shouts turned into agonized screams.

With each subsequent, ear-splitting CRACK, the shrieks intensified, growing more and more repentant and terrified.

The screams didn't even last a minute. The whip continued its horrid song, but Eddy had gone silent.

After what felt like a lifetime, the torture seemed to end. The knights grumbled amongst themselves. The sound of the cage door opening once again finally prompted Edd to open his eyes. He watched with pure horror and revulsion as Eddy was unceremoniously tossed back in with him.

"E-Eddy…!" Edd barely paid any mind to the guards as they locked the cage back up and left them alone. He simply clamored over the unmoving young man, staring in pure horror at the lacerations that thoroughly coated Eddy's back in blood. "Oh God, Eddy!"

"Speak to me, Eddy!" Ed bawled, desperately shaking his buddy's arm in the hopes of rousing him. "Eddy?! I-Is he dead, Double D?!"

"N-No… The trauma simply… rendered him unconscious," Edd sniffled, fearing the worst if the wounds were not treated, regretting the events that led Eddy to this sorry state.

Ed's lip twitched as tears streamed down his cheeks. He had entered this realm of magic and mystery with optimism, but he couldn't fathom the cruelty his friends had been put through since their arrival. "I don't like this world anymore, Double D!"

Leaning over his beaten and bleeding friend, hand resting atop Eddy's head, shedding a few angry tears of his own, Edd finally reached the same conclusion. He had witnessed firsthand how unforgiving this land was and how unwelcome they were in it. He couldn't tolerate it any longer. If he had to abandon his earthly mindset to see his and his companions' safe return to their home, then so be it.

"Don't you worry, Ed," Edd murmured darkly, his voice shaking but not cracking. "We're going to get out of here. I promise."

Ed could only think to nod in return before leaning his head against the bars and softly weeping. Edd turned away from Eddy's still form, his eyes downcast with silent fury. He briefly glanced at Ushug, the orc offering him a warm but bold stare. Then Edd tenderly reached into the scattered bits of hide, retrieving the discarded spear tip, wrapping it in a piece of fur before tucking it inside his hat.


The sun climbed high as noon rapidly approached. The company of Kadian knights had been on the road again since dawn, continuing to haul their captives on the final stretch back to the capital. Most of the barbarians in the cages had long since awoken and received their meager supply of water. All but three.

Dwennon rode alongside the caravan, staring intently at the young men riding in the back. The one in the green coat was curled up in a fetal position, his slumber clearly uneasy. The other two slept close to each other, with the boy in orange resting a hand on his rowdier companion's back. This was where Dwennon's point of interest lay…

It was subtle, barely detectable from even a modest distance, but he could plainly see a glistening silver light flowing from the meek young man's fingertips, seeping into his cohort's skin. The wounds that the little troublemaker had received from his whipping had healed substantially, replaced with fresh, pink skin and minor scabs. Seeing this left Dwennon aghast. Though he had witnessed the boy's spellcasting ability the night before, the captain was unprepared to watch him enact a healing spell of this caliber inside the anti-magic field of his kenovium cell. In his sleep, no less!

His suspicion grew stronger, but he remained stoic. After putting on such a show of confidence and superiority, Dwennon couldn't risk losing face with his troops now. Nonetheless, the coy, dangerous smirk that the orc shaman was giving him only served to fill him with rage and fear. It was taking every ounce of his power not to reach in and wipe that grin off her face.

Putting his doubts behind him for the time being, Dwennon rode his horse to the front with an air of calm diligence. He would keep an eye on the dragonhearts as best he could until they were out of his hair. Once they reached the auction, they wouldn't be his problem anymore.


Ed's eyebrow twitched slightly as he slowly opened his eyes. His tongue flopped out as he let out a deep yawn, slowly sitting up as much as the cage allowed him. It was another bright, sunny day that they would spend traveling the countryside with the caravan, but Ed was in no mood to admire the weather or greet his fellow slaves. He had more pressing concerns.

When he turned to face his pals in the adjacent cage, Ed was shocked to find one of them in a significantly better condition.

"EDDY!"

"WAH-!" Eddy jolted upright and went stiff with alarm. The hand resting on his back slid off and flopped to the cage floor, its owner still sound asleep.

"You're not all bloody anymore!" Ed cheered, grabbing Eddy's arm to examine his buddy with sweet relief.

"Hey, hey, easy, Ed!" Eddy insisted, wrenching free. "Whaddya talkin' about?"

A joyous gasp escaped Ed's throat as he looked between the two cellmates. "Double D healed you!"

It was taking Eddy a while to clear the fog from his brain. Eventually, though, he started to realize what Ed was referring to. He glanced down at the slumbering Edd, then at his own pink, scabbed back. The memory of the whip tearing into him quickly returned, eliciting a wince, but when he ran his hand over the skin, it didn't hurt in the slighted.

"Huh!" Eddy could think of no other explanation for his rapid recovery, his lips curling into a smirk as he looked down at Edd again. He turned and faced Ushug's cage. The orc woman had clearly been watching the interaction from the start, but Eddy couldn't be too bothered by this, quickly pointing between Edd and his back. "Was this really him?"

The message was clear to Ushug, who promptly answered with a grin and a nod.

"Wow!" Ed beamed with pride. "Double D is learning magic so fast!"

"Yeah. It's a wonder the kid still doubts his own brainpower," Eddy teased, leaning back into the bars as he nudged Edd with his foot. "Hey, Double D! Wake up! We still got work to do!"

"Mmhneh…" Edd stirred only slightly before lazily curling inward a few inches. "Sleepy sleepy sleepy…"

Ed sweetly tilted his head. "Aww, he tuckered himself out."

"Well, he's gonna have to tucker himself in if we're gonna get out of here!" Eddy then grabbed Edd's arm and gave him a more forceful shake. "Sockhead! Get up!"

"Wakey-wakey, Double D!"

"Ohhh…" Edd flinched and finally cracked his eyes open, only to quickly shut them again when the sunlight proved too harsh for his retinas. He gradually propped himself up on one arm, rubbing his tired eyes. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse and weak. "I've slept in terribly late, haven't I?"

"Ya sure have," Eddy replied. "Now it's time to get up and get us to freedom!"

Squinting against the light, Edd looked up at Eddy in stark confusion. He hadn't expected such a chipper mood. "E-Eddy…? Are you okay? Isn't your back…?"

"Fine." Eddy smiled and twisted his torso to show himself off to Edd. "See?"

"You fixed him, Double D!" Ed proclaimed. "You used healing magic, I'm sure!"

"I did that?" Edd mumbled raspily, dumbfounded by the sight of the wounds' unnatural healing process that he was apparently responsible for. "How could I have…? HACK-!"

The other two Eds flinched when Edd suddenly hunched up and spiraled into an uncomfortable coughing fit. Ed worriedly reached out and patted him on the back. "Are you alright, Double D?"

"Huff… Huff… My apologies…" Edd wheezed. "I'm feeling… terribly dehydrated."

"Aw…" Ed pursed his lips in a sympathetic pout. "That spell must've been hard work."

"Have these guys given us a single drop of water since they locked us up?!" Eddy grunted, inching towards the edge of the cart to peer down the line of riders. "Where's Sir Meatface? I'll make him give you a dr…"

Ed and Edd glanced at Eddy, taken aback when he trailed off. Edd slowly sat up and leaned into a corner, cautiously feeling the top of his head to ensure his little keepsake was safe inside his hat. Then he hesitantly asked, "Eddy? Is something the matter?"

"I think this is our stop."

Hearing this, Ed and Edd immediately scrambled to the opposite sides of their cages to catch a glimpse of what lay ahead.

A great stone wall rose in the distance, set against the faraway mountains, plainly viable as the woodland surroundings grew more and more sparse. Behind it stretched a second, higher wall with tapered, spire-tipped turrets at every bend. Several tall towers within the walls just barely peaked above them, displaying similar architecture. The straight path that the caravan rode upon made a clear beeline for this mighty structure.

Ushug took a look for herself, scowling with distaste. She glanced back at the Eds, pointing to the approaching city. "Lirrun."

"Lirrun…" Edd repeated in an airy murmur. "I would be fascinated to explore a thriving medieval city this closely if I wasn't so terrified for my life."

"Runnin' out of time to figure out an escape," Eddy stated matter-of-factly. "Got any plans, Double D?"

Edd raised a finger and paused to cough into his arm before replying, "Excuse me. I have given it some thought. My strategy isn't concrete and will rely heavily on circumstances, but it's the best course of action I could construct in my somewhat delirious state."

"Good enough." Eddy sat down cross-legged and boldly looked Edd in the eye. "Lay it on me."


A drawbridge lowered over a moat, the inner wall's gate was raised, and just like that, the slave caravan had arrived in the city of Lirrun. The Eds looked around with curious but cautious eyes, soaking in their surroundings. The cobblestone streets they traveled down were mostly lined with small, clay tile-roofed buildings of wood and stone, most of which appeared to be shops, inns, restaurants, and other businesses; residential areas were evidently not on their route. The city itself looked to be divided into districts, each one built higher and higher as they ventured deeper in. Towers rose in the distance like great monoliths, and at the very center of the metropolis, a grand castle of dark stone sat upon the highest hill, shining in the afternoon sun, looming above all like a greedy black dragon.

The citizens who traversed the streets sported elegant clothing befitting the upper-middle classes, with the men in comfortable-looking, form-fitting tunics, and the women in flowing, simple-pattered dresses. Many of them whispered amongst each other as they watched the company pass, their tones and expressions ranging from fear to wonder to excitement. Eddy noticed one portly gentleman grumbling to himself as he made eye contact with the shirtless lad, prompting Eddy to stick his big, green tongue out at him. Edd did his best to ignore the people's eyes and look inside the shop windows, internally questioning what sort of wares would be available in a world of magic. Ed watched a middle-aged woman in a puffy red dress approach the cart, then immediately recoil in disgust as if the young man's odor was the most abhorrent thing in the world.

The Eds did not speak a word to each other as they passed through the city. They knew their plan. There was little else to say until the time came to set it in motion.

After what felt like hours, the journey reached its end as the company arrived a large fortress within one of the inner districts. The Eds watched with bated breath as the caravan passed through the metal gate of another mighty wall, where guards gazed down at them from the sentry towers with keen eyes and crossbows at the ready. A massive courtyard rested within, incredibly spacious and disturbingly vacant. The only point of interest was the three-story complex of perfectly angular stone buildings, teeming with even more guards from the towers to the front entrance.

Once the caravan came to a halt, the knights made quick work unloading their prisoners. Soldiers lined up in two rows along the path from the carts to the entrance, each of them armed with speers, many holding large, vicious dogs by the leash. One by one, men, orcs, and a few short fellows of indeterminate race were uncaged, shackled, and forcefully ushered inside by guards. It took only a slight pause or stumble for them to earn a sharp blow from the shaft of a spear, punctuated by angry orders from the imposing guard.

In an act of foolish desperation, one particularly massive orc delivered a solid punch to the side of his captor's head, disorienting the knight long enough for him to wrench free. In almost the exact same motion, he shoved aside one of the spear-wielding soldiers, breaking the line and giving him room to sprint for the exit. The dogs were released on him in a heartbeat, tackling the screaming orc to the ground after only ten steps and ending his attempt in one fell swoop. The body was quickly removed. The bloodstains were covered in sand. No one else considered escaping after that.

The Eds were the last to be removed from their cages. Cold, chainless shackles of a familiar grey metal were clamped to their arms. Aside from some stiffness from Eddy, they showed no resistance, marching down the line at the back of this miserable parade. Eddy glared daggers at everyone he walked past. Edd kept his solemn gaze on the ground. Ed watched Ushug's back, studying her tense, disdainful posture.

Inside, the Eds found themselves in a small, shabby foyer, bearing no decor beyond the wall torches and rusty chandelier. Hallways stretched to their left, right and front, dimly lit and echoing with distant shouts and horrid cries. The soldiers were joined by a man in black, red and purple robes who promptly began a quick inspection of the trio. One of the knights communicated something to this man, and his eventual response garnered shocked reactions. Soon everyone was staring at the three, spinning them around, clicking their tongues and murmuring in curiosity. Whatever the cause for concern was, the captain quickly grew impatient with it, waving the knights off. On cue, they shoved the Eds towards the left hallway, ushering them along while still mumbling to each other.

An equally pitiful-looking room awaited them at the end of the hall. Several large basins of water stood before them, by now half-empty with the rest of their contents splashed onto the stone floor. While one soldier held each of the Eds in place, another ripped their ragged clothes off their backs without hesitation, to which Edd and Eddy finally started to whine in protest. As expected, their complaints fell on deaf ears as they were rendered nude, then forcefully dunked into the basins of soapy, lukewarm water. Be it from the invasion of their personal space, the harsh manhandling of the guards who bathed them, or a long-standing dislike of soap, the Eds' silence was effectively broken as this unwelcome cleaning procedure drew the line.

With that unpleasant process out of the way, the young men were quickly dried and given new attire in the form of plain, sackcloth tunics and sandals. They were escorted out of the room through an adjacent door, stepping into another long hallway. Here, they were reunited with the rest of the captives, still standing in a line, a chain connecting each of them by their shackles. As expected, the end of the chain was promptly hooked to the Eds' shackles, starting with Edd, then Eddy, and finally Ed.

Silence reigned for several exhausting minutes as a soldier marched down the line, inspecting the disgruntled lot and offering them a drink one at a time. The Eds' tongues were painfully dry as they impatiently waited their turn, watching him pour a meager cupful of water into each slave's mouth with envy. When the soldier finally reached them, all three greedily lapped up their share like dogs. The water was warm and somewhat foul, but they were too thirsty to care.

Once preparations were complete, a knight barked orders to the line, and immediately after shouting his final word, the chain was yanked forward and the parade began anew. The hallway led them back outside, where the caravan was gone but the guards remained, watching their every move. The slaves were guided down the road and through the gate, leaving the prison walls behind them as they rejoined the outside world. Though the bustling streets and shops were logically separate from this location, there was a small agora just down the hill where a small crowd was already gathering, and it was clear from the train of soldiers and slaves that this was their destination.

Seeing this, Eddy cast a wary glance at Edd's back and finally decided to speak. "Now or never, Double D. When are we finally gonna book it?"

Edd sighed, looking around and assessing the situation. There were soldiers on horses and drakes flanked the chain gang from a few feet away, spaced out just enough to have eyes everywhere. The dogs were no longer accompanying them, but they were clearly still armed and ready for any contingency. One knight marched a few paces behind Ed, holding the end of the chain. Being at the back of the line had its pros and cons.

Squinting his eyes, craning his neck, Edd examined the agora in the near distance. It was an open space bearing little more than a wide, rectangular stone floor, pillars at each corner, and an empty lot where the visitors kept their horses and carriages. The biggest point of interest was the stage, constructed out of wood and decorated with grandiose curtains strung between the supports and the two nearest pillars, separating the stage and the plaza itself from the barren field behind them.

"Try to hold out just a little while longer, gentlemen," Edd whispered over his shoulder. "We may yet have better luck behind those covers."

"You better be right," Eddy muttered. "I'm already too close to these slavedrivers for comfort."

"At least they didn't take Double D's hat," Ed piped up optimistically.

"That is fortunate," Edd agreed, sparing only a brief glance up at the sole remaining piece of earthly attire he had left. "It's likely that they mistook it for my hair. It wouldn't be the first time."

"Yeah, well…" Eddy scowled at the surrounding guards. "We'll see how useful that slip-up is."

Soon enough, they reached the pavilion and were lined up behind the stage curtain. As Edd had anticipated, the soldiers separated to take up a post in separate locations, leaving only about five to watch the slaves at the back. They heard a knight take the stage and address the crowd, his voice projected as if through a loudspeaker presumably through the use of a voice amplification spell. The chain jerked and the line awkwardly stumbled forward a few feet at a time as the slaves were unhooked one by one and pulled onstage. The auction had begun. It was now or never.

"Alright." Edd looked back at his companions, his expression firm, his voice shaky but resolute. "Let's proceed with Plan 14-A. Ed?"

"14-A! Aye aye, captain!" On cue, Ed tilted his head back and began to shout at the top of his lungs, "LONDON BRIDGE IS FALLING DOWN, FALLING DOWN, FALLING DOWN!"

Naturally, the commotion drew the attention of the five guards as well as a few of the slaves, Ushug included. Edd lowered his head while Eddy simply flinched from the volume.

"LONDON BRIDGE IS FALLING DOWN, AND WE ALL FALL DOWN!"

Ed raised his arms, tensing up the chain, then threw his entire body to the ground. The erratic motion threw every other slave off balance, sending them gracelessly toppling over like dominoes until there were none still standing. The guards rushed over to the fallen lot in a huff, ready to restore the order.

While everyone else around him writhed and grumbled, Edd curled inward as if in pain from the collapse –a genuine reaction to some degree– and discreetly slipped his hand inside his hat, retrieving the broken spear tip. After ensuring that no one was looming directly over him, he dug the metallic point into the lock on his shackles and started picking.

One of the soldiers grabbed the back end of the chain, tugging on it and shouting at Ed in an effort to pull the rowdy prisoner back onto his feet. Ed simply flopped around in the grass and laughed like a dope, refusing to stand. When the guard threateningly unsheathed his sword, Ed responded by moving in tandem with the next tug of the chain and kicking the blade out of his hand with a joyful cry of "Tag, you're it!"

Eddy was pulled this way and that as his companions did their erratic work on either side of him. He eventually turned away from Ed's antics to observe Edd's progress. Fumbling with the lock for ten seconds had yielded no results, quickly testing Eddy's patience.

"Yer doin' it wrong!" Eddy hissed under his breath. He stumbled forward and flopped on top of Edd, easily disguising the gesture as a failed attempt to stand up. "Gimme that!" Then he snatched the spear tip and drove it back into the lock, twisting it only a few times before the satisfying click announced that Edd was free.

Edd took a deep breath and subtly retracted his hands, looking to Eddy with eyes full of gratitude. In silence, Eddy got to work on his own shackles, releasing himself in an equally quick and concise manner. Two down, one to go.

Ed continued to playfully kick at the guard, grabbing the chain with his toes and smacking the man's breastplate with it, all while the enraged soldier fumbled to pick up his fallen sword. Seeing his opportunity, Eddy sprung to his feet and lunged at the guard, tackling him from behind and swinging the spear tip in a wide arc. The point dug into the man's cheek, slicing it open in one clean swipe.

The cries of agony quickly attracted the other guards' attention. Two of them rushed to the back and aimed their crossbows at the renegade who had injured their companion. When the bolts started firing, Eddy leaped aside, grabbed Ed, and sent them both rolling to the side and under the loose folds of the curtain. Edd was left alone, propping himself up on his shoulders and locking up in a panic.

He saw one of the knights load another bolt into his crossbow and immediately knew what had to be done.

Okay. Stay calm. Focus, Eddward. You can do this!

Edd raised his hand and pointed two fingers at the soldier's quiver. Two spikes, a swirl, then snap.

The feathery fletchings of the quarrels spontaneously caught fire, startling the soldier and sending the loaded bolt veering wildly off course. The second guard stared at the phenomenon in horror for a split second, but by the time he turned back to Edd and took aim, Eddy's hand had already reached out, grabbed Edd by the ankle, and pulled him under the curtain.

"We're good!" Eddy panted, glancing frantically between a stupified Edd and a liberated Ed. "Let's get outta here!"

With that said, the Eds scrambled beneath the wooden platform until they emerged from beneath stage right. They threw the curtain aside, hastily checked their surroundings, and finally leaped to their feet and began a mad dash away from the premises. The slave trade was behind them. Sweet freedom was within their reach.

"RUN AWAY!" Ed cried, arms flailing as he lumbered ahead at top speed.

"We did it, guys!" Eddy hollered with a triumphant grin. "We're home free!"

"Don't look back, gentlemen!" Edd panted, the fear still gripping his soul. "Don't stop until we reach the-!"

KRAPANG

"AAAAAHHHHH…!"

An ethereal force struck the Eds from behind with a deafening thunderclap. For a fleeting moment, none of them were touching the ground, their heads spinning and ears ringing as they were lost in a dizzying freefall. Their faces hit the dirt in unison, then they went utterly still.

All too soon, their arms were restrained as they were forcefully hauled upright. Their hearts sank to their feet as they found themselves face-to-face with the soldiers. Tears welled up in Ed's eyes as he realized the world of hurt they were in for. Edd's knees buckled and the urge to vomit stirred within; apologies would only go so far with people who didn't speak his language. Eddy tensed up as he stared at the partial Glasgow smile of the knight he had mutilated, less put off by the bloody wound and more startled when he suddenly recognized who it was decorating.

The wounded knight squeezed Eddy's wrist, forcing him to drop the spear tip. He picked up the bloodied weapon and chucked it into the distance with all his might. He gave the boy a hard punch to the face, his gauntlet leaving an ugly bruise and slight abrasion. Sir Meatface had clearly had enough of Eddy's antics. Irony really was a cruel mistress.

The soldiers were joined by their captain, the group barking amongst each other until the latter laid eyes on the Eds. After scrutinizing the battered, terrified trio for a few seconds, he nodded to the knights and issued them a stern order. Sir Meatface donned a demented, feverishly delighted grin as he and his comrades started to haul the Eds back towards the stage.

Ed looked to his pals, scared for his life, whimpering in a timid, absolutely pathetic tone, "Double D…? Eddy…?"

Eddy nervously stared back at them, his cheek already swollen, his eyes quickly closing as he restrained a furious scream.

Edd could only gaze ahead in complete dismay, the world around him fading as the stage became his one and only path. He couldn't fathom how quickly their circumstances had soured. Couldn't comprehend the terrible fate ahead of them. Once again, they had been whisked away from all that they knew and pulled into a world of uncertainty against their will.

Their one chance at freedom… and they failed.

And yet, the sad fact sunk in that even if they had escaped, they still would've had nowhere to go.

Once again, the Eds felt completely, hopelessly lost.

Upon returning to their starting point, the Eds were not immediately reattached to the chain. Instead, the guards circumvented the line, carrying the boys towards the staircase that would take them onstage. The auctioneer, having paused during the commotion, was once again addressing the crowd. The prisoners they walked past looked to the trio with a mix of pity and disappointment. Ed's eye quickly caught Ushug's, who expressed her own sympathy behind that firm, intelligent, wild-eyed frown he had grown so attached to.

At the bottom of the stairs, the guards hooked individual chains to the Eds' shackles, cuffing their arms behind their backs. Eddy scowled up at the accursed platform, then back at the knight form whom he had developed mutual contempt. "You're sick. You're all sick! I hope you know that!"

"What are they gonna do to us, guys?" Ed cried, squirming in place as if in a last-ditch attempt to escape. "I don't wanna be a chambermaid!"

"I don't know, Ed…" Edd choked up, too ashamed to look his dear friends in the eye. "But I want you both to know that whatever may come, whatever pain we must endure from here on out… I'm so sorry. I let you both down."

Ed and Eddy exchanged somber glances with each other before turning to Edd. "We all messed up, Double D," Eddy sighed. "Don't take it personally. We'll figure things out from here. We always do."

Before another word could be exchanged between the trio, Edd was quickly ushered up the stairs, scrambling in awkward resistance, his heart wrenching as he heard Ed wail behind him, "NO! DOUBLE D! UNHAND HIM! DOUBLE DEEEEE!"

A clumsy stumble forward, and soon Edd found himself standing before a company of well over fifty of the city's elite. He looked over the crowd with frantic eyes and shuddering breaths. There were mostly men present with only a few ladies accompanying them, all of them dressed to the nines in colorful robes, doublets, dresses, and corsets. All eyes were on him, and murmurs of intrigue rippled as they studied the young troublemaker.

The auctioneer grabbed Edd's arm, providing impromptu support before the boy's weak legs had a chance to give out. He spoke enthusiastically as he began the bidding, but the onlookers didn't immediately jump on board. Most of them didn't seem to keen on buying a slave with so little muscle. Edd's eyes flicked about as he internally questioned what would happen if no one purchased him.

After a prolonged five seconds, several patrons grunted in mild protest as one man squeezed through the crowd and stepped up front and center. He was a somewhat portly man in a purple and gold doublet, sporting sleek black hair and an angular beard. Once he'd made his presence known, he raised his hand and announced his offer. The auctioneer eagerly awaited a higher bid. None were made. Just like that, Edd had become this gentleman's property.

Edd was rushed offstage and delivered to a man in a simple tunic matching his new master's attire in color. From there, he watched as Ed was abruptly placed in the limelight. When the announcer finished his opening statement, Ed was quick to call out in desperation, "I am not a chambermaid! I am Ed!"

The crowd clearly recognized Ed's potential as a dogsbody and the bids started pouring in immediately. Among the more intense bidders was the same man who had purchased Edd, barking out offers every time someone tried to raise the stakes. Edd crossed his fingers behind his back, praying that his master was successful in keeping the trio together.

Just then, another man stepped forward with an air of confidence. He was a regal man with a long, white beard, adorned in an elegant robe of the kingdom's designated colors and a large, gold medallion. When he boldly but calmly made his offer, the auctioneer became incredibly tantalized. Edd's buyer lowered his head and groaned, but said nothing more. Ed had gone to the white-haired man.

Ed and Edd locked eyes as Ed was carried away. They tugged at their restraints, desperate to reach out to each other one last time. "Double D!"

"Don't worry, Ed! I'll find you! Somehow!"

That was all either of them could say before Ed was pushed ahead and delivered to his buyer's company of knights.

Finally, Eddy was presented. He thrashed and growled like a wild animal trying to get loose, his pupils alight with rage through his prominent black eye. This violent demeanor put most people off, but those closest to the front of the crowd noticed the blood that stained his hands and tunic, making them that much more disturbed. No one wanted a slave so unruly and dangerous.

No one except Edd's master, it seemed, who made a bid the second the floor was opened. Shortly after, Ed's buyer made a counteroffer. Then Edd's made a counter-counteroffer. The two went back and forth for a good ten seconds with no interference, fighting to one-up each other's bids until finally, the white-haired man made an offer that the black-haired fellow couldn't top. Edd's master scowled at the smug, older man for a moment, then averted his gaze and yielded.

Edd remained apprehensive as ever. He was glad that Ed and Eddy would be together at the very least, but the potential tortures this man might've had in store for them was terrifying to ponder, never mind what was going to happen to Edd now that he was being separated. The Eds' greatest strength had always been their cooperation. To lose that, to leave Edd on his own and deprive the fighter and thief of their mage, was an awful thing to contemplate.

As Eddy was dragged past, kicking and screaming all the way, Edd managed to catch his attention and silence his tantrum for a fleeting moment. "Eddy! You two look after each other! Promise me!"

Eddy sucked in a deep breath, straining to look back at Edd as the guard that led him fought to keep him facing forward. "I promise! And you stay alive, got it?!"

"Understood!" Edd nodded, letting a tear drip from his eye, watching as Eddy was reunited with Ed under the observation of their new master's guards.

As the auction proceeded, the Eds barely looked away from each other, even as the groups of purchased slaves grew denser and denser. The man who had bought Ed and Eddy was accruing an alarming number of orcs, including Ushug; a familiar face and a motherly figure to look after the duo, hopefully. While the other lords made their own hefty purchases, Edd's owner obtained a few more faces for himself, but no one's group came close in numbers to the bearded fellow's. The Eds had to swerve and crane their necks to watch each other from a distance, pretending to still be a unified trio for as long as they could.

Time became irrelevant. The auction was over before they knew it. The kingdom's elite reunited with their coachmen to survey their new slaves and bring them home. Edd witnessed swarms of guards surround Ed and Eddy's group, blocking them entirely from his field of view. Then all he saw was the hefty man who had purchased him, sending a chill down his spine that left him completely rigid. At his command, his servants started escorting his slaves into the nearest cart. Edd remained in place, barely registering the event until his master placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him along with the gentlest push he had felt that day.

The next thing he knew, Edd was sitting inside a covered wagon amongst a mixed company of seven men, orcs, and one of those short folk, all of them distant and silent with resignation. Three riders on drakes stood behind them. A fancy carriage sat before them. Edd poked his head out, catching a glimpse of Ed and Eddy's group. They were once again chained in a line and sent marching away. After a bit of looking around, the duo spotted Edd in the crowd. Ed stared at him longingly, his face awash with tears. Eddy's expression was sad but bold, silently accepting their fate. Edd nodded and raised his elbow in the best goodbye wave he could offer.

The wagon jerked and started rolling away from the agora, leaving the dreaded auction and carrying Edd and his new companions towards their new home. Ed and Eddy became little more than specks in the tangled blur of this alien world, which Edd could no longer bear to look at. He couldn't think of any way to save himself or liberate his friends. He had no idea how they would survive at this rate. All he could do was bury his face in his knees and let the cries that had been building for days overwhelm him.

This was his life now…

How Edd wished his fantasies had stayed just that.


"What're we gonna do now, Eddy…?"

"Dunno, Ed…" Eddy grumbled, his head held low as he and Ed marched up the hill at the center of the line. It seemed like they were being led back the way they came. The guards who flanked them were basically identical to the ones who had kidnapped and tortured them in the first place. What this meant, Eddy could not yet tell. "But we're not gonna stick around here, that's for sure."

Ed looked back over his shoulder, straining to see his shorter pal from this awkward position. "We gotta save Double D!"

"We will, Ed, but we gotta save ourselves first." Eddy spared a brief glance back at the agora. "Double D's smart. He'll take care of himself."

The prison that they had been initially delivered to loomed up ahead. Their new living arrangements, no doubt. Eddy donned a hard frown and exhaled sharply through his nose. "So whaddya think they'll do with us?"

"Probably the stinky jobs no one wants to do. Building big things, cleaning out sewers…" Ed flinched when a horrid thought crossed his mind. He'd seen too many stories of slavedrivers to omit many details. "What if they cut our tongues out?!"

"No way I'm lettin' 'em take my tongue! It's my best weapon!"

The moment Eddy said that, an epiphany came to him. A weapon. Which way did…?

Glancing around anxiously, Eddy suddenly spotted a patch of tall grass along the dirt road. A few blades were bent out of shape. Something tucked within faintly reflected the evening sun.

A coy smile crossed Eddy's face, fading quickly for the sake of maintaining the ruse. He checked his surroundings as discreetly as he could. Then, as he walked past, he slipped his foot into the grass and let the spear tip become wedged between his sandal and the arch of his sole. When he checked again, it seemed like no one had caught on.

A soft chuckle behind him told him otherwise. When Eddy turned around, he was greeted by Ushug. The elderly orc gave the young man a small but knowing grin, nodding once before staring ahead again, looking none the wiser. Eddy reacted with a smirk of his own. He was really starting to like this woman.

Facing forward once more, Eddy smiled at Ed's back. "Just hang in there, big guy. They don't know who they're messing with. We'll show this world what we're made of."