Chapter 3 Part 6

It was about half an hour after he had left the camp when Tyson stepped into a clearing and found Axlea talking to a man in armor, who was wearing a broadsword strapped to his side. Axlea waved him over. Tyson, noticing that his retreat had been effectively cut off by more soldiers, walked over and joined the two men's conversation.

"Tyson," Axlea said presenting the soldier to him, "this is General Kana of the Serpentine Dynasty, Commander of the Host of House Blackheart and military advisor to the Firstborn of the Godking, our Lord."

"General," Axlea continued, "allow me to present the most honorable Tyson, retired grandmaster of the Brotherhood Order of Dragons and an archmage of great renown in his own realm."

Tyson bowed slightly showing respect for the soldier's office. "A good day to you, general," he said.

Axlea appeared pleased with himself as he spoke to the general on the monk's behalf. "Tyson here has spoken to me and has expressed a desire to ally himself with our master," he informed the general.

"Yes," added Tyson. "Since our arrival in your world, I have concluded that our chances of returning to our own realm are far from favorable. The law of survival seems to dictate that I should befriend the powerful and earn my safety by serving one such as your master."

The general seemed impressed. He had been told to destroy all members of the party, but one. Obviously this was the man. The Firstborn had chosen him to make decisions concerning just such occurrences. To return one of his lord's enemies to him alive and a willing slave would be a prize indeed. Even if the master was to kill Tyson personally, he could certainly extract such information that would make the effort worthwhile. But Kana was no fool. He found it hard to accept that one of such power would betray his fellows so quickly or eagerly.

"Of course, gentle sir," Kana offered his hand to Tyson, "we would welcome you as one of our fellow servants of the Firstborn. But I can not assure you of his acceptance of your selfless offer of service."

Tyson knew that this was the most risky part of his actions. In the next minute, he would either be dead by the general's hand or he would be accepted as a servant to the greater powers of this world. In time, he believed, he could rise to a position of power and perhaps even earn the gratitude of the Godking.

After a slight hesitation, Tyson took the general's offered hand. He briefly thought he heard the voice of a former friend in the distance, but immediately shut it from his mind. He broke all ties of loyalty with them that night in the village, when Tyson had been caught shadowing Axlea by the guide's own men. Tyson had renounced his longtime friends, not to save himself, but to secure a place for himself in the new order of House Blackheart. He had been bound and taken before a white-haired, highly influential agent of the Serpentine Dynasty. It was there that he was offered his life and a favored position for his aid in getting Axlea into the party's midst without suspicion. Tyson was sure that he could have blasted his way out of the situation, but then he remembered what Ultrecht had said about the longer they stayed the less chance they had of returning. Tyson didn't like the odds, so he decided to change them to odds that suited him better. He had looked out for number one.