Slop

Walking down the road, the camp could be seen in the distance. Savina kept a distance from the old man as she walked along.

"Hey, Neia?"

Turning her head, Savina looked at Rio. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Are you really sure you've never met that guy, Tushin? I hate to sound like a broken record, but you went so pale when you saw him." Rio asked.

Shaking her head, Savina shrugged. "It's nothing, and I'm fine now. You don't have to worry about me so much, you know."

"Sure I do, Iseul told me that you joined our party. We're family now, whether you like it or not." Rio shot back, resting his hands on the back of his head.

"Family… When was the last time I had been a part of a family…" Savina's mind raced back to her first life, with friends she was so close to, they said they would follow her to hell and back. Friends as strong and as capable as her that when she became queen, she made them a part of her court..."

Savina's memory flashed back to what happened to her court the day she died, shaking her head, Savina wanted to change the subject. "So, Rio. You have a system and aren't a Champion? How does that work?"

"Oh, it's simple, really. Since I'm not a Champion but am in a Champion's party, I gain access to a version with fewer features, but it's still quite handy. It should be the same system you have access to."

"Yeahhh, the same one I have access to. Totally. Anyway, what should we do once we reach the camp?"

Glancing to Savina, Rio shrugged. "I don't know. Rest, see if they have any food we can eat. See if we can-" Glancing at the old man, Rio continued in a hushed voice as he leant closer to Savina. "See if we can leave the old man with them, he gives me the creeps."

Leaning closer to Rio, Savina nodded. "He's been giving everyone the creeps, how come you've been so nice to him."

"Oh come on, being nice to people is a nice thing to do."

"Halt!"

Looking up, Savina and Rio realized they had reached the camp.

"Who are you lot?" One of the men stationed at the edge of the camp asked, his hand moved to grip his sword.

"We're nothing to be worried about." Rio responded, putting his hands up, "Tushin told us to come here. He told us to make ourselves at home and that he'd be back by sunset."

Eyeing the party, the man nodded. "That sounds like our captain." He sighed. "Ok, if he said so. If you're hungry, pass by the mess-tent, it's the large tent in the middle of camp. There are some beverages and slop if you want any, and if you want a place to stay, we've got a few spare tents that we pitch in case we need them."

"That's very thoughtful, thank you." Rio happily responded. Savina and Iseul nodded to the man as they passed.

Walking further into the camp, Rio saw that the mess-tent stood in the middle of the camp, it was surrounded by a few dozen smaller tents.

"New plan," Turning to the party, Rio pointed to the mess-tent. "Let's get something to eat, I'm starving."

~~

Staring at the slop in their hands, Savina and Rio looked at each other.

"Well." Picking some up with a spoon, Savina cringed as it plopped off of the spoon, splatting back into the bowl. "I guess it lives up to its name."

"It has a name?" Rio asked, hesitant to put the spoon anywhere near his mouth.

"The great slop of the Western Front…" Savina muttered. "They use the remains of the Beasts they kill to make it. I've heard it's got a high nutritional value. What do you think Iseul?"

Sat next to them, Iseul had pushed his helmet up to reveal his mouth. Without hesitation, Iseul was shovelling the slop into his mouth.

Staring at him, Rio winced. "Of course, this wouldn't phase you. I mean." Looking back at the slop, Rio looked at it closer. "I guess it doesn't look too bad when you squint."

"I mean, I guess-" Looking at Rio, Savina stared at him. Rio had closed his eyes, so he didn't have to see the slop. "Hey, Rio."

"Yes, Neia?" He responded, trying to ignore the slop in his hands.

Lightly slapping him over the back of the head, Savina shouted. "If you're going to look at it, you should keep your eyes open!"

Laughing, Rio opened his eyes. "Ok, ok. Fine, bottoms up."

Moving the spoon closer to his lips. Loud voices behind him, an intoxicated soldier roughly bumped into Rio's back.

Dropping his bowl onto the floor. Rio grit his teeth, turning around to face the soldier. "Hey! What the hell? I had just built up the courage to eat that slop." Rio shouted, annoyed at the soldier, who staggered as he tried to regain his balance.

Looking at him, the soldier laughed. "Oh ho, what's that, you think you're some kind of tough guy." Burping, he took a step closer, getting into Rio's face. "What are you gonna do about it, you're not even supposed to be here."

"The hell's your problem?" Rio asked, balling his fists. "You bumped into me dumbass."

Walking over, Iseul tapped the man on the shoulder.

"What-?" As the man turned to look at Iseul, Iseul brought his fist up, planting a right hook into the man's jaw.

As the man fell backwards from the hit, Rio sighed. "Iseul. That was really unnecessary."

Shrugging, Iseul went to sit back down.

Standing back up, the man Iseul had just knocked over put his hands up. "Oh, what's that." His speech slurred, partly from the alcohol, partly from just being punched in the jaw. "You like them cheap shots, do ya. How's this for a cheap shot." Pulling his arm back, the man attempted to swing at Rio, only for him to step out of the way.

Sticking his leg out, the man tripped over Rio's leg. "Would you just calm down? It's not like I asked Iseul to punch you."

As the man got up a second time, a group of soldiers began to surround the two of them, obviously there to watch the fight.

Watching this, Savina sighed. "I guess it's not every day they get to see a fight that doesn't end in someone dead."

Sidestepping a second punch, Rio tripped the man a second time. "There is literally no way you're going to land a hit on me, just give it up."

"Hey, Rio!" Savina shouted over the voices. "Iseul and I are going to go and find a tent to stay in, come find us when you're done, ok?"

Watching Savina and Iseul walk away, Rio looked around. "You're not going to just leave me in this mess?"

As Iseul waved to Rio. Savina held a thumbs up in his direction. "We believe in you buddy!"

Distracted from the drunk soldier, Rio was caught unawares as the man tackled him into the dirt.

~~

Having found an empty tent, Savina and Iseul picked out their bunks, which they were now lying on.

Iseul had fallen asleep a within few minutes prior. Taking time to look at the system, Savina thought about how she had never really given the system much thought before.

Looking at her stats screen again, Savina saw that new things had been added to it since she had last seen it before the elves kidnapped her.

Information Screen:

Name: Savina Estia

Age: 24 (56)

Champion of Wisdom

Stats:

Agility: 35

Strength: 28

Endurance: 31

Mana: 200

Skills:

Unique skill - Violet fire

Firepit

Nova

Minor Trauma Resistance lvl 2

Champion skills - locked

Leaning on her arm, Savina tried to think why her Champion skills were locked.

"So when I opened those last two packages on the slaver's ship, the Fallen Queen package must have contained Violet fire, Firepit and Nova, and those Champion skills must have been given to me from the Champion of Nama package." Staring at the words 'Champion skills - locked', Savina furrowed her brow. "Why would they be locked." She muttered, looking at a second window she had opened, Savina reread the last message she had received from Nama.

Nama: 'I'm going to be out of contact for a few days, so stay safe <3'

"Out of contact… I hope she's back soon. I need help figuring out what this all means." Savina groaned.

Hearing a new notification, Savina quickly turned to read it.

Iseul: 'I can help if you want.'

"Iseul." Looking at him, Savina cocked her head to the side as Iseul propped himself up on his arms. "I thought you went to sleep."

Hearing the ping, Savina turned to read his message.

Iseul: 'It's hard to sleep when all I can hear is you muttering to yourself. What do you need to know?'

"That's my bad, sorry for keeping you up, Iseul." Looking back to the Information Screen, she pointed to the Stats. "I don't understand what these numbers mean? I know what the words are agility, strength, endurance, mana but what do these words mean?"

Taking a moment to consider, Iseul answered.

Iseul: 'It's quite simple really. The numbers determine your strength in that field. If you've got a lot of points in Agility, it means you're fast. Strength, means you are strong. Endurance, it means you can take a lot of hits before going down. But to be fair, you're kind of an idiot if you didn't see that coming, and last but not least. The amount of points you have in mana determines how many skills you can use before needing a break, and it also determines how powerful your magic skills are.'

Nodding along, Savina felt like she should be taking notes. "I see, I see. That makes so much sense. And you're right, I sure feel like an idiot for not realizing that."

Rubbing his helmet, Iseul took a deep breath in before exhaling.

Iseul: 'When are you going to tell Rio? About you being a Champion, about how you do know Tushin, because of how you're actually Savina."

Lying back in her bunk, Savina gently chewed on her thumb. "I wonder how Rio's doing."

Hearing someone trudge up to the front of the tent. Rio stepped through the entrance, his clothes covered in dirt.

Breathing heavily, Rio flapped his arms, trying to get the dirt off of them. "The next time one of you leaves me to fistfight a drunk soldier alone- I'm going to punch you."