Midas's eyes widened with shock.
'He doesn't know what a player is? But... I thought that he was from this world. Shouldn't all beings a part of this world have been informed of this... game?' Midas thought to himself, confused.
He understood that he was still uninformed about many things regarding this 'game' and also this world in general.
Still, he wanted to have precedents so that he wasn't totally lost. Realizing why or how Dorian didn't know what a player was would grant him some mental peace, since this would go against even what the system preached.
Now, a flash of words appeared in his mind for a second.
"The inhabitants of Fell-Terra have been given a single command by the gods: Kill or conquer the intruders."
'That's what the system told me when I first landed on this island... was it a lie?'
"You don't know?" Gool spoke up, "Well... I suppose it makes sense."
Midas raised an eyebrow, glancing at Gool, 'It makes sense?' He thought.
"You have been summoned, right? Summoned by... him, I imagine." Gool looked at Midas when he said this.
"Indeed." Dorian turned to face Midas and smiled lightly, his eyelids narrowing, "But it was more of a seal that was broken, rather than a summoning power he cast himself. Truth be told, my return was meant to be much grander."
Dorian's eyes moved slowly through the canopy of trees as he continued to speak.
"Halls of warriors should have screamed my name. Beauties from all seven empires should have been at my disposal. Delicacies from Elmrahel to Kyphas should have been presented to me on a long table with many important heads. And most of all... the one who understands the purpose of God should have been right beside me..."
Midas's face scrunched up with confusion, "W-what are you saying? Is that what you expected? Is that why you screamed so loud when you were first summoned?" He barely even understood what Dorian was talking about.
However, he did note from that statement that there were seven empires on Fell-Terra according to Dorian, and that two of the seven were named 'Elmrahel' and 'Kyphas.'
"Expecting?" Dorian replied, "No... that was what was promised to me. But I stand here today to find nothing of the sort." His face was shadowed with what looked to be concern.
"Just what happened... in the years I was gone?" Dorian exclaimed, shaking his head.
"I've heard you say that it's been a long time since you've returned. How long exactly are we talking here? Just how many years has it been since you last saw the light of day?" Midas quickly retorted, curiosity bugging him.
Dorian didn't have any ill reaction.
"Two thousand and twelve years to the day," Dorian replied firmly.
Gool and Midas's jaws dropped to the floor.
"2012 years you said!?" Gool screamed, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, "You are older than old! You should be a fossil right now!"
Midas was no less at a loss, "Two thousand? So how old exactly are you?"
"Haha!" Dorian chuckled, "I am two thousand and ninety-nine years old in total. Without the seal, I've breathed the air of 87 true years."
At this precise moment, a peaceful silence fell over the area.
Midas was staring at the ground. Eventually, Gool and Dorian glanced over at him.
Dorian raised an eyebrow, as if confused and interested at the same time.
"Knowledge..." Midas muttered, finally looking up and facing Dorian, "Tell me, please, what do you know of this world? Of its powers... Of its beasts and landscapes. I want to know all that you are willing to tell me." Midas spoke with steely eyes.
He knew that he was asking for quite the favor here, but after everything that had happened, he was willing to risk any consequences.
This brute had taken over his home and even threatened to kill him.
Surely a couple of questions wouldn't lead to anything crazy...
"Oh?" Dorian's raised eyebrow raised even higher as a smirk appeared on his face, "Giving orders, are we?"
"Orders!?" Midas's steely eyes immediately melted away, "Not at all," He rubbed his hands together while smiling, "I am just humbly asking for information. After all, people say knowledge is power for a reason."
Midas had no clue if this was a saying on Fell-Terra, just like it was on Earth, but he was willing to risk being confident in this situation.
If it were a saying, it would only land him more points of persuasion.
"Knowledge is only power to those who take action and use it. Who's to say you will live up to that demand?" Dorian retorted, "Right now, I am more concerned about what a player is." He glanced at Gool again.
Midas's eager eyes dulled, 'Rejected...' Then, his eyes also moved to the goblin.
'A player...' Midas said in his head, pausing.
"A player?" Gool began to speak, "A player is--" He was interrupted.
"Wait!" Midas suddenly shouted, "Don't tell him what a player is yet."
Gool closed his mouth and looked at Midas, "W-what?"
Dorian looked past his shoulder at Midas, "Don't overstep your role, boy." He said in a cold tone.
"You hate this guy, right? He violated you!" Midas exclaimed, "Why should you give him information for no reason? For no benefit?"
Gool furrowed his eyebrows and stared at Dorian, "Ya' know what? You're right! Screw that! Hmph!" He closed his eyes and faced the side, deciding to remain silent.
Just then, Midas began to hear the rattle of small pebbles tapping against the ground.
'Oh shit...' He said inwardly with dread, knowing this was what happened before Dorian was first summoned.
"Let's make a deal..." Midas managed to say with confidence, even though he was shaking with fear inside.
Dorian turned to face him directly, "Fine."
Midas's eyebrows raised with surprise. However, Dorian's next words quickly shut that excitement down...
"I know what you want... and I don't dislike deals. I'll give my knowledge in exchange for yours." He paused, throwing three fingers into the air, "Three questions. You get to ask me just three questions about anything you want, and I will answer them. This will guarantee me the knowledge of what a player is. However, afterward, I will also ask you just one question. If you are not able to answer it, I will kill you on the spot." He grinned.
Midas gulped, 'So... he's making my death a game. He will most likely ask something that is impossible to answer.'
"I may be harsh, but I am no coward. My word is true." Dorian licked his teeth.
Midas exhaled.
'Should I accept such a deal? I get only three questions, and he gets to potentially end my life... it doesn't seem fair at all.'
He paused.
'However...' A small smirk appeared on Midas's shadowed face. 'The fact that I can ask any question at all is a big benefit for me.' His eyes narrowed with a brave look, 'If I navigate this correctly, I can surely come out as victor.'
Dorian grinned, "Ask away!" He sat down in the air--a chair made of iron materializing below his rear. He raised his right leg and placed it on top of his left knee, leaning back like a king while looking at Midas with a raised chin.
"Give me your best shot."