"Are you insane?" Two snapped, her soft voice trembling with anger. "One is trying to help us!"
"Yeah!" another added.
"You should be ashamed of yourself!"
The accusations came from all sides.
Vance said nothing.
He stood still waiting for the noise to pass like a meaningless storm.
"Everyone, calm down" One said, his tone light, controlled. "We're all still adjusting. I'm sure he didn't mean it like that."
He was trying to save Vance.
Pull him back into the group.
In a world like this, isolation meant death.
Anyone with sense would take the chance.
"Sixteen" One continued, "let's start over. Just tell us where those things are, so we can all make it out alive."
"What are you willing to pay?"
Silence.
"What?!" Seven shouted. "You selfish bastard!"
"Don't you see One is trying to save us?! What have you done, nothing!"
Vance ignored him.
His eyes remained fixed on the hidden stone figures 'they're still not moving.'
"If you want to live, tell us where they are!" Seven stepped forward in anger.
Vance finally spoke.
"The moment the sun disappears behind that mountain… I leave."
"ASSHOLE!"
Seven stormed out of the shadows.
"THUD"
A spike erupted from the ground.
"...Hrk!"
It pierced straight through his chest.
He froze.
Blood spilled from his mouth as his eyes widened in disbelief.
Silence.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Vance narrowed his eyes 'Sunlight…'
Time passed.
Slow.
Heavy.
The sun sank behind the western peaks.
Darkness crept across the valley.
"What do you want?"
The question finally came.
A faint smirk touched Vance's lips.
'They always break.
What can I take from them?
Money had no value here.
But people...
People always did.'
"I want five of you," Vance said calmly. "Five years of service."
Silence answered him.
Then
A low growl echoed through the valley.
The ground shifted.
The gravel sharpened, stretching into deadly spikes.
"Thud!" Vance dropped to his ledger, grabbing onto a stone spike as the ground beneath him turned slick.
People slipped.
Fell.
Screamed..
Then didn't.
The terrain had changed.
Day, movement means death. Night, the ground too sharp to walk on.
Vance tightened his grip as sweat formed on his palms.
"Grrrr" His stomach growled.
"I'll do it."
The voice cut through the silence.
Vance's ledger flared to life.
Golden light spilled from its pages.
Chains transparent and glowing shot outward, binding him and the speaker.
The book fell open.
Its pages flipped violently, then stopped.
Words formed.
Not on the page.
But in their minds.
-------------------
*******CONTRACT: TIME-BOUND SERVITUDE*******
Owner: Vance Grave
Contractor A: Vance Grave
Contractor B: Jennifer Lez
~~~~~Terms & Conditions~~~~~
1. Contractor A will provide the location of the Stone Beasts.
2. In exchange, five individuals among the survivors will serve Contractor A for five years.
3. Contractor B agrees to obey all commands from Contractor A for the duration of the contract.
4. Contractor A cannot issue commands that are clearly lethal (as perceived by Contractor B).
5. Dangerous tasks are permitted—even if they result in injury—so long as they do not violate Rule 4.
~~~~~Violations~~~~~
If Contractor A fails to provide the information → contract is void.
If Contractor B refuses a valid command → Contractor A may claim stats, skills, or equivalent compensation.
******To accept, state: "I understand."****
-------------------
Vance smiled "I understand."
Jennifer froze.
This was madness.
On Earth, this deal would be insane.
But here?
Information meant survival.
She looked around.
At the bodies.
At the darkness.
At the spikes.
Then she spoke.
"…I understand."
The chains tightened.
Wrapping around her heart.