Reborn 1-5

by D. W. Jackson

“Thanks,” Ash said, rolling his eyes and internally sighing.

  After Ash picked up the dropped items and absorbed the remaining two tuskers, he returned to the camp to sleep. Looking over at Zelan who was already resting, Ash had the urge to kick him a few times, but held back, knowing that if he even tried it he would wish he had died a hundred time over. With a defeated sigh, Ash crawled into his blanket and tried to get comfortable on the hard ground.

  Early three days later, Ash caught his first glimpse of the city of Talam. From a distance Ash could tell that Talam was far smaller than Tellian. Tellian had at least a hundred thousand people, while Talam had at most twenty thousand. Still it was larger than the village he had started in and at the moment any sign of civilization was a sight for sore eyes.

  When they were about a mile from the city Zelan turned down a side road. “Where are you going?” Zelan asked as Ash stood, his eyes switching between Zelan and the city. “I thought our goal was the farm not the city?”

  “It is, I just thought we could gather supplies and information in the city,” Ash replied quickly.

  “No need,” Zelan scoffed. “We have plenty of supplies and you are going there to buy a slave. The little information you need in this situation can be gathered at the location. If you start asking questions around the town, it could cause unneeded suspicion to arise.”

  “Yes master,” Ash said after giving the city a final longing look.

  “We can visit the city after we have completed out task if you miss it that much,” Zelan said with a veiled smile.

  Ash didn’t reply, but he quickened his pace and caught and walked beside Zelan. Zelan always left Ash confused. He never spoke much, unless they were training and most those words were taunting. It was as if Zelan existed to give other people a hard time. The few times Zelan did speak outside of training though, his words were encouraging but lukewarm.

  While Ash was trying to figure out Zelan, large fields came into view. Dozens of people worked on each plot of land. Some of the fields had crops growing in them while others were being worked and planted with mid-summer crops. All the workers that Ash saw were men of the beast tribe.

  Men of the beast tribe were known for their stamina and strength, making them perfect for physical labor. Looking around, Ash didn’t see any marks of mistreatment on the slaves, which gave him hope, but not seeing one female bothered him. “Where are they keeping the females?” He asked as he looked around again.

  “Most female slaves work in or near the house. Sometimes they also are kept for breeding, but that doesn’t work well with those of the beast tribe. Unlike humans, the beast tribes are mostly matriarchal. It seems that whenever a male was in charge of a tribe, it always ended with bloodshed,” Zelan added with a laugh as if he were telling a joke.

  Not understanding why Zelan was laughing, Ash just coughed and looked toward the two-story house in the distance.

  Once they reached the house, Ash got his first glimpse of the females of the beast tribes. He didn’t know who belonged to what tribe, but they were all beautiful. Some had long floppy ears, some had short pointed ears, and some had small rounded ears. Their tails also varied greatly, but no matter where he looked he didn’t see one that matched Yuki.

  The women were doing laundry, carrying eggs, and carrying for animals. Seeing a tall woman with large bunny ears and a small fluffy tail feeding chickens instantly made Ash want to buy her, but he forced his attention away with a blush.

  “Sir’s, can we help you?” A young girl with large pointed silver ears and hair asked in a demanding voice. Unlike the other women, the one in front of him, along with the two behind her wore swords on their waist. Looking at them, it was obvious that they were guards.

  “We wish to see your master about buying a slave,” Ash replied nervously.

  “Understood,” she said, looking at the emblem on his chest. “I will need your names.”

  Ash and Zelan gave their names and one of the three armed guards disappeared into the house while the other two continued to watch them. Standing under the watchful eye of the two guards, Ash didn’t dare look around. Zelan on the other hand didn’t seem bothered at all and was looking around and openly staring at the women.

  “The master will see Sir Ash, but he has asked that your companion wait outside,” the guard said upon returning.

  “Go ahead, if you run into trouble these three will hardly take a moment to cut through,” Zelan said unbothered.

  The look of the three guards intensified as they gripped the hilts of their swords, but at the same time, Ash noticed that their hands shook slightly. Looking at Zelan, he remembered how Emelia acted the first time she had met him. “Were the seven swords guild so dangerous,” Ash asked himself as he was led inside the house.

  3-4

  Ash found himself standing in a large room facing a single man. As soon as he was ushered into the room, the guard escorting him quickly left. The other man in the room was sitting behind a large square desk. The man was in his early thirties with thinning dusky brown hair.

  “Nice to meet you Mr. Ash I am Kenneth Jordan,” the man said while floating a thin smile. “My guard said that you wish to buy a slave. I do keep a large number, but I am not a slave trader so can I inquire the reason you sought me out?”

  “I am looking for a particular slave,” Ash said, butting straight to the point of his visit. “I am looking for a woman belonging to the fox tribe that you purchased a few months back.”

  “Ah! You mean Shina,” Kenneth said nodding his head. “I am sorry, but I have no reason to sell her.”

  “Sir I…” Ash started to say but was cut off when Kenneth raised his hand.

  “I am sure you have a good reason, but I need workers and she has just started to show progress, but I might change my mind for the right price,” Kenneth said with an odd glint in his eye.

  “No matter how much it costs I will pay it,” Ash said in a rush.

  “I am not talking about gold,” Kenneth said, as his fingers brushed across a copper emblem pinned to his tunic. “Just like you, I am a gambler. Do you happen to know what a gambler’s game is?”

  “It’s not surprising that you don’t,” Kenneth continued when Ash didn’t immediately answer. “Most don’t learn about it until they reach the intermediate level. The gambler’s game is the reason that our guild has three members currently in the top ten spots of world powers. It is also the reason that many gamblers die young. It is a game that only gamblers can play and instead of gold we bet out stats.”

  “Tring.”

  [You have learned the skill gambler’s game.]

  While Kenneth continued to talk Ash Quickly checked his skill page.

  [Gambler’s game (active). Cost 100 MP. Call of The gambling god using your stats as chip to play against another gambler. Can only be used against those of the same rank or higher. Can only be used once every six months. Time until next use 0 days. Level-Max.]

  “Why don’t we try a practice version of the game,” Kenneth said as he pulled out a thick deck of cards. After shuffling, Kenneth placed five cards face down in front of Ash then himself. “The person who is challenged has the first bet. Each game has five rounds and the loser of the previous round gets the bet after the first hand. For fun, let us say that I bet one chip which would amount to one status point. After betting, the person who didn’t bet can flip over one card… Go ahead.”

  As instructed Ash flipped over a single card showing a four.

  “The cards are numbered from one to ten. There are a total of seventy five cards in each deck; 1 number 10, 2 number 9’s, 4 number 8’s, 5 number 7’s, 7 number 6’s, 8 number 5’s, 10 number 4’s, 11 number 3’s, 12 number 2’s, and 15 number 1’s. Now that you have flipped over a card, it is my turn,” Kenneth added and flipped over a number 3. “In this case, my number is lower and I can let it end here, but if I wish to pay the same amount as the bet, I can flip over another card,” Kenneth added flipping over a number 5. �
��But if I do then you get to flip over a card as well for free.”

  Ash flipped over a number 6. “Once the person losing agrees, then the round is over and the next one can begin. Do you understand the rules?” Kenneth asked.

  “Yes,” Ash replied nodding his head.

  “I can’t challenge you since you are a rank below me, but if you challenge me then I promise to give you the slave…We can call it a gift from a superior.”

  Ash may not have heard of the game before, but it was easy to see what Kenneth was doing. Ash could analyze him, but it wouldn’t show anything since he was a much higher level, but it didn’t really matter. It was for sure that his stats were much higher than his. In a game like this, luck was key and Kenneth believed that he would surely win. The thing Kenneth didn’t know was that Ash had a cheat ability that turned his luck into the same of that of someone over twice his level, but still Ash didn’t know if it was enough. Bighting his lip, Ash looked at the other man. “I challenge you,” Ash said, activating the skill.

  As soon as he spoke a dazzling gold light shot from Ash’s chest and five cards appeared in front of each of them, along with a large stack of chips the same size. “126 chips not bad,” Kenneth said with a wry grin. “Since I have first bet, I think I will go with an even hundred.”

  Ash face paled upon hearing the amount. “Don’t hate me too much. Thanks to a mistake when I was younger, I lost a lot of stats. Just think of this as a learning experience and at your age and level a hundred points isn’t too hard to come back from.”

  As Kenneth pushed the chips to the center of the table, the same number of chips were taken from his own stack. Thinking of a quarter of his stats gone, Ash couldn’t help but shake, as his hand hovered above the five cards in front of him. As his hand passed slowly over the second card, he felt an odd feeling in his gut and again as his hand passed over the fifth card though a bit stronger. Saying a silent prayer Ash flipped over the fifth card and nearly screamed when he saw a seven.

  Kenneth grunted and Ash could see large beads of sweat pouring from his forehead. Kenneth moved his hand slowly with his index finger running across the top of the cards. After the fourth pass, Kenneth turned over his third card to show a five. “Fu**,” Kenneth said, slamming his fist against the table. “Ability charge,” Kenneth said and a large red chip three times the size of the other fell from the sky and rested atop the others.

  “Tring.”

  [Your opponent has used the skill ability charge. This allows him to bet one of his abilities at the cost of a hundred chips.]

  After the chip fell, Kenneth turned over his fourth card displaying another five.

  Gritting his teeth Ash moved his hand back to the second card in front of him and flipped it over displaying a six. At the same time Ash was overwhelmed with happiness Kenneth cursed and slammed his fist down on the table again. “Looks like you have good luck, it’s my loss,” Kenneth said, hanging his head. As soon as Kenneth admitted his loss, the chips disappeared and reappeared on Ash’s side. Seeing a hundred chips appear on his side, Ash couldn’t hide his smile.

  “Don’t be too happy, there are four more rounds,” Kenneth warned. “I will bet ten chips.”

  With five new cards, Ash ran his hand over the cards and once again he felt a tingling sensation when his hand passed over the fourth card. Flipping it over Ash felt his stomach clinch when he noticed a four. Kenneth laughed and flipped over his fifth card displaying a six. “I lose,” Ash said quickly, not wanting to risk more stats.

  “Your bet,” Kenneth replied after five more cards appeared.

  “I bet one,” Ash said pushing a single chip across the table.

  “Playing it safe, not much of a gambler’s spirit,” Kenneth replied with a deep sigh. Kenneth ran his finger over the tops of his cards four times before flipping over the first card displaying a two.

  Seeing such a low number Ash wanted to laugh, but held it back. Just as before Ash ran his hand across his cards and felt the same tingling sensation on the second card, but passed it by and picked the third card displaying a three.

  Kenneth pushed another chip across the table and flipped over another card displaying a four. Ash quickly followed by flipping over the second card exposing a five. Kenneth cursed and pushed over another chip and flipped over another two. Ash followed it and flipped over a two as well. “I lose,” Kenneth said in a muffled voice.

  “I will bet ten again,” Kenneth said, pushing the chips across the table.

  Once again Ash ran his fingers across the cards and flipped over the last car showing a nine. Kenneth let out another muffled curse as he flipped over a seven. “I lose,” Kenneth said as he rubbed his forehead.

  “Last round and as much as I want to bet everything left, I will restrain myself and bet five,” Kenneth said with a heavy voice.

  Ash held back his smile as he thought about the huge gain he had made. Even if he lost this hand, that was still over ninety stat points, equaling over twenty levels. Running his hand over the cards, Ash felt even happier as he felt the tingling in his chest over the first, third, and fourth card. Smiling Ash flipped over the first card exposing a six.

  Kenneth looked at the six with hate filled eyes and flipped over his second card showing a five. Quickly pushing over five chips Kenneth flipped over another card showing a seven and his face was suddenly showing a smile. Ash quietly cursed and flipped over third card exposing another seven. Kenneth pushed five more chips over and turned over a two and began banging on the table.

  Ash feeling bad wanted the game to end and flipped over the next card exposing a ten. “I lose,” Kenneth said hanging his head.

  “Tring.”

  [You have won +12 strength, +16 vitality, +17 agility, +21 stamina, +4 spirit, +7 intelligence, +8 endurance, +33 luck, and the stealth ability (active).]

  “Tring.”

  [You have been awarded the gutsy gambler title. +1 to all stats. When gutsy gambler is equipped luck +5.]

  “Tring.”

  [Gambler’s boost gained one level.]

  Ash was amazed. One game had earned him more than months of training it was almost a cheat. Checking his abilities page.

  [Stealth: Cost 20 MP. Erase your presence from enemies any movement cancels the ability.]

  [You have gained the skill gambler’s boost (passive) .2% boost to all other stats for each 1 point in the luck attribute. Level 2]

  “Looks like the god of luck must have seen through me,” Kenneth said dispirited. “Take this as a lesson, though I never believed in it. My master often said that using the gambler’s game skill unfairly would always backfire.” As he said this, Kenneth lifted a small golden bell and rung it. A few moments later the guard entered the room. “Fetch the slave Shina, she is a fox tribe girl.”

  The guard bowed and left the room. “While we wait, why don’t we talk one gambler to another?”

  “Sure,” Ash said as the guilt of taking so much made his stomach churn.

  Seeing his face Kenneth laughed. “Don’t feel bad and if you do, don’t show it. We are gamblers and the gambler’s game is the ultimate form of our spirit, by putting on life on the line. I feel bad about losing, but that’s my problem not yours. If I was to take it out on you, then the whole guild would descend on me.”

  “The guild would?” Ash asked, a little curious as he still didn’t know much about the guild he had joined.

  “I see they still like to leave you on your own until you either reach intermediate or you happen to attend one of the guild competitions. Anyone can join the guild, but not everyone can stay in it. People who cheat, or give the guild a bad name are disposed of. While I am at it, let me give you a warning. Never use the gambler’s game unless you know your opponent. While I can’t retaliate against you, if I had followers then they would be free to challenge you. There are many cases where a person has been reduced to an invalid from this.”

  “Are you going to do that?” Ash asked suddenly nervous.

>   “No,” Kenneth said laughing. “What would be the point? I may not have been the one to challenge you, but it was I who proposed the challenge. Luck just wasn’t on my side today.”

  “How often do challenges occur?” Ash asked.

  “A few every year, but not as many as you would think. It has great gains, but as you can see is very dangerous as well. With one game, a person can double their strength or loose it all, but as tempting as it is, most people just aren’t willing to take the risk. Even when they do, it’s hard for them to bet everything.”

  “The ability you used…How did you get it?” Ash asked remembering the large red chip.

  “That was a skill you will get once you reach level thirty. To use it, you have to have an ability and the current bet has to be more than you have available so it can only be used to flip over an extra card.”

  Suddenly a knock came at the door. “Enter,” Kenneth said lightly.

  As the door opened, a woman with red hair and ears just like Yuki entered the room followed by the guard. Looking at the young woman, Ash couldn’t believe that she was Yuki’s mother since she didn’t look over sixteen. She was shorter than him and only about six inches taller than, Yuki but what stood out the most was her chest which nearly spilled out of her tight shirt.

  “You called for me master?” Shina asked in a quiet voice.

  “Yes,” Kenneth said as he pulled out a piece of paper and began writing on it. “This man is your new master.”

  “Master,” She said bowing to Ash. From the way she carried herself, the look on her face, and the sound of her voice, Ash could tell that she was unhappy, though he couldn’t tell if it was because her master changed or another reason.

  “Take this to a slaver in town and her slave mark will be changed to you,” Kenneth said, passing Ash the sheet of paper he had been writing on.

  Ash took the paper and folded it and acted like he was placing it in his bag while putting it in his inventory. “Then I should go, I have a friend waiting on me,” Ash said bowing to Kenneth.

  “Come back anytime,” Kenneth said with a warm laugh. “It is always nice to spend time with another gambler, though next time I think I will stick to gambling with gold.”