The soldiers blocked the road to Ingrid and Raen.

─What do we have here? ─said one of them ─. Oh! But if ain't the stupid kid that faced a dragón.

<<Is it really necessary to add the "stupid"?>> thought annoyed the boy in question.

─What were you thinking lad? You're too skinny ─ask one soldier.

─You have a lot of guts, kid ─spoke the third man.

─I had no choice, the dragon attacked my city.

─And where exactly is that, you brat? ─a forth imperial arrived, it was Sennet, the popular commander among the women in town. The prince hadn't thought about a hometown to add into his lie, so he kept quiet.

─He doesn't remember! ─Ingrid intervine ─. My uncle says he suffers amnesia on some things about his past.

─Really? ─he put his arm around her ─. How convinient don't you think? ─she was uncomfortable and little blushed with the imperial so close to her.

─Could you step aside? Ingrid is going to give me a tour to know this place better ─Raen objected with a defiant look.

─Are you ordering ME on what to do, laddie? ─Sennet glare at him, with his head made a signal to his comrades. Instantly two of them grab the kid from the arms and the other punched him on the abdomen.

─No! he's still injured ─the girl tried to help.

─Easy there, we're just playing ─Sennet let go the lady and pulled Raen's hair towards himself ─. You want to know the town, well I'll give you a special ride ─he punched the boy in the face, knocking him down.

─Commander please, stop! ─she tried to help her friend on the ground, but the soldier stopped her again.

─I told you to calm down, or do you want to spend the night indulging the four of us ─uncomfortable again, she tried to separate from the one who caressed her libidinely ─. Good girl, I knew you would understand.

<<Tsk, disgusting and perverted man>> lying on the floor and coughing, he still paid attention on what his enemies were saying.

Suddenly, Raen kicked Sennet behind the knee, causing him to lose his balance. With a contemptuous look, he took the boy with one hand lifting him off the ground, with the other he released a blow, but the prince managed to dodge it; the soldier's fist landed in the armor on one of his companions causing great pain.

CLANK!!

─Aaarg, you'll pay for this laddie! ─he rubbed his hand.

─Why are you so aggressive? ─Raen stood up in front of the girl ─. We just want to stroll around the town.

─I'll give you your stroll!! ─one of the soldiers activated his earth kivet powers. A portion of the ground rose ramming the boy, he noticed the attack and covered himself with his arms to cushion the blow, which either way threw him to the floor.

─Please stop! ─Ingrid tried to get close to Raen.

─One more step, and you'll end like laddie over here ─spoke Sennet ─. Go back to your home, we'll bring him back later.

Ingrid had no choice but to go back to the inn and let the soldiers do whatever they wanted to the young man. After venting their fury with the prince, his hands were tied behind his back; then they took him around the town. The group pass by the Minawoods plaza, it had a huge amount of diverse vending booths.

─Look punk, here you can buy food, wear and other things, you see? ─said one of the soldiers.

People mumbled about the treatment the kid was receiving, and looked away when the imperials spoted them. The "stroll" continued, they arrived to the docks, there were some fish and other seafood markets, the smell was strong; also there were establishments that offered items for fishing, packaging and what was necessary to work in this area.

─Don't even think you can escape by ship, every single time one sails, some of us escort it until it return ─said one of the soldiers.

─And General Louis don't allow any departure without meticulously checking it himself ─added one more soldier.

They continued walking, they reached a big and long wall, it had some arches with lattice doors, through them you could see the mines of the town. This zone was highly guarded, everyone was wearing a buff that covered them from neck to nose, because from this place a dense fog came which irritated the airways. 90% of the inhabitants were obligated to work here.

─Ups! Did you forget you buff to cover yourself, punk ─the soldiers mocked while placing their protection.

Raen started coughing, he was already suffering the consequences of the mist, breathing was difficult. They continued their course, after some minutes of walking, they arrived to the esplanade. This place was surrounded mainly by the soldier's houses and Minawoods's fortress, General Yago resided here, only the imperialists had access to his settlement. The esplanade was used to give messages or punish villagers, also for the monthly kivet skills tournament, where soldiers simply had friendly fights to see who was the strongest.

─If you keep this wrong behavior, laddie... your head will end there ─Sennet pointed at platform with some ropes and a guillotine with the remains of its previous victim ─. You're new here and don't know the rules of this place, that's why we'll ignore your today's actions.

<<Hmmn, you're the ones beatting me up all day for nonsense, you should be the ones to be punished>>.

Lastly the group enter the fortress, they took Raen into a cold room that only had a chair and a wooden table with ten kivets, one of each element; they tied up his arms and leegs into the chair's. The soldiers left the room while they notified the general, he was alone, this was his opportunity to escape. He had at his reach the water and ice kivet, he just needed to free himself, and he tried to do that whit all his might; but the temperature was so low that little by little his body was numb. Before he achieved his objective, Sennet, another soldier and General Yago enter the room. Yago created fire braceletes to his subordinates, this allowed them to not be affected by the climate of the room; unlike the boy's body, which was already pale and shivering.

─What's your name? ─asked the general: an average tall man, corpulent, bald, long face with a wide jaw, he was wearing a kivet armor (1) which look like lava.

─Ra-Ra-Ra-en... ─he could't speak thanks to the cold. The general walked near the kid and blew a warm air that temporarily heated the prince's body.

─I'm aware of all your recklessness ─pulled Raen's hair so he could see his eyes ─. You survive a dragon attack, and you think you can come here and do whatever you want?

─Do whatever I want?!... If I could just do that, I wouldn't be in this place!!

Yago punched his face ─. Where are you from?

─I don't know... I don't remember.

─You better don't lie, or I'll notice it ─Sennet's eyes glowed in a pink color.

<<Cht, he's a psychic user... this is a real nightmare>>.

Pshychic kivet users were capable to detect lies, use telekinesis, some others could control telepathy. The strongest ones could read and control minds without the other person noticing it, even without phisical contact, lastly a very few could use teleportation.

The prince had to be very cautious in the situation he was, he didn't want his identity were revealed; so he tried to discover the level of the psychic user.

<<Sennet, you're so dumb that you invented dehydrated water!!!>>. He thought in the most ridiculous thing, luckily the commander did not even flinch; he was relieved. The general repeated his question angrily ─. I do-don't recall its name... I just know it's... north, there are mountains in the distance, woods and snows a lot, sir.

Yago looked at Sennet to confirm he wasn't lying, the second nodded.

─Hmph, thet truth is that I don't care about your origins, you have a very bad luck child, you've come to Minawoods. The place where you die because of being a kivet user, or for being a mere human that will work the rest of its life for 14 hours at the mines... and having a slow death thanks to inhaling the dense mist and dust they cast.

<<What!! My destiny is not to die in this filthy place >>.

The soldiers moved the table with the stones in front of Raen, if he was anxious before, now he was panicking. He had to pretend, what would happen to him if they found out the truth? Could he beat the three guys with his injures?

─We'll check if you are or not a kivet user.

─Ho-how would you do that s-sir? ─he was shivering again.

─I'll put each of this stones in your hand, none should glow while holding it, if it does... well you're a dead child; as easy as that ─he laughed, and the soldiers took a combat position in case he had powers and tried to use them. General Yago grabbed the first kivet, put it on the boy's hand, no glows to be seen; happened the same with the next three stones. Water and Ice kivets were the seventh and eighth respectively.

─Wa-w-wait!... what i-if-f you p-put two a-at a tim-mme, to fin-nish qui-quick-k-kier?

─You wan't to die faster, I like that.

─N-no. I-i-it's too c-cold.

Yago hold his head and bang it towards the table ─. I'll put two kivets at a time in your hands to finish faster, BUT not because you suggested it, I have a busy schedule.

<<Perfect, one more pair and I'll be free and get the hell out of this revolting place>>.

It was the turn of the so acclaimed kivets, he closed his hands... though they dind't lit, he could not use his powers at all.

<<WHAT?!!... Nooo... they didn't activated... What is going on here? This are my elements!!... this can't be!>>.He was in shock, he couldn't believed it, he lost his water and ice control without knowing the reasson. The general put the last pair of stones and as espected, nothing glowed.

─Hmph, it seems we have another stupid miner.

Without rising his sight, still shuddering <<No, no, no... This isn't happening to me, no... My chance to flee...>>.

─Do whatever you want with him, but don't kill him, he's young, he'll work here for a long time.

Those last words resonated ceaselessly in his head, his situation went from bad to worse.

─Yes sir! ─both soldiers said.

——

(1)Kivet armor: At first glance it seems like a normal one, but they're made of steel fused with kivet, allowing the user to control their powers without carrying a stone of their element. Depending on the type is the color it acquires.