Seeds of Discordia

The group was silent as they thought about what Liam had told them.

After a couple of minutes had passed Mercer broke the silence as he summarized what Liam had said, “So you’re saying, you thought we would abandon you once when you told us that we could die in this dungeon? Your actions towards Binky was the product of you thinking you got Artem killed because you didn’t tell us? And your actions towards the Askith Wight Commander was because he touched a sore spot? Am I getting that right?”

Liam grimaced at Mercer’s tone as he nodded.

“Withholding vital information to a group, especially information that pertains to the safety of their members is grounds for the members to leave the group since they were not trusted enough to be told anything,” Mercer stated with narrowed eyes as he stared at Liam.

Liam’s face grew sullen as Mercer continued with a stern look on his face. Blair’s gaze burned as Liam looked at her. Avery’s held a frown while the other had a disappointed look.

“The fact is that you chose not to trust us enough to tell us anything until it was too late and had to say something. We have every right to not only hold you responsible for those actions and for any accidents that happen…”

Liam tightened his fists as he looked to the ground and closed his eyes.

He had thought they were okay with his actions after the way they acted when he first announced they could die and they only showed interested in Eri. But now Mercer’s cold tone made him believe he was just waiting for him to come clean about some stuff.

Maybe the effect of telling them about meeting Eri, but not having a lot of information about her wore off their curious nature and now they were mad. Liam thought. I don’t blame them for this. I did make the mistake. If they choose to leave after this floor run then I’ll just finish this alone.

“However,” Mercer started back up, this time with a bit more warmth to his words. “That would only be the case if you didn’t put in the effort to make sure we were safe.”

Liam’s head whipped up as he looked at them.

Everyone’s facial expressions were filled with a soft smile.

“Like we said earlier, we know how much effort you have been putting into our safety. The type of work that could easily make people tired and exhausted, but you kept pushing and pushing yourself,” Mercer stated. “You said you didn’t tell us that information because it would have brought the team’s morale down. That kind of thinking isn’t selfish nor is it one to make sure no one would leave you. Team morale and the rhythm the team has is vital when going into fights. You also showed us that you were thinking about the mindset of our team to make sure we wouldn’t lose focus during critical moments of our fights.”

Liam stared at Mercer.

“You say your actions against the Askith Wight Commander was because he touched a sore spot from your past, but you still took him head on alone,” Blair jumped in. “I remember what you told Mercer before you fought him. To look for any abilities we might have missed. This told me you were still looking out for us. Not only that but you stood up for me when he talked down on me.”

“Not only that, but when I was eaten I could hear you yelling at Binky to release me,” Artem chimed in. “The others told me how you risked your own life to rescue mine. I am a coward and hate being hurt, but there has been a few times I have witnessed you put yourself into harm’s way for us. Those are not actions of someone who is worth abandoning.”

Liam watched as they all nodded.

“We all have things that make us wary of others and would make us want to only look out for ourselves. We would also not put ourselves out there to help someone we hardly know,” Avery stated.

“However, you, Liam,” Mercer jumped back in. “You are a walking contradiction. I don’t know how or why you are like this, but you act like you are wary of those around you. You have shown that you don’t trust easily, yet you still jump in to save us like you trust us wholeheartedly. Maybe it’s your nature, maybe you’re trying to atone for something we know nothing about, but the truth is you still do everything you can for the safety of a group of strangers you met just a couple of weeks ago.”

Liam didn’t know what to say to that.

“I don’t know how to say nice things like the others,” Roman said as he started, “But we have a saying back on my home planet. Actions speak louder than words. Your actions have spoken loudly to us. I would never abandon someone who has exhausted themselves for others.”

A smile slowly grew on Liam’s face as his cheeks started to redden a bit.

With a slight cough he said, “Okay I get what you’re all saying.”

“If you do then good. You owe me a few drinks when we get back,” Ariyana said with a teasing pout. “The good kind not the cheap stuff too.”

Liam’s mouth dropped. “What?”

Before Ariyana or Liam could say anything else, the others busted out in laughter.

“I think you owe us all drinks then,” Roman agreed.

Liam was still trying to catch up to all of this. Their sudden change from being mad to the soft smile to them now demanding drinks was making his head whirl.

Giving up and growing a smile of his own, Liam shook his head. “I just can’t keep up with you guys,” Liam stated. “Fine. But only two rounds.”

“What?! Why only two rounds?” Ariyana questioned.

“You guys said so yourselves,” Liam started, deciding to join in on the fun. “I have worked my ass off to the point of exhaustion. I stood up for you and even saved a life. I think you all owe me a drink?”

Mercer let out a long loud laugh. “That’s more like it! Fine! We each buy a round when we get back.”

The others laughed at this.

“Ok, dinner is ready now,” Artem announced as he grabbed a bowl and filled it up. He passed out the bowls with utensils and waited for them to dig in.

Liam looked into the bowl he was given and was impressed with what he saw.

The meal Artem had made was a soup with a creamy liquid, vegetables, spices, and pieces of Crocolisk meat he had cooked and chopped up.

Before Artem could sit down everyone let out moans of pleasure as they took a bite into it.

He was taken aback at first because he didn’t even see them take the bite.

“This is so good,” Ariyana stated as she placed a hand on her cheek. A look of pleasure was written on her face.

“Damn Artem,” Roman said before taking another bite. As he started chewing he said around a mouth full of food, “This is amazing.”

Blair glared at Roman as she scolded, “Either eat or talk, don’t do both.” She then looked at Artem and agreed, “This really is great.”

“You guys are just being nice,” Artem stated as he took a bite.

Liam watched as Artem stared at his bowl. He could see Artem had a boyish grin on his face while he reddened slightly.

After Artem swallowed he started muttering to himself, “Hm, could have cooked the vegetables a little more. The spices were alright, but maybe I should have used more salt or pepper on the meat. Maybe a…”

Liam was amused as he watched Artem pick apart the food he made.

“Was this not at the level you were hoping for?” Liam asked before taking another spoonful.

Artem lifted his head up and grew an embarrassed expression before rubbing the back of his head.

“It’s decent, but I feel like I could do better,” Artem stated shyly.

The others looked at Artem with a shocked expression.

“What?” Artem asked, confused by their looks.

“This is amazing already and you’re saying it could improve?” Roman stated bluntly.

Still rubbing the back of his head Artem explained, “My cooking skills still aren’t that high and I didn’t use an actual recipe so I had to wing it. I’m familiar with cooking vegetables and Crocolisk meat, but I’m still experimenting with spices and flavors.”

Mercer looked at Artem and saw an opportunity to ask him a question. “I remember you saying that cooking great food was a blessing anyone would love to be able to do back on your world. Why is that?”

Artem’s embarrassment faded as it was replaced with a resentful one.

“Back where I lived it was impossible for us to grow our own food. I don’t really know if it was because of the land or what, but things like certain vegetables and fruit were just not possible,” Artem started. “We had to trade for certain things to be able to cook properly. However proper cooking was nowhere near what I’ve been learning here.”

The others sat in silence as they listened to Artem talk.

“The village I lived in had livestock and we were able to hunt so we used that to trade with the passing merchants. However, it was never enough to get spices, certain vegetables and other ingredients,” Artem continued. “Our village was poor and only had enough for the small things to trade, plus I was the eldest son of six.”

Roman let out a cough as he said with disbelief, “You have five other siblings?”

The others looked at Artem with amazement. Being a brother of six was not an easy thing. Let alone being the oldest.

Artem smiled warmly, thinking about his siblings. He nodded as he said, “Yes. When I found out that there was a cooking profession, I wanted to get it so I could learn how to make a meal for them.”

“Damn, I respect you even more. An older brother thinking of his younger siblings,” Roman stated with a sorrowful look. “Too bad not all older siblings are like that.”

“Oh?” Blair started. “Why do you say that? Do you have siblings?”

Roman nodded his head. “I’m the youngest of three. I have an older sister and brother.”

“That’s not too bad then,” Ariyana said.

Roman let out a harsh laugh before saying, “Not too bad? Those two don’t care about anything but their achievements. When I was born I was nothing but a pest to them.”

Everyone stared at Roman.

They could see that he was frustrated thinking about it.

Before Liam could say anything, Ariyana stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

He looked at her to see her giving him a sorrowful, but warm smile.

“It might not be the same experience, but I have a little sister,” Ariyana started. “Ever since she was born it was like she was perfect. Her looks, her attitude, mannerisms, etcetera. My parents thought very highly of her while they looked at me like I was some disgrace.”

Everyone watched as she went to sit back down.

“Whatever the little princess wanted she got,” Ariyana continued with a short laugh. “To be honest I don’t know what I did wrong for them to treat me like that. It just happened.”

Ariyana brought her head up and placed her chin on a hand that rested on her knee. She then looked like she was staring at something off in the distance. “When I was a teenager I used to leave the house to get away from my parents’ disappointed looks. I came across this bar one time and decided to check it out. There I made a few friends and found some joy.”

Ariyana let out a sigh as she continued, “That was until one of my father’s friends found out and told him. I was confined to my room after that with some people guarding my door and window.”

Everyone stared at her as she talked about her past.

Why would they need to go so far as to do something like that? Liam thought. Not only that, but to have guards watch her? Did she belong to some rich family?

Ariyana looked like she was done talking about some of her past as she turned her attention to Avery, Blair, Mercer, and Liam. “How about you guys? Do you have any siblings?”

Avery and Mercer shook their heads.

“I was an only child, so I don’t know what its like having siblings,” Avery stated.

“Same here,” Mercer said. “After my parents had me they were too busy with their business to have anymore.”

“I had a little brother and an older sister,” Blair said.

“Had?” Ariyana questioned.

Blair nodded. “Yeah…A major war broke out where I lived when I turned sixteen. I was in another city when I had heard something terrible happened. A nation, our country was at war with, decided to invade and since our city was close to the border it was the first to be attacked.”

The others watched as Blair’s face turned into a sneer. “When I got back to my city it was burned to the ground and bodies were spread out across the streets and in their homes. I found my father, mother, and brother in a pile of dead bodies at the edge of the city, but my sister’s body was nowhere to be found.”

“Damn…,” Roman started to say, but found he couldn’t find the right words. Instead he finally said, “I’m sorry.”

Blair shook her head. “Don’t be. After that happened I joined the army and fought the bastards that killed my family.”

“You said you couldn’t find your sister’s body,” Mercer started up, sounding cautious. “Was she dead or did they kidnap her?”

Blair shrugged. “I don’t know. Even after we destroyed the enemy nation, I couldn’t find any trace of her. She never popped back up after that war was done.”

“That war?” Roman questioned. “How many wars happened when you joined the army?”

Blair looked at him. “Too many that could have been avoided. The Dictator in charge loved to start wars. So, we were constantly fighting.”

“It’s no wonder you were so skeptic about our surroundings on our first day,” Mercer commented.

“You can never be too cautious,” Blair slightly grinned. She then looked at Liam and asked, “What about you? Do you have any siblings?”

Liam finished the last of the soup he had left before setting the bowl down. A small smile appeared as he thought about his family.

“I am technically the oldest of three, but there are four of us,” Liam started.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Roman asked with a frown.

“I have an older sister whose not blood related, but I still think of her as my sister,” Liam said. “My little brothers and I looked up to her. We learned a lot from her. She treat us as her siblings as well. She protected us when we needed to be which in turn taught me to protect my little brothers when she finally left the house.”

“Protect?” Mercer repeated. “From what?”

Liam’s face turned into a scowl. He shook his head and stated, “Never mind who. She’s not important. I just hope I never see her again.”

The others couldn’t help but wonder who he was talking about.

Mercer was going to try again, but Liam started back up, “My little brothers are a handful. Since they are twins they are always in a constant rivalry.”

Liam let out a small chuckle. “My little brothers were such troublemakers. We used to buttheads a lot. We’re very competitive when it comes to almost anything. Those two always tried claiming they were the best so there were times I had to put them in their place by proving who the better one was.”

“Do you know if they are here?” Roman asked.

“I want to say yes,” Liam stated. “My father was the first to disappear. Then later my little brothers disappeared at the same time. I’m not sure about my older sister though. This all happened a few years ago though. I’m not sure if they are here let alone alive.”

“Are you going to look for them when we get out of here?” Artem asked. “I want to try and find my family when we do.”

“I would love to try and find them to make sure they are safe,” Liam said. “I haven’t seen them in a few years so it would be nice.”

“Finding my family sounds good, but I think we should figure out something more important than that,” Mercer started.

“Oh, and what’s that?” Roman questioned.

“What we really want to do when we get out of here,” Mercer answered.

“What do you mean?” Ariyana questioned as she collected all the bowls. “Artem and Liam said they want to try and find their families.”

“That’s something they would like to do yes, but I mean what do we want to do?” Mercer tried again. “There is a whole new world out there. Are you telling me that after finding your family you’re done that’s it?”

The others stared at Mercer as they processed what he was saying.

“We need goals! I’m sure there is something each of us wants to do. Maybe some of you have a dream you want to fulfil?” Mercer said with passion.

The others stared at Mercer with shock at how much passion he was putting into his words.

“You know, I have never really put any thought into it,” Ariyana stated honestly.

“I haven’t had much time to think about it,” Avery agreed. “With everything that’s been going on I’ve just been focused on the goal in front of me.”

“Same,” Roman nodded.

“Since we have some time,” Mercer began. “Why don’t we relax and think of what we want to do after we finally get out.”

“Don’t you have something you want to do?” Roman questioned. “With all that energy you were giving, it really seemed like you were eager to share.”

“I do have a goal, a couple of them, but I’ll wait till you guys are ready to share yours,” Mercer stated with a smile.