Sanctuary: Safe Haven

Before turning in for the night, Kael glanced toward the end of the dungeon where Canna lay sleeping, seemingly without a care in the world.

Kael's mind drifted back to the brutal battle that Canna and his subordinates had waged earlier. The sheer amount of bloodshed and chaos that had occurred in just three hours was overwhelming. It was hard to believe such carnage could happen in such a short span of time.

If there was anyone Kael feared the most, it was Mortem. Mortem, after all, had the most kills between the trio. For every three enemies that Canna felled, Mortem would have taken down five. The reason for this was Mortem's class—a necromancer never fought alone. But Mortem operated on a different level entirely.

From what Kael knew from his time in the kingdom, necromancers usually stayed in the back, letting their undead minions do their bidding. Mortem, however, was the complete opposite. He charged headlong into battle, and with his aura skill, he drained the life force of those lower-ranked than him.

Kael knew that Mortem didn't even use the skills that necromancers were famous for, such as "Corpse Explosion" and "Reanimate." Instead, Mortem only summoned low-level skeletons and casted bone spears left and right. This made Kael curious—why didn't Mortem use his full array of skills when he could?

The leaders of the kobolds and goblins, from what Kael could tell, were only of low-calamity tier. Yet they had fallen so easily. This indicated just how much Canna's subordinates were holding back from using their true strength. Vorgrim, for instance, didn't do much more than swing his massive axes during the battle. Kael knew Vorgrim could do far more, having seen him spar with Canna.

Kael was also surprised at how quickly the fight was over—less than an hour. The reason it took longer was due to Canna's strange obsession with collecting low-ranking mana cores, even though he couldn't absorb them anymore due to the difference in rank. Additionally, some stragglers had managed to flee amidst the chaos, and Canna's subordinates had hunted down each and every one.

"Insane," Kael thought, "How does a human have this much power?" He knew very well that if Canna wished to exterminate a small village, he could do so with ease. All he had to do was command Vorgrim to hack everything down or have Mortem summon skeletons, and it would all be over.

Kael found solace in the fact that Canna's goals were far from conquering villages and causing mayhem. In fact, they were quite the opposite.

Kael wanted to talk to Canna to finalize their plans for what to do once they left the dungeon. He had duties back in the kingdom, but as far as he could tell, news of his death must have spread since no reinforcements had come. This meant someone else was likely doing his job. Nonetheless, he needed to get some sleep and discuss the future with Canna tomorrow.

__________

As morning came—or whatever passed for morning in the dungeon, where the passage of time was indiscernible—Kael did some light stretches. He quickly made his way to Canna, who was busy eating mana-infused meat with Grimruk.

"Canna, I have a plan on what we should do once we're out. Would you like to hear it?"

"Of course! What do you got?" Canna responded eagerly.

"First, we need to secure a place where we can rest and stay. Second, we need to find a way to earn money. Third, we need to establish your identity."

Kael continued outlining his plan, and soon the conversation was in full swing. Canna had one day of rest before resuming his war escapades, so they took the time to strategize thoroughly.

For two hours, they discussed various ideas and possibilities. Kael felt a sense of accomplishment as they covered each point. However, as the conversation drew to a close, a sudden realization shook him to his core.

Canna was strong, but he knew next to nothing about the outside world. The only knowledge he possessed was from his previous world and what little information he had gleaned from the codex, which mostly explained rare trees, plants, and the villages where they could be found.

He was ignorant of the intricacies of nobility, the capabilities of other races, and the political landscape of kingdoms and empires, even the famous guilds that covered the land.

Upon this revelation, Kael excused himself and went to his side of the dungeon. He sat down, the weight of his thoughts heavy on his mind.

"He's as dumb as a newborn child," he muttered to himself. The only thing Canna truly knew was fighting. All the nuances and complexities of this world's society were something that had to be taught to him.

Kael sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew that educating Canna would be a monumental task. Canna's strength was unparalleled, but without knowledge of the world outside the dungeon, that strength could easily lead to disaster. He needed to be prepared, not just for the physical battles, but for the political and social intricacies that awaited him.

Kael's thoughts drifted back to his own experiences in the kingdom. He had seen powerful warriors fall because they lacked the cunning and wisdom to navigate the treacherous waters of court politics. He had watched as those who were strong in battle were manipulated by those who wielded power through words and influence.

"Canna has the potential to be a great leader," Kael thought. "But he needs guidance. He needs to understand that strength alone won't be enough to achieve his goals."

Determined, Kael resolved to take on the role of a mentor. He would teach Canna everything he knew about the world outside the dungeon. He would ensure that Canna was not only a formidable warrior but also a wise and knowledgeable leader.

As he sat in the dim light of the dungeon, Kael began to outline a plan in his mind. He would start with the basics—teaching Canna about the different races and their cultures, the structure of kingdoms and empires, and the intricacies of noble politics. From there, they would move on to more advanced topics, such as military strategy and economic management.

It would be a long and arduous journey, but Kael was determined. He had seen the potential in Canna, and he would do everything in his power to help him realize that potential.

With renewed determination, Kael stood up and walked back to where Canna and Grimruk were sitting. He had a lot of work ahead of him, but he was ready for the challenge. Canna's future—and perhaps his future too—depended on it.

"Canna," Kael said, his voice filled with resolve, "there's much we need to discuss. It's time you learned about the world beyond this dungeon."

Canna looked up, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "I'm ready to learn, Kael. Teach me everything you can since we only have one day for now!"

And so, with the flickering torchlight casting long shadows on the dungeon walls, Kael began to impart his knowledge to Canna. The path ahead was uncertain, but with Kael's guidance, Canna would be better prepared to face the challenges that awaited them outside the dungeon's confines.

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