[Verse 1]
Level forty-one
Two prisoners walking in the middle of the group
Nobody asked them to walk in the middle
They just did — because what else
Draco on the left — 300 fighters, still silent
Hydra on the right — 140 wizards, still counting the loss
They fought this crew at level 40
They remember how that went
Then someone sidled up
(it was Persy)
Then someone else came over
(it was Rion)
The two lowest bounties on the board
Started a conversation nobody expected
[Pre-Chorus]
“We have a proposition.”
“…we are prisoners.”
“You are traveling companions we haven’t named yet.”
“We destroyed your people.”
“You were defeated, yes.”
“…and?”
“And we have a proposition.”
[Chorus]
Draco and Hydra — listen, listen
One loss does not close the book
Draco and Hydra — stay close, stay close
You watch, you wait, you learn
Then you challenge — on your terms
[Verse 2]
“He never loses,” said Draco
“He has to,” said Rion, “everything has a ceiling”
“We have searched,” said Hydra, “a hundred years”
“You searched from the outside,” said Persy
“We are offering you the inside”
“The inside.”
“You are not his weakness.”
“Obviously.”
“His crew is not his weakness.”
“Clearly.”
“But something is.”
“And you would know this.”
“We would know this.”
“You. The assistant.”
“Persy.”
“…that is a name.”
“It is.”
“You. Persy. The—”
“Negotiator.”
“You are not a negotiator.”
“I am negotiating with you right now.”
(Draco had no answer for that)
[Pre-Chorus 2]
“You want us to travel with people who beat us.”
“I want you to travel with people who know the person who beat you.”
“And learn what exactly.”
“Everything.”
“And then.”
“And then you know things you didn’t know before.”
“And then we challenge.”
“…eventually.”
“When you’re ready.”
“We are always ready.”
“When you have information.”
(Hydra looked at Draco)
(Draco looked at Hydra)
[Chorus]
Draco and Hydra — the logic tracks though
Stay close, observe, and when the time is right —
But then again —
Draco and Hydra — yeah okay fine
Probably
Maybe
[Verse 3]
The rest of the crew had been listening
Cygnus from behind pretended not to hear
Cassie had stopped walking to hear better
Lara was hovering a little lower than usual
And from somewhere ahead
The Hero kept walking
Back to all of it
Pace exactly the same
(he heard everything)
(he had no opinions)
(he continued)
Persy leaned over to Rion and said nothing
Rion leaned back and said nothing
They waited
[Bridge]
Draco, low: “This is humiliating.”
Hydra, lower: “It is practical.”
Draco: “We lost to twelve.”
Hydra: “We will not lose again.”
Draco: “The negotiator convinced us.”
Hydra: “He made a sound argument.”
Draco: “I cannot believe he made a sound argument.”
Hydra: “Neither can I.”
Draco: “We tell no one.”
Hydra: “Who would believe us anyway.”
[Chorus]
Draco and Hydra — for research purposes
Draco and Hydra — this is not loyalty
Draco and Hydra — absolutely not joining
Just traveling
In the same direction
Probably
Maybe
[Outro]
Draco: “This is not loyalty.”
Hydra: “Agreed.”
Draco: “We are not joining.”
Hydra: “Absolutely not.”
Draco: “We are simply traveling in the same direction.”
Hydra: “For research purposes.”
Persy: “Welcome aboard.”
Herc: [still walking]
[fourteen sets of footsteps, level 44 ahead]
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