Willow had followed Jerry''s advice, which brought her to the City of Bones. The ship Captain, Tori, was beyond her reach, but a few well placed coins allowed her the information as to where he was travelling. It happened that his destination, Hothaven, was on route to the blue eastern city. It was hardly a difficult task at all to track a Monk who was not the norm in the area. A few well placed questions and smiles were enough to get people talking. He was indeed heading east.


    Cadaoir would surely be many days ahead of her, but hardly out of reach. If he had made contact with his associate in the City of Bones, she would be able to find a new lead with ease. Otherwise, the contact would know where the next drop off point would be located on his journey. Either way, it was looking good ahead.


    Finding Autumn took Willow down streets of blue buildings and white pavement, into stores and offices that fit the criteria of a Spirit Temple contact. Yet it was away from the high street businesses and at the warehouse district that Willow finally found the woman she was seeking.


    A stone building with blue roof, as described to her by a local worker, was where the woman should have been. Instead she found a man. A yellow man... As she came closer, she could tell that he was covered in bright yellow and orange dust. Looks like it''s been a long road for you. ''Excuse me, Sir!'' She was all smiles, usually the best way to open with a new person. A friendly front, a trustworthy front.


    ''Yes?'' The man answered, scowling.


    ''Is this Autumn''s place of business by any chance?'' She stopped outside of a big set of old doors, darkness inside.


    ''Who is asking?''


    ''Just someone in need of her help.'' She bowed. ''Willow.''


    ''This is Autumn''s place. She should be out soon.'' The man looked away.


    Willow bowed again. ''Thanks.'' Those bright colours are lost on this one. Dim.


    An uncomfortable silence ensued. Willow wanted to say something to break the tension, but before she could, an old woman appeared from within the dark warehouse, a flickering candle in one hand and a fat backpack in the other.


    Willow made to speak but the greying older woman spoke first. ''Take this and then get rid of that mess you''re wearing now.''


    ''Thank you.'' The dirty man replied, his tones soft and without much enthusiasm. ''How much d-''


    ''It''s already covered. Just make your way home.'' The woman brushed her hands together, dust took to the air and then dissipated. ''It''s a long trip, and I can''t see you taking a boat north, you''ll need to avoid Hattsu and Chira.'' Willow eavesdropped, but kept her eyes off the other two, wanting to appear aloof. The older woman moved closer to the man and whispered in hushed tones. Not long after the man nodded in agreement.


    ''OK.'' He said quietly.


    ''Now go!'' The older woman slapped the Monk on the back, yellow dust gathering in the air around him as she did. ''No more disappearing acts!''


    The man made to reply once more, but was cut off sharply when the woman made for Willow. ''You look like you''ve been through a wringer, all stretched out. What do you want? I don''t think I''ve got any dresses long enough for you.''


    Who does this old broad think she is? Willow feigned a laugh. ''You don''t pull any punches I see.'' She grinned. ''I''m not looking to buy, sorry. I''m a head hunter, though I can''t tell you who I''m working for. I''m looking for Autumn.''


    ''I know the deal, girl.'' The woman scowled. '' I''m Autumn, but you should know this, I''m not helping you.''


    Willow stepped forward. ''Please. You''re the only person who can help me.''


    ''Then you''re out of luck.'' The older woman began to turn towards the storage building at her back.


    OK then, you dirty old mare. ''I''ll pay you!'' She jingled a coin purse. ''Please, just listen to me.''


    Autumn narrowed her eyes, but looked at the purse. ''I''m listening.''


    ''This isn''t a regular job.'' Willow held her hand to her heart, and lied. ''I''m doing this for a friend, I can''t fail him.''


    ''A boy is it?'' The Blacksmith shook her head. ''It''s always for love with you silly girls.''


    Silly? You old bat! ''Please, just some information.''


    ''If you want a man to like you, you shouldn''t grow so tall. They don''t like standing on a box just to kiss you!''


    Willow looked pleadingly, and felt a deep embarrassment for it. ''Please...''


    ''OK OK! Enough with the emotional stuff.'' Autumn beckoned the Head Hunter closer. ''Tell me what you need.''


    Now we''re getting somewhere. I guess I''ll play the “silly girl”. ''My... Client-''


    ''This boy you like?''


    ''Yeah.'' Willow nodded. ''He needs to find a Monk.''


    ''I can see why you came to me.'' Autumn shook her head. ''Listen, I know you''re in a bind, but I can''t help you. The Spirit Temple keeps their members out of others'' affairs, I have to respect that if I''m to keep our business arrangement.''


    ''Please, I have to find him. His name is Cadaoir, do you know him?''


    Autumn hesitated. ''No.''


    Lie. ''You must know him.'' She took the older woman by the hands. ''You have to help me.'' Autumn looked Willow in the eyes, but her gaze faltered, looking past the head hunter''s shoulder. Willow turned to see the dirty yellow man walking the distance down an easterly lane.


    Autumn pushed Willow''s hands away. ''No.''


    ''Who is he?''


    ''He''s...'' Autumn was obviously thinking. ''His name is Six-Hands!'' She appeared to shake her head disapprovingly at her own reply.


    ''What?'' Willow gave up her act. ''I''ve been looking for him too!''


    ''That was a lie!'' Autumn made to grab Willow. ''He''s actually-''


    Willow was gone, running. Her feet pounded the ground, behind her she heard shouting, but ignored it. Fayyim, I''m nearly there.


    Six Hands was in her sight, as orange as the setting sun in the sky. He turned a corner, disappearing behind a building. She turned the corner after him, narrowly missing a horse drawn cart with a quick side step. The horse whinnied and the man at the reins yelled, but Willow did not stay to hear, though her ears did oddly ring with the sound of metal striking stone.


    Willow was reaching him, but in her haste had forgotten herself. Why am I chasing him like a dog on a hunt? That''s not how this works. She slowed to a brisk walk, tailing the Monk. I need to learn more about this man, figure out the best approach. Then she was face down on the floor, a weight on her back and a pain in her chest.


    ''I''ve got you, you lanky streak of-'' Autumn''s voice.


    ''Autumn, what is going on here?'' The Monk''s voice.


    Willow looked up, scraping her chin on the ground. ''Get. Off!''


    ''She''s a head hunter. She''s probably working for Amaratsu.'' Autumn put her weight into Willow''s back even more.


    Willow''s voice strained. ''I''m not working for Amaratsu! I swear!''


    ''Autumn, let her go.'' The Monk walked to them.


    ''No, you go while you still can!''


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    He raised an eyebrow. ''Autumn.''


    There was a break in the struggle, then Willow felt the weight lift off her spine. ''Can''t say I didn''t try.''


    Willow was allowed to climb to her feet, Autumn backed off several feet. ''What''s your problem?''


    Autumn pouted. ''You lied to me!''


    ''It''s all a part of the job, lady!'' Willow pointed. ''How else was I going to find Six Hands?''


    ''Not you too.'' The Monk was not pleased. ''Why is that name following me around? I have not used it once.''


    ''That was my fault, I was trying to put her off.'' The older woman explained.


    ''You mean you''re not Six Hands?'' Willow asked, then turned to Autumn. ''You actually weren''t lying?''


    ''Well-'' Autumn started, but was interrupted.


    ''People call me that, it seems.'' The man answered. ''But that''s not my name.''


    ''So you are Six Hands?'' Willow asked as Autumn protested the question.


    ''Like I said, people call me that, but I don''t answer to the name.''


    ''Then what is your name?''


    ''Don''t answer that!'' Autumn shouted.


    The Monk ignored the order. ''Cadaoir.''


    What. The. Hell? ''You''re Six Hands and Cadaoir?''


    ''Just Cadaoir.'' He answered.


    Autumn walked away, back to where she came from. ''Well I''ve failed. Now I have to go find my hammer.'' She muttered as she left. ''Should be buried in her spine, not a wall...''


    Willow gave Autumn a murderous look, but turned back to Cadaoir when the old woman was at a distance. ''I''ve been looking for you as well as Six Hands, thinking you were two different people.'' She brushed her leathers clean, then held out her hand. ''My name is Willow, I''m a head hunter. May we find somewhere private to talk?''


    The man regarded her for a second. ''No, thank you.'' He then turned and walked away, back to wherever he was previously heading.


    Willow skipped up to his side. ''That''s fine, we can walk and talk.'' She smiled. Cadaoir''s face was stone, emotionless. ''I''ve been hired by a Commander of Hurdland, the leader of an elite army called the Red Front. She requires your strength.''


    The Monk remained silent. I can''t read this guy. Annoying. Willow continued. ''I''ve been asked to search for a powerful warrior, someone capable of... Of unnatural skill in battle. Six Hands was suggested to me, you were suggested to me. I mean, you defeated Anoch, Hildae and Faeya, Marko Smalls, John Highbone, Santanda, Yurash, Daichi, Hollow Heart, Kainda and Deluge.''


    ''How do you know all of this?''


    Willow smiled. ''Your name precedes you.''


    ''Not quite, everyone calls me Six Hands.''


    ''Even so, you are known.'' Willow stepped closer. ''You are capable of great things. Fayyim Tallhart, Commander of the Red Front, will recognise you for this. She wishes to fight along side you against her enemy, Amaratsu. You would be at the forefront of battle, tasked with assaulting enemy strong points and creating the openings Commander Tallhart''s forces need to win.'' She took a breath. ''You''ve already cemented yourself as an enemy of Amaratsu, this will be a great opportunity to strike at them.''


    ''I''m not an enemy of Amaratsu. My dealings with Amaratese soldiers were on a personal level and not political. They know that, I know that. The students of the Spirit Temple take no sides in war.''


    ''That''s not what I''ve heard.'' Willow waved a finger. ''Word on the street is that the Spirit Temple is possibly allying with Hurdland.''


    ''The street is wrong.'' He replied, but Willow recognised the flash of doubt on his face.


    ''Maybe, maybe not.'' Willow readjusted the bow over her shoulder. ''That aside, let''s look at this differently. You''re a duellist, a fighter, a man who loves a challenge. I''m offering you a challenge that you''ve never had before: a war. Battles, sieges, single combat against the greatest names in the world. Fayyim is capable of pushing deep into Amaratsu-'' She stopped herself, looked around for anyone capable of hearing, then lowered her voice. ''Of pushing into Amaratsu territory. She could put you in a position to fight even Princess Ashara, or even Prince Philip.'' Cadaoir stopped. Willow stopped in front of him, looking him in the eyes. ''You could defeat the most powerful, no, prove yourself to be the most powerful.''


    ''The most powerful...'' His voice trailed off, lost to some thought.


    ''Perhaps.'' She aimed to use his own ego against him. ''Though, not according to some people in the know.''


    ''What did you say?''


    I''ve got you now. ''I had a little conversation with a friend of yours. Jerry. I''ve spoken to him quite in depth about your fight at the tourney, about you. Do you want to know what he said?''


    ''I-'' He hesitated, then straitened up. ''There is nothing that he can say that can not be expressed through combat. I will know what he thinks during our next duel.''


    ''You want to fight him again?'' Willow smirked. ''You won''t win.'' Cadaoir looked insulted, she saw a glint of indignation in his eyes. ''He has an edge you don''t, but he told me something that would help you out.''


    Cadaoir was silent, there was something going on behind his eyes, Willow was sure. Some internal dialogue, or maybe he was thinking of the best way to dispatch of her. That made her swallow hard. ''There is nothing you can tell me that I don''t already know.'' And with that he turned to walk away again.


    So rude! ''Then you''re doomed to fail!'' Willow fired.


    Cadaoir strode directly up to her. ''Who are you to tell me that?'' Words were about to spew from his mouth, angry, offensive maybe.


    ''Ego!'' Willow blurted out, interrupting Cadaoir. He was threatening, but she was strong in defence of herself, and her height made it easy to talk down at people when she needed to. She stepped towards him now, jabbing a pointed finger into his chest, causing him to take a step back. ''Pride!'' She said to his face. ''These are what Jerry said you have, but you''re so busy trying to be better than other people that you''ve forgotten how to be a person yourself!''


    Willow continued to point, and before he man could show any other expression of complaint she cut him off. ''Maybe that''s why you''re so rude, because you don''t care about anyone but yourself? Like right now. I''m here trying to talk to you openly, respectfully, yet you keep turning your back on me, giving me attitude!'' No one had resisted her like this in the past, so it did give rise to some annoyance. ''Jerry said that you had no real purpose, you only care to fight. Which is all well and good when you fight others of the same mindset, but when you come against someone with a real goal in life, a pure purpose, not selfish or led by ego, someone like Jerry, you lose.''


    ''I lost because-''


    ''I''m not finished, you can''t just interrupt me.'' Willow had found her stride. ''See? You''re inconsiderate, careless. You''re-''


    ''I''m not a bad person!'' Cadaoir barked.


    ''Sorry to say it, but from everything I''ve seen of you, you''re the definition of a bad person. You''re selfish, emotionless, you have no empathy for others. You''re not far off being a God damned psycho.''


    ''Just what did Jerry say about me?''


    Willow saw some emotion in the man''s eyes that she had no words for. Some kind of sadness. ''Why do y-''


    ''Just tell me!''


    ''Well, maybe not everything I just said, but he did say you have no idea how beating people in fights truly affects them.''


    ''I don''t understand.''


    ''How long have you trained for?'' Willow stepped towards Cadaoir again.


    ''What?''


    ''How long?!'' She demanded.


    ''Years.'' He replied. ''Most of my life.''


    ''And how did it feel to be beaten by Jerry?''


    Cadaoir swallowed. ''It was...'' She could see him thinking. He hesitated. ''Humiliating.''


    ''Exactly. Humiliating.'' She pointed. ''Now tell me. After you lost, when you were picking yourself up from those stands. What did Jerry do?''


    ''I didn''t pick myself up. I was knocked out, I woke up outside of the arena. I was told...''


    ''Go on, tell me.'' I can guess the answer, he helped you.


    Cadaoir continued. ''I was told that Jerry brought me to safety, even after beating me.''


    ''And there you have it! After he beat you down, he did what he could to ensure you were OK afterwards.'' Willow breathed in, then out. ''Now think about this. Think about all of those people you''ve beaten up until now. Think about the complete humiliation that they''ve gone through, about how their years of study and practice were made useless against you. Put yourself in their shoes, it should be easy for you now. Picture yourself on the ground, defeated, but instead of Jerry picking you up and helping you move on, it''s you standing there. An unfeeling man, walking away. No one to help you up, no one to teach you how to better yourself. Just a man who leaves you feeling beaten, humiliated, ashamed, and angry.


    ''Jerry said that the greatest power for a warrior isn''t in destroying things or people, but in building them back up after. Creating something better. You make people worse.'' Willow was breaking the man down, but following Jerry''s advice, she could build him back up. ''Commander Tallhart could teach you to be better, working with her would be a blessing for you.''


    Cadaoir''s face was in sullen confusion. ''I''m that bad?'' It did not appear to be an open question, Cadaoir was talking to himself. The man was reacting in a way willow did not expect. ''Willow.'' Cadaoir spoke softly. ''That was your name?''


    ''Yes.''


    ''I''m sorry for speaking to you the way I did.'' He gave a deep bow from the waist and held it for several seconds. His entire presence was that of a different man now, the hardness gave way to a humbleness that was as much as a contrast that Willow had ever seen before. ''I have some things to think about. Thank you for your words.''


    What just happened? Willow was confused. What was that? It seemed as if Cadaoir''s reaction was completely heart felt. And it did not feel like role play, it felt very real. That couldn''t be. Then again, she had fallen out of character many times herself in the past. Perhaps he was genuinely moved by her. To her dismay, before she could shake herself from her thoughts, Cadaoir had exited the world.