《The Girl Who Killed a God [LitRPG]》 001 - A God Cursed Grace winced as she hit the floor. The guard''s fist had slammed into her side, and regardless of the chain glove he wore, something had cracked upon impact. "You''re a worthless Grumbderd!" her attacker shouted and then spat on her. She could hear the chuckling of the other guard off behind that one. "Curse you and curse Grimdon!" Grace exclaimed. "I''ll curse you and him for what you but--" A foot to her ribs cut off her curse. Grace wanted to scream, unable to from the lack of air in her lungs. "This doesn''t seem fair." Her head swam from the pain and lack of air, but the voice was not one she recognized. "Who the hell are you?" one of the two guards asked, both spinning and looking at the old man slowly walking from a corner of the room. "This isn''t any of your business." The old man chuckled, moving slowly toward the two guards, watching them as they put their hands on top of the pommel of their swords. "What if I make this my business? After all, I can''t ignore a cry of a young girl. Especially one brave enough to curse Grimdon before two of his lackeys." Grace heard a step as the man who had kicked her turned, and the distinct sound of a sword being drawn from a scabbard rang out in the burnt-out room. "I''ll cut you down!" A vibration from the floors echoed through her body as the guard ran toward the old man, and a sound of steel-piercing flesh was heard. Craning her neck, ignoring the pain, Grace saw the bald-headed old man looking at the sword in the middle of his chest. He was smiling. Every tooth the man had was visible as his lips pulled apart. "You know the problem with being immortal? This won''t do a thing." Faster than Grace could believe the man had reached out, grabbing the guard who was still holding the sword by his head and snapped it clean around. The other guard started to move, but Grace saw the old man vanish and heard a cracking of bones and the sound of the second guard''s body hitting the charred floors, their chainmail clinking as they hit. Slowly, the man moved toward her and stood in her vision. He smiled and looked at her with anticipation in his eyes. "How would you like to be immortal?" he asked, that smile of his never leaving his lips. ¡°Immortality is a myth!¡± Grace exclaimed into the soot, spitting blood and saliva as she screamed. ¡°Don''t try to convince me otherwise!¡± Laughter filled the burnt building she was in as the bald, old man pulled the sword from his chest. Blood seeped out of the man¡¯s wound only while the blade was being drawn. At his feet were two of Grimdon¡¯s thugs. They had attacked him after he suddenly appeared. His fancy dark clothes seemed to absorb the blood like a sponge, holding it in before it seemingly disappeared as the guards dropped to the burnt wooden floor. It had happened so fast that she couldn¡¯t see what the older man had done. They turned to him, telling him to leave, but the man had said something, and they attacked. Her ears still rang from the blow she had taken across her head. Wincing, Grace saw the small burlap sack with a few pieces of bread she had stolen. Levi hadn¡¯t eaten in over two days, and she didn¡¯t care about the penalty for stealing. Her little brother had to eat. ¡°Look at me!¡± Grace felt her eyes drawn back to the man. His dark eyes held her gaze, not letting her turn away no matter how much she wanted. Wrinkles appeared as the man smiled, each of his teeth a dazzling white and somehow more perfect than any smile she had ever seen. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again: do you want to live forever? Do you want to get revenge on the ones who have made you suffer?¡± His voice was so overwhelming. It beckoned her to say yes. Like the smell of fresh bread or cooking meat, her mouth watered, wanting her to acknowledge that she did. The fear of what that meant, though, kept her jaw sealed shut. The burnt building she had hidden in before those two church enforcers found her was evidence of that hatred for such an idea. Six months ago, a war swept their city, and the armies of Grimdon looked for something that would make their king immortal. In the process, over two-thirds of their city had died. ¡°Stop that,¡± the man said as he moved toward her across the burnt wooden planks. Even with her head hurting and her vision and hearing messed up, Grace realized he made no sound as he moved. His black jacket no longer had a blood stain, and the fabric of his shirt was solid as if the sword, had just pierced him - she knew this, for a fact, was a fantasy. ¡°I do not have much time, but your words before I came caught my attention. Were you serious about what you said to those two thugs?¡± The older man pointed at the corpses. Grace saw the red lion emblem on the shoulder pieces of their armor and then realized both men were lying on their chests, yet their faces were looking up at the ceiling. Words¡­ what words did I say? Her mind tried to work, thinking about what she had said. A whimper caught her attention, and she turned away, looking at her dog Lilly, breathing rapidly and barely moving. She wanted to reach out and touch her dog, who had tried to defend her against those men. Yet her side ached, multiple ribs broken, and her right arm barely worked as it was. Her leg felt heavy, and she believed they had fractured it. ¡°Will you really worship Balethem and curse Grimdon?¡± Her head whipped back to face the man, bending down just a foot from her. His breath felt hot as he spoke, and she could smell something coming off him. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°I¡­ wha¡­ why do you care?¡± she said with a grunt, almost falling over from the rapid movement of her head. ¡°I¡¯m intrigued,¡± he replied, smiling as he bounced lightly on the balls of his feet. ¡°If you are serious about that, perhaps I can help you claim what you need to protect yourself and your brother.¡± Her eyes blinked a few times before going wide. ¡°How¡­ how do you know about my brother?¡± ¡°Levi? He¡¯s a good boy. It¡¯s sad to see him so hungry. It¡¯s a pity your parents are gone and can¡¯t help you care for him¡­ but if you strike a bargain with me, you can protect him and bring revenge on the man who did this to your home.¡± He reached into his jacket and pulled something out, which he held in his clenched fist a few inches from Grace¡¯s face, and he slowly turned it over, opening his fingers. A black gem pulsed in his hand. Power could be felt coming from it. Grace couldn¡¯t take her eyes off it as it called to her. She started to reach out and touch it, to hold it. Something in her mind stopped her, a nagging feeling, and her hand froze, inches away. Waves of some force washed over her fingertips and across her hand. It felt like a gentle, warm breeze. It reminded her of a rare trip to the beach her parents had taken her on years ago. Closing her eyes, she could hear the sound of the ocean, smell the salt water, and hear her parents laughing. ¡°Yes,¡± the man whispered. ¡°You can have all that again. Just agree to the bargain and be what you need to become if you want to protect your brother and dog.¡± It took every ounce of willpower to lower her hand and look into the man¡¯s black eyes. ¡°What¡­ what do I need to do?¡± He snorted and smiled, his lips widening so much that every tooth he had was visible. ¡°That is simple. You will curse Grimdon. You will curse his name, the church he founded, and all those who follow him. You will then pledge to serve only Balethem. To be an emissary of the God who will grant you what everyone else wants. Immortality.¡± His words sounded so sweet. Like a cold fruit drink on a hot day. Every word seemed to make her draw nearer to him. ¡°That¡¯s it? Nothing else?¡± Grace asked, her eyebrow lowering some until she winced, knowing she would have a black eye from where those men had hit her. The man stood up, laughing, and shook his head from side to side. ¡°Oh, there will be some quests you will need to follow. You need to prove to Balethem that you are committed to him. As you do, you will grow stronger, far stronger than anyone here. Strong and fast enough to do what I did to these poor fools,¡± the man said, motioning to the dead bodies near them. ¡°But you must choose quickly, for three more of them will arrive in a moment. When they do, if you have said no, you will most likely die, but not before they torture you. I doubt they will take kindly to see their friends dead at your hands¡­ after that, they will probably hunt your brother¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he stepped back toward the shadows in the corner of the room. ¡°Decide quickly, for I must leave this place.¡± Grace looked at the bodies of the men, heard the sound of Lilly still whimpering, and grimaced at the pain that flooded every part of her being. The man was right¡­ the guards would do horrible things to her when they found her¡­ Levi would suffer for something he had no part in. Her choice was easy. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Grace said, forcing herself to both knees and trying to keep her stomach from emptying as the pain in her leg shot up through her body. ¡°I curse Grimdon for all of my life. I curse him for this blasted war he brought upon my family and his lack of concern for me. I curse him for never answering a prayer and forsaking my family.¡± As she spoke, the man drew back closer to her, his body growing larger and a shadow coming out of him. ¡°Yes! Yes! Make your pledge!¡± The man spoke excitedly, his eyes wide and teeth appearing sharper. Swallowing the doubt she had, Grace continued. ¡°I swear to Balethem on my life to serve him and him alone if he grants me the power to protect my brother and dog against those who would harm us.¡± The man cackled, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Almost there¡­ just say these last things, ¡®I swear to crush the church of Grimdon beneath my heel. To wipe out every member of the order and make them pay as I am commanded by my God.¡¯ Say those words, and all will be complete!¡± Sounds of shouting echoed from the street outside the house. More guards¡­ shite¡­ ¡°I swear to crush the church of Grimdon beneath my heel. To wipe out every member of the order and make them pay as I am commanded by my God.¡± The moment the last words were spoken, the man¡¯s hand was like lightning, grabbing her palm and slicing it open with a finger on his other hand. Pain flooded her as it burned differently than a usual cut, and half a breath later, the black stone was placed where he had cut her. Something inside her shattered. A force of some kind rushed through her body, racing up her arm, chest, and to each appendage. Whatever had been hurting and broken a moment ago was gone within a second, and strength as she had never imagined possible flowed through her arms and legs. Not hesitating, she bound to her feet, amazed that every part of her worked without issue. The twisted ankle that had held her back from getting away was gone. Touching her neck, the scar she had felt so many times when they had put a rope around her and dragged her around a few months ago was no longer there. ¡°The time has come. See what you have been missing!¡± Her vision blurred a moment, and a red screen appeared that was partially translucent. Words began to appear on them. ***** Grace Akem Age: 16 Female Initiate of Balethem ¡ª Physical: 7 Mental: 4 Spiritual: 5 ¡ª * ** *** One quest pending ¡ª Prove Your Words: You must kill the three guards of the order of Grimdon that are coming for you. Reward: Ability Gained Failure: Death ***** ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± Grace asked, reaching out with her hand and watching it pass through the image she saw. The man started to laugh, his shape changing before her eyes. He was no longer old, and his hair had regrown to a dark black, making shadows look bright. His body had filled out, grown at least a foot, and he stood there, arms crossed, and smiled at her. ¡°You are part of the system now, allowing you to grow strong enough to live forever. All it takes is obeying the quests you are given. Complete them and be rewarded. Ignore them or fail and¡­¡± The man gave a slight shrug before running his thumb across his neck. ¡°I would suggest you don¡¯t fail.¡± Shouts came again, this time only much closer. ¡°I suggest you win,¡± the young man said, pointing to the sword. ¡°If you succeed in completing this first quest, your precious Lilly will be healed as a reward.¡± As he spoke, the man moved back into the shadow of the burnt building, fading away till he was almost gone. ¡°Grab the sword now!¡± he said before giving a slight wink. After he winked, he held up his hands and cupped them to his mouth. ¡°She¡¯s in here! Help! Help!¡± The sounds of boots running toward her snapped Grace from the moment of confusion as she heard laughter from the corner of the room. Dashing to the sword on the ground, she snatched it up, somehow feeling a slight knowledge of how to use it. Spinning toward the door, she turned in time to see three guardsmen in full armor except for a chain helm rushing in, all with their swords drawn. ¡°Kill her!¡± shouted the second one in. ¡°Balethem, help me,¡± Grace muttered as she lifted her sword. 002 - The Price of Living The first guard through the door approached her quicker than she recalled the other two being. Yet even with how fast the man moved and the speed at which he started to swing his sword, Grace noticed that she was even faster. The sword in her hand came up, blocking the attack as the man slashed at her. His eyes scrunched as he looked at her, confused, wondering how in the world she hadn¡¯t dropped the sword or budged when their weapons collided. Grace felt the same confusion for a moment. The shout of another man coming at her broke her stupor, and she shifted her hip forward, kicking the first warrior in the gut and sending him flying back across the room and into the burnt-up wall. A crack of wood snapping as he tore partially through it was heard, and the house creaked and shifted. The second attacker hesitated a moment as he swung, seeing his partner flung across the room like a horse or something had kicked him and not some sixteen-year-old girl. Not allowing herself more than a smile at what had just happened, Grace moved forward, the sword almost telling her what to do. She dove under the man¡¯s awkward swing and came up to her feet, punching her fist into his side. The chain armor bit into her skin, tearing it up a little, but the man wheezed as the air in his lungs was forced out, and he was sent sideways into the wall, slamming partially through it as well. The third guard paused his approach, seeing what had happened to his two allies, and looked at Grace. She stood there, admiring her left hand and the body of the second guard now slumped against the wall. The last guard turned, racing out the doorway, and Grace cursed as the man ran. You have to kill all three¡­ A voice sounded in her head and almost made her wince as she took off, finding her steps driving her farther than usual. She stumbled, almost dropping the sword as it took a few steps to figure out how to run. The guard was already ten yards down the street and running for a section of town that wasn¡¯t burnt to the ground. Chasing after him, Grace caught up to the guard in mere moments, jumping at him and tackling the man. Her sword flew from her hand, and as they rolled in the ground and mud, the guard ended up on top of her. He sneered, grabbing at his hip where a small dagger was. As his hand snaked toward it, Grace reached out, caught the man''s wrist, and squeezed, trying to stop him. Bones cracked and shattered, and the guard cried out in pain as Grace felt the hand go limp. ¡°Wha¡­ what are you¡­¡± the guard blubbered, his face drawn tight as he fought against the pain. Punching him in the chest with her right hand, the man flew back a few feet, wheezing coming from him as he held his chest, lying on his back in the road. Grace jumped to her feet and stood up, looking at her hands and seeing barely a scratch or cut. ¡°What has happened to me?¡± she muttered aloud, feeling her hands and fingers, verifying that nothing was broken or injured. The guard whimpered, trying to catch his breath as he scooted on his back. ¡°Stay¡­ stay away please¡­ I got a family¡­ I got¡­¡± Grace rushed to the man and jumped on his chest. ¡°I had a family, too!¡± she shouted. ¡°Your people killed my parents!¡± Not realizing what she was doing, she yelled at the man, cursing his family and Grimdon as her fists pounded against the guard''s face. After a half dozen blows had connected, a hand touched her shoulder. She spun, fist flying, and it hit a hand. Her hand stopped, and she looked and saw the now middle-aged man, dressed in his same black outfit, standing beside her and smiling. ¡°Well done¡­ well done indeed!¡± he cheered. ¡°Far better than I could have hoped! Now, stand up, and let¡¯s go finish off the one that is still alive.¡± Grace made the mistake of glancing down at the man she was sitting on. His face was gone, replaced with something resembling ground raw meat with bones. She examined her hands again, seeing blood all over her black skin and bits of bone sticking to it. Quickly, she wiped the blood and bones on her pants leg, shaking them, and felt her whole body trembling. ¡°What have I done¡­ I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve never killed someone before¡­¡± Laughter came from beside her, and she turned, seeing a look of pure ecstasy on the man¡¯s face as he leaned back and howled. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. When he stopped, he shook his head and pointed toward the building she had run out of. ¡°You have actually killed two, and one is suffering. You need to end him, and then I will heal your Lilly and reward you for obedience.¡± His voice made her stand up. She couldn¡¯t help but obey. As if her body was a puppet on strings. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you making me do this?¡± she cried out as they walked toward the building. Tears were streaming down her face as she felt the wind blowing down the street at her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this!¡± She spun like a hand had grabbed her and turned her like a top. They were face-to-face. The man stooped down a little as his hot breath came from his nose. He was huffing and glaring at her. She could feel his displeasure like some animal about to consume prey. ¡°Listen to me closely, little girl, and do not forget what I say. We struck a deal. You made a pact. The power you have is not yours to claim until you achieve something so great nothing can hold you back.¡± He paused, putting his finger against her chest and driving a nail into it. Pain came from everywhere in her body as if her life was being drained out of her through that one point. ¡°When I tell you there are consequences for not completing a quest, know I will not hesitate to punish you. Now go in there and finish the quest, or you will find yourself dead, left here with these bodies, and we both know what will happen once the town finds all of that.¡± Grace felt a cold chill run through her until the man pulled his finger from her chest. Power surged through her again, and she took the deepest breath she could remember, nodding and staring at those black eyes. She turned on her own and raced into the burnt house, looking to see which of the two were still alive. A slight groan came from the man she had punched in the side. A pool of blood was gathering around him, seeping out of the chain armor around his chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered as she grabbed the man¡¯s head and snapped it around. A tearing sound came, and she lept back, a shriek escaping her lips as part of the man¡¯s neck tore and blood began to spray and gush out. *Ding* A sound echoed in her skull, and a red window popped up. *** Quest Completed: Prove Your Words Reward: Choose one of the three following Abilities: *** Grace stared at the screen, reading it a few times, then turned when she sensed the man she knew was there. ¡°What do I do?¡± she asked, waving her hand at the screen that filled part of her vision. ¡°How do I know which one to choose?¡± With a sigh, the man shook his head before moving to check the first man she had attacked. ¡°You get to decide your path. The abilities should be pretty obvious by the name. I won¡¯t explain them, and until you pick, you won¡¯t know how powerful each is.¡± He turned back to her and held up a finger. ¡°Had you completed this quest without me having to force your hand, know that the options would have been stronger. You will find that absolute obedience is rewarded on a higher scale. Now, just say the choice of the one you want. After that, the system will give you basic knowledge.¡± He bent down and ran his hands along her dog¡¯s back. Lilly jumped up and gave a short growl at the man before sitting on her haunches. He smiled at the average-sized dog and scratched his chin for a moment. Leaning over, he took his finger and jabbed the sharp nail into the dog''s head, a yelp coming from it until he stopped. After he pulled it away, Lilly¡¯s golden fur changed, turning dark brown and eventually stopping at a smoke color. Her eyes flashed red momentarily before returning to their hazel shade. ¡°What did you do?¡± Grace asked as she raced toward Lilly, who turned and gave a happy bark, licking Grace¡¯s hand and face as the girl drew her close. ¡°She deserved a reward for trying to protect you. She will grow like you, stronger as she helps you complete tasks.¡± Confused if this was a gift or a curse, Grace ran her hand along Lilly¡¯s back and glanced up at the man. ¡°This is the last time we should meet for a while. You should pray that we don¡¯t need to meet anytime soon.¡± Leaning down, he scratched Grace¡¯s hair, not caring that she grimaced at that action. ¡°Behave, complete your quests, or suffer. Now go loot those bodies, take your food, and get out of here. You have less than five minutes before another group comes.¡± The man took a step back and, in a moment, was gone. Grace spun around, checking to see if he was hiding somewhere, but she could feel that he was gone for good. ¡°Come on, girl, we need to move.¡± The past few months had taught her one thing: nothing should ever be wasted. Ignoring the blood, she started digging through the men¡¯s bodies, searching for coin purses or something that would be worth her keeping. She quickly collected the four small daggers from the corpses in the room with her, tossing them in the sack she had with the food. Only two had any money on them; it was three silver, a fortune compared to what she usually had. Time was ticking down, and when she stepped out the door, she could make off in the distance toward the corpse in the street, people walking near the front of it. Even with the sun setting and casting its long shadows over the burnt husks of the buildings she was surrounded by, her time was up, and she knew it. ¡°Let¡¯s go, girl!¡± she said quietly, running down the street along the edge of the buildings, bending down and staying low. Twenty minutes later, she found herself at the place she called home. It was a dingy, rotted-out building that barely kept the water off their heads when it rained, but her brother and she had room. The man who ran it with his thugs let her stay for a percentage of anything she brought back. She buried two knives in a hiding place and stashed a third in her backup location. The last dagger she hid up the back of her shirt. Grimacing, Grace slipped the coins into her mouth, swallowing them, knowing it would be unpleasant to retrieve them later, but if Max shook her down as he always did, this was the safest way to keep them. The bitter taste of the metal was replaced with a bite she took from one of the loaves of bread. It was still fresh, and the crust hadn¡¯t hardened over so severely that it would chip a tooth like most bread she had acquired. She gave a small piece to Lilly, who scarfed it down without hesitation. ¡°Come on, girl. We need to go find Levi.¡± As she took a few steps toward the building, the small red window appeared again. *** Ability Selection Required: One minute till no ability will be granted. *** ¡°Shite,¡± cursed Grace as she scanned the three options again. What to pick¡­ 003 - An ability to use Ignoring the Empower skill, Grace quickly considered the Heal and Persuade abilities. She could guess what each of them must do in some fashion, and with time ticking down, she made her choice. ¡°Persuade?¡± Unsure that would work as she spoke, the red box before her flickered a moment. *** Persuade Ability Granted: Once a day, you may attempt to use the skill to change someone¡¯s mind or action. Activate the ability by saying persuade and then what you want them to do. Not all individuals will succumb to this ability, and attempts at self-harm or death are more likely to be resisted. As one''s Mental stat increases, the ability to affect stronger foes increases. *** Grace felt a tingle in her mind, like an itch that made her squint momentarily. Once a day¡­ maybe I should have taken heal. She turned to Lilly, who was sitting down next to her on the street. The change in her fur color still shocked her as it had for the last twenty minutes. Each time, she had to remember that somehow the man had changed it. Lilly also seemed different. She was constantly scanning the streets and alleys. The normal playfulness of her pet was gone, replaced with a dog that appeared trained, even though she had spoiled it all those years. ¡°Listen, Lilly, I need you to go to your usual spot. I¡¯ll be back in the morning, and we can try to find something to eat. Understand?¡± A small bark came, and her dog got up and trotted off in the direction of where Grace usually had to drag her companion. What in the world did that man do to her¡­ to me? Sighing, she moved on toward the building, trying to ignore the three men and two women outside the main door, watching her come towards them. ¡°Aye there,¡± Max called out. The large man was overweight and bald, but his size only fooled the stupid ones. The leather armor he wore over his chest and pants had multiple holes and patches where people tried and failed to kill him. The power in his body made most guards think twice before dealing with him. ¡°You seem to be walking a bit taller than usual. Something for me and my crew in that sack?¡± The man¡¯s lackeys all cackled. The short one they called Boney, due to the number of bones sticking out of holes he created in his ears and nose, produced a knife and started whittling on a white bone, making a sharp point on one end. ¡°I do,¡± Grace said, her voice feeling stronger than usual as she spoke. ¡°I managed to nick three loaves and figured you and your crew might want two while my brother and I eat one.¡± The bald man stood up, the chair he had been sitting on creaking from relief as he got off it. ¡°Those them loaves one could kill a man with if they were hit with?¡± he asked as he slowly strode toward her. Shaking her head, she slowly reached into the burlap sack, pulled out the first loaf, and held it up proudly. ¡°Still slightly soft, no worries about one¡¯s teeth getting chipped on this. She saw his eyes light up and a corner of his lip curl. The man¡¯s three-day stubble of facial hair helped hide a scar on his cheek where someone had plunged a dagger into it. ¡°Two loaves¡­ any other things on you I need to check for?¡± Bones and one of the women, Scarlett, moved toward her, winking at her and grinning. Their smiles showed the gaps in their teeth, lost in a fight or bad hygiene, yet neither cared. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly check her for money,¡± Bones said with a slight chuckle. ¡°Who knows where she might be hiding it.¡± Groaning, Grace knew what was coming and hated it every time. She longed for a bath or even just clean water after those two checked her for money. They were a disgusting pair of humans who had no morals besides not getting killed by Max. As they sauntered toward her, Grace had an idea. ¡°Max, perhaps I could persuade you to trust that I won¡¯t cheat you and not require them to check me every time I come home. Surely, the bread should be worth at least that.¡± A rush of energy flowed through her mind, and she saw the large man¡¯s head snap back slightly as she spoke. It seemed like forever as Max stood there, yet it was only seconds before he started to bob his head. ¡°I guess yer right. You¡¯ve always been honest, and this bread is a treat.¡± Max scowled at the two who were almost next to Grace, both looking at him with a confused expression. ¡°Ya all get yer kicks elsewhere and leave the girl alone. No more searching her till I say otherwise.¡± ¡°But bos¨C¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Bones'' words never finished as the large man moved like a lightning bolt. Even for his size, he was fast. Grace knew she would struggle to move faster than he did. His massive hand grabbed Bones by the neck and lifted him a foot off the ground in a heartbeat. ¡°If I say something, don¡¯t question it,¡± the fat man growled. He tossed Bones to the ground, and everyone else stepped back, not wanting any part of Max¡¯s rage. ¡°Fer that you won¡¯t get no bread today. Go find your own food.¡± Bones glanced at Max for a moment, seeing the rage in his boss¡¯s brown eyes, and scooted back on the dirt. He looked at Grace and scowled before jumping to his feet and moving off to the side, away from everyone. A few laughs came from the others until Max looked at them. ¡°The bread?¡± Max said as he held out his massive hand toward Grace. She smiled and put one loaf in Max¡¯s hand. She watched as Max gave the first one a squeeze and smiled. He nodded at her, and she put the second loaf with the first. ¡°Ya did good Grace. Go inside. Should I be concerned for anyone followin'' ya?¡± ¡°No, sir. I¡¯d never bring that trouble back.¡± He grunted and nodded before returning to his chair, the wood groaning as he sat on it. When Max was settled, he took a massive bite from one of the loaves and began to moan as he chewed. ¡°So gud,¡± he said, smacking his lips as he talked. Grace grinned and dashed past him and everyone else, not wanting to spend another moment near this group. The smell immediately assaulted her nose as she ran through the rotting door. It smelled worse than she remembered, and Grace realized that since that man had put the black gem in her hand, every one of her senses had seemed sharper. The tiniest things caught her eye, like the knife she now knew was in Max¡¯s massive boot that she hadn¡¯t noticed before. But as she moved past him, the way his boot bulged and pointed sharply on the outer edge told her there was one. Standing in the hallway to the run-down property, the smell of sweat and grime was only outdone by the scent of human waste. Glancing down the dark hallway where a single lamp barely burned, she saw a pot outside a door and knew the old woman who lived in that room with her four grandkids had just set it outside. Eyes watering slightly, Grace hurried toward the end of the opposite hall, moving to the door that was hers and her brothers. Knocking three times quickly, followed by a slight pause and two more timed knocks, Grace heard the sounds of feet coming toward the door. ¡°Is that you?¡± Smiling, Grace felt tension she didn¡¯t realize was inside her leaving as Levi¡¯s voice came through the wooden door. ¡°It is. Now open up so I can hug you, you fool.¡± A small laughter came, and the sounds of boards being lifted from their spot told Grace that, for once, Levi had obeyed her. The door finally swung open, and she saw her brother, dirt on his face, barely noticeable usually against his black skin but now, easy to see, even in the dim light. His hair was nappy, and Grace tried not to frown, realizing how upset her mom would be if she saw the state of his hair. Absently, she reached up and touched hers. It was frazzled and going in every direction. How many hours did we sit, laughing as she braided it and fixed it¡­ That memory made her wince, and Levi saw the change in her face for a moment before his eyes lit up. ¡°Your scar! It¡¯s gone! How?!¡± His head started bobbing and weaving as he stretched his neck, trying to see anything else that might be different. ¡°You look¡­ ugly?¡± She frowned, and he started to laugh, filling their musty, small room with a peal of laughter only an eight-year-old could in such horrible conditions. Turning, she shut the door and slid both wood planks into the homemade locks she had built. She knew they wouldn¡¯t keep Max out, but it would stop most people from breaking in. The noise would draw others, and that was the whole goal. Keeping him safe. ¡°Well, if I¡¯m ugly, you¡¯re uglier,¡± teased Grace as she dropped her sack and bent down, tickling her brother. ¡°Mom always said you were uglier than me.¡± The boy howled, ignoring the torturous memory of their mother being gone, and laughed as his sister tickled him for a moment. When she stopped, they both took a deep breath and sighed, smiling at each other before giving the other a huge hug. ¡°I got you something,¡± she announced, grabbing the bag and reaching in. ¡°Try not to eat it all at once.¡± Pulling the bread out, Levi¡¯s eyes went as wide as they could, seeing the brown crust and a few pieces flake off as she gently squeezed it. ¡°What about you?¡± he asked, waiting to take it from her outstretched hand. ¡°You should eat some.¡± Snorting, she rubbed his hair with her other hand and pushed it toward him. ¡°I already had a bite of one. Now eat. I need to check the other stuff here.¡± Not hesitating, Levi smiled and grabbed the bread from her hands, grinning as it felt soft and squishy to his fingers. He chewed a piece off with his teeth, letting out almost the same moan as Max had earlier. After watching Levi take another bite, Grace turned and kept the sigh she felt inside sour her mood slightly. The small pallet of dirty blankets marked the bed they shared in the corner of their eight-by-eight-foot room. A small pile of bricks was stacked in a corner with a wood stove she had stolen from another place. It had cost her a lot to convince Max to let her have it and keep it inside her room. The exhaust pipe often failed, filling their room with smoke until it escaped the only window with bars on it. The burlap that covered it provided a little shelter against the wind that blew and the occasional eye that tried to peer inside. Stacked on the other side of the room was their piss pot and a few dried corn cobs and other rags to clean up after. Beyond that, there was only another change of clothes for each of them. Threadbare and worn, Grace wondered how much longer those would last before both of them were unable to consider them more than rags. Now I feel like a fool swallowing those coins¡­ it will take at least a day before I can get them back and go shopping¡­ The idea of shopping thrilled her. The side of town with actual items to purchase was dangerous for her and others who lived on this side of the city. The guards from the church patrolled regularly, and if they considered you beneath them and trash, they had no problem shaking you down or beating you. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Levi asked, watching her as she stared around the room. Winking, she moved and ruffled his hair again, waving away the bread he offered her. ¡°I think we need to consider getting a few more things for our home. Besides, you need a bath and some new clothes.¡± Levi laughed and rolled his eyes before taking another bite of the almost-gone loaf of bread. ¡°Sure, sis. Perhaps one of us will start crapping gold coins, and we can buy a house also.¡± Grace burst out laughing, unable to help herself as Levi¡¯s comment hit close to her secret. ¡°Just you wait. Soon enough, things will get better for us.¡± 004 - Shopping Most mornings waking up left Grace feeling sore and stiff, but this morning was different. She felt alive. Her body felt terrific, and inside her was some belief that perhaps she and Levi could actually escape this hell hole and find somewhere safe. A twinge in her gut told her what needed to happen, and she got up quietly, leaving her brother snoring as he always did. The water she had fetched and boiled before she drank was doing its magic, and soon, three small silver coins were back in her possession. As she washed her hands and the coins, Grace struggled with the fact that such a dirty ordeal no longer bothered her. So many times, she had hidden money this way, and now it was nothing to her. She hated waking Levi up, but the sun had just come up, and if she was hoping to get into town and buy everything before the guards arrived in their piss-poor mood, she needed to get to the small market quickly. ¡°Levi¡­ Levi¡­¡± She nudged him multiple times with her foot, feeling her eyes roll as he snorted and started snoring again. Groaning, she bent down and began tickling him, smiling as he fought against her for a moment in his sleep. At least he can sleep like this¡­ he still feels safe¡­ ¡°What¡­ why¡­¡± Levi groaned, barely opening an eye and looking for his sister. ¡°Where are you? It¡¯s so dark.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. There is plenty of light,¡± Grace replied. He squinted, rubbed his eyes, and sat up, shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t even see you¡­ the sun isn¡¯t shining here yet, and there isn¡¯t a candle burning or a fire in the stove.¡± Her skin broke out in goosebumps as Grace glanced around the room. Everywhere she looked, it seemed like the early morning sun was lending its light through a window with no curtain. Then, the realization hit her. I can see in the dark like it''s day! ¡°Let me light a candle, and you can lock the door behind me and go back to bed. I need to go see Lilly and then do some things. Ok?¡± Her voice trembled for just a moment as she realized how much had changed since yesterday. At first, Grace wasn¡¯t sure if she had dreamed it all, but once she had woken up and felt amazing, she knew it was real. ¡°Fine¡­ can you¡­¡± Levi hesitated, his voice having dropped an octave. ¡°Can you get me something to eat? I¡¯m hungry.¡± Grace nodded, gently rubbing his head and moving to the almost-gone candle. She took her knife and flint and started a fire on some tinder she had ready, igniting a small fire briefly and lighting the candle. Grace realized how much she could see as the candlelight illuminated the room. In this light, it was as if it was daytime outside. Putting out the tinder, she put the candle back in its holder and went to the door. ¡°Hurry up and lock it so I can go, then blow out the candle and go back to sleep. I¡¯ll get you something.¡± Levi shambled toward the door, yawning, and nodded. After he had secured the door, she had taken off down the hallway, well aware of every spot on the floor. Outside the door were two gang members, wrapped in a blanket and sitting in shadows. She moved past them quietly, and only the sound of the door creaking as she closed it let them know she was there. She could see them looking at her, neither moving, but she nodded and heard a small grunt. Darting down the street, she didn¡¯t hesitate to look back. The world felt alive in ways she had never imagined. Lilly had been waiting for her as she turned the corner, sitting patiently as if she knew Grace was coming. The dog¡¯s tail had wagged as always as she gave an excellent scratching, but as they moved, Lilly stayed slightly to her side and behind, never running ahead or chasing after things as her dog had done for so long. ¡°What did he do to you?¡± Grace muttered as they jogged toward the place the market would be. Lilly made no reply, simply keeping the pace as the dog occasionally checked the side streets they ran past. Vendors were already set up, and most of their wares were displayed. She got looks from many as she moved by, the owners stepping to the front, moving a jacket slightly to the side to show a sword or knife if they felt it was required. Ignoring them, Grace found the stall she was looking for, stopping a few yards away as the older woman who sold clothes there eyed her. ¡°What do you want? I ain¡¯t got no time for you who need charity,¡± the older woman growled as she spat on the ground. ¡°I have money,¡± Grace replied, glancing around as she spoke quietly. ¡°I want to buy a pair of clothes for myself and my brother.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The older woman eyed her up and down, shaking her head as she took in the girl before her. The black skin, messy hair, and dirty clothes left no doubt she was one of the children who had survived the purge by the Knights of Grimdom six months ago. Picking her teeth with her tongue, the woman gave a quick whistle and then grunted at Grace. She motioned to the table as a young man emerged from behind a cart. ¡°Show me your coin and be quick or get lost.¡± Glancing again, Grace flashed a silver coin, and the woman¡¯s eyebrow rose. She glanced at the other stalls, then gave a quick nod and motioned Grace to come closer with her hand. ¡°I won¡¯t ask, but you best hurry and spend that.¡± She had been charged more than the outfits were worth, but Grace smiled as she held the two small bundles. The woman had let her change, putting on the clean clothes she had bought. She even had secured a leather strap that tied her hair back so that it looked less wild. Best of all was the seven copper the woman had given her as change. Both of them smiled, happy for the turn of events, one having made twice the standard rate and the other knowing her brother would love his new pants and shirt. Be careful¡­ The woman¡¯s departing words haunted her. Lilly had sat outside the stall the whole time, watching anyone who came by, not barking or growling once. Now, the pair moved toward the next place on Grace¡¯s list. Vendors no longer threatened her as she came close, seeing a different girl wearing clean clothes and walking as if she belonged. Some even called out, motioning to the goods on their table, asking if her parents needed them. Each time, it hurt when they asked that. A pit in her stomach. None of them knew how much those questions really hurt. ¡°Here for some dried meat?¡± Grace nodded and smiled, looking at the massive man who had exactly what she was looking for. ¡°I need to buy a decent amount for my parents. My dad is considering traveling, and my mom said we may go with him since things are¡­¡± Grace trailed off and made a face as she scanned the rest of the market square. ¡°Things are not as well as they used to be.¡± The vendor chortled and nodded, crossing his arms as he motioned to the table with packs of dried meat wrapped in paper. ¡°Well, it¡¯s twenty-five copper for each of the larger packs. That should last a while, and I have no doubt that you will struggle to find a better price.¡± Grace nodded and glanced at the packs. Two would easily last over a month for her and Levi. Buying one would be an option, but returning might also be problematic. A slight whine from Lilly reminded her that the dog would also need to eat. ¡°Can I try a small sample of one? As long as it tastes fine, I will take two.¡± The grizzled man scratched his chin for a moment. ¡°Show me your coin first. Sorry, but I¡¯m not giving away freebies.¡± Grace nodded, moved close, checked around them, and quickly flashed her second silver coin. The man grunted and moved to a pack that wasn¡¯t tied. Opening it, he pulled out a flat sheet of the pressed and dried meat, using the knife on his belt, and cut off a tiny sliver. Handing it to her, he watched as Grace took a bite. She chewed slowly, savoring the first taste of non-rotten or rodent meat she had experienced in ages. ¡°That will do fine,¡± Grace replied, giving the remaining small piece to Lilly, who caught it as it flew toward her in mid-air. The man smiled and stared at the dog for a moment. ¡°That is a well-trained guard dog. No doubt your parents were smart to send her with you. You can see how she acts that she is prepared for anything.¡± Grace nodded, pretending the man was right, and bent down, giving Lilly a scratch behind her ears. She had noticed the difference. When Grace stood up and looked at the man who held two wrapped paper packs in his one massive hand, she extended hers, dropping the silver coin in his outstretched other. He then gave her both packs, smiling as he pocketed the silver underneath the apron he wore into what she assumed was his pocket. ¡°Here,¡± he said, tossing a small piece of jerky to Lilly, who again caught it mid-air and quickly devoured it. ¡°Keep her safe.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Grace beamed, smiling and waving as she left the stall. A few shouts from further down the market caught her attention, and Grace saw a pack of guards pestering some people shopping as they made their way through the square. Cursing to herself, she tsked at Lilly and started moving between people, dodging them as she held her packs of supplies and reached one of the main streets. It was on the west side of the square, and she needed to get to the east side. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re taking the long way home,¡± Grace told Lilly as they set off. She was half a dozen blocks from where her place was when Grace noticed she had a pair of people following it. It had actually been Lilly who had noticed it and made a slight whine, catching her attention as she glanced back once and saw two figures darting into an alley. I look like a fricking mark with all this crap¡­ Knowing things would not go well, Grace spotted an alley she knew well and picked up her pace. The two following her were only a block behind, and she wanted to get to a spot that would work best for what might happen. Once she reached the alley, ignoring the looks of people she passed, she raced down the alley to the south. Halfway down it, she spotted the broken door of one of the buildings that had partially collapsed. Kicking it, Grace gasped as the door shattered into pieces and flew inside the building. ¡°Guess I forgot how strong I am,¡± she told Lilly as she darted inside, hearing the creaking of wood and catching the scent of rotten wood. ¡°Careful, these floors might give in.¡± She followed the wall, moving to a spot where a barrel was, and glanced inside, seeing it was empty, and tossed the packages in it. Moving back toward the door, she heard voices coming down the alley and the movement of feet. Sliding the dagger out from behind her shirt, she froze. A red box appeared in Grace''s vision, and words appeared. *** One quest pending ¡ª Keep What is Yours: You must kill the two thieves who desire what is yours. Reward: Stats Gained Failure: Stats Lost ***** Her heart hurt as she saw the results of success and failure. I¡¯m not a murderer¡­ 005 - Becoming What We Fear Lilly sat beside her, quiet and not moving, but Grace could see she was like a spring, ready to move in a moment. Her hand with the dagger trembled as she tried to calm herself. They would rob or kill me¡­ I need to protect Levi¡­ Over and over, she told herself everything she was doing for her brother. That smile on his face, those eyes still filled with hope and life. She knew that fire had gone out of her weeks after her parents had died, and yet her brother never stopped believing she could do anything. Taking a deep breath, she waited inside the door, knowing they would come. ¡°Stop!¡± a voice hissed and she immediately recognized it. Scarlett¡­ that bitch¡­ and that means¡­ ¡°You think she went in there?¡± Bones whispered. ¡°Who would be that stupid?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a baby, you fool. She doesn¡¯t have the street smarts to know not to go in there. Now quiet and be ready.¡± Their words sounded so loud in her ears. Even though her heart was pounding, Grace could hear every sound with fantastic clarity. Their steps through the trash and small puddles of stagnant water told her exactly where they were. She risked a quick glance at Lilly, who had bared her teeth but remained silent, crouched even lower. Her fur seemed darker in here, almost as if blending in with the shadows both of them were hiding in. A knife tip appeared as the Bones came in first. His head darted both ways, but when it passed over her for a moment, he continued scanning the room, not noticing her. It¡¯s darker in here than I realized¡­ The man slowly slid forward, testing each step as he moved, ensuring the floor didn¡¯t creak too much or feel like it would give in. As he passed into the building, Scarlett came next. Her red hair, which earned her the nickname she had, shimmered in the light for Grace. ¡°Slowly,¡± the woman hissed. A slight nod of Bones''s head acknowledged her command. Can I leave them and sneak out? How bad would losing stats be if I didn¡¯t kill them? As she tried to convince herself that not completing this quest she had just been given would be so bad, the words she heard turned her blood into ice. ¡°I swear when we find her, I¡¯m going to have my way with her, and then I¡¯m going to visit her¨C¡± ¡°Shh..¡± Anger roared inside Grace. She had experienced things she would rather forget at that man¡¯s hands, and hearing him say those things, knowing what he might do to her brother, turned the world almost red for a moment. She felt her face change. Her teeth felt like she might shatter them from how hard she clenched. Slowly, she moved, coming up behind Scarlett. Bones stepped forward a little, and a plank creaked. She saw him wince and slowly shift his foot, applying pressure on a different spot on the floor. Grace moved like a cat, no sound coming as she stalked the woman who had made her life a living hell multiple times in the last few months. Every wrong the woman had done replayed through her mind with each step she took. She felt something pop inside her soul. A wall she had built, promised she wouldn¡¯t climb, just vanished. Right here was a chance for Grace to do what she needed for herself and her brother. Living on the street taught one many things most would never imagine needing to know. Grace had seen more people killed in six months than a person would ever wish to curse on another. Soldiers ran people through, burning houses and laughing as they butchered and had fun before ending a person''s life. She had seen others fight back, slipping behind a guard as they slept while standing watch. Slicing their throat so people could escape and get by the blockades along streets. At this moment, those memories and the dagger told her precisely what she needed to do. Her left hand came up and covered Scarlett¡¯s mouth at the same time, the dagger cut so deep it ground against the woman¡¯s spine from the front. A single grunt came, and Bones held up his hand as he continued to try and find a spot that didn¡¯t creak as he moved forward. The man hadn¡¯t realized what Grace had just done in the shadows behind him. Gently setting the woman¡¯s corpse to the ground, Grace moved forward a few steps. She wanted to plunge the dagger into the man¡¯s back over and over. There was a fury inside her that demanded he suffer. Every time he touched her while searching her for hidden treasure, he breathed on her and made lewd comments replayed in a heartbeat. Silently, she took a deep breath and then kicked his left leg from the side in a powerful sweep. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The bones shattered at the knee, his leg bending in half as the man yelped, falling face-first to the ground. His dagger clattered against the wood and bounced a few yards away as Bones cried out in pain, trying to reach for his leg that was bent in half. He glanced back, seeing the shape of her standing above the corpse of Scarlette, silhouetted by the light of the door they had entered. ¡°Bi¡­ Bitch¡­ what have yo¨C¡± His words stopped when Grace bent down and thrust her dagger into his other leg, ripping it out as she sliced Bones''s hamstring. ¡°This is for me!¡± she yelled, grabbing his leg and dragging the man back toward the open door, letting him flop around as he struggled to move. Bones fought back as best as he could, unable to stop Grace as she overpowered him. Like a cat with a mouse in its mouth, she pulled him to where she wanted him. Into the light so he could see her as she did what was coming next. Letting go of the leg she had been holding onto, it fell to the floor with a thud. She moved to where Bones was and rolled him over. A flash of white caught her eye as he rolled over, a sharpened bone coming at her. Moving to try and block it, a shadow appeared, clamping down on Bones¡¯s hand with a snarl. Lilly had moved so fast that she was a blur, catching his left arm as the bone approached Grace. The dog thrashed, biting down, and Grace heard bones breaking and the screaming of the thug who was about to die. ¡°Lilly down!¡± Grace ordered, watching her dog immediately drop the wrist. A bone clattered from the hand as Lilly let go. Grace kicked him, sending Bones tumbling to his back. Not risking another attack, she crushed the man¡¯s right hand under her foot and found herself smiling as she heard the popping and crunching sound under her worn boot. Grace moved till she was on top of the man, watching him thrash but unable to do anything as his hands and legs were useless. ¡°Tell me... What were you going to do to me?¡± Grace demanded. Even in all that pain, Bones managed to spit in her face. ¡°You¡¯re a no good Grumbderd bitch! You¡¯re the reason we were attacked! You and your kind!¡± Unable to stop herself, Grace punched the man in the chest, her fist crushing his ribs and entering the cavity on Bones¡¯s left side. He howled and coughed, spitting blood as it ran like a river from the wound she had just made. ¡°Never use that word around me,¡± Grace growled. That word was a curse for those like her. An ugly name for one of her heritage. Who had crossed the desert and moved to this place. Blamed by many for what had taken place six months ago or any time something terrible happened. The cries Bones made were getting too loud, even with his difficulty breathing. Holding her bloody hand over his mouth, Grace leaned over and glared at the man, looking into his blue eyes. ¡°Just know, when you die, there is a special place for souls like yours.¡± She took her dagger and thrust it up under his jaw, watching his eyes roll back as the tip of her blade entered his brain. He shuddered once and stopped moving. Sighing, she sat on his chest for a moment before realizing blood was everywhere and stood up. Her new clothes were covered in it. Grace glanced at Lilly, who sat there, staring at her. ¡°Thank you, Lilly. I owe you a treat.¡± Looking at the two bodies, Grace obeyed the rules of the street. Leave nothing valuable behind. Searching them and stripping off their clothes, she found seventeen copper coins. A fortune for her and most. None of their clothes or weapons were worth keeping. Doing so might draw attention to her being the one who had killed them. Once done with that task, she moved the barrel she had stored everything in and stripped naked, putting on her old, thread-worn clothes. ¡°One day¡­ One day, I will not look like a beggar,¡± she muttered out loud. A sound like a bell pealed in her head, and the red screen flashed before her. *** Quest Completed: Keep What is Yours Reward: For completing this quest without hesitation and delivering death so brutally, choose a stat to increase by two. *** Those words delivering death so brutally pained her. She glanced over at the bodies on the floor and knew she had done just that. Guilt flooded her as she glanced at her hands, seeing the dried blood she couldn¡¯t wipe off with her new clothes. What would Levi think if he saw what I did? Would he hate me? Could he still love me? So many thoughts plagued her that Grace slumped to the ground and started to cry. A minute passed, and a wet tongue suddenly brushed the side of her face. Lilly sat there, watching her. Leaning over, Grace embraced her dog, squeezing her, petting and scratching all over. ¡°Thank you, Lilly,¡± she whispered. ¡°Thank you for loving me even if I did that¡­¡± A small bark came, and Lilly sat there, tail wagging as Grace continued to scratch her back. ¡°Come on, I need to get cleaned up and then hide the rest of these things.¡± Looking at the bloody clothes she had just bought, Grace almost threw them into the barrel and stopped. Her mind told her that wasn¡¯t the best choice. ¡°They could track these back to me¡­¡± Rolling them up as best as she could, Grace hurried out with her armful of packages and evidence, running down the alley toward where she knew she could hide something. Grace sat on the floor of the building where she had hidden so many things. There was a reason why she knew it was safe. Her dad had built the place within the floor. The only reason she and Levi survived those first few months was because of the money he had hidden in there. Now, it provided her with a safe spot again. Two daggers and two packages of jerky. Next to it was a pair of new clothes for Levi and her ruined ones. She sat there, untying the knot and slowly folding the paper back. Twelve pieces of meat were pressed together. These would last her a long time. She cut strips of one of the twelve by twelve-inch squares, tossing two strips to Lilly, who happily consumed both. Chewing on one for herself, she collected a few more, placing them inside the undergarment that helped support her breasts, and then tied the package shut again, putting it with the other. Moving the board back into place, she stood up, grabbing a handful of soot and dirt and blew it over the boards. She took a few steps back and told herself that if she didn¡¯t know where that spot was, she would miss it. Fishing the half-eaten piece of meat out of her pocket, Grace sighed and tossed it to Lilly. At this moment, she wasn¡¯t hungry. As she walked back to town, she knew what would appear soon and started to consider the options. At least I didn¡¯t fail the quest¡­ even if it means I¡¯m becoming a monster¡­ 006 - Learning Your Strengths Her mind itched as she walked. Grace focused on what that man had said and how this system would tell her more. Willing to know more, some words popped into her mind. ¡°Status,¡± she whispered as she and Lilly slowly walked down a street. ***** Grace Akem Age: 16 Female Initiate of Balethem ¡ª Physical: 7 Mental: 4 Spiritual: 5 ¡ª Abilities: Persuade - Usable ***** Glancing at the red window and back at the street, Grace considered what those words meant. ¡°Stats definition.¡± *** Physical - The measure of one''s physical body. All damage, speed, strength, endurance, resistance to all physical attacks and effects are based on this stat. As the number increases, perks may be gained at certain thresholds. Mental - The measure of one''s acumen, cognitive intelligence, perception, and wisdom. All knowledge may be accessed through this stat. A weak mental state will leave one susceptible to mental attacks. As the number increases, perks may be gained at certain thresholds. Spiritual - The measure of how one interacts with the hidden world of magic and other forces. All magical abilities and proficiency with spells are based on this stat. Some magical attacks use this stat for resistance, while others use the other two stats. As the number increases, perks may be gained at certain thresholds. *** Grace stopped walking as she read the three different stats. It took her a moment as she read them again and again. Mental attacks? Magic? MAGIC?! There were rumors of magic, most often simply stories told to children as most believed magic wasn¡¯t real. A few days ago, she would have been absolutely certain of that fact, but now, her understanding of the world began to shatter. Who was that man?! What did I get myself involved in?! As she stood there, an older couple with a young man walked toward her, giving her a weird look. Aware she probably had some crazy expression on her face, Grace forced a smile and moved deeper into the part of town where houses were falling apart. Her mind raced as she considered what it was telling her. Not knowing what an average person might be considered for any of those stats, or even if people know of them, she tried to gauge some numbers. Max was the strongest person he knew. Even with all she had seen him do and how he had broken men, none of his attacks had done the same damage as she had. That means he has to have a lower physical stat than I do¡­ She felt her cheeks becoming warm when she considered that if it came to a fight between them, she might win. Doing so would cause a lot of problems. His size and reputation kept the guard away unless they needed a reason to investigate something. It also kept the other small gangs out of their space. If they fought and she won, it would destroy that reputation, and the fallout would be horrible. She shuddered as she walked, remembering the last time one of the gang leaders had lost in a different area and the death that came from those trying to poach members or wealth. That knowledge gave her some idea then that an average person was well below her number. The mental side obviously was why she noticed so many little things she hadn¡¯t before. This is not to say she believed herself dumb, but there was definitely an improvement in how she was thinking and acting. Sure, she made stupid mistakes, like buying all that stuff at once and flaunting it, but even intelligent people did that occasionally. And then came the idea of magic. Her mind hurt, trying to consider that thought, but then the ability she passed up¡­ Heal¡­ it had to have been considered magical and would have fallen into that stat. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. What other magic could there be? Lightning? Fireballs? Lead into gold? The thought of being able to turn any metal into gold seemed like a good prospect. Then, she and Levi could be protected by those she paid. Of course, then I would have to explain how I was coming up with so much gold¡­ The house was coming into view, just a few blocks away, and Grace knew what she needed to pick. If there is a threshold for when something better happens, I need to raise my physical stat. Once it hits that rank, I will know how high I need to get the others. Feeling like that was the best decision, Grace sighed before speaking. ¡°Physical.¡± Her body felt like it was on fire for a moment. She had burnt her hand once as a child, but what she felt right now was far more intense and filled every bone and muscle in her body. Even her skin felt warm and energized. As the feeling faded, she was left with the truth that she still had no measurable way of knowing what that number actually did. Looking at the ground, she saw broken bricks in a pile outside one of the decaying buildings. Grabbing one, she rotated her arm and cracked her neck. ¡°Here goes nothing,¡± she muttered as she took a step and tossed the brick into the air. Grace¡¯s mouth hung open as the brick flew like an arrow over the house she was throwing it at, becoming so tiny that she almost couldn¡¯t make it out as it began to fall to the ground somewhere in the city. I can throw¡­ Glancing around and making sure no one was watching, she picked up another piece of brick and gave a quick glance before throwing it at the wall of the house across the street. It blasted through the wooden side, leaving a massive hole as it made noise, traveling deeper into the house. Coughing, Grace started walking toward where Levi would be waiting. ¡°Lilly, why don¡¯t you go to your place.¡± The dog gave a small bark and darted ahead, turning at the street she was headed and going to where Lilly knew to stay. Damn dog is more intelligent than me, I think. ¡°Yer back early,¡± Max declared, not bothering to get up. ¡°Usually, you don¡¯t return till closer to evening.¡± Grace saw his eyebrow raise as the man tried to consider why. She nodded and patted her stomach. ¡°That girl problem started early¡­ the cramps ar¨C¡± ¡°Stop,¡± he said, shaking his head and waving his massive hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about it. Just go inside and make sure your brother is behaving.¡± ¡°Is he not?¡± Grace asked as she moved closer to the door. Snorting, Max shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s an eight-year-old boy. The fact that he doesn¡¯t cry or shout all day is one of the few reasons I don¡¯t charge more for you two. Shame he can¡¯t be a kid and play outside all day, but¡­¡± The large man trailed off, ignoring the grumbling from the three gang members hanging outside. ¡°Any more bread?¡± Twitch called out. ¡°I wish,¡± Grace replied, frowning as she spoke. ¡°The merchant wasn¡¯t dumb enough to leave his cart unattended today.¡± As Grace approached the door, she stopped and turned to Max. The large man cocked his head and looked at her, a perplexed expression on his face. She reached into her pocket and pulled out four copper coins. ¡°Speaking of rent, I guess I can find some more tomorrow. I sold some metal I found to a blacksmith. It¡¯s not much, but I¡¯m always grateful for you letting my brother and I stay here.¡± Max stared at her, his eyes trying to read her momentarily. He slowly began to nod and held out his hand. ¡°Keep one. That¡¯s what I like about you, Grace. Most wouldn¡¯t have told me, forcing me to eventually search them and their room. You understand the rules and always do right by it.¡± Grace gave a slight bow and handed the man three of the copper coins, holding the one between her fingers and looking at it longingly. ¡°Thanks, Max¡­ if you weren¡¯t so ugly, I¡¯d tell people you¡¯re my dad.¡± Max roared, slipping the coins into his pocket as he leaned back on his seat, rubbing his bald head as he shook it. ¡°If you were a boy, I¡¯d say you got a massive pair on you,¡± he replied after a moment spent laughing. ¡°Whose to say I don¡¯t,¡± Grace said, winking at the man. All the gang members laughed, and Grace moved to the door, opening it and shutting it quickly, ready to get inside. Levi was bouncing like a ball on the ground. Each small bite he took was a battle of willpower, keeping from moaning and talking about what he was eating. ¡°Meat!¡± he exclaimed as quietly as possible. ¡°Shhh, you moron,¡± Grace said, giving him a playful bop on the head. ¡°I¡¯d rather not fight everyone over what you are getting.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have more when we can, just don¡¯t tell anyone.¡± She wagged her finger in his face. ¡°I mean it¡­ this could get us¡­¡± Levi¡¯s smile never left as he nodded and continued eating the piece she had given him. ¡°Now I need to go get some water. Do you wanna come with me?¡± The only thing Levi loved more than food was getting to leave their room. It only happened when Grace took him outside to get water and empty their piss pot, and he made sure to make the most of it. Once he had finished the food and Grace had inspected his teeth, ensuring there were no visible bits stuck between them, she got her neighbor to sit outside their door. No one would enter if they could be seen doing it, and they all took turns guarding one another''s stuff. Levi skipped and danced as they left the front door, chuckling as everyone out front laughed when Grace appeared again. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Levi asked, leading them all to double over and howl again. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re older,¡± Grace said with a wink, earning her a sigh from Levi. The well everyone used was a safe place. It had been fought over by gangs, and the number of people who died had been so high that all of the leaders finally agreed that no one would own it. It would be shared, and no fighting was allowed. Those who broke that rule served as a reminder to everyone else why the peace was kept. Each leader would cut off pieces of those involved, taking them back to their section of town and displaying them as a reminder. Since that decision months ago, it was the one safe place in the hell hole side of town. Parents and children came, people traded, and because it was in the garden of an old estate, life for just a moment was better. People gladly cut flowers, trimmed weeds, and watered without being ordered or asked. Amid burnt-down homes, abandoned buildings, and destroyed lives, a small oasis replenished the souls of all who came. It was why when Levi ran ahead as they drew close, Grace didn¡¯t tell him to stop like she usually would. Smiling to herself, feeling full both in her stomach and in her heart for a moment after seeing her brother and how he was acting, Grace let the sunshine warm her face as she closed her eyes and took a few more steps toward the walls that surrounded the garden and the well. Levi¡¯s scream shattered that moment. 007 - Sacrifices Grace sprinted the last half dozen yards to the wall, barreling through the opening and turning, almost running into a guard who was holding Levi¡¯s arm and shaking him. ¡°I said quiet!¡± the man snapped, shaking her brother as he tried to drag him towards a group of other people from the city who were herded against one of the stone walls. The soldier''s eyes snapped up as Grace came toward him, trying to stop, and he reached for his sword. ¡°Wait!¡± Grace exclaimed, throwing up her hands. ¡°He¡¯s my brother! I heard him scream and came running!¡± The guard put his right hand on the pommel of his sword and stared at her and then back at Levi before snorting. ¡°Get your arse and your brothers to that wall, and I swear if he doesn¡¯t stop screaming, I¡¯ll cut him and you down!¡± He wrenched his hand free from Levi¡¯s arm, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. Grace didn¡¯t say a word, nodding and moving to where Levi was, scooping him up in her arms and moving quickly to where everyone else stood. She noticed well over thirty people there, all from different sections of towns, and each scared out of their minds. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Grace whispered to an older man. The grey-haired man bent his neck up at her, a permanent hunch preventing him from standing up straight. Leaning against his cane, he saw her and then spat on the ground. ¡°It¡¯s the guards. Someone killed five of their men, and now they are trying to figure out who. For some reason, they think we would know that.¡± Grace watched as the man turned his head in the other direction and watched the guards gather together after two more people who entered the walls were forced to join the group of people. Six of them talked for a moment, ignoring the cries and questions coming from the crowd. ¡°Who could kill five of them? Why would they tell us if someone did?¡± a woman in the crowd said loudly. Murmurs and agreement came from most of the people there. Grace scanned the group as best as she could. Standing only five feet, her size didn¡¯t lend to seeing much of anything, but from what she had noticed and how her mind worked now, she recalled there were at least six children in the group and a dozen older people, all the same age as the man she had first talked to. Levi was quiet. They had often practiced how he would behave if something like this happened. He stayed behind her, knowing that if she told him to run, he would not hesitate and race back toward their building. ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± Grace whispered to him. ¡°I¡¯m sure everything will be ok.¡± Her heart sank as, after speaking those words, a red screen appeared in her vision. ***** One quest pending ¡ª Protect Those Around You and Cleanse the Filth: Two Conditions. First condition: You must protect everyone around you. If no innocents die and all escape, you succeed. Second condition. The filth that calls themselves honorable needs to be cleansed from this world. Kill the six guards who worship the God Grimdon and send them to an early grave. At least one of these conditions must be met to succeed. Reward: Ability Gained (A higher tier reward awaits if both conditions are met). Failure: People will die ***** Her heart sank as Grace knew things would turn for the worse in just a moment. The guards were getting anxious, and the more people they gathered, also meant more got away. Soon, they knew the different gangs would appear, and even though there were six of them, they didn¡¯t want to deal with those odds. Each of them was wearing all their armor, including their chain coifs. The guards had come for battle, and she struggled to consider how she and the other people around her would escape here alive. If one person dies, then I can only beat this quest if I kill them, and with Levi here¡­ Her mind tried to consider her options, wanting to keep her brother safe and also not see others die because of what she did. Bending down on her knee, she put a hand on Levi¡¯s shoulder and looked at him in his eyes. ¡°Listen to me. No matter what, you go back to the house. I¡¯ll get them away from here and be fine, but I need you to promise me that you will return to the house.¡± ¡°Sister, ho¡ª¡± Grace shook her head and put her hand over his mouth. ¡°You know the rules. Trust me. I¡¯ll be fine, but I need you to be safe. Always you first, remember that.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. His nose scrunched, forming that line of wrinkles on his face, flaring his nostrils when he was upset. He was angry, and Grace knew it, but she also knew he would obey. ¡°Good. Now stay near everyone and let me handle this.¡± Grace began shifting her way through the crowd, getting a few comments about her actions, but when it was evident she was moving toward the guards, a path opened up. One of the men saw her standing there, a few feet before everyone else, and the rest of the crowd gave her room. ¡°What the hell do you want?! Get back with the others!¡± ¡°Maybe I can help. Who''s in charge? I know things.¡± All the men turned and faced her. Four of them chuckled and pointed at her, while one in the middle stared at her. He held up a hand, and everyone quieted down, choosing to shift on their feet a little as the man took a few steps forward. ¡°I¡¯m Seargent Miles. Tell me what you know.¡± Grace nodded and gave a slight bow. ¡°I¡¯m decently gifted with tracking, and if I could persuade you to take your men and me to wherever your men have died, I should be able to give you a clue about who was behind it.¡± The man¡¯s blue eyes watched her and how Grace spoke. The certainty behind her voice. ¡°Come on, Sergeant, that¡¯s a load of¨C¡± Sergeant Miles held up his hand and cut the man off. ¡°I¡¯ll warn you if you are playing any games, I will cut you down myself after I turn you over to the guard for punishment.¡± Grace nodded. ¡°I promise. I wouldn¡¯t risk my life or the others unless I was certain of my skill.¡± She watched as the man tapped his fingers against the handle of his sword. He had put it on top of the pommel, tapping it slowly. ¡°Very well, we will escort you to where we found our men. If you can assist in the case, I will reward you. If not¡­¡± Laughter came from behind the Sergeant as the men all smiled. Grace fought back the tremor she felt, wanting to race up her spine, knowing what failure would lead to. The people had all scattered as the guards surrounded Grace, and they began walking in the direction she knew they were headed. ¡°Tell me, what is your name?¡± Grace glanced at the captain. She wanted to lie but wasn¡¯t sure if it was the best decision. If she made it out of here alive and didn¡¯t have to kill the men and his guards, perhaps it would be better this way. ¡°It¡¯s Grace, sir.¡± The man nodded, taking his eyes off her and looking ahead again. A red window popped into her vision as she walked down the middle of the empty road. *** Quest Completed: Protect Those Around You and Cleanse the Filth: Condition One Reward: Choose one of the three following Abilities: *** Trying to read those options, Grace wondered how often the same ones would appear. Juggernaut¡­ Her mind recalled all the stories and lessons she had learned as a child while attending school. She knew the word and what it meant, but her question was what it did. Heal could be handy, but if only once a day and Empower¡­ it has to be an attack of some sort¡­ Juggernaut sounds like a defense of some kind. Like the legend of Dravguan¡­ the warrior who held a pass against five hundred attackers on his own for a week. Her heart was beating fast, and Grace knew what they would soon be where she had killed those other guards. It meant that she would be in a bad area and need at least one of those abilities. ¡°You all look like a Juggernaut,¡± Grace said as she motioned to the men before her and the Seargent. The men laughed, and their commanders shook his head. ¡°It might seem that way to one like you, but trust me, we are just men trying to do right by Grimdon.¡± *** Juggernaut Ability Granted: Once every two days, this ability may be activated. For ten seconds, all attacks will bounce off harmlessly regardless of the difference in strength. User will also be immune to the energy behind the attack, finding themselves not moved a single inch. *** Grace felt her mouth hanging open, and the Sergeant thought she was shocked at his statement. ¡°Listen, Grace. You were brave back there, and I understand why you did what you did, but I hope for your sake that you aren¡¯t lying and can help us catch whoever did this. I do not prefer to mindlessly kill people.¡± He leaned in close and whispered into her ear. ¡°Unlike some, I take my vows seriously.¡± The way the man spoke caused her to shiver. It was similar to how the man who had granted her the power she had spoke. Is he like me? Wondering if that was possible, Grace stopped as the group came to a halt in the middle where two streets connected. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Which way?¡± Grace glanced at the captain and shook her head. ¡°Which way what?¡± ¡°Which way to where the men got murdered?¡± Grace noticed that all of the guards had turned and were facing her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I¡¯m not sure why you are asking that.¡± Shaking his head, the Sergeant took a deep breath and let it out slowly. ¡°Grace. You have been leading us in the direction we have been walking. None of us told you how to go, yet you have taken us almost in a straight line. Only just a moment ago did you pause and not continue going.¡± His hand moved to his sword, resting on top of it again. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in chance, and the odds of you knowing exactly where to go tell me you know something. Especially since you were willing to risk your life while the others went free. Now continue leading us in the direction of the murdered guards, or I will allow my men to start doing things you will not like until you do.¡± Those blue eyes were emotionless as he stared at her. She realized he was right. She had been so caught up in the quest and the situation that she had walked automatically toward the area where she had killed the guards. Her mind raced as she tried to consider her options. A few people were further away on the streets, watching the group from a distance. No one would save her, but if she fought and killed them all, word would spread, and she would have to flee with her brother. Hanging her head, Grace nodded and sighed. She had a plan¡­ it was risky, but it was her only play. ¡°I stumbled upon it the other day when I was scavenging for stuff to sell¡­ worse yet, it''s not the only horrible thing I¡¯ve seen in this city¡­ I found another crime just like that one¡­ there is a monster in the town.¡± 008 - The Stick and the Carrot The Sergeant¡¯s eyebrows raised, and she saw his confusion when she looked up at his face. ¡°What do you mean another murder?¡± The man looked at the guards near him, and they all shook their heads. None of them had any idea what Grace was talking about. ¡°Explain,¡± the man said. ¡°Where is this other murder?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lead you, but it¡¯s the other way. No, I won¡¯t run, but it is fifteen minutes away from here.¡± His fingers began to tap on his handle again, his mind working to consider all possible angles and truths Grace might be telling. ¡°Lead on, but know if you try to run at all, we will hunt you down and kill anyone you are friends with.¡± Pausing, the officer held his hand out at about waist high. ¡°Even if it is a younger sibling.¡± Grace swallowed. There was no need to fake her emotions this time. The fear of Levi getting injured was real. She had made this mess, and now she needed to find some way to clean it up. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll talk about it as we walk.¡± Grunting, Miles nodded to his men, who frowned but resumed their position. ¡°We need to go back down this street and turn left.¡± Grace had told the captain about what she had found and the scene of the officers. She mentioned how when she inspected the bodies, none of it made sense. ¡°Did you actually see the bodies?¡± Miles shook his head no. ¡°I read the reports.¡± Grace nodded and shuddered. ¡°A man¡¯s head was torn off¡­ literally torn off like someone twisted like a top an¨C¡± ¡°I know,¡± Miles cut her off with a hand. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°The injuries were weird. It was as if they were done by hand. Whoever did it had to be strong and fast. Exceptionally strong. I¡¯ve been around enough death¡­¡± she paused, licking her lips, ¡°and how those men died wasn¡¯t like anything else I¡¯ve seen.¡± Miles nodded. The report seemed impossible to believe, but hearing what Grace said began to remove his original doubt. ¡°Turn here, then it''s the first alley on the right.¡± ¡°You sure get around,¡± Miles stated, motioning the men to follow her instructions. ¡°My parents are dead, sir¡­ all that I have is my brother, and I have to pay rent and a share of anything I find. That means I must scour the city for anything we can eat or sell.¡± A man grunted from ahead, obviously wanting to say something but holding his tongue. When they got to the alley, the guards stood before it. ¡°About fifty yards down, there is a door on the right that has been busted out¡­ inside is¡­¡± Grace pretended to gag a second and then held up her hand. ¡°I found... I ran straight home and to my brother. It was gruesome and fresh.¡± The Sergeant held up two fingers, and two men moved forward, swords out. After they had gone about five steps, Miles motioned for her to move, and another man came with him. They stopped when the two men approached the door, and one peeked inside. Bringing his head back, both Grace and Miles noticed the man¡¯s face had gone slightly white. The guard looked at the captain and nodded. ¡°We¡¯re going to need a torch, sir.¡± ¡°Make one. Someone use your alcohol that I know one of you have.¡± Five minutes later, Grace stood near Miles and two other guards, watching them inspect the corpses in their flickering torchlight. Rats were hiding outside the torchlight, their beady eyes shining, waiting for the people to let them get back to their meal. ¡°Look at that woman¡¯s neck,¡± the guard said. Miles bent down and inspected it, grimacing at what he saw. ¡°Sliced to the bone¡­ from behind.¡± ¡°Who can do something like that, sir?¡± Grace¡¯s voice was as timid as she could muster. Standing up, the Sergeant had his hand back on his sword, tapping the handle again. Drops of burning cloth and liquid fell to the rotting floor, quickly stepped on by one of the guards lest the wood catch on fire. After a few more minutes of examining all the corpses, Miles turned to Grace. ¡°Did you loot them?¡± ¡°I did, sir. I got four copper coins. I gave my housing master three and kept one.¡± He watched her, studying her, and then nodded. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. With a sharp whistle, each guard left the building, handing Miles the torch as he held out his hand for it. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone,¡± Miles said, leaning toward Grace as he held the torch near her. ¡°I don¡¯t need panic spreading amongst the people that some killer is out here doing this to both guards and¡­ citizens.¡± The last word he had said felt forced. ¡°Regardless, you have helped me more than you know. As such,¡± Miles reached into a pouch on his side and pulled out a single silver coin. ¡°I will reward you. Tell me immediately if you find any more of these, and I will ensure you are compensated again. Do you understand?¡± Grace nodded quickly, focusing on the silver coin pinched between the Seargant''s fingers. ¡°Good. Now, I¡¯m sure you have some way of keeping this hidden so that no one takes it from you.¡± ¡°I do, sir. Thank you, sir!¡± Grace exclaimed, mimicking Levi when he was excited, bouncing slightly. Holding the coin out, he dropped it in her hand, and Grace winked as she put it in her mouth and swallowed it without hesitation. Chuckling, the Seargent shook his head. ¡°Smart¡­ real smart. One last thing, and if you are as smart as I think you are, you know what will happen next.¡± Grace grimaced, nodding slowly. ¡°Just once in the face? I can take it.¡± The Sergeant nodded and moved to the door. ¡°James put this out.¡± A guard came and took the torch from him. Turning around, Miles gave a slight nod of his head. ¡°Ready?¡± Grace nodded, holding her hands out to her side. Without hesitating, the man slammed his fist into Grace¡¯s side. The moment it was on its way back, his hip shifted again, and he hit her again on the other side. Six rapid blows landed, and Grace shook as they impacted her. She doubled over, clutching her sides and breathing heavily. It was taking every ounce of her being to not laugh. Each of those punches felt like a twelve-year-old was hitting her. It stung a little, but none of them had the impact a grown man, trained in doing what he was doing, should. She forced a cough and took a moment before standing up slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll only hit one eye. Close them if you would please.¡± Grace did, and she almost felt like the man was kind. The second her eyes were shut, the hit came, smashing into her left eye socket. This one hurt, and she felt tears forming from the impact. Knowing it should have hurt much worse helped slightly, but it was a valuable lesson to learn this way. She felt a hand pat her head and heard the Sergeant whisper in her ear, ¡°If you find anything, come to the guard post. Tell them you need me and that ¡®the cat was barking.¡¯ Anyone who hears that will ensure I am found quickly. She grunted and nodded, keeping her eye covered. ¡°Be safe.¡± With those words said, the man turned and walked to the left, leaving her alone with the two corpses of her doing. *** Quest Failed: Second Condition Not Met. Ability will not be upgraded. *** A bit of her soul felt relieved. She didn¡¯t doubt she could have won that fight, but she didn¡¯t want to go down that road unless there was no other choice. Moving toward the door, she started to hurry towards her home, knowing there would be a lot of people looking for her. ¡°Sit!¡± Max barked, moving his chair out so she could rest on it. ¡°One of you three, go get me a bucket of cold water now!¡± Twitch took off, his head ticking even as he ran. Max looked at the other two and grunted. ¡°One of you go get a clean cloth and tell her brother she is home.¡± One of the men nodded and ran inside, banging the door as he did and bringing a few curses from Max. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they let you live!¡± he exclaimed, turning on his heel and squatting down to look at her eye, which was red and a little puffy. Feigning injury to her sides, Grace nodded, took a slow breath, and let it out. ¡°I had to protect Levi and the others¡­ someone had to, or we know they would have¡­¡± Max nodded as Grace stopped talking. She heard her brother shouting her name from inside the building. ¡°Grace! GRACE!¡± he shouted, running out the door and down the three steps before throwing himself at her and hugging her. Grace winced, waving off Max, who was about to grab and pull the boy off. She didn¡¯t hurt, and the role she needed to play was easy. What sister wouldn¡¯t endure the pain of her brother''s hug, even if she had a broken rib? ¡°I¡¯m ok¡­ you¡¯re ok¡­ now please let me breathe,¡± she whispered. Levi jumped back, tears forming as he realized he was hurting her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sister! I didn¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Now, stop crying and smile. I¡¯ll be ok.¡± He nodded his head, wiping his wet cheeks, and sniffed a half dozen times. ¡°You sure? You¡¯re going to be ok?¡± ¡°I am¡­ now just stand here and let me catch my breath.¡± A few minutes later, most of the residents of the building were all outside, offering her praise and thanks for her smart thinking. Mrs. Grayeduan came to her and patted the other cheek. ¡°Thank you, dear. My boys were there, and if you hadn¡¯t¡­¡± She sniffed, choked up on her words, and just smiled. She blinked, and a tear came. ¡°I¡¯m happy they are ok,¡± Grace replied. She nodded and motioned for her three grandsons, who came forward, giving a slight bow. They were between the ages of eight and eleven and had played with Levi multiple times at the well. They were turds, but she didn¡¯t mind as there weren¡¯t many other kids for him to play with. ¡°Grace,¡± Max said, snapping his finger and getting everyone''s attention. She turned and saw him giving one of the warmest smiles he had ever shown him. ¡°For your selfless act, I will remove all obligation to pay for the next three months. Anything you find or earn is yours, no matter how high. On top of that, I have a gift.¡± He snapped his fingers again, and one of the gang members brought a small box to Max. He took it and handed it to Grace. ¡°These are rare. Enjoy it. Share it. Do whatever you want. Know that the entire city of outcasts is talking about you.¡± She peeked inside the box and couldn¡¯t help but let her jaw fall. It wasn¡¯t the greatest-looking apple, but a mostly red and barely shriveled piece of fruit was in that box. It had been so long since she had eaten one. For Max to give this meant more than words could convey. Closing the box as others wondered what was inside, Grace did the math. ¡°Can you cut it so that everyone gets a piece?¡± Max¡¯s eyes widened, and she saw one of his eyes start to well up. ¡°You would do that?¡± ¡°Everyone here is family. Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Max sniffed, took his sausage of a thumb, and rubbed the corner of his eye. ¡°I can do that!¡± he replied with a smile. Grace nodded and handed the box back to him She would do this her way every chance that she could. In just a few days, Grace realized everything she believed and knew was limited. There was so much out there she didn¡¯t know and hadn¡¯t seen. Even immortality no longer seemed like a myth. I swear if I can keep my soul, I will one day experience it all with my brother. 009 - No Option To Fail Grace didn¡¯t expect the gifts that came from each of the other gangs over the next two days. It almost turned into a competition as word spread about what each one gave, wanting to show their gratitude for protecting those who lived within their section. She even received a gift from the Branded Crew, which surprised her. They were usually very reclusive, members who had been burnt badly in the original attacks, but they still felt it was honorable, and she appreciated the blanket they gave. The seeds of the apple tree she was given and shared were planted in a few different pots near their home, and people took turns making sure they were watered and nurtured with any rare compost. It was as if that one spark of her bravery reminded everyone that the world hadn¡¯t always been like this. People remembered that everyone had gotten along for generations and worked together to thrive. The people they hated were the guards on the other side of town. The ones who had burned everything and still threatened the life they tried to spueak out. Laughter filled the garden area where at least twenty children, including Levi, were running around playing. People were playing card and dice games all over, talking and relaxing, and Grace felt a peace inside her that she didn¡¯t believe was possible. ¡°It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Grace nodded, not bothering to look at Max standing behind her. ¡°Who would have believed this a week ago?¡± The large man snorted, put his massive hand on her head, and ruffled her hair. ¡°Just don¡¯t let your head get too big. The rumor is the guards are still upset, and some don¡¯t like how we have banded together.¡± A few seconds passed, and she felt Max¡¯s breath in her ear. ¡°Some say there are those who want to take you out because of what you represent.¡± Grace frowned and turned, looking at Max. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Hope you fool. You gave people hope. Hope that we can actually trust one another and protect each other. Every person who escaped knew you might die, and they all knew you were aware of that fact. Many older ones felt shame for not stepping up as you did. Imagine a teenager leading the way.¡± He chuckled and crossed his arms as he watched the kids screaming and laughing. ¡°Just don¡¯t be stupid.¡± ¡°Well crap, we¡¯re in trouble then,¡± she replied. Max groaned as he walked away, moving to chat with some others from a different part of town. Grace smiled and moved to a bench along a stone wall. Sitting down, she relaxed. ¡°Fantastic work with the guards.¡± Turning her head and saw on the bench next to her a face she hadn¡¯t expected to see anytime soon. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she whispered, glancing around to see if anyone else was watching them. ¡°Relax, only you can see me like this,¡± the man said. He smiled, flashing his white teeth, and ran his fingers through his black hair. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could have planned this any better. I had hoped you would kill those six, but this is a better solution.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, you need to go to the guards and bring a group to a building. Your heart will lead you there. You will find a few more guards, dead like the first.¡± ¡°Did you kill them?¡± she asked, ignoring the instructions he was giving. ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is what comes next.¡± ¡°And what is¨C¡± Dozens of red boxes with text started appearing in her vision, and Grace felt like she would suddenly throw up. ¡°Something is coming, and you are not strong enough. You need to get stronger; the only way that happens is by doing what I require of you.¡± Her eyes started reading the messages when a snap of fingers drew her eyes back to the man beside her. ¡°Listen to me closely, Grace Akem.¡± His voice had changed. It was like a file against a piece of metal. It made her wince from how it reverberated within her head and chest. ¡°If you do not complete every one of these quests, you need to understand what will happen.¡± Darkness washed over her, and the world went black. Blinking her eyes, Grace felt her vision coming back. She smelled smoked first. Then, a smell she knew far too well reached her mind. Death. All around her, buildings roared with flames, and people were scattered all over the roads, dead from swords and fire. Screams came from inside the buildings, and then she saw it. At the end of the street she was on was the building she lived in. A giant inferno engulfed the building, flames rising thirty feet above it. Every bit of it was consumed, and inside her gut, Grace knew who was inside. It was as if she could see through the flames and the walls that were burning. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. There on the other side was Levi, a sword pinning him to the ground, his body nothing more than charred remains. ¡°NOOOOOOOO!¡± she screamed, dropping to her knees. ¡°WHY!?¡± ¡°Because you did not fulfill your oath.¡± The voice behind her pierced her heart. ¡°But I didn¡¯t realize what it would require!¡± Laughter came. It echoed louder than the flames and crackling of burning wood. ¡°No one ever does, but you alone can choose how this story ends. You alone can choose if this will be your fate.¡± A snap of fingers assaulted her ears, and she winced, closing her eyes as the pain subsided in her head. Opening her eyes as it vanished, Grace found herself in another street. Glancing at the buildings, she didn¡¯t recognize a single one, but all around her were people with the same dark skin that she and Levi had. Carts with horses pulled goods, people shouted and waved at each other, merchants called for people to come to shop, and children ran through the streets. And then she saw him. He was older, maybe sixteen, but she could see his eyes recognized that smile and laughter. Outside one of those houses formed with massive stones, Levi was there, talking with a few other boys and girls. He looked fit and healthy, and his hair would have made their mother cry with joy. ¡°Where¡­ where are we?¡± ¡°Another possibility, but only if you follow the path I put before you and keep the oath you made." Grace was about to ask a question when she heard Levi shout. ¡°Sister! Come get your daughter and tell her to leave me alone!¡± Running forward and moving to the side, Grace saw a little girl, skin like hers, smiling and only a few years old, pulling on Levi¡¯s leg. She squealed with laughter as her brother leaned over and tickled her neck. ¡°I¡¯ll be out there in a moment.¡± That voice was hers¡­ ¡°Can this be real?¡± Grace asked, spinning and finding the dark-haired man standing behind her. ¡°It can, but I will ask once. How badly do you want this?¡± Her heart broke. Every fiber of her being wanted this. It was everything she wanted to dream of but wouldn¡¯t because she knew it would never happen. Somehow, he knew this. Somehow, he showed Grace the very thing she wanted more than life itself. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever it takes,¡± she whispered. She felt his hand upon her cheek, and pain surged through her as something shifted inside. ¡°So be it,¡± he replied. The world shifted, and Grace heard the noise of children laughing and playing. Her cheek burned, and when she touched it, she winced. The seat on the bench next to her was empty, and Grace glanced around the garden, knowing he was gone. She had sold a part of herself at that moment. No matter what, I will give him the future he deserves. All the screens were gone except one. She closed her eyes and when she opened them, read the words displayed on the red screen. ***** One quest pending ¡ª The Time Has Come: Lure the Grimdom¡¯s guards into a trap and kill them. Reward: Ability Gained Failure: Levi Dies ***** Her body started to shake, and she couldn¡¯t stop. A pain in her stomach formed, and Grace leaned over the side of the bench, retching into the grass. Levi came running toward her, noticing how she was acting. ¡°Sister! Are you ok?¡± Grace nodded, one last push emptying the contents of her stomach before she wiped her lips with the back of her hand. ¡°Something I ate¡­ it didn¡¯t settle.¡± ¡°Can I get you something? Water?¡± She looked at her brother, saw the concern in his eyes, and smiled. ¡°Water would be great. Thank you.¡± He nodded and raced off toward where the cups would be. Forgive me, brother¡­ I am going to have to sin¡­ Grace didn¡¯t waste time. She could feel the string tugging at her, pulling her toward a house only a few streets from the market. As Grace got close, she felt the death inside. She knew what she was going to walk into before she ever looked inside. Corpses lay all over the room. Arms and legs were torn off, and heads were piled up in a corner. Everywhere she looked, death stared back. Her stomach roiled, but she held it back. The quest was burned in her mind. Failure was not an option. Levi Dies¡­ ¡°I need to see Sergeant Miles! Tell him the cat is barking!¡± The guard, who had been trying to ignore her, raised his eyebrows at those words. ¡°Say that again?¡± ¡°The cat is barking!¡± ¡°Shite,¡± the guard cursed and ran toward the guard house. Standing there, Grace assumed she shouldn¡¯t move. The man hadn¡¯t even given her any instructions. Soon, two guards took off in different directions, both in leather armor, and the one she had talked to came running back, breathing hard from the exertion she guessed he wasn¡¯t used to. ¡°Wait here! He will be here soon!¡± Grace nodded, watching as the man took deep breaths. That was like fifty yards¡­ how out of shape are these guys? Trying not to smile, Grace turned and watched the city around her. People were bustling around all over, working and trading. It was like an invisible line around three-fourths of the city. Everyone on the bad three-fourths was struggling to rise from the ashes. On this side, it almost appeared nothing had been impacted by the fighting six months ago. Everywhere people walked, Grace started to realize why. Small red lion insignias were on armbands or some part of their clothes. A few carts even had them etched into the wood. This is Grimdon¡¯s side of the town. That realization sent shockwaves through her. People on her side of town never really cared about the whole church or god thing. They ignored the zealots and enjoyed the holidays because of the celebrations. Here, however, it was everything. Each person proudly wore it and most likely had to or would suffer from not having it. This side was spared because they were the ones who assisted in the killing¡­ they were the ones who stoked the flames of hatred between everyone in the city. She felt her hands tightening and realized they were clenched in a fist. ¡°Grace?¡± The voice snapped her out of her anger and thinking. She turned and saw the Sergeant and four other men coming toward him. ¡°Another?¡± She nodded and grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s even worse than before and closer to your side than the last two.¡± Miles nodded and motioned at the men with him. ¡°We¡¯ll investigate first and then report. I don¡¯t want to read about it this time. I want to see it for myself.¡± He turned and looked at Grace. His blue eyes seemed alive. Anger was behind them. ¡°Lead on. I owe you again.¡± 010 - The Things We Do For Family Miles and three of the guards went in while Grace stood outside, where the other two were grumbling about finding this killer. Her hands trembled slightly as she knew the number of guards would be more challenging if she didn''t attack now. Each of these men moved differently than the three she had first killed. Those other men were obviously not as well trained, which scared her. Levi dies¡­ Those two words kept playing over and over in her head. The memory of the building on fire and her brother inside made her heart beat faster. Whatever it takes¡­ he needs that future¡­ Closing her eyes, Grace took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Both guards stood off to one side, away from the door, hiding what she was about to do. The plan in her mind had to work. If it failed, things were going to get ugly fast. Walking to where the two men were, she stood between them and grimaced. Their conversation stopped as they looked at her. Bowing her head slightly, Grace started to mumble quietly. ¡°What?¡± one of them asked. ¡°Uh¡­ I need to ask something, but¡­ it¡¯s embarrassing, and I don¡¯t want to say it loud¡­¡± Grace spoke, still in a quiet voice. She bit her lip as she looked up at the two men who were a foot taller than her. ¡°Can¡­ can I tell you both, and you two tell me if it¡¯s ok?¡± One of them snorted and shook his head while the guard on her right grimaced. ¡°A secret?¡± he asked. Grace nodded and motioned with her finger to bend close. The one on her left rolled his eyes and shrugged as he grunted. ¡°Let¡¯s hear her out and get done with this. We don¡¯t have time for stupid stuff.¡± Grace winced, using every bit of acting she learned these last six months to convince people she was weak. ¡°It will just take a second, and please don¡¯t tell people, if you will.¡± Both bent down, their expressions showing their frustration at a young girl and whatever problem she felt she needed to share. The moment they were both close, she moved. Her hands and arms were so fast neither man knew what happened as she slammed their heads together, causing them to burst against each other and spraying her with blood. The crack of their skulls echoed in her ears, and Grace wasn¡¯t sure how loud that had actually been. Grabbing the chain armor and squeezing it as the bodies sagged, blood gushing from every hole in their head, she lowered them quietly to the ground. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest as she watched the door, waiting for the other three to come charging at her any moment with swords drawn. The seconds ticked away, and when no one came outside, ready to strike her dead, Grace took another deep breath and looked at her hands. Blood was everywhere. Gathering herself, Grace did what she knew she had to do next. The scream she let out as she put her hands to her face was one of the loudest she had ever done. Shouts and the pounding of steps came, and a moment later, all three men were outside, swords in their hands. They glanced down at the men and at her, covered in blood. ¡°What happened?!¡± Miles shouted, moving toward her and his fallen men. ¡°We¡­ we¡­¡± ¡°Breathe, take a breath, and breathe!¡± he exclaimed as he glanced at the other two men and spun one finger in the air. Both men moved to either side, backs facing the house, ready for whatever might be out there. Grace nodded, taking a few deep breaths. ¡°We were talking,¡± she said, letting her voice crack and break. ¡°Something¡­ something smashed their heads together from behind¡­ a sha¡­ a shadow. A¡­ a shape. I saw teeth, and then¡­ then it vanished that way.¡± Grace pointed toward another house to her right. Miles looked at her, the pile of bodies at their feet, and Grace could see his mind trying to work everything out. His blue eyes shifted from side to side as his brain tried to piece things together. ¡°Jordan, Frank, you two go now and check the house and alley!¡± He then turned and looked at Grace, who was doing her best to shake and look afraid. ¡°Inside with me now. We can pull back into a room!¡± He grabbed her arm and pulled her as the other two men took off in the direction she had pointed. Miles pulled her through the house, not being gentle as he led her over the corpses and body parts to a small room that had no window. It was a small five-by-five food pantry stripped bare, only empty shelves now lining the walls. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Stay behind me,¡± he ordered as he pushed her into the room and stood in the doorway, sword out, his head constantly moving for anything that might come. Grace stood behind him, almost feeling guilty for a second, knowing what she had to do. As kind and noble as Miles seemed, the man had to die. If he didn¡¯t, then Levi would. ¡°How big was it?¡± Miles¡¯s question caught her off guard momentarily as she started slipping a hand behind her back to grab her dagger. ¡°Tall¡­ taller than them, I think¡­ it happened so fast¡­ it just appeared and then¡­¡± Miles grunted in reply, shifting slightly on his feet as he continued to stand guard. Her dagger was out, and the eight-inch blade looked so short. She saw his chain armor and considered if it would do the job it needed. Shouts came from outside, and Grace felt her window of opportunity closing quickly. Miles had his right leg slightly behind him, his weight balanced to move in any direction. Grace kicked in the back of his knee with every bit of power she had. Miles fell backward faster than she had expected, the blow knocking both legs out from under him. She moved up with her dagger, missing where she had initially planned to stick him, and instead, the blade drove through the man¡¯s armor and into his back, burying the entire blade in his right side. Grace saw his sword coming at her as the man fell, surprised that he had held onto it. She jumped back and slightly to the side. Miles crashed into the ground, grunting as the dagger thrust itself deeper into him. Even on his back, a weapon lodged inside him. Miles reacted the moment he hit the ground. His sword thrust toward Grace, who danced to the side, realizing he was more challenging than the others. His sword slammed into a shelf, sending wood chips and pieces flying. Darting to her right, Grace kicked his forearm, shattering his bones and causing his hand to finally let go of the sword. As she attacked, his left hand came toward her, a dagger in it, and caught her right leg right at the calf, cutting through her pants and slicing the skin. It stung, yet she knew it wasn¡¯t as deep as Miles had hoped it might be. She really was tougher than she had thought. Grace pulled her leg back and saw Miles¡¯s blue eyes watching her every move. He had a scowl, and he now knew who had been killing all of these people. ¡°You!¡± he grunted, blood coming out of his mouth as he spoke. His left leg pushed against the floor, but his boots slid in the dirt and dust while his right leg failed to work. Miles slashed recklessly with the dagger over his head, trying to reach her in the tiny space they were in. His movements looked so slow as Grace focused on his attacks. She dodged each attack, noticing how quickly he thrust the blade back and forth, trying to limit her ability to fight back. An opening came after his third attack, and she kicked his arm again, hearing the bone crack in his forearm, and watched as his dagger flew from his hand. The second he was disarmed, Grace moved next to his head and grimaced as she saw the hate in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll burn!¡± he growled, struggling to breathe and talk from the blood that came from his nose and mouth now. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly burn if it saves my family,¡± she replied as she lifted her foot and brought it down on his face. The sound it made made her stomach churn as the man¡¯s head shattered like a piece of fruit hit with a hammer. Blood and gore squeezed itself out of the chain links that surrounded his head. ¡°Sergeant! Where are you?¡± The men were outside, and Grace bent down, grabbed his sword, and moved out the door and into the hallway that the men would come through. ¡°Help! We¡¯re hurt!¡± Grace shouted. Boots thundered across the floor as both men raced toward where she was. She set her feet, held the sword back, and somehow again knew how to swing it. Grace swung as the first man appeared, racing through the small doorway, and the blade almost whistled as it cut through the air. Two halves of a body crashed into the hallway a second later, and Grace found the sword cutting through not just the man, his weapon, armor, and the frame of the house, but it also clanged into the sword of the guard coming next. ¡°What in the¨C¡± The guard skidded into the hallway. His sword was cut almost in half, and the one Grace held was wedged in it. She saw the man¡¯s eyes dilate as he saw her and what she had just done. As his mind tried to comprehend it, she drove forward, pushing the sword she held, and barreled the man into the broken wall and to the ground. He fell back, and she went with him this time, not giving up an inch of space. The sound of wind being knocked from his lungs was soon lost as she pressed both swords against the man¡¯s chest and took her left hand off the handle. Blows rained down on his face as she punched over and over, stopping this time only after three swings, realizing he was dead because his face was gone, and she saw brain matter splattering around her and the room. Letting go of the sword, she felt her chest heave and something wet running down her face. Keep it together¡­ For Levi¡­ this is all for him¡­ She needed a moment, fighting back tears that wanted to roar like a waterfall. There were no other options as she didn¡¯t doubt the man who had given her this power and shown her those things was telling the truth. If she failed, Levi would die either by his hands or someone else. A minute passed, and Grace stood up. She saw herself covered in gore and blood. Will everything I own be like this forever? Can I ever own something that isn¡¯t ruined? A bell chimed in her head, and a red screen came a moment later. *** Quest Completed: The Time Has Come Reward: Choose one of the three following Abilities: *** What is up with those same two abilities¡­ Grace stared at the screen and tried to guess which would be best. Command seemed like such a great ability, but she wasn¡¯t sure how different it could be from Persuade. Taking a moment, she lifted up her right leg and saw the cut across her calf. It was barely a quarter inch deep, and it had almost stopped bleeding, which surprised her even more. Most cuts like that would bleed out until sewn shut or sealed with a hot piece of metal. ¡°Heal.¡± *** Heal Ability Granted: This ability has a three-day cooldown after being used. The Heal ability may be activated. User may heal themself or another person of any injury completely. The injury must be recent and can restore limbs. If a person has died, this skill may not be used on them. *** A whistle escaped Grace¡¯s lips as she saw the ability. ¡°Holy shite¡­¡± she muttered. Three days¡­ but still¡­ any injury¡­ Shaking her head, Grace didn¡¯t want to imagine why she would need an ability like this. Part of her started to realize that if she was given abilities this strong, whatever she would end up fighting would, at some point, be just as powerful. Shoving those dark thoughts away, she began to obey the rules of her city. As she bent down to start rifling through the man she had just killed, another red screen popped up. ¡°Shite¡­¡± 011 - Lambs to The Slaughter *** One quest pending ¡ª Prove¨C Grace ignored the window after seeing the first line. She didn¡¯t want to read it right now. Right now, Grace needed to see what she could find on these men and get out of there. If more guards appeared or anyone saw her right now, she had no doubt things would go badly for everyone she knew. When she searched Sergeant Miles¡¯s corpse, Grace couldn¡¯t believe how much money the man carried on him. ¡°Ten fricking silver¡­ who carries this much silver?¡± she asked the empty room. She quickly swallowed two coins before she stopped herself. The old habit existed, but now she knew she didn¡¯t have to do this. Max won¡¯t search me, and no one will expect me to have this much money on me. A smile appeared even as she stood over the bloody corpse she had created. Believing she might never have to dig through her crap again to recover the coins she swallowed meant life was changing for the good. None of the other guards had any coins or valuables on them. Grace noticed they had sun lines where wedding rings must be, but the three men who had them didn¡¯t wear them while on duty. I¡¯ve killed men who possibly have children¡­ It took Grace a moment to push down the remorse she felt at that thought. She didn¡¯t have a choice. Finally finished with that task, she turned her attention back to the screen that itched in her mind. ***** One quest pending ¡ª Lure More Sheep: Return to the guard outpost and bring more followers of Grimdon to the butcher''s block. **Lure more than six, and a bonus reward will be granted** Reward: Stat Gained Failure: Levi¡¯s Death ***** She blinked, rereading the last line. How¡­ why¡­ Questions ravaged her mind, but no answer came as to why failure would result in her brother''s death. A pit began to form in her gut, and she wondered if every quest from this point on would be so brutal. ¡°Mother¡­ goat humping¡­¡± Grace cursed under her breath and realized she had no choice. There would be no better time than now to go and accomplish this quest. She looked at her outfit and grimaced. It would attract more attention than she wanted, but it would also give her the ability to sell the story she was coming up with. Moving to the pair of guards she had first killed, she pulled out a dagger. It looked exactly like the one she had, and there was no option but to do what she knew needed to be done. Gritting her teeth, Grace took the dagger and plunged it into her left shoulder half an inch. Blood began to pour from the wound, and she wanted to curse. Grace had been careful. Grimacing, she then stabbed her left leg a little, making sure to not go deep and only to pierce a place she knew wouldn¡¯t cause her to bleed out. From there, Grace tore off the bottom part of her shirt, exposing her stomach and the hard muscles that lined her core. She snorted as she saw her abs, realizing how, as a child, food was plenty, and she was soft. Now, Grace was grateful for any food she had, and was anything but soft. Wrapping a strip of cloth around her leg and tying it off, Grace realized she might have been a little overzealous with her first wound, packing some of her shirt into the hole she had created. Closing her eyes, Grace took a deep breath and slid the blade into her side, carefully staying on the outer edges. It burned and hurt, but she continued to push it in, feeling her blood start to pour out the moment she pulled the dagger free. Tossing the blade over the house across the street, she ripped off part of the dead guard''s clothing and pressed it against her side. She then started the trip back to where she knew danger awaited. The chaos that ensued as she limped toward the guard station was greater than she had expected. The man she had initially talked with saw her and ran toward her, holding his sword out and looking beyond where she was, seeing if anyone else or his brothers in arm were coming. ¡°What happened?!¡± he demanded as she saw more guards coming. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°A group¡­ a group attacked and butchered them¡­ I¡­ I played dead after one of them attacked me¡­ seven¡­ I saw seven of them. They ran off¡­¡± Grace stumbled; her words were slow, and now more guards were getting close. She fell to her knees, and the guard put his sword away, pulling a small water flask from behind his back and popping off the cork. ¡°Drink. Wait and tell everyone.¡± His voice was gruff, but she knew he was worried. Something in how his eyes looked at her told Grace that he was overly anxious about this news. Almost twenty guards stood around here a few minutes later, clamoring and shouting, demanding they set out. Finally, an officer arrived and quieted them down. ¡°What happened!¡± he shouted, causing every guard there to move into lines that faced each other as he strode toward her. Walking behind him were two young men with blond hair and blue eyes. The officer looked almost too old to be in the army, and his armor was far nicer than the standard chain and leather the guards around her had. Covering his chest was a brightly polished silver piece of solid metal, and a massive red lion¡¯s head faced her as he stared at the girl bleeding on the ground. His grey hair was cut short, and his face had a few scars, one that ran down the side of his left neck. His grey eyes were a color Grace had never seen before, and felt like they pierced her soul. Even though he was covered in wrinkles and aged by the sun, she could feel a strange power coming from him. ¡°This girl came earlier, and Sergeant Miles and his men went to investigate another murder of guards. This was about an hour ago, sir! She just returned an¨C¡± The officer held up his hand, and the guard she had first met went silent. He turned and faced Grace, his eyes moving over every inch of her. ¡°What happened, child?¡± His voice compelled her to talk. It was like she wanted to spill everything. Something tugged at her tongue, wanting it to dance to its own tune. She wanted to tell him the truth about everything. Her mind was shouting at her, warning her, telling her to resist and fight. Inside her mind, a battle raged, and it felt like she was going to lose when she realized what would happen if she told the truth. If I tell the truth, Levi dies¡­ Whatever had been overcoming her mind was replaced with her own will and desires. ¡°I¡­ I found another house with bodies while searching for food or items to sell. I came and told Mr. Miles as he told me to,¡± Grace replied, her words coming faster than she could believe. ¡°We arrived at the house. Miles and two others went inside. We were ambushed¡­ seven men in dark cloaks and masks set upon us¡­ they killed¡­ butchered them, and left me for dead¡­ I¡­¡± Grace watched as the man stared at her as she spoke. At no point had he reacted to a single word she had said. ¡°I thought I would die and came here¡­ Mr. Miles always rewarded me for telling him things¡­ I¡­ I have nowhere else to go and¨C¡± ¡°Enough.¡± The tone of the man¡¯s voice cut her off, and he motioned to one of the two men behind him. The young man came up to him and leaned forward, listening to what the officer told him. A grunt came from the younger man, who turned and ran back to the house where most of the guards had run out of. ¡°Can you still walk? Can you lead a group to where this happened?¡± Squeezing her shoulder, she was holding a bloody cloth while keeping her other hand pressed against the wound in her side she had wrapped with her shirt. Grace winced and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be slow, but I can,¡± she replied meekly. He nodded and glanced at the men around him. Using his finger, he began to point at men. ¡°You four, go with her and Knight Michael. Return with their bodies.¡± ¡°Only four?¡± Grace asked, squinting her face at his words. ¡°I saw seven¡­ what if there are more¡­ what if they kill me fo¨C¡± ¡°Silent!¡± His words made her head almost snap back. It carried a weight she had never felt before from someone. She saw him frown as his eyes watched her. She tried to appear timid and afraid. He let out a sigh and a deep grunt before shaking his head. ¡°Michael, take six men with you. I want you all back within an hour, and I want a report, do you understand?¡± The man behind him nodded and banged his fist against his chest. ¡°As you command, Lord Knight.¡± The old man nodded, never taking his eyes off Grace. ¡°Someone bandage her quickly and give her more water. We don¡¯t need her bleeding out or dying on us.¡± He turned sharply on his heel and moved toward the guard house the other man had run into. ¡°And someone give her a coin!¡± he shouted after a few feet. The young man with those deep blue eyes moved forward toward her. He moved so smoothly it looked like every step took no effort. He bent down before her and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a brave girl, and Grimdon blesses you for doing what was asked of you.¡± He reached into a pouch on his hip and pulled out a coin. Taking Grace¡¯s hand off her shoulder, he smiled and pressed it in her palm before closing it around it. Grace watched as he leaned close to her ear. Her skin itched as he touched her, almost burning. When he whispered in her ear, his breath felt like nails raking across her skin. ¡°Hide that coin. Each of these men will gladly kill you for it.¡± He stood up and began barking orders at those who were to join him and the others who needed to return to their station. Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, Grace opened her right hand slightly and immediately clenched it shut. A GOLD COIN! Her mind couldn¡¯t believe it, but she knew what it was the moment she saw it. There in her hand was five times what she had taken from Sergeant Miles. That single coin could feed her entire house for more than she could imagine. Why? Why would he give this to me? Surely he knows¡­ Then, the realization set in. The truth of what that Knight had done. That bastard! I can never spend this coin or show it¡­ no one would have change, and getting to a bank and even getting change would be impossible¡­ I¡¯ll never be able to use this¡­ She glanced up and saw Knight Michael watching her. He winked at her before turning back to his men again. She saw the briefest smirk cross his face. Inside her, a fire began to burn. I may kill him even if no quest requires it. Lifting her hand to her mouth, she quickly slid the coin into it and swallowed. Anger washed over her as, once again, she was forced to do something she had thought was no longer needed. Trying to not glare at the man¡¯s back, Grace took deep breaths as she stared at the ground. And then the sound inside her head came again. The red window appeared again, and she had to bite down hard on her lips to keep from laughing and smiling. 012 - What Kills Guards *** Quest Completed: Lure More Sheep Reward: For completing this quest and meeting bonus objectives, select two stats to increase by two. *** Grace couldn¡¯t help but smile as she let the sounds around her fade away. Two stats! Hell ya! Covering her mouth with her hand again, she whispered, ¡°Physical.¡± Her body surged with energy, and she felt her wounds beginning to close. Not wanting to curse, Grace knew if she was found to not be bleeding, things would go sideways in a moment. She prepared to stand up when another red window flashed before her eyes. *** Physical Threshold Reached Perk Option Acquired - Choose a Perk *** A perk? That means ten must be the threshold for a stat¡­ Grace read the list of options a few times, trying to consider what might be her best choices. She had heard of regeneration from a story about a monster that always seemed to heal. If I pick regeneration and I suddenly start healing, things will get even worse than I¡¯m afraid they are now¡­ Thick skinned sounded weird, but she weighed what that might mean in her mind. Possibly like armor, but would I look ugly? She shuddered, imagining what she might look like if her skin took on some blotchy and horrible appearance. There, at the bottom of the three options was Evasion. I can only guess it is what the name means¡­ Knowing her choices and where she was left little room to decide. Regeneration might be great in the end, but I might get killed right now if I have it¡­ I don¡¯t even have any idea how good it would work¡­ Putting her hand back over her mouth, Grace whispered once more, ¡°Evasion.¡± *** Evasion Ability Granted: This ability has a one-day cooldown after being used. The Evasion ability may be activated to dodge all attacks the user can see for five seconds. If used against an area-of-effect attack, it will provide reduced damage if possible. While the ability is available, the user will be able to read attacks against them better and defend accordingly. *** Grace felt her eyes bulging as she read the description twice. The ability provided a fantastic opportunity to not get hurt, but what it offered while unused seemed too good to be true. I will definitely have to practice with it against Max or someone else¡­ ¡°Child, are you listening?¡± The voice got her attention, and she looked up, seeing the Knight and six guards looking down at her. One held a couple of clean strips of cloth out toward her. ¡°Sorry, I was¡­¡± She stopped talking as the man shook his head and looked away. Quickly, she took the bandages from the soldier and set to work, grateful to be the one to tend to her own injuries. As she hurried through the process of changing out bandages, Grace could see that her wounds were almost completely healed. The one along her stomach was a pink line of new skin, and the hole in her shoulder was now less than a pinky in width. Once done, she stood up, nodding, and pretended to wince. ¡°I¡¯m ready, sir, if you all are.¡± The blond-headed knight grunted and motioned to her to move out. ¡°Lead on, only you know where we are going.¡± Grace gave a slight nod and turned around, making sure she limped slightly on her left leg. After half a dozen yards, she realized that none of the guards were walking close to her. The nearest one was at least six feet behind her. She had glanced back once and saw them motioning for her to continue, and so she did. ¡°It¡¯s right there,¡± Grace informed the group as she stopped a few houses away, pointing at the two corpses outside the home. The sun was four hours from setting and the shadows it was casting made all of the guards and the Knight a bit hesitant about what they saw and heard from her. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Seven of them?¡± Grace nodded and then shrugged. ¡°That I saw, sir. It happened so fast, and the one who stabbed¡­ I¡­ I didn¡¯t realize at first I was so in shock.¡± The knight nodded and began giving hand signals, groups splitting up in the usual two-at-a-time pattern. ¡°Come with me,¡± Michael said, his tone leaving no doubt she had no choice. Two guards moved toward the pair of corpses, and Grace felt the man¡¯s left hand against her back. She almost winced, glad she no longer had a dagger stashed back there, as she was certain that would have been hard to explain. As the group moved forward, Grace tried to devise a plan to deal with all these men if things went sideways. Her mind delivered a possible solution at this moment. Sighing, Grace muttered quietly, ¡°This is mentally draining.¡± Her head suddenly felt like ice, a cool sensation running through it, and she shivered, unable to hold it back. Michael grunted silently and increased his pressure as he moved her forward, ignoring her body and her words. His head was moving left and right, scanning everything with his blue eyes. Grace¡¯s brain felt alive. It was as if most of what she had ever heard or seen was at her fingertips. If she closed her eyes, Grace knew that in her mind would be a story she had read years ago, word for word as it had been in the book. Her mind started to put together different options for what might happen. When the men came inside and searched the house, they would see the fight. She almost smiled, knowing that the missing dagger from the man outside would match the one in Miles¡¯s back, and they might think someone had taken it from the one man''s corpse and used it on him. Lines began to connect, and all the trepidation she had felt for a moment was gone. Michael stopped, grabbing her shirt with his fingers and pulling her to a halt as the two in the lead reached the first two she had killed. One bent down and started inspecting the bodies while the other kept watch. She heard the one looking at the corpses dry heave for a moment and turn to look at Michael, his eyes watering and his face turning a shade of green. ¡°New recruits,¡± the knight muttered so low that Grace was certain he hadn¡¯t expected her to hear him. He pressed his fingers against her back, guiding her along. Grace started to resist a little, grimacing and shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s ok, we are here,¡± Michael said as he pushed against her back. She nodded and resisted a little less. Once they were within a few feet, he dropped his hand from her back and moved to see what the others had found. ¡°Impossible,¡± was muttered after a few seconds of inspecting the men. Michael turned and looked at Grace, who was biting her lip and watching him. ¡°What happened? How?!¡± ¡°I... I don¡¯t know¡­ I was looking the other way and heard a noise. When I spun around, there was¡­ this massive shadow behind them, and their heads were pressed together.¡± Grace paused and pretended to want to retch as the other man had. ¡°It¡­ their heads¡­ all over me¡­¡± She shook, closing her eyes for a moment. ¡°Then another appeared next to him and yanked me toward him, sticking me with a knife or dagger¡­ he let go, and I fell forward on them¡­¡± Grace reached up and wiped an eye, pretending she was about to cry. She sniffed a few times. ¡°Then I lay there on top of them, in shock, and saw them enter the house. I heard shouting and screams and¡­ I closed my eyes and tried to not breathe¡­ I tried to not move¡­ when they left, I barely kept an eye cracked and saw them leaving quickly, like shadows. I counted seven, but I only remember two outside¡­ and¡­ I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s all a blur.¡± Grunting, the knight nodded and stood up. He motioned to the men still a few yards back. ¡°Three with me in the house, you three form a triangle. Shout if you see anything.¡± The men nodded and quickly moved shoulder to shoulder so they could see each direction without exposing their backs. The other four moved toward the door. Right before they went in, Michael stopped suddenly and turned to look at her. ¡°You went in?¡± She nodded as she sighed. ¡°Then you¡¯re coming in with me now.¡± She opened her mouth to protest, but he didn¡¯t wait, motioning to one of the guards with him, who came and grabbed her arm and jerked her toward the doorway, using more force than the knight had when he moved her around. When she stood next to them, Michael motioned to the doorway. ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯re going in first. Take me straight to the bodies. Do this, and I¡¯ll reward you for real.¡± Grace let her face change from the timid expression she wore to surprise. Nodding quickly, she moved to the door and glanced both ways once she reached it, bending down low and moving through the corpses Miles and his crew had found on the ground. When she got to the last guard she had killed, she stopped and pointed at it. Michael motioned with two fingers, and two guards moved in quickly, staying along the walls and watching the windows, which were all broken out. Once they gave a slight grunt, Michael and the last guard came in. The blond-haired knight was about three feet away from the body of the guard she had punched so hard his face had caved in when he stopped. Grace saw him tremble as his head snapped around the room. ¡°Quickly! Where are the other two!¡± he shouted. Lifting a trembling finger, Grace pointed at the doorway just a few feet away, where a large pool of blood had formed. ¡°Everyone inside now!¡± the knight shouted, waiting for the three outside to come in, looking at him frantically. ¡°Man all windows and doors! Keep your backs to the walls!¡± Each man had fear in their eyes. Grace could recognize it now from the look she had seen in every man she killed as they realized death was coming. They all grunted, quickly moving to the walls and staying near the open windows and doors. Michael took two steps toward the doorframe, and Grace could see the sword in his hand that he held before him shaking. Does he have an idea of who might have done this? Could he know about someone like me? Those thoughts and others fought for answers as her brain began to put everything she was seeing together. Knight Michael didn¡¯t have a helmet or neck protection on, and Grace could see the side of his throat was tense. His stance had changed as if he was willing his body forward while his mind told him to run. He glanced quickly down the hallway, making sure no one was hidden in it, and then ran across the open space toward the closet with Miles in it. Michael grabbed the Sergeant¡¯s leg and dashed back into the room, dragging the corpse through the blood and over the halves of the body of the guard she had killed. Frantically, the knight bent down, inspecting what had happened to Miles, and Grace saw the man flinch, shaking his head rapidly as he stood up. He spun around and waved his sword at all of them. ¡°We need to go now! Double time!¡± Grace glanced at the Knight and then at the men moving toward the door. ¡°What abou¨C¡± ¡°Run home and tell no one!¡± he ordered, grabbing a small pouch off his belt. Grace watched him stare at it for a moment before tossing it at her. ¡°Return in two days! Ask for me!¡± With that, the knight whistled and made three rapid hand signals, and all the soldiers moved to the door in a pack, jogging as they returned the way they had come. Grace was stunned for a moment at how they had departed, but her mind solved the problem in seconds. Shite¡­ they know about people like me¡­ As that thought rang true, a red box appeared. Groaning out loud, Grace ignored it as she darted out the door of the house, making sure to keep limping as she moved a few blocks. 013 - Trusting Family After ensuring no one followed her, Grace made her way to the house she had lived in her whole life up until six months ago. Somehow as if her dog knew she would show up here, Lilly was laying outside the house, looking in the direction she had come up. "What in the world, Lilly," Grace called out, slapping her legs and smiling as the dog trotted over to her. A few moments of scratching her friend''s head put her in a slightly better mood. "Stay here and hide somewhere. I need to go inside." Lilly gave a small yip and moved to the house next door, hiding in a shadow along the wall. Unable to help it, Grace snorted as she shook her head. Whatever he did to her has changed her in more ways than I realize... Walking toward her parent''s old house, seeing the broken-out windows, burnt sides of the house, and caved-in roof hurt as it always did. She needed a moment to see how much that knight had given her. Moving around the property one time to make sure nothing was disturbed, she entered through her usual window and made her way to the floor she knew held life inside. Pulling the pouch out, she pulled on the leather, and her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw what had to be at least thirty silver. Dumping them out into her hand, she counted each one, ending at thirty-seven pieces of silver. ¡°Surely he didn¡¯t mean to toss this one,¡± Grace muttered. Counting twenty back into the pouch, she put it inside the hiding spot. She pulled out a sack she had put in there just days ago, sighing. I just put this in here, and already I¡¯m using it. Stripping down, Grace pulled out the water skin and clean cloth she had and started wiping the blood off her body. She took one small sip from the skin before using the water to get all the spots she could find. She then took the clothes she had just washed that had been stained with blood after she killed Bones and put them on. Once she had packed the sack with her bloody clothes and rag, she collected a square of meat and put everything back in place before returning the hiding spot to normal. She saw the red box in her vision, waiting for her to acknowledge it. Focusing on the words, she felt her heart skip. ***** One quest pending ¡ª Outfit Yourself: The time is coming when you will need protection. Find yourself armor, as your flesh will not withstand what is coming. You have two days to complete this quest. Reward: Unknown Failure: Unknown ***** What the hell is unknown?! Grace knew the quest was right. She needed armor and had no idea how to get it, but with her current windfall of money, she knew just whom to ask. Max rubbed his chin as he stared at Grace. Her question had caught him off guard after she asked him for a moment in private. ¡°Does this question have anything to do with why you have blood and flecks of bone in your hair?¡± Grace frantically ruffled her hair, felt a few small pieces against her fingers, and groaned. If her cheeks could show the flushing sensation she felt, it would have embarrassed her even more. ¡°It does,¡± she replied. ¡°I need armor and only have two days.¡± Squinting, Max¡¯s head shook side to side just slightly. ¡°Two days¡­ what happens in two days?¡± She looked around the street and knew no one was close or listening. ¡°Do you trust me, Max?¡± He snorted and crossed his arms. ¡°What kind of bloody question is that? Of course, I trust you; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t treat you how I do.¡± She bit her lip slightly but knew this was the best move. Tossing the coin pouch at the large man, his arms moved quickly, catching it mid-air and giving it a small shake. ¡°Look inside. See that I¡¯m serious.¡± His fat fingers deftly pulled the leather apart, and Grace smiled as the man¡¯s eyes bulged as hers had. ¡°What... where¡­¡± Max pulled the strings shut and quickly held it back toward her. ¡°Who did you kill for this?¡± ¡°No one¡­ it¡¯s a long story, but I need you to keep it and help me get armor with it.¡± She paused, moved closer to Max, and touched his forearm. ¡°You¡¯re family, and something is coming¡­ I¡¯m not sure what yet, and I need to be ready to help stop it.¡± Max blinked a few times and started to laugh. Tears began to flow as the man continued to laugh, holding his sides. ¡°Girl, I¡¯m sorry, but I know you¡¯re tough, but¨C¡± Grace moved before he could react, momentarily getting behind him and lifting him up. ¡°What the hell!¡± he shouted. Max moved and twisted when she put him down, looking for her, yet she was gone from where he expected Grace to be. He felt a tap against his backside and stood up straight. ¡°What¡­¡± Max stopped talking and glanced back at the places he knew people might be watching them from. He began walking away, moving to the northeast side of town. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Follow me,¡± he motioned with his hand. ¡°We need to talk.¡± Max moved a few more steps and stopped, seeing movement from the corner of his eye. "And tell your dog to stay put." Grace furled her eyebrows and then gave a sharp whistle. Lilly stared at her until Grace shook her head and motioned with her hand to stay. The dog didn''t complain, moving back to the spot it had been hiding. Max didn¡¯t say another word until he stopped in a small yard of an estate with weeds. The stone wall was crumbling in most sections, having been burnt so bad by fire that it fell apart. The once massive and ornate house was now nothing more than a few burnt timbers standing alone on this property. ¡°Tell me, when and how?¡± ¡°When and how, what?¡± Grace replied, ignoring the glare he was giving her. ¡°You¡¯re young and foolish. If you think for a moment that some people might recognize things, you shouldn¡¯t show them little girl. I¡¯ve known you for six months. Somethings changed in the last week¡­ something¡­¡± Max paused, watching her, and then his hand flicked forward. Grace saw it. The knife he had pulled out of somewhere coming toward her. Her body reacted independently, the new skill she had acquired telling her how to twist and bend. Only seven feet had separated them, but she managed in that time to move out of the way of the knife as it flew past where her chest had been. ¡°What the hell, Max!¡± she shouted, angry and preparing to defend herself when Grace realized the man was chuckling and shaking his head. ¡°Which God?¡± His question struck her core as it told her he knew. Grace wasn¡¯t sure how, but Max knew more about her and what had happened than she did. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°What God?¡± he asked again, this time growling as he spoke. ¡°Balethem.¡± He nodded slowly and reached up with a hand to rub his eyes. ¡°Tell me, you know what this means?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what conversation we are having here, Max,¡± Grace replied. ¡°You obviously know more about what has happened than I think I do. So why don¡¯t you tell me what exactly you want to know.¡± Max lowered his massive fingers from his eyes and repeatedly tsked his tongue against his teeth. ¡°Tell you what. Why don¡¯t you tell me when and how you became an emissary for Balethem.¡± Grace sighed and then slowly nodded her head. ¡°It was a week ago¡­¡± Max had never reacted more than the occasional wince at certain events and descriptions, and he had responded better than Grace had expected when she shared both visions she had. Grace was surprised that the man did not seem shocked by anything she said. ¡°And that brings us to you and me being here with someone I consider family throwing a knife at me.¡± Max chuckled and bobbed his head from side to side. ¡°Yeah¡­ well, I was ninety-five percent sure you were an emissary and knew it wouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°And if I was the other five percent?¡± ¡°I¡¯d take care of Levi.¡± She groaned and rolled her eyes. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn. How do you know all this and not seem shocked about anything I said.¡± Max took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ve been around, and the only reason I survived what happened here is because of that. I have even been where your family is from. The kingdom of Hodagulm is a land filled with much beauty but also some very dangerous things.¡± Max started to chuckle for a moment, triggered by something he had remembered. He saw the look on Grace¡¯s face and gave her a wink. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it seems like every bug, snake, and animal wants to kill you. Lots of poisonous things.¡± Holding his hand up and waving her off as Grace started to open her mouth, he continued. ¡°There are emissaries for the different Gods all over. Some have been peaceful, and others¡­¡± Max motioned to the charred remains behind him. ¡°Have burnt cities, towns, and kingdoms, trying to earn their God''s favor. There are different levels of emissaries. Do you know which one you are?¡± Grace smiled. ¡°Status.¡± ***** Grace Akem Age: 16 Female Initiate of Balethem ¡ª Physical: 11 Mental: 6 Spiritual: 5 ¡ª Abilities: Persuade - Usable Juggernaut - Usable Heal - Usable Evasion - Usable ***** ¡°I¡¯m listed as an initiate.¡± Max snorted and shook his head. ¡°That never gets old¡­ you know you don¡¯t have to say the words? Just think them in your head.¡± Grace felt her cheeks warm again and groaned. ¡°Seriously?¡± Nodding, Max grinned. ¡°I had a¡­ a friend who was one¡­ he left on a quest and never returned a few years back¡­ some of the things he had to do were¨C¡± ¡°Brutal and horrible,¡± Grace said as she interrupted Max, seeing his expression. Grimacing, the large man nodded. ¡°God¡¯s are fickle. They will kill you just as quickly as they will bless you. I¡¯m afraid you have learned that your weakness isn¡¯t your own life, and now¡­¡± Grace nodded. ¡°Every quest has been his life.¡± ¡°Know that I will help you because I trust you to do what you know is right,¡± Max replied. ¡°You¡¯re in a tight spot, and there will be moments when you have to decide your path, but as you told me, you didn¡¯t kill even when promised more power. You also brought our town together because of your actions. So, let me give you some advice, and then we can get you some armor first thing tomorrow morning. ¡°You¡¯re going to run into another emissary eventually. It always happens. It is like some weird force that draws them together. When it does, your choices are going to be living or dying. My friend¡­ he ran into two before he left. Each time, he got a quest. Either he lived because he won the fight, or he died. Not fighting would cost him his life also.¡± ¡°The abilities you told me are very powerful, especially for being so new. You are actually farther ahead than most, I think, start off. You need to be careful because the people you face will also be gifted. Focus on your strengths, and make sure always to be prepared for someone to use an ability against you. That Empower skill you have passed up, my friend had it. It will make the next attack hit for twice as much damage. If you catch someone unprepared with it¡­¡± Grace winced. Having seen what her fists and that sword had done to grown men, she could only imagine what someone with the same stats would do to her if that attack hit. ¡°How do I know if they will use an ability?¡± ¡°They shimmer, or their weapon shimmers for a brief moment. I¡¯d tell you to practice but don''t since things look like the city is about to end up in the outhouse again. If there is ever a doubt, save yourself. Know that others are familiar with that trick. Some will bait out defense abilities¡­ And then there is magic¡­¡± Grace felt her eyebrows going up as Max said that. ¡°Magic? Real magic?¡± He nodded and smirked for a moment, gazing off into the evening sky that was turning red and orange from the setting sun. ¡°I once saw my friend shoot a lightning bolt from his hands,¡± Max said before laughing. ¡°Damn fool wasted a seven-day cooldown spell to prove to me I didn¡¯t know a thing. He was right. The second I saw it take place, I crapped myself. Like a full-on, everything in my bowels¡­¡± Max saw Grace grinning and snorting and gave her a shrug. ¡°Magic is real. It¡¯s rarer. Most focus on being strong and fast. All that is good until someone unleashes a massive spell that rips your arm off.¡± Grace felt her brain trying to absorb and work through everything she had just heard. She stared at her feet a moment and looked up to see Max smiling at her. ¡°It¡¯s a lot, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Way more than I could imagine¡­ thank you¡­ for this,¡± Grace replied as she motioned to them being in an empty area of town. ¡°Thanks for sharing your wisdom and protecting Levi and me.¡± Max nodded, took a few steps forward, slowly reaching out with both hands and drew Grace toward him. She didn¡¯t resist the embrace and found herself squeezing him back. ¡°Family cares for each other. Blood doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re my family, and so is Levi.¡± His words sent a cascade of tears down her cheeks, and Grace tried to blink to stop them, but for that moment, her soul bared itself through her tears. 014 - The Problem With Being a Girl ¡°You seem different¡­ like¡­ mom was,¡± Levi said as they snuggled together in bed, preparing to sleep. ¡°Why?¡± Grace smirked, able to see Levi looking toward her. Even with the soft light of the embers in the stove barely illuminating their room, his brown eyes were watching her. His hair had been trimmed and washed, reminding her of a time when it always looked like that. ¡°How so?¡± He fidgeted a moment, pulling their new blanket up a little, and she could see him bite the corner of his lip, a habit their father had taught him anytime he spent a moment in thought. ¡°How you look at me, and lately, you¡¯ve been playing with me less. Now, you sit and watch like she did. Why?¡± Guilt pierced her heart like a dagger might, wincing at his ability to notice that. She hadn¡¯t meant to, but the truth was she felt different. Her soul was heavier. The weight of everyone she had killed, even if it was to protect him, dragged her down. ¡°You have had more kids to play with, and I need to take care of a few things,¡± Grace replied, reaching out with her finger and giving his nose a gentle tap. ¡°I¡¯ll always play when I can, but I also need to make sure you are safe and well-fed. Like that meat you devoured tonight.¡± Levi giggled and rubbed his stomach under the covers. ¡°Meat is nice, but don¡¯t forget, sister, you¡¯re more important than meat.¡± Drawing Levi closer to him, she kissed him on his forehead and gave him a hug until he pushed against her. ¡°Stop that! You¡¯re squishing me, and you stink!¡± Tickling him and listening to her brother squeal, Grace did what she could to let her fears and concerns vanish for a moment. I¡¯ll try Levi¡­ try to remember to play more¡­ I just need to make sure you¡¯re safe first¡­ Giving him one last kiss, she watched as her brother closed his eyes and fell asleep in a few moments. He was safe and loved, and that was all he needed to escape the nightmares that plagued her each night. ¡°You¡¯re not listening, Max. I don¡¯t have anything that will fit her! And a custom suit would take weeks!¡± Max never uncrossed his arms, glaring at the salt and peppered-haired man who was making life hard at the moment. ¡°Listen, Nicholas, it doesn¡¯t have to be perfect. Just something she can wear for some protection. Her chest, at least. Leggings would be great, but¨C¡± ¡°Everything I have is for grown-ass men! No one her size wears armor, and besides, why would she need any?¡± Both men looked at Grace, who stood there, no expression on her face, watching them argue. ¡°You know who she is?¡± Max asked as he pointed at Grace. ¡°Your long lost sister? No, she¡¯s a Gru¨C¡± Max¡¯s hand snaked over the counter, grabbed the man¡¯s shirt, and pulled him halfway over the wooden top. ¡°Finish that word, and I swear to you that a new armor merchant will have to take your place,¡± Max growled, his eyes throbbing as he brought his face close. Nicholas swallowed and nodded his head rapidly. Max gave the older man a shove and released the merchant''s shirt. Nicholas stumbled back a few steps, banging into the counter behind him. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± he replied, giving a small bow and holding both hands out toward Grace. She nodded, still not saying a word, doing her best to not smile at how Max had defended her. ¡°She¡¯s the one who brought the gangs together,¡± Max stated, watching as Nicholas¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Some might want to remove that symbol, and I would prefer not to see that happen. Do I make myself clear?¡± ¡°I do!¡± exclaimed Nicholas, who moved to the far end of the counter and shop, right of where Max was standing. He bent down, pulled out a few crates stuffed under the counter, and began digging through them frantically. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± The man trailed off, spending the next few minutes muttering as he occasionally tossed a leather jerkin or pants on the counter before continuing his search. Once he had gone through both crates, he stood up and motioned for both of them to come close. ¡°I have a couple that might work with a few modifications,¡± Nicholas said as he set out four tops and two pairs of pants. ¡°My biggest problem is time¡­ I can cut the armor and make a crude stitched portion, but this won¡¯t protect her against more than a possible dagger or sword of some untrained person. None of the other stuff wi¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take whatever you can have ready by tomorrow,¡± Grace said, interrupting him. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Tomorrow?!¡± he sputtered. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. I would have to work all night, and even then¨C¡± ¡°How much?¡± Max asked, snapping his fingers and drawing the man¡¯s eyes to him. ¡°How much to have it ready by tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Nicholas watched the odd pair as both nodded and said nothing. He scratched his head a moment, then moved his fingers to the back of his neck and eventually the bottom of his chin, scratching all the while. ¡°Even if I could, I¡¯m not certain it would be worth it.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Max asked again, leaning against the counter and making sure both of his massive hands were visible to the armorer. ¡°Eight silver!¡± Nicholas replied, his voice cracking as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten if it''s ready by tomorrow,¡± Max said, pulling out a pouch and opening it. He then carefully poured the ten coins he had put in it out on the counter. A cough came from Nicholas as the man¡¯s fingers rubbed together and started to reach out for the coins. ¡°I said tomorrow,¡± Max declared as he quickly scooped the coins into one of his hands and poured them back into the pouch. ¡°If it isn¡¯t ready by tomorrow morning, I won¡¯t give you a single coin.¡± Nicholas¡¯s eyes followed the pouch as Max put it back into the pocket he had procured it from. Licking his lips, he nodded. ¡°Deal. I¡¯ll need to measure her real quick, and then you two will need to go! I¡¯ll be up all night working on this! No sleep at all.¡± Snorting, Max rolled his eyes and motioned with his hand for Grace to move closer. ¡°Somehow, I doubt you¡¯ll have any problems sleeping after you get paid. Ignoring the insult, Nicholas retrieved a piece of chalk from a pocket in the vest he wore and picked up one of the leather jerkins. Moving around the counter, he held it out for Grace, motioning for her to put it on. ¡°You sure that was worth it?¡± Grace asked as they walked down the street back toward their part of the city. ¡°You need armor. We will get you armor and make sure you complete the task. After that, we can worry about getting you something better.¡± Max¡¯s statement sounded right. She just needed armor. ¡°Maybe just a bracer would have been enough,¡± she replied, winking as Max groaned at her response. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Do not attempt to accomplish the least of a task, or the results will not go well. Trust me.¡± The tone in his voice told Grace that he was speaking from experience. Even when she had asked questions about his friend as they walked toward this area of town, Max refused to answer any more questions. Now wasn¡¯t the time, and he wouldn¡¯t say when it would be either. They walked a few more blocks in silence, both aware of the change in the city as they moved from one side that thrived to a section of burnt husks for homes. Grace knew what she wanted to ask and was nervous. ¡°Spit it out,¡± Max said as they walked, never stopping the constant scanning of the streets and houses as they walked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Whatever is on your mind,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s obvious something in that small head of yours is bugging you to get out. It affects how you walk and glance at me.¡± Unable to hold back, Grace sighed before growling slightly. ¡°I need to ask you to do something. You¡¯re the only one I trust and also the only one I believe can pull it off.¡± Max raised an eyebrow as he glanced down at Grace for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re not asking me to run off with your brother, are you?¡± ¡°Hell no,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°I have no doubts you suck at parenting and couldn¡¯t trust you to raise him right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I wou¨C¡± Grace''s laughter stopped his tirade about his ability to do such a thing when he realized she had been joking. ¡°Well, what is it then?¡± Reaching into a hidden pocket within the inside of her pants, Grace fished out the gold coin she had acquired that morning. Eating well had resulted in a much more frequent bowel movement, and the coin had come faster than she had expected. ¡°I need you to buy some stuff with this,¡± she said, holding the coin out in her palm. Max tripped, his eyes seeing the coin in her hand. He quickly caught himself, reaching out for her hand and closing it. ¡°Put that away,¡± he hissed, glancing around and making sure no one was anywhere in sight of them. ¡°That will get us both killed!¡± ¡°No one¡¯s around,¡± Grace said. ¡°We both know that. Now take it and listen.¡± Max snorted, stymied by how she talked to him. So much had changed in a week. Grace always had a tongue that could get her in trouble, but now she was different in so many ways. She wasn¡¯t timid at all, especially when talking to him. ¡°Fine, but do it quickly, and tell me how you got this and what you want from it.¡± After slipping it into his hand, Grace felt a bit of tension ease from her shoulders. Carrying that had weighed her down, knowing if people found out she had that, Levi could be in danger. ¡°I need you to buy some stuff for our people. Get some materials, fix up the house, buy some food, maybe a new stove or two for everyone to use. And a new door! One that isn¡¯t rotted and will actually keep someone out if they kick it.¡± ¡°What? That door is perfectly fi¨C¡± Max saw Grace¡¯s smirk and stopped himself. ¡°Ok, so it isn¡¯t the greatest, but still, you do realize this is way beyond all that. I mean, maybe only a third.¡± Shrugging, Grace kept walking, letting Max keep up with her. ¡°I want food for everyone, not just our own house, but give some to the other people. Tell them whatever you want. Blame it on me. I don¡¯t care; just find a way. Throw a party at the well.¡± Max found himself nodding as he scratched his chin. ¡°A party¡­ it¡¯s been a while since I think anyone has celebrated like that.¡± ¡°Do it then. Also, get a few chickens if you can. We could get eggs and have a regular source of trade and food.¡± Grace stopped, spinning quickly and holding up a hand to stop Max. ¡°Toys and games for the kids. They need something to play with that isn¡¯t just a rock and a stick. Maybe a book or two. Something everyone can use. That belongs to the well. Heck, you could get a few new cards and dice for the adults, too.¡± Turning back around, Grace started walking again, causing Max to quickly move again to stay near her. ¡°And lastly, get Levi a few new clothes. Some boots as well.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Max asked. ¡°What do you need from this?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied as she shook her head. ¡°I have plenty. I know you are aware of what I bring back for Levi and me. We both know you knew when I did it before you offered us free rent.¡± Max chuckled, nodding even though Grace wasn¡¯t looking back at him. ¡°I guess I should thank you for killing Bones and Scarlett?¡± It was Grace¡¯s turn to miss a step. 015 - Dispelling Myths ¡°You knew?¡± Grace asked, unable to hide the look on her face. Max snorted and nodded, giving a slight shrug as Grace continued to frown as they stared at each other. ¡°I¡¯m not the smartest person, but when those two didn¡¯t come back, and I saw how you were acting, it wasn¡¯t hard to figure it out. I was initially upset, but it also solved a few problems within our gang. A couple thought I did it.¡± Max chuckled after saying that. ¡°Part of me wishes I had, but I needed them. They were scary in their own way, and it kept the other gangs from pushing into our territory. ¡°Thankfully, you solved that need with your actions. Most of the people in the gang weren¡¯t killers or fighters. They were just survivors like you. If you were a little older and bigger, you would have also been part of it.¡± Max reached out and ruffled Grace¡¯s hair, earning him a grunt and slap from her hand. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get back to our people, and I¡¯ll try to figure out who I can approach for an order like this. In the meantime, you can tell me how you came across a gold coin.¡± Max began moving, and Grace turned to follow him, amazed at how quickly he had moved past her killing two members of his gang. ¡°It was the knight, Michael. He gave it to me, and I know it was meant to be a reward I could never collect.¡± She saw Max nodding his head. ¡°How would a dirty little girl ever spend a gold coin inside their part of the city without being accused of stealing it or not cut down by someone with less savory ideals on the value of your life?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± she replied, feeling a little anger inside her. ¡°He actually winked at me, I think, when he saw me look at him. That guy was a prick, but the Lord Knight over him¨C¡± Max moved like a top, spinning on her and his hand on her chest before both realized where it was and took it off. ¡°Sorry, I¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± Grace answered as quickly as he had spoken. Coughing, he shook his hand a moment and then remembered why he had stopped her. ¡°You said a Lord Knight. Older man? Grey eyes that seem to bore into your soul and mind?¡± Grace nodded her head at every description Max gave. ¡°Bloody hell,¡± Max cursed, scowling as he scratched his bald head momentarily. ¡°Who is he?¡± Grace asked after Max stayed silent, staring off at nothing. He groaned and looked at her, one eye looking like it was twitching slightly. ¡°He is trouble. Everything I warned you about. That one is an emissary of Grimdon. I know he took a large part in the king''s attack here as they were looking for something or¡­¡± his voice went low as he looked at Grace, eyes getting wider. ¡°Or someone¡­ maybe the one who recruited you.¡± Grace tried to remember everything she had spent months trying to forget. That night the attack came, and over a third of the city was gone in a moment. The northeast section was the first to feel the brunt of the attack. She and Levi had been fortunate to be hidden by her parents along with a few other children. In one day, the city had burned beyond anything she could have imagined. A week later, all that remained was a small fragment of those not living in the northwest section of town. Not long after, she had found Max and convinced him to let her and Levi live in his area. Grace had forgotten just how one-sided the fighting had been. The guards from the northwest section that served Grimdon had holed up in that side of the city while the king¡¯s army killed everyone else in the city that got in their way. She shuddered, remembering the fires that burned all over and how many bodies were simply tossed inside the homes and buildings before the army had started them. ¡°You ok?¡± Max¡¯s question snapped her out of those memories that had flooded her the moment she unlocked them. Nodding, Grace remembered what Max had said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but the King didn¡¯t actually enter the city, right?¡± Max shook his head. ¡°He was surrounded by his guard. His elite troops handled the city. I don¡¯t think he wanted to risk coming in himself. You realize that he is like you?¡± ¡°Like me? You mean?¡± ¡°Yes. The only difference is the king is probably the strongest in this kingdom while you are¡­ not.¡± The grin Max wore told Grace he was trying to be nice. ¡°It¡¯s only been a week. My real question is, why don¡¯t most people know about this? I mean we heard stories of heroes and magic, but I always thought those were just myths.¡± ¡°Why did you think they were myths? Did someone tell you they were?¡± Frowning, Grace¡¯s mind recalled everything in a moment. Since the last quest gave her two points into her mental stat, she could remember almost everything perfectly. The answer to Max¡¯s question was simple. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°No¡­ I guess I just assumed those stories were.¡± ¡°And now you are one of them,¡± joked Max. ¡°Now listen to me and pay attention. Do not fight the Lord Knight unless a quest specifically states you must. Stay away from him. He has a reputation for making people tell things they normally wouldn¡¯t and is one of the best when it comes to finding out the truth. Do you understand?¡± Wincing, Grace nodded. ¡°Good, now why don¡¯t you head back to our place? I¡¯m going to go and see if I can¡¯t talk to a few people who might be able to get everything you asked me to buy.¡± Grace smiled and moved quickly, giving Max a quick hug around his massive mid-section before letting go and running off toward home. Max stood there a moment, shaking his head before he rubbed his massive hand against his face and groaned. ¡°Balethem, please don¡¯t let that girl get hurt,¡± he whispered as he turned and began his trek back toward the northwest part of town. Levi squealed and laughed as Grace caught him again, having spent the last half hour chasing him and the other kids around the different areas of the garden. Most of them couldn¡¯t believe it when she joined, and no one had more fun than her brother Levi, whose smile never left his face. Collapsing on the ground, Grace felt him pounce on her, trying to tickle and play along, pretending to laugh before turning the tables on him. The loud laugh he let out echoed around her, and Grace felt her heart almost bursting from the joy she felt in this moment. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Levi asked, seeing the weird expression on his sister''s face appear. She smiled and tickled him a few more seconds before answering. ¡°I missed this. Missed getting to play with you like this.¡± Rolling over, she looked at him as he lay on the ground next to her. ¡°No matter what, never forget how much you mean to me and how much these moments make everything worth it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Levi asked. Rolling her eyes, Grace growled playfully and attacked him with her fingers again, ignoring his cries for mercy until she felt he had been tickled enough. ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± he groaned as he lay on the ground, trying to recover his breath. ¡°Well, stay here, and I¡¯ll go get you something,¡± she whispered. He nodded and watched as she bounded to her feet and waved as she walked toward one of the exits in the wall. ¡°Be good and stay here until I get back.¡± Lilly snuck up on Grace, nipping at her leg playfully as she jogged through a back street toward her parent''s house. Laughing, Grace bent down and gave her dog some love, spending a few minutes talking to her and scratching every part Lilly felt she needed to be scratched. Taking random turns and different routes, Grace finally arrived at the house, and as she made her trek around it, looking for clues of someone bothering it, Lilly started growling softly. Bending down and getting low, Grace looked at her dog and how she was baring her teeth slightly and moving around the house''s edge. Together, they slowly crept around, stopping and listening. Lilly sniffed a few spots, and on the north side of the house, Grace saw the marks on the ground near the window. There had been an attempt to cover them, but she was accustomed to hiding her tracks around her so much that she immediately noticed them. Spending a few seconds reading them, Grace saw where the person had entered the house, a small scuff on the side of the wall, and then the slight indentation when they dropped to the ground and turned, leaving the house. She reached out, patted Lilly¡¯s head, and scratched her ears. ¡°Good girl. Go hide and let me know if someone comes,¡± she whispered. After Lilly had moved to a spot nearby, Grace pulled herself up partially in the window, scanning inside to see if she could see anything or anyone. With nothing visible that showed a person in the empty room filled with nothing but burnt and broken furniture, she pulled herself up and into the room, rolling across the floor as she came through the window. As Grace stood up and glanced around, she spotted the board slightly lifted up in the corner of the closet where her hidden area was. Grace¡¯s heart stopped. Everything¡­ She ran to the closet and bent down, grimacing as she grabbed the board and pulled it up, unsure what she would find or what it was she wouldn¡¯t. Her ears rang, and something wet was licking her hand. Squinting, Grace realized that she was on her back, and there was a fire burning, and every part of her body hurt. She slowly lifted her head and saw what she hadn¡¯t realized had happened. Her gut had metal pieces embedded inside it. Up and down both her legs and even in her right and left arm were metal pieces, each a half-inch thick and well over eight inches long. Groaning, she grabbed the piece in her right shoulder and pulled it out. Blood poured as it came free. Thankfully, each had only pierced her about two inches, but it was still deep enough that she could feel her stomach and core hurting from the pain. I¡¯m bleeding inside and out. Her ears rang, and all sounds felt hollow. Working as fast as possible, she yanked each piece out of her right arm first before taking the three out of her left arm. Seven more came from her legs, and then she set to the task of pulling out the three in her stomach. It burned, and she felt weak already from the loss of blood. Her hand was wet, and grasping the last one in her lower abdomen, she took both hands to pull out. The moment she did, she cried out, ¡°Heal!¡± A wave of warmth came over her as she went limp on the floor. Grace wanted to believe that her body glowed for a few seconds as she felt every part of it vibrating and something moving around inside her. She coughed, spewing out mouthfuls of blood as she rolled to her side. After a few moments of coughing and retching a large amount of blood, a cold flowed through her from the bottom of her feet to the top of her head. Goosebumps appeared, and a second later, she realized she could hear the whimpering of Lilly next to her. The smoke assaulted her lungs, and Grace realized it was time to move. Time to flee. Without waiting, she got up on her hands and feet and motioned toward the door Lilly had apparently broken down to get in. ¡°Go, girl!¡± she shouted, following her dog outside the burning house. Not wanting to wait around, Grace ran, dodging streets and moving around till she found a house she knew was empty and ducked into it. Breathing hard, she looked at herself, seeing her clothes pierced and covered in blood. She was furious and angry, and knowing someone had set a trap for her made the bile in her stomach rise up. Balethem, I swear I¡¯ll kill whoever did that¡­ A red window appeared as if she had desired him to hear her promise. For the first time Grace could ever remember, she smiled. Happy to obey the quest offered. 016 - Loose Lips ***** One quest pending ¡ª The Gift of Revenge: Find the one who tried to kill you. Repay their attempt by ending their life. Reward: Stat Gained Failure: Nothing but regret. ***** ¡°I¡¯m going to gut them,¡± Grace growled as she sat with her back against a wall. Lilly was close, licking the blood off her hand, and Grace smiled, turning her hand over so that her dog could get both sides. ¡°Thank you for waking me up¡­ if you hadn¡¯t¡­¡± Lilly didn¡¯t reply, content to lick her friend¡¯s hand. Sitting there, Grace tried to figure out how someone might have found her spot. She was meticulous and always made sure to leave no evidence. How did they find the hidden stash¡­ it¡¯s impossible to notice, and I always ensured it looked like the rest of the house¡­ No matter what she considered, nothing came to mind. She was absolutely befuddled. Glancing down at her clothes, she couldn¡¯t help but groan. ¡°Every time¡­ every fricking time¡­¡± Standing up, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Someone is going to die, and I¡¯m going to enjoy being the one who kills them once I find out who did that¡­ With an expression that would scare children and some adults away, Grace began her trip back home. She needed to change before Levi saw what she looked like. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sister?¡± The tone in his voice confirmed that she was doing a terrible job of hiding her frustration. ¡°Something happened today, and all of our meat is gone¡­ I¡¯m afraid it will be a bit before I can replace it.¡± Levi shrugged and then moved forward, hugging her hip. ¡°It¡¯s ok. I¡¯d rather you be happy than us having meat.¡± The rage inside her decreased a little as his words chipped away at the wall Grace surrounded herself with. Taking a deep breath, she let it out. ¡°I know¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ someone isn¡¯t happy we are doing better on this side of town, and I need to make sure you are ok.¡± Levi pulled back a little and looked up at her. His nose was scrunched as he tried to figure out what she was saying. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be ok? You¡¯re here, and no one is fighting anymore. I mean, I got to play almost all day!¡± His smile showed just how happy Levi really was. The last few months of him being sequestered in the room for hours on end had taken its toll on him. Only when Levi was outside did the spark of living appear, and now he was burning it all day. For so long, it pained her to see him suffering like that, and now, knowing someone might be trying to ruin the joy he had enraged her. ¡°I know,¡± Grace said, bending down and bopping him gently on the nose with her finger. ¡°There are those who will want to take what we have, but I¡¯ll always do what I must to protect you.¡± Levi grinned and gave her another hug. ¡°I know, sister.¡± She wanted to groan. The absolute faith he had in her never made it easier. He trusted her to come home every night. To bring food and play with him. Failure wasn¡¯t an option because if she did, he would find out how hard life was when alone. A slight shudder ran through her as she recalled the first few months and all the children who disappeared in the coming weeks. None of them had family, and the rumors had made her doubly careful in the beginning. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get you cleaned up. You smell like a wet dog or worse after running around all day and playing.¡± Levi laughed at that description until he saw the pot she pointed at. ¡°But that water is freezing. Can¡¯t we heat it up?¡± Sighing, she nodded and watched as her little brother celebrated a victory against her. ¡°Just remember, when I say we need more wood, you¡¯ll have to help.¡± The two pieces of meat she had hidden were carefully cut and shared as they made a small pot with a few vegetables she had gotten through some trades a few days ago. It wasn¡¯t the fanciest meal, but the warm broth did wonders as it slid down her throat. It didn¡¯t take long once they both lay down, and she blew out the candle for both of them to fall asleep. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Levi never tossed or turned, always smiling as he slept beside his sister. Grace twitched as always, the same nightmare of the room and her brother burning in it, playing over and over. ¡°It¡¯s the best I could do,¡± Nicholas stated as he helped cinch the leather chest piece Grace now owned. ¡°Remember, pull these cords extra tight and then stuff them down inside it. They will stretch over time and, if this lasts you long enough, will need to be replaced.¡± Nodding, Grace ignored the man''s hands as they drew close to her chest with every hole he threaded it through. She could tell he didn¡¯t care and had spent a life working around the human body. Nicholas¡¯s eyes had bags from what must have been a long night''s work. Max stood there, arms crossed, and nodded in approval. The leather pants she had on were not much to look at. They felt old and cracked, but Nicholas had found them in storage, a pair that had never been picked up for a noble¡¯s son, and they only needed a minor change to fit her. Once he was finished, Nicholas stood back and inspected his work. A smile and nod of satisfaction was all Grace needed to see to know the man actually thought it had turned out. The sound of the bell pealed in her head, and Grace ignored the red screen that wanted to distract her. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, this is much better than I had expected,¡± the man said before he yawned and stretched. ¡°If you need something better, perhaps I can have a few weeks to prepare next time.¡± Max nodded and tossed the pouch of silver he had been holding to Nicholas. ¡°Hopefully, we won''t need more, but if we do, you know I¡¯ll return.¡± The man fumbled the catch initially, recovering and securing the pouch as his fingers finally worked. ¡°I know. I¡¯m one of the few in town who actually like you.¡± They chuckled, and Max motioned to Grace to head to the door. ¡°Put your shirt on over that, and let''s see how it looks outside. It won¡¯t hang right, and the pants are a bit obvious, but still, it''s better than nothing.¡± Nicholas held up his hand as they walked toward the door to exit the shop. ¡°One moment, Max. I need to ask you something.¡± He paused and glanced at Grace. ¡°You can speak around her. I trust her with my life.¡± Nicholas scoffed for a moment, but the look he got from Max stopped that as he coughed and tucked his shirt in. ¡°Uh¡­ rumor has it you¡¯re spending a large amount of money¡­ is this true?¡± A massive frown appeared, and Max glowered at Nicholas, causing the man to shift a little in place. ¡°Who told you?¡± ¡°No on¨C¡± ¡°Who told you?¡± ¡°My wife! She heard from someone in the market and¨C¡± ¡°Gods!¡± exclaimed Max, cutting the man off a second time. ¡°I swear no one in this town has a pair of lips that can be kept shut. So why are you asking?¡± ¡°I uh¡­ just wanted to let you know to be careful. Some are surprised by the amount, and if that rumor is true¡­ people might come looking for you.¡± Without asking, Max spat on the shop floor before he turned and looked at Grace. ¡°We need to go. There is someone we need to see, and I don¡¯t want to wait.¡± Max waved at Nicholas and gave a forced smile. ¡°Thank you for letting me know. Tell your wife she needs to keep her mouth shut about us being here. I don¡¯t want to have to come back.¡± The armorer¡¯s face went white, and he nodded rapidly, stepping back without realizing what he had done. ¡°What happened?¡± Grace asked after they made it outside. ¡°Who told?¡± ¡°That bastard Tom the ¡®middleman¡¯ my arse told!¡± cursed Max as he led Grace toward the far west side of town. ¡°He¡¯s going to find my foot up his arse, and every time he speaks, my shoe leather is going to move instead of his tongue.¡± Grace laughed, trying to imagine how that might look. As they walked, the red screen pulled her attention from a man with a boot flap for a tongue. *** Quest Completed: Outfit Yourself - Quest completed with armor higher than expected. Reward: Choose one stat to gain one point: *** Grace smiled, not expecting a stat point, but also, she had no clue what the possible reward would have been. Mental. She practiced what Max had said, and as soon as she thought that word and wanted that stat, she felt a cool sensation sweep through her mind. The world became slightly sharper, and she could feel her brain absorbing everything her eyes took in. ¡°This is insane,¡± she whispered, drawing Max¡¯s attention. ¡°What?¡± ¡°My reward for my new outfit. I got a point in my mental stat, and it¡¯s as if I can see and understand more just by looking at it.¡± Max started to chuckle as he shook his head, smirking at her. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what that must be like. Getting smarter and not having to do anything to receive it.¡± ¡°Not do anything? Do you ha¨C¡± The smile on Max¡¯s face and the wink he gave her cut Grace¡¯s tongue-lashing she was about to deliver. ¡°You¡¯re an arse, you know that?¡± Max laughed loudly and nodded. ¡°Since the day I was born.¡± Grace felt the presence of a dozen men watching them from different parts of the street and buildings as Max led them toward a warehouse. The buildings were in slightly better condition than the ones on her side of town, each of them being a few streets north of the last row that burned. Still, it was as if no joy lived in this area. People on the street looked at each other with suspicious eyes, and even when Max nodded acknowledgment, they ignored him and walked away quickly. ¡°Stay sharp. I don¡¯t like this situation.¡± Grace nodded, casually glancing around the street as if she was in awe at what she saw. She could only imagine how it must look to everyone as she walked next to Max¡¯s hulking frame. He easily outweighed her by two or three times and had a good two feet on her. His legs were thicker than she was. ¡°I¡¯ve counted at least twelve men watching us. A few have already moved closer.¡± Max grunted. A whistle came from the west, and a man who could have been Max¡¯s twin brother if he wasn¡¯t barely taller than Grace came out of the warehouse, waddling instead of walking. Around him, six men followed, each glaring with eyes that held no love. ¡°Max!¡± the fat man shouted. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you so soon. I was certain we agreed to meet in two days!¡± ¡°That was the plan until word reached me that someone had been talking about how much money I wanted to move through you. Perhaps you wouldn¡¯t mind telling me why?¡± The fake smile the fat man first wore was now even worse as his massive jowls stretched to show teeth that had probably never seen any care. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll have to try and find out which of my men broke my trust,¡± Tom answered, ignoring the chuckles from the men behind him. ¡°I guess you are here then to give payment early?¡± Max scowled and shook his head. ¡°The only way you¡¯re getting my money is when what I ordered is delivered.¡± Tom¡¯s eyes shifted to Grace, standing just a little behind Max. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are other ways to make you pay.¡± 017 - Failure Isnt An Option Max growled, and the men who had come with Tom started surrounding them. He quickly looked around and saw that more men had come out of the alleys and were beginning to encircle them. Grace groaned as a red window flashed before her eyes. ***** One quest pending ¡ª Dispatch The Backstabbers: You must kill five of the attackers. Mercy is for the weak. Reward: Stats Gained Failure: Stats Lost ***** ¡°I need to kill five,¡± Grace whispered as she poked Max¡¯s side and moved to put her back against him. ¡°Don¡¯t kill them!¡± Max hissed louder than he had intended. The men around them started to roar with laughter as some began to pull out wooden clubs and knives. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me,¡± a weasely looking man she was facing cried out. His performance of being afraid would never earn him a job on stage, but every one of his fellow thugs around him acted like it was the performance of a lifetime. ¡°You sure?¡± Grace asked, making a fist and relaxing it for a moment. ¡°Killing them will be worse, the guards wi¨C¡± One of the men rushed Max, and he stopped talking. He waited, letting the thug get close with his club and swing. When the moment was right, Max moved into him, blocking his swing, which was too wide with his hand, and delivering a knee to the man¡¯s chest that sent him tumbling backward. Grace didn¡¯t get an opportunity to watch Max fight. She had that weasly guy coming after her, wearing a smile that left no doubt of his intentions. She couldn¡¯t help the grin she knew appeared, aware that it caught her attacker slightly off guard. He took three steps, moving as a man without real fighting experience. His movements reminded Grace of the kids her brother played with. It¡¯s a goddamn group of idiots¡­ When Grace attacked, she moved so fast that she looked like a blur to those beginning their charge. The weasly man swung his club from overhead, and Grace ducked under it, slamming her fist into his elbow. It bent backward, the bones and ligaments breaking and tearing as his arm went the wrong way. Too hard¡­ I need not to hit this hard¡­ There was no delay between her second attack as she drove her foot into the man¡¯s knee, a crunching sound filling the air as it bent sideways, and the man crashed to the ground, howling in pain as the street welcomed his face. Like a wild animal that was surrounded by lambs, Grace darted to the next man, shattering his leg and disarming him when she slapped his hand, holding his weapon, breaking a few bones in the process. The other four men who had decided to fight her tried to stop their forward momentum, now realizing the girl before them was not what they had prepared for. Reaching the closest one in three steps, Grace kicked him in the chest, doing her best to control how hard she hit him. The man dropped straight down as if he had run into a wall. A wall would have been more forgiving as her foot cracked four ribs and broke two. Spinning on her other foot, Grace realized she wasn¡¯t thinking about what to do next. Her mind and body moved on their own. Since that small gain in her mental stats, it was as if she did nothing but sit back and watch herself beat the crap out of six grown men. Within moments, she had taken down two more and was throwing a club, stolen from the one she had just broken both arms on, at the last guy running away. The club slammed into his left shoulder, and Grace grimaced when she heard the crunch and scream, seeing a bone jut out above the thug''s collarbone area. He fell to the ground, squirming on the packed dirt road. As Grace spun around to help Max, she saw that only the two big men remained, and Max had a firm grasp on the shirt of his smaller twin. ¡°Need help?¡± Grace asked, noticing four men twitching awkwardly on the dirt road. ¡°No,¡± Max growled as he yanked Tom up. The sound of fabric tearing was almost hidden by the squeals and howls of the man realizing he had screwed up royally. ¡°Wait! Wait, Max! Please don¡¯t! I¡¯ll make it up to you!¡± The fat man squirmed as his toes barely stayed on the ground, his shirt pulled up and revealing more flesh than Grace could ever imagine being on one person. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°By the gods, you will,¡± Max shouted, tossing the man back and sending him crashing to the ground. Tom fell backward, slamming his head into the dirt, and struggled on his back, trying to roll over so he could get up. ¡°Stay down!¡± Max ordered as he moved next to the man and pressed his foot into Tom¡¯s oversized gut. ¡°Su¡­ sure¡­ whate¨C¡± ¡°Shut it,¡± Max barked as he cut Tom off. ¡°You¡¯re going to get me everything I asked for, and then you¡¯ll cut out your percentage. You¡¯ll have it in two days like we agreed, or I promise you the next time we come back, it won¡¯t just be broken bones and wounded pride. Do you understand?!¡± Tom nodded so fast that his greasy and unkempt hair flapped up and down. He had given up. It appeared he was trying to move as Max continued to lean on the man, making the breaths Tom took sound labored. ¡°One last thing,¡± Max said as he put more weight onto his foot, earning a few grunts and groans from Tom. ¡°Don¡¯t tell a soul what happened here. If I find out that you snitched, you better pray I¡¯m dead, or I¡¯ll come back here and carve you like a turkey.¡± ¡°No.. no¡­ I¡­ I won¡¯t say nothing.¡± Tom was stammering from fear and the inability to breathe. ¡°I¡­ swear!¡± Max nodded and gave one last thrust with his leg, pushing off of Tom and causing the man to cry out. Grace grinned as Max turned and looked at her and then the men behind her on the ground. ¡°Kill any?¡± he asked as he scanned the bodies for movement. Shaking her head, Grace shrugged. ¡°Almost, but I made sure not to like you asked.¡± Max took a deep breath and grunted as he let it out. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We need to get out of here.¡± As they started to walk away, Grace jogged to catch up with him and suddenly staggered a few steps. Pain crashed into her head as a red box flashed in her vision. ***** Quest Failed: Dispatch The Backstabbers Failure: Two Mental Points Lost ***** The world shifted back into a muted color, and memories a moment ago Grace Could have easily told you perfectly seemed jumbled in her head. Holding her hand to her temple, she groaned. ¡°What happened? Did you get hit?¡± Using her other hand to wave off Max as he towered over her, an expression of concern across his face, Grace took a deep breath and slowly let it out, standing up straight as she did. ¡°I failed the quest¡­ I was supposed to kill five of them, and I didn¡¯t,¡± she stated in a hushed tone. ¡°I lost two points to my mental stat, and my head is killing me. It¡¯s like I can¡¯t remember or notice things like I used to.¡± Max groaned, giving Grace some space, and scratched his chin. ¡°This is my fault. I told you not to kill them. I forgot how bad a quest that you fail can be. Next time, ignore my advice if the failure has a major impact on you.¡± Clearing her throat, Grace looked at Max and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what a major impact could be. This was my first real failure, where I suffered like this. Even if it¡¯s not the ones where it¡¯s death or Levi getting hurt, some say I will lose a skill¡­ how bad could that feel?¡± Inspecting his teeth with his tongue, Max nodded slowly, considering what she had said and what he knew. After a moment, he sighed. ¡°From now on, let¡¯s just not plan on failing. Even if it means you might have to kill someone.¡± Grace¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at the man she had come to depend on to protect her and her brother. His tone and voice had been so calm as he told her to become a killer. ¡°Seriously?!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Just like that? You want me to become a killer and ¨C¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Max snapped back, holding his hand up. ¡°You chose this path, and now you have to walk it. You traded your soul and choices, and now the repercussions for that can be¡­¡± Seeing Grace¡¯s shocked and confused look, he sighed and paused momentarily. ¡°Listen, for whatever reason, you are now an emissary. Your choices are limited, and we cannot risk you suffering like that again. Nothing is going to get easier. They get harder. They demand¡­ they demand blood. Look at our city! The king did this because he didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± ¡°What do you mean he didn¡¯t have a choice?! He could have said no and not slaughtered everyo¨C¡± ¡°Even if it meant he would die? Or his wife or his son?¡± Max¡¯s question cut her off, and she found herself standing there with her mouth open, unable to finish her words. ¡°What would you do for your brother? Would you do what the king did to a city like this if that was the only way he would live?¡± Squirming where she was, Grace winced and felt a pain like a knife piercing her heart. I would do that¡­ If there was no other choice and if it meant his life¡­ Grace shuddered as she finally admitted to herself the truth of what she would do to protect Levi. Lowering her head, Grace looked at the ground. ¡°I would burn everyone¡­ I would even kill you.¡± Max calmed himself, slowly breathing in and out. He could see how much it hurt a girl with only one main concern. He knew what she felt. He had done horrible things to protect the woman he loved, and when she died, he had done even worse things. Slowly, he reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Look at me Grace.¡± Grace shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she whispered. ¡°You can and you must. Look at me.¡± Sniffing, Grace wiped her cheek as she looked at Max, surprised to see the gentle smile he wore as he looked down on her. ¡°Do not beat yourself up for admitting what is the most important thing in your life. If it came down to your brother or me, I would want you to pick him.¡± ¡°How¡­ how can you say that?¡± Grace asked, stuttering as she tried to fathom how Max would allow himself to be killed. ¡°Because I¡¯ve been where you¡¯re at,¡± he replied, frowning after he spoke. ¡°When the king¡¯s men attacked the city, I had a woman¡­ someone I loved¡­ one I loved more than anything else. I fought, I stole, I murdered, I¡­¡± His voice trailed off as Max looked up at the sky momentarily. ¡°I did things I¡¯m not proud of, but I did all of that to protect her.¡± Grace saw a tear escape from Max¡¯s eyes, yet the man didn¡¯t bother wiping them away. ¡°When she died to some sol¨C¡± Coughing, Max sniffed and shook his head slowly, stopping himself from saying whatever it was going to be. ¡°Afterward, I went on a rampage. There is a reason I was one of the first gang leaders. When I had no one to take my rage out on, I bottled all my feelings up inside. I only cared about myself. ¡°And then some pain in the ass girl with a little brother came and asked to stay in my house.¡± Max chuckled, turning his attention to Grace, who nodded as she smiled. ¡°I saw in her the same concern that I felt once. My men told me I was a fool for giving up a space in the house to you, but I couldn¡¯t say no. A part of me wouldn¡¯t let me say no. Now¡­ now I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help you protect your brother.¡± It took a second for Grace to realize she was shaking. The truth of every word Max had spoken vibrated within her. Without wasting another second, she rushed him, embracing him as she plunged her head against his stomach and cried. Max joined her, letting tears he had held back for half a year fall into Grace¡¯s hair as he gently stroked it. 018 - A Debt Now Owed When they got back to Max¡¯s house, each went their way, neither having spoken about what transpired in the middle of the street a little bit ago. Each had simply nodded and smiled at the other. Grace found Levi laughing and playing with the other children inside his new favorite place. She only watched momentarily and then took off running toward the task she still had to complete. As she darted past the few houses and streets that would hide her from the view of the garden area, Lilly appeared, a little red stain around her muzzle. ¡°You kill something?¡± Grace asked after she stopped moving when Lilly got to her. The dog gave a small yip and sat on the ground, wagging her tail as Grace scratched behind her ears. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, girl. I need you to stay close but out of sight in a few. Is that ok?¡± Lilly stood up and moved next to Grace, facing the direction they would be moving in. Grace chuckled, shaking her head as she tried to figure out how Lilly knew. One day, I will figure out precisely what he did to you¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Grace shouted as she took off running, allowing herself to smile as her companion ran along. ¡°I need to see Knight Michael.¡± The guard frowned as he motioned to the guard who had summoned him to go. ¡°He mentioned someone might ask for him today. I can only imagine that must be you. Now, go stand over there, away from our area. If he comes, I am sure he will summon you.¡± Grace nodded, ignoring the man¡¯s gaze. She could feel displeasure or disgust coming from him. The red lion crest on his shoulder was enough to tell her how little value the guard probably thought she was worth. Fifteen minutes later, Grace saw the knight coming, walking with two other guards. He looked perplexed as he moved toward her, and she couldn¡¯t figure out why his eyebrows were in the position he had them. It was as if he was studying her. It must be the armor¡­ ¡°Ahh, Grace, I am surprised that you came,¡± the man announced, the tone of his voice mimicking his words. ¡°I had expected you to take the money I had given and not to return for a while. Yet here you are, wearing armor and on time.¡± Grace nodded and bowed slightly, keeping her eyes on the man and the two guards behind him. ¡°Yes, sir. After what I saw, I felt that perhaps armor might help keep me safe¡­ even against those on my side of the town who might learn about the help I have given.¡± An approving look flashed for a moment before Michael¡¯s face became expressionless. ¡°Tell me, did you spend all the silver on that armor? I had not originally intended to give that much, but in my haste, I did reward you well.¡± ¡°No sir,¡± Grace replied, grimacing as she spoke. ¡°Part of living where I do is having to give a portion of any money earned to the house owner. Since I knew I would try and purchase some armor, I couldn¡¯t lie about how much I had been given. The good news is I have earned a month without having to share again.¡± Michael snorted slightly as he nodded slightly, seeing the smile Grace now had on her face. ¡°You are much smarter than I had originally thought. Tell me, have you encountered any more atrocities since our last time together?¡± Grace cocked her head, attempting to play stupid. ¡°Atrocities?¡± Sighing, Michael closed his eyes for a moment as he rubbed them. ¡°It means a violent act¡­ obviously, what you found was a very violent act.¡± Nodding her head quickly, Grace acknowledged her understanding. ¡°Oh. No, I have not, but I¡­ I actually didn¡¯t go out into the city much until I was able to get this. I didn¡¯t want to risk stumbling upon the group doing this.¡± ¡°Trust me, child, if you stumble upon that group, your armor will not do a thing to help.¡± Grace grimaced, running her hands along her leather britches. ¡°No worries. Now I have two more questions, and then I need to depart. Have you seen the person you gave their share of the money to lately?¡± Grace tried to hide her confusion at that question. Her delay in answering seemed to be noticed by the man. ¡°Is that a yes or no? You haven¡¯t seen them since you gave it?¡± ¡°I have, sir,¡± Grace answered slowly. ¡°Sorry, it just seemed like a weird question.¡± Michael cleared his throat. Grace wasn¡¯t sure, but she swore the man¡¯s eyes widened just a little when she told him that. ¡°And you''re telling me and not lying to me that you gave a portion of your money away?¡± She felt his gaze and saw him studying her with his eyes. She knew he was watching how her face moved or reacted. If she twitched or made other movements, that might show she was lying. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°I took seventeen silver for myself and gave them the pouch with the rest in it, sir.¡± There¡­ he barely bit his lip! Michael''s reaction was so slight that she almost hadn¡¯t seen it. The bottom part of his lower left lip went in slightly and moved, something she had seen multiple times from her father. ¡°I see. Well, I will expect more information from you in the coming week to earn how much I have given you.¡± Grace nodded, bowing her head slightly. Michael turned and motioned toward a spot further away from him. Both guards nodded and walked away, standing ten yards from him. With them gone, Michael moved closer to Grace, standing only a few feet away, his right hand resting upon the pommel of his sword. ¡°My last question is, what has happened to the first coin I gave you? Rumor has reached my ears that someone is spending a large amount of money on items for the side of town you live on.¡± Grimacing, Grace felt herself caught and unsure how to respond. Shite! I wish I hadn¡¯t lost those two mental points! I could use them now¡­ ¡°I¡­ I gave it to someone I trusted, and they promised to buy stuff for the people in our section of town. Toys and games for kids¡­ some food and¨C¡± His hand snapped off the pommel of his sword and Michael bent down, his eyes shaking as it looked like he was sneering. ¡°You gave a gold coin to someone! My gold coin! Do you have any idea what that will¡­¡± He stopped, forced himself to stand back up, and put both hands behind his back. His breathing was rapid, and Grace could see him trying to calm himself. ¡°No¡­ how could you understand the value of that coin?¡± He scoffed, shaking his head, and exhaled loudly through his nose. Grace tried not to react as the man¡¯s hand came toward her, a finger pressed against her chest and forced her back a step. His eyes looked ready to burn her alive as he pressed his finger into her sternum, keeping steady pressure this time so that Grace would feel him in her space. ¡°You will earn that coin back one way or the other,¡± he growled. ¡°Do not think that your life belongs to you for a moment until I say it does. Do you understand?¡± Grace nodded her head frantically. ¡°Ye¡­ yes sir!¡± The man pressed against her again, forcing her back as he nodded. His glare told her that he was serious about each word he had spoken. ¡°Now go!¡± he commanded. ¡°I expect you to return with something of value in a day or two at the latest, or I will personally come and find you.¡± Grace nodded and turned, running back from the knight, ignoring the chuckles she heard from the guards who had been with him. After running for a few blocks, Grace began walking, grateful for Lilly¡¯s presence as she tried to figure out what had just happened. Why was he so interested in what happened to the money? Why ask about who I gave it to? Not paying attention to her surroundings, Grace found herself in a section of the northeast town she rarely went into and groaned when she saw the pack of older boys walking toward her. Lilly began to growl softly, and Grace hushed her. An alley on her left was close, but she wasn¡¯t sure where it led. The few people on the street had hurried inside, and Grace had been oblivious to it, lost in her thoughts. What I wouldn¡¯t do for those two points¡­ The pack of eight young men and boys was spreading out, taking up the entire street, and Grace felt a knot in her gut forming. ¡°Let¡¯s go, girl,¡± Grace whispered, breaking into a jog and heading toward the alley. As she ran, she saw the pack of men begin to move faster, some nodding as they pointed and motioned to the left. Seventy¡­ maybe sixty yards¡­ I got like three seconds¡­ Grace took off at a full sprint when she entered the alley, dodging the trash and broken things that littered the six-foot-wide section between the buildings. About two seconds into that sprint, Grace slowed down, seeing the wall blocking the alley as a house butted up against it. The houses on both sides were only two stories high, and she could probably climb them if she had a moment, but the sound from the entrance told her that she might not have time for that. ¡°Going somewhere?¡± a voice called out. Laughter and jeers came after, carrying through the alley toward her. Lilly had already spun around, growling, and Grace grimaced, knowing she had gotten into this position because she hadn¡¯t been paying attention. Turning around, Grace noticed how much room she had behind her and what items in the alley were possible for her to use. ¡°Don¡¯t look at us like that,¡± an older boy who was easily twenty and should be working a real job announced. ¡°We just want to welcome you to our side of town and ensure you don¡¯t miss out on all the fun.¡± ¡°You tell her, Peter,¡± someone in the back chimed in, and the boy held up a hand that cut off the laughter that had started. The boy, obviously named Peter, had a lion emblem on his shirt. She could see it from here. It was pinned on, but it informed her she was in a worse spot than initially thought. His green eyes and blond hair left no doubt who he worshiped or the family he must belong to. ¡°What kind of fun are you expecting us to have?¡± Grace asked, putting a hand down to calm Lilly, who was snarling and growling. Peter laughed and winked. ¡°Well, first, you¡¯re going to call that dog off, or it might not make it out of here alive,¡± he replied, a knife appearing in his hand. ¡°After that, we will show you what we do to Grumbderds for fun.¡± Grace felt the rage inside her boiling as the man smiled, showing his white teeth, and the other boys began to chuckle. Then, the red box that she longed for came. Grace smiled as she let herself read it. Balethem, I love you¡­ ***** One quest pending ¡ª Become The Wolf. Slaughter These Lambs: The followers of Grimdom need to be taught who the hunter is and who the prey is. Kill them all. Reward: Stat gained Failure: Stat lost ***** ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Grace asked, letting her voice be as sweet as possible. ¡°I never realized boys like you were capable of such things. Truthfully, I heard you were kind of tiny and puny where it mattered.¡± She smiled to herself, watching their faces grow red. Peter pointed his knife at her as he glared at her. ¡°I¡¯m going to cut your tongue out first! Then let¡¯s see wha¨C¡± Grace held up her hands and made mouth-moving motions. ¡°Wah wah wah¡­ go brag to your sister if you need to feel big,¡± she declared as she rolled her eyes, interrupting his apparent hope for sounding threatening. ¡°Either do what you promised or send the real men in first so you don¡¯t have to look like a baby who gets his arse kicked by a girl.¡± A few chuckles came from behind Peter, and the boy growled. Then he charged. Just this once, I¡¯m going to enjoy killing someone¡­ 019 - A Wolf In Sheeps Clothing Grace didn¡¯t feel any remorse as the one named Peter charged. He moved quicker than his companions had expected, and they were a good four steps behind him as he came at her. ¡°Back!¡± Grace ordered Lilly as she took a few steps deeper into the alleyway. I don¡¯t need any of them to get away, and I would prefer to not leave too much of a scene¡­ Peter came at her, knife in his right hand, shouting the entire time. When he got close, Peter thrust with his blade, sneering at her as he expected it to plunge inside her shoulder that he had aimed at. Grace bent low, her left hand snaking out and grabbing Peter¡¯s wrist with the knife, squeezing it tight and hearing the popping sound of some bones as she shifted her weight and thrust her right hand into his stomach. With a little bit of help from her legs, the young man found himself airborne, flying over her and soon crashing into the wall and ground of the alley. The remaining seven boys came in pairs of two, each set basically pressed against the wall and each other. Peter needed to live for her to ensure he understood he was nothing. These boys were just a warmup for her main course. One more had pulled a short knife out, unaware of what had just happened to their leader as they closed the distance between them and Grace. Even without the extra mental stats, Grace knew how they would fight. It was a battle of overwhelming her with numbers and weight. They planned to rush her, pin her underneath, and then most likely knock her out. It was a common tactic in street fights. Unfortunately for her attackers, none understood the difference in speed or strength. The first boy who got close found his windpipe crushed, her fist hitting it so hard it actually cracked the boy¡¯s neck. As he crumpled to the ground, his momentum carrying him past Grace, she disarmed the boy with the five-inch knife, wrenching it from his hand and slamming it into his eye socket. The force she delivered buried the blade and shaft till it almost came out the backside of the skull. The two boys behind them tried to stop after witnessing what had happened. Their friends behind them had no clue and pressed against their backs, forcing them into the jaws of the beast waiting for them. Grace kicked the one on the right so hard it shattered his sternum and crushed his heart, sending him back into the boy who was pressing him forward. Once her foot was back on the ground, she let the one on the left get close, his eyes wide and his expression of regret and concern only there for a moment before she punched him in his privates, bringing forth a squeal that almost vibrated against the walls for a moment. That young man collapsed on the ground, his head bouncing off the hard dirt and random stones as his momentum finally ended. Now aware of what was happening to their fellow gang members, the last three tried to stop but found a beast had entered their midst. Grace lunged forward, her fists slamming into the knee of each of the men she faced, striking so hard that their legs bent backward, and they folded in half, slamming into each other as they crumbled to the ground. Grace had weaved through them as they fell, sliding down and under, using her small stature to easily fit through the tiny gap. The last boy was probably the youngest one in the group. His brown eyes looked at Grace with a fear he had probably never experienced until this moment. ¡°Wai¨C¡± His words were cut off as she grabbed his brown hair, yanking his head down. A crunch came as she brought her knee to his nose and face. The boy went limp in her hands as she let go. Crap¡­ that killed him. I need to remember that one. With no one coming into the alley after her, Grace spun around, hearing groans and moans as each of her would-be attackers suffered the effects of angering her. A growling and crying caught her attention as Grace saw Lilly with Peter¡¯s other hand in her mouth, consuming most of it as the man screamed in pain and terror. Time was crucial, and Grace knew that the man¡¯s cries might soon bring help or those who would watch. She moved to each of the men on the ground, driving her foot down on their necks, hearing a snap. Within a few seconds, all seven who had come behind Peter were dead. She moved quickly, snatching the knife Peter had pulled out on her off the ground, and moved to where the man was howling in pain. Driving her fist into each of the man¡¯s knees, he groaned, unable to shout as the breath was sucked from his lungs. The pain of both kneecaps shattered raced up his legs, overwhelming his mind as he dealt with an overload of nerves, crying under the distress they felt. Jumping onto him, Grace saddled his chest and put her hand over his mouth. She leaned close, glaring at him, seeing his eyes struggling to focus. ¡°Look at me, you bastard!¡± she shouted. Peter¡¯s eyes focused for a moment as he blinked, trying to understand how she was alive and on top of him, barely able to concentrate through the pain. ¡°You promised to cut out my tongue¡­ let me return the favor!¡± Grace growled, yanking the man¡¯s mouth open with one hand while driving the knife into his tongue and hacking it off. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Peter tried to howl and groan, but all he did was make it worse as Grace removed his tongue from his mouth, pulling it out for him to see as it dripped blood on his face. She shook it a moment and smiled. ¡°Lilly, catch!¡± Lilly caught it and swallowed it whole as it flew through the air with a simple flick of her wrist. Grace turned back to Peter and smiled. He was choking on blood and having problems with his breathing. She could see his eyes beginning to roll into the back of his head. Slapping his cheek a few times, Grace got his attention once more. ¡°Remember this when you see Balethem,¡± Grace whispered as she moved the knife near one of his eyes. ¡°Tell him Grace says hi!¡± She drove the knife straight into the man¡¯s eye socket, hearing the squelch of it as it went into his brain. Sighing, Grace stood up and smiled as she looked at the carnage beneath her and behind her. ¡°We need to go, Lilly. Now!¡± The sound of a peal of a ding in her head brought an even bigger smile to her lips. She couldn¡¯t wait to focus on the red screen begging for her attention. No one had been on the street when Grace came out of the alley. Most had assumed the screaming must have been a poor victim, and no one wanted to be part of that. Grace ran as fast as she could. Soon, she was well beyond the area of town she never went to and back into a section that she knew well. Leaning against a wall inside a building to hide for a moment, Grace took a few deep breaths. She wasn¡¯t tired or exhausted, but instead, she was overwhelmed. *** Quest Completed: Become The Wolf. Slaughter These Lambs. Reward: Choose one stat to gain one point: *** Grace didn¡¯t hesitate. It bothered her that she had lost two for failing the last one, but she needed to regain what she had lost. ¡°Mental.¡± The cold and wonderful sensation that filled her mind caused a sigh to escape as Grace felt the world again become sharper. Max had told her a few more commands, and she knew what to expect. [ Simple Stat Check ] ***** Physical - 11 Mental - 6 Spiritual - 5 ***** She wanted to curse. If I could have killed those five¡­ if Max had let me¡­ I could be an eight right now! Then what she had forgotten about hit. Slapping herself across the cheek, Grace felt the pain of it, the sting of the slap, and shook her head. What am I thinking?! I want to kill people¡­ why?! Sliding down from the wall to the floor, Grace felt Lilly come and lean up against her, putting her grey-furred head on her legs. ¡°What is wrong with me, Lilly?¡± Grace asked her friend, looking at those dark eyes and wondering what was inside Lilly¡¯s mind. ¡°Max was right¡­ I will kill for Levi, but¡­ just to kill?¡± That last question to herself hung there. Max is right, though. If I hadn¡¯t killed those men. If I had let one live. Someone would know, and I would also be weaker. Unsure how many points she might have lost if she failed, Grace glanced at the still-displayed stats. If I hit a nine in physical, could I lose my ability? Feeling overwhelmed, Grace leaned against the wall and stroked Lilly¡¯s fur. Sitting there, in that quiet space, she let her mind wander back to the earlier moments of the day and her meeting with Michael. Over and over, she replayed the conversation, how he had looked at her and reacted. ¡°Gods, I¡¯m so grateful for one point in my mental stat,¡± she mumbled as she closed her eyes and replayed the conversation for the fifth time. She felt like she was watching the whole thing play out from a slightly different angle. Not quite in her own eyes, but just a little to the side. As if she was aware of herself and Michael. One thing occupied a place in her mind each time she watched it over and over. ¡°I took seventeen silver for myself and gave them the pouch with the rest in it, sir.¡± Every time she said that, she saw how Michael reacted. Something about that statement was what he was waiting to hear. How much I kept? How much I gave? Again and again, Grace replayed just that moment. And then the world snapped together like a puzzle that had one piece missing until the last one was placed. The pouch¡­ he needed to know about the pouch! ¡°Why is the pou¨C¡± Grace stopped talking out loud. Her hand began to shake as she remembered Michael¡¯s other question. Have you seen the person you gave their share of the money to lately? Michael wanted to know who had the pouch and if they were still around. If he wanted to know if they were still around and if they had the pouch¡­ ¡°HOLY MOTHER OF HORSE SHITE!¡± Grace shouted as she stood up and then slammed her fist into the wall, shattering the boards that her hand hit, leaving a massive hole as her arm went through the wood. ¡°That knight bastard was the one who booby-trapped my house!¡± she exclaimed, slamming her fist through the wall again. Lilly whined, getting Grace¡¯s attention as the house creaked slightly. ¡°Shite! Let¡¯s go,¡± barked Grace as she moved toward the door that she had entered through. I¡¯m unsure how he knew where I lived, though¡­ the pouch¡­ could he¡­ Grace stopped mid-stride as she was about to exit the house and get back on the street. Closing her eyes for a moment, Grace replayed when Michael had given her the pouch. He had paused. Held it. Done something to it. He¡¯s an emissary too¡­ Grace moved her attention to a window that had been gone since it had appeared but was now there again. ***** One quest pending ¡ª The Gift of Revenge: Find the one who tried to kill you. Repay their attempt by ending their life. Reward: Stat Gained Failure: Nothing but regret. ***** She would have no regrets. Michael would pay for what he had done. Growling at no one, Grace turned and headed straight for Max. She needed answers, and only he could give them to her right now. 020 - Strength Isnt The Most Important Thing Max rubbed his chin, frowning as he considered everything Grace had just told him. She shifted as she stood before him, watching the man she realized had grown on her in the last week. He had moved his chair against one of the decaying houses nearby and plopped down, able to talk in private yet still able to keep watch on the house. ¡°Are you going to answer or what? Can someone make it where they can track an item?¡± Max nodded very slowly. Grace groaned, frustrated by how long he was taking. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Listen,¡± he replied, his face showing displeasure with her constant barrage of questions. ¡°There are countless things you don¡¯t know about what you are involved in. There are a multitude of things that I don¡¯t know about it all. I¡¯m trying to remember what I was told and what might be possible. Yes, I have no doubt that this means there is a way to do that. It¡¯s the implications of what that possibility has me concerned.¡± ¡°That Knight Michael is an emiss¨C¡± ¡°Shhh!¡± Max¡¯s harsh sound cut her off as he shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t say that word unless you¡¯re absolutely certain no one is nearby or can read your lips. That¡¯s not something to play around with. But yes, you are right. He may be a weaker one, new in his position. It would also explain how he might have known what had happened to those men you showed him.¡± ¡°But why would he track the pouch he gave me?¡± Sighing, Max shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s the part I¡¯m trying to figure out. If he thought you were one, I have no doubts he would have laid a trap for you. If he thinks you might unknowingly work for one, he doesn¡¯t want to tip his hand, hoping to find out who and turning that knowledge in.¡± Max rubbed his eyes as he clenched them shut, his whole face looking like he had sucked on something sour. ¡°Gods, I wish I could leave this place¡­ if something breaks out again¡­¡± He stopped talking when he saw the hurt look Grace was giving him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I wouldn¡¯t leave you or your brother, but if something bad happens again, we must consider leaving and going elsewhere.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Grace asked as she glanced around them and held up her hands. ¡°This is all I know. I¡¯ve never really been elsewhere for other than a small vacation a few times. Those were long ago, and what''s to say every city isn¡¯t like this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ there isn¡¯t anything to say that other cities aren¡¯t like this. Even worse, if you go to another city, who knows what quests you might get there and the problems that would cause. That¡¯s why¡­¡± Max stopped talking as someone started to walk toward them. ¡°Hey Cedric, what can I do for you?¡± Grace turned and saw one of the men she recognized from another gang. The man was missing his right hand, but Grace could tell by how the man walked and carried himself that it wasn¡¯t going to stop him from hurting someone if he needed to. ¡°Marcus wants to talk. He has some questions about something he said you would know about.¡± Max nodded. ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll meet him at the well in two hours.¡± The brown-haired man nodded, turning around and walking away at a leisurely pace. ¡°Who is that guy?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Just how dangerous is he?¡± ¡°Dangerous enough for most,¡± Max answered as he shifted on his stool. ¡°Most people think him not having a hand means he will be weak and easy to overpower. The truth is most people have never been hit by a bone before in the jaw. That stub of his is right where the bones are. I¡¯ve seen more men dropped in one blow when he strikes them in the jaw with it. He was a boxer for one of the bookies back in the day. He¡¯s smart, quick and strong. The only good news is he just wants to be left alone. Like most of us.¡± Grace nodded in agreement as she watched the man turn down another street. ¡°One day, I guess I could ask him to teach you how to fight. You could learn a few things from him.¡± Grace snapped her head back to look at Max and saw he wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°You would ask him to teach me? What am I going to learn? Max started to cough. He held his chest as he laughed and grinned. ¡°You fight like a wild animal. I believe some elementary technique is gifted to you through your new role, but you¡¯re all muscle and power.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not good?¡± ¡°After a point, it won¡¯t be. Technique can defeat someone stronger. If they can¡¯t hit you, can¡¯t catch you, but you make them bleed, whittle them down, it will allow you to eventually end the fight. It¡¯s like men who hunt predators in the woods and jungles. Even worse, the ones in the deserts. They can¡¯t just walk up to every creature and stick a sword in them and kill them. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°They set traps and use a variety of weapons and terrain. I knew a man who killed an alpha wolf in a mountain range a lifetime ago. This wolf is as large as a horse and has teeth longer than your hand. They are overconfident. Once angered or tracking a prey they feel is weak, they ignore obvious signs that a situation isn¡¯t good for them. Normal wolves would back off, try and find another path, but not these.¡± Realizing he was getting off track, Max waved his hand. ¡°Anyways, he lured one into a ravine. This wolf stood taller than me. It was wider also. It followed the blood trail he left right through the ravine toward where it got tighter and tighter. The ravine''s walls were fifty feet high or more, but eventually, they were only three and two feet wide. Do you know what happened?¡± Grace nodded. ¡°It got stuck?¡± ¡°It got stuck,¡± Max repeated as he bobbed his head. ¡°It wedged itself in so tight as he stood just yards from its mouth, taking small steps backward as it forced itself more and more into the tight gap. Even when it struggled to breathe from how much it pushed forward, the wolf never stopped snapping and snarling at him. My friend took a nap just a few yards from that creature until he woke up an hour later, hearing its breath wheezing. Then he grabbed a few spears and killed it safely out of reach of its jaws. The pelt he brought back was big enough to make me an outfit from one piece and one for you as well.¡± Grace smiled and shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not a real story, is it?¡± Max leaned forward and snapped his finger in her face, causing her to flinch slightly. ¡°Stop thinking about what you believe is or isn¡¯t real, and listen when I say there is a world out there you haven¡¯t seen. Creatures so small that a single bite could kill you. Snakes so deadly that they can kill a wolf like that with one bite. Other animals that¡­ can eat you or me in one bite.¡± Grimacing, Grace frowned. Imagining something that large was hard, but it had to be true from Max¡¯s expression and tone. ¡°Fine. If that Cedric man wants to train me, I¡¯ll learn.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Max replied, leaning back on his chair. ¡°Now, go spend some time with your brother. We got some stuff to deal with in two hours.¡± ¡°We?¡± Max nodded. ¡°I want you there when I meet Marcus.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Groaning, Max closed his eyes. ¡°Because I said I do. That¡¯s a good enough reason. Now go and see your brother.¡± Grace nodded and took off toward the well. Her mind worked through everything she had just learned and what she would do for revenge against Michael. As the streets blurred by and she saw the walls of the garden ahead, she forced down the thoughts of tearing Michael¡¯s heart out with her hand. Right now, she needed to focus on why all that had to be done. The laughter that came over the walls was the reason why. Levi had been ecstatic as she joined the other kids, playing various games. When they teamed up, none of the other kids stood a chance unless Grace convinced him to let the others win. For almost two hours Grace forgot all the things she had done so that this moment with Levi was possible. They had ran more than she could remember. Her brother was sweaty and smelly when she saw Max motion for her to join him, and she hugged him and pushed him toward the others who had decided to go dig for bugs. She jogged toward Max and started walking when she saw him discreetly holding his hand down and motioning for her to slow down. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked when she got near him. He smiled and laughed before nodding his head even though she hadn¡¯t said anything funny. ¡°What gives?¡± ¡°God, you¡¯re dense,¡± he whispered, still smiling the entire time. ¡°Just act like you came over because you saw me and wanted to come, not because I summoned you.¡± Grace patted the top of her hair and then chuckled. ¡°I get it. Sorry. How long til¨C¡± ¡°Marcus!¡± Max exclaimed, turning and nodding slightly toward the grey-haired man walking ahead of Cedric. ¡°Max,¡± the man replied, his voice steady and calm. He turned his attention to Grace and smiled. ¡°Miss Grace, it is always good to see the one who has made life in this area worth living again. Tell me, is this oversized man treating you well enough? I¡¯m sure we could find a nice place for you and your brother on our side of town.¡± Grace smiled, seeing Max struggling to keep his grin. She knew Marcus was teasing, and Max couldn¡¯t help but ignore the offer she had heard multiple times before. ¡°I¡¯m doing quite well, and I am grateful for the cooking pot you gave me. I have used it most nights. I¡¯m also glad to see all the children and adults getting to spend time together.¡± Marcus smiled and gave her another slight nod of his head. He then turned his gaze to Max and motioned to a bench along a wall. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Yes, but would you mind if Grace spoke with Cedric a little? I told her a little about his skill in fighting and boxing, and she wondered if he might help teach her a few things to protect herself and her brother if she ever needed.¡± Grace caught the slight shift of Marcus¡¯s head and twitch of one eye at that request before he looked at her. ¡°Is this true?¡± Grace sighed and nodded. ¡°While I¡¯m grateful for the safety we enjoy here, sometimes¡­ the other side of the city is not so kind to one like me.¡± Marcus frowned and nodded. ¡°Very well. Cedric, if you would.¡± Cedric nodded and moved closer to Grace as the other two approached the stone bench. After both were out of earshot, Cedric turned and studied Grace. She tried not to shift, but she felt his eyes as he looked her over. ¡°You¡¯re strong. Very strong.¡± ¡°What?¡± Grace asked, looking confused at his statements. He shook his head for a moment. ¡°You hide it well, but I can tell by how you stand your feet and arms. Anyone with any training of reading another fighter can see that you know how to defend yourself.¡± ¡°Sadly, it comes with living on this side of the city.¡± Cedric laughed, his squeaky laugh catching Grace off guard. ¡°You are right. Come with me, and we will find somewhere to talk and see what you can do. I doubt you want anyone to see what happens next.¡± He didn¡¯t wait as he turned and began to walk toward the entrance he and Marcus had come on. She started following and quickly realized they were headed to where their gang lived. 021 - Learning Technique ¡°Relax, don¡¯t think. You¡¯re a natural, but you¡¯re trying to kill everything. Just gently tap the sack; don¡¯t try to destroy it.¡± Grace growled silently to herself and set her feet as Cedric had shown her. The movements felt natural, and her body and mind quickly picked up what he was teaching. Only one thing remained, and that was learning to control her strength. Every time she punched, it felt like she would destroy whatever she touched. She almost cried the first time she had tickled Levi so hard it bruised him. He hadn¡¯t complained at first, but when he started to cry, she only then realized how much force she was using. Taking another deep breath, she focused, looking at the burlap sack again and watching as it swung. ¡°Focus on when it is going away. Give it just enough of a touch to keep it on the same path. There is no need to send it flying or smash it.¡± Nodding, Grace watched the sack as it swung toward her and then away. After two passes, she moved, her hips twisting and her hand coming forward. Her fist connected with the sack and whatever Cedric stuffed it with, sending it forward. ¡°It¡¯s too hard,¡± she groaned as Cedric moved to stop the bag from swinging so high. ¡°That¡¯s why they call it practice,¡± he answered with a chuckle. ¡°How long do you think it took me to learn how to punch with this?¡± She saw the stub he held up and shrugged. ¡°A while?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Only about a week. Do you know why?¡± Annoyed at his line of questioning and feeling like one of her parents was patronizing her, Grace said nothing, knowing no answer would be correct. ¡°Because I had spent years learning to do this. All I had to change was how far I moved with my hips. Even then, I trained for hours for a week, just as frustrated as you are. So listen when I say it takes time. It takes practice. Once you master this, though¡­¡± He shifted on his feet, his hips firing forward, and his right arm extended until it stopped. The sack was touching his skin, yet it didn¡¯t move at all. ¡°Ready to try again?¡± Grace nodded. Seeing him do that gave her hope. If he could figure it out, undoubtedly, she could as well. Cedric smiled, and he started the bag swinging again. ¡°Finally!¡± Grace exclaimed as Cedric clapped his hands in celebration for her. ¡°Twenty!¡± ¡°Well done! Well done, indeed. I don¡¯t think I would have believed it was possible, but you have managed to learn something that most take months to learn in just a few hours. The good news is you can practice this with any surface. A wall, a tree, a leaf, anything. Move around, bob, weave as I taught you, and then punch. If you are off on your placement, you¡¯ll know¡­ especially against a tree.¡± Grace smiled and chuckled as Cedric repeatedly showed her the scars on his knuckles. ¡°Now, one last thing I want you to think about and then work on. With this control comes the fun part. Actually hitting something.¡± The sun was beginning to set, and as the light in the old stable he was training in her faded, the shadows grew long. He moved and lit a single lamp, but Grace knew it wasn¡¯t something she needed. She could see every spec of dirt and old manure that still hid in boards and corners of the place. The rotted wood and the wood that had been replaced were easy for her to pick out. He brought the lamp to a section with boards wedged between empty stalls. ¡°Stand here and look at where you want to punch. Get your hand right next to it, and when it is time to strike, send your fist a foot past the target.¡± ¡°Past it?¡± Cedric nodded. ¡°When you actually want to hurt someone, you aren¡¯t moving to just tap them. You want to strike through them. A well-placed punch or kick will move someone because of the force you apply as you hit them and then push through them. Watch.¡± Moving before a pair of boards, Cedric rotated his shoulders twice and slowly extended his hand and nub until they were just an inch from the boards. Then, with an explosive movement, he struck out with his left hand, smashing through the one-inch board, his hand going so far through it that Grace could see he had punched a foot past it. Without hesitation, he snapped his hips and arms back, shifting his feet, and twisted his hips again, his right stub driving forward and going six inches past where the board had been as it broke in half as well. ¡°Here,¡± Cedric said as he tapped his hips again. ¡°All the power is here. A little bit more extension converts to power. That power is carried through your shoulder and to your arm. Finally, it is delivered through your hand.¡± ¡°You try,¡± he said as he pulled out the two broken boards and replaced them with a few thinner ones he had stacked in a barrel. Grace nodded and repeated what he had done. Measuring the distance, setting her feet, and preparing to punch. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Taking a deep breath, she pushed down the thoughts that continued to rage through her head. None of these boards would matter how I hit them¡­ I can punch through a wall without this stuff. Grace destroyed both boards, accelerating her hips, ensuring she drove past them. ¡°Huh¡­ that did feel different.¡± Cedric nodded and pulled the broken halves out. "Let¡¯s do it again. He went to a different barrel and pulled out boards thicker than the ones he had punched, sliding them into the same spot. ¡°Uh¡­ why are you giving me those?¡± Grace asked, raising her eyebrows as she watched him. ¡°Because we both know you are stronger than me. I can do these sometimes. When I fail¡­¡± Cedric tapped the scars on his knuckles. ¡°Be fast, be powerful, and explode.¡± Grace frowned, unsure if she should admit what he had said was true or deny it. Cedric smiled, moved back a few steps, and crossed his arms, watching her and waiting. ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± ¡°You forget that I trained for this for years. I¡¯ve seen men as large as your friend Max fight. I¡¯ve seen power in bodies, and I know how to tell how strong someone is. Max can see it, too. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone, and I doubt they would believe me if I told them.¡± Rubbing his stump across his eyebrow, Cedric started to laugh. ¡°If things were a year ago and my instructor found you, he would have turned you into a legend in this sport, traveling all over with you. ¡°Now,¡± Cedric pointed at the boards, ¡°do what you have been shown. Do it without cutting yourself.¡± Swallowing the concern she felt, Grace trusted Max and Cedric. That fat bastard had to know this would happen. Surely, he wouldn¡¯t send her to train with him unless there was a reason. Lining up again, Grace got into position and focused. She looked at where she wanted her fist to go. Driving with her legs, she drove her hips forward and watched as her hand smashed through the board, the impact feeling exactly as the first one had. Grinning, Grace shifted and did the exact same thing to the other board with her opposite hand. As the wood plank fell to the dirt floor, Grace looked at Cedric, who was watching her, his lips slightly pulled up and his eyes partially shut. ¡°Look, no cuts.¡± Nodding, Cedric brought his left hand to his chin and tapped it. For a few seconds, he said nothing and finally smiled. ¡°Want to hit something harder?¡± ¡°What? Something harder? Why would I do that?¡± ¡°Because I think that is why Max asked me to train you. You don¡¯t need help beating a normal person or even an average fighter. Your speed and strength will overpower them with ease. I think it¡¯s because he believes you need to be trained against someone more skilled. Until just now, you had no technique at all. With time, you can get better, but something tells me you realize you also need training.¡± Cedric ignored the look on Grace''s face and tapped his chest and then his legs. ¡°You¡¯re wearing armor. Only one reason to do that, and if Max is having me train you, then I¡¯m certain of it now.¡± Crossing her arms, Grace watched as Cedric pulled the broken boards out. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Oh, it is something you¡¯ll have to see.¡± Grace stood in awe of the stone wall he had brought her to. On it were lots of blood splotches, and she could tell where most of the scars on his knuckles had come from. ¡°Why? Why would you hit this if you know you can¡¯t break it?¡± ¡°Who says I can¡¯t break these stones?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Look further down the section of the wall.¡± Grace moved to the left and saw that on the ground were pieces of broken stone, many with small splotches of blood staining a part of them. ¡°Still, you bled to do this.¡± ¡°When you fight, bleeding is part of it. If you don¡¯t want to bleed, never be in a place you have to fight someone. What you need to overcome is in here,¡± Cedric answered as he tapped his head with his left hand. ¡°Inside, your mind will say it hurts too much or is too hard. You have to ignore that and push through the pain. The day you do that, accept the pain and see what you are really capable of¡­ that is the day you don¡¯t fear whoever you face.¡± Cedric moved to a section, and Grace watched as he stood near it, planting his feet and focusing on a stone that had dried blood on it. The crack that sounded when he struck it made her wince as she saw blood appear on the rock. Cedric didn¡¯t say anything, set himself, and punched again, more blood appearing. ¡°You don¡¯t ha¨C¡± He struck again and again, ignoring her initial complaint until after a dozen strikes, Grace heard and saw the rock break off from the wall, a one-inch piece tumbling to the ground. When it landed, Cedric took a deep breath and slowly let it out before looking at his hand and cursing. ¡°Horse shite, that one was a pain.¡± Taking a rag out of his back pocket, he wound it tight over his knuckles and used his teeth to tighten it. Then he turned and looked at Grace. ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± She wanted to say no, but standing there, having watched him do what he did, not giving up and not once complaining. It felt foolish, but Grace knew that he was right. She was going to have to reach a point where she pushed past the pain. Don¡¯t be a pansy¡­ I need to do this¡­ Max knows I need to do this¡­ She paused and frowned. Levi needs me to be able to do this. With that thought firmly held in her mind, Grace moved to the wall and focused on a shoulder-high stone. Everything she had seen today ran through her mind. She knew exactly what she needed to do. The crack that sounded, followed by the dust that eventually blew away, revealed a six-inch hole in the wall where she had struck it. Grace glanced down at her knuckles and saw a small cut that had opened on the skin. It hurt but not worse than the time she had stabbed and cut herself. ¡°Again.¡± Grace turned and saw Cedric nod and smile. ¡°Ignore that wound. Again.¡± When the section of the wall she had struck was about to crumble, Cedric finally stopped saying again. ¡°Look at your hands. Tell me what you see.¡± Grace stared down at them. Her knuckles were split and she swore she could see the bones through her black skin where they had come apart. Blood flowed between her fingers and down her wrist. Not sure what she was supposed to say, Grace took a moment and looked at them and then back at the section she had destroyed. ¡°Commitment,¡± she finally answered, not caring if it was the one Cedric wanted. ¡°Good. Whatever you are committed to, now you know that even a stone wall won¡¯t hold you back.¡± She felt his hand on her shoulder and saw him smiling at her from ear to ear. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to Max. We¡¯ll need to get you cleaned up and taken care of first.¡± Walking back toward the well and garden area, Grace found herself centered and at peace for a bit. Whatever Max had hoped she would learn from Cedric, she had gained far more than she expected. 022 - Collecting What Is Owed Max had said nothing, not even feeling the need to mention the injuries she had sustained. He simply nodded and motioned for her to go to her room. ¡°Sister! What happened!¡± Levi was frantic when he saw the bloody cloth that covered her hands. ¡°It¡¯s ok. I was doing some training, and I hurt myself. I''ll be¨C¡± ¡°Why? Why would you hurt yourself?¡± His eyes watered and looked twice their normal size as his brown eyes stared up at her. ¡°You don¡¯t need to fight! No one is fighting!¡± Grace nodded and bent down, holding her hands out for him to see. ¡°I know you want to believe that, but what happens if we have to fight again? Maybe not our friends but someone else. I need to be able to fight so I can protect you.¡± Levi glanced at her hands and then at her face, seeing her frowning slightly. ¡°Are¡­ are we going to be ok?¡± She forced a smile on her face and nodded her head. ¡°Trust me. Nothing will ever happen to you, I promise. I will always ensure you are always protected and cared for.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Levi asked. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Who is going to protect you?¡± She reached out and carefully hugged him, making sure to keep the rags from his clothes. She squeezed him tight and felt him hug her. ¡°I will be fine. Max and some of the others are going to help protect us. Now I need you to let me cook so we can rest. I¡¯ll have a surprise for you in a few days.¡± The promise of a surprise distracted Levi from what he had just been concerned with. ¡°What surprise?!¡± Grace chuckled and shook her head. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if I told you. Now, help me peel and cut up those two carrots and put them in the pot with the other items I got us.¡± Levi nodded, his face now set in an ¡®I got this¡¯ look he always had when he helped. Sighing, Grace watched her brother move and pick up a knife, chopping the carrots into tiny pieces and making sure none missed the pot as he cut them. Squeezing her hand tight, she felt the skin stretch and the slight discomfort from it. A little pain is worth it if he can enjoy life. Without wasting another moment, Grace moved to where her brother was and told him stories about what she had done that day. Early in the morning, Max and Grace headed out to work with a few other members of Marcus¡¯s group. He had told her that Marcus was in on his purchase and would help ensure things were handled throughout the different groups. Most were still okay with the peace that had held, but there were rumblings of a few that had members who wanted things to return to the previous ways. The threat of fighting had brought a few gangs into an alliance, and now, Max had purchased some things. He wanted to ensure everyone felt they got a share and wouldn¡¯t start fighting over it again. ¡°We seriously going to split this seven ways?¡± Grace asked as she moved some boxes over to where Max was directing the cleanup of a storage house. ¡°Unless we want to fight, the answer is yes. I¡¯ve got some stuff for everyone and with that meal you purchased, it will go a long way.¡± Max leaned in and whispered, ¡°Also, Marcus knows you got that gold coin. He hasn¡¯t asked how, but your reputation with him has only improved. If he ever tries actually to steal you from me, just know I¡¯ll probably gut him myself.¡± Grace looked at Max and saw that he was serious. He used to wear this expression every day when someone tested him. ¡°No worries, I won¡¯t do that to family.¡± He nodded and stood up as others came with some rotting crates. ¡°I know. Now get back to work.¡± Grace rolled her eyes at him after he said the last phrase louder. Everyone chuckled as Grace held up her middle finger as she walked away. It only took a few hours to create enough room in a warehouse both men had settled on. It would allow Tom to deliver the goods close enough to both men that each could use some of their members to guard it during the first few days before everything could be distributed. ¡°Listen, all of you,¡± Max announced as he looked at the ten people going with him to Tom¡¯s warehouse. ¡°Do not fight unless I tell you to. You don¡¯t swing unless someone either hits you with a club or sticks a knife in you. If that happens,¡± Max paused, making sure everyone gathered was paying attention, ¡°I will personally make sure they never walk again.¡± Everyone nodded, and then Max motioned for them to follow. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Grace was walking with Cedric, amazed at how both groups seemed to get along. ¡°Why did you join up with Marcus?¡± Cedric shrugged and motioned at Max with his head. ¡°I could ask the same about you and Max.¡± ¡°You can, but only after you answer first.¡± Chuckling, Cedric nodded and told her about how Marcus took him in after all hell broke loose in the city. ¡°Seems we¡¯re two people both glad we haven¡¯t turned into raging murders,¡± Cedric joked after hearing how and why Grace ended up with Max. Nodding, Grace turned her head, pretending to look at something so Cedric wouldn¡¯t see her face. One of us is a raging murderer¡­ Struggling with her concerns about the choices Grace knew she would have to keep making, Max¡¯s whistle gave her something else to focus on. ¡°We¡¯re there in five minutes. Stay sharp and spread out.¡± He walked a few more yards before yelling, ¡°And don¡¯t try to look tough. We don¡¯t want to pick a fight.¡± As they came down the street she and Max had traveled two days ago, a twinge of remorse reminded her about the stat points she had lost. Only half a dozen people were standing at the end of the street before the three carts full of things Max had ordered. Each had a horse that appeared to have seen better days, waiting to be pull the heavy loads they were hitched to. Grace stepped closer to Max as the large man lumbered easily toward Tom, who looked overly anxious. ¡°You think this is going to go sideways?¡± Grace asked. ¡°I sure hope not because things will get really bloody if it does. Just stay sharp and tell me if you see something.¡± Grunting, Grace took a few steps back and casually looked around, doing her best to notice anything important. ¡°Max! Glad you made it!¡± Tom shouted, running his hand through his hair. It was still nasty and dirty and stuck in different directions after. ¡°You and I both know I don¡¯t back out of my promises. Now,¡± Max motioned at the carts as he started walking around one, ¡°is everything here like we talked about, or are we going to have an issue?¡± ¡°No¡­ no issues,¡± Tom replied, his voice cracking as he rubbed his hands together. ¡°Everything you asked for is there, including a little more food since I¡­ I felt you deserved it.¡± Max turned and glared at the shorter and fatter man whose face looked like he was trying to take a crap but couldn¡¯t. ¡°You sure? Seems after last time I would expect you to try and short me.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± exclaimed Tom waving his hands before him. ¡°I wanted to make sure you knew I was sorry for that! Won¡¯t happen again! I promise!¡± Grunting, Max moved to the second and third wagons and started looking at the things not in crates or barrels. After seeing what he felt was right, Max moved to where Tom stood. He looked down at the man as Tom wiped his hands against his sweat-stained shirt, ignoring the odor the man gave off. ¡°I¡¯ll send the horses and wagons back when I get this unloaded and gone through. Don¡¯t let me find anyone following me, and don¡¯t make me return for something missing.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± he exclaimed, stepping back and motioning to the three men holding horse reins. Max reached into his pocket, pulled out the gold coin, and put it in Tom¡¯s hand. Tom stared at it for a moment. A smile that displayed those awful teeth appeared, and he quickly glanced around before shoving it inside his own pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll expect the horses no later than tomorrow or¨C¡± ¡°Or nothing,¡± Max cut him off, and he leaned closer to Tom. ¡°I¡¯ll give them back. Don¡¯t you worry about that.¡± The man just nodded his head, taking a few shuffled steps backward. Sighing, Max pointed at three men from the group, who each jumped into the cart and grabbed the reins for the horses. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Grace kept scanning the road and buildings, expecting a group of armed thugs to come after them at any moment, but none appeared. As the last cart rolled past where she was standing, Max approached her and pointed her to go. ¡°We¡¯re fine. Nothing will happen here. It will be ten minutes or more down the roads if anything does.¡± Grace groaned as she turned and moved beside Max. ¡°The way you say that doesn¡¯t sound good.¡± Max shook his head and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not, but this town isn¡¯t how it once was. Now focus, I need to move up near the front.¡± Grace nodded and watched Max move ahead, his body moving with a grace men his size never seemed to have. When the warehouse they were using came into sight, a collective sigh came from everyone. Every sound had someone looking and waiting to see if a group was about to attack them. Anytime someone came across them from another street, Max¡¯s glare and words sent them hurrying away. ¡°Get those carts inside and close those doors!¡± Max bellowed. The snapping of the reins and the horses complaining about the sudden requirement to move faster had everyone turning and facing backward as they walked toward the open doors. They could see no one behind them, but Max didn¡¯t want to take a chance. Too much was at stake. When the doors finally closed behind the wagons and everyone, Grace felt tension she hadn¡¯t realized she was carrying disappear. ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t stand there gawking. We need to get this unloaded and sorted. You all know we have a special meal tomorrow, and we need to ensure everything is in place!¡± A small cheer, clapping, and hollering echoed around the room as everyone started unloading the carts. There hadn¡¯t been a real celebration in a while, and everyone wanted to experience it. ¡°Can you believe this?¡± Grace asked as she and the others, who were not on guard duty, rode back in the one cart with all the food for tomorrow. ¡°There is meat, vegetables, drinks and more! It¡¯s going to be amazing!¡± Max nodded and sighed, letting his massive legs hang off the back of the open cart as it rolled down the street. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe all this worked out how it did. All day, I kept waiting for something to go wrong and¡­¡± he paused, glanced over his shoulder, and saw men from two different gangs laughing and chatting as they pointed at the various packages in the cart with them. ¡°A sight like this makes me remember to never give up.¡± He leaned over and grabbed Grace in a side hug, burying her head in his armpit. ¡°Ack!¡± Grace sputtered, pushing Max so hard he almost fell off the cart before falling sideways into it. ¡°That smelled awful and is wet!¡± Max started laughing, and all the other men in the cart joined in as Grace shook her hands and shuddered. ¡°I¡¯m going to get you for that,¡± Grace promised as she scowled at him. Max continued to laugh, finally sitting up and smiling. ¡°I look forward to the day you do.¡± 023 - A Chance to Live The gardens reminded Grace of a time when she was Levi¡¯s age. Her parents had taken her to the town square during a festival, and lights, decorations, music, and food were everywhere. People laughed and danced, and she got to play so many games. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Levi asked, seeing his sister''s far-off look on her face. She cleared her throat and smiled, bending down to clean his cheek with her thumb. ¡°I was just remembering the last time I got to go to something like this. I was about your age.¡± ¡°Was it fun?¡± he asked, smiling from ear to ear. ¡°One of the greatest times of my life. So go and enjoy yourself.¡± Levi leaned over and hugged Grace before running off, already laughing as he saw the group of kids playing with all the new toys that had just been laid out. ¡°You¡¯ve done good,¡± Max said after Levi was gone. ¡°Look at this place¡­ who would have imagined it could ever look like this again.¡± Grace nodded. People had found ways to make decorations out of any materials they had found everywhere. With only one day to prepare once the news broke, all the gangs sent people to clean up and ensure the garden was ready for such an event. Tables that didn¡¯t go together and were mismatched in size and shape ran in a long row, food already set out and under the watchful eyes of those charged with the task of protecting it until the party officially started. A few had made paper lanterns and hung them in spots, not caring about how costly those candles were but wanting to lend to making tonight great. Laughter and cries of despair could be heard from tables where people played games, not caring if they won or lost, but that they could just play. Every gang was here, and everyone knew the rules. Today, no one would fight at all. Max motioned toward a spot where all of the leaders of each gang waited. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± She nodded and followed as Max wove through the crowd, people laughing and saying hello to the largest man in the garden. He smiled and waved, giving handshakes and a few good hugs to the older women who stopped him. Lost in her thoughts, Grace moved without thinking, smiling and nodding at those who greeted her. How long has it been since we acted like people and not¡­ animals? ¡°Grace, come up here,¡± Max said, interrupting her thoughts. Nodding, she stepped on top of the hastily built stage that seemed to creak under the weight of all the leaders. ¡°We sure this is safe?¡± Grace asked. Laughter came from everyone when they saw her smirk and heard her question. ¡°It¡¯s quite safe now. Hurry up so we can get this started.¡± Grace sighed and nodded, trying to avoid the thank you most men and women mouthed at her. A loud whistle came from one of the men standing near the base of the platform, and the noise in the garden quieted down except for the kids playing. Max started to open his mouth and then closed it. His face got a little red for a moment, and a few chuckles could be heard from the crowd looking at him. ¡°Forgive me,¡± Max shouted after finally finding his voice. ¡°I was going to say citizens of Thoriantian, but then I realized that probably isn¡¯t the right word or name for us to go by. I wanted to think of a name for each and every one of us that doesn¡¯t upset someone or an entire group. Do me a favor, each of you, and look at the people around you.¡± Max paused momentarily, watching as people began to do what he had asked. There were some greetings and laughter as people saw those they knew and met someone they didn¡¯t. When the moment was ready, Max smiled and held up his massive hand. ¡°I want you all to remember that tonight, we aren¡¯t citizens of Thoriantian. Instead, we are something far better than citizens. I believe that after tonight, we could call ourselves a family.¡± Some peals of laughter and a few cheers broke out, and Max just smiled and nodded. ¡°Now, yes, some of us would say that there are a few here who must be distant cousins or perhaps the family''s black sheep, but tonight, that is exactly what we are. Family.¡± Motioning the food that had a few people anxiously standing nearby, ready to pounce on when they were allowed to, Max smiled. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Tonight, we get to share food as a family. Some of you are playing games as a family. The children are playing together, not caring where they live in town or what name they go by. Instead, tonight, we celebrate hope. And that hope is due mostly to one person.¡± Cheers and whistles rose as Max motioned to Grace, standing at his side and behind him. She tried to smile and look at them, but the attention was more than she had prepared for. Hearing people call out her name and many wishing her thanks left her frozen. After no success, Max waved his hand for silence and motioned to the same man who whistled a few times, quieting the crowd. ¡°Now, Grace found a lot of money in her adventures through the city doing what so many of you do daily. But instead of spending it all on herself and her brother, she approached me and told me it needed to be shared with you.¡± Silence, other than the children still playing with their new toys, hung on to Max''s words. ¡°Almost all of the food and drink tonight you are about to eat, came from her desire to share with you. The games you play and our children play come from her. In the coming days, supplies will be given to you by your leaders who stand behind me. All from her.¡± Max reached back and gently moved Grace to stand before him. Every eye was on her, and Grace did her best to smile as she saw so many looking at her, some with tears running down their faces and others in disbelief at what they were hearing. ¡°You know Grace. Know how she risked her life for many of you when the guards came here. Her act brought us together in this place and allowed us to stop the conflict that plagued us all. Tonight, when we celebrate, I want you all to remember that she doesn¡¯t want only this garden to be a place of safety but everywhere we live. She wants you to join her in grabbing onto a hope of a life beyond what took place here and building a new area for us all.¡± Max took a deep breath with one hand on Grace¡¯s shoulder and the other held up into the air. ¡°Tonight, let us welcome our greatest sister, daughter, and granddaughter to our family.¡± Cheers began to break out, and people started to move forward to where she was. Panic filled her, but the men at the base of the small stage moved to block those who came, gently telling them no. One last series of whistles brought a moment of silence when Max smiled and nodded at the people protecting the food. ¡°Tonight, everyone eats at Grace Akem¡¯s table!¡± Cheers rose again, and people began to move quickly to the food, taking portions of the meat, fruit, and bread most had not seen in months. Grace stood there, stunned, unable to focus or move, as she felt Max slowly turn her around. ¡°Grace, focus, Grace,¡± Max said as he snapped his fingers before her face. ¡°Wha¡­ what?¡± Laughter and snorting came from all those on the stage. ¡°Listen to these men and women. They have something to say.¡± Grace watched as the leaders of every gang lined up. She recognized Marcus as he stood at the front. She almost moved as he held a small knife in his hand. ¡°Tonight, we all make a pact with you. We will share blood and promise to protect you as one of our own. If you are ever in need and any of us can be of assistance, our people will know you as ours and take you to us.¡± Marcus cut his pointer finger and then gave Grace his knife. She looked at Max, saw him nod, and did the same. Pressing their fingers together momentarily, she saw Marcus smile before he took his off, and the next one stepped forward. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting that,¡± Grace muttered, looking at her finger, and the blood smudged all over it. ¡°Does this really mean anything or¡­¡± Max chuckled and held up his finger, which also had a small dab of blood on it. ¡°No matter what someone says or even does, the only way you will know is by what they do the moment their life is on the line. If they stand by you, knowing they might die, then it means something. You''ll know otherwise if they either turn their back or run away.¡± She nodded and smiled as an older man and a young man who must be his son came up and thanked them. As they walked away, Grace ignored her stomach that growled. ¡°I¡¯m not certain I would have signed up for this if I had known this is how the night would go.¡± Chuckling, Max rubbed his stomach. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who is hungry, but we both know we have things waiting for us at our place. Most of these people don¡¯t.¡± Grace nodded as she looked at the gathering in the garden. So many people were actively talking to each other and laughing. As the sun was almost hidden by the houses, the light of the fires, combined with the sun''s gentle rays, turned the garden into a dream in some ways. Hours passed as people drank and celebrated, and when the night had run long, Grace found Levi fast asleep on a bench with Cedric sitting near him. Cedric stood up, giving her a quick nod as Grace drew near. ¡°He actually was asleep near the toys. I figured it might be better to move him here.¡± Grace sighed and smiled at Cedric. ¡°Thank you. Did you get to celebrate at all tonight?¡± ¡°I should ask you that question. If I recall, all the food was gone by the time you finished dismissing your long-lost relatives. I¡¯m afraid a few couldn¡¯t resist and stuffed some in their pockets.¡± Grace shrugged and looked back at the tables stripped bare of all the food they once held. ¡°It¡¯s ok. People needed it.¡± ¡°Thank you Grace.¡± Cedric¡¯s words caught her off guard as she turned and saw the man holding his arm with no hand against his chest. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thank you. Thank you for standing up for what we all knew was right but were too afraid to do so. It pains me more than I can say that it took a young woman to remind me of a lesson I knew well. So thank you for teaching me that.¡± Holding up her fist, Grace ran her finger over her knuckles. ¡°I guess we¡¯re even then?¡± Cedric shook his head. ¡°No, after what I ate a little bit ago, I¡¯m pretty sure I still owe you.¡± Laughing, Grace rolled her eyes and moved to where Levi was, preparing to pick him up. ¡°Let me get him. It¡¯s the least I can do. That way, you can protect me if something scary jumps out after me.¡± Grace burst out laughing, covering her mouth and glancing down at her brother, who was still fast asleep. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure that''s exactly how that would go.¡± Chuckling, Cedric bent down and quickly scooped up her brother. ¡°Lead the way, sister Grace.¡± 024 - The Cost of Living Grace¡¯s eyes felt like they had just closed when the sounds of retching filled her ears. She felt the warm fluid as Levi heaved, dispensing massive amounts of bile and food all over her. ¡°Levi!¡± Grace shouted, angry that he wouldn¡¯t get up and do that over at the pot. ¡°If you are going to throw up, do it where you know to go! Ughh¡­. You got it all over me.¡± She turned and moved to where the jar was, moving to get it, when she heard her brother still retching over and over. She moved to the stove, which had a few tiny embers, and quickly lit a candle, set it on the floor, and looked at her brother. He was covered in sweat and was shaking. His face was half buried in the vomit he had just brought up, and his body began to jerk again as his mouth opened up and his throat spasmed. ¡°Levi! Wake up!¡± She shook him, but her brother wasn¡¯t coming out of his sleep. Moving him from the pile of vomit on their new blankets, Grace set him on the ground, realizing he was a hot, wet, limp rag of flesh. Lifting his eyelids, Grace cursed, finding his eyes rolled back and not responding. ¡°No¡­ no¡­. No¡­¡± she muttered as she covered her mouth with a trembling hand. Sounds down the hallway started to reach her, and she quickly lifted the wood plank across the door and stuck her head out. Cries and screams were beginning to happen. Others started coming out of their rooms. Some were retching, and others wanted to find out what was causing the commotion. Thunderous boot steps came from the stairs, and Grace knew Max was on his way. Even with no light, Grace saw the same look on so many. Every adult who was in the hallway and sick was barely standing. Leaning against the walls and door frames. Convulsions would hit, and they would begin retching, spraying whatever was left in their stomach onto the wooden floors. The sound of Levi Retching brought her back to their room, and she saw all he was bringing up now: bile and blood. ¡°Oh my god, no!¡± Racing to the door, Grace saw Max looking at everyone as he moved through the hall. He held a lantern and inspected those sick, and Grace saw the fear in his eyes. ¡°MAX! Levi!¡± His head looked right at her, and she saw him pat the person he had just looked at. She returned to her room as his steps thudded against the wooden floors. ¡°He¡¯s sick!¡± Grace exclaimed as Max came through the doorway. ¡°What can we do?¡± Max didn¡¯t say a word, and Grace turned to see he was turning white and starting to sweat. ¡°Grace¡­ someone poisoned us¡­¡± was all he got out before turning to the hallway and emptying the contents of his stomach on the floor. ¡°Poisoned? What? How?¡± ¡°That bastard¡­ Tom¡­ he had to have done this¡­¡± Max held his hand over his mouth, turning again and heaving half a dozen times before he turned back to the room. ¡°Did you eat?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t have time to.¡± He nodded, looking like he was about to fall to the floor. ¡°Go¡­ find out what¡­ he used and a cure¡­ if not¡­¡± Max stopped talking and looked at Levi, who was retching again, this time with more blood in what came up. ¡°We¡¯ll all die.¡± It had taken her less than a second to comprehend what was happening and what Max had said. The moment she knew what needed to be done, a red box appeared in her vision. ***** Two quests pending ¡ª Find A Cure: Time is running out. Find a cure for those who are dying. You have less than twenty-four hours. **Leave no one alive who knows what you did, and a bonus reward will be granted** Reward: Ability Gained Failure: The death of so many ¡ª Bring Justice for Poisoning Your Family: Let those who hurt the ones you love know that they will face your wrath. Kill those involved in poisoning an entire group of people. Reward: Stats Gained Failure: Massive Stats Lost ***** ¡°I swear I¡¯m going to kill everyone when I find out who did this,¡± Grace muttered under her breath. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Max looked at her, his face covered in sweat. ¡°Don¡¯t fail¡­ no matter what.¡± Grace glanced back at Levi. She grimaced and looked at Max. ¡°I can heal him,¡± she whispered. ¡°Only one person though for a few days¡­ what do I do?¡± Max nodded and pointed his shaking finger at Levi. ¡°Do it¡­ I¡¯ll handle it¡­ hurry¡­ we have maybe a day. Find the alchemist also¡­ we need a cure.¡± Grace made mental notes and moved to Levi. ¡°Heal.¡± She touched her brother, and a glow surrounded him. He began to shift and move, moaning as she stood. His eyes fluttered open, and a wave of relief washed through Grace. ¡°Levi, listen!¡± Blinking his eyes, Levi tried to focus on Grace, and then the smell of vomit and how his clothes felt hit him. ¡°Sister! What happened? Why am I¨C¡± ¡°No, stop and listen!¡± she exclaimed, putting her hand over his lips. "You were sick. I had something that healed you, but I¡¯m all out. Others are sick, like Max. Max needs you to watch over him and protect him. Can you do that?¡± Levi¡¯s nose scrunched as he listened to his sister and saw the man he thought was invulnerable to everything slumped on the floor and covered in sweat. ¡°I can, but¨C¡± ¡°No buts! Stay here, don¡¯t leave the room! I have to go and try and get medicine.¡± She moved past him, grabbing the knife she used for cooking. As she turned to leave, she saw his eyes filled with tears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, taking the time she didn¡¯t have to try to dry the falling ones. ¡°You¡¯re coming back, right?¡± he sniffed as he spoke. She hugged him so hard for a moment she thought she might have broken a rib. ¡°I swear to you on everything that I will return. You cannot get rid of me this easy.¡± He nodded, and Grace kissed him on the forehead, tasting the vomit that had managed to spill there. Racing to the door, she squeezed Max¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t die. We¡¯re going to have to get revenge together.¡± He smiled weekly and nodded. ¡°Save some for me.¡± Without waiting to respond, Grace started running through the hallway, dodging the people and vomiting as she could. The few who weren¡¯t sick saw her face, and all moved out of her way. She scanned the area of the warehouse. The street was empty and dark, but it was like an hour or two after sunrise for Grace and her improved vision. Her eyesight never ceased to amaze her. Glancing once more at the building she was focused on, Grace sprinted across the open space in seconds, stopping before she plowed into the wood and slinked around the side. The door she needed was in front, but she wanted to finish scouting first. No sounds came, and she gave a quick whistle once she saw it was safe. Lilly darted across the road, a shadow amongst shadows. Had her eyes not been how they were, she knew Lilly could now move unseen in a place like this. ¡°Good girl,¡± Grace whispered, patting her companion¡¯s head. Grateful for whatever reason, Lilly was waiting on her when she got outside. Grace looked once more down the dark street. ¡°Stay. Let me know if someone comes.¡± Lilly crouched against the wall. As Lilly stopped moving, Grace knew that she might have missed her there if she had just been glancing, even now, with how well she could see. Moving to where the door was, Grace did her best to avoid the items she saw discarded in the dirt. Slowly, she moved to grab the handle when she paused. This door would be locked like hers or even more so. She could not get through it without knocking it down and waking everyone nearby. Cursing silently, Grace considered the best way in. Closing her eyes for a moment, Grace recalled the image of the building in her mind and remembered that above the warehouse doors were some windows on what had to be the second level. The overhang that provided shelter from rain was high, but Grace knew she had to try. Moving around the building to the front of the street, she saw a fifteen-foot-angled roof and jumped as high as she could, even though she knew it was impossible to reach it. Waving her arms in the air as she whiffed, Grace fell to the ground with a thud, surprised she had easily gotten eleven or twelve feet with her hands, both something she couldn¡¯t have done before. How high will I be able to jump as I continue to raise that physical stat¡­ Looking at the post that ran from the ground to the slanted overhang, Grace considered her last option. It wasn¡¯t near the edge, which might mean she could fall if she tried leaping to it from the post. Grace wasn¡¯t sure if the boards would hold her weight even if she made it. Hurry¡­ there isn¡¯t time¡­ Unable to wait any longer, Grace pulled the knife from her waist and clamped it between her teeth as she started to climb the wooden post. This seems unreal¡­ I¡¯m like a cat! Trying not to smile as she went up the post, Grace found that her grip strength allowed her to hoist herself up the wooden shaft easily without any trouble at all. She would have attempted it with no legs if this wasn''t an emergency. Seconds passed, and soon, she was just a foot from the overhang. Shifting her feet and using a hand to create tension, she got set and pulled the knife out with her right hand, gently putting it under the board near the long beam between posts. Slowly, she pried the board up, wincing each time the sound of the nail and wood creaked. The post she was hanging on swayed slightly as she put more force into it. The board suddenly broke free with a thunk, and Grace held her breath. No noise or lights lit up, and after waiting a minute, she repeated the process until two boards were no longer nailed down. Slipping her knife between her teeth, she grabbed the beam and let go of the post, grabbing on with both hands and easily pulling herself up and under the two boards that pressed against her back. Sliding sideways, she gently lowered the boards and then moved to where a beam ran from top to bottom, carefully stepping as she made her way to the top of the awning. Once against the wall, Grace took a few deep breaths and moved to where a window was. Glancing through it, she saw boxes and trash strewn inside. This place is a mess¡­ how do they find anything in there? With her hand, she pried the window open slowly, wincing as the wood on wood made a slight noise. After what felt like forever, the window was finally wide enough for her to slip through. On the catwalk around the top of the warehouse, Grace saw the room where Tom had to be and made her way toward it. Standing outside the door to Tom¡¯s room, Grace allowed herself to take a few more breaths. Even though the warehouse was pitch black to anyone else, she still struggled to feel safe at what she was doing. Behind the door, she could hear snoring. She started hearing it once she got within twenty feet of the door. Slowly, she turned the handle and felt it go all the way. Letting it open just slightly, Grace peered through the crack and saw a room that looked almost as bad as the smell she now experienced through the opening. Face down, hanging partially off a bed that looked worse than the one she shared with Levi, was Tom, wearing nothing but underwear. Glancing at the red box again, Grace didn¡¯t hesitate. Time wasn¡¯t on her side. 025 - A Night Filled With Revenge ¡°Stop! Please!¡± Tom¡¯s begging did nothing but piss Grace off more as she slapped the fat man another time. Glancing at the three fingers on the floor, Grace moved back to Tom¡¯s right hand and held it steady once more. ¡°Sooner or later, you will tell me,¡± Grace growled. The candle she had lit in the room cast a shadow around her. Even without needing it, Grace could see Tom¡¯s face. The snot and tears, along with the sweat that seemed to roll off him, did nothing to hide the bruises she had given him when she first came in. Tom tried to jerk his hand away, but he was bound at his feet with some rope Grace found after she knocked him out. His left hand was tied to the bed, and her grip was like a vice. I owe Cedric for helping me to control my punches¡­ otherwise, I would smash his face in¡­ ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t say,¡± Tom howled. ¡°They will kill me!¡± Grace began to cut around the flesh of the finger, pressing the blade to the pointer finger of his right hand till it hit the bone, slicing all the way around as Tom howled in pain. ¡°You seem concerned about what they are going to do to you later when I¡¯m here right now, carving you up like a feast for a holiday,¡± Grace said as she dug the blade into the bone. ¡°Now talk, or after I do this hand, I¡¯ll move somewhere else, and I don¡¯t think you want me to cut down there.¡± Through the pain that lanced up his arm, Tom howled as he nodded. His massive body trembled from fear and pain. The stench of himself pissing and crapping himself filled the room. ¡°A knight and guards came¡­ he gave me the food to give you¡­ said¡­ said to make sure you got it¡­ not to mention it was from him¡­ I didn¡¯t know! I swear!¡± Tom cried out, screaming as the blade cut through the bone of his finger. Grace looked down and winced. She hadn¡¯t meant to do that, but hearing it was a knight left little doubt in her mind who it had to be that had done this. ¡°Blond hair? Blue eyes? Goes by the name Michael?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his name!¡± Tom groaned as he sobbed. ¡°Please! I swear! I didn¡¯t know!¡± A bark came from outside, and Grace knew her time was up. She knew who had done it, and now there was no doubt in her mind what she would do to Michael when she saw him. ¡°I believe you,¡± Grace said, leaning close to Tom¡¯s face. ¡°Now, forgive me for this next part.¡± Tom¡¯s scream was cut off as it started. Her knife plunged through his eye and into his brain. His massive body shook for a second and then went limp. Moving quickly, Grace wiped the blade on the blanket, took the candle, grabbed some papers, and put them on the bed. A bottle of alcohol was on the side of the bed, with just enough for what she needed. Emptying the liquid on the paper and blanket, she held the candle to it, watching the flames immediately spread all over where she poured the liquor. Running, Grace went to the window up top and glanced out to the street. A few people were walking with a lantern, approaching the warehouse. Sliding out the window, she moved with haste, reaching the ledge and making sure nothing was below, dropping to her feet. The height sent a few aches through her leg, but nothing that meant something was damaged. A low whistle as she ran around the building soon brought Lilly as she headed toward the central part of the northwest city. ¡°Good job, Lilly,¡± Grace said as they ran down the street. Time was not on her side, and she wasn¡¯t sure how the next part would go. The merchant side of town had the occasional light on the metal posts. Before the battle, every one of the posts had a light at night, but now it appeared that one out of every six was good enough. The stone buildings looked the same, none touched by the fighting or showing any signs of distress. A stark contrast to the decay and rotting of so many homes where she lived. One shop she ran past had flowers in a few pots outside, their colorful petals reminding Grace that there was a world somewhere where life was good. If only we could get back to this¡­ not having to fight or ¨C A cough further up the road, about thirty, came from around a corner, sounding so loud in the silence. Dashing to a set of stairs and hiding behind them, she and Lilly hid in the shadows. A minute passed, and not hearing anything else, she slowly eased her way to the corner and paused. She could hear breathing. It was slow and steady. The kind when someone was sleeping. Peeking around the corner, she saw a guard sitting on a small wooden bench, most likely brought by him since it didn¡¯t match the shops here, fast asleep. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Her hand automatically went to the knife on her hip, but she stopped herself. I¡¯m not that bad yet¡­ he¡¯s possibly not involved¡­ Motioning to Lilly, they snuck across the road quickly, making no sound as they moved along the stone sidewalk and street. A block later, she spotted what she was looking for. The alchemist''s shop was on the far end of the street. Not sure why, Grace assumed it might have something to do with the awful scent she could smell even so far away. Quickening her pace, Grace ignored the front of the store and looped around the building till she got to the backside. As she made her way around, the smell had gotten stronger, and some windows were open to a basement where the smell was coming from. Lilly whined slightly, and Grace nodded, motioning for her to hide in the ally. Boxes, bins, and an assortment of other items were neatly stacked along the wall between the buildings. Some of these items would serve as excellent replacement lumber for¡­ Focus! Shaking her head, Grace gently pulled on the window and saw that it would open just enough for someone her size to squeeze through. Even with the pungent smell, it was the best way to get inside without having to break a window. Looking through the opening, she saw a few empty barrels upside down on a grate, dripping some liquid onto some cloth underneath them. All along the walls were an assortment of tools, glass bottles, and so many different reagents. Seeing nothing was directly under the window, Grace started to push herself through, twisting and grunting. Halfway through, she realized she was stuck. Grace couldn¡¯t push herself anymore, and her feet were dangling, unable to get a grip on the empty wall under her. Panic began to set in, and Grace felt herself breathing so fast she felt light-headed. Focus! Grace forced herself to slow down, taking a few deep breaths and letting them out as slowly as possible. ¡°Lilly,¡± Grace whispered. ¡°I need help.¡± Her dog came over, sat on the ground, and looked at her. ¡°Push me. Push me, please.¡± Cocking her head, Lilly looked at Grace and moved around her, almost as if assessing the situation. ¡°Push me like when we wrestled. Before you¡­ changed.¡± Grace would have sworn in that moment she saw Lilly¡¯s eyes change slightly, and then her dog came over and licked her on the face like the old times when they played and wrestled. Suddenly Lilly turned and shoved her butt into Grace¡¯s face and began pushing it against her over and over. Trying not to gag or cough, Grace hadn¡¯t expected this position, but it was how Lilly had always played and wrestled. Holding her arms out straight above her head, Grace tried to pry herself through the window with her legs while Lilly jammed her butt against her head. Slowly, she wiggled through the window till only her chest and above remained. Breathing was getting difficult as the window constricted her ribs, threatening fear and tension. Forcing herself to stay calm, Grace said, ¡°A little more, harder.¡± Exhaling the air in her lungs, Grace almost fell all the way through the window and on her butt after Lilly slammed into her. The force, combined with empty lungs, thrust her into the room. Landing on her feet and regaining her balance before falling backward into the barrels near her, Grace rubbed her chin. Coming through, had banged it into the frame and scratched it some. It burned slightly, but there was no time to worry about it. ¡°Good girl,¡± Grace whispered. ¡°Stay.¡± Pulling her knife out, Grace turned and looked around the room. If she had any idea what half of the stuff here did, she knew stealing it would be worth a fortune. On one wall was a door, and Grace refocused. I need to hurry¡­ Max and the others need me! Opening the door slowly, she began searching for the alchemist. Finding the stairs had been easy as they were right down the hall from the ones she had come up from the basement. Thankfully, the door wasn¡¯t locked, and nothing creaked or made any noise as she walked down the hallway. Part of her wanted to see how nice the kitchen and other areas of the house were. To have a shop meant one had money, and to have money meant there was a life free from struggles she faced constantly. Each step was a trial, and Grace shifted her weight carefully, making sure none of the boards would squeak as she moved up them. The house had no lights, but she could see the wallpaper on the walls. The old painted pictures of what must be the lineage of the whole family. Reaching the top, she did the math in her head. The door on the other end would be where the alchemist would sleep. Two other doors stood partially open, and Grace snuck by them, glancing inside. In each one was a little girl around Levi¡¯s age, sleeping in a bed that looked identical except for the color. One had a bed painted green, while the other was red. Moving past the door with the last girl, Grace slowly turned the brass nob, praying it wouldn¡¯t squeak or make noise. Feeling like someone who was way too practiced at the art of sneaking in where people were sleeping, Grace peered through the tiny crack as she opened the door and saw a well-furnished room with a massive bed in it. There in the bed, however, was just a man sleeping, and Grace paused. Could his wife be somewhere? Is there another room? Not sure what to do, she pulled up the red window and saw the timer ticking down. There was no time to waste and she didn¡¯t want to fail this quest. Too many people would die if she did. Slowly, she crept and shut the door behind her. The floor had a soft rug, and her footsteps were as quiet as if a cat as she walked across it, coming to stand next to a man who looked about the age her father was when he died. His complexion told her that he wasn¡¯t one of the locals. His skin was an olive brown, and his hair was straight and long. Lying there on his back, breathing, and sleeping quietly seemed like a dream. Memories and pain flooded her as Grace thought about her father. How much she missed him. Standing there with a knife in her hand made her feel like she was betraying a memory that she didn¡¯t want to destroy. Yet a tiny red window showed a timer counting down. Less than twenty-one hours left. Balethem, let this man see reason¡­ let him just give me what I need¡­ Mustering the will she needed, Grace scowled and clamped her hand down on the man¡¯s mouth, touching the dull side of the knife against it. His eyes went wide as he struggled for a moment. ¡°Quiet, or I¡¯ll kill you and your girls,¡± Grace growled. Terror filled the man¡¯s eyes as he couldn¡¯t see who his attacker was, but the words she spoke didn¡¯t require light. A heartbeat later, he was still, almost like a corpse. ¡°Good, now we¡¯re going to go downstairs and have a talk. Try to yell, cry for help, or fight back, and I¡¯ll make sure you and your daughters die a death beyond what you can imagine. Do you understand?¡± The sound of a muffled yes and a head nodding was what she had hoped for. ¡°Good. Now, do as I say, and know that I won¡¯t give you a second chance. Get out of bed and head to your shop.¡± 026 - Never Fail Again ¡°I need light,¡± the man whispered. Grace groaned but had already prevented the man from running into something twice. ¡°Fine,¡± growled Grace. ¡°Stay here and don¡¯t move.¡± The man nodded, and Grace saw a small candle on a counter near the wall and moved quickly, her feet barely making a sound as she grabbed it and brought it over to the man. ¡°How are you going to light it?¡± she asked, not seeing flint, steel, or a fire going anywhere. ¡°I have something that will work, but I need to get to my drawer on the other side.¡± Unsure if the man would try to be brave, Grace decided to enact the plan she had already thought of. She moved to the hall they had just entered and opened the door slightly. ¡°You two, go stand by the stairs. If he doesn¡¯t help or something happens, go kill the girls.¡± After speaking quietly in the hallway, she shut it and moved to where the man stood, swaying slightly in the dark. ¡°You only get one chance and remember that. They¡¯ll slice your daughter''s throats if they''re lucky.¡± The man nodded, and Grace moved him to the counter, watching as he felt where he was and followed it around. He opened a drawer, and Grace stood a little bit away and behind him, dagger ready in case he tried something. ¡°I¡¯m going to light this with a fire stick. So please don¡¯t think I¡¯m doing anything to fight you,¡± the man whispered. He pulled out a wood stick and rubbed it against the counter, which caused the tip to erupt into flame. The room lit up quickly, and the man¡¯s fingers shook as he held the firestick to the candle and lit it. Blowing out the wood, he turned and saw Grace watching him. ¡°You¡¯re just a girl,¡± he whispered, a look of shock in his eyes. ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯ve killed more men than I want to admit, and right now, I¡¯m not afraid of killing more. I need your help, and you can either help or die.¡± She watched as the man studied her, seeing how she stood and talked. There was no doubt Grace wasn''t bragging. He could see a killer behind her eyes. ¡°Just don¡¯t hurt my girls!¡± he exclaimed louder than he meant. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°I need a cure for some poison. My entire side of the town was poisoned by some food they ate last night, and now everyone is sweating, vomiting, and ev¨C¡± The blade was pressed against the man¡¯s shirt, the tip ready to slip through and into the flesh behind it. ¡°We didn¡¯t steal a thing. We paid for it all! What is it? What did the knight have you do?!¡± Looking down at the knife and then at Grace¡¯s eyes, the man pressed himself against the counter, trying to ease the pain of what she was doing. ¡°I¡­ I can make a cure¡­ it¡­ it will take a bit, but I can! Trust me!¡± Grace was shaking. She was so mad and realized she was digging the knife into the man¡¯s side. Forcing herself to pull it away, she saw blood on the tip and growled. ¡°How long?!¡± ¡°How many people? How many are sick?¡± It only took a moment to do the math in her head, but realizing how many there were almost made her knees buckle. ¡°Over two hundred.¡± The man¡¯s face went white. ¡°Two¡­ two hundred? I¡­ I¡¯m not sure I can make that much.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Grace growled, moving the knife back toward him. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I don¡¯t have the supplies. Getting them would be impossible right now. I can maybe make enough for a hundred¡­ maybe.¡± Grace wanted to shout and break something. What she really wanted to do was cut every inch of skin off that knight''s body. She wanted to hear him scream. Wanted to feed him the very thing he had, for some reason, done to her and her people. Would any of this have happened if I had just died that day? Would everyone be alive? Grace was angry with herself, where she was, and how trapped she felt, so she did what she had to do. ¡°How long for that much?¡± ¡°Six¡­ six hours. It won¡¯t be quiet, though,¡± he replied, glancing at the door. ¡°Do what you can and start now,¡± Grace said, moving to the door and holding a hand outside. The man nodded and began moving frantically around the shop, grabbing ingredients from the shelves in jars and pulling out all sorts of equipment. Grace crushed the charcoal the man had given her. She saw the three large bags he had pulled out and realized most of the time would probably be spent preparing to crush it all. He showed her how to do it once, and her mind picked it up immediately, able to mimic it exactly. With that task being done by her, the man had changed the time to maybe three hours. As she ground charcoal nonstop, she watched Fransisco combining different ingredients while heating up others and making liquid boil. When he shared his name and never got hers back, he realized she wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk. Hours passed, and Grace was exhausted but alert. The sun would be coming up soon, and she needed this done. Fransisco had started making paste from everything, mixing and mashing as she finished crushing charcoal. He then pressed it into metal tins she had never seen before, filling each one full. Soon the counter was littered with them, and Grace wondered how many more Fransisco might have. ¡°We¡¯re almost done,¡± he said as he finished mixing the last batch. ¡°You¡¯ll need to give them a spoonful of this, mixed with a large cup of water, and force them to drink it. It will taste horrible, but this is the only way.¡± ¡°How long will it take to work?¡± The man swallowed and brushed his hair back that had fallen over his face often during the night. ¡°They need to keep drinking water. Wait an hour before they drink and then every few hours after that. In a few days, they will be well. Also, if they can try to eat soup or broth, meat and ¨C¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have that other stuff¡­ the meat that we had was poisoned.¡± Her tone kept Fransisco from saying anything else. He just nodded and finished the task he was working on. Slivers of sunlight were starting to come in through the windows, and Grace could feel her heart beating faster. She needed this done and needed to be gone. Grabbing a sack that had charcoal in it earlier, she moved to the counter and began stuffing the tins into the bag. Fransisco said nothing, mashing and scraping the stone bowl he had everything in. As she finished putting the last ones in the sack, he began filling up more tins. ¡°Thank you,¡± Grace said, her voice soft for the first time. He nodded and gave the only smile she could remember him showing. ¡°You realize if this doesn¡¯t work, even the knight and guards won¡¯t be able to protect you?¡± He fumbled the tool he used to put the paste in the tin. It fell and hit the counter, depositing the mixture he had on it. One moment, they had been almost cordial, and the next, he saw and heard the truth of who Grace was. He nodded, scooping the black-colored paste off the counter and moving faster. Grace held the bag in her hands. A few pieces of coal they hadn¡¯t needed were on top in case someone needed to see what she had. She could see Fransisco looking at her, the door, and the light outside, knowing that time was running out before his girls might be up. ¡°I pray we never need to meet again,¡± Grace said. He nodded, and as Grace grabbed her sack off the floor, the door from the house side of the shop opened, and one of twin girls in wearing a wrinkled night gown entered the room. She rubbed her eyes in shock at seeing Grace standing in the room with her father. Cursing to herself, Grace felt the quest she had hoped to complete slip through her hands. She was going to use her Persuade skill and make it so the man didn¡¯t remember her, but now that wasn¡¯t an option. In the time it took for the girl to say, ¡®Who''s this daddy¡¯ Grace knew she had only two real choices. Do I kill them all, or do I allow one to go free? She saw Fransisco¡¯s face begin to change. He had believed that he and his daughters would escape harm. He had done what had been required. Seeing his daughter and knowing what it meant, Fransisco opened his mouth to say stop. The little girl¡¯s eyes glossed over, and Grace caught her in her hands. It looked like the girl would fall over as well. Staring at her were eyes that looked like Levi¡¯s when he woke up in the morning. Not aware yet of the setting he was in. ¡°I want you to go back to your bed upstairs and sleep. Do not get up until someone wakes you up. When people ask what happened, you will not remember me or what happened to your father. Do you understand?¡± The girl''s head nodded slowly. ¡°Good. Now go back to bed.¡± She turned around slowly, moving back through the open door and down the hallway toward the stairs. Grace forced herself not to look at the body at her feet. Running to where the bag she had dropped was, she scooped up the charcoal that had fallen out and put it back in. She almost considered setting fire but knew other houses might burn if she did. I¡¯ve killed enough¡­ what would Levi think about me if he knew what I did to that¡­ Cutting that thought off and the pain of those blank eyes staring up at the ceiling, Grace couldn¡¯t help but know that she still had so many more people to kill. I swear I will make that man suffer for what he has forced me to do! Running to the back door, she quickly undid all the locks and latches and moved into the alley. Lilly appeared from behind a crate. Shutting the door behind her, Grace began to scurry down the street, trying not to draw attention from those already out. I need to get home¡­ please don¡¯t make me have to kill anyone else¡­ With her bent toward the ground, Grace assumed a role she had played far too long. Nobody who didn¡¯t belong here and just doing a task to survive. 027 - Saving Lives Grace¡¯s lungs began to ache as Max¡¯s house came into view. Lilly ran beside her, not breathing hard at all. All over the front of the house were the shapes of people lying on the ground or someone struggling to move a few steps. Max was leaning against the steps, and next to him was Levi, who appeared to be pouring water from a bucket into a cup. ¡°Stay back,¡± Grace said, her voice gravely as her throat was dry. Lilly said nothing, merely moving a few more yards till she reached a spot along the street where she ducked into an alley and vanished into the shadows. Her steps echoed along the street, and before she got to the people she cared about, the smell of all the vomit assaulted her. ¡°Sister!¡± Levi shouted. Max forced himself upright on the steps, turning to look at Grace. His face looked a horrible color of ash, and lines of blood could be seen down both sides of his chin. ¡°Max!¡± Grace called out as she weaved between the people glancing up, their chins and faces colored from the blood on the ground. Skidding to a stop before the steps, she dropped the bag, frantically tossed out the pieces of coal still inside, and grabbed a tin. ¡°Grace,¡± Max whispered, his voice gone and a coughing fit seizing him after he spoke. ¡°Stop talking and listen!¡± Grace ordered as she beckoned Levi closer with her hand. ¡°Levi, give everyone one spoonful and make them swallow it with water. It will be hard going down, but make sure they know they won¡¯t get any more if they don¡¯t take it. Now hurry and go get more water!¡± Levi glanced at Max, who gave a weak nod, and he took off running, grabbing two empty buckets near the stairs. ¡°Listen,¡± Grace began as she bent down and put a hand against Max¡¯s head. His skin felt hotter than she imagined was possible. ¡°I only have enough for maybe a hundred or more people. I can¡¯t choose, but I also need to be fair to everyone. You have to decide here. Do you understand?¡± She could see Max wince, and his face began to twitch. He nodded slowly and picked up the cup that Levi had just filled for him. As he started to drink it, Grace reached out and stopped him. ¡°Wait, take this first.¡± She pulled out a tin and scooped up a glob she thought would be enough. Sighing, she looked at Max and put her finger near his lips. ¡°You only get one of these, so don¡¯t spit it out,¡± Grace declared as Max only nodded once. Sticking her finger in his mouth, she raked it against his teeth and pulled it out. Max grimaced and for a moment it appeared he might spit it out, but Grace grunted and helped lift the cup to the large man¡¯s lips. Max started to drink without waiting, grimacing with each swallow until most of the cup was gone. ¡°Good, now keep drinking water slowly. Every few hours.¡± Digging through the bag, she pulled out three more tins. With only thirty-seven and twelve gangs, each would only get three. Someone wasn¡¯t going to like making the choice of who lived or died, but she couldn¡¯t let her group suffer. ¡°I¡¯ll be back!¡± Grace yelled louder than she meant to. ¡°Help Levi!¡± Max nodded, finishing the last few drops of water as he stared at the three tins on the ground and the one she had put in his hand. He was already doing the math in his head and knew that people were going to die because he couldn¡¯t save everyone. Two men from Marcus¡¯s gang tried to hold a knife toward her, but their hands shook so bad Grace was afraid they would cut themselves. ¡°Put it away!¡± Grace ordered as she reached into the bag and pulled out a tin. Someone poisoned everyone. I got medicine, but I need to see Marcus. Where is he?¡± Their eyes followed the tin in her hand and motioned to the door with their head. Nodding, Grace ran inside, watching both men fall back against the chairs they were in, breathing heavily after expending the energy it took to face her. ¡°Marcus!¡± Over and over, she shouted as she ran through the house, seeing people everywhere, vomit and blood covering the floors. A few children were sobbing and crying as their parents were on the floor, barely responding to their calls or touch. Pain and anger flowed through her, but Grace couldn¡¯t afford to stop and wait. She had to help nine more gangs after this one. Racing upstairs, she saw an arm missing a hand hanging at the top of it and ran up even faster, knowing that Cedric was right there. His eyes were closed, and blood and vomit were in his mouth as he lay on his back. His chest didn¡¯t rise. ¡°Blast those Grimdon-loving guards!¡± Grace shouted as she wheeled and punched the wall of the house. Mortar and wood flew everywhere as her hand destroyed the wall and created an opening outside. Her chest heaved, and inside her head, only one thought was there. I¡¯m going to tear Michael limb from limb¡­ Noises from down the hall drew her attention, and Grace ran toward them, glancing back at Cedric¡¯s body once more. An open door on the right found her goal. On the floor, leaning against his bed, was Marcus, covered in bodily fluids and more. His breath was ragged, and his eyes were barely open as he watched Grace burst into his room. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°How?¡± His voice was as weak as Max¡¯s had been, and she could see his eyes shaking, trying to understand how she was ok. ¡°I never got to eat. The guard, Michael, poisoned the food, but I got medicine. I¡­ I killed the pharmacist,¡± Grace told him as she moved around the room, looking for something he could drink. She found a few cups on a table with liquid in them. Dumping them out, she searched till she found a small jug with enough water for what she needed. ¡°Listen. I got medicine. You need to take this, but there is none to waste. Half the people will die. You have to choose who¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she looked at the doorway behind her. ¡°Cedric¡­ he¡­ he is dead. Choked on his own vomit.¡± Her hands were shaking, and Marcus¡¯s coughs made her focus on him instead of her rage. ¡°You only get one chance. There isn¡¯t enough.¡± Putting the cup down on the floor with her bag, she returned to the table, grabbed a spoon, and rubbed it off on her clothes before holding it out before him. ¡°One scoop per person. Then, drink a glass of water. Keep drinking water slowly every few hours. It will take a day. I¡¯ll try to get the kids who are still ok to help. Do you understand?¡± Marcus could only give a weak smile- more of his lips not drooping- and a slight bob of his head. Measuring out a spoonful, Grace brought it to his lips and forced it into his mouth with her finger. She then helped him drink the water, wiping the water that ran down from his lips with her thumb. Once it was all gone, she nodded and pulled out two more tins. ¡°Marcus, look at me.¡± Her voice and the tone of it drew his eyes to hers, where he could see the fire in them. ¡°I will burn them for this. I will make that man suffer for what he did to our family.¡± She felt his hand on hers for a moment, a squeeze barely there, but she knew it was taking everything Marcus had to give to say thanks. The other leader had done the same. ¡°Rest and stay here. I¡¯ll get the kids to help.¡± Grabbing her sack, she dashed back to the stairs and stopped. Knowing the children wouldn¡¯t want to see Cedric like this. She glanced around the room and saw a chair in a corner. Dropping the sack, she bent over and ignored the smell and fluids, lifting a man she respected after only a short time with him. Moving to the chair, she sat his body down gently and closed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cedric. I¡¯ll use what you taught me to avenge you,¡± she whispered. Turning her back, she took off. Time was running out, and there was no time to mourn- not if she was going to save all those she could. It was evening time when she finished helping the last gang. Three leaders had already died, and some were worse off than others. Those who had hoarded food had taken their own life with their greed. In some ways, it made things easier. More people would get medicine. The children had been a blessing. Many had not eaten as much of the food that must have been poisoned. Not everything had been poisoned. Some gangs had a few adults who were fine, thankful for what she gave, and willing to trade for more. None asked when she said no, and she explained that nothing they said would change her mind. The few who had tried to threaten her quickly discovered the error of their ways. However, everyone knew one thing: Grace was going to get revenge, and it would be soon. ¡°Grace¡­ how many?¡± She sighed and closed her eyes, ignoring Max¡¯s gaze as the man struggled to speak. His voice was getting stronger, but his throat was raw from all the vomiting he had done. People were lying in the hallway everywhere, their backs against the walls. She had taken everyone outside and cleaned it as much as possible. Levi had helped. Even though it was dark when she returned, they couldn''t stay inside, living in that filth. Over and over, she had scrubbed and scraped up vomit and blood. Buckets of water had been used to rinse it all to the one part of the house that was lower than the rest. The hole Grace had kicked through the wall to help get the fluid outside would be the least of her or Max¡¯s worries. ¡°At least fifty, probably over sixty. I¡¯m not sure,¡± she answered. "Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go and check on everyone. For now, you need to rest. I¡¯ll come by in a few hours to give you and everyone else water again.¡± Max shifted and groaned as he sat closest to the door. His sword, which he rarely carried, was next to him on the floor. Grace was surprised to see how nice of a sword it was. It looked better than the ones the guards had carried that she had killed, but she said nothing. Obviously, he wasn¡¯t able to discuss it now. ¡°Sit still and rest,¡± she ordered, pushing him down gently. ¡°Everyone needs rest. In the morning, I¡¯ll cook some broth, and you all can eat, but for now, don¡¯t get up, or I¡¯ll kick your arse. Understand?¡± A slight snort came from Max as he nodded and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall. ¡°I owe you,¡± he whispered. ¡°We all do.¡± Grace shook her head and stayed quiet. None of this would have happened to them if she hadn¡¯t tried to spend that damn gold coin. No! It isn¡¯t my fault! It¡¯s those damn Grimdom followers! I¡¯ll burn the lot of them! A sensation filled her as she cursed that god, and Grace felt a calmness come over her. ¡°Sister.¡± Turning toward her brother, Grace saw Levi in their doorway. His eyelids were heavy, and he had worked all night and day. Tiptoeing through the dark hallway, she smirked as everyone, and everything looked like an afternoon day in that hall. ¡°What is it?¡± Grace asked when she got to her brother and bent down beside him. ¡°Can I lay down?¡± She nodded and kissed him on his forehead. ¡°You can! Today, you were amazing! You''re a real hero!¡± she replied, providing praise over and over. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, most of them wouldn¡¯t be here tonight. Now, quickly, let¡¯s get you in bed. I¡¯ll be in soon after I check on a few more things.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± Levi asked as he yawned and moved to the small pallet she had made with a clean blanket. ¡°Yup. Now go to sleep.¡± He didn¡¯t argue, lying on the blanket as she covered him with her spare one. It was softer than the others, and she rarely used it since it was a gift from one of the gang leaders. Watching Levi fall asleep as his head touched the floor, she smiled. Moving to the lantern, she started to blow it out. Right before she did, she stopped. Her mind told her it was better if she did something else, so Grace took it with her and walked to the front door of the house. Going outside, she set it down on the ground a few feet from the stairs and then moved to grab a chair Max or the others had sat on. Plopping down, she sighed. Pretending to stare off into the darkness of the street, she kept her face blank. Three blocks down, she could barely see the white outfit over the chain armor, watching from around a corner of a house. Somehow, she knew they would be watching. Whistling, Grace turned and barely saw the shape, nearly invisible against the walls as it came toward her from a block away. Lilly moved with a stealth that seemed impossible to believe. Even with her enhanced eyesight, she could almost lose sight of her friend. As the dog reached the edge of the lighted area, Grace smiled and held out her hand. Lilly came up and licked it, seeming to enjoy the scratches she gave her friend. ¡°Meet me around back,¡± Grace said as she bent down and playfully scratched behind her dog''s ears. We¡¯re going to go hunting tonight.¡± The dog barked, and it seemed happy at her words before it turned and moved to the edge of the house and vanished. Pretending to yawn, Grace picked up the lantern. To her left, lined up next to another building, were the bodies of all the people from her house who had died. Eleven corpses were there. Ignoring them, Grace went inside, shutting the door behind her. I¡¯m going to add a few more deaths to that total tonight. 028 Weights Carried Grace moved quickly and took the lantern upstairs. No one was up there, so she blew it out. Scanning the room, she saw a knife on a table and grabbed it, moving toward the window on the side of the house. Since it was on the second floor, no bars kept her from using it, so Grace slowly lifted the window. Peering out, Grace saw nothing to worry about landing on, and in a few seconds, she was on the ground, running toward the houses a bit away. Lilly joined her as she moved through the night, two shapes hidden from the world. No one except the man she had seen earlier was on the streets tonight, keeping watch on Max¡¯s house. They moved quickly and quietly, covering the ground without fear. Being able to see like this is such a boon¡­ I need to ask Max if every emissary can see like this or if it is just me. Trying to control her thoughts as she made her way toward the spot she knew the guard was, Grace took a longer route, wanting to make sure to scout and see if there were more, and as the spot she had seen the guard came into view, her instincts had been right. Two guards were stationed there. A lantern covered in a cloth, allowing only the slightest amount of light to escape, sat on the ground near a guard who appeared to be sleeping. The guard she had seen before was still looking toward Max¡¯s house. He was leaning against the wall as he stood guard. For a moment, she almost thought he was asleep until he moved slightly. ¡°Watch my back,¡± Grace whispered to Lilly as she began to creep closer to the guards. She knew the best plan was to kill the one awake was from behind. Grace had no doubt that if she did it right, she could interrogate the other guard. She moved across the road, placing her feet where no trash or rocks were. No sound came from her boots as she moved. Holding her breath as the last ten yards quickly vanished with each step, Grace held the knife ready. The guard shifted, stretching his neck slightly, causing Grace to freeze just five yards from her target. A sigh came from her target as he leaned against the building again, staring toward the house he was obviously tasked to watch. Glancing at the other guard, Grace saw the man still fast asleep. These bastards don¡¯t expect anyone to be alive¡­ Her mind told her exactly how to attack the guard, who was taller than her and at an angle. Coming up quickly, she kicked his leg, supporting most of his weight forward. The guard fell backward, his right arm going off to the side, putting himself in the position she sought. Her left hand came around, covering his mouth as the knife in her right hand sliced with such force she felt the blade scrape against the bone in his neck. Barely any noise was made as the man died, quickly moving him around the edge, and once he stopped moving, Grace laid him down on the street. Her hand trembled slightly, and she took a deep breath as she flicked the dagger to remove some of the blood that was on it. Peering around the corner, she saw the other guard fast asleep, his fingers intertwined against his chest. She slid the knife into her belt, making sure it would not cut her if she needed to draw it. Tiptoeing close, Grace moved to where the guard was and grinned. Her hands lunged forward, grabbing both of his hands and squeezing with all the force she could muster. Bones shattered, and the guard''s eyes flew open as she crushed every bone in both hands. He screamed, earning a sharp jab to his gut, taking the wind out of his lungs. Coughing, the guard tried to react, but his mind was overloaded from pain and the inability to breathe. Grace grabbed his chainmail and threw him off his seat to the ground. As the guard coughed into the dirt, she picked up the lantern and opened its blinds, flooding the area around them with light. ¡°I got some questions,¡± Grace said, growling as she moved to the guard. ¡°You can answer them and die quickly, or I promise you I¡¯ll make you suffer.¡± Grace cursed as she stepped back from the guard. Snapping his neck hadn¡¯t been a problem, but the fact he required her to do what she had only made her angrier. His legs were bent sideways, both knees snapped backward. Keeping him from passing out had been the most challenging part. Lilly sat near her, watching Grace as she frowned. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°You heard him¡­ they were supposed to wait till tomorrow morning and then kill everyone still alive,¡± Grace said as she looked at her dog. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long night¡­ let¡¯s go help the other gangs.¡± Before she left, Grace grabbed both bodies and their stuff, moving them into a burnt-out building and hiding them for the moment. No point leaving too much evidence¡­ besides the blood, I guess¡­ Grace was drenched in sweat and blood. Yanking the dagger from the throat of the guard she had just killed, Grace let out a sigh and stretched. ¡°Nice job, Lilly. Thanks for helping me find them all.¡± Lilly gave a gentle bark and sat there, licking her snout and the blood that she had stained it with the last few hours. Sighing, Grace knew the sun would be up soon, and she was worn out. Grabbing the two bodies, Grace lifted them so easily she was still amazed at how strong she was. Moving to a burnt-out house a few buildings from where she had killed these two, she hid them inside, covering them up with some burnt timbers, knowing it would only hide them for so long. Groaning, Grace stretched and gave Lilly another round of scratches before whistling and jogging back home. I smell horrible and need to clean up¡­. I might as well get some water for Max and the others before I return. The sun was just starting to peek out over the houses, the sky a beautiful orange and red, and the clouds above looked like a painting that should hang in someone''s house. Carrying two buckets, Grace made her way around the side of the building and froze when she saw a guard outside talking with Max. The guard turned and saw Grace, looking her over and watching as she continued to move toward the steps where Max was doing his best to sit and talk with the man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. We haven¡¯t seen any other guards. A few of the people are sick but doing okay. Some didn¡¯t get sick at all. It was bizarre.¡± Max¡¯s voice was steady as he held the guard''s gaze. ¡°And you¡¯re certain no other guards came by here in the last day?¡± Max shook his head and tapped his stomach. ¡°Honestly, I was inside puking my guts out and crapping my pants all day and night. Someone could have mugged me in the middle of the night, and I wouldn¡¯t have known,¡± Max replied. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m still pretty pale from whatever I ate that didn¡¯t sit right. Meat was probably bad or something.¡± The guard grunted and gave a brief nod, turning to focus on Grace as she stopped at the steps and set the buckets down. ¡°What about you? Where have you been?¡± ¡°I just went and fetched some water. I left an hour ago, and there were a few older people at the well, so I helped draw their water before getting ours,¡± Grace answered, wiping her head and taking a big breath. I was a bit worn out, but I was glad I didn¡¯t get whatever most people here did.¡± Levi came dashing out the door and saw Grace as if on cue. ¡°Sister!¡± he exclaimed, running to her and hugging her legs and hips. ¡°As you can see,¡± Max said, ¡°some got sick and others didn¡¯t. It was bizarre.¡± The guard nodded and then turned to leave. ¡°If you find out anything, let the guards know.¡± Max, Levi, and Grace nodded even though the man didn¡¯t wait for their affirmation. They watched as he strode away, moving swiftly down the street. ¡°Levi, can you take a bucket inside and see if anyone needs some water? I¡¯m going to start a broth in a few minutes, so get me some wood from our room, too. I¡¯m going to cook it out here.¡± Groaning, Levi held Grace until she rubbed his hair a little, bent down, and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Fine¡­ but you need to stay here. I¡¯m tired of you not being there when I wake up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± she replied, gently bopping his nose with her finger. Laughing, he pushed her finger away and grabbed one of the buckets with both hands, doing his best to carry it without spilling any. Max watched Levi enter the house before turning and staring at Grace. Neither said a word for a moment. ¡°Do I want to know?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied quietly. ¡°They had two guards at each of the gang''s main properties. Their goal was to kill everyone today that was sick.¡± Grace hadn¡¯t expected to see the shock covering Max¡¯s face as the man¡¯s eyes went wide. Lines from exhaustion were on his forehead, and the massive black bags under his eyes were now more visible. ¡°Those bastards,¡± Max cursed. ¡°They need to pay¡­¡± ¡°They have and will,¡± Grace said as she moved to sit by Max. ¡°I killed twenty-four guards tonight. Each was waiting. Hid all their bodies for now. I¡¯m glad I washed up before I came back, or it would be twenty-five.¡± Max nodded and put a hand on Grace¡¯s shoulder. She almost winced at the touch but let out a breath as Max left it there. ¡°How are you?¡± Grace turned and saw a look she rarely recognized on Max¡¯s face. His lips were pressed together, and his eyes were narrowed slightly. He was concerned for her. ¡°I¡¯m ok¡­ tired but ok. I¡­ I did what I had to in order to save everyone.¡± Max squeezed her shoulder a little more and shook his head. ¡°What did you do?¡± Grace swallowed the lump that immediately formed as her events from the last day played over in her head. The look on the alchemist¡¯s eyes and his daughters still haunted her. She had pressed those memories into a corner, but they bubbled up to the surface with Max¡¯s questions and how he was looking at her. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Grace stuttered, trying to say words she couldn¡¯t bring herself to. Max groaned slightly as he shifted, standing up a little and sliding closer to her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her against him. The dam of emotions broke, and Grace began to cry. It turned into a sob as she buried her face against his damp shirt and couldn¡¯t stop the rush of pain and hurt she felt. ¡°I killed them, Max! I killed them!¡± Max brushed her hair, gently shushing and rocking as Grace cried. She repeated the same words over and over into his side. ¡°You did what you had to in order to save your brother,¡± he finally said after a few minutes. Grace sniffed and sat back, snot running down her lips that she quickly wiped with her arm. ¡°Did I? I killed a dad! I¡­ I murdered him! What am I becoming?¡± Max sighed as Grace wanted answers he couldn¡¯t give. ¡°Cedric is dead! He died to this thing they did! I killed Tom and burned his body! I¡­ I¡¯m becoming a monster!¡± Max reached out with both hands and grabbed Grace¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Listen to me!¡± he said, his voice louder and firm. ¡°You are not a monster! We are in a fight for our lives, and both sides are going to lose people. Cedric told me the other day you showed more commitment to protecting Levi than he has ever seen from anyone else. Everything you do is for him¡­ and for me. For your family.¡± Grace stared at Max, starting to open her mouth, and he shook his head. ¡°Listen! I don¡¯t know why you were chosen. I know that you alone have the strength to help keep everyone here alive. The time is coming when the fight we are in now will turn into a battle. If you are unwilling to do what must be done, then we are all good as dead. If that is the case, take your brother and run. Get out of town and hope you can find a place where you can live for a year or two before you must run again.¡± Max pulled her closer, forcing her to sit upright. ¡°I¡¯ve seen what happens when people like you don¡¯t obey the path before them,¡± Max said, his voice quiet and low. ¡°It¡­ it turns into places like this.¡± His last words were like whispers, barely able to be heard, but Grace¡¯s ears picked up the words with ease. ¡°How do you know?¡± Grace asked, her eyes seeing the change in Max¡¯s face as he looked down at the steps, avoiding contact with her eyes. Sighing, Max shook his head. ¡°Not now¡­ I can¡¯t tell you now or here, but¡­ tomorrow. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll tell you, I promise.¡± Grace bent down, maneuvering her head so she could look up and see into Max¡¯s downcast eyes. ¡°Swear it.¡± Unable to look away from Grace¡¯s dark eyes, Max nodded. ¡°I swear.¡± 029 - Strong enough to shoulder it all After cooking and distributing broth to everyone in their house, Grace fell asleep in her room, exhausted from the events of the last few days. As she lay down, her fears of what she believed she was turning into haunted her dreams. Opening her eyes, Grace saw a red screen begging for her attention. *** Quest Completed: Find a Cure - Cure found and distributed within the required time frame. Bonus granted. Reward: Choose one Ability. Ability effect will be more powerful: *** Grace stared at the screen and the three choices offered to her. A thread of guilt and remorse flowed through her at what was required to get the bonus part of that quest. I¡¯m not a monster¡­ I¡¯m not! Dismissing the red screen, Grace got up and found a small cup of cold broth waiting for her on a wobbly stool. Smiling, she picked it up and drank it in one go, not concerned with the temperature. The flavor wasn¡¯t the best, but there was a hint of the few vegetables she had acquired. Fixing her clothes, Grace put on her armor, knowing that life would require her to dress like this for some time to come. Only a few people were outside her room in the hallway. Most had made it back into their rooms, and those who couldn¡¯t were sleeping along the walls. Creeping through the halls, Grace saw inside a few of the rooms, watching as people quietly scrubbing the floors in their rooms. The whole place stank like vomit and blood, but knowing she had managed to save so many lessened the impact of the stench. The massive door that led outside was open, and the breeze that flowed through the hallway helped to relieve the oppressive nature of it all. ¡°Look who is awake.¡± Two arms wrapped around her legs before Grace could get down the steps. Levi had been sitting with Max and a few other guards for their gang. As soon as she came through the door, her brother was racing up them and doing his best to tackle her. ¡°How are you feeling, sister? You were snoring!¡± The others chuckled a bit, and Grace rolled her eyes as she bent down and lifted her brother up, hugging him tight. ¡°I¡¯m good. Glad to see that you are ok,¡± she replied, looking at his face and smiling as he grinned. ¡°Tell me that Max and these other men aren¡¯t teaching you bad words!¡± Shaking his head rapidly, Levi giggled and started to laugh as she tickled him for a moment. Setting him down, Grace gave each of the men a nod with her head to acknowledge them. ¡°Thank you again, Grace,¡± Stretch said. "According to Max, we wouldn¡¯t be here without you.¡± Grace eyed Max, and he shrugged. ¡°Sorry. They won¡¯t tell no one.¡± Stretch laughed and nodded his head. ¡°We won¡¯t, but I don¡¯t think it will matter. The rumor mill at the well was already going full swing. You can¡¯t help but get more famous!¡± Levi cocked his head up at his sister and crossed his arms. ¡°What exactly did you do?¡± he asked. ¡°They won¡¯t tell me!¡± Bending down, Grace looked him in the eyes and smiled. ¡°I went and got some medicine. You saw it. The cost was¡­ more than I wanted to pay, but if I hadn¡¯t, people would have died.¡± Levi tried to read her expression but stopped after a moment, his mind able to only know she had saved everyone. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad everyone is better. Max says we need to stay here for a while instead of going to the well and getting to play. Why?¡± Taking a deep breath, Grace let it out slowly and frowned. ¡°Levi¡­ a lot of people still died. It¡¯s going to be hard on everyone for a bit. In time, we can get back to playing, but for now, you need to stay here and help, okay?¡± Groaning, Levi nodded before asking, ¡°How many?¡± ¡°How many what?¡± ¡°How many died?¡± Grace¡¯s lips quivered slightly, and her breath caught in her chest. It broke her heart to hear Levi ask that question and know he understood how easily death came. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but at least fifty¡­ maybe more.¡± Levi¡¯s eyes went wide, and a tear started to form in both of them. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it She reached out and hugged him, drawing him close. Tears started to run down her eyes as her brother began to cry. He sobbed for a few moments, and no one said a word, tears coming from all the men in response to Levi''s reaction. Grace let herself cry again, comforting her brother as he held her back. When he finally stopped, they both wiped each other''s tears. He smiled and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°Thank you for saving the rest. Mom and Dad would be proud of you for what you did.¡± Forcing a smile on her lips, Grace hugged Levi again, fighting against an avalanche of pain and hurt. She wasn¡¯t sure her parents would have been proud of what she had done to save him or the others, but Grace knew they would have done the same. Max had been right; there was a cost to pay to protect others, and Levi would always be worth the cost if the dream she had could come true. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered in his ear, fighting back the convulsions her chest threatened to succumb to. He kissed her again and nodded, breaking their embrace and moving back to where he had been sitting near Stretch. Grace looked up at the man, who was almost as tall as Max but was skinny. He rubbed Levi¡¯s head and smiled at her. ¡°Max mentioned you might need to run some tasks with him to check on the others. We¡¯ll keep your brother safe and have him helping us here.¡± She nodded, wiping the last tear away, and stood up. Fixing her gaze upon Max, she motioned with her head, " Are you going to be able to make it?¡± He nodded and rose, a lot steadier on his feet right now. Neither had spoken while they walked a few blocks, heading toward one of the other gangs'' territories. Finally, Max stopped and motioned toward a burnt-out house. Getting to it, he leaned against it and took a few deep breaths. ¡°You ok?¡± Max nodded and took a few more breaths before letting them out. ¡°I¡¯m worn out more than I realized. I know I need to move a little, but I¡¯m not sure I can do more than one or two places before I¡¯m completely spent. Besides, if you carry me on your shoulders or back anywhere, it will bring questions we aren¡¯t ready to deal with.¡± Grace chuckled, imagining how that might look with Max tossed over her shoulder or held above her head. ¡°So now what? Going to keep that promise you made me?¡± Sighing, Max nodded and, using his hands, slid down the side of the house, plopping his rear on the ground. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time. Do you want to sit or stand?¡± Biting her lip, Grace glanced around the streets, then moved to where he was and sat down beside him. ¡°Good choice,¡± he quipped before leaning against the wall and staring at the sky. So I promised you to share something I haven¡¯t talked about in so long. Just wait till I finish before you ask questions, okay?¡± Grace nodded and focused her attention on Max, seeing his expression change. A small smile appeared on the corner of his lips as he started to speak. ¡°Fifteen years ago, I had a friend who was an emissary like you. I told you a little bit about his power and quests. We had been friends for a long time, and when it happened, he actually sought me out and told me about it.¡± Max laughed, shaking his head but never taking his eyes off the sky. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe him until he showed me his first ability. I asked him how I could be like him, and he teased me so many times. He continued to grow stronger, having so many different abilities and powers. I was like your brother in some ways, doting over him and in awe of everything he did. The problem was the quests that came.¡± Max paused, frowning as he took a few breaths and said nothing momentarily. ¡°The quests he was asked to do got harder and required more killing. I could see the change in him. I thought I was helping as I always told him that he was doing what he had to. The quests provided great gains, but the cost of his humanity was¡­ sometimes too great to pay.¡± Max turned and looked at Grace. She could see the pain he was reliving as he stared at her. ¡°One quest was too much. He said he wouldn¡¯t do it. The god was not kind for his disobedience. He believed he could save his family even though the quest had told him the consequences of failing.¡± Massive tears began to form and then rolled down Max¡¯s chubby cheeks. He shook a little, and even though he cried, Grace noticed the way he clenched his fist and blinked his eyes. Anger came out in a display as Max slammed his fist on the side away from Grace into the building he was leaning against. A few cracks and some dust came from it, and Max did it two more times. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t listen to me, and it cost him his family. Once they were gone, he was broken. The man I knew as my friend was no more. In his place was a creature of evil with more power than I had ever imagined.¡± Max wiped away his tears without realizing it and turned back to look at the sky. He leaned his head against the wall again and banged it gently a few times against his headrest. ¡°One day, I tried to stop him, get him to listen, but he wouldn¡¯t. We fought, and I thought for a moment he was going to kill me. The man I knew was gone.¡± Max closed his eyes. ¡°My friend was no more. He left for a fight. I never saw him again.¡± Opening his eyes, Max turned and shifted his weight until he was almost facing Grace, his massive leg pulled up under him. ¡°When I say you have to complete these quests as they come, trust me; do not fail too many of them.¡± He poked her gently in her shoulder with his massive finger. ¡°If a quest tells you people will die or if Levi will die, believe it. Do not ever not complete that quest!¡± Max was shouting, and Grace was confident he didn¡¯t realize it. ¡°There is no choice if you want them to live.¡± Shifting till he could lean against the wall again, Max sighed. ¡°You want to know the worst part?¡± he asked, his eyes focused on the sky again. Grace sat there momentarily and then realized he was waiting for her response. ¡°Tell me.¡± Max bobbed his head a few times. ¡°You¡¯re carrying a weight no one should ever carry, but I believe you can. I see who you are and how you care about everyone. You could have picked and chosen who to save, but you were fair. Each gang got the same help. Even though it required you to kill those guards, you did it because if you hadn¡¯t, you knew more would die. You might not like this term, but soon enough, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get the title, and when you do, things will change.¡± Grace looked at Max, seeing him start to smile. ¡°What title?¡± Laughing for a moment, Max turned his head, and Grace saw that his eyes were filled with something different. There was a light inside of them. Hope¡­ The thought struck her as odd after the last few nights, but when Max spoke, her mind froze. ¡°Soon enough, you¡¯ll be called a few different things depending on which side of the coin people are on. For those who know you, you¡¯ll be called a Hero or a Champion.¡± Grace snorted and shook her head. ¡°Please, I¡¯m not one of those! Why would people call me that?¡± Max smiled, his teeth starting to show as he chuckled. ¡°In time, it will be obvious. Now, help me up. We still have stuff to do.¡± 030 - Powerful Choices Max and Marcus had spent some time discussing what would happen soon. The red coloring of their entire face and the way their eyebrows were furled told Grace how angry they were. She had helped a few of the other people from Marcus¡¯s gang and was again overwhelmed by the number of people who quietly thanked her. When Max began walking toward her, Grace sighed in relief, knowing she could escape for a moment. ¡°You look pissed,¡± Grace whispered as they walked away. ¡°What did he say?¡± Max growled as he cracked his fingers. ¡°Those bastards came to his place like they did ours. It seems there is a little frustration at twenty-four guards vanishing overnight.¡± Grace started to smile, and then the red window she had ignored reappeared. ¡°Oh¡­ yeah, I need your help,¡± she whispered, glancing around to ensure they were alone. Max cocked an eyebrow at her yet said nothing as Grace led him to the middle of the street. ¡°I need to choose an ability, and it says the effect will be more powerful.¡± Unable to help himself, Max gave a low whistle and shook his head. ¡°Gods Grace, do you have any¡­ no, of course you don¡¯t. What are the abilities?¡± Looking at the screen once more, Grace read them off. ¡°Empower, Command and Armor Mastery.¡± Max¡¯s mouth fell open, and he stared at her, his face looking like he had a stick stuck up his rear. ¡°Are you ok?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Seriously!? Those are your three choices?¡± Max rubbed his head and closed his eyes. Grace couldn¡¯t believe how he was acting. ¡°So which one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Max replied with a sigh. ¡°All three have major effects, but if the one you pick is going to be more powerful¡­ it¡¯s like¡­¡± Max paused and looked around at the area near them. He took off toward one of the houses and picked up a tiny rock on the ground. Moving further down the road, he found a massive stone that had fallen from the shop¡¯s wall. Grabbing it, he motioned for Grace to come near him. ¡°Ok. Take this tiny rock and throw it at the house across the street.¡± Grace leaned her head to the side as she looked at Max. ¡°You want me to throw a rock?¡± ¡°Yes, and stop questioning me. You asked for help; now, just obey. Take this rock and throw it as hard as you can, and yes, I mean as hard as you can, at that stone wall of that house over there.¡± Shrugging, Grace took the tiny rock from his hand and stretched her shoulder before taking a step and launching it at the wall. It flew faster than she believed it would and shattered into many pieces, yet still managed to crack a stone similar to the one Max was holding in his other hand. ¡°Good, now do the same with this one. Just as hard.¡± She took the rock and worked with it to find a good hold. Gripping down, she took another step and sent it flying. When the rock collided with the stone wall, a loud sound echoed through the street. A three-foot section of the wall fell over, and behind where she had hit, there were a few more holes through the building. ¡°That¡¯s the difference that bonus will make,¡± Max said. ¡°While that little rock could kill someone if you hit them right, imagine hitting them with the second rock.¡± Grace nodded, her lips pulled tight and her eyes as wide as she remembered them being in a while. That kind of power is impossible¡­ ¡°And those three skills?¡± she asked, turning back to Max, who had moved to the stone wall and sat down on the ground, leaning against it. ¡°I told you what empower does. A more powerful version would be hard to describe. I¡¯m not certain how it works completely, but it is basically what you did with the rocks.¡± Grace moved and sat down by Max, considering how useful an ability like that would be. ¡°Command?¡± He snorted and shook his head. ¡°Imagine your Persuade skill but a lot more powerful. And that is before the increase to it. I¡¯d imagine you could command someone to kill their own mother, and I¡¯m not sure most could resist it. Heck, you could probably make them kill themselves.¡± Grace began to imagine using that on the knight Michael. ¡°And I¡¯m guessing Armor Mastery?¡± Sucking air in through his teeth, Max clicked his tongue a few times before sighing. ¡°That¡¯s a real tough one. From what I know about a mastery skill, it provides knowledge and usage of something you don¡¯t know or shouldn¡¯t know.¡± Lifting his sword off his hip, Max pointed at it with his other hand. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to use a sword. I mean, anyone can poke with one or slash with one, but there is art and skill that goes with true swordplay. Even the boxing you and¡­¡± Max took a moment and frowned. ¡°Cedric tried to teach you some, but there is much more he could have taught you. Having a weapon mastery or armor mastery is huge if you¡¯re fighting in battles.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to fight in battles,¡± replied Grace. ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself. Sooner than you think you will be. Once word gets around, there is an emissary; the other gods will send someone to look for you. They might not know how strong you are, and the perk is you won¡¯t have to fight stronger ones at first, but eventually, you¡¯ll find yourself on a battlefield. Smart emissaries get others to help fight their battles. Keeps them alive longer.¡± ¡°The King¡­¡± muttered Grace. ¡°Yup. And those knights in town. These guards are normal men with some training, but those knights are more. I¡¯m guessing the more powerful version of armor mastery would be more than one type of armor.¡± Grace groaned as she thought about all the armament types there were. ¡°And this brings us back to which one?¡± Grace said, groaning. ¡°If you had to pick, what would you take?¡± Sighing, Max looked at Grace and frowned. ¡°Forgive me, but I¡¯m going to ask what I shouldn¡¯t, but tell me your stats and skills again. It¡¯s been a long week.¡± ¡°Sta¨C¡± Grace stopped when Max shook his head at her. Status ***** Grace Akem Age: 16 Female Initiate of Balethem ¡ª Physical: 11 Mental: 6 Spiritual: 5 ¡ª Abilities: Persuade - Usable Juggernaut - Usable Heal - Usable Evasion - Usable ***** Max sighed again after hearing the stats and abilities. Grace watched as someone she might call a mentor closed his eyes and began tapping his finger on his sword. ¡°Take Empower.¡± ¡°You¡¯re certain?¡± Grace asked, seeing how Max had wrestled with that decision. ¡°I am. From what you¡¯ve told me, this skill has come up a few times already. There is no guarantee it will be there the next time you get an ability. Command and Armor Mastery are newer. They should be around again. Passing up an advanced version of Empower would be foolish.¡± Nodding, Grace focused on the screen. Empower. *** Empower Ability Granted: This ability has a twelve-hour cooldown after being used. The Empower ability must be activated. User may increase the damage done with their next attack. This ability will make the next attack hit for 2.5x the normal strength of the user, not modified by any possible items. If the attack comes from the user''s body, their body will be protected from all injury. If an object or weapon is used for the attack, the item''s integrity will be doubled. *** Her entire body suddenly felt supercharged momentarily, and then the feeling was gone. It was almost as if she had slept for a week and eaten a massive meal. She felt like her body was primed for something big. ¡°Tell me what it says once you have it, please.¡± Grace read the description to Max and watched as he kept his eyes closed the entire time. Once she finished, he snorted and shook his head once. ¡°Remind me never to let you punch me when you use that¡­ that is impossible to imagine. It was even better than my friends.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Max looked at Grace and smiled. ¡°His only had a two-times damage bonus and was on a twenty-four-hour cooldown. Twelve hours might not seem big, but it is. And that extra strength boost is hard to describe.¡± ¡°Would it be a bigger rock?¡± Grace asked, flashing a grin at the thought. ¡°It''s a much bigger rock,¡± Max replied. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get up. We need to head back to our house and make plans. A fight is going to break out soon, and you need to be ready.¡± Grace froze as Max pushed off the wall and started to stand. Once up, he turned and saw Grace still sitting on the ground. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°You said a fight is coming¡­ like what kind of fight?¡± ¡°One you¡¯re going to have to win,¡± Max said. "We probably have a week at most before the guards make a move, and when they do, it¡¯s going to be ugly. You¡¯ve killed about forty of their men, and that''s almost half of the guards here in town. They don¡¯t want to risk that loss anymore.¡± Max held out his hand, and after she grabbed it, he yanked Grace to her feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m tired and really need something to drink.¡± ¡°We could stop by the well.¡± Max nodded and began walking toward the garden. As Grace moved to follow, a window appeared. ***** One quest pending ¡ª The Gift of Revenge: Find the one who tried to kill you. Repay their attempt by ending their life. Time left: 3 days. Reward: Stat Gained Failure: Stat Lost ***** ¡°Holy shite!¡± Grace exclaimed as she stared at the screen. ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± Max spun around quickly and saw how Grace was staring at nothing. ¡°What? A new quest?¡± ¡°No,¡± she replied, shaking her head. ¡°One I had before just changed. Now there is a timer and a result for failing!¡± Max started cursing, each word hidden behind his hand as he muttered them. ¡°This is bad¡­ we need to move.¡± He started to walk faster, his stride getting wider, and Grace moved quickly to catch up. ¡°What? What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°If there is a timer, it means something will happen after it expires. I¡¯m guessing that fight we were thinking about¡­ it¡¯s going to be sooner than we hoped.¡± ¡°What are we going to do? I mean¡­ what am I going to do?¡± Max didn¡¯t stop walking. ¡°This the one for revenge?¡± Grace jogged to catch up. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Kill them. We don¡¯t have time, nor do you,¡± Max said. ¡°You get rid of them. I¡¯ll take care of our people. If you don¡¯t move fast, something tells me it will only get worse.¡± Jogging a few yards ahead of him, Grace spun around and walked backward as Max began to walk a little faster. ¡°You mean like now, now?¡± As soon as Grace saw his face, she knew the answer. ¡°You have two choices: strike while there might be an element of surprise or wait and give them time to prepare. I personally suggest you get them before they know it¡¯s coming.¡± Grace stopped moving and watched as Max moved past her. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Levi!¡± he shouted, knowing what she was thinking. I don¡¯t have a choice¡­ Knowing Max was right and seeing she had to make a move, Grace took a few deep breaths and centered herself. Standing in the middle of the street with her eyes closed, Grace pushed out every part of her that wanted to stop her from doing what she needed. Her eyes popped open, and had she carried a mirror, even she would have been surprised by the darkness within them. 031 - The Path of Revenge Grace reviewed her plan for the fifth time as the guard tower appeared. Everything was in motion, and revenge would be hers if the trap she set worked. She had already dodged one set of guards earlier as she made her way through the northwest part of the city and didn¡¯t want to run into any trouble right now. Steeling her nerve, she started making her way to where the guards always approached her and demanded to know her business. ¡°Lilly, go hide. Be ready if I call.¡± Her dog said nothing and, as only she could seem to do, found a shadow next to a building and vanished from sight. Stay calm, keep things on the level. ¡°You can¡¯t just go asking for the Knight Michael!¡± the guard protested. ¡°He ain''t got time for trash like you!¡± Frustration was setting in, and Grace could feel the timer ticking down even though the screen wasn¡¯t visible. ¡°Can I ask your name, sir?¡± Grace asked, trying to remain meek. ¡°What the hell you want it for?¡± the guard snapped back, crossing his arms and glowering at her. Sighing, Grace shook her head. ¡°I just wanted to know who turned me away the next time he and I talk.¡± The guard glared at her, and Grace didn¡¯t look away. It might have looked like a game had anyone else been watching, as a grown man and a young girl were unwilling to look away from each other. Finally, the guard groaned and threw his hands up. ¡°Fine, but I swear if he says we¡¯re wasting his time, I¡¯ll whip you myself!¡± the man shouted as he moved toward the house Grace knew most of the guards were in. After less than a minute, the guard she had been talking to ran out of the house toward the walled area of the keep. Two other guards, who looked like they knew what they were doing, began approaching her. A tingling sensation in her brain made her watch how they walked. Each kept a hand on the pommel of their sword, and even though they tried to look relaxed, Grace noticed they were agitated. ¡°Grace?¡± the one on the left asked as they got a few yards away. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she replied, looking submissive and meek. The guard nodded to his partner, and they separated slightly- not enough for most people to be concerned, but Grace¡¯s Mental stat was telling her something was up. They stopped about an arm''s length away, and their gaze felt off. ¡°I believe that Knight Michael expected you a few days ago. Is there a reason you haven¡¯t reported in like you were supposed to?¡± Grace nodded and stepped back to point in the direction of her area of the city. ¡°There was an awful sickness that killed a bunch. I''m not sure if it was a plague or something, but some died, some were super sick, and others, like me, didn¡¯t really get affected. One of the older women mentioned a disease or sickness that might spread through touch.¡± Grace wiped her hand against her forehead and then started scratching her hair. Some dirt that she had smeared on herself came off. She could see both men look a little concerned, and each took a step back as she continued speaking. ¡°So I have been helping people get better, running water and burying the dead¡­ oh, and cleaning up a lot of vomit. I¡¯m just glad I didn¡¯t get sick, but who knows,¡± Grace said with a slight shrug, ¡°old lady Velnar said there¡¯s no guarantee the sickness is gone. I think she had said something about heads itching being a possible sign it was there.¡± The guard on the right coughed and took another step back slowly. He almost started to move his hand upward but caught himself and stopped. ¡°That¡­ sounds bad¡­ we heard reports of some sickness or something on that side of town. We¡¯ll wait by the guard shack and let Knight Michael know you are here. Don¡¯t move, understand?¡± Grace nodded and leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯ll stay right here!¡± Both men backed up again and looked at each other before nodding and returning to their house. She could see them pick up their pace, and the one on the right began scratching his brown hair with his hand. Smirking, Grace glanced around, making sure no one was coming anywhere near her. She was getting frustrated as time passed, and the guards watched her from a distance, taking a drink or eating a snack while she stood there for over half an hour. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. If this guy doesn¡¯t hurry up, I will have to try something else¡­ Lost in her thoughts about how to proceed if things started to go wrong, Grace didn¡¯t hear the cart coming up the road until it was much closer than she could believe. There were two guards up front, keeping the horses going. In the back, she saw a different knight wearing his full armor, and someone small was next to him. As they got closer, Grace felt her heart fall into her stomach. In the back of the cart was the little girl she hadn¡¯t killed from the Alchemist shop. The girl had tears in her eyes and was leaning against the guard, who paid no attention to the girl or her plight. Grace wanted to bolt, unsure if her skill was still working, but running would bring questions she didn¡¯t want to try and answer. The cart rolled by, and Grace stood still like a statue. The little girl lifted her head and looked right at her momentarily before laying it back against the guard. A small sigh of relief was let out after the guards had rolled to where the guard house was. The knight lifted the girl off the cart after he had gotten out, set her on the ground, and told her something before moving into the house. None of the men seemed to care about her as they took the cart away and left the alchemist¡¯s daughter standing outside alone. I caused that¡­ I¡¯m not sure what would have been kinder, killing her or letting her live¡­ Sounds of horses coming at a gallop rang out, and Grace stood on her tiptoes in the direction they were coming. Three horses, one with the knight she had to kill, plus two others with men wearing armor different from the usual guard, were urging their horses in what Grace knew was a race to her. Fear started to well up inside her, but Grace knew that if she ran now, they wouldn¡¯t stop until they found her, and that might lead them to her brother. Grace felt rage building up inside her as their horses almost reached where the little girl stood alone. The man who had tried to kill her and most definitely tried to kill her brother and everyone else she cared about was going to be close enough that she could kill him with one blow. Given the chance, she would have to take it sooner than later. Michael¡¯s eyes locked onto hers, and Grace felt confusion and something else. She knew he hadn¡¯t expected her to be alive, and the fact that she was bothered him even more. The horses thundered past the girl, almost seemingly unaware of her, and for a moment, Grace wasn¡¯t sure if they would run over her. ¡°Woah!¡± Michael shouted as he pulled back on the reins of his horse. It was a beautiful shade of brown, and its muscles rippled with every step. The horses she had seen looked nothing like the one the man she needed to kill rode upon. In an impressive single motion, Michael was on the ground and walking toward her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he demanded. He stopped a few feet away, glaring down at her. ¡°You told me to come, but I couldn¡¯t till today. Some plague or sickness or something broke out on my side¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard!¡± he exclaimed. Grace watched as his eyeballs seemed to vibrate within his skull, and his jaw looked like if he bit any harder, his teeth would shatter. ¡°How are you not sick?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I didn¡¯t get sick¡­ like twenty or thirty didn¡¯t.¡± The knight snorted in her face, his nostrils flaring, and didn¡¯t seem to care that snot came from the force in which he exhaled and landed on her outfit. ¡°I know about the sickness, and we sent guards to help, but they are all gone,¡± he said slowly, watching Grace¡¯s face as he spoke. ¡°Do you or anyone else know what happened to them?¡± The men behind the knight shifted in their saddles, and Grace didn¡¯t have to check to see they most likely had their hands on their pommels. ¡°I didn¡¯t until today. A guard came by and¨C¡± ¡°What? What do you mean until today?¡± Grace winced, doing her best to pretend to be nervous at the man she knew was probably barely a wrong word away from trying to cut her in half. ¡°One of the people who didn¡¯t get sick told one of the gang leaders they saw someone late at night moving around like a shadow. They thought it was silly when the woman said she saw the person jump up and grab a window of an abandoned second-story house from the street.¡± Grace grimaced as she held up her hand slowly. ¡°I mean, it sounds crazy to everyone, and even I would think it was¨C¡± ¡°Where!¡± snapped the knight, cutting her off. ¡°Where did she see him go?!¡± ¡°I can show you, but I don¡¯t want to go in it like last time. I still have nightmares,¡± Grace replied, shuddering a little. ¡°It¡¯s on the east side of town, in one of the outer gang districts.¡± He glared at her, and Grace tried to cower slightly under his gaze. After a few seconds, he turned and motioned to the two men on the horses. ¡°Get eight, grab Knight Edward, and tell him we may have our man.¡± Both men nodded and turned their horses around, riding toward the house just a little bit away. ¡°Am I free after this?¡± Grace asked after the two men rode off. ¡°Free?¡± Michael asked as he turned around, his head cocked to the side, looking confused. ¡°Uh¡­ you said I would owe you¡­ if the person you¡¯re looking for is there, am I¨C¡± Michael moved up to where he was almost against Grace and bent down, grabbing her leather chest piece and lifting her till she had to stand on her tiptoes. ¡°You¡¯re my rat, snitch, or anything else you want to call yourself until I say you¡¯re free. You owe me a gold coin, and I will collect that from you however I want.¡± He pushed her back, and Grace moved backward, stumbling and tripping, landing on the hard street on her rear. Wincing, she nodded and lowered her head as she saw the man who called himself a knight leer at her. ¡°You better pray we find the one we¡¯re looking for, or you¡¯ll not like what happens later. Do not lead me on a path you¡¯re going to regret.¡± His speech sounded like a growl, and Grace nodded as quickly as possible. ¡°I promise!¡± He grunted and turned, moving back to his horse. He was back on the creature in a single motion and had the reins in his hands. ¡°Wait here. We¡¯ll leave in ten,¡± he said before riding toward the guard house. After his back was turned, Grace chuckled slightly. Don¡¯t you worry. You¡¯ll find who you¡¯re looking for¡­ I promise. 032 - Revenge is Best Served in Person Grace felt the eyes of the twelve men walking behind her. They let her walk a few yards ahead, moving in formation as both Knights walked point with the two men that had been on horseback with Michael bringing up the rear. A few citizens stared for a moment as they walked through the side of town where life seemed to go on. No one here felt the pain she felt. They didn¡¯t have to wonder where food might come from. Her people had to pay higher prices and trade whatever they could still find in the burnt-out sections of town. The jobs offered to them were not ones anyone else wanted to do, and the rate they were offered was barely worth the energy expended. Every time she walked past the main street separating the four quadrants of town, Grace felt the world reverting to what she knew. Life wasn¡¯t fair, and it sure wasn''t easy, but for some reason, Balethem had given her a chance to save her brother and get revenge on those who had taken her parents and life from her. ¡°How much further?¡± Michael¡¯s voice grated her nerves, but Grace turned around, motioning to the east. ¡°I would say at the speed we¡¯re walking twenty minutes?¡± ¡°Was that a question or an answer?¡± ¡°Forgive me,¡± Grace replied, forcing herself to look humble. ¡°Twenty minutes is my answer.¡± He grunted and turned back to the other knight, Edward, and began discussing things in a hushed tone. Grace glanced and saw a shape up ahead darting down an alley. Good girl, Lilly! Get into position! Everything was in place. Lilly had done what she wanted her to after only showing her once. She is brighter than most of the people I know. Her eyes¡­ Looking at all the burnt houses lining the streets, Grace knew she would be safe. Her eyes sparkled at what was about to take place. Time to die, Michael¡­ ¡°You¡¯re certain that they are in there?¡± Grace faked a cough and nodded, ignoring the look Michael gave her. ¡°Past the window!¡± one of the guards said as he pointed at the second floor. ¡°There was movement.¡± Michael turned and looked at the man and saw a few other guards nodding in agreement. ¡°Ok, spread out. We¡¯ll go in from all directions. You two stay here with this one and make sure she doesn¡¯t go anywhere.¡± The two guards who had been with Michael on horseback nodded, each moving to flank her. Grace forced herself to shrink a little, slouching to decrease her stature, doing her best to play the last role she anticipated she needed to. ¡°Shout if you see anything. Everyone else move out.¡± Knight Edward took four guards with him to the back of her chosen house. After she had reinforced it slightly, the door was going to take some work to get through. A few traps were ready for them, but Grace wouldn¡¯t let herself smile about those. Two could play at the game Michael had started. The front entrance was going to be a real treat. Lilly was doing what she had taught her, holding them off until she could join the fight. ¡°Why are you shaking?¡± Grace hadn¡¯t realized she was shaking from excitement. ¡°Sorry, just a bit scared. I don¡¯t really like blood. I remember the last time I saw them go into a house chasing someone.¡± The guard grunted and said nothing more. Knight Michael whistled like a bird, and the four guards with him rushed into the building through the front door. One¡­ two¡­ three¡­ four¡­ five¡­ A horrible scream came from the inside of the house, and Grace bit her lip. Another four seconds and a second cry erupted from inside the house, this one cut off a bit sooner. Both guards next to her moved forward, no longer next to her side. Each looked at the other and the house where shouting and noise were coming from. A shape crossed the window on the second floor again. Both men took another step forward, forgetting about the girl they were supposed to be watching. They moved closer to each other, almost shoulder to shoulder. Without hesitating, Grace pulled her dagger out from under the back of her tunic. She attacked the guard on the right, kicking his knee forward and driving her blade into the man¡¯s spine below the back of his head. Putting everything in that thrust, the blade had sliced through the chain armor, killing the man instantly. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. His partner started to turn, hand on the handle of his sword, preparing to draw it when Grace was on him. She grabbed his right arm, yanking down on it. A popping sound came as the shoulder was pulled out of the guard¡¯s socket. He groaned, but Grace continued jerking the arm toward the ground. The force of her attack sent him shoulder-first into the stone street. As he bounced once, her hands were already on his head, snapping the guard''s neck in a second. Breathing hard, Grace glanced around and saw no one coming out of the house. There was more yelling from inside, but no one had come out yet. Drawing the sword from the man she had just killed, Grace moved toward the front door. Another shout came, followed by a crashing sound and some cries. The back door is sealed¡­ which means A loud crash came, followed by grown men howling in pain. Should always check the floorboards before one charges inside. Halfway across the street, two shapes appeared in the doorway, and Grace froze, seeing Knight Michael helping a bloodied guard impaled by wooden stakes out the front door. ¡°You!¡± he shouted, dropping the man he was helping to the ground. The wooden stakes in his side and legs were driven deeper into his body from the fall. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have tried killing me with that trap!¡± Grace shouted. ¡°The poisoning of my family was even worse!¡± Michael drew his sword and moved toward her with a speed far different from that of the other guards she had faced. He swung his sword when he got close, and Grace rolled sideways under it, swinging her sword as she got near him. The man flickered green, and her sword slammed into the plate armor of his leg, bouncing off and leaving no scratch. Michael laughed, slamming his sword down at Grace. She was out of position and had no way to parry. [ Evasion ] It took Grace a second to realize what had happened, but one moment, she was close to Michael, a sword coming at her, and the next, she was four feet away, somehow moving out of the way as the blade slammed into the ground. ¡°You¡¯re a¨C¡± ¡°Emmisary, yes!¡± Grace shouted, ignoring Michael''s look of shock and rage. He didn¡¯t hesitate as he attacked again, his slash missing as she moved sideways, barely avoiding it. She attacked, and Micahel didn¡¯t dodge, allowing her to strike again, her blow doing nothing again as it hit him. Michael lunged forward, his eyes wide as he drove his weapon forward, Grace sidestepping as the weapon passed her. She punched him with her left hand, connecting with his jaw, and it felt like she had hit a mountain. Juggernaut! He has juggernaut! She felt herself slowing down. [ Evasion Expired ] ¡°You¡¯re mine¨C¡± [ Juggernaut ] The grin that Michael had worn for a single second was gone, his face now in shock as the attack he had expected to kill her slammed into Grace, bouncing off as every one of hers had on him. Dropping the sword she held, Grace tackled Michael, wrapping her arms around him and not letting go. He tried to fight back, hitting her and slamming the pommel of his sword into her back, and yet nothing happened. Grace counted in her head and when she knew there was only a second left, she reached up and grabbed Michael¡¯s throat with her right hand. ¡°Die, you bastard!¡± she screamed. His body flashed green once, and the second it did, Grace used every bit of strength she had and dug her nails into his throat, grabbing his windpipe. A gurgling sound came as Michael stared into the darkness of Grace¡¯s eyes. Yanking her arm back, a tearing sound came, and Grace had in her hand the front half of Michael¡¯s throat. Blood squirted everywhere as the man¡¯s eyes bulged, and he choked on his own blood. A sound came, and Grace felt something hit her back. Letting go of Michael and turning around, Grace saw Knight Edward was there, his sword coming at her again. Grace accepted the blade, swinging her fist, holding Michael¡¯s windpipe at the knight. His sword glowed green as it came at her, her fist matching the color as she punched at him. [ Empower ] There was no time for the knight to react as the sword stopped again, disbelief in his eyes as he expected to cut Grace in half. Her fist hit his chest, tearing through his armor and slamming so hard her arm continued until it was buried up to her elbow inside him. He stumbled backward as Grace wrenched her arm free, blood covering it, and watched as the knight glanced at her and then the hole in his chest. Gurgling sounds came from his mouth as blood came out his mouth. [ Juggernaut Expired ] The guard tried a half-hearted swing of his sword as she flickered green. Jumping back, she avoided the blade as the man fell to his knees and then onto the ground. A scream came from inside the house, followed by some growling, and after a few seconds of agony expressed by a man crying in pain, it ended. Whistling, Grace let the trophy she had taken from Michael fall to the ground by her feet. Less than a minute passed, and Lilly came from out of an alley near the house, her head covered in blood. The dog trotted to where she was, saw the piece of flesh she had just dropped, and began to devour it. ¡°Good girl,¡± Grace said, her voice sounding cheerful for someone who had just killed two other emissaries. ¡°Are all of them dead?¡± Lilly finished chewing her treat and then barked once. Sitting on the ground next to Grace. It had taken only a few minutes, but Grace found the money on both men and tried not to consider what kind of wealth she held. One gold and thirty-three silver¡­ How can we even spend this without drawing attention¡­ Not waiting to deal with that problem, Grace deposited the bodies into the house. Blood ran across the street, where she dragged them to their final resting place. Once everybody was deposited inside, she moved to the other house, gathering the wood and fluid she had collected before heading to find Michael. Striking the flint and steel, a spark ignited the liquid she had poured, and soon the house began to burn. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lilly. We need to get cleaned up.¡± She had been walking for about a minute when Grace saw the red window that had popped while taking care of the bodies. Part of her wanted to look at it then, but she had a job to do. Now, she could enjoy the moment and find the reward for her actions. ***** Quest Completed ¡ª The Gift of Revenge: You killed the one who attempted to take your life. Reward: For completing this quest within the time allotted, choose a stat to increase by two. ***** Grace took a deep breath and let it out. It was time to get stronger. 033 - Figuring Out Clues Lilly trotted next to Grace as she weaved through the burnt buildings to the first of her new hiding spots. They were further away from her old one, but she didn¡¯t want to risk keeping everything in location and losing it all in one blow like last time. Pulling the brick she had found in a hearth that had been loose, Grace put the gold coin she had inside. There wasn¡¯t anything but an extra dagger she had taken from a guard, and for a moment, she considered taking it but left it there for now. I¡¯ll grab one from the other spot¡­ I should have probably taken more from those twenty-four guards¡­ After putting the stone back in place, Grace did her best to smear some soot to make it look how it should, wiping the rest on her pants and going outside to where Lilly was. ¡°Are you ever going to tell me what happened to you?¡± Grace asked as Lilly watched her with those black eyes that read her every movement. Lilly cocked her head at the question, still sitting on her haunches. ¡°Sometimes I miss your playful attitude, but I know I couldn¡¯t have done what we did if you were still like that¡­ I guess we both had to change¡­¡± Trailing off, Grace considered the choices she still had to make for the stat increase. The decision wasn¡¯t hard. She knew her mental stat needed to get to ten. If what Max had said was right and there were abilities for getting to a ten in each stat, she knew she needed to hit the next one soon. Spirit would be interesting with the idea of magic¡­ good god magic¡­ Shaking her head, Grace pushed that idea aside. The way her brain worked as her mental stat increased had been enough to know that while strength was good, being able to think clearer was vital. Mental. She missed a step as she walked, daggers of ice and heat piercing her head. Her mind felt like it was being assaulted in every direction, but in a moment, the pain was gone, replaced by a calm sensation. *** Mental - 8 *** Grace¡¯s eyes and mind began to take things in she hadn¡¯t even noticed a few seconds ago. Burn marks on a building told her that the side she was walking past had been where the fire stopped. Another building had a few scuff marks, and she could tell a cat had been there recently by the soft impression and the paw print still on the stone. Everywhere, she looked for little clues about the world, and she began to sift them through her brain. She smiled, glad to know the choice had been a good one. ¡°Let¡¯s get cleaned up,¡± Grace said, moving in the direction of the well. ¡°Are you ok?¡± Grace nodded and waved away the few people from different gangs who were checking on her. Older women and men had been the first to notice her covered in blood, and they felt the need to make sure she wasn¡¯t hurt. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ someone from the other side of the city tried to hurt me and¡­ I had to defend myself.¡± She didn¡¯t try to appear weak like she had with the guards; instead, she knew the people all expected her to be a defender now. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you are okay, child,¡± an older woman she suddenly remembered was called Brundeheld said with a smile. ¡°I can see why one might choose to make a poor decision like that.¡± Grace glanced down at herself and immediately knew what Brundeheld was talking about. Two of the older women were washing off her leather armor tunic and all she had on now was a simple shirt that went under it. She had never really paid attention to her curves before, but with her increased mental stat it didn¡¯t take a genius to see what the older woman meant. ¡°That¡¯s why I keep that vest on,¡± Grace replied as she washed her arm off, watching the red-stained water run into the stone drain leading from the courtyard. It''s not something I need to worry about right now.¡± ¡°We understand,¡± Brundeheld said as she used her wrinkled fingers to brush off some dirt from Grace¡¯s shoulder. ¡°One day, perhaps all this will return to normal, and then¡­¡± The older woman glanced at the handful of kids playing a little bit away. ¡°Then laughter might return in time for me to hear it once more.¡± ¡°That is my prayer,¡± Grace said, slightly bowing her head at the woman. Brundeheld returned it with a hand gesture meant for worship. Someday¡­ if I can make that dream come true¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve seen eyes like those,¡± Max said as Grace sat next to him on a chair outside the house. ¡°I take it you accomplished what you needed to.¡± Nodding, Grace couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. ¡°The quest is done, and the man who has caused so much pain is dead.¡± ¡°That smoke?¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°It won¡¯t do a lot, but it will hide some of the carnage¡­ two knights and¨C¡± ¡°Two knights!¡± Max hissed, sitting forward on his chair and glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention. ¡°You killed two knights?!¡± ¡°I did. It was¡­ satisfying. I¡¯m grateful for my abilities, as I¡¯m almost defenseless now. It took everything I had and a few tricks to win.¡± Max ran his hand over his face, muttering something under his breath before returning his full attention to her. ¡°I need details, and we need to talk in private.¡± Max whistled two times and then a long third one. Three members came out of the house within a minute, having been summoned but not in a way that would bring them running. ¡°You all sit out here. Someone stay inside, out of sight. If anyone not from our side of town comes around, let me know. Grace and I need to go upstairs and discuss a few things.¡± ¡°Sure thing, boss,¡± Stretch said as he motioned to one of the men to go inside. Max turned his cup in his hand a few times, considering the details of the fight Grace had just described. ¡°It seems like you got lucky, but it was still a good job your first time. What did you learn?¡± ¡°That I¡¯m way stronger than anyone expects I should be.¡± Chuckling, Max nodded, lifted his cup to his lips, and drank the water, which he wished was alcohol, in a single gulp. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Those men never anticipated you being an emissary. I¡¯m not certain what they thought you were perhaps a spy, but¡­ Wait, how many abilities do you think Michael had?¡± ¡°At least two. He had the Juggernaut ability and something that allowed him to track the coin purse he had given me. The other knight only used what I assumed was empowered. Not sure if he had anything else to use.¡± ¡°Two skills¡­ that means the Lord Knight in town has at least four or five,¡± Max muttered as he scratched his head. ¡°If he¡¯s in charge of those two and here, then ¨C¡± ¡°How long ago did you become an emissary?¡± Grace asked, cutting Max off mid-thought. ¡°Oh, I.. wait, what? I mean¡­¡± Max saw the smirk Grace had on her face, and he frowned, glaring at her. ¡°You sure you want to ask that question?¡± he asked, his eyes turning dark for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you, Max. You¡¯re obviously no longer one or choosing to ignore the quests that you have. Since my mental stat increased to an eight, I realized there was only one way you would know everything you do about this. The only conclusion is that you are one or were one.¡± Grace sat in her chair, doing her best to look relaxed even though every fiber of her body was prepared for how Max might move or react. She had calculated the risk of being wrong and right, but for those two words, while Max was distracted, he failed to hide what he had for so long. ¡°Blast you,¡± he groaned and then stood up from his chair. He was frowning, and Grace saw his hands clench momentarily before unclenching. ¡°You can relax. I can see you¡¯re prepared for whatever might happen, but I¡¯m not going to do anything like that. We need a drink, and I¡¯m going to get something. This is going to be a long talk.¡± Grace slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding in when Max stood. She watched as he casually turned and moved to a cabinet. He pulled out a shelf and then a board at the back of it, revealing a small hidden area. A bottle came from within the hole in the back, and then Max put everything back the way it had been. Returning to his seat, Max picked up his cup and shook it to empty the water. ¡°Drink yours or dump it out; it¡¯s time we had a talk I knew would one day come.¡± Grace held the cup to her lips, waiting for Max to drink his. He chuckled and downed his in one gulp as he often did when drinking, and then Grace finally took a sip and almost spit it out. ¡°What is this? It tastes like ass?!¡± Max laughed and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t taste it. Just pour it down your throat and let it burn everything away. Enough of them might chase away some of the nightmares you¡¯re having.¡± Grimacing, Grace mimicked what the large man she trusted had done and still almost choked as the horrid taste burned the entire length of her throat. Coughing, she pounded her chest a few times. ¡°Does that ever get better?¡± Shaking his head, Max grinned and filled his cup, offering her more. She waved him off and watched as he leaned back in his chair. ¡°Where to start¡­ I guess I¡¯ll skip the non-important details. It¡¯s been twenty years since I was roped into this battle behind the scenes. It¡¯s larger than you realize, and I haven¡¯t even begun to be honest with how many of you there are. Each one is different, and at least nine gods have a hand in our lives.¡± ¡°Nine?! How is that possible?¡± Grace asked, ¡°I only know of three gods.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t been around the lands and seas like I have. There are gods for all sorts of things, but from what I¡¯ve learned the hard way, not all are real.¡± Max pulled a few coins from his pocket and set them out in a row nine across. ¡°Let¡¯s for a moment believe I¡¯m right; there are only nine gods. Each of these then represents one.¡± Grace nodded, still struggling to believe there were nine. ¡°Now I¡¯ll add five copper to this one, four to this one, and three to this one. What do you think that means?¡± Her mind easily understood the two options. ¡°My first guess is that those have more power than the others or that they have more emissaries.¡± ¡°Correct on both,¡± Max said with a slight smirk. ¡°Your improved stat is paying off. I would say that Grimdom is probably the first or second strongest god in our world. The last ten years had a lot of moves being made by his people. If a god can wipe out the other gods'' emissaries, they can gain power from that. A few have only one or two left while a few have a handful.¡± Grace watched as Max pulled out a coin purse and opened it up. Dumping it out on the table, a pile of copper coins clinked off each other onto the rough wood. ¡°Some have a lot more, and some are stronger than the rest.¡± He started stacking silver coins that Grace had no idea where Max had pulled them from. ¡°These are usually leaders, kings, higher church positions, or other areas where they can get people to protect them. It doesn¡¯t seem smart to rise to power if you can¡¯t protect yourself. As you might have realized after your fight today, with your skills on cooldown, you¡¯re not as strong as you might like to believe. Had there been one more knight at that fight today¡­ I doubt you would have survived.¡± Grace grimaced, knowing Max was right. Fear began to grip her as she considered the truth of what he was saying. Then, her mind started to put the pieces of the puzzle that she was wondering about together. ¡°You never mentioned who you¡¯re an emissary for. Can I ask who?¡± Max shook his head and downed his drink again, smacking his lips and tongue after finishing it. ¡°I can¡¯t answer that. Speaking their name would bring about problems we don¡¯t want to deal with and aren¡¯t ready to deal with.¡± Grace frowned and looked at Max, noticing how he was acting. She knew something was off and not making sense. Her eyes drifted to the coins on the table, and then it all made sense. ¡°You¡¯re the last emissary for one of these nine!¡± Grace exclaimed as she stood. 034 - Random Meetings Max closed both eyes and sighed. After that one ended, he took another deep breath and let it out slowly. ¡°We should not talk about these things¡­ if we do, it will attract attention, and if you got a quest, one of us would die.¡± Grace shivered at those last words, seeing Max open his eyes and a darkness hiding deep within looking at her. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry for prying. I just knew¡­ forget it. What am I supposed to do now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Max asked as he swept the coins off that table into his hand. ¡°Are you talking about me or the city?¡± ¡°The city first,¡± Grace answered. ¡°If you¡¯re right about how many guards they have, I just took out a chunk of who was left. How long till more arrive, and will the Lord Knight come looking for a fight?¡± Scratching his chin, Max stared at Grace, considering what he thought might happen. After a few moments, he stood and grabbed the bottle of alcohol and returned it to its hiding place. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re going to be in trouble either way. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t gotten a quest yet, but then again, I understand it¡¯s probably too soon.¡± ¡°Too soon?¡± Moving back to the table, Max spun his chair around and sat in it, resting his large arms on the back of the chair. ¡°You just took out twelve soldiers, two of whom happened to be emissaries. That will not go unnoticed, but it may take till tomorrow for anything to come from it. There will be a few who most likely will remember you being there. Eventually, they will come here looking for answers.¡± Shifting in her chair, Grace let her mind deal with all those possibilities. ¡°It¡¯s too late to flee,¡± she said, watching Max nod. ¡°Getting anywhere with Levi would be hard and dangerous right now. Then there is the whole¨C¡± Realizing what she had forgotten, Grace reached into her vest and pulled out the pouch of silver. Opening it, she put ten pieces on the table before putting her pouch where she kept it. ¡°I took those and a gold coin off of the two knights. I hid the gold coin just in case it was marked like the pouch Michael gave me. If someone does find it, they won¡¯t like what I left for them.¡± Max shook his head, frowning at the thought of what Grace was becoming. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± she asked. ¡°I hate that you are having to become what I was¡­ it¡¯s not easy on the mind or soul, but your reason is better than mine was. Tomorrow, you need to be ready to leave if that is required. I¡¯ll send a few people into town to pick up some random things. I will possibly need a little bit more money, but you need to be prepared to be gone in a moment. That requires supplies.¡± ¡°What about Levi?¡± Ignoring the concern in her voice and the angst on her face, Max shrugged. ¡°You cannot leave him here. Too many people know he is your brother, and that would paint a target on him if you ran. The best case would be someone killing him quickly¡­ the worst would be things you don¡¯t want to even imagine.¡± Shuddering, Grace found herself getting angry at the thought of her brother getting hurt. ¡°So until I get a quest?¡± ¡°Sit and wait. Enjoy time with your brother. Go and visit the other gang leaders and share what you feel comfortable with,¡± Max replied. ¡°You¡¯re smart enough; based on what I can tell, you can figure out who is on your side one hundred percent.¡± ¡°And then just wait for a quest?¡± Grace asked, grunting because she knew that was the correct answer. Max snorted and nodded. ¡°If there was one thing I hated about those quests, they always came before something went down. How the ones in charge know¡­ I¡¯ll never understand.¡± ¡°You seem weird.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Grace asked. ¡°You¡¯re trying to be nice and play with me, but¡­ you¡¯re like mom when she had something else to do. What is it you¡¯re wanting to do?¡± Levi asked, frowning at his sister. Holding the ball in her hand they had been tossing for a bit, Grace realized she hadn¡¯t even been looking at her brother; instead, she was constantly scanning the garden area and relying on her ability to react in time. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just distracted. I hope things will improve, but I¡¯m a little scared after the last few days.¡± Levi nodded and walked toward the other kids. ¡°Well, I''ll be over here when you want to play with me.¡± She watched her brother walk away, and her chest hurt. He knew she wasn¡¯t engaged, and the fact that he had called her out about it made it even worse. Why does it have to be so hard¡­ Her head scanned each of the entrances to the garden, always making sure no one was coming in without her knowing it. People were watching her, and Grace¡¯s mind told her she was acting weird, making them nervous by her actions. Sighing, Grace turned and left the garden. She needed to think, and pretending to be happy wasn¡¯t working. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Crossing the street outside the garden exit, Lilly came from the shadows and matched her stride. Leaning over, Grace scratched Lilly a few times, earning a rare tail wag. ¡°Thanks for that,¡± she said, watching the dog she had loved acting totally different than she had for the last few years. Is that how people see me? Moving through the empty streets, Grace couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she wasn¡¯t herself anymore. The woman she saw in her dream felt like someone else. How can I be happy? Where could I find love and have a child? Thinking about Levi and how he had talked to her hurt. An eight-year-old boy knew her well enough to know she wasn¡¯t the sister he had grown up with. He was changing. Every step she took was further away from her brother and the people she cared about, but right now, Grace felt the need to be away from them. There was so much to figure out, and if the time came to run, would Levi even go with her? That damn Max! He lied to me! Knowing she had been correct that Max used to be an emissary like she was troubled and comforted her simultaneously. If he could live without having to obey quests, perhaps one day she could also. Movement from the corner of her eye caused her to react independently. Grace threw her hand up as she bent down, twisting and catching the rock that was hurtling toward her. In a single motion, she spun around, arm raised and ready to throw the rock at where it had come from. And then she froze. ¡°You¡¯ve improved so much. I felt it prudent to come and congratulate you before everything changes.¡± She wanted to move, but her body couldn¡¯t. The man who had given her this title and power was coming toward her. He wore the image of the older man she first met. The one who promised her immortality. Promised her the ability to strike back at those who had hurt her and protect Levi. ¡°Oh, forgive me,¡± he said with a grin, snapping his fingers. Every muscle in her body relaxed, and Grace recovered, standing while squeezing the rock in her fist. ¡°Now I would toss that idea right out of your mind,¡± he warned Grace, seeing how she fidgeted with the rock. ¡°You aren¡¯t near strong enough for that and won¡¯t be for some time to come. Perhaps you can challenge me one day, but not for a while.¡± The wrinkles on his face and forehead came together as he smiled, those white teeth displayed as his dark eyes watched her every move. ¡°Why¡­ why have you come?¡± He cackled, laying his head back and roaring toward the sky. After he settled down, catching his breath, the man returned his gaze to Grace, smirking at her now. ¡°I told you already. I¡¯ve come to congratulate you. What you did in that house and how you set everything up was exquisite,¡± he replied. His voice sounded as if he was sincerely happy with what she had done. ¡°Those poor men had no idea until it was too late, and the use of your abilities was perfection.¡± He clapped his hands, slowly walking around Grace and looking her up and down. ¡°That armor is a bit lacking, but still, it serves a purpose. You¡¯ll need to find better armor soon with what you are going to face. Plate armor would be best, yet that will be difficult to acquire in your size.¡± He turned his gaze from her to Lilly, who sat on the ground, those black eyes following him as he walked. ¡°She has been a marvelous companion. Turned out better than I had hoped. Keep her with you, and Lilly will be something even greater in time.¡± ¡°What did you do to her? I mean, what happened to the dog I knew?¡± The older man frowned, his eyes narrowing at Grace and that question. ¡°She¡¯s different like you. Changed in ways I cannot begin to describe. Just know that she feeds off you. As you grow, she will grow. The little dog that chased its own tail and ate its own crap is no more.¡± Looking at Lilly, Grace felt guilty for what had happened to her dog. Is this my fault she¡¯ll never know joy or happiness again? Is she really that much like me? ¡°Those thoughts aren¡¯t worth considering, especially with what is about to happen. You need to prepare, and you need to consider your choices.¡± Turning her attention to the man, Grace stepped back when she saw the old man''s facade was gone, replaced with the younger, stronger-looking man that sometimes appeared. His jet-black hair and darker eyes were staring at her in a way that made her want to hide. ¡°The end of this city is coming, and with it, things will go one of two ways. Your choice will determine the path you and your brother will take.¡± She started to ask a question, but her body and tongue froze again as she stood there, mouth open wide. He grinned, shaking his head as he did. ¡°Listen and learn, little one. You asked for this path and power. I gave it to you. Now is the time to decide if you meant the words that you said.¡± Waving his hand, a map appeared in the air before Grace. Looking at it, she realized it was a top-down view of the city. The drawing of the streets and buildings looked how she imagined them now. Burnt-out husks of buildings littered three-fourths of the city, while the northwest part still looked like a building or house should. ¡°Watch carefully,¡± he said, snapping his finger. Fire began to burn from the edges of the northwest, coming down and around the city until it consumed every part except the northwest section. ¡°If you do not fight and win, this will happen to the city. Even if you take your brother and flee, know that every person in the city who you claim to care about will die.¡± He leaned close, his breath smelling foul and feeling warm on her face, and glared. ¡°Every¡­ single¡­ life¡­¡± he said, accentuating each word. ¡°They will die, and you will be weak.¡± He snapped his finger on his left hand this time, and the map returned to how it had been a moment before. ¡°Now, if you do what is required and become what you must, this will happen.¡± Snapping his finger again, a portion of the northwest side was reduced to rubbles, most of it contained within the area she knew was the keep and the guard areas. Slowly, the parts of the city, starting in the southeast corner, began to change, turning from burnt husks to livable homes and buildings. ¡°If you do this, you will still need to leave at a point, but lives will be spared, and those you claim to care about will once again thrive,¡± he stated, grinning as he did. He gave her a wink, holding up an arm, and suddenly, his sleeve was gone, showing a massive and well-defined muscle. ¡°Do what you must, and you will be strong. Stronger than most could ever imagine at this stage of your journey.¡± Bringing his hands together, his black clothes appeared on his arm again, and he clapped once, the map disappearing, and Grace felt the cords of whatever was binding her body vanish. ¡°Any questions?¡± he asked as he stared at her. Swallowing, Grace knew what he wanted her to say. Her mind was filled with about a hundred questions, yet she had no doubt there was only one correct answer. ¡°No. What do I need to do?¡± Laughing like a person who had just heard the greatest joke in the world, the man began to shake, hugging himself. When he finally stopped, taking a long breath and then flashing the evilest smile she had ever seen, her vision was filled with red boxes. ¡°Good luck!¡± he said, waving as he walked off. ¡°You have your answers.¡± Grace couldn¡¯t watch him as he vanished. Instead, she was reading all of the quests that had just appeared. 035 - Coming Clean ***** Three quests pending ¡ª Cut the head off the snake: Kill the Lord Knight in the keep. Reward: Ability Gained Failure: Your side of the city will burn ¡ª Cleanse the Barracks: Slay ten guards. A bonus shall be given if fifteen are slain. Reward: Stat Gain Failure: Stat Loss ¡ª Kill the Priestess: Inside the temple of the keep is a priestess. Remove the filth by killing her. She perverts the minds of the people in the city, leading them astray. A bonus shall be given if the two acolytes assisting her are also slain. Reward: Stat Gain Failure: Stat Loss ***** Grace read the quests that had appeared, a little overwhelmed by what was required. Always called on to kill¡­ She didn¡¯t mind the one that required her to kill the Lord Knight. The result for failure was exactly what Max had said it would be. The other two felt a little wrong, but in her mind, Grace knew there had to be a reason for cleansing the city of the followers of Grimdom. After this is over, Levi and I will need to get out of here. No doubt whoever is coming will be looking for us. Taking a deep breath, Grace settled her mind. There was nothing she could do about the quests, but she needed a moment to plan. Max would be her best help in dealing with some of those problems. ¡°You¡¯re asking to start a war,¡± Max said, frowning as Grace waited for an answer on how to solve her quests. ¡°I told you this would happen, and now it has.¡± Nodding, Grace looked at Levi, who was still pouting about her not actively playing with him. ¡°What are my choices? You and I both know if I don¡¯t do something, all of these people are going to die. I can¡¯t live with that on my conscience.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have far worse if this path keeps going,¡± Max muttered. ¡°I know the dreams you have and the promise of things desired and wanted, but eventually, the weight of all you have done will crush you like a mountain. No matter how hard you try, it will seem impossible to rise above the carnage you have created.¡± ¡°Then what is the point?¡± Grace asked, almost yelling as she did and waving her hands in the air. ¡°All this will be gone! Everyone will be dead! Maybe even you!¡± People were looking at them, wondering why she was shouting and yelling at Max, and when he pointed it out, Grace grumbled, moving to the bench he was sitting on and plopping down on it. ¡°I know it sucks,¡± Max stated. ¡°Your brother has no idea what you are doing for him, but the truth is, you¡¯re going to have to tell him at some point. He¡¯s going to have to believe that the actions you are taking are the right ones. How do you think that conversation is going to go?¡± ¡°Are you saying I need to tell him now?¡± Max frowned, seeing the look of fear on Grace¡¯s face. He could see her cheek muscles were tight, her narrowed eyes and skin far too young to have wrinkles mashed together. ¡°I¡¯m not saying today, but soon. You¡¯ll have to find the right time, but if you wait too long¡­¡± Max paused, taking a deep breath and letting it out. ¡°It might cost you the one you love because they won¡¯t see you as the person they knew. Instead, they will see you as a monster.¡± Rubbing her eyes, Grace leaned back against the stone wall. ¡°Let¡¯s forget the need to tell my brother. What can I do to help complete these quests?¡± ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± Max asked, studying Grace as she sat up and watched her brother. Nodding, Grace bent down and picked up a small stone. ¡°I think I might use the lesson you taught me for one.¡± Grinning, Max shrugged. ¡°I think I know where you¡¯re going with that. It could work and would be easy to prepare for. When are you thinking of doing it?¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d like to strike tonight,¡± she replied, hefting the rock into the air and then catching it. ¡°What I really need is some way to set the barracks on fire and then pick them off with stones as they come out in a panic.¡± Max grimaced and smacked his tongue a few times. ¡°Fire is a dangerous thing. It can spread fast, as you know. Controlling what you start may be impossible. Are you certain you want to do that?¡± ¡°Tell me of another way to defeat the guards by myself. Even if I was trained with a bow, getting arrows would be hard, and they could hole up in the guard shack, waiting till daylight and reinforcements. Eventually, I¡¯d be surrounded, and while I trust my luck, I¡¯m not sure I want to fight those odds.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°You really want to do tonight?¡± Standing, Grace nodded and tapped her forehead. ¡°My brain tells me the best chance to get the bonus is at night. Only a few will be on guard, and the rest will be sleeping. At any other time, the guards will be spread out, making accomplishing both parts of that quest harder. As you said, it¡¯s always worth getting extra rewards.¡± Groaning, Max stood and watched the children at the other end of the garden. Their sounds of laughter and screaming brought a joy and peace he couldn¡¯t find any other way. ¡°Fine,¡± Max said as he looked down at Grace. ¡°I¡¯ll go meet with a few other leaders. I am certain some will have what we need for you to start the fire.¡± ¡°Then I will collect the rocks I want and return to get Levi in bed. There¡¯s only a few hours of light before it will get dark.¡± Max nodded at her assessment and gently pushed her as he moved toward the exit nearest them. ¡°You¡¯re getting too smart too fast¡­ just remember the Lord Knight isn¡¯t like the other knights. He¡¯ll do what he can to not fight you. All around him will be those willing to do his dirty work.¡± Watching Max leave, Grace turned and saw Levi staring at her. I need to get this over with. Moving toward her brother, Grace tried to smile. Nothing about what she was going to do felt like something Levi would understand, but she had to try. ¡°What about this one?¡± Levi asked, holding up a piece of brick in both hands. ¡°Too big. How can I hold that in one if you need two hands?¡± Grace replied, grinning as her brother dropped it and helped her look for more stones. ¡°So¡­ if someone told you who had poisoned everyone, what would you do to them?¡± Levi frowned and stared at Grace. ¡°That¡¯s stupid. I¡¯m too small to do anything.¡± Rolling her eyes, Grace picked up a brick. Showing it to her brother before putting it in her bag. ¡°Let¡¯s say you weren¡¯t too small. What would you do? Would you beat them up? Would you let me get away with killing and hurting the people you love? Would you kill them?¡± ¡°Kill them? That¡¯s crazy!¡± Levi argued. ¡°I couldn¡¯t kill anyone! I doubt I could even hurt someone. Even when Purdano pushed me down a month ago and threatened to beat me up, I don¡¯t think I could have ever hit him.¡± Grace nodded. She knew her brother wasn¡¯t one to get angry often. Getting him to see why she was doing what needed to be done was more challenging than she thought. ¡°What if they hurt me?¡± Levi¡¯s face turned dark, his eyebrows narrowing, and he clenched his jaw. ¡°If who hurt you?¡± ¡°The same people that made our friends sick and killed some,¡± Grace replied. ¡°What would you do to someone who hurt me?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Levi paused, trying to figure out his response as he bent down and picked up a stone. Upset, he threw it at a house, watching it bounce off harmlessly. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I can¡¯t hurt people since I¡¯m small. I¡¯d want to hurt them, but I can¡¯t. Why?¡± His response was about what she anticipated. Moving to where he was, Grace bent down and gently tapped Levi on his chest. ¡°Your heart hurts thinking about that, doesn¡¯t it?¡± He nodded, frowning at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I would do if you were gone.¡± Grace grimaced at the pain of that truth, a constant reminder of why she was doing what she was. ¡°What if I told you I know who hurt our friends and who tried to hurt you? Would you be okay if I ensured they couldn¡¯t do that to you or anyone else again?¡± Levi¡¯s dark brown eyes stared at her, lost at how his sister could do such a thing, knowing who the guards were and how big they were. They carried weapons and wore armor. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get hurt. Send Max or someone bigger.¡± Nodding, Grace bent down and picked up a rock. ¡°But what if I told you only I could make sure they couldn¡¯t hurt anyone else? Not even Max or others can do what I can.¡± Levi chuckled and shook his head. ¡°What can you do that¡¯s so special?¡± he asked, rolling his eyes. ¡°Watch.¡± Grace took the large rock, knowing it was bigger than she wanted to use but doing so to prove a point. ¡°Watch that wall over there.¡± Laughing, Levi looked at the wall across the street and the stone in his sister¡¯s hand. ¡°There¡¯s no way you can hit that from here!¡± he teased. Setting down the bag of rocks she had been collecting, Grace stepped back and then hurled the rock at the wall. It penetrated the outer wall of an abandoned house, crashing through it and a few more walls within. The noise of destruction echoed across the street, and Grace turned to see Levi standing there with his mouth open, staring at her and then the hole, his eyes moving back and forth rapidly. ¡°How?! Teach me!¡± he cried, running to her and grabbing a rock that was way too big for him out of the bag she had dropped. Grace shook her head and kneeled before him. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she stated. ¡°I have been given a gift and told I must do something, but it won¡¯t be nice. I have to stop some people from coming here and hurting those we love¡­. From hurting you.¡± Levi stood there, holding the rock in his hand, trembling as he watched his sister¡¯s face. He could see that she was serious and was not playing a joke. ¡°You can¡¯t teach me?¡± Grace laughed, shaking her head and groaning. ¡°That is all you got out of this? That I can¡¯t teach you how to throw a rock like I did?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± he demanded. ¡°That¡¯s not fair that you can!¡± Groaning, Grace scanned the ground and picked up a rock about the size she wanted. ¡°Tell you what. Throw the rock you have, and I¡¯ll throw mine. After that, I¡¯ll tell you why I can¡¯t teach you.¡± Frowning, Levi tried to get into position like she had been and then took a step forward, using every ounce of strength he had to lob the rock at the same wall. It traveled about eight feet before crashing into the road and rolling a few times. Grace chuckled, and Levi turned, glaring at her. ¡°That¡¯s not funny! It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Grace said. ¡°Now watch.¡± She turned this time, making sure she was throwing in the northeast direction. Taking a few steps, she tossed the stone into the air out over town. ¡°Holy shite!¡± Levi said suddenly, and Grace spun around, seeing her brother focused more on the rock she had just made vanish instead of the words he had just said. ¡°What did you say?!¡± Her tone and question made Levi look at his sister, and then he winced, knowing exactly the words he had just spoken. ¡°I¡­ uh¡­ copied what Stretch says a lot,¡± Levi muttered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Grace glared at her brother, watching him shift under her glare. Moving to where he was, she bent down and hugged him. After a moment, she moved him back a step and smiled softly. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to you for saying those words. Just try to not say them if you can. Ok?¡± Levi nodded, looking perplexed at how easily his sister had let him off when she normally threatened to wash his mouth with dirty water. ¡°So, are you going to throw rocks at people?¡± he asked. ¡°I am¡­ I need to make sure that those people never try to harm you or anyone else we care about again.¡± Levi nodded and frowned for a few seconds. ¡°Promise you won¡¯t get hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be safe, I promise.¡± He nodded and smiled, moving quickly and giving her a hug. ¡°Make sure they can¡¯t hurt anyone else again!¡± he exclaimed. Grace nodded and squeezed her brother tight. I promise¡­ 036 - Taking the Fight to Them Max continued to watch Grace as she moved the barrel they had filled with liquid onto a small cart. ¡°You look¡­ relaxed?¡± he half asked, half stated. ¡°For someone about to do what you¡¯re going to attempt, you¡¯re smiling and not like you¡¯ve gone crazy.¡± Bobbing her head, Grace gently set the barrel down and then began tying the rope to secure it. ¡°I told Levi a little bit about what I have to do. I know he doesn¡¯t fully understand, but he told me to make sure they can¡¯t hurt people anymore.¡± Holding the rope in both hands, she paused her cinching down the barrel and turned to look at Max, who was watching her. ¡°You told your person too late, didn¡¯t you?¡± Frowning, Max nodded as he crossed his arms. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the man they loved anymore¡­ I¡¯m still not the man I should be, but that hasn¡¯t kept me from trying.¡± ¡°And the consequences for breaking your quests?¡± Grace whispered quietly. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s not worry about that right now,¡± Max replied. ¡°Had you and I met on the battlefield a few years ago, it wouldn¡¯t have even been a fight. I¡¯d have kicked your arse blindfolded. Now¡­ it¡¯s the other way around.¡± Frowning, Grace focused on the rope, ensuring the barrel wouldn¡¯t come loose. The liquid inside smelled awful, but Max had told her it would burn hotter than anything she had ever experienced before. Only magic would burn worse. Magic¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t have to come with me,¡± Grace stated, almost done with her task. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine on my own.¡± ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m not going to let you do this alone. Think of this as a slight form of watching over someone I care about,¡± Max said before coughing and clearing his throat. ¡°Not that I¡¯m saying I care about you.¡± Grace turned back and saw Max looking upward at the dark sky, doing his best to not glance at her. ¡°Fine, I don¡¯t like you either. Now, let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t need you tripping over things in the dark.¡± ¡°You¡¯re certain about throwing it?¡± Max asked, still gauging the distance they were from the house the guards stayed in. ¡°Seems a bit risky¡­ miss, and it won¡¯t do what you want.¡± ¡°The other option is one of us gets closer and tosses it. The torches on the side will catch fire and ignite the liquid. If the men inside wake up before I can set the place on fire, I¡¯ll have to worry about more guards and possible bows and arrows.¡± Nodding slowly, Max was still frowning. Even in the pitch-black night, she could see the frown on his face. To her, it was still like daytime. ¡°The light of the fire will blind the guards sitting by the campfire,¡± Max informed her. ¡°They¡¯ll lose their limited vision for a moment. Use that time to get close, toss your stones, and get out.¡± Patting Max¡¯s arm, Grace adjusted the strap of her pack filled with stones once more and picked up the barrel of liquid. ¡°Wish me luck,¡± she said as she moved closer to the guard area, hiding in the darkness of the moonless night. As Grace vanished from his sight, Max almost prayed, catching himself and shaking his head. ¡°Damn girl, is going to get me in trouble,¡± he muttered as he adjusted the sword on his belt. The closer she got to the guard barracks, the realization that Max was most likely right about how hard tossing the barrel would be was setting in. The way it sloshed and moved had made transporting it difficult. It wasn¡¯t full and not heavy, but Grace¡¯s mind told her that if she was off just a little bit, the further away she was from her target, the higher the chance of missing completely. Slowly, she set the barrel down on the stone sidewalk, looking at the small fortified bridge area that led to the guards'' positions. They were about seventy-five yards away, but she needed to cut that distance in half. Glancing down the street, she saw no lights on any of the houses, so she didn¡¯t have to worry about being seen if she moved past one. The guards weren¡¯t really paying much attention either, sitting on benches, poking the fire with a stick occasionally and chatting. They hadn¡¯t shaved, and two of them appeared to have a tankard next to them on the ground. For having lost so many men, they sure seem relaxed and undici¨C Grace didn¡¯t need to finish her thoughts to know something was wrong. Peering harder, she realized that none of the men looked like a guard. They weren¡¯t in shape; the armor and sword looked to be on wrong. Even more worrisome was that none of them had a helmet on or the usual standard haircut the other guards had worn. It¡¯s a trap! Glancing behind her, Grace saw Max still waiting where she had left him, the big man moving around anxiously. What to do¡­ I can¡¯t leave this barrel here, and hiding it will be dangerous¡­ The street should have had torches, and now it all made sense. Someone was leading her into a trap. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Trying to look calm, Grace casually scanned the area a little more as she pretended to be messing with the barrel. If another emissary is here, they might be able to see like me¡­ She hadn¡¯t hidden or tried to because of the dark night. She was walking like a fool out in the open. Grabbing the barrel, Grace lifted it and took a few steps closer to her target. I need to toss this and get it over with¡­ I need to run! Panic began to set in. Max had tried to talk to her about how the Lord Knight operated and how he was a thinker, not a fighter. She was stupid and thought the man would be like Michael and Edward. Hefting the barrel over her head in both arms, Grace took a deep breath, moving two steps forward, letting her mind work the problem of how she needed to throw the barrel. Right as she began to toss it, pain raced through her as an arrow pierced her chest. She stumbled slightly and heaved the barrel, completely off course. Rising quickly, Grace knew where the arrow had roughly come from and immediately turned, sprinting toward safety, zig-zagging randomly, and heard an arrow hit the stone street behind her. Pain surged with every step she took, and glancing down, Grace saw the shaft still sticking out of her left breast. Blood was coming from her lips, and she was struggling to breathe. Yanking on the arrow brought more pain as she felt it catch on her ribs and flesh inside. It¡¯s barbed¡­ Her mind was swirling as she turned around a corner. ¡°Max!¡± she called out, a gurgling sound coming as she tried to speak. He was only thirty yards away, but she saw him look in her direction. ¡°Trap!¡± she grunted, struggling to stay on her feet and glancing back at the area she had just been. An arrow whizzed past the corner, missing her by a foot. Staggering toward Max, Grace felt like she was drowning. ¡°Grace?!¡± Max shouted out, trying to find her in the darkness. ¡°Max!¡± she tried to cry, but only a garbled sound came out. He began to move forward, listening to the sounds of her steps and the heavy breathing. They almost crashed into each other as Grace stumbled through the darkness, unable to stop her momentum. ¡°No!¡± Max shouted, finally able to make out Grace enough and the arrow through her chest. He tried to pull it and immediately stopped as she made a pained noise, blood coming from her mouth. She was gagging, coughing, and choking, blood coming as Grace tried to breathe, unable to get the air her body needed. ¡°Listen!¡± Max exclaimed as he took a knife off his belt. ¡°This is going to hurt! Trust me! I need to push this through, and then you can heal yourself!¡± Grace could hear Max, but her mind was going dim. Her will pressed her to fight even as her mind ran out of the air it needed. Max pulled her to the ground, wrapping his massive legs around her, and put his huge hand up the back of her shirt and leather armor. ¡°I¡¯m going to push!¡± There was no other warning, no counting to three. The moment Max told Grace what he was about to do, he pushed the arrow deeper, holding her as she began to buck. He cursed as he felt it hitting a bone, not feeling it against her skin. ¡°I need to shift it and push it. This is going to be a bitch!¡± Grace¡¯s eyes were as wide as a full moon, the pain of what Max was doing sending waves of agony through her body. She felt the tip of the arrow scratch against the back ribs, and then suddenly, Max jabbed the arrow between them, the metal barbs grinding along the two it passed between. ¡°Almost!¡± Max said, panting from the concern. He could feel the tip of the arrow now pushing out her back. He quickly made a hole in her armor with his knife, tearing it wider with his fingers. ¡°Last part!¡± Grace wasn¡¯t sure what would be worse. Dying in this moment or the agony of each of the barbed arrows that ground against her skin as Max pushed more of the arrow through her chest. She could feel him fumbling with the tip against her back, the slickness of her blood making it hard to grab with his massive fingers. He pushed again, earning more of the arrow to grab onto. He started to pull, blood gushing from both wounds and when he knew he could pull it out, he quickly snapped off the end of the fletching. ¡°Be ready to heal yourself!¡± Max yanked out the arrow as best as he could, wishing he could do it without scrapping the bones like he did, but there was no time. ¡°Now!¡± Grace blinked¡­ her eyes were so wet, and she knew what she needed to do but couldn¡¯t make her mind focus. ¡°Grace! Heal!¡± The word Max shouted echoed through her mind. Heal¡­ Suddenly, warmth and a soothing sensation took over. Moments passed, and Grace wasn¡¯t sure when, but suddenly, she could breathe again. Her chest ached for a moment as she continued to breathe, feeling the blood inside her lungs begin to vanish, unsure of where it had gone. ¡°We need to move! Hold on!¡± Suddenly, Max had her on his shoulders and was moving along the street. Grace realized there was shouting and some noises coming from back in the direction of the guard shack. During all that pain and suffering, she hadn¡¯t been aware of the commotion behind her. They were coming, ready to capture her or find a dead body from whoever had shot her. Even as she bounced on Max¡¯s massive shoulder, she felt amazing. The pain that had felt unbearable was gone. ¡°I¡¯m fine now!¡± Grace said, patting Max on the shoulder. ¡°You can put me down.¡± ¡°In a moment,¡± he replied, ignoring her request. ¡°How far are they?¡± Grace looked behind and saw that about fifty yards away were the guards, lanterns, and weapons out, searching for her, following the trail of blood she had left. ¡°Fifty yards. They''re going to slow down soon.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he grunted. ¡°I¡¯ll put you down in a minute.¡± Grace watched Max run through the streets, not stumbling in the dark and saw that he was quickly leaving the men behind. As they came to an intersection, Max turned south and then stopped after a few more yards, setting her down on the ground. Max was breathing harder than usual, taking a few deep breaths as he began to walk, now free from his very light burden. ¡°We need¡­ to get¡­ home,¡± Max said between breaths. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t see¡­ the arrow¡­ it makes sense now¡­ they fired a flaming arrow into the air.¡± Grace saw the grim look Max wore. ¡°They¡¯re at our home?¡± Without waiting, Grace took off running. Max called out once for her to stop, but she didn¡¯t look back. Nothing would slow her down. 037 - Standing Alone Grace pushed her body to its limit. The loss of blood felt like it was taking a slight toll on her, but there was no time to stop as she ran, houses and buildings vanishing from her sight. Grace wasn¡¯t certain a horse would stand a chance had it been racing her. Blocks away, Grace saw an orange glow over part of the city that marked where the house Max had protected was. I¡¯m going to slaughter them all! Fueled by rage and anger, Grace pumped her arms, forcing herself to go faster by pure will. When she came a few blocks from her home and saw it in flames, people standing in the street, and some were trying to put out the fire with buckets of water, the strength in her legs almost vanished. People were screaming and shouting, and the horror of the nightmare she had seen so many times felt like it had come true. I will kill them all! Fear for her brother¡¯s life spurred her on. ¡°Where is Levi?!¡± Grace shouted at the people running around, trying to fight the fire. No one stopped or answered, the noise of all the yelling drowning her out. She yelled again, and the few who saw her shrugged before turning to help transport water in the line they had formed. She moved along the line till she spotted one of the women who lived in the house. ¡°Henrietta! Where is Levi?! Where is my brother?!¡± The woman¡¯s eyes began tearing, and Grace felt her heart go cold. ¡°They took him! About ten minutes ago! They came in and tore the place apart, looking for you and him!¡± ¡°Which way?¡± Grace shouted. The older woman¡¯s arms shook as she pointed to the west. ¡°That way, but dear, it was¨C¡± Grace was gone, not caring what the older woman might say. She ran past the burning house and was almost at the first intersection when Lilly appeared out of the shadows. ¡°Lilly!¡± The dog barked twice and moved to join her. ¡°Find Levi! Find him for me, please!¡± Her dog didn¡¯t make another sound. Instead, Lilly put her nose to the ground and immediately began to run after a few sniffs. Balethem, if he¡¯s still alive, I¡¯ll owe you. Something inside her burned hotter, and Grace ignored it, following her dog, who shot off like an arrow ahead. Minutes passed as Lilly and Grace ran at full speed, turning and weaving through different streets as they made their way northwest. It became evident that the guards had yet to take the straight path. Instead, it appeared they were making it hard for someone to follow in case they were foolish enough to try. Another minute passed, and when they turned the corner to go north, Grace saw six guards two blocks ahead. Each wore full chain armor, and one of the men in the middle had Levi hanging limply over his shoulder. A single lantern was barely open, providing enough light for the six of them to move safely in the darkness. Rage filled her, and if she could have breathed fire, it would have burnt the men to ash and beyond at what she felt inside. ¡°Help Levi!¡± Grace said to Lilly as they raced after them, adjusting her stride to be quiet. I need to stop them from hurting him¡­ As she passed the first block between her and the men, Grace slowed down, her mind working overtime as she tried to devise a plan. She spotted a large brick a few yards off the path and moved in its direction. Without missing a beat, she grabbed it in her right hand. The plan was horrible, but she had no other choice without a better weapon. Racing toward the men, Grace got within fifteen yards, slowing down and moving as silently as a mouse. [ Empower ] She aimed low, measured the men and how they walked, the perfect row they moved in, and then unleashed her brick. Sound should have erupted from the throw, the speed and force at which it moved almost seemed impossible to Grace, yet she didn¡¯t stand around to watch it. The brick flew through the air, hitting the last man in the column where the middle guard carried Levi on his shoulder. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. It tore through his left hip and armor as if it were paper, a red mist filling her vision in the darkness of night. Without losing energy, the brick did the same thing to the man holding Levi, just a foot below her brother¡¯s hand, creating a hole in the man¡¯s side before passing on and taking out the first one in the column that held the lantern. As that took place and time slowed down, men began to cry out in pain, and the other three, trying to understand what had just happened, Grace attacked. She lept, delivering a kick to the back of the guard on the left, a crack coming as his spine shattered and he was flung into the man before him. The two men ended up sprawled on the ground. The wind knocked out of the second guard from the impact while the one she had kicked tried to scream. By then, the three guards who had lost the left hip and a large chunk of their body from her first attack were on the ground, the one not unconscious from the pain howling because of it. The first guard tried to turn, hand going for his sword. A dark shape came from before him, a growl, and then a scream as Lilly jumped and bit the guard¡¯s face. The hand that had reached for the sword moved to try and rip the beast that was dragging into the ground, tugging and jerking as they fell. The lantern that had been held was rolling around on the stone road, casting shadows that looked like nightmares on the buildings and street as it moved. Grace pounced on the second guard on the left, grabbing his head and snapping his neck in a moment. Lilly was dragging the man across the road into the shadows. Screams that would scare ghosts away came from the man for a few moments until they suddenly stopped. The only sound that came afterward was something chewing through flesh. Bending down, she grabbed her brother, finding a bruise on his cheek, but thankfully, the man had fallen to his left side, not landing on her brother. Levi¡¯s chest rose and fell slowly. ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± she whispered. ¡°Thank Balethem, you¡¯re alive!¡± She hugged him, wishing she could heal him and he would be able to talk, but that was no longer an option. Touching the place in her armor where the arrow had pierced her chest, Grace frowned. Behind her, a guard was groaning, trying to move, but his arms barely worked as he lay on the ground, tangled with his ally. The man who had carried the lantern moaned, somehow fighting the pain that must have wanted him to fall unconscious. ¡°Lilly!¡± Grace shouted. From an alley, her dog came, its head covered in blood, a gleam in its eye. ¡°Good girl, Lilly,¡± Grace said as she set Levi down for a moment and undid the sword belt from the guard behind her. ¡°Kill the others.¡± Her dog went for the one who had owned the lantern, a single cry escaping his mouth for a moment before the sound of a throat being torn out filled Grace¡¯s ears. She ignored it. They deserved this for what they had done. As she fastened the sword around her waist, noticing how the blade was only about nine inches from the ground, Lilly began to drag the guard with the broken neck toward an alley. Grace turned and looked as the guard cried out in pain and in horror. ¡°No! Please! Mercy!¡± Lilly stopped, looking at Grace, somehow knowing that she was watching. ¡°Enjoy that one,¡± Grace told Lilly and grabbed her brother in her arms, ignoring the cries from the guard as her dog pulled him into the shadows. Make them suffer¡­ Max was doing what he could to help stop the fire from spreading to other buildings, but their home was gone. The fire still ravaged inside the frame, and they could only prevent it from spreading. People wept as they watched their home go up in flames. Some were on their knees, holding someone they loved tightly, while others stood there silently, unable to process what they saw. As Grace came into view slowly, carrying her brother, who was still unconscious, a few shouts came from the people, and Max turned, seeing her and Levi. He broke into a run and skidded to a halt, sweaty and covered in soot, reeking of smoke. ¡°You rescued him!¡± Max said, surprised. ¡°How¡­ how many?¡± ¡°Six,¡± Grace replied, her voice like steel. It was so steady and unemotional that Max winced as she spoke. ¡°You need to take him and hide. I need to end this. Tonight, they will suffer.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Max hissed, moving to stand before her, holding out his hand. ¡°You need to let your cooldowns recover, and you are not alone!¡± ¡°Yes, I am!¡± Grace shouted, squeezing her brother close. ¡°I am alone! My parents are gone! My brother is hurt! Everyone I try to help seems to suffer because of me! Tell me how I am not alone?!¡± Bodies began to appear near them, and suddenly, Grace recognized people she knew. Those from her house, others from the garden, and more she didn¡¯t know personally. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± a woman said, holding her two children tight against her side. ¡°I¡¯m with you,¡± an older man who limped when he walked declared as well. More voices said the same, over and over, until at least fifty men, women, and children all affirmed one thing. ¡°You¡¯re not alone, Grace,¡± Max said softly, putting his massive hand on her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second this fight is just yours anymore. It¡¯s all of ours.¡± Grace felt tears running down her face as she saw people, a fire behind them, but each stood together, proclaiming a truth she hadn¡¯t realized yet. Marcus moved up close next to Max. The man had a short sword strapped to his hip, and his face was set like stone. ¡°It¡¯s time to fight. We won¡¯t hide any longer, and we will fight with you. Cedric would expect nothing less from me.¡± One of the other gang leaders, Falana, came up on the other side of Max. Her scarred face looked devilish as she frowned. ¡°We were fools for thinking they would let us rebuild and live safely. You, Grace, have shown us the truth of who they are. Me and my people will follow you and Max.¡± Other leaders who had been there came, each repeating the words in some form or fashion. Within moments, the crowd before her was now over a hundred. ¡°We will fight with you, Grace, if you will let us,¡± Max said. ¡°Remember what I have taught you.¡± Grace¡¯s mind raced, and she remembered what he had said. A smart emissary used people to help reach their goals. She had been foolish trying to do this alone. Grace was done making that mistake. ***** Four quests pending ¡ª Lead an army: Lead an army of fifty people to fight your battles. Reward: Ability Gained Failure: Death ***** The red window that popped up made Grace grin. She saw Max staring at her momentarily, puzzled by the devilish look on her face. Failure¡­ death¡­ I won¡¯t have to worry about that. ¡°Very well!¡± Grace shouted. ¡°In one day, we will attack that keep and free ourselves from those who desire for us to die under their boot! Who is with me?!¡± A loud roar came from everyone before her, a fire burning brightly behind them and in their hearts. 038 - Last Moments ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of real weapons, but that shouldn¡¯t matter if we can get past the doors,¡± Max stated as he pointed at the rough drawing on the table. ¡°With this many people and the few of us who know how to actually fight, if we get past the guards, everyone else should fall back.¡± Falana frowned as she tapped the bridge that led to the guard shack and eventually to the keep. ¡°This is the choke point, though. Getting past here and the archers they might have watching it, how do you plan on actually getting into the keep?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle the keep,¡± Grace said, raising her hand slightly. ¡°We get past the bridge, I¡¯ll get on the walls. Once I¡¯m up there, I¡¯ll clear a path and open the gate.¡± Coughing, Falana looked at Grace and then at Max. She turned to see Marcus smiling. The other leaders of different gangs remained silent, none having been in battles like those three had. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Grace nodded, her eyes focused on the image before her. ¡°They don¡¯t know how to handle what is coming. None of the remaining guards are prepared for it. Maybe ten or fifteen more guards are around. Just the Lord Knight and any random person from the city tempted by an offer of coin,¡± Grace replied. ¡°Once we get past the bridge, the turn is the blind spot. There¡¯s a corner there that I can use to get up the walls, and Brinduol said he has a hook that will work for climbing up the wall.¡± All the men and women in the room turned to stare at the dark-skinned man like Grace, seeing him nod and smile. ¡°I have two¡­ don¡¯t ask from where, but with some rope and a good throw, it will hold.¡± ¡°Climbing thirty-plus feet seems hard,¡± one of the others in the back said. ¡°She can do it,¡± Marcus interrupted before anyone else voiced doubts. ¡°We¡¯re committed to this cause, and you have seen what Grace has done for us. She is right. They are going to keep coming and won¡¯t stop until we are dead or they are gone. This is the only way.¡± Murmurs of agreement echoed around the room, and Max grunted, holding a few pieces of paper. ¡°Listen, we all know the cost of what we are about to do, but we all know what it cost us a week ago when they poisoned us and tried to slaughter us the night after.¡± Max had to wait a moment for those who started to shout and stomp their feet to settle down before he could go on. ¡°People are going to die tonight. I might die tonight, and yet I am ok with that because I know either we end this now or let them bleed us to death. If you don¡¯t want a part of what comes next, I won¡¯t blame you, but rest assured, if we win, the remorse you will feel won¡¯t come close to how others will think you betrayed them. Last chance, does anyone want to walk away?¡± A few shifted in the group, but no one moved toward the door. ¡°Good, now take your assignments. We have eight hours to be ready.¡± Each leader came and nodded, took the sheet Max handed them, and quickly departed to carry out their preparations. When it was just Max, Grace, and Marcus, the three of them looked at the roughly drawn map once more. ¡°You know, Cedric was right,¡± Marcus said, keeping his eyes on the paper. ¡°You¡¯re stronger than anyone he has ever met.¡± Grace tried to absorb that compliment, unsure how to respond. Marcus lifted his head up finally, and she saw his eyes were wet, ready for a tear to spill out as the man clenched his fists by his legs. ¡°Tonight, no matter what, we get revenge for what they did to Cedric.¡± He turned and was gone a moment later, leaving Grace standing there even more confused as Max held a hand up to stop her from talking as Marcus left. The large man¡¯s frown and closed eyes told her it wasn¡¯t worth discussing. ¡°Now what?¡± Grace asked after a moment of silence. ¡°Go see your brother, make sure he is ok. Spend some time with him and rest if you can. Tonight¡­ it¡¯s going to be worse than you can imagine.¡± ¡°How the hell do you believe that?¡± Grace asked as she leaned on the table. ¡°You know what I¡¯ve seen and what I¡¯ve done. I had to save my brother! People I love have been killed and¨C¡± Max¡¯s fist slammed through the table, shattering it and making her pitch forward as it gave way. ¡°Stop it!¡± he growled, glaring at her. ¡°Stop pretending for a moment you have been in a real battle. That tussle you had with those two knights was the closest thing you have experienced to a real fight, but tonight will be different.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Max paused, grimacing momentarily when he saw the table, and his head snapped forward quickly, a curse Grace couldn¡¯t hear mumbled for a moment. ¡°People are going to die¡­ people from our side of town. They will follow you into battle because they believe in you and the reason we fight. Do not forget how much each person still alive has experienced since the King came and raised this town.¡± Grace opened her mouth, but no words came out. She felt her eyes bulging, wanting to scream at him that she did understand, but the truth was, she didn¡¯t. ¡°How can I go and relax like you told me to?¡± she implored. ¡°After what you just said?¡± Rubbing his eyes, Max sighed. ¡°Because every other person who can will be doing that right now. Everyone knows they might not return home. So they are getting one last hug, one last kiss, enjoying one more meal in case another one never comes.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Grace asked. ¡°What are you going to do during this time?¡± ¡°Honestly? I¡¯m going to go collect a bottle I¡¯ve hidden somewhere and enjoy it alone. I''ve hidden a pipe and some tobacco with it for a moment like this.¡± ¡°A moment where you might die?¡± Max nodded and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve dodged death more times than most men can imagine. I wish I could say my life has been worth all those moments, but it hasn¡¯t. I lost the woman I love, and since then¡­ I¡¯ve been a shell of a man. My soul was gone. But now¡­¡± Moving to where Grace stood, Max reached out, put a hand on her shoulder, and squeezed. ¡°Seeing you with your brother and the love you two have for each other has given me a purpose I¡¯ve long since lost. I¡¯ll gladly die if it means the two of you can have another day together.¡± Her face felt numb at those words. Like her parents, willing to die so the two of them could escape. Why were so many willing to give them another day together? How could someone just be willing to die for another? Because I would gladly die if it meant Levi would live longer¡­ if he could genuinely live¡­ like that dream. ¡°Thank you,¡± Grace whispered, her voice almost feeling like it hadn¡¯t come out at all. Max squeezed her shoulder and let her know that it had. ¡°Now go, take care of that boy. I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Levi said softly, his jaw swollen and bruised. ¡°I knew you¡¯d come back.¡± She nodded and moved to lie down next to her brother. He had still been unconscious when the meeting had been called, and leaving him had been hard, but Marcus had given them both Cedric¡¯s room. The woman who had been taking care of him was older and had said nothing to her, just bowing slightly before shutting the door to the room and giving them privacy. ¡°I told you I would always come for you,¡± Grace whispered, gently patting his hair. He nodded and snuggled close to her, letting Grace wrap an arm around him, and they lay face to face. Levi¡¯s head moved until it was under her chin, one of the positions he always took when scared or needing to be comforted. ¡°Did you make them pay?¡± Grace felt her heart miss a beat at that question. ¡°Some of them¡­ mainly the ones who took you. Tonight, I have to go end it.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Levi replied. ¡°I heard there is a group going tonight. Can I come?¡± She carefully pushed him back while she adjusted his head, making sure to not touch his swollen jaw. Looking into his dark eyes that trembled, tears pooling around in the corner near his nose, Grace knew the answer she had to give but didn¡¯t want to. ¡°Why? Why do you want to come?¡± she asked. Sniffing, Levi rubbed his wet eyes. ¡°What if someone comes and takes me while you are gone?¡± The tone in which Levi spoke, how his words almost seemed caught in his throat, all of that made Grace want to go back in time and torture the guards who had stolen him from her. ¡°That won¡¯t happen again, I promise,¡± she replied, trying not to growl as she spoke. ¡°I will ensure you know how to fight and defend yourself.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Levi asked, looking up at her. ¡°You will?¡± Frowning, she nodded and gently touched her forehead to his. ¡°You can come but will have to stay far away this time. I will make sure you learn how to fight, even though I hope you never have to.¡± Levi pressed himself closer to his sister and began to breathe slower. She could tell he was still tired and recovering from the ordeal. Closing her eyes, she listened to him breathe, letting it settle her until exhaustion overtook her. ¡°Listen up!¡± Max shouted as the people were gathered together along the street. Makeshift shields made from boards bound together, spears of wood, and other tools outfitted the army, waiting for the call to move out. ¡°We are going to be loud enough just getting there. Do not shout and make more noise until the time has come. Remember the instructions your leaders have given you. Tonight, we will end this!¡± A cheer erupted from the people, having forgotten Max¡¯s words already. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long night,¡± Max shouted over the noise. Bobbing her head, Grace smiled anyway. Tonight could be as long as it needed to be. ¡°You still going to wear that sword?¡± ¡°I need something longer than a dagger, and we don¡¯t have an actual spear, so unless you''re going to pull one out of your arse, I¡¯m stuck with this.¡± Max shrugged and grinned. ¡°We need to get one a little shorter for you so it doesn¡¯t drag across the ground if you have to squat. You¡¯ll be fine, though.¡± Three sharp whistles came, and as the sun''s light disappeared, an army of ordinary people moved through the burnt remains of the place they called home, ready to rise from the ashes and claim a new life or die trying. Balethem, if you¡¯re listening, help me tonight. 039 - A Bridge to Cross The makeshift army followed the four leaders through town. The dim light of lanterns held by a person right behind Max, Marcus, Falana, and Grace showed them the lines to stay in. Carts moved slowly, being drawn and pushed by people, the sound of their wheels echoing over the stones lining the road. With night upon them, every sound seemed amplified. ¡°What do you see?¡± Max asked quietly, keeping his eyes ahead to prevent any loss of night vision from the lamps. ¡°It¡¯s clear up ahead still. I think we would be wise to wait a few hours before attacking. Surely, the guards will be more lax later.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t matter,¡± Marcus grumbled. ¡°They¡¯ll be on guard and rotating shifts often. Our people will tire out first. Better to hit them fast and keep people from thinking too long.¡± A grunt of agreement came from Max and Falana. ¡°I guess experience does make a difference,¡± Grace replied, earning a few quiet chuckles from the older three. Grace saw Lilly moving ahead of them on the streets, vanishing in the shadows momentarily. Sometimes appearing further ahead, causing Grace to wonder what her dog was becoming. ¡°In about ten minutes, we need to lower the lamps to almost nothing,¡± Falana stated. ¡°We don¡¯t want to announce our presence too soon.¡± Grace stood off in the distance, studying the new defenses that had appeared overnight. She could see the guard shack had barricades of barrels and sharpened stakes at the bridge that led to the keep. The walls had a few lamps inside them glowing, and Grace wasn¡¯t sure if there were actual archers in the windows, but occasionally she saw movement. Someone is walking between the windows¡­ trying to make us think there is more there than there is. ¡°Three guards at the bridge, two with arrows and bows off to the sides away from the fire. The other has a shield and sword, only standing in the middle,¡± Grace said as she continued surveying their objective. ¡°In the keep walls are a few men walking back and forth, not a full group. Two are all that I can really see.¡± ¡°How can you see all that?¡± Falana muttered. ¡°I can barely make out the two guards near the bridge with the bows, and that''s because I know where to look.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about that,¡± Max said as he glanced back at the group of people behind him. He switched eyes, one open when looking ahead, the other when looking behind. ¡°You look stupid doing that,¡± Grace teased as she watched Max turn back toward the bridge. ¡°Someday, you¡¯ll learn lots of tricks to save your night vision. It¡¯s the difference between life and death sometimes.¡± Nodding, Grace tugged on both Falana¡¯s and Max¡¯s tops. ¡°Marcus is almost back.¡± ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± the man whispered. ¡°When you say go, we¡¯ll charge with the carts. Still seems crazy to think I¡¯m waiting on a girl to throw stones to take out the archers.¡± Max chuckled. ¡°Just wait. You know Cedric believed in her.¡± A pained grunt came from Marcus, and Grace wanted to punch Max for bringing up the memory of that man. ¡°Ok, be ready,¡± Grace said as she moved ahead, scanning the road and openings along the keep. ¡°I¡¯ll be on the left side.¡± ¡°Be safe,¡± Max called out as she left, her hand leaving the thin armor he wore as she went. Lilly sat next to Grace as the two of them watched the guards. Both archers had their bows in their hands, but the arrows still rested in their quivers. ¡°I¡¯ll take out the archers. Can you get the one by the fire?¡± Standing up, Lilly moved along the houses ahead of Grace and stepped into a shadow that even she couldn¡¯t see, vanishing from sight. That is too scary¡­ I wonder if that is how the one guy does it¡­ Taking two stones, Grace held one in each hand and began creeping forward. She knew if the Lord Knight was on the walls, he would see her, so her eyes constantly shifted between the portcullis and the keep. Finally reaching the spot where she felt comfortable with the stone, Grace set herself and saw Lilly suddenly appear near the bridge. The fire burning in the braziers halfway across cast perfect places for her dog to hide in. Setting her feet, Grace rotated the stone in her hand. For what they did to Levi! Like lighting, Grace flashed forward, her body moving so fast that had it been mid-afternoon, no one could have followed her movements completely. The stone left her hand, hurtling straight for the archer on the left, sinking into his head with a thunk. Grace had already hefted the second stone to her right hand after the first one had left her hand, driving herself forward again. She had the second stone on its way as the first archer died. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The only sound that came was the guard by the fire moving to investigate the sound, calling out words Grace couldn¡¯t make out but she could imagine what they were. Four steps after the guard with a sword and shield got near the edge of the bridge, a shadow leaped up at him, clamping down on the man¡¯s throat, biting through the tender flesh. Gurgling sounds came from the man as he tried to call out, but as Lilly and the guard hit the ground, Grace saw her dog pulling the man toward the safety of the shadows on the bridge. Behind her, the sounds of carts and footsteps began, and a quick glance revealed the army she had brought moving up, two lanterns having their covers opened up slightly. Racing toward the bridge, Grace grabbed the barriers, eyes always on the walls of the keep, moving everything she could out of the way. No movement was coming around the guard shack or anywhere else. She had the first few barrels moved to the side, glad their contents appeared to be rocks and nothing liquid or flammable. By the time the sounds of the carts moving got close enough to echo off the walls of the keep, Grace had the first layer of the blockade gone. Movement in the corner of her eye made Grace jump backward as an arrow plinked off the stone of the bridge. A horn sounded, and more shapes began to form in the portcullis. ¡°Move it!¡± Max shouted from behind. Grace ran backward, keeping an eye on the men of the keep, arrows pointed at the incoming mob. ¡°I only got one row!¡± Grace shouted as she reached the people about to find out how dangerous the next part was. ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°Open the lanterns! Point them forward!¡± Light began to spill out as four lanterns directed their light ahead, streaming out toward the bridge. Max spun and looked at Grace, pointing at one of the carts. ¡°You and me are going to carry one. We can use it for a shield and get to the bridge, clearing a path.¡± Nodding, Grace ran with Max to the two carts. One was broader and heavier, and Grace wondered which Max wanted to take until he stopped at the smaller one. ¡°We take this one! You carry it, and I¡¯ll help as needed!¡± People began to complain about what Max asked Grace to do until she tipped it forward and grabbed onto the axles, lifting the eight-foot cart with relative ease. ¡°Holy¨C¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Max snapped. ¡°Be ready with the other! I need strong men and women to carry it sideways. Take your time, but keep it above your head. Once we¡¯re across, we¡¯ll draw most of their arrows!¡± He motioned to Grace, and she started moving quickly, surprised at how easy it really was to lift the cart off the ground. Max held the top part, angling it so the edge was a foot off the ground. ¡°An emissary¡­¡± Marcus¡¯s voice rang in Grace¡¯s ears, but she couldn¡¯t pause to answer or even look. Max pushed her forward, glancing occasionally over the cart''s edge and directing her where to go. ¡°He knows,¡± Grace grunted as they drew closer to the bridge, a few arrows thudding into the opposite side of the cart. ¡°It will make them fight harder,¡± Max replied. ¡°Now left more. Skirt the edge of the bridge. I want us to try to ram those fortifications. If we can break that side¨C¡± ¡°Stop talking and help me build up speed!¡± Grace exclaimed. Max smiled, not caring that Grace couldn¡¯t see it as they ran together in unison, his hands keeping the cart angled just right, the sounds of arrows raining down on the other side. ¡°Five seconds!¡± Max shouted, clamping onto the side of the cart tightly. She felt him pressing down on the cart, lowering the space between it and the road while keeping the angle the same. Max was lifted off his feet for just a moment as they collided with the barrels on the edge before coming back down to the ground, sending them crashing beyond. The sound of wood cracking told her that both the barrels and the cart had been damaged. ¡°Five more steps, then swap. I¡¯ll hold it up. You grab that fortification and toss it!¡± Grunting, she pressed ahead, feeling the barrels on their side moving from the force she was pressing with. On her right, the spiked fortification appeared, and she glanced up at Max, who held both hands on the underside of the cart. ¡°Go! I got this. Just make sure to check before you¨C Grace jumped back, an arrow almost taking her in the face. ¡°Be smart!¡± Max shouted at her. Grace didn¡¯t reply, angry with Max for not trusting her. The moment the arrow had passed, she took one step out, knowing they had to reload, and grabbed with both hands the fortification. Planting her feet, she twisted and heaved, throwing it over the bridge and into the stream below. Immediately, she dodged back behind the protection of the cart, three arrows thumping into the side she had just been and a fourth bouncing off the stone where she had been standing. ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°One more time, but it¡¯s going to be harder,¡± Max told her over the sounds of more arrows striking the cart. ¡°Those barrels are our problem. They weigh a ton and won''t move. You can¡¯t get to them, and we need to get them moved before we can get rid of the last barrier.¡± Grace¡¯s mind was racing, and she knew that Max was right. They were pinned in by the approach, and there was little room to navigate between the bridge and the angle of the arrows. ¡°What if I use my skill? If I use Juggernaut, I can handle the arrows and move that last barrier.¡± Max stood there quietly, weighing the options as the occasional arrow plinked against their line of defense. Glancing behind him, Max saw the group gathered back down the road, waiting for a path so they could join the assault. ¡°That¡¯s a big gamble¡­ are you sure you want to do that?¡± Grace nodded. ¡°I got a plan. Just help me get close.¡± ¡°Grab the cart then. I¡¯ll guide us and set the angle. We¡¯ll need to be careful. Away from the bridge, our legs will be exposed if we¡¯re off just a little bit.¡± Bobbing her head, Grace grabbed the axle and took the weight of the cart from Max. ¡°Whenever you''re ready.¡± Slowly, Max turned the cart, trying to keep his eyes on the keep and the holes in the wall. Arrows bounced off the bridge near their left side when they got away from the wall, proving just how exposed they were about to be. ¡°Careful¡­ a little more¡­¡± Max adjusted his grip, trying to keep his hands moving and not give a target for an archer while shifting closer to the middle of the bridge. ¡°Fire!¡± They heard Marcus¡¯s voice, and Max immediately knew why the man had shouted it. ¡°We need to hurry!¡± Grace could already smell the wood burning on the other side of the cart. 040 - Battle of the Keep The two pushed the cart as quickly as possible, the flames generating heat as more arrows plunged into the cart. Splashes of fire from whatever oil the arrows were wrapped and dipped in caused it to spread faster. ¡°A few more feet!¡± Max yelled, suddenly shifting the angle of the cart when an arrow missed his left leg by only a few inches. Grace felt sweat drip into her hair. Is he that nervous? The bottom of the cart banged into something and stopped. ¡°You¡¯re up! Be fast so we can move!¡± She felt the cart shift from her hands as Max took over, supporting it. Moving to the side, Grace saw the barrier and noticed it was slightly larger than the other two. I guess we¡¯ll find out just how strong I am¡­ Running toward the barrier, Grace immediately saw more flaming arrows coming in her direction. [Juggernaut] Ignoring the sensation that came over her, Grace grabbed the massive barrier and planted her feet, using her hips to lift it up. It was a lot heavier than she had anticipated. The weight of it caused the whole thing to sag from where she was grabbing it in the middle. ¡°Just move it!¡± Max shouted, trying to spur her into action. Dipping with her legs as she hoisted it above her feet, Grace pushed with everything she had, sending it crashing about ten yards away, landing and shattering near the guard shack. In her head, she was counting time. Five seconds remained, and as an arrow bounced off her, she reached into the pouch on her hip, grabbed a stone, and tossed it, sending it through an opening in the wall, sounds of shouting coming from inside. As she turned back to where Max stood, she saw the cart, over two dozen arrows impaled in it and roaring like a log on the fire on its exposed side. Racing back to safety, one more arrow bounced off her side harmlessly as she made it back just a second before she flashed again. ¡°We need to move!¡± Grace exclaimed. ¡°This thing is going to break apart from the fire!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± She grabbed the axles, and the two of them quickly moved through the open space, taking the flaming cart with them as they got near the edge of the walls, out of view from the holes near them. ¡°Put the cart over there!¡± They positioned the cart against the wall, leaving it leaning sideways as the fire and smoke drifted up toward the openings, using the little bit of aid the smoke provided to give them a breather. ¡°Think they will drop stuff on us?¡± Grace asked as she kept her eyes peeled upward. ¡°If they were smart, yes, but that would mean they had time to prepare.¡± A massive rock tumbled from the hole above their pyre, slamming into the burning cart and cracking it. Grace glanced at the bridge where shouts and yells were coming as the people she cared about raced across the bridge, the huge cart lifted over their heads. A grin appeared for a second as she saw the first line of people before the cart, holding out wooden shields crafted from any wood they could lash together. The wall wasn¡¯t great, and a few arrows soon slipped through the gaps, bringing someone down and opening a hole for more to follow. ¡°I need to buy them time!¡± She moved away from the wall, holding stones in each hand, and began tossing them in the only spot she could get them. She would often send one flying into it, the sound of shouts and her projectile clattering against stone with a force the men didn¡¯t expect. ¡°You¡¯re breaking that rock!¡± Max exclaimed. Without pausing, Grace continued her randomly timed assault, buying a few precious seconds as the people slowly made it across the bridge. ¡°There he is!¡± Max pointed out. Brinduol was on the right corner, helping to carry the cart, the rope and hook he had promised wrapped around his upper body. A grin covered the man¡¯s face as he locked eyes with Grace, giving her a nod before yelling with the rest of the people charging toward them. ¡°They''re running out of arrows,¡± Max said as the crowd made it past the bridge and were only about twenty yards away. ¡°Now comes the hard part. You need to get that door open.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Grace nodded and waited anxiously, needing Brinduol to reach her with the rope and hook. A hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her. Max was staring at her. His eyes were narrowed as he gave Grace a gentle shake. ¡°Be smart. Use your brain. You can¡¯t fall from this height without taking damage,¡± he informed her, tapping his temple once. ¡°This all rests on you, so don¡¯t forget why you are doing this.¡± She nodded, the rage of fire in her heart burning as an image of Levi appeared in her mind. Turning her head back toward the street, she could see him a bit away, standing with about twenty others, there to support her if required. ¡°Be careful, little sister,¡± Brinduol said with a smile as he pulled the rope and climbing hook off his chest. ¡°Let it spool here on the ground and toss it up there. That¡¯s the best spot for you.¡± Holding the metal object in her hand by the three-foot tube, Grace studied the three curved hooks. They''re like giant fishing hooks¡­ She gave it a few hefts to get the weight down and then took a few steps back, making sure she and no one else who was rushing the walls, making their way along the walkway and the falling rocks to reach the doors of the keep. ¡°Do it!¡± Max shouted as he began to move with the others. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon!¡± Taking a deep breath, Grace bent down and tossed the hook up and over, watching it fly at the angle she could see in her mind. Brinduol had mentioned using the rope to get enough momentum, but she didn¡¯t need to attempt that. It flew over the top of the wall, and a clattering noise came as it slammed into the other side. ¡°Now pull, slowly,¡± Brinduol said as he backed away. ¡°If it falls, be ready to move and dodge it.¡± She nodded and began pulling the rope slowly, occasionally having to give it a tug before it came loose and started moving again. It felt like forever as she continued pulling, trying to focus on the object above while noise around her echoed off the stone walls. ¡°A little more,¡± Brinduol stated, his eyes focused on the rope. Grace gave a few more hand-over-hand pulls on the rope, watching it coil at her feet until suddenly it stopped. She could make out the hook''s end with the rope hanging slightly over the wall. ¡°Give it three good tugs, not enough to break the rope, but to make sure it¡¯s not going to move!¡± Holding her breath, Grace gave tugs like Brinduol had informed her, and after the third yank on the rope, which didn¡¯t fall, she saw the man smile at her. ¡°Now hang on it for a moment, bounce a little.¡± She did as he said, grabbing on and lifting her feet, suspended only a foot off the ground, and began to bounce quickly. It held solid. ¡°Good! Now, be safe and climb fast! I¡¯ll join you after you reach the top!¡± Smiling, Grace began to climb the rope, hand over hand, barely using her feet as the strength in her arms didn¡¯t require it and would slow her down. The wall began to glide past her as she climbed, the first hole she could see almost near her head. Shouting from inside was easier to hear, and the frustration of what was below and the lack of materials told her they were not prepared enough. At head level, Grace caught a shout from inside and increased her speed immediately, knowing there was no time to waste. ¡°Where is the oil?! We need to drop and light it!¡± Knowing that if the guards covered everyone below in oil and set it on fire, too many lives would be lost. Sections of the rope moved by at a foot or two at a time, each pull of her arms propelling her upward with a speed no ordinary person could manage. Even a sailor would struggle to climb rope as she was, unburdened by body weight and more strength than Max could imagine having right now. The edge of the wall came into her view, and the hook held fast. With five more hand-over-hand movements, she grasped the rough stone, worn down by the elements that weathered it daily. Pulling herself up and over, Grace glanced around at the keep below, seeing a few men rushing around, most of them ordinary men from the town and only the occasional guard. A small ladder ran down to a walkway about twenty yards from her, and she took off in a sprint, pulling her sword from its scabbard as she ran. The sounds of shouting and panic filled this side of the keep, and when Grace made it to the walkway, the door she needed to get into was another thirty yards away. Keeping her body in the shadows and not expecting anyone to look up at her, she raced toward the central area of the keep, running along the battlements, unsure what she would find inside. Tugging gently on the massive metal ring bolted to the wooden door, Grace frowned. It didn¡¯t budge. Feels bolted from the other side. ¡°Bring the oil! It doesn¡¯t need to be boiling!¡± Time was running out, and she didn¡¯t have the luxury of trying to sneak in. Setting the sword against the stone wall, Grace grabbed the metal ring and jerked. The door groaned under the force of her pull but held tight. Biting her lip, she cursed under her breath and tugged again. Some noise came, and the door squeaked, bits of stone popping and dust forming at the seams. Taking a deep breath, Grace closed her eyes and imagined Levi. The vision of what he looked like when she found him, knocked unconscious flooded her mind, and she growled. She yanked on the ring, hearing the bolts holding it in struggle under the strain, but she didn¡¯t care. The door was moving slowly. Something was bending on the other side, and after two more massive tugs, the sound of metal breaking filled the air, and the door flew open, almost sending her flying backward and over the side of the walkway. Regaining her balance, Grace ran toward the opening, grabbing her sword as she moved by and heard the sound of alarm at what had just happened to the door. ¡°Up there!¡± As she rounded the doorway, Grace saw the steps leading down and men trying to carry heavy metal containers filled with what she knew was oil that had vapors rising above it. ¡°Intruder! The guard standing near a funnel system that would pour the oil out onto the people below pointed at her, shouting and drawing attention to her. It only took a moment for her to see that four actual guards were here, and the other half dozen were standard men. Taking the steps three at a time, Grace didn¡¯t pause, caring that the men closest to her were not trained in fighting. Her sword cut through the air and their bodies, taking off one man¡¯s head and, with a second slice of her sword, cut the other commoner in half. Fear filled the second set of men trying to move a container of oil. They obviously hadn''t expected to see a young girl cut down their friends like a butcher breaks down meat. The sounds of boots running toward her and someone shouting took Grace¡¯s attention away from the townspeople, seeing that one of the guards was one she recognized. A sneer filled the man¡¯s face, the one who had treated her with disrespect and wasn¡¯t going to get Knight Michael when she told him to. The curl of a smile began to form on Grace¡¯s lip as she turned and rushed the man, her sword ready for revenge. 041 - The Problem with Quests The guard''s head bounced along the walkway. His metal chain coif had done nothing to stop her blade. Wet stone, covered now in blood, squished under her feet as Grace dodged with elegance and speed that none of these guards were prepared for. She dodged under the wide swing of the guard''s partner, thrusting with her legs and hips, the sword cutting through the chainmail around his chest like a sharp pair of scissors against cloth. The top third of the guard''s body fell onto the stone battlement, filling the cracks with a crimson liquid. Grace spun and raced toward the guard, who was still standing by the gutters for the oil, unable to comprehend the devil in their midst. The black girl striking them down without effort was sprinkled with blood, her hair tied back, and a pair of black eyes that burned with hate. Her gaze left no doubt in the guard''s mind what was about to befall him, and as he struggled to pull his sword free, he took too long, barely halfway from drawing his weapon, when the tip of Grace¡¯s blade pierced his heart. Balethem¡¯s young emissary didn¡¯t pause, ripping the sword from the guard¡¯s chest as the man let go of his weapon and tried to staunch the flow of blood that came like a river. Grace was like a mother animal, defending her child from those who sought to harm it, not caring about the damage or pain it caused. They had made a grave mistake, believing it was okay to act the way they had. Two townsmen joined the death count, one¡¯s arm still attached to the pole of the oil he had been trying to cover her people with. The last guard was racing toward a rope on the other side. Unsure what it was for but knowing it wasn¡¯t good if the man reached it, Grace hurled her sword toward him, watching it spin through the air. A squelching sound came as it plunged inside the man¡¯s back, the blade only stopping from going completely through his body by the hilt that caught against the chain armor. The force knocked the guard from his feet, sending him tumbling a few steps until the sword caught on a stone and stopped the roll. Slowly, the corpse slid down the blade, coming to rest face-first in a pool of blood that was beginning to form. The shouting outside and banging on the wooden doors of the keep told Grace that it appeared most had reached the door and were waiting on her. Glancing around the room, she saw the mechanism Max had described and the lever she needed to work. Moving toward the gears, Grace grabbed the wooden lever and began pulling on it, watching the tooth of the lever spin the gear. As it turned, a metal piece dropped into each slot on the gear as it turned. The brake¡­ so it is engaged. Smiling, she went to work, pulling till the lever was against her chest and then pushing the lever over the insets until it was extended and ready to be pulled again. The shouting got louder, and Grace knew after a dozen pulls that the wooden gate must have lifted enough for people to start making their way through it. Renewed by that knowledge, Grace got to work, pulling until the gear stopped, letting her know it was fully raised. Moving back to the guard who was closest by the oil gutters, she took his half-drawn blade and raced for the stairs. Racing them, she reached the bottom, pushing open the door that led to the courtyard, only to find a throng of her people rushing past, shouting and waving their homemade weapons. ¡°Grace!¡± Max was waiting for her off to the side with a tiny grin on his face. He gave her a slight nod and motioned for her to join him. As she ran toward him, a red box appeared in her vision. ***** Quest Complete ¡ª Lead an army: You have stormed the keep with over fifty people following you. Reward: Ability Gained Choose one Ability: ***** Max saw Grace almost stumble momentarily and realized she was reading something by how her eyes were moving. ¡°What is it?¡± he called out over the shouting. ¡°A completed quest¡­ three choices for an ability.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Max glanced around them quickly and nodded. ¡°No time, give me the choices.¡± ¡°Swordmaster, Armor Mastery, and Sneak.¡± ¡°Mother stuffin''¡­¡± he trailed off, obviously frustrated at the choices. Scowling, he shook his head and motioned to her to follow him as they began to run. ¡°Swordmaster¡­ I¡¯d say¡­ no; just take Swordmaster for now. You need to really know how to fight.¡± Grace nodded and selected that ability. She started to slow down, sensing knowledge of fighting with the blade in her hand she never knew was possible. Everything she had done up until now was crude and mainly relied upon her strength. The elegance of how a blade could be used, the combination of attacks, everything about how to bring death quickly or painstakingly slowly filled her mind. ¡°Yes¡­ it¡¯s a lot, now we need to move!¡± Max shouted back at her. Nodding, she took off, glancing around the keep and how buildings she had never seen were laid out. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Max pointed down the small street and at the building at the far end. It looked majestic, cut from stone, rising high into the night sky, with beautiful curves and arches decorating windows. There were statues along the side and roof, letting all that ever got a chance to see it. They were not in the same class as the person who resided there. ¡°The Lord Knight. He will be in there,¡± Max explained. ¡°What about the priestess? I need to kill her and the acolytes?¡± Grace almost ran into Max with how quickly he stopped and turned. ¡°You have to kill them?¡± he asked, a pained look on his face. Nodding, Grace tried to figure out why Max looked like someone had kicked him in the balls. ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°Killing priests and priestesses is bad news¡­ it will put you on that god¡¯s radar faster than you can imagine. Killing an emissary is one thing. They don¡¯t like that, but the other¡­¡± Max scanned the streets, watching the people run into buildings in groups, the sound of occasional fighting coming from one or two of the structures. ¡°Rewards are bad?¡± Bobbing her head, Grace pulled it up and checked. ¡°I¡¯d lose stats again, and I¡¯d rather not suffer that¡­ besides if I manage to get two, my mental will hit ten.¡± Somehow, the scowl on Max¡¯s face got worse as he nashed his teeth, obviously pained by their forced choices. ¡°Fine¡­ we¡¯ll do it, but know this,¡± Max said as he leaned over her. ¡°This is a quick way to become a target. If you become a target¡­ everyone around you becomes one too.¡± Frowning, Grace pushed down the frustration of that news. ¡°Let¡¯s do it and get it over with. We need to end this tonight.¡± Standing upright, Max scanned the crowd and saw who he was looking for among the torches and lanterns. ¡°MARCUS!!¡± The large man¡¯s voice carried above the din of shouts and fighting, and Marcus spotted them and made his way over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°Block the Lord Knight in, don¡¯t let anyone in. Be safe, and don¡¯t take risks,¡± Max replied as he motioned to Grace. ¡°We need to do something first and then will join you.¡± Glancing at Grace and then at Max, Marcus shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can. Honestly, I¡¯m impressed we¡¯re here this early.¡± Max grabbed Grace''s shoulder and started to pull her in the direction he knew they needed to go. ¡°Just don¡¯t let people be stupid!¡± Max shouted as they ran off. ¡°No one needs to die!¡± Standing before the doors of the temple Max had led her to, situated between two buildings, Grace wondered how something so minor could have such value in her god¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not very big, but I can feel¡­ a presence¡­ does that make sense?¡± Grunting, Max nodded and began moving up the three small steps. ¡°This is special. A god¡¯s temple isn¡¯t like something else.¡± Stopping at the top before the door, Max shuddered, and Grace felt it too. It was like someone had walked over her grave. ¡°Take out the acolytes first, I¡¯ll help with the priestesses.¡± She started to ask a question, but Max was in motion, pushing both doors open and moving inside. Grace followed behind, and the moment she went through the doors, her vision began to fade. The night vision she had grown so used to and being able to see everything was gone. In the temple, the only light came from the candles and torches, and it left her afraid. A single passage with a few candles led to the arches, which opened up into the main area. She could make out the benches for people to sit on and a massive altar and statue of who she assumed must be Grimdom. Candles burned all over, and Grace couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone far more powerful than her was watching every step she took inside. ¡°Do you see them?¡± Max¡¯s question drew her eyes to the three people standing in the temple. Two men with staves and red and white robes were waiting by the last set of benches. Their eyes seemed to glow. For men of the church, they didn¡¯t act like someone who might be afraid of a person with a sword. Behind them and almost blending into the altar was a woman in a dark red robe. Even in the light of the candles, Grace could see that the woman¡¯s hair was red and her eyes¡­ They''re glowing¡­ how the hell are her eyes glowing red?! Grace¡¯s heart began to beat faster, and for the first time in so long, she realized this wasn¡¯t going to be simple. Whatever she was about to face felt far worse than anything else she had known. ¡°Max, should we attempt this?¡± ¡°Fight against the fear. That¡¯s part of all this,¡± Max replied. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a fight with a sword or muscles. She will use magic, what kind I am not certain.¡± Grace felt a lump in her throat and wanted to ask more questions, but they had entered the main room and were now moving past the benches. Max had slowed down to be beside her. ¡°Foolish ones!¡± the woman shouted, her voice almost overpowering Grace¡¯s mind. ¡°How dare you come into this place with intent to kill! Leave now, and perhaps you may have a few more years before Grimdom hunts you down.¡± Every part of her wanted to nod and run out the door. Grace fought against it, her hand and sword trembling as she tried to walk. ¡°Remember why you¡¯re here,¡± Max whispered. ¡°Remember who you fight for.¡± Levi¡¯s smiling face appeared in her mind. It brought her a moment of peace, and then the image of his swollen jaw, bruises, and limp body replaced it. Anger and hatred flooded her, and the fear she had felt a moment ago was burnt away like dry grass in a fire. ¡°She comes because she must,¡± Max said, his voice steady and calm. ¡°Sometimes the gods make choices, and one must obey. Today is that day.¡± Laughter filled the room, and Grace saw both acolytes lower their staves at them. ¡°Prepare to dodge,¡± Max whispered. ¡°It would appear you are correct,¡± the priestess replied. ¡°It seems Grimdom desires both of your lives as well.¡± Without another word or warning, the top of the wooden staves became engulfed in flames, and a gout of fire raced toward her and Max. 042 - The Arms that Help Us Grace knew the fire would be roasting her alive if she had been any slower. Max shouted as the flames came for them, and she took off, breaking to the right side and running along the stone benches. Max had gone the other way, and orange light flooded the inside of the temple as a gout of flames continued to stream from the tips of their staffs after them. Reaching into her stone bag as she ran along the edge of the temple, Grace grabbed a stone with her left hand and threw it awkwardly at the acolyte, trying to kill her. The throw lacked the power of most, and her aim wasn¡¯t what she had hoped for, but it struck the man in his right shoulder, causing him to twist away from her and the stream of fire to end. Not waiting, Grace planted her foot and charged. She sprinted toward the man, grabbing another rock. The acolyte spun around, using the momentum of her stone to lower his staff again in her direction, but this time, she had the angle and momentum she wanted, sending the rock right at his chest. Somehow, the man managed to react in time. His staff turned to block the stone, but the force had been more than he had believed it would be. It knocked his weapon back, smacking him in the face, breaking his own nose from the blow. Never slowing down, Grace was barreling toward the man when a flash of light from where the woman was caught her eye. The man was covered in a green glow and recovered instantly, eyes glaring at her and his staff moving to point right at her as she came. His staff was already on fire. Ten yards separated the two of them, and at this distance and angle, Grace couldn¡¯t dodge him like she had when further away. Her mind worked with a speed that told her the only choice she had. A flash of metal covered the gap in a heartbeat, impaling the acolyte''s chest and causing the staff to go dark. Without a weapon, Grace knew time wasn¡¯t on her side, noticing the acolyte Max had drawn was still sending waves of flame at a stone pillar she knew her mentor had to be hiding behind. This is why I do this! Max was family, and now he was in danger of dying, and Grace couldn¡¯t bring herself to lose anyone else. She dropped down from the bench she had been running on, grabbed the massive stone object in her hand, and sent it flying at the last acolyte. The force it struck with was more than she had expected, creating a mist of red where the stone tore the top third of the acolyte¡¯s body from its torso. The bottom half was still standing for a moment, and the light in the room returned to normal as the flames vanished. A growl like an animal came from the shadows where the priestess was hiding, darkness seeming to exude from her presence. Grace continued sprinting toward the first acolyte, grabbing her sword and quickly cutting off his head, making sure no possible skill could be used to heal him again. The smell of burnt flesh filled her nostrils, and Grace began to step to the side, keeping her eyes on the woman at the base of the massive fifteen-foot statue. She hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but it looked like a man, carved in his prime. Every muscle seemed unbelievably perfect and so lifelike. Grace¡¯s eyes glimpsed up at the top where a frown was etched into the stone face, but above the frown, above a perfect nose, were two eyes that appeared to be watching her. ¡°Max!¡± Grace shouted as she got near the pillar. ¡°Talk to me!¡± Labored breaths came from behind, and she could smell the burnt flesh, realizing that Max hadn¡¯t made it in time to avoid the fire when it first came. Going around to the other side, Grace almost gagged, seeing her friend, her mentor, and her family burnt how he was. One-half of his face was gone, skin charred beyond all recognition, and everywhere else, smoke rose from where his clothes had been melted and burnt into his flesh. He wheezed, unable to talk or say a word. Grace didn¡¯t even know how he was still alive. Without waiting, Grace put her hand against Max. [Heal] The glow of light washed over her friend, and his skin began to crack. Pieces began to fall to the ground, and in moments, new flesh appeared under it, alive and radiant. Max¡¯s breathing returned to normal, and he pushed himself upright against the pillar, using his hands to break and tear the burnt clothes, soon topless before her without a single mark on his arms or chest. Even the hair on his head and arms began to grow back, his eyes watching her, tears forming in them. His lips trembled, and Max winced. ¡°I wish you wouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± he whispered before grabbing her and giving her a quick hug. ¡°What?! Why not?!¡± Grace asked, confused and staring at him before the sound of wind assaulted her ears. ¡°She will do far worse¡­ I had hoped to be able to stop her, and you will have that, but now¡­¡± Max swallowed whatever he was about to say, choking on his grief. Squeezing her shoulder, Max smiled. ¡°Forgive me for what comes next. There isn¡¯t another way.¡± Grace started to speak, but Max put his hand in her face, standing on his own two feet and filling his lungs with air. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°BALETHEM! I am the last! May you be cursed if you cannot take me! Rahumstaph help me to strike down our enemy one last time!¡± The priestess let out a howl of terror and horror, and the temple went absolutely dark, each candle going out completely. A breath passed, and then every candle erupted into a roaring flame of fire. Grace saw Max shaking. His body was practically humming with power. His eyes were filled with a light she had never seen before, and a presence started to push down on her, wanting her to drop to her knees. A red screen appeared, and Grace blinked rapidly over and over as she saw the words on it. ***** Three quests pending ¡ª Kill The Last Emmisary of Rahumstaph: A challenge has been made, and you must answer it. Kill the last follower of Rahumstaph. Reward: Multiple Stats Gained Failure: Death for you and everyone you know ***** No matter how many times she blinked, Grace knew what the quest was and what it meant. Max was breathing rapidly, his body glistening in the light. It was changing as she watched. No longer a man who was weathered and round but instead replaced with a man covered who could rival the stone statue in the temple. Max¡¯s body was transformed into the most muscular man Grace had ever seen or could imagine. His arms looked like he could have just grabbed the keep doors and pulled them open on his own. Legs that made tree trunks envious appeared, and she realized Max had grown another six inches. ¡°You saw the quest¡­ when the time comes¡­ finish it,¡± Max said between breaths. His voice was low, yet Grace could sense the change in it. He no longer sounded like the man she knew. ¡°What? I¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ how?¡± ¡°FINISH IT!¡± he roared, the sound of it almost rupturing her eardrums as he tilted his head back. ¡°There is no other way! You must kill us both!¡± Grace wanted to reply, but the man before her was gone, moving along the temple floor with a speed she knew was beyond anything she could do. Whoever or whatever Max was now was beyond her power to defeat. His burnt pants barely clung to his body as he raced toward the priestess, who had gathered shadows somehow and was sending them at Max. Moving around the pillar, Grace stood there in shock as her brain tried to comprehend what she knew and didn¡¯t want to admit. He¡­ somehow he regained everything¡­ how bad can this woman¨C A thunderclap went off, making her cover her ears as Max collided against the wave of shadows assaulting him, flesh from his body being ripped off yet not stopping him. Max¡¯s fists glowed blue, and he slammed them together, a shockwave of power displacing most of the shadows, forcing the woman shrouded in them backward a few steps. The wave of power washed over Grace and buckled her knees. She struggled to stand from the pressure of a spell blocked by Max¡¯s body, yet still left her weak. Flame rose from the ground where the woman and Max were, hiding them for a moment as the sounds of smashing and more came from the two monsters Grace hadn¡¯t realized existed. Another shockwave came, and the cone of fire was extinguished, showing a burnt man who was pounding with his fists against a shield of some kind as the woman in red struggled to focus, one side of her face looking like a mule had kicked it. ¡°Be ready!¡± Grace jerked at those words, hearing Max shout and knowing it was meant for her. His voice sounded distant and almost not like him. What he was asking seemed impossible. It seemed wrong. Yet on the last line of that red screen was a horror far worse than Grace could imagine. If I don¡¯t stop him, will Max really kill everyone? Will it even be Max? A scream came from the priestess, and a cone of blood came out of it, wrapping itself around Max¡¯s throat. The cord looked stronger than any rope Grace had ever seen. Instantly, the large man stopped trying to beat against whatever shield was there and grabbed the red cord, trying to pull it apart and free himself of it. No matter what he did, it never stopped its grip, squeezing tighter around his neck. Grace saw Max try to slip a finger under it, yet the blood flowed around somehow, not allowing him a way to acquire air. The man¡¯s body flashed green, and seconds ticked away as Max began to beat again on the woman¡¯s shield. A few cracks appeared, but Grace knew how long Max had on his skill. Max¡¯s hand glowed once, and it struck the shield. Clear pieces of something Grace couldn¡¯t figure out fell, a small opening now present. He dug his fingers into it, stripping away the shards he could. ¡°Now¡­¡± The words were almost so quiet. Grace thought for a moment she had heard wrong. Reaching through the hole he had created, Max grabbed the woman as his body flashed green, the coils of blood gripping so hard Grace thought she heard something snap. Max didn¡¯t wait, didn¡¯t let whatever had happened stop him. In a single moment, the priestess was off her feet and pressed against his chest. His face and hers were almost at the same level as the woman growled and thrashed, the blood from her mouth growing thicker with the proximity and squeezing like a snake around its helpless victim. Her mind acted on its own. Inside her, Grace knew what had to happen. There was no time left, and if the priestess won, she would die, unable to fight the monster that she was. Grace also had no doubts that if somehow Max managed to win, holding back because he wanted her to do what he told her to, Levi would die. Her body exploded at a speed she never knew was inside. Desperation, a single last act of hope and mercy, powered her. Her sword glowed in her hand, and in her mind, the skill she had just acquired told her exactly the angle to do what had to be done. The tip pierced the naked flesh of the man who had protected her and Levi for all those months. It passed through the ribs, not hitting a single one as it raced for the heart of the man who had taught her how to be an emissary and how to survive. An empowered blade sliced open the heart of a man she called family who had taught her how to protect her brother at all costs, passing through the tiniest portion of his front ribs and right into the chest of the woman he held in his arms. Grace had felt those arms around her more than once. They had offered protection, a place of comfort, and let her cry till she had no more tears left. Now, they held what Grace couldn¡¯t overcome on her own so that together, she could protect everyone again with Max¡¯s help. As the tip pierced the priestess¡¯s heart, a loud wind came, yet Grace ignored it, driving the sword to the hilt. ¡°Forgive me,¡± she whispered in Max¡¯s ear as the blood that had once been about to remove his head ran down his naked upper half, reaching her hands and skin as she held his shoulder with her left hand. In her right was a sword that didn¡¯t belong to her, yet had done the impossible. A tiny breath of air came from Max as the priestess died, the air seeming to implode around her, yet she wasn¡¯t able to escape the death Grace had delivered. ¡°Protect him¡­.¡± It was like a whisper, heard in that one silent moment as Max¡¯s head went limp, and the three of them fell forward, crashing on top of the priestess from her momentum. Two screens appeared in her vision, and even as she felt power beyond what Grace had ever known, seeing the world immediately in ways she had never imagined, Grace pushed it aside, trying to look at her friend''s face again. Anger filled her as she couldn¡¯t pull the blade out. She tugged on it, but it held firm. It was only then that Grace noticed Max¡¯s body was changing. His skin was no longer tan, but instead, it was turning to stone. The man she had trusted everything with was gone in just a few moments. In his place was a statue of him, toppled at the feet of a god she despised. 043 - Gifts For Taking Lives Grace wanted to cry and sob, but inside her was something different. Her mind knew there had been no other choice. Max knew it. He had told her before this started that he would handle the priestess. The fact that Max had known how this would most likely play out since the moment she shared that quest angered her. Grace had told him she was concerned with losing a few stat points, and he said nothing, agreeing to this path even when he knew what it would cost. That knowledge made her feel like a fool, trading something that had so little value compared to the man whose body was now a statue next to her. Crying would do no good. Instead, Grace had to live worthy of Max¡¯s sacrifice. Everything he had ever told her filled her in a way she hadn¡¯t known was possible. So many notifications fought for her attention, and Grace took one last look at her protector and rested a hand on his stone back. ¡°Find peace, Max, wherever you are. Remember me and watch over Levi.¡± She then turned her attention to the red screens. ***** Quest Completed: Kill The Last Emmisary of Rahumstaph - You have claimed the honor of killing the last follower of Rahumstaph. Reward: ***** Grace sighed, her brain knowing that something like this had happened. Grace felt stronger and faster than ever before. Her mind was able to recall most things immediately and with perfect clarity. There was a connection, a mystical side she knew awaited her just a notification screen away. It was how she had known Max knew this all along. ***** Quest Completed: Kill the Priestess - You have slain the priestess and her two acolytes. Bonus rewards for an impossible feat. Reward: ***** ¡°I¡¯ll rip your throat out for crap like this again,¡± Grace muttered as she looked up at the ceiling. ¡°You knew this was bull and what it would cost me. Stop playing these games or find out what I might be willing to do.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected a response and didn¡¯t care when nothing came. Mental and Spiritual. Her mind and connection to a world she had never known flowed through her. Grace didn¡¯t need to check; she already knew her stats, but a part of her wanted to see it. [Simple Status] ***** Grace Akem Age: 16 Female Senior Initiate of Balethem Physical: 21 Mental: 23 Spiritual: 20 ***** ¡°I never would have imagined. I owe you more than I can repay Max.¡± Her words echoed softly in the silent temple. Checking another notification, Grace smiled. *** Mental Threshold Reached x2 Perk Option Acquired - Choose 2 Perks *** The three options didn¡¯t seem fair, yet it did no good to complain, and it bothered Grace a little, knowing her emotional side was somehow affected by her new mental stat. Mental note. Make sure to treat Levi with the love and attention he needs. Looking at the three choices, Grace considered how each might have their purpose, but the last one was the least needed for now. Perhaps had she only reached a ten like she expected from the quest to kill the priestess, then she would have picked it. Force of Will and Battle Acuity. *** Force of Will Ability Granted: The user is unable to be affected by any mental attacks or abilities for thirty seconds. The ability will activate independently if the user would succumb to an attack. Has a four-hour cooldown. *** *** Battle Acuity Ability Granted: The user can slow down the speed of battle by activating extra brain power. The speed of an opponent''s attack will appear to be moving at a quarter of its normal speed. No additional speed is gained by the user beyond their normal ability. The ability lasts five seconds in real-time and has a one-day cooldown. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. *** A smile appeared as Grace knew how much potential each of those abilities would have in keeping her alive and safe. *** Physical Threshold Reached Perk Option Acquired - Choose a Perk *** Grace snorted and looked at the three choices, realizing that the first hard choice was upon her. It took a moment as she considered all the options, yet only one seemed to be the obvious choice. Regeneration. *** Regeneration Ability Granted: The user will now heal ten times the normal pace of natural healing. Bones will mend within an hour. Natural resistance to disease, poison, and other effects is granted. Cannot regenerate limbs naturally. The ability can be activated for thirty seconds. During that time, all healing occurs at two hundred times the normal pace of natural recovery. Bones will repair and mend within thirty seconds. Cooldown is twenty-four hours. *** Grimacing slightly, Grace would have preferred not to need the ability by being stronger against it, but Max had made it clear how powerful it could be. Waiting was the last notification, and Grace was excited to see what might be there. *** Spiritual Threshold Reached x2 Magical Mana Lines Open Perk Option Acquired - Choose 2 Perks *** Grace shook her head in wonder at the options listed before her. Magic¡­ actual magic, and I can now use it. The idea of magic seemed impossible for most of her life, yet now Grace knew it was real, and nothing else seemed to matter. Choices like this were not easy, and each had advantages and disadvantages. Four offensive spells and one that left Grace wondering what it could really mean. Fire seemed great until you caught a house or someone else on fire, but that also could work in one''s favor if they decided that was necessary. Wind might be harder to see and dodge, but not knowing how wide or far it might go also left questions. The ice spear seemed like a cool option. If she could hold it and use it like a weapon, she could always be armed. Yet, with my physical stats right now, I¡¯m not sure that matters¡­ The lightning one was off the table immediately. Knowing it would arc meant it would be good for multiple enemies, but if the spell didn¡¯t distinguish between friend and foe, it could quickly limit her use. Wind Blade Spell. *** Wind Blade Spell Granted: The user can form a magical blade that is difficult to see with the naked eye. Blade size can be adjusted from six inches in length to three feet. The shorter the blade is, the more power behind it. It can be launched up to one hundred yards away and strikes with a power equal to the Spiritual stat divided by two. Travels faster than an arrow. Higher levels can cut through solid metal objects and solid stone. Magical equipment may be impossible to penetrate depending upon the quality of it. Up to four uses can be stored, and it takes four hours to regain one use. *** Grace nodded, glad she had something that would allow her to cast at a single person. With her offensive power chosen, she decided to gamble on the last option. Recall Spell. *** Recall Spell Granted: The user can set a home point and return to that point once a week if within range. The range is determined by Spiritual spell times twenty miles. It takes one minute to set a home point. Home point can be reset once every week. The Recall spell takes the user, their items and anyone they are in contact with and within three feet of them. Requires ten seconds to cast the spell. *** Grace¡¯s eyes went wide at the potential uses this spell had. Being able to travel up to four hundred miles in a moment had a lot of possibilities. The added perk of being able to take Levi was even better. Knowing she was needed outside the temple, Grace turned, giving one last glance at her fallen mentor and walking toward the temple''s exit. I should be grateful that it is harder to acknowledge the pain I should feel for losing Max¡­ ¡°Grace?¡± She shook her head and answered the question Marcus knew even before he asked it. ¡°The priestess was harder than I realized, and I¡¯m afraid it cost him his life in order for us to kill her.¡± A few gasps came from those standing guard outside of the manor. Those who knew the power of a priestess were shocked that Grace and Max had managed to accomplish that feat. ¡°He¡¯s inside with three guards,¡± Marcus stated, moving past the obvious questions he had. ¡°Are you certain you want to go inside by yourself?¡± ¡°All I need is your sword, and I shall return soon. Judging by the numbers I see here, we managed to escape mostly unscathed.¡± The older man nodded at her and frowned as he drew his sword from his sheath. ¡°Thank you, Marcus,¡± Grace said, taking the sword he held out and started appraising it. ¡°You have a remarkable sword. I guess that means I should ask sometime who you fought for and why you quit.¡± Coughing, the man shook his head, surprised by Grace¡¯s statement. ¡°Are you ok? You¡¯re¨C¡± ¡°Different? Yes, it¡¯s because of what I am and my growth. I am sorry, but the emotional girl who was before you today is not here. All I see are the different options to end this path we are on. I think you would agree. Max would prefer us to set the course for a new tomorrow, and all it takes is me going in there and ending the man¡¯s life that caused so much of our pain.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes were wider than usual, and Grace saw his pupils dilate slightly, his jaw muscles tightening as the man tried to absorb what she said. Use emotion¡­ find a way¡­ otherwise, it will be harder to get things done¡­ Grace grinned, forcing herself to do so, knowing it was what this moment needed. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, I promise,¡± Grace said as she gave Marcus a gentle squeeze on the arm. ¡°After that, we can go from there. Just do me a favor and make sure Levi is ok.¡± He nodded, responding better to her tone and smile. Grace strode toward the doorway of the keep. The door was gone from its hinges. ¡°Lord Knight!¡± Grace shouted as she stood outside the door for a moment, flicking her head quickly into the opening and back. Closing her eyes for just a moment, Grace saw the room perfectly. Inside the grand entrance were the three guards and their leader. A large table was overturned in the middle, and each guard had a bow and arrow ready and prepared to draw. The Lord Knight stood behind them in plate armor, holding a sword and shield, the mark of Grimdom on it. Flowers were strewn on the floor, broken vases nearby. Chairs had been flung forward to create a barrier for those who came in, and two laps were near the door to help them see anyone who made it past the kill zone they had set up. It was a flawless defense in a place they controlled. No doubt there were traps and other warning spots to let them know if someone came in a different way. ¡°Surrender now, and I¡¯ll make this death quick and painless,¡± Grace shouted through the doorway. ¡°Or don¡¯t, and I¡¯ll enjoy extracting my revenge for all that you¡¯ve done to me and my family.¡± Laughter came from inside the hall, and Grace could imagine the looks on the men¡¯s faces. She had no doubts they expected to hold out and survive. After all, they had an emissary of Grimdom with them. ¡°Grumbderd, who do you think you are, child?¡± the Lord Knight called out. ¡°I¡¯ve spent generations growing stronger, and you are just a child! I will do horrible things to you and then find your brother again and make him watch me kill him slowly.¡± Grace couldn¡¯t help but smile. It made sense he wouldn¡¯t give up, but a part of her felt it was better to offer it. Now, she felt no remorse for what she was about to do. 044 - The Power of Love Glancing again through the doorway, Grace couldn¡¯t help but smirk at how the men with the bows hadn¡¯t moved. They were trained, not wasting an arrow. She summoned a Wind Blade. Even though it was her first time, Grace knew how it would work. No doubt in her body, spirit, or mind about how to control and use it. Grace tested it further, excited to find she could summon two more simultaneously. Now, three invisible blades, each a foot wide, hovered inside the doorway, impossible to see. Smirking because it felt unfair for what she was about to do, Grace looked at the group of people staring at her, wondering how she would be able to get through the doorway and defeat the Lord Knight. The mana inside her swirled as the blades hovered, begging to be released in the direction she aimed them. The feeling was wonderful and yet overwhelming as she knew there had to be people like the priestess and Max who were far stronger and deadlier than she was even now. This problem first. Then get Levi safe. No flick of her wrist was needed, so the blade sped through the doorway, each slicing off the guards'' heads with the bows. The sound of bodies and heads hitting the ground was all she needed to hear, turning to enter the doorway smiling as she came. ¡°Impossible!¡± the older man shouted as he looked at the men dead at his feet. His eyes came back to her, and the sight of one so young, so tiny, yet covered in blood caused him to consider his options. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it,¡± Grace called out as the man shifted toward one of the fallen bodies. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you as I did them. Your only choice now is to fight me with that sword and see if you¡¯re anything at all like I heard you were.¡± The Lord Knight hesitated, glancing down at the bow and arrow within reach, trying to decide if Grace was bluffing. She walked and glided like she was moving through a park, not a care in the world. An aura of danger seemed to resonate from her to his trained eye, and the man struggled to believe she could be this strong. He knew if she had another use of that spell and used it on him, the odds were not in his favor, as the precision and destruction on his men was not something he had seen in ages. ¡°You wish to duel me? One-on-one?¡± he asked before starting to laugh, moving slowly around the table as he shifted his shield into a better position and regripped his sword. ¡°You do realize I¡¯m not like the rest of the cattle you have struck down.¡± Grace nodded at him, only a slight smirk on her face, not caring how much the older man scowled. ¡°Seems then you should be in a good position,¡± Grace replied, continuing her walk, now only ten yards separating them both. ¡°Do you need a moment to prepare, or are you ready?¡± ¡°Why would I need a moment?¡± he replied, scowling even more, his eyes narrowing for the slightest moment before returning to normal. ¡°You¡¯re trying to upset me.¡± Grace nodded once and raised her sword slightly. It was a little longer than the one she had used earlier, but the weight of it was far better, and the blade was made of something stronger than the rest. I¡¯m very interested in knowing what Marcus did before he came here¡­ ¡°I was returning the favor since you thought mocking me and my brother would make me rash. Instead, it just sealed your fate,¡± Grace stated as she adjusted her stance, setting her feet and bending her knees so she was perfectly balanced. The Lord Knight saw how she stood and scowled once more as he charged. He knew her stance and that this wouldn¡¯t be the fight he had hoped for. His sword came at her on the right side, and she brought her sword up, parrying the blow and stepping sideways to avoid the shield he had attempted to hit her with. He readjusted, kicking his leg out to try and trip her as he stood close, but Grace lifted her foot up, dodging the strike, and gave a push with her hand on his shield, forcing him to stumble backward a step, his body off balance from the leg sweep. Adjusting his grip on his sword, the older man came again, faster than the other guards, still testing her defenses and responses, reacting much quicker than even the Knight Michael had. His blade moved with speed and skill from a lifetime of use. Each strike was perfectly measured, not leaving him open to an attack while also setting him up to use his shield if an opening came. Grace saw the movements and recognized the strikes as her sword skill told her what the man was doing. It was like a dance, a downward strike, turned into an upward one, shift to the right, coming across before a shift of his hips, and the sword switched directions, returning to its original position. A scowl appeared on the man¡¯s lips as everything he tried to do failed, never striking the area he aimed for. Each time he tried to use his shield, she simply pushed him away, using his momentum against him. He came at her, his sword flashing green, and Grace¡¯s eyes widened. She didn¡¯t know what skills he might have, and even though she knew the older man was weaker, an empowered strike could destroy her weapon and injure her badly. Jumping back and to the right, she put a few yards between her and the older man, who almost stumbled as he tried to catch her. She backed up, dodging left and right, zig-zagging back and forth, making the knight of this keep look like a fool, struggling to catch her. His weapon flashed green again. ¡°Fight like a¨C¡± ¡°Man?¡± Grace called out, cutting him off and watching his face turn red. ¡°Please, when have you ever fought fair? When have you not hidden behind your men while you do horrible things? Did you come personally into the town and burn every house or stay behind these walls, content to simply order the death of so many.¡± As she taunted him, calling out his weakness, Grace watched as the man seemed to get desperate, wild swings now taking place. She stopped falling back and set herself again, parrying and sidestepping, staying close and listening to the man breathe. His nostrils flared, and his eyes burned with hatred. His sword flashed green again, and as it did, he spoke. ¡°I command you to stop moving.¡± A gentle chill ran through her mind, and Grace smiled, activating a skill she had been waiting for. [Evasion] The sword moved like lightning, and Grace realized he had used Flurry [Battle Accuity] The blade thrusting toward her slowed down, and Grace watched as time seemed to stretch on. She could dodge and parry the strikes because of her evasion skill, but she wanted to see how the Accuity ability worked. Here, in a perfect moment where there was nothing to fear, Grace watched as the Lord Knight¡¯s blade and her danced, each almost touching the other, close enough for mist to form on the blade if she breathed on it. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. When his skill deactivated and time sped back up, Grace couldn¡¯t help herself anymore. She smiled, grinning so devilishly the older man pulled back, staring at her in surprise. ¡°How? How did you resist my¨C¡± Grace was done. She had tested the man, and he was worthless. He had no skill, and the little tricks he had hoped would work had failed. The way he stood there now and how he sought some explanation for what he should have known from the start frustrated her. This was the man I feared? An old, weak shell of a man¡­ Her blade lanced forward, scoring a strike on his shoulder, right between the joints of his armor, as she stepped to the left, thrusting it up and in. His sword arm immediately went slack, the blade clattering to the ground as she shattered the socket. ¡°Wait-¡± Ignoring his cry, Grace moved in, tossing her sword into the air, grabbing his shield, and pulling so hard with both hands that she lifted him off the ground. With a twist of her hips, she brought him down onto his back, slamming into the stone floor, causing chips to splash out to the sides. His grip on the shield expired as the air in his lungs was forced out, and she freed the shield from his hand, tossing it sideways and catching the sword she had tossed up. With a speed and strength that outclassed the man completely, she drove the sword into his left shoulder, once again destroying the socket and now rendering both arms useless. With her foot, she slammed down on the top of his kneecap, shattering the bone and joint that had hoped the armor would protect it. A second later, the second leg suffered the same fate. Screams of pain and agony tried to come from the man¡¯s lips, but he was still trying to draw breath, unable to fill his lungs enough to make anything more than a wheeze and a wail. Satisfied with how she had incapacitated the Knight, Grace grabbed his ankle, gripping it tight, and began to drag him over the stone floor and toward the door. When he finally got enough air to breathe, it was immediately let out as each bump and yank set every joint on fire. Like a child dragging a toy doll behind them, Grace treated the one everyone had feared as nothing, knowing they needed to see him broken. The sound of the Lord Knight''s armor scraping and bumping against the stone tiles spilled into the area where everyone was waiting outside. His body clanged down each step, cries and wails leaving the old man¡¯s lips when she finally reached the bottom of the short set of stairs. Another twenty yards of humiliation gave everyone enough time to come close and see what Grace had brought. Torches and lamps dotted the crowd as they encircled Grace and the man who had caused nightmares for most. Every eye in the crowd was filled with rage and anger. ¡°Kill him!¡± someone shouted, and other voices quickly called out the same. The people began to move closer, shouting and brandishing their weapons. Grace could make out each of their faces, not limited by the light like the rest. Their fear was gone, replaced with a chance to grasp an act of revenge most never dreamed would come true. Holding up her hand, Grace was tiny compared to the crowd, but when she yelled, the voice that came out was like a lion roaring in the jungle. Silence fell upon the men and women, and they all stared at her in shock. ¡°This is my prize,¡± she stated, her voice conveying there would be no arguing. ¡°I could have killed him inside, carried his corpse, and dropped him at your feet, but I knew that wasn¡¯t what you needed to see. You need to watch as I end his life.¡± Grace saw Marcus moving toward her, extending a torch so everyone could see her face. Nodding, she took it from the man and smiled. Remember to show emotion. ¡°You all know what we have suffered under this man,¡± Grace continued, pointing at the Knight with her sword, the torch illuminating her face. ¡°It is because of him our families are dead, our loved ones are buried, and we had to become animals for a while, scraping to get by.¡± A few whimpers and sobs came from the Lord Knight, yet Grace ignored him, immune to whatever he might say or do. ¡°We banded together, found hope, and they poisoned it, trying to kill us while we lay sick. This man oversaw it all. He kidnapped my brother in the dark of night, planning on using him to torture me in some way.¡± Grace moved till she was standing over the man. Putting a foot against his forehead, she glared at him. ¡°You thought you could see a world without us. You were wrong.¡± Poking the tip of the sword into his left eye, Grace ignored the screams of pain that came from the man. Some of the crowd had moved back, stunned by Grace¡¯s action, unsure if this was what they had expected or hoped for. The man howled in pain, cursing and screaming as blood ran down his cheek. She spun around and kneeled down, one knee on his chest. Holding the torch between his and her face, Grace shook her head slowly, without expression. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the quest, I would let you live blind and unable to walk or move. I¡¯d tell Marcus and the others to keep you alive, no matter how much you begged for death, just so that we could always see how weak you really are. Instead,¡± Grace paused, pressing the tip of the sword against the Lord Knight¡¯s throat. ¡°There is no option but to kill you.¡± She didn¡¯t hesitate or wait for a response, having become immune to the man¡¯s cries and shouts. The sword pierced through the man¡¯s jaw and up into the back of the skull, severing the spinal cord and continuing through the tiny hole at the base, coming to a stop inside his brain. He thrashed for a second and then stopped. Two red notifications appeared, and Grace ignored them as she pulled the sword free, flicking it at the ground quickly to clean it before turning and handing it to Marcus, who stood nearby, his face like flint. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± With those two words, Grace moved through the crowd, headed to find her brother, unsure what tomorrow would bring. As she walked past the keep and the open gate, a person appeared, and she didn¡¯t miss a step, turning to see the man who had started this all. He wore the mask of the young man, fit, taller, and wearing the same black clothes he always had on. ¡°Well done, Grace. Well done,¡± he said, his tone one of approval. ¡°I must say I wasn¡¯t sure if¨C¡± ¡°Just get to the point,¡± Grace said, cutting him off. ¡°I don¡¯t need my arse kissed or smoke blown anywhere.¡± His dark eyes locked onto her matching pair, and he grinned, nodding for a moment. ¡°Very well. Enjoy this moment. It won¡¯t last, but you have earned a break. I¡¯ll return soon enough, and you must be ready to leave. Grimdom is going to come for you. I¡¯ll need to take you somewhere to prepare and grow stronger.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± Laughter filled the small enclosed space between the keep where the gate protected as the man howled with delight. ¡°Check your stats. You have been marked.¡± Grace watched as he moved into the shadows, vanishing as always a moment later, and she shook her head, frustrated at his appearance. Levi is worth this¡­ he will always be worth this. [Status Check] ***** Grace Akem Age: 16 Female Senior Initiate of Balethem Enemy off Grimdom Physical: 21 Mental: 23 Spiritual: 20 Abilities: Persuasion Juggernaut Heal Evasion Empower - Advanced Swordmaster Battle Accuity Regeneration Air Blade Spell Recall Spell ***** Two notifications still begged for her attention, but she didn¡¯t care. Levi was standing on the bridge, a fire going as a group stood near a few barrels they had moved to provide some protection from town. He was laughing, listening to someone tell a joke. Picking her pace up, Grace moved faster, her heart cracking under the strain it had held back. A flood of emotion smashed against the wall she had erected for the last few encounters. She was jogging and then sprinting until he was just a few yards away, and he saw her coming. ¡°Sister!¡± Tears fell like rain during the season when the clouds are full of water. Yet joy broke through the barrier surrounding her heart as Grace picked up her little brother, squeezing him tight and feeling him hug her. ¡°I love you,¡± she whispered, kissing his cheek softly. ¡°I know,¡± Levi replied, squeezing her tighter. ¡°I love you too!¡± Book update / Rewrite To anyone out there still following I wanted to give everyone a heads up. My daughter and I love this story and so after a lot of time, realized it needed a lot of love. We got a dev edit and saw a lot of the flaws. Currently in the process of fixing this and the goal is to hopefully have the complete re-write done. Some stuff will be the same, but there is a lot of changes (both world building / system stuff / new parts / etc). The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. We''ll end up doing a total relaunch most likely on Royal road and wanted to let you all know. I''ll do another post before taking down. Goal is to publish it this year on Amazon and then start working on book 2. It''s been a blast getting to sit down with my daughter and watch her grow and mature. It''s also been scary seeing how much she loves dark stuff! (haha) Just a short note as a few people reached out about book 2. Which is basically in the works after we finish redoing book 1!