ã€ŠCall of the Hunter&#x27;s Markã€‹


 Prologue: The Path of A Man part 1

    In the world of Tearna, where one''s path is set at birth, all are born to play a part. Be it tree cutters or kings, all have a role to play, every piece, a place. In this way, the world can continue to turn through the cycles.

    Landrin Cain had always known and accepted this and his place in it as a simple fact of life.

    In the Kingdom of Crowngard stood a backwater village called Aarondale, It being just a short walk over the hill from the city of Shildegrave. But at some point, they had decided that having a city spring up on their doorstep wasn''t enough incentive to move. Which, over the centuries, had become a point of pride and some celebrity for the village. Enough to attract tourists already visiting the city to come to take a look around.

    However, most who came were those who couldn''t afford to stay in the city or those who had been kicked out and needed a place to stay the night.

    Aside from a troublemaker or two every now and then, those who most often took advantage of the village were merchants looking to sell in the city without paying expensive boarding and storing taxes.

    One such merchant would become a constant source of misery for Landrin.

    As the oldest child, it was only expected that he would follow after his father and become a Crafter like him and even, one day, have the family Class item passed down to him as it had been to his father from his father and so on back to the founding of the village.

    That was until Obern Dell snaked his way into Landrin¡¯s life.

    Black tongue Dell was everything hated about the merchant class, all bundled into one aged husk of a viper in human skin.

    If there was one thing known about merchants, then it was if they didn''t know you, a merchant would watch you get robbed by another of their Class before stepping in to sell you something that would no doubt fix the problem you just got yourself into. Unless that Merchant was Dell, then any merchant would do everything within their power to warn you about him. That was how hated he was.

    Unfortunately for Landrin and his family, they didn''t know any of this when he knocked on their door one day.

    The morning his life changed started like any other. Landrin woke to the sound of his mother calling his name, washed up, and dressed before looking at himself in the little mirror in his room. Checking the scratch on his cheek; he had gotten the day before. Much as his mother had complained about it leaving a mark, it looked like it was healing just fine and was already hard to see.

    After, Landrin looked at himself and frowned. Something that had become part of his morning routine.

    Landrin was eleven years old, and in a few months, he would be twelve and be able to start gaining levels, yet¡­

    He was still so thin. He had thought he would start looking more like his father, but he seemed a long way from that as he looked at himself.

    He had his father¡¯s hair, a black so dark as to remind you of a winter night, something that he was secretly proud of, being one of the only three people he knew to have it. Aside from that, he didn¡¯t look much like him, at least in the way Landrin wished. His father was tall with muscles the size of Landrin¡¯s head, whereas when he flexed, all Landrin saw was a little lump.

    No, the more time passed, the more he believed those who said he looked more like his mother. Landrin had his mother¡¯s eyes which he knew he didn¡¯t dislike; he was just as proud of them as his hair. They were an azure blue and flecked with gold, Like the Lapis stone in the hairpin his father had made for her, which she was never seen without.

    That, along with his hair, had led to no end of attention from the older women of the village for Landrin and just as many pinched cheeks. That was to say nothing of the fact that several had tried to make a deal with his family to have him marry a daughter or some other female relation over the years.

    But with the confidence that could only exist in a child''s mind, Landrin looked at himself again, sure that he would begin to look more like his father once he started levelling.

    ¡®Lan!¡¯ His mother called again, and he dutifully obeyed. Leaving his room and running down the stairs. Lan turned around the corner and bumped into his father, who caught him before he fell.

    ¡®What did I say about running in the house,¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said in a voice as solid as the ground itself, ¡®what if it had been your mother or young brother you ran into like that?¡¯ He asked, sitting him down.

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have hurt my head,¡¯ Lan said, rubbing his forehead where he had collided with his father.

    When he didn¡¯t look amused, Lan looked down. ¡®Sorry¡­¡¯ Despite the frown that had been there a moment earlier when Lan chanced a look, he found a slight smile on his father¡¯s face.

    Unlike his own, Lan¡¯s father kept his hair short and rarely let his beard grow, although that was more for his mother. Who would often say she liked looking at his face more than for any practical reason.

    Which had always been a point of confusion for Lan back then, as she would always stare daggers at anyone else who did so.

    ¡®Go eat before it gets cold,¡¯ he said, tussling Lan¡¯s hair and waving him passed. As Lan entered the dining room, he found his mother setting plates on the table. Her long chestnut hair was tied up in a ponytail held up by her hairpin. Dressed in a spring dress and apron, she looked at him with a smile that turned into a pout.

    ¡®Oh, Lan, I told you to comb your hair. You look a mess,¡¯ His mother said after taking one look at him.

    Lan tried to explain that he already had but stopped as his father took his seat and gave him an innocent look.

    ¡®Never mind, you can do so later. Sit down,¡¯ much as Lan¡¯s mother tried to be stern, it was often undermined by her overly coddling nature.

    As he moved to sit, Lan saw his little brother Silas watching from the table.

    ¡®Moring,¡¯ he said in a small voice.

    ¡®Come on, you need to say it louder, or no one is going to be able to hear you,¡¯ Lan said loudly and watched as Silas¡¯s face turned bright red.

    Silas was the spitting image of Lan, only without their mother¡¯s eyes, but looked even more like their mother aside from that, and despite Lan¡¯s best efforts, Silas seemed trapped in his shadow.

    Even when they played outside, Silas held on to Lan¡¯s hand all the time, like not doing so would be the end of him. Which Lan was sure was the only thing driving his little brother to keep up with him when they played, even though he was three years younger. And even if he could only do so for a while before Lan had to carry him back home.

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    Nevertheless, Lan was sure he would start opening up with a little more effort.

    After the meal of eggs, bacon and fried bread, Lan¡¯s mother cleared the table and came to stand behind him.

    ¡®Are you ready to try looking inward again?¡¯ she said, placing her hands on his shoulders.

    ¡®Yes,¡¯ He nodded and closed his eyes.

    As Lan¡¯s birthday closed in, he had started trying to find his Innerself, and his mother seemed as determined for him to do so as much as he was, taking time in the morning to try and help Lan find it.

    ¡®The Innerself is all that you are, laid bare. In this way, we can improve. The inner self is the true self, so you may never stray from your path. The Innerself is the window to your soul; in this, you can stay true to who you are.¡¯

    As Lan¡¯s mother spoke, he tried to hold the words in his mind as he looked for his Innerself, which he had almost found a few times before it slipped through his hands.

    Everyone would eventually find it after their first Level. But it was believed that the younger one could find it the better for them, and it was seen as a sign of a lot of promise in those that could find it earlier. Some even said it was a sign that one would use magic one day, and he was determined to find it before his next birthday.

    Almost as if the thought was the key he was looking for. Lan saw a small blue light appear somewhere between thought and sight.

    Lan''s mother¡¯s hands squeezed his shoulders as he tensed. This was the fourth time he had gotten as far as to see the light, and he tried to not get too excited this time.

    ¡®Look closer, Lan and allow the light to grow. Let it grow solid in your mind.¡¯

    Lan tried and, a moment later, saw Runica forming around the light. The mythic language of the gods said the exact words his mother had repeated, and Lan started to speak them.

    ¡®The Innerself is all that I am, laid bare.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother squeezed his shoulders a little more before fighting to relax.

    ¡®In this way, I can improve. The Innerself is the true self, so I may never stray from my path. The Innerself is the window to my soul; in this, I can stay true to who I am.¡¯

    A blue light filled Lan¡¯s sight when he spoke the last word. Flinching, Lan fell back before his mother stopped him from falling from his chair.

    When his view cleared, Lan found that his sight had changed. Around each corner of his sight were framed by braided Runica. In the bottom left corner was a small red flame, while on the left a small blue one that was almost a tenth the size.

    Looking around, Lan found the change of point of view felt more natural than what had been before.

    [Welcome.]

    Lan flinched again as a voice he had heard once before filled his mind, memories of that day filling his mind as a small white Runica circle appeared in the middle of his view. A voice Lan could never forget but had hoped he one day would.

    [You have opened your eyes to the world as it truly is. For this, the Lords of Light have granted you the power to look within. May it aid you through your path.]

    [Inner sight: Unlocked. Grants you the ability to interact with parts of your Tome with passive thoughts.]

    [Innerself Tome: Unlocked: Grants you access to your Innerself Tome and the manifestation of one¡¯s Innerself.]

    Blinking hard, Lan looked at his mother, who, already knowing, had tears in her eyes. With this, Lan was the first one in his group to gain their Tome.

    Silas jumped with terror on his face as their mother wrapped Lan up in a huge hug. He calmed a moment later and grinned at Lan when he realised it was a good thing. While their father gave him a proud smile before patting him on the head when his mother let him go.

    After some time, Lan was left alone to listen to the voice talk him through the Tome.

    [Name: Landrin Cross]

    [Level: None]

    [Title: Child]

    [Race: Human]

    [Health: 10/10]

    [Mana: None]

    [Attributes:]

    [Strength: 5]

    Body: 5

    Will: 5

    Dexterity: 5

    Mind: 5

    [Charisma: 5]

    [Abilities:]

    [Hidden: unranked]

    Hidden: unranked

    [Hidden: unranked]

    [Skills]

    [None]

    ¡®So this is me,¡¯ Lan thought as he looked at the page in the floating book of crystallised dark blue glass that had appeared when he had started to wonder why the Innerself was called a Tome.

    Lan found that he could still manifest the Tome over his sight like before, and he would later learn that that was how most people saw it, with only a few people being able to see it as a real Tome.

    Within this form, there were only two pages of the book. Even though it looked to have more half-inch thick pages, they couldn¡¯t be turned to.

    Although the Tome followed him, Lan could also touch and move the spectral book around. He could also get more information from the voice when he asked.

    Not needing an explanation of his name. Lan moved on to Level even though it had been explained to him before at school.

    [The Nature of Levels ¨C Levels are the milestones in your Soul''s growth through the experience you gain. Once you reach one of those milestones, also known as Leveling up by mortals, the gathered experience manifests as attribute points.

    You will find that your Level will affect many things in your life, both placed there by other mortals and by the will of the Lords of Light.

    For example some items, you will need a certain level to link to yourself. This is a fundamental way to determine if you can use that item effectively. In the case of the Lords of Light, it is a way to judge one''s worthiness.

    Notice - This is a small example of all the ways your Level will play a role in your life.]

    Even though Lan had heard something similar before, having it coming from the voice made it seem grander. Although gaining levels was a large part of life, no matter what you did.

    Having only what people told him to go off didn¡¯t paint the complete picture. Hearing the voice and seeing the Tome made him feel like there was a whole aspect of life that he had yet to understand.

    Even though Lan didn¡¯t think he needed an explanation of Titles, the voice started on its own when he focused on it.

    [The Nature of Titles - On the surface, Titles are just as they seem, an indication of identity or job. However, there are Titles that are more than just so. For example, the Title of Noble or Lord depending on how high this title is, can give the wielder dominion over the land itself. Those with these titles also radiate an aura of authority that others can sense.

    Some titles can be more impactful, some have not been seen in centuries, and some have yet to be found, but all matter.]

    Although Lan knew that some titles had different effects, like the title of Child making it so he couldn¡¯t gain levels, the part about titles never seen before had his mind racing.

    ¡®How do you find a title no one else has?¡¯ Lan tried asking the voice.

    [The easiest way is to do something that no one else has before¡­]

    Hearing this, Lan sighed and flopped back onto his bed, the Tome moving to float above him. That didn¡¯t seem easy at all.

    Feeling like he had a good idea of what race was. Lan looked to the next and winced.

    [The nature of Health.]

    ¡®Wait, no stop!¡¯ Lan jumped up. ¡®I don¡¯t need to hear that one,¡¯ he blushed even though no one was in the room and looked to the next one. If there was anything he needed explaining, that was certainly not it.

    [The nature of Mana - Mana is the remnants of the world''s creation and is the first form of magic.

    Some are born with the power to harness and use this power as their own. At least briefly, before it becomes part of the world again. As you can only hold so much within you and never forever.]

    This brought an image of throwing around fireballs and fighting against dragons with a wall of ice. No one said that he couldn¡¯t become the first hero crafter. In some of the stories, the heroes would make their own weapons.

    So no one could say that he couldn''t do it. He was almost halfway there already. Lan laughed before focusing again and looking to the next.

    [The nature of Attributes ¨C Attributes are the different aspects of your physical and mental self. Investing in each of them with Attribute points will increase them. Each Attribute may be the same for all, but each can be shaped to encompass a range of forms.]

    This Lan already had some idea about. To become a crafter, he would need to focus on Dexterity, Strength, and Mind, with some Charisma to help with selling. At least, that was what his father said.

    How much of each he would find out once he started training. Looking to the next thing on the page, Lan frowned.

    [The nature of Abilities ¨C Abilities are the third form of magic. It is also the widest range and strictest form of magic, from seeing in the dark to flying and even turning your skin to stone.

    Abilities are vast in the forums they come in but shallow in depth.]

    ¡®But why do I have three abilities, and why are they hidden.¡¯ Lan asked, touching them and having nothing happen.

    [You have yet to meet the conditions to awaken those abilities.

    Notice - that locked abilities can be inherited abilities and, in some cases, are considered lost even to the family.]

    ¡®Right¡­¡¯ he sighed. All that did was make him want to know what it was even more. Maybe it was something that no one else had seen before. Maybe he can talk to animals or something. Flying sounded good too.

    [Without mana, one would need wings or something similar to fly.]

    With his hopes dashed, Lan moved on to the last thing on the page.

    [The nature of Skills ¨C Swordsmanship, smithing, bartering to singing, and much more. If Level and Attributes are the foundation of your path. Then Skills are the framework of your growth. Training your skills and learning new ones will be a daily aspiration.]

    That brought Lan back to the other thing that he needed to do that day.

 Prologue: The Path of A Man part 2

    Once Lan felt like he understood how to use the Tome, he found his father at his home workshop and watched him work.

    Something that he did every day, but today was a little different. Lan and his father had been working on a pair of bracers. Well, His father was making them. All Lan did was sit and watch, but that was all he had to do at this point. This day was different because his father had finished the pair of black steel bracers with gold trim and a large sapphire set over the hand guard in each.

    ¡®Have you found a buyer for them yet?¡¯ Lan asked, getting a smile from his father. It was a question he had heard every day since they started it. A question that Lan felt safe asking as this item was unique because, unlike the long waiting list of things his father had been commissioned to make, this was a display of skill. After every milestone, crafters would make an item showing the fullest of their skill. This was for his father''s thirty-fifth Level. Which was incredible for a man in his thirties, not in one of the combat classes.

    ¡®Not yet.¡¯ Lan''s father chuckled, knowing what Lan had been building up to.

    ¡®Well¡­ if you don¡¯t sell them, it would be a waste to just leave them there. So¡­¡¯

    ¡®You can¡¯t have them.¡¯ he laughed softly as he patted Lan on the head. ¡®For a start, they won¡¯t fit you for some time yet.¡¯ He said as he linked his thumb and finger around Lan¡¯s wrist. Which showed about an inch of space. ¡®Plus, crafters don¡¯t need things like this.¡¯ He said, looking at the manifestation of his skill with a mix of pride and sadness. ¡®We make these for the people who risk their lives to protect us, hoping they will return home safely. That is the real reason why we do what we do.¡¯

    Lan nodded, finding it hard to think of anything to say in return.

    ¡®But I¡¯ll tell you what, when you are old enough, I¡¯ll make you something just for you.¡¯ his father smiled, and Lan found himself mirroring it.

    It was then they heard a knock on the shop door. Not even ten minutes later, Lan sat at the table with his mother and Father on one side and Obern Dell on the other.

    He was dressed in an expensive-looking high-collared red coat lined in gold and a dark green shirt. Lan frowned as their eyes met, the man¡¯s expression unreadable for a moment before he smiled, deepening the cracks in his dried ocean bed of a face. At least doing so helped Lan relax as the man closed his eyes, meaning he didn¡¯t have to look at the dull grey colour in which sat the eyes of a viper.

    ¡®Hmm, from the looks of it, I am interrupting preparations for a celebration.¡¯ Dell looked at the cake cooling in the kitchen.

    ¡®Oh,¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother placed her hands on his shoulders. ¡®Our Lan has just gained his Tome.¡¯

    ¡®Really, so he is old enough to gain levels then?¡¯ Dell asked, seeming to weigh the information without reaction.

    ¡®No, Lan doesn¡¯t turn twelve for another five months,¡¯ Lan¡¯s father explained.

    ¡®Is that so¡­?¡¯ Dell said, surprise forming on his face. ¡®Well, you seem to have a promising young man on your hands. He added, seemingly happier to speak.

    ¡®He is,¡¯ His father said with no little amount of pride in his voice. ¡®But what is it that we can do for you?¡¯

    ¡®Straight to the point, I could expect no less from a craftsman of your renown, so I will not waste your time.¡¯ Dell paused. ¡®You see, I have been a merchant since I was a boy. I am ashamed to say that it has taken most of my life, to the detriment of my family, to get this far. Even still, my dear wife was able to give me a daughter before the Lords of Light saw it fit not to bless us again. It has been the source of countless sleepless nights for what I would do not only about my daughter but also my business and Class Item. The life of a merchant is not one that I wish for my Eliza, nor does she have the heart for it. I can¡¯t trust any other merchants with my business and Eliza, and I have found not one worthy of either to apprentice. Until now.¡¯

    Without needing any more information to know where Dell was going, Lan¡¯s father sat straighter but was polite enough to let the man finish.

    ¡®When my Little Eliza came home yesterday and wouldn¡¯t stop talking about your boy.¡¯ All three adults looked at Lan.

    Eliza¡­ it took a moment before he remembered that was the name of the girl he had met the day before. A pretty girl with long red hair had shown up in the village Square where he and his friends gathered. Looking longingly at them, Lan had asked if she wanted to join them, which seemed to have left a great impression on her, as she had gone home and wouldn''t stop talking about him.

    ''Seeing how happy your son had made my little Eliza. I knew that the answer to my greatest problem could be answered. Not only would my Eliza be happy, but I could train a competent successor,'' Dell had said with every last drop of merchant''s sincerity he could manage. To the great credit of Lan¡¯s mother and father, they were not moved by this act.

    ¡®I am sorry to hear about your dilemma. But Lan is already set to inherit our Class item, and even if that wasn¡¯t the case, I think it¡¯s a little too early to discuss marriage with someone we are just meeting,¡¯ much as his voice didn¡¯t change, Lan¡¯s father''s disapproval of Dell¡¯s approach was evident in his levelled stare.

    ¡®Indeed it is.¡¯ Dell nodded. ¡®So you can understand how much promise I can see in your boy and the feelings of my Eliza. But as parents, is it not our job to provide the best lives for all our children,¡¯ he looked to Silas, who was hiding behind their mother.

    Ever the merchant, Dell had placed his finger on a problem hanging over their family since Silas was born. Lan¡¯s family had only one Class item. By right, it was his to inherit.

    That wasn¡¯t the problem. The problem was what to do with Silas.

    Ordinarily, children who weren¡¯t the firstborn would try to find apprenticeships with others who either didn¡¯t have children or were looking for a partner for their own children. This would be fine if Silas had not been so timid.

    Three years of observation before someone would take you as an apprentice wasn¡¯t unheard of. In fact, some would say that he was already too old to be considered, and not many would hope that he would grow confident in time.

    ¡®If you don¡¯t mind me saying, I don¡¯t think this as hard a decision to make, merging a merchant and crafter families seems advantageous along with securing the future of all our children. To this end, I am willing to invest in your shop and in a substantial dowry.¡¯

    ¡®In any case, I think we are going to need some time to think about this.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said, which seemed to catch Dell by surprise as he stuttered.

    ¡®But I thought¡­ you are right.¡¯ He smiled. ¡®This also allows you to meet the rest of my family.¡¯

    Even Lan had to look at Dell a little strangely. Did he really think that this was all that had to be said? That he would walk in and leave with a new son-in-law over a twenty-minute chat? No matter who you were, this wasn¡¯t a decision anyone made on a whim. Even Lan knew that.

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    A family Class Item was a family¡¯s history and legacy, so much so that being the oldest in some families wasn¡¯t enough to ensure one would inherit it. Not only had a lot of time and effort been spent preparing Lan to inherit, but he had also taken to the art like a fish in water.

    No matter how great an opportunity, Dell was asking for a lot from them, a lot for them to entrust to a newcomer they had just met. The only reason they had not turned him down right away was the sole fact that Dell was risking just as much. Which told a story of more profound desperation that the man was hiding.

    Maybe that was why they were willing to think about it. In a sense, Dell was offering Lan his family¡¯s future. It was a sacrifice that no one could make lightly, as family-class items were sacred. In many ways, it was an oath to the Lords of Light. So even after Lan and Silas had gone to bed, his mother and father spoke long into the night.

    The next day, Lan found himself around the table again, only this time, they were joined by someone new.

    Eliza''s hair was in a loose ponytail, and she wore a green dress matching her eyes.

    As his Father and Dell talked, all Lan could focus on was Eliza and her odd behaviour. She would look at him every few moments before turning red and looking away when he looked back.

    Once, as they looked at each other, her already large round eyes grew wide, making them shine like emeralds. That time, Lan was the first to look away as the sight made his chest feel odd, which, a moment later, he felt was a mistake because, once again, she went back to looking around, flustered each time their eyes met.

    After a while, Lan started to wonder if she even wanted to get married. As a matter of fact, did he? His only example of marriage was his mother and father¡­ well there was also Mr and Mis Faros, but they were more of an example of what not to be like in a marriage.

    They had been in love since his mother and father were a few years older than Lan. His mother had said that she had known the moment she saw him and just had to make him realise that he felt the same, whereas Lan¡¯s father had told him in secret that he had already fought five other boys for the chance to be the first to talk to her. Fighting five boys wasn¡¯t a problem for Lan, but would he do so for Her, the girl he had only met twice? Maybe if they were picking on her, but then he would do that for anyone in that case.

    More than that, there was another thing on his mind: his little brother, although he would also be trained as a crafter. If he said yes, he could make sure his little brother was safe, and that was something.

    A few weeks later, and after countless hours of negotiating, it had all but been decided that Lan would marry or at least be betrothed to Eliza. It was agreed that he would take a look around Dell¡¯s workshops and where he may be living from then on.

    As Dell, Eliza and Lan walked. Dell kept asking him questions. Some were meant to get to know him better, and others were what to him were relatively too simple questions, So much so that soon enough, he started to think the Dell didn¡¯t really have much of a high opinion of him, even if he was trying to hide it.

    ¡®How about this now, if you have to reach a neighbouring city and have till the end of this month to do it, but you are five days away. Do you think you have enough time if you left right now, my lad?¡¯ as Dell spoke, Lan looked back to Eliza, who was walking behind him. It took a moment, but he realised that she was looking at his hand. ¡®Boy?¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Lan looked back to Dell. ¡®did you say this month?¡¯ he asked, getting a nod from the merchant, ¡®Then yes.¡¯ he answered, going back to looking at Eliza again and wondering what she was doing.

    ¡®Hmm, well, you couldn¡¯t get them all right. If you still have five days to go today. you would still be half a day late.¡¯ He smiled as if Lan had finally proven himself the dullard he thought he was.

    ¡®But.¡¯ Lan frowned. ¡®There are still six days left.¡¯ he said back, which seemed to lower Dell¡¯s opinion of him even more,

    ¡®No, counting today, there are only five days. But you need five full days of travel to reach the city and will arrive on the first day of next month. It is important to get as much information as possible in this line of work.¡¯

    ¡®No, you would get there on Soulsday.¡¯ Soulsdays was named after the constellation Soul, which came once every five years and was counted as a day of the month it appeared in. The only reason he knew about it was that on Soulsdays, Crafters found their creations coming out better. When Lan explained this to Dell. He burst into laughter.

    ¡®Well done, my boy. I had completely forgotten about Soulsday. It looks like I am going to be able to argue the late fees after all.¡¯ He laughed again and patted him on the head. ¡®Come, I will show you around the storehouses.¡¯

    As they started walking, Lan looked back to Eliza again and stuck his hand out. Guessing that was what she wanted, he guessed he was right as her face lit up, and she took his hand. At this, Dell smiled, although it never reached his eyes.

    For some time, they walked around the warehouse yard. It was a place in the village that he had not been allowed near because all the horses and carriages weaving around each other.

    Even still, it was something to see, especially the large buildings that looked nothing like any other in the village up close. Some of them had large doors that opened up one whole wall so Lan could see some of the things inside. One had a crate full of odd animal pelts that were covered in horns. Another was just filled from floor to ceiling with wheels of cheese, just cheese¡­ when they had seen all the storehouses had to show, they headed to Dell¡¯s and Eliza¡¯s home.

    That the house did not fit the village would be an understatement. Four towers formed the foundation of the three-story building. Like the storehouses, it wasn¡¯t allowed to be in the village proper, so it stood in a large open field overlooking the warehouses. Almost as if even at home, he had to have an eye on his property. At the time, Lan had never seen a building like it and couldn¡¯t stop looking at it.

    To his child¡¯s mind, it looked almost like a castle. The inside was no less as grand. Rich dark wood accented with gold leaf made up the floor and frame on the interior. From the front door, you could see the staircase to two upper floors, from the top of which stood a woman. Dressed in a white silk dress, with platinum blond hair and with the same eyes as Eliza.

    Guessing the beautiful woman was Eliza¡¯s mother despite looking much younger than Dell, Lan smiled. With the right attributes, there was nothing that would stop someone from looking much younger than they were. With a glance that barely seemed to acknowledge him, she walked away.

    ¡®Never you mind her.¡¯ Dell rested his hand on Lan''s shoulder. ¡®She is just not a morning person.¡¯ He laughed, and Lan said nothing about it already being mid-day. ¡®So what do you think about our home? You know it may be your home too soon.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Lan said as he recovered and smiled. After all, he was standing in the man¡¯s home, so he needed to make a good impression.

    ¡®Oh... and do you think I have been able to get all this by standing around and gawking at everything like an addle-brained fool,¡¯ confused, Lan looked up. In a moment, Dell¡¯s tone had changed. Lan felt his stomach squeeze as he saw the look of utter contempt on his face.

    Never before had anyone, let alone an adult, looked at Lan like that. Lan felt the colour drain from his face as he fought for words. ¡®Oh, have you started to understand the position that you are in and that your family is in?¡¯

    ¡®W-what?¡¯ Lan said more so, needing to act defiant rather than really having something to say.

    ¡®Your mother and Father are willing to throw away a great opportunity because they are worried about you. They are worried that you can¡¯t do what needs to be done because you are a stupid child. Why? Because you are holding on to the idea of being your father''s successor even though it would be best if you left it to your brother. Tell me, why should I even allow a foolish and selfish child like you to marry my Eliza. Do you know what happens if you don¡¯t marry Eliza?¡¯ he moved to loom over Lan, the light in the room seeming to fade with every step. ¡®You will be a burden on your family, and you will destroy the life of your own brother. Thinking about it, I don¡¯t even think I want you to marry my child.¡¯

    ¡®No!¡¯ Lan found himself saying as the tightness in his stomach crawled into his chest to the point it felt empty. ¡®I¡¯ll do whatever I have to do!¡¯ Lan said like a cornered animal who could do nothing but watch the wolf close in. his mind racing to understand what was happening.

    ¡®Good. When you get home, you will tell your family that you want to accept my offer and start living here as soon as possible.¡¯

    As he nodded, Lan saw the light at the end of the tunnel. He wouldn¡¯t be the one to hurt Silas. He could be a good big brother and a good son. With that, Dell smiled and patted him on the back.

    ¡®Good lad.¡¯ He said, walking away without saying another word, leaving Lan to just stand there. Lan just stood there for what felt like an eternity, trying to understand what he had done. Was he really hurting his family¡­ how could he fix it¡­ could he fix it. If he made other mistakes, would Dell throw him out? And why did it feel like a part of him had been cut out?

    As Lan''s mind spiralled, the house walls grew taller every second. He felt sick and tired. He felt like crying and screaming all at once. When it was all too much for him to handle, Lan felt hands wrap around his own.

    ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ A small voice said to his left. Lan saw Eliza like a ray of light with a worried look on her face.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯ Lan said, smiling, finding it easy when he looked at her as they just stood in the strange castle.

 Chapter 1: No way forward

    All will know that the elemental form of experience is not shared equally. Some classes gain it quickly but hit the ceiling just as fast, and others, like soldiers, which are more dangerous; one can suddenly see spikes in levels depending on the state of the kingdoms.

    Practical Classes like crafters and Merchants gained experience by doing. For most, an apprenticeship lasts five years before one earns their Title and can gain or buy a class item. After ten years with Dell, Lan had yet to acquire a single level, and a Merchant Class item had seemed a distant dream for him for many years now. He hadn''t even had most of the merchant-related skills revealed to him yet by the voice of the world.

    For years, Lan had debased himself, swallowing his pride under Dell¡¯s constant threats of losing it all and of never being allowed to see Eliza again.

    As for the money that had been promised, Lan hadn¡¯t seen a copper. Every time he had supposedly made a mistake, an undisclosed amount had been removed. Although he knew he had occasionally made mistakes, he was never told exactly what he had done wrong.

    He was being taught nothing and had pried from the old snake every last bit of what he had learned. As Lan grew older, Dell seemed to become even crueller.

    Once, after Dell had messed up a shipment, Lan was made a scapegoat and forced to apologise to the Lord, who had ordered magic beast furs, but the furs had lost all their magic because of mishandling. By the time the noble''s men were done trying to beat the life out of him, Lan was down to five life points.

    Dell just stood there and watched with a look of total indifference. But the worst part was finding out that he now owed Dell for the penalty he had gained because he had taken the blame. And now he was indebted to Dell as the money promised had long run out.

    ¡®If you had been a better Apprentice, you would have caught the mistake anyway.¡¯ Dell had said, patting Lan on the shoulder before leaving him crumbled in a pool of blood and walking off.

    If not for Eliza, Lan was sure he would have choked the life out of the old snake. Even If Dell was at a higher level, all of his points had been spent on his Merchant skills, so strength-wise, Lan was close enough that his anger should have made the difference. At least, that was what he liked to think. But as always¡­ Eliza was the only thing keeping him going and keeping him from lashing out.

    For training reasons, the moment Lan had become Dell¡¯s Apprentice, he had been sent on a year-long trade convoy in which he had spent most of the time locked in his room, and when Lan returned, he was not allowed to see his family even though they lived in the same village before finishing impossible tasks that would take days of sleepless nights to even come close to completing and Dell would always find a way to make sure he didn¡¯t finish them.

    At this point, even though Lan knew it had all been a trick to keep him away from his family, he didn¡¯t know if he could face them without finally becoming a Merchant.

    But as Lan opened his eyes, he knew that all of it was going to be worth it after ten years. He was almost there.

    [Name: Landrin Cross]

    [Level: 1]

    [Title: Apprentice merchant]

    [Race: Human]

    [Health: 10/10]

    [Mana: None]

    [Attributes:]

    [Strength: 5]

    Body: 5

    Will: 5

    Dexterity: 5

    Mind: 5

    [Charisma: 5]

    [Abilities:]

    [Hidden: unranked]

    Hidden: unranked

    [Hidden: unranked]

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    [Skills]

    [Bargaining ¨C Level 9]

    Speech ¨C Level 10

    Research ¨C Level - 10

    [Pain tolerance - Level 8]

    Just one more day as an Apprentice, and he would gain the Title of merchant. Even if Lan had to buy the Class item himself, he could take out a loan. Just one more day, and he could be one step closer to breaking free from Dell.

    With that thought singing in his head, Lan sprung out of bed and dressed, all but gliding down the stairs. Lan found Eliza at the dining table. Over the years, she had grown to look like the image of her mother, only without the cold indifference that only made her even more beautiful. As she turned, She froze, her eyes growing wider.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Lan grinned, leaning in and kissing her cheek. As he moved back, she seemed to wake.

    ¡®Nothing, it¡¯s just that you look different today.¡¯ She finally said. Understandable, it was most likely the first time in years that something other than her had made him smile. Lan was sure that it must have looked odd.

    ¡®It¡¯s nothing, love. I just¡­¡¯ Lan shrugged. ¡®I just have a good feeling about today.¡¯ In the beginning, he had been keeping his progress a secret so Dell couldn¡¯t find a new way to sabotage him. Now he did so, so he could surprise the woman he loved.

    Eliza looked away. ¡®Oh.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong.¡¯ Lan asked, sitting at the table.

    ¡®Nothing, I am just not feeling too well.¡¯ She smiled weakly. After so long, Lan knew when she was hiding something from him and precisely what it was. Whenever she got like this, it meant she had had a word with her father, and Lan was in for a hellish day, but not even that could get him down today.

    ¡®If you say so, but I hope you know if anything is bothering you, I want you to talk to me. I know I owe you that much, at least.¡¯ Eliza smiled a little happier, even though it only lasted for a moment. ¡®Now, where is your father.¡¯ She winced the moment Lan asked, and he knew he had been right.

    ¡®He is in the storage house.¡¯ she said.

    ¡®Well, I guess I should go see him.¡¯ Lan smiled, giving her another kiss before leaving.

    The Storage house was easy to find. The ugly buildings had grown more numerous and larger over the years and were seen and treated as the eyesore that the rest of the village saw as the source of all their problems.

    Plans to have them moved farther from the village had been made, and the building of any new ones had been banned. A part of Lan thought that someone was trying to make the village unwelcoming and was slowly getting their way, And Lan had loved being the one to tell Dell about the move.

    It didn¡¯t do much to stop people from glaring at him whenever he headed to work in the morning. Lan had even had people he had known since childhood spit at him when he passed. Far worse were the looks of pity. It always felt like they could see through the walls he had put up. Lan would have rather taken a hundred beatings than those looks. In any case, he wouldn¡¯t have to see it for a while. After today, if everything went well, Lan could head to the city until he got on his feet. Then he could come back or move Eliza in with him.

    Lan spent the morning listing items and getting others ready for shipment. In reality, this would not get him the experience he needed. Which was why he was sure Dell had him doing it. However, there was one thing Dell didn¡¯t seem to have taken into account.

    The workers either outright hated Lan or didn¡¯t respect him. Getting them to do anything and do it on time slowly levelled his bartering skill. Every time he had to put up with their insults, he only needed to blink to see that it was all worth it. After gaining twenty total skill levels in merchant skills, he would gain the Title.

    ¡®Yeah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll do that.¡¯ Corbin, one of the head labourers, snorted. ¡®Maybe you should do it yourself if you think it¡¯s so important.¡¯ Sometimes, Lan felt like they were actually trying to help him level up.

    ¡®That¡¯s funny because It says here that a shipment of Gnorg flesh is coming in anytime now. I am sure that Master Dell will want to supervise the team bringing it in himself.¡¯

    Although a delicacy in some parts, raw Gnorg had a stench much like the living creature, which simultaneously was covered in fur and always sweating, to the point that brushing against one would leave that part of you soaked. The smell also lingered on those that handled it, which would last for days. Corbin and the other men went pale at the thought.

    ¡®You know, I have heard that the worse the smell, the better the meat if you are into that sort of thing.¡¯ Lan knew they weren¡¯t; no one in their right mind was. So, as one can guess, Dell loved it, and to his never-ending horror, Eliza had let it slip that she, too, enjoyed small amounts of it. ¡®I hear that this one comes from the east.¡¯ Lan added offhand as he moved to find another team to assign.

    ¡®Uh, what did you want moved again.¡¯ Corbin and the other said before rushing to look busier than anyone else.

    As Lan moved to find another group. He felt that they had been even easier than he had hoped. Perhaps the effects of the Title were starting to set in. Lan thought, even though he knew that wasn¡¯t true. Although there were some attribute blessings in having a title, it did nothing without the Class item. One could not even buy a class item without a title it paired with; for the most part, the item could not be used to its fullest without the Title.

    ¡®Lan!¡¯ Lan winced as a shrill voice called his name. Looking to the second floor, he found Dell literally and figuratively looking down on him, that same look of disappointment plastered on his face.

    Fighting down a sigh, Lan headed up the stairs. Soon, so soon. He kept repeating until he was blocked on the stairs by Dell. Without a word, Dell continued forward, and Lan scrambled to not trip down the stairs. Backing up, Lan found himself in the centre of the building where everyone could see them.

    When he was going to tear Lan down, Dell liked an audience. Even this, Lan was used to and braced himself. It would take some time to rebuild Lan''s little leverage again; every time Dell berated Lan in front of the others, it would become much harder for him to convince them to do anything. But it wouldn¡¯t be the first time he had needed to start over.

    For a long moment, Dell just looked at Lan, waiting for him to speak first so he could cut Lan off. Dell liked doing that, watching his son-in-law squirm as Lan tried to think of what he may have done wrong and an excuse for why it wasn¡¯t his fault.

    The moment stretched with him looking Lan over as he felt the walls close in on him, his chest tightened, and ice formed along his spine. Lan didn¡¯t know why Dell sometimes had this effect on him, but he did, and it took everything he had to not fall to his knees.

    ¡®Hmm, you can go.¡¯ Dell said and turned to the stairs. For a moment, Lan wondered what he meant before he heard the voice of the world,

    [You are no longer apprenticed to Obern Dell.]

 Chapter 2: No way back

    [You are no longer apprenticed to Obern Dell.]

    Even as Lan heard the words, he did not understand them right away. When they finally sank in, time seemed to lose all meaning and rhythm. Before he knew it, Lan was moving forward. Every fibre of his being screamed that he needed to stop this from happening. Why was this happening? Arms grabbed him as Lan fought to scream.

    Dell couldn¡¯t just do this, not after all he has done, not after ten Light damn years of his life. But all that came out was a hollow.

    ¡®Why?¡¯

    Even still, it was all Dell needed for one last humiliation.

    ¡®The son of a low noble in the merchant business has taken a liking to Eliza, and so you are no longer needed. I would be a fool not to, and from what I have heard, Eliza seems happy for the first time in years.¡¯ Even though Lan knew that was a lie, the words hit him like a punch to the gut.¡¯

    ¡®Lies¡­¡¯

    Dell smiled. ¡®What? Do you think she could really be happy with a fool who couldn¡¯t become a merchant in ten years of trying? No wonder she ran into the arms of anyone that was a fraction better than you.¡¯

    ¡®I have only been an apprentice because you never showed me anything!¡¯ Lan spat, all the anger He had been burying for a decade rushing out. Even for a sick joke, this was too far. ¡®Why put me through all this just to throw me away?¡¯

    ¡®As I told you years ago, I needed an heir. When I couldn¡¯t find anyone worthy enough, I decided to pick some backwater trash pawn too stupid to betray me until I found someone better.¡¯ he shrugged. ¡®Just in time, too.¡¯ Dell grinned as Lan felt like he would be sick. ¡®Did you think that I couldn¡¯t see your¡­ progress. Oh, and you can keep that money you thought you were hiding. Think of it as a parting gift, in hopes that you can find another Merchant to Apprentice under. Although you will need it for your travel expenses to find someone in this or any kingdom that will take a twenty-two-year-old Apprentice.¡¯

    As if watching the curtains close on a play, Lan watched as he was slowly dragged from the storehouse before being left to stand there as the workers filed back in and closed the large red doors. The sound of the doors closing, along with a slow return of sounds of people going about their day, filled his mind.

    Suddenly, Lan broke out in a dead run, knocking the bucket of potatoes out of a man¡¯s arms as he tripped and rammed past him. He had to get back; even if everything else Dell had said was true, there was no way that Eliza would ever go along with it.

    Reaching the three-story house that Lan had begrudgingly called his home. He unlocked it with his key and threw it open. To find¡­ nothing. She wasn¡¯t there. Even though she was always home at this time, Lan searched the whole house and found no one, not even the maid.

    It was almost lunchtime. There hadn¡¯t been a day they didn¡¯t eat together after she had learned to cook. Despair clashed with his waning ability of disbelief. There was just no way what Dell said about her could be true. It just didn¡¯t make any sense. That Eliza¡­

    Even though their relationship had been a little uncomfortable in the beginning. Learning what was expected of them had been overwhelming at such a young age, and there were a few times in which Lan hadn¡¯t been so sure that he could be with her, and He was sure she must have felt the same about him. But in time, they had begun to confide in each other, things they didn¡¯t think anyone else could relate to.

    So many times, He would have run away if not for her being the only glimmer of light in this oppressive void of an existence. And Lan knew it wasn¡¯t one-sided.

    The number of times she had cried to him about some new level of unreasonableness her father and mother had dreamed up about their expectations of her, Lan had lost count.

    More than that, back before, her father''s treatment had turned him into the hollow shell he was now. Even if a girl looked Lan¡¯s way and he happened to notice, she would pout for days. Their first time together had been when she snuck into his room after he had been away from the house for a year. He couldn¡¯t believe all of it had been a lie.

    Lan found himself back in the doorway, and for an hour, he just stood there, hoping he would hear her call out to him. His legs must have given out as he found himself kneeling at the doorway at some point.

    When Lan realised the sun had set, he sat with his back against the wall, hugging his knees. Hopelessly, Lan rose and headed to his room. The money he had been able to save. He had hidden it in a lockbox under a loose board.

    Five silver coins¡­ the only thing he had to show for ten years of work. Just enough to buy a pair of cheap boots. As he stood, Lan made the mistake of looking into the mirror across from his bed.

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    Red bloodshot eyes set in deep dark circles stood in contrast against pale white skin like off-milk, framed in a gaunt face. His eyes looked like dull rocks, and his hair was a mess. Lan would have laughed if he remembered how, as he looked at the fruit of ten years of his life, and it looked back at him.

    Sickened by what he saw, Lan moved to leave, pausing at the door as he saw the four small knuckle depressions in the door''s wood frame. Every morning, a younger Lan would punch it, sometimes to the point of bleeding before he could face Dell without attacking him. But it had been a long time since then.

    Lan had told himself there was no point when all He was doing was hurting himself. Lan moved to touch the dents but stopped before he could, almost as if he couldn¡¯t even interact with a mark made by a better person.

    He wasn¡¯t sure how, but he found himself standing outside his family home before he knew it.

    It was only normal, but Lan couldn¡¯t help but notice how small the door was now since he last saw it. As part of his apprenticeship, Dell said Lan couldn¡¯t see his family, so he had written to them every day for the first year but had never received a letter back.

    Would anyone even answer now? He thought for a moment before fighting down the thought. Knocking on the door, Lan was greeted by his father. He hadn¡¯t aged a day since the last time Lan saw him, but his eyes were different, cold, distant and unsurprised.

    Lan couldn¡¯t bring himself to look into them, and he knew why they were like this. The day before, Lan was set to move in with Dell and Eliza. His father had brought up the fact that he didn¡¯t have to go through with the betrothal if he didn¡¯t want to. Reeling from an endless barrage from Dell and his feelings boiling, Lan had lashed out, thinking his father didn¡¯t believe he could become a merchant.

    What he had said had hurt his father, but Lan didn¡¯t know how to fix it and never had the chance to apologise.

    Without a word, he motioned Lan in, and Lan jumped as his mother wrapped him in a hug.

    ¡®It¡¯s good to see you, my sweet,¡¯ she said with a forced smile that only made the pain in her eyes so much clearer. She, too, hadn¡¯t changed, and it hurt Lan the most that, at that moment, she looked the very image of the last time they had seen each other, her trying to put on a brave face and failing and him unable to talk at all.

    They ate without saying a word, and Silus stared angrily at his plate the whole time. His father looked off into the distance while Lan¡¯s mother tried to start up a conversation. After failing a few times, she perked up.

    ¡®Oh, we got a letter from Cara today. It seems like she is doing well. The school seems to have taken a shine to her, and your grandmother said that they would definitely accept her.¡¯ She said before waiting for an answer.

    ¡®Who is Cara?¡¯ Lan asked, and for the first time, everyone at the table looked at him.

    ¡®Ca¡­ Cara is your sister. She was born a year after you left.¡¯ Lan''s mother managed. The fixed smile she tried to put on fractured at the edges as Lan felt like he would throw up. ¡®We always talked about her in the letters, remember?¡¯ And for the second time that day, he felt like he had been punched in the stomach. For moments that wouldn¡¯t end, Lan just sat there as emotions battled inside him.

    He had a sister¡­ who was already nine years old. They had written to him.

    ¡®Did you even read the letters?¡¯ Silus sneered at his older brother.

    Somewhere in his subconsciousness, Lan felt a spark of joy that he had grown out of his shyness before the weight of the words crashed down on him.

    ¡®I never received any letters.¡¯ Lan said, his hollow words filled with pain and shame. His mother let off a shuddering gasp before covering her mouth as Lan¡¯s father simultaneously breathed in deeply and looked away, and Silus just stood, knocking his chair over as he stormed out. Shortly after, his father left the table.

    And Lan listened as his mother tried to make talking about his sister, whom he didn¡¯t know, seem like a normal topic of conversation. Caraline Cross was indeed nine years old. Aside from being the spitting image of their mother with her father¡¯s hair and eyes, she was said to have a talent for magic and was currently visiting the capital with her grandparents after being scouted by a passing mage.

    Although she couldn¡¯t join until she was older, the mage had seen enough potential to provide a note of introduction. She didn¡¯t say it, but it seemed like they were a little more hesitant to send another child off, so their grandparents had taken her.

    Although Lan was ashamed to admit it, he was happy when he finally got away and could hide in his old room. So much had changed, which only made it hurt more to see the things that hadn¡¯t, as it made it clear that nothing could ever be the same again. Much worse, he had a sister¡­ he always had tried to be a good older brother, but he was worse than he ever thought possible.

    Even if Dell had hidden the letters. He had let himself believe that his family had never written to him, and he had stopped trying to visit after the tenth time Dell had caught him and had the workers teach him a lesson, even if Liza had begged him not to try again until her father gave him permission, and even if living in the village his whole world had quickly become nothing but the walls of Dell¡¯s home and the red paint of the warehouse, it was his fault because he had listened.

    ¡®So, what are you going to do now?¡¯ Lan¡¯s father asked as Lan forced himself to eat breakfast the next morning. Lan blinked, surprised by any auditory stimuli.

    ¡®I¡­ I¡¯ll find another merchant and explain what happened. It¡¯s not like they will need to train me. All I need is a little more experience. Not even a day''s worth.¡¯ Lan all but whispered. It was the first thing Lan had said all day, and it almost felt strange to do that much. He got an unconvinced grunt as a response.

    ¡®Then you should get on that already.¡¯ Silus snapped. Before going back to angrily shoving food into his mouth. ¡®I am sure that you are eager to return to it, and I know we will be happy when things are back to normal.¡¯ Silus flinched as their father''s head snapped over to him. Even still, their father didn¡¯t contradict him. Because Lan didn¡¯t think he could, he wasn¡¯t the type to lie.

    Already not having an appetite, Lan felt himself losing the will to force the food down and stood. ¡®I should start looking then.¡¯ Lan said, passing his mother at the door as she brought in more bread. Still wearing the same pained smile, she told him to be careful and closed the door as he left.

    Lan spent the whole day in the Market District trying to find a merchant willing to listen to his story. Half the stores in the village wouldn¡¯t even let him in. No doubt, having already been warned off by Dell, Lan headed into the city with no other choice.

 Chapter 3 : One step

    In the city, Lan at least got to plead his case a few times, but the moment he mentioned apprenticeship, most clearly stopped listening, others laughed him out of their shops, and some even became openly hostile. Lan had known this would happen. When it came to the mundane Classes, there was a level of jealousy about knowledge. Each person guarding their secrets with their lives, as not doing so meant the possible end of what were most likely ancient family crafts. If they had to pass it on to someone that wasn¡¯t in their family, it would be in a situation much like he had been in. The last thing one wanted was to train someone only to have them run off with their Knowledge and Skills. But Lan was sure that most weren¡¯t even thinking that deep into it.

    All they saw when they looked at him was a potential business rival, and why would they have helped make their own lives even a little more difficult by helping him out. Lan was still walking the streets by nightfall. Consciously he knew how dangerous it was. As a level one, Lan would be easy pickings anywhere, seeing as most adults were around Level ten, and it would be a little higher for someone who made a living stealing from others. Even still, it wasn¡¯t that which got him to enter an inn he passed, but the fact that if he was going to lose his money, Lan would rather have it be to the bottom of a mug. Lan was onto his second mug of beer when the pretty Barmaid stopped in front of him.

    ¡®Are you alright, sir? You are going through those pretty fast.¡¯ She said with a hint of concern.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know; this is my first time drinking in some time.¡¯ Lan smiled, noticing that he was slurring his words a little. Even still, Lan didn¡¯t feel¡­ anything. Although by checking his Tome, he could see that he was indeed getting drunk. He still just felt empty. The Barmaid looked at him weirdly.

    ¡®If that is the case, then should you be drinking that fast?¡¯ she asked with a raised eyebrow. Despite the attempt at a motherly tone, she looked no older than Lan was.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a case of should or shouldn¡¯t. But I¡¯ll let you know when I find out. Lan smiled before draining the rest of the mug as he tried not to think about how the young woman¡¯s hair reminded him of Eliza. A part of Lan had hoped to find her. But like everything else, he wasn¡¯t so lucky.

    ¡®Just be careful. The last thing I want is for you to pass out or throw up in here or to hear that something worse happened to you on the way home.¡¯ Lan smiled. Both at the concern and the thought of anything worse that could happen to him.

    ¡®I¡¯ll try.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what, but she seemed to see something in his words or expression and frowned before walking away. After three mugs, Lan still felt nothing but felt it was getting more challenging to keep his eyes open and was about to leave when he heard a commotion coming from outside. Turning his head just in time. Lan watched as a tiny woman in armour, carrying what looked to be the head of a massive bird, on her shoulder. Kicked open the inn doors and marched up to a table, and slammed the head down on it before being lifted onto the shoulders of two of the people with her. All to the consternation of the inn staff, who started yelling at the celebrating group even as other patrons moved to get a better look at the Monster''s head.

    Even Lan couldn¡¯t help but look. It wasn¡¯t every day that someone like him got to see a monster in any state.

    ¡®Damn, Vaela, how the hells did you kill this thing on your own.¡¯ someone at one of the tables said. The woman Vaela said something that made the others laugh, which Lan couldn¡¯t hear over the growing sound in the hall. What he did hear was when she shouted,

    ¡®The next round is on me.¡¯ those in the inn cheered. The Barmaid placed another mug in front of him and smiled. Taking it gratefully, Lan found his attention returning to the group even though he didn¡¯t move from his place at the bar. Although Lan, like everyone else, was used to seeing and living alongside adventurers, they were from a world of their own. Being people who focused on their own Level and their skill levels, giving them a higher level than most people in the world, but they did so by putting their lives at risk and being well paid for it. Although the perception of adventurers seemed to differ wildly from the person making the observation, the place and the adventurers themselves, with combat skills being a necessity for the Class, it only made sense that all would come from another combat class of some kind. This is where the stigma originated. Not only did some people dislike changing Class, but not all the classes that adventurers came from were the noblest. Even still, Lan knew that he and his old friends had always wanted to be adventurers. Lan smiled a genuine smile. Maybe he should join. Not like he was going to find another Class now, and perhaps he could just not tell them his Level, and perhaps he could stumble onto a dying dragon and get a bunch of free experience.

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    It was a stupid enough idea to make him laugh if nothing else.

    ¡®So you can smile. I was starting to worry.¡¯ The Barmaid said, placing another mug in front of him, ¡®this is on me, in celebration of the last drink I am going to serve you tonight.¡¯ She winked at Lan.

    The night quickly came to an end when some guards drunkenly stumbled through the doors and, after seeing the Monster''s head, tried to confiscate it. When the adventurers wouldn¡¯t let them, Lan learned that there were more adventurers in the inn than he first thought, it being a popular hangout for them, and there were way more guards and even soldiers waiting outside. The moment of slowly building tension snapped as someone threw a chair at one of the guards; when a few moved to arrest the chair thrower, they found themselves facing a wall of skilled mercenaries. But instead of anger, the adventurers looked excited as they broke off into individual brawls. One pointed at a soldier before letting out a war cry a leaping over a table at the guards.

    Lan watched, stunned at the whole scene. When his senses returned, and he decided to move, Lan stopped as a soldier was thrown directly into his path. Looking around for the person who had thrown him and finding no one, the guard locked eyes with Lan, and as the man charged, Lan¡¯s hands flu up into a defensive stance as he stuttered out some words before a pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him over the bar with no effort. It was the Barmaid who quickly dragged Lan out to the back of the inn. Just before Lan passed through the doorway, he looked back one last time at the chaos. More guards were pouring in while the adventurous showed no signs of backing down or even slowing. One large grey-skinned man had two guards by their faces as he swung them in a circle, all while shaking the walls with his booming laugh. The woman, Vaela, had somehow not only managed to get on the shoulders of a soldier but had shoved the monster''s head over the man¡¯s as she rode her creation around.

    ¡®Sorry about that.¡¯ The barmaid said as she closed the door behind her, muffling the sound of the brawl. That was until a guard was thrown through a window at the side of the building, bringing back some of the volume. ¡®this is why we don¡¯t get regular customers who aren¡¯t adventurers.¡¯ She sighed. ¡®Oh! they aren¡¯t bad people, you know.¡¯ she added quickly to Lan. ¡®but when you spend most of your days watching each other¡¯s backs, you can get a little protective of your Own,¡¯ she shrugged. ¡®oh right, you never got to finish your drink. I''ll tell you what. If you ever come back, then the first round is on me.¡¯ she smiled before quickly disappearing back into the inn. Lan blinked, not entirely sure what had just happened, and with all the excitement, he realised he was no longer drunk when he checked his Tome. Still trying to process what he had just been in the middle of, Lan looked down and saw his hands shaking, but as he squeezed them, they stilled.

    When Lan reached his family home, he found his father waiting up.

    ¡®how was your search?¡¯

    ¡®Hopefully, I will have better luck tomorrow.¡¯ Lan had only been able to visit less than half of them.

    ¡®I can smell alcohol on you.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s not like it can hurt at this point.¡¯ Lan smiled weakly. Lan''s father looked like he wanted to say something but then shook his head. ¡®get some sleep.¡¯

    Lan did without another word. Laying in the same bed he had as a child, filled with mixed emotions. Undirected anger at everyone and everything, a sinking feeling of being lost, he wanted to cry and scream, to do anything. And all of this was kept from him by an unbreachable emptiness that only allowed him to know their existence without being able to express any of it. There was another thing¡­ when the soldier had charged him¡­ it was the only time Lan felt something. But it wasn¡¯t fear. The stuttering had been more so down to adrenaline than even the alcohol, which was crazy. To even earn the title of soldier from initiate, one had to be at least Level fifteen, amongst other things, and seasoned Soldiers quickly earn another five levels in times of war. And he hadn¡¯t known that Lan was just a level one. A punch meant to bruise would easily kill him. Lan had known all this as the man charged but still hadn¡¯t felt fear.

    Lan wondered if, after everything he had been through, if he had let the last ten years beat the fight out of him so thoroughly to even become numb to the idea of death. Thinking about it, it wasn¡¯t any worse a fate than he faced anyway. As things were, it was where He was going to end up anyway. But before then, it would be months if not years of jobless, meaningless existence, burdening others until everyone abandoned him and he was left to die, or if he was lucky, a life of slavery where he worked only to eat and work again until his body broke down. Perhaps it would have been better if that soldier had just punched a hole in his head. Maybe he should go back. Lan had a free drink coming to him, and maybe the next time, he wouldn¡¯t be saved in time. It would at least make a good story. The soldier who had accidentally made a man explode in an inn for adventurers would no doubt get around the city quickly. Imagining the confused and horrified look on the soldier''s face, Lan spurred into a laughing fit and found himself drifting off to sleep soon after.

 Chapter 4: An ember in the dark

    The following day, Lan couldn¡¯t leave the house fast enough, the only person who seemed sad to see him go was his mother, and even then, she couldn¡¯t hide the relief that lay under. This repeated for the next two days, with the only change in his situation being the number of people he could talk to and even listen to him. At the end of the second day, Lan got to meet his little brother''s future wife, the daughter of an armourer, who, despite looking like a little doll, planned on taking over her family¡¯s business and class item. She tried to be polite, but when Lan tried asking how they had met, Silas dragged her into the living room before storming up to him and sticking his finger in Lan¡¯s face.

    ¡®You stay out of my life. Don¡¯t act like you just get to come back because you failed. No one wants you here.¡¯ As he stormed off, Lan just stood there. Stay out of his life. The irony in those words was finally enough to make something snap. His life¡­ Half of the reason Lan had agreed to marry Eliza was so he could have a life. Lan walked to his room, closed the door behind himself, and sat on his bed. His life¡­ the only reason why he had it was that Lan had spent ten years living a nightmare to buy his life, and Lan had never even gotten a thank you. Instead, he was treated like he was in the wrong. Like his return was an inconvenience to their lives¡­ and truth be told, it was.

    As long as Lan was there, Silas¡¯ right to inherit would be in question, and not to mention that his being there was a burden. Although they had never been in a bad financial situation, their father would have scaled back his work so he could train Silas and even though Lan was sure they would have saved up for it. Materials cost a lot, and the prices were only going up. He couldn¡¯t stay¡­

    So what was he going to do next? No class was going to take him at this point, and staying there much longer wasn¡¯t going to work. If he stayed, he could fight for the right to become the heir, but he would be a terrible successor, or he could work under Silus and live a life where he worked for his own little brother in a resentful relationship.

    Lan didn¡¯t realise he had any pride left, but just the thought of that made him want to be sick. Not only would he still be all but useless, but the time that Silus would have spent growing his own skills would need to be spent on training Lan. Their father could do it, but that would only bring up questions of succession again. Taking out all emotions of how he was feeling then, it was still off the table. Lan couldn¡¯t even become a Criminal because of his Level. So he was back to finding another apprenticeship or selling himself into servitude for all a level one could do. Sitting in the dark, Lan found his thoughts drifting back to that night at the bar surrounded by so much energy.

    Even in the middle of a fight, they had been enjoying themselves. The very idea of that was puzzling. That someone would enjoy fighting. Try as he might, the thought he had in passing kept coming back to him. Adventurers Guild¡­ although most that joined came from combat classes that wasn¡¯t a requirement. It was common sense. But that wasn¡¯t something Lan had the luxury of. Destitution or slavery, both roads that led to a slow, painful death.

    So¡­ why not? Why not try to become an adventurer? Even if it was a slim chance, it was better than this, wasn¡¯t it? Even if it was rare, not all guild work could be fighting, and if it was, there had to be some way to make it work. At least, that was what a fool would think. Even if small, if there was any chance a normal person could become an adventurer, more would, and he was far less than normal. Even as a flight of fancy, it was pathetic when all that he would be accomplishing was adding another shame to his name before being eaten by some monster. He couldn¡¯t think of any worse fate than being eaten by that large bird the adventurers had celebrated killing. What could he do against something like that?

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    Lan was snapped out of his thinking by a knock at his door. Opening it, he was greeted by his mother, giving him the same sad smile.

    ¡®Hello, my sweet. Dinner will be ready in a moment.¡¯ she started.

    ¡®Thanks, but I¡¯m not hungry. I think I¡¯ll just get some sleep.¡¯ Her smile faded.

    ¡®Don¡¯t be upset with your father and brother. they¡­ are just trying to adjust.¡¯ She said, but Lan was distracted by something.

    ¡®Where is your hairpin?¡¯ Lan¡¯s first memories of his mother were one of her singing him to sleep, one time that he had gotten really ill, and in that memory and all others until that morning, she had had the same silver pin in her hair. The gift from his father that she had once said she would not take out even if the gods themselves asked to look at it.

    ¡®Oh, that.¡¯ she looked away. ¡®never mind that right now. More importantly, I know that you have been trying your best¡­¡¯ she paused, taking a breath before continuing. ¡®You must not have much money left so. I managed to scrounge up a few coins to help you,¡¯ she said, placing a small piece of cloth into Lan''s hand, and he reeled from the words as they hit him like a punch in the chest. There hasn¡¯t been much to sell right now with Silas'' training. She started to explain, which only managed to make Lan feel like his heart was being ripped apart. She had sold her pin for him. Were things so bad to get to that point? Forcing a smile, Lan pulled her into a hug.

    ¡®Thank you, mom. But you don¡¯t have to. Just the thought means so much to me.¡¯ her shoulders tensed before she relaxed and hugged him back. ¡®You should really hold onto it. I have a little leftover.¡¯ Lan added, breaking off the hug. With tears welling in her eyes, she smiled again, this time without most of the pain that had been there a moment ago.

    ¡®You keep it. You are going to need it on your search.¡¯

    ¡®About that¡­ I think I might have found something.¡¯ she had sold her pin, and the relief on her face¡­ did she think he blamed her? It wasn¡¯t like there was much that they could have done. After Lan had accepted to become Dell¡¯s apprentice, in the eyes of the world and the law, Dell had more authority over Lan than even his mother and father. Only Lan and Dell could have ended it, but Lan had been made to feel like everything depended on him becoming a merchant and now he knew why Dell had kept him around. He couldn¡¯t blame them. No one in their right mind could have expected someone to take an apprentice only to treat them like Dell had to him. It just wasn¡¯t done.

    ¡®Really?¡¯ she said, daring to hope.

    ¡®I can¡¯t get into it too much, but I think there is a good chance. But.¡¯ Lan looked away. ¡®it does mean that I will have to be in the city for a little while.

    ¡®Oh, are you going to be okay? you know with your Level.¡¯ She asked, her worry returning.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be alright.¡¯ Lan smiled. She had sold her pin¡­

    ¡®Then you shouldn¡¯t go to bed without eating.¡¯ She said, grabbing his arm.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have something in the morning, I promise.¡¯ Lan said, trying and failing to convince her.

    ¡®I¡¯ll bring you something small just in case you get hungry.¡¯ She said, giving him a kiss on the cheek and heading to the kitchen, returning a few moments later with some bread, cheese and tea. Thanking her again. Lan returned to sitting on his bed with a cold clarity to his thoughts. What a fool¡­ despite knowing what his being there would do, Lan had been happy to wallow in his own sadness and pretend He was the only one suffering. What a fool he was. With cold acceptance ringing in his mind, Lan lay back. This was far worse a fate.

 Chapter 5: The last strings severed

    The next day, Lan woke up earlier than usual, planning to leave before anyone woke, or so he thought. Even before he made it out of his room, Lan¡¯s mother called for him from the kitchen. As he ate, she made small talk, telling him stories about his sister and from the sound of it, she was just as much of a troublemaker as he was at her age. When he was almost done eating, Lan¡¯s father walked in. He took one look at Lan before grimacing.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to head out to the shop.¡¯ He said, heading out before Lan could say anything.

    ¡®Give him time.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother smiled, patting his hand. After their talk, she seemed to have mostly returned to her old self. ¡®I¡¯ll tell you a little secret. The moment we realised Dell wouldn¡¯t let us see you. Your father went down to the warehouses to find you. He ended up sending more than a few workers to the healers.¡¯ Lan blinked. Thinking that he remembered that day. There had been a commotion outside, and he had been locked in Dell¡¯s office. When he was allowed out, half the workers were covered in bruises, especially Ganin, Dell¡¯s hired muscle. Lan found himself smiling. No wonder they had all been much worse to him that day. ¡®In the end, it took a group of guards to get your father to stop. Lan quickly turned to his mother, but she cut him off. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Although they had to stop your father, they let him go once they left. So even the guards had tried to help him in their own way¡­ no wonder everyone had despised him for the role they thought he played. He would make things right. Lan promised himself.

    Once done, Lan said goodbye and headed to the city. The plan was simple, Lan had three silver plus the money his mother had given him. he had yet to check the amount, hoping to return it or buy back the pin. The first was to try and find a weapon and armour if he could and buy back his mother''s hairpin as soon as he could. There weren¡¯t too many shops that would buy jewellery. That was unless she sold it to a travelling Merchant, then it would most likely be gone forever.

    With that thought souring his already dark mood, Lan froze in place, a laugh that he knew better than his own breaking through his thoughts as Lan looked up and saw Eliza, wearing a dress he had never seen before and walking with four people. Three, he knew all too well. Dara, Mai and Charlotte. The three of them had been friends with Eliza almost as long as he had and had been one of the many sources of his never-ending torment. The three weren¡¯t shy about hiding how wrong they thought he was for Eliza and looking at the last person, they had gotten their wish. Walking with his arm linked with Eliza¡¯s was a man Lan had never seen before. Dressed in expensive-looking clothing and Jewelry and wearing a sword, the man looked the picture of a noble or a successful Merchant son or, in this case, both. After a moment, they noticed Lan and almost walked past before they stopped.

    Eliza¡¯s hand shot to her mouth, and she went pale while the three other girls had mixed expressions on their faces, from excitement to horror. So it was true. Of course, he already knew it. There was no way that he could have looked for her for so long without finding her. Once again, he had just been lying to himself. Despite himself, Lan wanted to laugh. Eliza looked like she would speak, but before she could, Lan moved to walk past them. There were more important things he had to do, Lan thought, only to find a sword in his face.

    ¡®Now, what is all this about.¡¯ The man said. ¡®why is it that seeing you seemed to make my Eliza sad.¡¯

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t know.¡¯ Lan said before moving to get around. Instead, the man broke from Eliza and moved to stand in Lan''s way.

    ¡®I¡¯m not done with you. now talk.¡¯ Taking that as a command, Dara jumped in.

    ¡®This is Landrin. Eliza was betrothed to him, but he was so useless that Eliza¡¯s father broke the apprenticeship contract.¡¯ She said loud enough to draw attention from those around them.

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    ¡®You were an Apprentice¡­ at your age.¡¯ The man said, drawing a few laughs and pitying looks.

    ¡®There you have it.¡¯ Lan said before trying to get around the man again.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t say I was done with you.¡¯ he said, a Wicked smile on his face.

    ¡®He¡¯s never even gained a level before.¡¯ Charlotte added, making the man laugh.

    ¡®Is that so? You are as weak as a child, even weaker as most people won''t hit children. Feeling anger boil over Lan, knocked the sword out of his way and lunged at the man, who effortlessly jumped back and slashed at Lan''s hand before driving the basket of his rapier into his face. The red flame flashed before dropping by two points and then dropping by another as he rammed his foot into Lan''s stomach.

    ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ someone shouted as Charlotte and Dara laughed. While Eliza and Mai looked horrified. Slowly Lan got to his feet.

    ¡®Well, well, it looks like you have some fight in you.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s enough, Lawrence.¡¯ Eliza said.

    ¡®Well, I don¡¯t know, is it enough?¡¯ he asked Lan, who didn¡¯t know what the man was talking about, trying to take the high ground after sticking a sword in his face. But this was only at the back of his mind. More important was the fake concern from her of all people.

    ¡®Was it all a lie?¡¯ Lan asked, and Eliza actually winced before looking shameful and then resilient.

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t. There was a time that I loved you more than anything in this world, even myself. There was a time when you were the only reason I woke in the morning. You were so much stronger than me¡­¡¯ she looked Lan in the eyes. ¡®Then you let yourself give up, and become this¡­ I kept waiting for you to change, but you never did. And I stopped seeing the person I loved.¡¯ Lan stood there.

    ¡°He gave up. he stopped being the person she loved.¡± Lan wanted to bring up that it was her own damn father who had beaten the fight out of him, and she had been the cudgel he had used. But he just stood there until they left. Charlotte and Dara smiling, and Eliza and Mai not meeting his eye. The Man Lawrence, on the other hand, his expression had grown darker as Eliza had spoken, but as Lan looked in his eyes, what he had seen as a chance to pick on someone weaker had become personal.

    Shame washed over Lan, and he just stood there until even those around him lost interest. ¡°I knew her.¡± he thought. What a fool he was. But it was done now. A smile, small and weak, but a smile nonetheless found itself forming on his face. Lan had never thought he wanted it to end, and his heart still hurt, but it was over. and with it, the last connection to Dell was severed. No matter what her role or what she said, Eliza had just let him walk into the destruction of his life without saying a word just because he had changed, and she had just moved on without a word to him. She was with someone else, even while acting like she still cared about him. The thought made Lan¡¯s chest tighten. It hurt, but that wasn¡¯t the Eliza he had loved. It hurt because the Eliza he had loved hadn¡¯t existed for a long time, and that was that. Lan told himself and forced one foot in front of the other.

    Finding a place that would sell him a weapon turned out to be just as hard as finding a job. It turned out that all blacksmiths were able to see the Level of those that stepped into their store. Of the ten smith shops he found, three had nothing that he could afford. Three kicked him out after scolding him, and the last four raised their price after he begged them to sell him something. Lan walked the streets, wondering if anything would ever go his way. He couldn¡¯t even get himself killed right. It was already a low chance that they would let him join a guild. Without a weapon¡­ Lan would look so na?ve that they might think that he had escaped from a madhouse.

    As Lan headed towards the first of three guilds, he passed an alleyway and stopped as he thought he heard the rhythmic sound of a hammer hitting an anvil. It was faint enough that even after heading down it for some time and turning down another path, it still hadn¡¯t gotten any louder. After some time walking and even having to backtrack a few times, Lan was rewarded by the sounds getting louder. After nearly half an hour of looking, he found himself standing outside of a small shop, the sound of the falling hammer deafening to the point that Lan was sure he could feel it in his bones. The door wasn¡¯t locked, but as he stepped in the front of what looked like a blacksmith''s storefront, the falling hammer came to a stop with a final ring.

 Chapter 6: New ties

    ¡®Hello, the¡­ the door was open!¡¯ Lan called a moment before he heard footsteps that actually shook the ground coming from down the stairs in the back of the shop. ¡®If¡­¡¯ stomp. ¡®if you aren¡¯t open, I¡­¡¯ stomp. ¡®I can come back later!¡¯ Stomp, stomp, stomp. Just as the idea of running away was about to win out. A large brown hand shot through the doorway leading into the dark back of the shop, followed by the rest of the hulking mass of Bronze shaped into a top-heavy man with small round eyes that shone with light and a jaw like a steel trap. Steam filled the room as the other hand of the iron golem grabbed the other side of the door frame and pushed itself through.

    ¡®Gods, what the hell is it!¡¯ A high-pitched voice rang from the golem. Lan had never seen a golem before, even though the ancient race, the first to be made by the gods, was nothing out of the ordinary in some parts of the world. He had to say he was a little disappointed. Not by the golem itself¡­ but by the voice, which had not been what Lan had expected. Though it had the metallic ringing mentioned in the stories, all accounts had said their voices were like Rolling Thunder. ¡®Well?¡¯ the golem called.

    ¡®Uh.¡¯ Lan managed as his mind worked to regain itself.

    ¡®Ugh, don¡¯t tell me that the voicebox is broken again.¡¯ it said before light shot from the chest of the golem as it opened, and a small woman with gold skin jumped out. Lan blinked. Although a little disappointed not to see a Golem, a tinker and what he could only describe as a living armour was a good enough consolation. Tinkers were masters of metallurgy. They were said to be closest to the gods in some tellings of their ability to breathe life into metal. Even then, Lan had never heard a story about one making a Golem. The closest to it was Thrain¡¯s chariot pulled by iron horses. She was also much taller than he assumed from the tellings. The Tinker was about two heads shorter than Lan, which wasn¡¯t that short as he was taller than average, her build was slender, but she seemed to have some defined muscle that least where her sweat-soaked sleeveless top didn¡¯t cover. As she stepped forward, she removed the odd covering around her eyes and used them to keep her brown hair out of her silver eyes.

    ¡®I¡­ you¡¯re a Tinker.¡¯ Lan said before he could stop himself and knew he had messed up when she frowned.

    ¡®Yeah, what of it?¡¯ she snapped standoffishly.

    ¡®Nothing! I just have never seen one of your kind before. I have only ever heard of your kind in stories¡­¡¯ Lan explained with a little shrug, which seemed to work as she looked at him a little softly.

    ¡®Oh, fine then. But I should let you know that I am only half Tinker. My mother is a tinker.¡¯

    ¡®And her father is Human.¡¯ A new male voice said from behind Lan. Turning, Lan was greeted by the chest of a Giant of a man, as tall to Lan as he was to the half-tinker girl and seemingly made in the same forge as the bronze living armour. One of his tanned arms was significantly larger than Lan¡¯s leg, and the two Platinum bands around his wrists made it clear that he was a blacksmith. Lan noted absently that the smith Class Item was the same kind as his father¡¯s. ¡®I thought I told you to keep that thing downstairs.¡¯ The man signed.

    ¡®Well, you have a customer. What was I supposed to do?¡¯ she shrugged.

    ¡®You could start by not acting like the ridiculous thing is a part of you. But I will be satisfied with you, not breaking anything on your way down.¡¯ with another shrug and a quick look at him, the girl disappeared back into the bronze golem before it, in turn, vanished down the stairs.

    ¡®Sorry about that, but I don¡¯t get much in the way of customers just walking in, so I guess I am as much to blame for the scare as she is.¡¯

    ¡®Oh! No. if anything, I should be apologising for just wandering in.¡¯ Lan said before realising how ridiculous apologising for walking into an open shop was. ¡®And if I am being honest, that Golem was amazing.¡¯

    ¡®Really, most people go running just at the sound of that thing walk¡­ anyway. What can I do you for.¡¯ the man said before he focused on Lan and frowned. ¡®sorry, I don¡¯t think I will be able to help you.¡¯ the man turned away.

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    ¡®Wait! Just¡­ just hear me out.¡¯

    ¡®If you are trying to buy a weapon for someone else, then I would caution against it. Even if you know the person, it¡¯s best if they can test the weapon themselves.¡¯

    ¡®Even if it wasn¡¯t for someone else. I have money, so I don¡¯t see why you wouldn¡¯t sell to me. You can tell that I couldn¡¯t even hurt anyone if I wanted to.¡¯ Lan said, and the man shook his head.

    ¡®I know, but what I don¡¯t know is why a Level one would want a weapon, nor how you are even still a Level one at your age alone is enough to tell me that I can¡¯t sell anything to you.

    ¡®There is nothing wrong with me if that is what you are implying.¡¯ Lan said, finding more fire in his words than he had expected.

    ¡®I meant no disrespect, but I still can¡¯t sell you anything.¡¯ the man shrugged.

    ¡®Please. I¡­ I just need something to start as an Adventurer with.¡¯ Lan said he had tried to hide the fact from the other Smiths, which hadn¡¯t helped at all.

    ¡®If you are going to get yourself killed, it won¡¯t be with one of my weapons.¡¯ The man said, although his words held more sympathy than anger.

    ¡®I don¡¯t plan on dying!¡¯ Lan shouted, the words coming on their own. ¡®Believe me, I know just how stupid this is. But I don¡¯t have a choice. I lost my apprenticeship, and no one will take on someone my age. If I don¡¯t do something, I¡¯ll end up a burden on those I care about for the rest of my life. You are a smith. Would you take me on even if I begged?¡¯ the man looked on stoically but didn¡¯t answer. ¡®this is the only way I can take back my life¡­¡¯ Lan looked into his eyes, daring him to look away. ¡®I know it¡¯s dangerous, but I don¡¯t plan on dying.¡¯ A moment passed, and Lan started to feel like he must have sounded crazy. When the man spoke.

    ¡®You said you lost your apprenticeship?¡¯ Lan told the man about what had happened over the last few days. And even though it had been embarrassing at first, and he found himself leaving out most of the parts to do with Eliza, the more he spoke, the easier the words came. When he reached the end, Lan was almost a little disappointed he had run out of things to say. At some point, the girl came back up and where, as her father showed no emotions. Her¡¯s, was a red hot fury, stomping around and muttering to herself. Honestly, it made him feel better, so much so that the idea of leaving without a weapon again didn¡¯t sting so much. That was until the man moved over to a rack of spears and pulled one free.

    ¡®You don¡¯t have any combat skills, and with your hand injured, you aren¡¯t going to be able to do much anyway.¡¯ Lan had wrapped his cut hand with a handkerchief that had bled through. Really Lan would need to see a healer; it was only then he realised what the smith was doing.

    ¡®You mean¡­¡¯

    ¡®You said that you don¡¯t plan on dying, right. I am going to hold you to that, and it will be a little easier with this.¡¯ He said as the girl looked on with a mix of surprise and horror. ¡®And there is no other way that I can think of to help.¡¯ he walked over to the counter and placed the spear on it. For a moment, Lan just stood there before his body started to move on its own, worried that the man would change his mind. Reaching for his coin, Lan dropped it onto the floor, as his hand shook from the pain and adrenaline.

    ¡®Aren¡¯t you going to ask how much it is?¡¯ the girl said as the man looked at Lan as if he was reconsidering his decision.

    ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ he said quickly

    ¡®That will be a gold dragon.¡¯ Lan blinked. That was more than he had expected, not as much as the others had offered to sell for, but still a lot. He looked over to the rack just to make sure. And found that the smith was greatly undercharging him. ¡®You do have enough, right.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah!¡¯ Lan said, reaching for the money his mother had given him. It was the first time he had looked at the amount. Three gold. His father¡¯s craftmanship had always been great. Lan placed one of the large gold coins on the counter, which the man picked up with more confidence than Lan did with the spear. Although that was more to do with trying to stop his hands from shaking.

    ¡®You are going to need some armour. Not only because it is a smart idea, but you will stand out less with it.¡¯ the man said, nodding to the girl. Who, after a moment, nodded back and rushed down the stairs and returned with a leather breastplate and helmet.

    ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t.¡¯ Lan tried.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, you can pay for this when you get back.¡¯ he said, stopping Lan.

    ¡®It¡¯s not the best armour, but it will stop a blow or two, and it¡¯s the best you can get at your level.¡¯ The girl said, lifting the unbuckled armour up and wrapping it around Lan before dashing behind him and bucking the straps. Before Lan could say anything, she handed him the helmet and ran behind the counter again.

    ¡®Uh, are you sure?¡¯ Lan asked, looking at the helmet.

    ¡®No point in making you take it off now.¡¯ the man shrugged. ¡®hold onto it. Now, I would head off. If you leave now, you might be able to join and find a team that will take you before most of the morning crowd leaves.

    ¡®R-right.¡¯ Lan nodded and headed for the door, maternity taken by the energy of the moment, before stopping and turning to the two. ¡®Lan, my name is Landrin, but people just call me Lan.¡¯ Lan said, and the man smiled for the first time.

    ¡®I guess you are planning on coming back. the name¡¯s Cawl.¡¯

    ¡®And I am Cali.¡¯ The girl smiled.

    ¡®Cawl and Cali¡­  Thank you.¡¯ Lan said and stepped out into the city.

 Chapter 7: A guiding Light

    Cool air hit Lan as he stepped back out into the street. Lan closed his eyes and focused on the spear. Everyone was taught how to link items even though most never had to use the technique; suddenly, Lan could see the spear in his Tome and anything that was written on the weapon¡¯s core.

    [Beginner iron training spear.]

    [Damage Score: 5]

    Durability - A,

    Rarity: Common

    Quality: Skilful.

    Construction: Old iron ¨C E, Wood - F

    Edge ¨C F, Point ¨C F

    Traits: Can be used by anyone.

    [Link Level: 1]

    Lan frowned. Sure, he didn¡¯t know much, if anything, about weapons or iron, but it seemed like those stats were somewhat low for a gold dragon. But it was a weapon he could use, making it more than worth it.

    [Hardened leather training chest plate.]

    [Defence Score: 5]

    Durability - A,

    Rarity: common.

    Quality: Skilful.

    Construction: Black Bear leather and Steel ¨C D,

    Impact Damage Resistance - D, Piercing Damage Resistance ¨C E

    Traits: Unlocked: unlocked armour. This item has been unlocked, degrading the amour¡¯s overall quality while allowing anyone to use it.

    [Link Level: 1]

    Lan hummed. The same unlocked trait was on the helmet, which had a defence of three, bringing his defence up to seven. Something that was now showing up in his Tome on a new page labelled equipment. Lan put it on and started back the way he had come. Walking down the street in armour and carrying a spear while in his regular clothes, Lan stood out, but he was filled with too much adrenaline to notice. For a while, he walked with urgency before realising he had no idea where to go. Lan knew where all three guilds were, but he didn¡¯t know which one to go to. Luckily the decision was made for him when the Barmaid from a few nights ago stepped out of the inn in armour and noticed him.

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s you.¡¯ she smiled. ¡®You should have said that you were an adventurer.¡¯ She crossed her arms, her smile turning into a smirk as the quiver of arrows on her back rattled.

    ¡®Oh, not yet.¡¯ Lan said without thinking.

    ¡®Oh really, so you are looking to join then. Lucky for you, I was heading to the best Guild in the city as we speak, and although I am clearly biased, at least you don¡¯t have to walk on your own.¡¯ she winked, and Lan found himself following her without thinking all the way to the Guild. There was just something about how sure she was in everything she did that seemed to ensnare him, made him feel like there was nothing crazy about him marching up to a guild of monster hunters at his level. It reminded him of the night at the inn. For a moment, Lan wondered if he had subconsciously chosen to end up there. Although he didn¡¯t think on it long as they reached the guild hall. Which was a rather short walk from the inn. A four-story building with banners of a man on horseback carrying a spear with silhouettes of other horse riders in the background, The hunter moonlighting as a Barmaid turned to him. ¡®Oh, I never got your name.¡¯

    ¡®Uh... it¡¯s Landrin.¡¯

    ¡®Landrin.¡¯ She nodded. ¡®Leah.¡¯

    ¡®Leah,¡¯ Lan nodded back. ¡®You can just call me Lan.¡¯

    ¡®Lan.¡¯ She smiled. ¡®Well, Lan, Welcome to the Hall of the Wild Hunt.¡¯

    ¡®Wait a moment.¡¯ Lan called as she turned to enter. ¡®There is something I have to say.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, even if you are new to all this, everyone is friendly enough, and you are with me, so you won¡¯t have to worry.¡¯ She said, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the building. Which was a bustle of activity. The bottom floor was a mix of a meeting area, and reception, with tables and chairs all around with adventurers going over jobs on them and long benches off to the side with people waiting to register jobs at a separate reception to the main one, at the back of the main hall were four large jobs boards each with a different coloured frame. With two staircases behind the four-man desk to the second and third floors, which could be seen from the first floor. As she dragged Lan through the hall, greeting people, Lan tried to tell her to stop for a moment, but they were already standing at the reception desk when she did.

    ¡®Good Morning Leah.¡¯ The Hazel haired woman with the brightest smile Lan had ever seen said before, looking at him. ¡®I see that you have brought a friend.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s right, Mari.¡¯ Leah said, looking at him. ¡®This is Lan. He¡¯s looking to join the Guild.¡¯

    ¡®Excellent, it¡¯s always good to see new faces. Here you are.¡¯ The receptionist said, placing a small rectangular plate about a finger long and two fingers wide, made of Drill, the lowest class metal, in front of Lan. A rectangular hole was punched through the top with a cord strung through it. ¡®Like all guilds, we do not register a new member until the end of their first week.¡¯ Lan looked to Leah, who gave him a smile and shrugged.

    ¡®Most people find out if this kind of Class fits them within the first week. No point doing all the paperwork if we are just going to end up burning it.¡¯

    ¡®What she means is that most newbies end up running home crying after the first week, but that¡¯s being generous.¡¯ A young man about Lan¡¯s age, with short red hair, threw his arms over his shoulder. ¡®in reality, you know, after the first day. They either piss themselves after seeing a goblin for the first time, or you know you never see the goblin at all, but those are the lucky ones. Most see what kills them.¡¯ he grinned, wicking at Lan before Leah thumped him on the head.

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    ¡®That¡¯s more than enough, Klaus!¡¯

    ¡®Ah, sorry, Leah, I was just curious. Not often do I see you with a man in tow, I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡¯ He dodged her next attack, hiding behind Lan for the next before running off with Leah chasing after him. Lan just stood there. No one needed to tell him that this was going to be dangerous. But for him to speak so casually about dying on the first day. Made it all real.

    ¡®What! it¡¯s true though.¡¯ Lan heard the young man cry as Leah caught him and started hammering him with blows.

    ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ Mari¡¯s worried voice snapped Lan back.

    ¡®Yeah, just fine,¡¯ he smiled and picked up the adventurer tag.

    [Class Item Acquired: Adventurous Tag ¨C Rank: Drill]

    Lan breathed out hard. He had waited so long to hear those words. Not that of a Crafter or merchant, but for some reason, it didn¡¯t bother him. Whether he wished for it or not, this was a sign of an opportunity.

    ¡®Sorry about him,¡¯ Leah said as she returned. ¡®But you will find that a lot of them are like that when it comes to being an adventurer. You''ll get used to it, so don¡¯t let it bother you. Oh!¡¯ she called, seeing he had picked up the class item. I guess it didn¡¯t.¡¯ she smiled. ¡®If you would like, I can help you pick a job to start. My team already has a job, so I won¡¯t be able to help you. Just tell me what Level you are, and I can see¡­¡¯ before Lan could think of what to say. A voice broke through the noise in the hall.

    ¡®Everyone!¡¯ all eyes, even Lan¡¯s, turned to the well-built man with a trimmed beard and dressed in a spectacular red armoured coat. ¡®there has been a horde of Razorback wolves spotted near the city¡­ and we got the contract.¡¯ A cheer of excitement roared through the hall.

    ¡®Well, looks like we will have to take a rain check.¡¯ Leah said, ¡®on second thought, this is probably the best opportunity to see what adventuring is all about.¡¯ She said before rushing off to join a group that included Klaus.

    ¡®Like all Kill orders, it¡¯s all hands on deck. If you don¡¯t already have a job registered, gear up and accept the job and be ready to move at ten. Before Lan knew it, he was almost bowled over as a wave of high-level people rushed to accept the job. Lan watched for a moment before he found himself joining the line, his hesitation having put him at the very back, as Leah and her group walked past him, and she gave him a smile, but by the time Lan reached the end of the line, her and her team had left with the guild master in the first group. When Lan finally got to the desk and had Mari explain how to accept a job by touching his tag to the black disk on the counter, he paused with the tag hovering over the keystone. He had joined the line without thinking, but now, he had reached a turning point. Even if he could leave the guild whenever he wanted. Accepting the job meant that he would come face to face with monsters. The last shreds of common sense screamed at him that he was an idiot and should turn back now. But it was a feeble front, even for what it was. Lan knew what he should do or what he believed he had to do and had been doing so for years, and it had only gotten him to the point that he was standing there. But it wasn¡¯t even about that or the fact that an opportunity like this would never come again.

    [Guild contract accepted: Subjugate Razorwolves Horde]

    He was doing this because he wanted to.

    By the time he took the job, the second group had left, and Lan was left to join up with the adventurers who had found out about the job late and had rushed to join. Lan overheard one group talking about how they were looking forward to their day off. But they had received a letter saying they were going whether they liked it or not. Even though they wore silver tags like the majority in the Guild, Lan could see why the guild master would want them to come. They all looked intimidating, but most adventurers looked intimidating to Lan.

    As the third group left, there were at least sixty people on the road out of the city. He followed quietly and was happy when they turned down a road the opposite way from his village. As they marched, Lan tried to keep his head down, but that meant Lan didn¡¯t know where they were going or how long it would take to get there. Which only made the fact that it took literally everything Lan had to keep up with the others in the group, and barely managed to keep up at that, all the harder.

    By the time they stopped for the first break, the sun was high in the sky, although Lan barely noticed as he snuck away and collapsed behind a tree and threw up. Which almost made him miss it when the group started moving again and nearly forget his spear. When they finally stopped for the day, it was because the sun had begun to set. Luckily a mage with each group had a warp space box with camping supplies. And they all started to set up a camp in the middle of a clearing with small camps of large consecutive rings. Lan was in a tent with a few other adventurers without groups that helped around the camp. When he was finally able to get a seat around one of the fires. Those around him were already in the middle of a conversation, and Lan forced himself to listen in, afraid that resting before the others or even looking drowsy would make him stand out, so at least for a while, he stayed up. That was until someone touched something cold to his head. Realising he had drifted off, Lan opened his eyes with a start and was greeted by a smiling Leah.

    ¡®You made it.¡¯ she said and offered the cup and a bowl of stew to Lan.

    ¡®Barely.¡¯ Lan sighed and took the food gratefully, suddenly realising he was starving.

    ¡®Yeah, they never put in the stories just how much walking we do. Although, for Guild-wide contracts like this, there are usually wagons arranged, but we didn¡¯t have any time for that.

    ¡®Adventurers usually ride horses in the stories,¡¯ Lan said between bites.

    ¡®You would think that.¡¯ Leah said, sitting next to him. ¡®But it¡¯s hard to find a horse that won¡¯t run or freeze at the smell alone of a monster, and a horse that won''t is worth its weight in gold. But you will get used to it. Making your way to the job is half the fun,¡¯ she grinned and leaned forward, her gold adventurer¡¯s tag reflecting in the campfire light. ¡®and levelling always helps. Which shouldn¡¯t be a problem in guild jobs like this one.¡¯

    ¡®If you don¡¯t mind me asking. What made you want to become an adventurer.¡¯ Lan found himself asking, wanting to know even a little more about the oddly fascinating woman, even if doing so was dangerous for him. Leah sat back and looked up at the stars.

    ¡®You know that I work at the silver-haired maiden. Well, my father not only owns it but was an adventurer before opening it. I grew up around most of these idiots¡­ well, the older ones, at least. I guess I never really thought I would do anything else. I think I am one of the few who loved the idea of being an adventurer before becoming one. Although only those that do stay for any amount of time.¡¯ the others around the camp chuckled warmly, with only one of the group''s expressions growing darker. Lan noted that it was the same group complaining in the guild. She must have seen something on his face as she laughed too.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I get the feeling that you will be one of those that understand, and I haven''t been wrong so far.¡¯ She winked and rose. ¡®You should try and get some sleep. We should be coming across the Razorwolves early in the morning. As she walked away, Lan noticed that she hadn¡¯t asked him the same question. Which was a little bit of a relief. However, that didn¡¯t stop those around him from attacking. Although, he was able to Dodge the questions by blacking out.

    This only seemed to be a temporary solution, as those around him had noticed just how much he was struggling. The next day, some of the others started asking him where he was from and what he did in the past. Although when Lan said that he was from Aarondale, they assumed he was a guard who wanted the taste of Adventure, which led to some gentle ribbing and a few invitations to spar. Luckily before any could talk him into it. The Guild master called for a halt.

    ¡®Everyone, the scouts say that the Razorwolves have broken into smaller packs and are heading our way. Those who are not part of a group set forward. I will assign you to a temporary team.¡¯ even as Lan stepped forward, he knew he was about to be found out when the Guild master''s eyes changed colour. For a moment, Lan wondered if it was too late to back out before setting his jaw. The Guild master went down the line, seeing the others, mostly Drill and Bronze ranks until he landed on Lan. Looking confused for a moment before he frowned. ¡®What the hell is the meaning of this, you.¡¯ he pointed to Lan. ¡®Explain yourself.¡¯

 Chapter 8: No one to watch your back

    All eyes turned to Lan, and he felt his heart race a little. For a moment, he thought about playing dumb, but he didn¡¯t want to, and it would only make those around him angry.

    ¡®I want to be an adventurer.¡¯

    ¡®You know that¡¯s not what I am asking you. but what makes you think that a level one has any right being a part of my Guild anyway.¡¯ The guild master barked, followed by angry and confused whispers from those around Lan. ¡®so you think this is some kind of game? How the hell does someone even manage to stay at Level One in adulthood?¡¯

    ¡®Guildmaster, Wolves!¡¯ a voice called a moment before they heard the first howls.

    ¡®Damn it, we don¡¯t have time for this. Locke, he is with your team.¡¯ Looking around, Lan guessed that the group scowling at him was Locke and his team. The same unwelcoming team that he had joined to come with and who were now looking seriously pissed off. ¡®Keep him alive. I want to hear this story.¡¯ The man Lan guessed was Locke, a tall, dark-haired man with a few days of growth on his face and a scar at the corner of his forehead, nodded before gesturing him over.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I promise not to get in the way.¡¯ Lan said, stopping in front of him all while trying to ignore the looks he was getting from those around them.

    ¡®That¡¯s nice, but it¡¯s not exactly up to you now, is it. Just try not to scream when the monsters show or, in fact, do anything, and this should be over soon enough.¡¯ Locke turned, taking up a position in front of the group as the others fell in around Lan, trapping him in the centre. However, Lan found that his first encounter with monsters would have to wait. As where they were positioned in the larger formation, they were close enough to hear the fighting going on around them but could not see any of it. Even still, Lan thought he would feel nervous, but he was oddly calm. His hands were steady, and his mind sharper than he could remember.

    ¡®This is bullshit.¡¯ A younger voice snapped. ¡®first, we are dragged out here, and now, we don¡¯t even get to make any coin because we have to babysit this simpleton.¡¯ The one who had spoken was a thin young man who looked a little younger than Lan, with messy brown hair and the greenest eyes Lan had ever seen. he was dressed in light leather armour and carrying a short sword and a dagger. The latter of which he used the pommel of which to scratch the back of his head.

    ¡®I am not a simpleton!¡¯ Lan said, but the boy just ignored him.

    ¡®Yes, well, I guess we will end up getting our day off anyway.¡¯ A beautiful woman dressed in white with silver hair and eyes said, half leaning on her staff.

    ¡®I have to say, of all the ways to make some quick coin, this is the dumbest.¡¯ The large dark-skinned man with a large axe with sculpted lions around the axe head and a tower shield as tall as Lan, wearing silver armour, said while never taking his eyes off the trees to their left.

    ¡®Speaking of which.¡¯ The boy looked to Lan. ¡®don¡¯t you go thinking you will be making anything from this guild job. Every coin you get, you are giving to us for babysitting you.¡¯ he said. Lan had never been under the illusion that he would be getting anything. All that mattered to him was gaining experience. If he could just gain even one level, he would be in much better standing than he was.

    ¡®Is that so? Well, I will be expecting your share by the end of the day, seeing as I have been babysitting you for the last year now.¡¯ A dwarf with a red beard and hair like copper thread waved into large plaits, said to a round of laughter from some of the others and a scowl from the boy.

    ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯ Locke said, giving Lan an unreadable look. About half an hour later, the last of the fighting ended, and Lan was immediately dragged into a small clearing by the Guild Master and Locke.

    ¡®Explain yourself in a way that makes sense.¡¯ The guild master said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

    ¡®Did you wander away from a sick home or something? if you have, then we can make sure that you get back in one piece.¡¯ Locke added.

    ¡®There is nothing wrong with me. I am not a simpleton, my soul isn¡¯t broken, and I do not think this is a joke.¡¯ Lan sighed. The two shared a look.

    ¡®Then what are you doing here?¡¯ The Guild master asked, sounding a little less patient.

    ¡®I just¡­ what other Class item has no level requirement and someone could make a lot of money from.¡¯ Both men blinked at Lan.

    ¡®Listen, son, I don¡¯t know what you have gone through, but this isn¡¯t a place for civilians, let alone someone of your Level. I commend you for even being able to keep up with us. But this is where it ends. Once you get back and have a moment to clear your head, I am sure you¡¯ll come to your senses.

    ¡®Like I said, I am not a simpleton. My mind has never been clearer, don¡¯t think I am doing this because I''m crazy or I am just hoping for a monster to end things for me. I could have just thrown myself off the side of a cliff if I wanted to do that. I am here because even if there is the slimmest chance that I can make it as an adventurer, it is still a chance. I realize now that is more so than I have had in a long time. And it is something that I won¡¯t give up easily¡¯ Lan met the eyes of the Guild Master. ¡®All I want is a chance. You can kick me out when we get back. But until then, I took this job like everyone else. And I intend on doing it.¡¯ the Guild master looked at Lan and then frowned just like the first time he had met Leah. The guild master seemed to see something and then sighed.

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    ¡®Fine then.¡¯ He turned to leave.

    ¡®What are you talking about.¡¯ Locke called.

    ¡®If he wants to get himself killed, then so be it. It¡¯s not like I have stood in the way of others throwing away their life wanting to be adventurers. Don¡¯t want others to think I am picking favourites. He is still with you, Locke.¡¯

    ¡®Fine.¡¯ Locke said darkly, but the moment the Guild master left, he spun and slammed Lan against the tree hard enough that he almost lost a point of health. ¡®This isn¡¯t a game. You are going to not only get yourself killed but put my team and me at risk.¡¯ Locke stopped as Lan fought to breathe, unable to pry the seasoned adventurer¡¯s hand from around his neck. Locke loosened his grip, and Lan snapped.

    ¡®I never said anything about needing or wanting to be a part of your group. I¡¯ll do this on my own if I have to.¡¯ Which was true. Even though Lan knew that without help, he would have less than a fraction of a chance of surviving, that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t go it alone if he needed to.

    ¡®And what can you do on your own?¡¯ the adventurer challenged.

    ¡®More than if I just did nothing and left.¡¯ Lan said back as if it wasn¡¯t just what he thought but what he knew, what he felt. Even if the night at the inn had been the seed and his mother selling her pin for him, the catalyst. The idea of turning back now made him angry. He didn¡¯t know how, but Lan knew that if he didn¡¯t go through with it, even if somehow, by the grace of the gods of light, he somehow found another apprenticeship, he would regret this moment for the rest of his life. Locke¡¯s grip tightened slowly as if he could squeeze some sense into him, but when Lan braced himself to start prying at Locke¡¯s hand again. The adventurer gritted his teeth and eased his grip before he dropped Lan and turned to leave.

    ¡®You said you would do this alone?¡¯ Locke waited as Lan pushed himself from the tree. Lan nodded. ¡®Too bad, the chief said you are with us, so you are with us. Grab your stuff and bring it to our camp. For a moment, Lan watched the man go, wondering what he had said to cause that reaction before he heard someone coming near him. Turning to the sound, Lan found a sheepish-looking Leah creeping out of the dark.

    ¡®Sorry,¡¯ she said after a moment. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t dragged you to the Guild, you wouldn¡¯t have ended up here.¡¯

    ¡®Why, I was planning on joining anyway. If anything, I should be thanking you.¡¯ Lan smiled. Leah stared at him for a moment before smiling back.

    ¡®You are weird.¡¯ She giggled. ¡®But you would have to be able to cow both the guild master and Locke like that. how did you manage that anyway.¡¯ She asked as she walked up to him.

    ¡®I really don¡¯t know, after so long of having others make my decisions for me and feeling like I had to go with it. I decided I wouldn¡¯t let that happen anymore, and it seemed to be working¡­ somehow.¡¯ Leah laughed again.

    ¡®I told you that I had a good feeling about you. I am sure they see it too. You have the right look in your eyes¡¯ Lan frowned, wondering what she meant before she went on, ¡®although I wish you would have said something about your Level.¡¯ She pouted and poked him in the ribs.

    ¡®Sorry,¡¯ Lan winced, ¡®but you don¡¯t seem as angry as the others.¡¯ she stopped and looked Lan in the eyes.

    ¡®I¡¯ll be angrier if you get yourself killed because of me. But in reality, I am curious to see what happens.¡¯ Lan waited to see if she would go on, ¡°if he got himself killed? Even Lan thought ¡°if¡± might be a little too confident a word, but she didn¡¯t go on and nodded for him to follow her. ¡®Come on, I''ll help you move your things.¡¯

    Back to his old camp, where he found his reception nearly as bad as his new one promised to be; even before they reached it, it was clear they were talking about him. one even worried that by sharing a camp with him would lead others to think they were friends with him. and they all glared at him when they entered the camp, and although this was the same around the other camps most people seemed happy to ignore him. One of which was the platinum-blonde woman Lan saw as they entered Locke¡¯s camp. Now dressed only in a form-fitting white suit that she had been wearing under the armour which was now scattered around her. Her reddish-gold eyes drew a line over the two of them before she went back to cleaning the claymore that was easily taller than he was.

    ¡®I need to get back,¡¯ Leah said, handing Lan¡¯s sleeping bag back to him and saying goodbye. Lan nodded to her before turning to look for a place to lay down his stuff. Despite the situation, Lan couldn¡¯t help but look back to the odd woman. He had never seen clothes like it before. He wasn¡¯t even sure what material it was. When the light caught it, it shined slightly even though it was as pale as snow. The woman saw Lan staring and raised an eyebrow. In a rush to look like he wasn¡¯t looking, Lan turned and tripped over the last member of the team. a girl with skin a little lighter than the large man, dressed in leather armour and carrying a bow.

    ¡®Ah! Watch it.¡¯ She snapped. ¡®How the hell am I supposed to scout with a broken foot.¡¯

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯ Lan said, not saying he didn¡¯t think he could break her foot with a hammer, let alone by falling on it. Either way, it was his fault, and it didn¡¯t matter as she pouted and walked away.

    ¡®You know I am curious to see what a Razerwolf can do with a Level One. A goblin can go through a Level ten like they were made of book paper. So it should be quite the sight.¡¯ The boy said. ¡®I bet its jaws cut you clean in two.¡¯ When Lan didn¡¯t rise to the bait, he got even more annoyed. ¡®Seriously, what did you think was going to happen? You know why even though other Class items cost entire life savings, they just gave you that one without blinking an eye. This is because there are more Tags than adventurers in the world. Even if they tried to give them all out, they never would manage it. Half of all first-timers die on their first job, the others are injured beyond healing or broken from experience, and those are people from real combat backgrounds. And you were stupid enough to take a guild job when no one has your back.¡¯

    ¡®The boy isn¡¯t right often, but I have to say, as far as death sentences go, this is a new one.¡¯ The dwarf said, picking at something on the head of his hammer, which looked to be as big as his own head. Lan took in their words, and as he lay down, realized the threat of no one having his back didn¡¯t faze him. If he was going to die, it wouldn¡¯t be because he hadn¡¯t given it his all. The boy stood and started towards him. But before he could reach him, Locke spoke.

    ¡®That¡¯s enough. Get some rest, all of you. You will need it for tomorrow.¡¯ he said, giving Lan a look that he could not read before laying down himself.

 Chapter 9: Nowhere to run

    The next day, Lan woke to the first sounds of movement. Looking around, he could see the others were already gearing up. He got up and was pulling on his helmet when Locke walked over and grabbed his tag. For a moment, Lan thought he was going to take it, but before he had time to react, the Team Leader retrieved his own tag from his shirt and linked the two. Lan blinked and stepped back as his sight filled with seven small flames.

    [Party Link]

    Locke ¨C Strider - Team leader ¨C Level 25

    Sir Drevin Stone ¨C Guardian ¨C Level 27

    Olivia Renly ¨C Mage - Level 26

    Sora ¨C Rogue ¨C Level - 22

    Vasha ¨C Archer ¨C Level - 22

    Vulk Shatterstone ¨C Warrior ¨C Level 25

    Cassandra ¨C Berserker ¨C Level - 27

    ¡®If somehow you are still standing and those fires go out, then you should run.¡¯ Lan just stood speechless as Locke left. This was a party link. The other flames were the seven members of Locke¡¯s team. With this, Lan would be able to know where they were at any time, and how close to death each of them was. And it meant that if he was able to help in a kill, he would gain some experience.

    Did he have a change of heart, or was this a way to show Lan just how far in over his head he was, Lan thought, believing there really weren¡¯t many other options? When he hadn¡¯t even gained a single point of experience by the end of the day, would Locke use that to get him to leave? Lan picked up his spear.

    Even before the sun had climbed clear of the horizon, it was clear that the wave of Razorwolves the day before had only been a fraction of the true number. Accounts coming in from the scouts reported wolves approaching from every direction.

    Despite the news, none of the adventurers seemed in much of a rush. More than a few were not even geared up yet, and some were eating. Which Lan guessed was fine as Locke, and the other team leaders were huddled around the Guild master, and they looked almost as relaxed as the rest as they discussed something. Lan couldn¡¯t hear where he and the rest of Locke''s team were, but the occasional nodding told him that it didn¡¯t seem too urgent.

    ¡®Are you wondering why we aren¡¯t doing anything even though we are surrounded?¡¯ The Boy, who Lan now knew was named Sora, asked. Lan looked over and saw the boy grinning at him.

    ¡®I am.¡¯ He answered, even if he was just baiting him, any information was better than nothing.

    ¡®Razorwolves are just smart enough to avoid a fight they don¡¯t think they can win. The last thing we want is to have a large horde like this breaking into smaller ones and terrorizing the villages. So we give them a big juicy target filled with enough levels and experience that they can¡¯t help but take the bait. But that is only the start of it. Once the fighting starts, the bloodlust will kick in. The Razorwolves will lose all sense and fight until either the last wolf falls or none of us is left. Which means, at this point, there isn¡¯t anywhere for you to run.¡¯ The boy patted Lan on the back. ¡®So you better start praying that we are stronger than them.¡¯

    Lan nodded. He knew that the whole guild wouldn¡¯t be taken down here. Even the idea was out of the question. Lan knew this based on how they were all acting. Locke¡¯s team, on the other hand, was not so secure. Not that he thought they were weak, just as he first thought they looked strong. But a team falling to a horde seemed more likely than the whole guild, as he was currently a part of this group. It was the only one he needed to worry about. He would stay out of their way and try to get kills if he saw a chance.

    The boy tsked and walked away.

    ¡®Say what you want. At least he seems to have a good gambler''s face.¡¯ The tan-skinned archer Vasha said as she expertly checked the string on her bow.

    ¡®That or he is an idiot.¡¯ The dwarf warrior Vulk chimed in, getting a few nods, some from those not even in the team.

    ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t know. It could always be both.¡¯ The Mage Olivia said in an almost sweet tone as if trying to placate both sides and getting a round of laughs for her effort. Lan barely noticed as he watched the guild master and the others. From the looks of it, they had finished, and Locke''s expression was once again unreadable.

    ¡®The teams that got to sit out the fight yesterday will be on the outside of the formation today.¡¯ Locke explained as he returned to his team, who took in the information without reaction aside from short nods. ¡®The scouts say that the weakest wolves are around level ten, so nothing we can¡¯t handle if we keep our heads on straight. We need the wolves to think that there is a chance of them killing us, so we will be fighting in our usual formation until the frenzy starts, and then we will re-join the larger formation. Which means until then, we are on our own.¡¯ Locke looked at Lan.

    This time, Lan knew what he was saying. Lan had said he would fight alone if he had to. Now that he had no choice but to work with Locke and the others, the team leader wanted to see if Lan would live up to his words. Squeezing the haft of his spear, Lan nodded.

    By the time the scouts returned with news that the Razorwolves had almost reached the campsite, all the camping gear had been cleared away, and the once-relaxed atmosphere had been replaced with a cold focus and determination, and Lan found himself being swept up in the energy. So by the time the first wolves broke through the trees. Lan felt like he had been dropped into a frozen lake.

    Moreso a rolling tide of jaws and piercing yellow eyes than individual beasts. With dark grey fur with a red line down their backs, The Razorwolves looked little like the animals that they were named after, aside from the fact they ran on four legs. Even then, they were much bulkier around the shoulders with larger, wider heads and a mouth full of wide, interlocking teeth that sealed with the sound of steel sliding on steel. Along with that, the Razorwolves had long muscular whip-like tails.

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    ¡®Get your head on straight,¡¯ Locke looked back at Lan. ¡®If you freeze up now, you¡¯ll get left behind.¡¯ Even before the Wolves had shown, Locke and the others had fallen into their formation, with Drevin at the head of the formation, Locke and Vulk to either side, while Cassandra, Olivia, Vasha and Sora seemed to be in a looser formation behind the team''s Guardian, or they would be if Lan hadn¡¯t been shoved directly behind Drevin and close to Cassandra, who was now fully dressed in her armour.

    When she saw him looking, the odd woman nodded and then turned to face the first wolf that broke through the trees on their left. Faster than Lan could physically see, Cassandra turned and brought her great sword down on a wolf, bisecting it even before her blade hit the ground. When it did, the ground exploded from the impact and sent chunks of earth and the two halves of the wolf into the air. When she turned back, she now had a splash of blood on her cheek.

    Two wolves leapt out at them before crumbling to the ground as they landed, one with an arrow and the other with a throwing knife in their heads. Three wolves managed to get past the main group and charged from the right, not even making it halfway before a fireball blasted them away. Lan looked back and saw smoke rising from Olivia¡¯s hand, subconsciously realising that it was the first time he had seen real magic. Lan turned back just as the horde crashed into the main formation as a smaller wave broke off and headed right for Lan and the others.

    Before the wave could reach them. Locke shot forward, raising his sword in the air and bringing it down. As the blade fell, the air seemed to catch on it before gathering into a cyclone that ripped through the ten or more wolves as easily as it ripped through the ground. Even still, the wolves behind them charged over their fallen pack mates.

    But Lan couldn¡¯t focus on that as a wolf attacking one of the other bait groups broke off and charged straight for him. Once again, Lan felt the icy feeling crawl into his spine. It was one thing seeing the monsters. It was another knowing that it saw you. And the odd, unsettling understanding in its eyes, more than he thought any animal was capable of. Even as he had the thought, the ice seizing his body shattered as Lan raised his spear.

    But before Lan learned if his spear could even hurt the Wolf. Vulk planted a forward kick in its side and followed up with his hammer as he barked out a booming laugh that almost sounded like rolling thunder.

    Suddenly Drevin lifted his shield and darted past Lan faster than anyone of his size should have been able to move, let alone with a shield like he was swinging around. Leaving Lan with a clear view of what was left of the wave that had been coming for them. Most had been taken out with arrows, knives and slashes, with only a few much larger wolves left. Locke and Vulk seemed to be holding them back, While Sora and Vasha stuck together, the Rogue and the archer watching each other''s backs as they picked off targets.

    It was only then realisation dawned on Lan as to what the team''s tank moving anywhere meant. Turning, he saw another wave coming from behind them. Only to run into Drevin¡¯s shield as he lifted the mid-casting mage behind him. Before digging his feet into the ground, the guardian braced as a shockwave pulsed from his shield, blasting the wolves back. Seemingly not even noticing she had been moved. Olivia closed her hand over the rune circle she had been casting. A heartbeat later, dark clouds formed above the stunned wolves before lances of ice rained down on them.

    ¡®Rookie!¡¯ Lan turned his head to the sound of Locke''s voice only to find a large open mouth of razor-sharp teeth that only grew closer as the wolf bore down on him. Lan tried to raise his spear, but he already knew that he wouldn¡¯t turn his body in time. As the monster''s jaws closed in, Lan remembered what Sora had said about it cutting him in two before an axe was buried in its head, and Drevin moved to stand in front of him again.

    ¡®What? I¡¯m the party¡¯s shield. It''s my job to keep everyone safe, even you.¡¯ The Large man smiled. Lan just blinked at the man before they heard a howl ring through the clearing.

    One howl was joined by another and another until the sound started to resonate with Lan¡¯s body. He didn¡¯t need anyone to tell him this was the frenzy they had been waiting for. But the result was not what he expected.

    Although many wolf corpses now carpeted the ground. Those remaining were larger, and as the howl sounded, the wolves seemed to get bigger, their fur bristling as a red mist rose from them.

    ¡®Everyone, fall back into the formation.¡¯ The guild master commanded, and though a few of the bait groups managed to make it back. Lan and the others didn¡¯t move. Instead, Locke and the others fell back into formation as the wolves moved to cut them off from the others. Looking around, Lan found that they weren¡¯t the only ones, as a few others had also been caught out. For being frenzied, the wolves looked even calmer than before.

    ¡®Oh look, it seems that we are cut off,¡¯ Vulk laughed. ¡®Seems we have no choice but to fight on our own.¡¯

    As the frenzied wolves charged. They seemed to be aiming for Drevin¡¯s shield. Even when Locke and Cassandra slashed at them, they were single-minded in attacking the wall that kept getting in their way. Vasha and Sora were still picking wolves off, but the wolves kept coming, some from the trees, some from the horde surrounding the main formation and from behind them. Lan scanned the battle looking for where he could do anything.

    Without even knowing it, he had fallen into a rhythm with Drevin moving so as to not get in the way of the larger man to the point that he did it without thinking but aside from that. There wasn¡¯t much that he could do that wouldn¡¯t get in the way. There was Olivia. If nothing else, he could buy the mage a moment more casting as a wolf chewed on his ribs. But he couldn¡¯t risk getting in the way of Vasha. He could try to cover her, but the way she and Sora were moving, just trying to do so, would no doubt be a hindrance.

    Cassandra was nowhere to be seen, and as Lan turned to check on Vulk, a shadow crested over him. Lan looked up just to see Vulk.

    The dwarf had somehow leapt high enough to clear over the rest of them, with lightning arching from his Warhammer, as the laughing dwarf landed in the middle of the wolves in front of them. He brought his hammer down, a bolt of lightning, drawing a line in the air, slamming onto the ground the moment Vulk¡¯s hammer did. A blast of white light and arching lightning hunted the wolves. Ability or magic, Lan wasn¡¯t sure what he had just seen. But he couldn¡¯t focus on it for long as he saw something moving from the corner of his eye.

    The moment Vulk had moved, a wolf that had been attacking the bait team next to them had immediately broken off and charged them as if waiting for that moment. Lan thought it was coming for him. But once again, it was Drevin. The Guardian could block it, but he was focused on the wolves that had survived, and Locke had moved to cover the Dwarf.

    Lan thought about calling to the Guardian, but as the wolf closed in, his body moved on its own. Digging in his heels, Lan threw his weight into his spear and caught the wolf in the shoulder, although it felt like he had struck a boulder. Even still, the razer wolf stopped and looked at him a moment before Drevin did. Then Lan felt this chest plate crumble as the wolf lashed its tail.

    As Lan flew through the air, he saw Drevin bring his axe down on the wolf, turning to look at Lan with horror on his face as Lan slammed into a tree.

    Pain lanced through Lan, his sight flashing before watching as his life flame grew smaller.

    [Hp 10 ¨C 9 ¨C 8]

    It was fine. He had watched his health drop many times before.

    [Hp 8 ¨C 7 ¨C 6 ¨C 5]

    It was fine. He was fine. Even this much, he was used to by now.

    [Hp 5 ¨C 4 ¨C 3]

    He was okay, he was okay, Lan thought as he felt his mind fraying as he watched the flame get ever smaller, the small voice in the back of his head taking the chance to creep into the forefront of his mind. He was¡­

    [Hp 3 ¨C 2 ¨C 1¡­]

 Chapter 10: The Call

    As the battle roared on around him, Lan stared at the ember that symbolised the remains of his health. Just one more point, he thought. As his mind spun, his lungs pulled in and pushed out air so fast they threatened to burst¡­ It was all over.

    [The nature of Health ¨C Likely the most important gift from the Lords of light. What mortals call Health points are far more than just the condition of your body, although they very much play a role. Health points are the measurement of one''s life force. Taking shape as an aura of protection, dampening if not stopping you from taking physical damage at the cost of your overall life force. They will not always prevent you from getting injured, but as long as you have even one point of health, there is still a chance of surviving.]

    As he listened, Lan¡¯s breathing slowed. He wondered if everyone heard the same things when the voice of the world spoke and why, after he had been hurt so many times over the last nine years, this was only the second time he had heard the voice speak these words.

    Despite the situation, Lan found his thoughts turning back to that day.

    It was the middle of summer, even still it had been warmer than average that day.

    From below, Lan could hear those he had once called friends. Some cheering him on, and others begging him to climb back down.

    He couldn¡¯t remember who, but someone had dared him to climb the tree in the centre of the village. No one was allowed to climb that particular tree, which only made him feel like he had to do it as much as he already wanted to.

    Swinging up to the branch he had been dared to reach. Lan took a seat, looked down and grinned at his friends. He had known it wouldn¡¯t be as difficult as everyone said.

    Once he was sure he had made his point, Lan started down. But the moment he swung his body over.

    The branch broke, and he fell.

    The high sun-bathed canopy of the tree quickly pulled away from him before he hit the ground, and his sight flashed white; a moment before, someone cried out his name.

    Immediately, Lan sat up and grinned to show that he was fine. His heart was racing a little, but he was fine. As if to show him just how wrong he was, a flame appeared in his sight.

    [10 hp ¨C 9]

    The flame dropped, and the voice spoke to Lan for the first time in his life.

    [The nature of Health ¨C Likely the most important gift from the Lords of light. What mortals call Health points are far more than just the condition of your body, although they very much play a role. Health points are the measurement of one''s life force.]

    [Hp 9 ¨C 8]

    [Taking shape as an aura of protection, dampening if not stopping you from taking physical damage at the cost of your overall life force. They will not always prevent you from getting injured, but as long as you have even one point of health, there is still a chance of surviving.]

    [Hp 8- 7]

    As the adrenaline fled from his slowly freezing blood, Lan felt a pain in his back which grew as he reached back and touched it. Pulling back his hand, Lan found it had been painted a deep crimson.

    He had to be told what happened next. Apparently, he just sat there frozen in place as someone went to get his parents and a healer. Even after healing, Lan didn¡¯t speak for three days; it would be a week before he returned to his old self.

    As for what he could remember, Lan felt like the world was ending as he watched his health drop. They had barely even been told about it in school, and now he had watched it fall as pain ripped through his body.

    He had been hurt before. He had gotten into fights that had left him with bumps and bruises. But never had he seen that flame.

    To Lan, it was like the world itself was telling him he was in danger, and what could be more horrifying than that? In reality, Lan hadn¡¯t been hurt that bad. His life force had done what it was supposed to and dampened the impact of the fall. But it hadn¡¯t stopped him from cutting his back on a stone.

    Lan Laughed.

    That there had been a time when losing three points of health had been the worst thing to happen to him. He would lose much more over the years, with one beating from a few years ago bringing him down to four health points. That time he had barely been able to walk. Although he couldn¡¯t completely understand it. As he flexed his legs, he found he could still move them.

    As long as you have even one point of health, there is still a chance of surviving. The words played in his mind.

    Those words had once spelt his impending doom. As if to say without it, there was no chance of surviving. Now¡­ it was a revelation. He had said he didn¡¯t go there to die without giving his all and as long as he had a single point of health left. He still hadn¡¯t done that yet. As long as he had a single point, it wasn¡¯t over.

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    With a reforged resolve, Lan looked over the battle.

    That he hadn¡¯t already been eaten was surprising, and then it occurred to him he was barely an inconvenience, something to be eaten when the fighting was done. The razer wolves would fight to the last; to do that, they were going after the biggest threats. Moving to protect the others when the wolves attack, Drevin made it so they could kill without the worry of being attacked. So the wolves were focused on him.

    [New understanding gained ¨C Although called a frenzy, it is a Pack Ability. Cast by the alpha as an order overriding individual instinct for self-preservation and directing them to attack the highest level or the most dangerous beings while granting them greater strength.]

    Looking back to Locke and the others, Lan found just that playing out.

    A wolf, larger than any Lan had seen, had thrown itself on Drevin¡¯s shield. Trying to get around the slab of wood and metal while the guardian fended off smaller wolves with his axe. At the same time, he twisted his shield to keep the large wolf away from him.

    Lan looked for someone to help the man, but everyone else seemed to be in a similar situation.

    Locke was facing off with a wolf rivalling the one attacking Drevin. Only this one had pale white fur and seemed to be using some kind of acceleration ability. Both it and Locke moved so fast that Lan couldn¡¯t follow them.

    With its speed, Lan didn¡¯t even want to think about what would happen if that thing went unchallenged.

    Vulk was surrounded by four wolves, and though he was outnumbered. It didn¡¯t look like they were getting the upper hand on the grinning Dwarf.

    Lan still couldn¡¯t see Cassandra anywhere.

    Seeing the trapped Dwarf. Sora moved to help him. Slashing the back of two wolves'' necks, Sora kicked a third before falling in beside the Dwarf, and as if waiting for this, more wolves moved to surround them.

    Vasha¡¯s bow sang as she loosed arrow after arrow, trying to keep as many wolves back as she could. She was moving so fast that it was a wonder that she hadn¡¯t run out of arrows yet. When she did, she danced back from a charging wolf before striking it across the head with her bow. Finishing it off with an arrow from her suddenly refilled quiver.

    So these were real adventurers, Lan thought as he watched them. Even after their formation had fallen apart and had been split up, they didn¡¯t lose their resolve.

    Suddenly, Lan heard a cry of pain as he saw Olivia¡¯s flame ripple and shrink.

    Turning to where her voice came from, Lan saw she had formed a wall of ice, half trapping a wolf in it. Her right arm hung from her side, with ribbons of scarlet drawing down her arm. With a grimace, the mage started to close her fist. And the wall of ice crawled ever more around the wolf that had injured her.

    But as she did so, she didn¡¯t see the wolf coming up behind her.

    Drevin did see it. But as he tried to break away from the giant wolf, it almost managed to get over his shield. And he had to brace his shield on his shoulder to stop it.

    ¡®Oli-¡¯ Drevin tried before the wolf started to push him back.

    Time seemed to warp around Lan, slowing as his mind raced.

    This was bad. The bite from the first wolf had dropped the physically fragile mage by a third of her health points. If she took a direct hit¡­ He didn¡¯t even want to think about the damage it would cause.

    As the wolf closed in from behind her, another moved to get around her ice wall. The new wolf¡¯s jaw snapped open, and Olivia moved her hand over it, icy vines shooting from the wall, ensnaring and adding the wolf to the ice mass. But the effort left her breathing hard, and the jaws behind her had just opened.

    Before anything else, Lan noticed the wind blowing through his hair. Then he realised that his body was moving on its own. Then he was by the mage, and she turned to look at him. Lan¡¯s body set in place as if born to it, his legs tensing as he twisted and drove his spear into the wolf¡¯s head.

    ¡®See me now, bastard?¡¯ Lan said through gritted teeth.

    For a moment, time stopped.

    Lan was sure he could have gotten an answer if the wolf could speak as though his strike connected. There was no changing the fact that he was at least nine levels below the wolf and using a weapon that matched.

    The wolf¡¯s eyes rolled and landed on Lan with a burning hatred. Instead of fear, Lan¡¯s mind was filled with icy cold clarity. He wouldn¡¯t be caught out this time.

    But he didn¡¯t need to worry as what he had done registered with the mage. Olivia stared at Lan with wide-eyed bemusement as if a ghost had come to her aid.

    When she noticed the wolf behind her, Olivia pushed her palm against the ice wall, shattering it and sending shards of ice blasting into more wolves before she turned. Fast as a whip, she spun, forming a blade of ice over her good hand and lanced the wolf through the neck.

    Lan¡¯s spear pulled free as the wolf crumbled.

    ¡®Are you all¡­¡¯ Lan stepped back as the mage came within a hair¡¯s breadth from him. Lan wondered if he had somehow offended her by saving her as she stared intensely at him. Then she smiled and gave him a wink.

    Before Lan could wonder where that had come from, Vasha¡¯s flame dropped, and he moved.

    Despite her best effort, a wolf had managed to pin her to the ground. Luckily she had managed to wedge her bow in the wolf¡¯s jaw. Which didn¡¯t stop the wolf from gnashing its teeth just inches from her face.

    Seeing this, Sora tried to get to her. But before he could, a wolf tackled him, and he rolled away with the wolf while stabbing it in the side.

    The wolf over Vasha pushed down with its mouth open, ready to snap shut. That was just before Lan¡¯s spear found its eye. The hit was good, and the wolf flinched back with its eye closed, but Lan tsked and jumped back as the wolf snapped at him. He couldn¡¯t even damage its eye, just annoy it.

    Which he did expertly as the wolf leapt from Vasha before falling down with a dagger in its back.

    As Sora retrieved his dagger and moved to Vasha''s side, he looked at Lan and frowned. Lan was just about to turn away when Sora nodded. He even looked like he would say something before he and Vasha turned to face more wolves. And Lan saw two wolves on Vulk.

    The Dwarf was holding back the jaws of one while punching the other.

    Lan¡¯s stab was worse than the last one. And the wolf broke from Vulk¡¯s grip and Landed on him. Somehow Lan managed to keep his spear between himself and the wolf, but its weight was more than his strength.

    Vulk¡¯s boot found its side, sending the wolf spinning as he grinned and lifted Lan to his feet.

    ¡®If the fire in one''s eye was enough to kill, I would say I was looking at a dragon.¡¯ Vulk laughed, slapping Lan on the back before charging into the Fray, and Lan found himself following.

 Chapter 11: The Answer

    Vulk swept away the wolves around Drevin, and Lan dashed past, stabbing at the giant wolf.

    Like the others, the wolf turned and tried to bite him the moment he did. Giving Drevin the chance to grab the wolf¡¯s head.

    In a spectacular show of strength, the Guardian lifted his shield with the wolf still on it, then twisted, bringing the top of his shield down and onto the wolf¡¯s neck.

    ¡®Thanks for the assist.¡¯ The Guardian smiled, seemingly surprised and pleased to see him, before lifting his shield off the wolf, ¡®now let''s get back to it.¡¯

    [New skill acquired: Spear wielding ¨C Although the road is long, you at least know what end of the spear to point at enemies.]

    The moment he got the skill, Lan felt a little more comfortable manoeuvring the spear.

    For what felt like hours, Lan watched Locke¡¯s teammates. He would shoot from behind Drevin¡¯s shield when one looked in trouble. Stabbing and drawing the wolf''s attention long enough for someone to kill it.

    [New skill acquired: Evasion ¨C Faster on your feet, making you slightly better at avoiding damage.]

    Lan wasn¡¯t sure if he was actively looking to hide behind the big man or if Drevin was looking out for him. But every time he managed to survive pissing off a wolf, Lan would find a place to catch his breath behind Drevin''s shield.

    In any other situation, Lan would have found this funny. Before he struck, he was invisible, able to move around unnoticed. And it wasn¡¯t long until he fell back into step with the Party¡¯s Guardian, the two moving to help different party members before returning to the formation.

    For years, his level had been one of the biggest obstacles. Now it was practically his armour. It would have been funny. But in that moment, with men and women fighting for their lives. Monsters all around him that could kill him with a single hit.

    It was only in that moment that everything made sense. The world made sense.

    Dell, Eliza, his level and even what he would do after. All of it faded into the background as he threw himself at another wolf.

    His anger, frustration, and pain were a candle to the fire racing through his veins now.

    When was the last time he had felt this alive? Had he ever felt this alive? Was this why he had felt he needed to do this? Looking around, Lan thought he had gotten his answer.

    How he hadn¡¯t noticed it before, he wasn¡¯t sure. But as he looked at them now, Lan could see the fire burning in the eyes of the adventurers around him.

    Did they know how he felt, or was he just beginning to learn how they felt?

    After some time, the sounds of fighting started to die down, and before he knew it, Lan was pulling his spear free from a wolf he had helped Locke kill. Lan looked at the wolf.

    The almost noble-looking creature lay on the ground, a painting of a battle from a story, if not for the mud all around, made from the blood of wolves and men. It had not been killed by a Warrior from the stories either. Yet it would have killed many innocent people, just the same.

    Feeling eyes on him, Lan turned and found Locke and his party looking at him.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Lan stepped back.

    ¡®You know you only have one point of health left, right?¡¯ Locke asked with a wry smile.

    ¡®Well, everyone else was still fighting after getting hurt,¡¯ Lan backed up some more, ¡®And I could still help. Plus, you said I was dead anyway if I was still alive after everyone else''s flames went out,¡¯ Lan shrugged, unsure what else to say.

    Really at first, he had helped them because they had helped him, then he did so because it felt right, and Lan realised he didn¡¯t want even them to get hurt if he could stop it.

    Locke just looked with bewilderment. While Vulk, Olivia and Sora, of all people, smiled at him.

    ¡®You really are an idiot,¡¯ Sora laughed, ¡®why else would you attack a Razerwolf at your level and so close to death.¡¯ He grinned and slapped Lan on the back. And Lan almost blacked out from the force before Drevin caught him.

    ¡®Light, I think I just saw the Halls of Radiance.¡¯ Lan breathed as Drevin frowned at the guilty-looking Rogue.

    ¡®Well, I know one thing that can help with that.¡¯ Locke said as traces of gold light lifted from each of the dead wolves and flowed towards them, splitting and filling the tags of those that had killed them.

    Heat built up in Lan''s chest as the first few strands reached him. And just when it started to feel like he would burn up in it. It burst and filled his body in a cyclone of golden fire. Driving the pain away and returning him to full health.

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    [Maximum Experience gain: Level up!]

    But it wasn''t done as more strands found their way to him, and the feeling started to build again and again.

    [Maximum Experience gain: Level up!]

    [Maximum Experience gain: Level up!]

    [Maximum Experience gain: Level up!]

    When it was done, Lan was on his knees as vapours of golden lights rose from his body.

    [You have reached a Soul Level of five. Congratulations]

    As the voice of the world spoke, Lan opened his Tome and saw that it was true. More than that, he had attribute points next to his Cores. Forty attribute points; ten for each level.

    A drop of rain hit his hand, and Lan looked up. The sky was clear. The sun hung high in the sky, but there wasn¡¯t a single cloud. It was only then he noticed that he had tears in his eyes.

    ¡®It¡¯s a little overwhelming, right?¡¯ Locke said, patting Lan on the shoulder, ¡®especially gaining more than one level at once.¡¯

    That was an understatement.

    For a moment, Lan felt like the gods had looked upon him. For those beats of a heart, Lan had felt whole in a way that he had not known. Lan wiped his eyes and stood with some help from Locke.

    ¡®So how many levels was it?¡¯ Sora asked.

    ¡®What? Oh, uh, four.¡¯ Lan said, checking again to be sure he hadn¡¯t been seeing things and frowned, ¡®but isn¡¯t that a little much?¡¯ Lan asked. Gaining so much experience seemed like a mistake for what he had done.

    ¡®Focus on your tag.¡¯ Locke said, and Lan did; his Tome appearing momentarily before turning to a new page.

    This one showed the number of kills he had been credited for participating in, in a list. Exercising a thought, Lan Combined the ones that were the same.

    [Kill Log]

    Razerwolf x 54 ¨C Level 10 = 2700 exp

    Razerwolf x 14 ¨C Level 15 = 2100 exp

    Razerwolf Seeker x 4 ¨C Level 20 = 1000 exp

    [Razerwolf Titans x 2 ¨C Level 25 = 1200 exp]

    Lan blinked, ¡®what portion of the experience was I getting?¡¯ he thought to the voice.

    [You gained 30% of each kill. However, even this small amount significantly impacts you because of the level disparity between you and the Razerwolves.]

    ¡®Four levels, that¡¯s all? You charged Razerwolves with little more than a toothpick without hesitation. If nothing else, you got the makings of an adventurer,¡¯ Vulk joined, letting loose a booming laugh that made Lan think of rolling thunder.

    Which started to draw attention to them.

    ¡®I was sure you would wet yourself and run, which obviously would lead to one of them chasing you down and eating you, but hey, you didn¡¯t.¡¯ Sora grinned.

    ¡®I owe you my thanks.¡¯ The Mage said once again, moving a little too close to Lan. ¡®I¡¯m honoured that the first person you risked your life to save was I.¡¯ she stepped closer. ¡®I will have to repay you.¡¯

    ¡®Start by repaying everyone else you owe for saving you.¡¯ the large man said. ¡®Plus, I¡¯m pretty sure he saved me first,¡¯ he shrugged.

    ¡®How dare you talk to me like that,¡¯ Olivia pouted, ¡®and he still had all of his health when he stopped the attack you let through. He risked his life to save me first,¡¯ she turned and batted her eyelashes at him.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know why you all seem so happy to have to be saved.¡¯ A new near monotone voice called over the others.

    Lan turned to her voice and almost jumped. Instead of the platinum-haired woman dressed in silver and white, Lan was greeted by a crimson spectre in Cassandra''s shape.

    Since the last time he saw her, the splash of blood on her cheek had grown. So that she was covered from head to toe. Her hair had turned a deep scarlet, against which her rich golden eyes looked like burning suns.

    Lan learned why she wore the odd suit and armour as she stood there, the blood coating it formed beads that rolled off it.

    In her hand, she was carrying two giant white wolf heads.

    ¡®I wasn¡¯t able to find the one leading the horde, but I managed to get these two¡­ and a few others,¡¯ she said to Locke.

    Locke nodded before looking in the Guild Master¡¯s direction, ¡®Yeah, Malik¡¯s team got to it first.¡¯

    Lan guessed Malik was the tall, blonde man in silver armour, who, from the looks of it, was the leader of Leah¡¯s team. The two of them and the rest of their team were standing next to a truly giant black wolf.

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s to be expected from the stars of the guild, Sora said with a yawn, ¡®must be good being a high gold party.¡¯

    As Sora spoke, Leah looked over and, with a smile, waved at Lan. for some reason, she seemed utterly unsurprised to see he was still standing.

    ¡®Well, I guess I should thank you too.¡¯ Sora said, lightly punching Lan in the chest before looking over to Vasha.

    All Lan could do was look at him, wondering where all the hostility had gone. Where it had gone in all of them.

    ¡®Everyone!¡¯ the Guild master called over all other voices, ¡®the scouts can¡¯t find any more, and Malik¡¯s team got the alpha, so I am calling this guild job closed. Great job, everyone.¡¯

    A cheer went out before the Guild master spotted Lan, frowning before walking over, ¡®You made it.¡¯

    ¡®Not for lack of trying,¡¯ Locke added, making the Guild master raise an eyebrow, ¡®he managed to annoy the wolves long enough for us to kill them and keep us from taking more damage than we would.

    ¡®Really?¡¯ he looked at Lan again, his eye colour changing momentarily before his second eyebrow joined the first, ¡®level five, huh?... I would like you to think about what you will do next and give me your answer when we return.¡¯

    Lan frowned as the guild master walked away. After all this, was the guild master still going to kick him out? Even if Lan hadn¡¯t done much, he had hoped to show he was serious.

    Locke nudged him with his elbow,¡® come on, the sooner we can get back, the sooner I can buy you a drink,¡¯

    Still stuck in the last few moments, Lan followed for a moment before snapping out of it and stopping.

    ¡®Something wrong?¡¯ Locke asked as they stopped and looked back at him.

    ¡®Sorry, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s just that I am a little surprised,¡¯ Lan found himself saying, unsure how to process the sudden change in their attitude. Not hating him was one thing after seeing that he was willing to help. But a complete turnaround like this was strange. Something that only got worse as they looked at each other and smiled.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. If you live long enough, you¡¯ll understand,¡¯ Locke shrugged, ¡®for now, let''s just say that you. You have done enough to have a drink with us. If you want.¡¯

    ¡®Like hell, if he wants,¡¯ Sora shouted, ¡®you don¡¯t have a choice. You''re going even if I have to drag you. Now, let''s get going already!¡¯

    Lan blinked, ¡®right,¡¯ he smiled before allowing himself to be swept up in the wake of these strange people again.

    [Name: Landrin Cross]

    [Level: 5]

    [Title: Not Assigned]

    [Race: Human]

    [Health: 10/10]

    [Mana: None]

    [Attributes:] [Pending points: 40]

    [Strength: 5]

    Body: 5

    Will: 5

    Dexterity: 5

    Mind: 5

    [Charisma: 5]

    [Abilities:]

    [Hidden: unranked]

    Hidden: unranked

    [Hidden: unranked]

    [Skills]

    [Bargaining ¨C Level 9]

    Speech ¨C Level 10

    Research ¨C Level - 10

    Pain tolerance - Level 8

    Evasion ¨C Level 1

    [Spear wielding ¨C level 1]

 Chapter 12: So Whos buying?

    With thoughts of beer on everyone''s mind, the trip back was much faster.

    In truth, it was little more than a free-for-all. The unified army of adventurers broke into their respective groups and headed back at their own pace.

    Surprisingly, Lan found it much easier to keep up with Locke and the others even though they tried to be the first back to the city. On the way, he learned more about the people he had just fought a battle with.

    First and for no particular reason was the party¡¯s Mage, Olivia Renly. To Lan¡¯s surprise, he discovered she was of the nobility.

    ¡®Yes, yes, my family rules over a barony on the outskirts of the kingdom,¡¯ she waved at his surprise.

    ¡®But as one of two twin daughters with no brothers, one of us needed to marry, seeing as both of us couldn¡¯t inherit. And as I was lucky enough to have been graced with the aptitude for magic. I graciously left for the Magic Academy,¡¯ She sighed wistfully.

    ¡®But don¡¯t feel sorry for me. If I hadn¡¯t, I would never have met you,¡¯ She added, smiling sweetly at Lan. Momentarily stunned at the sight, Lan stumbled over a rock.

    To say that Olivia was beautiful would be an understatement. Despite just having been in a fight to the death, Olivia had already healed her arm and mended her clothes. She didn¡¯t even have a hair out of place. Which only made her flawless features even more pronounced.

    Nobles really were in a league of their own, he thought.

    Watching him try to play off his mastery over simple coordination, Olivia Giggled, and Lan was sure he felt his heart skip as her eyes lingered on him.

    ¡®And by graciously left, you mean you dumped the responsibility on your sister and ran away to play with magic,¡¯ Sora chimed in.

    ¡®Oh, how could you say that?¡¯ Olivia pouted as the others laughed.

    ¡®One would think that you, of all people, would have understood?¡¯ she huffed.

    Lan must have looked curious as Sora sighed and rolled his eyes.

    ¡®Vasha,¡¯ Sora nodded to the Archer, who gave him a small wave and smile, knowing what was coming, ¡®and I come from the same village. I was training to be a tracker, and Vasha, a hunter.

    ¡®We probably would never have left the village if not for the fact that the Noble woman who ruled over our land took a liking to me. And it didn¡¯t matter to her that I was only fourteen or that she was old enough to be my great-grandmother.¡¯

    ¡®Not to mention that she crushed the last man she had taken a liking to.¡¯ Vasha added, making Sora wince at the thought of something he didn¡¯t wish to think about.

    ¡®My family couldn¡¯t do anything, and it wasn¡¯t like I could hide,¡¯ He shrugged, ¡®so we ran and joined the army.¡¯ He finished, feeling like he had said enough.

    ¡®Oh, sorry to hear that.¡¯ Lan offered.

    ¡®Don¡¯t be,¡¯ he said, placing his arms behind his head. ¡®best decision I ever made. Wouldn¡¯t have met this lot if I hadn¡¯t,¡¯ he added, making the others smile.

    ¡®Wait, so why did you leave?¡¯ Lan asked Vasha, who, still wearing a smile, shrugged.

    ¡®The Lady had a brother.¡¯

    That was all the explanation that Lan needed. However, it didn¡¯t make him feel better about it.

    Lan learned that Sora was now eighteen, although he was on the shorter side, which made him look younger, especially next to Vasha, who was taller than average and two years older.

    For a fourteen-year-old and sixteen-year-old to be forced to join the army to escape from ignoble nobles left his stomach tight.

    So that they wouldn¡¯t be forced into a life they didn¡¯t want, they had decided to face the same dangers that he had barely survived.

    After a moment, Vulk looked around and cleared his throat.

    ¡®Well, seeing as we are all sharing, I¡¯ll go next,¡¯ he grinned, ¡®as you can tell, I am a Dwarf. A black scar dwarf, to be precise,¡¯ He said, shooting a thumb at the immeasurable black mountain that carved the southern sky in two.

    ¡®And there are only three things we dwarves do. That is, hit rocks with a hammer for ore, hit metal with a hammer to make items, or hit things with a hammer for money,¡¯ He hefted his hammer. ¡®I chose the noblest path.¡¯

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Vulk laughed, and Lan was sure the trees around them shook slightly.

    In many ways, Vulk was the typical Dwarf. Inhumanly strong and with a legendary capacity for alcohol, food, and fighting. What wasn¡¯t typical was the lightning he had fought with, which was only more interesting as he played it down.

    He also didn¡¯t have the usual body fat most dwarves had and his long dark-red wire-like hair. That had been made into hundreds of small braids, which had been linked into ten larger braids, the end of each having been cut flat.

    ¡®Eloquent as always.¡¯ Drevin chimed in, ¡®don¡¯t let him fool you. If you used a weapon Vulk makes, the only person in danger is you.¡¯ The others laughed at a side joke that made the Dwarf frown.

    ¡®You are one to talk, mister former Knight,¡¯ he shot back, ¡®I didn¡¯t know you could stop being a Knight.¡¯

    ¡®You can if you try hard enough,¡¯ the dark-skinned man with irises like newly minted silver coins shrugged, ¡®and I retired; that¡¯s different from not knowing how to temper steel properly without it exploding.¡¯

    This was followed by more laughter. Only Vulk and Drevin joined in this time. Lan just watched on entirely at a loss, sometimes feeling like they were speaking a different language, and to him, they were.

    Lan couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had seen people have such a carefree conversation without worrying about hurting the other.

    ¡®As you can see, we are just a group of misfits that somehow manages to stay alive,¡¯ Locke stated, and the group laughed again at another inside joke.

    ¡®What about you.¡¯ Lan asked the leader of the team. Who shrugged?

    ¡®My story is nothing like the others. My father was a soldier, and my mother was one of the women that followed the campaign that he was on. I was practically born into soldier''s armour, and that¡¯s all I knew until I left. After that, I met Drevin and Cassandra, and we started our party, The Ebon Fox.¡¯

    Lan smiled, and Locke shrugged at the name. He thought the name fit well as he tried to remember the story.

    The mischievous creation of the Lords of light, who would hunt down the deadliest monsters while playing tricks even on the Lords of light themselves.

    The painting of the small black fox biting the neck of a dragon he had once seen as a child had always stuck with him and fit those around him well.

    ¡®Cassandra,¡¯ Lan asked, and she turned so their eyes could meet, the look in them telling him that it was best he didn¡¯t ask the question he had in mind, and Lan found the words sticking in his throat.

    Although she had washed most of the blood out of her hair and Her armour now looked like new, her eyes still had the same burning intensity. As if She could mistake him for another wolf if he made the wrong move.

    ¡®I was a seamstress.¡¯ She said without a hint of irony, leaving Lan feeling like he had stepped out into a cool breeze on a winter night, and no one challenged her as they had with the others.

    ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ Lan swallowed and looked away.

    ¡®Well?¡¯ Sora asked. When no one said anything, Lan looked up and found everyone looking at him. ¡®Everyone else has told you their stories¡­ well, more or less. It¡¯s your turn.¡¯

    Of course, it would be, Lan thought, feeling the strength leave his arms as he almost dropped his spear.

    ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ Lan said and wanted to die when his voice shook. ¡®well¡­ I, I was.¡¯ he forced himself to say, but before he could go on, Locke rescued him from himself. Seeing something as their eyes met.

    ¡®I think we can wait until we get back to hear your story.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, you must be tired.¡¯ Olivia added, squeezing his arm and looking at him with a sympathetic smile. Unable to meet her eyes for more than a second, Lan nodded and looked away.

    The sun hung low in the sky, turning it the colour of the amber-gold liquid that seemed more of a reward to the adventurous than the reward waiting for them.

    ¡®So who¡¯s buying?¡¯ Cassandra asked, and just like that, a dangerous kind of excitement replaced the tension that Lan¡¯s weakness had created.

    ¡®More importantly, who¡¯s going to regret it.¡¯ Sora grinned devilishly as Vasha cleared her throat.

    ¡®Well¡­ One of the razer wolves snuck up behind Sora and almost bit his head off.¡¯ She said quickly.

    ¡®What!¡¯ Sora cried with a look of betrayal on his face, ¡®that¡¯s because I was trying to save you; that one doesn¡¯t count! What about Olivia? She almost got eaten like three times.¡¯

    ¡®Hump, don¡¯t try to use me as a scapegoat. It is natural that I would have a hard time when monsters attack from every direction. Plus¡­ that only happened because Vulk left his position¡­ again and then almost got himself killed.¡¯

    At this, the red-haired Dwarf looked like he was trying to disappear into the woods. Wincing as all eyes turned to him.

    ¡®Oh, come on,¡¯ he grumbled. ¡®you know that we all thought that battle was over before the second wave came.¡¯

    ¡®The fight¡¯s not over until it¡¯s over,¡¯ Locke shrugged, and Vulk looked around for any sign of support. When he didn¡¯t find any, he cursed.

    ¡®Ah, Cal¡¯s metal ass.¡¯ he choked out as he frowned ¡®fine¡­ now we pick the most outstanding member?¡¯ the frown moulded into a grin as all of them turned to Lan.

    ¡®Want do you think, boss?¡¯ Vasha asked Locke.

    ¡®Hmm, well, he did save each of us at least once.¡¯

    ¡®And gaining a level is enough to put you in the running, let alone four.¡¯ Olivia added.

    ¡®He also didn¡¯t run when he saw a monster for the first time.¡¯ Sora continued.

    ¡®W-wait, what?¡¯ Lan stopped and even took a step back as the sudden urge to run filled him. Despite the words, Lan suddenly felt in more danger than against the wolves.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Lan.¡¯ Locke laughed, ¡®it¡¯s just a little tradition we have. At the end of each guild job, we like to¡­ look back at how everyone did.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, whoever scrawled up the worst or, in most cases, had the worst luck has to buy drinks the whole night.¡¯ Olivia explained primly.

    ¡®And the one that stood out the most or did the best,¡¯ Drevin picked up, ¡®well, let''s just say we like to show them that we¡­ value them.

    ¡®And, I think it¡¯s unanimous who it is today.¡¯ Locke finished, Lan didn¡¯t know what to say, and before he had to, Locke moved the conversation on again.

    Lan had a lot to think about as they walked, but it always came back to Locke. Although he had seen first-hand just how strong each party member was, it was hard to see them as a team most of the time.

    That was until you saw Locke leading them. Even to Lan, it was easy to see that the others respected and trusted him. Just being around him made you feel like you were a part of something.

    Now more than ever, Lan felt like that mattered, and the thought stayed with him as he watched the city grow large under the slow closing of the sky¡¯s burning eye.

 Chapter 13: Titles and Red Armour

    By the time they passed through the city gates, the sky was dark like raw azure Lapis. As far as Lan could see, the streets were lit with hanging warm orange lamps that fought to hold back the cold night.

    Surprisingly<u>, </u>many of the city¡¯s shops were still open.

    ¡®When there is a guild job like today, you¡¯ll find that most places stay open,¡¯ Locke explained as they passed a bakery, and Lan was hit with the smell of fresh bread. ¡®Some people use this as more than just a way to get rid of unsold stock.¡¯ He shrugged, smiling at Lan.

    Lan looked back at the bakery, realising he had no idea what it was to be hungry before that moment or that bread could smell so heavenly.

    With a promise to himself to come back, Lan followed the others down the street to the guild. His body practically moving on its own as it had been for the last few hours since the adrenaline that had driven his body had faded.

    The guild hall was an Automaton of efficiency. Mari was joined by three others, checking the tags of the four lines of adventurers in front of the grand desk. With four other receptionists counting the rewards as they were called back. The system worked as not even ten minutes later, Lan stood before Mari.

    ¡®Oh, welcome back, Lan,¡¯ Mari said, giving him a smile which hadn¡¯t changed from the first time he had met her, only now it was joined by two dark circles under her eyes, ¡®and I see that you are with Locke and the others. I hope they weren¡¯t too hard on you. They can really be a handful, you know,¡¯ She finished to the protestations of the accused.

    ¡®Oh no, they have been great. I don¡¯t think I would be here without them.¡¯

    ¡®Oh really,¡¯ she looked over Lan¡¯s shoulder, ¡®You will have to tell me the story sometime. Please place your tag on the keystone.

    As Lan did, she looked up at him, surprised.

    ¡®Wow, you really did well for your first time,¡¯ Mari grinned.

    ¡®Oh no,¡¯ Lan said a little too loudly. There was no way he could let others think that he had done more than just be a distraction, even if he was also credited for the kills. The very idea made his stomach tight.

    ¡®Hey!¡¯ Sora shouted, jabbing Lan in the back with a finger, ¡®hurry up already. You can get all flirty after I get paid.''

    ¡®Right, Sorry,¡¯ Lan said before turning back to Mari.

    ¡®Thank you for your hard work,¡¯ the receptionist said, placing a small bag in front of Lan, which he picked up without even hearing the amount.

    As Lan rushed out of the way, a foot shot out from the line next to theirs, tripping him. Lan tried to stop himself while juggling his spear and the bag of coins before Drevin caught him by the collar, which didn¡¯t prevent the laughter from those in other lines.

    ¡®Easy, better if you watch your step,¡¯ the man, who stood at least two heads taller than him, said and lifted Lan onto his feet.

    ¡®Thanks¡­ again,¡¯ Lan said before looking for who had tripped him.

    From the looks of it, it was the tall, shady man with dangerous eyes set in a gaunt face topped with hair the colour of sewage water. Although the rest of his armour looked poorly kept, the man wore a breastplate made of or at least covered in blood-red glass, which looked like it had just been polished to a mirror shine.

    The rest of his team didn¡¯t have anything that nice but joined him as the last group of people you wished to see in a dark back street.

    One was larger than Drevin with green skin and a bald head, with two small tusks peeking out from his bottom lip. A half-orc.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    It was hard to tell what combat classes they were, but it was clear that most must have come from a military background. It was odd to think that the same background as Vasha, Sora and Locke had created the group that would give bandits reason to pause.

    ¡®And you should watch where you are putting your foot,¡¯ Locke said to the man in the red breastplate, ¡®it would be bad if you accidentally trip someone who could take offence to it.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll do whatever the hell I like!¡¯ the man shot back, ¡®you should think about what you are doing. Letting that trash collect on the guild job just for standing there. Parasites like that who are willing to live off the work of others should be treated like what they are.¡¯

    Lan only realised he was moving forward when Locke¡¯s hand shot out to stop him and gave him an incredulous look. A look that Lan knew that he had to be wearing, too, because he had no idea what had come over him.

    ¡®What the hell is that look? You want to do something looking like that?¡¯

    Olivia took Lan¡¯s arm and pulled him away. No part of him remotely thought that he could do anything but get embarrassed or killed by the dangerous-looking adventurer, but that seemed to fade into the back of his mind as he looked at the man.

    Lan didn¡¯t know why. It couldn¡¯t just be what he said. Lan was sure many people felt the same, even Sora had initially. There was just something about the man that Lan didn¡¯t like, which made his words dig into Lan''s skin.

    ¡®Scumbag,¡¯ Sora said, ¡®he says that while wearing that armour.¡¯

    Lan looked at the younger man, who stared at the man with enough anger to do something rash, and he wasn¡¯t the only one; only the others had more cold fury.

    ¡®You can think what you want, but he got what the guild thinks is fair,¡¯ Locke said, his tone cool as the wind. ¡®If you have a problem, you can bring it up with the guild master, or if you want more money, you could try doing more than just steal other teams kills.¡¯

    The man in the red armour gave Locke a tight smile, ¡®or maybe I need to pick a different target?¡¯

    ¡®I would be careful,¡¯ Locke said back, ¡®some monsters aren¡¯t as easy to kill, and others are just waiting for an excuse.¡¯ Locke¡¯s tone was a matter of fact, yet did nothing to hide his true feelings. It was clear that there was much more than him tripping Lan, and the animosity seemed to go both ways as the man''s smile fell away, and he glared at Locke.

    Just when the man¡¯s party looked like they would move with Sora and the others readied to mirror them. A voice called out.

    ¡®Hey!¡¯ take your tiff somewhere else.¡¯ Someone shouted, and the line went back to moving as more voices joined the protest. As they walked passed, the man stared at Lan. In his eyes, a look that promised consequences for his actions.

    Stepping outside the guild hall, Lan pulled cool air into his lungs as the ice on the wind chilled his skin. For a while, Lan just stood there. The sounds of distinct carriages mixed with the hawkers trying to draw in the trickling line of adventurers to their stalls filled the air.

    ¡®What a day,¡¯ Lan whispered to himself. At this time, just a week ago, he would be preparing himself to deal with Dell¡¯s onslaught of jabs for another night. Two days ago, he would have been looking for any reason not to return to his family home. Now, Lan didn¡¯t know how he felt. Stupid? The small voice in his head said, thinking he could become an adventurer at level one. Without Locke and the others¡­ he would have been killed. Even the weakest monster could and would kill because, unlike people, they had no choice but to kill to survive. But try as it might, the voice was fading even as he thought about it.

    If not that, then what was he feeling?

    If anything, Lan didn¡¯t like that he could have put people in danger because of his actions; he couldn¡¯t do that again. Whatever came next, he needed to be better prepared. Lan touched the chest of his caved-in breastplate. Undoubtedly, he wouldn¡¯t be standing there without it. He owed Cawl and Cali more than the price of the armour and a thank you, that was for sure, and he would do everything he could to repay it.

    A small laugh escaped Lan¡¯s mouth as his thoughts registered. Whatever came next? It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t already know. It wasn¡¯t like any other life would mean near as much. Even with how little he had done, the weight of his and, more importantly, the other adventurers¡¯ actions were not lost on him. Hundreds if not thousands of Razerwolves. What would have happened if they weren¡¯t there?

    Lan imagined those wolves descending upon Aarondale and gritted his teeth. Lan knew exactly what he had to do next, and all of it was done on the path of the adventurer.

    [Congratulations, you have gained a new title: Adventurer - In the eyes of the world, you are now one who seeks to explore the unknown and protect those that can not defend themselves.]

    The world''s voice spoke, and Lan was sure he would pass out. A title¡­ He had gained a class title. How long had he waited for this moment? Now that it was here, Lan felt like the world was spinning, and before Lan could freak out, he felt a hard blow to the back. Somehow managing to stay on his feet, Lan turned and was greeted by a grinning Sora with the others behind him.

    ¡®What the hell are you doing just standing there? We did the hard part. Now for the fun one.¡¯

 Chapter 14: Forget me not

    With little to no ceremony, Lan was dragged to the Silver-haired Maiden Inn, where the celebration was in full swing. Despite the time, almost every table was filled; the only reason there were any left being that most had too much energy and money to sit.

    The atmosphere in the hall was without equal, Like Lan had stepped into a legendary tale when the heroes gathered to celebrate the defeat of a dark lord and remember those that had fallen.

    Only none had fallen, and Lan was being dragged to a table by a boy, who could have been his younger brother and a Dwarf, who didn¡¯t seem too bothered about paying for everyone''s drinks.

    Lan was ushered to a chair before Vulk all but glided off to buy the first round. Sora took the chair to his right and grinned, and Olivia took the one to his left before Giving him a sweet smile and a wink. Lan had to stop himself from looking away too quickly. Then they just looked at him as if waiting for a show to start, clearly enjoying the secret too much to share it with him.

    ¡®Alright, you two, if you keep this up, you are going to scare him off,¡¯ Locke said. ¡®How are you holding up?¡¯ He asked Lan.

    ¡®I¡­ I am.¡¯ Before Lan could answer, his stomach did for him. ¡®hungry.¡¯

    To this, Sora''s grin grew even wider before Locke shot him down with a look.

    ¡®That¡¯s something I can fix.¡¯ Looking up, Lan found Leah with a lump of meat, cheese and bread in a large bowl.

    ¡®Wait, you are working?¡¯ Lan asked. Leah had changed out of her armour and back into her uniform and apron

    ¡®Someone has to,¡¯ she shrugged with a wry smile.

    ¡®Well, thanks.¡¯ Lan smiled back, guessing it helped to be a high level, but he had no idea where she got the willpower from. Lan heard the bowl rattle on the table, and when he looked down, he found it empty as it spun to a stop.

    ¡®Oh, what is wrong with you thugs?¡¯ she snapped, thumping Sora with her tray as he shoved fists full of cheese and meat into his face.

    ¡®Ah! What? We have to eat too, you know,¡¯ the young man protested.

    ¡®Yeah, right,¡¯ Leah sighed. ¡®I¡¯ll go and get more.¡¯ Looking around at the gleefully chomping faces, Lan turned to Locke for an explanation. Only he seemed too preoccupied with something as the others just smiled at him.¡¯

    When Lan was about to ask what was happening, Vulk slammed four mugs of beer on the table while Drevin placed a tray with more next to it. Sora, Vasha and Olivia cheered as the dwarf started handing out beers.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, yes, I am the best. Now shut up and drink. That goes double,¡¯ Vulk said as he slammed two mugs in front of Lan. ¡®For you.¡¯

    ¡®Sorry,¡¯ Locke shrugged as Lan looked up at him, ¡®the worst member buys.¡¯

    ¡®And the one that did the best drinks. Everything put in front of them, including the extra round for being the best.¡¯ Vulk laughed.

    ¡®It¡¯s a dumb rule, but it¡¯s our rule,¡¯ Locke shrugged again apologetically. Their rule, it was clear that no matter how ridiculous this may seem, it was important to them. With a nod, Lan picked up one of the mugs.

    ¡®Oh, and you have to finish it before we go up for the next round, or you get punished.¡¯ Vulk said as one; they all picked up a mug for what Lan thought was going to be a toast. Instead, from Locke to the noble Olivia and even Cassandra and the caring knight, Drevin began to chug their beers.

    ¡®W-wait, what!¡¯ Lan managed to say as Vulk slammed his mug.

    ¡®Better be quick. I''m already done.¡¯ Vulk¡¯s booming laugh rang in his ears as Lan wondered what the consequences would be of not finishing. Bracing himself, Lan quickly dove into his own mug.

    Although he wasn¡¯t the biggest drinker, Lan found strength in the devilish glee in the eyes of those around him. Lan pulled hard and finished the first one a moment before Locke, Drevin, and Cassandra thumped their mugs on the table. Luckily for him, the others were a little slower, but not by much.

    Lan had started on the second one when Vasha thumped her mug, and he could see the bottom of the mug begin to peek out before he heard another hit the table. Looking out the corner of his eye, only Olivia and him were still drinking. Lan was almost there; just a few more pulls, he thought when he heard the last mug hit the table, followed by a cheer that the noble mage waved off.

    ¡®Oh please, you¡¯re too kind.¡¯ She said before giving Lan a sweet smile as he placed his mug down.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t look down. It was a good try,¡¯ Sora said, patting Lan on the back, ¡®but¡­¡¯ he grinned.

    ¡®Not good enough,¡¯ Vulk laughed as he sprung up and back to the bar.

    As Lan¡¯s head slowly started to swim, the sound of a lyre played over the dull roar in the hall. With each pluck of the strings, all other sounds in the room fell away until only the player''s fingers commanded a sound in the room. A moment later, it was joined by humming from a voice that was so beautiful that it seemed to have more of an effect on Lan than the alcohol, and Lan wasn¡¯t the only one as the singer seemed to ensnare all those in the room as she began to sing about an adventure that somehow seemed to be about a specific event while also representing everyone in the hall, well except for himself.

    And as the song ended, it became clear that the celebration truly began only then. Loudly told jokes to the sound of thundering laughter mixed with singing along with the bard, competitions of strength and the clearing of the dance floor for the more spirited adventurers. Because of those around the bard, Lan couldn¡¯t get a good look, and as a band joined her singing, he had to tear his gaze away and back to the table, only to find Vulk had returned, not only with more beer, two mugs of which were sitting in front of him but also a shot glass of something.

    ¡®Here you are¡­ along with your punishment shot.¡¯ The bearded demon said, pushing the liquid Lan¡¯s way.

    ¡®What is it?¡¯ he asked.

    The liquid was clear with a light green colour. It looked harmless enough and nothing like the drinks Lan had learned of during his time as a merchant apprentice that one had to turn down if offered during a negotiation. However, the harrowed looks on the other''s faces and Vulk¡¯s mirth worried him.

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s just a little drink from the Black Scar. Although we use it to make fire bombs,¡¯ Vulk shrugged.

    ¡®Maybe this is a little too far,¡¯ Drevin shivered.

    ¡®Well, you could always have it for him, Lord Guardian.¡¯ Vulk offered to which the other man didn¡¯t answer, only giving Lan a sympathetic look.

    ¡®Now it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t let it touch the inside of your mouth when you drink it, also better not savour it too much.¡¯ Vulk explained like he knew how little sense he was making and loved every moment of it.

    Lan picked up the glass and downed the contents without giving himself time to think.

    There are times in life when instant regret is punishment enough as is, and there are times when you learn that you are ignorant to the true horrors of the world only when you are made to face one. Lan gained a true understanding of both at that moment.

    First was pain like he had placed hot coals in his mouth and tried to swallow them, it was only alleviated when his face went numb, but that did not spare Lan from the fetid taste, which made his stomach lurch, a taste that there was no description for nothing could do justice to its true horror, which in its final moments left him with the pain one felt in their core as if he had been kicked in the groin. Before, just like that, it was gone leaving only a memory of the chaos it had wrought.

    [New skill acquired]

    ¡®Mother of all creation!¡¯ Lan¡¯s body shook as he immediately grabbed one of the mugs to wash the taste out of his mouth, almost missing the voice of the world as Vulk slammed his fist on the table, making the other mugs jump a good inch.

    ¡®That would be the Orc-hag liver you are tasting.¡¯ He leaned in. ¡®and you know the best part? Try to describe the taste.¡¯

    Lan did, knowing it would be burned into his mind for the rest of his life. Or so Lan thought. As he tried, Lan realised only the visceral reaction he had remained. The taste itself was gone.¡¯ The Magic of the liver makes it so that you forget what it tasted like a moment later. So every time you drink it.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s like your first,¡¯ Lan finished as an icicle dragged itself down his back as the true horror hit him.

    ¡®That is the beauty of the forget me not,¡¯ Vulk laughed. ¡®Only the best for our winner.¡¯

    ¡®As you can guess, having to pay all night isn¡¯t the worst thing that can happen to you. Especially when you are surrounded by sore losers.¡¯ Locke explained as the others chuckled like grizzled veterans recounting a campaign.

    ¡®Right¡­¡¯ Lan breathed.

    The only good thing was the shot made him feel sober again, so he felt ready for the next time Vulk went up. Taking another sip, Lan remembered that he had gained a skill and asked the voice.

    [You have gained the skill: Poison Resistance.]

    Lan almost spat his beer all over the others.

    ¡®What, how?¡¯ Lan thought to the voice.

    [Although technically safe for consumption, in the moments of its effect, the forget me not mirrors a deadly poison enough to unlock the skill in your body.]

    Lan blinked at that before looking around the table. All of them wore knowing looks mixed with a determination that told Lan that they didn¡¯t plan on losing the next one.

    Lan prepared himself just as determined to never taste that drink again. But as the indescribable taste faded again. Lan knew he was in trouble.

    There was one more round of drinking with consequences before Locke, and the others seemed to really join the party.

    Drevin and Vulk were in the middle of a conversation that involved a lot of pointing to their arms.

    Cassandra was dominating an impromptu arm wrestling competition while looking a little bewildered.

    Sora was juggling everything people were throwing at him until Vasha threw a chair, leading him to chase her around with a leg while Leah chewed them out.

    Locke seemed more than happy to just drink and watch, while Olivia was content to just work on her mug of beer, barely moving it from her lips before suddenly placing it on the table and looking at Lan with a determined frown until he noticed her. When he did, she was inches away from his face as she smiled and pulled him onto the dance floor.

    It took some time before Lan noticed what he was doing. He was dancing in an inn full of warriors who lived a life like no other, seeing the world in a light that most would never. If that wasn¡¯t enough, he was dancing with a noble, something he wasn¡¯t sure he should be doing. Lan would have said the teller was drunk if this was a story. But In that moment, none of that mattered.

    As he looked at Olivia, her face flushed from the alcohol and her usual teasing replaced with glee, Lan realised he was having fun. At least, that was until Vulk shouted,

    ¡°Drink!¡±

    In the middle of spinning around the dance floor, Olivia threw him out of the way and into a group before the two scrambled to get back to the table. Luckily, the taste of the shot disappeared just as fast as the first two times. Even still, it marked a beginning of a very long night.

    [New skill acquired: Alcohol tolerance]

 Chapter 15: Who regrets it.

    Cruel, uncaring sunlight from a spiteful window stabbed into his eyelids, heralding his body''s death and the beginning of Lan¡¯s life as an animated undead. Ogres knuckled his temples as he became more aware of the death of every fibre of his being. Lan rolled over, trying to escape the light.

    [New status effect: Hangover]

    ¡®Light, It feels like every organ in my body is throwing up.¡¯ Lan had made many mistakes in his life, but at that moment, none lived up to the mistake of thinking about the word vomit. Faster than his mind could think, he was on his feet and heading for the door, but as Lan threw it open, he was greeted by a hallway he didn¡¯t recognise.

    Luckily Lan picked the right end of the hallway, and the door at the end of it led to a roll of stalls. After far longer than he would like to admit, Lan crawled back to the room he had been in, knowing which one it was because he had left the door open.

    The room was ragged yet homely. With a large, sturdy bed and a desk with a mirror on which his gear had been left. A wardrobe stood next to a door that Lan had not noticed before, and he would curse the Lords of Light if it was a bathroom. There was also a window, which he threw open and took in some deep breaths. Below, the street was alive.

    The smell of fresh bread reminded him of the promise to himself that he had broken and of the bowl that Leah had brought only for the others to steal. Only then did it dawn on him that this had been their goal the whole time.

    ¡®Light damn them all.¡¯ Lan groaned, feeling the urge to throw up again. Instead he leaned against the window and watched those below. Vendors shouted about how much better their items were compared to their neighbours. Merchant wagons slowly rolled over the carved track in the street while women gossiped and street urchins played with children that had escaped from their mother''s apron strings.

    It was odd. Not too long ago, a scene like this would have felt chaotic to Lan, but now, after watching the battle with the razer wolves. It just left Lan feeling nostalgic and greatly improved his mood. That was until he readied himself to leave and had to fight the urge to just crawl to the door, stopping when he noticed the coin pouch sitting on the desk.

    Lan Picked it up. It seemed much heavier than last night. Lan almost looked at himself in the mirror for a moment. But when another urge to throw up came on, he crawled back to the window to gulp in the air.

    From the sign hanging just below his window, Lan knew he was still at the silver maiden, so he guessed that he had somehow paid for the room. He thought about taking his gear, but any more weight, and he was sure he would keel over. So Lan left his armour and spear as he worked his legs toward the stairs, using the wall to support himself.

    Reaching the main hall, he braced himself for the aftermath of the last night. Instead, he found a pristine inn, the warm smell of chestnut mixed with the sweetness of cured ham and rock tea in the air.

    ¡®Oh, Lan. You''re finally up?¡¯ Lan looked to the bar and found Leah behind it, smiling. ¡®Although you look pretty rough, you know nothing is stopping you from sleeping in today.¡¯

    ¡®Morning, Leah,¡¯ Lan mumbled as he walked over and took a seat. ¡®I would love to, but I have a few things I need to deal with.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s noon, and it¡¯s good to see that you are motivated, but you are going to need a bath.¡¯ She said with a knowing smirk. ¡®I¡¯ll have one brought to your room while you eat?¡¯ she turned.

    ¡®About that,¡¯ Lan said, wincing at someone on the other side of the room dragging a chair along the floor, ¡®how exactly did I get a room.¡¯ Leah¡¯s green eyes were a play of mischief.

    ¡®Oh, so you don¡¯t remember,¡¯ she batted her eyes at him. Like a child proud of knowing a secret. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, someone has already paid for a week for you,¡¯ she said before spinning and vanishing into the kitchen

    A few minutes later, she returned with a plate, as a girl Lan hadn¡¯t seen before walked passed without even looking his way as she headed up the stairs with a tub.

    ¡®Here you are,¡¯ she said, placing the plate in front of Lan before lifting her longbow from behind the bar. ¡®You said you have things to do today, but I would suggest not trying to take any jobs when you are not feeling well. Although, be sure that you do tomorrow.¡¯

    ¡®Why is that?¡¯ Lan looked from the plate.

    ¡®There is a minimum number of jobs you need to do every week in order to not face penalties. Well, unless you¡¯re on a job that takes you longer than a day, you are expected to have at least three jobs a week, and you have four days left.

    Alright, see you around.¡¯ With that, she was gone, and Lan was left to watch in awe as she did. The endless stamina that levelling granted was one thing, but where did she get all the willpower and drive from.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡®You are looking a bit hard, don¡¯t you think?¡¯ Turning at the new voice, Lan was greeted by a mountain of muscle masquerading as an innkeeper with the same warm brown hair as Leah and a close-cut beard. He was dressed in a simple light brown shirt: which seemed a little too small around his rolled-up sleeves and chest, a pair of dark brown trousers, and an apron. Around his neck were an adventurer¡¯s tag and an innkeeper''s class item; a gold ring looped through the adventures tag, which had turned black to show his retirement.

    ¡®Oh, you must be Leah¡¯s father.¡¯ Lan said before what the innkeeper had said registered. ¡®Oh no, I was just admiring her amazing ability to work here and as an adventurer at the same time.¡¯

    ¡®You trying to say that I am overworking her.¡¯ He grunted as he narrowed his eyes at Lan and frowned.

    ¡®What? No. If anything, I would say I''m a little jealous,¡¯ Lan smiled and got nothing back from the large man who stared at him like the wooden floor behind him was far more interesting and that he couldn¡¯t believe Lan was rude enough to block his view.

    ¡®Your food is getting cold.¡¯ Taking the hint, Lan shut up, started eating, and was happy to do so. Everything was incredible. It may have had something to do with the worst hangover of his life or the fact that he hadn¡¯t eaten since the previous day, but he had never enjoyed eggs and cured ham as much as he was. He was still revelling in the first bite when his fork scraped along an empty plate, and Lan looked down disappointed.

    ¡®Ah, I couldn¡¯t get another plate, could I?¡¯ Lan asked Leah¡¯s father, who had started drying steaming glass mugs. He placed the mug down and walked into the back without a word. Lan didn¡¯t know why, but It seemed like he had done something to upset the man.

    ¡®First one comes with the room.¡¯ the large man said, placing the plate in front of Lan and taking the hint, he reached into his pocket for some of the few coppers he had left and handed five pieces over, with a grunt the innkeeper picked up the money.

    ¡®Oh, I am Lan, by the way.¡¯ he tried.

    ¡®I heard.¡¯ Leah¡¯s father said back, looking Lan in the eyes for the first time, and the obvious finally hit him.

    He was once an adventurer who ran an inn for adventurers. There was no way that he didn¡¯t know about Lan by now. And although he was too nice or professional to say it, he didn¡¯t like Lan or what he had done.

    Lan ate the second plate, thankful for more food but not tasting it. He should have expected this. Even if Locke and the others had warmed up to him, others wouldn¡¯t be so easy to come around. When he was done eating, he paused before asking the question on his mind.

    ¡®Thanks, but if you don¡¯t mind me asking, do you know who paid for my room?¡¯ Leah¡¯s father raised an eyebrow as he stared at Lan as if trying to decide if he was joking or just an idiot. And then he gave a look that made Lan decide that he better leave. ¡®I¡¯m going to go now.¡¯

    After a bath that left him feeling like he had gained another level, Lan stepped outside. Lan thought through what he had to get done. First, he decided it was about time he learned how much he had received from the guild job. Retrieving the coin pouch and opening it, Lan immediately shut it as a cold sweat ran down his back. With the bag held tight in his hand for fear that the magic illusion might vanish, Lan called out his tome.

    After linking with his guild tag, a contract logs page appeared in the book.

    [Adventurer Landrin, member of Hall of the Wild Hunt].

    Rank; Drill: recruit.

    Active Contracts: none.

    [Completed Contracts: One.]

    Focusing on that, Lan was given more information.

    [Guild contract: Subjugate Razer Wolves horde.]

    Kills credited: 74.

    Kills made: 0

    [Reward: 50 gold Dragons.]

    Lan breathed soberly and looked back at the coins. It wasn¡¯t even for confirmed kills,

    [Notice. The Umbral Fox adventuring party uses an equal share of the reward rule. Although you were only a temporary member, the party agreed to give you a full share.]

    Even while reeling from the amount of gold he was holding, the new information moved him

    Fifty gold. He had made fifty gold for just stabbing some wolves. Turning back to his tome, Lan found more information.

    [Total team kill bonus x3: This Bonus is based on the team''s contribution to the overall subjugate with the seventh most kills at 300 x Razerwolves, 20 x Razerwolf Seekers, 6 x Razerwolf Titans, 3 x Apex Razerwolves.]

    No wonder many were upset with him, Lan breathed. He had stumbled into a literal gold mine.

    Fifty gold¡­ almost ten times what most workers would make a year. It was twenty gold more than his father had made in his best year before buying supplies. He had walked away with more money than most people would see in their life and his own life just because he had been placed with a strong team.

    Fifty gold. With this, Lan was sure he could pay a merchant to mentor him until he got the title. Maybe Lan would still have enough left over to buy something that he could sell in another county, and even if he would get a lousy price buying and selling, with time, wouldn¡¯t he be able to make enough money and experience to call himself a merchant? Without a moment''s hesitation, Lan started towards Cawl¡¯s shop.

    There were no doubt easier paths he could take. Hell, if he wanted to, with fifty gold Lan could leave, move to a small village and let the world forget that he ever existed. But he had already made up his mind long before seeing the amount, and it was all thanks to Locke and the others.

    Adventurers. Those who faced death to keep people safe. Doing so without a second thought as they had people just like themselves to back them up, and when the day was done, to know that those same people were there to share a drink. Even though it had only been for a short time. Lan couldn¡¯t think of living any other way, though he was far from deserving. There was only one way that he had to find out if he ever would.

    With his hand gripped tight around the coin pouch buried in his pocket, Lan made his way down the street, careful not to look like he was walking around with a fortune. As Lan tried to remember the way to Cawl¡¯s shop, he saw a little girl running his way with a covered basket before she tripped. Reflexively, Lan reached out and caught her as the basket hit the ground.

    ¡®Oh no¡­¡¯ a small voice said.

    ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ Lan asked, looking over to the basket and frowning when he found nothing in it. Lan looked back at the girl just in time to see a hand brush past from the corner of his eye as the girl stuck her tongue out at him and vanished into the crowd. As cold realisation hit Lan, he slammed his hand over his pocket.

    The coin pouch was gone¡­

 Cahpter 16: A Voice

    Before Lan could think long enough to let despair set in, he pushed through the flow of people over to a lamp pole and climbed up the raised stone base, looking for something. Anything. Obviously, He didn¡¯t see anyone suspicious.

    Just when he tried to convince himself that somehow he could make that much coin again, it wasn¡¯t just the dumbest of luck that had put it in his lap.

    Lan saw someone look down as if they had almost tripped on something or someone smaller had pushed past. With a spark of hope returning, Lan watched as a line of people reacted in the same way in line toward an alley. Before, a small tuft of red hair shot into the passage.

    Faster than Lan knew he could or should have been able to move, Lan threw himself through the people and was able to make it to the alley just before seeing the red hair disappear down another street.

    With panic driving his muscles, the alley flashed by, and Lan found himself standing in the mouth of the path; the red hair had gone down. Lan''s lungs worked to their limit to pull in some air.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯ Lan managed, and to his and seemingly the young boy¡¯s surprise, he stopped and looked back at Lan as if wondering what he was doing there as Lan tried to catch his breath. Then the boy took off again. And Lan forced himself to move.

    Suddenly the boy dashed into another alley, and when Lan reached it, he was greeted with nothing. Unlike the other two streets, Lan had run down. This one was little more than the space left over between rows of joined buildings, and aside from some disrepair and half-hearted attempts to mend it, there was no sign of the boy.

    Lan didn¡¯t know how he did it. But he managed to stay on his feet as his hope shattered. Just like that, he had let the best start he would get as an adventurer slip through his fingers.

    There was no way that he could catch up now, but for some reason, Lan felt himself start to move; maybe the boy would stop once he thought he had lost him. Then there was the boy¡¯s hair, not the orange that most had, but the red of oak tree leaves; there weren¡¯t too many people with that hair colour.

    If¡­ if he looked long enough¡­ he would get nowhere. No doubt the boy would already be heading to his hiding place for that exact reason.

    Moving forward, just because Lan couldn¡¯t bring himself to do anything else, he reached the middle of the street when he heard a sneeze¡­ Coming from inside the wall to his left. Looking down, Lan found a wooden board standing against the wall next to him. It was hard to see at first, but there was a small gap between it and the wall.

    Taking a few large steps so he was out of the way, Lan made the next few quieter and waited. Not even a minute later, the wooden board fell, slamming to the ground and kicking up dust, and the red-haired boy popped out and turned the way they had come without even looking Lan¡¯s way.

    ¡®Sucker,¡¯ The boy laughed before Lan grabbed him by the shirt. ¡®Ah, hey! Get off me.¡¯ he shouted as Lan turned him around.

    ¡®I don¡¯t disagree. I almost fell for that stupid trick.¡¯ Lan growled, staring the boy in the eyes as he looked up.

    He was young, no older than nine, with scruffy yet clean red hair and a faint scratch on his left cheek, which Mirrored a bruise under his right eye, and though his clothes were dirty, it looked like they had been patched more than once.

    ¡®Give it back, and I won''t get mad.¡¯ Lan lied. That ship had long since sailed.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡¯ The boy cried as he fought to get away, which seeing as he could not even gain levels yet, meant Lan¡¯s pitiful five points were impossible to break from.

    ¡®Listen, I don¡¯t have time for this. You are in real trouble. And you better not have hidden it.¡¯

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    ¡®Let me go!¡¯ he shouted and pulled Lan¡¯s arm as he moved over to the hole in the wall to see if he had left it there. When he found nothing, Lan turned to look at the boy. It had to still be on him if he hadn¡¯t hidden it elsewhere.

    ¡®I said let me go!¡¯ he shouted, pulled a hand full of sand out of his pocket, and threw it into Lan¡¯s eyes. With a curse, Lan tried to clear his eyes and realised he had let the boy go when he heard little footsteps drawing farther away.

    ¡®Get back here,¡¯ Lan shouted, finding the red hair through half-closed and running eyes and started after him.

    Soon, however, it became clear that this wasn¡¯t any back street but the boy¡¯s own neighbourhood. Knowing where to turn without having to look. On top of that, the boy had help. Which Lan learned when he saw a man coming out of a building in front of them. When Lan called for him to stop the boy, he just started to pick his nose as he looked up at the sky before grinning and shrugging at Lan as he passed.

    Still, he was nothing compared to the large woman who kicked open her door and stepped into the street with large man-size laundry baskets hung on either side of a large pole on her shoulder. A pole that she turned in time when the boy passed so they would block his path¡ªmaking Lan have to squeeze between her and one of the baskets.

    ¡®Hey, get your hands off there.¡¯ She barked as Lan unintentionally learned her baggy clothes hid more muscle than fat. Untangling himself, Lan found the boy cutting down another gap in the buildings. Even though he knew the streets, once again, the fact that he did not have any levels meant Lan¡¯s poor excuse for stats was more than enough to start catching up.

    A few times, Lan almost had him before he would dash down an unseen alley, making Lan have to correct and lose ground. Even still, the boy started to slow, and Lan was just about to grab the boy, his fingers moments from the collar of his shirt, when eight or more children, all younger than the boy, rushed out of nowhere and grabbed onto Lan.

    ¡®Mister, we want sweets.¡¯ They yelled as a chorus as they clung onto and swung from Lan¡¯s arms. When he was finally able to get free, there was no sign of the boy, and the moment he turned back, all the other children were gone too.

    ¡®Damn it,¡¯ Lan shouted, unable to stop himself from punching the nearby wall. Why did he have to come so close to getting his money back only to lose it again? Maybe this was the will of the Lords of Light, punishment for coming to the money by luck. Like before,

    Lan found himself stepping forward as if running away from reality for a few more seconds.

    He walked down the alley, the next one, and the one that came after. After some time, Lan ended up on the same street the boy¡¯s accomplices had been. What would he do now?

    Lan still had to pay Cawl for the armour that he had damaged. Now he couldn¡¯t even pay for it, let alone get it repaired so he could use it again. If nothing else, the guild job had shown him how unqualified and unprepared he was for adventurer work. He had hoped to make up for that with gear. But what now.

    Maybe, Locke and the others would take pity on him again and help. If he followed them around for some jobs, couldn¡¯t he gain enough levels and gold to start helping? That thought made his chest tight.

    As stupid as pride was in his situation, the idea of begging them to accept him, to hold his hand even more than they had, and to help him grow felt wrong. And he knew why. Lan liked them. The time he spent with them had been some of the best he could remember. And undoubtedly one of the only things he wanted to never forget in the last ten years.

    He liked them, and he wanted to be one of them, and he wanted them to like him and, more importantly. Lan wanted them to see him as an equal and someone they could respect. Starting that relationship by grovelling on his knees for help. How could they ever see him as more after that?

    No, Lan had to prove to them that he could be more, prove it to himself. That he could reach that moment in the middle of the Razer-wolves again but with his own strength this time.

    Even if he had to compensate by using his attribute points to survive, he would do that. He had hoped he could find the stats that worked best for him. No one got a second chance at choosing their attributes, but he would if that was what he needed to do.

    Even though his experience in a fight was next to nothing. What was left was like it had been engraved on his bones. With the hit from the razer wolf, every stab he made, dodge and near miss. Lan could remember them like he was still living them.

    The next time he would better understand what he was getting himself into. With his new plan in mind, Lan headed for the guild, passing the man who had grinned at him¡ªturning down an alley that he thought would get him back onto the main road.

    A voice.

    ¡®Let me go!¡¯ it was far away. The voice only carrying through the same narrow alleys Lan was lost in. But even this did not hide the voice. The same voice. He thought and started towards it.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯ Lan stopped and turned as the voice came from the alley he had just passed, which after following, ended at a crossroads. Lan waited, bouncing on his feet, hoping he would hear the voice again. Just when he thought it would never come.

    ¡®I don¡¯t have anything!¡¯

    Lan ran as fast as he could manage as he rushed towards the voice, and though it did not come, new voices did.

    ¡®Shut him up!¡¯ an older voice commanded just as Lan reached and turned down where the voices were before he blacked out.

 Chapter 17: Red Haired Terror

    When Lan slowly came to his senses, he was in the middle of the alley, and someone was holding him up by his shirt. The man was no taller than Lan but much more muscular than he was, with four other people, the red-haired boy and three other thugs.

    Each of the men was dressed in worn and dirty clothes, which were not the only things about them that hadn¡¯t been washed in some time.

    ¡®Who the hell is that?¡¯ The shortest man of the group called as the boy fought to escape his grip. With his head still spinning, Lan tasted metal in his mouth as his nose throbbed with pain.

    [Status effect inflicted: Stun]

    ¡®Is that who you robbed? I knew you had money. Now hand it over,¡¯ The same man shouted as he pulled hard on the boy''s arm. ¡®If you don¡¯t give it over, we¡¯ll strip ya, and we won''t give them back.¡¯

    For a moment more, Lan was still unable to put together what was happening. But as they started searching the boy''s pockets. A word came on its own.

    ¡®Stop¡­¡¯ Lan breathed, and the men seemed to notice him.

    ¡®Huh, he¡¯s up? Get rid of him, Club,¡¯ before Lan could say anything else. The man punched him again. Somehow not losing consciousness this time, he hit the ground hard and lost another health point.

    [Hp 9- 8]

    ¡®Haha! Did you see how far he flew? What a weakling.¡¯ One of the others laughed.

    ¡®Hmm,¡¯ the larger man nodded, looking at his hand as if surprised by his strength.

    Still struggling to escape, the boy caught a blow to the face that sent him into the nearby wall.

    ¡®I said stop.¡¯ Lan said with more power to his voice as he fought to get back to his feet.

    ¡®Damn it, Club, I said get rid of him,¡¯ the small man shouted, and the larger man picked Lan up again, his fist freezing in the air as Lan''s tag fell out of his shirt.

    ¡®Boss¡­¡¯ the large man said, amazed, ¡®this one is with the guilds.¡¯ This got the attention of the others.

    ¡®What? That one?¡¯ the little man said mid-picking the boy up, ¡®you said he was weak?¡¯

    ¡®I did,¡¯ the large man mused.

    ¡®Let the boy go.¡¯ Lan said with even more force in his voice. Maybe it was the fact that his head was still spinning, but losing health had brought back the feeling he had during the battle with the razer wolves. He wanted to fight them, even though Lan knew it was the wrong move. He wanted to spend every point he had and swing at the man before him. His body sang for it. Instead, he forced himself to focus.

    ¡®Oh yeah? And what are you going to do about it?¡¯ the little man asked.

    ¡®This.¡¯ Lan answered, wiping the blood from his nose and grabbing the large man by the face.

    ¡®Ugh! Boss!¡¯ the large man groaned as he dropped Lan and stumbled back.

    ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ the little man demanded.

    ¡®You said it yourself. I¡¯m an adventurer, and my team has the best hunter and tracker in the city.¡¯ At just the mention of that, the four jumped and looked angry. ¡®And that,¡¯ Lan pointed to the man¡¯s face, ¡®is insurance. Even if you wash it off and leave the city, they will find you.¡¯ The large man paled at this while the other two looked at the smaller man as he turned red with rage.

    ¡®Your lying. Who would team up with a weakling who can¡¯t even take a punch.¡¯ This was enough to bring more confidence to the little man, who smiled before looking at Lan¡¯s face and frowning again.

    ¡®I¡¯m an apothecary, which means I make potions.¡¯ Lan snarled at the large man who had punched him, who took another step back. ¡®Do you know how many apothecaries are in the adventurers guild and what my team would do if something was to happen to theirs?¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll take our chance.¡¯ The little man said, only he seeming convinced.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know, Boss, what if he is telling the truth? I mean¡­ look at him.¡¯ Lan wasn¡¯t sure what he meant but seized on the opening and stepped forward.

    ¡®The way I see it, you have three options. But really, you only have one,¡¯ he shrugged. ¡®You can kill me and take whatever the boy may have. Knowing that my team will come after you. You can not kill me, and I can watch what they do to you, or you can leave before I have to ask you again.¡¯

    With his charisma being what it was, there should have been no way it should have worked. Lan was counting on them not having the highest mind stats and hoping he had used enough truths to mask the lie.

    Even with all this, it looked like the little man would risk it. His face- an ever-shifting mould of anger, defeat, self-preservation, and greed. But once again, he looked at Lan¡¯s face and growled.

    ¡®You¡¯ll regret this.¡¯ The little man snapped as he dropped the boy and turned, the others following. Lan watched them go, all while making sure the boy was in the corner of his eye. He didn¡¯t need to worry; instead of running, the boy just looked at Lan with wide eyes.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    The moment they were gone, Lan let his body slump, the dizziness, blood loss, and sand in his eyes all working to drain him. Lan still stood on his feet and walked over to the boy. Who was still just looking at Lan, then he started to speak.

    ¡®Tha-.¡¯ That was all he got out before Lan thumped him on the top of the head. ¡®Aughh!¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s for stealing from me.¡¯

    ¡®Owww!¡¯¡¯

    ¡®And that¡¯s for throwing sand in my eyes.¡¯ As the boy rubbed his head, somehow after everything he had been through, only now tearing up, Lan sat next to him.

    ¡®You alright?¡¯

    ¡®No¡­¡¯ he pouted, rubbing his head. ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯ he looked at Lan as if he was going to hit him again. ¡®Thanks¡­ why did you help me? You have to know that I already hid the money. At least you could have watched them knock me around a bit.¡¯ He said before wincing when Lan turned to look at him, his feelings clear on his face.

    ¡®Why the hell would I want that?¡¯ This caught the boy by surprise as he watched Lan as if he had grown a second head, and both heads started singing old Sally Doodleady. After a moment in which his face twisted into all manner of shapes of confusion, he reached into his trousers.

    ¡®Uh, what are you doing?¡¯ Lan asked, shifting away from the boy. ¡®if you need to use the bathroom¡­¡¯

    ¡®Oh shut up?¡¯ he blushed and stuck his hand out with Lan¡¯s coin purse in his open hand. Lan just looked at him with a feeling that bordered disappointment.

    ¡®Really?...¡¯

    ¡®I said shut up,¡¯ the boy shouted, his face reddening, ¡®where else was I supposed to hide it?

    ¡®I don¡¯t even know if I want it back now.¡¯ Lan added, making him turn a deeper red.

    ¡®Will you shut up and take it?¡¯ he said, shoving the bag of coins into Lan¡¯s chest. ¡®All this over a stupid bag of coppers,¡¯ he huffed, his frown deepening as his face tried to match his hair.

    ¡®Sorry, sorry. I¡¯ll stop.¡¯ Lan laughed before what he said hit him. ¡®Copper?¡¯ he said without thinking. As soon as he did, the boy got a conspiratorial look on his face.

    ¡®They are coppers, right? No one is stupid enough to walk around with that much silver on them.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, they''re coppers.¡¯ Lan shrugged. He already had the money back. He didn¡¯t see the point in ruining the boy¡¯s day even more by letting them know what he had just given away. Clearly, he didn¡¯t believe Lan as the boy grew even more suspicious.

    ¡®Let me look.¡¯ He said, reaching for the purse.

    ¡®Like hell I will.¡¯ Lan said, moving it away, his concerns about where it had been momentarily forgotten.

    ¡®Come on, I¡¯ll give it back, I swear.¡¯ He said, trying to get around Lan''s arm, which he braced against the boy. ¡®I never had a chance to look because you kept chasing me,¡¯

    ¡®I said no,¡¯ Lan laughed.

    ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll just steal it again.¡¯ The boy pouted.

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t even joke about that.¡¯ Lan said as the boy looked defeated. It was clear from looking at him that he wasn¡¯t doing this because he liked it. Lan was sure that whatever situation he was in, the money that Lan had gotten back would be life-changing. And he had returned it. At the very least, that was something. At the very least, he could spare some coins¡­ the sound of a deep rumble broke his train of thought.

    ¡®Oh, not you too.¡¯ the boy said, holding his stomach before looking up, ¡®what?¡¯

    ¡®Alright.¡¯ Lan smiled. ¡®Help me up, would you?¡¯ once He was able to stand and after making sure that he still had his money. Lan looked at the boy. ¡®I¡¯m Lan.¡¯

    ¡®Seth.¡¯ The boy nodded.

    ¡®Well, Seth, I know a stall that does some pretty good meat skewers. You can come if you want.¡¯ At the promise of free food and meat skewers, no less. A signature dish in the city and one that didn¡¯t really need its quality vouched for no matter where you went. Seth swallowed hard.

    ¡®You know I don¡¯t have any money. You took it all.¡¯

    ¡®I took my money back, and It¡¯s on me. But first, I really like to be able to see again.¡¯

    Once Lan and Seth were able to make it back to the streets that Lan was familiar with, they made their way to the market.

    ¡®What¡¯s a pot carrier.¡¯ Seth asked, sitting on the edge of the well as he waited for Lan.

    ¡®A what?¡¯ Lan looked up.

    ¡®You know, a pot carrier, that¡¯s what you said that you were right?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, an apothecary,¡¯ Lan said slowly so Seth could remember. ¡®Well, I think they take plants and other things to make potions,¡¯ Lan said, splashing water into his eyes.

    ¡®You think.¡¯ The boy frowned.

    ¡®Oh yeah, I was lying back there.¡¯ Lan shrugged and splashed more water on his face.

    ¡®Wait, so your team wouldn¡¯t have come then?¡¯ Seth paled as Lan thought about it.

    ¡®Well, I am sure they would be a little sad.¡¯ he said. Even though he wasn¡¯t a part of the team, Lan was sure that Locke and the others would at least feel bad if they found out he had been killed in an alley.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you! You could have gotten yourself killed!¡¯ Seth shouted, Drawing the eyes of all around them.

    ¡®If you keep yelling, we still might. Ah! Damn it,¡¯ Lan immediately cursed as he loosened another bit of gravel.

    ¡®So you can¡¯t heal yourself then?¡¯

    ¡®Nope.¡¯ Lan breathed, looking up to find Seth with a pensive expression on his face. ¡®What?¡¯ It was Seth¡¯s turn to sigh.

    ¡®Come on then. I¡¯ll help you walk¡­¡¯ With that, Seth jumped from the well.

    Once he could see, Lan exchanged one of the gold dragons for ten large silver talons at a coin trader. Each coin was still far more than most would need for a trip to the market. But Lan didn¡¯t want to think about trying to hide smaller coins with all the odd looks they were getting. But it was when they stopped in front of the meat skewer stall, and the owner raised an eyebrow at them. Did Lan guessed they must have made for quite the sight.

    With his injured nose, blood stains and soaked clothes. And Seth with a dark ring under his right eye and a new bruise on his cheek. It was no wonder the coin trader had asked if someone was making him change the coin. Lan had to stop himself from laughing at the thought of him being held hostage by the boy after losing a fight.

    ¡®Uh, what can I get for ya? You get five for a copper piece.¡¯ the man said, even though Lan had been there before and could still see the sign hanging over the stall.

    ¡®Five skewers,¡¯ he said, ¡®and whatever the boy wants.¡¯

    Without missing a beat, Seth looked to the owner, ¡®Fifty skewers,¡¯ he said with the confidence that could only come with the knowledge that someone else was paying. He stared at the vendor, who in turn looked at Lan.

    ¡®What? You never said how much I could have.¡¯ He added defensively, and Lan was just about to say that there was no way he could eat all that when he remembered the other children who had helped him get away and the little girl that had distracted him. Lan cleared his throat.

    ¡®Make that a hundred,¡¯ he said as Seth¡¯s head snapped over to him. The owner looked as if wondering if Lan had hit his head before he smiled at the sale.

    A smile that Lan wiped away when he placed the large silver in his hand; with a grumbled curse word, he left to find the change, which couldn¡¯t be helped. Lan had too much money on him. Carrying around another one hundred small pieces of silver was just asking for more trouble.

    Returning with his change of nine silver coins and eighty copper, Lan realised he hadn¡¯t really avoided the problem.

    And though Seth once again tried to see the amount as it was returned, he was soon distracted by the large paper parcel from which the savoury smell of freshly roasted meat hung around.

    Now that Lan had decided to feed all the children, he felt he should at least try to make it a filling meal, so next, he stopped at a bakery for bread and left with a happy baker and a basket of still-warm bread.

    ¡®There you are, you little terror!¡¯

 Chapter 18: The Adventurer and the Healer... Well sort of.

    ¡®There you are, you little terror!¡¯ A woman behind a fruit stand shouted as she looked for something to throw at Seth.

    ¡®What did you do this time?¡¯ Lan asked, stepping back as he readied to defend himself.

    ¡®Nothing, I swear.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, don¡¯t you dare lie and you,¡¯ She rounded on Lan, ¡®are you this little monster¡¯s brother?¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s right?¡¯ Seth answered before Lan could enthusiastically deny it.

    ¡®Oh yeah? Well, you¡¯ll have to pay for the fruit he stole,¡¯ She said, jabbing her finger at the two of them in time with her word<u>s</u>. With a frown at the boy, Lan sighed.

    ¡®I¡¯m not his brother; I¡¯m another one of his victims.¡¯ At this, she frowned and seemed to take a closer look at them.

    ¡®You know you are covered in blood, right?¡¯

    ¡®I noticed, yeah. Well, while we are here, do you mind selling us some fruit. And don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pay for this and whatever he stole. ¡¯ Lan placated, just getting a huff from the woman.

    ¡®You pick what you want.¡¯

    ¡®That''s what I did last time, and you got mad.¡¯ Seth said, moving to grab a large Light apple before crying out as she smacked him on the hand.

    ¡®You have to pay after you pick them.¡¯ A little more cautiously, Seth picked about twenty apples. The whole time the woman watched Lan as she leaned on her hand.

    ¡®So the boy steals from you, and you buy him a meal?¡¯

    Lan shrugged, and her expression softened a little, and she looked him over again.

    ¡®Oh well, it¡¯s not like I am going to stop you.¡¯ With the apples paid for and a little extra for whatever it was he had taken earlier, they readied to leave.

    ¡®Come on then. I¡¯ll help to carry all¡­ well this anyway.¡¯ Seth said, picking up the wrapped meat Leaving Lan to carry the rest as he followed.

    As they walked, Seth''s eyes never stopped moving. Only stopping for a moment to shake his head or frown. After some time, Lan started seeing who he was looking at. People. People who seemed like anyone else but would suddenly change direction when Seth looked at them.

    ¡®Hey, I have to know. How did you know that?¡¯ Lan asked, and Seth looked at him for a moment. ¡®How did you know to pick me.¡¯ Seth shrugged as his expression grew guarded.

    ¡®It was how you were walking.¡¯ At that, Lan stared blankly at the boy until he went on. ¡®When people walk with their hands in their pockets, their hands most of the time swing a little, yours are all stiff, and you kept looking around too, and you were trying too hard not to look weird.¡¯

    Clearly, feeling like he wasn¡¯t explaining well enough, Seth pointed to a man in fine clothes. ¡®See, that man probably has more coin than you, but he walks like nothing is on his mind. It¡¯s clear that he has money, and he is careless about it. So it¡¯s likely that you would get in big trouble if he caught you. If you see a woman with a sword, you know they can use it. If you watch people enough, you can tell when they don¡¯t act right. You just got to learn what it means.¡¯

    Lan nodded. It made sense, even if he had never thought to put it into words before.

    After some time, they walked out of the city gate and over to a building on a nearby hill overlooking the city. As they approached the building, a young girl waved to them before running down.

    Of course, it was the same girl that had distracted Lan when Seth picked his pocket. When she recognised him, she slid to a stop, looking wide-eyed at Lan before giving him a sweet smile.

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s you, mister. I never had a chance to thank you for helping me because you ran off so fast.¡¯

    ¡®Leave it alone, Milly, he is alright,¡¯ Seth said, much to the girl''s surprise.

    ¡®He is. Did he not have any money?¡¯ she whispered as if it was the only reason Lan wouldn¡¯t have to kill Seth.

    ¡®I said drop it. Are the others home?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, everyone is here,¡¯ she answered, running around the two of them. ¡®Oh, what¡¯s this.¡¯ She asked, lifting the cover over the bread.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡®Hey! Go let Sister know that we have a guest.¡¯ Seth said, and with a nod, the girl ran off. Not even a moment later, they heard.

    ¡®Sister, Seth brought home a weird man!¡¯

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯ Seth shrugged.

    ¡®That¡¯s alright,¡¯ Lan smiled a moment before a wave of children came tumbling down the hill towards them. Predictably it was mostly the same children from their previous encounter in the alley, only this time, they looked genuinely excited as they hovered around Seth and his weird friend.

    ¡®Hey, if you don¡¯t stop, you aren¡¯t getting any!¡¯ Seth shouted as they crowded around, some even trying to swing off Lan¡¯s arms. In the chaos, Lan noticed one child who looked to be the youngest of the ten children pulling on his shirt, although he didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡®Oh no, what do you think you are doing? Leave that man alone.¡¯ A soft voice called over the children. When Lan looked up, he was greeted by a silk-skinned woman with long soft Blonde hair and green eyes. She was dressed in a simple green dress that did little to hide her natural beauty; in fact, if anything, accented it. Lan must have been staring because as their eyes met, she looked worriedly at Seth.

    ¡®Who is this, Seth?¡¯ she asked, her eyes returning to Lan as if readying to choose her next move depending on what he would say.

    ¡®Lily, this is Lan. He got hurt helping me out.¡¯

    ¡®Oh?¡¯ she said, looking more worried before it shifted to suspicion, ¡®You weren¡¯t stealing again, were you?¡¯ she added, her tone a long-suffering one which Lan decided made her a great judge of character.

    ¡®What? No!¡¯ Seth protested, and Lan was sure he could see the little wheels in the boy¡¯s mind kick up the speed. ¡®I was just walking around when some people who thought I had stolen money came there to take it from me. Lan wouldn¡¯t have helped me if I was really stealing, would he?¡¯ Seth lied, and from the softening of her expression Lan guessed Lily had bought it, and he decided she was a terrible judge of character.

    ¡®Thank you for looking after him.¡¯ Lily gave him a warm smile. A sight like the promise of the comfort of a fireplace on a winter night.

    ¡®Oh, not at all.¡¯ Lan found himself smiling without thinking and then tried to ignore the grin on Seth¡¯s face.

    ¡®Lan needs help because he is not a pot carrier,¡¯ He grinned at his intentional mistake, ¡®seeing as he saved me and bought us all this food. I was hoping that you would.¡¯ Lan looked at Lily again. She must have been a healer.

    ¡®Seth, you didn¡¯t tell Lan I was a healer, did you? I told you I only know a little. You shouldn¡¯t go promising people things for food that we can¡¯t do.¡¯ Lily told Seth in the tone of someone who only wanted to best for him.

    ¡®He didn¡¯t promise me anything. He didn¡¯t even tell me where we were going,¡¯ Lan stepped in. ¡®as for the food. Well, I kind of walked into that one,¡¯ Lan shrugged when Lily gave him an odd look. After a moment and more accusatorial looks at Seth, she sighed.

    ¡®I guess it couldn¡¯t hurt to have a look at you.¡¯

    ¡®Great! I¡¯ll make sure everyone gets something to eat, and you can heal Lan,¡¯ Seth called some of the other children by name, who took the basket from him as Lan followed Lily.

    ¡®What is this place?¡¯ Lan asked as they walked around the building, which looked like a noble¡¯s manor, although in a bit of disrepair. Around the property were the remnants of a wall that, for the most part, had been reclaimed by nature in the places where a bit of wall still stuck out.

    ¡®It¡¯s an orphanage, of course.¡¯ She said a little too insistently.

    ¡®Ah, right¡­¡¯ Lan nodded, feeling no desire to argue the point, like the fact that one had to be a sister of light to manage an Orphanage in Roark. Even though the children called her sister, Lan didn¡¯t feel the aura of a nun around her. Whatever her reason for lying was, it was her reason.

    As they reached the back of the building, Lily told Lan to sit in the chair around a table that once may have hosted tea parties and headed inside. From where he sat, Lan had a view of the plains heading to the same forest they had faced the razer wolves. He could even see the road they had taken. A part of him knew he should have been shaken by this.

    Now that Lan had his money back, he would enter it again at some point. But all he could think about was what would have happened if the wolves hadn¡¯t been spotted, or worse yet, if the guild hadn¡¯t been able to stop them. How would Lily, Seth and Milly have done? They lived outside of the walls of the capital, and they didn¡¯t even have village guards like his home did. Before Lan could let the bitter thought set in, Lily returned.

    ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ she asked, concern on her face, along with a new pair of eyeglasses. Which was not only a wonderful touch but an expensive one at that.

    ¡®Oh, no, I am fine.¡¯ Lan looked away.

    ¡®Are you sure.¡¯ She asked and moved to look at his face.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine,¡¯ Lan laughed, ¡®I was just thinking about¡­ well, work.¡¯

    ¡®Oh,¡¯ Lily said, setting the bucket and towel down, ¡®and what does a man who is willing to buy a meal for twenty children do for work.

    ¡®I am¡­ an Adventurer,¡¯ Lan said, finding the words a little embarrassing to say.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Lily¡¯s face flashed to worry. ¡®What did Seth do.¡¯ She asked and looked ready to run to find him.

    ¡®Huh, nothing.¡¯

    ¡®But why is someone strong enough to hurt an adventurer after him then?¡¯

    ¡®Oh! No, I only just started.¡¯ Lan shrugged, ¡®plus, I had sand in my eyes at the time.¡¯ he added, more so for his own ego than Lily, who sighed.

    ¡®Okay¡­¡¯ Lily said, visibly relaxing before quickly snatching up the towel. ¡®speaking of which.¡¯ she sat next to him and started to clean his wound.

    Clearly, him throwing water on his face hadn¡¯t been a good enough job as she frowned. ¡®This cut is deep, and just from a glance, the sand has scratched the top layer of your eyes. It must not feel too nice.¡¯

    ¡®No, miss, it does not.¡¯ Lan said

    ¡®Try not to look around. I¡¯ll start with your eyes.¡¯ With that, Lan¡¯s vision filled with a warm golden light as Lily¡¯s hands started to glow.

    [Targeted spell linked: Lesser heal]

    Almost immediately, as the pain began to fade, he relaxed as if a weight had fallen from his shoulders.

    ¡®Alright, your eyes should be healed.¡¯ Lily said as he tried blinking.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah. I think they are.¡¯ Lan smiled as the blinded status effect vanished and turned to find Lily staring at him. The moment their eyes met, her face reddened, and she looked away.

    ¡®Are you alright? You didn¡¯t use too much mana, did you?¡¯ Lan tried.

    ¡®Just fine, it¡¯s just¡­ she looked at him before looking away quickly. ¡®Never mind, I¡¯ll work on your face now. And thank you.¡¯ She added as she started to work on his nose and the cut above his eye.

    ¡®For what?¡¯

 Chapter 19: Welcome to the club

    ¡®Really?¡¯ she laughed. ¡®Seth¡­ as you can tell, things are a little hard around here, and Seth has taken it upon himself to help. I told him to stop. But he goes out to pickpockets whenever I don¡¯t make enough at work. The fact that he stole from you, and you still helped him out and even paid for food, says a lot about the kind of person you are.¡¯

    ¡®How did you know?¡¯ Lan asked, and Lily blushed again.

    ¡®I overheard some of the young ones talking about the weirdo face they had distracted.¡¯

    ¡®Weirdo face¡­¡¯ that hurt a little more than it should. Sure, Lan didn¡¯t have much in the way of charm, and sure, he was a little pale and thin, but Weird¡­

    Lan was still mourning what was left of his ego when Lily went on, ¡®I don¡¯t know how you managed it, but it looks like Seth has taken a liking to you. And that is not easily done especially taking into account the situation. That is to say nothing of the fact that you allowed him the chance to.¡¯

    ¡®Well, he did return my money in the end, so it only felt right to forgive him.¡¯ Lan shrugged, and after a moment, Lily laughed.

    ¡®No, it is not. You really are weird.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, well, I¡¯ll take that as a compliment then,¡¯ he huffed, and Lily laughed more.

    ¡®Would you for me?¡¯ she said, putting her hands together. ¡®But really, thank you, and thank the light that it was you that he ran into.¡¯ She added as she went back to healing his wounds, the cuts feeling warm as they slowly knit together.

    ¡®Still, I am surprised you are the only one here.¡¯ Despite what he said earlier, it was hard for him to avoid getting involved. Lily looked away for a long moment before turning back with resolve in her eyes.

    ¡®As you can guess, this isn¡¯t a real orphanage¡­ and I am not a nun. This is my family home, however,¡¯ she added quickly. ¡®I had been studying in the neighbouring kingdom and returned to see if anything was left of this place. I found the children living here. Later I learned that they had once been in one of the orphanages, but I couldn¡¯t get them to tell me why they had run away, and nothing I did would make them go back. When I finally learned what happened in the orphanage, I promised never to let them return there and started caring for them. We have been looking after each other ever since, so it is nice to know that there are still people who can see them as more than just nuisances. Also, having another adult to talk to who isn¡¯t my boss is nice.¡¯

    ¡®Oh well, happy that I could be of help.¡¯ Lan smiled as Lily lowered her hand, and the glow faded away.

    Once healed up, they headed inside to the dining room, where the children were in the middle of their feast. True to his word, Seth made sure everyone got their share and was now eating his own food while also trying to keep the more energetic ones in line. Lan couldn¡¯t help but smile at the scene, although it didn¡¯t last, as the feeling akin to guilt came on again.

    But before he could process it, someone pulled on his sleeve. Lan looked down and saw the same little boy from earlier. Who just looked at him with large blue eyes behind his blonde hair.

    ¡®Hi there, do you need anything?¡¯ Lan asked, and the boy stuck his other hand out to him, showing Lan the apple he was holding. Not sure what he wanted, Lan looked to Lily, who had started fixing another little girl''s hair.

    ¡®Oh, Kaya wants you to peel it for him.¡¯ Lily said, smiling at the two of them, ¡®There is a paring knife on the table.¡¯

    Finding the knife, Lan started on the apple before remembering how his mother used to cut his apples into little rabbits. What he ended up with did not do the memory justice, but Kaya didn¡¯t seem to mind the jagged lines or broken ears. He stared at them with starry eyes before hugging Lan and starting in on his apple slices.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Of course, some of the other younger ones also demanded that he cut their apples, to which he obligingly acquiesced. As he did, Lan looked over to Lily, who was pouting at him with a look in her eyes that said. ¡°Great, now I will have to do that from now on.¡±

    Seth kept looking over too, but when Lan offered to cut his apple up, he just declined and ferociously dug into the fruit, which was a shame as Lan felt like he was getting pretty good at it.

    Once the children had eaten their fill, they left to play outside. All but Kaya, who decided to use Lan¡¯s lap as a pillow. Unable to move, he watched Lily clean up.

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯ Lan said to which she just smiled.

    ¡®Don¡¯t be. Because of you, I didn¡¯t have to make lunch today. And you seem to be busy anyway.¡¯ Lily laughed as she went back to cleaning.

    Watching her, Lan wondered how she did it¡­ why did she do it? Lily had shared a little, and though he didn¡¯t want to pry. She had said that went she didn¡¯t make enough money, Sora would go out pickpocketing¡­

    One hundred skewers, ten large loaves of bread, and twenty apples. All that, including the basket to carry it, had been sixty copper, most of which had been the apples. Sixty Copper¡­ for what he had, Lily could feed them for a long time. Surely he couldn¡¯t just leave things like this¡­

    Once she was done, Lily helped Lan move Kaya and walked outside with him. The whole time he thought about what he could do.

    ¡®Thank you again,¡¯ Lily said as they stopped at the door. Once again, she looked at him and then quickly looked away. ¡®I am sure the children were happy for a change of pace, oh and even though I may not be a professional, I don¡¯t mind healing you if I can.¡¯ She smiled in time with him

    ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ Lan shouted out of excitement.

    ¡®Ah, what?¡¯ she jumped.

    ¡®Lily, would you be my healer?¡¯ he asked, grabbing her hands.

    ¡®Oh,¡¯ She said, her eyes growing wide. ¡®I-I can¡¯t. As I said, I only learned how to heal in order to heal the children. I am not a healer, Lan.¡¯

    ¡®I am not much of an adventurer,¡¯ Lan shrugged, ¡®just yet,¡¯ he added, which didn¡¯t seem to help. ¡®You just said I could come back anytime I need healing, right. Well, it only seems fair that I pay you for it.¡¯ Lan stuck his hand out, which Lily stared at for a long moment. Before she sighed.

    ¡®I¡¯ll only do it under one condition, that being that you promise to never get hurt or even scratched.¡¯ She said with resolve set on her face as she shook his hand.

    Clearly, there was literally no way of keeping that promise, but Lan guessed she already knew that. With that, he reached into his pocket, retrieved two gold coins, and placed them in her hand. Watching with a little satisfaction as she paled, stopping short of saying, ¡°Yeah, Welcome to the club.¡±

    ¡®I can¡¯t¡­¡¯

    ¡®Yes, you can,¡¯ Lan interrupted. ¡®That¡¯s the standard price for hiring a healer at the adventurer''s rate.¡¯ In reality, Lan was sure that a guild-licenced Healer could charge him far more for the same arrangement for what he was alone. Even though he had just joined, he knew as much, if not more, than most did about healers.

    For one, a healer''s time was measured in gold.

    Although most potions could restore one''s health points, keeping someone alive through otherwise fatal wounds. Ones that would repair damage to a body were often as much as a trip to a healer. Otherwise, if one wanted to heal any significant cuts or breaks, one needed a healer.

    In the stories, healers were part of a party, fighting and struggling alongside their party to bring low their foe. But in reality, outside of the highest ranks of adventurers, no self-respecting healers would risk their own lives to join a party, preferring the walls of healers'' halls to the outside world.

    Normally this part would come with a contract to seal the deal. With any other healer, this would make him a client and at least cover the mana she would use for a few healings.

    Although she would most likely find few others that would take the risk. For Lan, it was as if the Lords of Light had set this into place for him, and this way, he could at least set off on his next job, knowing he had helped someone as an adventurer.

    Lily stared at the two coins for a moment that threatened to go on for an eternity. Then she closed her hands over the coins.

    Once she took the money, Lan left with a farewell and tried to get to Cawl¡¯s shop. Once again, it was much easier said. This time as he walked, Lan not only tried to look less like a target but knew that he could only get so far with that. Lan tried to pick out the people who weren¡¯t acting as they should.

    It wasn¡¯t easy, but at times, Lan would see people who seemed to be heading in one direction slowly drift toward him until they saw that he was looking at them. Others would try to walk into him and would look annoyed when he moved out of the way.

    But as one could expect, going out of his way to avoid people only made him look more like a big target.

    [New Skill acquired: People watching]

    All in all, by the time the crowd died down to single numbers, Lan was mentally drained. But he had managed to hold on to his money.

    That was what Lan thought before he walked into a wall. When he looked up from the ground, Lan saw Ganin. Dell¡¯s hired muscle, and from the laughter behind him, he wasn¡¯t alone.

 Chapter 20: [Status effect]

    No, as Lan looked around, he found that Ganin was very much not alone, which was made worse by him being with almost everyone he didn¡¯t want to see. Eliza and her three shadows: Dara, Mai and Charlotte, the noble whose name Lan thought was Lawrence and two others.

    Aaron and Oris. Lan had known them since they were all boys. But when Dell took him in, they, like most, had taken his not being allowed to see them as a slight

    At some point, they had decided that antagonising him whenever they could, made for a good pass time.

    ¡®You should watch where you¡¯re going.¡¯ Ganin spoke in a deep tone. ¡®It¡¯s been a while. Too bad I couldn¡¯t be there to say goodbye,¡¯ Of all the people Lan had known, none unsettled him like Ganin.

    Though the man rarely showed emotion, something in his eyes had terrified Lan as a boy. But now, what were the eyes of a man that would beat a child compared to the killing intent he had seen in the eyes of the Razerwolves?

    No, now, when he looked at him, Lan couldn¡¯t help but smile. Because now he knew why Gannin¡¯s punches had seemed harder after he had shown up with a broken nose. A break that hadn¡¯t healed right, leaving him with a noticeable crater in his rock-like face. To Lan, it made all the beating worth it, seeing his father''s handiwork now.

    Not getting the reaction he was used to from Lan, Ganin¡¯s face soured, but the noble spoke before he could go on.

    ¡®I am here on behalf of Master Dell.¡¯ Lawrence stepped past Ganin and crouched in front of Lan, only to frown as he looked at him. It only lasted just for a moment but long enough for his eyes to betray a hint of confusion, which only seemed to upset him even more. He wasn¡¯t the only one. Eliza''s face had been twisted into one of spiralling emotions before she looked away when she realised Lan had noticed.

    ¡®With everything that happened,¡¯ Lawrence recovered, painting on a smile. ¡®Dell didn¡¯t have the chance to tell you that he expects the one thousand gold by the end of the year.¡¯

    ¡®One thousand? What the hell are you talking about?¡¯ Lan demanded, still trying to keep himself under control. It was too soon to see any of these people again, and it didn¡¯t help that Dell seemed to have more in store for him.

    ¡®It seems that little incident in the store room you caused led to a lot of goods being destroyed,¡¯ The noble shrugged. ¡®It only seems fair that you pay for it, right? But it¡¯s not for me to say what is fair. Although I did offer to be the one to collect the debt and to show that you are willing to cooperate, I think it a good idea to hand over what you have on you.¡¯

    For a moment, anger boiled through Lan¡¯s mind. There was no respect between them, but this was ridiculous. Even if he had burned down the storehouse, there was no way that everything in there would have come up to five hundred gold. If that wasn¡¯t enough, Dell was trying to say that he had somehow gained a debt of another five hundred gold dragons.

    Knowing what he knew now, Lan was sure Dell would have faked records backing his claim, if not now than over the years in preparation. No doubt this was just a way for him to wring out a little more from Lan, or he was just twisting the knife. Whatever it was, Lan wasn¡¯t going to just accept it.

    ¡®That¡¯s very kind of you, but I am afraid that I have not received a note of the debt or of your role as an advocate. Until I do, I am going to have to refuse.¡¯ Lan answered, somehow managing to sound professional as he worked his way back onto his feet.

    ¡®I¡¯m telling you now,¡¯ the noble said, smiling at Lan.

    ¡®Forgive me if your word means little to me. As far as I know, I have just been cornered by a group that is now asking for money in the middle of the street, even for a noble that doesn¡¯t look good if we were to draw the guard''s attention. So once again, I will have to refuse.¡¯

    ¡®You think guards would take your word over mine?¡¯ the noble asked, his words dripping with amusement.

    ¡®Even nobles need to prove their claims. Can you prove your claim? My Lord, it seems you don¡¯t even have a note. Not even The Duke can demand payment without evidence of a debt.¡¯ Lan said, not adding that the son of a noble who had to become a merchant was the farthest thing from a duke. Nor did he need to, as Lawrence¡¯s smile cracked, and the anger Lan had seen the last time they met surfaced again.

    ¡®You may be right. But it will be hard for you to make your case after I have Ganin here beat you unconscious. By the time you wake, you will be standing in front of a magistrate who dines at my family home once a month, and I can assure you that you will have to pay more than a thousand gold. Now I suggest you hand over what you have.¡¯

    This time the smile didn¡¯t return; even if it had, Lan knew he meant it. Lesser- noble or not, he was dealing with a different world from Dell now. If he really had a magistrate in his pocket, then there wasn¡¯t much that Lan could do.

    But if he wanted to play a merchant''s game, then Lan would play.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡®Are you still speaking as Dell¡¯s advocate?¡¯ Lan asked, matching the noble''s tone. ¡®If you are, then I would suggest choosing your words more carefully. I don¡¯t ever remember saying I had any coin.¡¯ Lan said, which was the truth. ¡®But if I did, then it wouldn¡¯t look good if I felt like you were threatening me on his behalf.¡¯

    ¡®Liar!¡¯ Aaron shouted, missing the point, as the few people around them tried harder not to notice what was happening. ¡®I overheard his mother and the other women talking about the hairpin that she has always worn. I am sure she would have gotten at least a few gold for it.¡¯ Eager to get in good with the noble, Aaron went on like a fool even though Lawrence ignored him.

    ¡®Well, are you going to continue to deny it?.¡¯ He said, leaning to whisper in Lan¡¯s ear. ¡®If you can¡¯t show that you are willing to be a good boy, I am sure that we can get the money some other way¡­¡¯ He looked thoughtful before grinning at Lan and leaning in again. ¡®Doesn¡¯t your brother have a fianc¨¦? I think I have seen her around. A pretty thing¡­ I am sure I can find someone to pay a good deal for some time with her.¡¯

    For a moment, Lan regretted not having brought his spear. Whatever came after would be worth it if only he could have driven it into the man¡¯s neck. Instead, he focused on his anger.

    ¡®Are you still speaking on Dell¡¯s behalf?¡¯ Lan breathed, his skin hot to the touch as he fought to stay in control. This time, Ganin grabbed the noble by the shoulder before he could put his foot in it. ¡®I suggest you listen to your minder; he may need his hands to count to ten. But even he knows that your words will affect Dell¡¯s claim, and trust me, your word will mean a lot in front of a truth stone.¡¯

    Even if the court didn¡¯t have one, Lan would sooner spend every coin he had to get one than give it to the pompous joke of a noble. ¡®Let Master Dell know that if he thinks that he is getting a copper out of me, it will be through a magistrate¡¯s command. And if you are stupid enough to act on your words.¡¯ Lan found his words coming on their own. ¡®Then you should kill me now while you still can.¡¯

    Maybe he saw the same thing that Leah and the others had when they looked into his eyes. Maybe he was just looking for a reason. But for a moment, Lawrence Looked like he would draw his sword on Lan before pausing and looking over his shoulder at Ganin, who once again looked ready to intervene.

    ¡®Oh, this anger. Perhaps the two of you are closer than future in-laws.¡¯ Lawrence said, shifting the target as he raised his voice so all would hear. So Eliza would hear her expression growing dark. For some reason, that was worse than pity. Not only was she looking down on him, but now she felt justified in doing so. ¡®Is that where you got that mark on your cheek.¡¯

    Mark? Lan thought, momentarily thrown off his anger by the comment.

    ¡®I don¡¯t have time for this.¡¯ Lan turned to leave.

    ¡®I don¡¯t remember giving you permission to leave. I think you have forgotten who you are talking to. I think now I¡¯ll take whatever you have on you to remind you who I am.¡¯ Lawrence smiled again.

    Spend your points and just shut him up, a voice screamed in Lan¡¯s mind.

    ¡®My lord seems to have a problem remembering.¡¯ Lan said, facing the noble head-on. ¡®Not even a duke can take without reason.¡¯ Even if he wanted to, it was clear to Lan now that Ganin wouldn¡¯t let the noble kill him and get in the way of Dell¡¯s plan. This was just an attempt to save face. But after his threats, Lan wouldn¡¯t even let him have that much.

    ¡®I bet he wasted it on a woman.¡¯ Dara squawked, shredding the tension that had built up between the two.

    At this, Lawrence¡¯s smile turned into a grin as he thought he had found a new vein to cut.

    ¡®Well, Lan, did you spend the money your mother sold her treasure for on a woman?¡¯ Lawrence asked.

    ¡®Just look at him. What other reason would there be that he is so defensive.¡¯ the mind-searingly obnoxious girl went on.

    ¡®How could anyone be so pathetic.¡¯ He said. ¡®You can keep whatever you have left. I wouldn¡¯t want to touch it knowing where it has been.¡¯ With that, Lawrence turned to leave, and the others followed in his wake.

    All but Eliza, who stopped in front of Lan. As their eyes met, she could only hold his gaze for a moment before anger flashed on her face, and she looked away while Lan just stood there numb to it all. Whatever it was that she had to say, the sooner she did, the better.

    ¡®I will come to see you today¡­ so we can sign the annulment agreement.¡¯ She looked up as if just doing so caused pain like Lan was the one who had wanted all of this. Like she was the only one that this was hurting. Like he had forced her into the arms of another man, and now he was throwing everything they had away.

    That, more than anything, made Lan chuckle, making her flinch.

    At least her father would have the guts to own his actions. Lan couldn¡¯t wait to be done with all of them. With a sigh, Lan looked at the sun. It was already hung low in the sky. But Lan still had time to do what he needed to.

    ¡®I am staying at the Silver-haired maiden inn. If you find me anywhere, you¡¯ll find me there.¡¯ Lan said and turned.

    ¡®Lan?¡¯ he heard her call, but his mind had moved on to more important things, and there was something that he could not end the day without doing.

    But before that, Lan took some time to find a fountain with a reflective basin and saw a change in his gaunt face. What he saw formed a pit in his stomach and made him wish that he hadn¡¯t looked because blissful ignorance was better than what looked back at him.

    Contrasted against pale skin was a pair of red glowing lips. Lan¡¯s face threatened to swallow the shining red mark, his face burning as he tried and failed to wash it away. When that didn¡¯t work, Lan opened his tome. Next to his image was a small pair of lips.

    [Status effect: Lovers Kiss ¨C A magic-infused kiss used to remind one of their lover''s affection no matter where they may be. Be warned, the Lovers Kiss mark can cause strong emotional reactions from those who may see it, from jealousy to increased attraction or confusion from those who cannot see magic like children. Once the recipient sees the kiss, it will vanish in ten seconds.]

    As the counter appeared, Lan watched as he remembered the day''s events.

    ¡®Weirdo face¡­¡¯ he said to himself before bursting into laughter. ¡®Damn, that crazy woman.¡¯ At least now he knew who had paid for his room.

    Thinking back, that wasn¡¯t all the mage had done. The way that the thugs had fallen for his lie so easily made sense. Lan had a glowing sign on his face that said, ¡°Don¡¯t mess with this idiot,¡± not to mention why everyone had been looking at him funny the whole day; everyone had been reacting to him through the spell''s influence.

    He didn¡¯t even know where they were now, but somehow, they were still managing to help him. As the mark disappeared, Lan found holding on to his anger impossible as he made his way to Cawl¡¯s shop.

 Chapter 21: Six Dragons

    Stepping into Cawl¡¯s shop, Lan was greeted by a bored-looking Cali resting on her hand at the counter. She was still wearing the overalls like the first time they met, but now she had her hair down. With a glance, she went back to daydreaming before realisation hit her, and she shot up.

    ¡®No way, You¡¯re back! Oops, didn¡¯t mean to say that part out loud.¡¯ She blushed.

    ¡®That¡¯s alright. It wasn¡¯t for lack of trying,¡¯ Lan laughed.

    ¡®Really, well, I¡¯ll go get my father. I''m sure he will want to hear this,¡¯ She said, jumping from her chair and disappearing down the stairs. Returning a moment later with Cawl, who she had clearly not told him who was waiting, or he hadn¡¯t believed her as he grinned when he saw Lan.

    ¡®You made it back.¡¯ He said. ¡®I won¡¯t lie; a part of me thought you would sell the armour and run.¡¯ He shrugged, and Lan smiled.

    ¡®Funny, that never even crossed my mind.¡¯ Lan shrugged back. Cawl must have seen something in his expression as his face softened.

    ¡®Somehow, I don¡¯t doubt it. You have to be a special kind of crazy to want to be an adventurer; obviously, you are. Well, what are you waiting for? Tell us about the job.¡¯

    With no small amount of embarrassment, Lan told them the story of his first hunt.

    ¡®You what! Salt and stone Lad, what were you thinking going on a guild quest!¡¯ Cawl snapped before tapping his finger on the table as Cali looked at Lan as if he was crazy. ¡®Remind me to never give you an item without pay again.¡¯ He added before seeming to calm.

    Lan wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. Moreover, he was taken aback by how much what he did bothered them.

    ¡®Sorry, I didn¡¯t know what I was getting into but seeing all the adventurers heading in the same direction, it just felt like the right thing to do. And I have already been told how stupid I was to do so and shown just how stupid it was by the Razerwolves too.¡¯

    ¡®Too bad cause I am going to say it again, remember I was the one that sold you that weapon and armour. That means your safety is partly my responsibility¡­¡¯ Lan looked down, his father''s words coming back to him. ¡®Even still¡­ what kind of Level one faces a Razerwolf and still has the will to fight? Most normal people would pass out long before then.¡¯

    ¡®Which means you are not normal,¡¯ Cali added before both stared at him.

    ¡®It¡¯s¡­ not that weird, is it?¡¯

    ¡®No, it¡¯s weird,¡¯ Cali confirmed without a moment of hesitation.

    ¡®In any case, you made it back. So what can we do for you?¡¯

    ¡®Well, I wanted to pay for the armour and get a new one too.¡¯ Lan said, catching Cawl¡¯s eye.¡¯

    ¡®Oh,¡¯ he said slowly, ¡®so you gained some levels then?¡¯

    ¡®Four,¡¯ Lan smiled weakly, still not believing it was true.

    ¡®You don¡¯t say?¡¯ Cawl said as if seeing Lan in a new light before his eyes changed colour.

    ¡®See, I told you. Weird,¡¯ Cali smiled.

    ¡®Well, at least we can find some slightly better gear that should work for you now. Were you looking for anything in particular?

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin. All I know is that I wouldn¡¯t have made it back without the armour. So I was hoping that you would be willing to help.¡¯

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s why we make it,¡¯ Cawl huffed, satisfied at having his work noticed. ¡®In any case, we should start with what you are planning to be.¡¯ Cawl looked at Lan, and all he could do was stare back. ¡®What combat class, an archer, a lancer or a scout,¡¯ Cawl numbered off as if talking to a child. ¡®Hell, what are you spending your attribute points on.¡¯

    ¡®Uh, yeah, I still haven¡¯t decided.¡¯ Lan tried saying casually, even though he was anything but casual about it.

    ¡®Well, it wouldn¡¯t really matter at your level anyway. I wanted to know just so I could get something ready. For now, anything that will keep you alive should work,¡¯ He said before pausing and shaking his head, ¡®Come back tomorrow, and I¡¯ll have something ready for you.¡¯

    At this, Cali perked up and Looked at Cawl, who pointedly ignored her. ¡®Place your hand on the stone,¡¯ The mountain of a man said, retrieving a stone tablet from under the counter. As Lan moved over and touched the stone, it glowed with blue light before an image of him carved in light, along with his measurements, appeared.

    ¡®As for a new weapon, I would say wait and see what jobs you plan on taking before you decide.¡¯

    ¡®Right,¡¯ Lan nodded, ¡®that¡¯s a good idea,¡¯ he finished hoping that there would be a job that he could do.

    ¡®And it would help if you knew what you planned to do when you return,¡¯ Cali added, getting a conspiratorial look on her face, one that Cawl tried even harder not to notice.

    Remembering their first meeting, Lan had to stop himself from asking what stats he needed to use that odd armour she had been in before. But guessed he would not be able to afford it anyway.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡®Sure¡­ oh, about the armour you gave me,¡¯ Lan reached for his coin pouch.

    ¡®You aren¡¯t going to use it again anyway, so just bring it back, and I will charge you the difference from buying it back,¡¯ Cawl shrugged.

    ¡®Yeah, about¡­ that,¡¯ Lan thought about the hunk of caved-in metal. ¡®You''re going to want the full price.¡¯ he said, getting a snicker from Cali as he pushed the gold over to him.

    ¡®Hm, guess it really did do its job then,¡¯ Cawl sighed as he took the money. ¡®Well, we will be seeing you around, Lad.¡¯ The smith said as he started back down the stairs as Cali waved. Lan stood there momentarily, unsure of what he was feeling.

    ¡®Right,¡¯ he nodded and turned to leave.

    Still having more money than he wanted to carry around, Lan kept trying to spot people as he looked for the stop he needed to go to next. Not knowing which one, it took some time, but eventually, Lan found the right trade shop.

    It looked like all the others he had visited, with an assortment of items arranged on many shelves and a long table in the middle of the room with more valuable items on it.

    Although if he knew anything, they only looked valuable, with anything of actual worth being on the shelves behind the counter. Where a large round woman with her hair in a bun that made her look like a cookie jar stood smiling at him.

    ¡®Oh my, a new customer, come in, come in.¡¯ she smiled.

    ¡®Uh, hello. My name is Landrin. I think my mother came by a few days ago and pawned a hairpin. I was looking to see if I could pay for it.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, what a sweet boy you are,¡¯ she cooed ¡®, and I know just the one you are talking about. How could I not? Your mother has such lovely eyes, and you have them too.¡¯ she said, vanishing through a door in the back.

    Returning a few minutes later with his mother¡¯s hairpin. ¡®I hope you will forgive me when I say that I was hoping that I would be able to keep this one. I have never seen anything so beautiful.¡¯ Lan smiled even as the woman¡¯s words raised red flags.

    ¡®My father made it for my mother, so I really can¡¯t grant that wish.¡¯ Lan smiled, picking up the hairpin and making sure it was real. Nice as she may seem, a merchant was always a merchant. When Lan was convinced that it was real, he grinned, feeling an odd sense of completion with having it back.

    ¡®Lovely, do you have the chit?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®No, my mother doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m paying for it.¡¯ Lan said, looking at the gem that matched their eye colour. ¡®This is great. And the fee is thirty per cent, right.¡¯ Lan added, reaching for his coins.

    ¡®Huh, thirty per cent?¡¯ she asked, stopping him. ¡®The agreed fee was three gold, bringing the total to six Dragons.¡¯

    ¡®Six gold! You cannot do that, nor would my mother agree to pay that.¡¯

    ¡®And yet she did¡­¡¯ the woman shrugged and smiled, growing satisfied with herself.

    Lan paused. Even in the situation that they¡­ that he was in. There was no way his mother could have agreed to pay that much¡­ Unless she never thought she was getting it back. Despite knowing better, Lan allowed his anger to show.

    ¡®Are you saying that if I was to bring back the chit, it would say the same thing?¡¯

    ¡®If you could have brought the chit, then you would have it now. I am doing you a favour by allowing you to buy it back. I know a few people who have already shown interest in this peace. The way I see it, I am taking a risk in giving it to you, but I will do so, seeing as it means so much to your mother. And a good son should be willing to pay anything to see their mother happy.¡¯

    ¡®What risk? You said it yourself as you could tell she is my mother.¡¯ Lan said as He tried to fight against her higher charisma with fact. Finely trained words had a way of tilting a conversation in favour of the one with the highest charisma, but there were only a few places where it was more noticeable than with a merchant working their craft.

    ¡®Perhaps you are right,¡¯ She shrugged, ¡®but the magistrate won¡¯t see it that way. Just because you look alike doesn¡¯t mean you are even related. No, without the chit, I think I am going to stick with the stated price. At this point, she would know that her charisma was higher than his.

    No matter what he said, it wouldn¡¯t matter.

    ¡®I am asking you to reconsider? Lan tried. Gritting his teeth and dropping his head when she just smiled at him. Taking a deep breath, Lan retrieved the coins.

    ¡®oh, dear! I would have said nine gold if I knew you actually had it.''

    ¡®That¡¯s funny because that¡¯s what I was going to say to you.¡¯ Lan said, feeling his anger focus as he picked up the hairpin.''

    ¡®What was that love?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s going to be nine gold.¡¯ Lan repeated, going on when she just looked at him. ¡®Well, don¡¯t you want to buy back the chit?¡¯ Lan said, making the woman''s smile fall away. ¡®Remind me, what is the penalty for selling an item that is still under the power of a chit again. One hundred times the trade-in price? The way I see it, I am going to be doing you a bigger favour than you did me by ensuring that chit never walks into this store again.¡¯

    ¡®What are you talking about! You said you were getting it for your mother. That is the only reason I gave it to you.¡¯ She protested, leaving out that she had only done so, thinking he didn¡¯t know about the penalty. Because most normal people wouldn¡¯t. Like most other laws governing merchants, they weren¡¯t written down anywhere, and no self-respecting merchant would tell a target.

    ¡®Perhaps you are right,¡¯ Lan shrugged, ¡®but the magistrate won''t see it that way.¡¯ He finished, watching as her face twisted at having her own words turned on her. ¡®Now that I own this, what¡¯s to stop the former owner from walking in here the moment I leave.¡¯

    ¡®Lies! You said that you were buying it back for your mother. Only a common thug would try something like that.¡¯ Once again, Lan felt her charisma press and try to twist and influence his mind. Only this time, Lan had the upper hand, and no amount of charisma stood a chance against undeniable fact and the rule of law. Even though her charisma was higher than his, he had facts and the law on his side.

    ¡®Oh, you are an awful young man.¡¯ She whined, ¡®You better make sure I never see that chit again.¡¯ She added, slamming the six gold on the table before retrieving three more from behind the counter.¡¯

    ¡®It was a pleasure doing business with you.¡¯ Lan nodded, plastering on a big smile as she turned on the waterworks. Lan had to say the sweet old lady act was a new one for him. But it didn¡¯t change the fact that it was an act. And she had tried to take advantage of his mother, three gold for a fee, Lan thought, deciding that he had been too fair.

    If that had really been what she had charged, then she could have been looking at a much greater cost than three hundred gold, including imprisonment or having her title stripped.

    Despite pouting at Lan the moment he turned to leave, he saw a smile on her face that he dared to say looked almost pleased, and she had every right to be. A real merchant would have taken the item and had the chit-owner come in after. Hell, a good merchant would do so even after taking the payment.

    [On the nature of charisma ¨C like all other attributes, charisma has both passive and active effects on the world. Someone with high charisma may not only be more beautiful but find themselves the centre of attention and have an easier time convincing people. However, one¡¯s charisma can not overwrite another¡¯s will. Only give weight to your own. No matter how high your charisma is, if someone has a negative opinion of you, they don¡¯t know or want to do what you wish they will not.]

 Chapter 22: DRINK!

    Lan rolled the hairpin between his thumb and forefinger after so long trying to do what he thought was right. Something had really worked out the way he hoped it would. But it was too soon to congratulate himself. Much as he wanted to return it to his mother immediately, no one would be awake when he arrived. And he still needed to take a guild job the next day. With a promise to himself to return it the moment he got back. Lan started for the inn.

    It was late enough that few people were out but not dark enough for the street to fill again. As if marching in line, Lan walked a few streets behind the lantern lighter as the man followed the last remnants of the fading sun. Just a week ago, a time like this would have made him feel the closest thing to happiness, getting to walk around in a world at a standstill, but now it left him feeling a little melancholic. Now it was only a reminder that the day was ending.

    The moment Lan stepped into the inn¡¯s hall, he was swept up in a warm light and sweet smell, and almost as if being slapped awake from a daydream, Lan felt the fatigue chased away as he passed over the threshold of the inn. Lan stood there for a moment. It wasn¡¯t the energy of the night before. If that would happen again tonight, then it was yet to come.

    All around the inn were groups of adventurers talking and laughing as they ate and drank in their own worlds. And yet the atmosphere in the hall was rich and magnetic. Like he had stepped into a fable before the first page had been turned.

    ¡®Oh, welcome back, Lan,¡¯ Leah stopped mid-step and smiled at him, with two trays filled with drinks and food in each hand. ¡®Did you end up going on a job? She asked, looking at Lan. Although his wounds had been healed, he was covered in dirt and blood.

    ¡®Oh no, I went¡­ shopping,¡¯ Lan said, making her giggle.

    ¡®Then you¡¯re doing it wrong.¡¯ she smiled, and Lan wished he could engrave the image into his memory. ¡®I can have some food ready for when you are done cleaning up if you want.

    ¡®What? Oh, that would be great.¡¯ He smiled sheepishly, hoping she didn¡¯t notice the pause.

    After getting clean and dressing in the clothes that Leah had somehow managed to get for him, Lan made his way down the stairs. Where he ran into Leah, who was carrying more trays. Forget fables. Her will and stamina were a thing of legends.

    Lan felt the fatigue start to creep in his muscles just watching her before she smiled, nodded to a table, and then carried on. Stepping down the last few steps, Lan turned and was greeted with smiles by Lock and the others.

    Despite the night before, Lan had secretly, in the part of his mind that even he would not acknowledge, feared that they would have ignored him. As if they had fulfilled their obligation the night before and now no longer needed to deal with him. Clearly, he had worried about nothing.

    Suddenly, Lan¡¯s face reddened, but it wasn¡¯t because of his thoughts. Lan felt his skin heat as his eyes fell on Olivia, and the beautiful Mage gave him a sweet smile and patted the seat next to her, where a plate of food sat waiting for him.

    ¡®So it looks like you plan on sticking around.¡¯ Sora said, grinning as Lan sat down.

    ¡®Looks like it.¡¯ Lan tried to smile back, finding it hard as Olivia beamed at him.

    ¡®How was your day? Any good hunts?¡¯ Lan asked, trying to not look at her.

    ¡®It was great.¡¯ Sora grinned at Vulk, who just grumbled.

    ¡®I take it Vulk won.¡¯ Lan smiled, guessing he wouldn¡¯t get any more levels in poison resist that night. Vulk grumbled as a heavy breeze buffeted the windows. Which was odd as it hadn¡¯t even been windy when he was outside.

    ¡®More importantly, I lost.¡¯ Olivia smiled triumphantly. ¡®That means I am buying.¡¯ she looked around, getting a few winces.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong? You look a little on edge.¡¯ Vasha asked, leaning over the table to look at Lan¡¯s face.

    ¡®Do I?¡¯ Lan looked away. Before sighing and turning to Olivia, although he didn¡¯t want to bring this up, there was also no way he couldn¡¯t. ¡®Can I have a word in private?¡¯ He asked the golden-haired Mage.

    ¡®Oh? Whatever it is, I am sure that you can say it in front of everyone,¡¯ She said with all the sweetness that one person could manage, which only made the others more curious.

    ¡®Right¡­ uh, thanks for paying for my room.¡¯ Lan said eventually.

    ¡®Oh, you¡¯re welcome,¡¯ Olivia smiled, although Lan couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she knew where he was going and was only waiting for him to get there. While he tried to think of the best way to put the question.

    ¡®Last night¡­ We¡­ no, that¡¯s not right. Wait, the mark¡­¡¯ Lan went on, realising there really was no winning. Either nothing had happened, and he was about to make himself look like a fool. Or something did, and he had forgotten, which alone should be punishable by death.

    ¡®What are you getting at, Lan?¡¯ Vulk Asked, and Lan found himself explaining about the Lover¡¯s kiss mark.

    The whole time the gathered adventurers listened without a word or expression. They were so quiet, in fact, that they drew the attention of those sitting at other tables who started to listen in. When Lan finished, there was a moment of stillness.

    Then, like a rolling Storm, Vulk broke into booming laughter.

    ¡®All day! All Light¡¯s damn day. You walked around with a pair of glowing lips on your face!¡¯ he slammed the table, drawing more attention to them. ¡®You must have looked a right tit!¡¯

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    Sora fell out of his chair, and Vasha had tears in her eyes as she squeezed her hands together to stay calm.

    Drevin tried to hide his chuckling, and Lock wouldn¡¯t look Lan¡¯s way, while Cassandra seemed far more interested in her drink. All while Olivia vibrated in her seat.

    ¡®Somehow!¡­¡¯ Vulk sucked in air before he passed out. ¡®Somehow, even with all that, you manage to scare off three cutpurses. When you couldn¡¯t even see straight!¡¯ Vulk pounded his fist over the other as the tables around exploded in laughter.

    Lock squeezed his eyes shut, and Drevin got up and walked away. Lan didn¡¯t really think it was that funny, and just as he started to sink in his chair, Vulk appeared before him and slapped him on the back.

    ¡®Oh Lan, I haven''t laughed like that in years. Thank you,¡¯ He chuckled, and Lan could swear he heard thunder again, but it was coming from outside this time. That was odd. There hadn¡¯t been a single cloud in the sky. ¡®Well done, Olivia. I would have just drawn things on his face.¡¯ The red-haired dwarf laughed again.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what you are talking about,¡¯ Olivia sat up straight and stuck out her chest. ¡®It was only a good luck charm. Right, Lan?¡¯ she said to Lan before sticking her tongue out at Vulk.

    ¡®If nothing else, it is a good reminder to check my tome more.¡¯

    ¡®Ah, you would learn that anyway,¡¯ Vulk said, slapping him on the back again, driving Lan¡¯s solar plexus into the table. ¡®More importantly. You¡¯re behind.¡¯ He said, leaning in close to Lan and setting a mug on the table.

    Looking into the mug, Lan found a dark red liquid. Wine and not beer? Lan thought as he picked up the mug and drank. One gulp and his jaw squeezed like a vice from the tautness of the wine.

    ¡®Light and Stars,¡¯ he said as a shiver ran up his spine.

    ¡®It¡¯s cheap and unpleasant,¡¯ the beautiful Mage said, swirling the contents of a wine glass that wasn¡¯t there a moment ago as she looked dispassionately at its contents. ¡®But you¡¯ll get used to it,¡¯ Olivia said to him. ¡®That is unless you are a certain dwarf.¡¯ she added, looking over to the sour-faced Vulk.

    So this was what vengeance looked like. Although it had only been one, Olivia had been unlucky enough to have lost a round the night before. Knowing how it had affected him, Lan didn¡¯t even want to think about what she would have felt.

    ¡®Speaking of which¡­ drink!¡¯ Olivia cried, and Drevin, who was away from the table near enough, dove over it to grab his mug.

    With a fear reflex Lan didn¡¯t know he had, he clamped the mug to his face and started to pull. As he did, every gulp made the sour wine slowly sweeter until it was like drinking liquid sugar mixed with cherries. Vasha was the first to finish, slamming her mug on the table and letting out a¡­

    ¡®Woohoo,¡¯ as she shot her hands into the air. Olivia finished next, followed by Drevin, Lock and Lan, and by the time Sora finished, Vulk had the last few gulps of his second mug left.

    ¡®Light damn it.¡¯ the red-haired dwarf shouted, slamming his mug and rubbing his jaw. ¡®ah! This isn¡¯t fair. You know dwarfs can¡¯t stand sour things.¡¯ Lan didn¡¯t know that, but from the looks of it, it really did seem like a biological thing.

    Even still, Lan couldn¡¯t really bring himself to care, knowing that if he ever had to drink the Forget me not again, it would be like the first time. Vulk shrunk down until his head was in line with his shoulders and grumbled.

    ¡®Oh, and it¡¯s never been a problem that you have a higher tolerance for alcohol.¡¯ Olivia asked.

    ¡®and a big mouth.¡¯ Drevin added.

    ¡®Uh, fine, just do your worst, you witch.¡¯ He huffed.

    With more glee than someone who had just been called a witch should have. Olivia reached into the air, the space in front of her rippling as her hand vanished. A moment later, she drew her hand back, holding a crystalline blue bottle covered in icicles and frost that spread over the table as she sat it down.

    ¡®You can¡¯t be serious,¡¯ Vulk looked around for support. ¡®At least with the Forget Me Not, the bottle itself wasn¡¯t dangerous. This is just an ice potion.¡¯ Vulk tried reasoning. ¡®I mean, look, it¡¯s frozen to the damn table.

    ¡®I have to say, he is not wrong, Olivia. Is this really safe?¡¯ Lock shrugged, making Olivia huff.

    ¡®Of course, I wouldn¡¯t give you all something dangerous. Well, not too dangerous anyway. This is called Everwinter, which is very expensive, so you should be glad I am sharing it with you.¡¯ The Mage pouted.

    ¡®Well, didn¡¯t you say that your Forget Me Not had magic in it as well,¡¯ Drevin half shrugged, which was enough to make the others agree, much to the evident dismay of Vulk.

    At that, Olivia broke the bottle from the table, unstopped it and poured the blue liquid that frosted the glass as it filled.

    With one more look around the table as if to say, ¡°You all did this to me, you could have stopped it, but you didn¡¯t, and now my death is on your hands.¡± The wiry-haired dwarf picked up the shot glass and, with the determination of a man who had looked in the eyes of death and found it wanting, downed the shot.

    Not even a moment later, his eyes shot open as his hands clamped to his temples, his beard freezing as his breath came out in a torrent of snow. A gust that seemed like it would not end as Vulk shook, shivered, and fell out of his chair. A moment later, the ice on Vulk¡¯s face melted, and all that was left was the Mage''s uproarious and completely self-satisfied giggles.

    ¡®What the light was that?¡¯ Sora asked as Vulk coughed out the last of the snow.

    ¡®It¡¯s just as I said, Everwinter.¡¯ Olivia said, leaning on her arm. ¡®It¡¯s a magic liquor meant to embody winter. One of thirteen mage liquors, by the way.¡¯ Olivia winked at Lan.

    ¡®I thought that was the end of me.¡¯ Vulk grabbed Lan¡¯s shoulder to steady himself, which was a worrying thought as there was no way that Lan could stop the inevitable if the dwarf started to fall.

    ¡®Oh, don¡¯t be like that, although it is made for Mages and is quite pleasant for us. For non-mages, it just feels like having a blizzard in your head.¡¯ Olivia grinned.

    ¡®I have never felt my brain feel like that before.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, we call it brain freeze, and it serves you right.¡¯ Olivia narrowed her eyes. ¡®It gets worse with each shot.¡¯ Although the last comment seemed to be meant for Vulk, the mood around the table changed. As Lan looked around, he found determined looks.

    ¡®This is the first time Olivia has been mad enough to bring a special drink after losing.¡¯ Lock explained, seeing Lan''s confused look.

    ¡®Yeah, there is no way that it doesn¡¯t get worse. We just have to make sure Vulk loses every time.¡¯ Sora whispered, getting a nod from the rest, including Lan.

    By the time Olivia called for all of them to drink, the inn had started to pick up, just enough that the chatter began to bleed into one other. The day that seemed like it would never end now looked like another great night, if not a wholly forgotten one. When someone patted Lan on the shoulder.

    Turning, he found a worried-looking Leah.

    ¡®Lan, there is a woman here to see you.¡¯ She said, looking toward the doors. Confused, Lan followed her eyes and felt like someone had just punched him in the stomach as his eyes landed on Eliza.

    She was wearing a different dress than earlier, this one a dark blue, as she stood looking around at the inn¡¯s patrons like they were wild animals, which only drew more attention to her, those around wondering why she was acting that way as she clutched a bundle of papers to her chest.

    ¡®Why¡­ why now.¡¯ Lan thought as the colour in the room seemed to drain around her.

    ¡®If you had someone waiting for you, then you shouldn¡¯t have stayed out drinking.¡¯ Leah said, sounding a little disapproving.

    ¡®Is that your lover?¡¯ Olivia asked, in a serious tone, for the first time since meeting her.

    ¡®Was.¡¯ Lan breathed.

 Chapter 23: DRINK... MORE!!!

    ¡®Was.¡¯ Lan said, his voice bearly audible, which didn''t matter. Those around him most likely could have heard him from across the room, with the music going. ¡®Sorry, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡¯ Lan stood.

    Despite not meaning to, his words seemed to have dampened the mood. At this, Lan allowed himself a small smile. They really were good people, he thought as he approached Eliza. Who saw him and looked away before moving to a quieter part of the inn.

    Why he didn¡¯t know, all he had to do was sign the annulment; they didn¡¯t need quiet for that. Moving to the corner seat by the window, Eliza sat and waited for Lan. When she didn¡¯t look at him, Lan sighed and sat down, seeing Ganin and another of Dell¡¯s thugs on the other side of the window.

    Lan laughed bitterly. He knew they were there to escort her, but the two hovered over them like he would try something. What would he do? Maybe it was to stop him from trying to convince her to change her mind. If that was the case, then they didn¡¯t need to worry. More importantly, she had just let him walk into it again.

    ¡®What are you doing in a place like this? This is an inn for adventurers,¡¯ she said as if he hadn¡¯t noticed.

    ¡®It¡¯s getting late.¡¯ Lan looked over to Locke and the others. Although they weren¡¯t looking his way, they also weren¡¯t saying anything, and none of them were drinking from their mugs.

    ¡®Don¡¯t you want to say anything? We won''t have another chance to talk after this. So it¡¯s best to get everything out now. I owe you that much.¡¯ Eliza said, almost sounding annoyed as if she had no choice but to be there. Lan just looked at her for a moment.

    When it looked like she would speak again. Lan reached over the table and took the papers from her. Eliza''s face flashed with surprise as he marked them with a drop of blood, and the law keeping them linked burned to ash a moment later as she stared as they fell.

    ¡®I think you have said enough.¡¯ Lan stood, leaving Eliza to stare at his back.

    [Song of intertwined fate Severed: You are no longer bound by fate to Eliza Dell.]

    Lan was halfway back to the table when the first song started, and someone grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the dance floor. Spinning, Lan was greeted by no other than Olivia, who was literally glowing with magic, her eyes alight like lightning trapped in her sapphire blue eyes. With a laugh, she threw her arms around him.

    ¡®Olivia, this isn¡¯t the best¡­¡¯ was all he managed before she spun the two of them around.

    ¡®Come on, I told you before you were my dance partner again, didn¡¯t I?¡¯

    ¡®No, you didn¡¯t!-¡¯ Lan tried before they almost crashed into a rather large Goliath, who was dancing with a rather short human woman, next they almost ran into Leah, who was carrying two trays filled with mugs. The incredible barmaid lifted the trays above them and frowned at the two.

    Lan wanted to be mad. He wanted to shout about what the hell was wrong with her. Instead, Lan found himself laughing at the absurdity of the situation. All he wanted to do was be upset for a while, yet the odd Mage, who seemed to enjoy teasing him, wouldn¡¯t let him do that.

    Suddenly she stopped spinning them, wrapped her arms around his neck, and looked over his shoulder. Giving someone a smug smile before leaning up and kissing him. Lan''s mind went blank momentarily before he came to his senses to pull away.

    ¡®Wow, that¡¯s a lot harder when you are standing,¡¯ She giggled and hopped back.

    ¡®What was that about?¡¯ Lan blurted out. He didn¡¯t mind the kiss, but he had been sure she was just teasing him this whole time.

    Lan got his answer as a chair crashed to the floor. Before Valk let out a death wail of a laugh. Lan looked over and found the Dwarf on the floor as Drevin stood against the wall, quietly weeping.

    Vasha looked over then immediately sprayed her wine all over Cassandra, forming a rainbow over the table, while Sora was on all fours trying and failing to catch his breath. And once again, Locke wouldn¡¯t look at him.

    ¡®You didn¡¯t.¡¯ Lan said as Olivia formed a mirror in front of him. Lan felt like he would be sick. Lined up perfectly with his mouth, and most of his lower face was a red pair of glowing woman¡¯s lips.

    With a burning feeling of betrayal and a face that tried to match his lips, Lan activated the tome and started the ten-second countdown on the spell as Olivia took a theatrical bow,

    ¡®Face it, Lan,¡¯ she said, straightening. ¡®after that, there is no way you can pull off a brooding look.¡¯ She smiled. Maybe it was the glow around her or that it mattered enough to her to care, but Lan found the sight of her etching itself onto his memory.

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    ¡®Oh, right,¡¯ She looked thoughtful. ¡®As for the answer about last night¡­¡¯ Olivia said as she leaned in to whisper. Her lips were moments away from touching Lan¡¯s ear before she turned, and she cupped her hands around her mouth.

    ¡®Drink!¡¯ she sang a moment before Lan found himself rushing toward the table, with the fear of the snow wine the only thing on his mind.

    Lan managed to survive the round, with Cassandra losing, although it looked like she did so on purpose. Not only showing little emotion to losing, which Lan learned was how she reacted to most things. She focused intently on the bottle, which Lan guessed could pass for excitement, as she watched the ice climb up the glass before throwing back the shot.

    Unlike with Valk, frozen air rolled slowly from the corners of her mouth as her eyes gained silver-blue light that flashed like lightning like an ice dragon waking from its slumber. With her pale skin and silver hair, the frost looked like it was almost meant to be a part of her. Licking her lips, the mysterious woman looked around the table.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡®Oh yeah¡­ I forget that Cassandra is a mana user.¡¯ Olivia added.

    ¡®So, how was it?¡¯ Valk asked, clearly, hoping she liked it. Although he was trying hard, he still would have lost if not for Cassandra wanting to try the drink and was now hoping that she may have taken a liking to it.

    ¡®Hmm, could be sweeter.¡¯ She breathed, seeming to lose interest in the drink.

    ¡®Agh, fine. Bring it on, ya tall bastards.¡¯ Valk shouted. ¡®I¡¯ll drink you all under the table.¡¯ Despite this declaration, Valk lost the next two, looking more like a snowman with every loss, even if thawing soon after.

    Each time, Olivia seemed to find it all the funnier than the time before. Luckily for the Dwarf, in the fourth round, Sora choked and paused just long enough for Valk to finish before him. The young rogue threw his head back and let out a geyser of snow before falling back onto the floor.

    Following Cassandra''s lead, Olivia took a loss, but if Vulk thought there would be any retribution. It was dashed as she took the shot and braced her arms on the back of her chair, tilted her head and blew the frost into the air. The magic snow gathered before forming large snowflakes that danced and spun, catching and reflecting the light in the inn before breaking apart and floating away on a breeze.

    Now in high spirits, Olivia rolled her head to look at Lan before dragging him onto the dance floor again. Lan himself had long since felt the effects of the cheap wine they were forcing down, and he had to work not to trip the two of them. Although he didn¡¯t really need to worry for too long.

    [New skill unlocked: Dancing.]

    Just gaining the skill was enough to make Lan feel a little more confident, and Lan started having fun instead of being moved around, terrified of breaking something.

    After a while, Olivia headed back to the table, but as Lan tried to follow her, a large grey hand fell on his shoulder. Turning, Lan was greeted by a woman, a head taller than him, with greyish-white skin, grey hair and red eyes.

    ¡®Hey, human, I need someone to dance with.¡¯ She said and dragged him back. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant. The woman was pretty and less skilled than Olivia, making it easier for him to keep up. Despite having seen one before, this was Lan''s first interaction with a Goliath. Despite there being plenty of them in the city, they rarely worked in manual labour, choosing to join adventurers guilds whenever they left their clans.

    ¡®Drink!¡¯ Olivia shouted. With a spike of panic, Lan turned to run to the table before the Goliath woman wrapped him in a bear hug.

    ¡®Sorry, you aren¡¯t going anywhere.¡¯ The woman grinned before looking at the table. Following her eyes, Lan felt terror grip his heart as he saw a smug-looking Valk who toasted the two of them before starting his first mug.

    When his first mug hit the table, the Goliath woman let go of him, and Lan rushed to get back just as the others were finishing their drinks. Getting to the table, Lan pulled as hard as he could from the mug, knowing what was at stake.

    Before he was halfway through, the others started to cheer them on, and Valk was beginning to slow down from the pain. Lan could finish. He would finish and rub it in the face of the smug, cheating bastard; he thought for a moment before he heard the sound of a mug hit the table, and Lan felt his stomach sink as he heard a cry of victory from the Dwarf, who jumped on his chair so he could plant a foot on the table.

    ¡®Oh, don¡¯t worry, Lanny. Really it¡¯s not that bad.¡¯ Valk said, patting Lan on the head as Olivia poured the shot. ¡®Just¡­ just think of something warm.¡¯

    Although all of the punishments had been a spectacle, the others seemed to be extra interested in what would happen to him. With no small amount of despair, Lan watched the ice grow over the shot glass. With how Valk and Sora reacted, would he even be able to survive this? He was at least twenty levels lower than them.

    Locke and Drevin looked worried but didn¡¯t try to stop it, and Olivia just winked at him, so it couldn¡¯t be that bad. Having watched the others, Lan sucked in a deep breath before drinking.

    As the cold liquid hit the roof of his mouth. Lan felt a shard of ice stab through his mouth and into his temples as tears formed and immediately froze in his eyes, sure his eyeballs would ice over. Lan breathed out, feeling the cloud of frost pull from his lungs before hitting and forming a clump of icicles on the table.

    [Ability Gained: Frost resistance]

    ¡®Ah! What?¡¯ Light and stars.¡¯ Lan said, trembling as his brain started to defrost.

    ¡®Oh, wonderful job Lan. Delicious, is it not?¡¯ Olivia smiled, seemly happy about something.

    ¡®There was a taste?¡¯ Lan asked. He had been too busy worrying if his brain would start working again.

    ¡®Ah, that was worth every gold.¡¯ Valk laughed, slapping Lan on the back.

    ¡®That was low¡­¡¯ Lan breathed, still feeling a chill in his bones.

    ¡®Come on, I was only doing you a favour. Can you really pass up the chance to taste a drink made for mages, huh? Plus¡­¡¯ Valk said, leaning in to whisper into Lan''s ear. ¡®Now you can help me get the last three of them.¡¯ Although Lan didn¡¯t do much in the end. Valk eventually got Drevin and Vasha before the events of the night started to blend together.

    There was more dancing and many, many more punishment shots.

    At some point, Lan found himself sitting in a corner with Valk, Drevin, Sora and two Goliaths as the illustrious Dwarf enlightened them on the finer points of hammer fighting.

    To Lan¡¯s surprise, there was more to it than just hitting things with the heavy bit, and he learned there was literally nothing you couldn¡¯t do with a hammer. At least, that was what he thought the point was. It was all terribly interesting, even if he couldn¡¯t remember how he found himself in the middle of it. All in all, it was another memorable, forgotten night.

 Chapter 24: A Warm Welcome

    The next day, Lan woke with the sun in his eyes. Why is the sun so hot? he thought. With a start, Lan sat up before groaning and falling back onto the bed as memory fragments of the night before came back to haunt him.

    Lan decided that he really wasn''t a fan of hangovers. Even if this one wasn¡¯t quite as devastating as the day before, he still had to fight to stay on his feet. After checking his tome, he looked in the mirror to make sure there wasn¡¯t anything else on his face. There wasn¡¯t, but what he did see made him pause.

    He still looked pale and thin, and his cheeks were sunken. What he didn¡¯t see were the dark circles around his eyes. Maybe it was just that, but to Lan, it seemed that some of the colour had also returned to them.

    If this was one of the old tales. Lan would have said it was a sign that a shroud had been lifted from his eyes. But he thought it was probably just that he couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had so much sleep. Which was good enough.

    Somehow, he managed to make his way down the stairs and meet the same girl from the day before. When he asked her to bring a bath to his room, she didn¡¯t even look at him or acknowledge his request.

    But after his life-saving breakfast, only slightly ruined by another attempt to make small talk with Leah¡¯s father. Lan found a bath waiting in his room.

    After a long soak and feeling ready to rejoin the land of the living, he dressed, packed up his armour and spear, and headed out.

    Though he had promised to choose a combat class, he wanted to ask Lock and the others'' advice about which class to go for. Somehow, it hadn¡¯t really come up with everything else going on. Now he would just have to ask someone at the guild.

    Once again, Lan had to carry his coin with him, so he made sure to try to look like he wasn¡¯t worth robbing while looking for anyone who might see through his strategy.

    [Skill: People watching ¨C level up, 1 -> 2]

    Managing to reach the guildhall without incident, he stepped through the doors and was greeted by the same energy as before. One that he now knew was made up of people who were ready and willing to step up and face whatever and whenever the city needed them to keep the people safe.

    It wasn¡¯t the glory of the inn, and not all the people in the hall inspired the emotion. If he was being honest, it was more the guildhall itself than the people in it. Most of which glared hatefully at him as he passed. Some looked disgusted, and the best reaction he got was from those that ignored him.

    There were one or two people who nodded to him, those who he recognised from the inn. Although one of them started getting angry looks himself until he looked away.

    Aside from those two, Lan didn¡¯t see anyone from the inn. Although Lan couldn¡¯t see their levels. He knew that Lock and the other¡¯s levels were in their high twenties, which was average for adventurers. Judging by their armour and clothes, most who went to the inn had to be around the same level.

    Looking around, he got the feeling that those around were a little lower level, and most seemed to be Copper and iron ranks.

    Many of them also didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry to take on jobs.

    ¡®Oh, hello there, Lan!¡¯ Realising that he had reached the front desk, Lan stopped and turned to the receptionist Mari, whose smile twitched before she looked like she would cry. ¡®I¡¯m so sorry!¡¯ she said, grabbing Lan¡¯s arm. ¡®To think that I let you go on a guild job when you were so low leveled. You must have felt pressured to go with me all but placing your tag on the stone. I''m so sorry.¡¯ Mari said, shaking his lower levelled hand with enough force to almost lift him off the ground.

    ¡®Mari, please¡­ stop.¡¯ Lan manage. For someone that seemed so unflappable, she really did fall apart when she was¡­ flapped. ¡®you are going to¡­ rip my arm off!¡¯ noticing what she was doing, Mari gasped and let go.

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯

    ¡®I should be the one apologising.¡¯ Lan said, trying to ignore the fact that they were somehow drawing more attention. And the fact that some of the previously indifferent looks had turned hostel left Lan with the impression that more had figured out who he was or thought he was harassing the happy-go-lucky receptionist. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have taken the job or at least said what my level was. Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to cause you trouble.¡¯ Lan lowered his head, which only seemed to fluster Mari even more.

    ¡®No, please don¡¯t do that!¡¯

    ¡®Then can we agree to forgive each other?¡¯ Lan tried,

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    ¡®Fine.¡¯ She said in a small voice and sighed. ¡®although now I feel like you were tricking me when you apologised¡­¡¯

    ¡®I meant it. I didn¡¯t even think about the fact that I could have caused you a lot of trouble if they had decided to blame you. But we said we would forgive each other, right?¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, Right.¡¯ Mari nodded, somewhat defeated.

    ¡®Good, because I could use some help with picking a job?¡¯ Lan said, shrugging.

    ¡®Oh!¡¯ Mari said, the return to a familiar topic bringing back her shining personality. ¡®Of course. However, I¡¯ll be keeping a closer eye on what jobs you try to take.¡¯ She ended with a half pout

    ¡®Please do¡­¡¯ Lan laughed nervously, knowing that he had long used up all his luck with the guild job. If he believed in The Balance, he would no doubt trip and break his neck on the way out.

    ¡®Okay, seeing as I didn¡¯t have the chance to speak about this before. I¡¯ll explain to you the way guild jobs work.¡¯ She pointed to each of the four boards in the main hall. ¡®the board with the copper frame has F and E-ranked jobs. The Silver D and C. The platinum B and A. Lastly, Mithril, S and SS rank jobs. Although you will be glad to see that there are very few of those jobs, and the ones there are the only Kingdom-wide contracts, so if you ever reach S rank, it will be first come, first serve.¡¯

    ¡®Good to know.¡¯ Lan nodded, looking at each of the boards.

    ¡®There is also a blackboard for guild jobs that we bring out when those are called. As for taking jobs, just find one that you think you can do and bring the poster to one of the other receptionists or me. Each job has how many adventurers that are needed to take the job on the poster. Remember that you can have more than the required amount, but not less and the reward amount is not adjusted, so it¡¯s best to stay to the amount necessary.¡¯

    ¡®Right.¡¯ Lan nodded along.

    ¡®If you need a party, there is nothing wrong with just going up and asking if others are willing to allow you to join. There are plenty of adventurers that do not have parties and work with many parties. Also, if you find a party, you can take on jobs one rank higher as long as two members are that rank. Oh, unless it¡¯s a permanent party.¡¯

    ¡®Okay,¡¯ Lan said, looking around. Somehow, he got the feeling that he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about that. ¡®What about going up in ranks?¡¯

    ¡®Oh! Well, ranking up involves gaining enough guild points at your current rank. Once you have enough, you enter an evaluation, in which you will have to complete three jobs of the rank you wish to raise to. Failing those jobs will remove half of your gathered points. The number of points you will gain is calculated upon completion of the job. Guild jobs don¡¯t count toward your Guild points. Lastly, people can make personal requests, but someone will be sent to find you in those cases. And that should be it if you have any other questions. Please feel free to ask me.¡¯ Mari smiled.

    ¡®I don¡¯t see anyone above Iron rank in the hall. Why is that.¡¯

    ¡®At a certain point, you¡¯ll find that most adventurers become more motivated and like to leave early in the morning. Also, I think it helps them get the pick of the jobs.

    ¡®Right, thanks for the help, Mari.¡¯ Lan said, picking up his armour and turning to face the hall. Even for Drill jobs, he had to be too low of a level. Although it was an uphill battle, he had to find people to party with. So Lan bit back a sigh and walked up to the first group. It was a group of four drills. All of them looked a little younger than Lan, and all four frowned at him as he stopped in front of them.

    ¡®What the hell do you want, scab?¡¯ the tallest of the four said, still having to look up at Lan.

    ¡®S-scab?¡¯ Lan repeated.

    ¡®We heard the story about how you made it, so the guild master had to put you with a silver rank team. So you could rake in their team bonus.¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t even know that bonus was a thing when I went out there.¡¯ Lan tried, so that was what they thought about him.

    ¡®Well, now you know, and you aren¡¯t going to be getting anything from our hard work.¡¯

    ¡®Wait, I never.¡¯ Lan started but didn¡¯t try to stop them. It was one thing working with people that disliked him. It was another working with people who felt they had a reason to be hostile.

    That is what he told himself. The real reason he couldn¡¯t explain was that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to beg. It seemed wrong the idea of fighting alongside someone who he had grovelled to¡­ No, he would rather go it alone if it came to it.

    The next group he approached had a blonde female rogue, a large dark skin Shielder and a red-haired Lancer. As Lan stopped in front of them, they just smirked at him.

    ¡®Before you say anything, I just want to say that if you are willing to work with me, then I am okay with going without pay. All I am looking for is the chance to gain some experience. I won''t get in your way. You don¡¯t even have to look out for me.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, and what about it? We don¡¯t care if you plan on paying us. We want nothing to do with a loser like you. And the fact that you think you can just waltz up to us and act like you are a real adventurer pisses me off. Why don¡¯t you just go and die where no one can see you.¡¯ Without another word, Lan moved to another group.

    ¡®Sorry, we don¡¯t have time to watch over you.¡¯ Of the three so far, that was the nicest, but as Lan tried to persuade the grizzled man in plate amour. He just shook his head, and he and his team walked away. The next few people and groups were almost like one of the first three.

    ¡®You can come with us. Only if you are okay with being a human shield. In fact, all tell you what. If you can block ten hits for us, we might even bring your body back.¡¯ A blonde man with a tattoo of a snake along his right eye said. ¡®Better yet, we will even pay you.¡¯ As the four-man adventurer party Laughed, Lan walked away, stopping before reaching the next group, who looked to be gearing up to let him know what they thought of him.

    ¡®To hell with this.¡¯ Lan breathed, leaving the party looking almost hurt as he walked over to the Iron Board, all while jeers came from the hall. As Lan scanned the board, noting a standing order for goblins.

    They would pay for any goblin killed if the ears were brought back. As Lan tried to reason with the morbidity of carrying around ears, he noticed someone standing next to him.

    Looking, he was greeted by a very small elderly man with a long pointed beard and odd brown robes the likes Lan had never seen anyone wearing before. The old man was stroking his beard, humming and harring as he looked Lan up and down.

    ¡®Is there something I can do for you?¡¯ Lan asked, not sure what the man was doing.

    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯

 Chapter 25: Slik and Shackle

    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ the man sounded, still looking at Lan as if he were an interesting oddity.

    ¡®If you are looking to register a job, you need to head out to the desks. Otherwise, I think it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t stand next to me.¡¯

    When it looked like he wouldn¡¯t say anything, Lan sighed and grabbed a job from the board, feeling in no mood to deal with a new kind of mocking.

    Taking the poster to Mari, the charming spectacled woman took the poster dubiously before looking at it and beaming at him.

    ¡®Oh, this is the perfect job for a beginner.¡¯ She said, doing something behind the desk. A moment later, the keystone lit up. ¡®Please touch your tag to the stone.¡¯

    Lan did so.

    [New Adventurers Guild quest: Silk flower collection ¨C Silk flowers are a key component in many potions because of the mana collected on the leaves. As a result, it is always in demand, and the guild is always looking for people to gather some. You are required to find twenty to count this job as completed.]

    [Reward ¨C 50 experience, 20 copper. 2 experience and 1 copper for every two flowers above the target]

    The voice said as a new contract appeared in Lan¡¯s tome, this one accompanied by an image of the plant. Twenty Experience¡­ looking at his page, he needed five hundred Experience to reach the four thousand needed to level up again.

    ¡®I can gain more experience and coin for bringing back more?¡¯ Lan asked, getting a nod from Mari. ¡®is there a limit to this?¡¯

    ¡®No, the point is to incentivise bringing as much back with you as possible. If you can find a thousand of them, we will gladly take them off your hands.¡¯

    ¡®Got it.¡¯ Lan nodded. ¡®Oh, I saw the standing contract for goblins.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. At this time of year, there are more goblins around. So guilds like to give a reminder to hunt them. The guild will pay for any dangerous monster you kill as long as you bring proof back of the kill. It will also buy any rare materials like fur, claws and teeth. You will learn what is worth bringing back over time, but for the time being, if you think it may be worth something, just bring it to us, and we will let you know. As for the goblins, they usually appear near the roads deep in the forest, so you shouldn¡¯t run into any of them. And for Silk flowers, the best place to look is on the outskirts of the forest near the western gate.¡¯

    With that and a farewell smile and wave from Mari, Lan left the guild hall and headed to Cawl¡¯s shop.

    Once again, Cali was daydreaming at the counter as Lan walked into the front of the store.

    ¡®Oh, Hey Lan!¡¯ she perked up. ¡®Wow, so you¡¯re really doing this, huh?¡¯ she smirked at him.

    ¡®Yeah...¡¯ Lan said a little too insistently.

    ¡®Well, great, just leave the armour on the counter. We have your new one ready. I¡¯ll bring it up with my father.¡¯ She called as she disappeared down the stairs. Lan did as she said and started to look around at all the weapons hanging on the racks.

    Not only were they all expensive-looking, but Lan had a hard time picturing himself using them.

    A sword costing fifty gold, an axe seventy gold. No, Lan could definitely not see himself with most of them. Also, he still wasn¡¯t sure what weapon he wanted to dedicate the time to.

    Lock used swords and Dreven an axe, but they had real training. The same went for Sora with his daggers. Valk with his hammer and Vasha with her bow. Olivia didn¡¯t need a weapon even though she wore a dagger, and Lan didn¡¯t even consider Cassandra and that giant Claymore of hers. All of them took training to use it properly.

    With just the skill, he could get to the point where any weapon would feel like a part of him, but there was a difference between mastering a weapon and mastering a complimentary martial art.

    ¡®You''re back, Lad, and I see you brought my armour this time.¡¯ Cawl said as he set a white bundle on the counter. ¡®You sure did a number on this one.¡¯

    ¡®That would have been my rib cage if I didn¡¯t have that armour.¡¯ Lan said, getting a nod from the surly man. Clearly, that had been the right answer.

    ¡®This one should do a better job, as long as you don¡¯t get in over your head again,¡¯ He said, undoing the bundle, unveiling a shaped silver breastplate that sat on top of a dark leather armour, with a pair of greaves but only one bracer.

    Odder than that was the chest armour itself; from where he stood, Lan couldn¡¯t see how the steel plate was held to the leather.

    ¡®No matter what combat class you choose, this armour should keep you alive for some time. Although it does mean it¡¯s heavier than light armour and weaker than heavy. But at your level, you wouldn¡¯t be making the best of those anyway.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks. I have never seen armour like it,¡¯ Lan hadn¡¯t seen much armour at all, and thinking that he was looking at his armour felt a little unreal. ¡®But why is there only one bracer?¡¯ Lan asked, looking between the two as Cali grinned and Cawl sighed.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡®No, there¡¯s two¡­¡¯ Cawl sighed again.

    ¡®But, why have two boring bracers¡¯ Cali looked at Cawl. ¡®when you can have this¡­¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s get the armour on to make sure you can use it first.¡¯ Cawl but in before motioning to Lan.

    With help from Cali, Lan managed to work himself into the armour. To his surprise, it was much easier to put on than he thought, and with time, he was sure he could put it on alone.

    As Lan looked at himself in the mirror that Cawl brought out, he almost couldn¡¯t recognise himself.

    By chance, Lan had worn all black, thinking it would better hide any blood that got on it. But it had the effect of almost blending in perfectly with the leather of the armour, leaving only the metal to stand out even more.

    Aside from his gaunt face, he could almost fool himself into thinking he was looking at a real adventurer. And that wasn¡¯t all. The armour felt good. Like he had been born into it. Like it had been made for him, which he guessed it had been. It was heavy, but he didn¡¯t feel like he was fighting to move in the armour. The balance was so that he didn¡¯t have to move any differently, and that was despite the thick metal plates.

    After a moment, Lan noticed Cawl and Cali nodding at him as he tested his range of movement. He didn¡¯t know what he was doing and found himself getting a little embarrassed.

    ¡®Anyway, this is great, so what is this about the other bracer.¡¯ He asked, clearing his throat.

    ¡®If you like that armour, then you are gonna love this.¡¯ Cali rushed behind the counter. Returning a moment later with what looked like a metal arm.

    On closer inspection, Lan could see it was armour that started at the shoulder and down to the fingertips. Although it looked more like the giant walking armour, Cali had been inside the first time they had met. It was made of the same mat-white metal, and it was more angular than the rest of the armour and looked thicker than the rest. There was also a large plate over the forearm and a smaller pointed plate over the hand, which looked sharpened.

    ¡®This is my newest invention. I call it the shield arm.¡¯ Cali said with an almost dangerous smile.

    ¡®Waste of metal if you ask me.¡¯ Cawl snorted, getting a frown from his daughter.

    ¡®This is a perfect balance of offence and defence. Of course, it serves as any other armour would but with the power of rune gear. Well, you¡¯ll see once you put it on. ¡® she said, pushing the armour into Lan''s hand and letting go. As the whole weight of the armour hit Lan, he had to brace himself not to drop it.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think this is going to work.¡¯ Lan said as he looked for somewhere to place the armour.

    ¡®Ah, what?¡¯ Cali asked before glaring at the smiling Cawl. ¡®But it only requires twenty strength. Come on, Lan, you don¡¯t even have that?¡¯ she sighed.

    ¡®I don¡¯t even have ten strength!¡¯ Lan protested. ¡® He could have twenty strength, but that would be most of his attribute points at his level.

    ¡®Speaking of which.¡¯ Cawl cut in as Cali looked dejectedly at her invention. ¡®So what combat class did you choose to go for. I can start getting some weapons ready if you let me know.¡¯

    ¡®Oh¡­ about that, I still don¡¯t know yet.¡¯ Lan said, not able to look the smith in the eyes.

    ¡®What!¡¯ Cawl slapped the counter. ¡®Well, you better choose quick. You are planning on going out today, right?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, I am, and I did plan on asking some of the adventurers I know, but¡­¡¯

    ¡®You all got drunk instead.¡¯ Cawl sighed, not waiting for Lan¡¯s answer.

    ¡®And it¡¯s not like I can ask anyone else in the guild.¡¯ Lan tried weakly, not feeling like he needed to go into detail.

    ¡®Well, I can¡¯t help you there.¡¯ Cawl leaned on his hand.

    ¡®Hmm, perhaps I can.¡¯ Lan jumped and almost flew into a rack of swords as a new voice came from right behind him. When he was sure his heart hadn¡¯t exploded, Lan searched for the owner of the voice and found the same small old man from the guild, still wearing his odd clothes and stroking his beard with the same pensive look.

    Lan frowned as he looked at Cawl questioningly, getting a shrug back. If Cawl didn¡¯t know the man, then had he followed Lan? Although he was still new to this, Lan had really thought he was doing a good job of not allowing himself to be followed.

    ¡®Is there something we can do for you, Old-timer?¡¯ Cawl asked.

    ¡®Old-timer? I look younger than you with that stupid beard on your face. But never mind that. You said you are looking for a combat class that will fit you, my boy. I think I can help.¡¯ The odd man said

    ¡®What really!¡¯ Lan said before pushing down his excitement, he didn¡¯t know the man, and the man shouldn¡¯t know him. But he had been at the guild even if he didn¡¯t look like an adventurer.

    ¡®What¡¯s with that look? Don¡¯t you believe me? How rude¡­¡¯ the old man huffed, reaching under his shirt, and Lan thought he was going to retrieve a tag. Instead, he just scratched his chest. ¡®I¡¯ll have you know that a lot of people would kill for my guidance¡­ plenty do, actually, now that I am thinking about it. Plus, I know everything about you, a Level One who isn¡¯t afraid to charge a monster more than ten levels above him. Who has won the friendship of ¡°that¡± lot, and you have a hidden ability.¡¯ That caught Lan''s attention. Cawl and Cali looked at each other as the room seemed to warp around the old man.

    ¡®How?¡¯ Lan said, and the old man chuckled and tapped the corner of his eye with a finger.

    ¡®Your eyes, my boy. Your eyes. No normal human has eyes like that. And I don¡¯t just mean the Hunter¡¯s Mark, no something more. But the fact that you don¡¯t know this means it has been in your blood for hundreds if not thousands of years. The fact that it is still so strong after this long says a lot about its origin. But then there is your hair¡­ deceptive but no less abnormal. So two hidden abilities then.¡¯

    ¡®Three.¡¯ Lan found himself saying without thinking. Although he didn¡¯t know what it was, Lan knew that one of the abilities came from his mother, and the other two were from his father. And although he seemed to know what one was, Lan''s father had told him that it would be better if he found out what it was himself, and there hadn¡¯t been a chance to talk about it after that.

    Somehow he understood that this man knew more than he was sharing.

    ¡®Oh?¡¯ the old man laughed. ¡®Well, I may not know what your abilities are, but I think the right class may be able to help you find them.¡¯

    ¡®And what is the right class?¡¯ Lan asked, feeling an odd anticipation.

    ¡®Hmm, I don¡¯t know yet.¡¯ The old man shrugged.

    ¡®Ah!¡¯ Cawl cried. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you. Why get his hopes up if you don¡¯t know squat.¡¯

    ¡®I said yet, you fool! There are still things I need to learn first. Or do you want him to be stuck with the wrong class? Why don¡¯t you go bang a hammer or whatever is it you do.¡¯ The old man shooed, getting a roll of the eyes from Cawl. ¡®My name is Art, and if you want my help, lad, then you will need to wear this ring on your next job¡­ at least.¡¯

    ¡®At least?¡¯ Lan asked dubiously as he looked at the unadorned black band.

    ¡®It depends on you.¡¯ Art said

    ¡®And what does the ring do.¡¯ Lan went on.

    ¡®Oh¡­ It¡¯s easier to just put it on than to explain.¡¯ Art hummed and hawed, pushing the black ring towards Lan, who looked back to Cawl and Cali before picking up the ring and sliding it onto his right ring finger.

    [CURSE INFLICTED: Dark shackle.]

 Chapter 26: Odd Steel and Experiments

    [CURSE INFLICTED: Dark shackle ¨C As long this curse remains, your attributes are locked.]

    ¡®What!¡¯ Lan shouted as he opened his tome to the page about himself and as the voice had said, not only was there a red circle in the corner of his portrait, his attributes were greyed out.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong.¡¯ Cali and Cawl both asked as Cali moved closer.

    ¡®He just put a Curse on me!¡¯ Lan said, almost as taken aback that he had ever had to say it as the curse itself, as he tried to take the ring off. It wouldn¡¯t even budge. Lan didn¡¯t even feel like he was pulling on the ring. ¡®Who the hell walks around with a cursed item?¡¯

    ¡®Technically, you put the curse on yourself.¡¯ Art shrugged so nonchalantly that it made Lan almost feel like he was over-exaggerating.

    ¡®What the hell? I don¡¯t care what you do, you crazy fossil but don¡¯t do it to one of my customers and not in my shop.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, will you stop, you silly man? It¡¯s barely a curse. Plus, it raises his stats in return. The point of the Dark Shackle is to put you in a position to find a path by drawing out the attributes you favour. Once you know that, the potential combat classes become more clear. The name is a bit dramatic, I will admit. But as you use it, it will adjust your attributes to fit the situation.¡¯ As Art spoke, Lan rechecked his stats and found they had been raised by six points each, and now that most of the shock had worn off¡­

    [Attributes:] [Pending points: 40{Locked}]

    [Strength: 5 => 11]

    Body: 5 => 11

    Will: 5 => 11

    Dexterity: 5 => 11

    Mind: 5 => 11

    [Charisma: 5 => 11]

    ¡®They are all eleven now.¡¯ Lan said as he realised he was feeling good¡­ stronger than ever before. His eyes and ears seemed sharper, his mind felt like a fog had been lifted, and looking back at the mirror, even his skin looked healthier.

    It was a little overwhelming, and this was just six more points from what he had lived with for all his life. As he was looking at himself, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Cali perk up and rush down the stairs.

    ¡®Just finish your next few jobs in whatever way you like, and this will help me find a Class for you.¡¯ With that, Art walked out of the shop.

    ¡®Wait! You can¡¯t just¡­¡¯ Lan stopped, he would have gone after the odd man, but he wasn¡¯t done with Cawl. Sighing, Lan turned to the blacksmith. ¡®That¡¯s it?¡¯

    ¡®Well, he¡¯s weird, like an adventurer, I¡¯ll give him that.¡¯ Cawl shrugged.

    ¡®Weird¡­ yeah,¡¯ Lan repeated, looking at the ring.

    Cawl waved Lan over. ¡®Curse or no, at least now you can use this.¡¯ The smith said as he placed something wrapped in cloth on the counter.

    Picking it up and unwrapping it. Lan found a simple sword with a lacquered black scabbard and a thin black cross guard shorter than the swords hanging around the shop. Taking a moment to process that, he was looking at what might be his new sword. Lan drew the blade.

    The silver of the steel broke through the black of the scabbard and handle like a shooting star through the night sky. Although it was a straight sword, it was a little shorter than a long sword and near the top of the blade, one edge curved up as the other flattened to a point. Giving the look of a single-edged blade even though both carried a razor''s edge.

    To the son of a crafter, it might as well have been a work of Art. Lan thought as he took a closer look at the wrapping on the hilt. From afar, it looked identical to the scabbard, but up close, it was clear that it was a type of leather Lan had never seen before. Hugging both sides of the blade and joining to the base of the guard was an inverted darker silver arch that reached halfway up the blade. Which stood out more against the otherwise simple design.

    ¡®This is amazing.¡¯ Lan said, sheathing the sword.

    ¡®Ah, don¡¯t make too much about it.¡¯ Cawl waved. ¡®it will get the job done, don¡¯t get me wrong. The blade was a piece that I was working on, but it didn¡¯t turn out the way I wanted it. However, it seemed to be perfect for you, so I cleaned it up and fitted it. Oh yeah, and this too.¡¯ Cawl said, slamming a short mace on the counter.

    ¡®Uhh...¡¯ Lan looked from the much cruder weapon to its maker.

    ¡®I¡¯m not trying to fleece you or something. It¡¯s goblin season, so it¡¯s better to have another weapon on you.

    ¡®What about my spear?¡¯ Lan asked as he saw Cali coming back up the stair with something new.

    ¡®Too long, and one spear does little against a group of goblins, Not to mention that they¡¯re harder to kill than they look. Even if you hit something important, it will probably just run up the shaft, barely paying any mind to the spear. The best way to convince them they''re dead is to knock the sense out of them or take the head off. Other than that, they will keep coming until their bodies shut down.¡¯ Lan tried not to picture the image, leaving him thinking of a goblin charging with his spear slowly disappearing into its body as it closed in.

    Lan jumped as Cali dropped the new armour on the counter and grinned at him.

    ¡®Uh, everything alright?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. You will be¡­¡¯ she said with a dangerous grin as she left the armour.

    Once she had calmed down. Lan found the new arm armour was much like the first, only much less¡­ finished. Although the forearm part was finished, it wasn¡¯t in the matte white metal, just dull steel. The rest looked like the frame without the armour installed, and the fingers were open and not covered like the first. With a little more encouragement, Lan worked his arm into the armour. Although not as pretty as the first and still heavier than the one Cawl had made.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡®Okay, looks good. Does it fit alright?¡¯ Cali asked, and Lan nodded. Like everything else, it fit like it had been made for him. ¡®Good, now try raising your forearm in front of you and tensing it.¡¯ As Lan did so, he was rewarded with the sound of sliding metal and a sharp clunk as two hidden plates shot from under the main plate, doubling the size. Making it live up to the name of a shield arm.

    ¡®It¡¯s not much, but like this, it should make blocking and deflecting attacks easier.¡¯ She said, looking triumphantly at Cawl. ¡®There is also the blade on the hand guard. And if you ever find yourself in a situation you can¡¯t get out of. Hold the rune on the side of your first finger; in three seconds, the shield arm will release all the power used to activate it in one mighty punch. It will most likely break your arm, but things could be much worse if you need it. Cali shrugged as Lan''s head whipped around to her. ¡®and¡­ make sure you actually hit something.¡¯ She added pointedly, not looking at Lan, making him decide he wasn¡¯t going to be using it at all.

    ¡®Thanks, this is still incredible.¡¯ Lan smiled, surreptitiously finding the Runica mark and making sure his thumb wasn¡¯t near it. Lan looked at himself in the mirror once again.

    ¡®Why don¡¯t you go ahead and try linking them.¡¯ Cawl said, and Lan did so.

    [Unusual straight sword. A blade forged by the smith Cawl. Using uncommon materials for a sword of this type.]

    [Damage Score: 15]

    Durability A,

    Rarity: unclassed

    Quality: Skilful.

    Construction: Odd steel ¨C D, Edge ¨C B, Point ¨C D

    Traits: Fused Tuning Core

    [Link Level: 5]

    Undoubtedly, it was better than his spear, even if the thought left him feeling odd. This brought Lan to the part about odd steel. That was strange.

    When linked, a weapon should have given all the information on the weapon at the record of its making. If it didn¡¯t know what this sword was made from, then it really hadn¡¯t turned out how Cawl wanted it to, then who knew what would happen in a fight. Even still, Lan trusted Cawl, which was enough for him.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s a tuning core?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®Oh right, not to get into it too much. But it allows me to raise the level of the weapon to an extent. So you shouldn¡¯t need a new one for a good few levels,¡¯ Lan had never heard of a tuning core but now couldn¡¯t help but wonder how it worked. But if there was time for that, it would be later. With that thought, Lan linked the armour.

    [Reinforced Leather armour: Well-made leather armour reinforced with steel plates, sacrificing some of the speed and mobility of standard leather armour for greater defence.]

    [Defence Score: 10]

    Durability A,

    Rarity: abnormal.

    Quality: Skilful.

    Construction: Black Bear leather and Steel ¨C D, Impact Damage Resistance - D, Piercing Damage Resistance ¨C C

    Traits: Fused Tuning Core

    [Link Level: 5]

    It was better than his old armour, making Lan feel much better. Next, Lan tried to Link the shield arm. When it didn¡¯t work, he looked to Cali.

    ¡®Oh, yeah, that one can¡¯t be linked, don¡¯t worry. It should work just fine. And I¡¯ll make sure that the next one can be linked.¡¯ She grinned, giving him two thumbs up.

    ¡®R-right¡­¡¯ Lan reaffirmed his decision to not use the Runeica mark as he picked up the mace.

    [Well-made Iron Mace forged by the smith Cawl.]

    [Damage Score: 12]

    Durability A,

    Rarity: Common.

    Quality: Skillful.

    Construction: Iron and wood ¨C D, impact damage ¨C C, edge F.

    Traits: none

    [Link Level: 5]

    ¡®Everything alright then?¡¯ Cawl asked clearly, already knowing the answer.

    ¡®Everything is great,¡¯ Lan smiled gratefully. ¡®Okay, what do I owe you.

    That was a question that Lan immediately wished he hadn¡¯t asked. Thirty gold¡­ fifteen for the sword, five for the mace and ten for the armour. When Lan asked how much for the shield arm, Cali just grinned and told him he could pay by telling her how things went.

    All in all, for armour and a sword with tuning stones. If they were as Cawl described and Lan didn¡¯t see a reason to doubt him, then he had gotten another deal. As long as he only had to pay for upgrades, Lan would say it was worth it, even if the lighter pockets stung a little.

    ¡®Oh, and one more thing.¡¯ Cali said, pulling out a bundle of blood-red fabric that had a metallic finish. ¡®This is called fire silk.¡¯ She started as she wrapped it around his other bracer. ¡®Despite the name, it¡¯s pretty safe. But if you feed a little mana into it, it goes up like a bonfire that will burn through most things the flames touch. Luckily, it¡¯s designed to work with your armour, so you shouldn¡¯t burn yourself.¡¯ She said as she shoved the rest into Lan¡¯s hand with a shard of a mana stone.

    ¡®Uh, right¡­¡¯ Lan nodded, not really liking the idea of walking around with fire wrapped around his arm.

    ¡®Well, come back when you need them repaired.¡¯ Cawl said, and Lan blinked. It almost sounded like he was saying, ¡°Come back safe.¡±

    ¡®Right.¡¯ Lan nodded.

    Pulling at the armour''s collar again, Lan found a shop to buy a cloak and a bag to carry the flowers. However, when the shop owner saw Lan¡¯s Adventurers tag, they nearly doubled the price. Although he understood the adventurer''s tax, being on the receiving end wasn''t fun. He didn¡¯t even try to hide it from the potion seller and decided to take the gold for three health potions as a discount for being honest. Two more gold down, Lan started for the western gate.

    Despite having much less gold now to worry about, Lan still found himself watching the crowd of people streaming around him. At one point, Lan thought he saw a blaze of red hair dash into an alley. But as no one seemed to franticly look for their money, Lan left it alone.

    As the large stone walled gates came into view. Lan felt an ember of excitement glowing in him. It was a little silly. All he was going to do was gather plants, but it was still his first real job as an Adventurer. An Adventurer, Lan found himself smiling as he heard a commotion coming from up ahead.

    A moment later, the people in front of him became a wave of surprised cries and protests. Those that could see what was happening pushed those that couldn¡¯t. After a moment, the wave broke down the middle, and people tried to find sanctuary at the sides of the street.

    Lan found himself being dragged to the right side of the street.

    ¡®What the hell is going on!¡¯ Someone behind him shouted as Lan tried to push his way out of the crush. When he finally managed to, Lan found the middle of the streets had been completely cleared.

    Looking towards the gate, Lan could now see what had started all this. It was a procession.

    Two lines of black armoured Knights formed a battering ram and moved through the now-cleared street.

    As one, the larger-than-human knights marched, their steel footfalls ringing on the stone like cursed war drums as they cleared the way. For that is what it felt like moreso than a parade. Those men were heading to war, only they were marching into the city. On the inside of the two lines of Knights were men and women dressed in different styles of armour and clothes, all made uniform by the flourishes of their clothes and the stylised wolf half-masks that were based on the same crest on the banners and shields of the large knights.

    The reason for the wall of knights became clear a moment later when Lan saw four somehow even bigger armoured people carrying a large platform on which sat a young man with an odd mix of gold armour and silks that left his chest bare as if the man wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to look dangerous or be comfortable so had chosen both.

    Over one arm and shoulder of the man was a wolf¡¯s head carved out of gold that flowed into the rest of the armour ending in pointed fingertips, which the man used to stab a piece of fruit that one of the ten barely dressed women around the throne held up to him.

    ¡®No Marthis!¡¯ A woman¡¯s voice rang through the street, now filled with nothing but the sound of metal on stone. Managing to push himself to the front, Lan watched as just another part of the crowd as a woman, tried to claw her way out like he had.

    Frantically, the woman reached out, and as Lan followed her hand, he saw a little boy, no older than three running across the street. A moment before, he tripped.

 Chapter 27: Wolves and The Lion

    As the boy hit the ground, sliding to a stop right in the path of one of the large knights. Time seemed to slow as Lan watched, sure they would stop as the knights closed the distance. Instead, the knight heading for the child moved their shield in front of them and made no attempt to slow.

    They are going to keep going¡­ Lan thought, even as he realised he had grabbed the boy¡¯s arm and pulled him out of the way just as the knight¡¯s foot landed where the boy had been. He really didn¡¯t stop. Lan thought, horrified, just as the sun disappeared. Looking up, Lan found that it hadn¡¯t; it was hiding behind the giant knight who had finally stopped and turned to face him.

    The knight looked down at them a moment before his helmet jolted as he spotted Lan¡¯s sword.

    ¡®You dare draw a sword at the Prince!¡¯ a deep resonating voice rattled from the helmet as the knight slowly raised his sword. ¡®This will not go unanswered!¡¯ of everything that had happened, this above all took Lan by surprise. Anyone could see that his hands were nowhere near his weapons.

    First, not stopping for the boy and now this¡­ it was like they were looking for any excuse to attack. Even as the word hit Lan, the knight¡¯s sword reached its apex. But before it could fall, Lan¡¯s body moved.

    Grabbing the boy, Lan kicked off the ground as the knight¡¯s massive sword fell, blasting chunks from the stone street as the people screamed and fled.

    Lan heard the boy¡¯s mother call for him as the crowd pulled her away. Looking up at the man he now knew was a prince, Lan found the man casually picking his nails with his armoured gauntlet. It was only then, as the knight raised his sword again, did Lan realise what was going on.

    Although anyone in the Kingdom would have heard of them, this was the first time Lan had seen the symbol of the Bane Wolf with his own eyes.

    The Principality of Lecaea, Crowngard¡¯s oldest and most bitter enemy. Which had only been quelled by a peace treaty forced on them by The Court of Crowns. Even still, it had not stopped the Lecaean antagonism. Despite the treaty having stopped the last King from wiping their country off the map, the Principality acted as if they had not only spared Crowngard but were still in a position to destroy the Kingdom whenever it wanted.

    They were trying to set an example, Lan realised bitterly just as he saw the sword fall again.

    With the people moving behind him forming a wall, Lan had nowhere to go. Turning to shield the boy with his body Lan raised his hand and activated the Shield Arm. He didn¡¯t know the Knights level, but if he could just catch the sword on the shield, even if he lost the use of his arm, it was better than being hit.

    Lan braced himself for the blow, but a voice reached him first before the sword found its mark.

    ¡®Prince Caerleon!¡¯ the voice was clear and commanding and resonated with will and authority enough to make the sword freeze in the air.

    Looking over, Lan was greeted by a figure that almost made him gasp in surprise. Standing with one hand resting on one of Crowngard¡¯s treasures, The Sword of the Lion and adorned in white and gold Skyileon steel plate. With pauldrons of two large sculpted lion-heads joined by a red cloak and a mane of silver fur. Although the last time Lan saw the man, he didn¡¯t have the trimmed beard, there was no mistaking the War Master for anyone else.

    Lord Oscar Colwell was one of the few living to hold the title of hero; the man was a living legend on top of his reputation for being undefeated in battle.

    Beside the War Master were two knights, one a wild-looking woman with blood-red hair and dressed in similar armour to the War Master with the cloak and pauldrons removed. While the other, a blonde man, was dressed in a simplified version of the War Master¡¯s armour.

    Unsure of what to do, the knight stood there with his sword inches from Lan¡¯s head as Lord Oscar Colwell glanced at Lan and the crying boy before turning to face the Prince again.

    ¡®You were told to use the northern entrance.¡¯ the Lord said, making the prince frown. Which only lasted a moment before he waved his hand. As if awakened from the dead, waves of men rushed from behind the procession and formed a human staircase.

    After a moment more indulgence, the Prince started down the stairs, digging his heels into the backs of the men in order to elicit a muffled sound which seemed to brighten his mood.

    ¡®Ah, good of your Duke to send such an illustrious welcome party.¡¯ The Prince gushed.

    ¡®The welcome envoy is waiting for you at the northern entrance. More importantly, harming any of Crowngard¡¯s people will be answered in kind. I worry about the consequences of reckless action on the Princes or the one that caused it.¡¯ Lord Colwell¡¯s words serve to do two things, carrying the warning that it was meant to. But for all the people that had been in panic after the knight¡¯s attacks. The War Master¡¯s words were a reassuring wave of resolve that said: ¡°This was Crowngard.¡± And no one would be allowed to forget it.

    Something that didn¡¯t pass the Prince unnoticed as he frowned at the crowd before smiling again.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡®Oh, come now. Although I will admit my man may have been somewhat enthusiastic, can you blame my knight for doing his duty to protect me even if his methods were a little extreme?¡¯

    ¡®Are you endorsing his actions?¡¯ the War Master asked as if the answer alone would determine what the three Crowngard Knights would do against the literal army before them.

    Instead of looking worried, the Prince looked over the crowd once again before taking on a sadistic edge to his smile.

    ¡®Well, of course not. Actions must have consequences after all.¡¯ The Prince sighed before looking at the knight, who jolted. Even in his armour, Lan could see the man¡¯s surprise in his sudden rigidity before the knight stifled his words and looked to the other knights.

    Finding no sanctuary in the other knights, the knight raised his sword to his neck.

    Lan watched in horror as the knight stretched, his hand shaking as he aimed the sword''s point at the gap in his armour¡¯s neck. Looking at the others with the Prince, all of those whose faces Lan could see looked amused. They were just going to do nothing. No, it was worse¡­ They were going to enjoy the show. Worst yet was the fact that they all had taken a mere look from the Prince to mean the ending of the knight''s life.

    Despite the knight''s actions, which were no doubt ordered by the Prince, the man he had served was now grinning at him as he played out the Prince''s newest attempt to instil fear in the mind of the people around him or just to get one over on the War Master.

    Before the repulsive display could go on, The War Master Looked to the woman, who acknowledged the look and vanished, appearing in front of the knight, before she lept up, grabbing his arm and twisting as she climbed into the air so she could bring her heel down on the knights head, shaking the ground as she dropped the mountain of a man as if subduing a child.

    ¡®I am glad that we have an understanding,¡¯ The War Master said. ¡®We will be sure to deal with him appropriately.¡¯

    ¡®As you see fit,¡¯ the Prince shrugged as if they had been discussing where to have tea, not the lives he had put in danger. Before he started back up the staircase of the bodies, making sure to grind his heel in the head of one of them as he climbed.

    As the procession started to move again. The feeling of fear and panic that had taken the people just moments ago had been wiped away, and instead, a distaste and resentment had taken their place. Along with a renewal in the undying admiration the people, including Lan, had for the War Master and the Kingdom¡¯s Knights.

    As the male knight followed the procession, and the female knight led the Lecaean Knight away. Lord Colwell watched them go before turning to Lan and the boy.

    He blinked at Lan for a moment before shaking his head and looking at the boy.

    ¡®Is he alright?¡¯

    ¡®Uh! Yes, my Lord. I think he is just a little shocked,¡¯ Lan said, looking down. From the moment he had jumped out of the way of the knight''s attack, the boy had buried his head into Lan''s shoulder and had yet to resurface.

    This changed when the boy¡¯s mother cried out his name, and the boy burst into tears. Setting the boy on his feet. Lan watched him run into his mother''s arms, happy that he had moved when he had.

    ¡®Well done, adventurer.¡¯ The War Master nodded to Lan and started back towards the Duke¡¯s palace.

    Lan just stood there. Had¡­ had one of the Kingdom¡¯s hero¡¯s just praised him? Lord Colwell. Unlike the fool who used his title to push people around. Lord Colwell was the kind of noble that gave the title power and not the other way around. Lan had always looked up to him. A few years back, during a parade, he had managed to catch the eye of a younger Colwell as he passed. Only back then, he had looked at Lan with a mix of pain and sadness.

    If he remembered Lan or not, he didn¡¯t know, but Lan couldn¡¯t help but feel a small amount of redemption. But the feeling was fleeting compared to the embarrassment of almost being bowled over by the very grateful mother of the boy, who seemed ready to drag Lan off for a meal to show her gratitude until he explained he had a job to do. Even then, that only seemed to buy him some time as the woman made him promise to let her treat him to a meal at some point before she would let him go.

    Heading to the gate, Lan found two guards on watch, one a young red-haired man with what would have been an easy-going face if not for the worried frown, and the other was a seasoned man whose hair had been bleached by his time as a soldier, along the man¡¯s left temple were a long, deep-looking scar and a fresh bruise on his cheek.

    As Lan closed in on the checkpoint, the two guards perked up.

    ¡®Hey you, what happened up there with those Bane Assholes?¡¯ the older of the two asked.

    ¡®Something similar to here, I take it.¡¯ Lan said, making the younger guard laugh.

    ¡®This idiot tried to stand in the way of those giant black armoured Knights,¡¯ he said, sounding a little proud. At which the older tsked. ¡®At least he bought me enough time to get the word to the guard house.¡¯

    ¡®So I have you to thank for my life then.¡¯ Lan smiled, getting a quizzical look from the two, to which Lan explained what had happened.

    ¡®Basterds.¡¯ The older guard spat.

    ¡®Hmm, well, it¡¯s good that the War Master made it in time. We were told that the Lecaeans might try something like this. But we didn¡¯t think they would really pick one of the small gates.

    ¡®Hmm, any idea what they are doing here?¡¯ Lan asked. Although he had always tried to keep up with the goings on of the world, he didn¡¯t have those information channels anymore, but if that was going to be hazardous to his health, Lan thought he better start again.

    ¡®Ah, just another meeting of representatives of the Court of Crowns. It seems like the Principality is trying to get accepted as a member, and Delathon demanded that they be allowed to attend.¡¯ The smiling guard said.

    ¡®Of course, even after making the demand, they still wouldn¡¯t host the filthy mutts, pushing the honour onto Duke Galleyard.¡¯ The older finished. ¡®I don¡¯t know if I should thank you or curse you out.¡¯ He added, looking at Lan.

    ¡®What, why?¡¯

    ¡®Because of you, I don¡¯t have to live knowing I let a child get hurt on my watch. But that idiot prince¡¯s attempt to show strength might have been what Crownguard needed to end the treaty.¡¯ The idea that Lan might have prevented another war was not pleasant, or more so, that doing nothing might have started another one.

    ¡®Yeah, and what if that¡¯s just what they were trying to do,¡¯ the younger guard asked. ¡®No, it¡¯s a good thing you stepped in.¡¯ he nodded at Lan. ¡®Although that is as close to noble dealings as I wish to come to ever again,¡¯ he shrugged. ¡®Anyway, you¡¯re heading out, right?¡¯

    ¡®Uh¡­ yeah.¡¯ Lan said, pulling his tag free. Seeing this, the younger guard smiled while the older huffed and retrieved a keystone.

    ¡®Mark the time of leaving.¡¯ He said as Lan touched the keystone.

    ¡®Off to save the kingdom from war again already?¡¯ the younger joked as he rested on his spear.

    ¡®Light, I hope not,¡¯ Lan smiled weakly as he headed through the gate.

 Chapter 28: Forest of silk

    Stepping out through the gate, Lan took a deep breath, the city fading from his mind as the gate slid to a close. He didn¡¯t have much in the way of directions, so feeling excited and oddly centred, he started towards the closest part of the forest, which was still a good ten-minute walk.

    For some time, Lan just walked amongst the trees, looking for the Silk flowers and taking in the environment around him. Unlike the first time he had just followed the others on the road, Lan looked around. Which was a sight indeed.

    The forest was dense, with few of the large gold and red bark giants that Crownguard was famed for standing sentry between the smaller green life while they themselves towered over Lan. Some parts were just open enough to allow one to see for a distance, while deeper in looked to only grant passage to occasional rays of light.

    The air was filled with the ancient signature of a world of green, occasionally mixed with the sweetness of ripening fruits and flowers, although none bore the silver leaves that he was looking for.

    Lan stopped and picked a small yellow flower he knew from the village. A sweet drop. When he was young, he and the others would spend all day picking them on one of the hills that overlooked the village until they felt sick.

    As Lan sucked the nectar from the flower, he was surprised by just how sweet and how much there was. It was better than any that he could ever remember.

    Lan looked back to where he had come from. He could still see where the fields met the forest, yet it was like he had entered another world. Not only was he colder under the trees, but he could also hear every sound the forest made. Just then, Lan heard a snap and turned to find a deer watching him.

    The Large majestic Gray Crown was a sign of good luck, and Lan found himself bowing like in the tales. Instead of bowing back, the beast just watched Lan, and he shrugged.

    ¡®Well, I tried.¡¯ He chuckled, guessing he wouldn¡¯t have any luck, as he started looking for silk flowers. Immediately stopping as his head snapped over to a rather dark patch of trees. It was no doubt just his imagination, but Lan was sure he had seen a ball of light fly past. Now that would have been some real luck, he thought.

    Deciding that he was joking around too much, Lan started his search. Which was easier said.

    Despite the flowers literally glowing with the mana inside their leaves, Lan had a nightmare of a time finding any near the edge of the trees. No doubt other adventurers had already picked those areas clean, Lan guessed, seeing more and more stems as he looked.

    His luck shifted when he spotted a glow of silver from the corner of his eyes, coming from deeper into the forest.

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s one.¡¯ Lan said, gently plucking the flower from the stem. As Lan turned to place the flower in his bag, he paused as he spotted the Grey Crown again. Not only did it look like the deer was keeping up with him, but it looked to have closed in a little. Rising to his feet, Lan turned to face the deer and¡­ waited, and so did the deer.

    For a long moment, Lan just waited for the deer to¡­ be a deer. Although he didn¡¯t know much, Lan was sure that deer were supposed to be afraid of people, and for good reason, because of their highly prized grey pelts, The animal watching him should have been one of them.

    Finding a rock, Lan thought about trying to scare the animal off, but the idea of hitting the creature soured his mood, so he left the odd beast alone, finding another silk flower a moment later. As if this was what it was waiting for, the deer wandered off to chew on some grass.

    Two more flowers came quickly before Lan found himself moving deeper into the forest. The only bright side was the flowers became easier to see as the light fled from the depths of the woods. And even then, it wasn¡¯t long until he came up short again. With only six flowers to show for an hour of walking, Lan chewed his lip. Even after going a little deeper, he had made sure that he could see the tree line as much as to keep to Mari¡¯s advice as acclimate himself.

    Now he was faced with the realisation that this wouldn¡¯t work out. Lan had hoped to take a chunk out of the remaining experience he needed. At this rate, he would have to take this job more than once. And it would no doubt get harder as he did.

    With one more look at the tree line, Lan pushed deeper into the forest.

    The deeper Lan went, the more centred he began to feel. The feeling was so significant enough that Lan almost missed a silk flower that he nearly walked over. As he crouched to pick it, Lan heard a twig snap and turned to see the deer again. Just like before, it just watched him as if waiting for something. And there was no doubt that it was watching him, even from where he was. Lan could see the recognition and odd focus in the animal¡¯s eyes. The only reason it was standing there was because of him.

    Putting the flower away, Lan put his hands behind him before quickly clapping them once in front of him. As the sound rang through the trees like a bell, the deer didn¡¯t even flinch.

    Then it walked off again after a moment, disappearing into the trees.

    ¡®Okay then...¡¯ Lan said, finding another flower soon after before going nearly enough another hour before finding his ninth flower. At this point, the tree line was little more than a line of broken light hiding behind an army of trees.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    But he couldn''t see it anymore when he found the next two. But that wasn¡¯t all. As he moved deeper into the forest, the feeling of calmness increased. It wasn¡¯t the feeling of purpose he found in the battle with the Razerwolves, and it wasn¡¯t the warmth thinking of home brought him, but it felt just as right as the two. Like those others, it was a world he could understand with time.

    With it came more flowers. Lan had sixteen by the time he looked up and saw the deer again. Lan spotted it on the other side of two trees, looking at him as if the force compelling it had taken hold the moment it saw him. As if animating from the dead, the deer moved from behind the tree to get a better look at Lan. Freezing with one foot in the air as Lan turned to face it. Then it wandered off again.

    As Lan looked for more flowers for the next hour, he would see the deer. It didn¡¯t come as close as it had, but it was always around. Only after spotting it again right after finding his nineteenth flower did something that had been hiding in the back of his mind hit him.

    The whole time Lan had been walking around, hours, no less. It had only been him and the deer. The whole time, Lan hadn¡¯t seen a single other animal. No birds or squirrels. At this time of year, he should have found a horned rabbit or two out on the hunt. But there weren¡¯t even any birds, not just the ones he could see; Lan couldn¡¯t even hear any of their songs carrying like his clap had.

    The only answer he could come up with was that he really wasn¡¯t trying to be quiet, and no matter how far he had gone, it couldn¡¯t be that far for a hunter, so maybe the animals and monsters knew to stay away. but then¡­

    Lan looked back to the deer, who just then looked up from eating. Just before he chose to leave it alone. Even if it seemed interested in him for some reason. Lan couldn¡¯t feel any ill intent from it. It was just a deer, not a magic beast or monster, after all.

    If anything, having it around made him wonder if he actually knew why he was having such a hard time finding the flowers. That sounded like a good enough reason as to why it would be following him.

    Leaving it at that. Lan started looking again.

    Lan looked for another half hour without any success before he stopped to rethink what to do next. he had planned to gather more than the twenty he needed, but it was just not working out. He was starting to lose track of time; he couldn¡¯t even use the sun while under the trees. At least it didn¡¯t seem darker than when he started.

    But the twenty would have to be enough. Maybe the next day would be better. Lan thought sourly. It may even help to enter the forest from a different side, and there were always other jobs.

    He mollified before he saw something as he scanned the forest bed.

    A ball of light. This time Lan was sure he had seen it. A small ball of white bobbed through the air like it was keeping a tone that wasn¡¯t there.

    Even though there was no denying it, Lan found himself just looking as the Light Wisp slowly flew away. With the flowers momentarily forgotten, Lan started towards it before it got even further away.

    There was no way that there should have been a wisp so close to the city. Light Wisps were beings of pure mana, and although they didn¡¯t need it to survive, they were never too far from places of high magic concentration. For there to be a place this close to the city that had enough mana to draw on was definitely something worth further investigation.

    Still bobbing along, the wisp flew into a thicket that which, as Lan got closer, made him reconsider. Smaller red giants formed the foundation of the thicket, while a net of vines and branches webbed between and linked them.

    Lan almost thought about just leaving it until he saw another Wisp fly into the blockade of vegetation.

    With a sigh, Lan started to work his way through the roots and branches. Not even a second later, he regretted not taking off his cloak as it caught on a hooked thorn, It clawed through the last third of his new cloak, wbut it could have been worse, when he turned to look at it, and nearly took another hook to the face.

    While watching for more, Lan pushed forward, even at one point being suspended in the air as he squeezed himself through a root and a fallen tree that hadn¡¯t made it long enough to join the wall.

    After getting past the vines at the toll of a tenth of his cloak, Lan was faced with a much more manageable wall of green branches, which he pushed through, only to be greeted by a beautiful sight.

    A small glade sat at the bottom of a depression, through the middle of which was a small river cutting the meadow in two, with the larger side being across from Lan. The two sides were joined by an ancient root that had emerged from the ground before plunging back into the earth. Feast for the eyes aside, what took Lan¡¯s heart was what was planted all over the glade. A sea of earthen stars covered the ground shining with silver leaves.

    Filled with a new fire, Lan rushed into the glade, momentarily forgetting what had driven him to come to look in the first place. As he did, Lan was reminded as five or more Wisps darted from the flowers they were hiding amongst, Fleeing back to the wilds.

    At the sight, Lan felt guilt, disappointment and shame for scaring them. Even as he acknowledged that they really had blessed him with luck. For all that the Lords of Light had created, the living lights were the purest sign of their favour. Just spotting one was said to bring good luck for a month.

    Looking around, Lan had to say that he couldn¡¯t have gotten luckier. There had to be a good hundred flowers around, if not more. Lan placed one hand in the praying form.

    ¡®May you carry my gratitude to the Lords.¡¯ He said, reciting the prayer that all were taught for this very occasion, even if he didn¡¯t think anyone would believe he had seen five of them.

    Which brought him back to the glade. Flowers aside, he didn¡¯t see anything all that magical enough to draw one, let alone five Wisps.

    ¡®How much magic is in those leaves?¡¯ Lan asked the voice.

    [Each plant a trace of mana, roughly a point of mana in your mortal units.]

    ¡®A point?¡¯ Lan asked again.

    [Yes.]

    That didn¡¯t make sense. Although a hundred or so points were massive compared to his forty. Even to Lan, it didn¡¯t make much sense that that would be enough to draw a wisp, let alone five.

    ¡®Do you know why they are gathered here?¡¯ Lan tried and, after a moment, knew he wasn¡¯t getting an answer.

    With a sigh and a stretch, Lan set about picking the Silver Flowers.

    [Guild job complete.]

    The voice said a moment after he picked the twentieth one. Looking at nearly half the experience he needed for the next level, Lan cleared the side he was at before crossing over the root to the other side.

    Lan had almost made it up the other side of the depression when he stopped to check how much he had. Seventy, and it looked like there were another sixty. At this point, it looked like he would run out of space in his bag before he finished. Lan thought as he turned and crouched. The moment he did. A scream ripped through the forest behind him.

    Lan¡¯s head shot around, but as he did, he saw something from the corner of his eye. Large amber eyes opened wider to take in light.

    Lan tried to move, to get out of the way. But something slammed into his chest plate before he could.

    As he fell back down the rise, Lan¡¯s head slammed into the ground as he slid to a stop, and his vision flashed. When his mind focused, he found a large green head looking hatefully down on him as it held a crude dagger up to the sky.

 Chapter 29: A Fight Amongst Stars

    With a victorious scream, the goblin plunged the knife down, aiming for Lan''s face. But instead of sinking into flesh and bone, the rotten dagger found steel as Lan raised his arm. The angle and speed of which served to knock the goblin''s arm aside, giving Lan his first complete look at the monster.

    With Large dark amber eyes, a broad flat nose and a mouth that was little more than a black line until it opened up to rows of almost reddish yellow teeth; that looked as wicked as its dagger.

    The goblin looked just like the image that had been painted into the minds of all children. However, the goblin was a little more than half as tall as Lan, with a dark green body that was wiry in places and fat in others. Over which was covered in large black and white spots.

    Not only was it larger than Lan had been led to believe. But it was also wearing more than rags too. Most importantly, the leather breastplate looked like it had been pulled off its previous owner and crudely altered to fit the goblin.

    Forgetting its daggered hand momentarily, the goblin tried to claw Lan''s eyes out with its thick black nails. Lan felt the nails graze his skin as his health dropped by a point.

    [Hp 60 - 59]

    Before it did more damage, Lan managed to grab its hand as the dagger fell again, sinking into the ground beside his head as he just managed to move. He watched the pockmarked blade grow out of the earth in a moment that stretched too long.

    Then the blade rained down on Lan as he activated his shield, covering his face. With a sharp hissing screech, the goblin tried to chisel through his shield. He could do nothing but block as the monster attacked relentlessly, which only worsened when the monster started to break from his grip.

    He didn''t know by how much, but it was clear that the goblin was stronger than he was, and it took everything to stop it from breaking free. He needed to do something fast.

    As the goblin raised the dagger again, Lan let go of its hand and almost laughed when it wrapped it around the blade handle instead of clawing out his eye. This time as the blade dropped, Lan turned his shield and pushed out, sending the dagger back into the ground.

    Before the monster could recover, Lan balled his fist and struck out, connecting, but not well, as his fist slipped on the goblin''s skin. His second punch was better, but Lan was only freed when his third caught the goblin behind the jaw. Buying him enough time to crawl back far enough to drive his boots into the goblin''s chest.

    The goblin flew back as Lan pushed to his feet and reached for the mace, not finding it on his belt. Realising that it must have come loose when he fell, Lan drew his sword as the goblin charged.

    It was fast.

    Before Lan could bring his sword down on it, the goblin got past his guard and tried to gut him.

    The dagger scored a line just under where the metal ended, but he didn''t lose any health.

    Lan cut down, but the goblin dodged and stabbed up at his face.

    [Hp 59 ¨C 54]

    Lan winced as the goblin¡¯s dagger drew a ribbon of blood from his cheek, but it was worth it because at least now he knew its weapon''s damage and having to reach for his head left the goblin open.

    Lan slashed up, finding the goblin¡¯s armour just as strong as his, which looking at it, couldn''t be true, so its health had to be greater. And it did one other thing. As the goblin jumped back, Lan made it clear he wasn''t going to die easy.

    The goblin narrowed its eyes and, with a hateful snarl, dropped into a low stance.

    Lan didn''t know what he was doing but felt his body fall into a loose interpretation of the stance he had used with his spear as he activated his shield.

    Just when he was about to move, he saw something that stopped him. From the corner of his eye, he saw another Wisp.

    It was only a moment, but the distraction was long enough that the goblin was already on him when he looked back.

    Lan slashed out, relying on his greater reach, but the goblin leveraged its size to duck under his attack and dragged its blade along his leg.

    [Hp 54 ¨C 49]

    Gritting his teeth, Lan lashed out, cutting through the air as the goblin sidestepped and plunged the dagger into his arm.

    [Hp 49 ¨C 44]

    Lan struck out with the blade on the shield arm, and when the goblin reacted, using its preternatural instinct to twist out of the way but putting it right in the path of Lan''s sword.

    Maybe it didn''t have as much life as I expected, Lan thought as the Odd Steel bit into the goblin''s arm. But any joy was short-lived as the goblin ripped its arm free and continued its attack, once again going for his face.

    He managed to block this time but took another rake of nails to the face.

    [Hp 44 ¨C 43]

    Lan returned by cutting down with his sword. But as he met the goblin''s shoulder, the Odd Steel broke the skin and stopped. As Lan tried to figure out what had happened, the goblin started to push him back, striking as fast as it could.

    And he could do nothing but shield his face while trying to keep the goblin from attacking his legs with the point of his sword. He had thought he had drained the goblin''s health points, but it was clear he hadn''t.

    Lan found the glade shrink as his back pressed up against the root. Somehow in what felt like second<u>s</u>, the goblin''s attack had pushed him across the glade. Slashing the air to make some space, Lan ducked under the root, ready to lance the goblin when it followed.

    Instead, a shadow fell on him, and he looked up just as the goblin jumped from the top of the root. The goblin crashed into Lan before letting out a pained screech as they hit the ground. Lan looked up and, for a moment, thought his sword had broken until he saw the top half of the blade sticking out the back of the goblin. His blade had punched clean through the goblin''s armour and through its chest, yet it was still moving.

    Cawl¡¯s words came racing back to him as the monster raised its dagger again. As it fell, Lan activated the shield arm, blocking as best as he could as he tried to use the sword to buy some distance. Even though it refused to die, it couldn¡¯t move as well now. And its free hand clawed at Lan¡¯s arm before grabbing it and started to pull itself closer, all while its dagger bounced off Lan¡¯s shield.

    He tried to roll, but the goblin dug its toes into the dirt as his sword arm started to weaken, and the goblin¡¯s blow<u>s</u> pounded harder off the shield metal as the gap closed. As it got closer, the goblin almost seemed to forget its dagger, hooking and locking it around his shield and then opening its mouth showing the rows of tarnished keratin thorns; at that moment, Lan knew what it was planning.

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    He had seen something just like it almost happened to Vasha. With his arms bound, he could do nothing as the goblin drained his health before biting into his neck.

    He just wasn¡¯t strong enough.

    [First configuration complete]

    [Strength: 11 > 19]

    Body: 11

    Mind: 11 > 9

    Dexterity: 11 > 9

    Perception: 11 > 9

    [Charisma: 11 > 9]

    Lan¡¯s muscles pulsed, growing under his shirt as the goblin''s advance came to a halt. The goblin¡¯s mouth snapped shut, and it looked down at his blade before looking at Lan and spitting a scream at him, who just lay there.

    Although he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that his mind had grown duller and his eyes weren¡¯t as sharp as a moment ago. His muscles felt good, like the feeling one got just after working them, and they were still filled with hot blood.

    And that wasn¡¯t all. The same weight that had been oppressive just a moment ago now couldn¡¯t even move him. With a mighty heave, Lan threw the goblin off him. As it flew into the stream, Lan¡¯s sword pulled free as he rolled to his feet, feeling a little heavier and less coordinated than before. The feeling was profound. It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling, but he was not fully in control either. Like he was on the verge of being drunk.

    Lan turned to where the goblin had landed and blinked when he found more wisps instead. About ten of them flew in time with each other as their light waxed and waned slightly.

    A scream broke Lan''s musing, and he found the goblin charging at him. Lan moved like a machine, his head still swaying as he caught the goblin with a punch right after the goblin landed another blow in his armour. Like a thrown rock, the goblin shot back into the stream as Lan shook his head and focused. He needed to find his mace.

    But before he could turn, a rage-filled scream washed over the glade, shaking the wisps and the leaves as a red mist-like aura burst from the water. Lan readied himself, but this time as the goblin emerged, it was faster, and as its dagger met his shield, he learned that it was now stronger too.

    Lan¡¯s arm buckled, his feet dragging through the grass at the moment of impact before he once again found himself being pushed under the assault of the goblin, and whereas the goblin had gotten faster, he was now slower.

    Lan threw everything he had into blocking the goblin''s onslaught as he looked for an opening that wouldn¡¯t lead to him taking more damage and not finding one. The goblin''s attacks were so erratic and wild that he couldn¡¯t find any pattern. Before he knew it, they had circled the glade enough times that Lan could feel embers mixed with his breath.

    The goblin¡¯s blade caught on Lan¡¯s shield, throwing his arm. Seeing its goal open up, the goblin lunged, with blood lust in its eyes, which blinded it to the killing intent in Lan¡¯s. Even if he took a hit, Lan was going to make it count. He told himself, bracing to withstand more pain.

    [Second configuration complete]

    [Strength: 19 > 15]

    Body: 11

    Mind: 9 > 8

    Dexterity: 9 > 20

    Perception: 9 > 7

    [Charisma: 9 > 5]

    As the goblin brought the dagger down. Lan¡¯s blade reached it first, slashing up and through its leather armour, drawing a thick slime of dark green blood that closed the wound even as the monster retreated from his next attack. Despite being a clean cut, the goblin¡¯s Health Points and armour left it shallow.

    That didn¡¯t stop it from letting out a guttural growl that grew into a screech before it surged towards him.

    More sure on his feet than he had ever been, Lan danced back, scoring cuts that the goblin barely took notice of as it continued at him. Lan moved, slashing at the goblin that now seemed to be moving as if weighted down. No, not that; Lan¡¯s reflexes had sharpened, and even though everything else had dulled again, his mind was racing. It was a little overwhelming, so much so that he found his mind drifting to the light out of the corner of his eye.

    The lights¡­

    All around the glade were more Wisps. There had to be a hundred of them around Lan and the goblin. Their light pulsed in a rhythm like they were watching to see the battle''s outcome.

    Lan saw the goblin and brought his sword forward, but instead of trying to avoid it, the goblin ran itself through, still spitting anger at him as it grabbed him by the shoulder, driving the dagger into his left shoulder before bringing its jaw down on the side of his neck.

    [Hp 43 - 38]

    Time slowed as Lan stumbled back.

    [Hp 38 ¨C 33]

    With every second that passed, the goblin bit down again, each time its teeth inched closer to his neck until he could feel the points press against his skin.

    [Hp 33 ¨C 28]

    Lan struggled to shake the goblin off him, stepping back and shaking wildly before tripping on something. As he hit the ground, the force dislodged the goblin, and Lan heaved it away. As it rolled, he looked for what had tripped him, finding his mace tangled between his ankles.

    While the goblin hit the ground, Lan untangled himself. The goblin started towards him, charging and screaming. It jumped. He pulled himself to his feet, swinging the mace as hard as he could as he spun to face it.

    The mace met the goblin''s head with a sound like a bolder cracking in two rang through the glade. The goblin flew back, slamming into the giant root as its body slumped. When the echoes died down, all that was left was the sound of Lan¡¯s heavy breathing.

    Lan waited; there was no way it could still be alive, he thought, unwilling to rest until he was sure. But just when he was about to do so. The goblin opened one of its eyes.

    Letting out a low growl, Lan readied himself as, despite the blood running down its eye, the goblin climbed to its feet with hate burning in its one good eye.

    All it had to do was run, Lan thought. He was far too tired to go after it; all it had to do was run, and he wouldn¡¯t follow.

    But Lan knew it wouldn¡¯t; even in the state it was in, there was no doubt it wouldn¡¯t run. All it had to do was look toward the hole in the leaf wall it had come from, and Lan would have let it go.

    But it just stared at him with a look he knew was mirrored on his own face, just as the thought that he should run never crossed his mind.

    While the mace had damaged the goblin, pain ripped through his shoulder as he swung, and now his left arm was hard to move, the slightest motion of which sent glass shards pumping through his veins.

    If the goblin was in better shape than it looked, he had just enough health to feel every last second of his death.

    And yet he wouldn¡¯t run.

    Looking into the goblin¡¯s eye, Lan knew it still had every intention to kill him, so he wouldn¡¯t run. There was still a fight to finish. More than that, Lan wanted to finish the fight.

    Goblin or no, it had challenged him, and to meet it with anything but his all would be an insult. Lan didn¡¯t know where the words had come from, but as they set in, his mind cleared, and nothing else seemed to matter.

    Along with the realisation, Lan noticed that the number of Wisps had tripled. Lighting up the glade as their lights bead as one. He almost thought he could hear them until he realised they were pulsing in time with his heartbeat. Like drums driving him forward as the sparks of the Lords of Lights watched on.

    Lan tested his shoulder; every second, it became harder to move. Until he could drink a health potion, he would only lose more use of it. Before that, Lan switched his sword to his left, gripping it as best as he could as he took the mace to his right.

    This was going to work. Lan thought as the goblin roared and charged.

    If he were stronger.

    [Strength: 15 > 20]

    Body: 11 > 8

    Mind: 8

    Dexterity: 20

    Perception: 8 > 6

    [Charisma: 6 > 4]

    Lan¡¯s vision blurred as he rolled the mace onto his shoulder and threw it at the goblin, who knowing what it could do, dodged out of the way, putting it in line with the root.

    It would work if he was faster.

    [Strength: 20]

    Body: 8

    Mind: 8

    Dexterity: 20 > 26

    Perception: 6 > 3

    [Charisma: 4 > 1]

    Lan''s body suddenly felt lighter as he wrapped his right hand over the left, bringing the sword up as he rammed his shoulder and sword into the goblin and lifted it.

    Even as the goblin tried to stab him, Lan ran towards the root and plunged his sword into it. Before it could free itself, he searched for the mace. Finding it by his foot and lifted it. Despite it having tried to kill him, Lan wanted to make it fast, so he bit down through the pain and swung the mace as hard as he could.

    Lan tried to pull air into his lungs, finding every breath mirrored in the withering and blossoming of the Wisps lights.

    He watched as a trace of gold pooled in the goblin''s chest before flying towards him.

    [Kill Log]

    [Goblin Knight x 1 ¨C Level 10 = 300 Exp]

    ¡®Goblin Knight?¡¯ Lan asked

    [Although not a Knight by the standers of human lands, this goblin was deemed to stand out enough to earn the title from its kin, giving it the right to lead a band of goblins.]

    ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ Lan said, half listening as he looked around at the Wisps.

    If he didn¡¯t know better, he would say that the Lords of Light really had been watching. Because nothing else explained what he was looking at. The Wisps looked like they were in a frenzy, flashing wildly before flying around the glade, spinning up into a tornado of light that grew into the air before collapsing in on itself and vanishing back into the wild.

    ¡®Wow¡­¡¯ Lan breathed. Never before had he seen anything like that. For a moment, it felt like something more was there. Like something really had been watching him.

    As the lights faded, Lan spotted movement in the shadow of the leaf wall just as a thought hit him.

    ¡®Wait, Band?¡¯ Lan repeated as he realised what he had seen was a pair of large black amber eyes. Looking around, Lan noticed¡­ far more than just one set of eyes.

 Chapter 30: The Fallen Ancient

    [Fifth configuration complete]

    [Strength: 20 > 16]

    Body: 8

    Mind: 8

    Dexterity: 26 > 25

    Perception: 3 > 8

    [Charisma: 1]

    As Lan looked around the glade, he saw more and more eyes looking back at him. In fact, the wall of leaves on the other side of the clearing looked like it had sprouted amber fruit that was now staring at him with blank, unreadable expressions.

    The stillness of them was enough to make Lan pause. They just looked at him and the dead goblin knight like they were waiting for something to happen. Feeling not so similarly inclined, Lan slowly hooked the mace onto his belt, and when they still didn¡¯t move, Lan took a moment before ripping his sword free from the root and dashing towards the hole the Goblin Knight had made.

    The sudden movement sparked the goblins into life as the first shrill scream was joined by another and then another. A rock shot into the foliage inches from Lan¡¯s head as he threw himself into the leaves before pulling himself through the vines and roots as the cacophony of frenzied screeches grew loud enough to shake the glade behind him.

    Working his way through the wall as fast as he could, Lan broke through the vines a moment before a green arm shot out and grabbed his cloak. When he turned, Lan was greeted with a smaller-scale version of the goblin knight, only with darker skin and none of the spots.

    Another difference was Lan¡¯s sword parted its head cleanly as he spun around; its level was lower, or it had much less health than the knight. But, as two more heads appeared through the wall and more voices joined the screams, fighting was out of the question, so he turned and ran.

    Flying through the trees as a sea of goblins poured from the glade after him, fast as they were, and they were fast, the goblin¡¯s mobility was what made the lead Lan had managed to make start to shrink. The goblins moved over the forest floor like they were weightless. Flowing over fallen trees as easily as they ran on the ground, singing their cries of vengeance. So, he poured everything he had into running, pounding the dirt under him as hard as he could, hoping for just an inch more with each step.

    When the distance between them was close enough for some more spirited goblins to take their chance, arrows started to land close behind Lan as he focused on passing through the ancient trees. His mind was racing, realising that every second guess, every adjustment in direction was allowing the goblins to narrow the gap and close on him.

    He almost didn¡¯t notice a goblin to his right before it darted towards him and tried to take his legs out from under him.

    Somehow Lan managed to jump over it, leaving it to be pinned by arrows. Another came running along a fallen tree that had collapsed onto another and leapt at Lan, who found a small burst of speed to dodge it.

    Looking back over his shoulder, Lan guessed there were now about thirty goblins. Although none of them looked to be knights, many were wielding identical daggers to the one the knight in the glade had carried; enough of them that Lan did not like the math.

    Lan¡¯s height afforded him one natural advantage that stats couldn¡¯t grant. His long legs bought distance with each step that the goblins needed to work harder to make up, enough that the horde started to split as some of the faster and stronger runners began to outpace the others.

    Blood lust or vengeance, even as some fell behind, Lan could still hear their distant cries, and he was getting tired. Even if the Shackle changed his stats again. It wouldn¡¯t stop the goblins from coming. He had to do something. ¡®

    Lan looked back. The gap between the closest goblin and the next had grown. If¡­ he was fast enough, he may be able to kill it, and then all he would have to do is repeat it until all the goblins were dead. That was unless it dodged or had more health than the one he had killed in the vines.

    Just when Lan was about to take the chance. A wisp flew to hover just in front of his eyes. Unlike the others he had seen, this wisp was a brilliant gold, and that wasn¡¯t all. Through the aura of light were two pairs of thin wings that none of the others had.

    After a moment, Lan felt that it wanted him to follow it, the wisp taking off toward the right as the thought came to him. Chancing a look, Lan thought he saw something that might have been another glade.

    It was a risk, and he didn¡¯t even know if a wisp could communicate even this much, but anything that could change his situation was worth it.

    But instead of just following it, Lan rounded the next large tree before pushing hard after the wisp. By the time the goblins close enough to follow him made it around the tree, they joined with those who had seen Lan change directions and had gone around the other side.

    As he got closer, Lan heard what the wisp was leading him to before he saw it. Over an embankment was a river. Reaching the edge, Lan kicked off it and into the water without a second thought.

    The cold bit Lan up to the chest as he submerged and felt the current start to pull him away. The river was deep enough that his feet barely touched, and Lan half swam, half kicked his way to the other side as arrows and rocks plunged into the water around his head.

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    As he reached the other side, Lan dug his hands into the dirt to pull himself out, taking an arrow to the back of the shoulder. Luckily, his armour held up, and all he got was a cheek full of mud as he slammed into the earth.

    Climbing up the other side, Lan spared a moment to look back.

    Although some of the goblins were still trying to hit him with rocks and arrows, a few of which came close to their mark. Most of the goblins had started to cross, only with their smaller stature; they had a harder go of it than Lan had.

    Lan didn¡¯t wait around to see if they would, throwing himself back into running. It wasn¡¯t until he found the wisp again that he heard the first goblin cry out as it made it across. Without a chance to rest, Lan followed the wisp as the sunlight that made it through the canopy began to tarnish.

    As he ran, Lan had plenty of time to wonder if he was going crazy, following a wisp while his life depended on it. But unlike the other wisps he had seen, this one did not fade away or fly off; at times, it even felt like it was waiting for him. Lan couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was something more to do with the wisp. Like there was something else watching him.

    Then there were the goblins, if nothing else; as time passed, Lan came to terms with the fact that they wouldn¡¯t stop. At times he would think that he had lost them, giving him a chance to slow enough to rest, but be it a minute or ten, he would see the green forms coming eventually. More than once, they would run hard to catch him and others; they slowed as if they were trying to rest as much as he was.

    The wisp led Lan to a large hill where a lone Cadendrit tree stood. Even now, as Lan climbed the hill, with goblins closing in on him, he couldn¡¯t help but be reminded about clouds looking at the tops of the tree. Just as he reached the top, a goblin jumped onto his back. Pain filled his mind the moment he registered the weight as the goblin rammed its dagger into Lan¡¯s shoulder.

    [Hp 28 - 23]

    ¡®Ah damn it!¡¯ Lan shouted, grabbing the goblin''s hand and slamming his back into the tree, shaking some fruit loose as Lan turned and drew his sword on the goblin. With only one hand, the slash was weak, and Lan had to throw his weight into it to get his sword all the way through the goblin''s neck before it could stab him again.

    [50 exp gained.]

    Leaving the goblin behind, Lan crested over the hill and down the other side, where he caught sight of the wisp heading back into the trees. Lan followed as he tried to sheath his sword so he could grab a potion. After that last attack, he could barely move his left arm while heat radiated from it, with only one good arm, and while running, it was not so easy.

    In fact, by the time he was able to get his sword back into the sheath. He could see what he thought the wisp was leading him to. A fallen gold and red giant lay on the forest ground. This one being twice the size of the others still standing vigil.

    The ancient giant had no doubt witnessed the turning of many cycles, enough to turn its bark as hard as steel, and it must have lain there for just as long. Long enough for the creatures of the woods, big and small, to eat away at its heart, leaving nothing but the bark from end to end.

    When Lan saw it, he knew why the wisp had led him there. When he reached it, he stepped into it and turned.

    No doubt because they had lost sight of him, but the goblins had been split up again as they rushed to find him so that only a line of them was just then crossing the hill. As Lan looked on, he retrieved one of the health potions and drank half of it.

    [Hp 23 ¨C 60]

    Lan watched the fire representing his health burst back to life before the unused portion he had drunk turned to a mist and lifted from his skin. Although the wastage stung, Lan reasoned it was a fair loss as he rolled his shoulder, getting some pain but full use back.

    Once healed, Lan unhooked the mace as he took the mana shard in his shield hand and readied himself. The hollowed-out tree was large enough for him to swing his mace, and even if the goblins grouped up again, he would only have to face a few at a time.

    As the first reached the bottom of the hill and spotted Lan, it let out a screech before charging Lan as fast as it could. Closing the gap in seconds before it jumped into the opening of the hollow, only to meet the head of Lan¡¯s mace, which drove it into the ground. It took another strike from the mace before the goblin stopped moving, and as Lan recovered, another goblin jumped at him.

    Activating his shield, Lan pushed it back, throwing it to the ground, but before he could finish it off, another goblin charged in and tried to go for his legs. Lan stepped back before bringing his heel down on its head just as two more filed in.

    Lan swung his mace hard to deter them, which worked on one and not the other, who took his return swing as his mace bounced into the wall and allowed him to redirect the momentum across the goblin''s face spinning it in place.

    More goblins filled the hollow, and Lan started to move back, striking at any goblins that managed to climb over the others. As Lan clubbed one that had crawled under the rest, another ran over the top of them and lunged at Lan, who caught it on his shield and threw it over him as he jabbed another with the point of the mace.

    Swinging the mace off the walls of the hollow, Lan tried to cut the goblin that had fallen with the blade on his shield arm, but it scrambled back as another goblin tried to grab the mace.

    Lan pulled it back and brought it down on its head before taking a cut from another green horror that appeared from the roiling mass.

    [Hp 60 ¨C 55]

    Lan swung the mace into its face, but as it faded into the wall of green, another immediately took its place and caught the backswing.

    Lan continued his retreat, pushing the flanking goblin back with the shield arm as he moved deeper into the hollow. He was almost a third of the way into it, and the wave of goblins entering the hollow had stopped as the last of them reached it.

    With the speed and strength from the Shackle, Lan¡¯s mace was a blur of crushing force as he started to breathe hard.

    [New skill acquired: Mace wielding]

    Even with the strength reinforcing his blows, his strikes weren¡¯t enough to kill a goblin with a single hit, knocking the sense out of them and sending them back to tangle up those behind them. Only for them to appear again a second time but never a third.

    Still, as he fought, Lan felt good; the feeling from the battle with the Razerwolves had returned only stronger and was now being fuelled by no longer being forced to run. And even though his mind stat had been lowered, his mind was sharpened through instinct that he shouldn¡¯t have but felt natural, and as the tree tunnel grew darker, it felt like he could fight with his eyes closed, knowing which goblin to target.

    The goblin behind moved, and Lan¡¯s arm shot back, catching the goblin with the blade, but it just powered through and ran its dagger into Lan''s side.

    [Hp 55 ¨C 50]

    Lan turned to strike it but immediately changed targets as he saw another goblin charge him from the front before he sent it flying back, giving him a good view of another that had jumped at him.

    Even before it reached him, Lan knew he wouldn¡¯t make it in time, so he raised his shield, rolled the goblin over his shoulder, and booted another back into the mass before bringing the mace down on the goblin that was about to bite his leg.

    The moment he did, the goblin behind jumped onto his back. Lan grabbed it and threw it back into the others. Before, two more were on him, and he was dragged to his knees.

    As two more fell on him, Lan braced himself for the daggers to fall.

 Chapter 31: [Hello Lan.]

    As the daggers fell, Lan covered his head just before he felt pain eat into his shoulder and back. One dagger skidded off his shield while the last grazed his ear before catching on his armour.

    [Hp 50 ¨C 45]

    [Hp 45 ¨C 40]

    [Hp 40 ¨C 35]

    Lan gritted his teeth and tried to push back, but the goblin behind pushed against him. Even still, he was spared more pain. For now that their prey had been cornered after a long chase, individual bloodlust won over the hive mentality that had brought it to them.

    Looking to end him quickly, one of the four around him raised its dagger before it was pulled out of the way by another, trying to be the one to kill him.

    More goblins threw themselves over the closest ones, grabbing and pulling Lan¡¯s hair and clothes as others fought to take their place. One even started to pull Lan¡¯s sword from its sheath before two others tried to take it from him even though it had been freed from its housing.

    The goblins crowded him, entombing him in the wave of green. Lan felt one try to cut his armour free, stabbing him in the arm instead when it couldn¡¯t find the strap.

    [Hp 35 ¨C 30]

    Despite all this, Lan found nothing but calm focus in his mind and iron in his heart.

    The greatest weapon for monsters was the fear they instilled in the minds and hearts of men. It was what allowed barely trained, undisciplined monsters like these goblins to kill even trained soldiers. The freezing he had felt the first time seeing the Razerwolvs was more than just because of their number, although it played a part. Ordinary men were taken by an all-in-encompassing fear upon seeing a monster. Why Lan did not know.

    Realising he was grinning, Lan knew one thing. He was not an ordinary man, and he was not afraid.

    Moving his shield to cover his face, Lan brought his other bracer forward, dragging the mana shard over it as he did.

    Blood red light filled the hollow a heartbeat after blue sparks from the mana stone caught the silk, heralding a cyclone of Crimson flames that roared to life as the silk burned and uncoiled from his bracer.

    Cali had not exaggerated when she said, burn through almost anything because the two goblins closest were engulfed in flames the moment the fire found them before scorching those around them. But even as the blood-red flames culminated with a sharp hiss and sizzle, the hollow was bathed in orange light and smoke as the burning goblins lit the clothing and hair of those behind them.

    The screams of bloodlust and victory were replaced with those of pain as the burning goblins tried to flee back up the hollow, trying to escape what had made the flames while those far back enough not to know what was happening pushed against them, still driven by the promise of blood.

    Not waiting to see which side would win, Lan broke his sword free from the hand of the charred corpse still holding it and ran it through the goblin holding on to him.

    The moment the blade bit into the green skin, the wound burst into flames, and the goblin dropped motionless.

    Lan looked at his sword as he drew it from the goblin. From the hilt up to the halfway point of the Odd steel, it had changed. Where it had once been clean silver now shone with red glowing Runica down the middle third of the blade.

    Before he could process what he was looking at, a goblin managed to push past the burning mass and struck at him. Lan moved back and slashed at its face, but it kept coming at him without care until it ran into his sword. The moment it did, smoke shot from its mouth and nose before it slumped over.

    Lan pushed it away and looked at his sword again. He could feel the heat coming from it, but it did not feel hot enough to scald, let alone burn. Also, it seemed like only the part with the runes had this effect, as the slash had done nothing.

    Lan blocked and slashed another goblin, making sure to use the bottom half of the blade. This time, the wound exploded with fire before the goblin dropped to the ground.

    Looking up, Lan watched the fire slowly descend the tunnel before those who hadn¡¯t been badly affected came at him. But without the momentum of numbers and the feeling of invincibility it had given them, the goblins fell quickly to the Odd Steel, especially after Lan began to feel confident with a sword.

    [New Skill acquired: Sword wielding]

    After gaining the skill, Lan felt the sword seem to answer to him faster, turning easier without him losing the edge.

    Lan started to strike down the goblins as they came for him, slashing, kicking and punching. His mind fell into a state of nothing but reaction and retaliation, seeing the answer to every attack only in his few strengths, even letting an attack through as two goblins charged simultaneously; one of them wielding his mace. Allowing the one without it to stab him under the metal chest plate, Lan took the head off the thief before ramming his knee into the goblin¡¯s gut and pinning it to the ground with an explosion of fire.

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    [Hp 30 ¨C 25]

    One of the goblins seemingly still had a rock on them as Lan¡¯s vision flashed, making him stumble and trip on something.

    [Hp 25 ¨C 24]

    [Status effect: Stunned]

    As his sight cleared, Lan found a goblin running at him. With his mind still fuzzy, Lan reached over, picked up his mace and threw it.

    Somehow the mace found its mark, making the goblin momentarily run in mid-air as its body kept moving forward while its head was pulled back by the mace spinning once through the air in then fell still.

    Shaking his head, Lan looked down the hollow. The fire had done wonders leaving the floor covered in charred bodies. Even still, around five goblins left were crawling to their feet.

    Lan groaned and took a deep breath before pushing himself off the ground.

    The first goblin reached Lan just as he stood. Lan blocked its attack but was slow to activate, so the shield was still opening when it connected with the dagger, ripping it from the goblin''s hand and sending it into the wall.

    Lan and the goblin looked at the rattling blade before Lan slashed the goblin, finishing it with an explosion of fire. Seeing the next two coming. Lan ran to meet them, booting the first before bashing the second into the side of the hollow. Swinging his sword, Lan ended the two before fending off another rock. Lan blocked a third as he walked forward and ran the goblin who had thrown it through.

    As he did so, a screech ripped through the hollow, forcing Lan to cover his ears before realising that he recognised it.

    When he Looked up, Lan found the last goblin radiating a red aura; before it charged him at an incredible speed. Practically growing in size as it crashed into Lan, lifting him off the ground and out the other end of the hollow before slamming him into the dirt.

    With air still escaping his lungs Lan looked up at the goblin that had changed to look just like a knight as it roared in his face before smoke erupted from its nose and mouth and dropped on top of him.

    ¡®Ouch¡­¡¯ Lan groaned and pushed the goblin off him drawing his sword free in the same motion.

    After a moment of looking up at the darkening sky through the trees, Lan sat up and watched the hollow tree come to life with golden light. He watched the motes of experience float up before pulling into strands of light and drew towards him before flowing into his tag.

    [Kill log]

    Goblin x 10 ¨C Level 5 = 500 exp

    [Goblin x 17 ¨C Level 6 = 935 exp]

    [Exp 3500 > 4000. Level up]

    The heat built in Lan¡¯s chest once again before it burst, and he was washed in the golden light.

    [Level 5 > 6]

    [Exp 1035 / 4000]

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 16 > 18]

    Body: 8 > 10

    Mind: 8 > 10

    Dexterity: 25 > 28

    Perception: 8 > 10

    [Charisma: 1> 4]

    The moment Lan felt the effects of his attributes change, he almost felt, like being sick instead of feeling better. Although his reactions were near instantaneous, his mind felt sluggish, and his body was both heavy and light. He felt like giving up but could not articulate why. Lan squeezed his eyes shut and fell back. With the goblins to focus on, he had been able to ignore it, but now it was unbearable.

    [Sixth configuration complete]

    [Strength: 18 > 13]

    Body: 10 > 13

    Mind: 10 > 13

    Dexterity: 28 > 13

    Perception: 10 > 13

    [Charisma: 4 > 13]

    [Hp 60 > 80]

    The moment The Voice spoke, Lan felt his equilibrium return. Like the moment before hadn¡¯t happened, he couldn¡¯t even remember the feeling. Blinking, Lan sat up again. Now the only thing bothering him was the permanent smell of smoke that had infused itself into his clothes. Luckily it could have been worse looking back at the hollow tree, or he just couldn¡¯t smell the burnt goblin''s smell.

    Standing, Lan opened his tome. Having all his stats return to what they were, seemed like he had taken a step back, even if he had gained a level. But Art had said that it would take a few jobs before it would work. Lan frowned, spotting something else that had changed.

    [Mana accumulation complete]

    [Mana 80]

    [Ability Gained: Mana control.]

    [Requirements met: Ability Unlocked ¨C Gifts of the other World God.]

    [Ability Evolution: Gifts of the other World God ¨C Removed]

    [Ability Gained: Eyes of the Other World.]

    [Ability Gained: The Other World Chest.]

    Lan blinked, not believing what the Voice had said as he looked at his Abilities; as the Voice had said, one of his hidden abilities had disappeared and had been replaced with two new ones.

    Lan crouched down on his feet and breathed into his flattened hands. After so long, after giving up on ever knowing, Art had brought back some hope, but Lan had never really believed that he would find it.

    But here he was, looking at a part of his tome that had not changed in his whole life, and it had changed.

    Lan let out a short laugh. After so long of letting his soul be ripped away, it only took him risking his life to feel like he had gained some of it back. Lan laughed more until his eyes welled up, and he blinked hard before any tears could form and stood. Ready to learn the Ability he had gained from his father.

    Looking at it again, Lan frowned; he had never heard of an Ability turning into two before.

    And the name¡­

    ¡®The Other World God¡­¡¯ Lan said out loud. He, of course, knew the word. Not only as a part of many turns of phrase. But The Forebearers of the Lords of Light were Gods, and he knew that some of the other Lands called their representation of the Lords or what they believed in Gods.

    But Other World God. Something about it sounded wrong. It was also the reason why he knew it was one of the Abilities he gained from his father and why he wouldn¡¯t talk about it. If he wasn¡¯t looking at it, Lan would have said anyone that told him was trying to make fun of him or just crazy.

    What was meant by Other Worlds? The other Planes? Like the realm of the Lord of Light or was it really trying to tell him that there were other worlds and that its god had given his family a gift.

    Instead of wondering, Lan turned to the Voice.

    ¡®What can you tell me about this¡­ Other World God¡¯

    [The Other World God¡­]

    Lan waited for a moment, and just as he was about to say something¡­

    [Drawing all information on The Other World God¡­ Found. The Other World God is¡­ The Other World God is¡­ Is. Is. Is¡­ t-th-ht. the¡­ahhhhhh!]

    Before Lan could ask what was happening, the Voice¡¯s shattering pain-filled scream filled his mind, and then before he could think about what to do, there was nothing as Lan¡¯s mind went quiet.

    ¡®Voice?... Voice!¡¯ Lan shouted, feeling panic replace the part of his mind where the Voice had been. Enough that he didn¡¯t even notice that he had spoken to the Voice as if it were a person.

    Ever since the day he gained his tome, the Voice had been the only constant in his life, and now¡­ what If it never came back. And the scream¡­ the very idea that something like the Voice could feel pain, brought up questions Lan did not want to ask and dreaded the idea of finding the answer. It was like learning the sky could bleed, or the suns could be killed. It was an unravelling of reality.

    [Hello Lan.]

 Chapter 32: Spoils of Victory

    [Knowledge on the Other World God: Not found.]

    Lan just stood there before blinking and shaking his head.

    ¡®Wait, what just happened?¡¯ he asked, feeling both relieved and a little upset.

    [Accessing knowledge of this kind required greater authority and other alterations.]

    ¡®Alterations,¡¯ Lan repeated. ¡®In what way?¡¯

    [Attempts to access knowledge of this kind were not accounted for, so no protocols were defined, resulting in temporary conflict with the World Codex. So new ones had to be made, and new limitations had to be drawn.]

    ¡®So you are alright then. I mean, you screamed,¡¯ Lan asked before he could help himself, even though he knew not to refer to the Voice in such a way.

    [¡­ All is well.]

    ¡®And this won''t happen again then?¡¯ he pressed.

    [There should be no reason for further action.]

    Lan blinked, although he was glad that the Voice was back; it had sounded different for a moment. And had it called him by his name? he had never thought about it, but it had never done that. More importantly, how was there knowledge that the Voice did not know, he thought before stopping himself.

    There was plenty the Voice didn¡¯t know because he had not earned the right to know it. All it meant was that even though he had their abilities, he was still not allowed to know about this God. But how by the light, had it ended up in his family.

    Lan sighed. Finding a lost ability didn¡¯t mean he would find all the answers, and it wasn¡¯t like it was really lost. Perhaps if he was able to fix things with his father, he may know more.

    Guessing that was all he was going to get, and knowing there was no reason to argue with the Voice, Lan walked over to his sword and picked it up, finding the glowing Runica had disappeared and the steel returned to normal. Making a note to investigate it more, Lan sheathed his sword and looked back to his Tome and abilities.

    The first didn¡¯t appear in his abilities; instead, it was represented in two ways. One was a blue flame in the right corner of his eye. The other was the mana units now on his page in the Tome.

    [Mana manipulation: Upon gaining one''s mana pool, the core ability of Mana manipulation allows one to control the mana in one''s body. Casting spells, enhancing abilities, crafting potions and enchanting items are now possible through mana manipulation.]

    While the Voice spoke, Lan noticed a new heat in his chest. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant. If anything, it felt right, like another piece of him had been found, and the more he thought about it, the more he could see it. He could see the lines of mana tracing his body like new veins had been carved into him, which flowed with mana instead of blood. As he focused more, Lan felt like he could move the mana, gathering it in his hand. But without knowing any spells or, more importantly, how to even shape the mana into rune circles. All he could do now was make his palm colder.

    After a moment, Lan released the mana and finally looked at his first ability.

    [Other World Chest: the second of the seven gifts from the Other World God. The Other World Chest grants one the power to a shard realm where objects can be placed. If you can lift an object, it can be placed into the Chest. With the expenditure of mana, objects within the Chest may be removed without physical contact.]

    ¡®So it¡¯s an item box,¡¯ Lan said, frowning. He was glad for it, but why go through all these steps for a relatively common mage ability. Although it was odd that there wasn¡¯t a mentioned capacity, only an odd weight requirement. And that was to say nothing of the fact that somehow he was allowed to know that it was only one of seven ¡°gifts¡± without knowing anything about the one that gave it to him.

    Sighing, Lan looked around for something to test the Chest with and landed on the new goblin knight¡¯s dagger. Picking it up, Lan exercised his mind commanding the Other World Chest to open just before he felt a pressure build an arm¡¯s length in front of him before his hand disappeared as he pushed it into the Chest.

    The moment he did, his Tome turned to a new page.

    [Inventory]

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    [Rusted iron dagger: Added]

    Lan flexed his mind again and reached into the space in front of him.

    [Rusted iron dagger: removed]

    Lan Rolled the dagger over his fingers before dropping it back into the Chest. Although he had never used one, Lan knew a little about Item boxes.

    At one point, he proposed using mages to carry goods in item boxes to Dell. Dell had allowed him to try, but not only did the mage¡¯s guild kick him out the moment he brought it up, but he had been jumped by people he was sure were from the transporter¡¯s guild for a week until they were sure he had gotten the message.

    He had, but Lan had never given up on the idea. Especially now that he knew the mage¡¯s guild already did just that for the guilds when on guild jobs.

    Even still, it seemed to work just like an Item box, he thought before flexing his mind again. This time trying to draw out the dagger without reaching into the Chest.

    [Ma 70 ¨C 65]

    [Rusted iron dagger: removed]

    As the dagger dropped to the ground in front of Lan, he frowned. Five mana seemed like a high cost.

    ¡®Is it five for every item removed or just every activation?¡¯ Lan asked.

    [Every time you remove an item from the Chest in this manner will require an exchange of 5 units of mana. However, larger items may cost more.]

    ¡®Hmm, I guess I can see some situations where it can be useful¡­¡¯ He said, not convincing himself.

    [Versatility in abilities is always a good thing.]

    Lan started to speak, then paused. Had he phrased that last statement as a question? Lan knew that he sometimes talked at the Voice, but it never answered unless it was another question.

    ¡®Right¡­ what about the second ability.¡¯ He asked, looking at his Tome.

    [Eyes of the Other World God: The seventh of the seven gifts of the Other World God. The Eyes of the Other World God grants one the power to see the threads that make up the world. Activating the ability will allow you to see hidden auras. With the expenditure of mana, you can look deeper.]

    ¡®See hidden auras¡­¡¯ Lan repeated and flexed his mind. The moment he did, his vision darkened and took on a golden tint. Stepping back out of surprise, Lan looked around. Aside from the colour change, nothing else looked different to him. That was until he looked into the trees and saw a glowing ball of golden light. Shifting his sight back. Lan found the Wisp still waiting for him. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t done leading him to wherever it was taking him, and he did owe it his life.

    Before that, Lan tried to see more. Whatever that meant.

    [While activated, you can enhance the power of the Eyes of the Other World God by sending a trace of mana into your eyes.]

    Doing so, Lan focused on his pool of mana before directing a tiny stream of it into his eyes.

    [Ma 65 ¨C 64]

    The moment he did, his sight became clearer as a magic circle filled with Runica framed his vision, slowly turning as it glowed with mana. Lan looked back to the Wisp; nothing much had changed, only being able to see the aura around the Wisp better.

    Taking a step towards it, Lan¡¯s foot bumped into the goblin knight. He looked down and paused.

    After all, there was a bounty on goblins, and he now had a much bigger bag and had killed them¡­ it would be wrong to just leave them, not to mention a disservice to his achievement. Even still, he really didn¡¯t want to.

    Scrunching his face, Lan sighed and dropped the bag of Silk flowers into the Other World Chest.

    [Inventory]

    [Bag of Silk flowers added ¨C Contents: 127 Silk flowers]

    With that done, Lan started the unpleasant task of marking his bounties. Beginning with the new goblin knight, Lan brought its dagger to its ear. Trying not to think too much about the sensation, he tried to work quickly to remove the right ear. Once done, he headed back into the hollow tree, gathering as many ears as he could that weren¡¯t burnt too bad to recover.

    As he did, Lan occasionally activated the Other World Eyes. He wasn¡¯t looking for anything, but it couldn¡¯t hurt, and it helped him get used to doing so. Unlike first getting his Tome changing sight was a little jarring at first. But by the time he had made it to the other end of the hollow and placed the last ear into the Chest.

    [Inventory]

    [Goblin ear: Added ¨C 24 >25]

    He could switch between the two without thinking about it, but it didn¡¯t get him anything.

    Looking at the ears in his Inventory, Lan guessed that his estimate had been a little off with the thirty counts on the goblins, but it was close enough. And he would be returning with much more to show for his efforts now than just twenty flowers. In fact, if he could get back to the glade, he would have another knight''s ear and the rest of the flowers. Lan thought before realising that was if he could find his way back.

    He sighed before looking back to the Wisp. Still, the feeling that it wanted him to follow was there. In fact, it felt like it was even more urgent than before. The sun was even lower now, and the woods could only get more dangerous. But the Wisp had saved his life.

    Finding and dropping his mace into the Chest, Lan froze mid-step as he looked at one of the many daggers littering the hollow floor.

    Even if it was bad metal, bad metal could be melted down, and he now had a bottomless pocket. So on the way back, Lan picked up all the daggers he could find. He almost took the clubs but decided against it, seeing as it was just shaped wood.

    This reminded him of a time a few years ago when he knew of a man offering an insane amount of coin for authentic goblin clubs but immediately regretted it after receiving one hundred that adventurers managed to gather after hearing about it and hundreds more carved logs.

    Coming out the end of the Hollow, Lan approached the Wisp, which flew up to him. Now that he wasn¡¯t being chased, Lan could feel that something was trying to compel him. But he did not know if it was the Wisp itself or if the Wisp, too, was being compelled.

    Without thinking, Lan raised his hand palm up and allowed the Wisp to sit on it.

    [Status effect gained: Guiding Light ¨C while the effect Guiding Light is active, you will find luck ever so slightly shifting in your favour]

    Lan thought this had to be the source of the myth about Seeing Wisps granting good luck and smiled.

    Okay¡­ Lead the way,¡¯ Lan breathed, watching the Wisp take off before he began to follow it.

 Chapter 33: Eyes all around

    Lan watched the Wisp fly off his hand and into a thick wall of shrubbery between two large red and gold trees. Not wanting to deal with more Hook thorns, Lan started to go around to a less dense part of the green and pushed it open before getting the feeling from the Wisp again. Sighing, Lan headed back to the Wisp and into the bushes, working his way through the branches and finding his patience rapidly fleeing with the thorny twigs. Nevertheless, Lan pushed through, reminding himself why he was doing this until he started to forget why that was.

    Just as Lan made it through, taking a hook along the cheek for his troubles, he almost cursed out loud when he heard something that drew his attention back to the clearing around the hollow.

    Stopping, he turned to look back a moment before watching a goblin creep into the clearing, followed by more of them. In moments Lan watched as the clearing filled with at least ten goblins, four of which were covered in burns.

    Realising that he hadn¡¯t been wrong with the count, Lan¡¯s skin tingled as more goblins filled the clearing before one of the burnt ones slowly made its way to the hollow and peered into it. When it didn¡¯t find him. The goblin barked out a short, bitter cry.

    At this, all the goblins let out rage-filled screams until a knight walked out of the trees, silencing the others as it walked over to the charred goblin. Lan, of course, did not know what it was saying, but he didn¡¯t need to know Obishe to understand the whispered words of the knight as it loomed over the charred goblin or the smaller goblin¡¯s urgent screeching words as its head darted around and tried to back away.

    Just when it looked like the knight would kill the charred goblin, another goblin walked out of the trees. This one was tall and slender with a much more sharp angular face and large dark eyes like cut glass seeds.

    The new goblin walked over to the knight and pointed at Lan¡¯s tracks and the broken branches of the part he had opened. Then it smelled the air and wrinkled its nose before saying something to the knight, who waved its hand, making the rest spread out and start to enter the forest from multiple points.

    Slowly Lan started to back deeper into the forest. Where he was was dense enough to give him natural camouflage, and with the waning sunlight, the goblin¡¯s night vision brought them no advantage. In fact, until nightfall, their sight would be worse than Lan¡¯s. That didn¡¯t stop them from moving over the forest ground, quickly spreading over it and unknowingly trapping Lan in the middle of them as they combed the forest, searching for him. A few times, the goblins would stop to smell the air, and Lan hoped the smell of smoke in the air would reach far enough to give him a chance to slip away.

    Lan moved through the thicket, reaching its edge, and stopped to look around before readying to move to the next one. But just as he was about to dash over. Lan heard a sound like a pin dropping in his mind. A moment after he hesitated, a goblin crossed, looking down the path before moving on.

    Turning, Lan found the Wisp floating over his shoulder.

    ¡®Thanks for looking out,¡¯ he whispered, once again getting the feeling of urgency from the little ball of light. ¡®Right,¡¯ He finished before moving across to the other side.

    After, with the help of the Wisp, Lan moved through the trees unseen. Even when the foliage became less crowded, the Wisp managed to keep him out of sight of the goblins, who were becoming impatient. This was only made worse by the fact that the further away they got, the more the smell of smoke faded, and the more the goblins took note of the second source of the scent. Slowly moving closer to Lan, closing the net around him.

    As he moved, Lan heard the pin drop sound again, and as he tried to work out where the danger was, he rounded the tree he was hiding behind, looking back to ensure that none of the goblins had seen him when he walked into something.

    Realising it was what the Wisp had warned him about, Lan drew his sword as he turned. To his great luck as he did, he found the goblin doing the same before it saw him. Lan¡¯s sword was already moving, but the goblin managed a surprised cry that was quickly cut off as his blade found its mark.

    Lan froze as all sound in the forest came to a stop. His swing left his sword wedged into the tree, and he readied to pull it free and start running again as he heard the goblins begin to shout at one another.

    Grabbing his sword with both hands, Lan dug his heels into the ground. The longer he waited, the quicker the goblins would be to react, but what if they didn¡¯t notice. He could be giving his position away, and this time, he would have to deal with both the knight and that new type of goblin on top of the twenty or so around him.

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    To his horror, Lan noticed a small voice in the back of his mind that actually wanted to try fighting all of them. A voice that his common sense quickly stomped further back into his mind as he waited. The goblins weren¡¯t moving yet, still shouting at each other. Then Suddenly and all at once, Lan heard the goblins close in on him.

    Lan wrenched his sword from the tree, ready to put on a burst of speed, when he saw the Wisp¡¯s light burst into life before darting away from him. He watched as the goblins changed direction and took off after it. He was still standing there when some of the goblins started to slow, which was enough to reanimate his legs, and he took off, cutting a hard diagonal line away from the goblins to use as many trees as cover as he could.

    Lan only stopped when he could no longer hear the shouts of the goblins. Which left him thinking about the Wisp.

    He knew that wisps were intangible, and outside of powerful magic, there wasn¡¯t any way to damage them. he knew this¡­ but Lan couldn¡¯t help but feel worried and a little guilty for leaving the little light. He knew it was silly, but still, he had to tell himself to move.

    Maybe it was that it had saved him, and he still felt like he owed it in return, or maybe it was the idea that he had endangered what was clearly a special Wisp and didn¡¯t want to think about the repercussions of his actions. Or perhaps he was starting to like the little light, but leaving it frustrated him more than he thought it could.

    Not knowing what else to do, Lan turned to leave, only to be blinded by a golden light.

    Lan jumped back before smiling, realising it was the Wisp in question.

    ¡®Well, aren¡¯t you a little trickster?¡¯ He smiled, finding his mood lifting with every second. As if answering, the Wisp flashed once

    ¡®Well, I guess you can understand what I am saying.¡¯ This time the Wisp didn¡¯t flash, but Lan''s mind filled with the feeling of urgency again.

    ¡®Right, right. Lead the way.¡¯ Lan said, and the Wisp took off again. Darting off a short way before stopping to wait for him. ¡®I¡¯m coming.¡¯ He added when the Wisp sent the feeling again.

    After some time of following the Wisp and long after, the sun had set, leaving the night to fill the forest. Lan started to worry about the light coming from the Wisp, but he didn¡¯t need to, as now that it was dark, he could see other Wisps flying around in the distance, and the Wisp seemed to know this, flying far enough that he wasn¡¯t caught in its light along with keeping it¡¯s illumination to little more than a candle.

    Just as Lan thought as much, he felt icy fingers drag along his spine and turned half drawing his sword to be faced by nothing. Lan scanned the dark woods as the feeling rushed into his blood, but even with his mind and body primed for any motion or sound, he heard nothing.

    After a moment longer of nothing, Lan turned and started after the Wisp, and yet he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of being cheated out of a fight. Once again, it was ridiculous, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself, and it wouldn¡¯t be long until his self-control would be tested.

    Shortly after the feeling, Lan found a large fallen tree in his path and started to make his way around it. Just as he rounded the withering crown of the tree, he was greeted with ten pairs of eyes that caught and reflected the Wisp¡¯s light.

    Lan¡¯s mind flashed with an alert along with thoughts of yellow gnashing teeth, and he reached for his sword, time seeming to slow as he grabbed it and paused before he could draw it. Something just didn¡¯t feel right. The eyes were too high up and small to be goblins unless it was a whole band of Knights. It could have been other monsters which would have been just as much of a threat to him, but their reaction was odd.

    Something akin to surprise and bewilderment was what he saw reflected in the eyes looking back; only then did they begin to harden into hostility upon seeing him. Lan thanked the Lord of Light that he hadn¡¯t drawn his sword as the Wisp darted in front of him and let its light fill their surroundings.

    Because when the light washed over them. Lan was not greeted by goblin knights or anything that could be called a monster. For what stood on all fours before him with slender legs and necks and covered in golden feathers, ready to react to his next move, could be nothing else but Ornithalls.

    Of all the things Lan could have imagined seeing, the large golden feathered birds were not one of them. Smarter than most men and incredibly dangerous, not to mention brimming with magic in their long tail feathers. The descendant of Gryphons were players in fables, guiding heroes on their journeys as much as they brought revelations and not something that belonged in his Wisp-guided story. There was one more thing he knew about Ornithalls; they were aggressively solitary creatures. Claiming large territories of land to hunt.

    Lan had heard from a Beastologist staying with Dell that having as large a territory as possible was part of their mating ritual, but they would return to their isolation even after.

    Lan wondered why the Hells he was thinking about that now of all times, but he reasoned it was easier than thinking about what to do next and to further remind himself how little sense seeing so many of them in one place made. Moreover, it looked like they were travelling together, and Lan once again reminded himself that they were territorial creatures. What by the light was going on? Lan thought to himself before snapping back to the moment, realising that the group of Ornithalls was still staring at him. He moved his hand from his sword. But they didn¡¯t stop looking at him.

    After a moment, he felt like when the deer was staring at him, only far more intense. Maybe it was their greater intelligence, but it felt like they were looking¡­ or waiting for something from him. Just one of them would have been overwhelming. Having so many of them look at him made Lan¡¯s mind spin, and just when he was about to say something¡­ anything. One of them, a rather large bird with a great dark golden crown, approached him.

 Chapter 34: The Swarm

    Large golden eyes bore into Lan¡¯s mind as the Ornithall that stood a head taller than him looked into his eyes. Fixated with whatever it was looking for, the bird, Lan guessed was the leader of the Ornithalls, was close enough that he could feel the heat and smell the honey-like odour coming from the body of the bird as it drew ever closer until its beak was practically touching his face.

    But doing so served to help Lan focus on just that one, which he did, meeting the bird¡¯s stare with one of his own. He was not trying to stand his ground or anything of the sort; he was just trying to understand what the creature was looking for. The moment he looked into its eyes, the Ornithall¡¯s irises grew wide, and Lan felt a wave of pressure fill his mind like fingers clawing his mind.

    The feeling wasn¡¯t anywhere near as clear as the impressions the Wisps sent him. Instead, it felt like his mind was trying to process the probing thoughts of the bird.

    [Notice: Ornithall are magic beasts with the ability to brush the minds of others]

    Even as the Voice spoke, the Ornithall blinked out of surprise, raised its head and stepped back. After a moment longer, it dipped its head to Lan and walked past. The other Ornithalls passed one by one, each examining him before moving on.

    Lan, for his part, just stood there. It wasn¡¯t like he could or wanted to do anything. Although some part of him wished that one of them would have dropped a feather or two. Even if it wasn¡¯t one of the tail feathers, it would still sell for a lot. However, if one of them had dropped a tail feather, he would most likely have passed out from the excitement.

    Ornithall tail feathers were not only teeming with magic but were one of the best crafting materials, so much so that integrating it into an item would give it innate magic power even without enchantment. In the hands of a real crafter, it would almost guarantee a masterwork item in the end.

    Lan had always wanted to see what his father could make with one. But it wasn¡¯t like he was going to try plucking one of the feathers, especially with them acting the way they were. Even as he thought as much, he watched the leader walk a short way before stopping to wait for the others to pass. Then it took one more look at Lan before walking off.

    Seeing they weren¡¯t heading toward the goblins, Lan left them to their devices as the Wisp extinguished the light plunging him back into the dark.

    For what felt like hours, Lan followed the Wisp. Even with the level up, he had been awake for hours now, fatigue was setting in, and he was getting hungry. More worrying than that were the sounds all around him.

    As he walked, Lan heard the sounds of animals staying far enough away from him and moving in the direction that he was coming from. At one point, Lan believed that his luck had run out when he came face to face with a Stonebreaker. The giant bear covered in stone blades and walking with three cubs looked up just as Lan saw before it dropped its head and moved on without glancing at him.

    Lan watched it go, surprised that he still could after seeing a mother Stonebear and her cubs and was still alive to think about what was going on.

    The stone blades on their backs were a prized material for sculpting. Not only was it beautiful when shaped, catching the light like a gemstone would. What made them so prized was that the older the bear, the harder and more durable it would become, and this would continue even after they were removed from the bear.

    This made it so the best stones were those from young Stonebears. Either as a result of this or just instinct, Stonebreaker cubs were never seen outside of their dens until nearly grown. The three following the large bear looked no larger than scouting dogs and appeared to be having a hard time just walking, stumbling over their paws as they ran after their mother.

    Lan looked the way they had come. First goblins so close to the city, the Ornithalls, and now the Stonebraker not acting their nature¡­ Lan looked at the Wisp. What the hells is it leading me to? Lan thought as the Wisp sent the feeling again. He didn¡¯t know what, but Lan was sure that the two were connected now, and although it crossed his mind for a moment, he had the feeling that the Wisp wasn¡¯t trying to lure him into a trap. The very idea was tantamount to heresy.

    What was a more worrying thought was what, by the light, he was expected to do about it. Whatever was able to drive those magic beasts to leave their territories was no doubt beyond him. As if not caring about his concern, the Wisp sent the feeling again.

    ¡®Yeah, Yeah. I got it,¡¯ Lan sighed and started after the Wisp. Although not an answer to his question, he glimpsed a large group of shadows moving deep in the night as he got closer. Suddenly, the pin dropped in his mind, and Lan realised they were goblins. Unlike everything else he had seen, they were not coming from where he was heading but from right to left across his path.

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    As Lan hid behind a tree, he wondered if they were his goblins, but when they didn¡¯t even seem to notice the smell of smoke on him as they passed, Lan realised that he could smell smoke, not what was coming off his clothes but in the air.

    He watched the goblins go, barking and chittering as they walked passed. Once they had gone down aways. Lan stepped out and looked where they were going. Only to be greeted by¡­ the rising sun? It was in the wrong place, and there was no way that it could be rising already, but the light shining in the distance could have fooled him.

    Keeping a safe distance away from the goblins, Lan found himself following them to the protests of the Wisp. He would only be deviating a short way, and nothing he could think of explained a light of that size that could be a good thing. Despite himself, he needed to see what it was.

    The closer he got, the more groups of goblins he saw walking around and with the small Voice in the back of his head screaming at him what he was trying to deny. The sounds from beyond the trees made him believe long before he was forced to face it.

    When Lan reached the edge of the trees and looked into the clearing that lay beyond at what made the small sun, he saw campfires. All over the clearing, which was twice the size of the one with the battle against the Razerwolves, was a circle of hundreds of small campfires with at least ten goblins around each of them.

    Within that circle was a smaller one with even larger fires, around which were shapes far too large to be normal goblins. At the heart of all this was a sizeable human-style tent. But the shadows cast against the canvas walls looked nothing like a human.

    This was a Goblin Swarm.

    Lan still didn¡¯t want to believe it, but nothing else explained what he was looking at other than the story his mother told him on one rainy night.

    Whenever there was a significant change in the world, there was a chance that a goblin would be born with the power to control a vast army of green terrors. Worst yet was that while a part of the Goblin King¡¯s army, the goblins would begin to change into more powerful forms. The more time that passed, the more the goblins would change until they were an unstoppable army that would wash over the land until nothing was left but barren earth.

    Even in the clearing itself, all signs of green had been eaten away as if repelled by the presence of the goblins leaving only cracked, damaged soil.

    This was why¡­

    Lan didn¡¯t know what the change could be that birthed a Goblin King, but this explained what he had been seeing. First, the fact they weren¡¯t afraid to travel close to the city and the odd way that all other beings in the forest were acting.

    An army this size would need a lot of food, and with the numbers to hunt even beasts that would otherwise not pay them a second thought, there was nothing safe. Looking at the large cook fire, it looked like they would be on the hunt soon enough.

    The Wisp sent the feeling again, this time much more urgent, but Lan was lost in his thoughts. Even if it wasn¡¯t what the Wisp was leading him to, there was no way that they weren¡¯t connected, and there was no way that he could just leave this. He had to get back. He had to get word to someone, anyone.

    The guild master¡­ the man didn¡¯t like Lan, but he would listen if it was an emergency of this magnitude, wouldn¡¯t he? Already there were what looked to be hundreds of knights and other evolved goblins, and as more goblins joined, the number of Greater Goblins would increase. The two guards? They had reached the War Master¡¯s ear eventually, but how would he get them to believe¡­ this when he didn¡¯t want to himself. Not to mention he didn¡¯t know how to reach this place again.

    But that was something he could change. The clearing offered something other than just existential dread, a clear sky. With it, Lan managed to find the guardian, the large blue star that pointed north.

    Despite the constant pestering of the Wisp, Lan started back the way he had come. He still wanted to help the Wisp, and even after returning to the city, Lan would if he could, but there was no way that he could just ignore what he had seen or the number of lives that would be lost if the swarm was able to grow stronger.

    Slowly heading back the way he had come to not draw the attention of more wandering groups of goblins, Lan tried to ignore the Wisp, who was now sending a never-ending barrage at his mind. Until it stopped, and Lan felt the pin drop in his mind a moment before the feeling that someone had been watching him returned and was immediately replaced with pain.

    [Hp 90 > 80]

    Jumping away, Lan turned and drew his sword, activating his shield as he was greeted by the slender goblin from the hollow; Lan was sure it was the same goblin as it smelled the air before gracing him with a long toothy grin.

    All at once, Lan realised it wasn¡¯t a coincidence. It had been following him from the moment it appeared in the clearing. Either toying with him or just waiting for the right time, it was clear now that it had been watching him this whole time.

    With the information he had and so close to the goblin camp, Lan didn¡¯t even consider fighting the odd new goblin, but before he could turn to run, the goblin was on him. Vanishing and reappearing in front of him in a heartbeat, the goblin opened up with a flurry of slashes that began to cut Lan to ribbons as if he wasn¡¯t even trying to put up a defence.

    [Hp 80 > 70 > 60]

    With everything he had, Lan pushed back, trying to buy any space he could so the shackle could reconfigure his stats. But the goblin effortlessly kept up with him, not even breaking in its attacks for a moment as it followed him.

    [Hp 50 > 40 > 30]

    [First configuration¡­]

    was all the Voice managed before Lan¡¯s back slammed into a tree? Lan turned, finding a goblin that made Cawl look small instead of a tree that began moving. Raising a green fist the size of Lan¡¯s head, the goblin brought the hulking mass down on Lan¡¯s chest.

    Lan hit the ground, his mind flashing back to the impact of falling out of the tree as a boy before watching his health drain.

    [Hp 30 > 20 > 10 > 0]

    The moment it did, every wound he had sustained up until then reopened all at once, and his mind was taken by a white blinding pain.

 Chapter 35: A Mind in the tide.

    Orange light stabbed into Lan¡¯s eyes as his mind spun and pain pulsed through his body, in all but his left arm, which felt like it wasn¡¯t there. Sounds of cheerful screaming filled his ears forcing him to try and open his eyes. When he managed to do so, Lan stared at the night sky as the night runner passed above. It was already midnight¡­ I have been out here longer than I thought. Lan reflected as he realised he was moving before drifting out of consciousness.

    He jolted awake as something pulled on his arm, increasing the fervour of cheers before a voice barked them down as he slipped into the dark again.

    Something hit him in the head, and Lan stared again long enough to look around. He was moving. He was floating. No, he was lying on something hard. When he was finally able to roll his head to the side, Lan was greeted by a sea of green faces, amber eyes and gnashing yellow teeth.

    For a moment, his mind cleared, registering the danger, and he tried to run only to find that his body wouldn¡¯t move. Raising his head, Lan saw the arm of the giant goblin around his waist, along with ropes tying him down to a board. That was all he managed to see before the effort of lifting his head left it swimming in a fog, and the darkness took him again.

    Golden light filled his eyes as the urgent feeling from the Wisp entered his mind again. Lan groaned. This really wasn¡¯t the time for this.

    Time for what? Wasn¡¯t he just running? No, he was being attacked. Attack by¡­ before Lan could remember, he stopped moving and felt the world turn on its axis, leaving him slumped against his bindings to the sounds of greater cheering from the sea of screeching voices around him. Then as if it had been a part of his dreaming, a sudden silence fell over them.

    Lan tried to open his eyes, finding a wave of goblins washed in orange light looking at him with the shadow-casted tree line behind them. The rhythmic thumping of something solid into the ground filled his mind, the sound of which made him drift again as it simultaneously reminded him of a walking stick, and Lan found his mind wandering to thoughts of Fanin, the former woodcutter, who had lost a leg to the tree that would become his walking stick and if he was still using that same one. He hadn¡¯t seen the man in years.

    Just before his mind was lost, pain ripped through his body as Lan was jolted back to life.

    [Hp 0 > 1]

    [Targeted magic cast: Spark of Life ¨C A controlled stream of lightning that can be used to bring one back from the brink of death. Notice. Overuse can cause pain.]

    Gasping, Lan strained against the ropes restraining him as he looked around. He was tied to a wooden board in the centre of the clearing next to the Goblin King¡¯s tent while all around him were goblins fixated on the being in front of him.

    Blinking hard, Lan tried to focus on it. Dressed in torn mage robes adorned with bones, a skull, and fur was a tall skinny goblin with elongated facial features and a beaked nose set on skin with a muddy green-grey pallor.

    Without any preamble, the goblin grabbed Lan¡¯s face, the point of its nails digging into his skin as it moved his head around before looking into his eyes and grinning at him.

    Lan fought not to recoil at the smell of rotten flesh on its breath, which only lasted a moment before it was forgotten when the goblin spoke in High Trayveian.

    ¡®Hmm¡­ you are the one that killed the Knighted and its band, are you not?¡¯

    Lan just stared blankly at the goblin. Its voice was soft and high, sometimes taking on the characteristics of a person speaking with a raw throat. While holding some words for too long and other times not long enough, leaving it to sound like the barks and shrieks of its own tongue. Even still, there was no doubt about what Lan had heard.

    Lan stared wide-eyed at it, which the goblin seemed to draw some amusement from as its face stretched into a smile of satisfaction.

    ¡®Did you think the words of man were beyond my kin, or are you surprised that we can even speak at all.¡¯

    He wasn¡¯t. Lan knew that goblins could speak even before today. He knew of at least two times that academics tried to make contact with goblins, only for one team to come back wounded and the other to never be seen again.

    Like most people, Lan thought that despite being capable of speech, goblins could not learn anything other than Obishe. To his horror, he had been wrong.

    ¡®It¡¯s-¡¯ Lan wrenched his face away from the goblin''s grip. ¡®only a surprise that you are doing so now.¡¯ Reminding the goblin that it hadn¡¯t already killed him wasn¡¯t the smartest move, but the fact that it hadn¡¯t told him that there was a reason. It wouldn¡¯t be much, but any reason to keep him alive was a chance for him to get out of this.

    ¡®And why wouldn¡¯t I wish to talk to you? You have answers that I want. Once I am done, then you can die.¡¯ The goblin said, its eyes lighting with the colour of the bonfires as they opened wider. In them, Lan saw that under the caricature of a mage that he was looking at lived the same monstrous creature that made up the writhing mass calling for his death.

    ¡®Now, you are the one that killed the Knighted One, yes? The fools that ran away are sure that it is you. But how?. You are weaker than a Knighted, but they say they watched you kill them, so how?¡¯

    ¡®Do you want to know if I did do it or how I did it?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®Are you saying you didn¡¯t?¡¯ the goblin asked curiously.

    ¡®No, I did, but that was two questions at once.¡¯ The moment the last word left Lan¡¯s mouth, pain ripped through him as the goblin touched his stomach.

    [Targeted magic cast: Spark of Life ¨C A controlled stream of lightning that can be used to bring one back from the brink of death. Notice. Overuse can cause pain.]

    Lan screamed as the ember of his health flickered wildly from being extinguished and reignited again and again, all while lightning raced through his veins.

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    After a moment, the goblin ended the lightning without even acknowledging what it had done, and Lan slumped against the ropes.

    ¡®Answer¡­¡¯

    Lan laughed, ¡®Right-¡¯ he coughed. ¡®I was stronger when I fought it.¡¯ he said greedily. What he said was true, even if it wasn¡¯t the whole truth. He wouldn¡¯t give up everything so easily, even if it meant more pain. All he had right now were answers, and every answer was another second taken from his life, so the goblin would have to pry them from him.

    The goblin blinked, then frowned, ¡®How¡­¡¯ it said before looking down at Lan''s hand, spotting the ring. ¡®It is this¡­¡¯ the goblin spoke without a hint of doubt as it reached for Lan¡¯s hand.

    ¡®How did you¡­¡¯ Lan started before shutting up when he realised his slip-up. Seeing this, the goblin stopped and smiled at him.

    ¡®This ring does not just have magic within it but something more. It has power within¡­ and something else.¡¯ The goblin frowned before taking the ring between its nails and tried pulling it free. Of course, the ring wouldn¡¯t even move, just like when Lan tried. When that didn¡¯t work, the goblin retrieved a knife and brought it close to Lan¡¯s hand.

    ¡®Wait!¡¯

    The goblin did, pausing and looking up at Lan.

    ¡®You don¡¯t want to do that.¡¯ Lan breathed before shaking his head, trying to clear it. ¡®If you do, you will be relieving me of the burdens of more than just a finger. Because that something else is a curse.¡¯

    As if faced with a viper maw, the goblin withdrew its hand back into its robe sleeve as its eyes widened. Lan didn¡¯t know if the ring had the type of curse that would punish those who tried to remove it incorrectly, seeing as it was a benefit more than a curse. He really didn¡¯t know too much about curses, but from the looks of it, the goblin knew more, enough to know not to mess with the potentially volatile object.

    ¡®And it is what makes you stronger?¡¯ It asked, seeming to weigh the new information.

    ¡®You know I have never seen a goblin so versed in magic like you.¡¯ Lan stated, dodging the question. Which seemed to work as the goblin smiled at the compliment

    ¡®Even before I joined the army of The Highest, I was blessed to hear the voice of the Brood Mother, so I knew to take the books of those my tribe hunted. Some of those books contained spells and other knowledge, and now I am a mage.¡¯ It said that like just having the title somehow took it away from men. It wasn¡¯t like it was trying to impress him. It was clearly just enjoying the thought before returning to the ring.

    ¡®Are there others that have these rings?¡¯ the goblin mage pressed without missing a beat.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Which was true. Really he didn¡¯t know if that madman Art was going around handing the shackle out to everyone he passed. Either way, this was enough to make the goblin frown.

    ¡®No matter, you still lost to the rogue and titan,¡¯ the goblin mage said as if reevaluating the situation. ¡®It was said that you breathed fire.¡¯ The goblin mage asked, then waited without a hint of bias or incredulity, ready to take whatever Lan could say and judge it fairly.

    ¡®Breathe fire? If I could breathe fire, you wouldn¡¯t have a face right now.¡¯ Lan said once again, speaking only the truth.

    [Targeted magic cast: Spark of Life ¨C A controlled stream of lightning that can be used to bring one back from the brink of death. Notice. Overuse can cause pain]

    Lan roared, unable to clinch his jaw before the lightning locked his spine. The crimson flame shook wildly before returning to normal as the lightning fled from his body.

    ¡®Hmm, you are right.¡¯ The goblin mage mused

    ¡®Then why by the Light did you shock me.¡¯ Lan groaned.

    ¡®You did not answer my question.¡¯ The goblin mage stated before smiling at Lan and wrinkling its nose. Smelling Lan¡¯s gauntlet, then his pocket. With a grin, the goblin reached into it and pulled out the bundle of blood-red silk.

    ¡®This,¡¯ The goblin grinned triumphantly as it held the wrapping up to Lan¡¯s face. ¡®How does it work.¡¯ It asked with intensity in its eyes, the interrogation momentarily forgotten as its fascination took hold.

    Just give him a little bit, Lan thought.

    ¡®If you cut it with a mana stone, it will catch on fire.¡¯

    The goblin mage reached into Lan''s pocket again, retrieved the mana stone between two fingernails and frowned at the stone before dropping it and the fire silk to the ground.

    ¡®You don¡¯t even need me to answer questions. You don¡¯t seem to have a hard time working it out on your own. So can I take it that you are the one that planned all this?¡¯

    The goblin mage grinned at this.

    ¡®I may have been the one to suggest moving closer to the human stronghold. Although we aren¡¯t ready for an attack yet, this does give us a great opportunity to strike at the surrounding camps while being a strong enough force to stop any retaliation.¡¯

    As the goblin spoke, it turned, and Lan started slowly turning his wrist, digging the shield¡¯s blade into the rope near his hand. This is just like any other negotiation. Just keep him talking, Lan thought to himself. There were always answers in what they said and didn¡¯t say.

    The chance of him escaping was next to none, even if he could cut through the rope without being caught. Maybe the Wisp could blind them and help him make a run for it. There was also the fire silk; if he lit the whole thing at once, the explosion could do some damage. Even if in the open space, it wouldn¡¯t be as effective. There was also still a chance he could talk himself into a more advantageous position, which he could break free from. No matter how hopeless the situation doing anything was better than waiting to die.

    Finishing what it was saying, the goblin mage turned back with Lan''s sword in its hand and brought the tip to his throat.

    ¡®This sword smells like¡­ that cloth, why?¡¯

    ¡®Still trying to work that one out myself.¡¯ Lan said. He was sure Cawl and Cali would have told him if the sword was meant to work with the Fire Silk. The fact they hadn¡¯t must have indicated that they didn¡¯t know.

    ¡®More strangeness¡­ are there more of these blades?¡¯

    Lan looked at the goblin mage for a moment before realising that it was trying to size up the city''s defences using him. Although they were interrogating the worst person if they wanted to know the city''s strength. The fact that they were even doing so was worrying.

    The Swarm was little more than an ever-growing mindless horde in the stories. If there was a mind behind the chaos, one that could command them, Lan couldn¡¯t see the heroic final battle where The Swarm is broken against a united army when one of them could tell them to retreat or not engage in the fight altogether. Guided evolutions instead of mindless growth, Lan could see larger Titans ripping down the gates to the city as the rogues killed the city''s defenders while a tidal wave of Knight Led goblins carved an ocean of blood in their wake. And what else was waiting for the city¡­

    ¡®I don¡¯t see why they couldn¡¯t. This sword was only a prototype.¡¯ Lan said. If he could make them hesitate or falter even for a day longer than they would, that would increase the chance that someone else would come across The Swarm if he couldn¡¯t make it back.

    ¡®Hmm.¡¯ The goblin hummed, seeming more focused on the blade, and after a moment, lightning burst from the goblin¡¯s hand and arched over his sword, but it didn¡¯t change or start to glow. With a dismissive look, the goblin dropped the weapon.

    ¡®If you untie me, I can show you how it works.¡¯

    In one fluid motion, the goblin redirected the lightning at Lan, and when his skin stopped smoking, the goblin looked at Lan¡¯s shield arm before dismissing it and removing the potions from his bag and looking at him, then dropping them too.

    ¡®There is one thing that I wish to know now.¡¯ It said moving close.

    ¡®Yeah, and what is that?¡¯

    ¡®They say that you are one that walks with the light? Is that true.¡¯ As if called by being mentioned, Lan saw the Wisp flying towards him. Even before it reached him, he got the feeling from it again.

    ¡®In¡­¡¯ Lan paused as the Wisp darted past the goblin mage without it seeming to notice. ¡®a way.¡¯

    ¡®What does it want.¡¯ The goblin asked intensely.

    ¡®That was what I was trying to find out before I ran into your camp. It looks like neither of us will learn what that is now. ¡®You know we could always go find out before you kill me.¡¯ Lan joked, which made the fact that the goblin mage considered it all the more surprising.

    After a moment, the goblin shook its head, ¡®Your fate has already been decided. All you can do now is entertain the king with your death.¡¯ The goblin mage said before slashing through the ropes with its dagger.

 Chapter 36: Hope it is enough.

    Lan dropped to the hardened soil, the impact of which found its way into all of his wounds, making him cough out blood. Once his mind stopped spinning and his eyes focused, he spotted his healing potions and tried to crawl over to them, using his one good arm to pull himself across the ground. Knowing that the goblins would be on him at any moment, he didn¡¯t think about the pain, just moving forward.

    When he was close enough to reach out for the potion, the goblin mage¡¯s hand closed around it, and Lan felt his will waver. It had been foolish to think that they would have just let me drink a potion, he thought just before he watched in amazement when the goblin unstopped the vial and stretched its hand out, offering it to Lan.

    He stared at the rose-red liquid, not registering what he was looking at. For a moment, Lan thought the goblin was going to pour the potion out in front of him, but as the seconds stretched on. He guessed that wasn¡¯t the case.

    ¡®The Highest wishes to see the strength that killed his Knighted. It would not do if you were not at your best.¡¯ The goblin mage hissed at Lan before placing the potion before him.

    Not sparing another moment to think, he picked up the potion and drank it all, not caring about the wasted half. Lan worked to his feet even as blue vapors rose from his skin.

    ¡®As I said, the Highest wishes to see how many of our number it will take to kill a human like you and to avenge the fallen knight. Take your time and ready yourself.¡¯

    Lan heard and understood the goblin¡¯s words, but understanding and believing them were two different things. Especially when he could feel the urge to kill him that had mixed into the air with the fervour that the goblins had stirred themselves up into.

    Lan looked around. He was really in it now. All around him was a thick ring of goblins. He couldn¡¯t be sure that it wasn¡¯t the same behind the Goblin King''s tent seeing as they wouldn¡¯t be able to watch the fight to come, but the chances of him getting there without getting caught were slim. He still had the fire silk. If he set the Goblin King¡¯s tent on fire, maybe it would be enough of a distraction for him to get away.

    ¡®Are you ready?¡¯ the goblin mage asked.

    ¡®Hardly,¡¯ Lan sighed. I haven¡¯t eaten in hours. ¡®I don¡¯t think I will make for much of a show as I am now.¡¯ he said more so to buy a few more moments to think. So he was left absolutely dumbfounded when the goblin mage nodded, walked into the Goblin King¡¯s tent, and returned with a bowl of fruit.

    ¡®The Highest wishes for a good show.¡¯ Was all the goblin mage said as it placed the bowl down and stepped back.

    Lan didn¡¯t realise how hungry he really had been until he looked at the dark red apples, highlighted with golden light from the bonfires.

    Taking one more look at the goblin mage, he picked up an apple making sure to watch the wall of goblins as the offer of food to their prey seemed too much for some of them, making them roar even louder and stomp their feet.

    Knowing where it had come from, Lan took a large bite out of the apple, making sure not to eat it or drink the juice before checking and smelling the fruit''s flesh. When it looked and smelled fine, it was gone a moment later as he devoured it in four bites, not even sparing the seeds or the stems.

    He was four apples deep before he reminded himself not to eat too many. The last thing he needed was to make himself sick or weigh himself down. But still, he almost couldn¡¯t stop.

    As far as apples went, he had never eaten any that were worth remembering. But those before him, they were a memory in the making. The juice was sweeter than he knew possible, with a richer form of an apple¡¯s characteristic flavour. The flesh of the apple had always been Lan¡¯s least favourite part, finding the firm yet yielding fruit more of a chore than a pleasure to eat. These were so filled with juice that it was like silk.

    Maybe they really were that good, or perhaps it was the fact that it was most likely his last meal that made him savour every bite, even as he stuffed his face.

    Once he was done, Lan rose to his feet.

    ¡®I take it you are ready now?¡¯ the goblin mage asked.

    ¡®Well, you couldn¡¯t let me get a night¡¯s rest in my own bed first, could you?¡¯ Lan joked, taking some pleasure when it looked like the goblin mage wanted to shock him again. He didn¡¯t know where he was finding the will to make jokes, but it seemed to fit the moment as well as anything else.

    Lan picked up the one-and-a-half remaining potions before walking over to his sword, the fire silk and the mana stone, looking for something to help get him out of this.

    Burning the tent was still the best thing he could come up with. But as he thought as much, Lan watched as four knights rushed over to the tent and started to take it apart. Revealing the one at the heart of the Swarm.

    Sitting on a throne made of a dark wood that looked to have been grown into a throne with its branches bent back, adorned with skulls of many creatures, even humans, was a goblin the likes Lan had never seen before.

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    It was larger than the titans, with a head twice as large to scale as the others and a similarly green-skinned body with elongated arms and legs. The Goblin King was in no way deserving of the title, yet none other fit what Lan was looking at. For in every way, it embodied the idea of the master of the green horrors. Lounging on its throne in the way only a king could, the image was ruined by its oversized frame not fitting the throwe well and its less than noble extended belly that hung over the leather and fur loincloth it was wearing.

    ¡®There goes that plan¡­¡¯ Lan breathed as the Goblin King¡¯s eyes fell on him, and it began to grin a blood-hungry sneer. ¡®Fine then,¡¯ he said as he rewrapped his bracer with the fire silk. If this was how it would end for him, then he would take as many goblins with him as he could.

    The Goblin mage looked to Lan, and he nodded. The mage then nodded to the King, who pointed to a goblin. The moment it did, the gathered mass exploded into roars of excitement at the end of their waiting and the start of the bloodshed.

    As the chosen goblin, a single unevolved goblin shoved its way out of the crowd, the wisp flew frantically at Lan¡¯s face. From the moment it returned to his side, the little light had been assaulting his mind with the feeling, but it wasn¡¯t like there was much that he could do about it now. Lan looked around again; there had to be something that could help him out of this.

    Before he could think of anything, the Goblin King waved its hand, and his opponent charged at him.

    Bellowing its challenge, the goblin ran at Lan with everything it had as if it was being driven by the roars of the crowd. Distracted by his thoughts, the goblin was almost on him when he noticed it. The look in its eyes was one of a beast that could already taste the blood of the kill as it threw Every last shred of strength into its first and only attack.

    With the surety that only a calm mind afforded, Lan stepped out of the way and slashed down, leaving the two parts of the goblin to slam into and slide along the ground. A sound that was made deafeningly loud by the fleeing of all other noises from the goblins that now had nothing to cheer for.

    As Lan fixed the strap of the shield arm with his teeth, he wondered why they were so surprised. They believed he had killed thirty of them; what was one more?

    Looking over at the mage and the Goblin King, they didn¡¯t seem too impressed. Before the silence could go on, the Goblin King pointed out three more from the horde. Who made their way with a newly kindled hatred in their eyes.

    Lan tested his hand a few times as he watched them; finding no pain, he flexed his arm, activating the shield and fell into stance.

    Before the goblins could make the first move. Lan shot forward, catching them by surprise by closing the distance as fast as he could before driving his boot into the middle goblin¡¯s chest. The recipient of his boot flew back into the crowd as he drove his sword into the face of the one to his right, simultaneously catching the dagger of the one on his left.

    Like in the hollow, Lan deactivated and reactivated the shield before connecting with the dagger. His timing was off, however, only managing to remove a few of the goblin¡¯s fingers as he found the goblin he had run through was somehow still alive, even with steel through its head.

    Lan retrieved his sword by cutting it out of the goblin¡¯s head, and although it looked stunned, it was still standing, but it gave him the time he needed to block an attack from the left assailant and remove its head before turning and killing the staggered goblin.

    Lan almost forgot about the third opponent he had kicked until it screamed and charged him, looking like it would try and tackle him. Before it could, Lan reached into the Other World Chest, took his mace, and swung it as it cleared the chest¡¯s effect.

    The goblin met his backswing, spinning through the air as it connected with the mace, the clearing went quiet, and Lan was left to finish the goblin off in a silence worthy of a prayer.

    ¡®Well done, human. I see that our simple brethren are no match for you.¡¯ The goblin mage said as it walked over to Lan.

    ¡®How can you praise me for killing your people.¡¯ Lan asked. Really, he didn¡¯t feel like he had done anything outstanding. His sword was strong enough to kill the goblins with a strike to the neck, and he had fought enough of them that he knew how they would come at him. Not to mention they were facing someone that wouldn¡¯t freeze. Turning their greatest weapon of near unchallenged assault into unprepared surprise.

    ¡®We will mourn them in our own way,¡¯ The goblin mage stated without feeling. ¡®More importantly, we now know that even without your dragon¡¯s breath, three are not enough to kill one like you that will stand and not run.¡¯

    Lan stifled a curse as the goblin mage looked at him impassively. Although he knew that it would take far more than that to kill anyone in the guild, the better he did, the worse he was making it for the city¡¯s defenders.

    Lan thought about the mage; if he could kill it, he would be doing more than if he was somehow able to get back. But could he? He didn¡¯t know the goblin''s level, nor would he get a second chance at it. What if I just throw everything I have at it? He thought, but before that, Lan looked the goblin in the eyes. ¡®So then, how many goblins would I have to kill for you to let me go?¡¯ he asked, making the goblin smile.

    ¡®We have many goblins. But if you can kill half of our number, then I will ask the Highest to allow you to live.¡¯

    Lan smiled at that. ¡®If I can kill so many, I might as well stay and finish the rest.¡¯ After a moment, both he and the goblin mage laughed. Although neither saw any humour in the situation, making it all the funnier. Seeing this, the Goblin King frowned at the two.

    ¡®I just have to ask, why do all this?¡¯ Lan asked, getting the goblin mage to look up at him. ¡®Clearly, you are capable of deeper thought. So why do all this. We don¡¯t have to be enemies. If those in power knew that goblins could be communicated with, I am sure we could find a way to live around each other, if not as far as with one another.¡¯

    In that moment, Lan wasn¡¯t trying to save his life. It was just something that he felt he needed to say. All the wasted lives and all that would be wasted, none of it needed to happen just because one goblin could change it.

    ¡®You do not understand what we are; that is the only reason you think so. But even if we wanted to, we couldn¡¯t take the chance. Finding a proper stronghold is the only way I can see that we survive as we grow bigger.¡¯

    Not liking what it was seeing between the two of them, The Goblin King pounded its fist on the arm of its throne.

    ¡®We will become a larger target as our numbers grow, and the forest becomes smaller as all life is eaten.¡¯ The goblin looked into the darkened tree line and back to Lan. ¡®All we can do now is what we were born to do and hope it is enough.¡¯

    With a defeated sigh, Lan watched the Goblin King pick his next opponent.

 Chapter 37: Knight and Steel

    As if as an extension of the Goblin King¡¯s gesture, the horde slowly split like Chiron parting the emerald sea with a punch until it reached the chosen goblin, a Knight.

    Lan looked at the goblin mage and frowned, only to find it with a similar expression on its face.

    ¡®It would seem that the Highest has changed their mind. It looks like your death will come sooner than I thought.¡¯ The goblin mage said, sounding annoyed.

    Despite the situation, Lan could see why it was upset. They not only wouldn¡¯t be able to learn how many goblins they needed to kill him, but those that had been killed were for nothing.

    ¡®Looks like your plans were for naught,¡¯ Lan said as he wrapped his sword with the fire silk. ¡®I wonder if you will ever be able to take the city at this rate.¡¯ Lan prodded, making the goblin grimace as he cut and stabbed the end of the silk on the point of his sword.

    He hadn¡¯t planned on trying to turn the mage against its King. It had not too long ago been torturing him for answers, and Lan would be happy running it through the neck, but¡­ if there was enough conflict there, then maybe the mage would see this as a good enough distraction to start a coup, and maybe he could use that distraction to get the hell out of there. But as the goblin mage brushed aside his words, he decided he would settle for getting under its skin.

    ¡®Just focus on not dying too quickly.¡¯ It hissed back. But Lan didn¡¯t answer as he turned his attention to the goblin knight.

    The knight was already a problem, but it would be worse once it used the red aura ability. If he was going to win this, he needed to kill it fast. Slowly as if taking part in a ceremony, the goblin knight made its way towards the circle, taking the time to bark at any goblin that got too close to it.

    Lan felt the Wisp in his mind as the feeling from the battle with the razer wolves and the other knight flowed into him. He wanted to find out if he could kill it faster than before.

    [First configuration complete.]

    [Strength: 13 > 19]

    Body: 13

    Mind: 13 > 7

    Dexterity: 13 > 25

    Perception: 13 > 7

    [Charisma: 13 > 7]

    Even as Lan reeled from the sudden head rush and heating in his muscles, he wondered what had just happened. Checking his tome, it was exactly the stats that he would have wanted. But every time before, he had been pushed to his limits before it had changed.

    Even still, he was glad for it. For his plan to work, he needed speed and just enough strength. Looking at his stats again, it wasn¡¯t just what he needed; it was exactly what he would have asked for.

    With his heightened reflexes, Lan saw the goblin knight kick off the ground and charge at him. His skin bristled, feeling the attack coming long before the goblin swung its blade and ducked under it.

    Lan sidestepped the next attack before deflecting the goblin¡¯s recovery slash. He watched the goblin for the next few moments, studying it as it attacked him. The sudden draw of breath before its muscles twitched, the movement of its eyes as the goblin looked for its next opening and the anger every time it missed. He could see all of it.

    This one is weaker than the last, he thought to himself as the goblin roared and attacked more erratically.

    Lan knew he needed to end this fast, but a part of him wanted to see how fast it could become and if he could dodge it. Lan pushed the thoughts aside and met the goblin knight¡¯s blade with his shield. This time his timing was perfect, the rusted iron meeting the shield just as it started to activate. The heavy clunk of the hidden blades sliding into place was joined by a high-pitched keening as the dagger spun off into the dark.

    Lan was sure he heard a goblin cry out, but he was focused more on driving his sword into the surprised knight¡¯s chest. Before the goblin knight or others could process what happened, Lan sparked the fire silk around his sword.

    After a moment¡¯s pause, the silk came to life. Burning with a crimson fury as the flames rapidly ate throught the small fabric remaining before vanishing inside the goblin knight¡¯s body with a sound like it had been pulled into a vacuum and then exploded out the back of the goblin knight with a blossoming Crimson flower.

    In moments, there was a new source of light in the clearing, a blood-red vengeful devourer that wrapped around the goblin, turning it to ash before their eyes.

    Lan stepped back, finding his sword glowing brighter than before as now the runes covered the whole blade. Lan had guessed it worked this way, but as he checked, he was just happy that having it go off so close hadn¡¯t damaged the metal.

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    Once again, the goblins had been denied their human bloodshed and fell silent. Lan was about to look over to the King when he felt a building crash into him, and a cheer went up again.

    [Hp 80 > 50]

    Lan flew over the goblin king¡¯s bonfire, hitting the ground and almost rolling into the waiting arms of the wall of green-clawed hands. Having the source of their blood lust so close seemed to break them from the King¡¯s will suppressing them long enough to try pulling him into the mass.

    Rolling away from them, Lan rose to his feet and looked around.

    The first thing he saw was the Goblin King. It was sitting, grinning at him as it pointed to its next champion. The goblin titan that had punched him in the back was now barrelling down on him.

    Lan rolled under the titan¡¯s swing, which sent a few goblins flying back before the titan turned and stomped its foot on the ground, making it shake and throwing Lan out of his roll.

    Lan dug his hand into to dirt as he spun before he felt the pin drop in his mind at the same time as his body screamed for him to move. Lan rolled away a second before the titan¡¯s foot fell where he had been. He rolled again from the next stomp before bringing his sword up, ready for the next.

    Odd steel bit into calloused skin before the skin yielded to the sharp burning metal, and the force of its descent pushed the blade out the top of the titan¡¯s foot. Even before it reached halfway down the sword, fireworks exploded from it as the blade burned through the goblin''s thick blood.

    Lan wasn¡¯t done as he rolled to the right, cutting his sword free before springing to his feet as the goblin roared in pain and struck out with a backhand.

    He tried to take the blow on his shield, feeling sharp pain wrack his arm and shoulder before buckling and sending him flying across the ground.

    [Hp 50 > 35]

    With the taste of metal in his mouth, Lan blinked away stars knowing he needed to get his mind straight before the titan¡¯s next attack. He didn¡¯t need to worry too much, as when his ears stopped ringing, he heard the pain-filled cries of the titan, which was holding its still-burning leg.

    Whatever Cawl had done to make it? His sword seemed crafted to kill goblins, Lan thought, looking at the blade. Finding that now that the whole middle third was alit, the cluster of runes slowly turned like moving gears. After a moment, Lan remembered he was in a fight and rose to his feet.

    The Goblin King not only looked incensed but also directed its anger at his sword, almost looking like it wanted to leap from its throne and rip it from him.

    Lan didn¡¯t spare it another look. Lifting his shield arm up with some effort and closed in on the goblin titan. As he did, the titan looked up and charged, leaving scars along the ground as it propelled its weight toward him.

    Lan didn¡¯t try to evade. With all the damage he had taken, he couldn¡¯t even if he wanted to, so he braced himself until the titan stopped and swung its fist. Instead of blocking it at the last moment, Lan shot under it and ran the titan through the heart.

    Smoke burst from the goblin¡¯s mouth, but before Lan could celebrate, a steel cage of fingers locked around his chest. Lan looked down, his mind going blank as the titan lifted him off the ground and ripped his sword out of his hand.

    ¡®Damn..¡¯ was all Lan managed before the goblin titan squeezed, making it so he couldn¡¯t draw in a full breath. He tried to pry the goblin''s hands open, the effort of which made him breathe out again, and the titan closed its hands more.

    The Goblin King let out an unexpected and unfitting high-pitched laugh, slamming the arm of its throne as Lan came to the horrifying realisation that the titan wasn''t going to crush his chest. It was going to constrict him, using his gasps for life as the tool to snuff it out of him.

    Lan threw punches as fast as he could, pummeling and cutting the titan¡¯s face to no effect aside from making it so that the titan¡¯s fingers almost touched. Struggling to pull in air, Lan reached into the chest, drew two daggers, and tried to drive them into the titan¡¯s head, but its larger body came with a thicker skull.

    As shadows crawled into the corners of his sight, Lan aimed for its eyes. Only to have the titan move him away and try to shake the daggers out of his weakening hands.

    [Hp 35 > 34 > 33 > 32]

    Despite knowing what it meant and knowing he had to stay awake. Lan saw the hill where his family home stood atop, where he had sat looking down on the village countless times. He saw a young Silas waiting for him at the door, his mother through the kitchen window and the sounds of his father in his workshop. He knew it was just a dream, but when Silas saw him and started waving. He couldn¡¯t help but rush to get home.

    A small voice screamed for him to stop moving, but he didn¡¯t want to. He just wanted to go home.

    Lan raised his arms and stabbed at his own chest, driving the blades into the titan¡¯s hands and making it lose its grip out of pain and surprise, giving him a chance to pull some glorious smoke and goblin-filled air into his lungs as his sight cleared.

    When it did, he was face-to-face with a pissed-off-looking titan before it started to squeeze again, but before it could move him away again. Lan grabbed the end of the fire silk around his arm and wrapped it around the goblin''s neck, only then realising he had dropped the mana stone.

    He wanted to curse, but knowing what it would lead to, Lan gritted his teeth and crossed his arms, cinching the mana fabric as the goblin understood what he was doing and began to squeeze again.

    Lan didn¡¯t let up, dead set on making the goblin titan face the same fate and pulled harder until it started to draw blood. The rich dark green blood soaked into the silk as the titan¡¯s eyes started to bulge, which only made the titan squeeze harder.

    [Hp 32 > 30 > 28 > 26]

    Lan coughed blood and cursed himself; if only he hadn¡¯t dropped the damn stone. If he had just held onto it, this could have been over. As if to mock him, the friction from pulling the silk started to burn his hands, and Lan thought about if the fire would have burnt through his gloves. He could almost see the blood-red flames. If only he hadn¡¯t dropped the stone.

    Through the growing blackness, a light burst to life in his mind.

    Mana

    He had mana. Lan thought as he started to will the new veins in his body to life. Willing the mana to pool into his hand. Lan pushed until he felt pressure on his skin. He pushed until the pain in his mind surpassed the crushing of his rib cage, and just when it was almost too much¡­ sparks. Like snap-fly fireworks, tiny clusters of explosions spattered around his hands before the silk answered his will, becoming a burning collar.

    Bunding to the influence of its new shackle, the goblin titan dropped Lan as its head started to melt, and it roared. Lan landed on his feet and somehow managed to stay on them as he picked up his sword and ran it through the titan¡¯s knee, dropping and making it rage louder as it fell.

    With its thundering shouts piercing his ears, Lan didn¡¯t realise he was roaring just as much until he cut through the titan¡¯s neck with one swing.

 Chapter 38: Revelaion

    As the goblin fell, so did Lan. He knew he needed to drink a potion; while he had the chance, he knew the goblin king would send the next. He was just done. Even with the potion, his body had gone through too much, and potions couldn¡¯t hold together what was too tired to move forward.

    Instead of more pain from his next opponent, Lan looked up, taking large breaths and was greeted by the goblin mage.

    ¡®You are not the strongest human I have seen,¡¯ it started, ¡®but you cling to life with a ferocity that surpasses even our own¡­ what is your name, human?¡¯

    Lan coughed out a laugh, ¡®Lan¡­ Landrin but people call me Lan,¡¯ he finished getting a nod from the mage. ¡®and you?¡¯

    For a moment, the goblin mage looked unsure and thinking he wouldn¡¯t get it, Lan reached for his potions.

    ¡®I have been ordered to kill you if you try and drink another potion.¡¯ The mage said, looking over to the Goblin King. Lan followed it and found the red face king growling at him, with the twisted remains of its armrest still gripped in its hands.

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan sighed.

    ¡®Owrain Gasck.¡¯

    Lan looked up at the goblin.

    ¡®My name is Owrain Gasck.¡¯ It said again slowly so Lan could copy the words.

    ¡®Owrain Gasck. I¡¯ll remember that name.¡¯ Lan said as he worked his way onto his feet.

    ¡®For as long as that will be.¡¯ Owrain said, sounding a little sad at the thought.

    ¡®Longer than you think. I still have to get back and warn the others about your little group.¡¯ Lan grinned, making Owrain¡¯s face twitch before he smiled.

    ¡®Maybe you will, and maybe there is still a chance for us all.¡¯ The goblin mage said before walking away without another word of explanation, and as the goblins began to cheer again, Lan guessed that he was out of time.

    Rewrapping his bracer Lan watched as the slender goblin, the rogue, walked out of the horde and grinned at him.

    ¡®Of course, it would be you.¡¯ Lan said, knowing it to be a fact even though he could see other rogues in the crowd. He knew just by the smug grin it was the same one from before. ¡®Well, at least I have the chance to wipe the stupid smile off your face.¡¯ Lan said, knowing it would most likely be the last thing he did.

    With its fast speed, Lan wondered if he could keep up with it and still do enough damage to kill it. Suddenly Lan blinked. He didn¡¯t consider dying. Even in his state, there was still a fight to finish, and that is all that mattered. With that thought, Lan fell into stance and waited for the goblin rogue, who started to circle him after entering the grounds.

    Before the goblin could come at him, Lan''s mind went quiet. The act of which made him stumble, drawing laughter from the rogue and the Goblin King. Lan barely noticed them as the sudden quiet in his mind was almost deafening. He looked around for the Wisp, finding it no longer flying but unmoving in the air. From the moment he fought the knight, it had been sending in the feeling non-stop to the point it had blended in with his thoughts.

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    Despite the situation, Lan looked over the rogue''s shoulder and found.

    The stars were gone.

    Lan dropped his guard, stood straight to get a better look, and found the rogue turning to see what he was looking at, only to drop its stance and turn. This was enough to get everyone else''s attention as Lan watched more stars wink out. Slowly more and more goblins fell silent as the sky grew darker.

    It was only when Lan managed to look away, did he realise it wasn¡¯t just the sky. All around him, he could still see the tree line, But when he looked back to his front, he could only see the almost offensive to the eyes dark, like it was pulling the light from them.

    As more stars were swallowed by the dark, Lan saw one of them vanish and reappear for a moment before it was gone once again. The darkness was moving like an inky black undulating mass that, as it got closer, seemed to rob even the sound from the air.

    When the darkness had almost reached the horde, the closest goblin moved to curiously meet the dark as the Wisp reanimated and sent both the feeling of urgency and the pin drop over and over until it felt like rain falling in Lan¡¯s mind.

    As if that was not enough, Owrain started to bark something in the goblin''s tongue, waving frantically before the Goblin King shot him down with a single bark before waving for the goblins to get closer.

    Owrain shot back, getting a grin from His King before it was too late.

    The closest goblin reached the darkness; it stretched out its hand to meet the dark before it was swallowed up by it, then nothing as the dark moved forward. Consciously another goblin moved up to the slowly encroaching darkness and called out to the first goblin.

    Instead of an answer, a tendril of black shot out and grabbed the goblin without ceremony, before it was followed by an exploration of inky black arms that lashed and ripped the goblins back into the darkness before the wave of black rose up, covering more of the sky before smashing down on the clearing.

    Before it could wash over Lan, the Wisp came to life, expanding its light like a shield on which the darkness broke against, filling the air with the sounds of rushing winds before dying away to panic all around, chittering and the sounds of fighting. No, not that. It was the sound of a one-sided attack as the darkness or whatever was in it tore through the goblins.

    ¡®Damn it, we are too late!¡¯ Owrain said as he tried to make a light to shield himself, but before he could, a wave of ink washed over him, dragging him into the black but not before his eyes met Lan¡¯s with a look of knowing terror on his face.

    Now that the Wisp had made itself visible, the Goblin King tried to rush over to it, only for Lan to see hundreds of glowing purple eyes before something cut the King down, and it was lanced by countless sword-shaped shadows.

    Lan just stood there for a moment, he had thought he had seen something in the dark shapes that lined up with the pairs of glowing eyes, but before he could see more, the Wisp flew right into his face.

    The feeling was like little more than a breeze, but the mental impression that said, ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± was enough to get him to start moving.

    [Hp 26 > 80]

    Drinking a potion Lan ran, the Light from the Wisp acting as a bulwark against the shadows dragging his battered body forward, but that didn¡¯t stop the things within the dark from trying to attack him. A long black blade shot from his right and almost took Lan in the neck, while another passed by his head as he dodged under the first. Tendrils burst from the ground seeking Lan, but he managed to outrun it.

    Moments later, Lan found the ground becoming soft, and as he spared a moment to look found the ground covered in goblin bodies, but even as Lan reached the edge of the darkness, he could hear thousands of voices crying out in pain and confusion as the swarm of goblins was slowly devoured.

    Breaking the dark, Lan hit the ground as the normal sounds of the forest returned, as if the mayhem taking place in the sphere of uncaring shadow wasn¡¯t even happening.

    The Wisp urged him on, and Lan moved just as a tendril lashed out at him; when it came at him again, Lan reacted and slashed at it. Dispelling it far easier than he expected. Lan walked backwards until he had reached the tree line leaving him to stare at the orb as all the pieces fell into place.

    It wasn¡¯t the swarm that the forest had been running from. Nor what the Wisp was leading him to. Why the beasts were acting against their nature and the great change that had birthed the now-dead Goblin King. It was this¡­

 Author update

    Hi all, just wanted to say that I am still not going anywhere and give you an update on what''s going on.

    With life and what not it took me a little longer to get back into the mindset for writing than I was expecting but I have been back on it for about a week now. After going over it, I plan on changing the order of how a few things happen so I might take a week or two to do that and try and get as much of the second half of this arc done.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Also the first chapter back will be the first multiple POV, just to give you a look into the minds of some of the other characters, with Lan''s mother, Locke and Lawrence. if there is any other characters you would like me to add, just let me know.

 Chapter 39: Promises

    Landrin

    With the realisation still ringing in his head, Lan stood there trying to process what he was looking at,

    ¡®How the hell do I even report this?¡¯ Lan breathed before he saw a change in the sphere. A small golden light built up on the surface of the black ball before the traces of gathered Experience broke through it and floated towards him.

    Lan watched blankly as it stretched over to him. For the Experience from the goblins he had killed to be already seeking him out could only mean one thing. All combat in the area had ended.

    All those goblins just like that¡­ gone in moments.

    Before the golden light could reach him, Lan felt the Wisp in his mind again and turned to follow it. The Experience would follow him, and although he would be leaving a trail, it was better than waiting for the darkness to notice him again.

    Following the Wisp, Lan broke into a run before stumbling into a tree and coughing up blood. Every breath felt like he was stoking a fire in his chest. He needed to rest. It wouldn¡¯t close his wounds or knit together his bones, but with time it would numb the pain enough for him to go on.

    The Wisp flew over to him and sent a new feeling, this one something akin to worry, before quickly following it with the one of urgency, and he knew why. They were still too close to the clearing. So Lan pushed himself off the tree and put one foot in front of the other.

    With the Light of the Wisp guiding him and the pain of each step indicating when he had made one, Lan¡¯s mind blurred, and his body moved, puppeteered by the Wisp¡¯s light. Lan existed like this for some time until his foot slammed into something hard, and he almost flipped over as he crashed to the ground.

    Groaning, Lan blinked and looked around. He was lying on the base of the tree he had tripped on. Lan tried to get up, but finding that his body wouldn¡¯t listen, he pulled himself into the space between the base of two roots giving him some cover. Even then, the act of doing so left him gasping for air.

    This was his first solo job. What the hell had he gotten himself into. An unknown threat that was dangerous enough to wipe out a Goblin Swarm, a Wisp that seemed to be leading him to something that to it was more important than the thing that killed a Swarm like it was nothing, and by some joke of the Tails, he was in the centre of it.

    Lan laughed before reeling from the pain. The city was truly doomed if he was the best that this story had to offer. Lan thought before his mirth sunk into his chest. Really what was he supposed to do when he wasn¡¯t sure he could even return to the city. He didn¡¯t even have the strength to make a fire to keep himself warm. This was mostly good, as it would undoubtedly draw something else to him.

    Too tired to even hold his head up, Lan let it drop before feeling something jab under his chin.

    Probing around for it with his hand, Lan felt something sticking out the top of his armour. Pulling it free, he was greeted by a small perfect-cut lapis stone set in a platinum hairpin.

    Feeling the pain fade from his body Lan turned the hairpin¡¯s stem between his thumb and finger. He had brought it because he planned to return it right after the job. Somehow it hadn¡¯t been damaged by the goblin titan or everything else that he had gone through. Lan watched the lapis stone''s golden flecks catch the Wisp''s light.

    His pain, fears, and hopelessness faded as he looked at the hairpin. Maybe it was because of the promise he had made or just who it belonged to, but having it brought Lan a sense of comfort greater than a thousand fires. Even if he couldn¡¯t do anything else, he would focus on what he could, returning the hairpin no matter what he had to do. With that thought keeping him warm, Lan allowed himself to drift into the darkness of sleep.

    [Exp 1230 gained] [Exp 2265 / 4000]

    [Kill log]

    Goblin x 6 ¨C Level 5 = 350 exp

    Goblin Knight x 1 ¨C Level 9 = 280 exp

    Goblin Titan x 1 ¨C Level 11 = 600 exp

    Locke

    Locke took a drink from his mug and suppressed a frown. For some reason, it had a bitter taste that night. The perfect drink for a night like this, he reasoned. He wanted to sigh, but with the others around their usual table, he chose not to. First, they were called by the guild master for another special job which turned out to be a rampaging Veradon of all things. If finding out that a literal walking mountain could rampage wasn¡¯t bad enough, they had returned only to find that Lan hadn¡¯t come back from his first solo job. Yes, this really was the perfect drink for a night like this.

    Losing an adventurer never got easier, even if you didn¡¯t know them well or at all; anytime One of the Great Hunt fell was not only a reminder of the risks they all took part in. Something he would admit most of them needed seeing as when the Call of the hunt was singing in one''s mind, it was easy to forget that they were mortal, but it was also a sign that there was one less person to face that risk with and there weren¡¯t many of them these days. Even counting those that didn¡¯t have the Hunters Mark and were only in it for the money.

    But this time, it stung just that little more. Looking back at it now, he should have said something to him even though he wasn¡¯t one to openly talk about such things. He should have told Lan that he liked him. There weren¡¯t many people he could say that about; in fact, all of them sat around him except for one or two others.

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    Not many people could stare him down when he lost his temper, but only Lan had him forget which one of them was the seasoned adventurer when they looked back. And that was to say nothing of the fact that he had risked his life to save almost everyone around him.

    For an adventurer, there was no greater honour than for one to offer their lives for yours. For men and women that risked their lives every day, what could be a greater gesture than to say that I would lay down my life to preserve yours? Lan had done so with only a single health point and at least nine levels below their attackers. It was no wonder they had all taken to him so quickly. It was a moment that none of them would soon forget.

    No doubt he would have been a great adventurer, Locke thought before chastising himself. There was always a chance that he was still alive, and Lan had already survived something that he should not have. He reasoned, and he owed him that much.

    Hearing a creaking, Locke looked up and found Vulk messing with his chair.

    ¡®Ah! There something wrong with this chair.¡¯ The Red-haired dwarf huffed, shifting around some more.

    ¡®It¡¯s the same chair as always,¡¯ Sora groaned. ¡®You know the chair you make sure to set aside whenever there is a brawl so it doesn''t get damaged, the one with your name on the corner.¡¯

    Vulk looked at the back of the chair and grunted.

    ¡®Well then, it¡¯s the table. One of the legs must be shorter than the rest.¡¯

    ¡®This table has literally been here longer than I have been an adventurer.¡¯ The young rogue shot back.

    ¡®Well, something is wrong, and I don¡¯t like it!¡¯ Vulk snapped loud enough to make some of the closer tables turn to look, even if it was much quieter in the inn that night. Even still, Vulk''s outburst seemed to put a voice to what they were all thinking.

    Losing an adventurer never got easy, but losing a friend was worse.

    ¡®It couldn¡¯t have hurt to try and teach him how to use the spear a little,¡¯ Drevin chimed in, ¡®Maybe he could have learned a few combat skills.¡¯ He added, getting a nod from the others.

    ¡®If he was going out alone, some scouting or herbology skills would have been good.¡¯ Vasha said, rubbing the marks that shooting her bow had left on her fingers as the others nodded.

    ¡®Hmm, I wasn¡¯t really needed on this job. I could have stayed back.¡¯ Sora added.

    ¡®That¡¯s enough,¡¯ Locke started drawing the other''s attention, ¡®it¡¯s only been a day. Until his tag is recovered, let''s not give up on him yet,¡¯ the party leader said, finding it easy as he believed them himself.

    ¡®I just wish I had teased him less.¡¯ Olivia shrugged, ¡®or maybe more.¡¯ She sighed, getting a smile from the others.

    ¡®Who knows, it might have given him the drive to get back.¡¯ Drevin joked, getting a pout from the mage.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know. I think Lan has already caught on to your little game.¡¯ Vasha laughed.

    ¡®I don¡¯t ever remember saying it is a game.¡¯ Olivia huffed as she stuck her chest out.

    ¡®I am sure he will be back in a day or two.¡¯ Cassandra added with the finality she did with everything else. Leaving the others to just look at her for a long moment.

    ¡®Well, we better keep his seat warm then.¡¯ Locke smiled.

    Enri

    As her husband and son sat talking at the table, Enri took her time with the dishes. From the corner of her eye, she saw her husband Kurt occasionally look at Lan¡¯s chair. Something that he hadn¡¯t done for a long time, but after Lan returned, he seemed to do it every moment he was in the kitchen. He was also spending more time in his workshop again, like when Lan had first left.

    She couldn¡¯t say anything as she looked out the window at the path leading to their home. It was funny. For years, she had done so, waiting for the day that she would see her son coming up the path, and once again, she found herself waiting for that exact same thing, only now it didn¡¯t hold the pain it had in the past. Only a mountain of worry.

    Enri¡¯s train of thought was broken when Maya walked over to her.

    ¡®Let me help with this.¡¯ Silas¡¯s fianc¨¦ said as she tried to pick up the drying cloth.

    ¡®Oh, don¡¯t worry about it, just go and sit with the others.¡¯ Enri said, getting a wry smile from the younger woman before she picked up a plate.

    ¡®I think I have had enough talk about materials for one day.¡¯ She said before the two started to work. It was funny how quickly the two had fallen into a comfortable silence around each other, which she took as a good sign on top of the fact that she thought that Maya was a great match for Silas. She could do with a few more points in strength. Enri thought, but there was plenty of time to bring Maya to her thinking, she decided before looking out the window and having her previous thoughts return to her.

    Yes, although she was incredibly relieved that Lan was no longer in the clutches of that rotten worm, thinking about what he had done to him still filled her with rage. Enri heard a breaking sound, and when she looked down, she found the plate she was holding in two pieces.

    ¡®Oh no, are you alright?¡¯ Maya asked, trying to take the plate from her.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry.¡¯ Enri said, trying not to blush as she set the pieces aside.

    Once they were done with that, the two got back to the dishes. Enri once again found her thoughts shifting to Lan. He had said he found a job, but of all the things a level one could do, not many gave her too much hope.

    What did was the look in his eyes when he told her. It was the first time she had seen it in years, but there was no mistaking it; it was the look he got only when he had his heart set on something. And she hadn¡¯t known anything that could stop him when he got that look in his eye.

    No matter where he was or what he was doing, Enri knew that her Lan would come walking up the path home, and she would be there waiting for him.

    With that thought in her mind, Enri looked out at the night sky, wondering what she should make for dinner when he returned.

    Lawrence

    The young noble swirled the amber liquid around the cut crystal glass. It was a perfect vintage of his favourite liquor that he chose to end each day with, and tonight he needed it to be perfect. The heat coming from the fireplace was perfect. After weeks of beatings, the new firekeeper had finally learned to keep the fire just as he liked it.

    The new robe he had made was perfect. His father had gotten the silk from a merchant that owed him money, and Lawrence managed to talk him into giving it to him. It was no doubt the most expensive thing that he owned, the young noble thought, dispassionately feeling the fabric between his fingers. It was perfect.

    Everything should have been perfect. But it wasn¡¯t. Lawrence thought, gritting his teeth. It hadn¡¯t been perfect since he met that man¡­

    At first, the idea of being the wedge driven into another¡¯s relationship had sounded like fun, and it had been. Showing the level-one trash his place in front of Liza and the others had been wonderful. It had been perfect until¡­ he saw the pain in Liza¡¯s eyes, and after, she wasn¡¯t the same for the whole night.

    That anyone could make someone he wanted feel deeper than he could, left him seething in rage.

    If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, that gutter trash had the nerve to show him up in front of the others.

    Just remembering the look in that man¡¯s eyes made his blood boil. That someone like him had been able to look him in the eyes made him want to be sick, and that he had challenged him made him want to kill. And if that wasn¡¯t bad enough, after that, Liza had acted the same as before, that was to say nothing of when she returned that night and wouldn¡¯t even say a word to anyone.

    Lawrence squeezed the glass until his knuckles popped.

    No, this could not be allowed to go unanswered. He would put that bastard in his place if he had to kill him but not before making him beg for death.

 Chapter 40: A Pact bound in Light

    Lan woke with a start, adrenaline filling his veins before he registered that there was no immediate danger and he could safely look around. Through the canopy of the trees, he could see that it was morning, but that did little for him as it made little difference so far in the dark forest, nor did it tell him how long he had been sleeping.

    Nevertheless, he felt better. His chest was still tight and his arm a little numb, but allowing his strength to recover made his Health Points more effective at holding him together.

    Lan rose to his feet, finding that even after everything he had been through and all the energy his body had burned, he still wasn¡¯t hungry. Maybe there was something more to those apples, he thought before the Wisp appeared and started to fly circles around his head. Stopping only to send the feeling of emergency again.

    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯ Lan breathed, securing his mother¡¯s hairpin in his armour before stopping and placing it in the Otherworld Chest.

    [Lapis hairpin ¨C legendary: Added]

    That stopped him, and Lan opened his tome, finding it in his inventory.

    [Lapis hairpin ¨C An expertly crafted hair garment given greater purpose as a sign of love and the lengths one will go to for that love.]

    Lan couldn¡¯t think of a better description, even if it wouldn¡¯t mean anything to anyone else. His father had poured all his skill into making it for his mother, she had given it up for him even though it meant so much to her, and now he was going to do whatever he needed to return it.

    With that reminder, Lan looked to the Wisp.

    ¡®Lead the way.¡¯ Lan knew that he needed to get word to the city, but at this point, if there was something else that the Wisp wanted to show him, then he was willing to follow.

    A feeling of understanding flashed in Lan¡¯s mind before the Wisp took off, with Lan following behind.

    Lan followed the Wisp deeper into the forest for hours, at times having to dodge groups of goblins that hadn¡¯t been there for the attack.

    But as they travelled, Lan soon found that the stray goblins were the least of his concern. As the forest itself began to change.

    At first, it was just a feeling, then a smell in the air like the lingering odour left in the room after something putrid had been there. Only the scent itself was like a damp mould. The deeper they went, not only did the smell get more robust, but it was mixed with something akin to rotting flesh. Something that he knew well after someone placed a shipment of meat in the regular storage instead of the cold room, and yet it was somehow more unclean than that memory. Like it was the rot that all other rotted things spawned from.

    Soon enough, whatever was making the smell seemed to infect the trees. Not the giant trees, no, not even time could change them so quickly, but the smaller trees were a different case. The deeper he went, the more Lan found vegetation that seemed like it was twisting under some unseen force to the point they were weeping a dark purple fluid that soaked into the ground staining the soil a darker black.

    Lan pushed forward, and soon it felt like moving through a wall of mud as the air thickened and the forest grew darker.

    Suddenly Lan heard a sound coming from behind him, and he turned, drawing his sword only to be greeted by¡­ nothing. Lan heard another sound from his left, and he spun to face a bleeding purple ichor tree.

    Only then did Lan realise that his blood was racing and the feeling that battle brought was filling him. Just going deeper into the forest was putting his body on alert. Even still, Lan pushed forward, following the Wisp, which seemed to be having just as unpleasant a time as he was, as its light grew dimmer the deeper they went.

    It wasn¡¯t long until Lan¡¯s mind started to match the light of the Wisp as deterioration seeped from their surrounding and into his mind.

    What the hell was he doing? He knew that he wasn¡¯t cut out for this. He could just turn back and go home. Someone else would come across it eventually, so why did he have to risk his life. This wasn¡¯t his responsibility; it wasn¡¯t his job, and It wasn¡¯t like anyone else would do the same for him, so why should he.

    At that, Lan stopped. There was no way he would ever even think that let alone believe it for a moment. Lan heard sounds all around, only now it sounded like a mix of all the people he knew.

    ¡®You are nothing.¡¯ His father.

    ¡®You¡¯re going to die here.¡¯ His mother

    ¡®Leave.¡¯ Silas

    ¡®We hate you.¡¯ Locke

    ¡®No one will ever love you.¡¯ Eliza

    Now that he knew what was happening, the words had the opposite effect of what he thought was intended. Each word filled him with anger at whatever was trying to twist his mind and was now using the voices of his life to drive him away. Each word pushed him to walk faster, even if he started to make his body hurt, and yet he pushed on until suddenly the darkness, the whispers and the feelings¡­ stopped.

    Taken by surprise, Lan tripped before noticing the return of the sweet sounds of the tranquil forest. After what he had gone through, it took a moment before Lan noticed that wasn¡¯t the only change. Everything was normal, and as if defending this last patch of true forest, the trees were a tight line of sentries, forming a path that Lan followed until he came across a small clearing and was made to question his eyes.

    For at the heart of the clearing, hanging over a small pool of water and watched by the trees protecting it, was a Tear of Creation.

    Lan could do nothing but stare in amazement at the Large orb. Everything he had seen up until this point paled in comparison to seeing a Tear of Creation, for how could anything match up to what allowed it to exist

    ¡®A Tear of Creation.¡¯ Lan whispered. Although the ruling deities were the Lords of Light, they were not the ones that created the realms. That was the hand of The Mother, and in her role as the giver of life, the mother of all things would shed tears of joy for her children, tears that would rejuvenate and replenish the realms.

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    Often, one could see the tears fall from the greater heavens on clear nights, but once they reached the ground, you were not supposed to be able to see them. People would often try to find these places as they were seen as points of great power for as long as the Tear was there, but seeing them was impossible. One only knew they had found the site of a tear from the all-encompassing feeling of acceptance and love the site gave off.

    Feelings that he could not feel. As Lan stepped close enough to be bathed in the blue light of the Tear. Lan noticed that something was fundamentally wrong. On the surface of the Tear, Lan could see the forest around him reflected in it, but not himself. There was a figure, but it was not Lan. Standing at the heart of the Tear was a figure garbed in black robes that hid their face while dark energy flowed from them, filling the Tear with a discordant, chaotic power.

    Moreover, the energy seemed to be trying to fill more of the Tear., but something was stopping its progress.

    Lan stepped closer. He could feel something from the Tear, but it was like there was a wall in his way. Even before he reached it, something that had been shouting at him from the back of his mind broke through.

    With the exception of the one that had brought him here, there were no other Wisps around. Aside from the feelings the site brought on, the other indicator of a Tear of Creation was that they were always surrounded by wisps, for there were no greater sources of mana.

    For there to be none meant that the Tear was not radiating mana as it should. Suddenly the fact that he had seen so many Wisps and that so many of them had gathered around him and the Silk Flower glade made sense. Not only was the Tear not replenishing the area, but all other sites of power had already been drained.

    Lan could only think of one thing that could be doing this, but what did it mean if it was not only going after those that lived in the forest but its power too.

    Getting closer, Lan reached out and tried to touch the Tear before feeling an unseen force push against his hand. Lan fought against it for a moment, not knowing why he thought it was a good idea to touch something that he wasn¡¯t even supposed to be able to see. But something told him it was the right thing to do. Like he had done so countless times before, like how one could not remember their first time greeting someone but always remember how to do so.

    Just when Lan was about to stop and step back, he heard something in his mind.

    It felt like someone locked in a struggle, but the moment he realised as much, the presence seemed to take notice of him.

    ¡®Wait!¡¯ a female voice cried out in Lan¡¯s mind before he could pull away. ¡®So you are the one the Royal Wisp has chosen.¡¯

    As if to confirm the point, the Wisp landed on Lan¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡®I did not expect to find kin amongst the mortal world, let alone two of my kind¡­ and a messenger. Such serendipity.¡¯ It said, going on before Lan could process what the Voice was talking about. ¡®No, not precisely kin, your true origins have been diluted by generations of human blood, and yet it is still there.¡¯ the Voice trailed on before seeming to find itself again. ¡®There isn¡¯t much time!¡¯ the Voice strained as the corruption in the Tear pulsed.

    ¡®Something has cut me off from The Mother and is trying to infect me. I have tried to reach out to anyone for weeks, and now you are here. I will try to hold off this force for as long as possible. I beseech you, Messenger of the First Son. You must find a way to bring an end to this. To ensure this, I will spare a fraction of my remaining power to remind you of what you are and seal it with a pact.

    [New Quest acquired: A Pact bound in Light.]

    ¡®Wait, this is all moving too fast. I don¡¯t know¡­¡¯ Lan''s mind flashed white, in which he saw a golden light that seemed surprised at him and then pleased before the light faded.

    When Lan woke, he was lying on the ground. The Tear of Creation was gone, and the forest had become corrupted like the rest.

    [Landrin Cross ¨C Ascended to Light Marked Human.]

    [Lost Ability - Re-awoken: Radiance Binding]

    [Attributes]

    [Strength: 19 > 24]

    Body: 13 > 18

    Will: 7 > 12

    Dexterity: 25 > 30

    Mind: 7 > 12

    [Charisma: 7 > 12]

    Reflexively Lan opened his tome. The first thing he noticed was the fact that another one of his hidden Abilities had been replaced with one called Radiance Binding. But more pressing at that moment was the first thing the Voice had said.

    Even after seeing it, Lan ran his finger along the Runica. Light Marked¡­

    Lan knew of the Light Marked, mortals born with the Lords of Light¡¯s favour granting them proficiency in one of many skills, but being born Light Marked was a major part of being one. He had never heard of someone becoming Light Marked, not to mention a human ascending to anything.

    ¡®How is it possible that I have become Light Marked.¡¯ Lan asked the Voice, it was the first time asking it anything after the hollow, but at this point, he needed answers.

    [The attributes of a Light Marked have been locked within your bloodline, becoming dormant after countless generations. The mind within the Tear of Creation rekindled the embers of the links in your blood before it disappeared.]

    ¡®Why would it do that?¡¯

    [It would seem that as you were, you could not fully unlock the Ability Radiance Binding even if its influence was enough to lead you this far.]

    The Voice said as Lan looked over to the Wisp. Was that why he could feel emotions from the little ball of light. More patient than it had been since meeting it, the Wisp floated, acknowledging him while also waiting for him.

    With another look to the Wisp, Lan turned back to the tome.

    [Radiance Binding ¨C An Ability of the Messengers to bind other Radiance to them, sharing both their lives and powers.]

    ¡®Bind Radiance¡­¡¯ Lan frowned, ¡®and Messengers.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what they were, but he knew that a Radiant was a Celestial, the first children, the greatest of which would rise to become the Lords of Light.¡¯ That he could have a power tied to them was unsettling.

    ¡®What are the Messengers?¡¯

    [Messengers are the servants of the Firstborn, Lord of Light Alarin, the lord of Order. Messengers were those sent to this world to right wrongs when the new Order was still being established. When the Lords of Light chose to allow mortals greater rule over themselves. The Messengers were given the choice to either return or live out finite life in the realm of men. Those that chose to stay continued to protect mortals before eventually sharing their lives with them as Alarin wanted. As with each passing generation, the blood of the Messengers weakened along with the chances of passing on their powers. The fact that your blood is still strong enough to awaken is truly a remarkable anomaly. Which explains why your unique eye colour is possible.]

    Although that seemed like more than one question worked with information, he was happy to finally know where his eye colour came from, even if the source was still hard to believe.

    ¡®So does that mean Silas does not have this ability?¡¯

    [Correct.]

    ¡®But that would mean that my mother does?¡¯ Lan asked, not getting an answer. ¡®Oh, come on.¡¯ He sighed.

    Not sure what to ask, Lan looked at the Wisp, still floating around him. To think that he had been flippant with a Celestial did not spell well for his future. No wonder he seemed to fall into deeper and deeper muck. He was being punished.

    [Just as you are a remnant of a Messenger, this little Royal Wisp is a remnant of a Celestial Seraphim.]

    ¡®Is that so?¡¯ Lan asked, ignoring the fact that he hadn¡¯t asked the Voice a question and looked at the Wisp as it floated before him. ¡®What a pair we make.¡¯

    [Ability activated: Radiance Binding ¨C the Royal Wisp Tierrnadora Raga is willing to form a bond with you. Do you wish to form a bond with the Royal Wisp Tierrnadora Raga?]

    Lan blinked. The Wisp wanted to form a bond with him? He wasn¡¯t against it, but after delivering him to the Tear, he would have thought it would be ready to get out of there.

    Seeming to know his thoughts, the Wisp sent him a mental imprint of impatience. Noting that their communication seemed clearer, Lan pushed aside the thoughts that things were moving far too fast and just went with his feelings.

    ¡®I wish to form a bond with Tierrnadora Raga.¡¯ Lan said as a thread of light shot from his chest and raced to meet one from the Wisp before wrapping the two in a cocoon of light.

    [You have formed a bond with the Wisp Tierrnadora Raga]

    [New Title Gained: Wisp Walker]

    [New Ability Gained: Wisp Walk]

 Chapter 41: Tierrnadora Raga

    As the line of Light linking the two of them crumbled away, Lan felt a tingle run through his body. He still hurt, but for a moment, he felt lighter, like he could almost fly before returning to normal. Aside from a new page in his tome marked Radiance Bonds, the only thing on it being Tierrnadora Raga.

    Lan looked to the Wisp, which, even without a face, seemed somewhat thrown off as if still trying to understand the changes in itself.

    Tierrnadora Raga. Lan wasn¡¯t sure what he had expected a Wisp to be called¡­ truthfully he didn¡¯t think they had names at all, but hers seemed fitting for a royal, even if it was a mouthfull.

    ¡®Maybe a nickname then?¡¯ Lan thought out loud, getting the Wisp¡¯s attention as he felt her focus on him. Why not? He used his nickname more than his real one, Lan thought.

    ¡®What do you think, Dora?¡¯ as if aghast at the audacity of the suggestion, she literally stopped flapping her wings and froze in the air.

    ¡®Let¡¯s take that as a no, shall we?¡¯

    In his opinion, Raga was the most impressive sounding part of her name, but Lan didn¡¯t know if it was a part of it or if it was her last name. Lan thought before thinking back to his own. All it was was the first three letters of his name.

    ¡®Hmm, how about Tyr?¡¯ Lan didn¡¯t know if he was overthinking it, but as the Wisp beat its wings hard once before taking off, he couldn¡¯t help but see it as a huff before it flew over and landed on his shoulder.

    ¡®I¡¯m taking that as a yes.¡¯ Lan laughed before immediately regretting it as his ribs reminded him that a few had to be broken. Opening his Tome, Lan found they weren¡¯t broken, but three were fractured. As Lan grabbed his side, Tyr shot off him and came to hover in front of him before sending the feeling of urgency.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯ Lan lied, even though the unsuspected attribute boost had strengthened his body and, more importantly, his Health Points. He was running on sheer optimism alone, but even that was starting to run out. Tyr seemed to know as much as she floated before him for a long moment.

    ¡®Okay, I think I¡¯m about ready for a drink and a week-long sleep.¡¯ Lan smiled, even though it stung to admit it. At that moment, wanting to do something and needing to do it were worlds apart.

    He knew he wanted to find a way to Help the Tear of Creation where ever it was¡­ But he didn¡¯t even know where to start looking. Although leaving the forest made him feel like he was abandoning them. He needed to get word to the city, and he needed to get healed up. He wouldn¡¯t be able to do much if he just keeled over.

    But the fact that he had given his all and now needed to run hurt more than it should. He hadn¡¯t planned on facing an army of Goblins and a shadow that was trying to eat everything, including a Tear of Creation. The fact that he was still standing was him catapulting over his station, and yet it still stung. Before Lan could allow himself to sink into a slump, Tyr flew into his chest.

    Once again, it wasn¡¯t hard enough to hurt him but just enough to bring on the feeling that he could fly.

    ¡®Right, Standing here is the worst of my three choices.¡¯ Lan smiled. ¡®Let¡¯s start by finding our way back.¡¯

    As if waiting for this, Tyr perked up before taking off the way they had come, stopping and flying back to him when Lan didn¡¯t move and sent the feeling of urgency, only it was shorter, and Lan had the sense that she had asked.

    ¡®Well?¡¯

    ¡®Coming.¡¯

    As he walked, Lan allowed his tome to fill his sight as he tried to take in all the new information.

    [New Quest acquired: A Pact bound in Light. ¨C Find the source of the corruption in the forest and set things right to save the Lost Tear.]

    That wasn¡¯t a lot to go off, a timeline would have helped him feel better about this, but he wasn¡¯t stopping anything now anyway, so he just had to hope that the Tear could last long enough for him to get back.

    ¡®Is there anything that you can tell me about the darkness that attacked the Goblins?¡¯ Lan asked the Voice as he started to hear sounds in the distance.

    [The Aure of Darkness was created by an unnatural form of magic, no doubt formed through the tampering of the Tear of Creation.]

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    ¡®Do you know of anything that could do that?¡¯

    [The Number of beings in the world that can harness the power of a Tear of Creation is next to none. The power to cut off a Tear of Creation from the mother is something entirely different.]

    ¡®In other words, I am way in over my head..¡¯ Lan sighed, ¡®What being could do something like this.¡¯

    [One or more of the Lords of Light, a progenitor God or perhaps a group of powerful Celestials.]

    ¡®All beings that would have no reason to do something like this.¡¯ Lan said with a little more assurance than he should; it was a presumption that bordered on blasphemy. ¡®The Other World God?¡¯ Lan asked, getting nothing from the Voice.

    ¡®Thought as much.¡¯ He sighed. At least he had more information to give the guild master.

    ¡®With an odd power like this, how long can the Tear of Creation hold it off?¡¯ Lan tried, not getting an answer.

    Not sure where else to go with it, Lan moved on to the next thing.

    [Light Marked Human ¨C A human born with the favour of the Lords of Light. As with all other Light Marked, your base attributes are higher than the average human. The Skills you acquire improve faster, and you gain more points upon levelling up.]

    That seemed great, if not a little too good. If he earned more points, it would help him close the gap in the short term while making him better than those of the same level as he became stronger.

    ¡®How many?¡¯

    [For each level, you will gain 12 points.]

    That wasn¡¯t bad, Lan thought. It would start to add up in time.

    After a few more questions about the Light Marked that didn¡¯t go anywhere, Lan looked to the Last thing on his tome.

    [Radiance bonds: Royal Wisp Tierrnadora Raga ¨C More than just a title, other Wisps are drawn to the light of a Royal Wisp, allowing the Royal Wisp to control them. Having a Royal Wisp entrust itself to one is said to bring about good luck. However, doing so prevents the Royal Wisp from controlling others of its kind.]

    Looking at his portrait, Lan saw that he had a permanent status effect which was the same as the one Tyr had given him before, of luck tilting in his favour.

    Lan closed his tome, wondering how much that had helped him reach as far as he had. The fact that the fight with the Goblin rogue hadn¡¯t started a moment earlier came to mind, but what happened after couldn¡¯t be called good luck. Lan reasoned luck turning in his favour, and good luck wasn''t always one and the same.

    As if the thought had conjured the goblin in question, Lan felt eyes on him, and his body reacted as if he had been stabbed, but when he managed to turn, he was greeted by nothing.

    However, the adrenaline rush was enough to turn him around before the cost of doing so shot through his body, making Lan grab his side as he stifled a curse. Suddenly Tyr stopped and flew back to him, flying around him before she decided he was fine and flew back the way she was leading him.

    After a moment more, Lan started after her. He knew the feeling that had just come over him. It was the same feeling as when the rogue had been following him, but had he just imagined it. The chance of it being the rogue that had been following him seemed slim, and if it was a different one, then he didn¡¯t see why it would be playing the same game.

    Returning to his tome, Lan looked at his new ability.

    [Wisp Walk ¨C Slip through the Veil with your Wisp as your guide.]

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s vague,¡¯ Lan frowned. ¡®What¡¯s the Veil¡¯ he tried, getting nothing from the Voice. Rolling his eyes, Lan tried to activate the ability and got nothing. Pinching his eyes closed, he thought it through.

    He knew plenty of abilities with some kind of requirement, but most had someone who already knew what that was. Lan didn¡¯t want to think about where he would have to go to find someone who knew this ability.

    As he followed the Wisp, Lan tried to work it out. The only thing that came to mind was the way that a wisp could be somewhere one moment and then gone the next. If that was the case, then he had found something incredible, only he didn¡¯t know where they disappeared to, which could be the problem.

    Tyr was supposed to be his guide; maybe she could open a way for him.

    ¡®Well, you think you can magic me a door back to the city?¡¯ he asked, not even getting an acknowledgement from the little light. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Maybe he had to follow her when she entered that place. If that was the case, then was there a way for him to ask her to open it.

    If there was a way to communicate with her, Lan learned it wouldn''t be easy to find. At times, she seemed to understand what he asked her, while on other occasions, she wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge him when he called her.

    However, anytime he felt pain from his wounds, she would immediately stop and check on him. and she still spotted things that could be dangerous and would send the pin drop feeling. With her help, it only took a few hours of walking before he could hear rushing water.

    The sound of which was like the sweetest music to Lan''s ears, and as he reached it, he had to stop himself from jumping in. Instead, Lan found a part where the wall of earth was low enough for him to plunge his head into the water allowing the cold to pump life back into his body before pulling his head out and trying to drink the whole river.

    After a few moments and more than a few mouthfuls of water, Lan allowed himself a breath.

    Not only was the water reward enough for everything he had gone through, but now he knew that Tyr was leading him back to the glade at the least, and he could find his way back from there.

    Tyr flew to hover next to his face, and he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was examining him.

    ¡®I¡¯m okay¡­ well, good enough.¡¯ he smiled, which seemed enough for the Wisp to beat her wings once and take off, leaving Lan to wonder if she had been worried about him.

    Taking a moment to rest, Lan looked for a way across and, not finding one, just walked into the water. Not fighting the current, Lan allowed it to push him downstream as he focused on reaching the other side until both actions allowed him to grab ahold of the opposite bank.

    Once Lan climbed over to the other side, he lay on the bank for a while. Both to catch his breath, and it was one of the few places that afforded him a look at the sky. The sun was high in the sky already, and at his pace, he no doubt would reach the city by the time it started to set.

    Armed with that knowledge, Lan forced himself off the dirt.

 Chapter 42: A warm reception

    Reaching the glade and not feeling up to crawling through the thicket, Lan decided to walk around. He was almost all the way around it when he came face to face with the deer¡­ It felt like a year had passed since he first saw the odd beast, and looking at it now, he thought he had a good idea of what had made the scream that had drawn his attention.

    Lying on the ground and breathing slowly. Lan saw an animal covered in cuts with an arrow sticking out its hindquarter. Thinking back, he could guess how he had been able to fight the Goblin Knight without the other goblins interfering. They had been chasing the deer.

    ¡®Looks like we both made it.¡¯ Lan said, getting the deer¡¯s attention; its eyes widened in recognition as it saw him before returning to normal. ¡®Well, it looks like I owe you one.¡¯ Lan added as he looked for a leaf.

    Once he had a Large enough one, Lan walked over to the deer who, lowered its head and didn¡¯t even try to move. It reminded Lan of the Ornithall before he pushed the thought aside as he looked at the deer''s leg.

    From what he had seen, the goblins¡¯ arrows weren¡¯t barbed, and Lan guessed the occasional twitches of the deer¡¯s leg were a good sign that the damage wasn¡¯t too bad. Not knowing much about human anatomy, let alone deer anatomy, Lan just hoped what he had was enough.

    So with one more look at the deer that looked willing to allow him to do anything. Lan placed his left hand on the deer''s leg and pulled the arrow with his right.

    Lan got his confirmation that the scream had been the deer when it let off a short cry before dropping its head.

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯ He said, finding the fact that he had caused the animal pain, even if he had tried to help it, hard to bear.

    Once the deer settled, Lan poured some of his potions onto the leaf and pushed it under the deer''s head. He wasn¡¯t sure how much or if it would help, but it was all he could do. And as the deer started to lap the red liquid, Lan felt that he could move on.

    ¡®Light, when I asked if you were going to save the kingdom, I didn¡¯t mean it,¡¯ the red-haired guard said as he and the older guard looked at Lan as if he had walked through the Gates of Shail. Which thinking about it, he had.

    ¡®Not yet.¡¯ Lan said without thinking, making the two guards look at him oddly. Lan thought about telling them for a moment, but what he had to say was a little more complicated than just a Goblin Swarm now, so it was better to let the Guildmaster spread the information, he thought before shaking his head to clear it. He needed to focus.

    ¡®In any case, you look like you need a healer.¡¯ The older guard said.

    ¡®Yeah, I think that¡¯s a good idea.¡¯ Lan said, placing his tag on the Keystone and nodding to the two guards before starting towards the guild.

    ¡®Did¡­ did I just see a Wisp following him.¡¯ Lan heard the older guard ask.

    ¡®How could you focus on anything other than his eyes?¡¯ the younger returned.

    Lan didn¡¯t know what that was about. He just waved over his shoulder when the younger guard reminded him to see a healer. After a few moments, Lan learned that Tyr wasn¡¯t hiding, as people started to gasp and make the sign of prayer. Luckily it only lasted for a moment before she seemed to spot something interesting and took off after it.

    For a moment, Lan almost went after her, but it wasn¡¯t like anyone could harm her, and it wasn¡¯t like she wouldn¡¯t come back, So Lan let her explore as he headed up the main road looking down so he didn¡¯t trip and fall as he was sure that he wouldn¡¯t be getting back up if he did.

    ¡®Lan?¡¯

    Hearing his name, Lan looked up and felt his already low mood drop through the ground as he was greeted by the last people he wanted to see.

    Standing there with stunned looks on their faces were Eliza and Lawrence, along with Eliza¡¯s friends Dara, Mai and Charlotte, his old friends Aaron and Oris and Ganin. All of them, even Ganin, looked at him like they had seen a ghost.

    Just when it looked like Eliza would say something, Lawrence burst out laughing, cutting her off and drawing more eyes to them.

    ¡®Eliza, when you said that he had become an adventurer, I thought you were joking. Now I see that the only joke is the fool standing in front of us.¡¯

    ¡®Stop it, Lawrence, he looks hurt.¡¯ Eliza tried before Dara butted in.

    ¡®This has to be his first adventurer job, and just look at him. I bet he was attacked by a horned rabbit, and it almost killed him,¡¯ the annoying girl squeaked.

    ¡®Well, Lan. Come now, why don¡¯t you tell us about your first hunt?¡¯ Lawrence grinned victoriously as if he had won without even having to fight.

    Lan just blinked at them; after what he had been through, all this just seemed¡­ stupid. So with a sigh, Lan started passed them without even acknowledging that they were there.

    ¡®Lan?¡¯ he heard from Eliza before it was replaced with the sharp sound of steel meeting steel, bringing him to a stop.

    Lan looked down, finding the tip of a rapier pointed at his armour. The sight was so jarring Lan felt his eyes open wider in surprise.

    ¡®I see you didn¡¯t learn from the last time you tried to ignore a noble, I don¡¯t care how many times I have to teach it to you, but you will learn your place.¡¯ Lawrence whispered. Although it wouldn¡¯t have mattered if he screamed because Lan barely heard him as his blood began to race, the feeling that battle brought filling him and driving away the pain in his body.

    Every instinct told Lan to strike down the threat in front of him as he straightened to his full height for the first time in a while, making the noble have to look up at Lan as he towered over him.

    Through cold, calculating reason, Lan realised if the noble attacked him now, he would answer in kind no matter the consequences. After fighting for his life, again and again, his body was screaming for him to strike the moment the noble moved. But as Lan dropped his head to the noble''s eye level so he could stare into them, he found none of the killing intent that the Razerwolves or the Goblins had had and felt disgusted with the failed excuse of a noble.

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    After seeing Lord Oscar cow a prince of another land with just his will, seeing sadistic joy turn to fear and uncertainty in the eyes of the weak man who could only rely on the power of others in front of him made Lan angry.

    Lawrence''s face went white as if he could see Lan¡¯s thoughts through his eyes.

    ¡®Lawrence, you should stop,¡¯ someone said, but Lan paid little attention to them as he stepped forward, making the noble¡¯s blade tip slide along his chest plate until it caught on a crack and locked into place.

    ¡®Lan!¡¯ the voice went on as Lan looked at the sword and took another step, making the handle of the sword jab into Lawrence¡¯s chest as his eyes widened and his strength fled him.

    ¡®N-no wait¡­¡¯ the man managed before Lan pushed forward, and the noble scrambled back and over his feet.

    Lawrence¡¯s sword hit the stone and skittered off, forgotten as the noble looked up at Lan, still trying to process what he was looking at.

    ¡®You should watch your step, my lord. Otherwise, you might get yourself hurt.¡¯ Lan warned as Lawrence''s blank expression quickly twisted into one of humiliated rage before Lan looked at the others. Their stunned looks had turned to those of sheer horror in all but Ganin, who wore a look of twisted pride as if all his work at finally paid off.

    Eliza looked both hurt and guilty, but to Lan, she was just one more of the faces.

    ¡®Lan¡­¡¯

    Finding that none of them planned to stand in his way, Lan continued.

    ¡®Lan! You¡¯ll regret this!¡¯ Lan heard the noble roar before one of the girls tried to console him.

    Stepping into the Guild Hall, Lan was greeted by a packed lobby, all the tables were filled, and there were still a good twenty groups standing around and talking while making sure not to block the reception desks.

    One of these groups, who noticed the quickly quieting hall and turned to find him was Locke and the others. When their eyes fell on him, all had a look of surprised amusement before they registered the state that he was in. Then they rushed over to him as if he could fall at any moment.

    ¡®Lan! What the hell happened to you?¡¯ Locke said, grabbing him by the shoulders while Drevin and Sora moved to his sides, ready to catch him if he was to fall.

    ¡®It looks like you got run over by a pack of Oxhounds.¡¯ Drevin said, taking his arm.

    ¡®You need to see a healer.¡¯ Olivia added, placing her hand on his chest as a gold light radiated from her hand.

    [Targeted spell activated: Calming light ¨C A warm light that can numb pain for short periods of time.]

    The moment the magic took effect, Lan felt both drunk and as if he had just had a well-rested night.¡¯

    ¡®I knew you would be back.¡¯ Cassandra chimed in with a nod.

    ¡®Oh¡­ o¡­okay.¡¯ Lan said, taken aback that someone could look oddly proud while being completely stoic.

    ¡®I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay.¡¯ Vulk sniffed as he wiped away an unexpected tear.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Lan blinked, looking around as the others crowded around him. ¡®I¡­¡¯ he managed before Locke frowned at his eyes.

    ¡®Olivia.¡¯ The party leader said, and in a blink, Lan found his face cupped in the hands of the beautiful mage. Maybe it was because his senses had been working on high alert or the magic she had just used on him, but the softness of her hands shocked him, and the little serious pout on her face was a little too distracting.

    ¡®Hmm, he¡¯s fine,¡¯ She sighed, ¡®whatever it is, it¡¯s coming from his body and not the effect of a foreign spell or status debuff.¡¯ Olivia said, looking at his face before quickly looking away. At this, the others sighed along before staring at him.

    ¡®Still, it¡¯s a little off-putting, don¡¯t you think.¡¯ Vasha said, getting nods from the rest.

    ¡®I think he broke his mark.¡¯ Sora laughed, and the others joined him. Although to Lan, it seemed more like a laugh of relief than real humour.

    ¡®What! What are you talking about.¡¯ Lan asked, his whole reason for being there momentarily forgotten.

    ¡®Sorry, it¡¯s easy to forget that you are still new to all this,¡¯ Locke started. ¡®It¡¯s said that sometimes you can see the sign of the Hunters Mark in the eyes of those with it as a small light in their pupils. Mostly in the heat of battle or in moments of strong emotion.¡¯ Locke finished with a shrug, not saying if he believed it or not.

    When Lan looked like he was still not getting it, he got his answer in the form of a mirror that Olivia conjured like she had before, although it didn¡¯t help him understand what he was looking at any better.

    It was a young man that looked like himself, only his face wasn''t sunken or had his pale skin, instead having a healthy complexion. Although his hair was still a little wet and hung around his head. It looked almost like Obsidian, and that was to say nothing of the young man¡¯s eyes. They looked like Lan¡¯s, only a rich deep blue that he had never had, even as a boy, and the odd little flecks of gold that had made him once stand out now catch the light like molten gold.

    But even that change was nothing compared to his pupils, which were now alive with a pure light framed by the black edge of his pupils.

    Even with all this, it took a moment for it to sink in that Lan was looking at¡­ himself. Sure, he had some points in charisma now, but it didn¡¯t explain the night and day change. Even though he had been out for two days and his clothes and armour were a mess, he looked better than he had in years.

    Lan wondered how much of this had to do with the Light mark and how much was it him finally looking as he was always meant to, as at least now he could start to see his charisma stat take effect. Most of it seemed to be the same features he shared with his father, only sharpened and enhanced by his mother¡¯s own. He would have said he was handsome if he could bring himself to be a little more vain.

    ¡®What happened to you?¡¯ Vasha asked. ¡®Most people don¡¯t come out of the forest looking better than they went in.¡¯ the Archer added, reminding Lan of what he needed to do and that the whole guild seemed to be looking at him.

    ¡®Right, sorry, but I need to speak with the Guildmaster.¡¯ At their concerned looks, Lan went on. ¡®There something going on in the forest.¡¯ just that was enough to spark something in Locke and the others, who shared a look before turning back to him.

    ¡®That¡¯s why there are so many of us sitting around. I think everyone here has noticed something off and was here to report it.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯ve seen the black mass too? Lan asked, thinking getting the others to believe him would be easier than he hoped.

    ¡®Black mass?¡¯ Locke frowned, ¡®No, but I wouldn¡¯t say that something like that isn¡¯t out there with everything going on. Is that what left you like this?¡¯

    ¡®What? No,¡¯ Lan said, shaking his head. ¡®I spent the day running from Goblins only to end up being captured by a Goblin Swarm.¡¯ Of course, this was enough to turn Locke and the others pale and get the attention of anyone who wasn¡¯t already listening.

    ¡®After interrogating me, they planned on having me fight goblins until I was killed, but before that could happen. Just when it looked like I was done for, a darkness fell on the Goblin Swarms camp, robbing the light and sound from the land it touched. In a moment, all the goblins, including the king and mage that had questioned me, were gone.¡¯

    Once Lan was done, he saw that the others were looking at each other with worried expressions, if not precisely believing ones.

    ¡®What a load of horse shit!¡¯ a voice Lan hadn¡¯t heard before called from a group to their left as Locke and the others¡¯ expressions changed to one of varying levels of hostility.

    ¡®That¡¯s enough, Bell.¡¯ Locke warned

    ¡®Come on, Locke, you¡¯re telling me that this piece of trash was able to survive something that killed an entire Goblin Swarm. How¡­¡¯ the man, Bell, trailed off as a golden light filled the guild hall.

    Absently, Lan realised he could sense where Tyr was, even when she was a good deal away, as far as the other side of the city, which she had already been to and back before coming to find him.

    Once again, she seemed to be examining him without a care for those staring open-mouthed at her now.

    ¡®Uh¡­ Lan. Is that a Wisp flying around you?¡¯ Locke asked, for the first time since Lan met him, looking like he had been caught off guard by something. The rest were the same, and Lan started to feel like he had walked out of the house without his trousers or had spent the whole day walking around with a pair of red glowing lips on his face, he added begrudgingly as he looked to the now dumbfounded mage.

    ¡®This¡­ this is Tyr. She¡¯s a Wisp.¡¯ Lan added as if none of them could see that for themselves. ¡®She¡¯s the one that helped me get back, and her light was able to stop the darkness from enveloping me like it did the goblins.¡¯ Lan said, waiting a moment for the information to sink in. ¡®Oh, and she will be hanging around from now on.¡¯

 Chapter 43: As Sweet as Silk

    Lan watched what he had said work its way through the minds of Locke and the others. At this point, it was just a matter of fact that he had a bond with a Wisp of all things, but he owed them a moment knowing how long it had taken him to get used to it, not that he was completely used to it.

    After a moment, Vulk burst out laughing before pushing past the others and wrapping Lan in a hug.

    ¡®Oh light, Lan, next time we let you out of our sight, you¡¯ll come back married to a dragon. Oh, how I missed you.¡¯ The dwarf said, lifting Lan off the ground and making Tyr fly frantically around the two of them.

    ¡®I missed you too. Now stop before you break a rib!¡¯ Lan wheezed as Vulk squeezed him a little too tightly.

    ¡®Hey, you blockhead! Can¡¯t you see that he is hurt?¡¯ Vasha chastised, making the sheepish Vulk gently set him down.

    ¡®Much appreciated.¡¯ Lan smiled first at the dwarf and then at the archer, who blinked before looking away.

    ¡®So it¡­ she is just following you now?¡¯ Drevin asked, getting everyone back on the same page.

    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯ Lan said, not knowing how much to get into, and judging by the way that the other groups were now looking at him, he decided it was better to keep most of it under his hat for now, at least until they could talk more privately.

    ¡®That¡¯s not a real Wisp; everyone knows that Wisps can¡¯t be controlled.¡¯ Someone said from his left.

    ¡®Yeah, and we would all have a luck buff being this close.¡¯ Another added, getting laughs from around the room.

    ¡®What a joke. I bet he failed his job and came up with the story to save face.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, I bet he thinks if the story is good enough, he can weasel some more coin from the guild.¡¯ More laughter from around the hall rang in time with the darkening expressions of Locke and the others.

    ¡®I¡¯ll give him something to laugh at.¡¯ Sora growled and looked around to start a brawl in the hall. The gesture was touching, and if Lan cared what those other groups thought about him, then seeing it would put a stop to that.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about them,¡¯ Lan smiled, and it was Sora¡¯s turn to look away after blinking at him. Maybe there really was something on his face, Lan thought.

    ¡®Wasn¡¯t his job to pick Silk Flowers? How did he end up facing shadow monsters?¡¯ a female voice asked to a round of laughter, which reminded Lan of the job he had taken.

    ¡®Right, about that¡­¡¯ Lan said, nodding to Locke and the others before heading up to the main desk, finding them fall in behind him as if worried that someone would make a move at him.

    As always, Mari was at the desk and had heard everything up until then. So Lan wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of that or the shape he was in that made her look at him worriedly as he approached.

    ¡®I¡¯m so sorry!¡¯ Mari cried, almost hitting her head on the desk as she bowed.

    Surprised, Lan jumped back, ¡®I thought we agreed not to do that anymore.¡¯ He said quickly, looking around to ensure no one thought he was picking on the girl. Instead, he found that half the hall, the half that seemed to hate him, had gathered around. With Locke and the others, the only thing keeping them from him.

    ¡®I know, it¡¯s just¡­¡¯ she started before looking up at him. ¡®A few hours after you left, an order was called to take down the Silk Flower job.¡¯

    As the gathered adventures started to laugh, Lan reeled like he had been punched in the gut.

    ¡®What?¡¯ was all he could manage. After everything he had been through, the flowers were the least of his concerns, but having them mean nothing killed him inside.

    ¡®Apparently, the flowers have become so hard to find right now that the standing order doesn¡¯t reflect the urgency, so the order was removed.¡¯ She said, wincing as the laughter got louder. ¡®Sorry¡­¡¯ she finished in a small voice.

    ¡®Don¡¯t be.¡¯ Lan smiled weakly. ¡®You have nothing to be sorry about.¡¯ Lan really wanted to meet the person who should be sorry, but that person wasn¡¯t Mari; in any case, he still had the ears.

    ¡®What an idiot.¡¯ He heard someone call over the laughter as Lan was let in on the joke.

    They thought he had made up the story about the darkness because he hadn¡¯t been able to find the flowers and was trying to save face. It didn¡¯t matter as Lan was sure that the lack of Silk Flowers had everything to do with the Tear being unable to rejuvenate the forest, something else he could use to back up his story to the only person that mattered.

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    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, the job will be marked as having been completed, so you won¡¯t get penalised for it.¡¯ Mari said, which was good, at least.

    ¡®I guess that will have to do.¡¯ Lan smiled. ¡®Oh, is the standing order for goblins still open?¡¯

    At this, Mari perked up, ¡®It is!¡¯ in fact, more goblins have been spotted, so the price on their heads has gone up.¡¯ She added, retrieving a tray from under the desk.

    ¡®Great.¡¯ Lan smiled, happy to part with the unpleasant things even if they were in his Chest, which meant he hadn¡¯t needed to touch them. For the same reason, Lan used a little mana and flexed his will, opening the Chest.

    One by one, as ears rained into the tray, each seemed to rob the hall of a little more laughter.

    ¡®Did Lan always have an Item Box?¡¯ Locke asked.

    ¡®That¡¯s not an Item Box,¡¯ Olivia answered.

    When the ears stopped, leaving nothing but a pile of green and voices asking what was happening, no one seemed to find anything to laugh about anymore.

    ¡®Oh my.¡¯ Mari breathed.

    ¡®Lan¡­ how did you get all of those?¡¯ Locke asked, clearly speaking for the whole party and the rest of the hall as a matter of fact.

    ¡®Well, they didn¡¯t really seem all that willing to give them to me when they were alive, so I killed them.¡¯ Lan tried joking before shrugging when no one laughed.

    ¡®Yeah, but how.¡¯ Drevin added, backing up his leader. ¡®You were level five when you left, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not the stealthy type.¡¯

    Looking around, everyone seemed interested, even if most looked like they were waiting for something they could catch him out on.

    ¡®Well, I was out looking for Silk Flowers when I was attacked by a goblin knight. We fought for a while, and when I managed to kill it, I found a very unhappy goblin band waiting for me. With the help of my Wisp friend over here.¡¯ Lan said, reminding them and rubbing it in a little. ¡®I was able to lead them into a large hollow tree and set the goblins on fire when they followed me.

    Before anyone, and by that, he meant Olivia, could ask him how when he didn¡¯t know any magic. Lan cut a bit of the little Fire Silk he had and pushed mana into his thumb and forefinger. After a moment, the silk ignited, and Lan could have sworn he had burned half the hall''s childhood toys with the way their faces fell. While Olivia seemed tickled pink at his little display of mana manipulation.

    It wasn¡¯t helped by Vulk, Sora and Vasha turning to grace the hall with their smug grins as if they had done it themselves.

    ¡®Did you say a knight?¡¯ Mari asked before anyone else could.

    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯

    ¡®Well, I don¡¯t see any goblin knight ears here.¡¯ She said, picking up the largest ears there, which he guessed belonged to the newly evolved knight, which was still smaller than they should be. ¡®Could I see your tag, please.¡¯ She added formerly before catching herself. ¡®Not that I don¡¯t believe you!¡¯ she quickly cried, ruining the effect.

    ¡®Yeah! I bet he came across the ears after someone else had killed them.¡¯ Someone shouted, making Mari protest more strongly.

    ¡®That¡¯s fine.¡¯ Lan smiled, handing over his tag before Vulk could lunge at the man who had spoken.

    ¡®Great!¡¯ Mari grinned gratefully. Thirty Goblins, three Goblin Knights and One Goblin Titan.¡¯ She read off cheerfully before what she said hit her. ¡®What!¡¯ she cried loud enough to have the effect of shutting the gathered adventurers up.

    ¡®Well, hopefully now you idiots can move on with your lives.¡¯ A person that Lan recognised from the inn, who was part of a group that hadn¡¯t come over, chirped, rubbing a little more salt into the wounds of the suddenly sour-faced adventurers.

    ¡®You are going to have to tell us the full story later.¡¯ Locke smiled as he grabbed Lan¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t even get to the crazy part.¡¯ Lan said so only Locke and the others could hear. ¡®But I¡¯ll get a lot of practice telling the guild master first,¡¯ he shrugged.

    ¡®But still, the only way there can be three knights and a Titan in the same place.¡¯

    ¡®Would mean there really is a Goblin Swarm,¡¯ Drevin finished.

    ¡®Like I said, you no longer have to worry about the Swarm,¡¯ Lan tried, and although they didn¡¯t shoot him down, it was clear that they didn¡¯t know what to believe.

    ¡®Whatever is doing this, all that matters is that we are going to stop it.¡¯ Locke said with so much certainty that Lan believed it.

    ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Lan answered, finding his will turn to steel. Whatever it was, he would return the order that was broken no matter what. ¡®I just wish I knew what to do with these damn Silk Flowers.¡¯ If there was a shortage, then he could make some real money from it, but if there was a restriction placed on them, he could be looking at some serious trouble if he was deemed trying to smuggle restricted goods.

    ¡®Did you say you had some Silk Flowers?¡¯ Mari asked as Locke and the others blinked at him.

    ¡®Yeah, it was a pain in the ass, and it almost got me eaten by a Goblin Knight. But I was able to find a patch of them. I almost regret gathering them now, knowing that they are worthless.¡¯ Lan said, taking away even a little magic from the forest as it was now. It left him feeling wrong in a way that Lan didn¡¯t know he could feel. Maybe it was his new nature as a Light Mark or the pact with the Tear of creation?

    ¡®Oh, I never said anything like that!¡¯ Mari said quickly. ¡®The standing order was taken down because it no longer reflected the job''s urgency and the flower scarcity. A new critical order has been raised.¡¯

    ¡®What? Well then, why did you make it seem like the job had been cancelled.¡¯ Lan said a little too spiritedly, making Mari jump.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to. I just thought that, like most others, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to find enough, if any.¡¯ She answered in the form of an apology. ¡®If you want, I can accept any flowers you could get at their new reward pay.¡¯ Mari added, and Lan could feel the hearts of the adventurers gathered to see him fail, drop even without looking, which he did.

    The sullen look of desperate hope was almost sad enough to make him not do what he did next. Holding his hand over the new tray, he watched them and opened the chest, letting the flowers fall.

    As the silver flowers rained onto the new tray like snowflakes, it seemed to drag the mood of those gathered with them. He knew why they hated him. In their eyes, he had weaselled his way into one of the biggest shares of the guild job. And he knew they wanted to see him prove the fraud they thought he was. Nothing short of that would do. Just getting by as an adventurer would not earn their respect. And the fact that only those that didn¡¯t like him had gathered made it undeniable.

    Every flower was a spit in the face of those around him. So Lan let them fall, for there were a lot of them gathered.

    The silence of victory ended abruptly as a booming laugh crashed through the hall.

    ¡®Light and Stone, look at your stupid faces.¡¯ Vulk cried as he pointed to the ones he found particularly funny.

 Chapter 44: A Chat With The Boss

    Once Vulk had his fill of laughing, he wiped his eyes and slapped Lan on the back, almost sending him over the desk.

    ¡®Oh Lan, just when I think you can¡¯t get any more brilliant, you prove me wrong.¡¯

    ¡®Vulk, you rock brain, are you trying to finish what the goblins started?¡¯ Sora shouted as he threw the dwarf in a headlock.

    ¡®Ah, it was only a little slap.¡¯ Vulk said as Sora started to rain ineffective blows on the top of his head.

    ¡®Send up the next person!¡¯ The Guildmasters voice called from the second floor. Lan looked around for who was next, finding no one who looked like they wanted to go.

    ¡®I think you¡¯re up.¡¯ Locke smiled.

    Looking around at the gathered faces that wouldn¡¯t meet his eyes, Lan turned to head up the stairs.

    ¡®Oh, and Lan.¡¯ Locke called, making Lan stop and turn to find Locke and the others smiling at him.

    ¡®Welcome back.¡¯

    Lan found himself smiling back, ¡®Good to be back.¡¯

    ¡®Figures that a lucky bastard would keep getting lucky.¡¯ Someone said just loud enough for Lan to hear as he walked up the stairs.

    ¡®No wonder the Wisp didn¡¯t give us any luck. He is taking it all for himself.¡¯ another said to some laughter.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s all it is, just luck.¡¯

    Lan didn¡¯t pay them any attention. He was far more focused on what he would say to the Guildmaster.

    In many ways, the Guildmaster¡¯s office looked the way Lan imagined. A bay window gave the Guildmaster a view over the city and the Duke¡¯s palace and let in all the light needed, giving Lan a good look around the room.

    It was large, with a door on either side leading to what Lan guessed to be a meeting room on one side and the room he could only speculate about on the other. All around the room was sturdy furniture matching the large dark red desk and chair behind which the Guildmaster sat.

    On the walls were weapons and bronze casts of many different beasts that the Guildmaster had no doubt played a hand in killing. And although all looked like ferocious monsters, none held a candle to the dragon skull that hung over the Guildmaster¡¯s throne of a chair.

    Standing to either side of the window were two sets of armours, the first the one that the Guildmaster had worn the first time Lan had met him and the second a much more extravagant dark red steel armour that looked like glass finished with gold and silver inlay with the Guild Crest on the shoulders.

    And at the heart of the room, seeming as much to create the atmosphere surrounding the room as much as being a part of it, was the Guildmaster, scribbling away at something behind the mountains of papers on his desk.

    ¡®Sit or stand. It¡¯s up to you.¡¯ He said before looking up and giving Lan an unreadable look. ¡®It¡¯s you¡­¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll understand if you want me to stand,¡¯ Lan joked, finding that he was the only one in the room that found it funny.

    ¡®I want you to make your damn mind up,¡¯ he said before going back to writing.

    ¡®Right,¡¯ Lan nodded and walked over to the chair on the other side of the desk, not realising how much he needed to sit until his legs gave out, and he fell into the chair, making the Guildmaster look up from his writing.

    ¡®I thought I told you to come see me after the Guild Job?¡¯ he finally said.

    ¡®Right, about that. I¡­¡¯

    ¡®You forgot and got drunk instead.¡¯ He sighed, clearly knowing his people well. ¡®At least you fit in that regard. I was going to ask if, after some time, you still wanted to go through with this. Looking at you now, I think the question still stands.¡¯

    ¡®I do.¡¯ Lan said. At this point, the question seemed surreal what else would he do. What else was he made for if not this? Lan realised he wasn¡¯t even thinking about the Pact; this was how he felt.

    ¡®If you say so, yet you still choose not to wear the title.¡¯ The Guildmaster asked as he watched Lan¡¯s reaction, a reaction that hid nothing as Lan¡¯s eyes opened wide.

    ¡®I haven¡¯t earned that yet?¡¯ Lan said without thinking. It was how he felt, yet it was only by being faced with it that he understood why.

    ¡®The world seems to think you have earned it.¡¯ the Guildmaster added.

    ¡®but do you?¡¯ Lan countered, not getting an answer. ¡®Not that it plays much of a role in my decision¡­ with respect. It was just before I joined. All I knew of adventurers was what all children know. After that, I got to see what real adventurers look like. Until I feel like I can live up to that, it doesn¡¯t feel right to wear it.¡¯

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡®That¡¯s your choice to make. I thought you would say it was to not antagonise the others who may not like you, but I will say your answer is sufficient for now. Anyway. Let¡¯s get down to why you are in my office. Are the Suns falling?¡¯ the Guildmaster asked, retrieving a fresh piece of paper before looking up with a frown when Lan tried to decide if what he had to say was worse than the suns falling.

    Resolving that he didn¡¯t know enough about the shadow to make that call, Lan started to tell the Guildmaster about everything that had happened. From the lack of animals in the forest to the wisps having to gather around the glade as all sources of mana vanished, his fight with the Goblin Knight and running from its band. Lan told him about the battle in the hollow but not the incident with the Voice of the World. How something had shaken the beasts of the forest so much that they were acting against their nature.

    The Guildmaster listened without judgement the whole time, the only indication of his attention being the scratching of pen on paper. That was until Lan reached the part about the Goblin Swarm. Then his head shot up before knitting his hands in front of him and watching Lan. Lan told him about the Goblin Mage Owrain and his plan to take over the city in order to hide from what the beasts were running from. Then Lan told him about the destruction of the Goblin Swarm and how Owrain was swept away, and the Goblin King struck down like it was nothing to the Dark mass.

    At this point, the look in the Guildmaster¡¯s eyes was that of an inquisitor watching for even the slightest hint of falsehood.

    Lastly, Lan told him about Tyr, how she had been leading him and how she saved him from the darkness and brought him to the Tear of creation.

    Lan finished, pulling air into his lungs smoothly as he silently thanked the countless hours of merchandise debriefing for the experience.

    ¡®Thank you, that will be all.¡¯ The Guildmaster said, catching Lan by surprise.

    ¡®What! That¡¯s it? I just told you that I talked to a Tear of creation, amongst other things, and you don''t have any questions?¡¯

    ¡®You were pretty detailed in your debrief. I wish more of what I heard today was so.¡¯ He said, scratching something down on the paper.

    ¡®Yeah, but what¡¯s next?¡¯

    ¡®Listen, son.¡¯ The Guildmaster started, pinching his eyes closed. ¡®I have heard over a hundred different reports of what is going on out there and triple that waiting for me from the other guilds. There is something going on out there, and moving too quickly without all the information will only come back to bite us later.¡¯

    ¡®But you just said that what I told you was pretty detailed.¡¯ Lan tried.

    ¡®Yes, it tells me that you have a good memory but no leads. You said the Tear disappeared.¡¯ The Guildmaster continued before Lan could protest. ¡®Where did it go? Who is trying to take it over? What¡¯s the end goal? You gave me just enough to rush into the wrong decision.¡¯

    ¡®Look, I have a literal royal Wisp following me,¡¯ Lan started, seeing as the Guildmaster hadn¡¯t even raised an eyebrow at her despite Tyr flying around the room. ¡®If that¡¯s not enough, you saw my stats before, so you know that I wasn¡¯t Light Marked back then.¡¯

    ¡®Maybe, I had other things on my mind back then.¡¯ The Guildmaster looked pointedly at Lan. ¡®The truth is whether I do or don¡¯t believe you at this time, there isn¡¯t much I can do. It would take weeks to blindly search the forest, and that would be if I didn¡¯t have four other just as unlikely stories.¡¯

    ¡®If it is not, multiple different descriptions of lesser Dragons spotted. Undead skeletons watching people through the trees. On top of sightings of other greater Undead. Now I not only have word of a potentially failed hero summoning in Lecaea, but all this happens right around the time that the Duke is hosting their delegation. Who, I might add, seems to be trying to start a war.¡¯

    ¡®Hero summoning?¡¯ Lan asked, making the Guildmaster frown for a split second before he sighed.

    ¡®If it turns out to be true, you and the others would learn about it anyway. Hero summoning is an old and powerful ritual spell known only to the rulers of the world. The ritual is complicated and easily disrupted without the help of one of the Lords of Light. Only no kingdom has been given the guidance of the Lords for ten generations as it is believed that they are fundamentally against it.¡¯

    ¡®Why.¡¯ Lan asked, sitting forward. With his recent change, he felt he needed to know more about the Lords of Light.

    ¡®Because of what the ritual does. Once the spell is cast, the magic will pull a hero from the Tales into our world. It can be a Tale that we know, one lost to time, or even told in one of the other realms. As you can guess, the magic that goes into something like this is ancient and little understood. Meaning that most of the time, what comes forth is not a hero but something else. And the trouble only starts there. Just a character from a story or not, suddenly finding yourself pulled from your world and into this one wreaks havoc on the minds of those summoned.¡¯

    Lan blinked hard at that as the words hit him.

    ¡®When a hero doesn''t lose their memories. They often insist to a dangerous degree that their worlds are real and not just part of a Tale. Sometimes they never recover from this and spend their whole lives trying to return to them. And even when this is not the case, sometimes a hero was never meant to be a warrior, but seeing as summoned heroes are held to the same or higher standards than our Hero Title bearers, they don¡¯t last long. That is why some believe the Lords no longer aid us in summoning and why we chose to no longer use the spell.¡¯

    ¡®But other Lands still do?¡¯ Lan asked, already knowing the answer.

    ¡®Some might still try it secretly, but only one is bad at hiding their failures.¡¯

    ¡®Lecaea.¡¯

    The Guildmaster nodded, ¡®If they managed to bring something other than a hero and let it loose in the forest,¡¯

    ¡®Something that should only exist in stories could be behind all of this.¡¯ Lan finished. Thinking back to what the Voice had told him.

    The Guildmaster nodded again and didn¡¯t say anything for a moment.

    ¡®Whatever it is, the other guild masters and I are thinking of calling for an All Guilds Campaign.¡¯ The Guildmaster said, seeing something in Lan''s expression as he smiled. ¡®So you know what that is?¡¯

    Of course, he did. Everyone knew what an All Guilds Campaign was. Half the tales ended with one being called, and how many lives were lost to bring an end to the threat.¡¯

    ¡®One thing the Tales don¡¯t tell you.¡¯ The Guildmaster said as if reading Lan¡¯s mind. ¡®Survival rate for new adventurers in All Guilds Campaigns is less than forty percent.¡¯

    Lan knew that the survival rate was low, just not that low. As he thought about it, Lan felt a pit in his stomach.

    ¡®So I think this is a good time to think about if you really want to do this.¡¯

    ¡®What do you believe?¡¯ Lan asked, changing the subject before Looking to the Guildmaster. ¡®You said some people believe the Lords of Light no longer help in summoning because of all the ways it can go wrong. So what do you believe?¡¯ Lan asked and was greeted by the older man''s unreadable but piercing look.

    ¡®You know,¡¯ the Guildmaster started his answer in a way that told Lan he wouldn¡¯t be getting an answer, ¡®There was once a Sage who argued that if so many believe there to be other worlds wholly separate from our realms, then who was to say that they weren¡¯t telling the truth and that we were just pulling people from their worlds and their lives?¡¯

 Chapter 45: Brand new Adventurer

    Leaving the Guildmaster¡¯s office, Lan felt both disappointment and frustration. Before leaving, he had made one last attempt to convince the Guildmaster to no avail. He wouldn''t get anywhere without solid proof or at least a location. The worst part was that Lan couldn¡¯t blame the Guildmaster, and now that he knew about the Summoned Heroes, he had more questions than answers.

    Could a Summoned Hero be mad enough at their summoning to want to do something like this? But that wasn¡¯t even the worst possibility. If Lecaea did summon something other than a Hero, then there may not be a way to stop it.

    Reeling from his thoughts and injuries, Lan braced himself on the bannister, looking over the ground floor as the Guildmaster called for the next person.

    The Other World God¡­ Lan let the word ring out in his mind as someone passed him.

    ¡®Scab.¡¯ The person whispered, but Lan didn¡¯t even care to look.

    What did it mean that he had these abilities? And the Other World God¡­was it something brought here from a tale to aid those summoned or a progenitor God maybe? That would explain why the voice acted the way it did. At least, he thought as much; how could he know for sure?

    Then there was the last thing the Guildmaster said about the all guilds campaign.

    Feeling his frustration rising, Lan turned his attention to his second ability. He hadn¡¯t really had the chance to use it with everything that had happened, and needing something to distract himself, now seemed like a good time. So Lan activated his Other World Sight and watched the adventurers below burst into red flames.

    After a moment, Lan realised they had not just been attacked or set on fire with his eyes as the flames did not seem to hurt the gathered adventurers. Looking closer, Lan noticed that even though the world had darkened in his altered sight, the fire was translucent, almost like spectres surrounding them.

    Some, like in the cases of Drevin and the other larger people who Lan assumed worked as their teams¡¯ defenders, had fires that reached a foot around them. While others like Locke and Vulk had fires around half the size of that. And as Lan started to put together, Olivia, Vasha and Sora had flames smaller still.

    But it wasn¡¯t just that. Drevin¡¯s flames were easier to see than the others as well.

    Lan almost laughed as he realised he was looking at their Health Points. He would already be able to see them when he was in a party, but seeing them when not in one was an incredible advantage.

    It took much of the guesswork out of fighting, Lan reasoned now that it would have been advantageous in nearly half the fights he had been in.

    Deciding it was better not to think about it, Lan spotted something else. He saw it in a few people around the hall, but none was as clear as with Olivia. Sitting in her chest within the fire of her health points was another ball of blue fire.

    Now that he could see it, he found smaller blue flames in Locke and Cassandra. It was mana pools. Thinking back to the Mage liquor that had left him feeling like his brain would freeze over, the large mysterious woman¡¯s reaction made sense now.

    Wondering if he could learn more about his ability, Lan sent a trace of mana into his eyes and froze. In a moment, as the lines of mana filled his sight, Lan saw Olivia¡¯s blue flame solidify, filling the mana lines through her body, but before he could see more, Cassandra¡¯s head snapped up to him.

    For a moment, Lan saw the same monster he had seen during the Razorwolf battle before it vanished and was replaced with the most accusatory blank stare he had ever seen.

    Having been caught, Lan didn¡¯t try to hide, just waved with a sheepish smile before making his way down the stairs.¡¯

    ¡®You know, looking at a girl¡¯s mana pool without asking for permission is not polite.¡¯ Olivia said as Lan reached the bottom step.

    Turning, he found her propped up against the wall grinning at him. ¡®Then again, I don¡¯t mind you asking for forgiveness instead.¡¯ She winked,

    ¡®Y-you knew I did that?¡¯ Lan said, crumbling without even trying to deny it as her concern from earlier had seemingly been replaced by a return to her usual self, and she seemed to be making up for the lost time by being more enthusiastic in her approach.

    ¡®Although Cassandra ruined the surprise, yes, I could. Whereas I don¡¯t mind you looking at me, other mages may not be as nice if they catch you looking at them like that¡­ with enhanced sight, that is,¡¯ She giggled.

    ¡®Oh, I didn¡¯t know¡­ That mages don¡¯t like it!¡¯ Lan half shouted as he saw the gears turning in the head of the mage at the opening.

    Pouting at her fun being ruined, Olivia sighed dramatically, ¡®Well, they don''t. Every mage has their own reason, but for the most part, it is seen as the easiest way to disrespect a mage. In fact, if you ever want to show a mage how little you respect them, all you have to do is openly use an enhanced sight to see their mana pool, as it¡¯s considered to be like looking under their clothes.¡¯

    ¡®Oh! You know that I¡­¡¯ Lan started before Olivia smiled at him.

    ¡®I know you didn¡¯t mean anything by it, and plus, I already said I didn¡¯t mind... as long as you ask for forgiveness after.¡¯ She added with a wink, making Lan wonder how serious she was being. ¡®Still, I must say it¡¯s surprising that you came back with both an Item Box type spell and an enhanced sight.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, they aren¡¯t spells.¡¯ Lan said, which seemed to intrigue the beautiful mage even more.

    ¡®Is that so¡­ well, I think I found another way for you to apologise.¡¯ She said with a smile, but before Lan could answer, Locke and the others noticed him and called them over.

    ¡®What did the Guildmaster say?¡¯ Locke asked as the others gathered around Lan.

    ¡®That I give a detailed debrief.¡¯ Lan said wearily, getting an understanding smile.

    ¡®Yeah, well, that''s still better than what he said to me. But what I know now is you should go see a healer. If you would like, we can introduce you to the one we use.¡¯

    ¡®Huh? Oh, that¡¯s alright. I already have someone.¡¯ Lan said, knowing that Lily would not be happy to see him in the state he was in. He had hoped to give her a little more time before giving her a serious job, but it didn¡¯t look like he would be able to do that.

    ¡®Oh? Well, if you like, we can come with you?¡¯ The party lead tried, his concern evident on his face.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be alright.¡¯ Lan said before wondering if he really would be. He had just pissed off a noble, half the guild, and there were always pickpockets and robbers to watch out for. ¡®Before that, I wondered if you had any advice on picking a class.¡¯ Maybe it was the state he was in having knocked some sense into him, but the thought had finally come to him at a somewhat appropriate time.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Locke and the others shared a smile that conveyed just what they thought about this subject.

    ¡®I was wondering what combat class you had picked, seeing what you had gone through?¡¯ Locke said, making Lan scratch the back of his neck as, once again, more eyes turned to him.

    ¡®Yeah, about that, I met this odd old man named Art.¡¯ That was all Lan needed to say before Locke and the others let out a collective sigh.

    ¡®Let me guess, he tried to get you to invest in some outlandish path?¡¯ Sora asked.

    ¡®No¡­ he gave me this ring with a curse on it. At first, I thought I was in trouble, as you can expect with the curse, but the ring seemed to react to me as I fought, changing my stats as I needed. Only it reset my stats at the end of the fight at the hollow.¡¯

    ¡®Did you just say you put on a cursed ring that Art gave you?¡¯ Locke asked incredulously.

    ¡®He didn¡¯t tell me it was cursed, and who honestly just carries around cursed objects.¡¯ Lan tried, getting an understanding sigh from Locke.

    ¡®Honestly, with the other stunts Art has pulled, I should have expected something like this, even if his advice is often right regarding stat alignment¡­ when you can get a straight answer out of him, that is. What else did he say?¡¯

    ¡®He said finding the right combat class would take a few jobs, but I would appreciate any advice.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, well, we haven¡¯t fought with you enough to say one way or another.¡¯ Locked scratched his chin.

    ¡®Back with the Razorwolves, you showed good situational awareness, in my opinion,¡¯ Drevin shrugged. ¡®Obviously, you¡¯re crazy enough to throw yourself in the path of danger. Maybe guardian is right for you,¡¯ The large man finished.

    ¡®You just want him to be a guardian like you.¡¯ Sora frowned at the tower of a man. ¡®He was also good at drawing attention before running away. That¡¯s hit and run. I think rogue works just as well.¡¯

    ¡®He just returned from a solo job with over thirty goblin ears.¡¯ Locke shrugged. ¡®sounds like a Strider to me.¡¯

    ¡®Let''s not forget that he has mana. It would be a waste to neglect that.¡¯ Olivia said, adding her two coppers to the conversation.

    ¡®You think he has that much potential?¡¯ Locke asked the mage.

    ¡®Well, he has mana and has shown he can manipulate it. I don¡¯t see why he couldn¡¯t be a Mage with a little guidance.¡¯ Olivia smiled at Lan.

    ¡®I have mana too,¡¯ Cassandra added, ¡®maybe he should be a berserker.¡¯ She said, and although most of the party started to talk, they all decided against it and shook their heads.

    ¡®In any case, if that cursed ring does as you said, you don¡¯t have to rush into anything, which is good. The last thing you want is to pick a path too hastily and end up with poor alignment or attribute decay to make up for it.¡¯ Locke said, which seemed to be a sore subject as multiple people around the hall chuckled bitterly.

    Lan knew what bad stat alignment was. It was one of the things drilled into the minds of every child and how once an attribute was spent, there wasn¡¯t a way back, but he hadn¡¯t heard about attribute decay.

    ¡®What¡¯s attribute decay?¡¯ Lan asked, ignoring the comments from around the room.

    Looking around at where the voice came from, Locke went on. ¡®Attribute decay is when one attribute is so high that it starts to negatively affect the others, meaning you get less out of investing in them. Too many points into Strength, and you get less out of any new point you spend in Dexterity if the disparity is high enough. This mostly goes for the three physical stats because of how they affect a person¡¯s body, but not always. You don''t expect backflips from a strongman, but you have heard the saying, too smart to be brave?¡¯

    ¡®Too much Mind, not enough Will?¡¯ Lan tried getting a nod.

    ¡®Of course, you can focus on just the physical stats keeping them balanced, but then your mental and social stats will suffer.¡¯

    ¡®it¡¯s all about the right balance.¡¯ Vasha said before the others burst out laughing.¡¯

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯ Locke smiled at Lan''s perplexed expression. ¡®the joke is that, except for the mages, none of us has perfectly balanced stats.¡¯ When Lan looked confused, Locke went on. ¡®As you know, most of us started off in the army. Well, military Class Items, amongst other things, allocate stat points for you. That way, all scouts are the same, or archers and all infantry all the same.¡¯

    ¡®Which is good for the army. The last thing you want is an archer not being able to shoot as hard or as far as the others.¡¯ Vasha said.

    ¡®Or a scout with lower stealth and reconnaissance skills than the others. When all your plans are based on knowing as much as possible, knowing that any soldier can perform to the same level as anyone of their combat class is key.¡¯ Sora continued.

    ¡®As good as that is for the army. It¡¯s a nightmare for those that leave it and become adventurers.¡¯ Locke finished.

    ¡®For example, an army archer only needs enough Strength to draw a bow, and then all points go into Dexterity to be able to fire better and move. Health points, on the other hand, are deemed unnecessary, so I have had to spend a good few levels to make sure that I don¡¯t get killed by a stray shot, not to mention Strength so I can carry more than just my bow and arrows or the fact that my Dexterity is much higher than what I really need for my level and equipment unless I have them custom made.¡¯ Vasha said clearly, still not over the experience.

    ¡®We all have similar stories. With the exception of your ladyship over here.¡¯ Vulk said, making Olivia pout.

    ¡®It¡¯s not my fault that a mage is a mage.¡¯ She huffed.

    ¡®You too Drevin and Vulk?¡¯ Lan asked before looking to Cassandra, wondering if he wanted to know.

    ¡®Yeah, I was a Rune Guard.¡¯ Vulk said with a shrug. ¡®Pretty much the same thing.¡¯

    ¡®Shield Knights aren¡¯t meant to do that much moving; Just be an unbreakable wall,¡¯ Drevin said, and Lan remembered how fast the large man had moved during the Razorwolf fight and tried to think about the commitment to get that way. ¡®Luckily, skills can sometimes make up for any deficiencies.¡¯

    ¡®Especially when you have the access nobles have.¡¯ Vulk prodded, getting a roll of the eyes from the former knight.

    ¡®You know Lan, starting as a level one might be a great advantage for you.¡¯ Sora said off handily. ¡®As you heard, you can probably fit into most classes, and as a level one, you can be the perfect version of any of them.¡¯ the moment the young rogue finished, what he said seemed to ring home for him before it slowly sank in for those around him.

    One by one, the realisation of what this meant, more importantly, what it meant for any party that Lan would end up with, painted itself on the faces of all those throughout the hall.

    Lan didn¡¯t notice as someone called his name. Turning, Lan was greeted by a Page. A young man dressed in a magistrate page uniform looked around the hall like a rabbet which had wandered into a dog pit.

    ¡®Master Cross?¡¯ he asked nervously.

    ¡®Yes?¡¯ Lan answered.

    ¡®Uh¡­ a letter, I mean orders, no summons.¡¯ Clearly feeling the pressure of the room, the boy trailed off before sticking his hands out with a letter gripped tight enough to crease the paper.

    ¡®Thank you¡­¡¯ Lan said, taking the letter before trying to retrieve a copper for the boy, but the boy vanished from the guild hall by the time he looked up.

    That was all Lan needed to know what kind of letter this was. It was customary to give a little something to a messenger. They wouldn¡¯t accept it only when they brought bad news.

    ¡°You are hereby ordered to come before Magistrate Lirose on the third day of Helos. You have been called to contest the challenge brought forth by Obern Dell. On the day, you must bring forth any evidence to defend your name.¡±

    After that, the letters listed everything Dell was asking for. One thousand Dragons and planned to discuss how to repay it.

    Despite the situation, Lan felt a tight grin form on his face. So that was the plan. Lan knew exactly what Dell planned to fight for, and it said how little the old snake thought of him if he believed that Lan would allow it.

    As he reread through the letter, any humour turned to cold anger as he promised he would make Dell pay for this before opening his tome and looking at his mother''s hairpin as his anger gave way to disappointment for a moment. He wanted to return it to her in person, but he needed to consider his next steps now that Dell had played his hand.

    ¡®Lan, is everything alright?¡¯ Locke asked.

    ¡®Yeah, I have been summoned to stand before a Magistrate.¡¯ Lan said, turning only to find the guild staring at him. Not in the way they had before. No, now they looked at him like he had become a solid gold statue that could tell the future.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Lan asked, stepping back as Locke looked around.

    ¡®Lan, did you hear what Sora said. You¡¯re starting from the beginning as an adventurer, something almost no one gets. Whatever combat class you pick, you can be the perfect version of it, a light send to any party you pick.¡¯

    As Lan thought about it, he could see why the mood in the hall had changed and why many of the faces looked like they had stepped in horse muck.

    The more Lan thought about it, the better the position he had found himself in seemed to be. And that was to say nothing of the fact that he was now Light marked.

    Lan had thought that he would need to get stronger before asking to join Locke and the others, but with this, he could be a valuable party member sooner. He thought, looking up only to find Locke and the others sharing a worried look. The looks made no sense, but a voice broke through the hall before he could think of a reason why.

    ¡®Alright, everyone, listen up! As you all know, there is something out of the ordinary going on, so I would like to thank all of you that provided information, and I expect going forward that you all continue to do so until we find out what is causing the disturbance and do what we are called to do.¡¯

    At this, all around the hall, adventurers stomped their foot lightly. ¡®There is one other thing that I expect from you. Although it is too early to call it, I expect you all to spend the next few weeks as if preparing for an All Guilds Campaign.¡¯ The Guildmaster said as his eyes fell on Lan.

 Chapter 46: Oh Lily

    Lan didn¡¯t know his mood could worsen as he left the guild hall. First, there was the way Locke and the others were acting after explaining what his fresh start meant for the party he ended up with, which still needled him. But it was nothing to what was dragging his mood to the ground.

    The All Guilds Campaign. Everyone knew what the All Guilds Campaign was, and even as he walked down the road, he could hear people talking about the fact that there was going to be one. Not that there was a chance of one. No, it was happening.

    If it did end up happening, and from what Lan had seen, it would be if he could convince the Guildmaster, he would have to be part of it. He would face whatever was behind the dark as part of the guild or on his own.

    All this meant he couldn¡¯t go home, not just yet. He couldn¡¯t hide his level from his family, and no honourable jobs would grant him five levels in less than a week, so they would find out that he was an adventurer now. And with the news going around, they would no doubt put two and two together, and even though he knew it was cowardly, he couldn¡¯t do that to his mother. Returning only to leave her with the knowledge that he could be killed at any moment.

    Even outside of an All Guilds Campaign, where he was expected to die instead of live. Lan knew that his life hung by a thread most of the time he would go out. He had only been on two jobs, and both could have been his last, should have been his last, if not for his luck holding out.

    He couldn¡¯t tell them until he was stronger and knew he would come back from near anything. Until then¡­ until then all he would be doing was putting more of a burden on them. There was always the chance that they would still find out. But the only people that knew, he didn¡¯t think, would want to share the story.

    Then there was the other reason to stay away for a little longer. Dell. The rotten snake was up to something that Lan knew, and he knew exactly how to get in his way. Part of that involved his family acting a certain way. He thought he would have to explain it to them, but he may be able to get away without putting even this burden on them. So why was it that thinking as much made his chest tighten and his stomach twist to the point he wanted to be sick? It was the right thing to do; he knew as much, but just the idea of lying to them made him hate himself.

    Mulling over his thoughts and falling deeper into a slump, Lan headed for the potions shop he had used before and purchased five mana potions. Two gold dragons down, Lan headed out of the city and over to Lily¡¯s home.

    After a night in the forest, the open night of the path to the manor was radiant as the cool night air chilled his body enough to remind him that he was somehow alive.

    The clear night did one other thing. It gave Lan a good view of Lily¡¯s home long before he reached the hill. It was late, but not enough for them to be asleep. Yet there was only one light in the main hall that the children had eaten in before. That was not all. Along with the light coming from the window, there was also an unbroken line of light at the edge of the door.

    That was enough to give Lan¡¯s staggering steps a little more purpose, enough that he soon dragged his body close enough to hear a voice coming from the halls.

    ¡®I will not hand over the children to you!¡¯ Lan heard Lily¡¯s voice.

    ¡®Be reasonable, my lady. The children are better served in the hands of the church. We have already made arrangements to accept them.¡¯ a male voice said in a tone that wanted to be pious but dripped of imperious self-importance, like the matter had already been settled long ago, and Lily was the only one standing in the way of what everyone already knew.

    ¡®Better served.¡¯ Lily said bitterly. ¡®By served, you mean working them until they pass out for fear of being beaten unconscious.¡¯

    ¡®We must all repay the Highest with our blood, sweat and tears. Not even the youngest of us can be spared.¡¯ The man said as if holding back tears of his own.

    ¡®I don¡¯t have the time or patience to debate religion with you.¡¯ Lily said, allowing her tone to say what she was too kind to put to words.

    ¡®You¡¯re right. There isn¡¯t much to debate. The children already belonged to us before running away. So you have no choice but to return them.¡¯

    ¡®As I already told you before, I will return them to your custody.¡¯ Lily emphasised, her voice taking on anger that Lan¡¯s first encounter with her would have said was impossible. ¡®If you are able to show me the right of custody, and I will happily hand the children over.¡¯ Lily countered with an almost sharp tone as Lan pushed the door open in time to see the robed man¡¯s shoulders tense.

    So he didn¡¯t have any records of the children, Lan thought as he took in the scene. Along with Lily and the man in the white with red trim robes she was arguing with were three rough-looking men that Lan thought he had seen before. One was very short, the next was so thin it looked like a stiff breeze would sweep him away, the third was just blocks of muscle barely held together by thin skin, and lastly was Seth, who looked like he would attack the four men if not for Lily holding him back.

    ¡®Why are we even wasting time talking to this little tart. We should just take the children already.¡¯ The shortest man, whose voice itched at the back of Lan¡¯s mind, said as the robed man hummed.

    ¡®Hmm, you are right.¡¯ The man said as if he had been forced to make a bitter decision.

    ¡®I told you I will not allow it!¡¯ Lily snapped.

    ¡®Yeah, and who¡¯s going to stop us?.¡¯ The man asked, tempting fate, and Lan was more than happy to play the part.

    ¡®I will.¡¯ Lan breathed, his voice barely a whisper but in the vacuum left by the question, more than enough to reach the other side of the entrance hall.

    Lily and Seth were the first to see him, their expressions growing wide with shock before recognition set in, and a grin slipped Seth¡¯s face while Lily looked horrified.

    It was nothing compared to the four men. Who, upon turning, stared as if seeing a wild beast.

    ¡®Monster!¡¯ the short man cried, and Lan had to say it wasn¡¯t the worst guess. After seeing himself in his tattered and burnt cloak, ash-covered armour and still-glowing eyes under his dishevelled hair, he fit the part as he walked out of the dark. Not to mention seeing four men accosting Lily and Seth in their home gave him the temperament to play the role.

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    ¡®No, not a monster, no more than any other man.¡¯ The priest said as he collected himself. Looking at him, it was Lan¡¯s turn to be surprised as he saw the crest on the man¡¯s robes. It wasn¡¯t any of the symbols of the Lords of Light. Lan knew that other religions were not forbidden in Crownguard. There was no reason to stop it, as all could see the workings of the Lords of Light in everything they saw and did.

    The design of Class Items was the main one, so it wasn¡¯t like anyone would be converted. So outsider religions were often left to their own devices as long as they didn¡¯t cross any boundaries. The symbol before him was one that he did not expect to see. That being the marking of the three-head crow of Vivin.

    Vin was one of the few kingdoms Lan knew that had not stopped worshipping their God even after their God¡¯s voice had gone quiet. Now the religion had turned to self-sacrifice to repay their lost God. Aside from the fact that trade negotiations with those from Vin were notoriously unproductive, Lan knew that the self-sacrifice was not doled out equally, and those of their church seemed to give the least.

    The idea that followers of Vivin would be allowed to run an orphanage was ridiculous, which was no doubt why the man didn¡¯t like Lily bringing up documents they didn¡¯t have.

    ¡®I remember him. He¡¯s the Apple Terrier.¡¯ The shortest thug said, allowing Lan to put a voice to the faces. It was the three who had attacked Seth in the alleyway.

    ¡®Oh, you¡¯re in for it now that our brother is here.¡¯ Seth lied with enough conviction to make the robed man pause momentarily before shaking his head.

    ¡®A holy man who brings three thugs to harass a woman and child. Some of us are more monstrous than others.¡¯ Lan said, getting the man¡¯s pious frown to crack into anger before he hid it away.

    ¡®You seem like a reasonable man. Surely you must be able to see that this is no place for children to live?¡¯ the priest asked, not knowing that Lan was probably the last person anyone should ask that. Not only was he an example of one¡¯s surroundings meaning little if you are not allowed to live, but he had less say than Lily. She was the one sacrificing so much to look after them.

    He could talk about the fact that he wasn¡¯t going to allow other children to lose their lives to corrupt bastards who saw them as little more than tools, and a religion that thought suffering was the only way to worship fit the description.

    ¡®I am very reasonable.¡¯ Lan said, getting a smile from the man, as Lily pushed Seth behind her. ¡®And I think it¡¯s reasonable to show a right of custody.¡¯ Lan said, watching as the man¡¯s frown deepened. ¡®If you don¡¯t have it, you should leave before things stop being reasonable.¡¯

    With a look at Lan that could melt stone, the priest turned to the three thugs. ¡®You don¡¯t get paid until the children are returned.¡¯

    ¡®What! You said all we had to do is show you where the red-haired boy was?¡¯ the shortest shouted before eyeing Lan grimly.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know, boss. He looks even more hurt than before. Maybe he was lying about having people with him,¡¯ the thin man said, and just as it looked like the short one was considering it, his eyes fell on Lan, and all thought escaped him.

    Gone was the pompous arrogance that Lan had used before that had shaken and pissed off the man, and In its place, cold confidence that told the man something had changed. He didn¡¯t have to worry about the man¡¯s party. He needed to worry about the man in front of him.

    As Lan watched the man¡¯s face mould into different expressions. His mind shifted to what his next move would be. The large man was most likely the most significant threat, and he didn¡¯t know if the priest of a dead god could use holy magic. First would be the thin man. A good kick should keep him busy, then the large one while they were still reacting to the attack. Then the priest, and last would be the little man just because Lan didn¡¯t like him. Lan didn¡¯t think about their levels or the shape he was in. As his blood started to race, he knew his body would answer.

    Lan¡¯s eyes fell on the short man, and as if able to read Lan¡¯s mind, the man paled and licked his lips before swallowing hard enough to be audible.

    ¡®Leave.¡¯ Lan ordered as he looked into the man¡¯s eyes, ¡®Or is a gold dragon really worth your life.¡¯ Nothing set a greedy man¡¯s priority straight than reminding him how little he was getting paid to risk his life by overestimating the amount.

    The man¡¯s sour expression and the stiffening of the priest''s back told Lan he had been right in, guessing it was nowhere near a gold dragon and now looked like they were ready to renegotiate.

    ¡®We¡¯ll leave things here for today,¡¯ the priest said, looking to Lily before storming towards the door without waiting for his goons. ¡®You will face the Highest¡¯s judgement.¡¯ The not so pious man added as he passed by Lan.

    Lan watched the three leave as they quietly reaffirmed their promise to make him pay before shutting the door and letting himself slump against it.

    ¡®Lan!¡¯ Both Lily and Seth said as they ran over to him.

    ¡®What happened to you?¡¯ Lily said, moving to hold him up before pausing and pulling her hands back before moving to brace him again but not quite reach him.¡¯

    ¡®You look like you got run over by a wagon train.¡¯ Seth said with a worried smile on his face.

    ¡®You should see the other thirty guys.¡¯ Lan smiled. It was an overplayed response to a beating, but as Seth grinned, he guessed it had had its effect, or it was the first time the red-hair nightmare had heard it. Of course, it helped that, in his case, it was true. ¡®On second thought, better if you don¡¯t.¡¯

    ¡®If you two are done, I would like to know what by the Light happened to you. I thought you agreed not to get hurt.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, but the band of goblins didn¡¯t.¡¯ Lan shrugged. ¡®if it helps, it could have been much worse.¡¯

    ¡®it does not.¡¯ Lily huffed as Seth looked between the two. ¡®I told you that I only know a little healing.¡¯

    ¡®You and I know that no one just knows a little healing.¡¯ Lan cut her off. He hadn¡¯t wanted to pry into her life after their second meeting. But if anyone could learn a little healing magic, everyone would do it. Not only did one need to know the spells themselves, but one also needed the knowledge of human anatomy and the understanding to use it.

    The fact that she had healed his eyes so quickly meant she knew more than a little.

    ¡®I really did mean to hold up to my word.¡¯ Lan said, meeting Lily¡¯s eyes, hoping she could see that he was sincere. Instead, her cheeks filled with colour. ¡®Are you alright?¡¯

    ¡®Hmm? What! I¡¯m fine.¡¯ She said quickly. ¡®You look a little different.¡¯ She added before she could stop herself. ¡®I mean, no, wait!¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, I do.¡¯ Lan said with a smile which only seemed to make her turn a deeper shade of red.

    ¡®I¡¯ll go make sure the others are sleeping.¡¯ Seth said, gracing the two of them with a smug smile before grabbing Lan¡¯s arm. ¡®Thanks for coming.¡¯ He said, catching Lan off guard.

    ¡®Of course.¡¯ Lan said, glad he had made it in time as he watched Seth run up the stairs.

    ¡®Well, if we are going to do this, then we might as well get started.¡¯ Lily sighed, taking his arm.

    ¡®Especially when you only know a little, it might take us all night.¡¯ Lan said, making Lily roll her eyes.

    ¡®I¡¯ll check your eyes first.¡¯ She said, walking him over to a chair. Even though she really didn¡¯t need to, Lan let her as she watched him like he could drop at any moment.

    Once seated, Lily retrieved her glasses, paused before putting them on and sighed before frowning at Lan.

    Brushing a golden lock of hair behind her ear, Lily¡¯s sent a trace of mana to her eyes, giving them a silver sheen.

    ¡®Hmm, your eyes are fine. If not flowing with a lot of mana.¡¯ She said before looking down a moment before her eyes grew wide. ¡®How by the Light are you standing.¡¯

    ¡®It looks worse than¡­¡¯ Lan managed before she cut him off with a baleful look, and he cleared his throat instead. ¡®Oh, brought you these,¡¯ Lan said, reaching to the Chest and retrieving the mana potions.

    Lily looked at the potions for a moment. It seemed like she would ask about the Chest before turning back to the potions.

    ¡®I thought that the advance you gave me was meant to cover this?¡¯

    ¡®This is just my way of saying sorry for getting hurt.¡¯ Lan shrugged. Healing was no easy thing on the body of either person, and the last thing he wanted was to have her unable to operate properly for the next few days as she recovered, which would be the case if she didn''t use her mana often.

    ¡®Well, I guess it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Lily said in a small voice. ¡®Fractured ribs, internal bruising, your shoulder worries me the most and the rest seem to be shallow cuts and bruises. Okay, take off your clothes.¡¯ She said, looking up at him.

    Lan knew that he knew better. He knew that her lack of experience or being out of practice was why she wanted as little contact between the two of them, but he was already speaking before he could stop himself.

    ¡®Oh, Lily, I didn¡¯t know you felt that way about me.¡¯

 Author update: PC problems.

    Not too sure if this is the kind of thing that would usually cause for an update but I wanted to keep you guys in the loop. The usb drivers on my PC have been disconnecting and reconnecting every few seconds. As you can guess, it is taking everything within me not to throw it out of a window as I type this. I''ll try and get a chapter out some other way soon.

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    Thanks

    Also this have to been five hundred Characters, so i''ll take this time to ask how your day have been. :)

 Chapter 47: Uhâ€¦ No Promises

    Lily processed Lan¡¯s words in time with the reddening of her face. Then her hands gesticulated wildly as no words would come from her mouth.

    ¡®No!¡¯ she finally managed, ¡®it¡¯s just that it will be easier to heal you without them. It¡¯s not like I was trying to see you without your clothes¡­ not that I wouldn¡¯t like to.¡¯ she added quickly before her eyes grew wider. ¡®That¡¯s not what I meant.¡¯

    Lan laughed, feeling like he should rescue her from herself, ¡®It was a joke, Lily.¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ she blinked, ¡®oh, that joke.¡¯ She blushed deeper, making him laugh harder until his ribs reminded him why he was there.

    ¡®Ugh!¡­¡¯ Lan sounded as he leaned against the table. ¡®Ouch¡­¡¯

    ¡®Serves you right.¡¯ Lily huffed. ¡®If you are done, the faster you undress, the quicker we can get this done.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡¯ Lan groaned as he grabbed himself off the table.

    ¡®Honestly, I thought you were too mature for jokes like that,¡¯ Lily huffed as she unfastened Lan''s cloak.

    ¡®In my defence, I don¡¯t think I had much of a choice, and a little part of me always wanted to make that joke.¡¯

    The joke in question was the first dirty joke he had heard. Although through working in a warehouse, he had heard it hundreds of times and told just as many ways since. The only thing that mattered was the punch line.

    The joke was about a beautiful woman of ranging ages and backgrounds falling for a kind and handsome young man whose only shortcoming was being utterly oblivious to the point of debilitation.

    From this point, the joke differed wildly depending on the skill and the vulgarity of the teller''s mind. The skilful tellers could spin a weaving tale that covered all the woman¡¯s increasingly desperate attempts to catch the eye of the young man who would seem to misunderstand all of her signs. While others would take this time to tell as lewd a tale as possible. However the teller got there, the joke ended with the woman losing her mind and lunging at the man in the middle of the town square, and as she ripped his clothes off in front of everyone, the man would look at her and say.

    ¡®Oh, Greta, I didn¡¯t know you felt that way about me.¡¯

    Lily huffed again before watching as he worked on the straps of his armour. Once she saw what he was doing, Lily loosened the straps on his good arm and helped him work his way out of the shaped steel and leather.

    Once done, Lan considered just cutting himself out of his shirt, which now seemed much more snug than when he had left. But before he could, Lily started to lift it up. He almost stopped her, but she was already moving to guide his injured arm out of his sleeve and looked up before he could.

    ¡®Something wrong?¡¯ she asked, looking up at Lan innocently as if she didn¡¯t have her hand on his bare chest.

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡¯ Lan said, once again realising how pretty her eyes were, like shaped emeralds given a gold lustre from the candlelight. Once they were able to get his shirt off. Lan caught a glimpse of himself in the window.

    His changed face was one thing. At least then, he could still recognise himself a little. His body, on the other hand, was a whole other story. Not only was there definition in muscles he didn¡¯t even know he had, but his shoulders were also a little broader than before. He was still far from the figure that his father had cast, but he now looked like an adventurer.

    Not to mention he was covered in cuts held closed by his Health Points, making him appear covered in blood-red war markings. He had been hit far more than he had thought, which Lan guessed happened in the hollow.

    Lan was about to joke if Lily could leave him with a few scars, but as he turned, he found her staring at him.

    ¡®Something wrong?¡¯ Lan asked as Lily continued to stare.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ she blinked, ¡®it¡¯s nothing!¡¯ she said before darting off, leaving him standing unsure of what just happened. Lan looked at his reflection again. Maybe this wasn¡¯t the best time for jokes, he thought.

    Lily returned with a bucket of steaming water and a cloth sometime later and gestured for him to sit, which he did so, quickly taking the seat next to him before starting to clean his wounds. Although there was still a little colour to her cheeks, and she wouldn¡¯t meet his eyes, she seemed to have returned to her usual self.

    ¡®Honestly, how by the Light did you end up like this?¡¯

    ¡®Well, I wasn¡¯t lying about the Goblins.¡¯ Lan laughed before going into the story as Lily cleaned his cuts, leaving out the parts with Tyr, who seemed to find far more interest outside of Lily¡¯s home than what they were doing.

    ¡®Hmm, it sounds like you had a hard go of it.¡¯ Lily said, sounding as though she was picturing it. Seeing this, Lan felt a knot starting to form in the pit of his stomach This was only their second time meeting, and this was her reaction. How would his mother react? After seeing so much pain in her eyes upon his first return, could he go through it again? Could he put her through it again?

    ¡®Well, at least I know what to expect for the next time.¡¯ She said, not noticing how her words hit Lan like a punch or how he felt a little ashamed for doubting her when she looked at him with resolute eyes. ¡®Right?¡¯ she asked innocently.

    ¡®Right¡­¡¯ Lan answered as Lily put on her glasses and Looked up at him.

    ¡®Ready?¡¯

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    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan said, once again noting how good the glasses looked on her.

    After some time, Lily was able to knit Lan¡¯s ribs back together. At once, both let out a sigh; Lily because she hadn¡¯t made any mistakes, and Lan, as tension he didn¡¯t even know he was holding, melted away like snow in spring.

    ¡®That should make sitting through the rest easier.¡¯ She said, taking a sip from a mana potion.

    ¡®Yeah, I think every coin I spent up until now is worth it for just that.¡¯ Lan smiled, making Lily blush.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re welcome.¡¯ She said with a small smile of her own before looking up with a playful frown at him. ¡®Well, aren¡¯t you going to ask about the story of how I learned how to heal?¡¯

    ¡®I figured you would tell me once you felt like it.¡¯ Lan tried to shrug before he was reminded that his shoulder was still injured.

    ¡®But you still expected me to tell you eventually.¡¯ She said, playing more into the frown.

    ¡®Eventually,¡¯ Lan half shrugged with his good shoulder, making her roll her eyes.

    ¡®Well, I can¡¯t say you aren¡¯t a part of this now.¡¯ She sighed. ¡®As I told you, this is my family¡¯s estate. We were a Knighted House, although one of my ancestors won that title. It was lost a few generations ago, but we were allowed to keep the land. Which is the only way that I could attend school in the capital to study when my family decided to pack up and leave for another land.¡¯ She said as if the thought still brought her no end of aggravation.

    ¡®They disappeared, and I was kicked out of the Academy, and that¡¯s what brought me back here, and you know the rest.¡¯ She smiled.

    ¡®What happened.¡¯ Lan asked, and Lily sent mana into her eyes.

    ¡®The reason I said I wasn¡¯t a healer isn¡¯t just because I didn¡¯t finish. My studies were in magic development, focusing on healing magic. But the only thing I worked on was this.¡¯ She pointed to her eyes.

    ¡®Really, what¡¯s different about it?¡¯ Lan asked, having recently become invested in that kind of magic.

    ¡®Well, like most Sight enhancement magic, it allows you to see more. The difference between this and other healing sight magic, which will enable you to see through a person''s body, is that this only allows me to see in shades of silver. That is, until I send a wave of mana at someone. Then their whole body is painted before me, from Mana channels to veins. I can see it all through how they each react to the mana, and of course, like this, any injury becomes as clear as day.

    ¡®That¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Lan said, finding it hard to believe that anyone could create something like that and that they were healing him and not the royal family.

    ¡®It would have been if it had been complete. The spell was meant to work in an area of effect. Allow one healer to tend to the most gravely injured around them first. But before I could finish the spell, the instructor I was working with got the funny notion that not only was I making the spell for him to present as his own work but that I was doing so because I was madly in love with him. When I made it clear that neither was the case. He had me expelled and any potential reputation I had destroyed.¡¯

    ¡®Is that so¡­¡¯ Lan breathed as he tried and failed to loosen his grip. Everywhere he looked, someone was abusing their power, and there was little honest people could do about it.

    Seeing this, Lily smiled and placed her hands on his. ¡®Don¡¯t let it bother you too much. Looking around now, I am glad it happened. I got to meet the children, and now you because of it.¡¯ she smiled, and Lan looked away as his anger was replaced by something else.

    ¡®You wouldn¡¯t happen to have the instructor''s name. you know, just in case we cross paths.¡¯ Lan asked, getting an odd look from Lily.

    ¡®Oh, I wouldn¡¯t worry about him. A few months after getting me expelled, he was found to have fathered a child with an extended family member of a high-ranking noble studying at the Academy and was executed.¡¯

    ¡®Oh¡­ you don¡¯t say. But then-¡¯

    ¡®The Academy has erased the names of everyone who interacted with the instructor.¡¯ Lily interrupted him.

    ¡®Hmm, right.¡¯ Lan said. Well, there was always someone with more power, he reasoned as Lily returned to healing him.

    ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Lily said after a long moment. ¡®This is the first time that... priest brought anyone with him.¡¯

    Lan didn¡¯t answer for some time. He now knew why she had chosen to take care of the children, yet it only made the concerns he had before return.

    ¡®I¡¯m just glad that I was here,¡¯ Lan forced a smile, ¡®but about that, have you tried getting one of the other orphanages involved?¡¯

    ¡®I tried that back when there were only a few of them. Those that spent time with the Followers of Vivin are terrified of even the real orphanages now and will run and hide in the forest if I bring it up. The rest won''t go anywhere unless it¡¯s all of us, including me, and as I am a little too old to start training as a nun. I don¡¯t see myself being allowed to stay with them.¡¯ she ended with a sigh as if happy to get this off her chest.

    ¡®Yeah, I can see how that would be a problem.¡¯ Lan said, mulling over his thoughts. It wasn¡¯t safe for them, and the fact that they weren¡¯t technically allowed to do this meant they couldn¡¯t get the guards involved. Either they would take the children away if there was space in an orphanage, or they wouldn¡¯t do anything. In any case, he didn¡¯t think they could keep things going like this, and from the look on Lily¡¯s face, she felt so too.

    ¡®Anyway, things should be quiet for the next week,¡¯ she said before the two fell silent, the flickering candlelight and the soft, consistent whispering rhythm of Lily¡¯s magic the only reminder that sounds still existed. What could he do? When he wasn¡¯t even sure what he was allowed to do.

    ¡®Well, I guess I could visit in about a week.¡¯ Lan said. He didn¡¯t know what he could do, so he decided to do what he could.

    Lily blinked at him, smiling, ¡®I am sure the children would like that.¡¯

    ¡®I hope you will too.¡¯ Lan said, and as Lily started to blush, Lan went on. ¡®Because I will probably need more healing.¡¯ He laughed, getting another pout from the charming healer.

    ¡®Next time, I might heal your bones incorrectly for breaking your promise.¡¯ She said before smiling to let him know she was joking before returning to healing him.

    An hour or two later, Lan stood looking at his reflection in the window. He would have said he was as good as new, but seeing as he looked better than new, that seemed like an understatement.

    Lan rolled his shoulder, finding that he not only had full motion back but feeling too, without any aches or pains. Of his cuts, all that was left were hair-thin white lines that would fade in a few days.

    From what Lan knew of healers, the smaller the lines, the more skilful the healing. If that were true, whoever had kicked Lily out of the Academy had wasted a talent.

    ¡®This is amazing, Lily. Thank you.¡¯ Lan turned to Lily, finding her smiling with a mix of pride and accomplishment.

    ¡®Oh, sorry. You''re welcome.¡¯ She said as she pushed her fingertips together. ¡®I have to say, I was never really interested in healing itself at the Academy. Whenever I have to heal the children, I am filled with panic until it¡¯s done, so it¡¯s nice getting to do some healing like this. Which is something that I never thought I would say.¡¯ She giggled.

    ¡®It really takes a unique person to be a healer.¡¯ Lan said, puffing out his chest.

    ¡®Is that so? Then why are you acting like you did it yourself?¡¯ Lily prodded.

    ¡®Are you kidding? I was the one that hired you as my healer and went through the trouble of getting hurt.¡¯ Lan said with mock indignation

    ¡®Oh, how kind of you,¡¯ She rolled her eyes before the two burst out laughing.

    ¡®Still, I have to say¡­¡¯ Lily started before taking a long look at Lan. ¡®You really do look like a different person.¡¯ She said as a touch of colour returned to her cheeks.

    ¡®Really? I am sure I was covered in blood the first time too.¡¯ Lan smiled.

    ¡®I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡¯ Lily blinked. ¡®Try not to make that a habit, for me?¡¯

    Lan was about to answer but then remembered what was to come, ¡®uh¡­ no promises.¡¯

 Chapter 48: As pretty as an elf... sort of

    Once Lan was healed up, he tried to pay Lily for her work, but she insisted that they count this one as part of the original payment, and so with a suggestion that he could come by anytime and not just when he needed healing, Lan headed back to the city.

    At some point with Lily, the idea of not telling his family about his new class had started to feel more and more like the wrong choice, so he was glad that the hour had made the decision for him, at least for now.

    However, Lan¡¯s thoughts of escaping his frustrations were short-lived when he reached the Inn and found Locke and the others around their table.

    Instead of drinking, they looked deep into conversation and even after Locke spotted Lan and waved him over, their attempts to act normal only made them look like they were trying to act normal. But even that fell away when Lan asked them which combat class they thought the team could use, and the others made excuses as to why they needed to leave early.

    Leaving Lan to watch dumbfounded as they all left, unsure what to think. A part of him was disappointed, but they hadn¡¯t exactly turned him down; he hadn¡¯t even had the chance to ask, and Lan wasn¡¯t under the delusion that they would be afraid to tell him no, but at the same time, it was clear that they were trying to avoid the subject.

    Maybe it had something to do with The All Guild¡¯s Campaign. With their much higher levels, maybe they thought he would be in danger or a hindrance if he were to join them. And despite drinking with them, they hadn¡¯t hinted at wanting him to join their party as far as he had picked up on.

    Not sure how to feel and not liking what his mind defaulted to, Lan headed to his room. Which turned out for the best. What he had been through took a lot out of him, and healing was not much better on the body. So he was asleep long before his head reached his pillow.

    Lan didn¡¯t wake with the sun¡¯s rising for a second day in a row. Instead, by the time he opened his eyes, the light through his window stretched along the floor, having passed his face without him even stirring.

    Rising and changing into some of his last few clean clothes, Lan looked at himself in the mirror. He could do with a haircut, but the person he had seen in the mirror hadn¡¯t just been a symptom of delirium.

    ¡®So this is me now?¡¯ Lan said, watching the figure in the mirror copy him. he wondered if his family would even recognise him, Lan thought before recoiling from it. Whatever decision he made, it had to be today, yet trying to make it was tearing him apart.

    Every shred of common sense told him not to say anything, to just drop the hairpin off at the door and leave. He could even write a letter with some story about having to stay away a little longer.

    That way, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about him, and if he came back either after the All Guilds Campaign or once he felt he was strong enough, he could explain it to them. So why did the thought of doing what was right, what he knew was right, leave him feeling like he would be sick.

    Not wanting to think about it anymore, Lan threw on his boots and left the room.

    Down in the main hall, Lan was greeted by a sight that was becoming familiar: a nearly empty inn with a few people dotted around and the heavenly smell of fried cured meat in the air.

    The crowning jewel of the scene was Leah standing behind the counter with her endless energy and a smile that seemed a law of the world.

    Hearing him coming, Leah looked up, Good morning¡­ Lan?¡¯ she blinked at him as she took in his appearance. Clearly not believing her eyes, she leaned over the counter as her smile reformed with a cheeky edge. ¡®What happened to you? You look¡­ pretty.¡¯

    ¡®I am still trying to work it out myself. Although I don¡¯t know if pretty is a compliment in this case. But I will accept ruggedly handsome, though.¡¯ Lan joked although she seemed to take him seriously as she stared at him.

    ¡®No, handsome doesn¡¯t even come close to what I am looking at,¡¯ she said distantly as if thinking out loud. ¡®To think this was what was hiding under that gloomy stranger that walked in off the street one day. ¡®It¡¯s a little like the feeling from looking at an elf but different from that.¡¯ She added wistfully as she leaned on her arm.

    ¡®Now I know that you are teasing me.¡¯ Lan laughed as she grinned back.

    ¡®I¡¯ll let you keep thinking that.¡¯ She said as she rose up, ¡®Breakfast?¡¯

    Just mentioning the word was enough to reawaken a primal part of Lan¡¯s mind, making him feel like his stomach had dropped out, leaving a void in his body.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡®Please.¡¯ Lan swallowed hard, getting a knowing smile from the angelic barmaid.

    A few minutes later, Leah returned with a plate overflowing with twice as much food as the last time.

    To his self-assigned credit, Lan was able to wait until Leah placed the plate down before lunging at it. However, there was no credit to be won in what came next as Lan tore into the food like a wild animal.

    Despite the scene he was making, Leah propped herself up on her arm and smiled at him.

    ¡®I had a feeling you would be hungry,¡¯ She said, and Lan turned to hide his embarrassment.

    ¡®Sorry about this,¡¯ Lan swallowed.

    ¡®That¡¯s fine,¡¯ Leah laughed softly, ¡®Everyone is like that in the beginning.¡¯

    ¡®Really?¡¯ Lan asked between bites, getting a knowing nod from the unique barmaid.

    ¡®The Call of the Hunter is a powerful driving force when the blood is up, and The Call is singing in one¡¯s mind. In those moments, we can push our bodies further than average for our level and overcome the odds by performing miraculous feats, but it often leads to neglecting our bodies. I know my first time out alone, I got so hungry that I had to stop myself from eating the rabbit I caught before it was cooked,¡¯ Leah said, chuckling at the memory. ¡®And that¡¯s not the only thing. Sometimes, we push our bodies harder than they can take. I have heard stories about people dying on their feet trying to end a fight.¡¯ She added as she tapped a finger to Lan¡¯s forehead.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡®I heard the stories about how you looked when you walked into the guildhall. Those marked are like a burning star. It is beautiful to watch them when they burn bright, but it is always painful to watch one burn themselves out, so be careful. And always take some provisions with you,¡¯ Leah added as a matter of fact before vanishing back into the kitchen.

    Once again, grounded and with food in his stomach, the thought Lan had been trying to push back rallied and charged forward.

    He had almost burnt out in the goblin camp. He couldn¡¯t put his family through knowing that.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Leah said, removing his plate and leaving a new one in its place. Which was unexpected. Not only had Lan lost track of time, but there was still food on it the last time he had looked down. Realising he had still been eating despite his musing, Lan learned that he wasn¡¯t done when his stomach rumbled.

    ¡®Oh, I''m fine, just lost in thought.¡¯ Lan tried, although Leah¡¯s endless capacity for compassion broke right through the lie.

    ¡®Really, because you look down all of a sudden. It¡¯s almost like the first time that we met.¡¯ She said, leaning over the bar to examine his face before grinning at him. ¡®You know you can tell me, right? It¡¯s a barmaid¡¯s job to listen to the plight of the Inn¡¯s patrons.¡¯

    ¡®Really? And here I thought it was saving them from charging soldiers and getting them a job risking their lives.¡¯ Lan grinned back.

    ¡®We do that too.¡¯ she half shrugged, and the two managed to hold it for a moment before both cracked and laughed.

    It was odd, despite having only spoken very little to each other. Leah had seen more parts of who he was then and now than anyone. The worst part was it didn¡¯t matter if he tried to put up walls. She just saw right through it. But he didn¡¯t think that was a bad thing.

    ¡®It¡¯s just a few things that have been on my mind.¡¯ Lan started.

    ¡®Oh yeah?¡¯ Leah asked, leaning on her hand.

    Not even sure how to put it, Lan started with the second thing on his mind, ¡®Well,¡¯ Lan began before diving into the story about what happened after everyone realised what his level meant for the party he joined and how Locke and the others had acted.

    ¡®Hmm,¡¯ Leah hummed, seeming to consider what Lan said. ¡®If I were you, I would just ask them if I could join. You should have seen them when you were in the forest, like a bunch of lost puppies, so they clearly like you. If you just tell them you want to, I am sure it will go well,¡¯ Leah stated with all the certainty in the world.

    Enough to make Lan pause; she made it sound so simple, too simple, but it did leave him wondering if he had ever made his intentions clear. He had danced around the question but had never said it?¡¯

    ¡®Uh¡­ right.¡¯ Lan frowned.

    ¡®Now, what¡¯s the real thing on your mind?¡¯

    For a moment, Lan stared blankly at the remarkable woman before chuckling.

    ¡®I¡¯m like an open book to you, aren¡¯t I?¡¯ he said, getting a smile from Leah.

    ¡®That¡¯s not bad, is it?¡¯ she shrugged.

    ¡®No,¡¯ Lan smiled before thinking about what to say. ¡®Can I ask you a question?¡¯

    At Leah¡¯s nod, Lan went on.

    ¡®If you know that you were about to do something dangerous, that you were already doing something dangerous, and I mean dangerous for you, that is.¡¯ Lan added quickly, remembering that he was talking to a second-generation adventurer, ¡®Would you tell those close to you, knowing that all you would be doing is making them worry.¡¯

    ¡®I would tell them.¡¯ Leah said seriously without hesitation, leaving Lan to blink silently at her.

    ¡®Even if doing so puts needless pain on them?¡¯ Lan managed after a moment.

    With a soft and oh-so-kind look in her eye, Leah smiled at Lan, ¡®I know that if I found out that someone that I cared about had been risking their lives without telling me, I would feel betrayed at the very least. Not just at finding out that I had been lied to for however long it was, but think about it this way¡­ what if you never come back? And they have to find out that you lied when they receive news that you didn¡¯t make it. No, I would tell the person.¡¯

    At that moment, Lan knew why thoughts of not telling his family seemed to be pulling him apart. He was doing it again. Not seeking help from those who cared for him. He acted like he needed to bear all the weight on his own as he suffered quietly, all while hurting those who cared for him. The same voice that told him that staying with Dell was what was good for all was what told him now to hide what he was from them, and just like before, it would only lead to him hurting those he loved.

    If this was the life he wanted to live, he owed it to them to tell them now, look them in the eyes, and let them know that he would come back no matter what he faced.

    ¡®Thanks, Leah.¡¯ Lan smiled, with a newly resolute fire in his chest, ¡®It¡¯s funny. I think this is the same place I was sitting when you helped change my life the first time.

    ¡®Know what? I think you are right.¡¯ Leah smiled back as she leaned on her hand. ¡®I don¡¯t know about changing your life, but I¡¯m happy I could help.¡¯

 Chapter 49: Sweet Memories

    ¡®You know we don¡¯t charge you for chewing, right?¡¯ Leah called as Lan shovelled down the rest of his food before heading for the stairs, feeling better than he had in a long time.

    ¡®No time!¡¯ Lan called as he sprinted up the stairs, followed by half-muffled curses from the doors he passed as he stormed down the hallway.

    Reaching his room, Lan retrieved the rest of his coin from his pack, keeping only what he thought he would need and placed the rest into the Other World Chest.

    [Gold Dragons: 22 ¨C Added]

    [Silver Talons: 9 ¨C Added]

    Leaving him with the six Gold Dragons, nine silver pieces and ninety copper, which would cover anything he would need. With that, Lan looked over his gear. Despite all it had been through, most of it was in decent shape. Aside from his cloak, which looked more than well-worn already, his chest plate had taken the brunt of the damage, and even then, the most significant damage was a crack along the main plate, which Lan guessed had happened when the Goblin Titan grabbed him. Most of the leather looked like it had been pulled out of a cross-hatched drawing due to all the cut marks, with only a few deeper ones having found the skin the leather protected under.

    Despite the blood stained into the wrappings, the steel on his odd sword looked just like the first time he had drawn it. In fact, looking closer, there was an almost pearl-like shine to the blade.

    Remembering he could, Lan focused on his link to the blade.

    [Odd straight sword Bonded to Landrin Cross the Light Marked. A blade forged by the smith Cawl, using uncommon materials for a sword of this type. The Odd Steel blade seems to have the ability to absorb fire magic.]

    [Damage Score: 15]

    Durability: + A

    Rarity: unclassed

    Quality: Skilful.

    Construction: Odd steel ¨C D, Edge ¨C B, Point ¨C D

    Traits: Fused Tuning Core, Flame Eater.

    [Link Level: 5]

    The new text aside, the change to the stats surprised Lan the most. A plus durability¡­ that didn¡¯t make any sense. Just to be sure, Lan retrieved his mace.

    [Well-made Iron Mace forged by the smith Cawl.]

    [Damage Score: 12]

    Durability: B

    Rarity: Common.

    Quality: Skillful.

    Construction: Iron and wood ¨C D, impact damage ¨C C, edge F.

    Traits: none

    [Link Level: 5]

    That was more of what he expected to see in turns of durability, as the more a tool or weapon was used, the lower the durability would fall, with the chances of it breaking rising in step. For his sword to not have dropped by even a half mark after so long seemed off. He hadn¡¯t been gentle with the blade, and with his lack of experience, he should have weakened the sword as much as he did with the mace.

    For it to have gotten more durable just didn¡¯t make sense unless there was more oddity to the Odd Steel, but a self-healing sword could be dangerous, Lan reasoned as he tried to put a price on something like the blade in his hands.

    Wars had been fought for swords with unique properties, and although it wasn¡¯t indestructible as far as he knew, a healing blade could be worth a small fortune. Not to mention, it was able to absorb fire. Numbers started flashing in Lan¡¯s mind, but before he could land on one, he forced himself back to reality.

    He decided he could focus on that at another time before dropping the rest of his gear into the Other World Chest and leaving his room.

    ¡®Bye, Lan!¡¯ Leah called after him as Lan flew out the hall. Managing to catch himself by the doorframe, Lan stuck his head back inside.

    ¡®Bye, and thanks again!¡¯ He grinned before vanishing through the door and up the road, almost crashing into a young man carrying a bread basket.

    ¡®Light, please no!¡¯ the man shouted a little too dramatically as Lan twisted and jumped back.

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯ Lan apologised, allowing the young man to vent a little before starting up the road. Although a part of him felt like he needed to rush. He was sure his mother and father would be home at that time, so there was no need to hurry.

    Even as Lan thought as much, the sounds of a living market filled his ears as he realised that he was almost halfway up the market district. It was the longest way to get to the gate leading to the village, and he had taken it without even thinking about it, which made him pause.

    On one hand, he was rushing for no reason; on the other, he was unknowingly trying to delay reaching the village. At this, Lan noticed an odd rhythm in his chest.

    It took a moment for him to remember what the feeling was. He was nervous. How could he be nervous? He had faced a horde of Razerwolves without flinching, had stood his ground against the horde of goblins and was even able to make jokes in the heart of their camp, all without batting an eye, but just going home was making his hands shake.

    Sensing this thought, Tyr flew to hover in front of him before sending him a feeling that was a mix of worry and curiosity.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine,¡¯ Lan said, conscious that to outsiders, he was just talking to himself after freezing on the street as Tyr had finally decided to cloak herself.

    Once she was satisfied with the examination, Tyr did something new. She sent a feeling that was a question about something other than him. The moment she did, Tyr took off towards a large shop window with carved and painted flowers in the frame. Stopping to hover in front of it and sending the feeling again.

    Surprised she could even interact this much, Lan walked over to see what had caught her attention.

    As Lan stepped close enough to see past the sun''s shine on the glass, he was greeted by an assortment of pastries. High-quality, expert-crafted-looking sweets, cakes and tarts formed bright-coloured flowers in a garden of sugar.

    However, what Tyr was looking at lay in a small white box. Two shallow round pink, green, and blue domes were joined together by a filling in the matching colour laid upright in the box next to one another. Forming three neat rows.

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    Macarons¡­ seeing them sent Lan''s mind jettisoning into the past when he was still just a boy. Every day, he and his mother would go out for walks that took them past an odd little bakery that sold all manner of desserts and pastries that no one had ever seen before, which meant that there was always a line out the door. Even still, they would wait in line and buy a macaron to share, and every time, they would talk about how they would buy a whole box of them one day.

    Something that was impossible back then because as everyone was trying to get something from the shop, the stock was always limited, and that was to say nothing of the price.

    Once he started living with Dell, Lan had promised himself that when he became a merchant, a box of them would be the first thing he bought to show his mother he hadn¡¯t forgotten, or it was a child''s way of showing that all his sacrifices had been worth it.

    Whatever it was, those thoughts had kept him warm on nights when the cold he felt had been more than just the chill in the air. And every time he had been in the city and able to walk past the shop, it would steel his will, making the next few days easier.

    That was until the shop closed, and he tried not to think about it too much.

    Seeing that the owner had reopened or someone had been able to recreate the recipe, amongst others, made Lan feel like layers of darkness wrapped around his heart had been shaken off. And¡­ now he could keep his childish promise, only now it took on a different meaning.

    Not one made for when he became a merchant but one of an adventurer. To say that he would come back no matter what he faced. The whole time, this box had been his sign that he had reached the point where he could stand on his own two feet. He would have to convince his family of it anyway, so this seemed like a good start in convincing himself.

    Coming back to himself, Lan found Tyr still looking at the macarons, and Lan got the feeling it had something to do with the shape of the pastry. In her eyes, they must have looked like little sculptures of wisps, if not little effigies in her honour.

    ¡®That reminds me, I never asked if you need to eat.¡¯ Lan asked, and if Tyr had understood him, it was either a no or she thought it wasn¡¯t important enough for him to know. So with that, Lan stepped into the shop.

    As he did so, Lan momentarily felt like he had stepped into a woman¡¯s restroom if the horrified looks of the well-to-do women around him were anything to go by.

    Reflexively, Lan looked down at himself. No one would be mistaking him for a member of the Gentry anytime soon, but he looked far from scruffy. He wasn''t even wearing a sword and had left his burnt cloak in the Other World Chest. But he might as well have been an ogre at a tea party with the way they stared at him.

    Looking around, the caf¨¦ was far nicer than he had first thought, but it still wasn¡¯t going to stop him.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t a Tavern, young man, so you must be lost.¡¯ An older woman with blonde hair just starting to show with silver huffed before sipping from her tea. Which was enough to make the other women around her look like they would say something.

    ¡®I''m well aware of that,¡¯ Lan found himself saying, ¡®the calibre of patrons was a dead giveaway.¡¯ He ended with a grin that he didn¡¯t know where had come from or clearly the noblewoman had expected, as she bristled while the younger women around her looked shocked. While women at another table gave Lan little giggles that only seemed to upset the woman even more.

    Noticing that while all those at the older woman¡¯s table were dressed in shades of white, all those at the new table were dressed in green, Lan guessed that he had unknowingly stumbled into a noble¡¯s spat. One that he was saved from getting in the middle of a moment later when a voice called out to him.

    ¡®Oh, a new customer.¡¯ A cheerful voice said, which seemed to quell the rising hostility.

    Looking up, Lan was greeted by someone that he did not expect to see: a woman of average height dressed in a fine dress and apron with unassuming blue eyes and blonde hair, which would have been common if not for the highlights of pink through it.

    Lan knew that there were some genuinely odd hair colours out there, but hers had always stood out to him from the first time he saw her as a child.

    ¡®It¡¯s you!¡¯ Both Lan and the woman said at the same time.

    ¡®Wait, you remember me?¡¯ Lan asked, surprised at the sudden change in the room.

    ¡®I have only ever seen two people with eyes like that,¡¯ She smiled, ¡®You and your mother would come into my old shop every day. You two always looked like you had just walked out of a storybook.¡¯ She said, looking wistful for a moment. ¡®How is your mother anyway?¡¯

    ¡®She¡¯s¡­¡¯ Lan blinked. ¡®Doing good.¡¯ Lan said, hoping it was true.

    ¡®That¡¯s wonderful,¡¯ the caf¨¦ owner smiled as everyone around watched the odd conversation play out with a mix of curiosity and bewilderment.

    ¡®That¡¯s why I am here.¡¯ Lan added quickly, getting a more nostalgic smile from the woman.

    ¡®I know exactly what you''re here for,¡¯ she turned, gesturing for him to follow her. ¡®Although I have to say, after so many years, I am surprised that you recognised me.¡¯ she said as they walked.

    Aside from the fact that she looked like she hadn¡¯t aged a day, there wasn¡¯t anyone else he knew who could make the sweets she could.

    ¡®You looked just like the last time I saw you, and I think your hair is just as unique as my eyes.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, well, it never grew back the right colour after I came here, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ She said off-handedly as she headed into the back of the caf¨¦.

    ¡®Oh, is it not normal where you are from?¡¯ Lan asked, thinking that had to be the case. Changing one''s hair colour was also common, but why would it change back on its own?¡¯

    ¡®Oh! Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¯ she said quickly, smiling as she popped her head out the doorway, a moment before her body followed along with a small open-top parcel with a single chocolate macaron in it. ¡®Here you are,¡¯ she smiled.

    As Lan took the offered sweet, he knew that if anything else wasn¡¯t enough to convince him this was the same pastry from his childhood, then seeing the odd soft, thin, yet crisp paper forming the little box that the macaron was in would do it.

    That was if a single bite hadn¡¯t sent his mind flashing back fifteen years.

    Sitting next to the fountain near the start of the market district. Lan looked at the perfect little domes with the ring of glistening filling for the first time before taking a bite. The light, crisp shell gave way to the soft interior and filling of a sweetness that Lan had never tasted before, Lan thought as He looked up with stars in his eyes as he offered the rest to his mother, sure that she had to taste it too, and that was how it all started.

    ¡®Hello, are you alright?¡¯ the woman asked.

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯ Lan said quickly, ¡®Just lost in thought for a moment. Although I am happy to see that even though the location has changed, these haven¡¯t

    ¡®Yeah, I guess I did just up and close out of nowhere. But it couldn¡¯t be helped when some people didn¡¯t like that I wouldn¡¯t give them my recipes.¡¯

    ¡®Really.¡¯ Lan asked, even though he understood exactly why that would happen.

    ¡®Yeah, but now that the honey cake wars are over and I have more enthusiastic patrons, I don¡¯t see myself closing again.¡¯ The woman grinned.

    ¡®Well, miss?¡¯ Lan started.

    ¡®Lucy.¡¯ She smiled. ¡®Feels a little odd doing this now, right?¡¯

    ¡®Landrin,¡¯ Lan smiled back. ¡®But people I like call me Lan. Well, I guess people I don¡¯t do too.¡¯ he shrugged, making her chuckle.

    ¡®Well, Lan, that first one was on the house for old-time sake.¡¯ Lucy said, which made the older woman, who, along with the rest, had been watching, huff. ¡®Anything else I can do for you.¡¯

    ¡®There is, if you have it. I would like a box of macarons. It can be whichever ones you have as long as there are a few chocolate ones.¡¯ Lan said.

    ¡®It seemed you haven¡¯t forgotten the rules.¡¯ Lucy smiled as she headed to the back, leaving Lan alone in the caf¨¦ with the women, including the newest member to his list of enemies who didn''t seem to like that he knew Lucy in any way.

    ¡®What¡¯s this rule.¡¯ The woman asked.

    ¡®Oh, no hogging any one item.¡¯ Lan smiled.

    After a few minutes, under the woman¡¯s frosty stare, Lucy returned with a box a little larger than the one in the window, including a whole row of the chocolate kind.

    ¡®The other good thing about this shop is that I can make more at once. The rule is a little looser now.¡¯ Lucy explained as Lan gave her a questioning look.

    But it was nothing compared to the look he gave her when she said the price. A Silver talon; ten silver pieces. Which Lan guessed made sense once he could think again. There were thirty in the box, and the caf¨¦''s clientele seemed different from the past. Although the price had almost doubled, the new shop on the main street alone would call for a raising of prices, and that was to say nothing of the fact a place that served nobles would have to buy from one particular supplier that catered to nobles, meaning even higher costs.

    It looked like the woman would say something about that momentarily but stopped short when Lan reached for his coins and cleared her throat.

    Turning, Lan found her pointedly not looking at him while the women at the other table seemed to be appraising him, and some seemed to have started seeing past his clothes to his physical appearance.

    Before they could draw any wild conclusions about who he might be. Lan spotted a new woman, who Lan guessed worked for Lucy, carrying something that held just as much sentimental value, which, to his delight, was just ready for sale. So, with a promise that he would be back and the second basket he needed to buy in a week full of his bounty, Lan made a hasty retreat as a woman in green looked ready to ask for his name.

 Chapter 50: Home

    With his prize secured in a basket from Lucy, Lan made the remaining trip to the village, where he found his reception far different from what he had expected.

    Those who saw him would first look surprised at the new face in the village, but for some, realisation of who he was would set in, followed by disbelief.

    ¡®Can¡¯t be him, right?¡¯ Lan heard someone say behind him.

    ¡®Yeah, must be a relative.¡¯ Another said, although not sounding too sure.

    Overall, Lan was in danger of getting through without causing a scene when he almost walked into a small woman. Lan stopped just as the woman saw him and jumped back, frowning at him before her eyes grew wider in time with Lan¡¯s.

    Miss Tolly had been friends with Lan¡¯s mother since they were children. The short, dark-haired woman had been the second person to hold Lan as a baby and had declared herself his aunt, and she had always been one of the people who had taken his sudden distancing personally.

    As the smaller woman stared fuming at him, it looked like she would say something as she frowned at him before it turned into a look of realisation and then anger.

    ¡®Did you use your mother¡¯s hairpin money to do this to yourself?¡¯ she asked in a steady voice that did nothing to hide the look in her eyes that Lan was sure could start fires if she tried hard enough, which compared to the last time they had met, was an improvement.

    Lan was about to deny it¡­ Before realising it was technically accurate instead, Lan sighed.

    ¡®You mean this one?¡¯ Lan said, reaching into the chest and retrieving his mother¡¯s hairpin. Outside of his mother and father, if there was one person who could recognise the hairpin she had watched his mother get. It was Miss Tolly. First, she watched in surprise as he reached into the air, his hand disappearing, but her jaw dropped as his hand returned with the platinum and Lapis pin gripped between his finger and thumb.

    ¡®Why¡­ How do you have that?¡¯ she breathed as all her anger melted away.

    ¡®With everything I have messed up, it is about time I start making some of it right. As for how,¡¯ Lan smiled, ¡®that¡¯s a long story.¡¯

    ¡®You didn¡¯t steal it, did you?¡¯ Miss Tolly asked, getting a conspiratorial look on her face. And Lan had to admit that was far more believable than the truth.

    ¡®It would be pretty stupid of me to steal something I plan on giving back to its original owner.¡¯ Lan sighed. ¡®Speaking of which, have you seen my mother today?¡¯ Lan asked as Miss Tolly continued to stare at him, unsure what to think or believe.

    ¡®What? No, not today,¡¯ she breathed as she continued staring at him.

    ¡®Hmm, okay,¡¯ if that was the case, they were most likely home. ¡®Well, I guess that I will be going then.¡¯ Lan said as he started past her, the sudden motion of which seemed to snap her back to herself.

    ¡®Wait!¡¯ she spun, ¡®Is this really you? Are you really back?¡¯ she asked, and Lan knew what she meant.

    ¡®Yeah,¡¯ he smiled. ¡®I¡¯m back.¡¯ As Lan turned to leave, he thought he saw tears welling in her eyes. But knowing her, it was better to act like he hadn¡¯t seen that, which he knew he had guessed right when she wiped her eyes and stormed back inside after frowning at someone who came to help her.

    Making his way up the hill to his home, Lan was surprised not to hear any sound coming from his father¡¯s workshop, and as he reached the door, it sounded like no one was home. Which was odd. At this time of day, the two of them had always been home.

    Luckily, his key still worked, so he could get in and look around. The house was empty, but nothing seemed out of place.

    Lan thought about leaving and returning later when he remembered the writ for the hairpin. It could wait, but with some time, Lan wanted to know just how much interest that woman had charged his mother.

    Heading into the kitchen, Lan found the small red wooden box where his mother kept money and other valuables in the hidden compartment under the basin, where he knew she would have placed the writ.

    Opening it, Lan found that his guess had been right. Laying in the box was a small rolled-up bit of red paper.

    Unrolling it, Lan found that the old crone had charged two golds interest for the three lent.

    ¡®Over fifty per cent interest¡­¡¯ Lan said, feeling his blood start to boil, and on top of that, she had tried to weasel another gold out of him.

    But as Lan was in the middle of reconsidering not reporting her, he heard the floorboards creek.

    ¡®You aren¡¯t going to find anything in there.¡¯ Lan heard a soft yet firm voice say. Freezing with the writ in his hand, Lan turned and saw Maya, Silas''s betrothed. Clearly, Lawrence and the others had spread the stories about what he had done with the coin his mother had given him, and it had reached her as she looked at him with barely contained distaste.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡®Oh, sorry, I didn¡¯t think that anyone was home,¡¯ Lan said, immediately realising that didn¡¯t help his case. ¡®That¡­ didn¡¯t come out right.¡¯ he said quickly as she frowned and stepped forward, which turned out to be a worrying proposition despite being a great deal smaller than him.

    ''Silas is in the main workshop and your father and mother are at the market,'' she said taking a step closer. As a blacksmith''s daughter, she would have more strength than he did without using the shackle, and he didn¡¯t think fighting Silas¡¯s future wife would endear him to his brother any more than he was. ¡®I meant to say I just need this piece of paper.¡¯ Lan raised the writ.

    ¡®Why?¡¯ she demanded as she took another step into the kitchen, ¡®are you going to try and sell that too?¡¯ she asked, and Lan wasn¡¯t sure if it was a joke or that was how low an opinion she had of him.

    ¡®No¡­ It''s just that it¡¯s not worth much when I have this.¡¯ Lan said as he raised the hairpin.

    Maya quickly glanced at the hairpin and back to him as if he would bolt before what she saw hit her, and her head snapped back.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ She asked as she visibly deflated, ¡®how did you?¡¯

    ¡®How else?¡¯ Lan shrugged, ¡®I stole it.¡¯ he said, watching as her dumbfounded expression turned to one of horror, but before she could ask him, Lan smirked, and Maya embarrassingly turned away.

    ¡®Sorry for thinking that you were here to steal something¡­¡¯ she apologised.

    ¡®Apology accepted. And I am happy that you cared enough to be angry,¡¯ Lan said, meaning it, ¡®and I am glad Silus was able to find someone like you.¡¯

    ¡®Thank you.¡¯ She said, pressing her fingertips together.

    ¡®You¡¯re welcome, although I don¡¯t think my approval means much as it is.¡¯ Lan shrugged. ¡®You still have it.¡¯

    ¡®It does,¡¯ she smiled before noticing the basket that Lan had left on the table. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ she asked, and as in the form of an answer, Lan gestured for her to open it, which Maya did after a moment before looking up at Lan.

    ¡®The box is for my mother.¡¯ Lan shrugged.

    ¡®Oh?¡­¡¯ Maya looked down again. ¡®And the sweet rolls?¡¯

    At this, Lan smiled, ¡®Those are for my father.¡¯ Getting the confused look that he was expecting, Lan laughed. ¡®He says he doesn¡¯t like sweets but secretly loves sweet rolls. Don¡¯t tell him I said this, but when I was a boy, and there were any around. I would sneak some to him, which I started after catching him eating one in his workshop.¡¯ Lan said, smiling even though it hurt to think of those days.

    ¡®Really?¡¯ She asked with a look that said that was the oddest thing he had said so far.

    ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Lan laughed, ¡®I was going to get something for Silas. But he wasn¡¯t allowed to eat sweets last, I remembered,¡¯ With his younger brother''s softer disposition, it was deemed best not to give him too much sugar. However, a small part of Lan wondered if it wasn¡¯t his parents¡¯ attempt to prevent him from becoming as wild as he had been. ¡®If you don¡¯t mind, would you buy whatever it is he likes? I think he would throw it at me if I were to try anyway.¡¯ Lan asked, reaching for some coins.

    ¡®Maple bars.¡¯ Maya said, raising a hand to stop him. ¡®And you would rather he throw it at me than at you?¡¯ she asked as, for a moment, a hint of humour that her outward personality did not show shone through.

    ¡®Oh, absolutely I would.¡¯ Lan shot back without a moment''s hesitation or shame, enough to make her laugh, and after a moment, he joined her, which made Lan happier than he had thought.

    He had believed that he would never get to laugh in this house again. Being proven wrong felt good.

    After a moment, Lan looked at Maya. Maple bars?¡¯ he asked incredulously, getting a smile from his future sister.

    ¡®On our first meeting, I bought one for him, and now he gets one every chance he can.¡¯ Maya giggled

    ¡®We are a sentimental lot, aren¡¯t we?¡¯ Lan smiled.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know. I think it¡¯s one of the Cross¡¯s best qualities.¡¯ Maya smiled back, but before Lan could say anything.

    The door slammed open, feet pounding across the hallway in a heartbeat as Lan¡¯s mother all but threw herself through the doorway, just managing to brace herself with a hand.

    For a moment, both Lan and his mother just looked at each other. Before Lan could think of what to say, he realised he hadn¡¯t even thought of what he would say.

    And he wouldn¡¯t think of anything as his mind went blank as tears welled up in his mother''s eyes, the worry in them melting away as her eyes took on a warm, resolute light.

    ¡®Uh, hi Mom¡­¡¯ was all Lan managed to say before his mother¡¯s arms wrapped around him. If his suddenly showing up or his new appearance fazed her, Lan¡¯s mother didn¡¯t let it bother her for long as she held him in a firm yet gentle embrace.

    After a moment, she moved back to get a better look at her son before cupping his cheek in her hand. ¡®Welcome home, my sweet.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said with a smile that didn¡¯t need to shroud any pain, just joy at seeing him.

    And Lan realised that he didn¡¯t need to think of what to say as he had always known it. ¡®Glad to be home.¡¯

    After a moment, Lan''s mother laughed and hugged him again, ¡®it¡¯s so good to see you.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s good to see you too, Mom.¡¯ Lan said, hugging her back. ¡®Sorry for showing up out of the blue.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t be silly, my sweet, this is still your home, just don¡¯t leave for so long next time.¡¯ She added, holding her son a little tighter.

    ¡®I was only gone for a week this time.¡¯ Lan said in a soft voice. Had it only been that long? It felt like a lifetime to him.

    ¡®A week too many. I have waited long enough to have you back.¡¯ She smiled. ¡®But what happened to you?¡¯ she asked, taking his face in both hands. ¡®You look so pretty now.¡¯

    ¡®Mom¡­¡¯ Lan managed, stopping short of adding a ¡°not you too¡±.

    ¡®But you also remind me of your father at your age.¡¯ She soothed. ¡®Did your new ¡°job¡± do this to you.¡¯

    ¡®Something like that.¡¯ Lan said as he took his mother¡¯s hands off his face and put them together before opening them to form a bowl. ¡®Before that, I think it¡¯s about time I returned this.¡¯ Lan said as he placed the hairpin in his mother''s hands.

    Lan had never seen his mother be lost for words, but as she tried to stop her hands from trembling, she could only look up at him.

    ¡®How?¡¯ her voice shook as she managed to form the word.

    ¡®My new job gave me an unexpected bonus.¡¯

    ¡®Why?¡¯ she asked, stifling a laugh as her eyes welled up, ¡®You should have kept the coin.¡¯

    ¡®I know how much it means to you, yet you sold it for me. I can¡¯t tell you how much that meant to me, but there was no way that I could ever let anyone else have it.¡¯

    ¡®You silly son of mine,¡¯ she laughed, wiping her eyes. ¡®You¡¯re tall as a Goliath now, but you are still just my little terror.¡¯ She hugged him again before stepping back and setting her hair with her pin. ¡®How does it look?¡¯ she smiled as she turned her head.

    Nothing he did or achieved was a candle to that sight, as all of it, all the blood and sweat he had shed, being able to see his mother smile like she used to, made all he had been through worth it.

    For a moment, all the years of pain vanished as Lan felt the same pride he had the day he had found his Tome.

    The Razerwolves and goblins seemed like trivial obstacles to return some of the joy he had let be taken away. One that he was more than glad to have done and knew he would have to do again in the days to come.

    ¡®It looks great Mom.¡¯

    [Personal Quest Complete]

 Chapter 51: The Way Things Were.

    [Personal Quest complete - Return what was lost: You have completed a quest formed by your will to reach your goal, enough to gain the recognition of the Lords of Light.]

    [Exp 3000 Gain!] [Exp 2265 > 4000]

    [Title - Oath Keeper: Gained. As long as you can keep this title, you gain increased experience from Quests: 25% increase to Exp gain. Notice. Breaking a promise, oath, or Quest will result in this title being stripped from you.]

    [Level Up!]

    [Congratulations, you have levelled up!]

    [Level 6 > 7]

    [Exp 1265 / 6000]

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 13 > 15]

    Body: 13 > 15

    Mind: 13 > 15

    Dexterity: 13 > 15

    Perception: 13 > 15

    [Charisma: 13 > 15]

    [Hp 80 > 100]

    As the light around Lan started to fade, anything not nailed down in the kitchen slowly stopped shaking.

    ¡®You¡­ you levelled up.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said as she shielded her eyes from the light. ¡®Is this your¡­¡¯

    ¡®Seventh.¡¯ Lan smiled, knowing what was coming next even before his mother furrowed her brow.

    ¡®Se-seven?¡¯ Maya asked as she wiped her eyes. Trying not to spoil the moment, she had been quietly weeping in the corner, but the news of his level seemed to have made her forget that. ¡®I thought you were just level one a week ago.¡¯

    ¡®He was,¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother confirmed as she started to frown.

    ¡®Right, I think it¡¯s best if you sit down for this.¡¯ Lan said, just as the poorly treated front door slammed open again.

    ¡®Enri, I told you not to run ahead!¡¯ Lan¡¯s father shouted as he charged down the hall. ¡®What was that light? Did someone just¡­¡¯

    Before he could finish, Lan¡¯s father turned into the kitchen and froze as he locked eyes with Lan.

    The two just looked at each other for a moment as a range of emotions played on his father¡¯s face.

    Lan wanted to say something. He knew he should. It didn¡¯t matter what, anything to break the silence. But before he could think, his father looked like he would first, and Lan braced himself.

    Would he tell him to leave, or would he think that he had been lying to them from the start?

    Just when it looked like his father would spare him from the waiting. His father looked at his neck and frowned.

    Reaching for his neck, Lan found that although he had hidden his Guild tag under his shirt, a part of the chain was still visible.

    ¡®You idiot¡­¡¯ Lan¡¯s father sighed, each word filled with more disappointment than Lan knew was possible, then he just walked out of the kitchen before Lan heard a door close.

    At this, Lan reeled as if punched in the gut. Whatever he had been expecting or what he thought he was ready to hear, it wasn¡¯t that, and for him to just walk out like he had¡­ Lan would rather his father had hit him as this just left him feeling hollow before he was filled with anger.

    And it was with that that Lan started after his father before his mother grabbed his hand.

    ¡®Lan¡­¡¯

    ¡®I have to do this.¡¯ Lan said and waited for his mother to let go of him.

    The moment she did, Lan shot out of the room and down the hall to his father¡¯s shop.

    Before he could think, Lan burst into his father¡¯s workshop, finding him standing in the middle of the room. Without having time to open a window or light any lamps, the only light came from the hall behind Lan.

    ¡®Say something!¡¯ Lan shouted as he felt his heart twist. ¡®I know I messed up.¡¯ Lan mourned. ¡®I know you are angry, and you have every right to not want to see me again; just don¡¯t act like I don¡¯t exist. I¡¯m sorry for what I said when we fought, so¡­ just say something.¡¯ Lan said, his voice barely a whisper now, ¡®Even if it¡¯s just that you hate me, just say anything.¡¯ Lan dropped his head. So badly did he want things to go back to the way they were¡­ and if he couldn¡¯t have that, then just not this¡­

    Just when Lan started to think that nothing would change, large tree-like arms wrapped around him. Despite being almost as tall as his father, he might as well have still been a boy as Lan sank into his father¡¯s chest, his father¡¯s arms crossing to shield him.

    ¡®I-¡¯ his father breathed, ¡®will never hate you, Lan¡­You were just a boy; I don¡¯t even remember what you said. I could never be angry or hate you for that. I¡¯m angry because it was my job to protect you. I¡¯m angry that I let you go even though I knew something felt wrong, and that day, I came looking for you. I¡¯m angry that I didn¡¯t tear down every building until I found you. I am angry at so many things that when I look at you, I have to stop myself from shouting or finding and wringing the life out of that bastard¡¯s neck. Worst still is that I hate myself for making you think it was your fault because I didn¡¯t know how to fix it.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said, holding him as if he could vanish if he didn¡¯t.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡®I thought¡­¡¯ Lan said, his words catching in his throat, ¡®I¡­¡¯ Lan grabbed onto the back of his father¡¯s shirt as the mountain of guilt he had been carrying crumbled away.

    ¡®I¡¯m so sorry.¡¯ His father said as Lan felt his eyes start to sting. ¡®I should have said it sooner, but it is so good to have you back.¡¯

    ¡®Dad¡­¡¯ Lan managed as he hugged his father back.

    After a moment longer, Lan and his father broke off the hug and looked at each other, ¡®But wait, if you aren¡¯t mad at me, why did you call me an idiot?¡¯ Lan laughed weakly.

    ¡®That''s because you are.¡¯ his father shot back, grabbing his shoulders as his face took on a serious edge. I know the chain of a guild tag when I see one. Why would you do something so dangerous and stupid? If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn¡¯t have let you leave the house again,¡¯ his father said, shaking Lan by the shoulders to emphasise the point.

    Lan looked away, ¡®At first, I wanted to join because it seemed like the only way I could make enough coin to buy back Mother¡¯s hairpin. But after the guild job¡­¡¯

    ¡®The what!¡¯ Lan¡¯s father squeezed his shoulders. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you went on that guild job with the Wild Hunt?¡¯

    Lan was about to ask how he knew about it but found himself answering instead.

    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯

    Lan¡¯s father blinked at him, ¡®and?¡¯

    ¡®I¡­ didn¡¯t die?¡¯

    His father fought to stop his eyes from rolling. ¡®I mean, did you freeze up?¡¯

    ¡®Well, when I first saw the Razerwolves, I was surprised but was fine after a moment. I was even able to help a little. More than that¡­ I can¡¯t really explain it, but everything made sense in that moment.¡¯ Lan said, feeling a need to make a case for himself. A moment later, he regretted it as his father dropped his head.

    ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯

    As he looked at his father, Lan almost felt disappointed in the reaction before something hit him.

    ¡®Wait a minute, why do you know anything about the adventurer¡¯s class item? You don¡¯t even make class items, let alone adventurer¡¯s.¡¯

    In the form of an answer, Lan¡¯s father sighed and walked over to a shelf where he got down a small sealed box.

    After another sigh, his father retrieved a chain of interlocking dark steel, at the end of which was a small rectangular plate about a finger long and two fingers wide¡­ unlike Lan¡¯s, his father¡¯s was not only made of gold but looked like it had been burnt along with having a large crack down the middle.

    ¡®I know because I was just as much of an idiot.¡¯ His father said as he handed the tag to Lan.

    ¡®How¡­¡¯ Lan started. His father had been an Adventurer.

    Even though it made sense knowing what his level was and the fact that they had never talked about their past, it didn¡¯t make it any easier to believe.

    ¡®We did it to avoid this.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father pointed to his tag. ¡®As you can guess, I once heard the Hunters Call, just like you, but that¡¯s not all. I was a lot like you when I was a boy, always finding myself doing something stupid and dangerous.

    ¡®When I was younger, someone stole my family Class item, and for some reason, this led to a part of myself that I had been trying to ignore taking over my thoughts. Soon after being betrothed to your mother, I joined a guild, and after a few years, I was able to get our family class item back, and we left a year before you were born.¡¯

    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell me.¡¯ Lan breathed, feeling like he needed to sit down.

    ¡®We didn¡¯t tell you because it¡¯s believed that the children of those with the Hunter¡¯s Mark are likely to have it, too. Our hope was that if we gave you a normal enough life, you would never hear The Hunter''s Song.¡¯

    Although Lan could understand the reasoning, until recent events, Lan had never seriously considered becoming an adventurer. Then, all of a sudden, it was all he could think about, but that wasn¡¯t all. As he looked back on his life, Lan could only see now that he had always been looking for something in everything he did. Maybe it was only when he saw the other adventurers that he found his answer.

    ¡®Do you still hear the Call?¡¯ Lan asked after a moment, getting a smile from his father.

    ¡®I did for a while after. There were days that I found myself standing outside of one of the guilds in the city without knowing how I got there. But all that ended the day that I first held you in my arms. And found my true purpose.¡¯

    Lan felt his heart swell at his father''s words, even as they stung him a little. The same thing that had helped his father leave the life of an adventurer he had helped take away.

    Seeing this, his father grabbed him by the arms and smiled. ¡®Clearly, you seemed to have gained some levels, but how, by the Light, did you end up on a Guild Job?¡¯

    ¡®Well,¡¯ Lan started as he rubbed his neck before beginning the story of how he had joined just as a guild job had been called and how he had been able to sneak by for a little while by just keeping his head down. Skipping the part about almost dying in one attack and picking up when he protected Olivia. He looked up and saw his father pinch his eyes as he shook his head.

    ¡®Your mother is going to kill me.¡¯

    ¡®What, why?¡¯

    ¡®Well, you didn¡¯t get the Mark from your mother.¡¯ His father sighed.

    ¡®About that,¡¯ Lan said, remembering that other thing he had gotten from his father. ¡®Do you know anything about the¡­ Other World God?¡¯

    With a grunt, Lan¡¯s father nodded, ¡®Well, Silus inherited it, so I don¡¯t see why you wouldn¡¯t.¡¯

    ¡®You do know about it! What about the Voice?¡¯ Lan asked, feeling relieved that he had someone to talk to about it.

    ¡®The Voice? What does this have to do with the Voice?¡¯ His father frowned.

    ¡®Right, what I mean is, have you tried asking the Voice about the Other World God.¡¯ Lan asked and watched his father shift around.

    ¡®I tried, but it¡¯s the only question that it won''t even acknowledge in any way.¡¯

    ¡®And did it ever make any odd sounds when you asked it?¡¯ Lan asked, shaping the question to make it less worrying.

    ¡®Any odd sounds?¡¯ his father repeated in a way that told Lan that he hadn¡¯t. ¡®I think I would remember that.¡¯ His father frowned again. ¡®Even still, an ability that can not only appraise items and draw diagrams for improving on them does seem like something from another world.¡¯

    That took Lan by surprise. That didn¡¯t sound anything like the Ability he had, even if it had multiple functions like his own.

    ¡®I take it that yours is different then?¡¯ Lan¡¯s father asked, smiling as he nodded.

    ¡®I can see both mana and health with it and maybe more, but I am unsure. How did you know?¡¯

    ¡®Although Silas has the appraisal part, he can also see all who have used an item. So, it looks like we were right about the Ability working differently depending on the wielder.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said, scratching his chin, clearly feeling the same way as Lan.

    ¡®But I wonder why both you and Silas have one ability the same?¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, well, most likely because of our work. Silas only just got the second type a year ago when he started going to material auctions, and although I had the appraisal skill for years, I gained the second use when I started crafting. Maybe the Eyes changed to fit the users'' needs.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s so odd.¡¯ Lan said before, both grunted at the same time. Abilities were meant to be set in stone. That was one of the things that made them separate from magic. Although his seems tailored for fighting, was there anything keeping him from the other uses? Which once again brought him to thoughts of the Other World God and how they had this power.

    ¡®And what about the Other World Chest?¡¯ Lan asked, and his father stared at him for a moment before grabbing him.

    ¡®You were able to unlock another one!¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, it seems to be an Item box, and although I haven¡¯t had a chance to test it yet, it doesn¡¯t seem to have a limit outside of what I can lift. Also, I can use mana to remove items without touching them.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, that would explain why neither Silas nor I got the Chest. We can¡¯t manipulate mana.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father shrugged. ¡®Would make a killing on shipping costs, though.¡¯ He smiled, and Lan joined him, having had the same thought.

    ¡®But we can talk more about that later. So what are you going to do now?¡¯ his father asked but knew the answer as he looked into Lan¡¯s eyes. Raising the broken tag. ¡®I guess I already know the answer.¡¯ He sighed. ¡®Once again, you''re asking me to let you go somewhere I can¡¯t follow.¡¯

    This time, it was Lan¡¯s turn to grab his father by the shoulders as he felt his will harden into steel. ¡®I¡¯m not going anywhere this time.¡¯

 Chapter 52: A little chat

    ¡®Is that so¡­¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said with the serenity of a frozen mountain and a smile with all the sweetness that a stalking Lioness could muster. ¡®That¡¯s nice.¡¯ She nodded as Lan tried to say something.

    ¡®That¡­¡¯

    ¡®And Kurt.¡¯ She batted her eyes at Lan¡¯s father with even more sweetness, enough to drown a man. ¡®I am happy to see that the two of you have made up finally. But I have to say you seem to be taking the news of my son becoming an Adventurer quite well.¡¯

    ¡®Well¡­¡¯ his father tried.

    ¡®But I would think that if you were ever to be mad at my son, it would be now.¡¯ She laughed softly like a gentle death knell. For Lan, who had never seen his mother do more than pout, seeing her as she was now was far more worrying than anything he had faced until now.

    It almost seemed like this was new territory for her, and in an attempt to process it, she was creating something truly terrifying.

    ¡®I am upset, Enri.¡¯ His father tried tentatively as Lan looked at him as if he was willingly stepping into a dragon¡¯s jaws. ¡®And he is my son too, you know?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, I know.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes flashed, ¡®I am well aware that he is your son because if I had married some other fool, then my son wouldn¡¯t think throwing himself at monsters was a job!¡¯

    Lan¡¯s mother seemed to have regained some of her usual self at this point, even if she had reached over the table and was now shaking his father by the shirt. His father let her, clearly seeing the merit in just letting her vent, although Lan was a little surprised by just how much his tiny, in comparison, mother was moving his father with every push and pull.

    ¡®And you!¡¯ she rounded on Lan. ¡®How could you do this to yourself?¡¯ his mother asked as she moved to his side and took his face in her hands like a child that had tripped and fallen before her eyes grew wild. ¡®This isn¡¯t because I gave you that money, is it?¡¯ she ended horrified.

    ¡®What, no!¡¯ Lan started feeling the need to defend his mother from herself. ¡®Well, I won¡¯t lie, although I decided to do anything to get your Hairpin back. I had already been considering joining.¡¯

    ¡®Almost as if you didn¡¯t have a choice.¡¯ She said, turning and glaring at his father.

    ¡®I said that to you over twenty years ago.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said, getting a huff back from his mother as she turned back to Lan.

    ¡®Level seven¡­ how much have you been putting yourself through. I don¡¯t have to tell you how dangerous adventuring is, do I?.¡¯ she said, knowing it to be true as she looked into his battle-sharpened eyes.

    ¡®It¡¯s not that bad.¡¯ Lan started, reasoning that it had almost been worse a few times, so he felt safe saying as much. ¡®I have a lot of people helping me.¡¯ Lan said, thinking about Cawl and Cali, Leah, Lock and the others and, of course, the little ball of light that hovered around wholly unnoticed.

    ¡®But more than that, even though I have been in a few tight situations and have gone through some things that I would rather have remained a mystery to me. I keep finding my thoughts drifting to when I will next go out. I think this is what I¡¯m meant to do.¡¯ Lan said, not taking his eyes off his mother¡¯s, hoping that she would see his sincerity.

    And as her expression softened, Lan guessed it had worked. Seeing this, Lan thought now was the best time to let them know everything.

    ¡®Plus, you shouldn¡¯t be too upset with Dad. I get the feeling I would have found myself here no matter what.¡¯ At their confused looks, Lan said, ¡®You two have heard of the All Guild¡¯s Campaign?¡¯ he asked, looking at both, then to Maya, who had seemed happy to just watch as her head darted from one person to the next.

    ¡®We have heard rumours, but it has not been called yet.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said as his mother¡¯s face flashed with worry.

    ¡®No one seems to know what is going on,¡¯ Lan started, ¡®there are stories about all manner of things that could doom the city, if not more. The Guild master of the Wild Hunt refuses to make any commitments and tells us we need more information, but I think I know what it is¡­¡¯ Lan breathed, collecting his thoughts as his father took his mother¡¯s hand.

    ¡®Two days ago, I came across something made of shadows that, in moments, destroyed a Goblin Swarm.¡¯

    Knowing what that meant, his mother and father tensed as Maya gasped.

    ¡®Luckily, with the help of a little friend, I was able to get away from the Shadows unharmed. Tyr.¡¯ Lan said, looking to the wisp, who, for once, seemed to listen to him as golden light filled the kitchen. ¡®This is Tierrnadora. Her light could keep the shadows or whatever was in it away from me.¡¯

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    ¡®Oh¡­ so you can see her now?¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said, still trying to process what he had said.

    ¡®Wait, what?¡¯ Lan asked, suddenly feeling like he was the one at a loss.

    ¡®Huh? Oh! That little wisp has been floating around you since you were a babe. I had thought she was like the others, but no, even though she would disappear from time to time, she would always come back.

    ¡®Sorry,¡¯ Lan raised his hand. ¡®You can just see wisps even when they are hiding themselves?¡¯ Lan managed, even though the idea that Tyr had been with him the whole time made his head spin.

    ¡®Yes.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said before looking at his father, who looked back with a question.

    ¡®Why have you never told me this?¡¯ he asked.

    ¡®Well, I used to tell people when I was little, but no one but my mother would believe me, so I decided to keep it to myself, and It¡¯s not like they were hurting anyone.¡¯ She shrugged. ¡®More importantly, what is this about the dark.¡¯

    ¡®Wait,¡¯ Lan raised his other hand to join the first, which still hung in the air. ¡®You can see wisps,¡¯ Lan repeated, ¡®Does that mean you know what one of your hidden abilities is.¡¯

    ¡®No, I wouldn¡¯t have kept that from you.¡¯

    Lan nodded before remembering the Ornithalls and how the pack of odd majestic birds had reacted around him even before he had fully awoken his ability to bind Radiance to himself.

    ¡®Have you ever noticed animals acting odd around you?¡¯ Lan asked, getting an inquisitive look from his mother.

    ¡®Funny you should say that. When I was little, I used to get chased around by all manner of squirrels and birds,¡¯ she sighed. ¡®I used to spend most of the days running around the garden, but that all ended the day I gained my first level.¡¯

    Lan thought that didn¡¯t seem to help, holding back a sigh of his own. As gaining levels had seemed to bring on the odd reactions. The only difference he could think of was the fact that he hadn¡¯t spent his points yet.

    ¡®Did you spend your attribute points right away?¡¯ Lan asked, getting a nod from his mother.

    ¡®Yes, in Body and Charisma like everyone.¡¯

    Everyone but him, Lan thought as he nodded. Maybe that was why he couldn¡¯t use the Wisp Walk Ability. Maybe he didn¡¯t have the right stats. And what if he took the wrong stats? Would he lose the ability forever?

    ¡®This is the second time you have asked about an ability. I take it that you found another, then?¡¯ Lan¡¯s father asked, and Lan was about to answer before pausing.

    ¡®I should return to the story.¡¯ Lan finally said before continuing on after leaving the clearing, waking under the tree and meeting the Tear of Creation.

    ¡®You spoke to a Tear of Creation!¡¯ Both his father and mother said as one.

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan half laughed as the remnants of his disbelief clashed with his excitement as Maya dropped a mug on the table.

    Seeing how the talk was going, she had decided to make a pot of tea and had happily not poured it yet when she dropped the cup. Leaving her to give them a sheepish smile as she picked it up.

    ¡®What did it say.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father asked after sharing a look with his mother.

    ¡®That something was trying to take control of it, which I believe is linked to the odd Darkness that attacked the goblins as Tyr could sense it and stop it. Before it disappeared, the Tear of Creation tasked me with finding and stopping whatever the dark was.¡¯ Before his mother could voice her protest, Lan went on.

    ¡®It unlocked one of my abilities and even made me Light Marked before giving me a quest to stop the Darkness or whatever lies within it.¡¯

    ¡®This is just too much.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said, leaning on his father. ¡®But why must it be you?¡¯

    ¡®They said that we are connected to something called a Messenger.¡¯ Lan answered and saw something flash behind his mother¡¯s eyes. ¡®Do you know something?¡¯

    ¡®My mother once told me that an ancestor had been Light Marked some generations back. But nothing about this Messenger¡­,¡¯ she paused, unsure, ¡®but if anyone would know, it would be her.¡¯ his mother said before she sighed. ¡®A week ago, I was worried about you going to the city on your own, and now you are telling me that you plan on facing a threat to the city by yourself.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t plan on facing it alone,¡¯ Lan cut in softly. ¡®I¡¯ll convince the guildmaster and the others no matter what. And after that, I will do my part. And if somehow I cannot, then I still have Tyr.¡¯ Lan said, looking at the wisp who flew to sit on his shoulder.

    ¡®The Tear of Creation seemed to think I could do this.¡¯ Lan didn¡¯t say that he was literally the best that the Tear could find, but if that was a promising fact, he didn''t know. What he did know was it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®If I don¡¯t do something, everyone will be in danger. And I will not lose any of you after getting you back.¡¯

    Maybe he was able to get his will across to them through his words, or perhaps his words mirrored their thoughts as his mother and father stared at him with a mix of surprise and worry before looking at each other.

    ¡®It should sound like the words of a fool to say so.¡¯ His mother said, rising to her feet before guiding Lan onto his, ¡®To gain six levels even in so short a time is remarkable, but it is nothing compared to what most adventurers start at. Even your father and I had been level ten when he joined, and we never faced anything that would call for an all-guilds campaign for a few years. As much as it hurts to admit it, I can¡¯t stop you, no matter how much I want to. It should be foolish, but¡­ but if you say that you can do this¡­ then I believe you. So what I want is for you to promise that you will come back. No matter what.¡¯

    ¡®Not even a progenitor god could stop me.¡¯ Lan said, knowing that he may have to prove just that and knowing it wouldn¡¯t matter.

    With a shuddering sigh, his mother looked to his father, who looked like he was trying to work out a way that he could go with Lan before he sighed, nodded and stood. Wrapping his arm around his mother before placing his hand on Lan¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡®Then we will be waiting for you to return.¡¯

    Although they clearly did not want him to go, it was clear that they believed in him. which was almost enough to make him feel a little sorry for whatever was waiting for him in the shadow.

    After a moment, something his mother said hit him.

    ¡®Wait, what did you mean by ¡°we faced.¡±¡¯

 Chapter 53: Black and Crimson

    ¡®Huh, what did you say love.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother asked, blinking at him.

    ¡®You said ¡°we faced,¡± What did you mean by that?¡¯

    ¡®Oh,¡¯ his mother sighed, ¡®Well, when I found out that your father had become an adventurer, I went after him to bring him home and found him in the middle of a fight with a rock bear, well after we killed it, it became clear that he wouldn¡¯t come back willingly so I started going along with him.¡¯ she finished with a tired shrug, while Lan just stared at her.

    ¡®Wait, so you also have the hunter¡¯s mark?¡¯ Lan asked, pinching his eyes.

    ¡®What? Of course not. I wouldn¡¯t let some silly voice in my head tell me what to do.¡¯ She waved.

    ¡®That¡¯s one way to put it¡­¡¯ Lan said. Having his mother sum up the compulsion to fight as a ¡°silly voice¡± not only left him a little speechless but with more questions. ¡®But seeing monsters didn¡¯t make you freeze? and does that mean you have a combat class, too?¡¯

    ¡®Well, about that, just like being able to see wisps, apparently, your mother is a bit of a special case in this, too.¡¯ His father said before looking at Lan¡¯s mother.

    ¡®Oh, I was born with a title. Light of Strength. Which gives me a boost to any points I put into strength.¡¯

    ¡®A boost?¡¯ Lan¡¯s father raised an eyebrow. ¡®For every point she puts into strength, she gains two.¡¯

    Lan¡¯s head snapped over to his mother so fast he was sure he heard a pop while his father gave him an understanding smile.

    ¡®That¡¯s Insane. How much strength do you have?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s not that much, only sixty.¡¯ She said offhandedly.

    ¡®Only sixty¡­ you mean you can lift over one and half thousand lbs over your head?¡¯ although she had only spent thirty points in it, the title made it so that she had hit the attributes milestones at twenty, forty and sixty. Each of these doubled how much an attribute point would boost one¡¯s strength. From the ten lbs when below twenty points to the eighty lbs per point that she would get if she put any more points into it.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s harder to believe, you fighting monsters or having so much strength.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with being strong.¡¯ She huffed. ¡®I think any good mother needs a lot of strength. There is no aspect of being a mother that doesn¡¯t require a lot of it, and that is when your child isn¡¯t risking their lives daily.¡¯ She said, getting an enthusiastic nod of agreement from Maya.

    ¡®I always assumed that was more of a symbolic thing or at least¡­ a focus on Mind?¡¯ Lan reasoned.

    ¡®Well, I can¡¯t think of anything that gives you a stronger mind and will than the knowledge that you can tear metal with your hands if you need to.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said with no little amount of pride.

    ¡®I¡­ don¡¯t doubt it.¡¯ Lan said slowly. ¡®Not freezing in front of monsters, being able to see wisps and a title that grants greater strength. And¡­¡¯ Lan looked to his father. ¡®An ability that seems to change depending on the user. There is so much going on. But at least I am not the only one going through it.¡¯ Lan shrugged. ¡®Although it would have been useful to gain that title.¡¯

    ¡®You are out of luck as it seems to have been passed on to another member of the family.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said, and after getting a questioning look from Lan, went on. ¡®Your sister Cara. She was born with the Title Light of the Mind. She gains two points for every one spent in mind, and her mana pool is already three times larger than it should be for her age, and that¡¯s taking into account that she even has one.¡¯

    ¡®How is she anyway.¡¯ Lan said, getting a smile from his mother and father

    ¡®From the sounds of it, she is going to be running the Academy in no time.¡¯ his mother smiled even though it was clear she wasn¡¯t fully on board with her being too far away.

    ¡®You mean grandmother will be.¡¯ Lan said, and his mother¡¯s smile seemed to grow more genuine.

    ¡®Apparently, there are already three instructors she has chewed out for treating Cara as if she were already a student by trying to give her commands and another that is no longer allowed in the same areas of the Academy as them because the woman had thought she could separate Cara from them.¡¯

    Lan thought that sounded exactly like his grandmother, and then there was his sister. Forget repairing a bridge; Lan needed to build one when it came to her, and he would no matter what it took.

    With that, Lan went back to what his father had said. Three times as much mana and double mind for every point and a new title.

    It was clear that on both sides of his family, he had ancestors who were not done with them. But who were they whose embers still lived on within them? A being that had served the Lords of light and one favoured by a god of another world. Ones that could still affect them even when their abilities were hidden, and now his link to one of them had been rekindled, and he had been made one step closer to them. Light Marked.

    Even with the passing of time, they still had a hand on the scales of his fate, but would he be able to live up to it, and what kind of mark would he leave. The Tear of Creation, the Shadow and The Messengers. How he handled all of them would decide if he even got to leave one.

    ¡®Lan?¡¯ his father asked.

    ¡®Sorry, I was just lost in thought,¡¯ Lan smiled.

    ¡®We noticed. You still do that thing with your nose when you are thinking too hard.¡¯ his father smiled.

    ¡®Huh, what thing?¡¯ Lan asked, fighting the urge to cover his face.

    ¡®No, don¡¯t tell him.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother swatted his father''s hand. ¡®It¡¯s how you can tell when he is trying to come up with a lie, too, and it¡¯s still as cute as it was when he was little.¡¯ She teased.

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    ¡®What?¡¯ Lan asked; he didn¡¯t have a tell, did he? Something like that would have just worsened his life when he lived with Dell and when he was made to deal with other merchants.

    But seeing his mother''s delighted smile, he guessed being home was allowing him to remember parts of himself that he had forgotten, and that wasn¡¯t a bad thing.

    ¡®Oh, Dad. I didn¡¯t get to ask this before, but was there anyone else in the family line who had our ability?¡¯

    ¡®No, it was almost a legend passed down in our family. With all sorts of stories about what it meant. Everything from a symbol of the lordship over some land and castle to the ability to turn lead into gold. We only know that someone has told this story for at least ten generations before I regained it.¡¯

    Lan nodded, that didn¡¯t seem like much, but it was something to go on with. Now, all he needed was to find a record of all the people summoned, and he may be able to rule out or find out if someone in his bloodline had been summoned.

    So he just needed to find somewhere with something like that and, more importantly, that would give him access. Piece of cake.

    ¡®I still can¡¯t believe that you were both adventuers.¡¯ Lan shook his head.

    ¡®Well, I never joined. I just went along with your father.¡¯ His mother explained. ¡®No, you only have one adventurer for a parent, and that one is Black Iron Kurt.¡¯ She sang, making his father wince.

    ¡®Black Iron Kurt?¡¯ Lan laughed.

    ¡®I found a black steel spear around about the time I started.¡¯ His father sighed. ¡®that paired with my hair and eyes. The name didn¡¯t take long to stick.¡¯ He added before looking at Lan¡¯s mother with a playful vengeance in his eyes, ¡®but at least I had Enri of the crimson mace watching my back.¡¯

    ¡®Kurt!¡¯ she snapped, slapping him on the arm, ¡®That¡¯s not the same thing.¡¯ She ended with a pout.

    ¡®Let me guess¡­ a blood-amber mace?¡¯ Lan tried, making his father smile.

    ¡®Hardly. Your mother got that name because everything she hit with her mace would turn to a red mist.

    ¡®Kurt! That¡¯s not true, my sweet. Maces are just messy weapons.¡¯ His mother said as she slapped his father again, who just smiled in the way he did when holding back a laugh.

    ¡®I still can¡¯t believe it. Mom fighting monsters.¡¯ Lan breathed.

    ¡®Believe it. In fact, that day I came looking for you, the only reason she wasn''t with me was because she was carrying your little sister.¡¯

    After a few minutes of his mother raining down blows that couldn¡¯t have been even a percent of her strength and his father blocking, the table returned to some level of order.

    ¡®There goes my image of being the perfect mother.¡¯ His mother sighed.

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t be so sure.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father laughed. ¡®don¡¯t forget your husband was an adventurer, and your son is one now. I am sure that Lan would agree that you couldn¡¯t be more perfect.¡¯ Lan''s father said with a downright charming smile, and if that wasn¡¯t surprising enough, Lan watched as his mother turned away and her face flushed.

    ¡®Well, I guess that I will forgive you then.¡¯ She said back with a final, much softer slap on the arm.

    Before Lan could wonder if he had to worry about a new sibling, his mother cleared her throat and looked at him.

    ¡®Speaking of Adventuring, do you know what you are going to do now?¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother asked as worry seeped into her voice.

    ¡®One thing, yes.¡¯ Lan nodded. At the moment, he only had a few leads. He knew where the Tear of Creation wasn¡¯t, and he knew the direction that the Darkness had come from, and Tyr had been able to sense the Tear of Creation. Maybe if they could get close enough, they might be able to pick it up again. Not to mention, the Darkness couldn¡¯t just be spreading without going unnoticed. So it had to be coming from somewhere, which meant they could find it, but before that.

    ¡®First, I need to deal with Dell,¡¯ as Lan said this, the mood grew dark in a heartbeat.

    ¡®He is still coming after you.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said with fire in his eyes, which, now that there was no longer a world contract at risk was a much more worrying prospect for Dell.

    ¡®He is,¡¯ Lan nodded. ¡®I apparently damaged some goods before I was kicked out, and now Dell is trying to get me to pay it back and is seeking the help of the magistrates. An outsider looking in might think this is just a greedy man''s last attempt to wring out as much coin as he could. But not Dell.¡¯ Lan said, lost in his thoughts.

    He will claim that I was a failure from the start and that you all allowed him to take me as an apprentice, knowing as much. He will use that to make a case for the fact that you should have to pay the debt off and no doubt will ask for the shop in the village for it.¡¯ Lan looked up and found his father with a serious look before he nodded for Lan to go on.

    ¡®What would he want with a craft shop.¡¯ Lan''s mother asked.

    ¡®He would be taking our family legacy for a start, but the reason I know it¡¯s what he is after is that if he can have a magistrate grant him the right to a building in the village, then Dell could challenge the rules against warehousing in the village itself and more importantly the banning of new warehouses. After that, all he has to do is find a way to make the other shop owners sell, and he could build his own shipping empire situated right outside of the city.¡¯

    Finishing, Lan looked up and found everyone staring blankly at him, and it took Lan a moment to realise that despite the dire news he had just shared, he had done so with cold calculation.

    ¡®I take it you have a plan then?¡¯ Lan''s father asked.

    ¡®Dell plans on bending the laws to suit him. I just plan on bending them back.¡¯ Lan smiled before pausing. But I could use a little help with that.¡¯ For the next few minutes, Lan talked to them about his plan and the part they played in it.

    ¡®Are you sure about this, Lan.¡¯ his father asked, as his mother looked like she wanted to protest.

    ¡®I am sure. If he is coming for the family business, then this is the only way short of killing him to stop that. Which we can¡¯t do, right?¡¯ Lan added as it looked like his mother and father were considering it. ¡®and knowing him, I would say Dell would find the idea that he had driven someone to the point of killing him as an achievement.¡¯ Lan said.

    ¡®Plus, killing him would be too easy a punishment. Aside from Liza, the only thing Dell cares about is his business and his self-image.¡¯ Lan said, remembering the time a travelling merchant had managed to pull the wool over Dell¡¯s eyes.

    The man had dyed wolf pelts with red rock dust from another land, making it look, feel and smell like Firefox fur without any of the magic properties.

    Once they found out, Lan had made the mistake of seeing Dell¡¯s embarrassed, impotent rage and had become the scapegoat. That was the only time Dell had beat him with his own hands.

    But even then, Lan had learned something he would make good use of.

    ¡®Is everything alright, Enri?¡¯ his father asked, making him look up to find his mother deep in thought.

    ¡®Huh, oh, I am fine. I was just thinking that I might have an idea of something that might help.¡¯

    ¡®Really what?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®You are not the only one that hates that ratling of a man.¡¯ His mother said with a devilish smile. ¡®just go about with your plan, and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡¯

    ¡®Uh, okay.¡¯ Lan said before spotting the basket on the table. ¡®oh right, I almost forgot about this.¡¯ He stood and walked around the table to the basket.

    ¡®On my way here, I spotted these and thought now was a good time to keep our promise.¡¯ Lan said, placing the box in front of his mother.

    With a questioning look at Lan, his mother looked down and undid the ribbon around the box and slid the top off it before her eyes grew wide.

    Lan was just about to make a joke but found no words coming to mind as his mother''s gold and blue eyes welled up with tears.

    ¡®Wait, why are you crying now.¡¯ Lan blurted up as he rushed to her side.

    ¡®Now? I have been trying not to cry from the moment I walked in.¡¯ His mother said as she wiped at her eyes. ¡®That you not only remember those days but kept our promise just made me happy, is all.¡¯ She smiled.

    ¡®Of course, I wouldn¡¯t forget something like that.¡¯ Lan said as she stood and hugged him.

    After a moment, Lan noticed his father smiling at them, a smile that flashed to panic as Lan grinned and winked at Maya before pushing the basket filled with sweet rolls over to his father.

 Chapter 54: Black Steel Light

    Once his mother had stopped crying, they enjoyed a pleasant evening where they talked about everything, from his sister to a rather understated version of his first two jobs as an adventurer. Even still, his mother found the idea of him sneaking into a guild job interesting enough to bring on that new smile she was training.

    Luckily, Lan was able to turn the conversation onto the people he had met and was left speechless for a moment when he found out that his father knew Cawl.

    ¡®Yeah, everyone in the crafters¡¯ guild knows each other, and everyone is in the crafters guild. It¡¯s the only way to avoid being gouged at every turn by the merchants, well, any more than we already are. Even still, I work with Cawl from time to time.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father shrugged.

    ¡®Why didn¡¯t he say anything?¡¯ Lan asked, drawing on his memories of their first meeting to see if anything stood out in hindsight. The only thing that came to mind was that Cawl had been willing to give him the spear in the first place.

    ¡®It might have something to do with him giving you a damn weapon even though he knew your level.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father frowned before sighing.

    ¡®Then again, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time he did that for a Cross.¡¯ He finished as Lan¡¯s mother tried to bore a hole in the side of his head with her stare.

    ¡®Maybe he is just trying to kill all the men in my family.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother laughed, and he was sure he had heard a dog whimper somewhere in the night.

    ¡®Uh, You mean?¡¯ Lan started glancing at his mother.

    ¡®Yeah, I wasn¡¯t level one,¡¯ his father added quickly, ¡®and Cawl could still fit through doors. I am still buying him rounds for the beating he got from his father when he found out.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father smiled.

    ¡®Do you happen to know the Guildmaster of the Wild Hunt too?¡¯ Lan sighed, wondering what other help he had gotten through his parents. Maybe Art was his uncle or¡­

    ¡®No, the guild we¡­ I joined no longer exists.¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t know Art, do you?¡¯ Lan asked conspiratorially now that the thought had come to him.

    ¡®No, should I?¡¯ Lan¡¯s father blinked.

    ¡®Never mind.¡¯ Lan said before a thought hit him.

    With a quickly growing confidence, Lan reached into the Other World Chest and drew out his sword. ¡®Could you take a look at this.¡¯ Lan said before realizing everyone was staring at the space his hand had just been in.

    ¡®Wow, you could save a fortune on storing and transport,¡¯ Maya breathed.

    ¡®That¡¯s an interesting ability.¡¯ His mother added wistfully.

    ¡®I can also do a little magic.¡¯ Lan said a little enthusiastically, making his mother''s face light up as she squeezed his arm.

    ¡®This is Cawl¡¯s work?¡¯ Lan¡¯s father asked, getting a nod from Lan before taking the sword and starting to look over the scabbard and handle.

    After a moment, his father nodded before his eyes turned golden as purple rune circles covered it.

    ¡®Hmm,¡¯ Lan¡¯s father frowned, ¡®this is.¡¯ He managed before his eyes grew wild. ¡®What the hell was he thinking.¡¯ Lan''s father sighed as he shook his head.

    ¡®What is it.¡¯ Lan asked, wondering if he really had needed to worry about the sword.

    ¡®This sword is made up of two different steels with magic properties.¡¯ his father pinched his eyes.

    ¡®Is that bad?¡¯ Lan asked

    ¡®Only if you think of it exploding is bad. Well, that would be the case if anyone but that lunatic had made this.¡¯ He sighed. ¡®Somehow, he has not only got it to work but made an alloy more stable than either of the two components.¡¯

    ¡®What are they.¡¯ Lan asked, feeling the urge to know everything about crafting overtook him.

    Seeing this, Lan¡¯s father smiled. ¡®The first is Mage Steel. Mages use it as the core of their staffs<u>,</u> other weapons and armour<u>.</u> On top of it being a great conductor of magic, it takes to enchantment like a thirsty man does to water.¡¯

    Lan''s father rubbed his chin. ¡®This other one, Sage Light Steel. I have never heard of it, but I can see through The Eyes that it''s drawn to magic. I don¡¯t know what Cawl was trying to make with this thing, but he did something. He may be a madman, but he is one hell of a blacksmith.¡¯

    ¡®Maybe he will give Silus a viper in a spring box next.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother smiled.

    ¡®Anyway, this sword of yours seems to be safe enough to use, but it can¡¯t be enchanted.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ I figured that out.¡¯ Lan said before talking to them about what he had seen before their conversation slowly turned back to the other people he had met.

    Of particular interest to his mother were the women he had met, to which Lan had to remind her that he had known most of them for little over a week.

    All in all, they were in danger of having a pleasant night when Lan''s father headed off to his workshop. When Lan tried to go with him, his father told him to keep his mother and Maya company. Only reemerging when it was time for Lan to leave.

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    ¡®I wish you would stay.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said for the third time as she hugged him again.

    ¡®I know, I wish I could too, but it¡¯s better if I don¡¯t, at least until the trial is over.¡¯ Lan said, getting Maya¡¯s help to pry his mother off him.

    ¡®Fine,¡¯ she huffed, ¡®just be safe, okay?¡¯

    ¡®I will mom.¡¯ Lan said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. ¡®It was nice getting to meet you¡­ again.¡¯ Lan said to Maya, who smiled back before he headed to the door, his father opening and closing it behind them as he looked up at the night sky and let the cool air fill his lungs.

    The night sky was clearer than it had been in a while, leaving it a sea of stars.

    In fact, the night was clear enough that Lan could make out the Radiant chorus, the two swirling paths of stars, at the heart of which lay the light to the realm of the Lords of Light.

    ¡®What an interesting day, right?¡¯ Lan''s father said.

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan turned and smiled, ¡®you could say that. I think it was one of the best in a while. All I have to do is get Silus to forgive me, and the next will be perfect.¡¯

    ¡®Just give him time,¡¯ his father said, placing his hand on Lan¡¯s shoulder. ¡®you have grown so much.¡¯

    ¡®And you haven¡¯t changed a bit.¡¯ Lan laughed, although his father didn¡¯t join him.

    ¡®The day you returned. I showed you my second greatest failing. I let my anger blind me to what you were going through and what I should have done. I guess I thought I had messed up so much that there was no going back to the way things were or that I didn¡¯t deserve for things to be like they were. I¡¯m glad you showed me that I was wrong.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said, hugging him.

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡¯ Lan tried but stopped as his father smiled and shook his head.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad you managed to keep that promise with your mother. And although it took some last-minute work, I thought it was time to keep mine.¡¯ His father said as he retrieved a small red box from his pocket and handed it to Lan.

    ¡®It may not be the best gift for an adventurer, but everyone can do with a little light.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father spoke as he opened the box and was greeted by an inch-and-a-half-long flattened crystal with a perfect hollow sphere, like an air bubble frozen underwater at its heart.

    The crystal itself was held in by a frame of a swirling black metal that was made of the same material as the long extendable chain. The moment Lan saw it, he knew what it was.

    His father had promised that one day he would make an item just for him, and as he took the black steel chain in his hand, he knew this was it. But there was more to it, aside from being nearly indestructible and almost as hard to work with. Over the years, the silver lines that flowed through the obsidian steel would gain a greater glimmer to them.

    As Lan looked at it, not only was the frame of the crystal a mirror of the night sky, but as he followed the links, it was as if he was travelling through time with his fingertip. The first links had to be about ten years old and the newest as black as their hair.

    Lan looked up, his words catching in his throat and saw that his father knew what he was thinking.

    ¡®A light crystal seemed as useful a gift for a merchant as a crafter, but now I hope it will always help you find your way home.¡¯

    ¡®This is great. Thanks, Dad.¡¯ Lan had always wanted something his father had crafted. To Lan, everything his father made was the best in the land, and finding out his father could work black steel proved it.

    Black Steel? Lan Looked up. ¡®This...¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, I sold most of it to build our home and the shop before the mages restricted who could buy or sell it. But I kept the spearhead just for this.¡¯

    He had used this spear to build their home and their lives, and now he had forged the best part into this, a light for him.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what to say.¡¯ Lan breathed.

    ¡®A younger you, would have said I was the best crafter around.¡¯ His father grinned.

    ¡®You are the best in the world.¡¯ Lan said before hugging him.

    ¡®Although I guess with that little wisp flying around, you may not have too much use for it.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father added, patting him on the shoulder. ¡®And you will need a new crystal. I fear that one lost its charge a few years ago.¡¯

    As if waiting for this, Tyr appeared from wherever she had been wandering and shot into the crystal. Almost ripping it out of Lan¡¯s hand as the stone took on a golden light.

    ¡®Are you alright, Tyr?¡¯ Lan asked, getting a feeling akin to satisfaction as the crystal shook softly. ¡®I guess she likes your gift too.¡¯ Lan smiled as he held the light crystal up.

    ¡®You don¡¯t see that every day.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father breathed, ¡®then again, I am still trying to wrap my mind around you having a wisp.¡¯

    ¡®Well, at least this way, I don¡¯t have to charge the stone ever. And Tyr seems to like it.¡¯ Lan smiled.

    ¡®Yeah, but this is like using a bar of gold as a doorstop.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said before the two laughed.

    ¡®Anyway,¡¯ his father cleared his throat, ¡®wearing both your guild tag and this may become a little bothersome. So the next time you come home, I¡¯ll fit your tag to this one. So you be sure to come back, okay?¡¯

    ¡®I will, dad.¡¯ Lan said as they hugged.

    As Lan walked through the dark streets of the village, he felt good. It was the feeling of constant pain, one there for so long that one¡¯s mind begins to treat it as part of life, and Just like that, when the pain is gone, the world seems so much calmer, so much sweeter. So much so that trying to remember the pain becomes hard to do. Not that he was trying all that hard.

    That was what Lan felt as he walked down the street leading out of the village, just the cool air, the shower of stars above and the sweetness of normalcy for company.

    Although he had never thought he would feel this way. Some of him had wondered about just this and how he would feel afterwards. Would finding this piece make him not want to be an adventurer anymore. As if wanting this had been the only thing compelling him to fight.

    As he walked, Lan realized it was the opposite, without the guilt clouding his mind. Just the thought of when next he would hear the Hunter¡¯s song steeled his heart as now he knew he would be fighting for the right things.

    Smiling at the thought, he noticed that he had reached the village inn just as a voice came from just beyond the door, breaking the tranquil silence.

    ¡®We¡¯re going, you cheap bastard.¡¯ A gruff, very impaired voice slurred before the inn door flew open, and a familiar face stepped out. Corbin. The large, shaven-haired man had been one of the head labourers who had worked under Lan when he was still Dell¡¯s apprentice and had always been one of the more difficult people to work with. Which more often than not led to others acting the same.

    And from the looks of it. Lan had found him in the middle of an angry drinking session if the cemented frown and flushed red face or the fact that it was taking three people to lift him was anything to go by.

    ¡®Keep it down, Corbin.¡¯ A voice Lan recognized as another one of his head labourers, A man named Doddie hissed.

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t do you the courtesy of turning that shit you call Ale into my piss.¡¯ Corbin turned to say before looking over to Lan. Squinting as if to help him peer into the dark before his frown deepened.

    ¡®And what the hell are you looking at. You get lost on your way to go do¡­¡¯ He paused, looking around. ¡®Elf¡­ shit?¡¯ he finally landed on as he pointed a finger at Lan. Simultaneously lifting one of his large tattooed arms off the person trying and failing to carry him.

    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t be picking fights in the village, Corbin.¡¯ The soft voice of a smaller man said before his view cleared, and he was able to see Lan. ¡®Master Landrin?¡¯ the man asked immediately as his eyes grew wide with pleasant recognition.

    ¡®It¡¯s good to see you, Sorel, ¡¯ Lan told the other man, making the man¡¯s face light up.

 Chapter 55: A Quiet Night

    As the wind picked up, whistling through the silent street and making the old inn sign let out strained creaks as it gave way to the breeze. The four men stared at Lan. Three of them doing so as if they had drunk themselves into oblivion while Sorel looked like he was holding back tears as he let go of Corbin and rushed up to Lan.

    ¡®It¡¯s so good to see you, Master Landrin,¡¯ He said, wrapping his skeletal hands around Lan¡¯s. ¡®I was worried about you after what happened.¡¯ The smaller man said in his melodic accent that seemed to have some words flow into others as he looked up at Lan with happy yet sunken eyes.

    ¡®I guess I didn¡¯t get to say goodbye,¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®But I must say, I didn¡¯t know you and the others were this close.¡¯ Lan asked, looking at the three others still staring slack-jawed at him.

    From the day Lan hired Sorel, the others treated him as if Lan had given him special treatment, which led to Lan having to shield the man, often by making himself the target.

    ¡®Well.¡¯ Sorel shrugged sheepishly. ¡®Strange bedfellows and all that, no?¡¯

    Before Lan could ask what he meant, someone else spoke.

    ¡®Lan?¡¯ Corbin asked, the very sight of Lan seeming to have sobered him up enough to speak without slurring his words.

    ¡®What happened to you?¡¯ Doddie asked as he blinked hard to clear his sight. ¡®You look¡­ different.¡¯

    ¡®Well, let¡¯s just say that being away from Dell does the mind and body good.¡¯ Lan grinned.

    ¡®Well¡­¡¯ Doddie smiled as Corbin and the last man gawked at Lan. ¡®If I needed proof that it was you, then that look in your eye is enough.¡¯

    ¡®Look?¡¯ Lan repeated.

    ¡®From the day you took over the warehouse, you had a look in your eye like you had a goal, and everyone and everything was just an obstacle in your way. I always admired that about you.¡¯ Doddie said with a smile that Lan could see was forced even in the dark.

    And although he didn¡¯t believe a word, it was still surprising.

    Except for Sorel, Lan knew that none of the people who worked for him had admired anything about him.

    Even if Doddie hadn¡¯t been the worst of his lot, the man had never once done more than he needed to get by without a talking to, and whenever the others would give Lan a hard time or when Dell¡¯s goons would work him over. Lan would, on occasion, catch Doddie as he was looking away.

    Despite that, Lan had always been a little jealous of the man. Short brown hair crowned a strong, dependable face, which, along with being the type of person that could get along with anyone, meant that all the other workers liked him, and he had even made Dell let out a grunt, which was the closest thing to a laugh the snake could manage.

    ¡®I owe you an apology, Lan.¡¯ Corbin said, lowering his head.

    ¡®Ahh, what?¡¯ Lan laughed. If Doddie saying he admired Lan had been surprising, then Corbin apologizing was akin to a dog standing on its back legs and doing a jig.

    Half of Lan¡¯s day had been him trying to trick Corbin into working, and the other half was taken up by making sure he wouldn¡¯t get bored and abandon it.

    Corbin winced at Lan¡¯s words and shrugged, ¡®and I need to thank you,¡¯

    Before Lan could say anything, the large man went on.

    ¡®All these years, I thought that I was doing you a favour by working for you, but I now see that you were the one who did us a great deed.¡¯ The moment the words left Corbin¡¯s mouth, Doddie¡¯s expression turned bitter before he hid it with a practised smile.

    ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ Lan frowned before looking to Sorel, who said nothing.

    ¡®The day after you¡­ left.¡¯ Corbin started without meeting Lan¡¯s eye. ¡®Dell took over the warehouse and changed everything you had set up. Changing the work allocations to things that we had never done, and a week later, he said that none of us should have been hired and fired the full warehouse.¡¯ Corbin spat on the street.

    ¡®Four years under you, we did our jobs well, but a week under Dell and we are ¡°too incompetent to even shovel muck¡±.¡¯ Corbin laughed bitterly. ¡®¡°Incompetent¡±, what a way to learn a new word.¡¯

    ¡®I am sorry to hear that.¡¯ Lan said, finding that he meant it. Although mainly for Sorel¡¯s sake. While at the same time, he understood why. Those who had worked under him would not have found work anywhere else.

    Corbin was strong but in the way of an Earth Eater Ox. Strong but not coordinated. On the other hand, Sorel had contracted the Within as his family travelled to Shildegrave, which, despite the man being only ten years older than Lan, left him looking far older and even weaker than his appearance.

    But he was meticulous in his work and treated everything entrusted into his possession like a robin¡¯s egg.

    No one in their right mind would hire either of them but Lan. Not only was he not spoiled for choice, but Dell was an opportunist merchant. Buying anything he thought he could profit from. Meaning that there was always a need for an ox and a robin¡¯s egg to be looked after.

    But one would have to be a fool or vindictive to mix them up.

    ¡®You have nothing to be sorry about. It was our fault for not seeing who we were really working for until it was too late.¡¯ Corbin shrugged, which was the closest thing to respect the large man could manage. At least, that was until he straightened and met Lan¡¯s eyes.

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    ¡®Sorry, Lan. We should have been better to you and everything you did for us.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t mention it.¡¯ Lan said back; although it had been the worst time in his life, he had tried his best. Lan had known the moment Dell left him in charge of that warehouse that he was being set up to fail, and yet he had kept it going as well as the other warehouses. Which made it better than all of them combined in his eyes. Even still hearing that was validating.

    ¡®All is forgiven. But what will you all do now?¡¯ Lan asked, looking from Corbin to Doddie, then Sorel.

    ¡®What else? Look for more work. But first, we are going to get drunk on Dell¡¯s coin.¡¯ Corbin grinned.

    ¡®You didn¡¯t.¡¯ Lan said agast.

    ¡®We didn¡¯t do anything, boss,¡¯ Corbin said sweetly. ¡®But you see, you always checked the locks before leaving for the night. Especially that tricky one at the back of the warehouse that sometimes slips open if, I don¡¯t know, a rock or something is stuck in the catch. Dell didn¡¯t.¡¯

    ¡®You did,¡¯ Lan said with a sigh.

    ¡®Oh no, boss, I swear by the Light that I did not lay a finger on anything inside the warehouse.¡¯ Corbin said, placing a hand on his chest.

    ¡®And what about when those items were taken outside? Did you lay a finger on them then?¡¯ Lan asked, knowing the answer from the look in the man¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®Well, that''s between me and the Light, Boss.¡¯ Corbin grinned. ¡®Oh, you might be interested to know this. Do you remember that Gnorg flesh shipment?¡¯ the large man asked, getting a nod from Lan.

    ¡®Well, it would seem that someone stole the door to the cold room, leaving all of it to go off.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯ Lan raised a hand. To say that Gnorg was one of the worst things he had smelled would be an understatement. The idea of rotting Gnorg, which would happen at an alarming speed outside of a cold room, was a thought truly beyond the grace of the Lords of Light. ¡®I don¡¯t need to know any more.¡¯ Lan laughed.

    The thought of Dell walking into a warehouse that smelled like the rotten aftermath of his favourite meat made him smile, even if this technically gave Dell some ammunition against him.

    Lan looked and found Corbin and Sorel smiling at him while Doddie had a pained look on his face, but the moment he noticed Lan looking at him, he tried to smile.

    ¡®Master Landrin?¡¯ Sorel called, and when Lan looked down to remind the man he didn¡¯t have to call him that, especially not now, Lan found the man with a contemplative look on his face. ¡®I think I have something that you should have.¡¯

    ¡®Ah, that can wait.¡¯ Corbin cried. ¡®Come on, what you say we buy you a round on Dell.¡¯ The Large man grinned. ¡®If anyone deserves it, it¡¯s you.¡¯

    ¡®Next time. My night is not over just yet.¡¯ Lan laughed, finding that he meant it, but there was something else he wanted to have done today if he could.

    ¡®I¡¯ll keep a little just for you.¡¯ Corbin half shrugged.

    ¡®Don¡¯t try too hard now. What about you? Can this wait, Sorel?¡¯ Lan asked, willing to wait a little longer for his sake.

    ¡®Hmm, best it not, sir.¡¯

    So with that, Lan said an unexpected goodbye to Corbin and the other two and followed Sorel back to his home. A small cottage that the man seemed awfully proud to show off.

    ¡®Why?¡¯ he asked when Lan tried to apologize about not being able to pay him more. ¡®I could only get this place because you gave me the chance and hired me. And because of this place, I will be going back home with enough saved to buy a farm.¡¯ He smiled before vanishing into the one-room building.

    Somehow, that made what he had gone through seem a little more worth it. Lan thought as he listened to the quietness of a sleeping village.

    A moment later, Sorel returned with a book that, even in the dark, Lan would not mistake for anything else.

    ¡®How?¡¯ Lan asked, tracing his finger over the leather bindings. ¡®You didn¡¯t!¡¯ Lan said, thinking the worst.

    ¡®Oh no, sir!¡­ well¡­ that day¡­¡¯ he looked up and knew he didn¡¯t need to say more. ¡®You dropped this, and I thought it was important that you have it back, so I picked it up when no one was looking.¡¯

    Smiling gratefully at the man. Lan opened the ledger to the last page he had written in. It was still his handwriting, meaning no one else had touched it. Lan quickly flipped to the end of the large book and found the tamper seals still intact.

    ¡®This¡­¡¯ Lan started, ¡®is incredible, thank you.¡¯ he said, making Sorel¡¯s face light up.¡¯

    ¡®Thank you, sir.¡¯

    Although even this didn¡¯t change Lan¡¯s plan, it would go a long way towards making it sting for Dell just that bit more.

    ¡®As Long as it helps, sir.¡¯ Sorel said with a proud grin.

    After a farewell and a promise to check on the man before he left for his homeland, Lan headed to the inn, feeling better than ever, and was almost expecting the next thing to go better than well, but as he stepped into the inn.

    He was greeted by a smile that could chase away the night from Leah, which took on a cheeky edge as she nodded over to their table before shrugging.

    Looking over, Lan found the table empty, much to his disappointment.

    Wondering where they might be and not having the courage to take a whole table to himself, Lan headed for the bar just as Leah took her place behind it.

    ¡®So how did it go?¡¯ she asked triumphantly.

    ¡®How did what go?¡¯ Lan smiled, not wanting to give her the perceived victory so easily.

    ¡®The conversation with your family about being an adventurer.¡¯ She said in a tone that would have been smug if anyone else had tried it, but coming from her just made Lan want to admit defeat.

    ¡®Better than I hoped.¡¯ Lan sighed before smiling. ¡®Turns out that my father was an adventurer and my mother too¡­ well, sort of.¡¯ Lan shrugged, enjoying getting the upper hand for once as Leah¡¯s head snapped over to him.

    ¡®That!... makes sense.¡¯ She finished as her surprise turned to acceptance even before she had finished turning.

    ¡®That¡¯s it?¡¯ Lan laughed.

    ¡®What? I already knew there was something special about you. but now I see that we are even more alike.¡¯ Leah smiled as if happy with the information.

    ¡®I guess you are right.¡¯ Lan smiled back, finding the thought not so bad.

    Someone called for a round before either could say anything else, and Leah shot off to get it.

    With a moment to himself, Lan looked over to the table. No one looked like they would take it, even though a few looked like they could use a seat.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, little pup, the rest of the pack is on a job for the Guildmaster.¡¯ Leah said, placing a mug in front of him.

    ¡®Huh? Oh, right.¡¯ Lan said, remembering their last conversation. ¡®Not part of the Pack just yet.¡¯ He smiled, getting a look from Leah that said, ¡°If you say so.¡±

    ¡®Did you say they were on a job for the Guildmaster?¡¯ Lan asked as a thought came to him. ¡®They seem to do that a lot.¡¯

    ¡®You could say that.¡¯ Leah said thoughtfully. ¡®Although most of the established parties get calls occasionally, they might tell you that they''re the only ones that get singled out.¡¯ she said before darting off to another table.

    Watching her work, Lan was thinking about asking if she wanted a hand when he overheard another group talking about¡­ him.

    ¡®He¡¯s on his own now, shouldn¡¯t we ask him?¡¯ the voice wasn¡¯t familiar, and the attempt to whisper and be heard in the loud hall made the voice carry to him.

    ¡®No, Lock¡¯s lot are already too close with him, plus if we bring him to the party, one of us might lose a spot to him,¡¯ a new voice said to a round of agreement.

    Which left Lan stunned for a moment. He hadn¡¯t even considered that. Lock¡¯s group had every role filled, and it was one of the larger ones. Although he didn¡¯t dare think he could replace one of them, would they think he was trying to?

    Before he could let the thought sink in, Leah walked past and smiled at him, and as he smiled back, Lan decided he would take her advice for now as it hadn¡¯t led him wrong yet¡¯.

 Chapter 56: Promises Made And Promises Kept

    Today¡­ would be a good day. Obern Dell thought as he made his way through the streets of the city with Ganin. The only competent person he knew acting as a bulwark against the wretched waves of salt and water trying to get in his way.

    No, not even having to share the streets with the brainless masses could bother him today because it was going to be a good day.

    He hadn¡¯t had too many of those in the last week or so. As if being locked in his warehouses dealing with the mess that fool¡¯s banishment had left wasn¡¯t bad enough, his own wife had disappeared without a word, and with each day that passed, it had become harder to get a single word out of Liza, who seemed stricken with anguish after every time she met that boy.

    Lan¡­ even thinking the name was enough to threaten his mood. After all, wasn¡¯t all of this his fault. If he had just failed like he was meant to, Dell wouldn¡¯t have had one of his warehouses turn into that abomination of chaos barely held together by strings of circumnavigated rules and procedures.

    It was a miracle that those thirty workers hadn¡¯t already destroyed all he had built with their incompetence.

    And it was all Lan¡¯s doing¡­ every regulation and proper conduct he could. Lan had broken to keep meeting targets. If it were anyone else in the world¡­ Dell would have been proud.

    He thought as the wind picked up, sending shards of cold biting into his bones, signalling the coming winter. Even the weather itself seemed dead set on vexing him, but it wouldn¡¯t work today.

    Lan¡­ much as it pained him to admit it, the boy had done well. Too well. With the right training, Dell could have seen him going far. No, it was more than that. Dell knew that he would not easily find another apprentice half as good as Lan.

    And even then, he would no doubt find himself holding them up to the standards Lan had set.

    Many days over the years, he had wondered if it would just be better to try to train the boy. No doubt that his legacy would have been safe in Lan¡¯s hands¡­ but it wasn¡¯t about that.

    Dell thought as his mind grew dark. No, it wasn¡¯t about that. It was about the Cross¡¯s.

    Unlike himself, who had come from nothing. Just the son of a dung farmer who had clawed his way to greatness.

    From the moment he saw them, Dell knew that none of them had ever had to earn anything that they had. Like the house that overlooked the village like it belonged to them or the workshop in the heart of the square, both the newest buildings, at least of their size.

    And if the unfairness of the world that those so undeserving could get so much wasn¡¯t enough, having heard of the father¡¯s great skills as a crafter, Dell came to them despite how much it pained him and offered everything he had. And instead of falling to their knees and thanking him like they should for receiving another undeserved piece of good fortune. They had looked down on him¡­ They had dared to look down on him, Obern Dell. Like they were better than him. Like having their wretched spawn apprenticed to him was unthinkable.

    Yes¡­ at that moment, Dell had decided, no promised that he would make them regret having dared to look down on him.

    And so he had played nice and swallowed his pride until he was able to get the boy alone, then the same words that had done nothing to his parents had been able to take root in his mind once Dell had shaken the boy¡¯s will, he could still remember the fear in those disgusting eyes as the self-important look that his mother and father had instilled in him vanished in a blink.

    That alone made all the time and gold spent on that little trick worth it, vindicating his younger self''s brash decision to learn it.

    And now, after all these years of waiting, he would get his revenge for that day by taking everything from them, and that was worth the sacrifice of a good apprentice.

    Even if it had taken far longer than he planned it to. Dell frowned.

    Even with all the underhanded tricks he had used to starve that man¡­ Kurt, of supplies and customers, it had not been enough to ruin him. Because his items and jewellery were too good, so much so that even Dell had to acknowledge it.

    So despite having others buy up all the things Dell thought he would need and making the man have to buy them at a marked-up price, what he made would be snapped up by the mages the moment one was put up for sale because of their incredible enchanting attunement.

    He would have wanted them to already have been ruined by this point, allowing this to be the final twist of the knife, but taking their home and business would have to do.

    For he would be making things right in the world, and that was good enough.

    Lost in his musing, Dell almost didn¡¯t notice when Ganin stopped in front of the magistrate''s building.

    The sight of which filled him with enough joy to not even care that the lumbering ox had almost knocked him over or when he had to go through the tedious steps of signing in and handing over his ¡°evidence.¡± Not that it would matter, but it wouldn¡¯t do to have this case look out of the ordinary. At least more so than it already was for those who follow the Balance.

    Dell smiled at the thought as he followed the young woman to the courtroom.

    The large domed ceilinged room was one of six that gave the magistrate building its distinct shape. Along the back half of the hall were heavy benches that might as well have been grown into place for how little they yielded to attempts to move them. In front of them were two boxes where the Charged and the Claimant would stand, and in front of them was the long raised dais on which the magistrate¡¯s great desk stretched around it, linking it to the walls and completing the protection ward over the area.

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    Locking eyes with the magistrate behind the desk, Dell smiled inwardly as he nodded to the large, round man. So Torral had managed to get himself placed on the case. Although Dell was sure that he would, with no one wanting to take on a case like this, the first person to acquiesce would get the case along with the first pick on the next day¡¯s cases. Even still, it didn¡¯t hurt to be cautious.

    Just as Dell started to move, someone walked past without acknowledgement or, more importantly, stopping to give way.

    ¡®Were you raised in a barn?¡¯ Dell cried with all the venom he could manage, but instead of the apology that he expected. The man stopped and turned to look at him.

    For a moment, Dell felt his mood grow bitter. Not only was the man tall and looked strong, but he was handsome, more so than attributes could grant. Dell hated people like this who would never have a moment of hardship just because of how they were born the most.

    Before Dell could order Ganin to move the unsightly man, he caught sight of a lock of abyssal black hair, and then his eyes landed on the man¡¯s own eyes. Which looked like a pool of molten gold stars dropped on an Azure blue sky. He knew those eyes and, for a moment, wondered if it was Lan¡¯s brother or another family member.

    That was until he looked past the appearance and to the burning fury held in check by will alone.

    Despite what he saw being as clear as day, it took every last shred of logical reasoning that over sixty years of being a merchant had given him to accept the man towering over him with unshrouded hatred in his eyes was¡­ Lan.

    Though he tried to stop it, Dell felt his eyebrows raise, and his jaw fall open before he managed to collect himself, even as white-hot anger and jealousy filled him.

    How had this happened? It had only been a week, and yet the boy looked nothing like the husk he had thrown away, and that look in his eyes¡­ why was he even able to look at him without fear? Had everything he had done been so easily reversed, Dell thought as he saw the same pride of Lan¡¯s father in him now.

    Seething at the thought that he had been drawn to jealousy by his failed apprentice even if he hadn¡¯t recognised him at first, Dell fixed his practised glare on his face and glanced at Ganin, who didn¡¯t appear to be in the least bit surprised.

    Dell cursed under his breath.

    Ganin had known and hadn¡¯t said anything. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, the fact that the man still wore his arrogant smile meant he thought he had a good reason for not doing so.

    No matter, Dell thought as he turned back to Lan. Even if he looked different, it wouldn¡¯t change anything that would happen. Nor did it change who Lan was.

    ¡®So you had enough spine hidden somewhere to show your face. With everything you have done, one would think you would know better than to disgrace this courtroom with your presence.¡¯ Dell said, flexing his will just enough to give power to his words before smiling as Lan¡¯s pupils dulled ever so slightly. The sight of this made Dell smile inwardly. No, even if his appearance had changed, that didn¡¯t mean his mind wasn¡¯t still weak. ¡®Now I think it would be best to keep your mouth shut and nod when questioned.¡¯

    Landrin.

    As Dell¡¯s words filled Lan¡¯s mind, he felt his heart grow tight as the walls of the courtroom grew impossibly tall and closed in on him, trapping him. The air in his lungs fought to escape, and his body reacted in kind, filling him with the urge to breathe faster to stop himself from passing out as his stomach twisted, his vision growing dark.

    Then¡­ the moment passed, and Lan felt his mind clear.

    [Charming attempt failed ¨C the attempt to influence your thoughts with empowered words has failed.]

    As the voice finished, Lan just stood there for a moment. Almost every time he spoke to Dell, that feeling would come over him. Lan had always thought it was just him being intimidated by what the man could do, but empowered words?

    [An ability that can be learned by people of high charisma, common among some groups in the Drow Lands, allowing the user to subtly empower their words without the other person knowing. Weaker than its spell counterpart. The ability is completely undetectable even when it fails.]

    [And though a strong mind is untouchable by this ability, a more influenceable mind is a much easier target to its hooks, and with the use of triggers like fear or consequences, the influence can be greatly increased. Its effects can be reinforced by any form of kindness after it is used, turning even people into triggers.]

    Even though the voice had once again given him information without him asking for it or the fact that it seemed like it was something it wanted him to know. Lan couldn¡¯t think about that as he relived everything he had gone through.

    The day he had visited Dell¡¯s home, the fear that had wrapped around his heart at the thought of losing something he wasn¡¯t even sure he had wanted. Then, the relief was followed by the unshakable comfort he had found in a girl he didn¡¯t know.

    Liza¡­ the voice had said that people could be triggers. Lan thought, remembering everything he had done, believing it was for her sake. She had even been the one to ask him not to try and secretly visit his family again.

    Had that been a genuine concern or just orders from her father made sweet by her voice.

    And yet, all this happened because he had been weak.

    [Notice. Although children are protected from most forms of magic by the Child title. The ability used on you only influences and does not control the mind, which would have been negated. Once separated from their pillars of strength and reassurance, such as their parents. A young mind can be very susceptible to it.]

    Now, it seemed like the voice was trying to defend him from himself. Lan thought, wanting to laugh.

    ¡®Why was I able to detect it now?¡¯ Lan thought to the Voice, remembering the part about it being undetectable.

    [Not only is your mind stronger now, but it is that of an ascended mortal, allowing you greater mental strength and protection than before.]

    That reminded Lan of what he needed to do once he was done dealing with the rat standing before him with a sudden look of worry on his face.

    Moving close enough to loom over the smaller man. ¡®You know, I would never have known what you had been doing to me all these years if you weren¡¯t stupid enough to use it now.¡¯ Lan spoke with enough ice in his voice to make it unrecognisable to even him. ¡®Whatever happens here, know that I will make you regret the day you made the mistake of walking into my life.¡¯ Lan promised.

    It wasn¡¯t enough that he had wasted so many years of his life bound to this man, feeling like he needed to see it through to the end because it had been his choice, his mistake. To learn in this unceremonious way that he hadn¡¯t had much of a choice in the first place made him want to scream, to finally grab Dell by the neck and not let go until he formed a closed fist like he had dreamed of all these years.

    Despite the momentary shock of having his ability not only broken but detected, Dell mustered all the stubborn obstinance that had helped him forge his legacy and twisted his lips into a smile.

    ¡®Lan, my boy, I see that you have grown some, and you no doubt think whatever you have done to yourself can help you here. But it won''t. Then again, you can¡¯t be blamed. You never had the mind for this life.¡¯ Dell said before frowning as Lan laughed.

    ¡®Much as I hate to say it, I was your apprentice,¡¯ Lan said, emphasising the word. ¡®And I learned far more from you than you think. In time, you will come to see why that is a terrifying thing for you.¡¯ Lan promised as the magistrate cleared his throat, and with a glare at the smiling Ganin, Lan headed to his box.

    The moment he turned, Lan let his face relax as he wondered if he had overdone it a little. Even if discovering that Dell had been twisting his will this whole time was enough to make Lan clench his fist to the point of drawing blood and work to relax his jaw before he cracked his teeth. It hopefully helped him sell the idea that his emotions would dictate his actions in what was to come. And although he had meant every word, losing control would only work against him.

    So Lan soothed the urge to turn and end the man with the knowledge that he was going to make him pay later, no matter what. Lan promised himself this as he readied for the trial to begin.

    He would make Dell pay.

 Author update

    Hi everyone,

    Just wanted to say sorry for the long absence and to let you know what I have been up to. The first is that my work schedule changed, giving me much less time to write, and although I am starting to get used to the change, I''ll have to think of something to help me get chapters done quicker. As for why it''s been so long, that has to do with the fact that the next few chapters are all about the trial, and I didn''t want you guys to have to wait long periods between them, so I wanted to just finish them before putting them all out at once. Hopefully, that was the right choice. You can let me know if it wasn''t haha.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Once again, sorry for just disappearing and thanks for your patience. I know I am a little biased, but I love this story and have no plans to abandon it.

 Chapter 57: The Master

    The moment Lan turned away, Dell rounded on Ganin,

    ¡®Why did you not tell me about this,¡¯ Dell hissed at the giant smirking man.

    ¡®Sorry, but you did say that I should do whatever the lordling said, and he wanted me to keep it quiet.¡¯ Ganin said with a shrug.

    Cursing, Dell stormed up the walkway and into the box on the left. For a moment, he thought about sending one last barb at Lan, but Torral cleared his throat and raised his voice before he could.

    ¡®If the Charged and the Claimant are ready, then I will now take your oaths.¡¯ Torral said in a low, droning monotone that went against his outwardly jolly appearance. ¡®Do you swear to carry yourself in a manner fitting of one before the eyes of Cyrene, the eighth Lord of Light and the Master of the Balance? To speak the truth in all things?¡¯ Torral said before looking between the two of them.

    ¡®For the eyes of the Master of the Balance, I so swear that I shall speak true.¡¯ Lan and Dell raised their right hand<u>s</u> before overlapping their middle finger with their pointer finger and using the altered answer to the oath.

    As he did so, he smiled inwardly at that Torral hadn¡¯t called upon the Lord of Justice, only the Lord of the Balance. The last thing the man would want would be to risk drawing the attention of his own Lord now.

    ¡®And with that, I call this trial into order.¡¯ Torral said a moment before Lan cut him off.

    ¡®Lord Magistrate! I have just learned that Dell has been using an ability to influence other¡¯s minds, which he has been using the whole time he has known me. With that knowledge, I don¡¯t think he can be trusted not to use it here.¡¯ Lan said, making Dell almost laugh as Torral glared at the boy.

    ¡®Young man, Master Dell¡¯s character is not on trial today. Your conduct is. So, I will warn you to keep your attempts to sway me to your side from now on. But seeing as you have brought it up, I will inform you that as long as I am seated here, I am protected from all forms of magic that either you or Master Dell could manage.¡¯ Torral chided as Dell allowed himself a smile.

    He had done an even worse job of teaching the boy, Dell thought, if he was slipping up already. What kind of fool would interrupt a magistrate in the middle of your opening words just to make a baseless accusation? Even if Torral wasn¡¯t on his side, that would have been a stupid thing to do.

    No matter, Dell thought, if anything, it only helped him, which he planned to demonstrate. ¡®My Lord magistrate.¡¯ Dell started with an aggrieved tone. ¡®As you can see, this¡­ boy shows just as little respect for this trial as he did as my apprentice. I would suggest that this trial be allowed to go on with him gagged.¡¯ Dell said, shooting a bitter look at the glaring Lan.

    ¡®You may think that I do not know much,¡¯ Lan sneered. ¡®But I am sure I am allowed to make a case for myself and bring anything I deem appropriate to this trial.¡¯ Lan shot back, and Dell wished he could thank the boy.

    ¡®Oh?... well, if you are so versed in the domain of the Lord of Justice, then I would like to call upon the Law of Stone. Do you have a problem with that or even know what it is?¡¯ Dell asked Lan, who, for a moment, looked unsure before trying to hide it, but it was too late.

    Dell had seen that look too many times over the years to not recognise it, and so he knew what would come next even before Lan set his jaw.

    ¡®Master Cross, do you have any objection?¡¯ Torral asked, getting a frown from the boy.

    ¡®No.¡¯ Lan said as the crystal hanging above them came to life with a gold light.

    ¡®You see that gem, Master Cross?¡¯ Torral started. ¡®that is an Anchor Stone. Whenever a Law is called on in this hall, it will be recorded, meaning there is no going back, even if you did not understand what you were agreeing to. Do you understand that?¡¯ he finished, even if the information came far too late to help the boy.

    With a defiant look, Lan nodded, and Dell didn¡¯t know if he should thank the boy or be disappointed. Although he had all but handed the case to him with that single gesture, it was another reminder of just how little the boy had learned from him.

    As Dell thought as much, Lan turned and frowned as if he had heard his thoughts. With an ever-deepening hatred, Lan lashed out.

    ¡®My Lord Magistrate, I do not wish to be in this room any longer than I must. I would like this matter to be settled today.¡¯

    ¡®Do you mean you wish to call on the Law of Expediency?¡¯ Torral asked, pinching his eyes. ¡®Tell me, boy¡­¡¯ he started before catching himself. ¡®Master Cross, why did you not call for an advocate?¡¯ the magistrate asked, the little integrity he had left seeping through even though he was on Dell¡¯s side.

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    Once again, the unsure look flashed on Lan¡¯s face, and Dell had to stop himself from laughing.

    ¡®I can do this.¡¯ Lan said. ¡®There was no need for an advocate as the evidence speaks for itself.¡¯ he added, working to string together an answer. And although he often came to a satisfying answer, it was always obvious when he was doing it. Which Dell had never shown the need to correct. He thought with a smile.

    ¡®If you are so sure, then we might as well begin.¡¯ Torral said, looking at Dell.

    ¡®Thank you, Lord magistrate. As you are aware, we are here today to resolve a matter of utmost importance if justice is to be done. The¡­ man standing in the box of the Charged was once my apprentice, but in ten years, he could not become a fully-fledged merchant despite all my efforts.¡¯ Dell said as if holding back tears.

    ¡®I even gave him one of my warehouses in order to try and speed up his growth. Which I now know was my second greatest mistake after allowing myself to be fooled into taking him as an apprentice.¡¯ Dell added, planting the seed of his final victory.

    ¡®Not only did his Tenure running that warehouse involve countless examples of mishandling goods, leading to expenses higher than any other warehouse, but his real crimes came from the mind-bogglingly poor judgement in terms of hiring workers, which caused the majority of the damage, but also led to the complete destruction of the warehouse once I came to my senses and chose to release them all. This summing up to a total of one thousand gold in damages and more in the time and effort needed to right these wrongs.¡¯

    At this, Dell produced his copy of the master Ledger with all the changes he had made over the years and everything that was actually stolen by those thugs he had purged from his warehouse. All in all, it totalled one thousand five hundred that he was looking for. Double what he needed to get everything the Cross¡¯s had, but it didn¡¯t hurt to keep his options open. Perhaps he could even force that man to work for him. That would be the greatest ending to his revenge.

    ¡®Master Cross, do you have anything to say in your defence?¡¯ Torral asked, doing his best to seem the up-standing magistrate

    Curious, Dell looked over, wondering what the boy¡¯s excuse would be, for that was all anything that he said would seem.

    ¡®Master Dell is quick to call me a failure as an apprentice. But I would say that if it takes ten years to conclude that I was incompetent. Then, the failings belong to the so-called master. Which, in my eyes, could only be the actions of a fool or someone working with ulterior motives.¡¯ Lan said, turning to look at Dell with those disgusting eyes, his true feelings unshielded.

    ¡®In either case, the fault lies with that failure of a master. The fact that Master Dell kept a record of my so-called failings says a lot about which I think it is. So, for the point he made about those that I employed. He seemed to have forgotten to mention that he insisted on paying the lowest possible salary on top of that any damaged goods would come out of the worker''s pay. With that in mind, it was a miracle that I was able to find anyone willing to work for me, let alone keep a full roster of employees, which I might add I did.¡¯ Lan added with another look to Dell, and Dell couldn¡¯t help his skin bristling with anger.

    ¡®As for these so-called damages, my warehouse was not only given the worst jobs, we still had the lowest records of damaged goods while having the fastest completion rate.¡¯

    Despite all of what he said being technically true, the fact that the boy thought that it meant anything or was something to be proud of made Dell want to be sick.

    ¡®And do you have any proof of this boy?¡¯ Torral said, pinching his eyes as he reached the end of his patience with Lan.

    Knowing that he didn¡¯t, Dell turned slowly, sure that he already knew that look that would be painted on the boy¡¯s face. No matter what he had to say, none of it mattered without proof. Dell thought, but as he looked at Lan, he didn¡¯t find the skin-bleaching panic he expected.

    Instead, he found the boy wearing the grin of a wolf.

    ¡®I told you that the evidence would speak for itself. I would be remiss if I didn''t bring it.¡¯ Lan said, waving for the female custodian who had led Dell into the courtroom.

    With excitement she hadn¡¯t had with him, the woman rushed forward with something wrapped in cloth, stopping long enough to smile dreamily at Lan before running to the magistrate''s desk when Torral frowned at her.

    Which he continued to do as the girl placed the wrapped parcel and rushed away.

    After a moment more that led Dell to believe that Torral had gained his own reason to dislike Lan, the man undid the cloth. Unveiling the book bound in dark red leather.

    ¡®WHAT!¡¯ Dell cried, slamming his fists on the box. ¡®how did you get that? You thief!¡¯

    ¡®Calm yourself, Master Dell, what are you¡­¡¯ Torral managed before he realised that the book in his hand was identical to Dell¡¯s Ledger.

    ¡®Master Cross,¡¯ Torral said, clearing his throat. ¡®Master Dell makes a grave claim. You understand that any stolen property cannot be admitted as evidence.¡¯ Torral warned, and yet Lan didn¡¯t even flinch, and the unsureness and negativity that had been there just a moment ago was replaced with a smug confidence.

    ¡®I swear on the name of the Lords of Light and the Mother that I did not steal that Ledger. Or could I, seeing as it was made for me. But as of how I reobtained it, I did not steal it.¡¯ Lan finished waiting for Torral to start speaking before cutting him off.

    ¡®Of course, if you do not believe me, then we can always call for a Truth Stone to be brought into the court.¡¯ Lan said with a shrug. ¡®Although if that is the case, then I will be calling on my right to question anyone in the room with it.¡¯ Lan ended, locking dangerous eyes on Torral, making sure his implication was clear.

    ¡®No¡­ that is not necessary. Unless you believe there is a greater force than to Call on our Lord''s names.¡¯ Torral said through beads of sweat before rounding and locking Dell with a look before he could interject.

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t dream of saying such a thing.¡¯ Lan smiled, and Dell had to stop himself from leaping over the box at the boy. Somehow, he had stolen that Ledger even though he had seen the boy drop it, but more than that, he had threatened Torral.

    Although the magistrate in charge of a case was the avatar of Law in that matter, their conduct in a trial could be put into questioning before the High Tribunal after the case was over. and even if it couldn¡¯t be reversed, the very fact could spell the doom of the magistrate if they were deemed to have acted with deceit or corruption and Lan knew this, even if he could lose everything, he would destroy Torral in return.

 Chapter 58: The Clash of Minds

    Picking up the book, Torral opened it to the last page before his face fell, finding what Dell knew would be an intact tamper seal. A seal that only Dell could have put there.

    Gritting his teeth, Dell cursed himself for not tearing the factory apart to find the Ledger when it had gone missing, but he had been so taken aback by what Lan had been doing that it had slipped his mind. But how did he get it? Dell demanded to know? There was no way Lan could have gotten back in.

    Then it hit him: why Lan was so willing to use a truth stone, he hadn¡¯t stolen it. Someone else had. Although Dell thought most of those fools were too stupid to see the value in that book when they were stealing everything else.

    Looking back to Torral, Dell found the man staring at the tamper seal. For a moment, it looked like the man would try to break the Seal. An honourable thought if not for the second Seal that the custodian would have placed, making it so that the book would have to be returned to the boy as it had been when he handed it in.

    Torral closed the book with a sigh, ¡®Very well, this¡­ piece of evidence will be accepted.¡¯ The duplicitous magistrate said, placing the book down to the side. No doubt, he was planning to act as if he never saw the book.

    ¡®My Lord magistrate.¡¯ Lan said with a calm voice, making Torral freeze. ¡®Seeing as that Ledger contains proof of my statements. I think it would be wise to look at it now. I think none of us wish for you to make a ruling without considering every factor.¡¯ Lan said in a tone as if daring Torral to try and dismiss the Ledger as his eyes took on a dangerous edge.

    At that moment, Dell knew he had played this game wrong. He had expected Lan to be focused on getting the claims dismissed, but instead, he was targeting Torral, and as long as he was, the man would be more cautious, more by the book.

    Having come to the same conclusion, Torral picked up the Ledger and started to look through it, and despite knowing that it would be different from what Dell had offered, it didn¡¯t stop the man on more than one occasion from snapping his head up to look astonished at Lan or to frown at Dell before returning to the Ledger.

    Every fibre of Dell¡¯s body wanted to say something, but his better judgment won out. No doubt Lan wanted him to protest, but as long as the Seal on that book remained, it would be his word against his own. So Dell said nothing, knowing that it still wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop him.

    ¡®Hmm, this is very well done, Master Cross. I may not be a merchant, but even I can see that you have accomplished something quite impressive here.¡¯ He said, shooting Dell a look that said, ¡°which is why this book should never have reached my courtroom.¡±

    Dell cursed under his breath. How dare that man¡­ did Torral think that he didn¡¯t already know that. Moreover, what seemed to be something else, like he was judging Dell for how he had treated Lan.

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    ¡®That may be true, but I think that you will find that Master Cross¡¯s record ends before his workers destroyed my warehouse.¡¯ Dell said, glossing over the inconsistency of the rest of the Ledgers.

    ¡®Hmm, you¡­ are right¡­¡¯ Torral nodded. ¡®Master Cross, although it is clear that you did the best with what you had.¡¯ Torral started shooting Dell another look. ¡®It can not be denied that the damage caused by those you hired is your responsibility.¡¯

    ¡®I have to challenge that, my Lord magistrate,¡¯ Lan tried, ¡®as you will see, those same men never even thought of stealing when they were under my charge. What they do under another¡¯s charge can not be held against me.¡¯

    ¡®The fact that they could not work under anyone else is the reason that I can hold you to it, as at the end of the day, they were employed by Master Dell.¡¯ Torral said, seeming to remember which side he was on simultaneously as he found his backbone. ¡®The fact that they would only listen to you is part of the reason that you are held accountable. If you have nothing else to say in your defence, then I will now pass judgment on the amount owed.¡¯

    It looked like Lan would say something momentarily before sighing and dropping his head. Although he had his run with that little stunt, it was time to end this, and although it would vex Dell until his last day, Lan had to know that he had gotten away with more than he should.

    Even still, he should have enough to get the shop. Dell coddled himself. With that, he could find a way to take everything else.

    ¡®Then, as the magistrate charged with this matter, I charge you, Master Landrin Cross, to return the sum of one thousand gold.¡¯

    Hearing this, Dell almost laughed. It was higher than it should have been, given the reason offered. But the magistrate could choose the amount if they thought it appropriate, and Torral could think that this was appropriate even if the boy tried to bring this before a higher magistrate, and looking at the frown that had re-established itself on his face, the boy knew as much.

    ¡®Moving on, we shall determine how this will be paid back.¡¯

    ¡®On that, Lord magistrate.¡¯ Dell cut in. This was it. This was the moment that he had been waiting for. In just a few minutes, Dell would have this revenge.

    ¡®As this is such a unique case, I think that the parents of Master Cross should be liable for the repayments just as much as the charged.¡¯

    ¡®What!¡¯ Lan cried, ¡®this¡­ this has nothing to do with them!¡¯

    ¡®Not so, is it not the responsibility of the father to pay for the sin of the son? In this case, I think it necessary for them to, at the very least, give an account of themselves. And if they did know how inadequate their son was, then I think it is only fair that they help repay their son¡¯s debt, no?¡¯ Dell reasoned in a way that not even Lan could argue against.

    And yet, the boy wore a determined frown. ¡®My lord magistrate, as you can see, no one in my family is here. I think that speaks for itself regarding where I stand with them.¡¯ Lan said, and Dell could tell that he was choosing his words carefully.

    Knowing him, Lan hadn¡¯t told his family, either thinking he could handle this alone or for this exact reason. But¡­ it couldn¡¯t work. Dell had made sure of that. While they had been going through the trial, Dell had arranged for a runner to be sent to Lan¡¯s family.

    If he hadn¡¯t told them, he was sure this would be enough to get them to come, either believing that he was in trouble or that he might do something stupid, depending on their thoughts of him at this point.

    And if that didn¡¯t work, the runner was ordered to lie or threaten them until they came. All in all, the door would open in a few moments, and he would usher his family in. and the moment they did. They would become part of the trial and subject to all its rulings, including the Law of Stone. Dell thought with a smile as the door opened.

 Chapter 59: The Apprentice

    From the moment Lan walked into the courtroom, he had known that he wouldn¡¯t get a fair trial. Even though Lan knew that Dell would find a magistrate to side with him, he hadn¡¯t thought that Dell would pick the one who often dined at his home. Which made this a lot easier.

    With that in mind, Lan had known that even the Ledger wouldn¡¯t be enough to get Dell off his back. It had been more than Lan had expected, almost cutting half of his so-called debt. While also allowing him to shake the Magistrate a little. The best thing it did was make Dell look foolish in front of his friend. Which made Dell a less valuable friend to have.

    But now came the real reason he was dragged into a courtroom and why Dell had called for his family to be brought into the court. At the moment, Dell couldn¡¯t take his father¡¯s shop through Lan alone. Not even being his father¡¯s son allowed that. But by making the inference his family was at fault and then having them step into the courtroom would immediately make them part of the Charged party.

    ¡®My lord magistrate, as you can see, no one in my family is here. I think that speaks for itself regarding where I stand with them.¡¯ Lan said, picking his words carefully. While in the court, anything he said would have more weight, and the only way that a family could be freed from a member''s debt would be to openly disown them.

    Severing family ties before the eyes of the Lords of Light and ending their connection to him. Obviously, it was something that none of them wanted to risk. And even with everything that had happened, it was something Dell could count on to be true.

    So, if Dell had gotten them into the court, they would have to take responsibility for him or disown him.

    This was why Lan had told them not to come. If they did not show their faces and he didn¡¯t say anything that could lead to the voice believing that he wanted to break their family bond, then they could work around it.

    And that was where the Law of expediency came in, without being able to pause the trial. They would eventually have to move on if his family didn''t show. There was a chance that the Magistrate could try to order his family to show. But if they couldn¡¯t be found, they would have an excuse if the Magistrate tried looking into them.

    Or so Lan thought before the door opened and the custodian spoke up.

    ¡®Uh.¡¯ She started with a worried voice, ¡®The witness is here...¡¯

    Lan turned horrified,

    Why?

    Why had they come? Lan thought in despair. He thought they had understood how important it was that they did not show.

    With anger in his chest building, Lan looked to Dell, who smiled back triumphantly.

    He had done something, but what, Lan thought. It wasn¡¯t like threatening them could work knowing what he knew now. So what?. Maybe he had gone after Silas or his sister, Maya?

    Before he could think of a way out of this, Lan started to hear footsteps, and even though they were far away, he knew it couldn¡¯t be his father.

    His mother? Why would she¡­ before Lan could finish the thought, something hit him as the steps grew closer, and he turned to the door and waited in utter disbelief as Miss Tolly entered the courtroom.

    Wearing a face that could boil ice, the short woman scanned the room before starting toward a third box that was brought out.

    So this is what his mother had meant when she said she thought she could help, although he hadn¡¯t even considered trying it himself. It was perfect. Not showing up was one way to avoid being dragged into this, but having someone speak on your behalf was far more common and held much less power with the voice.

    ¡®What!, who the hells is that.¡¯ Dell cried, pounding his fist on the box, ¡®This tart has nothing to do with this.¡¯

    ¡®I am the closest friend of the Charged''s mother and here to speak for his family.¡¯

    ¡®Lord Magistrate, I demand that the Charged¡¯s family be dragged here by guards. They were just as much a part of this,¡¯ Dell tried clearly talking to his friend and not the Magistrate.

    ¡®If they were, then you should have Charged them or made sure they would be here.¡¯ The Magistrate countered, leaving his rebuke unsaid.

    Of course, Dell couldn¡¯t have gone after them in this way. The moment he tried, the crafters'' guild would have stepped in and would most likely have paid off the debt, which his father would work to repay.

    No, this was the only way that Dell could get his hands on Lan¡¯s father¡¯s shop and, judging by the barely contained rage that twisted his face. It took Dell everything not to shout that fact out.

    Looking back to Miss Tolly, the Magistrate started again. ¡®You claim to speak on behalf of the charges family.¡¯ He said, going on without waiting for Miss Tolly¡¯s return barb. ¡®What is the reason that they are not here?¡¯

    In the form of an answer, Miss Tolly pointed at Lan, can you blame them!¡¯ she snapped. ¡®Ten years without a word or care about what they were going through. Let me ask you this: if it were you, would you want anything to do with him.

    Even without attempting to answer the question, the level of anger, some of which Lan was sure was real, and her conviction made it sound like she had answered. So much so that Lan was sure she would have passed a truth stone if one had been brought in.

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    ¡®I understand your passion, Miss, but¡­¡¯ the Magistrate tried.

    ¡®He wouldn¡¯t even show his face when they came looking for him, didn¡¯t have time for them when he thought he would become a merchant, and now comes back after failing. I wouldn¡¯t blame them if they didn¡¯t even answer the door when he came.

    Miss Tolly went on for a minute more, lacerating Lan with her words and looking ready to go on much longer before the Magistrate raised his hand.

    ¡®My lord Magistrate.¡¯ Dell cut in, which only seemed to irritate the Magistrate even more. ¡®This¡­ woman has said nothing that would confirm the relationship between the Charged and their family.¡¯ Dell said before Miss Tolly cut him off.

    ¡®If this old fool thinks that I, the closest friend of the Charged¡¯s mother, isn¡¯t good enough. Then you don¡¯t have to take my word for it. there are plenty of others.¡¯ Miss Tolly shrugged.

    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ the Magistrate asked as his eyebrows rose.

    ¡®Once we found out, the village wanted to come give their statements.¡¯ Miss Tolly said, and Lan had to actively work to not burst out laughing. A corrupt bias trial was one thing when only the Charged and his family were in attendance. If found out, it would leave a stain on the Magistrate themselves and would be dealt with accordingly.

    But a corrupt bias trial with a village as a witness was a stain on the whole order of magistrates and would also be dealt with accordingly.

    ¡®If there are going to be more of these so-called witnesses, I would like to question them myself.¡¯ Dell said, knowing it was the last thing the Magistrate wanted to do.

    ¡®I would agree to that, but with the condition that he only get to ask one question per person, as pertaining to the Rule of expediency and as this is not a criminal trial, I believe that witnesses are not meant to be treated like the Charged which by Master Dell¡¯s statement he will try.

    ¡®You dare to think to know what lies in my mind, you stupid fool. I should have had Ganin break!¡¯

    ¡®That will be all!¡¯ the Magistrate snapped before gathering himself with a deep breath as he seemed to remember that he was meant to be on Dell¡¯s side. ¡®Although I believe that Miss Tolly¡¯s testimony is compelling. Master Dell¡¯s request seems reasonable, and so I will allow him to ask a question.¡¯

    Lan allowed it without challenge. Without a truth stone, Miss Tolly and the others would need to be very unconvincing to have their testimony discarded. But Dell had no other choices left.

    In an almost anticlimactic way, Lan and his family would rip what Dell had spent ten years trying to take from them out of his grasp just when his hand had almost closed around it.

    Lan couldn¡¯t think of a more fitting ending, no grand display, just the hollowness of failure.

    Despite having to already know this, Dell turned his attention to Miss Tolly.

    ¡®You are here to act as a witness for the Cross family and were no doubt told about it by them. So, would it be safe to say that they put you up to this?¡¯ Dell asked, leaving the question open just enough for the Magistrate to interpret a poorly worded answer. Too bad he was trying it against Miss Tolly.

    ¡®Of course they didn¡¯t!¡¯ she snapped, ¡®the moment I found out about it, I made up my mind to come. In fact, I had to insist on coming in their stead.¡¯

    ¡®A likely story, but why did they come to you with this information if not to try to get you to come.?¡¯

    ¡®I may never have been the best at math, but I am sure that was a second question.¡¯ Lan cut in before Miss Tolly answered.

    ¡®Yes, but seeing as Miss Tolly was already here when you asked for the consideration, I will allow more questions within reason.

    With a look of triumph, Dell turned back to Miss Tolly, who looked back with all the amusement of walking out of your house only to find that a horse had left a gift for you at the step.

    ¡®Forgive me, but although you said a lot, I don¡¯t think you answered the magistrate''s question.¡¯ Dell said, shifting to a new question that Lan was sure was meant to throw her off her guard.

    ¡®You need no forgiveness. I don¡¯t find it hard to believe that you don¡¯t think much.¡¯ Miss Tolly snapped back, and for a moment, Lan thought Dell would burst a vessel as the veins bulged in the side of his head. ¡®If you had been listing, you would have heard the Magistrate say that he found my answers compelling. Isn¡¯t that right?¡¯ she added, turning on the Magistrate.

    ¡®Uh, yes, I did say that. But I think Master Dell was heading somewhere?¡¯ the Magistrate added, shooting a glance at the man glaring at him.

    ¡®Did the charged parents tell you that they had disowned him?¡¯ Dell asked again.

    ¡®Yes.¡¯ Miss Tolly answered as if even showing Dell that much courtesy pained her.

    ¡®And when did she tell you this?¡¯ Dell asked, making Miss Tolly frown, which for a moment looked to give him hope as his eyes shone and Lan started to feel a little worried.

    Dell was undoubtedly just looking for something he could use to trap Miss Tolly. And if he could make it seem like she was lying, then just as she could be used as a reason for his family to not show themselves, she could be used as a reason to have them brought here, and the moment they were, Dell would turn the subject back to the repayment with them now part of the charged.

    ¡®Yesterday¡­¡¯ Miss Tolly said with a look as if trying to understand just how stupid Dell was.

    ¡®Yesterday.¡¯ Dell said congenially with a nod before his eyes grew wide, and his head snapped over to Lan. Realisation bleeding onto Dell¡¯s face as it dawned on Lan that the old snake had only now figured out that he had planned this with his family.

    That, no matter what he had planned, it would not have worked from the start as they would not be made to come.

    As if able to read his mind, Lan saw Dell realise why he had called for the Law of expediency.

    What Lan had hoped would seem like a childish attempt to control some part of the proceedings was actually the trap snapping shut around him.

    With cold detachment, Lan watched as the deeper implications worked their way onto Dell''s face.

    This trial would not be paused or stopped until it was over and over that day. Those in the courtroom were the only players in this game, and Lan had set the pieces.

    ¡®I have no more questions.¡¯ Dell said, his voice cold as his expression grew dark, and he looked at Lan once again.

    Once more, Lan was sure he could read the man¡¯s mind.

    ¡®How could anyone change so much?¡¯ the hate in his eyes seemed to say, and Lan understood it.

    His plan would have worked if he had moved just a few weeks earlier. Hells if Leaha hadn¡¯t talked Lan into speaking with his family. Lan would most likely have kept it from them or at least sent a letter that wouldn¡¯t have had the effect of speaking to them, and who ever Dell had sent would have brought them.

    But he had, and Dell knew that he had been beaten by his failed apprentice. For a moment, Lan saw the look he had seen only once before, which had driven the man to lash out at Lan with his own hands.

    The look of utter defeat.

    The look lasted for a moment before it slowly reformed into one of void black hatred. A hatred that spoke of a reckoning to come. Even if Lan had managed to keep his family away from Dell for now, he had done so by making himself the only target, and Dell¡¯s cold and burning eyes told Lan of the pain and suffering to come.

    And yet Lan didn¡¯t care, nor was he far from done.

    With no other questions left, Miss Tolly was allowed to leave the courtroom, and despite her attitude up to that point, as she passed by Lan¡¯s box, she met his eye for a moment and gave him a smile that only he could see before the frown returned.

    Feeling both thankful and happy that his mother had someone like Miss Tolly as a close friend, he turned to wait for the Magistrate.

    ¡®Shall we call the next witness?¡¯ Lan asked Innocently.

    ¡®No!¡¯ the Magistrate cleared his throat, looking to the seething Dell. ¡®I think I have heard enough¡­ to clear your family of any debt tied to this matter.¡¯

 Chapter 60: The Law of Stone

    The moment Lan heard the words, he let out a breath that he didn¡¯t know he had been holding. In fact, he was so relieved he almost reached into the Other World Chest for his sword when he heard a thump from Dell¡¯s box as he jumped with surprise.

    Looking over, Lan found Ganin with a mix of shock and humour as Dell pounded his fist into the ancient wood.

    As the large man grabbed his employer¡¯s hand, Lan understood the sudden outburst.

    Knowing that something was coming and having to face it was not one and the same.

    By declaring that his family had no responsibility in repaying Lan¡¯s debt, the Magistrate had killed any chance of Dell bringing them to court related to any of the charges that he had brought forward against Lan, and it was all because of the Law of Stone the same Law Dell had thought to use against them.

    Although he had counted on it, Lan hadn¡¯t thought he would be able to get Dell to request it so quickly, and he had needed to fight to hide his excitement.

    As he turned a smile dripping with smug satisfaction on Dell, he wondered if he should thank him now or after the trial.

    With his hand starting to bruise, Dell looked at the Magistrate with a look that said, ¡°Enough of this¡±.

    ¡®Now we shall determine how the debt will be repaid.¡¯ The Magistrate said, looking at Dell.

    ¡®I demand the debt be paid through indentured servitude.¡¯ Dell seethed, not taking his eyes off Lan. No, if he could not have what he wanted, then he would pour all this rage into making Lan¡¯s life an unending hell.

    Lan almost smiled. No doubt the thousand gold would never be paid off no matter how long he worked if he didn¡¯t die from the work first.

    Too bad Lan was just about to rub salt into Dell¡¯s wounds.

    ¡®Do you have any objections, Master Cross?¡¯ the Magistrate asked, happy to be nearing the end.

    For a moment, Lan didn¡¯t answer. Without a counter to Dell¡¯s proposal, Lan would have to accept it. And as he waited, he could see Dell grow past his braking point with every second.

    ¡®Master Cross?¡¯ the Magistrate sighed.

    ¡®I do have an objection.¡¯ Lan said, going on before Dell could say anything. ¡®I serve the Hunt and none else.¡¯ Lan reached under his shirt and retrieved his guild tag.

    As the dull grey metal swung through the air, the Magistrate sighed, and Dell just stared blankly at Lan as if his mind had finally snapped.

    ¡®I take it that you wish to make payment then?¡¯ the Magistrate asked as if each word carried a needle that cut on its way out.

    ¡®That¡¯s right,¡¯ Lan said with a smile.

    Adventurers didn¡¯t have many benefits, but one of them was legal considerations. One they did get was the exemption from anything that could keep them from doing their true calling. That also meant how much could be taken from them by law.

    ¡®Very well¡­¡¯ the Magistrate said, looking to Dell. ¡®bring your tag, and we will determine...¡¯ Before the Magistrate finished, he seemed to see what metal Lan¡¯s tag was made from and frowned.

    ¡®Drill¡­¡¯ the Magistrate sighed as if disappointed before looking bored. ¡®What is the weekly take of a Drill adventurer.¡¯ He asked the custodian, seemingly finding a Drill rank adventurer not worth calling for a Keystone to check how much he made.

    ¡®Uh! The average for a promising Drill is a¡­¡¯ the girl paused and looked at Lan as if betraying him. ¡®Five to ten silver.¡¯ she finished, which Lan guessed was about right.

    ¡®Fine, then shall we put this matter to rest with a payment of two silver pieces a week?¡¯ the Magistrate asked before turning to Dell for his input first,

    ¡®One more thing¡­ My lord magistrate.¡¯ Lan added as if it was an afterthought. ¡®I am sure you know that an all guilds¡¯ campaign will be called soon. Now, I know that I am only a Drill Rank, but I am sure that there will be talk about the Magistrate who adversely compromised the strength of an adventurer days before a campaign is called.¡¯

    ¡®It has not been called yet!¡¯ the magistrate half cried as panic replaced boredom.

    Although adventurers didn¡¯t get much love usually. Attitudes toward them flipped even before all guilds'' campaigns. The adventurer''s tax was waved, and others would even go out of their way to give freely to adventurers. And magistrates were meant to be more lenient.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    For a moment, the Magistrate looked panicked, although little in the great scheme of things if this got out, then it was something that his enemies could use against him, and Lan Knew the man had enemies. He had talked about them enough with Dell. One of which was Magistrate Ockheart, who seemed to be actively going after the man¡¯s job. The look in the man¡¯s eyes told Lan that he knew that Lan would ensure it got to him along with everything else.

    ¡®Well, perhaps we can lower it for now and then return to it when the all guilds'' campaign is over.¡¯ the Magistrate tried.

    ¡®That sounds fair, but I think this falls under the Law of Stone, does it not.¡¯ Lan said with a grin, watching as the Magistrate''s face went pale, realising he had known all along.

    The Law of Stone was a law that made all rulings set in stone, no matter how fair or unfair it was. It was usually only used between bitter rivals or in cases of blood feuds.

    Defeated, the Magistrate looked to Dell and sighed. ¡®Taking into account the situation and the spirit of generosity that these troubled times call for from our¡­ heroes. I could say that a weekly payment of¡­ fifty coppers a week is fair. Sorry, Obern,¡¯ the Magistrate said, looking at Dell as the fa?ade of impartiality fell away. ¡®At least this way, you will get some money back.¡¯

    And with one last ray of light from above. That was it. The trial was over.

    Ten years of torment had led to this. Getting to see the man who had caused it locked in a catatonic state of failure and pain.

    And it wasn¡¯t over just yet. Lan still had to pay his debt,

    With a smile that Lan found come easy, he walked over to Dell before retrieving fifty Copper.

    ¡®It looks like the day is yours, Master Dell.¡¯ Lan said, finding anger coming just as easily as the smile.

    ¡®You have gone too far with this.¡¯ Dell whispered before rounding on Lan with an anger that made Ganin look like he would grab the man before Dell attacked Lan.

    ¡®Too far?¡­ I told you that I had learned more from you than you thought. I just did as I was taught.¡¯ Lan shrugged. ¡®And¡­ you know, all this has given me perspective on a few things. So, I think I will try to reconcile with my family. You know. Now that you made it so you can¡¯t touch them.¡¯

    Dell¡¯s eyes flashed white, hot and burning with a black storm of anger. ¡®That is if you still have a family to reconcile with after I am done with them.¡¯ The moment the words left Dell''s mouth, his anger was replaced with terror, anger breaking and giving way to self-preservation as he saw killing intent in Lan¡¯s own eyes. ¡®No, wait!¡¯ he stepped back.

    With a cold anger, Lan leaned in. ¡®It¡¯s been a hard day for you, so I will act as if I didn¡¯t hear that. Moving forward, let''s keep each other''s families out of this.¡¯ Lan said, watching Dell''s eyes fill with terror as the urge to kill that had momentarily taken over him faded.

    There was only one thing that Dell cared for more than his pride and business, and to his credit, that was his daughter.

    And as he looked into his eyes. Lan was sure Dell knew that whatever happened to his family, he would do to her.¡¯

    ¡®Y-yes.¡¯ Dell lowered his head.

    ¡®Th-this isn¡¯t over?¡¯ Dell tried his anger rekindling weakly.

    ¡®Of course not. I still haven¡¯t paid you yet.¡¯ Lan said, offering the fifty Copper. ¡®fifty Copper a week, every week from today until your last. You will have fifty small reminders of this day.¡¯ Lan said, placing the coins on the box in fives.

    Watching this, Dell made a face that Lan thought was his attempt to hold back tears or choke on something.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t over,¡¯ Dell glared.

    ¡®I know.¡¯ Lan returned, placing the last coin on the box, his own threat louder for not having to say it. With what he knew now, things were far from over. The fact that Dell felt that he was the one who had reason to be mad blinded him to the clear, tranquil rage before him, like standing in the eye of a storm that was Lan.

    With that, Lan looked to Ganin, who had one hand under his coat, no doubt having reached for his blackjack, but it looked like he wouldn¡¯t do anything, so Lan turned to leave.

    ¡®Lan! This isn¡¯t over. I will make you pay for this!

    As he let the door close behind him, Lan knew it was true. No, there was no doubt that Dell would try to find a way to make him miss a payment or just kill him. Those were the only ways that Dell could go after his family now. But even then, he couldn¡¯t make a move so soon.

    Which didn¡¯t matter, for as the door closed, Lan knew that in that courtroom, he was not only leaving behind the shattered remnants of Dell''s ego but the person that had been for the last ten years. With the closing of this chapter in his life, Lan headed out into the city, knowing that he would be ready for anything Dell could throw at him, even as he turned his mind to greater threats.

    ¡®Lan!¡¯

    Dell

    ¡®Lan!¡¯

    As the door closed, Dell wanted to rage. He wanted to bite his skin off and rip out his veins just so he could let out some of the bitter blackness boiling in his chest.

    How could this have happened? He had spent ten years turning Lan into the perfect puppet. To the point that he thought no, he knew the boy¡¯s every step. There was no way that the Lan he had made would ever have gone to his family for help.

    He should have hidden it from them. He should have hidden it!

    Dell rounded on Ganin, the bastard born of a rock and the goliath. Why didn¡¯t he say anything about Lan somehow becoming an adventurer? If Dell had known, then he may not have just walked into the boy¡¯s trap. Then again, he didn¡¯t even believe it now, so how could he before.

    As Dell heard footsteps coming toward him, he turned on the biggest fool of them all. Finding Torral with a sympathetic look on his face. A look that fueled Dell¡¯s anger.

    ¡®Sorry Obern¡­¡¯

    ¡®You''re sorry?¡¯ Dell snapped, ¡®You should have done what you promised and not be sorry! Or did you forget that you owe me? you better find a way to make this right.¡¯ Dell finished as Torral''s face reddened with anger of his own.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t do what I promised? That your joke of a case even saw a courtroom is because of me.¡¯ the large round man hissed so only Dell and Ganin could hear. ¡®You told me that that boy- no- man was a fool blinded by grief. From where I sat, it looked like that man played you from the moment he walked into the court. Not to mention that I would never have taken the case if I knew that he was an adventurer. An adventurer, Obren! Which was good you to inform me of.¡¯ Toral said sarcastically.

    Which only stung Dell even more for not knowing it.

    ¡®Consider all debts between us to be paid.¡¯ Toral finished before storming off.

    For a moment, Dell just stood there, allowing his hate and shame to feed into one another. This would not be allowed to stand. He would make things right. He would make the world right.

 Chapter 61: Dreams

    Leaving the Magistrate building, Lan headed home to share the news with his family. This led to an impromptu celebration, which threatened to go on into the night before Lan¡¯s brother walked into the kitchen.

    Silas stepped in, took one look around the room, and, before they could say anything, walked out and into his room.

    ¡®Just give him a little more time,¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said, taking him by the hand.

    ¡®I know, Mom,¡¯ Lan smiled, something that was starting to feel comfortable to him again and, with everything he had gone through, was something he believed to be true. Although he had some idea what Silas was mad about, it wouldn¡¯t do much to approach him until he was ready.

    Seeing the mood in the room shift, Lan picked up his glass, which had been filled with a new bottle of wine, dipped a finger into it, licked it, nodded and drank from it after a moment.

    ¡®Uh, what was that, Lan?¡¯ Maya asked as his mother and father looked worriedly at him.

    ¡®Oh!... It¡¯s nothing¡­ well,¡¯ Lan said with a shudder before telling them about both the Forget Me Not and Ever Winter shots that he had been made to drink, and although the mood did not return to what it had been, it lightened enough for Lan to leave them in good spirits.

    That night, Lan dreamed of a world of endless Darkness upon Darkness, rolling into itself again and again, with the only other thing in this world of the constant ending being Tyr, a lone light drawing him forward through the end to come, through the world to be ended. She wanted to show him something, but only if he could follow her. But he couldn¡¯t not until he could see. For though his eyes were now open, he still could not see.

    The next day, he woke before the sun could do so by stabbing him in the eyes, only to find himself bursting with energy. Feeling better than he had the last few days, Lan took a long bath before dressing and heading down the stairs, and despite being hours earlier than he normally was, found the inn as empty as always.

    One different thing was a pair sitting at the other end of the bar. A man and woman who seemed locked in an intense conversation and going off their green on-green outfits, they were Freion wandering merchants. And though it was interesting to see some for the first time, the fact that they were in an adventurer¡¯s inn told Lan these two had to be new to the city. From what he remembered about the wandering merchants, they did not join a merchant¡¯s guild because they would usually work beyond any one guild¡¯s borders. However, those two seemed pretty young, so he wasn¡¯t sure how well-travelled they were.

    Feeling no need to bother the two, Lan left them alone and headed to his usual seat, where he found that Leah wasn¡¯t in, so he had to deal with her father, who was as friendly as before. After some painful attempts at small talk, he was given his plate of food, which, to him, seemed a little smaller than before, although not enough to say anything about it, not to mention that the food didn¡¯t last long enough for Lan to have evidence to complain about.

    Over the last few days, he had found his body in near starvation every few hours. As if his body was repairing unfelt damage his first job had caused, so much so to make him remember Leah¡¯s words about not burning out. As strong as he was now, he was still just mortal, something that he had to keep in mind as he got ready for his second guild job.

    Lan was still a little hungry, yet he knew he was ready and had put off going out longer than his patience allowed. Even if he didn¡¯t need a job to leave the city, he was falling behind jobs with his time off, so as he ate his second plate of food, Lan wondered if he could get the new Silk Flower job. There were still more than a few in the clearing, and he only needed five, which should give him plenty of time to look for the Darkness.

    Reasoning as much, Lan¡¯s mind drifted over to the two wanderers.

    ¡®And you are sure they said it would last long enough?¡¯ the woman with dark oak hair asked for what seemed to not be the first time.

    ¡®That¡¯s what the merchant said.¡¯ The man beside her sighed, and Lan couldn¡¯t help but smile, somehow already knowing how this story would end.

    ¡®Yeah, but how can we be sure that a fruit can last more than the seven-month trip to the Scourge Lands front line.¡¯ The woman asked.

    That caught Lan¡¯s attention.

    The Scourge Lands was not a wholly accurate word. Instead of being a place, the Scourge Lands were more of a loss of place, a loss of being. Land devoured by something akin to a curse or plague that had appeared one day and seemed set on eating the world.

    No one knew how or what had started it, but in the far south had once been a land of green fields and blue rivers. A Land whose mountains bled gold and silver. Then, one day, all word from what had once been a prosperous kingdom stopped, and the mountains of gold and green planes turned to sand, and the Scourge began to pour out of it into the kingdom it bordered.

    Luckily for the rest of the world, that happened to be the kingdom of Castalia, a militant country that had seemed made to hold back the Scourge, something that it does to this day. Even still, the Scourge played a role in most things. It was not only the reason for the Creation of the Court of Crowns, but all other Lands, no matter their own politics and standings, were meant to give supplies and manpower to Castalia, known as the Red Tithe.

    Even then, the Kingdom of Castalia was always looking for more supplies, so it was a good place for more ambitious merchants to make a name for themselves. Ambitious or stupid, as in order to make any real coin, one would have to go to the border where all the fighting took place and with ground gained and lost on a daily basis. A level one Lan would no doubt find nothing but death if the trip or mind-breaking effects of looking on the Scourge Lands didn¡¯t do him in first.

    Although Lan wondered if the last part would have done anything now that he knew he had the Mark.

    ¡®The trader said that rock fruit could last for years.¡¯ the man said as Lan turned to face them. ¡®Can I help you, sir?¡¯ he asked, sizing Lan up.

    ¡®Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to listen in, but I couldn¡¯t help it.¡¯ Lan shrugged. ¡®Making a trip to the Front Line is quite the journey.¡¯ Lan added.

    ¡®You didn¡¯t hear?¡¯ the man went on as if having found a colleague. ¡®The Front Line is going to be pushed back.¡¯

    Lan hadn¡¯t heard that, but he knew just what it meant. Although holding back the Scourge was the objective of the war on the Front Line. The hope was to one day retake the Scourge Lands, and so efforts were made, when possible, to push it back.

    The last attempt had been five years ago, and along with it had come a need for more of everything from food to weapons as new lines were drawn.

    ¡®One could really make a killing¡­¡¯ Lan mused.

    ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s why we are going. If only we could find something worth the time and effort to take there.¡¯ The woman said, and Lan knew they had to be novices on their first journey. From what he could remember, Freion Wanderers were more about trial by fire than normal merchants, even if they were much nicer and trustworthy than what he knew. Lan guessed it was just their way of preparing their apprentices for a world that wouldn¡¯t be so kind in return.

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    ¡®Well, you can be sure that you will double anything that you spend if you time it right, no matter what you choose. Of course, you want something worth the time while not being a big enough target for bandits before you get there.¡¯ Lan half rambled on. ¡®you were thinking about taking Rock Fruit?¡¯ Lan asked, getting a defiant look from the woman while the man nodded.

    ¡®Well, that''s not a bad choice.¡¯ Lan shrugged.

    ¡®Really?¡¯ the man asked as if willing to cling to any hope of getting a good deal.

    ¡®Yeah, Rock Fruit won''t ripen until its rock-like shell is broken, usually when it drops from the tree. So if you pick it, it can stay fresh for a year or more.¡¯ At this, the man smiled, while the woman looked sceptical.

    ¡®So you think it¡¯s a good deal then?¡¯ She asked.

    ¡®Oh, not at all,¡¯ Lan said quickly, dashing the man¡¯s hopes. ¡®Rock fruit only grows in the last month of autumn. For the same reason you want them is why most of the good ones of this year are already heading to the front or stored away in people''s cellars. If someone is willing to sell them now, they have a crack in them. Small enough not to be seen or felt, but there.¡¯

    The man¡¯s face fell even more at this, and the woman looked ready to throw a chair.

    ¡®Don¡¯t just take my word for it,¡¯ he sighed, deciding that they were even more inexperienced than he thought. ¡®Who knows, you might have found a real hidden treasure. Go see whoever is selling them and ask to pick up the fruit. If it¡¯s good, they won''t have a problem with that. Then again, if it was good, they would have insisted on you picking them up.¡¯ Seeing the downcast faces of the two, Lan thought about helping a little.

    ¡®If you want my advice.¡¯ Lan shrugged. ¡®I would say buy arrowheads.¡¯

    ¡®Arrowheads?¡¯ The woman asked incredulously.

    ¡®The front line always needs arrows. Castalia is spoiled for wood, but metal is another story, and although they are supplied with tons of metal, they can never have enough arrows. That is because most of the fighting is done by firing waves of arrows into the Scourge Born. More established merchants that make the trip often take a barrel or two but usually go for the more valuable items. Ten well-made swords can sell for a whole barrel of arrowheads. But swords are bought at a set price. Not to mention that they were a big get for bandits. Arrows, on the other hand. Well, the front can¡¯t run out of arrows. Most merchants think it''s an amateur strategy, and it is, which means few people commit to it, which means few are capitalising on it. You can easily double, if not triple, what you spend if you time it right.¡¯ Lan said as Leah¡¯s father placed another plate in front of him.

    For a moment, the two stared at Lan with a mix of wonder and amazement.

    ¡®Why are you helping us? Merchants just don¡¯t help competition without a reason,¡¯ the woman asked.

    ¡®Hmm, that''s because I¡¯m not a merchant.¡¯ He said with a cheeky yet proud smile.

    Before leaving the pair to go find out if the fruit was still good, Lan told them how to get to Cawl¡¯s shop before heading there himself.

    ¡®Sorry, the smith¡­ is busy.¡¯ Cali said, half looking up over the sound of ringing metal. Suddenly, she looked up and frowned. ¡®Lan?¡¯

    ¡®I made it back.¡¯ Lan smiled

    ¡®You¡¯re,¡¯ Cali started, her eyes growing wider. ¡®You¡¯re so¡­¡¯

    ¡®I look different.¡¯ Lan finished cutting her off.

    ¡®That¡¯s not what I was going to say.¡¯ She smiled back before jumping from her chair, sticking her head through the door leading down the stairs and shouting for her father before dashing up and grabbing his arm.

    ¡®So, tell me everything.¡¯

    ¡®Oh! Well, I look this way because?¡¯

    Cali rolled her eyes. ¡®So, you look like you stepped out of a lover''s tale now. That''s nice and all, but I meant tell me everything about my babies.¡¯

    ¡®Ah, yeah, I knew that!¡¯ Lan started, reaching into the Chest and removing the shield arm. Which somehow looked to only have superficial damage. ¡®Just like before, I wouldn¡¯t have returned if not for your gear.¡¯ Lan said as Cawl came up, paused and blinked at him before walking over as Lan went on to tell them about his little adventure.

    And although Cawl seemed more interested in the Darkness, Cali all but vibrated with excitement as he talked about the fight in the clearing and then in the Hollow.

    ¡®And did you get to use the shield arm¡¯s attack?¡¯ she asked, grabbing his arm tighter as Cawl rolled his eyes.

    ¡®Oh uh, yeah, I didn¡¯t get a chance that seemed right.¡¯ Lan half lied. In truth, there hadn''t been a time in which losing the use of his arm would have left him in a good position after killing the threat. Not that he was going to use it anyway.

    ¡®The first time out alone, you end up stumbling into a threat that could end the city. You really are your father¡¯s son.¡¯ Cawl sighed

    ¡®About that, why didn¡¯t you tell me you knew my father.¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®Hmm, didn¡¯t see a reason to bring it up, and no,¡¯ the large man said, clearly knowing Lan¡¯s next question. ¡®I didn¡¯t give you that spear because he was your father. If anything, it was the main reason I wasn¡¯t going to. But when I looked at you, I saw the same look he had when we were young, and I knew that you would go even without a weapon, so just as I did back then, I decided to give you the best chance I could.¡¯

    Hearing that, Lan couldn''t help but be moved. Cawl had taken a risk by giving him that spear despite clearly having a good reason not to.

    ¡®Thanks Cawl.¡¯ Lan said, getting a grunt from the smith.

    ¡®You coming back is thanks enough, now let''s make sure you return from the next one.¡¯

    With that, Lan cleared his throat and removed his armour from the chest, wincing as Cawl¡¯s eyes widened at the damage on the chest plate.

    But instead of saying anything, the large man picked up the armour pieces and headed downstairs. ¡®Give me an hour.¡¯ He called from his workshop.

    Even though Lan trusted Cawl¡¯s skill, he couldn''t help but shoot a questioning look to Cali, who just smiled.

    ¡®While you wait, why not try out a few things for me.¡¯ she asked innocently.

    True to his word, after an hour in which Lan learned that he couldn¡¯t use a mace that could fire its spikes without almost goring himself. Cawl returned with his armour, looking like it had never seen a battle.

    ¡®This is incredible,¡¯ Lan said, feeling where the crack had been.

    ¡®You won¡¯t find any marks; along with mending the damage, I have also tuned it up to your level, so it lasts a little longer this time.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks Cawl.¡¯ Lan said, linking with the armour.

    [Reinforced Leather armour: Well-made leather armour reinforced with steel plates, sacrificing some of the speed and mobility of standard leather armour for greater defence.]

    [Defence Score: 15]

    Durability A,

    Rarity: abnormal.

    Quality: Skilful.

    Construction: Black Bear leather and Steel ¨C D, Impact Damage Resistance - D, Piercing Damage Resistance ¨C C

    Traits: Fused Tuning Core

    [Link Level: 5]

    ¡®While you are here, I¡¯ll take a look at your weapons too.¡¯ Cawl said, reminding Lan about his sword.

    ¡®Oh, about that, why didn¡¯t you say anything about my sword being able to absorb magic.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t know it could do that.¡¯ Cawl answered, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡®Wait, what.¡¯ Cali asked as she dropped whatever she had been messing around with.

    ¡®Yeah, when I was fighting in the Hollow and burned the goblins with the fire silk, my sword started to glow and burned anything that I cut with it. When I asked my father to have a look, he said it was made of something called Sagelight Steel.¡¯ Lan said, retrieving his sword and handing it over to Cawl, whose eyes turned a metallic green.

    ¡®Hmm, if that''s what your father called it, then it must be true.¡¯ Cawl shrugged.

    ¡®You mean you didn¡¯t know?¡¯ Lan asked

    ¡®Your father''s sight is more powerful than any appraisal magic I know of. I could not see its name like he could, although I knew that the odd metal could absorb magic. I didn¡¯t have enough to make anything with it, so I thought that if I mixed it with Mage steel, I could make something that was highly attuned to enchantments, only to end up with something that couldn¡¯t be enchanted at all. I only sold it to you because it was perfectly stable and better than a normal sword of the same level.¡¯

    Lan nodded, ¡®my father said the same thing, although it seems to absorb magic or at least fire when near enough to it, or it could just be the fire silk that works.¡¯

    At this, Cali got a spark in her eye and a dangerous smile before she ran down the stairs, giggling.

    ¡®How¡­¡¯ Lan started watching her go and wondering if he should be worried, ¡®how did you find a metal that no one else had ever seen before?¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, it¡¯s a long story and not mine either. As far as I know, the lump of metal changed hands at least ten times, and I would guess more. The story that came with it is that a man in odd clothes and speaking in an accent just as odd traded it along with the rest of his possessions for ordinary clothes.¡¯

    With what he had recently learned, Lan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the metal, seemingly unknown to this world, happened to be from a Tale. That would explain the oddness of the person that sold it. It would also explain why they were willing to part with it, not knowing how rare it would be, and that was to say nothing of its ability, just what it was.

    That brought on thoughts about what the Guildmaster had said about those from Tales, not just being a part of stories and all the implications that came with it.

    ¡®That¡¯s not all.¡¯ Lan said, clearing his mind. ¡®Although the durability of everything else dropped over time, the sword didn¡¯t.¡¯

    Hearing this, Cawl took another look at the sword.

    ¡®What do you think?¡¯ Lan asked after a moment.

    ¡®I think I didn¡¯t charge you enough.¡¯

 Chapter 62: New Enemies

    Despite saying as much, Cawl didn¡¯t ask for more money for his sword and didn¡¯t charge for the repairs on his armour and mace, and Cali even had another roll of fire silk for him. It was odd, despite the silk being a rather unconventional piece of gear, Lan felt better having the volatile crimson garment in his pocket and wrapped around his gauntlet than without it.

    As he walked down the street to the Guild, Lan found his thoughts coming back to his sword. Before he left, Cawl had said it could be a Healing Blade, but they would have to do some testing before they would know for sure, something that they planned to do once he returned. Even still, if it was a Healing Blade, then he would have to be more careful with it.

    Everyone knew that the heroes in the Tales would have magic blades that repaired themselves; for that alone, they were highly sought after. And that was to say nothing of what it would mean to an adventurer or others who held value in a blade.

    With this, Lan turned his attention back to the streams of people around him; even though he didn¡¯t have to worry about his valuables with them in his chest, Lan found the habit of watching for people not acting as they should be had stuck with him, and he was even able to discourage one or two pickpockets from going after other people.

    [Skill Level Up: People Watching = 2 > 3]

    The voice said as Lan saw the Guild banners of a man on horseback carrying a spear with silhouettes of other horse riders in the background come over the hill.

    As Lan stepped into the Hall of the Wild Hunt, all chatter died as every eye turned to look at him.

    Stopping, Lan raised an eyebrow as he looked around. It wasn¡¯t the hostile looks that he was getting used to, but one more akin to quiet desperation, like seeing the last sweet roll from across the room and hoping you were fast enough to reach it.

    But a different look didn¡¯t really change much for Lan, so he started to the reception desk without paying it a second thought.

    ¡®Hey Lan!¡¯ hearing a voice he didn¡¯t recognise called to him in an overly friendly way, Lan turned to find a group that he wouldn¡¯t have remembered if not for the blond leader with a snake tattooed around his eye who smiled at Lan as if greeting an old friend, while the rest of his party made up of a Goliath woman who looked to be a Guardian, along with a female archer and mage backed the man with mixed expressions.

    ¡®We know that you wanted to join us, and after talking about it with the girls, we decided that we will let you join,¡¯ he said as if the matter was settled.

    For a moment, Lan just stared at him. ¡®Wow, how generous of you,¡¯ Lan said in a deadpan so perfect that one would have to be stupid or just trying in order to ignore it.

    ¡®Right?¡¯ the blond man nodded enthusiastically. ¡®We already have a job, so you can just come along with us, and we will¡­¡¯

    ¡®Oh, now I remember you. You offered to have me be a human shield for you. You even said you would bring my body back if I blocked enough hits,¡¯ Lan laughed.

    ¡®Oh well about that,¡¯ The blond man tried.

    ¡®Water under the bridge,¡¯ Lan smiled, ¡®You know what? You go on ahead with the job, and I will catch up,¡¯ Lan said, turning and starting to walk away,

    ¡®Uh, wait, I didn¡¯t tell you about the job,¡¯ The man called after him.

    ¡®No, I didn¡¯t miss that part!¡¯ Lan made it a few steps before the grizzled man in Plate Armour he had tried to convince stepped in front of him with his party. At this, Lan heard the blond man curse under his breath.

    ¡®You have been making quite the impression around here,¡¯ The man said, looking around the Hall.

    ¡®I noticed,¡¯ Lan answered as he looked around, too.

    ¡®On that note, I think I disregarded you and your ambition too quickly,¡¯ The man said, scratching his trimmed grey beard. ¡®And for that, I would like to apologise and extend an invitation to join my party.¡¯

    ¡®Uh, apology accepted,¡¯ Lan said before thinking. It seemed like the right thing to say, and of all the people he had talked to that day, the man hadn¡¯t been the worst.

    ¡®Great!¡¯ the older man nodded. ¡®After our next job, we will get you a healing instructor and have you train up as the first combat healer. You will need new equipment. Also, you haven¡¯t assigned any points yet, which is good. Keep it that way for now until we have a chance to talk properly,¡¯ the man rattled off as if he had it listed already while those of other groups looked on jealously.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, what are you talking about,¡¯ Lan cut in.

    ¡®Your new combat class,¡¯ The man answered. ¡®With a chance like this, it would be a waste to have you do anything else but make you a healer who can also participate in a fight. Getting a healer to agree to teach someone not in the Guild will cost a great deal, but I am willing to sacrifice it for the incredible advantage you will be. Plus, our party is strong and has all other roles filled, so if you want to join, this will be the only way and the best choice for you.¡¯ the older man said as if counselling a child from doing something dumb.

    ¡®I never said that I wanted to join,¡¯ Lan said, getting a look from the man as if he hadn¡¯t considered that an option.

    ¡®But I thought you said you accepted my apology?¡¯ the man asked.

    ¡®I did, but I never said I would join you,¡¯ Lan answered, finding that man had just assumed to rankle a little.

    ¡®I see I was a little hasty. My party, Grey Sun, is one of the Guild¡¯s highest-ranking. You can do worse or not much better when it comes to parties. If there is no bad blood and you are still looking, then I would seriously consider my offer.¡¯

    Lan thought about it, or more so, what to say and looked up.

    ¡®I did say there was no bad blood, and I meant it. I understand that I made a poor impression on a lot of you. Based on that, I can understand why many of you acted the way you did towards me,¡¯ Lan said as the little chatter in the Hall died to his carrying voice. ¡®With that being said, and even if you were one of the more courteous¡­ you all left your impressions on me,¡¯ Lan finished, making his stance clear. He wasn¡¯t here to be looked down on nor treated as a tool to be used.

    He was an adventurer.

    They would see him as an equal, or he wouldn¡¯t either.

    Despite being the indirect target of his declaration, the older man smiled.

    ¡®I heard you have been staying at ¡°that¡± inn. I guess it is the right place for you.¡¯ He said as he walked off, patting Lan on the shoulder as he passed.

    After a moment, Lan started towards the desk, and as he looked around, he knew they had all gotten his message. The hopeful looks had turned to disappointment and resentment if not anger. But those were shadowed by the looks of approval that dotted the room. He recognised most of them from the inn but not all. Despite making more enemies than friends, it looked like some people were starting to warm up to him.

    One person he didn¡¯t need to worry about that with was Mari, who smiled at him.

    ¡®Morning Lan. You are up early,¡¯ she said as he stopped at the desk.

    ¡®You make it sound like I am gaining a reputation for being lazy,¡¯ Lan smiled back, and for a moment, it looked like Mari would take his joke to heart,

    ¡®Oh no, I didn¡¯t mean¡­ oh, you were joking right?¡¯ she blushed as Lan smiled sympathetically.

    ¡®Yeah, I just thought it was about time I got back out there.¡¯

    ¡®Oh! That reminds me. With all the excitement when you were last in, I forgot to issue you your Reward.¡¯

    ¡®Right¡­ about that.¡¯ Lan blinked. It seemed odd to have forgotten what should have been the main reason to have gone out there, but it almost seemed like an afterthought now.

    ¡®Well, a lot did happen that day,¡¯ Mari sighed before smiling, producing a Keystone. ¡®Please touch your tag to the Keystone.¡¯

    Obliging, Lan removed his Tag and touched it to the stone.

    [Adventurers Guild quest: Silk flower collection - Altered].

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    [New Adventurers Guild quest: Silk flower high-priority collection ¨C Due to the current shortage of the magic plant, a high-priority job has been opened for any flowers found.]

    [Adventurers Guild quest: Silk flower high priority collection ¨C Complete.]

    [Reward: 3 Silver Talons, 1 Silver Piece, 75 coppers. EXP ¨C 3810]

    [Goblin Standing Order: Thirty Goblins, three Goblin Knights and One Goblin Titan slain]

    [Reward ¨C 7 Silver Talons.]

    [Exp 1265=> 5075/ 6000]

    Although the experience was great, Lan focused on the coin for the Silk flowers. Twenty-five copper for each when the first job had been one copper for every two. Being an adventurer¡¯s job, Lan was eased a little because the new reward was boosted as an incentive, but it still told a dark tale about how bad the shortage had gotten.

    At this point, Lan could only guess that only the best foragers were finding a good deal of them, at least inside of the range of the stolen Tear of Creation, whatever that was.

    ¡®Lan?¡¯ Mari tried.

    ¡®Huh? Oh! Sorry, I was lost in thought. Also, I was wondering if the Silk flowers job was still open?¡¯ If Lan needed any more incentive to go out, this was it.

    ¡®It is,¡¯ Mari nodded. ¡®Although it has been raised to an E rank job, you must be a¡­ oh!¡¯ Mari blinked as she looked down at whatever was behind the desk. ¡®It looks like the goblins and Silk flowers you brought back were enough.¡¯ she beamed at him.

    ¡®Enough,¡¯ Lan repeated, ¡®Enough for what?¡¯

    Instead of answering, Mari looked down at Lan¡¯s Tag still on the Keystone as it slowly, from the point it touched the stone, started to burn up the dull grey metal, leaving polished copper in its place.

    [Congratulations: You have reached the Adventurer¡¯s Rank of Copper.]

    Despite everything else, Lan stood looking at his once grey Tag.

    Although he still wasn¡¯t sure how he had ranked up. It was only now that he saw it. Drill¡­ a metal not even worth using for nails and worth less as currency. Maybe it was a sign of what a Drill Rank adventurer was worth, or maybe it was something more poetic: a sign of finding use in something that others didn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t understand. Lan liked that one, but whatever it was, this was a sign that he was becoming something more useful or something with more potential.

    ¡®I thought I needed to finish an evaluation before I could rank up?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®That would be the case,¡¯ Mari smiled. ¡®But it looks like completing two E-ranked jobs, even if you didn¡¯t know they were at the time, has been enough.¡¯

    At this, Lan laughed. It must have been that obvious if even Mari could joke about it.

    ¡®Right,¡¯ Lan said as both laughed.

    With his right still holding his Tag, Lan fixed his hair with his left, bringing his shield arm into view.

    ¡®You were wearing that the other day. I have never seen anything like it,¡¯ Mari said, and as a receptionist of an Adventurer¡¯s Guild, Lan believed her.

    ¡®It¡¯s¡­ a bit of an experiment,¡¯ Lan said, flexing his arm and activating the shield with a solid clunk that hadn¡¯t changed from the first time he had done so despite all it had been through, ¡®and I am the test subject.¡¯ He finished letting the shield blades slide back into place.

    Jumping at the activation, Mari gave Lan a sympathetic smile, ¡®It¡¯s definitely something I have never seen before.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, me either,¡¯ someone said from behind Lan, a voice that seemed to get under his skin long before he turned to see the scarecrow of a man with fetid water for hair and wearing a breastplate made of blood-red glass and a smile that one would give a dear friend.

    With him was the large half-orc that Lan had to look up to even though he was a few feet behind the first man, and along with them was a person Lan hadn¡¯t noticed before or hadn¡¯t been present earlier.

    The woman had golden skin like Sora and Vasha, if not a little darker than his friends. From her fingertips to her bare shoulders were rings of tattooed symbols that weren¡¯t runes or Runica that he knew, and half of her hair was shaved and had been braided with beads through it. Aside from that, what stood out most about her was her smile. It was almost like she knew a dark secret about you and would only not share it if you made it worth her while.

    Lan took the other two in for only a moment before his attention returned to the man who seemed to draw out his anger.

    ¡®That really is an interesting-looking bit of gear. Looks handy. Say, why not let me have a closer look,¡¯ the man said, reaching for Lan¡¯s arm without waiting for an answer.

    Before the man could touch him, a thought that made Lan want to be sick, he stepped back, his face fixing into a frown.

    ¡®Don¡¯t,¡¯ Lan said coldly, the word stopping short of being a warning.

    Much as their first meeting had left a bad taste in Lan¡¯s mouth, and he didn¡¯t understand why the man seemed to piss him off, not to mention the man¡¯s forwardness. Lan didn¡¯t want to start a fight in the middle of the Guild Hall, especially one he knew he wouldn¡¯t win.

    ¡®Come now, I only want to get a better look. You can allow that, right? And who knows, I might want¡­ one for myself. Surely you wouldn¡¯t deny a real adventurer something that could save their lives, would you?¡¯ the man said, and although Lan caught the slight, he was too busy trying not to laugh at the idea that the man thought of himself as a real adventurer.

    ¡®A real adventurer, yes,¡¯ Lan stated. He didn¡¯t know why, but the man just bothered him. However, that wasn¡¯t wholly true anymore. After meeting the man again, Lan had an idea. Every time he looked at the man, it was like looking at Ganin and Lan in no way thought it was an unfair assumption.

    Whatever the man¡¯s game with the fake smile had been, it fell away as Lan stared at him.

    ¡®There you go with that look again,¡¯ The man said, the smile turning to a snarl. ¡®I didn¡¯t think you were stupid enough to make that face without Locke to hide behind,¡¯ the man stepped just a foot away from Lan, his eyes burning wild with an anger that had to be deeper than Lan¡¯s look alone.

    Lan saw this, and even without his blood starting to heat, he shifted his sight without care for whether the man or the others knew what he was doing.

    As the world took on a golden light and the three burst into flames, Lan scanned them.

    Although the other two noticed the change, the first man didn¡¯t seem to as he glared at Lan.

    Lan couldn¡¯t be sure, but from the look of the rest of the man¡¯s gear, which reminded him of Locke¡¯s, the man could be a strider, and if that was true and the man had followed a similar path correction as Locke, then Lan guessed by the size of his health that he was a few levels lower than Locke. How much he didn¡¯t know and seeing as a level or two over him would be enough to end him didn¡¯t change much.

    With the same logic, the Half-orc was weaker than Drevin, and the woman was around the same level as Vasha or Sora, depending on which she was.

    ¡®I hate that look. Like you think you are better than me or something. I was only going to take that armour.¡¯ the man said as if speaking at not only Lan but everyone else who had looked down on him as he stepped closer to Lan. ¡®Now I am going to kill you. It won¡¯t be now, but I will let you know before it comes just so you can regret this moment before you die,¡¯ The man hissed with a light in his eyes as if he was picturing it.

    Lan knew he should be careful. He knew he shouldn¡¯t provoke the man, but he didn¡¯t care either.

    ¡®Thank you for the warning,¡¯ Lan said in a cool whisper. ¡®In return, I will give you one back. If you are going to do something, it''s best to do it while you still can.¡¯

    Although that man could kill Lan now, he couldn¡¯t in the city where it could be tied to him, and he only could while Lan was weaker than him. Something Lan wasn¡¯t going to let be the case forever.

    For a moment, it looked like the man would just attack him, but as Lan readied to answer, Mari spoke.

    ¡®Fighting amongst members of this Guild is frowned upon. As you can expect, any more drastic actions will not be tolerated and will be dealt with.¡¯ Mari said in a tone that was all business and brook no compromise. ¡®Unless you wish for me to get the Guild Master involved, I suggest you depart on your next guild job, Kane.¡¯

    After a moment long staring hatefully at Lan, the man, Kane, smiled and shrugged. ¡®I was only trying to be friendly with a new friend.¡¯ He said, although Mari¡¯s expression of upset didn¡¯t change.

    Shrugging, Kane leaned into Lan¡¯s ear. ¡®There are plenty of ways to kill under the Guild''s nose. But I will show you that later,¡¯ he said before turning and leaving.

    As the three left, Lan noticed that most of the Guild had been watching them, but more than half watched the three with looks that he would have thought were for him.

    ¡®Sorry about that.¡¯ Lan turned, taking his thumb off the rune on the shield arm, which would have used its stored power in one attack.

    ¡®Stay away from him, Lan.¡¯ Mari said sombrely. Although sadder, it was the same way Locke and the others acted.

    ¡®What happened?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®That armour¡­¡¯ she started, and Lan knew the one she meant. The red armour that didn¡¯t fit in with the rest of the man, the one that Sora had mentioned. ¡®It used to belong to a young man named Zerin.¡¯ She said, the thought bringing on a smile. ¡®Zerin managed to keep the image of adventurers most of us had as children into his late teens. He believed Adventurers were meant to be heroes and acted like it, taking jobs that would save the most lives,¡¯ Mari laughed.

    ¡®He would spend hours standing at the boards trying to decide before leaving with an ¡°I¡¯ll be back¡±, and he always was because he was braver and stronger than a copper should be.¡¯

    Despite knowing it would come, Lan almost asked what happened next as Mari paused.

    ¡®As I said, Zerin wanted Adventurers to be heroes, and to do his part, he asked for his father''s blood glass armour. ¡°So everyone, good and evil, would see him coming from a mile away. So that the evil knew that justice was coming and the good would know not to worry.¡±¡¯ Mari paused again. The smile the happy memory had brought fading as it was replaced with bitter anger.

    ¡®One day, Kane and his party asked Zerin to help them. Five days later, they returned with Kane wearing the chest plate and Zerin nowhere to be seen,¡¯ Mari said, coldly detached as if reading a poster. ¡®Even though the rest of the armour was found on Zerin¡¯s body and returned to his family, the chest piece had been unbonded by him before dying, and Kane¡¯s Tag showed no signs of Kane directly having a hand in Zerin¡¯s death, and he says that Zerin gave him the chest plate. So there was nothing to be done in the eyes of the law.¡¯

    Mari looked up at Lan, ¡®Everyone knows Kane did something to Zerin, and every day, he walks in here with that armour polished to a shine as if taunting the rest of us. As I said, we don¡¯t know what he did, although there are many theories, but speaking not as guild representative, I don¡¯t think he won''t do it again. so promise me that you will stay away from him.¡¯ Mari¡¯s worried look brought Lan back to himself, only to hear creaking from his gloves between his balled fists.

    ¡®Lan?¡¯

    ¡®Sorry,¡¯ he tried to smile. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I have no plans of going near that man,¡¯ he said, even though he knew it was the man who would be coming after him. Lan hadn¡¯t needed a reason to hate the man, but now¡­even if it hadn¡¯t come from someone that he believed had no reason to lie to him, the story fit too well and once again brought on images of Ganin.

    Lan didn¡¯t know if Adventurers were meant to be heroes, but he knew what they were not meant to be, and he knew that that man Kane was dangerous and evil. Dangerous because of what they were capable of and evil because they would enjoy doing it, and he knew that the man¡¯s words were not just that.

    No, Lan wouldn¡¯t go after him as promised, but he would be ready when the time came.

    [First configuration complete]

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 15 > 14]

    |Body: 15 > 11

    |Mind: 15 > 10

    |Dexterity: 15 > 25

    |Perception: 15 > 20

    [Charisma: 15 > 10]

 Chapter 63: An Old Smile

    A dagger slashed inches from Lan¡¯s face, with him only half taking note of it as his attention had already turned to the one aimed at his gut. Lan shot back, his feet moving like a blur as he cut down at the attacker before blocking to his left as Tyr sent a warning. Steel skidded off his shield arm, and Lan drove a boot into the stomach of the aggressor, then slashed wildly in front of himself to keep three others from coming at him.

    This was bad. It had only been a few hours since he had passed the gate guards with the same ¡°off to save the city?¡± from the young guard that Lan managed to find the clearing and picked as many flowers as he needed. Then, he tried to see if Tyr could find the Darkness, but she was acting strange. In fact, from the moment he had that dream, Tyr had been quiet, staying in her light stone until he called for her when they were in the forest. Then she acted like she had sugar in her blood, darting around and sending him the feeling of wanting him to follow her, only it was a little different, a little sharper like Tyr wanted him to run to her and while trying to figure out what she wanted, they stumbled into the goblins that he was currently fighting.

    Lan didn¡¯t know if they were survivors of the attack by the Darkness or those who had not been there when the swarm was devoured, but they came at him with somehow more hatred than before. As if without the Goblin King, what little focus they had gained had been lost to the animal that was their nature, which had not only made them more persistent but made them shrug off his attacks more than before.

    Even still, Lan found himself more than keeping up with them. In fact, the only other thing on his mind aside from Tyr was himself. Although he could see the attacks coming from a mile away, and with Tyr, he could see the whole battlefield, as he was now, he was fighting with his stats and not much else. He was fast enough to evade and recover before the next attack, but Lan could tell that his movements were sloppy and wasteful. The same went for his attacks, which were little more than using his sword as a sharp club. His body knew that he wasn¡¯t being used right, but Lan didn¡¯t know how to use it any better.

    For some reason, the thought annoyed him, even as he sprung back, his feet moving quickly as he slashed at the goblin that had caused him to jump. With this, Lan¡¯s sword finally broke through the aura of the goblin¡¯s last remaining health points with a tug before taking its head in the arch of the swing.

    Just like the first time, the goblins odd biology allowed attacks that would kill other beings through its health points only to have the wounds close by the honey-like blood they had, but as all fighting lulled, the goblins stopping to watch the head roll, Lan knew the battle had reached its finale.

    At once, the goblins charged, and Lan found himself surging forward. Meeting the first of the four goblins with a cut that lodged into the goblin, almost ripping the sword out of his hands as the smaller being was thrown aside. Spinning with the momentum, Lan swung his shield arm into the next goblin hard enough to sweep it aside before driving his boot into the gut of the next one, giving him a clear view of the last goblin, which he threw his body into with his sword pointed at its chest.

    Pinning the goblin, Lan rolled to his feet, drew his mace from the Other World Chest, and took in the scene.

    The last goblin struggled to free his sword, while the one Lan had caught with his shield didn¡¯t move, but Lan didn¡¯t give the others a chance to get up.

    [Kill log]

    [|Goblin x 5 ¨C Level 5 = 250 exp]

    [Exp 5325=> / 6000]

    The Voice said as the traces of golden light flowed into him. The moment it did, Lan thought about picking up the goblin¡¯s weapons, but before he could, he felt a pull on his mind so hard that he stumbled back.

    Turning, Lan was faced with his little ball of golden light. Although whatever she did had no physical power, the mental impression had been so strong that Lan¡¯s body had answered independently.

    ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ Lan asked the little light, who seemed as confused about what had happened as he was as she floated in the air for a moment. Even though she didn¡¯t have a body, Lan couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was examining herself.

    Suddenly, Tyr took off,

    ¡®Hey!¡¯ Lan called, starting after her. ¡®What has gotten into you.¡¯ Lan said to himself as Tyr accelerated, darting in and out of sight as she weaved through the trees. With the link they shared, he knew where she was, so there was no reason to rush so he kept up without taxing himself.. At least, that was what he thought before he sensed her coming back like a bolt.

    Bouncing off his chest, Tyr sent an impression of impatience followed by one to hurry.

    ¡®Yeah, yeah, I got it.¡¯ Lan said, starting after her as she took off again; maybe she had picked up traces of the Darkness? Lan trailed after her deeper into the forest with that hope in his mind.

    Maybe it was the fact that he knew what to look for now, but as they travelled farther into the deep woods, Lan found the forest even quieter than the first time. It was almost as if there was a sterileness to the forest, like if he got down and looked, there wouldn¡¯t even be bugs walking the otherworldly terrain they lived in between the dirt and grass.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Aside from that, everything seemed so normal. They had yet to reach anything that had been tainted by the Darkness, and it had been raining before they had come out, so there was a crispness to the air, along with a renewal of the scents of the forest. And yet, not a single living thing stirred. It was almost the image of an idyllic glade he used to picture if not for knowing why it was this way.

    For hours, Lan followed Tyr through the land of standing giants. At times, he would see goblins in the distance and once or twice close enough to deal with them.

    [Kill log]

    [|Goblin x 4 ¨C Level 5 = 200 exp]

    [Exp 5525=> / 6000]

    But only when Lan had to quickly change directions because Tyr lost the trace she was following or picked up on a new one did they chance running into goblins. After the tenth time stopping, Tyr seemed to become frustrated, and Lan called it a day.

    They were deep into the forest enough that no light made it through, but every time the wind took the leaves, Lan caught a glimpse of a dark blue sky. So Lan found a tree with enough root cover at the base and called Tyr over. Knowing what was out there and not wanting to draw it to himself as he slept, Lan didn¡¯t even think about starting a fire. Just wrapping himself with his cloak, he took the dried meat and cheese he had bought before coming out from the chest and began cutting slices off.

    As Lan put a piece into his mouth, he looked at Tyr floating around his tree. Once again, he wondered if she needed to eat anything, but as Tyr seemed happy to fly around, he guessed she was fine.

    As Lan went for another bite, Tyr sent an alert. Looking up, Lan found a small pair of eyes barely off the ground looking at him from the dark. The eyes were too low to be a goblin, and even after it realized he had noticed it, they didn¡¯t charge or run. Instead, it slowly started toward him.

    Breaking through the Darkness and into Tyr¡¯s light, Lan found that the eyes belonged to a small red fox with large ears and a small gem on its forehead. Despite stepping into the light, the fox did not react to Tyr¡¯s light, meaning that she had hidden herself, and although bathed in a golden glow, Lan knew that the fox had bright red fur like all ember foxes. Lan knew this because of the little red gem that he knew could create tiny motes of fire.

    Along with that, their fur was highly prized in cold environments. As a result, they were widely hunted and rarely showed themselves around people, and yet this one didn¡¯t only seem calm but seemed to relax as it closed in on Lan.

    ¡®Well, would you look at that,¡¯ Lan smiled. ¡®To think of all the things I could share a forest with.¡¯ He added, lowering his hand with the dried meat.

    As if just noticing it was there, the fox¡¯s eyes locked on the meat and followed it down.

    ¡®Hungry?¡¯ Lan asked, and although the fox didn¡¯t move, when he cut a piece and offered it, it walked over, took it, and sat next to him. ¡®Looks like we have a fan.¡¯ Lan smiled, taking another bite. Remembering Leah¡¯s words, he had brought enough food for a few days, so he didn¡¯t mind sharing with a fellow wanderer of the forest. And although it wasn¡¯t a dog, it seemed to enjoy it when Lan scratched it behind the ear and when it came time for Lan to lay back, he found the little fox leaping onto his chest and lying down. With everything going on, Lan guessed that he and Tyr were as safe a place to sleep as any other, and the little fox''s body seemed to radiate enough heat that he didn¡¯t need a fire. So it wasn¡¯t long after he checked on Tyr that he drifted off.

    What felt like hours later, Lan woke to the movement of the fox who, after stretching, licked his face and wandered into the trees.

    Watching it go with mixed feelings, Lan thought about getting up, but Tyr was still flying energetically, so with a farewell to the fox, Lan decided to rest a little longer.

    For what felt like a second but had to be hours, Lan felt his eyes close before his mind filled with a rain of metal as Tyr sent a pin drop feeling over and over.

    Bolting upright, Lan spotted a green shape moving through the trees,

    ¡®Just one?¡¯ Lan asked, looking to Tyr only to find another green shape closing in on him. Scanning the tree line, Lan found more goblins boxing him in and trying to move quietly. Although they were far enough not to have seen him yet, they were all moving in the same direction as if being led to him, and from what he could see, there were seven or more.

    That was what Lan thought before Tyr flew behind the tree and she sent more pin-drop feelings, meaning there had to be some there, too.

    More than Lan wanted to try fighting, but what was more worrying was how they were coming at him. It reminded him of when he had almost been ambushed by a second group of goblins after dealing with the horde in the Hollow.

    With that thought in mind, Lan waited until the goblin directly in front of him dipped down before he shot to his feet and charged forward. With Tyr darting to his side and the other goblins taking note of him, Lan closed with the goblin in front of him. Just as it raised its head, Lan planted his boot into its face and lept over it as the others let out cries and started after him.

    Feeling the uncomfortable itch of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, Lan pushed hard as the goblins tried to surround him, but it wasn¡¯t long until he was trailing a group of about twenty goblins. But he was faster than before, and with Tyr¡¯s light, Lan started to pull ahead. That was until Lan felt a pain in his ankle.

    [Status Effect: Hobbled]

    Hitting the ground, Lan rolled and drew his sword, ready for another gruelling fight. But instead, he was faced with something worse than the twenty goblins.

    Tall and slender, a figure walked into Tyr¡¯s light, followed by two large hulking masses of muscle that were flanked by two twice the size of a normal goblin. Lan felt a frown form on his face as if made in opposition to the slender, grinning goblin who looked at Lan with recognition.

    Somehow, even without proof, Lan knew just from the smile that this was the odd goblin that had helped in his capture and the one that he had almost faced before the Darkness had attacked.

    Somehow, it had managed to escape and stumbled into him, although as he looked at the goblin, Lan couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that their reunion had not been a mistake.

    ¡®Let me guess, you are looking to pick up where we left off.¡¯ Lan said, almost pausing as the goblin smiled deeper, ¡®Too bad. I¡¯m a little busy right now!¡¯ Lan shouted as he pointed his arm and ignited the silk, bathing the trees around them with crimson light.

 Chapter 64: A Greater Threat

    Gathering mana into his fingertips, Lan pushed them into the Fire Silk before shielding his face as the trees around him were stained a blood red. Not being in the confines of the hollow, Lan only planned on using the silk as a distraction, so when the red fabric unravelled into another cyclone, he was a little taken aback.

    Like a burning serpent uncoiling for the strike, the crimson flames crashed over the five evolved goblins and their smaller kin.

    As the goblins cried out, Lan didn¡¯t wait to see how many survived. Turning and wincing as pain ripped through his right ankle, Lan pulled the throwing knife free.

    [Status Effect: Hobbled ¨C Removed]

    The voice said as the wound knit shut, and Lan took off into the trees, followed by a chorus of pain and rage-filled cries.

    As the red light faded behind him, the last pain in his ankle dulled, and Lan forced himself to his top speed, knowing that the slender goblin could be on him any moment. Remembering just how fast it had been, and if it wasn¡¯t as injured as he hoped, then he would need any distance between it and the other goblins he could manage.

    Once again, Tyr seemed to become lost in a frenzy even as she guided Lan through the forest. She kept sending impressions of wanting him to move faster and faster still. Once or twice, she would send the new, more intense impression that made his body want to react independently. The last one was so strong that it almost made Lan trip, but as he turned to snap at Tyr, he found the wisp becoming even more frustrated.

    Dealing with this, Lan almost didn¡¯t notice it when they stumbled into a clearing. Although the word wasn¡¯t wholly accurate as he knew it, it was a space clear of trees, but there was no light as a ring of red giants formed a roof with their branches.

    The moment Lan saw it, he knew this was the last place he wanted to have to fight, but before he could take a step, he felt a pain stab him in the back. On sheer instinct alone, Lan spun and slashed with his sword, finding nothing but the air as the thin goblin emerged from the shadow of the giants around them.

    A moment later, Lan heard footsteps come from behind him. Looking, Lan found two unburnt goblin knights at his back.

    Left or right, then? Lan thought before seeing the two burnt knights appear from the trees, with the normal goblins rushing to form a circle around the clearing as the goblin titans joined them.

    Lan glanced at the thin goblin when it looked like they wouldn¡¯t immediately attack. It was no longer smiling, now glaring with hate in its one unscorched eye.

    Instead of just attacking him, the thin goblin pointed to one of the goblins who, after looking surprised, walked forward.

    Still waiting for the goblins to come at him at once, it took Lan a moment to realise what was happening.

    ¡®You are trying to recreate that night.¡¯ Lan said, gritting his teeth as the thin goblin smiled again. This wasn¡¯t about revenge for the goblins lost at their camp. This was a game. From the moment it had stalked him through the woods, it had been toying with him, and even now, after everything that had happened, it was all still a game to it; the goblin¡¯s eye seemed to say as its smile pulled into a grin.

    Realising this, Lan reached for the fire silk as he looked up to Tyr. She was frozen in mid-air without moving. When Lan tried to reach out with his mind, she only sent an impression of no paths mixed with franticly looking for one.

    Not knowing how to help her, Lan wrapped his sword with the silk. He was half done wrapping when the lone goblin screamed and charged.

    Dodging, Lan tripped it before cutting the silk free and igniting it and even though it was much less silk than the first time he tried it, the odd steel blade came to life as the core glowed with orange-red runes in time for his swing to cut straight through the goblin, dropping it is a burning pile Lan looked to the thin goblin whose smile cracked a little.

    Even if the goblin couldn¡¯t understand him, Lan wanted to say something smart but held his tongue; he could only see walking out of this by killing the Goblins in small groups until he could escape.

    Rolling his wrist on his shield arm and testing his sword''s weight, he reminded himself that he still had the attack on the shield arm. He could also use the whole roll of silk as a makeshift bomb.

    The thin goblin pointed, and three normal goblins came after Lan. They were each coming from a different direction, so Lan did the first thing that came to mind as he charged one of them, taking it by surprise and driving his boot into its face before slashing at it and turning to meet the next goblin with his shield.

    As the goblin¡¯s dagger bounced off Lan¡¯s shield, he stabbed at it, making flames burst out of the goblin¡¯s mouth and it fall back, but before Lan met the last goblin, something stabbed into the back of his armour and unlike the previous time when he looked found it wasn¡¯t the trick of the Thin Goblin but a Goblin Knight whose dagger had been stopped by his armour.

    Lan Spun and slashed, but the goblin knight jumped back as another slipped its dagger under Lan¡¯s armour.

    [Hp 60 ¨C 55]

    Reeling from the pain, Lan stabbed down at the second knight as it moved, just managing to cut into its shoulder with a cry as it retreated.

    With a moment to spare, Lan looked to the thin goblin, finding it seemed to not care about the change in plans. In fact, it looked even more pleased, but soon enough, the two goblin knights and the lone goblin were on him.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    At once, Lan felt the Call of the hunter begin to sing in his ears as his mind was taken over by the urge to defend himself from the goblins trying to find blind spots and ways around his shield as they launched powerful lunging attacks at him. Mindful of the danger that his sword posed to them, the wiry yet pudgy goblin knight started to push Lan back.

    One goblin knight stabbed up at his face, and the second jumped, trying to grab and drag Lan down. Luckily, Lan was faster than the last time he faced a goblin knight, allowing him to jump out of the way and score a cut along the face of the goblin, which bought Lan a moment as its face exploded with fire, but only a moment, for as the goblin knight rolled on the ground another took its place.

    The new knight was much more experienced as instead of attacking when it saw an opening, it would in time or in concert with the other. It wasn¡¯t long until Lan gave up on attacking just so he could keep up with those two, and even then, Lan found himself running out of ground faster and faster. More than aware of the threats circling him, Lan knew he needed to stay out of the reach of the other goblins, but as the fight went on, he found himself being pushed closer to the edge.

    Despite the situation, or maybe because of it, Lan felt the feeling that battle brought take over him. Fire filled his blood, and his mind took on an icy calm. So even as he fought for his life, Lan looked for a way out.

    There had to be a way out of this. Yet, without dealing with the Thin Goblin, Lan knew it would always catch up to him, and if he killed the two knights attacking him, what was to stop the rest just coming at him at once.

    Suddenly, as the Goblins pushed Lan to the edge, Tyr sent the impression again. It was so strong this time that Lan jumped just as something heavy crashed into his body.

    [Hp 55 - 35]

    Spinning wildly through the air, Lan hit the ground and rolled to a stop in front of the last Goblin Knight and the Thin Goblin. As his head spun, Lan looked around. It felt like he had been hit by a wagon train, and why had Tyr chosen that moment to send that impression? Lan thought as his mind cleared enough to realise that if she hadn¡¯t, he would have taken the full impact of what he guessed was a hit from one of the Titans.

    Still dazed from the pain, Lan felt Tyr in his mind again, this time not the one to move his body but the impression of there being no escape, then one of needing to escape followed by trying to move his body again.

    Spotting his sword, Lan reached, taking it by the handle before the thin goblin stepped on his hand.

    Wincing, Lan looked up as the goblin knight took up a position on top of him while the thin goblin took on a smile that looked almost pitiful.

    ¡®Of all the goblins I have faced, you are the second ugliest.¡¯ Lan said as he reached into his pocket. The thin goblin frowned, then smiled again as it noticed what Lan was doing.

    With a sound like a scratchy chitter from the thin goblin, the knight stood over him as the thin goblin crouched momentarily, making Lan think it would say something, but it became clear that it was just trying to get a better view.

    With his hand still on the roll of silk, Lan used his pinky and ring finger to grip the end of it. It wasn¡¯t going to be pretty, but if he threw the silk while holding the end, he might be able to give himself a moment to shield himself before the explosion.

    Just when Lan was about to throw the roll, Tyr sent an impression.

    Run.

    The moment the impression filled his mind, a blade of black steel emanating with a dark aura bloomed from the goblin knight''s chest as chaos erupted around the clearing.

    As Tyr sent the impression to run again, the wielder of the ominous black blade stepped close to the goblin, making it tower over the goblin whose face was locked in a mix of pain and terror.

    Lan looked up at the figure looming over him with a mix of surprise and understanding. Surprise at just what he was looking at.

    When he was a boy, Lan had once seen a necromancer and its undead servant pass through the village. It had been quite the commotion, and the necromancer was quickly moved along. After he had heard more than one story about sleepless nights from his friends. Lan had found little to be afraid of from the rattling skeleton following after the woman in black robes. If anything, it had made him a little sad.

    The thing he saw now, with green flames sitting in the sockets of an obsidian skull, spoke of a greater malevolence than the undead servant he had seen as it watched the goblin on the end of its sword with an almost detached interest.

    For a moment, time slowed as both Lan and the odd undead watched as a trace of golden light pulled from the knight¡¯s chest. Curiously, the undead reached over the knight''s limp body and tried to grab the trace of experience before it slipped through its fingers and into Lan¡¯s tag.

    This seemed to make the undead take note of Lan for the first time as realisation filled burning eyes.

    The long moment passed, and Lan saw more undead garbed in the Darkness he was hunting emerge from the tree line before impossibly long swords fell on the goblins with emotionless efficiency. Like butchers at work, taking the heads of the smaller goblins in twos and threes while the Titans and knights were hacked to pieces with no skill, just brute force.

    From his left, Lan heard the thin goblin cry as the undead raised its sword before Lan. A tower of black even in the dark of the clearing.

    Just as the sword fell, Lan pulled mana into his finger before Tyr darted in front of him, pulling her light into herself and erupting in a blinding white that threatened to sear even Lan¡¯s Wisp-bounded eyes, which was nothing compared to the undead, that staggered back and began to shake.

    Run!

    And Lan did, climbing to his feet and running into the forest as Tyr¡¯s light started to fade to normal.

    If the Darkness wasn¡¯t enough of a giveaway, having Tyr¡¯s light effect it made it clear it was tied to whatever had taken the Tear of Creation and the force that attacked the goblin camp and although he had finally found what he was looking for, the form it had taken reminded Lan how in over his head he was.

    But at least they had a lead now. All they had to do was wait for the undead to finish the goblins, and then he could follow them. Even still, Lan wasn¡¯t taking any chances, travelling a good thirty minutes away before stopping to catch his breath.

    ¡®You still have them?¡¯ Lan asked Tyr as he leaned on a tree. After a moment, he got the impression that she did, although, from the looks of her, she needed a rest more than he did. The light she used this time had almost felt like it had tangible force to it and had clearly weakened her.

    ¡®You should get some rest.¡¯ Lan said out loud as he lifted the light stone up to her so she would know what he meant. With a moment of hesitation and an impression to be careful, Tyr shot into the light stone.

    Just as Lan finished the thought, the feeling of being stabbed again ripped through his mind, and Lan stopped and spun only to find the Thin Goblin.

    It was bleeding from its side.

    Sending a trace of mana to his eyes, Lan activated his Other World Sight. Finding a small flickering flame in the goblin¡¯s chest. It was in worse shape than he was.

    ¡®Light and Stars! What is wrong with you?¡¯ Lan snapped. ¡®Your people are being slaughtered, and yet you are still trying to kill me?¡¯ Lan finished, and although the goblin wavered for a moment, its face quickly solidified into a grin.

    Looking at it, Lan felt anger boil over into cold fury. If it had any reason, even a bad one. Lan could understand it. But this¡­ just made him want to be sick, Lan thought as he reached into the chest and retrieved a potion.

    [Hp 35 ¨C 60]

    ¡®Okay, let¡¯s end this.¡¯ Lan spoke coldly, having nothing else to say.

 Chapter 65: Not smiling now

    Without ceremony, Lan and the goblin charged each other. He swung his sword with all his strength, only for the goblin to catch and redirect it with one of its curved dark iron daggers as the other dagger raked up to gut Lan.

    Sparks momentarily chased back the dark as Lan lifted his shield arm to stop the blow, then twisted his sword free and cut down.

    Effortlessly, the Thin goblin redirected the attack with a flourish before launching into a dance of slashes that forced Lan to break off.

    The interaction had only lasted a moment, but even that had been long enough to let Lan know that the goblin was faster than him and toying with him.

    So as he charged again, he half thought about needing more speed and half-willed it

    [Second configuration complete]

    [Strength: 14 ]

    |Body: 11

    |Mind: 10

    |Dexterity: 25 > 35

    |Perception: 20 > 15

    [Charisma: 10 > 5]

    Feeling lighter than ever, Lan closed with the goblin fast enough to wipe the smile off its face as it threw everything into dodging his swing. Riding the momentum from his attack, Lan slid to a stop before shooting forward at the off-balance goblin. Narrowly avoiding his attack, the Thin Goblin flipped back and threw a dagger at Lan, which he batted away with his shield arm.

    As the two traded blows, Lan had to block the goblin¡¯s cross-blade slash with his sword, sparking steel on steel. Blocking with his shield arm and binding blades, he knew that with the shackle, he was now faster than the goblin, but it managed to slip past his guard and scored a line across his ear.

    [Hp 60 ¨C 55]

    If not for the aura of his life force, Lan was sure the attack would have taken his eye, while the next time the goblin got past his sword and shield would have opened his neck.

    [Hp 55 ¨C 50]

    Each strike from the goblin Carried more skill than anything Lan had fought, and it was clear the goblin was done playing around even as the grin returned as if enjoying the fight. But Lan didn¡¯t care, for reasons he didn¡¯t have time or the desire to understand.

    The goblin¡¯s reaction to his question had pissed him off, which along with the fire in his blood, made Lan reckless, reckless enough to leave himself open with an upward slash.

    Like a whip snake, the goblin led with its right dagger, making Lan block while its second dagger looked for Lan¡¯s heart.

    But Lan was waiting for it, and he was faster.

    Stepping forward, he wrapped his arm around the goblin¡¯s as he brought his forehead into the goblin¡¯s nose.

    The goblin¡¯s eyes shot open as it stumbled back before instinct kicked in, and it jumped back just as Lan¡¯s sword fell, grazing the goblin¡¯s face and neck. And although it was only a cut, his sword burned, adding to the damage done as the goblin¡¯s flesh and blood exploded.

    ¡®That should keep that smile off your face.¡¯ Lan said, wiping the blood from his cheek while pulling air into his lungs.

    Covering its burnt face and broken nose, the Thin Goblin stared at Lan with hate, threatening to burst the vessels in its eye as Lan sent mana into his own eyes, shifting his sight and finding the goblin¡¯s flame smaller, about the size of a fist.

    Dropping low, Lan felt the Hunter¡¯s song in his mind as he readied himself, knowing what would come next as the goblin¡¯s rage took over.

    But instead of the red aura he had expected, the goblin¡¯s expression became flat as it stood straight.

    Blue tranquil vapour covered the goblin¡¯s body, a heartbeat before Lan¡¯s body and Tyr both screamed for him to defend.

    Answering, Lan raised his sword a moment before it rang like a bell as the goblin appeared in front of Lan, its dagger finishing its arch.

    [Hp 50 ¨C 45]

    Even as Lan tried to understand what had just happened, he noticed a ribbon of blood blossom from his cheek as the goblin suddenly appeared in a different position; its left dagger connected to Lan by a red string of blood.

    Realisation crawled up his spine like an ice spider as he saw the goblin flip the dagger to aim up at his eye.

    Lan kicked off the ground hard as he activated his shield arm, and the goblin¡¯s endless strikes started pushing him through the air.

    Blocking it, Lan turned as the goblin dashed to his left and started raining attacks that struck his shield like arrows.

    ¡®Faster,¡¯ Lan breathed through gritted teeth. He needed to be faster. Whatever the goblin had done, it wasn¡¯t the same as the Knight. Aside from just how frequent they were, its attacks didn¡¯t feel much harder than they had been. If he was faster, he could still win this.

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 14 > 10]

    |Body: 11 > 10

    |Mind: 10

    |Dexterity: 35 > 40

    |Perception: 15

    [Charisma: 5]

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    With this, Lan could see the goblin¡¯s attacks coming, but doing more than that was asking too much. He needed to be faster.

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 10 = Minimum limit reached]

    |Body: 10 = Caution

    |Mind: 10 > 9

    |Dexterity: 40 > 45

    |Perception: 15

    [Charisma: 5 > 1 = Minimum limit reached]

    Lan didn¡¯t know why he had gotten a warning this time, but as the goblin seemed to slow, he was able to block the goblin and started to come at him from different angles.

    Blocking and dodging, he lost track of time, but faster than it should have been possible he found himself breathing hard, his body burning, as his joints stung with the effort of continuing at the relentless pace. Yet Lan barely noticed, for it was nothing compared to the fire raging in his veins or the ice in his mind.

    The song of the Hunter seemed clearer than ever as it seemed to feed on Lan¡¯s current feelings. He wanted to win. He wanted to put an end to this goblin that seemed dead set on hounding him but, more importantly, had pissed him off.

    And he didn¡¯t seem to be the only one. Tyr had been taken by her own fury as she darted around the two fighting at a blinding speed, moving so fast as to draw lines of golden light through the air.

    Aside from the Hunter¡¯s Mark, Lan could feel something building in his chest. It was a lightness like something floating in his core, but Lan tried to push it aside as he tried to draw just a little more speed out of his body.

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 10 = Minimum limit reached]

    |Body: 10 = Caution

    |Mind: 9 > 8 = Minimum limit reached

    |Dexterity: 45 > 46

    |Perception: 15

    [Charisma: 5 > 1 = Minimum limit reached]

    Despite the situation, Lan was hit with the realisation that the voice was only warning him as, unlike last time, he would push his stats as low as possible, but he didn¡¯t see a way out without doing so.

    [Perception: 15 > 13]

    [Dexterity: 46 > 48]

    With a sudden rush of energy, Lan stopped retreating, deflected the goblin''s left dagger away and struck out with a stab, forcing the goblin to jump back with a flash of panic.

    Before it could recover, he drove in, pushing the goblin back for a moment before they started to trade blows again, only now moving at a speed that made the trees dark past them.

    But for every attack that Lan managed, the goblin answered with five, and he couldn¡¯t block all of them.

    [Hp 45 - 40]

    Looking at the goblin, the grin had been replaced by a determined fury, its teeth bared as it threw everything into killing him. Although Lan knew it was a look mirrored on his own face as he met the goblin¡¯s determination with his own.

    [Perception: 13 > 10]

    [Dexterity: 48 > 51]

    Lan¡¯s vision returned to what it had been his whole life, darkening even under the light of Tyr while his body began to move faster enough to trade blow for blow with the goblin, but it was more than just that. He was moving so quickly that conscious thought was too slow.

    Even as he tried to find an answer, his body would have already moved to meet the goblin''s attack.

    The goblin was still more skilled than he was, but Lan had begun to see the pattern after seeing and feeling the goblin¡¯s blade dance inches from his skin. It would either attack with one blade after the other or use one to feint for the other''s attack. Even the angles it would strike from were becoming clear to him.

    [Hp 40 - 35]

    Pain broke through Lan¡¯s thoughts as an attack that he had seen coming and had instinctively reacted to seemed to fade through his guard and stick home. Forgetting it, Lan moved to meet the next attack.

    [Hp 35 ¨C 30]

    Again, the goblin¡¯s blade seemed to pass through him even though he used his shield to block this time.

    Looking up, Lan found veins bulging out the side of the goblin¡¯s face and arms. Its hands seemed to have swollen to the point of fusing together, and it was shaking with the effort of moving. Whatever it had done, the goblins started to outpace Lan again, and in answer, Lan willed the shackle to give him more speed.

    [Strength: 10 = [Minimum limit reached]

    |Body: 10 = [Caution] > [[[Locked]]]

    |Mind: 9 > 8 = [Minimum limit reached

    |Dexterity: 51

    |Perception: 10

    [Charisma: 5 > 1 = [Minimum limit reached]

    Maybe it was the Hunter song, now deafening in his mind, having never left him from the start, the odd feeling building in his chest that almost felt like it could pop, Tyr flying wild, still sending compulsions to him, or just his own anger, but even though he understood why the shackle had locked his health from being tapped, it still made him want to scream. There was no way out of this outside of being faster, as even though he moved at a speed he never thought he would achieve, he was still trapped in a cage of steel blades.

    A cage that was once again closing around him.

    Despite knowing better but having no choice, Lan willed the shackle to draw from his Perception.

    [Perception: 10 > 9] [Dexterity: 51 > 52]

    [Perception: 9 > 8] [Dexterity: 52 > 53]

    [Perception: 8 > 7] [Dexterity: 53 > 54]

    Unlike before, this time, as Lan¡¯s Perception fell, darkness stretched into the corners of his eyes instead of blurring, even as he began to fight back. Stopping and refusing to take another step back, Lan met the goblin steel with steel ready to end it where they stood.

    [Perception: 7 > 6] [Dexterity: 54 > 55]

    [Perception: 6 > 5] [Dexterity: 55 > 56]

    [Perception: 5 > 4] [Dexterity: 56 > 57]

    With a sudden roar of frustration that would have broken Lan from his concentration if not for the fact that he was shouting too, the goblin threw itself at him as it abandoned technique for instinct. Even then, he pushed himself to meet the goblin, letting his sight grow dark to the point that only the goblin was visible, but soon, he couldn¡¯t even see its arms until it was right in front of him, forcing him to strain his body even more to.

    [Perception: 4 > 3] [Dexterity: 57 > 58]

    [Perception: 3 > 2] [Dexterity: 58 > 59]

    [Perception: 2 > 1] [Dexterity: 59 > 60]

    Lan¡¯s vision faded to only a pinprick, yet it did not matter as time slowed as he reached the next milestone before the goblin, sending lightning racing through his body. Feeling the slight change in air pressure from the goblin¡¯s sideways slash, the same that he had blocked and dodged countless times, Lan let it pass him before bringing his shield up to meet the left cut.

    When steel met his Shield Arm, Lan activated it, propelling the side blades out with enough force to rip the dagger out of the goblin¡¯s hand. As he heard the dagger thunk into a nearby tree, Lan brought his sword down, ready to end the fight.

    His sword fell, aiming for the little light that he could see. Suddenly, He felt a pain stab into his back, and although he knew it was only a trick of the goblin, his battle-ready state caused him to hesitate for a moment before his sword could find its mark.

    The moment was all the goblin needed to reverse its one remaining dagger and cut it up. As the two blades met, Lan¡¯s reduced strength came back to bite him as he lost the grip on his sword while the goblin¡¯s dagger exploded into a rain of metal.

    Lan''s mind raced for an answer, his sword slipping out of his hand. He had been sure that this would work, but now that it hadn¡¯t, he needed to think of something. He had his mace, but without the power of his sword, he didn¡¯t know if he could kill it within one shot and trying to fight with a new weapon while in an ocean of blackness did not leave him with much confidence.

    Lost in a black world, Lan hesitated for a moment.

    In a desperate last attempt, Lan reached out for his sword, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t find it but needed to do something. Yet as he did, Tyr''s thoughts filled his mind clearly enough for him to see her as she stopped her wild flying and raced toward his sword.

    Reaching it, the little light bumped into the handle, being knocked back as the sword turned once through the air and vanished as if being erased from the world.

    [Inventory]

    [Odd Steel Sword: Added]

    Realising what she had done with a mix of surprise and joy, Lan reached into the Other World Chest and drew his sword. Taking it in both hands, Lan shot forward with the point of his sword aimed where the goblin had been. Slamming into it with all the force he could manage, Lan felt a sharp pain along the side of his neck before all was still.

 Chapter 66: To Walk

    [Perception: 1 > 11] [Dexterity: 60 > 50]

    As Lan''s vision returned, he found the thin Goblin looking down at him with a hate-filled eye. Breathing just as hard as he was, the Goblin looked like it would say something before its one remaining eye turned black and embers poured from its mouth. Dropping the broken dagger it had tried to open Lan''s neck with, the Goblin grabbed Lan''s armour as if trying to continue the fight even as its knees buckled and slumped, and it slid off his blade, expiring into ash.

    The moment Lan was sure that Goblin wouldn''t get back up, he let his body drop to the ground, taking one deep breath before pain stabbed into his mind and body. It felt like every muscle in his body would tear any second. His mind spun, and he felt he couldn¡¯t control his body. It took him a moment to remember what was happening, but this time, it was far worse than the clearing with the silk flowers.

    [Ninth configuration complete]

    [Strength: 10 > 15]

    |Body: 10 > 15

    |Mind: 8 > 15

    |Dexterity: 50 > 15

    |Perception: 11 > 15

    [Charisma: 1 > 15]

    The moment Lan could think straight, he flopped back, ''That¡­, That was¡­'' Lan tried to before giving up with a sigh. It felt like he had been dragged behind a horse for miles with a mind full of rocks. And although his ears were ringing a little, he had regained enough of his faculties to hear a thumping in his head.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯ Lan said with a smile as Tyr landed on his chest, sending an impression of worry. And although, for the most part, he did feel alright again, if not a little hungover. The odd feeling in his chest was still there.

    It was almost like he was holding air in his lungs; only the feeling was warm yet light and just in the middle of his chest. With a smile, Lan realised it reminded him of Tyr herself.

    Once again, she sent an impression for him to follow her, but Lan didn¡¯t even know if he could move. Plus, with the now ground shaking pounding in his ears, Lan was sure his head would have exploded if he tried.

    Ground shaking? Lan thought as Tyr sent the more familiar impression of danger.

    Realisation ignited into adrenaline as Lan rolled to his feet before stumbling into a tree just as a Goblin titan came charging into view with a roar.

    With a sigh of exhaustion, Lan willed the shackle to change.

    [First configuration complete]

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 15 > 14]

    |Body: 15 > 11

    |Mind: 15 > 10

    |Dexterity: 15 > 25

    |Perception: 15 > 20

    [Charisma: 15 > 10]

    When his stats changed, Lan had to fight not to be sick as his body recoiled before the world spun into blackness.

    Tyr¡¯s thoughts pierced Lan¡¯s mind like an ember in the night, forcing him to open his eyes just as the Goblin Titan reached him with its fists raised to crush him.

    The ground bubbled and boiled as the Titan¡¯s fists fell with enough force to turn a body into a mist of blood just as Lan kicked his legs over his head and rolled to his feet a moment before the shockwave carried him into a tree.

    Stumbling forward, Lan felt a vice wrap around his body and lift him off the ground as the Titan tried to bite his head off.

    Staring into the jaws of imminent death, he knew he should be afraid, but something else bubbled up first. ¡®Oh fuck you,¡¯ Lan sighed as he touched the rune on his shield arm.

    The moment he did, the joints of the shield arm snapped open with golden lights, matching the rune circles that burst to life all over the arm, and then Lan¡¯s fist was moving. Moving fast enough, the air broke around the blade on his hand, making it glow a bright red before he met the Titan¡¯s head.

    One moment, there was a snarling, rage-filled face trying to close its jaws around Lan¡¯s own, and then it was gone, replaced with a spray of red that was itself blown away by the aftershock of the shield arms roar.

    Dropping to its knees, the Titan¡¯s body twitched, allowing Lan to break its grip and step back before its hulking mass crashed into the ground with its fall.

    With one last solid clunk, the Shield Arm expanded before the last of its power drained away in a golden vapour.

    Then, all Lan felt was pain radiating through his arm. Although he could still move it, doing so hurt and opened up ribbons of red down his arm. The shield was now much heavier, even if he could still lift it.

    Lan reached into the Other World Chest for his potion but stopped as golden Lights lifted from the Thin Goblin and the Titan.

    Floating up to hover in the air for a moment, the new light sources were joined by a pair of burning green as the undead made of the darkness watched him.

    Even in the face of more danger, Lan found that the experience from the Goblins had left their bodies while he was still in danger to be unusual.

    Seemingly just as interested in the odd phenomenon, the undead reached out again, trying to grab the golden traces as they flowed to Lan.

    [Kill log]

    Hobgoblin x 1 ¨C Level 12 = 800 exp

    Goblin Titan x 1 ¨C Level 11 = 600 exp

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    [Level Up!]

    [Congratulations, you have levelled up!]

    [Level 7 > 8]

    [Exp 725/ 10000]

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength:14 > 16]

    |Body: 11 > 13

    |Mind: 10 > 12

    |Dexterity: 25 > 27

    |Perception: 20 > 22

    [Charisma: 10 > 12]

    [Hp 30 ¨C 80]

    As the ray of light from levelling up faded, Lan found his mind spinning again, even as his body knit itself back together.

    Tyr sent an impression for Lan to run as the undead seemed to step through space, vanishing and reappearing before its black armoured foot touched the ground.

    Pushing down the weakness in his bones, Lan threw himself out of the way before the undead¡¯s impossibly black blade bit into the tree with less skill than even Lan had, yet the speed and strength were blinding, cutting into the tree like a woodsman at work.

    Tyr sent a stronger impression, jolting his body forward as the undead¡¯s sword nearly cleaved off his foot.

    Slamming into another tree, Lan looked for a way out. There was no way that he could fight the undead as he was, as he didn¡¯t know if he could stand changing his stats again, yet he didn¡¯t have the strength to run either.

    Before he could decide, Tyr sent an impression just as the undead took the choice out of Lan¡¯s hand with a downward slash, which buckled his knees even as he blocked it.

    Reeling from the strike, Lan saw and was able to bring his shield up as the undead started to rain down blows on the shield as if trying to cut through it, each sending blades of pain shooting up his arm.

    Although the undead could have killed him by aiming around his shield, it seemed more than happy to hack at him as if only being able to see the immediate kill no matter what was in the way, even if that meant driving him into the ground first.

    Forced onto his back, Lan drove his boot into the knee of the undead, hoping to shatter it, only to have pain rip through his own knee.

    Gritting his teeth, Lan tried to think of anything he could do, only to come up short. All he had was the silk, which Lan was sure would affect him more than the undead.

    If he tried moving as he was, the undead would no doubt cut him down, and Lan had nothing in him left to fight with.

    From where he lay, Lan could see the canopy of the trees every time the undead lifted its sword. The leaves were so high above that he was sure only winged creatures and the best climbers could reach them.

    Between them and the undead, he found Tyr frozen in the air.

    For a moment, he wondered if she had come to the same conclusion that he had and had given up. Then she sent one last impression for him to follow her. The impression might as well have been a whisper in his mind, yet it held so much weight and hope that he would be able to.

    Finding an odd smile forming on his face, Lan wished he could, but he didn¡¯t know how to do that now. He couldn¡¯t see, Lan thought, remembering his dream as the sword fell and he felt his arm break under the force.

    More resolute than before, Tyr sent the impression again as if the undead, forest or the rest of the world didn¡¯t exist. She looked into him and willed him to look into her.

    For a heartbeat, Lan wasn¡¯t lying on the ground but floating above the undead and his body as the odd feeling that had been building in his chest returned.

    Through Tyr''s eyes, he saw countless lights of other wisps and even the living flames of creatures that had gathered to watch him beyond the trees. All around were traces of mana from the life in the forest, the darkness trying to eat the world, and the power of the Mother holding it all together.

    This was how she saw the world. This was what she wanted him to see¡­ or maybe just part of it.

    Watching distantly as the undead sword fell, Lan noticed something. A golden cord of light stretched from Tyr to him. It was the bond they shared, a promise made real.

    No matter the distance between them, they were as one; they were one.

    Destined to walk together.

    Tyr called to him, and Lan answered.

    [First configuration complete]

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 14 > 17]

    |Body: 11 > 17

    |Mind: 10 > 17

    |Dexterity: 25 > 17

    |Perception: 20 > 17

    [Charisma: 10> 17]

    {Synchronicity: Established}

    In a blink, Lan was back in his body, and the feeling in his chest blossomed into a surge of power like cold electricity and hot ice dancing in his veins as the undead''s sword fell again.

    Then¡­ the undead was gone, and Lan was looking up at the canopy, only now Tyr was at his side, as a sound like shattered crystal dancing in a storm filled his ears. Looking around, Lan found himself floating in the air on silver wind flecked with gold and other more minor colours.

    Tyr told Lan to look behind him, and he found the undead slowly turning to look up.

    As he guessed, it hadn¡¯t gone anywhere; he was somehow floating, only he was floating in the same position he had been in on the ground, leaving his back open to the undead.

    Realising he needed to do something, Lan tried to turn, something that should have been impossible, yet as he tried, the silver wind rushed to support him and allowed him to act like he was swimming but with the solidity of standing on his feet.

    With the world supporting him, Lan swung his sword as he turned, just as the undead¡¯s sword stabbed up, missing him as he picked up more speed than someone suspended in the air should be able to. Lan aimed for the undead¡¯s exposed neck, cutting through the black bone before the silver wind crashed into the headless undead, destroying it like a ruin in a storm.

    Suddenly, gravity remembered that he shouldn¡¯t be able to fly, and Lan started to descend, the silver wind pulling away from him as he reached the ground.

    Lan just sat there momentarily, his skin tingling like it did after a long bath with a deep scrub as the remnants from the cold electric feeling danced on his skin. His body still ached but was considerably dulled by the sense of completeness wrapping him.

    Part of which came from the little light that seemed happier than he was. Tyr flew rings around him like a blur while sending Impressions to him.

    For a moment, Lan felt a little disappointed that he couldn¡¯t hear her thoughts like he had been able to in those few seconds, but soon enough, he allowed himself to be swept up in her glee.

    ¡®Okay, okay.¡¯ He laughed. ¡®I¡¯m happy I listen too.¡¯

    So that was a Wisp Walk? Lan thought as he opened his Tome, finding it had changed slightly. Still, a book made of dark blue crystal, the cover of the book was now lined with silver, with what looked like wisp wings on each of the corners.

    Having an idea of where that had come from, Lan smiled, opened his stats, and was greeted by a few changes.

    One was that his stats had been reset, and he had a new icon next to his Runica portrait.

    [Synchronicity ¨C You are in perfect balance in mind and body, allowing you to Glimpse the world of your forebearers.]

    Rereading it, Lan wondered if that was why he hadn¡¯t been able to use the wisp walk until now. Although it seemed to play a part, it had changed independently after understanding his bond with Tyr. However, did that mean he couldn¡¯t use it with his stats changed, or was it just with the shackle activated?

    Technically, the shackle was activated even as he thought about it. And Lan didn¡¯t want to even think about changing his stats so soon to see if he still could.

    Another change came in the form of his mana.

    [Mp 120 > 80]

    From the looks of it, one wisp walk cost a third of his mana. That seemed a little like a steep price, but he wasn¡¯t even sure what he was doing, so it could be fair, Lan thought, looking at the Ability in question.

    [Wisp Walk ¨C Slip through the Veil with your Wisp as your guide. Upon return, you become charged with the magic of a Royal Wisp for five seconds.]

    Lan guessed that explained the floating in the air and possibly killing the undead with just one strike. Although that could have been just how fast he had moved when charged with Tyr¡¯s Magic, Lan reasoned before looking to his sword, finding it glowing with silver rune circles that he had never seen before.

    Even though Lan could not know it for a fact, this one seemed older and more primal, unlike the fire rune circles. And instead of the warmth from the fire runes, it felt like he was holding the eye of a storm in his hand. Even the runes looked like ancient creatures made of unsymmetrical thorns and slashes.

    ¡®What is this?¡¯ Lan asked the voice.

    [The primordial and unshaped. Wild Magic is magic in its true forms, a cascade of all the elements before they are drawn out into their individual form. As a result, Wild Magic cannot be shaped by spells, existing only as the roaring storm of creation drawing from all parts of all elemental strengths.]

    Lan had never heard of Wild Magic before, although it didn¡¯t sound like something that he should be able to wield, nor should Tyr, for that matter. Then again, she was a Royal wisp tied to the same craziness as he¡­

    ¡®What can I do with it if not cast spells?¡¯ Lan asked, getting nothing back. But for a moment, it¡­ had felt like the Voice would answer.

    That reminded Lan of the moment he had been able to Wisp Walk. Maybe it was just how he felt colouring his memories, but the Voice had sounded relieved for a second? If that was possible.

    Before, Lan could dwell on it for much longer. Tyr sent the pin-drop feeling, and Lan looked up to find undead appearing out of nowhere, like actors stepping through the curtain, ready for the finale.

 Chapter 67: The Heart of hatred

    With the remnants of wild magic flowing through his veins, a sword charged with primordial power, and a bond with Tyr that was stronger than ever. Lan looked around at the emotionless black skeletons that seemed to pull the forest¡¯s darkness around them like a shroud.

    Taking a deep breath, Lan readied himself and then¡­ jumped back as one of the undead animated, blurring as it stepped through the gap between them, its sword already swinging to remove his head.

    Sliding to a stop, Lan turned and ran.

    Much as he was getting sick of running all the time, there wasn¡¯t anything else to do. He could have tried fighting it if it had only been one undead, but he had counted ten sets of burning green eyes. With how they could vanish and reappear like they could, getting surrounded would have led to a quick end.

    As if to demonstrate the point, an undead stepped back into the world, appearing from behind a tree, its dark claymore moving to scythe Lan¡¯s head from his shoulders.

    With his mind and reactions heightened, Lan twisted under the sword before diving under the next undead¡¯s attack, only to be faced with a corridor of skeletons.

    Bracing himself, Lan threw himself into dodging, keeping up his speed as Tyr vanished from his side.

    Sidestepping and ducking, blades fell around Lan, but with each near hit, the undead would reappear in front of him again, and some even tried cutting him as he passed, and either through some latent intelligence or luck, the undead appeared closer and closer together until they formed a nearly impassable wall.

    Without time to think of it, Lan trusted Tyr had gone far enough, followed his link to her, and stepped just before he reached the wall of the undead¡¯s waiting blades.

    [Mp 80 > 40]

    Having become more familiar with what it looked like to be thrown through the air, Lan watched the reverse play out as the world took on a silver light and blurred past him, just as five dark blades shot out to lance him, physically passing through the undead as if they were not there.

    Racing to her side, Lan once again heard the sound of shattering crystal as he was wrapped up in the silver wind of wild magic. Even though he had been prepared, having nothing under his feet made him kick his legs for purchase, which only caused the silver wind to rush to support him, making him flip backwards before the magic vanished and landed on his face.

    ¡®I¡¯m okay,¡¯ Lan instinctively said before realising Tyr hadn¡¯t sent the impression of worry.

    Looking around, Lan found a tranquil glade with no red and gold giants, just normal towering trees, allowing enough light to be a little jarring for Lan after so long in the dark.

    More importantly, Tyr was flying away from him slowly as if in a trance.

    ¡®Tyr?¡¯ Lan asked, reaching out with his mind, getting no answer, only a strained focus.

    Looking around and finding no signs of the undead, Lan wondered how far they had gone before following after his wisp.

    Keeping an eye out for the undead, Lan tried to reach Tyr a few more times, getting nothing. Whatever it was that had wrapped her attention, it seemed to be more than just mental as she flew far slower than he had ever seen her. At times, he had to stop himself from rushing to catch her as it looked like she would fall from the air.

    The thought of it being the darkness was the first thing that came to mind, but looking around at the tranquil sun-soaked trees made him want to dismiss the idea. But then, what could have been doing this?

    Whatever it was, they would not find it for some time, long enough that the experience from the goblins in the clearing caught up to him, and Lan watched his mana slowly return. Enough that he had regained fifty mana points before anything different in the form of a break in the forest happened.

    [Mp 40 > 90]

    [Kill log]

    Goblin ¨C Level 5 = 50 Exp

    Goblin ¨C Level 5 = 50 Exp

    Goblin ¨C Level 5 = 50 Exp

    [Exp 875/ 10000]

    Getting closer, Lan tried to reach out to Tyr before it noticed the golden light of another trace of experience.

    [Kill log]

    Goblin ¨C Level 5 = 50 Exp

    [Exp 925/ 10000]

    Lan only half took note of it as he moved closer. Just when the wall of light beyond the trees faded, and Lan could see a clear half-moon clearing with a cave face jutting out of it, he was greeted by one of the undead appearing between him and the cave, slowly swinging its head from left to right.

    Still somewhat hidden by the tree line, Lan threw himself into some tall brush as three more undead joined the first.

    Guessing that he wouldn¡¯t be learning what was in the cave, Lan turned to search for a way out only to find more undead appear around the trees behind him, clearly looking for him. Dropping lower, Lan reasoned he wouldn¡¯t be walking out of there and looked to Tyr.

    With how much mana he had regained, he had two wisp walks, which should help them get a little further away, even if how they had found him didn¡¯t make sense as despite appearing right on top of him, now being a stone¡¯s throw away from him, they didn¡¯t seem to see him.

    Pushing that away, he looked to Tyr, finding her not at his side. To his horror, he found her slowly floating past the unaware undead as she flew into the cave.

    ¡®Tyr!¡¯ Lan hissed before he could stop himself, making one of the undead turn his way.

    Trying to make himself smaller, Lan reached out to her with his mind, getting no answer.

    Peering into the tree line where he was, the undead tilted its head with a soundless snapping motion and raised a hand. Calling two more undead that appeared with a goblin fighting against their grip.

    Watching with a mix of confusion and curiosity, Lan saw as the undead looking in his direction turned, forming a blade out of nowhere and running the goblin through.

    With a screech, the goblin fell motionless, and the undead left its blade to melt into shadows.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    For a moment, Lan wondered if this might be some kind of scare tactic before his blood ran cold, the full weight of the situation and underestimating the undead¡¯s intelligence coming back to bite him.

    Slowly, the golden light of the goblin¡¯s experience left the body that still bore the burn marks of his fire silk, then started towards him.

    In an odd moment of clarity, Lan remembered that he had only killed three goblins in the clearing, and even when the undead killed a goblin he had attacked, he gained the experience, a fact that they had been more interested in than himself, it seemed.

    As if waiting for the light, the other undead stopped looking around and turned to face him, trapping him.

    Seeing no other way out, Lan reached out to Tyr again. He knew that she had gone a good deal into the cave now, but that was it. He couldn¡¯t see what was around her, and there was no doubt in his mind that this was what they were looking for. He could be jumping right into the heart of the darkness, and yet what else was there he could do? More importantly, he wouldn¡¯t leave Tyr alone when she acting the way she was.

    Taking a short breath, Lan reached out to Tyr with his mind, ready to step through the world.

    {Not now.}

    Suddenly hearing the voice, Lan almost gave himself away as he stifled a shout.

    The Voice? Lan thought and would have questioned what was going on if not for the intense focus from the Voice. Despite everything that had happened, this threatened to break his mind.

    {Focus, Lan}

    ¡®Ah yes,¡¯ Lan breathed. Not only was the Voice talking to him, but it was also projecting feeling. This was beyond understanding, and even if he knew something was going on with the voice, he had never thought she could act this way.

    Lan thought before realising he was calling the voice she, while the light from the experience started to tint the trees, and the undead began to follow it, closing the cage around him.

    {Now!}

    Steadying himself, he cleared his mind, followed his link to Tyr, and stepped into the unknown.

    Even as he floated in the air, Lan cringed at the sound of shattering crystals racing up and down the dark tunnel he was in. With the trace of experience still following him, Lan was on the clock, and now, anything in the cave would know that something was wrong.

    ¡®Tyr!¡¯ Lan hissed, watching the little light pull around the bend.

    Waiting for the silver wind to lower him to the floor, Lan looked around, finding more so of a crude hallway than a cave tunnel. Built out of rough, hewed stones, there even looked to be fixtures for torches.

    Lan quietly rushed after Tyr, turning the corner and almost ending his little adventure, when an undead walking from another hallway appeared and looked down his way.

    Luckily, it only looked for a moment before turning, somehow having not noticed the sound his wisp walk had made. Feeling no need to look a gift horse in the mouth, Lan watched it walk in the other direction just as Tyr floated down the path the undead had just come from before quickly dashing after her.

    ¡®So¡­ you seem to have more to say,¡¯ Lan thought accusingly as he followed after Tyr.

    It seemed like the voice wouldn¡¯t answer for a moment, but then she did in a tone that was trying too hard to be casual.

    {Yes}

    ¡°what happened in the hollow?¡± Lan probed as he crept around another corner.

    {Yes}

    ¡®So what are you now?¡¯ he asked while hiding in the shadows as a group of new things ran past him. Not undead, these things looked like little masses of black fur and manic energy, chittering and laughing while carrying blocks that looked like those making up the walls, only bearing fresh teeth marks.

    {I am your Seraph as I have always been, only now, I am¡­ more. The Voice of one that is more. A light marked and¡­ something else.}

    Despite himself, Lan smiled. Even now, she seemed to give him more questions than answers. For a start, he had thought everyone heard the same voice.

    {A common belief and one not wholly wrong,} the voice started reading his mind. {seeing as you will never hear the voice of another¡¯s Seraph. From a personal point of view, there is only one.}

    ¡®Okay,¡¯ Lan started as he watched Tyr pass through an arch leading to somewhere filled with green light. ¡®You said there was something more than just being Light Marked?¡¯

    {I have already told you all I can on that. As the Seraph of a Light Marked, I am allowed far more freedom and awareness, but even then, there are things that I am not allowed to tell you, meaning I can not learn either.}

    ¡®This is crazy,¡¯ Lan breathed, waiting for another one of the little things to turn past before going after Tyr. He had seen the voice as just another part of his thoughts his whole life, but now. ¡®So, do I call you something else now?¡¯ Lan managed.

    {Lan¡­} the voice called in a strained tone just as Tyr reached the middle of the next room, emanating a green light. No doubt she was still looking through Tyr¡¯s eyes

    Guessing it was nothing good, Lan shut up and readied himself for anything. At least, that was what he thought.

    Peering into the next room, Lan saw a craggy-looking stone walkway with a chasm below that the green light came from. He couldn¡¯t see what the Voice had warned him about until he was halfway over the bridge and made the mistake of looking down. Then he wished he hadn¡¯t, as his body locked up. It wasn¡¯t fear, no, not even what lay before that could spark that in Lan anymore. What struck him was a complete and total disgust bordering on insult.

    Standing in a twisted parody of an army formation were bodies. Mounds of mangled bodies forced into the shape of humanoid golems standing in pools of green, glowing liquid.

    Lan started to look away, trying not to see what lay below, before he recognised a golem made up of countless goblins, their individual forms made abstract by their mould. Even though he had done nothing but fight them, seeing them like this hurt but not as much as the Ornithall, its once majestic avian head propped up on the shoulders of another golem, its eyes staring through him and occasionally twitching as its nerves fired under the control of the evil puppeting it. At least, that was what Lan hoped was the case and not signs of remaining life. That and the small guilty hope that it wasn¡¯t part of the group he had seen.

    Even that small hope faltered at the sight of a stone bear head far too small to be the mother he had seen, and Lan was made to look away.

    He hadn¡¯t needed more reason to hate what lay at the heart of the darkness, he thought solemnly, for he hadn¡¯t thought he could.

    As bitterness threatened to overtake him, Lan pushed himself forward. He caught up to the still singularly focused Tyr, only to find his mood dropping even more as he watched her fly into the next hallway before increasing in elevation.

    ¡®Tyr, no!¡± Lan hissed as she floated into a large hole in the ceiling. The hole was high enough that he couldn¡¯t reach it and small enough that he didn¡¯t think he could fit even if he could.

    ¡®What now?¡± Lan breathed, watching her light fade. With his link to her, he worried more about what could be waiting for her than being away from her.

    Watching her light pull deeper into the hole, Lan thought about wisp-walking.

    {Not yet} the voice said

    {Wait¡­ okay, now} She went on a moment later.

    Trusting her, Lan reached out to Tyr and stepped, finding himself in an even smaller round tunnel, but oddly enough, there wasn¡¯t the sound that came with him racing through the world or, in this case, stone.

    Unlike the hallway, this one did not seem made for walking, the rounded surface making each step uneven and uncomfortable. Watching Tyr fly off, Lan sighed before trying to reach out with his mind, getting nothing again.

    ¡®So, you can see through Tyr¡¯s eyes?¡¯ Lan asked more to get his mind off what he had seen than needing clarification of something he could guess at.

    {Because the two of you are one, I see through her eyes, just as I see through your own, along with your other senses}

    ¡®Can you see what is going on through her mind right now?¡¯

    {It is hard to say there is a compulsion driving her.}

    ¡®Is there anything we can do?¡¯ Lan asked, starting to worry a little more as the tunnel started getting wider.

    {I am afraid¡­ that I can¡¯t whatever it will it supersedes anything that I could do.}

    Although Lan didn¡¯t like the sound of that, it wouldn¡¯t be long until he would find out what it was behind it.

    After walking for what felt like ten minutes, Lan saw the mouth of the tunnel and slowed to creep up to it. Suddenly, Tyr stopped mid-flight before looking around, confused as she returned to herself.

    Turning to him, Tyr sent an impression of where they were, which made him smile.

    ¡®I should be asking you that.¡¯ Lan whispered, not hiding his relief as he got close enough to the mouth to see into the next room. No room wasn¡¯t the right word.

    It was a black cathedral of dark grey stone and green-flamed braziers, and even still, Lan couldn¡¯t see the hall''s walls. Peeking from the darkness was what looked like a massive throne. But Lan barely noticed it as his eyes were drawn to the middle of the room.

    Hovering over a round stone-walled pool was the Tear of Creation, its blue light surrounded by a dark purple glow. The source of which seemed to be the pool of black under it, the onyx goo pulling from the rest of it under the Tear as if it was weeping in reverse.

    At this, along with an impression from Tyr, Lan realised what had happened. In a desperate attempt to be found, the Tear had taken over his wisp to more insistently guide them to it, and they could see why. Whatever the goo was, it had almost filled the Tear, and the few shards of thought from it that found him were filled with agony.

    An agony caused by the four figures silhouetted in the glow of blue, purple and green lights. Even though Lan couldn¡¯t see them, he knew that the one that stood closest to the Tear was the cause of all this and the one that he had been tested with bringing an end to.

    The heart of his growing hatred.

 Chapter 68: The Challenge

    Watching the four figures gathered around the Tear of Creation, Lan thought through what he could do. He didn¡¯t know how long the figures would stay around the Tear, but if he could wait long enough to regain enough mana, there was the chance he could Wisp Walk down there, kill the one that was the centre of all this and be out before the others knew.

    But that was wishful thinking at best. Without using enhanced sight, something Lan didn¡¯t want to risk, he had no idea how strong they were, although every fibre of his being told him to do it anyway. Even a tiny voice said that he only needed enough to manage one Wisp Walk, disregarding his life as long as he could free the Tear.

    In the end, his common sense won out. Though the idea of leaving the Tear stung, Lan knew where the Tear was now, meaning he had something to show the guild master and, judging by the light of the Tear and the fact that he could see the purple light not gaining any more ground. Lan told himself that he had enough time to return later.

    Tyr sent an alert a moment before a wall of something slammed into Lan¡¯s back, throwing him into the cathedral as he spun wildly. The sudden sounds of hundreds of small chittering voices filled his ears as he felt pinpricks of pain nip around the exposed flesh of his face and neck.

    Instead of falling, Lan was lifted and carried around the hall by what he realised were bats. Hundreds of bats with glowing red eyes packed so close together that it looked like he was being held by a black cloud.

    ¡®Well, isn¡¯t this exciting?¡¯ A feminine voice sang in a tone that was like silk to the ears despite the accompaniment of chittering bats as the four figures turned to watch Lan be carried to the floor. ¡®It¡¯s good I showed up when I did, or this little one would have escaped without anyone noticing.¡¯ The voice laughed while Lan felt his feet drag along the ground as he was moved closer to the Tear. Letting him see the face of this enemy for the first time.

    Four faces, backlit by the struggle between the Tear and the black pool, watched him with an impassive expression like the way a tyrant would regard a peasant child in the street before them.

    The first and the largest was a walking torso of a man, his upper body looking almost twice the size for his build with arms like twisted oaks and skin that was a dark red even though the rest of his features reminded Lan of a Goliath, but more primal.

    Although most Goliath had long canines, when this one sneered at Lan, his looked like something that belonged in the mouth of a sabre-hound and of all those gathered, he was the only one that seemed upset enough at his presence to let out a low growl that made Lan¡¯s teeth rattle.

    Compared to the first, the next person was underwhelming. Just a well-dressed older woman. A noble, maybe, with white hair, pale skin and the subdued reassurance that only came with a lifetime of believing one was better than everyone else. Yet she was the only one who looked at him with something akin to worry.

    That was until Lan looked into the woman¡¯s eyes and faced the predator behind them. Large gold eyes with twin red spirals watched him with an ancient malice. The longer he looked, the more Lan could feel himself wanting to bend to them. That was until he managed to tear his gaze away and onto the next person.

    Lan knew what the next figure was the moment he saw them. A Necromancer, but unlike the one he had seen as a boy or even the undead that he knew were slowly closing in on him. This man was just¡­ rotten.

    Pudgy, fat skin hung on a skeletal frame so loose it looked like it could slough off at any moment. Lodged into his skull where his left eye should be, the man had a ring, from which were three hinged round eyeglasses, while on his right hand were claws of long straight spikes that reminded Lan of the ones used to infuse spices into meat, on each knuckle were four long glass vials and over his putrid robes stained around the lower half with black gore the man wore a long white coat painted with blood and seemingly made of simple fabric.

    For a moment, Lan couldn¡¯t help but wonder why anyone would wear such a thing. It didn¡¯t seem to provide any protection from whatever the Necromancer had been in, nor did it seem defensive.

    Pushing that aside, Lan looked to the last of them and the one controlling the darkness, but the man had his back to Lan, his hand on the Tear. The very sight of which sent anger shooting through his blood.¡¯

    {Lan¡­ that one does not have a Seraph.} the Voice said, sounding shaken to her core.

    ¡®And the others do?¡¯ Lan thought back.

    {No, they have long abandoned them, but that one in the middle has never had one}

    ¡®Oh my, look at you,¡¯ the incredible voice said as a woman with shining pearl-like skin, hair like obsidian threads and eyes like crystalline blood that matched her lips materialised from the bats, inches from Lan¡¯s face blocking his view.

    ¡®Look at those eyes.¡¯ she said, although for a moment Lan had thought she had read his mind. ¡®Perfect blue and crowned in gold to say nothing of the inner light¡­ it¡¯s like being under the sun again.¡¯ She added, tracing his jawline. ¡®and I might add how easy on the eyes you are¡­ I think I will keep you.¡¯

    The woman¡¯s forwardness was even more intense and far more overwhelming than Olivia''s.

    ¡®That¡¯s enough, Morrigan, you are disturbing the young master.¡¯ The older woman chided.

    ¡®Me?¡¯ the pale woman grinned and turned with a smug tone to her voice. ¡®I wasn¡¯t the one that made me put sound-nullifying magic in the tunnels that my little lovelies and I use, was I¡¯ she asked, and even though Lan could no longer see her face, he knew she was smirking by the way the older woman frowned.

    ¡®Enough, you two.¡¯ the Necromancer called in a high, cracky voice. ¡®The young master needs total focus to dominate the Tear of Creation. Get rid of that rat now.¡¯

    ¡®No¡­¡¯ the one man they were calling master said in a high tenor, ending the discussion before he turned to face Lan.

    The man was young, probably a little younger than Lan if he were human and no older than Silas, with unassuming brown hair and a pale, freckled face. Standing around the others, Lan would have felt the need to rescue the boy from them if not for the emotionless expression on his face, with eyes like a dead fish left out to stare at the sun.

    The young man wore black-on-black robes trimmed in silver and more black, but the oddest part was the boy¡¯s eyeglasses, unlike Lily¡¯s relatively common round glasses. The boys were more rectangular, held only by the part around the ears and a little gold bridge linking the two halves.

    ¡®The Orb reacted to you.¡¯ the young man said, his tone filled with amusement that didn¡¯t crawl up to his eyes. ¡®So you must be the hero of this storybook.¡¯ He laughed at the joke that clearly only he got if the blank looks of the others were anything to go by.

    ¡®Too bad I don¡¯t plan on writing a cliche.¡¯ The young man smiled.

    Lan knew he was screwed. It didn¡¯t seem like he would be getting out of this, and he didn¡¯t think he could stall long enough to regain mana even though Tyr waited at the tunnel for him, sending him the impression of following her. So, he would just be stubborn.

    ¡®Hero? You got the wrong man. I was just going on a stroll and got lost.¡¯ Lan said, trying to shrug through the swarm of bats. Lan really didn¡¯t need to try. Light Marked and tasked with killing the man before him, yes, but that didn¡¯t make him a hero.

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    ¡®See that young master?¡¯ the Necromancer started. ¡®Despite his situation, this one holds no fear in his heart. He serves the Hunter and is undoubtedly from one of the guilds in the city.¡¯ The Necromancer counselled.

    ¡®I know.¡¯ The Young man said, glancing at the Necromancer. ¡®It is only a matter of time before one showed up, but I did not expect them to be tied to the Orb. But then it makes sense, like a body trying to heal itself, there are certain rules to this game. If there is a villain, then there is a hero to slay them, but this? is a little disappointing.¡¯

    ¡®Tell me, Trash Hero¡­ what is your name?¡¯

    Looking back at the young man, Lan said nothing, even as he tried to wrap his mind around everything happening. That this person was behind the darkness trapping one of the Mother¡¯s Tears, not to mention the silent devastation in the forest, beggared belief.

    ¡®I will handle this.¡¯ the Older woman said as a long black insect with hundreds of legs and a scorpion''s tail crawled from her sleeve and onto her hand as she stalked forward.

    ¡®No¡­ let Morrigan.¡¯ The young man finally said, making the pale woman step in front of Lan again, waving for the bats to lift him off the ground; she looked into his eyes while the other woman frowned.

    ¡®What is your name?¡¯ she asked sweetly as her eyes began to glow.

    ¡®L-Lan-drin Cross¡­¡¯ Lan said, feeling the words, his words massaged from his mind by the woman¡¯s enrapturing voice.

    ¡®Cross!¡­¡¯ the Necromancer started, ¡®he is of His brood.¡¯ He advised the young man, who shot him an annoyed glare.

    ¡®I know.¡¯ He said, looking away with a frown

    ¡®You know my Father?¡¯ Lan said, feeling shock and horror at the idea, almost making him miss the mirrored horror on the faces around him.

    ¡®No¡­¡¯ the Necromancer hummed. ¡®This one is far too young to be the child of that man. he must be referring to another descendant. But now that I look at him, there is no doubt no one else has hair like that.¡¯ Having no idea what they were talking about, Lan watched them all relax. His Last name was rare, but he didn¡¯t know why it brought that kind of reaction. That was until he remembered the abilities tied to his father¡¯s side of the family and that name.

    The woman was prompted to go on before he could ask who they were talking about.

    ¡®How many of you are there?¡¯ she asks, and Lan felt his eyelids flutter.

    ¡®Just¡­ me.¡¯ Lan breathed, glad that it was technically true that Tyr was part of him.

    ¡®Oh¡­ and what are you doing here?¡¯

    Instead of answering the woman, Lan felt the compulsion rooted in his mind mixing with his anger and obligation as he looked past the woman to the young man.

    ¡®I was sent to stop you.¡¯ Lan didn¡¯t know what it was, but something flashed in the boy''s cold, dead eyes before he smiled at the threat that Lan knew he wouldn¡¯t live long enough to act on.

    Immediately, the red Goliath stepped forward, ¡®Enough of this. I will get rid of this worm.¡¯ The Goliath said, raising a fist as if to crush Lan¡¯s skull with a punch.

    ¡®No¡­¡¯ the young man said, making the Goliath freeze.

    ¡®He is linked to the Tear¡­ a Light Marked.¡¯ He said, pointedly at the Necromancer. ¡®We can not risk his soul joining the Soul Furnace without making it unstable. Kill him, and we lose the Tear. Plus, I have a better use for this one.¡¯ He said, moving up to Lan. ¡®When you leave this place, what will you do?¡¯

    With the idea that he wouldn¡¯t be killed still falling into place, Lan still felt no need to play along.

    ¡®After seeing all this, I will pack and leave the city the moment I get out of here.¡¯ Lan said, making the young man laugh.

    ¡®No, you will run to your guild, and in a few weeks, an army of adventurers will be at our door. But what you don¡¯t know is that I want you to do that. I have stripped the forest and still need a lot more Soul essence to finish my work. Now tell me, can you think of the one place where I can get hundreds of powerful souls?¡¯ the young man grinned. ¡®That¡¯s right, I plan on killing all of you adventurers to use your goddess''s power to unmake this world.¡¯

    ¡®How¡­ how can anyone do this?¡¯ Lan asked. Being able to use magic was one thing, but controlling a Tear of Creation was another. It was like someone choosing when the sun set.

    The young man actually smiled at him, ¡®I always wanted to do this.¡¯ He trailed off for a moment. ¡®I was not only given the power to see the structures of magic but also reshape it.¡¯ he went on, waving his hand and making one of the torches¡¯ flames turn to sand. ¡®It¡¯s like rewriting code, but a little more fun. However, I can only do so around me or through my dark dominion, but once I have the Orb under my control, I can corrupt all of its kind, with which I will erase the gods of this world.

    ¡®Why?¡¯ Lan tried; surely, no one who was once human could want to end the world, and yet he was in a room filled with monsters that wanted just that.

    ¡®The people of this world think they can take anything they want and get away without consequence, take land, take lives, take people from their worlds. And when you are done with them, throw them away. A world in which the gods will allow this to happen is a world not worthy to exist.¡¯

    For a moment, Lan just stared at the young man¡­ the summoned Hero. Guilt and shame that were not his but still tore at his heart, filling him, and then it was replaced with anger.

    ¡®And you think you have the right to choose if this world lives or dies?¡¯ he asked, bringing on another smile that avoided the Hero¡¯s eyes. ¡®We were summoned to save it, were we not?¡¯

    For a moment, Lan could do nothing but stare, and then the Guildmaster¡¯s words returned to him: ¡°Sometimes a hero was never meant to be a warrior, but seeing as summoned heroes are held to the same or higher standards than our Hero Title bearers they don¡¯t last long.¡± Lan could see just as some were not meant to be warriors. Some were never meant to be Heroes.

    ¡®What will you do knowing that?¡¯ the young¡­ the summoned Hero asked. ¡®Help you bring an end to your world now, or try to steal a little more time before the end.¡¯

    Lan didn¡¯t know why, but despite the situation and the turmoil in his heart, his answer was clear before the young man finished.

    ¡®We won¡¯t keep you waiting.¡¯ Lan said, his mouth stretching into a wild grin. What the young man was didn¡¯t change what he was; as a Light Marked and one belonging to The Hunt, he would do his duty.

    Whatever the young man had been expecting, the look in Lan¡¯s eyes seemed to not be it as his expression returned to its blank state.

    ¡®It looks like we play this game, Trash Hero. You have four weeks to bring me my sacrifice, or I will come to the city to get it.¡¯ he said. ¡®Morrigan, get rid of him,¡¯ the young man said, turning back to the Tear.

    ¡®Hmm, a shame, Light Marked and a descendant of Arron Cross, it would have been good to add you to one of my Golems after experimenting on you. The Necromancer mused, drawing Lan¡¯s attention from the young man.

    ¡®You are to blame?¡¯ Lan snapped as he tried to pull himself out of the bats.

    ¡®Yes.¡¯ The Necromancer answered proudly. ¡®resurrection for a Necromancer is child¡¯s play, but the master has shown me a new method that I have rededicated myself to mastering. To bring back life through my experiments will be my greatest achievement.¡¯ He laughed.

    ¡®You!¡­¡¯ Lan growled before the bats moved to cover his sight before he could finish.

    When his vision cleared, he was looking down on the city gate from upon a short ridge at the edge of the forest. The odd woman hugged him from behind, one arm draped over his chest as the fingers of her other hand walked along his jaw lovingly, her nails like daggers but wielded with enough care not to scratch a baby¡¯s skin.

    Despite it being daytime, Lan found himself shrouded by darkness until he looked up and saw a parasol of bats blocking the sun from their mistress.

    ¡®There we are, Cole.¡¯ The woman¡­ Morrigan giggled. ¡®Faster than the first time, no?¡¯

    ¡®How?¡¯ Lan said, still reeling from everything happening before remembering that he knew she had caressed his name from his mind. ¡®How did you know how long it took me?¡¯ he breathed.

    ¡®It¡¯s simple love. I read your mind. Well, I saw your memories.¡¯

    ¡®What!¡¯ Lan started, taken aback by the intrusion.

    ¡®Oh, don¡¯t be like that, darling. It¡¯s not like I wasn¡¯t already ordered to look around your lovely mind. I just took a little peek, and I have to say I think I want you even more now.¡¯ She said, hugging him tighter.

    ¡®We are enemies!¡¯ Lan said, incredulous at the whole tenor of the conversation, which was the only thing he could do with the rest of the bats still holding him.

    ¡®Oh, for now, love.¡¯ She soothed.

    ¡®For now? But aren¡¯t you trying to end the world?¡¯ Lan asked, finding himself working to keep up with what was happening.

    ¡®Once this whole business with the Mother and her Children is dealt with. I will come to get you so we can face eternity in what comes next together,¡¯ the woman said, her eyes lighting with sincerity, more fitting plans for a meal between lovers and not talk of the end of the world.

    ¡®But we must say goodbye for now,¡¯ she sighed wistfully. ¡®You have an army to raise, and I have lunch.¡¯ She giggled. ¡®Oh, and one last thing before I forget.¡¯ With that, Morrigan''s fangs sunk into Lan¡¯s neck, pulling slightly from his blood as her eyes took on a golden light. Before she stopped herself with visible effort and kissed his neck.

    ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Lan demanded, feeling a sharp pain before it was replaced with a cool numbness.

    [Vampire¡¯s Mark ¨C A form of magic branding that allows a vampire to track their prey]

    ¡®I was right about you.¡¯ She licked her lip before seeming to wake from her intoxication. ¡®Oh, don¡¯t worry. I have not given you my gift just yet. No, I want you to master the power sleeping in your blood first.¡¯ She mused. ¡®With this, I will be able to find you in the battle to come,¡¯ she went on before looking thoughtful. ¡®and anywhere in the world, really. I wouldn¡¯t want one of the others to hurt you, so be sure to stay out of trouble before I am able to come for you.¡¯ with a trill, the bats scattered, and the Vampire vanished, bathing him in the light of day.

 Chapter 69: A Chat With The Boss - 2

    Once again able to move, Lan spun, ready to do¡­ what? Not only was the woman long gone, but for some reason, fighting seemed wrong despite what she was and intended to do.

    Standing there, Lan tried to process everything that had happened.

    A Summoned Hero.

    Not only were they real, but one of them was set on destroying the world. More than that, the young man wasn¡¯t alone.

    An odd Goliath-like man, a noblewoman whose eyes seemed to touch something deep in Lan¡¯s mind, the necromancer¡­ and then there was that Vampire. Lan ran his fingers through his blood and sweat-caked hair. He was starting to miss the goblins, Lan thought before the images of the Golems returned.

    As he stood there, Tyr Finally caught up to him, which immensely helped his mood.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡¯ Lan said as she landed in his hand.

    Tyr sent a similar impression back to him, which made Lan smile.

    ¡®Do you think you could find your way back there?¡¯ he asked. Although he had some idea of the way, he spent most of that time running and fighting, so he didn¡¯t trust his memory.

    Tyr looked hesitant for a moment, and he remembered she, too, had been out of it for the end, and she had no doubt just flown back to him as fast as she could.

    {I think I can help with that.} the voice said, opening his Tome before etching a new page in the blue glass book.

    Lan looked at the page as lines carved into it before it hit him. ¡®A map!¡¯

    {That¡¯s right} the voice almost laughed.

    ¡®But how?¡¯

    {Tyr¡¯s light is a type of magic linked to you and me. From the moment I changed, I started recording everything her light touched.}

    When the page was filled out, Lan could see that she was telling the truth. The parts of the forest they had travelled in were not only there but also the cave in its interior. Lan was sure he now had one of the most detailed maps of the city, if not the most thorough. Most magic-created maps were made using light reflection or sound, but none of the ones he had seen had this much information.

    ¡®This¡­ this is amazing.¡¯ Lan smiled, seeing the clearing with the silk flowers. ¡®this would have been good to have a day ago.¡¯ he said, not getting a response. ¡®Well, at least we know where we are going now. But Voice? This isn¡¯t about the City or Crownguard. That Summoned Hero is trying to end the world. Isn¡¯t there some way to tell¡­¡¯

    {I can not¡­} the voice said with the finality of the end of a conversation.

    ¡®But¡­¡¯

    {I can not, Lan, this is the world of mortals¡­ the days of the Lords of light are gone. Even if it ends the world, I can not interfere. Even if I could, the Mother would not intervene. No matter how daunting those five may be, they are still mortals¡­at least in the eyes of the Lords. And In all her love, the Mother will not arrest the autonomy of all living things again, even if it means her end, as long as there is even one Messenger left.}

    Lan frowned. It sounded like what was taught about the Mother, but he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to like it.

    {Do not give up, Lan. We are far from doomed. Remember that even now, we are not without a Messenger. You are the Legacy of the greatest of them, for how else would their power still flow through your blood. Plus, Tyr and I believe in you.} As if to emphasise the point, Tyr landed on his shoulder.

    ¡®Well¡­ if that¡¯s the case, then there is nothing I can¡¯t do.¡¯ Lan said, letting a smile form on his face as he started for the city.

    ¡®Maybe you should rethink being an adventurer, Lan.¡¯ Sam, the younger red-hair guard, said, looking like he would steady Lan if he started to wobble, getting a grunt from the older Guard: Talwin.

    ¡®Boy¡¯s got an overdeveloped sense of effort.¡¯ Talwin huffed.

    ¡®More like an overdeveloped sense for getting myself into trouble.¡¯ Lan said, making Sam smile.

    ¡®Well, it can¡¯t be that bad if you can joke about it,¡¯ he laughed

    Lan looked down at himself, taking in the damage for the first time. His armour looked rough; parts of the leather almost cut through, and that was to say nothing of what he could see of his arm, which had turned rusty red with dried blood.

    ¡®Yep.¡¯ He said blankly, wondering how he would explain this to Lily before considering if he should say anything to the two guards. On the one hand, he liked them, and he was sure any form of warning would be appreciated; plus, they would learn about it anyway. But Lan knew it was best if the Guildmaster shared the news first.

    ¡®Everything alright, Lan?¡¯ Sam asked.

    ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s just that it might be a good idea to keep people from entering the forest.¡¯ he offered. At least until I can speak with my Guildmaster.¡¯

    The two shared a look before giving Lan a nod.

    ¡®Getting worse?¡¯ Talwin asked, clearly up to date with what was happening.

    ¡®No, just clearer.¡¯ Lan answered, nodding to the two and heading into the city.

    Reaching the Guildhall, Lan headed for the desk, for once not noticing if anyone had taken note of him.

    ¡®Lan!¡¯ Mari started, almost getting out of her chair.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine, Mari.¡¯ Lan breathed. ¡®The Guildmaster?¡¯

    ¡®He is free right now. I can ask if he will see you now if you want?¡¯ Mari tried, but Lan was already moving.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¯ he called back, heading up the stairs.

    Stepping into the Guildmaster¡¯s Office, Lan was greeted by a questioning look from the head of his Guild. A look that Lan was sure was meant to make him wither at his abrupt intrusion, but Lan couldn¡¯t bring himself to be sheepish then.

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    ¡®I found your rogue Hero. The greater and lesser undead, too.¡¯ Lan said, unsure if he was trying to be witty and finding his words ever the graver of the absence.

    The Guildmaster looked at Lan as if searching his soul for a moment before sighing and waving for him to sit. ¡®You didn¡¯t see the dragons, did you?¡¯

    That made Lan pause, finding the idea to be unpleasant. ¡®Light, I hope not.¡¯

    ¡®Tell me everything, son.¡¯ The Guildmaster ordered, and Lan obeyed to an extent. Keeping anything about the voice to himself, Lan told the master about the undead and the cave.

    When Lan finished describing the Goliath, the Guildmaster stopped him.

    ¡®A red-skinned Goliath? That¡¯s not a welcomed surprise.¡¯ The Guildmaster said as he wrote something down.

    ¡®You know what it is?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®That¡¯s right, red-skinned Goliaths were once known as God¡¯s blood Goliaths. They were larger, stronger, and more bloodthirsty Goliaths, rarely born to the clans. It was said that they had the blood of a war god in them. Because of this, they would always become the leader of their clan.¡¯

    ¡®You have been using a lot of past tense.¡¯ Lan stated before waiting for him to go on.

    The Guildmaster nodded. ¡®As you can guess, allowing a mutation to dictate the course of your clan¡¯s future, a mutation that often leads those afflicted to crave war with other clans and races, didn¡¯t lead to the most prosperous lives. And so, before the formation of the old kingdoms, Goliaths began to challenge the God¡¯s blood in their clans. In time, none with the blood held power in any clan.¡¯

    ¡®What about any that were born after?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®They would be treated like any other member at first, but if any showed a desire to lead, they would be challenged and killed. Or so we were told.¡¯ The Guildmaster shrugged as if he didn¡¯t fully believe it. ¡®It¡¯s safe to say anyone who lives today would be upset with the clans.¡¯

    Lan nodded, ¡®But what about its odd proportions?¡¯ he asked, remembering how unbalanced it had looked even though its movement had been anything but.

    ¡®Could be several things, but none of it is linked to the God¡¯s Blood, which means something we need to watch out for. What else can you remember.¡¯ The Guildmaster asked.

    Maybe it was the fact that this time Lan knew he was right, but the Guildmaster¡¯s tone had none of the procedural air it had the first time he had given a debrief.

    ¡®There was an older woman, a noble maybe, but her eyes¡­¡¯ Lan shivered.

    ¡®Her eyes?¡¯ the Guildmaster paused in his writing and raised an eyebrow.

    ¡®Yeah¡­ gold disks with red spirals. At one point, she called an insect I had never seen the like before, planning on using it to make me talk.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm.¡¯ The Guildmaster stopped writing. ¡®Red spirals, you say¡­¡¯

    ¡®Something wrong?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®There was a rumour about a noble girl with eyes like you described when I was a boy, but it was in a higher class noble circle, so I never paid attention to it.¡¯

    ¡®It was odd¡­ when I looked into her eyes, I could feel parts of my mind wanting to bend to her.¡¯ Lan said, recalling the experience.

    ¡®Like a form of hypnosis magic?¡¯ the Guildmaster asked.

    ¡®Maybe¡­¡¯ Lan shrugged,

    ¡®What else?¡¯

    Lan thought about it. ¡®Well, there was a vampire that gave me this¡­¡¯ he said, turning his head as he shifted his collar, allowing the Guildmaster to see the two bite marks that already looked like year-old scars.

    ¡®A Vampire!¡¯ the Guildmaster sat up. ''a Vampire¡­ in Crownguard?¡¯ he trailed off.

    ¡®And that is¡­.¡¯ Lan prompted

    ¡®Unusual, vampires usually don¡¯t come near lands ruled by the Lords of Light. The followers of the first Lord do a great deal to keep it that way.¡¯ The Guildmaster explained before sighing. ¡®But if her bite didn¡¯t turn you, then she must be more than just a run-of-the-mill vampire. They have no control over their curse, quickly becoming problematic when one shows up. A Vampire Lord, a God¡¯s Blooded and a Noble shrouded in mystery anything else?¡¯

    ¡®A necromancer that has found a new way to bring people back from the dead, and from what I saw, it¡¯s far worse than being undead.¡¯ Lan said, hating how the memory still pulled at his chest.

    ¡®Hmm, and you still haven¡¯t said anything about the summoned Hero.¡¯ The Guildmaster stated.

    ¡®No, I have not¡­ I couldn¡¯t talk to him for long, but long enough to know what he was planning. The man said he could change the structures of magic, which he is using to take over the Tear of Creation. Once he has the Tear, he plans to use her to take over other Tears. Then he plans on going after The Lords of Light and the Mother.¡¯ Lan said. ¡®I can¡¯t be sure, but I think he needs souls to do this¡­ that¡¯s why he let me go. He wants me to bring the All Guilds Campaign to him.¡¯ Lan ended.

    He had thought about keeping that part to himself. The idea that the Guildmaster might think this was all a trick to lead them the wrong way came to him before he pushed that thought aside.

    Everyone needed to know what they were getting into, and Lan could tell from the glint in the Guildmaster¡¯s eye that he was right.

    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t be much of an All Guilds campaign if they didn¡¯t know we were coming. This does seem to line up with all the different reports¡­ now the critical part. Do you have anything solid I can go off?¡¯

    Lan just looked at him for a moment, so caught up in trying to recall everything he had been through that it took a moment before realising what the Guildmaster was asking for. ¡®Oh.¡¯

    {Lan, I can make the map page of your Tome visible to others if you would like?}

    ¡®You can?¡¯ Lan almost said out loud.

    {That¡¯s right,}

    ¡®Please.¡¯ Lan thought with a smile.

    {You are very welcome.} the voice said as the Guildmaster¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡®Is that¡­?¡¯

    ¡®My Tome¡­ yes,¡¯ Lan said, finding the fact that someone else could see his Tome a little embarrassing. Pushing that aside, Lan stood and walked over to the Guildmaster and turned his Tome to face the man with a wave of the hand.

    ¡®This is a map that we made from the city gates all the way to the Summoned Hero¡¯s layer.¡¯ Lan said, sharing a thought with the voice to make the map focus on the cave system.

    ¡®You have a mapping ability? ¡®The Guildmaster question, reaching into his desk for what turned out to be a small glass sphere, ¡®can you transfer it to this?¡¯ he asked, offering the orb to Lan.¡¯

    ¡®Uh Voice?¡¯ Lan thought, touching the offered sphere.

    {Give me a moment to work something out.} she said, and after just a moment, the sphere began to glow, drawing the map in the air with light.

    ¡®This is¡­ detailed.¡¯ The Guildmaster breathed, looking at the city map, raising an eyebrow at one part before waving his hand to refocus on the cave system. ¡®I will send some scouts to reconnoitre. I know.¡¯ He said, cutting Lan off before he could even process the disappointment. I believe you at this point, but I have to have something I can take to the Duke. You said there are tunnels we could use to get around?¡¯

    Lan nodded.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have a scout there and back in a day.¡¯

    Even though Lan knew this was the right move, yet with what he knew, it seemed like every moment they weren¡¯t preparing was a waste.

    {Hmm.}

    ¡®What is it?¡¯ Lan thought to the voice.

    {I think I may be able to convince him¡­ could you touch the orb again.}

    Doing so, Lan felt a tingle in his mind, ignoring the Guildmaster¡¯s raised eyebrow.

    {This¡­ might hurt.}

    Before Lan could ask what, the tingle turned into a biting pain, his vision flashed white, and he heard a popping sound.

    ¡®Ah! Damn.¡¯ Lan said, shaking his head as his sight cleared to see the orb blackened and cracked with a grain of light still projecting an image, a memory.

    Where had moments earlier been the map, now Lan looked at the Tear of creation hanging over the black pool and casting light on the five figures just like he had seen them. Only now, it looked like the image had been pulled out of a nightmare.

    Maybe it was due to the imperfection of memory or the damage to the orb, but the image had a hazy texture, with some features being clearer than others; the necromancer''s odd clothes and gear, the Goliath¡¯s skin and teeth, the noble, and her spiral eyes which seemed to have left enough of an impression on Lan that they were the only features of her face that had been captured.

    Funny enough, the Vampire¡¯s whole face was as clear as he could remember.

    Lastly, the young man. He was just a shadow with those same dead fish eyes, and behind them, in perfect detail, was the Tear being slowly corrupted.

    ¡®This is.¡¯ The Guildmaster said, looking taken aback for the first time. Even if he had never seen a Tear of Creation before, there was no doubt that he would know what he was looking at, just as Lan had.

    Sighing, the guild master reached for a piece of paper and scribbled something before placing it in a box. The moment he did, the box started to glow, and seven bluebirds made of light shot out of it and flew through the window.

    ¡®You know that Mage eye cost a thousand Dragons?¡¯ He offhandedly said, making Lan wince.

    {Whoops}

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯ Lan returned, shrinking down a little.

    ¡®It¡¯s a little price to pay if it means saving the world.¡¯

    Still working out how he would repay the damaged Mage Eye, it took Lan a moment for the Guildmaster''s words to sink in. ¡®You mean?¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s right. I sent word to the other guilds and anyone who should know that I am requesting an All Guild''s Campaign.

 Chapter 70: Ture Dominion

    ¡®I am requesting an All Guild''s Campaign.¡¯

    Letting out a breath, Lan slumped back in his chair as understanding of what would come next hit him. During the All Guilds campaign, many lives would be lost because of what he had just done, but he hoped that they would be able to save many more.

    After a moment, Lan looked up at the Guildmaster.

    ¡®Have you heard of the name Arron Cross?¡¯ Lan asked, trying to change the topic, getting a raised eyebrow from the Guildmaster.

    ¡®The Black Fox?¡¯ the Guildmaster shot back. ¡®I have. He is the Sage that I told you about the last time we spoke.¡¯ he said, looking at Lan as if they were both holding one half of the same picture, just waiting for the other to show theirs.

    Lan let the information sink in. The fact that the Summoned Hero and the others had known his name tied him to Arron Cross, along with his abilities, on top of the fact that Arron Cross was a Sage who spoke out about the beliefs of Summoned Heroes, left little doubt. Arron Cross had been one himself.

    ¡®You knew that I had ties to Arron Cross, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®I suspected.¡¯ The Guildmaster nodded.

    ¡®How?¡¯

    ¡®With your condition, it was harder to tell the first time we met. But looking at you, you have more than a passing resemblance to the portrait of Arron Cross in the Hall of Sages. But what made me pause was your hair. Arron Cross was said to have hair like black glass, but when the light hit it, it would shine with the deepest blue.¡¯

    Lan frowned but didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡®In the clearing before the Razorwolves, when I looked at you, I was sure I had seen a few locks that turned blue in the light. That, along with the Mark, it seemed like you had been right where you needed to be.¡¯

    Lan had never noticed any difference in his father¡¯s or Silas¡¯s hair, let alone his own, but he hadn¡¯t been looking for differences. Even still, there didn¡¯t seem to be much denying it now. The blood of his father¡¯s side was that of a Summoned Hero.

    The very idea made Lan feel small. No, made the world feel like an endless ocean, for if Arron Cross had been a summoned Hero, a man that had become a Sage, wouldn¡¯t that make his belief that he had come from another world and not a Tale true?

    That meant the Summoned Hero threatening the world had really been taken from his world at the whim of those with more power than compassion.

    ¡®So we are in the wrong?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®I don¡¯t see it that way,¡¯ The guildmaster answered. ¡®I was not lying when I said most kingdoms no longer use Hero Summoning, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Crownguard has not in hundreds of years, but I can understand what you must be going through. Not only are you just learning the truth, but it must be worse in your case. If you aren¡¯t up to bringing down someone you see as a victim, then no one will look down on you for staying out of it. You have already done more than enough.¡¯

    Lan shook his head. No matter how he felt, that was not even a question. ¡®No, no matter what happened to that man, this world is not his to destroy. It¡¯s my duty to see this through to the end, not just as a Light Marked but for those I care about. Plus, it¡¯s what we adventurers were born to do, right?¡¯ Lan smiled.

    ¡®Speaking of which, I see you still aren¡¯t using the Title. Do you still feel like you haven¡¯t earned it yet?¡¯

    Lan thought about it, but only for a moment. In the eyes of the Lords, he had already earned the Title, which wasn¡¯t why he hadn¡¯t been using it until now. The question was, did he think he had earned it now?

    Lan chose to show his answer instead of saying it.

    [Name: Landrin Cross]

    [Title: None > Adventurer ¨C Wild Hunt]

    Being able to see his basic information, the Guildmaster smiled. ¡®Welcome to the guild, Hunter.¡¯

    [Title Passive: Plus five points to your highest attribute when fighting alongside others of the Wild Hunt.]

    ¡®Thank you, Sir.¡¯ Lan smiled, feeling an odd sense of belonging fill him as he took a moment to enjoy the achievement. Despite everything, he had carved a path for himself.

    ¡®Just call me Boss, everyone else does.¡¯ The Guildmaster said on instinct. ¡®Now come on. Let¡¯s go give the others the good news. But I warn you, you aren¡¯t going to win new fans with this one.¡¯ The Guildmaster said, making Lan nod gravely.

    He had just signed the death warrant of many of them, but that included himself. He had to face that fact.

    Light Mark or no, he had seen the odds that they were up against first hand. A darkness that could wipe out a Goblin Swarm was just one form of magic made by a man set on killing the Lords of Light.

    Then there was the vampire that had made him powerless in multiple ways. That was to say nothing of the others, all wrapped in mystery. Lan had to face the fact that he might not see the end of the Campaign. If anything, having been tasked with saving the Tear meant he couldn¡¯t give up, and even if, by some twist of fate, the Campaign was called off, he would still have to go alone.

    Lan looked up, finding the Guildmaster smiling mischievously at him as he stood, leaving Lan to have to struggle to catch up.

    ¡®Everyone!¡¯ The Guildmaster called, and as one, all heads turned to the balcony they were standing on. ¡®Last time I spoke to you like this, I told you to act as if you were preparing for an All Guilds Campaign¡­ Well, thanks to Landrin here¡­ you can stop acting.¡¯ The moment the words left the Guildmaster''s mouth, the air in the hall became electric, and wild grins joined looks of excitement and surprise.

    ¡®After the Sky Eater¡¯s reign, I was sure there wouldn¡¯t be another All Guilds Campaign in my lifetime. I was wrong. And though few of those who faced the Sky Eater with me are left in this hall, it won''t give me a moment''s pause because I know that all of you are up to the task. Even still, this is a world-ending threat. Many good adventurers will not be making it back¡­¡¯ The Guildmaster paused, allowing his words to sink in. ¡®So I want every last one of you to pay your respects to the other Guilds for their losses when this is done. Good hunting.¡¯

    The Guildmaster turned and headed back to his office, too humble to bask in the glory of the roar of challenge that rose in the hall for an enemy too far away to know to regret the hell they had called down on themselves.

    Swept up by the atmosphere, even Lan found himself joining in, beating the front of his chest plate in time with the drumming of armour and feet.

    Once the uproar died down, the hall cleared in a heartbeat, leaving him in an empty hall. Remembering his state, Lan was much slower in descending the stairs.

    ¡®Hmm¡­ I see that you have learned to Wisp Walk.¡¯

    Hearing the voice that could only belong to one person, Lan looked back to find Art on the fourth step behind him, making Lan jump back.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡®Ah! How?¡¯ Lan asked, sure that he should have heard the odd old man coming. ¡®Wait, you know about Wisp Walking?¡¯

    ¡®And I see that you have found your path.¡¯ The old man went on as if Lan hadn¡¯t asked a question.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Lan said before looking down to see he wasn¡¯t wearing the Black shackle anymore. But hadn¡¯t he been wearing it in the cave? He thought before wondering the last time he had seen it. ¡®But I still don¡¯t know what path I should take.¡¯ He said a little sadly at the loss.

    ¡®Did you not look at your stats?¡¯ Art said, tilting his head.

    Doing so, Lan found what he expected, five points in everything and the rest of his points unused.

    ¡®It¡¯s just all five.¡¯ Lan said.

    ¡®No, you fool of a boy, they are all even.¡¯ Art sighed.<u> </u>

    For a moment, Lan stared at the old man, ¡®Right, well, bye now,¡¯ Lan said, starting to walk away.

    ¡®What, you don¡¯t believe me?¡¯ Art cried, chasing after him.

    ¡®It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you. It¡¯s just that everyone I have spoken to tells me to be careful with my stats. I can¡¯t think of anything more wrong than even stats. I mean, I would be weaker than everyone in everything.¡¯

    ¡®No, you would be weaker than everyone in some things and stronger than them in everything else.¡¯ Rushing to his side, Art saw Lan hesitate and capitalised on it. ¡®Let me ask you this: when you were using the shackle against strong enemies, what did you do, Humm?¡¯

    Lan thought about it. Both times, he needed to push the shackle to its limit to keep up.

    ¡®You tried to face their strengths, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ Art finished as if reading his mind. ¡®Most youngsters do. But think what would have happened if you had targeted their weakness¡­¡¯ Art paused long enough for the thought to take root in Lan''s mind.

    The Goblin knight had not been that fast, and speed had been what Lan had used to kill the other knights he had faced. As for the hobgoblin, speed had seemed like the only answer, but when he had managed the cut on its face, what if he had had a little more strength behind the blow.

    ¡®And not just agility and strength. You would be surprised how deep the words of a man with high intelligence and charisma can cut in a fight. Even stats may leave you at a disadvantage in the short run. But in the long term, you will become unstoppable as others stop investing in their weaker stats.

    Lan listened closely now, but only because it sounded like this wasn¡¯t the first time the old man had given this speech, and the confidence in which he spoke told Lan it had most likely worked before.

    ¡®It¡¯s too bad I can¡¯t keep using the shackle.¡¯ Lan fished, hoping he could get another one of the prized tools. ¡®That was if it didn¡¯t leave me wanting to slam my head into a wall.¡¯

    ¡®Well, no wonder,¡¯ Art chimed, ¡®Every time you change the configuration, you are cutting parts of yourself and sticking them somewhere else. When you put a point in a stat and remove it, it takes its toll. Do that enough, or with a significant investment, and it¡¯s even harder on your body.

    But you wouldn¡¯t be the first Light Marked to try that. No, but you already chose your path, didn¡¯t you. You can¡¯t Wisp Walk without Synchronicity.¡¯

    This made Lan stop. He had hoped he hadn¡¯t been right about that.

    ¡®And if you are going to face the coming war, you are going to need the Wisp Walk at the least.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t know, I think just flying would be more useful.¡¯ Lan rubbed his eyes.

    ¡®F-flying.¡¯ Art spluttered indignantly. ¡®Fly! Flying is admitting that the earth has dominion over you, and that is why you must rebel against it. When you Wisp Walk, you become empowered by the Ancient Will, which gives you the authority to write your own dominion. Up, down, flying, swimming, running diagonally through the air or just sitting upside down on the ceiling. None of it holds meaning beyond what you give it. For you Walk with the light of the Mother. If that¡¯s not enough. Try looking at your stats after you Wisp Walk.

    Looking around at the empty hall, Lan guessed It would be fine. With a crystal shattering, Lan watched the world blur as he moved a few feet to the left and up while making Mari jump.

    ¡®Sorry,¡¯ Lan called to her, trying not to kick his legs as he opened his tome.

    [Attributes:]

    [Strength: 5 + 20]

    |Body: 5 + 20

    |Will: 5 + 20

    |Dexterity: 5 + 20

    |Mind: 5 + 20

    [Charisma: 5 + 20]

    ¡®Twenty-five!¡¯ Lan shouted and moved, making the Silver Wind start to spin him around before he stopped himself.

    ¡®Well, you are still young to this.¡¯ Art sighed, disappointed as if an astronomic buff in power was nothing. Even still, this had to be why he felt like lightning was running through his veins as the Silver Winds shrouded him.

    ¡®The flexibility to target an opponent''s weakness and the power of your bond. Do you still think you do not know your path?¡¯ Art asked as if knowing he had won, and as Lan thought about it, it really seemed like he had.

    Although only for a few seconds, raising his stats by twenty was crazy. It would put all his stats at thirty-seven for just a few moments.

    ¡®Oh come on, do you know how long I have had to wait for a Light-marked who hasn¡¯t broken their synchronicity?¡¯ Art huffed, losing patience. ¡®Too long! Just say yes already. So many Light Marked wasted by spending their points before I could reach them. I finally found one, and he is dumb enough to take gifts from strangers,¡¯ he sighed.

    Ignoring that last part, Lan wanted to ask Art about his role in all this, but He found his mind wrapped around dividing his stats equally. Despite Art¡¯s rambling, the Tear had deemed the power great enough to spare some of her dwindling power to grant it to him. And there was a small part of his mind crazy enough to be excited by the idea.

    Like there was some potential to the madness that he was just starting to see.

    ¡®I¡¯ll even throw these two in for free.¡¯ Art said, and when Lan looked down, he found a flat dark grey bracelet with what looked like a bell attached to it. The other was an Ability Gem. The knowledge of an ability stored in the form of hardened manifested memory.

    ¡®The Tuning Bell will weaken the distance and power of your Wisp Walk while greatly decreasing the cost of each Walk.¡¯

    Floating to the floor, Lan took the two before pausing.

    ¡®What ability is it?¡¯ he asked, narrowing his eyes at Art. Although it had been a big help, he didn¡¯t want another surprise like the Black Shackle.

    ¡®Oh, just a common enhancement ability.¡¯ Art shrugged, making Lan even more suspicious.

    ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Lan hummed. ¡®Voice?¡¯ he thought to the voice just in case she could do something.

    {I can¡¯t tell much, but it looks to be a standard Ability Gem.} said in his mind.

    ¡®And the bracelet?¡¯

    {That, too, is just what the man said.} the voice said happily.

    Feeling a lot more confident, Lan took the gem in his hand and touched it to his forehead.

    [New ability gain]

    [Boost ¨C a simple yet core ability for any warrior. Boost raises the user''s highest stats by twenty for twenty minutes.]

    Taking a deep breath, Lan activated the boost ability, a red flame rising over his body before vanishing. Frowning and looking at his stats, Lan sighed.

    ¡®Right, I don¡¯t have a highest stat, and I won¡¯t if I listen to you.¡¯ Lan glared down at Art, even though Lan knew he should be grateful nonetheless, seeing how much Ability Gems could cost. It really did seem like the man was just toying with him.

    Yet Art just looked at him with that same all-knowing smile. ¡®what? Even if you can¡¯t use it, you would rather not have it?¡¯ the old man asked as if there was a choice in the matter now.

    ¡®I guess not.¡¯ Lan said before sliding the bracelet on.

    [Tuning Bell ¨C An item crafted by the Keepers of old for their charges, allowing for refining a Young Light''s power. While Wearing the Tuning Bell, the stats boost of your Wisp Walks is lowered by ten points while its maximum range has been locked to twenty meters. In return, the duration is increased to ten seconds, while the cost is dropped to five mana.]

    Lan paused at that. Negatives aside, five mana seemed really good, and if the Silver Wind of each lasted ten seconds, that seemed to make up for it if what Art said about his movement was true.

    ¡®Ah, I see that you are starting to come around to the idea.¡¯ Art gloated. ¡®But that isn¡¯t even the best part. Only a step¡­¡¯ he winked. ¡®¡­ping stone to the true power of your bond.¡¯

    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Lan asked, wondering how else he could use his bond.

    ¡®The Bond Ability¡­ like Wisp Walk is the act of a Messenger tapping into the power of other celestials. But a Messenger¡¯s true power is that they are crucibles for refining other celestials and their powers. You may not be a true Messenger, but you are the Legacy of one, and your Wisp leads me to believe that you will be able to resonate. Manage to accomplish this, and there is no telling what you will achieve.¡¯

    ¡®How do I do this?¡¯ Lan asked, feeling himself drawn in.

    Slowly, Art leaned in, his eyes growing wild with the revelation to come. ¡®You start by not getting ahead of yourself.¡¯ He finished with the smuggest grin the human form could manage, but he went on before Lan could throttle him. ¡®Start by mastering the Wisp Walk. The more familiar you are with your Messenger blood, the more natural it will become. For now, focus on developing as many different abilities and skills as possible from different paths.¡¯

    Despite himself, Lan smiled. ¡®Haven¡¯t you heard the saying, ¡°A Jack of many is¡­¡¯

    ¡®Yes, yes. A master of blah, blah, blah. But let me ask you how many masters of their paths have you seen, Huh?¡¯ Art challenged, and although Lan knew two candidates, he could see the point. Not many people reach the point of mastery of their paths. Even still, focusing ensures one at least had the chance to achieve it. But going down the path art offered now would be choosing to forsake even that little spark of hope.

    ¡®The more well-rounded you are, the more you can capitalise on the equal stats. Try to get as many as you can before investing your points. The lower your stats, the easier it is for you to pick up entry-level skills and abilities of different paths.¡¯ With that and a wave, Art walked back up the stairs.

    Snapping out of his musing, Lan found himself alone and realised he had decided. Although he still had many questions, he would walk his ancestor''s path, a thought that was as terrifying as it was exciting.

 Chapter 71: Naming Day.

    From the table at the back of the manor, Lan listened to the sounds of the children eating the tarts he brought mixed with the soft sound and the light of Lily¡¯s healing magic while the young woman pouted through her glasses as if she could glare his wounds together.

    After a moment, Lan cleared his throat. ¡®So uh, I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of sweets to bring, so I just got a bunch of tarts. They should be enough for a few days,¡¯ Lan tried to break the ice. ¡®maybe I should ask what to bring for the next time I come over.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, so it was a bribe then?¡¯ Lily asked in a way that should have been dangerous but was more so endearing coming from her,

    ¡®Only if it worked?¡¯ Lan smiled as Lily¡¯s pout became forced. ¡®If not, then it is just an innocent gesture of guest hospitality that I hope makes you forgive me.¡¯

    Lily looked away. ¡®You don¡¯t play fair, Landrin Cross¡­ but it made the children happy, so I guess I can forgive you this time. I know they will be happy to get to share sweets like this, seeing as they don¡¯t get to do so often.¡¯ Lily said, looking down.

    That was right, Lan thought. As orphans, Lan was sure most of them wouldn¡¯t even know their birthdays, let alone celebrate them, not to mention most of them wouldn¡¯t have had many chances to have a favourite sweet to celebrate with.

    From the tone of her voice, Lily wanted to change that, but looking at the newly repaired windows and smoke rising from the chimney on top of the better condition of the children¡¯s clothes, Lan knew where her priorities were for the coming winter.

    For a moment, Lan sat, allowing Lily to heal him without saying a word. There was the chance that this would be one of the last times he would get to see any of them, and he had more coin than he could spend even with Dell¡¯s payments. But if this was to be one of the last times he saw them, he wanted to leave them with a good memory of him.

    ¡®Why not throw a party for all of them?¡¯ Lan asked, making Lily look at him.

    ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be fair to give them all the same birthday, Lan,¡¯ she said, clearly having had the same thought before.

    ¡®Not a birthday, a naming day. Sure, they already have first names but not a family name, right?¡¯ Lan asked. Although Naming days weren¡¯t a thing in Crownguard, Lan knew that some of the other kingdoms with lower childhood survival rates, like Leeto, still used them instead of birthdays.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know Lan.¡¯ Lily said, even though Lan could see she liked the idea. ¡®It¡¯s going to cost a lot for all the children.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll take care of it.¡¯ Lan cut in, but he must have been too enthusiastic as Lily frowned.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on Lan? You seem off today. You were also like this the first time you returned from a job.¡¯ She frowned.

    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯ Lan looked at her, ¡®the All Guilds Campaign has been called.¡¯ The moment Lan said the words, Lily¡¯s eyes opened wide as she broke her spell.

    ¡®and are you going¡­?¡¯ she said in a small voice.

    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯

    ¡®So is this naming day party just a parting gift?¡¯ Lily asked with fire igniting behind her welling tears.

    ¡®Not a parting gift,¡¯ Lan smiled, ¡®I just happened to think about it just now.¡¯ Which was partly true. Lan hadn¡¯t thought about it before, but now that he had, he wanted to see it through.

    ¡®Okay.¡¯ Lily said, looking down.

    ¡®Come on, it¡¯s not like I am going alone. I probably won¡¯t even see any fighting.¡¯ Lan said, making Lily narrow her eyes.

    ¡®That¡¯s a lie, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, probably, but I will try my best to make sure it¡¯s not.¡¯ He laughed

    ¡®Just come back, okay? I don¡¯t want to lose the only adult friend I have.¡¯ She ended with a weak smile.

    Before Lan could answer, another voice broke in.

    ¡®Why are you hurt?¡¯ Milly, the little girl who had helped rob him, asked with berry tart filling from the pastry she was still eating on her cheek.

    ¡®That¡¯s because I am an adventurer.¡¯ Lan says, picking up a rag to clean her cheek.

    ¡®Oh¡­ so are you a brigand then?¡¯ Milly asked.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Lan started

    ¡®I heard some of the women in the market say that adventurers were all brigands.¡¯

    ¡®No, Milly. Brigands are people that lie and steal¡­¡¯ Seth cut in as he walked up to them.

    ¡®Maybe you are a brigand then.¡¯ Lily said so only Lan could hear.

    ¡®Adventurers are more like¡­ the Rogue!¡¯ Seth said with a nod as Milly gasped.

    ¡®No, we are not¡­¡¯ Lan protested, ¡®well, I am not anyway,¡¯ he corrected after a moment¡¯s reflection.

    From what he had seen, calling some of the adventurers in the guild the Rogue would be high praise.

    Everybody knew who the Rogue was. He was a character that appeared in the Tales of Araden the Great King, where the Rogue would often change from friend to foe depending on what outcome suited him best.

    ¡®I would say that we are more like¡­ Tallik Moon, the Hero.¡¯ Lan said, thinking of a name he was sure they would have heard of. Despite being called a hero, Tallik was pretty much like an adventurer before they were called that.

    Even still, it was enough to make the kid¡¯s faces light up as even more joined them.

    ¡®So you have stories of fighting monsters then?¡¯ Milly cried as Lan felt someone pull his sleeve.

    ¡®Well¡­ yeah.¡¯ Lan answered, looking down and finding the little blonde boy Kaya looking back up at him.

    ¡®Oh, Tell us, Tell us.¡¯ Milly started, but the other children quickly picked it up.

    Getting a smile from Lily. Lan let out a dramatic sigh before lifting Kaya onto his lap and dove into an age-appropriate retelling of his encounter with the Razerwolves with the guild and then his first solo job from the clearing to the goblin camp. His adventure was surprisingly more polarising than he would have thought.

    Some of them had gone pale when he was describing the goblin camp, while others had a sparkle in their eyes from the same tales. It was the same reaction that real tales got, making Lan wonder if this was how they would have felt telling their tales for the first time. Even Seth looked his age until Lan looked at him, and he wiped the starry-eyed look off his face.

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    ¡®How did you get out!¡¯ a girl''s voice squeaked.

    Before he answered, Lan smiled and tore a tiny bit of fire silk.

    ¡®I took the ball of fire silk I had and threw it at the Goblin King''s tent, voosh!¡¯ Lan cried, igniting the silk before throwing his arms into the air, getting a wave of excited ¡°wows!¡± from the children, ¡®In seconds, everything was on fire, and I made my escape in the confusion,¡¯ Lan said in a victorious tone he didn¡¯t feel. But watching as the kid''s faces lit up, he knew the change was correct. Plus, it seemed like something the crafty Tallik Moon would have done.

    ¡®This is the sword you used?¡¯ A rather large boy for his age asked, picking up Lan¡¯s sword, which Lily had taken off him and set off to the side while still in a huff.

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t play with that!¡¯ Lan said with too much urgency, making the boy drop the sword.

    Before it could hit the ground, Tyr flew into it, pulling his sword into the Other World Chest, which went over a storm with the kids as he retrieved it from the air.

    ¡®Sorry to scare you, but you could hurt yourself if you aren¡¯t careful.¡¯ Lan said, getting a nod from Lily.

    ¡®Lan is right, and you know better, Martis.¡¯ Lily added softly but with the natural concern that would make any child feel guiltier than a scolding.

    Another boy jumped up as the first boy looked away and kicked the ground.

    ¡®What is its name?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, what¡¯s its name!¡¯ the others cheered.

    ¡®Name?¡¯ Lan blinked, knowing that he should have seen it coming after telling them his Tale. Everyone knew that all the best swords in the Tales had names, and for some reason, Lan didn¡¯t think Odd Steel Short Sword would work. Even still, the idea of having a named sword was a little... complicated.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, well, it doesn¡¯t have one yet.¡¯ Lan laughed

    ¡®Aww!¡¯ The children cried.

    ¡®But, you can¡¯t be a Hero without a sword with a name¡­¡¯ Milly pouted.

    ¡®Well, I am not a hero,¡¯ Lan smiled weakly, trying not to think too much about the word.¡¯

    ¡®Well, yeah, that¡¯s because your sword doesn¡¯t have a name.¡¯ Someone said, and Kaya looked up at him.

    ¡®I know, let¡¯s pick a name for your sword, then you can be the hero and not the rogue.¡¯ Milly nodded, and before Lan could stop them, all the children started shouting names at him.

    Names like Silver Steel and Night Singer were met with a forced smile from Lan; not only were they a bit much as far as names went in his eyes, but they were already the names of legendary heroes¡¯ swords.

    ¡®Oh, what about Magic Eater,¡¯ Milly cheered, ¡®you said it can steal magic, right?¡¯

    This led to a round of names shouted at him in that vein.

    ¡®Mana Taker!¡¯

    ¡®Oh! Hexdrinker!¡¯ were mixed with others.

    ¡®What about Spell Thief?¡¯ Lan heard a red-faced Seth say, not making eye contact.

    ¡®Spell Thief.¡¯ Lan laughed softly. That name seemed to have jumped out of a Tale, even if it was from one he hadn¡¯t heard, although it was a bit embarrassing to name his sword. But it wasn¡¯t about him.

    Turning his sword and holding it by the sheath, Lan smiled. ¡®Spell Thief¡­ I like it.¡¯ Lan said, smiling as, once again, Seth looked like an average child, his face lighting up before he hid it.

    ¡®Alright, that¡¯s enough bothering Lan. he still needs healing.¡¯ Lily laughed.

    With sugar racing through their blood and charged by his stories, the children vanished into the city to cause mayhem before Lan or Lily could stop them.

    ¡®Should we be worried?¡¯ Lan asked, watching them go.

    ¡®Yes,¡¯ Lily sighed. ¡®but the guards tend to watch over them when they are in the city. Plus, they blend in with all the other children running around.¡¯

    Lan nodded. That seemed about right. There were always groups of children playing in the city, so people always looked out for them.

    Even though Lily insisted that he needed more healing, Lan was adamant about getting home and telling his mother and father before word about the All Guilds campaign reached them.

    Ultimately, Lily would only let him go if she could go with him to finish healing him at home. So, after a change of clothes at the inn, they headed to his village.

    Reaching his village, Lily couldn¡¯t help but look at everything they passed on the road to his home.

    ¡®So this is the place you grew up?¡¯ she asked with wonder in her tone as they passed the tree he had fallen out of as a boy.

    ¡®Well, some of it.¡¯ Lan laughed, not feeling like going into his past.

    ¡®Also¡­ is everyone looking at us?¡¯ She asked, moving closer to him.

    ¡®Yeah, they¡¯ll do that.¡¯ Lan smiled. No doubt, word about what really happened to him had been spread by Miss Tolly. As such, although no one approached him, none looked at him with disgust anymore.

    A voice cut through the relative quiet before Lan could answer Lily¡¯s questioning look.

    ¡®Damn you, Orin. The inn in the village is grand, but you said it was better than those in the city and the capital. After overselling it like that, I couldn¡¯t enjoy the¡­ quaint atmosphere.¡¯ A voice that made Lan want to punch the owner said, dripping with mock comradery as if wanting everyone in the village to hear the Light-hearted banter meant to denigrate the village.

    ¡®I know Lawrence¡­ Sorry.¡¯ A voice Lan knew belonged to Orin grovelled so hard that Lan could hear the self-deprecating smile.

    A smile that was wiped away a moment later when the group of the last people he wanted to see walked out of the inn. Aaron, Orin, Dara, Mai, Charlotte and, of course, Eliza and Lawrence.

    The sycophantic laughter died away when they saw him, replaced by worried looks to the ashen-faced Lawrence.

    Lan would have kept walking, not giving them a second look, until he noticed Lawrence had reached for his sword, to which he stopped because Lily was with him.

    Despite being at a disadvantage at the moment, Lan felt no reaction to seeing the man reach for his sword. In the short time that had passed, Lan had grown from wanting the man to try something so he could cut him down to completely dismissing the man as a threat.

    As if to emphasize the point, Tyr floated over to hang above the group at just the right height to put Lan in position to kick the man¡¯s teeth down his throat after a Wisp Walk if needed.

    As Lan watched Lawrence¡¯s knuckles go white around his hilt, he knew the man could read his thoughts by the look in his eyes.

    Aside from Eliza, the others stared at Lan with the same dumbfounded looks as before.

    Having no idea of the history between them, Lily looked between Lan and the group, but that was until she noticed the sword and, without thinking, took Lan¡¯s arm protectively as if to hold him back.

    Knowing that he had already lost the first move and needed to do something, Lawrence relaxed and looked at Lily.¡¯

    ¡®Lan, it seems that you have made a new friend.¡¯ Lawrence smiled before seeming to really see Lily. Clothes and lack of title aside, there was no doubt that she had grown up a noble on top of her natural charm.

    ¡®My lady,¡¯ Lawrence bowed. ¡®It seems like you have fallen in with an unsavoury person. Whatever he told you to get you to come along with him is a lie, but my friends and I will be willing to help you.¡¯ Lawrence ended with a smile that Lan was sure was meant to be charming.

    But once again, Lily had been raised as a noble and, despite her gentle disposition, wasn¡¯t impressed, not even noticing him as she turned to look at Lan. ¡®Do you know those people?¡¯ she asked with concern.

    Even though Lan was sure she hadn¡¯t meant it as a slight, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly as Lawrence''s face momentarily contorted into a mask of anger.

    ¡®Oh, he knows who we are, don¡¯t you, Lan?¡¯ Lawrence laughed, ¡®I bet you brought her out here to show off to us.¡¯ Lawrence said, looking around for support, which he got, inflating his ego until he looked to Eliza for more, and his face fell.

    Looking over, Lan found Eliza, her face expressionless and eyes wide, locked onto Lily''s arms around Lan as if refusing to see what was before her.

    ¡®Eliza?¡¯ Lawrence asked, laughing weakly, but she could not hear him.

    As Lawrence''s face turned to one of defeat, Lan momentarily thought about rubbing salt into Lawrence''s wounds, but one thing stopped him, one thought. What would spending a moment with them even gain him?

    ¡®They are no one that matters.¡¯ Lan said to Lily before starting to walk past.

    As Lan and Lily passed the group, Eliza¡¯s gaze did not change from where they had been, while the look of defeat that had grown over Lawrence''s face changed to one of cold clarity of a mind made up as his eyes met Lan¡¯s.

    ¡®Lan¡­¡¯ the young noble said in a voice filled with more hate than he had ever heard, but the moment he looked away from the group, Lan had already put them out of his mind.

    ¡®What was that?¡¯ Lily asked in a small voice, so Lan told her as they walked. Oddly enough, although he still hated all of them with a burning passion, Lan told the story as if it were someone else, and he guessed it was.

    ¡®I¡­ I am sorry that happened to you.¡¯ Lily said, holding his arm tighter as tears welled in her eyes. Lan smiled, happy he hadn¡¯t told her how he had grown up.

    ¡®Don¡¯t be sorry. If they hadn¡¯t done what they did, I would not have met all the amazing people I have. I never would have met you.¡¯ Lan smiled, bringing colour to Lily¡¯s cheeks. ¡®Seth, Molly, Kaya, and the rest of the children, or had any good stories to tell them. I never would have met me.¡¯ he shrugged, feeling warmth in the words as much as in Lily''s smile.

    As they crested the hill, Lan saw a shape move from the kitchen, and before he could even knock, his mother threw open the door.

    ¡®Wellcome home, my Sweet.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother smiled the way that only she could. The smile that held more warmth than the largest hearth, the smile that told him that he really was home.

    ¡®Hi, Mom.¡¯ Lan smiled back.

    Having been so happy to see Lan that the rest of the world had stopped existing, his mother blinked, her head slowly turning as she realized someone was with him.

    With an inquisitive look, Lan¡¯s mother looked at Lily, who looked back nervously. His mother''s eyes slowly dropped to Lily¡¯s arms, which were still wrapped around Lan''s arm and forgotten after the encounter at the inn doors and the story.

    ¡®Oh¡­ a new potential daughter-in-law to evaluate so soon.'' Lan''s mother clapped and smiled sweetly.

 Chapter 72: Bond

    Momentarily stunned by the beauty of the woman before her and then by the information that she was Lan¡¯s mother, it took Lily a moment for her words to sink in.

    When they did, Lily blinked. A red glow filled her face slowly, starting at the points of her ears.

    ¡®I!¡¯ Lily cried before stopping herself from saying anything else. Daughter-in-law? Did that mean his mother wanted her to marry Lan!

    What should she say? What could she say? Would his mother take her saying no as an offence? Did she want to say no? Lily thought as she glanced at him. Even during their first meeting, she found him sweet, but then he came back looking like the most striking man she had ever seen.

    Lan was different from most men she had known. Not only did she not feel like he was looking for anything else from her outside of her magic, which he was paying guild prices for, if anything, making her the one taking advantage of him.

    He hadn¡¯t tried to make her do anything, and although her life as a noble of a house with a bad reputation and her time at the academy being spent between books with one unpleasant encounter had left her with little to no experience with men, she felt safe with him and knew she could trust him.

    Also, the children liked him, Lily thought before wondering why she was thinking about how good he was with children at this moment.

    She could see all the reasons to love him¡­ so many reasons, but it was too soon, wasn¡¯t it?. She didn¡¯t love him, right? Lily thought, her mind racing before realising she wasn¡¯t saying anything.

    Panicking, Lily could already hear herself saying something stupid and then making it worse as she tried to explain, but Lan came to her rescue before she could say anything.

    ¡®Stop teasing her, Mom,¡¯ Lan said, ¡®this is Lily, a friend of mine and my healer, so don¡¯t scare her off by making her think you are being serious about all that in-laws stuff.¡¯ He laughed as his mother looked between both of them before pinning Lily with a look that said, ¡°he might not know, but I do.¡±

    ¡®If you say so, my Sweet.¡¯ His mother said, pulling him into a hug. ¡®Come on in. Any¡­ friend of Lan¡¯s is always welcome in our home.¡¯ She said with an almost imperceptible pause before friend that only Lily¡¯s burning ears seemed to catch.

    ¡®Thank you,¡¯ Lily blushed, making Lan¡¯s mother smile a little more smugly.

    When she thought about Lan, Lily would occasionally wonder what his family was like. Looking at the three of them greeting each other, Lily decided her wildest imagination had been tame as she looked at the scene that would make artists worldwide weep for being unable to capture.

    Even if his appearance made perfect sense now, it didn¡¯t make what she saw fair. Despite being in their late forties, both could easily pass for their very early thirties, and that wasn¡¯t the half of it.

    Lan¡¯s father looked the perfect image of a seasoned adventurer, being the spitting image of Lan, only half a head taller, with shoulders just as wide. And where Lan looked like¡­ Lan. Those same features came off as ruggedly handsome for his father, and with his cool personality, the man might as well have been pulled from a tale.

    Then there was his mother. Not only was she a stunning beauty, but she also had a smile that seemed to set the tone of any room she was in, as Lily could not help but smile back when she saw it.

    Amongst the nobility, dark hair for women was seen as less desirable, but the fool who had come up with that trend had clearly not seen Enri Cross when they did, as hazel hair seemed to have been made solely for her.

    Each would be the centre of attention anywhere they went, but seeing the three of them together like they were, chatting and laughing, they just made sense. Two unbelievable people and the result of the harmony of their love.

    Lily was taken aback as she watched them, but Lan¡¯s mother and father acted like newlyweds even after more than twenty years, which led her to wonder if that was what marrying Lan would be like. Sure, he had no doubt lived with his former master for some time. But she was sure that the warm way the two seemed to gravitate around each other, sharing smiles and stealing looks when the others weren¡¯t looking, would have left an impression on Lan.

    Feeling her cheeks colour at the thought of sharing such a moment with Lan, Lily cleared her head as Lan started to talk about his last job.

    ¡®That¡¯s nice, my Sweet.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said after he told them about the All Guilds Campaign, pulling him into a hug.

    ¡®R-really?¡¯ Lan asked. ¡®Uh hey¡­ Mom, how long are you going to hug me for?¡¯ Lan added when she didn¡¯t let go of him.

    ¡®Oh, about four or so weeks, just until the Campaign is over.¡¯ she said in a calm yet dangerous tone.

    ¡®Mom¡­¡¯ Lan said flatly, not even trying to break from her hold.

    ¡®I know.¡¯ She sighed as his father placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡®We already talked about this and knew this might happen, and we prepared ourselves for that moment. Just promise us that you will come back.¡¯ She asked in a fragile voice.

    Lan knew this request was coming, although he thought he could not promise it. Knowing what he was up against and seeing the love in his mother''s and father¡¯s eyes made none of that matter.

    ¡®I will.¡¯ Lan said, finding that he meant it. No Matter what he was up against, even if he had to go it alone, somehow he would come back alive and with the world safe.

    [New Personal Quest: Keep your word.]

    Seeing the fire in his eyes, both his mother and father smiled.

    ¡®Alright, Son,¡¯ Lan¡¯s father smiled, resting his hand on his shoulder. ¡®We will help in any way we can.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ Lan smiled back before telling them about the Summoned Hero and the others.

    ¡®We¡­¡¯ His father started. ¡®I guess that makes sense now.¡¯ He nodded, seeming to take the news of their origin far better than he had. But as Lan saw his father look at his mother, he understood why.

    ¡®Although I have to say, a Vampire Lord, necromancer and God¡¯s Blooded all working together is something.¡¯ Lan''s father said, lost in his own thoughts as if fighting them in his head.

    ¡®Vampire Lords are tricky.¡¯ His father rubbed his chin.

    ¡®You faced one?¡¯ Lan asked as Lily started to heal him again.

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    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ His father nodded. ¡®your mother and I faced one a few years into our career.¡¯ He turned to Lan¡¯s mother.

    ¡®Oh, I remember you flirting with her, yes.¡¯ His mother said dangerously.

    ¡®It would have been hard to flirt when I was trying to stab her in the heart before she could bite me.¡¯ Lan''s father sighed before both laughed.

    ¡®Uh, so how did you kill the Vampire Lord?¡¯ Lan asked.

    ¡®Well, all vampires, even the lowest, are magic creatures. Vampire Lords are all high-ranking Mages, which they naturally use to enhance their body and powers; they can heal instantly, teleport and fly, amongst a list of other things, as long as they have mana. Mana, from which they can gather an endless source by drinking blood. Outside of sunlight and holy magic, the only way to kill a vampire is to do enough damage that they run out of mana healing themselves. Once they are out of mana, they go down pretty easy.¡¯

    ¡®Easier said.¡¯ Lan trailed off. With how the Vampire Lord acted, he wondered if he could take her on a date out in the sunshine, or more realistically, maybe he could find a source of holy magic for his Spell Thief.

    ¡®Now, a God¡¯s Blooded on its own can rip a man apart with their hands, and I have never heard of one look the way you described it. But if it¡¯s anything like the others of its kind, it shouldn¡¯t be able to use magic.¡¯

    ¡®You have faced one, too?¡¯ Lan asked, getting a nod from his father.

    ¡®Yeah, one had tried taking over a village to start a new clan a year after I joined.¡¯

    ¡®How did you beat it.¡¯ Lan asked, craving any kind of edge for the fight to come.

    ¡®Stay out of its range,¡¯ Lan''s father smiled. ¡®Even then, it took us an hour to bleed him to death.¡¯

    ¡®Did you ever face a necromancer?¡¯ Lan asked, hoping they wouldn¡¯t pick up on the anger behind his tone.

    ¡®A few.¡¯ His father nodded. ¡®there are two kinds of necromancers in our experience, those that see raising the dead as a religious pursuit. Purifying the bones and whatnot, like the woman that passed through the village when you were little. The other kind is obsessed with death and allows themselves to become corrupted by the rot around them. From the sound of it, if this necromancer has not yet become a lich, they are still just a mortal.¡¯

    ¡®Well, more like a bag of goo.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother added, getting a nod from his father.

    ¡®Yeah, if you can get past their undead, they will go down easily enough.¡¯

    Lan nodded, keeping in mind that it would be easy for his seasoned adventurer parents, even if all the information was still priceless to him.

    ¡®So what are your plans now.¡¯ His father asked.

    ¡®Well.¡¯ Lan started before telling them about what Art had told him. ¡®So I need to learn a lot of skills fast.

    ¡®Hmm,¡¯ His father rubbed his chin again. ¡®I think I could help you out there, but you use a sword, and although I can show you a little sword work, as you know, I used a spear for most of my life.¡¯

    Smiling, Lan reached into the Other World Chest and retrieved his spear. ¡®This was the first weapon I ever used. It¡¯s what helped me remember who I was, so it has a lot of sentimental value,¡¯ Lan looked at the spear with warmth for the memory that had become a good one.

    ¡®Well, if you would like¡­ I could teach you.¡¯ Lan''s father said with a mix of hope and a little embarrassment.

    ¡®I would like that!¡¯ Lan said, his eyes lighting at the thought of learning from his father again, something both of them did not realise how much they wanted until the offer was made.

    ¡®Okay,¡¯ his father breathed with a small laugh before frowning. ¡®But I don¡¯t think this spear will work,¡¯ He added in a tone that Lan knew meant he was working something out. I created ¡°Black Spearmenship¡± because of the black spear¡¯s design. Instead of a regular spear blade, it had what was pretty much a short sword. So, to use it to its fullest, I incorporated glaive and polearm techniques to create Black Spearmenship.¡¯ His father tapped a finger on his knee. ¡®Could I see your sword for a moment.¡¯

    Nodding, Lan unbuckled his sword and handed it over. ¡®What are you thinking.¡¯ Lan added, knowing it would be the best way to get his father to talk when he was like this.

    ¡®Your sword is a standard Mage Blade design. Although the point is curved like a single-edge blade, the blade is straight and sharp on both sides.¡¯

    At that, Lan wanted to ask why but bit his tongue.

    ¡®I think it would work pretty well for Black Spearmanship, ¡¯ Lan''s father ended.

    ¡®You want to take it apart?¡¯ Lan asked, unsure if he wanted that, but before he could decide, his father smiled.

    ¡®Not take it apart,¡¯ he said with a knowing smile as he drew the blade and, in one motion, reversed the sword and scabbard before putting the metal end caps together.

    When Lan saw this, he knew and couldn¡¯t keep a child-like grin from forming on his face. ¡®You figured it out!¡¯ he beamed, deepening his father¡¯s smile. ¡®How did you get the matter bond to work?¡¯ Lan asked, almost jumping out of his chair.

    As a boy, Lan had occasionally watched his father work on a project he called the Matter Bond. Based on manipulating what Lan¡¯s father called the building blocks of all things.

    Lan had never really gotten the whole picture but had felt like he had come close, and now he knew the reason that his father was the only one who had ever talked about Matter. It was through his ability that he was able to see it.

    Matter bonding was the idea of convincing the Matter of two objects of the same material that they were one, and although they had come close, they had never been able to get it to hold for too long.

    ¡®Well, it was Silas who gave me the suggestion that finally worked. Instead of trying to sustain the mana flow to the runes, the right timing can cause the two objects to weld, and then all you need is another trace of mana to break the bond.¡¯

    ¡®Ah! That makes sense.¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®So it doesn''t need a constant stream of mana like we thought.

    ¡®It would with the old rune, but we need to find the right timing with this one.¡¯ Lan''s father laughed. ¡®It seems your brother is far better at not overthinking things than we are.¡¯

    At that, Lan smiled, although he was a little sad about not being there when they finally worked it out. Knowing Silas was the one to be there left him with a warm feeling.

    ¡®So¡­¡¯ Lan''s father smiled. ¡®how would we go about turning this into a spear shaft?¡¯ his father asked, handing the scabbard to Lan.

    Taking the scabbard and spinning it in his hand, Lan smiled back. His father did this every time they started a new project.

    ¡®Hollow out and replace the core with a reinforced skeleton that can extend and fill the gaps it makes, along with dividing and capping each part of the scabbard with metal, allowing the Matter Bond.¡¯ Lan answered immediately, knowing it was exactly what his father was thinking even before the grin and nod.

    With that, Lan and his father dove head-first into the discussion. Seeing this, Enri patted Lily on the shoulder and nodded for her to follow into the kitchen. ¡®They are going to be like this for a while.¡¯

    ¡®Would you mind helping me with lunch?¡¯ Enri asked as she moved to start. After a moment, Lily joined her, and the two fell into a comfortable silence only broken by the occasional direction by Enri. Although Lily was clearly inexperienced in properly using a knife, she was at least sure of herself.

    It was clear to anyone with eyes that she was a noble even if she didn¡¯t dress like it, which made the fact she was even trying adorable. Enri decided she liked her and to not tease her too much, even if she had been right.

    ¡®I want to say thank you for looking after Lan.¡¯ Enri added after a moment.

    ¡®What? I didn¡¯t do much.¡¯ Lily protested, almost dropping the cured meat she was holding. ¡®I just do a little healing. I wouldn¡¯t say that I am looking out for him¡­¡¯ she added as she secured the ham.

    ¡®Trust me, healing an Adventurer is the best thing you could do for them. Those with the mark tend to lose themselves in a fight, and it¡¯s worse for Kurt. I have seen him charge a basilisk moments away from petrifying him so he could drop a boulder on its head. When I stopped throttling him long enough to ask him why he would do something like that, all he could say was, ¡°It just seemed like the right thing to do.¡± Enri mimicked Kurt¡¯s voice.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t speak to him for a week.¡¯ Enri giggled. ¡®No, healers are very important, and I think Lan will need a healer more than his father did¡­ oh,¡¯ she smiled, ¡®and don¡¯t think I overlooked your work. Your healing marks are the finest I have ever seen, so your skill is not in question.¡¯

    Lily blushed at the compliment. ¡®Thank you¡­ although I wish I didn¡¯t only get to see him because he was hurt¡­¡¯ Lily sighed before she realised what she had said, and her head snapped back. ¡®That!... is not what I meant!¡¯ she said quickly, only getting the same look that seemed to see right through her again.

    ¡®Of course.¡¯ Enri smiled. ¡®knowing that Lan has a healer like you makes me feel better about the Campaign.¡¯

    ¡®I can¡¯t imagine how it feels for you¡­ I know I could barely breathe after hearing it. I mean an All Guilds Campaign¡­¡¯ Lily said, making Enri smile warmer.

    ¡®He will be back.¡¯ Enri said without hesitation or worry, ¡®My Lan is stronger than anyone I have ever known.¡¯ She added as a shadow of pain flashed behind her eyes before it was cast out by another smile. ¡®He¡¯ll be back safe. I just need you to promise to make him sound when he returns.¡¯

    ¡®I promise.¡¯ Lily nodded. Somehow, she could feel that there was more than just a promise. ¡®although I don¡¯t know how much I will be able to do when I can¡¯t go on the Campaign.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, but you can.¡¯ Enri said, making Lily look up.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

 Chapter 73: First three days

    After an hour of planning, Lan and his father had the blueprint for the alterations. The two would have spent the next three days working on it non-stop if not for Lan¡¯s mother periodically pulling them out of the workshop to be normal humans for short periods.

    Along with eating during their mandatory breaks, Lan¡¯s father showed him some swordwork and the unarmed fighting style he knew.

    ¡®Every adventurer will find themselves without their weapon at some point, so it¡¯s best to learn to use your fists in more than just tavern brawls.¡¯ His father smiled as they approached the large tree before their home. With the encroaching winter, the leaves started to take on the light blue colouration they were known for in winter.

    ¡®This is a style that a group of us in the village learned from a retired adventurer.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father explained as he placed his leather apron under the tree and stretched his arms. ¡®this style is designed by the archers of Shirada, who are not allowed to touch any weapon other than a bow, not even a shield. As a result, they train to turn their bodies into their backup weapon. This works out well when you use a weapon like a spear, too.

    Demonstrating greater speed and flexibility than someone his size should be able to. Lan¡¯s father fell into a sequence that started with jabs and strikes before turning with a cross into a sidekick, then a front kick.

    ¡®Although you should try not to be as flashy as that, the point is to use your attacks to open up a path for your next attack. It may sound obvious, but once you start learning, you will get what I mean.¡¯ With that, Lan¡¯s father walked him through the basics of the Arrow Fist.

    As Lan started following his father in the first sequence, he began to understand the mindset of the people who had devised the style. There was no running away. Blocking and evading were only done to look for an opening for a powerful counter with a fist, elbow, or knee before following it up with crushing kicks.

    [New Skill Acquired: Arrow Fist]

    That wasn¡¯t the only skill Lan learned over the three days. On the second day, Lan learned crafting and repairing skills.

    [New Skill Acquired: Crafting]

    [New Skill Acquired: Repairing]

    Knowing what had just happened, Lan¡¯s father patted him on the shoulder as he walked past. Lan just stared at the runica on his tome. At one point in his life, that skill was the only thing he wanted. As a core skill of the crafter class, Lan would never be able to reach the level of even a bad crafter without the class item and title, but that didn¡¯t matter. The skill had more meaning now than it would have ever had before. Even if he was right in thinking the hunt would never end for him like it did for his father, it was one more thing that he would cherish.

    When his mother dragged them out for something to eat, Lan was surprised to see someone other than Maya setting the table.

    It was Lily.

    ¡®Lily?¡¯ Lan asked, getting an answer from his mother, who rested her hands on Lily¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡®Lily wanted to learn to cook, so I am teaching her.¡¯ His mother smiled, and that was all she would say. In any case, it allowed them to plan the party for the kids while training and working on the sword.

    ¡®I have been thinking, but I can¡¯t come up with anything to serve the children at the naming party.¡¯ Lily sighed.

    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯ Lan thought, taking a bite of his apple. It was something that he had been thinking about as well. Whatever they picked would have to be something that wasn¡¯t done lightly. The main dessert was meant to be meaningful, and it didn¡¯t make sense to think they would all like the same things.

    Suddenly, something came to him. ¡®I think I might have an idea.¡¯

    ¡®Oh? What.¡¯ Lily asked, only getting a smile from Lan.

    ¡®You will just have to wait and see.¡¯ He winked before hoping that Miss Lucy still made it or at least would make it for him. From what he could remember, it hadn¡¯t gone well when she introduced it, but it seemed perfect for the party.

    Maybe it was because she trusted him or was happy to pass the responsibility on to him, but Lily nodded before looking down and steepling her fingers.

    ¡®So, Lan. I was talking to your mother and was thinking of going along with you on the Campaign¡­¡¯ she ended before looking up at him for his reaction.

    ¡®That¡¯s a great idea!¡¯ Lan perked up.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Lily sat up too.

    ¡®Not actually going on the Campaign,¡¯ Lan explained, ¡®but I am sure they will need as many healers as we can get.¡¯ On the guild contract against the Razerwolves, one of the healer¡¯s guilds had followed, and he was sure they had gotten a share of the job. If they could get Lily a share of the Campaign rewards, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the children for a long time. ¡®plus, that spell of yours could be invaluable.¡¯

    Now that he had decided to come back, Lan knew he needed to come up with a more permanent solution, but this would help a lot.

    ¡®Oh, that was easier than I thought.¡¯ Lily breathed out with something colouring her tone.

    ¡®Well, yeah.¡¯ Lan laughed, ¡®surrounded by Adventurers and healers. The only place you would be safer is here.¡¯ he smiled as he nodded to his home.

    Seeing this, Lily smiled, ¡®You seem different when you talk about the Campaign now¡­ It¡¯s nice not seeing the shadow over you when you bring it up. I don¡¯t know. I guess it makes me feel better about it all.¡¯

    ¡®I am just no longer thinking about whether I will return, just how?¡¯ Lan laughed before looking steadfast. ¡®I am going to come back. Even the world''s end won''t stand in my way anymore.¡¯ He joked, which made Lily perk up.

    ¡®And I will do my best to help put you back together.¡¯ She declared with enough determination to be cute.

    ¡®Put me back together?¡¯ Lan laughed. Realising what she had said, Lily looked like she would apologise. ¡®Yeah, I guess I deserve that one.¡¯ Lan added, making her relax and laugh with him.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    On the morning of the third day, Lan and his father finished the alterations to his sword. Standing in as his father¡¯s apprentice, Lan couldn¡¯t touch the sword as it was being worked on, not just because of his lack of stats and skills, as no one but the one working on the object could touch it without risking lowering the quality.

    No, Lan¡¯s role was to do everything but touch the piece. Preparing tools and components, and when his father started to etch the runes, meaning he couldn¡¯t allow his concentration to falter, Lan became his second pair of hands and second mind, understanding and preparing the next part before his father asked for it.

    Even though the last time practising had been years ago, Lan didn¡¯t miss a step. Even with all the connections and runes that the skeleton needed, Lan somehow managed to stay in the moment, not being a second late handing over a part or tool and not breaking his father''s concentration by bumping into him while handing something to him.

    Not that Lan thought that doing so would have even mattered, as his father seemed to have reached a level of focus that he had never seen before, which was flawless in execution.

    Watching, Lan knew his father was nearing mastery of his art, and he couldn¡¯t be prouder.

    ¡®There¡­¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said as he joined the frame with the segmented scabbard, and both seemed to take a breath for the first time in what felt like hours.

    Falling back into a chair, Lan felt tension he didn¡¯t even know he was holding leave him. ¡®How does my back hurt more now than being thrown into a tree.¡¯ Lan sighed, stretching.

    ¡®Great work, Son,¡¯ his father said as he patted him on the shoulder before picking up the sword and scabbard and offering them to him.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Lan asked, sitting up. ¡®You should be the one to test it first.¡¯ He finished short of raising his hands.

    His father smiled and shook his head. ¡®This is your sword, son, and I didn¡¯t make these changes for a customer. I made them for you.¡¯

    Lan didn¡¯t know what to say. He knew his father''s work was flawless, but he would always check them himself. Allowing Lan to be the first to try it was a statement that he had put so much care and effort into this one piece that he knew it would be perfect. This was a weapon he trusted with the life of his son.

    Taking the offered blade and scabbard with reverence, he looked at them. The pommel of the sword had been etched with the runes. Instead of what they had planned, the sword was now connected by the opening of the scabbard.

    Knowing what to look for, Lan traced his thumb over one of the fine, dark silver metal rings, the only sign of one of the brakepoints for the transformation.

    Without another moment of hesitation, Lan brought the top of the scabbard and the pommel of Spellthief together. The sound of a hammer striking metal rang through the room, joined by the sparks from the two halves becoming one as the scabbard unfurled and snapped back twice as long as before, the cap at the bottom of the now spear reconfiguring into a spike.

    Lan spun the spear, finding the balance to be perfect.

    ¡®This is incredible!¡¯ he said before sending a trace of mana into the rune, making it snap back into two halves as his father smiled.

    ¡®Try feeding it some magic in the spear form.¡¯

    Nodding, Lan joined the two halves before cutting a line of fire silk and igniting it. As the fire runes burst to life, dancing along the heart of the blade, Lan noticed more changes happening as he watched. The metal rings along the shaft began to glow with fire runes as the blade and point of the spear burst into life with flames near their bases.

    ¡®Wow!¡¯ Lan stepped back before realising the flames weren¡¯t burning him. Despite looking a little more aggressive, it was clear it was the same fire as the magic and wouldn¡¯t burn him.

    ¡®The metal of that sword is incredible. It can pass on its properties to other metals that it is linked to. Almost as if this was how it is meant to be used.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father explained as he watched over the blade.

    ¡®Thanks, Dad. This is great.¡¯ Lan smiled and spun the spear. ¡®You think I am ready to learn to use the spear?¡¯

    ¡®Not just yet.¡¯ His father smiled back.

    Moments later, Lan found himself out without his spear as he stood across from his father, which was only made a little more daunting because they had a little audience picnicking under the tree.

    ¡®Do your best, you two!¡¯ Maya cheered as Lan and his father fell into stance.

    ¡®Be careful.¡¯ Lily added.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Lan, if your father gets hurt, I won¡¯t be mad.¡¯ His mother called. ¡®Kurt, you better not lay a finger on my son.¡¯ She warned, even though her tone made it clear that she was joking.

    ¡®Pay them no mind.¡¯ his father said. ¡®you have been picking up on this faster than I expected. For this sparring match, I want you to try and find and capitalise on any openings, extra points for being able to counter and start your own attack.¡¯

    Lan nodded, and with that, they began.

    Lan¡¯s father shot forward with a kick that Lan backstepped before blocking the sequence of punches. Jumping back to make some space, Lan couldn¡¯t help but smile as his father closed the gap in the blink of an eye. Even though his father was holding back and by a lot, he was doing it so well that Lan really started to feel like it was a real fight. And although the style was still new to him. Fighting wasn¡¯t.

    Lan shot forward, seeing an open as his father landed from a kick, only to be met by a fist inches from his face.

    ¡®Nice try,¡¯ Lan¡¯s father smiled, ¡®your reaction was good, but your timing is a little off.¡¯

    ¡®Right.¡¯ Lan nodded before putting up his guard. But a few moments later, he found himself in the same position when another opening vanished before he could reach it.

    Lan fought back a curse; he was overthinking things and allowing that moment of hesitation to slow him down. Something his father clearly picked up on and wouldn¡¯t let Lan dwell on as he started to strike a little faster until Lan didn¡¯t have time to think at all, to the point that when he did finally manage to score a point, he almost didn¡¯t notice until his father smiled and stepped away from his follow up attack which he had done without thinking.

    ¡®That¡¯s it, and extra points for following it up.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ Lan breathed, feeling a little proud of managing even that much.

    ¡®Great work, my sweet!¡¯ His mother cheered, and Lan suddenly felt his face colour.

    ¡®She is right to be proud. That was really well done. I have to remind myself that you have already been in actual combat. Now come on, let''s say three points, and we can call it a day.¡¯

    With that, Lan nodded and fell into stance just as his father leapt towards him, closing the gap with a sweeping kick that Lan spun away from, turning his momentum into a back fist that his father caught and pushed away before shooting a knee that Lan blocked with both hands.

    Over the cheering of his mother and Maya, Lan made his first point by doing as he had been told, using his blocks and evasions to make an opening.

    Afterwards, Lan found himself falling into a state that was new to him. It wasn¡¯t the fire of combat, but not too far off. Lan blocked his father¡¯s subsequent attacks before countering, and although he didn¡¯t score another point, he returned his own string of attacks that pushed his father back.

    As Lan felt a smile form on his face that mirrored his father¡¯s, Lan knew what it was. He was having fun. Not the thrill of hearing the hunter''s song, or at least not the same song. There was no life or death, just the love of the competition and getting to face off against the man he looked up to the most.

    Lan gained his second point almost without realising and long before the cheering stopped.

    Lost in the moment, it took Lan a second to notice the cheering had not only died down, but Tyr had emerged from her crystal and was now fighting with him, tracing light along his strikes before racing to position herself in the right spot for a Wispwalk as if she too was learning from this fight.

    Although he never used even a fraction of his full strength, Lan could see that his father was revelling in the fight as much as he was. The exchange of blows almost became a game as his father kept him in the moment with a pace that pushed him just enough.

    Caught up in the moment, Lan saw Tyr shoot past him before calling to him. Without thinking, Lan followed, and as he appeared from the Wispwalk, turned only to find his father spinning to meet him. For a moment, Lan saw it, the light the others had talked about that burned in the eyes of a hunter as his father aimed his elbow at Lan¡¯s throat.

    Then, his father¡¯s eyes fell on Lan, widening as the light vanished to be replaced with the same eyes Lan had always known. Which was a good thing, as his father''s elbow stopped like a dagger, pointing an inch from Lan¡¯s neck.

    ¡®Are you okay?¡¯ his father asked, grabbing his shoulder.

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan said, ¡®Sorry, I got a little carried away there.¡¯

    ¡®Me too.¡¯ his father breathed before they both laughed, a laugh that died down as they felt danger approaching them.

 Chapter 74: Forms

    Feeling a sudden surge of danger, Lan and his father turned and found his mother walking up to them.

    ¡®That was close, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ she said as she cupped both of their cheeks, her voice made even more frightening by the smile she wore. ¡®let¡¯s not do that again, okay?¡¯ she ended with a slight tilt of the head.

    ¡®Uh, right.¡¯ Lan and his father nodded. To be fair, she was right. Even if they had been swept up in the moment, using an ability like he had and lashing out like his father had could have ended badly.

    ¡®Good.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother laughed. ¡®well, now that that is sorted, I have to say, you are picking up on all this quickly.¡¯ She added, unable to stop herself from beaming at him.

    ¡®Of course, he is. It runs in the family.¡¯ Lan¡¯s father said, making his mother laugh without humour.

    ¡®Don¡¯t remind me.¡¯ she added, ¡®although I must say, seeing you two train makes me a little jealous.¡¯ She sighed.

    Hearing this and his father¡¯s attempts to cheer her up, Lan smiled as he reached into the Other World Chest and retrieved his mace.

    ¡®This is the weapon I got my first kill with¡­ and the next twenty or so.¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®I would be happy if you showed me how to use it.¡¯

    ¡®Of course, my sweet.¡¯ His mother beamed at him, and with that, Lan began to learn the spear from his father and the mace from his mother, starting with a demonstration.

    After finding some weapons in the workshop, Lan watched his father go through some basic spear forms first and then the Blackspear form, although the normal spear forms seemed like a more practised form of what he had used against the Razerwolves. The Blackspear form was something to see.

    Fast thrusts with the spear shifted into blindingly quick strikes with the ferrule of the spear, which at that point opened up for many different attacks, such as glaive or polearm attacks from slashing and using the shaft itself as a bo staff.

    As Lan watched, it reminded him of the Arrow fist, using the same momentum-based philosophy, only with the spear, the defensive and offensive forms were more effective.

    After the demonstration, Lan¡¯s mother called for him to show what the form really looked like, and his father obliged. Picking up speed until the spear whistled through the air, he began to move with the expertise of someone who hadn¡¯t put down the spear for twenty years. Somehow moving faster, Lan could barely follow the spear as it spun from one hand only to appear in the other and back.

    Lan¡¯s father began to mix in the arrow fist form, slashing and stabbing, throwing kicks and punches as Lan was sure he could feel the wind lashing from his attacks.

    As his father stopped, Lan noticed the slashes around his father even though the spear had never touched the ground.

    ¡®You got slow, hun,¡¯ His mother teased.

    ¡®Slow? I am faster than ever.¡¯ His father grinned. ¡®I would like to see you do better.¡¯

    ¡®Fine.¡¯ Lan¡¯s mother said primly before standing and picking up what Lan guessed could be called a mace. The head of the mace was only a little smaller than her own head, yet she lifted it with one hand before swinging it a few times as if it were a reed.

    This was only a hint of what was to come. Even with his mace, which was made for humans to use, Lan had to fight the momentum of the mace. His mother did not have that problem. Moving what should have been an impossible weapon without any effort. Whereas someone else would need to wind up to get a weapon like that moving or deal with the momentum after the attack, she moved with the speed and elegance of a fencer.

    His father¡¯s style created offence through his endless links of attack, whereas his mother¡¯s form of fighting created pressure by there being nothing that could stand up to her speed and strength, and with her nonexistent recovery time and skill with the mace, she was the definition of offence as defence.

    And all that was to say nothing of what he saw when they fought together.

    Lan had heard the clich¨¦ calling two people fighting together a dance, but there wasn¡¯t a better term for what he saw when he watched them. They looked like a single soul that existed in two bodies. Their already perfect fighting form seemed to fit around one another, a form of harmony that could only have been born of years of fighting alongside one another as anything that could have been a gap in their form now obviously having been left for the other to fill.

    Lan watched as his father used stabs and slashes to open up paths for his mother¡¯s destructive strikes, which allowed him to set up another opening for her.

    ¡®Wow.¡¯ Maya breathed. ¡®I didn¡¯t even know people could move like that. They aren¡¯t even looking at each other.¡¯

    ¡®They just know...¡¯ Lily finished.

    Seeing it, Lan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they couldn¡¯t just deal with the Summoned Hero themselves.

    As they finished their demonstration, they looked at each other before Lan¡¯s mother laughed and jumped in his father¡¯s arms.

    ¡®You didn¡¯t miss a step.¡¯ She said

    ¡®Oh. I thought I got slow?¡¯ Lan¡¯s father smiled.

    ¡®Well then, so did I, ¡¯ his mother replied

    ¡®You were great.¡¯ His father said before they seemed to remember that they weren¡¯t alone and started with Lan''s training.

    With a few more instructions, Lan¡¯s spear and mace training began, and after both he and his father got the chance to try out his sword spear, they added what sword form his father knew, seeing as Lan could, in theory, switch from one form to the other in the middle of an attack.

    Although his father seemed to pick up on the idea quickly, Lan found trying to keep up with both parts of the weapon while they were apart hard to do, so they went back to learning both separately first.

    Training with his mother was slightly different because her strength and speed played a large part in her fighting style. Even with his standard mace, he couldn¡¯t move as she could. That was until he remembered the fight with the undead and his first Wisp Walk.

    While surrounded by the Silver Wind, he should been able to control his movement and how he reacted to the world. Didn¡¯t that mean he should be able to compensate for the weapon? With this in mind, Lan tried it.

    He Wisp Walked and tried to swing the mace as his mother had shown him. Once the world stopped spinning, Lan found himself hanging upside down from the tree, and after his mother helped him down, they decided he should learn to use the Wisp Walk first before trying to use both together. Even if both agreed that, at that moment, he had become a spinning wheel of death.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Despite the few setbacks in the more experimental fighting styles, Lan picked up everything else like he was born to it. Even with the boon he got from learning from his parents and his suspicion that he was learning faster by not having attribute points assigned. Lan learned like someone who knew life depended on it.

    [Skill Acquired: Black Spear Form]

    [Skill Acquired: Crimson Mace Form]

    Aside from training, Lan still had his duty to the Guild, so in between his training over the next few days, he made sure to take a few jobs. On the first of which, Lan ran into Art, who seemed to be waiting for him even though he shouldn¡¯t know he was coming in.

    ¡®So, you mastered the Wisp Walk yet?¡¯ Art asked, making Lan almost jump out of his skin.

    ¡®What, no!¡¯ Lan spun. He still had no idea how the odd man did that. Unless he was hiding, Lan knew he hadn¡¯t seen him in the hall a moment ago, not to mention he had no idea how he snuck up on him. Lan thought before noticing that Tyr had wandered off and wasn¡¯t watching over him.

    ¡®Well, what are you waiting for?¡¯ Art sighed. ¡®you would think it literally being in your blood would make it easier.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, one would think.¡¯ Lan rolled his eyes, and Art reached into his shirt, produced another shackle, handed it to Lan, and walked away.

    ¡®Wait, I thought you said you didn¡¯t want me to use this.¡¯ Lan asked ¡®and how do you have another one?¡¯ He added, wanting to know what part more.

    ¡®Same way I had the first one, silly, and I don¡¯t want you to use it a little less than I don¡¯t want you to get yourself killed on your next job. Now shoo, I have things to do.¡¯

    After a moment, Lan watched the old man walk up the stairs, wondering how by the Light, things had ended up like this before he sighed and put the ring on.

    [First configuration complete]

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 5 > 17]

    |Body: 5 > 17

    |Mind: 5 > 17

    |Dexterity: 5 > 17

    |Perception: 5 > 17

    [Charisma: 5> 17]

    Although he was happy for the increased stats, he really didn¡¯t need it as with the coming campaign, almost every job was taken, leaving Lan with only gathering jobs, which was made a breeze with Tyr.

    Over the days, Lan would look for Lock and the others in the Guild and the inn, but there was still no sign of them. Although he knew he should, Lan couldn¡¯t help but start to worry about them. He tried asking Leah and Mai about it, and although Leah thought it was adorable and called him a puppy again, Mai said she couldn¡¯t tell him about the job but that he shouldn¡¯t worry that they would be back in a few days.

    On returning from his second guild job, Lan stopped by Miss Lucy¡¯s caf¨¦.

    The moment he walked into the caf¨¦, Lan was greeted by the smell of freshly baked tarts and a frown from the older woman in white. The others tried to do the same while the women in green smiled at him.

    ¡®You again?¡¯ the woman asked, ¡®you eat a lot of sweets for a young man,¡¯ she stated, making the others giggle.

    ¡®You are right. But I fear I have yet to find anything as sweet as being in your presence, my Lady.¡¯ Lan bowed, and the woman bristled as he got a giggle from the other table.

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s Lan.¡¯ Miss Lucy said as she popped her head through the door before the two could go on.

    ¡®Hi Miss Lucy.¡¯ Lan smiled. ¡®Busy day again?¡¯

    ¡®It was,¡¯ she smiled back. ¡®These ladies are good to me,¡¯ she added, looking at each of them before turning back to Lan. ¡®I thought those tarts would have lasted longer.¡¯ She asked.

    ¡®They did not. And that''s why I am here. I was wondering if you still made those birthday cakes.¡¯ Lan said, making Miss Lucy perk up.

    ¡®Really. I never thought I would have anyone ask for that.¡¯ She beamed, and Lan understood why. He and his mother were there when she tried to sell the idea of a birthday cake.

    The large white cake covered with little sugar dots and candy flowers stood out but stood no chance, for the simple fact that in Crownguard, a sweet or dessert served at someone''s birthday was meant to be a person''s favourite, both to honour the person and to show kinship with them as you eat the one thing they favourited most.

    Not to mention that the cake looked like it was made for children, making it so no noble would want it either.

    ¡®Well, we had a little trouble coming up with something for a naming party for a group of kids, and that seemed like a good fit.¡¯ At her questioning look, Lan explained what was going on.

    ¡®Aww, Lan. that is so sweet of you.¡¯ Lucy said as she took his hand.

    ¡®Well, I am not the only one.¡¯ Lan said suddenly, more aware of the eyes on him and the gentler looks.

    ¡®Lucy is right.¡¯ The noblewoman said, seeming to see Lan in a brighter light. ¡®it is a very commendable thing you are doing. As much as we try to help as many of the most vulnerable of us, there is only so much we can do. So thank you.¡¯ She finished, and Lan remembered that she was a real noble.

    ¡®Thank you both.¡¯ Lan nodded.

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡¯ A woman in green with bright red hair who looked a little younger than the Lady in white said, and for a moment, there seemed to be an understanding between them. It didn¡¯t last, and both looked away sharply.

    ¡®Anyway.¡¯ Miss Lucy said playfully, rolling her eyes at the two women. ¡®I stopped trying to sell the idea of birthday cakes, but just for you, I¡¯ll make the best birthday cake I can.¡¯ Miss Lucy said before heading back into the kitchen.

    With that done, Lan was ready to leave before something hit him. He was in a room filled with nobles.

    ¡®My Lady.¡¯ Lan turned to the woman in white. ¡®if you don¡¯t mind me asking, have you ever heard of a noblewoman with red and gold spiral eyes?¡¯

    The Lady''s fork clattered on the table as her eyes took on a look of seeing into the past. ¡®Yes¡­¡¯ she said in a small, quick voice as the ladies around her looked worried.

    ¡®Is there anything you can tell me about her?¡¯ Lan tried softly, and she looked at him.

    ¡®When I was a little girl, the children I grew up with and I would spend our spare time in the largest courtyard in the palace.¡¯ She started to wrap her napkin around her finger. ¡®Esther was one of them. She wouldn¡¯t say much, just watch you, and when she did speak, it was to try to order others around, even me,¡¯ the Lady added, looking at Lan. ¡®We would just tell her off, but then one day she showed up with her eyes¡­¡¯ she stopped, not able to finish. ¡®you know, and she tried to order another girl and the girl, like always, ignored her. A few moments later, we heard the girl screaming as she was stung by an acid hornet.¡¯

    Lan frowned at that. Despite the name, he had never heard of one of the little things stinging anyone.

    ¡®We all panicked,¡¯ the Lady went on. ¡®all but Esther, who looked¡­ satisfied. And that was only the beginning. After that, anytime anyone did something she did not like, things would happen to them. Insects swarming them, or a loyal pet suddenly attacking their owners. And no one would believe us that she was behind it. Over time, we learned not to do or say anything that could upset her. Even then, hawks and rats would randomly attack some lower nobles. Worse, we started to feel like we wanted to listen to her, not just to spare ourselves but that listening to her was right. Then¡­¡¯ the Lady took a breath as the others, even those at the other table, looked like they could not be paler.

    ¡®She came to the courtyard one day later than normal and gathered all of us around her, and then she asked a girl to bite her finger off. The rest of us were as horrified as we were glad we hadn¡¯t been told that we had to do so. But our horror turned into a nightmare when the girl refused. Esther''s eyes began to glow, and the girl started to obey. I can still see the mix of confusion, pain and terror in her eyes. A boy was made to break his own leg, and two others were made to throw fist-sized stones at each other, which seemed to snap me out of the spell she had us under, and when I asked why she was doing this, she said that she wanted us to. then asked if I would pluck out my own eye for her.¡¯ The Lady smiled weakly. ¡®I almost did.¡¯

    ¡®What happened?¡¯ Lan asked as softly as he could.

    ¡®Are you not going to ask where our guards were?¡¯ she asked. ¡®Well, there was a reason why she was late that day. They were found later that day having torn each other apart with their hands. Luckily, a young knight heard the screams and came to our rescue. Esther just looked at him, and without a word, she got up and walked away. As we now had proof, our families looked for her, but she was never seen or heard from again. I will not speak of what was found in her family home¡­¡¯ The Lady said with a hard look

    ¡®Those who needed healing were healed, but I don¡¯t think any of us really recovered from that day. The girl who bit off her fingers won''t look at her bare hands, and despite having the best healers make sure there wasn¡¯t even a scar, she is never seen without gloves. ¡¯

    ¡®I am sorry to hear that happened to you.¡¯ Lan said, feeling helpless even though he wasn¡¯t there

    ¡®Feel sorry if you have ruined the mood of our gathering, young man,¡¯ she shot back, regaining her imperiousness.

    ¡®Forgive me.¡¯ Lan bowed. ¡®So¡­ she can control people¡­¡¯ Lan said without thinking.

    ¡®No¡­¡¯ the Lady said. ¡®she¡­ infests the mind, takes root in it, makes you want to do as she says.¡¯ She sighed. ¡®it is hard to explain, but¡­ I think she needs time to take hold of a mind.¡¯

    Without thinking, Lan nodded, knowing full well what she meant.

    ¡®Wait! S-she is not back, is she?¡¯ the Lady asked, and for a moment, Lan saw the fear of a frightened young girl in her place.

    ¡®Forgive me, my Lady, I did not mean to upset you. My guild master mentioned it, and I thought I would ask. There is nothing to worry about.¡¯ He lied.

    With a sigh, the Lady frowned at him.

    ¡®So you just like upsetting your elders, Then?¡¯ She said, and Lan realised he had used up the last of the goodwill he had just gained.

 Chapter 75: First Week

    ¡®So you just like upsetting your elders then?¡¯ the Lady asked, as ladies at both tables turned on him in a blink with frowns that were becoming unapproving.

    ¡®What? No.¡¯ Lan stepped back, realising he had lost much more favour than he had thought. But before the Ladies could throw something at him, Miss Lucy came to his rescue, walking in without knowing what had happened.

    So, with a promise to let her know when the party was, Lan made a daring escape before letting out a soft laugh as he walked down the street to the Guild Hall. Even if it was a lie that had backfired, it was better than seeing that fear in the Lady¡¯s eyes.

    That brought him back to what she had said, a power that takes root in the mind and makes one want to listen to her. Thanks to the vampire and Dell, Lan knew the difference between being controlled and influenced and knew that whatever that woman had done was neither.

    ¡®Any ideas.¡¯ Lan said to the voice. Lan still wasn¡¯t happy calling her just ¡°the voice¡±, but when he tried to name her, she said that she didn''t need a name as a Seraph of a Light Mark, adding that as she was the only voice he could hear anyway, it didn¡¯t really matter.

    {Hmm, it does not sound like any ability or magic known to me. Even the most powerful targeted spells do not permanently remain without a mana source, one that a child should not have. And having it build over time is worrying. Saying it is taking root may be more accurate than I like, as it might permanently change the mind. We should be careful with that one}

    Lan nodded, and once he could speak with the Guildmaster, which turned out to be relatively quick despite the time of day and the line waiting outside his office, he passed it on.

    The meeting was a little more intimidating as Lan met the head of the Mages¡¯ Guild through a scrying ball.

    The moment the silver-haired woman saw him, the orb turned to look at the guild master.

    ¡®So this is the one you were talking about¡­ you know he looks just like¡­¡¯

    ¡®We know.¡¯ The guild master cut her off.

    With another look at Lan, both listened as he explained what he had learned. Most of which both seemed to have learned since the last time he spoke to the Guildmaster. No doubt the Guildmaster had looked into it already, but what was new to them both was the effect that built over time and that Lan had started to feel it when he looked into the woman¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®Hmm,¡¯ the Head Mage hummed with the melodic effect of speaking through a glass ball. ¡®If its effects are so rapid, having non-mana users face her may not be a good idea. We could have our own people turn on us in a moment. Also, aside from the mind eater, she could have any number of beasts bound to her. I suggest you allow the Mages¡¯ Guild to handle her.¡¯ With a nod from the Guildmaster, the image in the orb vanished, and Lan was dismissed with a ¡°Keep it up¡± from the Guildmaster.

    With that dealt with, Lan had one more place he needed to go, one he had been putting off.

    Cali let out an anguished cry as Lan pulled the broken mess of the shield arm out of the Chest, which now looked little more than the abused arm of a child¡¯s toy soldier.

    ¡®Wh-what?...¡¯ she cried as one of the extendable shield blades dropped to the shop floor, making Lan wince as she ran up to him. Cali grabbed his shoulder as she reached him, looking down at the Shield Arm.

    ¡®You used it, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ Cali looked up at him as a wild grin crossed her face.

    ¡®I¡­ did.¡¯ Lan trilled off, feeling a little silly for worrying.

    ¡®And?¡¯ she squeezed his shoulders.

    ¡®It¡­ left its mark.¡¯ Lan sighed, remembering the red mist of the once goblin head.

    ¡®Oh, you are the best.¡¯ She said, hugging him. ¡®and you still have both your arms.¡¯ She patted his shoulder. ¡®Good for you.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, you said I would be fine as long as I hit something, right? I did still break some bones, though.¡¯ He returned with a frown.

    ¡®Huh? I said that about the other Shield Arm, not this one.¡¯ Cali said happily as she picked up the parts, leaving a dumbfounded Lan standing there as she walked to the counter as Cawl had walked up the stairs.

    ¡®Ah, hi lad. Need some repairs?¡¯ Cawl asked before looking thoughtful. ¡®Well, it might be time for a tune-up with the Campaign coming up.¡¯

    ¡®That would be great.¡¯ Lan said, getting a nod from the large man.

    ¡®Go ahead and drop your sword and armour on the table.¡¯

    Lan did so, and Cawl looked over his once again damaged armour. He paused as his eyes fell on Lan¡¯s sword. If it had been anyone else, Lan knew they wouldn¡¯t be able to see anything out of the ordinary, but for the one that forged the blade, it must have looked like a different weapon.

    ¡®Made some changes, I see.¡¯ He stated.

    ¡®Only to the scabbard and pommel. We knew better than to touch the blade.¡¯ Lan said, picking up his sword and drawing it before turning the two halves and joining them. The sound of fusing metal and snapping Steel rang through the room, and Cawl smiled.

    ¡®Your father¡¯s handiwork.¡¯ Cawl asked, clearly already knowing as he took the offered sword spear. ¡®The balance is perfect,¡¯ he said before trying to pull the two halves apart. When it didn¡¯t easily come apart, Cawl put his shoulders into it, the muscles on his arms and back bulging before he puffed out.

    ¡®Tough mechanisms.¡¯ He breathed as Lan took the spear back.

    ¡®No mechanisms.¡¯ He said, sending a trace of mana into the runes before drawing it back, parting the two with a sound that was growing all too familiar. Lan next explained what he and his father had done, including their new techniques.

    Before Cawl could say anything, Cali tackled Lan to the floor, knocking over a few display pieces, her eyes shining with wild excitement. ¡®This is it! This is what I have been looking for,¡¯ She cheered. ¡®I need the schematics.¡¯ She beamed.

    ¡®Ah, I¡¯ll ask my dad.¡¯ Lan said as Cali looked like she would vibrate through the ground.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡®No time.¡¯ she cheered, leaping off him and shooting out of the shop with a manic laughter following her.

    With a sigh, Cawl turned back to Lan¡¯s gear, picking up Lan¡¯s sword again. ¡®one hell of a crafter,¡¯ he said under his breath and, with a smile, started working on them.

    [Spell Thief.]

    [Damage Score: 30]

    Durability A,

    Rarity: Unique

    Quality: Skilful.

    Construction: Fable Steel ¨C B, Edge ¨C A, Point ¨C B

    Traits: Fused Tuning Core, Spell Thief

    [Link Level: 8]

    [Reinforced Leather armour: Well-made leather armour reinforced with steel plates, sacrificing some of the speed and mobility of standard leather armour for greater defence.]

    [Defence Score: 30]

    Durability A,

    Rarity: abnormal.

    Quality: Skilful.

    Construction: Black Bear leather and Steel ¨C c, Impact Damage Resistance - c, Piercing Damage Resistance ¨C C

    Traits: Fused Tuning Core

    [Link Level: 8]

    For the rest of the first week, Lan¡¯s life was nothing but training and guild work. But instead of seeing the days as a countdown to the end, Lan saw it as steps in his progress.

    He made progress, indeed, as his skills began levelling up.

    [[Skills Up]]

    [Spearmenship - Level up: 1>2]

    [Black Spear Form - Level up: 1>2]

    [Unarmed fighting - Level up:1>2]

    [Arrow Fist Form - Level up: 1>2]

    [Mace-wielding - Level up: 1>2]

    [Crimson mace form - Level up: 1>2]

    [Sword-wielding Level up: 1>2] [Sword-wielding evolved into Swordsmenship]

    Part of his training was trying to get used to Wispwalking. Setting up a target around the front of their house, Lan cleared his mind as Tyr shot off past the target. When she was three feet away, Lan followed her, the world rushing past him with the sound of shattering crystal.

    The moment he landed, charged with the silver wind, Lan spun his body, moving at a blinding speed as he struck the target with a training sword.

    Tyr darted past the target again, and Lan stepped through space, spun and hit the target just as Tyr made her third approach, this time, coming at the target low to the ground before shooting up, putting Lan above the target after the wisp walk.

    Charged with the Silver Wind and with the high ground, Lan threw his body into a full spin in the air, allowing the Silver Wind to carry him. But his aim was a little off. Leaving him twisting wildly until his sword crashed into the ground and flew off into the tree.

    Now, just floating in the air and holding his stinging arm, he cursed to himself.

    {Maybe we try it without a weapon¡­ no?} the voice said.

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan sighed as Tyr darted up to him, ready to go again.

    Although their communication had gone back to before his first walk, it was easier to understand her impressions and to have the voice to fill in the rest now. So even though she would still ignore him sometimes, he knew she enjoyed training like this.

    At that moment, she wondered why they had stopped flying together.

    ¡®Okay, okay.¡¯ He smiled as the Silver Wind brought him back down. This time, he focused on Wisp Walking and finding the target while keeping his feet planted, but despite planning to keep it simple, Lan felt something changing after an hour.

    He started to turn before the Wisp Walk, shortening his time to find the target again. After noticing it, he did it without thinking as if he should have always been doing so like an instinct. It even became fun Wispwalking around before enjoying the moments of unparalleled mobility for those ten seconds. So much so that in his other training, there would be times when he would feel himself wanting to Wisp Walk.

    The one thing that wasn¡¯t going his way was an actual fight. Although he had been training and sparring for days, he hadn¡¯t fought anything for real, and although training with his mother and father meant he was learning fast, it wasn¡¯t a real judge of growth when they were holding back, leaving Lan to wonder how ready he was.

    So Lan poured his anticipation into his training and soon found a roadblock in terms of the time needed to refind a target. Preempting his next move helped but also led to him overshooting every third or so attack.

    {Hmm, maybe this would help} the voice said just as Lan felt his awareness grow, just enough that he could tell where everything around his home was as if he hadn¡¯t been gone for ten years. No, it was better than that; when he focused, he could even sense the birds in the tree Tyr was looking at.

    ¡®This¡­¡¯

    {That¡¯s right, it looks like I can feed what she sees back to you.}

    ¡®This is crazy. I won''t even have to look for the target with a little more training. I can¡¯t believe that this is possible.¡¯

    {It¡¯s not without a Seraph like me¡­ Yes, I feel this is part of what I am, linking you to our bonds. Almost like a second mind.} The voice sounded like she was looking inward as much as she was explaining it to Lan, something that he was still not ultimately used to, even if he believed it was a good thing.

    ¡®Whatever it is, I am glad for it and you.¡¯ he smiled and looked to Tyr, who darted past the target and he stepped. With the voice sending sight to him, he knew where she was and what was around her, leaving him to act without thinking. Lan mused, turning in the air and landing a solid kick to the target.

    Second mind seemed right. Not only did the Voice allow Lan to see what Tyr could, but as he trained. Lan found himself actively processing the information less and less as the Voice improved her flow of information.

    Even with this limited experience, Lan could see just how much of a boon this would be in a fight. Lan didn¡¯t know if the other Light Mark had a Voice like his of their own or Wisps, but if they did, he could see why they had become unparalleled Warriors. Lan thought before Landing a spinning kick, breaking the target.

    On the tenth day of the first week, Lan started his job for the Guild later than normal, meaning that in the ever-quietening forest, it took him a few hours, even with Tyr¡¯s help, to collect enough of the crystallised sap that he had been charged with gathering.

    Not only was it another reminder of the danger they faced, but it also meant that the sun had long since set when they got back.

    ¡®Oh, Hi Lan,¡¯ Mari smiled. ¡®Before looking to the receptionist who was waiting to change places with her. ¡®I¡¯ll handle this one.¡¯ She said before reaching for the Keystone.

    ¡®Is your shift over?¡¯ Lan asked, reaching for his tag and the crystallised sap.

    ¡®Yeah, right after you.¡¯ she nodded before yawning. From the looks of it and the rings around her eyes, it had been another long day.

    ¡®Thanks for all your work.¡¯ Lan said, getting her to smile.

    ¡®I should be thanking you and the other hunters for all the hard work you all do.¡¯ She added, taking the sap.

    ¡®Not so. Without you and the other Ladies, we wouldn¡¯t have any work. especially now.¡¯ Lan said.

    With everyone taking all the work they could, it wasn¡¯t enough for the receptionists to wait for jobs brought by the Duke¡¯s men or the people, so they used their network with the other Guild¡¯s receptionists to keep everyone working.

    Mari and the other girls smiled at him, each looking as tired as she was.

    ¡®Thanks, Lan.¡¯ she smiled warmly before handing him his reward.

    [Added: Five Silver pieces.]

    [Exp Gain: 100]

    ¡®And thank you.¡¯ Lan smiled back. ¡®Oh, if you are heading home, I can walk with you,¡¯ he offered.

    Even though someone would have to be really stupid to try anything with one of the faces of the Wild Hunt Guild, given how late it was and the desperate times, Lan didn¡¯t want someone¡¯s bad eyesight to come back to bite them.

    Mari smiled at that. ¡®I would love the company.¡¯ She said, picking up her things and letting her replacement take her seat.

    Stepping out of the Guild, Lan took a deep breath of the crisp air as Mari yawned and stretched.

    ¡®There is nothing that can wake you up like a cool early winter breeze.¡¯ Mari said, and Lan couldn¡¯t help but agree. Although he knew those of some of the other lands wouldn¡¯t feel the same, he was sure all in Crownguard would agree with them.

    ¡®I have to say, Lan, you seemed to have taken to the life of an adventurer.¡¯ Mari noted as they started down the road.

    ¡®You think so?¡¯ Lan looked at her as she nodded.

    ¡®You always had the wild eyes of one, but now you carry yourself like one, too.¡¯ she added as she walked around him.

    ¡®Oh yeah? Well, I will take your expert opinion on it.¡¯ he laughed.

    ¡®You should. I have seen one or two adventurers in my lifetime, you know.¡¯ She giggled before she gasped. ¡®Oh no, I forgot to send out the call sheet.¡¯ She turned. ¡®Give me a moment,¡¯ Mari said before rushing back to the Guild.

    With it still in sight, Lan listened, watching her run back inside before closing his eyes and rolling his neck, enjoying the air as he reached out to Tyr with his mind.

    She had wandered off before finding something hiding under a roof tile interesting enough to investigate.

    ¡®Is there any way I can better see what she sees?¡¯ Lan asked the voice.

    {This is the best we can do at the moment. I think more will damage your mind and sense of self. Even Light Marks have limits.}

    ¡®Got it. I can just ask once she finds out.¡¯ Lan smiled a moment before he staggered, taking a step before the ground rushed to meet him.

 Chapter 76: A Cool Night.

    {Lan! You need to wake up, LAN!} Lan heard the voice say in his mind as Tyr mirrored the words with an endless barrage of impressions into his thundering mind.

    When he could finally force his eyes open, Lan found four pairs of legs. Looking up and around, he found five figures, four in front of him and one off to the side, looking out of the alley.

    Slowly, the forms morphed into Lawrence, Ganin, Crin and one of the workers from the warehouse. The last person, Lan, couldn¡¯t see fully, but their build looked familiar.

    Ganin looked down at him with the same smile he always wore, as if he were looking down on everyone and everything. Lawrence looked like his face would split in two as he grinned with victorious manic energy. The last person, Crin, looked at Lan with something that made his skin crawl.

    Of all the people who had worked for Dell, Lan had thanked the Lords and The Mother every day that he had never been left alone with Crin. And now, as the twitching weasel of a man looked at Lan with a hunger in his eyes, he knew he had been right to be thankful, for whereas Ganin had always treated his beating as punishing a disobedient dog. Crin had always watched from the side, clearly enjoying his suffering on a deeper level.

    {Lan! You were attacked and knocked out}

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan thought back. Ganin had always carried a blackjack for this exact reason.

    Lan moved his head as much as he could. He didn¡¯t need it spelt out what these four had in mind for him.

    ¡®Crin, hit him.¡¯ Ganin said, just as it looked like Lawrence would say something.

    Obeying, Crin kneeled next to Lan.

    ¡®Hi Lan, it¡¯s been a long time.¡¯ he breathed, pulling out a foot-long silver rod with a viper''s head carved at the end. Lan knew what it was, but still unable to move, he could do nothing as Crin touched him on the neck with it. The viper''s mouth snapped open, and Lan¡¯s mind went blank as lightning twisted every muscle in his body to near breaking.

    Lan fought back a cry as Crin¡¯s eyes seemed to dance at Lan''s pain.

    ¡®Remember that feeling?¡¯ Ganin asked, pushing Crin out of the way and dropping to eye level with Lan. ¡®It looks like I still have a lesson to teach you after all these years.¡¯ Ganin added as he pressed his Fist to Lan¡¯s head, allowing the teeth of the skull ring he always wore to cut into Lan¡¯s skin like he had every time he had punished Lan.

    {Lan that item¡­}

    ¡®I know.¡¯ He thought, cutting her off. ¡®It paralyses the body while leaving all of the pain.¡¯ he explained, noting that there was a reason his pain threshold was so high.

    {¡­ Right¡­ here, this should help.} the voice said a moment before a rune countdown appeared in his sight.

    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ Lan smiled inwardly as he watched the runes count down from one minute. All he needed was a moment¡¯s slip-up.

    ¡®Come now. You remember that you could talk to me, right? The Lord wishes to hear you beg.¡¯ Ganin looked to Lawrence. ¡®You can start now if you want.¡¯

    Lan looked from Ganin to Crin and then Lawrence. He knew he should be worried; he knew that both Ganin and Crin were counting down the time left, so the moment it ended, he would be shocked again, adding another level of psychological torture, while in the meantime, they would try their best to level up his pain threshold even more.

    Lan knew he should be worried¡­ but after the Goblin Camp and the Summoned Hero, even without the Hunter Song, Lan found only humour coming up.

    ¡®I would not want to be you right now,¡¯ he grinned back at them. ¡®Because when I get out of here, and I will get out of here, I will tear you all apart.¡¯ Clearly, that wasn¡¯t what any of them had expected him to say, and although Lawrence looked like he would burst a blood vessel, Ganin laughed, making Crin join him nervously a moment later.

    ¡®You know I heard you have been training with your father. From your newly found confidence, I guess it was true. But don¡¯t forget all the things I taught you. In some ways, I am more of a father to you than he is. You wouldn¡¯t be the man you are today without me.¡¯ Ganin grinned.

    ¡®I am the man I am now in spite of you, and nothing of what you ¡°taught¡± me holds a candle to what I have learned from my father, but don¡¯t worry when I get out of here, I will show you what I have learned.¡¯ Lan said, meeting Ganin¡¯s eyes with a look that promised a reckoning. ¡®All you have to do is wait¡­¡¯ Lan checked the timer. ¡®Forty-seven seconds.¡¯

    Ganin¡¯s eyes opened wide for a moment, and Crin clearly lost count as he looked at Lan like a trapper, realising the wolf in his trap may not be as restrained as he hoped.

    ¡®Or was it fifty-five seconds¡­ or thirty.¡¯ Lan smiled. He had thought about not telling them, but he knew Ganin would never lose count. But now he not only knew Lan knew, but he was planning something and that little bit of anxiety would make the man slip up with a little more pushing.

    Lan felt his head wrenched up as Lawrence grabbed his hair.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about the help.¡¯ The noble sneered. ¡®Worry about what I am going to do to you.¡¯ he added, his eyes burning with a bitter black hate.

    ¡®Forgive me¡­ my Lord, I forgot you were here.¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®but of all those gathered, you worry me the least.¡¯

    Lawrence''s eyes flashed, and Lan gritted his teeth as he felt a blow that left a searing hot pain on his cheek. The pain was worse than he could imagine and made worse as he didn¡¯t feel his Life Force dull the blow like it should.

    ¡®Not laughing now, are you?¡¯ Lawrence smiled. ¡®see this?¡¯ he said, pushing Lan¡¯s chin up with the hand of the leather weapon. ¡®this is an interrogation tool I got from a trip a few years ago. I can beat you with this all I want, and because it does not permanently damage you, your Life Force won''t be saving you.¡¯

    Lawrence struck Lan again. ¡®Well? Feel like running your mouth off now.¡¯

    Lan¡¯s mind flashed with the pain, almost missing the taunt. Outside of his Life Force reaching zero, Lan had never felt anything that hurt as much as the slap.

    ¡®Well! Not going to look down on your betters!¡¯ The noble shouted, making Ganin turn to the lookout, who winced at the sound ringing down the alley. ¡®Well!¡¯

    Lan looked up at Lawrence and realised how much he had gotten under the man¡¯s skin. Seeing the fire in his eyes, Lan told himself he needed to be careful with his words. The wrong word or look could set him off.

    So, with that in mind, Lan plastered a grin on his face and looked past Lawrence to Ganin as if he wasn¡¯t even there.

    ¡®I feel sorry for you, Ganin. You will get the worst of my revenge and don¡¯t even want to be here.¡¯ Lan said, dismissing Lawrence, whose jaw dropped.

    ¡®You think so?¡¯ Ganin said, shooting a look at the stunned noble.

    ¡®Non-lethal weapons and a lookout. Dell told you you can¡¯t kill me. If you do, he loses any chance at my family. Isn¡¯t that right?¡¯

    Ganin shrugged smugly before Lawrence twisted Lan¡¯s head to look at him.

    ¡®We aren¡¯t going to kill you, but you don¡¯t need legs for Master Dell¡¯s plans. Once I am done with you, Ganin is tasked with ensuring you never forget this night.¡¯

    Lan almost pointed out the flaws in the plan, the biggest being his family and what they would do when they found out and focused on pushing the noble.

    ¡®Then how about you finish your little tantrum so the man can get to work.¡¯ Lan shot back, watching as something snapped in the noble. As the blows rained down on Lan''s head and face, he started to count, allowing the flashing to take everything from his mind but the numbers.

    Suddenly, Ganin blinked and put a hand on Lawrence¡¯s shoulder. ¡®That¡¯s enough¡­ hey!¡¯ he called when Lawrence didn¡¯t stop his attack, making him pull the noble away just as the countdown reached five seconds. ¡®Crin!¡¯

    With a jump, the smaller man rushed forward and shocked Lan again.

    When his vision cleared, Lan grinned as he tasted blood in his mouth. ¡®that was close, wasn¡¯t it? A second later, things could have ended badly for you. Be careful because you won¡¯t get another chance like that.¡¯ Lan warned before Lawrence kicked him in the face, doing real damage.

    [Hp 120 > 118]

    Lan blinked at the reminder of the odd reactions unarmed attacks had on one¡¯s life force. Depending on how strong the person was or how hard they hit, unarmed attacks could really rattle a person without denting the life force. Some reasoned that two people''s life forces could in some way cancel each other out, Lan thought, unable to stop his mind from drifting.

    ¡®You piece of trash! You¡­ will¡­ Learn!¡¯ Lawrence shouted, breaking from Ganin and striking Lan again.

    ¡®Keep it down,¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®Unless you want someone to hear, you were stupid not to have taken me further away from the Guild.¡¯

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡®We know you have few friends in your so-called Guild.¡¯ Ganin said.

    ¡®Maybe we will see if this is enough to save you.¡¯ Lan said before clearing his mind as Lawrence started his assault again. Even though the pain had been blinding, the pain was pain, and after the third stunning, Lan barely flinched.

    ¡®You know you would think that at some point, one of you would wonder why I am so calm. The truth is this isn¡¯t even the second time I have been in a situation like this this month, which should worry you because you are third in terms of how serious I am taking this,¡¯ He spat. ¡®And you should be asking yourself if I got out of the first and second, what chance do you have.¡¯ Lan choked out a rough laugh as Ganin eyed him warily.

    After a while, the blows stopped, and Lan opened his eyes just as he was kicked in the face.

    [Hp 118 > 116]

    Recovering and looking up, he found Lawrence looking at him almost disappointedly.

    ¡®Getting bored? Well, you tried your best. Really, you should blame Ganin. He taught me well.¡¯ Lan laughed with a mock grin as Lawrence looked like he would hit him again but then stopped himself, a smile drawing on his face as he kneeled next to Lan as Ganin¡¯s shoulders tensed.

    ¡®You are right.¡¯ He agreed, and Lan sensed a change in the man¡¯s approach. ¡®I have already wasted enough time on you, especially when I have a woman waiting for me.¡¯ He smiled as Lan cocked an eyebrow at him. ¡®It¡¯s funny.¡¯ Lawrence leaned in with a tone of mock camaraderie. ¡®You never know what you will¡­ ¡°discover¡± about a woman like her when she lets you.¡¯ He said with a victorious look in his eye.

    And like that, the last piece fell into place in Lan¡¯s mind. That was what all this was about? Eliza¡­?¡¯ at the look, Lan knew it was. It was the same hate he had once held for the man before him.

    Without thinking, Lan almost spoke, just managing to bite his tongue. Even if it was about a woman like Eliza, what he had nearly said would have been dishonourable not only to Eliza but himself, The Mother, his mother, and any woman he cared about.

    Lan thought before looking at the countdown, to the triumph in Lawrence¡¯s eyes, the tension in Ganin¡¯s shoulders and back to the countdown.

    With a promise to make an offering to The Lady and The Mother and to make it up to his mother and the others, he whispered, making Lawrence lean in as he told him of his and Eliza''s past and the one way they had learned to rebel against her father and how much and often they had rebelled.

    ¡®So you see, you aren¡¯t discovering anything. You are just walking in my footsteps.¡¯ Lan grinned more for the effect, even if he found watching the strangled fury making the veins bulge in the noble¡¯s face a little funny.

    Without thought driving his attacks, Lawrence struck Lan repeatedly until he was hitting him with the whip handle. When that wasn¡¯t enough, he threw it away and began to punch Lan with all he had.

    [Hp 116 > 112 > 108> 104> 100 > 96 > 92 > 88]

    As his sight was jostled from left to right, Lan saw the seeds he had planted in Ganin¡¯s mind grow and blossom. With over ten seconds left, he reached Lawrence, who, in a blind rage, pulled his arm free to hit Lan again. With five seconds left, Ganin picked the noble up.

    ¡®Crin, get ready!¡¯ Ganin called back to Crin, who stood there, unable to do anything, as Lawrence grabbed Lan¡¯s hair and shirt and pulled him up. ¡®Damn it, you need to let go.¡¯ Ganin snapped, kicking Lan back down.

    Lan didn¡¯t even feel the kick as he saw Crin rush towards him with the rod just as the countdown hit zero. With a grin that said the wolf had gotten loose, Lan vanished.

    ¡®Huh!? He¡¯s gon-¡® was all Crin managed before Lan appeared behind him and brought his foot into the side of Crin¡¯s head with all of his Silver Wind-empowered strength. Crin shot away like an arrow back up the alley, hitting the ground and sliding face-first to a stop.

    Still in the air, Lan spun and aimed a kick at Ganin, and even though he managed to block the kick, he was sent sliding back. Allowing Lan to reorient and kick off the wall toward the fourth man.

    The man¡¯s eyes flashed with terror as Lan reminded himself to kick through the target and not at it before flipping forward once and snapping his foot down, dropping his heel on the man¡¯s head and spiking him into the ground.

    Leaving Lan and Lawrence alone for a moment.

    Without a weapon and all alone, Lawrence looked around for help before letting out a shout and throwing a wild punch that made Lan¡¯s training kick in as he landed, stepping out of his punch and delivering a blinding fast uppercut around the noble¡¯s arm, snapping his head back.

    Before Lan could follow up, Ganin swung a punch that Lan blocked with his forearm, aiming a straight kick at the weak knee that his father had gifted the man, dropping the man to one knee as Lawernce staggered into the wall, and as he stumbled forward, Lan drove his knee into his gut.

    Even though Lan saw the pathetic excuse of a noble as nothing, a part of him still hated the man for what he had done and taken from him, and Lan let that part of him out.

    The noble doubled, his breath forced out in a puff, just managing to throw a punch that Lan slapped away before grabbing his face.

    For a moment, Lan met Lawernce¡¯s eyes, eyes filled with fear and hopelessness as the Silver Wind vanished and Lan slammed Lawrence''s head into the wall, leaving him to slump to the ground as Lan turned back to face Ganin, turning his head just enough for the bolder like Fist to pass harmlessly by his face.

    Lan weaved around the next attack, stomping on Ganin¡¯s knee as he tried to tackle him. He wanted the man to understand what was about to happen, and he didn¡¯t want the chance of it turning into a brawl to get in the way.

    For that same reason, Lan didn¡¯t use the Wisp Walk or the Silver Wind, even though he knew it would only take one good hit from the dangerous man to have him back to being tortured, and he could hear Tyr calling for him to fly with her. Meeting every one of Ganin''s poorly aimed attacks with a strike to a vital point driven by nothing but the years of rage he had nurtured, Lan remembered Every bruise, every cut and broken bone, and would make sure Ganin would never forget them either.

    In a desperate attempt to recover some ground, Ganin threw a string of punches that would have shaken any ordinary man, but seeing the all too familiar attacks, Lan could only grin as he danced around the blows, simultaneously landing mirroring strikes that sunk deep into the flesh and rattled bones before hitting the stunned  Ganin with a right cross to reopen the scar across the man¡¯s nose that his father had made.

    As Lan landed a shot to Ganin¡¯s liver, the man¡¯s bad leg buckled, but before he could fall, Lan put his foot out, bracing his leg and making him stay on his feet.

    ¡®If you don¡¯t fight back, I will start thinking you like getting hit.¡¯ Lan repeated Ganin''s words to his twelve-year-old self, punctuating every word with a counter punch.

    ¡®Come on, you are going to make me feel like the bad guy if you don¡¯t fight back.¡¯ Lan echoed the words that had haunted the mind of his fourteen-year-old self

    Not even a moment later, Ganin staggered again, and Lan shot out a leg to stop him, but it had been a ploy as Ganin surged forward with a punch ready to take Lan¡¯s head off his shoulders, but instead of retreating, Lan moved to meet him, and he saw the panic that flashed in the eyes of the man that had been the implement of his torment, as he grabbed Ganin¡¯s arm twisted around and aimed his elbow at the man¡¯s throat.

    ¡®That¡¯s enough!¡¯ Lan froze as the Guildmaster¡¯s command filled the alley, his elbow a moment away from crushing Ganin¡¯s windpipe.

    ¡®Boss?¡¯ Lan turned, forgetting about Ganin and finding Mari with the Guildmaster.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on here?¡¯ the Guildmaster asked as he looked around the alley. A question he wouldn¡¯t have needed to ask about a minute earlier.

    ¡®We were just walking down this alley when we were attacked,¡¯ Ganin dropped his arms and smiled, all while he didn¡¯t move his legs from the step he had taken.

    ¡®That right?¡¯ the Guildmaster asked, eyeing Ganin before turning to Lan, ¡®ever seen anyone be attacked and set a lookout?¡¯

    ¡®Maybe looking out for help.¡¯ Lan joked.

    ¡®Lan was walking me home,¡¯ Mari said with a frown. ¡®Why would he start a fight?¡¯ she added to the Guildmaster.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think anyone will care once they know a commoner knocked a noble out,¡¯ Ganin added as he smiled over at Lan, showing blood-covered teeth and more composure than he had any right to retain.

    ¡®Not as much as I or the Duke will care about someone attacking one of my hunters before the Campaign. Let that master of yours know that once he wakes.¡¯ The Guildmaster warned, his threat only tempered by the fact that Lan had clearly gotten the upper hand in the end.

    Ganin smiled and shrugged, still keeping his weight on his good leg. ¡®And what about after the Campaign?¡¯

    ¡®He will still be one of my hunters.¡¯ The Guildmaster locked Ganin with a look. ¡®You can let your master know that too.¡¯ He added, dismissing him and turning to Lan, who had Mari looking at his face. ¡®Are you okay, son?¡¯

    ¡®Just fine.¡¯ Lan spoke around Mari¡¯s hands as she looked over his wounds. ¡®The stupid whip hurt like hell, but I am fine.¡¯ he answered before Mari showed him his reflection in a pocket mirror. Although the adrenalin pumping through his blood meant he couldn¡¯t feel it, his face was covered in red marks and beads of blood where his skin had opened.

    ¡®On second thought, I should go see a healer¡­¡¯

    ¡®Good idea¡­ so are you done here?¡¯ The Guildmaster asked, looking around, making Lan turn and look at the scene. Lawrence was still breathing but didn¡¯t look like he would be waking anytime soon. Crin and the worker were still lying face down, and Ganin just smiled at them.

    ¡®Yeah, I am done.¡¯ Lan said with a surprising indifference as he turned and started out the alley.

    ¡®You didn¡¯t kill this one, did you?¡¯ the Guildmaster asked as they passed Crin.

    ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Lan hummed as he kicked Crin, getting a pained moan. ¡®No, he is¡­ fine.¡¯ Lan shrugged before stepping over the body. Just before they left the alley, Ganin¡¯s legs finally gave out, and he fell to his knees, while Lan didn¡¯t even turn to see the pillar of his torment crumble.

    Lan breathed in the crisp air as they walked down the road; somehow, he felt good even after the adrenaline had faded. Noticing that the Guildmaster and Mari were looking at him oddly, Lan turned.

    ¡®Everything alright? I can still walk you home, Mari.¡¯

    ¡®You seem to be in a good mood.¡¯ The Guildmaster stated.

    Lan thought about it. Although every punch had felt like a salve for the soul, and crushing Ganin without the man being able to lay a hand on him had made all the pain he had suffered worth it to his younger self. The truth was far more straightforward than that.

    ¡®Well¡­ although I wish I didn¡¯t end up putting Miss Mari in danger, I am a little happy that I got to try out some of what I have learned.¡¯ Lan smiled, making the two look at him as if he had grown a second head.

    ¡®You really are a part of the Wild Hunt.¡¯ Mari giggled as the Guildmaster huffed, clearly not liking his Guild being associated with reckless fools.

    ¡®As long as you are okay,¡¯ he sighed.

    ¡®Oh, by the way, how did you find me?¡¯ Lan asked Mari.

    ¡®Well, when I got back and didn¡¯t see you. I waited for a moment, but then your Wisp appeared and started glowing brighter until I followed her. Then she flew into an alley that a man was looking out of while I could hear shouting. Guessing there was something wrong, I went to get help.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ Lan smiled. ¡®You¡¯re a lifesaver.¡¯ Which was true. Lan didn¡¯t want to think about how he would have explained knocking out a noble on his own. ¡®and thank you too.¡¯ Lan smiled as Tyr landed on his hand. She must have gone for help while he was getting the sense beaten out of him.

    Tyr sent an impression of concern.

    ¡®I¡¯m just fine.¡¯ Lan said before moving her close to her crystal.

    ¡®Speaking of which, although you will be safe until the end of the campaign and even if self-defence, hitting a noble will not be looked on favourably by many.¡¯ The Guildmaster spoke, and Lan couldn¡¯t help but nod.

    Even though he had the right to defend himself, some of the more dogmatic nobles would no doubt try to make an example out of him, and that was to say nothing of Lawrence¡¯s father.

    ¡®But we will cross that bridge when we come to it. As I said, you are one of my hunters.¡¯

    Hearing the Guildmaster''s words left Lan speechless. The fact that the same man who had once seen him as little more than a lost fool now saw him as one of his own touched Lan.

    ¡®Thanks, Boss.¡¯

    With the time being what it was, Lan decided bothering Lily wasn¡¯t the best idea. Luckily, the Guildmaster said his healer would be up, and as one could expect, the healer of one of the heads of an adventurer¡¯s Guild would be the head of one of the healers'' guilds. Before she told him to shut up so she could work, Lan was able to learn that the healer¡¯s guilds would sometimes hire freelancers if they had something to offer the guilds, like a speciality in a particular type of injury.

    All in all, Lan felt like it had been a good night. That was until he saw the bill, which really hurt...

 Chapter 77: Road to Grisham

    Once healed up, Lan quickly visited his family before heading back to the inn, hoping that being in the city would allow him to get to the guild a little sooner.

    To that end, Lan woke early, washed and dressed before heading down the stairs, where he had a less-than-stellar conversation with Willow, the other girl who worked at the inn. Whereas Leah¡¯s father seemed to hate Lan, Willow seemed to have the same level of indifference for everyone most of the time.

    So Lan left her alone and focused on his plate before heading to Cawl¡¯s shop, where he picked up his old Shield Arm. With a sleep-deprived grin, Cali told him that she was working on something new, but in the meantime, she had fixed up his old one, only without the arm-shattering punch, which she said would have to do until she could finish his new, much better arm that would no doubt be far more Hazardous to his health.

    Even with the detour, Lan made good time when he walked into a relatively quiet Guildhall with all the job boards full.

    Still patting himself on the back for being early, Lan almost didn¡¯t hear the noise from outside a moment before Tyr sent an alert as the doors gave way with little resistance to the wave of adventurers stampeding from the street.

    Before Lan could react, the wave hit him, and he was lifted and carried to the board, accompanied by shouts to give way.

    For a moment, Lan was afraid that he would be slammed into the wall before he found himself crashing into the smaller, faster adventuers that managed to get around the wave.

    As the air got knocked out of him, Lan tried to turn before someone mashed their hand into his face, using him as leverage while also pushing him back.

    ¡®I got one! Hey!¡­ Wait, ahhh!¡¯ someone shouted before crying as they were lost to the wave.

    Shoving until he could turn around, Lan looked at how far he was from the board before catching an elbow to the chin.

    ¡®Ugh!... forget this.¡¯ Lan growled before Wisp Walking, appearing above the crowd and shooting towards the board. As he reached it, a few people tried to grab him, to which he twisted out of the way before kicking a last hand and landing on the wall out of reach, using the Silver Wind to make the wall his own floor. Before he had time to think or read over them, Lan snatched a job marked urgent before kicking off the wall and flying over the others to the protests of playing unfairly.

    Lan didn¡¯t listen, landing outside the reach of the melee, backing until he almost reached the desk.

    ¡®Wow, Lan, I have never seen anyone get a job that quickly.¡¯ Mari giggled.

    ¡®Really? It¡¯s like this every morning?¡¯ Lan looked back before placing the job on the table.

    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯ Mari sighed. ¡®Although, I think they just do it for fun most of the time. Anyway, let¡¯s see what I have for you today.¡¯ she smiled and picked up the job order. ¡®Oh, this one?¡¯

    ¡®Something wrong?¡¯ Lan asked as he turned back.

    ¡®No, this is a job that came in ten minutes ago. A mother and child are looking for an escort to the town of Grisham.¡¯

    ¡®Grisham, the link town?¡¯ Lan asked. ¡®Why not just take a Wagon Train?¡¯ Lan added.

    Because of the dangers that monsters pose to ordinary people, travel was almost always done through Wagon Trains. Long, sometimes multi-story armoured trains of wagons. Of course, something like that needed a lot of places to resupply, meaning there were many small towns along the most used routes.

    Grisham was the first major stop east of the city, leaving the city eastward, meaning one could catch a train daily.

    ¡®I know, we offered that option, but the woman declined, saying it was important to leave as soon as possible, but her daughter could not travel with a crowd.¡¯ Mari explained.

    Lan thought about it. Although the job seemed simple enough, even travelling along the main routes, there shouldn¡¯t be any real threats if they were just going to Grisham. The problem was that Grisham was two days by Wagon Train and more than four on foot longer if they were taking a child with them.

    ¡®If you want my advice, I would say at least speak with her. For escort jobs, both sides have to agree to the job.¡¯ Mari added helpfully.

    Lan tapped the desk with a finger, although he had been looking for chances to test out what he had learned, and heading out of the city would no doubt grant him that. Could he really spend nearly enough a week away from training?.

    Lan looked back at the boards, finding them empty and sighed.

    ¡®I might as well talk to her,¡¯ he said before looking back at Mari. ¡®So how should I play this? What will she be looking for from me?¡¯

    Mari smiled. ¡®She will no doubt ask about your level and experience with such jobs. Also, if you have any defensive abilities and skills. Just expect any questions that will put their minds at ease.¡¯

    Lan nodded. From the sounds of it, there was probably little chance of him getting the job, even if it was on a rookie board.

    [New Job Acquired: An Escort to Grisham]

    Lan saw the runes appear in his tome as he touched his tag to the stone before heading to the waiting room where the clients were.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Opening the door, Lan was greeted by a woman and little girl who looked about five or six. Both seemed to tense as he walked in, only calming a little when they saw his tag.

    ¡®Are you the hunter?¡¯ the woman asked, looking him over.

    ¡®I am,¡¯ Lan nodded, ¡®My name is Landrin Cross, but you can call me Lan.¡¯ he said, looking from one to the other.

    The woman had sharp features, stern eyes, and long dark brown hair that was made into a large plait. She looked about ten years older than Lan and was dressed in riding clothes with an elegant and practical look.

    A noble?... Lan thought. With her hair down and a formal dress, Lan was sure no one would look twice at her at a noble¡¯s ball, if not only to admire her beauty.

    The little girl, on the other hand, made Lan pause. She had long dark brown hair like the woman, but her eyes were large and the purest violet he had ever seen. At least, that was what he thought he had seen, as her eyes were grey a moment later.

    Lan mused that apart from the hair, the pair didn¡¯t seem to share any features, but then decided it was best to push further speculation to the back of his mind¡­for now.

    ¡®I hear you are trying to get to Grisham.¡¯ He started as he moved to sit. ¡®If there is anything about me you wish to know, I am happy¡­¡¯

    ¡®You will do.¡¯ The woman said, raising to her feet before Lan could sit. Then, she took the girl¡¯s hand and walked to the door.

    Standing straight, Lan looked as they passed him.

    ¡®We will be taking horses. Can you ride?¡¯ the woman turned as she rested her free hand on the door.¡¯

    ¡®Uh, no?¡¯ Lan blinked.

    ¡®Then you will have to learn on the way.¡¯ She stated before opening the door, leaving Lan to rush after her.

    Horses, at a good pace, would make the trip a day there and another back, which was much more reasonable, but that wasn¡¯t what made Lan follow after her.

    ¡®Wait a minute, that¡¯s it? You don¡¯t want to know anything else?¡¯ Lan asked as he caught up.

    ¡®You are a hunter of the¡­ Wild Hunt Guild.¡¯ She remarked, saying the guild name with the distaste of saying something silly. ¡®That is all I need to know.¡¯ She said in a way that made Lan think there was more to it. Just as important was a slight accent on the word guild where she put an ¡°ah¡± sound at the end.

    As they walked past the reception, the woman did not break her stride as she told Mari that Lan was acceptable.

    Mari nodded and started the job before giving Lan a questioning look, to which he could only shrug as he followed.

    At a brisk pace, the woman carved a path through the street, leading the girl and Lan to an inn, although he didn¡¯t even get to see the sign as they went around the back to the stable. Where there were three horses saddled and ready to go.

    ¡®That one is yours.¡¯ The woman said, pointing to the weakest-looking of the three horses, which wasn¡¯t saying much. All three horses were Crownbolts, one of the better breeds for those who could afford horses.

    Lan nodded and walked over to the horse, which turned to look at him before pushing its head into his palm.

    {Something bothering you?} the voice asked.

    ¡®Someone who can afford three Crownbolts can afford more than one adventurer,¡¯ Lan said, looking from the woman in her saddle to the girl riding in front of her.

    {Do you think there is someone else?}

    ¡®Hmm, no¡­ riding double like that, I think she plans on switching as we go. It makes me wonder how hard she plans to push them?¡¯ Lan wondered before the woman looked at him.

    ¡®Are you ready? We can go slow at first, but I would like to make up the time for it as soon as possible.¡¯

    ¡®Right.¡¯ Lan nodded before looking at his horse. He had seen people get on the back of horses before and so knew what could happen when you didn¡¯t do it right.

    Despite that, Lan placed his boot through the stirrup and climbed up. Somewhat anticlimactic, he sat there, the horse turning her head to look at him as if to say, ¡°Well, what did you think would happen?¡±

    He also learned that all three horses were tied together as the woman spurred the horses forward. Which helped Lan focus on not bruising anything as they set off. Soon enough, they were out of the eastern gate, and after taking the main road for about half an hour, they left it and started down a much smaller road.

    Although the path was more direct, cutting the time of their trip meant they would eventually have to go through the plains and the eastern woods. Although said to be nothing as bad as the forest near the city, it was still known to have monsters.

    {You think they are running from someone?}

    ¡®Yep.¡¯ Lan thought back,

    {Should we be helping them?}

    ¡®That I still don¡¯t know. For a moment, I thought she may have kidnapped the girl, but she looks afraid of everything but the woman, and she keeps looking back at the city.¡¯ Lan mused before focusing on learning to control the horse, which turned out to be easier than he had expected.

    Soon enough, he could move his horse to the woman¡¯s.

    ¡®I have never seen a horse act like that around a new person.¡¯ The woman noted. ¡®Are you good with all animals?¡¯

    ¡®Looks that way.¡¯ Lan laughed, making the woman raise an eyebrow, but before she looked away, Lan spoke. ¡®I am sorry, I never asked your names.¡¯ Lan said, smiling at both of them, only getting a flat look from the woman while the girl shrunk into herself.

    ¡®Do you need to know our names to do your job?¡¯ she countered.

    ¡®Well, it would help if I need to get your attention.¡¯ Lan said smoothly.

    Frowning, the woman looked around before saying. ¡®You can call me Leaf and her Bird.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s nice to meet you, Bird and Leaf.¡¯

    {Those are just the first things she saw.} The voice sighed.

    ¡®Any reason you are going to Grisham, visiting family or just the first leg in your journey?¡¯

    Leaf tensed before snapping her head around to him. ¡®Do you need to know that to do your job?¡¯

    ¡®I guess not, but we will be together for a full day, so I thought some small talk couldn¡¯t hurt.¡¯

    ¡®I would not be so sure about that, Landrin Cross. Feeling the need to fill every uncomfortable moment with needless noise has been the death of many.¡¯ Leaf advised.

    ¡®Is that something that I should be worried about.¡¯ Lan asked, making Leaf click her tongue and look away. ¡®If not small talk, if there is anything I should know, I would like to know it now.¡¯ Lan insisted, but Leaf frowned and kicked the horses into speed instead of an answer, making Lan have to hold on.

    As a result, they had to stop and rest the horses four miles in, and Lan promised not to open his mouth again as he shuffled around, trying to get feeling back into his legs and backside. He also promised himself not to push the woman too much. Doing so had led to her, in turn, pushing the horses too hard too soon, and now she seemed upset that they had to stop.

    Deciding to focus on his job and not asking questions, Lan walked over to Leaf and Bird.

    ¡®We are taking a break for the horses and Bird to rest. Please keep a look out.¡¯

    ¡®On it,¡¯ Lan nodded and looked at Tyr, who took off.

    Ignoring Lan, Leaf lifted Bird off the horse before wiping the little dust off her face and getting her some water.

    Despite not looking alike, it was clear that the two were important to each other, allowing him to push aside the thought that he may be aiding someone with nefarious intentions.

    Looking over their gear, they only had enough supplies for the day. A day¡¯s worth of supplies, two horses and yet she still stopped to keep both fresh¡­

    Reminding himself to just do his job, Lan started to train. However, before getting into it, Tyr picked up on something. Three shapes moving fast from the direction of the city and heading right for them.

    Lan turned. ¡®Leaf! we may have a problem!¡¯ Lan rushed over as the woman¡¯s head snapped around to him.

    ¡®What?¡¯ she asked as Bird whimpered. ¡®what are they.¡¯ She added, reaching into the leather satchel hanging off her hip.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know, but they are moving fast.¡¯

    Although Tyr was following them back, at their speed and with his own limits, it was hard to get a good image.

    ''Then we don¡¯t have long.¡¯ She said, putting whatever she had reached for back in her satchel. ¡®Get ready to¡­¡¯ Before she finished or Lan could reach them, the ground around Lan exploded in a pillar of fire, swallowing him.

 Chapter 78: The Hunter and the Lost Wolf.

    Roaring high into the air, the flames swallowed the adventurer, panicking the horses as Seras cursed and reached for a vial. This was far sooner than she had thought it would be and even sooner than she had hoped. Worse yet was that they had already lost the hunter.

    Seras had hoped they could at least get halfway before needing to use him as a distraction, but what could she expect when she couldn¡¯t hire a stronger adventurer without drawing too much attention?

    Now, as Luna started to cry and the hellhounds closed in, she wished she had just risked it.

    But as the charcoal-furred beasts circled them, their burning body-length mohawks flaring with the excitement of finding their prey. She guessed it didn¡¯t matter now anyway. She just had to kill them and hope they wouldn¡¯t run into anymore.

    One hound lept at them, its saliva hissing to steam as it snapped its jaws open. Jaws that would never shut again as Seras twisted and threw the vial at the dog. Before reaching it, the vial burst, the blue liquid expanding and turning back to the ice it had once been, entombing the hellhound, which flew over them and crashed behind the horses.

    The others cried out in rage, but before they could lunge at her, Seras pulled more vials from her satchel, moving Luna behind her while using the horses as a wall to guard their backs.

    There were four more hounds, and Seras had five more vials. This meant that after this, they would have to ride the horses to death, hoping no more hounds would reach them, but they could still do it.

    Luna cried, and Seras turned and threw a vial. Only the hound tried to dodge in mid-air, leaving only its back legs frozen.

    Seras thought about finishing it off but stopped and threw her second vial at the ground. This time, the vial crashed to the ground, the force of which made the liquid splash and freeze in spikes that lanced the hound that had tried to jump at them.

    Luna cried again, and Seras realised her unavoidable mistake. Fast as she could, she reached for another vial, but the hellhound that had stayed in front of them, making it seem to be in the most disadvantaged position, was already in the air. In a moment, it would rip her throat out, and they could carry Luna back to the hell awaiting her.

    Unwilling to give up, she grabbed another vial, ready to pour the contents over both herself and the hellhound.

    Faster than any person should be able to, the adventurer fell from the sky, landing on the head of the hellhound that had almost ended her and crushing its head into the ground.

    ¡®Sorry about that. I had a bit of a flight back.¡¯ The hunter smiled, his clothes not even burnt by the flames that should have turned him to ash. ¡®Are you two okay?¡¯

    Still unable to believe what she was seeing, Seras nodded, getting a relieved nod from the hunter before he looked down and noticed the hellhound squirming under his boot,

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t have one of those, could I?¡¯ the hunter asked, pointing to the ice potion she was still holding.

    With a nod, she tossed it up at him, who caught it and, with practised ease, drew his sword and unstopped the vial with his teeth.

    Still reeling, Seras wasn¡¯t able to stop him as he poured the potion on his blade, but instead of the steel shattering, ice grew around it before falling away, leaving a blade glowing with blue light.

    ¡®Light, am I glad that worked.¡¯ He laughed before he vanished and appeared above the hellhound that lept at him and spun once throught the air, cutting it in two.

    In complete disbelief, Seras watched the hunter twist like a spinning top, plunging his sword into the hound he had landed on before leaping into the air as if swimming to float above them and looking over them.

    Where had once been the less-than-savoury hunter that Crownguard was plagued with, albeit one more unusual looking than most. Now she saw a radiant being, his already unusual eyes shining with an inner light while a silver breeze seemed to exist solely for him.

    In a blink, the hunter vanished and appeared in front of them again, driving his boot into a hound that had snuck up on Seras and Luna before turning again and slashing the last hound.

    ¡®You two aren¡¯t hurt, are you?¡¯ Lan asked as the Silver Wind faded, and he landed. Both the woman and the girl didn¡¯t look like they had been hurt, but he was still kicking himself for getting caught out like that. ¡®Uh, are you okay?¡¯ he asked when all the woman did was stare at him.

    ¡®The others!¡¯ she shouted, taking what was left of the potion from Lan before rushing to pour some on any Hellhound that was still alive. Lan thought about helping, but it looked like she had a handle on it, so he looked over his sword. The odd ice potion had worked just like the fire silk, even if it had worried him for a moment, but watching the ice rune dance around the heart of Spellthief, Lan knew he had barely started to understand his sword¡¯s potential.

    Suddenly, Lan heard sobbing and felt his brotherly instinct kick in.

    ¡®Hey, it¡¯s okay now.¡¯ He dropped to his knees in front of the girl as she rubbed at her eyes. ¡®It¡¯s okay,¡¯ he soothed, ¡®I know it was scary, but it¡¯s over now.¡¯ Lan moved to pat her on the head but stopped as her tears caught his eyes. Not only were they larger than they should have been, but as they welled up and fell to the ground, they seemed to harden¡­ no, crystallise.

    ¡®How?¡¯ Lan asked, picking up what to the naked eye, looked like a diamond. ¡®A diamond?¡¯

    Realising what she was doing, the girl¡¯s head shot up to look at him, her eyes wild and full of fear and once again the same brilliant violet he had seen the first time before he felt an impression from Tyr as he felt a blade pressed against the back of his neck.

    ¡®Don¡¯t move.¡¯ the woman ordered. ¡®Thank you for saving our lives, but don¡¯t think that it will stop me from ending you if you try anything.¡¯

    ¡®You can try and stab me if you want, but I think you owe me an explanation first.¡¯ Lan said, raising and turning to face her. Both knew that even at close distance, she really couldn¡¯t lay a finger on him with Tyr there. Defiantly, the woman stared up at Lan before sighing and looking away.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡®I would rather you drop it.¡¯

    ¡®I would love to.¡¯ Lan shrugged. ¡®But if I am not mistaken, those are familiar gemstones in the foreheads of those things. Which tells me that someone is looking for you two. Or should I say her?¡¯ Lan said, making Leaf wince.

    ¡®I think we are past the point of keeping anything secret. At this point, the more I know, the better I can tell if I am doing the right thing. Otherwise, you can take all three horses and try to make it yourself.¡¯ Although Lan didn¡¯t think he could just leave them, he would also not keep going without knowing what they were in for.

    After a moment, Leaf sighed.

    ¡®As you can guess, Bird and I are not mother and child, and I am sure you can also guess that I am not the one those Hellhounds were sent to bring back.¡¯ Leaf walked over and picked Bird up. ¡®We are from Leeto, part of Prince Caerleon¡¯s parade party. Bird¡­ has a very unique ability. Her tears turn to gems. As a result, she was sold to Prince Caerleon. He was delighted with his new gift until we learned that tears formed from pain or fear don¡¯t last long before fading away,¡¯ she said, and the pain in her eyes made Lan not need to know how they had learned, which only made his blood boil.

    ¡®So he brought her along with hopes of duping Crownguard nobles, at least that was the plan until he got distracted and forgot about her. I was tasked with seeing if I could make tears that lasted as¡­ long as possible.¡¯ After a while, I just¡­ couldn¡¯t,¡¯ she said, holding Bird closer as her eyes filled with guilt in a moment of weakness ¡®and started planning to escape with her while the Prince was still distracted.¡¯

    Leaf looked up at Lan as if daring him to pity her. ¡®So there you have it.¡¯ she lifted her chin.

    For a moment, Lan just looked at her. The story sounded just like what anyone trying to hide their true goals would come up with for sympathy. What made up his mind was looking to Bird or, more so, the way she clung to Leaf like her only lifeline, even though Leaf had all but admitted to hurting her in the past.

    ¡®Okay, what is our plan now that we have been found?¡¯

    Leaf blinked before recovering. ¡®As long as we killed all of them, then we have not been found just yet. Familiars like these are not able to send communication over a long distance, but there are no doubt more on the way, so as long as none escaped, we should be able to keep going with the plan.¡¯

    ¡®Okay, let¡¯s get a move on.¡¯ Lan said before noticing that Bird was still crying quietly. ¡®Hi there, Little Miss. I have to say I have never seen eyes like yours before. people say my eyes are unique too, although mine only glow.¡¯ Lan said, tapping the side of his head with a finger, knowing his eyes would still be burning with light as Bird looked up from under her hand.

    It had its effect as Bird stopped crying and stared wide-eyed at him.

    ¡®Aside from having cool eyes, I am an adventurer. Do you know what that is?¡¯ Lan asked, getting a nod from Bird.

    ¡®You fight bad people and monsters?¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s right, and I like to think that I am getting very good at fighting bad people too. so I¡¯ll tell you what, if you see any bad people, just point them out, and I will thump them for you.¡¯ Lan said, patting her on the head as she laughed softly. ¡®In the meantime, now that I know what they look like, I will make sure you never have to see one of those scary mutts again.¡¯

    Bird sniffed before sticking her pinky out, and Lan looked up at Leaf.

    ¡®Pinky promise.¡¯ Leaf said, showing Lan what to do in the air. Lan nodded and locked his pinky around Birds.

    ¡®You make a pinky promise and keep it all your life; you break that pinky promise, and your pinky turns to ice.¡¯ she sang through sniffs.

    Lan could only stare at her as she finished before raising an eyebrow at Leaf, who shrugged, clearly not getting it either.

    Then he laughed. ¡®Well, I¡¯d better keep my promise because I can¡¯t lose my pinky. It¡¯s my fifth favourite finger on my hand.¡¯ he said, making her giggle.

    Standing, Lan moved to ready his horse before Leaf called to him.

    ¡®Wait!¡¯ Leaf said to him before seeming to make up her mind. ¡®I think it¡¯s only fair that you know when I made the guild request, I had planned on letting you die if it came to it. These familiars belong to Bird¡¯s Keeper. They are tasked with killing me and bringing her back or reporting back after a kill in case she runs away, as she knows to do. I didn¡¯t care to know anything about you because I planned to use you as a decoy.¡¯ She said, clearly taking no pride in it while not shying away. ¡®I see now that you are more important to us alive if we are going to make it out of this.¡¯

    For a moment, Lan could only stare at her as Bird picked up on the tension and started to look between them.

    ¡®Okay.¡¯ Lan shrugged. ¡®Thanks for letting me know.¡¯ He added as he turned back to the horses.

    ¡®That¡¯s it? I just told you I was willing to throw away your life, and that¡¯s all you have to say?¡¯ she asked, and Lan couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡®What¡¯s so funny!¡¯ she demanded.

    ¡®Being the decoy is kind of what you paid me for. Although I will accept your apology for not telling me what we were going to face.¡¯ He said, returning to his horse and leaving Leaf to stare at his back.

    ¡®Crazy hunter¡­¡¯ she sighed.

    Now that Lan knew what was coming after them and to look in different directions, he was able to keep his promise to Bird. Wisp Walking and dealing with the next round of Hellhounds and Wisp Walking back.

    Appearing above his horse, Lan dropped into the saddle, ¡®How many familiars does this man have?¡¯ Lan asked Leaf, who turned to look at him.

    ¡®Olon is not one for forming true connections with his familiars, choosing to keep around thirty of them with basic links to most of them. Olon brought fifteen to Crownguard.

    ¡®So seven more hounds, and we are home free?¡¯ Lan asked

    ¡®Six.¡¯ Leaf shook her head. ¡®as I said, most have basic links, but Olon also brought his favourite familiar, a Fire Troll.¡¯

    Lan blinked at her. ¡®A Fire Troll? That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not a thing.¡¯ he said flatly.

    Leaf rolled her eyes. ¡®Why would I lie about that now?¡¯ she frowned

    ¡®You are telling me that there is such a thing as a fire troll?¡¯ Lan tried to clarify, getting an unamused look from Leaf.

    ¡®Yeah¡­ but a fire troll, how by the light would you even kill something like that?.¡¯ Lan said, sounding lost.

    Trolls were one of the odder creatures he knew about. The size, intelligence, and level of their incredible regeneration were utterly different from one to the next. The only thing that they had in common was their weakness to fire.

    Besides removing limbs and burning them, the only way to kill a wild troll was with magic greater than their regeneration.

    ¡®You don¡¯t.¡¯ She looked Lan in the eyes. ¡®Gregor is the only reason Olon was able to rise to the Sixth Circle; he is nearly unkillable. He is a monster as sadistic as its master and known to all in Leeto. This is why we need to reach Grisham before it is seen by their town: any spy in the town that sees it will have Olon and the Ferrin Knights on us in thirty minutes.

    ¡®Why aren¡¯t they coming after us already.¡¯ Lan asked, trying not to think about how to deal with a living contradiction. ¡®Why does it feel like this Olon is the only one we need to worry about?¡¯

    As if to emphasise her point, Leaf stopped and looked at him. ¡®Make no mistake, all of Leeto is after us. They just don¡¯t know it yet as Olon would not have told anyone yet.¡¯

    ¡®Why wouldn¡¯t he?¡¯ Lan prompted.

    ¡®He lost one of the Prince¡¯s¡­ property.¡¯ Leaf said as if the word was rotting in her mouth. ¡®If this was found out, he would be tortured for a year or until the Prince gets bored and then left to die in a cell. Olen¡¯s only hope is to try to bring Leaf back and act as if nothing happened. Failing that, he will prey that the Prince forgets about her completely. Most likely kill anyone that knows about her that he is allowed to kill just in case.¡¯ Leaf shrugged as if commenting on the weather.

    Lan heard the reins creek under his grip both because of their situations and the fact that someone could not only own a slave but that they could forget having enslaved someone. Biting back the urge to curse out all of Leeto, Lan breathed.

    ¡®Okay, let¡¯s just focus on getting you to Grisham, but then what?¡¯

    Leaf looked away before sighing and turning back. ¡®A day after we reach the town, we¡¯ll meet people who will help us leave this land. I would ask you not to pry any further. If you are found out, the less you know, the better your chance will be.¡¯

    ¡®When I am getting tortured, you mean?¡¯ Lan smiled, getting a glare back and another sigh.

    ¡®They are people like her who have shown me they can be trusted with her safety and only want the best for her. Happy now?¡¯

    At that, Lan cocked his head before stopping himself and smiling. ¡®Almost. Is there a chance that I can stop calling you two Bird and Leaf?¡¯

    After another long look, Seras, Luna and Lan set off again.

 Chapter 79: Two Worlds

    Hooves beat a tempo on the hardened ground as the three travelled. The sun had risen high into the sky as if to mark their place on their journey, casting a golden light over them.

    ¡®And, fearing the worst, Pen the Mighty raced to the town, only to find that the giant, the same one that had sworn revenge every time he had lost to Pen. Had this time fended off the others of his kind, saving the town that Pen had promised to protect,¡¯ Lan recited the tale to Luna with the ease of ingrained memory.

    ¡®For you see, over time, the giant began to look forward to his battles with Pen. Even though he always lost, he learned from the fights, coming up with new plans and strategies to defeat Pen, and he grew stronger.¡¯

    So when the other giants followed him and attacked the village, he knew losing the town would hurt the sorcerer he had grown to respect and rushed to the aid of the same people who had turned him away. In the end, as Pen healed the giant, he thanked the Lords of Light for the town and its people being safe and that his friend, the giant, was also.¡¯

    Luna laughed, beaming at the ending all children liked, while Seras rolled her eyes.

    ¡®If this Pen was so strong, why didn¡¯t he just kill the giant? Then, the others would never have found the town.¡¯ She asked, making Lan frown at her.

    ¡®Well, if you had been listening. You would know the giant had hated the town because he felt they hated him. Pen had seen this, which is why he had always let the giant live. The tale teaches us that people aren¡¯t always what they seem. Even in the scariest of us can lay a heart of gold, and the smallest of us can be the bravest.¡¯ Lan said as Luna¡¯s eyes danced with joy.

    Lan smiled at that. Every child was told about the Tales of Pen the Mighty. Many were lessons meant to help build character, but Pen and the Giant had always been one Lan loved.

    ¡®Maybe you are just bad at telling tales.¡¯ Seras said under her breath, and Lan had to stop himself from gasping at the insult that every Crownguardener, even those that were bad at telling tales, would see as a great offence.

    ¡®Maybe you are just bad at listening to them.¡¯ he said with an exaggerated frown.

    ¡®I¡­ I liked it.¡¯ Luna said in a small voice, the first time she had spoken since he had made the promise.

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s all that matters.¡¯ Lan smiled. If Making her smile meant acting a little like a fool, Lan thought it was worth it.

    ¡®But what are the Lords of Light?¡¯ she asked as she scrunched up her little face.

    Lan looked to Seras, wondering why they wouldn¡¯t have taught her that much.

    ¡®It¡¯s what people in Crownguard call the Aspects.¡¯ Seras said offhandedly, although it didn¡¯t make it that much clearer for Luna.

    ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ she said in a small voice.

    ¡®The Lords of Light are the first children of The Mother; the First Mother. The one that gave birth to the world and everything in it. In doing so, she relinquished parts of her authority to those who would become the Lords of Light.¡¯ Lan started before, listing those he knew, starting with those he knew the least about. The Herald, The Weaver, The Justiciar, The Trickster and the Mage.

    ¡®And then there is Eskathah or Eska, the Light Lord of War, also called The Warrior. She is the patron of warriors and soldiers and oversees battles. She sometimes even grants strength to some who embody what it is to be a warrior. Then there is Hathsdan, the Light Lord of creation, also called the Forge Master. He is the patron of crafters like my father, Smiths and others who make things.¡¯ Lan looked to Luna, finding her attention fixed on him.

    ¡®Who else¡­ there is The Lady, the Light Lord of Love, Ainelin and her twin sister, Bayla, The Muse or the Light Lord of Tales and Songs. The twin sisters are said to be inseparable. There is Andymion, The Ruler or the First Lord of Light. And, of course, there is Cernos, the Light Lord of the Wilds, The Hunter and the First Son. My Patron.¡¯ Lan said, and even though it was the first time, it felt good to say.

    ¡®The First Son?¡¯ Luna asked, ¡®But I thought the other the¡­ Andym one was the first?¡¯

    Lan smiled at that. ¡®Andymion is the First Lord of Light, the leader of the Lords of Light. Cernos is the first-born son of The Mother. Born even before the idea of the Lords of Light, he was tasked with creating places in the world for the first humans to live safely. Something that we adventurers still do in his name.¡¯

    ¡®Funny, I thought you all were a group of madmen that liked killing things.¡¯ Seras said, making Lan frown.

    ¡®That¡¯s not¡­ well, okay, maybe some of us are madmen¡­¡¯ he admitted, making Luna giggle, and Lan saw Seras¡¯s expression soften like it had every time Luna had done anything but look petrified.

    No matter the story, Lan knew in his heart that Seras cared for Luna. Lan thought as Seras noticed him looking and glared back, and he almost laughed before frowning as he scanned the tree line where Tyr¡¯s impression had warned him.

    ¡®Seras, stay close.¡¯ He said without raising his voice.

    ¡®What is it?¡¯ Seras asked, even as she moved her horse closer to Lan¡¯s.

    ¡®Just a little company.¡¯ Lan said momentarily, wondering if running was the right thing to do before noticing the two large four-legged figures that were undoubtedly horses. Horses whose riders would have nets or some other snares.

    ¡®Well, well, well. Isn¡¯t this a happy little family with happy little horses?¡¯ A rough male voice said before the owner walked from behind a tree, revealing a dwarf with a short beard and a tooth missing from his big grin of boulder-like teeth.

    A moment later, the man was joined by two human men, and two more appeared behind Lan, the others eliciting a whimper from Luna. Which made both Lan and Seras frown.

    ¡®Well, aren¡¯t you going to do something, Hunter?¡¯ She asked, looking like she was about to do it herself.

    ¡®I am,¡¯ Lan answered as he looked over the men. They were clearly not from Leeto. And the fact that they were looking at the horses more than Seras or Luna let him know they weren¡¯t hired thugs.

    After a moment, Lan sent a trace of mana to his eyes, shifting his sight as the world changed and flames burst to life in their chests.

    ¡®Hmm, eight to twelve.¡¯ Lan guessed. No doubt they were stable hands like many horse thieves were, which meant he had to worry about their high strength and body, as none looked like the thinner men tasked with catching any runaway horses. Those two were still on horseback, hiding in the trees.

    ¡®Now look, all we want are the horses and coin, and then you can go. Sounds good, no?¡¯ the dwarf looked at Lan. ¡®Say that¡¯s some nice looking armour. You can leave that and the sword, too.¡¯

    ¡®Look, boss!¡¯ the meathead next to him said. ¡®He is an adventurer but only a copper.¡¯ The man laughed before he was joined by the others.

    ¡®Know what, adventurer, how about you¡­¡¯ the dwarf started before Lan cut in.

    ¡®Horse thieves or bandits?¡¯ Lan said cooly as the man stumbled over his words.

    ¡®W-what?¡¯ the dwarf asked.

    ¡®I would like to know what you are talking about, too?¡¯ Seras added flatly.

    ¡®Well, if they are horse thieves and try to steal our horses, then I will have to arrest them and take them to the nearest city.¡¯ Lan explained, watching as Seras came to the same realisation he had about how much attention that would draw, let alone something they didn¡¯t have the time for. ¡®If they are bandits, on the other hand, I can just kill them.¡¯Lan shrugged as the men paled at his nonchalance and the mention of one of the Red Titles.

    ¡®We ain¡¯t no bandits!¡¯ The dwarf shouted even as the others looked at each other nervously. Which was just what he wanted. To remind them of the consequences of their actions when they felt triumphant while showing them how unfazed he was.

    Seeing that Luna was having difficulty following what was happening, Lan smiled at her.

    ¡®Red Titles are titles that people who do certain unforgivable things are cursed with.¡¯ Lan explained as the dwarf face turned red from being ignored, ¡®like doing things that would make you a bandit,¡¯ he said, feeling no need to go into detail, getting a nod from Luna.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡®Does it matter? just kill them, we are wasting time.¡¯ Seras asked, and Lan had to hide his smile as the men¡¯s jaws dropped at her bluntness, which only fed into his attempts to discourage them.

    ¡®Well, if they are just horse thieves and not trying to kill us, then I could end up with a Red Title myself.¡¯ Lan laughed, even though he knew she knew that already. And if they were bandits, they would have no doubt shown it by then.

    ¡®There are ways to hide a Red Title.¡¯ Seras said flatly, looking over the man with disgust, sounding like she spoke from experience.

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t forget that we have you outnumbered!¡¯ the dwarf shouted.

    ¡®That¡¯s a good point.¡¯ Lan mused, nodding at Seras, ignoring the man, knowing he wouldn¡¯t risk becoming a pariah and forever marking his soul, even if he could hide it when there was still a way out. ¡®Okay, boys, seeing as we are in a little bit of a rush, and you only ¡°asked¡± for our horses so far. How about you walk back into the trees and let us be on our way, so I don¡¯t have to find out if you are thieves or bandits?¡¯ Lan looked the dwarf in the eyes, waiting for the moment he would make up his mind.

    It looked like common sense would win out, but then the dwarf looked to the Crownbolts and licked his lips. Before the man could speak, Lan wanted to make another attempt but stopped as Luna pulled on his sleeve.

    Lan looked down just as the dwarf signalled for the other to move, which Lan saw through Tyr¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®These are bad people.¡¯ Luna said, looking up at Lan.

    ¡®Hmm, I think you are right.¡¯ Lan smiled, then Wisp Walked, appearing in front of the closest man, who staggered and fell back before he could react, his club flying into the air as Lan landed a spinning kick to his jaw.

    Lan tracked the club through the air as his feet reached the ground, backpedalling to catch it, which he did. The act of which left him with his back turned to the second man, who closed the distance and swung with all his might, but the wooden mace found nothing but air as Lan appeared behind the man and knocked him out with his friend¡¯s club.

    As the man dropped to his knees before falling face first, Lan once again mused at how much of a boon seeing through Tyr¡¯s eyes was as he would never have tried to bait an attack like that otherwise.

    The last two thieves charged at once, and Lan ran to meet them, which took them by surprise even before he Wisp Walked above them, throwing his body into a spin and whipping the club off the back of the first¡¯s head, making the other stumble, giving Lan enough time to drop to the ground and land a knock-out blow on the back of his head.

    ¡®Looks like you are the one that is outnumbered now,¡¯ Lan grinned like a wolf at the dwarf, who looked like he would pass out from rage, before looking to Seras and Luna and making a run for them.

    He didn¡¯t make it far, as even as Seras reached into her bag, the club collided with the dwarf¡¯s face, flipping the man once before he crashed into the ground.

    Groning, the dwarf cupped his bloody nose as Lan got back on his horse.

    ¡®Good to go.¡¯ he smiled at Seras and Luna, getting a frown from the former while Luna beamed at him.

    As Lan met Seras¡¯ eyes, it looked like she would say something about leaving them alive, but a nod down towards Luna from Lan stopped her as she sighed and kicked the horses.

    ¡®Do you think leaving them is the right thing?¡¯ Seras asked once they were safely away from the group, who no doubt regretted the choices that had led to them meeting Lan. ¡®what if there are more of them and they come after us?¡¯ although she made it sound like a question, the hidden rebuke was clear to Lan.

    ¡®We¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ Lan smiled. From what he had heard from wagon drivers, Horse thieves only chose targets they could scare into not fighting back. If anything, he had gone a little further than he needed to. ¡®plus¡­¡¯ he smiled to Luna. ¡®how are they going to learn to be better people if we don¡¯t give them a chance.¡¯

    ¡®Like Pen!¡¯ Luna beamed at him, and Lan realised he didn¡¯t want this girl he barely knew to see him as someone who could kill other people as much as he didn¡¯t himself.

    After an hour and a few more stories, Lan somehow found himself with Luna asleep in his lap as they rode.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think I have ever seen her fall asleep when others are in the same room, let alone on someone. She seems to have really taken a shine to you.¡¯ Seras noted.

    ¡®You think?¡¯ Lan asked. ¡®Maybe I am just treating her how I wish someone had been with me.¡¯ Lan said both to Seras and himself. More than once, as his younger self lay in his room, covered in cuts and bruises, he could have given an arm just for someone to talk to him like an average person.

    ¡®Is that why you keep helping us?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®Mostly.¡¯ Lan answered, not trying to hide where he stood now that Luna was asleep. ¡®Of course, there is also the fact that I took the job.¡¯ He shrugged.

    ¡®Of course,¡¯ Seras repeated, her words dripping with disapproval.

    ¡®Should I not?¡¯ Lan challenged.

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t stop you if you choose to or not.¡¯ Seras shrugged. ¡®I just find your kind¡¯s obsession with coin bordering on the obsessive. It¡¯s rather distasteful¡­¡¯

    ¡®If it was about the coin, wouldn¡¯t I be able to make a lot more by handing you back to Olon?¡¯ Lan countered.

    ¡®Then why?¡¯

    Lan paused momentarily, ¡®I won¡¯t pretend to speak for all adventurers, but I know that taking on a job is a promise for me. A promise that no matter how big or small the job, every one I do protects or aids people. This time, those people just happen to be you and Luna.¡¯

    ¡®Is that why you didn¡¯t seem to care about not telling you about what we faced? Was it because you would have helped us anyway?¡¯

    ¡®I never said I didn¡¯t care.¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®If you had gotten a different adventurer and they were hurt or killed because of you, I would have been pretty upset. And if I had known what we faced back in the city, I wouldn¡¯t have let you leave and told the guildmaster that you were trying to get me to start a war with a prince, but now? It¡¯s my job to see you safe to your destination.¡¯

    Seras rolled her eyes at that, and Lan smiled. ¡®Come on, even in Leeto, you must have heard of the Adventurer¡¯s Heart?¡¯ Lan joked, bringing up what he was starting to believe was what the Tales meant as the Hunter¡¯s Song.

    ¡®We don¡¯t¡­¡¯ Seras stated flatly. ¡®none of our trappers would choose this life¡­ Most are slaves.¡¯ She added offhandedly.

    Hearing that, Lan¡¯s next words died in his throat.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Seras turned to look at him fully. ¡®is that strange to you? There are slaves in almost every aspect of life in Leeto. I should know as I was one.¡¯

    Lan just stared at her until she frowned.

    ¡®Would you mind not looking at me like that?¡¯

    ¡®Sorry.¡¯ Lan looked away. Lan knew of the slavery in Leeto and how it differed from the indentured servitude contracts in Crownguard, which was often hyperbolically called slavery, but he had never thought it was a part of every aspect of Leeto.

    ¡®Sorry¡­¡¯

    ¡®Why.¡¯ Seras raised an eyebrow. ¡®I am not now.¡¯

    ¡®H-how?¡¯ was all Lan could manage, getting a sigh.

    ¡®After I was enslaved, I was bought to keep the office of a nobleman named Rookrose clean as I was small and quiet. As I aged, the noble¡¯s attention toward me started to change. But it was already too late for him. As being made to clean his office, I overheard all of his dealings and how to manage a baronet. So one night, after falling asleep, I slit his throat and left him to be found in the morning. Funny enough, the only thing his foolish wife and son cared about was being able to manage the upcoming tax so they wouldn''t be removed. Something they were all too happy to leave to me as long as they could keep wasting coin, not caring when I started to do more than just the taxes. When they finally realised what I was doing, I was already the new Lady Rookrose.¡¯

    ¡®Just like that?¡¯ Lan laughed.

    ¡®Of course. I ensured the correct amount of tax reached the duke, so why would he care who was calling themselves lord Rookrose?¡¯ Seras shrugged. ¡®In fact, after I dealt with the old lord¡¯s creditor, I increased the amount, so he was rather happy with me. After a year, I found out that one of the previous Lord Rookrose had been a great alchemist, so much so that with their notes, I was able to join the prince¡¯s retinue.¡¯ Seras finished as if she hadn¡¯t told Lan one of the most outlandish things he had ever heard.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Seras frowned.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t think my opinion of Leeto could get any lower.¡¯ Lan said, not caring to think through his words at that moment. To his surprise, Seras bristled.

    ¡®Do not forget that is my homeland you speak of.¡¯

    ¡®You are defending it? Aren¡¯t you running from a prince of Leeto as we speak¡¯ Lan scoffed.

    ¡®Of course, I am defending it, or do you think Leeto is made up only of the princes. Or maybe you just didn¡¯t notice that your own kingdom has slaves, too?¡¯ she shot back.

    ¡®it¡¯s not the same.¡¯ Lan countered, having to work to keep his voice down.

    ¡®Oh, and how is that?¡¯

    ¡®For a start, children can not become indentured servants, and even a person bonded to work off unpaid debts or crimes aren¡¯t owned by those they serve and will be freed unless their crimes are heinous enough.¡¯ Although Lan had mixed feelings about it, he knew many people saw the chance to repay their debts through servitude as more honourable than begging.

    ¡®And you really believe that?¡¯ Seras ask with a smile full of spiteful mirth. ¡®Do you think your oh-so-noble Lords and Ladies follow those same rules? Do you think they do not find ways to enslave people? Are all of them so pure that they bathe in Light?¡¯

    The words hit Lan like a punch, as did thoughts of Dell, who had used the bond between master and apprentice to torment him, Larence, who had tried to destroy his life just a day ago, the magistrate, and all those they could be connected to. No, Lan couldn¡¯t say that. Then he thought of Lily, who took care of children who had no one else, The Guildmaster, who had stood by him and Lord Oscar, who had stopped a war before it could begin through his sheer authority.

    ¡®I can¡¯t say that there is a chance what you say isn¡¯t true. But I wouldn¡¯t call any that would do so real nobles.¡¯ Lan stated without a hint of doubt.

    ¡®Even if that is the case, so what?¡¯ Seras frowned. ¡®In Crownguard, you will always just be a hunter, and they will always be better than you. In Leeto, you could rise to the Third Circle with your power and more training. The boot on your neck might be shinier than mine, but all those in Leeto and I can rip it from our necks and take its place. Can you say the same in Crownguard? No. True freedom can only be found in Leeto.¡¯

    Lan just looked at her. So this was how those in Leeto saw themselves? trapped if they couldn¡¯t do anything to change it¡­ Lan thought before pausing. Or was it just what someone who had tried to rise told themselves.

    She was a world of contradictions, praising Leeto while running from it. Even if she believed everything she had said, Lan, of all people, knew just the flaws in her thinking.

    ¡®How many daggers pointed at your back do you gain every time you rip a new boot from your neck? And how long have the princes and the dukes held power? Better yet, how long have their families? Are you really limited only by your ability or their whim?¡¯ Lan asked, making her frown. ¡®As for power? I would not want nor know what to do with it. At least when it¡¯s not the power to choose how I spend my life.¡¯ he said, looking at his tag. ¡®That is all the freedom I need.¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t want power?¡¯ Seras scoffed before Lan locked eyes with her.

    ¡®You should understand that, after all you did for power, you threw it all away for her.¡¯ Lan looked at Luna, who must have been exhausted to have slept through all of that.

    Seras¡¯s eyes fell on Luna, different emotions playing across her features before they softened, and she looked away, ¡®Let¡¯s just get to Grisham.¡¯

 Chapter 80: An offer

    With that and having nothing else to say, the two rode silently as Luna slept until the sun began its descent, still burning bright as it stained everything orange-red.

    Despite being on horseback and running for her life, Luna barely stirred, and Lan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had that much confidence in him or was just that tired. After a moment, Lan voiced something that had been on his mind since he saw Luna¡¯s ability.

    ¡®She is a Summoned Hero, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ Lan asked, the words hanging in the air for a heartbeat until Seras¡¯ shoulders tensed, and she slowly turned to look at him.

    ¡®What are you talking about? Of course not.¡¯ Seras frowned.

    ¡®There is no way that she is eleven years old,¡¯ Lan said. ¡®So there is no way that she can have an ability, and I know of no race that can do what she does on Tearna, ¡¯ Lan pressed.

    ¡®She is older than she looks, and there have been those that gained their Tomes sooner than eleven.¡¯ Seras countered smoothly.

    ¡®Is that the case? Then I know for sure that she is a Summoned Hero as she has no Seraph.¡¯ Lan said, which Seras clearly knew nothing about as she looked unsure before sighing.

    ¡®What are you going to do¡­¡¯ Seras asked.

    He didn¡¯t know, nor had he expected Seras to give up so easily. For a moment, Lan wondered if taking her back to the city despite the risk was the right answer.

    ¡®If I take her back to the duke, we could have proof that Leeto has been Summoning People from other worlds.¡¯ At that major revelation, Seras¡¯ eyes grew wide before she pushed past it and shook her head.

    ¡®The Summoners Guild is an autonomous group that is not loyal to any princes. Even then, you would only be able to go after Prince Caerleon. Who will pass the truth stone test about knowing where she came from.¡¯ Seras said, still processing the information about Luna not coming from a Tale, but another world.

    Lan nodded. Although he hadn¡¯t known about the Summoners Guild and didn¡¯t like what it meant, he had guessed it wouldn¡¯t be that easy.

    ¡®How are you so sure?¡¯ Seras asked. ¡®About her being brought from another world?¡¯

    ¡®Turns out one of my ancestors is a Sage of Crownguard and a Summoned Hero himself. And Luna is not the first I have met. Although it is not widely spread, I get the feeling it is something those in the know are trying to keep hidden. And something I now believe.¡¯

    Seras nodded, falling silent again, but Lan had more questions.

    ¡®The people you are going to meet¡­ You said they were like her.¡¯ Lan said, getting another nod from the woman. Lan breathed in sharply at that before asking his last question.

    ¡®How long has she been in this world?¡¯

    ¡®Five months¡­¡¯

    This time, Lan let silence fall over them.

    Although he had suspected as much, having it confirmed made his blood run cold with rage. Everything he had been through paled compared to the complete unfairness of having been taken from her world and all those she knew and cared about, only to end up in a world full of people who did nothing but cause her pain.

    For him, there had always been the hope to gain a title and be rid of Dell, but Luna¡­ was there even a way to return her to her world, or was this it for her? Alone in a strange world at an age that most children would still be on their mother¡¯s apron strings.

    Lan looked down at Luna. Even with other Summoned Heros, she would always be alone.

    And then there were the other Summoned Heroes. Seras had all but confirmed that there was a group of them. A group of people who had been taken from their worlds. People who had to hold some animosity towards those who brought them into this world, and what if they were linked to the young master?

    He would be handing Luna to the same people wanting to end the world¡­ but it wasn¡¯t like it was his place to stop this, nor did he have a better plan for Luna, so why¡­ why, by the Light, did he feel responsible for her, for all of this?

    {Lan} the voice said, saving Lan from his thoughts as he noticed that Tyr had been sending him an alert.

    Lan closed his eyes and allowed the impression to fill his mind. Then, he watched the ground race past through her eyes as she followed a large humanoid on the back of what looked like a bear.

    ¡®Seras, does Gregor have some sort of mount?¡¯ Lan asked, hoping that this was just a coincidence.

    Seras stared at him blankly for a long moment before saying. ¡®The Charge Boar.¡¯ She breathed before taking Luna from Lan and kicking the horses to speed.

    Luna cried out as the wind started to lash past them.

    ¡®Charge Boar?¡¯ Lan shouted.

    ¡®One of Olon''s other familiars! One that they left in Leeto!¡¯ she added before turning her attention back to driving the horses.

    ¡®What¡¯s that mean?¡¯ Lan shouted back, getting a frown from Seras.

    ¡®It¡­¡¯ she started before the horses jumped over a large branch that had fallen in the road. ¡®if we are lucky, then it means we are just dealing with more familiars.¡¯

    ¡®And if we are not?¡¯ Lan called, shielding his face with a hand.

    ¡®Then Olon must have enough on a Portal Mage to buy their loyalty.¡¯ She shouted back before the thought made her kick the horses to draw any more speed from them. But it didn¡¯t seem to help as a voice reached them, breaking through the rushing wind.

    ¡®Little Bird! It¡¯s time to come home!¡¯ A deep, reverberating voice shook Lan¡¯s bones as if the sound was using them as a conduit.

    Once the sound reached them, Lan turned and saw a figure cresting over the hill. A Figure with blood-red skin and riding a monstrous black boar with which, even from where they were, he could see the fire streaming from its mouth as it picked up speed.

    ¡®Seras!¡¯ Lan shouted, looking back at the same time as he noticed Luna had stopped crying. The reason why he found when he looked down at her.

    Luna¡¯s skin had turned a ghostly white as she looked forward with wide, hollow eyes. Something made worse as her eyes had changed again, only now a purple so dark it looked to be turning red.

    Anger filled his chest, and Lan had to force himself to look back, only to find the troll close enough that he could see its burning red hair, and the boar still looked to be picking up speed.

    They wouldn¡¯t be able to get away. Lan thought as he drew his sword.

    ¡®What are you doing!¡¯ Seras shouted as she noticed him.

    ¡®Buying you time!¡¯ he called back. ¡®When I get rid of him, I¡¯ll send Tyr to let you know I am on the way.¡¯ Lan said as he climbed to his feet on the saddle.

    ¡®And what if she doesn¡¯t show?¡¯ Seras asked, which was something Lan hadn¡¯t expected.

    ¡®Then you go with plan A,¡¯ he said, getting a hesitant nod from the woman before looking at Luna.

    ¡®When I am done dealing with the dumb troll, I will tell you the story of Pen and the Living City.¡¯ Lan said over the sound of the horses just loud enough to reach the girl, who blinked, her eyes shifting to purple as she looked at him worriedly. ¡®I think I might like that one a little more than Pen and the Giant,¡¯ he added with a reassuring smile before he lept backwards off his horse.

    Twisting as he flew back to be in a better position, Lan Wisp Walked just as Tyr got into range, and the world raced past him.

    Shattering crystal filled the air as Lan finished his turn, Tyr flying around him like a moon before he kicked off nothing as he tried to make the most of the Silver Wind. Unbound by the world¡¯s laws, Lan flew towards the ever-growing troll, now able to see its burning red hair.

    {What¡¯s the plan, Lan?} the voice asked as Tyr raced forward to meet the troll.

    ¡®Working on it.¡¯ Lan said, detaching his scabbard and joining it with his sword before kicking off the air one last time with the last of his Silver Wind. The troll now close enough to notice and smile at him.

    But Lan barely paid notice of it as the sound of the Charge Boar¡¯s<u> </u>thundering hoof beats caused the dirt road to melt to glass as the boar left burning pockmarks behind it. And that was only the beginning.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Lan wasn¡¯t sure how something of that size could even move, but it looked to be picking up even more speed as it saw him.

    Then Tyr reached the Troll and Boar, and there was no more time to think as Lan stepped through the space between them, the world falling away as he raced towards them.

    Twisting his body before the Wisp Walk, Lan stepped out, already swinging his sword spear with all of his Silver Wind-empowered body, not at the troll but at the legs of the boar.

    For a moment, Lan felt like he had accidentally hit a boulder before the boar continued its stride, throwing its front legs forward, ripping Lan¡¯s sword spear from his hand as the force spun him upside down.

    [Inventory: Spell Thief = Added]

    Lan heard as time slowed, and he watched the troll smile at him as the boar started to pass him, arching back and throwing a punch with the entirety of its massive bulk behind it, aimed at Lan¡¯s head.

    [Hp: 120 > 110]

    Pain, sharp bone-cracking pain ripped through Lan¡¯s arm as he brought his shield arm up, activating it and turning his certain death into a wild spinning flight across the open field to their left.

    Tyr sent an impression as she flew after him, and Lan Wisp Walked before kicking his legs to reorient and break his wild flight.

    ¡®That could have gone better.¡¯ Lan hissed through his teeth as he tested his left arm. ¡®Anything broken?¡¯ Lan asked. There was no doubt that was one of the most brutal punches he had taken, and although he could move it, Lan had lost all feeling in his left arm.

    {Somehow, no¡­ although you won¡¯t be getting any feeling back for some time.}

    ¡®What would have happened if that had hit me?¡¯ Lan smiled as he flexed his arm.

    {Do you really need me to say it?} the voice answered as Lan reached into the Other World Chest and drew out his sword.

    ¡®No.¡¯ Lan laughed, feeling lighter as he looked over at the troll to find that he had managed to stop the boar. Which tried and failed to stand even though it didn¡¯t look like Lan had managed to draw blood. It couldn¡¯t even lift itself up to try and stand as it let out low wails of pain.

    Quietly, the troll walked around the boar, watching it struggle as it brushed the dust off itself.

    ¡®What is it, can¡¯t stand?¡¯ It said in the same deep voice without the effect that rattled Lan¡¯s bones before it brought its heel down on the boar¡¯s neck, slamming it to the ground before a sound like the crack and pops of a falling tree trunk echoed through the field.

    ¡®You are going to have to pay for killing my boar.¡¯ The troll grinned, showing rows of blocky pearl-white teeth with two long tusks instead of lower canines as it pulled the familiar stone from the boar¡¯s head.

    Lan didn¡¯t take the bait; instead, he sent a trace of mana to his eyes, shifting his sight. Unsurprised to find that the flame of the troll¡¯s health surrounded its whole body, burning like an out-of-control furnace.

    Dressed in a furlined leather jerkin and large metal gauntlets with studded knuckles, Lan was able to see the daggers and large Warhammer hanging from its belt.

    Any one of which Lan was sure could be a quick end for him.

    Seeing that the troll was willing to wait, Lan looked at the horses that were just now cresting the next hill.

    The troll followed Lan¡¯s eyeline and smiled.

    ¡®Thinking about them instead of yourself, huh? Don¡¯t worry. They are still close enough for me to catch.¡¯

    Hearing this, Lan locked eyes with the troll, dropping into a low spear stance before surging towards it.

    ¡®There we go!¡¯ the troll laughed before charging to meet Lan, rearing back and throwing another skull-crushing punch as Lan vanished, inches from the fist, appearing above the troll as he detached the scabbard and threw it into the chest before he aimed a two-handed slash at the troll¡¯s neck.

    The troll raised its arm with the nonchalance of swatting away a fly. Letting Spell Thief sink into the bone as it turned, one of its daggers in its free hand and aimed to disembowel Lan.

    Moving as only one with the Silver Wind could, Lan twisted his body, using his sword as leverage to swing his legs up as the blade passed inches from where the steel of his chest plate ended.

    Not to let Lan go unscathed, the troll slashed up as Lan disengaged, the tip of its blade drawing a thin line that made blood bubble from under Lan¡¯s skin before he managed to kick off and make some distance between them.

    [Hp: 110 > 108]

    ¡®I thought as much.¡¯ Lan said as he landed in a low stance.

    {Lan?}

    ¡®No point in dodging when it takes less effort to heal.¡¯ He said before his head spun.

    [Status Effect: Poison]

    Lan swallowed hard before feeling his head start to clear, and the status effect faded.

    ¡®Voice?¡¯ he asked, shaking his head.

    {The scratch wasn¡¯t deep enough to pass on enough poison. But if even that much gets into your bloodstream, you won¡¯t be able to move anymore.}

    Lan nodded.

    ¡®No way!¡¯ the troll laughed. ¡®The look in those eyes! You are one of them, aren¡¯t you? A real hunter!¡¯ the troll shouted as if trying to rile up an audience. ¡®Not one of the fools in it for the coin. A real killer, one of His killers. I always wanted one of your skulls for the collection.¡¯

    Ignoring the troll, Lan looked after Seras and Luna, finding them almost over the far hill.

    Either from being ignored or the horses getting away, the troll frowned, sliding his dagger back into the sheath as it unhooked its Warhammer.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll put the poison away. I want to make this last.¡¯ Even before the troll finished, Lan was moving. Staying planted on the ground, Lan thought about the feeling of flying, letting his Silver Wind carry his body and doubling his speed as each step pushed off the ground without resistance, no longer held down by the world¡¯s laws.

    Despite the smile there a moment earlier, the troll was clearly taken aback, blinking and raising its hammer but not swinging as Lan closed and Wisp Walked behind it.

    Which it saw coming, turning to meet Lan, only this time, he had stayed low to the ground, making the troll have to correct its aim as Lan Wisp walked again. Appearing above it, he brought his heel down on its head.

    If he couldn¡¯t cut the monster, then he could try knocking the sense out of it.

    Lan¡¯s hit was solid, dropping the monster¡¯s head. But the same kick that could knock a man out and splinter wood did nothing to the troll as it grabbed Lan¡¯s leg, swinging him over its head and slamming him to the ground.

    [Hp: 108 > 88]

    Lan bounced hard off the dirt, but before he could let the pain set in, his body reacted and rolled as the troll tried to stomp on his chest. The second foot fell as Lan kicked his legs over his head, rolled to his feet, and sprang away, having learned two things.

    First, he would have to do far more damage to knock the sense out of the troll. The other was a little more worrying. When it grabbed him, Lan tried Wisp Walking, but he couldn¡¯t, which he wouldn¡¯t have needed to learn if he hadn¡¯t been focused on the dagger.

    Before Lan could think about it any further, the troll was on him, raising its hammer and then bringing it down, but Lan would have seen the attack with his eyes closed and sidestepped it.

    Instead of lifting its hammer, the troll struck out with its dagger, scoring a line on Lan¡¯s chest plate as he jumped back, dropping his sword in the chest before drawing his mace and Wisp Walking.

    Cloaked in silver light, Lan emerged in front of the troll and aimed at the dagger, crushing the hand holding it and sending the poisoned blade flying through the air, which he Wisp Walked up to catch as the troll¡¯s hammer passed through the space he had been in. catching the dagger, Lan vanished, appearing behind the troll as in one fluid motion, he drove the dagger into its head before turning and delivering a spinning kick to the hilt of the blade for good measure.

    ¡®There, how is that?¡¯ Lan breathed, appearing in the field, followed by the shattering crystal. If even a drop of the poison was able to paralyze him, then a full blade¡¯s worth should be enough for even a troll like this.

    He thought, watching as the troll¡¯s eyes rolled in different directions. Lan drew his sword from the chest, planning to put the monster down for good, but saved himself as he looked the way Seras and Luna had gone one last time.

    ¡®Oh man, this is just not it.¡¯ the troll cried, its eyes refocusing as it pulled the dagger free. ¡®I really am trying to get into this, but your heart is just not in it!¡¯ it sang. ¡®you keep worrying about the woman and girl, but what about the fight, man. Where is the bloodlust, the will to kill even in death? I have one chance to face a Marked Hunter, and you are wasting it,¡¯ the troll said, hooking its hammer on its belt as it started to pace, even turning its back on Lan.

    {Uh, what is happening?...} the voice asked dumbfounded.

    ¡®I have no idea.¡¯ Lan said, even as the troll¡¯s image of those with the Hunter¡¯s mark got under his skin.

    ¡®Tell you what,¡¯ it clicked its fingers. ¡®I¡¯ll let you go. Just like that.¡¯ it grinned.

    ¡®How kind of you.¡¯ Lan answered flatly, not dropping his guard.

    ¡®No, I mean it. You go and make sure that woman and the treasure get to that town, and when I catch up in a day, we have a real fight.¡¯ It offered while also letting Lan know it knew where they were going. ¡®At this point, I won¡¯t catch up until they reach the town anyway, and with that zippy little ability, I can¡¯t stop you from leaving whenever you want or continuing to get in my way. But there is one thing stopping you from going, isn¡¯t there.¡¯

    Lan frowned, the troll¡¯s smile telling him they had been right about the spy in Grisham.

    ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ the troll grinned. ¡®The moment I am seen in that town, it will be reported to those that place the spies there, and then it¡¯s over. Every last one of my master¡¯s affairs will be looked into. In twenty minutes flat, the vultures will be on you as those who want to take Olen¡¯s place or just get rid of him come to claim the prize. But we can¡¯t have that now, can we?¡¯

    ¡®Why not? One would think you would want to get away from your master.¡¯ Lan asked, getting another smile.

    ¡®He may be a rat piece of shit, but Olon is still my master, and I would like to keep it that way. So this is my offer: tomorrow night at midnight, you can meet me outside of the city, and we can do this for real. If you kill me, you get to go free, but if I kill you, then I just wait for the woman to leave, and I can snap her neck.¡¯

    ¡®And what if we just stay in the town or leave before midnight.¡¯ Lan challenged as he thanked his years as a merchant apprentice for keeping his surprise off his face. The troll thought they would be leaving on horseback after reaching the town.

    Although she hadn¡¯t told him, Lan was sure they wouldn¡¯t leave by horse. If that had been the case, she wouldn¡¯t have put all their effort into reaching the town. At the very least, the people she would be meeting must have had a way to deal with the troll.

    All he had to do was agree, and they were home-free.

    ¡®If you leave, we just start the chase over, and I¡¯ll hunt you to the ends of the world, and if you stay even a minute past midnight¡­ then I will come looking for you even if it means losing my master. You know you can¡¯t stop me. Your best chance is to kill me in a fight. The troll threw something at Lan, which he caught.

    Looking down, Lan found a pocket watch. Without thinking, Lan shifted his sight but found no runes on the watch.

    ¡®Not a minute after midnight.¡¯ The troll smiled.

    ¡®You think I am a fool. When I let my guard down, you and your portal mage will come in and kill me.¡¯ Lan probed. ¡®Better just have it out here.¡¯

    ¡®You think I would let a portal mage set eyes on the treasure? You don¡¯t know the mages of Leeto.¡¯ The troll laughed. ¡®Although I can¡¯t say I am much better, I plan on killing them anyway.¡¯

    Lan frowned at that as what should have sounded like a false effort to convince him sounded more like gloating.

    Lan stood there for a moment. A part of him, a small yet ever-growing part of him, told him to just stay and fight. Even though after nine Wisp Walks, he hadn¡¯t even been able to do real damage. Lan felt his muscles itch for him to go on like he had almost found the answer.

    Two things won out, however, the first being his goal had only been to buy time for Seras and Luna, which he had done. The second is that he was tasked with protecting the two and not killing the troll, and there were no doubt more familiars out there.

    After a long moment, Lan nodded. ¡®Midnight.¡¯

    ¡®There it is,¡¯ The troll smiled. ¡®The eyes of a real killer.¡¯

    Lan didn¡¯t answer, reaching out with his mind until he found that Tyr had reached Seras and the horses. Then he removed the tuning bell and stepped through space.

 Chapter 81: The Drunken Cat

    As Lan stepped back into the world, Seras and Luna jumped. After seeing Tyr, they stopped but clearly didn¡¯t expect him to show up so soon. Almost leaping from her saddle, the look of surprise on Seras¡¯s face shifted to a frown.

    ¡®Well?¡¯ She asked as Lan landed in his saddle.

    ¡®So¡­ Pen and the Living City.¡¯ Lan grinned. Even as Seras rolled her eyes, Luna looked at Lan in a way that he never would have thought anyone would see him. It was the same child-like wonder he and the other children had when they had seen Lord Oscar or St. Kasteen as they paraded through the city.

    Lan found himself carrying a sleeping Luna once again as he finished the story about the ever-changing city of mages that had almost been the end of Pen.

    ¡®Hmm, you did well.¡¯ Seras said after Lan told her about the encounter. ¡®Finding out about the Portal mage was good, and I don¡¯t know how you managed to trick Gregor into thinking you would face him later, but that was clever. I didn¡¯t think I would see you again after you left.¡¯ She said as if seeing Lan in a new, much more favourable light.

    ¡®Hm.¡¯ Lan answered non-committedly as he thought over the fight. ¡®I am not sure about that.¡¯ He added, flexing his hand.

    ¡®You are not sure?¡¯ Seras tilted her head. ¡®You said it yourself you couldn¡¯t do any damage to him. You were lucky to get out.¡¯ she said as if talking to a child, only getting a distant nod from Lan.

    With a sigh, Seras went on. ¡®How did you know we wouldn¡¯t be leaving the town by foot?¡¯ She asked as if trying to steer him away from thoughts of the troll.

    ¡®Huh? Every time you spoke about it, it sounded like getting to the town was the goal. I took that to mean that you would either leave a different way or the people you would be meeting could deal with the troll.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Seras looked at him as if not expecting that from him. ¡®Well, you are right. Tomorrow night, the summoned heroes will meet us with a Hero that can open worldwide portals. That is how we are going to leave.¡¯ She said, and Lan, with some effort, managed not to mention that he hadn¡¯t needed to push for the information; he was just happy that she had shared on her own.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Seras frowned.

    ¡®Oh, nothing.¡¯ Lan smiled back before turning to the road.

    As a result of running the horses, they made enough ground that even after resting once they were sure they weren¡¯t being chased, there was still light in the sky by the time the tower of the town church came into view.

    Lan sighed, echoing the relaxing of Seras¡¯ shoulders. Although part of Lan wanted to suggest just running the horses down and getting all of this over and done with, they soon reached town anyway.

    When they crested the hill approaching the town, Seras took them into the trees before getting down and taking Luna from Lan, waking the girl in the process.

    Once on the ground, Lan watched Seras retrieve a small vial from her satchel.

    ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ Lan asked as Seras poured a drop of the clear liquid into each of Luna¡¯s eyes. to which she blinked hard before rubbing them.

    ¡®It¡¯s a potion that hides one¡¯s eye colour.¡¯ Seras explained as she poured a drop into each of her own eyes. Without this, Luna¡¯s eyes would change colour to match her mood. As you have seen, strong emotions can still come through even with it. So let¡¯s try and avoid that in town.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Lan noted as he watched her next pour a drop of a different potion on their hair, turning the colour blonde.

    ¡®It would be easier to spot us otherwise.¡¯ Seras added as she looked Luna over.

    Lan nodded at that as Seras turned to him. ¡®Do you want some?¡¯ she asked, looking him over.

    ¡®Better not,¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®In fact, once we get to the town, not trying too hard to not stand out will help us blend in more.¡¯ Lan said, waving to the horses. ¡®People are going to think you are a noble or a merchant or a noble merchant anyway, so¡­ just be yourself.¡¯ Lan smiled, getting a dangerous look from Seras.

    ¡®And what does that mean?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®No one knows,¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®Noble merchants kind of just do and act the way they want.¡¯ Lan explained, leaving out the fact that they were also known to be either abrasive or crazy. Sometimes both.

    Seras stared at him as if reading his mind. ¡®I will take your advice then.¡¯ she said in a tone that sounded like she would trust him.

    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ Lan added, feeling the need to acknowledge the overture. Seras¡¯ eyes lingered on Lan for a moment longer, as if she would say more before she nodded.

    ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯

    With that, they headed for the town.

    Reaching the gate, Lan approached the guards, who eyed him uneasily. That was until they saw his tag, and then they seemed to become more hostile.

    ¡®Name and business.¡¯ The first guard, a man a few years older than Lan, barked.

    ¡®Landrin.¡¯ Lan said before pointing to Seras. ¡®Just finishing up an escort job for the Hall of the Wild Hunt.¡¯ This only seemed to upset the guards more, and Lan had to remind himself that, unlike the guards he knew, most didn¡¯t like adventurers

    ¡®Well, they have to sign in too.¡¯ the guard said, shooting his chin at Seras and Luna.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, that is L-¡® Lan tried.

    ¡®I said they have to sign in!¡¯ The guard cut him off, and Lan shrugged and approached the horses.

    ¡®Try and look annoyed.¡¯ Lan said as he brushed Seras¡¯s horse on the neck.

    ¡®What! why would I do that?¡¯ Seras said, frowning.

    ¡®Yeah, just like that.¡¯ Lan smiled as he turned and headed back.

    ¡®Lady Oakleaf wishes to know,¡¯ he started before making a show of remembering the words. ¡®Just who by the light do you think you are to ask her to sign in?¡¯

    This worked like how Lan had hoped as the two guards paled.

    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you say she was a noble?¡¯ the second guard whispered worriedly as if Lan had broken some kind of unspoken code.

    ¡®I tried.¡¯ Lan shrugged.

    ¡®Ah, just go.¡¯ the first hissed as the second rushed to open the gate.

    With a nod, Lan obliged, starting towards the horses before he stopped and looked over his shoulder. ¡®Oh, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know where a good inn would be?¡¯ he smiled.

    Willing to do anything to get rid of Lan and his troublesome charges, the two guards would have given him the shirts off their backs. So directions to the right Inn were easy enough.

    ¡®What was the point of all that?¡¯ Seras asked as they passed through the gates.

    ¡®We didn¡¯t need to sign in, did we?¡¯ Lan grinned. ¡®Plus, this way, they will keep their mouth shut about ever seeing us. ¡®That had been a little trick he had learned from Dell. Only whenever he had been made to do it back then, a kick or a slap to the face had been used to sell the effect.

    Seras nodded. ¡®Very resourceful.¡¯ She said, which might as well have been glowing praise.

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    [Job Complete]

    That made Lan pause. Right, the job had only been until they reached Grisham. Which they had done. At this point, he could leave, but even as he had the thought, Lan knew he wasn¡¯t going anywhere until Seras and Luna were safe. That was when he would call the job done.

    As one could expect from a town built around supplying wagon trains, the streets were about double the width they needed to be. Instead of stalls on the sides of the roads, whole shop fronts had open walls to allow quick maneuverability, allowing workers to haul packs between the everyday life of townspeople. Almost to be expected, there was an unmistakable smell of horses, which made Seras miss the city.

    Seras sighed as the horses walked down the street. They were drawing so much attention.

    Even though she had once again been surprised by Lan¡¯s ingenuity and the fact that the people of Crownguard seemed just as easy to read.

    Like how the Guards had been stunned by Lan and how, before they could hide it, their looks of authority suddenly changed to one of intimidation, which they had tried to mask with standoffishness when they learned he was a hunter. Although it had been amusing, it still should have been a warning.

    Compared to the two guards, Lan looked like he had walked out of a tale. A head taller than them, he possessed an innate self-assurance that the guards didn¡¯t. One that seemed to make his weapon and armour look like they were for more than just show when he stood next to the guards and their no doubt borrowed armour if the ill-fitting size was an indicator of anything other than poor taste.

    Unfortunately, that was no doubt playing a part in the fact that they were standing out too much.

    Seras paused, having to correct herself. No, they weren¡¯t standing out. Lan was. In fact, it looked like no one had even noticed them. Even when his attention was focused on leading them the right way, the attention of everyone they passed was on him.

    And she could see why and was annoyed that she had thought only his eyes were the problem.

    Now that she could see him as more than just a decoy, she could admit that she should have seen this coming. Not only was he handsome in a way that reminded her of the statues of the Ethereals. With his hair ever so dishevelled from his fight with Gregor and the cut on his cheek, he looked every bit the dashing rogue depicted in romanticised paintings of some of the more famous heroes of the Greater Tales.

    Even as she had the thought, Seras could see young women who knew nothing and older women who should know better having the same thoughts she had.

    One woman in a group called out to Lan in jest about him finally coming to save her. But when he smiled at her, the woman turned red and waved before she could stop herself, only to realise what she had done as her friends turned on her with light mocking.

    ¡®Is it always like this for you?¡¯ Seras asked, getting a blank look from Lan until she added more. ¡®How people look at you. Although I guess you must be used to it.¡¯

    ¡®Oh!¡¯ He blinked. ¡®Not really,¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®I am used to people in my home village looking at me¡­ for other reasons, and I guess the city is large enough that I just blend in, so I haven¡¯t noticed.¡¯ Lan finished as if only now considering it, and Seras decided it was clearly wasted on him.

    In fact, he could forget about his ability. In Leeto, he could have no doubt lived off his looks alone. Now that she thought about it, Prince Veldin was looking for a new painting subject. That would be the easy life¡­ that was until one of the other Princes, jealous of Prince Veldin¡¯s talent, tried to kill Lan. But Prince Veldin could most likely keep him safe¡­. Probably.

    ¡®Well, if they are looking at me, at least they aren¡¯t looking at you and Luna.¡¯ Lan said in a way that only someone who really didn¡¯t understand the advantage they had could.

    ¡®Maybe if it helped him kill monsters, he would care more.¡¯ Seras breathed.

    As Seras looked lost in thought, Lan spotted the sign of a cat stumbling while holding a beer mug.

    ¡®There is the Drunken Cat.¡¯ He said, smiling at the name and the memorable sign. Inside, Lan was greeted by a familiar sight. Not the look of the Inn. No, it looked nothing like Leah¡¯s Inn. Not only was it much smaller than it, but it also had only one sitting area, unlike the multiple areas plus the dance floor of the Silver Maiden. Even the smell was different, almost like roasted apples.

    But the atmosphere, the boisterous energy, was one and the same even though there were only five small groups, not enough to raise a ruckus like in the Maiden.

    ¡®Are you sure this is the best place?¡¯ Seras asked, looking around distastefully as they started to draw attention.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry if anywhere in the town is safe. This is it.¡¯ he smiled. Even if they were drunk, a room full of adventurers was a room filled with adventurers, and if the troll broke his word, it should make for a daunting front.

    Just then, the innkeeper walked out of the back, wiping his hands as he noticed them. He scanned the new faces, a warm smile growing on his face as he saw Lan¡¯s tag.

    ¡®Good hunt?¡¯ the large round man with arms like oak trees asked as they approached the counter.

    ¡®Who me?¡¯ Lan asked. ¡®Just a little family trip.¡¯ Lan joked, making the innkeeper let out a low yet bassy laugh.

    ¡®Aya, of course, my lad. It¡¯s good to see a youngster who knows there is more to this life than just monster slaying. We got to look after the fulks as well.¡¯ He smiled, and Lan joined him before the man gained a gleam in his eyes.

    ¡®So Wild Hunt is it?¡¯

    ¡®How did you know?¡¯ Lan asked, more impressed than worried, but that could have had something to do with the fact that he was having a pleasant conversation with an innkeeper for a change.

    ¡®Yours is the only guild these days that doesn¡¯t have an engraving on their tags. course back in my day, none of the guilds did.¡¯ The innkeeper said, lifting his tag from under his apron. Like both his and Leah¡¯s father, the tag had turned black to show their retirement, but Lan had already guessed the man had been one.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t know that. I joined just a little while ago.¡¯

    ¡®and already a copper, huh¡­?¡¯ the innkeeper stated before looking almost a decade younger.

    ¡®Wild Hunt, so¡­ that guild job with the Razerwolves, did you have a part in that?¡¯

    ¡®I did.¡¯ Lan laughed. ¡®but it was the same day that I joined, and it would be an understatement to say that I was in over my head. All I did was act as a decoy for the team I was paired with.¡¯

    The innkeeper laughed at that. ¡®A decoy for Razerwolves, and on your first day, no less. That is a good story.¡¯ The innkeeper said loud enough to draw the attention of those around. ¡®Razerwolves¡­¡¯ the large man looked at his leg. ¡®No nastier beasties.¡¯

    Lan wanted to agree before he remembered everything else he had faced.

    ¡®Then again, that All Guilds Campaign is your lot¡¯s doing, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan said, getting a whistle from the innkeeper.

    ¡®Anything you can tell me about that?¡¯ He asked, and Lan met his eyes.

    ¡®Nothing you already don¡¯t know.¡¯ Lan said, wishing he could say more but being under strict orders to allow all news to come from official channels.

    ¡®I tried.¡¯ the innkeeper sighed with a smile. ¡®Mind you, you have to be sorry for the one that found the danger great enough to need all the guilds.¡¯ The large man mused, and Lan felt his smile tighten a little.

    ¡®Poor guy.¡¯

    ¡®You know them then?¡¯ the innkeeper asked.

    ¡®We run in the same circles.¡¯ He said. Even though he hadn¡¯t been told to keep quiet about that part, it would make it much harder to keep everything else a secret if he did.

    ¡®A Campaign¡­¡¯ the man grinned as his eyes seemed to light at the thought. ¡®I wish I could be there. But I left most of my fight with the Sky Eater.¡¯

    ¡®You were there at the Sky Eater?¡¯ Lan gushed before Seras cleared her throat, looking down at Luna, bringing him back to the point.

    ¡®That¡¯s how I built this inn.¡¯ The innkeeper grinned. ¡®Ah, but you will be looking for a room and meals then?¡¯ he asked.

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan nodded and reached for his coin.

    ¡®No need. Think of it as me doing my part for the Campaign. The Lady and the little one look like they could rest.¡¯ He said, smiling at Seras, who had watched the conversation with the intensity of a negotiation between the kingdoms, and Luna, who hid behind Lan. ¡®and think of it as my way of saying sorry.¡¯ the innkeeper shrugged.

    When Lan raised an eyebrow, the man went on.

    ¡®See¡­ there is only a branch of the Howling Moon guild and a small one at that in the town. So close to the city, we don¡¯t get much in the way of big jobs out here. The only people the village guild has are old lifelong silvers and fresh faces born in the town who scare off wolves around the farms, and there is no sign of the Mark among the young ones. They are going to want to hear some stories from you, and a few stories from a real hunter would be good for them. Now, lad, don¡¯t look at me that way. I only spoke the truth.¡¯ The large man said before Lan could protest.

    ¡®If there was enough danger to need a guild, we wouldn¡¯t just have a branch. And the light knows they must be sick of hearing my stories.¡¯

    Lan just blinked at that. The idea that he was an adventurer to be looked up to was¡­ new and a little disconcerting. But did he not have stories to tell already?

    ¡®When you get the chance, share a story or two with the young ones, and we will call it even.¡¯

    Lan looked around the room, finding one group in particular that didn¡¯t meet his look with a nod but quickly tried to look away.

    ¡®Uh, sure.¡¯ Lan smiled.

    After that, they were led to their room by innkeeper Corbit¡¯s daughter, who, unlike Leah, seemed easily flustered, always looking back at them as if she would lose them in the short walk.

    ¡®This is the room for the Lady and the little miss.¡¯ Carla said before pointing to the next room. ¡®And that is yours.¡¯ She said before blushing for some reason.

    ¡®Thank you,¡¯ Lan smiled, which only worsened as the girl turned beet red, bowed to him and ran away. ¡®Okay¡­ then,¡¯ Lan said, watching her go before he started to his room. Not making it far as he felt someone tug on his cloak.

    Turning, he found Luna holding on to Seras¡¯ arm and his cloak with a growing urgency on her face.

    ¡®No.¡¯ she said, looking at both again, clearly not wanting to be away from either. Propriety aside, a hunter sharing a room with his believed to be noble charge would be something to talk about.

    ¡®Hey.¡¯ Lan smiled, dropping to a knee. ¡®I am not going anywhere, just next door.¡¯ However, that didn¡¯t seem to convince her as she held on to him tighter.

    Seras looked like she would say something, but she seemed to check herself and looked at him with a ¡°well¡±.

    With a look back that said, ¡°Thanks for the backup.¡± Lan removed his Chain with the Light Crystal.

    ¡®I am not going far, but just in case, I will let you hold on to this until morning.¡¯ he said, placing the stone in her hands. ¡®It¡¯s one of the most important things to me, as well as where Tyr sleeps and where she is. I can be in a heartbeat.

    ¡®But don¡¯t you need it?¡¯ she asked in a small voice.

    ¡®I do,¡¯ Lan smiled. ¡®So take good care of it, okay?¡¯ that seemed to work as Luna looked at the Chain in her hands for a long moment before giving him a resolute nod.

 Chapter 82: Ice Cream

    When Seras and Luna walked inside their room, Lan left to find a healer for his fractured arm. Luckily, he didn¡¯t need to go far to find one, as the same reason the guild was so small, there were only a handful of healers in town, and all of them spent their nights in the drunken cat.

    Of course, it made it much harder to ignore the longing looks from the four young adventurers, although calling them young was odd as the oldest couldn¡¯t have been too far from Lan in age. With an inward sigh, Lan looked over at them and smiled.

    ¡®Good hunt?¡¯

    Nursing the wine that Lan had insisted she get to ¡°sell the image¡±, Seras watched him tell his story, finding it more interesting than the stories he had told Luna.

    Somehow, it made more sense to her that he would have gone through what he had or thought it was a good idea to do half of the things he had to get out than anything about Pen the, whoever.

    Then there were the four lost pups he had wrapped around his words. It was clear to anyone with eyes that they were more than impressed, even if most tried to hide it. Well, the young men tried to hide it. On the other hand, the girl who really needed to get a grip was more obvious than the innkeeper¡¯s daughter regarding where her mind was. Which made it a wonder that Lan somehow didn¡¯t notice.

    It was odd. Although Lan had shown a good deal of insight into many things, He seemed to have a blind spot regarding himself.

    Seras watched him smile at a joke one of the young men made, and she wondered if that wasn¡¯t the real key to his charm. Would the same effortless smile be as warm if he knew how easily it could sway others?

    Seras knew it would have put her on guard if she had sensed anything more to his smile, as there was nothing more dangerous, which is why she had been raised to watch for things like that, but would others see it in the same way, she wondered.

    No, as he checked to see how she was doing and grinned at her. Seras decided the same smile would have been spoiled by self-awareness.

    ¡®Somehow, I avoided having anything important stabbed long enough to light the fire silk, catching the goblins¡¯ fur and clothes on fire. But even then, they kept coming, so I had to get my butt up and keep at it. And when I was done, I collected the weapons and ears and walked into the tree line, only to turn and see an ambushing party sneaking into the clearing with a Goblin knight.¡¯ Lan said, getting a gasp from the small group and a whistle from one of the other tables listening in.

    ¡®No way.¡¯ Arc, the leader of his nameless party, said. ¡®Thirty goblins on your own. There is just no way.¡¯

    ¡®Arc! Don¡¯t be rude,¡¯ Evie said, slapping him on the arm.

    ¡®No, it¡¯s fine. I still sometimes don¡¯t believe it myself, but I¡¯ll tell you what the next time I am in town, I¡¯ll let you have a look at my Kill Log at the guild.¡¯ Lan smiled, which seemed to be all the proof the four needed as the four stared wide-eyed at him before getting a look in their eyes.

    ¡®So, goblins might not be that bad,¡¯ the group¡¯s rogue voiced as Lan brought his mug up to drink.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t say that.¡¯ He stopped, not liking the confidence the rogue had spoken with. ¡®Make no mistake, if you let your guard down even with the smallest goblin, they will make you regret it. I am only sitting here because of some of the dumbest luck, quick thinking, and The Hunter¡¯s Favour, not to mention my weapons and armour. Without that, I don¡¯t think I could have even made it to the hollow¡­¡¯ Lan added, thinking about all the Tales, wondering if that was all it took to make a hero.

    Many of them had heroes who survived the impossible because of luck, quick thinking, and favour at one point or another.

    Either way, his words seemed to reach the four, who nodded, and he saw Corbit smile at him before walking over.

    ¡®Alright, let the Lady enjoy her wine in peace,¡¯ he said, waving them off. ¡®Thanks for that, Lad.¡¯ The innkeeper smiled. ¡®It seems like the goblin problem is getting bad, bad enough that we are getting those jobs, and I think that lot are thinking about taking one.

    Lan looked over, suddenly feeling like he should join them before he checked himself. There was still a job to do.

    The innkeeper laughed and slapped him on the back. ¡®I know that look, but you can¡¯t fight every battle, my boy.¡¯

    ¡®Right.¡¯ Lan sighed. ¡®So¡­ the Sky Eater?¡¯ he said, getting a grin from the innkeeper who, despite his words, was clearly happy to have someone new to tell this story.

    ¡®Aye Lad, we fought on a day turned night by dragons, drakes, and wyverns¡¯ wings. An endless sea of mouths that could consume everything as the Sky Eater devoured the sky.

    Seeing that he had Lan¡¯s attention, the man went on. ¡®Ya see, the Sky Eater was a Dragon but not a noble thing like all true dragons. It was feral, and yet, somehow, it didn¡¯t die when young. In fact, it grew until it could challenge and even eat true dragons, and then just kept on growing the damn thing. It got so large that the drakes and wyverns began to glide on the beat of its wings, first tens, then hundreds and thousands, and then even lesser dragons joined.

    ¡®How do you hide from something like that?¡¯ Corbit asked. ¡®What do you do when earth drakes eat the very walls you try to hide behind, water wyverns drink all your motes, and the rest eat all you care about? You fight, and that is what we did. We fought so hard that the adventurers of three kingdoms almost went extinct, but we won.¡¯ He said, his eyes shining with the victories of the past.

    Lan had heard the Tale of the Sky Eater but never so candid or raw.

    The innkeeper smiled. ¡®You know I saw your Guildmaster that day. Killed three dragons, he did. Not drakes or wyverns, but dragons. The last he did on his own, too.¡¯ Corbit looked like he was picturing it. ¡®Course, I killed two wyverns on my own and more drakes than I can count with my party. But he was something to see. The avatar of The Hunter, we called him that day. ¡°The Wild Hunter.¡±¡¯ Corbit grinned at that. ¡®And now he has an army.¡¯ The innkeeper looked at Lan. ¡®I feel sorry for the one who has called the guilds down upon themselves.¡¯

    Listening to the tale, Lan wondered if he looked as doe-eyed as Ark and the others had been. And judging by Corbit¡¯s smile, he must have been.

    ¡®Anyway. Thanks for letting this old man relive his glory.¡¯ He said before turning to Seras. ¡®My Lady.¡¯ He bowed before heading to the bar.

    ¡®That one knows how to make an exit.¡¯ Seras noted before looking to Lan. ¡®How is Luna?¡¯

    Lan closed his eyes, allowing his mind to slip into Tyr¡¯s, finding her flying in lazy circles around a sleeping Luna who was still holding on to his Light Stone.

    ¡®Sound asleep.¡¯ Lan smile. Even if leaving her alone seemed counterintuitive to keeping her safe, Lan could be in the room in a heartbeat and with the jump on anyone dumb enough to try anything.

    Lan turned to Seras, who looked at her wine as if interrogating it. ¡®So, seeing as our time together is coming to an end, and you never said it. Why did you choose to save Luna.¡¯ Lan asked, remembering to keep his voice low enough that the other tables wouldn¡¯t hear, even with their improved hearing.

    Seras leaned in, her head inches from Lan¡¯s. ¡®Well, even though my life path meant it would never be so, I had always dreamed of being a mother.¡¯ Seras said, and Lan sat back as the idea washed over him, making him feel bad for doubting her intentions. Then, he saw the slightest twitch at the corner of her lips.

    ¡®Did¡­ you of all people¡­ just make a joke.¡¯ Lan mused, even if he was a little miffed that he had fallen for it.

    Seras smiled then with more pride than he thought she would have taken from the act.

    ¡®If it makes you feel better, you can think of it as me showing you just how gullible you are.¡¯ She teased, her smile gaining a playful edge, and Lan guessed that even the people of Leeto had a sense of humour deep down somewhere.

    ¡®I would rather believe that you are secretly the world¡¯s greatest jester.¡¯ Lan huffed with mock indignation before both laughed.

    As the end neared, joking seemed a little easier, even to the stubborn woman.

    ¡®As for the real reason¡­¡¯ she paused, running her finger along the rim of her glass. ¡®It could have been many things. Maybe I had a change of heart and saw the light. Maybe a voice told me to do it?¡¯ she said, bringing up one of the misconceptions about the Hunter¡¯s Mark and, judging by the look in her eye, intentionally too, before she seemed to get serious. ¡®It was how she would look at me. No matter what was being done to her or even if it was me doing it. Luna would always look for me to save her.¡¯

    Seras stopped, looking at Lan. ¡®I have seen people beg for mercy, and I had always seen it as them failing to overcome their pain like the rest of us had, but she wasn¡¯t blindly looking for mercy wherever she could find it. No, she was looking to me to save her, and every day I didn¡¯t come to her aid, I felt like I was betraying her and myself when her hope turned to confused anguish.¡¯

    Seras picked up her glass of wine. ¡®Everyone deserves the chance to overcome their pain, but the pain she suffered was not to better her or from failing. And so if no one else was even going to give her the chance to, then I would, even if I have to carry that pain myself.¡¯ Seras said, her eyes smouldering with determination, and Lan saw the woman he had been travelling with for a day as if for the first time.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Seras took a drink of her wine, with every bit the dexterity of a noble, before tilting her head to look at him.

    ¡®What about you?¡¯

    ¡®Me? You know why I am here,¡¯ Lan smiled.

    ¡®No,¡¯ Seras shook her head. ¡®I mean, Luna looks at you like you are the greatest hero ever to walk a Tale. Why not come with us?¡¯ she asked, her eyes scanning him for an answer before he knew it himself.

    For a moment, Lan really considered it, the feeling that he needed to do more about the summoned heroes mixing with the simplicity of having a tangible figure that needed his help playing in his mind before rational thought won out.

    Smiling, Lan shook his head.

    ¡®The Campaign?¡¯ Seras asked flatly, and Lan nodded.

    ¡®There won¡¯t be anywhere safe if we can¡¯t stop the threat, and we need every last body for the fight,¡¯ Lan said, deciding to leave out the role he was meant to play or the fact that a Summoned Hero was behind it.

    ¡®Then make sure you save the world, Landrin Cross or you will break her heart.¡¯ She said, the warning seeming to say more than the words themselves.

    After that, the two drank with a new sense of understanding between them.

    The next day, Lan watched after Luna as Seras met with her contact.

    Sitting with his feet up, Lan absent-mindedly turned the pages of his Tome when Luna started to wake, sitting up before the effects of insufficient sleep and then too much sleep hit her. Luna clamped her hands over her mouth, her face going pale as she looked to Lan, who jumped to his feet, causing his tome to fly across the room before it vanished.

    ¡®What? No, wait!¡¯

    Five minutes later, Lan sat on the edge of the small fountain with Luna, and although she hadn¡¯t thrown up, the cooler air that the misting fountain offered seemed to do the trick as her colour improved.

    ¡®Sorry¡­¡¯ Luna said in a small voice as she fidgeted with his light stone.

    ¡®Don¡¯t be,¡¯ Lan smiled. ¡®How are you feeling now?¡¯ he asked, ensuring Tyr was watching over them.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯ she said despite keeping her head down.

    Lan let her be for the moment, guessing that trying to cheer her up anymore would only make her feel worse until her stomach rumbled, making her jump.

    ¡®Hungry?¡¯ Lan chuckled. ¡®Want to look for something to eat?¡¯ he asked, finding the idea of walking around a little better than having to explain why he had charged out of the inn carrying Luna, but what made up his mind was he got the feeling just getting to walk around and be an average child would be good for her.

    With it already mid-day, breakfast was off the menu, but there was no shortage of fresh fruit in a link town. Which was a good thing, as Lan learned when he tried to hand Luna a sandwich, and Luna paled at the sight of the red meat.

    ¡®Sorry, I should have asked if there was anything you couldn¡¯t eat.¡¯ Lan said as Luna took a bite out of her fruit sandwich. She shook her head, smiling at him before taking another bite.

    As he watched her, Lan wanted to ask her more about her world and her life before all of this. But he knew her wounds had to be still too fresh, so he kept his mouth shut.

    A few minutes later, as Luna finished her sandwich, a group of children ran past her, screaming at the urgency a game of tag called for. Lan smiled as some of the children¡¯s mothers called after them to stay in the square before he noticed Luna staring.

    ¡®Why don¡¯t you ask them to play?¡¯ he tried, and Luna turned to him and shook her head with wide eyes.

    ¡®It will be bad if they see my eyes¡­¡¯ she said, looking down as she started to fidget with his light crystal again. ¡®they will hate me¡­¡¯ she added in a small voice, and Lan felt the need to refute that.

    ¡®They wouldn¡¯t. If anything, they would be amazed. Plus, Seras put more of that potion in your eyes, so you should be fine.¡¯

    Luna shook her head with a little more force.

    ¡®It won¡¯t be like you. They will hate me and try to make me cry or take my eyes.¡¯ she added in a voice that was somehow smaller. ¡®That¡¯s why we had to live in the mountain.¡¯

    Hearing her speak from what sounded like experience hurt but in no way near as much as in the childish innocence of the idea that someone would have to hate her to hurt her.

    Lan had to work at keeping himself from shaking with rage, managing to keep his voice even with some effort. ¡®We can head back if you want?¡¯ Lan offered before seeing how Luna watched the children play. ¡®or we can stay a little longer.¡¯ Lan added, knowing that even if she wanted to go and play with the others, pushing her too much wouldn¡¯t help

    ¡®Your little one is a doll.¡¯ Lan heard a woman say, looking up to see one of the young mothers, a woman with long brown hair in a braid, smiling at them.

    ¡®Huh? Oh! I am just looking after her while her mother is away.¡¯ Lan explained.

    ¡®Oh? You must be happy to have such a charming guardian.¡¯ The woman said with a smile that made Luna blush even as it made her forget her melancholy.

    Seeing this, the woman winked at Lan, and he could only smile back in thanks. With just a few words, she had managed to do what Lan could not even begin to do.

    ¡®My name is Isabelle. What is yours?¡¯ she asked, dropping to be eye level with Luna, who looked to Lan for a nod before answering.

    ¡®Bell¡­¡¯ Luna said, using the name they had picked out for her.

    ¡®What a lovely name.¡¯ she smiled before looking up at Lan. ¡®I hope you don¡¯t mind, but¡­¡¯ She started, lifting her arm to show a girl who looked around Luna¡¯s age hiding behind her. A few minutes later, Lan watched as Luna taught the other girl a game he had never seen before.

    Not long after, the two were surrounded by the other children who had come to watch, and soon enough, Luna and Isabelle¡¯s daughter ran around with the others.

    ¡®The Mother must have sent you.¡¯ Lan marvelled as he watched Luna run around.

    ¡®High praise,¡¯ Isabelle laughed, ¡®But you were doing fine on your own.¡¯ She said, giving him an approving look. ¡®But everyone needs a helping hand now and then, no?¡¯

    Lan and Isabelle talked for ten minutes as Luna and the others played.

    He learned that her father and brother were in the army and had been away preparing for the part they would play in the campaign. Soon enough, he was surrounded by the other mothers, which is how he learned that most of them were the wives, sisters, and daughters of soldiers, not all of whom would be coming back if the campaign required it of them.

    After they asked him about what he knew, Lan was surprised to find that his choice to tell them what he knew without embellishment seemed to make more than a few relax.

    ¡®Hearing an adventurer sound so unconcerned oddly makes me feel much better.¡¯ Isabelle said, getting nods from some of the others.

    ¡®But you mustn¡¯t be too reckless.¡¯ a large, stocky woman with the light grey in her skin of Goliath lineage chimed in, getting a soft laugh from the others who had no doubt heard what the soldiers in the family thought about his kind.

    That seemed to open the floodgate as Lan spent the next few minutes being fussed over¡ªeverything from keeping his clothes clean on the campaign to having a good meal before leaving. Clearly, the light teasing had been made to create a little levity, so Lan played along with it, even if it had destroyed any ego the night before had given him.

    Salvation came when one of the mothers noticed the time and brought out a basket.

    ¡®These are just some snacks for the children,¡¯ the short woman with curly hair said. ¡®I always make plenty, so if your little one would want one, she is more than welcome to it.¡¯ She said, showing him the jam biscuits. Lan nodded his thanks, watching as the woman walked over to the group with Luna and called over the rest.

    The woman was surrounded by screaming children in moments, but Luna and the other smaller children were the closest.

    Even still, Lan watched as Luna reached for a biscuit, only to be snatched away by another child. She reached for another just to have that one taken to. Luna tried two more times before letting her hand drop as she took a step back.

    Lan was already on his feet, but the basket was empty by the time he reached her.

    ¡®Oh no, did you not get one, love?¡¯ the woman asked before looking at the others. ¡®Which one of you little devils took more than one!¡¯ the woman said even as she looked to the culprits, but Lan¡¯s focus was on Luna, who for a moment looked like she would cry before stopping herself with disappointment painted on her face.

    As the woman lectured the children who had taken too much, Lan dropped to a knee in front of Luna.

    ¡®Hey, you okay.¡¯ Lan said, patting her on the head.

    ¡®Fine.¡¯ Luna replied in a small, brave voice, and Lan had to remind himself that even if it stung, something like this would be nothing compared to what she had already cried about.

    ¡®You know you didn¡¯t have to wait, right?¡¯ Lan said as they headed back to the inn after smoothing things over with Isabelle and the others.

    ¡®I know¡­ but it looked like they wanted them more.¡¯ She answered, ¡®I should always be selfless, right?¡¯ she said in the tone of a child repeating the words of someone older.

    ¡®You should, but that does not mean you can¡¯t think of yourself sometimes.¡¯ Lan said, knowing it would be a horrible lesson for most children, but if anyone needed to hear it, it was Luna. He thought about how his life had changed for the first time because he thought he knew what it meant to be selfless.

    Luna looked up at him, and Lan smiled away the shadow that had tried to fall on him.

    ¡®Tell you what. You get to be selfish this once. Name anything you want as a treat, and I will do everything possible to get it for you.¡¯ Lan grinned, ignoring the voice that told him he was biting off far more than he could chew.

    Luna fidgeted with the light crystal and looked up at him for confirmation. When he gave her a nod, Luna looked down again before saying.

    ¡®Ice cream¡­¡¯

    ¡®Ice cream!¡¯ Lan said, celebrating it was something found in their world. ¡®Ice cream¡­¡¯ he added more hesitantly. Even though he knew about it, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to get. For a short while after its introduction, one could find it everywhere, but once the chaos of the different groups in the city trying to capitalise on it, which had almost led to his death, had died down, ice cream became a dessert of nobles and mages.

    But he had said he would and planned to keep his word.

    ¡®Okay, ice cream it is.¡¯ With his mind made up, Lan used everything he had learned as an apprentice merchant to find a lead. As it was getting colder, Lan had thought there was a chance of finding some, even as far as reaching out to some of the contacts he once had, and though his change of profession didn¡¯t help his case, they were still more friendly then when he had been an outcast.

    Next, he reached out to those shipping cold storage items, hoping one might be shipping some and would be willing to part with it, to no avail.

    ¡®I can pick something else.¡¯ Luna had said, pulling on his sleeve as they walked from the last trade house in the town.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, we are getting ice cream if I have to make it.¡¯ he grinned.

    And that was what he did even though Lan didn¡¯t know how to cook. He knew how to make ice cream. Information that almost got him killed, only for Dell to decide it was not worth pursuing.

    Lan thought it was worth it if this were the only time he would use it.

    It was with that thought that he asked the drunken cat¡¯s cook for help after he gathered the equipment and ingredients, including peaches, which Luna had reminded him of as a key ingredient. Lan had never heard of that but just smiled and said.

    ¡®Silly me, I almost forgot that.¡¯

    An hour later, he sat a bowl of ice cream in front of Luna before sitting on the other side of the small table in her and Seras¡¯ room.

    ¡®One bowl of peach ice cream as promised,¡¯ he smiled as Luna¡¯s eyes sparkled at the sight. ¡®Go on then,¡¯ Lan laughed when she just looked at the bowl.

    With a nod, Luna picked up the spoon and took a large scoop. Her eyes widened, dancing with delight as she took the first bite and began eating enthusiastically.

    After the fifth bite, Lan¡¯s smile faded as he watched Luna¡¯s pace slow, part of him having known there was a chance of what was coming as her hands shook and her eyes started to well up. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, her tears turning into large blue gems as her irises became the same colour.

    Rising, Lan moved to her, brushing her hair as she ate and wept.

    Lan guessed that with everything she had been through. She must not have had the chance to cry about what she had lost, so he stood by her, letting her express her pain without having to be alone.

    Sometime later, when the tears stopped, Lan dried her eyes before he found a spoon filled with slightly melted ice cream in his face.

    ¡®You haven¡¯t tried it.¡¯ she said with a slight hiccup.

    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ Lan smiled, taking the offered bite. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s good.¡¯ He smiled, finding it funny being on this side of the conversation for the first time.

    Although the smile didn¡¯t return, each bite seemed to drive the sadness away, the blue of her eyes fading as if every spoonful brought back memories of a happier time, and Lan was happy to play even a tiny part in that, even if it meant eating the occasional offered scoop.

 Chapter 83: Plan A.

    Half an hour after Luna finished eating, she went to sleep, and Lan couldn¡¯t blame her. Although it had been nothing like the days before, it had still been a hard day for her.

    Lan was getting ready to take the bowl down when he noticed that the blue gems Luna¡¯s tears had turned into hadn¡¯t faded away like the others had. Each was about the size of a thumbnail, cut into a tear shape and the deepest dark blue he had ever seen, sapphires that seemed to bring on a melancholy just looking at them.

    Lan picked up the gem as a thought hit him. The gems from fear faded quickly, but the ones from her sorrow lasted longer. Maybe they would stay until the reason for the tears faded.

    Without thinking, Lan shoved the gems into his pocket as Tyr sent him an impression of Seras and an older man rushing towards the inn. Heading to the door, Lan stepped into the halls as he heard the older man¡¯s voice.

    ¡®My Lady, please, calm yourself,¡¯ the man spoke with a trained butler¡¯s clear, placating tone mixed with exacerbation.

    ¡®What is there to be calm about.¡¯ Seras hissed before noticing Lan and nodding for him to follow them into his room.

    Quickly checking that Luna was still sleeping, Lan followed, leaving Tyr with the girl as he walked into his room just as Seras stormed around, picking up a lamp and looking ready to throw it before she checked herself.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Lan asked as the man moved to take the lamp from Seras, giving Lan a look at him.

    At a glance, Lan guessed he had been right on the money by thinking the man was a butler. Although dressed in a heavy brown travelling coat, Lan could see parts of his uniform and the small monocle he wore.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on is they aren¡¯t coming.¡¯ Seras said, and Lan knew she meant the Summoned Heros, but the butler spoke before he could say anything.

    ¡®Not precisely, My Lady. Lady Rin will be here as soon as she can.¡¯ He tried to soothe.

    ¡®And it¡¯s not going to be enough.¡¯ Seras hissed.

    ¡®Slow down,¡¯ Lan said, trying to bring some focus back and make sense of what was going on. ¡®What is happening with¡­ them?¡¯

    ¡®Lady Rin is the one who will be opening a way for us. Unfortunately, there was an unforeseen complication which required her attention. She will still aid us, but she needs time before she can use her ability again.¡¯ even as the butler spoke, Lan felt his stomach drop, and the forgotten pocket watch suddenly felt heavier as he reached for it.

    ¡®And how late are they going to be?¡¯ Lan asked, knowing he wasn¡¯t going to like the answer no matter what.

    With some effort, Seras stopped fuming long enough to answer him. ¡®One hour after midnight.¡¯

    Lan let a curse die on his tongue as he hissed out a breath. He could see why Seras was so upset. Somehow, they were expected to wait double their expected best-case scenario for how much time they would have if Gregor were seen in the town.

    ¡®I know it¡¯s not ideal, but it is only for an hour. Lady Rin and the others will come.¡¯

    ¡®The problem is we don¡¯t have an hour.¡¯ Seras sighed before telling the butler about their encounter with Gregor and the deal Lan had made.

    ¡®Oh, I see¡­¡¯ the older man breathed as the reality of the situation sunk in,

    Lan watched for the next few minutes as Seras and the butler tried to devise solutions. Absently, he clicked open and closed the watch face as one thing ran through his mind. The fact that they had come so close to the end only for things to fall apart now stung, but that wasn¡¯t what kept him from joining the discussion. He didn¡¯t join in, as his mind was already made up.

    ¡®What if we keep moving? There is still some time to plan out a few hiding spots. ¡®If we change them every half an hour, can we not buy ourselves some time?¡¯ The butler suggested, punctuated by the clicking open of the watch.

    Seras started to answer but stopped as the watch shut, ¡®Lan, do you mind?¡¯ she sighed. ¡®we are trying to think of a way to save our lives here.''

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ he looked at them. ¡®Why? You and I already know what must be done. We go with plan A.¡¯ Lan shrugged as Seras¡¯s face darkened.

    ¡®Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡¯ she snapped.

    ¡®Pardon me, Young Master, my Lady, but what is plan A?¡¯ the butler asked, making Seras sigh again.

    ¡®Plan A is Lan facing Gregor alone and is off the table,¡¯ Seras said, dismissing it outright.

    ¡®Sorry, face Gregor alone?¡¯ the butler asked. ¡®The Gregor who gutted a fifth circle the equivalent of a silver adventurer with a single strike. Gregor the Undying, is that who we are talking about?¡¯

    ¡®Lan has gotten the idea in his head that he could somehow defeat Gregor. But we aren¡¯t even going to think about finding out,¡¯ Seras stressed, and Lan wondered if she was starting to care about him.

    With a shrug, Lan walked over to the table and sat. ¡®Okay, let me know when you think of a better plan,¡¯ this time, as he opened and closed the watch, he did it intentionally, punctuating the passing of time in which no one said anything.

    It was clear that it was the only thing close to a plan they had, even if, to them, it looked like he was heading to his death.

    ¡®I know it is not my place to say this, Young Master, but this idea doesn¡¯t sit right with me,¡¯ the butler offered, looking from Lan to Seras.

    ¡®I get that, but in the worst case, all I have to do is live for half an hour. Then, even if he shows and alerts the spies by the time they arrive, you all should be gone. Best case, I kill Gregor,¡¯ Lan shrugged as Seras sighed again. And seeing that both needed a little push, Lan added. ¡®If it makes you feel better, it¡¯s not like you can stop me.¡¯

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Seras met his eyes with a challenge of her own before she sighed. ¡®Do what you want,¡¯ she said, seeming to struggle with the words more than Lan expected.

    ¡®Forgive me.¡¯ the older man cut in once again, ¡®but I feel I must say, I know that you have already faced him, but from what we have learned, Time is Gregor¡¯s greatest weapon, a weapon he has Honed to a Razor¡¯s Edge. If he can¡¯t just outright kill you, then all he needs to do is wait until you tire, and you plan on facing that for an hour?¡¯

    Lan thought about those words and all the fights he had been in, for most of them, lasting longer than his opponents, had been his strength, too.

    ¡®Then we will have to see who is harder to kill.¡¯ Lan grinned, feeling his pulse quicken a little, the hunter¡¯s song in the back of his mind like a distant memory.

    Seras looked like she was deciding if she would choke the life out of him or not before she sighed one last time and turned at Lan with a steady look in her eyes.

    ¡®Okay, what do you want us to do now?¡¯

    Lan smiled at her, ¡®We still have a few hours. I will see if there is anything I can get that might help. Lucky, we are in a Link Town.¡¯ Lan said, knowing there would always be some open shops, ¡®Also, you wouldn¡¯t happen to have any of those ice potions left, would you?¡¯

    Seras opened her satchel and looked at the two ice potions before handing them to Lan without a second thought, leaving her without a way to defend herself if he fell.

    ¡®I¡¯ll go check on Luna¡­ keep her out of the way.¡¯ Seras said, not meeting his eye.

    As she opened the door, they found Luna with wide eyes, clearly having heard everything.

    ¡®You can¡¯t,¡¯ she said in a small voice before running up and hugging Lan. ¡®you have to say goodbye,¡¯ she said in a panic. ¡®you have to say goodbye or we won¡¯t ever meet again!¡¯

    The words hit Lan like a punch. Lan could tell it was something that meant more to her from the desperation in her eyes, maybe something that held even more significant meaning to her people than for most.

    ¡®I can say goodbye before I leave.¡¯ Lan said with a soft smile, as the thought of if she had been able to say goodbye to any of her family crossed his mind.

    Luna shook her head. ¡®it¡­ has to be right before¡­ we leave.¡¯ She looked down, and Lan knew this time she was lying. This time, she just didn¡¯t want him to go.

    ¡®You have to.¡¯ she said quietly.

    ¡®I promise.¡¯ Lan said before Luna lifted her pinky finger up to him.

    ¡®You swear?¡¯

    {Lan} the voice said before he could move. {Unlike before, this will count as an oath}

    Lan remembered the title he had gained from returning his mother¡¯s hairpin. In the eyes of the lords, this held the same weight. Was that something he could live up to?...

    Lan linked his pinky with Luna. ¡®Pinky swear,¡¯ He smiled before he and Luna noticed she still had his Light Crystal.

    Luna looked down and moved to take it off.

    ¡®Hold onto it,¡¯ Lan said, ¡®You can give it back when I say goodbye.¡¯

    And that seemed enough, as Luna smiled softly at him, hugging him before allowing Seras to take her away.

    [New Quest: Today¡¯s Farewell for Tomorrow¡¯s Greetings ¨C You have promised to give Luna her people¡¯s goodbye before she leaves. Failure to do so will break your title as an Oathkeeper]

    [Reward: Unknown.]

    ¡®Worry not, young master, I may not be built for fighting, but I know enough to keep the Lady and the young miss safe, so fight with all your heart if this is the path you are set on,¡¯ the butler said, removing his travelling coat to reveal his tailcoat and a cane.

    Shifting his sight, Lan found the cane to be hollow if the rings of glowing runes on the inside were anything to go by. That and the mana stone near that hand handgrip told Lan it was a weapon of some kind.

    ¡®That will be a great help.¡¯ Lan . ¡®and¡­ you can call me Lan, mister?...¡¯

    With a quick and sharp bow, the butler smiled at him. ¡®Good heavens! My manners have yet to catch up with me after the long travel. Call me Wolfram, and just Wolfram, young master Lan.¡¯

    ¡®Nice to meet you, Wolfram,¡¯ Lan said with a tight smile as he wondered how nobles put up with all the honorifics.

    ¡®The pleasure is mine, Young Master.¡¯ Wolfram bowed again. ¡®Is there anything that I can do to help you prepare?¡¯

    ¡®Truthfully, I am not too sure myself. I don¡¯t think I am going to find an anti-Troll sword or anything, but it can¡¯t hurt. Can you watch over them while I am gone?¡¯

    ¡®I shall with my life, Young Master.¡¯ Wolfram bowed, and Lan waved back and headed out,

    It didn¡¯t take long for Lan to realise he had been right. Although there were plenty of weapons, none was his level or near as good as his own. But the trip was not in vain, as Lan managed to buy a few health potions. Including one thing that made the whole trip worth it for Lan, even though it wouldn¡¯t help him in a fight.

    ¡®And are you sure this will work, young master?¡¯ Wolfram asked, watching over Lan¡¯s shoulder as he filled the last jar and carefully sealed it before dropping the last of the five jars in the chest and sitting back with a sigh.

    ¡®If nothing else, it might give the troll a laugh and buy me a moment.¡¯ Lan grinned

    Wolfram looked uncomfortable at Lan¡¯s joke, hesitating before saying, ¡®You seem¡­ ready for this fight.¡¯

    ¡®As ready as I get.¡¯ Lan grinned, even though he had repeatedly been replaying the fight in his head. It really wasn¡¯t a fair fight. A strong, fast opponent that had more than enough time to outsmart whoever they fought because they just couldn¡¯t be killed. No, it was not fair at all.

    And maybe that was why he needed to do this. The Young Master and the others. What chance would he stand against them if he couldn¡¯t beat Gregor?

    But it was simpler than all that. He wasn¡¯t going to let Gregor or anyone from Leeto touch Seras and Luna, not when they had come this far. No matter the odds, if he couldn¡¯t save one little girl, then he might as well quit. So he would save her.

    Lan looked at the watch. ¡®Half an hour till midnight. I should get going,¡¯ He said. ¡®it was nice meeting you, Wolfram.¡¯ Lan stood as the butler bowed. He wanted to ask the man more about the people he worked for, but time would not allow it.

    ¡®The pleasure was all mine, young master.¡¯ Wolfram bowed.

    ¡®Say, Lan paused, why do you keep calling me young master?¡¯ Lan said, feeling like he had to ask.

    ¡®Ah well, you see, you are a young man of note, but not a noble, so not lord and not my master, so, young master, is the highest honour I can give you.¡¯ Wolfram smiled. ¡®Good Luck, young master.¡¯ He added, offering his hand.

    ¡®I¡¯ll take all I can get¡­¡¯ Lan grinned before catching himself. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Lan said before taking the hand and walking to the next room, where he found Luna and Seras waiting for him.

    Luna hugged him as tight as her little arms could manage before letting Seras have a moment with him.

    ¡®Remember when I said Leeto was the freest land as everyone has the chance to rise to their potential. This is not the end of your rise, Landrin Cross, that I know for a fact.¡¯ She said it with an intensity in her eyes that showed she believed every word. Lan noted to himself that neither of them had said goodbye, so he didn¡¯t either.

    ¡®I¡¯m off then,¡¯ he said, but he found himself walking down the stairs with the two as Luna wanted to wave him off.

    Seras watched Lan go and didn¡¯t like a moment of it. She didn¡¯t like anything that had happened in the last few hours. After waiting for almost half a day for the old man, she nearly ripped his head off when he said the summoned heroes weren¡¯t coming on time.

    And, of course, Lan would do just what she knew he would. He would head off to face an unkillable monster all on his own without even asking for help, and she didn¡¯t like it.

    Much as she had tried not to believe it, there wasn¡¯t any way she could deny it anymore. People like Lan, who would risk their lives for others without an ulterior motive, were real¡ªbeacons of black and white in the sea of grey that was the world.

    More than that, even in the short time she had known him, she felt like she could let her guard down around him. Much as she wanted to keep Luna safe, part of her wanted to protect him or at least what he symbolised too.

    Although he had stood for almost everything she was against, it was clear to even her that she could trust him. She wanted to trust him, and the same things she saw in him that made her want to do so was why she now watched him heading off to face the impossible. And she hated every moment of it.

 Chapter 84: To Be A Hero

    Lan moved through the streets with an odd sense of calm, replaying every attack from the Troll he could remember. It wasn¡¯t the steady heart and the clear mind that The Hunter¡¯s Song brought on, and there was still no hint of the fire that would fill his blood when the fight was on.

    This was a clarity of self. Lan noted this would be the first time he knew who his opponent was before the fight began, and that seemed to have driven any lingering doubt from the back of his mind.

    As they passed through the same gates that he had come down, the new guards only gave him the briefest interest since he was leaving, which meant he wasn¡¯t their problem.

    Climbing up the hill,  Tyr flew around him like an orbiting moon around a world soaring into the unknown, and although she didn¡¯t say anything, Lan could feel that The Voice was present in his mind a little more than usual.

    He felt complete, ready for what was to come next.

    Cool air filled his lungs, grounding him to his homeland as Lan crested the last hill until he saw the Troll, standing in the middle of a field of tall grass.

    The bastard had even gone to the trouble of placing light stones around as if to make a ring for their fight.

    ¡®Look at you being all punctual,¡¯ Gregor grinned as Lan walked towards him. ¡®You really know how to make a guy feel special. Or maybe I was right in thinking you and I are alike, and you are just ready to shed some blood?¡¯

    Lan frowned, stopping as he closed in, removed his cloak, and dropped it. ¡®Come now, just because we are going to try and kill each other doesn¡¯t mean we need to resort to personal insult,¡¯ he said, making the Troll laugh.

    ¡®Oh, you are trying to say you came all this way just because you like my company?¡¯

    ¡®No,¡¯ Lan shrugged, ¡®I just came to give you the chance to walk away. Even us fighting out here can draw some attention and put your master in danger. Why risk those we are trying to protect and our lives for nothing?¡¯

    Gregor hummed and rolled his neck, ¡®That would be a problem, but I don¡¯t think you will live long enough for me to worry about that. And at this point, I don¡¯t see why I can¡¯t have my cake and eat it too,¡¯ Gregor said as he drew a large two-handed axe that sparked with electricity from his back. Which only made Lan smile.

    It looked like he wasn¡¯t the only one thinking of a way to kill the other, and Lan had to say he was a little curious to know what lightning running through his body would do to the Silver Wind.

    ¡®You know,¡¯ Lan said, drawing Spellthief and falling into stance, ¡®it¡¯s odd how people who think they have already won never stop to wonder about why their opponent doesn¡¯t look worried. Maybe they think they are going to win, too. Or maybe there is a reason you should be worried.¡¯

    With that, Lan surged forward, thinking of nothing but the next hour.

    With a roar, Gregor swung his axe in a backhanded arch that Lan ducked under, the lightning of the weapon making the hair on his skin stand as the troll grabbed the axe¡¯s haft with his other hand and tried to ram it into Lan¡¯s face.

    Only for it to sail harmlessly over his head as Lan dropped low and shot under the troll¡¯s guard before landing a two-handed strike that cut deep into the giant¡¯s stomach.

    It was a cut that would have been the end for most, but it only seemed to hold Lan in place as Gregor aimed a fist at Lan¡¯s face. Pushing his foreword, Lan cut his sword free, weaving under the punch before scoring a deep cut on the back of the troll¡¯s knee to buy him enough room to jump back.

    At which Gregor let out a short bark, which seemed more out of annoyance than pain.

    ¡®Did you get even smaller since we last fought? You are harder to hit. Maybe that is your plan? Get so small that I can no longer see you?¡¯ Gregor said, swinging his axe half-heartedly at Lan

    ¡®Are you planning on hurting my feelings to the point that I die from a bruised ego?¡¯ Lan asked, leaning back from the attack, ¡®it will probably be more effective,¡¯ he said as the two started to circle each other.

    As they did so, Lan noted that Gregor went against everything his father had taught him. When his very life force was his guard, he didn¡¯t need to put one up, but it still made him a nearly unapproachable opponent.

    Suddenly, Lan¡¯s thoughts vanished, filled with an alert from Tyr as he spun and slashed the snake that had shot from the tall grass at him.

    The head of the snake, as black as night, continued to hiss even as Spell Thief sent it spinning in a different direction from its body, the familiar stone catching the light for a moment before Tyr sent another impression, and Lan knew the axe would bite into his back before he could turn.

    The world raced away from Lan as he wisp-walked backwards through the troll, still mid-swing of the axe.

    ¡®Damn, I thought I had you that time,¡¯ Gregor laughed. ¡®You are using that floating candle to see, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s cheating,¡¯ The Troll shouted as he charged.

    Lan, empowered by the Silver Wind, kicked off the air, flipping once before righting himself to see the Troll pointing something at him. Lightning crackled from the end of the rod for a moment before a bolt sundered the air as it arched toward him.

    Helplessly, Lan saw as the bolt of lightning hit him in the Chest. For a long moment, Lan watched as the Silver Wind tried to hold back the lightning, pulling the wild magic around him into long strands that wrapped around the arching destructive light before both erupted with a pop.

    [Hp: 120 > 115]

    Lan hit the ground; the air knocked out of him as he tried to piece together what had just happened. Although he had taken damage from hitting the ground, the lightning and his tuning-bell-weakened Silver Wind had snuffed each other out, leaving him untouched.

    Trying to pull air into his lungs, Lan found Gregor standing over him with a grin painted on his face and his axe raised to part his head.

    Through the pain, Lan heard the Hunter sing in his mind, his blood burning, and he rolled as the axe fell, using the momentum of his roll to twist onto his feet and slash the Troll¡¯s neck, to which Gregor just grinned and brought his chin down to trap Spell Thief.

    Tyr¡¯s mind flashed in Lan¡¯s, and he knew the poison dagger would bite into his flesh soon enough.

    Just what he had been waiting for.

    Letting go of his sword, Lan Wisp Walked just a step back, his image seeming to blur as the dagger passed harmlessly through it, while the real Lan reached into the Chest, drew his mace and took aim at Gregor¡¯s hand.

    The sound of snapping bone rang through the air as the dagger flew into the dark, but Lan wasn¡¯t done as he Wisp walked behind the troll, kicked off the air to build speed before connecting the sheath of his sword to the pummel as he used the momentum and leverage to try and rip the troll¡¯s head off but only managing to remove the bottom of the trolls jaw, which had already grown back by the time Lan landed.

    ¡®You tricky little rat, you were aiming for my dagger the whole time, weren¡¯t you?¡¯ Gregor grinned before drawing two more with one hand. ¡®Good thing I brought a few spares.¡¯

    ¡®Fine,¡¯ Lan breathed, taking one of Seras¡¯s vials and pouring some on his sword. ¡®I¡¯ll just have to do this the old way.¡¯

    Lan stepped through space, appearing to the giant¡¯s left and cutting deep into its Chest, the wound freezing over before he vanished as Gregor swung a back fist at him, leaving his arm outstretched and open when Lan shifted back and brought his full Silver Wind empowered strength into his arm.

    Spell Thief sunk deep, biting into the bone and stopping before ice grew from the blade, allowing Lan to shatter the other half of the arm. Leaving the wound encased in ice, Lan blinked out of existence as the axe almost took his head off.

    Ready to capitalise, Lan slid to a stop, dug his heels in, and hesitated as he watched Gregor grinning at him, the stump of the troll¡¯s arm literally pushing the frozen part off and starting to regrow to the beat of the troll¡¯s heart. Starting with a jet of blood that shot out before pulsing as veins grew around the blood, another burst brought a beginning of bone, then muscle. Twelve beats later, Lan watched as the troll flexed a new arm.

    ¡®Thanks, nothing like the feeling of a new arm, am I right?¡¯ he smiled. ¡®But damn it, I was hoping to keep that under wraps a little longer,¡¯ he sighed. ¡®Do you get it yet? As long as blood pumps through my body, I can grow anything back in twelve heartbeats. If that has crushed your hopes, then you can give up now. I¡¯ll just go ahead and crush your head, too, and go home.¡¯ Gregor ended with an even more profound sigh.

    ¡®Now, why would I go and do something like that?¡¯ Lan asked, brushing his hair out of his face with a hand. ¡®One can do a lot in twelve heartbeats. But we can stop if you no longer have the heart for it. You can still walk away.¡¯ he shrugged.

    Gregor grinned, ¡®Maybe you can, but I haven¡¯t much choice in the matter. My master dying isn¡¯t an option, and the odds of keeping it that way are a little better if I bring the little bird in.¡¯ Gregor laughed as he charged, closing the distance in moments as he swung his axe in a mighty arch so fast Lan felt he might get pulled into its wake even after he had stepped back, which he had only done as Tyr had sent an impression to move.

    Lan took another step back, the calm focus state of his mind braking, like a rock dropped into a clear lake as The Hunter¡¯s Song faded to the back of his mind. Did the troll have a choice? And how much of a choice was it when he was tied to his master?

    Following the motion of the swing, Gregor used the momentum to launch a spinning back fist that was twice as fast as the first attack, but the troll wasn¡¯t done as it followed it with a straight kick that would have caved in Lan¡¯s head if he hadn¡¯t Wisp Walked after ducking the back fist.

    The moment Lan reappeared, another bolt of lightning crashed into his Chest, popping his Silver Wind and sending him hurdling to the ground. Only Lan rolled with the impact, springing to his feet just as a rope wrapped around him with two stones on each end, trapping his left arm to his body.

    The stones wrapped around him once and then twice before the two suddenly collided with each other, ringing like a bell. Lan felt the world flip as he was suddenly pulled to the ground, the stones having gained the weight of boulders.

    Gregor moved in for the kill, and Lan fought to free himself, but whatever magic was on the stones kept pulling him down. As the troll closed in, Lan dropped his sword into the Chest, pulled out one of the jars and threw it at the troll. In a moment, a cloud of fine black powdered ink filled the air.

    ¡®Oh, what the¡­¡¯ Gregor shouted, the axe sinking into the ground a hair away from Lan¡¯s head as he twisted his body out of the way before drawing his sword and cutting himself free.

    Kicking himself for losing focus, Lan sprung to his feet and ran in a circle around the troll before he Wisp walked close, kicked off the air, and cut into Gregor¡¯s unguarded knee before rolling from the troll¡¯s attempt to grab him. Wisp Walking behind it and hacking the leg off.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Gregor teetered but slammed the point of his axe into the ground as Lan Wisp Walked in, only to appear to be faced with a wall of dirt as the troll used his axe to rip the ground free and threw it at him.

    Vanishing before it could hit him, Lan appeared far enough away to put some space between them as Gregor planted his newly regrown leg.

    Seeing that, Lan clicked his tongue. That regrowth had been far quicker than before.

    ¡®Man, a good fight really gets the heart pumping, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ the troll grinned, and it dawned on Lan. Twelve heartbeats, no matter how fast his heart was beating.

    As if waiting for a chance to reveal this, Gregor seemed to have no reason to hold anything back as he launched into an onslaught of attacks. No longer pretending that he needed to hold back, the troll moved like a wild animal locked in a blood rage, only there was nothing but cold calculation behind every slash, thrust and stab from the axe and poison daggers that seemed to appear and disappear like a trickster¡¯s sleight of hand trick.

    Pushed to the edge, Lan¡¯s existence became one of evasion, using the Wisp Walk as little as he could get away with and relying on his speed, Tyr and the occasional jar of marking powder to keep him alive as although he had not even used up half of his mana yet, he only had so much. And Gregor had to know that and be counting on it, and yet, Lan felt good, even as his mind reeled with the new information. Maybe it was the fact that he was in a fight for his life, but his body moved almost like a separate entity. The Silver Wind seemed to answer him faster than before, his movement a little easier as he danced to the fading remnants of The Hunter¡¯s Song.

    Almost lost in thought, Lan watched as Gregor threw the axe at him before he drew and aimed the rod at him.

    Lan saw the axe and Gregor waiting behind it, with lightning building around the rod, and stepped forward, activating his shield arm, catching it, and letting it glance off with some effort and bury itself into the ground as he readied to face the lightning. Instead, he found Gregor charging at him with a fist raised, ready to take his head off.

    Lan Wisp Walked to the troll¡¯s left and tried to turn as a flash of green filled his sight.

    When he could see again, he looked down to find vines climbing up his legs.

    ¡®About damn time you stepped in that.¡¯ Gregor said as he took the moment he needed to perfect his form before taking aim at Lan¡¯s head.

    Unable to move, or Wisp Walk, Lan raised his shield arm and crossed his other arm behind it, hoping it would be enough.

    ¡®A damn trap,¡¯ he thought to himself as his body became like a rock, bracing for the moment of impact and wondering how much damage it would do. How he would have to change his plans and if he could still even use his sword as the last time he had taken a hit, it had only been because it was a glancing hit that he had been able to ride the blow, but he wasn¡¯t going anywhere this time.

    He managed to think that before the fist collided with his shield. The vines snapped, and Lan was launched across the field, his vision blurring as the world raced past him before he slid to a stop, somehow managing to stay on his feet. More than that, he didn¡¯t feel any pain. Not from the punch or the fall.

    Only when he looked around himself did he start to understand why. All around him were barely visible traces of Silver Wind, all streaming into a shield in front of him, a nearly destroyed construct made entirely out of Wild Magic. Unlike before, where it had just gathered around the attack, this time, it acted like glass made of light as blocks crumbled away from the impact point in a slow, ethereal way before vanishing into mist.

    ¡®Well, that is new¡­¡¯ Lan mused, but whatever he had just done, it had drained the Silver Wind entirely, he realised before looking at and seeing Gregor frowning.

    ¡®You just never run out of tricks, do you?¡¯ he said, sounding serious for the first time.

    ¡®I was hoping that you would see at some point there that you really don¡¯t stand a chance against me and just leave.¡¯ Lan said, standing and rolling his shoulder. Before taking out the pocket watch and looking at it, half an hour until the Summoned Heroes showed.

    ¡®And you would just let me go?¡¯ Gregor mocked, but Lan answered him honestly.¡¯

    ¡®Why not? You can¡¯t kill me. At this point, we are just wasting time when we can walk away.¡¯ Lan said before the troll fired a lightning bolt and charged with his axe again.

    ¡®I don¡¯t see it that way,¡¯ Gregor laughed as he swung at Lan, ¡®all I have to do is keep this up until you run out of mana, and then I am going to crush your head!¡¯

    Ducking under the axe¡¯s swings, Lan went back to dodging, applying more ice to his sword even as he did so before pushing the head of Gregor¡¯s axe with this spear shaft and landing a cut that froze over the troll¡¯s eye.

    Gregor roared, attacking even faster as Lan wondered if the troll had noticed yet- that he had yet to land a hit besides its tricks and traps.

    Lan side-stepped, twisted, and ducked every attack from Gregor like he was telling the troll to make them, but his mind still reeled against itself. Even if the troll was an ass, was that a reason for it to die and was there anything he could do about it? Suddenly, in the middle of Lan¡¯s musing, Gregor stopped and dropped his hands, looking almost defeated.

    Lan didn¡¯t drop his guard, feeling in no mood to fall for another trap, even as a small part of him played with the idea of the troll giving up, but the moment Lan let his heels touch the ground, Gregor raised his foot, a golden aura covering it before he stomped the ground, causing the ground around Lan¡¯s feet to shake.

    [Quicksand effect!] the Voice said, and Lan Wispwalked behind the troll just before his feet were locked to the ground, making sure to stay low so he couldn¡¯t hit him with lightning. Only to find the troll turning with a grin again as he threw a purple powder into the air.

    [Hp 115 > 114> 112> 108> 100]

    Lan breathed in before he could stop himself, his lungs squeezing tight as fire ignited in them, and he dropped to the ground, the Silver Wind leaving him as he writhed in pain the likes he had never felt before. With a booming laugh, Gregor kicked Lan to the ground before throwing more of the powder into the air, shrouding Lan¡¯s view.

    ¡®After all that, some powder is what does you in?¡¯ the troll laughed, kicking Lan in the stomach.

    [Lan, you must move out of the poison cloud now. Take a few more breaths, and it won¡¯t matter if you get out of it.] the Voice warned as Gregor kicked him again, forcing him to pull more poison into his lungs that he was sure had to be melting.

    [Hp 100> 99> 97> 93> 85]

    [Lan!] This time, the Voice shouted in his mind, snapping Lan back to himself long enough for him to sense Tyr trying to reach him. Clearing his mind, Lan tried to Wisp Walk but couldn¡¯t focus long enough to reach out to Tyr, so instead, he shifted his sight, the troll¡¯s health appearing like a bonfire as he reached into the Chest for one of the jars he had made and threw it at Gregor¡¯s head. Unlike the other, this jar was filled with marking powder and a spark stone.

    Lan heard the jar shatter and a curse from the troll before the volatile spark stone ignited from the impact. In a moment, the air filled with vibrant green flames from the mix of powders staining the field in an otherworldly glow, and Lan Wisp Walked away, crashing to the ground and taking a deep breath before vomiting blood.

    Even though he knew he should kick himself for not expecting something like that, Lan couldn¡¯t help but feel pissed at not anticipating just how low the troll would go.

    ¡®Man, that was toasty,¡¯ Gregor called, ¡®how are you holding up? I find that Hell Blaze really clears the lungs,¡¯ he laughed. ¡®So what do you think? Are you still willing to let me go?¡¯ the troll taunted.

    ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯ Lan breathed as he worked his way back onto his feet. ¡®You¡­ are a familiar. Even if you are trying to kill me, there is a part of me that can¡¯t let the idea of whether you are here by force or not go,¡¯ Even if it was indeed how he felt, it was also the only thing Lan could think of to say to buy time. Although he would kill him if he needed to, there was a part of Lan, a part of his past, that would make him let the troll go if he would just leave.

    Lan coughed, but Gregor¡¯s laughter drowned out the sound. ¡®Is that it? You think I am being controlled. Do you see a familiar stone in my head, dumb ass?¡¯ he mocked. ¡®I am here because I love breaking things, and the only reason I call that asshole my master is that I can do whatever I want using his name¡­ speaking of which.¡¯ Gregor looked down before picking up one of Luna¡¯s blue tears that must have fallen from Lan¡¯s pocket. Lan just stood there for a moment at the revelation before he snapped.

    ¡®Don¡¯t you dare touch that!¡¯ he shouted before coughing again. Even though the troll was genuinely trying to save his master, the reason hit him like a punch.

    ¡®Aww, don¡¯t be like that. Here, how about a trade,¡¯ Gregor said before throwing a small cloudy scrying stone.

    Catching it, Lan felt his blood run cold at the blurry image reflected on it. Although he couldn¡¯t make out their faces, he knew that it was Seras and Luna, surrounded by hell hounds, as Wolfram¡¯s body lay unmoving to the side.

    ¡®If only they stayed in the town,¡¯ Gregor sighed. ¡®Oh well! Like I was saying, I get to do whatever I want as long as my master is alive. One of those things is being the new person to look after that little bird.¡¯

    Gregor held up the blue tear, ¡®you figured it out, too, right? Different emotions make different tears, and I am going to test the limits of that. That is the only reason that traitor is still alive. I¡¯ll rip her to shreds in front of the little bird and see what stones I can make. And it¡¯s all thanks to my master.¡¯ He grinned with bloodlust in his eye. ¡®If you are not going to fight me for real, I think I will do the same to you. I am sure that the two of them getting to watch you die first will only make their pain sweeter.¡¯ Gregor laughed before swallowing the tear.

    Lan listened to the troll¡¯s words, his rage building to its breaking point until, like the Hunter himself was watching, Lan heard the song fill his mind, tempering his anger into a cold-focused fury. He still had a job to do, Lan told himself, as the burning in his lungs was chased away by the furnace that pumped fire into his blood.

    Lan sighed, running his hand through his sweat-soaked hair as he reminded himself of what Corbin had said: he couldn¡¯t fight every battle. ¡®Let¡¯s get this over with.¡¯

    ¡®Just like that, huh?¡¯ Gregor asked as Lan drew his sword from the Chest. ¡®we have been at this for almost an hour. What do you think is going to change?¡¯

    Lan poured more ice on his sword. With all the talk of heroes, it seemed that he had fooled himself into thinking he was one, but he wasn¡¯t a hero. No, he was a hunter. ¡®What has changed is the fact that now I want to kill you.¡¯ Lan said with ice in his Voice before surging forward.

    Gregor raised his axe, bringing it down only for Lan to shift into the blind spot that the ice covering his eye made and slip his sword into Gregor¡¯s armpit, unlike when he had cut the troll¡¯s arm off. Ice shot from both sides of the wound and locked the joint.

    Gregor¡¯s eyes widened as he realised he could not move his arm.

    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t have told me how your regeneration works or left that ice on your face,¡¯ Lan said, drawing his sword from the ice as he circled the troll. ¡®As long as you don¡¯t bleed, I can freeze you and then shatter your heart. And you aren¡¯t going to be able to stop me.¡¯ Lan declared, knowing he had already won as fear flashed in the eyes of the troll.

    Gregor batted Lan away before punching his shoulder to break the ice and allowing his blood to push the rest out.

    With a roar, Gregor pulled the ice from his face, his skin growing back even as Lan lanced him through the ankle, then reversed his sword spear and stabbed the troll in the knee with the endpoint before detaching his sword and driving it up into his elbow, encasing the troll¡¯s knee and half of his right arm.

    As he danced around the troll¡¯s attacks, Lan told himself he had been right about it being an unfair fight. Every fight and bit of training he had been through seemed to have been made to make him a nightmare for this troll.

    From the moment he blocked his punch the day before, Lan knew he could beat Gregor no matter what anyone said.

    So the troll was strong, but he had been training against his mother, who made Gregor look like a newborn, Lan thought, catching and deflecting a thrown fist just like he had practised with his mother.

    So he was fast for his size, but Lan¡¯s father would have left him in his dust, and this wasn¡¯t even a fraction of the speed he used when sparring against him.

    And with Tyr watching the fight, any of the troll¡¯s tricks would only work once. As for his health and regeneration, what did that matter to Lan when almost everything he had fought and killed had refused to die?

    Gregor¡¯s roars grew as he swung his axe with his left, but Lan just turned his body and stabbed the troll in the shoulder again.

    This had been the other thing he had learned from his first fight with Gregor. Having no doubt spent his whole life not fearing attacks, if not needing them to land for him to take advantage of, the troll didn¡¯t know what to do to stop an attack when it counted. This meant that even with his skill level and spell thief, Gregor had no answer to the danger that was Lan with killing intent and the power to do so.

    Knowing what was on the line, the Hunter¡¯s Song filled Lan¡¯s mind, so clearly Lan would have believed if the troll had said he could hear it too as he moved like a wraith. The troll¡¯s wild flailing attacks seemed to pass right through him as he landed strikes on the troll¡¯s joints, Wispwalking and stabbing Gregor in the back in three places, forcing him to shatter his spine to turn around.

    ¡®You son of a¡­!¡¯ was all it managed before Lan Wisp Walked in front of him for long enough to drive his sword into its jaw, shutting it up for once, then vanishing and continuing to attack the troll from all angles like an Iron Wasp bringing down a dragon through countless stings.

    Gregor roared and activated an ability that made him visibly grow bigger and more muscular, shattering the ice that Lan had managed to inflict as he threw a mighty punch at Lan, who just ducked the blow and traced up the troll¡¯s arm with three stabs at the joints.

    Gregor raised his left arm to break the other off, but Lan joined his sword and sheath, giving him the range to lance the troll through the left shoulder. Wispwalking behind the troll, Lan detached his sword spear, running both halves into the troll¡¯s knees. Leaving his scabbard, Lan walked around the troll, freezing the rest of his arm until he stood face to face with the troll, who still tried to break free until he noticed Lan and stopped.

    ¡®Had me beat from the start, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ Gregor laughed, even though his eyes were large and filled with fear.

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Lan said. The Hunter¡¯s Song mixed with his anger, making his voice cold as he raised his sword and pressed the point against the troll¡¯s Chest.

    ¡®Wait!¡¯ Gregor tried, but Lan pushed the sword into the troll¡¯s Chest, ice growing in his veins and crawling over his skin until, In moments, the same thing that had made the troll almost immortal pumped ice through his body before it stopped beating.

    Drawing his sword from the troll¡¯s Chest, Lan Wisp Walked into the air and, with a sharp, blinding kick, shattered Gregor¡¯s body in a rain of ice that the Silver Wind carried away to join the midnight air.

 Chapter 85: Meeting

    Lan watched the last fragments of the troll drift away and felt nothing at that moment. He wasn¡¯t proud when the mote of experience floated towards him or when he felt the heat of levelling up. In fact, with everything happening, he had forgotten about that part until it began.

    [Level Up]

    [Attributes.]

    [Strength: 17 > 19]

    |Body: 17 > 19

    |Mind: 17 > 19

    |Dexterity: 17 > 19

    |Perception: 17 > 19

    [Charisma: 17> 19]

    [Hp 120 > 140]

    [Mp 120 > 140]

    With his mana recharged, Lan ran like a blur when he could move, picking up the troll¡¯s axe before taking off the tuning bell and sending Tyr ahead as he sprinted towards the rendezvous point. He didn¡¯t know if the hounds had a way of knowing Gregor was dead, and he wasn¡¯t planning on waiting to find out.

    Tyr reached the limit of their Wisp Walk, and Lan followed, the world falling away behind him at the same time as the town walls grew before him.

    [Mp 140 > 100]

    With the shattering of crystal and a cry from one guard and then the other, Lan kicked off the air, scaling over and pushing off the roof as Tyr raced ahead to start the link again.

    [Mp 100 > 60]

    Another Wisp Walk put the town far behind them as Lan twisted in the air, testing the weight of the axe before readying it so when Tyr sent him an impression of the cliff and called to him, he answered and buried the axe in the head of the first hound as he appeared, startling the others into jumping back from Seras and Luna as Lan flipped over the axe and used the momentum to launch it into another hound before it could land.

    [Mp 60 > 20]

    ¡®Sorry, I¡¯m late.¡¯ Lan said, dropping beside Seras, who had been shielding Luna with her body. It was only then that the two looked at him.

    ¡®Took you long enough.¡¯ Seras breathed as she looked at him with eyes as wide as Luna¡¯s.

    Lan laughed before Tyr sent an alert, ¡®give me a moment,¡¯ he said before activating his shield and catching the hound that had jumped at him in the jaw before lancing it through the neck.

    Two more hounds lept at Lan, and he Wisp Walked up, poured ice on his sword and dropped before slashing the two of them. One more came at him, and Lan reversed his sword spear, knocking the hound¡¯s head up before lancing it.

    ¡®Lan.¡¯ Seras said, but Lan only raised a hand to stop her as he downed a mana potion and slipped the tuning bell back on just as Tyr found the crow flying above them.

    [Mp 20 > 140]

    In a blink, Lan appeared behind it and slashed it. Dropping to the ground, Lan looked at the scrying stone and found it had turned grey, no longer showing what the crow had seen.

    [Mp 140 > 135]

    With a sigh, Lan turned to face Seras and Luna, only to be speared to the ground as Luna jumped at him,

    ¡®Lan!¡¯ she shouted, wrapping her arms around his neck. ¡®You¡¯re here!¡¯

    ¡®Of course I am. I said I would be, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ Lan smiled as Luna¡¯s eyes widened, but she blinked her tears away as she noticed the blood on his face.

    ¡®You¡¯re hurt.¡¯ She whimpered.

    ¡®Nah,¡¯ Lan said, wiping away the dried blood from the corner of his mouth. ¡®just a lucky shot.¡¯ He lied. Although his lungs still felt like sandpaper, he could at least breathe now.

    ¡®You¡­ how? I was sure you would live, but the fact that you are here.¡¯ Seras stopped before looking at Lan closer. ¡®You did it, didn¡¯t you? You killed Gregor.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, it took me longer than I would have liked.¡¯ Lan shrugged as Seras just looked at him for a long moment before she burst out laughing. A laugh that was full and light, sounding completely free.

    ¡®You are the oddest man I have ever known, Landrin Cross, and I am glad that I met you.¡¯ she said, helping him up.

    ¡®I aim to please.¡¯ Lan smiled as he rose to his feet and noticed the claw marks that had cut and ripped through Seras¡¯s sleeve. ¡®How bad is it?¡¯ he asked, reaching for her arm, which Seras let him take.

    ¡®Just a scratch, after the b¡­ Wolfram gave his life for us. The rest just toyed with us.¡¯ Seras said as she looked sadly at the older man¡¯s body. Wolfram lay with blood staining the front of his clothes, with a Hell hound lying next to him. At the entrance of the path to the cliff lay two more hounds; Both had smoking burnt holes in their bodies.

    Walking over, Lan crouched next to Wolfram as he placed his cane back in his hand before closing the man¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Lan said. ¡®Although I wish you hadn¡¯t needed to mean your promise.¡¯

    [Lan. They are coming.] the voice said as the air picked up, and a star appeared at the tip of the cliff.

    The star grew and elongated into the eye of a needle with a black core as Lan moved to Seras and Luna, putting the two behind him as he drew Spell Thief.

    Space ripped in two momentarily as the star erupted into a large golden gateway.

    Staying behind him, Seras picked Luna up, seeming to have the same idea as Lan, even if they had done all this to meet with these people. He didn¡¯t see a reason to let his guard down just yet.

    And those on the other side seemed to have the same thought, as the first person to appear wore full ornate red and gold armour. Moving like a stalking hunter, the person scanned the cliff with an odd staff braced against his shoulder before landing on Lan and the others.

    ¡®They¡¯re here!¡¯ the man in the armour called back into the gate in a tone similar to the clear neutral accent of a high academic, only a lot more genteel in delivery.

    Lan shifted his sight and had to blink to ensure he wasn¡¯t seeing things. The man didn¡¯t have just one mana pool in his chest like he should if he could use magic; he had mana pools in both gauntlets, his greaves and his helmet, all connected to a larger mana pool in his chest, in a way Lan had never seen before as if they were all living parts of him.

    Next to come through the gate was a large man in armour that was odder than the first man¡¯s. Both arms were covered in thick, heavy-looking armour, but the man¡¯s chest and face were bare, aside from a hood attached to his shoulder armour. More than that was his weapon, a large single-headed axe that looked to have small metal teeth where the blade should be. Teeth that, even as the man swaggered out with it on his shoulder, moved and hummed. He also didn¡¯t have a drop of mana but enough health that Lan couldn¡¯t see the man through his shifted sight.

    The next person left Lan, thinking he should look away as the young woman floated out of the light in a form-fitting outfit like Cassandra¡¯s, but only more so. All over the outfit were veins of purple light, the same colour as the orbs floating around her. Around her wrists and ankles were rings made of the same light that seemed to be what was allowing her to float. She was also pink. But Lan wanted to look away because the longer he looked at her, the more she would look like one of the women in his life.

    First, Leah, followed by Olivia, Lily, and Cali. Lan looked away.

    Last looked to be a young woman in a dress similar to the robe-like dresses worn by those in Shirada; only the sleeves were not attached to the dress, something he knew would not have gone down well in Shirada, and Lan couldn¡¯t work out how they stayed on, but what stood out the most was the large ornate smiling fox mask.

    Shifting his sight for the last time, Lan found another that didn¡¯t seem to have that much mana of their own, but the large blue spectral fox wrapped around the young woman was overflowing with mana. With a start, the fox noticed Lan looking at it and smiled before flying to get a better look at him before returning to its master to whisper in her ear.

    Lan didn¡¯t know how, but he was sure the sharp look the young woman had turned on him had come with a frown even though he couldn¡¯t see her face.

    ¡®Hello there!¡¯ the armoured man chirped before looking down and seeing Wolfram. ¡®Good heavens, is that you, Wolfram!¡¯ The armoured man called. ¡®Not very sporting to go and die on the job. Come on now, up my boy.¡¯ the armoured man added as he walked over and placed a hand on the butler¡¯s chest. With a pulse of power, Wolfram just sat up with a gasp as he pulled air into his lungs.

    Luna yelped, and Seras moved closer to Lan, who finally looked away from the gemstones in the man¡¯s armour. Each of the mana pools the man had seemed to be within the gems adorning his armour, the same type of stone that was now glowing in Wolfram¡¯s chest.

    ¡®Oh dear, how truly shameful, My Lord.¡¯ Wolfram wheezed.

    ¡®Wolfram!¡¯ Lan laughed, helping the older man to his feet. ¡®How?¡¯

    ¡®Ah, young master.¡¯ The somehow returned butler smiled and coughed. ¡®It is good to see you safe. I trust your fight went well?¡¯

    ¡®Me?¡¯ Lan laughed again. ¡®I¡¯m not the one who just got better from bleeding out.¡¯

    Wolfram laughed. ¡®ah, forgive me for not sharing sooner.¡¯ He started before pausing and looking at the armoured man.

    ¡®Wolfram bears a shard of my power. This not only allows him to draw on that power, but it also allows me to do what I just did.¡¯ the armoured man said before Lan watched as the red helmet pulled away from his face in a way both organic and mechanical, almost like the workings on his shield arm only far more alive to reveal a man younger than his voice, looking to both be in his forty¡¯s and ageless at the same time with a trim silver beard and hair. Along with eyes that did not belong to a human. Ancient glowing red eyes smiled at him good-naturedly with more warmth than many people he knew.

    Still trying to understand what he had seen, Lan jumped as the pink-skinned woman appeared before him.

    ¡®Hello Lan! My name is Nova.¡¯ she said with an otherworldly radiant smile as she approached his face.

    ¡®How di-¡® Lan started as she moved even closer to him.

    ¡®Wow, I have never seen eyes like those before,¡¯ she added, then cupped his cheeks, her face shifting back to Leah¡¯s.

    ¡®How did-.¡¯ Lan tried again.

    ¡®-did I know your name?¡¯ she smiled as she pulled away. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I am not reading your mind. I can see the strands of Mystica that make up the world¡¯s Veil and how others caused the strands to shift and ripple.¡¯ She added, waving her hand about his head. ¡®Here is your life,¡¯ her hand moved to his chest. ¡®Your past and your potential. There are so many strands gathered around you. They are drawn to you. The world bends to your will, or¡­ at least it can... it wants to.¡¯ She breathed, almost losing herself with every word as she looked deep into his eyes. ¡®all you must do is¡­¡¯ she started before blinking quickly as she reached out for his face again, her eyes refocusing on him. ¡®She waits¡­ for you. She will fight until you find her¡­ only you can save her, for you are her destined one. All will be answered when you say her name. Fly with her. Answer the call, oh child of light, weaver of paths, bearer of two s¡­¡¯Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡®Nova, What did we say about personal space?¡¯ the large man with the axe called over as he crouched next to one of the hellhounds and started to skin it.

    ¡®Oops, I did it again.¡¯ she laughed shyly before flying off to chase Tyr through the air.

    [Not exactly the professional escort, is this? I thought she was going somewhere with that] the voice sighed, and Lan couldn¡¯t help but agree. By the end, it felt like the odd woman had been speaking into his mind and what she had said. ¡°She waits.¡± Lan guessed that could only be the Tear of Creation, but the other stuff. Why would he be naming or flying with the Tear?

    ¡®Sorry about that.¡¯ The armoured man said, stepping forward and offering Lan his hand. ¡®Lan. Now that Nova has given you the all-clear, I think introductions are in order. I am Maxwell Sirius Lockheart, the third.¡¯

    Lan shook his head and looked to Seras and Luna, finding the two watching him before raising his hand. ¡®Landrin Cross¡­ the first.¡¯ He shrugged to be safe in case it mattered to the odd man.

    ¡®Cross?¡¯ Maxwell said before getting as close to him as Nova had.

    ¡®Personal space.¡¯ The other man called, although Maxwell seemed distracted as he shook his head.

    ¡®No, couldn¡¯t be.¡¯ He laughed. ¡®No way that devil could be in this world too. Right, you have already met Novadina, and the young man currently with his hands in entrails is Connor,¡¯ he pointed to the short-haired man who gave Lan a bloody two-fingered salute before returning to work. ¡®And the charming young lady in the fox mask is Lady Rin.¡¯

    ¡®Stop talking to the NPC, ¡¯ Lady Rin said as she walked past the two of them and took Seras and Luna aside.

    ¡®NPC?¡¯ Lan raised an eyebrow at Maxwell, who grimmest. ¡®You seemed to be up on everything going on, yes?¡¯

    As an answer, Lan thought of a little experiment, and he reached into the Other World Chest, getting his answer as Maxwell¡¯s eyes grew wide with recognition, and Connor looked over and Whistled.

    ¡®You¡­¡¯ Maxwell started.

    ¡®I am a descendant of a Summoned Hero.¡¯

    ¡®Nova, did you see this in the strands?¡¯ Maxwell looked over Lan¡¯s shoulder at the woman braiding Luna¡¯s hair.

    ¡®Huh? Oh yeah.¡¯ Nova grinned.

    ¡®Good Lord, woman, warn a man next time.¡¯ He sighed before giving Lan a cryptic look, almost as if he was deciding to say something or not, before clearly changing the subject by returning to the first one. ¡®The term she used is a bad habit she picked up from her last group, a nasty lot of Out Worlders that call themselves the Guild and their members Players. Whether they believe it or not, the members of the Guild treat those of this world as nothing more than characters in some elaborate game and any Outworlder that does not play along with it as enemies. She doesn¡¯t mean anything by it. It¡¯s just something that slips out when she is upset or someone calls her a Summoned Hero, funny enough.¡¯ Maxwell seemed to add to himself.

    Lan frowned at that. ¡®A game?¡¯

    ¡®Yes, it seems that the original leader of that group had come from a world where they played games that worked like this world¡¯s magic. Of course, that man didn¡¯t last long as the leader. Who would have known that gathering a group of bloodthirsty murderers would not make for the most loyal of companions.¡¯ just from the man¡¯s tone, Lan knew he didn¡¯t believe it for a moment, but Lan saw a chance for more information.

    ¡®And do you believe that?¡¯

    Maxwell smiled. ¡®I have met too many people from too many worlds to think this is the only fake world. Plus, this world¡¯s magic is only a little different from my world¡¯s. No, but there is no need to worry about that lot. They cannot reach this land quickly enough to make the trip worth it. And they seem focused enough on us for the moment.¡¯

    ¡®Is Luna safe with you?¡¯ Lan asked outright, caring little for tact at that moment. Even still, Maxwell smiled.

    ¡®I said they were focused on us. I never said we were focused on them.¡¯ the odd man¡¯s smile deepened as his eyes glowed with an ancient and powerful light.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t think there would be fighting between the Summoned¡­ Otherworlders.¡¯ Lan stated as much to the voice as he tried to wrap his head around everything. Even for him, who had learned to process information quickly, all this was too much. And each new bit of informant had a hundred more questions that would only side-track them.

    And then there was the idea of people who saw his world as a game. The very idea of those people seemed more alien to Lan than the Otherworlders around him, and it bothered him more in some ways than the Young Master.

    ¡®There is a difference between wanting to find those lost like us and wholesale murder and worse just because you feel you have a right to it. Summoned Hero or Otherworlders, whatever you want to call us, we are all still just people, some good and some bad.

    Lan nodded. That sounded a lot like the same thing the Guildmaster and he had come to. This brought Lan to the thought of whether he should tell them about the Young Master¡­ even if he were asking them to inadvertently help the people who trapped them in this world, at the end of the day, they would have just as rough a time if the young master managed his plan. But what if. What if discovering about the Young Master leads them to believe he may have a way out of this world? Nothing he had seen made Lan think that was a real chance, but what if?

    But before Lan could decide, he heard Luna cry out and turned to find her being pulled from Seras¡¯s arms by Lady Rin.

    ¡®What do you think you are doing!¡¯ Seras snapped as she reached for Luna, grabbing her arm.

    ¡®You have done your part. We will look after her from now on.¡¯ Lady Rin said coldly as Luna turned pale.

    ¡®She is not going anywhere without me.¡¯ Seras challenged.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry.¡¯ Lady Rin countered coolly, ¡®We will keep our word and take you from this land, but that is as far as you go with us.¡¯

    If Lan had only just met Seras, he would have wondered if she would have taken a deal like that to be able to save Luna and pass off the responsibility, but he knew she wouldn¡¯t even before Seras grabbed Lady Rin by the shoulder. ¡®you must not have heard me. She stays with me.¡¯ Seras said with a challenge burning behind her eyes that Lady Rin was more than happy to meet as Nova flew around them, unsure what to do.

    ¡®Why is she changing the deal now?¡¯ Lan asked over his shoulder to Maxwell, who wore a look of sour resignation.

    ¡®Now? I don¡¯t know.¡¯ He said before looking at the young woman. ¡®There is no reason to part them, Lady Rin.¡¯ He tried even as Lan could see in his eyes that he would go with whatever she decided.

    ¡®Do you want to bring someone from Leeto back to Heart Home?¡¯ Lady Rin challenged before looking at Seras¡¯ hand on her shoulder. Faster than any of them could process, the fox Lan had seen in his shifted sight appeared and lashed Seras with its tail, sending her flying through the air and towards the cliff edge.

    ¡®Seras!¡¯ Lan shouted as Luna cried, and the world raced past him as he Wisp Walked. Appearing with his back to the screaming Seras, Lan kicked the air to help him turn around just that little bit faster, catching her the moment he did. ¡®Are you-¡¯

    [Mp 135 > 130]

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about me, protect Luna.¡¯ Seras gritted her teeth, surprisingly unfazed by the hit or almost being thrown off a cliff.

    With a nod, Lan looked down and found Lady Rin walking to the portal as Luna fought to break away, all while Maxwell looked to be trying to walk and talk her out of what she was doing.

    Lan wasn¡¯t going to wait and see if Maxwell¡¯s efforts would work as he kicked off the air, hitting the ground and rolling to drop Seras before Wisp Walking again the moment she was safe, leaving him still rolling in the air as he appeared and twisted into a three-point landing between the Outworlders and the gate.

    [Mp 130 > 125]

    ¡®You¡¯re not going anywhere!¡¯ he said, wondering how things had gotten out of hand so fast.

    ¡®Let¡¯s all just take a moment here to think.¡¯ Maxwell tried before Lan heard a sound wholly new to him, like the buzzing of a giant hornet repeatedly stinging a block of iron, just as Tyr sent an alert. Lan Wisp walked into the air as Connor¡¯s odd axe passed through where he had been.

    ¡®Connor! What are you doing.¡¯ Maxwell shouted as the large man shrugged.

    ¡®What? It¡¯s set to slow. I was only going to pop his health. I was trying to knock the fight out of him before it could escalate.¡¯

    ¡®Too late.¡¯ Lan hissed as he dropped down behind the large Outworlder and kicked him in the head, sending him flying as he shot towards Lady Rin and Luna.

    ¡®No!¡¯ Maxwell called as his helmet regrew around his head, and he raised the staff.

    Suddenly, Tyr sent an impression, and Lan moved to react, only to find nothing above him as pain ripped through his body, Silver Wind slipping from him at the same time. [Mp 125 > 115]

    More pain followed another alert, yet Lan could not see it as he threw his body into rolling out of the way of a ball of purple magic from a hurt-looking Nova.

    [Mp 115 > 105]

    Right, there were four of them. Lan told himself as Connor returned, appearing right in front of Lan, his axe roaring as he swung at Lan¡¯s shoulder.

    The air filled with an agonizing ear-piercing shriek as Spell Thief met the spinning axe, and even though the clash lasted only a moment, Lan felt like he had just stopped a hundred attacks. And Spell Thief looked like it had taken a hundred attacks, as even though there was no damage to the odd blade, the point of impact had turned white hot.

    Connor swung again, and Lan Wisp Walked into the air as Tyr sent him an impression of an attack from Nova that turned into chains as it hit the ground.

    [Mp 105 > 100]

    Again came the pain he couldn¡¯t see and more mana loss.

    [Mp 100 > 90]

    Then, Connor jumped up at Lan with such blinding speed that Lan almost thought he had teleported.

    ¡®What by the Light was that.¡¯ Lan asked as he flipped backwards, making Connor miss him.

    [I¡­ I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t sense any magic or an ability. That was just raw strength.]

    Lan didn¡¯t like the sound of that. The amount of stats into strength and agility one would need to move like that without abilities would put him in the high hundreds.

    Nova sent another ball of magic, making Lan have to push off the air and turn and twist as if kicking off a wall to try and get out of the way, and even though he just managed it, it left him with his back to the ground as Connor jumped at him again.

    Instead of Wisp Walking away, Lan rolled upwards, managing to stay out of the reach of the Summoned Hero until he reached the apex of his jump. Then Lan broke from his roll and brought his heel down on the man¡¯s head, spiking him to the ground, and although it bought him some breathing room, Lan was sure he had just broken his heel with that kick, meaning the man¡¯s resilience was also through the roof, but it was enough as Lan Wisp Walked in front of Lady Rin, ready to Take Luna from her, when he felt something press against the back of his head.

    [Mp 90 > 85]

    ¡®Don¡¯t move, my boy. Even with that ability, you can¡¯t dodge a bullet.¡¯

    Whether he was fast or not, it didn¡¯t matter at that moment as Nova, seeing the chance to bring an end to all of this, sent a blast of purple magic that opened up to entomb Lan, or at least it would have if he didn¡¯t Wisp Walk, leaving it to hit and wrap up Maxwell.

    [Mp 85 > 80]

    From the air, Lan watched Maxwell hit the ground and start to rip his way through the magic binding him as Connor lept at Lan again. Lan turned, the buzzing axe clipping hair strands before Connor tried to grab him as he passed, but Lan planted both his feet in the man¡¯s chest, pushing them away.

    Tyr sent another Alert as more pain he couldn¡¯t see ripped through him like something was burning his soul.

    [Mp 80 > 75]

    This wasn¡¯t good. Whatever was being done to him was leeching his mana, and Lan didn¡¯t think he would have enough time for a mana potion if he stopped moving.

    Just then, Lan noticed that Seras was not only back on her feet but was wrestling with Lady Rin while Luna tried to stop them.

    ¡®Damn.¡¯ Lan hissed. He needed to end this, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he had done anything.

    Tyr sent an alert, but only this time. Looking at Seras and Lady Rin, he remembered something¡ªthe fox. As fast as he could, Lan shifted his sight and saw the fox approaching him. He was faster as he wisp-walked right up to it and punched it. Lan felt no impact, but the Silver Wind connected with the fox, who yelped and flew towards the ground, hitting it as Lady Rin flinched and the gate started to warp.

    [Mp 75 > 70]

    ¡®The Gate!¡¯ Lady Rin shouted as Lan Wisped to Seras and Luna, but as he reached out to them, something small and incredibly fast shot past his hand with a crack followed by a boom from the weapon Maxwell had levelled at him.

    [Mp 70 > 65]

    Lan Wisp Walked behind Maxwell but found the barrel pointed in his face.

    [Mp 65 > 60]

    Lan blinked out of the world only to appear before Maxwall¡¯s weapon trained on him again, along with Connor, who aimed a punch at Lan¡¯s head.

    [Mp 60 > 55]

    Lan managed to disappear, but another projectile shot past his face, close enough to cut his cheek, followed by Balls of purple magic and Connor, ready to spike him to the ground.

    [Mp 55 > 50]

    Lan rolled, and Wisp Walked around to find himself in the same position repeatedly. The only thing keeping him in the fight was his already battle-charged muscles and reflexes, along with Tyr and the Voice feeding the position and attacks of the Summoned Heroes to him, but it wasn¡¯t looking good. There just wasn¡¯t an opening; he was going to lose, and yet, even though he knew this, Lan couldn¡¯t stop fighting. Burning more of his mana as he fought the moment-to-moment battle of staying in the fight.

    [Mp 50 > 45] [Mp 45 > 40] [Mp 40 > 35] [Mp 35 > 30]

    Lan heard Luna crying for them to stop, and chancingly looking at them, he found Seras and Lady Rin rolling on the ground.

    Luna cried for them to stop again, and Lan felt something snap in him.

    [Mp 30 > 25 > 15 > 0]

    With a roar, Lan Wisp Walked, but the moment he appeared, he Walked again, linking three Wisp Walks so fast that he ran in a circle around Maxwell, time no longer holding dominion over him as the world slowed, the man losing Lan long enough for him to appear with his sword at the man¡¯s throat.

    ¡®Call them off.¡¯ Lan ordered, and Connor¡¯s axe stopped inches from his neck, but Lan couldn¡¯t care as he willed Maxwell to see the resolve in his eyes.

    ¡®I am afraid I can¡¯t do that, just as they can not order me to do anything.¡¯ Maxwell said regretfully.

    ¡®I won¡¯t let you take her from me!¡¯ both turned as they heard Seras¡¯s voice.

    ¡®Get off me! You Leeto rat, I will not let you use her as a pawn.¡¯

    Just then, Lan noticed Luna standing on her own and looking between him and Seras, her breaths fast and quick, tears rolling into gems before her eyes began to glow a pale blue.

    ¡®I said stop!¡¯ Luna cried, her words coming to life as a column of blue light surrounded her, her hair turning crystalline blue a moment before pillars of crystal erupted from the ground from the light, sneaking towards them, forming walls that pushed both Seras and Lady Rin and himself and the others apart, ending the fighting over her.

    As if remembering why they were all there, the fight seemed to leave all of them as they watched Luna run into Seras¡¯s arms.

    ¡®I think we let ourselves get a little carried away.¡¯ Maxwell said, and Lan couldn¡¯t help but agree.

    ¡®What are you doing!¡¯ Lady Rin demanded. ¡®She is from Leeto. It¡¯s because of people like her that you are here.¡¯ She added, but as Luna hugged Seras, Lady Rin knew she had lost.

    For a moment, Seras seemed taken aback by the intensity of Luna¡¯s bond with her, hesitating as if something was holding her back before whatever it was broke, and she returned the hug with even more enthusiasm.

 86: Tearful Goodbye

    Lan watched Luna and Seras hold each other as if they had only realised how much they cared for one another. After seething, Lady Rin stormed towards Lan before sticking her finger in his face.

    ¡®If you ever lay a finger on Chacha again, I will rip your head off,¡¯ she declared before pushing past and heading towards the Gate of Light.

    Lan watched her go, but Maxwell placed a hand on his shoulder before he could wonder what was her deal.

    ¡®Try not to hold it against her, Lad.¡¯ The older man said as he looked after her. ¡®She is one of the few in our group that Leeto summoned. Only she wasn¡¯t alone.¡¯ He added sadly. ¡®She made it out, but¡­ her sister did not.¡¯

    Lan heard the words, but accepting them took him far longer. When it did, the feeling of guilt, like he was somehow at fault for the Summoned Heroes, hit him again, only far worse.

    And that was to say nothing of Lady Rin¡¯s power. To have the power to be anywhere and still not be able to save her sister¡­ Lan couldn¡¯t bring himself to hate her.

    Before Lan could get lost in his thoughts, he felt Maxwell¡¯s eyes on him. Turning, he momentarily met the man¡¯s gaze before Maxwell blinked away his empowered sight.

    ¡®That ability of yours¡­ it is something. How did you get it?¡¯

    Lan¡¯s ears perked up when the question was in the air because what he heard was, ¡°How do I get it.¡± But looking into the man¡¯s eyes, he saw that it wasn¡¯t entirely right. The real question was, ¡°Do others have this ability?¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s a long, long story and something tied to my bloodline.¡¯ Lan offered, seeing the man¡¯s shoulders relax ever so slightly.

    ¡®Good, because you really gave us a run for our money.¡¯ Maxwell laughed, and Lan couldn¡¯t help but grin.

    ¡®Yeah, right,¡¯ he laughed too. ¡®Even for an amateur like me, it was obvious none of you were trying to hurt me, let alone kill me,¡¯ that fact had been clear to Lan from the start, but what drove the point home was when Maxwell had turned that weapon on him after the Wisp Walk. If there had been a hint of killing intent, that would have been his last moment.

    ¡®True.¡¯ Maxwell smiled. ¡®But we were trying to incapacitate you, and we failed. If you can do that much against four Other Worlders as an amateur, then I am glad we are fast friends.¡¯ He grinned.

    ¡®Me too.¡¯ Lan smiled

    With a firm handshake, Maxwell nodded and headed to wait near the gate, replaced by Nova, who appeared from behind Lan and was once again too close.

    ¡®I am glad I did not hit you with any energy constructs.¡¯ She beamed at him.

    ¡®Me too?¡¯ Lan said back, ¡®You didn¡¯t get hurt, did you?¡¯

    ¡®How could I when you never once tried to hurt me? Even though I should have been your first target. It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t.¡¯ she said before her eyes fluttered again. ¡®Myth Maker, Song Smith, Lover of- oh my¡­¡¯ Nova blinked and giggled at whatever she saw before she flowed away.

    Before Lan could call after her, Conner walked up the next.

    ¡®Nice sword¡­¡¯ he said, his eyes changing colour as he looked at the sword.

    ¡®Uh¡­ nice axe,¡¯ Lan returned, getting an appreciative nod from the taller man.

    ¡®Would you trade it?¡¯

    ¡®No.¡¯ Lan answered, without hesitating or feeling the need to justify it to the strangely stoic man who just nodded.

    ¡®Hmm, I wouldn¡¯t either.¡¯ he shrugged before just looking at Lan until something hit him, and he raised the bag dripping with blood. ¡®I¡¯m taking these.¡¯ He said and Lan believed it was whatever he had been trying to gather from the Hell Hounds.

    ¡®Go for it.¡¯ Lan breathed, getting another nod before Conner joined the others.

    Guessing that was the end of the goodbyes from the Otherworlders, Lan looked over to Seras and Luna, who were waiting for him. Lan headed over, immediately getting hugged by Luna.Stolen story; please report.

    ¡®Hey, you okay?¡¯ Lan asked, picking her up to see that aside from the fact that she had been crying, her eyes had changed to an icy blue.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯ she said, surprised at her own voice.

    ¡®You did great.¡¯ Lan smiled, making her blush as he reached down and helped Seras up. ¡®How about you?¡¯

    ¡®I have been hit harder.¡¯ Seras answered and wiped some blood from her lip. ¡®looks like we cleared things up in the end¡­ or should I say she did.¡¯ Seras added as both looked at Luna, who blushed harder.

    ¡®That she did,¡¯ Maxwell cut in. ¡®So it pains me that I must reopen this wound. Lady Rin¡¯s reaction has made one thing clear. Those in our group brought here by Leeto may not be happy to see Lady Seras. It may be best¡­ if she was not to follow us,¡¯ he finished, even though it clearly upset him to do so.

    ¡®No!¡¯ Luna cried, the timid girl that had been there a moment ago replaced by a fiercely defensive one. ¡®Seras is not like the others! She saved me and took care of me. I¡­ I am not going with you without her.¡¯ She ended, staring Maxwell down.

    Instead of being upset, Maxwell smiled at the little girl. ¡®Well, just as I can not tell others what to do, I or no one else can tell you what or who to bring if you join us.¡¯ He said before clearing his throat. ¡®Lady Rin says we only have ten more minutes until the gate closes. I will leave you to say your farewells.¡¯ Maxwell said, patting Lan on the shoulder before joining the others.

    Realising how little time they had, Lan set Luna down, but as he tried to step back, she held on to his shirt,

    ¡®They said I could bring anyone I wanted.¡¯ She stated. Lan didn¡¯t miss the implication of the offer.

    ¡®There are still a lot of people who need me here.¡¯ Lan said, watching as Luna¡¯s face fell, but it was clear she had known this would be the answer. ¡®Tell you what, when I get the chance, I will come to visit, and Tyr will have a place to stay.¡¯ Lan added as he reached into the chest for the other thing he had bought when he had been looking for supplies¡ªA Crafter¡¯s light crystal on a white gold chain.

    ¡®At the very least, it is something to remember me by right.¡¯ Lan said, placing the chain around Luna¡¯s neck. Luna looked at the Light Stone resting on her hands for a long moment before her eyes welled up. In moments, large, round, crystalline tears fell and rolled down her face as she began to cry.

    Lan started to move before stopping himself, for he knew it wasn¡¯t tears of pain, fear, or sadness. No. As Luna¡¯s eyes changed from icy blue to gold, and laughter chased her cries, he knew they were tears of joy.

    ¡®Thank you,¡¯ she said, holding the Light stone to her cheek. ¡®For saying goodbye.¡¯ She added as if the Light Stone was the greatest treasure.

    Instead of crystallising and falling to the ground like before, Luna¡¯s tears gathered in the space between them before shaping into a perfect golden sphere and falling to the ground.

    Drying her eyes, Luna picked up the golden orb and placed it in Lan¡¯s hand. ¡®It¡¯s a promise. And so that we meet again, I give you a part of my heart to keep you safe.¡¯ Even though the words had clearly been taught to her, the meaning behind them was all hers and enough to leave Lan feeling moved.

    ¡®With this, I am sure nothing will stop me.¡¯ Lan smiled, making Luna giggle.

    ¡®Close enough.¡¯ she added before hugging him, happy enough with his part of the ritual. ¡®Thank you.¡¯

    ¡®You are very welcome.¡¯ He said, hugging her back as he realised he had done it, he had brought both Seras and Luna safely to the Otherworlders. As much as the heat of any battle made him feel like a real adventurer, this felt just as good. More than that, he was just happy for them, and that was enough.

    After a moment, they broke off the hug as Lan stood to face Seras.

    ¡®After all this, you better keep your promise to her.¡¯ She warned with a small frown fixed on her face, a frown that fell away a moment later before she looked thoughtful, and just when Lan was about to say something, Seras cupped his cheek and kissed the other. ¡®Thank you, Landrin Cross.¡¯

    Completely taken by surprise, Lan just looked at her until she smiled. ¡®What, doesn¡¯t the hero often get a kiss at the end of the Tail?¡¯

    ¡®They do.¡¯ Lan grinned. ¡®I just didn¡¯t know I was travelling with a princess.¡¯

    ¡®You will have to make do with a former Lady.¡¯ She smiled before taking Luna¡¯s hand.

    ¡®You sure you want to go with them?¡¯ he asked.

    ¡®That¡¯s up to her.¡¯ Seras said, looking at Luna, who nodded without hesitation.

    ¡®We will be safe from Leeto with them.¡¯ Luna said, sealing the deal.

    After a moment, when none of them had moved, Seras squeezed Luna¡¯s hand and started for the gate¡ªstopping to wave one last time.

    Lan waved back, realising this little journey was ending, when something from the corner of his eyes caught his attention.

    ¡®Wait!¡¯ he called, ¡®what about the horses? I don¡¯t know who to return them to!¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t have to. I bought them.¡¯ Seras shouted back.

    ¡®Then shouldn¡¯t you be taking them with you?¡¯ Lan tried. Those were three Crown Bolts, after all.

    With a sly smile, Seras shrugged. ¡®Keep them,¡¯ she said, and Luna and she vanished through the light.

    Lan watched as the gate shrunk to the size of a coin before winking out.

    For a long moment, Lan just stood there as he felt the horses¡¯ eyes on him.

    ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ He laughed before looking to the horses, who seemed to look back at him with eyes that said, ¡°Well? We aren¡¯t going anywhere just because you keep looking at us.¡±

    So, with a sigh, Lan walked over to them and checked their packs, gratefully finding the right of ownership on the one Seras had been riding, which meant that he really did now own three Crownbolts.

    Three Crownbolts. They were not known as the third-best breed in Crownguard for nothing. In fact, outside of nobles, the only people who could own them were extremely wealthy commoners and army captains. Which he very much wasn¡¯t.

    Lan sighed deeper, trying not to think about it. Although the village boy in him was over the moon at the idea of owning three horses ridden out of a Tail, the merchant in him was much less happy.

    With another sigh, Lan tied the other horses to the one he had ridden and climbed on, finding the other two just as agreeable as the first one.

    ¡®Come on now.¡¯ Lan called before kicking the horses into motion.