《Fire Breather》


 Chapter 001

    The portal was a brilliant ocean blue, with golden streaks of light that shined brighter than any star. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. An unforgettable image lasting a lifetime. But the beauty was gone in an instant. His left foot suddenly lands on a rocky surface, and slowly, the rest of his body begins to emerge from the portal. What feels like a gentle push knocks him forward until he''s completely free from the mysterious gateway.


    A young man stands in silence within a large cave, illuminated by the blueish glow of the portal behind him. His face obscured behind the full visor gas mask he''s wearing. Air flows through the filter hanging from the center of the mask, with deep and long breathing, filled with nervous excitement.


    A large, gray backpack is slung over his shoulders, stuffed with various supplies and equipment. His beige cargo pants stand out against the glow of the gateway. A black combat vest is worn over the green canvas jacket he brought for warmth. Tan shooting gloves provide protection for his hands. The vest pockets are filled with items, and magazines, for his two weapons.


    A black, compact pistol sits holstered on the left side of his stomach. In his right hand, he firmly grips the downward facing assault rifle that rests besides his body. A weapon black as night, featuring a wire stock and curved magazine so prevalent in the Kalashnikov gun family.


    He begins to step forward, his black boots imprinting the dirt beneath him. The young man raises his free hand up to his left shoulder and switches on the angle-head flashlight attached to his vest. A beam of light floods the cave, mixing with the soft glow of the portal.


    A few more steps are taken, when his movement is suddenly halted from behind. The young man immediately spins around to see what stopped him. A slow exhale escapes his mouth. He had completely forgotten about the rope tied around his waist! An absurd idea suggested from his friend on the other side. He starts to pull back with his free hand firmly gripping the rope. Leaning back with the full weight of his body, his hand pulls with all its strength. The rope tightens through the portal, but nothing gives. His feet begin to dig into the ground as the force of his weight has nowhere to go.


    ¡°Give me more slack!¡± His muffled voice yells through the gas mask at his friend. Only silence, and he quickly gives up when his voice can''t reach the other side. ¡°Dammit. This isn''t going to work.¡± The young man stops pulling and begins to walk back to the gateway entrance.


    He stands before the portal, shimmering in the darkness of the cave. He aims the vest flashlight around the gateway to gather any clues to its origins or history. The portal is slightly larger than a doorway, but designed using the upper-half of an oval shape. It''s crafted directly into the cave wall, and the wall itself looked smooth as if chiseled by hand. The entire outline of the gateway has various markings and stones, but they don''t seem to be doing anything.


    The young man shines the light to the left side, but sees nothing of interest. He does the same for his right side and immediately finds a new discovery. A second gateway! Much larger than the one he stepped through. The inert portal stands as tall as a single story home, with the same designs and features as its smaller brother.


    Nothing stands out as to why the larger gate is silent. There doesn''t seem to be damage anywhere on the surface. Where the blue pathway would be is instead solid rock. No mechanisms, keys, parts, or anything else is visible. Not a single clue about how the mysterious gateways work.


    The young man goes back to the task at hand, and moves up against the left side of the working portal. He picks up the rope that has been dragging the entire walk back. With a single hand, he tugs several times on the rope. ¡°Dan! Dan! If you can hear me, give me more rope!¡± Silence once again. The young man stays still, but his mind begins to think of all the possible reasons why his voice isn''t reaching his friend.


    He thinks back to when he decided to step into the unknown. Recalling how Dan and himself had a heated discussion in the middle of the wilderness. By complete accident they discovered the mysterious portal. He remembers the numerous ideas and scenarios bounced off each other. Would they go to the past, or the future? Will they discover a new world, or travel to a distant country? Was it a tunnel to a secret government facility, or a lost path through the mountain range? Would they find aliens, gods, beasts, humans, or nothing?


    The young man stirs again with an idea, turning his body back toward the cave. He begins to scan the cavern floor with the flashlight. A stone is quickly found that is a few feet tall and just as wide as a torso. He immediately walks toward the stone, kneeling to lower his weapon, and begins undoing the tether around his waist. He quickly wraps the rope around the stone, then slowly leans it onto its side to pin the rope between dirt and rock.


    As he grabs his weapon and stands up again, the young man begins to pull off his gas mask. His short, auburn hair and long sideburns flow with the mask until they finally separate. His sharp, brown eyes begin adapting to his darkened surroundings. A defined jawline, and smooth chin are brightened against the beam of light under his face. He breathes fresh air deeply into his broad nose, and moistens his lips that dried under the mask.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    He takes out a folded blue nylon bag from a pocket of his cargo pants. The bag unfolds naturally and the young man begins to stuff the gas mask within it. He zips the bag tight, securing it to the right side of his waist. He then swings the rifle upward, letting his left hand catch the front pistol grip.


    The young man turns around again and once more approaches the gate. ¡°If you can hear me, I''ve tied the rope around a rock! I''ll come back when I''ve checked the area out!¡± His voice is deep and clear now, but once again nobody responds.


    He begins to back away from the portal, turning to walk deeper into the cave. Ahead, he sees the blue glow of the portal bouncing all around like reflections of water. He quickly starts scanning around the cave, checking all around as he walks. Its obvious now the cave is a large, rectangular room the size of professional soccer fields. The walls look hand-crafted by design, but the ground is simply dirt and rocks. Even the ceiling high above just seems to be natural stone.


    The young man''s careful observations reveal two passages out of the room. One is at the top corner of the eastern wall and the other at the top corner of the western wall. There is a pause in his movement, but then his feet start guiding him to the western path first. Only a few minutes pass before the young man is now standing in front of an imposing passage.


    The western wall has a large, square opening too big for any human. The young man estimates the height of the opening to be double his size, basing his guess on the fact he himself is exactly six feet tall. However, the size of the doorway wasn''t the main issue anymore. The entrance and hallway are completely covered in spider webs, enough so that a thin sheet of webbing spreads across the entire opening. The flashlight also reveals that behind the thin blanket, webs continue on for a lengthy distance.


    The young man reaches into his vest to retrieve a disposable lighter he had brought. Moving to the bottom left corner, he keeps an eye out for potential spiders. He sees some specimens that are smaller than his fingernails, but he stays clear of them out of caution. He flicks the lighter till an orange flame starts dancing. Kneeling down, he puts the flame to the webbing, and watches it burn against the threads.


    At first, the webbing simply flashes and melts into the ground. But suddenly, a rush of flame ignites from the bottom corner. The young man is startled and quickly backs away as he watches the burning tide of fire go across the massive doorway. In mere seconds, the sheet of white webbing is no more.


    Although the first step was a success, the young man realizes he can go no further. The flashlight illuminates a hallway filled with thick columns of webbing in all directions. He knows right away it would take too long to create any path. There''s also a lingering fear about the small spiders in the area. Disappointed, the young man turns around and begins the walk to the other passage.


    After walking for several minutes with the glow of the portal all around him, the young man now stands in front of the eastern pathway. The opening is the same as the western side, and a sigh of relief escapes the young man. The hallway is free of webbing or other obstructions that would block him. He steps through the opening to continue his exploration, following the corridor to wherever it leads. The walls, ground, and ceiling all seem similar to the rectangular room where the portal resides.


    After a short distance the hallway makes a sharp turn to the left. As the young man follows the path, he immediately notices the soft glow of lights ahead of him. The light does not seem to be natural, but something more akin to florescent lighting. He keeps walking forward, and sees the corridor is indeed illuminated. Every few yards or so, both sides of the corridor are brightened by fist-sized glowing stones near the top of the ceiling. The young man can''t help thinking that although less bright, the stones are performing the same task any light bulb can do.


    The exit out of the corridor presents itself quickly after the turn was made. Light at the exit seems to be more natural and the young man''s walking turns into a jog to reach it faster. His equipment bounces and clatters, with his rifle held tightly in both hands. He thinks to himself that hes finally found a way above ground. His body bolts through the opening, but stops almost instantly.


    His breath is taken away as he stands within another large cavern connecting to the outside world. The cave is naturally beautiful, with moss growing on the rocks and large plant roots coiling the walls. A massive opening to the right of the young man allows light to flood inside the cavern, and through the opening he sees evidence of a forest. Above the cavern exit numerous natural skylights pour additional sunlight from the outside.


    The vest flashlight is turned off as the young man walks to the center of the cavern. He estimates the size to be similar to the portal room, but the cavern is shaped like a half circle instead. His head is darting around this new environment, excited to find something exotic. His hopes are quickly met as he reaches the center of the cave, right in front of the opening.


    Directly across the exit, carved into the cavern wall, stands a large monument. It seems to be a statue of a knight or a soldier. It''s difficult to tell because the upper torso and head are gone, crumbled all around the statue. Weather and time have taken a toll, with most of the intricate details on the armor worn away. A round shield is held in the left hand, and in the right, a large war hammer that reaches all the way to the feet of the statue. The surviving portion of the statue stands at least fifteen feet tall. The young man can''t help to wonder how it must have looked in the past.


    A digital camera is pulled out from a front pocket of the young man''s pants. He now begins to take pictures with one hand, snapping different cave angles and parts of the statue. As he continues taking pictures, a thought crosses his mind that perhaps he was transported to somewhere in Europe. He had seen articles and television shows about mysterious phenomena that have transported people over great distances. The monument surely wouldn''t be in a place like America.


    His thought process is cut short as the corner of his right eye notices a small, stone structure at the northern side of the cave. It''s very well hidden, with its colors blending into the cavern walls and concealed within the shadow of a large ledge above it. He notices the remnants of a fire pit and sees several wooden tables that seem to have all manner of plants, vials, and equipment.


    The young man quickly turns back to the camera to review the pictures of the statue, and satisfied with the results, puts it back into his pocket. He turns himself to walk toward the stone structure, but stops immediately. A figure is already heading towards him.

 Chapter 002

    He stands still, observing the person moving closer. It''s soon apparent the figure is a woman, with gentle curves and hips swaying slightly with each step. Even though she looks taller than himself, it was clear this woman has a much lighter and thinner body.


    Her outfit catches the young man''s eyes. She seems to be wearing a long sleeved white coat, similar to medical or science personnel. It''s unbuttoned, showing a white shirt that meets dark blue Capri-style pants that go above her knees. He sees what appear to be brown knee high boots and brown gloves on her hands. It''s an odd clothing combination he thought.


    The young man raises his left hand to wave, making sure the rifle safely faces downward with the other hand. ¡°Excuse me miss. Can you tell me where I am?¡± he says loudly, adding a big smile with his words.


    The woman doesn''t respond to his greeting and keeps walking forward.


    ¡°I''d really appreciate any help. Is there a town or anything nearby?¡± he says a little softer, but she still doesn''t respond. The young man begins to think something might be wrong.


    She finally stops just a few yards away from the young man, crossing her arms as if to take her time studying him.


    ¡°Listen miss, you''re not going to believe what I....¡± the young man''s voice suddenly trails off. His waiving stops, and the hand now begins to close, slowly drifting downwards. His smile remains, but his eyes betray the amazement of what he''s seeing. The woman before him is not completely human.


    She is indeed a few inches taller than the young man, with a thin build and petite bust reminding him of runway models seen on television. Her facial features are sharp looking; pale skin, pointed chin, small nose, and natural red lips. The woman''s brown eyes stand out because of her intense stare. Her black hair is styled in a short, ruffled bob above her neck, partially covering her eyes and the large bat-like ears extending from the sides of her head.


    As soon as the word ¡°bat¡± pops into the young man''s head, his eyes dart to the lower parts of her body. He realizes now her hands are covered in brown fur, with bony fingers and sharp nails painted blue. The knee high boots he thought he saw earlier are also brown fur, with her elongated feet covered in special sandals.


    ¡°Quis es?¡± Suddenly, the bat-woman speaks out in a firm tone.


    Her voice snaps the young man''s eyes back to her face. It''s so sudden that he didn''t catch her words. She speaks again before he can muster any response.


    ¡°Quis es? Quid tu hic agis?¡± Her words have more force than before and she unfurls her arms. Her right hand slides to her waist, the coat moving to reveal a dagger and numerous pouches attached to a belt.


    ¡°Wait. Hold on.¡± The young man says as he raises his left hand to make a stopping gesture. ¡°This is a mistake! I''m not here to hurt you.¡± She''s speaking a language he''s never heard before. It''s now obvious they''re not understanding each other.


    ¡°Non intelligitis. Nonne ex Terra venis?¡± She speaks softer this time. Her hand now resting on the dagger handle, out of caution for her own safety.


    Nervousness begins to show on the young man''s face. He truly doesn''t know where he is anymore and now has to deal with a monstrous bat-woman that doesn''t speak his language.


    ¡°Listen lady... I''m not looking for trouble.¡± He tries saying the words with as calm of an expression he can muster. ¡°I came here through some sort of portal in the-¡± His words stop as a terrifying screech is heard from the corridor he previously exited.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    The young man''s head turns away from the bat-woman and looks toward the opening behind him. ¡°What the hell was that!?¡± His nervousness finally shows in the words. He now grabs the rifle firmly with both hands and turns his body to face whatever made the sound.


    The bat-woman walks forward until she is beside the young man. He looks over and notices that her face is showing confusion at the situation. It seems she didn''t know what made the sound either.


    They both stand quietly in the middle of the cavern as they face the corridor opening. Both wait for some sign from the corridor or the other person. A minute seems to pass without further incident, but finally, something begins to emerge. From inside the corridor a shadow is being cast onto walls as a large creature crawls its way forward. The shadow grows until finally, its true body reveals itself.


    An enormous gray spider is making its way through the tunnel. Its body the size of a truck, and thick, hairy legs scrapping along the hallway as it moves into the cavern. As it reaches the corridor exit, its legs begin to wrap around the edges of the opening to pull its body through. The creature''s head reveals itself slowly as eight pitch-black eyes and over-sized fangs are now clearly visible.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± The young man says as he begins to sidestep left as the spider makes its entrance. Fear begins to take hold at the sight of the creature. His body is unconsciously heading toward the cavern exit, but he catches himself after a few steps. Survival instincts kick in, and the young man raises his Kalashnikov rifle high, digging his boots into the dirt. He takes aim at the spider and quickly squeezes the trigger five times.


    Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak. Klak. The fifth shot creates a massive muzzle flash from the rifle. The incredibly loud gunshots ring throughout the cavern walls. The bat-woman screams in surprise as she drops to her knees while holding her ears. The 7.62x39mm bullets tear into the head of the creature, with one of the them hitting a lucky strike into an eye. The young man sees the immediate effect of the barrage. The spider shrieks in pain and smashes its body upwards against the corridor ceiling. The spider quickly retreats into the hallway beyond their vision.


    Suddenly, the spider propels itself out of the opening. Its acceleration is incredible and it reaches the middle of the cavern in seconds. The young man maneuvers so the spider sits between himself and the monument now. The bat-woman has already run for cover. Four more gunshots ring out, with the bullets striking the body of the creature. It turns to face the young man and charges him with another burst of speed.


    The young man already has the rifle raised to meet the spiders charge. ¡°Get the hell away from me!!!¡± He screams as he rapidly squeezes the trigger five more times. Once again the rifle is aimed at the head of the creature. Bullets rip into the spiders face and another eye is blown apart. The charge halts immediately, the spider reversing itself all the way to the back wall of the cavern.


    The spider''s head is now covered in blood and fluids from the damage caused by the rifle. The young man opens fire with another five rounds in quick succession, with bright muzzle flashes escaping the rifle. However, the spider now recognizes the sound of gunshots and dashes to its left side. The bullets strike only stone and ricochet off the cavern walls.


    ¡°Fuck! You''ve gotta be kidding me!¡± The young man yells in surprise as he witnesses the agility of the spider. He levels his Kalashnikov rifle again to prepare for another charge. All of a sudden, a flaming container smashes into the topside of the spider. A circle of fire erupts across its back causing black smoke to rise into the air. The spider lets loose shrill sounds as it begins to roll over into the dirt in an attempt to extinguish the flames.


    The young man sees the bat-woman perched on a rock ledge just behind the spider. She is a few yards higher than the spider, but the young man can see she is visibly distraught. Her right hand is firmly gripping the stone wall as she leans against it, but her other hand is desperately trying to cover her ear. He realizes what the gunshots are doing to her and focuses to finish the fight quickly for both their sake.


    Rushing to close the distance gap, the young man runs to within several yards of the disabled spider. He reaches his intended spot and aims his rifle purposely at the creature''s head. Gunshots ring out across the cavern again as the young man systematically destroys the remaining eyes of the spider. He keeps pressing the trigger until the rifle releases its last bullet. A clicking sound is heard and the young man realizes the entire thirty round magazine is now empty.


    The young man doesn''t move from his position, or lower the empty rifle away from the creature. He just stands in silence, observing the corpse of the spider to make sure it is truly dead. His heart beat starts to calm down, finally noticing how sweaty his palms are through the gloves.


    ¡°Ha... hahaha! Son of a bitch! How''d you like that?¡± Triumphant words come from the young man. Sweat beads have formed across his face, but a faint smile shows. The spider has no life left, Its head a bloody mess and small columns of smoke still rising from the body.


    Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the bat-woman is already back to ground level. She seems relieved, but collapses onto the dirt after a few steps. She sits silently, observing both him and dead spider. He lowers his rifle and starts walking toward her. As he approaches, she quickly pulls out her dagger and points it straight at him. Although he can barely see her eyes through the ruffled hair, he has the feeling they would show nothing except fear.


    ¡°Are you okay? I promise I''m not going to hurt you. I just wanna say thanks for the help back there.¡± He calmly says the words, but gets no reaction from the bat-woman. She looks exhausted, and grimaces in pain occasionally. He stands only a few feet away from where she sits. Racking his brain to think of something to say, the young man gives a bright smile to her and says ¡°Look... I know you don''t understand me. Maybe we can try our meeting again.¡±


    The young man isn''t getting any positive signs from the bat-woman. He lets his rifle drop downward against the side of his body. He then takes his left hand and starts pointing against his chest. Smiling again, he says to her ¡°My name is Markus Winters. Nice to meet you miss.¡±

 Chapter 003

    Markus spent several minutes trying to make small talk with the bat-woman. It seemed her fear of him was slowly subsiding and she was beginning to relax a little. The dagger she held in the right hand was now drooping, with the arm resting on her thighs as she sat on the ground listening. She was still being cautious, but was no longer outright hostile to him.


    Although there was some progress with body language, actual communication was essentially nothing. She also seemed to be dealing with a headache which further distracted the conversation attempts. Markus saw the bat-woman''s eyes occasionally glance to his rifle, and could only assume her large ears are extremely sensitive to sounds. He began to think that as long as he had the weapon, she wouldn''t completely trust him. Now might be a good time to return home.


    ¡°Miss, I''m going to take a couple of pictures of the spider¡± Markus says as he points to the spider corpse. ¡°and then I''m heading back to the portal that''s inside there.¡± He continues with his finger moving to the corridor opening.


    The bat-woman doesn''t really acknowledge his plan. He sees that her eyes did follow his finger, but she goes back to silently staring at him from the ground. Markus sighs, and runs his free hand over his hair in frustration. He begins to back away from the woman, turning to walk toward the dead spider. He''s disappointed the communication efforts failed. There were numerous things he wanted to ask the exotic stranger.


    As Markus reaches the corpse of the spider, he once again pulls out the digital camera used earlier. He begins to take pictures of the spider, slowly walking around to capture all the unique features. There are some angles in which the bat-woman comes into view, allowing Markus the opportunity to sneak several photos of her. He soon reviews the pictures taken and once finished, puts the digital camera away as he thought about the next thing to do.


    Between the mysterious portal that transported him, the giant spider that almost killed him, and the bat-woman that couldn''t understand him, Markus has had enough of wherever he is. It was time to head back home and meet up with Dan again. This adventure was only supposed to be a quick survey to see if anything interesting could be found through the portal. Once he gets back, they both need to think about how to use the information gathered.


    Markus starts to head to the opening that leads to the portal room. As he starts walking, Markus turns around to quickly wave goodbye to the mysterious bat-woman. ¡°Nice meeting you miss! Take care and be careful!¡±


    She''s still sitting in the same spot, but he doesn''t see her meekly imitating the wave goodbye with some of her fingers. He turns around and heads through the corridor with his rifle held in both hands, wondering if getting back to the cavern will be as simple as jumping into the gateway again.


    Markus passes by the glowing stones once more as he follows the corridor. Walking briskly, darkness soon surrounds him as he nears the sharp turn and light-less portion of the hallway. He flips his vest flashlight on and makes the turn for the way home. When Markus reaches the opening connected to the portal room, the air feels much heavier and the room seems much darker.


    It quickly dawns on Markus the shimmering light of the gateway is missing. He looks over to the location of where the portal would be, but only sees pitch black. A chill runs down his spine and panic begins to set in. Markus throws the backpack from his shoulders unto the dirt in a single frantic motion.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°No. No. God no!¡± His words are nervous as he unzips the backpack looking for something. He pulls out a larger flashlight and quickly turns it on with his left hand. Zipping the backpack up and loading it on his shoulders again, he rushes straight to where the portal should be, guided by only two beams of light in total darkness.


    Markus runs the entire distance to the area where the gateways are. As he nears the portals, he uses the large flashlight to look for the rope tied around the stone. The rope can''t be seen at all as he waves the flashlight around. Even the stone holding the rope seems to have disappeared too. Markus doesn''t understand how they''re missing and keeps running till he reaches the portals.


    Markus now stands in front of the gateway that brought him to the area. The blue shimmer of the portal is truly gone, only solid stone is visible now. Another chill returns to Markus, with sweat beginning to appear across his body as he realizes the way home is cutoff.


    ¡°Oh my god. No. This can''t be happening!¡± Markus yells in a panicked tone. In desperation, he rushes toward the portal and smashes his body against the stone. Pain shoots across his left shoulder, but his body simply bounces off the rock wall. As he leans against the stone, he repeatedly rams his shoulder into the rock. Nothing was happening, and Markus begins pounding his left hand against the stone wall. The beams of the flashlights are now dancing in the darkness.


    ¡°Dan! Dan! Open the portal!¡± Markus begins to yell for his friend as he hoped for some miracle. ¡°Help me out! Don''t leave me here!¡±


    Markus backs away from the inert portal and starts to frantically search the area for anything that could possibly open the gateway back up. Instead, he finds that his situation is much worse. The flashlights reveal a small crater right next to the portal outline at the nine o''clock position. It looks as if a large object was smashed against the stone. Portions of the portal outline were now cracked and broken beside the crater.


    ¡°That''s not good.¡± Markus says as he realizes that not only is the portal closed, but now it might also be broken. The flashlights begin to look around for signs of whatever caused the damage. An idea then jumps into Markus'' head. He turns around to were the stone tied with the rope would''ve been.


    It makes sense to him as to why those items are now missing, and how a crater would suddenly appear on the wall. An incredible force had somehow pulled the large stone through the portal, causing it to bounce off the wall on its way out. The portal is indeed damaged now.


    Questions begin to fill Markus'' mind about how that could''ve happened. Did Dan somehow find a way to pull the rope with enough force? Was it the giant spider? Could the portal have been forced to close? Regardless of how it happened, the end result was the same for Markus. There was no way to go back home now.


    Markus begins to pace back and forth as he thinks about different ideas for his predicament. He thinks about possibly setting up camp in the room to try to repair the gateway or to wait for help. He then freezes, slowly turning the flashlights toward the western room opening. Another thought makes his plans for the portal room worthless.


    Looking toward the western opening, Markus realizes the giant spider almost certainly came from that corridor. The beams of light don''t reach that far back, but no other explanation would make as much sense. Even if he kept a campfire going, or somehow had the flashlights on the entire time, staying in the portal room was inviting certain death if one or more giant spiders showed up. Markus knew he was at an incredible disadvantage if he fought another one of the creatures in total darkness. He had to leave the portal room immediately.


    Another quick scan of the silent portal reveals nothing else. Markus can''t believe he has to abandon the area, but it''s simply too dangerous to stay. He turns his body toward the eastern opening and begins another sprint. The beams from his flashlights bounce all around him as he runs. He makes sure to use the large flashlight in a wide arc to help reveal any potential dangers within the darkness. Luckily, he reaches the eastern opening without trouble. Markus turns around for a quick glance behind him before slipping back into the corridor.

 Chapter 004

    Markus reaches the other side of the corridor with the flashlights already off. He makes a straight line for the cavern exit leading to the forest he saw earlier. As he walks, he glances up to the skylights and sees night already approaching. Whatever plan he was going to follow needs to be done soon.


    There is another glance to the area where he last left the spider and bat-woman. He sees the spider still very much dead, but the bat-woman is now missing. Markus looks toward the stone structure at the end of the cavern and notices some lighting from the windows. It seems she was feeling well enough to walk again.


    Markus reaches the cavern exit, and now stands before a sea of green. The view makes him believe the cavern is tucked against the side of a mountain or hill. Even though he has a higher vantage point, all he can see is the forest. Night is starting to descend quickly, but Markus can now see lights and smoke slowly appearing through the leaves and branches. The lights and smoke seem to be at the 10 o''clock position from the exit opening. His spirits begin to lift as they remind him of how a town or village would look like during nighttime.


    The next move will need to be carefully planned. Markus walks over to the right side of the cavern exit and leans his rifle against the rock. His right hand was becoming sore from holding the weapon by itself. He lays the backpack in front of his feet to put away the large flashlight. He also takes time to pull out a sling for his rifle that he brought along. When the flashlight is put away and the sling equipped on his rifle, Markus leans back against the rock, knowing he needs to quickly decide what to do next.


    An idea comes to him as he rest against the rock. Markus reaches into the left front pocket of his cargo pants, pulling out his black smartphone. Pressing buttons and entering a password, the screen unlocks for him. Right away he sees there is no signal and worse yet, the battery is drained down to low capacity. Markus tries calling Dan anyway, but as expected the call reaches nowhere. Several more numbers are called, and each one fails. He checks the time as he puts the phone away only to see 1:30 PM on the screen. That clearly wasn''t right.


    In his head, Markus now begins to go over the various options presented. Option one is to go back to the portal room and see if he can repair the gateway. Help might also arrive from Dan during that time. However, numerous problems exist with the idea. Markus wouldn''t know how to repair the portal, and of course, the possibility of more giant spiders. Option one is quickly thrown out.


    Option two would be going to the stone structure of Miss Bat. He could stay with her and try to somehow communicate his predicament to her. Although it seems like a good idea, Markus knows he would be taking a gamble with her. The bat-woman was hostile to him earlier. He''s seen the distrust and fear of him. At the very least, she''s armed with a dagger and explosives. Markus worries that even if he stayed in a different location in the cavern, she might attack him in his sleep or discover his equipment stolen. Giant spiders may also still appear in the area. Option two was not looking promising, but it was still viable.


    Markus then turns his head to forest and now thinks about option three. He looks at the lights in the distance and estimates a few hours walk to their location. It would definitely be nighttime by the time he makes it. He would also be walking through an unknown forest.


    However, Markus is an experienced outdoors man and avid shooter. He would be heavily armed during this hike. If the lights and smoke are indeed a town, it would be the quickest path to help. Support could even be sent to Miss Bat too. Markus easily makes up his mind, and prepares to set out into the forest.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    There isn''t enough time to do a thorough check on all of the equipment and items before setting off. Markus and Dan were so excited when they discovered the portal, they had rushed to stuff the backpack and his cargo pants with various supplies. Even Markus wasn''t completely sure of everything brought along with him. However, he was absolutely going to check his weapons. They''re going to be his best chance of survival.


    His right hand moves to the holstered pistol on the vest and undoes the strap holding it secure. The weapon is taken out in a single motion. Nothing wrong can be seen on the handgun and Markus presses a small button on the pistol grip to unload the magazine. He pulls the magazine out to glance at the ammo loaded within. Everything is in order and the magazine is placed back into the pistol. The handgun was not previously armed, so he takes his left hand to rack the pistol slide. Now a bullet was ready for whatever he may face.


    Markus takes a little extra time to look over his semi-automatic sidearm, his eyes reading the engravings. On the left side the wording ¡°STEYR M9¡± can be seen. An inexpensive weapon with a capacity of sixteen 9mm rounds and interesting trapezoid design for the sights. Markus stops himself from reminiscing and places the sidearm back into the holster on the vest.


    After securing the pistol, his right hand starts padding the area above the holster. Markus feels the three individual pistol magazine pouches with his fingers to make sure they''re also secure. He had brought three additional fifteen round magazines, one stuffed into each pouch. Everything feels correct and now turns his attention to the assault rifle leaning next to him.


    Markus once again picks up his Kalashnikov rifle with his right hand. His left hand reaches for the right belly side of the vest. That area held three individual magazine pouches carrying the additional ammo for the rifle. Each pouch holds two fully loaded thirty-round steel magazines for a total of six. Markus opens up the outer most pouch and grabs one of the loaded magazines.


    ¡°Thank god I didn''t run into anything else.¡± Markus says under his breath. After fighting the giant spider he knows the rifle was never reloaded. He simply assumed he was going straight home.


    Markus now turns the rifle upward and swaps out the empty magazine with the loaded one. After securing the empty magazine in his vest, Markus turns the gun to grab the charging handle with his left hand, pulling it back to load a round. He releases the handle and completes the reload process.


    Markus looks over his rifle knowing full well it saved his life earlier. He closely looks over the semi-automatic AMD-65 he''s owned for many years. A close combat variant of the AKM rifle design, but very old compared to modern military firearms. It''s an extremely powerful, highly mobile, and very loud assault rifle that can light up the night sky.


    Over the years, Markus has made numerous modifications to his rifle. The wire stock now has a cheek riser attachment to help with aiming. The original pistol grips were replaced with more comfortable styles. Even the sling attachment on the wire stock was added. A scope would''ve been the last addition had he saved the money.


    After gathering his thoughts, Markus looks toward the stone building. ¡°I hope Miss Bat will be alright.¡± He says to himself, wondering if the bat-woman will be safe. ¡°Maybe I can come back with help.¡±


    Markus loads the backpack onto his shoulders, leaning the rifle back against the rock for a moment. Looking out toward the forest, he sees the last bit of daylight slipping through the leaves. Markus suddenly remembers a black sharpie pen in one of his pockets. He digs around a bit to find it, and once found, looks for a place on the rock wall to write a message. A flat spot at eye level looks perfect and he begins writing a message with his right hand.


    <-------- SEARCHING FOR A WAY HOME. CHECK TOWN. ¨C MARKUS WINTERS


    It''s a simple and direct message with an arrow pointing the way. He hopes if anybody comes looking for him they can find it easily. Markus puts the sharpie back, flips on his vest flashlight, and grabs his rifle with both hands. The last rays of light are gone, and he now stands at the edge of a darkened forest. Markus closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Strengthening his spirit, he once more steps into the unknown.

 Chapter 005

    When Markus left the cave his flashlight immediately found a trail leading deeper into the forest. The path raised his hopes of reaching the town faster without navigating through the trees. Markus knew the trail would likely lead to civilization, or at least a road that can be followed. The path started as a steep descent downwards, but as he continued to walk, it eventually leveled off into a more gentle slope. It was a fairly easy trek so far, but Markus knew he had to stay alert.


    Darkness covers the forest, only occasional sounds from birds and insects keep Markus company. As he walks, Markus notices the moonlight is bright and clear. It was a comforting glow illuminating the entire forest. The leaves and branches above keep the majority of the sky hidden, but there was enough evidence to suggest a full moon. It supplies just enough light to provide decent vision even without the flashlight.


    Walking through the forest proves to be surprisingly uneventful. Only the rhythm of boots stepping into dirt provides a consistent noise. The long periods of silence give Markus plenty of thinking time to himself. As he walks, his eyes observe the new surroundings for clues to where the forest might be located.


    Markus has spent plenty of time outdoors and over the years has learned basic knowledge on local wildlife. He notes several familiar trees that can be spotted within the forest. Mature aspen, spruce, and cottonwood species are scattered throughout the area. However, a certain large tree species was unfamiliar to him. It was by far the biggest type of tree, dwarfing the others with their large trunks and numerous branches spreading above.


    The weather also feels familiar, a cold chill in the air around thirty or thirty-five degrees. The night temperature was correct for weather back home in March. Even patches of snow are reflecting off the flashlight as Markus walks. Luckily he brought the green jacket being worn, with its insulated interior perfect for this type of hike.


    However, reviewing his mental notes doesn''t bring Markus any closer to an answer of where he is. The weather is basically the same as home and the forest is similar to the one he left behind when he passed through the portal. All of Markus'' information says he''s already made it back to the western United States.


    Markus then pauses during his walk and turns his body directly to the left. He sees the lighting of the town through branches and tree trunks, but notices their size hasn''t increased much. Markus now begins to worry the trail he''s been following doesn''t actually lead to the town. His path only seems to be parallel to the destination he''s aiming for. Markus kicks the dirt in frustration and mentally prepares himself to cut through the forest now. The town lights are directly ahead and all he needs to do is follow a straight line to them.


    Before taking a step into the maze of trees before him, Markus searches for the smartphone tucked into his front pocket. He finds it and brings it to his face to check for a signal. When he presses a button the bright light of smartphone makes his eyes wince in pain. A low battery warning is present on the screen now and he notes the power bar at only five percent. The clock is still wrong and there is still no signal. Nothing has changed. Markus firmly presses the power button and shuts off the device for good.


    After putting his smartphone away, Markus takes the first steps into the forest. The trees are spread in a wide berth allowing plenty of space to weave between each of them. The flashlight shows the terrain with a mix of rocks, boulders, grasses, and bushes everywhere like the mountains back home.


    The lights of the town slowly begin to grow as he continues the hike. Curiously, Markus notices the lights seem to be above the horizon of his vision. He begins to think the town might be on an elevated location like a hill. Thankfully the land is cooperating with Markus as he''s able to quickly walk the plotted course without issues.


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    Markus sees the lights fairly well now after walking for some time. The lights still seem quite high from where he stands. The town must be on a hill as previously guessed. There''s a renewed energy in Markus as he feels the end of the trek nearing closer. However, this brief moment of respite vanishes as an extremely loud animal roar can he heard ahead.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Markus says as he halts moving, raising his rifle upward. He can only point in the general direction of where he heard the sound, but nothing can be seen in the darkness. He stays silent to see if anything will reveal itself. No animal known to him can make a roar like it.


    Nothing stirs for several minutes. Cautiously, Markus resumes walking through the forest. The rifle is gripped tightly now with a finger resting beside the trigger. A sense of nervousness creeps back into Markus as he continues toward the lights. He was always superstitious of the forests back home. Countless tales exist of dangers that can be found within the wilderness, both real and mysterious. He''s personally seen unexplained sights and believes a fair share of old stories.


    Markus very shortly sees something peculiar from the direction of the town. Several lights are moving in all manner of directions. Some are moving high above, a few are zigzagging, and others dance around at various speeds. Out of the corner of his right eye, Markus sees a single light away from the town.


    The light looks much bigger than the others, as if it was quickly closing the distance to him. As soon as that thought finishes, an orb of light zips by a few feet above his head. The ball of light is quickly lost in the forest as Markus spins around trying to locate it. The flashlight sees nothing in the darkness and his head keeps moving around in an attempt to find it.


    ¡°Seriously? Whats going on now?¡± Markus asks himself, turning back to the town.


    As he looks forward, a glow of light slowly appears from behind Markus'' right shoulder. He notices the soft glow and just when he''s about to turn around, the ball of light zooms in front of him. Markus'' eyes open wide in surprise at what he sees.


    Only a few feet away from his face, a tiny woman flutters in the cool breeze of the night. She has colorful wings keeping her aloft, similar to butterflies back home. Markus is frozen in surprise. ''Fairy'' is the only word that jumps into his head to describe her.


    He estimates her size to be only about eight inches tall. The size of a small doll or figurine. Growing up, Markus saw plenty of books, movies, and shows with various fairies. There''s no doubt right now he''s looking at a creature of myth.


    Around her waist, a lantern dangles off to the side with an illuminating glow. She''s wearing some sort of black bodysuit, with pieces of leather armor covering her breast, vitals, and extremities. Markus finally sees the glint of a metal spear in her hands. His eyes try determine her intent with the weapon, but she suddenly rushes closer to his face. This catches Markus off guard, forcing him to take a step backwards. He sees short, brown colored hair on the little woman, but her facial features are obscured by light from the lantern and flashlight on his vest.


    The fairy starts rapidly speaking to him in another language, but words are difficult to pick out because of how quickly she talks. Her body is very animated, as she points to the town and the forest behind her. Her arms and fingers point in several directions as she talks, then starts pointing toward Markus. He doesn''t know what to make of her actions, but she''s becoming more frantic. Her voice seems to be pleading now. She''s even waving a hand in a follow-me gesture.


    She suddenly takes off in the direction where she originally came from. After a few yards, she sees that Markus didn''t follow her. She immediately turns around and rams herself against his upper chest. Markus is pushed back in surprise, and now feels the little woman yanking on the collar of his jacket. Words start flying out of her mouth again in desperate and begging tones.


    Markus can sense something is very wrong now. Her body language tells him she''s in need of help. He begins to take steps in the direction she was heading toward moments ago. The fairy now realizes Markus is starting to walk. She releases his jacket and starts flying just a few feet in front of him.


    After just a few more steps, another monstrous roar echoes through the forest. It''s the same creature from before, but much closer now. The fairy becomes frantic again and starts pointing ahead. Markus turns his walk into a jog, unsure of what exactly he''s facing. The fairy sees his increase in pace and starts to guide him between the trees. After several minutes, Markus and the fairy reach a small clearing in the forest.


    As the pair momentarily stops, several more orbs of light zoom past them heading to the right. More fairies, and they all seem to be in a rush. Markus turns his head to see where they''re going. His eyes now glimpse a creature unlike anything seen before in his life.

 Chapter 006

    At the opposite side of the clearing, a monstrous pig-like beast is jumping around in the air as it chases after other fairies. The fat body reminds Markus of wild hogs he''s hunted in the past, but the creature is much larger, almost the size of a cow. Markus sees a dark colored hide, with a straight tail flailing around. The head of the beast is definitely pig-like, but the mouth seems grossly enlarged.


    Markus starts moving toward the beast as the fairy flutters right beside him. The creature lands from its last jump facing the direction of the pair. Another roar is let out as the beast immediately sees Markus and the flashlight beam.


    The creature starts charging for Markus, the shine of its yellow eyes reflecting off the light. Its mouth opened wide as if to tear him apart. The fairy yells at Markus, then shoots up higher into the sky to avoid the charge.


    ¡°Shit not again! Stop! STOP!¡± Markus yells as he raises the rifle and aims for the head of the beast. He squeezes the trigger once, an incredibly loud gunshot echos throughout the forest. The muzzle flash from the rifle lights up the entire area around Markus.


    The bullet slams into the open mouth of the beast and bounces through the skull. The creature is killed instantly, crashing head first into the ground at full speed. Its fat body then rolls over, with a cloud of dirt hanging in the air from the impact.


    Markus stands silently, impressed that a single well-placed bullet took the beast out. He had been prepared to dump the entire magazine into the creature to kill it. As he lowers his weapon, Markus sees a large group of fairies swarming around the dead creature. The fairy leading him earlier appears again and starts yanking at his jacket collar from the side. Shes pointing to the animal in a hectic manor while speaking her unique language. Markus doesn''t understand why, believing they simply wanted the beast killed.


    He heads toward the corpse of the beast with the fairy floating beside him. As he reaches the body, Markus sees a commotion of numerous fairies trying to frantically pierce the hide of the creature with their weapons. The scene doesn''t make sense to Markus. As he observes the situation, Markus feels the fairy tugging on his left glove. His hand lets go of the rifle fore grip, allowing her to lead him. Markus is slowly pulled as his hand gets dragged toward the belly of the creature.


    Markus squats down so his hand can be pulled easier into position by the fairy. She places his hand over a spot on the belly, pressing them together. Markus is confused about this turn of events, noticing the other fairies stopping their efforts to watch him. He stays quiet to see what might happen next. Strangely, a barely noticeable vibration or thumping is coming from the belly of the beast.


    Something isn''t right, the creature is obviously dead yet why does he feel movement? His eyes then catch a faint change of color under the beast''s skin. The flashlight is quickly turned off, and for a brief second, a tiny glow is seen. Markus looks up and sees all the fairies gathered around him silently. He immediately recognizes what''s been going on. A fairy has been eaten alive by the beast.


    Markus flips the flashlight back on again, placing his rifle on the ground beside him. He starts frantically grabbing at the knife attached to the left side of his belt. He quickly finds it and undoes the snap button holding it secured in its sheath. In a swift motion, a stainless steel hunting knife is pulled free and brought before the beam of light. Markus moves closer and immediately plunges the hunting knife into the upper chest of the beast.


    Carefully, Markus cuts a path down the middle of the creature''s underside. He uses the flashlight to help guide his hands as he inches closer to the target area. Markus moves quickly, using his past experience cutting up hunted animals. The beast''s hide is soft, easily splitting apart as the knife keeps moving. The knife finally reaches a point just above the groin area of the creature. Markus pulls his hunting knife free and proceeds to the next step.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Reaching towards the middle part of the belly, Markus uses his left hand to lift open the cut portion of the skin. As the meat pulls apart, the knife in the other hand is used to cut away muscle and tissue. Some of the creature''s organs spill out onto the ground, and soon, enough room is provided to reach for the stomach.


    Markus can see the over-sized stomach within the creature shining. With the knife, Markus reaches inside the creature and presses the tip against one end of the organ. He slices slowly from one side to the other, careful to not go deeper then necessary. As soon as the knife reaches about two-thirds of the way, the stomach bursts open and a fairy flies out. Immediately there''s celebration from the other fairies as crying, yelling, and cheering can heard.


    Numerous fairies are gathering around the female that was just rescued. Although covered in blood and fluids, she is happily hugging and dancing with her friends. From the ground, Markus can''t help smiling at the sight above him. He turns back to look inside the creature once more to make sure nothing else was missed. Inside the stomach, Markus sees various plants and trash eaten, but in a corner, he sees a tiny human skull.


    Markus'' smile slowly disappears as he realizes what he''s spotted. He then looks over to the head of the dead beast. Very briefly, a rage shows in the face of Markus. The hunting knife is suddenly thrust into the neck of the creature, causing blood to start oozing from the new wound. The knife is quickly pulled out, and he begins wiping the blood covered blade against the hide of the animal. Once clean enough, he does the same for his bloodied gloves.


    The hunting knife is put back into the sheath once the simple cleaning finishes. Markus grabs his rifle and stands up to face the fairies. A large group is already heading to the town with the rescued fairy, but several have stayed behind. The remaining fairies notice Markus has finished up and begin to swarm around him. Some start pulling on his jacket as they point to the town lights. They''re all speaking their language, but Markus doesn''t understand any of it. He can only guess they want him to move toward the town.


    After a few minutes of walking, Markus starts to realize the town he was heading for was not what he thought. As he gets closer, the lights start to appear higher and higher off the ground. The fairies escorting him are idly chatting, sometimes flying beside his face to ask questions. Markus can only respond with ¡°I''m sorry, I don''t understand.¡± or ¡°I don''t know what you said.¡± to whatever they''re asking.


    Its a short distance from the clearing to reach the edge of the town. Markus'' suspicions about the lights soon become reality. As he finally emerges from the forest and into the town perimeter, Markus sees an amazing sight. The town he reached was, indeed, a community filled only with fairies.


    It''s a spectacular image of beauty that stands before Markus. The lowest levels of the town are even with his head, as small wooden buildings of all sizes and shapes continue upwards for several stories. All the structures are built directly into the trees surrounding him. He could see bridges leading in all directions and strategically placed stonelights illuminating the town. Many of the buildings are currently darkened, but that''s expected for the middle of the night. Markus looks around to see how far the town went. He can only guess there must be thousands of fairies living here.


    Markus continues to walk further into the fairy town, impressed with the innovation it took to create such a place. The fairies escorting him could tell he was admiring their home. Some try speaking with Markus, pointing at various buildings, plazas, and bridges like tiny tour guides. A particular blonde, curly haired fairy tried her best. He was a little disappointed that he couldn''t understand her, but allowed his eyes to follow her fingers.


    After a few minutes of touring, Markus reaches an area inside the town clear of any trees. Some carved wooden tables and chairs are scattered about, with several tents placed around an empty fire pit. The furniture and tents are human sized, so Markus wonders if this area is meant for guest or traders. Using the barrel of his rifle to flip open the tent entrances, Markus sees they''re all empty.


    Markus starts assuming the fairies are inviting him to stay for the night. He looks around at his escorts for a sign that it''s okay to sleep in one of the tents, but they simply smile back or chat among themselves. Markus decides to take their actions as a yes. He turns his flashlight off and slips the backpack over his arms to crawl inside a tent. A blanket is spread over the bare ground for minimal comfort, but it was better than nothing.


    Markus prepares the backpack as a makeshift pillow, placing the rifle beside his body. He lays on his back with his head against the backpack, leaving all his clothes on. Through the tent, Markus can see the lights of the fairy town above him. He begins to wonder if this entire trip is a dream. Slowly, his body begins to relax. Markus finally notices how tired he actually feels. His eyelids start to close, and for the first time since arriving in this strange land, he felt safe.

 Chapter 007

    It was already mid-morning when Markus starts to open his eyes. As he slowly adjusted to the time of day, Markus'' upper body suddenly shot straight up. The memories of the previous day''s events flooded his mind. He looked around the tent, feeling for the backpack behind him and rifle beside him. Everything was just as he left it before drifting to sleep. It dawns on him that he was still in a strange land, somewhere away from home.


    Markus quickly gathers his backpack and heads out of the tent with the rifle in tow. Rays of sunlight momentarily blind Markus as he exits the tent, causing his eyes to squint in minor pain. When his eyes adjust, Markus looks up and is once again greeted by the impressive fairy town all around him.


    In the day, the fairy town is bustling with activity now. Numerous fairies fly in all directions high above Markus. They weave between the trees and bridges of the town with ease as they go about their lives. Markus even sees buildings that remind him of miniature markets and shops. Fairies were walking on bridges, buying groceries, and working their jobs just like any town back home.


    As Markus stares at all the activity around him, a single fairy flutters in front of his face. He remembers her as one of the escorts from last night, although the only feature he could recognize was her long, blonde curly hair.


    She seems young, with a surprising hourglass shape to match. Her button nose and wide green eyes make her cute regardless of size. Blue tinted wings keep her flying with ease. She''s wearing a long sleeved white shirt, with brown leggings underneath, and knee high black boots rounding out her outfit. Pieces of armor cover her extremities and torso, similar to the first fairy he met. On her waistband belt, a small sword was sheathed beside tiny pouches.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Markus asks politely. He smiles at her, and she does the same back. He then notices a slightly confused look on her face. She probably didn''t know what was said.


    ¡°Ne recedas hinc.¡± She says to Markus, with a pointed finger facing him. ¡°Seniorem venit ad te non relinquam.¡± She finishes speaking, and crosses her arms triumphantly.


    ¡°Okay... sure.¡± Markus responds automatically. He has no idea what was said, but can at least listen to the words clearly. The fairy language sounds similar to what the bat-woman in the cave spoke. Perhaps the language is indeed the same?


    Markus notices a small crowd of fairies now gathering around the edges of the visitor camp. Male and female fairies of all ages are chatting on the bridges or looking out windows for a view of him. Markus can only assume the events of last night has spread around town. He can feel an increasing amount of gazes surrounding him. The staring makes for an awkward situation, causing Markus to move to a nearby tree away from view.


    After several steps, the escort fairy zooms in front of Markus again. She starts waving her hands forward in an effort to stop his movement. It works, but Markus is puzzled about why he can''t go further. Turning around, he heads for the next nearest tree ahead of him.


    ¡°Prohibere! Prohibere!¡± The escort fairy yells from behind. She rushes again in front of Markus, this time crossing her arms to make an X symbol just a few feet from his face. Her face is becoming flustered as she tries communicating with actions.


    ¡°Alright, alright I get it.¡± Markus says once he sees her makeshift sign. It''s obvious the blonde fairy wasn''t allowing him to leave the immediate area. He takes a few steps back, and finds a place to sit on the ground. He unloads his backpack again and then places the rifle beside him. The fairy seems relieved at his actions, and also finds a spot on the grass a bit away from Markus.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Markus can only sit in silence as he waits for whatever the fairy mentioned. He now places the rifle over his lap, and sits back to observe more of the town and fairy folk. After several minutes of watching, an entourage of fairies can be seen heading directly towards him.


    The fairy entourage soon present themselves in front of Markus. He sees six all together, four women and two men that all look significantly older than the other fairies. The women are all in elaborate dresses with numerous layers and frills. Their outfits are colored in elegant blues, golds, reds, and greens which are paired with various pieces fancy jewelry. It was clear they were extremely important members of the town.


    The men of the group seemed just as important, although they wore much simpler outfits. Both old men were dressed in basic suits with gray slacks, white shirts, and gray jackets. They even had matching long, white beards. Markus was intrigued by their clothing. Everything he had ever known about fairies always described their clothing as nearly non-existent or simple. Clothing modifications even existed to accommodate for their wings.


    Markus sees his fairy escort fly up to meet the visitors. She talks among them for a minute, away enough that nothing could be heard. When she finishes, one of the old men signals her to leave. She glances back to Markus, before flying away in the direction they came from.


    The old man that dismissed the escort now starts to slowly drift to Markus. When he reaches eye level with Markus, he stops, and looks over the young man. He floats in silence, putting his hands behind his back without saying a single word.


    Markus studies the aged fairy too. All he sees is a tiny old man with butterfly wings. He has white hair to match his beard, and his face is a wrinkled complexion sun dried over the years. His body has a slight hunch, with even his colored wings dulled over time.


    ¡°Potestis intelligere me?¡± The old fairy finally speaks first.


    Once again Markus is confronted by their strange language. He sighs, and says ¡°I don''t know what you said old man. It''d be nice if someone could speak English.¡±


    The old man listens to Markus, then replies with ¡°Stultus es.¡±


    Markus looks at the fairy, but simply shrugs his shoulders to acknowledge he doesn''t understand.


    A big smile emerges from the old man''s face. He then lets out a deep, cackling laugh loud enough that all the fairies nearby stop to look at him.


    Markus shows an awkward smile, not really sure what was going on with the old fairy.


    The old fairy then says ¡°Iuvenis hominis, hoc est ad nocere.¡± His right arm suddenly begins to glow with several circular bands of golden light. Strange scriptures appear on each band as they form individual rings around the arm of the old man.


    ¡°What the...¡± Markus says as he watches the old fairy. The first thought in his head is the word - Magic. He tries to stand up, but the old fairy is faster.


    The old fairy quickly rushes straight for Markus'' head, with his right arm outstretched. His hand touches Markus'' forehead, and instantly, flashes of light erupt from the circular bands. The magic circles shoot themselves forward and disappear.


    Markus instantly feels a massive headache in his head. He crumbles backwards onto the ground holding his forehead. He rocks himself side to side as he groans in pain from the mysterious attack.


    ¡°You old bastard! What the hell!¡± Markus yells as he lays on his back. He tightly grips his forehead, feeling the pain slowly subsiding. The headache quickly dissipates after a minute, as Markus stays still on the ground with a hand covering his face.


    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± An unknown voice speaks out in English.


    Markus immediately props himself up from the ground as he looks for the source of the words just spoken. He realizes the voice sounded familiar, and turns his eyes to the fairy flying in front of him. A smile is beaming from the old man.

 Chapter 008

    ¡°Young man, do you understand me now?¡± The elderly fairy speaks again. His words are clearly in English now.


    The eyes of Markus open wide, and he scoots himself backwards a few inches. He tries to process what happened, and gathers his thoughts, before looking back to the old fairy.


    ¡°Ya... I can understand you.¡± Markus finally says back.


    The old fairy flashes another smile, and then turns around to give a thumbs up to the other entourage fairies that have been waiting. A murmur of voices come from the group as they start talking among themselves. He turns back to Markus as the other elderly fairies take off in different directions.


    ¡°Good. I''m glad the translation magic still works well.¡± The old fairy says back to Markus. ¡°My name is Jonathan. I''m a member of this town''s governing council¡± Jonathan continues in fluent English.


    Markus stays silent as he listens to Jonathan speak. His head is spinning in all directions about the current situation. How was it possible to suddenly understand him? Was it real magic he saw? Countless questions keep popping into his head.


    ¡°No need to be quiet.¡± Jonathan speaks again. ¡°The translation magic used on you works both ways.¡± He then taps a finger to his head and continues saying ¡°That spell I used on you has tricked your brain. A little painful at the start, but the benefits are worth it.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Wait. What do you mean?¡± Markus asks Jonathan with a concerned look.


    ¡°It''s simple. Your head is now filled with the language of this land. If I remember right, your world calls it Latin. You can speak it and understand it just as well as your own native English.¡± Jonathan says, but then points a finger upward. ¡°However, it''s only temporary. It''ll only last until you sleep, then you must reuse the spell again when you awake.¡±


    Markus can''t believe what he is hearing. Could such a thing be possible? Latin? More ideas flood his mind about magic.


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    Jonathan continues speaking. ¡°Just imagine the spell as a trick of the mind. Everything I say will come out as your native language. Whenever you speak, I''m hearing it in ours. Do you understand?¡±


    The explanation makes sense to Markus, but it''s a matter of actually believing it. He nods his head and replies ¡°Ya, sounds simple enough.¡±


    ¡°Good. So what''s your name?¡± Jonathan ask Markus.


    ¡°My name is Markus Winters. I passed through a strange portal yesterday in a nearby cave. I''m just trying to get back home now.¡± Markus says in a dejected tone.


    ¡°Ah, I know that cave. It used to be a small mining outpost for the Dwarven folks of these lands.¡± Jonathan quickly replies to Markus.


    Dwarfs? That word catches Markus'' attention. He immediately thinks about the short mythical warriors from games and movies he''s seen all his life.


    ¡°Tell me, are you from a country called America?¡± A surprising question is then asked from Jonathan.


    Markus'' train of thought breaks when he hears the question. He replies ¡°Ya, I''m from there. Why are ya asking?¡±


    ¡°Ah... good to hear Edward''s country is still around. When I was a young man myself, another one of your countrymen went through the same portal you did. He helped our town and people. I spent a long time chatting with him about your world.¡± Jonathan says as he reminisces about his old friend.


    ¡°Others have been here before!? How''d they get back?¡± Markus speaks excitedly about the new information.


    The old fairy simply shakes his head, and says ¡°I''m sorry, but I don''t know what happened to him. He stayed with us for a time, but also wanted to return home. We guided him to a nearby human settlement as a starting point.¡± Jonathan starts showing a small frown as he speaks. ¡°He never came back to us. Humans from your world have arrived on ours since mankind has existed, but I''m not aware anyone has ever returned.¡±


    Markus'' excitement quickly vanishes after listening to Jonathan. Even more worrying, he heard the phrase ¡°your world¡± spoken several times. Was he really in another world? It was too wild to believe, yet everything seen so far tells him it''s true. Markus was now trying his best to hide the increasing nervousness he felt within himself.


    ¡°Well... enough talking for now. The food has arrived.¡± Jonathan says as he points behind Markus.


    Turning around, Markus sees several fairies dropping off bags unto one of the wooden tables behind him. He now feels the hunger that''s been repressed due to all the events of the morning. Any sort of food would be welcomed gift at this point. Markus stands up, and gets ready to head over toward the table.


    ¡°Oh, and one more thing Mr. Winters.¡± Jonathan says, forcing Markus to turn his head back to the old fairy. ¡°Thank you for last night. We appreciate it, and I want to welcome you to the town of Little Creek.¡±


    With those words, Jonathan turns around and flies away in the opposite direction. Markus is left standing alone as he watches the old fairy leave. An unpleasant feeling begins to emerge. Somehow, he knew a long journey was just ahead.

 Chapter 009

    Markus spent some time around the visitor camp as the fairies finished preparing his meal. His backpack, rifle, and combat vest were already back inside the tent. A nearby outhouse was used, and he was shown a creek that cut through town, taking a few moments to wash off the dirt and animal blood from the previous night. After the cleaning, he headed straight back to the table with food.


    Markus arrives just as last group of fairies are flying away from the wooden table. He sees his blonde escort standing next to the food laid out for him. She looks focused, reviewing a piece of paper in her hands before counting off various items spread around her. From her actions, Markus assumes she''s been put in charge of his meal.


    Walking up to the table, he''s eager to see what sort of food has been prepared. The escort is caught off guard by his sudden appearance, and clumsily tries to hide the piece of paper behind her back. She smiles, waving to Markus with one hand, while the other is cramming the paper into a pouch on her belt. A smile flashes back to her, but his attention is already set on the food.


    An impressive meal is spread out on the table. The fairies even gathered several wood plates, bowls, and utensils for all the food. Markus sees the main entree is a large salad topped with berries, nuts, and pieces of meat. Beside the salad, two smaller bowls are filled with even more food. One bowl seems to be a fruit mix filled with grapes, berries, and square pieces of a green colored fruit. The other bowl has a delicious looking trail mix of various nuts and dried berries.


    Taking his gloves off, Markus then grabs one of the wooden forks and immediately starts digging into the food. All of the ingredients taste very fresh. He''s so hungry that he doesn''t bother sitting down for the meal. A wooden cup is filled with a cider drink which rounds out the food nicely. Glancing around, he sees most of the fairies watching earlier dispersed. He can eat in peace.


    ¡°How do you like the food. Is it alright?¡± A female voice speaks out from below.


    ¡°Oh yes, it''s very good.¡± Markus responds automatically, before realizing it was his blonde escort that asked the question. Looking over to her on the table, he notices her eyes are wide open in surprise.


    ¡°H-h-how did we just talk to each other?¡± She asks with a very confused look across her face.


    Markus remembers she left just before Jonathan used the translation magic. If she was busy getting food ready, then she probably has no idea what happened.


    ¡°The old man, Jonathan, used some sort of translation magic on me. I guess I can understand everybody now.¡± Markus says as he takes another bite of the food.


    ¡°Really! Oh wow! I''ve never seen it used before.¡± The escort says excitedly as she bounces on the table. ¡°Hey! Hey! What''s your name? My name is Eclair! I''m part of the night patrol, but I got picked to be your guardian.¡±


    ¡°I''m Markus. So you''re my guard?¡± Markus keeps talking as he eats. A large portion of the food is gone now, but the speed of his eating slows now that he''s having a conversation.


    ¡°Ya! But it''s just temporary. I''m just supposed to escort you around town and keep you comfortable. I was told by some of the council members you wouldn''t stay here for long.¡± says Eclair as she walks over to the trail mix bowl, eating some of the contents for herself.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Markus'' mind flashes an image of home, knowing he can''t stay with the fairies for long. He responds ¡°Ya... that''s true. I need to get back to my own town.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see... eat up while you can. A lot of us made it for you. They''re my own recipes except... bigger. Did the squirrel meat taste good?¡± Eclair asks with a curious tone in her voice. She was very interested to see if a human would enjoy her cooking.


    A laugh escapes from Markus as he replies ¡°So that''s what the meat was. You know, I haven''t had it since I was a kid.¡±


    A big grin shows on Eclair''s face as she hears Markus'' compliment. One of the last pieces of squirrel meat is then grabbed by him. As he finishes, Markus begins forming a question in his head.


    ¡°Hey Eclair... this might sound strange, but I''ve heard a lot of stories about fairies. I always figured your kind would be more... natural. Am I wrong? Your names all seem pretty modern, and I see you all wearing clothes. I''m surprised you even fed me squirrel meat.¡± Markus finishes talking, hoping Eclair isn''t offended by what he said.


    There''s a short silence from Eclair, but she then tilts her head back and starts laughing. ¡°Ahahaha! That''s so stupid! Of course we aren''t! Only purist fae or some of the ancient colonies are like that. Besides, do you know how cold it gets around here sometimes? Only an idiot would be out here without a lot of clothes.¡±


    Markus is genuinely surprised by her answer. He thinks for a moment before saying ¡°I see... So your kind has different beliefs. Guess that explains what I''ve seen.¡±


    ¡°Ya! Our town is only a few generations old. Founded by exiles, immigrants, and all sorts of fae from the eastern part of the continent. It''s pretty good for us. We can enjoy freedom, live in a house, have nice clothes, and eat what we want. We even trade with the nearby human town. Folks from there visit us all the time.¡± Eclair starts picking through the left over trail mix as she continues talking. ¡°But... the war in the north seems to be causing all sorts of problems.¡±


    ¡°A war huh? That''s interesting to know.¡± Markus says, mentally saving the information. ¡°So I''m guessing things are dangerous around here?¡±


    ¡°Oh no! The war is pretty far north from us, unless you go looking for it. Some townsfolk have volunteered to help up there though. Anyway, the forest is still dangerous if you''re not careful. Oh! But you''ve got the black thing that shoots fire!¡± Eclair says as she points to the tent behind Markus. ¡°I think Jonathan called it a... rifle gun? Or just gun?¡±


    An eyebrow raises on Markus'' face. ¡°How does Jonathan know anything about guns?¡±


    Eclair shrugs at Markus'' question. ¡°I think he said he saw some a long time ago. I know they''re like super powerful crossbows. I saw what happened last night. None of us could have done anything without you.¡±


    Markus looks back to the tent with his equipment. ¡°Well... I guess that''s a simple way of describing what a gun is.¡± He then looks back to Eclair to say ¡°Anyway, it might be true I killed the creature, but I don''t deserve all the credit. I probably wouldn''t have made it in time without the help of the fairy that guided me. She had the black uniform with a spear, with short hair I think. She deserves some credit.¡±


    ¡°No! Forget about her!¡± Eclair suddenly shoots up from the table and hovers directly in Markus'' face. ¡°Aurora is the whole reason that monster got through the town perimeter. She''s part of the night guard, but she messed up bad last night. The town council has been busy with her trial all morning.¡±


    The news about the fairy that guided him last night is unexpected for Markus. He assumed everything ended on a happy note for the town. Thinking about the fairy he first met, he knows she was trying to help. Something doesn''t sit right for Markus. He quickly decides to find out more about the situation.


    ¡°I''ll be right back.¡± Markus says before grabbing his gloves and quickly turning around.


    Eclair flutters back onto the food table as she watches Markus take off in the direction of the tent. Markus disappears inside for a few minutes, before re-emerging with his backpack loaded, vest worn, and rifle gripped with both gloved hands. He then makes his way back to the food table and Eclair.


    ¡°Alright Eclair, take me to where the trial is. I want to talk to Jonathan about last night.¡± Markus says with a serious tone.


    ¡°I- Why-.¡± Eclair''s words fumble. She didn''t expect Markus'' request, but she quickly nods her head in agreement. ¡°Fine. Follow me.¡±

 Chapter 010

    Markus follows Eclair closely as she leads him deeper into Little Creek. The pair have been traveling for a few minutes, with fairies watching above as the two make their way underneath the town. They soon reach an area of Little Creek that contains a wooden platform connected between several large trees.


    As they near the wooden platform, Markus can see it''s designed like a plaza. It sits eye level to him, with a very obvious spectacle taking place. Numerous fairies are lined outside the edges of the plaza and the murmur of the crowd grows louder. Many more fairies can be seen above watching from bridges and buildings.


    When Markus and Eclair reach a few yards away from the commotion, several heavily armed guards quickly intercept their path. Eclair rushes between them and Markus, but before she can explain the situation a voice yells from behind the guards.


    ¡°Stop! Let them through!¡± The voice had come from Jonathan. Behind the guards, he stands at the very edge of the plaza facing the pair. When they see Jonathan, the guards move back to their original positions around the plaza.


    With the situation handled, Markus starts moving forward to where Jonathan stands. The two meet face to face, with Eclair watching nervously from behind Markus.


    ¡°Hello Mr. Winters. Can I ask what you are doing here?¡± Jonathan asks calmly.


    ¡°Well... a little birdie told me about the trial going on. I think it''s for Aurora, right? I''m curious as to why you folks are putting her on trial when she is the only reason I was able to find and kill the beast last night.¡± Markus speaks to Jonathan with genuine concern in his voice.


    Jonathan''s eyes lock onto Eclair as she flutters behind Markus. It was clear to him who let information out on the trial. He visibly sighs, then uses an arm to shoo Eclair away as he says ¡°Leave us. I want to speak in private.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Sorry.¡± Eclair responds with a weak voice before flying away.


    ¡°Alright. Keep your voice down, and let''s have a serious discussion.¡± Jonathan starts speaking softly as he continues. ¡°For starters, the trial is already over. What we''re deciding now is a punishment. Aurora has already admitted her failure for keeping watch last night and putting others at risk.¡±


    Markus quietly listens, before asking Jonathan. ¡°I see... but me and her worked together. She really did help, and as far as I''m aware everybody is okay. Doesn''t that matter?¡±


    ¡°It does, and I''m trying to help her. But... the situation is more complicated. Aurora is a skilled former scout, but she''s been in trouble recently for other offenses, and the incident last night was very serious. Many town members want to make an example of her.¡± Jonathan then pauses as he carefully plans what he says next. ¡°There is also a growing movement calling for her execution.¡±


    ¡°What!? Why?¡± Markus almost yells his responses before controlling his voice.


    ¡°The entire town knows about what you did last night, and your intervention absolutely saved the life of one of our own. Maybe even more. However... many agree that you showing up was nothing short of a miracle. If the incident had taken place at any other time, Aurora would certainly be responsible for deaths.¡± Another sigh escapes from Jonathan. ¡°There''s a lot against her.¡±


    A heavy silence forms after Jonathan finishes speaking. Markus is deep in thought as he tries to review the situation unfolding. He doesn''t know the laws of this town, but perhaps something can be done to help.


    ¡°Isn''t there anything I can do? I would think my opinion matters.¡± Markus asks softly as a group of fairies pass by. He hopes things can be changed for the better with his input.


    ¡°I did think about bringing you here earlier.¡± Jonathan replies. ¡°But Aurora admitted to the charges immediately. A few council members and myself have been busy arguing against the most severe punishments since then.¡± He then moves a hand up to his long, white beard to start scratching it. An idea starts forming inside Jonathan''s head. ¡°However, I was thinking about a more... drastic way to resolve the trial.¡±


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    Markus''s curiosity piques at Jonathan''s words. ¡°It''s better than nothing, what is it?¡±


    Jonathan takes a deep breath to explain his thoughts. ¡°It''s not perfect. I would say it''s more of a last resort. I know you want to return home, and we were planning to guide you to a nearby human town. One or two townsfolk would have shown you the way. Now I''m thinking we could have Aurora do it. She''s a skilled scout, and knows the way.¡±


    ¡°Great. That doesn''t sound so bad.¡± Markus'' voice perks up once he hears the idea.


    However, Jonathan immediately dashes Markus'' hopes. ¡°That''s not all. Her guiding you wouldn''t suffice as punishment. Realistically, she''s going to have to be exiled from our town.¡±


    A groan escapes from Markus. Jonathan''s idea has quickly become difficult to accept. He runs his left hand over his hair in frustration because he can''t think of a better plan. There''s silence as Markus heavily weighs the decision.


    ¡°Are you absolutely sure about this?¡± Markus asks with an intense stare at Jonathan.


    ¡°Mr. Winters, believe me when I say you will be saving her. She faces death, or a lifetime of servitude. Momentum for punishment is growing, and I no longer think I can stop it alone. With the plan, you can benefit from each other. You will get a guide, and she can start a new life.¡± Jonathan''s eyes are piercing with conviction. Markus can tell he meant everything that was said.


    Markus breathes in deeply, and looks behind Jonathan at the restless crowd at the plaza. A few moments pass, and then a nod is given to Jonathan. ¡°Alright. Let''s do it.¡±


    ¡°Good. Just stand here and wait. I''ll do all the talking.¡± Jonathan says to Markus before heading back towards the plaza.


    Markus stands around as instructed. However, he soon realizes only the upper half his head can be seen from the platform. Some of the nearest fairies are quick to notice the strange sight. In short order, many fairies start turning themselves around to view Markus rather then the trial.


    ¡°Excuse me, can I look at what''s going on?¡± Markus asks politely towards all the fairies in front of him. His vision towards the center of the plaza is blocked by bodies and wings, but several fairies start parting themselves to give him enough of an opening to see.


    From his view, Markus can see the back of the fairy named Aurora as she stands in the middle of the plaza. He recognizes her short brown hair and solid black bodysuit, although it''s now stripped of armor. Flanked on both sides are armored guards, and they''re all looking up to an elevated platform directly ahead.


    Markus can see all the town council members from earlier on it. They''re huddled together in deep discussions, with Jonathan already working his idea to the others. The group then disappears through a doorway connecting the platform and the large tree it''s attached on.


    The wait is agonizingly slow for Markus. Standing in one spot was also numbing his feet slightly, and the weight of the gear was starting to build. Occasional waves and smiles from some fairies were the only thing that broke the growing discomfort. A mix of various conversations start breaking out among the crowd as they wait. About thirty minutes would pass before any activity comes from the platform.


    A loud bell all of a sudden rings out across the area. Markus had been distracted by some fairy children waving, and is caught off guard by the sound. His head bolts back to the plaza as he tries to see what''s going on. Several feet above the platform, Markus notices a bronze bell swinging back and forth. The bell is attached to the same tree trunk the platform is located, and after a few more strikes, ceases to move.


    The council members soon begin funneling out of the doorway and onto the platform. Markus'' eyes are fixated at the scene of Aurora the fairy, flanked by guards, staring up to the council members about to hand her punishment. When the group finishes lining up across the platform, the second elderly male of the council walks up to the center of the rail. He waves his hands to quiet the crowd, then starts unfolding papers into his hands. Silence spreads across the crowd and all eyes begin to focus toward the platform.


    Markus becomes nervous as he sees the old fairy prepare his speech. He was assuming Jonathan would talk. The elderly man looked taller and thinner than Jonathan, but Markus knew nothing else of the fairy.


    ¡°Thank you all for your patience.¡± Announces the old fairy. There is a pause as he waits for attention to focus on him. ¡°The council of Little Creek has completed deliberations for the trial of Aurora Blackwood. The defendant has already admitted to her failure of safeguarding our town, and allowing a beast to slip through her assigned perimeter last night. That same beast would go on to attack town citizens.¡±


    An extended arm from the old fairy suddenly points directly at Markus. The old fairy then says ¡°Thankfully, due to the intervention of the traveler, lives were saved from certain death.¡± Cheers and clapping spontaneously breakout across the plaza. Many nearby fairies are looking at Markus, which makes him slightly embarrassed to stick out more than he already does.


    ¡°Quiet please!¡± The old fairy yells over the crowd. When focus is back on him, he continues the speech. ¡°After careful consideration, taking into account Aurora''s confession and information provided by the traveler, the town council is ready to pass judgment.¡±


    There''s a heavy atmosphere around the plaza now. The old fairy pauses his speech again, as if to raise the tension in the air. After a few moments, the old fairy continues by saying ¡°Aurora Blackwood, by the power of the town council, and I, Julius the Elder, presiding judge, you are hereby banished from the town of Little Creek.¡±


    Conversations start breaking out across the crowd, but Julius continues. ¡°As an exile, all held titles and ranks are now stripped. Any property owned is now turned over to relatives, or the town if none exist. You will be allowed to take as much personal possessions as you can carry, and nothing else. You will also be responsible for guiding the traveler to the town of Montillo. A guard will be assigned to make sure the mission is complete. That concludes the proceedings!¡±


    Markus sees the head of Aurora drop down. The crowd around him is now talking wildly about what just happened. Fairies begin moving all about the plaza, obscuring the image of Aurora. His heart sinks at the sight of someone he couldn''t help more.

 Chapter 011

    Markus had been waiting by the plaza nearly an hour at the request of Jonathan. After the trial, the old fairy rushed over to him to ask if he could stay, but never mentioned the reason why. Without anything else to do, Markus could only sit and watch the town above him. The backpack and rifle were already unloaded, laying beside a tree trunk as the waiting continued.


    The plaza was now devoid of fairies except for a few passersby and guards near the platform. When the hour mark passed, some activity finally returned. Markus could see a small procession of fairies heading for the center of the plaza across from where he sat. Two of the group were carrying a wooden box together as they all drifted down to their destination. Relieved the wait was over, Markus stood up from the ground and walked over to see visitors.


    Half of Markus'' head peeked over into the plaza once again. As the group landed, he could spot six fairies all together. Jonathan was among them giving orders and organizing the process. Aurora was also within the group, escorted by two guards. Almost immediately, the entire group moved toward Markus.


    For the first time since arriving to Little Creek, Markus finally has a clear view of Aurora. What he sees is a young fairy with a slender, athletic build. He notices her black catsuit accentuates her hips and petite chest without the armor. Her brown hair is indeed short, nicely styled in layers reaching just above her shoulders. Yellow tinted, black spotted wings highlight against her body. She carries a fierce gaze, with piercing brown eyes staring directly at Markus.


    They silently look at each other for a few moments, but Aurora is the first to avert her eyes elsewhere. A small nose, natural lips, and light skin complete the features of her face. Although her eyes are sharp and fierce, Markus can sense a certain sadness from her.


    ¡°Ah, Markus! Thank you for waiting.¡± Jonathan''s announces with a smile. Stepping ahead of the group, he walks to about six inches away from Markus'' face. With a signal from his hand, the two guards carrying the wooden box gently drop it behind Jonathan. ¡°I guess it''s time we get things moving along.¡±


    Jonathan walks over to Aurora who''s standing between her two escorts. He then says ¡°Let''s start with proper introductions. Aurora Blackwood, meet Markus Winters.¡± Aurora''s eyes look up to meet Markus'' gaze, but she quickly casts them back to the ground. ¡°I know you both met last night under dire circumstances. I truly wish things didn''t turn out like this, but I hope you can help each other.¡±


    Walking back to the wooden box, Jonathan flips open the lid to reveal several human-size rings, armor pieces, and a large rucksack inside. Markus can barely see the contents from his position and starts tip-toeing upwards to see everything. A small struggle ensues as Jonathan''s flimsy arms pry free a plain looking silver ring. Once clear from the wooden box, he hooks the ring under an arm and starts walking back. Slowly, he takes it closer to Markus and says ¡°Please put this ring on.¡±


    Markus is curious as to why he needs to do this, but doesn''t argue with the old fairy. ¡°Alright, sure.¡± He says, taking off his right glove then reaching over the plaza to grab the silver ring away from Jonathan. He brings it closer to his face to inspect it, but sees nothing interesting about it. After a few seconds, the silver ring is placed on his right hand''s ring finger.


    After tugging on the ring for a moment, Markus says ¡°It fits fine. Why do I need this?¡± He asks, lifting his right hand above the plaza so Jonathan and the other fairies get a clear view of the ring.


    ¡°Excellent, only took our first try.¡± Jonathan replies with a smile. He then walks over to Aurora again. Digging into his vest pocket, another silver ring is pulled out. It''s a very small ring specifically designed to fit a fairy. Jonathan grabs Aurora''s right hand to start sliding it over her ring finger.


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    Aurora now has a skeptical look on her face as she watches Jonathan try fitting the ring onto her hand. Markus watches as the young lady shows a couple of concerned glances toward him, which makes him think even she doesn''t know what the old fairy is planning either.


    Jonathan soon secures the tiny silver ring and lets out a sigh of relief. Soft, yellow glows of light then appear on the tip of his fingers as he starts tapping the ring. He quickly finishes and lets go, allowing Aurora to move her hand around to adjust to the new sensation.


    ¡°Show me your ring again.¡± Jonathan asks Markus as he walks back. Again, Markus'' right hand is brought over the plaza. He flattens his hand directly in front of Jonathan to allow easy access to the ring. With his finger tips still glowing yellow, Jonathan moves quickly and begins tapping the ring.


    For a split instant, Markus believes he sees a shining string connected from his ring to Aurora''s ring. When he blinks, the strange vision is gone. Unsure of what he just saw, Markus decides to wait until Jonathan completes his task.


    Jonathan ends his tapping, and walks back to the open wooden box. Before Markus can open his mouth to ask about what he saw, Jonathan speaks first. ¡° I''m sure your both wondering about the rings. They were an extra requirement for the exile. Markus, tap your ring.¡±


    Markus gives a curious look to Jonathan. Bringing his right hand close to his face, Markus flicks the silver ring with his free hand. Instantly, the shining string of light appears again. He now sees it''s clearly connected to both rings. Even Aurora is surprised, and curiously looks at the ring on her finger too.


    After a few seconds, the magical string vanishes as if it was never there. ¡°Hey Jonathan, what was that?¡± Markus asks with concern.


    The old fairy stretches his arms apart as he points to both Markus and Aurora. Jonathan then announces ¡°Your rings are tied by a magical tether that allows both of you to know where the other is at all times. All you have to do is strike your ring to show the way. The tether is only visible to the wearers of the paired rings.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. This isn''t permanent right?¡± Markus quickly replies.


    Jonathan laughs at the question ¡°Oh no, of course not. This magic is actually very popular with angry housewives and dotting parents. You can take the rings off at anytime, but I think they''ll be very useful as you make your way through a forest.¡±


    ¡°Ya... that does sounds useful.¡± Markus responds. He glances over to Aurora, and catches her already looking at him. She gives an understanding look at the situation, and visibly nods in agreement.


    ¡°Good, I''m glad that''s settled. We''re waiting for one more arrival, but until then please come over here.¡± Jonathan says as he uses a hand to beckon Aurora to the wooden box. There''s a hesitation from her, but she quickly relents, walking over as asked. He says to her ¡°I know your history as a scout. You''ve helped the town and others many times, so I''m not comfortable sending you out into the world defenseless. We''ll allow you to take your armor and weapons.¡±


    Aurora looks at Jonathan with suspicion. It''s hard for her to imagine one of the council members that just exiled her was offering help. Glancing down toward the wooden crate, she gives a sigh, as she knows Jonathan speaks the truth. The armor pieces are pulled from the wooden crate by Aurora. Various pieces of leather armor are scattered across her feet as she begins to suit up.


    Markus quietly watches as Aurora kneels down to dig through her armor pieces. She''s moving quickly as she inspects each piece, before organizing the armor in neat piles. Standing up, she immediately starts the task of rebuilding her outfit.


    Without regard to the audience around her, Aurora slips into the pieces of armor. It forms to her curves, with parts of leather armor covering her upper torso and shoulders. Her vitals are protected and stomach covered too.


    Aurora''s hands move fast as she bends over to secure shin and thigh guards to her legs, readjusting her brown boots to fit. With her legs now protected, the final touches are completed as forearm guards are added. Aurora pats herself and does an impromptu inspection of her armor set.


    Markus is impressed by how quickly Aurora was able to equip her outfit. Clearly, she''s done the exercise countless times. Noticing that her armor seems to be mostly made of leather and padded cloth, he begins to wonder if some protection would be a good idea for himself too. However, the brief idea is interrupted.


    ¡°Ah! Good timing, our late arrival is here.¡± Jonathan says as he looks behind Markus.


    Markus can''t help turning his head around in the direction Jonathan is facing. When he does, a familiar face is seen heading to the plaza.

 Chapter 012

    Eclair can be seen fluttering down to the plaza alone. A large red colored bag is slung over a shoulder, which seems to be causing her to fly slightly off balance. As she reaches a spot between Markus and Jonathan, the bag is instantly dropped with a load thud sound. Eclair bends over to take a few breathes before gathering her composure to speak. With her bright smile, she says to Jonathan ¡°Eclair Whitehouse, reporting as requested.¡±


    A grin forms on the face of Markus as he watches Eclair explain her tardiness. She''s animated as usual, pointing to the red bag and going on about how it took much longer to gather the supplies. He wasn''t expecting to see her after the trial, but now begins to wonder why she''s come. As Eclair hurries to finish her story, Jonathan is already walking toward Markus.


    ¡°You''re already acquainted with Eclair. She''ll be accompanying you as an escort to Montillo, and acting as guard for her.¡± Jonathan says to Markus, with a crooked finger pointing to Aurora. She only gives an annoyed glance at Jonathan as he speaks, focusing back on her inspection.


    ¡°Alright. That''s fine, but I didn''t think it would be Eclair.¡± Markus replies back. Eclair mentioned being part of the night patrol, and she certainly acts different from other guards. It was a nice development, but it wasn''t what he expected.


    ¡°Concessions...¡± Jonathan says with a sigh. ¡°The council felt... additional measures were required. Eclair will also be taking care of official town business while in Montillo.¡±


    A slight frown appears on Markus'' face, but he knows it''s part of the plan. It''ll be nice having her along at least. He then says ¡°Okay. So what now?¡±


    ¡°Now you all leave Little Creek. This is an exile after all. I can''t help you anymore while Aurora is here. Besides, your path home won''t be found with us.¡± The response is blunt from Jonathan. ¡°Guard! Give Aurora her personal belongings and weapons. Eclair, get ready!¡± He now sounds like statesman as he yells orders, with no hint of the caring old man from before.


    Markus silently watches as a guard walks over to Aurora, presenting her the large rucksack that was inside the wooden crate. He passes it off to Aurora, who nods and accepts it. Another guard presents her metal spear and small dagger which she equips on her leg immediately. Eclair in the mean time is fumbling with her own red bag, and groans as she lifts it onto her shoulder.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Jonathan waves a hand in the air, signaling the guards to prepare to leave. Two guards once again grab the handles of the box, closing the lid before waiting for the next order.


    ¡°Hey, wait. There''s a bat-woman I met in the cave I came through. Can you folks see if she''s alright?¡± Markus says, nearly forgetting to help Miss Bat after everything that''s happened.


    ¡°Versa?¡± Jonathan replies. ¡°She''s fine, I assure you. Versa hires townsfolk as guides all the time. I know she already departed for Montillo early this morning.¡±


    Markus is relieved to hear that, but then says ¡°Hold on. When I reach Montillo, what am I looking for? What about talking to the people there?¡± He starts asking questions once he realizes Jonathan is leaving.


    ¡°I don''t know what your next steps will be after reaching Montillo. However, Aurora can help you with communication. It''s why I wanted her to be your guide.¡± Jonathan replies with a stoic face. He waves his hand again, causing the guards to lift up off the platform. With one last smile, Jonathan says ¡°Good luck, Mr. Winters.¡±


    Turning around, Jonathan''s dulled wings guide him off the plaza to meet with his guards. Together, they all leave as a group heading high into the town above. Markus, Aurora, and Eclair simply look on as the old fairy''s entourage disappears beyond their sights.


    ¡°Goddammit. I''m not done.¡± Markus says to himself. He didn''t understand what Jonathan meant about Aurora and communication. Numerous questions were also left answered, and no one was there to help except the two ladies. Any information from them was now going to be very important.


    With Jonathan''s group gone now, Aurora and Eclair turn to walk closer to Markus. There''s an awkward silence between the three. Eclair''s eyes are darting between her new partners, and her mind is already filling up with questions. Meanwhile, Aurora is having a difficult time trying to figure out the new guard beside her.


    Markus can see the growing discomfort building, and decides to speak up first. ¡°Well... nice to meet you ladies. I''m relying on you both to help me.¡±


    Eclair instantly responds with ¡°Ya! I''m glad I came! I''ve never done a mission like this.¡±


    Markus and Eclair then both look over to Aurora. She senses their stares, and suddenly feels slight embarrassment. Eclair in particular has an intense stare, as she bounces on her heels waiting for a response.


    Aurora let''s out an audible sigh. She nervously looks at Eclair, and then to Markus. Mustering up the courage to make an introduction, she speaks with a surprisingly soft voice saying ¡°Hello again Markus... let''s have a safe trip.¡±

 Chapter 013

    It was already past midday as the group leaves the edge of Little Creek. Markus has once again loaded the backpack onto his shoulders, walking with his rifle gripped in gloved hands. Aurora and Eclair flutter beside him as he takes the time to appreciate the surrounding land. A comforting feeling washes over him as the woods can now be clearly seen with daylight. It''s almost as if he never left home.


    The group was following a trail leading back to the main path Markus walked the night before. Aurora has already taken charge of guiding the way, keeping fairly quiet since leaving town. In the meantime, Eclair was already fighting to keep her large bag from slipping off her shoulder.


    Markus could see her struggle, and without a word, swings his own backpack onto his arm. He says ¡°Eclair, come here. Put your bag with my stuff.¡± He starts pointing to the top pocket of his backpack.


    Eclair''s eyes brighten at the idea, and right away she flies over to the backpack. ¡°So I just pull this?¡± She says, grabbing the zipper. Markus nods his head, and watches her pull and open the pocket herself. The red bag is quickly taken off her shoulder and placed inside the opening. Instant relief is seen on Eclair''s face, knowing the heavy bag wouldn''t be bothering her anymore.


    ¡°Hey Aurora! Put your satchel here. There''s plenty of room.¡± Eclair calls out to Aurora who''s ahead of the group. Flying back to see what Eclair was talking about, Aurora soon sees the advantage of Markus'' backpack. There''s a moment of hesitation as she lands next to her guard, but Eclair''s big smile convinces her it''s okay to also put her own satchel inside. When the items are all secured within the pocket, the zipper is closed again by Eclair.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Eclair happily says to Markus. The girls then lift off from the backpack, seemingly more agile in flight. There''s a tiny smile on the face of Markus as he swings the backpack onto his shoulders again. Everyone feels a little more comfortable now.


    ¡°Hey... there''s something I want to see before we get too far. I want to go back to the clearing from last night.¡± Markus says to the fairies. There''s a curiosity about the beast Markus wanted to satisfy. It should be a quick detour for the group before continuing west to Montillo.


    ¡°Fine with me.¡± Aurora says back. She simply nods her head and turns her flying in the correct direction.


    After walking a short distance through the woods, the group reaches the small clearing once again. Markus is still confused, yet comforted, by how much the forest resembles everything back home. The clearing reminds him of pastel paintings of green and brown grasses, with beautiful flowers mixed into the landscape. Trees of all sizes add a contrast of leaves and branches against the colorful ground surrounding him. Small patches of white snow blend into the shadows of trees and boulders.


    Walking over to the area where the beast was killed, a foul stench is soon detected in the air. The fairies are already starting to pinch their noses in an attempt to cover the terrible smell. Daylight allows Markus to find the corpse easily, but he sees nature has already begun reclaiming the beast. Flies and insects are starting to swarm, and scavengers have taken their meals. Even in it''s condition, the animal had differences in how it looked now compared with the previous night.


    Markus starts slowly walking around the corpse, observing how big of a hog-like creature it really was. The most obvious change is the hide hair was not what he originally thought. The beast''s hair is actually colored shades of green, red, black, and brown. It would be easy to mistake the creature for a rock or boulder from even a few yards away.


    After a full walk around the body, Markus begins to dig out his camera from the front pocket of his pants. Aurora and Eclair are immediately curious about the strange gadget they''ve just seen. Hovering closer to Markus, Eclair begins peering over his shoulder with great interest. Aurora keeps her distance, but is looking intently at what the pair are doing.


    With the camera set, Markus begins to capture images of the animal body as he walks around it again. Moving quickly, he only briefly glances toward the pictures as they appear on the digital screen. Eclair meanwhile continues to watch Markus work his camera while trying to sneak peeks behind his back.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    When the last picture is taken, Markus stops himself to quickly review everything just captured. Eclair once more takes a spot behind his back to look at the images on the camera. As Eclair watches the small pictures appear and disappear, she has a sudden realization of what he''s doing. Flying past Markus'' head, the surprise appearance of Eclair makes him duck to the side out of reflex. She stops herself in front of him with a big smile and hands clamped together.


    ¡°Hey! Are you taking photographs!?¡± Eclair asks Markus excitedly.


    ¡°Jeez, I didn''t notice you. Ya, I''m taking pictures.¡± Markus responds back as he straightens his stance, but a certain thought then reaches his mind. ¡°You... know what a camera is?¡±


    ¡°Sure! Lots of traders and travelers visiting Little Creek have photographs with them. They show off kids and families and other things.¡± Eclair says nonchalantly, with a smug look on her face for knowing that information.


    ¡°Oh! So that''s what you were doing.¡± Aurora says as she suddenly appears from above. She flies next to Eclair and continues ¡°I''ve never seen such a small camera like that, but photographs aren''t a big deal once we reach Montillo. There''s plenty all over the town Eclair.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Replies Eclair. ¡°Photographs are a human thing, we Fae can''t have cameras because no one can make them our size.¡±


    As both fairies hover near Markus talking, he realizes an opportunity has appeared. Quickly raising the camera to fit both girls into frame, he snaps a photo when they''re distracted. A noise from the digital camera ends their conversation when they notice what Markus did.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Both fairies yell out.


    ¡°Sorry, it was a good picture to take. I''ll show you.¡± Markus says back. Pressing some buttons, he brings up the photo onto the digital screen. He turns the camera around to show off the picture, and they move closer to see.


    ¡°Oh, that''s nice. You can actually see colors instead of just black or white. Kinda wish I was wearing something different.¡± Eclair says as she criticizes her own outfit''s dullness.


    Meanwhile, Aurora is looking closely at her self. She then turns side to side while comparing herself to the picture. She speaks softly saying ¡°I knew it... This armor is a mess. I need a new set again.¡±


    When Markus sees the girls have finished looking, he flips the camera around and turns it off before sticking it back into his pocket. He''s a bit glad the ladies didn''t mind him taking the picture. However, the conversation has set off numerous questions in his head.


    ¡°So... since you know what cameras are, do you know about cars?¡± Markus asks the two fairies, throwing a random question just to see what answer he would get.


    ¡°I do.¡± Both fairies reply together.


    Aurora then says ¡°I saw them all the time when I went to Montillo as a scout. There''s a big road that goes through the town too.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Markus is genuinely surprised. ¡°What about trains?¡±


    ¡°Sure, Montillo has a train station. We can look at it once we arrive.¡± Aurora responds again.


    ¡°Planes?¡± Markus says, his face becoming more stunned as he hears every answer.


    Both ladies nod yes. Eclair then says ¡°Never seen one, but I know they''re flying machines. Carrying humans and stuff all over. I definitely want to see one of those.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is going on? Where am I then?¡± Markus says to himself, baffled at the information he just heard. The answers the fairies provided make it seem like they live just outside his own town. This can''t be another world he thinks to himself. A parallel universe? A time slip? A magic illusion? Countless theories are crowding his mind.


    Markus begins to pace back and forth, with the fairies watching out of curiosity. He suddenly stops, his eyes gazing to the East. Snow-capped mountains are towering opposite of him, with pointed peaks reaching into the clouds. There''s no end to them, continuing for miles North and South beyond his view. It''s a beautiful sight from the clearing, but it was something he''s never seen.


    ¡°Shit... those are not the Rockies.¡± Markus says softly. Turning back to the fairies, he says ¡°Aurora, I need to find some landmarks. Do you know of anywhere close by where we can get a good view of the surrounding area?¡±


    Aurora closes her eyes as she thinks, finally saying ¡°Actually, there is a place. A nearby cliff that gives you a great view west. You can even see Montillo from it.¡±


    ¡°Great. Let''s head over there now.¡± Markus says to the fairies. ¡°I need to find out where I am.¡±

 Chapter 014

    Markus finds himself winding through the woods again following the fairies. They''ve been traveling for a while, but Aurora explains the vantage point she wants everyone to see is just ahead of their position. She only describes it as a great view and nice place for a rest.


    Curiosity fills Markus, and he presses Aurora for an answer of what they''ll see. ¡°So... this cliff view. You really think it will help?¡± He asks, but Aurora is tight lipped. A few sporadic attempts are made as they continue moving forward, but she provides nothing extra.


    Unsurprisingly, Eclair eventually joins Markus in pestering Aurora for information. Eclair''s curiosity was also sparked, and the constant deflections from Aurora only served to make it grow. She flies next to Aurora and rapidly starts shooting off various questions in an effort to get clues. Questions such as ¡°Is there a waterfall?¡± and ¡°How high is it?¡± and so on.


    As that is happening, Markus is silently enjoying Eclair wear down Aurora. It''s difficult to see from his point of view, but he imagines Aurora being slowly overtaken by the cheerful personality of Eclair. However, he''s also impressed that Aurora is actually trying to answer everything in some way.


    It doesn''t take long before Aurora has had enough. Markus hears an audible groan from her as she simply gives up. She says to Eclair ¡°Alright! Enough questions. Trust me, it''s better just to see it. Not many folks know about this cliff overlook because it''s out of the way. It''s one of my favorite places to visit.¡±


    Aurora''s response was firm, and quickly makes Eclair shut down on asking further questions. A few minutes pass in silence before Eclair speaks up by saying ¡°I''m sorry, I got carried away. I''ve never been to this area and wasn''t sure what to expect.¡±


    There isn''t an immediate response from Aurora as she keeps staring straight ahead, but she suddenly lets out a sigh. Turning to face Eclair, she says ¡°Don''t worry about it. Besides... I wouldn''t take us anywhere dangerous. I wouldn''t be a very good guide if I got us all killed right?¡± They both laugh, and a renewed calm returns to the pair.


    After following Aurora for a while longer, the group finally nears the cliff overlook. The hike felt rougher than usual, with the rocky ground and uneven terrain forcing Markus to slow down. He was quietly observing how Aurora and Eclair glided in the air, ignoring all obstacles below. Even the many leaves and branches of the trees posed no issues for the pair. As the group nears their destination, Aurora flies ahead, but quickly comes back after verifying they were indeed at her spot.


    ¡°You''re almost there. Just keep going straight.¡± Aurora says to Markus as he continues his hike. She then waves to Eclair, and points in the direction of the overlook. Eclair quickly gets the hint, and flies ahead to see the view herself. ¡°We''ll be waiting for you.¡± Says Aurora, as she too flies away.


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    ¡°I hope the view is worth it.¡± Markus replies in a ragged tone to himself. It only takes a few more minutes before he starts seeing trees thinning out ahead, with blue sky behind them. He now moves faster, knowing his goal was right in front of him.


    Markus passes the last line of trees, and suddenly the world opens up for him. The cliff is a dozen yards away, with Aurora and Eclair already staring out. They both cast a glance back, before returning to their sightseeing. Walking closer to the edge, he finally sees the beautiful view first hand. Hills covered by a diverse woodland of green, with open clearings and jagged rocks breaking the uniformity of the land. Looking farther beyond the hills, Markus sees the landscape quickly flatten and the woods disappear. A sea of gold and green grasses starts to form, and continues far into the horizon.


    Rocks and stones have created a natural barrier at the edge of the cliff, preventing the growth of trees to obstruct the view. Markus cautiously looks down over the edge, seeing a deadly drop of several hundred yards. In each direction, the view continues for almost the same distance. Taking the time to enjoy the sight, Markus once again feels nostalgia flow into him. Everything seems so similar to where he''s from, yet nothing makes sense.


    ¡°Well... I guess it was.¡± Markus softly says to himself. Both girls look toward him, not catching what was said. He then asks out loud ¡°Aurora, where do we go from here?¡± while gazing out across the land.


    ¡°We won''t make it to Montillo before dark, so we''ll stop at a place on the way with abandoned buildings for camp.¡± Aurora says, and then flies closer to Markus to catch his attention. Pointing to a spot between some hills at the 2 o''clock position from where they stand, she says ¡°Look, you can see some of Montillo.¡±


    Markus'' eyes follow her pointed finger, and sees several buildings in the distance. It''s clearly a town, but most of it is obstructed behind a hill. From what can be seen, the buildings are eerily similar to many of the old western towns he''s visited over his life.


    Another odd and sinking feeling forms inside Markus. His eyes begin to search the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of any familiar landmarks. Turning around, Markus now understands they''re at the western edge of a great mountain range.


    ¡°This really is a great spot Aurora. I wouldn''t expect this view out here, considering it''s not too far from Little Creek.¡± Eclair says delightfully. The girls are still admiring the view, unaware of the growing nervousness from Markus. ¡°I bet if you came out here at night, you would get a lovely view to the Sister Moons.¡±


    ¡°Moons!?¡± Markus yells in surprise. His head snaps back to the fairies, who are already looking at him with confusion. For the first time since leaving the cavern, Markus tilts his head directly upward into the sky. His eyes open wide in panic at the sight he sees, sweat forming on his brow, and breathing turning deep.


    Markus'' left hand loosens itself off the fore grip of the rifle, causing it to swing downward. The right hand soon follows, and with a thud, a metal sound echoes into the air from his dropped rifle. It was shock, and surprise, and despair all at once for Markus. High above him, there really were two moons.


    The largest looked very similar to the moon he''s always known. It''s body partially covered by the effects of daytime, colored with blended white and gray patterns. But behind it, and just to the left, sits another partially covered moon half its size. It''s dark colored red and rusty tint make it stand out against the endless blue all around it.


    ¡°Markus! Are you okay?¡± Aurora suddenly yells out with Eclair beside her. Both of their faces showing concern, watching as Markus blankly stares into the sky.


    ¡°I''m... I''m fine.¡± Markus weakly responds. Turning to the girls, a half smile tries to form, but his face betrays any sort of calm. A deep panic has set in, and it was clearly showing. He could no longer lie to himself. He could no longer make excuses or theories about his predicament. Markus knew now with absolute certainty, he was far away from home, in an unknown world.

 Chapter 015

    Markus doesn''t know how long he''s been sitting in the shadow of a tree, watching the clouds slowly roll across the distant sky. A light breeze is gently rustling the leaves and swaying the grass around him. From the cliff overlook, the peaceful view of this new world was having a calming effect on him.


    The fairies are sitting nearby, relaxing in the shade too. They were both worried when Markus stopped reacting, and simply sat down in his current spot. He didn''t even bother taking off his backpack or picking up his weapon. The fairies discussed what to do, but eventually agreed to let Markus take his time. Now they were just waiting for any sign.


    Deep in his thoughts, Markus now knows how bad his situation is. Alone on a foreign world, with strange magics and dangerous creatures. However, he realizes he can''t save himself if nothing is done. There''s a quick glance to the rifle still on the ground in front of him, and another glance to Montillo in the distance. No other choice exists, he must go on.


    Gathering himself mentally, Markus finally stands up to meet the challenge of finding a way home. Eclair notices him first, and shakes Aurora for her attention. The fairies watch him move again, walking toward his dropped rifle. As he picks the rifle from the ground, the girls launch themselves into the air to greet him.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Eclair asks, with concern filled in her voice.


    ¡°Eclair. Leave it alone.¡± Says Aurora right after. She has a good hunch what Markus'' feelings were at the moment.


    Markus stands silent for a few moments, looking down as he takes the time to wipe away dirt from his rifle. He then says ¡°I''m feeling better. I was just a little.. shocked to find out I''m really on a different world. It takes time to process that. Realizing you''re all alone... far away from everyone and everything you know.¡±


    Both fairies stay quiet. It''s obvious now why he reacted in such a way at the moons above. Anyone else in his predicament would have done the same. They had wrongly assumed he knew the truth.


    ¡°So... what do you call your home? This world I mean.¡± Markus says softly. He finishes cleaning off the dirt from the rifle, and grips it again with both hands.


    ¡°Noverra. We call our world Noverra.¡± Aurora replies. ¡°And your home is called Earth. Right?¡±


    Markus nods yes. ¡°Well... nothing I can do now except keep going.¡± He says with a smile on his face. ¡°I just need to find a way back home is all.¡±


    Eclair and Aurora are visibly impressed by Markus'' words. They can''t help feeling a new found respect for the outsider, making it seem like the journey home will be a simple task. Maybe he will actually do it.


    Markus motions with his head toward the woods that he''s ready to continue the trek to Montillo. The fairies nod to confirm, with a sense of relief the group is whole again. Taking off into the forest, Aurora is already studying the next path they will take. Eclair and Markus follow right behind her, slowly disappearing further into the trees.


    As the group moves away from the cliff overlook, Markus speaks out saying ¡°Before we go to Montillo, I want to head back to the cave where the portal I walked through is.¡±


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    ¡°Why!? That''s the opposite direction. We need to head to Montillo!¡± Eclair yells out. Markus and Aurora are surprised at her response.


    ¡°She''s not wrong. Why do you want to go back? Jonathan said the gateway is shut. You''ll only find the cave and the old dwarven ruins inside.¡± Aurora says, returning to discuss the plan with the other two.


    ¡°I just want to make sure nobody came back for me.¡± Markus says to the fairies. He goes on explaining ¡°No one else knows, but I had help from a friend named Dan. On Earth, the portal was ground level against a rock cliff. It had no markings or anything. We only found it because we were throwing rocks against it. Some simply vanished instead of bouncing off the rock wall.¡±


    Aurora and Eclair look at each other. Both have now become very interested in Markus'' story.


    Markus continues ¡°He stayed on the other side of the portal when I came through. In case anything happened we marked our maps, got coordinates, and even spray painted an outline on the rock. If he got help, he knows the way back.¡±


    ¡°Alright, lets go take a look. We can camp inside the stone cabin in the cave since it should be empty now. We can head out tomorrow morning for Montillo from there.¡± Aurora says to the group. She turns her body and starts leading the way.


    Eclair lets out a sigh and says ¡°Fine. Let''s go.¡±


    The group then travels east, eventually connecting with the same trail Markus had walked the night before. The path makes the journey much easier for everyone, showing a direct way back to the cave. They make good time, arriving at the cavern entrance just as the sun was starting to set into the distance.


    As the group passes through the cave entrance, the fairies see the remains of the giant spider. Markus walks over to the corpse without fear. The girls, however, cautiously hover behind him. The spider was still very dead, and looking around, he sees no evidence of Versa the bat-woman. A glance in front shows the broken stone guardian standing silently.


    Markus now starts heading to the stone cabin at the right portion of the cave with the fairies right behind him. When he get nears the building, he can tell it has no occupants. The wooden tables outside are now clear of any vials or plants. The fire pit hasn''t been used recently, and peering inside the windows shows nobody inside.


    The wooden door is locked. Jiggling the nob is no good, and Markus decides to kick in the door. As his foot is raised for the kick, Aurora suddenly yells out.


    ¡°Hey! Don''t do that! It''s rude.¡± Aurora says with a chastising tone. ¡°This building was built for travelers and hunters a long time ago. It''s a communal building, so don''t bust it up. The lock is probably just stuck.¡±


    Markus slowly brings his foot back on the ground. He then sees Aurora lift higher into the air and fly towards the cabin chimney. Eclair stays next to him as she watches with curiosity too.


    ¡°Watch this.¡± Aurora yells out, spinning her metal spear in both hands. She swiftly disappears inside the chimney, and emerges within the cabin. She''s covered in soot, but makes it to the door easily. A couple of twist and turns with her spear pries open the stuck lock.


    ¡°That''s useful.¡± Markus says as he opens the wooden door. Inside the stone cabin, there is little furnishing. Some simple wood chairs and table in the corner. A bed made of stone at the back wall, and a wood mantle and stone fireplace to the left.


    Eclair is trying very hard not to smile at Aurora. She''s covered in soot all over, and her face has black streaks. Aurora tries brushing off what she can, but it helps only a little.


    ¡°Don''t laugh. This isn''t even the dirtiest I''ve gotten. The stories I could tell you from my scouting days.¡± Aurora says to Eclair, as she notices her futile attempts not to smile.


    Markus drops off his backpack inside the cabin, and says to the fairies ¡°Have a look around, I''m going to the portal now. I''ll be right back.¡±


    The angle-head flashlight on the vest of Markus is flipped on. Turning around, he grips the rifle close to his body as he walks away from the stone cabin. The fairies watch as Markus eventually vanishes into the corridor at the opposite end.


    The fairies do as told, exploring the cabin to kill time. The cavern is starting to turn dark as the sunlight fades away. At this point, the flashlight of Markus starts to return from the corridor. In short time, he makes it back to the cabin to meet up with the fairies.


    ¡°So did you find anything?¡± Eclair asks when Markus steps through the door.


    ¡°Nothing. No one came back.¡± Markus says to the fairies with a halfhearted smile. ¡°Guess I''m still fucked.¡±

 Chapter 016

    Darkness surrounds the stone cabin now as night blankets the world outside. The fireplace within burns brightly, fueled by wood logs stacked neatly against the building. Everyone is comfortable inside, but Markus is staring out the window next the wooden door. All of his gear is off now, placed behind him beside the stone bed.


    The fire pit just outside is burning too, but the darkness seems to be endless. The light from the fire is an island in a sea of pitch black. Markus sighs, and turns around to retrieve his pistol. He grabs the handgun from the combat vest lying on the floor. Simultaneously, his left hand is removing the angle-head flashlight from the vest too.


    With the pistol in his right hand and flashlight in the other, Markus heads back to the door. As he''s about to open it, he talks to the fairies standing next to the fireplace. ¡°Okay girls, enjoy your bath. I''ll be outside.¡±


    Eclair and Aurora are standing beside a large pot on the floor left over from previous visitors. The pot is full of water which had been heated over the fire, and now cooled off enough to allow the fairies a nice bath. Eclair pushed for it, even though Aurora was adamant she was okay with the soot covering her. In the end, Eclair convinced Aurora, which also lead to Markus being temporarily put on guard duty outside.


    ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± Eclair says back. ¡°Oh! And no peeking! We''ll be quick.¡±


    Markus smiles and nods, before pushing himself out the door. He closes the door behind him and turns the angle-head flashlight on. The beam of light separates the dark, and other than the fire pit, little else can be seen.


    Minutes pass without much to see or do. Occasionally, the voices from the fairies reach outside as they have their own conversation. Markus is vigilant with the light, scanning left and right to make sure unwelcoming surprises don''t show. He''s standing right in front of the wooden door just as any guard would do.


    The air is chilly and still inside the cave. Markus'' hands feel cold without the gloves on, but it shouldn''t be long before the girls finish. He occupies the time in his own mind, until sounds catch his attention.


    To the right of the stone cabin, Markus begins to hear the sound of metal clashing against metal. It sounds distant, and the noise fades away just as soon as it arrived. The flashlight reveals nothing in the darkness.


    Suddenly, the murmurs and whispers of voices occur behind Markus. He spins around with his flashlight expecting to see people. He sees nothing instead. The flashlight begins to scan all around the area, yet nothing can be seen. Once again, the sounds of clashing metal slowly get louder.


    Turning around, Markus quietly listens. The sounds are still distant in the cave, but Markus can sometimes pick out fierce yelling and screams within the noise. A fight or battle? Then the sounds disappear again.


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    Moments pass before more whispers begin all around Markus. Vanishing as soon as they''re heard. Opposite of the cabin, deep in the dark, sounds of a crowd can be heard. Full of life, like a marketplace or fairground. Children are laughing, people are talking, and vendors are yelling directly ahead. Just like the others, the voices and sounds fade away until silence remains.


    Markus backs himself against the wooden door. His heart is beating fast, and his palms are sweating heavily. The situation is becoming clear to him, the cave and ruins are haunted. These are spirits of a place long ago.


    Spirits and ghost are something Markus deeply believes in. There are too many unexplained occurrences and paranormal activities to simply dismiss. Markus'' own eyes have seen mysterious things in the forest and buildings of the American West. Fear grows within him as murmurs of past conversations and the distant battle repeat again.


    ¡°Find... hidden room.¡± A deep, manly voice whispers in the ear of Markus. He looks around, but is clearly alone. The voices and sounds of the cave vanish once again.


    Markus has finally had enough, and immediately bolts back inside the cabin. In a swift motion, he grabs one of the wooden chairs to jam the door knob. He knows it''s a worthless idea against things he can''t see or touch, but being inside the cabin calms his fears.


    ¡°Hey! We aren''t done! Go back outside.¡± Eclair''s voice yells from behind Markus.


    ¡°Fuck that! Trust me. You don''t want to go outside.¡± Markus says while turning around. When his eyes meets the fairies, he realizes they''re already out of the pot. Unfortunately, he''s caught them half dressed.


    Eclair and Aurora are embarrassed with slight blushes on their faces. They have hands and arms strung across their breast in an attempt to cover up. Markus quickly places his left forearm in front of his eyes.


    ¡°Sorry. Sorry. I''ll turn around.¡± Markus says to the girls. He turns around completely and says ¡°Get dressed. I''m not going back out there.¡±


    Eclair glances to Aurora with a confused look. Aurora simply shrugs, but then stares at Markus. She knows when someone has been spooked.


    Minutes pass before the fairies are fully dressed. Neither has their armor equipped now, but Aurora managed to clean up hers during the bath. When they both acknowledge they''re ready, they nod to each other.


    ¡°Alright. We''re done.¡± Aurora says to Markus. ¡°So what happened?¡±


    Markus turns around and walks to his equipment. He puts away the pistol and flashlight back in the vest, before grabbing everything with a big bear hug. Markus then moves everything next to the fireplace, before sitting down near the girls.


    ¡°I''m sleeping next to the fire. This damn cave is haunted. Voice and sounds and everything else.¡± Markus finally responds to Aurora.


    Eclair''s face quickly drains of color. She rushes over to her pile of equipment, grabbing them just like Markus did. She then places everything closer to the fireplace too.


    ¡°Oh, well I knew that. I''ve been here enough times to have seen or heard a few things.¡± Aurora says casually. ¡°It''s the spirits of the past, an endless repeat, they can''t hurt anything.¡±


    Eclair groans. She then says ¡°Really? How many times have you stayed the night here? I''m surprised you would willingly sleep here.¡±


    ¡°Oh no. I''ve never stayed in this cave at night. It''s close enough to Little Creek that there was never a point in sleeping here.¡± Aurora replies back to Eclair. Once she hears her own words Aurora suddenly gets embarrassed. ¡°Sorry... I should have said something.¡±


    Markus sighs, then says ¡°It''s alright, we definitely aren''t leaving now anyways. I''ve had enough surprises for one day.¡±

 Chapter 017

    Markus slowly opens his eyes after an exhausting experience the night before. He''s sitting next to the fireplace with his back against the wall. He sees Eclair stretched across the floor still sleeping in front of the fireplace, but Aurora is already sitting up while working on a piece of fabric. Weapons, armor, and equipment are all neatly organized in piles beside each fairy. Both of the girls had their own bags next to them, which they retrieved last night before sleeping.


    The fireplace now has only ashes and embers within it. Some heat can be felt, but it''s sufficient for the small stone cabin. Markus looks around to make sure nothing out of the ordinary has happened. His eyes see the wooden chair still jammed against the door, while everything else seems normal.


    Markus begins to slowly wake his body up, and to stretch himself after sleeping in an uncomfortable position. Aurora knows he''s awake now, and begins to tidy up her area. The noise from both Aurora and Markus finally awaken the sleeping Eclair.


    Eclair sits up in a half daze, her long curly hair now frizzy and unkempt in numerous areas. She sees Aurora already putting her belongings away, and starts to copy her actions. She isn''t really paying attention and yawns constantly through the process. Markus has a wry smile from watching her, but soon decides he needs to also get ready.


    Aurora suddenly flies up and nearly comes up to Markus'' face. With a cool stare, she says ¡°Non mouent.¡± Her right arm begins to glow as bands of symbols appear. Markus quickly realizes what''s about to happen.


    Aurora''s right hand then touches the forehead of Markus. The translation magic once again causes immense pain, crumpling him to the floor. A few minutes pass before the pain subsides. Now Markus knows what Jonathan meant at Little Creek. Aurora can wield magic too.


    The early morning is occupied with everyone gathering their belongs, and preparing for the next journey to Montillo. Eclair and Aurora have their bags ready, and have now started equipping their armor and weapons. Markus meanwhile is already wearing his combat vest, and is digging through his backpack.


    Markus is hungry, and a good meal would start the day right. He remembered a few MRE packs that should be inside the backpack. When he finds one, he grabs it and pulls it out onto the floor. He then stops moving while looking inside the backpack.


    ¡°Oh my god! Dan... you son of a bitch. Why didn''t you tell me you put the Tannerite in my bag!?¡± Markus yells loudly to himself. He can''t help shaking his head in disbelief at the discovery.


    ¡°What''s... Tanrite?¡± Eclair asks curiously from behind. She''s stubbornly getting her sword and belt adjusted correctly. Aurora and herself are now just finishing the last touches of their preparations.


    ¡°Tannerite. It''s an explosive. I''ve been walking around with four pounds of explosives on my back this entire time.¡± Markus replies. He grabs one of the plastic containers and shows it to the fairies. ¡°This is it. This container is two pounds and I have another in the bag that''s the same.¡±


    ¡°Ha... ha... Seriously? Is it really dangerous?¡± Eclair asks with some concern in her voice. Even Aurora has stopped what she''s doing to cautiously look at the container.


    ¡°Well... ya, but you can only set it off by shooting it.¡± Markus says, and then suddenly starts bouncing the plastic container in the air. Eclair and Aurora immediately take a few nervous steps backwards. ¡°It''s fine. Tannerite is very stable. It won''t go off even if you drop it, smash it, or even burn it.¡±


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


    Markus bounces the container one last time before putting it back inside the backpack. He then turns back and smiles at the girls. They just glare at him. It was obvious they didn''t appreciate his joking around.


    ¡°Alright. Sorry.¡± Markus says softly. He then grabs the MRE on the floor and waves it around. ¡°Look, lets have some food. It has chicken and other goodies.¡±


    The mood lightens once the meal is ready and everyone starts eating. The entire time the fairies kept asking Markus about MRE''s. They were especially amazed by the flameless heater to cook the food. Markus was glad to answer their curiosity. He explained rations for soldiers back home, and numerous uses they provided along with their long shelf life.


    When the group finished eating, the girls placed their bags inside Markus'' backpack before he loaded it on his back. Trash was thrown outside in a designated pile and everyone was set to leave. Markus put his shooting gloves back on, and grabbed his rifle. He walked out the wooden door of the cabin with the fairies hovering right behind him.


    It''s early morning, with the sunlight beaming through the cave entrance and the skylights above. The air is cool and fresh compared to the cabin. Markus starts to walk forward, but stops to take a look right.


    At the far end of the cavern walls, a large archway leading deeper into the cave can be seen. He thinks back to the previous night, of all the sounds and voices he heard. No doubt many secrets still remained in the area.


    ¡°Hey Aurora, whats through that archway over there?¡± Markus asks.


    ¡°Nothing really. The bulk of the dwarven fort ruins are there, but they''ve been picked clean and explored for ages.¡± Aurora replies back. ¡°We can look real quick since we have all day to reach Montillo now.¡±


    Markus is already walking in that direction before Aurora finishes talking. The group moves together, passing under the archway. Immediately to the right of everyone, a large pond can be seen illuminated by natural skylights in the ceiling. A beautiful image of a sleeping bear sits carved into the rock wall above the pond. It''s intricate details are elegant, left undamaged by time and weather.


    Moving further along, Markus sees the remains on numerous homes and buildings within the large cave. More skylights above provide plenty of sunlight as they explore. The ruins are mostly of stone, all badly damaged and strewn all over the ground. Many are simply foundations or low walls now.


    Markus wanders into various side passages leading to small plazas or tiny neighborhoods of homes. It''s quiet as everyone simply observes the remains of this forgotten fort. Occasionally, a nearly intact building is found, sometimes with roofs or portions missing.


    Quickly, the end is reached, as the group arrives in front of a large stone building at the very back of the cave. The building has large pillars up front, and a large door opening. Markus moves first, walking into the building. Inside, he only finds a large, empty square room. Whatever interior it had has long since been looted or destroyed. The fairies spread out while exploring the building, everyone looking at details, carvings, and other interesting items.


    ¡°Hey! I found something!¡± Aurora yells out. She''s at the back wall of the building, which is built directly into the cave. Eclair and Markus soon walk over to see what she''s found.


    They''re now all located to the far left of the back wall. Aurora points to a hole in the wall, just a few inches above Markus'' head. She then says ¡°There''s a room or passage behind this wall. I''m sure of it. Markus can you give me a light.¡±


    Markus grabs his vest flashlight, flicks it on, and points it nearly inside the hole. Aurora grips her spear with both hands, and squeezes her body into the hole. A minute passes without anything from Aurora, which makes Markus and Eclair a little anxious. Finally, she returns with excitement.


    ¡°There is a room and a passage! I see a lot of things inside, but... something bad must of happened inside. There are a lot of skeletons in there.¡± Aurora says with concern. Her words cause Eclair to fly up and peer inside the hole herself.


    ¡°She''s right...¡± Eclair says out loud. ¡°I wonder what happened, but there must be valuable things.¡±


    Markus remembers the words from last night, from a voice he could not explain. The sounds of clashing metal from last night also flood his mind. He ponders to himself as he holds up the flashlight. Would there be ramifications for what he''s about to do? Too much would be left unexplained if he left now. He quickly decides on what to do next.


    ¡°Girls, I''m going to blow up the wall.¡± Markus says with committed voice. ¡°I can''t just leave something like this alone. Let''s find out what''s inside.¡±


    Aurora and Eclair look at each other. They realize Markus is serious, but they can''t help feeling excited too. They give him approving nods, and fly out of the hole. Everything is thinking the same thing now. What''s inside?

 Chapter 018

    ¡°Get ready.¡± Markus says to the fairies lying on the ground beside him. The group is directly facing the hole found at the back wall, now stuffed with a single Tannerite container. They''re laying flat against the stone floor, backed up as far as possible to the wall behind them. ¡°I wish I had a better angle, 50 yards or so is a little too close for comfort. Are you sure you can protect us?¡±


    ¡°We''ll be fine. The Air Shield is something I''ve used since I was a child. It''s one of the sturdiest magics.¡± Aurora replies back, with a grinning Eclair right next to her. ¡°Once the explosion happens I''ll put up the barrier right away.¡±


    ¡°Alright, here we go. Cover your ears.¡± Markus says to fairies. He takes aim with his rifle at the small container tucked inside the hole. Calming his breathing, and lining his sights, he pulls the trigger. A gunshot echoes within the building, and a cloud of dust appears just above the Tannerite container. Markus barely missed the mark.


    ¡°Just a little off.¡± Eclair says to Markus. He can''t tell if she''s being sarcastic or not.


    ¡°No one is perfect... next one will hit.¡± Markus answers back. His first shot was overcompensated due to the low angle. He corrects his aiming, and once again calms his breathing. The trigger is pulled, and a large blast erupts from the hole.


    Aurora immediately stands up and places her hands flat against the air. An invisible barrier forms in front of the group, blocking stray rocks and debris from the explosion. A rolling dust cloud now moves across the building.


    Markus could only catch a glimpse of the barrier, seeing some debris bouncing right off it. When the immediate danger is over, Aurora drops her shield and lays on the floor with the others as they wait for the dust cloud to disappear. As the group waits, pieces from the ceiling fall near the back wall.


    A few minutes pass before the dust has finally cleared from the building. The group gets up, checking to see if everyone is alright. Markus is the first to start walking toward the area he just destroyed. As he gets closer, he sees a large portion of the back wall collapsed. It provides a clear path into the secret room.


    Markus turns his vest flashlight on, and starts walking into the darkened room. Eclair and Aurora fly beside him as they all cautiously look around. They''ve burst through the far right side of the room. It''s rectangular, estimated to be 500 square feet inside. Detailed carvings and paintings of short, armor clad warriors surround the walls.


    The fairies were unfortunately right about the room, as Markus steps inside, he sees countless bones. Something terrible must have happened, as the bones and skulls litter the floor to the point where stone cannot be seen.


    As Markus walks, everything seems to crumble at his feet. He decides to stand still and observe the room. The northern wall, dead center, a hallway entrance is seen leading down to total darkness. Wood furniture and decorations were likely in the room, but have since disintegrated into piles.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Looking down, he notices the skulls are not human shaped. They are elongated like reptiles or rats, with pointed teeth. Metal pieces of armor and weapons can be found across the entire room. Unfortunately, they are all uselessly rusted or broken.


    ¡°Markus! Look at that!¡± Aurora yells out. She''s pointing to the ground, toward the southern left corner of the room. The group quickly moves to see what was spotted.


    When Markus arrives, his flashlight illuminates an interesting sight. Two broken skeletons, not like the others. The skulls certainly look human, with one of the pair clad in rusted armor and equipment. An ornate dagger sits on the ground, with interesting designs on the hilt with small gems. A small hammer weapon is also nearby. Silver in color, two feet tall, with markings on the head and hilt. Both of the weapons look as if they were created just yesterday.


    The other skeleton has fabric in areas, but they''ve long worn away. A small, golden locket is on the ground beside it. Markus decides to pick it up first. He kneels down, grabbing and opening it to see what was inside. It was empty, time taking its contents long ago.


    Markus slings his rifle across his chest, and proceeds to grab all the items with his hands. It was doubtful anything else could be found in the room. As Markus passes the hallway entrance, he stops and peers into the darkness below. The flashlight can''t see anything.


    For a moment, Markus'' foot begins to step toward the hallway. There must be more riches or mystery within he thinks. However, he remembers his original mission to go back home. Whatever secrets are left in these ruins, they were not his to find.


    ¡°Lets head out.¡± Markus says to the fairies. He pulls his foot back, and moves toward the exit.


    ¡°Ya. Good idea.¡± Eclair says back. Both of the fairies follow Markus closely as they leave the hidden room behind.


    The group begins to leave the large stone building, with Markus carrying the items found in his hands. In the sunlight, the items are even more beautiful than originally thought. He shows them to the fairies as they walk back to the cavern exit.


    ¡°That locket is really pretty, but even the weapons look new. They are definitely Dwarven crafted items.¡± Aurora says to Markus as he shows off the items.


    ¡°Dwarfs... are they still around? I wonder what happened here.¡± Markus ask with curiosity. It would be interesting to see such legendary creatures.


    ¡°Yes. The Dwarven kingdom that was located in the north fell, but the survivors spread out across the land.¡± Aurora replies. ¡°This outpost was a part of it.¡±


    ¡°It''s interesting. I''ve heard descendants won''t talk about what happened to the old kingdom. It''s very touchy to them.¡± Eclair chimes in. ¡°So don''t ask when you meet one.¡±


    Markus nods, and the group keeps walking toward the exit. As they near the archway leading back to the stone cabin, a strange sensation arises. Markus starts slowing down as he feels a chill in the air around him.


    ¡°Thank... you.¡± A deep, manly voice whispers in Markus'' ear. It sounds just like the one from last night. Markus turns around and sees nothing.


    ¡°What''s wrong? We forget something?¡± Eclair asks. The fairies stopped when they noticed Markus turning around.


    The strange sensation is gone. Markus is standing quietly as he looks back at the ruins of the lonely outpost. He can''t explain any of it, but maybe it was better not too.


    ¡°No... we got everything. Lets go.¡± Markus says while turning back around. The group passes under the large archway again, and disappear from the sight of the ruins.

 Chapter 019

    The cave was now miles behind the group as they followed the old trail west to Montillo. Markus had been correct about the path, being informed by Aurora earlier it would lead them directly to civilization. As he walks, the hammer weapon sways slightly from its attached spot on the backpack. The ornate dagger and locket were already secured inside the bag.


    Low, dark clouds can be see forming around the mountains behind them and in various areas across the sky. Sunlight was still dominant, but the overall weather had worsened compared to the morning. The top of trees shook with the upturn of the wind. Luckily, the group at ground level is shielded from the gust.


    Markus walks briskly on the trail, with Aurora and Eclair flying close by. Suddenly, a large shadow covers their portion of the trail. Its moving east, and blocks the sunlight for only a few seconds. The entire group looks upward to see what caused the shadow. They scan the sky to spot anything, but only see clouds and tree branches.


    As they look, Markus catches a glimpse of a massive wing breaking through the clouds above. It looks like a bird wing, with black and brown feathers. Eclair and Aurora spot it too, and everyone watches the wing flap several times. The body of the bird never shows, and soon it disappears completely into the clouds heading east.


    The group is quiet for a few moments, before Markus speaks up and says ¡°Giant birds, ghost, monsters, and fairies. This world sure doesn''t quit.¡±


    ¡°Keeps it exciting right?¡± Eclair sarcastically quips back. She then lightly kicks Markus in the shoulder. ¡°By the way, don''t call us fairies. It''s mean. We call ourselves Fae.¡±


    The group starts moving again, but Eclair decides to stay near Markus to provide a lecture. She talks about the Fae, as they call themselves. Aurora is leading a few feet ahead of the pair, but is near enough to sometimes add her voice to the conversation.


    Fae are an old race, around just as long as humans. Natives to a massive continent called Deorurra, across a large ocean to the East. They spread out to all the nearby continents and islands, eventually coming to the continent they''re now on called Intarras.


    Little Creek, by Fae standards, is a young settlement. Founded a few centuries ago, around the same time the continent was being completely settled and pieced out by various nations. One of the most surprising things Markus learns about the Fae is how diverse they can be, just like people. Their skin color, wings, clothing, and much more can be very different between each individual. These days, Fae tend to borrow human methods for nearly everything. Even their naming styles are a direct imitation.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Talking helps the time pass by, but the conversation ends once the group sees they''ve connected to a larger dirt road. Markus looks at the road heading east, which cuts through the forest for a ways before turning north. Looking west, he sees a straight path, and blue skies above due to the removed trees. Although the edges of the dirt road are slowly being reclaimed by nature, it''s still an impressive thing to see so far from civilization.


    Several old buildings are nearby, which makes Markus think the fork in the road was a stopping point in the past. It must have been decades ago. All the buildings are crushed or toppled, except for one.


    A rustic-looking, dilapidated building stands alone in the middle of the woods by the road. Two stories tall, styled with a dark,wooden roof and gray, stone walls. It''s a unique design, with the left side having a double entrance with a triangle shaped canopy above. The right side is simpler, with just windows set evenly across each level. It reminds Markus of old American inns from paintings, but time has done it''s damage. The roof has collapsed on the right side, there are broken windows throughout, and the walls are overrun with foliage.


    Markus can only guess the old building once served a steady flow of travelers. Aurora starts flying toward the building, which causes Markus and Eclair to follow behind. The entrance is open, with the doors laying broken on the floor.


    ¡°This would have been our camping spot had we not changed plans last night.¡± Says Aurora as she flies inside. The others follow right behind her.


    Even in its neglected state, it''s easy to see it would have been a wonderful place to stay in the past. A large fireplace is to the right, and the back wall has a bar area. Broken wood and metal furniture is scattered around the stone floor. Discarded papers, busted picture frames, and shattered glass can be seen everywhere. The stairs to the second floor are barely held together by a few wood pieces.


    ¡°Interesting. We can look around for a bit if we have time.¡± Markus says to the girls. Aurora nods in agreement, but Eclair has already wandered to the other side of the room.


    Aurora takes off and heads outside, out of view. Markus and Eclair spend their time looking inside the old building. With his shooting gloves on, Markus isn''t afraid to pick through the piles of trash. The pieces of paper he finds show nothing, with lettering or images mostly gone. Eclair spends time looking at decorations on the walls that are still hanging.


    After a little time, Aurora rushes back inside and straight to Markus. She says to him ¡°Hey. I found a body outside. He must have died recently, but it''s just north of here.¡± Markus stops immediately, and listens closely to her. ¡°Look... I saw a bag. It might have some stuff we can use. I don''t like the idea... but I''m an exile now, and you need any help you can get for your journey. Do you want to grab it?¡±


    Markus is silent for a moment. It''s one thing to search old ruins, but another to rob a recently deceased person. However, Aurora has a point, with no money and a uncertain amount of travels ahead. He responds ¡°Ya. Lead the way.¡±


    Standing up, Markus gets Eclair''s attention with a whistle. She flies over to them, where Aurora fills her in on what she''s found. A frown forms on her face immediately.


    ¡°I can understand why, but I don''t like it.¡± Says Eclair with a little anger in her voice. ¡°When we get to Montillo, we need to tell the authorities there about the person. Promise me.¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡± Markus replies, with Aurora nodding in agreement. ¡°I wouldn''t want to be left alone in the woods either.¡±

 Chapter 020

    It''s a very short walk north from the old building to reach the location of the body. Aurora briefly described the area, and warned everyone to be very careful. Apparently, the area was overrun with a hazardous mushroom. It was to the point where Little Creek has posted warning signs on nearby trees.


    Markus now stands at the edge of the area declared off-limits by the Little Creek council. Directly ahead are countless fuzzy, flat-top mushrooms spread across the forest floor. Their white caps stand out against the vegetation, and it''s possible more remain unseen.


    ¡°Alright... just to clarify, everyone calls those things Choking Mushrooms. They release spores if you step on them or hit them. Those spores instantly sprout tiny mushrooms and fungus as soon as they hit moisture or fluids.¡± Markus says to Aurora. He knows moving slowly will be the priority now.


    ¡°That''s right. They got their name because spores touching the eyes, mouth, or nose of animals and people causes suffocation. There are actually several ways to get rid of them quickly, but folks still die to them every year.¡± Aurora replies.


    Taking time to observe the area, Markus sees the body of the man almost twenty yards away. Laying face down in the dirt with an outstretched arm, it was hard to tell any specific details about the unfortunate victim. A brown satchel can be seen his back, with a blue cloak resting beside him. Although a short distance away, Markus feels any steps forward will be very dangerous.


    Leaning his rifle against a nearby tree, and dropping the backpack off his shoulders, Markus prepares to venture to the body. Grabbing the blue bag dangling off the side of his waist, he opens it to retrieve his gas mask. In a single motion, Markus slides the mask over his face and begins to secure it tightly.


    Eclair and Aurora watch as Markus makes the final adjustments to his mask. They both drift in closer to see the strange item he''s wearing, each wondering what it actually does.


    ¡°Markus, are you sure this will work?¡± Aurora asks with concern in her voice. Knowing the dangers of the spores, she can''t help feeling nervous about the plan.


    ¡°It''s okay. I''m wearing a gas mask.¡± A muffled response is given by Markus, but Eclair and Aurora look at each other without any idea of what he meant. Seeing their confusion, he says ¡°A gas mask is specifically made to prevent very bad things from reaching me. You said it yourself Aurora, the spores only react when they touch exposed eyes, noses, and mouths.¡± Markus then taps a gloved finger against the side of the mask. ¡°This mask will protect me, but I''ll be careful anyways.¡±


    Looking towards the body, Markus takes a deep breath and says ¡°Okay... I''m ready. You girls stay away in case anything happens.¡± They both nod at his warning, and fly high into the tree line to sit themselves on a branch overlooking the field of mushrooms. When he sees them settled at a safe distance, Markus begins taking his first steps forward.


    ¡°Hey, that mask thing will keep him safe right?¡± Eclair asks Aurora sitting beside her. A hint of nervousness can be seen in her eyes.


    ¡°I... I think so. Markus seems to believe in it. The mask was covering all the vital areas.¡± Aurora replies back.


    Meanwhile, Markus has already reached the halfway point to the body. There are many open spaces on the ground, but he thoroughly scans each area before placing a foot forward. Slowly, he moves ahead. Each step brings tension, and then relief, as he continues walking. With all his focus on the ground, Markus is genuinely surprised when he reaches his goal suddenly.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Markus stands in silence, looking at the corpse at his feet. It was the first time he''d ever seen a true dead body. He''s seen plenty of death and destruction over his life because of television, internet, and movies. However, none of that could really capture the feelings going through him now. It was strange to him, knowing how any person could end up like the man on the ground.


    Unsheathing his hunting knife from his waist, Markus kneels down to inspect the body closely. Out of caution, he gently pokes the back of the man using the tip of the blade. There''s a stiff sensation coming from the knife. Confident the man is truly gone, Markus then grabs onto the body to prepare for the next step.


    With a strong push, the man is rolled over to his side. As Markus is holding the body, he''s startled by the sudden presence of white spores floating in the air. Glancing down, he sees the man''s decomposed face covered in tiny white mushrooms. Realizing quickly what he''s done, Markus stops all movement. Remaining still, he watches from behind the visor of the gas mask as deadly spores slowly drift away in the breeze.


    Gathering his nerves again, Markus takes a quick look over the body to see if anything useful can be found. The man is wearing a blue long sleeved shirt and brown pants, but nothing obvious is seen, so the body is gently rolled back to it''s original position. Using the hunting knife, Markus decides to cut the satchel free off the back of the corpse. Holding the satchel with one hand, he can feel it''s heavy with items. He cuts the two straps holding the satchel in place then places it beside him on the ground. The hunting knife returns to it''s sheath when finished.


    Markus focuses on the blue cape next. He doesn''t know what it will be used for yet, but it has a strap which can be easily undone. When it''s completely pulled away from the man, he rolls it into a ball and places it under his arm.


    Looking around for anything else he can take, a glint of metal catches his attention from the outstretched hand of the body. Carefully walking over, Markus finds a gold ring still connected on the partly skeletonized hand. As Markus grabs the hand and prepares to pull the ring off, a second thought crosses his mind.


    Markus'' superstition freezes his hand in place, still holding the ring. There''s a feeling it was important. It now didn''t feel right to rob the man of his last possession, especially if family are out there in the world. Markus feels like the spirits of the forest are watching him, judging him, for what he''s about to do.


    ¡°It''s alright... you can keep it.¡± Markus says as he slowly puts the hand back on the ground with the ring still attached. He gently pats the top of the hand, and then walks around the body. Grabbing the satchel, Markus turns to head back to the starting point.


    As he''s about to move forward, the corner of Markus'' eye spots a nearby group of mushrooms behind a big rock on the ground. They''re crushed and twisted, as if something heavy stepped directly on top of them. Turning back to look at the body behind him, a sense of closure is felt. An unlucky step, something as simple as that.


    Markus turns his focus again to the path ahead, and begins his careful walk back. Again, each step is planned before ever setting itself back on solid ground. While Markus works his way back, Eclair and Aurora leave their high vantage point, floating down to wait for him.


    Shortly, Markus breathes a sigh of relief as his foot lands in the safe area. He''s greeted by both fae, impressed his plan worked so well. Without a word, Markus holds up the satchel. A big smile hidden behind the mask.


    ¡°I hope it was worth it.¡± Markus says as he pats the satchel. Eclair and Aurora both nod in agreement.


    Markus walks to a nearby boulder he can sit on, putting away the gas mask before opening the satchel. When he''s ready, the girls hover right behind him as he grabs the contents. Two large books are pulled first, then a small leather journal, followed by a pouch filled with coins. A bag filled with rotten food is at the bottom of the satchel, and quickly thrown away. Nothing else is inside, which likely meant a short trip was planned.


    Markus opens the journal first, and makes a startling discovery. He can''t read the words. Flipping page after page, none of the letters make any sense to him. Markus then grabs a book, plain with a blue cover and words he can''t read. It''s the same situation, he doesn''t understand any of it. The last book is grabbed, and he is stunned by what he sees.


    The book is very thick, and on the cover the words ''Almanac'' and ''United States of America'' can be clearly read. Markus opens the book to a random page. He sees English everywhere, mixed with the Latin language.


    The first page he sees is about Nevada, with city names like Las Vegas and Carson City too. Another random page is turned, and Markus now sees every American president listed. More pages are flipped hastily. He sees the American flag, a map of North America, drawings of monuments, and much more. Food recipes, clothing apparel, calendar dates, and everyday items are included too.


    The book is slammed shut. A terrible realization sinks into Markus. The people of Noverra know everything about America, maybe all of Earth, and he doesn''t know a damn thing about them.

 Chapter 021

    Another page in the almanac turns. Markus is holding the book wide open, pointing to different items within the pages. Eclair and Aurora are sitting beside Markus on the rock, listening closely as he talks about home.


    ¡°I can''t believe it... every year almanacs are published about my world. Specific almanacs with countries, or Earth, or the latest information.¡± Markus says to the girls. He then closes the book, and forcibly crams it inside his backpack with the other items from the satchel. ¡°I''ve got a feeling I''m going to see a lot of familiar things in Montillo.¡±


    ¡°Humans from Earth have been coming to Noverra since ancient times. In fact, I''m pretty sure every nation and kingdom on our world now has a branch dedicated solely to Earth.¡± Aurora remarks.


    Markus'' curiosity peaks at her words, saying ''What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°When I was a scout, you pick up lots of information. For example, we are in the kingdom of Ronoa. It has a government branch dedicated to acquiring anything Earth related, and they have a special military force trained specifically to retrieve people from your world.¡± Aurora replies back with a serious tone.


    ¡°What!? You mean like slaves or prisoners?¡± Markus says with surprise.


    ¡°No! Well... I don''t know?¡± Says Aurora with a bit of hesitation. ¡°I''ve heard Ronoa has a large compound in the capital where all Earth humans live. They live well, with all their needs taken care of. But... they''re under constant watch, and basically spend their days talking to government officials about Earth or items from there.¡±


    ¡°Fuck. That sounds like a lifetime house arrest.¡± Markus says before going quiet for a moment. He thinks to himself, before saying ¡°I''m betting Ronoa has all sorts of rewards and punishments for things involving Earth.¡±


    Aurora nods, then says ¡°Ya. However, compared to other nations, I hear our kingdom is very fair to your kind.¡±


    ¡°The Acquisitions Office is a big deal.¡± Eclair says as she joins the conversation. ¡°I hear they have personnel in every town and city. Information from your world is very important, which is why they seek it so badly. All the major advances, ideas, and technologies on Noverra are directly tied to Earth.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Goddamnit. I''m not going to be some pampered prisoner. I need to get home.¡± Markus says with force. He grabs the backpack from the ground and loads it over his shoulders. The blue cape is then hastily wrapped around his rifle, concealing its shape. ¡°We need to get to Montillo so I can figure out the next step. We can arrive at nighttime.¡±


    Markus starts walking back towards the dirt road, leaving behind the empty rucksack on the ground. The fae quickly fly up from the rock and follow him. The trek back is quick, and the group is soon on the road west to Montillo.


    As the group restarts their journey, Aurora says ¡°At our pace, we''ll arrive at Montillo around sunset. More or less.¡±


    Markus looks up into the blue sky, and sees the weather has cleared. The sun is still bright, with the time somewhere in the early afternoon. Reaching the town at night now seems like a good idea.


    The walk along the dirt road is lonely. It''s clearly been neglected for a long time, without another person or animal in view. The sound of boots walking over dirt is the only constant noise. After a while, Aurora suddenly starts flying around looking at trees to the right.


    Flying back to the group, Aurora says ¡°Markus and Eclair, I want to show you something I found a long time ago. It''s been there a long time since no one can see it from the road¡±


    The group veers off the dirt road and heads north into the forest. After thirty yards or so, Aurora stops in front of a tree. She points to the northern side of it, and lets Markus walk around to see what it is.


    Markus sees an unexpected sight. The tree trunk has been carved, with a name and date all in English. He runs a hand over the inscription that reads:


    Edward Kelley


    1954


    There is a quiet moment, before Markus talks to himself ¡°You know... in my world, there are places considered gateways to other worlds. Ancient towns and peoples have disappeared throughout our history. All over the world, people have just up and vanished. Countless four-one-one cases where people walked into forest and never come out.¡±


    Turning around, Markus faces the fae while speaking ¡°A lot of mysterious things have been explained or have good theories behind them. But... there have always been the unexplained. No doubt in my mind now, they all ended up in this world.¡±


    Markus starts walking back to the dirt road. Eclair takes her time looking at the tree trunk, running her hands over the inscription with curiosity. She quickly catches up to the others when shes satisfied.


    ¡°What did it say Markus?¡± Eclair asks.


    ¡°It was a name and a date. It said Edward Kelley, 1954. It was a long time ago.¡± Markus replies. He can''t help thinking about how many others have walked the same path.


    The group keeps moving west at a good pace. Conversations occupy their minds to pass the time. The sky above is slowly starting to darken, but the forest begins thinning. Trees and vegetation become more scattered and spread out. Fields of crops and neglected wood fences now begin to show themselves beside the dirt road. In the distance, Montillo is now in view.

 Chapter 022

    The group is now just outside the town of Montillo. Smoke can be seen rising from chimneys, and lights are starting to appear in windows. Dusk is settling, with half the sky dark blue. High above, the twin moons of Noverra are beginning to shine.


    Markus is waiting anxiously for Aurora to pop out from the open shed shes in. After a little wait, she flies into view and gives a thumbs up. Markus quickly jumps over the wooden fence and rushes inside with Eclair following. A few bails of hay are stacked, along with some old farm tools hanging on the wall. In the corner, the object he was after is in plain view.


    A large, empty burlap sack in laying on the ground. Markus walks over to pick it up, shaking it several times to clear the dirt. He had seen it from the road and an idea formed in his mind on how to use it.


    ¡°Okay. This is perfect. Stay on lookout for me.¡± Markus says to the fae. Eclair and Aurora nod together and fly up onto the shed roof.


    Markus moves quickly as he unloads his backpack while putting the rifle and hammer against a wall. He gets the burlap sack opened as far as possible before cramming the entire backpack inside it. The gas mask bag is taken off his belt too, being placed on top.


    The combat vest is unzipped and taken off, being placed neatly on a hay bail. Markus then unzips his green jacket and pulls it off too. The air is a bit chilly, especially with only a blue shirt on now. Working fast, Markus grabs the combat vest and puts it back on, followed by his green jacket over everything.


    ¡°Markus, the nearby farm just had the lights turn on. You almost done?¡± Eclair says as she leans over the roof and peers inside the shed.


    ¡°Ya, almost done.¡± Markus replies while adjusting the bulkiness of the jacket.


    When satisfied, the hammer weapon is picked up by Markus. Moving his hunting knife over a little and pulling his belt out, he slips the handle between the belt and pants. The hammer slides down and is adjusted until the head sits comfortably on the waist.


    The rifle is then grabbed by Markus. He undoes the blue cape covering the wire stock portion of the weapon. With a press of a button at the back, the wire stock is folded against the main body. It''s quickly wrapped up again before placing it across his chest using the sling.


    Markus pats himself down to make sure he didn''t miss anything obvious. He looks at his shooting gloves, but decides they should blend in fine. Once he''s sure of everything, the burlap sack is tied up, then swung over his shoulders.


    ¡°Okay, I''m done.¡± Markus says out loud. He walks out of the shed, where the girls fly down to meet him. ¡°Are you sure my clothes will pass?¡±


    ¡°I''m sure. I''ve seen all sorts of jackets and pants in town. The weapons are alright too, just keep the knife secure and the hammer on your belt like it is. Nobody will care.¡± Aurora responds to Markus.


    ¡°Good.¡± Markus replies. He then turns to face Eclair and says to her ¡°And you. I don''t know if I should kiss you or pinch you. Why didn''t you mention the letter from Jonathan earlier?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°It''s been a hectic day, I still told you both didn''t I?¡± Eclair says back. She goes on to say ¡°He told me it''s a favor from a friend that owns an inn. We can probably stay for free for a while, but after that your both on your own.¡±


    ¡°Better than nothing.¡± Markus replies with a sigh. ¡°We''ll follow Aurora since she knows where the Mountain View Inn is.¡± He starts walking to the fence, and hops over it with ease. The fae follow close behind him as he continues toward town.


    Nighttime has finally descended, but it''s only a short walk to reach the edge of Montillo. Lights from buildings can be seen everywhere. The dirt road transitions into a cobble street. As the group walks into town, more lighting can be seen from rustic lamp posts filled with glowing stones.


    ¡°Unfucking believable.¡± Markues remarks to himself. ¡°This looks like the historic areas of Eagle or Silverton, even Morgan too.¡±


    As the group walks further into town, Markus is surprised by the things he sees. The buildings are built together out of stone, wood, or brick. They come is various shapes and heights, with shops having large windows for browsing. Across all the buildings, English can be seen mixed in with the native Latin words. English words and phrases such as ''barber'' and ''eat here'' and ''enter'' and much more.


    People are starting to become more frequent, which causes Markus to be on guard. He observes how they dress and act. Men are typically wearing work attire with jeans or overalls, sometimes old style suits. Women wear a variety of older style dresses and coats, but some wear pants too. Markus glimpses a young woman wearing tight denim jeans, a colorful shirt, and black jacket walking by him. Her clothes are more modern, but she would fit right in to any college campus.


    Beast people can also be seen throughout the town. Amazingly, they show features of various animals such as cats, rabbits, or wolves. The bat-woman named Versa was clearly not the only of her kind. Markus takes note of how the beast features vary between each individual. He watches a young woman walking beside a werewolf-looking man, but their young son in front only has partial beast features like the tail and ears.


    ¡°Almost there.¡± Remarks Aurora, acting as a guide through the streets of Montillo.


    Markus keeps absorbing all the sights and sounds while he can. Horses and carriages walk the roads or are parked beside buildings. All of a sudden, his world is shaken even more. Parked beside a building, a small crew are loading up a truck. It''s not modern looking, more closely matching 1900''s Stanley Steamers or Ford automobiles.


    Distracted by the sight of the truck, Markus almost runs into the fae that have stopped in front of a corner building. Three stories high and made of brick, a large sign shows a bed with the English word ''Inn''.


    ¡°This is it.¡± Aurora says to the group. ¡°Mountain View Inn. I''ve never been inside, so Eclair needs to do the talking.¡±


    Markus breathes deeply before walking to the door and opening it. He gestures to the girls, who comply and fly inside. The building has a lobby with chairs and a fire place. A counter is to the right, with a burly man writing on some papers. Bald with a black mustache and beard, he gives off an intimidating presence.


    ¡°Hello.¡± He says, then continues ¡°Name''s Phil, welcome to Mountain View Inn.¡±


    Eclair flies toward the man and lands on the counter. She pulls out the letter from a pouch pocket and says ¡°We''re from Little Creek. Jonathan sent us, and he gave me a letter addressed to you.¡±


    Phil reaches to grab the letter. He brings it close to his eyes and squints as he reads the content. There isn''t much reaction, but eventually he finishes reading and passes the letter back to Eclair.


    Without a word, he reaches below the counter and grabs a set of door keys. ¡°Kay. Jonathan has always helped me. Room is on third floor. I''ll let you stay for three nights, but after that you''ll be paying.¡±


    ¡°Sure, fair enough.¡± Markus says as he walks up to the counter and grabs the keys. Behind Phil, mounted on the wall, he spots a strange sight. A large rabbit head is stuffed and mounted, but it has large antlers on its head. It was a Jackalope. Markus points and asks ¡°Is that real?¡±


    Phil looks around and sees what Markus meant. Turning back, he says ¡°Course it is, hunted the bugger myself.¡±


    Markus can''t help smiling. He really shouldn''t have expected anything else. The group thanks Phil and head up the stairs. For now, some comfort could be found at last.

 Chapter 023

    Markus is leaning against the wall, looking outside at the lights of Montillo from the bedroom window. The majority of the town can be seen from the third floor of the inn located in the northern section. By chance, the room faces south, giving a clear view of the area. Its late at night, and activity around town has ceased for the day.


    Eventually, Markus removes himself from the wall and turns his attention back inside the room. It''s a decent size, with dark wood floors and landscape paintings on the walls. All of the furniture is made of hand carved wood. There''s a queen bed along with a small nightstand next to it. Right across from it is a large dresser where Eclair and Aurora are sitting with their personal bags. The two top drawers have been pulled out, allowing the girls to have their own area for sleeping.


    All of Markus'' belongings have been tossed in the corner beside the dresser. Even his boots have finally come off, much to the relief of his feet. Only his blue shirt, beige cargo pants, and white socks are worn now.


    Walking to a door beside the bed, Markus opens it and steps inside the small bathroom. A vanity with a sink is right in front of the door. He turns the faucet and washes his face, before looking up to the mirror above the sink. Turning his head right, he looks again at the square looking toilet next to the vanity, then to the standing shower past it. The shower has copper valves with the shower head on the ceiling, but it works just as well as any back home. Markus shakes his head at the sight.


    When finished, Markus pulls the string to the light fixture above in the bathroom. Again, the glowing rocks are inside. Pulling the string causes the light fixture to twist in a ''closed'' position where solid black panels block the light.


    Aurora and Eclair have been curiously watching Markus as he wanders around the room. Both have seen the foreign tools and objects he''s carried on him, but neither had the courage to ask about them. Everyone has been inside their own minds since arriving at the inn room. There''s a stillness between the group as each person keeps to themselves.


    Markus sits on the bed, with the fae sitting on the dresser to the left of him. Aurora has her satchel sitting on top of her folded legs. He can see her digging through the belongings, and occasionally stopping when she finds a memory of her old life. He can tell the dagger she owns is special, as she fidgets with it the most. Sometimes, a hint of sadness shows on her face as she touches it.


    Eclair is occupied with her own bag too. She''s already taken off her sword and armor, placing them in a pile beside her, and is now busy organizing. She digs into her bag to make space in specific areas. However, she''s fast and soon runs out of things to do. Markus can tell Eclair''s personality isn''t going to let her stay quiet for long, and he notices her fingers are already tapping the bag.


    ¡°Hey Markus... how did you end up in our world? I haven''t really heard the whole story.¡± As if on cue, Eclair speaks up to break the silence.


    Markus and Aurora perk up at her question. He wasn''t expecting Eclair to ask that about him, but he realizes it''s a honest question. They''re traveling partners, and asking about each other isn''t strange. He closes his eyes to think of a response, and soon comes up with a way to know more about everyone.


    ¡°Alright, I''ll tell you more about me. But in exchange, tell me more about you and why you went along with this trip.¡± Markus replies to Eclair, then turns to Aurora to say ¡°Same goes for you. Tell me what happened the night we met.¡± She doesn''t say anything back, but doesn''t say no to the idea either.


    Markus takes a deep breath, and starts talking ¡°The reason I''m here today is because I''m a goddamn idiot.¡±


    Aurora and Eclair immediately stop what they''re doing to look up at Markus. Neither was expecting such a blunt start, and are now very curious about what Markus will say.


    ¡°It all started with a shooting trip to the woods with a close friend. We found the gateway by accident like I mentioned before. It was pure dumb luck, but we thought it was an amazing discovery. Something that might lead to riches and fame for us. I volunteered as the person to go to the other side, loaded with as much supplies and weapons as I could carry.¡± Markus stretches himself as he continues. ¡°The portal sent me to the cave system we visited. I ended up meeting the bat-woman named Versa there, but we were attacked by a giant spider soon after.¡±


    Markus'' face is stoic as he recalls the fight with the giant spider. The girl''s are leaning closer and are now listening intently to the story. It was still hard to believe Markus killed such a dangerous creature in the caves.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Continuing the story, Markus says ¡°When I tried to return back through the gateway, I found it already closed. I then saw the lights of Little Creek. I wandered through the forest following the lights until Aurora found me. So that''s my story. That''s it.¡±


    There''s a short pause from Markus, but then he suddenly reacts with frustration. ¡°Goddammit! That''s not it.¡± Aurora and Eclair are startled by his shift in tone. As he keeps talking, his voice becomes faster and angrier. ¡°I messed up. I had no reason to come to your world. I wasn''t a desperate failure or someone looking to die.¡±


    ¡°I have a loving family back home. I''m close to my mom and dad, my younger brother and sister. Same with my grandparents and cousins and other relatives. I even graduated from college with a business degree, and finally found a good job. I''m twenty-five and had everything to live for. ¡° Markus is breathing heavily, but his voice begins calming down.


    As Markus relaxes back to his usual self, he mutters ¡°I had no reason... to be here. Everyone has that feeling of mediocrity in their lives. I was starting to feel it too. My life was blurring together. I took a random chance through a portal.¡± The girl''s take a quick glance at each other. Markus realizes how he''s acted, and apologizes with ¡°I''m sorry, I''m just angry at myself.¡±


    Almost a minute passes by with only silence. Slowly, Eclair begins to open her mouth to respond to Markus. Her voice stutters briefly, but gains strength as she says ¡°I-I-I volunteered because I wanted to do something exciting with my life!¡± Markus and Aurora turn their attention toward Eclair as she begins to talk.


    ¡°I come from a big family. Mother and father are important town members, and my brothers and sisters are all older than me. No one really had time for me, so I tried lots of hobbies growing up. But... truth is I''m not good at a lot of things. I honestly think cooking is my best skill, so when I was old enough I wanted to try opening a restaurant or inn.¡± Eclair''s face suddenly loses it''s passion, and her voice softens.


    ¡°Except... no one wanted to help me, not even my famly. Then one day a friend said I should join the town militia. There were openings, and one was for a cook. I figured it would be good experience, maybe learn some things. That''s how I ended up in the militia, night shift.¡± Eclair pauses as she thinks about the next thing to say. Her outgoing personality is clearly subdued as she keeps talking about herself.


    ¡°I like my job... I guess. The militia taught me to fight, and I''m paid decent, and sometimes I get to go on patrols like the night we met. Its just... there''s this feeling my life was slipping away. Yesterday and today is probably the most excitement I''ve had in years. I decided you might be the best chance to see the sights outside of Little Creek, and learn new things about myself.¡± Eclair says the last sentence directly to Markus.


    ¡°So that''s why I''m here. I spoke with Jonathan about it, and he pulled some strings for me to join you if I did some official errands.¡± A sigh of relief then escapes from Eclair. She feels much better now after talking, and a quick smile flashes across her face.


    Markus is sitting quietly as he observes Eclair. He wasn''t expecting her to have such a broad range of emotions. ¡°Well, that explains why your not that good of a guard.¡± Markus says with a smile. He then turns to Aurora.


    Immediately, she can feel the gaze of Markus. Aurora stiffens as she realizes it''s now her turn to speak. The feeling grows as she notices Eclair also looking at her with longing eyes.


    Aurora quickly gives in to the pressure, and lets out a sigh. An annoyed tone comes from her words as she talks ¡°Fine. Fine. I''ll say my part. There''s a stupid reason for me being here. Do you know why I was on trial in the first place? It''s because I fell asleep! ASLEEP! I''m a guard who fell asleep at her post... That''s my story. I''m done.¡± Aurora then crosses her arms and begins pouting.


    ¡°What? That can''t be it.¡± Markus interjects right away. ¡°What about before the incident? Or what happened right after in the morning? You can''t just be a guard who fell asleep.¡±


    Aurora snaps back instantly. ¡°Of course not! Up until a few months ago I was a scout! One of the best. Everything changed once that bitch Vera became the new commander.¡± Once the words left her mouth, Aurora realizes she let slip some personal details. She can already see Markus preparing to ask follow up questions.


    ¡°Argggg fine, alright.¡± Aurora shakes her head in frustration. ¡°I''ve been a scout since the day I could join the militia. A few months ago our scout commander retired, and was replaced by Vera. We hated each other right away. She didn''t get the position for skill, but because of connections.¡± An angry tone can now be heard in her voice as she continues talking.


    ¡°Bad management, conflicting schedules, poor communication. So many issues were caused by her! I finally snapped when Vera almost got some new recruits killed on a long patrol. We had a violent argument, and I had to be restrained after giving her a good punch. I was demoted on the spot...¡± Aurora''s voice softens after her burst of anger, with her mood turning gloomy as she continues the story.


    ¡°I was transferred after that, sent to guard duty. I thought it would be a fresh start... but I was wrong. Everything fell apart. With the scouts, I was up before the break of dawn each day. I was traveling all over the land... but as a guard, I was forced into the night perimeter shift. Stuck in the same spot every night. I couldn''t adjust... I kept falling asleep or daydreaming. I was constantly reprimanded. I started drinking because I hated everything.¡± Tears are barely visible at the corners of her eyes. Aurora''s face has lost any hint of anger, showing only sadness now.


    A few moments pass before Aurora starts talking again. ¡°Even if nothing had happened when we met, my career was over... It was only a matter of time.¡± When she finishes speaking, she changes her sitting position so that her legs are bent in front. She then wraps her arms around her legs and buries her face into her knees.


    Markus can''t help feeling sorry for both of the fae, especially Aurora. No matter what happens, she''s the only one that doesn''t have a home to return to now. As he starts mentally rehearsing some comforting lines, Markus sees Eclair nervously tapping her bag again while staring at Aurora. Eclair suddenly lifts herself off dresser and rushes to Aurora. In a single motion, she embraces Aurora in a big hug. No words are spoken, but Markus sees Aurora gently pat Eclair''s arm.


    ¡°Maybe we''re all a match for each other.¡± Markus says under his breath. It''s late at night, but the exact time is unknown to him. Deciding it would be a wise idea to finish the session, he says ¡°You girls should turn in for sleep. It''s going to be a long day tomorrow.¡±


    Eclair looks up from her hug, and Aurora only lifts her head up slightly from her knees. Both give half-hearted nods in agreement at the suggestion. Soon, the pair are preparing for sleep inside their individual drawers. Markus had brought them hand towels from the bathroom to use as blankets earlier.


    Markus then walks over to his combat vest, and removes the pistol from the holster. He walks back to the bed, and places the pistol on top of the nightstand. The sheets are pulled back as he also prepares for a good rest.


    Markus turns his head back to the dresser and says ¡°I appreciate what you both have done for me. You''re the only friends I have in the world right now.¡±

 Chapter 024

    Sunlight is beaming through the window of the inn room. There are occasional sounds from the outside as signs of activity can be heard in the streets below. Aurora is already wide awake inside her drawer, dressed in her black bodysuit as she brushes her hair. Markus is slow to wake up, but he forces himself out of bed when he sees the bright light. Eclair is buried under her makeshift bed while sleeping soundly.


    Markus walks over to the window to see how Montillo looks in the daylight. Peering outside, he sees a town full of life. Horses and carriages occupy the streets while all manner of pedestrians travel the sidewalks. The shops are open as customers move in and out for their errands.


    Looking further beyond the streets below the room, Markus scans the entire town. Most of the buildings are one or two levels, with scattered three and four stories too. Using his experience traveling western America, he estimates the town size at about five thousand people. The amount of buildings certainly remind him of Salida and maybe Taos from back home.


    There''s a tug on Markus'' shirt which draws his attention away from the window. Looking back, he sees Aurora was the one who did it. Without armor, the black bodysuit accentuates her athletic curves very well. Markus forces his eyes to stare at her face in an effort to not be rude. He then sees her tap her head while pointing to him.


    ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± Markus replies with a nod.


    It was now becoming a ritual between the two, as the right arm of Aurora glows with magical bands of the translation magic. She touches the forehead of Markus and causes the magic bands to react.


    The pain causes Markus to back himself into the wall to steady himself. He groans as he says ¡°Goddamnit, I''m never going to get used to that.¡±


    ¡°Better learn the language then big guy.¡± Aurora says with a wry smile before flying back to her drawer.


    Eclair meanwhile has woken up as a reaction to the noise outside and the conversation within the room. She peaks over the side of her drawer, and sees how everyone else is doing. The sunlight is too bright for her, but with a yawn, she begins to make herself ready for the day too.


    Once ready to move again, Markus walks over to his bed and resets it. When finished, he walks to the corner where his belongings are and grabs the backpack. He tosses it on the bed and begins opening all the zippers, unloading everything from inside. Aurora and Eclair have now stopped getting ready to watch Markus.


    In his mind, Markus is making a list of everything he owns. The two books, money pouch, and journal from the dead man are put aside. The ornate dagger and golden locket are separated too. Now he begins listing off the remaining objects from the backpack.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Flashlight, 2 pound Tannerite container, one MRE, emergency poncho, magnesium fire starter, survival fishing kit, gas mask filter, compass, multi-tool, wool beanie, pocket knife, first aid bag, para-cord bundle, two hand flares, and small ammo box.¡± Markus says as he grabs each item and organizes them on the bed.


    The ammo box is then opened, and Markus dumps the contents onto the bed. He shuffles the items and says ¡°Two fifty-round pistol boxes and four twenty-round rifle boxes.¡±


    Markus walks over to the remaining items in the corner by the dresser. He grabs all the items that were once in his pant pockets and brings them to the bed. Once more he begins listing off objects ¡°Wallet, smartphone, keys, digital camera, sharpie, another pocket knife, bandage roll, watch, some coins, and a bunch of receipts.¡±


    Eclair and Aurora meanwhile have their hands on their chins as they lean over their drawers watching Markus count off various items. Some objects they recognize, and others are a complete mystery to them. Aurora, being well-traveled, points to some items and explains them to Eclair when she has questions about them.


    Once more, Markus walks back to the corner where his remaining items lay. With a finger pointing, he says ¡°AMD-65, hammer, combat vest, gas mask, hunting knife, jacket, gloves, and boots.¡± He then kneels down to the combat vest and starts touching pockets while saying ¡°Angle flashlight, magazines, map of the four corners, and extra bandages.¡±


    Markus then stands up and points to the pistol on the nightstand saying ¡°Lastly, the clothes I''m wearing and my Steyr.¡± Walking to the bed again, he leans back with his hands behind his head. Deep in thought, Markus thinks about everything before saying ¡°Fuck. Half this shit is useless for my situation. We really did grab whatever we could fit inside.¡±


    ¡°Done?¡± Eclair asks. Perhaps because she was distracted by Markus, she never completely finished fixing her hair. The curly blonde once again has frizzy strands everywhere. ¡°Maybe you can grab us food from downstairs. Or make us the MRE thingy.¡±


    ¡°No, bad idea with the MRE since the trash would need to be hidden. But what do you mean food is downstairs.¡± Markus replies to Eclair.


    ¡°Last night I saw a sign saying breakfast is served here for guest.¡± Says Eclair as she lazily hangs over the side of the drawer. ¡°I could definitely use some food.¡±


    Markus didn''t see any such sign, but admittedly was distracted while talking to Phil. Without many options, he decides to grab his boots and jacket. Putting everything on, he then walks over to the nightstand toward his pistol. Markus tucks the weapon in between his back and pants before hiding it under clothing.


    ¡°Alright, I''ll check it out.¡± Markus says as he walks out of the room.


    Walking down to the main lobby, Markus casually tries to avoid bringing attention to himself. At the back wall, food has been laid out on several tables. Muffins, bread, juice, fruits, and various snacks can all be seen.


    Phil is manning the counter by the front door. He waves to Markus, and he waves back at the man. Only one other guest is sitting in a couch chair by the fireplace. Moving to the food tables, Markus grabs a plate and begins assembling a meal for the entire group. When finished he turns around to head up back the stairs with a plate of food.


    As he begins the walk back, Markus looks over to the young woman by the fireplace. She is one of the beastial people, with rabbit features to distinguish her. Her tan rabbit ears are long, with a button nose holding glasses for her eyes. She sits cross-legged as she quietly reads a book, wearing a long dark blue dress. Briefly, Markus wonders if she would have a cotton tail to match all the other rabbit features.


    Heading up the stairs, Markus is careful to balance the food on the place. Then, out of nowhere, a smile cracks on his face. He says to himself ¡°A continental breakfast... this whole world is insanity. They copied continental breakfasts.¡±

 Chapter 025

    When Markus arrived back at the room he was careful not to open the door while other guest where nearby. Once he was sure the area was clear the door is quickly opened, then shut tight, behind him. There''s a sense of relief before Markus walks over to his fae companions sitting on the dresser, dropping off the food plate near them. He grabs a muffin and walks over to the window while the girls start picking at the fruits and bread on the plate.


    The fae spend their time conversing between each other while eating. Markus meanwhile is looking outside the window to see if anything interesting can be seen as he eats. Soon, he spots an older gentleman walking below on the cobble streets. It''s his outfit that catches the eyes of Markus. The old gentleman is wearing an old Victorian style suit, but on his wist hangs a sheathed sword. A rapier or fencing sword.


    Markus finishes his muffin before walking over to the corner where his hammer weapon and hunting knife sit. He grabs them and equips them on his belt the way he had them last night. Now, he was confident the weapons wouldn''t stand out. Walking back to the window, he watches people go by again. Markus is looking for advantages, anything he can copy to better blend into the world.


    After a short while, Markus spots a young boy pulling out his wallet to pay a woman for something. The wallet looks leather made, but no paper money is pulled out, only coins. The young boy is given a receipt by the woman, which he places inside the wallet. A similar transaction takes place with a courier dropping off a package at a store down the street.


    Turning around towards the bed, Markus grabs his wallet and pulls out all the paper money. He then says ¡°Forty-four dollars... maybe I''m rich in this world.¡± The money is tossed aside, along with the plastic cards and identification inside the wallet. Everything is taken out until the wallet is empty.


    The money pouch from the dead man is grabbed next and emptied onto the bed. Coins spill out with clinking sounds. Markus digs through the pile with curiosity, seeing unexpected numbers and symbols. On the copper and silver looking coins, one side is dedicated to the symbols of the Kingdom of Ronoa. Crowns, a coat of arms, the face of a king, and Latin markings. However, on the other side, Markus sees large English numbers such as 100, 20, or 10.


    ¡°Hey Aurora and Eclair. Come over here for a second.¡± Markus calls out to the fae. They were done eating, and just now finished dressing. All their armor was equipped and their drawers were neatly organized. They fly over to him to see what he needs.


    Markus happens to notice their weapons are missing and says ¡°No weapons?¡±


    ¡°With our bags. No reason to have them while in town. Besides, my spear got me stopped all the time in the past.¡± Aurora remarks, then says ¡°So, what is it?¡±


    Markus points to the coins laying on the bed. He''s flipped them all so their English numbers show. He asks ¡°How much money do we have here?¡±


    Aurora and Eclair start adding the numbers, and they both nearly speak at the same time saying ¡°two hundred ten dollars.¡±


    There''s a confused look on the face of Markus. After a moment he says ¡°Okay... I counted the same number too. But why did you say dollars?¡±


    ¡°Because Ronoa uses dollars as the local currency. I believe they got that from your country.¡± Aurora replies back, but then her eyes light up when she sees the bills on the bed. ¡°Oh wow! Is that money from your world?¡±


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    ¡°Really!?¡± Eclair excitedly replies. Both girls quickly land beside the bills and spread them out to examine them closely.


    ¡°This is amazing. I''ve never seen the paper money before.¡± Aurora says with a happy tone. ¡°I''ll give you a quick money lesson I learned from a merchant a few years back. Hundreds of years ago, countries from Noverra started adopting currency and economics from the countries they connect with from Earth. Ronoa specifically adopted the dollar.¡±


    ¡°Ha, of course.¡± Markus interjects. ¡°Makes things easier for me at least.¡±


    Aurora continues by saying ¡°That''s not everything. When paper money became prevalent in your country, Ronoa wanted to copy it too. Unfortunately, they ran into major issues with counterfeiting. They tried for decades to counter it, but ended up going with coinage using the paper money values instead.¡±


    Thinking to herself, Aurora then remembers some more information. She says ¡°Our world also has a major nation called Roma. They''re to the far east, but their language, culture, religion, and more has been around since ancient times. Anyway, their money is basically accepted all over the world too.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god... It all makes sense now. Ancient Rome made it to this world too, but they actually survived here.¡± Markus says with amazement. Rubbing his chin while thinking, he feels growing stubble. He ignores it when an idea comes and he says ¡°I''ve come to understand the humans of this world work in three ways.¡±


    Using a hand, Markus talks while counting off ¡°One, they will outright copy anything from my world. Two, if they can''t outright copy it, then they will bastardize it to work. And three, if they can''t do the first two options, then they simply record all the information. I''m almost certain all the governments of your world filter or choose what information releases to the masses.¡±


    ¡°Well... that makes sense. We fae have taken our time to adapt to human methods because our size limits us.¡± Eclair says while rubbing her hands over the paper bills. ¡°But the humans here, I think it''s turned into an obsession to follow your world no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Maybe...¡± Markus replies with a sigh. ¡°But it doesn''t matter to me. Let me hide all of this stuff then we can head outside.¡±


    The fae leave the bed and fly back to the dresser as they wait for Markus to hurriedly put away all the items on the bed. The backpack is loaded again with almost everything it had before, plus the items from the pant pockets. The books and journal are placed on the nightstand. The wool beanie, gloves, ornate dagger, and locket are placed in a bottom drawer. Markus grabs the folded rifle and wraps it again in the blue cape, putting it under the bed with the backpack.


    The empty wallet is grabbed as Markus stuffs it with old receipts. Some Ronoa coins are also placed inside, with the remaining coins put back into the money pouch. Both the wallet and pouch go into a front pant pocket. Satisfied he''s hidden or blended items into the room, Markus motions to the girls to get ready to leave.


    When ready, the entire group moves out of the inn room together. Markus locks the door, but keeps turning the knob to make sure it''s actually locked tight. Tearing himself away from the door, the group heads down to the stairs to the lobby.


    In the lobby, Phil is having a conversation with a young lady at his counter. The young lady has a small boy grabbed by the hand as she talks. Phil sees the group heading out, and provides a smile as they leave.


    Outside, the sounds of Montillo come alive. People are talking, horses walk by, and in the distance the sound of a train whistle can be heard. Markus moves to the side wall with the fae. He says to them ¡°Okay, here is the plan. First thing to do is keep the promise for Eclair. Me and her will find police or whoever to tell them about the poor guy in the forest. In the meantime, Aurora, can you look for some things for me?¡±


    Aurora nods in agreement, then asks ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°See if you can find a weapon shop or something. Maybe we can sell some of the stuff we found, like this hammer.¡± Markus says while pointing. ¡°A book store or somewhere that sells maps would be good too. Oh, and be on the look out for the bat-woman named Versa.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Why keep an eye out?¡± Aurora says puzzled.


    ¡°Because I''ve realized she is the only person in this town that knows about me. I know Little Creek knows about me too, but I trust Jonathan won''t let people talk until I''m far away.¡± Markus replies back.


    ¡°I see. I''ve never met her, but I do have an idea of how she looks. Beastial bats are also rare around here too.¡± Aurora says back while lifting higher into the air. She then says ¡°I''ll find you both when I finish.¡± Aurora then taps the enchanted ring on her finger, which causes the magical tether to appear.


    Markus looks down at his own ring, and slowly, the magical guide is gone. He looks up, but sees Aurora already flying above the rooftops. Turning to Eclair, he says ¡°Alright, we can do our part.¡±

 Chapter 026

    ¡°Excuse me, sir.¡± Markus says as he walks up to an old man sitting on a bench. ¡°I''m wondering if you can help me.¡±


    The old man, dressed in overalls and a work jacket, looks up to Markus. He gives a crooked smile showing off several missing teeth. He says ¡°Ay, maybe I can boy.¡±


    Markus smiles back at the old man. He points to the inn right behind the bench and says ¡°I''m not from around here, and I''m staying at this inn. I''ve run into some bad luck though. Some fellas snatched my wallet outta my hand. Where can I report the crime?¡±


    The old man''s eyes grow big. ¡°Terrible to hear. Find the sheriffs office down the road.¡± A wrinkly hand points south as he continues saying ¡°Just a few blocks that way. You''ll see a big sign with a star. Probably see a few worthless deputies outside too.¡±


    An eyebrow raises on the face of Markus. The last comment caught his attention, and he can''t help asking ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°This entire town is suffering. The whole region really. Most of the young men here... sent north to die just like everywhere else. Worst yet, a criminal group has decided to make Montillo their base. Murders, rapes, extortion, and more.¡± The old man gives a heavy sigh ¡°Sheriff doesn''t care, or gods, works for them. His deputies are boys barely of age. All worthless.¡±


    Standing up, the old man stretches a bit as he turns to walk away. ¡°The Countess hasn''t left her estate in years. She''s no help, even as things worsen. This whole region is burning young man... take care of yourself.¡±


    Markus watches the old man walk away, before disappearing from view around a corner. ¡°Thanks for the information old timer.¡± He says under his breath, turning around to the direction pointed out.


    Eclair was listening to the conversation from above. She flies closer to Markus'' face and says ¡°That''s scary to hear all those things.¡±


    As Markus walks along the sidewalk with Eclair near him, he responds ¡°Ya... not everything seems as it is.¡± He then reaches toward his lower back, and begins rubbing the area. The pistol was still secure and hidden from view.


    Moving along the streets of Montillo becomes a small adventure for Eclair and Markus. Eclair is constantly distracted with shop windows full of clothes or food on shelves. She zips around near Markus, occasionally surprising other people walking by. There are only a few glances toward the duo, and most passersby simply don''t care.


    Eclair''s curiosity eventually rubs off onto Markus. Even he begins to stop and stare inside the windows of the various shops. A confection store full of children, a busy salon with chatty women, and a clothing store with modern blue jeans on display are just some of the shops seen.


    A post office style building is soon passed by. Markus can see a small line inside and people walking out with mail in their hands. He glances up above to the right of the main entrance, spotting a small door with a deck. Two lady fae walk out having a conversation, and fly off from the deck area.


    ¡°Oh good, the post office. I can deliver the mail for Jonathan here later.¡± Eclair remarks to Markus.


    They stop to look at the activity going on inside, but Markus'' attention is drawn away by the sound of an engine. He looks further down the sidewalk and sees a busy intersection. In the middle, a young boy in a bright vest is directing traffic. Horses and carriages mostly, but one of the very old style cars is waiting for its turn to move across.


    The vehicle receives the okay to move, and drives off out of view. As Markus watches it go by, he sees the sign for the sheriff office on the other side of the street. He gets Eclair''s attention saying ¡°Okay, we found the sheriff. When we get inside let me do the talking.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    The duo moves their way to the edge of the street, waiting for the young traffic cop to let pedestrians walk across the road. The sheriff building is on the corner, made of brick and gray stone. A young boy can be seen smoking a cigarette as he leans against the wall by the front door.


    Markus assumes he''s a deputy, but quickly notices peculiar things about his outfit while waiting. A tan long sleeve shirt and matching pants, but what was unusual was the leather and metal armor vest worn. The same armor type is on his legs and arms. A short sword is attached to his waist and a small crossbow weapon is hanging off an arm.


    The assumption Markus made about how the deputies and sheriff would look was completely wrong. He was expecting old style western clothes and a gun. The pedestrian signal is finally given and everyone crosses the street. Markus walks right up to the young man with Eclair hovering beside him.


    The young boy can''t be older than eighteen, with short brown hair and eyes. Markus is surprised, but carries on to ask ¡°Hey kid, I need to speak with the sheriff. Is he inside?¡±


    ¡°On my break.¡± The kid replies back, taking a puff of the cigarette and blowing the smoke in the face of Markus. ¡°And don''t call me kid, or I''ll toss ya in the gutter. Smack your little fairy girlfriend too.¡±


    The eyes of Markus darken at the words from the young boy. He slowly reaches out a hand, and gently pats the kid on the shoulder. Suddenly, Markus squeezes tightly as he leans in closer. The young boy is taken off guard and feels the strength of the grab. Markus stares deep into his eyes, saying ¡°God help you if you try.¡±


    Markus releases his hold, and gives a warm smile to the young boy. He walks toward the door and signals to Eclair to follow him inside the building. As the pair vanishes inside, the kid starts rubbing his shoulder. There is a tinge of pain, even through his armor.


    The sheriff office feels smaller on the inside than one would believe by looking at the building. The front door leads into a small lobby with chairs and benches. A desk right in front of the door has another young looking kid sitting down with his legs propped up on the desk. Same outfit as the other outside. A hallway to the left seems to lead to offices, while a hallway to the right has mostly jail cells or storage.


    ¡°Hey. I need to make a report on a body. Where''s the sheriff?¡± Markus asks the deputy in the lobby. Immediately, he stands up with excitement.


    ¡°No shit! A body! I''ll get Luca for you.¡± The young kid replies, then walks down the left hallway into an office. After a few minutes the deputy and a much older man walk out of the office.


    ¡°I''m Luca, the sheriff. Never seen you around, but what''s this about a body?¡± Luca says to pair. The man is as tall as Markus, skinny and gaunt looking with brown hair and green eyes. Wearing the same out as the deputies, but he has a badge on his chest.


    ¡°That''s right. I went hunting to the east. Happened to see a poor guy dead in the forest. Figured I''d tell the proper folks about it when I got back.¡± Markus says with a flat tone, trying to hide the lies in his voice.


    ¡°Really... Where at? What happened.¡± Luca responds. He seems to be gauging the story being provided.


    ¡°Just north of the old traveling inn out there. Seems the man stepped inside that choking mushroom patch in the area. I wasn''t brave enough to risk getting closer.¡± Markus replies, then exaggerates shaking his hands in a dismissive way.


    ¡°By the gods! I swear that field is nothing but problems. Student or researcher ignoring all the signs I bet.¡± Says Luca as he turns to the deputy beside him. ¡°Get Nickols and Evers, go to the undertaker so we can borrow a carriage and coffin. He should have protective equipment too.¡± The young kid nods and heads out the door. As he steps outside, Luca yells ¡°Don''t forget the alcohol to kill the spores!¡±


    Markus and Eclair look at each other. She smiles at him with approval for accomplishing the promise to her. Luca then pulls out a notebook and starts writing. After a while he looks up, saying ¡°Thank you for the information, but I''m a busy man. I won''t bother filling a report because there is too much going on.¡± Luca then turns around and walks back into his office.


    The pair leave the sheriff building, with none of the deputies in sight. As Markus is about to say something, he notices the enchanted ring activate. The magical tether is shining, and it keeps getting activated once it nearly vanishes. After a few minutes, Aurora flies over a nearby rooftop. She spots the pair, and heads directly for them.


    ¡°All done?¡± Aurora asks.


    ¡°Yup. We just finished. How''d it go with you?¡± Eclair replies before Markus can do it.


    ¡°Found a good weapon shop nearby. Some places to get a map too. Never saw Versa as I got around town.¡± Aurora says to the pair. She then points up the street saying ¡°Weapon shop is right over there if you wanna go there first.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± Markus says with a smile. ¡°We can fill you in on what happened.¡±


    The group begins to head up the street, following the directions of Aurora. They blend into the various crowds walking the busy area of Montillo. As the group walks away from the sheriff building, Luca can be seen from his office window. He watches them for a moment, then moves out of sight.

 Chapter 027

    The weapon shop found by Aurora sits on a quiet side street a few blocks away from the Mountain View Inn. The road is empty, but a few people can be spotted walking the area. Unlike many of Montillo''s buildings, the weapon shop stands alone, without connected walls. Black smoke rises from a large chimney attached to the brick exterior. Large windows show a gallery of bladed weapons that seem to represent every era.


    Markus looks at the wooden sign just above the door. A hammer and anvil are painted with Latin words below. Even without knowing the language, it''s easy to tell what the building does.


    ¡°Here it is. I asked around, and I''m pretty sure there are only two shops. This one, and another at the southern edge of town.¡± Aurora says out loud.


    ¡°This is fine. When we get inside I''ll ask about the the items we found. Hopefully we can build up money for the future.¡± Markus replies back. He then turns to Eclair and says ¡°I know you have to get back to Little Creek once you finish Jonathan''s tasks, but I''ll buy you something nice as a thank you for everything so far.¡±


    ¡°Really? That''s nice, but I still have a few days left. You can take your time.¡± Eclair says with a smile. She then has sad thoughts about the future, but hides them from the others.


    The group moves toward the building, with Markus opening the door to let everyone inside. A bell rings, catching the attention of someone at the back of the building. A deep voice yells ¡°Take yer time!¡±


    Inside the weapon shop, half of it is dedicated to displaying merchandise. The remaining half of the building has a long shop counter, where directly behind it Markus can see the forge plus various anvils, smelters, and tools. A door near the forge is open and the sounds of objects being stacked can be heard.


    The group spreads out inside the weapon shop while they wait for someone to return. Markus browses the bladed weapons, and a small area full of armor. They''re all detailed and crafted, but Markus sees nothing that really resembles his hammer.


    As Markus looks around, he spots something very familiar to him. On the wall beside the counter, a rifle can be seen mounted on the wall. It''s a early design, very similar to the Civil War replicas he has shot in the past.


    When Markus walks closer to inspect it, his attention is turned away when he hears the back door of the shop slam shut. Another incredible sight makes him lose all interest in the rifle. A dwarf is moving around beside the forge. A true mythical dwarf, from folklore and movies.


    ¡°Welcome to the shop. Name''s Rodrick, how can I help ya lad?¡± The man says to Markus as he walks up to the counter. Unseen to everyone, the back of the counter has an elevated platform to stand on.


    Markus is having a difficult time trying to calm himself from excitement. Rodrick is a true dwarf, with a large black beard and long matching hair. He''s wearing a work apron with a basic white shirt and blue jeans. However, Markus can see the muscles that prove the man is built sturdy.


    ¡°Umm...¡± Markus stumbles on his own words, but fixes himself to reply ¡°I was walking by when I saw your shop. I was wondering if you buy or trade items?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that what yer wanting? I buy, but right now I''m only interested in high demand things.¡± Replies Rodrick. Meanwhile, Eclair and Aurora fly down to the counter to join the conversation. He greets them with a smile and says ¡°Hello little ladies.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Pulling from the side of his pants, Markus frees the hammer weapon taken from the ruins. He gently places it in front of the dwarf while asking ¡°What can you give me for this?¡±


    There is a skeptical look coming from the face of Rodrick. He moves to pick up the weapon, but when his hands touch the metal, he recoils back in shock. His reaction surprises everyone, but the dwarf settles himself quickly before asking ¡°Lad, where''d you get this?¡±


    It was a question Markus hoped he wouldn''t have to answer, but Rodrick''s reaction prompted a change. He begins telling the dwarf about the ruins to the east, careful to leave out details that would give himself away as an outsider. Eclair and Aurora get the hint, and occasionally add their voices too without revealing much.


    ¡°Yer a lucky man. Those ruins have been picked clean thrice over.¡± Rodrick says to everyone. He then pulls out an eye glass and carefully goes over the entire weapon. A few minutes pass before he says ¡°I''ve got an idea of what this is.¡±


    Rodrick puts down the eye glass, and gives a serious look to Markus while saying ¡°It''s a mining hammer. Hammer and pick style. Vintage dwarven craftsmanship. Not really valuable, except for the changes to it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Markus ask. He''s leaning close to the dwarf as he begins explaining the weapon.


    ¡°Mining hammer specifically made for Calor minerals. Explosive stuff because of dense mana. It''s made of Mythril and other minerals to absorb mana from anything it strikes... or touches. Even in our culture, only madmen mined for Calor. Only they could handle such a weapon, or if yer dead, or I guess one of those Earth folks since they don''t have mana.¡± Rodrick says in a concerned tone. ¡°You had it on ya, feeling alright lad?¡±


    Markus suddenly faces a situation where his identity will be blown. Thinking fast, he says ¡°My mother always said I had too much mana. You know, I''ve been feeling a little uneasy every since I picked it up. Guess I know why now.¡±


    ¡°Yer a really lucky man. Anyways, plenty of good on the weapon. Damn thing is nearly indestructible and very lightweight. Whoever owned it turned it into a war hammer... maybe sidearm. Put lots of detail on it. Too bad no one can really use it.¡± Rodrick says as he motions to Markus to pick his weapon back up.


    ¡°Alright... I''ll take it as a no that you don''t want it?¡± Markus responds. He then picks up the war hammer and places it back along his side.


    Rodrick nods no to Markus, then says ¡°Not for that, but I''d be interested in the dagger and locket you found.¡±


    A sigh escapes Markus, but he is extremely curious about the war hammer now. A weapon only he could use might be very advantageous. Questions begin to form inside his mind on what uses he can find for it.


    ¡°Hey Rodrick, can you explain what the hammer actually does when it strikes something?¡± Markus asks.


    ¡°Everything in this world has mana lad, but that thing can devour it all. Some fae folk legends say being hit with such a weapon is like having your soul torn apart. In olden days, when monsters truly roamed, hunters used such weapons because they cared not whether a beast was mythical or mortal.¡± Rodrick then leans in close, saying ¡°As a weapon maker, even I fear these creations.¡±


    Eclair and Aurora suddenly have nervous looks in their eyes as they stare at the weapon on Markus. He notices their glances, then backs away to point at the rifle on the wall. In an attempt to change subject, he says ¡°Good thing we have these. Pretty good monster killers I bet.¡±


    There is a silence, then Rodrick burst out laughing while banging his hands on the counter. ¡°Ah! Good one lad! All Noverran guns are useless. Not until the damn scientist figure out the ammo problem.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that''s interesting. I''ve never owned a rifle before. What''s the problem.¡± Markus says in a cool tone, pulling more information out from Rodrick.


    ¡°The mana! Mana from our world throws off mixtures sometimes. Gunpowder made on Noverra has been a problem for countless decades. The normal mixture amount from Earth breaks apart guns here, and reducing the amount weakens the bullets too much. Anyone wearing a half decent set of armor can take a bullet from a Noverran gun with only a dent.¡± Rodrick replies with frustration. ¡°At least the fancy pants scientist figured out the gasoline problem a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°That''s really useful to know.¡± Markus replies with a smile, then nods over to the girls to get them to prepare to leave. As they head for the door, Markus turns to say ¡°Thank you for your time. I''ll come back later with the other items.¡±


    ¡°Lad! I didn''t catch your name.¡± Rodrick yells back.


    ¡°Markus! Thanks for the information. You have no idea how much it means to me.¡± Markus says with a smirk. He opens the door and the group heads out back onto the streets of Montillo.

 Chapter 028

    Markus is walking along the quiet street just after leaving Rodrick''s weapon shop. Eclair and Aurora follow closely, but they''ve been keeping to the opposite side of the war hammer dangling around his waist. The information learned from Rodrick has the fae slightly off-edge.


    ¡°Let''s find a nice place to rest.¡± Markus says to girls. ¡°We need to have a conversation about what mana is, because I don''t think I''ll bluff my way for much longer.¡±


    Eclair and Aurora look at each other, knowing exactly what Markus meant. They quickly agree to the idea and continue following Markus, until he stops several buildings down the road from Rodrick''s shop. The group is in front of a small pastry shop now.


    Without a word, Markus turns to open the door. He beckons to the fae to follow him inside, which they accept. ¡°This will do just fine¡± He says as they move past the door.


    The pastry shop is a long and narrow building. Seating can be seen on the right side while a large windowed counter top is on the other. A few customers are eating at the far end, but that leaves plenty of space open. Markus walks over to a table in the corner with no one around. Napkins and other items are seen at the edge of the table.


    ¡°Wait here. I''ll grab some food then we can talk more.¡± Markus says to the fae before walking towards the counter. Eclair and Aurora land on the table and get themselves comfortable while waiting.


    At the counter, various pastries can be seen through the display windows. Many are recognizable to Markus, but a few are more exotic. However, he quickly realizes all the cards showing pastry information cannot be read by him. Their prices are the only thing he can pick out from the scribbles.


    ¡°Hiya! What do you want?¡± A voice from over the counter calls out.


    Markus looks up to see a young woman with freckles. She has long brunette hair, but her black cat ears catch his attention. She''s one of the beast people, but by far the most human looking seen so far. Her ears and the swaying tail behind her are the only true differences.


    ¡°You alright mister? What do you want?¡± She asks again.


    ¡°I''m fine. I was just thinking how several guys from where I''m from would love to meet you.¡± Markus says with a smile. He then points to a chocolate looking pastry and another with a red fruit saying ¡°I''ll have those two please.¡±


    The young woman smiles back before quickly getting to work, putting the pastries into a bag. She then walks further down the counter to where an old style cash register can be seen. Typing into it, a total amount pops out at the top. Markus digs for his wallet as he follows, and begins to replicate the actions seen earlier.


    The wallet is taken out, a five dollar coin is pulled, then handed over to the young woman. She enters the amount into the cash register and starts writing a receipt. The drawer opens so she can grab some small coins, along with the receipt to hand over. Markus makes sure to put the receipt in the wallet before walking away with the bag.


    As Markus returns to the table where the fae are waiting, he says ¡°It''s funny. Everyone uses wallet designs made to hold paper money, but there''s none around. Adaption made them fancy receipt holders now.¡±


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    The pastries are laid out, and everyone happily starts eating the food. Still learning about his fae companions, Markus hopes they like the red fruit pastry he picked. A short time passes until most of the food is gone.


    Markus quickly starts looking around, making sure no one is nearby. He then starts saying ¡°Alright, we need to talk about mana. In my world, mana meant a lot of different things. Explain it to me like I was a child.¡±


    Both fae start thinking to themselves as they search for a simple explanation. Aurora seems to have the hardest time, wearing a serious face as she struggles to think of something easy. Eclair is still happily picking at the food.


    ¡°Everyone and everything on Noverra has mana.¡± Eclair says while taking another bite. ¡°Mana is what drives magics on our world. Many people even say mana is a life force for living things too. Too little or too much makes people sick, and none at all makes you dead... supposedly. Those are the important details.¡±


    ¡°Okay... so the mana here does match some versions from back home.¡± Markus replies. ¡°But Rodrick also said people from Earth have no mana.¡±


    Aurora speaks up saying ¡°Nobody from Earth has mana. Our worlds are different that way, and everyone knows it. Countless test and experiments in the past have proven that.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful... I can''t ever use magic. I also assume there are ways to detect mana which may one day blow my cover.¡± Markus says with a sigh. ¡°I have to keep the war hammer then. Any advantage helps at this point.¡±


    Aurora nods in agreement, then says ¡°Your hammer makes Eclair and me... nervous. Please be careful with it. A lot of people believe those types of weapons are one of the worst things to own.¡±


    ¡°I''ll be very careful. I just hope I never have to use it.¡± Markus says with a grim face. He then turns around to look at the cat woman working the counter for another customer. ¡°Here''s another question, what does everyone call the animal looking people around here?¡±


    ¡°Beast-kin, Beastials, Demi-Humans, Were-people, Were-animals, and more. But I think Beast-kin, Beastials, and Demi''s are what they use themselves. It''s a broad term.¡± Eclair says while looking at the cat woman too.


    ¡°Beastials... I''ll go with that. Gives a name to everyone I''ve been seeing.¡± Markus replies. Turning back around, he says ¡°When your ready we can go.¡±


    As soon as Markus finishes those words, a rumbling engine can be heard just outside the window of the pastry shop. Looking out, he sees a truck parking near the front door. The back is loaded with crates and boxes covered by tarps.


    From the passenger side, a heavy set man steps out. He''s wearing an old style tan suit with suspenders. Completely bald with a thick, brown mustache and brown eyes. He reaches back into the truck and grabs a tan trilby hat matching his suit.


    He seems to be excited, and calls over his companion that was driving the truck. That man eventually steps out too, moving around to meet the heavy set man in front of the shop. The driver was clearly a guard of some sort. Decked out in full leather armor with assorted weapons and pouches around the waist.


    Markus focuses on the heavy set man, watching him happily enter the pastry shop along with an uninterested guard. He quickly walks over to the counter and starts browsing the selection. With points and gestures, he was shopping with a smile.


    ¡°Augustus! So good to see you!¡± A woman''s voice calls out. It came from the beastial cat woman at the counter. She rushes over to talk to the heavy set man.


    ¡°Cindy! I''ve just made it back into town, but I couldn''t wait to drop by your shop. I''ve always loved the goodies here.¡± Augustus says with a beaming smile. The man is incredibly gregarious, chatting with the woman named Cindy about recent trips. Markus listens to the conversation closely, looking to see if he can pick out any details.


    As the conversation winds down, Augustus finally starts getting his pastries. He goes over to the cash register to pay, and then makes his bodyguard pick the food up. Both men make their way over to the table directly behind Markus.


    The conversation between both men isn''t as interesting as Markus hoped. They talk about recent deliveries and the various clothing materials at the back of their truck. Interest is quickly lost, and Markus begins to get up from the table. The fae lift off from the table to follow him.


    Markus makes sure he''s grabbed everything, and starts turning to head out the front door. Suddenly, his right arm is grabbed by the man called Augustus. The move startles Markus, and forces him to look down at the man.


    ¡°I''m sorry to disturb sir, but I must know where you got those clothes. They are of incredible quality. I''m a huge fan of the modern Earth styles, anything Earth related really. Would you like to join me for dinner later? My treat.¡± Augustus says with a bright smile.

 Chapter 029

    ¡°I''m sorry. I''m very sorry.¡± Augustus says as he lets go of Markus'' arm. ¡°Excitement got the best of me. It was rude to grab you like that.¡± He then moves from the table, standing up to face Markus. Taking off his hat, he bows slightly before saying ¡°My apologizes sir.¡±


    Augustus is actually an imposing figure compared to everyone in the pastry shop. He stands at the same height as Markus, but is nearly double the width. A close look at his face shows a man likely in his forties. All of a sudden, he sticks his hand out for a handshake. There is a moment of hesitation from Markus, but he returns the gesture too. A firm handshake is exchanged between the men.


    ¡°My name is Augustus, and you are?¡± Augustus says with a big smile. His words are genuine and kind now. The man clearly has a talkative personality.


    ¡°Markus... and these two are Aurora and Eclair.¡± Markus replies, pointing to the girls as they''re introduced. They both wave towards the man.


    ¡°Marcus! A strong Roma name! Good to meet you.¡± Augustus says back, giving Markus a strong pat on the shoulder. ¡°Oh, and this is my companion Abel.¡± Pointing to the person sitting next to him. The man is still busy eating, offering only a wave in response.


    Abel sits quietly as he eats. He also looks to be in his forties. A worn face with some small scars define him. However, his most unique feature is his black shoulder length hair in a perm style.


    ¡°Ya, nice meeting you both. Listen... we have to go soon. What do you need?¡± Markus says with an annoyed tone. He had been hoping to keep needless interactions with the locals to a minimum. The earlier conversation with Rodrick revealed how much he still doesn''t know.


    ¡°Ah, yes straight to the point. I''m a traveling merchant. Mostly with clothing and linens and such. Wife does the designs while I sell to the shops. New World Looks is our company, and we focus on modern Earth fashion.¡± Augustus says hurriedly with animated hands.


    Markus looks back to the parked truck outside the pastry shop. On the side, there is a company logo with Latin scribbles. However, Markus realizes the words sit on top of a drawn planet Earth. Turning back to face Augustus, he says ¡°Interesting work I bet.¡±


    ¡°Oh my! Getting the latest designs from the capital is always exciting. The manufacturing of the samples I see is incredible sometimes, but I wish we had the ability to reproduce them correctly. Alas, the modern Earth designs still haven''t been widely excepted yet. People still clinging to fashion from the last century, and...¡± Augustus is talking with serious passion, but quickly realizes what he''s doing and stops himself. ¡°Sorry. I could talk about the other world for days.¡±


    A nervous smile forms on the face of Markus. Augustus is very knowledgeable about Earth, and he may be able to pick out his identity. Anything said needs to be carefully thought about.


    ¡°Anyway, your clothes... definitely modern Earth. But I see I''ve made a mistake. I thought they were a new style.¡± Augustus says while giving a few tugs to the sleeve of Markus'' jacket. ¡°Seen a few similar versions. I was going to ask where you got them.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Thinking quickly, Markus slightly stutters an answer saying ¡°D-d-down south. Few months ago. Just thought it would be a nice change for me.¡±


    ¡°Good! With more men like you I''m sure the modern styles will be more popular.¡± Replies Augustus with a bright smile, patting Markus on the shoulder again. ¡°I''m sorry I wasted your time. Tell you what, I''ll still offer the free dinner for you all as an apology. Come visit the Evergreen restaurant in the north part of town around six tonight.¡±


    A few moments of hesitation come from Markus before he says ¡°Sure... I''ll think about it.¡± It was an automatic response, and he hopes nothing more will come from it.


    ¡°I''m glad. Since your wearing those clothes, you must admire Earth too. We can have a grand time talking about it. I know all sorts of things like the latest gossip and information. I even know the hot spot areas for appearances. In fact, when I was a boy, I met a man from Earth. It''s my favorite story.¡± Augustus says excitedly.


    ¡°Sir! No! Don''t spend all of your nights drinking and chatting again. Stick to the schedule.¡± A man calls out to Augustus. It was Abel, adding his voice of reason.


    Augustus dismissively waves his hand while saying ¡°Hush Abel. That''s my me time when I travel. You''re a friend, but a bodyguard too. Just keep me away from trouble.¡±


    A loud, audible sigh can be heard from Abel as he shakes his head.


    ¡°Well, nice meeting you two, but we have to go.¡± Markus says as he sees a chance to break the conversation. He hurries to the front door with the fae close behind him, and waves goodbye to the men as the group leaves the shop.


    As they leave, Augustus waves back saying ¡°Nice meeting you. Take care friends.¡±


    Markus is only able to glance at the truck parked outside as the group leaves the pastry shop and heads up the street. Its a missed chance to examine a vehicle closely. Right now Markus is more concerned with putting as much distance between him and the two men.


    After walking a few blocks, Markus begins to slow his pace. He looks around nervously, making sure he wasn''t followed. Finally, he settles down and starts walking much slower.


    ¡°Hey, you sure it was a good idea to even suggest you might see him tonight?¡± Aurora says to Markus.


    Eclair nods in agreement saying ¡°Ya, I was getting nervous for you inside back there.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know. I really don''t know. I wasn''t going to see them tonight, but now I''m not so sure.¡± Markus responds with a head shake.


    ¡°What!? Why?¡± Asks Aurora with concern.


    ¡°Because Augustus is a wealth of information. The man is obsessed with anything Earth. He''s my best clue to go home so far.¡± Markus replies to the girls in a serious tone. He then asks ¡°For example, do either of you know where I should go next? What about places to search for other gateways?¡±


    The fae pause, unable to think of any good answers. Aurora speaks up saying ¡°No... that''s a good point. The cave by Little Creek is the only place I know with a connection, and it was always very rare for any Earth folk to come from there. All my years of scouting, and I barely have any knowledge about the topic.¡±


    Eclair''s eyes light up from Aurora''s words. She says ¡°Wow, not even you? I mean... I''m sure books and research exist somewhere.¡± There''s a pause from her, before she continues ¡°No... that might take ages. You really need to think it through. There''s still time to organize at the inn.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you both helped me make up my mind. I''ll meet Augustus tonight. I really think he''s going to be the fastest path for information.¡± Markus says with some excitement. It''s the first solid lead since arriving on Noverra. Whatever the conversation later, it might be the most important one in his life.

 Chapter 030

    ¡°Are you really sure you want to do this?¡± Aurora asks while hovering beside Markus. ¡°Other opportunities will show up.¡±


    ¡°I know, but when? Time isn''t on my side. I have a feeling the longer I stay the harder things will get.¡± Markus replies back.


    The group is making its way up the street where the Mountain View Inn is located. In his hand, Markus grips a folded map purchased from a small general store located on the route back. It was a quick in and out. Time couldn''t be wasted, not with the meeting coming soon.


    Activity around Montillo is beginning to slow down. Its late in the afternoon when the group reaches the Mountain View Inn. The beastial rabbit woman from earlier is exiting just as Markus grabs the front door. She smiles at him while he holds the door open as she leaves. He smiles back, taking a good look of her large ears as she walks by.


    Once inside the inn, Phil can be heard speaking with someone. He''s somewhere in a back room located behind the counter. As Markus walks past, he suddenly stops, then moves back to wait for Phil to finish.


    ¡°Only a few days left... nothing else... that''s fine...¡± Phil says, but it sounds one-sided to Markus. The conversation can only be partially heard from where they''re waiting. ¡°Tomorrow again, goodbye.¡± The talk ends, then a clicking sounds is heard.


    The sound immediately perks Markus up. It sounded like a phone being hung up, but he''s seen none since arriving to Montillo. Phil soon walks out of the room, and is surprised to see the group waiting. Nobody else comes out with him.


    ¡°Sorry for the wait. Didn''t know anyone was out here.¡± Phil says with a smile. He walks over to face Markus, putting his hands flat on the counter. ¡°How can I help?¡±


    ¡°Just a quick question. I''m meeting a friend at Evergreen, know where it is?¡± Markus asks directly. ¡°I figure a local like you would know.¡±


    A laugh escapes from Phil. He then says ¡°Gotta learn to look. Evergreen is right across the street, south side, you can see it from your room.¡±


    Markus gives an awkward smile as soon as Phil finishes talking. A feeling of embarrassment washes over. ¡°Boy... that''s a surprise. I didn''t realize it was so close. Saved me a lot of time looking¡±


    Eclair is trying her best to contain a smile behind her hand, while Aurora can only shake her head at the situation. Moving away from the counter, Markus thanks Phil as he heads toward the stairs. The girls quickly follow him, waving to Phil as they leave.


    Markus is quickly moving up the stairs. The room keys are already pulled out by the time they reach the third floor. The door to their room is almost slammed open when unlocked. Closing the door behind everyone, Markus throws the folded map onto the bed and starts immediately checking the locations of his gear. Everything was where he left it.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°There it is.¡± Eclair says out loud. She''s with Aurora as they both look out the room window. Markus walks over to see what they''re looking at.


    ¡°That building on the corner, that''s Evergreen.¡± Aurora says while pointing. From the window, signs can be seen above the door and in other high locations. Written in Latin, they have pictures of food with numbers that look like prices. Tables with seats can be seen near the windows, and a few patrons are already inside.


    ¡°This feels like a set up. What are the odds they pick a restaurant right across our room?¡± Aurora asks. She had doubts before, but now her caution was heightened.


    ¡°Low... but I think it''s a coincidence. Back home, I was a salesman for years. I had to be very good at quickly figuring out people. Augustus and Abel didn''t give me bad feelings.¡± Markus replies, then continues with ¡°He''s just a big guy with a passionate hobby. At least, I hope.¡±


    ¡°You need to be very careful. You have to assume everyone is out for you.¡± Aurora says with concern.


    ¡°I know, but it still doesn''t change anything.¡± Markus says with a heavy sigh. After looking out the window for a few moments, Markus sees it can be opened. Unlocking the panel, he slides the window up. ¡°Eclair, we still have time. Do your errands before we go to the meeting.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Eclair responds. She flies to her sleeping drawer, digging through her bag for a minute. A bundle of letters is pulled out, which she secures to a pouch on her waist. Flying back to the window, she says ¡°Won''t be long. I''ll go to the post office. Don''t leave without me.¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Markus says with a smile. ¡°Just come back before six, so I know when to leave.¡±


    Eclair nods, then takes off through the opened window to the outside. She moves with great agility, and eventually disappears out of view. The window is shut again soon after she leaves.


    ¡°You know, once she goes back to Little Creek, it''ll just be us two. You sure you want to stay with me?¡± Markus asks Aurora with a soft voice. He knows he wouldn''t have made it far without her help.


    ¡°Yes... I don''t have anywhere to go. Plus you helped at Little Creek. I wouldn''t feel right abandoning you now.¡± Aurora responds.


    ¡°I appreciate it. Plus I''d be screwed without your magic.¡± Markus says with a chuckle. ¡°Anyway, you made me look like an ass earlier. How did you not know where Evergreen was?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you need to think about what I am. I haven''t been to Montillo in a while, and a fae like me wouldn''t care about a human restaurant.¡± Aurora shoots back. ¡°There''s a small fae population in town, but they have their own shops, food, and what naught. Those are the places I would go to while visiting.¡±


    ¡°I see... makes sense.¡± Markus replies back. ¡°So many things to know.¡±


    Markus focuses his attention back toward the bed. He gazes at the folded map purchased earlier, wondering when might be a good time to study it. Markus is already getting anxious about the meeting however. For now, it''s the most important thing for him.


    Pacing around the room, Markus begins to concentrate on potential questions or topics he can bring up while speaking with Augustus. Aurora meanwhile flies back to her personal drawer, passing the time while she watches him or goes through her belongings.


    Time seems to pass in an instant. Darkness is starting to overtake the skies, and the lights of Montillo are appearing. Eventually, a knock on the window interrupts the deep concentration of Markus. Eclair was hovering outside, waiting to be let back inside the room.


    Moving to the window, Markus opens it up for Eclair. She immediately flies inside, heading directly to her drawer. Markus closes the window and asks ¡°How''d it go?¡±


    ¡°Fine! The most important things are done.¡± Eclair says back while putting some receipts into her own bag. ¡°By the way, we have about ten minutes until six. You both ready?¡±


    Markus is silent for a few seconds, then says with confidence ¡°Ya, now or never. I''ve got to make the most of this.¡± Feeling his back again, he makes sure the pistol is still secured under his clothes. Everyone gives a confirmation they''re ready, and move toward the door together.

 Chapter 031

    Passing through the front door of the Mountain View Inn, a cold wind briefly hits the group. Lamp post have already started illuminating themselves for the coming night. The town is much quieter, with many of the nearby shops shuttered. Adjusting his jacket, Markus makes a quick right turn in the direction of the restaurant.


    From the sidewalk, Augustus'' truck can be seen parked beside the back end of the restaurant. A large portion of the cargo seen earlier is now gone. Nerves begin to grow, which force Markus to stop just across the street from Evergreen. He observes the restaurant to see if anything unusual could be spotted. The large windows show a sizable crowd inside with waitresses moving about between all the tables.


    ¡°When we get inside, I''ll do most of the talking. I''ll try to drag out any information I can. Directions, people, locations, and whatever else.¡± Markus says to the fae. ¡°If... if this is a set up, don''t worry about me. Just go. Don''t get in trouble for me.¡±


    ¡°I won''t have anywhere to go if that happens... so no.¡± Aurora says with sly smirk. She flies close to Markus'' head and gives him a comforting pat. ¡°Anyways, you''ll be fine. I''ve thought about it and I think you''re right about Augustus.¡±


    ¡°Ya, a man like that would probably help a person from Earth rather than give them up to the Acquisition department.¡± Eclair says with confidence. She then flies close to Markus'' face and copies the head pat Aurora provided.


    ¡°Now you''re both just teasing. Just enjoy the food and stop me if I''m about to say something stupid.¡± Markus says with a laugh.


    Markus feels more confident after the chat with his friends. His feet now carry him across the street and toward the front door of Evergreen. As soon as the front door opens, the sound of numerous conversations and noises fill the air.


    Once inside, the group is met with a young hostess with long, black hair. She says ¡°Hello, welcome to Evergreen. Just one... oh! Hello little ones! We usually don''t see your kind here.¡± The young hostess happily waves and smiles to the fae.


    ¡°Actually, we''re here to meet friends.¡± Markus responds, then begins looking around the restaurant for Augustus or Abel. Evergreen is a large, square design with cushioned booths at the walls and wood tables in the middle. At the back corner area, Markus spots the pair sitting at a round table. ¡°Found them.¡±


    Markus immediately heads in their direction. The young hostess nods and allows the group to pass. As Markus nears the table, Augustus sees him and calls out ¡°Marcus! Good to see you. Please sit! Hello again ladies.¡±


    Augustus is his gregarious self from before. He is genuinely happy to see Markus and the fae. Abel and him are dressed the same as earlier, but a little more worn out. It looks like they both had a busy day.


    Pulling back a wooden chair to sit on, Markus sees everything already prepared. A paper menu, cutlery, and plates are laying in front of him. Eclair and Aurora sit themselves on the table with their legs crossed beside Markus.


    As he sits, Markus quickly reaches to his back to make sure the pistol doesn''t accidentally show. He feels everything is alright, then focuses on checking the menu. As expected, most of the items are unreadable. Only numeric prices and English words mixed into the menu can be picked out.


    ¡°We haven''t ordered, but please get anything you like. Everything is on me tonight.¡± Augustus says with a smile. He seems to already know what he wants, but Abel has his face buried in the menu.


    Markus gives a glance to the fae, and then moves the menu over so they can read it too. Eclair and Aurora get the hint. They both start browsing the various items, and begin reading things off.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    An idea comes to mind for Markus. He says to Augustus ¡°I''m not from the area, so I''ve never eaten here. Do you have any recommendations?¡±


    Abel instantly perks up and responds back with ¡°Get one of the burgers. Always a good choice here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he''s right. The steak dinner is also good here.¡± Augustus interjects, then continues with ¡°I know the head chef. He studied in a culinary class hosted by one of the Earth fellas in Caelum. A lot of the menu is Earth inspired recipes.¡±


    Suddenly, the dinner is already revealing information to Markus. He responds back ¡°Really? That''s interesting... I didn''t know folks could take those types of classes.¡±


    Augustus is immediately filled with excitement as he says ¡°Yes! It''s true. Those poor Earth people stuck in their walled city in Caelum need to pass the time somehow. Classes and lessons of all types get offered to select individuals in the kingdom. It''s one of the ways knowledge from the other world is passed along. I actually met my wife in the capital when she was attending studies on Earth fashion. I married into the business!¡±


    ¡°Wow, you must have all sorts of connections in the capital.¡± Markus says with grin. The night is already off to a good start.


    ¡°Of course, I''ve lived there for decades. Several of my friends are from Earth. Always nice talking with them when I get access for visits.¡± Augustus replies.


    Mentally, Markus notes everything said by Augustus. His connections may prove useful in the future. However, it was clear more information could be learned if the right questions are asked.


    ¡°Sir, you''re being too talkative again.¡± Abel says, finally looking up from the menu he is reading.


    ¡°It''s fine Abel. I''m a clothing merchant for goodness sake. Not exactly important in the grand scheme of things.¡± Augustus replies in a dismissive manner. ¡°If it was medicine or technology then you would have a point.¡±


    Markus flashes a smile, playing dumb to the intuition Abel has already shown. He turns his attention back to the fae, asking them ¡°Know what you want?¡±


    Eclair and Aurora both nod. Eclair speaks up saying ¡°Aurora and me will share a grilled chicken salad. A human sized portion will be plenty for us.¡±


    ¡°Alright, easy enough. I''m getting a hamburger.¡± Markus says while laying the menu back onto the table. A small smirk then appears on his face. It''s still strange to hear and see fae eating meat. The old stereotypes he knew about their kind certainly don''t apply anymore.


    A waitress dressed in black slacks and matching shirt arrives with glasses of water for everyone. She even hands off smaller cups with straws for the fae. Grabbing her notepad, she says ¡°Hello everyone, I''m Ellie. Nice to see you again Gus.¡±


    ¡°Same to you Ellie. I saw your sister earlier today when I arrived in town.¡± Augustus says with a big smile.


    Markus realizes what Augustus meant. Looking closely at the waitress, he can see she is a beastial. Brown cat ears twitch beside her head and her tail sways behind her uniform. In her early twenties, with short auburn hair and slender figure. Completely human looking except for the ears and tail.


    Introductions finish quickly as everyone is beginning to get hungry. The group orders their food in turns, and Ellie moves away from the table once everyone is done. Markus takes a look around the restaurant as she leaves. A rustic, wood style seemed to be the theme. The walls have pictures and decorations of all manner to match the furniture.


    ¡°Tell me Marcus. What do you do for a living?¡± Augustus asks. The question catches Markus of guard, and he focuses back to the table.


    There is a short pause from Markus as he racks his brain for the correct answer. He finally speaks up saying ¡°I gather specimens or notes for researchers. I''m in the area for a job, gathering samples of choking mushrooms and such. Eclair and Aurora are helping me out.¡±


    Eclair and Aurora suddenly freeze at the response said by Markus. They give each other nervous glances before shaking their head in agreement.


    ¡°It''s not interesting work. I think what you do is more interesting.¡± Markus says to Augustus. ¡°Meeting all those Earth folk and seeing new things before anyone else. It would be amazing to visit that world. Too bad everyone says it''s impossible.¡±


    Augustus suddenly scoots his chair closer to Markus. He''s trembling with excitement, leaning over to say ¡°That''s not true, most people have that information wrong. There are ways to reach Earth.¡±


    A smile slowly forms on the face of Markus. He can barely contain the growing happiness he now feels. Paths back home do exist, and he''s talking to a person that may know the way.

 Chapter 032

    Markus is waiting patiently for the right time. The information Augustus holds is vital, but it must be brought to the surface slowly. Asking too many questions or forcing the issue right away might cause the conversation to derail. Abel would also likely figure out what he was doing.


    Patience is the goal. For now, Markus is enjoying the company of everyone at the table. Enough time has passed for the ordered food to already be delivered. Plates are nearly empty as the group talks with each other. Markus takes a bite out of his remaining hamburger, which is surprisingly high quality compared with food back home. Eclair and Aurora idly chat between themselves as they pick at their salad.


    Ellie comes by the table to drop off more glasses of beer for Augustus and Abel. Three, Markus counts in his head. They''re already each on their third glass. He then stares down near his plate, looking at his own half-empty glass of beer. It''s still the first one of the night for himself. Moderation was going to be key.


    ¡°Augustus, what''s it like to live in the capital? I haven''t been there myself.¡± Markus says as he continues eating. It''s another topic to pass the time, to let the pair enjoy their beers.


    Augustus smiles brightly as he talks about his life back home. He talks about his two adolescent boys, and the wife waiting for him. In exaggerated gestures, he reminisces about the two story home in the outskirts of the city. It took him years to save the money, but it was all worth it to be away from the crowds.


    Caelum is the home of the royal family and the branches of government for Ronoa. Augustus talks about how celebrations or holidays might shut the entire city down. Many good and bad areas exist like anywhere else, but he knows them all. He mentions interesting areas too, like how the city center has buildings that sound like small skyscrapers.


    Sometimes, Augustus talks with a more personal tone. He worries about the school his boys attend, but most of all, if the war will still be ongoing when his children come of age. One day he hopes the laws will be relaxed in regards to the trapped people of Earth. It would be nice to spend more time with the friends he''s made at the holding compound.


    Markus listens closely to the words coming from Augustus. The man certainly has an interesting life, and his stories are truly captivating. Abel too, joins in with his own tales of the capital. His near misses with previous jobs before meeting Augustus.


    Beer keeps coming to the table because of Ellie. Soon, numbers four and five have arrived for Augustus and Abel. Markus has only started on his second glass. He thinks to himself, and decides the right time has arrived to slowly guide the conversation.


    ¡°The capital sounds amazing. Especially the compound for the Earth people. Do they ever tell you how they came to our world?¡± Markus says to Augustus. He then taps a finger on the table near Eclair and Aurora. They understand his sign, focusing on Augustus to help pick out information.


    ¡°Yes! Gateways... of all shapes and sizes.¡± Augustus replies. His face is flushed, but otherwise he''s having a good time.


    The answer was shorter than Markus hoped, forcing him to ask ¡°Gateways? I don''t understand, where are they?¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°In many places! For example, the nation of Silva to the west is an island parallel to the American state of... uh, California, I believe. They have a constant flow of lost souls from Earth. To the point where dedicated outpost are in areas where occurrences happen the most often. Many of the Earth people in Silva simply walked into gateways without ever knowing. Hunters, hikers, children, and more. Silva doesn''t even know where the majority of their gateways are, just general locations.¡± Augustus says with serious tone. It was clearly an interesting topic for him.


    Markus thinks back to the portal he used. If not for chance, he would have never realized the portal was where it was. He then says ¡°So on Earth... there is nothing to warn the people?¡±


    Augustus gets excited as he says ¡°Nothing! In fact, all across our world the information is the same. The entrances of the gateways cannot be seen on Earth. Unsuspecting people and animals have wandered into Noverra for thousands of years. However, sometimes the locations of entrances are known.¡±


    The information catches the attention of Markus. He asks ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well... another example is to the south in the Empire of Aztela. Their ancestors where in... I think Mexico... and some other countries I forget. Anyway, entire populations evacuated from disasters to flee to our world.¡± Replies Augustus, leaning on the table as he talks with animated arms.


    Aztecs, Mayans, Native Americans? Markus racks his brain trying to remember history lessons from school that might match the information being provided. As he thinks, Augustus continues talking.


    ¡°Sometimes, gateway entrances on Noverra are known. Marked with carvings, monuments, and whatever else. To the east of here there is a good example of a marked gateway in some cave ruins.¡± Augustus says before taking a drink from his beer.


    Markus knows exactly what he was talking about. It was a perfect time to roll into a question that has been sticking into his head all night. He says ¡°Interesting! But if we know where some entrances are, why can''t we just go to Earth whenever we want?¡±


    A burst of laughter erupts from Augustus before he says ¡°I wish we could, but the River Theory makes it extremely difficult. Ever heard of it? I''m a big supporter of the idea.¡±


    ¡°No, what is it?¡± Markus says with genuine curiosity.


    Augustus quickly grabs a napkin with each hand and rolls them into balls. He puts one hand higher than the other, saying ¡°The higher ball is Earth. The River Theory states all the gateways are connected like rivers. What that means is people, animals, plants and whatever else ''float'' much more easily down the river to Noverra. However, it also means things from Noverra have a difficult time going against the flow back to Earth.¡±


    The eyes of Markus open wide with surprise. It''s an incredible piece of information to learn. He then says ¡°Wow... but you said it''s only difficult to reach Earth. It sounds like travel is still possible.¡±


    A big grin forms on the face of Augustus. Everyone else at the table is intently listening and wondering what was next. He finally says ¡°Yes! Simply become a fish that swims against the flow. Powerful magic items, creatures with high mana, and other options exist that allow travel to Earth. It''s happened plenty of times already. The people of Earth know about beastials, mermaids, monsters, and countless other Noverran things.¡±


    ¡°What!? Really?¡± Markus says with surprise.


    ¡°Mermaids seen while visiting Earth become the stories of their sailors. A lizard monster wanders into a village becomes a dragon in folklore. The werewolf of legends is just a beastial wolf man that passed through a gateway. Camelot, Atlantis, and Olympus too. Noverra has influenced Earth in many ways, but Earth has definitely influenced Noverra more.¡± Augustus says with an excited tone. He''s enjoying himself very much as he talks.


    ¡°Amazing.¡± Markus says while leaning back into his chair. Augustus has opened up the world of Noverra in ways he couldn''t have imagined. He looks down toward the fae, and sees faces mixed with genuine excitement and curiosity. It looks like their own knowledge has increased too.


    Evergreen has now gotten quieter as more patrons have left since the time the conversation started. Many hours have passed since dinner began, and it was looking like it would be time to leave soon. Markus has so much more he wants to ask, and jumps into a question without thinking. He says ¡°What would you do if you met someone from Earth?¡±

 Chapter 033

    Regret. That''s the look Markus wears on his face. The question was asked poorly, and now there''s silence from the entire table. The fae are looking nervously at him and the other two men. Augustus has a slightly confused look on his face, not expecting the question, but Abel has a discerning stare towards Markus.


    It was now impossible to take back the words. The glass of beer in front of Markus is grabbed with a nervous hand, before taking a long drink. His mind is racing to follow up the question with something else.


    A hearty laugh breaks the silence. It''s Augustus with a tipsy smile. He suddenly pats Abel on the back with enough force to almost knock him off the chair. ¡°Good question! With so many answers too!¡± Augustus says loudly. Not many people are left inside Evergreen, but he catches their attention on accident.


    A sigh of relief escapes from Markus. Abel is now occupied trying to fight off the hand from Augustus. The girls have a few laughs as they watch grown men spar with each other. Whatever tension existed has quickly vanished.


    ¡°Okay, fine.¡± Augustus says to Abel, then focuses back to Markus. ¡°I''ve already met someone from Earth, but I was a child when it happened. Now that I''m older, if I had that chance again, I would help them in any way. Certainly keep them away from the Acquisition Department at least. I believe humanity is at its best when we help another. Not imprisoning them or draining knowledge or trading people like the governments do now.¡±


    Markus looks at Augustus with a smile. The man is as genuinely kind as a person can be. A deep respect is growing from Markus as he says ¡°I''m sure any person from Earth would certainly appreciate your company. As for me, I''d like to help them make it back home. Granted, for a selfish reason. I just want to see what Earth is like.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I''m with Gus.¡± Abel joins the conversation. He then finishes off the last of his beer. ¡°Rewards are nice and all, but I''ve met Acquisition people. All of them snobby pricks. I''d rather help the Earth folks.¡±


    Augustus erupts with a laugh, causing Markus to join in too. Allies. The word forms inside Markus'' mind as he looks at the pair. These men can be friends and help him reach home. Information and allies, an incredible outcome from a dinner.


    ¡°Seems like we all basically agree, but honestly, I don''t even know where the closest active areas are.¡± Markus says while taking another drink.


    ¡°True... nothing except dream talk from us. Northern Ronoa has a few areas, but the war makes things hectic over there. Silva is always a good option if you don''t mind a quick sea trip. South into the empire has areas, but lots of tension between the two countries as usual.¡± Augustus says while drinking the last bit of beer in his glass. When finished, he pulls out a pocket watch to glance at the time.


    ¡°Time to go?¡± Markus asks. He then takes a look around Evergreen. Empty tables everywhere, with only a few patrons left.


    ¡°Unfortunately. We have to meet the sheriff in the morning here. Apparently, we violated some law when we unloaded our goods today. The man just wants a handout or something. Honestly, he''s one of the few people in this world I don''t like.¡± Augustus says with a grumble. Ellie is called over for the check, and when she arrives, Augustus hands her a stack of money.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    A few minutes pass before Ellie returns with a receipt and some change. ¡°Thank you all for visiting.¡± She says happily. Several coins are left as a tip, and then everyone starts to leave their places at the table. The group idly chats before turning for the front door.


    Two men sitting near their table catches the eye of Markus as he gets ready to leave. Dressed in similar fashion as Abel, with leather and cloth armor pieces. One of the men stares at Markus as he passes, and Markus stares back at the man. Tough looking with short black hair, and large scar over his left eye. A red bandanna is tied on his left arm, and the other man has one too.


    Markus breaks eye contact first, and rejoins the others heading out the front door of Evergreen. He didn''t like the situation, and makes a mental image of the man. Once outside, cold air can be felt as the group gathers to say goodbye.


    ¡°We really appreciate dinner. Isn''t that right girls?¡± Markus says while looking at the fae.


    ¡°Yes, thank you for the meal.¡± Aurora says with a slight bow.


    ¡°Thank you. It was good.¡± Eclair says happily. She gives a thumbs up to Augustus and Abel.


    Abel reaches out to shake the hand of Markus while saying ¡°It was fun, you take care now.¡±


    Markus reaches out and shakes the hand of Abel, then reaches out to Augustus. However, he''s taken by surprise when the large man gives him a bear hug as goodbye. He adds one of his powerful back pats for good measure.


    ¡°Marcus, I had a grand time. Always good to talk with people with my interest.¡± Augustus says as he finally releases Markus from his hug. He continues with ¡°You all can call me Gus! All my friends do, and tonight we''re friends.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the gesture... Gus.¡± Markus responds. He then pats Gus on the side and says ¡°It was nice talking with you. You really have some amazing knowledge. Maybe tomorrow morning I can meet you both for breakfast after you finish with the sheriff?¡±


    ¡°Oh! That would be nice.¡± Gus says with a smile. ¡°But I don''t know when we''ll finish.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright. We''re actually staying across the street.¡± Markus says while he points to the Mountain View Inn behind him. ¡°It''ll be easy to come over here.¡±


    Gus smiles and laughs. ¡°What a lovely coincidence! Certainly makes it easy. Alright, we''ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    Waves of goodbye spread out between the group before splitting up into opposite directions. Across the road from Evergreen, Markus glances back to see Gus and Abel turning on their truck. The engine echos through the empty streets, and takes off as two beams of light guide the way.


    ¡°Huh... has headlights and everything.¡± Markus says to himself. He turns back around, walking to the front door of the inn. The three make their way into the empty lobby, and then head up the stairs.


    ¡°You sure it was a good idea letting him know where we are staying?¡± Aurora asks Markus as they move up the stairs.


    ¡°Gus wouldn''t hurt a fly... Abel sure, but not Gus.¡± Markus says back. ¡°Tonight was very informative, but I still need more information before we plan the next move.¡±


    ¡°Well, we have the map in the room.¡± Eclair says to the other two. ¡°We got some information from them, and you both still have time. Lets use the few days we have to really think of everything.¡±


    ¡°Right... the map.¡± Markus replies, then says to Eclair ¡°But that''s also the reason I want to see Gus tomorrow. To ask more about the gateways and active portal areas. A map is no good if you don''t have a destination.¡±


    The group reaches their room as they talk. Markus grabs the key and inserts it into the lock. As he holds the door open for the fae, he looks down the hall to see if anyone was following. An uneasy feeling has been with him ever since he saw the men with red bandannas. No one can be seen, and quietly, the door closes.

 Chapter 034

    The next morning is quiet inside the inn room for everybody. Markus is rubbing his forehead near the window while looking outside. A remnant of pain could still be felt from the translation magic Aurora performed earlier. It''s now becoming a daily ritual they''ve grown to accept.


    At this point, Markus is finishing the last part of dressing himself. Zipping up his green jacket, he then moves over to the bathroom to wash his face. The faucet is turned on and the sound of running water fills the room. After a few quick washes, he looks up into the mirror. Markus starts rubbing his chin and jaw, feeling the growing stubble he sees.


    A knock suddenly comes from the door. Markus reacts immediately to the sound by shutting the water off, and rushing to the night stand by the bed. He lays a hand on his Steyr pistol sitting out in the open. Before he can respond, a newspaper slides underneath the door. Another knock further down the hallway is then heard.


    A sigh of relief comes from Markus. He looks over to the fae at their dresser drawers, seeing relieved faces too. The knock also caught them by surprise. The girls are nearly done dressing, with only a few final touches left.


    Markus walks to the door and picks up the newspaper left behind. He unfolds it, feeling the paper between his fingers. There aren''t many pages, and most of the words are Latin. However, in the top right of the front page, Markus sees English that catches his eye. Sunday Edition, March 4<sup>th</sup>.


    ¡°Days and calendars are the same too... just like home.¡± Markus says to himself. He then turns toward the fae asking ¡°Hey, how many months and days are in your calendar?¡±


    Eclair perks up from her drawer. ¡°Twelve months. We have three hundred sixty-five days all told. Even kids know that.¡± She says before going right back to finishing her hair.


    ¡°I can see what you''re asking.¡± Aurora replies. She''s hanging over the edge of her drawer, watching Markus trying to read the newspaper. ¡°Noverra took the Earth calendar too. Same months and days. Times and hours. Everything. But there is a difference, and that happens at the end of December. Noverra is slightly bigger than Earth, so a full day is left out each year. The thirty-second day of December. Most places call it The Lost Day.¡±


    ¡°Ya, figures. Not exactly the same, but pretty damn close.¡± Markus says back to Aurora. He goes back to flipping through the pages, but sees nothing of interest. The newspaper is folded back to the front page and placed flat on the bed. ¡°Tell me if there''s anything important.¡±


    Markus walks back to the window as Aurora flies over to the bed. She''s done getting ready, and begins walking around the newspaper reading the articles. Her eyes jump around until she spots something of interest.


    ¡°They got the body. The one we found on our way here.¡± Aurora says loudly. ¡°His name was Jeremiah Carlson. A medical student from Port Morrison University. Says he was part of a team researching various mushrooms for medical drugs.¡±


    ¡°Shit... I wasn''t too far off with my story last night.¡± Markus says to himself. He then asks Aurora ¡°Does it say anything about his death or anything about us?¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°They''re calling it an accident. Missing for more than a week. Nothing about us specifically.¡± Aurora responds.


    A deep breath comes from Markus. He says ¡°Alright, thanks for reading that. If we get a chance, we can send back his journal. Might be closure for someone.¡±


    Markus continues looking outside, but an image of the dead man''s face suddenly flashes in his eyes. Partial bits of skeleton and rotting flesh covered in mushrooms. He blinks, and the image vanishes. Only his reflection in the window remains.


    An engine sound can now be heard from the outside, and Markus focuses his attention to the street below. Gus and Abel are just arriving at the Evergreen restaurant. They park right in front of the restaurant which gives Markus a clear view of the pair getting out from their truck.


    Abel looks the same with his gear, but Gus is now wearing an old style blue suit with suspenders. He''s smiling and chatting with Abel as they head inside Evergreen. It''s still early in the morning, and people are only now starting to move around for business.


    ¡°They''re here.¡± Markus says to the girls. Aurora continues reading through the newspaper and flipping pages on her own. Eclair is finally completes her hair, and flies over to Markus to look out the window too.


    ¡°Inside already?¡± Eclair asks Markus.


    ¡°Ya, you just missed them. I haven''t seen the sheriff, but he might already be inside.¡± Markus replies back. He then moves back to the bathroom to finish what he was doing before the newspaper arrived.


    Eclair hovers near the window as she watches the street below. She occasionally flies higher or shifts position for better views of anything interesting. After a short while, she says to Markus ¡°So what is the goal with Gus and Abel?¡±


    From inside the bathroom Markus says back ¡°I don''t have a set plan. Talking with them more might help me settle on a direction or a place to go to next. Maybe if we become friends he might be able to give me and Aurora a ride somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Really? You just met the guys. I really think you both need to stay here as long as possible. Think things through.¡± Eclair says with concern.


    ¡°I know what you mean... trust me I wouldn''t even think of anything like this if I were back home, but he really might be our best chance.¡± Markus replies. He thinks for a moment before saying ¡°If you didn''t have to go back to Little Creek, I''d invite you to join. But I know you have a job and family waiting. I''ll be sure to thank you for everything. I still need to visit Rodrick and get more supplies for the trip ahead. Wherever it might be.¡±


    Eclair smiles slightly. ¡°It would be nice to go, but with ever-¡± Her words cut out. She stares out the window and yells ¡°Hey! Something is going on at Evergreen!¡±


    Markus jerks himself up from the sink. He turns off the faucet and washes his face quickly on a towel before moving over to the window. Eclair and Aurora are already waiting, both looking outside. Markus joins the fae, but sees nothing of interest for a short moment.


    All of a sudden, Gus and Abel fling open the front door of Evergreen while moving toward their truck. They are shouting and yelling to someone inside the restaurant. Gus is incredibly angry, shaking his fist and becoming very animated for a big man. The front door of Evergreen opens again, and a small group of people walks to the pair.


    Three people, and in the middle is a woman with long brunette hair. Wearing a leather vest over a dark red shirt. She has brown leather pants and a sheathed dagger hanging off her waist. The other two beside her are burly, thuggish looking men. Markus realizes the men are from last night. The one with the scar and his buddy.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Markus says to girls. They both shake their heads in response because neither knows why. Looking closer at the group, he sees red bandannas on their left arms. Near the truck, another man is standing looking at the commotion. Across the street, a pair of men are waiting to walk over to Evergreen. All of them have red bandannas on their left arms.

 Chapter 035

    Heavy breathing is coming from Markus. He''s staring out the window as the argument in the street below escalates. A nervous feeling is growing inside him as he watches Gus and Abel slowly get surrounded. Abel seems aware of their situation, but Gus is too heated to take notice.


    From the other side of the Evergreen building, Luca the sheriff finally arrives. He''s flanked by two young deputies following him. The commotion outside begins to calm down slightly as everyone starts noticing his presence. However, instead of continuing toward both groups, he stops at the corner of the street. Luca folds his arms, and just stands there watching the arguing continue.


    ¡°What''s the sheriff doing?¡± Eclair asks out loud.


    ¡°Nothing really. Maybe he''s scared to jump in?¡± Aurora responds back. ¡°It would fit what we''ve heard before... but maybe Gus did something? A debt owed or a bad deal. It''s hard to tell.¡±


    Markus silently listens to the girls as they chat about what the sheriff is doing. It''s clear he isn''t doing anything to stop the arguing or deescalate the situation. The man has fellow deputies as backup, but still won''t step in. Something is wrong with the situation.


    ¡°Hey, both of you get your belongings ready.¡± Markus says with a serious tone. Eclair and Aurora look at him with confused faces. ¡°We might need to leave quick. Get everything ready now.¡±


    After Markus finishes talking, he moves his hands to the edge of the window. He opens it a few inches, enough to allow noise from outside to enter the room. Angry voices and yelling can be heard immediately.


    ¡°Get moving. I''ll get my things ready too. We can listen to how things shake out outside.¡± Markus says to the fae. They both nod in agreement and fly back to their respective drawers. Markus also moves away from the window as he starts quickly gathering all his belongings.


    In the street below, the argument between Gus and the woman in red have reached a boiling point. Both sides are yelling and cursing loudly. Neither side is backing down from their dispute.


    ¡°You damn witch! I have nothing to do with you! I''ve said it before and I''ll say it again! I will not give you my truck or supplies!¡± Gus is angrily yelling at the woman in red. ¡°Robbery! I came here to meet the sheriff and this is what I get!?¡±


    ¡°Do not offend me with words fat man! The Crimsons work with all of your clients in Montillo! You''ve been dealing with them without giving us our cut! We''re just taking all the back pay at once!¡± The woman in red yells back to Gus.


    ¡°Extortion then! The answer is still the same!¡± Gus responds, but then notices Luca several yards behind the woman''s group. ¡°Luca! Finally! Get over here and cease this madness!¡±


    Luca simply smiles back with his arms folded. He doesn''t move, and his deputies stay in their places too. A confused look forms on Gus'' face, but then he realizes what''s occurred.


    ¡°You... you dirty bastard! You set me up!¡± Gus yells while shaking his fist towards Luca.


    Abel grabs Gus'' arm while saying ¡°This is bad. We need to go now. Jump in the truck as soon as there''s an opening.¡±


    Markus is standing by the open window while listening to everything outside. Both sides have gone back to yelling at each other. At his feet, the overloaded backpack sits with a front pouch open. The fae fly over to drop their off bags inside the pouch. He zips it up, then loads his backpack onto his shoulders.


    Eclair and Aurora have anxious looks on their faces. Their gazes keep drifting out the window at the unfolding crisis. They heard the exchanging of words just like Markus. Gus and Abel are in serious trouble.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Markus glances at the girls. They have all their armor being worn, with Eclair''s sword sheathed and Aurora holding her spear in both hands. Markus does a quick check on his equipment too. The combat vest is on, and the war hammer sits on his waist. Slung across his chest is his folded assault rifle still wrapped in the blue cloak.


    A pat down reveals Markus forgot his pistol. He sees it still on the night stand. Walking over, he grabs it and puts it back into the vest holster. One last look around reveals a disheveled room, with all the dresser drawers pulled out. Satisfied he''s got everything, Markus walks back to the window where the fae are waiting.


    Suddenly, the argument outside turns violent. A Crimson thug rushes Abel from behind, grabbing him in a bear hug. Abel smashes the back of his head against the face of the man. The thug lets go, allowing Abel to reach for his dagger. In one swift motion, he turns around and plunges the dagger into the neck of the thug. It kills him instantly.


    All hell breaks loose. Abel''s action causes all the other Crimson members to pull out their own weapons. Daggers, clubs, and swords are being drawn out. The Crimson man that was near the truck runs at Abel now. With a short sword, he takes a slash at him. Abel ducks and then kicks the legs out from underneath the attacker. The attacker falls on his back, letting Abel to jump on top of him. He stabs the man several times in the chest before he can recover.


    Gus holds his own in the fight. With a powerful punch, he sends the buddy of the scarred Crimson thug flying backwards. The scarred man himself is then grabbed by Gus and thrown hard against a lamp post. Abel sees Gus in trouble, and grabs a second dagger from the man just killed. He starts running towards his friend.


    Out of the blue, a crossbow bolt hits the back of Abel. Then another, and then another. Abel staggers for a few steps, his daggers drop to the ground, and he collapses face first. Gus sees the death of his friend, and immediately gives up. He raises his arms up while yelling to the woman in red ¡°Stop! I give up! Just take everything!¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ! They fucking killed him.¡± Markus says loudly. He looks over to the right side of the window. On a nearby rooftop, three Crimson men with small crossbows can be seen. They were not there earlier, and must have only just arrived.


    The front door swings open at the Evergreen restaurant. A man dressed in an all black suit with a matching fedora hat calmly walks outside. He strolls over to the woman in red standing in front of Gus. Markus can''t see the face of the man, but he whispers something to the woman in red.


    The woman in red nods in agreement at something. She then pulls out her dagger and walks towards Gus. The man in the all black suit disappears back inside the Evergreen restaurant. She says to Gus ¡°We''re going to take everything mister Augustus... but there is a loose end. Where is your friend? The one with the fairies?¡±


    Gus takes a deep breath before responding ¡°I''ve got a family... but you''re just going to kill me anyway aren''t you? Why would I give up a friend?¡± Thinking for a moment, Gus then gives a big smile towards the woman in red. He says to her ¡°I''ve got a feeling you''re going to regret chasing that man.¡±


    An angry scowl forms on the face of the woman in red. She suddenly plunges her dagger into the heart of Gus. She repeats the process numerous times as he falls to the ground. Blood is covering her arm before finally stopping.


    ¡°Nooo! Monsters... Fucking Monsters...¡± Markus yells from inside the room. He couldn''t hear the last exchange of words, seeing only the death of Gus. An angry fist smashes the wall beside the window.


    ¡°Alright! That''s enough!¡± Luca yells out as he starts walking toward the woman in red. When he reaches her, Luca begins putting on a performance to the witnesses in the area. ¡°Put your weapons away! This was a clear act of self defense, seeing as mister Augustus'' bodyguard attacked first! Everyone go home, we''ll take over from here!¡±


    ¡°Motherfucker... he''s really working with them.¡± Markus says under his breath. ¡°They didn''t have to die like that.¡±


    After his announcement, Luca quietly talks to the woman in red. He says ¡°Monica, this was way too dirty. You need to double the finders fee for the man with the fairies now.¡±


    ¡°Luca, it better be worth it. Tell me again why you deserve one anyway?¡± Monica responds.


    ¡°My boys have this town locked down with who''s coming and going. That fella came from the East. Nothing that way except ruins and fairies. He comes from nowhere and tells me about a body he just so happens to find. My boys say the dead man was robbed of nearly everything.¡± Luca says with serious tone. ¡°Far as I can tell, he''s a crook or a killer or both. Gods know, maybe he''s even from the other world.¡±


    ¡°Alright, fine.¡± Monica says with a dismissive sigh ¡°We lost two men today, and if he''s as you say then he''ll be a good addition. Even if we need to do some persuasion. Still... I''m curious why such a person was involved with Augustus.¡±


    ¡°Good. By the way, he''s in the Mountain View Inn. I don''t know which room so have fun looking.¡± Luca says with a smile. He turns around and walks back to his waiting deputies.


    The conversation between Luca and the woman in the red is too soft to be heard from the room. Markus looks at the bodies of Gus and Abel. He can''t believe what he''s seen. A feeling of guilt forms inside him. Could he have done anything different?


    ¡°Alright boys! Go across the street to the inn! The man with the fairies is in there somewhere! Don''t rough him up too bad!¡± The woman in red yells out to the nearby Crimson members.


    Markus immediately turns to Eclair and Aurora. He says to them ¡°Shit, that''s us. We need to go now!¡±

 Chapter 036

    The door slams open as Markus and the fae rush into the hallway from their room. Everyone quickly heads over to the nearby stairwell on the right. As Markus begins taking a step down, yelling rises up from the lobby. He immediately pulls his foot back, looking down over the banister rail. Only the L-shape stairs can be seen winding down to the floors below.


    ¡°Get outta my building ya bastards!¡± Phil yells from the lobby. Arguing with Crimson members no doubt. ¡°I saw what you did!¡±


    Another man''s voice cuts in ¡°Tell us where he is! We don''t have time to bust every door!¡±


    ¡°Goddammit! Too late... We need another way out.¡± Markus says to the fae. He moves away from the stairs, back tracking down the hallway with Eclair and Aurora following closely.


    Running down the hall, the group makes a sharp right turn. Markus immediately sees a large window at the end of the path, sprinting faster to reach it. The window has a console table and chair placed in front for decoration. Markus kicks them aside as his hands begin pushing up against the window. It''s locked tight.


    Thinking fast, Markus grabs the war hammer from his waist. He swings the hammer backwards and smashes the window with a powerful blow at its center. A crashing sound echos through the hallway as shards of glass dance in the air. The window is broken, but many pieces of glass remain attached. Markus now uses the top of the war hammer to knock off the bits left over.


    ¡°I can''t believe this is happening! Why are they coming for us!? We did everything right! Nobody should know about Markus!¡± Eclair yells in a panic. She''s visibly stressed and on the verge of tears. ¡°They know he''s from Earth! We need help now!¡±


    ¡°Who''s going to help us!? The sheriff!? Little Creek!?¡± Aurora yells back.


    ¡°Stop! It doesn''t matter what they know about me.¡± Markus interjects. The last piece of large glass is finally removed, and he puts the war hammer back in its place. A quick look out the window reveals an inclined roof leading down to a neighboring building.


    ¡°Go first girls. I''ll be right behind you.¡± Markus says to the fae.


    Eclair and Aurora immediately fly out the window. They stop a few yards away, hovering in the air while beckoning to Markus. He acknowledges them, throwing his backpack out the window first. It slides down the incline before bouncing onto the neighboring flat rooftop.


    The next step is Markus climbing through the broken window. He stretches his legs over the window sill and uses his arms to leverage his body. The sound of crunching glass fills the air as he prepares to jump. He places his left hand on the window frame for balance, but suddenly feels a jolt of pain. He screams before clumsily falling down.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Markus hits the inclined roof hard, and immediately looks at his left hand. A large, deep cut is just under his thumb. Skin and muscle have been sliced open to the point where white bone can be seen. All of a sudden, blood starts pumping into the wound. Tears form at the edge of his eyes from the pain.


    A groan escapes Markus before he can slowly stumble his way to the neighboring rooftop. He grabs his backpack and swings it over his shoulders with the right hand. The left hand is crippled, forcing him to slowly slide the left sling of the backpack with his good hand.


    Eclair and Aurora rush toward Markus to see what happened. Eclair speaks first saying ¡°Markus! Are you okay?¡±


    Markus can only show them his left hand. Blood is pouring from the wound. Drops of red are landing all over the rooftop. Eclair covers her mouth in stunned silence.


    ¡°It''s alright Markus! I can heal you.¡± Aurora says when she sees the deep cut. She uses her hands to make a calming gesture to Markus. ¡°It''s okay.¡±


    ¡°Oy! They''re on the roof! Get over here!¡± A man suddenly yells out from the broken window Markus just came through. It was a Crimson thug.


    ¡°Can''t stop now!¡± Markus says to the fae. He begins sprinting away from the Mountain View Inn. Eclair and Aurora follow Markus closely while zipping through the air. Various rooftops are jumped over in an attempt to escape any pursuers.


    Markus eventually looks back and sees no one following. The rooftop he''s on drops down to a narrow alley. He gestures to Eclair and Aurora as he jumps from the roof. Markus lands on several stacked boxes, then jumps again to reach ground level.


    Blood is covering his left hand now. Throbbing pain and stiffness are settling into the wound. Out of desperation, Markus grabs the blue cloak concealing his folded AMD-65 rifle slung across his chest. Hiding the weapon didn''t matter now. He wraps his left hand in the cloak as he moves back into the streets of Montillo.


    As Markus reaches the exit of the alley, a Crimson member walks into view from the side of a building. Both men startle each other in surprise. The thug quickly raises the wooden club in his hand above his head.


    With all of his strength, Markus grabs the man''s face with his right hand. A powerful push is given, slamming the Crimson man''s head against the metal lamp post behind him. The man is out cold, but nearby civilians begin running for cover at the sight of the skirmish.


    Down the street, several more Crimson members are already running toward Markus. They all have clubs or pieces of wood in their hands. He doesn''t think about why they have such weapons. Taking off again, Markus crosses the street and slips into another alley way. Eclair and Aurora follow closely behind.


    The alley way is long and narrow. Soon, it converges with another alley to form a t-crossing. Markus runs straight through the intersection, continuing forward rather then turning.


    ¡°Wait! Markus!¡± Eclair yells from behind. Markus stops and sees the fae trying to navigate the narrow alley. They''re flying speed is limited in the confined space. Aurora passes the intersection first, then Eclair follows right after.


    From seemingly nowhere, two Crimson members dash into the alley from the t-crossing. It''s the man with the scar and his friend. Eclair stops flying in surprise, instead looking back at the men that have appeared behind her. Hesitation allows the scarred man to swing his wooden club in her direction. The power of the swing is reduced due to space, but Eclair is still clipped by the weapon.


    Eclair is sent reeling backwards, her body smashing against a nearby wall before falling to the ground. Aurora screams Eclair''s name as she flies to her side. The friend of the scarred man is slowly starting to lift his own club as he walks to the fae. Markus feels something break deep within.


    Rage. Countless emotions are filling Markus. Sadness, fear, pain, but mostly, rage. His right hand quickly undoes the holster to the Steyr pistol on his vest. For the first time in his life, Markus points a gun at another human being. He doesn''t hesitate pulling the trigger.

 Chapter 037

    Gunshots echo throughout the alleyway. The Crimson man walking towards the fae is struck first. A bullet tears into his left thigh, and another follows just below it. He yells in pain, but doesn''t stop his advance. Another step is taken as he prepares to drop the wooden club on the girls. A third gunshot, with a bullet ripping into the inner right thigh. The man crumbles to his knees, but doesn''t release his weapon. One more gunshot. The shoulder leading the club arm is hit. The Crimson man collapses backwards with his weapon, screaming in agony.


    ''Shoot to cripple''. ''Don''t kill anyone''. Markus keeps repeating the phrases in his head. Accurately aiming with one hand is slowing him down. Rage is tempting him to do the unthinkable. The pistol then turns toward the scarred Crimson man. The man flinches at the gun, but he starts charging anyway.


    Markus lowers the pistol at the scarred man''s legs, pulling the trigger three times in quick succession. The 9mm bullets easily tear through the leather armor and clothing of the man. Each thigh is hit, and a third bullet smashes into the right knee cap. The scarred Crimson slams face first into the ground. He immediately rolls over, grabbing his legs while yelling in pain.


    The face of Markus quickly changes to horror as he realizes what he''s done. The rage felt earlier is gone now as he sees the crippled men in front of him. Markus stands silently for a moment, but he then remembers Eclair.


    Rushing to Eclair''s side, Markus kneels above Aurora as she attends to their wounded friend. Eclair''s eyes are closed as blood drips from a wound on her head. Her wings are completely listless.


    ¡°Oh God... tell me she''s not dead. Tell me she''s okay.¡± Markus says in a panic. His voice is cracking as he watches Aurora tend to Eclair. ¡°I''m sorry. I''m sorry Eclair.¡±


    Aurora''s hands glow as she moves around Eclair''s head. She says ¡°She''s alive! It''s a concussion I think. We need to go somewhere right now so I can finish healing her.¡±


    Markus reacts immediately to Aurora''s words. He says ¡°Got it. I''ll carry her.¡± Dropping his pistol to the ground, he uses the good right hand to undo the blue cloak wrapped around his wounded hand. Anguish appears on his face as he pulls the cloak apart from the cut. Laying the cloak on the ground, Markus finds the least bloody area for Eclair.


    Gently, Markus places Eclair into the center of the cloak. More pain crosses the face of Markus as he closes the wounded hand securely around the cloak despite his wound. He then ties a portion of the cloak around his left hand to further lock Eclair.


    Several more Crimson members rush into the alley as soon as Markus finishes. He grabs his pistol, standing up while Aurora takes off into the air. Markus keeps the wrapped cloak close to his chest as he backs away from the Crimson men.


    ¡°Look at what he did. Screw Monica''s orders! Kill the bastard!¡± One of the Crimson thugs yells. They all start dropping or tossing wooden weapons away. Swords and daggers are now being pulled out as the men start to move forward.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Markus points his pistol at the nearest Crimson man. They''re only several yards away, already reaching their wounded friends. He yells ¡°Stay back! Get away from us! I don''t know what the hell you want with me!¡± Markus keeps moving backwards as Aurora hovers behind him.


    One of the thugs starts charging. Markus reacts instantly and fires off a shot at the charging man. The bullet strikes the man''s left ear, tearing off the top half. The man''s screams immediately stop the others from moving.


    ¡°That''s a Earth gun! A real gun... We need to get Monica quick!¡± Another man yells out. A Crimson member backs away from the group and disappears at the t-crossing.


    Markus takes off running in the opposite direction. The Crimson''s are reluctant to follow closely, keeping their distance now. The opening of the alley is only a few yards ahead. Markus sprints with Aurora closely following. The cloak carrying Eclair is still held tightly by the wounded hand of Markus.


    At last, Markus reaches the streets of Montillo again. He runs across a nearly empty road, then turns around to see what the Crimson''s are doing. The group following Markus exits the alley, and stand there watching him.


    Backing up slowly, Markus is about to start running again down the street when he sees the face of the woman in red. She appears from behind the Crimson group from the alley. Immediately, she takes command by stepping in front of the men. Markus recalls the name Monica, and can only assume she''s a leader.


    Monica stares intensely at Markus from across the road. She then lifts her hand up, and gives a signal to the men beside her. All of a sudden, they all start charging towards him. Panic and fear are starting to set in because they won''t stop. The pistol is again pointed at the charging group as Markus begins running backwards. Out of desperation, he fires wildly into the Crimson men.


    Markus rapidly squeezes the trigger six times. The sound of gunshots causes nearby civilians to scream in fear while attempting to hide. Recoil together with running causes the shots to be wildly inaccurate. A lucky bullet hits a Crimson thug''s finger, severing it completely off. The other pursuers start scrambling into cover or ducking to the ground. A pair of bullets ricochet off the ground, one shatters a shop window, and another bounces off a lamp post. The final bullet aims true at the heart of Monica.


    However, the last bullet never reaches its mark. Standing tall and without fear, Monica has her hands pressed against the air. It''s the same stance Aurora made inside the ruins. The last bullet smashes into a barrier, as if made of bullet-proof glass. A spiderweb of cracks ripple from the point of impact. A few moments pass before she undoes her magic. A twisted bullet falls harmlessly to the ground.


    The eyes of Markus are now stuck on the woman called Monica. He''s just seen her stop a bullet out of thin air. Slowing himself down, Markus takes careful aim at her. A terrible thought enters his mind. He''s facing a murderer using magic.


    ¡°Everyone stop! Fall back!¡± Monica yells at her men. ¡°He''s from the other side. Leave him for now, and get the wounded! Move your asses!¡± She signals again with her hands, before moving back into the alley and out of sight.


    The Crimson men start retreating away from Markus. The man with the severed finger is yelling and cursing while gripping his hand. He''s the last to disappear out of view. Several nearby civilians begin moving or standing up from behind cover.


    An incredible sigh of relief escapes from Markus. He starts to jog further down the street. People are now sticking their heads out windows and shops, wondering what the commotion was all about. Another alley is soon found, and Markus slips inside with Aurora.


    Following the alley a short distance, Markus quickly appears on a different street. As he exits, a familiar face greets him. He''s taken by surprise at the completely unexpected encounter. It''s Versa, the bat-woman from the cave.

 Chapter 038

    ¡°You! I knew it... the sounds. I was rushing toward the sounds. It could only have been you.¡± Versa says with a labored voice. Her chest is pumping quickly, out of breath from her previous running. ¡°Waiting in town was the right choice.¡± Versa suddenly reaches out with her long fingers, grabbing Markus by the sleeve of the armed hand. She starts pulling in an attempt to lead him somewhere.


    ¡°Wait! Hold on. I need help first.¡± Markus says as he yanks his arm away. He carefully points his pistol downward as he continues saying ¡°I''ve got a hurt friend. I''m hurt too. Help us get the hell out of here Versa.¡±


    Color drains from the face of Versa. She''s standing silently with a shocked expression. A few moments pass before she can respond saying ¡°How did you learn so fast? And my name? Where did you-¡±


    Markus cuts her off quickly, saying ¡°Magic. I''ll fill you in later. Now help us goddammit!¡±


    ¡°Hey Markus, we need to go now. We''ve got too much attention.¡± Aurora jumps into the conversation. Drifting between the two, she starts pointing in several directions. She then flies above the head of Markus, anxiously on watch for any new dangers.


    Looking around, Markus sees small crowds gathering a few yards to the left and right on the sidewalk. Curious onlookers whisper among themselves. An occasional person points to him. It''s obvious some of the people know what the exposed assault rifle slung across his chest is. There''s no hiding anymore, Markus has been exposed to the world.


    Versa finally gathers herself enough to notice the growing crowd too. She pulls herself close to Markus'' face, whispering ¡°Follow me, I have somewhere safe we can all go. Your friend is right.¡±


    A quick glance downward by Markus has his eyes scanning the body of Versa. She''s wearing almost the exact outfit as the day they met. The only change is the denim Capri she''s wearing. Images of their fight with the giant spider flood into his mind. Markus agrees with a head nod, knowing she''s the only option he has now.


    With a motion of her head, Versa gives Markus the sign to follow. She then starts a light jog back into the alley he just emerged from. He quickly follows right behind her as Aurora flies close. In a short time, they appear again on the street where the Crimsons where last seen.


    Versa continues north at a brisk pace up the street. Markus and Aurora follow closely behind her as they all weave through Montillo. The cloak holding Eclair is kept as stable as possible, but Markus can''t help looking at it constantly. Genuine concern fills him because he can''t see her.


    With a distracted mind, Markus can only guess where he''s going. People are consistently looking at him now as they move. The group goes north for a short while, before turning east into small side streets. They continue for a ways, until reaching the eastern edge of Montillo. The cobble streets have morphed into dirt roads in this area of town. All except one.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Markus notices the particular road immediately as Versa begins leading the group on it. Only a single building on the hill ahead can be seen. Empty fields and nature surround either side of the lonely cobble road they''re on. Soon, the large building comes closer into view.


    A large, beige colored estate designed in a U-form appears. Two stories with a black roof and countless windows. An eight foot high brick wall surrounds the entire compound. A massive, closed iron gate sits parallel in front of the entrance of the building.


    Turning to look back, Markus can see the estate has a commanding view of the local area and all of Montillo. He can only assume someone important lives in the building. Facing back to Versa, he sees she''s stopped a short distance away from the estate entrance.


    Catching up to Versa, Markus now sees why. Two Crimson members are loitering right beside the iron front gate. One of the men is leaning against the brick wall while the other is sleeping under the shade of a nearby tree.


    As Markus is thinking of what to say next, Versa suddenly dashes to the front gate. She''s still many yards away before the Crimson by the wall notices her approaching.


    ¡°Hey! Get Up!¡± The man yells to his sleeping partner. ¡°Someone is coming!¡±


    The sleeping Crimson is startled awake, and looks over to the running Versa. He realizes who she is and yells back ¡°What!? Again! How does she keep sneaking out!?¡±


    Versa only gets within a few yards of the gate before the Crimson by the wall rushes to grab her. He''s able to lock his arms in a bear hug around her body. Versa furiously kicks and flails as she starts screaming ¡°Oscar! Oscar! Open the gate! I''m back!¡±


    ¡°We''ve got to help her!¡± Aurora yells to Markus.


    ¡°I know! Listen, fly behind the guy grabbing Versa. I''ll give you a signal. When I do, distract him or stab him or something.¡± Markus responds back. He then rushes toward the Crimson man that was sleeping. His back is currently turned to Markus, busy watching Versa instead. Neither man seems to know about him.


    Markus quietly covers the distance to the man, but his friend holding Versa notices and calls out ¡°Behind you! Look behind you!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The other man says back. He starts looking behind, but it''s too late. Markus is already upon him.


    The full force of the pistol whip hits the man''s face just as he''s turning. The Crimson is sent slamming into the ground. A piece of the pistol has cut the man, causing bleeding to appear on his cheek. Blood now drips from the pistol grip of Markus'' Steyr. The man isn''t moving, completely unconscious.


    ¡°Who are you!?¡± The man holding Versa yells out. He pulls a dagger from his waist and holds it to her neck. He says ¡°Don''t move. This isn''t your business.¡±


    Markus starts waving his pistol in the air. From behind the man, Aurora sees the signal. She silently flies into position with her metal spear held tightly. She aims the spear at the arm holding the dagger, then flies at high speed. The metal spear pierces several inches into the man''s flesh. He screams in pain and drops his weapon.


    Versa instantly breaks free and pushes the man away. Markus takes aim with the pistol, pulling the trigger once. A gunshot rings out as a bullet strikes the man in the upper left shoulder. The man cries out in pain, dropping to the ground.


    The pistol slide is stuck open. Markus realizes he''s out of ammo, but is in no condition to switch magazines. He rushes to Versa''s side and says ¡°Come on, we need to get inside.¡± Just as those words escape Markus, the iron gate opens.

 Chapter 039

    The sound of churning hinges and creaking metal fill the air as the iron gate opens inward toward the estate. Markus turns his attention to watch, seeing an older gentleman prying back both doors. Once they are partially opened, he rushes outside with a Noverran rifle in both hands.


    Markus notices right away the old style butler uniform the man is wearing. Salt and pepper hair with a short, trimmed beard. The man must be at least in his fifties or sixties. Interestingly, noticeable scars are prominent on his face. A body of muscles can be outlined under his uniform. The old man is clearly more than a butler.


    ¡°Oscar! I''m so glad you heard us.¡± Versa calls out. A sigh of relief escapes from her.


    The butler called Oscar quickly moves to the Crimson with the gunshot wound. The man is kneeling, gripping his shoulder in pain. He''s about to stand up when the old butler reaches him. The Noverran rifle carried by Oscar flips around in his hands, and just like a baseball bat, he swings. The butt of the rifle smashes against the head of the Crimson man. He tumbles over, motionless.


    ¡°Versa! Get inside now with your friends. We have company.¡± Oscar yells right after the blow. He swings his rifle to point down the cobble road.


    Markus turns his head to see at what the old man meant. Down the hill, near the edge of Montillo, a large group of people is running in their direction. It''s too far away to see who exactly they are, but Markus can only assume more Crimsons are on the way.


    Versa picks herself up off the ground and dashes to the iron gate. Markus quickly follows as Aurora flies pass everyone. The group soon makes it within the estate compound. Oscar enters last, then frantically begins closing the gate with both hands. The doors swing shut and a loud clicking sound is heard.


    ¡°Come on. Get inside everyone. I''m sure they won''t be happy when they see their friends.¡± Oscar says with a laugh.


    Markus stares in disbelief at the old butler. No signs of fear. He''s actually smiling as he walks everyone to the front entrance of the estate. Looking behind, Markus sees the compound wall, but it wouldn''t prevent any Crimsons from simply climbing over.


    Walking beside the butler, Markus sees he''s only a few inches shorter than himself. From the side, Oscar is clearly older. Some wrinkles in the skin, but his scars are the most noticeable. The man has sturdy features with a defined chin. Oscar must have been a tough man in his younger days.


    From the iron gate to the estate, the group hurries pass a circular driveway. They then walk onto a paved path leading to the main building. A few stairs up from the path leads to a porch. Large, twin wooden doors greet everyone. Oscar moves in front to push the entrance open.


    Through the estate front doors, Markus is taken back by the elegance of the interior. A large, bifurcated staircase is directly ahead leading to the second level. A chandelier hangs above him made of crystal or glass. The furniture is hand carved wood and beautiful portraits sit on every wall. Trims and accents of wood flow in every direction.


    As Markus looks around, he spots a wooden couch with cushions against the wall. Next to it is a decorative table. He immediately moves to the furniture while taking off his backpack. The backpack is swung to the floor, rolling on its side. The empty pistol is now set on the edge of the decorative table. Markus then grabs the sling for the rifle in order to lift it over his head. The weapon is dropped right beside the backpack against the wall.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Carefully unwrapping the bloody cloak from his left hand, Markus gently lowers Eclair onto the table. Markus loosens his grip, but realizes some portions of cloth have fused with his wound. The cloak can''t open all the way. Dried blood, puss, and fabric are binding together.


    ¡°Someone come over here and help me.¡± Markus calls out, and soon everyone gathers around him. Gripping the table with his good hand, he then says ¡°I need someone to hold cloak.¡±


    ¡°Nasty cut. I''ll do it, but what''s inside?¡± Oscar asks while leaning his rifle against the wall. He then firmly grabs the cloak with one hand.


    ¡°A friend that''s hurt. She needs help.¡± Markus replies. A deep breath is taken. Markus suddenly yanks the cloak free from his left hand. Terrible pain returns to the wound. Tears form at the edge of his eyes as he stumbles to sit on the wooden couch. He desperately grips his cut hand to stop the bleeding.


    ¡°Yup... nasty one.¡± Oscar quips, then yells down the hallway to the right. ¡°Get some disinfectant and a pan. Hurry up girls, don''t want blood everywhere!¡±


    Markus turns his head in the direction Oscar is facing. He sees two young, homely maids peeking their heads around a corner of the hallway. They''re dressed in traditional french maid uniforms with long skirts, but both of them scatter down the hallway before Markus can take a good look.


    ¡°Poor little one, I''ll help. I''m the physician for the mistress here.¡± Versa says to Aurora. In his pain, Markus didn''t notice Versa already opened the cloak to examine Eclair. Aurora is walking on the table beside her hurt friend.


    ¡°Here and here.¡± Aurora says to Versa while pointing. ¡°She also hit her head hard. I tried my best to heal her, but I wasn''t able to finish.¡±


    Versa is quickly moving her elongated fingers all over the body of Eclair. Her bat ears twitch occasionally as she intensely looks over the patient. Just like in the alley with Aurora, her fingers also begin to glow intermittently. After a few moments she says ¡°Good, nothing serious. Bones not broken, just bruises. Cut on head, minor concussion. Yes, I think she''ll be fine once I get working on her.¡±


    A huge sigh of relief come from Aurora. She sits down beside Eclair, watching Versa begin her healing work. From the couch, Markus looks with curiosity at the healing magic being performed. Looking down at his cut, he secretly hopes the process works just like movies and games he''s seen. It would definitely be useful now.


    A few moments pass before the two maids from before appear in a hurry. Each one is carrying items in her hands. A metal pan, towels, bottles, and other materials. They rush to Oscar to drop off all the items at his feet. Before Markus can look at them closely, they scurry away again. Both of the maids end up right back at the corner they were peeking around earlier.


    Oscar kneels down in front of Markus as he begins organizing the items brought to him. The pan is set up under the injured hand. Towels are set aside and several bottles are opened. Satisfied with what he has, Oscar suddenly grips the cut hand of Markus.


    ¡°What''s your name?¡± Oscar asks.


    ¡°Markus... the fae are Aurora and Eclair.¡± Markus replies. Pain and numbness are creating breaks in his voice. Tiny beads of sweat are forming on his face.


    ¡°Alright Markus. I''m going to help you get patched up. I''ve just got one piece of advice.¡± Oscar says with a smirk.


    Markus is a bit confused, asking ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°This is going to hurt like a bitch. Better pray to whatever god you believe in.¡± Oscar says back.


    The eyes of Markus widen as he watches Oscar grip his wounded hand. An open bottle is then grabbed by him as he pours it directly into the cut. Stinging pain, all Markus can feel in his hand is incredible stinging. The pain is so great it forces him to bite down on his vest to prevent screaming. The pan below fills with liquid, along with blood, dirt, and left over fabric.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Aurora says as she flies over to Markus. Distress is all she can see on his face. ¡°Hey, take it easy!¡± She yells to Oscar.


    The old butler ignores her. After the disinfectant, Oscar starts cleaning the wound with dry towels. They quickly turn red, but process ends in short order. Taking a close look at the wound, he then gives a nod to Aurora.


    ¡°Okay miss. He''s all yours. Versa is busy with your friend, so you need to finish this guy.¡± Oscar says while standing up, patting Markus on the shoulder as he walks away. ¡°You''re definitely a tough fella for an Earthling, I''ll give you that.¡±

 Chapter 040

    Markus can only look at Oscar as he strides away. The old butler moves toward Versa, stopping to watch as she continues healing Eclair. His mind is racing with words and explanations, but he stops himself. Oscar clearly knows his true origins. There isn''t any point in hiding it now.


    ¡°Grab a towel and put it on the cushion so I can fix you up.¡± Aurora says to Markus. She then lands softly on the couch beside him.


    Doing as told, Markus leans over to grab a clean towel from the leftover pile on the floor. He spreads it out over a cushion, placing his left hand open on top of it. Aurora walks over to his wounded hand. Kneeling down, she starts examining the cut closely. Her hands then drift over the wound.


    Aurora''s fingertips begin to glow, the unmistakable sign of magic. Markus watches closely, his eyes intensely focusing on his own cut. The wound is clean, but blood is starting to pool inside again from all the recent agitations.


    Markus soon starts feeling a burning sensation at the edges of the cut. Looking closer, he finally sees the effects of the healing magic. Each end of the cut is mysteriously closing, but healing magic of this world isn''t what he was expecting. The process is slow and the burning sensation hurts.


    ¡°So... can you use any other magic?¡± Markus asks Aurora in a soft tone. Talking is the only thing he can do to preoccupy his mind as he waits.


    A few moments pass before Aurora replies saying ¡°No, this is the last of it. You''ve seen all the magic I can do now. Not the best way to find out though.¡± She gives a smirk to Markus.


    ¡°I see. A magic barrier, translation magic, and healing magic.¡± Markus responds. He then sits quietly thinking to himself. The thumb on his left hand twitches periodically from the burning sensations. Suddenly, Markus straightens himself as he realizes a thought. ¡°Oh, I get it. You learned the best magic to help with your scouting. Protection, communication, and survival.¡±


    ¡°Very good. That''s exactly right. Scouting is all about getting the information to the right place. Everything else is secondary. At least that''s how I was trained.¡± Aurora says with a flashing smile, but it vanishes soon after. ¡°However... I''ve got a lot left to learn. Already made mistakes since leaving Little Creek. I definitely should have noticed the thugs in the alley.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine. We all have a lot to learn now.¡± Markus says back. He then notices Oscar walking to the side of the couch. Out of the blue, the old butler picks up Markus'' assault rifle.


    ¡°Hey! What the hell are you doing?¡± Markus yells out. Everyone quickly turns to look at Oscar.


    The old butler walks a few paces to the middle of the main lobby with the assault rifle. He looks over the weapon, flipping it over a few times, before pressing the back button to release the folded stock. The stock is then brought back to its natural position. Oscar immediately takes aim around the estate, taking shooting stances as if he were trained.


    ¡°Lovely weapon, but it''s not standard issue I believe. What branch of American military are you in? Army... National Guard? Oh! Maybe you''re with the police forces.¡± Oscar calls out to Markus.


    Markus feels his heart sink. His guard was down only shortly, but he''s already been completely disarmed. Looking over to the table with the empty pistol, he knows he can''t do anything to change the situation. He glances over to Aurora, who''s looking back with concern on her face. With a visible nod, Markus let''s her understand it''s okay to continue with the healing.


    The right hand of Markus runs over his hair as he thinks about what to say next. After a few moments, he says ¡°I''m not a soldier or a cop. I''ve never had any sort of training like that. I might have had a few military buddies, but that''s it. Everything I know except some hunting is self taught.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Oscar yells out. He walks over to Markus in a hurry. He holds the rifle flat in his hands and says ¡°You''re kidding? Not part of any military? No advance scouting group or expeditionary force?¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°No! I''m just a dumb ass that walked into a portal. I just happened to prepare myself for the trip.¡± Markus replies in anger.


    Silence fills the air as everyone is quiet. After a short time, Oscar starts to laugh. He says ¡°Ha... a heavily armed civilian then? I love it!¡± Oscar then drops Markus'' assault rifle onto his lap. ¡°As a student of warfare, I can''t get enough of your country.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Markus asks while cautiously gripping his rifle.


    ¡°America, for better or worse, is constantly at war. Countless weapons, veterans, and stories have reached Ronoa. I''ve fought in almost every conflict on this continent for thirty years. One of my early teachers was from your world. A veteran of Vietnam.¡± Oscar says with a passionate smile. ¡°Sly one he was, eluded the government till the day he died on a battlefield. Taught many of us his techniques.¡±


    ¡°Well... that certainly explains a lot.¡± Markus says with a concerned smile.


    Oscar walks over to the wall and grabs his own Noverran rifle. He says ¡°We''ve created such good copies, only for them to be trash because of ammunition issues.¡± He tosses the rifle back to its spot. ¡°Since retiring, one of my hobbies has been following news or publications. Specifically about wars or weapons from your world. I''ve got a wonderful library now.¡±


    ¡°I''m done! Tell me how it feels.¡± Aurora interjects. She smacks Markus'' hand several times to get his attention. ¡°I''m sorry... I couldn''t make it completely better.¡±


    Markus brings his left hand close to his face, closing and opening all his fingers to test its function. A visible scar remains just below the thumb, but otherwise the wound is completely gone. He presses the location of the wound. Nothing. The immediate area around the scar no longer feels touch.


    Smiling, Markus gently pats Aurora on the head. He says ¡°You did well.¡± He then turns to focus on Oscar to ask ¡°I don''t understand. Why tell me all this?¡±


    ¡°Because we need to know each other. Especially for all the killing we''re going to do soon.¡± Oscar says with grin. ¡°We''ve been dealing with the Crimsons for a while, trapped in our own home cuss of them. They''re asking for ransom. Preventing any help, food, or medicine from reaching us. But... now that you''ve arrived. Everything changes.¡±


    Markus is genuinely surprised by the change in tone from the old butler. He quickly replies ¡°I''m a good person. Certainly not a killer. I-¡± His voice trails off ¡°Shit... I hope I haven''t.¡± In his mind, Markus replays all the images from the men shot as he escaped Montillo. ¡°Goddammit, I tried aiming. I wasn''t trying to kill anyone.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Shot more than just the guard outside the estate?¡± Oscar asks with curiosity.


    A deep sigh leaves Markus. He says ¡°Ya, that''s right. Several Crimsons that chased us through Montillo. I was trying to wound them. Hitting arms and legs.¡±


    ¡°Ah, too bad. Those men are certainly alive.¡± Oscar responds immediately.


    The comment perks Markus up. He asks ¡°How are you so sure?¡±


    Oscar provides another grin while saying ¡°As a vet, best piece of advice I can give you is make sure you kill whoever you fight. You always have to make sure. Especially on our world. For example, a damn good portion of humans know some healing magic. I promise you as soon as you left those wounded Crimsons alone, some of their friends were already patching them up.¡±


    Markus'' eyes open wide. This information was unknown to him, making him ask ¡°You can''t be serious. Healing magic is that common?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but only trained people are good at it. I guess the old saying ''easy to learn, hard to master'' applies. But even basic healing magic can stop massive bleeding, seal wounds, and more. Allows plenty of time for a real doctor to clean up after.¡± Oscar replies back.


    A massive weight comes off Markus. His face shows visible relief at the information. Leaning back in the couch, he rubs his face as he tries to process everything.


    ¡°Oscar! They''re gathering at the front gate like you said they would.¡± A woman''s voice calls out from the second story. Markus looks upward, but can''t see the person from his position.


    ¡°Alright, we need to finish our chat later.¡± Oscar says as he grabs his rifle from the wall. He starts walking to the front door, but stops to turn around. ¡°Well? You coming kid?¡±


    Sitting quietly, Markus begins to open and close his left hand anxiously. He thinks to himself while looking at his recently healed wound. After a minute, he stands up with his own rifle in his hands. Markus then walks over to the decorative table and grabs his empty pistol. Leaning his rifle against the wall momentarily, he starts to swiftly reload the pistol. The empty magazine swaps places with a fully loaded one from his combat vest. The pistol slide racks itself close as the weapon returns to its holster.


    ¡°You girls stay here and watch over Eclair.¡± Markus says while grabbing his rifle again. As he walks to Oscar, he sees the old butler with a big smile. Oscar pats him on the side and laughs. He then pushes both of the front doors wide open.

 Chapter 041

    The walk to the iron gate is quiet between Markus and Oscar. Neither man says anything. Only the sound of footsteps fill the air as they both move through the estate grounds. Soon, Markus can see a large group of people loitering outside the wall. All of them Crimson members, with a single figure standing right behind the metal bars of the gate. It''s the woman called Monica, waiting with her arms folded as she watches both men walking closer.


    Oscar leans over to Markus to whisper ¡°I''ll talk to see what they want, but I can already take a guess. Keep your gun handy. We may need to scare them... or worse.¡±


    A nod from Markus acknowledges what was said, then he grips the assault rifle tightly. The fingers of his left hand anxiously tap on the fore grip of his weapon. The index finger of his right hand stays ready near the trigger.


    ¡°Don''t act so nervous. People like them can sense it. The trick is to make them fear you more.¡± Oscar whispers to Markus. ¡°Sometimes... it''s the only advantage you have.¡±


    Both men continue to walk closer, before stopping themselves a few yards from the iron gate. The large group of Crimsons behind Monica now notice their presence. Ten to fifteen men, with maybe more out of sight behind the wall. Several of them stop what they''re doing, choosing to stare at Markus and Oscar.


    No one is speaking, except for a few murmurs from Crimsons at the back. Small crates and various supplies are sitting out in the open. A large tent is halfway built beside another lying flat on the ground.


    Markus turns to take a good look at Monica. She''s the same height as Oscar, with long brunette hair reaching halfway down her back. Monica''s face is a longer, more manly shape than expected, but she still has feminine features highlighted by makeup. The clothing she wears is tight fitting on her athletic body, accented with lots of red. Markus notices her shirt sleeve still stained with blood. Suddenly, her brown eyes shift to him with a sharp gaze.


    The eyes of Markus and Monica lock onto each other for a few moments, then break away at the same time. Looking at the Crimsons gathered, Markus notices the two estate guards sitting on the ground. Just as Oscar predicted, both men have other Crimson members bandaging them up. The guard with the shot shoulder is already moving his hurt arm around as healing magic is being performed.


    The sight of the healed Crimsons amazes, and terrifies, Markus. He looks around and soon spots the other men from earlier in the day. At the back, the scarred Crimson is standing together with his partner. Bandages and blood stained clothes can be seen on them. The man with the blown off finger has a bandaged hand. His finger is still missing, but the wound looks healed. Markus realizes Oscar is absolutely right, the healing magic of this world changes everything about fighting.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°So what do you want? Answer is still the same as last time.¡± Oscar says to Monica. His words break the silence. Everybody looks at him as he continues saying ¡°Please leave the grounds. Countess Olivia has nothing to do with you all. You won''t find any ransom here.¡±


    Markus turns his head around for a moment to look at the estate building behind him. It makes sense now, about where he is and who Oscar serves. Even the Crimsons behavior can be attributed to the owner. Hurting any royalty or government officials would certainly bring all sorts of response against the criminals.


    ¡°Don''t act smart. We''ve cut you off for weeks. You should be running low on everything. Besides... no one will be checking up on a Countess that has already disappeared from public view. Just pay us and we''ll leave.¡± Monica responds back.


    Oscar gives a big smile and simply says ¡°No.¡±


    Monica gives Oscar a vicious stare as she says ¡°Fine. Figured as much.¡± She then unfolds her arms and points to Markus. ¡°You. The man from Earth. Whats your name?¡±


    Markus glances to Oscar. He thinks to himself about how to respond, but decides there isn''t any point in lying. She''ll find out sooner or later.


    ¡°I''m Markus, and I hear your name is Monica.¡± Markus replies with cold stare. Face-to-face with Gus'' killer. Countless emotions are twisting inside him.


    ¡°I''m Monica Latavia, but everyone calls me Red.¡± Monica says with a smile. She then leans on the iron gate seductively, her small breast pressing against the metal as she says ¡°Markus... don''t get caught up with these folks. I''ve seen what you can do. We can help each other, especially us keeping you away from the government. They''ll do anything to get you.¡±


    A laugh escapes from Markus. He then stares back at Monica while saying ¡°I''ve already seen what you do. Go to hell.¡±


    ¡°My dear Markus, you wound me. Everything I do is strictly business. Think about it clearly. No one is going to help you in this world. I''m sure you know that. With us... you can have freedom, riches, and even me. I''ve always wanted a man like you. A Noverran woman will rarely turn down an Earth man. You''re simply too exotic.¡± Monica says while flashing a wicked smile. She places a hand on her hip and winks at Markus.


    A nervous smile appears on Markus. He glances over to Oscar again, who gives him a shrug at the situation. Markus stands quietly for a few seconds, then says ¡°Nah, answer is still the same. Go to hell.¡±


    Monica''s smile immediately vanishes, turning into a fierce scowl. She leans against the iron gate with both hands saying ¡°I''ve already lived through hell. But I promise, you''ll be a corpse or my pet soon. And all your equipment will be ours. I gave you a chance.¡± She then turns to Oscar to say ¡°You too old man. No more games. Everything has changed now.¡±


    ¡°We''ll take our chances. I already figured things would reach this point eventually.¡± Oscar replies back, grinning at Monica. ¡°I promise you, our lives will cost you dearly.¡±

 Chapter 042

    Pushing herself away from the iron gate, Monica angrily storms back to her men. She yells out ¡°No more waiting boys! We''re finally going to end this!¡±


    The gathered Crimsons all yell and cheer at Monica''s words. Swords and other weapons rise up into the air in celebration. Several crossbows are lifted high, then brought level. Markus sees those men start pointing the crossbows in their direction. Deliberate aim is being taken.


    Markus raises his own weapon to match the present threat. He yells ¡°Go ahead and try you fucks!¡± The barrel of the assault rifle starts sweeping left to right at the crowd. Many Crimsons flinch at the sight or step backwards in fear. The crossbow men immediately point their weapons downward. Markus'' mind is racing, causing him to yell as a bluff ¡°No second chances! I''ll kill anyone that comes at us!¡±


    Oscar now has his own rifle pointing at the group of Crimsons. Meanwhile, Monica is standing unfazed at the commotion. She then raises a fist to the air as a signal to her men. The Crimsons start sheathing their weapons, slowly moving away from the gate.


    Tension is still in the air. Markus waits a few moments before lowering his own weapon slightly. Oscar, however, is still in his shooting stance. The old butler is aiming squarely at the chest of a Crimson thug. The man is one of the few equipped with a metal piece of armor.


    ¡°Hey! You with the breastplate! Don''t move!¡± Oscar calls out with a smile. Everyone freezes as a gunshot erupts from the Noverran rifle. The bullet slams into the man''s metal breastplate. A loud pinging sound echoes as the Crimson is sent crashing backwards.


    Markus is stunned by Oscar''s action, and so is everyone else. However, the situation is now potentially out of control. Markus quickly raises his rifle up again. Nervousness is showing on his face as he starts aiming at random figures.


    ¡°Son of a bitch! What was that for!?¡± The man with the metal breastplate cries out in pain. He staggers himself off the ground. Several nearby Crimsons help him stand as he continues to curse and yell. A large dent can be seen on the metal right at his heart.


    ¡°That''s my only warning! Next time I''m aiming for the soft parts!¡± Oscars yells back. He then drops his shooting stance and lowers his Noverran rifle. Turning to Markus, he says ¡°Alright, we need to go back.¡±


    Oscar starts slowly moving backwards with his rifle firmly in his hands. Markus gets the hint and starts following his lead. Both men walk backwards to the estate, keeping their rifles focused on the Crimsons beyond the iron gate.


    Monica is clearly angry. She yells out ¡°Get camp going! I want sentries surrounding the entire compound. Round the clock watch! No one escapes!¡± She then starts walking back to the iron gate. Monica puts her face between the metal bars and yells out in a furious tone ¡°You''re going to regret that! All of you!¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    A laugh can be heard from Oscar. He turns to Markus to say ¡°I already regret a lot of things. One more won''t hurt.¡±


    Both men keep moving backwards until they reach a comfortable distance to safety. As they turn around, Markus catches a glimpse of something at the iron gate. Stopping himself to look, he realizes what he sees.


    ¡°Christ, look at the size of him.¡± Markus says to Oscar. Several more Crimsons have joined their comrades. Among them, a wolf beastial can be seen listening to orders being given by Monica. The beastial is at least eight foot tall, reminiscent of werewolves of lore. Shirtless with bulging muscles, thick fur, and razor claws. A red bandanna is tied around his left arm.


    The old butler turns around to look too. Oscar stares for a bit before saying ¡°Looks like they have a pure breed beastial. This is going to be fun.¡±


    Without anything else, Oscar turns his back to the Crimsons. He starts walking on the path leading back to the estate front doors. Markus follows right behind him, occasionally glancing back.


    Soon, Markus and Oscar reach the large wooden doors of the main building. They pass through the doors to reach the main lobby where they all gathered before. Versa is sitting on the couch, and Aurora sitting on the decorative table beside Eclair. The pan, towels, and items brought earlier are now gone.


    Versa stands up to greet the men. She says ¡°We cleaned up after you left. We didn''t need it like we thought.¡± She then turns to Markus to say ¡°Your friend Eclair is doing fine. Only has a few bruises and a tiny scar on her head now. She just needs rest. How did it go with you?¡±


    Oscar jumps in to say ¡°Things are going to get ugly. Good portion of the gang is surrounding the estate now. We can''t ignore a fight anymore.¡±


    ¡°Look, I don''t know if I can do this. I''ve never killed anyone. Even if it''s self defense, I''m not that type of person. I''ve never trained for this situation.¡± Markus says to Oscar with concern showing on his face.


    The old butler laughs, putting his hand on Markus shoulder, then grabbing his combat vest with a firm grip. Oscar says with a serious tone ¡°You don''t have an option. Destiny has made the choice for you. There isn''t any more time. Within two days, you''re going to be dead, captured, or running for your life. I can promise you that.¡±


    Markus stares in silence at the old butler. Oscars eyes show no hint of lying. He then asks ¡°Why two days? Why are you so sure?¡±


    Oscar steps away from Markus. He then points at the holstered pistol saying ¡°You said it yourself. Shot up a bunch of Crimsons in town. I bet that caused a ruckus. I also noticed you weren''t hiding your equipment when you first came to us. I think it''s safe to say the entire town of Montillo knows you exist now.¡±


    A groan escapes from Markus. Images from the chase through town rush into his head. He remembers how people and beastials looked at him as he ran. The stares and whispers from when he met Versa in town.


    ¡°I guarantee the Acquisition Department has already sent a task force for you. Monica knows that too. It''s a race against time now. She only has a small window to get to you first.¡± Oscar says. He then continues with ¡°Government would prefer you alive, but Monica could care less at this point. However, everybody wants your gear. Even if you somehow manage to escape, then you get to be chased by a criminal gang and the government. Slim chances I would say.¡±


    A hand reaches up to Markus'' face. He starts to squeeze the bridge of his nose as he processes all of the information. After a few seconds, he finally says ¡°I''m fucked... I can''t believe it. After everything I tried to do. None of it mattered.¡±

 Chapter 043

    Oscar turns the knob, then gently pushes the door open. ¡°This is it. Our second level guest suite on the west wing.¡± He says to Markus with a smile. A bow is then performed as he moves away from the entry. Even with everything going outside the old butler is still attending to his duties. ¡°Please enjoy the room as our guest.¡±


    Markus answers with a thankful nod before stepping into the suite. His backpack and equipment jingles as he walks deeper into the room. It''s luxuriously decorated. Large windows face the south and the west. A massive king size bed sits against the north wall. Colorful paintings hang on every wall with elaborate frames. The high quality wood furniture gives the suite the last touch of elegance.


    The square room is spacious, with it''s own private bathroom through a door left of the bed. Versa suddenly walks past Markus while he''s admiring the view of Montillo. She is carefully holding the unconscious Eclair with both hands.


    ¡°Okay, we''ll put her here.¡± Versa says, lifting a leg slightly to point towards the nearby writing desk. The two young maids from earlier flow into the room. They''re carrying small blankets and pillows in their arms. Markus watches silently as the three women create a tiny makeshift bed on top of the desk. ¡°Yes, this will work fine.¡± Versa says proudly.


    The two maids are about about to walk out the door when Oscar says ¡°Hold it you two. Greet our guest properly.¡± He gives them a cold glare. The maids panic and start reversing themselves awkwardly. Both of them turn to face Markus while bowing.


    ¡°Hello sir. My name is Hannah.¡± The first one says. Hannah has black hair tied up in a bun. Young and homely, with a skinny frame. The traditional french maid outfit hides all of her curves.


    ¡°And my name is Sarah.¡± The second says next. Sarah has blonde hair tied in a short ponytail. Young and homely too. However, she is slightly taller and bustier then her partner. Both women look to be in their early twenties.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Markus responds. It''s strange to have maids greeting him, especially ones close to his own age. ¡°I''m Markus. Thank you for helping.¡±


    Hannah and Sarah stop bowing, then look at each other with glances. Hannah suddenly blurts out ¡°Versa told us about you! Are you really from Earth? What''s it like? Are there really machines that people can fly or go underwater in?¡±


    ¡°Or machines that can do washing and cleaning?¡± Sarah now joins in with her own questions. ¡°Life must be so easy! Hey. Hey! Can I touch you?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Ladies! Stop that!¡± Oscar yells from outside the suite.


    Hannah and Sarah immediately tense up at his words. They bolt out the door then turn left out of view. Markus can see Oscar shaking his head disappointingly. Versa snickers as she stands by the desk.


    Markus cracks a smile watching the old butler. The rifle then is leaned against the bed while other equipment starts coming off. The backpack is unloaded from his shoulders, dropping beside his feet. Soon the rest of Markus'' gear follows. The gas mask, hunting knife, and war hammer all eventually bounce on top of bed. Even the combat vest comes off until only his clothes remain.


    Aurora soon flies into the suite, but she stops to look around. ¡°Oh, this is fancy.¡± She says. ¡°This is definitely luxury living.¡±


    ¡°How does it look?¡± Markus calls out to Aurora. She flies over to greet him with the news.


    ¡°Very bad. The walled portion of the estate is around 10 acres. However... I saw Crimsons spaced out everywhere. Small camps at each corner. Sentries and patrols. We are completely surrounded.¡± Aurora replies with concern.


    Markus takes a deep breath. He says ¡°Any idea of how many?¡±


    ¡°I''m guessing close to thirty just at the estate. More in town.¡± Aurora responds. She flies around Markus a few times before she stops to say ¡°I didn''t see a clear way out. They have every direction covered. I saw whistles and horns. They''ll alert each other as soon as they see anything.¡±


    Walking over to the south window, Markus gazes outside. From the room, he can see a pair of Crimsons talking next to a large tree to the far right. To the left, portions of the Crimson camp at the iron gate can be seen. Tents are set with people milling about the area.


    Another sigh escapes from Markus. He turns to Aurora to say ¡°Thank you for scouting. I''m still trying to figure things out.¡±


    Aurora smiles before flying over to the writing desk with Eclair. Versa greets her as she lands on the desk. Both start talking in low voices to avoid waking Eclair.


    Oscar walks into the suite with his hands behind his back. Markus spots him, but goes back to looking outside the window. As Markus continues searching for ideas, a dark bottle appears out of the blue in front of him. Oscar is the one holding it.


    Markus is surprised, but he grabs the bottle with curiosity. It''s ice cold. A paper label is on it with colorful mountains and Latin words. ¡°Is this beer?¡± Markus asks.


    ¡°Aye. One for me too. I have them downstairs in the fridge. Ours probably isn''t as small or cold as the ones in your world. But it makes cold beer just the same.¡± Oscar says with a grin. ¡°I''ve been saving these.¡±


    ¡°Ya?¡± Markus replies. ¡°So why now?¡±


    ¡°Because I don''t want those pricks outside getting into my stash.¡± Oscar responds. There''s a pause, then both men start laughing.

 Chapter 044

    Markus and Oscar continue looking outside the southern suite window. Words haven''t been spoken since Oscar''s remark. The beer in each man''s hand is half empty, and the cold nearly gone. Their eyes bounce around to different sights beyond the estate wall. A tent being added, guards changing shifts, and tasks handed out all occur in short notice.


    A sip of beer is taken before Markus turns to Oscar to ask ¡°Why aren''t they attacking? They must outnumber us ten to one. Probably more.¡±


    ¡°Cuss they''re smart... and scared.¡± Oscar replies. He soon follows with a drink of his own beer. ¡°Tell me what happened in Montillo today.¡±


    There''s a pause as Markus thinks about what to say next. He starts scratching the stubble on his chin, then begins reciting the day. Oscar listens carefully as he nods along to the words being said. Versa''s bat-ears twitch as she eavesdrops on their conversation while sitting beside the writing desk.


    Markus'' mind flashes with visions as he recalls events. The death of Gus, cutting himself on glass, running through town, almost losing Eclair, and then meeting Versa. Oscar listens through everything without a word, only sipping his beer periodically. Markus finally ends his story at the gates of the estate.


    ¡°So Gus Silius and his bodyguard are dead.¡± Oscar says softly. Genuine sadness shows on his face. ¡°In happier times... he used to always visit us while he was in town. Showing off new outfits and trends. Even the mistress wore some of his outfits when she was younger.¡±


    ¡°I only knew the man a short time. He was good to me. I''m sure we would''ve been good friends.¡± Markus says back.


    ¡°If Gus let you call him by his nickname, you were already his friend.¡± Oscar says with a smirk, but it quickly fades away. ¡°Can''t do anything for him now. We gotta focus on the people alive here. Follow me. I''ll show you around while we talk.¡±


    Oscar turns to walk out the suite room, setting his empty bottle on top of a dresser he passes. Markus quickly follows as he sits his own bottle beside the other one. As he''s about to exit the suite, he turns to Aurora and Versa to say ¡°We''ll be back soon.¡± The girls nod as they watch him leave.


    The old butler is waiting in the hallway with his hands behind his back. When Markus reaches him, he says ¡°I''ve been thinking about it. The reason why they''re waiting. Abel killed their comrades, and you bloodied them too. Today was probably the first real resistance since they''ve come to town. Shame you weren''t aiming to kill.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°It was a last resort.¡± Markus retorts.


    A big smile forms across Oscar''s face. ¡°You''d be surprised by what people can do if they''re pushed. Anyway, the Crimsons know the damage your little pistol can do. When we walked outside with our rifles, we put the image of being shot with a much bigger gun in their heads. You especially.¡±


    Markus ponders the idea for a moment. He says ¡°Okay... makes sense. Some of them reacted badly when I aimed the rifle around.¡±


    ¡°There''s also another reason. If we''re all killed now, the Crimsons would be quickly hunted by military and police. The entire town would know they did it. No one would help them. Not even other criminals. However... I''m positive their leader and Monica are trying to figure out a way around that.¡± Oscar says with a serious tone.


    The old butler starts moving down the hallway with Markus walking right behind him. On the second level, Oscar begins talking as a true professional. Courteous as he points out the various rooms both men walk pass. Smaller guest suites, bathrooms, and a music room just on the second level west wing. All elegantly styled. They continue forward until they reach the middle of the second level.


    Directly across from the bifurcated stairs leading down, a pair of large black doors. Oscar opens a door to let Markus peek inside. It''s an enormous master suite. Empty of an owner, but clearly decorated with a young woman''s touch.


    ¡°The mistress'' room. We keep it tidy in case she ever returns to it.¡± Oscar says to Markus. The old butler''s comment is perplexing.


    The door is shut again for the master suite. Oscar starts pointing to the east wing to list rooms located there. A grand library, an art room, bathrooms, another large suite along with numerous smaller bedrooms. The old butler then starts leading the tour to the main level.


    The main level west wing has many rooms set for servants. As Oscar keeps guiding Markus around, they visit a large kitchen and dining room. Next to it is a massive space set for entertaining hundreds of people. More guest suites and smaller rooms on the main level east wing.


    The estate is the largest personal residence Markus has ever seen. Classy and elegant, with rooms to entertain all types of visitors. As Oscar leads Markus back to the main level area with the stairs, he moves into a small side hallway. Only a few doors can be seen, but one door in particular has countless dirty plates and laundry outside.


    ¡°Apologies. Bad habit of the mistress. With everything going on it''s been hard keeping up with normal duties.¡± Oscar says to a confused Markus. He then walks over to the door, knocking on it while saying ¡°Olivia, I''ve brought the guest I told you about. Do you want to meet him?¡±


    There''s silence for a few moments, then a young woman''s voice can be heard saying ¡°Go away. Just leave me.¡±


    A disappointed groan can be heard from Oscar. He turns to Markus to say ¡°Sorry. I''m sure you''ll meet Countess Olivia Sellitti soon... I hope.¡±


    Oscar turns around and heads back the way he came from. Markus watches him pass by, then rejoins him. A last glance is taken at the messy hallway before it moves out of view. Questions are starting to form about the mysterious Countess.

 Chapter 045

    ¡°The tour is almost done.¡± Oscar says to Markus, then stops walking in the open area of the estate entry. He''s spotted someone coming from the east wing. The grand chandelier above and the bifurcated stairs surround the men with luxury.


    From the entry area, Markus can see a small boy skipping down the hallway in their direction. Smiling and happy, the child is waving around a tiny wooden sword. Dressed in blue overalls that contrast against his stringy blonde hair. No more than six or seven years old.


    Further down the hall, a maid follows a few paces behind the child. She''s older, compared to Hannah and Sarah. In her thirties, with a heavier frame and wider hips. Blonde hair styled in a bun, dressed in the estate''s traditional french maid outfit. As she moves closer, Markus can see the face of a tired and stressed woman. The face of a worried mother.


    The little boy stops a few yards away from Markus and Oscar. Out of caution, he waits for his mother to catch up. As the maid walks next to the child, he immediately hides behind the long skirt of her dress. His eyes continually stare at Markus.


    The maid bows to the men as she says ¡°Hello Oscar.¡± When she straightens herself, she turns to Markus to say ¡°You must be the outsider. I''ve heard much about you already.¡±


    ¡°I''m sure you have.¡± Markus replies with a smile.


    ¡°Markus, meet Julia and her son Gregory.¡± Oscar says with a sweeping arm. ¡°She''s the head maid here. Personal maid to the Countess when she was younger.¡±


    ¡°A long time ago.¡± Julia says back. She turns to Oscar to ask ¡°Are you sure you don''t want me keeping an eye out again? There are so few of us.¡±


    ¡°No. I think we''re safe for the time being.¡± Oscar says with a sigh. ¡°And you''re right about us being so few. Not enough eyes to keep a good watch. Besides, it''ll be obvious when they finally make a move.¡±


    A depressing look forms on Julia''s face as her son continues clinging to her skirt. After a moment, she turns to Markus with sad eyes saying ¡°Please help us. I''ve heard you''ve fought them already. I''ll help in any way. I don''t care what happens to me, but don''t let them hurt my boy.¡±


    Markus looks deep into Julia''s eyes. Her pain and agonizing are clear to him. In a moment of weakness, he replies ¡°I''ll do what I can.¡± He has no idea if that''s true.


    A small smile appears on Julia''s face. She bows to the men and continues walking past them with Gregory still gripping her skirt. The boy stares at Markus as he''s pulled past him. When he reaches a few yards away, he bounces away from his mother. Once again the tiny sword swings around in a playful manner. The pair eventually disappear out of view down the Countess'' hallway.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°Poor kid. Before all this mess, he was friendly to everyone.¡± Oscar says to Markus. ¡°Scared of strangers now. Alright, let''s finish up the tour.¡±


    The old butler starts moving again with Markus following close behind. They continue to a side hallway similar to the Countess''. As they near one of the doors, Oscar starts pulling out a key ring. He quickly looks for a certain key. Once found, he unlocks the door and swings it open.


    The door leads to stairs going down to the basement. The air is stale, but the old butler doesn''t hesitate walking down the stairs. Markus watches him move down for a moment before deciding to follow out of curiosity.


    Once at the bottom, Markus can see stone lights illuminating large areas. There is a concrete floor and countless wood beams running in every direction. Some of the walls have built-in wine racks and shelves for various bottles.


    Oscar keeps moving deeper into the basement. Markus lingers behind, looking at wines and dust covered antiques. Eventually, he reaches the old butler waiting for him. Markus soon gazes on an incredible sight. Deep within the basement, there''s a room with a laboratory present.


    Tables full of vials, books, and containers. Liquids of various colors can be seen as Markus walks around with intrigue. A cabinet full of countless ingredients. A desk with books stacked high.


    ¡°This is Versa''s playground.¡± Oscar says while watching Markus. ¡°She''s Olivia''s physician, but she also serves as a scientist of sorts. Has been working on a project for the Countess.¡±


    Before questions about the laboratory can be asked, Oscar takes off further down a hallway. Markus calls out ¡°Hey, wait up. Why are you showing me this?¡±


    ¡°That''s not what I''m trying to show you!¡± Oscar yells back.


    Following the voice, Markus reaches Oscar waiting beside an empty stone wall. The old butler smirks, then pulls a nearby lever. Grinding noises can be heard from beyond the stone. Suddenly, a square portion of the wall breaks free. It turns by itself slowly, revealing a narrow underground passage.


    Markus looks at Oscar with confusion, but then realizes what he''s seeing. He yells out ¡°That''s a way out! That can lead us out of here, right!?¡±


    ¡°Aye, safety passage. It leads to an empty field west of here, just outside of Montillo.¡± Oscar says with a smile. ¡°It''s an option for you.¡±


    ¡°This is great! We can all get out of here.¡± Markus says with big smile. ¡°We don''t have to fight. We can just sneak away.¡±


    ¡°Life ain''t that easy Markus. I''ll be staying here, Julia too probably. We need to watch the Countess because she can''t make the trip.¡± Oscar says with a gloomy voice, which causes Markus'' smile to instantly vanish. ¡°You can help the young maids. Gregory too. You can keep them safe.¡±


    Markus runs a hand over his hair in frustration. He starts pacing back and forth with his face in his hands. After a few minutes, he turns to Oscar to say ¡°Close it. Close the damn passage.¡±


    The old butler is surprised, but complies with the request. He pulls the lever again, causing the wall to reverse back into its original position. The men watch it slam shut. Oscar turns to Markus to ask ¡°Why say no?¡±


    ¡°What you said earlier today. I know it''s true. If I runaway, I''ll be chased. A little kid and young women, there''s no way I could protect them.¡± Markus replies. He slinks backwards and slides down a wall. Once again he thinks about the choices he must make.