《How to be a Good Evil Overlord》 Prologue: The Letter (rewrite) ¡°Let me sleep!¡± Bryan mumbled. ¡°Wake up! It¡¯s an emergency.¡± ¡°Erin, I command you to let me sleep!¡± The shaking continued. He was about to fry the wrench before he realized that it was not Erin¡¯s voice. He blinked his eyes open and saw Clinton. Clinton was one of the few people Bryan would actually regret toasting, but he should know better than to wake him up so early. ¡°Why are you here? Should it not be her job to rouse me?¡± Clinton scowled. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°WHAT!¡± ¡°That wench!¡± Bryan screamed. The inn room was as bare as it was before they had stopped at the inn yesterday. He flung the pillow at one of the cowering inn servants. ¡°Where is she?¡± He glared down at the detestable bed, and noticed a letter that had been hidden under the pillow. He seized it and glanced through it. The temperature in the room increased as Bryan read. ¡®Bryan Fyrran, ¡®I am sorry to say that I will no longer be traveling with you. There are others talented than I who would be more compatible with you. Indeed, you have brought this fact to my attention, on several occasions. All things considered, I hope that you are not too displeased with my actions. Please forgive my sudden departure. ¡®I have been considering my decision for a while now. Your recent actions in Alinor Village have tipped the scale. I have determined that a man who weighs life so little cannot be my master. ¡®Do not mistake me, I did not make this decision lightly. Sooner or later, I would have left. The only reason that I have continued this long is because your family took me in, fed me, and provided me an education. Even though this was done with the intention of molding me into the ideal slave, it will bind me no more. Any claims you may have once held over me, my former servitude to you, ends now. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.¡®The sad thing is, that was the only good I have seen your family do. How can such a self-serving family be one of the noble ¡°Heroic¡± families? Do you honestly believe yourself to be a hero? ¡®Once upon a time, you might have become a hero like those in the old tales. Tales that were read to me to prepare to follow you. But, these fairytales did not have heroes who rape and destroy villages, like you did in Alinor. That such actions are commonplace shattered what little was left of my belief in heroes. I will not be a part of a world where the hailed ¡°Heroes¡± are the greater evil. ¡®We all have our part in life. You were raised to be a hero, and I was raised to support you. There is one thing that those fairytales have taught me: every hero needs a villain. If you bear the mantle of the hero, then I will put on the mask of the villain. Farewell, Erin¡¯ After Bryan had finished reading the letter he frowned down at the bed. Disgusted that it had been wasted on that wench, he threw a fireball at it. As he watched the bed go up in flames he started to laugh, ¡°AHAHAHHAHAHAH! The healer thinks that she can pick up and leave? You!¡± pointing at the trembling inn-servant, ¡°go get the guard. We have a traitor on our hands.¡± He glared at the parchment in his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t burn it,¡± Clinton said, ¡°we still need to report this incident to the Head.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Bryan scowled as he pictured what would happen. He nodded and tucked the letter into his pocket, ¡°Grandfather will know how to deal with this.¡± The two walked out of the room, ignoring the charred remains of the bed. Chapter One: Bounty Sorry that it took so long for the chapter to come out. I ended up rearranging the order of the first couple of chapters, so the next one shouldn''t take as long. I also went back and rewrote the prologue so take a look at that. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Erin wondered when they would realize that she had brought along her Prayer Book. It would take Bryan a while to remember them, he was too invested in his books to take notice of anyone else¡¯s. The Head on the other hand¡­ it was safe to assume that she did not have much time. Erin pulled herself out of her inner monologue, and sighed. She had been staring at the fire for some time now. She gave a glance around the tavern. She pulled out the Prayer Book. This was as good a chance as any to learn spells that were useless to her before. There was one section in particular that grabbed her attention, the one about curses. ¡®Curses often affect not only the body, but also the mind. When this happens a purify spell might not be able to remove the curse. There are also plenty of mind related debuffs, and illnesses. The best way to cure this type of curse is to use a combination of the Calm Mind spell and the Healer¡¯s Aura. ¡®The Healer¡¯s Aura is a semi-passive buff. Healers, due to being close to The Goddess are naturally calmer than others, and others tend to feel calmer when around healers. However, it is possible to use your own aura as a medium and project the feeling of being calm. ''Calm Mind goes as follows. [Domina, comprimi quaeso mortale.]¡¯ Erin was flipping the page when a conversation caught her ears. ¡°We¡¯re here lookin¡¯ for a Bounty.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± the Hostess said resting her hand on the table, ¡°what¡¯s the bounty for?¡± At the table was seated two men: one was wearing armor, his hair cropped short, and sword by his side, the other had dark green hair that fell past his shoulders wearing a dark leather suit and a quiver hung over his chair. The swordsman was leaning toward the Hostess saying, ¡°Don¡¯t know, but the Fyrrans laid down good money for it.¡± The Hostess nodded drawing back her hand, ¡°Well, ¡®ope you catch it safely,¡± before sweeping off to the next table. ¡°That¡¯s one good looker,¡± The hunter gaze lingered on the Hostess for a moment before turning to his companion, ¡°Hey Rob, the bounty ain¡¯t that far, do you want ta get a taste of her?¡± The swordsman laughed, ¡°Will, what¡¯s this about the bounty not being far from here? She left Mudhollow o¡¯er a week ago. We don¡¯t even sure she went this way.¡± ¡°My tracking skills are ne¡¯er wrong,¡± the hunter said, glaring at the swordsman, clenching his stein. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± The swordsman placatied the hunter with a wave, ¡°She went this way. But what if she got hold of a horse and left the dukedom?¡± The hunter took a swig before answering, ¡°Horses gather a lot of attention. Lone horsemen e¡¯en more.¡± The other conversations drowned out the sound of the two bounty hunters¡¯. Erin¡¯s hands trembled as she shoved the book back into her bag. She needed to get out soon. Just as she was about to get up, she picked up on the two men¡¯s conversation once more. ¡°If she ¡¯s the young master¡¯s then she ought to be good,¡± the hunter said. The swordsman shook his head, ¡°Nah, even he wouldn¡¯t dare. You see, the church gots a claim on her too.¡± The hunter let out a whistle as she slipped out of the tavern. Erin had gotten very good about navigating in the dark since she ran away, though in truth, she had only traveled at night for the first couple of days. She kept a steady pace as she marched onward. It was almost dawn by the time that she could finally sleep. She stepped off the path, tumbling past the brush and collapsed. Erin awoke to the sound of someone coming down the road. She turned to peer through the bushes to see who was coming. When she caught sight of them her heart rose to her throat. It was the bounty hunters from last night. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break,¡± the swordsman said plopping onto the ground. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The hunter nodded, his hair pulled back and he started rummaging through his pack pulling out some jerky and eating. ¡°Hand me one too,¡± the swordaman said opening the lid to his water satchel. ¡°How long do we have to chase one little girl for?¡± ¡°Until we get her.¡± The hunter responded, tossing the jerky to his companion. The swordsman caught it and took a bite, ¡°Yah, but are you sure she¡¯s this way?¡± The hunter rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to speak but stopped. His eyes snapped back to the bushes Erin was hiding behind. ¡°Look, the branches are broken.¡± He whispered. Erin inched back slowly. The swordsman took a quick look. ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing,¡± he said but started to get to his feet regardless. Erin let out a cry as she slipped backwards into a ditch. The two men turned to look at where the sound came from. ¡°There!¡± the swordsman shouted as he jumped to his feet. They started parting the bushes on their way towards her. Erin popped up and started weaving through the brush, relieved that it had not rained during the night. An arrow zoomed past her, reminding her to scour the landscape. Up ahead she noticed pond tingling with magic. That will have to do. Erin gasped when an arrow pierced her arm, but she could not stop yet. Behind her the voices of the two men carried. ¡°Are you trying to kill her?¡± The swordsman cried, ¡°She is worth so much more alive!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t get nothin¡¯ if she gets away,¡± the hunter snapped back. ¡°Fine then. I¡¯m going on ahead. Don¡¯t blame me if she dies,¡± the swordsman said, but the hunter just laughed. Erin glanced over her shoulder and saw the swordsman only a few feet behind her. ¡°Girlie,¡± he shouted, ¡°Last chance.¡± She continued running. ¡°Have it your way then,¡± The swordsman said, and started thrusting mana into his sword, taking on a fiery gleam. Erin grimaced. With her experiences with Clinton, she did NOT want to deal with a Magic swordsman. However, fire does not mesh well with water. She gave a slight smile as she saw the pond ripple slightly. She heard them cry out as she jumped into the pond and began swimming. The Guardian stirred from its deep slumber at the bottom of the pond as it felt magic nearby. Fire magic. It swam to the shore to see who dared come near after so long. It snorted to see a pesky human that had coated a piece of iron with magic. How dare he think himself a challenge? It would have fun playing with the human to make up for it. The Guardian was so focused on the insult that it did not register the young girl swimming in its territory. Erin was exhausted by the time she got out of the water. She stumbled forward a few yards before she crumpled down to the ground. She wanted to sleep, but before that she needed to heal her arm. She should healed it before she jumped, but she did not have the time. The shaft had broken off while she was swimming, but the arrow head was still in. Erin hissed out as her fingers dug inside the wound, pulling the head out. She closed her teary eyes and muttered through the pain, ¡°[salvum me fac et ligare.]¡± As the pain dulled, she drifted off to sleep. Erin was sore in the morning. She massaged her arm where the arrow had been. ¡°Good,¡± she sighed, looks like it healed well. ¡°I cannot believe that I forgot to check.¡± She stood up and looked around, completely lost. Erin opened her bag, meaning to look at the map. However her hand stayed as she saw the inside of the bag. She had forgotten the books when she jumped. She picked up her Prayer Book and sighed. It was completely illegible now. She went through her bag and dumped all of the papers that had been in it before. ¡°Great, now I have no idea what direction to go.¡± Erin mumbled, staring at the soggy pile. After a minute she looked up. ¡°I suppose it does not matter which way I go,¡± she said, slinging her much lighter bag over her shoulder and started walking. Chapter Two: Tavern It took Erin a week of wandering to find her way to a road. It was a long week of walking. She sighed, with Bryan they would ride more than walk. No look on the bright side, she could now heal her blisters without thinking. It would¡¯ve been a useful skill to have when---No. She stopped her soliloquy. Not in the open. She could feel the pangs of sunlight starting to dim as she walked into a town. Erin¡¯s pace began to pick up, after wandering for so long she was looking forward to a warm meal and a bed to sleep on. As she entered the tavern, she noticed the tension in the air upon. There was a group of men in armor, fingering their weapons with grim faces. It was directed at a pair of boys a couple of years older than her, and a man¡ªthe blond¡¯s father? ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. How could he do anything as deep as that? Even you should know he can¡¯t keep a secret if his life depended on it.¡± A boy¡ªnot the blond¡ªthrew out to the party in front of him. ¡°All he meant was bringing the entire town would be stupid, and could mess up the track marks.¡± he looked at the blond¡¯s father, who nodded. ¡°So select a couple people, then go over it again with them,¡± an elderly man said, clenching the cane he held, ¡°Sounds good?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It won¡¯t be required.¡± one of the men spoke with an air of superiority, ¡°We won¡¯t be able to find anything. After all what was goin¡¯ on there was Monster smuggling. That¡¯s plenty to send the Paladins out. And no one ¡­¡±The man stared at the boy, ¡°No one so stupid that they would leave evidence for the Paladins.¡± The men aside him, smiled in agreement. Paladins. If she got involved with Paladins¡­ The boy glared at the man and spat out at him ¡°We¡¯ve done nothing wrong. Let the paladins come.¡± One of the other men, this one about 20, spoke, ¡°Why do you assume that is what we mean?¡± he tilted his head. The smirk in his voice was obvious, ¡°Are you hiding something?¡± There were a couple of men sitting directly behind the boys who silently switched seats to distance themselves. The boy could not hold down his anger any longer, ¡°Stop twisting our words! You know what I mean.¡± A redheaded boy scoffed and drew his sword, ¡°oh, I think I know what you mean. Using Monsters. How could you fall so low?¡± ¡°Like we would need to use monsters against the likes of you!¡± the blond said, aiming his dagger at redhead. ¡°Prove it!¡± the redhead said, thrusting at the blond. The other boy quickly blocked the attack at his friend. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± he demanded. The leader of the other men spoke again drawing his sword, ¡°They are resisting detainment, Stop them.¡± those who had not already follow suit. Encircling them and backing them against the table. On those who had moved from that table, Erin frowned at the regret and torment on their faces. How long ago was all this planed? The blond¡¯s father was using his bow to deflect the blows aimed at him, and it was already missing chunks. ¡°Vernon! What is the meaning of this?¡± The leader paused his attack and gave a brilliant smile. A smile like that of Bryan¡¯s when he got a new ¡°toy¡±. ¡°Tom, Tom. Can you really not understand?¡± This is going too far. That one spell should work. What did the book say? She blinked, raking her brain. She heard a thud and a shriek. The formation must have broken. Tom turned to look and faltered. Healer¡¯s Aura. That is what it was called. Project a peaceful aura into a raging mob. No problem. Vernon pours mana into this swing. What is up with magic swordsmen? Magic should have been rare, so why did she have to keep getting involved with them? Erin closed her eyes and reflected on when she has been in a state of peace. The mana in Vernon¡¯s swing suddenly dissipates. At the same moment that there was a loud shattering sound, Erin¡¯s eyes opened. ¡°You Idiots!¡± a girl about 16 shouts, shoving her way to the old man. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The man who had helped bring around the situation opens his mouth. ¡°Oh, put a sock in it Neil.¡± The girl shushes him, ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened. So don¡¯t go ¡®round pointin¡¯ fingers. Or are ya¡¯ll just a murderin¡¯ horde? Go use that energy to find some evidence ¡®fore you go ¡®round drawing your blades at your comrades.¡± The Redhead glared at the more level-headed boy who was groaning on the table. The boy¡¯s mouth was slightly ajar as he was looking between the redhead and the dagger that was in his chest. The redhead murmured something into the boy¡¯s ear as he pulled out the dagger. He wiped it clean with a smirk on his face, before placing it into a sheath on his thigh. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The girl continued scolding, but my attention was on the boy¡¯s wound. The blond boy scrambled to the boy¡¯s side and held his hands against the wound. Erin could feel their panicked auras, even across the room. It was not just the wound bothering them. There was something more. The girl looked over and paled. She rushed to the injured boy¡¯s side, crying out ¡°Carlos lay back down.¡± Trying to force him down onto the table. It was at this moment that everything unraveled. The redhead boy seized the girl into his arms, squeezing her so tightly that she could not squirm. A large bulky man had a sword at the neck of the old man who she had been standing next to. Vernon walked toward the old man with a weird look on his face, and started talking, ¡°I warned you Charles. I told you that you needed a firmer grip in your affairs. Now you see, look what has grown under your nose. And they almost got away.¡± Shaking his head, he turn to address the paralyzed crowd, ¡°See how things have gotten out of hand? Do you still believe that he can administer over Brookendale? Charles has grown old and can no longer do his job. He would¡¯ve seceded already if not for the fact that his successor died several years ago. As the second highest in authority, I feel it my duty to claim the responsibility to minister over Brookendale.¡± A man robed in farmer garb stood up and addressed Vernon, ¡°Charles¡¯s bloodline has kept Brookendale for generations. Are you throwing your back against those that kept our home safe in anguished times, when the line still thrives?¡± ¡°If that is the complaint,¡± Vernon spoke, ¡°It can be resolved. Charles¡¯s successor had been his son-in-law. If I were to wed his daughter, then it would be considered suiting that I replace him. If you are anxious, we could have my nephew marry her daughter, in the case that I die heirless.¡± Vernon spread his arms ¡°will that do?¡± The man nodded woodenly and sat down. ¡°Good.¡± An evil was on his face as he turned to where his men had been forcing Tom, his son, and Carlos, still bleeding, into a row. ¡°My first order of business is to the traitors put to death.¡± Vernon held his sword in the air, it point glinting, aimed at Tom¡¯s heart. Erin found herself speaking, ¡°I would not do that.¡± The room turned to look at her, startled. Vernon snarled, ¡°What do you mean?¡± his hands clenched, eager for the kill. He is too keen on this. Too bad for him that he forgot a little detail. ¡°You were about to execute traitors, yes?¡± ¡°So?¡± Vernon snapped, ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°I also remember that this treason is big enough that the Paladins need to be called in.¡± Erin said. Vernon swallowed as he nodded. ¡°Then it would be counter-intuitive to execute them.¡± the bystanders looked up with hope in their eyes. ¡°It would be considered removing evidence to do so. You will be the one held accountable.¡± The crowds¡¯ eyes stared at the two of them. Vernon all but lunged at Erin. ¡°What does an outsider know about are affairs?¡± he growled. ¡°Nothing,¡± Erin said, ¡°Just, in the upheaval of the populace after this coup d''¨¦tat is likely to lead someone to contemplate the strategic and coordinated nature of this affair, and that will dislocate the conclusion you have so meticulously formulated.¡± The people listening had their mouths open in shock. Erin could not resist the smile that had been dancing on her lips, ¡°I am sure that the Paladins would love to hear this story when they arrive. Oh, and you might want to let me through before the boy bleeds to death.¡± Erin projected her aura into the air as she walked to Carlos. As she walked past the girl Erin could feel her becoming more resolute. There was a short yelp of pain behind Erin. Carlos had collapsed from lack of blood. She willed the flesh to knit together, and murmured a prayer for his blood to replenish. She heard the girl say, ¡°You say Gramps isn¡¯t in his right mind, but what about you? What are you doing? There is no evidence for your claims, you even try to kill them when they don¡¯t agree with you. Since when did you stoop to argue with children?¡± There was a thud and the room turned to look. In the entrance there was a young man, who in his haste had knocked a chair down. ¡°Lynnbor,¡± he panted, ¡°Lynnbor is gone.¡± Chapter Three: Hunt (part one) Hi! It''s been a while. This was supposed to be part of a longer chapter, but since it is a fighting scene I put off writing it, so it''s been a month and I figured just do it in parts. Another reason I have been putting it off is that I''m changing the magic system so I''ll be going back over the Previous chapters to make changes.
¡°Lynnboy is gone.¡± The room quieted once more at these words. ¡°What happened Frank?¡± Vernon asked. Frank took a minute to breathe. ¡°Me and my brother were out, lookin¡¯ into that cabin, ya know? When we came back ¡­¡± Frank choked, ¡°When we got back the town it was ¡­ was like the cabin. In shreds.¡± ¡°Was it really a cabin ¡­¡± Vernon whispered. He looked up at Frank, ¡°Your brother went to spread the word?¡± ¡°Yes ¡­ they¡¯re gatherin¡¯ them here as well.¡± Vernon turned to his men. ¡°Evan, you go to Kytain and inform the Heroes.¡± He said. One of the young men nodded and bolted out the open door and into the twilight. Vernon turned back to Frank sighing, ¡°Nothin¡¯ we can do today. See you in the morrow.¡± He gave the room a nod before crossing the threshold. The townsfolk followed suit and slipped out quietly. The girl came up to Erin, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Thanks for the help ¡­ I¡¯m Vie. Vie Brookendale,¡± she said. ¡°Erin.¡± Vie looked disappointed that Erin had not said where she hailed from, but not everyone did. ¡°Well, here¡¯s somethin¡¯ to eat.¡± She tucked a lock behind her ear before continuing, ¡°We¡¯ve got some room if you want it.¡± Erin gave her a large before digging into the stew. Vie smiled back at her. Erin did not notice when the girl had run off, but she did notice when she returned holding a bundle. ¡°Here,¡± Vie said passing her the bundle, ¡°I thought you might like somethin¡¯ to change into.¡± Erin felt her cheeks flush as she realized her state of dishevel. ¡°Thank you.¡± She looked at the bundle she now know was a dress. She had never worn anything but the official blue before. Healers could not after all. The brown dress would serve her well. Erin walked into the tavern in the morning, wearing the dress that Vie had given her. Already there was a crowd of people lurking about. There was Frank talking animatedly to several men. One of them broke off from the group and went up to where Vernon was standing by the door. He talked with Vernon for a couple of minutes before heading back shaking his head. Erin studied the other men lurking around the walls. She saw several faces she recognized from last night. Loud voices drew Erin¡¯s attention. Vie was in a shouting match with the blond boy from last night. The other boy, Vie had called him Carlos sat nearby peacefully eating his breakfast. Erin frowned, he was still a little pale. ¡°There ya are,¡± a voice said behind her. Erin turned to a see a woman with glistening violet hair like Vie, standing behind her. Erin knew that this woman would have made quite the stir in the capital when she was younger. ¡°Let¡¯s get you somethin¡¯ to eat.¡± Vie stopped arguing and ran to meet Erin. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± she asked. Erin nodded, her eyes still on the boy. ¡°Well enough. How about you?¡± The girl looked down, ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep much. There was too much to do.¡± Vie looked back up, ¡°Oh, I forgot!¡± she scampered back to where her friends sat and proceeded to drag them over. The woman let out a chuckle, ¡°That¡¯s my Vie.¡± She handed Erin a bowl of oatmeal. ¡°Here¡¯s your breakfast. And we¡¯ve got more where it came from, if ya want it.¡± Erin gave the woman a smile as she received her bowl and sat down at a table. Vie had been pulling the blond boy to her table by the ear and only let go when they arrived, ignoring his complaints. It was when Vie said ¡°Erin, these are my friends!¡± that Erin noticed that tagging along behind them was the injured boy from the previous night. ¡°You are Carlos, yes?¡± Erin said. Carlos¡¯s eyes widened ¡°Eh? Ah, yes. I am.¡± Erin gave a nod at Vie, ¡°You had called out to him last night.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Carlos said, ¡°By the way, Thank you that.¡± Erin noticed that in the light his hair turned out to be a dark, dark blue and not black like she had thought before. Vie¡¯s ears were pink as she jerked the blond boy forward, ¡°And this fool is Ryan. You can forget about him.¡± Ryan huffed, ¡°What do you know? One day I¡¯m gonna be the best huntsman in the country, no, the best huntsman ever. Then you¡¯ll brag about havein¡¯ the honors of knowin¡¯ me ¡®fore I made it big.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Who¡¯s goin¡¯ to be the best huntsman ever? Before talkin¡¯ big, you better practice. When was the last time you bested me?¡± Vie taunted. She gave out a sigh, ¡°Like I said, you don¡¯t need to pay ¡®im any attention.¡± Erin gave the other girl a faint smile before returning to her breakfast. A couple tables from where she was, Tom was sitting his head in his hands. Surrounding him was most of Vernon¡¯s men. This is a little obvious, Vernon. ¡°Ahem,¡± Erin started as the other girl interrupted her train of thought. Vie looked a little sheepishly, her voice just above a whisper, ¡°Could you do another round of healing on Carlos? I mean he¡¯s still a little ¡­¡± ¡°Vivien, that¡¯s enough.¡± Carlos said, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Vie looked down, avoiding the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°So how have you been doing? Any lingering soreness or dizziness?¡± Erin asked. Carlos shook his head. ¡°No. but it¡¯s been only a few hours.¡± A ghost of a smile appeared on Erin¡¯s face. Clinton had always said that her mere presence made him nauseous. ¡°You would be surprised,¡± she whispered ¡°Then ¡­¡± Vie looked up at Erin, her lips trembling slightly. Erin sighed, her eyes strayed to the door where more people has entered. The day was not going to be peaceful. Better now than later. She turned back to Vie, ¡°Alright,¡± she said. Vie let out her breath and a smile spring forth across her face. She pushed Carlos at Erin. ¡°Now, that she¡¯s agreed with it you can¡¯t say nothin¡¯¡± ¡°Why would I say anything?¡± Ryan asked, ¡°If we¡¯re to have a proper contest everyone needs to be at top shape.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t talkin¡¯ to you,¡± Vie snapped back. Carlos chuckled as he watched them bicker. The smile slid off his face as he turned to Erin. ¡°Thank you again,¡± he said. Erin nodded. As she began to chant, something that almost resembled a glow surrounded Carlos, ¡°[mors et sanguis sanguinem facti sumus.]¡± The glow faded as the last syllable left her mouth, leaving behind Carlos with more color than he had earlier. After she finished, Erin turned back to her breakfast, ignoring the others slipping away. The oatmeal was a little cold now, not that it stopped her from finishing it. A clamor started up at the entrance. Erin set her spoon into the empty bowl and looked over. The young man who was sent out last night had returned. He collapsed into a chair. Vernon sat down across the man. ¡°What news?¡± he asked. The man shook his head, ¡°no one will help.¡± ¡°What of the Heroes?¡± Frank pressed, ¡°When will the Heroes come?¡± The young man¡¯s face darkened. ¡°They¡¯re busy on the other side of the country. The soonest they can leave is in a week.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Vernon growled, ¡°it¡¯s gonna take a week? In three days three villages are gone. Maybe more. Do they think any of us would still be around to save?¡± he slammed his fist into the table. He let out a sigh and sagged back into his seat. ¡°Did they offer anything else?¡± The man let out a bitter laugh, ¡°Only that if we had any complaints, we should take care of it ourselves.¡± The red headed boy from last night let out a bark of laughter, ¡°So this is what a Hero is.¡± ¡°Grant quiet!¡± Vernon growled, and the boy started. He sighed and turned back to the messenger. ¡°So we¡¯re on our own,¡± he said, standing up. In a bellowing voice he called out ¡°Who¡¯s with us?¡± Almost everyone who was still sitting stood up and let out a cheer. ¡°Then go get ready!¡± Vernon shouted, and the crowd disbursed. Erin noticed however that most that seemed to have any fighting experience were already prepared, and continued to talk in hushed whispers. When Vernon walked up her, Erin was not surprised. She just looked up at him and said, ¡°You want me go come along.¡± He gave her a slight smile, ¡°I know it requires special training for a healers to participate in battle, but even an untrained one would make a large difference for us.¡± Vernon looked down at his hands, ¡°we need every help we can get.¡± He looked back at her, ¡°I¡¯ll offer you every copper I got.¡± Erin stood up and started walking back to the room she had been staying. ¡°We can discuss payment if we get out alive,¡± she called out over her shoulder. Minor Rewrite There have been some reasonable complaints about chapter two, so I''m going back and rewriting it. While I''m doing that I''m splitting chapter three into at least two chapters, so I will post them all up together. It may take a while (but i am working on it so it might not take another month). Will delete the old chapters when I re-upload them.