“Anyone going to tell us what in the hells happened? Or ya gonna keep us in the dark?” Archie asked as we started to get in the cart. We’d only had to wait in the pub for about an hour before Nox let me know that they were close. “And don’t give me that vague shite Maeori did in her note.”

  “In my defense, I didn’t really know what was happening when I wrote it.” Maeori rubbed her hand to her forehead.

  “M-my father he, well, he tried to kill Glenn.”

  “Did that happen, lad?” Archie looked to Glenn, concerned. “Ya look like ya been put through some shite. Ya not dying on us are ya?”

  “I’ll manage, but he wasn’t trying to kill me. If he wanted to, he would’ve,” Glenn said, clearly frustrated as he got in the wagon. “I should’ve done better for years and even now.”

  “Ya will get there, lad. That kinda shite takes time. Pick yerself up. Let's get out of this godsforsaken city.”

  “We’ve been followed,” Ivili said, looking down the road. The group turned to look, seeing a single wagon heading in this direction on an otherwise empty dirt road. It was still a good distance away. A mile at least. I clutched the pendant I was currently wearing. It was a general one for all the Severance that my father would approve of, but I wished it were the one Maeori had gotten me.

  “Fucking hells,” Archie grumbled. “More of that kin killer nonsense?”

  “No. A full wagon full of people feels odd for a place of this size.”

  “We should act with caution. Could it be people helping with the harvest?” Glenn asked, looking off to the wagon. “The last thing we need is for bystanders to be harmed if they attack us.”

  “W-we should go. If they go past the town, that would mean we’re who they’re after, right?” I said, climbing into the back of the wagon.

  “Heh, if ya lot made enemies with the church, we best be getting out of here,” Archie said, adjusting his polearm to a place he could easily grab it. “I’ll take us to a northside gate that has a keeper who’s an old buddy. Should let us out quick and without question.”

  Archie snapped the reins after Glenn and Maeori entered the wagon. Ivili kept an eye out. After we left the village, the other wagon didn’t stop. After the other wagon passed through the village, it began to pick up speed. Moving in our direction. I grabbed the spear Glenn had gotten me. They weren’t going to take me back to mess with my mind. Not if I could help it.

  “Do you know of somewhere narrow or with a tight turn in the road?” Maeori asked Archie at the front of the wagon.

  “Aye, can get us there in a bit,” Archie grumbled. “What’re ya planning lass?”

  “I figure a small pitfall to catch one of their wheels might buy us some time.”

  “Heh, why the hells not?”

  Ivili, Glenn, and I were looking out the back. Glenn was leaning on the wagon’s side wall with a grim look, gritting his teeth. I uttered a prayer to Lady Corlyn to bring us to our deliverance while Ivili stood looking back. When my prayer was done, I looked back out to the front of the wagon. We were approaching a fractured portion of an old monster wall from before it was expanded. There was a gap in the center where an old gate used to be, and the road ran through it. The road itself was older and in disrepair, lined by a small wooden fence to keep nearby cattle inside. The other wagon was nearing, down to around a half a mile away.

  “Slow down and pull right once we’re past the corridor. I’ll need a little bit to get the spell into effect,” Maeori said, her eyes fixed on the dirt and the wall.

  Nox rubbed up against me, his offer ringing in my mind: Hellfire. I had recovered some mana while we traveled through the tunnels and waited for them in that village. It wasn’t enough for a spell, and likely wouldn’t be for a while, so I fed it to him. He didn’t send me a message, and I didn’t send him one either. I wasn’t sure why, but I wasn’t ready to make the deal. Though the temptation nagged at me. Maybe I’d finally be useful with it. I wouldn’t be as weak. I could do something to help. I wouldn’t watch them all die while I was dragged off.

  I watched Maeori set her trap. The earth shifted, hollowing out a space while the dirt she removed shifted snugly against the wall, hiding it. “Go,” she yelled before she was done. Running to catch up to the moving wagon once the spell finished.

  While Archie snapped the reins after Maeori reentered, picking up speed. Ivili notched an arrow. I held Nox closely, my spear sitting beside me. They’d been faster than us the entire time. If this failed, we would need to fight them. We all knew that.

  There was a pained neigh, followed by a snapping and cracking of wood as the dirt gave way beneath their horses and wagon. If they had a cleric, which they should, the horses could be easily healed, but the broken draft pole and other parts of the wagon would be harder to fix.

  “Haha! Anyone who thinks’ earth magic’s lame can kiss my ass!” Maeori laughed somewhat hysterically.

  Their group began piling out of the wagon. I think I recognized some of their members from around the church, but unmistakably in their midst was Steven glaring in our direction. Nox let out a warning meow that I squeezed a bit too tightly. Our wagon continued northwards, leaving them in the distance.

  ***

  We had several hours of uninterrupted travel, as this time we raced against the late fall’s early days, which inevitably began to catch up to us. Archie’s friend got us through the gate with little worry, though in Archie’s words, he didn’t trust him not to ‘rat us out with enough coin’. Glenn’s breathing got better, but not great, as his regenerating Aura was able to heal him with time. Though how well he could fight if needed remained to be seen. We’d been traveling by the odd trail and smuggler’s roads we always took to ‘have our experience feel more like a proper adventure’, but this time our use of it was more in line with their true purpose: to avoid appearing on a noble's toll ledger.

  “I say we go west,” Maeori said, breaking from her silent, thoughtful look, as we approached a fork in the road. I fidgeted slightly; that was the way to Harshire, where Father Kavlin died.

  “Heh? Wasn’t yer god, or whatever the hells actually gave you that quest, telling us to go to Northwatch?” Archie asked.

  “We were also supposed to leave at the start of spring, but here we are.” Maeori gestured to the leafless trees around us. “We left from a northern gate, Sofia’s charity mission was north of Firstlanding, and it’s not like there’s nobody still there who doesn’t know where we’re going. If they really want to hunt us down, sending word to Oldcastle or the surrounding villages would be a safe bet.”

  “D-do you think someone would’ve told my father?” I asked.

  “Not of their own volition, I don’t trust your father, or anyone else, not to use spells or other means of extracting that from them.”

  “She’s right. Some weird genius magic prodigy blessed and chosen by the gods, how can she be wrong?” Glenn said with a mix of sarcasm and frustration.

  Maeori cast an amused smirk at Glenn. “Thank you for the compliment, I’m glad you agree.”

  “Calm yerself, lad,” Archie said as Glenn let out an annoyed groan. “Watch yer ego, lass. I think yer right on this, but let shite like that get to yer head too much, and ya gonna put yerself in trouble.”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Maeori rolled her eyes, but didn’t respond. Glenn let out a breath while still lying on the wagon’s bed.

  “Heh, I ain’t exactly keen on fighting them church fucks,” Archie continued. “How about we head to the coast and find a boat to take us north along the coast. We got a few extra months where we can do some jobs and get some coin in Oshon. I hear they’ve got a proper mercs guild there. We can still make it to Northwatch by spring, like ya wanted.”

  “Sure.” “Fine.”

  Ivili and I looked at each other. I’m sure she didn’t care one way or another. She’d always been more interested in chasing after something she found interesting, and I only wanted for us all to make it out.

  Traveling westward, the violet hue of the Haze settling in the barren trees brought us to a stop. The sky seemed clear enough, so we chose not to bother with a proper camp. Maeori was keeping the first watch with Nox, but I couldn’t sleep. How could I? After everything that happened today. After hearing about the siblings I never knew I had. Hearing about my mother. Why was I the only one of them that was alright? Why hadn’t I thought to check in on my mother, to see if she was alright? I wasn’t strong enough, I’d never be.

  I looked towards Nox from my bedroll. “So shake your head if you can understand me,” Maeori said.

  Nox looked slightly annoyed, but did so.

  “Cool, alright nod up and down for yes, and side to side for no.”

  There was a quiet meow.

  “I won’t ask a ton, I figure once we’re out of here, you can answer more through Sofia. Alright, so if Sofia’s asleep and you send her a message, will it wake her up?”

  He nodded yes. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

  “Can you do some scouting down the path we came from? I doubt these paths are secret, as Archie thinks if they’ve been using them for years, and I don’t want to take a chance.”

  Nox dashed off, leaving Maeori alone.

  I turned over a few times. Sleep never came. Instead, I walked over to Maeori, who seemed quite bored.

  “You should sleep while you can,” she said as I walked over.

  “I can’t.” Taking a seat on the log next to her, I looked into the same dark forest she was. “Do you think we’ll ever be able to come back?”

  “Not until we’re powerful enough that no guard can or would dare capture us. In other words, years if at all.”

  “Oh… do you think you and Glenn will keep being at each other's throats?”

  “That depends on him. He should stick to fighting and hitting things hard and defer to my judgment more. He might know more about a few things. I’ll let him take more of a lead there, but otherwise his naivety is a liability like you saw today.” Maeori let out a heavy sigh. I hoped they could get along. “Anyways, what’s going on between you two? I don’t think I’ve really been around you two together since you first rescued me.”

  “I-err. We were friends growing up. I think our parents were planning on marrying us. Before I… before I received the gods' blessings.”

  “I see, and now?”

  “I’ve al-” I started to say before I was interrupted.

  “Sofia, awake. Tell the Mistress that the enemy approaches.” Nox called out to me in my mind.

  “Are you alright? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” Maeori said, seeing my expression.

  “They’re coming! They’re coming for us, Nox told me.”

  “Fuck, wake up the others.” She stood up and started making her way towards Archie.

  I went over to Glenn, who, strangely, was still in his plate armor. He winced and stifled a groan as I rubbed his shoulder. “They’re coming,” I told him as he began getting ready.

  “Ivili and Maeori go hide in the bushes to the side,” Glenn ordered. “If you can get in a tree, Ivili, we’ll be able to create a crossfire without you two risking hitting each other. Archie and I will hold the center. Sofia, stay in the wagon.”

  “But I can help. That’s why-”

  “Please, I don’t want you getting hurt.”

  I dropped my head and moved to the wagon. Maybe I was being foolish. I would probably only get in the way anyway.

  Eight men approached. Six were dressed in a uniformed gambeson, chainmail, with a surcoat emblazoned with the symbol of the Severance Knights. They were younger men, likely around my age.

  The exception was two men. One I hadn’t recognized, but he visibly wore the pendent of the Severance Knights, with studded leather armor, and dual short swords to his waist. The other was Steven’s co-enforcer. He’d usually be there silently watching in the background whenever Steven saw my mission debriefs. I believe his name was Anders. He was younger than Steven, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties. He also wore the pendant of the Severance Knights, but the usual robes I usually saw him in before were traded out for a set of chainmail and tabard.

  Anders was the first to approach Glenn and Archie, entering into Ivili and Maeori’s area of crossfire, though they didn’t shoot. He had a grin on his face. “We can make this easy if you’d like.” He glanced at me in the wagon, then to Glenn in front of him. “Brother Steven wants your head for the window incident, but it's doubtful the Bishop earnestly cares if you live or die. Agree to join our ranks and give us the girl. It’s the only way you leave here alive.”

  “Sofia is staying with us,” Glenn said. I could hear the pain in his voice, which made me worry if his injuries were worsening.

  Anders smirked. “They really did a number on you. You should’ve taken my deal. I’ve seen you fight in tournaments. Here I thought I’d be worried about facing you. Guess I should worry about Brother Steven being pissed he didn’t get to kill you.”

  In a flash, Anders drew his sword and dashed in. An arrow shot out from a tree, nailing his pauldron and causing his charge to stumble enough for Glenn to draw his sword as they clashed. The other six started charging in. I kept a grip on my spear even though I’d likely be a burden if I were to join. A volley of rocks erupted and sprayed into them. Followed by an Aura-infused arrow piercing the helmet and skull of one of them. Archie stood behind Glenn, making jabs at Anders when he could, but mostly moving to try and keep the underlings from helping him. Likely, if not for Archie, Glenn would be on the backfoot trying to hold his own against Anders.

  I felt a cold blade against my throat. I had lost track of the man in studded leather.

  “Keep your pretty little mouth shut, and I won’t have to do anything regrettable. Though your daddy said if we were to bring you back in pieces, it was fine so long as he could patch you back together. I’m sure we’d both prefer not to.” He whispered in my ear.

  He began pulling me back out of the wagon. Would my aura be strong enough for me to survive if he ran his knife along my throat? He wasn’t trying to kill me, and it’d been growing. There was a chance. I wouldn’t go back, I couldn’t. I didn’t want to be useless and make things harder for the rest of them. He dragged me away from my spear, but the dagger on my thigh was still there. He’d see me, though, if I reached for it.

  I saw a pair of red eyes skulking around us. I wasn’t sure he saw them. As we approached the tree line, further from the fighting than I’d like, a black shadow leaped down from a nearby tree branch at the man’s head. He cried out in pain as claws met his face. My hand dashed down to the dagger, doing my best to infuse the tip with Aura. I stabbed backwards into his gut. As he tried to swipe at Nox. His Aura prevented the blade from sinking as deep as I’d have liked, but it was enough for his grip to weaken so I could break free.

  I was at half my Aura and put some of it into my legs again as I dashed back to the wagon. To my spear.

  “Get back here!” The man yelled out after me.

  “Sofia!” Glenn called out, followed by a pained yell. I could see his head turned in my direction, but not what happened.

  “Keep ya eyes on the fucker in front of ya. Ya damned oaf!”

  I grabbed my spear and turned around. Infusing the last of my Aura between my arms and the spearhead. The man slowed his approach, giving me an amused look.

  “Do you really think that will help you? A weapon you don’t even know how to wield?"

  He stepped forward into range as I thrusted. He parried with his sword, but I remembered what Glenn taught me. Disengaging from his bind and recontrolling the center. His amused look faded to confusion, then irritation. I didn’t think I could win, but I needed to get time until the others had.

  He drew his second sword and was about to lunge when Nox jumped up on his back, a claw scratching at his neck. I took my chance and stabbed at him, but he parried with a twist while also knocking Nox off him. I took a step back, his eyes scanning more closely for Nox.

  There was a quick wooshing sound as something struck him in the side of the head. With him off balance, I took another thrust that connected into his chest, tearing into and past the leather armor. He pushed through, taking a wild swing that cut into my thigh. Before another object flew in, pushing him back, I ended him with a final thrust.

  I looked over to Maeori, my relief slowly fading, seeing her grim expression. “You don’t have any mana, do you?” She asked. I shook my head. “Glenn, he’s not doing well.”

  Maeori supported me as I limped over. Anders and the rest were dead, and Glenn was lying on the ground. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at the scene. It looked like he was breathing, if slightly and barely. A large bloody gash ripped across his stomach through his armor. Ivili and Archie were huddled around him. His head turned when he heard us approaching. His helmet was removed, and he gave a pained smile when he saw me.

  “I-I’m sorry… I can’t do anything,” I said, ignoring the pain in my injured leg and rushing over and kneeling next to him.

  “I’ve always been scared that I’d die before we’d have the chance to adventure,” Glenn said between labored breaths. “I wanted to see the happiness you had when we would play pretend as kids, return to you… I’m sorry I never did enough for you… That I didn’t do more and that I won’t be there to see it again.”

  Glenn’s last words were wasted on me.