The story of where Allen had been for the past three years before those complications with Andy was a long and trying tale. It was also not a particularly interesting one. Working with the Spades for over five long years was exhausting. The time he had spent in Krëztland as a Ranger hunting in the badlands was essentially a vacation, even with the odd bounty here and there.

Doc didn’t seem to mind Allen’s use of his time, being the cool, go-with-the-flow… something or other that he was. The Healer nodded at the end of Allen’s brief telling of his vacation, smiling warmly. Allen had never seen the Healer’s skin, much less his face. Still, there was something about the glint on the lenses of his mask and the way he patted Allen on the back that showed a smile just as well.

“Everyone needs a break from it all sometimes,” Doc said, his voice was calming and supportive, and indication that he was in one of his better moods. “We are all glad to have you back.”

“Yeah, glad to be back,” Allen agreed.

Doc handed Allen the two knives that had been stuck in him earlier and stood up. “Well, I must talk with Amon and the others about these… hmm, recruits. Might I ask what your thoughts were?”

Allen stood up and stretched out the coldness from his joints with a sigh. “Yes. Those two noble brats should be out, especially the Warrior. The Mage is slow, but that might just be his job, I’d give him a second chance if he wasn’t such a lightweight. The other warrior seems poorly trained, but he has some sense at least, I can’t be sure with what little I’ve seen.”

“Hmm, what makes you think those two are the spawn of nobles?” Doc asked, looking over at the three recruits sitting on the floor near the edge of the group. The two in question had their gazes at their feet, but still held onto the defiant look in their eyes. Joel, the other one, was laying on his back, looking blankly up at the roof.

“They just have that feel,” Allen said. “It isn’t hard to tell.”

Doc rubbed his chin and hummed in agreement, “I see, and what about the girl?”

Allen smiled. “She fights too formally and lacks the proper aggression. However, I recognized the Shumasao Mudo style in her movements, which is interesting.”

“Dark hair, dark eyes, and caramel colored skin, much like your friend over there,” Doc added, “It does fit that she would be from the far East.”

Allen took a moment to recognize that the Healer was referring to Camila. He snorted at the thought but nodded along anyway. “I agree. She is promising. I assume she must have been part of a scouting regiment; she fights like a scout.”

“And the final verdict?”

“If somebody wants to deal with Joel or Sylvester, then that’s fine with me. Clarence should join some noble’s man harem if you’re asking me.” Allen scratched his jaw and thought for a moment. “As for Nora, she’s cleared by me. I think Clara would like to mentor her.”

“Hmm, thanks for the input,” Doc said. Then he leaned in close to Allen and whispered into his ear, his voice laced with taunting humor. “Hurry and get your levels back, young man, I have much work for you.”

Allen grinned. “There’s always some problem that needs killing,” he said.

Doc chuckled as he turned and walked back towards Amon and Glaedyr. “Always,” he replied.

The Assassin stood around for a few seconds, ordering his thoughts. He was about to check up on his group and the freed slaves when a cold aura washed over him from behind. He turned to find Iana and Maráuh approaching.

“A most impressive fight Jerr, considering your current level,” The Gatekeeper announced cheerfully.

“I must agree,” Iana added, “though I feel it lacked excitement, the first three were simply boring.” The ice witch brushed a strand of her platinum blonde hair out of her face before her ocean-blue eyes settled on Allen. Her features weren’t as sharp as the golem’s, but the way her eyes angled gave her smile a certain deviousness.

“Thanks,” Allen said, suppressing a shiver.

Iana wasn’t trying to make it cold around her, it was just her presence alone. Only a powerful mana seal could stop the aura, but such a thing would also block all her magic. Anyone over level one-hundred likely wouldn’t feel any discomfort though, such was the degree of control she held over her own power. The very same power that had encased the capital of the Anillis Kingdom in a perpetual winter storm that still ravaged the area centuries later.

“We must chat later about your time away. I’m curious as to what drove you to disappear so suddenly. Your stories are always some of the most exciting here.”

“It really isn’t much of a story,” Allen began with a chuckle. “I was just fleeing from an underground slave trading ring that operates behind the noble circles of the Empire. They got pretty angry after I assassinated that mob boss and took the gold he was going to pay them. They chased me all over the place until I ran into a two headed mystic basilisk somewhere in bottom of the depths.” Allen noted the amusement on both women’s faces. “The thing was at least level two-thousand and massive too, at least the size of one of Amon’s big chains. It was also a reaper. Anyway, it killed everyone, myself included. Thankfully I died to its venom and not its stare, so I respawned. I got super pissed off though, so I decided to take a vacation for a while.”

“I see,” Iana said, “That does sound fairly mundane.” the witch smiled without a hint of sarcasm.

“Did anything else happen?” The golem asked.

“Uh, not much,” he started. “I mostly worked as a hunter for the guilds… Hunting around the badlands of Krëztland…”

“That’s all?” Iana asked, her smile waning as the gossip she yearned for did not provide enough to sate her.

Allen scratched his jaw. “Ah, well you know, I met a woman in the capital, her name was Elaine,” he began. “We spent a few months together; she enjoyed hunting at least.”

“Oh?”

“But then she cheated on me with a noble, so I murdered them both using a reaper class hellfire totem. I had caught them in the act too… That was not a good day.”

“Oh, how despicable!” shouted Maráuh. She staggered back with a gasp. “Tell me you strung the remains of that vile harlot up by her entrails for her crimes against you!”

“Nah, I didn’t go that far.”

Iana leaned in and put a chilly hand on Allen’s shoulder and gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m so sorry to hear that dear. Know that you can always talk about anything with me and may that Elaine bitch burn in hell forever.”

“Yeah.” Allen caught the sight of Iana’s eyes flick to his left. He looked over his shoulder and found Amelia staring back at him with an odd look. “How long as she been here?” Allen asked the two other women.

“Oh, I don’t recall. Who is she again?” Iana began, her gaze falling on Amelia like a cat eyeing a mouse.

“Ah, I believe it was approximately… the entire time,” the Gatekeeper said, pinching her chin.

“She’s in the group with me right now,” Allen replied, suppressing the urge to groan as he turned to find out what Amelia had to say.

“Allen,” the Healer began, clearing her throat. “Meredith and I are finished with the slaves. I already talked to Christopher, but um, he doesn’t really know what we’re going to do from here,” she said, gesturing vaguely. “So, I’m asking you.”

Iana suddenly stepped towards Amelia with her hands stretched out. “Regardless, she is adorable!” the witch began, grabbing Amelia by the cheeks and squealing to herself.

“Your hands are cold, granny,” Amelia said flatly.

“Oh, and the mouth on her!” Iana started with a delighted smile as she let go of the girl. The Gatekeeper laughed obtusely beside her while Amelia herself seemed unamused. “Jerr, by chance are you two—”

“No,” they both answered in unison.

Allen sighed. “Well, thanks to Shoam, we do actually have something to do after this,” he began, grabbing the Healer’s attention as he turned to walk over to where Meredith and the other three were waiting with the newly freed slaves. “He’s going to help us level to three-hundred.”

“Um, okay,” Amelia replied tersely.

“I can never tell when she’s enthused or not,” Allen thought.

He approached Meredith from behind as she ruffled the hair on a boy’s shoulder. The kid had clearly been crying earlier, but he was in perfect health after being healed. There were a half dozen other children in similar states crowded around Meredith while the majority of the freed slaves were still unconscious. Lucas, the other man they had rescued, and a woman around the same age were sitting with Christopher and talking, though their faces were still haunted despite their forced smiles.

“Are you done here?” Allen asked, prompting Meredith to spin around in her long white robe.

“Ah, yes. I just need to—” she suddenly cut herself off and glared to Allen’s right. “Gah! Gatekeeper Maráuh!” she blurted out, scandalized. “There are children here, cover yourself! Honestly…”

“What now? Is art not for children?” the golem asked, rolling her shoulder into a pose.

Allen stole a glance at one of said children, a boy around the age of twelve. The little man looked up at the Gatekeeper, his eyes filled with awe. Though, his gaze was decidedly focused below the neckline.

“I swear to the Saints,” Meredith began, shaking a finger at the golem. “Either cover yourself or remove yourself, or I will reassemble you in the shape of a cow!”

That seemed to have struck a chord in the golem because she hastily exited the scene. Iana giggled to herself as she watched the Gatekeeper saunter off, along with everyone else, especially the boys.

“Now,” Meredith started, shaking her head through a frown. “As I was going to say, I just need to check on the mind of the older gentleman over there and we can send them off to recover from the effects the thorns have had on their souls. They should also reset their spawn points as soon as possible.”

“That’s good to hear,” Iana said. Then she smiled at Amelia, causing the Healer to recoil just barely. “I’d also like to hear what you think of Allen’s… er, friend.”

“Me?” Amelia began hesitantly.