Chapter Twenty-Two

**Nothing Good Comes of the Forest **

Jason exited the club and Vanna came staggering behind him. The adrenalin had masked her drunkenness until then, but nothing could hide her intoxicated state anymore. The sour smell of alcohol lingered around her like a ripe cloud. But then again, Jason thought, the entire port smells like a spilt barrel of ale mixed with urine.

A bell tolled twelve times then stopped, midnight. A chill air blew through the docks, it’s sudden gusts amplified the emptiness of the place. The echoes of a few drunken wanders called along the streets, but there were scant people to see. Jason wished he brought his cloak, but resigned to hugging his chest tight for warmth instead. Drunken Vanna seem bothered by the cold and whistled as she staggered along. Jason prayed he wouldn’t have to carry a puking Vanna back to the inn, she’s got to weight thirty pounds more than me, he feared.

For lack of an alternate route, Jason lead Vanna back to the alley the stable boy guided him through. Jason would have preferred staying on the avenues, even in their deserted state, but he didn’t want to waste time trying to find a different path back and risk getting lost.

The alley walls blocked the wind, but the air lingered still like death over a corpse. The stench of alcohol was replaced by that of sickly sweet waste and excrement. A rat scampered across the path and Jason jumped. Vanna cackled childishly then continued her whistling. Jason felt a breeze cross his face and a chill slithered down his spine. He saw something move in the shadows to his side and turned to look at Vanna. His heart stopped as he felt cold pressure on his throat. All Jason could see was Vanna’s eyes open wide in fright and her hand drop to her sword.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” a tongue clicked from behind Jason. The sound didn’t come from close by his ear so there was more than one ambusher. Whoever held the blade to Jason’s throat nudge him to move towards the wall. Jason moved and saw a dark figure move past him towards Vanna. “Hello Valkyrie,” the figure said, its voice scratched the air wickedly. Vanna began to pull her sword from her belt and the blade pressed harder against Jason throat. “Oh no, I wouldn’t do that sweety,” the figure said slightly amused.

“What,” Vanna slurred, “what do… who… you… what do you want.”

“Hand over your money and we will leave,” the figure commanded flatly, unimpressed with Vanna’s state.

“Vanna, don’t,” Jason yelled only to get the back of his legs kicked by his captor.

Vanna eyed the dark figure and Jason. Her eyes slumped in fear and confusion but then they shot open.

The blade came away from Jason’s throat and a loud crack sounded from behind him. Jason began to turn his head, but a heavy hand rested on his shoulder stopping him. A silver haired man walked out from behind Jason and he saw that it was Maelon.

“Get your friend and leave,” Maelon said to the figure. Jason could see the thief’s face, but he could tell they were trying to run a quick calculation of what to do. Maelon stepped aside and eased Jason back as well. The hunter stretch out his arm as if in invitation and the thief quickly ran pass not even stopping for their friend. Jason looked back and saw that the person who had held the knife to his throat was crouched on the ground hugging an arm bent in a sickly L. They grunted angrily then rose and ran after their companion.

“It’s never a good idea to walk down dark alleys,” Maelon said. “Especially drunk and when people know you have money,” he spat in disgust. Jason opened his mouth to say something but Maelon walked past him uninterested. “You have the spirit for a hunter. You take in enemies many times you own strength,” he commented towards Vanna but not to her. A amused smile crept across his face as if he were remember a pleasant memory. He walked past her, “find me when you are ready to become a hunter,” then he slipped into the shadows and disappeared.

Jason stared wide eyed at Vanna, “what was that.”

Vanna shrugged her shoulders then made a heaving motion. She wrapped an arm around her stomach, but thankfully didn’t vomit.

“Come on,” Jason grunted, “let’s get back before someone else tries to rob us, I don’t think we’ll get lucky again.” He grabbed Vanna’s arm and helped her walk.

*****

Day 8

To Jason it seemed as soon as his head hit his cot he was woken up by the knock at his door. “Shut up,” Vanna groaned, Jason opened his eyes and saw the woman roll over. Jason groaned as well, but got up and thanked the stableboy for waking them.

“Come on Vanna,” Jason said between rubbing his eyes.

“Five more minutes,” she pleaded.

Jason sighed, “fine. I’m going to get Skippy ready and if you’re not downstairs in five minutes, I’m leaving without you.” Jason’s words were meant to be playful, but a hint of truth was embedded in them. Last night worried Jason and he knew that they were going to have an unpleasant conversation about each of their expectations once on the road. He had to sort out employees in the past but it was hard with Vanna because he couldn’t stop thinking of her as a friend.

Vanna sighed happily then sprawled herself out. Jason shook his head and walked out of the room with his gear. In the bar the innkeeper greeted Jason and offered him breakfast. The man grilled a dozen long thin sausages and Jason ate them readily with some coffee he prepared. His bag of beans was running low and he would need to buy more next time he was in Laxtar. When Jason was almost done with his breakfast dull footsteps beat down the staircase and Vanna appeared looking disheveled and fatigued.

“Ha,” the innkeeper barked when he saw Vanna, “bit by the dog lassie?”

Vanna mumbled, but no words came out. She slumped next to Jason and started to nibble on a sausage. “Is Skippy ready yet?” she moaned.

Jason shook his head, “not yet, here fill your canteen with the rest of the coffee and meet me outside.” He thanked the innkeeper and went outside.

Jason was able to attach Skippy’s cart with the help of the stable boy and when he had the donkey pulled out in front of the inn Vanna came out. They didn’t say a word and began to navigate their way out of the city.

When they were finally out of the city and there weren’t any other travelers around Jason decided to break the silence. “So Vanna,” he paused awkwardly as the warrior turned her head towards him, “I think we need to have a talk.”

Vanna nodded her head, he could see heavy bags under her eyes. “In the end everything went well last night, but…,” she hesitated, “I made a lot of stupid decision and it was only because of dumb luck we’re both still alive.”

“Yes,” Jason agree, “but I don’t want to dwell on the past. I think we need to make our expectations clear.” He paused a minute and waited for her to respond but Vanna only nodded. “Now I think of us as friends, but I am also paying. It’s your job to keep us safe and doing something like what you did last night is the opposite of that. Like you said some good thing did come out of it which we’ll discuss later, but I think in the future anytime one of us could be put in danger we need to discuss it first.”

“You’re right and I’m sorry for being so rash last night,” Vanna said. “This isn’t an excuse but since being in here…” she waved her arms around gesturing at the rolling hills and river but Jason knew she meant the game. “Since getting in that pod it’s like I’ve gotten a second chance at life. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret anything about my old life, but its like I get to feel young again. I feel more of a rush in one day here than the entire last twenty year of my old life.”

“I understand Vanna,” Jason said, “just promise me you’ll start thinking more like we’re a team. And I don’t know what happens when one of us dies here and I don’t want to find out either,” Vanna nodded her head solemnly. Jason smiled trying to ease the tension, “alright that went better than I thought.”

Vanna smiled back, “so what else did you want to talk about, Honey?”

Jason took a swig of coffee then replied, “well I want to ask your opinion on a couple of quest because they will affect how we move forward, but first I wanted to ask what your own goals were.” Jason saw Vanna make a confused look and clarified, “I mean what are your plans for the future. I know that you want to become a monster hunter, but I have a feeling that involves a lot of travel and fighting, which I’m down for. It sounds fun actually, but obviously my class doesn’t seem built for heavy combat and we will have to work out how I’m to be more than an accessory and can use my skillsets.”

“I’ve tried to think about that too, Honey,” Vanna said stalling for time as she tried to articulate her words. “I think it’s still too early to know. We don’t know how we will grow and I think there is too many unknown’s to try and make any plan right now.”

Jason nodded, “you’re probably right, which brings me to the next thing I wanted to talk to you about.” Jason continued to fill Vanna in on his meetings with Wilhelm and the Quartermaster.

Vanna bit her lip softly as she thought. “Seems like you’ve got a lot to think about. But about your one question about changing classes I think I can help you. When I was in the army my class was Soldier. Well one of its requirements was to be in an army or sworn to a landowner. When I left the army I no longer met that requirement so I had to choose another class and that’s how I became a sell sword. I think you can switch between classes as long as you meet all of its requirements.”

“So since Trader has less requirements than Black Market Trader I should go for it first and later I can decide if I want to switch to Black Market Trader,” Jason said.

“Right, once you figure out more out about what’s going on between the guild and the Night Crew and what they each really about.”

“Thanks Vanna, I think that’s what I’ll do.”

Vanna returned a smile, her hangover had went away surprisingly fast Jason noted.

“I wouldn’t trust that Rock man, Honey,” Vanna said seriously, “he sounds like a snake.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t Vanna,” Jason replied. “This isn’t my first time dealing with people like him.”

Vanna let out a loud humph, “why don’t we stop for a break.”

Jason agreed, he could see the edge of the forest and guessed they were about an hour away. He figured then would be a good time for lunch so they could power through. They were both still slightly full from their breakfast, but they snacked on jerky and fruit and took advantage of the opportunity to relax their legs on the soft riverside.

They watch a small raft float by carrying two teenagers. The two parties waved. Jason watched the vessel disappear down the river and ponder whether or not it would be a good investment to build a boat to transport wool between Finchead and Laxtar. That’s a question for Byron, Jason thought. He was sure it would be more complex than it seemed, if anything was easy in this place than someone was already on it.

After a few more minutes of laying in the grass they picked themselves up and wiped the dirt off their clothes and continued towards the forest. With the burden of having to confront Vanna off his chest Jason was starting to enjoy his day. Not even the thought of going back into the forest bothered him.

“The weather has been good the last few days but we should probably plan on getting warmer gear,” Jason noted.

“Your cloak should keep you warm for any chilly morning for a while, but your right I need to get something warmer than the tunic under my armor,” Vanna replied. Jason took a closer look at the bits of cloth that poked out from beneath the leather. He noticed the blood stains from last night hadn’t gone away.

“I think I’m going to visit the bathhouse when we get to Finchead,” Jason stated.

Vanna opened her mouth to respond but paused and pointed a finger towards the forest, “look.”

Jason scanned the trees then the canopy until he finally found what she was pointing at. A large eagle lumbered lazily in the sky; it glided above the trees. The world seemed to pause as Jason watch the magnificent bird and in that moment Jason truly forgot he was in a game.

Jason smiled and looked at the woods, his perspective on the place had changed. Where he once saw dark shadows he now saw squirrels scampering about with cheeks bursting with chestnuts. In the moist soil he saw crisp moss breathing out fresh air. And then it was all ruined again.

“Ahhh,” a shrill voice screeched. Jason looked around frantically to find the source but it was Vanna who spotted it. The pair was still about a hundred yards from the first trees but had a clear panoramic view of the forest.

“Look,” Vanna yelled, she pointed her finger a couple dozen yards from the path. A woman burst out of the tree line, it was hard for Jason to tell, but she her clothes appeared to be pathetic shreds. She tripped and fell, but kept picking herself up and running. Jason didn’t think she was trying to yell, but she seemed to cry without noticing. Vanna waved her hands frantically tried to gain the woman’s attention, she was no more than thirty yards from them by then and Jason had a clear view of her gaunt scarred face. The woman halted and stared at them. Her eyes shifted to Jason and she balked as if she were face to face with a rabid bear.

Her mouth crawled back and her eyes bulged in fear. She screamed with true terror then fell backwards as she tried to retreat.

“Stay here,” Vanna shout commandingly to Jason then ran towards the woman. Instead of picking herself up and running she sprawled herself limp on the hillside waiting for Vanna to get to her like a wolf to a wounded doe. Her cries fell to a tear flooded whimper as the warrior approached.