Jerrin was tied with a strip of my armour, and I and Lapi dragged him away from the corpses, they’d attract beasts soon enough. I wasn’t sure how I felt about killing them, one of them I recognized as Hyios, the other I only knew was part of Haen’s population.

Jerrin woke up quickly enough, the strike I’d taken advantage of had only stunned him for a moment, he snarled as he saw me, struggling at his bonds. “Why?” I asked, my voice carrying in the quiet shadows. My sword was sheathed, a dagger in my left hand instead.

He seethed, staring up to me, before opening his mouth to speak. “You were working with the gnolls.” He spat the words out, and I stood a short distance away, his legs also bound as they were, I doubted he’d be able to do naught but wiggle. The added bonus being that the armour strip was just as strong as steel, struggling would likely cut him. “So now you let them be, let them rise up again?”

I bend down onto one knee, bearing the pain, eyes level to his. “I came here and fought those gnolls, I killed them, and lost friends to do so, what the hell do you think you’re accusing me of?” I said, my voice still pitched low, a threat hidden beneath the words. The subtleties were lost on him though, his face twisting into a sneer directed with venom at me.

“Rael exchanged letters with the dogs. He was going to run over to them while we got crushed wasn’t he?” He snarled. “He told us not to go after the gnolls, that they weren’t enemies.” He laughed. “We hung him, and his wife.” He said, his voice becoming quiet, bitter. “I wish…” He shook his head. “And you, you went to talk to the gnolls, and they welcomed you in. What deal did you strike, to sell us out?”

I stared at him, making the faceplate translucent as I looked into his eyes. “These gnolls are not to blame for the attack on Haen.” I said. “The gnolls were another group, the Kokoro Brethren wanted to join Stoneward. That’s…” He interrupted.

“Where were they as we died then? Sitting aside, you want me to believe that they weren’t together, weren’t in the plan?” He laughed. “Their warriors joined the group.” He said, voice firm. “I saw the party come up to the tribe, they talked. Then most of the guard packed up and left, joining the group.” What? I thought to myself. Was this what he spoke of? That they had already left? I frowned slightly beneath the helm. He either didn’t see, or ignored it. “They’re all in league, just waiting, just like how they killed Rvin, or Lain. Waiting…”

I stared at him, trying to find the words I wanted to say. I fell short, sitting back. Lapi growled at Jerrin, while I just thought to myself. I don’t think I’ll get through to him. He doesn’t believe me at all. He’s paranoid. I returned the opacity to my faceplate, couldn’t let him know I was indecisive.

[If he returns, he could turn the farm against you. People could spread rumours, incite hate, they might even march on Arrgyk’s clan.] Page reasoned. [We have few choices.]

I nodded inwardly. One more try. “These gnolls aren’t trying to be our enemies, there are different groups, different things they chose. I killed the gnolls that asked for war, the news should have reached even your ears by now.” I said. “Arrgyk and his group want to join Stoneward, I’m facilitating…”

His eyes flicked to mine. “So that’s it then. They’re going to just absorb them, like nothing happened? So everyone who died, Rvin, Lain, Baer, all of them, get to watch as their killers join us!” He shouted at me. “Yinea died to them! You’re going to gloss over it like nothing happened?! Go. Rot.” He said, voice low.

Yinea. She had died just moments from the potion being provided, bleeding out onto the earth. She shuddered once, fixing us with the eyes of the newly departed. I blinked away the image. What can I do now? Nothing much, one choice left to me. I sighed silently, shifting myself towards him. He struggled as the blade pierced, stilling after a minute.

Lapi watched me as I lay his corpse to the ground, releasing the bonds on his arms and legs to incorporate them back into my armour. It was strange, I thought there’d be more gravity to the situation, instead I felt normal and it filled me with… unease. Lapi bumped me, circling me once as she brought me away, heading back to Haen.

People greeted me with a nod as I returned, seemingly none the wiser what I had done. I was relieved in a way, though some unease still clung to me like an ill-fitting cloak. Baen walked up to me, beginning an apology until he saw Lapi by my side. “I really didn’t know when she stopped following me.” He said. “I guess she just didn’t want to let you go alone?”

I nodded a bit, looking around. “Where’s Rael?” I asked. “The slime’s been taken care of, and much as I hate to say it, we need to get paid.” It pained me to admit that I was a practiced liar, a skill I’d learned back home. I don’t lie about what’s important to people that matter to me though, I’ll just say that. This was a good chance to gauge how they felt about the gnolls, and my next course of action.

The others looked to one another, and someone came up to me. I didn’t recognize the face, perhaps I just hadn’t seen him at the time. “Rael was in communication with the gnolls.” He said. “Regrettably, we had to kill him and his wife, or they might have managed to further whatever insidious machinations they had planned.” I puzzled out the words as he said them, having never heard those words used before.

When the heck has anyone here used those words? The man carried himself with a purpose, charisma, further solidifying my impression of him. He wasn’t there when the gnolls attacked. I realized. “Who are you?” I asked. “I don’t believe you were there when the gnolls attacked.”

“No, I was not. I was indisposed, having survived a gnoll attack myself.” He said, an easy air to counter the heavy statement. “They thought me dead, and I would have expired from my wounds if not for this farm. I managed to crawl my way here, where I was restored.” Why didn’t they kill him? I asked myself. I guess I could just be rather paranoid. I conceded, but it still ate at me regardless.

[His manner of speech is sophisticated and somewhat snobbish, yet he somehow commands respect.] Page remarked. [I wonder what he used to garner it.]

“Rael was in contact with the gnolls?” I asked, carefully fishing, he didn’t seem stupid. In fact, until I could prove otherwise I felt he was one hell of a manipulator.

“He was indeed.” Who talks like that? Really? “We discovered correspondences, and under… questioning he confessed to having made plans with the gnolls.” I frowned beneath the helm, he seemed to be vague on purpose, I paused for a moment.

“Do you know what plans they were?” I asked. “Also, I wouldn’t suppose you’re also the one in charge of finances now?” I cocked my head.

“How positively mercenary of you.” He replied with another smile. “But truly, I am not, that would be Gavin. Would you mind?” He asked, turning back to speak to someone among the crowd. “Thank you. The plan wasn’t outright discussed, but it seemed to involve Rael as a central role, so with him dead, that plan at least, should be somewhat nullified. Vigilance must be maintained regardless, there could be traitors everywhere.” For a moment his smile turned wolfish, a subtle threat behind them.

It didn’t seem to be just for me though. Some of the others seemed worried as well, though their faces stifled their emotions. Worrying. I thought, receiving two copper siqs from Gavin. I slipped one to Baen. “I would ask that you not do anything rash.” I said. Implying it hasn’t already been done. “It’ll be very busy for me for the next few days.”

When I finally left the farm, I breathed out a sigh, slightly favouring my wounded leg. My right arm hung to the side, the collarbone was either broken or fractured, right now I didn’t really care which. My head ached, focusing on the previous conversation was pretty much all I could do at the time. Baen didn’t seem to notice, lost in thought.

“What’s on your mind?” I asked, curious, it was becoming his default state, or perhaps it always had been. I shrugged inwardly, my collarbone throbbing fiercely. It was broken, I could hear bone scrape and crunch as I shifted my shoulder, wincing at the pain.

[Once we return you may have to set the bone.] Page observed. [The nanomachines located a few fragments, they’re disassembling them and grafting them onto larger pieces, should make things easier to put together.] I grimaced, nearly missing Baen’s reply.

“I’m worried.” He said. “Some people were talking about how the gnolls were so close.” He paused. “They’re afraid, and that man was talking about how they wouldn’t be safe unless they took more ‘proactive’ steps.”

He stopped, deciding not to continue. I grimaced, that man’s actions concerned me, from what I could tell Jerrin wasn’t the only person riling them up. I stopped. “Did he ever say his name?” I asked, realizing to my chagrin that he hadn’t provided it, distracting me with the answer to my other question. Baen blinked.

“I don’t think so.” He remarked, consternation playing across his features. “No, no he didn’t.”

[Interesting enough.] Page remarked. [Though not exactly remarkable information.]

I suppose. I thought back, Baen not particularly responsive as we continued the journey back to Soren.

I retreated away from the others once we returned, gingerly doffing the armour I was wearing from the waist up. It was definitely swollen, blood clotting beneath the surface. I grimaced, starting a fire on the ground from tinder and several sticks. I warmed the carving knife, heating it for several moments before I raised it with my left hand, digging it into the flesh.

I was very careful as I did so, feeling inside with heat sterilized gauntlets to ensure I wasn’t about to sever any important blood vessels, and digging out the freely suspended bone fragments.

[You could use Sense to view the wound more clearly.] Page suggested. I nodded in turn, forcing down the pain as I attempted to concentrate.

Page instructed me to press the bone fragments together, like fitting a puzzle. I’d hold it for a minute or so, allowing the nanomachines to form tenuous bonds between each fragment and the main piece. The shattered honeycomb structure would be rebuilt by the nanomachines in time. It was slow, agonizing work, and each time I shifted the pain threatened to make me black out.

When I was done I pushed the flaps of skin and flesh back into place, breathing out a long sigh of relief. It was done, so long as I didn’t strain it, or get hit again over the course of the week. I grimaced, no stitches this time, hard to even try with an injury like this. My armour helped apply pressure to the wound. My other injuries were just minor fractures, without any real need for surgical intervention of any kind, hopefully my actions hadn’t been misguided.

Either way, I figure Baen’s trial period is to start now then. My fault it’s so early. I thought ruefully, it was too bad I couldn’t use their potions. I shrugged. Let’s tell him the news.