Zack

Huffing with exertion, Zack Silverstone nonetheless quickened his pace as he cleared the woods and spotted the Safe Road ahead. He heard Leo huffing behind him—huffing, he noticed with annoyance, far less loudly than Zack was—and so far, there had been no sign of that terrifying Demon. Who, it seemed, had been after him. Not Leo.

Given Zack knew the man hunting Anna had Adventurers with him who were willing to shatter crystals that released Demons, that was an absolutely terrifying though.

Zack had been this close to pulling the crystal given by Xiva out of his pouch. In the past few months he’d discovered, to his relief, that it seemed that sunlight charged it over time. He hadn’t been sure it was working for the first few days he left it to bake in the sun, but he’d noticed it glowing visibly three days after he first that. Within a week, the crystal was back to full charge.

So Zack had a weapon against Demons. He could have slowed or stunned that Rakshasha with his crystal if he’d been alone. But with Leopold Argentshade, the most annoying Skirmisher in all of Grassea, in the middle of confronting him, Zack had hesitated to reveal only his sleeve card unless there was no other choice.

Fortunately for them both, Leo was a lot better with a spear than Zack had thought.

Zack reached the Safe Road without being skewered. He stopped, gasping, and leaned against the tall pillar containing the glowing blue Safe Stone and the flame that burned upon it. Leo arrived a moment after, considerably less out of breath, but Leo had four Levels on him.

Obviously, the other man had considerably more Vitality. That’s all.

“Is it after us?” Zack wheezed.

Leo carefully slung his spear across his back and turned to the woods. “No.”

“That was some trick,” Zack said, and he honestly meant it. “The spear flip, I mean. That Demon never saw it coming.”

“That Demon was overconfident, and that was a desperate ploy we were lucky even worked,” Leo said. “The Rakshasha won’t fall for it again. Demons are just as cunning as you or I.”

With a rueful shake of his [Steel Helmet], Leo removed it. He slipped it into his [Unfilled Bag], and Zack once again marveled as the whole helmet simply shrunk and vanished into a pouch that wasn’t much bigger than his. A pouch that was, unlike his, magic.

At least Leo wasn’t carrying around a magic Demon-blasting crystal he’d gotten from a blazing hot Timestrider. Zack had that on the other man, though he wasn’t sure he had much else. After seeing how effortless Leo dealt with a Level 15 Demon, he was no longer confident in his chances in their duel.

“So, about your pouch,” Zack said.

Leo glanced at him. “You have it?”

“I don’t have it,” Zack said wearily. “I didn’t steal it. I don’t know how to convince you of that, but I see no reason not to try. And while I’ll still duel you, I think I might actually lose.”

Leo looked away. “Duel’s off.”

“And our feud?”

“Suspended for the moment,” Leo said. “So long as you honestly answer my questions.”

Zack could absolutely answer questions, though “honestly” was a stretch. “Like what?”

“Do Rakshashas normally appear in Wolfpine?”

“Beats me,” Zack said.

“Have you ever heard of one appearing here?”

“Not in my lifetime,” Zack said, honestly. “Though we did have some Shaitan a few months back.”

Leo’s gaze snapped to Zack’s. “Did you report them?”

Was Leo actually taking this seriously? Something about Demons had apparently snapped the man out of his single-minded idiocy. “Town Guards handled it,” Zack said. “I assume they reported it. Also, a Blazer was on scene when it happened, and she saw the whole thing.”

Leo frowned and looked to the woods. “Not a fan of the Blazers.”

“Me neither,” Zack agreed, before glancing at Leo in surprise.

He hadn’t expected to have anything in common with this man, but as annoying as the circumstances had been, Leo had gotten himself arrested on his first day in Wolfpine. Zack could actually respect that. Not the duel or the unreasonable accusations, but getting arrested.

Especially by Joanne Dewcrest. Zack had gotten to know all the Town Guard’s names thanks to Glenn constantly yammering about them, and he now knew far more about their habits and preferences than Glenn likely realized. Joanne, with her love of handcuffs, seemed like she’d be awfully fun in bed.

“My offer to grab a drink still stands,” Zack said. “What about tonight?”

Leo frowned his way. “Why tonight?”

“Got some lodgers to babysit. They’re not exactly friends, but Mom needs the extra crescents. I don’t feel right letting them wander Grassea unsupervised.”

“Your lodgers were the two you left behind this morning?”

Zack grinned. “So you were following me.”

Leo sighed. “I suppose that was rather obvious.”

“No joke,” Zack said. “You want to follow people, you at least need to wear a disguise.”

It was a risk revealing Anna and Alan were his lodgers, but if Leo had followed him all the way from his house, he might have seen them both emerge. Allowing himself to get caught in an obvious lie would only endanger Anna and Alan further. Lodgers were common and ordinary.

Also Leo, at least, seemed to dislike the Blazers. Zack didn’t dislike them himself—Becka was one, after all—but he did prefer to avoid them when possible. So long as Leo had the same instincts, they might even get to be friends. Or at least ... not enemies.

Leo considered him for a moment. Zack let him consider. If he could finally befriend this annoying man, he’d both have one less enemy in Wolfpine and possibly a powerful ally.

Something was obviously off about a Level 10 Skirmisher slumming in a Level 8 zone, but if Leo was crosswise with the Blazers, maybe he, too, had a reason to lie low. Zack would never trust Leo with Anna, of course—he’d trust no one with her, a woman whom he’d grown to truly adore over the past few months—but new contacts and allies were always welcome.

And a Level 10 Skirmisher who could stop a Level 15 Demon in its tracks made a good ally.

Leo nodded. “Fine. A drink, tonight, in the tavern. You can even bring your lodgers.”

“They’re not big drinkers,” Zack said. “But I’ll totally introduce you to a Town Guard.”

Leo looked away again. “No thank you.”

So Leo was wary of the Town Guards as well. More good news. Zack had been worried this morning when he spotted Leo following them, worried that yet another Blazer or ally of Anna’s distant brother had caught wind of her presence here. Yet Leo simply seemed like a slightly annoying idiot.

Still, with one Demon in play, Zack couldn’t risk leaving Anna and Alan alone to fight others.

“Tonight then,” Zack said, and waved. “And no Town Guards. I’m off to hunt down my lodgers.”

“You do that,” Leo agreed, as he looked toward Evolan. “And ... be safe. Since you’re obviously occupied, I’ll return to Wolfpine and report the Rakshasha. The Town Guards, at least, should know, so they can warn other Adventurers who might venture into the woods today.”

“That sounds like a job you can handle,” Zack agreed. “And thanks, Leo, for the save!”

The man’s eyes remained fixed on the Deepscorn Woods. “Don’t mention it.”

Zack momentarily hesitated to leave the Safe Road again, but the Rakshasha was all the way on the other side right now. The Demon couldn’t cross the Safe Road, and Anna might still need him. The idea of her being abducted or worse, killed by a Demon, left unwelcome butterflies in Zack’s stomach.

He shouldn’t get attached. He knew that. They were going to enjoy each other’s company and then both move on. Still ... he already liked her an awful lot. And just because he had no plans to become her long term Adventuring partner didn’t mean he couldn’t want her safe.

Zack made no effort to hide his tracks, though he did covertly check to see if Leo now followed him. The man had vanished, likely back to Wolfpine as he’d claimed. Zack still went quite a bit out of his way until he was deep into the Dewdrop Hills, then pivoted due south.

With all chances of pursuit now purged, Zack hurried for the copse of trees in the raised set of hills he’d told Anna to go too if they got separated. The spot was well hidden with visibility in all directions, but still. Demons could shimmer. Zack and his crystal was the only protection Anna had.

Given how far he’d gone of his way to avoid pursuers, it took him a full thirty minutes to reach the hills and the dense copse of trees at its center. There was no sign of anyone. Yet the moment Zack entered the woods, a quiet whistle drew his attention. He smiled with relief.

He followed the direction of the sound and soon found Anna and Alan Ironstar—though he now knew that wasn’t their last name—crouching in the relative cover of both stalks and leaves. They were deeper in than he’d liked, without good visibility on their surroundings, but he’d talk to them about that later. For now, he simply had to assure them they were safe.

“Moron’s dealt with,” Zack said. “Also, I ran into a Rakshasha, but it’s—”

“What?” Anna hopped up and rushed over. “Are you hurt?”

Zack grinned as she fussed all over him, grabbing his arms, pressing her fingers to his neck, and visibly checking him for wounds. “I’m fine. Rakshasha didn’t touch me. I’m hate to admit it, but that moron with the big spear really can handle himself.”

“The moron whom you caught following us this morning,” Alan said evenly. “And you’re sure he wasn’t after us?”

“After me, actually,” Zack said confidently. “His name’s Leo. He’s a Level 10 Skirmisher, but just some Adventurer who seems to be laying low down here on his own.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very sure. Idiot actually got himself arrested a few weeks ago, on his first day in town. He still thinks I stole his coin pouch, which is why he followed us out of town today.”

“Did you?” Anna asked.

Zack gasped and thumped both hands to his chest. “After all we’ve been through!”

She pursed her lips and grimaced. “This is my fault.”

“Hey,” Alan said. “Don’t even consider that.”

“Don’t,” Zack agreed. “We don’t know that this had anything to do with you.”

“It was a Rakshaha,” Anna said evenly. “Those don’t simply spawn in Grassea. It was obviously brought here inside a crystal, and one of my brother’s less moralistic hunters shattered that crystal and released the Demon hoping it would kill you. Perhaps they’ve targeted you as the reason I escaped the Shaitain, and now they want you eliminated.”

“Might have just been a random encounter,” Zack said. “We can’t know, but the important thing is I handled it. Oh, and our stalker isn’t a bounty hunter.”

“Or he’s so good at hunting bounties he’s pulled the wool over your eyes,” Alan said.