I am running back at high speed. I have not done so for long, but I am even weaving bestowal magic around my legs for higher speeds. I dash past the gate to the city at high speed, Gorar shouting something at me that I don’t catch.

I know nothing, I realize. I could have asked how long ago they left, how they looked or any number of things to help me, but I ran and I keep doing so. It is the only choice left.

I start to ponder if I saw anyone looking like hunters this morning, but my memory fails me. I had seen many people travelling along the road each time I went to God’s Win. I haven’t been paying any special attention. I curse at my past self.

Even today, I took my time, running almost slovenly towards the city, chatting idly away with Gorar, meeting some local government stooge, slowly peering over all the requests before asking. How much time have I wasted? I shake my head trying to stop thinking about it. I must hurry.

I happen upon the clearly burnt footsteps. Noone in sight. I follow them and I cast my read. Far off, five signals are found, close to each other. Soon I am close enough for it to be within range of sight. Four men close by the hut, one of them holding Kassa up by the arm. She is cowering in fear.

“Let her go” I scream, before panting a little.

“Yian!” She cries out as she senses my presence.

“Yian?” One of the guys turn to face me. “It really is him.” They seem to know me, but I don’t know them. Did I become known in the city? Doesn’t matter, the guy holding her arm still haven’t released her.

“Let… Her… Go…” I try to sound menacingly. It seems to have worked, since her arm was let go. Kassa runs towards me the chance she gets, and I quickly meet her, and proceed to shelter her behind me.

“You… You are sheltering this one, huh?” One of them ask. I simply nod. The guys proceed to look a little at each other.

“Got any relation to those burnt marks leading here?” he asks. I nod once again. “Those were made by me to find my way here and back.”

“All right, all right. Know anything about the four dead guys found a little ways away from here?” Another one of them asks. I freeze a little, I did kill those people in a fit of rage. I think they deserved it, but what they did, or helped do, probably wasn’t considered punishable. Sounded like they had orders.

“No…” I say after a pause for thought. I don’t think they believe me.

“You… Can you explain yourself, living out here with a barbarian?” I am asked once again. It is obvious who he refers to.

“I don’t need to explain anything. You leave us alone now!” I say. One of them is slightly taken aback.

“Okay, okay, no need to get violent. We will just leave now. Go take a look at the other site.” The man who has spoken the most makes gestures to calm down and get his troop out of there. I watch them closely as they slowly leave the place at the behest of the man in front.

“Wait!” I shout. They turn to look at me. “Are you going to tell anyone about her?”

“I mean, our job was to investigate the sites and report. We will report what we learned and found. Then we will get paid, that’s how this works.”

“Don’t!” I try once again to sound menacingly. “Unless you swear to keep your mouth shut about her… I will… I will… I won’t leave let you leave alive!” I was planning to leave anyway, but I don’t need ill rumors or someone chasing us.

“You…” The man who has been acting as their leader looks pissed. “We were just going to inform the guild about you and let others decide what to do. But you dare threaten us? Do you not know who we are?” I really don’t, but I caught a glimpse of one of their hunter tags. It was clearly first rank.

“I don’t care! Swear to keep your mouth shut!” He looks like he’s boiling over.

“Get him!” He suddenly shouts.

They arm themselves immediately, and I rush them down at the same time. Daggers are thrown my way, but they are easily parried, a shield is put up to defend against me, but it has no hope of standing up to my force.

Seconds later they are all knocked down. Powerful punches I learned to utilize from my time at the circle has incapacitated all of them. It was easy…

I wonder what to do with them. I don’t really want to kill them, they look like they were just doing their job. But at the same time, if I off them here and throw them into the dungeon, won’t people simply think “the spirit” did it.

If I force them to make them swear now, they probably aren’t going to uphold it, but just say whatever they can to get out of this situation.

“Kassa!” I shout. “Go inside the hut, and don’t come out till I get you.” I steel my heart and make our future a little more safe.