The exhausted teenager breathes out a cathartic sigh of relief. He wipes the crystal dagger clean on the dark clothing of the dead man before sheathing his weapon. Ignoring the growing pain in his good arm, Liam looks down at the body. Dull yellow eyes stare up at the night sky, frozen in terror. I am never going to let myself be a victim again. Liam spends a moment, burning the image into his mind before patting down the body. Nothing, damn. He stands back up and walks away.

While cradling his arm to avoid it jostling around too much, Liam furiously walks through the street. The moon and occasional gas lit lamps guide his way as he does so. With at thought he brings up his status, he focuses on the relevant details.

Mana

5/34

Condition

Tired, lower right arm broken

Shit, that took a lot out of me. I need to get back and rest. I’ll be in real trouble…wait, didn’t he say something about ‘others’. Nope. Not my problem I’m too tired and injured to help anyway.

As Liam starts to walk away, his mind drifts to his father.

“She was the bravest woman I have ever known and a cunning warrior… and she was a good friend. Arthur finishes his tale with a forlorn look and misty eyes. Outside the window storm clouds gather, mirroring his father’s mood.

“But dad, I don’t understand. Why would she risk her life like that?” asks Liam.

“Well son, sometimes you have a choice, you can do what is right or what is easy. It was clear for your mother. She knew that those merchants would be killed if she did nothing. But it won’t always be so black and white.” Arthur replies.

Having never known his mother, Liam found it hard to miss her. His father often told stories like this, he said it was important to keep her memory alive. To try and teach him the lessons that she would have. Liam did his best to listen and connect but it is difficult for him.

Liam stops dead in his tracks, tears running down his face. He looks up at the sky for guidance. I don’t know if you are up there dad..and mum too, but I’m going to make you proud. If there is somebody alive in there, I’m going to help them.

I need to check out that house. It was one of the first, after the square.

With his mind made up, Liam turns direction and walks toward the start of Bulburry Street. I will just check it out carefully, if there is any sign of danger, just walk away.

Liam pauses for a moment after spotting the house he saw earlier in the night. The window which held chilling yellow eyes now sits empty. Before proceeding further, he looks up at the sky and stars. A cloud shifts out of the way, bathing him in direct moonlight. It is difficult to focus with his throbbing arm but somehow, he manages. After five minutes Liam brings up his status once more.

Mana

7/34

That will have to do, I don’t want to stay around these parts any longer than I need to. With a thought he turns on the mirror cloak, all but disappearing from sight.

The front door is thankfully unlocked, Liam walks inside, panther leather boots enhance his stealth as he does so. The inside of the house has a putrid stench, Liam gags briefly before pulling his undershirt over his mouth. The thin sweaty cloth helps immensely. A heavy wooden door is secured with a thick metal bolt, Liam presses his ear to the door and can make out faint sobs from within.

The next ten minutes of Liam’s life are a harrowing experience. Death and decay greeted him past the door, which led down to an underground cellar. It is pitch black downstairs, Liam listens for a moment but can only make out the sound of a child crying. After confirming that there is nobody else in the cellar, Liam drops his mirror cloak and walks down. With a thought, he conjures a ball of pure white light in his hand and sticks it to the ceiling.

Two faces look up at him with confusion, it is difficult for Liam to tell but they appear to be a couple of years younger than himself. Both are bound to a hefty wooden beam with rope. Next to them are several large iron cages with bodies in various states of decay. Liam makes a shushing sound, placing his finger to his lips. He lets his broken arm hang limp by his side, draws the crystal dagger with his bad hand walks over to cut them both free. “Is there anybody else here? Maybe somebody upstairs?” Liam whispers.

He gets two terrified nodding heads as an answer. “Ok, lets just be as quite as we can. I’m going to cut you free now, stay still”. They both nod once more. Liam walks over, and carefully slices through both ropes. Their wrists are raw from the tight bindings, Liam feels rage boiling within him. “Right, we are going to go upstairs now, nice and slow, just follow me ok?

The trio walk up the stairs, it is a tense affair. Every creak of the wood or gust of wind outside is terrifying. Liam carefully opens the door and enters the hall, the faint sound of footsteps can be heard above. Liam ignores his fear and gestures behind him, encouraging the kids to follow.

Nobody relaxes until they have entered Edgefield Row. A handful of locals are wandering around, but it is mostly quite this time at night. Liam turns to the rescued prisoners. “Do you have somewhere to go? A family?”

“Yes sir. We don’t live far from here, two streets to the north. Can you help us get home? Please?” The brown-haired boy asks, tears forming in his eyes. He sniffles, wiping tears away on a ragged sleeve.

“Of course I will, this way?” Liam motions with his good hand. The boy nods in reply.

“Thank you for cutting us free, he just caught us last night. The others were alive…” the boy abruptly cuts off mid sentence, fresh tears forming in his eyes.

“Never mind that. You are safe now, that’s all that matters. Both of you will be back with your parents before long.” Liam reassures him.

Without waiting for a reply, Liam marches onward. I wish I could help them but who knows what they have been through. Best to just get them back to their parents and leave it at that.

He leads them to their home, keeping his head on a swivel for any potential danger the entire time.

Twenty minutes later the three boys are standing at Lombard Road. It is lit up in warm gaslight, rows of modest semi-detached houses come into view. The smaller boy suddenly sprints off into the night. Liam watches him cross the street and bang on a front door. A womanly scream pierces the air. The slightly taller boy starts to walk away before stopping after a few stops. He turns back to Liam and says “Thank you mister, you saved us. I should be going now, my aunt will be worried sick.”

Liam watches the young boy from the shadows, he enters a house and shocked voices yell out from within. Liam turns away and looks down at his throbbing arm. Well this doesn’t look great, at least the bone isn’t poking out though !

With the crisis adverted, Liam turns back to the previous street, tracing his route from earlier in the evening.

Grimacing in pain, Liam opens the door to the inn. His arm had gotten steadily worse on the long walk home, but by some small mercy the bone had not broken through his skin. A handful of patrons remained inside of the Boarelk’s Tusk. The usual late night drinkers and generally the last to go home. Godrick catches Liam’s eye as he enters, his face concerned after seeing Liam shuffle inside while cradling his arm. Liam walks over to the bar and asks, “I don’t suppose you have something strong for the this?” The teenager gestures to his arm.

“Come around here and take a seat inside. Give me a minute and I’ll be right in.” Godrick replies, pointing at a door. Without questioning, Liam walks inside a small pantry, he sits down on a crate with a sigh.

A few minutes pass and Godrick enters. “How long has it been like this?” the older man asks in a no-nonsense voice.

“Couple of hours I reckon. Had a run in with some fucking nutjob. Got him in the end though.” Liam answers. “Alright lad, this isn’t going to be pretty. I know enough to fix people up after a brawl, but I’m a bartender, not an innkeeper. Here, let me roll this up for you.” He bends down on one knee and with surprisingly gentleness considering his size, rolls up the sleeve of Liam’s clothing.

A large portion of his lower arm is covered in ugly purple and yellow bruises. “Spirits have mercy, that’s not pretty. Here, bite down on this, I’m going to do my best but it will hurt like hell.” He grabs a piece of rope from a nearby shelf and hands it to Liam.

“Stay very still for this part.” Godrick requests. With one hand holding Liam’s and the other resting painfully on top of his arm, the older man takes a deep breath. His soft brown eyes flash emerald green for a moment. A muffled scream escapes Liam’s mouth as bright green lines, like roots, spread up his arm. He struggles, trying to move away but Godrick holds him in place. Brown eyes once again flash emerald and a second wave of pain hits Liam. Tears run freely down his face by the fifth and final spike of pain. Godrick exhales deeply while standing up.

He walks over to a shelf on the far side of the room, after a few seconds rooting through a handful of boxes he returns with a piece of linen cloth. Carefully, he folds the cloth under Liam’s injured arm and ties it in a couple of places. After spending a few seconds fussing with the placment Godrick says “Keep your arm in this, should support the weight and stop it bouncing around too much.”

“There lad, I’ve done all I can. I managed to set it and kick start the natural healing process. Unfortunately, that’s the limit to what I can offer. The insides are pretty bad, so first thing in the morning you are going to go to the healing temple and get treated.” Says Godrick.

Liam nods in understanding and spits out the saliva covered rope. “Thank you Godrick. It’s been one hell of a night. If it’s ok, can I tell you about it in the morning. I just want to crawl into bed now and sleep. I’ve been on my feet all day. How much do I owe you for this?”

“No need to pay me lad, I’m happy to help and seriously, go to the temple as soon as you wake up. If you don’t there is a real risk of long term damage, I know just how important a young man’s right hand is.” Godrick jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

Despite his exhaustion, Liam blushes bright red at what Godrick says. “Right, I’ll just be off to bed now. Thanks a lot Godrick”.

Liam exits the storeroom, a few nosey guests eye him up and down as he makes his way up stairs and into his rented bedroom.

After kicking off his boots, he lays down in the bed still wearing his clothes from the day before. Moonlight shines through the window, he can almost feel it on his skin. Liam curls up on his good side, a lot of the pain has left his arm but it still far from normal. He shudders for a moment, thinking about everything that has happened in the last week.

That’s two people now. Spirts above, I have killed two people. I hope dad understands, I didn’t have a choice. I’m not a bad person. I just did what I had to do. I wish you were still here.

A few tears roll down his cheek as Liam drifts off to sleep.