Looking back over the gnoll shot earlier by what I assume was a magical incantation, the green arrow isn’t present, leaving behind a partially melted hole in its skull.

Hurrying to the unoccupied section of the room, I look around where the caster should have been.

But no one is here.

I have only been around magic being used a limited number of times, with all of these being either from Dahlia’s healing magic or the earlier fight with the witches.

What I have noticed, is that magic used leaves a slight trace that I can sense if I focus enough. Though this feeling isn’t really comparable to any physical sensation I've ever experienced.

Sure enough, where I saw the flash of green coincides with such a trace, but who exactly left it?

The strangest thing by far though is that it almost seems… familiar.

However, this isn’t the only remnant in the area.

A much fainter source leading from here towards the edge of the room, before it reach a solid wall. Here the trail stops, seeming passing straight through the stone.

After a little poking and prodding to ensure the wall isn’t false and finding nothing, I return back to the centre of the room where the others have gathered.

It’s hard to concentrate when I know I recognise whatever left that magic, and it’s bugging me like a smell I can’t quite place.

All together we only had a single fatality, due to an accurate spear throw from the officer, with the victim not being someone I’m familiar with.

There are a few injuries in the group, but not anything too serious.

They are more at risk of the wound festering than anything.

Once I return to the others, who have huddled in a circle around an imaginary campfire, Lt. Hywel addresses me whilst pointing at the knocked out gnoll I fought.

“Care t’ explain why tha’ ones been kept living.

It’s to your tastes I’m assuming’, not tha’ I’ll judge.

But I think we should gut this one like a fish!”

I narrow my eyes at Lt. Hywel and quickly respond.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself there.

I just want to investigate the degree that the witches have control over them.

Also, since our entire goal is to kill the witches in order to remove their control over their monster army, we’d need to be able to judge if the control is truly relinquished after we kill the last of them.

Otherwise us being here is completely pointless.”

After a seconds pause, someone from the other squadron speaks up with a venomous glare towards the unconscious gnoll.

“This bastard killed Jaakko, I say we skin it!” He emphasises this by pulling out a dagger and beginning to move towards the object of his rage.

As a response I position myself between the two of them, flourishing a throwing dagger and flashing a smile that didn’t reach my eyes.

“Seems the only one who’ll be losing their hide is you.

I suggest you back the fuck up!”

With a gaze full of hatred now redirected to me, I receive it without so much as flinching.

No matter how angry this guy might be, he doesn’t compare to truly the evil murderers and psychopaths I’ve killed and more often fought besides.

Returning a cold stare, I see him tense up, unsure if to attack or back down.

What I assume are his friends step besides him, hands ready on the hilt of their weapons.

While Torben moves next to me, donning a serious expression.

After a staring contest I’m clearly winning, Argus moves up between us with clear intentions to play the role of a peacekeeper.

“Lets not get too worked up, we don’t need to be in a rush to kill it.

Lets use it for what Raegan explained first, then it’s all yours.”

I get glared at for a few more seconds, with my aggressors face becoming redder than I thought possible.

Finally his weapon goes away and he takes a deep breath.

“He lives until we’ve done with these witches.

Then I get to kill him in any manner I see fit, is that clear!”

To further rub some salt into his wounds, I give my best mocking laugh and put away my dagger.

But lets not settle for just pissing him off. How about I aim for him to burst a blood vessel.

“Anything for you sunshine, perhaps you would like me to wrap him in a pretty ribbon that matches your eyes.

After all, I wouldn’t want there to be any hard feelings between us.

It really isn’t healthy to keep a grudge you know!”

Though unfortunately nothing burst, but he did begin to develop a significant facial twitch that would make you question if he was about to collapse.

After a couple of amusing attempts of thinking of a retort, he turns, leaving in a storm of not so subtle cursing.

Ah, now my moods much better from before.

There’s nothing like ruining someone else's day to perk up your own!

Now I just want to know who had casted that magic from earlier and all will be good.

Lets just add that to my schedule of; chat with the furball captive, kill witch bitches and acquire all of the magical secrets.

The last one is a more long-term goal, but it certainly takes priority over the mutt and his owners.

After I receive a disapproving glance from Argus, we move to the exit of the room, leaving the dead where they lie.

In the Forgotten Lands you can’t afford to be dragging bodies back home for a funeral, or you’ll soon find your way into the stomach of some monster, most likely a ghoul since they supposedly can smell the dead for miles. They’re certainly a good incentive to burn your dead, but we can’t do that either in the Forgotten Lands without sending a signal to every nefarious creature nearby.

The most respect we can currently show our dead is to not loot his body and offering a toast once we return to civilised lands intact.

“Ok! Since they aren’t in this room they must have moved a little further back, just make sure to stay vigilant for anything.”

With Argus leads the group to the door, once again marked with white chalk.

As the group begins to move through the door, Torben, carrying the unconscious officer gnoll, keeps me back and nods in the direction of the one killed by the unknown witch.

“Saw that happen and the direction it came from, got any explanation for that?”

“Nope, not the slightest clue. However, who ever it was can get around without using doors.

It wouldn’t make any sense for it to be a witch that lives here since we are trying to kill them all. But who else could be down here.”

Torben contemplates this for a moment as we move into the adjacent room. Much smaller than the last, with only the ruins of some now unidentifiable furniture left behind.

“Perhaps a runaway from the coven, or someone who was exiled and bares a grudge against them?” Torben says uncertainly.

“Maybe, but why help me specifically and not any others of our group.”

“Is it possible they would know about your magic?”

“I don’t think so, however I would be surprised if there is magic to detect that, which is a worrying thought. So lets hope my magic potential remains hidden, and that there is a more simple reason for this unknown's actions.”

“Yes brother...lets hope.”

The small room exits back into the tunnel on the opposite side of the cave-in.

If we are lucky the other group will be in one of the first rooms, it would be hard to believe that they would move any further back to avoid the gnolls.

They likely had a better fall back point than the previous cluttered room and so decided to move back there.

Slightly unnecessary if you ask me since the scrap filled room had more places to hide than you could wave an army of sticks at.

“Raegan, don’t think approve of your solo fight with this guy.” He gestures to the gnoll being carried over his shoulder.

“If he decided to attack you with his goons, you could have been easily killed.”

Ah, I appear to be worrying my poor Torben again.

“That guy didn’t feel all that different to myself, there was no way he was going to let free entertainment be stolen by one of his lackeys.

That would be far too boring.”

My pet bear looks at me for a few second and makes a deflated sigh.

“I would try and talk you out of such rashness, but I should already know it to be useless by now.

Just make an attempt to be more responsible.”

“My dear brother, if I die doing something stupid, I would be the only one at fault. How much more responsible could I be.”

Torben’s expression sifts to that of annoyance and speaks again in a deep hushed voice.

“Dying early and leaving me alone is by no means responsible.

Remember that your death affects more than yourself. Don’t be selfish and go getting yourself killed.”

“I won’t go dying if you promise to do the same.”

Torben stops in place for a moment and looks me in the eyes to find if I’m being sincere.

Apparently finding it his face brightens up again.

“Okay, it’s a promise.”

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