A couple of weeks after we left Apple Town, the road began to veer toward the east. Not wanting to change directions, I arbitrarily decided to forgo the road and cut through the wilderness and continue south. I don't know why but I feel something pulling me in that direction, and the further we go, the stronger the pull gets. The only downside was we had to leave the horses behind. May traded them to a passing caravan before we left the road. Filling both her and Meera's storage rings with plenty of supplies and winter clothing since the weather was getting colder every day. Losing the horses upset Meera for a time, but since we rarely rode them anyway, we convinced her they would be much happier with owners that played with them more.

That was also around the time when Snow made a connection with a water element. That is what May decided, At any rate. She spent quite a bit of time studying each of our elemental qi's and thought they were actually alive, and we somehow bonded with them, allowing them residence inside our bodies. Where they converted the qi brought in from surroundings into their element, which is much stronger. I left that study to them. I got the fun job of clearing a path through the thick underbrush. I have a feeling no one has traveled this forest for a very long time. On the plus side, May let me return to my preferred cultivation, citing that hiding is pointless. If anyone could track us through these woods, then we have no way of concealing ourselves from them.

A month into our trek through the woods, we looked for a good spot to set up camp. Meera and Snow were bundled up in fur coats while May and I still wore our usual traveling cloaks. I had barely found a good spot in the lee of a small rise that blocked the chilly wind when the sound of fighting brought me up short. As we practiced, Meera ran to Snow, who started drawing in water from the surroundings building a small wall around her.

I threw an ironbark seed at each of the girls that spread into a chest plate covering their chest, stomach, and back. We each grabbed our weapons. I unscrewed the top of my walking stick, a gift from the blacksmith we stayed with during our short time in Apple Town, pulling a steel rod from within. While May held her slim sword, that's edges began to glow an eerie red. Snow pulled a short bow made of some flexible white material and a blunted arrow she created a point of ice on. While Meera crouched down, watching with wide eyes.

May retreated to stand over Meera when preparations were complete while Snow and I crept through the underbrush toward the sound of battle. Three people in brown robes faced a massive green serpent with fangs as long as my forearm. I watched as one took a swing at the side of the serpent, only for the blade to bounce off, creating a shower of sparks while leaving a small white line on a single scale. The serpent swung its tail around so fast it was only a blur, and the young man slammed into the tree, not three feet from where I crouched. I couldn't tell for sure if or what might be broken but his arms and a hip were most definitely dislocated.

I started to stand, and without me asking, Snow let her arrow loose as the serpent lunged for the fallen man. The arrow took the beast in the eye, causing it to rear back. A half hiss, half shriek reverberated around the demolished area, vibrated the stones. In barely a second, the snake turned its attention to me as I burst from our hiding spot.

I was immediately taken by surprise as the serpent closed on me it's upper body loomed several feet over my head, and that was less than a third of its actual size. As it lunged for me, I swung my steel rod into its face snapping one of its fangs, causing it to shriek in agony once more. I turned to the other two in the area, ordering them to take the fallen man out of here. Unfortunately, the woman I assume is their leader gave me a dirty look before ignoring my orders and swinging her oversized two-handed chunk of metal. I think was supposed to be a sword at the beast. Just like when the other man hit it, the sword bounced off, but this time the beast ignored the assault, its attention solely on me.

Arrows continued to pepper its face, but they almost all shattered on its scaley head. Two pierced its already damaged eye, and another went right up into its nostril, causing it to thrash violently, smacking away the woman who ignored me. She, too, smashed into a tree, although not nearly as hard as the man. The last one on his feet looked between the woman and me a couple of times before sheathing his weapon and began dragging his comrades to safety. Well, it seems there is hope for the trio yet.

The battle took nearly an hour. Things probably would have gone faster if we had anything that could puncture the scales, but no, we had to beat the thing to death or, in Snow's case, turn its face into a pincushion at least until she ran out of arrows. After that, she returned to camp, and the woman with the massive sword returned and worked with me to beat the snake until it stopped moving. I have no idea why the stupid creature didn't run away, but it was bent on my destruction no matter the cost.

To be safe, I hammered the arrows as deep into the eye as possible then the two of us grabbed the massive snake bringing it back to camp like a prize. The moment I returned, Meera jumped into my waiting arm, kissing my cheek, then started climbing all over the snake. May also gave me a peck on the cheek before she began eyeing the snake. A knife appeared in her hands, and she started carefully removing the larger scales. The woman watched for a moment, then bent to help, carefully watching how May worked and copying.

Looking around, I found the two men, one lying back on a bedroll. He looked fine to me. He wasn't even pale, while the other sat beside him. Both were laughing, so things must have been more or less back where they belong. I frowned when I couldn't find Snow until I noticed movement further away, and Snow came walking back with a massive bucket of water. I eyed the uninjured man while narrowing my eyes, but he only looked back with an arrogant smirk on his face. Hmph, guess who won't be eating in my camp tonight.

Putting the water down, Snow kissed my cheek then gave me a warm smile. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw anger and jealousy flash across both men's faces. Snow bent to my ear. "I'm not too fond of either of them when the woman left; they started barking orders at everyone. The one on the ground isn't hurt, May and the woman set his dislocated joints as soon as they arrived. He wants to lie there and have one of us take care of his every whim. As for the woman, she is very arrogant, but she is willing to help out. I think they are all related or at least form the same clan, judging by the symbol on their robes."

I nodded then turned to speak to the two lazy men. "If you aren't going to get off your ass and help set up camp, find another site, and make your own. I didn't have to help you; I could have easily left the both of you to die back there. It would have probably upset the lady, but she would have gotten over it, eventually."

Both men jumped to their feet, drawing their weapons on me. Neither I nor any of the girls moved to get in the way. May didn't even look up, only snorted and continued cutting strips of meat off the snake. The woman stared at the two men in stupefaction, ears turning red from embarrassment. Snow hummed to herself as she placed a pot over the fire and began dicing vegetables. Meera was straddling the head of the snake, watching us with a wide smile on her face rooting for her Papa.

'How dare a crippled bumpkin speak to us this way? Do you have any idea who I am?"

I held up a hand. "No, I don't, and I don't care either you help or leave. Those are your options, and if you make a move toward one of the ladies or me, you won't be moving again for quite a while."

However, before anyone could do or say anything, a small stone slammed into the side of the older of the two's heads, knocking him unconscious immediately. Then we heard Meera yelling as loud as she could. "Don't you call my Papa names, you are bad people" I couldn't stop myself as laughter boiled out of me from deep in my gut. Soon everyone was laughing. Well, everyone except the knocked-out guy and the one bent over checking on him. When he looked up, he was staring in shock at the tiny girl standing on the head of the snake, another stone in her hand ready to let loose.

I called out, barely getting the words out through the laughter. "Okay, sweety, they got the message put the stone away." She hesitated for barely a moment watching the man with narrowed eyes before she nodded, the stone vanishing as if it was never there. I saw the eyes of both the remaining of the trio's eyes widen to the point I thought they might fall from their sockets. Now they both watched us with more respect. I am sure what was going through their heads at that moment. If they could give a storage ring to a child, who could they be?

The woman apologized before she began introductions. Her name is Martina. The two meatheads, as she addressed them, are called Melvin and Merric. They are siblings like Snow thought, and they are traveling with their grandfather in search of an ancient city that supposedly used to be in the area. When I asked where their grandfather was, Martina, flinched. Apparently, they weren't supposed to wander around alone because of beasts like that giant green-scaled snake.

Snow began passing around bowls of stew, giving one to Martina too. But when the two men stepped forward to get a share, I stared them down. They acted like they would start something again until they caught Meera picking up a stone, tossing it up and down while watching them. I had to chuckle at the looks on the two's faces, but I still stick to what I said. If they don't help, then they can find their own meals. I noticed them eyeing the remains of the snake, but I shook my head at them before going back to my meal.

Snow seemed to really enjoy watching Martina eating the stew. I guess she hadn't eaten qi-infused meals all too often. Something I find strange considering how many wild fruits and vegetables one can find in the woods: although it is a small amount, most of them are infused with qi.

Martina watched the four of us while eating her stew. Finally, whatever she was curious about got the better of her. "How are the four of you related? At first, I thought perhaps from the same clan, but most clans I know of won't allow beast kin into their families. But I heard the shrimp call you Papa, which doesn't make any sense as you would have to have been ten or so when she was conceived."

Meera narrowed her eyes at Martina. "My name isn't shrimp. It's Meera. And Papa is Papa because he is Papa.' she nodded as if that made sense, then returned to her food feet kicking at the log.

I nodded while chuckling. "Yup, that's right, I'm Papa because I'm Papa. As for these two, they are my wives. Please don't ask. It's a long story, and I was drunk."

Martina blinked and raised an eyebrow. "You got two of the most beautiful girls I have ever met as your wives while you were drunk? That makes no sense. Also, only nobles and rich clans marry multiple wives or husbands."

I shrugged. "Why do you think we aren't noble or from a rich clan?"