The bag’s straps bit into Vakdragnar’s arms. He wasn’t sure, but he thought one of the clasps seemed broken. He took a long breath and tried to look upon the brighter side.

Things can always be worse.

The pack looked much more cumbersome than what it was. It was comically large, almost as tall as Vak, and filled to the seams with equipment and weapons, but it was not unbearable. Vak accepted that many of the adventure stories he’d written held inaccuracies. Real-life was often more disappointing.

He stared after Anka, and her words played back in his head. He had not acted, and in doing so, he had made his choice. He shook his head. He needed to get over the stolen items. Anka was right; they could be more useful for saving lives than hanging on a shelf. He steeled himself to think no more on it. He must move ahead.

Captain Lance stood with his arms cross, watching them approach the Eastern gate. He looked upset at something, and Vak surmised he knew what. Vak looked up at the sun, well past the middle of the day. Shattershade strolled up to him much more confidently than Vak felt.

“I thought you’d be on your way much sooner,” Lance said, looking past Braid and right at Vak.

“We had some preparations to make,” Cassie said cutting in. “I hope it’s alright, Garry?” She cooed as Lance’s demeanor softened.

“Of course, Miss Cassie.” He said, tipping his hat. Lance dropped Vak’s pouch and axe on the ground, not even deigning to hand it to him directly. Vak had to set his enormous pack down off his shoulders, then grab his things.

As Vak bent down, Lance told him, “If you do anything to harm them, I’ll come after you myself, savage.” Vak stared back at Captain Lance.

I do not think there will ever be any convincing this man. He has decided on who he believes me to be.

Vak grabbed his twin-headed great axe and held it up. The familiar weight was like hugging an old friend. He knew every imperfection and every even the smell brought back memories.

The wood was painted green and the metal an intense blue. It was decorated to remind him of Huak, and he felt a calmness wash over him like a wave.

Vak smiled as he picked up his pouch with the little pink worm inside. He was undamaged, and Vak collected some soil for him to get some nutrients. He was by no means a worm expert, but he knew they needed dirt to live.

“What is with the worm?” Cassie said, peering over his shoulder.

“It was a gift.” Vak said proudly, then added, “from a friend.” They all looked at one another as though he’d said something confusing. Lance just shook his head and left them standing at the gate. Vak placed the dirt sack on his belt, then grabbed the large pack and slipped it around his shoulders, using a cord to tie it around his waist for added support. Then he moved the axe between the straps and his back.

The gates opened and Shattershade departed. Leaving the city felt as good to Vak as being released from that cell that morning. He felt the breeze on his skin and the sound of nearby birds calling. He took a deep breath and then looked to Braid.

“Which way do we go?” Vak asked him.

“Uh… North, of course.” Braid said, stepping onto the road and leading the way. Shattershade followed behind with Vak bringing up the rear. Braid was impressive. Vak had done a great deal of hunting and tracking back on Huak, and he could not pick out the tracks Braid was using to guide them. There were no goblin tracks Vak could see.

“Is that thing heavy?” Cassie said, falling back to walk beside him.

“No. I can manage.”

“So, those muscles aren’t just for show then?”

“For show? Do you have some kind of muscle shows here in Abrune?”

She laughed. It was an endearing sound. “Don’t I wish. No, it is an expression. Some people train and work to gain these rippling muscles just to impress women.”

“That seems like a lot of work.”

“Maybe. Anyhow, I was trying to say you are.”

“Are?”

“Impressive.”

“Thank you,” Vak said a bit embarrassed. “I think you are more impressive.”

“Oh?” She said, intentionally walk closer to him. “What do you like about me?” She said, pulling back her shoulder-length red hair. Strange. I could have sworn that was orange last night. She stared up at him as he stared at her, and she smiled coyly.

“I… That is… your abilities are astonishing.”

“Oh.” She said, pulling away a bit.

“I’m sorry I did not mean any offense by it.”

“No, no offense.” She said her tone a bit sad. “You’re right they’re quite impressive.” She looked out at the forest with a distant look on her face.

“I do not often speak with heroes; you understand,” Vak tried to explain. “Please, if I said something stupid, I apologize.”

“No, sorry.” She said without any hint of flirting in her voice. “I just… I’m more than that you know? More than what they made me.” She said, staring down at her hands. She closed them into a fist and then opened them again staring at her red nails.

“Made you?”

“I was six when my father abandoned us, and eight when the Zoftwiten Institute took me.”

“What do you mean ‘took?’ Were you kidnapped?”

“This was only three years after the Godsend. Back then, the King wasn’t sure what to make of magic. He got a lot of pressure from the Sci Paira. They thought magic was an insult to the Hierarchies. So, he gave resources to his most learned scholar and trusted advisor, Emarim Primoneir. Emarim built the Zoftweiten Institute as a sort of place to study magic and people who showed signs of using it.”

“By why take you from your home?” Vak asked.

“They were collecting anyone with an affinity for magic back then. Men, women, children, it didn’t matter. They thought we were dangerous. Perhaps they were right to be afraid.”

“I’m sorry,” Vak said, unsure what more to say. Cassie and I are not so different. Both of us were pariahs, forced from our home due to this ‘gift.’

“Anyway,” She said wiping away a tear that Vak pretended not to see. “When I say they made me, I mean all this incredible magic I can use is because of their tests. They studied us at first. They used different methods to try and get a reaction from us. They’d hurt us, make us feel afraid or in pain.”

“Or angry?” Vak said, looking her in the eye.

“Sure, but that’s not really what worked for me. They had no idea what to do with me. The tests they ran, they never could get me to perform under pain or sadness or fear or even anger. They were ready to give up. Consider me a failure. When I broke.”

“You broke?”

“Yes, it's like I stopped caring or feeling anything. I just felt numb. I have memories of the little girl I was before, but that almost seems like a different person. Not me. It’s hard to explain.”

“Why do you say they broke you? What did they do?”

“They...It’s not important. As I said, I was someone else back then. With this new numbness, I learned I had power. They eventually could not contain it.” She stopped talking and looked out towards a small forest that bordered the road they walked down.

“So, you broke out with your incredible fire abilities?”

“Hmm? Oh, no. No grand escape. I just asked them nicely.”

“You asked them? Nicely?”

“I can be very persuasive when I choose to be. I spoke with Emarim, explained my position, and together, we implemented some changes within the institute. Little girls are no longer ripped away from their homes. It became a place for instruction and learning. A place where those with magical abilities could come and get help. We keep tabs on everyone with magical abilities within Abrune and teach them to use their powers safely.”

“So, you have some ability to influence others with your magic?”

“Yes. Some. You, for instance, seem especially resistant, which is very interesting.” She cooed.

When had she gotten so close again?

“And… th… the fire?” Vak said, feeling his heartbeat a bit faster.

“Oh, that’s not all I can do. Here.” She said, stopping him and then pressing her hands together in a deliberate display. A burst of light preceded a blast of lightning that struck a nearby tree, scorching the trunk. Vak looked on mesmerized.

“They say,” she continued. “I’m one of the most powerful students to come out of the Zoftwiten Institute. That I seem to have a knack for all sorts of magic.”

“What the hell are you two doing?” Braid said storming over. “Cass, you’re going to scare every goblin within a half-mile with that light show!”

“Sorry Braid.” She said sweetly. He rolled his eyes, and they kept going.

“Still,” Vak said after a bit of walking again. “I commend you for making the institute better. They took you from your home and did unspeakable things. You turned that around, showed them a better way to do things. That is astonishing. Not your powers, or your looks, but you, Cassie are… well, you’re like the kind of hero I want to be.”

“Th… Thank you.” Cassie said, staring up at him. “Rag, you may be the sweetest guy I’ve ever met.”

“Hey, lovebirds,” Braid said, walking over to them again. “Look sharp; there is a cart ahead. It looks like broken down merchants. Might be goblins hit them.”

Cassie and Vak followed Braid around the bend, and there was a small, broken-down cart. Two men were standing there and waived to Shattershade as they approached.

“Oh, bless Pagat! Please, we were attacked.” The taller of the two men said. “Will you help us?”

“Anka, see to their wounds. Dam, do a once around, see if you can get a bead on the goblins.”

“Who did you say attacked you?” Vak asked suspiciously.

“Oh, goblins. They came from the forest and attacked! Savage monsters!”

“I knew it!” Braid said, looking around.

Or they heard you talking about them, just now, Vak thought. Something about these men was setting off alarm bells in his head.

“Where are all your wares?” Vak said, looking over the empty cart.

“They stole everything!” The man said smoothly. Vak rolled his eyes.

“Yet you both seem alive and well,” Vak mentioned

“Rag! Stop tormenting them.” Anka said as she was bending down to help the shorter of the two men. He was holding his arm and clearly faking an injury. “Don’t move it; it could be broken.”

“They are not merchants,” Vak said, looking them over. “The goblins wouldn’t take everything yet leave them alive. If anything they’d be more interested in eating them.”

“They took my wife!” The short one said. “We were too hurt to give pursuit.”

Braid looked back at them, listening to Vak. He eyed them up and down. “No, Rag is right. They look too unclean to be traveling merchants.”

“We were soiled in the attack!” The taller man pleaded.

“There,” Vak said. “Up his sleeve. He has a knife. They’re highwaymen.”

“Oh, to three of the hells with this.” The shorter man said, grabbing Anka and spinning her around; he pressed a knife to her throat.

“Don’t be a fool,” Braid said.

“You’re the fools! You attacked the Grievspair Organization! Didn’t you think there would be consequences? Any of you moves a muscle, and I slit her throat.”

“Cass…” Braid said as though he was giving her permission. She smiled by way of a reply.

“Put the knife down.” She said sweetly without looking at the man. The shorter bandit dropped the knife. Then she turned toward them. “Now why don’t both of you be good boys, and sit in the cart and let us be on our way.”

To Vak’s surprise, the two looked utterly dumbfounded, but they followed her instructions. They climbed aboard the broken wooden cart and sat down.

“I love the simpleminded.” She said, brushing off her shoulders. She blew them a kiss as she walked away.

“Come along, Rag,” Braid said. “I don’t think these guys are going to have any information for us.” He helped up Anka who kicked the cart in frustration. She used a small prayer to heal the trickle of blood at her throat. “Good job, by the way,” Braid continued. “You have a real eye for detail. Might be a place for you with Shattershade someday, after a little experience of course.”

“Thank you,” Vak said, moving past him. “Excuse me for a second.” He rushed over to catch up with Cassie. “That was amazing.” He said gushing a bit. She blushed. “The way you disarmed them and handled it all. I’m in awe.” He said.

“It’s easy with the dimwitted.” She said with a smile.

“All without bloodshed.” He marveled.

“Anka was hurt.”

“Oh, that? She healed it right up. Her prayers are rather impressive as well.” They’d walked to the edge of the road before another bend, probably fifty feet from the cart when Cassie stopped and turned around. Vak was sincerely impressed by her; right up until she lifted her hand and called down fire on the bandits.

Their screams were haunting, yet they sat there as the cart caught fire and burnt them alive. It happened so quickly. Vak could not take his eyes off of it.

“Why?” Vak said dumbfounded. “They were defenseless.”

“Shattershade must never be seen as weak. Now they know.” She said as she turned from them and walked down the bend in the road; emotionless, broken.