It was midday, and their travel continues.

The number of refugee visibly dwindles into small amount, but others were too hungry to care. They need first to survive this ordeal before they can think of others person bisides themselves in this situation.

Suddenly she felt energy behind, 80 meters distance between them, more than twenty riders in horses, catching up with them right now.

“Zoltan, soldiers in horseback, making its way toward here.”

“How do you know?” Zoltan gawk when he heard the news

“I can feel their energy 80 miles from here, make it 70, catching up here fast.”

Zoltan suddenly awaken.

“Northern soldier is catching up! Hurry and run!” He shouted around him.

All the non-human gawk and look at him weirdly.

“Stop muttering nonsense, there’s no way the cavalry will catch up with us.” an elf scoff at him

Zoltan just shake his head and pick Joan.

“Fuck it, I already warn you bastards, I don’t care anymore if you don’t believe me.”

He put her in his back and create a rope around them so she won’t fall. Then he pick up his axe and run into the woods.

“How far are they?”

“50 meters, follow my direction, and they won’t catch up with us”

“Good”

-

The remaining non-human just continue marching as if it’s another episode. Suddenly they heard the gallop of horse coming closer and closer. They’re eye suddenly bulge.

“T-the cavalry!”

“Run!”

Every one of them run to different directions but-

“Halt!”

Twenty soldiers wearing steel armor with the insignia of the northern alliance on their shields, arrive and began encircling them.

All the non-human halt and retrocede at the center looking at the soldiers in fear.

On the shied of the soldier drawn a two triangle stripes superpose each other with colors of yellow atop and red at the bottom, a with background of black colors.

This was the symbol of kingdom of Aedrin.

“As the order of the King Hagel, all non-human shall comply for recruit into the war for the peace northern kingdom!”

The non-human kneel and sob.

“Tie them up.”

“Yes, sergeant”

The soldier mounted down the horse and start approaching the non-humans

A dwarf suddenly rise and try to run to escape but-

“Swish”

“Uggh”

The dwarf look down at his chest where an arrow pierce him, he fall down the ground while still looking at the direction of the forest.

“Anyone who will try to struggle will meet the same fate.”

The leader of the platoon look around and nod when no more non-human attempt to struggle.

“Continue”

The watch the soldier approach the non-human and tie them up tightly, the non-human close their eyes as they felt their freedom go away.

“Search around the area, see if any manage to escape ”

“Yes!” the soldiers began to scattered around start looking for tracks.

-

A small bare feet was making its way on deeper to the forest, he looks around staying vigilant while holding an axe. Behind his back was a girl 10 to 11 ages, at her back was a sack, their only valuables on their journey.

“Turn left, there was a bear at the right side 30 miles from you”

“How did you know?” looking at the right side vigilantly

“My gift”

“Pretty useful”

"Not useful in killing someone." she mutter to herself

“How far are they now?”

“70 miles behind, thanks to our discretion, we manage to erase our tracks.”

Zoltan nod but his eyes look dim.

In the silent forest, with the rustling tree, the shades of leaves blocking the bright sun making the inside of the forest dim. Creatures of the dark, with vicious eyes, staring at the incoming prey waiting for them to come at them so the feast can start. Just imagining the flesh and meat they can eat, the beast mouth began to salivate.

Joan look at the direction where some beast where waiting for them. Wolves; crawling up the tree ready to pounce on them.

“Careful of wolves, they are waiting for us.”

“Where?”

“On the front, only three but a bit big, can you handle it?” she asks

“Hmp, just tiny dogs” he loosens the tie and put her down gently.

“Wait for me, it’s going to be quick.”

Zoltan bringing his axe, enter deep. Joan watch as Zoltan approach where the wolves is.

Zoltan

Phy – 31

Sped - 29

Wis – 25

Axe mastery (C)

Hand to hand combat (C)

Joan tried to move her body but no response. She can only watch helplessly as Zoltan confront the three wolves as they attempt to pounce on him.

-

Thankfully Zoltan didn’t disappoint her as he easily handles them even with his short height. Despite his size, she can see that he was an expert in close combat fight, has a warrior institution and has brutal way of murdering his enemy.

Zoltan came back with bloody hide from the wolves and some meat from it.

“Can’t walk with an empty stomach.”

“There was a river here, 110 males east, near the river but there was a nest of drowners.”

“Leave it to me then.”

Joan just nod and close her eyes.

Zoltan put the hide on the sack, he also found large leaf to cover the meat. With it, he grabs the girl again and travel along the forest.

-

Joan watch as the river of blood flow through the river dying it in red. But the beauty of nature can’t compare to a tiny details of corpses behind her.

“Hungry?”

She was currently leaning on the tree as Zoltan burn the corpse of the drowners.

“Sure”

Zoltan clean the wolf meat on the river, washing it from dirt, then he put it on the on a stick to roast it. After a few minutes he gave it to her.

“Can’t move my hands.” she said bitterly

Zoltan just sigh and feed her personally.

“What do you want as a reward?”

“Hmm?’

Zoltan scratch his beard.

“Heard you’re trying to be a witcher right?”

“Geralt told you?”

“Nope, you told us remember?”

“Oh”

She nod

“Well, since you’re a witcher, you know how to create potions?”

“ And?”

“And, I want you to help me create a drink that will be a best hit in Nilfgaard.”

“That’s all?”

“Hmm, that’s all. What is important is to have your dwarfed spirit any time of the day! Just imaging it, a tasty beer after work can freshen you up. Never get tired”

“Right…” Maybe she will make this dwarf a king or something since she got an idea how to get so much gold, provided that is they survive here.

Suddenly her eyes became straight

“We have incoming guest, 5 person coming on other side of the river”

Zoltan immediately grab the axe and face the other side.

The forest rustle with the wind and the sound of the rivers flowing in the creek was only sound around them, but Zoltan never let his guard down a bit, he knows the girl has gift seeing things he can't, and he will be damn if he start doubting her ability now.

Soon, there were rustle, it was soft, it wasn’t easy to detect if your just an average person. But Zoltan heard it. He looks ahead.

“Who goes there? Show yourself!”

There was no reply, just the wind and the sound of the river.

Soon five figures came out of the clearing. They all wear the leather armor while holding a bow. Their distinction of sharps ears clearly show who they are.

“Scoia'tael”

Zoltan mutter, became even more vigilant.

“A dwarf and a girl, can’t pose a threat.” a woman elf frown looking at them

“Still, commander said catch all intruder in the forest so their no exception” the man with a bulk size said looking at them.

“True…”

“Zoltan, lower your weapon, based on our current situation, we have no choice but to seek help”

Zoltan didn’t answer but grip his axe tightly.

The five elves look at him indifferently.

“What now?”

“Take them, we might learn something from them from the others.”

The other elf’s approach him and stop at the edge of the river.

“Dwarf, lower your weapon. We want to talk to you”

“About?”

“Is there any other non-human beside you who came in the forest.”

Zoltan shake his head.

“They been captured by the northerners.”

The elves look at each other.

“It seems the situation outside is dire than what we expect.”

“We must report it to the higher up.”

The elf looks at him nod.

“Looks like your companion need help, why don’t you come with us? That is you lower your weapon first.”

Zoltan hesitated but in the end lower his axe and drop it on the ground.

He sighs knowing he has no choice on the matter.

-

Along with five elves, they carefully made their way inside the forest, Joan frown when she saw energy covering some part of the forest.

“Magic? No, thin to be a barrier, Illusion then?”

Soon they stop, one of the elf spoke in elvish voice and a path suddenly appear before them, after that, they walk inside.

Joan saw elves tending on their job, tents were pitch anywhere as long as there was space.

She tried to use radar skill, but it seems there was some kind of jammer in here making radar skill unable to work.

“Neat”

Soon they reach a large tent where multiple elves were talking, on the middle of them was a woman with long blond hair.

“Lieutenant”

“Hmm”

The woman look at them and surprise

“Well, what do we have here?”

“We have found them in the woods.”

“Hm”

She looks at them upside down and frown at their current state which is dirty and reeking of bad odor. Some elves can’t even stand it and decided to stay away from them. Zoltan just snort at them.

“Refugee?” she mutter

“Clean them first, I don’t want to smell them smelling like rats in the sewer then feed them since they’re already here. Oh and change their cloths too. I pity the cloths they wore.

“Understood”

The elves nod and lead the two away.

-

Finally, after a bath, Joan was now feeling refresh, alive, and fully clothed which take an hour to do so. It was a hard to convince some elf that she can't move. But after knowing no other people can't help her dress except for them, they bite their tongue and dress her up.

But it became embarrassing when she can’t use her body temporary to eat and the elves just decided to shoved her back to her caretaker because it was bothersome to feed a human.

“Sorry”

Zoltan just grunt and started feeding her.

“Just healed and help me build my dream then you can go fuck off like the rest of them.” He said

“How poetic of you”

“Eh”

-

After eating their fill, they again been escort to the leader of Scoia'tael.

“Now, since you are fed, bath and change a brand new cloth. Will you will to tell your name and what are you doing here in the forest?”

"I'm Zoltan a dwarf busineman, and this kid is someone like a niece to me"

"Good, now Zoltan, can you tell me how you arrive at the forest looking distress?"

Zoltan nod and began to explain their escapade.

-

The woman elves frown, the other elves has grim expression on their face.

“They’re hunting us like animals.”

“Humans can’t be trusted!”

“We should rally our brothers and sisters and do something about this- “

“Silent!”

All the elves became silent but their hatred was still on their eyes.

She then looks at Zoltan and nod in appreciation

“Thanks for giving us this important news, you see, our news was late as of present because of persecution of those humans to us.”

The woman eyes became cold just thinking what they experience.

“You can stay here as long as you need, but in return we will need your help.”

“What help?”

“Are you a blacksmith?”

“Nope, I just know how to wield my axe and cut something to pieces.”

“Then maintain weapon?”

“That I can do.”

“Good, we need help to maintain our weapons. Sadly, our people has few capable of sorts.”

The woman nod at the elve, signaling their meeting was over.

“Wait!”

The woman stops and became vigilant when she heard voices on her head.

“Who’s there?! Show yourself!”

The elves gawk look around them looking worried that someone came in without them noticing.

“Relax, I’m the kid at Zoltans back, you don’t need to worry about an attack.”

The woman gawk and look at girl at Zoltan’s back.

“You…you’re a sorceress?”

“No, I’m a witcher”

The woman was startled and frown at her.

“I heard not of witcher being a girl and young at that.”

“I’m a protégé of the white wolf”

“Oh? The butcher of Blaviken?”

“Yes”

“Interesting…so how can I be service to a…someone aspire to be witcher”

“I can give you information”

“Information? What kind?”

“To win your war”

The woman gawk and laugh, and laugh like she heard the biggest joke, suddenly she became grim.

“Are you joking with me child? With my wave, both of you be like riddled with arrows. Joking with me about our sacred war was a grave joke.” Every elves around them draw their bow and notch their arrow ready to release it at them, meaning she was not joking.

“Don’t you want to hear it?”

“What is?” she narrows her eyes at her

“To retrieve your glory and win your rightful place?”

The woman eyes became indifferent unlike the early conversation.

“If you say nonsense and waste my time, I would assure you, even your a child, I won't let you die easily."

"Hey!" Zoltan look around him, because his axe has been confiscated, all he had now was his fist.

“I’m willing to bet”

“Good, I’ll give you benefit of the doubt of what kind of information you can give me, but very well. Lead them to my tent.”

The woman turns around.

“You sure about this?”

“I’m confident, believe me”

Zoltan just sigh in their situation and follow the elf.