I threw up everything in my stomach but the urge to vomit wouldn't go away, it felt like my body wasn't trying to dispel the food in my stomache but the memory and sensations of taking my first life. My breathing was heavy and irregular, snot and tears ran down my face and my breath felt scorching hot as it passed my lips. I started slamming my fist against my chest in frustration.

Tibbs: "Stop crying! Stop acting pathetic! whats wrong with you!?"

Even if it was the smallest amount, only enough to beat weak goblins, I had finally obtained the strength that I seeked for so long. So why does it feel like this? I should be overjoyed, I should be celebrating. I thought that being weak and letting others hold your life in their hands was the worst feeling possible, but now I think it feels worse being the one in control of the life of others.The kid with the mellow voice walked over and grabbed my arm again.

Mellow voice: "Hey come on now. First the goblin and now your chest, don't you feel sorry for your hand?"

I looked back at his smiling face but my frustration just grew deeper.

Tibbs: "let go of me, I need to beat the weakness away! I can't stand it!"

I tried to pull my arm away but I couldn't.

Mellow voice: "Whoa kid I'm right here there's no need to shout, you keep that up and you'll lose your voice. I swear to Oden some people just throw all caution to the wind. Teaching a kid to kill without even checking to see if he's ready, real bright idea."

He mumbled the last parts but my ears still picked them up. I used the arm that he was holding to pull myself up while punching at him with my arm that was free. My hoarse voice slowly flowed with my anger.

Tibbs: "Don't talk about my Master. You Don't know anything."

He turned his head and easily dodged my punch.

Mellow voice: "Well at least you're not shouting. Listen kid I don't think I said anything wrong. You might think your master is some great guy but it doesn't change the fact that he's just irresponsible and he doesn't have any business teaching"

Tibbs: "You're wrong. Master isn't irresponsible, he always watched over me and took care of me."

Mellow voice: "Oh yeah? Does teaching you to kill for no reason count as taking care of you? Turning a kid into a murderer is a great way to take care of him. He must be a blood thirsty monster that gets his kicks out of turning innocent children into psychos like him."

The more he spoke the more upset I became. This guy is just like the villagers, why does everyone think of Master as a monster? They judge him without even trying to understand him.

Tibbs: "Shut up! You're Wrong! Master never wanted to turn me into a murderer!"

Mellow voice: " Back to shouting huh? Then why did he teach you to kill!? If he didn't want to make you into a murderer tell me why he taught to how to take a life away!!"

His eyes changed from gentle to intense as the kid shouted for the first time, breaking his kind image.

Tibbs: " He didn't teach me to kill he taught me how to protect myself! He didn't teach me to take the lives of others but how to save mine!"

The guys eyes and face relaxed, his demeanor and voice returned to being gentle.

Mellow voice: "Looks like you finally get it. So if your master didn't teach you with the intentions of making you into a murderer why are you still treating yourself like one?"

The kid took out a rag from his bag as he wiped the blood from my face.

Mellow voice: "Unfortunately in our world it is impossible to avoid destroying life as long as your living. It doesn't matter if its killing plants to make medicine, or killing others for their resources, you are killing some lives while prioritizing others. We all take lives but that doesn't make us all monsters. In my eyes it is those who extinguish life on a whim without a care in the world, without rhyme or reason, who are truly monsters. As long as you still feel the weight of the life you have taken while acting only to preserve yourself you have yet to become a monster."

After a few minutes he finished applying some ointment to the cuts all over my body and wrapping some bandages. He then pulled out an extra set of clothes from his bag and gave it to me.

Mellow voice: "Sorry if they don't fit that well. I wasn't exactly planning on encountering this kind of situation hehe"

The clothes he gave me were a tunic and pants made from rough cloth. They were a few inches too long and baggy, I really wish I had the muscles to fill these clothes out. As I was looking at myself and trying to slyly feel my chest and biceps the kid spoke again.

Mellow voice: "Haha don't worry about it your body will fill out as you get older. You can call me Maleek by the way. Since I gave you a name you can use to call me, I think it's only fair that you do the same."

Normally I wouldn't even bother with a stranger but something about him just felt so reassuring, so familiar.

Tibbs: "My name is Tibbs. Thank you Maleek for helping me sort out my feelings just now."

I lowered my head and did a slight bow.

Maleek: "I'm not the one you should be thanking"

Maleek smiled and then did a special whistle that sounded close to a bird song, shortly after the sounds of rushed footsteps got louder as a figure approached. The dirty underfed blonde girl came running towards us but now she wasn't tied with any ropes. As soon as she saw me she smiled, the charm behind her cute and warm smile couldn't be hidden behind the grime that covered her. Before I knew it I was smiling back, watching as she approached.

Maleek: "This little lady over here is the real hero"

Maleek patted the girl's hair and ruffled it a bit. I walked over to the girl to introduce myself.

Tibbs: "My name is Tibbs. I would like to thank you for looking for assistance."

The girl just shook her head and waved her arms seemingly to tell me that there was no need to thank her.

Tibbs: "If it's not too much trouble I would like to ask for you're name so I could thank you properly."

The girl looked at me with a troubled expression.

Maleek: "I think something may have happened to her. She doesn't seem to be able to speak. When she found me she pretty much just made a few sounds and pulled me towards here."

The girl smiled as she nodded her head. Well at least it seems that she has no problems understanding us.

I sat on a stump across from the girl while Maleek went out gathering. The silence began to feel awkward so I tried to start a conversation as sign of friendliness.

Tibbs: "So you're the girl from the village right? Do you remember me?"

The girl nodded her head and drew a crude picture of a blob, a boy,a girl and a....fruit? Anyways I guess she does remember.

Tibbs: "So did you always live in the village?"

The girl nodded her head again. After a few more questions I realized the problem in our conversation. I forgot about the fact that she can't speak so her only responses are nodding and shaking her head along with body movements. Otherwise it was only me talking 'crap what if she thinks that I'm some sort of egotistical guy that's in love with the sound of my voice?' Just as I was getting embarrassed about being such a loud mouth Maleek came back. Maleek came back carrying some wood in his arms which he set and set on fire. He then pulled out and some plants from his bag. He filled the pot with some water and put it over the fire using a makeshift stand. After the water began to boil he put the plants into the pot and began to stir it.

Maleek: "So I understand the girls situation. She evacuated the village along side everyone else after the first demonic creature was spotted. Afterwards she got separated from everyone else and got captured by the goblins."

He took a sip from the ladle after giving it a soft blow.

Maleek: "But How did you survive the Demonic beast invasion?"

I turned to him and said.

Tibbs: "Maybe I escaped just like her"

But he quickly dismissed me.

Maleek: "Nope"

Tibbs: "How do you know?"

Maleek: "I helped with the evacuation and I didn't see you"

Tibbs: "There were a lot of people and the situation was pretty chaotic. You could've just missed me"

I got the same care free answer

Maleek: "Nope"

Tibbs: "Are you sure?"

Maleek: "Yup, I remember all the faces of the people that managed to escape. Besides, all the survivors have already began immigrating to the nearest major village."

He seems like a person with good character, and I don't think a evil person would put themselves in harms way to help others escape in a dangerous situation. I shrugged my shoulders.

Tibbs: "You got me. I didn't escape with the rest of the villagers. My master was protecting me and a girl but we somehow got separated"

Maleek: "I see. Well your hands are gonna take a few days to fully heal and I wouldn't recommend forcing anything unless you want to cause some permanent damage. So what are your plans for now?"

I looked at my bandaged hands and thought about it for a bit.

Tibbs: "I really need to find my master...... and the girl. The sooner the better. How about you? Now that the evacuation is done what are you planning on doing?"

Maleek took out a bag of seasonings and put a few pinches into the pot while stirring it.

Maleek: "I guess were in similar situations. I just so happen to be looking for some people as well, my friends were helping out with the evacuation to but we had to split up to deal with a few packs of monsters."

I looked at him with some suspicions. Sure he's in pretty good shape but other than the bag and the cloak there is nothing on him. How could he deal with a group of monsters?

Maleek: "Seeing as we have similar goals why don't we work together. Safety in numbers as they say."

I had no reason to trust him, there are too many unknown variables. But his presence seems so familiar it's not like talking with a stranger.

Tibbs: "I don't see a problem in working together. But we need to hurry. Every second counts."

Maleek: "Well I guess that settles that. How bout you little lady? Want to keep us company for a bit?"

He turned to the girl and asked her, she nodded her head in agreement.

Tibbs: "Since we've all made our choice lets hit the road."

I got up from the stump and was about to walk off but Maleek stopped me and handed me a cup filled with the liquid concoction from the pot.

Maleek: "Calm down, your body has got to be feeling the drain from that battle still. We can take a quick rest first. Here drink this"

I took the cup and smelled it, it wasn't bad, it was actually kind of pleasant. I finally decided to trust him and drink it. It was sweet but thick and coarse. It was closer to oatmeal than an actual liquid.

Tibbs: "What is this?"

Maleek: "Just some boiled Gil root. Commonly referred to as Bards breakfast. It's suppose to help their voice recover after straining it the night before."

He gave a cup filled with Bards breakfast to the girl, then he turned and looked at me. He started mockingly punching his chest.

Maleek: "Oh the weakness! please go away! Hahahahaha!"

My cheeks and my ears felt hot to the touch 'I hope we find master soon'