Sten had been keeping a low profile by avoiding the [Guild] house now for the past month, to placate his father Birgir while the man’s opinion still mattered. Sten had taken the time to teach the lads all the basics first already, so they had enough to know how to build footwork and reflexes aplenty. Hopefully they would be more of a challenge once he made a proper return.

His sister Lovi had been the truly angry one, his father Birgir still underestimated what his forcing a Class on Sten had been like, and could not imagine that his loyalties had shifted enough that Sten would be considering leaving. He’s right about that, the considering was done with months ago.

It was not the first time one of Birgir’s children left home for good, and believe it or not the man had tried to mellow over the years. You could actually live with him now, as long as you avoided his triggers, and did not consider something ridiculous like not picking the right Class. Maybe he will get worse again now that another one leaves.

Sten played a lot with his sister’s children, who he did love enough to know he would miss them, which coupled with his absence from the other members was enough to placate her suspicions for the moment.

But he knew nothing would be enough to allay their suspicions to the point of not watching the [Guild] expedition when it came time to leave. He would have to find a more circuitous route.

Sten had been doing roadwork ever since he was a young’un. His route took him by the river and through a forest path that was used by animals year round, so he never had to use another. It would almost feel like cheating.

It was not the longest, but it had a good mix of uphill and downhill coupled with a few jumps to make things more interesting, and he could sprint it or do multiple laps if he wanted to push it.

As he rounded a familiar root-worn boulder, and started heading back to Salcret, a pinecone went for his head, blocked unconsciously by his arm before Sten had time to notice it flying.

“That Skill of yours is just uncanny,” Harold was talking about [Cognizant Shielding] a Skill that let Sten’s limbs move defensively on their own initiative if an attack enters his space. Not the perfect defense, your own body, but it could be tempered beyond belief given enough time.

They stepped up to each other and gave a quick hug. “How is everything going, did you finish with any new members?”

This was where they met, and only briefly to share a few updates so Sten did not have to worry. “Not quite, but it is going well and we will know for sure before we meet again next. Livia actually did not know the Class [Accountant] so she had to schedule a second meeting, hah.”

Harold’s cheer was infectious. He was probably the closest to Sten thus far, after Harold had brought him a stubborn badger one evening, that kept getting hurt chasing a family of hares that made their home near him. They managed to trick it into falling down a hill, getting hurt to the point that it would not stop bleeding and since Harold had warned it beforehand he decided it was not deserving of any healing magic, leaving it to Sten’s ministrations instead.

“Did you know the Class?”

The question caught him out but made not a dent in his cheer. “Not really, but you know we all expect more and better from her,” His face was beaming, clearly it was more fun than disappointing that Livia’s exhaustive knowledge was not immaculate.

“So an [Accountant], a [Ranging Herbalist] and a potential [Enchanter],”

Harold chimed in helpfully. “The twat, yes.”

“Sounds like a good mix, anything else fun?” They were walking through the increasingly noisy forest as more and more animals grew active with the warming weather. “Not much, we made a deal with the brewery in the end, and I need to go check up on Hyde soon, wanna come with?”

“Hm, sure I could do with a visit to Brunner,”

This was his only contact with his soon-to-be home and [Guild], once a week. It was enough to keep his sanity intact, even his discipline. To remind him why he kept his mask up from waking up to sleeping.

Just a couple more weeks. Then I can leave this place, just like Dorian and Theodora did.

It was true that he was going to miss his young cousins, but the fact of the matter was that he had been missing his oldest sister for far longer. Since before everybody started dying.