The next day

Ban and Dit made their way to Esting’s shop. They found him inside, singing.

“I didn’t know you could sing?”, asked Ban, laughing.

Esting looked at them and laughed as well, “I’m full of surprises.” and went back to his singing.

Ban made her way toward Esting and sat at his table.

“About our deal...”

Esting looked over at her and replied, “Yes! I haven’t forgotten about our... deal.”

He handed over her a map and added, “You’ll find who you’re looking for if you follow this.”

“A map?”, asked Dit.

Esting nodded, “You both did a great job yesterday!”

“I hope we maintain our fruitful relationship... no matter wherever we find ourselves in.”, he added.

Ban laughed and replied, “Who knows?”, and smiled.

“Exactly! Who knows!”, replied Esting.

“Hello. Is anybody there?”, asked a voice outside the shop’s door.

Bel opened the door, saw Ban smiling, and added,” You...”

Ban laughed and replied, “Yes! Me!”

“I will come at another time...”, said Bel before getting interrupted by Esting.

“No need. They were just going.”

Esting looked over at Ban before adding, “Don’t forget... I will contact you in a few days. Good luck.”

Ban and Dit nodded and made their way outside.

“Now where were we? We have some business to discuss!”, said Esting, in a very joyful tone.

“Let’s open the map sister.”, said Dit, who had heard Esting but wasn’t curious enough to stay back and listen.

Ban followed up with her brother’s request and opened the map.

“Let’s see here...”

“This looks like the mountains near our village... we used to play here back when we were kids.”, said Dit, pointing towards the spot on the map.

“How can I forget...”, groaned Ban.

“At least we know where to go now!”, she added and smiled.

Which they did, going back made Ban become silent. She mostly hid her face during the journey, Dit thought that she was sad, but he was able to get some glimpses of her face. It seemed to be filled with excitement.

Soon enough, they reached the place. The place where they played together, the place with all those sweet memories.

Ban sighed, “It’s just a mountain. Do we need to climb it?” and chuckled.

“Let’s check it out. Maybe we’re missing something?”

“Yes. We’re missing Knave and his whole gang...”

Dit pondered for a while and checked the surrounding area. He had played here for a long time, even if it has been years since he last stepped foot there.

“Esting...”, said Dit.

“What about him?”

“Esting... Esting is not a person who... who wouldn’t give us our fair share.”

Ban sighed and replied, “Maybe he lied...”

“I don’t think he did... maybe there are some magical instruments here?”

“Magical?”

“We know that Knave was an associate of Esting... and you know how much Esting loves his magical instruments.”, said Dit, while taking out one of his smoke bombs.

“Yes...”

“Maybe... Maybe...”, said Dit before.

He touched the mountain and moved his hands alongside it until he went straight thru it.

“DIT!”, screamed Ban.

Dit came back outside and replied, “I’m fine.”

He nodded his head and gestured for Ban to follow him, as they walked inside the mountain.

“Some sort of an... Illusion.”, said Ban in awe to find stairs in front of her.

“Let’s go!”, said Ban.

“Wait!”

Ban looked back at an anxious Dit.

“Are you alright...sister?”

Ban laughed and replied, “Never been better!” before rushing up the stairs.

Dit followed her quickly.

“Shh.”, said Ban who was waiting for Dit above.

She gestured for him to look at Knave who was sitting with his gang near a cave.

“I need you to get above the giant tree and drop your bombs at them.”, she whispered.

“I can’t let you face them alone!”, Dit whispered back.

“I’m not... you’re there to support me!”

Ban sighed and added, “I need you to trust me.”

Dit stared at her for a while before looking down and sighing.

“Alright.”, Dit climbed up the tree.

Ban smiled and jumped out of her hiding place and threw her knives. Which hit and took care of some of Knave’s crew.

Knave got up, “Catch her!”

Just as he said it, Dit dropped smoke bombs on them. Which set all of them, including Knave into a coughing fit.

Ban started to laugh, “This feels good!”, before throwing more of her knives and taking out more members of the crew.

Knave groaned, “Who are you?”, as he took out his big sword.

“I-”

He threw his sword, which Ban easily dodged.

Ban smiled, “I’m someone whose life you destroyed!”, she laughed.

“I don’t even know who you are...”, said Knave as he pulled back his sword. Which Ban barely dodged.

“How can I forget...”

“It looks like you know about my ability... You even lived to tell the tale.”, said Knave.

“You have to know how little your words narrow it down.”, he added.

Dit threw another smoke bomb, but this time directly at Knave.

Knave smiled and dodged it very easily. He planted his giant sword right on the ground and picked up a pebble. He threw it right towards Dit, who barely managed to dodge it but got hit as soon as Knave pulled it back towards him.

Dit fell.

“Dit!”, screamed Ban, as she rushed towards her brother.

“I don’t think I can help you any... longer.”, said Dit.

Ban sighed a sigh of relief. Dit was injured but it didn’t seem like it was life-threatening.

Knave walked towards his sword and picked it up.

“One more to go.”, Knave smiled.

Ban reached out for more knives, but she ran out of it. She took out her roped daggers and started to swing them around like a whip. Taking out all of Knave’s men.

“You’re good.”

“Thanks! I got inspired by a very special someone!”, replied Ban laughing while looking straight at Knave with intensity.

She swung her roped dagger at Knave who tried to counter it by cutting the ropes off, only for him to fail and the ropes to bounce off his sword.

“HA! At least I know who sent you now...”, said Knave before throwing his sword again.

Ban dodged it again, “When will you lear-”, before getting hit by the sword hilt on the sword coming back.

“Ow.”

Knave caught his sword again and kicked Ban far away.

“Time to end this!”, Knave threw his sword straight at Ban, who got up and started running toward it.

“Took the words straight out of my mouth.”, Ban dodged the sword and before Knave could call it back, she threw one of her roped daggers at him.

Knave caught the rope very easily, “You thought I couldn’t catch it?”

“I hoped that you did!”, Ban replied and laughed.

Ban took out her other roped dagger and got near Knave who was defenseless, unable to call for his sword.

She stabbed him. She kept doing it and slit his throat at the end.

Ban fell on the ground gasping for air and looked at Dit, before smiling and laughing.

“Bravo! That was nice!”

A man in a noble gown walked over.

“Who are you?”, asked a roughed-up Ban.

“I am the duke...”, he walked over to Knave’s body and looked at it before continuing, “That was a nice fight, I am glad my business partner didn’t put his faith in someone... incompetent.”

“You were watching?”

“I was.”, said the duke, as he looked over at Ban and then Dit.

“How did you know that Knave could only call back things that he touches and loses the ability to do so if he touches something else?”

Ban laughed for a good while before replying, “I saw him running to get his sword after throwing a rock...”

“I guess I must thank these trees for being dense and big enough for his giant... sword being unable to go through them properly.”, she added.

She looked over at Dit and sighed, “And for saving my brother’s life.”

“Good.”

The duke smiled, “Get up. Let’s discuss our partnership.”

“I will provide you with some slaves and our partner will provide you with some of his own.” said the duke.

“Slaves?”, asked Dit, walking over to them.

“Sister. You can’t possibly accept that...”, he added.

“Dit. We’d treat them well. We’d be the best slave owners out there.”, Ban replied, while laughing.

“Wh-”

“Dit! We will! We will treat them well. Is that understood? Besides, we will be able to take care of the village.”

“Yes... sister.”

“Speaking of slaves. Who do you have there?”, asked Ban.

The duke looked behind him, “Oh. You mean that small child?”

“You can have her. Does she remind you of you?”, asked the duke.

“Thank you. She does.”, Ban replied, dropping down and patting the young girl who smiled in return.

“Where is she from?”

“Somewhere from... I don’t know or care.”, the duke replied.

Ban laughed, “I shall name you Slav.”, and smiled.

“On to more important matters.”, said the duke.

They all walked over to the cave.

“The prince has been winning a lot of public favor... recently after joining as a knight cadet. Why would a prince ever do that? With this, I can...”, murmured the duke

“Did you say something?”, asked Ban.

“Nothing that you need to know.”, he sighed and added, “Look at this cave, it’s filled with energy stones.”

The duke looked at both Ban and Dit, “Use some of those slaves to mine them.”

“Here’s to a fruitful partnership!”, said the duke.

"The nearby village is also under your care. Our partner made sure that you get it.", he added before saying farewell.

Ban and Dit nodded. Maybe their dreams will finally come true, maybe they will be powerful enough to protect what they held dear.

“Our journey has been long... maybe...”, thought Dit to himself. All the memories that rushed back in, some of them weren’t bad. In a way, he was thankful for going through them again.

He kept watching Median and John mining.

“Why are you staring at that ogre?”, asked John.

“Staring? Why would I stare?”, Median replied trying to avert John’s eyes.

“I know your friends... but...”, said John.

“It’s nothing.”, Median replied before starting to mine better again.

“You also have stamina issues.”

“Do I now?”, Median replied.

“What do I know? I’m a books person who hasn’t touched a book for quite a while...”, said John.

“I’m... sorry. But what does that have to do with what we were talking about?”, Median replied.

“Nothing. Just wanted others to feel my pain.”, said John before starting to mine alongside Median.

Median groaned.

“Just you wait Median... I’ll put an end to this.”, said Slav before going outside of the camp and near the village.