Median didn’t move an Inch, and neither did Cess but she had her sights on him and so did Median. He didn’t take his sight off her.

“Forgive me, I have no intention of being creepy.”, said Median coming towards her, trying to close the distance between them.

“But I must do this...”, he added.

Cess fired a warning shot as soon as he tried to do it. It hit the ground not far from his feet.

“Stay away.”

Median looked at the arrow for a second and then right back at her.

“I will not warn you twice.”, she added.

Median took note of her warnings but still decided to rush forward. He soon closed the distance between them without giving Cess a chance to fire a shot.

“You’re fast.", said Cess while trying her best to add distance between them.

“Stop tooting your own horn.”, replied Median.

Cess didn’t have a chance to think about what he meant by that. She took out her sword and took her stance while still having her bow in her other hand. Median smirked and clashed his sword with her, soon being able to overcome her and forcing her to back off again.

“This is annoying.”, Cess thought to herself.

“I can’t win in a straight-up duel against him.”

“What are you thinking so hard about?”, asked Median.

“Nothing for you to worry about”, replied Cess, taking her chance to disappear when she saw a big enough tree and hiding behind it.

“This will not work... wait, where’d she go...?”, said Median very nervously, he couldn’t track Cess anymore. Shocking him.

“Wait-”

Before Median could reach a proper conclusion, there was already an arrow lodged on his shoulder.

Median screamed and fell.

Cess decided to drop down from the trees and come near him. She took out her sword and decided to question him.

Median started to awkwardly laugh before she got a chance to speak.

“It’s not like I had a choice...”, he said.

“Everyone has a choice.”, replied Cess.

“Not someone with a slave collar stuck on their neck!”, screamed Median.

Cess was taken aback. Median groaned in pain.

“What are you waiting for?”, he asked.

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“If only they had given me a ranged weap-… Just end my suffering.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No. Not yet. I have some questions that I want you to answer me.”

“Do you not get it? I can’t...”, replied Median.

“There has to be something that you can...”

Median thought about it hard before speaking out, "Not everything is as it seems.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Think about it. Think about it hard.”, said Median still groaning from pain but you almost hear some laughter from it.

“What-”

“Stay away from him!”

Before Cess could ask him more, another person appeared with a slave collar on their neck. However, Cess had seen this person before.

“You’re that girl who wounded Sir Dave.”, shouted Cess angrily.

“And so, what?”, shouted back Slav.

Cess was going to try and attack her but she saw a big Ogre standing right behind them.

“Ogre?”, it said.

It looked nothing like the usual ogres Cess had faced before, it looked bigger and more bloodthirsty, it was as if nothing could stop its rampage and satisfy it except the blood of its enemies.

“This is not a fight you’d want to take.”, said Median while still groaning in pain.

Cess thought over her chances and backed away while still looking at Median, her eyes were enough to communicate that this wasn’t over yet.

“Where do you think you’re going-”, said Slav.

“Let her go...”, he groaned in pain, “it isn’t worth it.”, continued Median as soon he could. Slav looked at him and pondered for a second, it was enough for Cess to vanish away from their sight.

Ogre gently picked up Median and gestured Slav to follow him.

“Ogre.”

Soon enough, they reached their camp. Ban was already waiting for them there.

“Looks like you’ve seen better days.”, asked Ban while looking at Median’s wounds.

“I’m sorry, she got away.”, he replied.

Ban looked disappointed but showed no severe reaction.

“It’s fine. They are strong, we cannot underestimate them.”, said Ban before leaving them.

“Ogre”, said Ogre.

“Yes, let’s get his wound treated.”, said Slav.

Ogre carried Median to the shed while Slav went to look for bandages and medicines to treat the wounds.

Ogre put Median down, gently as he could.

“Thanks...”, said Median.

Slav soon joined them.

“Dit gave me the necessary things... Let’s get you fixed up.”, she said trying her best to do it as fast as possible.

“It’s alright, take your time.”, Median replied, who could see how scared Slav was.

“And... and thank you. Thank you, the both of you.”, he added while putting his face in a direction that neither could see him.

“You don’t have to say thanks. We’re family.”, Slav replied.

“Ogre”, said Ogre, also agreeing with what Slav just said.

Median didn’t say anything in return.

Back at the village

Orph woke up from what felt like an eternity.

“It’s already night...”, he said before noticing Dave sitting right opposite of him.

“Talk about déjà vu.”, he added.

“Oh, you’re awake!”, said Dave.

It took everything in Orph to not retort to that, but he couldn’t even say anything after that humiliating loss. So, he decided to just keep his mouth shut.

Eric woke up a little later, noticing both Orph and Dave sitting in silence. Not wanting to break the silence, he just sat up where he was sleeping. It was a campsite right outside the camp near the village.

Dave looked at Eric and smiled.

“You guys are under Knight Shine, right?”, he asked.

Both Orph and Eric nodded.

“No wonder you’re so skilled.”, he added while still having a smile on his face.

“Can I ask you something?”, asked Eric.

“Go ahead.”, Dave replied.

“Who would win in a fight in-between you and Sir Shine?”

“That I do not know about, it could go either way.”

Dave chuckled.

“You’re just saying that right?”, said Orph.

“I mean you are the strongest knight of the kingdom...”, he added.

“That’s what they say”, Dave replied, while chuckling again.

“Sir Shine is a better knight than me, his skills are unmatched.”

Dave looked towards the ground and picked up a stick before continuing, “The only reason I am even in the conversation is because of my physical strength.”

“And because Sir Shine doesn’t leave the Baron or should I say the Duke’s side, ever.”, he added while throwing the stick he picked up in the air.

“Ow.”

The three of them looked over to where the sudden noise came from. Only to find Cess coming out of the bushes while rubbing her head in pain.

“Are you alright?”, exclaimed Dave.

“Yes, I’ll live.”, Cess replied.

“But we have bigger problems.”, she added