Cess went near Slav and spoke, “Now what do we have here...”

Slav tumbled and crawled back on her back, before taking out a smoke bomb.

“Use this whenever you’re in trouble but be sure to hold your breath... is what Dit told me.”, she thought to herself before using the smoke bomb as she lay down on the ground.

“Black... smoke...?”, coughed Cess as she jolted backward. She tried her best to keep her eyes open, but she had already inhaled some of the smoke, making her go into a coughing fit for some time.

As soon as she could breathe properly again, she leaped forward to where Slav was, but she had already disappeared.

“Did she retreat...?”, thought Cess, before noticing some footprints which lead towards the village.

Slav had already run away, she couldn’t leave without finishing what she had started. After all, there wasn’t anything to be scared of, she had already beaten the strongest member of their group. But that person, she was scary. Slav took some time to rest while hiding in one of the bushes inside the village.

“Hey! You!”, whispered someone.

“Not again!”, thought Slav, taking out her daggers.

The village elder came towards Slav and removed as many leaves as he could before sighing a sigh of relief, shocking Slav.

“Follow me, I know a place to hide...”, said the elder.

Slav got up and started to follow him before deciding to speak up, “You’re not going to report me?”

The elder looked back and smiled, “Why would I?”

He started to walk again before adding, “I can tell what that slave collar is...”

The elder opened the door of his eyes and asked Slav to get in, “You shouldn’t have come here.”

He smiled, “Stay here until I tell you to come out.” and locked the door from the outside.

“I followed him here... but what if he just wanted to keep me here while he went ahead to report this?”, asked Slav to herself.

“I should try to get out of here.”, Slav noticed a window from which she could go on top of the house she was in.

Meanwhile, Cess tracked Slav’s footprints throughout the village, which led her to the village elder’s house.

“Hello. How can I help you?”, asked the village elder.

Cess looked around and saw no sign of Slav, “Did you see a young girl?”

“I have seen a lot of young girls.”, smiled the elder while looking straight at Cess.

“A young girl with pink hair.”, Cess came forward, staring the elder back.

“N-No, I haven’t... sorry, ma’am.”

“Ma’am?”, Cess smirked as she noticed the footprints leading inside the house.

“Is there anyone else in your house?”, asked Cess.

“No...”

“Are you sure? Then who is that on top of your roof?”, asked Cess, looking right at Slav crouching down and listening to their conversation.

“How did you even track me?”, asked a growling Slav.

Cess smiled and replied, “I’m a good tracker...”, she climbed up to the roof as well in a few seconds before adding, “... and a good climber.”

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Slav took out her dagger and jumped straight at Cess, who barely managed to parry her by taking out her sword just in time.

“But not much of a fighter!”, said Slav, with a slight smile on her face.

“Maybe I can win this!”, she thought to herself.

“Wait, what am I even saying? Of course, I can... I already beat that Dave...”

Before Slav could finish her thoughts, Cess dropped her sword and tackled Slav, and they fell to the ground. Both of their weapons were out of their reaches now.

Slav groaned in pain, as did Cess.

Before Cess could regain composer and take care of Slav, she kicked Cess, who was still on top of her, and threw her away.

She groaned in pain as she got up and tried to find her daggers, but she started running as soon as she saw Orph and Eric running toward her.

“I’ll flank her.”, said Orph as he took another path, while Eric followed Slav directly.

Eric ran after her but couldn’t catch her no matter how hard he tried, but he didn’t give up. Slav started to slow down. Maybe she was tired? Thought Eric.

“You’re... You’re S-Slow!”, huffed a tired Slav before she got tackled by Orph from the side.

“Got you!”

“Yes...”, said Eric, trying his best to catch his breath.

“Nice work!”, he added, wiping off his sweat.

“Release me!”, screamed Slav.

“ReLEaSe mE... How original.”, replied Orph.

Slav groaned and shut her mouth as Orph picked her up.

“We need to tie her up for the time being.”, he added.

Slav dropped another smoke bomb and stepped on it.

Both Orph and Eric started to cough, “What is this?”, asked Eric before dropping down on the ground. Orph’s training kicked in and he put a cloth on his nose and mouth, but it was too late, Slav was already gone.

“Are you guys alright?” asked Cess, who joined them after seeing the black smoke from the distance.

Eric nodded while sleeping on the ground.

“Just about...”, Orph replied.

“Get up...”, he added while picking up Eric.

“Thanks...”

“She’s gone!”, said a mildly annoyed Orph as he stomped the ground.

Eric was still too busy grasping for air.

“Hmm.”, pondered Cess as she crouched and looked for footprints.

“What are you doing?”, asked a curious Orph.

“Tracking our prey.”, Cess replied, gesturing the both of them to follow her. She led them towards another house. But this looked empty.

Before they could enter, they were joined by Dave and the village elder.

“What’s going on? What’s up with the commotion?", asked Dave.

“Sir...”, said Cess before explaining everything that had happened.

“So... that young child... she’s in there?”

“Yes.”

Dave sighed and added, “What’s this building used for...?”

The villager elder looked around before replying, “It’s a jail, it’s not used anymore.”

“Jail? Talk about irony.”, replied Orph.

“I love it when the prey falls right into our traps... unintentionally.”, said Cess.

“This is a young child... sold to slavery. Please take this very seriously.”, said Dave.

Orph and Cess had a sorry look on their faces, Cess looked at Dave before speaking, “You went easy on her...”

Dave sighed and nodded, “I hope you guys do too.”

“She didn’t sign up for any of this... Even if she’s brainwashed from the looks of it.”, he added.

The others nodded and went inside together, they found Slav trying to jump outside the window, but it was barricaded.

“Tough luck.”, said Orph.

“Be careful, she may have another one of the black balls!”, said Cess.

Slav didn’t waste a moment and leaped straight at Eric, who she thought was the weakest.

“Be careful!”, screamed Orph.

Slav tried to punch Eric, but Eric dodged her effortlessly. She tried to punch back, but Eric dodged that too.

“How are you so good?”, she asked before punching repeatedly. All of which was dodged by Eric.

Eric parried one of her blows and punched her, putting her down.

“Nice!”, said Orph as he went near them.

“You’re really not good at fistfights.”, he added while smiling and looking at Slav.

Cess bought some ropes to tie Slav up and put her in one of the jail cells.

“Did you learn how to fist fight...?”, she asked while smiling and rubbing the dust from her hands.

“No... I never did.”, he replied and looked at Slav who sat down, saying nothing.

“You must have a talent for it.”, Cess smiled before going out and calling Dave in.

Eric awkwardly smiled; he knew that he had no talent. He never did have any at anything.

Orph touched Eric’s shoulders before speaking, “Nice job.”

Eric looked at him, nodded, and smiled.

“I hope you all didn’t harm her...”, asked Dave

“We didn’t, sir.”, replied Cess, following Dave behind.

“Good.”

“It’s time to initiate the next part of our plan.”, Dave added.