"Where are we going?" I ask as I stumble after Kevin, blinking away the blurriness in my eyes. "Why'd you stop me?"

"Healers cannot kill." Kevin speaks softly, as though worried we'd be overheard.

"Sure I can. Done it lots of times."

We take a different path through the house, not passing by where Astindide might see us, and exit by a back window. "No," Kevin answers. "You can't. You're still a healer. If you'd killed someone, you'd have lost that."

My heart skips a beat. I never wanted to be a healer in the first place, but having seen the power of the class... I wouldn't trade it unless the new class was vastly superior. I'd come this close to throwing it away without even knowing. "Wait. Is that how you become a slayer?"

"Among other things. Many slayers are born. Some are made." Kevin walks over to my disobedient steed and holds out a hand. Pale green light suffuses it. The primal dino immediately gets a dreamy look in its eyes and stops its stomping and snorting. Instead it stares straight ahead as though hypnotized.

I take the opportunity to grab the spear, then climb up behind Kevin. The teen is so much smaller than me it's almost laughable. He leans forward and whispers something to the dino, who nods its crocodilian head as though in comprehension. Without another word or movement, it leaps into action. We sprint into the forest, leaving Verkremond's cottage behind.

Even if we have won our freedom, it does rankle a bit that the little idiot is still alive. I swore vengeance, and I do not appreciate my vengeance being forestalled. I do want to keep the healer class though, so I guess I can't be too upset at Kevin. But still! What right did he have to interfere? But... immortality and invincibility...

The tumultuous thoughts chase each other around my head, neither gaining ground until Kevin speaks again.

"I am not from this place." He says it like a challenge, but his voice trembles. "And neither are you. We should stick together."

"Okay." Not like I'm going to turn away free help. "But if you get yourself killed, don't expect me to avenge you."

"I would hope you could prevent my death as you've prevented your own. Your healing ability, it is strong?"

"Yeah. Pretty strong." It can't do everything, but it's pretty solid. "What about you? I know you can... calm people down, and tame animals?"

"Yes. I can remove the impact of negative feelings and calm the raging storm of emotions. I can imbue healing properties into anything I touch, though I have hidden that ability and pretended it is only foods." He shifts his tunic with a hint of pride. "And I can, as you say, communicate to a slight degree with lesser creatures."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Great. So where are we going, and how soon can we head to the schang cat nest to retrieve my knife?"

"Party status. Pathfinder."

"Eh?"

Kevin adjusts our course. "We are heading there now."

"Ehh? Party status?"

[Nameless the Healer (8)]

Current Quest: Retrieve Knife from Schang Cat

[Kevin the Healer (21)]

Current Quest: Collect 18 Dorpel Flowers

"You're level 21?" My first instinct is to be impressed, then my second instinct is to be concerned. If I've reached level 8 in just over a day... "How long have you been here?"

"Three years."

"Yikes. I've got to teach you some better spells. Pathfinder?"

Two blinking arrows appear in my mind, one pointing directly ahead of us, the other off to the left at a diagonal. One is white, the other pale yellow.

"Huh. That's convenient."

We ride in silence for a time, as I watch the minor fluctuations of the arrows. The one we follow isn't a compass, since it does shift trajectory from time to time, but a true pathfinder. It routes us to fords, around obstacles, and in a fairly easy route through the forest and across the hills toward the looming mountain.

The crocodino - sylenkek? Nah, crocodino works better - occasionally growls or snorts, but overall the trip is quiet apart from its steady thudding feet.

"Why are you called Nameless?" Kevin asks, breaking the silence.

"No idea. Why am I here at all?" I shrug. "To show the laws of nature who's boss, I assume."

"You should not be so arrogant. You'll hurt yourself."

"Unearned confidence can be earned, but excessive wimpiness will never get you respect. You must learn the ways of the true war-healer if you wish to thrive, young Kevin."

"You've been here less than two days. I think I know more about what we should be afraid of than you do."

"Should? I see no reason to fear anything. Except when it's about to eat me, but that's what Greater Ward is for."

The steel-grey protective bubble surrounds me, lifting me from the back of the dino just long enough to slide off its tail and land on the ground.

Kevin slows our ride and turns around to retrieve me.

"Don't say it."

Kevin helps me up, but doesn't get back onto the dino. "If you were going for dramatic, you could use some practice."

"Mhmm..."

"But we're here." He gestures to the right, where a ravine splits the foresty hill.

I look over the edge, and he's right. Below, the rift is filled with the detritus of a thousand devoured animals. Bones and fur clumped together into cozy hollows from wall to wall, each one occupied by one to four of the familiar primal-looking Schang Cats.

Thirty or so in total.

"You have any combat spells?" I ask Kevin.

He shakes his head, standing back with one hand on the dino's reigns.

"Then I'll handle this. Watch and learn."

I hop down into the ravine, bones and leaves flying from the impact as Greater Ward protects me. "Here kitty kitty! I'm looking for a knife, have any of you seen it?"

The kitties don't make any overtures toward returning my possession. They seem quite annoyed to be wakened from their napping, in fact, rising to their feet, claws and teeth bared.

I swing my spear around and set it against the ground, grinning. "I'm ready to dance if you are!"

The cats spring forward.

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