Chapter 18: Past and Future

Blighted fear runes.

Agreed.

We sat, partly resting and partly drying, just outside of the influence of the fear runes on Entrial’s side of the river. I had accidentally used too little internal energy when crossing the river and we ended up soaked. I had been trying to ration the limited amount of internal energy I had remaining, barely enough to defend myself in an emergency, which caused me to use the bare minimum energy needed to cross the river… only to slip on the opposite bank.

We also realized where at least some of the fear runes must be hiding as that water scared us more than… actually there was nothing to make an accurate comparison, the water was just liquid fear, suggesting that at least some of the runes were in the river itself.

How they had not eroded away over the centuries, I had no idea, but we had been in no mood to try and find out why.

Also, since Bella had let me have uncontested control of the body for over a week it was currently under her complete control and would likely continue to be for a while. I was taking the time to mentally check our magical ‘monitor’ devices and make sure I could check them even on the opposite side of the fear runes.

It worked, but the strength had weakened noticeably, making the response I received feel disjointed. I could still connect to the monitors, but it was annoying.

I will have to work on the booster in the future. That way I might actually be able to create a way to send specific messages. Even if this world has an equivalent already developed, it should give me a unique form of long distance communication.

I still cannot believe they were so stubborn after all that arguing.

Well, most of them were naturally born that way, not changed. Plus, we were asking them to put their future into our ‘young’ hands.

Still, most of them did let us put the monitors in so why not let us take it further? Why did they admit that they needed our help to only start hesitating when we actually tried to help?!

Perhaps the difference between watching and interfering is to be blamed? I was just glad that we got the information from the translator’s childbirth. It will be very interesting to find out if it burns out like Dras.

’She’ DeMorte, not ‘it’ but ‘she.’

‘She’ is a valuable experiment in and of herself, not the ‘adorable thing’ that you seemed to be getting so attached to.

Do not lie to me DeMorte, you thought that she was cute too!

I never said that she was not cute. All children are cute, they have to be in order to keep their parents from killing them after weeks of sleep deprivation.

Not funny.

The point, Bella, is that you seem to go from objecting to condoning experiments that would likely have Anton calling his equivalent of the guard on us.

I agree with some of them, but I dislike it when you hurt cute things. You already made that one rabbit family super strong and got them called demon bunnies, is that not enough for you?

To prove that I can create hereditary modifications? Yes. To provide me with enough data to justify stopping my experimentation? No.

I stopped our conversation there and let Bella whine and complain to herself for a bit. I wanted to finish mentally organizing what we had learned in our time with the modified humans before I started replenishing our internal energy stores.

Since their bodies were created by complex magical energies through the zugoran staff, I had to be very careful when I messed with their genetics. The staff had instantly modified their bodies, down to the genetic level, before allowing their bodies to naturally rebuild themselves. These changes were hereditary as well, making their children larger than normal, with iron infused skin. I had still not discovered exactly how they prevented iron overload, but their bodies seemed to know exactly how to regulate the extreme amounts of iron in their blood.

The locals had also figured out that they needed a diet of mushrooms to counter what they called ‘the body ache.’ I called it vitamin D deficiency and had made sure that the first thing I did, to anyone who agreed to the monitor at least, was to turn off the ‘werewolf gene’ that had covered them with hair. Even if I would be obligated to help them make cloths for themselves, at least their future lack of a full body of hair would help if they met other people… that and the fact that Sabert would teach them the local language.

Sabert himself had been less than pleased that he was going to be stuck in their little village, but his visible skin had already grayed to the point where he might be locked up under suspicion of being cursed… The fact that the females had perfectly functioning sex organs and were practically crawling all over him, likely had nothing to do with his decision to accept his fate.

I also learned that they did not, in fact, bury all of their dead. It was actually a punishment reserved for the worst offenders, like anyone who made their previous leader sufficiently angry. Dal’tal’s mother was among them, which was the reason why I ran into her when I was there.

I learned a bit about their culture and way of living too, but the most important things I learned were that the Elves did exist there, thousands of years ago and the remnant humans were the descendants of those the Elves had played with. Although no one could confirm that the Elves had created them to work zugoran, they did tell me stories of the Elves’ cruelty.

I almost asked them if they were sure the creatures of their tales were Elves. The stories were fairly close to things that I had heard about some of the more depraved human nobles of my previous world. Minus the parts where they turned the humans hairy to make fun of the apes.

They also showed me the remnants of the Elvish buildings. Mostly wooded grooves of an above ground equivalent to the room with the stone alter. Said room was apparently safer when the Quin, giant flying snakes, started to move around, as they would attack people out in the open.

I had found and killed one of the Quin while I was there and it was no snake. For starters, snakes have scales, not fur, but this was some kind of monstrous amalgamation of creatures that happened to be able to fertilize its own eggs. I had promised them to hunt down as many as I could (to get more samples) as the Quin likely seemed another remnant of the Elves.

It seemed that they were very fond of biological based weapons and structures, which did not bode well for me. Between my ears and my specialty concerning the human body, there was no way that I was not going to attract trouble later.

Sighing, I mentally checked on a few more of my monitor devices before we stood up and stretched in the cold morning air. The third earth phase of the cycle was ending, meaning that the water phase, winter, would soon begin.

If I ever come into a position of power, I will look into that 5 phase business, I vowed to myself, why they did not just divide the solar year into 10 periods of 36 days each I could not understand. The people here did not even have 2 ‘suns’ to keep track of.

We concentrated on the sounds of nature around us and took a moment to enjoy the more peaceful noises of the forest. This close to the fear runes, animals were few and it was actually quite nice.

After a moment we started moving through the forest at a more sedated pace, aiming towards Leo’s home as Bella searched the surroundings for useful materials. I decided to regain some of my internal energy reserves while I could and started cultivating the mana around us, absorbing it into my body through my mana.

While I did so I also found Bella trying to observe and study the process. I was about to tell her to keep a lookout for alchemy materials when she asked me an interesting question.

How is this different from that shroud?

Energy cultivation involves taking the mana in the air around you and processing it with your body to use it for your own purposes. Gorit’s shroud just claims the mana around you, meaning you are controlling the world’s natural mana directly, instead of turning into your personal mana.

Wait if that is true then-

Bella did not get to finish her question as we both felt a pulse of mana approaching us. A disadvantage of having a relaxed conversation between us was that the speed of our mental communication slowed down to a normal conversation.

The pulse of mana was not hostile or unnaturally fast, so I resisted the urge to cast a disruption spell. Both my personal experience and my third eye quickly identified the mana pulse as a scouting spell. The spell had been similar to the most basic of scout spells that I knew of, meaning a new scout.

Veteran scout mages were dangerous, observant, and some of the most annoyingly realistic people you had ever met. The ones I had known in the past, who I called ‘rangers,’ acted like they had the overconfidence bled out of them after the years in the wild. They were also incredibly hard to lie to or barter with as they tended to watch others like birds of prey. Oh, and they designed their own scouting spells, making them harder to detect with wards.

Bella kept an eye out while I quietly formed a few bone daggers and hid them away. I used to always have at least 2 hidden knives on my person at all times, however, knives of any type discovered on a little girl would be problematic. That said, if the scouts were sharp enough to notice my bone armor, much less my daggers, it would be better for them to die here

I felt Bella shiver, but she kept her silence. I wondered if she had finally realized how reluctant I was to kill. She acted as if the previous years of memories and the flashbacks of the Guilt were not enough to convince her, only scare her more.

The fear runes were the worst thing in my life, but your memories… do you even understand how horrible you are?

I am pragmatic.

Not caring that someone is being tortured in front of you is pragmatic?

Since they are not likely to die, yes, very.

That is just… so wrong though!

Here, think about it like this…

While Bella was processing my logic – which I unceremoniously dumped in her mind – we got within sight of the scout. While I was not exactly surprised to find him alone, I was certainly not expecting his company.

Janeen was the first person I saw, but she was followed by two men dressed in blood red uniforms that I could not help stare at.

What kind of scout wears red?! It was absurd and I suddenly found myself wondering just how safe this country was.

I walked forward and greeted Janeen politely. The few times I had met her after that first lord’s party had been terse, polite exchanges, but I felt that she did not resent me.

“Going for a walk with friends Janeen?” I asked.

“Bella, I am surprised to see you here. These men are with the army and they were sent ahead to take a look around.” Janeen, typically, kept her speech polite and to the point, only hinting that she wanted to know why I was out here, instead of demanding the explanation.

“I was looking for alchemic ingredients.” I stated simply, observing the two sad excuses for scouts. One was old and barely in shape, he was clearly recovering from the hike through the woods. Imagine if it was summer, I thought dismissively.

The other was much younger, but seemed did not seem to be doing much scouting as he was too busy staring at Janeen… Not that I blamed him too much, she was attractive, in a lean, fit, way. I also noticed that he had a bit of magic leaking out, but if I had to guess, he did not even have as much mana as john did. In fact, I was somewhat more worried about the looks he was giving Janeen as they reminded me more of an almost rabid dog than a beta.

Wait, what?

My old world had 2 light giving suns, Alpha and Beta. Beta was smaller so we joked that love struck fools were betas, always circling their affection.

“So, what brings the pride of the King’s army out here?” I asked, deadpan.

Janeen, to my slight surprise, did not laugh or even smile and instead looked confused. “How long had you been out here that you do not know?”

I blinked and explained, “I left after my family left for the Lord’s party. Since then I have been experimenting in the woods and occasionally exchanging supplies at Leo’s place. Did something happen?”

Janeen sighed, “That explains it, crazy Loco might not have noticed. Your father was brought news at the party by the scouts,” I noticed that she acted like the word left a bad taste in her mouth. “He has been elevated as a reward for finding the mithril mine.”

“Wait, does that make me nobility?” I tried not to gag at the idea. Ripping the title of ruler of a land away for yourself was totally different to becoming ‘nobility.’

Janeen did not notice my disgust and shook her head, “Not until your father is formally elevated by the king.” She paused and then looked at me confused again. “How did you knew we were here?”

“Someone used a spell.” I answered numbly, still trying to reboot my brain. Thank Gorith that Osiris is not here, he would never let me live this down, I thought in wonder.

“Ah, my apologies. I will leave you to your business then.” Janeen bowed and motioned for the other two to follow her. I watched them walk away and wondered if anything would happen to her, but it was not my business, as long she did not die because of my inactivity, I was fine.

Anyway, did you have time to understand what we were talking about earlier?

In a manner of speaking, but your logic is so heartless… are you sure you are human?

Humans are always the worst people.

That is… argh! Do you really not feel anything when someone you care for is hurt? As long as they survive? As long as you can avoid the Guilt

Of course I do, I would feel angry if someone attacked me for no reason.

Our conversation continued as I returned to Leo’s lab for the evening. The next day I spent traveling back to the family farm to make a request from Nathan.

--------------------------------------------------

Not using a horse or my internal energy and stopping on occasion to check in on test sub patients, it was late evening when I got back ‘home.’

I found Nathan talking to an older woman near the barn when I arrived, with a good smell signifying that food would be ready soon.

“Bella!” Nathan called out in surprise when he saw me. “We were not expecting you, this is Ealba.”

I looked over at the old woman and remembered the quiet curses that Florence had muttered because of that name. “I heard about you from Florence,” I bowed politely, “it is nice to put a name to the face.”

The old woman clicked her tongue. “She is not as bad as I was worried about. She even has good posture.”

I felt my face twitch and I turned to Nathan, “I would like a moment alone,” I intoned politely. It would not do me any good to disrespect him in front of others, but I wanted to know what was going on.

Old Ealba clicked her tongue again, “There do seem to be some rough spots though, we can work with that though.”

“Please.” I tried to burn a hole in Nathan’s head without using anything other than my eyes.

Nathan sighed and told Ealba that we would see her inside. Which was just as well, because if my staring had gone on any longer I might have started using my mana too.

After she left I kept a polite tone as best as I could. “Is there a particular reason that Florence’s manners teacher is here?”

Nathan walked over to a splitting stump and sat down before answering while watching the sunset east. “Apparently you said something to your mother that made her think Ealba could help you.”

“Help me?” I tried to process that, but I would have to ask mother later. “Actually, it does not matter. I have a request.”

Nathan looked over at me in surprise, I never asked him for anything, except more food at the table. “What do you want Bella?” He tried to keep his voice neutral, but I could hear suspicious undertones in his question.

“I want information,” I explained, “About the various religious orders and how I can become a Healer in time.”

Nathan looked at me and gave me a small smile “Of course, Bella, but you know that your mother would prefer you joining one of the water goddesses’ orders. Although…” he paused and let his eyes take on a distant look. “When you were born, the mid-wife said that her blessed water seemed to roll off you quickly, meaning that you might be blessed by a god already.”

‘Blessed’ I thought bitterly, I still thought of the Guilt as a curse, no matter what Leo said. “I would prefer information on orders that have unique magic, or orders that forbid relationships.”

Nathan froze at that and I could see his brain processing what I could mean by that. “I would not make you marry someone Bella, even if your power earns you lots of courtiers I would not-”

“It has nothing to do with you.” I cut him off coldly. “It has to do with what I told mother before. Besides,” I let my voice warm slightly, “I just asked you for the information so that I can make a decision later.”

I heard that you should feel bad about lying.

I do not know about that, but I do not know why you would be. We will walk our own path, no matter what, but this will make it easier for us to leave later.

Nathan shifted, clearly uncomfortable, but accepting my words. “Alright, I will ask around, but I am serious Bella, you know that I would never do anything like forcing you into a union right?

“Power changes everyone.” I said quietly, trying not to let my emotions bleed into my voice too much. “Even the prospect of power always makes people different Nathan. You will be different, as the lord, eventually.”

Nathan looked surprised again. “Who told you that?”

“I am right and that is all that matters.”

Nathan shifted again, “The words of a child,” he said softly, clearly trying to convince himself while he turned to stare into the distance.

I felt anger boiling up from the depths of my memories and I said nothing. I wanted to lecture him on what power did to people, about how he would change. I wanted to tell him that he was a fool for seeking for more power. I wanted to explain that power, if you truly deserved it would find its way to you in other ways, but I just grit my teeth and kept quiet.

As we stayed there in silence and watched the sunset, a memory stalked forward from the darkest recesses of my mind, my anger causing a slip in control. A slip that, despite being a mere momentary lapse, allowing the monster to crawl back out and scar my soul yet again.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

---------------------------------------------------

I was in my new house. It was the remnants of a once great palace that had been built long before my time, its outward appearance of pure size was impressive, but as you got closer it became even more magnificent.

Intricate stone artwork barely visible through the ravages of time still managed, even in a shadow of its former glory the works had left me impressed. I was not a man of the arts, but I knew how to appreciate the level of effort that would have went into such detail. Where parts of the stone had been sheltered from the sands and winds of time, I could barely see the outlines of details on figures that were smaller than any of my fingers.

The insides, once they were cleaned, proved even more well-preserved.

Right that instant however, I could not see the intricate artwork, nor the piles of beautiful silks that I had added, and not even my piles of gold and silver could distract me. I had a woman, sleeping peacefully, in my bed. It was hardly a rare sight, my men had jokingly begun calling me a bandit king because of my successes and declared that my slave routine had long since been my harem.

They were right too. I was no king of course, some merchant had started that rumor after we extorted them, but I did have my own harem. I had over 20 female slaves who had agreed to sleep with me at my whim and if they were not beautiful they were not my slaves. They received my protection and a reduced term of servitude and I received their companionship for as long as they remained slaves.

None of them were allowed to stay the night of course, but this one had him confused. Any man or woman who had gotten drunk with people of the opposite sex knew the power of alcohol and how it made others appear more attractive. The problem was that I was looking at this woman and she was continuously becoming more attractive, despite my being completely sober.

It was also the third night in a row that she had slept in my bed! She was a mage, a mage whose mother had been my first slave! She was also younger than any other woman I had taken to my bed, so why was I acting like some young, beta struck fool? Ovals below I even took her 4 times last night and I still had not had enough!

Tearing my eyes away from her sleeping form I tried to ignore the fact that the pain actually felt physical and stormed out of the room… Well, stormed out in a way that made no noise, least I wake her…

Stone me, I was doing it again!

Walking out to an open aired courtyard, I found the fountain that we managed to clear. Its water was from the snowmelt one of nearby mountains, God’s Spear. No one knew which god needed a mountain for a spear, but I appreciated the cool water and I splashed it on my face, trying to clear my head.

The child I had sent back to her family had been abused and run back to the mountains she thought held her real father. I was not her father, but apparently the fool noble who was had remarried and decided that she was a hindrance when she refused to choose a ‘suitable’ husband. She escaped to one of my camps and eventually to me, so long ago…

I had eventually allowed her to stay and treat me as her real father for a short time, but our relationship was never truly like that. Slowly, gradually, she became my closest confidant and then, not long ago, she kissed me. It only took her 2 stoning days after that to break me down enough that I took her to my bed and now, I felt like she already had/ me broken in.

I knew it had been a bad idea at the time, sex between mages was always different and there was a persistent lie that no one could rape a mage because of the physical contact that would let any mage pour their man into the other. In our case, we seemed to spark and I found myself unable to stay away long… to the point of barely leaving my new home.

I sighed in confused exhaustion, last night she had called me her husband and I liked it. I had an annoying feeling of being fenced in like some wild boar – fed each day with more fences going up whenever I was not looking. That was not who I was… yet it seemed to be who I was turning into.

“Father (DeMorte!)” I turned around and saw my firstborn, Alrasus, looking at me in a confused and disbelieving fashion that I imagined resembled my own face the night she kissed me. “Father, I heard rumors that sister is staying here.”

I nodded, with anyone else I would ask who he was talking about, as I had an ever increasing number of children running around, but he was special. His mother had been my first slave and had died giving birth to his sibling. I had thought about sending him back with the girl, but he had been my blood and she had not. “I asked her to leave a few nights ago, but she keeps managing to stay.” I replied. I had meant it to sound bitter, but instead, it sounded neutral, as if I was discussing the weather.

He visibly relaxed and I knew he had misinterpreted it, not that I could blame him, it was my fault. For a brief moment part of me even wondered if I could not keep it all hidden away, these bi-cursed feeling that told me to possess the woman in question. To keep her hidden from everyone and all to myself, but I did not need the hesitating words that came from his mouth next to know how impossible that was.

“Father… you should really go down into the rest of the city. They are whispering that you have been having orgies in here for the past few days.” He smiled, apprehensively before continuing “They even suggested that you have been sharing some of your slaves with her.”

I knew what that meant, he was saying that people knew what I had done, that he knew, but did not want to believe, what happened. I studied him for a moment, seeing a face similar to the one I saw in my first mirror so long ago. “You worry about her too much Alrasus. You should be worried about rumors about that instead.”

His smile faltered for a moment. “If I want to be your equal father, I will have to learn to deal with such nonsense. Especially if I want to succeed you.”

I smiled, “Succeed? You do not actually believe all that ‘king’ nonsense they have been spouting lately do you? Whoever succeeds me as the leader of our little group will the strongest, even if that is not you.” I looked at him and made sure he understood that I was serious.

Alrasus frowned and shook his head. “You have over 1500 bandits under your control and we have around double that in slaves alone, not including those weird one who stay after they are freed. Between them, the fact that we now trade and patrol our trade routes and especially your taxes-” I grimaced at his use of the word, my cut as the chief of my bandit group had turned into a tax long before they started calling me a ‘king.’ “-we are almost a kingdom on our own. Ovals below, we have a symbol and we could actually call this a royal palace!” He gestured to our surroundings and I found myself reluctantly agreeing with him. My symbol was actually emblazoned on his sleeve, the 3 headed, winged serpent.

“I built it up so I know, but…” I felt myself go cold as my rational side pushed aside all other emotions, it happened less often of late, but it still occurred. “They will not survive. I won them over, but there is a reason bandits do not just go around forming countries. It is the same reason I keep the challenge for the right of leadership open.” I turned back to the fountain and splashed water on my face again before running my hands through my closely cut hair. “We are too independent to follow someone based off blood and not strength.”

Alrasus shook his head and turned a moment to pace, causing a slight noise that I identified as chainmail. “You made a system which we can all live by. If the system can endure and we can grow more, there will be someone who gets enough loyal people to pass on the rule. That is the key father, the first only has to conquer it and get everyone ready, the second ruler is the one who solidifies rule as kingship.”

I watched the water as he talked, it felt very relaxing. “hah, that would assume that I have ‘conquered’ the people here Alrasus. I turned back to him and looked my son in the eye, you might be the strongest mage here, but I am in charge and I know that I cannot kill the pragmatic for the loyal.”

Alrasus took a deep breath and returned my look resolutely. “You are wrong father, after finding this place, there is no one who does not owe you their loyalty. My younger brothers and sisters have even been asking me if I am a prince now.”

Before I could reply, I noticed Alrasus’ face seem to freeze and his eyes widened as I heard a small gasp from behind me. I turned to see the woman we had been discussing earlier, frantically covering up her body.

Her flushed face looked good too, I thought appreciatively, especially in those silks. "Wake up, DeMorte!"

Before I had time to wonder who said that, I felt killing intent leak from behind me and heard the soft jingling of iron chainmail. My feeling of relaxation fled as I instinctively tapped the monumental reserves of internal energy that I spent every day painstakingly cultivating and ducked out of the way.

I used the fountain to brace some of my weight as an iron sword pierced the air where I had been. I did not hesitate and flooded my body with my reserves before flinging myself at the enemy. I heard a loud crack as I tackled my opponent and we went sprawling on the floor. The crack was likely the fountain, but I paid it no head at the moment.

His iron chainmail actually protected me better than him for the moments that we were in contact. I quickly leveraged my right arm to separate us though, getting just out of reach.

As we separated, I thought I felt my right shoulder pop, but I was too set on my current situation. The assassin was not someone I could let live and I pulled a hidden dagger out and threw it. "DEMORTE!" There was no technique behind the throw, but I managed to concentrate my surging energy in my left arm to make the throw. The result was an improperly thrown, pure iron, missile of death, which did not even have to cross 2 meters before it found its mark.

I saw the face of my first son as he threw a thick layer of mana armor up and forgot that my mana was too weak for me to even think about fighting with magic. The habit killed him- no, I killed him. The dagger flew fast and straight enough, that it hit him in the chest and went right through his chainmail.

It was not a clean hit though, he would die, but not because my blade pierced his vitals. No, my blade hit him hard enough to make his chest collapse. Our crossed for a split second, but I did not know what was in them.

I would later find out that he had been repeating that phrase a lot: “the first conquers and the second rules.” Although, I eventually accepted that I would never know during my life, the beings that I met after that life ended gave me new suspicion about the real reason for my son’s choice that day.

I thought I felt tears running down my face as I dealt with a surge of guilt and my ‘wife,’ whose scream practically spit my head as her brother died. Then, as I stared at my boy, rapidly becoming a corpse in front of my eyes, the Guilt started to circle too.

Stone you DeMorte! Why did make me see that? Why would you want me to become you?

----------------------------------------

I jerked out of my memories and herd Nathan calling for me, however I was too preoccupied with the small annoyances that were rolling down my face. I instinctively reached up and furiously brushed my left sleeve across my face.

“Are you crying? Bella?” Nathan’s voice practically screamed disbelief.

“No, I am not!” My voice sounded horrible, pathetic, stone it all!

“Oh Bella.” Nathan came over and gave me a hug. As a result, I had to deal with both my talent and to fight off the desire to beat him senseless. At least my eyes finally stopped leaking water as he spoke again. “I will do my best to not let this change me, I promise.”

I wanted to snap at him, to tell him to stop touching me, to tell him that power changed everyone, but something unexpected came from Bella instead. “That is what I am afraid of. How long have you been chasing power? At what point do you have enough?”

Her voice was wavering, but I got the feeling of a growing resolve from her.

Was she talking to him or me though? I asked myself. Regardless, since she had a better hold on the situation than I did, I retreated back into my own mind to collect myself.

It had been a while since I used the room in my head to visualize my soul’s merge into my new body. Last time, the water level that represented my merging consciousness had been just above my knees while I sat at an angle on the chair of my own design. Now, everything from my waist down had already merged with the water.

(AN: If you need a visual, think the ancients’ control chair of the stargate tv series, but with rising water levels and a more gradual recline level)

For better or worse, my entire essence would be merged into Bella’s head soon enough.

The next few years would be odd, but I would work it out eventually. I would have to as the Nalk’s stoning game would actually start and blood would be shed by my blade yet again.

* * *

South of Entrials: The road to the capital

A few days later…

As he rode south, Nathan felt a cold lump sit in the pit of his stomach.

Bella had always been an odd girl, mature in odd ways. She had killed her first chicken without blinking, but cried when she saw a dead rabbit. A few phases ago he even hear that she had seen a person’s broken arm sticking out of his skin and had not blinked twice.

Yet she still cried for me. he thought to himself, she thought I was losing myself and cried for me.

He had imagined for the longest time that Bella hated him, or at least did not see him as her father. In fact, after learning Bella had such a strong healing talent, Nathen had sent her to the local menders because he thought that she might not actually be his daughter. In his mind it explained her distance and seemingly instinctual resistance to calling him ‘dad,’ but his wife had corrected his thought on that possibility.

Still, Nathan had not thought about it from another point of view: What if she was trying to copy him? He had given her some attention when she was younger, but ever since those two died he had his mind on other matters.

No, it was the mine, the mine changed everything for me. Nathan sighed and remembered Bella words, that she ‘was scared that he would not change.’ After I get back, Nathan swore to himself, I will use the profits from the mithril to turn the house into a manor and secure Bella, Carlatus, and Carol’s futures. Hoplis and Xiphos are old enough to take care of themselves and Florence has Robert, but I still need to make sure that they have a good inheritance.

Mayor Guthan will still be helping me out so it should not be too bad as lord, I should be able to still spend time with the young ones.

While he continued to plan his future, Nathan almost did not see his first 2 guards die. They were actually his tenants from his farm, but they had agreed to protect him on his way to the capital. Of his four primary tenants, all of whom were fit from both working I their fields and in Nathan’s mine over the last decade, 3 of them were here guarding him.

The guards who died were riding just ahead of Nathan and barely had time to react to the half dozen bolts that flew out of the brush surrounding the narrow – what some called a chokepoint – on the road to the capital.

A giant of a man came running at his third guard a moment later and pulled him off his horse. The guard was dead a few moments later and only Nathan was left alive.

Nathan dismounted slowly and stared at the giant cloaked figure and frowned at the looming figure that others might have called ‘death.’ “I thought you were supposed to ambush us at the next narrowing Mathalaous.”

The figure drew back its cloak and revealed its face, wearing a blank look that matched his chiseled-from-stone appearance quite appropriately. “I thought you might get nervous so I changed the spot.” He ground out his word as if bitter about something, “this way you were as surprised as they were.”

Nathan nodded “well, thank you for completing such a distasteful task, I was starting to worry that I would have to kill these blighted creatures myself.”

Mathalaous grunted as his clansmen removed the bodies and mixed the blood into the dirt. They prided themselves on leaving no traces and today was no exception. “You already sound like a noble Nathan, be careful of that.”

“I just hate blackmailers.” Nathan defended honestly, “They were likely hiding away some mithril from the mine, I could overlook that, but demanding part of our store was just greedy. I even offered the fools the land they were working as my tenants and they still wanted the mithril.” Nathan’s mouth curled in disgust, “They knew I am the only one of us who could legally sell it too, meaning they were going to sell it in the back alleys and endanger our families.”

Mathalaous just nodded with the same stony look on his face. The four corpses would soon be cut up and scattered for the animals to claim. His family, his tribe, knew the value of keeping secrets.

At that point 4 riders came from the woods, only one of whom Nathan knew by sight. “Janeen,” he greeted, “I never got to properly thank you for taking care of Florence when she met Robert.” Nathan bowed politely, “nothing gets rid of the butterflies like a healthy dose of anger.”

Janeen looked at him with something resembling her father’s stony look. “If you really want to thank me, help stop that annoying habit of hers to find and insult me every year.”

Nathan smiled, entertained. “Why would I do that, when everyone looks forward to your quick witted responses? Anyway, who are these men?” He nodded to the other 3 riders behind her.

“Your new guards,” she explained, “you left with 3 men guarding you and you will arrive with 3.”

“Ah, but I have to ask, about the last one, back on the farm…” Nathan sent a meaningful look to Mathalaous, which was received and understood.

“He will slip and fall while you are away. An accident.”

Nathan nodded gravely, “Thank you again my friend.”

A grunt greeted him in reply. “It is just common sense, they touched our income and endangered our deal. You just make sure to get sell it at a good price from that thrice cursed smiths’ guild.”

Nathan flashed a brief smile and was off without saying a word in reply. His 3 new guards forming up around him easily enough, but staying quiet, so that Nathan could be alone with his thoughts.