Lan didn’t know his mood could worsen as he left the guild hall. First, there was the way Locke and the others were acting after explaining what his fresh start meant for the party he ended up with, which still needled him. But it was nothing to what was dragging his mood to the ground.

The All Guilds Campaign. Everyone knew what the All Guilds Campaign was, and even as he walked down the road, he could hear people talking about the fact that there was going to be one. Not that there was a chance of one. No, it was happening.

If it did end up happening, and from what Lan had seen, it would be if he could convince the Guildmaster, he would have to be part of it. He would face whatever was behind the dark as part of the guild or on his own.

All this meant he couldn’t go home, not just yet. He couldn’t hide his level from his family, and no honourable jobs would grant him five levels in less than a week, so they would find out that he was an adventurer now. And with the news going around, they would no doubt put two and two together, and even though he knew it was cowardly, he couldn’t do that to his mother. Returning only to leave her with the knowledge that he could be killed at any moment.

Even outside of an All Guilds Campaign, where he was expected to die instead of live. Lan knew that his life hung by a thread most of the time he would go out. He had only been on two jobs, and both could have been his last, should have been his last, if not for his luck holding out.

He couldn’t tell them until he was stronger and knew he would come back from near anything. Until then… until then all he would be doing was putting more of a burden on them. There was always the chance that they would still find out. But the only people that knew, he didn’t think, would want to share the story.

Then there was the other reason to stay away for a little longer. Dell. The rotten snake was up to something that Lan knew, and he knew exactly how to get in his way. Part of that involved his family acting a certain way. He thought he would have to explain it to them, but he may be able to get away without putting even this burden on them. So why was it that thinking as much made his chest tighten and his stomach twist to the point he wanted to be sick? It was the right thing to do; he knew as much, but just the idea of lying to them made him hate himself.

Mulling over his thoughts and falling deeper into a slump, Lan headed for the potions shop he had used before and purchased five mana potions. Two gold dragons down, Lan headed out of the city and over to Lily’s home.

After a night in the forest, the open night of the path to the manor was radiant as the cool night air chilled his body enough to remind him that he was somehow alive.

The clear night did one other thing. It gave Lan a good view of Lily’s home long before he reached the hill. It was late, but not enough for them to be asleep. Yet there was only one light in the main hall that the children had eaten in before. That was not all. Along with the light coming from the window, there was also an unbroken line of light at the edge of the door.

That was enough to give Lan’s staggering steps a little more purpose, enough that he soon dragged his body close enough to hear a voice coming from the halls.

‘I will not hand over the children to you!’ Lan heard Lily’s voice.

‘Be reasonable, my lady. The children are better served in the hands of the church. We have already made arrangements to accept them.’ a male voice said in a tone that wanted to be pious but dripped of imperious self-importance, like the matter had already been settled long ago, and Lily was the only one standing in the way of what everyone already knew.

‘Better served.’ Lily said bitterly. ‘By served, you mean working them until they pass out for fear of being beaten unconscious.’

‘We must all repay the Highest with our blood, sweat and tears. Not even the youngest of us can be spared.’ The man said as if holding back tears of his own.

‘I don’t have the time or patience to debate religion with you.’ Lily said, allowing her tone to say what she was too kind to put to words.

‘You’re right. There isn’t much to debate. The children already belonged to us before running away. So you have no choice but to return them.’

‘As I already told you before, I will return them to your custody.’ Lily emphasised, her voice taking on anger that Lan’s first encounter with her would have said was impossible. ‘If you are able to show me the right of custody, and I will happily hand the children over.’ Lily countered with an almost sharp tone as Lan pushed the door open in time to see the robed man’s shoulders tense.

So he didn’t have any records of the children, Lan thought as he took in the scene. Along with Lily and the man in the white with red trim robes she was arguing with were three rough-looking men that Lan thought he had seen before. One was very short, the next was so thin it looked like a stiff breeze would sweep him away, the third was just blocks of muscle barely held together by thin skin, and lastly was Seth, who looked like he would attack the four men if not for Lily holding him back.

‘Why are we even wasting time talking to this little tart. We should just take the children already.’ The shortest man, whose voice itched at the back of Lan’s mind, said as the robed man hummed.

‘Hmm, you are right.’ The man said as if he had been forced to make a bitter decision.

‘I told you I will not allow it!’ Lily snapped.

‘Yeah, and who’s going to stop us?.’ The man asked, tempting fate, and Lan was more than happy to play the part.

‘I will.’ Lan breathed, his voice barely a whisper but in the vacuum left by the question, more than enough to reach the other side of the entrance hall.

Lily and Seth were the first to see him, their expressions growing wide with shock before recognition set in, and a grin slipped Seth’s face while Lily looked horrified.

It was nothing compared to the four men. Who, upon turning, stared as if seeing a wild beast.

‘Monster!’ the short man cried, and Lan had to say it wasn’t the worst guess. After seeing himself in his tattered and burnt cloak, ash-covered armour and still-glowing eyes under his dishevelled hair, he fit the part as he walked out of the dark. Not to mention seeing four men accosting Lily and Seth in their home gave him the temperament to play the role.

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‘No, not a monster, no more than any other man.’ The priest said as he collected himself. Looking at him, it was Lan’s turn to be surprised as he saw the crest on the man’s robes. It wasn’t any of the symbols of the Lords of Light. Lan knew that other religions were not forbidden in Crownguard. There was no reason to stop it, as all could see the workings of the Lords of Light in everything they saw and did.

The design of Class Items was the main one, so it wasn’t like anyone would be converted. So outsider religions were often left to their own devices as long as they didn’t cross any boundaries. The symbol before him was one that he did not expect to see. That being the marking of the three-head crow of Vivin.

Vin was one of the few kingdoms Lan knew that had not stopped worshipping their God even after their God’s voice had gone quiet. Now the religion had turned to self-sacrifice to repay their lost God. Aside from the fact that trade negotiations with those from Vin were notoriously unproductive, Lan knew that the self-sacrifice was not doled out equally, and those of their church seemed to give the least.

The idea that followers of Vivin would be allowed to run an orphanage was ridiculous, which was no doubt why the man didn’t like Lily bringing up documents they didn’t have.

‘I remember him. He’s the Apple Terrier.’ The shortest thug said, allowing Lan to put a voice to the faces. It was the three who had attacked Seth in the alleyway.

‘Oh, you’re in for it now that our brother is here.’ Seth lied with enough conviction to make the robed man pause momentarily before shaking his head.

‘A holy man who brings three thugs to harass a woman and child. Some of us are more monstrous than others.’ Lan said, getting the man’s pious frown to crack into anger before he hid it away.

‘You seem like a reasonable man. Surely you must be able to see that this is no place for children to live?’ the priest asked, not knowing that Lan was probably the last person anyone should ask that. Not only was he an example of one’s surroundings meaning little if you are not allowed to live, but he had less say than Lily. She was the one sacrificing so much to look after them.

He could talk about the fact that he wasn’t going to allow other children to lose their lives to corrupt bastards who saw them as little more than tools, and a religion that thought suffering was the only way to worship fit the description.

‘I am very reasonable.’ Lan said, getting a smile from the man, as Lily pushed Seth behind her. ‘And I think it’s reasonable to show a right of custody.’ Lan said, watching as the man’s frown deepened. ‘If you don’t have it, you should leave before things stop being reasonable.’

With a look at Lan that could melt stone, the priest turned to the three thugs. ‘You don’t get paid until the children are returned.’

‘What! You said all we had to do is show you where the red-haired boy was?’ the shortest shouted before eyeing Lan grimly.

‘I don’t know, boss. He looks even more hurt than before. Maybe he was lying about having people with him,’ the thin man said, and just as it looked like the short one was considering it, his eyes fell on Lan, and all thought escaped him.

Gone was the pompous arrogance that Lan had used before that had shaken and pissed off the man, and In its place, cold confidence that told the man something had changed. He didn’t have to worry about the man’s party. He needed to worry about the man in front of him.

As Lan watched the man’s face mould into different expressions. His mind shifted to what his next move would be. The large man was most likely the most significant threat, and he didn’t know if the priest of a dead god could use holy magic. First would be the thin man. A good kick should keep him busy, then the large one while they were still reacting to the attack. Then the priest, and last would be the little man just because Lan didn’t like him. Lan didn’t think about their levels or the shape he was in. As his blood started to race, he knew his body would answer.

Lan’s eyes fell on the short man, and as if able to read Lan’s mind, the man paled and licked his lips before swallowing hard enough to be audible.

‘Leave.’ Lan ordered as he looked into the man’s eyes, ‘Or is a gold dragon really worth your life.’ Nothing set a greedy man’s priority straight than reminding him how little he was getting paid to risk his life by overestimating the amount.

The man’s sour expression and the stiffening of the priest's back told Lan he had been right in, guessing it was nowhere near a gold dragon and now looked like they were ready to renegotiate.

‘We’ll leave things here for today,’ the priest said, looking to Lily before storming towards the door without waiting for his goons. ‘You will face the Highest’s judgement.’ The not so pious man added as he passed by Lan.

Lan watched the three leave as they quietly reaffirmed their promise to make him pay before shutting the door and letting himself slump against it.

‘Lan!’ Both Lily and Seth said as they ran over to him.

‘What happened to you?’ Lily said, moving to hold him up before pausing and pulling her hands back before moving to brace him again but not quite reach him.’

‘You look like you got run over by a wagon train.’ Seth said with a worried smile on his face.

‘You should see the other thirty guys.’ Lan smiled. It was an overplayed response to a beating, but as Seth grinned, he guessed it had had its effect, or it was the first time the red-hair nightmare had heard it. Of course, it helped that, in his case, it was true. ‘On second thought, better if you don’t.’

‘If you two are done, I would like to know what by the Light happened to you. I thought you agreed not to get hurt.’

‘Yeah, but the band of goblins didn’t.’ Lan shrugged. ‘if it helps, it could have been much worse.’

‘it does not.’ Lily huffed as Seth looked between the two. ‘I told you that I only know a little healing.’

‘You and I know that no one just knows a little healing.’ Lan cut her off. He hadn’t wanted to pry into her life after their second meeting. But if anyone could learn a little healing magic, everyone would do it. Not only did one need to know the spells themselves, but one also needed the knowledge of human anatomy and the understanding to use it.

The fact that she had healed his eyes so quickly meant she knew more than a little.

‘I really did mean to hold up to my word.’ Lan said, meeting Lily’s eyes, hoping she could see that he was sincere. Instead, her cheeks filled with colour. ‘Are you alright?’

‘Hmm? What! I’m fine.’ She said quickly. ‘You look a little different.’ She added before she could stop herself. ‘I mean, no, wait!’

‘Yeah, I do.’ Lan said with a smile which only seemed to make her turn a deeper shade of red.

‘I’ll go make sure the others are sleeping.’ Seth said, gracing the two of them with a smug smile before grabbing Lan’s arm. ‘Thanks for coming.’ He said, catching Lan off guard.

‘Of course.’ Lan said, glad he had made it in time as he watched Seth run up the stairs.

‘Well, if we are going to do this, then we might as well get started.’ Lily sighed, taking his arm.

‘Especially when you only know a little, it might take us all night.’ Lan said, making Lily roll her eyes.

‘I’ll check your eyes first.’ She said, walking him over to a chair. Even though she really didn’t need to, Lan let her as she watched him like he could drop at any moment.

Once seated, Lily retrieved her glasses, paused before putting them on and sighed before frowning at Lan.

Brushing a golden lock of hair behind her ear, Lily’s sent a trace of mana to her eyes, giving them a silver sheen.

‘Hmm, your eyes are fine. If not flowing with a lot of mana.’ She said before looking down a moment before her eyes grew wide. ‘How by the Light are you standing.’

‘It looks worse than…’ Lan managed before she cut him off with a baleful look, and he cleared his throat instead. ‘Oh, brought you these,’ Lan said, reaching to the Chest and retrieving the mana potions.

Lily looked at the potions for a moment. It seemed like she would ask about the Chest before turning back to the potions.

‘I thought that the advance you gave me was meant to cover this?’

‘This is just my way of saying sorry for getting hurt.’ Lan shrugged. Healing was no easy thing on the body of either person, and the last thing he wanted was to have her unable to operate properly for the next few days as she recovered, which would be the case if she didn't use her mana often.

‘Well, I guess it couldn’t be helped.’ Lily said in a small voice. ‘Fractured ribs, internal bruising, your shoulder worries me the most and the rest seem to be shallow cuts and bruises. Okay, take off your clothes.’ She said, looking up at him.

Lan knew that he knew better. He knew that her lack of experience or being out of practice was why she wanted as little contact between the two of them, but he was already speaking before he could stop himself.

‘Oh, Lily, I didn’t know you felt that way about me.’