“Damnit all, this is my fault,” Leo muttered, pacing frantically an hour into tracking the bandits.
We had lost the trail. Max left Leo and me alone to search further ahead, trying to pick up where the tracks had vanished. The ground had grown too hard and bare to leave any clear signs of passage.
I watched Leo pace back and forth, his face flushed with frustration as he wrapped his arms around himself, almost like he was hugging himself. I was angry with him, but more than that, I was angry it happened at all. It wasn’t directly his fault. He still had no control over the elements he cast, at least, not as far as I knew. The lightning hitting the ground alongside fire and ice had created a blinding storm of steam and light. None of us could have predicted the chaos it caused.
I wanted to hug him, to tell him it would be alright, but I couldn’t. Something held me back, maybe the anger, maybe the fear.
Leo continued muttering to himself as he paced, while I sat against a tree, waiting for Max. There wasn’t anything I could do except seethe in silence.
“Oh, child, if you are to be a leader, you must learn to stand firm in these moments of darkness,” Star’s voice pierced my thoughts. “How are you to be a light if you let your flame drown in fear and fury?”
I tried to ignore him, but Star was persistent.
“Do not ignore me, James. These friends of yours look to you for leadership. They need you to keep your head clear. Or do you want to see your group fall to the darkness?”
Damnit, Star. What do you want me to do? Even mentally, I couldn’t keep the venom from my tone.
“I want you to do what you know you must. Trish would never want to see you in this state, and I won’t allow it. Become the leader you’re meant to be or watch your world crumble around you. Stop acting like a damned fool.” Star’s voice hardened, and for the first time, I felt our connection sever completely.
He was right. I knew I couldn’t blame Leo; not fully, anyway. And even if I did, what good would pushing him away do? Especially now.
I sat in silence for a while longer, Leo still pacing and mumbling in my peripheral vision.
“Guys, I found their tracks. Let’s move.” Max’s urgent voice broke the stillness as he reappeared from the trees.
I stood and started toward him without hesitation. But as I reached him, I stopped abruptly. Leo was so close behind that he bumped into me. I turned to him, now towering over him. Leo stepped back, his head lowered, fear and regret clear on his face.
I hesitated for a moment before pulling him into a hug, his body stiff against mine. "Look, bro, I can't promise everything will be okay," I said, my voice breaking with uncertainty. “We won’t know until we get her back.”
As I pulled away, gripping his shoulders, I forced him to meet my gaze. For a second, I saw the guilt, the self-doubt. A reflection of everything I was feeling myself. But I had to push that aside; for him, for all of us.
“But this isn’t on you, Leo," I said, my tone softening. "You couldn’t have known. And right now, sulking won’t help her, or any of us. I need you, Trish needs you, to have your head clear. If you’re not with us, this fight could be our last.”
Leo stared back at me, his eyes searching for something before finally speaking. “She’s like a little sister. You all are the only family I have. I failed her, James. I failed all of you.”
Max stepped around me and clapped a hand on Leo’s back. “Shut up, man. You didn’t fail anyone. You made a mistake with a power you don’t fully have control of yet. Now pull your head outta your ass, and let’s get her back.”
Leo looked between us, then steeled himself. A new wave of determination settled over him, and he nodded. He was ready to move.
We weaved through the trees for roughly ten minutes before finding the tracks Max had located. We followed them up a hill, and when we reached the peak, a large encampment hidden against the hillside came into view, nestled across a small open valley near a pond that sat to the right.
As we crested the hill, the screams hit me like a punch to the gut; sharp, desperate, and too close for comfort. My heart hammered in my chest, each beat thundering in my ears. Without thinking, I tensed, ready to sprint down the hill. My mind raced, Was it Trish? Had they hurt her?
But Max's hand clamped down on my shoulder before I could move. His firm grip pulled me back into the moment. "Am I the only one who can tell those screams aren’t from Trish?” he asked, his voice cutting through the haze of panic.
I blinked, forcing myself to listen. He was right. The voice wasn’t hers, but that only raised more questions. Multiple screams echoed from the camp now; frantic, terrified. What the hell is going on down there? I thought to myself
I then looked at Max and Leo, now whispering my thought out loud, “What the hell is going on in there?”
They both shrugged, and then Leo patted me on the shoulder, pointing to an opening in the fence facing the water.
“We can swim to that opening and sneak in,” he paused, scanning the area. “Actually, Max and I will sneak in,” he said, locking eyes with me. “You just walk up to the gate and distract them.”
Max shot Leo a look like he was insane. “That’ll get him…”
I cut him off with a grin, “I think I know exactly what to do.”
Max shook his head. “I don’t even want to know.”
Leo smiled. “Alright, Max, let’s get a move on.” Then, looking at me, “Whatever you’ve got planned, give us enough time to reach the opening first.”
I nodded, watching them veer off toward the pond as I positioned myself closer to the camp, hidden in the trees. I waited in silence for a few minutes, giving them time. While I waited, I inspected the area ahead of me. Three guards were posted around the gate, two on each side of the entrance and one in an archer tower above. The screams from behind the walls made my legs twitch, but I held my resolve. It was too soon to approach.
The guards seemed concerned. The archer above kept glancing back into the encampment, trying to make sense of the chaos. The other two exchanged uneasy looks each time a new scream pierced the air.
I felt like enough time had passed. Striding out of the trees, I acted as though I was just wandering through the forest, ‘stumbling’ upon the encampment by chance.
“Oh, why hello there!” I called out in an overly cheery voice.
The guards, already on edge, immediately raised their weapons, and the archer nocked an arrow, pointing it at me.
I raised both hands. “Whoa there! I’m just passing by; didn’t expect anyone to be around here,” I said, playing the part of a cheery passerby.
“Right, like you didn’t hear the screams and came to see what was happenin’?” one of the guards growled, gripping his axe nervously.
The other guard nodded, glancing back at the gate and then at me. “Odd time to be…"
Another scream pierced the air, and suddenly the gate burst open. The Canithal leader was flung through the shattered wood, parts of the gate scattering around him.
I reacted quickly, reaching for my shield and transforming Star into the flail. I became a whirlwind of devastation, dispatching the two guards swiftly. The leader’s health was critically low, but I didn’t want him dead; I had questions. Glancing up, I saw arrows and fireballs striking the archer above.
As I finished off the guards, I looked into the encampment. The screams had dwindled into silence, and the thuds of bodies hitting the ground echoed. Two figures emerged: Trish and a tall, lanky man with tattoos resembling vines and runes running down from his bald head to his abdomen. He wore robes like a monk, draped over one shoulder, with large beads around his neck and brilliant golden bracers on his wrists.
The man readied himself for a fight.
“Wait! That’s my husband I told you about!” Trish shouted, placing a hand on his shoulder.
The man relaxed, bowing toward me. “Ah, hello, Mr. James.”
I dipped my head in return. “I owe you a huge thanks for saving my wife.” I wanted to rush to Trish, but I held my ground, cautious in case something happened.
“It’s actually her I owe my thanks to,” he replied.
At that moment, Trish broke into a run and wrapped her arms around me. “You came! I’m so happy to see you!”
I hugged her back, relief flooding over me. Leo and Max appeared, surveying the carnage.
“Seriously, what happened here?” Leo asked, his eyes wide with surprise.
“Well, there goes our extravagant heroic rescue plans,” Max quipped with obvious sarcasm.
Trish left my embrace and ran over to hug both Leo and Max, tears streaming down her face, not from sadness, but happiness. It was clear she was simply overjoyed to see us again.
Leo patted her back. “I’m sorry, little sis, I didn’t mean for any of this…”
“Oh, shut it,” she interrupted with a grin. “How could you have known those spells would mix like that?”
Leo started to respond, but Max elbowed him, stopping him from making a fool of himself. Leo smiled, relieved that everything was forgiven.
“How rude of me,” I said, offering my hand to the man. “As you know, I’m James.”
He grasped my hand. “I’m Sen,” he said with a smile.
Sen was level seventy-three, and though human, he wasn’t a player. He was from this realm.
Trish returned to stand beside Sen and me, excitement bubbling in her eyes. “Sen said he’s going to travel with us to the village! It’s where he’s from!”
I could sense there was more behind her excitement. “Alright, what’s going on here?”
She could barely contain herself. “Sen, please, show him!”
Sen chuckled softly. The bracers on his wrists shimmered, transforming into chakrams that floated above his hands, spinning.
My eyes widened. Trish grinned from ear to ear. “He said he would teach me how to wield these!” she exclaimed, pausing for a moment. “Well, not these ones exactly, but he’s got some I can learn with!”
Sen reached into his bag and handed her two basic silver and gold bracelets. Trish snatched them as if they were treasure, slipping them on with glee.
“They’re so pretty!” she said, holding them up to my face before running over to show Leo and Max.
I chuckled at her excitement, thankful she had made it out of this unscathed; or so I thought.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Alright, let’s get a move on. Mel and the others are waiting at the cart,” I said, urging everyone to start moving.
“Aren’t we forgetting someone?” Max pointed to the now groaning Canithal.
“Oh yeah, let’s wrap him up like a present. We’ll talk with him when we get back to the cart.” I glared down at him as he whimpered, casting me a pathetic look.
We found some rope in the encampment and tied him up, forcing him to walk behind us. I held the rope like a leash, my plan was to find out if there were any other encampments before handing him over to the village guard.
Max, Leo, and Trish walked ahead while Sen and I fell into step behind.
Sen spoke quietly, “Your wife, she’s much stronger than she knows.”
I nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. “What happened, if I may ask?”
Sen walked in silence for a few moments, carefully choosing his words. “She fought,” he finally said. “When they threw her into the cell with me, I was close to death. She used every ounce of energy she had left to bring me back without asking a question or even hesitating to help.”
“With my strength restored, I was able to break my bonds. Even though she was weakened, she didn’t hesitate. She jumped in front of an unknown attacker to protect me.” He paused, his gaze on Trish ahead of us. “And when she saw my Chakrams activate, her eyes lit up like the sunrise. I promised her, for saving my life twice, I’d teach her how to wield them as well as giving her, her own set to practice with.”
I couldn’t help but smile, pride swelling inside me. “She wouldn’t just stand by and let someone suffer. It’s one of the things I love most about her; intensely caring and fiercely protective.”
Sen nodded, a chuckle escaping him. “She’s going to be terrifying as she progresses. Well, at least to her enemies.”
I chuckled in agreement and patted Sen on the back.
The sun was beginning to rise as we neared the end of the tree line where the cart should be. Suddenly, a faint roar and the clash of weapons pierced the air. I dropped the rope and sprinted past the others toward Mel, fear building with every step. As I reached the edge of the clearing, I could see two figures locked in close combat, one wielding a massive hammer, the other brandishing two axes.
I ran toward them, ready to intervene, but Gix held out his hand. “She needs this fight, lad. Hold your ground.”
I shot him a look, confusion and shock hitting me.
“You think a guy’s mute and dumb, but then he shows ya he ain’t,” Adil added, throwing her hands in the air, clearly annoyed.
The others quickly caught up behind me, Max already nocking an arrow. I pressed his bow down with my hand. “Let her have this fight.”
They all turned to watch the clash. Mel and the much larger orc were engaged in a brutal dance of blows. Though the other orc was clearly more skilled, his advantage was no match for Mel’s rage and determination.
Blow after blow, the larger orc kicked Mel hard in the chest, knocking her to the ground, her hammer slipping from her hands. He leaped onto her chest, but she reached up and punched him square in the jaw, sending him sprawling. In a fluid motion, she grabbed his ankle, swung him around, and launched him into a nearby tree. The force of the impact sent a resounding thud through the clearing, and the tree itself shook as if it had cracked under the weight.
His axes flew from his grip as his body folded against the tree.
We all winced at the sight of the brutal impact.
Mel stalked toward him as he somehow managed to get back to his feet, laughing as though he was enjoying himself.
“I think that’s enough, little orc,” he said, panting as he held up one hand and rubbed his back with the other.
Mel, confused and clearly exhausted, wiped sweat from her brow. Her body bore the marks of the battle, bruised and battered, showing she’d been fighting for some time. She raised an eyebrow, her voice strained, “You mean to tell me…” she stopped, catching her breath, “that we’ve been fighting for hours, and now you just want to… stop fighting?!”
The orc chuckled, clearly having taken as much damage as he’d dished out. “Aye, after seeing your prowess, I think it’s time I tell you the real reason I’m here.” He collapsed against the tree, resting as his words hung in the air.
I glanced at the others, all equally confused. “What the hell is this guy talking about?” I asked, breaking the silence.
Gix was the first to speak. “This orc’s been followin’ us since we left the castle.”
We all stared in disbelief. “And you’re just now saying something?!” Leo said, his voice sharp with shock and annoyance.
Max raised a hand to interrupt before anyone else could react. “Wait… so you’ve known this whole time? Honestly, I don’t even care anymore,” he said, shaking his head in resignation as he walked away from the group.
The orc, now calmer, spoke up again. “The Canithal’s right. I’ve been following’ you since you left the castle.”
Mel’s fury flared again. “Why the hell did you wait until my friends left me alone to show yourself?”
The orc smiled. “I wanted to test your mettle, kid. And I’ll be damned; you’ve got more of it than most of our kind. Your weapon skills could use work, but that punch…” He rubbed his jaw, grinning. “That’s where you excel.”
Mel’s caution remained, though her eyes lit up slightly at the compliment. She stayed on guard, even as she knelt, breathing heavily.
“I’d be willing’ to teach you how to wield that hammer properly, if you’re interested,” the orc continued. “I’ve been looking’ for a worthy disciple. None of my worthless clan or children deserve what I’ve learned over the years.”
Mel’s eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping back into her gaze. “You followed us all this way, waited until I was alone, fought me, then lost, and now you’re offering to teach me? Why now?”
Gix interjected again. “He could’ve killed us all ten times over if he wanted. I’d take him at his word, lass.”
The orc smiled at Gix’s comment, pointing a thumb toward him. “For a mute, that guy’s pretty damn smart.”
Gix rolled his eyes and silently returned to the cart.
I looked around at the scene: craters from weapon impacts, scars on trees, and cracked boulders littered the clearing. Patches of ground where feet had skidded during sudden movements or dug in to brace against blows were scattered everywhere. This was clearly an intense battle.
Mel finally stood up and walked over to the other orc. She extended her hand, and he grasped it, pulling himself up. "Name's Mel. These are my best friends, James, Leo, and Trish. Max is sulking over there in the shadows for whatever reason," she said, waving toward the woods.
Max raised a finger in response, which dissolved the remaining tension as we all laughed.
Sen slowly emerged from the trees, dragging the bandit behind him. The prisoner was muttering and growling, clearly worse for wear since I’d left him with Sen. I raised an eyebrow at the fresh injuries but said nothing as Sen handed me the rope with a satisfied smile. He then walked over to Trish, and from the look on his face, it appeared her training was about to begin.
The other orc watched Sen and Trish leave with mild interest before shrugging. "Name's Wyguall, First Sword of the king’s guard," he said casually.
I wasn’t the only one taken aback by the revelation, but frankly, my shock threshold was shot for the day. Without a word, I turned and walked away, ignoring the nagging feeling of ‘What else now?’ in the back of my mind. We had to get moving before nightfall.
As we traveled down the road, Trish and Sen fell a few steps behind, her chakrams spinning in the air like a small tornado. Though still a novice, she was quickly picking up the skill of directing them mid-flight. Occasionally, one would veer wildly off-course, forcing Sen to block it with his own chakrams, but overall, she was improving.
Ahead of the cart, Mel and Wyguall pulled massive boulders behind them as part of their training, Mel swinging an oversized tree branch like a makeshift weapon. I decided not to ask. After Theron’s brutal training sessions, the thought of being dragged into someone else’s style of training was unappealing. And I felt I deserved a break from any more self-imposed torture.
Leo and Max walked alongside the cart, and I took the lead. Max’s brow furrowed in thought as he stared at the training ahead. “I need to find a way to train with my bow. Maybe increase the draw strength so I can shoot farther,” he said, clearly feeling left behind.
Leo, on the other hand, remained silent, lost in thought. I slowed my pace, waiting for him to catch up.
“Maybe you need to train too, man. You can’t let what happened keep weighing on you,” I said, trying to reassure him.
Leo glanced at me; his expression conflicted. “I don’t know, man. What if it’s just my class? What if I never get an ability to control which elements I use?”
“Then you learn to fight around it. Maybe you’re spending too much time hoping for specific elements when you should expect the unexpected,” I replied.
He regarded me for a moment, then nodded. “You know… maybe you’re onto something…” He fell into deep thought again before suddenly running off to the side in a clearing, stopping a distance from the cart, facing the trees.
I watched him, curiosity piqued.
Without warning, the air around Leo crackled and sparked. A blast of heat washed over me, followed by a bone-chilling cold. Fire, ice, lightning, earth; they all erupted from him in a torrent of chaos, as if the very elements were being torn from the world and forced to obey his will.
My breath caught as his body lifted off the ground, suspended in midair like a puppet on invisible strings. Around him, the elements began to swirl, faster and faster, forming a cocoon of raw, untamed power. The sky above us darkened, twisting in response to the elemental storm. The ground beneath my feet trembled.
Everyone stopped what they were doing. Wide eyes, slack jaws; we were all frozen in place, unable to look away from the spectacle. The sheer energy rolling off Leo was almost tangible, a force you could feel vibrating in your chest. The temperature around us dropped, I could see my breath as I finally let it out.
Then, without warning, the cocoon burst outward, a shockwave rippling through the air. The explosion of light and energy was blinding, causing me to stagger back, instinctively shielding my eyes. The implosion that followed sucked all the elements back into Leo’s body, and he let out a scream; inhumanly loud, otherworldly, as if the very air around us vibrated with the sound. Even with my hands pressed against my ears, the scream echoed inside my skull like it was coming from within me.
The scream cut off abruptly as Leo's body dropped toward the ground, limp and lifeless. Just inches before impact, he floated gently to the earth, landing softly.
My senses snapped back to reality. “Leo!” I sprinted toward him, my heart racing. His chest rose and fell slowly; he was breathing, but completely unconscious. I knelt beside him, cradling his limp form.
Trish rushed over, casting a healing spell, but nothing changed. She tried again, desperation in her voice. “Why isn’t it working?” she cried.
Sen knelt beside us, his hand gently resting on her shoulder. “He’ll be fine. Some classes undergo transformations when they reach a certain level of clarity. It’s rare, but I’ve seen it before. We should let him rest.”
I carried Leo to the cart, laying him down gently. As I did, I couldn’t help but wonder, would my class ever have a moment like that? What would it look like if it did? I pushed the thought aside for now. There was still so much to learn about the class as it is. I had no time to dwell on it, though.
We had to keep moving forward, we were getting close to the village. Sen had said it was another day or two away.
Night had fallen, and we set up camp, exhausted after being awake for over a day. We were all ready to crash, and Sen volunteered for the first watch. Little did we know he wouldn’t wake any of us; and the fact that none of us stirred to trade shifts was alarming in itself.
Wyguall mentioned he woke at one point to relieve Sen but found him in a deep meditation trance. Sen later explained it was part of his class; some kind of state where he could sleep while staying alert, but he wouldn’t elaborate further.
We continued down the road for the next two days and finally arrived at Dael’Gry, a quaint village hidden within an alcove of trees about a mile off the main road. As we neared the village, a woman came sprinting out, leaping into Sen’s arms and showering him with kisses and praises.
“This is my wife... Kiji… she’s... obviously... been worried,” Sen managed to say between laughs as he spun her around. Finally, she let him go and promptly slapped him.
“You’ve been missing for four days! Four!” she scolded.
The rest of us glanced away awkwardly, like children caught in the middle of a family argument, trying to avoid eye contact.
Sen raised his hands in surrender and quickly explained everything. He told her about being poisoned, kidnapped, and kept on the brink of death by the bandits who thought he was hiding treasure. They couldn’t believe someone would travel without gold or valuables. When he got to the part where Trish saved him, Kiji’s expression softened.
Kiji bowed deeply, offering heartfelt thanks to each of us. When she reached Trish, her sharp gaze softened, studying her for a moment before breaking into a warm smile. Without hesitation, she pulled Trish into a tight embrace. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “For bringing my husband home.”
Trish returned the hug, smiling warmly. “I know what it’s like to fear losing someone you love,” she said softly, her eyes briefly meeting mine.
I smiled at her, feeling the warmth in her words, but all this smooshygushy stuff was becoming a bit too much. Clearly, the others felt the same, as they quickly followed me into the village, giving the happy couple some space.
We brought Leo to the inn, and as soon as I stepped inside, that rare, deep voice greeted me from a tiny white-haired figure standing on the bar.
“Ah, I see the rude one has finally arrived,” Jero said, half-joking, his tone unmistakable.
I stared at him for a moment, as if I hadn’t seen him before.
“Yep, there it is. Staring like no one ever taught you manners. Were you even loved by your parents?” he added, taking a sharper jab.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Jero! Nice to see you again!” I responded, maybe a little too excited to see a familiar face.
Jero smiled wider. “You’ve grown quite fast, young man.”
I sat down at the bar. “Got any of that epic ale back there?” I asked, leaning into the comfort of familiarity.
Jero moved down the bar, pouring a mug and sliding it smoothly to me. Then, he tossed a key to Max, who caught it effortlessly.
“Third door on the right, upstairs,” Jero instructed. “Get that man into bed.”
Max nodded as Mel followed behind, still carrying Leo. They disappeared up the stairs with a quick nod of thanks to Jero.
I took a sip of the ale, just as smooth as I remembered. I ignored the notification for the buff, letting the taste linger. Max and Mel returned shortly after, sitting down next to me. Wyguall joined us, and I noticed Jero’s eyes widen in surprise.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see the First Sword sitting at my bar,” Jero stumbled, clearly a bit flustered.
“I’ll have whatever he’s having,” Wyguall said, pointing at me, unfazed by Jero’s reaction.
Jero quickly filled three more mugs, sliding them down perfectly. All three landed precisely in front of each intended person.
I watched, waiting for their reactions. Sure enough, they each let out that satisfied, appreciative hum.
“Best damn ale I’ve ever had,” I said, stating the obvious.
The others nodded in agreement, and Jero, beaming with pride, couldn’t stop smiling.
After a few moments I patted Max on the back and gave a nod to Wyguall, who in turn looked over to Mel. She glanced back at him, confusion clouding her expression before turning to Max and me. It wasn’t until she spotted Trish walking in with Kiji that she pieced together what was about to happen.
Without hesitation, Mel stood and intercepted Trish, engaging her in conversation, effectively preventing her from even catching a hint of our plan. As Mel distracted her, the three of us slipped out quietly, heading towards the bandit leader still strapped to the cart, knocked out cold from the potion Leo had given him earlier.
We led the cart and the Lepidomare to the stables, then I dragged the bandit from the cart. Together, we hauled him deep into the woods behind the village. It was time to get some answers.