The bandit leader stirred as we splashed cold water into his face. He coughed, shook his head, and growled as he scanned his surroundings. Panic set in as he tugged at the restraints, fear evident in his eyes as he realized there was no escape.
Wyguall loomed over him, adjusting one of the restraints in silence, the threat clear in his actions. The bandit flinched and clenched his eyes shut, whimpering quietly.
Max knelt down, leveling his face with the Canithal’s, his voice steady and cold. “Where are the rest of the bandit encampments? We’re not dumb enough to believe yours was the only one.”
The bandit nodded vigorously, his fear palpable. “I’ll tell ya everything, p... p... please don’t kill me,” he stammered, his voice trembling.
Max and I exchanged glances, relief passing between us. But beneath that relief, a part of me still simmered with anger. I wanted vengeance; I wanted to hurt him for taking Trish. A darker part of me wished he’d resist longer, just so I’d have a reason to unleash that fury. But as much as I craved it, the relief of not going down that dark path won out. I didn’t want to become something worse than him. Wyguall, on the other hand, looked disappointed at how easily the leader caved.
Despite the relief, fury still coursed through me, the urge for vengeance barely contained. “Yeah, well, get to it then,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. I tried to keep a calm exterior, but knew I’d failed.
The bandit saw the rage in my eyes and crumbled, tears welling up as his voice broke in desperation. "I swear! I didn’t touch your girl, and my men weren’t allowed to either. We just put her in a cage, I swear we never hurt her!" he pleaded, his voice trembling.
I stared at him, anger threatening to spill over. At my core, I felt a nudge of calm from Star, holding me back, though the rage still seeped into my words. "Clearly, you didn’t. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be having this conversation."
Max, still crouched, raised a hand to stall me from continuing. "I think it’s best if you just tell us where the other encampments are before this gets uglier than it needs to." His voice was cold, precise, disturbingly calm.
The leader’s resolve shattered completely. His voice cracked with a sob as he began to spill the information. “There’s... three other smaller bases scattered around, and one real big one... in an old, ruined castle…”
He rattled off the directions as if his life depended on it, detailing the locations from his camp. Max, ever efficient, pulled out a map and marked each spot. Once done, he turned the map toward the bandit, who nodded vigorously, confirming each mark with frantic gestures.
A small encampment was surprisingly close to the village, and we agreed to clear that one first. Just then, a notification popped up.
NEW QUEST: Cutthroat Cleanup
You love ‘em, you hate ‘em, you love to hate ‘em! It's time to clean house! Clear out the scattered bandit camps and storm their main base. Take down the leader and you'll be rewarded handsomely for your efforts. Get ready for some action!
REWARD: 30,000 xp, 150 gold, and (ERROR – {#!@$$S*^&%} – ERROR)
As the notification popped into view, the rewards scrolled in front of my eyes. “30,000 XP, 150 gold, and (ERROR – {#!@$$S^&%} – ERROR).”
I blinked. That last part... Error? That couldn’t be right. I glanced over at Max, who had gone completely blank-faced, clearly reading his own notification.
After a beat, his expression twisted into confusion. “James... did you see that?”
“If you're talking about the part where the reward glitched out? Yeah, I saw it,” I replied, trying to shake off the unease creeping in. “What do you think it means?”
Max blinked a few times, his expression shifting between disbelief and concern. “Not sure... but I don’t like it. Errors like that don’t happen for no reason.”
I exhaled slowly and asked, “Wyguall, I don’t suppose you know what this means, do you?”
Wyguall’s face mirrored our confusion. He clearly had the same quest. This was the first time I’d seen an NPC get a quest in this world. I knew it could happen, but I wasn’t sure if it worked the same for them, or if it was more like an instinct.
“I can’t say I’ve ever seen that written into a quest in all my years.” Wyguall rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
The bandit whimpered, “I hate to ask, but... what are you guys gonna do?” His voice trailed off as I shot him a glare.
Wyguall scowled at the bandit before continuing, “I think we should ask around. Maybe someone can help us figure out what this means. Either that, or we press on and see what happens.”
Max nodded. “Sounds like a plan. If no one knows anything, we’ll just have to hope for the best.”
Star, any chance you know what this means? I asked internally.
“I’ve never encountered this error,” Star replied calmly.
Did you get the quest?
“No. The only quests I receive now relate to our growth as a team.”
Wait, so why don’t I get any quests for that? I asked, confused.
“Because it doesn’t work like your other quests. My power grows as our bond strengthens, not by completing tasks or missions. When I reach certain milestones, we can enhance that power. But here’s the thing; you need to meditate with me regularly for us to reach those milestones. Without that, we won’t advance. It’s a different kind of quest, one of understanding and connection. Without meditation, we’ll get nowhere fast.”
I flinched, realizing I had been so distracted that I hadn’t thought about meditation.
“It’s okay, my friend,” Star’s voice was gentle. “I understand much has been happening lately. But don’t forget, time stands still in this world when you meditate in my realm.”
I inwardly vowed to meditate every night before sleep from now on. Star sent a feeling of quiet approval.
“I guess we head back to the village and hand this scumbag over. Then we can start asking around,” I said, gesturing toward the bandit.
Relief seemed to flood the bandit’s features. “I promise, I’ll be turnin’ over a new leaf! Swear to all of ya, I won’t be hurtin’ no one no more!” That hyena-like cackle escaped his throat again, sending a chill down my spine. Max shot me a look; clearly, he didn’t trust it either.
Wyguall towered over the Canithal. “I think I’ll make sure you stick to that promise.”
The bandit’s ears flattened against his head, and he shrank even further into himself as Wyguall grabbed him by the scruff, bringing their faces inches apart. “Because from now on, you’re my personal servant. And if you even think about stabbing me in the back,” Wyguall’s voice dropped to a menacing growl, “the pain you’ll endure will make you wish your life had ended today.”
To my surprise, the bandit managed to shrink even further, nodding vigorously while cackling nervously.
Wyguall dropped the bandit back to the ground and turned toward the village without a second glance. Max and I exchanged looks, both of us still on edge. The bandit scrambled to his feet and hurried after Wyguall; ears still pinned back. Despite the fear he showed, neither of us trusted his sudden change of heart.
We fell in line behind him, keeping a close eye, and I couldn't help but feel a tiny twinge of pity for the guy.
Walking back into the inn, we approached the bar and settled back on our stools. Trish, who had been chatting with Mel and Kiji, glanced over at us. Her eyes widened when she saw the bandit cowering silently behind the hulking form of Wyguall. She shot me a look of concern, and I gestured for her to follow me, knowing we both needed to talk.
After waving goodnight to the others, we walked upstairs to the room Jero had assigned us. The silence between us stretched for a few uncomfortable minutes until Trish finally broke it. “Did you hurt him?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“No,” I replied simply.
A sigh of relief escaped her lips. “Thank God,” she muttered.
“I wanted to,” I admitted, my fists clenching involuntarily. “I wanted to do more than hurt him for taking you… but I didn’t.”
She reached over, placing her hands on mine, the tension in my body slowly easing under her touch. She looked me directly in the eyes, making sure I met her gaze. “They never had a chance to hurt me. The one blow I took was barely a scratch, thanks to my shielding ability.” She paused, tears welling up in her eyes. “But I had to…” Her voice broke, and she crumbled, unable to finish.
I pulled her into my arms, holding her close. “I’m just glad Sen was there,” I whispered. “And that somehow, he took down that entire encampment.”
Trish squeezed my hand tightly before pulling away to steady herself. She took a few deep breaths. “He didn’t do it alone... I... I did what I had to in order to get out of there and come back to you,” she said, her voice trembling as if she were on the edge of breaking again.
“I know it’s hard, babe, I… ” I started, but she interrupted.
“No, that’s the problem.” Her voice grew cold. “I didn’t even hesitate. I might have been responsible for killing half of those bandits.” She stared down at her hands, as if searching for answers in her own fingers. “I don’t regret it. The moment that axe was about to slice through my neck, something in me shifted. It’s like I became someone else.”
“No,” I said softly but firmly, placing my hand on her shoulder. “You didn’t become someone else. You became the version of yourself that you needed to be in that moment. If you hadn’t… If I had found you hurt, or… ” My voice faltered at the thought. “I don’t know what I would have become in that situation.”
She pushed herself closer to me, her voice soft but firm. “I understand now that this place is fight or die, more than I ever did before.” She paused, her eyes locking onto mine with a piercing intensity. “But that doesn’t mean we have to lose ourselves to it. Torture… it's a line we shouldn’t cross. I know you didn’t go there, but… did you intend to?” Her tone was serious, her gaze shifting between both of my eyes as if searching for the truth before I could speak.
“I did…” I admitted, shame creeping into my voice. “I was so angry. Part of me wanted to hurt him, and I was furious that he sang like a canary so easily. But... a bigger part of me was relieved that he did.” I looked away, unable to meet her eyes, trying to hide the shame written on my face.
She reached out, her hand gently guiding my chin back toward her. “I can’t say I wouldn’t have felt the same,” she said, her voice softer now, understanding. “But what matters is that you didn’t give in to that anger. You stayed yourself.” She pulled me into a hug, her arms wrapping around me in a comforting embrace, her warmth a reassurance I desperately needed.
We lay down, still in each other's embrace, and the morning followed all too quickly. I woke to find that Trish had already left, likely off to train with Sen.
I crawled out of bed, still fully dressed, and made my way down to the common room. Taking a seat at one of the tables, I was soon approached by Jero, who set down a plate of food in front of me. Trish must have told him what I liked because the plate was piled high with all my favorite breakfast foods; sausage, bacon, diced veggies, all wrapped in scrambled eggs and smothered with melted cheese. My mouth watered just looking at it. I gave Jero a grateful nod before diving in, shoveling the food into my mouth.
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Moments later, Max wandered into the inn and sat beside me. “Hey bro, looks like Trish is going to be training with Sen all day, and Mel’s probably doing the same with Wyguall,” he said, before adding, “We should find something to do while we wait for Leo to wake up.”
“I figured that’s where Trish had gone,” I replied, nodding. “She was pretty excited about training with those chakrams.”
Just as I finished speaking, a groggy and unsteady Leo came stumbling down the steps, looking as graceful as a newborn deer on ice. Max and I quickly jumped up to steady him and guided him over to the table.
“Glad to see you’re up and about, bud,” I said as we sat Leo down in an empty chair that Jero slid over to the table.
Leo nodded in acknowledgment, then pointed at his mouth, suggesting he needed something to drink. Jero quickly placed a glass of water on the bar, and I handed it to Leo.
He downed the water in seconds, and Jero had two more waiting on the edge of the bar, which Leo quickly drank as well. Max and I sat in patient silence, giving Leo time to wake up fully and adjust to his surroundings.
After a moment of hunched silence, Leo straightened his back, opening one eye as he surveyed the room.
“What… the hell happened to me?” he finally rasped; his voice dry.
I motioned for more water as I replied, “Well, you turned into a floating elemental bomb, then imploded and passed out. It’s been about two and a half days since it happened.”
Leo’s eyes widened in disbelief. He glanced at Max for confirmation before turning back to me. “What?!”
Max chuckled. “If it’s any consolation, it looked pretty awesome,” he said with a grin.
I nodded, smiling as well. “Scary as hell, but definitely more cool than scary!” I added, maybe a bit more enthusiastically than intended.
“Sen mentioned something about a class evolution, or something like that,” Max added.
Leo’s expression went blank as he opened his menu to check for any changes. Moments later, his eyes widened even more, like they were about to pop out of his head.
“Woah… that’s a huge change…” Leo began, drifting off as he processed the new information.
“What? What’s the change?” Max and I both asked at the same time, excitement clear in our voices.
Leo smiled at us. “Well, I can sense which elements are likely to enter my cast now. I can’t change the outcome yet, but at least I have a heads-up and a better idea of what’s coming in battle.”
“That is huge. I wonder if that means you’ll get more control over the elements in the future!” I pondered aloud.
Max chimed in, “Makes me think you might have more evolutions ahead. Maybe eventually you’ll control the outcome of your elements, or maybe you’ll never fully control it and just have better instincts with them.”
Leo shrugged, “At this point, I’m just glad I have a better idea of what’s coming. It might help me direct the abilities more effectively in battle, reduce the risk of… bad combinations.” He paused, then added with a grin, “Well, bad for us, that is.”
We all nodded in agreement, chuckling at that last part.
“Alright, well, now we need something for us to do since the ladies are out training,” Max said after a few moments of silence, and I was finally done shoving my face full of food.
“I guess I could see if there’s a gem cutter in the village and start training while we wait,” I said.
“I meant like a boys’ day, you oaf,” Max said, rolling his eyes.
Leo leaned back in his chair. “I’d love to do something, but I’ve got some potions I need to work on…” he said awkwardly.
Max started to look sullen. I eyed him for a moment. “You okay, man?” I asked.
He sighed heavily. “I… I feel like I’m lacking, man,” he admitted, his shoulders slumping.
Leo raised a brow. “What? Dude, you are far from lacking…”
Max glanced between Leo and me. “You evolved. James trained for a week straight and got way stronger.” He paused for a moment, and just as I was about to jump in, he continued. “Trish is training with chakrams to help us grow as a team, and Mel’s training with Wyguall. And here I am… I haven’t made any progress with my abilities. I haven’t even made any explosives yet because the idea terrifies me.”
Leo and I exchanged a look, and then Leo said, “So you’re telling me I gave you all that explosive material and worked hard to make it, by the way. Just for you to be too scared to use it?”
Max looked at Leo like the words had wounded him, placing his hands dramatically over his chest. “Bro, harsh.”
A new voice cut through the conversation from a dark corner of the room. “If ya be too scared to make bombs, ya be a lame excuse for a Traveler.” The voice was high-pitched and raspy.
I squinted into the shadows, and as my eyes adjusted, I saw a red-skinned goblin missing his right arm and left eye. Despite his injuries, he looked absolutely terrifying. I also noticed he was a player.
Max opened his mouth to retort but seemed to notice the same thing I had and quickly shut it.
The goblin approached our table, his right-side thudding with the sound of a wooden peg leg. He dropped into a seat next to Max. “You got a right to be scared of makin’ dem bombs. Let me teach ya the safe way…”
“I, uh, don’t want to insult you or anything…” Max began, but the goblin cut him off with a wave of his one arm.
“Ya tink I ain’t learned a ting or two gettin’ deez scars?” the goblin asked, clearly annoyed.
Max stammered, unsure of how to respond. Then Jero interjected, “Tevis here is one of the finest bomb makers to ever come through this realm. The only reason he’s in that condition isn’t because of his bombs, but because of people who didn’t listen to his advice. The only scars he made on himself are the two on his cheek.”
Jero glared at Tevis. “Also, why are you speaking like a bumbling idiot?”
“Damnit, Jero, why do you gotta ruin all the fun?” Tevis responded, his tone shifting to something almost child-like.
I glanced at the two small scars on his cheeks, then back at the rest of his injuries. “So, if all of that,” I gestured at his missing arm, leg, and eye, “was from people you were training, what caused those two tiny scars?” I pointed at the small marks on his face.
Tevis sighed heavily. “I had my face too close to the screwdriver I was using as a pry bar to remove a casing. It slipped and poked my cheek here,” he said, indicating the longer scar. Pointing to the smaller one, he added, “And this one was from falling asleep and face-planting onto the corner of my workbench…”
All three of us raised our brows at him. Max asked, “How… how many people have you taught?”
Tevis eyed Max before responding. “Three. Two of which did this,” he said, gesturing angrily at his missing body parts. “They were working on a team project. When I went to inspect it, one of them tripped…” He lowered his voice, filled with barely contained irritation. “Even when I told him not to move yet.”
He shook his head, pulling himself back to the conversation. “Regardless... I could teach you how to do it,” he said, his voice trailing off for a moment, eyes narrowing as if he was weighing his options.
"It’s been decades since I’ve even thought about teaching anyone else." His gaze lingered on Max for a long second, searching his face for something. "Most people... they don’t listen. And look where that got me," he added with a half-hearted chuckle, gesturing to his missing limbs and eye.
Max shifted uncomfortably, but before he could speak, Tevis leaned forward. "But maybe... maybe you’ll be different." His tone was more serious now. “You look like someone who knows how to be cautious, someone who’ll actually listen and not blow themselves to pieces.”
Max looked between Leo and me, then determination flashed across his face as he turned back to Tevis and nodded firmly. Tevis studied him for a moment longer, as if weighing whether Max was truly ready. Finally, he seemed to nod, but not at Max; more to himself. “Right then, let’s get to my shop,” Tevis said, hopping up and hobbling toward the door without another glance back.
Max stood and gave us a quick shrug before following Tevis out of the inn, disappearing into the bright sunlight outside.
Leo stretched, stood up, and with a nod to me, made his way upstairs, clearly intent on working with his potions.
I turned to Jero, curiosity nagging at me. “So, how do you and Tevis know each other?”
“Let’s just say we worked together a long time ago,” Jero responded, his eyes drifting upward as though reliving a distant memory.
I waited, hoping he’d share more, but Jero remained quiet, lost in thought. After a few moments of silence, I pressed on. “How did he end up out here in the village?”
“He used to be a teacher at the guild,” Jero began, his tone heavier now. “Until… that happened.” He fell silent for a few somber moments, then continued, “He moved out here because he didn’t trust teaching just anyone who wandered into the city. Of course, that was before the guild tightened their rules on who could join. They got stricter after the incident, but Tevis… well, those rules still weren’t enough for him. So, he left tinkering to his assistant and settled here, far from where most Travelers ever come.”
I nodded, sensing that there was a lot more to the story than Jero was letting on. But pushing for more details felt wrong in that moment.
I needed something to occupy myself. "I guess I’ll look for a gem cutter around here and see if I can start learning a few things," I muttered, more to myself than to Jero.
Unfortunately, my search around the village didn’t turn up anyone with gem-cutting knowledge. I sighed. Hey, Star?
“Yes?” Star’s voice responded, sharp as always.
Ready for some meditation and training? I asked, already feeling Star’s eagerness radiate through our connection.
"It’s about time," Star replied, a rush of excitement in his tone.
With that, I made my way deep into the woods, far from the village and its bustling noise. I needed solitude and stillness to clear my mind and focus.
I sat down in the small clearing, closing my eyes to fully take in the scents and sounds that surrounded me. A hint of nutmeg mixed with cinnamon and pine lingered in the air. I could smell the musky presence of nearby predators, their scent brushing faintly against my nose, almost laced with a tinge of fear. Birds chirped high above, hopping from branch to branch, their playful calls filling the canopy as they darted around, observing the world below. Critters scurried from bushes to tall grasses, or scampered up trees, either in search of food or avoiding those same predators.
When I opened my eyes, the sun was playing peekaboo through the swaying leaves, casting flickering patches of light onto the ground. Insects crawled through the fallen leaves, pine needles, and scattered seeds.
I pulled my focus away from the world around me, turning inward. My heartbeat echoed faintly in my ears, steady and rhythmic. The slow rise and fall of my chest as I inhaled and exhaled felt in tune with the gentle breeze that swept across my skin, making the hairs on my arms and neck sway in its path.
Reaching for Star at my hip, I held it in my hands as it shifted into its flail form. My fingers traced the length of the haft, up the chain, and across the striking head. With Star resting in my lap, I laid my hands on it, shutting out all distractions, readying myself for the meditation ahead.
“Would you like to stay in this realm or enter my timeless realm?” Star asked in what seemed like a whisper, a strange contrast to the usual echo of a thousand voices.
No, I think I should stay in this world for now, I thought back to Star.
“Very well then,” Star responded before falling silent. I felt Star’s presence begin to swim through my body, as though it was flowing through my very veins. Then, a warm, gentle, yet intensely powerful, sensation spread into my heart from all directions.
Suddenly, I was pulled into a whirl of memories, racing by too fast to grasp. The world around me fell to blackness, though I could still smell and hear the forest. I could sense the presence of any predators, even if I couldn't see them, easing my initial unease.
The memories continued to fly past for what felt like several minutes before they abruptly stopped, focusing on one in particular. This didn’t seem like one of Star’s memories, nor did I recognize it as my own.
A gentle, soothing voice spoke through the eyes I now saw from. “You see, boy, a flail is much more than just a ball hooked to a handle with a chain. You can’t just swing it wildly… well, at least not without purpose.”
A young boy came into view across from me. I couldn’t make out the world around us, only the boy and the hands of the man I now saw through.
“But Master, I don’t understand. How can one swing wildly, yet with purpose?” the boy asked, confusion written into his tone.
“That, my boy, is what I’m about to teach you,” the master replied, demonstrating the piercing form, then the sweeping form, followed by the defensive form. “These are the three basic forms. But now it’s time to learn how to become a whirlwind of chaos on the battlefield. Now, we learn what is called Tempest Form.”
I could feel the man smile as he spoke the name of the form. Or maybe, it was just me smiling at the thought of learning a new form for myself.
The young boy, now closer and easier to see, was fair skinned with short, pointed ears and an angular face. His hair was a ruby red with bright orange tips, his eyes large and almond-shaped with black sclera, violet-blue irises, and white pupils. In his left hand, he held a wooden flail haft with a string attached to a wooden ball, and in his right hand, a wooden plank shield. He appeared to be twelve, maybe thirteen, but not being a human, who knew how old he really was.
The young boy’s eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect of learning a new form. I could see the same fury burning in him that burned in me at the very thought of it.
“Now, widen your stance and follow my movements,” the voice instructed.
The boy adjusted his feet, spreading them shoulder-width apart, grounding himself in preparation for the lesson. As the boy widened his stance, I could feel the anticipation build, the air almost crackling with energy. His body tensed, but there was a controlled grace in how he shifted, a readiness to spring into action. He wasn’t just preparing to swing the flail wildly; there was purpose behind every movement. His balance shifted lower, giving him the stability needed to become a storm on the battlefield, like a coiled spring ready to unleash devastation with precision.
I could feel the spinning motions of the man. His body twisted, using the shield as a counterweight to intensify the spin. His flail hand moved like a force of nature, creating a swirling storm of energy. I felt every muscle tense as if it were my own; the spin on the balls of his feet, the flail crashing into dummies with the weight of a tornado. His strikes were lightning, his shield a clap of thunder.
The rhythm of his movements took over, a storm in perfect sync. Every motion was precise, deliberate, yet wild, a tempest with purpose. I wasn’t just watching; I could feel it all, as if I were part of the same whirlwind. The energy of it flooded my senses, and for a moment, it was as if I had become the storm itself, a force beyond control but guided by intent.
Time seemed to stretch as I moved within the vision, side by side with the boy, each of us two storms tearing through the battlefield in perfect harmony. The chaos we created was fierce, destructive; a beautiful, terrifying dance of power.
When the vision finally ended, I kept my eyes closed, still feeling the intensity coursing through me. What was that? I asked Star, my heart racing.
“That was a vision embedded in me as I was forged,” Star explained. “There are many more like it. This is why we need to do this more often.” He paused before adding, “Though next time, we should do it in my realm.”
Confusion flickered through me. Why? I wondered, until I opened my eyes.
The clearing around me was a wreck. My shield was in one hand, Star in flail form in the other, and sweat dripped down my face and body. The trees were splintered, the ground scarred and torn. Branches were scattered, leaves shredded. The damage was... overwhelming.
"Holy... that wasn’t just me feeling his movements, I was actually doing them," I muttered, my breath catching in my throat as I took in the destruction.
A gasp behind me made me turn quickly, heart pounding, to see who had been watching.