Tom! What does he mean about a cult!?

*Laughs hysterically! This guy, seriously, *laughs! I’ll tell you something, but first we need to clear your suspicions.

Eh, that doesn’t answer my question, but what do you mean about clearing suspicion?

“Answer me, or in the next five questions I am obligated to take you in for more questioning.”

Okay, who does this guy think he is?

I hear Tom talk in my head as I faced the knight in front of me with his rapier still pointed at my neck, now closer to my Addams apple, as I began to slightly panic as well as the guards which surrounded me.

Ask him, what is that cult and why are you being suspected, and don’t mention the name of the cult since if you really are a regular person, you would’ve been afraid to say anything that might be taboo

“Sir, what is the cult exactly? And why am I getting suspected for, an allegiance?”

“…… What’s the three laws that runs this world?”

“Huh?”

I was filled with questions but my instincts took over as I parried a strike by the knight alongside of making a defensive stance, although it was quite unsuccessful as after I blocked a few pokes by the other guards, my legs were swept as I fell to the ground and was met with the sight of the rapier stationed to slice my neck off with just one clean swipe.

“Answer me correctly.”

“I-I, I don’t know sir!”

I answered panickily as I heard Tom shouting something in my head, the blue and sharp eyes of the knight pierced into my terror filled faced as I waited for any amount of pain, although suddenly I felt the cold metal disappear as the knight stood back up and sheathed his rapier, as he nodded, the other guards drew back their spears and followed the knight as he walked away, before looking back at me which made me flinch as he took a flash step to get too close to me.

“Just remember, we have our eyes on you.”

Clark! Ask him why you’re being suspected!

“Wait sir! Why am I being suspected!?”

I asked frantically as I tried to stand up as well as I sheathed the sword back into the sack, I saw the knight just scoffed and walked away with the guards in tow, before he looked back at me and just replied this.

“Just don’t stray from the goddess words, stay safe civilian.”

“That still doesn’t answer my question!”

And the knight didn’t bother to answer as he and his party was out of my vision, I sighed in defeat as I looked at my sack filled with money which was littered on the street, I went to pick it up as I walked home under the evening moonlight.

What a weird guy, although this little encounter will definitely affect future events.

“So, uhm, what do we do now?”

Maybe stop talking with your mouth and go home.

I had to suddenly cover my mouth with my hands as I looked around awkwardly to make sure no one heard me, luckily the streets were still deserted, as I walked out of the town and back to the small wasteland as well as my house.

Uh Tom, when are you going to reveal yourself to dad?

When I am ready, I don’t think showing him me would help.

“Hey son! How well did your quests go?”

“Hi dad, it went well I guess.”

Leaving the threatened part out?

I just ignored the little sarcastic remark by Tom in my head as I had dinner with my dad, after a few too much mugs of beer which I had to stop my father from consuming, and me talking my dad with Tom muttering something in my head, for a long time.

I then walked into my room, after I had locked the door and looked back to my desk, with a little book on it, I sat on a sleeping bag onto of a couple bales of hay, I sat on it and saw the little moonlight shimmering through my window, as I laid down and closed my eyes, trying to go to bed.

Goodnight Tom………

I said in my head as I drifted into a sleep, with unthinkable and black void dreams, I just let myself wait for the sunlight to wake me up, although it wasn’t the one that did wake me up, as I was startled by a sudden shout.

GET UP CLARK!

While I got up to my feet with my instincts screaming danger, I calmed my breathing and looked outside to still see the moon and Tom who was resting on the edge of the window as his body was still connected with the swords blade.

“Tom, what’s wrong?”

“Get prepared Clark, we’re going back to that town.”

I’m tired……

I groaned in my head while I walked down quietly to not wake up my dad and carefully tip toed outside, as I closed the door behind me, I was met with Tom emerging from my sword’s end.

“Uh… Tom, so why am I sneaking out?”

“Well, we are going to clear out some suspicions.”

“How?”

I asked as I walked to the town which now had some lights from torches and also more guards, I stopped and looked around, with a hint of nervousness in my head and face, Tom though just let out an amused chuckle and looked back at me.

“They really think that would stop us, or any experienced stealth master, now, follow my instructions, but first…”

Tom stopped as he went back and I felt my senses overloading again, as I tried to not obviously give my position away, my vision now was replaced with red and black, as I looked into the distance, I saw that the guards were fully red, and that some animals were red as well.

“So, what do you think about thermal vision?”

What does this do now? All I see is just red.

Already ahead of me, well, they make you only see the heat signatures of living things, it’s a bit harder to understand but it’ll help you track down objects or in this case, humans easier.

I mentally nodded and crouched closer to a part of the town’s wall, as I looked up the tall defence, I looked around in my new vision and luckily saw no one, I then scaled the huge wall slowly and steadily as I chanted to not fall in my head, after I had reached the top, I looked to the city with awe in its thermal view, although I wished I could see it normally.

Clark, you know I can hear you right? Well, just blink twice consecutively and it’ll revert back, also just snap your fingers once to turn night vision.

I head Tom explain to me as I climbed downwards from the wall, after I landed down to the end of an alleyway I then blinked twice and saw everything back to normal, although it was now raining, I ran to a nearby roof and tried to dry myself before looking at my reflection on a nearby puddle.

Okay, now wait, let me---

I just stared at my reflections appearance, alongside of my regular short and messy black hair that almost covered my brown eyes, was a stroke of white hair amongst my locks, I blinked twice again as I went back to thermal vision and I saw something covering me like a cloak, with an added head cover

There, now lets start searching.

Tom, eh, isn’t this a bit of reckless?

*Laughs, life ain’t complementary kid, you got to work for the result.

I sighed as I walked under the rain, the city’s lights came from insides of the houses and buildings, only some outside torches were on as the rain brought mist down, I walked through the small streets as I avoided any guards with my vision.

So, who to search for?

Cloaked figures, intimidating silhouettes, suspicious activists, and people like the one approaching you.

Okay, WAIT WHAT!?

I mentally screamed as I felt a chilling presence behind me, I closed my eyes and turned around after I blinked twice, I now was met with some old fella who was wearing a black full body cloak, he stroked his beard and looked at me with my panicked face too closely and deep in thought.

“Hello young one, are you lost?”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

What do I answer Tom!?

Answer that you’re homeless and you don’t have anywhere to stay.

“I-I, uh, I’m, well, I, don’t have anywhere, sir.”

I stuttered a reply and I avoided eye contact nervously, Tom seemed to compliment at my ‘acting’ and I heard a little chuckle from the old man.

“Well young one, don’t feel afraid, would you like to come with me for a little fireplace?”

Isn’t he nice?

Typical, step one in recruiting cult members, now just walk away with a little nod as well as a no thanks.

I did as what I was told by Tom and as I rushed to a near small alleyway, I breathed irrationally as I tried to calm myself down from the little encounter we just had, Tom meanwhile was humming a tune for me.

Alright, try to calm yourself.

So, was he a member of the cult?

Not so sure, could be a just a random dude, although how often does that happen? Although we can still put him in our suspect list.

I looked around back in thermal and found no red for now, I then saw Tom form a small version of himself at the end of my sword’s end, he sniffed the air around us and retracted back.

“I smell some humans nearby, there’s still a chance.”

“So, do we try to find a member again?”

“Maybe, although maybe we should be a bit more vigilant, and look around carefully.”

“How many times should we do this? I mean, my dad will for sure find out that I’m here and poking my nose into town business.”

I replied at Tom’s suggestion as I felt that based on the few minutes I and Tom had tried to find the cult members, which was horribly inefficient, as we had only crossed paths into one, and it wasn’t even intentional.

“Can’t you just track them down, since well, science?”

“Science is a way of explanation Clark, not like ‘magic’, and if I am going to track down, I don’t have anything to act as a control.”

“So, we’ll just keep looking to find those members and clear us that we aren’t affiliated with them right? Then what?”

“Maybe instead of stupidly trying to fight them yourself, enlist the help of more capable individuals.”

I jumped out of my skin as I unsheathed my sword and pointed it at the person who had interrupted me, I saw it was no one else but the knight who had accused me earlier, this time he had a little nun-like hat to keep him dry, and this time he was alone.

“You are really bad at being stealthy, although if you are worried about suspicions, now you’re clear.”

I tried to calm my breathing and put my hand on my chest as felt the increasing heart beats, but then something clicked on my head, two actually, I was going to ask the knight but then noticed a handshake requested by the said knight.

“I haven’t properly introduced myself, I’m Perce, head of the guards here.”

“Uh, hi? I’m Clark?”

“Okay, Clark, you might be wondering why I am not obviously questioning your, sanity and talking to yourself, alongside of your obvious attempts in trying to take matters into your own hands.”

“Yeah, kind of.”

I said as I took a few steps back as I uncomfortably rubbed my neck as I got the end of a slight scold by him, Perce, I also heard a little of Tom in my head, although the rain suddenly just got worse and louder, I looked back out to the misted town and to Perce.

“I’ll give you a deal, I won’t take you in for your, nightly outings, and questioning your sanity, also with the added fact of wielding a borderline illegal weapon---”

“Wait what!? This is not illegal! My---”

Clark! Don’t say anything about your dad! Don’t you want him away from this mess?

“Hm? Who?”

“N-nothin, nothing sir!”

I stammered as I heard Perce sigh at my, incompetence, he then puled a map from his pocket and gave it to me, I opened it and saw a couple of places marked with a red circle, as I tried to dry the piece of paper, I located the nearest of the ones and looked at a nearby bar.

“So, get to work, find the members and track down their hideout, with proof may I add, then go to the green x, and if you want to explain to me your sword, do it when you’ve come back to me.”

“Wait! How will I know when I get into contact?”

I asked as I saw Perce leaving with his stoic face still on, he didn’t answer me as he just scoffed and walked through the rain, interestingly I could see a little barrier around him which was faded orange, I looked back at the bar and Tom emerged from the swords end.

“That was close.”

“Yeah, what did he mean about my sword being illegal?”

“How am I supposed to know? That’s not up my isle, but anyway, lets split up.”

“What why!?”

“Cover more ground, don’t worry since I’ll still have a figment in you, just take the mark in the middle of the map, if you need help just scream mentally.”

I heard Tom speak as he detached from my sword and took the form of the wolf I had slain yesterday but a little bit smaller, the size of a huge rat, Tom the made his way to a small mouse hole and disappeared, I sighed and opened the map again, I looked at the centre and saw that the building was none other than the Adventurers guild main building, I then closed the map and tucked it nice and dry back to my leather bag, I then made my way to the building I was destined to.

Okay, definitely nothing is going to go wrong…

I said in my mind as I nervously opened the door, and I saw just two groups of adventurers inside, one was sitting and chilling down at a table, and the other was seemingly arguing with Luciana who was calmy trying to face it with a smile, I was seemingly undetected but I had to mess it up as I creaked the floor, which made one of the adventurers.

“Hey, you’re that pipsqueak who made a fool of mister big axe over there!”

I shrugged as I saw one of the guys sitting on the table shout it out, as I tried to pay no attention and walk to inspect the place but was blocked by a huge axe slammed in front of my way, which was done by the same adventurer he had interrupted yesterday.

“So, you decided to come back huh?”

As I startled back and went to held my sword, I gritted my teeth alongside of trying to keep a determined face, although instead of a punch to the face, I was just met with a scoff and the huge Viking left me alone as his group’s leader called him, I peeked to the counter to see that the group previously there in front of the counter was leaving.

“Oh hello Clark, what do you need?”

“Well, I, sort of, ah, I need a, do you know, eh, Perce, do you know him?”

“Yes I do know him, a great guard, so anyways, why would you want to know about him?”

“Uh, I, the, I have a little question, because well, I need to ask---”

Just right before I was about to ask about the little cult, a huge blast and explosion rang just outside as a huge monster crashed through the doors, the two groups of adventurers readied their weapons and circled the beast, as it stood on two legs with the help of it’s hands, it roared with it’s visible jaw and teeth, sharper and larger bottom canines stood out alongside of it’s heavy armour which had a unique mark, as it charged at me it was then held back by one of the bigger adventurer as he stopped the beast similar to a bull, the three sword wielders charged their attacks at the monster at all sides, with the help of two mages casting elemental spells to weaken the monstrosity, Luciana ducked and let out an “eep” as the monster’s tail whipped and destroyed the wood behind her, I unsheathed my sword as I tried to cut it’s tail, although every attack I and the rest did, it seemed to be easily tanked by the beast’s armour, I tried to pincer it’s eyes but instead I got flung into the wall by it’s punch, the other adventurers seemed to be losing hope as the beast was unscathed.

Tom! Are you there!?

Geez kid, would you turn it down, what do you need? I’m in a little bit of a predicament as well.

I’m facing a monster! It seems unbeatable!

Nothing is unbeatable, what seems weird about it?

I looked at the monster as I tried to patch my bruised arms, as the two groups of adventurers tried to just put a scratch at the monster, he noticed a small distance before the weapons were deflected back, I charged at it again with my sword in a vertical attack but just right before it made contact with the armour, it was deflected away as I was slightly thrown out of balance, my stance was broken and I almost fell to my butt but was caught by the Viking mid fall.

“Don’t fall to your death punk.”

“Eh, thanks---”

And I was met with the huge force of punch by the monster again, this time I was flung into the receptionist table, landing right next to Luciana, she pulled up a crystal attached to some weird pieces of wood as it began to glow green, I stood up again and this time as one of the adventurers used his axe, it penetrated the monster’s skin and blood spewed out, a glimmer of hope sparked in everyone in the room as we all prepared to strike again.

Clark! That thing is abusing Newton’s third law! Remember that every action will always have a reaction which’s force is equal to that action!

I don’t understand anything!

If you attack an item, that thing will react and give the same force, you know what…… just try to see something weird on the monster, and then---

I was cut mid off as I dodged a huge punch just right inches above my head, I saw that two swordsmen attacked it’s wrist, then one of the mages formed a huge fire arrow as it collided with the beast’s back, I gritted my teeth and grabbed a nearby piece of broken wood and threw it to the monster, getting it’s attention, as I rolled out of the huge slam’s way and the rest focused on breaking the monster’s invisible shield, I jumped out of the beast’s charge path and struck at its left arm with my sword, as I looked at it’s back, I saw a small weird metal plating that had the third roman numeral on it.

That’s it!

“Guys! That metal----”

“Understood little swordsman!”

I heard one of the mages yelled as she and the other charged up heavy attacks while the other swordsmen smirked to attack the monster again, I tried to slash the monster’s back and as the monster roared and punched me on the stomach, which made me stagger back and made me fell down just right the monster tried to slam me, although luckily the monster got distracted as the two mages casted their spells down the metal plate and the barrier was broken as the monster staggered.

“NOW ERICK!”

I heard one of the swordsmen shouted and as I formed a small mana blast which I aimed at the beast’s eye, making it stumble once again, as the monster tried to stood up again, Erick, which was the Viking-like adventurer who I had humiliated yesterday, sliced the monster’s neck, separating the head and the body as it fell down, with blood spewing out of it’s neck stump, the adventurers cheered with their weapons raised up and Erick let out a shout of victory as he stood on the monster’s corpse, I let myself release a few calming breaths and supported my body to the near wall as I saw Luciana approach me.

“Clark, are you okay?”

“I’m, *pants, fine, just….”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”

Clark! You okay!?

Tom?

The door opened which took everyone’s attention, as Perce came through with a squad of guards, they seemed to be covered in rainwater as Perce approached the monster’s corpse and kneeled to get a closer look, the guards were still behind Perce as he forcefully ripped the metal plating with the roman numeral three on it, revealing the red monster flesh, as small amounts of blood was staining the wooden floor, I saw Erick who had two mugs of, beer and was approaching me while Luciana went to explain the situation to Perce.

“Oi, here.”

“Uh, no thanks, I don’t drink.”

Erick just raised an eyebrow and chugged one of mugs and went to drink the other mug, I peeked over the guard’s shoulders and met eye contact with Perce, who nodded as I just smiled uncomfortably, I then walked out of the building as I saw the rain was lighter than it was before, as I inhaled deeply and looked back at the map, although I now felt that my sleepiness was catching up as my eyebrows began to feel heavy.

How about we get you to bed now.

Tom, you’re back?

Of course I am, had to gift a few presents out, but now I’m back in your sword.

Okay, I think, I’m going to go home……

“Clark, we need to talk.”

Perce was back in my sight as he raised an eyebrow at me, or maybe my appearance, he sighed and pulled a small potion from his pocket which he gave to me, I opened the cork and gulped the entire bottle’s contents, as my drowsiness was decreased, I wiped my mouth and looked at Perce again who had small eyebags under his eyes.

“I take it that you’re exhausted, but thanks to you we managed to contain them with almost no causalities.”

What did you actually do Tom?

Don’t think about it, I just redecorated their residence.

“So, Clark, I have a proposition, although it’s better to save it until tomorrow, meet me at the blue marker on your map.”

I heard Perce reply as I frantically tried to locate it on the map, as I did, I looked back to see Perce walking through the now clear night sky, as he splashed the puddles on the wet streets, I then stored my map and walked out of the town gates, going back to my home, as I let out a yawn and I smiled softly as my house was in view, Tom formed himself again and looked at me with, concern?

“Still shaken kid?”

“Yeah……… that thing, I would’ve died…”

“*Chuckles, well Clark, it takes a soldier a few times to get used to near death experience, you know that, also, get some rest.”

I softly smiled as I walked quietly to my room, as I heard my father’s snores, I felt safe within my bedsheets and right as my head felt the soft pillow, I went to sleep, Tom meanwhile smiled softly and formed himself on the swords blade to close the window.

“Sleep tight Clark, you won’t have to worry about the other locations…… ThEy WoN’t Be BoThErInG uS aNyMoRe.”