Brin disappeared into the tower following the woman.

"Atzhas, can you clean up?" I asked the Domovoy sitting next to me.

"Yeah, no problem," the owner of the ruins waved his hand carelessly. "After you leave."

"Alright, thank you. Collect the glass and scrap metal. Make sure it's not obvious what happened. If someone comes snooping around here, they shouldn't understand anything."

"Don't worry, I don't want rats wandering around here either. Someone messes up, and I clean up," he grumbled and disappeared.

Five minutes later, a full squad of rangers appeared on the third floor of the ruins. They were all loaded with gear, their faces grim and contemplative. The men helped Illa descend on a rope, and then the commander deftly slid down as well. Brin immediately headed towards the slain necromancers. Petr was the last one to descend and promptly vanished into the nearby thickets, probably going to scout the area. The sorceress took up a position not far from Brin, observing the surroundings intently. They paid no attention to me for now. Brin turned one of the necromancers onto his back, pulled out a small object from his pocket, and began waving it around the bodies. The ranger would bring his hand closer, then move it away. Eventually, he circled the entire battleground and discreetly concealed the object within the folds of his clothing.

"Interesting," I murmured. "A recording artifact? How little I know."

Atzhas appeared next to me.

"I managed to remove the large pieces. There was hardly any glass. I'll clean it more thoroughly later. You're leaving now, so let's say our goodbyes, Evan."

"Thank you, Atzhas, you've been a great help. I'll try to come up with something regarding your request," I whispered, covering my mouth with my palm. I pretended to sneeze. The sorceress was giving me suspicious looks.

"Do your best, Evan," the Domovoy nodded. It seems he didn't appreciate my non-committal wording. "I put a flask of water in your bag."

"Thanks again, Atzhas," I pretended to sneeze once more.

"Remember the old man from time to time," the The Domovoy pretended he could hardly hold back a tear. "Make a sacrifice. Remember my runes?"

I closed my eyes.

"Please, Evan," the Domovoy placed his hand on my knee. "I'm counting on you."

Loa disappeared.

Brin finished his peculiar task and stood next to the sorceress. They were engaged in a heated discussion. The woman kept casting promising glances in my direction. The rangers gestured actively, pointing at the tower's top, then at a small crater, then at another one. I'm sure the conversation is about me and my role in the whole battle.

I took a closer look. The craters from the explosions were barely visible, with the ground being dense and rocky. But still, there were footprints and you could see it. A small hole with distinct lines from the splintering of shrapnel. An inexperienced person probably wouldn't notice, but rangers are others. Maybe Brin or Petr had seen something similar before. Something exploded and it's obvious. Doesn't look like a spell, so it's an object. An artifact? Are there such things around here? I don't know anything. What could they accuse me of? That I used an artifact? I don't know how it work. How'd the village idiot get an expensive item? Did I find it? Then I saved everyone. What is the fault here? There's another subtlety. Do you have to know how to use your power to use something? I don't know. If you have to know how to use it, I couldn't use it. I can't be a magician, I'm too young. Perhaps the artifact belonged to the enemies, and something went wrong for them. Let the rangers speculate, but it was the necromancers who orchestrated all of this. The explosions occurred near them and was their fault. Who knows what could have happened? It's a good version, one that I should stick to.

Illa seemed more suspicious now. The woman had been casting wary glances at me even before, but now... Could they quietly decide to get rid of the peculiar boy? Who would come looking for me here? No, I don't think so. The rangers don't seem like the kind to easily slit a child's throat. But they will definitely keep an eye on me.

It's clear that I need to triple my caution. Now three pairs of eyes will be closely watching me. I wouldn't be surprised if Petr is currently keeping an eye on me rather than the surrounding environment. When we leave the forest, I'll try to quietly disappear across the vast expanse of the country. That will be later, as the forest is vast, and we still need to reach its edge.

Brin approached me, casting a scrutinizing glance.

"Are you injured?" the ranger asked.

"No."

"Can you walk?"

"I can."

"Do you know what happened?"

"A battle. I was afraid to look down, so I only listened to the sounds. I thought I was about to be torn apart. The tower jumped, started swaying heavily, and then there was silence. I was scared that they had killed you. I looked down. The necromancers... The necromancers were lying down, they were starting to move. I didn't see their monsters. I descended... I killed them. I was afraid that they... "

"You did well," Brin interrupted. He reached out his hand. "You did everything right."

I grabbed his broad palm, and with a jerk, the man pulled me to my feet.

"Go search them," the warrior said, nodding towards the necromancers. "It's your loot."

"But..." I began.

"Collecting trophies is an important matter, Evan," Brin disregarded my objections. "And make a quick stop by the river, clean yourself up. Hurry, it was too noisy here. The stench of blood is strong, and we wouldn't want any unwelcome guests investigating the noise."

He spoke dryly and observed attentively, studying me. Did he categorize me as a villain? The sorceress planted seeds of doubt in the commander's mind. It's bad, but there's nothing I can do about it anymore. Could I have acted differently? Perhaps, but would it have been the right thing to do? In the worst case, I'll dissolve into the forest. Let them try to find me, the trackers. There's a long journey ahead.

In the pockets of the necromancers, there were no great treasures to be found. My loot consisted of two meager purses. Around the bald mage's neck hung some kind of amulet. I hesitated for a moment. After all, amulets are valuable items, not something to be discarded lightly. How would I survive without money? It was scary, but I took the risk and cut the cord. I hid everything in my bag and headed towards the river. I quickly washed up, removed the bloodstains from my clothes, and cleaned my soiled shoes. The rangers were already waiting for me.

"Evan, listen carefully," Brin said. "Petr will lead the way; he's a skilled tracker and knows how to navigate the forest well. Illa will follow him. You'll come after them, and I'll bring up the rear. We'll maintain a fast pace, so try not to fall behind. We need to get far away from here, it will be easier later."

I simply nodded.

"Group, let's go," commanded the man.

Our hike had begun. Petr silently melted away into the nearest shrub. The sorceress clumsily followed him, like an elephant. It was clear she was a city dweller. She still had much to learn about moving through the forest. Not long ago, I was just like her, but now I can see all her mistakes. I trailed behind the woman.

I deliberately moderately made noise, stomped my feet, and rustled branches. I pretended as if I was having a hard time. I hope I was able to make it look convincing. I could hear the ranger's breath behind me.

We descende from the hill where the ruins stood. The slope wasn't too steep, allowing us to maintain a brisk pace at first. It was the first month of summer, so the grass was tall, green, and lush. At times, it reached chest level, but mostly it was waist-high. Low, sturdy shrubs, which regularly dotted the grass, made movement challenging. We followed Petr, who confidently chose the path. The trees around us were mostly evergreens, with occasional towering oaks and birches. Here and there, we encountered impenetrable thickets of hazel and young deciduous saplings. The tracker avoided such areas. Petr skillfully maneuvered through the grass, searching for inconspicuous animal trails to make our progress easier. Animal tracks were frequently spotted, but the creatures themselves hid, preferring to stay away from us.

We often came across large rocks protruding from the ground. On one occasion, we had to make our way through piles of boulders. It seemed that a small mountain had collapsed long ago, sliding down the slope and scattering its fragments over a considerable distance. From my estimates, it covered an area of around three hundred square meters. The rocks were stacked upon one another, forming a massive heap. Each of them would have required four of us to lift. The terrain was rugged and overgrown. We frequently encountered fallen trees, their branches jutting out in all directions like sharp spears. We had to maneuver around them, making our progress difficult.

We had been making our way down for several hours. By my estimation, we had covered around five kilometers. We could already see the base of the elevation we were descending from. Somewhere nearby, a small river raged. I could hear the sound of water flowing among the stones. We reached the foot of the slope, and beyond that, the terrain leveled out. However, our respite was short-lived. After about five hundred meters, we encountered steep inclines and descents. We had to climb up, only to descend again. We arrived at a ravine, where a fast-flowing mountain stream ran below. The ravine was about four meters high and three meters wide. Petr led us along the edge of the cliff. Sparse, withered shrubs, low grass, and plenty of moss grew on the rocks. We had to constantly watch our step to avoid slipping and falling. Everyone stumbled frequently, and I had to be mindful of my own footing as well. It was incredibly exhausting.

Everyone was exhausted, but we stubbornly continued to press on. The river emerged from the ravine and calmed down. The overgrown bank was scattered with stones of various sizes, and in some places, there were patches of small pebbles that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere in these parts. We stopped at one such secluded beach. There was a dry cedar tree nearby, covered in moss. It would make excellent fuel for a fire. Everyone simply collapsed wherever they stopped. We sat there for a while, trying to catch our breath and recover.

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I had suspected that this expedition would be challenging, but reality proved to be much harsher. The likelihood of not reaching civilization began to rise rapidly. Our pace of progress was not impressive, we had managed to cover at most ten kilometers. My legs felt like buzzing transformers. The footwear started causing concern just a hundred meters into the journey. It was highly likely that these simple moccasins wouldn't last until the end of the trek. I tried to preserve the only protection for my soles, but there were still four hundred kilometers ahead. If the terrain doesn't change, I run the risk of not making it.

My shirt was heavily soaked with sweat; I could wring it out. My pants were wet and had changed color, stained green from the juice of the grass. Swarms of flies and mosquitoes circled around us. Hordes of these pests flew constantly above us. It felt like my entire face was swollen from their bites. The cold water from the river provided some relief.

This particular stretch of the journey was difficult for everyone. We were all drenched in sweat, with sticky hair. The rangers tried to appear lively, but it was evident that they were exhausted too. The sorceress couldn't catch her breath; her face was pale. She sat on the riverbank, staring blankly into the water. How did these people end up here in the first place? Especially the sorceress.

I took off my moccasins and inspected the soles. There was nothing to be happy about, but they would still last a little longer. I waded into the water. It was cold and invigorating, gradually washing away the fatigue. Or at least it seemed that way.

"A long break?" I turned to the rangers. "Do we need firewood for the campfire?"

"Yes, we could use some rest," Petr replied. "Let's eat and then continue on our way."

I took the axe from the scout and started chopping branches off the dry cedar. Within ten minutes, a small fire was burning in a pit. I hung my wet moccasins on sticks near the fire to dry. I simply sat next to it and resting. The men took care of the rest. Peter attended to the gear and dried the clothes, while Brin prepared a chowder. The sorceress continued to sit apathetically on the side. Her breathing evened out, but it was obvious that the woman was having a hard time. The kvits on the sorceress's body were still doing their bad work. I thought the perfume got bigger, but I didn't look closely.

When the chowder was ready, food was distributed to everyone along with a piece of stale flatbread. The dried meat was saved for later. After satisfying our initial hunger, Brin spoke up:

"We're doing great. The pace is good. Illa and Evan are doing a great job," Brin say in a cheerful voice. "If we hold on for another twenty kilometers, we'll reach the old road. It will be much easier from there."

"Yeah," Petr confirmed his words.

I was greatly pleased by this information. After our meal, we made sure to remove all traces of our presence in that place and continued on. The terrain remained difficult to traverse. Towards the end of the day, we started encountering significant clearings almost devoid of trees. It seemed as though someone had cut down all the trees in those areas, but there were no signs of any work. It was as if all the trees had vanished or were never there to begin with, but the reason was unclear. We crossed through a young forest twice. The low trees grew very close together, as if someone had planted them there. Who? Why? There were no answers. Making our way through the young undergrowth was challenging. At times, it was simply impossible, and we had to use our axes. Peter confidently led the way as if he had been here many times before. We had to climb hills and descend from them repeatedly.

One time, our path intersected with a small pack of wolves. Seven large individuals growled and seemed poised to attack, but quickly retreated after a whip of fire struck near the leader's snout. Behind the trees, I caught a glimpse of a loa. It had the body of a human and the head of a wolf. Perhaps it was connected to the pack. I don't believe it was a mere coincidence. The loa didn't approach; it dissolved into the thickets. Throughout the day, the kvits hovered around us. I had become so accustomed to them that I paid them no more mind than I would insects.

Our pace quickened, and by the end of the day, we managed to cover another about five kilometers. We settled for the night near a fallen giant oak tree. This must be where the rangers have stayed before. Next to the thick trunk, a shelter made of branches, ropes, tarp, and pieces of oak bark had been constructed. Despite being made of makeshift materials, the structure was sturdy. We quickly gathered enough firewood for the night. Brin took charge of preparing the food once again. Everyone's feet ached. Even Peter limped during the last kilometer. Blisters, uncomfortable footwear, and the long journey through challenging terrain left us feeling drained and desolate. I tried to ward off negative thoughts, but it proved difficult. Experience told me that tomorrow promised to be worse than today.

I said that I had a stomachache and went off into the forest. I hoped to have at least fifteen minutes alone. I walked around our campsite for a while, making sure everyone was occupied and no one was following me. I blended into the woods, eventually finding a spot among a cluster of large rocks where I could conceal myself. I carved a healing totem out of a regular stick and planted it in the ground. I infused the runes with energy. I sat there on edge, attentively listening to the sounds of the forest. I was wary that Petr might follow my tracks and sneak up on me unnoticed. It would be difficult for me to explain the situation, and suspicions would only grow. After about twenty minutes, the totem depleted its energy. I felt great. My feet were in perfect condition. Blisters had vanished, and there was no pain. It seemed like I wasn't tired at all. I destroyed the totem and made my way back. My mood had improved, and I mentally thanked the Domovoy for the knowledge bestowed upon me.

As I returned to the camp, I noticed fresh tracks. Petr had indeed been trying to find me. I was glad that the experienced tracker had been unsuccessful. Quietly, I approached as close as possible to the rangers and stood still in the thick bush.

"Illa, how are you?" Petr asked. "You did great, held up excellently."

"Oh... My legs are about to give out now," the sorceress groaned, massaging her feet. "Even a little healing doesn't help much. Meanwhile, the peasant fool marches on like a well-oiled machine..."

"Evan is resilient," Brin cautiously said.

"I noticed he was limping even before we made camp," the woman weakly smiled. "He'll be in bad shape tomorrow."

"Yes, I noticed that too. I can't imagine how he'll make it. After all, his clothes and shoes are ill-suited," Petr shrugged. "We'll slow down significantly tomorrow."

"Nonsense! I suggest we don't slow down the pace. Let him jump around as he pleases!" Illa said vindictively. "If he gets left behind in the woods, well... so be it."

"Aren't you going to heal the boy?" Brin looked at the sorceress.

"Why should I?" the woman snorted.

"No, but... "

"I expended a lot of energy..." the sorceress grimaced. "I have very little left.

"Why are you getting so mad at the boy?" the commander asked.

"I don't like that piece of shit!" she grimaced, as if stepping into the mentioned substance. "There's something seriously wrong with him."

"It's because of the argument," Petr chuckled quietly. Upon hearing those words, the sorceress grimaced and turned away. "I understood it even back there, in the ruins."

"Ha! Exactly! I had already forgotten," Brin smiled happily. "Remind me, what was it like?"

It's unlikely that the ranger suffered from forgetfulness; he was simply trying to tease the arrogant sorceress. Illa irritably shrugged her shoulders, muttering something under her breath. Why do the guys take risks? The sorceress seemed vindictive and petty to me.

"The last time we were in the ruins, we had a good amount of alcohol." the tracker eagerly joined in the game of the commander. "Illa started provoking you. She said that you spend all your time with your sword. You sleep with it, you eat with it, and it replaces a woman for you. And you said that your sword is worth more to you than any woman. You will never part with your weapon and wouldn't trade it for anyone. Words were exchanged, and an argument broke out. You bragged that you can feel the sword and have a magical connection with it. You bet that you would throw it into the forest and it would come back to you."

"Yes, exactly!" Bryn's bearded face lit up with a broad smile. "Illa made me throw my sword into the night forest! And then I crawled through all the bushes, searching for it for three days!"

"I didn't make you do anything!" the sorceress exclaimed indignantly. "You threw it yourself, with your own hand!"

"If it weren't for you, I would have never done such a thing!" Brin pointed his chubby finger at Illa. He squinted cunningly. "And how much did I win?"

"Well, since you didn't find it, it means you didn't win the bet." Illa tried to counter, but a shadow of despair crept over her face.

"We bet that the sword would come back to me! And there were no conditions on how it would happen." Brin raised his finger triumphantly.

"A whole forty gold..." Illa groaned, admitting defeat.

Is she so greedy and petty? The woman provoked the drunken commander into a silly argument. Or is she very greedy and cunning? Mages take longer to get drunk, their metabolism is better. Plus, a minor healing spell should help resist alcohol. She risked nothing. Or is she arrogant and unintelligent? The men sobered up and understood everything. They couldn't help but understand the whole scheme. How will they treat their partner after this? Rangers are an operational group, wandering together in dangerous places. Who knows what could happen. So now think, who is this sorceress?

"And here it is not!" exclaimed Brin. "I honestly won forty gold! But I already gave you forty as a loss. You owe me eighty!"

"Khh-hha-a..." the sorceress choked, her face flushed, and her eyes widened. "I hate this scumbag!"

"Oh, come on, Illa. Easy come, easy go." Brin continued his musings carelessly. "It's just gold."

Is he a fool? No one likes to give away their money. Someone like this sorceress would leave anyone in this forest to rot for such an amount. Or is the ranger provoking her for something? His wide palm conveniently rests near a throwing knife. There's a tension in his posture. His face is lit with a smile, but his eyes are too attentive. He's prepared for any foolishness from the sorceress. And unnoticed, Petr subtly shifted to the side, moving away from the convenient line of attack. Or is it just my imagination?

"Alright, I'll pay you in town. There really seems to be some magical connection with this weapon of yours." the sorceress squeezed out. "But tell me, why did you give the trophies to the boy?"

"We have no right to them." Brin was surprised. "The boy killed the enemies, fair and square. He has every right."

"How is that possible? I engaged in a magical duel, risking my life!" Illa exclaimed emotionally. "And that village scoundrel gets everything? He's not a ranger! What trophies are you talking about? He's a thief!"

This woman would commit any crime out of greed. I should stay away from the sorceress as far as possible. I made himself an enemy out of thin air.

Brin and Peter exchanged glances.

"Calm down, Illa. There was nothing there except a few coins. The boy is facing difficult times in the empire."

"Evan has been gone for a while now." the tracker said.

"Let him disappear!" the greedy bitch slammed her fist on her knee and spat into the fire. I thought the flames would soar into the night sky, but nothing happened.

"What a wonderful situation." I murmured quietly.

Why is she like that with the rangers? Does she have some kind of patron? Why is the woman here, in the forest? Why not in the capital? I've already saved her twice and gained a real enemy. It's funny and sad. The sorceress will definitely ruin my life after leaving the forest.

I remembered everything that Evan knew about mages. It turned out that there wasn't much. I tried to apply this knowledge to my own experience. It seems that the commander of the rangers is just an ordinary operative. Illa is a recent academy graduate without significant connections. Otherwise, she wouldn't be here. But the sorceress is a well-off noblewoman, like any academy graduate. This status is higher than that of men. In a few years, the woman will undoubtedly climb the ranks. She will occupy some position, secure a good place, and leave for a major city. I hope the sorceress will simply forget about my existence. And the men will continue to roam this forest. Overall, their strained relationship has become clearer. They don't trust each other, they're wary, and they use each other. With such partners, you don't need enemies.

I quietly returned to the forest and made my way back to the campsite. I was crashing through the night forest loudly, like a city dweller spending their first night in nature. Perhaps I was overdoing it.

"Why are you making noise like a drunk bear?" the scout asked as he met me.

"I... got a little lost. Good thing I saw the fire," I replied, sitting by the fire.

"There's nothing to wander around for..." the sorceress hissed angrily.

I mumbled something incoherent in response and continued eating the remnants of dinner, scraping the burnt food from the bottom of the pot. Brin set up a watch schedule for the night, and we began settling down to sleep.