It wasn’t a common situation for them. Oh, they had their fair share of experience dealing with bad odds. But those were more of the ‘I’m up to my neck in opponents’ type of situations. They had a workable strategy for those, since they’ve had their fair share of them. See danger, yell at danger, attack danger. Maybe run from danger, if danger winds up being bigger than you thought. But this?

Dealing with Penor wasn’t something any of them had much experience with.

“You must understand.” The man started. “My situation is a very precarious one. I am hunted by my own kingdom or, at the very least, its upper echelons. I am in a continual state of fear for my life. I must move constantly and never in places of high exposure. Indeed, I’ve chosen Lendt precisely because of its small profile.”

Larissa, who had been quiet so far, shifted, looking uncomfortable.

“Do not misunderstand me, my sweet. Lendt might be a cheap coin, but you are most certainly not.” He said, placing a kiss on her hand and making the woman blush. “But this is my situation. And I know my greatest value. The use of Skills.”

“Could you remove a |Jack| Class?” Brom asked.

The man peered at them attentively, before replying in a whisper.

“I can.”

YES!

“But I do not do so lightly. I hope you forgive me for driving such a high bargain, but I do this for two reasons. One is that I believe I am the only one who could. If I were to help you, Jack, the word would go out. No, don’t contradict me. I don’t believe you would do it out of malice or mistake. But the deed would be found out regardless. The second reason is that once I do it, my worth decreases, at least to you. Which is why I must ask for a fair price.”

“And what would a fair price mean to you, Penor?” Jack asked.

“Gold, first of all.” The man laughed. “Gold can be used to buy all manner of things. Even temporary safety. Then I would need potions. Health Potions, Stamina Potions. I don’t necessarily need Mana Potions, but those too could be exchanged. And I would need artifacts. I already have a few, but I would need more. After all.” He said, looking at the woman next to him. “I have more to protect than just myself, now.”

“And should we be able to provide all these, would you help me?”

“No, my dear boy. Should you be able to provide all these, I would become assured that you are a person of means. And then would be willing to negotiate.”

Jack found the opening price to be harsh. Too harsh. He was about to say that too, when Brom took him and Ava aside. The dwarf had apparently seen the looks on their faces and decided he needed to clarify some things. Peron was a high born. Well, maybe not high born exactly, but he certainly moved in their circles. Therefore, he would negotiate like one of them. And given that the man really was offering an almost priceless service, it was regular for him to ask for such a high opening price.

That was how they ended up carrying the first round of negotiations. They had to part with all their Health and Stamina Potions and almost all of their coin. They got to keep the Mana Potions and all their artifacts. All that just so they could talk about what the man really wanted.

Why do I feel we’re getting robbed here?

“That is a fair offer.” Penor said, after hearing what they had to say. “Relocation to Helmrest, a house provided to us by the |Mayor|, withing limits of course, safety provided by the same. Perhaps even a function in the local rulership, though pending negotiation with this Elia. Safety, purpose and even wealth. Yet, I have heard that there are other local powers around Helmrest. I have heard that a certain Barony now has ties with your town. Should they provide me with a better offer, why should I simply not accept theirs?”

Shit.

“You could.” Brom said. “But you could also accept Helmrest’s offer, as we are ready to offer this not for continual service, but for helping Jack. The extra coin would be yours. The house would be yours to, to keep or rent. And for periodic advice, I am sure Elia would provide you with a salary or reward.”

Penor smiled the smile of a man who wasn’t fooled in the slightest, but was alright `with what he was hearing.

“Very well. I may accept, conditional of one more request. Seeing as I could simply contact this… Baron and accept their offer firsthand, I believe there would be no issue in me asking, no?”

“Not a problem.” Jack lied.

“Very well. Then what I ask is this. After the forest you had just visited, there is another, an hour’s distance away by carriage.”

“There is?” Larissa asked.

“Yes.” Penor smiled at her. “I had it investigated myself, my sweet.”

“Oh, alright.”

“Yes. And in that forest lives a Rockhide pack. Their leader is quite large, but should you approach it stealthily, I believe you take it out in one go. Go in slow and stealthy, so as for the other monsters to not hear you. Once taken down, the others will be far less dangerous.”

“Why do you want us to kill it?” Ava asked.

“Because I desire its hide. As I left my home, I took with me a recipe for tanning hide. I now the formula for constructing a leather armor capable of stopping even serious attempts on my life. Of course, the wolf’s pelt will be quite larger than what I need, but I know for a fact that Larissa looks quite good in leather. If worn strategically.”

“Oh, stop it.” she laughed, blushing.

“That is what I need in order to seal the deal. As you are adventurers, I believe you are the prfect ones to ask.”

Jack looked at is friends and saw them deliberating as well. They didn’t afford to lose time… but they didn’t afford to go after Mrk without Jack power drainage been removed either. It was some distance away, yet they had Nole.

In the end, it was Ava who summarized their feelings.

“We can’t afford to risk it. We can’t lose Mrk. We already lost Moran… we- I…”

“It’s alright.” Jack said, before turning to Penor. “We accept.”

The man, after seeing the exchange, just smiled sadly and nodded.

Then it is done.

They want aside and packed what provisions they thought necessary, as Nole prepared the carriage. Seeing as how they just parted with all their potions, they had to be extra wary, but what was a dose of danger to them now?

They said their farewell to the two, who wished them good luck and parted ways. Nole was making good time, having been told of what was at stake. The ground was disappearing past them. All in all, it was boring.

So, they made do. They talked and joked and tried to pretend they weren’t all incredibly stressed to lose yet one more of their group. They must have been halfway to the first forest, when something happened.

Jack was currently playing with his |Bolt| Spell. He wasn’t releasing it… well, he released a couple by accident before Ava told him to knock it off. At the moment, he was simply trying his best to channel the Spell into different exist points and hold it there. It was good practice or so Aule told him.

Index finger, ring finger… pinky… almost…

Jack

He lost control and his Spell hit one of Ava’s horns, making the satyr’s head flinch back and to the side.

“That’s it! Drop your pants, I need to shove one of these arrows in your bum.”

“Sorry, sorry. I think I dozed off for a second.”

“And that’s a good time to be practicing your Spells?”

“As good as any.” Jack laughed.

Jack.

He froze.

I don’t think I imagined that.

He couldn’t be sure why, but he somehow got the mental impression of something approving that.

“What the?!”

“Jack! What happened” Brom said, leaning forward.

“I think there’s something speaking in my head.”

“Like… a communication Spell?” Ava asked.

“Kind of? I’ve never been on the receiving end of one of those. But it just repeated my name. Then I got the sense of it agreeing with me, when I thought I wasn’t just imagining things.”

“It?” Brom asked.

“It’s like a presence. I can feel it in my mind, if I concentrate.”

Brom swapped a look with Ava. Even with everything Skills and Magic brought to the table, hearing voices wasn’t necessarily normal.

“You new Spell.” The dwarf continued. “The one you just learned, the one against mental manipulation. Could it help? Perhaps this is a form of attack.”

“By who? That mooseling?” Ava asked.

“I don’t know.” Jack answered. “But maybe… Anyway, I’ll try it out.”

Jack raised his hand to his head, ready to cast his Spell, when it happened. The presence from before intensified and his vision blurred. Yet it was as if he was looking at something with his eyes closed. With his mind’s eye. He saw images at first, still. Then moving, in fragments. Then, an entire scene played out for him, colors and sounds altered, as if he was looking from multiple places at once, the sounds coming in at different levels of detail.

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He saw Penor and Larissa, after they left, racing up the stairs. He saw them packing, Penor white in the face. He heard a shout from Larissa, but couldn’t make out the words. Then he saw her running after someone, pleading with a man. He saw them race out of the tavern, each carrying multiple bags filled to the Brim. The looks on their faces ere intense, fearful.

He saw them get up on horses. Penor on his own horse, grasping the rains tightly. Larissa on someone else’s horse, riding behind… her?

Is that the same guard woman we met on the road? The one who wanted a bribe?

Again that feeling of approbation.

The final thing he ‘saw’ was the three riding out from the village, going in a direction completely off from either Helmrest or Jack’s carriage.

Jack felt a smack on the face and felt the presence leave his mind.

“Wow.” He said. “That… I don’t know what you did, but it worked. It left me.”

“Dwarven magic.” Ava said.

Jack almost believed her, before he saw Brom guiltily putting his hand down.

“Now, what happened?” the satyr snapped. “It was like you blanked out for a few seconds.”

“It was most not normal, Jack. My apologize for the hit, I did not know of another way of getting you back.”

“No, it’s alright. But I think whoever was in my head was a friend. I just saw Penor and Larissa packing and hightailing it out of the village.”

“What?”

“Yeah! They looked scared for their lives. Like, white in the face.”

“But, why would they leave after they just closed a deal with us?”

“Danger.” Brom said.

“Yeah, I thought so too.” Jack confessed. Hey, Nole, stop the carriage! I don’t know what it was, but it has them scared.”

“The mooseling?” Ava asked. “But why would it come back?’

“We know mouselings must works for others, right? At least if they want a Class and that one definitely had one.”

“You’re thinking her owner commanded her to come back and remove all witnesses?” Brom asked. “And Penor somehow got wind of that.”

“Or Larissa.” Jack answered. “She was probably scared enough to put out feelers in the neighboring villages.”

“Or it’s not the mooseling.” Ava said. “Remember, that guy has some pretty powerful enemies.”

“Or that.” Jack agreed. “Either away, we can’t let them get killed.”

“Yes. Otherwise, this would have all been for nothing.”

“Eh, I kind of liked them.” Ava smiled. “Young love. Well, middle aged, but you know.”

“I liked them too.” Jack agreed. “Would have helped them just for that. But Brom’s right, if they die, then we messed up.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” the satyr grinned. “Rescue mission?”

“Rescue mission.” The two agreed.

“Nole!” Jack halfway got out from the window. “There’s a road u north from here, heading north west. It passed the forest on the other side. We need to get there. Fast!”

“Yes, sir. But that would mean crossing the field, going off the road. I;m not sure the carriage can handle that. If we hit just one hole or bump at speed…”

“We can’t not do it. Going back to Lendt before taking the other road would put Penor and Larissa in danger. I trust you.”

The man squared his jaw and nodded, eyes alert.

“Yes, sir. Just, hold on and don’t talk. Might bite of your tongue.”

“Hah!” the satyr laughed. “But talking’s half the-“

“|Quick Gallop|”

The carriage bolted off the road and on to the field. And judging by Ava’s short yelp, Nole’s prediction came true. Even so, they were making tremendous progress. The carriage was swerving left and right. The horses themselves were breathing so loud that Jack could hear them from inside. A lot of things could have gone wrong. A horse could have broken a hoof. A wheel could have come off. They could have hit a tree, like the few they dodged in the nick of time and broke their carriage in half.

But Nole came true. By the time they reached the other road and the carriage stopped bumping them up and down, the man looked like had sweated off five pounds. But he was still looking alert and here was a small smile spread across his face.

“I reckon that if you don’t level from this, you should think about getting a new Class, Nole!” Jack laughed.

“I did.” The man said. “And got |Rough Driver| too. Too bad I only got it at the end of the field, though.”

“Way to go, Nole!” Ava cheered.

“Hey, I had a Skill like that once. Only mine was called |Rough Walker|. I’m guessing it’ll be easier for you to drive across uneven terrain from now on.”

“It will. I can feel it. Doesn’t work so well on roads, though. But… I don’t think it will do much for how the ride will feel for you all, though.” The man said, somewhat abashed.

“Eh, don’t worry about it.” Ava said. “We’ve had worse.”

“Yeah.” Jack laughed. “Besides, it’s better for us to be able to get somewhere fast, then for us to be comfortable all the way there.”

“Not that we would mind you getting a Skill for comfort either.” Ava grinned.

They joked and congratulated Nole, but they were still tense. So far, they saw no sign of the two. Sure, they saw horse tracks, but that could have been anyone. Jack actually tried to get in touch with the presence in his mind again, but with no success. Which… made him feel a little better.

They’d discuss this in more detail once they’ll have the time, but something infiltrating itself into his mind wasn’t a good sign. It meant they had attention on them and also no defense against invasive action, even if that action only meant mental messages. For now.

Jack got pulled out from his thoughts by Nole talking with them.

“I see them.” The man said. “They’re right ahead and riding hard.”

Jack got halfway out the window again and saw the. One horse had the guard woman and Larissa on its back, while the other had Penor. The horses were going full gallop too, a small dust trail rising from behind them.

Even with Nole’s Skill helping the carriage along, they were barely gaining on them. They had to wait for another few minutes until they were in hearing range.

“Hey!” Ava shouted, who by now had climbed atop the carriage. “Hey, Penor! Slow down, we’re here! You can chill out now!”

“Very inspiring, Ava.” Brom muttered.

“Oh, shut up, they didn’t ever hear me. We’re still too far away.”

“Then how about we help you.” Jack said.

He climbed atop the carriage too and was soon followed by Brom. If one voice couldn’t reach them, perhaps three would. So they did their best to synchronize and shouted.

“Penor!” the three shouted.

This time, the man heard them. He looked back, saw them.

And accelerated.

Him and his horse became encased by a green haze, while Larissa’s own horse sped up.

“What is he doing?” Ava asked.

“No idea. Nole, after them!”

“Yes, sir. |Quick Gallop|!”

They carriage sprung forward, while they grasped anything they could to hold on.

“They might be under a mind alteration Spell. Or we might be under an illusion. Something to confuse the senses.” Brom said.

“What, really? But nobody cast anything.” Ava snapped.

“No, yet we just saw how a voice managed to reach Jack, though it was nowhere around us.”

“Damn it. All right, once we reach them, I’ll use my Spell on them.

The three were going full speed, yet so was Nole. The green gleam was probably Penor’s |Haste| Spell, split between himself and the horse, while the guardwoman was probably speeding her horse along via a Skill. Yet, just like before, they were gaining ground. Nole’s Skill didn’t last forever, but neither did theirs. That woman’s Skill failed faster than Nole’s and even Penor’s magic had to be replenished, so they managed to get in striking range, before their own Skill faded out.

“|Dispel Compulsion|! |Dispel Compulsion|!”

Two Spell flew out and hit them dead center. Yet they didn’t stop. They still looked at them terrified. Larissa screamed something at Penor. Jack didn’t get what, but it sounded like pleading. Penor refused her and reached towards them.

What…

A fireball flew so fast, given the distance and speed, that he knew it was going to hit the. There wasn’t even time to cast a protective Spell. Brom tried to interpose himself in front of Jack, but it was like moving in molasses.

Yet at the very last moment, the carriage shifted left, lurching to the side, almost toppling the three. But it made the Spell miss them. The |Fireball| blasted the earth behind them, sending a plume of scorched earth up into the air.

What?!

“What was that?” Ava screamed, mirroring Jack’s thoughts.

“No idea.” He said.

While they were talking, Penor aimed again and fired.

And again Nole managed to dodge the incoming fireball in just the nick of time.

“But my Spell hit them dead on! It should have worked!”

“Jack.” Brom gravelly said. “Perhaps we should entertain the notion that it did work.”

“Wh- What…”

But then it clicked. Penor burning through magical artifacts. Him and Larissa departing at speed, with the help of a Skilled rider. The woman seeming to doubt their actions, while the man stubbornly rode on ahead.

Would they really double cross them? Just take their artifacts and money and leave without helping them? Jack couldn’t tell, but he started having the ugly feeling that he wouldn’t like the answer he could receive to that question.

Still, they needed to actually stop them and question them or all this speculating was a moot point.

“Nole.” Jack said. “Can you take us off the road? Try to gain on them and drive parallel to them. On the left.”

“I can try, sir.” The man said and used his Skill to advance.

The carriage immediately started shaking, from the speed and terrain both.

“Why’d you ask him to do that?”

“Because we can tank a |Fireball|. Not properly, right Brom?”

“I believe I could, but the blast would probably still take us off the carriage.”

“Thought so. So we put Larissa between us and Penor.”

“You think he won’t just shoot through her?”

“If he proves to be that sort of a man, then you have my permission to use one of the incendiary arrows.” Jack grimly said.

Ava looked taken aback, but nodded.

While they had been talking Nole advanced. It was more difficult, overtaking them via the uneven field, as the man had to dodge bumps and shrubs of all kinds. But he did it. In seconds, they were aligned so that the guard woman and Larissa were between Penor and themselves.

And to Jack’s relief, that stopped the man from triggering his artifact again.

“Good. Now, Ava, can you stop Penor from here?”

“…not without killing him.” The satyr said.

“Damn. Brom, you don’t have any long-range Skills. In that case, I only have the one idea. But it’s borderline impossible.”

“Aw, now that’s just cute.” She grinned. “Since when did words like that ever apply to us?”

He shared his plan, to Brom’s increasing look of consternation and Ava’s widening grin. By the time he was done talking, the dwarf was vigorously shaking his head.

“No.”

“Yes!” Ava grinned.

“There must be a better way.”

“But not a more awesome one.”

“This isn’t about being awesome.” Jack said. “It’s about stopping him without killing him, preferably before the carriage breaks down or one of our horses breaks a foot. Now, are we doing this or not?”

Brom looked peeved, but nodded. Ava meanwhile was all a smile.

“Remember, only shoot if needed. Otherwise, you’ll throw me off.”

“Oh, it’ll be needed. I can feel it.”

“Ready.” Brom said, who had been hammering his axe into his shield.

“All right. Here goes nothing.”

Jack took a step forward and jumped with all his might on Brom’s shield, kicking off of it.

“|Blast|!”

The recoil from the Spell and his jump lifted him in the air. But the true power here was the momentum which had accumulated in Brom’s shield until now, helped by the dwarf’s furious hits. The magical artifact released all its stored energy, propelling Jack.

By a lot.

Jack flew, over Larissa’s horse, soaring up and descending into Penor’s direction. Who, against Jack’s hopes, raised his hand. The man looked troubled, anguished. But still he aimed at Jack.

Really hoped you didn’t do that.

A |Fireball| started to stream from one of his rings. It was coming straight for Jack. It would have hit him too, if not for another Spell.

“|Light Arrow|!”

The luminescent arrow hit Penor’s Spell, detonating it and searing his hand. Jack’s gamble paid off. He wasn’t sure if a normal arrow could have done that, but he noticed Ava’s latest Skill worked a lot like his own Spells. It seems one could receive Spells for Skill, without even knowing it. Or close enough to not matter.

Yet, the maneuver wasn’t done yet. As Jack fell towards the man, he raised his on hand.

“|Ensnaring Vines|!”

Vines shot out from Jack’s hand, connecting Penor and himself. And since the young man was currently falling, his momentum transferred to Penor, who was promptly yanked off his horse.

Time resumed its normal speed and Jack felt pain. Sure, Penor broke some of his fall, but it still hurt. Looking up, he saw the carriage coming back on the road and forcing Larissa and the guard woman to slow down. In fact, whatever Brom shouted must have spooked the hired arm, for she unsaddled Larissa and took off, with Ava firing ‘friendly’ shots next to her as she galloped off.

Penor groaned, in a heave on the ground. His shielding Spell kept him intact, but he still looked bruised.

“Stay down.” Jack said. “That ring of yours is out of mana. No |Fireball|, no speed, no shield. Stay down!”

Brom and Ava neared in a few moments, as Larissa went to her knees next to Penor, checking on him.

“Please, have mercy! We just wanted to be left alone.”

“Left alone with all our gold.” Ava snapped.

“Thievery is a crime.” Brom agreed.

“Why? Why not simply help us?” Jack asked. “We gave you a good price. We promised you even more. So why do this? Why try to run?”

The woman looked fearful, looking between the three of them and Penor. Penor himself… looked afraid. But also content. Like he knew what was about to happen.

“Because I can’t help you.” The man finally said, voice tired.

“WHY?!” Jack snapped. “Do you really think we can’t keep a secret? No one will find out about you. Or they’ll only find out when The Baron has you and can guard you with an entire kingdom.”

“It’s not that, my friend. I’m sorry.”

“Really don’t think you should keep on using ‘my friend’, you know?” Ava said.

“Penor, talk to me.” Jack said. “Why can’t you help me?”

The man simply looked at Larissa, as the woman wept.

“I’m so tired.”

“Damn it, Penor! Why?”!

“Because I’m not a |Royal Administrator|!” the man shouted, before his voice died down. “I never was.”