After making sure Shelove and Soulseeker are resting, and the wounded are being tended to, Koronos gathers a small amount of provisions for the journey and heads off to the bay, but before he can leave, Nombi insists he lets her bind the dagger wound in his belly. At first, he protests because he knows he heals much faster than normal human or Kazarian men, until she points out the blood that streamed down from the stab wound and onto his breeches, and halfway down his leg.

While she stitches the wound close, she says, “so many Meibon are hurt and dead, I’ve never experienced such wanton killing and a complete lack of reverence for the life of others, why are men so destructive and hateful?”

Ignoring the pain of being stitched, he replies after a moment, “although I am only a bit older than you and I have only been on this world for a short time, but from what I have seen, I can only say men enjoy hurting each other. There is no higher purpose nor meaning in it. Do not look for answers where there are none to be found, it will only lead to the suffering and torment of your spirit.”

After that, Nombi doesn’t speak again, but has a profound sadness in her eyes and a tear runs down her cheek. Once she stitches the wound with silk thread and binds his wound, Koronos says to her, “thank you, once again.” However, it is she that gives him a careful hug. This is surprising to him, and he asks, “what is that for?”

“For being here, for helping the Meibon, for standing up for what’s right,” she says while looking up at him, making solid eye contact, with the wisdom and confidence of someone older than her age.

His face is like carved wood, and he responds, “don’t… for I’m no hero, you don’t know the things I’ve done in war. I’ve slayed more men than I can account for. Some were probably bad men, but I doubt they all were. And the killing for this fight isn’t over yet. In the end, the Goddess of Death comes for us all, someday she will come calling for me; I only ask that it will be with honor when that day arrives.”

She solemnly watches him as he walks away.

Ignoring the minor pain of his wound, he travels on through the middle of the day and into the night, reaching the bay well past midnight, travel was a little slower without Shelove’s night vision and trying not to rip out stitches. He hears something behind him, he uses his abilities to reach out with his mind to see if it is an animal, it’s Shelove. She followed him and caught up with him because she can see better in the darkness. She approaches.

“You should be resting, but I am pleased to see you,” he says to her, and he rubs her head with his hand.

Using the Bond, she conveys, “the wounds are not as bad as they appear, I can travel.”

After searching for a bit, they find where they left the boat, he drags it into the water of the bay, and they cross the bay to Little Rock Island under the pale light from Sleeping Dragon far overhead in the night sky as nocturnal avian predators call out.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Once they are to the island, he goes along the dock, the normal barking dog doesn’t bark as usual, it sees him but runs and hides. Being kicked into the sea by Stromhynd has tempered its enthusiasm to bark at people on the docks, possibly the presence of Shelove doesn’t help with the animal’s trauma either.

Inside the village proper, it’s eerily quiet and no one on the pathways or in the village square but he can occasionally hear a weeping woman or child when passing dwellings, likely lamenting that their father is dead, lying in a field near the Meibon village. Ultimately, he reaches his destination; Hidgken’s manor.

There is a closed and locked iron gate in the front, Koronos kicks it with all his force, breaking hinges off, the gate falls on the stones with a loud crash. Naturally, the main entrance is closed, it’s a heavy wooden door with patterns carved into the surface. That door is also kicked down by the Kazarian, causing another loud crash. Women scream inside the building, likely Hidgken’s wives and or servants.

A large black dog barks and growls at Koronos, but he reaches out with the Bond, tells it not to interfere, it stops barking and slowly backs away. Although he has the power to command most animals, he doesn’t like doing this, but he is tired, annoyed and doesn’t have the patience at the moment to befriend the animal. Shelove makes no effort to even acknowledge the dog, seeing it as beneath her, she could easily kill the largest of dogs with a single lightning quick swipe of her huge paw.

There is a little pavilion in the back of the manor that is partially outdoors that overlooks the bay, perched on the cliff, this is where Hidgken is cowering. As soon as Koronos walks through the threshold, an arrow flies at his chest, courtesy of the last bodyguard, however, the Kazarian catches the arrow. The point makes a cut on his chest as his lightning-fast reflexes snatch it from the air.

The loyal guard draws his sword, does a war-cry and charges Koronos, he swings the sword for his neck. In an instant, the Kazarian side steps the attack and grabs the guard’s wrist and punches the man in the belly, knocking his wind out of his lungs, he drops the sword, falls to the ground clutching his abdomen and gasping for air as he vomits. Koronos delivers a powerful right cross to the man’s jaw, breaking it and knocking him unconscious.

“Wait, wait, wait, don’t kill me, please, please, please,” whimpers Hidgken, pleading as he cowers behind his lounging chair.

Even though he doesn’t feel much like talking, Koronos answers him nonetheless, “I warned you, I told you, I said leave the Meibon be, but you couldn’t let it go.” As he speaks, he grabs the portly merchant, dragging him to the edge of the pavilion, a sheer cliff drops off at the edge.

“Please, please, I learned my lesson, I won’t bother them anymore, I promise!” Hidgken’s voice is now a full octave higher.

Koronos looks at him as he grabs his throat, “I wish I could believe you, but you are without honor, killing you is beneath my contempt; however, I’ll make an exception for you.”

“No, no, no! Please gods, save me!” cries the merchant, choking a little from the large blue hand on his neck.

Koronos looks around to see if any gods appear to intercede, but only the wind blows, and the waves crash on the rocks far below. He generously waits a few moments, satisfied that no gods are going to come, nods his head a little bit, then he throws the merchant over the low wall. Hidgken falls fifty paces, screaming all the way down until the sudden stop as his body breaks on the rocks at the breakwater at the base of the cliff.

With Shelove next to him, the Kazarian sits on Hidgken’s lounging chair looking out at the sea until dawn comes, while thinking about what to do next. No one comes to bother him, the guard eventually gains consciousness and leaves, clutching his broken jaw. Koronos slowly pets Shelove.