"Listen, Malin-" Stein leans in over the counter and faces me. "Use my full name!" I interrupt him, but he doesn't seem to care. "-It's time we had the talk." He seems tired, but I get the feeling it wasn't from all the cooking he had to do today. The usual afternoon rush wasn't too bad this time. So it likely had more to do with the topic of this 'talk' he wanted to have.

"What talk?" I assent and pull one of the chairs nearby closer so I can sit down. Backwards, obviously, the backrest is quite convenient for laying your head and arms on. Instead of an answer he pulls out two shot glasses and pours some whiskey into each glass before sliding one my way. I catch it with a huff. Never liked alcohol, it makes people act stupid and then ... 'accidents' happen. Plus it tastes awful.

"The talk about your future. I've taken care of you best I could, but I'm not a good father." Said the man I've come closest to thinking of as my actual dad. But I know he doesn't like to be interrupted, so I keep my complaint quiet and let him continue. "And besides, it's obvious you want to... look into your heritage. You've taken to weapons training like a fish to water. The last thing I want is to hold you back, so, I'd like to ask you what you want to do? Where do you want to go?"

I see him swirl the liquid in his shot glass, but he doesn't drink it yet. I push mine to the side instead. "First of all, you're like a dad to me. I don't think there's some dad competition out there, but for what it counts, I think you did great." His eyes soften at the acknowledgment. "Second of all... I think you're right. I want to... I want to go where mom wanted to take me and become a proper hunter. Prancin' Horse, You... this town... You gave me a lot, you helped me when I was down." I look towards one of the walls. The action probably seems nonsensical to anyone looking at me, but I know. In that direction - roughly twenty meters away - is where mom died. "But there's a lot of pain here too. Baggage that I can't be rid of if I'm reminded of it on the daily." I hear him let out a resigned sigh.

"Thought so." My attention is finally drawn away from staring at the wall when I hear the ringing of coins on the counter and look at the small pile of valuables. "So, like I said, it's time we had the talk. The power talk." I snort at the ridiculous name. "I believe you mentioned that Dave explained his to you. That he's a survivor, and that's what his power lets him do. Well I'm a tradesman." He points towards the small pile of coins. "And these here are my power." That.. doesn't he just get them from running an inn? How is that a power? My face must have given my confusion away because he elaborates. "I just know which coins are fake and which are not."

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

"Right, and what's that got to do with anything?" I ask, still not quite sure why we're on this topic. "Malinka, what's your power?" I open my mouth and... I don't have a response. I frown and dive into the memories of past several years and... nothing. But before I can think deeper on the topic, he continues. "Hunters like you and your mom... your powers are not so simple. For me, I look at a coin and it either feels right or wrong. It's like an extra sense. But if you compare what I or David can do to Morana... there's a rather large gulf isn't there?" My thoughts trail back to those days many years ago. I've seen her fall into one shadow and leap from another far away, I've seen her drown the world in darkness, and I've ran through walls in that very same darkness... that's... each one of these alone would dwarf Stein's power. And yet they all came from a single person. Doesn't everyone have just one power?

Stein's voice picks up again as he continues. "People with the potential to become hunters like her and like you... your power is much more... abstract and hard to understand. And one of the requirements to becoming a full hunter is to have mastery over your own power, until then you're just an initia-"

"How do you know all this?" I interrupt him and receive and an annoyed scowl. And a response. "My... husband was a hunter. One who retired. Not many of those around. One day he started telling me about how things were back at Eldorath, during training." His eyes glaze over for a moment, clearly remembering some ancient memory. "That and a bunch of other irrelevant stuff you shouldn't worry about." He frowns yet again and focuses on me once more.

"My point is, you've been doing great at the whole swordfighting thing, but you haven't even started approaching what it means to be a hunter. And if you want to do that, following where Morana wanted to take you seems like a good idea. I don't think I can help you with that here. I just.. I just don't know enough." His words at the end sound bitter, but I understand where he's coming from. "So, I've saved up a bunch of money for you to be able to afford whatever you need for when you decide to go." Several more gold coins hit the table and add to the coin-pile Stein made earlier. "And remember, you'll always have a home here." He adds with a smile before raising his glass to me.

After a moment's hesitation, I return the gesture. Alcohol still tastes awful.