“Where are you going?” I asked as Bernice had turned to the sound and started moving toward it.

She turned back, frowning. “It sounds like someone is in trouble.”

“That’s possible.” I shrugged. “However, it’s only trouble. We already learned what we needed to. Now, we’re just waiting to return home.”

“What are you saying? We should just leave them to get hurt?”

“They’ve lived in this place far longer than we have. If they do reckless things, it’s none of our concern.”

“What kind of Hero are you?” Bernice snapped.

She looked to the other two girls for support. However, Garnet continued to read her electronic pad, and Carmine was sharpening her sword. It was clear neither had planned to get up either. Her expression soured.

“You’re all going to sit back and do nothing? Someone could be dying right now! It might even be humans!” Bernice protested.

I sighed, standing up. Bernice’s eyes widened and she looked at me hesitantly.

“Y-you’re going?’”

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“They’re coming this direction.”

I had pulled out the Map, and I could see the people running this way. They were also not considered a threat according to the Map, but they were being followed by those considered a threat. It looked like we weren’t being given a choice. I might have even relocated us, but I couldn’t decide if that was the right decision. It was barely thirty seconds later when we could hear footsteps in the forest outside the cave.

Bernice turned and pulled out her guns. I put the illusions upon each of us so that we appeared as Feys. Carmine also stood up, and even Garnet grabbed her war hammer. A group of people busted out of the forest. Although they couldn’t see us in the dark, we could see them in the light. One of them pointed to the cave.

“In the cave!”

I made an irritated noise. Perhaps I should use Teleport after all. No, it was better to stand and fight. This was a good defensible position, and even if push came to shove, we could escape later.

The group consisted of eight people. Four of them appeared to be human, and the other four were familiar. It was the woman I had encountered in the city, as well as three of her guards. They looked haggard like they had all been in a fight. The force following them consisted of nearly twenty.

“Subdue.” I breathed the order.

As the first four entered, they were brought down quickly and easily. They were humans, so I hoped I could get information from them. I didn’t want to kill them, but I also didn’t want them to let out a warning. The Fey guards and the noblewoman were protecting the rear. As they reached the entrance they stopped and didn’t call the humans or notice us. The blond-haired woman seemed to be casting some kind of spell. A moment later, what appeared like a forcefield surrounded the entrance like a bubble. She let out a breath, turning to enter the cave with her companions.

They stopped as they came face to face with my group. “Give me a reason not to kill you all.”