Nico held Whispering Reed low, his stance open. He closed his eyes. Immediately, robbed of his sight, his other senses heightened. Warm sand crunched under his bare feet. He felt the wind rustle his pure hair and heard the persisting pants of his opponent. Behind him were the villagers, huddled together in anticipation. He could feel their hope, their fears, and their wonder. Opening his eyes, Nico’s will sharpened and he lunged. This was his purpose.

“Get out!” The bartender had thrown his half filled mug at Nico’s head. Nico blocked and stumbled back. The rest of the tavern was tense, whispers flying around. The bartender went for another cup, to his customer’s dismay. Nico lunged forward, covering the distance with his enhanced abilities. The man was coiling back when Nico reached him.

“Throwing things isn't nice.” Nico slammed the cup into the counter, splintering the wood. He glanced around planning his next move. His mind itched to fight. ‘A bar fight.’ But he stopped. Upon further inspection, he saw that most of the customers were in a sorry state. Covered in dirt and grime and many were scrawny. Nico cooled his thoughts, returning his attention to the bartender.

“Foreigners are trouble. Leave before I call the Guard.” Nico released his grip and hopped down. “One question. Where can I find some monsters?”

“The woods,” Someone said, their voice betraying their hostilities. Nico nodded and turned away. “Bastards.” He muttered.

Nico leaned against the rough wood of a fence. His first meeting had not gone favorably. He reached up and stroked his lengthening hair. ‘What was that man thinking?’ Ilfford seemed wholeheartedly confident in Nico’s ability to become a hero, yet Nico himself had no clues as to how. ‘Steal from the rich, give to the poor,’ Nico quoted from a children's book. The idea was fantastical, and naive. His battle with the Shadow walker was proof enough of how small of a well he lived in.

Nico flinched and caught a wrapped cloth. The girl from before nodded to him and sat down. Nico unwrapped the cloth to reveal strips of salted jerky.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m repaying you for your help.”

“I didn’t help for payment,” Nico held out the jerky to return it. “I can get my own food.” The girl scrutinized Nico, obviously shocked by his refusal.

“I don’t like debts.” She responded. Nico raised an eyebrow. He’d offered her back her food, but she was insistent that he eat it. Instead he wrapped the meat up and stowed them in his satchel.

“Thank you.” Nico stood up and strode towards the forest. The town was surrounded by a vast clearing of fields, yet the trees were visible. They were tall and tapered to tips with thick canopies up and down their trunk. It was hard to tell an individual tree apart at night.

Nico wandered to the edge of the town. It was in a sorry state. The houses were flimsy frames of wood covered with weaved straw covered in holes. It was surprising to find a sturdy building at the edge with a boundary of stone. The barracks. Armored men sat around fires chatting. A sweet aroma of stew filled this side of town. It made sense. This side faced the forest and had to contend with beasts that came out. ‘The contrast,’ Nico understood the town’s hostilities. They had little for themselves, so anything that could jeopardize that was unwanted. The guards paid Nico no attention, seemingly fine with the stranger leaving for the forest. He even heard a few make wagers.

The girl followed a few paces back, curious of the strangers motives. Nico waited right outside the forest and eyed the darkness beyond. It called to him.

“You’re not seriously going in there?” Nico turned to find the girl several meters back, ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

“Why not? Can’t a man enjoy the thrill of a hunt?” Nico summoned his strength and climbed the nearest tree with astonishing speed. The gawking girl vanished behind leaves. Nico picked up her surprised outburst. “Path finder.” A myriad of sensations entered Nico’s mind as he felt emotions. Instincts well up in his mind from dozens of creatures. Survival.

Nico stressed his body and leapt to the next branch, snatching a small rodent as he landed. The creature squirmed in his grip, and Nico felt a faint feeling of terror from it. He activated his aspect and merged with the creature.

He transverse the branches with ease, his small body adapt to jumping and climbing. He could see much better in the dark too, finding his prey much easier.

Nico held himself upside down and watched the slumbering beast. ‘An awakened monster.’ He carefully crawled closer and studied the nightmare creature. It resembled a grotesque lizard with its tail missing. It had four powerful limbs with sharp fur lining its body. The creature stirred.

Nico backed up the tree, cautious and watchful. The lizard’s eyes opened and it licked the air. Slowly the lizard turned to face directly at Nico.

‘Did it sense me?’ He clambered back under the creature's gaze and disappeared from sight and smell. He was too small for the creature to bother chasing. His time ran out. Nico reverted back into a human, his mind fuzzy from being another creature. It was less serious with weaker beasts.

“A creature that can see me at night and smell me.” Smiling, Nico hung from the branches. He took out the jerky from before and savored the smell. Two feathers appeared on his ear. Nico let go. Whispering Reed manifested in his hand in a blinding display. Then he dropped the meat. The blinded lizard exploded into action, attacking the savory smell. Nico dropped a moment later, slamming on top of the monster and driving his sword into the monster’s head. The copper blade slid to the side with a flash of sparks.

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The creature rolled, sending Nico to the ground and pounced. Nico managed to avoid being crushed and sliced the monster across the nose. The lizard hissed and attacked, hitting Nico lick a battering ram. Nico slammed into a tree and dropped Whispering Reed.

Sharp teeth cut Nico’s hands as he held the creatures maw away from his neck. “Bastard,” Nico leaned in and bit off the creature's tongue, grinning wildly. The lizard reeled back in haste and Nico scrambled up a tree. He reached a great height in a few short moments and looked back. The lizard was climbing just as well as he was.

Nico pulled himself higher. Fear creeping into his heart. But next to that fear was a thrill. Nico felt alive. He felt the lizard's claws just below his feet. Another second and the lizard would catch him.

Nico jumped across the expanse of darkness and caught another branch. The wood crashed into his chest, almost making him lose his grip. He swung himself up and summoned back his sword. The lizard followed him with its eyes and snarled. It oriented itself and jumped after him. The branch shook, giving a disturbing crackle.

‘The higher branches are thinner.’ Nico contemplated his options. The lizard was a proficient climber and would likely catch him before he could get higher. Looking down to the hidden ground, Nico swallowed. His mouth was dry. It would take precious seconds for his sword to appear, enough time for the lizard to rip him apart. Nico stepped back a little, staring down the monster. It stepped forward, rising as the branch bent back.

“Watch closely,” Nico said. He sprinted forward and prepared to jump. The monster anticipated this and stood on its hind legs to catch him mid air. But Nico slid between the lizard's legs before jumping. The branch rose for a second before Nico’s weight slammed back into it. The lizard spun in time to watch the wood snap, releasing them both to gravity. Nico smiled as the lizard passed him and hit the ground with a resounding crunch. He gracefully landed nearby and held his sword. The lizard was a mess of twisted limbs and broken bones. ‘A hundred meter fall can’t kill you.’ Nico respected the lizard and stabbed it through the mouth until the spell spoke.

Orina watched the line of trees with an anxious expression. The mysterious pathfinder had gone in hours ago and the sun was now rising. ‘What are you doing worrying about him?’ A part of her laughed at herself for her worry. She’d just met the boy not even a day ago and she was sitting here like a lover.

‘The mystery,’ Orina thought. In her short life, she’d only ever known the town and farming. Education was for the rich and eloquence was for their wives. Neither of which she’d become. Her calloused hands and rugged features were not too appealing, especially when layered with dirt.

A white haired pathfinder wandered into her monotone life, and she wanted to know what would happen. The freeloaders walked by on their ‘patrols’ eyeing her with scorn. She should be working to help support their easy lives. ‘They battle monsters. Respect them even if you don't like them.’ Contrary to her logic, she returned their looks. They walked away looking offended and baffled that she’d both literally and figuratively looked down at them. Smiling to herself she waited longer.

Then she saw him. The boy trudged out of the forest, pulling something heavy behind him. She watched him pull the something dead behind him and suppressed a smile. When he was almost to the town he stopped and waved at her.

“Are you going to just sit there?” He asked.

“Asking a lady to help drag a body. Did your parents never teach you manners?”

“Couldn't have since their dead,” The pathfinder replied. Orina stopped her retort and saw his satisfied expression that said: That shut her up.

Lowering her voice she said, “I’m sorry.”

“You wouldn’t have a pot around would you? A really large pot.” The boy changed the subject and looked like he was gauging how big a pot he’d need to cook the creature. Then it hit her.

“You killed that?” She nearly fell off the wall and fumbled for balance.

“Well the fall crippled it, I just skewered it once or twice.” The boy ignored her near death and muttered incoherent things to himself.

‘Nico. His name is Nico,’ she remembered. She got down from the wall, and noticed how big the creature was. ‘It would be enough to feed a family for days. Three meals,’ She eyed Nico trying to figure the boy out.

‘When did he get a sword?’ The boy hacked at the body. It took several swings to break into the flesh before it became easy to cut. He nonchalantly handed her a heavy limb and looked at her.

“Pot?” He asked again.

“Um. The closest thing would be the mayor’s bath, but trust me you wouldn’t want to use it.” Orina thought for a second, looking at the arm in her arms. “Come with me, I have a few at home.” She left Nico to drag the body and hummed a little.

Nico felt the girls giddy emotions and smiled. Turns out dragging the corpse of a monster through a town tends to gather attention. The townsfolk gawked at the kill and some inquired as to what he’d do with it. They stayed a healthy distance back, subconsciously wary of the man who killed the beast.

Orina’s cottage was like the rest, with a wooden frame and straw walls. But one wall was up against another stone building, providing a bit of support. ‘The smith shop,’ the stone building, had three walls and a room in the back. Orina strode up to a bearded man and hastily talked to the man. Eventually she handed off the arm and collected some of the wood.

In a few hours they were cooking a wonderful stew from the meat. Nico stirred several pots at once as he cooked. Even without spice, the stew tasted delightful. He knew because of the crowd that was forming around them.

However, before he could serve them. They parted for a procession. A oily man walked through wearing a stylish suit. Behind him was a squad of guards and an imposing man holding an already drawn longsword.

Nico stood, cursing his luck. He’d hoped to at least feed the town before the troubles began.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jay was horrified. The shriveled body was days old. Guards cut the silk away to properly dispose of the body. Neaudiel stood behind him with a grim expression. Four bodies in a week. The whole reason for this nightmare had finally acted. What was worse was that it was within the walls of the palace. ‘Damnation.’