“What is your name kiddo?”

“Donny, sir”

“Don’t sir me, kid, I am not THAT old. Whatever, what do you people do with the bodies of your dead ones?”

The boy faltered, remembering the loss of his family, and tears started streaking down his face. He was breaking more and more every single second. He was alone now.

He couldn’t stop the tears, in his mind he still saw their haunted faces hearing their screams of pain. His mother, little Tilly, and Little White.

He was shocked when Little White charged into the clearing and started killing the bandits. He met Little White a couple of months ago. It was seriously wounded and for some reason when he saw it, he decided to help. Since that time the wolf avoided their farm, but also all the other monsters which attacked their farm from time to time before stopped coming.

But even though the wolf was no longer attacking him, Donny knew that this courtesy didn’t extend to others. Knew that it was still a wild animal that would kill anyone else. What he didn't know was that the wolf was secretly protecting the farmstead not only from monsters but also people.

It has already found two armed groups marching on the farm. It didn't know what the people may want, but it couldn't ask, and it wouldn't anyway, it just got rid of the problem.

That’s why he was shocked that when the bandits were about to finish him the wolf appeared out of nowhere and just started killing them. Even dying for him.

The boy with the tears still falling didn’t even pay attention to the strangeness of the question. Everyone on the continent knew to burn the bodies of their deceased. No one wanted their loved ones to wake up again as undead.

Only very wealthy nobles could afford the sanctifications necessary to bury a body, and to consecrate the land where they bury their family from the Church of Light. It took at least a Master Priest for the ritual, not just anyone could afford it including many less wealthy noble families.

“We must burn them, free their soul from the mortal shell, and let them return into the embrace of the Father of Light Thoures.”

Mark quickly turned to the kid. This was the first time he had heard any mention of religion since he came to this world.

He was starting to think, they didn't worship anything here, it would be weird, as people would naturally seek something greater to place their dreams and hopes on. For that reason, so many religions existed on Earth independently of the civilizations' knowledge of each other. Even leading to many wars.

His only concern now was that there hasn’t been one decent organization waving the flag of Light that was anywhere close to a righteous one standing in the Light.

From his experience the more light there was, the deeper the shadows.

Of course, he couldn’t ask more about it. Religion had that quality to it that most people tended to treat as common knowledge.

Any questions not asked in an academic manner would be looked upon weirdly.

They continued walking, Mark asking the boy questions about his life, what he did, and what he was capable of. He found out that the boy was on the cusp of receiving his class. He mostly trained with the bow like his father.

Donny was also hoping to get the ranger class, even though he was working on a farm for a long time, he would surely get some craftsman class choices, but based on his skills there was still a chance that Ranger would appear within his choices.

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When the bandits arrived his mother started asking them questions, and before he knew it a man appeared behind her and held her hostage, making him unable to shoot even a single arrow. Then, they, they…did those things to them and killed them.

Hearing this Mark was glad he killed them all, he only regretted allowing them to get off this easily. It was just ingrained in him, to finish the job as quickly as possible. But today he started feeling something he has never felt before. Righteous anger, he felt that he should have made them pay more for what they had done.

Stopping in place, he was startled. Where did it come from he never felt something like that, he was trained to never feel anything, to never let emotions guide his actions.

It was a strange feeling, one he could not pinpoint if it was a good thing or a bad one that it started happening.

Eventually, they arrived at the clearing. Seeing the bodies of his family Donny who has just about calmed down started crying again. Without words, he walked towards the bodies and started carrying them to the middle of the clearing.

Seeing that the boy was in good enough condition, Mark waited a little ways away. He knew it was something the boy should do alone. The boy carried both bodies, having some trouble with his mother, he was still injured from earlier.

Then he gathered some dry wood from the forest around, he even got some firewood, and logs from the house and barn.

Slowly he set up a pyre and lay the bodies atop, he got some lamp oil from the house and poured it over.

With all that done Mark walked over and stood with the boy as Donny lit the fire. They stood there in silence, there was no need to say anything. Slowly the pyre burned cleansing the atrocities that happened to his family, leaving only ash and bones.

After a couple of hours, the fire died down. The evening was coming “What do we do with them now?” Mark asked pointing to the other bodies.

Donny looked at the bodies of the bandits, his eyes no longer shedding tears, it looked like the fire burned all of them away.

“We must burn them too, but they are not getting a pyre, maybe we can haul them to the barn and light it on fire.”

They started dragging the bodies into the barn Mark saw that the boy tried to haul the body of the wolf, but it wouldn’t budge. Even if they both tried it would be of no use.

The body was way too heavy. They could only leave it to the wilderness. Setting the barn on fire Donny only looked at it for a second before entering the house. After some time he came out with a backpack, his bow, and his mother’s sword.

He was holding another sack and he went over to the pyre to gather his family's bones.

“We can go, there is nothing more here for me” Donny stood up walked over to Mark and they set off for Pharia. When they saw the town on the horizon Mark stopped and turned to Donny.

“You go on ahead, head for the Dancing Goblin, and talk to Joe, the barkeep. Wait there for me. I have a couple of things to do, should be back in a few hours.”

“What you are not coming with me?”

“Yes, I must complete some business in the forest, won’t take longer than three to four hours. Just wait for me ok?”

Donny looked a bit uncertain, his whole world shattered and the only support he has right now was Mark, he felt naked, and lonely when he heard, his savior was leaving him. Mark knew that, but he wouldn’t have the boy lose his sense of independence and place all his trust in someone besides himself. In the end, you could only trust yourself in this world.

Finally, the kid took a deep breath nodded, and continued his trek to Pharia. Mark turned and headed back to the last campsite he found. He ended up killing all the bandits so he couldn’t follow them to their base, but he thought of something, if a group didn’t come back they would most probably send someone to investigate, the only problem was that he wasn’t sure at what time would they grow suspicious enough to send people.

He could only post up near the camp and wait.

Fortunately, he only had to wait for a little over an hour when he heard the footsteps of a group of people coming over. They were talking in low voices so he couldn’t hear them yet.

Slowly creeping over he finally saw them. Five people in what he has come to realize standard combination for this world. One heavy armored warrior with a shield in the front, two archers in the back one other warrior focused on damage and rogue scouting around the party. Alas, no amount of composition will help when no one is taking their roles seriously.

The bandits were just walking along, their rogue talking with the vanguard with no care in the world, the archers weren't alert at all, and the damage-dealing warrior just walking along looking into the sky.

Truly a disgraceful display, Mark wouldn’t complain though, it would only make it an easier job for him.