He stood at the side of the road, looking down the hill as he dry-heaved for a second time.

I just killed someone.

Another heave threatened to come, but he pushed it down as he used the fur sleeve of his top to wipe his mouth.

I just killed someone.

That one-eyed stare returned like a spectre to haunt his every waking thought as an unblinking eye refused to look away. Images filled his mind of a falling brick, faces locked in madness, another in death, only this time, the dead face he saw was his own.

"Little Than, are you okay?" His mother asked again, snapping him out of whatever he was in.

"I'm okay." He replied, turning around to find his mother kneeling beside him with a concerned look.

I just killed someone.

That thought chewed through him, threatening to send him back to that place with that face locked in torment. He looked at his mother and then past her, taking in the carnage left behind by the attack as people scurried around.

His gaze wandered to an empty spot beside the left wheel of a wagon. There was only a dark red spot there now, a gruesome reminder that marked where he had lost his innocence.

"Look at me, little Than, it's all going to be okay." His mother said as she leaned forward and wrapped him up in a tight hug.

Tears trickled down his cheeks, soaked up by his mother's hair. He wasn't sure if he was crying for the life of the man he had just taken, for the death of the boy that was, or both.

After some time, he stopped crying, feeling he had run out of tears. Stepping back from his mother's warm embrace, he realised that Marcus knelt beside them, watching him with a troubled look.

"How're you doing, son?" He asked as he placed his large hand on his shoulder.

"I've just killed someone." That was all he knew to say. His parents shared a look before Marcus reached out and tilted his chin up until their eyes met.

"You did what you had to do. There's nothing wrong with doing what you did to protect those you care about, understand?" He said, and Thanos noticed the usual amber hues in his eyes seemed brighter today. These eyes weren't dead. They were full of life.

"I understand."

"Come on, let's get you a warm drink, and you can rest in the back of the cart with your mother. How does that sound?" Marcus said and stood up as the three of them walked back hand in hand.

After getting a hot drink, he got into the back with his mother, and even though he hadn't been awake long, he was mentally exhausted and fell asleep almost instantly.

Marcus watched them go as the worrying look on his face morphed into anger as one of the other guards walked over.

"Report." Marcus snapped at the man as they walked together down the column of wagons.

"Several injuries, mostly minor and one near fatal. Cassandra caught an attack on her upper shoulder that punctured her lung and left her close to death. She probably would've bled out before we got to her if the ice hadn't frozen everything around the wound. We did what we could, and she should last until we get her to a healer in the city." The younger man in matching leather armour said.

"We also captured the bandit leader you injured and a few of the others that surrendered. What should we do with them?"

"Take them into the woods. I'll join you in a moment." Marcus flatly called over his shoulder as he walked off.

He strode over to where his weapon was stuck upright in the ground and wrenched it free, turning towards the nearby line of trees.

If Thanos had been there to see his eyes now, he wouldn't have found that dancing flicker of life but grim finality instead.

* * *

He woke after a few hours to find the convoy on the move again, but this time, he was in the back with his mother and the other children. Both women who sat in the back had been injured, with one of them quite serious, and she was being cared for in another cart.

The atmosphere in the wagon was subdued, with no one saying much as the other children were still dealing with their fear from earlier. He was thankful that was the case, as he wasn't sure he could deal with many lively kids right now.

He used that quiet time to reflect and come to terms with what had happened earlier. His emotions weren't as raw now, and the cathartic release from earlier helped a lot.

He knew the bandits attacking weren't good people, and the one he had killed even went after an infant in his hatred. The world was probably a better place without them, and knowing all this and that he did it to save lives made the guilt come down a considerable amount.

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He still didn't like the idea of killing more people but felt that if it were a choice between that or those he cared about getting hurt, he would do it again in a heartbeat.

This self-admittance felt like another weight had lifted from his soul, and even though it wasn't the same feeling he had when he formed his will, it still felt like he had expanded in some way mentally.

The caravan arrived at their next resting point as night fell, and it was a quick scramble to get set up again before true darkness fell. They pulled off to the side of the rough road into another prepared space and spent the night there.

Come morning, they set off again, and thankfully, they left unhindered this time. Thanos and his mother had returned to the front at his request so that he could get a better view of the world.

Around noon, their little road winding through a forest of trees joined a much larger one made from a smooth stone that reminded him of the road surfaces back on Earth. The constant up-and-down motion he had grown accustomed to was now missing due to the better surface.

It was big enough for two carriages to travel side by side, and they sometimes passed others coming in the opposite direction. The road was pretty busy, and they were passed in both directions by various travellers who lacked lumbering carts. Some rode mounts, but a couple ran by on foot at insane speeds.

"Mother, who's that?" He said as he pointed at a sizeable mounted unit of armoured men that overtook them on the road.

A large banner flew above them, depicting a yellow sun above a white triangle-shaped mountain that sat on a green background. The men rode big wolf-type beasts that looked as vicious as their riders.

"Those men belong to the prefecture lord of the rising mountain province. The city we are heading towards, Kallipolis, is the provincial capital." Valeria said as she glanced at the giant stomping beasts as they passed.

"It isn't unusual to see a patrol on the road. It helps scare off bandit attacks." She replied as he sat next to her, holding onto the seat.

Her words made his mind return to the morning before. The whole thing still haunted him, but he found his mental state more sturdy with everything that had happened to him in the past few years, so he shrugged it off.

He wasn't over it by a long shot, but he refused to let the death of such a man become a mental burden.

A few mounted men split away from the patrol and moved towards their convoy.

"In the name of the provincial lord. State who you are, where you come from and where you're going." A swarthy-looking man at the head of the small group called out.

His father, riding at the front and to the side of the wagon he was on, called back in reply.

"Travellers from Mysthaven heading to the capital for trading."

The small group of five moved closer alongside his father as their leader spoke, his voice loud enough to carry over the sound of turning wheels.

"Mysthaven? I've never heard of it. If you can't prove your identity, you will follow us for inspection." The man said, his voice laced with a bit of obvious contempt.

"Is this proof enough?" Marcus said, tossing a small black metal medallion over with red markings on the surface.

The man's arm moved quickly, catching the piece of metal, but he didn't seem to have an easy time receiving it as he nearly lost his balance. He looked about to say something angrily but caught himself as he glanced at the medallion.

"Sorry sir, I didn't realise you're with the legion. My apologies." The man respectfully said as he moved closer and gave the token back.

Before his father could reply, another voice called out from the rear as a handsome man riding a large white wolf approached.

"Marcus, is that you?" The man happily called out, and as he moved closer, he was able to get a better look at him.

He wore plate armour similar to the legion but more ornamental, with yellow finery and a long, flowing golden cape trailing to his rear. He didn't have a helmet and only wore an easy-going smile as he approached.

"Cleon, you're out on patrol? Times must be tough." Marcus jokingly said as he spotted the man.

They clasped hands as they neared each other, laughing.

"Just some bandit problems, nothing major. What is going on here?" Cleon said as he glanced between his men and Marcus.

"Just an inspection. We're just finishing, sir." The man said, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"I see. Return to the patrol. If these here were bandits, I dare say our little province would be in for a rough time." Cleon said as he shared a look with Marcus.

"Understood, sir." The small group turned and sped off to join the unit of men in the distance.

"So, heading into the city?" Cleon said as he pulled alongside Marcus, the five heavily armed guards with him falling in behind.

"Yep. Trading and showing my son around the city for the first time." Marcus said with a thumb over his shoulder toward him and Valeria.

"You have a son now? Congratulations. Valeria, it's always a pleasure to see you. Who might this be?" Cleon said as he moved closer to the wagon, giving off a bright smile.

"It's nice to see you again, Cleon. This is Thanos, our son." His mother answered in reply.

"Little Than, say hi to Cleon." She said over his shoulder, so he dutifully replied to the man.

"Here, I don't have anything prepared, but take this," Cleon said as he removed a gold ring covered in inscriptions from his finger and passed it over.

"You don't have to do that." His mother hastily replied.

"It's fine, this is useless for me now, and my children have their own. Take it." Cleon said as he leaned over and held the ring out.

He hesitated a little and looked at his father, who laughed.

"Just take it. If you don't, he'll never shut up about it." Marcus said as he fell in next to them, smiling.

"Thank you." He said to the man.

He wasn't sure what the ring was, but judging from his mother's reaction and the strange markings it held, it didn't seem to be simple.

"You're welcome," Cleon said and reached over, tousling his hair before he turned round to his father.

"Little Than, this is your uncle Cleon. He served with Daddy in the legion. He's now the guard captain for the city we're travelling to." Marcus said as he explained the man's background.

Thanos made a note to remember him as someone important.

"You mentioned bandit problems?" Marcus said as their group continued onwards.

"Yes. A dangerous group of outsiders has set up nearby. They've already raided multiple trade caravans and left many dead. The guilds have raised it with the lord, and he sent me out to deal with it." Cleon said, his easy-going smile slipping into a grim look.

"We just ran into a group on the way here. Their leader was at the first tier of Essence moulding. Seemed strong for this area." Marcus said as if recalling the fight.

"Really? That sounds like them. Was the leader covered in scars and used dual longswords?" Cleon asked, obviously surprised.

"Yeah, we have their gear in the rear if you want a look. We also took their heads as we figured a group like that would have a bounty on them." Marcus said as if cutting off heads were a normal thing to do.

"You've got that right. They've become a nuisance of late, and the reward from the guild is quite decent. It seems they managed to piss off some big shot. They sure picked the wrong group when they went after you guys, though." Cleon laughed with a shake of his head as he turned his mount to the rear.

"Saves me a job anyway. Let's go take a look, shall we?"

"Sure," Marcus said and followed behind as the pair chatted.

Watching them leave, he studied the ring in his hands, turning it over this way and that. Faint white markings crossed the outside, but he felt nothing that stood out during his examination.

"Mother, what's so special about this ring?"