Lifting my head, I caught sight of Kinowa’s gates, open and guarded by two men. One of them nudged his distracted companion, both staring at us as Kenneth carried me forward. Their brows knitted with curiosity, likely wondering how I’d ended up in this battered state. One guard stepped forward, casting a wary glance at me and the others around, who were starting to murmur. A few voices muttered theories—“another elf attack, maybe” whispered one passerby.

The sun was sinking low, casting a golden light over the city, as the chill began to creep into the air. Overhead, dark clouds gathered with the promise of rain.

“Elves?” The guard finally broke the silence, his gaze fixed on my wounds. “Was it them?”

Kenneth didn’t miss a beat. “A bear got him,” he replied. “We found him like this.”

The guard’s suspicion deepened. “So he’s a poacher, then? Bear hunting is prohibited this month by the Queen’s decree.”

“Only for brown bears and cubs,” Jane interjected, quick to clarify. “And he wasn’t hunting. Look at him—he doesn’t even have a bow.”

The guard grunted, giving us a reluctant nod. “Eh, fine. Go on through.”

Kenneth adjusted me on his shoulder and moved forward, entering the gates with steady and quick steps. Despite their guarded responses, I couldn’t muster the strength to question why they’d kept silent about Suzan. Right now, all I could manage was breathing, my mind replaying images of her twisted actions—those butchered dogs, the cold metal of that knife, her face inches from mine. A shiver ran through me. All I wanted was to escape this nightmare and get home.

“Why didn’t you tell them about Suzan, Father?” Jane asked.

Kenneth kept his voice low. “If we alert the guards, she’ll find out Axel’s still alive. Better to keep this quiet. I’ll speak to the district captain directly. He’ll handle it.”

Jane nodded slowly. “Makes sense… it’s just… wish we could do more.”

“I wish, daughter. I wish.” Kenneth glanced over at me, his voice dropping to a cautious whisper. “Which district is her tavern in, son?”

“Karmak,” I managed, each word feeling heavier. “Can’t remember the name, though…”

“Karmak.” Kenneth repeated thoughtfully, then quickened his pace. I could tell he was getting tired from carrying me. “Only a few taverns there, should be easy enough to find. Suzan, you said? Her surname?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, my words barely a mumble. “But she has an old mother. Works there too.”

“Her mother is in it as well?” Jane asked.

“Yeah, probably. They… take people’s dogs. Chop them up. Serve them as meals.”

She swallowed hard. “So she’s the reason pets have been vanishing left and right?”

I let out a shallow breath. “Gabriel’s dog… it’s gone too.”

Kenneth shifted uncomfortably, muttering, “Best we don’t tell him that, right, Jane?”

“Right,” she agreed, her face pale. “This is… who could even think of something like that? And why?”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“Monsters don’t need a reason,” Kenneth replied coldly. “Just like the elves.”

Jane’s face tightened, her lips pressing together as if she didn’t agree with her father, but she kept her thoughts to herself. As I lowered my head again, the cobblestone streets blurred under me, each step jostling the wound in my shoulder. Jane reached over, gently pressing her fingers to my back.

“The stitches are opening up,” she murmured, a flicker of regret in her eyes. “Sorry—I’ve only ever stitched up Gabriel’s toys.”

“You did good,” I breathed. “Thanks.”

Kenneth interrupted, relief in his tone. “We’re here. They’ll take care of you, Axel. This one is a great vailhouse.”

He was sweating, muscles trembling from carrying me. He was a bulky man---but he was old. This was probably too much for him for a man of his age.

Propping myself up to get a better look, I saw the two-story building ahead. Above the entrance, “Hio Vailhouse” was carved into the stone. A statue stood in the small garden, a serene woman reaching for the stars, her draped clothing just enough to cover her private parts. The plaque at the statue’s base read, “Goddess of Beauty, Haru, heal our wounds.”

The effort it took to lift my head was dizzying; the world felt like it was spinning in slow, nauseating circles. Weak, I let my head fall back down, shutting my eyes against the disorienting blur. Whatever a vailhouse was, I just prayed they could help.

As we neared the entrance, a voice called out, “Hey, Kenneth!” A passerby slowed, eyeing me with curiosity. “Who’s the lad, and what the hells happened?”

Kenneth chuckled, never breaking stride. “Bear got to him. He’s lucky to be breathing.”

The man shook his head in amazement, his voice raising as he called after us, “The gods must’ve kept him safe, then!”

“They sure have,” Kenneth replied, a hint of solemnity in his tone.

The sounds around me grew muffled, the steady rhythm of Kenneth’s footsteps blending into a dull hum. I felt myself slipping, vision graying as if I were floating above it all, disconnected. The air was growing colder, even too cold for me to handle.

Noticing my fading state, Jane crouched to meet my eyes, her face blurred but unmistakably worried. “Dad, he’s not looking too good.”

Kenneth’s voice rang out with urgency. “We need help! He’s been mauled by a bear—someone get over here!”

Two—maybe three—people rushed out of the vailhouse. Kenneth gently lowered me to sit against the statue, my head leaning heavily on the stone figure. Everything around me was a haze of grey, and only the blood droplets marking my trail stayed vivid, like splashes of red ink against the cobblestone.

Two women in white robes reached their hands out toward me, whispering words I couldn’t catch. Their palms began to glow with a faint green light, and warmth spread through my body, numbing the sharper edges of my pain. The spell felt similar to the one cast by the Guild healer, though it barely touched the deeper injuries. Just a soft dulling, like a balm over an open wound.

One healer shook her head, assessing my state. “He’s been through a lot. This will need more than we can manage here.”

Jane’s frustration burst out, her voice edged with worry. “But you’re healers—what do you mean?”

“He’s lost too much blood,” the second healer explained, steady but serious. “Even with our best magic, there’s only so much we can do. Only the highest spells could properly heal him in this state—and no one here can cast those.”

The first woman added, “We’ll stitch his wounds and hope the gods favor his recovery.” She turned to Kenneth. “It’ll be two gold.”

My hands instinctively moved to my side, searching for my pouch. Nothing. Suzan must’ve taken it. That left me with only whatever small amount I had in my inventory, whatever I’d managed to save from quests---just four gold coins. This whole ordeal, supposed to be a simple quest for a few coins, had cost me the Queen’s dagger and my money. Still, I reminded myself it could’ve been worse—I’d at least escaped with my life.

“Two gold, it is,” Kenneth said without hesitation. “Let’s get him settled.”

One of the women nodded. “Take him to the third room. I’ll bring what we need.”

Jane gave me a comforting smile, her hand resting on my uninjured shoulder. “You’ll be all right. They’ll take care of you now.”

I took a shallow, shaky breath, my face dull. “Here’s hoping…”