The wagon was dead silent as we stared at the two men.

Off in the distance, just nearly out of earshot even for me… were Vim and a man on a horse. Vim looked tiny next to the horse and its rider. Not only was the horse larger than usual… the knight wore armor which gleamed, even in the setting sun, and he looked big. Maybe even bigger than Vim.

“What do you think he’s saying?” Palm asked her mother.

I sat next to Kathy on the wagon, and Palm and Melody were behind us. Criby and her sister Tiffany were on either side of the horses, holding their reins.

“Which one?” Kathy asked.

“Uh… both?” Palm asked, and I didn’t need to glance behind me to know she had glanced at me.

As far as I could tell the knight was asking Vim who we were and what we were doing out this late in the day on the road.

“I’ll be honest I didn’t expect this. We passed that encampment without them even looking at us,” Criby said as she glanced at us. Or rather at Melody.

“Same,” Kathy agreed.

Yes. It was true. We had rounded that knight encampment, as they had called it, nearly half a day ago. Many had seemed to point and watch us pass, but none had come out to bother us. A few had even ridden out on horses, but… none had approached us. They had simply rode around in the distance, as if just to ride.

“Those knights had different colors, didn’t they?” I asked. They had blue and white flags. This man had a red one on his horse’s saddle.

“They did. But a knight’s colors represent his rank, not always who claim his fealty,” Melody said sternly.

Hm. I hadn’t known that.

“Oh!” Kathy sat up as we watched Vim turn away and head back towards us.

At first I was glad. If their conversation was over we could return to traveling… but…

The knight didn’t move from his spot.

“This isn’t good, is it?” Kathy asked worriedly.

“Don’t panic yet,” Melody ordered, and then the wagon shook as she hopped off it.

Glancing at her as she walked past me on the left, I noticed her strange glare as she walked forward to meet Vim.

They met quickly, mostly because Melody had hurried. “What does he want?” Melody asked softly. Low enough she probably didn’t want her daughters to hear her.

Kathy shifted next to me, and the two sisters on the ground stepped forward but were kept back by the horses. They didn’t budge.

It seemed none could hear her.

“A toll, of course,” Vim said, just as quietly.

“You must be joking,” Melody’s voice raised enough that the others could hear her now. They all startled.

“No. I’m not,” Vim shifted and put his hand on his hip. He looked upset that she’d actually accuse him of doing such a thing.

Melody looked past Vim, at the knight on the horse. Odds were she was glaring daggers at him.

“How much?” she asked.

“Too much. A quarter of anything you have,” Vim said.

Melody didn’t even speak; she just put her face into her hand and groaned.

“How much did he say?” Palm asked loudly.

“I think he said a quarter!” Criby said.

“You’re kidding!” Kathy groaned.

Melody raised her other hand, to shush her daughters. Surprisingly they went quiet.

“What do you think Vim?” Melody asked him softly. Back to whispering.

“What do you want me to think?” he asked her back.

“I can’t give them a quarter. We have debts. If I give them a quarter, this will be our last trip. Ever,” Melody said sternly.

For a moment Vim said nothing. He simply stared at the woman before him.

I was transfixed by his eyes. They looked… upset… yet… soft. Gentle. Worried.

Obviously not for himself. And by extension, me. But…

He was worried for her. For them. He felt for them.

Smiling softly at him, I watched as his eyes went upward. Leaving Melody, who slouched in front of him. His eyes met my own, and I smiled at him.

He smiled back, and held my gaze for a moment… then looked back at Melody.

“I think he’s a brigand. He doesn’t speak like a real knight. At least none that I’ve ever known,” Vim then said.

Melody shot up straight, as to stare at the distant knight.

“Truthfully?” Melody asked harshly.

Vim nodded. “Yes. He’s wobbly in the saddle. He’s not used to the weight on his body. And he’s uneducated. He didn’t know what spikenard is used for,” Vim said.

Melody seemed to find that information very important. “A fake,” she said.

Vim nodded. “That’s my assumption. Yet as fake as he might be, his threat is not. He speaks in plural, so he’s definitely not alone. He’s too confident to be alone. But I’m not sure how many there are… I think I see the gleam of metal to our right, but it could be weapons, could be scraps of metal from something long abandoned,” Vim said with a gesture to his left. Our right.

Melody looked out that way, and I did too.

Yes. I could see it. A good distance away, past the large grass field, was something. Or rather someone. They were hiding right where a hill started, where the ground sunk a little as to hide from us.

“Mother…?” Kathy spoke up, and Melody looked at her.

Suddenly the woman looked as old as her daughters sometimes treated her.

“Mom…” Palm whispered sadly at the sight, and it pained my heart.

Especially since the old woman’s worry was for naught.

After all…

Glancing at the knight, and then to his supposed allies… I wondered if it could be any more than ten or so men.

Ten men? Even if fully armored…

They were nothing to Vim.

Yet… would he do anything about it?

I was about to hop off the cart, but Vim’s eyes caught me.

His glare held me in place, and I remembered our conversation from this morning.

Stay seated in the seat.

Yes. Okay. Sorry.

I mouthed the words and sat back down.

“Renn?” Kathy asked what was wrong, but I just shook my head.

“What do you want to do? Either give up a quarter or see if you can call his bluff. I doubt he’ll wait much longer,” Vim said.

“But… but he has no right! No claim! Especially if he’s just a thief,” Tiffany shouted.

Seemed she had better hearing than the others.

“A thief?” Criby asked, looking all around.

“Is he?” Kathy asked.

Vim seemed to ignore the commotion and focused on Melody.

“I’m one man, Melody. I’ll fight, if I must, but I’m still just one man. If he has enough men, you’ll lose more than a quarter of your stock. You’ll lose things much more precious,” Vim said to her. He spoke softly, so that the others couldn’t hear him.

He wanted Melody to give up her goods. To pay the toll.

A little surprised he had chosen that option, I wondered if that was his personal belief… or because he didn’t want to reveal how strong he was.

Melody said nothing, and the woman’s daughters all became quiet as they stared at her. Waiting.

Looking away from Vim and Melody, I found the knight approaching slowly. His horse trotted towards us, and he looked… worried for some reason.

“Mother!” Kathy alerted her mother to his approach, and she startled. Vim however kept his back turned, and stayed focused on Melody.

“You can replace wealth Melody. You can’t replace them,” Vim said to her.

Melody looked away from the approaching knight, back at Vim.

My heart sunk as I realized she was going to give in. To accept.

This… this wasn’t fair, was it?

Would Vim actually allow it to happen?

Even though he could stop it? So easily?

Would I let it happen…?

A sudden memory flashed into my head. The hallway. That day. In Ruvindale.

When I had chosen to act against their wishes. When I had lost my right to that home. When I had lost it. Nearly lost it all.

Would I do the same again?

If I said something… if I did something… would Vim banish me? Or at least, do it in his own way?

Closing my eyes as the knight drew close enough; I listened as he took a deep breath. “A quarter of your goods! Drop it there, now!” he shouted.

“What do we do?” Kathy asked worriedly.

“A quarter…” Palm groaned, and I heard her strain. She was in pain. And not just emotionally. The poor girl was still suffering from her miscarriage… and this stress wasn’t helping.

“Your answer!” the knight shouted, and I heard a new sound.

Metal.

Opening my eyes, I flinched at the sight of men in the distance. Not all of them had armor, but a good portion did.

And there were more than just a few.

Quickly counting eleven men, I flinched.

What would Vim do if they simply attacked anyway?

Would he save them? Or…

Looking over at Vim, I glared at the man who looked far too calm. Too patient.

He was still staring at Melody. Waiting for her answer.

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“You have a choice, Melody!” I shouted.

Melody startled, as did the girl I sat next to. Them startling was understandable, but the knight and his horse jolting wasn’t.

“Ho!” The man quickly got his horse under control as I nodded to Melody. She stared at me with expectant eyes.

“Whatever you choose, do not regret it,” I said to her.

After all, it was what I wanted to say to myself.

It was what Vim centered his whole being around. Free will. Choice. The right to choose even the wrong options.

Vim ignored me and my outburst, but at least he didn’t glare at me. At least he didn’t sigh or shake his head.

Melody looked at those near me. Her daughter. Those who she saw as daughters, even if they weren’t.

“The toll is a quarter! Do not make me take it!” the knight shouted. He had raised his voice, either upset I had startled his horse or to tell his companions what was happening.

“There are a dozen men over there,” Kathy whispered.

“They have spears, mother!” Palm shouted.

“Tiffany…” Criby moaned a strange sound.

Tiffany only shook her head, looking defeated already.

Melody looked away from us and back to Vim.

Vim’s eyes narrowed and I realized she had probably made a decision. It was likely on her face already, even though she hadn’t said it aloud.

Was she going to risk her children? Really?

“I’ll give it.”

The world suddenly got quiet as Melody nodded. “A quarter! Fine! No more!” she shouted.

All of her daughters wordlessly looked at each other, and I felt very out of place. I knew I should probably look as distraught and worried as they but…

“Good! Drop it there!” The knight sounded relieved as he shouted back.

I squeezed my pants tightly as I watched Melody turn around and head back towards us. To the wagon.

Her face was wrought with anger and adorned by tears.

“Mother…” Tiffany broke into a sob, and I realized that they all knew it too.

This was the end.

I didn’t know what happened to people when they failed to pay off their debts. I didn’t know how horrible it actually were… but based off their looks, and their tears…

It wasn’t good.

Looking away from them, I stared at the man who had allowed those expressions to come into existence.

He held my gaze, unflinching.

The man on the horse trotted closer, but had his horse arch. Not drawing too close, yet acting as if he would. Rather than trying to be intimidating, I felt as if he was growing anxious. He couldn’t contain himself.

“Are we really mother?” Kathy asked Melody as she reached us.

“Help me unload the boxes,” Melody ordered, not meeting anyone’s gaze.

I hopped off the wagon alongside Kathy, but not to go and help. Instead I hurried to Vim.

He finally frowned at me, and I knew it was simply because I had gotten off the wagon.

“Renn…” Vim sighed as I drew close.

“Vim what’s happening?” I asked him.

“What does it look like? They’re paying a toll,” he said.

“They’re being robbed,” I corrected him.

“Better robbed than killed,” he argued.

“You’d let them die?” I asked him.

Vim didn’t answer right away. Instead he looked past me, to the wagon.

“Will you stop me if I stopped this?” I asked him.

My question got his full attention, and his eyes narrowed.

He would.

“Really…?” I asked.

Vim didn’t even blink as he nodded.

“Then you’re a hypocrite. You don’t believe in free will at all,” I said.

He sighed, and shook his head.

“You’d argue that? Vim! Look at them! I don’t know what happens when you don’t pay debts, but obviously it’s horrible,” I said as I pointed to the girls who had finally got the first box off the wagon. Only Melody and Tiffany were crying, but they were all distraught.

“Renn,” he said my name but I shook my head. I didn’t want to hear it.

“I’ll… I’ll do it without revealing who I am. What I am. Maybe...” I looked to the man on the horse.

Could I? That armor was real. Even if he wasn’t a real knight, that metal didn’t pretend.

And the dozen men in the distance wouldn’t either.

I could kill a man. I’ve done it. But could I kill that many without getting hurt myself? Without revealing what I was?

Stepping towards the knight, I came to a stop before I could rush him.

Vim held my arm, rather tightly.

“Let me go,” I ordered.

“Renn.”

I shook my head and tried to pull myself free. Not only did he not budge, neither did I. My arm was locked in place.

Grabbing his shirt, I tugged it as I glared at him. “Please Vim! If I let this happen…” I tried to think of how horrible the rest of the journey would be. How quiet. How sad. How depressing.

People who were becoming friends would instead become distant. People that had been depressed, but still lively, would become distraught and empty.

I’d seen it before.

Knew it well.

After all it had happened to me.

“Renn,” Vim said my name again and I blinked watery eyes.

“Don’t try anything stupid!” the horseman yelled. He was closer. I ignored him, and kept my eyes on Vim.

“Renn, calm yourself for a moment and listen to me,” Vim said.

I shook my head. I didn’t want to hear whatever excuse he had. Especially since it might make sense. Especially so since it’d be full of reason and…

And it’d only make me hate myself more.

“Get back to the wagon! Now!” The sound of the horse’s hooves grew louder. I turned and found he was close. Too close.

He really was big. The gauntlet that held the horse’s reins was nearly as big as my head.

Was he that big, or was his armor just that big?

Vim ignored him, and pulled me closer.

He grabbed my other arm, and I felt oddly insulted as he held me in place. As if I was some child and he my parent getting ready to yell at me.

“Let me go Vim,” I told him one last time.

“Not until you hear what I have to say,” he said.

“Then say it and let me go!”

“Get back!” The knight shouted. I heard the sound of something metal clanging; his horse neighed as it got closer.

“You have no right to decide their fate,” Vim then said.

I shook my head. “Them? You kill humans all the time!” I argued.

“Not them! Them!” he turned me, spinning me so I could look at the wagon.

They had five boxes off the wagon now. Palm was standing near the horses, staring at us with wide eyes. None of the others were looking this way.

My eyes grew blurry again as I realized what he meant.

“You let them choose,” I said.

“They chose,” he stated.

I nodded. They had. Melody had.

“If I kill these men… then I might have to kill them too. Since they’ll see it. They’ll think about it. They’ll question how it was possible. Are you willing to watch me kill them Renn? Can you?” he asked me, speaking softly. Kindly. His hold on my arms softened, as he suddenly got a whole lot gentler with me.

Slowly shaking my head, I knew better than to answer.

No. I didn’t want to see him kill them. Nor did I think I could stand by and let it happen.

Which meant he’d simply kill me. Since it was obvious I’d not be able to actually stop him.

Vim’s hands squeezed my arms, but not roughly. Nor to keep me in his grip. Instead I felt as if he was trying to apologize for handling me roughly.

Lowering my head, I knew I’d not be able to do anything now.

After all if I did… he’d step in. Even if I was able to kill them, or deter them, it didn’t matter. He’d step in to protect me without a moment’s hesitation.

And then the end result would be the same.

They’d see him protect me, most likely violently, and then… then he’d have to kill them. To silence them. To stop the possibility of them finding out about us. About the society.

Which would only mean my own actions would have gotten them killed.

“But… that doesn’t mean we have no options,” Vim then said.

Looking up, I glanced at him as he sighed and released me. I wobbled in front of him, feeling weak. “Options…?” I asked.

He nodded with a sigh. “Really. Next time just wait, okay? Though I suppose I should praise you. You tried to interfere earlier, and held yourself back. That’s progress at least, I guess,” he said.

“That’s it! Get back now or die!” the knight shouted, and I glanced at him. He had lifted a large black weapon. Not a sword, but some kind of mace. The thing was huge, and had spikes all over the top of it. The knight was brandishing it, but didn’t seem intent on swinging it. He was trying to scare us away.

When had he procured it? I hadn’t seen it before… maybe that was the sound I had heard earlier.

“Go on. Back to the wagon,” Vim patted me as he ushered me to go.

I nodded and obeyed. Stepping away from him, I took one last glance to the horseman. He was kicking his horse, forcing it forward towards Vim. Even though it looked as if it didn’t want to go near him. As if it could sense that something was off about him.

“Renn! Here!” I turned and found Palm ushering me towards her. She looked… terrified.

Then I heard metal crunch, and something heavy slapped the earth behind me.

Startling, I spun around… and found only Vim standing there.

The knight and his horse were gone.

Then I heard the loud crash.

Turning my head to the left, I found two forms in the distance. Probably several dozen leaps away, was the horse. It was rolling along the ground wildly, its legs flailing in unnatural directions. They were broken. Behind the horse, a little to the right, was another bundle of a mess. Pieces were flying all over, and they glimmered… and not just from their metallic nature.

The knight rolled away with a great force, and one of his arms actually popped off in the process. It and blood flew off in the air, landing in the grass and disappearing from sight.

Once the two stopped rolling, the world became deathly quiet. Fitting the sunset.

Staring at the horse and knight… I realized they were both dead. Neither was moving.

“Vim…” I whispered as I looked at him. He sighed and nodded, and then turned to look the other direction. To the group of men in the distance.

None of them had moved yet. Did they even realize what had just happened? Something told me they hadn’t.

“This was inevitable Renn. Next time this happens, please remember that your job is to keep yourself safe. That’s my entire purpose. To keep you safe. Please don’t question it again,” Vim said to me.

I gulped a dry mouth and nodded.

“Go tell them to load the boxes back onto the wagon, and hurry away. I don’t think they’re smart enough to realize that what just happened to their friend can happen to them,” Vim said with a gesture to the men in the distance. They were all looking at each other, talking amongst themselves.

“Did they even see what you did?” I asked. I hadn’t. My back had been turned… and only for a moment. It had happened that fast.

“Doubtful. Go on. Do your job, you’re supposed to handle the talking remember?” Vim asked me.

I nodded. “Yeah…”

“C’mon!” a man shouted in the distance, and I realized Vim was right. They were getting ready to come.

Hurrying to the wagon, I finally realized what Vim meant all this time.

Not a single one of them were looking at me. They were staring at Vim. With looks of pure fear.

“Put the boxes back onto the wagon! Come on!” I shouted, trying to get Melody’s attention.

She shook her head as if in disbelief… and then looked at me.

“Get them back on. Quick! Hurry!” I hurried over behind the wagon, to help them load them back on.

“O-okay…” Kathy stuttered as I bumped into her and bent down to grab hold of a box.

They went into motion, to help me… but I knew the truth. I knew that Vim had been right.

Of course he had.

After all… how many times has this happened to him? Over his many years?

Hundreds? Thousands of times?

Did they always end the same…?

“Oh god!” Criby cried out, and the sound forced me to find out what had happened. She sounded as if the end of the world was upon us.

But it wasn’t the end. She was just watching Vim. Off in the distance killing men.

“Focus!” I shouted, hoping to get them all to stop watching.

It barely worked. Only Melody and Kathy returned to loading the boxes.

At least there were only a few left and…

“He killed them all…” Palm whispered as I loaded the second to last box.

Pushing it farther into the wagon, I groaned as I glanced up at Tiffany. She and Criby were the only ones on the wagon. They were both standing still, watching Vim. Or rather whatever Vim was doing.

I spared at glance at him, and saw he was alone. No others stood near him. But there were dark shadows all around him. The setting sun played with those shadows… making one think there were a lot more bodies out there than there actually were.

“Last box!” I shouted as I grabbed the last one from Melody. She was holding it, but only that. She had been transfixed, and couldn’t look away.

Putting the last box onto the back of the wagon, I groaned as I realized this was it.

Would Vim kill them now?

No. Hopefully not. He had told me to load the boxes back on after all. Why make me do that if he was just going to kill them?

Yet…

Glancing at Vim, I found he was walking back towards us. He walked slowly, calmly, and it was obvious why. There was no reason to hurry anymore.

Looking to Melody, I flinched at the weird look on her face. It was more than just crying. More than just fear. It was an emotion I had actually never seen on a person before.

Which was weird… since nearly all of them had the same expression.

“Impossible…” Melody whispered.

Gulping, I looked to Vim. For guidance. What was I supposed to say? What could I say?

He didn’t seem willing to give me any, and instead just kept walking towards us. He wasn’t that far away now and…

“A…ah! No!” Criby stumbled over a box. The one I had just put onto the wagon behind her. She fell hard, causing the rest of them to jump in shock.

“Criby?” Tiffany hurried to help her sister, her fear mixing with concern and worry.

Criby rolled on her side, obviously hurt from the fall. She had landed on the edge of the box… yet she wasn’t crying out in pain. No…

“No…” Criby groaned, and I recognized her eyes. The look. That look of pure disbelief.

Nory had that look right before she died.

Which meant…

Looking around one last time, to all of their faces… I realized the truth. I realized what needed to be done.

Hurriedly heading around the wagon, I clambered up onto its side. I used the wheel and its spokes to climb up and reach for my bag. I had laid it next to the big box that sat behind the driver seat.

Once I had it in my hand, I hopped back down to the ground.

Turning to go, to hurry to Vim… I hesitated to a stop as I came face to face with Palm.

“Goodbye,” she whispered.

Blinking, I heaved a sob as I nodded. “Goodbye. Stay safe,” I said to her.

She nodded, and stepped aside to let me go.

Hurrying away, I did my best to keep myself from stumbling as I cried.

This was why Vim had wanted her to simply pay the fee.

Because even if he didn’t have to kill them… even if it didn’t endanger me or the Society…

It still ended in heartbreak.