Broc pounded loudly on the large wooden door, the rest of us stuck under the weight of the thieves. I struggled to hold up one of the thugs. He leaned off my shoulder, slowly sliding. Broc had been helping me carry him, leaving to knock on the door.

Luca looked back concerned, "You good?" He asked, his brown eyes assessing my struggle. I nodded, the guy slipping off my shoulder some, making my nod seem ridiculous.

"Here." He offered shifting back, "You help her and I'll take this guy."

He left Emery's side, running back. He went under the man’s arm, taking the weight off my shoulders. I shuffled forward, swooping to where Luca had been holding up the other guy with Emery.

"Thanks." I smiled. Luca returned my smile, making my stomach flutter.

"You got it bad." Emery muttered under her breath, "What?" I turned my face red in horror. She smirked, "It's nothing, just ignore me." She turned her attention back to the door. I shut my mouth and kept my eyes forward. I sincerely hoped Luca hadn't heard her, I was mortified. I closed my eyes ashamed, taking a breath to refocus.

Broc went to knock again, the door slowly opening before he could. "Hello?" A small man with a nasally voice poked his head out the door. He blinked looking around at our strange group.

Broc gave him a wave, "Hello good brother, I think these men need some medical attention, if you have room." Broc advised, with a diplomatic grin. The monk gave a puzzled frown, "Were they ambushed?" He asked, staring at the knife poking out of the one guy's back.

Emery coughed, "No, they're ambushers. They tried to rob me on the way up here." The monk's eyes widened. She straightened herself up under the weight,"If you're concerned about your safety I don't mind making sure they stay in line. I need a place to stay myself."

He gawked, frowning, not sure of what to make of her assertion. "I don't mind staying either." Broc added, easing the monk's apprehension. "Okay then, come in, quickly." The monk accepted. Emery scowled, she muttered to herself as we crossed through the archway.

Now within, we found ourselves in a large entryway. High ceilings and bare walls gave this place a hollow transcendent atmosphere.

"This way." The monk said, taking us down the main hall, "I thank you for handling these two, they've been causing us some trouble in the last few weeks. Good to finally put a face to our trouble makers." He addressed Broc.

"I handled them." Emery huffed under her breath. I looked over, watching her irritated expression. She rolled her eyes, appearing to continue her embittered conversation in her head. "Broc." Luca complained from the back. "Some help?" He asked, unable to keep up with the rest of us.

"Nah hard work builds character." Broc grinned, continuing in his place. I frowned, a little worried about him, "I'll come back and help once we get this guy down." I called back to him. Luca raised his eyebrows at Broc, "Broc are you really gonna let her do that? After she passed out in your house this afternoon?" Luca asked, causing Broc to sigh. "Fine, your guilt trip was very convincing." He muttered, excusing himself from the monk he walked back to help Luca.

Emery looked over, her eyes caught in confusion, "You passed out?" She looked like she was trying to drill into my mind.

I avoided her gaze, "I thought you knew everything? I spat with a sarcastic bite. She snorted, "I don't know everything. Why did you pass out?" She repeated.

I frowned, "Someone messed with my gifting, and I overused it. It's a common side effect."

Emery shook her head, "It shouldn't be." She pondered, her eyes darting in thought.

"It is though." I bit back. What did she know, she wasn't me.

She didn't respond, ignoring the looks I gave to bait her. I sighed, I didn't want to play her mind games. I shifted focused on getting this guy to wherever the short balding monk was leading us. The walls plain stone work, probably common for this sort of place. The whole no worldly possessions thing, kind of guaranteed it. Apart from religious art, these places were always very plain.

"Here should do." The monk offered to lead us into a room down this last hall. Two beds on either side of the wall, we all shifted inside. "Just lay them here and my fellow brothers will attend to them. I wouldn't mind if you stuck around till they wake, just in case there's trouble. After that we should be able to manage them." He said, waiting for Broc's response. "Certainly." He set down the one guy he and Luca were carrying. Emery and I walked over to the other, resting the ruffian down. I was grateful, my arms growing weary.

"I'll arrange some sustenance for the four of you, if you like. I just have to consult Father Corwin about these two." He said leaving us alone in the room.

The four of us staring at each awkwardly. Broc stepped over Emery with a hand outstretched, "In all the commotion we didn't get a chance to introduce ourselves. I'm Broc." He waited for her to accept his hand. She studied his eyes, "Emery." She stated, finally taking his hand. Broc pointed to Luca , "This is Luca and-"

"Phyn and I have met." Emery interrupted as Broc pointed at me. "Oh really?" Broc said looking my way. I nodded hesitantly, "Briefly." I acknowledged, I didn't really know much about Emery. "Just a passing conversation really." Emery shrugged.

"What a coincidence then." Broc grinned.

"Yes, yes it is." She said, meeting my gaze, making me wonder if it really was. I furrowed my brow slightly, my confusion interrupted by the reentrance of the monk.

"I'll take you to the dining room." He offered, disappearing just as quickly as he entered. We blinked at his abruptiveness, following right behind.

Broc and Emery first out the door, Luca paused waiting back for me, "She's more than just a weird old woman who can fight, isn't she?"

I nodded, "She told me she was gifted like us." I said, pondering the connection. Luca frowned, "Did she say anything else?" He asked.

"Something about me being some sort of pivotal piece in all of this and something about how she couldn't believe I was really real. I don't know, it was confusing." I added, still not fully sure what she meant by it.

Luca stepped back, his eyes grew wide. "She said that?" His expression scared me.

“Ya why?" I asked, wondering what I said.

“It will take too long to say. I'll tell you tonight." His gaze dropped. He slipped out the door before I could object. "Luca…" I huffed under my breath, wondering what he was keeping from me. Almost jogging to catch up, I rejoined the group. The nasally monk was giving us some rundown on the rules, "Please refrain from talking to the other brothers unless they talk to you first, most are under a vow of silence and it is quite upsetting when a sacred vow is broken because someone asks you to pass the salt." He hissed the last part. I stifled my snort, trying to avoid disrespect.

"Our food is humble but sustaining." He said, turning through a doorway, leading to a large rectangular room. Plain stone walls, basic candle holders, it matched the rest of the decor. One long table ran through the room, stools lining both sides.

A couple of monks, in their long brown robes set out plates and cups leaving in the middle some cooked vegetables, some sort of meat and a loaf of bread. Our speaking monk paused at the door, "We've already eaten our supper for the night but everything is left for you, please eat your fill." He said, waiting for each of us to sit, before he exited.

"What a weird little monk." Emery muttered. We all turned our heads, gawking at her comment.

"What? We were all thinking it, weren't we?" She raised an eyebrow, asking us to prove her wrong. Broc shook his head, "I'm not going to comment." He said, with a sly grin. I rolled my eyes, more concerned about the food than the conversation. Staring at whatever the mystery meat was, I didn't hesitate to dig in. Taking a decent helping I went on chewing. Everyone was quick to follow my lead.

Between bites I kept eyeing Luca. I wondered what sort of thing he had to say? Maybe it would finally shed some light on Emery's words. Although I was probably overthinking this. Either way I wouldn’t find out till later.

"So what brings you out this way?" Luca asked, aiming his question at Emery. She smiled, amused, "That's a funny question." She nodded, as if pondering it.

"I didn't have a plan but now that I've run into Phyn again, I think it's fate." She nodded convinced, she turned her head back to Luca, "Everything happens for a reason, wouldn't you agree." She said wrinkling her face up in a smile.

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"I would." Luca agreed, his voice reluctant.

"And what brings you out this way? For fairness sake of course." Emery prodded into Luca's gaze. He froze, taken off guard, "Um, I live out here for now." He echoed nervously.

"With your soldier friend here?" She inquired, eyebrows raised. Broc stiffened his posture, narrowing his eyes.

Emery looked between all of us, the tension apparent. "I'm sorry I've said too much I'm making you all uncomfortable." She sighed, focusing back on her dinner plate.

I cleared my throat, "Emery what is your gifting?" She looked up surprised and grinning ear to ear.

"That was once a very closely guarded secret but I've gotten sloppy in my old age." Her gray-green eyes flickered, "I'm sure you've gathered the random bits of information I have no business knowing. Well that's essentially my gifting, the name for it is Revealer. I see what people hide, whether they want me to or not. I can read people, places, things; as easy as reading a book." She said, taking a big bite of bread. "It doesn't afford me many friends but that may have more to do with my poor disposition." Emery chuckled, crossing her arms.

"Thank you." I said, finding her eyes. “For what?" She smirked at my gratitude. "For answering my question." I furrowed my brow.

"Oh questions are easy to answer. Answers are not always easy to question."

I blinked in confusion. "What?"

Emery laughed, "Nevermind me, my social skills are rusty."

Luca slid over his empty plate, "How long do we have to stay here?" He complained. Broc rolled his eyes."I don't know, as long as we're needed." Emery let out a sigh "If they trusted me to stick around, you could be out of here already. I didn't work this hard to not be taken seriously." She fumed crossing her arms.

"People only judge by appearances not ability." Broc remarked, giving Emery a sympathetic eye. She nodded looking only slightly less annoyed.

I put my fork and knife down, "What's your plan after this?" I asked her. It was still unclear what her goal in all of this was.

"Well I'll probably lodge here for the night, if they'll have me." She stated assuredly, "I would like to discuss further with you, tomorrow, about your gifting." Emery chewed, finishing up her plate.

I nodded, "Okay." I agreed carefully, I didn't see any harm in it.

"Great." She grinned, leaning back in her seat. Luca met my gaze with a wary glance, I gave him a shrug. I needed to learn more about this and I couldn't do that by avoiding her. I took one last bite of bread. A tension, as we tried to guess each other's intentions.

Another monk ran into the room, his face red and panicked. "Sir, we might need your help." He yelped, directing his plea to Broc. Broc stood up, following with urgency.

Emery sighed, "Might as well help." She muttered, strutting after them, staff in hand. I looked over to Luca, trying to gage his actions. "Maybe we should at least see what's going on." He suggested. The two of us followed behind the urgent group.

"Hopefully all the monks are alright." I remarked, catching Luca's nod.

"The two ruffians at least shouldn't have any weapons now. I'm surprised they didn't just restrain them before they woke up." He frowned. It was a good point, they knew they posed some sort of threat.

We made our way back to the hall we entered earlier, passing right by it. I turned my head confused. Maybe I was wrong about it and there was another hall that looked the same. Luca also looked back. "Wait wasn't that?" He started. I turned my eyes back to the path in front, "This isn't about the prisoner's we brought." I muttered. Luca gritted his teeth, "Who knows what we're walking into." He said ominously.

"Whatever it is, we'll be ready. I have confidence in our crew." I watched Broc and Emery leading the charge. Combat wise Emery proved she could hold her own, not to mention Broc used to be the captain of guards. You didn't get a gig like that if you weren't a force to be reckoned with. Luca and I were pretty crafty ourselves, we knew how to spin a situation to our advantage. I had no fear. Whatever this monk was panicking about we could handle it.

A loud smash down the hall sent Broc into a full run. Emery avoided being out done, bounding after him. Her gray tattered cape whipping back at the momentum. I fought back a shiver, increasing my own speed.

"YOU CANNOT HOLD ME MORTALS."

A loud roaring voice rebounded down the hall. I paused at the loudness, surprised with it's echo. A pot flying against the wall shattering in little pieces. The nasally monk, stumbling out the door, his expression petrified in terror.

"He's too strong." He muttered, Broc shook him in desperation, "Who is?" He asked, Emery already disappearing into the room.

"ARI KING OF THE CARNIVORES WILL NOT BE CONFORMED TO THESE CHAINS!" The voice boomed again, answering Broc's question. Broc disappeared after Emery. Luca and I reached the monk next.

Luca locked eyes with him, "What's going on?" His voice, calm and stern. The monk steadied himself, "He's not right in the head, we took him in a fortnight ago. He seemed to just be delusional but now I think he may be possessed or something. His strength is...unnatural." A dazed look across his eyes. I turned my attention to what I could hear from the room.

"Calm down big guy." Emery growled. I walked past the monk, poking my head through. I stared down the so-called 'Carnivore King'. He was a large man, a good half a foot taller than Broc. Covered in badly groomed reddish brown hair, it almost hid his shining blue eyes. He did look rather kingish, in the most boorish sense. A very odd combination to exist in a person.

He wore chains, wrapped around a bed frame. He held above his head, lifting up as if it weighed nothing. Broc and Emery stood defensively, ready for him to turn on them.

"WHY DO YOU SURROUND ME, OH ENEMIES? DO YOU WANT TO BE SQUASHED?" He asked, turning his head between the two. Big exaggerated expressions, it made him look less stable.

"No I want you to put that down." Broc answered calmly. He gave Emery some sort of a hand signal. "And for you to stop being a crazy buffoon." Broc giving a biting smirk.

The 'Carnivore King' twisted his face in a huge frown. "A BUFFOON YOU SAY! I AM NOT A BUFFOON!" He growled. In a violent swing he brought the bed frame down at Broc. It collapsed on the floor, the bed frame bending and breaking. Broc hopped back, the wild man stuck leaning forward from the attack.

Emery stepped up on the nightstand, jumping right onto the crazy man's back. She ran off it, stepping off his shoulder in a turn. Thrusting her staff to the ground between his arms, she swung her legs down into his stomach. He launched back, Emery flipping back onto her feet. She balanced herself with her staff.

Broc let out a full laugh, watching the stranger stumble back. Ari’s eyes bulged out. "small but MIGHTY!" He coughed, regaining his booming voice.

"NO MATTER I WILL STILL PREVAIL." He stood up straight again. Emery clenched her fists.

I looked back, Luca, still interrogating the monk. His words caught my attention "I don't know, he had a red cape and some sort of amulet, his belongings are in the other wing."

I frowned pulling out my own amulet thing I got from Wren. I stared at it, wondering exactly what these sorts of things were supposed to do anyway. Luca darted his head over, his eyes lighting up. Before I could blink he snatched it out of my hand, running into the room.

"Luca wait!" I called after him. That amulet didn't work. I ran in, joining the commotion. Emery dodged a fist thrown by Ari, Broc whacking him in the back of the head with a piece of the broken frame. Ari called out in pain, switching targets he swooped after Broc.

I chased after Luca who darted between the fighting, with stealth.

"Luca no!" I shouted as he got behind the Lion man. He ignored me, jumping up, he swung it around the man's neck.

"It's a fake!" I yelled in horror, watching the realisation hit Luca. I caught the panic in his eyes before Ari swung back. With a terrible crash, he hit him into the wall.

Luca fell in a heap, he didn't move. I gawked at the scene, a rage building up in me.

"This stops now!" I yelled, the room going silent, all eyes on me. Picking up a sword-like piece of metal from the bed frame, I pointed it at the beastly man, "You don't hurt my friends.They're playing your games fur-ball, but I will not."

Ari stared at me confused. I flicked my makeshift sword back, "Get ready to meet your maker coward." I growled, charging him with a battle cry, not even registering what I was doing. I swung the sword in a swoop aiming it straight for his heart.

His jaw dropped a mix of fear and confusion played out on his face. He turned sharply, running for the window, he dove out it without hesitating. I reached the window just after him, hitting the ledge with all my force. I stared down watching him stumble to his feet seemingly unhurt by the fall.

My hands shaking, I turned back to Broc and Emery. They stared at me, silent and wide-eyed. I dropped the piece of bed frame, my face turning red. I didn't know what had come over me.

Luca still lay on the floor. I rushed to him, pulling him up so he could sit.

"Luca?" I searched for signs of life. I needed him to be alright. He gave out a weak chuckle that came out raspy. "I think I was a bit rash there." He admitted, looking up at me with his remarkable brown eyes.

"Yes, but it wasn't a horrible plan though." I assured him. He laughed, "I'm glad I didn't end up needing it. You put the fear of God in him." He raised his eyebrows. My face went a deeper shade of red, "I don't know how I did that." I hid the quaking in my bones.

He smiled, grimacing as he went to stand. "I'm glad to have someone so fearsome as an ally instead of an enemy." His messy brown hair almost hiding the playful look in his eyes. I faltered, hiding my lack of composure with a laugh.

I turned back to Broc, Emery, and our Monk friend, eyes stuck watching us. Emery raised her eyebrows at me. I silently cursed her for knowing how I felt.

"You good Luca?" Broc asked, giving him a solid pat on the shoulder. "Ya I'm good." Luca, said with a pained grin. Broc moved to look out the window.

"What do we do now that he's escaped?" I asked, following Broc's gaze.

"There's not much we can do, We can send a petition to the nearest ruler to send out the guard after him, but by the time they make it here, it won't do much good." Broc concluded, straightening his shirt.

The nasally monk straightened himself very officially, "The monastery will send out word regardless," He bent to clean up the mess made in the chaos. Broc turned back from the window, "If he comes back, I live close. I'll be happy to come to your aid." He offered, going for the door. "For now I think we need to head back and get some shut eye." Broc, looked to Luca and I for confirmation. We nodded, following in tow.

"I'll come see you tomorrow Phyn." Emery echoed, kneeling down to help the monk. He swatted her attempts to help, she shook her finger to scold him. I waved goodbye, grinning at the exchange.

I followed Broc and Luca out the door. We wandered down the hall, finding the way we came. "I'm sorry that this didn't turn out to be a happy distraction." Broc muttered in a tired voice.

"That is always a bit of an unattainable goal with us." I replied, causing Luca to snort.

"Hey at least it still qualified as a distraction." Luca beamed. Broc shook his head "Let's just get home." He stated. The three of us making our way back to Broc's little cottage.