Erevan pulls a ballista up with one hand, while climbing the ladder of a tower, and slams the siege weapon down at the top of the tower. Anna tosses up a box of bolts to him. He sets that next to the ballista and climbs down.

“That doesn’t hurt?” Anna asks.

“Like I said, I hardly feel like I’m lifting any weight at all because of the enchanted tattoo.” Erevan smiles. “Stop worrying about me.”

Erevan will pull the sled with three more freshly made ballistas on it to the next tower. It took some time to build towers that could hold the weight of a siege weapon and two people. The five craftsmen and the metal reinforcements from Hvardrik had been invaluable.

He climbs another tower, placing one of the ballistas, and takes a box full of bolts from Anna to place with it. Erevan starts to climb down when he notices four figures approaching. He scowls as he hops off the ladder. With a wave he has the ballista move to face those approaching.

Corvo approaches, hiding behind three others in leather armor with scraps of metal. The first man is a blonde Yokind-viking with a huge shield on his back. The second is a full blooded orc with a massive scythe with a chain wrapped around the handle. The third is a Yokind-viking woman with a large hammer on her back. The hammer is bigger than a giant’s head. These three must have something extraordinary about them.

“You Burkwood?” The woman calls out.

“Who's asking?” Erevan eyes the group.

“That’s him. He killed Philis and Tolen.” Corvo says.

“You know I didn’t take you for an actual fucking rat.” Erevan says a little louder.

“Erevan Burkwood. You killed two of our own in acclaimed self defense. Corvo here says you goaded them into it. If that's true then you must face trial by combat on our terms.” The woman continues.

“And how are you to prove the truth?” Anna asks.

“There are priests in Yokind-Burg who can cast a zone of truth where Erevan will tell us exactly what he did.” The woman answers her.

“Then bring the priest here, I am assigned by the adventuring guild to protect this city, therefore I will not abandon my post.” Erevan argues.

“You will run.” The orc growls.

“And you are hunters? Are you not?” Erevan will smile underneath his helm.

“I will go to Yokind-Burg. The others will stay and watch you.” The woman will say.

“Of course. If I may ask, will you be long?” Erevan muses.

“Not long at all.” She says.

Erevan will nod. She must be a Chosen then. The woman will leave the group. Erevan will turn to Anna.

“Go back to Hvardrik and get my equipment for me.” Erevan whispers.

“Don’t do anything stupid.” Anna says before leaving.

The others follow behind Erevan as he sets up the last two ballistas. The hunters don’t look particularly happy to be given this work.

“What are you doing?” Corvo asks.

“Building defenses for the town. I promised to help people with my gifts. And so I am doing that.” Erevan answers.

“Look, I’m sorry. This wasn’t my idea.” Corvo says.

“Then pray you do not have to face me in any trial by combat.” Erevan will say as he walks over to Anna.

“I’m not going against you.” Corvo shakes his head.

“Alright, let's head to the tavern and talk over who will take a shot at me.” Erevan will walk towards the Frost Stop.

He enters the tavern with the other three behind him. He takes a seat on a freshly made chair at a new table. Erevan waves to the tavernkeep and holds up four fingers. The man will fill four pints with ale and bring them over.

The hunter will take a pint, tip his helmet back slightly, and enjoy a nice long drink.

“What are you hiding under that helm?” The orc asks.

“Well don’t get too excited. I’m being interrogated when the priest gets here.” Erevan says calmly.

“You know we can’t let you carry any weapons with a priest near you, right?” The Yokind-viking with the shield asks.

“Of course. I know how dainty holy men can be.” Erevan says. A certain gunslinger springing to mind.

Anna walks through the doorway, as well as Hvardrik in his plain peasants clothes. Anna is carrying a fur coat. Erevan will walk over, she’ll hold the coat out, and he’ll slip into it.

“Thanks sister.” Erevan says.

“I made it.” Hvardrik huffs.

“Thank you too.” Erevan says.

The hunter smiles as he feels the bracers he wanted in the sleeves of his coat. He slips his arm through the sleeves, focuses on the bracers, and forces them to clasp onto his arms with his mind. What telekinetic power he had was probably never intended to put on clothes. Yet, it worked.

Anna and Hvardrik will sit at a separate table as the doors open again. The huntress with the giant hammer enters the room, the priest enters next, and lastly Celise walks through.

Erevan’s and Celise’s eyes lock. Her gaze seems to cut him down as if she is looking at prey. She had looked at him like that once before. Something was wrong. Erevan knew Celise was his combatant if they moved on to the trial by combat.

“Are you ready for the first trial?” The priest will ask Erevan.

The priest is a Yokind-viking. His brown hair in a bowl cut. Black robes draped over his body with white runes of the old gods across them.

“One second.” Erevan says.

Erevan looks at Celise and Hvardrik, he nods to the door, and with confused looks they both leave the building. He walks to the bar and whistles at the tavern keeper. The man will nod and leave the tavern. Pushing past the priest. Erevan will take a seat at the bar and face the other way. So he can look at the three hunters, Corvo, Celise, and the priest.

“I’m ready.” Erevan will state.

The priest mutters an incantation, a blue aura expands from him and presses against the walls and solid surfaces of the room. It stops at the border of the building. Everyone inside feels compelled to tell the truth.

“Celise, do you have a girlfriend?” Erevan asks.

“No, I lied because I thought you might be a creep.” Celise replies.

“Hey, wait, we are asking the questions?” The priest says.

“How many crows have you fucked against there will, all the while using your priesthood as a way to avoid any backlash?” Erevan leans forward in his seat.

“Five.” The priest answers and then lets out a squeak as he clasps his hands over his mouth.

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“Did you go to a cave after you were fatally injured by werewolves, carting four of their bodies with you?” Celise steps forward, pushing the priest aside.

“Yes.” Erevan states.

“Was the cave guarded by undead?” Celise asks.

“Yes.” Erevan grits his teeth.

“Are you affiliated with a necromancer?” Celise jabs a finger towards Erevan as she steps forward.

“I am.” Erevan says.

“Even though necromancy enslaves the souls of the dead.” Celise pushes her finger into Erevans chest.

“I didn’t know that.” Erevan mutters.

Celise’s face softens and she turns away.

“I would do anything to end any form of slavery or injustice.” Erevan says.

Celise will walk back towards the door and lean against the wall. The priest and the three hunters form a semicircle around Erevan.

“Did you kill hunters?” The priest asks.

“I did.” Erevan answers.

“Were you the aggressor or attack first?” They ask Erevan.

“No.” Erevan answers.

“Bullshit! He shot Philis as soon as he walked through the door of the tavern.” Corvo says.

“Neither of you are lying.” The priest says annoyedly. “Who attacked you first?”

“A group of four werewolf hunters. Hunters affiliated with these three, with the two I killed here in Arfall, with the three I killed outside Fjoll, with Celise, and with Corvo whom I spared.” Erevan spits.

“You’ve killed nine hunters?” The priest gulps.

“Yeah, and I plan on killing more.” Erevan says.

Erevan focuses on his two bracers. The left one has a needle that springs into his arm. A plunger pushes down inside the bracer pushing werewolf blood into his veins. The right bracer has a metal device pop up out of it. A tiny crossbow mounted on the back of his wrist.

He aims his right arm at the priest and fires. The bolt slams through his forehead. His arm moves fluidly and another bolt moves from his bracer into the crossbow. It fires slamming into the shoulder of the hunter with the giant shield.

The woman steps forward swinging her hammer. It slams into Erevans arm, snapping it back from the force, as the limb flies limply back. In one hit she had shattered the Erevan’s wrist. He smiles through the pain as his bones begin to fuse back together. Werewolf blood coursing through him.

The orc hunter quickly slams onto Erevan’s other arm. He holds Erevan’s wrist with one hand and his shoulder with the other hand. The female hunter hooks her hammer on the crook of his neck and pushes the long handle of the weapon against his chest and arm. The two pin him against the bar.

The man with the shield on his back, breaks the crossbow bolt in his shoulder, and steps forward removing Erevan’s helmet. The three look upon his black hair and his untattooed face. The man with the shield spits on Erevan.

“You defy the Gods, Crow!” The man slams his fist across Erevan’s jaw.

“Stop.” Celise calls out. “We promised him trial by combat. I will fight him.”

“He just killed the priest!” The huntress with the hammer yells.

“Wait, when was the last time four hunters went missing or were killed?” Corvo looks around the room.

No one speaks.

“We lose one or two all the time. The three dead is a big deal but it happens almost every year. But when was the last time you heard of four dying.” Corvo turns to Celise.

“Not four, but five.” Celise mutters. “Three years ago.”

“We didn’t kill five.” Erevan says.

“He could be lying. The zone of truth is gone.” The huntress with the hammer says annoyed.

“Celise,” Erevan says. “I tried to save the one they left behind. They wounded one of their own. A Crow. They left him to die, so my father and I saved him. It was a trap. They killed the Crow, they killed my father, and I barely survived.” Erevan says while he isn’t struggling, or straining. The hunter is allowing himself to be pinned.

“They wouldn’t.” Celise brings a hand to her chest and clenches her fist. “We’re family.”

“If these three knew what I was, would I have received a fair trial?” Erevan asks.

“I, I don’t know.” Celise stumbles on her words.

“No, you wouldn’t have.” Corvo says bluntly.

“Enough talk, we’re killing the Killer Crow.” The shield man pulls out a skinning knife.

“Thanks for the new name.” Erevan says. He focuses on his left bracer and feels a second needle inject werewolf blood into his veins.

The hunter will raise the skinning knife and bring it down into Erevan’s chest. Erevan in return moves his left arm against the force of the orc, grabs the orc’s throat, and lifts him into the air. Like a ragdoll he tosses the orc into the shield man. They both clatter to the ground.

Erevan’s right arm quickly wraps around the huntress with the hammer. He pulls her closer to himself, bear hugging her with one arm, before he snaps down on her neck with his enlarged canines. Her scream turns into a gurgle as Erevan twists his head, tearing her throat out.

The huntress limp body falls to the ground as the other two hunters rise to their feet.

They stare at Erevan as the hunter’s bones crack. He rises a foot taller as his body grows swollen from enlarged muscles. His jaw shifts making room for enlarged wolf-like canines. And his nails grow dark and sharp like claws.

“What the fuck are you?” The shield man says taking a step back. He takes his shield from behind his back sliding his right arm through its straps.

“He’s fucking dead!” The orc swings his scythe around and charges Erevan.

Erevan grabs the scythes handle before the blade can connect with him. The orc quickly wraps the attached chain to Erevan’s arm.

Erevan grabs the orc by his leather cuirass and tosses him backwards. The man tumbles over a table. The man with the giant shield takes a few steps away from Erevan, plants his shield on the floor boards, as Corvo and Celise aim their crossbow and magic bow at Erevan.

“If you want to kill me then do it!” Erevan yells at them.

The orc stands and holds his hand out. A rune on his leather glove glows and the scythe is pulled out of Erevan’s hand. It flies across the room to the orc who catches it. Yanking on the scythe he pulls Erevan off balance with the chain still wrapped around Erevan's arm.

Corvo and Celise both fire their respective weapons. Ropes tied to their arrow and bolt respectively. Corvo’s bolt hits Erevan’s left leg, and Celise’s bow hits Erevan’s right leg.

“Erevan Burkwood, you are a monster, and will be taken to the hunter’s guild to be dissected.” Celise states coldly.

Erevan feels the bolt loaded in the crossbow on his arm. The same arm that the orc is yanking on. With the weapon already lined up for him he fires the bolt. The crossbow bolt slams into the orc’s throat. He lets go of his weapon with one hand, holding his throat, trying to staunch the flow. He grabs a chair but both he and the furniture tumble to the ground.

Erevan steps forward towards the other three. Barely making out in the corner of his vision Anna and Hvardrik watching from outside, peering through the boarded up windows. Erevan could also smell blood. It was intoxicating. He thought about what the corpses would taste like.

“Fuck it, we kill him.” Celise says.

Celise and Corvo both pull on their ropes. Erevan falls back, hitting his head on a bar stool, before hitting the floor. The shield man quickly moves up and raises his shield. With a flick of his hand on the back of the shield a large silver spike pops out of the bottom of the weapon. He slams the shield downwards.

Erevan catches the bottom of the shield. The end of the spike barely scratching his chest. He pushes upwards. He can barely make out the movements of Celise and Corvo getting ready to shoot him again. Their hands aren’t gripping the ropes.

The Killer Crow kicks out of the legs of the shield man. As he starts to fall Erevan pushes hard against the shield. The shield collides with the man’s jaw before he and the shield tumble to the side.

Corvo’s silver bolt slams into Erevan’s midsection with searing pain. Unlike any pain he had ever felt, it was blinding, and all consuming. The worst thing he had ever felt until Celise releases her arrow with the muttering of an incantation. The arrow drills into Erevan’s forearm on his left side before it explodes in a shower of gore.

Erevan’s hand with wrist still attached flies off in one direction. Up to his shoulder is gone. Part of his side is missing, exposing his heaving lungs. The flesh starts to grow back almost immediately.

The door is kicked open as Anna and Hvardrik enter. Anna raises a bow, aiming it at Celise. Hvardrik raises his hands, muttering an incantation, as black energy swirls in his hands. Corvo and Celise turn, Celise notching another arrow instantly, while the ratfolk struggles with his crossbow.

“How did you know?” Erevan wheezes.

Celise’s eyes flicker but she remains staring Anna down. The two women both hold their bows up ready to release the arrow if the other does.

“The Crow. The fifth. How did you know?” Erevan struggles to speak as blood leaks out of the corner of his mouth.

“He was my brother.” Celise grits her teeth.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save him. My dad died defending him.” Erevan pushes his good arm against the ground as he tries to sit up.

“Erevan, are you a werewolf?” Celise asks very straight forward.

“If my math is right, I’ve got about four more minutes to regrow my arm before the potion wears off.” Erevan says.

His side is completely healed now and his arm is slowly growing back. As the nerve endings regenerate he feels the stinging cold on his exposed arm.

“So you found more uses for the corpse.” Celise says in a low tone.

“A werewolf potion?” Corvo asks. “That sounds evil.”

“Evil is treating Crows like lessers. Black hair, black fur, black scales. Whatever it is, you deserve the same treatment and freedom as the next man.” Erevan says as he stands up.

Celise lowers her bow and turns to face Erevan.

“So you think killing people is fine, but following actual god given prophecies is evil?” Celise glares at Erevan.

“Well yeah.” Erevan says. He steps towards Celise and Corvo. “I’m walking out that door, and you aren’t going to stop me.”

“Fuck off.” Celise steps aside.

Erevan walks out of the tavern, the wind hitting his still regenerating arm. Anna and Hvardrik follow him out. They get a few feet away when the tavern door opens. Erevan turns slowly, ready to fight again, as he looks towards the door. The small ratfolk stands in front of the tavern.

“I want to join you.” Corvo calls out. Erevan nods to him and the ratfolk runs over joining the group as they walk back to Hvardrik’s cave.