There was no time to rest. Too many wounded, some at the point of breathing their last breaths, were crying for help all around.

Upset that he was not already bandaging them over, El ran to them, asking Alice for help. The Healer joined them as well, and together they worked as a team. Holgar’s wife brought an armful of clean cotton sheets and they swiftly moved among the wounded, bandaging those that were at the point of bleeding out. Some had more serious wounds, and a few of the villagers had their limbs missing. A little bit of Energy that El was able to cultivate since the fighting had stopped, he used to cauterize their wounds, feeling again drained and tired enough that he could just drop and sleep on the bloodied ground right there.

But on he went.

Those that needed prolonged care, they ordered to be taken to the bedrooms. Those that needed claws and fangs taken out of their bodies were taken to lay on the tables inside the tavern, so they could better take care of them. But it soon became obvious, they were not going to have enough clean cloth to take care of them all.

“We do not have any more,” Holgar’s wife said apologetically. “I can take those that are on the beds, but it will take time to cook them and make them clean.”

“Trader Jack has a big roll of cotton cloth in his store,” one of the young lads that were helping around said.

“Then go and get it from him,” El told him right away.

But suddenly the young lad, not older than fourteen, seemed unsure. “He may want a payment for it.”

“Tell him to come and see me afterward, but go and run, and bring it here fast!!” he said and then added seeing the boy starting to run toward Trader John’s house. “People's lives depend on it! So, don’t ask, demand, and don’t take ‘no’ for an answer!”

Feverishly they worked and it took more than an hour to bandage all the wounded and stabilize those who would have died otherwise.

With his hands and face all bloodied and all the hot water they would boil used on the wounded, El finally walked outside of the tavern again, going for the snow to clean his face and hands.

He had to walk way beyond the house to find some clean white powder, but that was maybe exactly what he wanted, walking away from the people crying in pain and their miseries, away from blood and dead beasts that lay everywhere. He kneeled down where the snow was untouched and rubbed his hands for a long time, then his face for even longer. When he finally got up, Alice was there staring him in the eyes with two full mugs of ale inside.

“I think you could use one,” she said, smiling at him.

“Yes, yes I could. I’ve been dying of thirst an hour ago,”

“You did good,” El complemented her, felt like even putting his hand around her, but just did not know how. So, he just continued to talk. “Much better than I thought. Very brave. And, you did not pull back no matter how dire things got. I bet you killed more beasts than I did.”

“Thank you,” Alice said, obviously pleased with herself. "And I could kill only beasts that you stunned first. So, it was a team effort. I don't think I'd stand a chance against a single beast if it was not for you."

El nodded his head, and then remembered to ask. “So, how does it feel to be Level 2 now?”

“Great. Feel so much stronger. So much alive.”

“Wait till you recuperate completely.”

“And you? You did not level up?”

“No. I actually had been stuck at the same level for the last two years. So… who knows, pretty soon, you may catch up with me. Even pass me.”

“I don’t think so,” “So how does it feel?”

“Tired. Ready to sleep. Yet, we still have a few good hours of daylight left. There are still things left to do.”

“You saved them, you know. Without you, they would not be able to defend.”

“It does not matter. That’s already in the past. Just have to rest a bit and then think what is the best thing to do next.”

They walked slowly to the tavern and saw Trim there extinguishing the last of the fires that were still burning. When he saw them he instantly stopped and went to greet them.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Hard to believe, but, it seems we have less dead than the last time we got attacked. Only three people died actually. Can you believe it? And the way the Healer said, you took such good care of the wounded that most likely all of them will make it… missing a hand or a leg, but will make it nevertheless. That was completely unexpected.”

“We counted over ten dozen beasts that we killed. I guess we could call this a victory then,” Holgar said.

El decided to take a moment and look at his stats.

First health,

[Life Force: 170/200

General Health Condition: 17/20]

Then his supplies,

[Energy Supply: 100 / 2000 Units

Mana Supply: 4 /100 Units]

His health was generally looking great, but his lack of supplies was not looking good. And he felt exactly how it looked. It would take a whole day and maybe more for it to be fully replenished.

Cleaning in the snow helped him refresh. Drinking beer did even better. He almost felt happy, the light buzz in his head making his feet almost not touch the ground. And then, it all got spoiled.

“You see, this is what we can achieve when we stick together!” the voice of Trader Jack brought El back, and he stared at the fat man who suddenly appeared among people, taking and padding everyone on their back. The slimy salesman and the fat woman who voted to outcast El were walking behind him.

He watched, his mood swiftly deteriorating even after he took a long gulp out of the mug, finishing his beer.

Those stinkers will never stop. Little by little, those three will work to undermine my authority, little by little they’ll dig the hole under my feet, and my back will need eyes to see the poisoned blade coming at me when they summon the courage to attack me.

“Easy,” Alice said seeing El's face as he moved a step toward the three.

“Yeah, all too easy,” El growled out, his eyes fixated on them.

"You said something about the compensation for my cotton cloth, did you not?" Trader Jack called on to him. "And, let me tell you, that cloth was one of the finest- "

“You!" El's crisp and sharp voice stopped him. "You three owe me an apology. No, it’s not the kind you can express in words, so, don’t even try,” El said to interrupt the salesman who already opened his mouth to protest.

“How do we know you were not the one who brought this?” the fat woman said.

“How do we know it was not you who brought it?” Alice answered from behind. “We fought these beasts while you hid yourself away, maybe because you did not want to hurt them. Maybe you were in a league with them. For all that we know, that is closer to the truth. so answer your actions. Why did you not fight? Others did. Old, and young. Everyone did. Yet, you did not. Why??"

“It’s a good question," El said, seeing the face of the woman frowning and ready to spit some insult toward Alice. "But I’m tired of questions and answers, and your lies, and your skimming. Damn, in my life I ran into some poisonous vipers that I like better than you. Any three of you.”

“How dare you talk to us like that? Don’t you know who we are? Our father -” The woman burst out.

“Yeah, where is he?" El said. "If he could see you, he'd probably turn in grave, you maggots!!"

“We voted for you to leave!" Trader Jack summoned the courage to say. "What are you still doing here??”

El smirked and said. “Setting things right. That’s what I’m doing here.”

Then he grabbed the knife from Trim’s belt, filled it with 3 units of Mana, and then shot them straight at their throats.

The light traveled faster than the blink of an eye, and the impact was immediate. All three flew off their feet and were knocked down on their back.

“What did you do?” Alice was the first one to ask, alarmed as she ran toward to see them. “Did you kill them??”

“No. No, I did not," El answered. "I will not lose my good karma on killing those maggots. Besides, maybe they can still be useful. Maybe… maybe I’ll see what I will do with them later. I’m just too damn tired now to think.”

“But you…? How did you do that?” Alice wanted to know, standing above them, seeing them move, but not able to utter a single word out.

“I made them stop speaking and weaving lies and deceit. They will talk no longer. At least for a long while.”

Alice looked closer at them, seeing how all three of them were holding their throats, seeing the redness around it, even traces of blue swallowing already.

“You severed their vocal cords...?”

“Well… That sounds about right. Cords. Vocal. I guess you can call them that. And I don’t think there is anyone here who can make their voices right again.”

Alice looked astonished, looking at his knife and then at him, and just as El was ready to hear her accusations, she smiled and said, “Nice, that was nice.”

That smile alone lifted El up again and he even smiled back. “I guess it is. Hear it? Silence. Easy. Just like you said. Now, you three have abused others for way too long."

El took a step closer, seeing how everyone was looking at him. then he continued. "You have lost all your privileges. You have forfeited your lives by not standing by people here and defending this town. That is my judgment on you."

The three tried to speak but only dull sounds came out.

"It means, you and your sorry asses now belong to me. You have inconvenienced me enough, even made me doubt I should help this village. You will repent. And you will obey. And you will serve. For as long as I want you to. Now, don’t just sit there on the floor. There is a lot of work to do. Floors to clean of blood in the tavern. Bloody cloth to be washed and rubbed with soap till they are clean again.”

“Look... There is even no beer in my mug. You, dirty salesman, you will go and fetch me some.”

“Are you sure you want him to?” Alice asked him, surprised and frowning.

“Why?”

She shrugged her shoulders and said, “You took his voice. But… he might just spit in it.”

That made El nod his head as he figured Alice had a very good point there. So, he added, “Yes. And if I even suspect you of even breathing in my beer, I’ll do to your mouth what I did to your voice, and then, the only food you’ll be able to get into you will be through your nose."

As the terrified salesman stared at El, El snorted loudly through his nose, showing the man exactly his possible future.

“And what are you still doing sitting down?” he put his last mana unit inside the sword and blasted the, who jumped

“You see, now you won’t be able to sit on your behind for at least a week. So, you better hustle now. Do I need to say more??”

Alice could not help but grin even harder, watching the smoke still coming out of Fat Jack’s behind, him trying to scream but no words coming out.

“Those fuckers had it coming,” she said. “Nice, double nice, bro.”