Alice did not smile anymore after that, not coquettishly or any other way. Still, Prince Kerwin took the rains of the Principal’s horse and walked it toward her. She did stare at him just because he was not looking at her at all, a strange expression of emptiness residing on his face and eyes, his gaze lost somewhere in the bloodied snow and the past she could not understand.

“Don’t know about yesterday, but I reckon, for today, I am ahead of you in killing the beasts,” he said seriously as he gave her the rains, his face still empty of anything at all, his eyes still not meeting hers, looking more lost than angry or blood-thirsty, or trying to be funny.

Alice took a moment to compose herself, then nodded her head in approval as she took the reins of the horse as she said, “Thank you for the horse. But it’s your sword that we may need.”

“Oh, yeah. You’ll have to wait for that one,” he said, then tried to smile and failed miserably at that.

“At least now I know I should not get too close to you,” Alice said.

That made him smirk. Then quickly glanced at El and said, “She’s a smart one, isn’t she?”

“You won’t hear me argue that,” El answered.

When the Prince was gone to give orders to his men, Alice turned to El, holding the reins, and was just looking at him with her eyes wide open.

“What is it?” El asked her.

She moved so her whisper could only reach his ears. “I do not know how to ride. And I do not think today would be a good day going about learning.”

The surprise flashed over El’s face, but in the blink of an eye, he already had a good solution.

“Is there another wagon we can use this horse to pull?” he asked around.

“There is a sleigh I use when the snow falls,” Holgar offered. “It’s not as big as the wagon but it could carry a few people. It could help us a lot.”

“Yes, that would work perfectly,” El agreed, suddenly eager to get off his feet and give himself a chance to rest and regain his Energy and Mana. “We can use it to carry extra blankets and ropes to make tents out of. I fear the nights in the mountains up North will be cold.”

They left shortly afterward. The Prince sent a couple of scouts up front to track the beasts and to make sure no beasts were lurking in an ambush somewhere. The head of the column was made of King’s Cavalry, followed by King’s wagons with food and camping supplies. Then came a wagon with Holgar, Chisel, Trim, and his wife who refused not to be left behind, followed by the sleigh that El drove with Alice sitting next to him and Scarface, Dmintiz, and his younger brother Gok all squeezed together in the back. The fighters from the village including the muted trio whom El ordered to come along were in the rear.

“You will gather firewood, cook, and do whatever I ask from you, and if you try to run away, you will stay mute for the rest of your life, do you understand?” he told them, and doubted they would remain much longer by his side. They’ll probably run away as soon as there is a danger, but then, that will be their choice, not mine.

As they made out of the village, El finally had a chance to look over his system.

‘Please inform me, what finally triggered the upgrade?’

[The decision to stand and fight for the villagers had helped you in saving 100 lives, increasing your Karma to 10,050.

The decision not to submit to the local authority with dubious moral standards had increased your Reputation level to 2050.

The combination of both had seemed worthy of earning you Level 21]

[Name: El Semundo Seventh Ol373g38AA9

Origin: Human 90 percent

Elvish 8 percent

Zoyan 2 percent

Planet: Olinia Prima

Level: 21

Accolades: Olive Branch, Staff Carvers Notch

Attributes

Standings

Balances

Abilities

Specials

Analytics

Options]

[Life Force: 150/210

General Health Condition: 17/21]

[Energy Supply: 900 / 2100

Mana Supply: 50 /105]

‘What improvements did I get with the upgrade?’ he asked the system.

[Selected Hearing Option Extension

Hearing Improved +20 Percent

Mana Channeling Speed and Distance +50 Percent

Staff Strike Power +25 percent if the Staff has at least one unit of Mana stored inside]

He liked that last ability and right away he let one unit of Mana from his body drift into the stuff that lay in his lap, realizing his staff should never again be all empty.

Then he touched Alice and saw a big surprise there.

{The decision to stand and fight for the villagers had helped you in saving 200 lives, increasing your Karma to 1,000.

Due to your short time in the system, your Level has been upgraded only to 2.}

So, she saved more lives than me? How? Well, maybe… it makes sense. She probably had a big influence on the villagers, seeing how she was fiercely fighting and killing them probably made everyone else fight that much harder. She deserved better than just a single upgrade then. And she’s smart and helped us with the Prince quite a bit. That alone should have earned her an upgrade. So, what did she get?

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

{Axe Power Swing: 25 percent strength improvement.

A selected option of upgrades: Eyesight + 20 percent}

Good, she chose to upgrade her sight. That is good since I have not upgraded mine for a long time. We could complement each other that way.

They advanced slowly, so he gave the rains to Alice and drifted off into a meditative state, slowly recuperating his Mana and Energy, savoring his peace because he knew it was not going to last for long.

An hour passed swiftly but he felt good enough to feel as if he slept for eight hours. And his numbers showed it as well.

[Energy Supply: 1800 / 2100

Mana Supply: 80 /105]

If he could only have another mug of that good ale, he bet his numbers would go up further still.

Testing the improved hearing, he found he could hear further and even zoom in on the different sounds. Testing it further, he searched till he found

Prince Kerwin’s voice, riding a bit by the road, away from everyone.

“So, you say he made them mute??” he heard him say it.

“Yes, my Prince,” another voice answered.

“How?”

“I do not know.”

“Yeah, but did he use the knife to cut their tongues or something else that is equally sharp?”

“No, nothing like that. Just… he made them mute.”

“Strange. Good work, Rewin.”

“My Prince…?”

“Yes…, say it, man. I did not make you a First Sargent so you could hold your tongue. Come on, speak your mind.

“My Prince, it’s just that… was it really wise to kill Prinicipal like that?”

“Of course it was.”

“All for a vengeance?”

“No, of course not. I could not let him run this campaign. He had to be dealt with. To tell you the truth, and I think you deserve to know it, I actually was planning to kill him, but not now. And not so in such a nice way. Wanted to make him suffer. But then, seeing all the blood, and hearing him talk nonsense, I knew I had to take care of him right there and then. And the way I killed him… That was an act of mercy. And now… I think I feel at peace with it. But… there is something else that does trouble me.”

“Yes, my Prince?”

“Well, you and I do not know each other very well, but, Steward of Arms Helfin told me I could trust you.”

“Steward Helfin is a good man.”

“Yes, yes he is. Tries the best. He also told me that there would be assassins here, people who would try to kill me.”

“Did he say who”

“No. Well, I doubted it was Principal. But killing him was also to make a point. Maybe it will make the killers think twice now. Maybe, they might not be so fast coming at me, maybe the picture of me killing Principal would… play inside their heads."

“Maybe.”

“Yeah, and, there is something else, on my mind.”

“What is that, my prince?”

“You know all these men here, not like me who only had a chance to train with half of them. So, do you have any idea who might try to kill me?”

“No, my Prince. I doubt there is an assassin among them.”

“Oh, but there is an assassin among them. At least one. You know, I asked Scarface something a long time ago, when he dueled against three of our best swordfighters and butchered them all.”

“What did you ask him?”

“I do not know exactly, but, I remember what he answered me. He said I should not be afraid of him, that I should be afraid of an assassin I cannot see, one who befriends me, one who becomes close to me and then strikes me at the time when I least expect it. That… had stayed with me for the whole time. Enough to take it seriously. So…”

“What are trying to say, my Prince?”

“It’s just that… when Steward of Arms Helfin told me that I could trust you, I guess, everyone knows that it must be true. Even people who would want me dead. So. I went looking, trying to see what kind of man you are. See if that is actually the case. I sent Bib and Rib… yeah, those two behind us, yeah, I sent them to your home. And you know, what they found?”

“No? I tell you what they did not find. They did not find your family there.”

The old guard sighed.

“They asked around and heard it was LeMark, Lord Marbal's servant, who came there with four soldiers and took them away. That was strange. I mean, what does Lord Marbal want with your wife and kids? So… I went to look for them. And found them. In a private estate outside the city walls where Lord Marbal usually brings his whores and where he gambles. Yeah, I found them. Killed all six guards there, didn’t we, Bib and Rib? That was… why I was late, why you had to wait for me. Because, I took your family away.”

“Now, now, now, don’t go for your sword. They have crossbows to your back and I hate that they shoot you dead even if you can cut me before I cut you. So, relax. I’d hate for something to happen to you. I mean, you’d never see your family again that way,” the Prince spoke.

“Where are they?”

“Safe. You probably know Trisha and Tan, seen them always around me.”

“They are cutthroats, especially that Trisha.”

“Yes, yes, she is. So you know then she’d have no problem killing your family unless I come home

“I see.”

“I know what LeMark asked from you. I know you did not do it for the coins. The word is you even turned it down, the whole bag of silvers. How much was inside? Ten pieces?”

“Twenty.”

Prince Kerwin snorted loudly before he spat out before he said. “Frankly, in your place, I probably would do the same thing. It’s just that… I’m not sure I can trust you.”

“What does that mean?”

“When we find the beasts, I expect you to lead the charge. Let the god decide your destiny. If he spares you, so will I. And don't worry, this is not a trick. I do not lie. I do not connive and deceit. If I say it, it will be done. So, if I return safely back, so will you. If not, like I said before, Trisha will do what LeMark promised to do if you do not kill me.”

There was a long moment of silence, and then the man “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. People here, even Bib and Rib, respect you. All of them respect and listen to you. Besides, you will hold the first line. Who knows, maybe I’ll have to thank you afterward. Now, why don't you ride up front and see if everything is fine there?"

A moment of silence that followed was interrupted by another voice. “You think you’d be safe now?”

“From him, yes, But hack no, Bib. Knowing my devious uncle, he always had contingency plans. Backups on top of backups. There are more assassins among us. I’ll just have to wait and face them when they come.”

Hearing those words, El decided to tune everything out again until he heard Prince Kerwin’s horse come to trot next to the sleigh. Scarface growled in the back and El even heard how he slowly moved his sword a few inches out of the scabbard, maybe just making sure he could pull it out in a hurry if the need arose.

It took El opening his eyes and staring at Prince Kerwin for him to finally nod his head and speak, "They say you mentioned how you came from far away.”

“Yes. That’s what I said. The place you never heard of.”

“Some people had this idea you may be young King Koral’s spy.”

“I have no interest in your king or any other kings around here. Not yet, anyway.”

“I see. I would not make you to be a spy anyway.”

“What gave you that idea?” Alice suddenly spoke, smirking at him. “Maybe because we are dressed differently, speak differently, didn’t try one bit to blend in and appear as locals? Maybe even because we’re not mingling on your court, but decide to stay here and help a poor, defenseless village to survive?” Alice said sarcastically.

El let her speak, since he knew Prince probably did not get to ride next to them to hear him speak, a smile hiding in the corner of his lips.

“Yeah, something like that. So, are you also a Paladin?” he asked her, staring seriously at her.

Alice sighed. “I’m not Paladin, and El already said that he is not either. I do not even know who Paladins are. And yeah, thank you for the horse. He’s helping a lot.”

“Glad I could help,”

Prince Kerwin answered and tried unsuccessfully to smile.

At that time, they passed next to the homestead with a broken front door and smacked windows.

“Smithersons place,” Demitriz said from behind. “Nine lived here when we passed by this place a few days ago.”

“They ate them all,” Glut added, seeing all the blood over the snow, but with no other traces of bodies around.

Two riders rode around and came to inform the Prince that no survivors were found.

"I think it will just get bloodier from here," El muttered unhappily.

“Yes, it probably will. You failed to mention that it might be the works of a dungeon,” Prince Kerwin added, staring at El.

“Yes. Nothing else makes sense.”

“Does that change anything?” Alice asked. “Does that scare you?” she added before he could answer, staring at him, daring him.

“Of course it does. But then… all I know about dungeons is what I’ve been told and little I read in a few books written about them. So, maybe, this is a way for me to see it for myself and make up my own mind about them.”

“Some say it might be wise to listen to the written words,” El said, cautiously.

“A lie written down does not make it a truth,” Prince Kerwin answered.

“True,” El said and nodded his head a few times before he continued, “You have Elvish blood running through your veins.”

“If we are to believe the stories of my Steward, ever since the time of Neisas, all Forthmans have Elvish blood running through their veins. It’s just that some show it more than others.”

While he talked, El channeled his Mana in the staff, using the new ability to do it faster, connecting it with the dagger that Prince Kerwin used to kill the Principal, and then, once Mana had connected with it, he was able to sense it, finding it very unique. And then he called it to himself.

And the next second, Prince Kerwin was wide-eyed, staring at El who held his dagger in his hand, examining it, feeling it.

“This is ancient. It’s of Elvish making for sure,” El said before the Prince could say anything.

“You still have to go a long way before you deserve to wear it,” El said as he flipped it over and offered it back to the Prince. “Maybe you can use this campaign to work on that.”