The river that flowed through the city, also passed through a small village, which was our destination, and the trip shouldn’t take us more than a few hours. Cawood, it was called, and Burgheard had some contacts there, who might be able to aid us, though we’d have to spend Burgheard’s money wisely.

He didn’t have much, but with some goodwill, and some persuasiveness, we should be able to bring back some materials.

He also had what I’d provided earlier, but if we wanted to start earning, we needed more, and we needed variety.

There were a few ores Burgheard wanted to work on, and I had some ideas as well, though they might not be feasible. If the use of a mineral was unknown, it wouldn’t be extracted, or sold, at least not in any useful quantity.

The riverbank, and forest provided a wealth of plant life, and I decided to take some time to gather them, as I felt I could make some simple remedies that I could sell.

It all felt so small, and insignificant, but I told myself that that’s how it started. Start small, and build up. Everything I introduced, and every bit of aid I provided would improve my brand, so to speak, and people would come to trust me.

As we travelled, and I gathered plants, and some wild herbs, I found myself enjoying myself. The sounds, and smells of nature didn’t feel as jarring as last time. Then I had been near panic, and filled with doubts, fears, and uncertainties. Now, I could take my time, with a specific target in mind, and I wasn’t alone. I had a plan for the future, and I was looking forward to seeing it through.

I chatted with Burgheard, building a rapport with him, and just enjoying the day.

In the end, we reached Cawood without issue, and we made our way toward the village’s small dock.

Cawood looked like a stereotypical medieval village, with rustic wooden houses, and dirt and gravel roads. It had not benefited as significantly from the changes brought by Officer Reaves in the past, it would seem.

It was quiet, except for a few people walking around. Some carried hampers full of clothes to, and from the river, while others seemed to be walking toward a field, or the forest for work. The people wore simple clothes in dull colours, but I saw no signs of poverty. Sure, their lives were simple and austere, but I saw satisfaction on their faces and contentment. They smiled and greeted their neighbours, and carried themselves with a sense of pride that contrasted with how I’d feel. I was always one to enjoy the good things in life, from luxuries to high-quality clothes. The payment I received as a Gifted was nothing to scoff at, and I realized how the frugal living I’d had to live recently had worn on me. The idea of getting some money, and regaining some form of luxury in time, was comforting.

The dock was nothing more than a simple jetty, with a few storage buildings nearby, Burgheard marched up to a nearby residence and knocked resolutely.

A few seconds later, we heard the sounds of someone approaching from within, and the door opened, revealing a dishevelled, middle-aged man wearing workman’s clothes.

He looked to be about to grumble, but his eyes shot open, and he smiled widely, instead.

“Burgheard,” he exclaimed. “Old friend, how are you?”

“Hello, Joshua,” Burgheard responded, smiling and clasping Joshua’s shoulder. “To be honest, I’ve been better. Things’ve been rough in the city lately. Can we talk?”

“Of course, of course,” Joshua said and stepped inside. “Come in.”

We followed him into a decent-looking home and were guided to a set of chairs around a worn table. The room was spartan, but some items seemed to have a story. A particular silver plate, that was hung on a wall, a simple painting of an old couple, an elaborate candlestick, and a few other knick-knacks stood around the room, adding to the atmosphere. The floor and furniture were worn, and some of the paint was fading, but it looked to be well-maintained and cared for. A house, that felt like a home.

“What can I help you with,” Joshua asked before looking at me, and placed his hands on the table, one on top of the other.. “And, who is your friend?”

“This is Jace,” Burgheard introduced me, and I smiled at our host. “He’s been helping me, and we’ve got the beginnings of a plan to improve things in the city, but we’re struggling.”

Burgheard looked at me, and I understood he wanted me to continue, but I stopped and looked at Joshua for a bit, considering my words. His face had some stubble as if he didn’t have time to shave, but his eyes were alert, and I knew I was dealing with a clever man, a businessman. He might be shrewd, and wouldn’t be convinced easily, though Burgheard’s friendship might help.

I decided to start by prodding for knowledge. What he already knew, and how much.

“Do you know anything about the Commerce?” I asked, and Burgheard looked surprised. Joshua only looked confused.

“No,” he said. “I have not. What is that?”

“It’s a group of people who seem to seek control of the city, especially the market,” I explained. “And they are not afraid of using nefarious means to accomplish their goals.”

“Ah, that might explain some things,” Joshua responded, nodding. “There’s been less movement along the river lately, and several of my colleagues have lost their contacts. Wares are left here for a while until they suddenly receive an offer far below the asking price for the wares. Many have accepted, since they need everything they can get, and fear not earning anything.”

“That seems to align with their methods,” I nodded, considering this information. “It’s worse in the city, though. Craftsmen and traders who won’t accept their terrible demands are ousted and coerced. We have reason to believe they ensure their competitors fall afoul of bandits, or they might coerce their suppliers. Byrgheard was a target of theirs, and we seek to turn his fortune around, and use his smithy as a launching point for a counter-offensive.”

I looked at the man, Joshua, and considered him for a moment.

He was middle-aged, and greying, but appeared strong, and hale. After my explanation he was looking at Burgheard with a worried expression, while Burgheard sat with his head hung low, taking deep breaths, and clenching his fists.

Joshua was tapping a finger on the table, while his expression turned to consternation.

“So, what do you expect from me?” he asked and turned back to me.

“Nothing,” I said, surprising him. I smiled and continued. “We don’t expect anything, but we hope. We hope for your help in fighting the Commerce and ensuring our traders, and craftsmen can work without fearing the nefarious intent of some shadowy organization. We seek supplies, and materials for Burgheard to work, and provide high-quality product, while I seek other avenues, and we use the funds from sales, to recruit others, and build our influence.”

Shock marred Joshua’s face for a few seconds, before he took a breath, and nodded.

“I understand,” he said, though he looked reticent. “Am I right in assuming you’ll want this help without paying immediately?”

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“Not quite,” I raised a hand to placate him. “We have some, but not much. We are willing to pay for what we can, but if you’re able and willing to provide more, then it will be greatly appreciated.”

“What do you say about this, Burg?” Joshua turned to the smith.

“He speaks the truth, old friend,” Burgheard sighed deeply and explained. “I was about to give up when he approached me, and what he’s learned over the last week has been eye-opening. I genuinely believe that he can achieve what he says, but not alone.”

Burgheard went into detail about his recent troubles, and Joshua’s sympathy for his friend was obvious.

“How are you going to do this?” Joshua asked.

“Initially, my idea is to provide superior products, for a competitive price,” I explained. “That may lead to a loss in income, though, which is one of the reasons why we’re here, trying to gain your support, rather than simply purchasing and going on our way. I hope that once we do this, people will flock to us, and the Commerce’s business will take a hit, and thus force them to act. If they act rashly, they’re more likely to make a mistake that we can take advantage of.”

I locked eyes with Joshua and tried to convey confidence and assurance.

“Next is advancement of method, and technology,” I began, knowing I had to be careful. “I hope to provide an avenue for advancing the crafts, increasing efficiency, and productivity. Through this, we’ll gather more momentum and support. Eventually, we might be able to knock the Commerce from their throne.”

“And what then?” Joshua asked. “You take their place? How can I know if you’re any better?”

“At this stage, you only have my word,” I said before turning to Burgheard. “And his.”

Joshua looked between me, and his old friend, before sighing.

“And I suppose you need an answer as soon as possible?” he asked.

“Preferably, yes,” I nodded. “Every day brings more of the city under the Commerce’s influence, and we hope to make a difference before it’s too late.”

“What about this advancement?” he asks, and I can see the scepticism in his eyes. “How can you promise that?”

“In my travels, I’ve picked up a thing or two,” I hedge. “I gave Burgheard a small tip, and he tested it out.”

I turned to the smith, and he nodded.

“A small adjustment, and change, and it improved the efficiency of removing impurities in the ore and gave a slight improvement to the strength of the product,” he stated. “In small works, it’s negligible, but if there are bigger efforts, then it would be noticeable. The efficiency will be especially noticeable over time.”

Joshua seemed to put some weight on Burgheard’s words, as he leaned back, and crossed his arms over his chest.

“So, to sum up,” Joshua said, speaking slowly. “An organization is gathering influence in York, through nefarious means, ousting those who won’t submit. You’re trying to build a form of resistance through competition, and you need help.”

“That’s basically it,” I responded.

“If these are unscrupulous people, then they’ll likely be willing to do far worse than what they’ve shown so far,” Joshua continued. “We will need protection, and mercenaries are expensive, decent guards are expensive, and buying off any assailants is expensive. Not to mention your lack of money right now. How are you going to get the goods to the city? I could lend you a horse, and cart, but what about protection?”

“I can handle the trip,” I said with confidence.

“I doubt that,” Joshua shook his head. “You’re too young.”

“Where I come from, we’re trained young,” I retorted, feeling a tinge of frustration. “I’ve been trained in fighting for half my life, and my confidence is not born from hubris. I’ve already had an encounter with bandits in the area. It’s the reason I’m so certain of their existence. I took down nine of them on my own. I can defend a single cart.”

The eyes of both Burgheard, and Joshua widened at that statement, and Joshua seemed to fall back into contemplation.

“If what you’re saying is true, then you might indeed be able to defend a cart on the trip to York,” he said. “But, what about later? If you’re doing what you said, and investigating, and expanding, there will come a point when you can’t. More people to defend.”

“And by that time,” I argued. “We’d have the funds to hire guards. I can take some time to start training people, if necessary. I have no delusions that this will be over quickly, and we will face setbacks, but we need to take a first step, and as it stands, that will require a leap of faith. We need assistance before the Commerce grows too strong.”

He wasn’t quite convinced, though he nodded along with my argument.

“If we succeed, it will put us in a position to make a significant, lasting change,” I continued. “Paving the way for further profit and advancement in the future. I don’t intend to set myself up as a tyrant, or anything like that, but those who aid me now will be in a better position when we win.”

He quirked an eyebrow at that and sighed.

“Fine,” he said. “ I might be bringing about my ruination, but I’ll help you. I have some contracts that I need to fulfil, but I’ll donate the rest of the contents in my warehouse to your cause. I’ll reach out to some contacts of mine, in the area, though I’ll steer clear of the city. Perhaps I can gather some more support. There are a few of us who have seen the trade in the area take a turn for the worse, and most might be willing to support you, but they’ll be on your neck if you renege.”

“Understood,” I said, smiling in relief. “Of course.”

“Give me some time, and I’ll have the carts ready.”

“Carts?” I ask, surprised.

“Yes, I have been hoarding quite a lot of goods,” Joshua said as he stood. “I hope you’ve got storage in the city.”

I looked at Burgheard, and he nodded with a slight smile on his face and a distant look in his eyes.

We followed Joshua outside, where he began gathering some people and headed off toward a nearby warehouse.

“I think I’ll head to the dock,” Burgheard said. “Could use some time on my own.”

“Sure,” I responded. “I’ll be checking the forest, I think. Might find something interesting.”

He nodded at me, and left for the dock, while I went the opposite way.

The forest had been cut down near the village, leaving stumps, and in some places, they’d been uprooted, and I could see the disturbed earth.

I saw people walking around some distance away, by the forest line and realized they were cutting trees. A small storage area for logs sat nearby, and a small carriage path led to the village.

The path looked new, and the workers weren’t doing the most efficient work, I stood pondering that for a while.

“Might be a new thing,” I thought. “Perhaps with the reduced traffic to the city, they’ve had to find other ways to make money. Selling logs would be a decent way for that, assuming there’s some construction work further down the river.”

I left them to their work and headed into the forest.

I didn’t have any specific thing in mind, but I wanted to see what there was to find. My bracer and console could identify most plant life, and in this instance, the Gift actually provided some help, though not much.

Whenever I got close enough, it would tell me if there were beneficial properties to a plant, or not. Something the console could answer as well, most of the time.

The forest was quiet, save for birdsong, and rustling leaves. It was peaceful, and pleasant to walk among the trees, and I found myself breathing deeply from the fresh air.

I spent a couple of hours walking around the forest, picking flowers, herbs, and other things that might prove useful, and put them in a pouch Burgheard had provided.

My peace was disrupted near the end, as I returned to the village, when I heard shouts, and the sounds of fighting.

Without hesitating, I started running back, and as I left the forest, I saw people fighting on the outskirts of the village.

Some lay dead, on both sides, and the fighting looked fierce.

People in rough clothes and leather armour were trying to fight their way toward the docks, while villagers in common clothes wielded pitchforks and woodcutter axes to hold them back.

It was apparent to me that the villagers were losing. They had less training, and equipment, and were likely taken by surprise.

I made a bee-line for where the fighting was the thickest, as I drew my sword. The same one I’d taken off the bandits I defeated.

My vision narrowed, and my senses filtered out the unnecessary. The Gift was flowing through my body, though not as noticeable as I would like.

I’d have to rely more on my training in combat, and technique than the Gift if I wanted to avoid exposing myself.

My sword sang, and I danced along. Weaving through the throng of combatants, crimson flowers erupting from opened arteries behind me.

Shouts, screams, and roars sounded, but they failed to disrupt the song, as one assailant fell, after the other, until I’d reached the line of villagers holding them back.

Without a word, I moved on, to the next battlefield, the next dance, until all the bandits lay dead.

I stood, breathing deeply, as I calmed myself, as people looked on wide-eyed. Pitchforks and axes were levied towards me, fearing me now, in the bandits’ place, but I paid them no heed.

I meant them no harm, and once they calmed, they’d realize.

Burgheard approached me, sporting a cut on his right arm, and Joshua stood not far away.

They were wide-eyed, and looked apprehensive, though Burgheard still approached.

“What was that?” he asked, looking at the bodies around me. “How did you…?”

“I told you, I could handle the protection aspect,” I said in a soft voice, smiling slightly. “Didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did,” Joshua broke in. “But this… I’ve never… The way you moved… How?”

“As I said,” he explained. “I’ve been training for half my life, though I doubt anyone here has ever seen the fighting style before.”

I looked around and saw the villagers dispersing.

“But, enough about me, we need to help the wounded,” I said and started moving. Several people had gathered the injured by a house near the town centre.

“We don’t have anyone who knows how,” Joshua said. “Our village healer died a few weeks ago. He was old and frail.”

“Do you still have any equipment or material?” I asked, but Joshua shook his head. “Alright, bring some cloth, and cut it into strips. Burgheard, gather a few people to collect fresh, clean water, and put it to boil.”

I set into motion, recalling the instructions on first aid from the Academy. The Gifted might be able to heal themselves, but healing others through the Gift was a rare talent. One I didn’t possess.

I started making some quick decision, who’s injuries were more critical, who would be treated first, and began the work.