Jackson found what he believed to be an easy job, asking for some help with bandits a few miles away. He cleared it with Madame Julia and started to pack. Jackson paused, taking some healing potion he had bought cheap. He shook his head at the taste and felt the numbing of his wounds. They were nowhere near healed, and several of them were poorly stitched up. The potion helped speed it up, and take the edge off, but that was all. He had taken so many wounds since being summoned to this world. Jackson wondered how he wasn’t dead. Missing his leg, his arm, his eye damaged, back stabbed not to mention the cuts and tears across his body. Then, the Wurms. He had skidded down their backs, dodged teeth and jerked his remaining arm while fighting them. It wasn’t a surprise to him he had torn something in that fight. Jackson wondered if he would break soon.

“SAME!”

Jackson jumped as that word echoed in his mind. He could see it clearly, the Berserker standing next to him. He felt the pain of his arm being ripped. He saw the metallic teeth drawing closer. Jackson grabbed his mouth, stopping his vomit from leaking out. He felt some of his stitches rip and held back a tear. He grabbed the healing potion and chugged it. The fright passed, and a moment later he called for help. Gypsy and young Scarlet came to his aid. Barbara poked her head in but lacked medical skills to help.

“I can sew him back up Gypsy.”

“Then I leave it to you.”

Gypsy led Barbara from the room, taking a final look at Jackson who was breathing heavily. He gave her thumbs up as his dirty green shirt was removed. Scarlet grabbed the needle and thread and began the process.

“Barb, can you run to the market and grab some things.”

Gypsy passed her a shopping list, hoping she could read at some level. The real reason she done this was to give Barbara something to keep her mind off her bleeding friend upstairs. Being mute, she couldn’t protest and sulked from the establishment. Gypsy was terrified of her in truth and had to catch herself when her knees gave out. She didn’t even want to think of the time bomb they had on their hands. All it took was one cut, and the destroyer of armies would surface. What made it all worse was that Jackson was planning on leaving for a few days.

After she had broken Jackson in, she had force him to explain in a little better detail what had happened. He answered her to the best of his abilities. He told her how he defeated the Berserker by removing the armor, that he believed it was a separate entity and that it hit like a truck, a turn of phrase she didn’t fully understand. She also understood that Barbara wasn’t in control of it and could lose control at any moment if she got even a single cut. Jackson however didn’t seem too concern, but he was borderline suicidal. The door opened after a few minutes, and a new surprise greeted her.

“Is this Madame Julia’s place?”

The golden hero himself walked in flanked by a brown-haired beauty, a rather large young man, and a sleazy looking boy. Gypsy did a double take, not fully believing her eyes.

“Never in my life would I have believed the great hero, handpicked by the goddess of man, would be interested in this type of establishment. And, never would I have thought he’d come all the way to the border. Is our reputation that good? Are we that great?”

“We’re here looking for information.”

“Boring.”

Gypsy sank into a chair at her side, loosing focus on the hero as one of her friends brought over a drink. Gypsy sipped it, feeling a moment of warmth as she waited for the hero to speak again. The two boys he brought with him heads were spinning as they looked around. They locked onto all the girls, taking in every sight with heavy breathing. It was disgusting, but not a new sight to the Madame’s girls. Some of the more devilish girls were starting to wonder how deep their pockets were.

“We heard a story about two of your guards.”

Angela spoke up, trying to get the ball rolling before everything was completely derailed.

“Two guards? Please be more specific.”

“The stories go, that on your last travels, you ran into the Berserker. He was then fended off by two guards. A husband and wife of young age. It is believed the husband is a cripple.”

“Why do you care mister hero. What’s the point in coming all this way just to ask about some hired muscle?”

“The point is we’re hunting the Berserker down, and want to know who could fight a thing that destroys entire armies?”

Angela lost her patience and moved closer to Gypsy. Gypsy took another sip, giving them a flirtatious smile. Angela already didn’t like her. Gypsy wondered what her next move should be. Part of her just wanted to take the hero upstairs and have the slowly bleeding Jackson explain the events. He would be better at it. However, something in her heart told her not to.

“The guard, the cripple, is in no condition to talk.”

“So you know where he is?”

“You’re not too bright for a hero, are you. I know exactly where he is, and what he’s doing. Also, your facts are wrong. He’s not married, yet.”

“Well, where is he?”

“Little girl, I just said he’s in no condition to talk. Listen, have any of you even seen the Berserker?”

Gypsy waited to see them shake their heads before continuing.

“Yet, you’re hunting it? what a joke. You don’t hunt the Berserker, it hunts you. The fact he fought it twice and lived is a miracle in and of itself. Also, don’t call him a cripple. He earned his wounds through fighting that thing, and god knows what else.”

“Twice?”

Joseph caught her words, leaning in. Gypsy shook her head and left them. She headed upstairs, not wanting to speak to another hero. Joseph took a seat, thinking of what he was just told. Angela mimicked him, brooding. They were so close to actual answers, yet so far. When two succubae made a move on Kevin and Franklin, Angela decided it was time to leave. She dragged them by the ears outside while Joseph followed. He looked up just in time to see Scarlet’s face peering at them from a window.

Barbara was having a different sort of adventure. She was going stole to stole showing the list, and slowly being pointed to the correct ones. So far, of the ten items, she had three. A few loafs of bread, some eggs, and wine. This process was slow to begin with, but a crowd formed in the market as two of the heroes began to make a speech in the market.

“For too long the people of this world have been oppressed and miss informed of the place of women! We are not just objects, not just things of status and lust! We are independent and in need of respect!”

Barbara walked over to the next stole not understanding a word from the speech. The old woman behind the counter was listening intently to the heroes, as where most of the people. Barbara tapped the list, showing the next item in a desperate hope. The owner at first ignored the girl, but after a few moments got annoyed with her. She snatched the list, read over the items and shook her head.

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“Do I look like a food stand? I sell clothes stupid girl, go that way for most of that stuff.”

Barbara smiled, gave a little bow, and started to move in the direction she was pointed in. The old woman shook her head before returning to listening.

“Join with us to fight the oppression! To prove this world isn’t made of savages, but of great people.”

Barbara reached the next stole, and once more poked the list. The handsome man behind the counter turn to her, holding back his anger at being disturbed. He snatched the list, read over it and then started to grab some fruit from his stand.

“You know, it’s not every day that we get to hear the heroes of the kingdom. I was actually enjoying it. Damn girl, I only sell fruit, for the meat, that from the butcher down the road. For the water and ale, good luck. Most of that’s been taken to celebrate them. You don’t understand a word I just said, do you.”

Barbara just looked at him dumbfounded, then tapped the list again. The man behind the stole pointed in a direction and prayed for the others. She passed him a little too much silver and headed down the street.

“We will band together, we will beat the system, and we will change this world! Who’s with us?”

The crowd cheered, almost knocking Barbara over. She growled at them before heading to the next stole.

“You girl, what is your name?”

Carley stepped down from her make shift stand and moved over to Barbara. The secret monster didn’t seem to realize she was being called on and continued to move towards the next stole.

“What is your name?”

Carley grabbed Barbara’s arm, and for the first time caught her attention. Barbara, having no means to communicate simply tapped the shopping list a few times and tried to break free.

“Poor thing must be mute.”

“Probably nothing more than a servant girl, or maybe even just a simple slave.”

“It’s always sad to see this sight.”

The crowd, most of which would have just been annoyed by Barbara, now moaned at the injustice they had made up for her. Not a single one knew, or wanted to understand her, but felt a need to pity her. If they knew half the truth, well they would have run away screaming. Barbara was pulled into a tight hug by Carley, who stoked her hair. Barbara wished she had her sword and wanted to break free by any means. The sooner she got the items the sooner she could see Jackson.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe now. We’ll protect you.”

Barbara tapped the list against the hero, trying to get her to accept that as the only thing she cared about.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. You are free now, free to be whatever you want.”

The crowd cheered, but Barbara once more tapped the list until someone stole it and ripped it apart. The wolf in sheep’s clothing gritted her teeth at that. The crowd started to drag her away.

“That should do it.”

Scarlet said, putting the last of the healing paste on his back. It wasn’t practical, but if he was to do a job, he needed something over his stitches. The paste was another form of healing potion, that was similar to scraping past over damaged dry wall. It covered the wound, sunk in slightly and helped the person not bleed to death. However, it could hinder healing as it stopped the body from naturally closing the wound, and if it wasn’t removed within a few days, could poison the person. Mostly they used it on the battlefield to get a person back into the fight.

“Thank you.”

Jackson began to finish packing. He didn’t own a lot, and thus his bag was mostly empty. The heaviest item, due to its size, was his sleeping roll.

“Perhaps you should take someone with you, to help patch you up.”

“No need. If this job was dangerous, I’d take Barbara with me.”

“All jobs are dangerous. You never know what could happen or what could be waiting for you.”

“Don’t worry like that. Listen, it’s just a simple job of clearing out some bandits. Take longer to travel then to do. I’ll be back in a few days, hopefully healed and ready to help guard this place.”

“Are you sure you don’t want someone to come along just in case?”

“Scarlet, I’ve taken on the Berserker twice, and five Wurms, I think I can take a few bandits. Also, there was that golem thing, a dungeon and a giant lizard man. That not mentioning the other stuff I’ve had to fight thus far. Have some faith.”

“Faith isn’t the problem.”

Scarlet sighed, leaning her head against the wall. No matter what he said, she would worry. His back alone could pass for Swiss cheese after all. How anyone could even move with such scars was beyond human understanding. The worst ones looked like burn marks, deep in his shoulder blades.

“The heroes are asking about you!”

Gypsy busted into the room, she looked slightly drunk.

“Asking about the Berserker, wondering how you survived.”

“So it was them that I saw leaving out. What were they like up close.”

“Not now Scarlet. Well Jackson, what’s the play?”

“They know nothing right?”

“Like I tell them anything. Little boys couldn’t keep their eyes straight for a moment. Little bossy girl that thinks she knows something. And that all mighty hero acted like he didn’t have a brain. However this would be a great time to give me a plan.”

“Plan doesn’t change. I’m still going to do this job. I’ll just have to make it quick, no more than three days. Can you keep Barbara out of trouble for three days?”

“Listen, do I look like I can? Maybe you should take her with you.”

“And leave this post a day after getting the job completely unguard? No! Listen, Barbara’s not an idiot. Simple yes, but not stupid. I’ll tell her to be extra careful, and hell they might be gone long before I get back.”

“I doubt it, they’ll probably chase after you. They’re hunting the Berserker.”

The room fell silent. Jackson thought it over in his head. Gypsy was right, it was too dangerous to leave Barbara behind. He also didn’t want to leave Madame Julia’s place unguarded. However, he also needed the extra cash, and he wasn’t ready to meet the heroes again. He scratched his head.

“Isn’t hunting the Berserker a good thing?”

“Scarlet, it not that simple. Could you give us a moment?”

On Gypsy’s order, the young girl left the room.

“She doesn’t want me to go on this quest.”

“None of us do. Look at your body. God, two months of constant fighting, I’m amazed you’re not dead. What are you a cat or something? Why is this job so important anyway? Do you need cash that badly?”

“Like it that simple.”

Jackson then began to debate with himself for a moment. He paced back and forth. Gypsy stood in silence, watching him closely.

“There’s another reason I don’t want to meet the heroes. Another reason to get away for a few days.”

“Which is?”

“I’m one of them.”

Gypsy laughed loudly. She held her gut, and almost fell to the floor. Jackson moved forwards, stopping her from hitting the floor as she laughed.

“Is it that unbelievable?”

“No, no. At this point I should have seen it coming. Walked off a battlefield after fighting the Berserker at full strength. Who else could do it. I’m guessing there more to the story, but we don’t have time for that.”

Gypsy kissed him gently before pulling away. She tossed some water into his bag, then sat on the bed.

“Hey, where is Barbara?”

“I sent her out to do some… sh-opp-ing… Shit!”

“Let’s go find her.”

Jackson pulled the hood of his cape over his face and grabbed his bag. The pair left the room in search of Barbara, who was surprisingly easy to find. Jackson was lost for words at what greeted him. She had been completely pulled into the feminist protest, wearing a shirt and holding a sign. Gypsy could only stand there gaping at the sight, while Jackson buried his face in his remaining hand. He could see how bad this could get and how fast it could happen. He moved over to her, and she jumped from the line smiling brightly.

“Listen. No, just listen.”

Jackson stopped her from jumping on him.

“Do you feel I’m mistreating you, or something.”

Barbara shook her head.

“Okay, that’s good. I’m not going to tell you what to think or believe. But you do realize your protesting against the place that’s giving us shelter. I’m not judging your life decisions, nor trying to shun your beliefs, but it might not be a smart idea to um… try and shut down the place giving us a bed to sleep in, or food on the table. That’s just my thinking, but you do you.”

Barbara seemed to understand Jackson point of view and started to remove the shirt and tossed away the sign. Jackson covered her in his cape, and moved them out of sight down an ally, much to the crowd’s displeasure. Many of them shouting at him, insulting him, and some throwing items at him. Jackson ignored this and removed his old green shirt. He passed it to her, pulled the cape tighter to his body, and passed Barbara over to Gypsy. He kissed her, then looked her dead in her golden eyes.

“Listen, some heroes are in town hunting the Berserker, don’t get mad, listen. I need you to be extra careful. Guard Gypsy, and all the others while I’m gone. Don’t do anything unneeded and keep a good distance from them. I only plan on being gone for three days, so I trust you. Listen to Gypsy and stay out of trouble.”

Barbara pouted, but nodded her head. Jackson gave her over to Gypsy and turned on his heels. He realized this was the first time he was truly doing something on his own, as she’d been glued to his side since that battlefield. This was going to be good for him, and her. He knew he was running away from one problem, but he didn’t care at that moment. The heroes were a problem for when he got back. For now he focused on killing those poor bandits.