The explanation Evans had given her was a little hard to digest, but there was no denying the truth in it.

After Evans left. Rimi quickly put on her gear. She strapped the quiver to her back and grabbed her bow.

Instead of going out the front, Rimi jumped out of the window. She had been keeping an eye everywhere too. It was natural for archers and scouts to look for vantage points where they could aim for.

The mansion was one such place, and the spire atop the church was another. The mansion though, was her best choice. It offered a perfect view of the houses, of the church on one side, and an escape route through the river on the other.

Rimi lowered her body, walking like a thief as she stepped out of the houses.

“Those two should have said something before I went to sleep…” In the end, she too couldn’t believe Evans’ explanation.

It made sense, but she couldn’t help but think they were overthinking. To Rimi, none of the people looked as if they were doing something ‘wrong.’

Of course, Rimi knew better than to solely trust her gut. If the facts were against her thoughts, then she would accept her mistake. That’s what it meant to be an adventurer that could survive.

“Now then…” Carefully, Rimi peeked out of the alleys. “Where. Should. I. Aim. From….”

With each word, her eyes scanned the spots she could take over. There was one house in the village that was taller than the rest.

In such an empty and wide space, even a three-story house was tall enough to look at the entire expanse.

She had found her target. She would go up and take position. Close to the village. If everything was ok with the villagers and Evans gave the signal, she would then go to the mansion and take her spot. They will hunt the monsters, take their reward, go back home, and keep jabbing Evans and Ian for suspecting their employers.

“Well, how do I get on top?”

She walked around the back of the house. Going in and asking to be let into the roof was something even Rimi couldn’t do. At the back, she noticed a tree that was tall enough to get to the roof and then a little higher.

Rimi looked at the house. The distance between the trunk and the wall of the house was about a meter, but the tree grew with a tilt and the distance was wider at the top.

Rimi removed a dagger from her boots and shot it at the tree The dagger embedded itself halfway through the trunk, a bit above her height.

Next, she jumped on the wall of the house. With a light, nimble kick, she used it to boost herself on the tree. Her feet landed on the dagger and she found herself off the ground.

With practiced movements, Rimi used her hands and feet to almost crawl on the tree, her every limb pushed her off as she leaped a vertical distance even gold medalists wouldn’t cover. Her hands grabbed a thick branch of the tree.

“There we go.” Rimi pulled herself up. Her feet dangled only for a moment as she straddled the branch. After taking a few breaths, she mentally gauged the distance between her and the roof.

A little less than two meters. Nothing she couldn’t cover.

Rimi made a mental note to collect her dagger from below as she leaped off the tree once more. She grabbed the edge of the rooftop and sighed as she pulled herself up once more. Perfect entrance.

Rimi quickly dusted herself as she nocked an arrow into her bow and took position. At the other end of the rooftop where she could see the entire city—

Sounds of footsteps entered her ears. Doors clacked and creaked. The village that had been engulfed by the silence of the night suddenly became busy.

Rimi quickly lowered herself, hiding behind the ledge of the roof. Slowly, she peeked out.

All of them.

Every single villager was stepping out of their houses.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Rimi clasped her mouth and muttered a curse under her breath. Evans was right. There were no animals, no elderly, and no children.

As if they were possessed, the people of the village dragged themselves out toward the road. Rimi peeked out again and followed their path.

That’s when she saw. She was a little late. Evans and Ian had already made their way toward the village. They were about to encounter the people at any moment.

She quickly tugged the bowstring and aimed. Mana coalesced around her eyes as her vision sharpened. The useless things in her peripheral vision started to blur away and she focused on the person at the front of the mob.

The same lady who had kindly talked with her all day. It was Bella.

“I’ll shoot her down.”

Rimi firmed her resolve and waited for the signal.

They would have to run soon.

***

“Ah… you found out sooner than the rest. Makes sense knowing your abilities.”

I gulped at Bella’s words. She was wearing a bright smile, one that did not fit someone who was cornered. What did she mean by knowing our abilities? Was she someone strong enough to gauge our strength?

I gripped the ax tighter and looked to my side. Calm as ever, Evans’ eyes swept over the crowd of people.

He slowly raised his hands.

“What use do you have of humans?” asked Evans. “Are all of you black magicians?”

“Oh!” Bella gasped. She shook her head as if our accusation was a common mistake. “Not at all, we are not disgusting like those black magicians. We don’t bring back the dead.”

Evans pursed his lips.

“Don’t worry, you are going to be a part of something great.” The woman laughed. “You will be a sacrifice to a god! The god of rain!”

“What nonsense.” Evans chuckled. “You are not black magicians, but heretics—”

Evans quietened down as all the farmers raised their pitchforks and hoes at his words.

No, I assumed they were pitchforks. For some reason, all the members of the village were carrying weapons. Standard weapons one would see in the hands of adventurers and mercenaries.

This…

They had done this multiple times…

“Watch your words. We follow the true god. The gods you call the septet abandoned us!” People behind her echoed her words for the first time, shouting in words of affirmation.

It was shocking.

Not because of their actions, but because I too was abandoned by the Septet.

“Years and years of famine.” Bella stepped forward. “Our animals died from sickness, our fathers and mothers couldn’t bear hunger in their old age and collapsed.”

I looked at Evans again. At his hands. My grip on the ax tightened.

The roles had never changed. While he distracted and handled the crowd, it was my job to observe them. I had to take the initiative and break us out of here.

Of course, I could do it. The entire terrain zoomed out in my head as a plan slowly started to form. We could break through the left flank, set fire to a tree, and cut it off to block our path. With Rimi’s support, I could take Evans and her out of here.

That was my role.

“There are no children here,” said Evans. “What did you do to them, you heretics.”

Someone tossed a stone from the back which grazed Evans’ cheeks. He still had his hands raised in surrender. Waiting.

Bella took another step forward.

“Children… you know what they say right? Children are vessels of god. It is true. Don’t worry, you will see them soon. Soon.”

Evans’ face contorted.

“What did you do!?” He screamed and asked. Some emotion had leaked into his distraction.

We had to get the perfect timing. The more riled up the other side was better, but our side couldn’t lose control.

“Answer me!”

“Those children went to god. The real god.” Bella sniffled, an ecstatic smile was etched on her face even though tears spilled from her eyes. “A passing traveler enlightened us. It was so easy, we pushed them all in a single space and used the summoning magic…”

Drool dripped from her mouth.

The others started fidgeting too. It was working. Our chance to escape was coming.

“Our lord descended…” Bella laughed. “In the form of the children, he descended. He chose my daughter, you know? And in the form of my daughter, he got rid of all the filthy unchosen ones.”

A dark shadow was cast on mine and Evans’ face.

I was watching his hands with trembling eyes. The magic to send multiple fireballs was ready. Anytime now…

“The lord brought us health, he cured our diseases and summoned rain, and only sought offerings in return.” Bella’s eyes were dripping with tears as she laughed louder. “He ate them all! Ate them! HAHAHA!”

“RIMI!” Evans screamed, his palm opened up. It was the signal for us to move.

Rimi would leave a hole in that bitch’s head. I turned and shot two fireballs on the trees behind us.

“Evans run—”

Another fireball towards the crowd…

My hand stopped moving. My body did not slide as I wanted it to, as if I was losing strength.

My head suddenly became light.

The woman, Bella, was still standing. There were no holes through her head.

Blood seeped out of my mouth.

“IAN!!”

I looked down. An arrow was lodged in my chest. It had barely missed my heart.

It hurt. It really hurt.

Why?

Why was an arrow in me? It was familiar, it was Rimi’s arrow.

“Look at that!” With the scream of the woman, I fell to the ground. Unable to move.

Evans looked at me and ran closer, but stopped and pulled his blade when Bella stepped closer.

What was going on? My vision was blurring.

Blood seeped out of my chest like a broken faucet.

“Terrible, right?” Bella said. “Who would have thought you have a traitor in your party?”

Traitor…? No. That was a lie. Evans’ body shook.

Bella stepped closer to him.

“Instead of saving your friend, you should go catch the traitor and bring her to us.”

Don’t listen… Just run…

“We’ll give all of you justice.”

I tried to stretch my hands, but it didn’t move. She was lying. She was trying to manipulate us.

The last thing I saw was Evans running toward the village. The villagers all turned away and let him pass by.

Ah…

He was only pretending to be fooled again, right?

With this, at least Evans and Rimi would run awa…