When they reached level ground, it’d been two hours. Stenson remarked it looked about 10 o’clock. They continued walking, where they reached a forest with thick trees and branches. Around them were small dunes of snow, and Stenson had his hand on his blade.

A large book dangled from Quinta’s bag, and it was lightly chained to it. It was bound in purple leather, and the white pages were visible from its exterior. Sylvan was on its cover, “Grimoire”, it said.

“What’s that Grimoire on your back?” Akahsha asked Quinta, who continued to walk, but pulled it off of her bag. She opened it to a random page and showed him a ledger of arcanic explanations. Verbal, somatic, and materials were listed out in great detail.

“It’s part of how I can cast magic so easily,” she explained, actually sounded interested in talking about something. “My patron, the Queen of Air and Darkness grants me the power to do so. It’s why I have these tattoos and green eyes. My eyes used to be blue.” She smiled and looked at her grimoire. “I owe basically my whole life to her, and this is a token of my time and discipline.”

“That’s interesting,” Akahsha said, only hearing of this kind of bond between a deity and a mortal. He’d never seen this type of magic before, or at least he thought so.

Quinta looked at her Grimoire for a bit before realizing that she was distracted and locked the book back on her side.

“Yeah, hopefully I won’t need to use my magic before we reach town-” She began, and then an arrow whizzed right by, missing her by a few inches. They both turned to see on the path ahead of them a readied Stenson and Ordna facing a small troupe of green humanoids. They were about four feet tall, with large features, and archaic weapons. They looked to be rusted, and one had a small wooden bow. He was loading another arrow as the footmen charged the party.

“Goblins! Ready yourselves!” Stenson ordered and brandished his sword at the oncoming enemy. One goblin came into his reach, and with a swift motion, Stenson lopped its head clean off. The other goblins continued on, and Ordna moved her hands in a circular motion, and a beam of lightning fired from her hands. It crackled through the air, and hit two of the goblins, who were shocked.

Quinta smirked and clapped her hands together. She pulled her hands away and blue energy levitated in her right palm, flickered like a flame, and she threw it at the archer in the back. It exploded on his body and he wretched back in pain.

From behind Akahsha he could hear footsteps approaching. He turned around and saw a goblin with a dagger jumping through the air. He reached for his sword but stumbled back, and Quinta turned and hit the goblin with another blast. It flew back and hit the ground, crying out in pain.

“Your sword must be out when danger arrives,” Stenson called out to Akahsha. “It is pertinent for survival.”

Akahsha rolled to his feet and pulled his sword out, letting the weight stay in his two hands. He gripped the sword tightly, hoping that it would light up, but it didn’t. He looked around and saw another goblin coming out of the bushes. This one had a small sword and an even smaller round wooden shield. Akahsha back-stepped out of danger, and then swung his sword. The goblin was quick, and it jumped out of harm’s way and laughed at him. Akahsha swung again, this time nicking the front of the shield.

The goblin ran in and slash his calf, and he cried out in pain. He was angry now, and he used the goblin’s close range as an advantage. Akahsha spun around and used that momentum to cleave through the chest of the goblin. It cried out in pain as well, and it dropped both its sword and shield, and perished. He used his foot to push the body off of his sword. When he looked up, the others had cleared out their folly. Stenson was searching the bodies, Ordna was moving some off of the road and into the bushes. Quinta walked up to Akahsha, who looked back at his leg wound.

“Here, stand still.” Quinta crouched next to his leg and held her palm out. The blue energy turned green, and it floated around his leg, and sealed the wound. Afterwards, she mended the fabric with another spell. “There, that should be better.” She stood and walked away.

Akahsha could see her as his mother for a moment, doing the same thing for him then as Quinta did for him now. He smiled, and looked back at the goblin’s body. He crouched over it and observed it. He had cut underneath the armpit and stopped midway through its chest.

He was impressed with himself, though the others were busier with their spoils or inquiries. He walked over to the others after they finished their separate activities. Akahsha took one last look back at the scene, thinking about how often he would have to see such violence. This was his life now.

They walked for another two hours before they reached the outer walls of Vlandon. Guards with grey and black clothes and armor stood outside of the walls. They walked in pairs of two, and patrolled the outer farms. It was winter so only the winter crops were growing, so no farmers were out at the moment tending. When they reached the gates, there were men that lined a wooden wall that surrounded the inner town. A guard at the front gate halted them, and asked Stenson their reasoning for being there.

“We’re Monster Hunters,” Stenson pulled out some records and handed them over. The guard looked over them for a moment and handed them back.

“Open the gates!” The guard called. The doors pulled back to reveal a bustling winter town.

Akahsha followed closely behind Quinta, who in turn followed closely behind Ordna. She was holding onto Stenson’s bag. They walked through the center of town. Men were sitting by a small fire exchanging stories. Three women were working with dyes, and had their forearms blackened by the various colors. A couple of children dressed in furs ran through an alleyway. Vendors of all kinds were peddling their wares on the dirt streets. Most people looked well-fed, but there were a couple of gaunty men who held tankards close to their chest. A citizen passed by and placed a single silver piece in it, and he held the cup up.

“Fates Bless you!” He called back out, and coughed heavily.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight,” Quinta whispered to Akahsha and grabbed ahold of him tightly. They walked for a while, and eventually they reached a tavern. Stenson opened the door and held it for the others. Immediately walking it, they felt the heat strike their bodies. They’d walked in the cold all morning, and now they could finally get some feeling back in their bodies. They let out a group exhale, and they found a table.

Everyone sat around the table, and Stenson placed his coin purse in front of him.

“Now, Akahsha, Quinta: you’re going to be grabbing some food for us. Probably ten pounds. Grab three pounds of rations. I’m also going to need some more rope after the Clauvius incident, so another bundle please.”

“Clauvius?” Akahsha asked. He looked around at the table and they shook their head simultaneously.

“You’re better off not worrying about it. I still have a hard time sleeping. He was a person who turned into a werewolf on his first night. We had to tie him up. Didn’t go so well with the rope.” Ordna said.

“We thought just rope ought to be enough.” Quinta said, with a look of disgust directed at an imaginary scene in her head, which she aimed at the table’s center. She brought her eyes back to Akahsha’s, and then to Stenson’s. “Is that all?” She asked.

“Yep,” Stenson said, leaning back in his chair. “Be back soon. I’ll order us some drinks and grab some beds for us.”

Ordna turned around in her chair and looked towards a large board on the wall, where several other adventurers dressed in various armors were huddled around. She pointed over at it and turned back to the party.

“I’m gonna go check that out really quick. I’ll let you know how it goes. Be safe, you two. Vlandon has a lot of people in it. Watch your backs.” Ordna stood from the table and walked over to the job board.

Stenson put several gold pieces, and twenty silver pieces in a bag that already had a few copper pieces in it. He slid the bag over to Akahsha, which was intercepted by Quinta’s hand. She looked at Stenson, and then back over at Akahsha.

“Let’s go, kid.” Quinta rose from the table and left her bag in the chair. Akahsha left his bag as well, and then looked to Stenson.

“They’ll be safe,” Stenson chuckled. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Back out on the town streets, Quinta quickly walked ahead of Akahsha. He picked up his pace as she rounded a corner, and when he rounded it, she grabbed him by his collar and put him against one of the building’s walls.

“Listen up, Akahsha. I don’t know who you are, or what you’re doing with us, but let me get one thing clear: Ordna and Stenson are like my family. I would do anything for them. I would die for them, let alone kill for them. I don’t care what you want to do, but if you cross them or me, I will kill you myself.” She looked at him with anger in her eyes. She started to tear up. “They are my life. I won’t let anyone try to take them away from me, and you’re no exception. Am I clear?”

Akahsha nodded, but was shoved against the wall again.

“Say that you understand!” Quinta raised her voice a little more.

“I understand!” Akahsha echoed. She let go of him and she stormed off. He could see her fists were shaking. Akahsha rubbed the back of his own neck and followed her. He was confused. He wouldn’t ever do anything like that to them. They’ve been so kind to him, and he couldn’t understand her reasoning. He’s seen monsters do things, and sometimes even people, but to their close friends? Though, Akahsha considered these people his friends, since they were the first people he’d seen since he left Holstenkaft. Did they consider him their friends? Probably not. It would take a lot longer for them to trust him.

Quinta stood impatiently in front of a food stall, and she ordered what they thought they would need. She even got the rations, and paid with the money Stenson provided. Akahsha arrived and tried not to look directly at her. He was afraid of being thrown against a wall again. He followed her to a general store, where they entered through wooden doors into a one story wooden building. Akahsha didn’t pay much attention to her purchasing goods, as he walked off into a corner of the store looking at other gadgets, like a grappling hook. He fiddled with it for a bit before he noticed Quinta just walk out of the store without acknowledging him.

Akahsha waved goodbye to the shop-keep, a halfling male with grey hair and eyeglasses. He exited the building and caught up to Quinta. She was keeping her pace quick, and he was getting fed up with her attitude. He knew she was mad, but he didn’t expect her to stay like this for this long. They approached the inn, and Akahsha called out to her. She didn’t stop. He called out to her again, and she didn’t stop. Frustrated, he stood in front of her.

“Move,” she barked.

“No,” Akahsha said, trying to use as much of his stature to intimidate her.

“If you don’t move, I will hurt you,” she threatened.

“I’m not here to do anything besides help, and you’re treating me like I’m a criminal.” Akahsha said. Quinta got in his face.

“I don’t know if you are a criminal, boy. I’m just trying to keep my comrades who are way-too-friendly alive. How am I supposed to trust you from Adam? Huh? You think I know everything about you? Because I don’t. I don’t know the first thing about you.”

“You never tried,” Akahsha said, and turned around. He entered the tavern and held the door for her. She walked past him and made her way to the table. On the table were keys, and a few drinks. There were a couple of plates with delicious looking homemade meals on them.

Quinta placed the bag of stuff on the table, and grabbed one of the keys.

“I’ll be turning in early tonight,” Quinta smiled at the table, and turned away to walk towards the stairs.

Akahsha sat down and exhaled. He deflated onto the table, placing his face into the folds of his arms.

“How did that go?” Ordna asked.

“Not great,” Akahsha admitted. “She threw me against a wall and told me that she doesn’t trust me, and to not hurt you guys, because you’re like her family.”

Stenson shook his head and shot his gaze to Quinta who was almost to the top of the stairs. “I will speak with her tomorrow.”

“Please don’t yell at her. I know she is just looking after you two.” Akahsha pleaded.

“We can take care of ourselves. We don’t need her doing that kind of stuff to you. We don’t do that to party members.” Stenson growled. He looked at Akahsha and took a sip of his brew. “In the morning, I'm teaching you how to use that sword. From here on, we'll start the day off with two hours of practice. Just until you can get better with it.”

Akahsha, Stenson, and Ordna ate their food. It was a mixture of home cooked greens, and salty meat. It was a fine flavor, as it was a first real meal he’d eaten since his parents made meals back in Holstenkaft. Two years ago.

“Go get some rest, Akahsha. We’ll be waking up around 8. Are you fine with us waking you then?” Ordna asked. Akahsha looked up from his thoughts, and he nodded, and was handed one of the keys by Stenson.

Akahsha went upstairs, and passed by a few rooms. One of which had a girl who was crying, but ever so faintly. Akahsha could only think of Winona being in harm’s way, and him saving her. This woman didn’t sound like she was in danger, but her mind didn’t sound at ease.

He thought of knocking on her door, and maybe she’d be put at ease by someone trying to help her. But no, Akahsha remembered that when Winona said goodbye to him, that nothing could put him at ease. Whatever this woman was going through, she would need someone she knew and trusted. He sighed, and walked to his room.

He entered his room and closed the door. Finally, he was alone. He laid on the bed, which was made of feathers. The walls were wooden, and there were several plain landscape paintings adorning the walls. A desk with some paper and ink sat, as well. A candle was atop a side-table next to his bed. The comforter was a sky blue color, but his bed was comfortable. He laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling while the candle burned. He’d never had a room all to himself, since the cabin was only one room. It was lonely, and he felt rather anxious in all of the space.

Akahsha could hear bustles from the downstairs still, and he turned on his side. He looked towards the only window, and the night’s light shone through. He felt so different. Time flew by for him during his time of duress, and that he was able to cope with his parents being gone. They existed inside of him, and their fury lit the fire that kept him alive. He had to become strong to kill the monsters that haunted his town. The Illithids. A deep hatred formed in his heart.