Anywhere But Here Pt. 06

They'd been on the road moving practically non-stop. Even travelling late into the nights. Havi guiding them through the dark until they'd have to stop to give themselves and the horses a break. During this time Havi barely spoke to Olya, still angry about her actions in Carborough. He had been leading them directly south to cross the border into the Lower Principalities. A loose collection of nation states who were no longer controlled by the Faith Lands. While magic was not outlawed, they had their own issues. They crossed over the day before, yet Havi was still keen to try and put distance between them and any mage hunters who might be willing to cross the border in pursuit. This was the first time Havi had let them stop as the sun set instead of keeping going. They proceeded to set up camp. The atmosphere between them was still tense.

Olya pondered how long Havi was going to be cold to her. She fully understood why he was angry with her and didn't question that he had a right to be. She was still troubled by the potential consequences that her actions might cause, to them or others. Part of her stood by what she did, but another part of her wondered if she had chosen differently would things have turned out better. If she had woken Tamlen up? Waited for Havi to get back? Gotten their help to ensure success and prevent Agnes and Haymitch from being caught. She wondered if there was something she could do or say that would smooth things over with Havi but came up blank. At least Tamlen had been fine, it would have been worse if he had been cold as well. As they finished setting up camp Tamlen spoke.

"Perhaps I should have a lesson with Olya? We're not on the Faith Lands anymore and it's the first night in a while where it's not too late..." He asked tentatively.

"Sure."

Havi answered, one word. No smile, and even tone with a neutral face.

She and Tamlen walked a distance from the camp to find a good spot. Olya posed a question to Tamlen when she thought they were out of Havi's hearing range.

"Do you think Havi is going to be always angry at me now?" She asked, sheepishly and uncertain.

She saw Tamlen think up his answer. Carefully choosing his words.

"It's not just anger... it's mostly worry. Mage hunters are not to be taken lightly, he has reason for them to give him pause. They have justly earned their reputation for efficient brutality. Even someone with his talents would have a tough fight against a squadron. Until he feels you are out of immediate danger... He's probably going to keep being like that. There's nothing you can do for now."

Olya nodded.

"... Okay... What do you have to show me today?"

Tamlen gave her a warm smile.

"Well, based on what you did to the cleric, I'm assuming you had no trouble summoning your power?"

"He made me angry enough that it was easy to call forth."

Tamlen nodded.

"It was quite the display. Did you mean to summon that much force? Did you feel in control?"

Olya cogitated. Then answered with her eyes cast down.

"Yes, I was in control and I fully intended to kill him."

Tamlen took this on.

"Then let's try something smaller. When you first showed me your power you created a bolt of lightning out of your hand and it bounced off various objects before finally stopping."

He summoned a trail of water and made it dance through the air.

"When I do this, I am planning out where I want the water to go before I move it. To ensure I keep control of its movement. I want you to do the same, plan where you want the lightning to jump to before it goes. It'll be too fast to do once you cast it. Let's see if you can control it. But first let me...."

"Find some cover?" She retorted with a smirk.

Tamlen chuckled and nodded. He found a ditch he could kneel in to potentially shield himself. Olya focussed on summoning the storm. She went straight back to her memories of the cleric, swiftly filling with rage at his corruption, ego and desire to arbitrarily assert dominance. She clutched the inner storm and harnessed it. She held out her hand, she took a deep breath, planned the path she wished the bolt to take and set it loose. She commanded it to hit the same four trees three times each, bouncing between them. When it finished its path it dissipated into the air. The trees neatly separated into four pieces each and fell to the floor, edges scorched.

Tamlen poked his head up from the ditch and gave her a beaming smile.

"You did it! I knew you could!"

"Yet you still ducked for cover?" She jibed light-heartedly.

He chuckled.

"Having faith in something doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare for it to go wrong. I was hopeful, not stupid. There's something else I would like you to work on. I want you to try meditating... in the sense you try to access your power in a state of calm. Slowly working toward the point you can access your power without filling yourself with rage."

"I thought you said being angry was how I access my power?" She queried.

"It is one route but... it makes your use of it far more conditional and less effective, if you have to make yourself angry each time. Being able to reach it in a state of calm is vital to mastery. Do you think I'm summoning a particular emotional state every time I cast? I just instinctively bring it forth, like muscle memory. It also helps to prevent your power being blocked by fear, if you can summon it regardless through practice. Since we aren't in the Faith Lands now, you should be able to work on that." He smiled.

Olya returned his smile.

"Anything else for this lesson?"

"I think you made good progress today. That'll do."

They walked back to camp where Havi was making dinner. No words were exchanged and supper was eaten in silence. They went to bed soon after. Even with the awkwardness between her and Havi, he had still been sharing his tent with her. She restlessly lay there, savouring his scent like fiery whiskey. Even with the metaphorical distance between them right now, she cherished that he was still keeping her close. She slowly surrendered to sleep.

She woke up the next morning to Havi shaking her legs and shouting at her.

"WAKE UP! YOU NEED TO HIDE!"

He dragged her out of the tent and ushered her to an old large tree with wide roots. He started pulling undergrowth aside to reveal a burrow large enough for her to hide in.

She asked in a flustered panic.

"WHY?!"

He barked at her.

"I hear horses and lots of armoured boots headed straight for us. GET IN!"

She scrambled into the hole and Havi covered it with the vegetation.

"Don't make a sound and don't get out until Me or Tamlen come! Or you're beyond certain you are alone!"

Olya sat in the dark as Havi ran back to the camp and hid her bedroll and pack in some overgrowth. Tamlen was doing whatever he could to conceal the presence of a third person at camp before he ran out of time.

Then it happened. More than a dozen mounted riders charged towards them and surrounded the camp. Havi heard archers hiding in the trees bows trained on them. Far more than he could safely dodge and Tamlen would be riddled with them. Both Tamlen and Havi raised their hands signifying non aggression and potential surrender.

"Is there a problem gentlemen?" Havi asked the riders. Keeping his tone even and easy going.

"Where's the girl?" The most decorated rider yelled.

"What girl?" Havi answered. Faking confusion.

"The girl you have been seen travelling with!" The officer rider barked.

"There's no girl here. Just us two camping." Havi maintained his confused facade.

The officer ordered his men.

"Take these two back and search the immediate area, they might be hiding her!"

The riders dismounted. They bound Havi and Tamlen's arms behind their backs with metal manacles. Havi's weapons were confiscated and the riders aggressively searched the camp and the surrounding area. Havi and Tamlen desperately hid their tension as the riders started probing around the tree Olya was hidden under. As one was starting to poke at the vegetation hiding the hole Havi ran to the officer and headbutted him. The searching rider's attention snapped to his superior and swiftly joined the group trying to subdue Havi. Once things had settled, the searching rider's finished their investigation, missing Olya and her hidden things.

"Nothing, sir!"

One of the riders reported to the officer. Who was pinching his bleeding nose.

"Very Well let's take these two back to Merevingeon. He'll want to interrogate them himself."

The rider saluted. They mounted up, put Havi and Tamlen on the horses and took them with them.

Olya sat there in the dark in silence. She didn't know for exactly how long but felt crippled by guilt. This was her fault. When Olya heard nothing but the sounds of the forest, she poked her head out of the hole. She had a cautious look around. Satisfied that she was alone she left the hole and went to sit at the campsite. What did she do now? She didn't know where they had taken Havi and Tamlen. Was she supposed to wait? Find somewhere to lay low and hope they'd find her? Or keep moving? Hoping she could handle being by herself? She tried to decide, commit to a course of action. She worked through the costs and benefits to each one. She had been so absorbed in her problem solving it took her a while to notice the shambling footsteps coming towards her.

When she noticed the source she shrieked. It was a corpse, feminine and decayed. When she made eye contact with it, it made a wheezing croaking noise, gnashed its teeth and lunged at her. It caught her by surprise, but she pulled her dagger. She slipped the knife through the ribs to where the heart was.

The corpse didn't even flinch.

She kicked the corpse away, her dagger stuck in its chest. She tried to reach for her inner storm but her innate panic and horror at what she was seeing left it beyond her grasp. She did the only thing she could do at that moment.

She ran.

She sprinted away from it. It followed after her in a shambling run. She pelted along, weaving her way through the trees, ducking under branches, jumping over roots and ditches. It hissed at her, letting her know it wasn't far behind. She kept running, dashing towards the edge of the treeline into cleared ground. A stone fence was fast approaching, she vaulted over it. She heard the corpse growl and gurgle as it launched itself over shortly after. Her lungs were burning and her muscles were screaming as she passed through what appeared to be a farm. Tears and sobs came out of her. She couldn't keep this up. This nightmare was going to catch up to her. Havi and Tamlen, if they survived what they went to, may never know what became of her. If by some miracle she survived this, she needed to tell them how sorry she was, how she meant for none of this. Perhaps she deserved this, to be torn apart, Havi and Tamlen would be free of their responsibilities to her. They could go back to living their lives.

As she felt the strength start to leave her muscles, she knew that she was going to fall soon. When she heard a thunderous bang. She stumbled and face planted into the ground. She turned around expecting to see the corpse bearing down upon her, to give her death. Instead she saw it splayed out on the ground with a significant portion of its head missing, the wound charred.

She looked around to see a farmer with a musket slung over his shoulder walking towards her. He was in his forties, graying hair with crows feet and tanned skin. He stopped in front of her and held out his hand.

"Ya alright lass? Thing was just about to get ya." He asked in a concerned tone.

Olya took his hand and let him pull her up. She answered him, her body and voice shaking.

"Yes... thanks to you. I thought that was it for me."

He smiled at her.

"Ya welcome lass. Not the first one I've seen round here of late. Been getting to be a real good shot with this thing. Lucky I got it in the head. Only thing that seems to put 'em down. You look shaken, lass, why don't you come up to the house for a while? My wife's got some bread in the oven and a fresh batch of jam."

"Yes, thank you. Olya's my name." She smiled back weakly.

"Angus, house is this way."

They walked together to his home.

Havi and Tamlen were led on their horses to a large town. It had been a long time since Havi had last been to Mcalgow. Not much had changed but he recognised that they were being taken to the former Hall of Justice. Since the Faith no longer ruled here, he wondered if they had renamed it. There had been an aggressive rejection of things connected to the Faith when they were pushed out. They were ushered inside and marched to a holding room by the riders. Where they were left and waited alone. Four of the local guards entered and started talking between themselves.

"Told you the mage hunters had nabbed a couple of guys."

"A big, mean looking bastard and a pretty boy elf. Odd couple."

"He's a real pretty boy elf though. Don't think they're going to mind if we have a little bit of fun with him before they take him up."

"Really?... he's a bloke though?"

"His mouth and ass will be no different from a woman's."

Tamlen felt disgust run through him as one of the guards started to touch him. Running his hand down to his crotch and painfully squeezing him. As the guard looked at him with a sneer, Tamlen heard Havi angrily growl. As soon as Tamlen heard it, Havi shoulder barged into the guard knocking him to the floor. As the other guards stood there, startled, Havi smashed his forehead to the nose of another who recoiled back. To the third Havi kicked him hard between the legs, as the man instinctively doubled over Havi smashed his knee into his face knocking him out. The fourth ran at Havi with a blade drawn, Havi jumped, kicking him with both legs sending him flying against the wall, he hit his head falling slack to the floor. With a flick of his legs Havi got himself onto his feet from his back on the floor. The second guard with the bleeding nose recovered and tried to attack him. Havi kicked him square in the face and he went down. He walked over to the first guard who was still splayed out on the floor.

"You planning on getting up and taking a swing?"

Havi snarled. His face filled with fury.

The guard shook his head, looking fearful.

"Good."

Havi stamped on his face, ensuring the guard would be true to his word. Tamlen surveyed the room. Seeing the results of the violence Havi had enacted with his hands bound behind his back.

"Thank you." Tamlen said with heartfelt appreciation.

"Not like I was just going to sit by and watch. Besides with how this morning is going, I had some aggression I needed to work out."

Havi responded, slightly clenching his jaw.

Tamlen sniggered.

"Do you think that this is going to make it worse for us?"

"Not our problem, this is for our captors to smooth over." Havi grunted.

They heard footsteps approaching the holding room and the door opened. A few of the mage hunters entered and looked around. One looking directly at them quizzically expecting an explanation.

Havi glowered at him.

"They got a bit too handsy."

The mage hunter mused over this then rolled his eyes.

"Our superior wants to talk to you. I suggest you behave."

The three men led Havi and Tamlen out. One escorting Tamlen, two grabbing Havi, leading them down the corridor to an office. When the door opened they saw a man sitting behind a desk. At a glance Havi guessed he was in his late forties. He had black hair with greying temples, some lines on his face, sharp cheekbones and blue, silver piercing eyes. The eyes of a cold and calculating individual. He stood as they entered and walked around to the front of the desk perching upon it. He was dressed like a cleric, with none of the decoration. His garb was all black. Havi had an idea of who this was.

He greeted them. With a surprisingly smooth and charming voice.

"Tamlen of the Elves and Havinskjotellen, how lovely to meet you."

Tamlen looked at Havi with a bewildered expression.

"Havinskjotellen?"

Havi rolled his eyes.

"I know it's a mouthful, that's why I prefer Havi."

The man in black continued.

"Apologies, Havi. I'm Merevingeon Brythyr. Since you prefer shorter names, call me Brythyr if you wish. I'm sure you both know why you are here."

"Nope no idea." Havi answered with a poker face.

Tamlen followed suit.

"Same, not a clue."

Brythyr flashed them a knowing grin.

"You're such an odd pair. An elf and a demon spawn travelling together. While most might mistake Havi for a large human with those goggles on, he's still a distinctive figure. Very much catches the eye. Memorable you could say. Especially when travelling with an equally eye catching elf. Sticks in the mind for most. Many also tend to remember the young lady you had travelling with you. Where is she?"

Havi answered deadpan.

"Honestly not sure what you mean. We clearly don't have a young woman with us."

Brythyr kept on.

"The young woman who you, Havi, picked up in Wollingden. The day after a very suspicious attack on the nunnery, where apparently the nuns fought off the bandits with muskets. Yet the only muskets my men found on site were covered in a layer of dust so thick they obviously hadn't been fired in years. How odd. Then after taking the young woman dressed as a nun to Loffbrook. A mysterious thunderstorm formed in the middle of a clear day and a local man went missing. Albeit no one seemed to be sad he was missing, but it was noticed. Then the pair of you appeared in Falinraike posing as siblings and left with the elf. My men found signs of powerful magic use near a village on the way to Carborough. The villagers remember the three of you riding in quite distinctly. Then we come to the events in Carborough. That freak thunderstorm forming in the middle of the day and lightning hitting that cleric in full view of hundreds of people. Does that sound familiar? Especially as you were seen carrying a young woman sprinting from the scene, Havi. We have tracked you out to this part of the world. The girl must be nearby. Don't bullshit me."

Havi clenched his jaw.

"I do not know for certain where she currently is. I wouldn't tell you even if I did."

Brythyr snapped his fingers. The man holding Tamlen drew a knife and held it against his throat.

"Do you think you might know where she is now?" Brythyr asked, looking malicious.

Havi shook off the men holding him, knocking them to the floor. He strained against his manacles and swiftly snapped the chain, bringing his wrists in front of him and shattering the bindings in full view, glaring at Brythyr.

Havi's tone became deep and menacing.

"The second that knife slices his throat is when things are going to become incredibly... uncivilised. I wouldn't be quick to throw away the only thing keeping your men alive and your spine intact. Black Cleric."

Brythyr laughed. Giving Havi a slow clap.

"It's great that the reports about you are accurate instead of exaggerated. Now what might convince you to tell me where the girl is? There's very little I couldn't get for you. A hill of gold? Perhaps some property and a minor title?"

Havi kept glaring.

"Why do you want her so badly? Most of the time when mages leave the Faith Lands, mage hunters stop pursuing. Yet here is the Black Cleric, doing an in depth search for her. Colour me curious."

"She is wanted by the Apostle himself. For a prisoner exchange. She will be taken alive, it's a necessity."

Havi scoffed.

"Who is he exchanging prisoners with? Who wants to trade for her?"

Brythyr smirked.

"The House of Ouranios."

He saw a mix of emotions go over Havi's face, mostly confusion and anger.

"How long ago did they negotiate this deal with the Apostle?"

"Oooooh... about twenty days ago give or take?"

Havi processed this, the gears working in his head.

"I'm saying this conclusively. There is nothing you can do that will make me hand her over. You kill Tamlen, I will kill my way out. You 'release' us hoping to send some men to follow us to her location, I will butcher them. They can't hide from me, it's in my nature to hunt. So we are at an impasse Brythyr."

Brythyr rolled his tongue around his mouth as he thought about this predicament. He sucked air through his teeth before he made a proposition.

"The problem is this is a matter of personal interest for the Apostle. The prisoner of the Ouranios' is very dear to him but I'm not particularly keen to potentially sacrifice my men to bring that political embarrassment back. But there is another matter of personal interest to the Apostle I've been asked to deal with. You help me with that, then I have something to take back to appease the Apostle with. Sound good so far?"

Havi cogitated for a moment.

"I'm listening."

Brythyr smiled and gave a nod.

"There's a necromancer who my sources have led me to believe is in the vicinity. He murdered the Apostle's niece and did some nauseating things to her corpse. Understandably the Apostle wants him dead. The local population aren't particularly... enthusiastic to help us with our enquiries. You on the other hand might find them more helpful? Find him, kill him and bring me his head. Do so I'll pay you the gold for his bounty and I will leave you, Tamlen and Olya alone. Unless you do something stupid like return to the Faith Lands and make a lot of noise. Do we have a deal?"

He held out his hand.

Havi took it and shook.

"Deal, but I want my tools and our horses back." Havi demanded.

"Certainly. Here's a sketch of him. Good hunting."

Brythyr gestured to the man holding Tamlen and he let him go. Tamlen sighed in relief. His manacles were removed. The pair were led out of the office and down to the stables where Skyg and Tamlen's mare had been held. Havi was given back his weapons and the pair mounted up. They trotted their horses out the front gate and got a bit of distance before engaging in any discussion. Tamlen spoke first.

"What have we just agreed to?"

"Hopefully a deal he'll stick to. Which we need him to. The thing we should be more concerned about is the information he just gave us." Havi sighed.

"You assumed it was her father who sent the men to the monastery? You never considered her mother's family?"

"No... it seemed unlikely. What could they gain by having her? Unless they were just planning to hand her over to her father? They can't want to marry her off... she'd have to be formally inducted. Risking the Penumbran Suzerain finding out that they have her and falling afoul of him. This is vexing. I'll need to get in touch with Lorana at some point. But for now the immediate problem... how do we find a necromancer? Aside from asking the locals if they've seen any walking corpses lately?"

"Not your area of expertise?" Teased Tamlen.

"I usually hunt beasts and monsters, not mages!" Havi sighed.

Tamlen gave it some thought.

"Well... necromancy is a ritual magic. It requires components, some of which are not easy to gather by oneself. So potentially... we check around the shops in the town and check if any sell these items and if they have seen the man in the sketch."

Havi gave Tamlen a curious look.

"You know what components are required to do necromantic rituals?"

He raised an eyebrow.

Tamlen blanched.

"I was morbidly curious! I just wanted to understand the mechanics and theory! I have never nor will I ever conduct necromancy! I find the act repugnant and think anyone who actually wants to engage in it is sick somehow!"

Havi chuckled.

"That's good to know. Okay, let's start with your idea, check with the merchants and see if he's bought anything and if they know anything about him."

Tamlen nodded and they started canvassing the town looking for stores.

Olya was sitting in the kitchen of the farmhouse. She enjoyed a piece of bread smeared with jam and a cup of hot milk with some mead mixed in. It had stopped her shaking and put something in her empty belly. Angus's wife Elsie sat across from her with an understanding smile. She was a similar age to Angus with tight ginger curls, freckles and a slightly lined face.

"How did you end up running through the forest being chased by that thing?" She asked.

"I was sitting at my camp when it appeared. It started chasing me." Olya answered.

"You were camping by yourself, young girl like you?" She asked with concern.

"No... but me and my... travelling companions got... separated." Olya knew how it sounded. Questionable.

"Who stuck the knife in its chest? The corpse, I mean."

"I did." Olya admitted.

Elsie gave her a wry look.

"After years of helping my husband butcher pigs I know that was either a very lucky hit or a mark of training, that you got it in its heart."

"Bit of both. Life on the road is tough." Olya tensed up

Elsie merged her fingers together and put her elbows on the table.

"Young lady, I think you are hiding something. So long as what it is will not hurt my family, you can stay for a while."

Olya sighed in relief.

"I'm not going to do anything that will hurt your family, I promise."

Elsie smiled warmly

"Alright then, you can't stay for free though. Once you've finished eating you can help my kids with the chores. They're currently tending to the pigs."

Olya chuckled.

"That sounds fair."

When she finished she headed out the pig field and met Archie and Skye, Elsie's teenage children. She actually had a pretty pleasant day engaging in the mundane tasks.

Tamlen and Havi had spent the day going round the half shops in town interviewing merchants, but had had no luck. With the sun setting and their bellies growling after not eating for a whole day, they found an Inn to get some food and potentially get rooms. They sat there eating dinner, frustrated at their lack of progress.

Tamlen sighed.

"Well, that's half the stores covered. He must have used one for his materials. We have heard complaints about bodies going missing from the cemetery..."

"... Plus some young women as well."

Havi pointed out with a clenched jaw.

Tamlen continued.

"... right. So he must need a copious amount for all those bodies. He would have to have come into the area with multiple wagons full if he brought it all himself. Which would have been noticed. He can't have done that... should we go and find Olya? Considering there's a necromancer with a predilection for young women in the area."

Havi rubbed his eyes and groaned.

"I don't know... she might be fine where she is, she might not. We need to operate under the assumption that Brythyr has people watching us. Going and finding Olya is a massive risk until we're certain he's no longer got his eyes on our backs. He's got a reputation for being a sneaky fucker, the Black Cleric. Tomorrow we redouble our efforts to find this degenerate necromancer just in case he's set his sights on Olya somehow."

Tamlen returned his sigh and agreed.

"It's been a long shitty day. Let's just hit the hay and start bright and early tomorrow."

Havi nodded.

"First I'm getting two jugs of wine."

"Two?" Tamlen raised an eyebrow.

"After today? Yes. Want some?"

Tamlen weakly nodded. The pair sank a jug each before retiring for the night.

Olya enjoyed dinner with the farming family. It was good natured and light hearted. She quickly developed a fondness for them and their strong bonds for each other. When dinner was over they directed her to a mattress on the floor under the stairs with a curtain for privacy. It wasn't luxury, but it was warm, comfortable and leagues better than sleeping on the cold hard ground, curled up under the blankets she soon found herself sleeping peacefully.

The next morning she arose to hear angry voices at the front of the house. She snuck over to the kitchen window to catch a glimpse of what was going on. Angus had been put on his knees with a blade against his neck by a scraggly looking man. There were six others with him, one pointing Angus's musket at the other three members of the family. Bandits.

"Where dya keep yous gold stash, farmer?" The bandit spat at Angus.

"I don't have a gold stash. I'm a farmer, my gold goes into keeping my farm running." Angus declared weakly

"Yous lyin' farmers is wealthy. Got loadsa gold."

"I promise ya, I don't. I would just give it to ya if I did." Angus insisted.

"I don't believe ya. I call bullshit. Tell ya what. Why don't me and ma lads have some fun with yous pretty wife and girlie. Hells, yous lad as well. We'll see if ya remember where yous gold is before we's finished."

"NO! DON'T! I SWEAR IT! THERE'S NOTHING!" Angus screamed as he begged.

Olya took a moment after seeing this. The only witnesses would be this family. There was no one else. She was prepared to run back into the woods once she had done this. She owed Angus her life, she owed him this. She reached for the storm inside instead of grabbing it, it was like it rested itself in her hands. She took one final glance noting where all the bandits stood. Then she burst through the kitchen door to the front of the house. She threw out the bolt at the bandit with the musket and made it dance between each of them until they were all filled with smouldering holes. They fell down to the ground and the family shot shocked looks her way.

Olya stammered.

"I... I... I'm sure you don't want me to be here anymore I'll just go."

Once Angus had gotten over his surprise he grabbed Olya's arm as she walked past.

"No... it's fine. Ya saved us. Just a bit unexpected."

Elsie chimed in.

"If this was what you were hiding, you didn't need to. Wait, are you from the Faith Lands? Is that why you are 'on the road'?"

Olya nodded.

"But I should be honest with you, there are mage hunters after me. It's why my travelling companions and I got separated. I shouldn't put your family at risk by staying here. Plus aren't you bothered by what I just did?"

Angus continued.

"If ya truly wish to go lass. We won't stop ya. But this is the LowLands, we couldn't give two tin shits about the Faith and its teachings on magic ... Magic it's a tool like my musket, depends on what ya use it for as to whether it's good or bad. I mean, I wouldn't shoot off a spell in the pub, that's just bad manners... Plus we now have a hefty amount to feed the pigs with."

Olya was slightly surprised at that finishing comment but realised she was in no position to judge.

"Thank you then. I'll stay."

Elsie jumped in.

"Great! Do you have any magic that would help cut these bodies into smaller pieces? Otherwise we'll take some help lugging these over to the pigs."

Olya shrugged and started helping.

Havi and Tamlen had started their enquiries with the shopkeepers early. Making their way through the remaining half. They had cleared most by early afternoon, leaving only a few possible options. The mood between them was becoming bleak. When they walked into a shop apparently selling sundries. It was darkened and somewhat grim inside. The shopkeep gave off a rat-like demeanor, with a large pointed nose, patchy balding head, prominent incisors and sickly sallow skin.

"Hello, can I help you?"

Havi held up the sketch.

"Hello sir. Have you seen this man?"

He focussed on the image for a moment.

"Yes, he's a regular customer."

"Do you know where he lives? Where he works?"

The shopkeep gave Havi a suspicious look.

"What do you want with him?"

"He's a wanted criminal." Havi answered.

"He's also a good customer. I'm not telling you shit." He spat.

"He's not a good man. Is a bit of gold really worth protecting someone like him?" Havi tried to persuade him.

"What are you accusing him of?" Hissed the shopkeep.

Havi patiently explained. "He is guilty of necromancy. He committed murder back in the Faith Lands, he's clearly doing it here as well. Based on the corpses going missing from the cemetery and some young women going missing also."

The shopkeeper mumbled. "... How are you so sure it's him?"

Tamlen came forward and showed him a written list.

"These are all materials involved in conducting necromancy. If he has been buying them from you in bulk, then it becomes pretty clear."

The shopkeep thought for a moment and his jaw tightened.

".... One of the girls who went missing... was called Shellie... a sweetheart... lived across the road... he must have seen her coming and going when he came here to shop. When you find him... you're going to kill him?"

"Yes. That is a certainty." Havi promised.

The shopkeep nodded. He started scribbling down something.

"I've delivered to this address a few times. Skewer the waste of skin!"

He said with a cold look on his face. Handing Havi the note.

"Will do, gladly." Havi replied with a dark grin.

They exchanged a mutual nod, before Havi and Tamlen left the shop. They walked over to the horses and mounted them. Havi took a look at the address.

"It's on the edge, just outside of town." Havi announced.

"Makes sense, fewer people out that way. Less chance someone will notice what he's doing." Tamlen reasoned.

"Well we've noticed. Let's go."

They headed out to the edge of town and further. They found the address. It was a dilapidated old homestead with some adjacent farm buildings. Not what you would assume a necromancer would use as a lair but this one was making do. They dismounted the horses and walked to the house. Havi tried the door, it opened easily with a bit of brute force. It was a single room, as soon they entered it became obvious what he'd been doing. There was a ritual circle on the floor painted in blood, dismembered body parts in the kitchen and a female corpse laid on the bed in a state of undress. But no necromancer.

Of the two other buildings, one was a half collapsed stable, the other was the barn. So naturally they chose to check the barn before making other plans. As Havi ripped open the barn doors he was met with a horrific sight. The barn was full of shambling female corpses. The necromancer was working on a ten foot tall flesh golem when he wheeled around, panicking upon seeing Havi. He shrieked some indiscernible words. All the corpses along with the flesh golem snapped their attention to Havi and Tamlen and started charging towards them. Tamlen ran to get some distance and started gesticulating, casting. Roots started to spring out from the ground clasping around the ankles and legs of the corpses, slowing them down. Havi drew his sword and started swinging. He hacked through heads or through necks, decapitating them. It wasn't a challenge to take out the corpses, but when the flesh golem entered the fray he had to split his attention between bringing the corpses to their true end and dodging the pummeling blows of the golem. The necromancer took advantage and tried to escape. He ran past both Havi and Tamlen. Tamlen abandoned some of his attention on slowing the corpses and wrapped his roots around the fleeing necromancer. He tripped and stumbled, allowing Tamlen to bind him securely to the ground, he was going nowhere. He shrieked again in frustration, desperately struggling against the roots which weren't budging. Havi kept slashing, of the ten corpses four were remaining. Each time the golem swung down Havi hacked another chunk out of it. Its arm was half hanging off, the amount of bone fed through it made it difficult to cut. He beheaded another two of the corpses, while dodging another blow from the golem. He slid through its legs administering a deep cut on the way. He rose, taking out the final two corpses. Now able to focus their attacks on the flesh golem. Tamlen sent his roots to wrap around the Golem's legs, slowing it. Havi used this to start aggressively cleaving through them. It took a fair number of strikes, weaving around the swipes directed at him. When the golem's torso slid off its legs. Left slumped on the floor, the golem's attacks became ineffective as Havi began cleaving off its arms. The limbs kept twitching on the floor, still being animated by some force. When he finished he wandered over to Tamlen who was standing guard over the Necromancer, he was skinny, gaunt with greasy lank brown hair and his skin had a sickly yellow hue. The Necromancer was screaming and crying, he started pathetically begging.

"Please don't kill me! I can get you gold! I can make you an undead slave who'll do anything for you! Even serve you on cold lonely nights!"

Tamlen audibly gagged, whilst Havi's face filled with revulsion and disgust. He hissed through clenched teeth.

"If I had felt even an iota of hesitation before. You'd have just removed it!"

He jammed his sword into the necromancer's back, piercing his heart. The necromancer screeched then gurgled his last. Havi raised his sword and cut cleanly through the neck. He grabbed a sack from nearby and slipped the head inside.

Tamlen sighed.

"... piece of shit... I guess we deliver the head to Brythyr now?"

Havi sighed in agreement.

"Time to see if he's going to keep to his word."

They mounted their horses with the head in a bag and set off back to the 'Hall of Justice'.

At the farm they had finished cutting the bandits into pieces and feeding them to the pigs. As lovely as the family had been, Olya believed when she would back on this day in the future, the juxtaposition of their warm smiling faces with the body parts being gleefully fed to the pigs, was something she would find moderately disturbing for many years to come. After the grim work was done they retreated back to the farm house. Elsie started preparing some light lunch. As they waited, Olya heard hoofbeats in the distance. When she peaked out the window she saw them at the edge of the farm. Mage hunters. When the others saw her flinch they got up and checked themselves. Upon seeing them the family wordlessly shifted a bench and straw mat to reveal a trapdoor. They guided Olya into it, concealing her in the crawlspace under the house. They replaced the mat and the bench before casually returning to their original spots in the kitchen before the hoofbeats reached the house. There was a knock at the door and Angus answered it. Olya heard a voice from yesterday morning.

"Good afternoon. We are searching the area for a criminal who has crossed the border into these lands to escape justice." Said the rider officer.

"Afternoon to you too sir. That is most alarming! What did they do? How can we help you?" Angus affected a disarming tone.

"This criminal is a mage. Guilty of terrorism, inciting a violent riot and the assassination of a cleric. She's a young woman, pale, auburn hair and lavender eyes. She's very dangerous, it's essential we find her. Have you seen anyone matching that description in the area?"

Olya lay in the crawlspace pondering how damming the list of her actions was. The truth hadn't required that much twisting.

Angus maintained his tone.

"Sorry, can't say I have... Darling? Kids? Have you seen anyone like that?"

The rider leaned in to see their responses. All three either shook their heads or said no. The rider pulled himself back.

Angus continued.

"Sorry we can't be of more help. Hope you catch her, we'll all sleep better knowing she's been dealt with."

Angus gave him a weak smile.

"Well, sorry to bother you, thank you for your time?"

The riders left. The family didn't retrieve Olya from the crawlspace until the mage hunters had disappeared out of view. They scooted the bench away pulled back the mat and helped her up, putting them back in place. Once she was back in the kitchen Angus raised an eyebrow and gave her a suspicious look.

"You murdered a cleric and started a riot?"

The whole family were now staring at Olya clearly wanting her to explain.

Olya tried to, nervously.

"Thank you for hiding me... When they put it like that it does sound significantly worse."

"So you didn't do those things?"

Angus asked, sounding doubtful.

"I... I... did. But they are not including context. The cleric was extorting folk. When a nice couple who ran an inn couldn't pay. He tried to publicly execute them as an example. When the crowd started to turn on him, he declared 'if the Divine doesn't like this may they strike me down'. So I struck him down with a bolt of lightning from the sky, the crowd panicked, some assumed it was the Divine, but the couple escaped in the confusion. I got out of there quickly. I didn't know it turned into a riot." She speedily reeled out the explanation.

The family stood silent for a moment, before Elsie and Angus burst into belly laughs, shortly followed by their children.

Elsie said through her chortles.

"I normally don't laugh at murder... But the poetic irony is delicious... Plus it's a cleric!"

"Fucking Faith Lands!"

Angus wheezed.

Olya raised an eyebrow and gave them a bemused look.

"So you're okay with that? No concerns?"

Elsie finally managed to get a handle on her laughter.

"It's fine. We Lowlanders, we have a hatred for the Faith."

Angus took over.

"Our grandparents' generation rebelled to kick them out. Our people haven't looked back. We always get a kick out of those sanctimonious sods being made to look like idiots. So again, if you want to stay, not a problem. They're unlikely to come sniffing again.

Olya smiled.

"Okay, thank you. I'll be staying then."

She sat down to join them for lunch.

Havi and Tamlen had reached the 'Hall of Justice'. They presented themselves and were soon escorted up to the office Brythyr had taken over. He greeted them with a knowing smile.

"Havi, Tamlen, I assume you have brought what I asked for?"

Havi reached into the sack and pulled out the head. Showing it to Brythyr face first.

"Excellent!" he grinned.

He reached behind his desk for a large jar filled with some kind of clear fluid. He unscrewed the top and took the head from Havi before plunging it in and rescrewing it. He pulled out a large bag of gold and handed it to Havi.

"It seems our business is concluded. I will vacate as promised and you are free to rejoin Olya. I must grant her, she's done a very good job of hiding, my men haven't found a trace."

He gave them a calculating smile. Trying to detect the slightest reaction. They both held their poker faces.

Havi spoke.

"Since you made no promise not to search for her while we did this for you... hardly surprising. I suspect you were hoping we'd lead you right to her when you set us to your errand. Even if we didn't, worst case was we'd do your work for you... win-win."

Brythyr chuckled.

"Can you blame me? But now you have fulfilled your side of the bargain. I'll do as I promised, I am a man of my word. One needs to maintain some standards in life. Here's hoping we don't have the misfortune to run into each other again. Safe travels you two."

He gave them a nod of dismissal. The pair left and went on their way. They waited until they had reached the edge of town before discussing next steps.

Tamlen pondered.

"Where are we going to find Olya? She can't still be at camp. They must have rechecked there."

"We'll go back anyway. First to reclaim our stuff and second I might be able to pick up her trail if it's not too stale." Havi suggested.

They made it back to camp and they packed it up. Havi investigated the various scents trying to determine what they meant.

"You're right Tamlen, they came back. But she had already gone... chased in that direction by..."

He trailed after it. His demeanor somewhat reminded Tamlen of a sniffer dog.

"... a corpse... an old one."

Their blood ran cold, the worry that they had buried while completing their task for Brythyr resurging with vengeance. Havi followed the scent trail on foot while Tamlen followed behind with the horses. Havi saw where she had sprinted through the forest. He hadn't found any of her blood but seeing her gait had become unsteady, getting tired, unsurprising. She wasn't used to running full pelt and she had covered a respectable distance. He kept following, she had made it out the trees, hopped this stone fence. The corpse had followed her still. He followed the trail leading into these farm fields a little distance along where there was a pool of blood, the corpse's. Olya's scent kept going, up to the farm house?

Archie looked out the window and saw Havi and Tamlen not far behind.

"Dad! There's two weird men approaching the house!"

Angus joined him to look.

"They don't look like mage hunters. Olya do these men look familiar to you?"

Olya joined as well. An enormous beaming smile on her face as she saw them. She ran out of the door to the edge of the field and practically tackled Havi as she hugged him. Havi squeezed her back, relieved. As they parted she grabbed Tamlen for a hug as well.

"I'm so, so sorry, it's all my fault!" Guilt present in her voice.

Havi chuckled.

"I've had worse, besides we made a deal to get the mage hunters off our back. It only involved one contracted murder."

Havi jibed.

"Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." Tamlen's tone dripped with sarcasm.

The family came out to see the strangers. Olya introduced them.

"Havi, Tamlen, this is Elsie, Skye, Archie and Angus. I owe them for hiding me. Angus doubly so for shooting a corpse that was chasing me."

Angus interjected. "You saved us with the lightning. I'm calling it square. Besides, those walking corpses are just an increasingly common occurrence now."

Havi pulled a wry expression.

"Well Angus, me and Tamlen ended that problem in a very permanent manner earlier. So I wouldn't worry about them anymore. What's this about lightning?"

Olya became sheepish. Worried at how Havi would react.

"I shot a bolt of lightning at seven bandits who came to the farm and were going to do something awful to the family."

Angus interjected.

"She did the right thing, we won't tell. What was causing the walking corpses?"

"Necromancer." Havi answered. His eyes glanced back at Olya like he was trying to decide something.

Angus and the rest of the family looked disgusted.

"A necromancer!?"

Tamlen gave them an odd look.

"What did you think was causing it?"

Elsie answered. "Curse or fungus maybe?"

Tamlen thought for a second then smiled.

"Fair enough."

Olya cut in.

"Wait... is there actually a fungus that can do that?"

"Used to be, not sure if it still exists. If it was ever spotted people used to burn down whole forests to purge it... understandably. But it technically doesn't animate the dead, just turns the host into an unfeeling puppet."

Both Elsie and Olya made a face like they had learned something new and interesting.

Havi held out his hand for a shake. Angus took it.

"Thank you Angus, and to your family. We need to take Olya and hit the road. It was nice to meet you all."

Angus gave him a nod and handed the dagger Olya had used on the corpse back to her.

Olya smiled.

"Thank you everyone. Hope the pigs are well fed for the next couple of days. Bye!"

She joked.

The family chuckled and waved at her. As they walked back to the horses Havi and Tamlen gave Olya a curious look.

"Why was that funny?" Tamlen asked as they mounted up.

"Because seven bandits make a lot of pig food." She beamed.

Havi laughed. Tamlen looked bewildered.

"They fed the bandits to the pigs?"

"Waste not, want not!" Havi kept tittering.

They rode off away from the farm into the trees.

"What now? Now that we don't have to worry about the hunters at our heels?" Olya asked.

Havi gave it some thought.

"Going forward? Wander the lowlands for a while, until the heat from your political activism goes down..."

Olya was about to huff, but realised it was a jab she deserved, so pushed it down.

"In the near future though, we are going to ride until sundown and find a nice place to camp. Next to a pond, lake, river, whatever and have a thorough bath, because we all smell awful!"

Tamlen and Olya immediately gave themselves a sniff.

"That's fair." Tamlen agreed, deadpan.

"I don't smell that bad. Besides, wouldn't the farmers have mentioned it." Olya disputed.

"Either they were far too nice and polite... or they couldn't smell you over the potent stench of pig shit you've added to the bouquet!" Havi joked.

Tamlen guffawed.

"Either way we need a bath. We can trust Havi's nose on that one!"

Olya huffed.

"Fine, fresh body of water it is!"

All the way up to sunset they kept their eyes searching. Until just as the sun was dipping onto the horizon they found a lake. It had clean, clear water perfect for washing in. They set up camp and built a roaring fire. It would be needed to dry their laundered clothes. They all stripped down. Each admiring the nudity of the others. Havi and Olya started rinsing out their clothes. But Tamlen was still pulling things out of his robe in an ever increasing pile. To the point it was impossible that he was fitting all of it in there. It garnered the attention of Havi and Olya who paused their laundry to watch this ridiculous sight. As he added more books, bottles and scrolls to the pile. He eventually noticed Olya and Havi staring at him.

"What?" Tamlen asked with bewildered.

"We're trying to work out how that's possible, got a kitchen sink in there somewhere?" Havi asked with a confused mocking tone.

Tamlen laughed.

"No kitchen sink... but it's my academy robe. I enchanted it for pockets to be bigger on the inside. Seemed practical. Now there's stuff I don't want to risk getting wet when I wash it."

Olya was also confused.

"You enchanted your pockets to be bigger, without them being physically larger... this might be a stupid question but... if you are capable of that... can't you just make your robe waterproof?"

Tamlen paused and thought for a moment.

"Theoretically yes... that's possible. Thanks for the idea, I'm going to work on that."

Havi mused.

"If you work that out, could you do the same for our capes as well?"

"Sure!" Tamlen smiled.

He finished pulling out his stuff, he held one item in his hand. Before tossing it to Havi.

"Havi! Soap!"

Havi caught it.

"How long have you had this?"

Tamlen shrugged.

"It's been so long since I last went through this, I'd forgotten I had some."

He dunked his robe in the water giving it a thorough rinse, along with his other clothes. The three of them hung up their stuff near the fire to dry and went for a bath in the lake. They splashed around in the water, swimming as they washed away the considerable amount of grime they'd built up. Olya was luxuriating in her hair being free and getting a clean. She lay on her back floating with her eyes closed. Havi was so intensely scrubbing himself with the soap that by the time he had finished Tamlen had swam over and was giving him a scrutinizing look. Havi looked at him and answered the unspoken question.

He sighed.

"The corpses, the flesh golem and the necromancer... just errrrh!"

Tamlen nodded in agreement and held his hand out for the soap and Havi passed it back. Tamlen scrubbed himself clean before making eye contact with Havi, flicking his eyes to Olya and back again. He made a gesture pointing to Olya. They both shared a wicked grin before wading over to where she floated.

He gave Havi the soap before Tamlen ran his fingers through her hair. He began massaging and gently scrubbing her scalp. She let out a pleasured sigh. Havi lathered up his hand and massaged his hands up and down each leg, he scrubbed his way across her buttocks, her back and her arms.

He kneaded into her shoulders before trailing his hands down to her breasts. He cupped them before grasping, he teased her nipples between his fingers. Olya's eyes opened and she looked at him.

"You're in that kind of mood?" She smiled coquettishly.

Havi grinned.

"After nine days and finally freed of a great amount of stress. I want to relax, and having you squeeze me as we come seems ideal." He purred.

"If that's what you want? I'm happy to oblige." She flirted.

Havi rolled her nipples between his fingers until they hardened. Gently pinching them. She quietly moaned. Havi grew impatient.

"Tamlen, I think she's finished with the head massage. I'm taking her back to shore." He grinned.

Tamlen let go, Havi handed the soap back as he threw Olya over his shoulder, he smacked her ass as he carried her back to camp. He laid her down on his bed roll and kissed her. It was a deep, passionate kiss, he kissed her until she was growing breathless. He moved his lips down her neck, trailing them to a nipple. He massaged a breast in one hand while he pressed his lips into the other, rolling his tongue over the bud as he sucked it. He pinched it between his teeth causing Olya to gasp. She arched her back, pushing her breasts into his hand and mouth. He feathered his hand from her breast down her stomach and between her legs. Running his fingers against her folds, he stroked along them. He teased a finger against her nub, tickling it while it was still hiding under its hood. She unconsciously pressed her legs together, biting her lip as she lightly moaned. He removed his mouth from her nipple with a pop. He looked up at her and gave a wicked smile.

"I wonder... If I sucked on your sex... are you capable of resisting the urge to try and wrap your thighs around my head?" He purred.

"Let's find out."

He placed his hands on her thighs to part her legs as he moved his face down. He licked her folds parting them with her tongue. He adjusted his position, he rested her thighs on his shoulders and wrapped his arms around. Holding them tightly. He caressed her nether lips poking his tongue into her entrance as he travelled up to her nub. He gently kissed it, pushing back the hood with his tongue before wrapping his lips around it and sucking. Olya bucked her hips and mewled, her legs tried to jerk together but Havi held them tight. He chuckled against her nub the vibrations travelling through her. He pulled his lips away to taunt her.

"I guess you can't!" He flashed a devious grin before pursing his lips around her throbbing nub.

He resumed sucking, flicking his tongue over her sensitive spot. She ran her fingers through his hair arching her back as she humped his face. Tamlen had walked from the lake and took a seat nearby, watching the erotic display in front of him. Olya turned to look at him with half lidded eyes. He started to slowly stroke his erection. Havi lifted her hips up. He moved to a kneeling position, pulling her sex to his face as her head lay in his lap. She had let go of his hair, clinging her hands to Havi's thighs to hold herself steady. She need not have bothered, Havi had no intention of loosening his grip as he slurped on her sex. She whined at the relentless sensation from her nub. Havi growled, digging his fingers into her hips and ass. Her hips started to shake, she looked up at Havi, his golden cat-like eyes focussed on her. She felt her nub begin to twitch as did Havi. He sped up his tongue wanting her nub to twitch more, the wet slurping sound filled the camp. Olya whimpered, her toes curled and muscles tensed. As she croaked out a moan, she came, breathing heavily.

Havi slowed down his licking, savouring her taste as she relaxed. Havi laid her back down on the bedroll, waiting. He nestled between her legs, rubbing his tip against her folds, tantalisingly. Making it seem like he was going to slip inside, but teasing her when he didn't. She soon grew frustrated, wanting him to thrust himself deep inside. Havi relished in it.

He purred against her ear.

"What do you want?"

"Your cock deep between my legs." She bit her lower lip as she voiced her request.

He grinned mischievously. He pressed his tip against her entrance and slowly pushed inside, filling her. After more than a week since they had last lain together, she was tight and he felt incredibly large inside her. She groaned as their hips met and Havi sighed. He had needed this, to be wrapped around by her wet, hot, tightness. As she expected him to start rocking his hips into her, instead he rolled them both so she was on top. He grasped his hands onto her hips, grinding them across his. She put her hands on his pecs resting her weight on them as she rocked her hips. She moaned as his manhood massaged her insides, rubbing her sensitive places. Havi looked relaxed, his face slack, clearly savouring the gentle pleasure from the slow pace. He was content to take his time. As he didn't get to enjoy her as much as he had wanted to previously. They both heard Tamlen let out a moan. They turned to see he had sped up his stroking, gazing at them with half lidded eyes as he watched. Havi turned back to her and growled. He wanted to escalate this now.

"Raise your hips, bounce your ass on me!"

He gave her ass a playful smack.

She gave him an inviting smile as she did as requested. She moved her hips in a circle, raising them, then grinding them against him before raising them again. As she repeated this motion Havi rocked his hips into hers. She soon found herself moving her hips faster, wanting to intensify the pleasure. Havi matched her, starting to buck his hips up into her. He loved how she groaned when he returned to her depths, he felt a tingle shoot through him every time she dropped her hips on him. He solidified his hold on her hips and aggressively pumped himself up into her. She barely needed to bounce her hips, being on top of Havi was like riding a bucking bronco. With each outward breath she let out whimpering moans as Havi pounded jolts of pleasure through her. She couldn't help but squeeze around him, her breath shaky and her muscles beginning to quiver. Havi was groaning, letting out small growls as he felt her squeeze him. The feeling of speedily sliding her hot, sopping wet sex along his length was heavenly, he melted into her. He felt his hips begin to tremble and his eyes became unfocused as they started to roll back. She choked out a scream, as her back arched, her own eyes rolled back and the world went white. Her muscles tensed as she clamped down and spasmed around him. A flood of ecstasy rushed through her, sending rapturous shocks up her spine and down her legs. Havi's own finish seized him as she clamped down upon him, a surge of pleasure possessed him as he erupted a torrent of seed into her depths. She slackened and collapsed on top of him. Havi's own muscles relaxed, he delighted in remaining surrounded in her warmth as he lay there. Tamlen grunted as he reached his own ecstasy, Havi watched him shoot out his load on the ground, a dopey grin on his face.

Olya stirred after a few minutes, she pulled herself off his length and lay down next to him, snuggling up. Havi grabbed his blanket and covered them with it, settling in. Tamlen lay down on his own bedroll pulling his blanket across. The trio bedded down for the night, stress alleviated and happy.