Touch of Fate

Chapter 54: Another Step

After much deliberation, Mike decided that it would probably be best to move the other three adventurers to a safer location. He wasn't sure what sort of attention the light show he put on might bring, but he didn't want to risk them getting caught up even further in this mess.

Of course that was easier said than done. He first had to carry them to a new location, which he manged by creating a rudimentary sled using Earth Magic. It had proven crude, but effective. After relocating the trio a spot a kilometer or so away, he returned to retrieve the group's gear.

In their initial rush to come to his aid, they had left the majority of their gear behind, which had subsequently been involved in his confrontation with Brutus. As a result, most of the equipment they had brought with them had been destroyed. Miraculously, Shy's pack had been thrown clear, only ending up mildly scorched.

After confirming that the two jars of honey had survived, he heaved a sigh. "Well, at the very least we can still turn in the request. That is, if they still want to have anything to do with me after this."

He felt taunting, needling anxiety creep into the back of his mind at the thought of having to face them after this travesty. With a heavy heart he walked back, and with some surprise he noticed that Shy had woken up and was tending to the other two.

"Ah, your awake." Mike murmured lamely, still not mentally prepared for what was to come.

Shy glanced over at him calmly, "Yes, I just woke up. It is good that the others remain asleep for now, we have much to discuss."

Mike was shocked. With the exception of one particular incident, he had not heard the fox beastman speak.

"Eh?" Was all he could muster.

Shy smiled sympathetically. "I did not remain conscious long after being defeated by that staff wielding aggressor, but it was long enough to see enough to see both of my party members seriously injured. One fatally so."

"Ah, yes. That did happen...."

"It was also long enough for me to see a certain characteristic skill, before the weight of a powerful presence spiritually crushed me into oblivion."

"You saw that, did you?" Mike was starting to doubt his communication abilities.

"Indeed. You do not need to explain, as I have surmised your identity from the several clues you've let slip up to this point."

He stood then, facing Mike boldly. "Not only have you saved my life, but the lives of my companions as well. As such it would be the greatest of ingratitudes to reveal your secret, exposed as it was for our benefit. I swear to you that no word of your identity will pass these lips of mine."

Mike smiled at the insinuation. "I believe you. I know how good you are at keeping quiet."

Shy gave a small chuckle. "Quite. I only hope that someday, when the time comes for you to reveal yourself to the world, and lead it to overcome the challenges you were meant to face, you will allow me to be of some service."

Mike could only nod in response. A moment of quiet understanding was shared between them.

"What about the other two? What should we tell them?"

"I suggest that we keep what we discussed to ourselves. As for how to explain our situation, I would recommend that you tell them that a powerful expert assisted us in our most dire circumstances. It is probably the most believable excuse we can muster. Perhaps you could claim some relation, such as a family member or mentor. This hypothetical expert defeated our enemy in a destructive battle, then used a skill to heal us of our injuries."

"Would that work?" Mike couldn't help but think that Shy was quite devious.

[A gifted and powerful mentor could explain the imbalance between my strength and my relative inexperience, as well.]

"I believe Philip would accept it with a little prompting, but Kate would likely doubt the story. She has ever been the more intelligent of the pair. However, I believe that we can forestall the majority of her suspicions long enough to turn in the request and go our separate ways."

"That sounds like a decent enough plan, considering the circumstances." Mike pondered, hand clasping his chin.

He fixed his gaze on the beastman. "There is a great deal more to you than meets the eye."

"I am but a simple adventurer." Shy replied with a mysterious smile.

Mike nodded, expecting the response. He decided to change tactics. "So, who are these two to you?"

The beastman stared off into the distance grimly, momentarily appearing much older than he was. "A long time ago, my soul was saved by them. They did not intend to help, yet their actions were my salvation nonetheless. I have served as their companion and guardian ever since, as a means of repaying them."

He looked down at the sleeping pair, and the hard lines of his face softened. "I still owe them everything."

Mike kept his silence, not wanting to break the solemn mood.

In time Philip and Kate awoke. Shy's planned explanation served to answer the majority of their questions, but it was clear to Mike that Kate still held her doubts. After extracting a promise to keep the events of the night a secret, he led the group towards Wyrport. Dawn was soon approaching, and none of them felt like remaining out in the plains for longer than they had to.

[I suppose this will be sufficient for now. Might have to lay low for awhile after this, just in case.]

Mike hoped vainly that the city's inhabitants had not witnessed the fight, but by the time they reached the northern gate, it had become clear that he was out of luck.

Traffic at the gate was lower than usual, but the few merchants, farmers, and travelers present were all fearfully talking about the same thing.

Rumors abounded about the origin and purpose of the terrifying blast of lightning and the brilliant glow that appeared afterwards. It only got worse once they had entered the city.

By the time the group had made it back to the guild and turned the request in, they had heard nearly every possible explanation.

A dirty and ragged man, dressed in soiled robes, claimed it was the gods' vengeance made manifest, He claimed that only by rejecting sins of civilization could humanity save itself. This did not stop him from taking a long swig from a potent smelling jug, once the group had passed.

An affluent merchant tried to deny anything supernatural occurred, saying that it was merely the product of some unusually powerful lightning.

A worried housewife was repeating a rumor that dragons had been seen fighting in the sky last night, and the events were caused by their conflict.

On and on it went, making it quite obvious that, while virtually everyone in the city had witnessed it, or at least claimed to do so, no one was really sure about what had happened.

Mike felt some relief knowing that, at the very least, there was nothing to really tie them to the catastrophic light show.

The group turned in the request and received the paltry reward of 12 gold. It hardly seemed worth it, considering all the danger they had faced leading up to that point.

After collecting the money Mike turned to the three, and took in their battered clothes, damaged equipment, and missing gear. He knew what he had to do, but he wasn't sure how to manage it. Finally he decided to broach the subject.

"I know what we said back in the plains, but I think we should split the reward."

He cut off Philip and Kate's protests with a quick gesture. "This is not the time to be prideful. You've lost the majority of your adventuring equipment, and what little you still have is in need of repair. You are only in this predicament because you got wrapped up in my mess, so the least I can do is share the reward evenly."

Kate looked at him a little uncertainly. "I don't know..."

Shy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and flashed a reassuring smile. Philip, who was the original instigator of the plan to give Mike the entirety of the reward, was looking at her with a pleading gaze.

She reluctantly agreed, although she made sure to spare a few scathing words for Philip. Mike divvied out the coins into four even stacks of three, and after pocketing his share, prepared to leave.

Just as they were about to go their separate ways, Kate pulled him aside.

"I don't know what happened last night, but I do know you are lying about all of us being saved by your mysterious mentor 'Ricardo the Magnificent.' It might have been enough to fool Philip, but not me."

Mike gulped. He hadn't thought to give his hypothetical mentor a name until they had asked for one. 'Ricardo' was the product of his panicked mind grasping for anything resembling a name. For some reason he'd been thinking about soap operas at the time.

Kate leaned forward a bit and continued. "That said, I believe you saved us. Saved me, even when I thought I was done for."

She placed a hand on her midsection, where the hole Brutus had rent in her armor was still visible. Thankfully, Lifestyle Magic had proved sufficient clean up the blood.

"I know it was you that brought me back. I don't know how I know, but I do."

She looked up at him then. "If you don't want to explain, I won't force you to. I'm sure you have secrets you can't reveal."

Mike glanced away, feeling a little embarrassed.

"All I ask, is that you don't think too badly of us for the situation that took place before we all almost died. I still think that you should go and find party members closer to you in strength, but I hope that we can be friends."

"I'd like that." Mike said gently.

She grinned back. "Maybe you'll even trust me someday."

Before he had a chance to respond, she walked away, rejoining a jealous looking Philip and an impassive Shy. With an exchanging of waves, the trio departed.

[I don't think I'll ever understand women, no matter how many lives I live.]

With a shrug he walked back to the inn, lost in thought.

[Three. I've been saved by a convenient increase in strength on three separate occasions. I don't know if I'm like a novel protagonist with some kind of plot armor, but I don't think I can keep relying on it forever. I need to get stronger.]

He clenched a fist. He resolved to consult Morris on the matter as soon as he got back.

Mike was so deep in his thoughts, he completely missed the thin man, dressed in gray, who slipped into a nearby alley after noticing him.

Had Mike been paying attention, he might have recognized the figure of Roger, as the thug was running away.

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