The road back to town was mostly uneventful. With the routes cleared of anything dangerous thanks to previous incursions of adventurers, the journey through the snow was almost too easy.

  That was, until a sudden gust of wind swept through them, sharp and relentless. They all felt its bite, but no one stopped. Hoods were pulled up. Complaints were swallowed. Stopping would only slow everyone down.

  As they trudged on, Louis misstepped on a rock hidden beneath the snow. His legs, numb with cold, gave out beneath him. He fell face-first into the frozen ground, the chill instantly numbing his cheeks.

  The effects of post-magical use had started to settle in, after all, magic required blood, which naturally left him dizzy and weak.

  He didn’t call for help. He knew what the others would think.

  Their disdainful, angered expressions were always directed at him.

  “He has it so easy…”

  “What if it turns against us?”

  “Disgusting mage....”

  These were the murmurs he heard constantly, disguised behind polite smiles, sometimes not even bothered to hide it. To be envied, feared, and praised, all at once.

  Louis lay there for a moment, his cheek pressed into the frozen ground, until the cold burned into numbness.

  Boots crunched close to his head. A hand extended toward him. It was Caelen.

  “Need help?”

  Ironic how barely a couple of hours before, Caelen had been the one needing help.

  Louis nodded, defeated by the weakness of his body.

  Caelen slung his friend's arm over his shoulder.

  He noticed Louis glance back at the others, already far ahead.

  “Don’t let it get to you, they’re just jerks.”

  “…Thanks.”

  “No worries, you did help me earlier.”

  Louis faintly smiled and let out an awkward laugh. Caelen couldn't tell if he meant something else.

  They continued, walking alongside, slowly but surely, they would eventually catch up.

  “Why do you think Asha’s been avoiding us?”

  “She’s been like that after that errand we did three months ago.”

  “..Right, I guess nothing’s been the same after that.”

  The thought lingered for a moment, taking him back to that exact day.

  Three months back.

  Old Matheus, a farmer who lived past Ralbow’s only mill, had lost a goat two days before. He offered three silver agrims to whoever found it. Caelen had found the poster about the quest, thinking it was an easy errand. Earning a bit of extra money while he wasn’t actively working as a Hunter helped him a lot.

  Louis came along. Caelen had convinced him it would be easy money.

  “We’ll split the money, it won’t take more than a couple of hours!” He said.

  Someone happened to be nearby, in the plaza where the quest board stood, there the two of them were loudly discussing it.

  “Mind if I join you two?” she asked. “I could use the money anyway.”

  There was Asha, wearing a long white tunic, her cheerful attitude matched perfectly her pale flawless face.

  “You sure?” He asked, she nodded.

  So then, Caelen led the way, confident and quiet. This was not his first time tracking livestock through winter brush, as he regularly used to help Matheus and his son back before .

  The forest was calm, wind brushing lightly against their cheeks, the snow crunching softly beneath their boots.

  Asha walked slightly behind Louis, hands tucked into her sleeves.

  “Caelen you’re missing the ones on the right” she said, her ring finger pointing to small mud-like marking on a tree, it must have been made by hooves. “Weren’t you supposed to be an expert at this?”

  “Good catch, Asha,” he grumbled.

  He had been continuously corrected by Asha along the path, his pride as a tracker starting to wear down, yet still at the front of the group.

  “Aren’t we getting a little too far by now?” Louis asked shyly, his voice lacking certainty.

  “Don’t you worry Louis, our great incompetent leader is going to protect you” she mocked with a smug smile, pointing back to him.

  “Ha-ha, real funny Asha” he responded, eyes shooting daggers back at her.

  “He’s not incompetent, he’s just stupidly confident,” shot back Louis, unexpectedly.

  Asha let out a hearty laugh, hitting her knees and bending down to catch her breath.

  Caelen didn’t answer, only looking back at Louis like he’d been stabbed through the heart.

  “Even Louis knows it!” She said in between her laughter.

  “Matheus always loses something,” Caelen said. “Last time it was a chicken.”

  Louis snorted, loosening up a little. “At least goats leave bigger tracks.”

  The taiga wind bit at their cheeks, even if not particularly pleasant, their banter carried a certain warmth.

  The prints led them down a shallow slope. They heard the goat before they saw it, weak bleating, tangled among thorny roots near a bush.

  Caelen crouched, murmuring as he approached. “Easy… easy…”

  A single, ragged growl echoed through the forest. From behind a fallen log, a wolf limped into view, starved, ribs pressing against its skin, its eyes a pale, raging yellow.

  Everyone's eyes widened and pupils dilated in response. Their bodies stiffened.

  Asha inhaled deeply, trying to compose herself. “We should leave, now”, she whispered to the others, slowly backing away, as she was the closest one to it.

  They held their breath, unconsciously.

  While their minds screamed at them, they understood startling the wolf wouldn’t be a wise decision.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Caelen nodded.

  But the goat bleated again, shattering the silence and the beast's patience.

  The wolf lunged towards Asha.

  The wolf's jaws clamped down on her hand.

  Asha screamed, trying to shake it off. The creature pulled her forward, throwing her to the ground. It bit deeper into her arm.

  Louis and Caelen froze.

  Caelen was trying to reach out for his dagger on his side, but his hands trembled, fumbling the movement.

  However, Louis snapped out of it faster than Caelen, and without thinking of the consequences he used it.

  A small light appeared beneath his wrists. Semi-translucent yellow chains shot out, bright as pure light.

  They whipped forward, striking the wolf in its ribcage, the wolf yelped, backed away but didn't retreat.

  Louis then made a fist into his hands, as if to focus his energy, the chains now were puppeteered by him, he tightly wrapped the chains around the creature's torso. The creature was lifted, then thrown to the hard bark of a tree, the chains fading out.

  Blood sprayed across the snow. The creature collapsed, whimpering, before it limped away.

  The woods fell silent again.

  Louis stood frozen, breath trembling, his wrists stinging and drips of blood coming through them. He could still hear the faint drag of the wounded wolf fading into the distance.

  Asha stared at him, face pale, her hands forming into fists. “You… you did that,” she whispered. “You’re one of them right...?”

  Caelen too stared back at him, although lacking the intensity of Asha’s gaze, in a more confused manner.

  Louis swallowed hard. “I — I just tried to help.”

  Asha’s jaw clenched. She looked down at the blood-streaked snow, then back at Louis. Her voice turning completely silent.

  They walked back, all of them side by side, Caelen, on the left, held the goat on a leash, on the right Asha, Her expression was difficult to read.

  Louis tried to slow down his pace, almost ashamed, but they slowed too, not letting him stay behind.

  “So, you’re a mage huh? That’s cool,” said Caelen in an almost uninterested tone.

  Louis slightly turned his head to Caelen, his expression confused, as if he hadn't expected this reaction.

  “I think it's fine too” said Asha, in an uncharacteristic shy tone “My father was one too…”

  They reached the outside of the woods.

  Since it was near the mill, Caelen went ahead and delivered the goat back to Old Matheus, while he chatted with him, Asha spoke again, this time only between Louis and her.

  Caelen noticed from afar, she held his hand between her own, then seemed to weep, just a little.

  Louis' face reddened, then stammered something Caelen couldn’t quite hear.

  After dividing the profits of the errand, they both insisted on Louis having a bigger share, even if he didn’t want to take credit for his work.

  They parted ways that afternoon, each of them expectant of the next meeting.

  Caelen had felt good about it. They'd helped Old Matheus, made some extra money, and luckily, they managed to go back in one piece, although he couldn’t avoid feeling really guilty himself for getting Asha hurt, who knows what would have happened if Louis didn’t rush to immediately help?

  But two days later, everything changed.

  Both Caelen and Louis approached a stall, its wooden frame crooked but sturdy. A small iron grill crackled inside, fat dripping over open coals. The scent of roasted meat curled through the air, a really palatable smell.

  “Here it is,” Caelen said, nudging Louis lightly. “Told you they smelled good.”

  Louis stood beside him, eyes fixed on the skewers turning slowly over the fire. His mouth watered.

  “You should definitely try one,” Caelen added with a grin.

  Louis nodded, then stepped forward.

  “Excuse me, sir,” he called politely. “I’d like one of your meat skewers.”

  The vendor looked up.

  He was lanky and aged, gray beard thin and uneven, sleeves rolled past bony elbows. His eyes moved over Louis slowly, lingering just a second too long.

  “Tsk. The hell you want?” he snapped.

  Both boys looked at each other, confused.

  “I just wanted to buy one,” Louis replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

  “Not selling.”

  Louis frowned. “But… didn’t you sell him one yesterday?” He gestured toward Caelen.

  The vendor’s gaze flicked to Caelen, then back to Louis. His lip curled.

  “That’s different.”

  “Different how?” Caelen asked, confused.

  The man leaned forward over the counter. “Get the hell out of my stall.”

  A few nearby shoppers slowed their steps.

  Louis stiffened. “I have the money.”

  “Keep it.” The vendor grabbed a skewer and turned it aggressively on the grill. “I don’t serve your kind.”

  Silence fell between them.

  Caelen’s expression hardened. “His kind?”

  The colors of Louis' face faded, his face swelling with sweat, Caelen tried to put his hand on his shoulder but hesitated.

  “Let’s go,” he muttered, his voice shaking.

  Caelen didn’t move at first. He was about to argue with the man, maybe even fight, he was angry at him for talking like that to his friend, he clenched his fist

  But Louis had already turned away, Caelen ran to catch him.

  They walked in silence, the noise of the market swelling around them.

  After a few steps, Caelen spoke, voice low. “How could they have known...?”

  “It could only be her,” said Louis, as he clenched his fists, it was strange seeing him so angry.

  They noticed somebody passing by, a hooded figure they almost didn't recognize, but something about them felt familiar.

  Caelen stopped them, putting his hand on their shoulder.

  “Asha..!” He wasn't sure what to say, reprimand her?, ask her why?, but he knew he had to say something.

  However, Asha lowered her hood.

  Her face revealed more than words could describe, A crescent-shaped wound marked her left cheek, barely coagulated blood lining it. Her face was covered in bruises, purple and yellow, fresh.

  They both stood in shock, unable to say anything.

  “I'm sorry.” She managed to say, her voice deepened with sorrow, as if she were about to cry, before she ran.

  They didn't know what to do or say by this point, only looking at her as she ran away.

  Caelen couldn't understand it. Even now, months later, the image of Asha's bruised face haunted him, Louis hadn't known how to react either, he was now being shunned throughout town.

  A week later, Asha suddenly appeared among the Hunters, Caelen took note of this but was unable to talk to her, still didn't know what to do or say.

  Two weeks later, Louis told him about a rather unexpected encounter. The Captain of the Hunters had visited him, talking about the so-called offer of joining a specialized crew focusing on hunting Maltheons.

  He refused, however, The Captain insisted and offered him an alternative, a three-month program, he would be paid well and work alongside experienced hunters, if he disliked it, he wouldn't be bothered anymore.

  Reluctantly, Louis accepted. Since then, Caelen noticed him using his magic more often, despite how much Louis seemed to hate it.

  Back in the present, they were close to reaching town, the small cloud of chimney smoke signaling home, a small wooden sign with the words “RALBOW” on it, the name of the town.

  After the group had finally made its way into the town, the group dissolved immediately, more than a couple were being awaited by family, them, expectant of their loved ones.

  He parted ways with Louis, leaving after exchanging their goodbyes.

  He passed through the entrance of town, most buildings were abandoned and broken by this point, only the essential ones remained, sustained by rebuilding efforts.

  The scent of damp hay and rotting fruits catching at the back of his nose. The stalls were just opening, canvas flaps thrown open, the sounds of the wood creaking, vendors muttering half-hearted greetings.

  The apothecary glanced up the moment he saw him, immediately recognizing the face. He took out his cigar and let out a sigh.

  “Kid. You’re full of bruises again, you really shouldn't work under that lousy Holstein. Hunting shouldn't be work for children. “

  “It’s the only job available during winter," he muttered, eyes low. “Maybe when spring comes back, I’ll go work on the fields.”

  The apothecary gave him a long, tired look. Then, without a word, he turned and pulled a small brown bag from beneath the counter, already prepared.

  Caelen reached into his pouch, fingers closing a handful of agrim, his hand shifting between the silver coins. He was just about to hand them over when the apothecary stopped him with a firm hand.

  “You've been a real help, you and your friend. Collecting those herbs saves me a lot of trouble” he said, voice low. “Give him my regards, will you?”

  Caelen took the bag with a nod of quiet gratitude. “Thanks, “ he muttered, and quietly walked away from the stall.

  He had lied about the job, the apothecary had been long since helping him to maintain his father alive, he was grateful but he simply couldn't afford to stop working as a hunter, he clenched his fist.

  The street outside was already busier than before. As he made his way home, a familiar scent tugged at his nose. Beef, fresh hanging from the butcher’s stall hooks.

  He stopped. His feet moved toward it before he could stop himself, but the dull weight of his small pouch quickly reminded him of the truth.

  After all, he had a bit of leftover money since the apothecary gifted him the medicine, he decided to indulge a little.

  “Could I get...half a pound of beef?”

  The butcher looked up from behind the counter and gave a half-smile. “Mhm, sure, Caelen. By the way, how’s Robert doing? “

  “Still sick. He's been pretty lively as of late, but it’s been lingering for months now. “

  “I see. Well, we all hope he gets better soon. The town’s missing his songs, you know? “

  The butcher gave a small chuckle, his hands already moving to wrap the meat.

  After paying for the meat, he made his way out of the market to the plaza.

  It was lively, at least compared to how it usually went, maybe a little unusual?, in the distance he saw a crowd gather back in the entrance of town, managing to see a cart and two white clad armored individuals on it, the cart was being pulled by two oxen, one rider wore a blue-plumed helmet, marking him as high-ranking

  More than a dozen carts rode behind them, a couple of the riders wore light leather but most wore the usual of the first two.

  As he drew closer, he noticed the details.

  Their country's symbol, a silver tree, surrounded by four black stars, each star representing one of the provinces bound under the crown. The symbol was sewn into the knights' white cloaks and emblazoned in the carts.

  One of the knights raised his hand. The cart stopped in the center of the plaza, creaking as silence fell.

  The knight stood, his white cloak billowing. When he spoke, his voice carried across the square.

  "Greetings, citizens of Ralbow!"

  Caelen's breath caught, still dumbfounded.

  The plaza leaned forward as one.

  "I bring marvelous news," the knight said.