"What do you think of him?" Victoria stood a good ten paces away inside the main floor of the Silver Sword. She was acutely aware of the movements of the man who had called himself Madsen. The hunter had heard of Impacts before but had never had the chance to meet one. Their kind tended to be snatched up at a young age by the royal family on the other side of the border and used as personal bodyguards. She'd heard stories that described them as anything from lizard people to monstrous shapeshifters, she could see where most would get that impression. Madsen was clearing up the two dead executioners' bodies by dumping them inside two large wooden barrels that had used to hold ale. Her stomach churned when one of the crimson swordsman's corpses didn't fit properly and Madsen's flesh turned to dark green scales in order to squeeze him in. The sound of bones cracking and flesh squishing made her gag. Frank seemed calmer, he didn't seem bothered by the actions of the stranger.

"I don't know Vic. I can believe him about being an Impact, that's a bloody given. But as far as whether or not we can trust him." Frank shrugged his shoulders as they both watched Madsen carry the large dripping barrels to the corner of the inn. Even without the bodies, it was impossible to miss that something had happened inside the Silver Sword. Blood and brain matter pooled near the door and spread a good three full paces in each direction. If she hadn't seen what had transpired earlier, the hunter would've bought that someone had been slaughtering and bleeding a herd of cattle right in the middle of the main floor. "He's been staying here for the last week and a half, he arrived around the same time as the new lord and his soldiers. I highly doubt that's a coincidence considering his apparent hatred for the Raven Knight's crimson killers. All he's been doing is drinking himself stupid every single night and glaring at anyone he could to instigate a fight. Nobody took him up on it however and after tonight, it sure looks as if that was the right call."

"If he wants to get back at the Raven Knight for any reason then I could use him. Think about how effective a man with his strength and armor could be to help break Kate out of the castle. I won't need to worry about protecting her or breaking her out if I have an Impact lending a hand. Hell… The man could punch his way right through the side of the wall and then we won't have to worry about getting in or back out." Victoria's mind was going a mile a second as she considered how to use the stranger's strengths to further her cause.

"He could playing us y'know?" Frank seemed deep in thought. "The Raven Knight is known for his strategic prowess and what better way to take everyone out then to infiltrate the enemy? I wouldn't put it past him to have two of his men killed simply to further his own plans. If we bring Madsen to Chloe and the witch and he turns out to have been with him…"

"I don't have another option as of now. He's the only safe way to get Kate out of that bloody castle without much trouble. What's your gut say about him?" the hunter inquired with interest.

"If you need an answer now… I believe he does really want to kill the Raven Knight and his executioners. There was fury in his eyes that I've only ever seen the likes of for soldiers that really despise the enemy. I think he could be an amazing asset on the field and a great help for whatever the lot of you are planning on doing against Prescott." Frank looked at her and added with a smirk. "Anyways, if the man wanted us dead… I really don't think either of us really stood a chance to stop him." The ex-mercenary's eyes flicked over to his dog that was eyeing the Impact from the top of the bar.

"Only one way to find out I suppose." Victoria walked over to the table where the Impact was sitting down. Madsen seemed lost in thought looking at his blood stained hands before she dragged the wooden chair across from him. He snapped to attention with a hard stare that made the hunter uncomfortable. She was well aware that short of dropping an ink bomb and running away, there was no chance she could survive a direct confrontation with this man. "At least if he sees me coming." The hunter smiled at the thought and the man across from her seemed taken aback.

"What are you smiling about?" The man's voice was gruff and straight to the point.

"Just thinking that I could probably kill you quite easily if you didn't expect it. It looked like you had to concentrate on keeping that… armor out. So I have the suspicion that if I were to shoot you with an arrow from a few yards away in the night…" Victoria smiled wider at Madsen's furrowing brow.

"Telling me that you plan on killing me is probably not the best way to achieve that goal." His white skin turned a very light shade of green and seemed about to turn darker before Madsen visibly took a hold of himself. "Taking an Impact out of commission is a lot harder than most would believe." Frank took a seat at a chair a hand span away from the hunter's own table. Victoria couldn't help but notice that Frank hadn't brought his short swords along. "Probably because it wouldn't do us any good."

"I was just entertaining the thought, I'm a hunter and we tend to try and figure out on instinct the best method of killing people."

"So you're the hunter that the lords are looking for, Slither isn't it?" Victoria's eyes widened slightly in surprised and the man chuckled in amusement. "I hear things around the city. The soldiers are asking for any help identifying the witch and two hunters that've murdered a good couple dozen of the Raven's executioners. Since you aren't short with brown hair and you don't wear a glowing blue scar across the length of your face, that would name you as the third member of that party." He cracked a small smile. "I knew you were someone of interest the moment you stepped into the Silver Sword. Some people have that look about them, that tiny swagger of barely restrained confidence that they could take down any who cross their path. Hunters are the worst for it, I swear I could spot one of your kind out of a crowd filled with the boldest of mercenaries and soldiers." Madsen leaned on the table with his elbows pointed down and his hands held together. "The three of you have earned my respect for killing those crimson cowards. I've been trying to wait them out myself, I wanted to trail them when they finally left the city and follow them back to their leader."

"Why do you want to find him?" Victoria backed her face when the impact slammed his fists onto the hard wooden table.

"I want him dead." The hatred burning in his brown eyes evaporated any doubts remaining that she had about his truthfulness. Frank was right, this was a man on a hunt.

"Why?" Madsen snorted in derision at the hunter's one word question.

"What's it to you? My story is none of your business."

"I want to know who I'm getting involved with. Impacts are part of the royal guard, they don't stay at taverns across the border in a city that's a couple month's ride from the palace."

"Who says I want to get involved with you? I may have helped you with your little problem…" Madsen's eyes flickered to the two barrels in the corner of the inn. "But that was the extent of it. We go on our own way once our talk comes to an end." The hunter could feel her hope slipping away, she needed the man's help to save Kate.

"I can give you what you seek. You want a shot at the Raven Knight? I can give that to you." Victoria saw the man consider her words so she leaned in closer and pushed on. "I have a team that's planning on assassinating the High Lord Prescott and his entire group of close advisors and allies."

"The lord of Arcadia? I don't give a rat's ass about him, I want the Raven. The lord can keep ruling there until his natural death for all I care."

"The Raven is with Prescott. I injured him with a poisoned dagger when we escaped Beorf but he managed to get away, he's lying low in Arcadia. If he's even still alive, I guarantee you that you won't get within ten paces of the man without a team backing you and lending support. They have too many on their side and even you with all your strength won't be able to rampage through thousands of men to get at him. I can offer you that support." Madsen squinted his eyes slightly at the hunter.

"I don't see a team here, only you, a merc and his dog. If he's hiding out in Arcadia behind the protection of one of the most powerful men here then I'm sorry to say that you two and a mangy mutt don't inspire much confidence. Where are the rest of them?" Madsen inquired.

"I can't tell you that. However you have my word as a hunter that should you follow me and offer your services, I will get you the revenge you seek." The Impact seemed lost in deep thought for a moment before he spoke up.

"I want the Raven dead. Once I confirm his death, I walk away. I'll stay with your group until then but I have no interest in the politics on this side of the border."

"We can revisit that at a later date when the deed is done." Victoria smirked inwardly at the small victory.

"I can agree to that but don't hold your breath, I have unfinished business back at the palace." Victoria nodded in assent and moved the topic back to before it had gotten sidetracked.

"I need to know why you want the Raven Knight's death so bad. Don't get me wrong, I'm on board fully but if we're to be traveling together for a while then it's important to me to know everyone's motivations." The Impact grunted in acquiescence and ruffled his short black hair.

"I don't suppose it matters whether or not you know. I was part of a group of ten elite Impacts sent to protect and travel along with the queen's own niece. The niece had taken a fancy to the idea of travelling to Arcadia and exploring the lands underneath her aunt's kingdom for the last few years. Well, I was chosen along with nine others as the protectors and we set off as a group south across the line separating our two countries. We didn't even manage to make it more than three days into your lands before we were assaulted. I don't know how he knew where we were or why he wanted her, but the Raven himself ambushed us. I assume he wanted her for leverage of some sort." Victoria could see all too easily how holding a member of the royal family captive could open a world of possibilities for furthering Prescott's influence. "We had set up camp in the middle of the day and I was on watch duty. That's when I saw him and his crimson armored assassins a good fifty yards away on an overlooking hilltop. They must've been waiting for us. We had contingencies in place for something like this of course. Once the warning had been bellowed, we all shifted and took up our stations. I was one of two that were tasked ensure the niece's survival, so we three fled to the forest while we let the rest take down the threat. The other Impacts charged towards the executioners on the hill but they never even came down to meet them in battle. Bloody cowards!" Madsen once again slammed his fist down onto the table and the blow made a mug that had been leaning by the edge of the table fall over. The hunter was so invested in the tale that she barely registered the noise of the mug meeting the floor in an eruption of shards. "There were four witches with them and my brothers were struck down by lightning, fire, acid, ruptures in the ground... too many to name. Impacts can take a lot of punishment, we're built that way. But magic… that's something we have no real way of fighting. I watched from the tree line as the crimson men and their master laughed while the four witches killed them all. Not a single one of the eight made it within twenty paces of the group. They came after us when the last body fell and it was clear there was nowhere to run that would allow us freedom. We both charged towards the group to give the woman time to flee and were struck down no more than three strides in. A ball of… shadows slammed into my friend's body and passed through him to collide into me, that's the only reason I'm still alive. I heard them run towards her but I could barely move a muscle to stand. It took me hours to manage the strength to twitch a single finger, whatever she struck us with was very powerful. Lethal too, my friend died on the spot from taking the brunt of the hit." Madsen seemed shaken by the tale, as if he were living through it a second time.

"So the Raven Knight took her captive? That means Prescott has her, we can help you rescue her when we storm him." The Impact's face fell slightly and he stared her down.

"She's dead." It was said with little to no emotion. "The queen's niece understood her duty just like we all did. When the last of her guard fell with me, she drank a vial of toxins that stopped her heart from beating. I could hear the Raven himself cursing at the witches to heal her before she slipped away into the abyss but it sounded like they had no clue how to manage it. The woman was a brave one up to the end, she knew she could be used as leverage against the throne."

"Why not go back to the palace? You said you were only three days across the lines and another couple weeks of travel by horse would've brought you to the doors."

"Because I want revenge, I want the Raven Knight to pay for her life with his own. I have failed the throne in my duty to protect the royal family. I may as well risk death trying to get to him, it would serve more purpose then execution." Victoria furrowed her bro in confusion and Madsen answered her unspoken question impassively. "When his corpse feeds the worms, I'll travel back to the queen to explain what happened. Then I will be beheaded for my failure." The hunter's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

"Don't go back then!"

"You folk from the south don't understand… I'm an Impact. I have managed to blunder the only task I live to uphold. When this is over, I will walk to the headsman's block myself and meet his blade with my neck with as much honor as I've left." Victoria was held speechless for a moment. "The man is bloody insane!"

"Well… Let's not worry about that right now." Madsen stood up slowly and rolled his shoulders.

"Let us leave this city then. We will meet with your group and take the fight to the Raven and his executioners." The metallic noise of scales grinding in his fist reached her ears and she noticed for the first time that he had shifted sometime during his tale.

"No." When the scaled man glared at her, Victoria managed to stop just short of flinching. "Not yet anyways. I need your help to save a friend held captive in the city."

"That wasn't a part of our verbal agreement."

"Well I'm making it part of the deal. I won't leave Beorf without her, it's my fault that she's in this situation and I refuse to let her suffer on my behalf." Madsen grunted in displeasure but seemed somewhat pacified.

"I can understand that, I really can but you know that this will trigger an all-out manhunt throughout the city. If we do this, we will need to leave or lay low quickly after we rescue her."

"With the both of us I think it should be feasible."

"The three of us." Frank's voice startled Victoria, the hunter had almost forgotten about his presence in the room. The man was looking to his short swords on the table behind her.

"I appreciate the offer Frank but it's out of the question." Victoria lifted her hand to silence his protest. "Think about it clearly, we might need somewhere to hide and if anyone identifies you then we won't be able to come here. Not to mention that you live here in Beorf, they'll burn down the inn and destroy all you've worked towards during your life."

"The hunter's right. It makes more sense to have you to fall back upon should we need it." Frank was displeased but he nodded his ascent nonetheless. "When do we get her out?"

"Tomorrow night. Let's meet in the morning to figure out the details." Victoria stood to make her way carefully past the pool of blood that had enveloped the floor and up towards the stairs. The hunter thought of the poor woman who she had seen mere hours earlier. "I won't let you spend another night as a prisoner. Just hold on for one more day Kate, I'm almost there."