Remnants of the Change

Once we reached the lake I told Miata to stay put while I surveyed the area. I pushed my awareness out at least 500 or so meters to the edge of my current limits before the brand pushed past my shoulders. I could make out animals and a couple humans in the distance to the north. I can spot a few more humans to the east.

I focused on the humans and frowned. I saw two wendigo with three humans to the south. In fact, they're on their way here right now. I best take care of this before they bring another false person around Miata.

But first I took a moment to release the horses. They trotted over to the water and greedily drank from the lake. I watched them go leaning on the caravan and waited for them to finish drinking their fill. Blood still tainted their mane and hair so I still have to wash them off but I don't have a brush to do it with. I won't do it with my bare hands I know that for sure.

Now that I think of it I might know where to find one. There could be one in the wagon, but sadly I feel a little too lazy to check. I know there's a lot of 'stuff' is in the back that's also sitting with the claymore I decided to bring as well, both of them. From memory, merchants always have a hidden compartment under his or her seat for servicing the horses. I went to check and lucky me I found a brush inside and thankfully not in the wagon with the claymore. Both of them.

"Arsenal," I called and the wolf hopped out the back and ran up to me. "Watch out for Miata." The wolf barked obediently. "Miata," I looked up to the girl. "Look after Ophi."

"Okay papa, is papa leaving?"

"For a moment. Be a good girl and don't move around or stray away. I'll be back soon." Miata bit her quivering lip and I smiled. I pat her over the head. "I'm trusting you to watch everything. Can you do this for me Miata?" The girl nodded her head slowly. "Good girl."

My arm shivered and my senses rang out as I made my way towards the wendigo. I can't... function correctly when she's in danger. That's the danger and advantages of having an Handler or an Anchor like Maria in the town before. For Blutjäger they're almost essential to keep us from the Fallout. They keep us grounded but I've never had or desired an Anchor. I've had one and only one Handler. It'll stay that way until the day I go to the void. I've surpassed that though I won't lie to myself about my responsibilities to the girl. I've saved her making her mine but don't desire to keep her until she's an adolescent. I need to fulfill my role and find a safe place and Rabona sounds like the place. If not another city with Arsenal as her protector.

Then I think about my current changes since I've arrived to this land. Because of the girl my time to myself has dwindled. Before I'd just go to my work station and relieve the sailors within to think. With her I couldn't for a moment so these quiet moments are a blessing. I can reminisce on this land and the fact it's silent right now. As a Hunter I've taken in the souls of the demons and monsters I've defeated. I've allowed residents for within spirits as well to contradict the demons to achieve balance. Normally the opposing sides of my being are clashing. I hear the curses and roars of the few demons and endlessly keeping my barriers up to thwart them. But since arriving here they've been silent.

I've been keeping my emotions in check still because of this and out of habit just in case this is a tactic to lower my guard but now I'm unsure. I reached for a specific demon but felt nothing from her. I reached for another and yet again met with silence. It's like they're gone or so weak they can't act. This country is deprived of Od unlike mine. Maybe that's the issue. Without Od the demons and myself or losing it a bit at a time. I'm a beacon for monster kind and so release it at a slow steady rate. I'd just take it back from the atmosphere but not in this regard. These beasts don't seem to track through Od or spiritual energy. They're more beastly than I first calculated. In releasing Od I've been unintendedly expending myself. The demons can't recover because they have nothing to pull on. I can recover in time but not the speed I normally do and so most of my functions regulated by Od are effected.

I thought to the spirits ad well and they too have been silent. I reached for them as well but was met with the same issue. They don't seem to be within me as if expelled by something or someone. While on the ship I conversed with them and we spoke periodically same with a few demons but it's like their gone. As if they never existed. This brought back memories of 10 years ago when I was a Tyro. I felt like a glass half full once more and missing a pieces of me.

"I'm still here my little man," I heard from within. Right in my ear at the edge of hearing.

"I too am here Hunter," I heard in my left ear next contrast to the right of before.

"I am part of you and will never leave," the beast within me spoke last and I clenched my firsts.

It's been a moment since I examined the brand upon my right arm now that I think of it. I pulled back on my coat and undid a few of my buttons to slip my arm out. I rose my sleeve up over my shoulder and nearly trembled at what I saw.

"Only my mark on you remains," the dark being within me giggled at the near horrified emotions of shock filled me. It was true and her make before only surrounded my hand before in its fiery pattern with a mix of characters from the language of the underworld and abyss etched into my skin. The other demons with held their own territory within me and so she was stuck in her own domain. With the rest gone or perhaps devoured by Her the rest belongs to her. She now as her make spreading from my palm at the eyes, the top of my hand at the twin wings, and the fiery pattern and much more of the ancient language tracing from my wrist up to my elbow. She controls it all and so the only demon I can call upon is the one I've avoided the most. The one that caused The Downfall.

I dropped my arm back into my sleeve and took a breath. I rose my left arm and channeled Od into the arcane matrix on it. The makes glowed an ethereal blue and through the cloth of my coat. It appeared to be the same as before but only much thinner than before. "I am all that remahins," the spirit of light and rebirth spoke in a hollowed tone.

I dropped my left arm leaving me full of questions. Sadly I know what happened to its equal parts because of the Jäger spirit within. Conjoin and assimilate once exposed to harsh environments to regress the body to adapt fittingly. I'm unsure how long I was in the sea and I got to shore some how. Then I arrived here without Gods or Od. To survive I'm willing to destroy a country if need be including the one within whether subconsciously or not. This only means I'll have to rely more on my own power and abilities than the ones within. Too much assistance from one side and I run the risk of being swallowed whole.

This revelation cycles back to Miata easily. Because of this emptiness I'm seeking something to fill it and so doing with her. When she's in danger I push everything else aside for her safety. I'm losing control of my actions from this shift and possibly suffering from regression. How many years younger have I or am I becoming?

This newfound will to protect her is strange for me. I'm not accustomed to protecting a life while I'm performing my age old role. The same I fulfilled years ago. Going on three years, 2 months, 18 days, and 4 hours ago. I've counted every single second. I've kept the mind busy in hope the darkness doesn't take me. If I'm regressing I run a greater risk of the Fallou. From now on I'll need to resist the sweet scent of blood and the primal desire to bath in river of it. I can't suffer The Fallout and doom this plane.

Maybe that's another reason I've kept her. The light in her soul... it shines over me like a cleansing shower. I know eventually I'll corrupt her and turn her into something else, but that's the future and for now I just need to get accustomed to this plane.

As I cleared my soul for the coming hunt and thought on my approach. I could be very provocative or maybe bellicose. I might not bother blending and approach openly. Then again I've been trained better than that.

I could see the three humans speaking to one of the wendigo, but strangely enough the monster took the form of a frail old man. They have it atop a horse as well while the rest of them walked. The last man is another wendigo in human skin. There's one woman, a child in their adolescence, and a young woman maybe 17 summers old being the oldest of the siblings. I believe they called the wendigo atop the horse grandfather meaning they don't know it's a monster. The youngest called the man father on top of this. The show these two put up is very interesting. They seem to be near perfect thespians to the point that even the oldest woman and the children is fooled.

This will only take a moment.

Goddess, her voice is coming back again. I can hear my breath beginning to pick up. My spine is quivering and a sense of euphoria slowly invades my senses. 'Leave me be. I can do this on my own.' I said to her.

But you don't wish to, darling.

I took a breath and rolled my neck as my vision turned red. Aggressive it is.

"Don't worry father," the wendigo walking said to the wendigo on the horse. "Just a little bit more and then we can rest.

I pulled swiftrunner from the straps on my lower back and watched as it reformed. The dragon bones that made it up transformed the normal metal appearing wood stocked crossbow into Isabella. Two of her wings flew while automatically loading a single bolt into the receiver. I pulled back the chambering slot and loaded a second.

"I wonder if everyone else got out okay," the woman muttered as I pulled back the charging handle along with the wire for the bow.

"I'm sure they did mother," the young woman said sportingly. The two women are attractive with the same raven black hair but I can easily see that the fuller face comes from the father and sharper eyes from the mother. The other has a head a dark brown hair instead of black like mother and daughter but more their mother's face and father's slightly oval like ears and pointed noise. Cute batch of kids they have there.

"Mother," the youngest pulled down on his mother's dress. "Can I have water please?"

I hummed at the memories that brought back. I pulled the charging handle back forward and aimed down the sights of my industrialized crossbow made of metal, wood, and dragon bone. This weapon is worth three castles and the treasury within them.

"Just wait a little more Astral," the oldest said to her sibling. "The lake is right there and we can fish and wash off."

The youngest of the humans nodded and said, "Okay Phoebe."

I wonder now, should I kill the beast in one shot, kill the entire family encase of any latent exposure to the monsters, or let them go after diverting them elsewhere. I thought on it and came to a different decision. I aimed slightly to the left and pulled the trigger. The bolt fired and hit the wendigo in the shoulder. The sheer push back from the bolt sent the beast flying off the horse into the dirt.

"Grandfather!" They all yelled frantically.

I pulled the charging handles back and the next bolt rose up and loaded ready for the next shot. I narrowed my eyes at the last monster and pulled the trigger. The bolt hit him square in the heart. A mortal blow that would kill a normal man but this thing isn't a normal man. It's the trash I'm about to take out.

"Father!" The youngest ran to the larger wendigo as it fell back from the shock and pain. Having your heart pierced hurts, I don't care who or what you are. I've been stabbed in the heart once, never again. This thing won't die and it shows with it's struggle to keep its inner energies contained so not to transform. The older looking one was having an easier time since I took its shoulder and not its heart.

I dropped down silently and stood up straight. I retracted the bow and placed it in the straps on my back. It was too large in this form but so one Isabella faded the sloped right in. I walked up to them while tightening down my gloves. The wendigo played the part of a wounded old man as the oldest character assisted the old man up to inspect the bolt in his shoulder. I moved leisurely through the shadows of the trees as they frantically searched for where the bolt came from. They kept looking the direction opposite of where the wendigo fell from instead of around. They were in panic it seems but I wasn't finished. I pulled a knife from my shoulder the tossed it upward towards them. The knife landed perfectly into the other shoulder.

I pulled second knife out from my shoulder and sent it sailing towards the second piece of trash and it lodged into its left eyes. The monster screamed and fell back. By this point the three humans began to scream and cry as the two monsters suffered in more ways than one.

The old man wendigo cried in a very human fashion and begged for the pain to stop. The other climbed up to his feet and roared like an animal surprising both kids and the woman. "Whoever is out there come out now!" The man challenged as he drew a sword into his hand while the other reached up to rip the knife out of its eye.

"Dear please you can't."

"Shut up bitch!" The wendigo slapped the woman away from him and roared out with his eyes beginning to glow.

"Father, what are you…?" the youngest didn't finish because the wendigo grabbed them by the collar and held them up by the neck to shield his body from the front.

"Father, let Astral go!" Phoebe cried but the monster didn't listen.

"Where are you bastard!"

I stopped just a meter away from the family and behind the monster.

"Behind you," I said as I picked up my knife the monster discarded and stabbed the beast in the shoulder. With a sharp twist the shoulder joint split in two exciting a fit of roars from the monster. I pulled back but not fully and cut downward slicing the muscles and veins within causing blood to pour out of the wound.

We're not finished for I've yet to begin my brutal start.

The monster released Astral because of this and the youngest one screamed and fell back to the ground to his face. The larger wendigo tried to turn around, but I grabbed his good shoulder with Drew my dirk in my right hand. I stabbed him in the side again and again between each lumber of his ribs on his right side and finally in the back. I whirled him around to the right with my knife in hand. I replaced my knife to its place as stabbed it in the abdomen. Then slid the dirk up his chest and sliced open his lungs. I stabbed down and forced it to bend downward while I kicked its left leg forcing it further down. Then I lifted upward and slid my blade across cloth and skin into his neck across his jugular. If I hadn't placed my mask over my lips I might have licked them just from the beautiful display of this purple blood fountain spewing out my brutalized foe. Just to feel that blood list from before.

I grabbed the monsters sword with my gloved right hand and easily plucked it away with a sharp tug. I jumped up and kneed the monster in the center of his chest, forcing it to keel over, and elbowed down until its hands touched the ground. I landed and waited as the beast brought itself up l. I sheath my dirk and pulled out the same knife I used on it before. Once it looked up to me its remaining eye to suffered that same knife from before finding its way into the socket. The monster roared from pain, but I know it will take much more to kill it than this. I pulled my knife out its eye socket and wiped the blood off with its shirt before placing it back in the holster on my shoulder.

Astral shot to his mother and Phoebe stepped back away from me with horrified shock littering her expression. She was to my left. The woman coughed from the blow to the face she suffered with it beginning to bruise. I don't appreciate anything that harms women, despite my disdain for them as well.

"Wh-What are you?" The wendigo tried to sound strong but his aura betrayed him along with his body. He's afraid of me despite being much taller than me and larger. He's bulky but all animals know when a predator is near its best to play is safe instead of stupid and I'm prey to nothing. A monster like this should understand what this feeling is.

I shook my head and refused to answer. The old man watched me in shock but quickly recovered when I turned my attention towards him. I felt a spike in that energy they use and reacted accordingly. I grabbed the bolt from the heart of the monster below me and sent the bolt flying like a dart into the monster's eyes with Ki suffused with the bolt. The trash shot to its back, successfully interrupting the transformation half way. I didn't know that was possible but I logged it in to the codex. The hair on its head was already gone and its skin was changing but stopped. So if they lose focus during the transformation it halts but doesn't revert. Pain can be used to stop it from transforming as well since the one I brutalized failed to transform past turning its eyes gold, claws, and teeth. This is good information and will come in handy later.

I pulled the sword the man let me take and held it up to take the bastard's head. The broad sword is only a single edge and perfect for cutting. "Please help m-ahhh." I swiped the blade across this piece of trashes head and it went flying away from. Purple blood poured out from the body and washed over the sword. It's good quality.

"Goddess!" The mother screamed along with the children.

I whirled around and tossed the sword which pierced into the human skin of the other monster. It coughed and fell back from the force just shy from turning its skin a different color as well. In human form they can't heal and their skin is just like that of a human. Fascinating. This new breed of wendigo is fascinating.

"Trash," I murmured as I stepped up to the remaining monster and gripped the sword. I pulled out and up forcing the beast off its hands back up to his knees and slashed across its head swiftly. So swiftly that it remained in place. I poked the body with the sword and the head fell.

"Noooo!" The woman struggled to the body of the wendigo she believed to be her husband cried over the body. "You monster!" she spat at me and I shook my head. Ignorance is bliss.

"M-mother… l-loook." Astral pointed at the body of his "father" as if began to mist and change into the dark brown form of the wendigo or Yoma here.

"G-Grandfather?" The young woman gasp as the same happened to the other body.

"You had a wolf in sheep's cloth in your midst," I said to the family as they stood awestruck. "Two of them in fact that took the shape of your loved ones. I'd be more careful in the future," I suggested before leaving them with a simple nod.

"Stranger, sir." The woman called out to me. I stopped and glanced back.

"Y-you mean to tell me that my… my husband and grandfather… were yoma?"

"Yes," I answered lucidly.

The woman appeared to be lost in her own thoughts to the point she was unresponsive for a second. Suddenly she convulsed and gasped.

"Mother!" Astral cried and ran to her. I looked into the woman's body and found her heart beating irregularly and with too much rapidity. In about two seconds it stopped completely and the woman went still.

"Mother! No mother!" The young woman dropped down to the woman's body alongside the boy.

I walked up to the two and leaned over the woman. "Stop," I brushed their hands away from the woman they attempted to shake awake.

"No. Leave us alone!" I snapped my fingers in front Astral's forehead and the kid shot back a foot away from the body.

"Astral!" The young woman looked back and went to her sibling.

I applied pressure to the woman's heart and began to pump it manually while blowing air into her lungs as well. I have to keep her blood flowing if I want her mind to restart. I continued this for a minute until I finally got a response and the woman gasped and wheezed.

"Mother!" I put my hand up and the two children stopped completely. They understand that I just saved their mother even if they don't understand how. I'm the one in control here and the young woman kept her sibling in her arms as I worked.

I climbed atop and straddled the woman at the waist. I looked back down and placed my hand on her breast at her heart and my second at her head over her forehead. I took a breath then let it out. I pushed Ki into her body with every breath and use chi and calm her mind thus allowing the body to follow with the life I literally breathed back into her. This continued for a minute before I felt sure enough she would be fine enough to stand and walk on her own. She gained consciousness during this but remained still thanks to my instruction. She cried and sodded silently to herself as the weight of her situation fell upon her. It would've been easier if I had let her die but her children need a mother. Not every gets that luxury.

Why did I save this woman's life?

"It was what was most noble." I heard within my mind and sighed. I got a spirit influencing me to preform benevolent acts and a demon forcing me to become a murderous bastard. Some how they slip their influence through the cracks as well.

Well what's done is done and now that it's recognized I can manage it.

I took to the side of the woman and scooped her up in my hands. "Grab the horse," I told the children. Astral nodded and ran to the horse. The youngest quickly grabbed the reins and pulled the horse towards me. I gently helped the woman mount on top the horse and looked back to the oldest. I pointed upward at her mother and she understood immediately what I wanted.

"Th-Thank you sir," she said gratefully as I assisted her on top.

Now we came to the problem of what to do next. I don't have the will or desire to care for a broken family. If I leave them out here bandits would more than likely kidnap, rape, and then sell them. If I truly wished to stay out of this predicament I'd have divert them away from the lake with threats. Then again the beasts might've transformed and attacked anyway. This way I didn't use up anything other than a minuscule amount of energy. I could kill them but that defeats the point of my just saving their lives moments ago.

I waved at the family and made my way back to the lake. At least with the immediate area cleared I won't have to worry about Miata stumbling onto a beast while I'm busy with the claymore or this family.

"E-Excuse me sir," the boy called up to me. "Th-Thank you for saving my mother… and I'm sorry for yelling at you like I did."

"Its fine," I said quickly to the youngest of the siblings. I dismissed him with a wave.

"I think he wants to be left alone Astral," the young woman read masterfully.

"Oh, sorry."

I ignored the boy and kept walking. I reached the lake in no time and saw the horses resting in the grass. I saw the wagon but no Miata. I know she's here somewhere. I could feel that piece of me within her and Arsenal near the wagon. Miata went to the back again maybe to talk and annoy that claymore once more. It's a little too quiet in the background though. It's been a slow day but I know Miata never goes to sleep on an empty stomach so the thought of her being asleep was trumped.

"Is that wagon yours?" the young woman asked me.

"For the moment." I pointed upward to a tree. "Hitch the horse over there and don't touch anything."

"Y-yes sir," the boy said then took the horse along with their mother to the tree.

I looked back to the horses I have and the wagon. In my absence a bit of that woman's aura has returned. Maybe enough to defy me. If the claymore tries anything I'll kill her but in the fight blood will be spilt and Miata hates blood more than yoma. Ophelia on the other hand seems to like it. She did complement me on the bloody mess I made of the three yoma from before so maybe she has those sorts of tastes. I like blood if it comes from a beautiful woman with a light spirit and a warm heart or a virgin that is innocent. I don't mind if they're shameless though. It adds a bit spiciness to the taste. I wonder now what a sadistic blood thirsty monster like the woman in the back tastes like.

I've tasted the blood of a yoma and it was disgusting with added blood thirst flooding my thoughts and desires to eat humans. The awakened one from before, hers was worse. Like a fermented version of the same blood mixed with human rage and sorrow turning it sour. Not the best in the world. I'm skeptical to try it but maybe the blood of a half blood like the inhuman hybrids might be different. It's red like normal humans after all. I could get a sample and test it but would that woman let me? If I returned the favor I'm sure she will.

I pushed from the wagon and pulled my mask down to my neck. The sun was beginning to set so I had to hunt, make a fire, cook, and wash the horses. I suppose I can do the latter first. The black and white horse saw me and was about to buck up, but I moved much too quickly. In the split of a second I had the reins in hand I kept him down.

"Whoa, easy boy." I pat him along his snout gently to help him calm down. "Easy." I said again as it shivered at my touch. I let my hood down so I could look the proud animal in the eyes. It was a primal kind of connection I made with the beast. The male horse's shivering stopped as I rubbed him against the side of his head and smiled. "There you go."

The other horse watched without moving for a moment then turned around to from the two of us to use its time to eat instead. I chuckled lightly as I brushed the black spotted horse along his neck. "I'm going to take these reins off to wash you. Do. Not. Run." I assumed the horse understood me. I think it said yes by lifting his long face up then down. "Good." I rose my hands up to the buckles of his face harness and undid them both. Slowly, I laid it down with a hand still latched to his neck and came back up slowly not to surprise the horse. I am not in the mood to chase a horse down and make it heel. I used my fee hand to undo the buttons on my coat and removed it making sure to keep a hand on the horse the entire time.

My coat fell down next to the reins and harness leaving me in my armor and clothing underneath. "To the water then." I guided, not pulled, the horse along towards the water, but stopped when I saw the young woman in front of me. I'm sure I told it to say put but humans never listen.

"I can help you," she offered.

I shrugged and guided us into the water until it was up to my waist. "Here," I handed the young woman the brush and I lathered the horse down with soap. The young woman began to make circles in the horse's hair and spread the soap evenly. She's obviously done this before and I was tempted to let her take care of it.

"I should give you a name shouldn't I?" I pulled another brush from my pocket.

"You haven't named him?" The young woman asked and I shook my head.

While smoothly running the bristles along his hair I thought of a name to give the horse. "How about... Paerdon. It means fire in Elvish from a country lost to time. You're excitable and easy to start up so 'fire' works I believe. What do you think?"

The horse just leaned into my brushing of him with a whinny. Whether that is a yes or no, I'm not sure, but I think yes is what I will go with.

"Done." I said as the young woman and I washed off the horse with a bucket the young boy brought to us from their horse. "Thank you," I said to the young girl and she silently nodded. The purple stains were all gone with none left on Paerdon which made me relieved to see. "Come," I ordered beckoning the horse to follow. "Come Paerdon." The horse responded and followed me out to dry out on land. I left the water dry for the most past unlike the young girl in only her under clothing and not the traveling dress I remember seeing her in. The miracles of magic are on my side.

"You're good Paerdon you can go and eat." I released the black horse's neck and stepped back away from him. The horse felt the lack of my control on him and trot away to the tall grass near the wagon.

"Now," I sighed. "You're next." The brown haired horse still had his ass to me and ate looking away from me. I looped around to the horse and kneeled to his... Her head. "Come on, I have to wash you as well." The horse lifted her long face. "No I have to," I said firmly. "I need to wash you. You will like it, trust me."

The horse regarded my words with nervous eyes, but I just pat her gently to calm her down. "It's water, soap, and a brush. It won't hurt." Slowly, I led the horse toward the water with the stuffed needed to wash her in hand. The horse looked to me with her eyes again when we reached the end but remained still for the most part. I reached her legs and marveled at the muscles I saw. Something she is the one the pulls the cart for the most part but the reason why is lost to me.

"You are a strong one to pull that cart like the way you do," I had to admit because on single horse has be pulling all of us for so long with a bunch of goods in the back as well. I must say that I am impressed with the horse's stamina and endurance. "What should I call you I wonder? You don't seem as antsy as your sibling and you're stronger than him as well. I should name you but I think I will leave you to a professional," I jested as I brought the horse closer to the wagon. "Can you take her to the water?"

The young woman nodded and took the horse from my hands and took her to the water. From there I noticed the boy from before lurking around the wagon. Astral was attempting to look inside, but I caught him by the collar before they could jump up to get a good look over the tailgates. "Return to your mother." I dropped the kid and they quickly waked away. Astral stopped and turned back around. Suddenly, Astral walked up to me despite my earlier words and presented something to me.

"You left this, sir." The boy presented the knife I placed in the monsters eye to me. I picked it up out of his hands and placed it back on my shoulder.

"Thank you," I said to the kid and he backed away from me slowly.

'Why did you want me guide this family here?' I thought to the being within to not answer. That's what I expected. What made the family decide to follow me despite what they witnessed me do? I really don't have time to humor lost lambs at the moment with the one I have already.

Though the children appear to be "together" compared to the mother. I can see that they helped her down and placed her in the shade of a tree to help her relax. I feel that the oldest only assisted me to help get her mind off of what just happened. Watching a man with your father's face get viciously torn apart can be damaging to the mortal mind. Even though it turned into a monster the rational mind can never truly accept what it previously assumed to not be viable. The boy is shaken and afraid of me and the young woman is struggling to keep her body busy while the youngest watches over their mother.

I turned my back to them and went back to what I was doing.

"Miata," I called to the girl and she poke her head out from under the canvass.

She looked around at the new people from the two beneath the tree to the young woman washing her horse. "Papa are… they false people?"

"No Miata. They're not false people. They're normal, just like you," I added on. "There's a blanket in the back, can you grab it?" You can't ride bare back on a horse because not only will it hurt you but the horse as well. A blanket of some type of layer is better than nothing. I walked up to the back of the cart with Arsenal waiting for me in a sitting position at the top. "I guess there's nothing new to report right?" The wolf barked at my joke most likely thinking I was serious. I didn't have it in me to tell her that though. I picked Arsenal up and placed her down on the ground with me.

"Miata got it papa!" The little firecracker came running from the inside of the caravan with a carpet in hand. One that I haven't seen in the back before must admit it looked nice. It was red with different sorts of geometric designs on it.

"Miata, where did you get that?"

"In mean man's secret place. Lots of stuff." That man had a secret place in that wagon? Where in the hell was it and why didn't I see it? You would think with all the experience I have seeing the unseen I would notice something a child can. Apparently, I still have more to learn.

"Very well," I nodded giving the girl thumbs up gesture. "Is there anything else there in the secret place?"

"Yup."

I hummed and reached for my bag still in the wagon, "Can you put everything nice in my bag if it fits Miata dear?" The girl beamed at the intimate word I used then her eyes widened. She shot to the back and left me a bit confused on why she reacted like that.

"I'm finished sir." That explains it. Miata isn't good with strangers.

"Thank you," I said without looking at the young woman. I took the rug in hand and rubbed it. "By my ancestors this is a nice rug."

The horse whinnied at me and looked at the rug. It was the perfect size from the horse, but I didn't want to ruin the rug with the horse hair and blood on her as well. I frowned as the horse persisted by rubbing his snout on the fabric. I sighed and relented. "Fine, but only after you dry off." The horse whinnied again. Smart animals are a pain to deal with sometimes and now I have two slowly becoming three to deal with. I guess I'll include the woman that's not even human, a woman that's nearly broken in mind, a scared little boy, and a two little girls to the fold. Life is that complicated now.

"She's your daughter," the young woman asked tonelessly.

"I wouldn't worry about that little girl." I placed the rug down on tail gate of the wagon. "Be nice to her and introduce yourself when she comes back." I looped around the back of the wagon and grabbed a small towel hanging from the top. I tossed it to the woman and gestured for her to start wiping the horses down. I reached back in and grabbed another towel.

"Look what Miata found papa," I heard the girl whisper to me from the wagon. Before I could blink something was thrust into my face. It looked to be a kit of some sort I suppose seeing that it was made out of leather.

I took it in hand and opened the top. "A lock picking set." What was that man doing with this?

"It good find," Miata stood before me with an expectant gaze despite her bands covering her eyes.

"It's great." I closed the set and placed it on my belt. "So great I think I'll let you have something for being such a good finder."

"What!" She said excitedly.

I reached and picked her up from under her arms. She rose her feet up so they wouldn't hit the wagon and I sat her down on my bicep up at shoulder level. "You can name that brown horse." Miata stared at me blankly. "Once you name something it's yours, if it doesn't belong to anyone else. You can have your own horse… but first," I need to introduce her to the three newcomers.

I walked towards the young woman while she silently wiped down Miata's horse. Miata gripped my neck and held herself closer to me. The young woman stopped what she was doing and faced us. I slipped under Miata's grip and placed her on her feet, but she quickly slipped beneath my coat tail and latched onto my leg.

"Miata don't be rude. Introduce yourself to the "real' person." I pushed the girl a bit but her grip was tight on my leg. She's striving to stay hidden within my shadow it seems.

"Miata," I said firmly but she shook her head and looked up to me with a quivering lip. I know this technique well and I'm not sure where she learned this. I know that I can't resist and I feel my wall slowly but surely falling apart. But she's not the only one to learn how to manipulate the other to get their way. "Miata if you don't introduce yourself "properly" I'm going to cook lots of "yucky" food for the next three days."

"Ahh," I heard her gasp and smirked down to the horrified expression on what little of her face I could see through the bangs. I felt her hands clench my pants leg as she weighed her options. She looked from me to the young woman and groaned in submission.

"Now get in front of me, shake her hand, and introduce yourself."

"Y-yes papa," she said in a depressed tone. Miata shyly circled around my leg and hesitantly released the cloth of my pants to face the young woman who wore a smile on her lips. "I-I… Good afternoon ma'am," the little one stammered at first. "My name M… is Miata. It's nice to see you." Miata placed a small and shaky hand out for the young woman to take.

The young woman giggled a bit and took Miata's hand. "Good afternoon Miata, my name is Phoebe. It's nice to meet a cutie like you." That's a step in the right direction. Miata loves compliments and shown when her aura lite up a bit. Miata shook the young woman's hand and smiled up at her.

I pat my little girl's head. "Good. Now off to the other three… How is your mother by the way?" I mused. I haven't looked at her since we arrive here but she's still alive from what I can feel.

"She's a bit in shock but she's talking so that's something. She's resting and… thank you for saving my mother's life sir," Phoebe bowed before me.

"Papa," Miata tugged on my sleeve. "Did papa help Beebee's mama like Arsenal?"

"In a way princess. She was hurt and needed some help… they had… false people with them."

Miata's quivered at my admission but that went away fast. "Papa kept them away?"

"That's right. I kept them away but sadly their papa was like… your papa Miata." I felt the words turn to ashes as I said them. I couldn't lie to this little girl, not that I could if I wanted to, so I have to tell her what happened. Not everything but somethings if to make her a bit sympathetic towards the small family, even if she doesn't understand what that means.

Miata looked towards the woman and pointed at her. "Sister?"

Phoebe was as surprised as you'd expect from this but I'm more curious on how she came up with this.

"Why so you say that?"

"Papa became my papa after papa hurt bad papa. Papa did same for Feebee." I scoffed a bit at the childishness of what she just said. I'm not adopting every orphan I save from a monster pretending to be their father. I'd soon have at least twenty before I know it.

"No Miata, she's not your sister. She's a girl that I happened to cross just like Sisy in the last town. Understand?"

Miata nodded. "Yes papa. Feebee stranger and not be trusted!" She announced proudly.

"Close enough," I accepted that.

"Now go name your horse so I can introduce you to the rest." Miata ran to the front where the horse are leaving us alone for a moment.

"She's good girl." The young woman noted.

"She's a really good girl that's suffered what you have but five times worst. Trust me."

"And you saved her like you did us?"

"In a way," I kept it short. I pointed behind me towards her remaining family. "They're you responsibility. Food, water, fire, and shelter will be on you and them collectively."

"You won't help us with necessities?" She questioned.

"I've saved your lives from being eaten alive, and I saved your mother from dying. I'd say I've done enough. If I'm wrong please tell me." The young woman said nothing but settled to stare at me. "You may follow us if you wish for I won't stop you, but I'd advise against that. You might not like being around something like me. If you follow you'll find out why."

"I… understand sir."

I bowed my head a bit and looked down to our wolf. "Let's go," I said to her and followed the path Miata did with Arsenal right behind me.

"Wow," she marveled over the large solid coated horse.

It's a good size for me to ride and is a giant compared to Miata but in a couple years I'd say she'd ride like a champion. "Remember Miata, she's a girl horse so you need to give her a…"

"Sissy."

"Eh?" I stood confused and shocked at this name she suddenly gave her.

Miata hugged the horse's leg. "Sissy." I didn't know how to tell her that the name "Sissy" sounded terrible but I did say she could name and claim ownership on the horse. I rubbed my head and sighed. She looked at the other horse in the distance and pointed to it. "Star." She's on a role right now. She's just renamed the horse that I named basically claiming ownership over that horse as well.

The horse now named Star whinnied in response. I hummed in amusement at this sudden betrayal but relented with a shrug. Her light is so bright now compared to nearly three weeks ago when I pulled her out of that town. It's nice to see such a bright smile in her lips and the aura coming off of her is soothing. The animals must pick up on that because Sissy didn't buck at all when Miata hugged her hind leg.

But why Sissy? Why call a horse that out of anything? Aren't I enough of a family figure to her that she shouldn't need to make animals her family too? Maybe it's just her coping. If I use this reasoning it will help me feel better.

I walked up to Miata and took the reins of the horse in hand. "Come along Miata. We need to tie down the horses."

"No." She said quickly and hugged the horse tighter. "Miata don't want Sissy to die."

Now what is she on about now? "Miata, why do you believe I will kill your horses?"

"When bad papa caught birds he tie them down too. Please don't tie down Star and Sissy Papa." I rubbed my head and took a breath. What is with this literally god forsaken country and not giving children a proper education starting at a young age? At least explain your actions so something as simple as having your horses hitched doesn't turn into a misunderstanding like this.

"Miata do you trust me?" I squat down to her level. Miata pulled her face from the horse's muscular leg and cracked her eyes open to look at me.

She cringed and sobbed and then snorted. "Yes," she nodded slowly.

"Then let Sissy go so I can show you how to "hitch" a horse okay?"

"Papa no tie them up?" She asked hopefully.

"Papa no tie them up," I repeated childishly. Miata stared at me a moment longer before finally releasing Sissy from her hold. "Now follow me." I took the reins again and guided the two females with me to the tree. I let Star have his way for now because I know he won't go without Sissy. I can sense it so better to tie her down instead of him. "Now the right way to hitch a horse is to find strong branch."

"Why papa?"

"You'll see." I pulled the horse to the tree and reached up to a very large branch and tied the rope down and secured it around her neck with at least ten feet of reach. "This is so your horse will not disappear in the night."

"Ohhh," she awed but I doubt she understands but it's okay.

"Now do me a favor and go get us some fire wood."

"Right!" Miata ran off into the forest and I watched her go.

"Arsenal go with her." The wolf who stuck with me during this fiasco barked and rushed off after her.

When Miata disappeared into the brush I faced the family and walked towards them. The oldest woman was on her feet with her back against the tree speaking with her son. When I approached she looked up to me and cringed a bit.

"Are you okay to move," I asked the woman.

"Ah, yes sir," the grumbled with her eyes averted. "I'm not sure whether to thank you or not for what you've done but…" the man took a breath. "If you hadn't done what ya done those… things might have killed us. It made me wonder just how and when it happened." The woman sighed out a bit before looking at me once more. "Are you heading to the Holy city?" I nodded. "We wish to follow along with you."

I predicted this. Strong males normally excited a sense of trust and safety when around. "If you feel safe around me you can do whatever you wish. By the way, you may call me Ledger Naethens if you wish."

"You have a surname?" The woman pondered. "And your…"

"I'm what," I questioned but I know where she might be coming from with this. She's white along with her family and I'm not. Even Miata is white and I've yet to see any of my color so far. It leaves me to believe that if there are any of my fellows here they're servants and servants normally never have a surname.

"N-nothing Naethens sir."

"Very well," I let it go. "I've met your children and told your oldest what to expect if you decided to follow me. Your health and wellbeing will not be my concern outside of protecting my interests. Can you accept this?"

"I… yes," she relented.

"Then you do what you wish." I bowed my head to the woman and left her.

"Sir," the woman called. "Why did you help us... and in such a way."

"Because it's how I was raised," I said simply. They don't need to know why I do what I do. They just need to accept the fact that it happened. Hopefully this won't become a normal occurrence.

"Who are they? Your new toys?" I heard an teasing tone from within the wagon once I approached. I almost forgot she existed for a moment. I peeked into the wagon and noticed her sitting up on the seats with a sword in hand to keep her upright. I wonder how this family will react to this thing here. "So why did you save their lives? I know its not from the goodness of your heart," the clay more sneered. If only she knew.

"And how many this time? Four or five?" Ophelia asked genuinely curious of my choices. So much so I decided to answer fully.

"They had only two wendigo with them disguised as their father and grandfather. I killed them both before they could transform."

"Impressive," she teased with a smiled." But why are they here. People like you... are better off alone."

"People like me," I mused on what she meant by that.

Ophelia whose been staring at the other side of the wagon finally turned her eyes towards me. She regarded my seriously with a slight shift in her paradigm. Those eyes are focused and speak volumes of a hidden revelation of some sort she discovered.

"You're just like an adjuster. You play with lives of others and shape them how you wish until spent then move on to the next." She looked up to the family. "You plan the same with them and in my opinion that makes you worse than yoma sometimes. Handlers are no different, but you're beyond that because of your power over me. Were you part of the organization before?"

"No." I found her examination of me very interesting for she's not exactly wrong. This family would help with getting into that city easier if the manifests I've read from this man and the little girl's town mean anything. Smuggling is easier with children as well. I was one once and ran with thieves once and helped adults with moving the goods past guards before. With the trust I have in the family it'll only make this easier once I begin indoctrinating them. This Ophelia thing is clever. More so than I gave her credit for.

"Then what bred someone like you. Someone as dark as you must be some crossbreed. Am I right?" She said this but know she's not speaking of just my skin. I'm not that dark. She means my disposition and current alignment.

I dropped my chin with thoughts spawned from those black corners of my mind. "Dark," I whispered to myself. "That... is an understatement... little girl," I said looking into her and seeing her form change to that of a 12 year old once more.

Ophelia's eyes widened as I gazed upon them with unshielded eyes.

"Yes, that is an understatement... whatever you are," Ophelia frowned at me and my lips arched into a smile. One originates from the dark.

A/N: This was an unplanned development and I'm not sure how this will end for this family. I suppose we will just have to see in the future.

Thanks for reading. Please review