"So we have a few hours to burn before we talk with Silverash. Where should we go?"

Currently the group has split up. Sharp, Matterhorn, Cliffheart and Amiya are together doing whatever they want. Lappland and Marth are stuck with me.

"Lappland and I want to try out some food, I heard you and her went out last night for some. Why didn't you take me?" Marth asked as she threw a soft jab at my shoulder.

"Because you were sound asleep, how could I wake up a gremlin like you, who looked so peaceful." I teased her

Marth pouted as she kept throwing soft jabs at my shoulder. We enjoyed our time together, Marth and Lappland got along well enough. For all the rumors I hear of Lappland being unhinged or insane yet if you saw how she acts I would say that it's false mostly. She kept her swords at her hip at all times and positions her hand in such a way that she could grab it at a moment's notice.

However I wouldn't say that those rumors are unfounded. Lappland's eye at times looks like that of a serial killer. I should keep an eye on her for now but I'm not too worried. If things get hairy then I'll put her down if needed.

"I wonder if there are any shrines nearby? I'll have to find Cliffheart or Matterhorn later for that." I said to myself.

As we walked throughout the village town we were in I made sure to keep an eye on our pursuers. Ever since I entered the country I had this feeling that I was being watched. It was there when I went out with Lappland last night, and when I travelled far out into the wilderness. It was even there just before I fell asleep, yet it was only now that I was able to see them.

"I guess being here really is dulling my senses, I'm starting to disappoint myself even more now." I said to myself.

"Are you ok?"

I turned to Marth.

"What do you mean?" I replied.

"You aren't talking as much. Normally you are all over the place, talking to the locals, arguing with the locals. Honestly anything besides being quiet." Marth said. "I just felt worried that something is bothering you."

I lifted her up by her armpits making her look like a pet in my eyes.

"You really are a kind heart person Marth, and a great student too. But you are wasting that kindness on me" I said as I started shaking Marth side to side causing her legs and arms to follow suit.

I put Marth down fixing up any clothes that got shifted, then I started at her hat.

"I can't wait for the day you take the hat off yourself." I said to her,

I didn't allow her to respond as I quickly turned to Lappland who as always kept her sword within a moment's reach. "Lappland, how many of them do you sense following us?" I asked, making sure my voice reached her and no further.

Lappland's expression turned to one of surprise before going back to normal. "I didn't expect you to have noticed them, though you were a logistics operator. Also there are about ten of them." She said.

"Why are people following us? We didn't do anything." Marth said.

I turn my attention to Marth. "Well this was an isolated country until very recently with Silverash doing Silverash things so maybe they don't want us here. What do you think Lap-" I turned to no longer see Lappland next to us, rather that wolf is off fighting one of the people following us right now.

I could only l slam my palm into my face at the sheer level of stupid Lappland was doing, and yet I can't be mad because I was about to do the same thing.

"Come Marth, we have some bodies to drop." I said as I rushed in behind Lappland targeting the closet one I saw.

I couldn't hear whatever Marth had to say as I quickly closed the gap. It was a dude that had thick clothing , in his hand was a climbing tool that I can't remember the name of. It had a steel curved body that flashed against the sun's light.

He swung down trying to cleave my chest with killing intent oozing from him at this point.

"Got to be a little faster than that." I said as I took half a step back causing the attack to only graze my shirt. I got back in his face and planted a nice punch into his liver.

The man's eyes widen as I can imagine all the acids and nerves in there went wild. Before he could do anything I grabbed his face and slammed him into the ground.

I felt a slight rush in my veins as I did. "Ah, that felt good. How many months has it been since I was last in a fight?"

Another source of killing intent appeared behind me as another attacker tried to backstab me. I enforced my back causing whatever weapon they carried to be ineffective.

I slowly turned around to add dramatic effect to give the message 'Why did you think that was going to work.' The attacker was stunned for only a moment before they built distance between us.

I dug into my bag to pull out two stones each with a Nordic rune inscribed into them. I tossed them together within seconds a cloud of steam spawned obscuring both of our visions allowing me to advance on them.

I ran through the smoke and popped out the other side. I scribbled another Nordic rune, this time on the ground which created a sheet of ice.

I got closer to the ground, riding the sheet of ice like a slide and aimed two fingers at the guy's general direction. "Gandr."

At the tip of both fingers an orb of black and red energy fired attacking the guy in front of me, not killing him but likely taking him out of commission.

I dusted off my clothes as best I could before looking at how the other two were fairing.

"Hahaha!"

I could hear the laughter of an insane fighter, the voice belonged to Lappland as I could hear the rapid clashing of weapons.

"She'll be fine, now as for Marth."

I was able to pinpoint her location from her magecraft. I made my way towards the steam cloud and it started to clear up. Marth was engaging with two attackers. There was a fair bit of distance between the two groups.

Marth raised her hands as a blue magic circle appeared in the center. Her attackers instantly went on the offensive, likely trying to stop the incantation of the spell.

However before they could reach her, beneath their feet another magic circle lit up. The ground beneath them rushed up, stone reaching up to their hips stopping all movement.

The attacks tried breaking out of it but to no avail with weapons similar to the ones I fought. A wide smile formed on Marth's face at what she did.

"Mr. Apollo I did it! I won!" Marth looked at me with pure joy on her face. Bright eyed and full of pride with her accomplishments.

All I could do was smile, however in the corner of my eye I could see a small glint flying in Marth's direction. It was a weapon.

"Get Down!" I shouted at Marth.

Instead of Marth getting down she followed where my eyes were. With the weapon being inches away from her face, she tripped over herself.

A ball of lightning blitzed past Marth destroying the weapon that was so close to ending her life. The crackling of the ball resonated in my ear as it flew straight for the attackers, however the ball quickly got smaller and smaller before disappearing as if nothing was there in the first place.

"Good job dumbass, you nearly got killed on your first day here."

From our side Lappland approached with her usual wide thin lipped smile. Both her gray swords and face have small dots of liquid crimson. I hope she didn't kill anyone.

"Did you kill anyone?" I asked her as I approached her.

Lappland didn't answer.

"Answer the question Lappland, did you kill anyone?" I said this time with force behind my voice. "I doubt anyone wants to deal with the backlash this could have, after all we are people in a foreign land."

Lappland rolled her eyes. "I don't see why you are so annoyed by this. They attack first knowing damn well what will happen. I doubt even the locals here will be all that mad." She said.

I could only sigh since she is objectively right, we did get attacked first and acted in self-defense. However people don't bother with logic all the time.

Deciding I will finish talking to her later I turn my back and walk towards a scared child. Marth fell on her butt as she stared at the attackers, her eyes wide. Can't say I'm surprised, most people even when faced with death a handful of times can still be scared out their wits. Her hands were trebling, if they vibrated anymore then I'm sure her bones would shatter with ease. Large clouds of white breath escaped her lips.

I place my hand on her shoulder which takes her out of shock. Her eyes snapped onto me as I could see fear and relief in them.

"Welcome back to the world of the living. How was your second time almost meeting death or whatever underworld god." I asked although I wasn't expecting a response

Marth stayed on the ground as her breath stayed consistent.

"Take your time. I'll be right back."

Marth nodded. I made my way past the guy I shot with Gandr, the movement of his chest confirmed that he was alive. I continued to walk until I reached a cracked window that was on the second floor of a building about a dozen meters high. I jumped up to the window grabbing onto the ledge with one hand before pulling the rest of my body up.

I break the rest of the window before jumping inside. On the ground was another attacker, he was knocked out from the gandr shot. To his side was a broken crossbow with glass from his scope surrounding it.

"The glare from the lens was your undoing, must be a noobie." I said.

I started patting down his body to see if there was anything of note I could use. The search didn't lead to much as the only thing of value was a letter.

At least the person who wrote this was smart as it was such a simple message, in a insolated land anyone could have written this. However I can't say the same about our sniper friend on the floor right now, doesn't he know you normally burn orders if it connects to a mission especially a secret one.

Feeling that there was nothing else worth finding. I pick up the dude and jump out the building. I returned to see Marth and Lappland waiting for me. Lappland was laying on a nearby bench that wasn't destroyed while Marth was moving the attackers together.

The attackers that were awake were moving a lot but it looked as if they were restricted. I got closer to them and noticed something, their legs and arms were binded. A magic circle was present on their wrists and ankles, along with a bounded field that was drawn in the snow.

"I have to say you are getting a lot better at this. I remember when you struggled to make a simple spell but now you are starting to look like a prodigy." I said

Marth turned to me and gave me a wave with a wide smile on her face. For a moment you could say she looks like a normal kid enjoying the winter weather building a snowman.

"Mr. Apollo check this out. So I basically binded them together so they can't move and I created a bounded field that will only accept me and the attackers, but the attackers can't get out." She said.

"Amazingly done Marth, did all that in so little time." I said as I rested my hand on head and bringing her in closer. "It's time for all of us to head back, we should report this to Amiya and the others. It's possible they were also attacked." I said.

Lappland got up from her bench and Marth finished dragging the last guy into the bounded field.

"I still think we should just kill them." Lappland said.

"Not happening, we don't have the jurisdiction for that even if I agree with you, which I don't." I said.

We walk towards the inn so we can wait for the others and explain the situation. On the walk the contents of the letter come to mind and what that means for all of us.

"People of Kjerag I say with troubling news that the Silverash family is once again overstepping their bounds. They are soiling the land of our nation with foreigners. Eliminate them."