2-31 The twelve

Despite the arrival of Azaela and the circumstances of the town’s economy, Quinteburgh was in full bloom of its festive atmosphere, stemming from the harvest season and the merchant caravans. Though the rumors and whispers were the extent of the trouble Azaela’s arrival gave to the town, the Guild held quite the opposite opinion. Especially after the discovery of the court officials’ corruption, the Guild and the town’s governing body was slowly losing their grounds in their talks with the Ruvans.

But none of those were Erin’s troubles yet, or at least not directly. It was currently a few hours after the dawn bell, and Erin found herself wandering on the outskirts of Maven’s Creek but not without aim. She had received a letter at dawn, the sender was Velrin Corvas. The contents of the letter detailed the venue of the introduction to other individuals who wished to be pardoned in exchange for their service. For Lyra and Celia’s safety, Erin went alone and it was much easier to travel undetected alone. Besides, this was a meeting with criminals and Velrin vouched for their abilities. Erin thought it to be unwise to involve Lyra in such a potentially dangerous meeting. And so, Erin donned her magic disguise and only dispelled it once she had ventured into the sea of trees outside of the town walls.

Contrary to the stories she was told, Erin found the forest surrounding Quintebrugh to be brimming with life and a few adventurers lurking about, carrying on with their lives and work. However, appearance could be deceiving. This place was only a small part of Maven’s Creek and it could most probably be one of the few places left still teeming with lives around these parts.

After taking about half an hour walk from the gates of Quinteburgh, Erin arrived at the edge of the forests that bordered the town. There was a river spanning the length of a three days journey from the hills in the distance to a small lake near the edge of Maven’s Creek. There were plenty of fishes in the water but no fisherman in sight for the catch. Erin remembered the reason she was told by the Guild Master. It was the usual, monsters and bandits but more bandits than monsters lately due to the aberration happenings.

Just a little walk upstream of the river, stood a lonely cabin that was most likely once the storeroom of the local fishermen but long abandoned. From the look of the wooden planks it was made of, it was abandoned long before the aberration happened. The cabin was currently occupied by a dozen individuals with some lolling around the old building. Judging from their vigilant gaze, Erin knew they were there on lookout. Erin recognized one of them as Velrin, from the cloak she wore, but the others were complete strangers.

Noticing the Fox-kin’s arrival, Velrin briskly walked up to Erin and offered her greetings. Immediately, Erin felt all of the gazes were on her. Some even rushed out of the cabin to catch a glimpse of her. As usual and as expected, they all gasped at her presence. She could faintly hear a few mutterings that complimented her beauty but all that she heard only made her wish to don her disguise right now and then.

“Didn’t think you would actually come,” Velrin said.

“Why not?” Erin blinked.

“Alone, outside in the forest, meeting with a bunch of criminals. Who does that? Who wouldn’t think they were walking right into an ambush?”

“Me, evidently,” Erin retorted. “Why send me the letter if you didn’t think I would come?”

Velrin smiled faintly. “I’m guessing you don’t have the best relationship with your family.”

“If belittling me is your intention, I will be taking my leave, right after I sent you flying into the cabin for wasting my time.”

Erin heard a few gasps but some whistled in awe at her choice of words.

“I am desperate. If you have anyone close to your heart, you will understand. You have no idea how much my brother means to me and how much the pardoning means to them.”

Erin gave the individuals behind Velrina a good look. It surprised her that the individuals were young. They were all humans and the oldest one looked the same age as Lyra, a human male, sitting atop the cabin roof and eyeing Erin’s every move. The youngest one was a boy of the age fourteen, bearing scars like a decorated soldier would bear their medals.

“There’s more than I thought and they’re all just children, Velrin,” Erin said with a hint of dubiety.

“Which is why we all wished to be pardoned. We saw what this kind life would be if one persisted in this path. We don’t want that kind of life.”

“And are they aware they will be going into The Singularity?”

“They are aware.”

Erin gave the children another brief glance. “They don’t look strong.”

“We all have our own strength.”

Erin sighed. “Voluntary adults are one thing but children? I don’t think I can bear all those risks in good conscience. I’m sending children to their death, knowingly I dare add.”

“If you turn us away now, you’ll be giving us a much harsher fate. You think our lives will be any better? It won’t. You need us as much as we need you. This is an opportunity for both of us. You get your small army, I get my brother’s freedom, and the rest get their pardon.”

Erin stared at Velrin, and at the others. Her glance switched back and forth. “How do I know I can trust you all?” she asked.

Velrin scoffed. “You’re a Fae. We aren’t that stupid to go back on a deal with you or any one of your kind. We rather try our luck lying to a king than a Fae.”

Erin sighed again. She was a little grateful that the Faerie-kin was a power-hungry bunch. Nevertheless, it had become more difficult than she expected. Most of all, she didn’t expect them to be just children or children who had only come of age. It didn’t feel right dragging them into what was essentially described as hell by the masses.

“Told you a Fae ain’t gonna help us. Excuses after excuses,” uttered the oldest individual among them who was still sitting atop of the roof.

“Edmund, be quiet. We talked about this. I will handle the talking, the rest keep your mouth shut. Do you really want to bungle this golden opportunity for you all?”

“There’s nothing to be bungled, Velrin. Do you honestly believe this vixen will help us?”

“This vixen is standing right here,” Erin announced.

“I would like to ask our friend here the same thing too, what happens if she goes back on the deal? We helped them and she sent us to the church or to court, what then?”

“Edmund, keep your fucking mouth shut. Your arrogance and presumptuous nature are the reasons why your lover left you in the first place, lest you forget. Also, your words have cost us a great deal of trouble long before any non-humans are involved. If you cost us this opportunity too, I will throw you to the Ruvans myself.”

Feeling her murderous aura rising, the boy named Edmund stammered on his response and ultimately went quiet after.

Erin narrowed her gaze at Edmund. Her nose twitched as a faint familiar scent drifted into her nostrils. “Why does he smell familiar…?”

“I’m so sorry about him, lady.”

“You can just call me Erin, Velrin.”

“B-but you’re a Fae, lady. I-I won’t dare—”

“Just Erin will do fine, please. I insist. I’m not too particular on titles.”

“W-well, if you insist, Erin.”

Erin smiled. “So, what can your friends do? What can you do?”

“Some of them are good in a fight and some of them can go around undetected. The girl over there knows a bit about poison, subtle but effective.”

“That’s all?” Erin blurted out. “I will be impressed if we’re planning an assassination but… against monsters? I doubt those skills would matter. None of you have any Magic Arts?”

“If one of us did, that person won’t be here. In all likelihood, they would have already been pardoned and are now living grandly from the luck for having been born with affinity for magic.”

Erin flinched slightly, once again being reminded of how dull, ability-wise, the average humans were. Erin drew her saber, instantly earning the gasp and caution of everyone within her sense. “Be at ease, all of you. I just want to see how capable the lot of you are.”

“You don’t trust my words?” Velrin asked.

“I barely know you and you barely know me. Perhaps you honestly believe in their abilities but I think it will be best for me to be the judge of that, won’t you agree?”

Velrin understood Erin’s point and she nodded admittedly.

“Those whose strength is their brawn, step up.”

Immediately, a boy with a relatively well-built physique stepped up. For someone of his age, the muscles looked almost awfully out of place for him. Through Appraisal, Erin found out his name was Gaven and all of his skills were martial-related.

Erin planted her sword into the ground and beckoned for the boy to toss out the first strike.

“I don’t hit ladies, especially if they are unarmed,” said Gaven.

Velrin scoffed and crossed her arms. “I vividly recalled how keen you are on taking a swing at me just days ago.”

“What kind of lady goes bald on their own accord?” Gaven retorted.

Erin was just watching the banter with a dumbfounded face.

Velrin sighed and pulled down her hood, revealing a face painted with meaningful marks in dark purple ink. Even her lips were painted purple and her head was devoid of even a single strand of hair. At a glance, Velrin’s face reminded Erin of a zealot of some shady cult. Velrin’s preference was a stark contrast to her twin brother, Erin thought.

“Even you’re staring, lady,” Velrin pointed out.

“Forgive me for that but it’s not every day that I found someone using their own face as a canvas.”

“I didn’t do this to myself. It’s a result of using Abyss Magic.”

Erin raised an eyebrow.

“Enough about me. Are you going to start any day now?”

At her words, Erin reeled in her focus. She gestured for Gaven to take the first swing. The others watching held their breaths.

“You’re not going to blame me later?” Gavin questioned.

“I’m not that petty, boy,” replied Erin.

The clenching of his fists sent a loud cracking noise into everyone’s ears. “Don’t call me a boy,” Gavin said, raising his fist above his shoulders.

“You’re fifteen and judging by your scent,” Erin took a sniff, “you’re still a virgin.”

There were those who stifled their laughs. There were those who looked away in embarrassment and then there was Velrin, who did not bother restraining her chuckles.

Red flushed Gaven’s cheeks as he went into his stance. “You ask for it. I ain’t holding back.”

“Ready when you are,” Erin responded.

Velrin backed away a considerable distance from the two.

Gaven practically threw himself at Erin the moment Velrin was far away enough from them. He unleashed the most obvious straight punch at Erin.

“Impulsive and too reliant on his brute strength,” Erin remarked in her heart. She easily caught Gavin’s punching arm by the wrist and using his own momentum, she tossed him aside without breaking a sweat. “You know next to nothing about your opponent but you used such an obvious means of attack. Have you only been fighting imbeciles?”

Gaven groaned in frustration as he pulled himself up. He couldn’t deny what Erin said. He had only brawled with people of the same feathers. It was all duels and fighting in a back alley. He knew he stood no chance against a proper fighter like Erin but his pride would never allow him to back down.

He put strength and magic into his next attack but that too was easily seen through by Erin. He couldn’t perceive what transpired but all he knew was that his world was upside down and he was lying on the ground a few feet away from the Fox-kin.

“Your attacks are much too obvious. I will commend your strength but even a blade and an arrow is useless if it never hit its mark. If you expect monsters to sit around and wait for your punch, you are only deluding yourself, especially if it’s the monsters from The Singularity which are known to be immensely more dangerous than the usual kind.”

“So you’re saying we’re useless?” asked one of the children from the audience.

“Yes,” Erin answered. “You lot have the spirit and strength but I can tell you lack precision and proper training. The Singularity isn’t like your usual monster-infested forests, at your level, you all will only be marching towards your imminent death.”

Edmund made a loud click of his tongue. “Told ya all she wouldn’t help.”

“You want to drag my evaluation of you down further?” Erin questioned.

“Save your blasted words for the naives,” Edmund said and got down from the roof. Slowly, he trotted towards Erin. “Cease this pretense, Fae. Just admit you don’t intend to help us in the first place.”

“Edmund, what did I say?! Shut your—”

“It’s alright, Velrin. Let him,” Erin said. She stared straight at Edmund. “Instead of feeding yourself denial, show me you have what it takes, boy,” Erin made sure to chew out her last word.

Edmund laughed. “Big words. I’ll show you that the world doesn’t revolve around the Faerie-kin,” he said and threw a dagger that was concealed in his long sleeves.

Erin stood her ground and received the dagger, just as Edmund blurred from her view. The dagger hit its mark— the audience gasped— but bounced right off of Erin’s throat. “Did he seriously believe a simple iron dagger could do anything against Arcane Armor? No, I don’t think he even knows about Arcane Armor, going by his confident gaze.”

Per Erin’s expectation, Edmund reappeared behind her with another dagger in his hand. This time, this dagger was coated in magic but not enough to be considered as Arcane Edge. Erin sighed and used her tails to swat him away like a fly before his blade could even come close, though Erin doubted the dagger could touch her skin with Arcane Armor’s protection.

Edmund tried to get back up but he could only groan as the pain slowly spread to his whole body.

“And that’s two down, both with one hit. Well, Gaven took two hits but a single hit was all it took to put him down. And just so you all understand, my ears and tails aren’t for display.”

They all nodded.

“Now, who’s next?” Erin asked.

Velrin stepped forward. “Me.” Dark energy was curling around her hands. “I should warn you, lady. You best not underestimate me.”

“Well, this should be educational for me.”