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Chapter 10:

Arthur's Point of View

Helmsforth Slums

Both women seemed surprised at my sudden aggression. I can't imagine why. Slowly, I was lowered to the floor. Annoyed, and tired, I turned to the door to leave.

"Thanks for coming to get me. Let's go. I can go to a different library around the base of the mountain." I stated.

"Wha-" Ayda let out as if she'd been struck. "I'll have you know my library is stocked with more books than any of the others combined! No one has done more research for the Priestess than me!"

The redhead leaned over and whispered to me. "Ayda's one of the Priestess's students..."

"That's nice," I said to Ayda and then turned to Cassidy. "Let's go." Ayda appeared in front of me again. "Stop doing that!"

Holding up her hands, she narrowed her eyes. "How about we make a deal?"

Cassidy sighed. "Ayda."

The Elf began negotiating. "I will let you leave with two of my books, as is procedure, but I'd like to be able to ask you some questions."

"Why? What makes me so interesting?"

"You're with Cassidy." Ayda pointed out. "That is fascinating, and the fact that she is going out of her way to aid you. This tells me that whatever favor you did for her was much larger than she is letting on." Then she reached out to touch me but pulled her hands back. "Of course, that's not the only thing. Everything about you seems rather interesting."

Thinking it over, I replied. "Very well, but in small doses. I'd also like for you to get me a primer on everything and anything." She quirked a brow at that.

Crossing her arms, she looked around and frowned. "That's a lot more than two books."

Her disapproving look made me smirk. "Then I guess we'll have to do this in spurts. I'll come back later for my books. You can ask me your questions then."

"I can't tomorrow! I'm meeting someone! They're coming down to visit me from the upper rungs!" Ayda protested.

I shrugged. "Then some other time. I'll be along eventually." Was my dismissive response.

"But-" Ayda didn't get to finish as we left.

"She's a nice girl once ya get ta know her." I was informed. "Ya know, after ya look past her awkwardness. Girl has no social awareness at all."

"I'm sure, but I like my privacy." Then I quirked a brow as I looked at her. "However, something she said piqued my interest." Cassidy glanced at me sideways as we walked through the streets. "If Ayda is a student of the Priestess, does that mean you are too?"

Chuckling at that, Cassidy replied. "Nah. Ah help out with a few things here and there, but Priestess Arceana only teaches Elves ta help em with their magic." She then shrugged. "Priestess Elincia usually keeps to herself unless an urgent matter comes up. Only met em a few times. Nice gals."

Eyeing her, I pressed a little further. "Interesting that the Priestesses asks for help from people that are from the lower rungs..."

"Priestess don't see race from ma understandin." The redhead shrugged back. "Sides', if the ruler of your nation calls upon ya, ya need ta answer."

"So, the Priestesses ask for help from you and your librarian friend often?"

Cassidy eyed me sideways. "Any reason she shouldn't?"

This time, I shrugged. "Not that I know of. Just remarking on the fact that the Priestess is calling upon you despite being from the base of the Mountain. Specifically, the fact that you're a regular farmer, and she's nothing more than a librarian. Student or not, it's a little surprising, don't you think?"

Shaking her head, she replied earnestly. "Nothin odd about it. If ya have a job that needs done, ya ask people ya know who will get the job done." Talk about answering the question without answering the question...

"Mmh." Was my mumbled reply. "Where are we going now?"

"Need ta pick up some meat tonight for dinner." We walked some more through the town, and I was trying to memorize the layout. "So, Ah'd like ta ask ya a question."

Dodging a few people walking by, I replied. "What is it?"

Cassidy was quiet for a moment, and I turned to see her looking up at me. "Why'd ya go out of your way for Austin? He told me how he found ya and asked if you were dangerous. Says ya told him yes but Ah don't understand why ya'd fight a manticore for some random kid..." She explained.

We continued walking, and I looked back ahead. "I don't know." I shrugged. "Figured if he was telling the truth, it was a real issue, and he looked like he needed help. Austin was certainly alarmed when he found me and was fidgety like he was ready to take off running to get the guard if I said no."

"That's it? What if he was lyin? Lots of kids lie..."

"Then I would've been on my way. Not like I was doing anything too important, and I've dealt with manticores before." Was my reply.

"Ah see," Cassidy said quietly and came to a stop. "So ya just helped him cause ya thought he was tellin the truth." She stated simply.

"I guess?" Was my unsure response.

Now in line for the butcher, we waited until it was our turn. The town didn't exactly smell the best as it was but being next to this store was something special. Watching the pair of men work, one older and the other younger, I was surprised to see them covering each cut with salt or something close to it. Cassidy didn't say anything, so I assumed this was normal.

One abnormal thing was how fast the line was moving. The line shortened quickly, and I watched as each cut was already prepared for people as they arrived. It was as if they knew who wanted what and prepared as soon as they saw them coming. The younger worker smiled brightly when he saw Cassidy but kept working. Although, that smile was rather terrifying. It didn't quite reach his eyes, which gave him a manic look.

"Good to see you, Cass." The older butcher said.

"You too." She replied with a smirk. "Ya got my slab ready?"

"Floyd!" The middle-aged man called out.

Falling from above and right in front of all three of us, the slab of meat was now on the counter. "Boom!" Floyd called out from the back.

The middle-aged man just sighed and wrapped it up. "Just take it." He said as he shook his head.

"Floyd being a handful?" Cassidy inquired.

"When isn't he?" The older butcher asked back.

"Aw! Thanks, Butch!" Floyd said from further in the shop.

The stall was a wall that seemed to expand from the building and form into a counter outside the store. Surprising, but also impressive. With things like this all over, I wasn't sure why the area around the base of the mountain was referred to as the slums. It didn???t make sense to me. However, I took note of reactions to the naming while we walked around town. Some called it that jokingly and accepted it, while others seemed irritated that it was dubbed that.

The man, now identified as Butch, looked at me as he scratched his beard. "Who're you?"

I gestured to Cassidy. "Don't worry about me. I'm with her."

His eyes shot up. "Really!?" Turning his gaze to Cassidy, he smirked. "Finally found yourself a man, huh?"

Groaning, Cassidy reached across and hit the old man across his arm, which made him chuckle. "No! Not that it's any of your business. Sides', he didn't mean it like that." Gesturing to me, she explained. "This is Arthur. He helped Austin yesterday while Ah was gone."

Butch looked back to me as he rubbed his arm slightly. "That was you?" I nodded. "Heard you killed a manticore... That true?"

"How did you across such information?" I asked as I crossed my arms.

"Austin was running through town today, telling everyone about it." He chuckled. "Thought it was a little exaggerated," Butch started and looked to see Cassidy shaking her head, telling him it wasn't. "But I can see I was wrong. Appreciate you helping the Reed's out of a tight spot." Looking back into the store, he shouted. "Floyd! Get me an extra cut!"

"Coming up!" Floyd replied.

"So, you killed a manticore, huh?" I nodded in reply to the bulky man's question. "Impressive. Not many around here could do that, that aren't in the town guard. Not that they ever patrol the outer rim of the town." He said, annoyed as he wiped his hands on his apron. "Think he's stronger than you Cassidy?"

Cassidy eyed me for a moment and then shrugged. "He's certainly hard ta hit. Had a little misunderstanding when Ah returned with blood all over the farm." Then she pointed to me. "Attacked this guy assuming the worst. Ya know how it is."

Nodding with closed eyes, Butch agreed. "I do."

Slapping my stomach, Cassidy continued but seemed surprised that I didn't flinch. "Imagine my surprise when he not only kept up with me but was also able ta avoid my fist kissin him on the nose."

"Yes. Thank god." I said unamused.

"It could've been a lot worse. I've seen guys that've been hit by Cass. Whoo! Girl's got a mean right hook." Butch said and then asked, "Heard you also came from the Hollow Forest. That true?"

Not knowing what the Hollow Forest was, but assuming it was the massive forest on the outskirts of the Reed's farm, I nodded. "Yeah. So?"

Butch didn't get the chance to reply as Floyd suddenly appeared from under the counter as he jumped up next to Butch. The middle-aged man grabbed his chest from the sudden appearance. Even I was startled a little bit. Cassidy just looked amused and shook her head. Floyd dropped another cut of meat on the counter and wrapped it up. He was wearing butcher clothes like Butch. Apron included, but also wore gloves.

"I told you to stop doing that, Floyd! Gonna give me a heart attack!" Butch cried out as he tried to recover.

Floyd was a rather skinny male. Thin frame, build, with long brown hair just like Butch. I thought they might've been father and son, but I doubted it. That, and he appeared to be in his twenties while Butch looked to be in his thirties. Although, that might the norm here. Both had brown eyes.

"Sorry, Butch!" Doubt he would call his dad by his first name. "So, you're Arthur Pendragon." Floyd continued as he seemed to study me. "You some kind of hero or something? Not many would be willing to take care of a manticore for free." He inquired as he held up the packaged meat.

"No." Was my emotionless response as I took the package. "Helping out a kid doesn't make you a hero."

"It does to them." Floyd shot back.

Frowning, I spoke as I walked away. "Then they'll learn soon enough that not everyone who helps you is a good person."

As I started walking slowly along the path, I heard Floyd speak to Cassidy. "Sorry about yesterday. If I hadn't gone to that store, you would've been back in time."

"That's alright. None of us could've known. Sides', it all worked out." Cassidy told him. "See ya later, Floyd."

"Till next time!" He called out.

The redhead quickly caught up with me. Moving through the town in silence. Made it easier for me to remember where everything was. However, as we started down the dirt path on the edge of town towards the farm, she spoke up.

"Ya don't like heroes?"

"Heroes are fine. As long as no one thinks of me as one." Was my quick reply. "Choose someone else who deserves the title more."

Cassidy replied, just as fast. "Everyone's got personal heroes. Ya know, like a role model."

Walking through the gate to the farm, I responded. "You don't want me to be your brother's role model." I informed her and she seemed stumped at that. "Let's get inside and cook this up." Holding up the meat, she nodded slowly in agreement.

????'s Point of View

Hollow Forest

"Do you see anything?" One of my men asked one another.

"Aside from dead bodies?" Another asked back, amused.

"Enough," I replied as my group looked over the area. "Why is this crater here?"

One of my men stepped next to me. "From the fight?" He suggested.

A dead manticore was sprawled out at the bottom. It'd been a few days since it had died, and yet nothing had come to claim the body. This told me that this crater wasn't normal. Nor was it made using the manticore's body. After all, it was missing its head, and no need to throw a dead manticores body into the ground if it posed no threat.

Gazing around the area at the scouting party, I frowned. Whatever made this crater is likely responsible for killing them. Turning towards the massacred ghouls, I moved towards them and studied them. Even transformed, it appeared that they were taken care of quickly. Two didn't transform, which means they were killed, likely underestimating the opponent.

"Think one of the Priestesses was here?" Someone inquired.

"No. Had it been one of them, they likely would've transformed immediately... This was someone new. Someone we don't know about."

"Over here!" We all turned towards the tree line where one of my hunters was standing. "I think I know which way they went!"

Walking over, I thought about who might've caused this. The traitors seemed likely, but they shouldn't be anywhere in the area and haven't made any moves in years. There are a few who could be responsible, but it's the two Ghouls that didn't transform that worry me. Had the person been recognizable, even just from a description, they would've transformed if it was one of few threats.

Standing at the tree line, my Ghoul pointed towards the homemade path. "This is likely the direction the mask took off in." He then pointed down it. "Whatever followed didn't care about a single thing getting in its way."

Licking my lip as I crouched down, I saw footprints that were not only heavy but fast. "We have our trail. Let's follow it."

"You think we'll find whoever was responsible?"

"I think we'll find another dead body..." Was my reply.