Chapter 174 – To Experience
“That… was fast…”
“Woo?”
Ethan stepped out of the carriage the moment Lavender returned, as they decided that there should always be someone with Max and Mary.
The moment he heard the fighting start was basically the moment when it stopped.
From the holes in the planks of the covered carriage, he saw the original three, but he didn’t notice the second lot until Syrus told Lavender to guard the rear end. When that happened, Cobalt looked around and noticed the other fellows.
Cobalt was pretty good at smelling, but he wasn’t the best at proactively looking for targets when unprompted. He was a pup that was still learning.
“It is a fine line between fast and reckless,” Syrus commented without looking at Ethan, who was walking up to her. “So be aware of the potential risks your action will have.” Since everything went so smoothly, Syrus was using it as a minor learning opportunity.
“I know I didn’t kill these five, but you need to be aware that it isn’t always or often the best solution.”
“...But what if a scenario occurs when we are attacked, but the attackers are being forced to attack us?” Ethan asked.
“Wow, tough question.” Syrus nodded, impressed. She had experienced similar happenings, and it was a really complicated question.
[That…] (Eva)
[A tough moral dilemma.] (Luna)
“Well, Ethan, one thing I can say is that you won’t have my guidance when such a situation happens.” Syrus warned, “Because you will have to make your own judgement.”
He asked, “So you don’t know?”
“Going straight for the stab? Good.” Syrus laughed. “No, I don’t know because every situation is unique. There may be a time where not going for the kill will risk more than not, and other times where you are fully capable of subduing the opposition without issue.”
Syrus patted him on the back. “There could be lies and trickery involved; just because someone says they are being forced doesn't mean they are, and just because someone is putting on a show doesn’t mean they want to be there.”
“Okay.” He nodded, and Cobalt barked from the carriage. “Woof!”
“Thanks, Cobalt.”
“Now…” Syrus crouched down by the two poisoned, two kebab-ified prisoners, and one who had been tied up. “What to do with these five?”
“You can’t kill us!” The woman declared.
Ethan raised his eyebrow at Syrus, wondering if he had missed anything.
“Nope Ethan, she is just speaking out of her arse.” Syrus replied, “Now.” Syrus held the blade, and all it would take for Syrus to pull the blade down and deal with the two in the stack.
“What are you doing out here?”
“We are just some pretty travellers.” Syrus paused and asked the man who was just tied up.
“Is she okay? Besides slowly dying from blood loss.”
“...” The man didn’t want to reply.
“Haha! He will never crack!” The woman declared.
“...” Ethan paused, and even Cobalt looked worried. “Are these people alright?”
“The woman certainly isn’t,” Syrus commented.
Ethan asked, “Are we going to keep them alive?”
“Depends on whether the two I’ve stabbed have the resources to patch themselves up. Because while I avoided vitals, with no treatment.” Syrus stared into the eyes of the two she had stabbed. “They will die.”
Two would die of blood loss, and two would die of poisoning. With some potions and bandages provided by Anlesa, they could be saved, but was such a sacrifice worth it?
“...Can you save them?” the tied-up man asked.
“What are you doing, Billy?!” The lady screamed.
“I want to go back home!” He yelled back, eyes shut. “I… I can’t do this.”
“Man up, you large idiot!”
Smack!
Syrus punched the woman's face. “Be quiet, you worm.” Her eyes were full of hate. “Your friend is trying to save your life, and you are busy calling him a coward?”
Syrus didn’t care what this grown man looked like; so what if he was the biggest person here? He clearly was uncomfortable being here.
Syrus noticed that in his eyes when the fight first started, which was why she went easy on him. Syrus didn’t hold back from killing just because of the niceness in her heart. Like all three of them, she did prefer not to kill, but she had far looser restraints. Killing prisoners one couldn’t possibly keep around wasn’t something she was afraid of doing, but she had limits. The man clearly was no threat and had just made a bad decision. She knew plenty of people like that, and it was kind of refreshing in comparison to the bandits around Arisea Station, where their list of crimes was long.
Anyone who dared to attack the trade routes or even operated close around that city knew what they were doing, as the security with all the hunters was large; people had to be skilled but also wanted enough that going over places wasn’t feasible. Remembering some of the criminals they had personally apprehended at Arisea Station was even shocking for Syrus, who questioned the city and the hunter’s security and capabilities.
“You want to live, huh?” Syrus said, “Do you really want to risk your life to save these idiots?”
“...” He swallowed.
Syrus observed the situation.
[Eva? Can you provide them with the equipment to fix themselves up, but also keep them down.] (Syrus)
[Yes. Do you want to save them?] (Eva)
[That won’t be my decision.] (Syrus)
“Ethan?”
The boy flinched. “Yes?!”
“What do you want to do?” She said, “I will listen to whatever you decide.”
“You mean?” Ethan mumbled.
Her words were almost nonchalant. “Should we just let this man go on his own, allow him to bring his friends, or just kill everyone?”
“...” Ethan breathed in and out. “Would it be harmful for us to let them live?”
“Likely not. This man clearly has had his soul catapulted from his body, and even if the other four get patched up, they won’t be in any condition to fight us. However, we wouldn’t be able to take them anywhere since we ourselves are in the middle of nowhere, so they would basically be released back into the wild.”
Their eyes did a once-over of the four bandits.
Ethan asked, “You understand what will happen… if you attack us again?” His words nearly shook, but he held firm.
“Yes…” The man nodded, and the woman finally didn’t interrupt this time; Syrus expected that it was the blood loss.
Max’s hand reached out and petted the dog.
With that trouble over, everyone got ready for a break. Ethan helped Max calm his nerves by playing with him and Cobalt.
“Bringing the kid was a good idea,” Lavender commented as she and Syrus watched them play. Mary was sitting on a log nearby, wanting to be near her soon. Unlike Max, she wasn’t too shaken up by the attempted robbery.
“Thanks for agreeing.” Syrus replied back, “He needed the experience.”
“Yeah,” she scratched her head. “I guess we all do need to get it from somewhere. Still crazy that you are a teacher though.”
“Instructor would be a better term.” Syrus asked, “Did you have any mentors?”
Lavender shook her head. “I poisoned a bear, and then I kind of rolled into this shtick.”
“What a backstory.”
She scoffed, “We can’t all have legendary tales? What about you? You seem quite capable. Any formal training?”
“Orphan, not much to add. I self-learned a lot of skills, then watched from those better than me. Once in a while someone gave me a pointer, but only in passing, then after many bumps I am here.”
After their long rest, they went on another long ride before night began to fall. This time, they weren’t going to drive through the night and set up camp instead.
The night came and went without issue. Everyone besides Max had some experience sleeping outdoors before this trip, but he was adapting fast. Luna enjoyed the feeling of the full moon breathing its light on them, and they stayed awake to ensure everyone was going to be okay while they were also outside in the tree line. They weren’t going to risk anything with their Morph transformation, so they were using this time when everyone was asleep to revert to their original appearance. They stayed out of sight so no one who woke up randomly during the night would notice them in their changed form.
[This nearly feels like spying…] (Eva)
[Because it is basically.] (Syrus)
[We are hiding in the bushes watching people like a hunter and their prey.] Luna said, [Not exactly proper behaviour, is it?]
[Enjoy it, it is an experience one only experiences rarely.] (Syrus)
The bushes completely covered them, so they were able to relax. In a weird way, while it was nice to be around more people who cared about them in the city, and even a little here, less alone time was stressful in its own way. Syrus never minded being alone or with others, but Luna and Eva did enjoy their alone time, while technically speaking, they were never actually alone.
[Besides the bandit encounter… I have enjoyed this trip.] (Eva)
[That’s good.] Syrus' smile leaked onto their face. Something about Eva being happy made them all feel good, even outside of the emotion-sharing aspect.
[It is nice to see different parts of the continent.] (Luna)
[The sights aren't too special, but travelling is always a nice experience. It's good for the heart.] (Syrus)
The night peacefully went by, no disruptions, no conflicts. People nearly woke up a few times, and once Ethan did awaken and called out to Syrus, she replied and quickly shifted back for the short chat.
When the morning came around again, everyone got up for a quick meal before they headed out again.
[...] (Syrus)
[Syrus, are you okay?] (Luna)
Syrus was emitting a mild annoyance the entire day.
[It’s… argh…] Syrus clicked their tongue in frustration, [Something is annoying my senses, it sounds like something is following us since this morning, but I keep losing it when I try to focus on it.]
[Oh, that was what happened when you jumped to the side. Why didn’t you mention anything?] (Luna)
[Because I just thought it was a deer or animal, but it sounds like something has been moving through the forest line, and has been keeping pace with us.] (Syrus)
[I understand wanting not to worry us, since we have been enjoying this trip, but you forgot that emotional sharing is always active.] (Luna)
[I know, I admit my fault. So, what should we do to calm my nerves?] (Syrus)
[Well… we have a friend who could do something?] Eva provided the trio with her suggestion.