Chapter 37:

  Patrol

  I stood there dumbly as heat rushed to my cheeks at the implication of what Ms. Clover had just suggested. It wasn’t that I didn’t know what to do in these moments, but it was more so that I had always been a more traditionally minded man.

  I’d grown up believing that something as intimate as sex was to be treasured and shared with someone I intended to bind my Path with. I wasn’t immune to the charms of women, not by any stretch, but I still clung to my ideals… however difficult that might be in the moment.

  Ms. Clover let out a soft laugh, more amused than apologetic, and gave the Ember Bark tree one last fond pat.

  “Go on then, love,” she said, waving me off with a flutter of her hand. “Take your seeds home before I change my mind, and keep you here for myself.”

  That was all the prompting I needed. I blushed heavily as I thanked her for her time, then made my way down the hill with the sacks of seed, and the mint plant tucked firmly beneath my arms.

  With two of my tasks finished, it felt like as good a time as any to head back home before joining Halius and the guards for their afternoon patrol.

  The walk back home went by relatively quickly. I wasn’t in any real hurry, but I managed to keep a steady pace, free of any distractions that might slow my steps. The morning sun danced across the lake beside me, scattering bright ripples of light across its surface. A cool breeze drifted off the water as the day warmed, carrying the clean scent of fresh air and reeds along the shore. I breathed it in as I followed the path home, letting the calm of the lakeside settle through me.

  After crossing the small stone bridge that passed over the lake’s outlet, I followed the narrow path that led toward the stables built into the eastern side of the hill. I planned to store the seeds I had acquired in one of the empty storage bins and use the errand as an excuse to check on Blue and his new companion, the orange kitten I had come to think of as Murder Mittens… maybe I’d just call her Mittens when polite company was around.

  When I reached the open doors of the stables, I was surprised to find that both Blue and Mittens were nowhere in sight. I was not too worried about them, since Blue had always enjoyed testing his boundaries, but I still hoped he had not wandered too far. There was a lot to explore in this valley, and even I was not entirely familiar with what threats might appear unexpectedly, even in a place as beautiful as this.

  I walked over to the workbench along the far wall and found an adequate place to store the seed. It was a storage bin that with a solid cover, and was dry enough that I wouldn’t have to worry about anything getting spoiled in my absence.

  Once that was taken care of, I made my way back inside and silently groaned as I remembered a task that I had left unfinished.

  Right…cleaning… how could I forget…

  “Well, first I need to find somewhere to put you,” I said to the mint plant in my hands. “Somewhere with enough sunlight, but not too much. At least… I think that’s what you need.”

  After thinking for a moment, I carried the plant upstairs and set it on the small table beside my bed, where the morning light filtered in just right.

  “Good enough for now,” I murmured. “I’ll make you a proper place outside soon, but for now this should suit you just fine.”

  I stepped back downstairs and spent the next couple of hours dedicated to the hellish task of cleaning the entirety of my home. With a few rags I had found downstairs and several full buckets of water, I managed to scrub, dust, and wipe down nearly every surface that could possibly matter.

  When I was finished, I collapsed into one of the leather chairs by the fireplace and let myself sink deep into its deep cushions. Despite how exhausting the busywork had been, a small swell of pride rose in my chest at having completed the task and knowing I had done it well. I found myself thinking that my mother would have been pleased to know I was doing my best, still carrying the lessons she taught me about caring for the things that fall within my realm of responsibility.

  I should write my letter to the farm before training begins. I will add that to my list of things to do in the next couple of days.

  After sitting far longer than I should have, I finally made my way to the pantry and rummaged through it in an attempt to put together a quick lunch before heading out. The options were disappointing, but simple food would be good enough for now. I could always make something more filling later tonight.

  As I ate my pitifully plain lunch of jerky and carrots, I took one last look around the freshly cleaned room and allowed myself a small, satisfied smile before stepping out of the front door.

  I had done my best to prepare for the patrol I was meant to join. My reservoir of potential was lower than I would have liked after the morning’s efforts, but still comfortably above three quarters full. Other than that, all I carried was my sickle, more a last resort than anything truly reliable at this point.

  I had barely managed to cut into that gnoll spawn yesterday, and that had been when it was fully focused on attacking Halius. I hated to imagine what would happen if I were alone and surrounded. Well, I supposed there was not much imagining needed. I would die, and that would be that.

  When I reached the small bridge, I turned back and looked over my home and the nearby fields one final time, just in case Blue had managed to wander back while I was inside. Everything looked the same as it had that morning, except for a curious gray mound lying among the flowers in the fields to the west.

  A small knot of concern tightened in my chest.

  I immediately let potential rise carefully into my eyes, guiding it with slow, deliberate effort. My vision sharpened, colors brightened, and the distance between me and the gray mound fell away as my sight pushed forward.

  There, lying in a sea of flowers, Blue and Murder Mittens were curled together in a sun warmed patch of blossoms, both of them fast asleep without a care in the world.

  I couldn’t help but smile as I whispered my thanks to The Path, to my uncle, and to everything that had led me to this moment. With that small blessing given, I made my way back down the road toward the gates that led into the valley.

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  When I arrived at the gate, I was met with far more men dressed for battle than I had seen on my previous visit. Many of the faces were unfamiliar to me, yet most of the group wore the green and gold of the valley’s colors. These were my neighbors, the men with whom I had bonded myself concerning the wellfare and care of the valley. Each of these looked towards me as I approached, and gave me welcoming nods as I moved among them.

  Mixed among the valley’s guards were a four individuals who clearly did not belong to the local ranks. Their armor lacked the green and gold trim of the valley, and instead carried the simpler, practical look of wandering adventurers. Each of them gave me a suspicous glare, and did not bother to greet me as I passed by.

  Of the four, two men and a woman wore weathered leather armor and carried a variety of weapons among themselves. The woman in particular wore a pair of unusual gloves with what appeared to be monster cores embedded in the backs of her hands. The fourth member of their entourage was a hardened looking man in heavier plate, who carried a overly large sword on his back.

  As I looked over them, I noticed a peculiar detail that set them apart. Each of them wore an insignia displayed on a piece of cloth attached to their armor. The man in heavy armor wore a wide strip wrapped around his waist, its end hanging down over his hip like a short tabard. The three individuals in lighter armor wore matching bands of cloth draped over their shoulders in a style I had not seen before.

  Each cloth bore a symbol. The three warriors in leather all shared the same mark: a simple circle crossed cleanly at an angle by a straight line. The man in the heavy armor, however, wore something different. His cloth was secured by a small metal plate engraved with a stark, angular rune burned deep into its surface. I did not know its meaning, but it clearly marked him as someone who held rank above his companions.

  When I finally made my way through the gathered group of eleven, I found myself standing before the familiar face of Halius, fully adorned in his bulky armor.

  “Ah, there you are. I was just about to send a runner to fetch you. I worried you had forgotten about the patrol this evening,” Halius said, giving me a hard pat on the shoulder.

  “Sorry about that,” I said. “Cleaning a house that has been neglected for a few years turned out to be a bigger job than I expected.”

  “Well, it all worked out, and we’re in luck. I had planned on taking only four men with us to scout the gnoll den, but a group from the adventurers guild arrived this afternoon. They were asking about the gnoll activity in the area, so I invited them to join us. They have three with them who are working toward their First Branch, so it’s good experience for everyone all around.”

  Adventurers guild? That explains a lot, but I am not sure what he means by their working towards their First Branch.

  “Well, go ahead and fall in with the rest. I will address everyone in just a moment, and then we will head out on our patrol.”

  I nodded in understanding and moved to join the rest of the group, who were lightly scattered around the small courtyard.

  Several of the men wearing the green and gold of the valley introduced themselves to me, and I added a fresh list of new names to my mind that I desperately hoped I would not forget. It was always embarrassing when someone knew exactly who you were and you had to ask them to repeat their name later on.

  After a few minutes passed, Halius stood up on an elevated platform and addressed the group that had gathered.

  “All right, men, let me share our plans before we begin this afternoon’s patrol. We are joined by Jarus Welker of the adventurers guild, who has recently been promoted to the rank of First Branch within the guild, which makes him the highest level member among those of us gathered. The companions he has brought with him are initiates of the guild who are working their way toward the same goal. They have requested that we allow them to take on the heavier work load, as this will serve as a source of good experience for their team. .”

  Halius paused a moment before continuing.

  “When we leave the valley, these four will take point. They will scout ahead and report back with what they find, while we hold our position on the road behind them. If needed, we will provide assistance, and if any injuries occur, please direct yourselves to Mr. Garner, as he has healing capabilities at his disposal. Are there any questions?”

  At the mention of my healing abilities, I noticed several raised eyebrows from the men around me, along with a few pointed looks from the members of the adventurers guild.

  When no one responded to Halius, he organized his men according to the needs of the patrol. He selected two to accompany him and myself, leaving four others to hold their positions at the gate.

  With everything settled, the gate was opened, and the patrol began in earnest. Our group of eight set out along the main road, heading toward the place where I had encountered Halius the day before. As we marched in a loose, easy formation, I found my thoughts drifting back to something that Halius had said.

  How was it that this man of the First Branch was the highest level person among us? I had assumed the men of the valley would be far stronger than most people in Salt Brine. Then again, I did not fully understand how difficult it became to level the farthr one walked along The Path.

  “Halius,” I whispered as I stepped beside him, “How far along do you have to be to get the rank of First Branch within the guild? I thought you all of the valley would be higher level than most.”

  Halius pulled his eyes away from our surroundings and looked at me with a puzzled expression.

  “Seriously, you don’t know? What did they teach you out there in The Belt?”

  “Mostly things about farming… we aren’t the ones typically picking up swords, after all. My father wasn’t too interested in talking details with me before I took my steps onto the Path. He thought it best not to give me any ideas about running off… we see how that worked out.”

  Halius chuckled lightly, and then rubbed his chin as he thought for a moment.

  “Well, it’s a bit of a long answer, but I can at least shave it down to the basics. I’m sure you’re aware that we level up by walking our paths, and progressing our skills, right?”

  I nodded. That much was simple explained well enough by the information I recieved from The Path.

  “Right, and as you’ve probably experienced, we have to visit the Church of the Path and ask a priest to open the way for us to level up. That costs one gold per level, so you can imagine how expensive that gets the farther along you progress. That’s the first hurdle many never overcome, and why many join the adventurers guild, they get slightly cheaper rates, and have more opportunities to make coin… at a much higher risk, of course.”

  I coughed awkwardly. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that one of my legacies allowed me to walk the Path essentially for free, with the small caveat that I needed access to mint.

  “Secondly, if someone’s abilities have a narrow band of application, then a person with fewer skills will have a harder time consolidating power than someone with a broader set to work with. This doesn’t mean they are completely outclassed, but the hill they have to climb is much steeper, so to speak.”

  I considered that for a moment. I had not progressed my skills much yet, but I had been collecting them rather quickly. My ability Sow was probably the most flexible an ability could be, which explained why it had been labeled as Legendary.

  “Lastly,” Halius continued, “we men of the valley are not adventurers. Many of us are not even Martial Domains. The few who are, leave the valley and travel the world to gain experience, so that when they return, they are strong enough to shepherd the next generation of youths growing up in the Valley. Our strength waxes and wanes throught the seasons, but even at our weakest, we have our great guardian, and he is not easily overcome… even by someone like the Duke.”

  That last comment was harder to entertain than any of the others he had shared with me. The Duke, even though my encounter with him had been brief, seemed like an insurmountable force of power. He was the highest pinnacle I had seen so far, and I couldn’t help but wonder what his rank within the adventurers guild must have been before he retired to his current position. And with that in mind… what was my uncle’s rank?

  “It looks like we are about to arrive,” Halius said quietly. “We can continue this another time. For now, we need to be about our business. A lack of focus is a good way to end up dead, especially at our levels.”

  With that, Halius shifted fully into his role, and I did my best to follow his example. I did not know what to expect going forward, but I felt confident that the men around me could handle whatever came our way. Especially if the gnolls were anything like the spawn Halius and I had encountered the day before.