The way back part 2

- I will not kill you or your grandson, old man. - I said to the old man looking into his eyes. - I need to deliver the surviving captives of the robbers to the city. Can your cart accommodate us?

Freezing again, the old man looked behind me and then at the cart and nodded, continuing to shed tears.

Letting go of the elder's shoulders and making sure he didn't fall to his knees again, I turned back to where the girls stood with Keirin.

The elder walked around the cart with slow steps and the sound of fasteners opening was heard.

Returning to the girls and explaining what had happened, many nodded, understanding the elder's behavior.

After the old man driving the cart returned back to his place, he saw the girls carrying out the stretcher and his face began to change; noticing his changes, I doubted that the change on his face was caused by the condition of the girls.

After everyone got into the cart and the grandson returned back to the old man, I examined what they were bringing to the city for sale.

Most of the goods were meat and various vegetables that were closed in barrels, the girls continued to look at the forest with fear, without letting go of the weapon from their hands, the elder sometimes turned and looked at the girls lying on the stretchers.

- Senior, based on your behavior, I come to the conclusion that you recognize this girl. - I asked him when he looked again at the girl lying near one of the barrels. - Would you like to tell me how you know her?

Hearing my question, the senior began to run his eyes around the cart, looking for a way out of the situation in which he found himself.

But feeling his grandson being pulled by his arms, the senior lowered his gaze to him; in the grandson's gaze it was clear that he did not want his grandfather to lie to me.

- As you understand from what came out of my old lips, we were paying tribute to one gang of robbers. - The old man said, turning back and looking at the road. - They accepted tribute not only in gold but also in girls, and Sairim was one of those whom we gave to them.

In the senior's voice one could feel anger and contempt at the fact that they had to give the girls to pay tribute to the robbers.

I understood the reasons why the elder and the villagers decided to pay tribute not only in gold but also in girls so that they could continue to live in the village without the fear of death from an attack by these same robbers.

- Since the girl is here, it means you killed Rual's gang. - The elder said in a quiet voice with a sigh. - So now we will have to wait for the appearance of other robbers and obey their demands.

Probably, if another stufon had been in my place, he would have been angry that the old man was not grateful for the murders of Rual and his robbers.

I understood that killing one gang would not be a way to get rid of tribute for the village where the old man and grandson were from, but only a change of gang, which would have its own demands.

- Most likely, but you have time to contact the mercenary guild and hire them for security. - I said thoughtfully, looking at the forest, which began to thin out and the city was visible in the distance.

Laughter was heard from the elder who did not answer; my words about mercenaries were nothing more than an opportunity.

Small stone walls of the city stretched around the city, the gates to which we approached were open through which carriages and carts pulled. It was visible how a guard approached those who entered or entered the city, charging a fee.

Having reached the wall and already being next to the gate, a guard dressed in the familiar armor that I saw on Ru'El began to approach the cart.

The guard looked human, but because he was wearing a helmet hiding his face, it was difficult for me to understand what race he was.

Approaching the cart and glancing at the old man and his grandson, the guard silently walked around the cart and stopping next to me, he examined the girls sitting next to me with interest.

- So what do we have here? - The quiet cheerful voice of the guard was heard. -Have you decided to bring girls for sale? Is everything so bad in your village?

The guard deliberately provoked the old man into aggression, realizing that nothing would happen to him. The guard tried to touch the girl, but I grabbed his hand before he could touch it.

- Explain to your freak that if he doesn't let me go, he will face a fate worse than prison. - The guard shouted irritably, turning his head at me.

The elder, instead of trying to pull me away, only laughed, covering his face with his hands and continuing to laugh.

The guard, observing the old man's behavior, felt me ​​squeezing his hand harder and then there was a cracking sound of the hand along with the metal that dug into the hand.

Releasing the hand of the guard who began to scream, feeling that his hand was free again, he tried to raise it, but pain pierced his body.

Anger appeared in the guard's eyes, trying to grab the sword from its sheath with his whole hand, he continued to scream.

Everyone who saw what happened tried to move as far as possible from our cart and the guard, some shook their heads and said that I don't know what I did.

- Bastard, you will die for attacking a city guard! - The guard continued to scream, snatching his sword with his whole hand.

With a quick movement, I jumped out of the cart and intercepted the hand of the guard who was trying to swing in my direction.

I could hear other guards running towards us who heard the screams and decided to help a comrade in trouble.

- Attacking and insulting a stufon from one of the magic academies carries more danger. - I turned to the guard in a quiet voice, squeezing his raised hand with the sword with one hand and calling on the sword of darkness with the other hand, pointing it at the guard's remaining hand.

Forcefully squeezing the guard's whole hand, the crunch of the bone was heard again and the sword fell from the guard's hand to the ground.

Not paying attention to the guards who surrounded the cart and pointed their swords at me, I quickly cut off both hands of the guard, which fell to the ground with sounds.

The remaining guards who surrounded us looked with fear at their comrade who fell to the ground and looked away from themselves in horror on the lying hands next to him.

- I Stufon Trey from the Suga'Tina Magic Academy arrived in the city to complete the task of destroying the bandit camp. - Saying these words, I looked from the guards to the girls, releasing vibrations of magic. - The girls sitting in the cart are survivors of captivity by robbers, any attack or insult to them will mean that you attacked or insulted me too!

The guards froze due to fluctuations in magic; many who stood closer to me fell to their knees and their attempts to rise, leaning on their weapons, made it impossible to rise.

The lying guard fell silent and a certain smell began to emanate from him, which filled my nose. Having canceled the fluctuations of magic, I expected a reaction from the guards who continued to look at each other, pointing their weapons at me, who fell to the ground, they managed to get up.

Quick steps were heard from the direction of the gate, throwing open the guards who obediently made way for those who tried to pass by them.

Having passed the last guard, a guard without a helmet appeared in front of me; he had black short hair and green eyes. Glancing at the lying guard and wincing, he turned his gaze to me.

He tried to evaluate me, the guard put one hand on the sword and with the other hand he lifted the piece of paper and looked from me to the piece of paper.

I couldn't see what was on the piece of paper, but quick glances from me to the piece of paper, pondering the possibilities in such an unusual behavior of the guard, the only thought that came to me was that on the piece of paper the guard was holding was my portrait.

- I confirm that stufon Trey is standing in front of us, everyone should disperse. - The guard turned to everyone in a loud voice, folding a piece of paper. - And you stufon follow me along with the cart.

The guards who surrounded the cart fearfully began to remove their weapons and parted, allowing the cart to move into the city.

Throwing a glance at the lying guard who froze and tried not to look at me, turning my back to him, I climbed back into the cart.

The girls looked either at me or at the guard, they did not let go of the weapons but only squeezed them tighter, the old man urged the harnessed monsters on, apparently wanting to get rid of us as quickly as possible.

Inspecting the street along which we were moving on a cart, it was no wider than in Lenho, but it allowed two carts to move without threatening those who were moving on foot.

The guard who accompanied us from the gate from the front dispersed the residents who caught us or drove up the carriages and carts, demanding to give way to our cart.

In some places there were still noticeable differences from Lenho where the residents looked poorer than here.

It is possible that we were moving through a wealthy area, but when I saw people begging for alms, I had doubts about this.

Our journey through the city did not last long until we reached a building near which resting guards stood and looked in surprise at the cart that was accompanied by a guard.

Walking further than the building and approaching the gate, we could hear our escort arguing with someone, and after a while the gate began to open, allowing the carts to pass inside.

Driving inside the gate, we found ourselves in a courtyard where guards were walking around, some looked at our cart with interest, keeping their gaze on the girls who were trying to hide inside the cart.

We heard new commands from the guard who accompanied us, indicating where the carts would stop.

The old man obeyed and stopped the cart next to the guard who was accompanying us. Opening the cart and getting out and helping the girls get down to the ground from the cart, I looked around with interest where we ended up.

Next to the place where the cart stood there was a large building built of stones that had several floors near which there were guards, I guessed where the guard took us.

Throwing at other buildings inside the courtyard that looked like barracks, my suspicions began to be confirmed. Some guards tried to come up and ask what happened, but our escort dispersed any attempts to approach us.

Having made sure that everyone had gotten out of the cart and when the girls carefully pulled out the stretcher on which the other girls were lying, it was visible how the face of the guard who accompanied us began to change.

- What happened to them? - The quiet voice of the guard was heard, looking around at the other guards who did not take their eyes off the girls and the stretcher.

Trying to explain to the guard what happened to the girls on the stretchers, we could see how the face of our escort began to change.

Without saying a word, he led us inside the building near which the guards stood, telling them that they let us through, watching us through their helmets.

Once inside, many sounds were heard, looking around I could see paintings and ancient armor that stood near the walls and some paintings.

I did not have the opportunity to look at the paintings; our escort led us along a corridor in which different representatives of races met.

Some tried to ask the guard what happened, but he just waved it off, continuing to walk towards the stone staircase, climbing it, there were noticeable drawings and on the walls they were different; they depicted different races, both the avels, which I recognized, and others that I only guessed who they were.

Rising to the next floor, I smelled the smells of herbs that are found among healers, confirming my assumptions, the guard called out to someone and a light elf approached us.

Unlike our escort, the healer was dressed in simple clothes, he had short hair and an uncomprehending look while the guard tried to explain what happened to the girls on the stretchers.

- How long do girls stay in this state? - The alarmed voice of the light elf was heard.

Approaching one of the girls and making different movements on the body, checking something and saying words unknown to me, I looked at Keirin, who nodded to me and came forward.

- Unfortunately, it is not possible to tell you the exact time. - Keirin turned to the light elf who, without being distracted, was checking other girls. - I think those who understand can help them if you, as a healer, know about the understanding light elves.

The surprised light elf looked up at Keirin while examining one of the girls and shook his head at the words of the light elf.

- I know about those who understand, or as the light elves also call them, the knowers. - The healer said in a thoughtful voice while examining Keirin. - But they do not leave the kingdom of the light elves, so we can only hope for our capabilities and the desires of these girls to live.

It was difficult for me to understand who Keirin and the healer were talking about, what kind of understanding light elves they were talking about, looking from one to the other, but no one tried to explain what they meant.

- You are right, they do not leave the kingdom of the light elves. - Keirin said agreeing with the words of the light elf. - Unless the order of the queen or king obliges them to leave the kingdoms of the light elves.

The laughter of the healer was heard, who just shook his head and returned to examine the girls.

Having examined them, the light elf gave orders to other healers who arrived in time, the girls who carried the stretcher did not want to leave those they were protecting and the healer had to place the remaining girls next to those who did not react at all.

- Trey, I'll stay here. I need to contact my parents and ask them to send someone who understands here. - Keirin turned to me, in her voice I heard that she had already decided everything for herself.

Smiling at her and nodding, I turned my gaze to the guard, who was looking blankly from me to Keirin.

Catching my gaze, the escort said a few words to the healers and led me up the stairs. Once on another floor, the escort led me along the corridor where there was no one, stopping near the door and knocking, a melodic voice was heard from the other side and the guard opened the door to let me inside.