The Infinite Bk. 02 Ch. 01

Finally, "Whoever's out there, either show yourselves or get off my land!"

A flash of light answered Joshua, a thunder spell striking him in the chest with its luminance worming through the smallest cracks and gaps in the barn walls. Noah heard the cry of pain, and the farmer fell to the ground.

'That went about as well as expected.'

He found a hole to look through, so narrow that he could only discern the light of five torches. He chipped at it with his knife, widening the hole enough to see.

"Oh look, he's back on his feet! You're getting weak, Cal!" one man said as he drew his sword.

Noah looked over and saw Joshua standing, but it was a struggle. He was wearing a metal chest plate strong enough to keep the spell from burning him. Unfortunately, it didn't protect him from electrocution, even if it was a nonlethal charge. Despite their flashiness, thunder spells appeared to be mana imitating lightning, or at least replicating it to some degree, meaning that they had different properties in how they dispersed and the impact they caused, with a significant drop in power compared to their natural counterpart.

Noah could see Joshua trembling as he gripped his sword, perhaps the result of his injuries, maybe imagining the handle to be the throat of whichever intruder killed his dog. What possessed him, fear or anger? Giving in to emotion would be a fatal mistake.

"Marco, Phil, kill him. Cal, hang back, make sure nobody runs off. Jozef, you search the barn. I'm going to see what goodies are in the house." The man who spoke appeared to be the group's leader, carrying an axe large enough to cleave a man in two.

"You stay back!" Joshua roared.

Two men approached him, one with a sword, the other carrying a chain. Joshua secured his footing as a blade swung toward his throat. He parried, and the resulting sparks looking like the stars above the clouds. Once, twice, three times more, their swords collided. Joshua was putting up a good fight. Despite his injuries, he seemed to be getting faster, and his swordsmanship hinted at the depths of his experience—a former adventurer perhaps, or maybe a retired soldier.

He dodged the second man's whipping chain and threw a small wooden mallet at him, a tool from inside the house. His aim was true, striking the man in the head, and while it wasn't enough to take him down, he staggered back, covering the developing lump and howling in pain.

The first man landed a lucky shot, trying to stab Joshua and instead leaving a deep cut across his arm. He was too close to slash, so Joshua struck him in the chin with the pommel of his sword. Before Joshua could deliver a finishing blow, his cohort lashed out with his chain. It wrapped around Joshua's sword, and he managed to keep hold of it. Joshua tackled the man, sending them both to the ground. He pinned the man down, both of them fighting for control of the sword as it approached his throat.

He was once again interrupted, this time by the leader. He strode over and kicked Joshua in the side of his face, hard enough to send him flying through the air, his jaw surely broken with severe head trauma. The leader's leg was glowing with runes, the sign of a body-enhancement spell.

"Monk magic," Noah muttered. He had seen other adventurers using those techniques, usually only able to apply it to one or two limbs.

"Quit screwing around! Is one farmer really too much for you guys to handle?!" the leader barked. He turned to another member, armed with a bow. "Jozef, quit gawking and open up that goddamn barn! You two come with me!"

Joshua wasn't getting up, so three bandits stormed into his house, and the screaming began. They soon emerged, each dragging a family member, struggling to break free.

"Oh, she's a feisty one! I call dibs!" the man with the chain laughed, wrapping said chain around Elizabeth's throat to try and stop her flailing.

"Not a chance. I told you, virgins sell better. If you want to get your wick wet, you'll wait your turn for this one," said the leader, holding Mary.

"I'll take the boy," said the one known as Cal. Noah recognized the robe he was wearing.

"Jozef, how's that barn coming?"

The archer, struggling to remove the wooden beam blocking the doors, finally had to put down his torch and use both hands to open the doors. There wasn't any warning, not even a glimmer of the blade as it sliced the man's neck open. Noah stepped out of the way to avoid the spraying blood and let the body fall to the ground. Then, seeing their comrade drop dead, the remaining four bandits began shouting.

"Who's in there?!" the man with the chain barked.

'Right now? Nobody,' thought Noah, approaching the bandits without leaving footprints in the grass.

"Phil, go check it out!" the leader barked, pulling Thomas from his hands. Before Phil could even complain, Noah's sword struck the indent between the nose and forehead, lopping off the top of his skull.

"What the fuck is this?! What the fuck is this?!" Marco, the chain-user, shouted.

The answer came in the form of his own chain wrapping around his neck, pulled tight and leaving him gasping for air. He rose off his feet, eyes bulging and mouth foaming. He let go of Elizabeth and clawed at the chain, with his boss watching in horror. He threw Mary and Thomas aside and charged with his axe, bifurcating his cohort at the waist.

"I'll kill you! I don't know who you are, but I'll fucking kill you!"

He began swinging wildly, trying to keep death at bay. He didn't see the arrow shot almost point-blank, but he did feel it punch through his skull, if only briefly. He fell to the ground, and a second arrow was planted in his chest for good measure. So many bodies fell, each drawing a cry of terror from Mary and her children. Cal, the last bandit, made the wise decision to flee, but Noah had already decided his fate. He aimed with his bow and shot the fleeing mage in the back, a nonlethal injury that sent him dropping to the ground.

Noah released his spell, seemingly stepping out of the darkness in front of Mary, making her and her children yelp in surprise. He handed her two healing potions and spoke in a calm voice. "Joshua is over there. If he's still alive, give him these. Get him inside, and don't come out until I tell you to."

He then merged with the night once more. He approached to Cal, his heart barely even raised and his demeanor stoic, compared to the wounded mage, sobbing as he tried to crawl away with a knife in his hand. It was a Kris, a dagger with a wavy blade, which would prove an abysmal choice. Noah grabbed his arm, and the mage, feeling the invisible hand gripping him with a merciless force, screamed in terror and swung wildly with his dagger.

"Lord Relampargoza, save me!"

Relampargoza was the god of thunder, but prayer would do him any good. A kick to the face put an end to the nonsense. Noah dragged the unconscious mage into the woods with the Kris in his other hand. He dropped him facedown onto the ground with his arms stretched out in front of him on a fallen log. What came next woke the man with a howl of agony.

Noah stepped back and released his invisibility, not that the man could see him, face-down in the dirt the way he was. The arrow in his back was no longer his greatest concern; it was now the dagger driven through his hands, pinning him to the log. The only way to free himself would be to lift his hands to reach the guard and dislodge the blade, like prying out a nail.

Unfortunately, the way his arms were outstretched, one of his shoulders would probably dislocate if he tried to do it from that position, not to mention the curved, widening blade would enlarge the wounds. He'd have to create space and leverage by raising his upper body, but with the arrow in his back, he was far from flexible at the moment. He was shivering, on the verge of falling into shock, and the ground against his face turned to mud from his tears and snot.

"This is a trick I learned in the military. Well, not THE military, rather A military. It's really good at getting the subject's attention, is it not?"

"P-p-p-please, I'll do what-what-whatever you want. Just let me go."

"You're free to leave whenever you want, if you can."

"W-w-w-w-what d-d-do you w-want from me?"

"I thought we could have a little chat. There are plenty of things I want to ask you, so first, I want you to explain everything you know about magic."

"Why are you doing this?"

Noah calmly picked up a stick and banged it against the handle of the Kris, hammering it deeper into the log and making it vibrate like a tuning fork, all to draw out fresh cries of agony.

"Funny thing about asking questions; it's one of the quickest ways to get yourself noticed. People don't like questions, especially when strangers ask them. The absence of knowledge they consider common raises red flags, marking you as an outsider. So, when I need deeper information, rather than asking regular people the easy way, I ask bad people the hard way. The answers aren't always reliable, so I have to do it to enough people for their overlapping answers to reveal the truth.

You do a good job, and I'll pull out the knife for you and send you on your way. You might even live long enough to make it to Took and get help. You do a bad job, and I'll leave you to deal with that knife alone. I suggest you consider how many beasts will be drawn by the smell of your blood and the sound of your whimpering.

I usually have a rule against stuff like this, but that's the great thing about scum like you. There aren't many people who would condemn me for this, so I can justify it as punishing you for your crimes rather than torturing you for information. And am I not merciful for giving you a chance to earn your life and freedom? Now, tell me everything you know about magic."

"Mana! It comes from mana! It's the power of the soul and given to us by the gods! I can turn my mana into lightning!"

"I am aware of that much."

"And runes! All magic is based on runes! They appear as spells are developed!"

From what Noah had seen, that much was true. Whenever a magic user casts a spell, magic circles would emerge around them, consisting of runes. For warriors, it appeared around their weapons, while for everyone else, it appeared around their bodies or whatever they might be trying to manipulate. It was spontaneous, beyond their control, but there was an exception he had come across: himself.

"And what are runes?"

"The language of the gods! That's what everyone says! They shape mana into magic!"

"And how do they work? How are they used for things like tools and weapons?"

"Fuck if I know!"

Noah hammered the dagger, making Cal scream. "That answer is unhelpful. Tell me of every type of magic you know."

"Mages control the elements! Water, wind, fire, earth, and thunder! Paladins summon the holy light! Monks get super strong! Warriors enhance their weapons! Shamans control animal spirits to transform themselves! Druids control the trees!"

"And alchemists?"

"I don't know shit about alchemists!"

A third strike was made on the dagger, driving it deeper into the tree and widening Cal's wounds. "I understand that you're bleeding out and not in a very cooperative mood, but whether you live or die depends on how useful you are."

"I don't know! I swear I don't know!"

Noah was beginning to hear movement nearby. "Very well, then let's change topics. Tell me about the bandits in this area. Are there any groups that I should know about? I suggest you don't lie to me."

"I don't know about other groups. They constantly form armies and then break up when the knights and soldiers ride in!"

By now, the growl had reached both Noah and Cal. Wolves were closing in. Cal began to scream and pull at the knife, not that it did him any good.

"Please, let me go!"

"You haven't told me anything specific or anything I don't already know." Noah stood up. "I'm far from impressed. I suppose I should get back to the farm."

"Wait, I did hear something! An ogre tribe is rumored to be passing through the area!"

"Go on."

"Big, one-eyed monsters! They come from the north, bloodthirsty nomads that eat whatever crosses their path! A tribe shows up in Uther every few years! They don't speak our tongue and kill us on sight! They're rabid beasts!"

Noah recalled the previous night, the glaring cyclops. 'If there is a tribe of those things in the area, it would probably be best to get to Took as soon as possible.'

The wolves had fully circled and weren't hiding their steps.

"Please! Let me go!"

"Well, I'd say you've earned a fighting chance." Noah pulled the knife out, and Cal held his hands to his face as if seeing the wounds would somehow make the pain disappear. Noah dropped the knife beside him. "I think you're going to need this more than me."

He then disappeared into the darkness, and the wolves, while confused as to how one of their prey had suddenly vanished beyond the reach of their senses, were glad that one meal still awaited them. Once more, Cal's screams echoed through the night, but by the time Noah reached the farmhouse, he had gone silent, and there were only the growls and yips of the wolves fighting over his corpse. It was always nice when loose ends solved themselves.

Noah searched the other bandits' bodies, took anything of use or value, and dragged them into the woods. The wolves would come after them next, so it was best they not be eaten right in front of the house. Finally, he did a quick sweep of the property in search of Bar, eventually finding the slain wolfdog. He had an arrow in his neck, a well-earned quick death. Noah summoned a glass bottle from within his ring and poured purple liquid on and around Bar.

A pungent smell filled the air, like skunk spray mixed with rotting flesh, forcing Noah to retreat. The liquid was an experiment of his to try and find a suitable monster repellent by combining various ingredients found in the wilderness. Unfortunately, it only worked for a few hours, and it was such a nasty stench that he couldn't use it anywhere near himself without getting sick, so he chalked it up as a failure. But, hopefully, it would keep the prowlers at bay until Bar could be buried.

His business done, Noah stepped up onto the porch and knocked on the door. "Hey, it's me."

There was movement inside, and Mary opened the door. "James," she said, holding a candle and sounding like she was on the verge of fainting.

"How are you folks doing? How's Joshua?" He looked past Mary, seeing the farmer lying atop the dinner table with his children around him. It was slow, but he sat up.

"He's alive, thanks to you. How can we ever repay you?"

"Well I'm going to go back to the barn to get a little more sleep while I can. I suggest you all do the same. After that, some breakfast would be lovely."

"I... uh... you... uh... consider it done," she stammered.

"Goodnight, then."

Noah returned to the barn and closed the doors behind him. Despite the stench of horses and goats, his makeshift bed felt as soft and cozy as a foam mattress. He still didn't know what time it was, but if a merciful god existed in this world, the sunrise would be an eternity away.

It felt like he heard the barn doors open just moments after he closed his eyes. He instinctively drew his knife and sat up to face the intruder, only to find Joshua. The sun was rising outside, an unwelcome sight. Oh well, a better night's sleep wasn't far off.

"Good morning," Noah said as he rubbed the tiredness from his eyes. Instead of replying, Joshua prostrated, bowing with his forehead pressed to the ground.

"I do not deserve to be your host. I belittled your profession last night, and then you saved not only my life, but the lives of my wife and children. I relied on someone I called a stranger because I was too weak to protect my family. This is a shame I will never live down."

Noah sat back down to put his boots on. "Don't worry, you're forgiven. While I can't say I applaud your manners in insulting your guest, I'm not invested enough in adventuring to take anything personally. As for the incident last night, you fought remarkably well despite being wounded. Be proud of yourself." He got back onto his feet. "By the way, I found Bar at the southern end of the field. I'm afraid he didn't make it."

"Did... he suffer?"

"No, he died well. I poured some monster repellent on him, so hopefully, you can still do a proper burial. He might stink, though."

Joshua looked away, wiping away some tears. "Come on, Mary is putting breakfast on the table."

They left the barn and returned to the farmhouse, where, upon entering, Noah found Mary and her children bowing at almost perfect right angles.

"You saved this family, and for that, we will be forever grateful."

Noah nodded. "Thank you."

They gathered around the table for breakfast and joined hands for grace. "Lord Lumendori, we thank you for the bright and beautiful day that awaits us, and we thank you for allowing us to cross paths with this young man beside us. We would not be here without him," said Joshua.

"Amen," Mary and the kids replied.

Even worse than the previous night, Thomas was excited and curious, bombarding Noah with questions, most of them about how he pulled off the fight from last night. Joshua and Mary reeled him in, but Noah dodged and deceived the questions that got through. Breakfast was bread and eggs with some cheese, and Noah, wanting to get out on the road, ate fast. He then stood up and bowed his head.

"It is time for me to be off. Thank you once again for the meals and shelter."

He returned to the barn and loaded up his horse with his few possessions, and as he turned to leave, he found Joshua standing at the entrance, holding out the silver coin from last night. "I can't let you leave without this, not after what you did for us."

Noah didn't bother trying to refuse and accepted the coin. He had simply hoped that Joshua would forget the second he promised him. He got onto his horse and departed for Took. Joshua and his family were good, honest people, yet as soon as Noah returned to the road, his mind discarded their names.

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