Duskbound

Chapter 17

It was generally considered rude to use skills on another person without their permission, even something as benign as [Identify]. Torwin wasn't a stickler for manners, but considering how little danger he'd be in even if the whole town banded together and had a serious go at trying to murder him, he felt like he could run the risk of following an unknown teenage girl to a secondary location.

Besides, there's no point in antagonizing her when I'm hoping to get some information out of this conversation. Morgus alone could find another person within ten miles who might actually tell me what I want to know.

They entered a leatherworking shop three streets over. "We can talk here," the girl said. "My mom owns the place."

There were no customers, nor was there anyone else in the building. It was just her, a lot of belts, coats, boots, and gloves on display, and him. He shifted in place and peered curiously at the wares. This stuff's not bad. Jensen would turn his nose up at it, but the boots look like they'd hold up to someone with physical 30 running on them, and that's without any sort of enchantment.

"I appreciate you helping me figure this out. My name's Torwin. What's yours?"

"Sildra," she said.

"Alright, Sildra. Tell me the story, please."

"I don't know all of it. I was just a kid myself when it happened so this is just what I remember. Nobody really told me what was going on. Someone came to the house and talked to my parents, and then they got me and asked if I'd seen Chalin and Velik. I told them I hadn't, didn't think much of it, and went back to whatever it was I was doing.

"It wasn't until a few days later the monsters started showing up. I remember because at first no one was worried about it. I mean, monsters happen. The local watch took care of them, everyone talked to their kids that evening about staying close to the village and running away if we saw a monster, and we all went on with our lives."

She paused for a second and thought. "I do remember some of the adults speculating that the two missing boys might have been killed by the monsters. They'd been gone for a few days by that point, and the timing made sense. Chalin's dad got into a fist fight with someone over it."

It wasn't hard to picture that scene. In fact, something similar had happened in the village Torwin had grown up in thirty years ago. The only difference was that he'd already been an adult with a family, not a kid on the periphery of what was happening. He could still distinctly remember the twisting ache in his gut when his hunting party had found the missing child, or what was left of him, about a day before the horde had reached the village.

"Everyone thought that was the end of it, but then the next night, a bunch more monsters invaded," Sildra continued, oblivious to Torwin's own reminiscing. "That was when the bodies started piling up. Twenty people died before the watch got things under control. We found out later that a few of the more remote farms were completely overrun."

He didn't need the play-by-play, not for an all-too-familiar story, but Torwin didn't rush the girl. He'd ask his questions when she was done. Hopefully the answers would help him get this whole problem sorted out.

"There were three attacks, I think. I guess it depends how you count them. We were still fighting off one wave when another one hit the last time," she said. "Chalin's father lived through them, but Velik's whole family was killed.

"New face in town, huh?" the stouter of the two asked.

"Hired to kill monsters," Torwin said. "I was just looking at the lovely selection of boots on display here."

"Make sure that's all you're looking at," the tall lumberjack said darkly.

"Knock it off," Sildra scolded him. "Mr. Torwin wasn't doing anything like what you're trying to imply. He's been nothing but professional and courteous."

"That so? 'cause I heard he got thrown out of the Boar for hassling people about that fucker who nearly got the town wiped out. Not a good look on a man, that."

If I push now, it's going to make trouble for her. I think I've got the shape of things, and there's probably not much she can tell me that's actually relevant. It's beyond obvious that I need to check on this old dungeon to see if it's come back to life, and also that I need to cuss out whoever put together the job posting and neglected to mention that fact.

"I'll come back some other time to praise your skills," Torwin said. "Maybe when your mother is here so nobody gets any untoward ideas about my motivations."

"Ah... Sure," the girl said, her brow furrowed as she watched him leave. "It was nice meeting you."

"You as well," he said.

Torwin exited the shop and circled around to get away from the windows, then paused to listen to the conversation not so far away.

"I hope you weren't running your mouth to that outsider," the stout one said.

"I'll talk to whoever I please about whatever I please," Sildra snapped back.

Got spine, that one, more than some of the new hunters I've seen.

"Nobody's going to save you if you get yourself in trouble. Don't go screwing with things that are over your head," the tall lumberjack threatened. "Here's your money. Tell your mother I said thanks for the quick work."

Torwin waited to make sure both men left the shop, then went to go fetch his apprentice. He'd learned what he needed and confirmed his next move. It was time to get out of Deshir before his presence caused problems.