The house was around 20 feet in width and 30 feet in length, a fairly large building for equally large family, also including all the helpers and hired workers. But there was only one room that was my point of interest, that being the one holding Kastan Thornheart.

  He was stationed in a room separate to the rest of the house, at the very back of the building, meaning that if the doors were locked, nobody would interfere with my business. The problem lied in the entry point, as the door lead to the main living space filled with people, who were now saying their pre-dinner prayers. Another way to enter, was through a window, but there was another problem. The table that the mage sat by, was facing the window.

  Judging that forcing my way through a family of farmers was gonna alert the target, I would enter via the window. So it was time to reposition.

  Slowly moving across the wall, made me realize that between the entry point and the closest cover - in form of some bushes - was about 10 yards. If I were lucky, I might be able to distract Kastan somehow, where an opportunity to close the distance and jump through the window arises.

  But thinking will not do everything by itself, so I had to act. I've lowered my torso closer to the ground, moving away from the building, before I've sneaked towards the bush. Being overly careful and slow costed me few minutes to cross about 30 yards, but I did not move suddenly, as to avoid bringing anyone's attention to myself.

  Crouching behind the bush almost completely covered my silhouette, while still giving me somewhat good view over the window, but especially what was behind it. A man, scribbling on a piece of paper. His robe was nothing special, probably a rushed purchase to cover his tracks. A simple red fabric, without any gems or metals, which casted a bit of doubt if he was the same man that I had to hunt down. But what's the chance that two fire mages were in the same town, with one being a hunted renegade and other an arsonist?

  Casting my doubts aside, I steeled my resolve and looked down at the ground. Nothing but grass, no rocks or pebbles anywhere near me. So throwing stuff at the wall is out of the picture and another way to distract was needed. No branches, beside the bush I've been hiding behind. That was also out of the picture, thanks to the short distance from Kastan, so he'd very likely hear the commotion. I could maybe throw my knife at the wall, hoping that he'd try and check what was the sound, but it also meant I had no secondary weapon to fight in the small room, where my sword would be too long to swing comfortably. But that reminded me of the knife, which was still in the bag, unpacked.

  Opening the bag, I looked at the contents inside, wondering what would be needed in the upcoming fight, what was better left in the bush for safekeeping, but most importantly - what could be used as a distraction. The bundle of rope would be immediately needed to bind the mage or the mercenaries, so without much thinking, I've put it across my torso, settling it in the same way, the bag was stationed previously. The sword all together was a problem, so it would pose as the distraction, so I've unbuckled it and held it across my palms, readying myself for the action.

  A minute passed, the mage was still busy and I was ready. Time to start the action.

  I've slowly rose from my hiding spot and threw my sword - still in scabbard - under the window. The iron blade rattled against the wooden covering, the holding belt smashed into the wall of the house, all together making a ton of noise. By the time the weapon hit the ground, I already hid back behind the bush, very carefully observing every single move of the mage.

  After the commotion begun, Kastan jumped from the chair, pushing it back and throwing it over, as he stared at the window. I observed as he maneuvered around the table, trying to peek to the left and right, seeing what exactly happened. Seconds were passing slowly, so slowly in fact, when the mage turned around to face the door to his room, I've observed it in slow motion. First step, mid-way to a second, I've kicked the ground and launched myself forward, through the bush.

  To cover the distance between me and the wall, took me three large steps, but I didn't bother with the fourth. Instead I've jumped at the window, diving head first and flying over the table. But I've misjudged my plan terribly. Where I planned to land and do a roll, there was a previously overturned chair. My body moved before any idea formed in my head, arms extending forward to stop myself from crashing my face into the furniture. My palms hit the wood first, slowing my flight enough, that my legs managed to clear the table, smashing onto the floor. I was in the room, crouched and quickly moving my eyes up to see my opponent. To my horror, I've seen flames.

  First spark flew in front of my eyes, as I've watched him pull back his hand over his head. In his gloved palm, what could only be described as a ball of living flames, flying and licking at the air. I've stood up, but before I could dodge, the fireball has hit me in the stomach. The pain was comparable of getting hit in the gut by a hammer, yet I was not pushed back. Instinctually I've looked down at my stomach, seeing my gambeson with a hole inside of it burnt through, my skin red like a ripe apple, but not melting. Good enough.

  Biting through the pain, I've moved forward, forcing my body to move, when it wanted to collapse in pain, my knife already aimed at Kastan's still extended arm. He tried moving it away, avoiding the blade, but the very tip sliced through his palm, deep. When he finally pulled his hand fully, a streak of blood gushed out of it. As if to ignore the wound, the same right hand moved up to form another projectile, but I moved faster. My first strike was fast, but my recovery from the move was even faster. By the time he stepped back, I've already moved up to him, closing the distance more than before. I was smaller than him, both weight and height wise, so when he tried to swat a burning hand at my face, I've managed to easily crouch and avoid getting hit. In the crouched position I've stabbed the knife into his left thigh, right above the knee.

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  The scream that came from his throat was loud enough to probably alert the adventurer's sleeping outside. I could only pray that Abi was good enough to subdue them without injury.

  Kastan's hands went immediately to his leg, as he watched the knife remain embedded. I didn't pull it out, instead I've got up, lifting my right leg and pulling it back. A quick extend, my foot planted on his chest for but a moment. I already knew while kicking, that I've put too much force into it. Between him and the door was few inches, but when my leg was fully extended post-kick, he flew through it, smashing into the person behind them. This someone was the man of the house, now laying on the ground with the mage on top of him, surrounded in splinters and wood fragments. Six sets of eyes were locked on me. But I couldn't stop now.

  I reached to grab the rope I had on me, but my hand met nothingness. I looked down, and there it was, burned through the bottom, now scorched and in about ten pieces, each of the same length. Then the heat. The impact of the fireball had to burn a hole through my gambeson clean through, but the residual heat was strong enough to ignite the linin, and I was standing in very flammable clothing. My hands immediately grabbed both sides of the jacket, opening it and forcing it off my body, as I threw it to the ground. My undershirt was ruined, with a hole on the stomach, but it was not burning, so at least I had some dignity remaining, with my chest covered.

  When I looked back at Kastan, he didn't look like he wanted to continue the fighting, struggling to breath, right hand clenched on his thigh, trying to stop the bleeding of either his leg or palm, or both at the same time. But the head of the house, a man with muscles built on backbreaking farm labor stood up an was ready to attack me, until a sound of glass breaking alerted him, making him look away. A single punch in his gut was enough to force him to his knees. Before any other man even had a chance to act, my both hands were planted solidly on Kastan's collar, lifting him up effortlessly.

  I tried to say some one-liner, to be a cool and savage mercenary, but nothing came to my mind, so instead I've lifted my knee, planting it in his stomach once, then second time. He spat blood in my direction, covering my shirt and cheek. He was done with fighting.

  Abigail was already aware that any sudden commotion would be a signal to attack, so when she heard a scream, there was no time to waste. She closed the distance to the group of adventurers, while focusing her mind on the barrel of rain water nearby. She had to immediately stop, as she strained against the weight of the water, but when she threw her arms to the side, about 20 gallons splashed over the first two people - a spearman and an archer. They were still scrambling out of their tents, when a wave of dark liquid splashed across them, throwing them flat on the ground, before it suddenly froze solid in place.

  She could see the two warriors in front of her, one was already on his feet with his sword out, while his buddy was raising behind him, with a shield but no weapon, looking frantically around. That was dangerous, she was meant to incapacitate all of them, not only half. Abi frantically looked around for a container of water, when a sudden crash rang through the building. Both warriors looked over, with one immediately rushing towards the farmhouse.

  "Keep her busy, I'll check it out!" He screamed as he walked towards the door. He did not look behind, having trust in his companion.

  The water magician acted fast, locating a small wooden bowl with water in it. She immediately froze the water in it and using the same amount of force as with the barrel, pushed it towards the man standing in front of her. The block of ice hit him in the side, immediately shattering on impact against his chainmail, with a cascade of ice shavings, fragments and sounding as if a glass pane has broke. Abi turned then towards the forth mercenary, who reached the door and opened it.

  Before she had a chance to even think how to stop him, his head flew back and he collapsed on the ground, either dead or unconscious. In the doorway now stood Karya, glaring angrily at the adventurer, grabbing his sword and immediately pointing it inside the house.

  "Not a single step, or I'll kill you." She shouted towards the insides, before looking at Abi and waving her over.

  The operation did not end up as I wanted, but she somehow managed to avoid death. Abi was in one piece, covering Kastan's rope bindings with ice, to mute his potential magic with her own.

  "You sure it will hold? I don't want a fireball to hit me in the back this time." I've exclaimed, standing over her.

  "It should work, if what my master taught me, was true. The ice should dampen the mana around his hands, counteracting his own magics. In a very short explanation, my ice will disable his fire."

  "Should I break his fingers to be sure?" Abi glared at me. She remained silent for bit, either wondering about the possibility, or questioning my methods, but in the end just ignored me.

  Instead, I've looked towards the family, who sat back at the table, too scared to move and trying not to get our attention. An older woman, two young girl and the burly man I've punched. Now they were all equally afraid of confrontation, with the man rubbing his belly, probably still in pain from my punch.

  "Sorry for that, had to act quickly. The situation didn't allow for an explanation on the spot." I've said, before walking over and dropping four silver coins on the table. "And that's recompense for the door. Once again, sorry."

  They were still afraid, but the older woman - probably the mother - grabbed the coins and politely bowed, while still sitting. None of them willing to speak. I stepped away from them and looked outside, where two farm hands were now pouring water on the adventurers. As they were potentially innocent and only hired to protect Kastan, we decided that they will be let loose, but only when the magical ice melts naturally. I was very strict towards Abi, about not releasing them immediately.

  Few seconds later, the girl stood up and clapped her hands, proud of her work. "Alright, that should be enough. How do we transport him back to Amandor?"

  I've looked down at his roughly bandaged leg, knowing he's in bad shape. I've simply walked over and lifted him up to his feet effortlessly, crouched and threw him over my shoulder like a sack of sand. I slowly stood up, planting my hand on his lower back and getting accustomed to the new center of weight. Abi whistled at my action, and I heard her move out of the way. I already knew it would be annoying carrying him all the way, but I only hoped that nothing bad will happen on our way back.

  "We can go. You carry my bag for me though, oh and my sword."

  "Where are they?" She lifted her brow, not noticing both items on my person.

  "Outside the window I jumped threw is the sword, bag is in the bushes a bit away from the window itself."

  Abi gave me an eager nod and jogged over to where I described my items to be. Now was time for the difficult job of getting back to town.