We have been standing on guard for quite a while, while Larn suffers.

"We can't continue like this" I say. We haven't moved, we don't know where the enemy is, so we merely stay vigilant. According to what Kamas said, they may have some kind of ability that obfuscates them in some form or another.

"Right" Bern says. "What do we do? Can you move, Larn?"

"Yeah, but fighting is probably impossible." I look at his left arm that was pierced. He had since then removed the spear and bandage but that bandage turned red real quick and there was a lot of blood that fell on the ground. I am not certain on the effects of blood loss in this world, but it probably has some negative effect.

"What do we do?" I repeat Bern's question, but to myself in a low voice, while thinking about the circumstances. It's scary fighting something we can't see.

"We have got to move" Kamas says.

I simply nod, but I don't think I am in his line of sight, so I add a vocal confirmation "Okay".

"Bern, you support Larn, Yos, watch our backs" Kamas has somehow become the de facto leader as he issues orders, and we form up with Kamas at the front, Larn and Bern in the middle and me at the back. I am trying to stay vigiliant and block any more missile attacks that may come.

"Do we have anything to make a trap with?" Kamas asks.

"I think I can make some with my magic, but they'd last a few minutes at most" I answer. I haven't explicitly tried it, but I think if I combine creation and bestowal magic, I can create something that would explode if stepped on.

"Not good enough, any other ideas?" Kamas asks again, as he leads us off the road.

Bern inquires "Where are we headed?"

"We need to find somewhere, where there is only one entrance. I am certain that we could do something about that. However, if they just waited outside we would be in a heap of trouble. I was thinking of going to one and waiting for morning, while booby trapping the entrance so that we can rest and leave in the morning."

"Can't I just stand guard?" I ask. "I mean, I don't need sleep, but that guy probably does."

"Are you confident that you can protect us alone?" Kamas asks.

"No, but it is better than nothing" I don't know how his power works at all, but if he has stayed far away from us so far, it is probably severely limited in close quarters.

"Are there any abandoned dungeons nearby?" I ask.

"The closest one is the one we went to on your first request, but that is on the other side of the city". I remember, it took a few hours in a decent walking pace.

It is quite late in the day, it is getting dark to the point where we are able to see nothing and when it does, I fear we are done for.

"There's a forest close by, we will pass through and hope we drop their pursuit" Kamas comes up with a new plan of action.

I get an idea. This guy is a gift user and can therefore use spells. Maybe he is following us using read. I have used plenty of my mana, so only the three other guys should be visible. I instruct the others in a low voice, in case there should be anyone close enough to hear:

"I will try something, you guys go ahead for another 10-15 minutes without changing anything when I do".

Bern turns his head, but as Kamas keeps walking, he and Larn starts too. Luckily it seems Kamas at least trusts me enough to try this, I just hope it pans out.

As we get a little into the forest, I break away from the group and I move behind a tree so that I shouldn't be visible if anyone should approach us from where we came from.

A few minutes later, I hear footsteps on the undergrowth. I feel myself panic a little. I planned this far, but this guy seems to be a seasoned adventurer with a gift. I may be strong, but I am still weaker than Kamas and especially Mynie, so I am under no delusion that I can fight this fairly. I tense up a little more.

It is hard to pinpoint the footsteps in the short amount of time allotted to me, but I get a general idea. As I feel he has approached closely enough, I charge out from the tree as fast as possible, trying to pierce him with my sword. But with what looked like a little panic, me manages to parry himself with a peculiar dagger, that has a wide guard on it.

Shit! I hoped this would end in quick swoop, but I am not so lucky. I get a look, but it is harder to see in the dark, and now inside a forest too, but this is the man with a covered head from the mansion earlier. I take a stance, trying to find a plan of attack. He is holding what looks like one of those tools Larn uses to launch javelins with incredible speed in one hand and the weird dagger in the other. As long as I pressure him and prevent him from drawing a proper weapon, I should have some advantage over him.

However, to my surprise he seems to carelessly stroll toward me. His weapon is short range, so I try to gauge the distance and strike at a crucial moment. But when I do so, something weird happens. I was sure I was aiming straight at him, but as my sword reached it's destination, it simply went through with no resistance, and I quickly to draw back, but I feel a heavy stinging pressure on my arm, which buckles under the pain and pressure and I withdraw it. It didn't pierce me due to my incredibly tough skin, and I quickly slash at the man's new position as soon as I recover from the pressure and pain. He seems baffled at his weapon's ineffectiveness, chance! And I get a deep cut on his left arm as a result.

We are back to facing each other, him being one wound down, but I still don't get his power.