They were in the Boar's Hunter tavern, and Noviel was getting a lot of bad vibes from it. Why did she accept Geral's idea to enter here? Yes, it was the inn where he lived, and they had good and cheap food. And now, the last memories she had with Spartacius invaded her mind. She had thought she had brought it behind her but seeing the place where everything happened was taking a great toll on her.

She swallowed hard, trying to concentrate on the conversation, cold sweat running on her back.

They were celebrating their first successful quest. They've received fourteen silver for the seven wolves they managed to kill. That was three silver and fifty copper for each. It was not much, but it was the first day she and Awa had made more money than they'd spent. Plus, Awa was now a mage level five.

Geral was just questioning her:

“I have not seen any mage casting with his eyes? I wonder why? How do you do this?”

Instead of Awa, Anabella answered:

“Because it is not practical to cast through your eyes. The problem is that this impends your vision.” - she turned towards Awa - “how do you see when you cast the spell?”

“True, I see almost nothing, but I still see some contours.”

Anabella eyed her:

“Hm. That might be interesting. Try to concentrate on these contours when you cast that spell.”

Noviel wondered:

“Why?”

“I have the feeling that those contours are not seen through normal sight but through magic. Not seeing at all would be normal. Seeing some contours is encouraging. You may gain some skill: seeing through magic. That would be awesome if it really happens!”

“But why could she spell such strong spells? Are you sure with her level?”

Geral turned to Noviel, looking inquiringly at her. It was again Anabella who answered:

“She can currently cast spells above her capacity because she is using ambient mana. This will no longer make such a difference at higher levels, but now it helps her a lot.”

Awa was not really happy being the subject of the conversation, but she had to endure this. They were now actually celebrating her level. Noviel was silent as she had eyes only for the group that entered the tavern. A group of six guards plus a nun: mother Agnes.

“There she is!”

Mother Agnes pointed towards their table. Noviel hesitated whether to tell the others, especially Awa, to run, but more guards were probably surrounding the inn. She looked at Geral and Anabella. Will they fight for Awa or against her? Was she alone with the little mage?

As the group approached them, mother Agnes could no longer contain her fury:

“You thief, you are now cornered!” - she screamed, looking at Awa and then eyed Noviel - “I am so disappointed in you, girl!”

Noviel was getting a feeling of deja vu. She almost felt as if Spartacius would be at her side. The ghost in her imagination turned towards her and grinned:

“Would you shoot now? You could not shoot them for me, but you'll shoot them for her?”

She answered a barely audible:

“Yes, I would. I am sorry!”

Anabella watched her, surprised, but Geral did not hear her. He watched the approaching guards and asked with typical player indolence:

“Is there something?”

Awa's head turned from one to the other. She was afraid.

“You cannot trick me with this shit!”

Mother Agnes gripped Awa's ears, forcing her head down. Awa screamed in pain, trying to free herself, battering her with her hands.

Anabella screamed, but mother Agnes took a knife, and before anybody could stop her, she cut one of Awa's ears.

Everybody jumped to their feet, but before anybody would have done anything, fire erupted from Awa's eyes, enveloping the nun. As her head was down, the fire first engulfed the lower part of the nun, but as the nun released her, shocked, Awa raised her eyes, and the nun was completely engulfed in flames.

Awa stood, blood dripping from her ear, two red charcoals replacing her eyes. The nun screamed in pain, covered by flames. She fell to the ground.

The sergeant screamed.

“Stop your spell, mage!”

All guards pointed their spears towards them but made a couple of steps back.

Awa's eyes lost their flame, turning back to their purple colour. She looked cold and poised, standing there without saying a word, but Anabella realized she was only shocked and baffled.

A couple of guards could extinguish the fire covering the crumbling nun.

“She is still alive!”

One guard told the sergeant. He nodded.

“Take her to the priest; he may save her life.”

He sighed and turned towards the group.

“It was an unprovoked attack, we will not arrest her, but the mage has to leave the town. There is no place here in this town for her.”

“But sir, Mother Agnes has identified her as the fugitive!”

Only now did Noviel see the other nun. The sergeant answered tiredly:

“Your nun made clearly a mistake. This mage is an initiate level two, not an aspirant with no knowledge. Nobody could have progressed so fast; besides, everybody can see that her ears are her own. I do not ask for payment for her injury as she did enough damage herself.”

The nun did not give up. She came forward and pointed at Noviel:

“You! Swear that she is not the runaway Ayra! Swear it by your most holy thing!”

The sergeant shrugged. As all eyes turned to her, Noviel leaned on the table, looking back at the nun. She spoke calmly:

“I am a renegade. I have been told to leave and not dare come back. I have been excluded from the camp. You have no right to ask anything from me!”

“Swear you wrench!”

Noviel huffed:

“Mephisto should take you!”

Probably not the kind of swear the nun wanted.

“You! I will... ”

The guards removed the screaming nun. The sergeant turned back towards the group and pointed at Awa. Her ear and half ear twitched when he spoke to her:

“Before night, you should be out of town!”

He left, followed by the rest of the guards. The four looked at each other. Geral looked confused at them:

“Does any of you happen to know what was this all about?”

Anabella shrugged:

“Whatever this was about, we will leave. As the girls wanted anyhow to go to Silver Town, I think I will accompany them. I want to see what is left of the city and if the rumours are true. There is a reward of four gold for info about it. That's a lot of money, you know?”

Geral sighed and shook his head.

“What I heard so far does not sound good. I will not go there and advise you not to, but I guess it would be better to leave here for a while too. If you agree, I would like to accompany you on the first part of the road as I want to go to the province's capital.”

“ Gordogswar?” - Anabella shrugged and smiled - “well, then we'll be together for another day" - she turned towards Noviel and Awa - “I need to make some preparations. What about we all meet in front of the gates in about one hour?”

The girls nodded. She turned to Geral. He shrugged:

“I just need to pick up my things and am ready in an instant.” - he turned towards Awa and Noviel - “with those crazy nuns, maybe it is not good for you two to go alone. If you wait just one minute, I'll accompany you to your inn?”

The two girls nodded, and he went to his room whilst Anabella left to make her preparations.