45 Liquidation

The late spring morning still had too much of bite for Mateo's taste. Wolf's Rest and the timberland forest surrounding it were just high enough in elevation that cold still nipped at him. His path outside of town was littered with the stumps of cut down trees that offered no protection against the chill winds. The middle-aged man didn't want to be here this early, in these conditions. The old wounds were gone, but the thought of them aching again from exposure to the elements frightened him.

Mateo continued down the muddied path made by numerous footprints and cut logs pushed and scraped across the forest floor. The sound of falling trees began to grow louder as he neared his destination. The path ended where it once again met the forest. A few groups of young men were encircled around the numerous trees in front of him, tools in hand as they each sawed their way through their respective trunks. They were just one team of the numerous woodcutters that called Wolf's Rest home. Mateo stood there, his arms slightly wrapped around his body in an effort to keep himself warm, until one of the men noticed him.

The woodcutter stared at him in surprise for a moment until he called out a name from within the other groups. Another man looked at his direction before moving his attention towards Mateo. The second woodcutter called another man over who was drinking out of his flask to take over his job as he began to walk towards the new arrival.

"Cousin Mateo!" he shouted with a smile as he moved to greet the adventurer. "S'good you come to visit me. How are you?"

Mateo grunted in displeasure, "I'm fine... Cousin." he spat the last word out with venom, "I'll be leaving again on an excursion later this morning. I came to see if we got any word from the family."

The man's expression changed from warm to one of exasperation. With his back turned, only Mateo could see the glare he gave to the adventurer, "I heard that you took care of a group of bandits camped nearby in the mountains. Did you get your share of the loot? I know Father's been awaiting a present for his birthday that's coming up."

Mateo didn't shy away from the man's sudden aggressive tone, "There were... complications. I found the perfect gift but it was in someone else's hands before I could find it myself. Maybe this new job will give me enough to buy it off him."

The man kept eyeing him sharply, "And what is this new job?"

"A trip back into the mountains. Maybe I can find something out there that'll give the finishing touches on dear old Uncle's present. It'll be coming with us too." Mateo began to turn away, "With that I'm-"

"Hold it." The woodcutter grabs Mateo's shoulder, "I have a message from Father."

Mateo vigorous rolls his shoulders to remove the man's grip on him before facing him once more, "And does dear old Uncle want?"

"He's changing the stock in his store back north. He wants help in liquidating most of his smaller products on the shelf. We're shifting to a much safer focus on our product line." His face went grim, "It was Grandfather's idea."

Mateo snorted, "We were going to do that anyway. Why bother telling me?"

"Because he's coming by in a few days to test out his new wares. And he wants you to come along. You can give him his birthday present when he meets up with you. Don't think we need any extras anymore. He wants something new and exciting. Grandfather says we have too many antiques already."

Mateo's face sank, "...Can he wait a few more days? I prefer to give him my present without anyone else around. It's... embarrassing."

The corner of the woodcutter's mouth turned into a cruel smile, "Don't tell me that's been on your mind? I'm sure Father will give you help in bartering for it. You know how good of a merchant he is. Not like the other merchants Grandfather sends around the lands. He has quite the tongue. And besides, Father wouldn't like it if you gave it to him late. He doesn't like tardiness, you know... especially after all the help Grandfather gave you at your time of need."

Mateo's own eyes began to blaze at the woodcutter's words, "I'll make sure it gets into his hands." And with that he begins to turn away once more. He gets a few steps in before he stops dead in his tracks again. Turning back at the man, he says, "Before I go... what exactly is the new stock they plan on selling."

The woodcutter looks back at him lazily, "Oh that? Well that's the other reason why Father is so excited to get down here. You know all that news up in Haldin? Grandfather says they have a new market because of all the excitement that happened there the last few months. Something that'll stir up the business that they've been focusing on back home. It's a new craze that's got everyone up in a tizzy."

"A new craze?"

"Golems." The man adjusts his gear and begins to head back to his work group, "Oh and just so you know... Father has your Keys in his possession. So don't screw it up. Or he just might lose it. Giving him two presents might make him more generous."

Mateo growled, "Will he really?"

"I think we both know the answer to that, Mateo."

Back on the path to town, Mateo grits his teeth; biting into his chin. He can barely feel it at all.

***

The procedure, I'm glad to say, was a success. I went through each of the man's wounds, burning out the infection. He grunts in pain each time I placed my scorching hot finger into each of his lacerations and around his amputations but it was quickly replaced by a sigh of relief as my healing touch soothed and mended his flesh, leaving barely a scar on his skin.

The Seer's apprentice and Aaric huddled around me as I methodically went through each wound one by one. From the corner of my vision I could see them gawping at my technique. I guess my unorthodox approach at healing has left them a bit dumbfounded. This isn't something anyone can do. or whatever they called it is a rare skill from what I've been told. Combine that with my and I can do some pretty unique things. Of course, this is all by my body's design. Not something you trained for. It makes me wonder, given the choice, would they give up their flesh to become something like me, with all it's benefits and drawbacks?

...What I would give to feel the breeze again.

After a final look around to make sure I had missed nothing, I grasped both of his stumps gently with each hand and sent a generous wave of throughout his whole body to ease any tension and pain left over. The man released a deep exhale of air as the pulse washed over him.

"Gods I feel so much better!" he exclaimed, while I cleaned the trail of blood and pus that escaped as I was operating.

I turned up my head to look at him, "You should be conserving your energy instead of talking. You've lost some blood, you know and spells can't bring that back."

I could see his eyes shift to the side as he growled, "Now you're starting to sound like the Seer, you know." He could barely finish his sentence as the apprentice began staring daggers at him and slide slowly into his cot. The wolf pup beside us yipped and began to jump in excitement.

Aaric looked fondly at her, "Well, she's happy you're OK for all it's worth." The pup let out a bark in agreement

The Seer Apprentice gave her an inquisitive look, "A wolf pup, you said this was? I haven't taken a good look at her until now but is she a mutt? She has some features that don't look wolf like..." the wolf pup stopped her prancing and began to emit a low growl. I patted her on the head and picked her up to calm her down. When I looked back at the apprentice, her face was flushed with confusion.

"Are those... two tails?" she asked slowly. I could see little blips of red light flash sporadically on her apron as panic swelled up in me.

"Ohhh... uh... we found her along with the spoils in the bandit fortress," I said, trying to bullshit our way out of this new predicament, "I think they were planning on selling her on the black market as some exotic pet or s-something."

It was then that Aaric stepped forth, "We're taking care of her for now," he says confidently, "We're planning on releasing it back into the wild after we've reunited her with her family. I'm sure the 'Seer' and the 'Guildmaster' would prefer it that way."

With Aaric putting emphasis on each of the titles he spoke of, the Apprentice quickly had a sudden dawning of realization come into her mind.

Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

"Oh... right, "She says slowly, "I'm sure the Seer has plenty of knowledge about... mutations that happens to animals around here. Well, I'm still an apprentice after all..."

There are already enough witnesses to what the wolf pup truly is already. It's better that we don't spread it more than it already has. Getting her back to her father expediently and without any hassle is the ideal situation.

Luckily for us, the noise of the door opening caught everyone's attention as Mateo entered the make-shift infirmary. His head, despite burdened with a thick layer of clothing wrapping his large body, still turned deftly as he sets us in his sights.

"Guildmaster told me you'd be here," his voice boomed, "You all ready to go?"

Both Aaric and I nodded as I turned back to the Apprentice, "I'll treat the rest of the patients when I get back. But continue with the normal treatments, just in case." That familiar sickly feeling wafts in the back of my mind. It's just another day on patrol. I am coming back, right?

I hear a soft whimper directed at me as I look down towards the wolf pup in my arms. Can it sense what I'm feeling even in this featureless body of mine? I pet her head one more time to assure her I'm OK.

Stepping outside, we do one final check on our gear and supplies before we head up north into the forest. The bandit fortress would be our first stop. If we could find anything that could point us in the right direction, it would be there first.