Chapter 13: Help From An Unfamiliar Place

"Are you strong? Are you smart? Or fast? Prove yourself!"

A man was advertising an event outside of where various competitions were being held.

Dozens of people entered the arena and were watching young men and women compete.

Depending on the challenge, ranging from strength to agility to intelligence, the winner of each competition will get a paying job in that area.

These facts made Tye's eyes to sparkle.

Getting up from his seat, he wanted to join in on the fun.

But he had a job of searching for the North-eastern Duke's daughter, so he sat back down.

After a while of seeing winners and losers, a particular competitor caught his eyes.

She had joined every competition and won every one of them.

And when entering, the announcer said she was a 'rookie'.

The announcer, feeling ashamed, said

"People gathered here! Look at your winner!"

Everyone peered closer reaching the edge of their seats to hear what job she'd get.

So far, other winners were given the chance to become certified adventurers or archers, which would increase people's trust in their services.

And due to this woman had a good run in all the events from strength to agility to intelligence, she had a job like no other.

The announcer continued

"You have been tasked with finding the daughter of the Duke of this land."

Pandemonium immediately spread throughout the arena.

Lots of people had lots of opinions

"She hit it big time!" One said.

"No way! I wish that were me!" Said another.

While others disagreed.

"Pathetic!"

"This was rigged."

On and on did the views differ.

But Tye wasn't convinced.

He slouched on his seat as he surveyed the arena.

"Weird. What's the Duke up to?" He thought.

Did he think Tye was a joke?

But it can't be, for he gave Tye 4,000 gold coins for this very service.

"Maybe he's just desperate." He thought.

Meanwhile with the woman basking in the glory and praise, she exited the arena with a wide smile on her face.

But deep down, she had no idea what to do or where to start.

It's been months that the Duke's daughter went missing. Making the search difficult all the more.

And those that search for her, never returned.

"That won't discourage me! I'll show everyone!" She thought arrogantly to herself.

With her prize money of a total of 2,000 gold coins, she set out to a blacksmith and got an iron kneepad and daggers.

With the scorching heat, she bought a cup of water and sat down at a bench and while drinking and what came into her sight was disturbing.

As lonely as the market was, there was a tall figure with a black and thick cloak, staring at her.

The hood on the cloak was so tall, it was a wonder how this person could see to stalk her.

Terrified, she reached for the grip of her daggers.

And in two minutes of them staring at eachother, no one was on the street of that side of the market.

As if waiting for this moment, the figure began to approach her slowly.

Each step he took increased her heartbeat.

Until the woman ran away from him into alleys of the market that was dark from various roof covers from buildings and shops.

When she stopped, she lost the man.

Smirking in arrogance, she said to herself

"Ha ha! I am fast—"

"Actually" a voice from behind interrupted in a chilling voice.

"You could have used more speed, citizen of Kiltar."

In fear, she swung her daggers at the man, but he blocked each strike with a thin but strong sword.

Jumping back, she was ashened by his appearance

"What?!" she asked angered and scared

"And who told you I'm from Kiltar?"

The figure shrugged

"The average Miskan knows not to go around here." He said.

"So what?" 

The figure grimaced and put down the hood.

"I'm from Kiltar myself. People of Kiltar are talented athletes."

The woman brought her guard down.

"So what do you want?"

Tye looked at her with a grave expression

"To not search for the Duke's daughter."

"You're an idiot! What's your problem?! Not my fault you didn't get the prize—"

Before she finished, Tye grimaced and reflected a dagger that was heading for the woman's neck.

The woman shook in fear as she almost lost her life. Tye pointed in a direction and three men in brown cloaks were rushing towards them.

"That's why I knew you were from Kiltar."

Tye said grabbing her hand and running away.

"Miskans don't come here much cause this is the loneliest and most dangerous market in the North!"

Finding it hard to grasp the situation, she looked and saw the men drawing closer to them.

"They're coming!" She yelled.

But to be honest, she didn't know who was more terrifying.

Tye that was holding her hand and running and knew about her as he came out from nowhere or the men from behind.

Not knowing who's side to be on, she trusted her instincts and sent rocks towards the men in brown cloaks.

Getting to a ladder, the two Kiltarns got onto a roof top.

Going further, they reached even higher buildings, with the men nearing at knife-point.

Caught in the moment, the woman didn't realise when Tye had vanished.

But the three men chasing them had reduced in number as well.

From three to two of them.

All alone with the men closing in, the woman began to scream

"Someone! HELP!"

But no one heard her.

This is the loneliest market in Misk's Northern region.

With no other option, the woman turned to them and swung her daggers with shaky hands.

She was defending until she was slowly being overpowered.

They kicked her down off the roof and she landed hard onto another roof a few meters away from the one they were on.

With tiredness and pain crashing down on her, she gritted her teeth

"T-this doesn't make sense! I haven't been even begun my search and all this?!"

She thought to herself.

Before she finished her words, she saw the men falling down towards her.

Too exhausted from the day, she lacked the energy to run from the men that landed on the ground.

Upon seeing them, she ashened.

But it wasn't the men that ashened her. But their appearance. For they were lifeless.

Sitting up, she tried backing away from them, until she looked up and saw a dark figure staring at her.

"Aahh!" Her heartbeat increased at the sight of the apparition.

The figure shrugged at her and put down his hood.

"Honestly" Tye began jumping down.

"Am I so terrifying?"

The woman was confused at his words.

But Tye was too focused looking at himself and continued

"That blacksmith owes me a refund! I wanted to look weak! But all I do is scare people with my outfit!"

Then he stopped and remembered the Kiltarn woman he was before

"Sorry about that."

Bewildered, she didn't know what to say or ask. And looking behind him, there laid the corpses of two assassins.

"W-where did the third man go?"

Tye shrugged as he was wiping blood off his hands

"That one, I figured would be most annoying. So I dealt with him first.

Now, you see? What would have happened if I wasn't here? Still want to search for the Duke's daughter?"

The woman sprang to her feet

"Yeah, I do!" she screamed.

But Tye wasn't convinced.

"Your hands are shaking."

He said. Which led her to hide them. And she took her gaze away from him.

"What was your name? What was the announcer saying?..."

She replied

"It's—"

"Harna! Your name is Harna!" Tye said with joy as he remembered.

And Harna was confused looking at him. She replied

"Thank you. I'll leave now."

Even though Tye looked self-absorbed in the moment, his attention went back to Harna in lightning speed

"You have to be careful. 

From how things are moving, someone out there doesn't want the Duke's daughter to be found."

Harna was disturbed

"Why should I trust you? How do you know any of this?"

Tye, in exhaustion turned his back and said

"I can't disclose that to you. You can take my advice if you want." He began to walk away putting on the hood.

"Or you die like the others that were just like you."

As he left for nearby roofs and ladders to the ground, Harna was filled with fear.

"Wait!"

Harna's words made Tye to smile malevolently.

"I'll need your help!"

Tye turned to her with excitement in his eyes and a wide grin.