In a less restricted section of the Library of Chronicles, Aeriliya was looking through five year old reports. Officially, there was no mention of Edwin Thatch in any capacity. There were several men by the name Edwin Thatch who were part of the Imperial army during the Demon War, but all of them were born and raised in the empire and not from a distant world. There was no record of any mercenary groups suddenly gaining notoriety from having an Otherworlder among them. She knew from past experiences that certain heroes in the past used their knowledge to make themselves large sums of money, usually by taking advantage of the slow pace of technology. But there wasn’t any record of any particular business or merchant suddenly becoming rich from an invention nobody else considered. Not even if they were merely a front for the hero’s privacy.

  Pinching the spot on her forehead between her eyebrows, Aeriliya sighed in frustration. Everything about the man she was pursuing was one contradiction after the other. Certain heroes were rather reclusive, but none had ever been this elusive. With how much power they threw around, it just wasn’t possible. Which, despite his lack of Patronage, made Thatch’s invisibility all the more perplexing. For a man who raised an army of several thousand soldiers, trained to stab the other twelve heroes in the back, one would assume there would be clearer signs of his dealings.

  ‘Wait’, she thought, her eyes widening then narrowing in focus, ‘Maybe that’s it. Thatch didn’t officially reappear until the Demon King was defeated. It would make sense if the army he built was assembled the same way.’

  But as soon as Aeriliya made her realization, she slumped back in her chair with a small groan. If Thatch acquired so many soldiers, it would mean he most likely recruited them from either criminal circles, extorted them into joining or it was entirely possible he absconded with them altogether. Which meant the elven woman’s best chance of finding answers was to look through records of unsolved crimes.

  Despite popular belief, the law of the land was still upheld during the war, but with the Empire’s resources being spread so thin, it was the perfect storm to have any trails go cold.

  Aeriliya went through the meditations she was taught as a child which helped her to think more rationally. It was going to be a long and tedious process to go through everything, but she had the right idea as before. Whatever had happened to Thatch, his starting point was Acolynia. If she could follow at least a semblance of a trail of unsolved crimes, it might give a clearer picture. Looking at the map of nations, the holy city state bordering Rathboria to the southeast, there were any number of villages near the border.

  (Twelve years ago)

  It had been a few days since Edwin discovered his Authority, and already it was time to get on the move once more. Pradip and the other Khuchteians had decided to leave the forest and told the young hero they would wait for him when he was ready.

  Having slung the body across his shoulders, Edwin hauled the carcass of the Windigo he had killed. He still wasn’t happy with Pradip's methodology, but he couldn’t deny the results. Unfortunately, even at the start, he was already suffering from success. Edwin had been given the power of Nothing, which for better or worse, was unique to him. Between the concept being nigh unheard of, and the fact that it was an aspect of the Authority he was given, something he understood wasn’t apart of recorded history, he’d have to largely figure it out on his own.

  Dropping the body of the Windigo at the edge of the forest, he figured that would be enough to placate the town and hopefully make them less trigger happy with Pradip. and the other Khuchteians. Turning around, he saw the villagers, still carrying their sharpened sticks and looking at him with a mixture of awe, fear and grudging respect.

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  "Be on your guard", he told them, "Just because this one is gone doesn't mean another can't appear, or that the invading ones aren't making their way this direction."

  The one to approach him was actually the bald bartender, "You're an unusual man, and I still don't trust those foreigners, but you still helped us."

  "There are many enemies, these men aren't one of them."

  One of the men in the crowd shouted out, "From this day on, you'll be known as The Man of the Forest. We won't forget what you've done."

  It was with much embarrassment that was ignored by the villagers that Thatch's time in this small village and in this forest that had led him to his purpose was over, and like he had told Pradip, it was time to get to work. Edwin now had a goal, and an understanding of how he was going to accomplish it. In the pre-dawn hours, the young man stretched his senses out and through his Nothing, he felt the presences of the townspeople who were making their way to their homes most likely to tell about this newfound legend. Most were still asleep but there were a few in the early stages of waking up.

  Without a word, Edwin walked away from the town towards the general direction of where the front lines would be. Then again, it’d take weeks, if not longer to get there by foot. He needed supplies, he needed weapons, and most importantly, he needed men. But all he had with him was some camping supplies he still had from Acolynia, his clothes and the kukri that now had a piece of the Windigo’s antler as the handle. One of the other veiled men by the name of Temuulen, who had hands like a steel trap had done the job for him. Edwin considered bringing the man with him, since Pradip claimed blade crafting was his speciality. But he was denied that much at the time as well. And Pradip's advice as to what he should do had been another vague riddle.

  ‘Pray and wait.’

  That was all he was told. Edwin didn’t know much about praying, but he had seen how the Acolynians and the Khuchteians had done it and recalled the steps Pradip had given him. Closing his eyes and trying to draw himself into a meditative state where he let go of any notions of control, he prayed in his head, ‘Alright, if you’re there. I could use some guidance. I know what needs to happen, and how to prepare, but there’s still much I don’t know. Show me the way, and I’ll go.”

  Waiting for a few moments, with his eyes closed, Edwin heard nothing. The Voice didn’t appear like before, and there was no sign his thoughts were even received.

  Sighing in mild frustration, Edwin began walking again. But after continuing his journey, the redheaded man paused, realizing something. While it wasn’t a straight line, he had been traveling north. But now that he took stock of where he was walking, he was heading northwest. With mild suspicion, Edwin corrected his course, and began walking north again, but after a minute, he stopped again. There was this nagging feeling but shook it off and began walking north again. But after a minute, he stopped again. The young man wasn’t sure why, but the feeling in the back of his head was stronger. As if he knew he was heading the wrong direction. The direction from before would take him away from his direct path to where the front lines were, but he just knew he was heading the right way a moment ago. Raising one eyebrow in suspicion and slightly being impressed, Edwin looked at the sky and tentatively muttered, “Thanks.”

  A day later, he came upon a different town. The layout was different, but overall it was practically the same as the last town he entered. Quaint houses, large gardens, a few farm animals milling about in the fields and people going about their everyday lives. Scratching the back of his neck, Edwin assumed maybe he was just supposed to be passing through, but his extra sense was telling him he was where he needed to be.

  Walking through the town, Edwin wondered if he should ask around like at the last town. Maybe there was someone who was denied a chance to fight that he could recruit, but somehow, even he didn’t believe that. Pausing as a loud bang and an unnatural rumble was felt through the ground only made Edwin sigh in resignation as he seemed to remind himself how much of a magnet for trouble he was. Picking up the pace as he headed towards the explosion, the redheaded man squinted in confusion as he heard raucous laughter. It was the kind of irritating laugh that could only come from young men with too much time on their hands.