Chapter 3: Robbing the dead

"Do you live by the lake?" I thought that I knew how to get there from here.

"It's on the other side of the lake. Gamma's farm is easy to find." That caused her tears to start up again, but she looked like they were not going to overcome her this time.

"Is that where you lived?" She shook her head no.

I helped her mount my new horse, then grabbed its reins and started off in the direction of the lake.

"How did you end up with the slavers?"

"They attacked my father's farm and killed everyone there but me." She wiped her eyes with her forearm. "When they got to me they put that thing on me and told me that I was going to be sold and that I had to behave or that they would feed me to the dogs. I didn't want to go with them and as soon as the man bent down to put iron things on my legs, I grabbed his dagger and stabbed him and ran to his horse to get away."

"How many of them were there?"

"I saw six of them."

"So that means that four more will be looking for us."

Yea...

"Well, keep a look out and if you see anyone let me know."

"Sir, shouldn't you be riding instead of me?"

"No, you stay up there, I'll be fine."

Hell if I knew how to ride a horse.

I figured that I would be learning soon, one way or another. As we approached the path where I fought the slavers, I stopped behind a large thicket and told her to stay while I looked around.

I crept up to the battle site and as I approached I heard a horse and then another. There were four of them and apparently arguing about whether to search for me or for the girl.

Shit.

I wasn't as quiet as I thought as one turned and looked in my direction. He called out to his friends and started walking toward me while he began to unsheathe his sword. I figured that I had only one chance and slashed him across the face as I charged out of my hiding spot. He dropped with a gurgle and a thump. I flowed into a cross-strike to the next closest and also dropped him before he could completely draw his sword. The third started running and the fourth had his sword out and held it awkwardly. It was obvious that he was injured I didn't even have to do more than a single feint before I was able to strike him down.

The third one mounted his horse and tried to run me down. I just stepped aside and swung at his leg hoping to unseat him; I ended up cutting through his leg bone and all and sliced into the horse that he was riding. The horse screamed and so did he. The horse bucked and he fell off of it, but since his other foot was still caught in the stirrup the horse just dragged him in a circle while trying to dislodge him. I sliced through the horse's neck ending its misery and then did the same for the man with the severed leg.

My katana was cutting through flesh with no resistance and bone with little resistance. I figured that by choosing a god on this strange world, the god or goddess enchanted my sword. I just couldn't think of anything else that made sense. I looked over my still-glowing katana to see if there were any marks in it and didn't find any.

I figured that I needed to thank new god for keeping me safe so I knelt down and prayed for a few minutes honestly thanking for deliverance and for keeping my sword sharp. At the end of my prayer I felt a warmth envelope me; it felt like I was little and my mother came and gave me a hug when I had a bad day. It was a comforting feeling that said I love you and I will always be here for you. It felt absolutely wonderful.

I was only moderately drained after this fight unlike the previous confrontation with the two earlier. I got up and slowly found my way back to where the girl, Kira, was hiding. I called out to her that I was coming, and that it was ok to come out of hiding.

I must have been a sight; I did not even feel the blood that splattered my face and arms. To her credit she only screamed softly when she saw me.

One of the horses came back when I went to get her so that I now had five horses or most likely only four since I would be giving one to the girl. Searching the dead bodies was easier this time, and hell I didn't even toss my cookies either. I had three of the half silvers and a bunch of coins that looked like pennies and cut pennies.

Whatever the hell that's worth. It's better than nothing.