There are times when I feel I am cursed with knowledge.

Usually it's good to know what you walking into so you can come prepared. Could be simple as mental preparation for the trials and tribulations ahead, or detailed as oiling the ball joints of the pneumatic stand supporting my Big Stick. Thing is, once you done all that you can, knowing the odds of coming out ahead don't help you none. Especially if you already pot committed like we are, because there ain't nothing you can do to really change the odds. All you can do is face the music and pray that Lady Luck's got your back as you take a Hail Mary of a long shot, like pushing all in on 2-7 when you've only got one big blind left.

Thing is, when the odds are that bad, knowing them probably hurts more than it helps. You already know you've got next to no chance of winning, and having the facts only makes it so much harder to hope for the best. That's what my daddy told me to do, to always hope for the best, while prepping for the worst of course, but I done prepped all I can and still can't find much hope to hold onto. We got away from the horde easily enough once before, but the same trick ain't gonna work a second time. Not only will they be on the lookout for Illusions, Abby don't perceive the world the same way people do, so even a top tier Illusionist like Aunty Ray has gotta work against the grain to fool them.

Wouldn't be a problem if we was up against your standard Swarmlings, Spitters, and Beetle Behemoths, not for Aunty Ray. Thing is, we got Silverfish and Dreadmaws to contend with too, to say nothing of Razorscythes, Exploders, and Lord knows what else mingling in the crowd. With the Detect Abby Spell, I can sense them coming up on us at a fair rate of knots, faster than Cowie can trundle after so many days of pushing hard with minimal rest. Doubly so considering he's limited by the max speed of the Floating Discs, both my sleds carrying the corpses and the Spells hauling my prisoners. The sleds being mechanical mean they'll destabilize and clatter to the ground if pushed too fast, and the same goes for the Spells seeing how them Qin aren't all that great at maintaining it.

Might be a tad ungenerous there, as it's more like they ain't optimized for speed. Instead, they went all in on stability and longevity so a single caster can maintain the Disc for hours and hours while their teammates take turns resting and running to guide it. I doubt I could maintain a Floating Disc smooth enough to sleep on, at least not comfortably, as I feel every bounce and jolt beneath me as I move over uneven ground at any speed. I should look into what they do to stabilize the Spell though, because it'd make for a much safer and more comfortable ride, especially if I gotta fight atop it.

Which I probably will, considering the circumstances. I ain't about to leave my family to fight the horde again, even if I still think it's the best option. I go out, distract the bulk of the horde, and leave the dregs for Aunty Ray and Tina to clean up. Sounds great so long as everything goes well, and there's no guarantee it will, not with how tired and spent most of us are already after too many long days and short nights. That's without adding in the risk of them prisoners staging a breakout mid-fight, giving us two separate threats to contend against, because even though I been merciful in sparing their lives, I doubt they'll thank me for it. Nor will they so easily give up their attempts on my life, as they came here on a mission, and the Qin ain't known for being quitters.

Begs the question of why I'm keeping them alive, but that's the dark pragmatist in me asking, the man who don't put much value in a human life when it don't belong to a human I care about. It's odd really, as once I thought about it, I realized how much of a contrary mess I really am. I been so quick to kill lately, so ready to pull the trigger and be done with it all, which ain't at all the same man I think of when I consider who I am. I'm the guy who rode off alongside Clay and his ilk to fight some Abby and save a bunch of women and children even though I knew it was gonna be ugly. Someone who saw a look in Noora's eye and stormed into a Sheriff's office ready to lay down the law, and went the extra mile to see that the Rangers took the plight of Pleasant Dunes serious. A man ready to take on the Mafia just because they was hassling some people I knew, for no real reason than because it's the right thing to do.

That's the man I think I am, the man I want to be. Someone who does what's right, but will also do what's necessary. That's where the darker parts come in, but looking back on it now, I been more of the latter than the former, especially lately. Slippery slopes and all that, like the Judge and the Sheriff said, laid out in plain English for me to hear, but I wasn't listening.

Or maybe I wasn't ready to listen, and I had to kill a few more kids before I was ready.

That's why I ain't killed the rest of them prisoners just yet, because my daddy would've wanted it this way. Well, that and because Aunty Ray would have a conniption if I executed a bunch of bound and helpless prisoners. Even the Geneva Convention got rules against that, to say nothing of the Accords and Federal Law, but that don't change the facts none. The smart move would be to kill them all and leave them for Abby in hopes that it'll be enough to sate their anger and hunger both. It most certainly won't, but you can't really be sure unless you try, and I for one am usually willing. In light of recent revelations however, I can also see why that would be frowned upon, even if I still ain't entirely convinced. The important thing is that my daddy wouldn't want to me to slaughter these people out of hand, not just because they Qin, but also because they done already been taken prisoner, and he wasn't one to abuse his power over others.

Course, he wasn't one for taking prisoners either. You got warned, and if you didn't heed it, then he'd come at you with guns blazing, and he hardly ever missed. Thing is, matters rarely got that far, because he had a whole slew of ways to settle things peaceably, though I still don't wholly understand how he did it. He'd tell folks to stow their weapons because he didn't much feel like killing today, and they'd listen, whereas when I try the same, everyone seems to take it more as a challenge than a threat. Then I tried things Aunty Ray's way, and that helped some, but not enough to matter, and it's clear my way ain't working at all else I wouldn't be on so many shit lists all around.

So I gotta switch things up, and I figure a combination of the three is my best bet. A bit of mercy and hard truths like my daddy, bit of charm and smiles like Aunty Ray, and a hand on my six-shooter for good measure because I've long since learned to trust, but verify. And I trust these prisoners. I trust that they will act in their best interests, because even if the Feds will run roughshod over the Accords in an effort to cut them loose, the Republic won't be none too happy over the loss of face over having their people captured in the first place. Means my prisoners will be punished either way, though not in the prison and hard labour sort of way that they ought to be, or even the hung by the neck sorta way that they might well deserve. No, they'll be punished with some slaps on the wrist most likely, like a shitty job in a shitty posting with little to no upward mobility, or just sent into the fire time and time again until Abby or outlaws get one over on them.

So that means they'll be keen to get free and finish the job, even if they don't got nothing personal against me. Gotta say though, Ow Tian most certainly does, as I can see it in the way he looks at me. Much as the Yellow Devil inside me wants to put him in his place and hurt him something fierce for scaring Tina like he did, I can't indulge those dark urges for many reasons. Firstly, my daddy wouldn't want that, and I done disappointed him more than enough. Second, the family is here and I don't want them to see that. Thirdly, anything I don't want them seeing is probably something I shouldn't be doing to begin with, what with the whole moral superiority thing. Besides, while Aunty Ray at least has shown a great deal of patience and understanding with all my… shenanigans let's call them, it's high time I stopped giving her reasons to lose sleep at night.

All of which means I gotta handle the Abby horde while keeping close watch of my prisoners, and do it without leaving my people to fend for themselves. And the prisoners, which is another reason why I can't just go haring off to fight Abby by my lonesome. Ain't all that confident about keeping them in check myself, so how can I leave Tina or Aunty Ray to deal with them and protect themselves to boot?

With all that in mind, I done gone and prepped for the fight, but there's only so much one can do. Can sense the horde getting closer with each passing minute, and while I can't quite pick out how many of each Feral we up against just yet, I can confirm that there are far too many to even begin to count. All I can do is go over everything once again and be absolutely certain there ain't nothing else I can do. I got my guns cleaned and ready with plenty of ammo to spare, whether it be nice and neatly accessible in the pouches on my hip or handfuls of loose cartridges sitting heavy in my duster pockets. Mostly 22-10's for the Rattlesnake and Model 10, with a limited number of 44-40 shells and 45-60 cartridges for the Judges and Nagas respectively.

That's not all. I've handed out what gear we have left, including giving everyone their choice of cards from my Deck of Illusions. I don't know what Tina and Aunty Ray picked, but I saw Chrissy take my second and final Joker, the wildcard painted to look like me. Spent one to trick Qian and keep him from seeing me coming, and was planning on using the other as bait as soon as I took watch, but never got a chance to. No matter though, because if Chrissy wants it, she can have it, and I'll just get Aunty Ray whatever it is she needs to draw more, because while I ain't no top tier Illusionist, I know good and well how effective a well-placed Illusion can be.

Course, I'm still in love with Evocation, even if it don't love me back. Luckily I got tech to play with, though for tonight, I got the Big Stick ready for Tina to hop on up and grab hold of. Playing that back in my head don't sound right though, so what I'm saying is that the top mounted heavy weapon is locked and loaded, lacking only a gunner to point and shoot once Abby comes a calling. That's Tina's job, and as for our other heavy weapon, Aunty Ray is getting some much needed shut eye while cuddled up with Chrissy and Tina both, though I highly doubt the latter is getting any sleep. Best if she did, but if she's too wired to get any rest, I don't mind having a second set of eyes to watch my back. Besides, I don't think she used much of any Spells in the fight, while Aunty Ray threw out a Third Order Fear at the very least, though she got reserves enough to throw out at least 6 more without rest.

Truth is, I have no idea where Aunty Ray's limits lie, and I'm not certain she really knows either. Enough to casually blow a Third Order Spell on a lark just to show me what's on a crystal recording and walk through it together, and I'd be surprised if she hadn't long since surpassed Old World Specialist standards with over 105 Grainage at her disposal. That's 7 Third Order Spells without rest, but add in her efforts casting Mage Armour on herself and Chrissy both every three hours or so as well as the Fear and Major Illusion she's already used, then that puts her round about 35 Aether remaining. A Catnap would be nice, but Chrissy ain't well-rested enough to throw another and benefit from it too, so it'd be like borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, even though I would say in this instance Paul is a lot more useful.

Either way, they getting some good z's in already, and with a little luck, they'll sleep for at least two full hours before it comes time to fight. That'd put Aunty Ray over 60 Aether at a minimum, or 4 Big Spells. As for me, I used 2 Pass Without Trace Spells, a Spike Growth, and my Mage Armour twice. That's 2 First Order and 3 Second Order Spells, or 35 Aether out of my current maximum of 60. Also got the equivalent 4 hours of rest before the Qin attack, putting me back up to 55, but then I cast Mage Armour and Pass Without Trace again knocking me down to 42.

Or round about. That's the thing about Spell limits. They're not an exact science, more or a general rule, because even if you should technically have one more Spell in you, when you get to that point, there are times when you too tired to even think much less Sling. Always something to keep in mind, which has me wondering if I should eschew a second Pass Without Trace to save Aether, or cast it all the same and hope Abby don't just spot us the second they come into range. The Spell only covers up our tracks; it don't do nothing to hide us, and with 42 Aether, I could cast 2 Fireballs and a Spike Growth, or 4 Spike Growths even, though chances are I won't get an opportunity to use it 4 times seeing how it lasts 10 minutes a pop and requires Concentration. Either way, if I spend another 9 Aether on Pass Without Trace, that puts me in a bit of a bind at a mere 33 Aether. 2 Fireballs and nothing, or 1 Fireball and exactly 2 Second Order Spells, which could well be only 1 Second Order Spell since I might not have it in me to squeeze out a another.

So better to leave nothing to chance. After the first two hours of travel goes by and my Extended Pass Without Trace Spell comes to an end, I make the call not to cast it a second time to save the Grainage. I tell Tina as much in hushed whispers so as not to disturb Chrissy or Aunty Ray fast asleep beside her, and she just nods because she trusts my judgement. Then, because she's more of a people person than I am, she asks, "Why not see if one of the prisoners can cast it? I'm sure they got at least one person who knows how, and they just as eager to avoid detection as we are, so can't hurt to try."

It could hurt, because I'd have to remove the Spellslinger's blindfold and maybe even leave their hands untied to do it. Being a Concentration Spell with an active effect, the Spellslinger's gotta be able to see in order to erase their own tracks, because thems the rules of magic and don't no one really understand it. Doesn't matter if it's so dark that you can see nothing out here, you gotta have your eyes open for Pass Without Trace to work. More to the point, some Spellslingers gotta move their hands too, like one fella I know who waves his hand back and forth like he sweeping a table clean, because it helps him Concentrate on the Spell. Not to mention how being bound and helpless tends to distract and might well interfere with maintaining a Spell, but here's hoping the Qin standards are high as my daddy set them and these Vanguard are up to snuff.

As luck would have it, I don't have to find out, because Qian and both his fellow Scouts are capable of casting Pass Without Trace. Settle in Shadows too, so I set the one that ain't maintaining Floating Disc to cast the former while I leave Qian to handle the latter. I take it one at a time, removing their blindfolds, bindings, and gags before giving them the material components needed for their Spells and watching them closely with gun in hand while they cast, but my Detect Magic shows the darkness smoothing out around us while my eyes spot the telltale sign of Cowie's hoofmarks disappearing almost as soon as he makes them.

And just like I suspected, both Scouts require their hands free to cast their Spells. "Either of you give me even half a reason," I say once it's all over and done with, "And I'll kill you both alongside the rest of the prisoners too. Mercy is a new concept I'm still coming to terms with, but I'm more than happy call this a wash and try again next time."

Qian, odd duck that he is, actually smiles to hear it. Not a big smile, just a little quirk of his lips as he bows his head in acknowledgement, and the other Scout does the same. Don't do much to reassure me, but at least they ain't entirely free. They're still bound to their buddies, and unarmed to boot considering I done took anything and everything from them, so there ain't much they can do besides get in the way. Logic dictates that they won't, assuming they want to live as much as anyone else, but that's the thing about the Qin. Much like the Nipponese Kamikaze fighter pilots and Middle Eastern suicide bombers, the Qin romanticize dying for a cause, because the Republic is greater than them all. Ow Tian there said it himself. Mínguó wànsuì, 10,000 years of prosperity for the Republic, and while the young swordsman ain't quite ready to give it all up for the Republic he holds dear, I can't be so sure about the rest of them.

"I have no wife or children," Qian says, which seemingly comes out of nowhere, but then he gestures at his fellow Scout. "Yihan here does. A harsh taskmistress who he adores and two children. How old are they again?"

"Six and eight," Yihan supplies, with a far off look in his eyes that ain't seeing nothing in front of him because he's busy making what looks like gang signs every few seconds to keep his mind on task clearing our tracks. "Young enough to learn, but not old enough to provide much aid to their mother just yet."

"The best age, or so I am told," Qian says, earning him a little smile and a nod from his friend. Meeting my eyes, Qian adds, "Yihan yearns to return to their side, so he will not act out. Nor will I, for though I do not understand his desire to slave away for his wife and children, he is my comrade and partner of many years, so I will do nothing to jeopardize his safe return, or the return of any of our comrades."

Yihan scoffs, but in a good-natured way, that tells me they been over this territory before. All of a sudden, they ain't faceless Vanguard for me to kill, but real people with lives outside of the here and now, which makes it that much harder to want them dead. Hate when my enemies show off their human nature, because it's so much easier to kill when they ain't real people, just targets who done crossed me in the wrong way and earned themselves a Bolt to the head. Not sure if Qian is saying all this to reassure me, or if he working me over so I might well hesitate if he or Yihan does something sketchy later on down the line. Either way, I don't like it much, so I just scowl and say, "Good. Best hope your comrades feel the same way, because while I'm willing to uphold my end of the bargain, mercy is a new concept I'm still strugglin' with, so I ain't above erring on the side of caution. You catch my drift?"

I really ought to spell things out in plain English. Not just for foreigners to whom English is a second language, but I been told my drawl and diction is hard to parse even for folks who only speak the one. Luckily, Qian's owl-like blinks only last for a second before he figures out my meaning, and he nods before giving Ow Tian a knowing look, one he makes sure I see because he ain't all that certain the kid will play ball. That's why I put all the young'uns on their own Floating Disc and set them further away from Cowie and the wagon both. The older generation are cagey and dangerous, but the younger are dumb and impetuous, and I'll take a predictable threat over an unpredictable one any day of the week.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Then again, I might be overestimating myself, because Qian follows it up with an all too believable utterance of, "Regardless of what you might say, there is no denying that they are your people too."

To which there ain't nothing to do except growl and glare as I drift away, because I ain't about to get in an argument over this. Not here and now when I got more pressing matters to attend to. Like the horde of Abby still moving in our general direction, a solid wall of Feral flesh sweeping across the badlands in a frenzied rush to find the source of all that noise. Keep checking every few minutes and sense them coming closer and closer, and it's only a matter of time before one of them spots us across the way and alerts the rest to our whereabouts. Wasn't no getting around it, because even if I pushed Cowie fast as he could go and disregarded the prisoners and corpses both, there was no way of avoiding the horde in its entirety, to say nothing of the risk of moving into uncharted territory where even more Abby might be hibernating. They'd wake up right quick if a whole band of their buddies stampeded on overhead though, believe you me, and so long as I keep to the general path that the horde took to get here, I should be able to avoid any unpleasant surprises ahead.

Should being the operative word of course, because Ferals do be cunning and cagey. They can also be lazy too, so there's a good chance some stayed behind to sleep in because they couldn't be bothered to come out. Here's hoping they stay lazy should me and mine roll on overtop them on our way out, or better yet, we don't come across none to begin with. Every scan ahead shows not much of anything though, so I feel a little more assured the way forward is clear, or at the very least them Abby are deep enough that we'll far enough away to shoot them down once they make their way up to topside. It's still the horde behind us that's got me most concerned, but like done already said, there ain't nothing left to do besides watch and wait. That's why I say I am cursed with knowledge, and others say ignorance is bliss, because while they all know there are Abby on our 6, they don't know how many are making their way over or how fast they're heading towards us.

Not directly of course, because they don't really know where we are. They're just moving west because that's where they heard gunfire come from, and they'll keep moving west until they find us or lose interest. One or the other, and even if I wasn't a betting man, I'd bet it all on the former. That way, if they do find us, then I'd strike it rich so long as I got out unscathed, and if they didn't, then I'd count it money well spent to keep my family safe.

As the minutes tick by though, and I keep scanning Abby's progress, I get to wondering why they ain't sounded the alarm just yet. The Darkvision Spell has a limit to its effectiveness, but there are plenty of bugs and animals that can see perfectly fine by the light of the stars, much less the dim red moon hanging up overhead. Chances are the Proggies of the badlands done ate up something or the other that's got great night vision and passed it along to some Abby at the very least, so I find it odd that they're less than two klicks away and still haven't seen us trundling along. Cowie's keeping to cover as best he can, but there ain't much to be had out here, just dips and divots that might well conceal us for a bit, but there are just as many hills and ridges that could give our position away.

So not to look a gift horse in the mouth or nothing, but I'd very much like to know why haven't they spotted us yet. Makes me antsy when things don't go the way I expect them to, so I put a bit of time and attention into unravelling this mystery. I can sense a good bulk of the horde more or less directly behind us, but they've spread out a good bit over the two hours and change. Makes sense, because it ain't like they're migratory birds or nothing, all following the one leader who switches out every now and then. As such, they've formed something of a crescent moon behind us, or at least the leading edge of one since I can't rightly say how the horde looks as a whole. There are Abby directly north and south of us, though still much too far to really spot us, and barely even in range to sense. Fact is, unless I hold my hand up with palm out to really focus that Aetheric beam down tight, I can't sense them Abby surging forward ahead of the pack, though it does beg the question as to why the fastest of the bunch are all gathered up like that.

Could be multiple prongs, like bands of speedy Ferals directed to move out in certain directions or chasing down old trails as they go. Could be luck of the draw, with all the fast ones having been distracted by something or the other and leaving only the slowest to trundle along without any real direction. Or it could be they know exactly where we are and are moving into position to encircle us. Now that I think about it, it do be mighty suspicious for the fringes to be positioned far enough away for even a half decent Detection Spell to miss, and I ain't shy about admitting that mine is much better than half decent. Fact remains that I'm still one of the best Scouts in the business when it comes to tracking Abby, because I done been trained by the best and honed my skills avoiding conflicts here in the badlands.

Wouldn't have made it four years on my lonesome if I had to shoot my way out of too many unexpected fights. Making a fuss in the badlands is a good way to get yourself got, because there could be Abby lurking anywhere and everywhere out here. Soon as you fire off a single shot, that's like ringing the dinner bell for all nearby Abby, with nearby ranging from a klick or two away if you got a well Silenced weapon, or 20 klicks and more if you don't. Truth is, if them Vanguard hadn't stirred up so many Abby to take a run at us first, then our fight might well have landed us in even hotter water after the fact. Would've had to dodge every patrol that came a calling to investigate, which means lots of Major Illusions to keep us hidden and a constant uptime of Pass Without Trace to boot. Bit of a double-edged sword that, because being stealthy costs resources that could come in handy should a fight break out, but now that I know a fight is inevitable, I've given up on being sneaky early on instead of striving to remain unseen amidst a whole slew of different swarms coming to see what's what.

Can all too easily imagine what would've happened if one of them groups happened to stumble across us. We'd have to fight, which would ring the dinner bell some more, meaning there'd be groups in all directions running headlong towards us and an endless series of fights to win on our journey west towards safety. No idea how the Ferals pass along messages, but the ones here in the badlands are fairly well organized all things considered, and will work together to hunt down anyone and everyone who trespasses upon their territory. Suppose I ought to thank Ow Tian for clearing the way forward before taking a run at me and mine then. At least this way we only gotta watch out for Abby from one direction, though that ain't even true no more.

On a hunch, I direct Cowie on a south-western trajectory that'll bring us alongside some ridges to hide our profile from anything to the south, while keeping a close eye on the Abby in that direction. In what might well be the worst-case scenario comes to pass. The group to the south double times it to move further away, which means they're doing their best to avoid being detected. Tells me two things that, that they know where we are and what we doing, which is all sorts of bad news to be sure.

Because long story short, this means Abby are not only watching us, they're working together to hem us in and drive us towards their chosen killing ground.

"You got enough in you for a good long run?" I ask, skating up alongside Cowie to give him a good pat on the neck before fishing out the last of my candies for him to chomp on. I typically pack far more than I think I'll need when it comes to candy and ammo, but it seems this time I didn't bring enough of either, but Cowie ain't one to harp on my mistakes. He just crunches down on what I'm offering and gives me a good bit of side-eye for daring to question his stamina, because there ain't no bull who can run better than him. Proves it too as he surges with Bear's Endurance to give his stamina and constitution a big boost before setting off at a trot that perfectly pushes the base limits of my Floating Disc Sleds and those of the Vanguard too.

Can't rightly tell if he learned to set this pace through prior experience or can just see how far he can push before those Spells unravel away. Could be either or, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least, because my partner is all sorts of special in the best of ways.

Don't take long for the horde to respond, and they do so by sending their southern flank in closer towards us. Only takes a few minutes for them to come into normal detection range, showing their hand as it were in an effort to push us back towards the north. I ain't about to let them though, because anywhere Abby want us to be is nowhere I'd like to go, so I pay them no mind and keep Cowie's nose pointed southwest. I can almost sense the horde's indecision as the southern flank moves closer and closer towards us, keeping up the pantomime of not knowing exactly where we are because they don't want to fight just yet. Me, I'm of a different mind, because I'd much rather kick things off by killing one group at a time instead taking the whole horde on at once. As such, I turn Cowie South-South-West on a collision course with Abby, albeit one that won't quite collide for another quarter hour or so, putting the decision in their hands. Or claws, or whatever they got, because now the southern flank has either gotta pull back lest they give up the game, or they gotta fight us all by their lonesome, which is to say 1/3 of giant hoard instead of everyone all at once.

And almost predictably, them Ferals see their chance for a good scrap and come charging in all hot and bothered, though they do manage to keep quiet as they pick up the speed. Since the fight is almost upon us, I give Cowie the signal to slow down and save his stamina while he brings us back on westward heading towards some good fighting ground, which in this case is a section of hilly terrain that'll keep Abby from easily running us down and surrounding us all at once. I wait until the hoard is less than five minutes out before waking Tina and Aunty Ray as gently as I can, even though I know my sorta sister only just fell asleep and they both could use a whole lot more rest.

"We got incoming," I whisper, my heart heavy as I gaze upon the only people I got left. "Code Red, so maybe Chrissy ought to climb into the back."

Sweet angel that she is, Chrissy nods while rubbing her eyes and turns to slide on into the wagon headfirst with a little help from her mama. Can't help but smile to see it, especially when she latches the flap open so she can see out and lend effort to the cause. Much as I wish I could reach in and squeeze her hand three times right quick, time is of the essence, so a smile will have to do as I give the girls the rundown of what's about to happen, with a whole host of Abby about to descend upon us and two more hosts of equal or greater size also on their way over. "Divide and conquer," I say, grinning to keep everyone's spirits high even though I ain't got much to smile about. "That's the game plan, so keep that in mind and try to conserve what ammo and Spells you can." Turning a close eye to Tina, then Aunty Ray, I stifle a sigh and direct my next point to the latter and say, "Keep your Whumper trained on them Vanguard." Mind you, I say this loud enough to be overheard. "They so much as make you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, then you give them a good Blast and keep on Blastin' until they all dead."

"You heading out?" Aunty Ray asks, her frown indicating she done cottoned on to what I'm about.

"Not far," I say, giving the Vanguard a once over and catching Qian sneaking a glance. "I'll be close by running interference between the horde and the wagon. Can't give them free reign to surround us at their leisure, or cut us off or whatnot, but I'll be well within range to handle them or the Qin if they should try anything funny."

Hopefully they get the message, because I don't much like handicapping myself like this, but truth is, heading out to meet the horde wouldn't be a great idea either. The whole point of doing that is to get their attention and lead them away, which doesn't really work if they already know we're here. Gotta find the Razorscythe or whatever they got monitoring us as we go, but I can't hardly do that with a fight brewing, now can I?

So the answer is simple. We tried running, and just like I figured, it didn't work out, so now it's time to gird my lions and make ready for the fight. Bet no one fucked around with those guys, not if they was riding around atop girded lions. Much as I love Cowie, I do wish people found him just a little more intimidating, but I suppose the human race has been around cattle for so long they done forgot how dangerous they can be. People just don't put no respect on his name, whether it be the Magical or the Bull, and while that kinda sucks the big one, I wouldn't have him any other way.

Course, I'd also accept a lion, gryphon, tiger, bear, or diamondclaw any day of the week. Got lots of land up by the quay and plenty of money and earning potential to feed all sorts of dangerous friends, so I'm just putting that out there in case anyone's paying attention. Don't care if it's God, Allah, Yahweh, Vishnu, or what have you. So long as they're willing to send me a giant murder floof of a friend, I'm more than willing to bear the burden of responsibility. One which would be much welcome compared to the alternatives, which in this case is skating headlong towards a massive swarm of dangerous, elite Abby and facing them down with a heavy heart, because much as I love killing Abby, there ain't much enjoyment to be had after a revelation like today's.

Not to say there's none, as I down a Barkskin potion, let out a whoop of challenge, and Conjure up some Cantrip Mage Hands as soon as the horde shows it face, skittering across the rocky ground quick as a blink. My echoing cry really sets them off, and they raise their voices in a chorus of chittering screeches that drowns out all other sound and sets the hairs on my neck to standing. Seeing how there's no point in being subtle, I open up with the Nanfoodle and take great care to close my eyes after lining up my shots and before pulling the trigger, because I can't be bothered to take off my goggles to keep the Firebolts from blinding me. My accuracy suffers for it, but given the target rich environment, I can't hardly miss. It's doubly useful against the group of Silverfish who ain't at all silver, but a dark, mottled greenish black like most them other bug Ferals. What sets them apart ain't their fat heads or tapered abdomens that give them their fish-like bodies, or even the way they sorta wiggle and slither in a fish-like motion. No, their stand-out quality is the way their pony-sized bodies are covered in all manner of barbed hooks at least a hand and a half long, as well as their propensity to shake off all but the worst injuries thanks to their naturally high regenerative abilities.

Like Trolls, only smaller, bug-like, and all sorts of unsettling. Can't regenerate when they're set aflame though, so I work through a full magazine of 10 shots as they close the distance and laugh as puffs of flame light up as them Silverfish are set ablaze, but only for a brief moment before being trampled over by their kin who're rushing to close in.

And close in they do, especially the Silverfish who I've whipped up into a frenzy after killing so many of their kin. They smart enough to know a threat when they see one, which leaves them one of two choices. Close in and strike me down, or avoid me as best they can and pick a softer target. They choose poorly however, because if they knew me, they'd have come at me with everything they had and lived a little longer for it. Instead, they pivot as a whole towards the wagon and wiggle their way close faster than you'd think given their ungainly gait, threatening the people I love and the horses I've grown so very fond of after some fool gave them such cute and whimsical names.

So before the Silverfish can launch themselves at Sunshine struggling to keep up with the pack, I drop a Widened Fireball right overtop the cluster of Silverfish and cackle as they all go up in a blaze of fiery glory. Even more Swarmlings die after the fact, rushing headlong into the superheated air only to fall over and die, but more just keep on pushing forward until they reach the crispy flesh of their bigger, wiggly cousins. Then it's a free for all as them Swarmlings try to eat up all that they can, because the flesh of regenerating Abby makes for a most succulent meal that is enough to distract them even from the bloody business at hand.

Don't distract enough of them however, as there are still plenty of Abby coming at us, while I'm down 15 of the 42 Aether I done started the fight with. Still got enough for another Third Order Spell and a Second Order Spell on top with a piddly 3 Aether to spare, but I hold off on the Spellslinging for a bit now that I got the horde's attention. Instead, I meet them with the Nagas in both hands and another two hours to go on my first use of my Wildshaped Hand. Only got one more use out of it before I'll need to settle in for a Catnap to get it back, which will get troublesome if Abby intend to harass us the whole way home. We're still a good 17 hours and change away from the walls, assuming Cowie and the horses don't need to stop for breaks, which is really asking for a lot.

That's all a concern for later Howie to worry about. For now, I got two six shooters in hand and free reign to use them as I unload on the swarm at almost point-blank range. The powerful single-action revolvers ain't the fastest guns, or most accurate even on account of how much recoil they got, but they do touch upon the border of what might be the most powerful handguns possible with today's technology. Got the full suite of Intensify, Empower, and Maximize alongside Penetrate, Concussive, Siege, and Topping, which means every Bolt punches clean through whatever armour my target might have and continues onwards to strike whatever's behind them with almost as much oomph. Works great for killing Swarmlings in bunches, and when too many get close, I swap a Naga for a Judge and give Abby a point-blank Blast at full spread to really ruin their day.

All while skating backwards on my Floating Disc and loving every minute of it. This is the simple life, the good life even, me with my guns against Abby, an enemy I can kill and inflict suffering upon without any remorse. There's no need for clean kill shots, no stopping to wonder if they got husbands, wives, children, or parents waiting up for them, no grey areas or even any reason to seek justification for it all. Been forced to take a good long look at myself and what I done, and I've realized that justification ain't the be all end all, because you can justify almost anything if you really want to. Look at them Qin there, all bound and blindfolded while sat atop their Floating Discs. Argument could be made that I done gave them proper justification to come after me. Not just by threatening to gun down anyone who looked like them if given a chance, but Ow Tian got even more reason seeing how I done killed his daddy. If I knew the person who killed my daddy was still alive and well, I'd be frothing at the mouth to get to him too, and the only reason I ain't done more than I have is because I don't got no earthly idea on where to start or who to go after. No one besides my mother's brother at least, and he's too well guarded to go up against as I am now.

Especially now that I seen the quality of his troops. They call him the General, and he's got himself an army that ain't half bad. These ones here ain't Ranger ready, not a single one of them, not even the old timer sharpshooters who were a cut above the rest, but if this group of 10 and Jinfeng are any indication of the general level of skill amongst the Vanguard, then they ain't messing around one bit. The Federation got higher highs, but there are only so many Rangers to go around, less than a thousand scattered across the Eastern Front. That's why they could only spare a single Company of 20 Rangers and a few extras to tag along and watch out for the boots, though to be fair, them extras was packed to the gills with talent to spare.

In contrast, the Vanguard sent close to a hundred troops on a mission to recover some bodies, one cadre to do the job and the second on a lark to chase after Jinfeng's skirts and show me up I guess. Might not have meant much if they was all second rate, but they had a first-class Sword Saint and a formidable Battle Monk tagging along, both of whom I would say were easily the equivalent of Captains in the Rangers. While the Qin might not have a whole lot of talent sitting on the bench, it's a damn deep dugout with plenty of bodies to make up for wherever they might be lacking.

All in all, I need to get creative and bend some rules if I want to go after my mother's brother or whoever it was that ordered the hit on my daddy. At least the Geneva Convention only applies to war waged against other people, so won't no one give me any guff when my Mage Hands place a lit Molotov in my hand and I set a whole slew of Swarmlings aflame. The blazing illumination is blinding in the darkness of night, but I howl with laughter all the same as I watch Abby burn while gunning them down all the while.

I ain't the only one having fun, as Tina done climbed up onto the wagon and is firing off shots into the crowd, picking off the Spitters wherever she sees them with her new Merlin 45. Lovely gun it is, and she's a fair shot with it, but her efforts would be better spent targeting the bigger Abby. Spitters are dangerous to be sure, but in this crowd, any one that stops to lob a spine will get trampled over right quick. Doesn't mean they don't try though, and I gotta duck, dodge, dip and dive to avoid the worst of the spray while tanking what's left with my duster, armoured plates, and hardened skin. Ain't a whole lot of hits, and most that do go glancing off, but given the sheer volume of fire coming my way, that's bound to change sooner rather than later if I keep tempting fate.

So I empty all my guns save for the Whumper, which I hold at the ready as I skate away with all haste and set my Mage Hands to reloading. The hail of spines drops down to a mere sprinkle which is easily avoided as I jink and juke about the hills, building momentum as I skate down the slopes that is more than enough to bring me back up to those same heights thanks to the lack of friction between my Floating Disc and the ground. Soon as my weapons are all reloaded however, I turn back around to become the hunter once more, gunning down Swarmlings, Spitters, and the odd Beetle here and there as me and my family make a desperate run across the badlands in hopes of escaping the worst of it.

Because this right here? This is just the appetizer, the moose-boosh as it were, or as the French would say, amuse-bouche. Just something to nibble on before we really sink our teeth into things, which is why I soon switch over to the Rattlesnake and Model 10. Ain't hardly as satisfying to shoot, but there's something about plinking away at Abby that puts a smile on my face, one that grows strained as the minutes go by, my bullets diminish away, and still more Ferals remain.

Gonna be a long night this is, but I been in worse spots and come out ahead.

…

Now that I think about it, that ain't actually true. No matter though. That just means I've set the bar even higher for the next time I say it, which I'd say is enough to call it a win. I done already prepped all that I could for the worst, so this here is me hoping for the best, and for once, the best is what I expect to come.

Optimism. That'll show Abby what for, though if anyone up there is listening, I am more than willing to change my earlier request for a big floofy murder friend to ask for a miracle or three, because Lord knows we gonna need it.

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