Chapter 39: Rat.

Chapter 39 - Rat.Lee woke up when it was still dark outside. After opening his eyes, he immediately turned to the other side, intending to fall asleep again, when the feeling of something being off made him get out of the bed.

The house was tranquil and peaceful, but it took only few moments for Lee to realize that it was the lack of Freeda's snoring that was out of place. Pondering what he would do if his grandmother had passed away, he knocked on her door, but there was no answer.

He peaked inside, then tiptoed to her bed, but to his relief she wasn't there.

'Right.' Lee thought to himself, 'It would be weird if something happened to her. She's strong as an ox and healthy as I am. And she doesn't look much older than fifty!'

Guessing that she probably had to take care of their modest livestock, he quickly dressed and went out to lend a hand. During the past couple of years he had done it countless times, except never at night. Nevertheless, Lee proceeded towards the barn that had a weak light coming from the inside, but before he touched the door, a sound of horse nickering made him freeze in his tracks.

While he didn't really have anything to hide, apart from being killer of few noble youths that is, Lee instinctively squatted down and pricked up his ears, staring in the darkness in the direction of the road. Freeda didn't have a horse and he certainly couldn't hear the sounds of hooves of someone passing by.

But he was certain he heard something.

Carefully, still squatting down, he moved closer to the door, but then heard a familiar voice.

"... so the expedition was a fucking failure ..." Freeda said with a soft sigh, "What did the Prophet say?"

Before Lee could relax, the contents of what she said registered in his brain, and what followed made his eyes widen.

"He'll be back only in a month or so. We didn't have a chance to report." Pleasant, even somewhat musical man's voice replied, but Lee held his breath, afraid to get spotted.



"That's the reason we came to discuss this with you." The man continued, "While there were casualties, five fire sparks is a big deal. It's five new elemental warriors, you know? We need to decide how to use them as soon as possible."

"Our losses were relatively acceptable, no need to make a fuss about it!" Another man said. His voice was high pitched, and when he spoke a couple of chickens woke up, and discontentedly clucked.

"Slade! We lost over thirty brothers and sisters!" Lee recognized Ingrid's voice berating the previous speaker.

"Damn it! Thirty ... is a fucking lot ..." Freeda cursed, "I don't even want to imagine what a shit-show it was ... It would've been so much safer if that bastard Enzo went with them ... Nevertheless! The Prophet approved the list before he departed, so we just have to fucking follow his orders ..."

Lee couldn't believe his ears. Implications of Freeda working for or with rebels were mind-boggling. Them talking about the distribution of fire sparks as well as expeditions meant she was in some higher-up position, but Ingrid being a part of the group actually made sense. All her previous talks about her family and mission easily fit someone who was a part of religious rebel organization.

"What do we have here?" Lee's chaotic train of thought was interrupted by a huge man picking him up. The enormous hand held him in iron grip by the neck as if he was a goose that tried to run away from a butcher.

"Enzo?! You're late!" Said the guy with the high pitched voice. But Lee's vision began to darken, and if the man wouldn't have thrown him to the ground, he surely would've had lost consciousness.

"I found a rat!" Enzo said.

"Cough, cough ..." Lee tried to catch his breath, but to his great horror saw one of the present drawing his sword and already slashing at him.

Fortunately Freeda was quicker and pulled Lee away just before the sword hit the spot he was just at.

"You, motherfucker!" She shouted, "If anyone dares to lay a finger on him, I'll castrate all of you, morons!"

Then she squatted next to Lee, patted his clothing and brushed away few straws from his hair.



"Are you alright, pumpkin?" She asked, and Lee could only mechanically nod. Just a moment ago he was sure he'll have to reincarnate again.

"Lee?" Ingrid exclaimed. But then calmed down and said, "It's fine, Slade. It's Lee."

"Who's he?" The guy with the sword, Slade, asked. He didn't sheathe the weapon, though, and watched the boy with furrowed brows and narrowed eyes.

"It's fine!" Ingrid repeated, "He's Tess's kid."

"Tess's?" Enzo sounded surprised, "But that means he's ..."

"He's my fucking grandson!" Freeda barked at him.

But Slade didn't think it was good enough. He pointed the sword at Lee and said, "What Enzo meant was – he's Green's son!"

Freeda took an angry step forward and positioned herself between Slade and Lee, clenching her fists. And then happened something Lee never expected to see – her fists suddenly lit up in dark red flames.

She hissed, "Wanna try me, bitch?! I'll take you, motherfucker, to the netherworld, if needed!"

Slade took a step back, but then grinned, and in a tad jeering voice, said, "Even if you are the highest singe digit Hand present, the seniority is not based on the combat strength. You're no match for me! In fact, I bet you can't touch me even if I don't use my wind spark! With how fresh you look, you haven't had a fight in decades!"

Lee glanced at Freeda's angry expression, but noticed her biting her lower lip in distress. Apparently the guy was right and the hot-headed grandmother had hard time figuring a way out. The confusing part was that Lee couldn't understand why would anyone want to attack a kid. He did look harmless, right?

Ingrid also thought so. She said, "You don't have to worry about him. We've spent a lot of time together. He's really smart ..."

"That's what we're afraid of!" The man with the musical voice said, and Lee finally could take a look at him. The slightly overweight guy wore an expensive looking black robe embroidered with golden threads. He was probably in his fifties, but if he also was a superhuman, there was no telling what his actual age was.



"Cai! I'm warning you!" Freeda said, but it sounded more like a plea.

"Let's calm down, everyone!" Cai said, "You too, Slade. Put that thing away!"

"I don't like him!" Slade kept eyeing Lee, but Cai waved him off, and said, "You don't like anyone."

Then he turned to Freeda, and said, "You surely hid him well! And while it's understandable and technically would be fine – why the first time he shows up is when four single digit Hands are present at the same time? It's too much of a coincidence. And you know we can't take unnecessary risks for our cause ..."

"The fucking cause?" Freeda glared at him, but the fire on her fists disappeared, "He has done more for the cause than some of the present bitches! He's the one who killed Lance Newman and framed his idiot brother, he's the one who's responsible for ..."

"Grandma, don't!" Lee managed to interrupt her before she disclosed more of his secrets, especially setting up Powel at the age of five. He was slightly upset Tess blabbed, but it was probably too hard for his mother to keep secrets of such magnitude, thus he couldn't really blame her. Or course, he couldn't have known Freeda overheard their conversation, but it didn't really matter anyway.

"Don't make me laugh!" Slade snickered, "Everyone knows Drevin Newman killed his brother and was executed for the crime."

But his expression changed when Ingrid had a sudden revelation, "So that's the spark that you have! You managed to take the waletaur's spark from those evil people ..."

Obviously Lee killed the guy for the revenge and looted the spark as spoils of war, but he found it hilarious how the simple minded girl ignored the fact that he was a killer, and instantly marked his victims as evil people.

"Oh?" Cai was genuinely surprised. The implication of the boy in front of them having a rare water spark was significant, "I'd like to hear more about it!"

"I think it's enough!" Freeda angrily said, "You're fucking Fifth Hand while I'm the Third. I outrank all of you so, please, be so kind and piss off. Good night, motherfuckers! The meeting is over!"

"That's not how it works, Freeda!" Slade snickered again, and all Freeda could do was to bite her lip again. She knew there was no way to go against any of the three guys. The only one she could beat up was Ingrid ... well ... and Lee.