Two trades and a question later, finally what I desired appeared before me. Those around the man of course ceaselessly mocked and questioned his decision for trade items. Most had noticed a correspondence to what they put inside the bag, Elle with the necklace, Calvin with the stone, so it’s no wonder that Calvin’s brother, Kin, thought the same would happen to his dinner.

Unfortunately, I had nothing to offer on that regard. Instead I picked from what I consider, ‘the good-est pile’. Not the ‘Best pile’, but only about a half step below.

The choices; a ring that can increases his strength, a bag, much like the hero’s vessel, but with a few obvious limits, and last, one of perhaps the only two infinite flasks in existence.

“Hoping to get that magically retrievable throwing-knife?” Kalvin smirks while watching his brother’s patient expression.

“Pff… I was just hoping for an edible dinner roll.” Kin admits with a grin. “In my dreams, maybe.”   

I think I’ve got one of those around here somewhere. How’d he even know about these? I don’t think anyone has made them in a couple thousand generations. Another one of those passed down legends maybe? Either way…

“Wha…” Kin mutters with his eyes glued to the blade and ring which tumble out of the bag unceremoniously. “It’s real.”

Was that everyone? No, Cara still hasn’t asked her question, has she? I suppose she was skipped in all the excitement.

But now that things seem to have calmed down, and most of the group are either experimenting with their new items, or imagining what they can buy with their profits, it’s the perfect opportunity for her.

Will she ask the same question Heather did? Will she have already figured me out? It wouldn’t surprise me, I haven’t been perfect with my disguise this time around, I’ll admit I let my guard down a bit, I’m sure many of my response were too human.

“Will I ever get married?” Cara eventually asks in a hushed voice with glances around the camp.

Well that wasn’t what I anticipated. Does she think I’m a crystal ball? How am I even supposed to answer that? Should I just lie to her? Tell her that, yes, her future is filled with love and children. Wouldn’t that end up hurting her if it never came true?

“Sorry, that was a weird thing to ask, wasn’t it?” Cara smirks with a sip from a canteen she had pulled from her waist.

“Is that your question?”

“No.” Cara confirms with a shake of her head. “I honest can’t decide what to ask. At first, I wanted to ask about ancient history, but what would I even ask? Then I was going to ask what magic structures allowed you to survive for so long, but again that felt too weak.”

“Then why not make a trade?”

Cara, looking at the members of her party who were either planning their retirement, or marveling at new ideas, again smirks a wine-stained smile. “Because I’m more interested in what question you will ask than any answers or relics you could give me.”

“You’re interested in my question?”

“Mhm,” Cara nods glancing at Carl who had asked me a questions before Kin delivered my dinner. “Your question to Carl was about these ruins, and where they lay on the map. I found that remarkably interesting.”

That’s true, in response to his query about the purpose of these ruins, I asked weather or not these were still human owned lands.

The response I got was long winded but positive in the end. Apparently after dozens of incursions and invasions over the past hundred and twenty years these lands have finally come fully back into human hands.

I didn’t get the exact details of it all but apparently, the current border of the world is a few hundred miles to the south of here. It almost sounds like its in a similar place as when I was alive. It’s good to hear that humanity is still alive and kicking even without a hero.

But why was she interested in that? Because I was interested? Did that give me away as I feared?

“Are you looking for the H…”

“HELP!” A voice loudly calls, interrupting Cara’s question mid-syllable.

The origin appears to be four figures layered in alternating coats of blood and drying mud. The figure in the center seem to be the worst off out of all of them. Blood appears to be dripping from a cut somewhere under his hood and his friends on either side are hauling his dragging body.

“Kalvin, the first aid bag.” Cara instructs sprinting over to the men with a moment hesitation. “Carl would you make a couple extra benches?”

“Roger.” Kalvin confirms, digging through a backpack for the specialized bag while Carl begins waving a wooden staff around a cleared area of the campsite.

The pit growing in my stomach was probably due to the sheer amount of blood, but for some reason it didn’t feel the same as when I last saw that much blood on the night everything ended.

Maybe I’ve become conditioned? Or is it something else? Something even more familiar.

▐◊▌▐◊▌

“Please don’t.” A familiar voice begs in shrill pain and terror while looking at the withering corpses of Kalvin and Kin and the knife pressed on Carl’s throat. “I’ll do anything just don’t…”

Jerking the blade carelessly the man shoves the body aside and replaces the knife to his belt. He places a hand onto Cara’s chin with a pitying smile plastering his face. “That was already a given, you don’t have to make any promises darling.”

Shuddering from the sound of a scream erupting from Elle, Cara jerks her face away from the approaching hooded man only to be faced by an even worse scene.

“Now, it wouldn’t be any good if those four have all the fun.” The man smirks while wiping a streak of blood across Cara’s lips and tugging her line of sight back up to meet his. “Let’s make you pretty first, huh?”

I did my best to block out the sound; to block out the thought, but it was impossible.

I am cursed.

This bag should just be destroyed, it only ever brings pain to those who hold it.

Another scream and the familiar scent of blood helped shroud me to sleep.

▐◊▌▐◊▌

“Ho, ho, Wha’da’we got here?” A voice calls to bring me back to reality. I’d like to think that was all a nightmare, but I know that’s not the case.

Taking a moment to project the campsite I’m faced with exactly what I feared seeing. As well as something I hadn’t anticipated seeing.

The man towering over me was one I recognized from the group who attacked the researchers, and the dagger that quickly lodged itself into his chest was also one I recognized from the night prior.

“THAT IS MINE.” The hooded man spits as he kicks the fallen body of his comrade. Retrieving the knife, only to stab it into the barreled chest a handful more times before setting it back to his belt; the man pulls back his hood as he lifts the bag with his other hand. “After all this time, finally reunited. Long time no see old friend. It was ‘Bag’ wasn’t it?”

Rhun?

Do I feel relieved to see someone I recognize? I can’t say I do. If anything I think I’m more upset.

“Why did you do that?” I ask without bothering with the voice changer. “Why did you kill those people? What did they do to you?!”

Rhun, looking at the bag curiously, soon shows a wide grin, “That’s a weird question.”

Why did it have to be someone I know? Anyone else and I wouldn’t even hesitate.