At first light, I started my journey anew. A full night’s rest had my spirit high and my optimism refreshed. I was quite anxious to get underway and started at a brisk pace down the road.

  After a few hours of walking, I heard shouting in the distance. The road wrapped around to the right in a sharp curve behind a hill, so I couldn’t see far. I started jogging toward the shouting. Just before the curve, I entered the woods as a short cut and to try to keep from being seen. I wanted to assess the situation rather than go charging in. As I moved closer, I first saw a large wooden wagon with tall walls. There were no horses that I could see, but I also saw three human males surrounding an eight-foot-tall creature that looked like a Bigfoot, or maybe Sasquatch. It was covered in fur but wearing pants and a loose shirt. It had what looked like a large tree limb, that it swung at any of the men who came close. Behind the Sasquatch, there were two smaller versions, what I thought of as a female and child. The three of them were backed up against the wagon, so the men couldn’t sneak up on them from behind. The female was holding the child, who seemed unconscious, so she wasn’t able to help the bigger Sasquatch fight off the humans.

  The humans kept shouting at it, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying. After a few seconds of moving closer, their voices suddenly cleared up.

  “Give us the cart or we will kill you and yours.”

  “Just kill em, Bijou. They ain’t worth nuttin to the slavers.”

  At this point, I understood the three men were trying to kill and rob the Sasquatch family. They were armed with short swords and knives. They would have to get very close to do any damage and that tree limb could do a lot of damage if it hit them. The big guy was keeping them at bay for the moment, but sooner or later, the men would charge together, and that would be it for the family. Three to one odds in a fight like this was not a good thing for the one. Even if the one was literally head and shoulders taller.

  While I did not know the local cultural norms, I did know that people trying to rob other people was wrong. Put it down to my Mormon upbringing or whatever. Between their actions and their threats, the men had made themselves the bad guys. However, I didn’t want to kill them. Coming from Earth, I had a built-in prejudice against killing people. But I couldn’t let them kill the Sasquatch family either. I decided to use a bit of shock and awe in an attempt to scare them off.

  I cast a fireball about 5 feet above the man closest to me. It was close enough that the man felt the heat and maybe get his hair singed, and loud enough that everyone heard it. At the moment it went off, I screamed and started running toward the wagon, waving my sword and also cast another fireball that went off right in front of the man closest to me. That one definitely singed his hair, maybe removed his eyebrows. Another loud boom and a flash occurred.

  Between the fireballs, and my screaming, the bandits had had enough. As if of one mind, they turned and ran as fast as they could toward the other side of the road and into the forest. I sent one final fireball that exploded just before the woods, in order to keep them from stopping. I could hear them to continue to flee through the woods.

  [You have learned the skill Intimidation, level 1.]

  I stopped about 15 feet from the Sasquatch family, and sheathed my sword. “Is everyone okay?” I asked. The large Sasquatch didn’t say anything but held his tree limb at the ready.

  I raised both hands, showing I was unarmed. “I don’t mean you any harm. I was travelling through, when I saw you being attacked by those bandits. Is everyone okay? Do you need any healing? I am called Trevor.” I said in a calm voice and raised my hands to show that I had no weapons.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Sasquatch Dad said something to his wife that I did not understand. Then he turned to me. “Are you a Healer?” he asked.

  “I have a healing spell, but wouldn’t call myself a Healer. I am willing to help as I can.”

  Sasquatch Dad put lowered his tree limb and gestured me closer. “My son is injured and if you can help him, I will gladly provide any assistance I can.”

  I came next to the boy. He had a large cut on his forearm and was slightly feverish. There was a great deal of redness and pus around his wound, indicating an infection or poison. I crouched down, placed my hand on his arm and cast Cure All and then Heaven’s Heal. Immediately, his wound closed, the redness and pus disappeared, and his fever vanished. My notification flag was flashing, but I needed to sort out this situation now and could check latter. I asked Sasquatch Mom if she needed healing, and she shook her head and said no.

  I looked at Sasquatch Dad and he appeared uninjured. “My name is Trevor.” I said as I reached out my hand. He grabbed me by the forearm and started to shake. Apparently, this is the local handshake, or he was going to rip my arm off. I was really hoping for the former, so I did the same. “I am hoping you can give me directions, as I am not from around here.”

  “My name is Umberia of House Lenot. I thank you for your assistance in both the battle and the healing.” Umber said with a touch of formality.

  “It was the right thing to do”, I shrugged,” and I am glad to have been of assistance, both before and after. Is there anything else that you need assistance with?” I asked. I could tell the big guy was still wary, but at least I still had my arm. “I am travelling to the nearest city around here, but admittedly I have no idea where it is. I have been travelling through the woods, and just came across the road not two days back. Do you know where, and how far, the nearest town is?”

  “If you continue down the road you can reach the city of Forest Glen before the sunsets. That is the capital of Renovolt county. We are heading that direction and you can travel with us. It is the least we can do for your assistance.” He said and smiled. Which frankly, if I didn’t know it was a smile, was scary as hell. He literally had 3-inch fangs that showed along with other jagged teeth. It was obvious that Sasquatch was not an herbivore. “If I may ask, how is it that you speak the Crotian tongue so fluently?”

  I was confused for a moment, then remembered the Linguistics Gift. I was speaking in his native language. “It is a Gift.” I answered. Umberia nodded knowingly. Knowledge of Gifts must be common, I thought.

  Umberia then introduced his wife and son, Jandicia and Locania. While we travelled, I told Umberia about my not being from around here, and my journey from the cave to here. He told me about the city I was headed to. The city was of middling size, 30 to 35 thousand people. It was the capital of Renovolt county but not the largest city in the county. The main industry was adventuring, farming, and an iron mine. The main population was human, so I should fit in well, with a few of the other races there also. No Crotians and that is why the family wasn’t settling there. They were moving to Toverville, which was the next town after Forest Glen. While Forest Glen was the capital of Renovolt province, Toverville was much larger, 200 - 250 thousand and very multiracial. All in all, Toverville was a better destination for his family.

  The horseless wagon was amazing. The front seat was very comfortable, and the ride was smooth. It wasn’t powered by a gas engine either. It was powered by magic. It was the first magic machine I had encountered. Umberia made the wagon. He was going to set up shop in Toverville and sell them. He didn’t go into details about how it worked, I figured trade secrets and all that.

  Midafternoon rolled around and I was very grateful for the ride. My feet were sore. I hadn’t really noticed before, but now that I was off them and riding in the wagon, I noticed. As you can imagine, I wasn’t wearing the most comfortable of shoes. I put comfortable shoes as a high priority after I go to town. Our conversation varied widely, mostly me asking about the local culture and customs. It was a pleasant way to spend the time until we reached the road split. At the road split, I would take the left path, while they would take the right. I wished them the best of luck, and they did the same. We parted with them issuing an invitation to visit if I ever found myself in Toverville. I agreed and then started walking down my path waving goodbye.

  After another hour, I found myself looking at the broken walls of Forest Glen.