Chapter 49 - Unhappy Reunions

“You!” Max exclaimed. “What is going on?”

“Oh, a long story that,” the Stranger said. “First of all I must applaud you on your deft performance in escaping me.”

“Can’t say I regret that,” Max said. “You weren’t particularly co-operative.”

“Not one of my strong suits,” the Stranger admitted. “But I learned a great deal from our previous encounter.”

“I really hope it explains what’s going on here,” Max said darkly. “I really don’t appreciate what I think is going on here.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, my friend,” the Stranger said and smiled. “Enjoy the moment. Listen to my story.”

“It had better be a good one,” Max growled. “One laden with very good explanations to what is going on here.”

The Stranger merely smirked.

“Now, you having chased me away by using a wild beast gave me a fun idea. An idea for poetic vengeance. You see, I wondered what would have happened to you, had I died. Would you have been judged by our patrons? Or was this a potential loophole. I will save you from the details of me testing my theories and taking gradually more and more risks in increasing my agency regarding the kills. In short, it is a loophole.”

“Vengance…?” Max’s brain tried to piece it together, but a part of him just couldn’t believe it. Eventually it did click. “You! You’re the one attacking the camp!”

“Ding, ding, ding,” the Stranger said and clapped slowly. “Winner winner, chicken dinner.”

“Just to get back at me?” Max asked, a dark storm gathering behind his voice.

“Why not? You took my spear and my fun from me,” the Stranger said. “So I asked myself where could I hit you that would hurt the most. You were nowhere to be seen in the Dreadlands, deft little adventurer that you are. And I couldn’t figure out a way to thwart your growth.”

Max looked around. There were a few panthers lying on the grass, watching Max idly. Maybe three in total. And the cub and the mother in the cave. There could be more in the cave for all he knew.

“But I knew you would have friends somewhere, the little boy scout that you are. It did not take me awfully long to find your little friends huddled up by the river. The emaciated, weak and lost traveler that I was, they took me in with open arms. I like people. I really do. So trusting, so generous.”

Max snarled at the Stranger, but said nothing. He would let him talk. He needed to think. Four or more adult panthers, and the Stranger, who was who knew how powerful currently. Max liked to think he had to have become stronger than him, being a higher level Cultivator for sure than him, but he wasn’t sure.

“I ate their food and listened to their stories. It did not take long to ascertain that I had come to the right place. Oh, how they adore you, Max. The Bringer of Buckets, the hero, the protector. I did not really understand why they held you in such high esteem, or how they had come to the conclusion that you were some sort of a protector. I think you are just like me.”

“I am nothing like you,” Max spat. The Stranger tutted and wagged a finger.

“Now now. Listen to my story first,” the Stranger drawled on. “So I wanted to prove them wrong of course. You are no protector. You are a lone hunter, just like me.

“And so I started testing things. I came to this forest and found rather strong panthers here. I wonder if the beasts in my starting region have also grown stronger. Most likely. Now, my first attempt was to have a panther get interested in me, then wound it, then run from it until I found one of the lovely fools of your community wandering about.”

Max glared at the Stranger.

“It worked perfectly,” The Stranger said. “The panther found easier prey and immediately killed some fool picking for mushrooms. I got no notification, no divine judgment, nothing. So I escalated my research, but I will not bore you with the details. Eventually I developed a talent [Animal Friend]. It is a very exciting ability. Allows me to communicate with animals and have a Charisma bonus when dealing with them.”

I’ll start by consuming a [Potion of Greater Mana Regeneration]. I could retreat into the cave, and hold the entrance, but I have no idea how many panthers there are. I should assume at least six. I could run around, gather them, tether them to each other and then use a [Gravity Well].

“My bond with the beast allowed for further, more intricate communication with the other panthers. She basically works as a liaison or a translator, if you will. Then I started feeding them stories of the evil village that attacks and eats panthers. Technically true, and their simple beast minds lapped up the story without coughing. The rest was just a question of organizing the attacks and teaching them to work together. They learn surprisingly fast, these beasts. Mighty interesting creatures. They’re also ruthless, which is a trait I like about them.”

“I’m sure you guys have a lot in common,” Max said, buying time to refine his battle plans. It was hard to focus on that, while keeping his rage in check, but he managed. “You can control a pack of panthers? Just like that?”

“I wouldn’t say control,” the Stranger said. “I can give them suggestions and ideas. I can only control the matriarch to a degree, but it is more of a negotiation on some days. However, by now I have learned what makes these little cats tick. Sometimes they allow me to teach them. I’ve tried little raids on the people working in the clay deposit. That little girl is always there, but she is too damned fast and careful. I must say I am a little upset that you killed all my well trained pets.”

Lily. No. You will not take her!

“So you’ve been goading the panthers to attack the camp?” Max asked, spitting the words between his teeth. He gripped his revolver. He was ready to kill the Stranger at this point. Tribunals be damned. If Max didn’t kill him, he would just continue doing what he was doing and more good people would die.

“Precisely,” the Stranger said, clearly pleased that Max caught on. “I even Spirit Bonded with that matriarch in the cave you saw. It is my Cultivation path.”

So he is at least level 15. That doesn’t surprise me. Question is, if push comes to shove, will he attack me, or only use the beasts for fear of the Tribunal?

“I did not actually know you had come back from your hunts,” the Stranger said. “I thought it would be fitting that the protector returned to a mangled wreck of a home, utterly destroyed.”

“Why!?” Max spat out. “You could be doing this against the enemy! Against the real enemy. You could be useful. You could be what humanity needs right now. Instead you play these sick and petty games!”

The panther on the rock growled. The Stranger didn’t look happy about Max’s outburst either, but whatever little emotion flicked on his face, it was gone as soon as it had appeared.

“You call it petty, I call it justice,” the Stranger said in a tone darker than before.

“And I call it stupid!” Max shouted. “Don’t you understand what is at stake here? Go hunt the enemy!”

“Who said I will not,” The Stranger said, almost offended. “That was my plan for after I have taught you your lesson.”

“What goddamn lesson!?”

The panther got up and hissed, baring its teeth. The Stranger tutted again.

“To never cross me again,” the Stranger said, looking down at Max. “If you steal a finger from me, I will take an arm from you.”

“You,” Max said from between his teeth. “Won’t take a single thing from me anymore! EVER!”

Max unholstered [The Maverick] and blasted a volley at the panther by the Stranger’s side.