From the gate Michael was able to see what looked like fifteen or sixteen men and women. Four were on horseback and with them was a cart being drawn by a mule. Two of the men on horseback were clearly the knights that Kris had mentioned, and the others behind them on horses looked to be lightly armored as well. The knights' armor was interesting, with solid pauldrons rather than layered ones like the more modern designs he'd seen that provided more movement. He wasn't certain if it was an aesthetic choice, or the suits were antiques.

As they approached, the gates were opened and the knights and militia were welcomed inside to cheers and praise from the crowd that had gathered to watch their return. At some point a number of small children and elderly had come out to see them and they returned their smiles and praise with smiles and waves of their own, even though Michael could tell that they were exhausted. When they'd approached the gates he'd actually watched them make a concentrated effort to stop slumping in their saddles and sit up straight. When the knights' eyes reached his, there was a brief look of confusion. They leapt off of their mounts with a clang and handed their reins off to a young stableboy before approaching Kris who was standing to meet them.

"Welcome back sers," said Kris, bowing a bit.

"No need for that," said the nearest one, removing his helmet, revealing a middle-aged man with a dark complexion and a shaved head.

"Yes there is," said the other knight, removing his own helm to reveal a similarly aged man with a short cropped beard and gray hair. "There's always a need for respect and etiquette, especially in dark times."

The first man sighed, but ignored the other's comment. "Kris, report."

"No sightings of rift beasts. Received a wagon from gatepoint and sent them along with warnings to Creekbend. Had these two show up," she pointed to Michael and Ollie. "They said they were here to help. The pretty- er the blonde one is a healer and the tall one is a mage. The healer already saw to the entire infirmary."

"The entire infirmary?" asked the bearded one.

"Yes, Ser Laird," she responded.

"Then he should be passed out. Or dead himself."

"Do you still have anything else left in you?" asked the other knight. He presumed he was Knight Hu, since the other was Laird.

"Plenty, who needs healing?" asked Michael.

Hu gestured for him to follow and Michael arrived at the cart where a number of people were bandaged. Some were unconscious, and one was already dead. Michael raised a hand and began to heal them. Fixing concussions, cracked ribs, arrow wounds, and even a tremendously violent bite mark. When he lowered his hand all of them were looking at him in confusion tinged with awe, except for one. A portly man with white hair stared at him wide eyed and pointed a finger like a sausage in his direction. Michael could feel that he'd been divining him, but he was too focused on healing in the moment to really do anything about it. What could really be done? Was he going to kill a man for staring? It seemed like it would cause even more problems than what was about to happen.

"Taker! You're a taker!"

Michael met his gaze. "Yes. I am."

The awe turned to disgust on several faces, but not all of them and a rumble of murmurs and barely hushed accusations began to quickly travel through the assembled crowd.

"Has he paid his fee?" asked one voice.

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"Should he not be indentured?" asked another.

"Quiet!" yelled Knight Laird. "The indenture is over. I've already told you this. Any who arrive with weapons here are to be drafted. Takers, deserters, mercenaries, soldiers, kids who borrowed their father's sword. All must serve Hume in battle against the rifts now. That is the proclamation of our King and the only reason we have not already been overwhelmed."

Hu nodded. "These two have already volunteered to help, and from what Kris tells me his healing has already restored this village to near full-strength. Go about your business and spend time with your returned loved ones. We're heading out again tomorrow, so appreciate what you have while you can."

There was more mumbling and Michael and Ollie received more than a few glares, but no one started anything.

"Thanks for that, mate," said Ollie to Laird.

"Don't thank me taker, if I had my way we'd go by the laws of the old kings and run you through right here. Luckily for you I am bound by my oath to obey the laws of my liege." The man stormed off, with one of the younger men that had also been on horseback following quickly behind him.

Ollie sighed dreamily and looked at Michael with a mock smile. "It's like being back home. You really take me to the loveliest places."

"Anything for you, dear," replied Michael, making the same mocking expression.

Hu approached them after having a few more words with Kris.

"Your weapon, it's of Stent make, but I've never heard of any takers ever managing to escape them? Their brands are fatal if one is away from them too long."

Michael raised a hand making it glow gold. "The gods have granted me the power to heal and their guidance in removing them."

"The gods? You mean the divine?"

"The gods and the divine are one, but the gods have their own names again. I can teach them to you if you'd like."

Hu looked genuinely curious for a moment, but shook his head. "I'm afraid I have more important things to focus on for the moment. In the morning I'm going to have you and your friend here come with us to seal the next nearest rift. Diviner Lukas has exhausted himself too much, but with you here we can move to the next one without pause."

Michael nodded. "I'm happy to help; that's why I'm here. I have a lot to tell you about. You and anyone else who'll listen. I also have some questions for you."

"It'll have to wait for when we're on the road. Honestly, I'm barely keeping my feet under me. I don't want anyone to see a knight tip over."

Michael nodded and held out a hand. "I'm Michael, by the way."

Hu clasped his wrist and shook. "I'm Ser Hu, well met." He then held out hand to Ollie who repeated the gesture.

"Ollie," he said, his expression growing stern. "A warrior's name."

Ollie nodded. "It is, yes."

"I will see you both in the morning."

They nodded to him and he walked off, followed by a young man that had been on horseback with him. Michael presumed they were squires or at least the Old Hume equivalent given that they seemed to be wearing a similar kit to the knights and were at their disposal.

Ollie shook his head. "What a damned waste," he said.

Michael sighed. "I'm sorry. I know being drafted again isn't exactly ideal even if it's going to lead to us doing what we intended to anyway. I would understand if you wanted to leave, though I at least want to help with these rifts before we go."

"What? No, I don't give a shit about that. I'm here to help you keep this damned world from ending. I'm talking about Hu."

Michael looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What about him?"

"His name is Hu. Could you imagine if we were all speaking English right now? My god, we could probably accidentally stumble into the entirety of the 'who's on first' bit." He shook his head. "So much wasted potential."

Michael laughed hard enough to draw the attention of several people nearby. "You weren't nearly old enough when you died to remember that bit."

"That's a famous bit. Everyone knows it."

"I don't think my kids do, except maybe Gabe; he was always full of odd bits of information he absorbed somewhere."

"If your kids didn't know it, then I'm afraid that's a failure of your parenting."

"And one I'll bear like a cross from now on."

"Why not? That seems to be your MO."

"Ouch," replied Michael as they started to make their way back to their now tepid bowls of food. Luckily no rats had tried to drink from them or drown in them, at least none that they'd seen and that was about as good as one could hope for. Once they were through eating, they asked Kris where they were meant to sleep and she guided them to the infirmary since it was now open with plenty of sleeping pallets.

They selected the two with the least blood on them and made themselves comfortable. The smells of the place made Michael antsy, as did the rifts he could feel nearby. Still, after all of the healing he'd done that day, and the travel, he was at least tired enough to doze half-awake and after listening to the faint whispers of the gods in his ears he eventually drifted off to sleep.