The Dawn of the New World

'Word of power? Singular?' Hao Xuan caught the little detail she had let slip.

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "And how would you know about something like that? Do you even know what you're talking about?" he asked, slightly amused.

It was entirely possible that she had overheard some locals speaking about it. If that was the case, she would probably make something else up as well.

Yet, her reply surprised her.

"I d-don't know what it is, but I know where you can find it. I heard some old hunters talking about it a few days ago," she explained. "I can tell you the location if you give me a little bit of the elixir," she proposed.

Hao Xuan scoffed, "And they just let you go? Don't lie to me girl!"

"I promise! They didn't know I was there. They were busy with....some of the other children."

Hao Xuan frowned inwardly. Were these hunters taking advantage of these kids? But he didn't let it show and instead, a sinister grin formed on Hao Xuan's face.

He extended his hand and grabbed the girl by her head, lifting her up in the air.

"Why should I trade with you? There are many ways to make a person talk, what's keeping me from getting the location out of you and just leaving?"

The tears that had formed on the edge of her eyes finally broke out and fell down her face as she stopped struggling to get free. She met Hao Xuan's gaze.

"Nothing will stop you. And I....can't make you give it to me either, but I have to try. My brother is very sick and he will die if I don't help him. I...I don't want to be alone."

Hao Xuan's expression slightly softened looking into her teary eyes.

"Where are your parents?"

"Papa died from a beast attack a few weeks ago when we were trying to get out of the village. Mama...she went out to get some food and didn't come back. That was last week. I asked the guard uncles and they said she ran away. But I know she would never leave us, something must have happened to her!" she tried to shake her head left and right, still not believing that her mother had just abandoned her.

Hao Xuan lowered his hand, letting her stand on her two feet. He reached back into his shirt and took out an empty vial before filling it with 10 drops of the same healing potion.

He held it up to her face so she could look at it carefully.

"Mix 1 drop with water and let him drink it. It will heal any injuries that he has. The rest you can use however you want but don't tell anyone else about it or they will hurt you and take it from you. Now, where's the location of this 'word of power', eh?"

The girl told him everything she knew down to the last word. Apparently it was in a nearby forest but was guarded by some kind of a beast which is why the hunters couldn't get to it.

The healing potion itself was almost useless to him so he wouldn't care even if the entire thing was lost, but to the little girl it was priceless. As the saying goes, one man's trash is another's treasure.

"What's your name?" Hao Xuan asked when he realized he had been calling her 'girl' every time.

She held on to the vial with both her hands like it was the most important thing in the world, which made Hao Xuan feel somewhat guilty.

"R-Rufina."

"Rufina, eh?" Hao Xuan gave a genial smile even though it was hidden behind his mask and patted her hair which were stuck together like glue mixed with dirt.

"Why did you approach me earlier? Out of everyone, why me?"

Using her sleeve, Rufina wiped the remnant tears from around her eyes as her expression suddenly brightened.

"Because of sister Ning!" she replied with a beaming smile.

Hao Xuan frowned slightly, "Sister Ning? Did she tell you to talk to me?"

Rufina shook her head vigorously, "No, Sister Ning is just like you, she also came from the sky!"

"From the sky? She's a cultivator?"

"Ahan. She helped me and my mom reach the city when we were lost. She is really kind and pretty!"

"Hoh, is she now? One of these spoiled brats is not selfish? Who would have thought," Hao Xuan mumbled to himself.

"Alright, go," he stood up and moved aside, "Remember what I said, don't use the elixir in front of or tell anyone else, it's only for you."

"Yes," Rufina thanked him and scurried away with her little feet.

Hao Xuan didn't waste any more time and went straight to Salome. Even after being told to stay, he had wandered into what looked like a tavern. Apparently someone had tried to pick a fight with him but Fortis had sent all of them flying. If not for Hao Xuan's timely entrance, there would have been a bloodbath...or a feast, if Fortis was hungry enough.

After asking around he found the last girl from the list who had come down to the city. She was a half-elf but the elf half belonged to dark elves which ruled her out as well.

With nothing else to do, Hao Xuan bought a few tones of local food and brought it up to the walking city with him. Since the situation in this particular city seemed pretty bad already with numerous cases of looting and murders, he decided to take Salome with to the next one.

When the sun went down, Hao Xuan put on his mask and once again departed from the city, following the directions Rufina had provided.