As the messenger golem set off, Jerald smiled. He had already arranged for a mind mage to visit, so they should be waiting at his towhe group arrived. Currently, however, everyone was celebrating the success of their mission, having both cleared a rge se of the wilderness of hostile creatures, as well as pushing back the forest itself.

  The vilgers that remained had even offered their own meager stores of food, though he had to refuse, given their situation. Even with the shipments ing in, he khey would to make it through the winter, and he didn’t want to make things harder on them. There were still plenty of their kills that they had been preserving, so there was no she of food for now, or the trip back, and the excess would be left behind as well.

  That said, he was ed about hoeople the vilge had lost before they mao arrive. If he didn’t find a solution quickly, he would likely lose the vilge entirely. Perhaps it was a good thing that there were a bunch ees among the bandits, they likely just wao get back to living simple lives without worry, and he wouldn’t be opposed to them settling down, if they were so ined.

  Looking back over the various scattered groups, he hoped that the verification would go well, many of them seemed like good people, and most got along well with each other. There had been no she of instances of the bandits from various groups stepping in to help others, be they other bandits or his soldiers, so if nothing else, they were at least trying their best.

  Gesturing to his guards, Jerald began to walk towards the celebrating groups, i on speaking with the leaders.

  Leanna was the first, as he had prior experieh her, and a degree of trust, since she had previously served him. Wheioned as to what her group was likely to want, she surprised him with her response. Apparently they had already talked among themselves about the possibility of being pardohough Leanna hadn’t put much hope into the idea until his proposal reached her.

  From what she said, the majority of her people had signifit experience hunting, and would like to serve as an official ‘ing squad’ visiting various pces of trouble and removing twisted creatures, or dangerous bandits. At this point, she also mentiohat she still sidered herself as serving him, just no longer directly, and had been the oo vihe roups to be leowards those they stopped. Apparently, she had threateo turn her entire group against anyone who took more than ten pert of anyone’s goods, or who killed those they stopped.

  Keeping that in mind, he theo visit Durok, though a bit more hesitantly, given what he had seen during the battles retly. The man did appear friendly enough when not fighting, but it never hurt to be cautious.

  Simir to Leanna, he already had an ao what he desired to do if pardoned. Durok remarked that he loved nothing more than fighting, and had sidered numerous options, but would like to help train the soldiers Jerald anded. Failing that, he wao be allowed to request supplies from the vilges, and iurn clear out threats from the wilderness. Many of his men just wao fight occasionally, and he suggested opening up a small colosseum beside his town where people could pete. While they were speaking, another of his men approached, and Durok the man.

  “As my friend here was going to remihere are also several who just want to settle down, they have bee tired of fighting, but I didn’t want to kick them out with nowhere for them to go. You are supposed to enjoy fighting, not struggle to fight hunger and the elements, after all,” Durok remarked.

  Jerald was intrigued by this, having thought that his entire band were battle-maniabsp; He certainly hadn’t noticed any of them sg during the battles they had shared retly. He nodded, replying, “As long as you pass my criteria, you will be free to settle down anywhere in my domain. I am not sure about the idea of a colosseum, but I will sider that, if enough people are ied. I am worried about your idea of training my soldiers, however. Yhting style is wild, and unsuited fhting in a group.”

  With a mighty ugh, Durok procimed, “I may not be the best at w in a group, but I have no problem helping by sparring, or showing how to block attacks. If you give me a ce, I’ll accept it if you ge your mind.”

  Stating that he would sider it, Jerald let them get back to rexing ao find the group he thought of as militia, but before he could, he roached by several of the refugees who stopped a respectful distance away. One of them stepped forward, bowed slightly, and spoke, “Lord, we have discussed this for a while, but would it be possible for us to settle down here? It is clear they have a need for more people, and we just want a safe home. Sure, it isn’t perfect being by the wilds, but we have dealt with that before, and we just helped clear them out here.”

  Having somewhat expected this, Jerald nodded, replying that as long as they were pardohey were wele to settle down anywhere in his territory, including Floatspire.

  The men thanked him before wandering off again, leaving him to tinue his searbsp; Fortunately, it wasn’t as difficult as he thought, as despite wearing identical gear as the others, one man was standing on a barrel giving a speech to the rest. He stood out of the way and listened rather than interrupt.

  Surprisingly, the man was actually repeating what he had offered with the pardon, that those who had raped or killed would not be pardoned, and reending that any who had should simply leave.

  Gd to hear that someone else sidered it important to mention, he nodded before approag the man, who bowed to him and stepped down. Jerald didn’t bother climbing atop the barrel, but simply raised his voice to be easily heard and decred, “This is correct, but there is a slight exception. If you have killed only in self-defense, or had anood reason, you still be pardoned. I do not wish to be unfair to those who have difficult situations. That said, murderers and rapists will be executed if you attempt to get a pardon. You are free, due to your assistao leave any time before entering Granitehill, and you will not be chased. I reend finding a vilge, settling down there, and being the best person you . If you are found to have done so, you may be left alone. I will be repeating this before we arrive, but now is a good time to leave if this applies to you. Thank you for your time.”

  Turning back to the man, he asked what he was ied in if pardoned, and what his people were likely to want. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he mentiohat many had wao bee soldiers, but were framed by their leader and forced to flee to his domain instead. Many had bee disillusioned with the idea during that time, and simply wished to return to a normal life, but several were ied in being town or vilge guards, while some others still wished to be soldiers.

  Jerald thahe man for his time auro his o for the night, having previously informed everyohey would begin their return tomorrow.

  Several days ter, they arrived back at Granitehill, with Jerald stopping the group before they entered. After repeating what he had told the one group prior, there was quite a bit of muttering among the bandit groups, aually one woman stepped forward, bowing to him before asking, “I suppose I already know the answer, but could I be pardoned if I killed my husband for cheating on me? And if not, are you seriously going to let us go if we have gone against your ditions?”

  Shaking his head, Jerald responded, loud enough for all to hear, “That is not what I would sider a good reason, though I do sympathize with you. You should have simply left. But yes, even after admitting what you have done, as thanks for your as, you are free to leave, and will not be pursued.”

  She bowed to him again and began to walk away from the town as more muttering spread through the rest. A few moments ter, several other people left the group as well. After several minutes, Jerald stated, “This is the st ce for anyone who wants to walk away. Anyone who tinues must meet the requirements I put forth.”

  When no one else left, he directed the group towards a warehouse right on the edge of town. As they ehe guards along the walls owards Jerald, direg him to an older man standing on the far end of the building surrounded by muards.

  While the guards got everyone arranged into their respective groups, Jerald spoke to the man, an old friend of his from before he took over rulership of his town. They had left on good terms, but the old mage had admitted he was not supposed to bee close to anyone as it could potentially skew his rep. Jerald was thankful he did, however, as otherwise there was no way he would be able to vince a mind mage to assist in a matter such as this.

  Having shared his request on how to judge everyohe step was to have the guards fiscate everyone’s ons, if they still had any. While this was ongoing, Jerald moved on to deg the order for verifying the past of those present. In the end, he decided to judge the leaders first, then randomly pick others afterward.

  Once everyone was disarmed, two guards escorted the mage as he began to point out individuals to step forward. At this point, Jerald decred, “If anyone is found to be resisting, or actively trying to hide anything, you will be sidered guilty of major crimes and executed. Please cooperate, and if you have good reason to have done something serious, it be pardoned, unless you try to hide it.”

  Immediately afterward, Leanna requested that she go first, and when Jerald he mage motioned her forward. Arriving before him, she went to one knee and bowed her head before the mind mage reached out to touch her. Several moments passed before he pulled away, stating, “Thank you for being so cooperative, it seems you have dohis before? Well, we will have you begin group one, please stand to the side over there,” and poio one of the ers of the warehouse.

  The o be called forward was Durok, who remaianding, seemingly rexed. Only a minute passed before he was sent to join Leanna as well.

  The several individuals were assigo the sed group, then one person to the third. In the e people were in the first group, the majority in the sed, six ihird, and eleven in the froup. No one had tried to fight, surprisingly, perhaps due to all the armed guards.

  Seeing everyone had been sorted into the groups, the mage returo Jerald, quickly writing down a note and handing it to him. After quickly reading it, Jerald nodded and turo the froup before stating, “You have itted crimes I ot pardon, unfortunately.” Before he could tihe group began to shout and edge away from the guards.

  Due to this, he shouted for them to stop, as he was not finished. After a few mrumbles, they quieted down, though still looked restless, so Jerald tinued, “Despite this, you have done as you were asked, without pint, and thus I believe you deserve another bsp; You are banished from Granitehill, and will be imprisoned if you are spotted here again. You have oo prepare and leave. If you move to a vilge, you will not have ao worry about your past, though your situation will be reyed to the leaders of all the vilges.”

  Hearing this, the group rexed quite a bit, as did the roups, seeing that he was being merciful even to people he did not wish to pardon.

  His very as, however, went against that, as he didn’t bother turning and simply decred, “Group three is to be executed.”

  With only the slightest hint of dey, several guards fired crossbows into the group as others advanced with ons drawn. In short order, all that remained of the third group was a bloody pile of corpses. Jerald sighed before stating, “They had itted unfivable crimes. As you might imagihis means none of you o fear execution now.”

  Turning to face the sed group, he calmly remarked, “You have either been fouirely i, or your crimes are pletely pardoned. You are free to leave, and may remain here in Granitehill, or you may move to any vilge in my domain. Thank you for your service, everyone.”

  With this, he spoke to the first group, “All of you are to remain, you have itted signifit crimes, but apparently there is reason to believe you might be worthy of a full pardardless. Each of you will o be examined again, ier depth, except Leanna. Thank you for cooperating so much, actively putting your memories forward was very helpful, and my friend here says you were easier to work with than anyone else, as well as memorable enough to not fet.”

  Hearing this, Leanna hen replied, “I will save some more time then. I have killed hundreds since I have been framed, though all I sider to have been with good reason. The vast majority were bandits or cultists, or both. The exception is that I am, as you might have guessed, the one who killed the priovernor, as well as his family, while they were traveling to the capital. He attempted to have me killed for his crimes, and succeeded in f me to flee to remain alive. When I killed him, his son and you daughter swore they would kill me even if it took their entire lives, sretfully, I had to kill them as well. His eldest daughter did not, so I had one of my men escort her to a friend in the capital to try to help her begin a new life, along with all the belongings the family had.”

  Finishing up, she looked to the mage, who promptly nodded, replying, “That is a very accurate summary, I sider that to have been the o you would care about, Jerald.”

  In respoo this, Jerald frowned and thought for a moment before replying, “If you take an oath that you will serve me and follow my rulings, I will pardon you. I am not happy with your solution to being framed, but having allowed the eldest daughter to live speaks well for you.”

  Leanna promptly shook her head before stating, “I ot swear that oath, as I already did when I began w for you, and I have not broken it. I will gdly swear to maintain that oath, however. Even as a bandit, I did the best I could to assist the people of your domain, taking only what I needed, and actively w to keep other bandit groups ag simirly.”

  The mage once again spoke up, remarking, “As far as I could tell, this is irue, everything I saw points to her sincerely believing she still follows her former oath.”

  Having heard this, Jerald took another moment to sider what he had heard befreeing, allowing Leanna to swear to maintain her oath. After she did so, he decred, “I thus pardon you of all crimes. You said you wished to serve me again, with many of your people. Please gather those that agree a at the city barracks tomorrow m.”

  Leanna bowed in response before thanking him and leaving, nodding to Durok as she did so.

  Durok, in turn, stood before the mage once again, somewhat more tehan before. A few moments ter, his crime was revealed as actally killing someone during a friendly duel, followed by two more acts during his time as a bandit, all times while in his state e.

  Responding to this, Durok stated, “I was unaware the first time that I could lose trol, and the others, I thought I had solved my ck of trol. After the third act, I vowed to never go into that state again unless I was with my wife, who safely pull me out. I have done what I for their families, but that is limited, as I ot visit them personally.”

  Jerald turo the mage, receiving another nod, then replied, “I am uain about this, but if you maintain trol around my men, you will be pardoned, as long as you are still willing to train with them. Should you fail, they will have orders to strike to kill.”

  Smiling, Durok agreed to the dition, and ermitted to leave as well.

  The other, less impressive individuals all had much less plex situations, and in the end were all pardoned as well.

  As the st of the group left, Jerald thanked his friend for assisting, and offered to let him stay at the best inn in town, though he replied that he had to leave as soon as possible.

  Nodding, Jerald bowed to his old friend and followed him out of the warehouse before they went their separate ways. He sidered the events of today as having gone well, pleased that so many of them had only itted minor crimes, or even all in some cases.

  Shard