After a period of nothing happening for a while, Soulthorne is sitting around when Strick comes running into the room with freshly cleaned clothes. Thorne notices this and comments on his bloodless smell. “Hey, look at you finally dealt with all of the blood on your hands, well, not literally since all of those murders on your hands, but you get it.” This comment only seems to annoy Strick as he rolls his eyes before picking up his hunter patch.

“Yeah, yeah, very funny, you know I’ve been meaning to get you back for that, and I promise you I will. But I can’t think of any way I can affect a sword idiot, especially since if I go too far, then boom, I’ll pay for it.”

“Isn’t that right, you fool? I hate it too, but at least I know you can’t pull any sudden moves.”

“Hmph, I’m bored in this stupid place, you got anything worth my time?” Strick starts to look around the room, eventually finding nothing and sitting back down, looking more annoyed than before. “What makes it worse is that even if you did have stuff to do, I wouldn’t even be able to see because of how dang dark it is in this place. Like, dang man, you can’t afford lights? I guess your little Sagnuine monster can’t help you one bit when it comes to paying bills.” He smirks, mocking Soulthorne for his lack of essentials, but he doesn’t realize that this isn’t even his home, but rather a place Thorne made after he killed the inhabitants and sacrificed them.

“Shut up, please, I’ll have you know that this isn’t even my place, I would barely even call it a house, more like a work in progress. Although I do have something tempting for you to quell your boredom.” This causes Strick to look back at Soulthorne with an intrigued expression in his eyes. He moves his seat closer to the sword to make sure he heard him correctly.

“Wow, is that the truth? What could the tempting thing be? Could it be an all-you-can-eat buffet? Or how about a chance to meet one of the best hunters in the world, or are you going on a hunt? Choices are endless, but if this has anything to do with me being sacrificed or joining in those silly rituals, it's gonna be a no. A huge no.” Throughout his constant speaking, it angers Thorne.

“BE QUIET!!!! Ahem, I apologize for my outburst, but you need to learn how to truly shut the hell up. Now, everything you said was wrong, yes, I said it was incorrect guesses, you should save all of the energy you put into chatting about this. I’ve been thinking about a way to get sacrifices for Sanguine.”

“Yeah, and what would that be?”

“Well, I decided that going into a town would be the best solution, especially since it's in a populated area, which means more targets.”

“Well, have you had any towns you’ve thought about?”

“Yes, actually, the one I’ve eyed specifically was the town called Bristain. I chose this one because it has a high population and a big area, which means easier spots to claim sacrifices. I suppose you could go along, maybe it could be fun for you? Who knows?” Strick begins to think about what he says before laughing.

“So you’re telling me that I got a chance to visit the big streets? Of course, I’m coming along. I finally get a chance to do something other than hunting, which means I’ll be able to show myself off a little bit. Sounds fun, although I won’t be helping you when it comes to the sacrifices, all I care for is enjoying myself, not summoning monsters.” Thorne doesn’t look disappointed; he looks almost pleased at Strick’s answer. Thorne expected him not to want to follow what he was doing. Almost like he has a plan around it, moreover, now these two have somewhere to go as they begin their journey to Bristain. “So are you okay with that?”

“Yes, I’d say I am. I’m thankful you’re coming.”

“You are?”

“Well, yeah, we both know if I went alone, it would increase our chances of dying, so it would just make sense to go places together.”

“Yeah, right, I know you’re true reason is because you’d be bored without good old Strick.”

“Heh, believe what you want, but enough talk, let us leave.”

“YEAH!!! ADVENTURE!!!” So they set their destination Bristain, and finally exited that darkened space they’d been in for the past two days. But as they start heading towards the town, Strick realizes that it would seem odd if he walked into town with an evil talking sword beside him. So during their journey, he stops them abruptly to speak to Thorne about his thoughts. “Hey, sword, we gotta figure something out when it comes to us going into town.” Thorne is surprised by this and looks up at Strick with an annoyed look on his face.

“What is it now?”

“Hey, relax, it’s just as we were walking, I thought of something since we’re heading to the big streets in all. Don’t you think I would look weird if I came walking into town with a stupid sword walking alongside me, constantly bothering me about ‘demon this’ or ‘ritual that’? You get it right?”

“Yes, I get it, I can’t believe you’re right for once. Well then, what is your idea around that?”

“Oh well, it's pretty simple, honestly, you’re a sword, so I’ll just put you in my hunter’s patch where my real sword used to be.” Thorne gets embarrassed and turns his back on Strick as he turns down his request.

“NO, I won’t be thrown in there with your other useless pieces of crap. I’m better than that, so my answer is no. Let those people eye us down who could care I’m only gonna use them for my sacrifices anyway.”

“Well, the thing is, unlike you, I want to be let into the town and have a good time, so I’m gonna at least have you let me get inside first. Dude,e you’re a sword, don’t complain about the consequences over it, from here on out, whenever we go anywhere, I have to carry you as a sword. And this is nothing like what you did to me; you took over my entire body and used it against my will. At least this is only containment for some time before I can let you loose without worrying about eyes on my back. Which wouldn’t be bad, but sometimes you don’t always need attention.”

“Fair, plus your logic is sound. I will permit what you say, but when we get in there and a good distance away from people, I’m leaving. Got it?” Strick gives him a thumbs up and a smile before picking him up and shoving him into his hunter’s patch. He smiles, knowing that he won’t have to think about the constant annoying evil sword next to him, and now about the future fun he’ll be having. And so we leave him to his lonesome until we get to the Bristain entrance. The journey comes back to the forest hunter Strick, who is stuck arguing with the man blocking the gate into the town. “So, can you tell me again why I can’t just enter this place? I mean it can’t be because I’m not awesome enough, because if so, then that is not the case, man, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m pretty awesome. Did I ever tell you about when I took down a whole family of bears? It was like Goldilocks, but instead of running away or hiding, I took them down.” The man blocking the gate looks unbothered and bored after all of the things Strick told him. All he does is point at the gate and reiterate what he’s been trying to tell him.

“Dude, I couldn't care less about anything of the stuff you just told me, you talk a lot just to say nothing. Now use your brain and see that my gate is closed, which means you can’t come in. I do not have to provide you with a reason why, so instead of answering your question, I’m gonna ignore you, ask you to leave, and then if you make me, I will call a warrior over to deal with this matter.” Strick looks surprised and confused at the sudden escalation from the man. He begins looking around, checking if this is a prank or not, but soon realizes that he is serious.

“What’s your deal? I wanna know why you can’t let me in, other than the fact you’re annoyed, but even then that’s not fair because I couldn't be the only person over your many years of working here who has bothered you.”

“No, you’re not, but you sure are the one who talks the most. I can’t believe you don't already know why, though. Are you sure you can’t remember why I refuse to let you in?”

“Yes? Why did you phrase it that way?”

“Wow, you are a nutcase well it’s because you’re wanted.” Strick doesn’t know what that means, so he looks confused before sheepishly laughing.

“Hey, what's wrong with that? I hope the main attention I'm getting is from the ladies. Wanna get some good eyes on me if you catch my drift.”

“Well, the women are looking at you, but it’s not just them, it’s the men and the children alongside the animals…” He pauses before continuing, "Especially the animals.”

“Sweet, I’ve always had a thing for the animals since I’m a hunter and all.”

“No wonder you’re like this, you aren’t from around here, are you?”

“Nope, always lived in the lands all of my life, kinda boring to be honest, but you use what you’re given. Love the animals though, even though I’m a hunter, I never needlessly hurt the animals.” The man looks unfazed as he looks to question what Strick is telling him, not believing in his truths.

“You must be lying or just crazy because your track record disproves what you just told. I don’t think you even know what you’re wanted for.” Strick is confused when the man says this as he moves a little closer to better hear what he’s about to say. Meanwhile, in his hunter’s patch, Soulthorne is still in there alongside Strick’s other gear, still figuring out a way to more comfortably rest in there. He shot awake when he heard the man bring up how Strick is wanted. He has been listening to their entire conversation and is now thinking as to why he could be wanted.

Seriously, why won’t he just let us through already? I’m getting tired of this limited space, all of this useless junk in here. No way that idiot uses all of these things, whatever, but if we don’t get moving soon, then I’ll have to step in. Wait? Did he say something about the fool being wanted? No, don’t tell me it’s why I think it is, if so, then it will turn my whole plan upside down. Let me listen in again, I have to know.

And so he finishes his thoughts before letting the man finish what he was saying. “You’re wanted for multiple murders across the forest lands you live in, did a bunch of damage too, killed elves, animals, and burned a large area of the wildlife.” This answer leaves Strick at a loss for words, whilst Soulthorne was proven right. The man is truly surprised at Strick’s reaction and, for the first time, changes his bored expression to something more confused. “Is this the first time you’ve learned about this?”

“YES!! I just can’t believe I’m wanted like this is so crazy, but what does that even mean?”

“Oh well, it means people all around are gonna be looking to bring you into the Defense Corps for you to be sentenced for your crimes, although it does say wanted dead or alive, so they might not even be nice enough to bring you in.”

“So then what should I look out for?”

“Man, I don’t know, now I’ve helped you enough, so can you leave already?”

“Well dang, I should hide away, thanks.” Strick turns around and is about to walk away, but before he can, his bag starts rumbling as his belongings start jittering around. Thorne listens to everything the man says and is furious.

No way, No way, No way!! I was right, it was because of those murders I committed using his body. How could I be so foolish? I used his body to get at him, not realizing that it would affect me this much. I planned to take over his body again to make those sacrifices, but now I can’t even get inside. Unless I do something drastic. Damn, I don’t have any other choice, that idiot is turning tail. It’s all or nothing!!

Soulthorne jumps through Strick’s patch and slices the man’s head off swiftly and painlessly. Strick turns around to see the man dead on the ground next to the bloodied sword, Soulthorne. He is shocked and startled at the sudden bloody scene in front of him. “Holy crap!!”

“You weren’t expecting that, were you? I was tired of being cooped up in that jail cell of yours anyway.” Thorne jumps forward and begins using his blade in an attempt to cut the gate open. Strick is still shocked at what happened but quickly snaps out of it, still unsure of what to do. Thorne turns around to see him standing there. “How about you be useful for once and help me get us through? I know you don’t understand any of the wanted stuff, and believe me, it’s my fault. I’ll explain it to you later, but right now, help me get us through before anyone shows up. The last thing we need is to worry about our livelihoods.”

“Wow dude, this is a lot happening at once, but you don’t have to work that hard, an easy solution is right in front of us.”

“Yeah, and what’s that? I don’t have time for games, you idiot.”

“I don’t either, now let me use my great brain.” Thorne stops trying to cut the gate and watches Strick walk over to the control panel that the man controlled and smashes the buttons until the gate opens. He smirks as Thorne gives him a bit of respect in the form of a nod.

“Good thinking, now let's move out!!” They begin advancing towards the town at a frantic rate, but before they reach Strick picks up Thorne and places him back into his patch. Thorne is against it, but his voice becomes muffled as he tries to fight the inevitable.

“I will never not hate this.”

“Hah, well let's enjoy ourselves!!! Bristain here we come!!”

“Won’t you ever just shut up!!”

“No!!” And so they make their final push towards the town, and after a little while of running, they’re welcomed by a whole new world. New experiences and newer pastures have now been unlocked for this dangerous duo, but will they be able to make it through the dangers of a criminal past? Find out next time on Soulstrick!!!