In the cold winter of evergreen lands, stands a slim, female figure in a monk outfit.
Sitting on top of one of 3 statues carved to what seems to be a tall pole.
She sits, legs crossed, her feet brittle of frost as she meditates, empty of thought and emotion.
An echo awakens from the distance, she reacts.
A man in a torn peasant outfit cries "IT AWOKE FROM IT'S SLUMBER EVERYONE, IT AWOKE!"
"It awoke?" she thinks to herself "What awoke?"
The man's dusty feet began jumping on the dirt as he approaches Barbara.
"Help me, the monster awoke and it had eaten my family. And trust me it does NOT like survivors. If you can please, from the bottom of your heart guide me to the nearest source of civilization, I need a doctor, half of my left leg had been torn out!"
Said the man as he looked hopeless and in need of modern medicine.
"Do not worry, I have something that will surely help your leg, just take this pill for me."
She said, hoping he accepts her offer.
"A pill?" He says, baffled in a quick laugh. "And how am I supposed to know it's safe to eat this pill? Let alone believe it will work!"
"Well, you are minutes away from dying anyways. What's not to lose?" She tells the man in a confident tone.
"I guess you are right, just do your thing, I can't stand another second bearing with the pain!" He said, exhausted from the events of his day.
He nips a pill from her hand and pops it into his mouth before he swallows it and sleeps on the ground.
She began recalling a memory from when Barbara was observing local mystic badgers when she was just 13. It was vivid, blurry but she was just able to make it; A badger, seasoning (grandstone) on the other's long gone leg.
"Grandstone?" she thought to herself.
"The Lopis! Lopis is 29% Grandstone and I still have some saved in my coin sack!"
Pulling out the Lopis and grinding it against a rock Barbara manages to pick out some Grandstone and began sprinkling it on the man's leg.
Suddenly, she heard a grumpy mumble from the distance. Using her super hearing skills she was able to make out a "I better see that guy under the dirt by the end of the week or you are all fired!"
Barbara quickly buckles the man's body on her shoulder and using her Athletic and Stealth skills she manages to quickly hide behind a boulder, escorting the man by her watch.
A group of 4 police men emerge from the shadows behind the forest, all surrounding the tall, large structure head of deputy.
"This was the 3rd time this guy kept running about disturbing people's sleep about how a 'monster' was out to get him."
"Talk about a running lunatic!"
Everyone bursts in laughter, their hands pressing their torso. All except the head.
He was isolated from emotion or thought, almost like a robot.
Assigned to one task only, getting the job done.
"Come to say, those foot steps, that should lead us to where he is, yes?"
Barbara had forgot one thing, the snow had been carved by her footsteps, revealing a trail.
Her heart pounds, it felt like it had been dipped in acid.
But suddenly, an arrow flies from the branches.
It barges into one of the police men's heads, like a burglar barges into one's home.
Stabbing his brain.
"JIMMY N-"
Another one falls.
2 more of the group are left, knowing that, they get set into action.
Their rifles hovering and aiming for anything that breathes.
The branch springs and it's leaves rattle as a gunshot terribly misses it's target.
That, was how one was left remaining; the deputy.
