---Another brief insight into Auron's past---

Three figures made their way slowly towards Auron's hut, which sat on stilts at the edge of the Crawling Swamp a region in the north-west of the Shadow Marches. The figures were in a poorly constructed boat, and the smallest of the three was being made to row. Auron, sitting cross-legged at the door to his makeshift home, peered into the mist that hung expectantly over the viscous water at the boat and its occupants. He watched them intently for several minutes as they rowed steadily closer. He then got up and fetched his staff from a corner before returning to his seated position with the staff laid across his lap, both hands resting upon it.
They were close enough for him to hear them now as they argued amongst themselves. When he could speak between gasping for air through effort the smallest figure was complaining about being made to row, but he was being ignored by the other two who were concerned about other things.
“I still don't understand why they sent us to deal with this interloper?” said one loudly in a gruff voice.
“Interloper?” said the other quizzedly. “I thought we were gonna kick out some guy what didn't belong here.”
“That's what I said, fool. I don't understand why we had to do it though.”
The fool wrung his hands, “The boss said that what with the big find in the west there was no-one else what could do it. They couldn't spare nobody else.”
“I should be there with my expertise, but no, I've got deal with some wretch who thinks he's clever. I'm better than this; he's gonna be so very sorry when I'm finished with him.”
This exchanged continued in the same way for a few more minutes until the boat finally floated gently up to within a few yards of Auron's hut. Auron could see the three figures clearly now, two human and one half-orc. The smallest man was sweating profusely and had now slumped forward panting. The half-orc, who Auron had mentally labelled as the 'leader' of the three, was typically built for his race and looked like he could lay out either of the other two with little effort. The final man, the 'fool', who was almost as large as the half-orc was holding what appeared to be a rather large club. He twisted it around in his left hand nervously.
The boat stopped and the half-orc, spitting into the swamp, drew a pistol from his belt saying to Auron, “You're trespassing on House Tharashk land. I suggest you move along.”
“Where do you suggest I move along to?” asked Auron without taking his eyes from the pistol.
Turning and laughing to his companions he replied “I don't know, perhaps the swamp beasts will have you.”
There was nervous laughter from the other two, who weren't feeling good about Auron. He was different. He didn't look scared at all. Normally people got scared when they showed up, but not the man in front of them. He looked, if his face showed any emotion at all, confident. He looked dangerous. The half-orc didn't share their concerns and continued:
“How'd a thin streak of nothing like you get out here anyway? S'ppose it don't matter now, since we're gonna beat you into a pulp.”
“Is that what's going to happen? Auron said, “I risk to differ.”
The three thugs in the boat started to laughed again, but very quickly stopped as Auron started to chant arcane words that they didn't understand.
“What's he saying?” said the club-wielder eyeing Auron nervously. “No-one said he did magic. Is he doing magic? I don't like magic.”
The half-orc turned and said angrily, “Of course he isn't, does he look like a wiz----?”
As the half-orc turned the very solid end of Auron's staff slammed into his face knocking him over the edge of the boat and into the swamp. There was a loud plop and the half-orc disappeared under the surface. Before the club-man could react the butt of the staff slammed into his face as well and he fell backwards into the boat. The small man looked up to see a very small ball of flame growing in size in the palm of a now very angry looking wizard who was aiming for his head.
“You've got a choice...” Auron started, but the man was already responding before he could finish.
“I row away and didn't see nuthing. I row away and didn't see nuthing...” the small man was repeating over and over with his eyes closed.
“That's the one,” Auron responded smiling.
The small man started to row vigorously away from Auron still repeating to himself, “I row away and didn't see nuthing, I row away and didn't see nuthing...”
Sighing, Auron turned his head and said to the inside of the hut, “<We had better get moving my friend; the next lot they send will be more numerous and less inept. We got what we came for in any case. It's a shame really...it was rather peaceful here.>”