Contrary to what Sara thought, it was not a drinking contest that he was to beat them in. In a number of ill-repute taverns fist fighting was practically a tournament where one could fight for money. It was brutal and only usually the stupid or the desperate did so but if that's what it took to prove he was a man then so be it.

He started with the wimpiest fighters, barely making ten orens from them. As he beat one opponent after another a few stepped back, refusing to fight him, while others stepped forwards, determined to prove themselves against him. And they also went down with contemptuous ease. Eventually there was only one fighter left willing to fight him, a big bear of a man, though Gawel had a feeling that most of his size was alcohol fat rather than actual muscle. Thus far he wasn't even showing off how fast he could actually move and even with this one he had only to move a little faster than he had been to avoid the blows. He was down in under a minute as well.

Collecting his winnings he was absently rubbing his knuckles as he approached the table once more. He flashed a smile to Sara as he replaced his weapons. "Thanks," he said. "Maybe now we'll get somewhere. At least it's a little quieter."

He went back to the bartender who was now more than willing to tell him what he needed to know. After finding out what he could he went back to the table to find the gambler having left already. His eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. "Out-gamble her already, did you?" He laughed. "Remind me not to challenge you to a game in the future."

He sat down and lent on the table. "Turns out the koshchey only comes out with the new moon when it's so dark you can't see it coming. The villiages all bar their doors and dim their lights to try to discourage it coming to their homes to eat. New moon is tomorrow night so I have time to prepare and apparently there's an abandoned house up the lane I can use." He was telling her all this because he wasn't sure what she planned on doing; he had never actually had anyone else to consider but himself before. And the koshchey was far more dangerous than anything found in the swamps.