Erin dreamt of swords flashing, of cannonballs exploding around her, and of blood. Rivers of blood.<\/p>\n
Klbkch stood in front of Erin and asked if she were ready. She looked at him as he bled in her arms. His mandibles opened, and he rasped into her ear.<\/p>\n
\u201cI obey my Queen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n She shook her head. Dream Erin pointed and showed Klbkch a massive chess piece sitting on a hill.<\/p>\n \u201cThe King. It\u2019s about the King. The king is smart. He\u2014\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n She was no longer holding Klbkch. Instead, Erin sat and watched as a body fell to the ground and oil burned around her. A dead Goblin\u2019s face stared at her, and she woke in a cold sweat to see Toren standing in one corner of her room.<\/p>\n It was better. Infinitely better than seeing the dead. Erin still threw her pillow at him. It struck him in the face\u2014not hard, but loud enough to startle someone.<\/p>\n \u201cWhu?\u201d<\/p>\n It came from outside the kitchen. Erin was immediately seized by panic. She looked around for her frying pan and then remembered.<\/p>\n She had guests.<\/p>\n Blearily, Erin kicked her bedding into one corner of the kitchen and walked out. It was still close to dawn, but surprisingly, someone was awake.<\/p>\n Ceria blinked several times at Erin and nodded her head. It seemed the Elf mage was an early riser, but even she was half-asleep.<\/p>\n \u201cWhu?\u201d<\/p>\n She repeated the word. Erin swayed on her feet.<\/p>\n \u201cHrgh.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMm.\u201d<\/p>\n Conversation done, Erin stumbled back into the kitchen to make food. Toren stood by, handing her pan, spatulas, and various food items as she pointed and grunted. Breakfast was scrambled eggs, toasted bread, bacon from some animal, and sliced cheese.<\/p>\n It was unnatural how she could make a proper breakfast, but Erin wasn\u2019t thinking about that at the moment. Her hands moved automatically as she thought about her dream.<\/p>\n It had meant something. And for some reason, even though Erin had been dreaming about death and battle, she\u2019d been thinking about chess. She always<\/em> thought about chess, even when she was asleep.<\/p>\n Still caught in the last fragments of her dream, Erin muttered the words.<\/p>\n \u201cThe king\u2026the king is smart. He uses something. His head?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin scratched at her own head, wondering where that line had come from. Well, obviously it was about chess. But had she heard it somewhere? She felt like it was important.<\/p>\n The bacon was finished and sizzling. Erin picked the fried strips of meat out of the pan, wincing at the spot of oil that landed on her arm.<\/p>\n \u201cOw. Ow. Ow!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Too much oil. Erin had forgotten. It really got hot<\/em> when you heated it up\u2014<\/p>\n The smell of burning flesh. Erin paused and looked around. A dead Goblin Chieftain lay on the floor.<\/p>\n The slice of bacon slipped from her tongs. Nimbly, Toren dove and caught the bit of meat and delicately put it back on the plate. Erin blinked and came back to life.<\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n She put a hand to her head and quickly finished frying and stacking the rest of the meat. She\u2019d made a lot. Enough for a small army, which was what she assumed ten adventurers and a Minotaur qualified as.<\/p>\n But since they weren\u2019t awake, after Erin finished with the eggs, she only made one plate for Ceria. She absentmindedly dumped bacon, eggs, and bread together, ignoring the aesthetics of eating for the substance of eating itself.<\/p>\n Why was she thinking of the Goblin Chieftain? Why had she had that dream? Sometimes, yes, Erin woke up sweating and crying in the middle of the night. But never had her dreams followed her out of her sleep like this.<\/p>\n It was a sign. A sign that Erin needed to find a better place to sleep, perhaps.<\/p>\n Her stomach rumbled. Another sign, indicating she was hungry. Erin stared down at the two plates that were as close to an American breakfast as she knew and smiled. Ceria probably would like this, especially with blue juice. Too late, Erin remembered she had an Elf in the other room.<\/p>\n \u201cOh no.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared down at her meal of bacon and scrambled eggs. She couldn\u2019t go out with this. Desperately, she scrambled around, looking for anything that remotely resembled produce. It was so hard<\/em> to keep vegetables in the inn because she didn\u2019t have a refrigerator!<\/p>\n She found a head of lettuce and some tomatoes. Feverishly, Erin fried more eggs and added it to some toasted bread. That would have to do. Hopefully, Ceria ate eggs. Were Elves vegetarian or vegan?<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ceria stared blearily at the table, trying not to fall asleep. She wasn\u2019t a morning person. People expected half-Elves to rise with the dawn and frolic in the dewdrops and flowers or some such nonsense. But Ceria had lived too long among Humans and other species to like getting up early, and she didn\u2019t frolic.<\/p>\n An enticing smell was coming from the kitchens along with much banging about. Ceria tried not to listen. She was concentrating on a spell.<\/p>\n \u201c[Illumination]. No\u2014perhaps I\u2019m doing it wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n She should have the spell mastered, but it was giving her trouble. [Illumination] was an advanced version of the [Light] spell Ryoka had learned, and technically, it was only Tier 2 magic. But in truth, its complexity was around Tier 3. Possibly even Tier 4 in scope. Normally, Ceria wouldn\u2019t have bothered learning it, but the spell could illuminate over a hundred meters around the caster by shedding orbs of light. It was perfect for dungeons.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd of course, it\u2019s up to the Wistram mage to do it. Is it a hard spell? Yes! Then let the half-Elf do it! Don\u2019t get any of the other mages. Ceria\u2019s got it covered!\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria growled and slapped the spellbook in front of her shut. She was hungry, and now that she smelled breakfast, she really couldn\u2019t concentrate.<\/p>\n Right on time, someone exited the kitchen holding two big plates full of food. Ceria brightened\u2014<\/p>\n And nearly blew the skeleton\u2019s head off when she saw it. The undead creature paused and stared at Ceria\u2019s wand as the mage caught herself. It had one arm cocked to throw the plate at her head.<\/p>\n \u201cToren! Stop that!\u201d<\/p>\n Someone smacked the skeleton in the back of the head, making it stumble and nearly drop its burden. Ceria saw the strange [Innkeeper] glare at the skeleton and point at the table where she sat.<\/p>\n Quickly, Ceria lowered the glowing wand as Erin approached.<\/p>\n \u201cOoh, is that a wand?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Elf blinked at Erin. She paused and then smiled ruefully.<\/p>\n \u201cYes it is. Would you like to see?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin peered excitedly at the long, slender piece of wood. It didn\u2019t look carved like the ones she\u2019d seen in certain movies. Rather, it looked like it had been plucked off a tree and stripped of all branches. The wood was a pale white tinged with the faintest hint of green. All in all, it was ordinary except for the pale, blue-white wisps of light flickering around the tip.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is so cool!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria was mildly taken aback by Erin\u2019s enthusiasm. She held out the wand to Erin, much to the other girl\u2019s surprise.<\/p>\n Erin hesitated, her hands itching to hold the wand. She glanced at Ceria.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it really okay if I touch it?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria had to smile.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not that fragile. Go ahead. And it\u2019s not that expensive. Sort of expensive, but the real thing is far, uh, \u2018cooler\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Reverently, Erin ran her fingers along the wand. It didn\u2019t feel that different, to Erin\u2019s slight disappointment. The wood was smooth and polished, but it didn\u2019t feel special<\/em>. Her fingertips touched the wand\u2019s tip.<\/p>\n \u201cAh! Cold!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria snatched the wand back, and Erin stared at her hands. The fingers that had brushed the wand tip were white, and frost had coated the very tips. The Elf tossed the wand on the table and grabbed Erin\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you alright?\u201d<\/p>\n Behind Erin, Toren\u2019s glowing eyes flashed menacingly. The skeleton took a step forwards and met an elbow to the ribcage from Erin. She glared at him until he retreated and then looked back at Ceria. The touch of the Elf\u2019s skin on hers felt very light and ethereal, just like how the rest of the Elf looked. Gingerly, she pulled her hand away.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m fine. Go away, Toren! Go get us something to drink.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really sorry about that. I didn\u2019t expect you to touch the wand tip. Have you never seen one before?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin blew on her fingers and rubbed them frantically to warm them up. They were tingling horribly, but aside from the first bite of extreme cold, they seemed to be okay.<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014sorry. I didn\u2019t know I wasn\u2019t supposed to touch them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my fault. I forget how much non-mages don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria looked abashed. She held up the wand and tapped her finger close to the tip.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the magic of the wand is channeled through the tip. That\u2019s why it glows or reacts depending on the spell stored. It\u2019s also why you should never<\/em> break a wand because it will trigger the spell.\u201d<\/p>\n She picked up her wand and began tucking it up her sleeve. Erin saw there was an armband so that Ceria could holster the wand along her arm. She shuddered.<\/p>\n \u201cWon\u2019t that freeze your arm?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, no. I can deactivate the magic. I only activated it because, well\u2014your skeleton surprised me.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin turned and glared at Toren, who\u2019d reemerged from the kitchen with a jug in one hand and cups in the other.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry about that. He keeps doing that no matter how much I tell him not to.\u201d<\/p>\n Silently, Ceria watched the skeleton place a cup before her and Erin and fill both up to the brim. Quite literally to the brim.<\/p>\n \u201cToren!<\/em> How are we supposed to drink it like that? Don\u2019t fill the cups all the way to the top, just almost!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The skeleton looked abashed. Erin glared at it and then turned to Ceria. The half-Elf cautiously managed to take a drink of the sweet, pulpy liquid without spilling any. Her eyebrows lifted.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is good!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know, right? It\u2019s from this fruit I found around here. Anyways, here. Breakfast is served!\u201d<\/p>\n So saying, Erin pushed a plate towards Ceria. The half-Elf looked down and found herself staring at scrambled eggs, toasted bread, and a spreadable cheese on the side\u2014and for some reason, a big bowl of what looked entirely like lettuce and tomatoes. And no bacon.<\/p>\n She looked over and saw Erin had a plate full of eggs and bacon. Ceria\u2019s stomach rumbled, and she wondered how she was going to correct this mistake.<\/p>\n \u201cWell. This looks\u2026lovely. Thank you for making breakfast so early, Miss Solstice. And I\u2019m late in saying it, but good morning.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Thank you!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin paused and then snapped her fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Wait! I know this one!\u201d<\/p>\n Bemused, Ceria stared as the other girl scratched at her head. She muttered to herself and then looked at Ceria.<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026Elen s\u00edla l\u00famenn\u2019 omentielvo? <\/em>Is that right?\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Elf froze, mouth open with one spoonful of eggs hovering just over her plate. Erin blinked innocently at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2014what was that?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin blushed.<\/p>\n \u201cI was trying to say good morning in your language. Or maybe it\u2019s just hello. Did I get it right\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy language?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cElvish, right?\u201d<\/p>\n The bit of egg slipped from Ceria\u2019s spoon back onto her plate. Erin was getting more embarrassed by the staring, so she tried to explain.<\/p>\n \u201cI once went to a Lord of the Rings chess tournament because I heard a national champion played there. People wouldn\u2019t play me unless I could at least say \u2018hello\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria understood exactly none of what Erin had said. Her mind spinning, she put down her spoon quite calmly.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Erin, I\u2019m not sure what you might be thinking but\u2014I\u2019m not an Elf.\u201d<\/p>\n This time, it was Erin\u2019s turn to stare.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not? Oh man. I just thought\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria touched the pointed tips of her ears that Erin was staring at.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not an Elf. I\u2019m a half-Elf. And besides which, you wouldn\u2019t see\u2014an Elf anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Why not?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin was full of round-eyed curiosity. Mindful of her sleeping friends upstairs and because Erin seemed genuinely confused, Ceria did her best to keep her voice level and not shout.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one has seen an Elf for thousands of years. Tens of thousands. They all died long ago. That bit you spoke\u2014was a joke, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Um\u2014yes?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria watched as Erin sat back in her chair, disappointment clearly written all over her face. The conversation stalled as both young women tried to wrestle with what had been heard.\u00a0<\/p>\n For her part, the half-Elf had to believe that bit of nonsense-language was a joke. Because if it wasn\u2019t\u2026<\/p>\n Ceria felt\u2014amazed at Erin\u2019s ignorance, but the nature of their conversation was familiar. She\u2019d had the same sort of odd explaining to do, but when\u2014?<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m, uh, really sorry about the mix up. I just thought you looked so amazing and, um\u2014are half-Elves like Elves? Or\u2014or is there anything I should know?\u201d<\/p>\n Awkwardly, Erin pointed at Ceria\u2019s plate.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know what you people\u2014I mean, what you could eat. If you need something special, I can get it. Anyways, we\u2019ve got salad. Um\u2026there are some tomato-like things I bought from the market, carrots\u2026lots of soup. And, uh, I\u2019ve got bread and cheese if you want to eat that.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria raised both her eyebrows in amusement.<\/p>\n \u201cI can eat meat, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n Again, the Human girl paused and seemed to struggle with something. Then, silently, she switched her plate with Ceria\u2019s. The [Mage] brightened as the aroma of fried meat drifted upwards.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you eat meat?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria nodded happily.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure what you\u2019ve heard, but my people aren\u2019t averse to eating meat. I quite enjoy pork, for instance, especially when it\u2019s been properly cooked. Or when it\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared at Ceria, round-eyed.<\/p>\n \u201cReally? That\u2019s so weird<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n When the rest of the Horns of Hammerad finally woke up, it was because they smelled the food. Adventurers, being the sort of people who were used to waking in a moment\u2019s notice to avoid dying, generally slept in if they could help it. But they were also big fans of eating, so when the smells of cooked food finally wafted upstairs, their stomachs dragged them out of bed.<\/p>\n Gerial stumbled down into the common room of the inn and brightened the instant he saw what Ceria was eating. He sat down at a table, wondering if he should call for a barmaid, when he saw the skeleton march out of the kitchen.<\/p>\n Ceria caught the vice-captain of the Horns of Hammerad as he went for his belt dagger.<\/p>\n \u201cEasy. Don\u2019t threaten it and it won\u2019t attack.\u201d<\/p>\n Gerial paused and nodded. He let his heartbeat slow from the sudden jolt he\u2019d received and warily let the skeleton put a heaping plate of food in front of him. The skeleton set down a cup, pointed to a jug of blue liquid on Ceria\u2019s table, and walked back into the kitchen. Sheepishly, Gerial met Ceria\u2019s gaze.<\/p>\n \u201cGood thing you caught me. I\u2019d forgotten\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. I made the same mistake earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning!\u201d<\/p>\n Gerial looked up and gave Erin a smile as she bustled towards him, silverware in hand. The skeletal waiter had forgotten it, and Erin also filled up Gerial\u2019s glass with the strange blue liquid after giving him a choice between it and water.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for the meal, ah, Miss\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria supplied the name.<\/p>\n \u201cSolstice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, just call me Erin. Anyways, I\u2019ve got more food, so just shout if you need some.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re most kind. And this looks delicious.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled and walked off, already chatting to Sostrom and the [Ranger], Marian, from the Horns of Hammerad. Gerial eyed his plate, delighted at the glistening oil on his fat strips of bacon and the mounds of eggs and pieces of bread buried next to them.<\/p>\n He took his first bite and grinned at Ceria.<\/p>\n \u201cGood food.\u201d<\/p>\n She was already eating again.<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t it? Try the blue stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n Cautiously, mindful of Ceria\u2019s sense of humor, Gerial did. His eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s sweet!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria and the other Horns of Hammerad grinned at Gerial\u2019s reaction. He\u2019d already drained his cup by the time Erin came back around.<\/p>\n \u201cGood service, food, and we\u2019re not getting dirty looks every two seconds. We struck it lucky coming here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood thing we didn\u2019t get into it with those Goblins.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria nodded as Gerial removed some grease from his chin with a handkerchief.<\/p>\n \u201cStill\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Gerial craned his neck and saw only the skeleton walking around offering drinks to adventurers reluctant to accept. Reassured, he continued speaking to Ceria. Neither adventurer noticed how often Toren kept passing by their table despite their full glasses.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat an odd innkeeper.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s definitely strange. Goblins and<\/em> a skeleton. But Pisces is probably to blame for the skeleton. Still\u2014Goblins.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you see what one of them was armed with? A\u2026a jar of something?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria smiled with dark humor.<\/p>\n \u201cIt set off my [Dangersense] when it pulled it out. Guess what was in it? Acid<\/em>. I had a look in the kitchen. She\u2019s got jars of Acid Flies\u2014a local creature around here. Looks like she\u2019s been harvesting them as a food source.\u201d<\/p>\n Gerial paused as he munched down on his bread, appetite suddenly lost. Ceria shook her head at him.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, stop being squeamish. Drakes eat them, and so do the Antinium, I bet. Not that we\u2019d see the ant-men here, but I can see how it would be useful.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut the bugs\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Gerial eyed his plate uneasily, imagining how an insect might crawl into a cooked meal. Ceria glared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think she\u2019d leave any of them alive? They were all dead. Honestly, you Humans\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She trailed off and shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I get it. Bugs aren\u2019t my favorite thing to eat either.\u201d<\/p>\n That<\/em> comment nearly made Gerial choke on his drink. But Ceria continued, thinking aloud.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure if she\u2019s just absentminded or if she doesn\u2019t realize how dangerous arming Goblins is. That acid can melt skin in seconds. But besides that, it\u2019s odd to see her living so far out from the city.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot too far. It was barely an hour\u2019s walk even with us getting lost.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue. But monsters don\u2019t care about distance. And that skeleton doesn\u2019t look that<\/em> powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n Gerial nodded. The skeleton didn\u2019t set off any internal alarm bells when he thought of it as a potential foe. It was dangerous and no mistake\u2014but it was no Lich or even a stronger variety of the undead.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe that\u2019s all the protection she could afford.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn that case, she\u2019s reckless or insane. Or\u2014poor. Actually, She reminds me a bit of Ryoka.\u201d<\/p>\n Gerial stared incredulously at Erin as she began haranguing Toren.<\/p>\n \u201cIn what way exactly?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria shrugged, unable to explain.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re not too similar personality-wise, but\u2026it\u2019s just a hunch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell. So long as we\u2019re here, monsters aren\u2019t an issue. And this is<\/em> a good inn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight. If we want to keep using it, we\u2019d better spread the word to the others. If they come in and start something\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot it. I\u2019ll tell the others when I see them. You still working on the spell\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria made a face.<\/p>\n \u201cWorking on it. It\u2019s complex. Give me two days and I\u2019ll have it done. We probably have enough time for that, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably. Calruz and the others will meet to discuss tonight, but we\u2019ll need to interview other adventurers and see what\u2019s been found. You\u2019ve got at least four days by my count.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay then\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Every adventurer looked up at the heavy clomping<\/em> sound of massive footsteps coming down the stairs. Calruz blinked a few times and scowled at the skeleton as he entered the common room.<\/p>\n \u201cHey there!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin was already setting the table next to Ceria and Gerial with a huge plate of food. Calruz grunted in appreciation and sat down.<\/p>\n This meal was mainly eggs and bread\u2026and a bowl of lettuce and tomatoes for some reason. Gerial frowned as he saw there was absolutely no meat whatsoever on the plate as Ceria slapped her forehead gently.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Mr. Bull Guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Across the room, Gerial saw Sostrom choke on his drink as Erin addressed Calruz. The Minotaur frowned up at her as the Human girl smiled at him. Even sitting down, the Minotaur was nearly as tall as she was.<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t sure if you ate meat. I\u2019ve got some bacon. Made from pork\u2014I think, so there\u2019s no beef.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can eat beef.\u201d<\/p>\n Calruz grunted at Erin. She smiled in relief and waved at Toren. The skeleton approached with another huge plate of sizzling bacon. The Minotaur accepted it from Erin\u2019s hand and grunted with satisfaction. Then he eyed her again.<\/p>\n \u201cAlso, Innkeeper. My name is Calruz, and I lead the Horns of Hammerad. Any title is fine, but\u2014\u2018Bull Guy\u2019\u2014I would prefer you not call me that.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin slapped a hand to her forehead.<\/p>\n \u201cOh no. Is it a racial thing? I\u2019m sorry! I didn\u2019t want to use your people\u2019s word. What should I say instead?\u201d<\/p>\n Calruz\u2019s left eyelid twitched involuntarily. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Ceria and Gerial held their breaths.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not bulls. Or cattle.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are<\/em> you, then?\u201d<\/p>\n This time, Calruz eyed Erin long and hard to see if she was joking. But she seemed completely earnest.<\/p>\n \u201cA Minotaur.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWow.<\/em> I thought you were, but you look a lot different than the pictures.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you think I looked like, then?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin waved her hands and gestured helplessly.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I don\u2019t know. Less\u2014hairy. Sort of like a Human with a Minotaur\u2019s head. And your horns are really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed to Calruz\u2019s long horns, and this time, Gerial thought the Minotaur would erupt. But he seemed mollified by Erin\u2019s amazement.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what kind of Minotaurs you\u2019ve heard of. But I accept your mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n He began eating, considerably faster than Gerial and Ceria but with his utensils and without creating a mess. Erin paused, clearly thinking of something else. Reluctantly, Calruz looked up.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm. Do you like mazes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Erin learned a lot about Minotaurs on that day. They were pretty polite, good eaters, could actually eat beef if they wanted to\u2014but they weren\u2019t fans of lots of questions.<\/p>\n She watched the Horns of Hammerad leave the inn and troop towards the city and stared at what they\u2019d left behind. Money, of course\u2014they\u2019d paid in advance and handsomely too, and that was only for the first night. And they were coming back for dinner, but it was the other thing that they\u2019d left which was bothering her.<\/p>\n Dishes. Lots of dishes.<\/p>\n Erin stared at the stacks of dirty silverware and porcelain and pointed at Toren.<\/p>\n \u201cYou wash that.\u201d<\/p>\n The skeleton nodded\u2014almost glumly, Erin thought. It hauled the bucket of water up and poured it into a pot to heat up over the fire while Erin opened her pantries, dreading what she might find.<\/p>\n Two minutes later, Erin rushed out of the inn.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m out of food!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n She paused, ran back inside to grab her money pouch, and then ran out again. Toren rushed out behind her.<\/p>\n \u201cStay there! Wash the dishes!\u201d<\/p>\n He halted, clattering his jaw as Erin raced down the hill.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, make that ten<\/em> sausages, and I need a bag of salt, too. Oh, and some cooking oil.\u201d<\/p>\n Krshia nodded and shouted something in her growling language to another Gnoll across the street. Both shopkeepers disappeared and began pulling out the various foodstuffs Erin had requested.<\/p>\n It was easier to go to Krshia for everything she wanted, Erin had found. The other Gnoll could direct her to the right shopkeepers, and that way, Erin knew she was never being ripped off.<\/p>\n \u201cIs there anything else, Erin Solstice?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked around. Market Street was still half-destroyed, but the part that hadn\u2019t been burnt down had already resumed business as usual. And indeed, a large part of the burnt street had already been replaced by the industrious Workers. Shopkeepers had already set up their stalls, and if you ignored the black soot on some buildings and the ground, it looked like everything was normal.<\/p>\n The only difference was the Guardsman walking down the street every few minutes and the unfriendly looks that were being directed at every Human who entered. Erin got her fair share of glares, but it seemed like the shopkeepers knew her face, so at least they didn\u2019t mutter insults when she walked by. At least, none that she could hear at any rate.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. What would you recommend, Krshia?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll propped her hands on her hips and thought.<\/p>\n \u201cHm. These are adventurers staying at your inn, yes? Then buy ale or something to drink, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAle? Oh, right! Sure! Give me a, uh, barrel of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Krshia smiled but shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cIt should be a keg for now. Transporting a barrel is hard, yes? And my Runner\u2014he is overworked. He will not be able to transport your goods until tomorrow, even without a barrel to drive, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin\u2019s face fell. She\u2019d gotten used to the unfriendly, silent Gnoll who drove a cart to her inn every time she needed a delivery. True, it wasn\u2019t \u2018running\u2019, but Krshia told her Street Runners often used carts to carry heavy deliveries, unlike City Runners. Whatever that meant.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t you get it to me sooner? I\u2019m out of food at the inn!\u201d<\/p>\n Another shake and Erin had to step back to avoid the flying brown fur.<\/p>\n \u201cMy apologies. But it is a busy time, yes? So many customers, which is good. But not for you, yes? I can lend you a cart, but that is all.\u201d<\/p>\n Disconsolately, Erin stared at the small mountain of goods she\u2019d bought. Krshia had marked it and set it aside for the Runner to pick up. It was\u2014well, it was a lot<\/em>. She\u2019d bought it thinking she wouldn\u2019t have to carry it. But since she did, suddenly Erin regretted her spending.<\/p>\n Briefly, she wondered if she could get away with only taking a little bit. But the adventurers ate so much,<\/em> and they were her first real guests. She didn\u2019t want to disappoint them, but the sun was already high in the sky, and she needed to make lunch soon.<\/p>\n There was no helping it. Taking Toren into the city was more trouble than it was worth. If she wanted to get it back, she\u2019d have to make several trips with a handcart between feeding her guests. Erin sighed.<\/p>\n But then she brightened. Moving through the crowd, she spotted a group of people who were out of place. At least, out of place for what she considered to be Liscor\u2019s unusual crowd. She spotted a woman in silver armor, a huge guy with an axe, and several other Humans walking with a tall Minotaur she recognized.<\/p>\n Erin raised her hand and waved.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! Hey! Hammer captain!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are we doing this again?\u201d<\/p>\n Gregor, Captain of the Silver-rank team of adventurers known as Kyrial\u2019s Vanguard, complained as he finally reached the top of the small hill where The Wandering Inn stood. He was wearing his armor, of course, and his iconic battleaxe as well, but the big man had another burden.<\/p>\n A sack of onions and five freshly baked loaves of bread, to be precise. And a narked expression, but that didn\u2019t weigh anything.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re here because we want to use this inn for planning and the innkeeper needs food. And because helping out is the polite thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Yvlon smiled at Gregor and winked silently at Erin as she carried along two hams.<\/p>\n \u201cExactly. And it\u2019s not that<\/em> heavy.\u201d<\/p>\n Gerial had to wheeze that last comment. He\u2019d been carrying a bag of flour by himself and was regretting it, especially with the weight of the rest of his armor.<\/p>\n Calruz grunted irritably. He dropped the bags of flour he\u2019d carried pointedly into Toren\u2019s arms as the skeleton emerged from the inn. The skeleton staggered under the weight as it carried them into the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was not warrior\u2019s work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, but it was necessary, and I appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin grinned at Calruz as she hauled a smaller bag into the kitchen. She poked her head out.<\/p>\n \u201cBesides, if you didn\u2019t help out, I wouldn\u2019t be able to make lunch! This way, you can eat and complain at the same time, Mr. Grumpy!\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria smiled and dropped the links of sausage on the table.<\/p>\n \u201cTouch\u00e9. She\u2019s got you there, Calruz.\u201d<\/p>\n Yvlon and the other adventuring captains dropped their burdens on tables and looked around the inn. Cervial whistled appreciatively.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you lot have this entire inn to yourself? We\u2019ve barely standing room in our inn, and we\u2019re sleeping three people to a room. Mind sharing?\u201d<\/p>\n Gerial laughed as he massaged his shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cTalk with the innkeeper, but we\u2019ve occupied most of the second floor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we\u2019re not giving up our rooms!\u201d<\/p>\n That came from Ceria. The half-Elf sighed as she sat back in a chair and accepted a glass of water from the skeleton. She\u2019d gotten used to the undead creature, but the eyes of the other captains followed Toren as he walked back into the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cYou told us, but I didn\u2019t believe\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The Mage-Captain, Menes, was the least-surprised.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not that<\/em> uncommon. Other nations use the undead, although I\u2019ve never heard of one serving drinks. What do you think, Byres?\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone turned to the one person who\u2019d be most unhappy about the skeletons\u2014but Yvlon Byres exhaled slowly. She tossed her hair behind her and smiled in thanks as Erin handed her a cup. Then Yvlon looked at the other captains as they too were given refreshments and a promise of lunch for their hard work.<\/p>\n \u201cI think\u2026I\u2019d rather have somewhere to sit and plan than cause a fuss and have to squeeze into a corner of the inn. Let\u2019s drop it.\u201d<\/p>\n She eyed the skeleton, but everyone else agreed to that, thinking of their lovely accommodations. Gerial rubbed his hands together with a big smile as he saw the sausage links being ported into the kitchen. He looked around good-naturedly, and everyone else relaxed as the first blue fruit drinks came out with the water.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, we\u2019re here a bit sooner than I thought, but shall we begin planning?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Time didn\u2019t seem to be on Erin\u2019s side. Well, it was passing by, but far too quickly for her liking.<\/p>\n It seemed like she\u2019d just woken up, made breakfast, and bought some food before it was lunchtime. And then she\u2019d made lunch, cleaned up, and suddenly it was dinnertime<\/em>.<\/p>\n But that was the thing about catering to a crowd; it took a long time, and Erin had to keep making food in preparation for people eating food. So although the night came quickly, she was quite, quite conscious that she\u2019d worked through the day to get to it.<\/p>\n Erin stopped to wipe a layer of sweat from her forehead and wince because she\u2019d smeared tomato sauce all over her brow. Oh well, it wasn\u2019t as if her face had been that pristine to begin with. And she was too busy to wash it away.<\/p>\n She glanced out at the clouded night sky and wondered if it were time to shut the window in the kitchen. She\u2019d undone the shutters here to cool down the stiflingly hot kitchen, but it looked like rain, and the last thing she needed was a wet kitchen floor.<\/p>\n The nights were getting colder. Already, Erin had taken to closing all the windows by the evening, and tonight was especially chilly. Dark storm clouds had swallowed the sun hours ago and promised to drop their cargo sometime tonight.<\/p>\n \u201cWinter is coming.\u201d<\/p>\n Toren paused and cocked his head at her. He probably hadn\u2019t heard what Erin had said. She waved her hand at him, and he exited the kitchen.<\/p>\n She was done with her plate of spaghetti. Well\u2014plates. Erin lifted one in each hand carefully\u2014she could do more, but it was heavy porcelain, and she didn\u2019t feel that rushed\u2014and walked out into the common room.<\/p>\n A wave of noise greeted her. Adventurers sat around her room, talking, laughing, arguing. It was such a bizarre sight in her inn that Erin had to pause. But she was on a mission and the food was heavy, so she made her way to the two tables that had been pushed together in the center of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean<\/em>, wait?\u201d<\/p>\n Calruz slammed one fist down on the table, making Erin nearly jump. He was shouting at a bunch of men and one woman\u2014all adventurers, allegedly. They\u2019d come into the inn around lunchtime with a few of their friends and had stayed around, talking.<\/p>\n Well, mainly arguing. Ceria and Gerial sat next to Calruz, wincing as the Minotaur expressed his discontent. Each of the other adventuring captains also had a vice-captain with them.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not ready to go in, Calruz. We need supplies. We thought we could get them here, but prices are high and supply is low. Besides that, we need to send some scouting teams in. And there are other adventurers to consider letting join\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe know<\/em> what\u2019s in there. And the Ruins are less than an hour\u2019s journey from the city! We don\u2019t need supplies or scouts<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe agreed to come Calruz, but that doesn\u2019t mean we put ourselves under your command. We\u2019re all equals here, and we go in properly or we don\u2019t go in at all.\u201d<\/p>\n That came from Menes, the only other mage at the table besides Ceria. He smiled and thanked Erin as she put his food in front of him. Then he returned his attention to Calruz.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are some Silver-rank adventurers in the city. Some good ones that I know. It wouldn\u2019t hurt to have them with us, and as Cervial said, we need time. A day or two of delay won\u2019t lose us any time. Myself, I\u2019m more concerned about our formations. Ceria has said she can learn the [Illumination] spell in time, but even if we get that cast, how will we approach the actual exploration phase? I\u2019m not too keen on splitting up our vanguard\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Gregor shifted. He\u2019d been busy chomping down on slices of ham, but he stopped to glare at Menes.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t be suggesting we keep our forces together. The time it would take\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stopped listening. She was busy, and the adventurers had been arguing all day<\/em>. That was preferable to them having, say, a bar fight, but she was busy.<\/p>\n She spun past her inn, taking requests for food, filling empty mugs, and generally wishing she was less busy. The door opened, and Erin turned to smile at the newcomer and explain that skeletons and Goblins in general were friendly.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t have to. Pisces stood in the doorway, blinking in surprise at the crowded inn. He paused, looking around as if he thought he were in the wrong place. Erin waved at him.<\/p>\n \u201cSit over there!\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed to a lonely table. Pisces hesitated, still eying the adventurers, but eventually went and sat down. He paused as he passed by the table where adventuring captains were sitting. They looked up, and Ceria spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cPisces.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Necromancer] nodded to her. The two locked gazes like cat and dog. No\u2026that wasn\u2019t fair. They tensed up, and Erin had only seen that look of hostility and regret on Pisces\u2019 face once when he thought she was selling him out to the Watch. On Ceria\u2019s face? Pained regret and her own unspoken anger.<\/p>\n He nodded slowly, face pale.<\/p>\n \u201cCeria.\u201d<\/p>\n They seemed unable to say more than that. So\u2014almost accidentally, someone ran into Pisces, and he started.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Pisces! Stop bothering my customers!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin booted the mage in the back, much to the amusement of several of the adventurers. Pisces glared at her and glared harder when Toren came by to hand him a menu.<\/p>\n \u201cI must protest! My creation is not meant for menial tasks. Moreover, I am an accredited [Mage] and deserve to be treated\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFood!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin dropped a plate in front of Pisces and left. She was so busy!<\/em> If this was what having an inn was like, she seriously needed another skeleton. Or two.<\/em> Toren was practically dashing about, serving the wary adventurers with mechanical precision.<\/p>\n This was why an inn had a cook and bar-people. Come to that, a bartender would also have been helpful, as well as another keg of ale. Erin had long ago run out, and the adventurers had been disappointed to learn she didn\u2019t have any more. She probably could have made a fortune on that alone.<\/p>\n The door opened. Erin turned, prepared a smile, and then smiled for real.<\/p>\n \u201cOlesm?\u201d<\/p>\n The blue Drake staggered into her inn, looking around wildly. He spotted her and rushed towards Erin, heedless of the other adventurers who\u2019d gone temporarily silent at the sight of a Drake.<\/p>\n \u201cErin! I did it! I did it!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI finally solved it!\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake crowed and danced about, waving the slip of parchment at Erin. She blinked at him, confused.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the work of days\u2014no, nearly a week! <\/em>In the end, I had to lock myself away, but I did it! And I leveled! Twice!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWait, twice? What?\u201d<\/p>\n She had to get him to stand still to show her, which was no mean feat. Erin saw a very inky piece of paper and the notation for four chess moves. A solution to a chess puzzle. Her puzzle.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you did it! Congratulations!\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled at Olesm, and he gave her a toothy grin in reply. He looked delirious with delight, but his eyes were also slightly unfocused, hinting that he was delirious in more ways than one.<\/p>\n Drakes didn\u2019t have whites in their eyes. Like the Gnolls, their eyes were a single color with a dark, snake-like pupil in the center. Olesm\u2019s eyes were a marvelous shade of blue patterned wildly like raindrops falling.<\/p>\n They were also bloodshot and wild. Erin noticed Olesm seemed gaunt and thinner than she\u2019d seen him last. He also had an unwashed smell and\u2026was that dead skin on the side of his neck? No\u2014dead scales.<\/em> They were flaking off, and it looked like a terrible fungus infection the more Erin stared at it.<\/p>\n She was trying not to, really. But it was extremely distracting.<\/p>\n Olesm noticed where Erin was looking and blushed. He immediately covered the spot with one hand.<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2014I\u2019m so <\/em>sorry. I haven\u2019t bathed or cleaned myself in a while. I was just so happy to have solved it I rushed over. But I did it at last! It was the greatest challenge I\u2019ve had, and the rewards were\u2014rewarding!\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled in a state approaching bliss. Erin had to smile with him as she led him to an empty table and waved at Toren for a drink.<\/p>\n \u201cIt took a week, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust a bit less than that, I believe.\u201d<\/p>\n Gratefully, Olesm accepted the mug and then stared in horror at the creature that had served it to him. Meanwhile, Erin was trying to remember. She\u2019d given him a chess problem? Oh! Oh yes, it was the one she\u2019d sent to the mystery chess game enthusiast. Olesm had said he was going to make a copy.<\/p>\n And it had taken him a week? Erin was\u2026impressed.<\/p>\n She was<\/em> impressed. It had taken her nearly a week to solve the problem as well. Admittedly, she\u2019d been going to class and only spent a few hours here and there trying to solve it. And she\u2019d been in middle school. But still.<\/p>\n It made a difference that Olesm had never learned any of the basic strategies that Erin had built her knowledge of chess on. That was part of the reason she could still wipe the floor with him and anyone else, although Olesm was probably the best. And it explained why she hadn\u2019t seen him. She\u2019d actually forgotten<\/em> about him\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cErin. Erin!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm was pulling at Erin\u2019s hand. She snapped out of her thoughts and saw the Drake\u2019s blue scales had turned pale.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a sk-skeleton!\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed, and his claw shook at Toren as the skeleton brought another plate of food out for Calruz. Erin stared blankly at Toren.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. That\u2019s Toren.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToren? It has a\u2014what\u2019s a skeleton doing here? <\/em>Did that [Necromancer] summon it?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin realized that Olesm hadn\u2019t seen Toren before. She tried to explain. Olesm tried to listen. It was quite noisy in the common room.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? And you accepted<\/em> it? But the undead\u2014they\u2019re so\u2014dangerous! Besides, one skeleton isn\u2019t worth all the food you\u2019ve been feeding Pisces!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin\u2019s eyes narrowed, and she tossed a glare over the room at Pisces. He was already trying to avoid Ceria\u2019s gaze as the half-Elf occasionally stared at him, but he flinched away from Erin as well, although he couldn\u2019t possibly have known what she and Olesm were talking about.<\/p>\n \u201cOh really?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm nodded. He tore into the food Toren brought for him, clearly famished.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir binding spells don\u2019t last that long. Your average skeleton falls to pieces within a day or two of being animated, and even if the necromancer uses an indefinite binding, their spell fails the instant they take too much damage. And they\u2019re surprisingly fragile!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, this one hasn\u2019t fallen apart, and it\u2019s been knocked to pieces once already.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cReally? That\u2019s not usual. Most come apart instantly if you do that. This one might be made to reassemble? Most mages don\u2019t spend nearly that much mana on a lowly skeleton.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think this one\u2019s different. It\u2019s smart enough to take orders and serve drinks for one thing.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake followed Toren\u2019s circuit around the room and nodded slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cTrue. And that\u2019s odd too. It\u2019s very intelligent\u2014can it play chess, by any chance?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin grinned at Olesm and laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that all you think about? You\u2019re like me when I was a kid!\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake blushed and ducked his head. Then he paused and looked around the room.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think you would be so busy\u2014I was hoping to play a game, but I wouldn\u2019t want to take you away from your work. Where is that small Goblin or the Worker called Pawn?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin\u2019s smile faded. She\u2019d nearly forgotten the events of yesterday as well.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t seen Rags and her crowd today. They must be doing Goblin-y things. But\u2014the Workers probably won\u2019t be coming for a while. There was an\u2014incident with Pawn.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm looked alarmed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Someone was calling Erin\u2019s name. She glanced around, distracted, and made a face.<\/p>\n \u201cTell you later! Wait until everything slows down and then we can play a game of chess, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n Reluctantly, Olesm nodded. He brightened as Erin brought him more food, though, and began attacking that. Erin walked over to the waving adventurer, and her endless quest for customer satisfaction continued.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Late. Later in the night. Erin was bone-tired, but she was still smiling and still, surprisingly, having fun. The adventurers weren\u2019t jerks, and they liked her cooking. And they had money! It wasn\u2019t bad to be working for once, and Erin wondered just how much money she\u2019d make from tonight.<\/p>\n Not a bad haul. But she was<\/em> tired. She paused, wiping at her forehead, and accepted a drink from Toren.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, good job. You\u2019re not doing so bad.\u201d<\/p>\n The skeleton paused and nodded at her. She blinked in bemusement as it bustled out of the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cSkeletons. They think they\u2019re as good as people.\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed and walked back out. At last, the food requests had stopped coming in, and it was just filling glasses and doing the stacks of dirty dishes in the kitchen. Toren could do that. Erin would just fill up a bucket with water from the stream and boil it before she could sit down and play a game of chess with Olesm and maybe Pisces.<\/p>\n She had bucket in hand and was heading to the door when it opened. Two Workers immediately stepped inside. Erin raised a hand to greet them\u2014<\/p>\n And half of the adventurers in the room drew their weapons.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa! Hey! Swords down!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shouted as the adventurers began pushing their chairs back and the Workers wavered. She put herself between the adventurers and the doorway.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are my guests! Guests!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAntinium!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe Black Tide!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Some of the adventurers were shouting, but the adventuring captains were the first to get over their surprise. Gregor grabbed the shoulder of an adventurer that was rising and shoved him down in his seat.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t fight!\u201d<\/p>\n This came from Cervial. He raised his voice and shouted at the adventurers.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re part of Liscor! You hurt them, you make an enemy out of the city! They\u2019re not here for a fight! These are the Worker-types.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin ignored the shouting as the Captains began restoring order in the inn. She looked at the Workers, confused.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are you here? I thought you couldn\u2019t leave the city.\u201d<\/p>\n Not without Pawn. But then Erin\u2019s mind caught up with what she was saying.<\/p>\n \u201cPawn?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Innkeeper Solstice. But there is an issue\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The Worker opened the doorway. Erin saw two other Workers helping another of their kind through the doorway. He was like them, exactly like them, but different.<\/p>\n Pawn.<\/p>\n He was okay. He was alive. Erin smiled as he stumbled into the inn. But then her smile froze.<\/p>\n The adventurers, who had been swearing and reacting to the presence of the Workers, took one look at Pawn and fell silent. Several sheathed weapons were unsheathed again. In the dead silence, someone swore loudly.<\/p>\n Pawn had to be helped by the two Workers into the inn. He swayed, unsteady. A trail of green blood followed him. Erin\u2019s eyes were caught by the color. So green. So vibrant. A color she\u2019d seen once on her hands before.<\/p>\n The Antinium named Pawn stared up at Erin. She stared back. Her thoughts had\u2014stopped. She stared at him.<\/p>\n He was still Pawn. But he was missing one of his antennae, the one Ksmvr had severed. And he was missing arms as well. Three of them. And part of one leg.<\/p>\n The door closed, and the cold rain began to fall.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Erin dreamt of swords flashing, of cannonballs exploding around her, and of blood. Rivers of blood. Klbkch stood in front of Erin and asked if she were ready. She looked at him as he bled in her arms. His mandibles opened, and he rasped into her ear. \u201cI obey my Queen.\u201d She shook her head. 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