It was all gone. All over.<\/p>\n
The Wandering Inn was finished.<\/p>\n
Erin stared at what had been her inn and saw the writing on the wall. Actually, she didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Because there was no wall.<\/p>\n
Nearly half of her inn had been blown outwards by the explosion. Walls, floorboards\u2014even parts of the roof had been shredded by the explosive tree bark as it heated up from the fire.<\/p>\n
For an added bonus, the bark had been flaming as it shot out of the fireplace. So the parts of the inn not hit by the shrapnel also caught on fire.<\/p>\n
It was only because it was such a cold and windy day that the fire hadn\u2019t eaten away the entire inn. As it was, Erin could see straight into the common room and parts of the upstairs from her position outside.<\/p>\n
There was no repairing that. Erin wouldn\u2019t even know where to start. [Basic Crafting] did not teach her how to repair the foundations. The spot where the fireplace had been\u2014the center of the blast\u2014was a crater, and Erin could see churned dirt where floorboards and the stone base should be.<\/p>\n
The inn was gone. And Erin was homeless.<\/p>\n
The feeling that hit Erin wasn\u2019t exactly like despair. It was closer to numbness; a vague hurt feeling in her chest. Why? Why did it always have to be her?<\/p>\n
She told Toren to go away, and for a while, she just sat in the snow trying to imagine what came next. What did<\/em> come next? She had a little money, but not enough. She was an [Innkeeper] without an inn and no other useful skills besides chess.<\/p>\n She was lost.<\/p>\n Again.<\/p>\n That was the word that popped into Erin\u2019s mind. Again. It wasn\u2019t the first time something like this had happened. That thought created a spark, but Erin was so tired. She didn\u2019t want to think of doing anything like picking up the broken timbers or finding actual firewood to replace the damaged wood.<\/p>\n She just wanted to sit here and stare at the remains of what had been her home.<\/p>\n \u201cWow. It\u2019s totally gone, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin heard Relc remark cheerfully as the Drake crested the hill. She\u2019d beaten even him and Klbkch in her mad dash towards her inn. The Drake whistled as he looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did this? I only saw the smoke and Tkrn said he could see the inn was broken from his spot on the walls. [Eagle Eyes]. Nice skill, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt blew up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I got that p\u2014ow!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Erin heard a thump<\/em> and the sounds of a Drake hopping around on one foot in the snow. Then Klbkch was squatting next to her. The Antinium regarded Erin gravely.<\/p>\n \u201cI am sorry this happened, Erin. Was this an attack or some kind of magic?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. No. It was trees.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrees?\u201d<\/p>\n Relc stopped hopping and cursing and looked mildly alarmed. He grabbed his spear and turned.<\/p>\n \u201cAw, no. Don\u2019t tell me it was one of those cursed trees. Or a Dryad? I hate<\/em> Dryads.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin almost smiled, but she couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. It was an exploding tree. Toren must have cut it down and brought it here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAn exploding<\/em> tree? What?\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch nodded slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cErin must be referring to the reports of the deadly forest southeast of here. You will recall it\u2019s one of the areas we avoid on our patrols.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah. The place where that scouting party disappeared? Yeah. Wow. So the trees explode?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe bark does.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin could see it now. She remembered how those trees had reacted when she\u2019d hit one with a rock. They\u2019d nearly taken her eye out with an acorn fifty feet away. If that explosive power were compressed into a nice little room\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWell, there goes dinner. I\u2019m hungry. You want to go to the Tailless Thief instead? I\u2019ll buy the first round.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch turned and looked around at Relc. Erin didn\u2019t see his face, but the Drake raised his hands defensively.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, I was joking!<\/em> Sort of. I mean\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He waved at Erin\u2019s inn and lowered his voice, although both Erin and Klbkch could clearly hear him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s she going to do? I don\u2019t think a hammer and a few nails are going to fix that, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n Silently, Erin agreed with Relc. Her inn was busted. What could she do? It was exactly like before. She couldn\u2019t do anything.<\/p>\n It was so unfair. Why did this happen to her? Why\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cOh no! Erin!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin heard the voice a second before Selys nearly tackled her to the ground. The female Drake threw her arms around Erin as Ceria and Olesm appeared on the hilltop as well, looking winded. Selys stared at Erin\u2019s inn and then at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you hurt? Oh no, your inn!<\/em> What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria and Olesm stared at the destruction in shock as Erin muttered a few words and Relc loudly related the events.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then that stupid skeleton she has\u2014Tors or something\u2014must have put it on the fire. The tree explodes, and there goes her inn. Boom!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys kept saying that as she hugged Erin. Ceria looked gaunt and tired as she shook her head. Only Olesm seemed determined to remain optimistic. The Drake peered at a splintered board and stared around.<\/p>\n \u201cCan this be fixed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Are you crazy?\u201d<\/p>\n Relc laughed at him. He gestured to the wrecked face of the inn.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no way<\/em> she\u2019s going to get that patched up by herself. You\u2019d need a team of carpenters and a small forest, and neither of those is cheap, even if it weren\u2019t winter! It\u2019s over. The inn\u2019s toast. History. Total dest\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria turned and kicked Relc hard in the stomach. He didn\u2019t budge, but he narrowed his eyes at her.<\/p>\n \u201cThat hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n With her good hand, Ceria flicked a sliver of ice towards Relc\u2019s nose. The Drake leaned back inhumanly fast, but the shard missed anyways.<\/p>\n \u201cShut up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, I\u2019m just\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Relc dodged another shard of ice, this one larger and aimed closer to his head. He retreated, muttering insults.<\/p>\n Erin didn\u2019t listen or see Olesm and Klbkch talking, or hear Selys assuring her that she could stay at Selys\u2019 apartment or with Krshia. She just thought.<\/p>\n It was always the same. Always. Not in the same way, but the feeling was the same. And it was a sad thing, but Erin was used to the sensation. She was used to things like this.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve done this before.\u201d<\/p>\n Relc stared at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve blown up your inn before?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. But this\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin couldn\u2019t describe it. It was so familiar.<\/em> Why? It was a pattern in her life.<\/p>\n Something bad happens. Get sad. Nearly die. That\u2019s how it went.<\/p>\n But there was another level to that. Why did it always have to be bad? It was unfair? So why did it have to happen that way?<\/p>\n Erin was an expert at having bad things happen to her. So why couldn\u2019t she turn a bad thing into a good thing? Or at least a not-so-bad thing?<\/p>\n She stared at her inn. Okay, now how did the script go? She\u2019d stare at her broken inn, cry a bit, maybe freeze to death as she nearly fixed it, and then\u2014probably the Frost Fairies would decide to bury the entire thing with her inside.<\/p>\n That was how the story went. But could Erin change the story?<\/p>\n \u201cCan<\/em> it be fixed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo! It\u2019s hopeless! Let\u2019s go back to the city! I\u2019m freezing!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Erin ignored Relc as Klbkch looked over at her. He walked over with Olesm and Erin stood up. Ceria and Selys joined the circle while Relc edged closer and received cold stares from almost everyone else.<\/p>\n Klbkch nodded at Erin\u2019s inn.<\/p>\n \u201cI have already contacted my Hive. Some Workers will be here shortly to assess the damage. It may be that this can be repaired.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019m sure the damage isn\u2019t that<\/em> bad. It\u2019s only the\u2026side of the inn. I know a few [Carpenters] in the city. They might be able to help!\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm smiled unconvincingly at Erin. Selys nodded and adopted the same too-optimistic tone.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah! And you could probably get enough wood to rebuild the inn. From Krshia. She might uh, know someone with a lot of spare building wood. They\u2019re rebuilding a lot of the damaged buildings so\u2026it might be cheaper?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nearly smiled, and then she actually did. It was ridiculous and hopeless. But she was used to that, wasn\u2019t she? Keep smiling, keep trying. She shivered, and suddenly realized it was freezing.<\/em><\/p>\n Ceria snapped her fingers and muttered a few words. Erin blinked as the air around her suddenly seemed to lose most of its bite. Selys blinked and stopped crossing her arms together.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat was that?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c[Lesser Resistance to Ice]. It\u2019s a basic mage spell in my school. It won\u2019t stop much of the chill, but it helps.\u201d<\/p>\n It did. Erin smiled gratefully at Ceria and the half-Elf smiled crookedly back.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a fun surprise, huh? I\u2019m really sorry about your inn, Erin. Let me know if I can help. I\u2019m no good with movement and telekinetic spells, but even I can cast [Repair]. I can fix a few floorboards, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019ve got a hammer in my home!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled. Suddenly she was warmer, and not just on the outside. She had friends. Even in this cold winter, she had people who\u2019d move mountains for her.<\/p>\n What else could she ask for?<\/p>\n \u201cHow about a jacuzzi?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch had been silent as he stared at her inn. He looked up and turned to face Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cI have contacted one of the Workers most skilled in constructions within my Hive. He will be on site shortly, but he informs me the inn can<\/em> be rebuilt.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared incredulously at Klbkch. He nodded calmly.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. But there are a few caveats. Firstly, the damage to the foundations is not inconsiderable. Although much of the building is still intact, the rest will need to be reconstructed and cannot be built from the fragments that remain. With a supply of wood however, another inn may be built, although it would be just as easy to build a new inn elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone stared at him. Olesm opened his mouth.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not easy.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch shrugged fractionally.<\/p>\n \u201cI am no longer Prognugator, but I occupy a similar position of command. I have called thirty Antinium Workers with class levels that will assist in reconstruction shortly.\u201d<\/p>\n Rather than stop, the staring increased. Klbkch shifted his position and looked at Erin. She blinked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to get the other Antinium to help me? Isn\u2019t that\u2026won\u2019t your Queen get mad?\u201d<\/p>\n He shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a service we will provide for free, if you will assist us in other ways. My intent tonight was to discuss allowing Workers and other Antinium to visit your inn to play chess and learn. That cannot occur without an inn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut the cost\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Antinium will work for free. It will not take long.\u201d<\/p>\n He hesitated and glanced at the fa\u00e7ade of the inn.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Finding timber will be a more difficult matter. Lumber is in short supply in the city at the moment. It may take a day or two to locate enough. The Workers can begin repairing parts of the inn and seal the rest off from weather damage for now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin sagged slightly. But this\u2014was more than she could have asked for. And it was the same feeling. Help\u2014someone helping her without her helping back. She looked around. Wasn\u2019t there something she could do?<\/p>\n Her eye caught something untouched by the explosion. A section of a tree, roughly chopped away, bark still wrapped around the few branches and sections of the wood. Relc was sitting on it, looking bored.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, there\u2019s more of the exploding tree.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone looked around. Relc stared down at his seat and slowly got up. As one, everyone slowly edged away from the part of the tree. Except for Erin. She stared at it with a frown.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy doesn\u2019t that<\/em> explode?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys glanced at Erin nervously.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think it will? Should we get farther away?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. But why doesn\u2019t it explode? It should the instant you get near it or hit it.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin thought to herself as Ceria and Relc wondered why their [Dangersense] hadn\u2019t gone off.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe it\u2019s the cold?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe cold?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, if Toren was in the forest, even he would notice if the trees started exploding. And the bark would have exploded if he was dragging the piece of tree all the way here. So why did it only explode inside?\u201d<\/p>\n She imagined her skeleton. He wasn\u2019t bright, but even he wouldn\u2019t bring a dangerous object into the inn. So he must not have known the trees would explode. Ergo \u2013 a fancy word she\u2019d learned in school \u2013 the trees must have seemed completely normal. Until <\/em>they were inside.<\/p>\n Well, what would happen inside? Toren would probably light the fire with the wood. Not much else you do with wood indoors. And then\u2026<\/p>\n Boom. That must have been the trigger. That was Erin\u2019s hypothesis, and she decided to test it.<\/p>\n \u201cHey Relc, can you drag that piece of wood down the hill?\u201d<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t want to. But after some coaxing (threats) by Selys and Klbkch, he reluctantly stumped over and gingerly rolled the ungainly piece of tree to the side of the hill. And then, having ascertained the tree was probably not going to explode, he kicked it hard enough to send it crashing down the slope.<\/p>\n Erin was pretty sure that<\/em> would have triggered the explosion, cold or not. But the bark didn\u2019t so much as shiver. Well, that only added to her theory.<\/p>\n Next, Erin asked Ceria if she knew any flame spells. It turned out the half-Elf did, although she only knew one or two.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not my proficiency. Ice magic is, and you can imagine the two are different. But if you need me to light something\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria couldn\u2019t throw fire that far or shoot fireballs, but once again Relc was the right Drake for the job, however reluctant he was to do said job. Ceria lit a bundle of boards and sticks Erin tied together on fire, and Relc set the burning wood next to the tree and dashed back.<\/p>\n He was so quick!<\/em> He could cover the hundred meters from the tree fragment to where the others were waiting in only a few seconds. Erin knew the world record was something like ten seconds, but she was sure Relc made the journey in less time than that.<\/p>\n The Drake slid behind Erin and the others waited, tense. About thirty seconds after Relc had placed the fire next to the tree, Erin thought she saw the bark on the tree twitch\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n The explosive tree bark wasn\u2019t nearly as bad this far out, but a fragment of bark still bounced gently off Klbkch\u2019s carapace as he shielded Erin. The others raised their heads and stared at the spot around the tree in amazement. Selys twitched her tail and blinked.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa.\u201d<\/p>\n The snow around the piece of tree had been blown away in a rough semicircle, and the dirt had been kicked up as well from the force of the blast. It looked a bit like a bombshell crater, and Erin said as much.<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean you have exploding trees where you came from as well? What kind of place do you live in?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm shook his head she walked back over to the tree. Erin gingerly prodded the now bark-denuded wood and found it was wonderfully smooth. And amazingly, unharmed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe bark just explodes off and leaves the tree intact. That\u2019s so weird.\u201d<\/p>\n Relc rolled his eyes and shivered as he stood impatiently next to Erin. He hadn\u2019t worn any more clothes than normal, even though it was so cold. His bare chest might be a display of how tough he was, but he still looked cold<\/em> to Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, you\u2019ve found out that your trees don\u2019t kill you unless it\u2019s warm. So what?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin pointed at the tree in front of her and looked back at Klbkch.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Klbkch. You said the Workers needed wood. What about this?\u201d<\/p>\n Relc blinked. Olesm clicked his claws together \u2013 more of a soft sound than a snap<\/em> \u2013 and mouthed \u2018of course\u2019. Klbkch stared silently at the piece of wood. He didn\u2019t say a word for a minute, and then nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. The Worker tells me this wood appears to be quite similar to timbers he is used to working with. And if it can withstand the impact of such explosions, it should surely suit your needs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood idea, Erin!\u201d<\/p>\n Selys cheered and Erin smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s an entire forest of these stupid trees. Probably enough for an inn, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPresumably so.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin felt a sense of accomplishment. It wasn\u2019t<\/em> happening like other times. This might actually turn out right. But\u2026could it turn out righter<\/em>?<\/p>\n \u201cUm, you said it would be just as easy to build a new inn, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCorrect.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen\u2014could you rebuild it closer to the city? On another hill, or something?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys\u2019 mouth fell open about the same time as Olesm\u2019s did. But Ceria grinned from ear to ear, and Relc laughed. Klbkch looked amused and paused before replying.<\/p>\n \u201cIt should be possible. There are a few hills of sufficient height the Workers say may serve. Shall we inspect them?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled. The sun was coming out. The bright light made the snow blindingly bright, and it warmed her. The world was better.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Klbkch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are welcome, Erin Solstice.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first of the Workers met Erin and the others at the hill they\u2019d chosen. It was closer to the city\u2014close enough that Liscor\u2019s gates were actually visible from their position on the hill. It was\u2026five hundred meters away? A mile? Five miles? Erin wasn\u2019t good with distances.<\/p>\n It was close enough that she\u2019d only need to walk leisurely for around twenty minutes to get there, which would be a huge improvement from her normal trek. And best yet, the hill Klbkch had approved was quite large. It had room for all the things Erin wanted.<\/p>\n \u201cSo the outhouse is going there, and<\/em> I get a basement?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked excitedly at Klbkch. He nodded calmly.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Workers will begin work right away. I will take twenty of them to collect the necessary amount of timber.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI could go with you. It\u2019s far away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have memorized the map of the surrounding region and I am familiar with the location. You should stay here to supervise the construction.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight, right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll stay with her.\u201d<\/p>\n Relc yawned as the Workers filed past him. He leaned on his spear.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll protect her against\u2026the wind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou will come with us. Monsters may attack such a large group.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw. Do I have to?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll go with you.\u201d<\/p>\n Relc blinked as Ceria stepped forwards. Erin wanted to protest, but the half-Elf was adamant.<\/p>\n \u201cThree fighters is better than two, and neither of you is a mage. I might be recovering, but I can still cast a few spells even without a wand.\u201d<\/p>\n That made sense, but Erin was still worried about Ceria until Klbkch assured her she would come to no harm. When Relc said it, it just didn\u2019t instill the same level of confidence.<\/p>\n Olesm and Selys stayed with Erin as Klbkch, Relc, and Ceria left with the wood-gathering party. They debated what they should do. Olesm was all for going back to the inn and playing chess, while Selys argued they should salvage everything they could so the Workers didn\u2019t have to.<\/p>\n Erin was right with Selys and<\/em> Olesm until she saw the next group of Workers appear over the hill. She froze, and then shouted and waved her arms happily.<\/p>\n \u201cPawn!\u201d<\/p>\n The Worker raised his one good hand as the other Worker next to him helped him along. Erin ran towards him, laughing, followed by Olesm while Selys hung back.<\/p>\n It was hard to read the Antinium\u2019s expressions, but Erin was sure that Pawn was smiling as she met him. He raised his hand, but she threw her arms around him in a hug. He froze, but Erin didn\u2019t care. The sensation of hugging the Antinium was hard, smooth, and cool as she touched his carapace. She couldn\u2019t describe it, but his outer exoskeleton felt alive, and that was unsettling. But not so much because it was Pawn!<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been so long! How are you? Are you okay in the hive? Why are you coming to help?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin bombarded Pawn with questions and only then noticed who was helping Pawn walk through the snow.<\/p>\n \u201cBird!\u201d<\/p>\n The other Worker, one of the four survivors of the battle against Skinner and the undead, bowed politely in Erin\u2019s direction as he helped Pawn towards the inn. Another unnamed Worker placed a chair down and Pawn sat down in it on the empty hill.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere are the others? Garry, um\u2026Belgrade, and Anand?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBelgrade is still too injured to move, but the others are well. They serve the Hive elsewhere at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m glad to see you too! Are you well?\u201d<\/p>\n Bird nodded politely, but let Pawn take precedence. The Worker sat forwards in his chair and inclined his head at Erin, as if he was someone in a board meeting.<\/p>\n \u201cErin, it\u2019s good to see you again. I am very well, and I regret I haven\u2019t had time to visit you before. But things have been\u2026busy after the battle against the undead. However, I am here now to assist you as best I am able.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked around. Pawn and Bird were followed by ten more Workers. They didn\u2019t wait, but instantly set to work. They trooped in the direction of her inn, walking steadily through the ankle-deep snow. None of the Antinium were wearing clothing, and Erin wondered if they\u2019d be okay in the cold.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need not worry about the Antinium. We may survive in freezing weather for up to two hours before needing warmth. We will build a fire to warm ourselves before then.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled at Pawn. Like Klbkch, he was always quite calm, but Pawn had a more familiar air about him. And he seemed to know Erin\u2019s thoughts quite well.<\/p>\n \u201cI just can\u2019t believe you\u2019re here. And\u2014is your arm growing?\u201d<\/p>\n She suddenly pointed to Pawn\u2019s side. Erin remembered the severed stumps of his three arms and one leg, but now it seemed like said stumps were growing longer. Pawn nodded, and gestured with his good arm to the healing spots.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Hive has several unique substances that allow regeneration of limbs among our kind. I will regain mobility within the month if all goes well. In the meantime, I will direct the other Workers in repairing your inn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s so great. Really, it is.\u201d<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t excuse the events that had led to Pawn losing said limbs, but Erin didn\u2019t want to get complicated. She beamed at him and Bird.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, you\u2019re going to help? Do you know what\u2019s happening?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. The Revalantor has instructed us already. We will rebuild your inn here, Erin. It may take time to dig the foundation and cut the timber, but we should be finished by midnight.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin\u2019s eyes bulged, and she looked around at the empty hill, still covered in snow.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Really?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Workers need little rest and we all have a few levels in the appropriate classes. Moreover, we are here in number. We have already reconstructed much of Liscor. Do not worry. Your inn will be built better than new.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled at Pawn, and felt her eyes sting a bit.<\/p>\n \u201cWell. Well\u2026I\u2019ll pay you back, I promise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe you will. I understand that the price the Revalantor wishes to ask of you is to allow Antinium to visit your inn to learn to play chess.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys frowned and Olesm looked delighted. Erin was incredulous.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? That\u2019s not a price. That\u2019s\u2014helping me!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt will help the Hive as well. Pardon me, I\u2019m not permitted to speak too much of the details. But it will help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014sure! I mean, this will already be a lot better. My inn was already full of holes, and now it\u2019ll be closer to the city, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys nodded happily.<\/p>\n \u201cNow I\u2019ll be able to visit after work rather than find someone to bring me all the way out there. And<\/em> you\u2019ll get a lot more business, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt could be for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm agreed as he stared at Bird. The other Worker looked vaguely uncomfortable, but if Erin knew Olesm, the Drake was about to challenge Bird to a game of chess.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I can take less time shopping, and I won\u2019t have to carry stuff nearly as far.\u201d<\/p>\n It all sounded better. Erin felt a huge sense of relief and happiness in her chest. Selys tapped Erin\u2019s legs with her tail as she smiled at her.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving your inn explode is one of the best things that\u2019s happened to you, huh, Erin?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. I\u2019m almost not mad at Toren anymore. I mean, it wasn\u2019t exactly his fault.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin sighed. It really wasn\u2019t the skeleton\u2019s fault. He was boneheaded, but not stupid<\/em>. And he\u2019d found firewood after all. She wouldn\u2019t shout at him, she promised herself. Then a thought occurred to Erin and she looked around, frowning.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere is<\/em> Toren?\u201d<\/p>\n Pawn and the others looked around as well. It suddenly occurred to Erin that she hadn\u2019t seen him in a while.<\/p>\n \u201cIs he doing something for you, Erin? Running an errand?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Erin remembered what she\u2019d said to him. \u2018Go away\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. I told him to leave after he blew up the inn. I guess he\u2019s still gone.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cWill he come back?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin floundered.<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014yeah! I just meant go away for a while. Not forever. He\u2019ll be back soon, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n There wasn\u2019t much Erin could do in any case. Toren\u2019s\u2026reduced…frame meant he was hard to spot at the best of times, and he was nearly completely invisible in the white snow. Erin asked Pawn and the other Workers to keep an eye out for him, and resolved to do the same.<\/p>\n He\u2019d be back soon, she was sure.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo. I\u2019m told your name is Klbkch.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch glanced down slightly and nodded politely to Ceria as they walked together at the head of a small army of Workers. They were walking through the Floodplains of Liscor, or as Ceria thought of them at the moment, the Frostplains of Liscor.<\/p>\n It was cold. Ceria was specialized in frost-based magic and she didn\u2019t mind the cold, but the trek combined with her recent weakness was making things harder than she would have liked. Nevertheless, she walked quickly, not wanting to slow down the expedition.<\/p>\n She was slightly regretting her choice to go with the Workers to gather wood in any case. She didn\u2019t know Relc or Klbkch and she had a history of bad experiences with local law enforcement. But Erin liked Klbkch, which probably meant he was alright.<\/p>\n \u201cI, uh, haven\u2019t ever met any Antinium before. You don\u2019t have a great reputation up north.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am well aware. The perception of our kind is not undeserved.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut you\u2019re a friend to Erin. That\u2019s surprising, but I\u2019m glad. She needs friends out here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe is a unique individual. I believe you are a good friend to her as well. She went into the ruins to bring you back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe did. She\u2019s very brave.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe is.\u201d<\/p>\n The conversation halted for a few minutes. Ceria stared around the bleak landscape. There weren\u2019t many structures or\u2026anything except on top of the higher hills. That made sense, considering what happened other parts of the year. Still, the open landscape was slightly disconcerting to her. Were it not for the Antinium, Ceria would feel lost in a landscape of endless white.<\/p>\n Ahead of her and Klbkch, Relc stormed through the snow, leaving a trail in his wake. He was scouting ahead, as the only person in the group with skills in that area.<\/p>\n \u201cSpider nest!\u201d<\/p>\n He waved his hand and stabbed his spear into a section of snow which collapsed inwards. A huge gaping pit opened up and Relc kicked the first Shield Spider as it crawled over the edge.<\/p>\n \u201cTake that you little bastard!\u201d<\/p>\n The Shield Spider flipped back into the nest as Relc laughed and poked the other spiders back into the nest. Ceria and Klbkch changed directions to walk wide of the nest. Ceria nodded at Relc.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s the highest-level guardsman I\u2019ve seen in my life. I saw him fighting Gazi. With his abilities, he could be a Gold-rank adventurer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe has told me he does not care for danger anymore. He was a soldier. Now he is retired.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGazi was a soldier, once.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. She may be one again, if what we have heard is true.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria tried to imagine it. She remembered the King of Destruction\u2019s first rampage, hearing of nations falling and cities sieged. She\u2019d never been to Chandrar, but war had been speeding across the vast ocean when the King of Destruction had suddenly called an end to his grand ambitions.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat will the Antinium do if he starts conquering nations again?\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch shrugged fractionally. He was armed with two swords, which matched his unique body. Ceria had never seen an Antinium with only two arms \u2013 it must mean he was a special leader among them. The other Workers certainly obeyed his commands without question.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it comes to war, the Antinium will act. Until then, I believe the Queens will be content to wait. The King of Destruction is far away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue.\u201d<\/p>\n More walking. Snow crunched underneath Ceria\u2019s boots. And then Klbkch asked her a question.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat will you do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI understand you will not be charged for the attack of the undead. But you are an adventurer alone, not counting the few adventurers who survived. Many have already left, and only the silver-rank adventurer is of any note.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYvlon. She\u2019s\u2026silent. Still recovering.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. Will you join with her and continue adventuring?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019d lost everything. Sometimes Ceria forgot. She\u2019d wake up or start doing something, and then it would hit her as she thought of the future. She\u2019d lost all of her coin in the ruins, lost all of her magical artifacts except her robes, lost her friends, and her hand.<\/p>\n Everything.<\/p>\n Klbkch slowed as Relc raised a hand and shouted from ahead. There was something in the distance, breaking the uniform snowy landscape.<\/p>\n \u201cAh. There is the forest. We should remove the bark before bringing the trees back.\u201d<\/p>\n He turned and began issuing orders to the Workers behind him in a clipped, short tone. Ceria watched the black-bodied Antinium move as she thought. Klbkch\u2019s question had bothered her more than he could probably imagine.<\/p>\n What would she do now? What would she become?<\/p>\n Ceria didn\u2019t know. She was lost. She only had one thing to cling to, and that was a certainty. There was something about Erin Solstice and Ryoka Griffin. Something different.<\/p>\n She\u2019d figure that out first, and then decide.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first of the Workers were returning with boards and another group was beginning to dig what would become Erin\u2019s foundation and basement when Olesm pointed at the sky and called out warningly.<\/p>\n \u201cUh oh. Trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked around, and her heart sank. High above in the sky, she saw a cloud of shimmering shapes, and heard familiar\u2014and unwelcome\u2014voices.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLook, look! The wretched building is gone!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSomething destroyed it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNay, it exploded! See the traces?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHah! Serves the foolish human right! Look how she stands there like a lump!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Frost Faeries flew overhead, chattering as the Workers began trooping the pieces of the inn over to the new build site.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnd now the slaves are rebuilding the inn! With nails of iron and metal tools! Let\u2019s curse their steps!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBreak their foolish tools!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDestroy the new building!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Erin waved her hand and ran at the Frost Faeries in a panic as they dove out of the sky at the oblivious Workers. The others stared at Erin incredulously as, from their perspective; she began shouting at faint blobs in the air.<\/p>\n \u201cWait, wait! Stop! Don\u2019t attack! Please!\u201d<\/p>\n The Frost Faeries halted, and one of them glared at Erin suspiciously.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat do ye want? If ye want to beg, don\u2019t bother. We hate all of cold metal and naught you or yer slaves can do will stop us!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBut I need an inn! I mean, my old one got destroyed! Why do you hate me so much?\u201d<\/p>\n They laughed at her, the faeries. One of them made a rude gesture and pointed at the working Antinium.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t hate ye, fool! You mortals are nothing to us but pests. Tis iron<\/em> we hate! If ye\u2019d take away the iron in the building, we might, might <\/em>reconsider.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Erin looked at her inn and back to the faeries.<\/p>\n \u201cBut how are they supposed to build an inn without iron nails?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSilly wench!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n One of the faeries laughed mockingly at Erin.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you know? A nail can be more than just iron! Are you a fool? They can be made of silver, wood, steel\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCopper! Make them of copper, you daft cunt!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n That was really<\/em> rude, but Erin ignored it. She ran over to the two Workers in charge, waving her hands desperately.<\/p>\n \u201cHey Pawn! Pawn!\u201d<\/p>\n Pawn looked up from his discussion with Bird. Erin met them as they walked towards her and pointed to the site where the Workers were already digging into the soil and hauling stones into place to make the foundation.<\/p>\n \u201cThe inn. When you\u2019re building it\u2014can you use only copper nails?\u201d<\/p>\n He conferred with Bird, and the nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a large supply of building materials available to us. It will be done.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin turned back to the faeries and smiled hopefully at them.<\/p>\n \u201cWell? Will that do? It\u2019ll be a building without any bad iron\u2014well, without much. And you\u2019ll be welcome there as guests, okay? Promise!\u201d<\/p>\n The Frost Faeries conferred, starring hard at Erin and talking with their small hands cupped. Erin waited, sweating despite the cold, imagining her and all the Workers buried underneath a hundred tons of snow. Faeries couldn\u2019t do that. Could they?<\/p>\n At last, the faeries turned back to Erin and one of them nodded. She didn\u2019t have a pleased expression on her face, but she seemed resigned. The other faeries were smiling gleefully, for some reason that Erin didn\u2019t get.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026alright. I suppose ye get a pass. This time. We\u2019ve got better things ta do than deal with you lot, anyways.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The faeries began to spiral back up into the sky. Olesm blinked at them and stared at Erin in amazement. Pawn and Bird ignored the faeries as they continued plotting out the inn, and Selys hid in the snow as they flew upwards. One of them called out as the herd of faeries flew off.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe still don\u2019t like you, human!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Erin stuck her tongue out as the Faeries left. A snowball spiraled out of the sky and struck her in the face, but all in all, she decided she\u2019d gotten off pretty lucky.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ceria, Klbkch, Relc, and the other Antinium returned an hour later, carrying long boards of neatly cut wood. Erin was amazed to see that each board of wood the Workers carried was perfectly cut to the dimensions the other Workers needed.<\/p>\n It was uncanny and sort of terrifying. As the thirty workers converged on the new inn\u2019s building site, they worked without speaking or apparently, needing to look at each other. One Worker would be repairing a wall, and another Worker would slice a board of wood to fit the spot exactly.<\/p>\n It was the thing ants did. Telepathy, or some kind of hive mind. Erin was fascinated, but she didn\u2019t have long to look. She was busy too.<\/p>\n Relc and Klbkch weren\u2019t in charge of the workers so much as Pawn and Bird. The two former Workers knew their job well, and so they were the ones in charge. For their part, Relc and Klbkch used their superior strength to help lift things that would take more than one Worker. Relc by himself could lift something that would take two or more Workers.<\/p>\n Olesm and Selys didn\u2019t have many applicable skills, but Selys was happy enough just to find things that had been knocked over or scattered by the explosion. She assembled small piles of pillows from upstairs, gathered Erin\u2019s messy supplies from the kitchen, and made sure nothing else was damaged.<\/p>\n For Olesm\u2019s part, he\u2019d tried to help Selys, but kept blushing whenever he found some of Erin\u2019s more private types of clothing. Selys eventually chased him away and he ineffectually tried to help Workers until Klbkch suggested he be useful somewhere else. In the end Olesm sat at one of the salvaged tables and played chess with Bird and Pawn.<\/p>\n And in the meantime, Erin wasn\u2019t just sitting about. In point of fact, she was cooking. She moved about her kitchen, trying to ignore the oddity of it.<\/p>\n Her kitchen hadn\u2019t been destroyed when the fireplace blew. And with the addition of a quick door to keep some of the hot air in, Erin could still cook food. She could hear the Antinium moving around and above her, recovering pieces of the inn, but she ignored that and focused on making food.<\/p>\n The Antinium had their own meals. They ate some kind of horrible mushy stuff that looked like regurgitated food mixed with\u2014it looked bad and Erin was glad it was too cold to smell. And she had no acid flies to give them which broke her heart. But she could do something for her non-Antinium friends.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! You guys! I\u2019ve got food!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin called out as she emerged from her kitchen, beaming and holding a large plate full of her latest culinary achievement. Relc eyed her suspiciously and caught Erin as she tripped on an upturned timber. He caught the plate before it tipped over and eyed the food.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is this?\u201d<\/p>\n Relc sniffed suspiciously at the round object Erin handed him. It was a hamburger.<\/p>\n An honest-to-god, real hamburger. Complete with a bun, mayonnaise on the side of the plate, and ketchup. Or catsup. Erin didn\u2019t mind either word, but catsup always made her think of cat food.<\/p>\n It was easy. Erin had taken the ground beef she\u2019d gotten from Krshia, added some pepper, an egg or two, and then squished it all together and made them into patties. Then she\u2019d fried the burgers on a pan.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t have a grill, so Erin felt some of the authenticity was lost, but the burgers were made even realer with the addition of a bit of lettuce, a tomato, and cheese. All the ingredients were in Liscor, and cheap, too! Krshia said that while the city imported tomatoes and other vegetables from overseas, they weren\u2019t as popular as other foods. She\u2019d had to get the tomatoes from a fellow Gnoll who specialized in the rarer plants.<\/p>\n But that wasn\u2019t all! Erin had made ketchup from the tomatoes and mayonnaise from the egg yolk and mustard. It was amazing. Amazingly hard to make, that was.<\/p>\n Erin had no idea making ketchup involved boiling tomatoes and adding all kind of complex spices. She still was miffed that mayonnaise used lemon juice and vinegar. But Ryoka had given her various recipes before she\u2019d left, and they worked.<\/p>\n They worked!<\/p>\n \u201cTry it! It\u2019s really good!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin had already sampled her wares, so to speak. She\u2019d made a hamburger, eaten the hamburger, made another cheeseburger, and eaten it too. It was so deliciously good and reminiscent of home she\u2019d actually teared up a bit as she ate.<\/p>\n Relc didn\u2019t seem convinced, but he could smell the grilled meat and he was hungry. He took an experimental bite out of the hamburger and chewed. His eyes went wide.<\/p>\n Klbkch and Olesm got to the plate too late, because Relc had already eaten four hamburgers and Ceria and Selys each had one. Relc happily bit into the burgers as Erin yelled at him for stealing the other\u2019s food and ran into the kitchen for more. Thankfully, she\u2019d made a big batch.<\/p>\n Selys chewed her burger, looking happy. Ceria opened the lid of her hamburger and inspected it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s quite good! But I\u2019ve never seen a food like this. Did you invent it yourself, Erin?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shook her head happily as Olesm and Klbkch took a burger. Relc reached out and she slapped his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cWait until they eat theirs and then you can have one if they don\u2019t want another. No, Ceria, it\u2019s a popular food from my home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I love it. And it\u2019s so convenient\u2014it would make a great travel food.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s how people back home eat them! You can just walk around and eat!\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria bit into her hamburger and chewed with her eyes closed. It still slightly bothered Erin to see an Elf\u2014half-elf\u2014eating meat so easily. But she was a fan, and as soon as they\u2019d tried it, so were Klbkch and Olesm.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should sell these in the city! If you started on Market Street I\u2019m sure you\u2019d make a ton of money.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm commented as he took another burger from Erin\u2019s plate and tried dipping it in the mayonnaise. Relc gave him a dirty look. Then Klbkch, Selys, Ceria, and Erin took another, and he threw up his hands and sulked.<\/p>\n There were no more burgers after that, but Erin tried making french fries. They made him so happy that Relc declared that he\u2019d eat at Erin\u2019s inn every night if she kept making the food.<\/p>\n Erin was ecstatic. And the work on her inn was progressing so fast that by the time she\u2019d finished with the french fries, the Workers were dismantling her kitchen around her.<\/p>\n She left what had been her old inn\u2014now only a few floorboards and broken wood\u2014to stare at her new inn, made with shiny wood being coated with some kind of waterproof substance by the Antinium.<\/p>\n And by the time the sun disappeared behind the mountains, the Antinium were done. As promised.<\/p>\n The inn stood tall on the new hill, sides still tacky to the touch. They would be dry by morning according to Pawn, who told Erin not to worry about the damp surroundings. She hadn\u2019t even known that was an issue with the wood varnish, but the Antinium had their own special array of substances.<\/p>\n Erin admired her inn even after the others had left, with full bellies, thanks, and an open invitation to visit tomorrow. Ceria had decided to return to the city with Olesm for one more night, as both were still technically supposed to be recovering.<\/p>\n Her new inn was just as big as the first, which was big. Erin could stand in the common room and turn around and feel the vastness of it. But more importantly from a construction standpoint, this new inn was made mostly with new wood, and it was in a lot better condition than the aged building Erin had found long ago.<\/p>\n The walls and roof were coated with a varnish the Antinium used. It helped protect the wood against the weather, but it also added to the integrity of the building. The nails were copper, and the building was fairy approved. Erin now even had glass windows, complete with shutters to keep the cold out and add privacy. Her kitchen was redone, and now her possessions were organized thanks to Selys\u2019 [Receptionist] skills.<\/p>\n Best of all, and most importantly, the sign over the top of the inn was now painted in bright gold letters that shone when the light touched them. Erin had personally hammered the sign telling people not to kill Goblins into the ground. It was the only lopsided part of the entire affair.<\/p>\n And she had an outhouse. The Antinium dug through the dirt like\u2026well, probably faster<\/em> than someone with a shovel or a drill.<\/p>\n It was all perfect. Erin spun around in her inn and laughed until she was dizzy. And she was happy. For once she\u2019d turned a disaster into a miracle.<\/p>\n She was happy. She was happy. So happy. But\u2014something was missing.<\/p>\n For a long time Erin searched for it. She looked through the new upstairs, around corners, in the kitchen, under tables and chairs, wondering what it was. She walked back to the empty hill where her inn had once been, staring around, wondering what it was.<\/p>\n And then she realized it as she sat at a table. Erin looked around and didn\u2019t see him. Toren.<\/p>\n Her skeleton still hadn\u2019t returned. Erin had no idea where he was. She climbed up onto her roof and stared around for nearly an hour, ignoring the cold.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTOREN! WHERE ARE<\/em> YOU?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Her voice, amplified by her [Loud Voice] skill, was thunder. Erin heard echoes as her voice bounced off hills. She shouted again and again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTOREN!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n She saw no movement, no familiar burning blue eyes. But then Erin heard something.<\/p>\n A faint voice, coming from the much-closer walls of Liscor. A familiar voice echoed as Zevara shouted from the battlements.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHUMAN! SHUT UP!<\/em>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the end, Erin went to sleep. But she sensed it. Her inn was rebuilt. It was beautiful, remade, redone, better. But it still wasn\u2019t finished. It was missing Toren. Until he was back it wouldn\u2019t be complete.<\/p>\n She wondered\u2026where he was.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [Innkeeper Level 19!]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It was all gone. All over. The Wandering Inn was finished. Erin stared at what had been her inn and saw the writing on the wall. Actually, she didn\u2019t. Because there was no wall. Nearly half of her inn had been blown outwards by the explosion. Walls, floorboards\u2014even parts of the roof had been shredded […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693082,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693131],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-1554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-2","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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