Erin woke up with a huge smile on her face. Today was the first day of the rest of her life, and for once, it was all amazing.<\/p>\n
Slightly less amazing was the huge mess in her common room. Erin\u2019s huge smile reduced in diameter, but she maintained a cheery outlook. True, her inn was trashed, but the money.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe money!\u201d<\/p>\n
Gold coins, silver coins, copper coins. She had far more of the copper coins than anything else, but Krshia had given her several gold coins as she\u2019d brought goods up from the city throughout the night. Erin had a huge<\/em> jar of money, and next to it was an even bigger jar, again filled with money.<\/p>\n And next to that\u2026<\/p>\n Erin had to hug herself, she was so elated. It had worked!<\/em> Her crazy idea had worked, and she\u2019d earned so much!<\/p>\n She had to give some of it away, of course. She hadn\u2019t paid Selys or Ceria or Olesm for their help, and Ryoka had cooked up all the food! She wondered if the prickly girl would accept being paid. She would, right?<\/p>\n If only Toren was here, life would have been perfect. That made Erin\u2019s smile slip, but just for a second. He would have cleared up this mess overnight and be staring creepily at her in the morning. But without him she\u2019d have to do it.<\/p>\n Well, it was a fair price for a wonderful night. Erin sighed, rolled up her sleeves, and got to work. She could get a head start before she made breakfast. Something involving eggs and bacon, she guessed. It would be too much work to mix pancakes.<\/p>\n As Erin began to hunt for dustrags, buckets of melted snow, and of course a mop and broom, she thought about last night. She\u2019d leveled. So many times! Erin knew Level 20 wasn\u2019t actually that high\u2014Selys had told her almost everyone got to that before they died. But still. Level 21!<\/p>\n And the [Singer] class. Erin was surprised by that, but she had<\/em> wanted to sing her best on the roof. And what were those skills?<\/p>\n [Perfect Recall] and [Control Pitch]. Did they work? Erin focused.<\/p>\n Yes. They did. Amazingly so, in fact! Erin could remember every lyric, every verse in every song she\u2019d ever sung. And what was more\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cTesting, testing, do<\/em>, re<\/em>, mi<\/em>, fa<\/em>, sol<\/em>, la<\/em>, ti, do!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Her pitch was perfect.<\/em> Even someone with an autotuner couldn\u2019t have improved her voice. It made Erin feel weird; like her voice wasn\u2019t her own anymore. But that feeling soon gave way into a greater desire to sing!<\/em><\/p>\n Ryoka had taken away the iPhone right before she fell asleep. But Erin could still sing without the device. Besides, it was still enchanted and would probably blow Erin\u2019s eardrums out if she used it.<\/p>\n Now, what song could she sing? Erin remembered her warmup, and smiled as the lyrics popped into her head.<\/p>\n She bent to pick up a discarded dress, gingerly holding it between two fingers, and looked out to the brightening sky. Erin opened her mouth, and sang.<\/p>\n \u201cDo, a deer; a female deer, re, a drop of golden sun\u2026!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ryoka woke up to the sound of music. Because she had a hangover, this was a terrible, horrible experience. Each new verse was a nail being jack-hammered into her skull, and the pillow Ryoka pressed over her head was taking too long to suffocate her.<\/p>\n The heinous singing floated down from below, accompanied by the loud clink<\/em> of porcelain being stacked together or silverware being organized.<\/p>\n What Erin had forgotten was that last night, everyone had imbibed quite a lot of alcohol. She\u2019d drunk it too of course; but Erin was immune to alcohol\u2019s effects and so she was the only person waking up this morning without a hangover.<\/p>\n After Erin got to la<\/em>, Ryoka could bear it no longer. She seized the nearest object she could reach, staggered out her door and hurled<\/em> it down the stairs. It turned out that she\u2019d hurled her bedside dresser, and it crashed<\/em> into pieces as it hit the ground floor.<\/p>\n Ryoka heard the shocked exclamation from Erin. She grunted something and stomped back to her bed.<\/p>\n \u201cRude!\u201d<\/p>\n But the singing stopped. Ryoka rolled back into bed and caught far more than forty winks.<\/p>\n When she woke up at last, it was an hour or two later and Ryoka was hungry. She stumbled out her door, and found everyone else was getting up as well. Their synchronization was probably due to the fact that the sun had hit all of their windows at the same time, and Erin still hadn\u2019t bought any curtains for her new inn.<\/p>\n Sleepy faces, and wincing expressions. Ryoka nodded to the others.<\/p>\n \u201cRyoka.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCeria.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOlesm?\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake staggered out of Ceria\u2019s room and paused. He looked around at the other people in the inn. Slowly, he backed into the room and shut the door.<\/p>\n Ryoka stared at Ceria. The half-Elf shrugged. She didn\u2019t quite<\/em> meet anyone else\u2019s eyes as they walked downstairs.<\/p>\n They found Erin bright and cheerful, and a steaming bowl of scrambled eggs, a plate of greasy bacon, and bread. Ryoka could have hugged Erin, but she was more interested in eating.<\/p>\n \u201cSo. How did you all sleep? Um, sorry about the singing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI quite enjoyed it. It was an unusual song.\u201d<\/p>\n Val smiled at Erin around his breakfast. Ryoka grunted. \u00a0Ceria nodded as she massaged her temples.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a night. I can\u2019t believe half of what I remember. And what I do<\/em> remember\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She broke off, not looking at Olesm. And he was pointedly not looking at Ceria. Ryoka eyed his twitching tail. Erin didn\u2019t seem to notice either reaction. Instead, she pointed excitedly at the chessboard on the table.<\/p>\n \u201cGuess what, guys? Look at this! The chessboard I got was magical!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone looked around. Olesm dropped his fork and Val whistled as he saw the ghostly pieces.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought something was off. Well now, that\u2019s not something you see every day.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSome kind of duplication spell and magically connected board, I would guess. Obviously.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka turned her head, and saw Pisces lurch into the inn. He looked \u2013 and smelled \u2013 like he\u2019d been sleeping outside. The trash that fell from his robes attested to that fact.<\/p>\n \u201cPisces.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCeria. I see you are having breakfast. Allow me to join you.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces inserted himself at Ceria\u2019s table, much to her displeasure. Erin glared at Pisces, but she didn\u2019t oust him from the inn. Instead, she looked back at the chessboard.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it\u2019s like a magic chessboard that allows you to play against someone far away? Cool! I had\u2026one just like it back at home!\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka glared at Erin while Pisces and Val raised their eyebrows. Olesm was busy inspecting the board, murmuring excitedly over the ghostly pieces. They did look quite impressive, especially as it turned out that the ghostly wisps followed the pieces as the Drake tried moving them across the board.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re cold!\u201d<\/p>\n The pieces were indeed cool to the touch, and Ryoka imagined holding solidified air as she touched them. Erin stared at the board, and the pawn moved on the other side.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, this is an invitation to play if ever I saw one. Sounds like fun!\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka tried to quickly run through the consequences of playing a game, but she couldn\u2019t think of too many. Besides, whoever had sent the board clearly knew it had arrived.<\/p>\n Erin reached for a piece, but Olesm\u2019s tail twitched and she paused, seeing it. The [Tactician] hesitated, and then looked at Erin pleadingly.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2014can I play a game? I wouldn\u2019t want to impose, but I\u2019m curious\u2026after you\u2019ve played a few games, do you think I could try?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, why not now?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin moved aside and gestured Olesm into the seat. The Drake gaped at Erin and Ryoka smiled in her seat.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? But no\u2014I couldn\u2019t do that!\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm protested as Erin pulled back the chair for him. She shook her head at him.<\/p>\n \u201cOh come on. It\u2019s not like it\u2019s that <\/em>important who plays first. And besides, the other person has no idea who I am. Go on! I need to clean up anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re sure\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm\u2019s hands were twitching as much as his tail as he sat at the chess board. Hesitantly he peered at the pieces, and then moved a pawn forwards.<\/p>\n While he was waiting\u2014and Ryoka wondered if he\u2019d be waiting for a long time given the time zones that could be involved for the other player, she looked at Ceria. The mage was looking at Olesm, but she turned to Ryoka and also turned red when the human girl nudged her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Ryoka?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like to talk with you about learning magic later. If you\u2019re not too busy?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria smiled wryly.<\/p>\n \u201cNot at all. I\u2019ve got a few things to do this morning, but would a few hours from now be fine?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds good. I\u2019m going to run and then rest some more. I\u2019ll meet you back here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt moved! It moved!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm\u2019s excited voice caught everyone\u2019s attention. Ryoka glanced over, and saw a piece had indeed moved. Olesm was transfixed, but then he cautiously moved a piece. After a few seconds, the invisible opponent replied.<\/p>\n That was impressive. It hadn\u2019t been what, more than a few seconds? Had the mysterious sender been waiting for someone to make a move? Ryoka liked chess, but she wasn\u2019t nearly as fanatical as Erin and Olesm were.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to stay here and clean up while Olesm plays, and then I\u2019ll play. It\u2019ll be a fun day!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin collected plates and cutlery as she announced that fact to the room. Ceria nodded and gestured at the mage at her side.<\/p>\n \u201cPisces and I will visit the city. I want to see Yvlon and he\u2019s going to get new robes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces looked dubiously at Ceria. He plucked at his much-stained robes.<\/p>\n \u201cMy current garments are quite suitable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey are not.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone agreed with Ceria\u2019s statement. The half-Elf pointed at Pisces.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re disgusting. You\u2019ve still got that gold we paid you for Ryoka\u2019s leg\u2014use some of it!\u201d<\/p>\n He hesitated, and rose to follow her as she walked towards the door.<\/p>\n \u201cAh. About that. You wouldn\u2019t be able to give me a small loan, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n The door shut behind them. Ryoka and Val left soon afterwards. That left only Erin and Olesm in the inn. Erin kept tidying up, getting rid of stains, forgetting everything in the rhythm of work.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t easy. But it wasn\u2019t hard either. In truth, only the stains and bits of food particles that got into cracks in the floorboards and under chairs and so on irked Erin. Now, why couldn\u2019t she have gotten [Advanced Cleaning] or something instead? Although her two skills did sound useful. Erin wondered what kind of food she\u2019d be able to make tonight. Hm. What should<\/em> she make tonight?<\/p>\n After a while, she heard an odd thumping<\/em> sound coming from Olesm. She looked, and saw his tail as smacking the ground as Olesm stared at the table. There was a helpless look in the Drake\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cOlesm? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n He turned to her. Olesm looked like he was about to cry as he pointed to the chess board. The white chess pieces were covering the board, while only a King and two pawns remained on his side.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014I\u2019m sorry. I can\u2019t do<\/em> anything.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ryoka inhaled the fresh, cold air as she stepped outside. Winter. Ah, winter. She wasn\u2019t a fan.<\/p>\n The cold and snow made it impossible for her to run barefoot, and so she hated the winter. That was all there was to it.<\/p>\n Technically, Ryoka could<\/em> run barefoot in the snow. Some runners could even run through freezing water in the winter; she\u2019d seen Youtube videos. But it was a bad idea to do on a long run, and dangerous. Besides, her parents had freaked out when they learned Ryoka was doing it, so that was that.<\/p>\n Val appeared next to Ryoka and began doing the same sort of stretches she was doing. She glanced at him, and wondered if they were thinking of the same thing.<\/p>\n A morning run. It was the best time for it. Her body was stiff, and her head was still fuzzy and hurting from last night. No help for it but to run it all off. Daily morning runs were a part of Ryoka\u2019s life\u2014if she wasn\u2019t going on a delivery today, she wanted to run for a while.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you going for a run? Want company?\u201d<\/p>\n Val\u2019s offer surprised Ryoka. She stared at him for a few seconds before replying.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d just slow you down. You\u2019re way faster than me.\u201d<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t even hurt to admit. There was such a huge difference between them it would hurt more to deny such an obvious fact. But Val didn\u2019t seem to think so. He scratched at his neck and looked at Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cThat may be true, but why would that stop us running together? I don\u2019t have to use Skills. In fact, I prefer not to. [Double Step] and [Quick Movement] might be great for long distances, but they make me far too tired to do whenever I feel like it. So, that run?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Sure.\u201d<\/p>\n It was odd. Ryoka wasn\u2019t a social runner. On the track team in high school, she\u2019d been just as antisocial as anywhere else. In fact, she was even more ostracized there because she was the track team\u2019s best runner and she didn\u2019t get along with anybody. A pariah who showed up for events and track meets and nothing else.<\/p>\n That had been her parents\u2019 fault as much as hers. They\u2019d forced the coach to let Ryoka train by herself, since she would anyways after the track team finished. A bad decision. One of many Ryoka hadn\u2019t protested or had made over the years.<\/p>\n She hoped running with Val was a good idea. She let him set the pace, and he led her here at a reasonably fast jog through the snow. Not too fast; she soon realized he wanted to talk as they ran, which was another unknown concept to her.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was one wild night, wasn\u2019t it? I\u2019ve seen celebrations in cities that didn\u2019t reach that level. And the music! Dragons above, I\u2019ve never heard anything like it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was good, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n Words didn\u2019t capture that night for Ryoka. It wasn\u2019t magical or anything life-changing, but it was special all the same. It was\u2026slightly magical, okay. It was a good night. A rarity for her.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that device Erin was using\u2014was that yours? It makes music?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2014plays back music.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka fished out the iPhone from her pocket and showed Val. It was off, and he peered at it curiously before picking up the pace.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t understand it, but I\u2019ve seen objects that record sight and sound. And smell. I assume it\u2019s like that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s from where Erin and I come from. You can think of it as magic. It\u2019s close enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Perhaps it had been a mistake to give away that she had the iPhone, but that conversation with the others had illustrated just how borked the idea of keeping their world secret was. Besides, there was a benefit to giving some things away.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me know if you meet someone who has something like this, though, will you? I\u2019d be interested in meeting them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI would too, especially if they\u2019re anything like you and Erin!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, they might be. But I haven\u2019t met anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka felt her legs warming up as they ran through the wet snow. The sun was warm on their skin, and she was feeling better by the second. Nothing beat a good run, and surprisingly, the conversation didn\u2019t hurt either.<\/p>\n \u201cAgain, I\u2019ve got to thank you. That charm you had\u2014I want to repay you somehow. It was extremely expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike I said, forget about it. It\u2019s one favor from a Runner to another.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka shifted uncomfortably. What Val had said sounded a lot like what she\u2019d heard Fals saying all the time.<\/p>\n \u201cStill. It\u2019s not a small thing. A thousand gold coins\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n This time Valceif made a face and slowed down so he and Ryoka were next to each other. He looked at her seriously.<\/p>\n \u201cRyoka, we\u2019re Runners. When one of us needs help, other Runners give what they can. If we need someone to help carry a delivery, we ask. Because we are alike, you and I. Today you needed help; tomorrow I might be the one in trouble, or someone else. I\u2019m just paying back favors I received in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n She considered that. Val looked around and sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, I\u2019m not too happy about losing that charm either. But that\u2019s how life works. We lose and we win. The last Runner who helped me out took two arrows pulling me to safety after a [Bandit Lord] jumped me. It\u2019s the least I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka nodded. Then she lowered her head.<\/p>\n \u201cDamn it. I\u2019m a fool.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka tried to explain as best she could. It sounded terrible and confused to her ears\u2014she wasn\u2019t used to talking about\u2026anything with anyone. But Val seemed to get it. He slowed slightly as he thought.<\/p>\n \u201cHm. I understand what that Fals guy was saying, but that\u2019s not exactly how I view it. It\u2019s a problem with small-time Guilds. Here\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n He changed directions as he jogged through the snow. Ryoka followed him, and noticed they had just avoided a suspiciously flat spot.<\/p>\n \u201cShield Spider nest?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOther Runners warned me they like to hide in the ground during the winter. Good thing they\u2019re the only dangerous monster that lays traps\u2014at least, during this time of year. I\u2019d never come here in the Spring or Summer without preparing a wand or two.\u201d<\/p>\n Val shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cStill better than Crelers. Dead gods, I can\u2019t stand those things. But where was I? Oh, right. Small Guilds like that are different than what I\u2019m saying. There it\u2019s \u2018follow the rules or get out\u2019. But Couriers don\u2019t answer to our Guilds in the same way. We back each other up if we\u2019re in danger, but no one bosses anyone else around. What that Fals guy and the guild wanted you to do\u2014I\u2019d be on your side as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou would?\u201d<\/p>\n That surprised Ryoka, although perhaps it shouldn\u2019t have. Val clearly wasn\u2019t one of the Runners in a guild, and he\u2019d treated the other Runners like a different kind of people.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re a community, not a cult. And it\u2019s not like I go around tossing charms at everyone I meet. If that pinch-faced girl wanted help for instance, I would have let her get hexed all day long.\u201d<\/p>\n He gestured at Ryoka as they powered up a steep hill.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re different. That Fals guy, the girl I saved\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGaria.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014Right. Well, they\u2019re only going to become Couriers if they get really lucky and learn a good skill. That doesn\u2019t seem likely to me. But you\u2019re faster than them without<\/em> levels. And you\u2019ve got the grit to run all night to get here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think so? But I don\u2019t\u2014I don\u2019t have any levels. I could never run like you do.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka admitted that with a lot of regret. She\u2019d always assumed that levels were just a cheap trick, a way to cheat or play someone else\u2019s game. But of all the things in the world, seeing Val run like that had tempted her the most.<\/p>\n \u201cIf\u2014if I decided to level up, maybe that would be better. Smarter. More sensible.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019d expected Val to agree with her, but instead he seemed wary of the idea.<\/p>\n \u201cI personally don\u2019t think it\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, for one thing, and please take no offense, but\u2014you\u2019ll never reach my level if you start now. I know [Warriors] and other classes level up faster if they kill stronger enemies and so on, but [Runners] gain levels differently.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow so?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe level up based on how far we\u2019ve run, and how challenging it is. True, you could do some horribly hard runs, but even then, I doubt you\u2019d hit Level 10 by the end of the year, and it would just get slower from there. \u00a0No, I\u2019d say you\u2019ve got your own unique style without levels. You should continue as you are.\u201d<\/p>\n That<\/em> was the first time Ryoka had heard that opinion. She glanced at Val\u2019s profile and his bent nose.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think so? No one else I\u2019ve met shares your opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s a preference thing. And besides, you probably don\u2019t know this, but Skills aren\u2019t the same even for people with the same class.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka had inferred something like that from comments from other Runners, but she hadn\u2019t ever heard it from the horse\u2019s mouth so to speak. She let Val go on as they ran a slow circuit of the Floodplains of Liscor.<\/p>\n \u201cSkills are\u2014how should I describe them? They\u2019re like a gamble, but a safe one. As you level up, you\u2019ll definitely gain some good skills and some not so useful ones. But you can generally predict which ones you\u2019ll get based on your class.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh. A pool of options?\u201d<\/p>\n Val lifted a thumb up and inclined his head at her.<\/p>\n \u201cPrecisely. There are rare skills you can get like [Double Step], and not-so-rare ones. For instance, almost every [Warrior] is going to get [Thick Skin] if they go for close-range combat sooner or later. But they might get it at Level 5, or Level 50. Well\u2014not Level 50.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not\u2014wait, there are rare skills every 10 levels?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood guess! Yeah, I got my [Double Step] skill at Level 30. And of course sometimes you can learn<\/em> a rare skill, but that takes training and some luck. I suppose if you had a class you could learn something that allowed you to move faster but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot worth it. Right. But how can I run faster without classes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith magic, of course. I\u2019ve met people like you before. People without levels, I mean. That\u2019s how they overcome the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka slowed and her foot skidded over a patch of ice. She caught herself and ran after Val as he paused for her to catch up.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. I meet them now and then. People of all kinds choose not to level. Well, they\u2019re not too common as you can imagine, but I do run across them now and then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre there any differences between them and others?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAttitude? The way they get treated? Nothing else.\u201d<\/p>\n That was disappointing, but maybe\u2026Ryoka tried to keep the conversation going while she thought.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you think I can become a Courier even without Skills? With magic?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s possible. You just need the right equipment\u2014the right magic if you\u2019ve got the talent. Not all Couriers are fast. Some run a bit slower than you, but can\u2019t be stopped. There\u2019s a [Marksman] among us who rides a horse. She snipes anyone getting in her way from two hundred feet away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHm. So build up my r\u00e9sum\u00e9 until I\u2019m famous enough, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour what? Oh, you mean take a lot of prestigious requests? Yeah. Get a name for yourself as a trusted Runner and it\u2019ll happen. You just need to take requests no other Runner will do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m on a good start.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh? How so?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka hesitated. But she\u2019d talked honestly with Val so far, and she wanted to be on a level. Besides\u2026she told him briefly about Teriarch\u2019s request, leaving out all of the really interesting details.<\/p>\n Val whistled.<\/p>\n \u201cEight hundred gold pieces? You\u2019re kidding. That\u2019s\u2026no wonder your guy was expecting a Courier.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it was forty gold pieces and a potion until I started bargaining with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah!\u201d<\/p>\n Val had to think as they ran on. Ryoka had asked him whether he knew of the lands past the Blood Fields, omitting any mention of undead or the person she had to find, Az\u2019kerash.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Blood Fields? And the southern lands, huh? You\u2019ve got a problem there, but I\u2019m not sure I can help you. I\u2019ve only been down that way once or twice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPity. I\u2019ll manage.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t have to go in there uninformed, though. And while I might know\u2014hold on, let me see if I can find the other Courier nearby.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Val reached into a pouch at his belt. He pulled out\u2026a stone, of all things. It was vaguely like the one Teriarch had given Ryoka\u2014a normal smooth stone, although this one was inscribed with glowing symbols rather than an arrow.<\/p>\n They lit up as Val touched a finger to the rock. Ryoka heard nothing, but Val must have heard a voice, because he began talking to the air as they ran.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, hello? Am I speaking to Hawk? This is Valceif of First Landing. I\u2019m in the area, and I was wondering if you had time to consult with me and another Runner. We\u2019re just outside the city, running. Would you like to\u2014? Thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n He tucked the stone back into his pocket and looked at Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve called Hawk, a Courier who does runs around here. He\u2019ll be with us in a few seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n That was no exaggeration. Barely ten seconds after Val had spoken, Ryoka spotted something hurtling towards them out of the city gate. She barely caught sight of the Runner himself; the snow geysering up behind him was what caught Ryoka\u2019s eye. He intercepted the two Runners within seconds, and the snow cascaded down around them as Hawk, Beastkin, giant talking rabbit, and Courier of Liscor appeared.<\/p>\n \u201cValceif! I\u2019m surprised they sent you down here!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHello, Hawk. Well, you know how it is. You were busy, and I was nearby and they needed a rush job so here I am.\u201d<\/p>\n The two Runners clasped\u2026hands. Ryoka stared at Hawk\u2019s large paw, and at his furry face and at\u2026him.<\/p>\n She couldn\u2019t deal. No. No\u2014she was lost. He was a giant rabbit.<\/em> This wasn\u2019t just seeing a Drake or a Gnoll, this was a talking rabbit with pants and a six-pack.<\/em> Ryoka\u2019s mind was dissolving at the edges.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd this is Ryoka Griffin, a City Runner. I was hoping you could help her. Ryoka, meet one of the fastest Couriers on the continent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHawk. I\u2019m the Courier around here. Please to meet you, Miss Ryoka.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka took the paw gingerly, and shook it. He had\u2026five fingers, but four toes on his feet. The fur felt smooth and warm in her hands and she met his brown eyes and tried to smile.<\/p>\n Val took over the conversation. He briefly explained Ryoka\u2019s delivery, adding a few details she thought were unnecessary.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a City Runner, but a step above the other ones. I was hoping you could give her some advice.\u201d<\/p>\n Hawk smiled at Ryoka and shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I can keep you from running into too<\/em> much trouble, but there\u2019s always some war or skirmish going on down there. It\u2019s risky for a City Runner or even an inexperienced Courier. You might want to reconsider going down there, Miss. How much are you getting paid? Is this request really worth it?\u201d<\/p>\n He wasn\u2019t precisely arrogant, but he seemed too relaxed to be taking the conversation seriously. After seeing how fast he ran, Ryoka couldn\u2019t blame him for thinking she was small-fry.<\/p>\n She steeled herself. Rabbit or not, he was still a person. Remember that. Erin made talking to other species look so easy.<\/em> She grinned at Hawk, and decided to take him down a peg. Just a peg.<\/p>\n \u201cYou could say that. My delivery\u2019s worth eight hundred gold pieces. Think it\u2019s worth doing?\u201d<\/p>\n Hawk tripped, but caught himself before he face-planted in the snow.<\/p>\n \u201cEight h\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n He eyed Val. The other human was grinning at him. Hawk smiled ruefully, and nodded at Ryoka in apology.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ve underestimated you, I can see. But my point stands about the danger, especially if you\u2019ve got something that might attract attention. Want to give the request to me? I\u2019ll do the delivery and cut you in on a hundred gold pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka shook her head. She wasn\u2019t about to trade the request, even if it would mean no risk to her. After what she\u2019d learned about Teriarch, she just had <\/em>to fulfill his request, for more reasons than one. Val looked at the other Courier reprovingly.<\/p>\n \u201cHawk.\u201d<\/p>\n The rabbit man raised his hands defensively.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just asking.<\/em> Okay. I thought you weren\u2019t being serious, but I\u2019m sorry Miss Ryoka. Right then. This is a serious delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd she\u2019s doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI just offered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, but I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka gestured to her belt pouch, where the letter and ring were hidden.<\/p>\n \u201cBesides, what I\u2019m delivering is spelled to only be carried by me. You\u2019d probably die if you tried to take it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s\u2026an important detail. Right. Well, advice I\u2019m happy to give. What do you need to know? Travel routes? Current battlefields?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll of the above and local monsters and so on. Ryoka\u2019s never been down that way.\u201d<\/p>\n Hawk nodded. His ears twitched and he looked out at the pristine snow around them.<\/p>\n \u201cMind if we run and talk?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fine with me. I know a good route around here with some nice flat spots. Want me to lead?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n They set off. Like Val, Hawk adjusted his pace so Ryoka could comfortably keep up. It felt odd, being the slowest person in the group. Hawk began to talk as they ran together.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, do you know where you\u2019re going or do you have a moving target? If it\u2019s something like one of the Walled Cities, you\u2019ll be able to get there pretty easily. If not\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got a spell that points me in the right direction. I have no idea where I\u2019m going.\u201d<\/p>\n Val groaned.<\/p>\n \u201cI hate<\/em> those.\u201d<\/p>\n Hawk nodded. The rabbit took long, easy strides that made Ryoka envy him. He didn\u2019t even seem bothered by the snow as he ran through it. Well, he had pads on his feet\u2026paws.<\/p>\n \u201cTricky. If you\u2019re going by spell, you could run right into a monster nest or one of the war zones down there. There are a few conflicts going on, and any Human running past is going to get shot at, Runner or not.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Soldiers don\u2019t attack Runners! If they know you\u2019re a Runner, they should leave you alone!\u201d<\/p>\n Val looked indignant, but Hawk only smiled at him.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you can prove you\u2019re a Runner before they fill you with arrows, be my guest. Besides, they use spells that blast an entire area, so there\u2019s no guarantee you won\u2019t be caught up in one. My advice is just stay away, but if you\u2019ve got to head into one of those zones\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He began listing locations off, and Ryoka tried to memorize them. Val pulled out a map of the area and began marking spots for her. Another gift. She tried to refuse, but he told her it was only worth a gold coin or two. In response, she tossed two at him as they ran.<\/p>\n \u201cJust be careful. You can talk to soldiers if they aren\u2019t trying to kill you and usually get past, so that\u2019s not the real problem.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is?\u201d<\/p>\n Hawk leapt straight over a five foot high drift of snow and landed lightly. He turned and ran backwards while Val and Ryoka went around it.<\/p>\n \u201cThings to watch out for? I\u2019d start with the Gnolls. Keep away from them unless you\u2019re absolutely sure you know which tribe it is. Some are friendly towards Humans and other species, but others will try and eat you. Believe me, I know from experience.\u201d<\/p>\n He scowled, rubbing at his neck. Ryoka could just imagine the conflict that would arise\u2026she looked at Hawk and decided she would never be able to eat rabbit again. Not that she was particularly a fan in the first place.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are several nasty Goblin tribes down that way. Don\u2019t underestimate them; they\u2019re not like the normal ones around here. Um\u2014there are lots of monsters, but they\u2019re mostly hibernating or hiding in the winter. Watch out for Snow Golems, though. They\u2019re practically invisible in the snow. Oh, and Wyverns. The white ones come down from the mountains sometimes and they love the cold.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka knew what a Wyvern was, but she couldn\u2019t believe the other thing Hawk had said.<\/p>\n \u201cSnow Golems? Do you mean giant snowmen?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSnow things.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight. Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCommon mistake. I suppose you\u2019ve seen what happens when some stupid brats make a snow Drake and forget to give it clothes? Imagine that, only ten times bigger and with icicles with claws and teeth. Plus, they can hurl snowballs filled with rocks.\u201d<\/p>\n Hawk shuddered.<\/p>\n \u201cI hate them so much. If you ever know you\u2019re getting close to a group of them, bring some kind of fire spell with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Wyverns\u2014keep an eye on the sky. If you see anything overhead, even if you think it\u2019s an eagle, make sure you\u2019ve got somewhere to hide where they can\u2019t reach you. They can dive incredibly fast, so be careful if it\u2019s cloudy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you\u2019re not going to talk me out of this, despite the danger?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka looked at both Couriers, amused. This sounded almost as bad as the High Passes, but then she\u2019d just been told by everyone that it was suicidal to try to go there. Both Val and Hawk shook their heads. Val gestured at her as they began to circle back in the direction of the inn.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019ve taken the contract, you\u2019re bound to deliver it. And if you\u2019re the type to give up just because you might die, you\u2019ll never become a Courier.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka grinned, and Hawk and Val returned it. It was odd, being in sync with other people.<\/p>\n \u201cAnything else?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe undead. Be very wary of them.\u201d<\/p>\n This time Hawk looked completely serious.<\/p>\n \u201cYou weren\u2019t here for the undead that attacked, were you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI saw the aftermath.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well\u2026they weren\u2019t nearly as bad as the ones you can find around the Blood Fields. I mean, there was that big one, but individually, the worst undead out there were Crypt Lords.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s nasty enough. They\u2019re commander-types.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but they were commanding zombies, skeletons, and ghouls. Not scary. But a lot of the undead you can find down there are leftovers from the Necromancer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka looked between human man and rabbit man.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Necromancer? You mean the one who raised the undead army? What kind of undead are we talking about here?\u201d<\/p>\n Hawk shuddered.<\/p>\n \u201cHorrible ones. Smart<\/em> ones. He enslaved wraiths and ghosts and built new types of undead. Look\u2014just before you go, buy some emergency gear. Something to get you away quick if you run into a group of them.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka felt at the potion at her belt, and remembered the ones she\u2019d gotten from Octavia.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got some stuff.\u00a0 And four healing potions and three stamina potions. Enough?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShould be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as you don\u2019t stray too far from the roads. Healing potions are only useful if you\u2019re alive to use them. Best trick is not to get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAgreed. Just don\u2019t get hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd don\u2019t give up! Delivery or die!\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka had to laugh. Both Couriers were like her. It was amazing! She took a breath and quoted from memory.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Neither rain nor snow, nor gloom of night shall stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds\u2019, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n Both Val and Hawk looked at Ryoka in astonishment.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s quite good! Where did you hear that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, it\u2019s a quote from my home about Couriers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Neither rain nor snow\u2019\u2026yeah, I like it!\u201d<\/p>\n Hawk nodded his head and Val did as well.<\/p>\n \u201cWe might just have to use that line! Thanks, Miss Ryoka.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCall me Ryoka.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Miss\u2019 seemed to be this world\u2019s way of being polite, almost like Japanese honorifics. She bowed her head at the other two Couriers as they slowed on their approach to the inn.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, both of you. I owe you a lot. I\u2019ll repay the favor someday.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBah. It was nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n Hawk waved a paw dismissively. And then he grinned at Val and Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cTalk is cheap, but meeting other good Runners? It\u2019s great to meet other people who can run<\/em>! You wouldn\u2019t believe how slow<\/em> the ones around here are. And hey, maybe we can go back to that inn for some more hamburgers afterwards, hey?\u201d<\/p>\n Val and Ryoka paused. Ryoka remembered how many she\u2019d eaten yesterday, for both lunch and dinner. Val was clearly thinking the same thing.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot for at least a month.\u201d<\/p>\n Both Val and Ryoka said it at the same time. Hawk looked slightly hurt.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not? You were both at the inn last night, weren\u2019t you? The one with the music? It was great! I must have eaten eight of the things, and then I got some tail, if you know what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned at Val and made a wiggling motion with his paw.<\/p>\n \u201cDrakes. So slippery, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n Val and Ryoka exchanged a look. Val looked at Hawk.<\/p>\n \u201cTail? You don\u2019t mean\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka\u2019s mind literally shut down<\/em> at the idea of Hawk eating eight hamburgers and then finding a female Drake and\u2026<\/p>\n Neither human spoke, but they both accelerated at the same time. Hawk had to increase his stride to keep up. He glared at them as he kept pace.<\/p>\n \u201cOh come on! Do you think I\u2019d be into fleshy people like you? I\u2019d rather kiss a Minotaur first. At least they have something covering them! Furballs, you humans are so touchy.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Olesm was not a Drake given to arrogance, but he still had his pride. It had been badly crushed, beaten, and stomped by a certain human and the undead, but it was still pride nevertheless.<\/p>\n He\u2019d leveled up, risked his life, and tried to learn to play his favorite game as best he could. He\u2019d learned from the greatest chess player in the world\u2014Erin, and he thought he\u2019d made something of himself.<\/p>\n But now he knew the truth. The cold waters of reality were lapping around his head, and Olesm was too downtrodden to even bother trying to swim.<\/p>\n He felt Erin come over, and wished, wished<\/em>, he was the kind of person who could capture her heart. But he was a [Tactician] \u2013 not a good one, not nearly as good as one in Liscor\u2019s army \u2013 but he had a special skill. He could read people, and she wasn\u2019t interested in him.<\/p>\n At all. Oh, she liked him, but Olesm knew it wouldn\u2019t be more than that. And of course, he\u2019d found someone\u2014<\/p>\n It was just that she was like a beacon to him, a font of knowledge and unexplained mystery that stirred his soul. And he had let her down. He could barely look at Erin. Shame made Olesm\u2019s tail droop.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014lost. Three games in a row. I couldn\u2019t even put up a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared curiously at the chessboard as Olesm cringed. He couldn\u2019t even bear to see how badly he\u2019d been demolished. It hadn\u2019t even been a battle, really. Just the other player pushing Olesm\u2019s head down into the waters and holding him there while he drowned.<\/p>\n \u201cHuh. That other guy\u2019s good. Or girl. Probably a guy, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can tell<\/em> what gender he is just by looking at the board?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm\u2019s tail drooped ever further. Erin was so far above him\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cNo! I just mean\u2014well, all the Grandmasters back home were mostly guys. Girls didn\u2019t play chess as much so I meant\u2026hm.\u201d<\/p>\n She stared at the board, and then started resetting the pieces. Olesm stared glumly at the board.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I made him mad. Or\u2014disappointed him. I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n After the first game, the other player had reset the board quickly. But this time he \u2013 or she \u2013 let Erin put all the pieces back. Yes, Olesm could feel the disapproval radiating off the pieces. It scourged him, and he couldn\u2019t deny it. If he<\/em> had found out that the player who\u2019d come up with that marvelous puzzle was just someone on Olesm\u2019s level.<\/p>\n Olesm lowered his head to the table. He would apologize, leave the inn, go to the city, and not bother Erin again until he was ten levels higher. He would\u2014<\/p>\n A hand brushed the spines on Olesm\u2019s head and he jerked. Erin patted him gently on the head as she took a seat at the table.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no reason to be mad for playing someone worse than you are. Everyone has to learn. If this guy\u2019s mad, I\u2019ll teach him a lesson for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin flipped the board around, and moved a white pawn. Olesm hesitated, but his pulse suddenly began to speed up.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s quite good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know. I could see. So\u2014I guess I\u2019ll take this seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll just\u2014I\u2019ll give you some\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm backed up until he was a table\u2019s length away from Erin. He waited, with bated breath as she stared at the board. Then, almost reluctantly, he saw a knight move to F6. His spirits sank again.<\/p>\n This was\u2026what had Erin called it? Oh, yes. Alekhine’s Defence. It was an aggressive opening to counter with, and it hinted that the other player had grown tired of playing Olesm. At first he\u2019d played very cautiously, but now\u2014<\/p>\n Erin smiled. She moved another piece forwards\u2014a knight to C3. Almost instantly, the other player countered, moving his knight again, but Erin didn\u2019t stop. She started playing pieces rapidly, as soon as the other player moved his.<\/p>\n Olesm could feel the shock running through the board. The other player had probably just realized someone else was playing\u2014Olesm hadn\u2019t moved his pieces so quickly, and certainly not with such skill.<\/p>\n For five whole minutes, the game paused, and Olesm could feel the other side recalculating. When the game resumed, it was slower, and the other player took his time thinking his moves over.<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n It was a soft sound, in the gentle silence of the inn. It came from Erin as the game was more than halfway done. She\u2019d made a mistake, and the other player had taken her queen. Olesm stared at the board in shock, and then at Erin. She was surprised, but she just looked at the board and started recalculating her position. He heard her murmur as she tapped her chin.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s quite good. Yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n And then\u2014<\/p>\n She grinned. It was an expression like many of the bright smiles Olesm had seen and felt before, but this one was different. It made his scales tingle.<\/p>\n Because there was a light<\/em> in Erin\u2019s eyes he hadn\u2019t seen before. And as she moved the next piece, punishing the bishop that had stolen her queen, he thought she looked\u2026<\/p>\n Hungry. Yes, that was it.<\/p>\n Whatever else you might say of Erin, her skill at chess was indisputable. In this world, chess had lived in the minds of a few players for less than three years. But Erin had grown up playing chess as a child. She had breathed and lived the game, playing more matches in a year than Olesm had in his life.<\/p>\n Erin had grown up studying over 1,500 years of chess. She\u2019d learned from Grandmasters and countless games she could look back on. Chess strategy had evolved much since the origin of the game, and Erin had learned to play at such a level that even among the 600 million players in the world, she still stood close to the top.<\/p>\n To Olesm, she was a god of chess that had come to this world. He had never beaten Erin; never even come close. But it is lonely, standing alone at the top. Only once he\u2019d seen Erin challenged\u2014only once had he ever seen her lose.<\/p>\n She\u2019d played a hundred Workers at once and then taught them an Immortal Game. And then she had played one of her own. Olesm still remembered<\/em> that game.<\/p>\n It must have been so lonely, afterwards. To play against players who couldn\u2019t even make her take the game seriously. But now. But now\u2014<\/p>\n Erin played silently, sitting with her back straight against the chair, posture perfect. She didn\u2019t look around, didn\u2019t chatter happily as she played. For once, she was concentrating completely on the game. And as the game drew close to its ending, her responses got faster, her concentration even deeper.<\/p>\n At the end, Erin took the black King, and Olesm remembered to breathe again. Erin sat back in her chair and laughed in delight. And that sound was pure and made him realize that she was happy.<\/p>\n Happy to have won. But happier to have played.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on. Another game?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin started resetting the board, but she tapped one of the ghostly pawns on the chess board once. And Olesm saw the black pawn move up and gently tap the board as well.<\/p>\n They understood each other. They were two players separated by hundreds, possibly thousands of miles, but they understood each other. They were here to play. So they did.<\/p>\n Another game. And another. Erin won both. Olesm watched as the fourth game began, and realized the truth.<\/p>\n Yes. Whoever was on the other side of the chess board was not Erin\u2019s equal. But they were close. So close. And in each game, they sent a message to Erin, one written in every closely-contested exchange, every lost pawn and checkmate.<\/p>\n You are not alone.<\/em><\/p>\n Olesm wiped tears from his eyes. His heart ached, and he knew it would be silly to anyone watching. But there was a beauty in this that only someone who loved the game could see.<\/p>\n It took so much to look away, but he had to. Olesm walked into the kitchen and found what he was looking for. He\u2019d found a bunch of parchment Erin had bought when he was helping out. It was still there, in a cupboard with an ink pot and quill.<\/p>\n Olesm returned to the living room and stared at the game. It was going slowly, and he looked at Erin\u2019s face just for a second. She was closing her eyes, smiling gently, and his heart hurt for a moment.<\/p>\n He slowly picked up the quill and dipped it into the ink. Olesm began to write, noting down each move in the shorthand notation Erin had taught him.<\/p>\n And Erin smiled, and the chess pieces moved. They danced on the board and the Drake listened to history being made.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Far away, and in a large tent on the middle of a hot and humid day, Niers Astoragon, second in command of one of the Four Great Companies of Baleros, and highest-leveled [Strategist] on the continent, gently pushed over the king and stared at the chess board.<\/p>\n He ignored the sounds of battle around him. His soldiers would emerge triumphant, and his lieutenants had the battle well in hand. Interfering with them would only impede their growth.<\/p>\n No, instead, he stared at the shimmering board and the magical pieces arranged on it. He had lost. For the fourth time. It had been close\u2014ever so close! But he had lost. For the fourth time.<\/p>\n Niers did not rage. He was not, in fact, angry. Instead, he smiled, in much the same way Erin had. He put one hand on his chin and stroked it, feeling stubble rasp under his fingers. He had forgotten to shave, or sleep for that matter. He had been waiting to play the puzzle-maker and after an initial disappointment, his patience had been rewarded tenfold.<\/p>\n For a second, Niers debated hunting for his razor. He would have borrowed one of his lieutenant\u2019s blades, but he hated how they fussed over him. A dagger as large as he was was still a dagger, and he was more than strong enough to lift it. It was just awkward, that was all.<\/p>\n Appearance trumped desire. Niers was a Level 63 [Strategist], and on his shoulders the fate of his company rested. He could not let his soldiers down. But\u2014perhaps after he had played another game?<\/p>\n Niers reached down for a chess piece, and then he paused. A sound was coming from outside\u2014a dissonance in the sounds of battle. Niers listened, and sighed. Some fool had just deployed the other army\u2019s elite vanguard against his soldiers, turning this skirmish into a far bloodier battle.<\/p>\n His soldiers would need his help. Niers raised a hand and said two words.<\/p>\n \u201c[Assault Formation].\u201d<\/p>\n The air on the battlefield changed. Satisfied, Niers turned back to the board, ignoring the roar<\/em> that came from his soldiers as the tide shifted once more.<\/p>\n He looked back at the board. He had sent it on a whim, judging the cost worth the possibility of a decent game. But now a bigger question loomed in his mind, one he\u2019d wished he had asked sooner.<\/p>\n \u201cWho are<\/em> you?\u201d<\/p>\n The chess pieces didn\u2019t answer out loud. But as Niers saw the white side reset itself, he knew he would find part of the answer in the game. He sat down, concentrated harder than he had for what seemed like years\u2014<\/p>\n And began to play.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Erin woke up with a huge smile on her face. Today was the first day of the rest of her life, and for once, it was all amazing. Slightly less amazing was the huge mess in her common room. Erin\u2019s huge smile reduced in diameter, but she maintained a cheery outlook. True, her inn was […]<\/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-1740","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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