When Ryoka left the Mage\u2019s Guild she found Reynold waiting for her. The young woman was not surprised; she let the [Butler] fall into step beside her as she walked slowly down the street.<\/p>\n
Reynold was not smiling. Not that he was usually beaming; but he normally carried himself with professional impartiality. Right now he was not<\/em> smiling and it was quite clear he was also not happy.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Ryoka. I trust your visit to the Mage\u2019s Guild was eventful?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI trust I conveyed Lady Reinhart\u2019s wishes to you earlier? My duty is to accompany you as an escort\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. But I\u2019ll just bet that I had other people watching me while you were busy with Laken. Stop glaring, Reynold. I\u2019m not in a good mood right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Reynold glared, but he decided to shut his mouth after a second of wavering. Ryoka saw him glancing at her face. In truth, she wasn\u2019t angry. She was more tired. No; tired wasn\u2019t the right word.<\/p>\n Valceif Godfrey was dead. It felt like no one in the world knew or cared. But Ryoka did. She cared, but she had to finish her job here. Then she could go back and\u2014tell everyone. Tell Erin, and Hawk, at least.<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019d it go in the Merchant\u2019s Guild?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka frowned at the sky as she spoke. It was quite dark, although it shouldn\u2019t have been so early. The clouds had completely obscured the sun and snow was beginning to fall. A lot<\/em> of snow.<\/p>\n The [Butler]\u2019s voice was testy as he replied.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Laken has concluded most of his business to his satisfaction. A shipment of goods and food has been paid for\u2014and two adventuring teams have been contacted. If all goes well, they should be ready to begin transport this very night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. Thanks for helping him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my pleasure, Miss Ryoka. It is my privilege to serve others in need of my assistance\u2026whether I like it or not, apparently.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah. You\u2019re a lot more fun when you\u2019re upset, Reynold.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka half-smiled as she turned to look at him. Then she looked up again. Ryoka frowned and prodded at her belt pouch.<\/p>\n \u201cIvolethe? Hey, Ivolethe. What\u2019s with all this crap floating down? We\u2019re already up to our knees in the snow; why do we need more?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n She saw the pouch at her belt rustling, and then Ivolethe poked her head out. The Frost Faerie grinned as she spread her arms wide at the dark, snowy sky.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAh, you see it? Do you see your doom, floating down from above? Prepare for wrack and ruin, ye mortals! This snowstorm will be the greatest in a century, nay, in ten thousand years! The snow will cover the earth and leave none alive! This is the dawn of a new age of ice and woe! Alack! Despair!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ryoka stared down at Ivolethe with narrowed eyes. The faerie stared back, blinking innocently.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does ah, Miss Ivolethe have to say, Miss Ryoka?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe says we\u2019re all doomed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n The two Humans didn\u2019t react the way Ivolethe was hoping for. She scowled, and then answered in a sulky tone of voice.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA blizzard comes. You will see it become strongest by nightfall. It will last two\u2026nay, three days at most. If you hide in your small huts of wood and stone, you should be fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThanks for the weather update. Buh-bye.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka closed the lid on her belt pouch. Ivolethe made a sound of pure outrage; Ryoka winced as her pouch instantly frosted over. The faerie pushed the lid open as Ryoka turned to Reynold.<\/p>\n \u201cIs Laken still at the Guild? I want to speak with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe he has retired to his lodgings for the moment, Miss Ryoka.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. Where are they?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI regret to say that he did not inform me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. Where are<\/em> they?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka stopped and turned to face Reynold. She folded her arms and scowled at him.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t play games, Reynold. I know that someone followed them.\u201d<\/p>\n He just shook his head, stepping to one side to allow a group of laughing Gnolls to pass him by.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Ryoka, you assume that other servants under Lady Reinhart\u2019s employ would be following you. I regret to inform you that this is not the case. There are a finite number of people who serve her, and it is hardly useful to send a [Maid] or a [Waiter] to follow someone.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, Reynold. I don\u2019t have to see someone to know they\u2019re there. I know Magnolia\u2019s type. Someone\u2019s following me, and probably Laken as well by now. Now, we can wander around while you pretend you have no idea where Laken is, or we can skip that and just ask your friends.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid I cannot help you, Miss Griffin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight. In that case\u2014Ivolethe? Where\u2019s the nearest spy?\u201d<\/p>\n The Frost Faerie, who\u2019d been poking her head out of Ryoka\u2019s belt pouch, brightened up. She smiled wickedly at Reynold. He was shaking his head almost imperceptibly at her. But Ivolethe ignored that as she gleefully pointed a finger into the crowd of pedestrians.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>There!<\/em><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ryoka turned her head and saw an old man with a horrible skin condition\u2014some kind of puffy warts on the right side of his face\u2014slowly moving down the other side of the street. She ignored Reynold as he tried to block her and strode right for the man.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, you.\u201d<\/p>\n The old man didn\u2019t notice Ryoka at first, but he eventually stopped when she stepped in front of him and blocked his way. He swayed back, staring uncertainly at her\u2014and then avidly at her breasts. He looked confused as Ryoka stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cEh? What do you want, Miss?\u201d<\/p>\n The young woman ignored the scrutiny. She stared down at the elderly man as Reynold hurried to her side, looking anxious.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere is Laken Godart?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho? I don\u2019t know who that is. What do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n He tried to move past Ryoka. She blocked his way again. Now the old man was looking anxious. He looked exactly like an old guy \u2013 he even smelled old, if old was a smell. Nonenal, Ryoka thought it was called. She glanced down at her belt pouch, suddenly not entirely certain.<\/p>\n \u201cIvolethe, I swear, if you\u2019re messing with me I\u2019ll be really pissed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Ryoka, please\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka turned to glare at the [Butler].<\/p>\n \u201cShut up, Reynold. Look, I know you\u2019re in Magnolia Reinhart\u2019s employ. Are you going to give up the act, or do I have to make a scene?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka stared down at the old man, not quite making a fist. The old man glanced at Reynold. The [Butler] spread his arms helplessly behind Ryoka\u2019s back. After a second, the old man sighed. He reached for a ring on one of his gnarled fingers and twisted<\/em>\u2014<\/p>\n A [Maid], wearing a frilled dress and peeved expression on her face, straightened up in the middle of the street where the old man had been standing. The people around her did a double take, but Ryoka just smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cNice ring.\u201d<\/p>\n The woman was in her late twenties, or early thirties. She had a tight bun of dark brown hair and an expression that naturally lent itself towards severity. Or maybe she just had a Skill that made her look that way. She didn\u2019t quite glare at Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cThis way, Miss Ryoka. Your friend is staying at the Crag Pig, quite a few streets away from here. If you will follow me\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014-<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It was a short and uneventful walk to the inn Laken was staying at. Uneventful for Ryoka, that was. Reynold kept his head bowed and shoulders hunched as he and the mysterious [Maid] walked ahead of Ryoka. She could see the [Maid] speaking to Reynold the entire way, and Ryoka was fairly sure what was being said weren\u2019t compliments.<\/p>\n She felt a bit bad for Reynold. But just a bit. Ryoka was grateful for the speed at which both servants walked\u2014they moved fast down the most crowded of streets. Their attire made them stand out, and Ryoka saw them getting a lot of looks as she followed them.<\/p>\n It was funny. Ryoka smiled as she walked. When the two of Magnolia\u2019s servants turned back to look at her, they saw her smiling and staring down at the fat snowflakes swirling down from the sky.<\/p>\n It was a look seldom seen on Ryoka\u2019s face. But Ryoka had just realized the silliness of her situation. She was following a [Butler] and a [Maid] down a street in a city that could have come from her world with a few alterations, carrying a Frost Faerie in her belt pouch.<\/p>\n It was just so silly. And sad. That Ryoka could smile made it a bit better.<\/p>\n She stared up at the inn as the [Maid] led them to it. Ryoka ignored the woman as she stepped away from Reynold and practically vanished into the next crowd of Humans.<\/p>\n The Crag Pig was an inn with the head of, well, probably a Crag Pig mounted on the front. This skull was quite, quite big, and had a pair of tusks that curved slightly upwards. They were long, jagged\u2014and branched, like the horns of an antler. Ryoka wondered if that was because they were useful in the Crag Pig\u2019s natural habitat, or whether the skull being here was a testament to their qualities.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I guess I\u2019d better have a chat. Reynold, if you would?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Butler] opened the doors and Ryoka walked in. Her first impression of the inn was that it was definitely not<\/em> as nice as Erin\u2019s. The Crag Pig\u2019s owner must have thought that the name of his inn excused the dirt, or else the name was a warning.<\/p>\n Still, the room was packed and a fire was taking the chill off. Ryoka looked around and saw a man and a woman waiting the tables, but no [Innkeeper]. She shrugged, found the stairs, and headed towards them.<\/p>\n \u201cWelcome, sir! Let me find you a table. Please\u2014I\u2019ll have a seat for you and a hot drink right away!\u201d<\/p>\n To her amusement, Ryoka saw a big man\u2014a former adventurer perhaps\u2014hurry out of the kitchen and accost Reynold as he tried to follow her. The owner of the inn had scars all over his arms, and he was trying to usher the protesting Reynold into a seat.<\/p>\n There were flaws with being impeccably dressed after all. Not that Reynold\u2019s attire would be so dashing if he sat down in one of the chairs in this inn. Ryoka shook her head as she went up the stairs two at a time.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, where\u2019s Laken\u2026? Ah.\u201d<\/p>\n It was the work of five seconds to find Laken\u2019s room. Not because the door was open or Ryoka spotted anyone coming out; there was simply only one room that could conceivably hold someone of Durene\u2019s size. It was probably the master suite.<\/p>\n Ryoka headed towards the door and knocked twice.<\/p>\n \u201cLaken? It\u2019s me, Ryoka Griffin.\u201d<\/p>\n Someone had been talking inside the room. When Ryoka knocked, the voice stopped abruptly. Ryoka listened for sounds of movement, but heard none.<\/p>\n It was a surprise, then, when the door opened and Ryoka saw Durene staring down at her. For such a big girl, Durene could move quite silently.<\/p>\n \u201cHi. Durene, right? Is Laken inside? I want to talk with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s inside.\u201d<\/p>\n The young woman nodded and tried to walk inside. But a very thick, grey-skinned arm shot out to block her. Ryoka looked up and saw Durene staring down at her.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease move. I\u2019m just going to talk to him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou ran away earlier. And you haven\u2019t said why you\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. I had something to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka stared up at Durene. The half-Troll girl was hostile, but\u2026Ryoka thought it was more than just wariness around Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t trust you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n Possessiveness, that was it. Ryoka remembered how Durene hovered around Laken. She was treating him like\u2026<\/p>\n A few thoughts flashed through Ryoka\u2019s mind. Dependency? Probably. She could imagine what might occur when Laken had come to this world. Blind guy meets half-Troll. A reverse case of Beauty and the Beast. But the beast is actually a girl who was afraid of losing the one person who didn\u2019t fear her.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not your enemy. And I\u2019m not going to do anything to Laken. I just want to talk with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka bit her tongue. Durene\u2019s tone told her there was no good answer she could give. She knew that because it was the exact same tone of voice she used to use when talking with her father.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, is Laken in there? Laken\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s sleeping. You can come back later.\u201d<\/p>\n Durene shifted so more of her body was in the way. Ryoka stared up at her. Well, there were several ways this could go.<\/p>\n \u201cCan you wake him up? I need to talk to him now. I\u2019m sorry if that\u2019s a problem, but it\u2019s urgent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. He\u2019s tired. You can come back later. If you try to come in, I\u2019ll stop you.\u201d<\/p>\n One of Durene\u2019s hands closed. Ryoka eyed it and put her hands on her belt. She knew Ivolethe was sitting in her belt pouch, but it wasn\u2019t that Ryoka was reaching for. At her belt, there were several potions Octavia had given her. Ryoka put her fingers on one of them, second from the right.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, I understand you\u2019re Laken\u2019s\u2026protector. And girlfriend. I\u2019m not here to do anything to him, but I need <\/em>to talk with him. And you shouldn\u2019t start a fight here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah? Why not? I could stop you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you couldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka sighed. She yanked the potion free from her belt in one move. Durene blinked down at it. Ryoka put her thumb on the cork\u2014<\/p>\n And handed it to Durene.<\/p>\n \u201cHere.\u201d<\/p>\n The huge girl stared dumbfounded at the potion. She peered at Ryoka suspiciously.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA pepper potion. Toss it at your opponent and they\u2019ll go blind. Be careful\u2014if it gets in your eyes you\u2019ll be screaming about it all day. If you\u2019re going to go around picking fights, at least get some magical items and a weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n Durene looked uneasy as she held the potion.<\/p>\n \u201cWere you going to hit me with this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019d use a spell and blind you first and then<\/em> I\u2019d hit you with the potion. Actually, I\u2019d probably just blow up this entire corridor and run downstairs while everything burns down.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka had two bags of compressed flour and the blaze potions. She didn\u2019t know if it would actually hurt Durene that badly; she had a feeling that would only piss the girl off. But it made Durene stop and think.<\/p>\n \u201cKeep the potion. You\u2019ll probably need it. If it\u2019s you\u2014you could probably pour it on your hands and just punch people in the face. Not that they\u2019re likely to get up after you hit them, but it\u2019s a thought. Just don\u2019t touch your eyes until after you\u2019ve washed them thoroughly\u2014with soap. Can I talk to Laken now?\u201d<\/p>\n Durene just stared at Ryoka. She hesitated, looked down at the potion with bits of red pepper floating in it, and over her shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cWait here. I\u2019ll wake him up.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka waited patiently. She heard Reynold come up the stairs\u2014the [Butler] looked as though he\u2019d had to tear himself physically away from the innkeeper.<\/p>\n A few voices muttered inside, and then the door opened. Durene let Ryoka walk in, but blocked Reynold.<\/p>\n \u201cRyoka can talk. Everyone else stays outside.\u201d<\/p>\n Reynold protested, but Ryoka didn\u2019t hear his conversation with Durene. The first thing she saw when entering Laken\u2019s room made her stop in place. Because she\u2019d seen Frostwing.<\/p>\n The baby bird was snoozing on a little platform made into a nest for him. He was surrounded by a warm blanket, and his \u2018nest\u2019 was more ripped-up shreds of fabric than actual cloth. It was also stained quite badly with his droppings. But the bird shone in Ryoka\u2019s gaze.<\/p>\n \u201cWow.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked like an eagle. Well, vaguely like an eagle. Ryoka had never studied bird species, but she knew only one kind of bird grew that big.<\/p>\n No\u2014if size was the comparison, than Frostwing was more like an albatross than an eagle. Because he was clearly young, still a nestling, but he was almost the size of a full-grown chicken already.<\/p>\n And he was blue. That was the important thing. Frostwing\u2019s feathers glittered in the light as he opened and flapped his wings, protesting this stranger\u2019s intrusion into his home. Ryoka saw each feather glittering like a jewel; they had a subtle gradient that made the dark oxford blue of the inner part of each feather fade to a brilliant sky blue on the tips.<\/p>\n A blue bird. But not any bird. For a second, Ryoka was lost to the world. She was in another place, sitting on the balcony in her home, ten years old, holding a Gameboy and playing the video game that had defined her life at that time\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cRyoka? Is that you?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked up. Laken was sitting on the large bed, yawning and turning his head around the room. A young man was standing by his side, offering him assistance that Laken clearly didn\u2019t need.<\/p>\n Laken, and\u2026Gamel, was it?<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m here, Laken.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka approached the bed. That was a bad move. She was still staring at Frostwing\u2014too long. The bird may have been a child, but it had instincts that made it wary of anything that stared at it.<\/p>\n Frostwing shrieked<\/em> his displeasure. Durene backed away, covering her ears as Gamel tried unsuccessfully to sooth the agitated young bird. Ryoka just stared as Frostwing spread his wings, shedding brilliant blue feathers onto the ground.<\/p>\n \u201cOh for the love of\u2014here!\u201d<\/p>\n Laken turned, frowning, and fumbled his way towards Frostwing. He reached out and the bird shut up as one of his hands found a piece of dried meat and offered it to the bird.<\/p>\n \u201cShh, Frostwing. Shut up. There\u2019s a good bird.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken stroked the crest on Frostwing\u2019s head and the bird stopped shrieking. It tore greedily at the bit of meat and Laken turned to Ryoka, looking sheepish.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry. Pet bird. I\u2019ve had to apologize to the innkeeper already. At least he wasn\u2019t doing this in the middle of the night this time. It is<\/em> daytime, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. I\u2019m here to talk some more. Sorry about dropping in unexpectedly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo it\u2019s no problem\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Laken rubbed at his face. He looked tired.<\/p>\n \u201cAh\u2026Gamel?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you\u2026get me something to drink? And a snack, maybe? Durene, did I hear someone else was here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. It\u2019s that [Butler]. Reynold.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMister Laken, I apologize for the intrusion. But\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, yes. Okay, Gamel, I\u2019ll handle Frostwing. He doesn\u2019t need food\u2014he just needs to take another nap. Durene, please guard the door? I think I need to talk to Ryoka. Alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, Laken.\u201d<\/p>\n There was something about Laken. When he spoke, things got done. Ryoka watched the protesting Reynold get slowly pushed out the door. She waved at him before Durene closed the door. Laken sat on the edge of his bed, slowly petting Frostwing as the bird rubbed its head against his palm.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have a bird.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. Ryoka, meet Frostwing. Frostwing\u2014don\u2019t nip my fingers.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka stared at Frostwing. Her eyes turned back to Laken.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have a bird. It\u2019s blue.\u201d<\/p>\n He frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cYes\u2014yes I do. I found Frostwing near Durene\u2019s cottage. I think his mother died of starvation or\u2014something else. I took Frostwing in. I actually have a class from raising him. [Beast Tamer].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka stared at Frostwing. She felt like she had to repeat herself.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s blue. I\u2014excuse me.\u201d<\/p>\n She reached for her pocket as Laken frowned. She knew it was stupid, but Ryoka had to do this. She pulled her iPhone out of her pocket and turned it on.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014-<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Laken was still a bit bleary from waking up, but he was trying to get his thoughts together quickly. Ryoka was here. That was good. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her, but he had to be careful, didn\u2019t he? He wasn\u2019t sure of her. Not yet. But she was from his world.<\/em> Or\u2014and here his cautious self spoke up\u2014she was pretending to be. Could this all be a ploy? Her knowing German meant someone had come from another world, but maybe she was using a Skill? Was that possible?<\/p>\n Ryoka wasn\u2019t saying much. She seemed to be fixated on Frostwing. Was it really that special that he was blue? Laken tried to remember if there were other blue birds back home. Obviously he\u2019d never seen any, but\u2026blue birds, what about them? What made Frostwing stand out that much?<\/p>\n Then he heard something. It was faint, muffled, and familiar. Laken frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cRyoka? Are you there?\u201d<\/p>\n No response. Laken hesitated, and then leaned towards the source of the muted music. His eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that\u2026is that the Pokemon theme song?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka pulled the earbuds out.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Laken smiled and laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re a Pokemon fan!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was. Once. A long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka shifted, coughed. Laken couldn\u2019t see, but she\u2019d turned bright red. Laken grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes Frostwing remind you of a Pokemon that much?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. He looks like Articuno, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a Pokemon?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA legendary. One of the legendary birds from the original one hundred and fifty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh. I never actually played Pokemon growing up. Sort of hard when you can\u2019t see anything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Right.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka coughed again, clearly embarrassed. Laken was smiling so hard it hurt. For just a few moments, he felt like he was back home, back in his world.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re a fan. I had no idea. Did you play that new thing coming out? Pokemon Go?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI uh, a bit. It was a long time ago. Or it feels like it. I\u2026was teleported here a few days after I downloaded the app, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n The conversation fell flat in an instant. Ryoka shifted as she glanced at Frostwing again. Laken blinked and gestured with his other hand.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so sorry. Please, sit. I don\u2019t know where the chair is, but I\u2019m assured we have at least two.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see it.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka dragged the chair over as Laken tried to make Frostwing go to sleep. He thought it worked, or at least, the bird had given up moving. He turned and sat cross-legged on his bed as he faced in Ryoka\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Durene gave you some trouble as I was sleeping. Is that right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust a bit. She\u2019s protective of you.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken smiled wryly.<\/p>\n \u201cShe is. Thank you for not hitting her with that potion.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka shrugged, and then remembered Laken couldn\u2019t see any of her gestures.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nothing. Good thing we didn\u2019t meet a month or two ago or I\u2019d have gotten my head pushed through a wall.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI picked a fight with a Minotaur one time. That was one of the dumber things I\u2019ve ever done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMinotaurs exist in this world?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup. They\u2019re touchy and prideful. And fairly rude, but they are honorable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFascinating. I\u2019ve heard this continent has mainly\u2026Gnolls, is it? And Drakes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey inhabit the southern parts, yes. Invrisil is sort of an exception\u2014it\u2019s a major city so a lot of races come here. But you\u2019ll generally find only Humans in the north.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI understand. Durene\u2019s village is totally Human save for her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHm.\u201d<\/p>\n The two sat in silence for another second. Ryoka sat still in her chair; Laken wiggled around, wondering if there was something that he was sitting on. A fork, maybe? Whatever it was, it was poking into his butt.<\/p>\n Unnoticed by the two of them, a third being was present in the room, listening. Ivolethe sat in Ryoka\u2019s pouch, listening carefully. The Frost Faerie considered that her sisters would have hated the conversation between Ryoka and Laken. It wasn\u2019t a thing of majesty or destiny. But it was important.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess we should talk.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I guess we should.\u201d<\/p>\n The boy and girl sat across from each other. They were old, but still young by the way the faerie reckoned such things. They had gone through sorrows, gone through trials. But they were still young. So young.<\/p>\n It was the girl who spoke first. She hesitated as she chewed at a lip, glancing towards the closed doors. Durene and Gamel stood behind it, but Ryoka knew the danger wasn\u2019t something she could see.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s complicated, you know? I want to say what\u2019s on my mind but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou did mention. Watchers and such.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. But if we assume we lost them or they can\u2019t hear us\u2014which I don\u2019t\u2014I\u2019m fairly certain someone\u2019s using magic to listen in.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken raised his eyebrows calmly.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s not like we have anything to hide.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, fine. But how are you proposing we solve this problem? I have something I need to say which will clarify things.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m in the same boat. I can say that I have a friend\u2014Erin Solstice who\u2019s from our world straight off, but the rest is harder.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone else? You mentioned that\u2014what\u2019s she like?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAge wise? She\u2019s twenty. Besides that, she\u2019s\u2026a normal girl. Sort of. She\u2019s American, like me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInteresting. I\u2019m twenty-four. Not American. Can I assume you\u2019re around that age?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty one. You don\u2019t look that old. You\u2019re part German. Is there another half?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cMy mom\u2019s German, but she married my dad in France. I\u2019ve grown up all over Europe, though. As to my face\u2014I\u2019m told I have a youthful complexion.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka had to smile. She glanced at the door and frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cGood to know. I don\u2019t think any of this is too bad to mention, but the rest\u2026damn, I don\u2019t know. Erin would probably come up with some special way of figuring this out. Flush out the spies with a crazy scheme and dispel the enchantments with an insane trick or just luck.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe sounds quite interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s an [Innkeeper]. Look, I\u2019m getting annoyed. Maybe we should just go for broke. What do you think? I doubt anyone knows German.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWahrscheinlich. But can you<\/em> speak it? I don\u2019t want to be rude, but your pronunciation\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know. But I\u2019ve got a dictionary-encyclopedia. It\u2019s an app\u2014I might have to ask for spelling, but I can translate short sentences.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s\u2026amazingly useful. In that case, translate this. Ich bin ein [Kaiser].\u201d<\/p>\n It took Ryoka only a second to figure out what Laken had said. She didn\u2019t need to use her iPhone. Instead, she dropped it. She fumbled around on the ground, heart beating wildly. When she sat back up she stared at Laken\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re lying.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not. I know it\u2019s surprising, but it\u2019s true. What about you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have a class. I\u2019m a Runner without the class. But you\u2014get out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s true!\u201d<\/p>\n Laken smiled. He had no way of seeing Ryoka\u2019s face, but her tone made her feelings clear.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, seriously, get out. Run away as far as you can. Do you have any idea how bad<\/em> that is?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBad? Why? Because of your\u2014your Daenerys-like friend?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes! Not just her\u2014Ivolethe!\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka shouted the faerie\u2019s name. Laken jumped, and then gaped as the faerie floated upwards and spoke.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do ye want, Ryoka?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cGo downstairs and flush out the spies. Please? And if there are enchantments, dispel them. Please. This is important.\u201d<\/p>\n The faerie considered the request. Then she reluctantly nodded.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI shall bring havoc! From the outside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n She flew out the window as Laken tried to find words.<\/p>\n \u201cWas that\u2014a Frost Faerie?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve met them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes! Hell, I knighted<\/em> a few of them. But they helped save Durene\u2019s cottage from an avalanche\u2014or caused it and spared her home. I\u2019m not sure of which.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m friends with one. Look, sit down. I\u2019ll explain as much as I can\u2014but the Frost Faeries probably didn\u2019t cause the avalanche. They don\u2019t kill, although they do pull horrible pranks.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka and Laken sat down as, below them, they heard confused shouting. Ivolethe\u2019s laughter was drowned out as she buzzed by the inn outside, but Ryoka could just imagine her hurling snow and ice into the building.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, let me begin from the start. The first thing you need to know is that I got here a few months ago. I\u2019d say around\u2026September? A while back. But Erin arrived before me. We don\u2019t know how we got here, but I know there are other people in this world. I also know that not a lot of people know we exist. That woman I told you about\u2014Lady Magnolia Reinhart. She employs Reynold and a bunch of other servants, and she\u2019s one of the most powerful people on the continent\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Laken listened intently as Ryoka whispered to him amid the sounds of the inn clearing out. He turned to tell Durene everything was fine when she told him the bottom half of the inn was covered with snow, but he mainly just listened as Ryoka gave him an abridged version of what had happened when she entered this world.<\/p>\n And then it was his turn. Ryoka didn\u2019t just listen\u2014she had her iPhone held in her lap, recording Laken\u2019s every word as he spoke. She didn\u2019t mention this fact, and neither did Laken or Ryoka ever mention certain key words aloud.<\/p>\n Words like [Emperor], gunpowder, iPhone, dragon, or a thousand other words from home. Ryoka was glad that Laken understood, and he picked up what she feared from what Ryoka never said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt sounds like you\u2019ve had a rough time without a class. I can\u2019t say I understand that bit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t like conformity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think that\u2019s an issue\u2014wait. I think I get it. Game system, right? But is there a puppet master?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, really? How do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken sat forwards. Ryoka hesitated, and then leaned forwards as well. Though she knew Reynold and the other spies in the building were probably gone, she whispered to him in German.<\/p>\n \u201cEin Gott\u2026lebt.\u201d<\/p>\n A slow frown was her only reply. Laken sat back carefully.<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. But I talked with someone who assures me it\u2019s true. And I believe him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn that case\u2014that is<\/em> concerning. But still, as far as I understand it, the system is essential. You can\u2019t fight a\u2026a monster without Skills.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. But do we lose anything if we have a class?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken\u2019s voice was thoughtful.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. And honestly, I\u2019m not sure I\u2019d be willing to try and find out, if it were me. But if you want to be the test subject\u2026I\u2019m glad. It\u2019s good to have someone who might be impartial. Especially if what you say is true.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if they\u2019re connected, but it seems so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I agree. But really\u2026alive?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. And apparently talking about them gives them strength.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken shivered.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s horrific. Terrifying. But it sounds like this\u2014person\u2014isn\u2019t too active?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I shouldn\u2019t say lebt. More like\u2026hold on. Schlafen. Aufwachen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n It was as if he\u2019d taken a drink of water after being dehydrated. Laken felt everything snap more into place.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I get it. Or at least, I have a hypothesis.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo do I. Either way? It\u2019s bad news.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut from what you say, it doesn\u2019t seem like that\u2019s the reason we\u2019re here. It\u2019s probably a spell?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone said that there was a summoning spell. In Rhir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomething to look into. I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken frowned and scrubbed at his hair.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is all so complex!<\/em> How are we supposed to figure this out? It\u2019s not as if we can just ask, and we don\u2019t have people we can trust to find out. I don\u2019t, at any rate. You have your [Lady] friend, but I don\u2019t trust her further than I can throw her either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I\u2019m not too keen on asking. But those angry ant people I told you about? Their entire race is scared spitless of this one person.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka chewed her lip, feeling the same urgent panic rising in her chest when she thought about\u2014<\/p>\n A God. A real God, sleeping under the earth.<\/p>\n She expected Laken to share at least a bit of her concern. But the blind man refused to panic.<\/p>\n \u201cI get the issue. But they\u2019re on another continent, right? There\u2019s not much we can do right now\u2014except spread the word, I guess, and find someone who can do something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019re saying we don\u2019t even think about it?\u201d<\/p>\n It was impossible to glare at a blind man successfully. Laken smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, if we\u2019re talking about this\u2014person as a threat, then all we need is a devil, right? Anyone tried blood summoning, chanting in Latin, or hooded robes? Or we could get a few angry atheists. Who knows? It could work.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka stared at Laken and then burst out laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cYou cocky bastard.\u201d<\/p>\n He raised his hands, smiling and laughing with her.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, it\u2019s a problem. But it\u2019s not immediate, is it? If I panicked over all of the big things, I\u2019d never get to sleep at night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFine. I get it. Back to you, then. You\u2019re in a bind. Assuming no one catches wind of what you do, you\u2019re going to need help for that village of yours.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken nodded. He wove his fingers together and tightened his grip.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ve got food and protection, but if you know anything about\u2026anything, I\u2019d love to have some help.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka had to confess her knowledge was limited.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got some information, but it\u2019s all scattered. Ruling a village\u2014good luck. Other than that, technology\u2019s tricky. I\u2019m not giving you the recipe for\u2026well, firearms.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerish the thought.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014And I can\u2019t tell you how to make anything too useful. Steam engines, light bulbs\u2026not exactly stuff your village needs right now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka frowned as she tapped a finger on her leg, letting it bounce against the floorboards. Laken found the sound slightly annoying, but he waited patiently for Ryoka to finish thinking.<\/p>\n \u201cGreenhouses might help. If you can get sheets of glass for the roof, you can build the rest of the structure out of other materials. That would extend your growing season\u2014let you get a head start on growing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s glass in this world. If you can get panes, or one large sheet\u2014could be tricky, could be worth it. I see some parchment over there. I\u2019ll use that, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFeel free.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken heard Ryoka rustling about and then her fiddling with the inkpot.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me do a sketch. It\u2019s all about keeping the heat in, more than letting it out\u2014on that note, what about agricultural implements? I\u2019d have to do more thinking, but the heavy plough is a good invention to check on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m familiar with a plough\u2014sort of. What\u2019s the heavy one do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really just a way to make it better. You have wheels and\u2026nah, it\u2019s really just the wheels that change it. It lets a farmer move faster, reduces the burden, et cetera. See?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I don\u2019t. But go ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n He heard a chuckle.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay\u2026I\u2019m drawing a diagram, but just ask whether the [Farmers] in your village use wheels on their ploughs. I\u2019ll write down what I know about crop rotation too\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n They continued in that vein for a few more minutes. Then Laken switched the issue over to protection.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think a palisade\u2019s going to stop a monster, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s worth a shot. A wall would be better.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka raised her eyebrows as she sketched out the cross section of a wall. Laken had another thought.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we\u2019re talking about walls, then what about trebuchets? You wouldn\u2019t happen to know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah. If you\u2019re fighting monsters the size of castles, maybe. But they\u2019re a pain in the ass to aim. Just build a catapult; you can probably figure out how. Actually, now that I think of it\u2026a ballista might be easier than an onager.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay? What\u2019s an onager?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a catapult. The classic kind that hurls things like a spoon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Yes, I could see that being useful.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll write down how to make both for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s not classified? I thought we were trying to reduce the spread of dangerous weapons.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI did my research. They\u2019re already in use. The Drakes have them on some of their city walls, and they\u2019re used around the world. The trick is that most people can\u2019t build them. You have to have the [Engineer] class to build one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh. No one bothers to learn. They just use a class.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep. But you can probably whip one together\u2026just be careful with the tension on the rope. Build some prototypes and test them\u2014carefully. Look, I\u2019ll write this down and you can have someone read it. I\u2019m sure your villagers can find some decent rope to use.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure they\u2019ve got something. Okay, how about barns?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBarns?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have a better way of building them, or something?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood point. I can definitely tell you how to make a log wall\u2026that\u2019s just cutting the logs right. Uh\u2026I don\u2019t know about other building techniques. Let me get back to you on that. Shame there\u2019s no metalworking industry or you could try mass-producing things like ring-shank nails\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re losing me here.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka smiled as she bent over the parchment. She was running out of room. But surprisingly, she was enjoying her conversation with Laken. Did she trust him? A bit. A little bit.<\/p>\n An [Emperor]. She couldn\u2019t imagine it. But he sat like one, or\u2014perhaps the beginnings of one. She saw that now.<\/p>\n Emperor Norton. She remembered that story! The crazy guy who declared himself the Emperor of the United States. People might remember that story, but how many would think to do it here?<\/p>\n Not many. Ryoka had never dreamed of that. And it wasn\u2019t just that. Could anyone really just become an [Emperor] by willing it? No. You had to have something else, or anyone could be an [Emperor], right? You had to have\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThe arrogance of a God.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing. What was I saying?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka went to dip her quill in the inkpot. She wished she had a pen. As she did, she glanced at the window, still ajar. She wondered when Ivolethe would come back\u2014<\/p>\n And she was there. Ivolethe. She was hovering outside the window, watching Ryoka and Laken talk. Just watching. Ryoka froze, quill dripping blobs of ink.<\/p>\n There was something about the way the Frost Faerie stared at her. Something\u2026<\/p>\n She was watching. Waiting. Ryoka felt a chill.<\/p>\n \u201cRyoka? Is something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014I don\u2019t know. I think there might be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n How could she explain it to Laken? Ryoka was grasping at words, when she saw something move in front of her.<\/p>\n It was on the table she\u2019d pulled up to write on. Her iPhone, still recording every word Laken spoke, began to vibrate. It shuddered on the wood surface a microsecond before Ryoka heard the familiar, annoying jangle of her ringtone.<\/p>\n Someone was calling her.<\/em> Ryoka felt her breath catch in her chest.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Laken reached for the iPhone, but Ryoka was faster. She saw the familiar calling screen, but there was nothing listed under the caller\u2019s phone number, only the option to accept or decline.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s my iPhone. I\u2019m getting a call\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFrom who?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt has to be [BlackMage]!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe person who\u2014I\u2019m answering it.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken held his breath as Ryoka gingerly tapped the glowing green phone symbol. Instantly, she heard a voice.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014he\u2019s not answering. Maybe try ag\u2014hello? Hello? Can you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka traded glances with Laken. He missed. Ryoka tilted her iPhone\u2019s speaker towards her mouth cautiously.<\/p>\n \u201cI can hear you. Who is this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh my god. Is this\u2014are you [batman]? [batman]\u2019s a girl?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n It was a young man\u2019s voice, excited, with the touches of\u2026an English accent? Yes, it definitely wasn\u2019t American. Ryoka carefully put the call on speaker phone as she and Laken crowded around her device. She put a finger to his lips and he nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is great! I\u2019ve tried calling you before and you didn\u2019t pick up. Hi there! This is [BlackMage]! From the chat? Do you remember me? Well, I was calling you to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFuck you.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka heard [BlackMage] pause. She saw Laken glance at her oddly, but she didn\u2019t care. Anxiety had become irritation and anger in a second.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo fuck yourself. Do you know how stupid<\/em> it is to call someone like this? What would have happened if I were in a dungeon, or trying to hide from a monster?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have compromised<\/em> my damn phone! You know that asshole was trying to find out locations! Do you think he\u2019s really not trying to track us down right now? I\u2019d bet anything that this kind of call can be traced. Now people know exactly where you and I are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHold on! We don\u2019t know <\/em>anyone\u2019s tracking this call. I\u2019m with a bunch of [Mages] and they say\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cScrew what they say. This is dangerous. Didn\u2019t you get that from your call?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why <\/em>I\u2019m calling you!\u201d<\/p>\n The young man on the other end of the line was getting angry. He spoke quickly before Ryoka could insult him again.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2014the mages of Wistram and I\u2014are trying to find people across the world! I\u2019ve called a bunch of people and we\u2019re trying to bring them here. To Wistram!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat is the stupidest\u2014<\/em>how do you know you\u2019re not revealing their locations?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2014we\u2019re using magic in secret.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh? Well, that makes me feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLook, if you\u2019re going to be an arsehole about this, I can hang up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, it\u2019s too late now.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka tried to calm herself down. She took a deep breath.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, why are<\/em> you calling? To invite me to Wistram?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. We can send help. We can have money sent\u2014or get in touch with a local [Mage] affiliated with us who can help you reach the isle. But I contacted you<\/em> first because you managed to uncover that fake wanker\u2014[Kent Scott] and warn everyone. Do you know who he is?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I have no idea. But I was suspicious from the start. Forget [Kent Scott]. How do I know I can trust you, or anyone?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014look, you\u2019re being fairly suspicious of me, don\u2019t you think? I\u2019m calling you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I don\u2019t trust<\/em> people who call me out of the blue. How can we prove that these people at Wistram are trustworthy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka heard [BlackMage] gasp on the other end of the line. Laken took the iPhone from her and spoke into it. She stared at him, wanting to signal him, but it was impossible to do visually. She tapped his hand with a finger\u2014he waved his hand at her and then gave her a thumbs up.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me? Who is this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCall me L. I\u2019m from our world as well. I just met [batman].\u201d<\/p>\n Laken kept his voice low as he spoke into the receiver. He was smiling as if he was enjoying <\/em>his conversation with the flustered [BlackMage].<\/p>\n \u201cWow! You\u2019ve met someone else? Where are you? Do you need help? What\u2019s your class\u2014I forgot to mention we\u2019re keeping a list\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy class is secret. So is my location. If you can trace this phone call, well, good luck searching the continent. I\u2019m sorry to be so secretive, but neither [batman] nor I are able to trust you, or Wistram at this point in time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy? <\/em>Hey, we\u2019re acting in good faith here\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken leaned back on the bed as he spoke carefully, choosing each word with deliberation.<\/p>\n \u201cYou say you want to help us. But how can we be sure that\u2019s the case? Putting aside the reputation of Wistram, we can\u2019t tell if you\u2019re calling from there. You could be impersonating them\u2014we have no way to tell. Telling you our location is dangerous, especially on what could be an unsecured call like this. You understand that, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014I suppose I do. But how am I supposed to convince you I\u2019m trustworthy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s impossible at this moment. There\u2019s no one in Wistram who could convince us, and a truth spell can\u2019t be used. However\u2026there is a way to tell everyone where to go and not reveal confidential information.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? How?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken could feel Ryoka\u2019s eyes on him, even if he couldn\u2019t see her. He smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t call anyone. But have Wistram\u2014the Isle of Mages, right? Have them send out a proclamation, a message to every corner of the world. Something simple. Something anyone from our world could understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh!\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka nodded as she realized what Laken was saying. That could work. She spoke into the receiver.<\/p>\n \u201cSay something like\u2026\u2018To all the millennials, the Americans and citizens of the European Union and\u2019\u2014no, wait. That\u2019s not right. Instead\u2026send something in every language you can think of. One word. Come home. \u5bb6\u306b\u5e30\u308b.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNach Hause zur\u00fcckkehren.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVen a Casa. In every language you can think of. Understand?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut don\u2019t stop there.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken angled the iPhone towards his mouth and spoke urgently.<\/p>\n \u201cSet it up so that anyone affiliated with Wistram will help someone from our world. But have them ask for confirmation. Something only someone from our world would know. Easy things, for every culture.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike if you\u2019re American\u2014who\u2019s the current president? Actually\u2014shit. Be prepared for different answers. Someone might say Obama and not know who the current president is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood point! And some people might not speak English.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHold on, let me write all this down!\u201d<\/p>\n [BlackMage] was scrambling to keep up. Laken and Ryoka heard other voices, muffled in the background. She nudged him and he squeezed her arm. There were other people listening to the call.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, we can do that. Thanks for the advice!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo problem. Just be sure you know what you\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026How do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken paused.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you do this, you\u2019ll paint a target on your chest for the world to see. Understand\u2014some people who\u2019ve come to this world will not be friends. Just think about it. Assuming everyone who\u2019s arrived is around the same age\u2014you could get anyone from any part of the world. What if you got a radical extremist from ISIS?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr someone from North Korea. Or a kid in a gang, a convicted criminal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026I hadn\u2019t thought of that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBe careful. If everyone\u2019s heading to Wistram, then the real battle becomes getting them there safely\u2026and figuring out who\u2019s trustworthy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe can use spells for that. And Wistram is almost impossible to take by force. There are Golems here, Archmages\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s so safe, we\u2019ll find our way there. Eventually. But don\u2019t call us again, understand? If you have to contact us\u2014do it by chat.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI understand. And I will\u2026I\u2019ll have to tell the other mages about this, and see what they think.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. In that case, we\u2019ll end the call.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh? But there\u2019s so much we have to discuss!\u201d<\/p>\n Laken felt a warning tug on his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, we can\u2019t be sure who\u2019s listening in. Continuing this phone call is too risky. Contact [batman] later if you have to. Try to find a securer means of communicating. Until then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWai\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Laken hung up the phone. He handed it to Ryoka and breathed out slowly. His hand was shaking. So was hers as she took it.<\/p>\n \u201cWow. That was\u2026unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka glanced sideways and saw Ivolethe flying away from the window.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Yeah. Good idea, by the way. That was a great thought.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was spur-of-the-moment. But maybe this way word will spread and people won\u2019t get kidnapped. You think it\u2019s a possibility?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka shrugged. She wasn\u2019t sure herself.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was someone who tried to figure out where we were. Better safe than sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. And one last thing. I didn\u2019t mention it to [BlackMage], but aside from other nations, other factions trying to attack Wistram\u2026if we go there, we\u2019d better have friends. Allies. So we can deal with the mages on equal terms.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t trust them, can\u2019t trust anyone, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight. Well, some people will be trustworthy, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you find them?\u201d<\/p>\n They sat in silence for a moment, hearts beating. Ryoka looked at Laken and smirked.<\/p>\n \u201cL, huh? Nice reference.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? I\u2019m sorry, did I accidentally do something?\u201d<\/p>\n She paused.<\/p>\n \u201cNever mind. It\u2019s a reference to a popular\u2014it\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken spread his hands.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. What now? That was dramatic. And scary. I may have wet the bed. Where do we go from here?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. I guess you go back to your village and\u2026do your thing. Gather strength, or something. I go back and tell Erin\u2014and we meet again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust like that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess so. Look, I want to help, but I have to go back. It\u2019s Christmas, and Erin told me to get back in time for the party. And I have\u2026other things to do there as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChristmas! My God, I\u2019d forgotten!\u201d<\/p>\n Laken slapped a hand to his forehead.<\/p>\n \u201cI should celebrate that with Durene and the villagers! That would be\u2014I wonder if I can get the Merchant\u2019s Guild to find me a bunch of presents?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019d wrap them for you, I bet. Look, I hate to just run, but I don\u2019t know what else I can do. Erin lives so far away, and I never come up here. I can try and return now and then, but it might be we have to communicate by [Message] spell for the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can talk in code\u2014or German, I suppose. I\u2019ll probably be out of touch for\u2026I don\u2019t know how long.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe have our own places to be, don\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s odd, but yes. I have a home now. A\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n An empire. Laken didn\u2019t say it out loud. Ryoka stared at him, and wondered. He was likeable, smart, and he cared about people. But he was an [Emperor]. What would come from that?<\/p>\n They didn\u2019t speak much about the future after that. Ryoka drew a bit more on the parchment, and discussed water mills with Laken. He offered her tips on dealing with Frost Faeries, and she convinced him to make Ivolethe an archduchess.<\/p>\n And then for an hour they laughed and talked about home. Laken told Ryoka about what he did for a living\u2014he was ostensibly unemployed since his parents were fairly rich, but he worked with other people with disabilities and led blind tours as well. She told him about Erin and her own backstory. Mainly anecdotes of her run-ins with authority.<\/p>\n \u201cAn American rebel, huh? Tell me you ride a motorcycle and I\u2019ll ask for an autograph.\u201d<\/p>\n And then Durene knocked on the door, and Frostwing woke up, and the moment ended. Ryoka stood up, and Laken did too as he tapped his bird on the beak.<\/p>\n \u201cHush, Frostwing. Say goodbye to Ryoka. She\u2019s got to go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be in the city until tomorrow, I think. I have to do something quick. Hell, I might not leave until tomorrow night. You can find me at Magnolia Reinhart\u2019s mansion\u2026it might be better if you wait until I come into the city. I\u2019ll find you tomorrow, how about that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds good. Durene? Ryoka\u2019s going to go, but we have a lot to talk about. Can you call Gamel up?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka paused next to Laken.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to tell her everything?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI trust her. And the less secrets there are in this world, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n She hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cI wish I could be more like you. But I can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n He made a face.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you\u2019re fine the way you are, Miss Ryoka Griffin. Someone needs to be the cynical bastard who watches our backs.\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cI can do that. Good luck. See you later.\u201d<\/p>\n And then she was gone. Laken sat back on his bed, and lay on his back as Durene came back into the room with Gamel. He didn\u2019t look up as Durene sat carefully on the bed and everything tilted towards her.<\/p>\n \u201cDurene?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Laken?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s Wistram?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014-<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ryoka endured Reynold\u2019s sniffling and very hostile remarks as she walked down the street. The snow was falling thickly around them, but that didn\u2019t muffle his acidic comments.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, I\u2019m sorry. I didn\u2019t know Ivolethe would go that far. But I did warn you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m simply doing my job, Miss Ryoka.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well, take it up with Magnolia. Or Ressa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe I\u2019d rather follow you, Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s your funeral. Look, it\u2019s one last trip and then we can go home and you can sit in front of a fire.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere to, Miss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBack to Hedault. I have to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n Reynold\u2019s eyebrows rose, but Ryoka didn\u2019t elaborate.<\/p>\n If Hedault was surprised to see Ryoka back so soon, he opened the door readily enough.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy have you returned?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to sell you the wand.\u201d<\/p>\n It was refreshing not to have to beat around the bush with him. Ryoka saw Hedault\u2019s eyebrows rise, but the [Enchanter] didn\u2019t miss a beat.<\/p>\n \u201cI can have the gold pieces prepared for you within the hour. I will also provide a second bag of holding as the first will not be able to support the weight\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHold on. I\u2019m not looking for gold. You\u2019re going to pay me something else. Something more.\u201d<\/p>\n Hedault paused. He stared at Ryoka, and then at Reynold, whose jaw was fully open.<\/p>\n \u201cMy price is final, and calculated on the wand\u2019s probable value. I will not change it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t give me that.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka sighed as she found a seat in the [Enchanter]\u2019s living room and sank into it. He stared at her as she put her feet up. She felt exhausted.<\/em> Ryoka stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cWell? Are you going to sit?\u201d<\/p>\n He did, slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou seem confident that I will agree to whatever you ask.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well, that\u2019s because I know what\u2019s inside that wand.\u201d<\/p>\n Hedault paused. Reynold scrambled for a quill and inkpot. The [Enchanter] stared hard at Ryoka, but didn\u2019t call her a liar or scoff. He just asked one question.<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka patted her belt pouch.<\/p>\n \u201cIvolethe? Want to come out? I\u2019m sure Hedault has some snacks for you.\u201d<\/p>\n The Frost Faerie flew out of Ryoka\u2019s belt pouch. Hedault\u2019s eyebrows shot up and Reynold instinctively retreated to one corner of the room as Ivolethe gazed around the room, grinning with her pointed teeth.<\/p>\n Ryoka smiled at Hedault and nodded to Ivolethe.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to know how I know? My friend told me. She\u2019s a Frost Faerie. A Winter Sprite. She can see magic and she\u2019s lived longer than everyone in this city put together. She told me what was put in the wand\u2019s core.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see. A Winter Sprite. Intriguing.\u201d<\/p>\n Hedault glanced towards one of the doors and crooked a finger in his lap. Ryoka blinked as a saucer filled with dried prunes flew over to the table and settled down on it. Ivolethe made a noise of pleasure and began attacking the dried fruit, eating far more than her stomach should have been able to contain.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you know the contents of the wand, why offer it to me? Unless the value is lower than my estimation?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not. In fact, it\u2019s probably higher. But that\u2019s why you\u2019re going to pay me more. Not just for the wand itself, but for knowing what\u2019s inside.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd why should I do that?\u201d<\/p>\n Hedault crossed his arms. Ryoka grinned at that. The mage\u2019s face hadn\u2019t changed, but his folded arms spoke volumes about how much she was getting to him. She gestured expansively at the wand, which Hedault had brought out and put on the coffee table in front of them.<\/p>\n \u201cJust think about it. You\u2019ll never know what was inside, and<\/em> you\u2019ll have to live with the knowledge that it\u2019s being used by some amateur that won\u2019t appreciate it or utilize the wand\u2019s full potential.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ask again. If it is<\/em> so valuable, why not give it to the adventurers who recovered it? They would surely desire it most.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure they would. But neither of my friends could use it to its full potential\u2014it\u2019s not specialized in the right area for them. But you could. And if you couldn\u2019t, I\u2019m sure you could find a buyer for it. Correct me if I\u2019m wrong, but isn\u2019t this the sort of wand an Archmage would want?\u201d<\/p>\n Hedault\u2019s eyes followed the wand. He spoke softly.<\/p>\n \u201cA true [Archmage] would not. But the Archmages of today would certainly use a wand of this caliber if they had nothing finer. And if it is that valuable, I do not believe I have enough funds on hand to pay for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka nodded, still smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cI know you can\u2019t pay for it. In fact, after talking with Ivolethe, I know<\/em> you probably don\u2019t have enough gold on hand to pay for this wand. But that\u2019s fine, because what I need isn\u2019t gold. It\u2019s artifacts.\u201d<\/p>\n She sat up, and put her hands on the table. She picked up the wand and felt its weight. Ryoka stroked the cold, metallic wood as she looked at Hedault. Part of her was screaming not to do this, but the rest of her was resolute.<\/p>\n \u201cHere\u2019s the deal. If I give this wand to you, you give me enough armor and weapons to outfit four adventurers. That means armor for two of them\u2014they\u2019re warriors, at least one more sword, maybe a bow, and two wands and a magical robe for the others. Wands, staves\u2026hell, I\u2019ll take a spellbook as well while I\u2019m at it. And<\/em> more magical rings. And two hundred gold pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n He stared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy? <\/em>This is not a fair trade. Not for a wand of such value. You may approximate the value with lesser artifacts, but no true adventurer would make such a trade. Why are you doing this on their behalf? If this is an act of self-interest, then I will decline. I will have the answer you have failed to give me. Now.\u201d<\/p>\n His eyes were serious. Ryoka met Hedault\u2019s gaze. She thought he was an honest man. A good man, if he cared about adventurers he\u2019d never met. She nodded abruptly.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. It\u2019s not fair. But it\u2019s what my friends need. That\u2019s why you\u2019ll never tell anyone what\u2019s in the wand. It\u2019s why I\u2019ll lie to my friends, though I\u2019m giving them a fortune in artifacts. It\u2019s why I\u2019m selling it. Because this wand is powerful\u2014but it\u2019s not what they need.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExplain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCome on. You understand, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka gestured impatiently to the wand she held. She thought she could sense something inside of it. Power. Pure power, untapped, ready to be used. It was so tempting. That was why she couldn\u2019t bring it back.<\/p>\n \u201cThey don\u2019t need a wand that will make them a target of every magic-user on the continent. They need armor, weapons\u2014and money. They need the gear to become a Gold-rank team, not a bullseye on their foreheads. So you\u2019re going to give me everything I ask for, and then you\u2019re going to write down in a book, or somewhere important that you\u2019ll never forget. The Horns of Hammerad. That\u2019s who you owe. And someday, you\u2019ll pay that back.\u201d<\/p>\n For a while she thought he wouldn\u2019t accept. Hedault stood up, paced around the room, and stared at the wand. He went to the racks of armor and weapons, inspected them, shook his head, and stared at the wand. He muttered to himself about gold and costs, trying to talk himself out of it. But he kept staring at the wand.<\/p>\n In the end, he sat with a sigh across from Ryoka and she knew she\u2019d won.<\/p>\n \u201cSay I pay your price. What arms and artifacts would you require?\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what\u2019s best for an adventuring team that\u2019s about to reach Gold-rank. But I bet you do. And I bet you can get everything I want by tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n Hedault stared at Ryoka incredulously.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you would trust me to make such decisions?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI trust that you would be honest. You seem like you\u2019ve been on a level so far. And I can check all the artifacts you give me, and make sure it sounds like a fair trade.\u201d<\/p>\n Again Hedault went around the room. This time he came to a decision faster.<\/p>\n \u201cOne condition. Tell me what is inside. And then I will make my choice.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka held her breath. She stared at Hedault, and decided that he wasn\u2019t going to budge. So she judged Ivolethe as the faerie sat on the coffee table, still chewing down the much-depleted plate of fruits.<\/p>\n \u201cIvolethe? Do you mind doing this?\u201d<\/p>\n The faerie looked up. She stared at Hedault, and then dropped the bit of prune she was eating. She stood up, and flew over to the wand resting on the table. And when she stood above it, she wasn\u2019t the somewhat evil, somewhat playful faerie that lived in Ryoka\u2019s belt pouch.<\/p>\n She was something else. Something older that stared down at the wand and touched it with a tiny hand. Ivolethe spoke, and her voice was far away.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn a forest long gone, there grew a tree. It grew wild, and tall. And free. Ten thousand winters passed as it touched the sky. So tall. So very high. And when it shed the last leaf upon the ground it grew a single bloom. A child, a small one to grow out of the tree\u2019s final doom. But they took it, they stole it, and sealed it away. Here to never grow, here to always stay. For magic thou art, thou small seedling hid. Magic to summon and wield as your owner bids.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n She looked at Hedault, at Ryoka, and Reynold who was staring with wide eyes.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYe wish to know what lies within? A seed, foolish mortals. A seed of a tree. A child trapped. The power of the earth, of that which stood through wind and storm and fire and axe. Unbreakable. For ten thousand years.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ryoka felt her skin tingle with goose bumps. There was something about the way Ivolethe spoke, about the way she existed<\/em> that made Ryoka believe every word she said. She stared at the wand and felt her heart ache.<\/p>\n Magic.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLiving magic. That explains everything.\u201d<\/p>\n Hedault slowly picked up the wand, and stared at it. He ran his hands down the surface of it, and held it as if he thought it would break. Then he looked at Ryoka.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t need to ask. Ryoka smiled, and stood up.<\/p>\n \u201cI need to go back by tomorrow. Can you have everything ready by then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. It will not be enough, but yes.\u201d<\/p>\n Hedault held the wand and looked at Ivolethe. She stared at it with ancient eyes, and then laughed and flew back to the prunes. He looked at Ryoka.<\/p>\n \u201cI will give you what your friends need. But I will write down the debt, Ryoka Griffin. And when they need to call on it, they need only message me.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled. It was a tired smile, but sincere. It had been a long day, but Ryoka smiled. Her expression was unguarded, and for once, totally genuine. Both Hedault and Reynold felt a tug at their hearts. For different reasons.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Then she turned and walked out of Hedault\u2019s home.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014-<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It was snowing harder outside. Ryoka stared up at the sky and got a big snowflake in the eye for her trouble. She\u2019d seen worse snow days\u2014<\/p>\n Actually, she wasn\u2019t sure if she had. Ryoka stared ahead and found the snow was falling so thickly that she could barely see ten feet in front of her. Already most of the pedestrians were off of the streets.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s disgusting out here. Let\u2019s go to the mansion!\u201d<\/p>\n For once Reynold was in complete agreement. The two set off at a brisk pace down the street, trying not to slip on the icy pavement.<\/p>\n To Ryoka\u2019s unpleasant surprise, she didn\u2019t get to go back to Magnolia\u2019s mansion with Reynold after that. Instead, she and Reynold were caught by a Street Runner, a Dullahan boy who carried his head on a sling as he ran, as they headed towards the place where he\u2019d parked the carriage.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Ryoka Griffin? You\u2019re wanted at the Runner\u2019s Guild now. There\u2019s a client to see you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA client? Tell them I\u2019m not interested.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka wasn\u2019t in the mood, but the Street Runner was insistent.<\/p>\n \u201cThey want to see you now,<\/em> Miss Ryoka! The [Receptionist] told me to get you or not bother coming back. It\u2019s just six blocks away. We can be there in no time if we run. Unless you\u2019re too slow and old?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka glared at the Dullahan boy who turned his head to smile cockily at her. She knew it was bait, but that didn\u2019t stop her from beating him to the Runner\u2019s Guild by a solid ten feet. She flipped him off as she walked inside and saw him grin and race away to his next delivery. She quite liked him, on the whole.<\/p>\n The person waiting in the guild was not <\/em>who Ryoka expected to see. She stared at Laken.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought I was going to see you tomorrow! What gives?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, Ryoka. I\u2019m sorry about this, but it couldn\u2019t wait. Have you seen the weather?\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka grunted sourly. She had snow all over her shoes and Reynold, wheezing a bit as he came in behind her, was brushing snow out of his hair.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s coming down out there. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s going to be far worse tomorrow, or so I\u2019m told. The snow\u2019s going to cover the roads at least two feet deep\u2014possibly as many as four<\/em> on top of what\u2019s already fallen if what the [Weather Mages] are saying is true.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFuck. That\u2019s not good. Reynold, how does your carriage handle in deep snow?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFairly well, Miss Ryoka. We should be able to return to Liscor\u2014slowly, but even in deep snow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s a relief.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cIt may be to you, but Ryoka, the Merchant\u2019s Guild is saying they won\u2019t be able to deliver the food or have the adventurers escort us for at least a week until the roads clear!\u201d<\/p>\n She stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t they melt the snow? Hire a mage who knows flame spells?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToo costly for me. If I had more money I could, but\u2014no. And we can\u2019t leave right now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you want to hire a Runner.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka nodded. It was the best solution. She glanced at the Runners shivering as they came in from the cold.<\/p>\n \u201cHire someone good and give them a bag of holding. It\u2019s pricy, but they might be able to beat the snows.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a day\u2019s run for the best of them. No City Runner will do it for fear of losing their way, and there\u2019s no Courier I could hire\u2014even if I could afford one.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryoka stared at Laken\u2019s grim face. She got what he was saying and raised her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cOh no.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRyoka, please. The village will need food soon, and if I\u2019m away for that long they\u2019ll panic. If you can get to them and send a message\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019m not\u2014I\u2019d get lost as well! Hold on, I might be able to if Reynold drives me.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked hopefully at Reynold and Laken turned to the [Butler] as well. Reynold hunched his shoulders guiltily.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m terribly sorry Miss Ryoka, but Lady Reinhart did not authorize me to drive you anywhere but Liscor. Under any circumstances. I believe her exact phrase was \u2018if she needs to get anywhere, she can run there herself\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven to help a village?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven then, Miss. You could try contacting her, but I\u2019m afraid that until then, my orders stand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow long would that take?\u201d<\/p>\n As she asked, Ryoka knew that it wasn\u2019t a good option. Lady Magnolia might say yes, but she\u2019d want to know why<\/em> Ryoka wanted to help Laken so badly. If there was any way to avoid that, Ryoka would.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it is not an urgent issue\u2014and I am afraid that Ressa would not consider this such\u2014Lady Reinhart may not receive your communications for a day or two.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I need to be back in Liscor in two days for Christmas. Laken\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n He stood up.<\/p>\n \u201cI know it\u2019s a lot to ask, Ryoka, but you\u2019re the only person who could do it. I can\u2019t afford anyone else, and I don\u2019t want to leave them alone without word for so long. If you could take a bag of holding\u2014the [Receptionists] assure me you could bring enough food for a week or two and<\/em> some presents with their biggest bags.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPresents?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. It\u2019s going to be Christmas soon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken smiled a bit, but it twisted on his face with anxiety.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, I don\u2019t have a problem staying here. I can buy gifts for Durene and Gamel\u2014after I explain the idea of Christmas to them, of course. But the people in my village need that food now<\/em>, not after the roads clear. And I\u2019d like to get them presents as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know. I know, but\u2014I can\u2019t. I have to get back home and\u2014I couldn\u2019t find my way through a blizzard either.\u201d<\/p>\n The excuses felt hollow in Ryoka\u2019s mouth. She felt a twisting in her gut, but she didn\u2019t see how she could do it. Running was one thing. She could probably run in deep snow\u2014it would be hellish, but she could do it. But getting lost was another issue.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s just finding your way\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Laken paused. He frowned, thinking hard.<\/p>\n \u201cIs there a map you could take? Some sort of magical\u2026GPS?\u201d<\/p>\n It sounded ludicrous. Ryoka shook her head as she sat at one of the tables with him. Laken sighed and pushed the small bowl of cheese and crackers someone had given him away. Ryoka felt a rustling at her pouch.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIs that food? I claim it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ivolethe leapt onto the table and grabbed a slice of cheese and a cracker. She began munching it down. She was getting gluttonous, Ryoka reflected. She stared down at Ivolethe, annoyed the faerie wasn\u2019t taking things seriously. Then Ryoka paused.<\/p>\n \u201cHey Laken. Ivolethe\u2019s eating your cheese.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t m\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Laken went silent. He coughed and when he spoke again his voice had taken on a thoughtful tone.<\/p>\n \u201cChristmas is coming up, Ryoka.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup. Santa Claus.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a very famous tradition. I used to hear all the old tales every year. The German stories are different of course, but I\u2019ve heard the American classics as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah. All the good ones, I bet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI especially liked Rudolph, although I can\u2019t imagine what the color \u2018red\u2019 must look like.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not bad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hate to ask you to run through a blizzard\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve done worse. And I\u2019d like to do it. It is<\/em> the holidays.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut the issue is finding your way. Through a blizzard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. I\u2019d need a guide. Someone who can find their way. Light the way, rather.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI take it the color\u2019s off? I\u2019m told that uh, Winter Sprites are blue. Which is, apparently, not close to red.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bit different. But why don\u2019t I think that will matter?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken and Ryoka kept their voices low. They both felt it. A bit of holiday magic in the air, or perhaps just insanity masquerading as good sense. They turned their faces towards the small Frost Faerie gorging herself on the table.<\/p>\n Ivolethe happily swallowed a large bite of wrinkled prune and then realized she was the target of their scrutiny. Warily, she frowned up at the two Humans staring down at her.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? What are ye buggers staring at?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Ryoka left the Mage\u2019s Guild she found Reynold waiting for her. The young woman was not surprised; she let the [Butler] fall into step beside her as she walked slowly down the street. Reynold was not smiling. Not that he was usually beaming; but he normally carried himself with professional impartiality. Right now he […]<\/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":[11693083,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693132],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-3818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-3","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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