A light rain pattered down on the roof of The Wandering Inn. Rain, after so many weeks of snow. It was a pleasant sound, and reminded Erin of her world. After all, rain was rain. Some things were the same.<\/p>\n
More than a few things, actually. Erin was in another world. A world full of monsters and magic, terrors and wonders. And yet, somehow Erin still found herself filling out forms. It was reassuring, and slightly depressing, to know that bureaucracy didn\u2019t change across species.<\/p>\n
And paying fines. That seemed weirdly familiar too. Not that Erin caused trouble when she\u2019d been back in her world. Okay, maybe she\u2019d gotten a few lectures about setting up lemonade stands inside<\/em> a school cafeteria, but this?<\/p>\n Twenty-six gold coins. In truth, Erin paid only eighteen gold coins as both Watch Captains had added in four gold coins from their pockets, but that was still a lot. The coins disappeared into a pouch at Watch Captain Venim\u2019s side as he stood up.<\/p>\n \u201cPaperwork\u2019s done. I have the coins, and I\u2019ll slip this into the approved files tonight. We should see progress tomorrow morning. Watch Captain Zevara, I\u2019ll leave things to you over here. Miss Solstice, I\u2019d expect to receive a [Message] spell by way of Liscor within the week\u2014two or three days from now, if I\u2019m a judge.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch Captain Venim headed for the door, and Erin got up. She replaced the mana stone attuned to Pallass, and the Drake paused before stepping through.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you again for doing this, Miss Solstice. I apologize for the inconvenience and the fees.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEh. I caused you a lot of trouble, so there\u2019s no hard feelings. It\u2019s got to be hard, running a Walled City, right?\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled wearily. It was late\u2014going to Pallass and her adventures there felt like a lifetime ago. Venim nodded with a rueful expression on his face.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have no idea. And your inn isn\u2019t even the worst of the problems I have to deal with, if you\u2019ll believe that<\/em>. At least it seems well-defended. I can tell the Assembly of Crafts that having a Gold-rank team present most of the time will deter anyone taking the door, including our own forces.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t forget the five Hobs in my basement.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin grinned. Venim\u2019s smile slipped and vanished. He stopped, one hand on the door handle.<\/p>\n \u201cScale rot, I forgot. The Goblins.\u201d<\/p>\n He covered his face with his claws. Erin\u2019s smile disappeared as Venim walked back to confer with Zevara. The sense of relief in the inn trembled under the weight of this new complication.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no precedent for having monsters within Pallass, authorized or not. There are<\/em> strict laws about allowing monsters to enter the city or keeping non-sentient ones as tamed animals, though. We could argue that the Goblins won\u2019t enter the city, but they pose a risk the council might not ignore\u2026I\u2019m not keen on the idea either.\u201d<\/p>\n Venim glanced at Erin and Zevara as he spoke. Erin hesitated, and it was Zevara who answered with a grimace.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t bother trying to talk her out of it, Venim. I\u2019ve had the same arguments, and she won\u2019t budge. This is<\/em> technically an autonomous holding within Liscor\u2019s radius of authority, but we\u2019re not pushing the issue, and I doubt Pallass will get any further.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut this is highly\u2014you\u2019re telling me she has had Goblins in the inn before, and you haven\u2019t considered\u2014can\u2019t they just be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara kept shaking her head and eying Erin. Erin eyed her right back, her arms crossed.<\/p>\n \u201cThose Goblins are innocent. They don\u2019t cause trouble, and they have yet to hurt anyone. They saved me from goats.\u201d<\/p>\n Venim stared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cGoats.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEater Goats.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara nodded. The Watch Captain from Pallass blanched a bit.<\/p>\n \u201cAncestors, the things you lot have to deal with over here\u2014those are the same ones that bite even when you behead them, right? Well, be that as it may, Miss Solstice\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Captain Venim.\u201d<\/p>\n He glared at Erin, vexed. She glared back, ready to fight on this issue. The air around Erin heated up, and Venim edged back in his chair. He looked at Zevara, and she gave him a complicated shake of the head and an impatient gesture with her chin. This time, the Watch Captain\u2019s sigh was loud and unhappy.<\/p>\n \u201cFine.<\/em> Stop using your aura, Miss Solstice. I\u2019ll try to gloss over that fact with the Assembly of Crafts. The Gold-rank team here does help. If I can claim them as security\u2014I don\u2019t suppose you pay them to guard your inn? Even a copper coin or two would help justify it as\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He gestured helplessly at the paperwork. Erin shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNope, sorry. But I do have an Antinium Worker with a bow on the roof of my inn. That\u2019s good security, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n Venim covered his face with his claws. Zevara patted him on the back.<\/p>\n \u201cAntinium. Oh, that\u2019s just what I need to convince them. Well, I\u2019ll do my best. I\u2019m leaving before you tell me you breed Shield Spiders as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin watched the Watch Captain go through the doorway. It was dark in Pallass too, although there was no rain in the Walled City. She saw Venim talk to a few figures down the alleyway, nod at her, and close the door. She plucked the mana stone from the door as soon as it was closed.<\/p>\n There was silence in the inn. Erin turned and saw Watch Captain Zevara stretching out her arms and rubbing at the spines on her neck. She looked tired.<\/p>\n \u201cThink it\u2019ll work?\u201d<\/p>\n The Watch Captain looked up. Zevara shrugged, tired but slightly hopeful.<\/p>\n \u201cIt should. Pallass\u2019 Assembly of Crafts may be arrogant, but they\u2019re not fools if they\u2019re in charge of a Walled City. I think. Those Goblins throw a bit of a problem into the mix, though. If you\u2019d just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She trailed off, shaking her head in resignation. Erin looked around her inn. Yes, her Goblins. The reason why her inn was deserted rather than filled with bodies. And it would have had some business, even this late at night, if Erin had been open. Her inn had been\u2014had begun to be\u2014known as a place with good cooking, interesting events, friendly service, and magic dishes. It had been popular.<\/p>\n But she\u2019d opened her doors to Goblins and so she was a monster. Maybe it was because of the Goblin Lord. Or because they were Hobs. Probably it was both. Either way, her Goblins had driven away business.<\/p>\n Her Goblins. As if she owned them. And Venim thought they might be a security risk? Erin shook her head. The Redfang Warriors stayed out of sight, living in the basement, rarely using the outhouse\u2014being as unobtrusive as possible. They were trying<\/em>. Even now, they were below, and Erin wondered how long they\u2019d been cooped up in the basement.<\/p>\n She looked towards the trap door leading to the basement. It was dark in her inn with the fire burning low. Still, Erin could spot the trap door shift<\/em> a tiny bit downwards as she stared. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips quirked upwards.<\/p>\n Zevara hadn\u2019t noticed. The Watch Captain was staring at her empty mug. When Erin turned to her, she stood up.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for the drinks. Here\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She fished around in her money bag, but Erin waved it away.<\/p>\n \u201cYou already spent four gold coins. That\u2019s a lot. Drinks are on the house.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n Awkwardly, the female Drake nodded at Erin. She stood in the inn, and Erin fidgeted. It was funny, well, sort of. Erin and Zevara had only ever really met when Erin was in trouble, and their encounters had generally been one or both sides shouting at the other.<\/p>\n \u201cLots of rain today.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin coughed and commented weakly. Zevara blinked and seemed to take in the rain for the first time. She scowled, her expression sharpening unexpectedly.<\/p>\n \u201cRain? Damn, I hadn\u2019t noticed. Did it start after I arrived here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. Oops, you don\u2019t have an umbrella, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA what? Oh, you mean a parasol? Why would I need one of those? I\u2019m hardly a [Lady] or pampered noble\u2014I have an oiled cloak, or I would if I\u2019d thought ahead. I\u2019ll run for it. It\u2019s just water.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara grimaced. She cocked her head, listening to the sound of the rain drumming on the inn\u2019s roof.<\/p>\n \u201cIt always sneaks up so quickly. Between the dungeon and the Goblin Lord, we haven\u2019t been preparing at all. I\u2019ll have to rouse the Watch and check the walls\u2026couldn\u2019t this have waited another week?\u201d<\/p>\n She groused. Erin didn\u2019t really understand.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s the problem? It\u2019s just rain?\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara turned, clearly annoyed, and paused as she considered Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve never been here during the spring, have you, Solstice?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026no. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n Bemused, Erin watched as Zevara groaned and covered her forehead.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one told you what happens during the rainy season? Ever? Ancestors, well, at least you\u2019re in the right place. If you were living in one of the valleys, it would be a disaster. And your inn is<\/em> Antinium-built. They know what needs to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded at the walls of the inn. Erin stared at them. Had the Antinium done something to them? What happened when it rained?<\/p>\n \u201cLook, I need to be up with the dawn, and I can\u2019t explain it now. Ask Klbkch or Relc or anyone from Liscor what the rains mean. And keep your Goblins in the basement. They haven\u2019t caused trouble so far, which means I haven\u2019t had to do more than warn people not to go to your inn and cause trouble. So long as they\u2019re hidden, people should tolerate them.\u201d<\/p>\n The Watch Captain strode to the door, adjusting her armor and peering out at the rain and cursing. Erin, who had still been wondering about this mysterious rain phenomenon, frowned suddenly.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean, keep them out of sight?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExactly what I said, Human. Out of sight, in the basement. That\u2019s sensible of you. No one wants to see Goblins right now. Not after General Shivertail. The last thing I need is a mob attacking your inn to get rid of the monsters.\u201d<\/p>\n Monsters. Erin frowned at Zevara. It was late, she knew, and she was grumpy. But she looked over her shoulder at the trap door to her basement and knew she couldn\u2019t let that go.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re not monsters. They\u2019re people who think. That\u2019s the point.\u201d<\/p>\n The Watch Captain stopped, her back towards Erin. Her posture said she didn\u2019t want to have this conversation, but she replied anyways.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you say so. Just keep them out of sight. If not\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? You\u2019ll be leading the mob?\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara turned, her eyes flashing. She stared hard at Erin. Did a bit of smoke escape her mouth? It was quickly lost in the rain.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. But I won\u2019t be able to protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n She turned and strode out of the inn, disappearing into the rain before Erin could reply. Disgruntled, Erin mumbled into the sudden silence.<\/p>\n \u201cYou never did.\u201d<\/p>\n Annoyed, Erin cleared the table of mugs and scrubbed at a beer stain. Keep her Goblins below? The nerve of Zevara! Never mind that her words made sense. But they only made sense if you thought of Goblins as monsters or animals. People shouldn\u2019t be confined! They shouldn\u2019t be\u2014<\/p>\n Erin passed by her basement and paused. They shouldn\u2019t be locked up. But then, was she the problem to begin with?<\/p>\n Slowly, she set down the mugs in the kitchen and walked back to the trap door. It was shut, but that didn\u2019t fool Erin. She lifted up the handle and peered into the basement.<\/p>\n It was dark below. Nearly pitch-black. Erin knew there was a lantern down there\u2014four, actually\u2014but the Goblins appeared to be asleep. She heard a few loud snores. Erin rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI know you heard all that. You were listening, weren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n The snores paused and then went on, a tad unconvincingly. Erin sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cI know you\u2019re awake. Look, I think Zevara\u2019s right and wrong. It is dangerous, but I didn\u2019t say you should stay below. I just thought\u2014hey, you are<\/em> awake, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n She stopped uncertainly. The snoring stopped, and a head appeared out of the darkness, alarmingly close. Headscratcher had been standing on the ladder<\/em> the entire time! Erin yelped in surprise and instinctively slapped him on the face with an open palm.<\/p>\n \u201cGah!<\/em> Wait, sorry!\u201d<\/p>\n Headscratcher yelped and tumbled backwards. Erin heard Goblins exclaiming in alarm, the sound of a thud,<\/em> and annoyed Goblin voices. She winced and peered into the darkness below.<\/p>\n \u201cOops. You surprised me. I\u2019m really sorry about that. It was an accident, I swear!\u201d<\/p>\n In the darkness, five pairs of crimson eyes stared up at her. Erin shivered just a bit.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry. Look, I know I told you to stay in the basement but\u2014come up tomorrow, okay? This is where I wanted you to sleep. It\u2019s not a prison.\u201d<\/p>\n She paused, that thought striking her as important. The Redfang Goblins stared up at Erin, their faces unreadable in the darkness. Erin crouched on the top of the ladder, wondering if she should go down. In the end, she spoke into the darkness as the rain fell overhead.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not prisoners. I mean that. If you want to leave, to find Rags or do something else\u2026you can go. I\u2019ll give you food if you need it. But I think it might be safer here. And if it is\u2014if you think you want to stay despite the risk, I will shelter you. I promise. And tomorrow\u2026tomorrow we\u2019ll see about getting you rooms on the third floor.\u201d<\/p>\n The Hobs started slightly in surprise. Erin nodded. Keep them below? <\/em>That was such a wrong<\/em> concept to her.<\/p>\n \u201cI should have done this from the start. It was fine to keep Pisces in the basement, but you? I have tons of rooms. And if you\u2019re going to stay here, it\u2019s going to be as guests, not as hidden monsters<\/em>. I\u2019m not ashamed that you\u2019re here, and you shouldn\u2019t be either.\u201d<\/p>\n Five sets of crimson eyes. One blinked. Erin saw a Hob move his head, do something in the darkness. Wipe his eyes? The rest just looked at her. The [Innkeeper]\u2019s voice was low as she spoke to the Hobs, her back framed by the dim firelight.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with being a Goblin. I told you that, didn\u2019t I? You\u2019re people. Not monsters. Humans can be monsters and Goblins can too. But we\u2019re not all monsters. We\u2019re people. And people don\u2019t live underground or in caves.\u201d<\/p>\n She paused.<\/p>\n \u201cUnless they\u2019re Hobbits. Um. Talk to you tomorrow!\u201d<\/p>\n She waved at the Goblins. Two waved back. Erin shut the door and turned away, feeling embarrassed. She had the distinct impression the Goblins had begun talking amongst themselves the instant she closed the trap door.<\/p>\n She hoped they weren\u2019t laughing at her. But she had said what she believed. That was important. Erin stumbled back to her bed, tired, knowing she\u2019d have to get up soon. She pulled some blankets over her body, punched a pillow, and tossed and turned as the rain fell.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s see. Pallass jerks\u2026Jelaqua\u2026Calruz and the Horns of Hammerad\u2026Goblins\u2026and no money. That\u2019s enough for one plate. Maybe two. Now how do I make everything fit together?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin thrashed about for a while, her mind racing, running into obstacles, backtracking. So many problems. There were always<\/em> problems, but there were always solutions, too. She thought about money and her friends and the Goblins until something clicked. Erin sat up suddenly and snapped her fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cHmm. That might work!\u201d<\/p>\n Then she immediately fell backwards, pulled the blankets over her head, and went to sleep in relief.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Rain fell across Liscor and the grasslands. Rain, a shimmering, endless downpour of droplets, hitting the ground millions of times each second. It was a hypnotic sight if you weren\u2019t out in the middle of it, a beautiful display of nature to be seen by all.<\/p>\n Bird sat in his watchtower and felt a spray of wet, cold droplets smack him in the face. He wiped at the wetness but then the wind shifted and blew a squall of rain right over him. He hunched his shoulders as the rain blew diagonally, pattering off the roof of his watchtower and his body.<\/p>\n It was wet. He was cold. But Bird was still happy. True, it was raining, and, true, he had been rained on for the last four hours. But he wasn\u2019t dead. It was important to keep things in perspective. Bird felt lucky and privileged to be here, and he tried to be grateful. He wasn\u2019t dead, he was allowed to hunt birds and sit up in his own personal watchtower\u2014he even had his own private quarters!<\/p>\n Bird had the room closest to the staircase leading up to the watchtower. It was a nice room. And it was his. He used to have a bed, but he\u2019d never slept on it, so Miss Erin had taken it away.<\/p>\n Antinium couldn\u2019t sleep on beds. The round shells on their backs made it too difficult since they would rock back and forth or just lie uncomfortably. Perhaps Revalantor Klbkch could do it with his altered, slimmer form, but Bird had given up after five minutes of lying on the bed and wondering what was supposed to happen.<\/p>\n When it became apparent that Bird couldn\u2019t sleep on his bed like most other species, Erin had come up with a solution. She\u2019d created a stack of blankets and pillows that formed what she called a \u2018cubbyhole\u2019 similar to the alcoves Bird used to sleep in in the Worker\u2019s barracks.<\/p>\n However, this sleeping space was so soft and luxurious that Bird was afraid to sleep in it and spent most nights with his back against a wall. It still got a good deal of use; Mrsha had been captivated by the idea of pillow forts and often curled up inside Bird\u2019s bed for naps.<\/p>\n And Bird didn\u2019t need to sleep much. He liked being up at night. It was his duty, of course\u2014he\u2019d chased off a few Drakes yesterday by shooting arrows at their feet when they approached the inn just past midnight. But Bird didn\u2019t mind the late hours. Owls came out at night, and if he waited long enough, it would be dawn and birds would be singing and flying about. Perfect targets for an alert Antinium [Hunter].<\/p>\n Of course, it was raining so there would be no birds. The Antinium Worker thought about this and still felt happy. Birds might not fly in the rain because it was wet, but only if they had feathers.<\/em> What if there were other types of birds he had yet to hunt? His mind raced with the possibilities as the rain pelted him from all angles. Bird was oblivious to it as he thought.<\/p>\n Were there fish birds? Birds that could fly in the rain? Maybe birds above the clouds? Bird looked up and felt happy. The world was a wonderful place! When you didn\u2019t know what it contained, everything was new and fresh. And Bird was completely ignorant. Thus, he sat in his small watchtower as water sprayed him and the rain pounded down. He ignored it all, his crude hand-made bow in hand. It wouldn\u2019t do to get the lovely bow Erin had given him wet, after all. He sang a tiny tune as he searched the pouring landscape.<\/p>\n \u201cI am Bird. I am wet. It is raining. I am wet. Drip, drip, I am Bird\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBird!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The Antinium turned as someone shouted his name. He looked down the stairs and saw a young Human woman shielding her face as the rain pelted her from above.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, hello, Miss Lyonette.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Barmaid] shouted something at Bird, looking upset. He was alert instantly, wondering if a monster or other danger had come through the door. Erin had told him to watch for threats outside the inn, but Bird was aware that having a magic portal door was a security risk. He did<\/em> take his job seriously. But that didn\u2019t seem to be the problem here!<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026door!<\/em> Come\u2026drenched\u2026here!\u201d<\/p>\n He could only hear a few words over the pounding of the rain. But Lyonette was waving, so Bird followed her down the slippery steps into the inn. It was very wet. He observed the floorboards were quite wet and the wet had gone into several rooms and down much of the third floor. Hm. He turned to Lyonette as she wiped her face with a towel.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is the problem, Miss Lyonette? It is quite wet outside. And in here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Bird. It is! That\u2019s a problem. And do you know why<\/em> it\u2019s so wet?\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette glared at Bird. The Worker tilted his head. A problem. He had never been good at solving problems. He had liked chess well enough, but he had never taken to it as a [Tactician] like Anand and Belgrade had. Erin had called his games the \u2018weirdest games she\u2019d ever played\u2019 though, which Bird had taken as a compliment.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is wet because it is raining, Miss Lyonette.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. It is. But why is it wet inside<\/em>, Bird?\u201d<\/p>\n Bird looked around. Wet, wet\u2026why was it wet inside? Because there was a hole? No, the inn was sturdy and waterproof. So why was there wet on the third floor? He noticed the water moving slightly and looked behind him. Water was running down the steps leading up to the tower. His tower. Bird\u2019s mandibles opened wide as he realized the issue.<\/p>\n \u201cI forgot to close the door.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou forgot to close the door.\u201d<\/p>\n Rainwater had spilled into the inn from Bird\u2019s watchtower above. The Antinium stared at the flooded third floor with interest. Mrsha galloped through the giant puddle, splattering water everywhere. Above her, Apista flew away from the water droplets in alarm. Lyonette sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, I guess I was waking up in an hour anyways. Let\u2019s get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am deeply sorry. I will assist you with cleaning and return to guarding above.\u201d<\/p>\n Bird lowered his mandibles, ashamed. Lyonette shook her head, looking only slightly put out.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fine, Bird, really. Just don\u2019t forget again. And you don\u2019t have to go above. I\u2019m sure Erin would want you inside and out of the rain.\u201d<\/p>\n Bird protested mildly as Lyonette ordered Mrsha to grab more towels.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I must guard. And I have permission to hunt. I am waiting for fish-birds to come out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFish birds? Bird, there are no fish birds.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2026aren\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette paused, staring into the Worker\u2019s downcast face. She hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, well, I\u2019m not certain. Why not? I\u2019m sure there are birds that go out in the rain. Actually, I lied. There are most definitely fish birds, Bird.\u201d<\/p>\n The Worker nodded happily, faith restored in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew it.\u201d<\/p>\n Life was good for Bird. He was especially happy Revalantor Klbkch had ordered him not to kill the Hobs just yet. Bird had kept an eye on them every night, under strict orders from his Hive, and he wasn\u2019t sure he could kill them, even if he ambushed them. It was good to be peaceful. No one should die.<\/p>\n Except birds, of course.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Erin woke up to the sound of rain. She woke up slightly later than usual, which meant dawn was just breaking as she got up and blearily stumbled around the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cGhrmph. Rain, raining all the time. Gonna be a pain going to Liscor. Where\u2019s breakfast? Right, right\u2026gotta find Lyonette. Lyonette?\u201d<\/p>\n She walked out into the common room, but Lyonette was uncharacteristically not already awake. Erin hesitated, not wanting to wake her up, and then she heard the sounds from above. They were faint, but, as Erin ascended to the second floor and stared past the rooms reserved for the Horns of Hammerad and the Halfseekers, she heard the noises coming from the second stairwell heading to the third floor.<\/p>\n \u201cSinging?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin tiptoed up and saw a strange sight. It was Lyonette kneeling on the ground, mopping up water with a towel as Bird did the same. Mrsha and Apista were frolicking around, getting water everywhere as they played catch. They were making the mess worse, but Lyonette wasn\u2019t scolding Mrsha. Instead, she and Bird were singing!<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s raining, it\u2019s raining, water\u2019s on the floor, Mrsha at the door, it\u2019s raining, it\u2019s raining\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDrip, drip, drip.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette was singing a silly made-up song as Mrsha rolled past her, her fur dripping. Bird, wiping the floor with a towel, softly sang as well. He was just singing \u2018drip\u2019, but it melded together with Lyonette\u2019s singing in a wonderful way.<\/p>\n Erin stood watching Lyonette and Bird singing the silly song as Mrsha rolled about, a smile on her face. Only when the Worker and [Barmaid] had cleaned up most of the water did she cough.<\/p>\n \u201cErin!\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette spun around, looking embarrassed. Erin smiled at her and at Mrsha as the Gnoll galloped up to her. She caught Mrsha before she could shake herself.<\/p>\n \u201cAh! No shaking, Mrsha. You get a nice warm towel instead. Lyonette, thanks for doing that. How\u2019d the rain get in? Bird\u2019s door?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my fault. I am entirely to blame. I will accept all punishments necessary, or my termination.\u201d<\/p>\n Bird stood to attention. Erin frowned at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not getting fired, Bird. It was a mistake! I\u2019d never fire you for that.\u201d<\/p>\n Bird visibly relaxed.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Does that mean I can do it again?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette and Erin spoke at once. Bird nodded agreeably and stared at Apista as the Ashfire Bee hid behind Mrsha. Erin beckoned Lyonette over.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry I didn\u2019t start getting breakfast ready, Erin. It was just\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you\u2019re cool. It was better you did this, actually. I\u2019m going to move the Redfang Goblins up here today.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Goblins? But\u2014well, okay. If you think so.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette looked dubious, but she nodded anyways. She had changed so much! The fact that she was willing to let the Goblins stay under the same roof as her was more than most Humans were willing to do. Erin intended to change that. She shifted, aware her second piece of news for the day wasn\u2019t going to be taken with the same level of grace.<\/p>\n \u201cI, uh, had Watch Captain Zevara and that Drake guy from Pallass over last night, Lyonette. Looks like we might get to open the portal to Pallass after all. There\u2019s a lot of political stuff going on, but I think I managed to get it sorted. So there won\u2019t be Drake [Soldiers] from Pallass marching in to take the door away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat was going to happen? I mean, I\u2019d believe it but\u2014good job.\u201d<\/p>\n The runaway [Princess] looked relieved. Erin chewed her lip.<\/p>\n \u201cTiny<\/em> problem, though\u2026I had to pay to register the inn, and the price was eighteen gold coins.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEighteen?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette looked horrified. Erin nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI took them out of the safe. It\u2019s, uh\u2026well, I took a look at what we had left. What do you think? How long do we have?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin was hoping that Lyonette had put some of the inn\u2019s coin somewhere else or had more on her. The young woman\u2019s face said it all. Lyonette counted in her head, doing the same math that Erin had agonized over last night. When she was done, she shook her head gloomily.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough coin for a week. Not much more, even if we cut back on buying food and supplies\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll get us more.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin rested a hand on Lyonette\u2019s shoulder and smiled reassuringly. The [Barmaid] looked uncertain, but Erin grinned at her.<\/p>\n \u201cMoney\u2019s not a problem, Lyonette. I have a few tricks up my sleeves. And more in my pockets. And one under my pillow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah! Okay, I have two good ideas. Three if I use my backup plan. I think they\u2019ll all work. I just need to go into the city and, uh, make a few deals. If I help serve breakfast, can you manage\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLeave it to me. I\u2019ll get the Goblins settled. Drassi and Ishkr aren\u2019t coming today, and I think the Horns of Hammerad are going out on a long trip today. So are the Halfseekers, so it\u2019ll just be Bird, Mrsha, and the Goblins to feed for lunch. Do what you need to do, Erin.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled in relief.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re the best. Alright, breakfast is waffles! Hey Mrsha, don\u2019t run down the stairs! Oh well.\u201d<\/p>\n She grinned as the white Gnoll raced down to the common room. Then she paused, and both she and Lyonette turned. The sound of rainfall, muted but always present, had intensified suddenly.<\/p>\n They stared towards the stairs leading up. Bird paused as the rain pelted him, about to climb back up to the tower. He stared at the water already trickling down the stairs.<\/p>\n \u201cAh. Oops.\u201d<\/p>\n He closed the door swiftly. Erin shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s<\/em> a design flaw. But I guess we can put a towel rack there and get Bird to clean up every time he goes in and out. Speaking of which\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She looked out one of her glass windows at the rain. It was coming down hard, obscuring the landscape. Already, it had washed the last of the snow away, so all Erin saw was green grass and brown mud, both dark as the rain drummed on her windows. She turned to Lyonette, rueful.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t suppose you know where I could get an umbrella?\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette looked blank.<\/p>\n \u201cA what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDarn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Umbrellas. Umbrellas were an invention that did not<\/em> exist in the medieval era, or at least, not in this one. True, it was good to keep rain off one\u2019s face, but with an umbrella? They required a lot of careful stitching, long flexible joints that required delicate wood or metalworking, and were, in general, a tool for the nobility to use. A [Lady] might have a parasol or, rather, have a servant follow her around with one, but everyone else just used cloaks. After all, they were warm, didn\u2019t need to be carried in either hand, and didn\u2019t break.<\/p>\n Erin ran with an oiled cloak over her head towards Liscor, screaming as rainwater trickled onto her clothing and mud splashed around her boots.<\/p>\n \u201cI hate cloaks! I hate cloaks! I hate cloaks!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Not that an umbrella would have helped much either. The rain was coming down fiercely, and the guards on the walls looked miserable to Erin. The one at the western gate was at least sheltered from the rain. She waved Erin through, and the young woman dashed into the streets of Liscor.<\/p>\n And slipped. The wet cobblestones were slippery and Erin had been running to get to Liscor in time. Erin fell, got tangled up in her cloak, and after a brief moment where she just sat in the middle of the wet street with water pouring over her head, got up, and marched through the streets, grumbling about ceilings.<\/p>\n \u201cHow hard would it be to put a ceiling over a city? It\u2019s got walls, just put a dome over it! Okay, you can\u2019t see if that happens\u2014how about a glass dome? That\u2019s a lot of glass. A magic dome? I bet Pallass has a fancy magic dome. What about a subway? Now that\u2019s <\/em>useful technology!\u201d<\/p>\n The streets were mostly empty, despite the usual morning press. No one wanted to be out in the rain. The Drakes looked gloomy and ill-tempered, if not quite so depressed as the days before. The Gnolls looked perfectly miserable. Erin splashed down the streets, appreciating that Liscor at least had sewers to carry away the runoff as she marched further into the city. It was a wet, miserable day.<\/p>\n But only if you let it be. Erin was determined to make today work. She\u2019d left the inn with Lyonette already showing the Redfang Warriors their new rooms. Now Erin headed towards one spot in the city devoid of rain.<\/p>\n The Antinium Hive. The passage down into the Hive was exposed to the surface, but there was some kind of water flow system in place such that, as Erin descended into the darkness, the water coming down from above was sucked into the earth. A few steps out of the rain and the Hive\u2019s walls were wonderfully dry underfoot. Erin let herself drip for a while as she stared around the entrance.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t hard to enter the Hive of the Free Antinium. Just go down a few steps into the darkness and you were in a tunnel. Now, Erin had never actually gone into the Hive by herself, but she had gotten permission from Klbkch to enter a week ago for story time with the Antinium. So she could enter. Right?<\/p>\n There didn\u2019t seem to be any guards, just a long tunnel sloping downwards. It was large enough for eight Erins to walk abreast and made Erin feel small as she marched into the Hive.<\/p>\n \u201cJust gonna see a few friends. Nothing wrong about that, right? No one mind me, just a Human coming in out of the rain. Just gonna\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin got five steps when her [Dangersense] went off like a siren in her head. She froze as the empty tunnel suddenly filled. Sixteen <\/em>Soldiers stepped out of hidden alcoves, fists raised, bodies tense and lowered, ready to charge. The young woman froze, eyes wide, staring at the Soldiers on every side.<\/p>\n \u201cUh oh. Um. Hi?\u201d<\/p>\n The Soldiers said nothing. These weren\u2019t the Painted Soldiers that Pawn led but regular Soldiers. On guard duty. Erin was afraid to breathe, seeing the Soldiers clenching their fists, imagining what would happen if one of them punched her. She squeaked, trying to both speak fast and not do anything as provocative as breathing.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m, uh, Erin! Erin Solstice! I have permission from your boss to be here! Klbkch? He said it was alright! Okay, he said I could enter this one time and so I thought I could do it again. I didn\u2019t mean to intrude. I\u2019ll totally leave if you\u2019re all, uh, busy.\u201d<\/p>\n The Soldiers made no move. One of them, the one in front of Erin, hesitated just a fraction. He stepped closer to her, and she shrank as she stared up at him. He had very long mandibles, perfect for tearing flesh. Not that she thought of the Antinium like that! They were people too, just like Goblins!<\/p>\n And people killed people quite often. The Soldier studied Erin, fists still raised. She tried to smile up at him.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, this is a bad time? Okay then, I don\u2019t want to bother you. I can see when I\u2019m getting in the way, so I\u2019ll just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She was about to edge away when the Soldier suddenly nodded and turned away abruptly. He didn\u2019t signal, but the other Soldiers instantly lowered their fists and stepped back towards their alcoves. Erin stared at the Soldier as he walked away from her, no longer paying any attention to her whatsoever.<\/p>\n She had the distinct impression he\u2019d just recognized her as Erin Solstice, not some random Human who\u2019d wandered down here by accident. She wondered what would have happened if he\u2019d decided she was someone else, and resolved never to enter the Hive without Pawn, Klbkch, or another Antinium with her.<\/p>\n But now she was in the Hive, it was too late to go back. Or, at least, so Erin told herself as she walked down the wide tunnel into the darkness. She\u2019d been here once, after all! She\u2019d just find one of the Workers she knew, have a quick word, and be off. She could have sent Bird, of course, but she was worried he might miscommunicate. He was a silly Worker sometimes. And how hard could it be? It wasn\u2019t like\u2014<\/p>\n Whatever ironic thought Erin was about to have was cut off as she entered into the Hive\u2019s main corridors. The tunnel around Erin turned abruptly and there they were. Antinium. Hundreds of them, marching down a huge tunnel, turning into side passages that sloped upwards or downwards, huge currents of Workers and Soldiers moving in every direction.<\/p>\n The Antinium had no railing to divide the flow of traffic, but the brown-black shapes moved smoothly and without pause, following an invisible line such that the Antinium were able to all move through the massive corridor at once, not having to pause or wait in line at all. They moved in complete silence, so that the only sound in the massive room was the shuffling of feet.<\/p>\n It was hypnotic, terrifying, and completely alien. Erin stared for one entire second and then sneezed. It was unintentional. The noise cut through the room like a gunshot.<\/p>\n The Antinium stopped <\/em>as one. Every head in the vast corridor turned to Erin immediately. She froze and then raised a hand. The Antinium stared at her in complete silence. The [Innkeeper] gulped and then put on her best smile.<\/p>\n \u201cHey.\u201d<\/p>\n The Workers and Soldiers stared at her. Erin waved weakly. Her voice quavered a bit.<\/p>\n \u201cUh, sorry to intrude. I\u2019m just, uh\u2014I, uh\u2014do any of you know where, um, Pawn is? Anand? Belgrade? Klbkch?\u201d<\/p>\n The Antinium stared at her. Erin hesitated. Then as one they turned and pointed. Erin stared at the tunnel they\u2019d indicated and saw the Workers nearest to her make way.<\/p>\n \u201cOh? Am I supposed to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n They stared at her. Erin gingerly edged forwards and walked through the gap the Workers had created. The Antinium watched her go, silent, staring at the Human in their tunnels. Vibrant, colorful, alive<\/em>. They heard her voice as she navigated down the tunnels, echoing back at them.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, sorry. Oops\u2014this way, right? Thank you. Okay, I\u2019m going\u2014wow, it\u2019s dark in here. Sorry, I know you\u2019re probably in a hurry, right? I don\u2019t want to get in the way, you can keep walking or doing whatever you\u2014oh boy, Klbkch is going to be so<\/em> mad at me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSo, uh, hi.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stood in front of Anand and Belgrade. They\u2019d met her in one of the tunnels; well, practically ran her over, in point of fact. They\u2019d swiftly escorted her into a side room, mainly to end the Hive-wide traffic jam. Now they sat around a small table with a chess board on top of it.<\/p>\n This was Anand and Belgrade\u2019s personal strategy room. It had some maps of the Hive, a real chess board, one of Erin\u2019s improvised Go boards, and some pieces of parchment and a quill and ink. Erin stared around the small room, seeing the spot where Belgrade had hurriedly rolled up all the maps of the Hive and stuffed them away. Military secrets, she supposed. She glanced at the Workers again. They hadn\u2019t responded to her greeting.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not like I meant<\/em> to cause a holdup. I kept telling the other Antinium to keep going without me. And I, uh, thought I could just sort of wander about and find one of you guys. You know, casually?\u201d<\/p>\n She peered hopefully at them. Belgrade and Anand shared a look. Belgrade was the first to speak.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are lucky you were not killed within seconds of entering the Hive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared at Belgrade.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I wasn\u2019t. I thought I had permission.\u201d<\/p>\n The Worker nodded slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. But your exact description was not passed to the Soldiers on duty. It is extremely fortunate they either recognized you from previous encounters, or believed your self-identification.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh. Well, that\u2019s good. I, uh\u2014killed?\u201d<\/p>\n Belgrade nodded. Erin gulped.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, well, I\u2019m not doing that again. I thought<\/em>\u2014did you guys know I was looking for you?\u201d<\/p>\n Anand shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were investigating the disturbance. When you entered the Hive, all flows of traffic halted, which immediately warranted our attention. I have never seen the Hive simply\u2014stop like that before.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin winced. She fiddled with a bishop on the chess board. Anand stared at her for another beat and then seemed to become more alert.<\/p>\n \u201cThis incident was surprising, to say the least, but minor. Miss Erin, I believe your intrusion has resulted in the best results possible, especially given all the outcomes. The Hive was not unduly affected by your presence, and I must believe it is warranted by some need. How can Belgrade and I help you? Or is it Pawn or Revalantor Klbkch you seek?\u201d<\/p>\n He waited expectantly. By his side, Belgrade folded his hands\u2014all four of them. Erin looked relieved and pondered how best to start.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, okay. To begin with\u2026did you know it\u2019s raining?\u201d<\/p>\n The two Workers exchanged a glance. Anand shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cWe did not, Miss Erin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Well, it is. Just thought you should know. You see, Zevara\u2014you know, the angry Drake Watch Captain lady? She said it\u2019s the beginning of the rainy season in Liscor, and I thought\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin got no further because, at her words, Belgrade suddenly tensed up. His mandibles opened, and he shuddered.<\/p>\n \u201cRainy season? It has begun already? Oh no. Oh no.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Belgrade\u2019s arms folded around himself. He began to rock back and forth in his seat. Two of his arms gripped the table, and he started repeating the words anxiously.<\/p>\n \u201cOh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBelgrade?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked at him, alarmed. Anand put a hand on Belgrade\u2019s shoulders, and the Worker stopped rocking, although he kept repeating the same words. Anand was apologetic as he clicked his mandibles together gently.<\/p>\n \u201cYou will have to forgive Belgrade, Miss Erin. He does not do well during this time of the year. He nearly drowned, two years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. I\u2019m so sorry, Belgrade. That\u2019s terrib\u2014wait, how can you drown<\/em> underground?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe water, the rushing water. The walls breaking, the water\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Belgrade shivered. Anand raised one hand as the other three patted his friend on the shoulder. He pointed to the dirt walls of the Hive around them.<\/p>\n \u201cThis season is problematic for the Antinium, Miss Erin. We do our best to ensure the integrity of the Hive, but accidents happen. Water can burst through the tunnels, and it is particularly dangerous to us when it does, given our inability to swim. Belgrade only survived by holding his breath until the water could be drained from the tunnel he was trapped in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat makes sense. But all that water comes from above?<\/em> It\u2019s just rain. There\u2019s not that much water. Unless the rivers overflow?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared blankly at the two Workers. They exchanged a look.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe your knowledge of what occurs during this part of the year is\u2026incomplete, Miss Erin. I would elaborate, but I fear that I do not know what occurs aboveground during this period of time. The Antinium do not go above the surface in the first two months of spring.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe water.\u201d<\/p>\n Belgrade whispered the words. Erin stared at him, leaned back in her seat, and shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, I think I\u2019ll have to ask Klbkch about this. Or Selys. I\u2019m going to see her next.\u201d<\/p>\n Anand nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThat would be wise. They no doubt have a more coherent explanation than we. But did you need to see us specifically, Miss Erin? Revalantor Klbkch will doubtless be busy with his duties.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin paused. Why was<\/em> she down here again?<\/p>\n \u201cOh, right. I have a proposition for you two. Look, my inn\u2019s in a tight place but I have this idea, see\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She explained briefly to Anand and Belgrade. Both Workers nodded, intrigued by her idea. Belgrade stopped rocking long enough to give his opinion.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can do this for a few more days. At least before the water<\/em> rises. Tonight we will come.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled, relieved. She got up, and the two Workers did likewise.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d love to play a few games, but I have to see Selys next. You said Klbkch is busy, right? Well, I\u2019ll ask Selys about this rain thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. We shall escort you to the surface to reduce delays.\u201d<\/p>\n Anand and Belgrade got up. The Workers flanked Erin as she exited the tunnels. Anand shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cI do apologize that we could not inform you of the events surrounding the rainfall, Miss Erin. But most Antinium understand little of the world around us. Belgrade and I are privy to some of the Hive\u2019s knowledge, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Erin smiled at him as they walked. This time the Workers and Soldiers kept moving, although she sensed them peeking at her.<\/p>\n \u201cNo problem, Anand. I totally get it. Your experience is different than mine. But Liscor changes a lot this month, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n The Worker nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed. Travel is almost virtually eliminated, the city stockpiles what resources it has, the price of food goes up, the price of wood rises\u2014and of course the Antinium earn a small income as we help construct some of the maritime industry\u2019s fishing craft. We could sell you a boat quite cheaply, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Cool! I always wanted a\u2014wait, what did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Water.<\/em> It was such a simple thing. A necessity to survive, and yet, for some, the idea of water was terrifying. The Antinium could not swim. It was one of their critical weaknesses, and, as such, the Hive of the Free Antinium was filled with activity as the rain fell on the ground above.<\/p>\n Klbkch, Revalantor of the Free Antinium, strode through the tunnels of his Hive, teams of Workers following him by the hundreds. He walked through each tunnel, Workers breaking off to check each part of the walls, tapping and listening to make sure that there were no faults or other weaknesses a thousand tonnes of water might exploit. Any cracks were repaired, any suspect tunnels sealed off. There were many, many <\/em>drainage tunnels within the Hive, designed to carry off water should it flood, but if it came to that, Antinium would die.<\/p>\n And Klbkch found himself caring more about the loss of a Worker or Soldier\u2019s life than he had in the past. Perhaps it was because some of them were Individual and thus a precious resource that could not be so easily reacquired. Or perhaps it was the shorter Worker following behind him, anxiously watching as Klbkch directed flows of Workers.<\/p>\n \u201cThat tunnel is faulty. Seal it off completely. Fill it with dirt and pack it\u2014I will return later to inspect the area. Forty Workers will go to inspect the dungeon entrances with the others. We must not allow those areas to flood.\u201d<\/p>\n Workers moved as ordered. Pawn moved to one side as they marched past him. He stared at Klbkch as the Revalantor looked around the tunnel.<\/p>\n \u201cRevalantor, how can my Painted Antinium assist with this process?\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch paused. He had to think of the Painted Antinium and Pawn as a separate force within the Hive. One that needed orders, that could not simply be ordered to wait indefinitely. He nodded to Pawn after a moment\u2019s delay.<\/p>\n \u201cTake the Soldiers not wounded or on combat rotation and assist with filling in the tunnels I have specified. If you finish with that task, report to Anand or Belgrade. They will take over the inspection of the Hive while I return to my duties in Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n The Revalantor clicked his mandibles impatiently. He had no watch, but his internal clock was flawless.<\/p>\n \u201cI have Watch duty in fifteen minutes. Anand and Belgrade have my permission to act with all the authority required to reinforce the Hive. If they have doubts, I will return tonight to inspect the Hive once more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will tell them that, Revalantor.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch nodded and strode through the tunnels, towards the surface. It was a relief to have Anand and Belgrade in the Hive. He hadn\u2019t realized it, but having the two [Tacticians] present meant he could delegate much of the responsibility that usually fell to him or his Queen. And she had kept to her quarters recently, working on some private project, leaving the Hive entirely to him. It felt harder, some years. He hadn\u2019t expected the rain to come so soon, but he should have predicted it\u2026<\/p>\n Was he getting old? Was this the degradation that came with age that Xrn had told him about? Dementia did not affect the Antinium, but perhaps Klbkch, who had lived and been reborn countless times, was an exception. Maybe he was getting old, because sometimes he felt tired\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Klbkch sighed as he strode out of the Hive and marched down the streets. He moved quickly as the rain pelted him, nodding to Drakes and Gnolls on the streets. Within five minutes, he was at the Watch barracks and putting on his [Guardsman]\u2019s armor. He was ready for duty within two minutes and marching out the door after having signed the roster sheets in the next minute.<\/p>\n Yes, he was getting old. But there was hope. Klbkch clung to that thought. There was hope. He just had to hang on a little bit longer. And then the world would change. The Grand Queen would change it, or Xrn, or perhaps\u2026<\/p>\n Klbkch\u2019s eyes caught a young woman he recognized hurrying down the street. She\u2019d just come out of a tunnel in the ground. He stared. Had Erin been in<\/em> the Hive? No, surely she had just been\u2026he watched her go, his mind blanking for a second. His mandibles opened unconsciously as he stood in the rain, going about his duties as a member of Liscor\u2019s City Watch. They were surprisingly similar to his duties as Revalantor. Klbkch whispered the word into the rain.<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat was that, Klbkch?\u201d<\/p>\n Watch Captain Zevara turned. The Antinium [Guardsman] shook his head as she stomped down the street, the City Watch spread out along the walls.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing, Captain! My apologies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t! You\u2019re the only damn guardsman I have who turns up on time, even in the wet!\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara shouted back at Klbkch. She strode down the road leading around the walls of Liscor, shouting at the [Guardsmen] she passed.<\/p>\n \u201cCheck for cracks, fractures, or anything out of place! I want all four walls checked by the end of today! Inside, outside\u2014hurry up and I\u2019ll buy you all a round at Furry Wing\u2019s tonight!\u201d<\/p>\n The wet Gnolls and Drakes in uniform cheered as Zevara passed. The Furry Wing tavern was a popular one for the City Watch because it served drinks in huge mugs. Zevara grinned, but then added a snap to her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cBut don\u2019t miss a spot! I\u2019ll be going over parts of the wall myself, and if I find any spots you\u2019ve missed, you\u2019ll all be drinking water tonight!\u201d<\/p>\n She heard a good-natured shout from her guards and nodded to Klbkch. The Senior Guardsman took a section of wall in front of him, and Zevara turned away. She knew he<\/em> could be trusted to check every inch of Liscor\u2019s walls. The Antinium understood the dangers of the rainy season more than most. It was amazing they\u2019d wanted to put a Hive here, knowing what happened\u2026but they were vigilant, and that was everything.<\/p>\n The other Drakes and Gnolls were too complacent. Zevara strode down the walls, repeating her message. She had to push them. They thought that just because Liscor\u2019s walls were enchanted, they would hold. Zevara knew that enchantments could fray and develop weaknesses, just like stone. So she checked and double-checked the walls for any fracture, any weak spots where water might slip through.<\/p>\n \u201cHey Captain!\u201d<\/p>\n A cheerful voice interrupted Zevara as she went on a circuit of the walls from the outside. Zevara rolled her eyes and turned.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it, Relc?\u201d<\/p>\n The huge Drake [Guardsman] grinned, ignoring the rain which made the other guards cover their bodies more securely with their cloaks. He grinned and pointed to his section of the wall.<\/p>\n \u201cI found a broken part of the wall! Look!\u201d<\/p>\n He indicated a micro fracture at the base of the wall. Zevara eyed it and nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cGood work, Relc. We\u2019ll have a [Mason] take a look at it.\u201d<\/p>\n She turned away, wishing she were indoors with a good stiff drink in her claws. She\u2019d settle for a drink in Erin Solstice\u2019s inn. She had some good ales, and her food was excellent, even if weird things happened far too often over there. But before Zevara could continue her patrol, she heard Relc call out again.<\/p>\n \u201cHey Captain, I found another one!\u201d<\/p>\n Reluctantly she turned back and looked. There was another tiny fracture at head height. Zevara sighed.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Good work, Relc.\u201d<\/p>\n Relc grinned at her, tail wagging like a dog\u2019s. He cupped a claw to one earhole.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that, Captain? I think I must have missed that. Lots of rain!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI said, good work, Relc.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara gritted her teeth. Relc pretended not to hear.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Sorry, I must have gotten water in my earhole! One more time?\u201d<\/p>\n The Watch Captain eyed Relc murderously, hating every inch of the wide grin on his face. She turned around, and her tail slapped<\/em> Relc across the face.<\/p>\n \u201cOw!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood work, Relc. Now get back to checking the damn wall!\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Water. It changed many things about Liscor, but one thing, at least, was the same. The Adventurer\u2019s Guild was busy as always as adventurers stood in lines, arguing, picking fights, talking about the dungeon, and grumbling about the rain. From her desk, Selys Shivertail grinned balefully at the adventurers who\u2019d never been to Liscor before. They thought this<\/em> was bad? Just wait until they had been here a week. Then they\u2019d realize what a spring in Liscor meant. Rain was only the start of what would come next.<\/p>\n There was a reason why armies didn\u2019t bother sieging Liscor. In the winter, they froze their tails off. In the summer and fall, well, they had a good window, but that also meant Drake armies could march north and break the siege whenever they pleased. And in the spring\u2014<\/p>\n She was already worrying about the dungeon. What if it flooded? What would happen in the spring? Would the adventurers not be able to access it? She didn\u2019t know if she could handle a bunch of angry cooped-up adventurers for two months.<\/p>\n Then again, she didn\u2019t know if she could handle them now. Selys sighed, relieved to have a break for a moment. She eyed the dripping young woman in front of her and silently passed one of the towels behind the desk to her.<\/p>\n \u201cHere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin wiped her face off but didn\u2019t bother with the rest of her body. She\u2019d have to go out in the rain soon enough, and she\u2019d given up on her stupid cloak that kept tangling around her feet. Selys eyed her.<\/p>\n \u201cHad fun outside?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, tons! It\u2019s raining, you know? Really hard!\u201d<\/p>\n Selys gave Erin a look. It simultaneously invited more obvious information and promised an equal or greater amount of ridicule. She gestured out the window of the Adventurer\u2019s Guild where it was pouring.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, really? I hadn\u2019t noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, I was in the Antinium Hive and that was big news!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin made a face at Selys. The Drake sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Ants\u2014I mean, the Antinium live underground<\/em>, Erin. I can look out a window. Sorry, I don\u2019t mean to snap, but I\u2019ve been busy telling adventurers all day why going outside is a bad idea. Sure, you think you\u2019re hunting Shield Spiders or slimes or something, but that\u2019s when a Hollowstone Deceiver sneaks up on you. They\u2019re silent in the rain, and they hunt aggressively during this season. You should watch out too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat, Rock Crabs? Jeez! I\u2019d better keep an eye out. I don\u2019t have any more seed cores, so I guess I\u2019ll have to find another way to scare them off! Thanks for the warning.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin toweled her hair and handed it back. She stared at Selys as she held the towel with one claw and looked around for a place to put it.<\/p>\n \u201cSo look, Selys, about what I was saying\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Selys sighed. Why was she friends with Erin again? Oh, right. She had a good heart. But she could be incredibly, incredibly<\/em> strange sometimes. And what she\u2019d asked Selys to do? That was madness.<\/p>\n \u201cI heard you. I think you\u2019re insane, but I can do the paperwork. It will never work, mind you. My grandmother\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust try?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared pleadingly at her friend. Selys raised her claws.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, I will. It\u2019s not going to work, but I will.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks! I know you\u2019re busy\u2014you should come to the inn more often! It\u2019s been ages since we last hung out!\u201d<\/p>\n The young woman beamed at Selys. The Drake nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like that. I\u2019d like to see Mrsha and chat\u2014but you know how it is. Adventurers keep coming to Liscor and we\u2019re understaffed and in the rain\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She flicked her tail at the adventurers milling about the Guild. Erin nodded sympathetically.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I hear you. I wish they\u2019d come to my inn, but I guess that\u2019s not going to happen with the\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She mimed saying the word \u2018Goblins\u2019 silently. Selys nodded. She\u2019d already had to tell a number of adventurers that the Hobs in Erin\u2019s inn weren\u2019t threats and that they would receive no<\/em> bounties on their heads.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you think it\u2019s bad now, just wait a week. I\u2019m afraid you\u2019ll get no business from Liscor until the rains stop. Well, maybe some people will come, but I really wouldn\u2019t count on it. I hope you have coin saved.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Selys sighed at Erin\u2019s chagrin.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, at least you have the door to Celum. I envy you, actually. I\u2019d love to be able to pop over to Celum anytime I wanted. I feel like a prisoner during the spring, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026say, Selys, what does<\/em> happen during the spring?\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake paused, leaning on her desk. She stared at Erin, searching the young woman\u2019s face for any signs of humor.<\/p>\n \u201cErin, tell me you\u2019re joking. You\u2019ve never, ever<\/em> heard of what happens to Liscor in the spring?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one\u2019s mentioned it to you. Not once?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot that I can recall.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re famous<\/em> for this! Every year\u2014oh, you haven\u2019t been here that long. Huh. It feels like longer.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys shook her head, amazed at how time seemed to fly and simultaneously drag out. She felt like she\u2019d known Erin for years, but it had only been half a year at most. She sighed. Erin looked around curiously. It was still pouring.<\/p>\n \u201cAnand and Belgrade told me there\u2019s a lot of water and\u2026drowning? Or is that just underground? They said you could explain. If it\u2019s a long story I can come back later\u2014I have to be in Celum now so\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can give you the short version.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys smiled as she took a seat on her high stool behind her counter. She liked Erin, she really did, but she was going to enjoy Erin\u2019s reaction more. The [Innkeeper] looked curiously at her.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, what\u2019s the short version?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn Liscor, it starts raining hard each year after winter. For about two months it\u2019s non-stop rainfall, and the city\u2019s practically closed off during that time. When the summer begins it all dries out, but\u2026think of it like this, Erin. We\u2019re caught between the High Passes on either side. There\u2019s an entrance to the north, and an entrance to the south, but Liscor is one big bowl. The only high elevation are the hills, which Liscor and your inn and a few villages sit on top of. And it rains a lot<\/em>. What do you think happens?\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake waited. Erin looked blank.<\/p>\n \u201cBowl, rain, lots of mountains and valleys. Wait, you don\u2019t mean\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Her eyes widened. Selys grinned. She leaned over the counter and raised her voice so the adventurers behind Erin could hear.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. It floods.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared. She gave Selys the blankest, most surprised look that the Drake had ever seen. Then she looked out the window at the pouring rain. She stared at Selys, at the rain, and then grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, good one Selys! I nearly bought that for a second!\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake stared at her. Erin stared back, her smile faltering. Selys sighed and slowly covered her face. Erin\u2019s eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cWait, you\u2019re serious?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A light rain pattered down on the roof of The Wandering Inn. Rain, after so many weeks of snow. It was a pleasant sound, and reminded Erin of her world. After all, rain was rain. Some things were the same. More than a few things, actually. Erin was in another world. A world full of […]<\/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":[11693085,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693134],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-4581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-5","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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