The air was warm, and the sun shone brightly as the Dragon emerged from his cave in the High Passes. The world over, spring had already turned into summer\u2019s heat and warmth. That was simply a fact of life, which tormented the few people who knew anything about hemispheres and basic orbital theory.<\/p>\n
But it was true, and summer brought warmth. Full harvests. And of course, life. The wildlife, fed on a longer spring than usual, was growing at breakneck speed. Goblin tribes doubled their population, herds of animals bore new young\u2014and the monsters did the same. But if levelless nature was prolific, well, so were people.<\/p>\n
Children were being born. Or growing. And those already grown dreamed and made their plans for a future generation. The [Lords] and [Ladies] of Izril in the north plotted, schemed, and sometimes acted outright.<\/p>\n
In Chandrar, the nations of the desert continent waited, at odds with each other but united by a common enemy. The King of Destruction. And Baleros? The companies were still battling in the jungles\u2014when they weren\u2019t trying to take a break in the shade from all the heat.<\/em><\/p>\n Rhir, coldest of the continents save for parts of Terandria and Baleros, had a milder summer, but no less eventful. The Blighted Kingdom was moving, excited. So were the Demons. While summer gave life, it also motivated each species and nation to pursue their own ends. Individuals could shape the fate of empires. They were, after all, the inheritors of this world. Children.<\/p>\n And there were far too many of them. The Dragon lifted his head, blinking in the daylight. He growled. He was gigantic, larger than a plane from another world. In this one, almost unrivaled for size. His scales were gold\u2014no. Brass. They shone brighter than gold, though, as the light caught them.<\/p>\n The mane running along the back of his long neck was like molten copper. And his eyes were mismatched, heterochromia of heliotrope and cerulean. To look into them was to see the same light stars were made of, the essence of magic. And to behold him here would be to see a myth.<\/p>\n A Dragon. Even in this world full of magic, they were a sight few would see in their lifetimes. A story. But one existed. At least one. Now, he raised his head, looking up towards the clear, beautiful blue sky in the towering High Passes. Above him rose the mountains, which dwarfed even Teriarch\u2019s form a million times over. Vast peaks that rose beyond imagination. But that wasn\u2019t what concerned the tyrant of flames.<\/p>\n Teriarch opened his jaws, exposing brilliant, only slightly yellowed teeth. And he roared one word upwards.<\/p>\n \u201cWretches!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n He breathed fire. Dragon\u2019s fire, shot upwards. Brilliant tongues of flame, so bright and vivid, curling upwards. So hot that air ignited around the magical fire, expanding, a flaming jet filling the sky. Monsters and animals alike fled the searing heat.<\/p>\n But what Teriarch was aiming at didn\u2019t flee. The Dragon exhaled, the fire burning. Then he felt a cold sting. A chill in this summer\u2019s heat. Frost blasted down around him, and the fire travelling upwards stopped.<\/p>\n A blast of pure frost, of chill wind and frozen air met the Dragon\u2019s fire and exploded<\/em> as cold air and hot air met. The Dragon covered his face with one wing as debris blasted around him, though there was little real threat. He growled, roared, and shot fire up again.<\/p>\n \u201cBegone, you brats!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n And his words were fire itself. But the torrent of fire that shot upwards was met by an equal force. It came from not one mouth, but hundreds.<\/p>\n Circling above the Dragon, flying high overhead, Wyverns breathed a deadly, chilling frost. The Ice Wyverns of the High Passes were tiny compared to Teriarch. But there were hundreds. No\u2014over a thousand<\/em>. This clutch was tremendous in size. And though their individual breath attacks could barely stop Teriarch\u2019s flames, together\u2014<\/p>\n Another explosion rocked the High Passes. Panting, Teriarch wheezed as the Wyverns were blown away by the blast of air. They fought to group together again, shrieking<\/em> their fury. The Dragon inhaled as frost tickled his scales. He looked up and pointed. One enterprising Wyvern had swooped lower and was blasting him with cold.<\/p>\n \u201cYou arrogant little worm!\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed. A ray of light shot from one of his talons and the Wyvern attacking him was struck by the thin, red line of light. The Wyvern didn\u2019t so much disappear as vaporize<\/em>. Teriarch saw its form rapidly turn to ash and snorted. But then he ducked as the entire weyr dove at him, shrieking and unleashing their magical frost attack.<\/p>\n A note about Wyverns. Unlike Dragons, who boasted the ability to speak and vast intelligence, magical power, and all-around superiority that marked their kind, Wyverns were much like the inbred cousins of Dragons\u2026if Dragonkind deigned to acknowledge the shared ancestry at all.<\/p>\n Wyverns were more similar to birds, having large hindquarters, grasping talons, and enormous wingspans. However, they shared many traits to Dragons, possessing thick, scaled hides, the ability to fly despite their amazing weight and size, and, in rarer breeds, the ability to breathe magical fire, or frost, or lightning, or other elements that were the hallmark of Dragon-type species. A group of Wyverns was known as a clutch, or a weyr, or as Teriarch would put it\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cYou lousy nuisances! This is my territory! BEGONE!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The Dragon bellowed upwards, shielding his body with his wings as the frost attack redoubled. This might have been a poor move as the Wyverns were diving, talons outstretched to rend at the Dragon, but that was because Wyverns weren\u2019t familiar with how Dragons fought. Or at least, this one.<\/p>\n The leading wave of dozens of Wyverns trying to dive down towards the Dragon saw a flash. Then\u2014nothing. Teriarch threw the glowing meteors of light upwards, chanting softly, and watched in satisfaction as they punched through the first group of Wyverns, halting their charge in their tracks. Then he exhaled again.<\/p>\n Fire engulfed more Wyverns. The rest aborted their dive. They couldn\u2019t get to Teriarch without clumping up dangerously, and the two Wyverns who got past both spells and fire\u2014Teriarch swung his tail and crushed<\/em> one against a wall. The second, landing and charging to bite, looked up and beheld the size differential between it and the Dragon. And it was alone. Teriarch bit<\/em>\u2014then spat out. He uttered another oath.<\/p>\n \u201cTamaroth\u2019s beard!\u201d<\/p>\n He spat, gagged, and then glared. His mouth filled with water and he swished it around his bloody teeth. The Dragon spat it to one side.<\/p>\n \u201cDisgusting.\u201d<\/p>\n He glared up, realized the weyr was preparing to breathe again and shouted.<\/p>\n \u201cGet out of my territory! Begone, you idiotic hatchlings!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The Wyverns wavered. The force of the Dragon\u2019s bellowing\u2014not to mention his very nature and the way he\u2019d slaughtered two dozen of them was intimidating. But then the milling hundreds heard a scream of rage.<\/p>\n A huge Wyvern, even by their standards, flew downwards. The Dragon spotted the leader of the weyr at once. His scales were pearled white and blue, and he was a third of Teriarch\u2019s size. The Wyvern leader screamed a challenge. Teriarch rolled his eyes. He blew a long stream of fire up and the leader\u2019s frost breath met it.<\/p>\n The Wyvern leader lost, and was blown backwards by the explosion of air. Teriarch snorted. The Dragon raised his claw and, in a very familiar way, shook it at the Wyvern.<\/p>\n \u201cYou little runt! You\u2019re a thousand years too young to challenge me! I bested<\/em> your matriarch two hundred years ago, or has your entire clutch forgotten? Wait. Maybe you have.\u201d<\/p>\n He eyed the impudent Wyvern. The leader was shrieking his rage, and at his command, the massed Wyverns breathed again. Teriarch saw the frost incoming and swore.<\/p>\n This time the wave of frost blasting down wasn\u2019t met by fire. It froze the entire area it hit. The temperature, a summer\u2019s day of warmth, instantly fell far, far below zero. The cold froze rocks, cracking<\/em> the very stone, and everything in it for thousands of feet froze in a moment. If there had been any animals present, they would have been dead, frozen to the core. As it was, there was only a Dr\u2014<\/p>\n He was gone. The Wyverns stared as their minds processed the empty space where Teriarch had been for a second. The Wyvern Lord, for lack of a better title, paused. Had he won?<\/p>\n No. Of course not. The Wyverns hesitated. The Dragon had gone back inside his cave, refusing to duel with breath attacks again. The Wyvern Lord swooped lower, as if thinking to dare the cave\u2019s entrance. But that would bottleneck the Wyverns. He elected to shriek instead, a pure challenge. His weyr flew around him, screaming, hoping to draw the Dragon out.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle impudent\u2014every decade it feels like\u2014reproducing as fast as damned Humans\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The Dragon known as Teriarch panted as he carried himself back inside the vast cavern that was his home. For now. Gold and magic flashed as the Dragon hurried back towards his hoard. Because of course, he had one.<\/p>\n It was rather neatly organized this time. At Teriarch\u2019s whim, the gold had been stacked according to denomination, weight, and purity over here. The magical artifacts had been organized by his personal filing system here and the artwork on display here\u2026<\/p>\n Even so, it was still hard to find what he wanted. Teriarch growled, exasperated as he turned his head, hurrying as he heard the screams echoing through his home.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere is it? Sword. Swords\u2026no. Wait! Where did I put the Baneblade? Over there? No. Scrolls\u2026do I have one that conjures a meteor storm? Maybe\u2014grave rot? Absolutely not. I\u2019m not cleaning up all\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Affronted, the Dragon exhaled a plume and engulfed a floating magical scroll in front of him. He peered around.<\/p>\n \u201cAha!\u201d<\/p>\n His talon shot out and very delicately snagged one of the countless artifacts in his collection. And then another. Teriarch paused.<\/p>\n \u201cThis one too. And this one. My, did I have an original<\/em> Wadeir and I never noticed it? How fascinating\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It took about five minutes before the Dragon returned. The screaming Wyverns were nearly convinced he was going to leave the territory and flee\u2014after all, this was a challenge. But the sight of the gleaming Dragon made them falter.<\/p>\n \u201cOne warning. Begone or\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Teriarch winced as the weyr exhaled<\/em>. Another blast of frost, and it was cold even to the Dragon! He muttered and the freezing chill abated as a magical spell engulfed him. Teriarch growled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou asked for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Without further ceremony, he flicked one claw. And one of the magical artifacts he\u2019d taken from his cave shot from out of the air behind him. It flew upwards, faster than any normal arrow.<\/p>\n The Wyvern Lord saw the flash of metal. Forewarned, he desperately dove\u2014and the trident missed him by inches. But it still went through three of the Wyverns flying behind him. Like a dancing arrow, it shot through the skies. Each time it hit a Wyvern, the tips of the magical trident vaporized what it hit. Wyverns fell, parts of their heads, chests, and wings missing. The rest shrieked and fled, avoiding the magical death.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd this!\u201d<\/p>\n The Dragon bellowed. He focused again and magical arrows sprang from a quiver. They shot upwards like hail. The air was filled with explosions as the magical arrowheads detonated. Teriarch smiled in smug satisfaction as the rain of magical crystal\u2014so sharp and propelled so fast by the explosion that they pierced even Wyvern hide\u2014burst in the air.<\/p>\n The Wyvern clutch was in full disarray. And as the reeling Wyvern Lord saw more Wyverns falling, it made the smartest decision since it had decided to oust Teriarch from his territory. The lead Wyvern opened its maw and screamed.<\/em><\/p>\n A note of defeat. The Wyverns fled after it, beating their wings furiously to escape the dancing trident still striking them down. Both the trident and rain of arrows stopped. Because Teriarch was out of arrows and the Wyverns were fleeing.<\/p>\n The Dragon snorted as the magical artifact floated down to him. He was smug\u2014then aghast as he looked at the empty quiver. He telekinetically flung the quiver onto the ground as the trident rejoined his collection.<\/p>\n \u201cWasted! All on a bunch of empty-headed Wyverns! I could have ransomed a city-state of the Eullopian Territories for that many arrows! Begone! And if I catch you flying around my territory I\u2019ll come up there and eat<\/em> you, you arrogant little bratling!\u201d<\/p>\n He bellowed up at the fleeing Wyverns. The Wyvern Lord shrieked<\/em> a note of fury in the distance as a reply. They did understand each other in a way, Dragons and Wyverns. Teriarch snorted a bit of smoke and coughed. He was still breathing hard. He looked around.<\/p>\n Ice was slowly melting around the entrance to his cave now that the ceaseless attacks of frost had stopped. The Dragon had blood on his scales and\u2014he was displeased to note\u2014Eater Goats were already coming out to chomp on the bits of dead Wyvern.<\/p>\n \u201cScavengers. Almost as bad as Crelers!\u201d<\/p>\n The Dragon glared and the Eater Goats froze. A few tried to play dead. The Dragon stared at them and reconsidered.<\/p>\n \u201cNot as bad as Crelers. Feh, that would<\/em> be what comes next, wouldn\u2019t it? Darkscale\u2019s breath!\u201d<\/p>\n Grumbling, the Dragon turned and stomped back into his cave. And the creatures of the High Passes slowly emerged, Gargoyles, Eater Goats, Razorbeaks and more\u2014all trying to claim a piece of the aftermath, or deciding to eat the competition.<\/p>\n The Dragon cared for none of it. He wearily trudged back into the center of his hoard. He lay down on the smooth marble\u2014what kind of dragon would sleep on dirty, rough stone?\u2014and sighed. The altercation, brief though it was, had exhausted him. As much mentally as physically.<\/p>\n \u201cAs bad as Drakes, really. Wyverns. An entire nest of the frost children and they can\u2019t remember what happened a decade ago, let alone\u2026hrmf. I shouldn\u2019t stand for it. And the goats! I might actually have Crelers somewhere about. If there\u2019s an adult hiding its thoughts\u2026I ought to root them all out. A few passes. Scorch the area clean for a few years.\u201d<\/p>\n He snorted as if to do so, but the Dragon was already sagging, yawning. And Teriarch, ancient of days, was already heading towards sleep. His voice grew deeper as the magical protections on his cave reactivated. His voice was a murmur now.<\/p>\n \u201cI should hire some\u2026adventurers. Yes. Deal with them. Why not? A few Gold-ranks\u2026get to it when I wake\u2026arrogant\u2026get out of my territory. Goats\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He fell asleep. Soon, the Dragon\u2019s soft breathing interrupted by the occasional snore was the only sound in the cave. And peace returned. To him at least. And wasn\u2019t that what really mattered? Teriarch gave no thought to the Wyverns, aside from a mentally scrawled note to hire some adventurers. When he woke up.<\/p>\n The Dragon never thought about what the Wyverns might do after losing their challenge against him. He didn\u2019t consider the ramifications of a growing weyr, or the impact of so many hungry Wyverns on an ecosystem like the High Passes\u2019, or the natural implications of his defense of his territory. Or where the Wyvern Lord was leading his clutch now. Teriarch was, in large, a selfish creature.<\/p>\n After all, he was<\/em> a Dragon.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It was summer. And the road was worn as the City Runner ran down it. The Runner\u2019s pace never flagged, though the sun was a bit too<\/em> harsh from where he ran. After a while, he had to pull out a water flask and gulp from it, but he kept running.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s too hot.\u201d<\/p>\n Fals, the City Runner who worked around Celum, was a Human man in his prime of life. He was also a [Runner], which meant that he had Skills that boosted his speed down the road. [Surefoot], which ensured he didn\u2019t stumble even when the road got rocky, [Efficient Run], which conserved his stamina and allowed him to run far further before he needed a stamina potion, and, for emergencies, [Thousand-Step Sprint]. He could escape from even someone riding a horse\u2026if he had somewhere he could hide.<\/p>\n But he was no Courier, or even a high-level City Runner with a fantastic ability like, say, [Double Step] which could literally double his running speed in theory. Fals could only run at normal, mortal speeds. He was a Runner, and he delivered messages, packages, anything that people would pay him for.<\/p>\n He was cheaper than a horse, could traverse terrain no mounted animal could\u2014and most importantly, he was nearly as fast as a mounted rider over longer distances. Horses needed to rest. Humans could drink a potion and force themselves to keep running. Horses would throw you off and step on you if you tried that too many times.<\/p>\n Even so. Fals panted as he caught sight of a waypoint along his route. A city, a small one, tucked along the winding road leading south, through the safe part of the High Passes. He wiped his brow.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is unbearably hot.\u201d<\/p>\n Summer had come, and with a vengeance. The City Runner felt more sweat already beading as he ran towards the city ahead of him. It wasn\u2019t a large one, even by the standards of the cities in the area. Even so, the walls were high enough to discourage [Bandits] and monsters and they were manned. Fals raised a hand as he ran down the road.<\/p>\n \u201cCity Runner!\u201d<\/p>\n He already had his personal Runner\u2019s Seal in hand in case the guards wanted to see. They waved him through, although they did keep a relaxed eye on him. Fals trotted through the gates, waving up at them.<\/p>\n \u201cHot day, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not the one wearing armor, Runner!\u201d<\/p>\n One of the guards shouted back. He was leaning on the battlements, but he didn\u2019t take off his helmet despite the heat. Nor, Fals saw, did he stray too far from the longbow at the ready. Of course, that made sense. Esthelm, the city Fals had come to, had been sacked before. They wouldn\u2019t allow it to happen again so easily.<\/p>\n The City Runner paused by the inside of the gates and continued his conversation with the guard. He was only about fifteen feet up, and he and his buddies seemed at ease. Esthelm was the furthest Human city south, and supplied itself by mining above all else. And visitors, save for trade, were rare.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s your business here? Or is this just a stop?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust a stop. I\u2019m heading south towards Liscor. I just need a rest.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Guard] gave a knowing nod to his companions. He rubbed at the scar on his cheek.<\/p>\n \u201cYou and everyone else. You need a drink, the Dancer\u2019s a pub right next to the Runner\u2019s Guild. Just down the street\u2014there.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed. Fals nodded gratefully, though he wasn\u2019t planning on drinking. Yet.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll check it out. Say, how are you all surviving this heat?\u201d<\/p>\n He gestured up at the [Guards] on duty. They had on metal helmets, which reflected the bright sunlight, and chainmail over leather. Fals imagined they\u2019d keel over after a few hours if they didn\u2019t drink like mad. The [Guardsman] grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cCooling stones. Don\u2019t you have one?\u201d<\/p>\n Fals did a double-take.<\/p>\n \u201cToo expensive for my blood. How much do they pay you all?\u201d<\/p>\n The members of Esthelm\u2019s Watch laughed. The [Guard] with the scar pointed.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a [Runecrafter]! Try Bezoar Street\u2014go right at the statue of the [Florist]. Ask for Miss Ediya. The old woman with the white hair. She\u2019ll set you up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot it, thanks!\u201d<\/p>\n Fals smiled and waved at the Watch. They nodded him off. It was a quick exchange, but a good one. Fals, as a City Runner, found it paid to be friendly with the local Watch. They could make a Runner\u2019s life tough. But Fals had an easy demeanor about him. He was good at being friendly, and that was a skill as vital as an actual Skill for City Runners.<\/p>\n Esthelm really was a small city. Larger than a town, it was true, but only just. Fals knew of Esthelm only by reputation; he\u2019d run deliveries to it of course, but seldom. Until recently, Fals had avoided going further south than Esthelm at all.<\/p>\n He knew the city had been sacked once when the Goblin Lord had attacked it. The survivors had rebuilt the city, fending off Goblins and undead to retake their home. With help, they\u2019d restored the city and built it stronger. Higher. They could have fled, but instead, Esthelm had grown and it was now as large as it was before. Larger, in fact.<\/p>\n Some might have found it strange for people to be so possessive over a small city on the border of Drake lands. But this was the only home many people knew. And Esthelm had plenty of work to go around. The High Passes had deposits of minerals, ensuring [Miners] had steady occupation. And more than that\u2026people had fought for this place. It was hard to abandon.<\/p>\n Fals saw evidence of it everywhere. As he trotted down the city, he saw more weapons on display than he\u2019d ever see in a northern city like Wales or Remendia. Men and women carried shortswords, or he\u2019d see a bow propped up by a [Shopkeeper] as they did business. The Watch had looked pretty sharp too. Yes, this was probably a poor place to be a [Thief].<\/p>\n The statue was set in a rebuilt part of Esthelm. Fals didn\u2019t know its history. Nor did he care to find out. He stared at the image of the girl with a basket of flowers and wondered over it and the inscription only for a second. He paused, and then headed right.<\/p>\n Miss Ediya was indeed an old woman, but she had a glint to her eyes suggesting that her faculties had only sharpened with age. Indeed, she nailed Fals with a question the instant he entered her shaded, blessedly cool store.<\/p>\n \u201cCooling stone, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes ma\u2019am. Are you Miss Ediya?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf I wasn\u2019t, that\u2019d be an awfully odd question to ask, wouldn\u2019t it, lad?\u201d<\/p>\n The woman grinned and patted her desk. Fals walked forwards after brushing his dirty shoes against the doormat. Miss Ediya\u2019s shop was cluttered\u2014mainly with little stones with delicate sigils etched on them. There was very little space for a customer; the counter encircled Fals on three sides. Most of the shop was the [Runecrafter]\u2019s workspace. The old woman was probably in her sixties, but she was quite fit as she bent to one side, grabbing for her desk.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s see. I have a dozen finished cooling stones. They\u2019re selling quick! You want a high-grade one?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cActually, I\u2019d prefer it cheap. I don\u2019t have much money to spend on an expensive artifact\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cArtifact? Where?\u201d<\/p>\n Ediya grinned, exposing a missing tooth, but a lot of quite white, straight ones as well. She laughed at Fals\u2019 expression.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t do high-level work like that, young man. And my work\u2019s cheap enough for anyone! Here. Take a look at this. Esthelm specialty, right here.\u201d<\/p>\n She brought out a small stone, about as long as his thumb, long and oval. It was a piece of lapis lazuli, polished but not shaped; Fals could see some other stone trapped in the material. Nevertheless, even this simple stone had a brilliant glitter to it. And what was more\u2014<\/p>\n Magic. Fals saw the glittering rune etched into the stone as Ediya turned it towards him. It was a faint glitter, but it caught the light in an odd, enticing way. He blinked.<\/p>\n \u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOne gold, three silver.\u201d<\/p>\n Ediya shot Fals a calculating look. He winced. She tapped it.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t run off just yet. It can be recharged. And it will keep you cool! [Runecrafter]\u2019s oath.\u201d<\/p>\n He wasn\u2019t sure he wanted to drop an entire gold <\/em>piece on a cooling charm, no matter how hot it was. To buy time, Fals looked at Miss Ediya.<\/p>\n \u201c[Runecrafter], Miss Ediya? I thought there were [Runesmiths].\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed again.<\/p>\n \u201c[Runesmith] is someone who got into runecraft from, well, metallurgy. They\u2019ll engrave runes into their armor. Or sword hilts\u2026it\u2019s still not the same as a [Rune Master] or a higher-level class. And [Runecrafter] is someone who can\u2019t swing a hammer or use magic like an expert! How about it? Give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n She pressed the stone into Fals\u2019 hand after tapping it. Instantly, Fals felt his body cool down even further. He bit his lip. This was<\/em> nice.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good, Miss Ediya. But a gold piece and three silver is a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCall it one gold piece and one silver, then. And call it an investment. This summer\u2019s only going to get hotter.\u201d<\/p>\n The old woman eyed Fals as the City Runner mulled it over. He inspected the stone.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s impressive how magic happens with a rune. And it just needs a bit of lapis lazuli?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Runecrafter] snorted.<\/p>\n \u201cRunes are just complex magical spells simplified. You can\u2019t see half of what\u2019s written here, young man! Nor can I simply write a cooling rune on any bit of stone I have around! I need pure lapis to hold the spell. It\u2019s complex, and the magic doesn\u2019t come from nowhere!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course not. I only meant\u2026is the stone from around here?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Runecrafter] nodded, a hint of pride in her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cEsthelm-mined. The High Passes have all sorts of varied deposits and we have a seam\u2026well, you could get better quality stuff from Salazsar, but you\u2019d pay ten times for it. At least! And it will be cheaper than any cooling trinket you\u2019ll get north or south of here.\u201d<\/p>\n She gave Fals a pointed look. He knew that was probably true; he\u2019d seen a smaller stone going for double what Miss Ediya was charging in Celum. He chewed his lip again.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright. You have a deal.\u201d<\/p>\n Miss Ediya\u2019s face lit up as Fals rummaged in his coin purse. She took his money, giving him quick instructions.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t scratch the rune. There\u2019s a coating, but don\u2019t let it get chipped away by anything hard. Store it in a soft place. It should be good for one month or your money back. And anyone in my field can replenish the charm. Just watch for the fading glow in the rune\u2014you\u2019ll notice it too! And tell your Runner friends where you got it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you. Do I just touch it to\u2026? Absolutely no water. Of course.\u201d<\/p>\n Fals stayed for a few more moments before heading out of the shop. He might have stayed to ask about runecrafting\u2014Miss Ediya seemed like a pleasant sort and she had no other customers, but he was on the job. And as he left the shop, the summer\u2019s heat rolled back over him.<\/p>\n Not too much. Esthelm did lie in the shade of the High Passes, but Miss Ediya\u2019s shop had been cooled by the very runes she drew. Without them, Fals felt unpleasant, so he decided to give the stone a try. He tapped it, hoping it was worth the expensive price tag.<\/p>\n Well, it was cheap for a magical item. But well worth the money. As Fals activated it, he felt a blessed cooling<\/em> radiating from the stone. Not chilling; but it was cool enough that when he hung it around his neck, his head, all the way down to his stomach felt like it was a mild spring day. It was a good spell; Fals had used stones where the cooling effect was localized and the stone itself was so cold it would freeze your fingers. This was a full-body\u2026half-body experience.<\/p>\n \u201cAh.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The City Runner sighed in relief. He paused for a moment, and then in a much better mood, went to find the Runner\u2019s Guild in Esthelm.<\/p>\n This too was a small affair. Esthelm was no major trade city and the Runner\u2019s Guild had a single [Receptionist] on duty. She might have even been the Guildmistress; it looked like it was that small an operation. Fals pushed into the door and saw no other Runners; a city like this might have two dozen Street Runners at best, he guessed. He came up to the desk; the woman was playing with a little blacksmith\u2019s puzzle and didn\u2019t see him at first.<\/p>\n \u201cHello. I\u2019m on delivery to Liscor. Anything for me going that way?\u201d<\/p>\n She jumped and looked up. The [Receptionist] coughed as she put away the little wire puzzle and looked up.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning! Delivery to Liscor you said? Where are you from?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust Celum. I set out two days ago. Do you have anything for me?\u201d<\/p>\n It had been a long run. Fals had forgotten how far it was from Celum to Liscor. But he was being paid for the delivery, enough to justify the time spent. The woman blinked as she rummaged through her ledger, looking at all the orders the Runner\u2019s Guild had for deliveries. She shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cJust a silver\u2019s worth. Or two. Our own Runners keep us connected with Liscor. Well, all four of them.\u201d<\/p>\n That was<\/em> small. Fals tried not to let his expression show.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll take all of them unless they\u2019re big deliveries.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? We could speed up this shipment of ore if you had a horse\u2026oh well. I have the letters here\u2026and a little sample here\u2026it\u2019s fragile. Be careful. I think it\u2019s an ore\u2014bound straight for an [Alchemist]. Appraisal. Don\u2019t drop it, please.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNever.\u201d<\/p>\n Fals took the letters and bound package, adding them to his mental list of destinations. The [Receptionist] sighed as she looked for anything else he could earn money from.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s all, I think. Sorry, but we are close enough to Liscor that there\u2019s no real money\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI understand. A silver\u2019s enough for me. I\u2019m already getting paid for a delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n Fals patted his Runner\u2019s pack. The [Receptionist] nodded. Of course. There was no point to Fals running all this way if he was just looking for work. She made a few notations, marking that he had all the deliveries she\u2019d given him. Then she paused.<\/p>\n \u201cOdd. We haven\u2019t had a delivery from Celum through here in months. You\u2019re the fifth one this week. What\u2019s changed?\u201d<\/p>\n The City Runner grinned a bit ruefully.<\/p>\n \u201cNo magic door. There was<\/em> one from Liscor to Celum, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. That\u2019s right! The magical door!\u201d<\/p>\n The woman\u2019s eyes went round. She looked around, and then leaned forwards conspiratorially.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, we have one too. That magical door-thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n Fals raised his brows. He vaguely recalled that. The [Receptionist] nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIt brings us straight to Liscor. It was marvelous! Our [Miners] could bring ore straight to Liscor! And they brought a bunch of gifts. There was this Drake a while back\u2014and the [Innkeeper] of course. The one that owns the door. Did you know she kicked out Commander Deint?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho? I\u2019m sorry, I hadn\u2019t heard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur leader! Well, I say leader, but he was more like a [Tyrant]. No one could do anything about him, or rather, no one was going to. I didn\u2019t really think how bad it was, but that [Innkeeper] marched in here and well, got rid of him! It was like magic!\u201d<\/p>\n Fals had little interest in the politics of a single city like Esthelm. But the [Receptionist]\u2019s description rang all kinds of bells in his head. He leaned over the counter.<\/p>\n \u201cBy \u2018that [Innkeeper]\u2019, do you mean a young woman? Around my age?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the one. The owner of the inn. The Wandering Inn. I hear it\u2019s a strange place. Filled with Goblins! Imagine! I\u2019d never visit, even when the door was working. Goblins were the ones who attacked Esthelm. Them and the damned Goblin Lord. Although\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The [Receptionist] shuddered and paused. She glanced out the window. In the direction of the plaza with the statue. Fals coughed.<\/p>\n \u201cThere aren\u2019t that many anymore. I\u2019ve actually been to the inn. I know the [Innkeeper].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you really?\u201d<\/p>\n Another wide-eyed look. The [Receptionist] was all too eager to chat. But Fals was glancing out the window. He had to run, so he smiled apologetically.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d love to stay and talk, but the door\u2019s actually giving me a job.\u201d<\/p>\n The woman\u2019s face fell.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, that\u2019s right. I\u2019m sorry, I know you City Runners are always out and about. I suppose the door is<\/em> why we\u2019ve been getting more of you. It\u2019s been inactive, right? For the last two weeks! But then\u2014you heard what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yes.\u201d<\/p>\n Fals inhaled. Word had spread in Celum as well as everywhere else. The [Receptionist] shuddered.<\/p>\n \u201cCrelers. And the inn\u2019s gone. Destroyed, or so they say. But then, I haven\u2019t been to Liscor. Lots of folks are heading down there, though. There\u2019s work to be had. Say\u2014could you ask when the door will be working again? I mean, if it\u2019s not broken? It would be nice to walk around another city. Assuming there aren\u2019t too many Goblins in Liscor, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely. It\u2019s my first time heading back that way myself. Thank you, and stay out of the heat!\u201d<\/p>\n The young man smiled and headed towards the door. The [Receptionist] waved him off.<\/p>\n \u201cGood luck! If you\u2019re coming back this way, please stop by! We have a few messages heading north and if you could take it to at least the nearest Runner\u2019s Guild\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n South the City Runner ran. From Esthelm, through the winding channel cut through the mountain range that was the High Passes. This was the only safe route by land towards the southern half of the continent. And it was a long road.<\/p>\n Not so long now, though. Fals knew Esthelm was only a stone\u2019s throw away from Liscor so he ran hard and reached the natural basin where the Floodplains began after two hours. From there, he slowed.<\/p>\n Liscor awaited. But the path there was difficult. The road that led to Liscor went up and down, following the natural hills and valleys that were formed by the Floodplain\u2019s annual rains. And there was some danger here. Fals stuck to the road, but he kept an eye out for Shield Spiders and worse, Hollowstone Deceivers, known as \u2018Rock Crabs\u2019. Also, because he was getting tired. And the Floodplains were large, for all they were a basin sheltered by the mountains.<\/p>\n But there it was. Liscor, a city set on a small hill. The walls were far higher than Esthelm\u2019s, to keep the flood waters out. And as Fals ran from the north, he saw a small shape on a hill to the east. He knew the inn well. But even from afar, it was\u2026different than he recalled.<\/p>\n Crelers in the Bloodfields. Something had happened at The Wandering Inn. Fals knew what had happened at the Bloodfields. Adventurers had fought an Adult Creler which had emerged with an entire nest of the horrors. And they had won.<\/em> Even now, he recalled the name of the team credited with bringing it down.<\/p>\n The Horns of Hammerad. Fals smiled. He had been terribly worried for them, but news of their victory had been just as astounding. Now, he wanted to see them.<\/p>\n And the [Innkeeper] that Esthelm still remembered. But as Fals approached Liscor from the winding road north, the hill disappeared from sight behind the walls. And Fals was more distracted by the queue at the gates.<\/p>\n More people had come down the road before him this morning,and that was an unusual sight. Normally, it was just [Traders] and [Merchants] who came to the city. It was a rare traveller who would try to pass through the Bloodfields at this time of year. Yet now, Fals found a line at the northern gate. He saw nearly three dozen people lined up, the first being interviewed at the gate by a Drake [Guardsman].<\/p>\n The waiting people were workers. Not Antinium Workers<\/em>, but Humans, like Fals. They\u2019d come down the northern road like him. And they were here for\u2026what?<\/p>\n \u201cPurpose of entry?\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake on duty yawned as he leaned on his spear. He was a huge fellow that Fals thought he recognized. The family nervously standing in front of him stammered an answer as a whole. The Drake paused.<\/p>\n \u201cWork? Oh, more of you. What\u2019s with the kids?\u201d<\/p>\n He eyed a pair of scared girls hiding behind their mother and father, both of whom looked like [Miners] or [Laborers] of some kind. The mother shushed them.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re here for jobs. We\u2019re [Builders], sir. We heard there was good paying work, so we came down.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake picked at his teeth with one claw.<\/p>\n \u201cAw, more of you? Well, there\u2019s not many places to sleep. But yeah, I guess there\u2019s work. Fine, fine. You want to go down to the uh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The two parents, who\u2019d been brightening, paused. Relc paused. He scratched his head, held up a finger, and sidled over to the Gnoll who was doing the same job next to him.<\/p>\n \u201cPsst. Tkrn. Where do they go if they want work?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Mason\u2019s Guild! Right down Tellshale road!\u201d<\/p>\n Tkrn growled at Relc. The Gnoll looked exasperated as he waved his people in line through. He was working a lot faster than Relc. Fals, and several other people in line, eying the two [Guards] at work, quickly switched to Tkrn\u2019s line. Relc sighed. He went back over to the family and waved at Tkrn.<\/p>\n \u201cRight. What he said. They\u2019ll find you a job and houses. And stuff. Now\u2026oh wait!\u201d<\/p>\n He blocked them as the family tried to scurry past. Vaguely, Relc reached for a sheaf of parchment.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me just make sure you\u2019re not a wanted criminal. I have a list. And<\/em> illustrations, see? If you look like anyone on this list, I get to stab you. Probably through the knees.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the girls squeaked and the father protectively shielded her, growing pale. Relc rolled his eyes as Tkrn glared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry! It\u2019s only adults. Oh, wait, there\u2019s a kid on here. Hm. Hm.<\/em> Nah. You\u2019re not on the list. You\u2019re almost free to go.\u201d<\/p>\n The family relaxed, then stiffened at the \u2018almost\u2019. Relc smiled as he leaned on his spear.<\/p>\n \u201cJust one last question. On a scale of one to a hundred, how well do you think I\u2019m doing my job? One hundred being the best, obviously.\u201d<\/p>\n The two parents looked at each other, dumbfounded. Tkrn shook his head, exasperated. Then a roar echoed from behind Relc.<\/p>\n \u201cSenior Guardsman Relc!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh shit.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake whirled and saluted. Watch Captain Zevara herself strode up to the gates. She glared at Relc.<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Watch Captain Z.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSenior Guardsman, you are the worst, most incompetent guardsman I have ever had the misfortune of working with! And you!\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara pointed at the family and moderated her tone as one of the girls hid behind their parents. The Drake coughed. She looked around, and tried to smile.<\/p>\n \u201cUm. I\u2019m terribly sorry for my [Guardsman]\u2019s performance. Please, go on ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n She ushered the family through the gates, offering apologies. The wide-eyed family watched Zevara go and the twitching smile she tried to keep on her face. When they were gone, Zevara grabbed Relc.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t you do a single job right you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey! I was just asking for\u2014ow! Watch Captain! That hurts my feelings!\u201d<\/p>\n Bemused, Fals watched as another Gnoll took Relc\u2019s position and the people waiting were checked in within a matter of minutes. The Gnoll, Tkrn, blinked when he saw Fals.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, City Runner, yes? Sorry, this line was for the immigrants. Travellers. City Runners can pass. We should have waved you through. Or someone should have.\u201d<\/p>\n He turned and glared at Relc, who was still being chewed out by the Watch Captain.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, really?\u201d<\/p>\n Fals was a bit put out by that. Still, it was only a few minutes. Tkrn looked past him at a group of wagons headed his way. He sighed and Fals offered him a sympathetic smile.<\/p>\n \u201cBusy day?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot by half. Hrr. Have we met?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll sniffed politely at Fals. The Human paused.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been to the city a few times. I\u2019m actually bound to the Runner\u2019s Guild to make a few deliveries. You wouldn\u2019t happen to know a\u2026Miss Raekea, would you? [Blacksmith]?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh! You mean Councilwoman<\/em> Raekea. She\u2019s no longer just a [Blacksmith].\u201d<\/p>\n Tkrn puffed out his chest as Fals blinked. The City Runner started to smile as Tkrn explained.<\/p>\n \u201cShe won the election. She is on the City Council, so she is not always at her forge. You could drop off anything she needs to see at City Hall. It is more convenient than her home or shop, yes? Just go straight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks. Oh\u2014and I\u2019m actually here for another reason. I saw the inn from afar. The Wandering Inn. Is it open?\u201d<\/p>\n Fals was almost afraid to look. He\u2019d heard it was destroyed. Tkrn paused, and Relc looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cThe inn? It\u2019s open.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? But I heard it was destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n The young man saw Tkrn smile. Watch Captain Zevara left off haranguing Relc with a sigh. The Gnoll nodded to Fals, and pointed east, although the walls blocked it from view.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was. <\/em>But it\u2019s reopening today. You came just in time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The Wandering Inn. The family of Humans who entered Liscor already knew its name. Travellers from further north hadn\u2019t heard of it. But those who had come to Liscor, who found themselves queued up at the Mason\u2019s Guild to see if rumors about well-paying jobs in this Drake city were true, found themselves talking.<\/p>\n Not all of them were Human, but most of the new arrivals were. Some Drakes and Gnolls here to sign up for work looked in disgruntlement at the Humans, some of whom had come as entire families, others alone.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are they coming here?<\/em> Can\u2019t they find jobs in their own cities?\u201d<\/p>\n One Drake was heard to complain loudly, prompting nervous looks in the queue lined up at the desk. He was more well-to-do, and his function wasn\u2019t as a potential worker, but a client of the guild.<\/p>\n He, and a group of Drakes and Gnolls were conferring with the Guildmaster of the Mason\u2019s Guild. It was an ironic statement, made doubly so because some of the Gnolls looked disgruntled too. One of them, female, her fur combed and scented, frowned at the applicants.<\/p>\n \u201cIs there enough space to house them all, I wonder? And surely it is true that there isn\u2019t that<\/em> much gold to be had, yes? This is our city. Not a Human one.\u201d<\/p>\n Ironic indeed. Some of the younger Drakes and Gnolls in the group were nodding, but one of the Drakes bit her tongue on a reply. It seemed this Gnoll had forgotten that her kind had come nearly a decade back for the same reason.<\/p>\n The Guildmaster had not. Guildmaster Okr, a Gnoll who was both [Mason] and [Guildmaster], gave the younger Gnoll a reproving glance\u2014when she wasn\u2019t looking. His voice was brisk.<\/p>\n \u201cHumans, Drakes, or Gnolls, we could use the paws\u2014or hands or claws, yes? I\u2019ll put them up in the apartments. It will be uncomfortable, but they will be building their own homes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI just don\u2019t understand the logistics of it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake who\u2019d been first to complain grumbled. Now, the female Drake who\u2019d frowned spoke up.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe they\u2019re here because we\u2019re offering more silver than anywhere else, Zess. A few more silver pieces per week is a lot, especially if they\u2019re high enough level to earn it. And we need the workers, don\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake paused and flushed. He nodded to the female Drake.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, Selys. I\u2019m only wondering if there would be uh, incidents. You know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Do you mean between Drakes and Humans?\u201d<\/p>\n Zess paused. He looked down at Selys Shivertail. There was all the makings of a trap in her smile and tone and question. The Drake tried to think on his feet and metaphorically fell flat on his face.<\/p>\n \u201cOr Gnolls or Humans. I\u2019m just concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut why would they have a problem? Do Humans cause more trouble? Or would it be Drakes and Gnolls causing trouble? Or is there just a problem with hiring Humans?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n There was no good answer to that. Zess bit his tongue, wisely, and everyone else paused on a reply. Guildmaster Okr looked vaguely approving. The female Gnoll huffed, but most of the male Drakes and Gnolls hesitated to earn Selys\u2019 wrath.<\/p>\n They were all wealthy. You could tell that by their clothing, and just their attitude. The clients of the Mason\u2019s Guild, who were here to hire the very workers applying for a job, were individuals who had money by inheritance or deed. And the newest among them, Selys Shivertail, was a face.<\/p>\n Niece to Zel Shivertail, the fallen hero known as the Tidebreaker. Even the Humans in line knew that name, and they stared at her. Granddaughter to Tekshia Shivertail, Guildmistress of the Adventurer\u2019s Guild. And\u2014this was a new title\u2014most eligible bachelorette in all of Liscor.<\/p>\n Selys was rich. She was an [Heiress], and right now\u2026peeved. She sighed, but Guildmaster Okr got the group back on track.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Council is willing to let you subcontract my workers, yes? But be mindful\u2014in your purchased lots of land, you must still accommodate the streets and sewer work already laid down. And your works must fit within the [Architect]\u2019s overall designs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut we have to pay for our own [Builders] to make what we want? And workers? That\u2019s a lot of the burden on us, and for what?\u201d<\/p>\n One of the Drakes grumbled loudly. He was the son of a [Landowner]. Guildmaster Okr sighed through his nose.<\/p>\n \u201cThose are the Council\u2019s orders. Now, if you would care to bid on the auctionable land\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n He gestured to the map. Selys saw the Drakes and Gnolls look at each other sharply. For all their complaints, they eyed the plans for a new city like a hawk. Selys glanced at the lines of workers.<\/p>\n \u201cCan you quote us how much we\u2019re paying each worker, Guildmaster Okr?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. They will be paid by level, so anyone below Level 10 will be paid according to this chart. By task, yes? Also, they must have insurance for injury or death. According to this chart\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The Guildmaster had all kinds of bits of paper. The Drakes and Gnolls grumbled over them, although Selys, looking at the paper, thought it was a small amount of money for someone losing\u2026a limb? She winced.<\/p>\n \u201cHow likely is this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf building is done properly? Not likely, Miss Shivertail. But it is an expensive undertaking, as you can see.\u201d<\/p>\n Zess threw down his pieces of paper with a hiss of annoyance.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can either fund part of the new section of the city being built or pay for it all ourselves? And can we charge rent as we please on our<\/em> land?\u201d<\/p>\n His tail lashed angrily. Selys glared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cAssuming it\u2019s not for poor Drakes and Gnolls, sure, Zess! Guildmaster Okr, I\u2019ll buy this section of land here.\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed at one of the auctioned spots on the map. The other Gnolls and Drakes bristled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t do that! It\u2019s going to be auctioned!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, then put me down for the auction.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys smiled sweetly at Rekka. The other Gnoll glared back. Okr made a little note, covering a smile as he did. Selys looked down at the map and shook her head. She looked around as a shout caught her attention.<\/p>\n \u201cBuild the walls! Yes! Payday!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n A group of Gnolls and Drakes were celebrating at the desk. They must have been very pleased by the pay they were getting, because they were high-fiving. The landowners looked aghast, but Selys just grinned. She could see dirt and dust on their clothing. They must have been collecting their pay.<\/p>\n A new part of Liscor was being built. If you walked out around the walls to the west, you\u2019d be able to see it. Already, the foundations were being laid. Buildings were going up, out of necessity as much as haste! The new wing of the city would have to be built and enclosed in walls by next spring. And there needed to be room for all the families coming here for work!<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the Antinium who\u2019re fastest. But would you want to live in a place they built? Let them do the sewers and outer walls, I say. If it wasn\u2019t so expensive to buy land and hire enough workers\u2014I\u2019ll have to hire some Humans.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys heard a conversation between two of the Drakes standing next to her. She grimaced.<\/p>\n Part of funding Liscor\u2019s expansion was selling off parts of the new area to, well, anyone with money. The Council had funds from the army, the city\u2019s own revenue, and gold from both the Antinium and the Walled Cities, but it still wasn\u2019t enough<\/em>. Not, at least, to fill the city with all the grand plans they wanted. So they\u2019d decided to sell areas of the city to private citizens.<\/p>\n It would be their land, adding to the apartments and other establishments the wealthiest landowners owned at this moment. It would give them more property if they were willing to spend, and they were willing to spend, despite their numerous complaints. And because Selys was rich, that number included her.<\/p>\n She wasn\u2019t sure how she felt about that. But she had money, and this was an investment. No\u2014it was the future of Liscor. Selys just didn\u2019t like that she was rubbing shoulders and tails with a bunch of people she\u2019d always considered high-class snobs. She sighed and took a few steps away from Zess and the others. The males were also very interested in courting her newfound wealth.<\/p>\n A conversation caught Selys\u2019 earhole as she took a few steps back to ignore the quarreling group debating at how much the workers would be hired with Guildmaster Okr. A group in line, the same family Fals had seen at the gate, were nervously talking with some Humans and Drakes in line.<\/p>\n \u201cSo there\u2019s paying work? We came from Esthelm\u2014not far\u2014but we heard someone was from as far as Remendia! Is there really that much gold to be made?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yes. Steady work too, if you can keep up. Liscor\u2019s going to be a third again as big if we follow these designs!\u201d<\/p>\n A Gnoll woman standing in line grinned at the anxious parents and flexed one arm. The parents looked relieved, but one of the Drakes standing next to her cast a glare over her shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cNot if the Antinium take all the work. They\u2019re out there, stealing our jobs\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll reached over and smacked her friend.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re laying the foundations, and the sewers. You want to dig through all that dirt, Hesna? Be my guest, yes? But the Council made it so we all have work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean, Councilmember Lism<\/em> made sure of it. Councilmember Krshia wouldn\u2019t have\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n A loud chorus of boos<\/em> and growls from other Gnolls and a few Drakes in the line shut up the angry Hesna. The Humans looked around, wide-eyed, as a Gnoll growled and thrust a furry finger at the Drake.<\/p>\n \u201cKeep politics out of it! The election is over, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n Most of the Liscorian citizens agreed. Hesna turned red as Selys grinned ruefully. People were still talking about the outcome of the election. The Gnoll who\u2019d been speaking to the Humans turned back to them.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry. Anyways, there is room. And places to sleep, yes? Outside the walls.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOutside?\u201d<\/p>\n The family looked horrified and the Gnoll hastened to reassure them.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll see! It is right in the new section of the city. There are apartments that have been made for all the new workers. The city, it is full to bursting, yes? But there is already a temporary wall. Twenty feet high! The Antinium made it, and the apartments. Quickly,<\/em> too.\u201d<\/p>\n She glared at Hesna. The Drake rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Antinium? You mean, the bug-men, right? Are they\u2026what\u2019re they like?\u201d<\/p>\n Some of the Humans looked like they were regretting their choice to come to the city. The Gnoll and Drake exchanged looks.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Antinium? They are fine, yes? Just don\u2019t ask Workers anything. Especially not their names. There will be an orientation. And the Antinium are fine. You will barely notice them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut are there bugs? In the apartment? Or is it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBuggy? Not at all. They were very clean, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll [Builder] grinned. Some of the other Gnolls and Drakes chuckled. The Humans looked relieved. But that only opened the floodgates to more questions. Selys smiled as they began pelting the other Gnolls and Drakes in line with queries.<\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2014there\u2019s a Hive under the city? And that\u2019s safe?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout the spring rains\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs there anywhere to play? I can\u2019t have the children running about the city or going outside, not with all those Shield Spiders and those horrible\u2026rock\u2026crabs!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs she here? I mean, the [Innkeeper]? I was hoping to stay at her inn.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys looked around. The husband of the family from Esthelm was talking to the Gnoll. The [Heiress] drifted closer as the Gnoll blinked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThe [Innkeeper]? We have many, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, yeah. But I mean\u2026her. The one from\u2014what\u2019s the inn called? She was at Esthelm.\u201d<\/p>\n The man was getting flustered. He turned to his wife and then back to the Gnoll.<\/p>\n \u201cThe young woman. Human? She runs an inn around here. I was told it\u2019s fairly famous. And she\u2019s a bit\u2014off\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Wandering Inn?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The chorus came from every Drake and Gnoll in line. The Humans looked around. But Liscor\u2019s citizens were nodding. Some smiled, some rolled their eyes, exasperated. But they knew the name.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it\u2019s here? I asked, but someone said it\u2019s not in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not. It\u2019s just on a hill. Eastern gate. You can\u2019t miss it.\u201d<\/p>\n That worried the mother and the family intending to seek it out.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is safe? I\u2019ve heard all manner of things about that inn. They say the [Innkeeper] ousted Commander Deint. She started a coup. <\/em>Is that true?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah! I\u2019d believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the Drakes laughed good-naturedly. A [Foreman] from Remendia blinked.<\/p>\n \u201cThat can\u2019t be true. I heard about that inn, but the \u2018magic door\u2019 was closed in Celum, or so they said. There\u2019s not really an inn around here that has one, right? Right?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked around. The Drakes and Gnolls just grinned at him. One of the Drakes put a clawed hand on his shoulder and the [Foreman] jumped.<\/p>\n \u201cMagic door? My friend. That is the least<\/em> of what that crazy Human does.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you all know her? You\u2019ve met her?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys smiled as the Humans asked questions. Most Gnolls and Drakes shook their heads, but a few spoke up. One Gnoll, a headband tied around his furry head, nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had a few dishes at her place. You know, she\u2019s invented a bunch of rare foods? She\u2019s a genius, that one. She makes new foods, and she plays that game. Chess.<\/em> She\u2019s beaten our own [Strategist] at it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo she hasn\u2019t. That\u2019s just a rumor. He teaches her.\u201d<\/p>\n Another Drake shook her head, looking put out. The first Gnoll snorted.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s not a genius. She\u2019s insane. Totally insane<\/em>. She keeps Goblins in her inn, did you know? A bunch of them, in her basement.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought that was dead bodies. She\u2019s a [Necromancer], too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA [Necromancer]?\u201d<\/p>\n The Humans were horrified. The Drakes and Gnolls began arguing.<\/p>\n \u201cNo she\u2019s not! She employs<\/em> a [Necromancer]. But her [Barmaids] are undead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no. They\u2019re the Goblins. She\u2019s got like, a dozen of them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s not right in the head. I thought all Humans were like that, but apparently she\u2019s weird, even by Human standards. Sir, can you spit blood at will?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe? No!\u201d<\/p>\n The [Foreman] looked alarmed. One of the Drakes nodded wisely.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, well, she can. It\u2019s like a breath attack. She\u2019s one of the Oldblood, except Human.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys covered her face. But she listened, with delight and chagrin. So did the newcomers to the city.<\/p>\n \u201cThey say she killed the Goblin Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe fought off the Face-Eater Moths. And<\/em> Skinner. Her inn\u2019s survived the Raskghar! I heard she tore one of them apart with her bare hands.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe beat a Minotaur at arm-wrestling. She\u2019s got a punch to prove it. Swear to it. I saw her lay out a fellow one time\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe owns a pet bee. And she was a [Thief]! We expelled her from the city, but there she is. An [Innkeeper]. Credit to her, I say, all things forgiven.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely mad. Quite charming. Good singing voice too. But absolutely mad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo Humans have testicles? I\u2019m asking for a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n At this, Selys had to laugh. And her laughter made the line go silent. People turned to her as Selys approached the Human family. She saw the two girls hide behind their parents. But Selys smiled without<\/em> showing her teeth, and saw two faces peek at her. She addressed the parents, who might have never really talked to a Drake before. The Gnolls and Drakes of Liscor hadn\u2019t known many Humans before Erin, after all. And there were still misconceptions.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me, but if you want to visit the inn, why not stop by after you finish up here? It\u2019s opening today. Reopening, I should say.\u201d<\/p>\n The news caught everyone off-guard, not just the Humans. One of the Humans, the [Foreman], turned to Selys.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it\u2019s true? The inn\u2019s back? But I heard it was destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the Gnolls laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t just destroy The Wandering Inn! It\u2019s more than just an inn! It\u2019s like a\u2014part of the city! Where would we be without that crazy Human? It\u2019s a symbol. A metaphor.\u201d<\/p>\n Hesna shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean, a mushroom. You just can\u2019t get rid of it. Those Humans keep coming back\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She grunted as the Gnoll elbowed her in the stomach. The Humans looked warily at the Drakes and Gnolls. They were new to Liscor. And Selys sighed, seeing a few very Lism-esque glances. But then she smiled. She turned back to the Human family and shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Wandering Inn was destroyed. But it\u2019s back. It\u2019s just a little different.\u201d<\/p>\n The listeners looked at her. The wife glanced at her children, and her husband, and cleared her throat.<\/p>\n \u201cHow<\/em> different, exactly?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n There, on a hill, sat an inn. It had been destroyed, or so the rumors claimed. But that had been two weeks ago. A short time. Or a long one. Because for all that time, the inn had been closed. But now, today, this moment in fact, it was reopening.<\/p>\n The first visitors were already lined up outside the magical door that would let them into the inn. Because who wanted to walk<\/em> even the short distance to the inn? But the magical door wasn\u2019t working just yet. Like the inn, it had been out of commission these last two weeks.<\/p>\n Fals found himself waiting in line behind a female Drake. He glanced at her, and the Humans, Gnolls, and Drakes standing around her. He recognized the very same family from Esthelm. Then Selys. She blinked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cF-Fals? Wait, do I have that wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. It\u2019s Miss Selys, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n They shook hands. Selys smiled as she gestured to the line. There was a long one! It stretched down the street. Fals glanced at it. Then around.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people are waiting. Is the door open? I heard it was broken and that the inn was closed. Hey, is Erin alright? I heard a lot of things. And the Horns\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He trailed off. Selys smiled, but a bit sadly.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re all okay. At least, I think so. The Horns are north, actually. They\u2019re going to Invrisil.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey took one of Erin\u2019s door-portals north. They left about a week and a half ago. Sorry, did you come here for them?\u201d<\/p>\n Fals sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I just\u2014I wish I\u2019d had a chance to talk to them. I\u2019m just glad they\u2019re alive. I thought maybe I could see them, but the door\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, right.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake grimaced. She twirled a ring on one of her claws.<\/p>\n \u201cThe city took it after the inn collapsed. They needed it to clear the Crelers from the Bloodfields. And the inn was<\/em> broken, so it was in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. So there were<\/em> Crelers?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys\u2019 eyes glinted.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. I\u2019ll tell you about it. Or let someone else do that for me. I wasn\u2019t there. I saw the aftermath, though.\u201d<\/p>\n Fals shuddered.<\/p>\n \u201cBut Erin\u2019s alive? She didn\u2019t get hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot from the Crelers. I hope we\u2019ll see her soon.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys sighed. Fals wanted to ask more, but an impatient voice called out from behind them.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! What\u2019s the hold up? I want ice cream! I haven\u2019t had any for two weeks!<\/em> Look at my paw! It\u2019s shaking!\u201d<\/p>\n A chorus of voices rang out in the line. Selys saw a few people opening and closing the door experimentally, but nothing happened. Fals pointed and she shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cThe door should<\/em> be opening soon. I was told it was going to the inn today.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo is the inn rebuilt or something?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYup. The Antinium put it up. Well, it\u2019s still in progress, but apparently they got the most important bits up. We just have to wait\u2026say, why are you in Liscor?\u201d<\/p>\n Fals patted his backpack.<\/p>\n \u201cDelivery.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh.\u201d<\/p>\n The two turned back to wait. And the Humans, Gnolls, and Drakes waited in line, patiently and impatiently, all wanting to see the familiar, or the mysterious [Innkeeper], the owner of The Wandering Inn.<\/p>\n But the first visitors to the inn weren\u2019t coming from the magical door. Rather, they were walking. The two proceeded from Liscor\u2019s eastern gates, travelling down the hill into a small valley, up the grassy slopes. They were talking. Well, arguing.<\/p>\n \u201cThat jerk. Captain Z is always<\/em> getting on my tail. So what if I like to add a bit of humor to my work?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou threatened to stab a child in the knee.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t threaten! I suggested<\/em> I might. Anyways, she wasn\u2019t on the list, so what\u2019s the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBesides excruciating and long-lasting mental trauma?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah! That\u2019s not real. Wait, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you still dream about the time your tail got run over by a wagon?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOoh. Oooh.<\/em> It still stings! Don\u2019t remind me about it. Anyways I\u2019m not that bad at my job! And she can\u2019t dock my pay!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are the most inept [Guardsman] I have ever had the misfortune to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey! You\u2019re not perfect, buddy!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am not your buddy. We are coworkers.\u201d<\/p>\n The two figures toiled up the hill. Well, they didn\u2019t toil very hard. But they did have to balance the huge doorframe between them as they climbed. Relc glared at Klbkch.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re best buddies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI find this statement difficult to accept.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch stared back impassively. Relc waved one claw, easily carrying his half of the magical door.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be a lizard, Klb. If you\u2019re not my buddy, who is? We\u2019re partners, and a team! You can\u2019t spell team without me. And\u2026without I. Wait, how does it go again?\u201d<\/p>\n The Antinium sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are a team, but calling us \u2018friends\u2019 or \u2018pals\u2019 or \u2018chums\u2019 is a painful stretch in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh? Why\u2019s that? Klb, buddy, you\u2019re wounding me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am increasingly reluctant to tie myself in a familiar way to you, Relc. Mainly due to your ineptitude and lackadaisical attitude at work, which is earning you the derision of our coworkers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026But we\u2019re best friends. Klb! You have to stick by me! I\u2019m your only friend! Name one other friend than me!\u201d<\/p>\n The Antinium paused as they carried the door to the waiting inn. He glanced up at the wide hill and shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cErin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Name one other friend.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Jeiss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAha! See? You don\u2019t have anyone but me! Jeiss hates your guts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe does not. We maintain a cordial working relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re best<\/em> pals, Klb. You can\u2019t be pals with Erin. Erin likes everyone. Anyways, what would you do without me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEnjoy my life?\u201d<\/p>\n Relc kicked at Klbkch, but he missed as the Antinium twisted out of the way. They stared at each other. Then Relc jerked his head towards the inn.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s just get this door up there, huh, coworker?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n The two headed up the hill. There it stood. The Wandering Inn. Relc peered up at the front of the building. He paused. Klbkch felt him edging left.<\/p>\n \u201cStop that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh. It looks\u2026different. Doesn\u2019t it, Klb?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe design is fundamentally changed, yes. Were you not aware of this fact despite me repeating it to you several times throughout the week?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKlb, Klb\u2026I don\u2019t listen to you all the time. Ow!\u201d<\/p>\n Relc glared as Klbkch kicked him. Then he went back to staring up at the inn.<\/p>\n \u201cStrange. It looks\u2026strange.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch turned his head. And even the Antinium Revalantor couldn\u2019t find a snippy comeback to that. As the two made their way up the hill, they looked at The Wandering Inn.<\/p>\n Aesthetically, there wasn\u2019t much wrong with it. The inn\u2019s solid stone foundation turned into thick walls, forming the base of the inn. And the first floor, three times as large as it had once been, was already done. Stone had been neatly piled up, and then cemented into a hard mass. Wooden beams joined wooden structure as the inn grew taller.<\/p>\n The inn wasn\u2019t one building, the two [Guardsmen] saw, but a compound. It wasn\u2019t solidly roofed, but rather looked as though one central building would be connected to several smaller ones when finished. As it was, the inn was wide as it was tall. And figures were crawling on the roof.<\/p>\n \u201cAnts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch corrected Relc reprovingly. The Drake was pointing out the Workers busily constructing a second floor. The Antinium had already built several rooms; Relc and Klbkch could actually stare up into one as an Antinium laid the flooring. More were busily covering a roof with fluted tiles. But what drew the eye was a little tower that had been built on the finished roof.<\/p>\n On the hypothetical third floor\u2014which was also in construction\u2014someone had nailed together a few boards very haphazardly, and with scavenged wood and determination, made a ramshackle tower. Both Klbkch and Relc saw a little Antinium Worker happily standing in his perch. He waved at them and Relc waved back.<\/p>\n Some things never changed. But as Relc approached the front of the inn he realized some things did.<\/p>\n \u201cLook. Double doors. Fancy.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n He poked the large wooden doors, reminiscent of a castle\u2019s doors. In fact\u2026Relc squinted up at the inn in progress. When it was done, it would rather be like a castle. Without spires or battlements, but with\u2026.inner and outer parts. The keep waited within.<\/p>\n \u201cHuh. Hey, how did Erin pay for all this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe city granted her funds due to her inn\u2019s part in subduing the Crelers. I believe there were also donations from concerned private citizens. And the Antinium have also taken this job on at slight cost.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw. You\u2019re so nice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo not touch me.\u201d<\/p>\n The two laid down the magic door. Relc sighed as he rubbed his left arm.<\/p>\n \u201cThat thing\u2019s heavy!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou bet me you could drag me on it all the way here. Do not blame me for your bravado.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I lost. So\u2026shut up. Say, did anyone say where the door should go?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight inside, to the left. In the entryway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe left? Why not the right? Weird.\u201d<\/p>\n Relc shook his head as he pulled one of the double doors aside. Klbkch did the same, and Relc jumped forwards.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! It\u2019s me! Where\u2019s the f\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake paused. Then he recoiled and stepped backwards. And he couldn\u2019t say why at first. Klbkch had a different reaction; his hands instinctively went to his sword\u2019s hilts. The two stared into The Wandering Inn.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t the common room they found greeting them past the double doors. No\u2014what they found was a narrow\u2026passage. Or \u2018entryway\u2019 would be more appropriate. Because it was too narrow to really be a room. Rather, it was a long, open stretch of space flanked by walls on both sides which led up to another set of double doors. The hallway was just\u2026a hallway. There were a few gaps along the walls, as if someone had forgotten to fully close the walls, but that was all.<\/p>\n A hallway surrounded on three sides. Just a hallway. But something about it made Relc distinctly uneasy. He glanced up towards the double doors, and then at the magical door. There was space for it along the left wall.<\/p>\n \u201cJust here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch was just as wary as Relc. The two [Guardsmen] wrestled the magic door in place along the left wall. There. It would allow visitors to enter the inn at the same time as regular guests. But in that case, why make people walk down this hall to get to the proper inn? It was hidden behind the second set of doors.<\/p>\n Relc didn\u2019t understand. It made no sense. Right until he turned and stared at the narrow gap in the wall. It was\u2026an opening. Although he saw what looked like faint shutters on the other end. What was\u2014<\/p>\n Then Relc realized what it was. His scales crawled and he elbowed Klbkch.<\/p>\n \u201cHey. Is this\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. A kill zone.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch nodded to the arrow slits. Relc peered at one and realized how thick<\/em> the wall was between him and the gap on the other side. He glanced up\u2014saw a faint outline freshly cut in the ceiling.<\/p>\n \u201cKlb, buddy, do you think that\u2019s a murder hole?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Yes.\u201d<\/p>\n The two [Guardsmen] edged out of the way of the faint, concealed outline in the ceiling. It could have been just a thin trap door. Or\u2026if you were being highly suspicious, it might be a narrow opening through which someone so inclined could pour boiling oil down. Or acid. There were a number of those openings in the ceiling. And\u2014Relc narrowed his eyes. This room was very<\/em> solid. And now he looked, the door at the far end was very secure. He could imagine making this a choke point where one or two people could hold back\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Klb. Didn\u2019t you say one of your uh, Workers designed this inn?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlong with Miss Lyonette. Yes. Belgrade. He is fairly adept at making traps.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n The two [Guardsmen] hesitated. They walked forwards. Neither of them liked<\/em> being here. Even if it was the inn\u2014and it did not<\/em> look like the inn at the moment to Relc\u2014they felt instinctively that they were surrounded on all sides, easily flanked. Relc peered at the shut arrow slits. Then at the ceiling.<\/p>\n The inn was very quiet. The Drake passed by another opening in the wall. Put a crossbow or bow there and you could hit him from either side. And there\u2019d be acid pouring down from the ceiling. Come to that\u2014why was the magic door along the far wall? Maybe\u2014<\/p>\n Something leapt on him. Relc screamed and whirled, spear in hand.<\/p>\n \u201cGaaaah!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n He nearly stabbed the furry, white shape tackling his legs. Nearly. But he saw Mrsha and stopped. Klbkch had nearly unsheathed his blades as well.<\/p>\n \u201cYou little rascal! Where did you come<\/em> from?\u201d<\/p>\n Relc\u2019s heart was pounding out of his chest. He stared at Mrsha. The white Gnoll grinned up at him. She punched Relc\u2019s legs, raced about him on all fours, and then held up her paws. She waved one paw, made a gesture where her paw closed and opened wide. It was her way of saying \u2018hello! Tricked you!\u2019<\/p>\n Mrsha, the white Gnoll cub giggled at the look on Relc\u2019s face. The Drake raised his fist.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, I oughta\u2014take this!\u201d<\/p>\n He punched. Klbkch staggered as Relc hit him in the shoulder. The Antinium caught himself, stared at Relc.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy did you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI had to punch someone!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo you did not. I am extremely angry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere did you come from, though?\u201d<\/p>\n Relc ignored Klbkch\u2019s wrath and turned to Mrsha. She hadn\u2019t come through the double doors; they\u2019d closed behind them. The magic door? No. Relc looked around and frowned at Mrsha. The Gnoll was giving him the smuggest look he\u2019d ever seen on a Gnoll\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cHey. You little scamp. How\u2019d you sneak up on us? Answer me!\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha gave Relc a very Goblin-like shrug. But her eyes twinkled. Relc raised a fist.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t make me punch Klbkch again!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will stab you first.\u201d<\/p>\n For answer, Mrsha pointed. Relc looked as she pointed behind her, and then made another gesture where she covered her eyes and peeked.<\/p>\n \u201cI have no idea what she\u2019s saying. Do you know what her sign language is, Klb?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHm. Cover eyes. Peeking. Don\u2019t look? No\u2014ah. Hidden. Secret.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha nodded excitedly. She pointed and Relc saw her scamper over to a piece of wood near the entryway. His eyes narrowed as she pushed on it. Then he saw the cleverly disguised\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cDoor! Look, it\u2019s a door!\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch nodded. Mrsha disappeared through a hidden door. Relc realized there were two, one on each side of the entryway. He looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course! So they can get at the door. But if they don\u2019t like who\u2019s coming in\u2026arrows! Boiling curry! Evil Gnoll cubs!\u201d<\/p>\n He waved his claws at the cleverly-designed hallway. Klbkch eyed the closed secret door. Mrsha had swung it inwards. He went over and pushed on the section of the wall. Nothing happened. Klbkch tried harder. Relc thought he heard silent laughter coming from behind it.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe the door is able to be barred from the other side. Clever.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. Unless you do this! Hah!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Relc charged into the secret door. Klbkch heard a thud, <\/em>and an alarmed sound from behind the wall. Relc picked himself up from the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cOw.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cErin\u2019s Skills appear to be in effect. And you appear to be an idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKlb. I don\u2019t appear to be anything. Wait. That\u2019s some tough wall.\u201d<\/p>\n Relc rose, rubbing at his head. More relaxed now, he looked around. The double doors at the far end had opened, and a warm glow greeted him. The Drake inhaled and smelled\u2026sawdust. But also, warm food. He grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cKlb, do you remember when we first came to this inn?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI distinctly recall it was another inn, set further to the east. But yes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStrange. Feels like a lot\u2019s changed. A lot.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake nodded. He just looked around for a moment. Then he smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright. Let\u2019s open that door!\u201d<\/p>\n He strode over to the door to Liscor and yanked it open. A magical portal appeared, quick as thought. Relc saw a huge line of Drakes and Gnolls and Humans. He grinned at them.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! Look at\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout time! What took you so long, you lazy bum? We\u2019ve been waiting for over\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Relc slammed the door shut. He turned to Klbkch.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s toss the door down the hill.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch only sighed and pulled the door open. Then he turned and punched Relc in the shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cOw. Klbkch, that hurts my feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n And here they came. Relc and Klbkch in front, Selys pushing with Fals behind. Not just them. New visitors, like the workers from Esthelm. But more.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! Is the inn open again? I\u2019m so hungry<\/em>. Erin! Are you there? Ooh. Free snacks!\u201d<\/p>\n Relc\u2019s voice echoed ahead of the others as he made his way down the hallways, pushing Klbkch back so he could be first into the inn. And behind him followed a crowd. Drakes, Gnolls\u2014and then adventurers.<\/p>\n A Garuda, fluttering through the door and blinking suspiciously at the arrow slits. A blue-scaled Drake who nodded approvingly at the very same and eyed the murder holes with worry. A tall, furry Gnoll with a bit of gray in his step and a cat riding on one shoulder.<\/p>\n And then a Centaur, trotting ahead of a nervous young Human woman holding a magical staff. A female Minotaur. Behind them, a harrumphing<\/em> Drake glaring about, followed by a Gnoll [Shopkeeper] who looked ready to toss him back through the doorway. Not all were friends. But most were.<\/p>\n A bevy of Antinium followed the crowds, polite Workers and a few Painted Soldiers, gleaming. Among them, a giant a few inches taller than the rest, marked by yellow droplets of paint. An Antinium who smiled and clasped lower hands together in prayer.<\/p>\n Conspicuous among them were the faces who weren\u2019t there. There was no half-Elf, no sniffing [Necromancer] or woman with silver arms. Or Antinium with only three arms. But then someone opened the side door, adjusted a setting on the magical dial, and a Stitch-girl stepped into the hallway with a Hobgoblin.<\/p>\n She was carrying a flask of bubbling liquid she was offering around for people to sample. The Hobgoblin had a guitar on his back. They joined the crowd slowly coming through the doors. And though some knew what to expect, the newcomers looked up.<\/p>\n Here she was. The [Innkeeper]. The owner of The Wandering Inn. A young woman, or so it was said. But one who played chess like a [Strategist]. Who befriended Goblins and [Necromancers]. Who fought monsters. Or served them. She could do anything. Or maybe she drew trouble like metal drew lightning. She was kind. Or just crazy.<\/p>\n There she stood. A little white Gnoll ran around her, excited as could be. She was shorter than the legends claimed. But she smiled with genuine delight as visitors saw her. Her hair caught the light pouring in through the windows, glinting red.<\/p>\n The common room of the inn, the true common room was wide, and vast. Too vast for the space it should have inhabited. But there was a point where the bright glass windows turned to smooth wood. And at the far end of the room, a stage waited.<\/p>\n So too did the tables and chairs. They were new, polished, waiting for people to fill them. A long bar manned\u2014or womaned\u2014or Draked lay along one wall. Kegs and bottles stood at attention, as did mugs and tankards waiting to be filled. And a large kitchen issued aromas of already-cooked food. But it would be fresh as the moment it was made, no matter how much time passed.<\/p>\n Indeed, over a dozen members of staff were waiting for this first crowd. Gnolls and Drakes, smiling and welcoming some guests. The newcomers relaxed\u2014and then ducked as a huge bee<\/em> floated overhead, flying upside down and pondering what it meant to be free. But the laughter of the young woman calmed them. She raised her hand and the bee flew down to land on her hand.<\/p>\n So this was her. The madwoman of Liscor. The [Innkeeper]. The guests stared as she greeted some of the faces she knew, smiling, bowing to the Gnoll [Shopkeeper]. They looked at her and wondered. Her legend was small, yet. But it was growing. A young woman, they said. An [Innkeeper]. And her inn, which had done so much in such a short time.<\/p>\n The Wandering Inn. And here was\u2014<\/p>\n Lyonette.<\/p>\n The [Princess] smiled as she transferred Apista to one shoulder. She nodded to Krshia and raised her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me! Everyone keep moving, please! There are tables and chairs enough for everyone! We have a menu with illustrations and one on the far wall\u2014the bar is serving drinks or our staff can take one to your table! Hello! Elirr! Mrsha was dying to see you! Is that a cat?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll smiled ruefully as the cat on his shoulder hissed<\/em> at Apista. The Ashfire Bee menacingly poked its stinger at the cat. Lyonette smiled as she took the Gnoll\u2019s hands and kept ushering people through the doors.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so good to see you. Thank you for putting us up\u2014will you have a seat? We can put you over there, by one of the fireplaces\u2026Ishkr? Ishkr!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHere.\u201d<\/p>\n A younger Gnoll appeared. Lyonette turned to him as Mrsha dove through the sea of legs, happily seeking out friends.<\/p>\n \u201cOpen the side doors, will you? I think we have too many guests for just the double doors!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOn it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll nodded and Lyonette saw a stream of people begin appearing through another doorway. The press abated somewhat and she and Elirr moved to one side.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha! Mrsha, come here you silly girl! You\u2019ll be trampled!\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha appeared, grinning with delight. She was as excited as Lyonette and everyone else. Relc was bouncing up and down.<\/p>\n \u201cThis place looks great! Ancestors, you\u2019ve got two<\/em> fireplaces?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a large room! And we have a private room\u2014more buildings planned\u2014Krshia! Oh, and Councilmember Lism.\u201d<\/p>\n She politely bowed. Lism glared about, but brightened when he saw his nephew. Krshia came over, smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is good to see you, Lyonette. It seems the inn is finished, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot by half! But the entryway and common room are done. And the kitchen! So we could reopen. Which is just as well, because some of the things I have planned\u2014alright! Let\u2019s begin serving tables! I\u2019ll check on the Players of Celum as soon as we\u2019re settled!\u201d<\/p>\n The room was far from packed, but at least a hundred people had come through already and the flow didn\u2019t seem to be ceasing any time soon. Lyonette was smiling fit to burst. So was Krshia, but something paused her.<\/p>\n It was Lyonette. Of course, it was Lyonette, not Erin Solstice. The uninformed were looking at Lyonette as if she was the rumored [Innkeeper], but she wasn\u2019t. She was a [Princess]\u2014although you\u2019d hardly know it by her neatly tied back hair and businesslike way she was managing people. Or maybe you would.<\/p>\n In either case, she was still not an [Innkeeper]. And that was the one face conspicuously missing among the crowd. Even as Relc chortled over a full bowl of spaghetti filled with meatballs and sauce, he was looking for her. The Antinium lined up by their table were turning, ignoring the frightened looks they were getting from the Humans. Krshia sniffed the air, but she\u2019d already determined it.<\/p>\n \u201cErin Solstice, she is not here still? Lyonette?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Princess] paused.<\/p>\n \u201cNot yet. But she knows the inn\u2019s back. At least, her Skills are active. Her [Grand Theatre] Skill began working two days ago. But she\u2019s still away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that? Excuse me. Hello! I\u2019m sorry to intrude, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n A voice interrupted Lyonette. Fals hurried over. The City Runner paused, recoiling as Apista fanned her wings threateningly.<\/p>\n \u201cOh! Fals!\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette ever-so-gently flicked Apista\u2019s head and the bee, mollified, relaxed. Fals smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think you\u2019d recognize me amid all the crowd. Hello! It\u2019s good to see you Miss Lyonette and, er\u2026Miss Krshia?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning to you.\u201d<\/p>\n Krshia growled a polite greeting. So did Elirr, who introduced himself. The Gnoll plucked the cat off his shoulder as it tried to climb up.<\/p>\n \u201cShoo. You wanted to see the inn? Well, I hope Mrsha eats you.\u201d<\/p>\n Affronted, the cat leapt from the Gnoll\u2019s shoulder. She landed on the ground and came face-to-face with a very large Gnoll cub. Well, by cat standards. Mrsha was a giant compared to any housecat. The cat warily backed away. Mrsha grinned. They darted into the crowd, playing a game of Gnoll-and-cat.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha! Don\u2019t\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette sighed. The confusion was familiar and aggravating. But the inn was filling! It was, in fact, raucous. But someone was missing. Fals looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cIs Miss Erin not here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot yet. Do you have business with her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI would like to see her. I imagine many of us here would.\u201d<\/p>\n Elirr nodded to the tables full of friends and single enemy contained in Lism. Olesm was staring at the dedicated chess tables that some Antinium were already filling. But he too looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually have a delivery. That\u2019s why I\u2019m here. And to talk, obviously. But I have\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Fals had produced a rather large, square object, wrapped very securely. Lyonette eyed it, curious, but she had to shake her head.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s not here, Fals.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean, she\u2019s out?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey! Where\u2019s Erin? This pasta doesn\u2019t taste like her pasta! I\u2019ll have another thanks, and a hamburger. Where\u2019s Erin?\u201d<\/p>\n Relc shouted, waving a fork and trying to talk around a mouthful of pasta. Lyonette sighed. She looked at Fals.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019ll be back. But maybe not just yet, Fals. Can I take the package for her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have to give it to her. If she\u2019s out on a walk\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. She\u2019s not here.\u201d<\/p>\n It took the City Runner a moment to realize what Lyonette was saying. He paused, and looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cThen where is she?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPallass. On holiday.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette said it simply. Krshia nodded, her eyes flicking to Lyonette, then back to the magical door. Fals paused.<\/p>\n \u201cFor two weeks?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe needed a break. She\u2019ll come back. When she\u2019s ready. A lot happened while you were away. And I think Erin needed time. I\u2019ll try to get word to her that you\u2019re here. She should know the inn\u2019s open.\u201d<\/p>\n The City Runner hesitated. \u2018Can I go to Pallass?\u2019 was something of a hard question, even though he knew the door was able to take him there. He settled for nodding.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think she\u2019ll be back tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette\u2019s pause was telling. Fals sighed. And some of the old guests were catching on. From their seats, four of the Antinium were rising. Lyonette saw and waved a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me, I\u2019ve got to keep moving. Take a seat, please!\u201d<\/p>\n She ushered the others to a seat and then made her way to the Antinium. There were four of them. Pawn, Yellow Splatters, and\u2026Lyonette stared at the other two.<\/p>\n They looked<\/em> somewhat like Soldiers. But they were\u2026different. A bit taller. And their hands were actual hands, not stumpy digits. More importantly, they wore no paint. They were as alien to Lyonette, who knew what Antinium were like as\u2026well, what Antinium were to most species. She focused on Pawn first.<\/p>\n \u201cPawn! It\u2019s so good to see you! And you\u2019ve brought the Antinium!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLyonette. It is good to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n Pawn took Lyonette\u2019s hand softly. Yellow Splatters nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have come, as promised. Thank you for your invitation.\u201d<\/p>\n The Soldier\u2019s voice was deep. Almost unsettling since it came from a Soldier, but Lyonette smiled and nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bit of a rush as you can see, but I have acid flies all ready for the Workers and Soldiers. And plenty of soup!\u201d<\/p>\n The two Antinium brightened. Pawn hesitated, looking around.<\/p>\n \u201cIs Erin not here, Lyonette? I thought she would be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s still on vacation, Pawn. I think she might be back tonight. I\u2019ll send someone to look for her first thing after this settles, I promise. And get the Players of Celum. I completely forgot, and I want them to perform here tonight. Ishkr, can you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The harried-looking Gnoll rushing past Lyonette turned. Lyonette caught his eye.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014later.\u201d<\/p>\n Pawn nodded, but he was still looking around as if Erin might materialize from nowhere. Lyonette glanced at the two strange Antinium standing next to Pawn and Yellow Splatters.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, Pawn. Who are your friends?\u201d<\/p>\n Pawn jumped. He looked at the two Antinium and at Yellow Splatters. Lyonette saw his mandibles open and close and paused. Yellow Splatters paused too, but it was one of the two not-Soldiers who replied.<\/p>\n \u201cHello. We are ordinary Antinium Workers, here for sustenance.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette stared at the Antinium. He stared back. She looked at Pawn. The [Priest] couldn\u2019t quite<\/em> meet her gaze.<\/p>\n \u201cWorkers?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The second Antinium not-Soldier must have read Lyonette\u2019s clear confusion, because he jabbed his companion with one of his four arms hard. The other Antinium started.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are ordinary Antinium Soldiers.<\/em> Excuse me.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette stared at them. Then she looked at Pawn and Yellow Splatters. It was hard to read Antinium expressions most of the time. But this was a look.<\/em> She cleared her throat.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Well then. I\u2019m very pleased to meet you. If you\u2019d like some food, someone will bring you a menu very soon. Um\u2026welcome to The Wandering Inn!\u201d<\/p>\n The two \u2018Soldiers\u2019 nodded. They turned and marched back to the table. Lyonette swore she heard one of them whisper to the other above the hubbub.<\/p>\n \u201cNearly perfect infiltration.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Tersk.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyon stared after the Antinium for a second, mouth open. She caught Pawn poking himself repeatedly in the forehead with one finger. She was about to ask a question, but then Pawn turned to her.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Erin is not here, I will let you get back to work, Lyonette. We will be able to speak later. Tonight? I know you must be very busy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. It\u2019s a promise.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette smiled. Pawn nodded and made his way back with Yellow Splatters. Lyonette looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n She spotted a Centaur sitting down at a table to her left. Palt, Montressa, and Beza were looking around warily. And not getting a lot of friendly looks. But they had an invitation back here and\u2026Lyonette murmured.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve been gone for two weeks. Did they take Isceil\u2019s body\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n She was about to go over when she heard a chant. Relc was on his feet.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! Where\u2019s Erin? Where\u2019s the [Actors]? Let\u2019s have some entertainment!\u201d<\/p>\n His words were followed by a cheer. People turned to the empty stage and Lyonette cursed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Players of Celum aren\u2019t here yet! They\u2019ll be here tonight!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoo! Then we want Erin! Erin! Erin!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The chant was taken up. Relc stood up on his chair. And his voice was joined by Klbkch of all people. And Olesm. Lyonette tried to shout an abbreviated explanation, but then other people were shouting the name, taking it up.<\/p>\n And not out of pure peer pressure. It was true that the inn was here. The guests were here. And some things were changed, others different. But something was missing. The heart and soul of the inn had yet to appear. That [Innkeeper]. The crazy Human.<\/p>\n Erin Solstice.<\/p>\n But she was far away. And as Lyonette tried to calm the mob and Mrsha snuck up on Beza with a spring-loaded cat, and Bird happily sang a song in his tower, summer was underway. A single Ashfire Bee buzzed happily. Birds weren\u2019t singing for fear of Bird<\/em> singing.<\/p>\n And cause and effect was well at work. In his cave, a Dragon rolled over and flapped one wing lazily. That had nothing to do with the thousand or so Wyverns flying out of the High Passes.<\/p>\n And here they came. An army of Gold-rank threats, descending from the heights of the mountains. Enraged, driven out of their territory, led by the furious Wyvern Lord. And what should meet them but a city, a place of Drakes? And as before, the monsters descended. Lower and lower. The Wyvern Lord drew breath as Bird looked up, staring at faint specks in the distance.<\/p>\n \u201cOoh. What is that?\u201d<\/p>\n The Wyvern Lord stared down at the city and the small oddity on the hill next to it. His sharp gaze spotted the Antinium, the milling Drakes and Gnolls. He snarled and dove.<\/p>\n Some things never changed.<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014After a second, the Wyvern leader changed his mind. He stared down at Liscor. And his feral mind did some busy calculations. That was a rather small<\/em> city. And bugs? He wasn\u2019t about to eat bugs<\/em>. He rose, shrieking<\/em> at his companions. The weyr flew after him. No, for a clutch this large, the Wyvern Lord needed a proper place to make his nest, not some titchy little place like this. He flew on, affronted.<\/p>\n South. Over crimson earth and plants that didn\u2019t interest Wyverns one bit. Southwards still, slowly making their way mile by mile. Searching for something\u2026<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n And far in the distance, too far for sight yet, lay a city. A jewel of the south. Pallass, the City of Invention. And call it chance, or luck, or twisted fate, but there she was.<\/p>\n A young woman lay on the grass outside of Pallass\u2019 walls. She could see the Walled City in the distance. But right now she was lying by a gentle stream. The sky was clear. And she had no idea what was coming, hour by hour across the four hundred miles.<\/p>\n But she was there. And some things changed. And some things never changed. Erin Solstice lay on her back, staring up at the sky. She hummed under her breath. Just staring up at the sky, sleepy. Relaxed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m on holiday.\u201d<\/p>\n She spoke dreamily, in that sleepy way you had, between actual sleep and wakefulness. There was nothing to do. No grand adventures to be had, not even much excitement. A little fishing net and line lay next to a rock. In the distance, Pallass waited. Erin didn\u2019t look at it. She just lay there. And after a while, which could have been minutes, hours, or forever she got up.<\/p>\n She sighed, shaking out her lazy body. She stretched.<\/p>\n \u201cOw. Ooh. I should do that more often.\u201d<\/p>\n Then she looked around. At her little getaway. At the still-clear skies. And Erin sighed. She sensed it, to the north. Not the Wyverns. But a glowing beacon.<\/p>\n Home.<\/em><\/p>\n It was such a familiar feeling. Painful, sweet. It called to her. But was she ready to go? The young woman lifted her hand. She put it to her chest, over her heart.<\/p>\n Painful regret. Sadness. Guilt. It all lay there. And yet\u2014what glory. What sights she had seen. What friends waited?<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s boring being on break. And I suppose it\u2019s time to go back. And do it all better this time. Differently.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin Solstice smiled. A bit sadly. A bit painfully. But there was happiness there too. She drew her hand back, cupped it.<\/p>\n A small flame glowed in her palm. It burned, magic fire glowing with a vibrancy beyond mortal fire. The core was blue, as deep as the sea. And the fire was lighter. Brighter. It glowed like the sky itself.<\/p>\n Fire and magic. And memory.<\/em> It was warm and sad and beautiful. For a moment she let it burn in her hands. Then Erin blew it out and turned. She smiled again, and began walking back towards home.<\/p>\n It had to be said that she had poor timing.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The air was warm, and the sun shone brightly as the Dragon emerged from his cave in the High Passes. The world over, spring had already turned into summer\u2019s heat and warmth. That was simply a fact of life, which tormented the few people who knew anything about hemispheres and basic orbital theory. But it […]<\/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":[11693087,349],"tags":[],"twi_volume":[11693136],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-7364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-7","category-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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