Exhibit 17: "Swashbuckler"

We walked outta that cave feeling heavier than ever.

Aramis was huffing sadly by the flowing magma. She never did follow us when we started the long, once again horseless trek back here. I was sort of amazed she even understood the situation, but she'd saved Timera more directly than I had; I was grateful, even if we never did see eye-to-eye.

It was all a blur. Honestly, when we finally left Inbraeva, the trudging journey felt like flying in comparison. After only three or four short months, we saw the front gate of Solas Domum, lookin' just the same as when it sent us on our way.

I was glum as all get-out, still not knowin' how to face the people I'd not had any intention of seeing again. Keelo had unconscious, restrained Viola on their back—that'd be a whole fiasco. Timera was limping and bloody—we all were. Euphor was here—that wasn't an issue, but still a difference—and Promise wasn't. It wouldn't ever be the same.

I opened the tavern door, greeted by a bucket of water directly on top of my head.

"They're back!" was the rallying cry inside this very room we occupy now. I chucked the bucket at the nearest shithead I could see—why, it was Selinfoto Emeritus, with a grin like the crescent moon. She pat me on the head before she and Timmy tackled Keelo with a joint bear hug.

I couldn't help the laugh bubbling out of me. "This is what I get?"

From behind the counter came a beleaguered Imber, holding the little lady we now know as Killie. Yes, you, missy! You were so cute back then! It's all terrible twos now.

Imber regarded me for a second before smiling slightly. "As soon as you're changed, clean this up."

I sighed, worries far from defeated, but put off for now. "You got it, boss."

He pulled me into a gentle hug, soaked clothes and all. Killie laughed and smacked my nose.

There was a different, relieved sigh from behind me, in the still-open door. "Fucking idiot."

I turned to see Carmen, standin' in the early morning light, breathing heavy. When she brought me into her own bear hug, I realized even though I'd been on an adventure that pushed my body to its limits, I'd only lost muscle—Carmen had somehow gotten fuckin' buff. My lungs objected to this.

Even greater than the party the night before we left, we had a goddamn welcome home parade. Everyone was out in the street, Selin and Lena and them played their fingers bloody, and we all sang ourselves hoarse and danced 'til our feet fell off.

Euphor and Carmen hit it off well—the three of us found some, ahem, herbal remedies to enjoy that night. Apparently, Imber recognized him from somewhere; he'd been in the city Euphor was from for a while, where he was technically still a prince. Small world, but before my time, I guess.

I palmed Imber—who became the mayor while I was gone? Courtesy of Promise—all the gold I'd gotten from Talaedra Nightspirit, after she kicked our asses in the pit fight and felt bad. She didn't need the money, but if he was gonna get this patch of dirt on the map, Imber certainly did. It was a fat sack of change, and look what he's done with it.

Keelo was workin' a wild shift that night, ever the servant even during the biggest party they'd ever see in their life. The snow outside was starting to stick, so they took Charissa around town on their shoulders and passed out lil' wooden toys to the rest of the kids. She'd gotten real good at making 'em.

Miss June was happy to see us alive, too. After we got all cleaned up, she, Timera, and I sat by the fire in the Orphanage and just talked. Timera told us everything she'd been through, which—well, sweet pea? Why don't you tell 'em?

He's never called me that, don't let him fool you.

Yeah, it wasn't great! I fully don't remember dying or being alive before any of this, which I guess is fine. Nothing I can really do about it, right?

Reishan had me in the cave pretty much the whole time. Every day was a blood ritual, trying to activate some latent power in mw. It must've worked eventually, but I was checked out for most of it. When Viola came in every now and then, I was barely surprised. I didn't have it in me anymore.

But this guy makes me seem like such a perfect victim! I wasn't! I fought, and all that. Eventually.

We went and saw Viola in Solas' little two-cell jail the next day. She was sitting facing the corner, and didn't say a thing to Fortune no matter how much he talked at her. He's proficient in talking at people, so that's saying a lot.

Promise—Repellam—my brother, whatever you want to call him. He fought well. I don't know if my word means much, but I saw him kill Reishan with my own eyes. It's hard to believe he's gone—around here, they call him Promise the Powerful. Remember that.

That's all I have to say.

Well, thanks for that.

Next day, with a big-ass hangover, I took the drawings and paintings I'd worked out all that time to the Art Shoppe, lookin' to dump it in Shawn's storage and forget it all.

I was surprised to find Keelo there, along with Carmen.

They looked at me like they'd been talkin' mad shit, and weren't expecting me to walk in. Keelo smiled softly. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine," I said, sniffing. I plopped the stack of parchments on the counter. "I'll take a copper for all of it."

Carmen's eyes widened briefly. She sifted through the decent-sized stack. "All of it?"

"Yup." I rubbed my nose. "Ready to never see it again."

Carmen furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"Are you—" I chuckled a little. "Why not? Painful shit. Someone else can have it."

"It's your expression," she reasoned. "Sorting through it could be good for you."

"Don't need to be good for me, just needs to be done. Yeah, Keelo?" I elbowed them. "It was some tough times, yeah? Right?"

Keelo thumbed through the files in their brain for a response, but came up short. Their shoulders sagged. "I was actually thinking the same thing."

"See? I knew you'd see it my way."

"I'm agreeing with her," they clarified. "Charissa and Elbereth are working out some of their harder feelings through sculpting, so it would only—"

"I know, I do that." I've always been an artful dodger. "It's been fine—fun sometimes—but the world's saved already. Problem solved. We did it. I don't need to process it anymore."

Keelo nodded toward my side. "We still have the Scythe."

Oh my, I hadn't noticed. My silly rapier was back in its sheath, like it had been the whole two days after the fight. It glowed sometimes. I just shrugged.

They cocked their head, starting to look frustrated. "What are you hoping to do with it?"

"Nothin'." I fidgeted. "Just don't feel like givin' it back yet."

Keelo looked at me for a long moment, then nodded. "She'll only need it back when crops are being reaped, not planted." They took a breath. "She's put us through enough. That's our leverage—let her feel desperate."

I blinked, then nodded like I really did know they'd see it my way. That was the fatal crack in my facade. I smiled, forcing a little laugh. "Don't suppose we know how to replace a god, huh?"

Neither of them said anything.

My hands shook, and I didn't have my gloves or armor to cover it up this time. "So what was all this for?" I shrugged helplessly. "Viola made some points. Everything'll just go back how it was."

Keelo chewed on that for a sec. "Should you ask her?"

I looked at them incredulously, then at Carmen. I hadn't fully explained it to her yet, so she looked lost.

Keelo nodded. I raced to the jail.

Just like it had been for most of Solas' life, the cell was empty. She must've found the fastest wagon in the world.

I came back right away, locking onto Carmen, breathing heavy. "Wanna get out of here?"

She frowned. "Out of town?"

I nodded.

She straightened up, eyes widening. "Yes."

I'd really rather not focus on all the torture and waiting. On to the fun stuff.

They finally took me with them on one of their adventures, like I'd been asking for years. Keelo and Euphor were in and out, but mostly it was the three of us. Fortune had a weird group name for us right away—"Platopoly." I don't know what it means, and I'll never ask, because it makes him mad.

We galloped all over the continent, fighting monsters that had risen since a certain fiendish tyrant had been toppled—oops. But still, even with all the danger and the people we almost didn't save, we always made it in time, like a fairy tale. I felt like I had a guardian devil watching over my shoulder, only his horns were sawed off.

I finally met Cora after hearing so much about her! She'd really made Mistston into a nice place. We drank tea and rode our horses faster than I'd ever run in my life. It was the most exciting thing I've ever felt, like I had wings.

Keelo tracked us down again after a few months. There was a certain sword they'd been searching for—something that could capture souls. Long story short, the five of us delved into a ruin to get it, and Keelo used it to take the soul of the dark-haired lady who resurrected me in the first place. Apparently, she'd taken that body, and the original owner was freed in that moment. Her name's Eularia—she's nice. We got to take her and Drest back to Kilder, and then we picked apples and stuff!

Fortune held onto the head of that snake lady for, like, a weirdly long time. He eventually sent it off somewhere, but he liked using it on people on our travels—people who made others' lives worse to make their own more comfortable. They made ugly statues.

They took the Scythe back about a week before the deadline, but I wasn't there for that.

Um, I made this drawing. It's the five of us riding into the sunset, but you can't really tell. Er—Promise is hovering above us. I'm actually gonna buy this one myself—it's mine, so I guess it's a donation.

Okay, bye.

Yes, thank you, Timera. It was actually exactly a year ago, today.

I still wasn't satisfied. Sittin' around, waiting for Keelo and Euphor to get ready to go into the heavenly realm, I still needed a clean solution. I needed to find something better than Harvest, or any of the gods, or all of this would be for nothing. I wouldn't get to have my adventures anymore—the last months were some of the best of my life, but it wasn't enough.

Keelo saw me, and sat nearby. "What's your answer?" they asked.

I gave 'em a stink-eye, then just shook my head. "I dunno."

They looked at me, which I handily did not reciprocate, then hummed. "Then do what you can."

And I will, thanks, Keelo. I'm not gonna let it hold me back anymore. Shit's gonna hurt, and that's part of it. I'm tryin' to take the good with the bad, even if it gets ugly.

Times like this, I think about Lucky again. He suffered—of course he suffered. Why'd you think he's the reason I learned about death? Lucky Trail characters did die sometimes. I reckon I'm pretty close to what I liked about him in the first place, and pretty damn far at the same time. I used to think those stories were escapes—and they were, no doubt—but now I think they're aspirations. It's funny, and… kinda sad, how similar of a place I ended up, but in so different a way. 'Course, there is no ended up—I'm livin' 'til I'm dead.

Thanks to everyone, I'm finally livin' that hero life, and I'll keep livin' my life 'til it's wrenched away from me. I'll never say I'm sorry for that. I lost myself for a long time, but I've my old and new joys and sadnesses to bring me back. I'll never give it up, and I'll never forget those I've met.

And gods, does it make me sad.

I hope I can meet him again, when the time comes.

GALLERY OF FORTUNE SIMPLECREEK—RECEIPT—9/18/1316

EXHIBIT #17: "SWASHBUCKLERS" SOLD TO TIMERA REPELLAM (1 GP)