Gardiani On The Road

Two and a half months ago we were mostly in warm beds at night. Now we’re mostly camping out. Skylar had just recently spoken for the first time since it happened this morning. She asked Yuliya to help her wash in a stream, and they disappeared into the tree line with Sofiya. On our way to this point we had been doing odd jobs, and only monster or bandit slaying that wouldn’t require us to leave Skylar unattended. With such a great loss, we feared she would seek an end. To her credit though, she stopped laying around looking at nothing a month ago, and then a few weeks ago she began writing in a journal Yuliya had bought her. At one town we stopped at, she went with Yuliya to what equated a post office in Gairidan and sent a letter. According to Carter, these offices had the world’s fastest bird monsters trained to deliver the letters brought to them. Not only that, but they were psychic and could lock onto whoever the letter was meant for if brought before the writer. Whoever it was meant for, they probably had it already.

We camped for the night yet again. We had taken two jobs in the last town. One was to eliminate a significant bandit threat in the area, which Carter, Ogun and I managed on our own, and to rescue someone who went missing near a grove on our way. Abel, Adaeze and Sofiya took care of that one. We met back up at the campsite within an hour of each other, Abel and co with someone new. A little girl named Molly. She was apparently the assistant of a pretty well-known technologist, but she wouldn’t say who. All she would say is “If I tell her name I might be used to capture her.”

Carter joined Sofiya and I at the fire we had going. Roasting over it was orc meat, which was apparently mostly pork. He took the spit and turned it halfway. “I believe we’ll be in Vernacieux before midday tomorrow. We could potentially skip taking a job there. With the payment we will receive from the two we have, and with how we hunt mostly for food, we can afford to skip the next two in fact.”

Sofiya placed her hands together. “I’d like to meet this technologist that Molly works for actually. I like science types!” She remembered something and looked at me. “Are you ok Taiyo? You had to fight people again. I know it was your turn, but I worry.”

I shook my head. “To be honest, since they are doing bad things, I am able to make myself not look at them like people. It’s when I can’t that it’ll be a problem. I don’t know how Ogun does it.” I looked over at him, sleeping soundly in his tent. “It’s kind of scary.

Carter waved that thought away. “Some people are simply warriors at heart. Those people go on to become either protectors or destroyers. Simply support him and he’ll continue to be a protector.”

“I’ll trust in that then. By the way, how come you don’t have armor designed for your tail? I’m sure there have been many times by now that it has been in danger of getting cut off. In fact, you never told us the name of your people either.”

Sofiya looked at him excitedly. “That’s right!”

Carter wore a rare surprised expression. “Did I not? It must have slipped my mind. My people are the Tokaga. They live even further east than the maps of this area will have depicted. I was shipwrecked in this part of the world further south of here as a boy. Another lizardman of a different race took me in and trained me to be a Hand. It’s all I’ve known since.” He smirked. “As for my tail,” His tail slithered in my direction. “Give the scales on top a hard knock.”

“Ok.” I did as he asked and hurt my hand badly. “Why would you have me do that!?”

He chuckled. “My mentor knew of methods the Tokaga people and similar lizardmen have used to harden their scales. Some lizardmen species can even get their scales on their chest to be as hard as plate armor.”

Sofiya thought for a moment. “Wait, does it involve diet and damage the scales repeatedly?”

Carter squinted his eyes. “I feel as if my secrets have been exposed.”

“Oh wow that’s exciting!” She took out a notebook she had purchased in the previous town. “So, ossification and a mineral rich diet can be used to alter scales, just as if you were taking care of your hair. That means you’re an osteoderm. Oh, but that also means you’ve been breaking your scales for a long time. The dedication!” She rambled to herself as she wrote everything down.

Carter and I exchanged a look and laughed. After that we went to sleep, and in the morning set off for the next town. Vernacieux had no walls, but it had metal posts at regular intervals around it’s perimeter. As we drew near, both Carter and Skylar cradled their heads.

“What’s going on?” Abel asked, worried.

“It’s fine.” Skylar said.

“She’s right. We’ll get better once we pass the ring. This wards off non-humans to varying degrees. It’s meant for monsters, but we’re affected a little too.”

We strolled in without having to consult any guards and headed straight for the Collection branch. Dismounting in front of it, we prepared to go inside when we heard a shout from behind us.

“Molly!”

We all turned around and the little girl broke into a run.

“Esther!” She flew into a hug as the woman stooped down arms wide.

“I’m glad you’re safe! When those monsters chased after us and I lost sight of you I began to worry! Where’d you go?”

The girl placed her hands on her hips in triumph. “I went back to the cave. You said it was sacred to the local monsters in the area and that they wouldn’t dare enter it!”

Esther smiled wide and ruffled her hair. “Oh you smart girl! No wonder you’re my assistant!”

“About that.” Molly let her hands fall. “I quit! I don’t want to make mama sad and die, so I’ll work the fields with papa. Bye!” She said with a grin then ran off.

The woman stood their dumbfounded for a moment before chuckling to herself.

“Esther.” Skylar said from behind her. At some point she walked over to her.

The woman turned around, her yellow and black side ponytail swinging with the motion. “Skylar? Oh wow it’s been so long! I got your letter and came as soon as I could!” She noticed the dimness of Skylar’s whole aura. Concern lit her face. “What’s wrong?”

Before she could get a word out the tears started coming again. “Tati, Ger, Ke… They-they’re all dead.” She started breaking down again.

Esther’s smile froze, and to me it looked like a crack has split her in half. She stood there staring into space as Skylar crouched in front of her, Yuliya running up behind her and rubbing her back.

“Dead…?” She kept her smile on, but slowly, tears began to fall drop by drop. Her head tilted down. “They died?” Her smile wavered then finally fell apart.

Instinctively I ran over to check on her. “Here, you can sit down over here. I led her over to our wagon and helped her up onto it. She was a head shorter than me, and I was already short. She must have been half halfling or something.

Yuliya brought Skylar over, and together the women cried together, clinging to one another. Other people of the town looked over for a moment as they passed by. After what felt like an hour, the two were reduced to mere sniffles.

“How?” Esther finally said.

“They were protecting us.” I said, letting Skylar have a break from having to talk about it. “The lord of Belle Reve wanted to conscript us, and they helped put a stop to it. The Hand branch there was razed too, so there were a lot more deaths.”

Esther sniffled a couple more times “And who are you? Why would they die for you?”

I knew she didn’t mean it in any bad way, but the statement still stung. “I’m Taiyo. I hope they would have answered that we were their friends, but I don’t really know their reasons for doing what they did. I can’t answer for the dead.”

“That’s true. I’m Esther. I was in the Miscasts for a while before I left to go study ruins.” She held out her hand, and I took it.

I introduced her to the others, and we went together into the building. As the one who posted the job Esther verified that we found the missing person, and our proof from the bandit’s hideout earned us the rewards from two different jobs.

There were no inns in town, but Esther had a large house on the edge of town that she let us stay in. Everyone dispersed to the rooms she lent to them. I think it was the first time any of us had that kind of privacy in a long time. I myself was more curious about Esther. If she was a technologist, and Skylar’s friend, then she must be the one that she mentioned before.

I found her sitting at the table in the kitchen sipping from a cup, alone.

“Excuse me.” I said softly.

She jumped and looked at me, then relaxed. “Oh it’s you.”

I sat down next to her. “I know you are probably deeply saddened right now. But maybe I can offer you something that could take your mind off it.”

She looked at me from the side. “Are you really coming to me with that offer right now?”

It took me a second to realize what she was talking about. “What? No! I’m talking about technologist stuff.” I was blushing from ear to ear.

She chuckled halfheartedly. “I was just kidding. You don’t seem like that type anyway. What do you have for me?”

I laid out our origin. I didn’t skip a single detail.

Her eyes regained some of the spark I noticed when she first turned around earlier. “This confirms one theory I’ve had for a while and proves what I’ve already known.”

I held up a hand. “Please, explain what you’re talking about.”

She set her cup down. “First, I’ve theorized that maybe other worlds exist. You being here proves that. Second, I discovered a wrecked temple some ways southeast from here. In it I found and deciphered many writings. From what I could gather, it was a place that managed various non-humans. From dragons to sirens. It apparently traveled around the world somehow, and it was destroyed in it’s last location. Some city called Jerus Alem. Anyway, the temple was called the Aged Acropolis-”

“Wait” I cut her off. “A city called Jerus Alem? Jerusalem?”

Esther became increasingly excited. “Oh, is that how you say it? I was wondering if I translated it right! Anyway, back to the temple. I found many depictions of various things in many languages. Some I recognized, like gryphons, but there many I didn’t. In one of the rooms was a dead flower, and on the pedestal it was on was carved ‘gardiani’. Have you noticed the similarity to Gairidan? It’s the same letters! Someone must have wondered in there after societal collapse and came out calling the world that!” She took a long sip of her drink. “And maybe there’s a connection between the flower and no sign of your people in Gairidan. If the temple managed non-humans, maybe it contained things in it, like the source of your people’s power. Maybe killing that killed your people.”

The thought made me sad. A whole race of people, just gone. “I hope not. But if the flower is dead, how are we here, using our own abilities?”

“Hmm,” She put a finger to her lips. “Maybe it’s because that isn’t your flower. Yours is still alive, even if it’s not in this world.”

“I guess that make sense.”

“You said you were going east to a temple that lost things gather at, right? I have wanted to visit it for a while now. I believe it may be tied to the other one.”

I took her hand. “Why don’t you come with us? You could get to see it, and I could tell you more about our world.”

Esther blushed. “Um, I mean, I suppose, I mean, sure?”

I realized what I was doing and let her hand go. “Ah, I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok.” She said, a small smile played upon her lips.

I excused myself and began to leave the room. So quietly that I wasn’t sure I heard right, I thought she said, “Maybe you are like that a little bit after all.”

After resting up over night, and informing everyone that Esther would be joining us, I was getting everyone ready to move out when a commotion picked up outside. Carter and I stepped out to investigate. Everyone was gathering at the Collection building, so that’s where we went. A worker from the branch was outside announcing something to those assembled.

“I repeat, do not be alarmed. The dungeon may be in severely close proximity of the town, but it is still freshly new. We estimate that there are only four or five floors right now, and it’s guardian can’t be too strong. We’ve sent for Hands to assemble here as quickly as possible. In the meantime, be extra vigilant when leaving the warding posts, as new monsters will begin forming within the vicinity of the dungeon until it’s core is eliminated.” He spotted Carter and I. “In fact we have a party in town right now. They could quite possibly finish within the week.”

I could tell he was essentially pleading for us to help. I looked at Carter. “Thoughts?”

He immediately raised his hand. “We will clear this dungeon for you.”

Everyone in the assembled crowd cheered.

“We should do this. It won’t be terribly difficult since this dungeon is apparently in it’s infancy, and it’ll give you all the experience. Dungeons are nasty creatures and should be exterminated every time they are found.” He waved the clerk over. “Go tell the others about this new development. I’ll get more information.”

I jogged back to the house. Just inside everyone was waiting.

“What was that all about?” Yuliya asked.

“Long story short, a dungeon appeared, it’s dangerous for the people living here, and we’re going to go kill it.”

Esther’s eyes gleamed. “A dungeon? Oh I would love to see a dungeon core!”

Ogun seemed a bit bored with the conversation already. “We need to move on and not waste our time here.”

Adaeze rounded on him. “What are you saying? It sounds like it is a threat to everyone living here, and you want to leave them?”

“It also sounds like a natural disaster. We have to go get Taiyo’s shikigami thing so that I can come back and free the people of Belle Reve!” He seemed overly agitated.

She stepped back, looking shocked. “You meant to go home, yes?”

Ogun wouldn’t look at her.

“Wow. I would have thought we would return to our life back home.”

“What life? What home? The one where you work yourself to the bone for someone who is not your child?” He stormed out of the house.

Carter was almost knocked over as he blew passed. “Is everything alright?”

Adaeze sat down. “I was not aware he felt that way. I apologize everyone.”

I awkwardly got everyone back into gear to head to the dungeon. After a while Ogun returned and got ready to go with us. Carter explained that it was only half a day north, and the branch was going to pay us enough yinks to enter the first country we’ve been close to in this world. I sat with Esther, Skylar, Yuliya and Sofiya in the wagon while Adaeze and Carter sat on the driver’s bench. Ahead of us Abel and Ogun rode the horses to scout for any monsters or bandits down the road. The two old friends had been catching up for few hours before Esther turned to me.

“So Taiyo, what is a shikigami. I feel like I’ve heard that term before.”

“Well, this specific shikigami is shaped like a person in a way.” I mimed out the shape of mine. “It’s essentially a paper doll infused with spirit powers. It’s used in Onmyōdō. I could use it to possess things, spy for me, and a few other things. Right now, it can get us home.”

“Oh like Yōdōmon. It’s a type of ceremony people in the far east use to turn everyday objects into little guardian helpers or something. I’ve read some texts from out that way, but never been myself.”

I smiled a little. It seemed like in some way, something from the old world here survived.

“So this paper doll has magic?

“In a way, yeah actually. We were playing around with stuff we shouldn’t have and that’s one of the things I did.”

She tutted and wagged her finger. “A true technologist tinkers, never doubts.”

We continued on like that as we made our way to the dungeon. Once we arrived Esther and Ogun set up a camp outside while the rest of us made our way inside through the bowing arches built into a hillside. Since Ogun stuck with the break stick or the spear, he wouldn’t be useful according to Carter, and Esther wasn’t much of a fighter anymore.

Carter took the lead as we slowly crept through the halls, if you could call them that. They seemed like they were supposed to be the same as a castle’s halls, but they were warped, and in some places the ceiling was low enough that we had to crouch. There weren’t any monsters yet, but there were a lot of traps. Fortunately for us, they were all glaringly obvious. According to our expert, it was because it was so new, the dungeon couldn’t organize it’s defenses well. Whatever the case, the only risk we had to worry about was an accident.

Soon after entering, we already found the first set of stairs leading down.

“Ok listen. From here we should see some monsters along with traps. They should be the very weak variety and the traps should still be visible, but as always exercise caution.”

Everyone nodded, and Abel followed him down. I was just behind Skylar, right at the rear. As soon as Sofiya disappeared from sight, I could hear the sounds of combat below. It didn’t last long however. It died down before I stepped off the stairs onto the second floor. Little hairy goblin looking creatures littered the floor. We preceded through the second and third floors much the same way, except the combat and traps got slightly harder on the third. Once we reached the fourth floor, Carter sucked in his teeth.

“We got here in time to prevent it from gaining another floor. Once they reach the fifth floor they get twice as difficult to kill.”

Skylar peaked around Yuliya’s shoulder. “Oh yeah, you’re right. Another hour or so and it would have been done building power to make it. Let’s make sure we don’t take that long defeating this floor boss and finding the core.”

Abel pointed to the right. “Is that the boss?”

Shambling towards them like a zombie was a golem that kept dropping pieces of itself, only for those pieces to fly back into place like magnets.

“A golem.” Carter said.

“Not a well-made one either.” Skylar added.

Yuliya pulled some knives out. “How do we beat it?”

Carter pointed. “Do you see that glowing orange orb that appears every so often. That’s it’s heart. Destroy that, and we defeat it.”

“That doesn’t sound too.. Sofiya?” I started.

She was walking right out to the golem, hand raised. It raised a hand and a bunch of it’s body began shooting at her like projectiles. The fringes of her robes got shredded by the onslaught, but otherwise she was fine.

“Sofiya!” Yuliya shouted, running out to her.

The golem’s movements slowed down significantly, but it was still trying to kill her. Yuliya got to her side and began pulling her back.

“No, help me. Together we can stop it all the way.”

Yuliya hesitated before she raised her own hand. Just before it launched more pieces it froze. It’s orb was exposed in the abdomen area. One spike of rock that shot of from ground pierced it. As soon as the girls lowered their arms it crumbled into rocks and pebbles.

Skylar whistled. “I’ve never seen a golem go down so easily. Even one as poorly made as that.”

“Indeed.” Carter agreed. Following the girls into the room, we searched for what would be a core until we found a black and swirling piece of stone. It took multiple swings from Abel’s axe and Carter’s scimitar to destroy it, but when they did we heard what sounded like a dying moan all around us. On our way back the entire structure began to look more like just simple cave tunnels, and behind us everything was vanishing. A solid wall was following us as we made our way, so we all sped up. Back outside, it was getting dark.

“Ok, I think we should keep our camp here and head out in the morning.” Adaeze suggested.

Abel’s hand shot into the air. “Seconded.”

We sat down to eat and relax by the fire, as we recounted what the core looked like to Esther. Ogun was riding his horse around the perimeter. According to her, he hadn’t said a word to her and kept his distance.

“Isn’t he a little old to be this moody? Yuliya commented.

Adaeze just stared at her brother, not paying her any mind.

“Oh the rabbits are done!” Esther called excitedly, pulling the of the spit and sticking each one a plate for everyone.

“Rabbits?” Sofiya asked, sadness in her eyes.

Esther pulled out a box that had spikes inside it. It had blood all over it. “Yes! I invited this trap right here. Just put a lure inside and most small animals are attracted to it because of this magic gym. They just kept coming!”

With a sigh Sofiya bit into the rabbit offered to her. We finished our meals and bedded down for the night, all the way Sofiya grumbled herself to sleep.

The next morning, I was the first to wake. Or so I thought, when I saw that Adaeze and Carter were sitting on a fallen tree a ways away.

“You have been very strong. It isn’t your fault that your brother behaves the way he does.”

She sniffled. “I still feel responsibility for it though. I worry about what this world is doing to him.”

She leaned into him, and he put his arms around her.

I wondered if I had missed something. Since when had they gotten close like this? Ogun would have probably lost it if he saw this scene right here. I continued to lay where I was until eventually the two broke away and walked off somewhere. Once the coast was clear I sat up, and that’s what I made eye contact with Ogun. He must have also witnessed it.

We stared at each other for a long moment.

“It does not matter. It is not my business.” He said and walked off into the woods.

I went around waking everyone up, keeping an eye out for either the couple or Ogun. Eventually they all returned, and we had breakfast. It was quiet, and especially awkward for me, because I could see the looks Ogun was giving Carter, who either never noticed, or pretended not to notice. When everyone had finished, we mounted up and went back to the town.

We were greeted at the warding posts by the clerk, who was wringing his hands nervously. Once we reported the dungeon dead, he took us back to the branch building and got to work loading out yinks into bags. We spent some of it on more supplies, but kept the rest in Esther’s house. The village wanted to host a victory party in our honor for stepping up to handle the crisis immediately. Esther decided we should all dress nice, so she took the girls up to her bedroom to go through her clothes. Though she was shorter than Yuliya and Sofiya, she knew a woman in the town was excellent at tailoring, so she had them pick something and then took them to her house. Meanwhile the guys just sat around waiting. It was another hour before the party was supposed to begin when the girls returned.

Sofiya stepped in first, wearing a yellow dress similar to a princess with sleeve length gloves. It was a darker yellow than her hair, which was braided and over her left shoulder.

Yuliya came in next. She had a slim black dress with sleeves. It was relatively plain compared to her sister’s, but the shock when we saw her hair more than made up for it. What was normally a mess was now brushed out and curled. How they did it I have no clue, but I was sure Esther had an invention that could have accomplished this miracle.

After her came Skylar. Her hair was all down and straightened. The dress she wore was turquoise with no sleeves. It matched her blue eyes, and the purple corsage she had matched her hair. She kept her brown boots, but it worked for her.

Adaeze had a chocolate brown dress on, and her dreads were swept up into a ponytail. She seemed embarrassed. I noticed Carter was purposely looking away from her too.

Finally Esther entered, and my breath hitched. She had a ruby red halter neck that went well with her yellow and black hair. Her grey eyes somehow stood out more too. Her eyes met mine and she smiled, a blush spreading across her face.

Yuliya spread her feet, and put her hands on her hips. “Alright boys, are you ready? We’re going to go out there an enjoy ourselves because I say we have earned it by now. How long has it been, five months since we’ve been here?”

“About four months, sis.” Sofiya corrected.

“About four months since we’ve been here?” She amended. “We deserve this!” She immediately turned on her heel and marched back out of the house. Sofiya followed, then Abel. Carter linked arms with Adaeze on the way out, and Skylar ran after Yuliya. I looked at Ogun, who rolled his eyes and went to his room. The only ones left were Esther and I.

“So uh, want to go?” I spoke.

She smiled and nodded.

We exited to find a big bonfire erected in what passed for their town square. Many table were brought out for this and lined with food and drink. Abel was already trying to get to the food buy some of the local ladies were in his way trying to get his attention.

Sofiya was telling some of the town women about our dungeon trek, while Yuliya listened nearby with Skylar.

Some townspeople were playing instruments that most of the people were dancing to. Adaeze and Carter were dancing amongst them.

“Do you normally like these kinds of things?” I asked Esther.

She thought for a moment. “Not really, but they are fun once in a while. I prefer quietly reading or studying to this stuff.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Even though you have so many dresses?”

She chuckled. “Oh I get invited to so many events due to my inventions. Every lord and lady wants to be in my good graces so I might possibly make them something. I get dresses from them just so I’ll attend.”

The thought of all the nobles and royals vying for her attention so blatantly and pathetically made us both burst into laughter.

“Well I guess these dresses are seeing fantastic use now, huh?”

“Mhmm!”

“That’s enough!” Yuliya’s voice rang out.

We turned to see her dragging Sofiya away angrily.

I didn’t know what was going on, but I thought it’d be best to follow them. Maybe one of them drank too much wine and did something they’d regret.

The sisters went behind a house while arguing. I came up to the corner and began listening in. Esther arrived a few seconds after me.

“-lightly! You could have died to that golem!”

Sofiya huffed. “What is your problem? We lived, I had a plan, and now I want to revel in the fact that I almost singlehandedly defeated it. If I was a full sedentarid like you it would have been no problem!” Sofiya fired back.

“Did you even think about what would have happened to me if you died?” Yuliya had tears in her eyes.

“Obviously not! I have my own life to live, why should I revolve my decisions around you?” She attempted to storm off when her sister grabbed her arm. Sofiya turned around and slapped her. “I love you but this has to stop! You are not mother!” She took a few steps. “And if it isn’t me, it’s Skylar. Treat her how you really feel, not in a way that is safe.”

With that slap both to the face and to the heart, Yuliya was left frozen after she was gone. Esther and I hung around in the shadows until she too returned to the party. There were some questions about the mark on her face, but she dodged them expertly. For us the mood was completely gone, so after another hour we returned to the house.

I could hear snores coming from Ogun’s room, signaling that he definitely wasn’t going to the town party at all. Esther retired to her own with a big yawn. I myself still felt wide away. As I entered the kitchen I noticed that Sofiya was in the back corner, hugging her knees to her chest in the corner.

“Sofiya?”

She jerked for a moment, then relaxed when she realized it was me. “Oh, Taiyo. How was the party?”

I walked over and sat by her. “I didn’t quite get their style of music, and I guess the way they cook in this part of the region doesn’t sit well with me, but I could tell it would have been pretty nice. If you had been there that is.”

She smirked. “Maybe not. I fought with Yuliya. One of us needed to leave.”

I rubbed my head. “Yeah Esther and I kind of saw that.”

Her face scrunched into tears. “I-I don’t k-know what to do. She ge-genuinely loves m-me. B-b-but it’s op-p-p-pressive. I am an ad-dult al-ready.”

“I thought you were just seventeen.” I realized it was a dumb statement as soon as it left my mouth.

“She’s act-t-ting like we’re back on E-earth. Here adulthood s-starts at fourteen.” Thankfully she didn’t care.

I ruffled her hair. “Listen Sofiya, you’ll probably be everyone’s little sister in the group forever.”

She pouted at that.

“However,” I stood up and offered my hand. “You’re completely right. You have grown so much in the what, three months?”

“About four months.”

“About four months we’ve been here.” I amended. “You deserve credit for how strong you’ve become. Stronger than some of us, actually.”

She took my hand and stood up. “Thanks.”

I wiped a tear away. “Aww, and just like that, you’re stutter is gone again. At least I can see I saw one of it’s few reappearances.”

She punched me lightly in the arm and laughed. “I won’t apologize to her. I’ve been the bigger person every other time we’ve had a fight. I’m going to act like the little sister this time and leave it up to her to extend the olive branch.”

I thought about it. “You could totally apologize for the slap though. When the time comes.”

Her face burned red. “I can’t believe I hit her!” She covered her face with her hands.

With a laugh I guided her to her room and let her inside. Now that I was paying attention, there was a hint of wine wafting from her. She definitely had a little to drink. Liquid courage can bring the true thoughts out easier than anything else.

As I was passing Ogun’s room it cracked open. “Peek tells me you left the party after Sofiya and Yuliya did, and now I hear you out here talking to Sofiya alone. You better now be planning anything inappropriate.”

His comments itched my skin. “Or what Ogun? You’ve been acting like a complete child for a bit now. I understood why you did it at first, but you left leading them up to me when we got here. You’ve made no attempt to take back over, but then you question more and more things. The dungeon decision wasn’t the first time. I feel like it won’t be the last. So why don’t you stop this and handle whatever is going on in your head already?”

He glared at me and didn’t say anything.

“Ogun, we miss you man. The real you.” I felt like I was pleading at this point. Tonight felt like it was a night of truths.

He glared for a few more moments then closed his door.

“That truth remains a mystery, huh?” I murmured as I looked down at the floor.

I went to bed that night, fearful that I might be losing a friend slowly.

It wasn’t long after I feel asleep that a scream woke me. I jolted upright in bed and listened carefully. There was the sound of fire and more screams. Something inside the house broke and I heard scuffling a moment later. I ran to the door and threw it open. Standing in front of me was a large man with a short sword.

“Hi little man. You’re not a pretty lady, so die for me.”

He jabbed his sword at me, but I deflected it with water. I could hear more scuffling and some cries for help from within the house.

“Interesting little guy, aren’t you?” He said with a grin. He attempted to slice at me from the side, but I sent a blade of water at it, deflecting the strike. I couldn’t concentrate enough to cut right through the metal, but I could at least remain on the defensive. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a man carrying Sofiya.

He stopped in front of the door and looked at the one I was fighting, confused. “He’s not dead yet? That’s unlike you Sarjis.”

The big man laughed a gross and guttural laugh. “I’m just having fun. He’s an interesting fighter.”

I made eye contact with Sofiya. She was shaken, but I could see in the look that she gave me that she hadn’t given up and was planning.

“You aren’t going to save the little lady?” Sarjis asked.

I laughed at his face. “Someone should save you from that little lady. Any of the women in this house poses a serious threat to you if you aren’t careful.”

The bandit grinned. “Those are the fun ones.”

The one carrying Sofiya told Sarjis to hurry as he carried her out of the house.

“I suppose I should wrap this up.” Sarjis began to strike faster and more unpredictably. It was all I could do to keep up and deflect, but he was backing me into the corner.

I saw another bandit carrying Esther.

A surge came from within me as I deflected another strike. It was the sharpest I have ever made a water blade, cutting through the sword and slicing the man’s ear off. I immediately aimed a punch to his gut, hand incased in water. The moment it made contact I rapidly expanded the water, increasing the impact. He coughed up blood then fell backward with a loud crash.

I quickly grabbed my rapier, and when another bandit came to check on what the noise was I gutted him. To my left I saw Ogun grappling with another, and passed him Abel threw one out of the kitchen window. To my right Carter was pummeling a man on the ground as Adaeze lay unconscious beside him. I ran outside and found the bandit that had Esther. I summoned water between her and the bandit and forcibly pulled her from his grasp. She flew into my open left arm, and with my right I cut the man’s hand before he could draw his sword. Realizing he would die if he continued, he attempted to run, but two daggers came flying down from above and impaled themselves in in his feet. I turned to see Skylar and Yuliya standing on the roof. They both dropped down and into a roll.

Skylar retrieved her daggers and looked at me. “Thanks for saving Esther. This guys have made the biggest mistake they could. Let’s stop this before more lives are lost.”

I nodded and let Esther go. “Are you ok?”

She shook like a leaf but nodded.

I looked at Yuliya. “Can you do me a favor and keep her safe?”

She looked surprised then gave me a thumbs up. “Leave her to me.” She glanced back at the rest of town. “Do you think Sofiya will be ok?”

“Of course.” I put a hand on her shoulder. “Have some faith in her.”

With a nod, she led Esther back into the house. A moment after they entered, there was a loud crash, and then the Abel and Carter came out.

“Yuliya is scary when she’s angry isn’t she?” Abel said as he came up beside me. He had his big axe held in two hands.

“Oh yeah. I wouldn’t want to be on her bad side.”

Carter had a look of rage in his eyes. It seemed like he had more scales on his face too.

“Carter?” I asked, worried.

He snapped to reality and looked at me. Most of the anger was gone, and the face scales receded to what they were before. “I’m sorry, what it?”

“Oh, nothing.” I was definitely going to have to ask him what that was.

I led the charge into the rest of town, eliminating the bandits as we went. If we could, we left them alive, but if it was either their life or a citizen’s, we chose the citizen every time. Eventually we made out way into the square. Surrounding the remains of the bonfire were all the village women. They were encased in a wall of wind, and standing right in front of it was Sofiya. He left hand was pointed towards the wall, and her right was used to point at an oncoming bandit, a spire of stone shot out into his chest, then repeat. She looked absolutely exhausted, but she kept fighting anyway.

Yuliya came running into the square. “Ogun has Esther and Adae..ze..” She trailed off, watching Sofiya handle all the bandits around her by herself.

Skylar, Carter and I charged in first, taking the bandits by surprise. It wasn’t long before they began to break. Sofiya’s impenetrable defense and our sudden appearance behind them was too much. None of them managed to escape though. As they fled, Yuliya and Abel corralled them into clumps and trapped them using their fire and stone to create walls and cages. Once the last bandit was secured, Sofiya dropped to the ground. Yuliya was the first at her side.

“Are you ok?” She shouted.

Sofiya groggily looked up at her. “I’m sorry. About earlier.”

I smiled. She apologized first after all.

“No!” Yuliya snapped. “You were right! I’m the one that should be sorry. You did amazing! I need to stop treating you like you need help all the time and realize that you are fully capable of handling things yourself.” She nodded affirmatively as if it was settled.”

Sofiya yawned. Using both of her abilities at once must have been so draining for her. “I can’t do everything myself. Sometimes we need to help each other still.”

Yuliya laughed, tears in her eyes. “Mmm”

After their happy moment was over, Abel came over and picked Sofiya up, carrying her back to the house to get rest.

I looked around. Many of the citizens died in the attack, but most of them were alive. As the women and their families reunited in the square, quite a few made their way to the bodies around town and broke down in tears.

“We got all of them, right?” Carter asked. I could tell his heart was broken.

Yuliya angrily looked at one of the cages she made. “I can feel the vibrations in the ground, and after we nabbed that group they all stopped for a moment. We go them all.”

We helped the citizens pick up their dead and put out the fires that were set to some of the buildings. It was well into the morning light before we finished.

The Collective building retained an inquisitor at each branch for jobs that required captures of certain individuals. Once he was brought to the prisoners they told everything. They had been intent on attacking what ever party killed the dungeon, but only after it had grown to a certain point so they could capitalize on the loot. When we killed it far earlier than they expected, they figured they’d cut their losses and sack the town. Unfortunately for them we were still here. After a lot of rest Sofiya and Yuliya created hard stone cuffs for each of the bandits. Tools would be needed to get them out, so the chances of them getting away were mostly zero. A request was sent to the nearest city to dispatch a regiment of guards to retrieve them. They would face either forced labor or execution, depending on what the town told them.

As thanks for our efforts, it was decided another party would be inappropriate after all the deaths, so a document was drafted. It stated that forever more, the party Elements would always be honored friends of Vernacieux and would receive a warm welcome and accommodations whenever they were in town. We accepted it graciously, though we planned to leave it with Skylar. After we all went home her, Carter and Esther would be the only ones that would benefit from it.

We stayed one more day to make up for the rest we lost. While still in town, Carter and Esther officially joined Elements. The Collection clerk warned us that only one more person would be accommodated in our party before we would need to apply for a clan status to increase our numbers. I thanked him kindly before walking away. That didn’t matter to us either.

Once we had a dinner comprised of different dishes various townspeople brought to us, and then rested for the night, we once again prepared to head out on the road. Esther warned that there wasn’t another city, town, or even village for a couple months after Vernacieux, so we’d have to make a lot of progress or get caught out in cold weather. Carter added that he’d like to arrive somewhere with building before the Forbidden Weak.

I had nearly forgotten what he had said about the Sitoq. A tentacled eye ball monster that dragged you away if you did work or anything in that week? Sounded more to me like it just hibernated all year and came out during those five days and feasted. Either way, I felt the same about wanting to be indoors by then. I didn’t mind the cold, but I did mind getting eaten.

At dawn we set out. Apparently the townsfolk wanted to send us off, because we left with applause and cheers at our back. I saw Yuliya and Skylar waving back at them from their horses ahead of us. The only thing Esther brought was a horse for party use, and a bag full of supplies. Mostly for research purposes.

This the was probably the first time we had left somewhere in such high spirits. I hoped things would continue just like this but I wasn’t holding my breath. This world had already shown how harsh it could be to us within a matter of four months. What would happen within the next two?