by Pirateaba
Erin stomped into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. The mage flinched when she reappeared with it, but she grabbed one of the fruits and began cutting the outer shell of fruit away. She left the seed core on the counter and shoved the diced fruit into a plate. Two more fruits went the same way before she plonked the plate down in front of him.
“Here. Totally non-poisonous food ready to be eaten. Happy?”
She glared at him. He gingerly picked up a slice of blue fruit and regarded it apprehensively.
“I suppose the toxicity would be acceptable if it were just the fruit. Well then.”
Gingerly, he bit into the fruit and chewed. After a few seconds he swallowed and took another bite. In under a minute the plate was empty and he was wiping the blue dribbles off his mouth with a corner of his robe.
Erin set down a plate of steaming pasta in front of him.
“You’re hungry, aren’t you? Well, eat this.”
“My thanks.”
And it even sounded like genuine thanks. Erin guessed he was fairly hungry. Actually, now that she looked closer his robes did seem to hang rather thin on his frame. And if you factored in the dirtiness and general smell he was now giving off, she guessed he was in pretty rough shape.
Still, he ate with all the vigor and energy of two men, so she supposed he was still okay. And once she’d refilled his plate he slowed down. After a while he stopped, probably to let his stomach expand and regarded her.
“So, if I might inquire, what is a delicate flower of effervescence doing in such a locale?”
Erin glared at him.
“Are you trying to sound impressive, or do you actually talk like that?”
He drew himself upright and looked indignant.
“How rude. My advanced lexicon and diction is merely a result of my education, not a façade that—”
“Stop it. You sound like an idiot.”
His eyes narrowed, but Erin’s glare outglared his own.
“Fine. I suppose there’s no use attempting to impress anyone who actually has the rudiments of an education. But my question remains: what’s a young g—woman like you doing out here alone?”
His voice was no less haughty and condescending than before, but at least he wasn’t dropping seven-letter word scores every other sentence. Erin decided that was worth a few more seconds of forbearance. That didn’t mean she had to be polite, though.
“I got lost.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Lost? It takes quite some skill to wander this far into the Flood Gates. Or are you a local? I very much doubt you are, though.”
“Flood Gates? What are you talking about?”
The mage waved a hand around lazily.
“This area is known as the Flood Gates. It’s because of a lovely natural phenomenon of the geography and—but you aren’t from here, if you don’t know about this area. But I would have guessed as much since you are human. As far as I can tell.”
“I am completely, 100% human, thanks. And why does that make a difference?”
“The locals don’t like humans that much.”
He gulped down a few more noodles while watching her.
“That’s something else you didn’t know, isn’t it? Well, well. A traveler who doesn’t know anything about where she is…teleportation spell?”
Erin blinked at him.
“How’d you guess? Actually, you’re only half-right, but how’d you guess?”
He shrugged.
“It’s common. Well, not common exactly, but it’s the only explanation I can think of. I suppose you could have also been carried off by one of the local avian species, but they tend to drop their prey and chew their bones.”
Erin shuddered.
“They grow that big? No; don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. But you’re right. It was a teleportation spell. Or something. It didn’t feel like a spell, but…”
“And you’re an expert on teleportation spells? I see.”
This time the sneer on his tone was a bit too pronounced. Erin’s hand twitched towards the pot.
“I’m not. But I’ll just bet those kind of spells make a flash of light or a weird sound, right?”
He looked reluctant.
“…Perhaps.”
“And anyways, I didn’t see any idiot in robes waving a wand around and shouting ‘abracadabra’. And there aren’t wizards where I—I mean, I’m sure it wasn’t a…I just turned the corner and here I was.”
Erin trailed off, but the mage’s eyes were suddenly filled with interest. He leaned forwards in his chair.
“Really? You just turned a corner and you were in a completely different place?”
“Yeah. It’s been fun and games ever since.”
He sat back.
“Fascinating.”
“Fascinating as in ‘I know what spell that was?’”
He shook his head.
“No, no. I have no clue what kind of magic would be capable of that, if any. That sounds like a spell which—well, suffice it to say I know of only a few living mages who might even attempt such a feat. But if you were the target, it still makes no sense. Why would anyone waste such a powerful spell on something as mundane as…as…”
“Me?”
He avoided her gaze.
“Yes, well. I see you’ve established yourself quite nicely. This is—is quite a lovely establishment you’ve founded. Very quaint.”
“It’s not mine. I just found it and somehow became an [Innkeeper] by cleaning up around here.”
“Indeed. That is quite often the case. However, you seem to have taken to it well. This area is inhospitable to most humans.”
“Thanks, I guess. But if it’s so lousy—and it is, I totally know—why are you here?”
He blinked at her.
“Me?”
“Yes, you. I told you why I’m here. What’s a raggedy mage doing scaring people for food?”
He swept his robes around himself defensively.
“My physical appearance has nothing to do with—”
“Just answer the question.”
He looked uncomfortable.
“I ah, came here to expand my horizons. This nation—well, collection of city states is quite hospitable to those people trying to avoid undue attention. Besides, food is plentiful if one has certain skills.”
“Like pretending to be a horrible monster?”
He avoided her gaze.
“One does what one must to survive.”
She looked at him.
“I suppose one does. Does it make you feel good, stealing from innocent people?”
Her words turned his face bright red. He set down his fork and pushed his empty plate back.
“You would not be so quick to judge if you knew more about the people you’re defending.”
“Maybe not. But then again, the only two I’ve met were quite polite, paid for their meal, and didn’t try to threaten me when I first met them. Whereas the first human I met was you.”
Again, Erin and her guest locked eyes. This time he broke away first. He got to his feet with a swirl of his robes.
“I see I’ve overstayed my welcome. Well, your meal was quite adequate, good mistress. Please accept my heartfelt gratitude.”
He probably meant to stalk away but Erin barred his path.
“Here.”
She offered him two blue fruits. He hesitated.
“Take them. You look thin, and maybe if you eat them you’ll stop bothering other people. Thank you for your business. Come by again and I’ll feed you. Try to scare me and I’ll hit you harder next time.”
He blinked at her, but accepted the fruits anyways.
“Um. Thank you.”
They stood there awkwardly for a moment.
“It occurs to me that I never asked your name.”
“Me? Oh, I’m Erin. Erin Solstice. And you are?”
The mage took a step back and gave her an elegant brow. Erin stared at the blue stain on the sleeve of his robe.
“Pisces, practitioner of magic, student of Wistram Academy, specialized in the Elementalist and Illusionary schools of magic with additional competencies in multiple spell schools.”
Erin raised an eyebrow.
“Good for you. Got a hobby?”
He hesitated.
“…Necromancy.”
The door closed as Erin stared.
1.10
At some point Erin slept. At some point Erin woke up. These were minor details. What mattered was the sound.
Knock. Knock.
She tried hard to ignore it. But it kept going and going, waking her up from her peaceful oblivion.
After a while, the knocking was too hard to ignore. Erin opened her eyes and sat up. It was far too bright in the world. And noisy.
Someone was knocking at the door. Erin thought about going back to sleep, but the knocking hadn’t ceased for the last few minutes. So she reluctantly got up and opened the door.
“What do you want?”
Pisces the friendly mage gave her a brilliant smile.
“Greetings Good Mistress. I was wondering if I could impose upon you—”
Erin shut the door. After a few seconds she opened it.
“Less words. Get to the point.”
“Um. Very well. Are you open today?”
Erin looked around.
“Who?”
“You. This establishment.”
“Here?”
Pisces blinked a few times. He spoke very carefully.
“Is this place open? Do you provide sustenan—food? I pay, I eat?”
Erin glared at him.
“It’s early. Yes, I guess I am open. Come in.”
She stomped inside. After a moment Pisces followed.
“I would like to peruse your menu if I m—”
Erin tossed a plate on the table and left. She came back with four blue fruits and tossed them on the table too. Pisces stared at the fruit and opened his mouth. He looked at Erin’s expression and amended whatever he was going to say.
“If I might trouble you for a knife and fork—”
She slapped them down on the table and walked away. She would have liked to go back to sleep, but the sounds of Pisces shifting and the clink of silverware on pottery was too distracting. Instead, she got her own blue fruit and started a fire to warm up her pasta. She munched on the sweet fruit in dour silence.
Outside, it began to rain.
—-
Rain. Rain fell down from the heavens like hail. Well, actually it fell like rain, but these were bigger drops that fell a lot faster and harder than normal. The hammering of rain against the rooftop was nearly deafening.
Nearly. Behind her Pisces set down his knife and fork and sighed loudly. Erin wished he wasn’t here. It wasn’t that she disliked company; she was starved for it. She just wished her company wasn’t him.
“That’s a lot of rain.”
She was talking to herself, but he seemed to take it as an invitation to speak.
“It happens quite often. A natural weather phenomenon, you know.”
Erin turned and glared at Pisces. He raised both eyebrows and held up his cup.
“Another drink if you would. My cup has run dry.”
“Where did you find—stay out of my kitchen.”
“I would be only too happy to. But I fear I was quite parched and if you would be so good…?”
Erin’s eye twitched. But she went and got a cup for herself as well. She didn’t pour his drink, but rather set the pitcher of juice on the other end of the table so he had to reach for it.
“Does it rain like this a lot?”
“Seldom. It’s a seasonal weather pattern. Actually, this is an aberration. Normally it rains for far longer, but someone’s been messing around with the weather. So we’ll have a brief storm, that’s all.”
She glanced at him.
“Messing with the weather? How?”
He smirked at her. She noted with displeasure that he was already on his second cup of blue juice.
“With magic, how else? Some shortsighted fool must have cast a localized weather control spell. Impressive I suppose, but clumsy in execution.”
Erin looked outside.
“Seems impressive to me. I mean, it’s raining hard. Wouldn’t you have to be a pretty powerful sorcerer to do that?”
“The term is mage, Good Mistress.”
“The name is Erin, idiot.”
“Aha. Accept my apologies. But if you are referring to one of my exalted brethren, mage is the best term to use.”
Erin stared at him. He didn’t appear abashed in any way.
“You don’t have wizards or sorcerers or…warlocks? Witches? You’re all just mages?”
“Rather, shall we say that those are titles for mages who meet certain requirements? A wizard is an arcane researcher and true student of the arcane arts. Such individuals are similar to myself, but prefer to study the mainstream branches of magic. Sorcerers on the other hand are quite simplistic and refer to those who educate themselves and have little formal education. Warlocks obtain their powers from other sources such as summoning, while witches practice alchemy along with specialized schools of magic. Thus, mage remains the generally accepted title to refer to all those who practice magic…”
He trailed off. Erin was staring at him.
“Okay. I didn’t need to know all that.”
Pisces shrugged.
“You asked. I was merely fulfilling my role as a guest.”
“Good. For you. So what, a—mage did this?”
“Yes. And it’s not as if this is a particularly difficult task. I realize it may look so to the uninitiated, but a spell like this could easily be cast by a level 30 mage. Less I suppose, if the individual were specialized.”
“So…?”
“As I said, not that impressive. Many mages could cast a spell like this.”
“Can you?”
Pisces paused.
“My specialization lies in other areas.”
“Like dead bodies.”
He avoided her gaze and drained his cup.
“Merely another branch of magic, good mistress Erin.”
Erin stared at him. She opened her mouth, but then the door slammed. Both Erin and Pisces turned as a wet, dark figure sauntered into the inn and threw his arms wide.
“Good morning cold folk, warm-blooded human and—oh.”
Relc paused and stared at Pisces. Klbkch closed the door and bowed slightly at Erin.
“Please pardon our intrusion. Is this establishment open for business?”
“What? Oh. Yeah.”
Erin scrambled for words. Relc was still staring at Pisces who studiously ignored him as he refilled his cup.
“It’s been a while. I guess. But come in. Or come in more. Have a seat. Want something to eat?”
“If you would be so kind.”
Klbkch wiped his feet and stepped over to a table. Relc was still staring.
“You multiplied. Can humans do that?”
“What? Oh no, that’s just Pisces. He’s annoying so ignore him.”
Erin waved Relc over to a seat as she went to the kitchen for plates.
Relc kept staring until Klbkch kicked him and motioned him to a seat.
“I believe staring is considered rude in most cultures. Sit down and cease your rudeness.”
Relc glared and sat. Klbkch turned and nodded to Pisces.
“Please excuse my companion’s rudeness.”
Pisces waved his fork airily.
“I paid no attention. The plebian masses are a burden to be endured; I bear no ill will to the misinformed or ignorant for their rudeness.”
Klbkch and Relc exchanged a glance.
“Indeed. It’s been nice to make your acquaintance.”
“Humans. They’re so—”
“Do you guys want pasta or blue fruit?”
Erin reemerged from the kitchen, trying to hold a pot of hot noodles and sever
al plates with only two hands.
“Ah. Eh. Um, what I meant was—”
“I would be delighted to try the blue fruit. I believe my tongue-tied partner would like some as well.”
“Right. Food. I’ll have some.”
“And me. A second plate and a refill of my drink, if you would.”
Pisces waved his fork. Erin glared again.
“You want pasta? It’s in the kitchen. Get it yourself.”
Turning her back on him, Erin smiled at Relc and Klbkch.
“So um, hi again. It’s been a while. Klbkch and…?”
Klbkch nodded while Relc looked expectant.
“Um. Uh…”
“Relc.”
Klbkch murmured softly.
“Relc! Right, right.”
“What? How come you remembered this idiot’s name and not mine?”
Relc looked aggrieved. Erin blushed.
“Um, sorry.”
“Aren’t I the better looking one here? What gives?”
“Sorry. It’s just—uh, you know. I’ve got a bad memory.”
“Really?”
“…No. Sorry. It’s just been a busy two days.”
“Oh.”
He looked deflated. Erin tried to cheer him up.
“I’ve got more pasta. Well, it’s old pasta but it still tastes good! And more blue juice. And blue fruit! It’s uh, not poisonous if you only eat the outer bit.”
“Ooh, pasta!”
Relc perked up instantly. Erin went to fetch the pasta and placed two steaming plates in front of the two.
“My thanks.”
Klbkch nodded at Erin and both began eating. Around mouthfuls, Relc eyed Erin and then Pisces.
“So, how’re you doing? Level up again?”
“Actually, I did. Right after you two left.”
“Ooh, congratulations! Did you get a new skill?”
“[Basic Crafting]. It helped me make a basket out of grass.”
“That’s quite useful! Most craftsman and artisan classes get that early on. I guess innkeepers are sorta like that, right? Got to take care of the inn, repair windows, fix tables, and all that.”
“I guess. I haven’t ever tried that and besides, I don’t have a hammer. Actually, I’ve never swung a hammer in my life.”
“Well, you’ve got the skill for it, so it’ll be a breeze. And you can buy a hammer no problem. Just head down to the city and you can get a good one for only a silver coin or two. Tell you what, if you’re ever in the area I’ll help you get one at a discount.”