by Pirateaba
Erin blinked up at him. The young mage’s face was pale with indignation, but spots of color flared in each cheek. She thought about asking him another question—but he was in no mood for conversation.
Instead, Erin shrugged and stood up.
“Because you’re a better person than they are.”
She collected his plate and hers and left the mage sitting at the table. When she came out of the kitchen he was gone.
—-
The next day Erin got up and went to check on her fly traps. They’d worked scarily well.
All four glass jars were filled with crawling, wriggling shapes. Erin took one look at the jars, gagged a bit, and then had to go sit down.
“Oh man. Oh wow. That’s the nastiest thing I’ve ever seen.”
It was also, on reflection, the scariest thing she’d ever seen. Erin wondered what would happen if she accidentally knocked the lid off of one of the jars. She recalled Pisces’s comment about melting flesh and shuddered.
Carefully, Erin walked over to the jars. She repeatedly thought about how important it was not to trip.
Her foot caught on a tuft of grass. Erin windmilled her arms wildly and caught herself just before she tripped into one of the jars.
“Not okay. Not okay.”
Before her heart could finish stopping, Erin adjusted the lids of each jar so they firmly covering the openings. Now the acid flies couldn’t get out at all.
“That’s better.”
Erin hefted one of the jars up and felt some of the acid flies explode within.
“Oof. That’s heavy.”
She shifted as the acid and flies shifted in the jar. For such little insects, they weighed a ton.
“Gotta be all the acid in their backsides. Okay. This could take a while.”
Erin took one step, and then another. She adjusted her grip around the glass jar so she wouldn’t drop it. She’d have to watch the ground for potholes, but she was pretty happy with her posture. She took another step, and tripped over another of the glass fly traps.
The ground rushed to meet Erin’s face. She realized she was still holding the glass jar and hurled it away from her just in time. She smacked into the ground hard and exhaled hard. Aside from that, she was fine.
Then Erin heard the glass jar shatter as it hit the ground. She rolled to her feet and stood up.
The large glass jar lay in shards on the grass. Green-gray acidic sludge dripped onto the ground, raising steam and hissing where it met the soil. For a moment, all was still among the wreckage. Then, with a horrific buzzing a swarm of black shapes flew into the air.
Erin felt her heart stop. She looked up at the spiraling cloud of flies. They flew around wildly, looking for whatever had disturbed them. Erin backed away slowly, praying they would ignore her. For a moment it seemed as if they would fly off, but then the entire direction of the swarm changed. The cloud of flies seemed to recoil, and then encircled Erin in an instant.
Her heart had stopped. It wasn’t beating in her chest. Erin looked around desperately, but all she saw were buzzing, buzzing flies. They filled the sky, the ground, everything.
“I—”
They swarmed at her. Erin screamed and covered her eyes and mouth.
“Gust!”
Erin heard the voice, and then a raging gale blew around her. She staggered as the wind blew her around. The effect on the acid flies was even more pronounced. They were blasted away from Erin into a funnel of air which whirled them into one spot. They buzzed around angrily, disoriented and confused.
So was Erin. She looked around and saw a familiar young man wearing dirty grey robes. He was pointing a finger in her direction.
“Duck, Erin!”
Erin dove to the ground and hit the dirt hard. She looked up and saw Pisces raise one hand. A pale frost formed at his fingertips and half-visible gusts of wind blew around the length of his arm. He pointed at the disoriented swarm of acid flies.
“[Frozen Wind].”
A gentle breeze blew against the top of Erin’s head. Then, the air crackled and her hair froze in place. Erin could see the faintest trace of whirling air as it blew over her head. Where it passed, snow began to fall from the sky and she felt intense freezing cold engulf her.
The swarm of acid flies flew into the freezing breeze and fell out of the sky. Erin yelped and ran as they showered down around her, frozen insects that burst as they hit the ground.
She dove into the river, and leapt out of it just as quickly in case the flat fish tried to bite. When she cleared the water out of her eyes, the glowing swarm was gone, and all that was left was a circle of smoking dirt and frozen grass.
When Erin had finished shaking so hard she couldn’t move, she stood up. She was still trembling uncontrollably.
“That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.”
She lurched over to Pisces. She wasn’t sure if she should throw her arms around him or start crying. She settled for a brief hug, and then doubled down and hugged him fiercely. He didn’t seem to notice.
Pisces was breathing hard. He stared at the sizzling patch of earth where the acid flies had been, as if mesmerized. She could see the whites of his eyes as they shifted towards her.
“It—that was a beginner’s spell. Not suitable for most combat and downplayed by my instructors. However, it was the best tool for the moment. All magic is worth using, after all.”
“Right.”
Erin nodded. Pisces nodded. His eyes flicked back to the patch of melted earth.
“You saved me. It was incredible, that spell.”
He shook his head and waved a hand weakly in her direction.
“I am—I am a mage of Wistram Academy. As a specialist of the Wind Elementalist field of magic, of course such displays are second—second—”
Pisces bent over and threw up in the grass. He retched, and then threw up again. Erin patted him on the back and waited for him to stop.
After a while Pisces wiped his mouth with a corner of his robe. His face was still pale, but he looked better.
“You were lucky I happened to be going this way. Very lucky.”
Erin nodded.
“I was. I really was.”
Pisces nodded back. Erin felt like they were both bobbleheads, but there was nothing else to do. He pointed a trembling finger at the three glass jars still holding the swarms of acid flies.
“If you insist on using such traps, might I suggest you anchor them in the stream?”
Erin looked blank.
“The stream? Why?”
“Several reasons.”
Pisces shakily counted them off on his fingers.
“Firstly, the natural buoyancy of the water would prevent the breakage of glass if the jars were dropped, or at least mitigate the danger of the acid flies. Secondly, the effects of wind and other native life would also be mitigated. And thirdly, I would not be at risk tripping over such traps.”
“Right. I can do that.”
She wasn’t sure if it was the moment, but the trembling in her body had nearly vanished. Erin grabbed a rock, tied a some long grass to it, and anchored the rock to the glass jar. She dropped the rock in the stream and watched the jar bob and float in the water.
“Hm. I need something heavy to make sure it stays upright. I guess sometimes the jars might turn over…but it’ll work. Better than leaving them on the ground. A hundred thousand times better.”
Pisces nodded again.
“Well.”
“Good thing you came along.”
Both nodded again. Pisces opened his mouth and grimaced. He went over to the stream and shakily rinsed his mouth out. Then he looked up at her.
“May I ask—what is it you plan to do now, Erin?”
She looked at him. Then she looked at the glass jars full of flies.
“I’m going to take these jars back to the inn. You’re coming with me in case I drop one. And then…”
“A
nd then?”
“And then I’m going to feed you until you explode like one of the flies.”
Pisces glanced down at the glass jars and the milling acid flies within. He shuddered again.
“An apt description.”
—-
The jar of acid flies was a mix of acid and death. The corpses of hundreds—thousands of the small bugs floated in a sea of glowing green juice. It slopped against the side of the glass, an obscene testament of insectoid death.
“Hold on, I think there’s one left.”
Erin shook the glass jar. The last remaining acid fly bounced against the glass and popped dully within.
“What will you do with them?”
She looked up at Pisces. The mage was sitting several tables away from her, deliberately not looking at the glass jars.
“I’ll separate the flies and the acid. I don’t know what I’ll do with the acid.”
“If you dispose of it, please do so with utmost care. While the acid of these insects cannot eat through metal or many conventional materials, it is extremely quick to dissolve any organic material.”
Erin nodded. She carefully put the glass jar back in its corner and stood up.
“Right. Um. Want another piece of bread? Or would you like some more juice?”
The sight of the fresh bread and cup of juice made the mage’s face turn an indelicate shade of green. He patted his bloated stomach and erped. He covered his mouth with his hand, but Erin was pretty sure he’d nearly thrown up.
“Maybe not, then.”
“You have been most kind.”
Pisces stood up and clutched at his stomach. He wavered, and cast his eyes towards the door.
“Most kind. But the night is old, and I believe I shall retire.”
“Are you sure? I could get you a bag of food to go.”
He turned a darker shade of green and waved a hand quickly at her.
“You are very considerate, but no. No. I will be off. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“It was nothing. Let me get the door for you—there. Careful on your way out.”
She saw Pisces out the door and then turned and looked back at the table he’d sat in. It was filled with empty plates and crumbs. She debated cleaning it up, and then shook her head.
Carefully, Erin picked her way across the inn. She walked over to the three filled jars of acid flies and made sure for the umpteenth time that the lids were secure, and that she couldn’t see any flies still wriggling around inside.
Among the many things Erin had bought from Krshia, one of them was a chalkboard and piece of chalk. She’d meant to record things she needed on it, but now Erin wiped the black slate clean and used her best handwriting as she wrote on the board. Then she propped it up on the bar’s counter.
Menu
Pasta w/sausage and onions – 3 cp. per plate.
Blue juice – 2 cp. per glass.
Acid flies – 1 s. per plate
She dropped the chalk on the counter and cast her eyes back at the jars of dead flies. Erin shuddered. She rubbed at her arms and sat in her chair. Too close. Too close by far.
In a while she’d fall asleep. In a while she’d wake up screaming and then fall asleep again. She’d be haunted by the sound of buzzing wings for the next week. But for the moment, Erin’s eyes closed.
[Innkeeper Level 10!]
[Skill – Alcohol Brewer obtained!]
[Skill – Dangersense obtained!]
“…I wonder if you can make fly cookies?”
1.23
“Baking soda.”
Krshia shook her head.
“I know not what that is. I have many things which can be baked, but none of this ‘soda’.”
Erin groaned. She felt she shouldn’t be surprised, but she still hated being surprised.
“How about baking powder? Everyone has baking powder!”
Again, Krshia shook her head.
“What is this powder supposed to bake, Erin Solstice?”
“Cookies.”
“And what are these ‘cookies’?”
Erin gaped at Krshia. She gestured with her hands.
“Cookies. You know? Small, round brown things?”
“Are you talking about cow leavings, Erin Solstice?”
“No!”
Furiously, Erin grabbed at her hair. She immediately let go. Her hair was not as hygienic or as clean as she was used to it being.
“How do you—this world doesn’t have cookies? How is that fair? How!?”
Erin stopped ranting and pounded her fist lightly into her hand.
“…How about ice cream?”
“What is this ice—”
—-
“Stupid worlds that don’t have ice cream. Stupid Gnolls who act nice and look at me like I’m insane. How does anyone live without ice cream and cookies?”
Erin grumbled to herself as she trudged back to her inn. She kicked the knee-high grass and wished she had a lawnmower the size of a skyscraper. Maybe then her legs wouldn’t itch so much after walking—
Clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick—
A familiar sound across the plains. It made Erin’s blood go cold. She stopped, listened, and then saw it.
A gigantic, grey, craggy rock seemed to be levitating across the grasslands. But that was only an illusion. If you looked closer, you’d see many legs churning up the soil underneath the rock. But Erin had no intention of getting that close. She knew what was making that sound and what was living under that rock.
It was a Rock Crab. Erin froze and then turned to run. But it wasn’t coming at her.
Instead, the gigantic rock was propelling itself across the grasslands quite quickly. Its rapidly shuffling legs tore up the earth as it ran. But it wasn’t chasing anything. Was it running away? From what?
Erin got her answer as a bunch of much smaller figures surged over the crest of a hill, chasing the Rock Crab. Goblins. At first Erin grinned at the sight, but her smile faded as more and more of them appeared. First there were five. Then ten. Then twenty—fourty—
Yiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyi—
The Goblins were screaming a warcry of their own as they chased the Rock Crab. The crab seemed to sense them behind it and sped up, but it was still too slow. As Erin watched in amazement, the first Goblin leapt and managed to cling to the Rock Crab’s shell.
Instantly, it swung around and threw the Goblin off. From underneath the Rock Crab’s shell a large claw appeared and snapped at the Goblin. Erin covered her mouth as the Goblin screamed and held up a bloody stump of an arm.
But even as the Rock Crab surged towards the injured Goblin, more Goblins leapt at it. It swung around, trying to knock them away, but although it knocked several Goblins flying, many more dodged its claw and charged at the Rock Crab, screaming wildly.
The Goblins swarmed the Rock Crab. Erin watched, open-mouthed as the giant land crustacean snapped and struck out with its claws. Three Goblins fell away, severely cut and bleeding. One was missing a hand but the others—
They swarmed over the rocky shell, bashing it with clubs. They ducked underneath it as well, biting, stabbing, tearing.
Erin couldn’t see what was happening as more and more Goblins crawled underneath the Rock Crab’s shell, but she saw it spasm. It clicked rapidly in pain and swiped at the Goblins, but they were too close for its claws to grab at.
A baby blue liquid seeped from beneath the shell. The giant Rock Crap collapsed and slimy, blue Goblins dripping in entrails and crab shell emerged from underneath.
Erin backed away slowly. Her heart was pounding a million times per second. She imagined what would happen if one of the Goblins glanced over at her. They’d rush her and cover her in an instant.
But they were all intent on their kill. The Goblins were ripping the Rock Crab apart, hungrily scarfing down its guts. It was a sight to make Erin nauseous, but her stomach was already clenched tight from fear.
Eventually, she t
hought she was far enough away. Erin turned and ran.
—-
Most of the other Goblins didn’t see the departing human. They were too busy cracking the Rock Crab’s hard shell and scooping out its slimy entrails. They feasted.
But a few Goblins did notice the human. One with ragged clothes stopped biting into the Rock Crab’s bitter flesh and stopped to watch the young woman leave. It gripped a something in its pocket tightly. Soon. It would be soon.
The ragged pouch of coin jingled softly as the Goblin shook it. It—no, she looked around quickly, but the other Goblins were too busy gorging themselves to notice the small sound. The female Goblin stowed her pouch of coins among her ragged clothes.
Soon.
—-
When Relc and Klbkch tried the door to the Wandering Inn, they found it was locked. Only after Relc had knocked twice did the door open a crack. When Erin finally let the two in, she bolted the door as soon as they were inside.
Relc raised one non-existent eyebrow and flicked his tail idly at Erin.
“What’s gotten into you?”
“Greetings Miss Solstice. Is something wrong?”
Erin looked warily out the window, but felt better with Relc and Klbkch in the building.
“Goblins.”
“Goblins?”
Relc laughed as he and Klbkch sat themselves at one of the tables.
“What, are they throwing rocks at you again? If you want I could—um, scare them. But Goblins? Seriously? After you killed their Chieftain, what’s there to worry about?”
“How about a group of Goblins that can kill a giant rock-crab-thing in seconds?”
Erin snapped at Relc as the Drake laughed.
“It was the scariest thing I’ve seen. Some kind of raiding party swarmed over the crab and—”
“A raiding party?”
Relc sat up in his chair and grabbed for his spear.
“Where, and how many? Come on, Klkbch. We can head them off—”
He jumped to his feet. Erin waved her hands frantically.
“No, no! There’s way too many of them. Besides, I don’t want you to kill them! That would be—”