by Pirateaba
“But you’re okay? You’re feeling fine except for the…”
Ceria shook her head and gestured to the limp bones.
“I’ll be fine. My hand is a small price to pay for my life. If I could have traded it for the others—”
She broke off, and everyone was silent for a minute. Erin’s eyes still stung at the mention of the others. Gerial. Sostrom. Calruz.
Olesm was the first to break the silence. He gestured at his own bed, on the other side of the large room from Ceria. The Watch didn’t have enough rooms to give the two privacy. That had scandalized Selys until Ceria pointed out that she and Olesm had had plenty of time to get to know each other in less-hospitable beds.
“I can’t wait to get better. I’d leave right away, but Captain Zevara insists I take it easy.”
He grinned at Erin.
“Then maybe I can visit your inn and play a few games of chess with you. We could play now, if you’d like…?”
Erin ignored the hopeful look in the Drake’s eye and shook her head.
“That would be nice, but I need a better hook.”
“A what?”
Selys frowned at her friend.
“Oh come on, Erin. You can’t listen to what Peslas said.”
“But he’s right. Chess doesn’t earn money, especially because none of the Workers are coming back to the inn. Not that there’s…many…left.”
Another silence fell over the small group. At last, Ceria cleared her throat.
“Well, I’m certain the lovely Watch Captain will kick me out of here sooner or later. When that time comes I’ll probably be looking for a place to stay. Erin, would you mind if I went to your inn? I don’t have any coin, but I’ll pay you back as soon as I earn some.”
“What? No!”
Olesm and Selys’ tails froze up as Erin looked indignant.
“I’m not going to ask you to pay. You can stay in my inn for free! As long as you like!”
Ceria smiled and shook her head at Erin.
“That’s very kind, but I know you’re in need of money too. I wouldn’t want to impose.”
“No, I insist. You’re Ryoka’s friend too, and I’m sure she’d want that. Besides, you can earn your keep! Can you cook?”
“Nothing you’d like and not with the ingredients from around here, I’m afraid.”
“Well—well, that’s fine. You can do magic. I’m sure I could find a job for you that would really help. Yeah. I could…hire you as a barmaid?”
“Not a good idea. I’m not the bar-serving type and I don’t do well with…males. Besides, what could a one-handed barmaid do?”
“Well, either way, I’ll let you stay as long as you like. Money doesn’t matter more than friends, after all.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
—-
Selys and Erin spent another hour talking lightly to Olesm and Ceria, and Erin even played one game with Olesm, winning handily, before they left. The last stop Erin knew she had to make was back to Krshia. To pay for the clothes, for one thing.
But she had an unpleasant surprise when she visited the Gnoll. Krshia still had everything Erin need in stock, but the Gnoll told Erin it would cost half against as much as it had last time Erin had visited.
“Food is far more expensive now. I will give you my best, but it will cost much more. And I cannot deliver it anymore. I am sorry.”
“What? Why?”
“My Street Runner, he is busy, yes?”
Krshia explained as she began packing items into a bag for Erin to carry.
“My Runner, he does many deliveries in the city now and elsewhere. Many were hurt and killed when the undead attacked. He has much to do and cannot make the trip through the snow to your inn. Not without charging more money.”
Selys nodded.
“Normally we’d be finished preparing for winter by now, but what with the attack and repairs, we’re shorttailed. Besides, winter never comes when you’re expecting it. Everyone’s really busy.”
Well, that meant Erin had to carry her goods from now on. She looked glumly at the massive shopping bag Krshia was preparing and imagined a trip back through the snow.
“Well, if that’s how it’s gotta be…”
“Mm. Again I am sorry. But do you have anything else to add?”
Erin blinked. She suddenly remembered one of the things she’d planned to get while in the city.
“Oh yeah. I’m looking for some special stuff while I’m here. Ground beef! I want a lot of it, and some cheese. Ooh, and some mustard! And bread. I need sliced bread, or buns. That’s even better. And tomatoes, vinegar, and um, eggs. I’ll take a lemon or two as well if you’ve got any.”
Krshia didn’t have any lemons, but she did have everything else. It was expensive—but the Gnoll told Erin she was lucky that the winter had just started.
“By the end of the season, such things will be too expensive for you and me, yes?”
“I’m just glad I still have money to pay for it. Business is slow and I need to make something amazing!”
Erin nodded to herself as Krshia finished packing the last of her additions into her bag. Erin reached for one strap, hefted the bag—
And felt all her confidence drain away.
“Hey! This is really heavy!”
“I am sorry, but you ordered much. Perhaps you should leave some and make two trips?”
Erin tried to imagine going back and forth twice in the snow and shuddered.
“I really don’t like that idea. Isn’t there another way? A sled, maybe?”
“Hey, I’ll carry it if it means I get fed.”
Erin turned. Relc was standing behind her, smiling down at her. And by his side was a familiar face, but one Erin wasn’t used to seeing again.
“Klbkch! Relc! What are you two doing?”
“Guarding, mostly. But we came by to see you. I’ve got a message for you, and Klb is just bored.”
The Antinium nodded politely to Selys and Krshia before turning to Erin.
“Good evening, Erin. I hope you are recovered from events a few days ago?”
“What? Oh yeah, I am. You’re okay, right Klbkch? Gazi cut you up bad.”
“I have fully recovered, thank you.”
“And me! I’m better too, thanks for asking!”
Relc interjected, puffing out his chest and showing Erin and the others a few new scars on his chest and arms. He looked at Selys as he smoothed the spines on his neck, but she only sighed and rolled her eyes.
It was good to see both were well, even if it was odd to see Relc so friendly. Erin remembered how he’d been before Klbkch had returned, but she put it out of her mind.
“So you can carry my stuff?”
“This? Of course. I carried stuff twice as heavy every day when I was a soldier.”
Relc grinned at Erin and flicked Krshia’s bag dismissively. The Gnoll sniffed at Relc as Klbkch addressed Erin.
“We would like to visit your inn tonight, Erin. If that is not an imposition?”
“What? No! Come on, by all means! I’ll cook up a feast!”
Erin smiled happily at the two guardsmen. For once, it seemed like everything was back to normal in a good way. Relc was ebullient as he seized Erin’s shopping bag.
“Great! I want a lot of food tonight! You can take the cost of me hauling this to your inn out of my tab, okay?”
Kblckh’s elbow shot out and rammed Relc in the side. The Drake yelped and glared at his friend.
“I was just joking.”
“No. You weren’t.”
“Ants. This is why…”
Relc grumbled as he lifted the pack with ease. He looked around for support and found none. He scratched at the spines on his head, muttered under his breath, and then looked at Erin.
“Oh, hey. Your inn exploded by the way.”
Everyone stared at him. Relc looked at Klbkch, and then at Erin.
“What? Didn’t I say that earlier?”
; 2.00 T
“…know that I am the truth. Hear my words…obey…! Rise once more, from the darkness…!”
Even now Toren heard the voice in the silence. But he’d forgotten the words. They called to him in the darkness of his soul, pulling him towards the south. But his feet could not move, and though he looked towards the horizon, he could not go.
But he still heard the call vibrating in his soul. It was one of three things he remembered.
Toren was a Level 11 [Skeleton Warrior]. That was his purpose, his name and sense of being. That wasn’t one of the three things he remembered, though. It was just who he was. That was what the voice in his head told him.
The other voice in his head. Toren had many voices that told him things. Sometimes the skeleton had a hard time figuring out which ones were real. But he was getting better at listening.
He could listen and follow orders. Of all the things Toren knew, he knew he was good at that. He had orders, so he followed them. That was simple. Sometimes the orders weren’t.
Today the young woman in front of him had an extra snap in her voice as she shouted at him. That usually meant she was upset. Why was she upset? Usually when she was upset, it was because Toren had made a mistake.
But Toren was sure he’d done everything right this time. All night long he’d been pushing snow together like Erin had told him. He’d made a very tall wall, and that was good, wasn’t it? There wasn’t anything Erin could find wrong with his wall.
“Hey! How am I supposed to get out?”
Toren paused. Then he turned his head 180° and stared at the wall.
Oh.
Erin glared at him and told him to clear a hole. Toren did just that as she stomped back inside and slammed the door.
It was one of the things he’d learned. Somehow, despite all he did, he kept making mistakes. Erin would tell him to do something simple, like collect water. But then she’d say something like—
“Don’t bring back fish in the bucket! How did you think that was a good idea? How—how did you even fit one in there?”
It was a mystery. Not the fish; anything could be squished into a smaller thing with enough time. But Toren had been created to serve Erin and it distressed him that he never seemed to do his job right.
He was a skeleton. He was bound to serve. This he knew. It was one of the three things Toren remembered. Even when he was being smashed into the ground by a mace or something was trying to break his skull in two, he remembered.
He remembered being made.
—-
Sight. That was the first thing that Toren remembered. Only it wasn’t sight, not quite. He didn’t see because he had no eyes. But he was aware of the world nonetheless, in ways that could only be described as sight by primitive language. He could sense colors, shapes, and movement.
Not well. Toren had seen birds and other things which could see father than he could. If he looked too far in one direction he couldn’t make out details. But he could see, and the first thing he’d seen was a dancing mage.
At the time Toren hadn’t known it was dancing. Understanding, like everything else, had come in the rush of magic as it continued to build him. Basic concepts like sword fighting, gravity, general anatomy, and the idea of nudity were imparted to Toren, although admittedly he was a bit hazy on that last bit. It was important not to stare at Erin when she had less clothing, that was all he knew.
But the dancing mage. Toren remembered his bones rising together to form his mortal frame, and the disheveled mage dancing around in front of him. Perhaps it was dancing. It looked more like wild waving of arms and legs and incoherent laughing and crying. Which was close to dancing?
Pisces. That was the name of his creator. Toren only remembered because sometimes his orders pertained to Pisces. Orders like ‘don’t let him steal any food from the kitchen’, or ‘poke him with a sword’. Although when he tried to poke Pisces with a sword, this too was apparently a mistake.
But the mage had laughed and danced and cried as he pointed at Toren, as the skeleton was first being created. Toren remembered the words.
“I did it! I finally succeeded! The first! The very first!”
It wasn’t very coherent speech, but Toren remembered the mage had been happy. Because of him. It mattered little, but then had come the words.
“Hm. Ah, oh. Let’s see. Uh, that’s right. You were…I suppose I must use you in less-optimal tasks. Well then. Hear and know your purpose: you are to guard and serve the individual known as Erin Solstice. Protect her. Obey her words.”
The words had struck Toren like thunder and lighting, echoing around in his soul. They etched themselves into the core of his very being, words that would never fade. The first and last command.
Even now, as Toren shoveled wet, hard snow away from his wall he remembered.
“Protect Erin Solstice. Obey her. Be used in less-optimal tasks.”
They were the words that shaped his existence. One of the three things he remembered.
After that Pisces had gone back to the laughing and talking to himself. Toren forgot most of the rest. At some point the mage had come back and spoken at length. He’d used many complex words. Word like ‘render unto me total obedience’ and ‘forsoever work to advance the cause of my designs’, and so on. But that was after the words of binding, the words of creation. So they didn’t count.
The snow was hard to separate with mere fingers, so Toren picked up the piece of wood he’d used as a shovel and began to send snow flying into the air. In truth, he didn’t mind Erin’s new orders. He’d built a wall, and now he was getting rid of part of it.
A human or other sentient being might have objected to the wasted effort. But Toren didn’t have anything better to do, and he never got bored. He had a job and he did it. And he didn’t get cold or uncomfortable. He never got back problems from twisting around or bending over constantly like Erin complained about.
There. The snow was cleared away, enough to let a human pass through. Toren stared in satisfaction at the breach, and then wondered what he should do next. Make a bigger hole? Or clear more snow? It was hard, but he had to obey. Toren always obeyed.
—-
Erin came back later to give Toren instructions. By that time he’d managed to add nearly another foot to the height of his wall, an accomplishment he felt vaguely proud of, but which she didn’t comment on.
“Okay, here’s the plan.”
Toren looked at Erin expectantly as she shivered at him. She pointed in the direction of Liscor.
“I’m going to buy more stuff. Food. And I need to check on my friends. While I’m gone, I want you to find more firewood. Got it?”
Toren knew that meant Erin was going to Liscor. He’d never been to Liscor. Erin had told him many times he wasn’t allowed to go near the city in case he scared someone. But it bothered him when she went, because he had to protect her.
But she gave him orders, so he had to obey. The only problem was that while Toren understood firewood as a general concept, he had no idea where firewood might be found. Normally Erin burned broken chairs and tables. Did she mean that?
Erin frowned at Toren as he looked around, hoping there would be some handy broken tables nearby for him to use.
“I don’t know where any is. Go find some trees.”
Trees? Firewood could come from trees. It was a good order. Toren nodded and Erin eyed him suspiciously for a second before she turned and left. That was almost hurtful, if Toren had any emotions to hurt. He could be relied on. He would find a tree and obtain firewood.
Somehow.
—-
Toren was beginning to understand feelings. Or maybe it was that he was beginning to think of thoughts. He hadn’t before. Toren remembered a time before he’d been able to think about himself. Then he’d only obeyed orders as a dumb thing, mechanically. But ever since leveling up from fighting, and especially after the battle with Skinner, Toren had begun thinking more and more about complex things.
Things like – if Erin told him to gather fruits, did she mean rotting fruits lying on the ground with worms and bugs crawling over them? If Erin was screaming and telling him to get rid of a bug, did that means squash it, stab it, or take it outside? How many ways could he stab Pisces? Which ways would make the mage die faster?
It wasn’t that Toren had any particular animosity towards his creator. But one of his tasks was to protect Erin. Therefore, if Pisces ever attacked, Toren would have to be able to kill him. This all made perfect sense.
The winter landscape was full of snow. So much snow! Toren had never seen snow, and he was unaccustomed to moving in it. It was unfortunate how slow it made him move. He’d take two steps, fall in a snow drift, and spend precious minutes digging himself back up.
That was inconvenient, but fine. But Toren was also distracted by the dancing blue shapes circling overhead. They were…hard to see, and harder still to hear, but Toren could understand every language, and the language of the faeries was somewhat comprehensible to him. They laughed and followed his slow progress from overhead.
“Hark! Look sisters, the bag of bones is going to find the frail human some fire!”
“Does the stupid thing not know it has no axe? No axe nor sword.”
“How will itwn right over him as he struggled to cut down a tree? With its teeth?”
Toren paused. He looked down at his empty hands. He’d forgotten his sword. Well. It wasn’t his sword because Erin wouldn’t let him wear it all the time. But it was a good point. He needed something to cut with.
Immediately, Toren turned around and began to walk back to the inn as the Frost Faeries circled around overhead.
“The stupid thing hears us! Hah!”
On his way back to the inn the faeries dumped snow on him twice, and then sent a gust of wind that blew him down a hill. But they got bored and left quickly because Toren only got back on his feet and kept walking. He wasn’t sure if they were enemies, but the Frost Faeries were too high up and he didn’t have a bow or arrows.