by Pirateaba
“You are young.”
“But I could be improving, don’t you see?”
Olesm’s tail raised a cloud of dust as he turned to Klbkch in frustration.
“I wanted to join Ceria and become an adventurer. I thought if I did that, I could develop some skills, maybe even transition into a commander class…! It’s possible if you gain enough warrior levels, you know.”
“I am aware.”
Enough levels in [Warrior] and [Strategist] and the two classes would merge into a new class, usually [Commander]. It was an odd feature, especially since some people could level in [Commander] right away. As far as Klbkch could tell, it was simply a way to consolidate levels, but he had no idea why that would be useful. Two classes were better than one, weren’t they?
“But she said no. She said I wasn’t strong enough—”
Olesm grabbed a piece of wood up and clenched it hard in a scaly fist.
“Adventurers live quite dangerous lives. Silver-rank adventurers face threats that may be above your level at the moment.”
“I know! I know, but the way she said it—! Can’t I go with them? Why do I have to be here?”
This was an unexpected development. Klbkch paused, and decided to continue with the conversation.
“Is it not Liscor’s policy to keep at least one [Tactician] in the city to ward off potential attacks?”
“It is. But I could delegate the job or—I just want to be better, you know? I feel worthless every time I play Erin, now that I know she’s taking it easy on me. I mean, I knew she was already, but now…”
Klbkch nodded slowly.
“I can understand your position. After my death, I too lost quite a number of levels.”
“Really? I had no idea that was how it worked. Does it happen like that for all Antinium?”
Olesm looked at Klbkch in surprise, and the Antinium felt a small moment of kinship with the young Drake. He couldn’t close his eyes, but Klbkch down at the ground, remembering as he spoke.
“Revival is rare even among my kind. But yes, once individuals are revived, they lose ten levels among their classes.”
“Ten!?”
“It is a small price to pay for life, is it not? But without at least ten levels, individuals are unable to be revived.”
It was a secret Klbkch was telling Olesm, but not a big one. The Drakes and Gnolls had figured out the Antinium’s ability during the First Antinium War; only the exact nature of the resurrection and the amount of levels lost had been a secret. And it was one worth telling to Olesm, Klbkch believed.
“I was stronger. Once. But I am pleased to say that I have regained five of my lost levels already.”
“Fiv—how? Please, tell me how you did that!”
Olesm looked at Klbkch pleadingly.
“I’ve leveled a lot since Erin came, but it’s not nearly fast enough. How did you do it so quick?”
Klbkch paused. Now here was a secret he couldn’t speak of.
“The Hive has suffered a…few monster attacks as of late. I have helped fend them off and recovered my lost levels as a result.”
It was true except in the details. Olesm nodded in understanding.
“Oh, like those giant tunneling worms or Shield Spiders? Those can be nasty.”
“Among other things. They are difficult to deal with.”
“Good thing we don’t get Crelers down here, right?”
“Not anymore.”
Klbkch hated Crelers. Olesm shuddered, and went back to working after a bit longer.
“I just wish I could level like that, you know?”
“Perhaps you will. It just takes time.”
“Yeah, but I—”
Olesm paused as he lifted a piece of wood, and then his voice rose in excitement.
“Klbkch! Look! I found something!”
Klbkch walked over and saw Olesm holding up the ancient parchment as he held the lantern up with trembling claws.
“Is it another map of the dungeon?”
“N-no. I don’t think so…? No, wait, I know what this is! It’s a map of another dungeon!”
“Indeed?”
Klbkch peered at the faded lines and nodded as if impressed.
“This is quite a find. Is there perhaps another dungeon beneath Liscor?”
“There can’t be. That would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it? No, this must be another place. Maybe nearby…?”
Olesm stared at the faded writing on the map. Klbkch had a hard time reading the old Drake language, but Olesm had studied it, another reason why he’d been invited into the Hive.
“Albez. Huh. I don’t know where that is.”
“Perhaps it is a location north of here? A Human or native to that region might know. Ceria Springwalker or her companion, Yvlon Byres, perhaps.”
“You think so?”
Olesm hesitated. He looked at the parchment and carefully folded it up.
“Can I…borrow this? I’ll return it later.”
Klbkch shook his head, but not in denial.
“The Antinium have no use for maps. Do with it as you will. I only hope you will mention our efforts to the Council when you report.”
“What? Oh, yes, I will. Thank you!”
Olesm was already headed towards the tunnels. Klbkch watched him go, and knew the Drake would be making a beeline for the surface…unless he got lost. Mentally, Klbkch ordered a few Workers to intercept the Drake at tunnel intersections.
Klbkch’s job was done. He sighed. It wasn’t as if this had been particularly tiring, but Olesm’s mention of levels had brought Klbkch back in time again. It was playing on his thoughts when he’d stood before his Queen.
The past. Klbkch hadn’t given it much thought, but after he’d met Erin and died again, it was starting to weigh on him.
Klbkch reviewed his classes. He was a Level 21 [Swordslayer], a Level 18 [Commander], a Level 11 [Diplomat], and a Level 14 [Assassin]. He’d been stronger, once.
Yes. Klbkch remembered a time when he hadn’t had any levels in either [Commander] or [Diplomat]. He’d been a pure warrior, a Level 44 [Swordslayer], and a Level 26 [Assassin]. He hadn’t even been a Prognugator, then.
Was it just him, or was it harder to level now? Maybe it was his age as well. It had been so long since they’d left Rhir, and even longer since he had first been hatched. He could barely remember his first Hive, deep in the darkness. Maybe there were still—
Klbkchhezeim.
Klbkch snapped to attention, all memory passing from his mind in an instant. He knew what his Queen meant in a single touch of their minds.
It was another attack. More monsters were swarming out of the dungeon, and the Soldiers needed him. Klbkch ran out of the fake cellar, heading directly towards the scene of the battle.
Forget the past. The Centenium were dead. He was a Prognugator now. Klbkch grabbed at the two swords at his waist, feeling the blades slide out of their sheathes. If only he had his old swords. But then, he and his Queen hadn’t been allowed to take anything of value when they established this experimental Hive. Maybe after the others came and saw what they had done…
No time for thought. Klbkch ran faster as he heard the first shriek of rage in the air. His body was light, his mind was focused. He was the blade of his queen.
It was time to go back to work.
—-
“Wow. Wow. And you fought the Goblins off by yourself?”
“With the help of the Watch. And Halrac. And the villagers and quite a bit of luck.”
Ceria grinned at Erin as the half-Elf sat at a table in the inn, drinking beer and relaxing with the other three adventurers. Erin assumed they were adventurers. Of course, Pisces had just been a mage and Ksmvr was an Antinium Prognugator, but they were adventurers now, right?
She didn’t quite know what that word meant. Erin hadn’t met many adventurers outside of the Horns of Hammerad, Griffin Hunt and a few others. She got that they went into dungeons and killed monsters, but the ide
a of just wandering around helping people sounded more like being a hero to her.
It was a different world, especially in how one second Ceria could be sitting in the bar, and the next she’d be out fighting a Goblin army.
“Raiding party, Erin. I told you, it’s a raiding party.”
“What’s the dif—oh, right. Numbers. But two hundred Goblins is a lot.”
“Not compared to an army, believe me. And in truth, this raiding party is small compared to how big they can get. When a Goblin King emerges, you can see raiding parties in the thousands.”
“Which isn’t so much a raiding party as another army. Bah, the terminology used is wholly insufficient.”
Pisces scowled around his drink. HE seemed happy Erin had brought out the alcohol, but even happier that she’d made more food—lunch, this time. It felt like she’d just served breakfast, but here was another crowd, even larger thanks to some of the Guardsmen who’d decided to eat at the inn.
Speaking of which—
One of the Gnolls in armor waved a paw, and Erin turned.
“Can you get that, Lyonette?”
Across the room the girl hesitated, and then slowly walked over to the table with Gnolls and Drakes, displeasure evident on her face. The guardsmen didn’t look that happy to see her either, but in a few seconds she was walking into the kitchen to get more food.
Erin had made soup. It was a nice, easy dish to make and she could keep serving it instead of having to constantly make more for new guests. She’d added all kinds of spices and meats and vegetables in it—it almost felt like Erin’s skills were doing all of the cooking, rather than her.
“This is really good, Erin. Thank you.”
“Oh, no, thank you? Um, I’ve got more if you want it.”
“Please don’t trouble yourself. I’m quite full.”
Yvlon put down the spoon in her bowl and sighed contentedly as she reached for her drink. She’d requested milk, a stark contrast from the others.
Ksmvr nodded silently. He was drinking water, and he’d finished two bowls of soup in near-silence. Erin’s eyes were drawn to the stump of his third arm, but the Antinium didn’t even seem to notice his wound.
He was still probably depressed. Erin couldn’t believe he’d been kicked out his Hive, just like that. She wanted to talk to Klbkch about it, but she hadn’t seen the Antinium and Ceria had said he wasn’t with the Watch who fought the Goblins.
“It’s just so scary, thinking there could be more of them out there. And they’re not Rags’ Goblins, you said?”
“I’m almost positive about that.”
Ceria nodded and Pisces murmured his agreement. That made Erin’s heart ease a tiny bit. She’d hate to imagine Rags getting hacked to bits.
“Well, I’m glad you’re all okay. We got attacked by Goblins too, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as this.”
“What?”
Ceria looked up sharply, and Erin raised her hands.
“Don’t worry! They never even got inside the inn.”
“What did you do? Did my creation kill them?”
“Who, Toren? No. They never even got close. I sort of yelled at them and they ran away.”
All four adventurers exchanged looks. Yvlon coughed politely.
“You yelled at them?”
“Sort of. I mean, I didn’t use [Loud Voice]. But it was that…that other skill I learned. Remember when everyone was fighting at the inn?”
Pisces massaged his stomach and scowled.
“How could we forget?”
“Well, back then I shouted and I felt everything sort of get heavier, remember?”
“I remember.”
Ceria frowned.
“I thought that was just a spell one of the Gold-rank adventurers cast. But you did that?”
“I think so. And when I saw the Goblins coming, I sort of just shouted at them to get lost and they did. I don’t know what happened, but the inn felt…bigger for a little bit after that happened.”
“Bigger?”
Ceria looked skeptical and Ksmvr and Yvlon just looked confused, but Pisces shook his head.
“It’s an aura. I haven’t heard of an innkeeper using one, but it’s quite common among leader classes.”
“An aura? Oh—you mean, [Inn’s Aura]? That’s one of the skills I got!”
“It’s quite a useful skill. It allows you to control the area; in this case I suppose around your inn to aid allies or impede enemies.”
“Whoa. That’s so cool!”
Erin smiled, and Ceria had to laugh.
“How do you not research your Skills when you get them, Erin?”
“I’ve got a lot to do, okay?”
Pisces cleared his throat, and everyone looked at him. He tapped the table as he settled into his lecturer voice.
“The aura skill is a powerful tool to aid in combat, but not one I would rely on. Any powerful monster or individual will be able to resist most of the effects. However, I will admit that it seems particularly well versed in deflecting low-level enemies. I suspect you may also be able to use it as a basic fear effect, or at least as a form of intimidation as evidenced by your chasing off of the Goblin invaders.”
Erin blinked at Pisces a few times while Ceria rolled her eyes and Yvlon just looked confused. It had been a while since she’d heard Pisces go all scholarly on her.
“Well, it seems quite useful.”
“Quite.”
“Good that you got rid of the Goblins. I’d hate for you to be in danger.”
Everyone nodded, and Erin did too, but the truth of it was that she’d never been in danger. It had been nine Goblins who’d approached her inn, and they’d already been hesitating when they saw Toren come out wearing armor. Erin shouting had probably been the last straw.
Klbkch drained his mug, and looked at Erin.
“I would not like to bother you, Erin Solstice. But—”
“Water? No problem!”
Erin took the mug and whirled into the kitchen. She filled the water with some from a kettle she’d boiled and glanced at how much was left. Not enough. She could boil snow of course, but it was easier just to get some from the stream. It hadn’t frozen over despite the weather.
“Lyon, we need more water. Can you fetch…two buckets?”
The girl scowled as Erin walked back into the common room. She folded her arms.
“Me? Go out there?”
Erin frowned. She didn’t like that tone of voice. Never mind that it was Lyon’s semi-permanent tone; it meant trouble whenever she heard it.
“Yeah. You’ve done that a hundred times. What’s wrong?”
“Those horrible little monsters! They attacked the inn and they could be lurking outside!”
Lyon pointed to the door as if the Goblins were hiding behind it. Erin sighed.
“They’re all dead or run away. The Watch made sure of that.”
“How can you be sure?”
Erin paused.
“I can’t. But I’ll send Toren with you, how about that?”
It would defeat the purpose of sending Lyon in the first place, but at least then they’d be able to carry enough water back to last a good while. But the girl didn’t like that idea either.
“I won’t be followed by that horrible thing!”
“In that case, go by yourself. It’s not far.”
“Alone!? Absolutely not! I refuse to work until you hire an adventurer to exterminate all of them!”
Erin’s good mood slowly evaporated. Ceria blinked up at Erin from her table and nudged the innkeeper with one foot. She whispered up at Erin.
“You haven’t told her about your…other guests?”
“They haven’t come back for a while now. Um.”
Erin glanced over at Lyon. The girl was giving Erin a triumphant look, as if she had the moral high ground. It was always like this, and Erin didn’t want to deal with it. She looked over.
“Toren?”
The skeleton paused as h
e industriously mopped a table with a rag. He slowly turned, and Lyon screeched as she backed away from him.
“No! I will not—!”
The skeleton’s purple eyes flashed and Lyon ran out of the inn, emitting a half-sob, half-shrieking sound.
Ceria watched as Toren followed the girl out of the inn, frowning slightly. She looked at Erin.
“You don’t think it’s kind of cruel, making Toren deal with her?”
“Is that cruel for Toren or her? I’ve told him he can’t hit her, push her, poke her, or do anything to her. And I can’t deal with her.”
It was a painful admission for Erin, but it was true. She’d tried—oh, how she’d tried!—but Lyon would simply refuse to work. No matter how nice or mean Erin got, the girl would just sneer at her. Toren had a way with Lyon, in that he never gave up and could scare her with his eyes, but Erin didn’t have that same ability.
“I suppose.”
Ceria looked troubled, but Pisces just shook his head.
“I analyzed my creation after Miss Solstice pointed it out to me. He has absorbed the magic from that gemstone into his spell matrix. It appears to be a lesser version of the original spell, but it seems quite useful in sheparding the annoying girl around.”
He raised his mug and drained it as Erin nodded in relief. She had been worried about Toren. In truth, she still was. She’d thought her heart would stop when Halrac had shot him in the head. She’d had no idea what the red gemstone was, until she’d realized that Toren had picked up one of Skinner’s ‘eyes’ after the battle. How he’d gotten a hold of it she had no idea.
It was starting to bother her, to be honest. Not the eyes—Toren didn’t try to scare her and Erin doubted the effect would work on her after Skinner in any case—but it was how much Toren had changed.
He wore armor, he disappeared at random times…if she wasn’t so busy, Erin would have tried to see what was going on with her skeleton. Was something wrong with him? Maybe Pisces should take another look at him. Toren seemed more intelligent than he had been when Erin had first got him, but still.
Still, Erin was always busy now. She was cooking, serving guest, and didn’t have time to do much else. She’d hoped that Lyonette would take some of the burden off, but in this case, the girl had added to Erin’s workload.