The Wandering Inn_Volume 1

by Pirateaba

  She was worried the glass jars would fall out of her satchel. Erin frowned and wondered if she should try to find another way through the streets before someone yanked at her shirt.

  “Hey Miss, I can take you to an [Alchemist]!”

  Erin looked down and saw a gap-toothed grin and a young boy smiling up at her. She smiled back.

  “Hi there! Who are you?”

  The young boy couldn’t have been more than thirteen. He was scrawny for his age though, and he looked underfed. But he gave her such a charming smile that Erin immediately liked him.

  “I’m Grev, Miss. And you need to get to an [Alchemist] to sell them bees, am I right?”

  “How do you know I’ve got bees?”

  Erin was surprised, but the boy just shrugged.

  “I wait at the gatehouse. I’m a local guide; I can take you where you need to go without having to wait for all this traffic!”

  That did sound good. Erin looked at the milling people—and at the heavy wagons and pooping horses—and smiled at Grev.

  “Well, if you know the way I guess I can pay you something. Like a silver coin?”

  “I’d do it for half, but if you’re offering—”

  Grev’s mouth fell open as Erin put a silver coin in his hand. He stared up at her, and Erin gave him a smile.

  “Lead on! And can you show me around afterwards? I’ve never been to Celum.”

  Her genuine enthusiasm and trust nearly made the boy reconsider. But then he put his [Fake Smile] back on his face and pointed down another street.

  “Sure thing! This way, Miss. I know a short cut.”

  Erin happily walked after Grev. She walked down some side streets off the main street, looking around happily. Her smile was wide, and it only faded a bit when she had to go down an alleyway. When she saw the three men in dark clothing her smile was faded, but still hanging on determinedly to her face. When they unsheathed their swords and daggers she lost the smile.

  —-

  “Hey, wait a second. You tricked me!”

  Erin glared at Grev, but the boy dashed away from her and ducked past one of the men. He held out a hand and the man dropped a few silver coins into it. He stopped and hesitated though, looking back at Erin. He spoke to the man with the sword.

  “Don’t hurt her! She’s got the money in a pouch.”

  The cloaked and hooded man cursed and struck at Grev.

  “Beat it, brat.”

  Grev fled, casting one glance back at Erin. She stared at the men—two in front and one behind as they slowly advanced on her. She wasn’t sure if she should be scared or not, but Erin was decidedly unhappy at the moment. She glared at the men as she protectively shifted the glass jars at her side. The clamped lid of the bee jar brushed against her finger as she considered her options. She’d left the frying pan in the sledge, and they had weapons. What should she do?

  “Hand over your coin and them jars and we won’t hurt you.”

  The lead man was the one with the sword. Erin eyed it as he grinned at her, exposing bad teeth. He had a low, raspy voice, although it sounded like he was doing it on purpose. The man next to him was shorter, and he was smiling unpleasantly as he eyed Erin in a way she really didn’t like.

  “Scream and this will be quick. But if you don’t move, this won’t hurt—much.”

  Erin looked over her shoulder. The other man was approaching as well. They weren’t afraid of her.

  “No. Go away and I won’t hurt you.”

  The muggers laughed. The lead man stepped forwards.

  “Don’t make this h—”

  Erin punched him. She’d found she didn’t have to yell to use her Skills, but it felt good.

  “[Minotaur Punch]!”

  Her fist caught the man by surprise. Erin felt something crunch horribly as she struck him in the nose, and he dropped to the ground, screaming. The other man blinked, but he slashed at Erin.

  “Aah!”

  She stepped back and he missed her by inches. Calruz had taught her how to fight against someone with a weapon though, so she let him swing again and then kicked him in the groin. He cursed and Erin punched him in the face. His head snapped back and he fell back.

  A huge arm encircled Erin’s throat. She gasped and kicked, but the third man lifted her up, trying to strangle her. Erin grabbed at his arm desperately. He had thick muscles, and she was already feeling the need to breathe. She saw him raising the dagger in his other hand.

  Desperately, Erin grabbed at the mugger’s hand. He was strong—stronger than her even with [Lesser Strength], if not by much. But she couldn’t break his grip from this angle. She caught at his hand, and then felt his thumb. Erin grabbed it and bent it back until it broke.

  He screamed and let go. Erin gasped for air, and then ducked away as he cut at her. She kicked him in the stomach and twisted left as he tried to stab her in the stomach.

  It was just like when Calruz had had her fight Toren. It was dangerous and deadly—but Erin could fight! She could do it! She just didn’t like to.

  She stomped on the man’s foot and punched him in the throat when he shouted in pain. He made a gurgling sound and folded up.

  “You whore.”

  The man with a sword was getting up. His nose was squashed and he had a nasal tone to his voice now, but there was murder in his eyes. Erin slowly backed up, and her foot touched the glass jar full of bees as the man advanced down the alleyway, sword raised.

  “I’m gunna cut you.”

  “No you’re not.”

  Erin reached down and opened the jar lid. The man stopped and stared at the jars suspiciously. He reached into his side and pulled out a dagger.

  “Don’t try it.”

  “Oh yeah? Go away and I won’t have to hurt you.”

  Erin clutched the thing in her hand as she crouched by the jars. The man hesitated.

  “I’ll—”

  “Bee in the face!”

  Erin threw the dead bee at the man’s face as she dove out of the way. He threw the dagger, but it missed as Erin rolled and smacked into the alley wall. And then the mugger screamed as Erin’s [Unerring Throw] presented him with a bee at intimate proximity to his face.

  “Take this!”

  Erin ran over to the man just as he tore the dead bee off of him. She punched him in the chest and felt something go crack. He dropped the sword, and she punched him in the face. He fell down and didn’t get back up.

  Breathing heavily, Erin staggered backwards, and stared at the three muggers. They were down and she was alive. Yeah. Alive.

  Something burned. Erin looked at her arm and saw a deep cut she didn’t remember receiving. And her side was hurting too. Something had cut her there too! But she wasn’t hurt besides that.

  “Oh wow. Oh no. Oh…”

  Erin had to sit down for a second. The dead bee was lying on the ground, so Erin tossed it back in the jar and sealed the lid. Some of the bees were moving in reaction to the air. She stared at one of the men as he bled from his crushed nose and tried to breathe.

  She’d never been attacked in Michigan. She’d never even really been in a fight. Of course, here she’d fought undead and monsters quite a lot so she hadn’t been terrified, but still—there was something scary about people trying to hurt her.

  Erin sighed and stood up. She walked over to her jars and heard a gasp. She whirled around and saw a small shape stand up and dart towards the alleyway entrance.

  “Hey! You! Don’t move or I’ll shoot! I mean, throw!”

  Grev froze mid-step, and Erin lowered the glass jar in her hands. She stared at the young boy.

  “You! Hey, come here you little jerk!”

  Slowly, the young boy turned and walked towards Erin. His face was nearly white and he was trembling.

  “I didn’t meant to do it! They forced me to, I swear! They were gonna kill my sister if I didn’t, miss!”

  “What? That’s so ter—why were they giving you money, then?”

  Erin f
rowned at Grev. He turned a shade whiter.

  “I—I—please don’t kill me!”

  The young woman thought about everything for a second. She considered the day she’d had—most of which she’d slept through, Toren’s betrayal, her entrance to the city and near-death or horrible mugging and worse experience and Grev’s part in all of it. She nodded to herself and clenched her fist.

  “Take this!”

  Grev screamed. Erin punched him on the head, hard, but without using her full strength. He yelped, and tried to scramble away. Erin caught him by his dirty shirt and he screamed in fear as he tried to shield his face.

  “Please—”

  “I’m not going to hurt you any more.”

  Grev’s face instantly brightened.

  “You’re not?”

  Erin tried to make her face scary. She stared at Grev, trying to look menacing.

  “I won’t if you do something for me.”

  “W-what?”

  Erin pointed to the unconscious muggers. One of them was groaning, and she wondered if she should kick them or sit on them or something. At the very least she should pick up all the weapons they’d dropped.

  “You’re going to get me the Watch, and I’m going to sit here.”

  Grev nodded eagerly. Erin almost let him go, but she had a thought. He was probably just going to run away, wans’t he? She looked at the jars on the ground and had an idea. Grev’s white face turned even most ghost-like as she lifted one of the dead bees and showed him it.

  “You’re going to get the Watch, understand? If you don’t, I’m going to take this bee and shove it—”

  Erin hesitated. She eyed the horrible dead bug and Grev’s pale face.

  “—Somewhere horrible! Go! Run!”

  He ran as if the bees were chasing him. Erin stared down at the bee. Now that she thought about it, they were really useful. Then one of the bees tried to crawl out of the jar and Erin slammed the lid shut, cutting off two of its legs.

  “Oops. Sorry!”

  —-

  Fuzzlips looked like he was trying to tug his budding mustache off his face. He had an incredulous look on his face that Erin was unfairly beginning to associate with her character in general. It seemed to pop up any time she explained something.

  “So, you took down three muggers – one of whom was a former Bronze-rank Adventurer – with your bare hands.”

  Erin nodded. She watched with interest as the squad of guardsmen forced the groaning men up and subdued any protest with brisk, efficient blows to soft spots.

  “But you don’t have any combat classes except ah, two levels in [Warrior].”

  Grev was shaking in the street. One of the guardswomen had an eye on him, and he looked afraid as he stared at Erin. What were they going to do with him? She nodded vaguely.

  “I’ve got some Skills, though.”

  “I see. And you beat them all without any injuries?”

  “Well, I had a few but the healing potion cleared them up.”

  Fuzzylips cleared his throat again.

  “I see. Well ah, Miss Solstice—”

  “Call me Erin!”

  She beamed at him. Fuzzylips turned a bit red.

  “Um—Erin. Well, I’m sorry you had to meet the worst folk in our city so soon. But you’ve done everyone a service, taking these men down. I’d like to present you with their gear, although we will of course be confiscating their weapons and armor. But I can give you some coin and the items they had on them.”

  He offered Erin a small pouch he’d added two silver coins and four copper ones to, and three bottles of what Erin assumed were healing potions. She eyed them, confused.

  “So you’re giving me their stuff? Because I beat them up?”

  Fuzzylips nodded. Erin thought about that.

  “Okay.”

  “Well then, we’ll let you be on your way. I believe I will escort you to the [Alchemist] myself, in case of other…attacks. As for you—”

  He turned and Grev made a run for it. He got two steps before the woman in armor grabbed him and roughly dragged him back. His face was a mask of terror.

  “We’ll see if your folks can pay the fine for your crimes. If not, it’ll be lashes, boy.”

  “What?”

  Erin spoke up as Grev went white and began to cry. Fuzzylips looked at her.

  “Pardon, Miss Erin, but it’s the only way to deal with his kind.”

  “I already hit him. Isn’t that enough punishment?”

  She felt guilty saying that, but Fuzzylips hesitated.

  “He deserves a whipping, Miss. There’s no telling how many folks he caused to get murdered or robbed.”

  “Right. Well…um…well, what if I said I forgave him?”

  Both guardspeople looked at Erin. She was staring at Grev. He was looking at her as if she was his last hope. He squeezed his eyes and more tears fell. She wasn’t sure if he had really learned his lesson, but she didn’t want him to be lashed.

  “If you want to drop charges…”

  Fuzzylips muttered with his companion and turned back to Erin.

  “Are you sure? He’s just as guilty as those other men, mark my words.”

  “Well, if he does it again I’ll shove a b—I won’t forgive him. How’s that?”

  Erin crossed her arms and tried to look imposing. Fuzzylips and the guardswoman looked skeptical, but he nodded at last.

  “Well, boy, looks like you’re getting off easy thanks to Miss Erin.”

  Grev looked relieved, but he went pale again as Fuzzylips put his hand on his sword.

  “Mark me, though. I know your face, and if we catch wind you’re theving or committing any more crimes—it won’t be lashes next time. We’ll cast you out of the city. Understand?”

  The boy’s face went pale again. He stuttered.

  “Y-yes.”

  “Then beat it.”

  Grev fled, staring back once at Erin. She watched him go, and felt like she should wave. He was a bad kid, but he was still just a kid. Who’d tried to get her killed, true.

  After a moment, Fuzzylips cleared his throat.

  “Who might you be wanting to see, Miss Erin? I know three reputable [Alchemists] in the city—do you have a preference or name?”

  Erin scratched her head.

  “Uh, how about the one who’s most likely to buy a jar of bees? I mean, do they even need bees?”

  “The stitch-girl might.”

  The guardswoman muttered to Fuzzylips, and he made a face.

  “That’s true. That loon’ll buy—you want Octavia, Mi—Erin.”

  “Cool. Do you know the way?”

  “I’ll take you there. It’s only a few minutes’ walk.”

  “Really? Thank you!”

  Erin began to walk with the man, and then she paused and turned back to the other guardsmen. She smiled at them, deliberately ignoring the way they were kicking the guy with the sword in the stomach.

  “Thanks for all the help!”

  The guardspeople looked up, surprised, and the man on the ground spat out some blood and said a word that was muffled as he received another kick. Everyone watched as Erin walked off with the guardsman. Then the members of the Celum’s City Watch gathered together for some discussion as the three muggers were hauled off.

  “An [Innkeeper] took down three men in an ambush? Are you sure that’s what she said?”

  “Positive. And she’s from Liscor? If that’s what the [Innkeepers] are like there, what kind of crime do they have in Drake cities?”

  “The Wandering Inn? I still don’t get the joke.”

  —-

  It was a pleasant walk, not being mugged or horribly attacked while Fuzzylips led her down the city streets. They even made better time; the [Guardsman] wasn’t afraid to shout to make people move aside, and by the time they got to the small street with the boarded-up windows, they’d had quite a nice chat.

  “So you guys have never been to Liscor? Really?”

  F
uzzylips coughed as he stopped in front of the shop. Erin looked up and read the sign.

  Stitchworks. Potions, tonics, herbs.

  That was a cool name, Erin decided. She didn’t know how it applied to [Alchemy], but maybe alchemists made magical string? She’d have to ask.

  The man next to her coughed, and Erin looked over and listened attentively. He was quite a nice guy once you got to know him, even if he was terrified of bugs and okay with hitting kids.

  “I’m not much of a traveler, to tell the truth. And even merchants rarely go that far south. It’s not profitable, dealing with non-humans. I suppose ten years back we did more business, but that was before the Second Antinium War with the Necromancer and they opened their gates to those bugs.”

  He shuddered. Fuzzylips—whose name was actually Wesle—had a deep hatred towards the Antinium shared by most humans. She made no comment, but smiled again as she looked at the [Alchemist]’s shop. Some horrible odor was wafting from the inside.

  “Well, thanks for taking me here Fuzz—Wesle.”

  He turned red again and furiously stroked his mustache.

  “It was my pleasure, Miss Erin. And if you ever need help, I’m sure I’d be happy to help.”

  Erin nodded and smiled again before she pushed open the door to the shop. She cautiously walked into the dark room, expecting a mad scientist’s laboratory.

  She was not disappointed. There was a bit more utility and a bit less insanity in some of the glass devices sitting on counters – Ryoka would have recognized medieval versions of Bunsen burners and test tubes – but the glowing liquids on shelves, ingredients hanging from hooks and general dim lighting offset only by the magical glow of potions still made Erin want to pee a bit. With nerve and excitement.

  The only thing missing was this ‘Octavia’, who Fuzzylips didn’t seem to like that much. He’d called her a skinflint and insane, which seemed harsh.

  “Hello? Is anyone here?”

  Erin cautiously stepped into the shop. It was eerily quiet. Where was the shopkeeper, the alchemist? Was she out? If so, why was the door unl—