by Pirateaba
“Please wake up, please wake up!”
She shook Halrac desperately, rattling the older man back and forth as he sat in his chair, staring at nothing. She’d already prized the mug from his hands—he’d kept sipping at it even while he went into whatever trance he was in—but he was still out of it.
“Come on, it’s only a drink! Just a few flowers—more than a few! It’s not a drug if it’s magic, and you’re not overdosing or whatever! Come on, wake up!”
Erin wondered if she should slap Halrac. That never seemed to work. Water, then. She looked around, gave up, and threw the non-faerie-flower drink in his face.
Halrac blinked as the alcohol splashed over him. He coughed, spluttered, and looked around.
“Ariael? What—?”
“I am so sorry, Halrac! I didn’t know that would happen! I thought you’d just think you were suddenly big like in the stories—but the alcohol did something. It’s a drug. I’ll throw it out—”
Erin seized the mug, but Halrac’s hand moved and he was suddenly gripping her hand. The usually dour-faced adventurer stared at Erin with such intensity she as frightened.
“It’s not a drug. It’s memory. Give me another drink, please! I’ll pay anything—”
“No, it’s dangerous! You went all blank-stare on me. I shouldn’t give it to anyone, not until I’ve tested—”
The two fought over the mug. Halrac was stronger than Erin, but he was at a bad angle and trying not to spill the drink; at this point, Erin was trying to upend it on the floor. They engaged in a silent match until someone spoke right behind them.
“Erin? Is he bothering you?”
Both Halrac and Erin froze. Erin turned her neck and saw Ceria. The half-Elf had walked up behind the two and her skeletal hand was glowing with magic.
She wasn’t quite pointing her glowing finger at Halrac’s face, but her expression was grim. Halrac and Erin exchanged a glance, and both realized that Ceria had entirely the wrong idea of what was happening.
Slowly, Halrac let go of Erin and she stepped back.
“It’s nothing Ceria. I uh, gave him a drink with that nectar in it. You know, from the flowers?”
“Oh?”
Ceria hesitated, but her finger stopped glowing. Erin tried to explain, and the half-Elf sighed, in what sounded like relief.
“Of course that’s what would happen. Well I’m—well, good.”
She nodded to Halrac and he nodded back. The older man looked at Erin and bowed his head.
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have given you that drink without testing it on Pisces first. My Skill just told me to do it and—sorry! Um, uh, would you like anything else, Halrac? Anything? Anything but a certain faerie drink which I’m not sure I’m ever going to serve again?”
He hesitated. The Gold-rank adventurer still looked shaken, and Erin saw him pass a hand over his face several times before he looked at her.
“Food. Yeah.”
“How about a hamburger?”
“A wh—fine. Fine. I’ll have that and as much ale as you’ve got.”
Nervously, Erin took the mug of with the faerie flower nectar in it back into the kitchen and started cooking while Ceria took a seat next to her in the kitchen.
“I had no idea that would happen. But he seemed so…gone!”
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing. He said it was memory? Hm.”
Ceria rubbed at her chin as Erin flipped two patties, distractedly cooking while she talked. The half-Elf eyed the half-empty mug, but didn’t make a move for it.
“I’m no expert Erin, but it seems like those flowers are part of the Frost Faerie’s illusion. You can make them look like gold coins, and you said you felt like a giant when you sipped some. Perhaps they’re enchanted with illusions that make us see what we want to.”
“Oh, so Halrac was seeing what he wanted to? He said a name—I think it was a girl’s…”
Ceria shrugged.
“I don’t know, but it’s rare for him to lose his cool.”
“Wait a second. You know Halrac? You never said!”
“Know him? Hah! Only by reputation. He’s a veteran Gold-rank adventurer, Erin. He founded Griffon Hunt with Ulrien nearly a decade ago, and he’s famous for never panicking or breaking under stress. That drink of yours must be powerful stuff if it got him.”
Erin frowned at the drink as her hands mechanically slapped a burger together.
“I didn’t mean to do anything bad. I just listened to my Skill.”
“That’s not always the wisest move. In any case, I don’t think what you did was wrong. If anything, I think he’ll pay in gold if you give him more of that stuff.”
“Maybe.”
Erin didn’t know. But she took the hamburger out to Halrac, who accepted it and a non-magical drink with a grunt. Ceria and Erin had a meal of another hamburger—Erin was too rattled to make a pizza at the moment—on the other side of the inn.
After about an hour of talk—during which Halrac just ate his food and stared at his arms and hands as if he were still in that trance—the door to the inn opened and two more familiar guests walked in.
“Good evening, Erin.”
Pawn nodded to Erin as she turned and beamed at him, and a familiar Drake poked his head in as well.
“Oh, uh, hi Erin! Fancy meeting you here!”
Ceria snorted as Olesm edged his way in behind Pawn. Halrac had frozen in his seat, but Erin welcomed both Drake and Antinium in, seating them in the center of the room.
“Pawn! Olesm! I haven’t seen either of you two for ages! Why haven’t you stopped by?”
Pawn nodded his head while Olesm stared over Erin’s shoulder.
“I am sorry, but I was busy within our Hive, attempting to make more Individuals. And until recently, I was being interviewed by Klbkch, Ksmvr, and the Queen.”
“Whoa. That’s big stuff!”
“It is indeed. Olesm was with me until I suggested we eat here for the night.”
Erin looked at Olesm, and the Drake scratched at his head spines and looked the other way.
“I didn’t know you were in the Hive! That’s cool—are you teaching the Antinium? And why haven’t you come by earlier? You know I’m always up for a game of chess!”
Olesm waffled as he avoided looking straight at Erin.
“You know how it is, Erin.”
“No I don’t.”
He faltered, looking over at Ceria for support. The half-Elf just rolled her eyes as she bit into her second hamburger.
“Well, it’s just that I wanted to try playing other players and the Antinium are always willing to play—and even pay me for their time! And I know you’re busy and I wouldn’t to take away from…”
His eyes flicked left, and Erin looked over and saw her magical chessboard, the pieces sitting ghostly and transparent on the wood. She’d left a game unfinished with her mystery opponent, as he’d had to stop for some reason. Erin frowned in confusion, and then glared at Olesm.
“Now wait just one minute, Olesm. Even if I play someone else, I’m happy to play you! Even if you’re not as good as he is yet, you’re still a great player!”
The Drake shook his head.
“I know how good I am Erin, and after that game with him—I wouldn’t want to hold you back, really.”
“Hey!”
Erin seized Olesm and glared at the surprised Drake.
“How good you are shouldn’t have anything to do with being allowed to play the game. Anyone can play chess, and you should play me as much as you want! That’s the only way you’re going to get better and—”
She glared at Pawn who shrank back in his seat.
“—And I don’t mind teaching new players either. I like chess. Anyone who likes chess is welcome to play me, anytime, anywhere! Well, not anywhere, but most of the time I’m up for a game!”
Olesm blinked at Erin, but as her glare transitioned into a smile, he managed one
too.
“I’m sorry, Erin. You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking—of course I’d love to play.”
“Good. In that case I’ll play you and pawn at the same time. I love to play a dual game. Just let me feed you two first. Hey, do you want to try some pizza?”
“What’s ‘pizza’?”
“It’s—”
“Olesm?”
The Drake’s head turned. His eyes widened, and Erin blinked in surprise.
“Zevara? What are you doing here?”
The Captain of the Watch and tall Drake with an attitude and flame for breath walked slowly into the inn. She nodded awkwardly at Erin.
“Human. Is your inn open at the moment?”
“What? Oh, yeah, yeah, it is! Um, do you want to eat here? Or drink something?”
Erin hesitated. She’d never seen Zevara in a non-shouting context, and she was totally off-guard. But the Drake Captain looked at Olesm and looked almost as unsure as Erin.
“I suppose I could have something. I uh, just came by because I’m off-duty and I saw you walking this way, Olesm. Do you mind if I join you?”
“Me? Uh—”
Olesm glanced at Ceria for some reason. The half-Elf shrugged, again for reasons Erin couldn’t understand, and Zevara looked at her.
“Springwalker.”
“Zevara. I’m sure Olesm wouldn’t mind if we shared a table, would he?”
“What, me? No, no…I just thought I’d play a game of chess…”
“We can do that later. You should talk, Olesm!”
Erin beamed and the Drake sagged as the two women sat next to him. Pawn politely offered his chair to Ceria and the half-Elf took a seat on Olesm’s left while Zevara took a seat on his right.
Now that she had multiple guests, Erin remembered Lyon and looked around for her. But the newly leveled [Barmaid] was nowhere to be seen.
“Every time I need someone to serve drinks and food…it’s not even that hard! I do all the cooking!”
“I’ll go find her, if you want.”
Olesm stood up, but Erin hurriedly waved him back down.
“She’s probably hiding or something. I’ll get Toren to look after her when he comes back. I’m not sure where he is. No, you sit. I’m sure Olesm would like the company.”
The Drake had the oddest expression on his face, but Ceria started talking quite friendly with Zevara, and the Captain seemed just as polite. Erin smiled; it was good to see both getting along so well, although Olesm was very quiet. Erin bustled around the kitchen, getting food ready while the others talked or sat in silence. There was quite a lot of that, despite the full table.
Olesm must have been hungry, because he looked incredibly relieved when Erin came back with two hot pizzas on each glove. Pawn nodded in appreciation, but paused as he glanced at Ceria and Zevara. The two hadn’t even looked at the pizza; they were smiling at each other and laughing, although Erin must have missed the joke.
“I believe I would like to play a game, Erin, if you’re free.”
“Totally! Just holler if you need anything, okay?”
Ceria and Zevara nodded without looking her way. Olesm hesitated, and then slowly pushed back his chair.
“I guess I’ll play—”
“Sit.”
He sat. Erin found a table closer to Halrac and sat at it with Pawn. The [Scout] hadn’t asked for much more than a refill and he nursed his drink quietly while she talked with the Antinium.
Erin arranged the chess board as Pawn sat in his chair, chewing quietly on a piece of pizza. She wasn’t sure if he liked it, but she hadn’t found any more bugs for the Antinium to eat, so she just prayed it was edible for them.
“Okay, would you like to be black or white, Pawn?”
“I shall choose white, if it is acceptable to you, Erin.”
She nodded happily, and Pawn studied the board for a minute before moving a pawn up to D4. Erin immediately moved a pawn up to D5, and Pawn moved a second pawn up to C5, initiating the Queen’s Gambit.
Erin immediately pushed a second pawn into Slav Defense, D4, and there the game paused for a moment. Pawn studied the board, and then, unusually, looked up at Erin.
Normally the Antinium was concentrated totally on the game, so this change made Erin stop pondering chess strategy for a moment and look at him.
“Something wrong, Pawn? Is the pizza no good?”
“The pizza is perfectly fine, Erin. But I have something I wish to talk to you about.”
Erin frowned.
“Oh? What’s that?”
Pawn placed a hand over a chess piece and hesitated. He looked directly at Erin again, and she started to sense that he hadn’t come to her inn to play chess after all.
“I came here to ask for your advice, Erin.”
Pawn lowered his voice as Olesm began trying to teach both Zevara and Ceria the game of chess. Erin stared at the Antinium, concerned.
“Why? What happened? I mean, is something wrong?”
“Nothing—well, I suppose that is not accurate. Today I was summoned before my Queen, as I said. I, along with four other Antinium, the four that became individual.”
“Oh.”
That sounded big, to Erin. She still didn’t quite understand why individuals were so important to the Antinium, but she’d gotten a vague idea of Pawn’s new significance. He nodded to her as he slowly moved a piece forwards.
“Yes. She called us and asked us questions about our nature. She…analyzed us for what we might be, what we might achieve.”
Erin stared at the board. Pawn had moved a pawn forwards again—only it was a terrible move. C4-C5? That was Bad Slav. She’d taught him to avoid that. Erin looked at Pawn in confusion and for the first time noticed that something was different about Pawn today.
He looked…smaller. The Antinium sat hunched over in his seat, and Erin realized he looked much like she’d first seen him. That was to say, like a normal Worker, meek, inconspicuous, unnoticed.
“Pawn?”
What had happened? What had his Queen said to him—done to him? Erin remembered Ksmvr, but Pawn didn’t look hurt. He just looked…
Helpless.
Erin looked at the board, and then abandoned her game. She looked at Pawn, seriously.
“What happened? What did she do to you?”
He shook his head slowly.
“Questions. That is all she asked of us. Questions.”
“What kind of questions?”
Questions could be bad and hurtful. But Pawn only raised one hand, palm up, helplessly.
“Questions we could not answer. Erin. She asked us what being individual meant. How it happened. We could not answer. And she asked more questions—what will we become? What classes can we take? How can we serve the hive?”
He shook his head.
“She asked if I would lead Soldiers to battle. Me. Because I have gained a class from playing chess and am highest-level besides Klbkch. But me?”
Erin looked at Pawn. She couldn’t imagine him fighting like Klbkch or Ksmvr. An image flashed in her mind. A memory. She saw a Worker, flailing at Goblins, fighting like a child as they stabbed him—
Pawn continued to speak, haltingly. His voice was strained with an emotion she’d never heard from an Antinium before.
“I told her that I loved this game. I enjoy playing chess. But I cannot lead armies. I have a [Tactician] class, but…I have stopped leveling.”
Erin blinked. Pawn nodded at her.
“It is problematic. Yet I have no desire to carry out another occupation. I cannot go back to being a Worker, but not even my Queen knows what we are now.”
He spread his hands, knocking over pieces on the board. Pawn jerked in surprise, and then clumsily reached for the pieces. But he abandoned them and looked at Erin.
“I am lost. If I am not a Worker, what am I?”
“I don’t know. Pawn—”
He shook his head.
“My Queen did not know. You
do not know. No one knows. Not even us.”
He stared at Erin, and she felt helpless. Pawn’s expression didn’t change, but it couldn’t, not really. He had no nose or skin or even tear ducts. But his mandibles clicked together softly, and his hands clenched on the table.
“We are all lost. But I am the first, and so they look to me. And I—”
Pawn glanced up at Erin, and then away.
“I do not know.”
“Pawn. It’s not something you can figure out right away. Stuff like this is complex. It takes time.”
Erin reached out to touch Pawn’s hand, but he knocked hers away. He stared at Erin, trembling slightly.
“I asked them to go to you that night. I gathered the Workers and told them to fight. And die.”
Erin felt a hole open up in her stomach. Pawn stared into her eyes, his multi-faceted ones direct, full of hidden emotion.
“I asked them to go. They did it willingly, but I was the one who suggested it, who told them to do it. Not my Queen, not Ksmvr or Klbkch. I, and no other.”
She remembered. Erin’s eyes were stinging, but she made herself look at Pawn.
“They saved me, Pawn.”
He nodded.
“Yes, and it was necessary! It was good! But—but what happens next?”
“What?”
Erin didn’t understand. Pawn looked at her, as if willing her to.
“They died to save you. It was well. But what will become of those dead? When Bird, Garry, Belgrade and Anand and I die, who will remember the fallen? They lived. Magnus, Rook, Calabrian, Vladimir, Emmanuel…they lived. But only we remember. Only we care.”
Erin stared at Pawn. This was beyond her. So far beyond her. But Pawn had come to her for help. Only, what help could she give? What advice could she give someone on a road no one had walked before?
“I don’t know, Pawn. I’m sorry.”
The Antinium sat in his chair, shivering. No. Not shivering. Erin looked at him more closely.
He was…twitching. Shaking. It was just like when Erin had first asked him his name, only more violent now.
“What wIll we dO, EriN? wHAt wILL We bEcOme?”
