by Pirateaba
“I need another helper.”
“No, you need a better helper.”
Ceria corrected Erin as the girl took a seat at the table. No one was shouting for her, and Erin had been on her feet all day.
“Yeah, yeah. Maybe Pisces can raise another skeleton for me?”
The mage snorted.
“Hardly. You don’t have the mana to sustain it, and Toren was a work of art.”
“Oh? He looks quite mundane to me, Pisces.”
“Come now, Springwalker. Surely you’ve observed his ability to reanimate? I layered the reanimation spell across each individual bone and tied the entire spell together. It can’t be replicated.”
Ceria eyed Pisces suspiciously as Erin blinked. Was Toren that impressive?
“It seems odd you’d give that to Erin for free.”
Pisces hesitated and then shrugged.
“Well, I owed her a small debt for my meals, and I observed her sterling work with the Antinium. The individuals such as Pawn—it seemed to me she would appreciate a fine worker.”
“I guess I did.”
It was odd, but Toren had been invaluable. Erin thought about that as Ceria pushed aside her empty bowl and pulled something up from the table.
“Alright, I’m feeling a bit more alive right now. Time to take stock of what we got from the Goblins.”
“What?”
Erin stared as Ceria pulled out two rings, a short sword, and an odd necklace of rough leather with a large claw attached to the end of it. The half-Elf laid all four objects carefully on the table as all the adventurers leaned in.
“What’s that?”
“Magic. Or at least, they’re all magical. We pulled them off of the bodies of the dead Goblins.”
That was plain to see. One of the rings had blood all over it. Erin shuddered, but Pisces and Ceria ignored the blood as their fingers hovered over the rings. Erin expected them to pick one up, but neither did. In fact, she noticed that Ceria had lifted all four objects up with a handkerchief covering her hand, and as the half-Elf turned the necklace over, she used it again.
“Why aren’t you touching them? Are they dangerous?”
“They could be. It’s one of the rules all adventurers learn: don’t touch magical objects unless you know what it is. They might be trapped or warded against being stolen.”
Yvlon nodded. She was keeping her hands well away from the magical items.
“In the worst cast scenario, they might kill the user, or explode. Even if they’re not deadly, I’ve seen objects start screaming or emit horrible gas or just melt.”
Erin blinked at the items on her table. Then she edged behind Ceria.
“Oh.”
“Don’t worry. We’ve done this before. We won’t destroy anything.”
The half-Elf reassured Erin as she and Pisces studied the items. Pisces was muttering under his breath, but he wasn’t doing anything obviously magical. Ceria returned her attention to the sword, frowning.
“Besides, it’s not as if these have particularly strong enchantments.”
“You can tell?”
“Oh yes. Items have an…intensity about them. You remember how magic has tiers? It’s like that. I’d say these are Tier 1—maybe Tier 2 on one of the rings at best. Mind you, Tier 1 is still good; it’s not like any enchantment is worthless.”
“Ah, but this one is.”
Pisces tapped the sword’s hilt as he looked at Ceria.
“Very common. It’s just a minor reinforcement, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Glad to see you waited for me to confirm it.”
Ceria grumbled, but nodded. She lifted the sword.
“This is just a basic hardening enchantment. It improves the strength of the blade, but not the sharpness or anything else. A bit better than nothing I suppose; Yvlon, Ksmvr, you want it?”
Yvlon shook her head.
“I suspect my longsword is better quality in any case.”
“Really?”
Erin looked at the sword at Yvlon’s side in surprise. It was certainly…shinier, but it was better than magic.
“Of course.”
Pisces snorted as Ksmvr accepted the shortsword.
“Quality steel forged by an expert? Compared to that, this is an iron blade—of acceptable craft, but not nearly good enough to compare. Magic cannot replace the actual base material it affects.”
“Not unless that magic’s really good. Looks like this is just random trinkets the Goblins stole.”
Ceria eyed the necklace and grimaced.
“Hey, this looks exactly like the dining hall at Wistram, doesn’t it, Pisces?”
The other mage looked at the necklace and nodded.
“Indeed. Resistance or nullification of improperly prepared foodstuffs.”
Erin couldn’t believe her ears.
“You mean it stops food poisoning?”
“It’s handy if you eat a lot of raw eggs. I’d take it, but I’m afraid the magic isn’t contained properly.”
Ceria shrugged as she lifted the necklace up and offered it around. Erin had no idea what she meant and said so.
“Well, mages have a hard time wearing magical gear unless it’s made really well. Take my robes for instance—they don’t leak any magic and their enchantments are…tightly woven is the best way I can describe it. But something like this—”
The half-Elf lightly flicked the dangling claw and shook her head.
“It just interferes with me if I’m trying to cast a spell. Think of it like this. If I was wearing a ring that resisted fire and tried to cast [Fireball], the magic in the ring would try to cancel mine out. Well, it’s more complicated than that—”
“—Far more complicated.”
“—Shut up, Pisces. But that’s the general idea. Wearing that necklace would interfere with a lot of my spells. I could cast around it, but it might take a bit more time and mana, and it’s not worth it to resist the occasional illness.”
“I see.”
Erin stared at the claw. She didn’t need it; if she was making bad food, she deserved her stomachache. But to her surprise, Ksmvr raised his hand again.
“I apologize for my unseemly behavior, but I believe it would benefit me the most.”
“Really?”
He nodded at Erin.
“Perhaps this trinket will allow me to consume products of dairy.”
“Hey, that’s a good point! And it’s not as if this is expensive stuff; here.”
Ceria tossed the necklace to Ksmvr who caught it and bowed his head.
“I am most grateful.”
“I’m fairly certain it won’t affect the enchantment on the shortsword either, right Pisces?”
He nodded. Erin scratched her head.
“So enchantments on different magical items…?”
“Affect each other. Only naturally. If they didn’t, every adventurer could wear a thousand magical spells on their person.”
Pisces nodded as Ceria began studying the two rings. He pointed at Yvlon.
“Why do you think experts in physical combat usually only use a sword and shield and a few enchanted items? Why not enchant every piece of armor?”
Erin had no idea what adventurers normally wore. Pisces continued.
“It is possible of course, but the skill and craftsmanship that would have to go into each piece of equipment would be extraordinary. Thus, only the most legendary of warriors would have multiple enchanted items and most adventurers carry a singularly enchanted blade and ring in most cases.”
“And us Silver-rank adventurers are generally too poor for any of that.”
Ceria sighed as she tossed one ring at Pisces. He studied it as she looked over at Erin.
“Getting magical items or finding one is the first step towards Gold-rank. My robes, for instance are half of the gear I’d probably need. If I had a good wand or stave and a higher-Tier spellbook, I could probably call myself a Gold-rank adventurer.”
“An
other worthless ring. Minor enchantments against cold weather.”
“Yup. Let’s sell it for a gold piece or two—unless you’re feeling cold, Yvlon? Ksmvr?”
The other two shook their heads. Ksmvr was fastening the claw around his neck.
“I have imposed too much already.”
“I defer to the mages.”
Yvlon smiled at Ksmvr, awkwardly, but the first time Erin had seen her do so to the Antinium.
“I suppose you’re one of us now, Ksmvr. Don’t worry so much about formality or debt; when the time comes, we know you’ll help us out too.”
He paused, and then nodded.
“The notion of social debt has been imparted to me. I will remember this favor.”
“Close enough.”
Ceria sighed, but her eyes lit up as she studied the final ring, a wooden one traced with black lines a crude pattern and then polished until it shone. She hesitated, poured a bit of her drink out to wash the blood away, and nudged Pisces.
“Hey, look at this. Maybe I’m reading this wrong, but if you compare it to [Protection from Arrows]…”
Pisces bent over to look, and Erin thought that the two mages looked like excited researchers bending over a text—or maybe archaeologists looking at a piece of broken pottery in a dig site. She supposed that to identify enchantments, you had to know the actual spells that went into them.
“Magic’s harder than it looks, huh?”
Lyon paused as she entered the doorway and scowled hard at Erin.
“Of course it is.”
Toren nudged her with the two buckets he was carrying and she stomped into the kitchen. Erin saw Pisces trace the pattern on the ring and then he looked up.
“A valuable find. A single-use regenerating enchantment of deflection…?”
“Close enough. Yeah, this one’s good.”
Ceria put the ring on the table and looked at the others.
“This ring deflects a single arrow that’s shot at you, and then the magic recharges until it can do it again. It’s worth good money—at least ten or twenty gold coins, possibly up to forty depending on how strong the deflection spell is and how fast it restores itself—but I could see one of us using it. What do you think?”
Yvlon stared at the ring and scratched her head.
“This is what helmets are for in my case. Ksmvr might be able to use it, but he’s got his outer…skin.”
Ksmvr nodded.
“My carapace will resist most arrows. And I have already claimed half of the items here. I believe this would be more suited in the hands of one of you two?”
“It’s not got much of a magical leak…and I could use some protection”
“My robes are unenchanted.”
Ceria and Pisces stared at each other for a long moment, and then she sighed. Pisces took the ring and Ceria sat back.
“I get first choice of any spellbooks, got it?”
“That is acceptable to me.”
Erin smiled broadly. It was just dividing the loot, but there was something…exciting about watching it happen. She felt like she was part of the adventure herself, and she had to ask.
“Okay, now you’ve got some magical items. What happens next?”
All four adventurers paused and looked at each other. Ceria shrugged.
“I guess we register our name, and then take on some easy requests until we get some money saved up. Sewer exterminations, guard duty…stuff like that.”
Erin’s face fell.
“Oh. Nothing like going on a quest or exploring a dungeon?”
“Look how well that turned out last time.”
Ceria slapped Pisces on the back of the head. He glared at her, and Yvlon smiled ruefully.
“Adventuring isn’t all big explorations, Erin. We need to save up money before we can handle bigger assignments, and then…well, it also depends on if we find anything good. The ruins were our one big shot, or so we all thought. That’s why all the teams decided to risk everything.”
“And now they’re gone and we’re poor again.”
Ceria sighed as she pulled her drink back closer to her. All the excitement of before was gone, and she stared into her mug.
“Killing rats. That’s how I started my career. I killed over a thousand of the damn things until I could find a better job, and I thought I’d never have to do it again. But here I am again. Killing rats.”
“Are they that big of a problem?”
“If they breed and spawn giant ones as long as a Minotaur, yeah. Mainly they’re just too big for most cats and they bring plague so we earn coppers for each tail we bring in.”
Pisces sniffed.
“I hate the sewers. My robes—”
“Just learn a cleansing spell!”
“Got a book?”
“I hate to admit it, but my armor is going to stink for months afterwards.”
Yvlon sighed and even Ksmvr nodded.
“I am uncomfortable with the smell, but I wish to aid this group I am a part of. Regardless of the location.”
Erin looked at him and smiled slightly. It looked like he was really trying what she’d suggested—being a part of a group like Klbkch and Pawn were. But her smile faded as she looked at the despondent adventurers.
“Um, well, maybe you can do a few other requests.”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe.”
“Not likely.”
Ceria sighed.
“With all the adventurers around, we might get one or two good jobs, but steady work will be stuff like standing guard at night or killing pests. Even if we go north to Esthelm—and that will take coin we don’t have yet—it’s better if we start small. We need good equipment before we take on missions like fighting Mothbears.”
“What’s a—?”
“It flies and it’s a bear. With antennae. And claws.”
“Oh.”
“Some of them are poisonous.”
“Ah.”
“But honestly, I’d take on a group of them if we had the coin. If—”
“A month of work? Then we could look into riskier missions.”
“Yeah. It’s just…I’m sorry you guys. I wish I had better news for you, but if you’re all committed…”
Ceria looked around helplessly. Yvlon nodded.
“I’m with you, Ceria. I told you that.”
Pisces shrugged.
“I suppose wading through muck with you would be preferable to working with lesser companions.”
Ksmvr bowed his head slightly.
“I will work hard to make the most of the opportunity you have given me.”
Ceria smiled. It was a faint smile, but it was there. She stood up, and put her hand on the table.
“I’m sorry. It’s been so long since I’ve done this, I’d almost forgotten. But when we gather to form a team, it is a special thing. I was a member of the Horns of Hammerad for years; I was part of the team when Gerial and Calruz and I first formed it, and we were the greatest of friends, the closest of companions then.”
She shook her head and a shadow flickered across her face.
“They’re dead now. That’s what happens to us in the end. But the Horns fought until the end, except for one, who ran because her friends sacrificed themselves to keep her alive. Well, the Horns of Hammerad are not gone so long as I live. And if you’d fight by my side, then the Horns of Hammerad will keep fighting.”
Yvlon instantly rose and put her hand on the table. Erin held her breath as Pisces stood.
“You will keep the name? I believe it came from the Minotaur, did it not?”
Ceria shrugged.
“Unless you have a better one?”
“I do not. And I will fight with you, Springwalker. For pay of course.”
“Of course.”
Pisces gently laid his hand on the table. He smiled, and for a second Erin thought it was one of the most genuine looks she’d ever seen from him. Ksmvr was the last. He hesitated.
“I ca
me here in despair. I was recommended—is it truly alright for one such as I to join so quickly?”
Ceria and Yvlon laughed.
“That’s adventuring for you. We’re spontaneous. An enemy can be a friend and fortune change in a moment. If you’re with us, just don’t betray us.”
He nodded.
“I will not. I swear it.”
A fourth hand joined the circle. Erin held her breath, and the Drake standing behind her did too. Ceria, Yvlon, Pisces, and Ksmvr held their hands together for a moment, and then stepped back.
“The Horns of Hammerad live again.”
Yvlon shook her head.
“They never died.”
Ceria smiled faintly.
“And now, as your glorious leader, I will lead you in a grand hunt for rats the world has ever seen. We’ll be wading through dung for weeks!”
Pisces shook his head and Yvlon laughed lightly. And another voice spoke, quietly.
“What if you didn’t have to do all that?”
Erin turned. Olesm was behind her again. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised. He’d come in—she’d sensed someone behind her a while back, as the four were forming their team. But he didn’t have the same energetic look about him.
Ceria hesitated. Pisces rolled his eyes and Yvlon sighed.
“Olesm? What are—”
“I ah, heard you forming your team. Congratulations.”
The Drake bobbed his head as he stared at the Horns of Hammerad. Ceria hesitated, and glanced at Erin. The Human girl could see the pain in her eyes.
“Um. Well, Olesm, they just formed the group but I’m sure if you became an adventurer too and trained, you could be—”
The Drake shook his head.
“No. No, I can’t be an adventurer.”
“Olesm. Just because I said—”
“It’s not that. I just received word via mage spell. There’s a Goblin Lord in the south. He’s raised an army, and until he’s dead, Liscor will need everyone on the walls if he heads north.”
Ceria gasped and Yvlon shook her head. Erin was confused.
“Goblin Lord? Is that bad?”
“Not like a Goblin King, but close. Did they say what size his army is?”
Olesm shook his head.
“There’s no details. But he’s strong. Zel Shivertail himself clashed with the Goblin Lord and retreated. He had a smaller army, but—”
