by Pirateaba
Halrac and the other adventurers made noises of dismay. Ulrien shook his head.
“That’s…bad.”
Jelaqua drained the rest of her mug, grimacing. She did not call for a refill.
“Right? But I’ll bet you ran into just as bad a trap. Did you see what chased the last group of adventurers out? The Children. There are entire colonies of monsters in that dungeon, branching pathways that seem to change each time we go in, and traps both magical and mundane—we can’t handle it alone. The Halfseekers are already understrength, but we thought if we combined forces we might stand a chance of getting somewhere in this dungeon. What do you think?”
The team of Griffin Hunt turned and conferred silently. After a moment, Ulrien nodded.
“We could use the extra help.”
Typhenous and Revi both nodded. All eyes turned to Halrac, including Mrsha’s. Revi frowned at him; the [Scout] did not look happy as he shifted his attention between the three half-Humans.
“Halrac?”
He grimaced.
“I have no reason to object. My [Dangersense] is screaming at me every step I take inside that place. Someone else to check for traps would help.”
All the adventurers relaxed. Jelaqua smiled, and Seborn nodded at Halrac soberly.
“Even together, I fear that we will not progress quickly. But it will be reassuring to work with another expert.”
“A team, then. We can haggle over distribution of spoils later—”
“No need. We’ll split it evenly.”
Jelaqua’s brows rose in surprise, but then she was smiling as she clasped hands with Ulrien over the table. She looked around the inn and sighed.
“I’m relieved. If I’d known you would be so open to the idea I would have come earlier. A team. It’s been a long time since our group joined forces with any other party. On that note—do you know if this inn has any openings? We just got kicked out of ours.”
“Really? Why?”
“You have to ask?”
All three Halfseekers smiled crookedly. Mrsha wriggled in her seat. She was getting bored! She watched Jelaqua’s pale lips moving, wondering why she didn’t rot when she was dead.
“Selphids aren’t popular on Izril—less so than Baleros, incredibly. All the rumors about my kind lead to suspicion and paranoia. As for Moore…someone with a quarter of a Giant’s blood in him is hard to feed, let alone find a bed for. Oh, and apparently Seborn smells like fish.”
“Untrue. But arguing doesn’t help matters.”
Mrsha’s stomach rumbled. She probably shouldn’t have eaten so much. But it was so tasty! She looked around as the adventurers spoke about boring things.
“We just got kicked out of the best rooms in this inn too. No help here, I’m afraid. But Halrac’s been telling us to visit another inn—you know, the one outside the city where we had that—”
“Really? Do you think it’s still empty? I was wary of being outside, especially since it seemed like there was some drama to do with the Gnolls. And that skeleton! But if we’ve no other choice—it would be good to work under the same roof…”
Mrsha was powerfully curious about the Halfseekers, it was true. She’d love nothing more than to sniff at Seborn and Moore, but she knew it wouldn’t be polite. She could sit here and eat more food maybe, but—she didn’t want to sit here! Now that she’d been caught, the fun was over. Mrsha wriggled in her seat, and looked towards the open doors. Time to go. She grabbed another spicy, doughy treat and slipped off her chair.
“Hey now. Where are you going young Miss?”
The big half-Giant, Moore, turned to Mrsha and she froze. But he looked concerned rather than angry. Mrsha edged away from him, ready to bolt, but Halrac stopped Moore as the half-Giant moved to rise.
“Leave her. The last thing we need to be accused of is harassing a child. The inn’s not far from here and the streets are safe.”
“But is the inn safe? I would hate for a child to be put in danger. The monsters around the city can be dangerous, especially if some escape from the dungeon. It is waking up.”
“The Watch patrols, and they’re as good as—better than teams of Silver-rank adventurers. I saw one of them—a Drake. He knows how to fight!”
Seborn frowned at Jelaqua, although only the fleshy half of his face moved.
“They patrol within the city. But if you’re really suggesting we sleep outside of it—are there any guards in this inn, any enchantments? Or will we be sleeping with one ear to the ground?”
Mrsha scampered out of the inn as the adventurers continued to argue. She didn’t know what they were talking about. Mrsha seldom did. But they were busy and Halrac seemed sad. He always seemed sad, which is why Mrsha felt a bit drawn to him.
Maybe he knew what like being alone was like.
Disappointed and lonely, Mrsha wandered back onto the street. There she remembered why she’d gone inside. The Gnolls stared at her. A passing trio of Drakes—a child and mother and father slowed as they saw Mrsha. The child pointed to her.
“Why is her fur white?”
Because she was the last. Mrsha turned and ran down the street. Where now? Back?
No—there was someone else. The bossy Drake. She would be nice to Mrsha. The Gnoll raised her nose to the air and sniffed.
There? No—there? It was hard to pick out her smell on the streets. Mrsha would have to search to find her.
But something else smelled familiar to her. Mrsha looked up and saw a familiar person.
Pawn! The Antinium was walking down the street. Mrsha immediately ran after him, but he had a lead on her and it was hard for her to follow through the crowds of people. When she did catch up with him, she found herself on an abandoned street—
And staring down into a hole in the ground. That was what it looked like. Suddenly, an entire street just…vanished. The cobblestones ended, and a sloping path of dirt led down into darkness. Mrsha halted on the edge of it, uncertain. Strange smells were coming from below—the same smells as that of the huge Soldiers who’d come from the inn.
But Pawn had gone down there, she knew. And the Soldiers were nice! So, bold and unafraid, Mrsha ran down the dirt tunnel, into the darkness.
It wasn’t fully dark. Glowing patches of moss lit up the tunnel immediately, but it was still far too dark for a Human to see. Mrsha could see just fine though. She ran forwards eagerly, but froze when she realized she was surrounded.
Standing in the walls, huge, silent, were Soldiers. They stepped out as one, clenching their fists in a clear sign of aggression. Mrsha backed up as she saw more Soldiers appearing behind her! It was a trap!
The Soldiers were ready to kill, but not ready for the sight of a small Gnoll. They stared at her. But then they started forwards again, hostile, and so Mrsha ran.
She ran. The wrong way, as it turned out. In order to get away from the looming Soldiers Mrsha had to race into the dark tunnels. They chased after her, but while they could have blocked a Human, Drake, or any other species quite easily, Mrsha was too small and slipped between their legs. She dashed forwards—
And found herself in a huge network of tunnels, filled with shadows in the dim illumination. Crisscrossing openings, paths leading up and down—
And Antinium. Hundreds of them, all marching in an unending current. Mrsha froze as they all turned and stared at her. A group of Soldiers turned towards her, and she heard the ones behind her running. Mrsha dashed forwards, unthinking, and hurtled down a tunnel, past Workers who stood aside from her.
Where was she going? Away! Mrsha had no idea where she was, she just ran from all the Antinium she could see, especially the soldiers.
Left, left, right! A dark shadow came out of a side passage—Mrsha turned the other way.
She ran downwards, then right, took another right, and another—but she wasn’t where she’d started when she turned right again. Instead, she found a opening at the end of the passageway. Mrsha ran through it, too frightened to stop—
>
And found herself in a gargantuan room, staring up at the Queen of the Free Antinium under Liscor. The massive Antinium—more insectile than humanoid—paused as she lifted a morsel of what might have been food to her mouth with feelers.
“What is this?”
Soldiers. They appeared next to Mrsha. They’d been guarding the doorway! She turned to run, but they were blocking the entrance, boxing her in! Their hands were raised to bludgeon her to death, but a deep feminine voice rumbled.
“Hold.”
The Soldiers froze instantly. Mrsha raised her head cautiously; she’d been cowering on the ground. She turned to the Queen, and heard a rumble like a sigh.
“Child of Gnolls. You should not be here.”
Carefully, Mrsha padded forwards. The Queen’s full body was obscured in the partial darkness. Mrsha only had the impression of a bulbous, huge abdomen and…body parts that were feelers and antennae rather than arms and legs.
“So now the people living here are fearless enough to let their young intrude into the Hive? I should feel glad—but I do not. Only death awaits trespassers here. You should know that child, or your parents should.”
Mrsha could only hold still as the massive presence regarded her.
“White fur? How intriguing.”
She knew. Mrsha bowed her head. In this place, she couldn’t run. Her ears perked up as she heard hammering footsteps, and then another Antinium ran into the room. He had to pause—the Soldiers barred his way, but after the Queen gestured, they moved aside smoothly. She recognized Klbkch on sight.
“My Queen! I arrived as soon as I heard of the intrusion. Where is—”
He stopped when he saw Mrsha.
“You?”
“You know this Gnoll, Klbkch?”
“She belongs at the inn, my Queen.”
“The one with the girl Erin Solstice.”
Another sigh echoed throughout the room. Mrsha saw Klbkch staring at her. He slowly walked in front of Mrsha as if shielding her.
“It seems this innkeeper causes trouble even when she is not here.”
“This child does not know the rules of Liscor, my Queen. I am sure her trespass was accidental.”
“Perhaps. But the rules must be kept. Make sure other visitors to the city are aware of this. And this Gnoll…”
Again, Mrsha felt the Queen staring at her, and this time it was with more than hint of malice. She trembled, hiding behind Klbkch, feeling the need to pee.
“I am sure the citizens of Liscor would be greatly disturbed if she were to be harmed.”
“I am not a fool, Klbkchhezeim. Very well, take the Gnoll cub away. But while you are here—tell me, what do the others do?”
Klbkch relaxed slightly. He bowed his head towards the Queen.
“Nothing, as of yet. They are resting. It has been a long journey; some marched for over a week with little rest.”
“Hm. You are attending to their needs?”
“Of course.”
“…Xrn is here.”
The name meant nothing to Mrsha, but she saw how Klbkch’s posture changed when he heard it. He nodded.
“Her presence is extraordinary. But perhaps it is a sign that the Grand Queen is open to your ideas at last?”
“Or perhaps she has directed her attention here for another reason. Perhaps she seeks you, Klbkchhezeim.”
Silence from the Antinium in front of Mrsha. She saw the Antinium Queen shift posture, heard her voice deepen ominously.
“She cannot have you. The Grand Queen will not take you from me, Klbkch. My Slayer.”
“I am loyal.”
That was all Klbkch said, but it was not enough. Mrsha felt so. The Queen’s voice was almost hesitant as she addressed the Revalantor of her hive.
“Ah, Klbkch. You say that, but…do you regret it? Do you regret that we fled while the others stayed and fought? Do you think we wasted the lives of your brothers and sisters, that we have failed in the long years since arriving here?”
For a long while he was silent. Klbkch looked down at his feet, and then up at his Queen. When he replied, it was softly.
“You have done well, my Queen. You and the others. You rebuilt with what you had; I cannot begrudge that. I only regret that I was too weak to finish the battle on Rhir. It is myself I blame.”
Then he turned, and walked out of the vast room. Mrsha turned to look back just once; she saw the Queen had her head bowed. Then she walked faster to catch up with Klbkch. Mrsha had a bad feeling in her stomach. She wondered exactly how much trouble she was in.
—-
“She was lucky she was not killed.”
Klbkch said that to Krshia as the Gnoll [Shopkeeper] glared at Mrsha. The Gnoll cub had tears in her eyes; a spanking did that to her, and Gnolls didn’t believe in light punishments. Now Krshia was letting Mrsha lie on her front while she and Klbkch sat around her table on two couches.
“I am grateful, yes, that you were here, Klbkch. I shudder to think what would have happened otherwise.”
The Gnoll bowed her head deeply and poked Mrsha hard. Mrsha sat up and bowed her head too, rubbing at her stinging bottom.
“I have brought her to you so that you may impress upon her that venturing into the Hive is dangerous. I do not know if she fully understands me.”
“She understands. And if she does not understand fully how foolish she was, she will remember the spanking, yes?”
Krshia glared at Mrsha and the Gnoll immediately nodded her head. Klbkch stared at her, and then looked at Krshia.
“I have noticed her unique coloration. I have also noticed how other Gnolls react to her fur. What does it mean?”
Antinium did not do small talk. Nor did they care about feelings. Or rather, they found them hard to understand sometimes. Mrsha froze, but it was Krshia who put a gentle hand on Mrsha’s head. She stroked Mrsha gently, and the Gnoll relaxed, feeling a familiar presence of a Gnoll adult reassuring her. But it still hurt because it was not the same.
“You ask about things which are not easy to discuss, Klbkch.”
“Yes.”
“Hr. Well then. The white fur is a mark of fate, dire fate, to Gnolls. Some claim it is a curse. Others—a sign of disaster. Those who look so bring misfortune to their tribes and all they encounter, or so it is said, yes?”
“I see. And is it true?”
Krshia shrugged. Mrsha stirred, looking at her face, but the Gnoll’s expression was calm, if slightly troubled.
“How can we know? Some, a few, are born with the fur, and others…others lose their color after terrible things occur. Like Mrsha. Did they cause it or not? I do not know, but my people fear such individuals regardless.”
“Ah.”
Klbkch ate a cube of raw meat and said little else. Krshia eyed him, and then muttered.
“Myself, I think it is just superstition. The Stone Spears tribe were doomed the instant a Goblin Lord led his army upon them, regardless of fate. Young Mrsha should know this as well, but other, more foolish Gnolls will say differently.”
“It is well that she stays outside the city then. Can you ensure no one tries to attack Mrsha, or is this a matter for the Watch?”
“I will ensure it. No Gnoll will slay another Gnoll while I live.”
Krshia growled the words and Mrsha felt better. Klbkch nodded, and they fell silent again. She sensed that the two of them weren’t losing track of the conversation as much as understanding things silently.
“How is business?”
“I rebuild. Slowly.”
“But I gather from your words that your authority among the Gnolls within Liscor is lessened due to recent events. Is this so?”
“I wait for Ryoka Griffin to return. She has something promised to me, and until it arrives I remain…antsy. As do the Gnolls who listen to me. But I have my paws full in the meantime. I must run a shop regardless if it is smaller, and I have a worthless nephew to take care of.”
“Indeed?”
�
�Yes. I wonder, since you are here. Would you be willing to take a look at him? He is suffering, and it may be the Antinium can provide aid.”
“It may be so. Is he here?”
“Resting. Brunkr!”
Krshia raised her voice and called out. Mrsha went very, very still when she heard the name. She hadn’t seen the Gnoll—Krshia’s cousin and warrior of the Silverfang tribe—since…
A door opened slowly in Krshia’s apartment. Mrsha immediately smelled something bad. She tried to get up, but Krshia gently held her on the couch. Klbkch turned as Brunkr entered the room.
The Gnoll warrior was tall, powerful, a classic tribal warrior. Or at least, he had been. The sweaty, unkempt figure that reeked of rot was foreign to Mrsha, and as he stumbled into the room, she heard Krshia snort. Because Brunkr reeked, and the odor was not pleasant.
“Ah. You are injured.”
He smelled like sweat and pain, and something worse. Mrsha backed away as she located the source of the foul odor. Brunkr clutched at his hand, oozing, raw, a foul odor coming from beneath the layers of bandages wrapped around it.
“Aunt. Who is this?”
“A [Guardsman] of the Watch and warrior of the Antinium. He is important, yes? Be respectful.”
Brunkr focused on Klbkch. He nodded slowly.
“I am Brunkr. And I am injured. My hand was bitten. Now…”
He raised his infected hand.
“If I had a quality healing potion—or if my Aunt would buy me one—I would be able to test you in battle, Antinium.”
“Fool! A healing potion will do you no good, no. Rest and cleansing is all we can do now, unless the [Healer] I have asked for will brave the roads.”
Brunkr made a disgusted noise. He was clearly sick. His eyes were unfocused—he didn’t seem to have noticed Mrsha yet.
In his seat, Klbkch nodded at Brunkr.
“A healing potion cannot heal an infection. Miss Krshia is correct. It will only exacerbate the symptoms.”
“Can you help him?”
Krshia looked concerned, for all she snapped at Brunkr to sit and stop messing about. The male Gnoll did so, collapsing onto his seat and grimacing as he held his hand again. Klbkch hesitated, and then shook his head in regret.
