He Who Fights with Monsters 2 (He Who Fights with Monsters, #2)

by Shirtaloon

Probably a combination of both. A flight power is quite likely.” “A flight power?” Sophie asked. “That’s right,” Clive said. “Flight, as in being able to fly?” “That’s how flight works, yes,” Clive said. “So that would be me, able to fly?” “Yes. That would be you. Flying. With your flight power. That makes you fly. Am I overcomplicating this?”

He swept out of the room dramatically, Clive and Rufus shaking their heads. “Do any of you understand that man?” Sophie asked in Jason’s absence. “Definitely not,” Rufus said. “I haven’t known him very long,” Emir added. “I’m still unclear on why he accused me of sleeping with his wife,” Clive said. “He doesn’t have a wife. Neither do I, for that matter, which did not stop him from accusing himself of sleeping with her.” Jason suddenly stuck his head around the door. “I just remembered,” he said. “Not sure if anyone mentioned, but one of the perks of having a full essence set is you don’t have to poo anymore.” His head retracted as he set off down the hall again. Emir, Rufus, Clive, Belinda and Sophie all looked at the empty doorway. “I’m changing my answer,” Emir said, breaking the silence. “I’ve just now known him long enough to realise I absolutely do not understand him at all.”

“I wake up every morning, proud of who I am,” he told them. “I go out into the world, never regretting that I didn’t at least try and be the person I want to be. I face dangers and make mistakes. Sometimes I get beat, and sometimes I win. I stand up for what I believe in, whatever it costs me. When you give everything, you have to be who you want to be, that’s freedom, whatever your circumstances.”

This is your chance to be who you want to be, not who you have to be to survive.”

He leaned in, gently kissed her and stepped back, letting go of her hands. His eyes glistened with tears but he had a familiar, impish grin. “You’re going to miss me, Cassandra Mercer.” “I know.” He turned walked away, without looking back.

“If your goddess is willing to hand over such information, then by what moral stricture does she not? Instead, she looks to ransom a man’s principles. You just tried to turn me on my friend, a man who saved my life, and you have the gall to lay there looking surprised? If you want to help me, then help me. Bring your self-serving ways to me again and you’ll get worse than you got today.”

“You should always welcome being proven wrong,” Jason said. “It means your understanding of the world just got a little bit better.” “Says the guy who gets downright obnoxious about being right,” Humphrey said. “I'm not saying I always welcome being wrong in the moment,” Jason acknowledged. “The important thing is to reflect on it and accept it going forward.”

“We know what the Geller name is worth. If you ever need anything, you ask. Everyone in the delta knows that we’ve asked plenty, and your family answered every time.”

“This is some heavy theory,” he said to Jason. “You’re finally taking my advice?” “This was Farrah’s collection,” Jason said sadly, gesturing at the bookcases. “She was like you, telling me to not just rely on skill books. With these, it’s almost like she’s still teaching me.” “Farrah was one of the Vitesse adventurers,” Humphrey quietly mentioned to Neil. “She fell during the expedition.”

“It’s adorable that you’re modest enough that I have to tell you this Humphrey,” Jason said, “but everyone likes and trusts you.” Humphrey looked around the group, embarrassed.

A third team member, Onslow the rune tortoise, was not a born ambusher and was sedately emerging from cover behind them.

“I want to train the things I’m good at.” “That’s all well and good,” Gary said, “but it’s the things you aren’t good at that get you killed.”

“Dorgan,” Rufus said, without preamble. “I’m going to tell you something and you are going to do your very best in all your dealings to obfuscate the fact that I did.” “Alright,” Dorgan said warily, putting down his teacup and getting up from his chair. “You said you needed to know what influential power was hiding things.” “That’s right.” Rufus visibly steeled himself, taking a long pause before speaking again. “Church of Purity,” he said quietly. Dorgan’s eyes grew wider and wider as the implications of what Rufus had said settled in. He ran his hands through his hair and started pacing back and forth before he stopped and turned back to Rufus. “What kind of madness have you dragged me into?”

“I kind of just wanted to sleep,” Beth said. “I think everyone just wanted to sleep,” Humphrey said. “So why are we having a party?” “We were outvoted by Jason and the prince.” “How do two people outvote twenty-nine?” “I’m not sure,” Humphrey said, “but I think we may need to keep those two apart.”

“Thank you,” Neil said to Clive. “Really, thank you.” “Pay us back by keeping us alive,” Clive said. “And you’ll need to buy some new clothes,” Jason said. “A gold headband with a honking great gem in the middle is a bold look. You’re going to have to dress around it.”

People were dropping to their knees like a Catholic genuflecting wave before the unexpected appearance of their gods.