The Last Light (The Wandering Inn, #5)

by Pirateaba

Erin was teaching Mrsha how to do trust falls off of a chair and the Gnoll was doing absolutely no trusting or falling when Ryoka opened the door.

What should she say? This time Ryoka knew the answer. Whatever came to mind. Whatever she needed to say. Because she was beginning to remember it now. This was how it went. She had a friend. And what could you tell a friend, a true friend, a good friend? Anything.

are you sure he’s dead?” “What?” “Rule of monsters, Erin. In every scary movie, in every video game…the monster’s not dead until you see the body. And sometimes, not even then.” Ryoka stared at her friend. Erin had frozen in her seat. “You think Toren’s alive?

If anyone talks about a skeleton, I’ll know.”

Toren is a lady now.

I just forgot I could do that. Hire someone. Okay. Yeah, that’s a good idea!” Ryoka stared. She stared so hard her eyes felt like they were going to fall out. Erin shifted uneasily. “What?” “You forgot you could hire people?”

“I wish we could do this again.” “Why not? We can come back here again. Next week, or sooner. Whenever you like. We’ve got plenty of time.” Ryoka grinned at Erin, and saw the girl’s face light up in reply. She lifted Mrsha up with a grunt and walked towards the door. Beyond it lay the rest of the world. But somehow it wasn’t as daunting to face it. This moment had restored something Ryoka needed. Something Erin needed. And both of them knew it.

“Come on, Mrsha. You can’t always run around on all fours. Krshia doesn’t do it.” Mrsha gave Erin a glance that said quite clearly that Krshia was a fool who only walked upright to fit in.

“Ah, good friends, it is a privilege to be working together with such fine minds. Shall we begin?” ---- “They’re all nerds.”

“He could sleep on the third floor and go up to the tower to shoot birds and watch out for danger. That’s all Bird does, right? And the tower would be totally cool! Doesn’t it look cool? I’ll call it…the Bird’s Nest.” She waited. Klbkch stared at her. Erin coughed. “That was, uh, a joke. You know, because of Bird and his name? And nest? And it’s tall?” Klbkch nodded. “I am aware.

She couldn’t tell if they were lying, but she thought the things they were describing were the kinds of things Agnes might do. Like Ryoka had said, she wasn’t a bad woman. Just not always a good one.

Mrsha had figured out how to throw up in midair and Ryoka had learned why tossing children and engaging in vigorous exercise around dinner time was a bad idea.

It took a while for him to understand what Erin was getting at, but when he realized what Erin was suggesting, Bird was ecstatic. “I am ecstatic. Is that the word?”

After a while, Pawn began walking again. The Soldiers fell in. He walked over a hill, down a hill, into a Shield Spider’s nest— The Soldiers jumped in after Pawn and he got out with only a bite on his arm, barely fracturing his carapace. Pawn shakily climbed out of the pit as the Soldiers began smashing the Shield Spiders to bits. “Ah…very good. Thank you.”

Soldiers didn’t fight fair. They didn’t fight dirty either. They just fought. The Soldiers probably would have been astounded to learn there was a way to fight fair. They had been born to kill, and they did that quite efficiently.

I will inform you of the situation, so you may understand why your Soldiers are needed, Pawn. I would not do so for Belgrade or Anand except in a tactical sense, but you are like Relc.” “I am?” “You are. You ask superfluous questions.

Pawn reached for Belgrade and held his shoulder. Erin had done that to him, once. The other Antinium was shaking, but it grew less as Pawn held him firmly. He looked into Belgrade’s eyes as Erin had once done. Pawn wondered if he should sing. “I do not know how to sing.” “What?” “Nothing.

It wasn’t a choice where his Soldiers would die or not die if Pawn refused to fight. If he did not fight with them, Antinium would die. If he did fight, Antinium would still die. But perhaps if his Soldiers fought, less Antinium would die. There was no good outcome. But there was only one choice that Pawn could take.

Pawn had prayed the day Soldiers lay dying, clinging to life after trying to kill themselves. Had more survived because he had prayed while trying to keep them alive? Did a prayer do anything? Pawn asked those questions every day, but he still prayed. He prayed that there was a meaning to prayer itself.

After half a day of work, Lyonette realized that things weren’t as bad as she’d thought, and they were worse than she could have imagined.

“There is no way I’m going out there. Neither is Safry.” “Why not?” Maran’s face was set.

Fuck these bitches.

“You tell me faith is not needed. I disagree. When Erin told me of God, of Heaven, it was important. It was necessary. Because what else can the Antinium cling to? What can I give the Soldiers who died for me, if not hope of a place to rest? What can I give a Soldier who will die in moments, if not faith? Tell me, Ryoka Griffin. Why is faith meaningless to the Antinium?” She had no reply. She sat back, looking stunned, and then ashamed. When she did speak, minutes later, it was humbly. “I’m wrong.” Pawn nodded. “Yes. You are.”

Because there is so much wonder in the stories Erin told me, of God and his people. Surely there must be similar wonders in every religion. I wish to hear of it all. So I can take what the Antinium can use.” She blinked at him. And then laughed. “The Antinium really don’t mind about plagiarism, do they?” Pawn lifted his mandibles in a smile. “I do not know what that word means. But we do not shy away from copying what is glorious, what works.”

I’m going on lunch and so is Safry.” “What?” Ishkr and Drassi had already gone on their break, but suddenly Maran was finding a seat and Safry was bringing over some of Erin’s magically fresh food, heated up and piping hot. Lyonette protested. “You can’t do that!” “We get a break. That’s the Innkeeper’s Guild’s policy and Erin agreed. We’re having lunch now. We’ll be done in thirty minutes. You can handle things until then.” Suddenly, there were over twenty hungry people all demanding drinks and food at the same time.

Fuck. These. Bitches.

I saw what I needed to. Lyonette’s not the problem, Erin. Those two are.” She jerked a thumb at Safry and Maran. The two [Barmaids] looked suddenly apprehensive. “We didn’t—” Ryoka rode right over them. She seemed to be enjoying the moment, in the way only the detective unveiling the mystery at the end of a case, or a judge handing down a sentence could be.

Yassss. Fuck em up.

It didn’t matter. Because while Ryoka had lost her temper, Lyonette had blown her lid, and Safry and Maran had been furious, it was when Erin got angry that things got scary.

I think it’ll be fine when you return. Erin’s falling over herself trying to find ways to apologize, and those other two seem to think you’re worth listening to.” “I’ll go back and apologize—” Lyon stood up, but Ryoka held up a hand. “If I were you, I’d keep Erin sweating just a bit longer. She needs to think more about other people sometimes.”

Yes.

“Pawn.” “Go away. I am sulking.”

Mood.

“If no one else can command, you must.”

They knew their Queen couldn’t fight. But because she believed in them and showed not a trace of fear on her face, they fought like heroes to protect her. Because she was worth dying for.” “But what if she was not? What if she was worthless?” “It didn’t matter. Because they believed. And whose belief mattered most? Hers? Or theirs?”

The click of the Soldiers’ mandibles echoed in his soul. He saw another group in their shadow. Antinium of the past, long gone. Heroes. Xrn shook her head, her eyes not leaving Pawn. “No. It is exactly the same. They have not forgotten, Klbkch. These fragments, these children, they have the same spirit. The same courage.” She whispered. “They are Antinium.”

I love Pawn!

“What are you thinking, Pawn?” “Nothing, Tersk. I am praying.” “Oh.” After a while, the Prognugator spoke. “Would you teach me how?” Pawn smiled. “It is very simple. All you have to do is have faith. And believe.” “In what?” The Worker turned and looked across the hilltop. Soldiers raised their heads, looking at him. They all knew the answer. “Us.”

Osthia listened, watching Thrissiam out of the corner of one eye. She and he were indeed cousins. He was her uncle, technically, but they were only separated by ten years. And they were distant, very distant cousins. Practically strangers. Certainly no issue if they wanted to marry.

Ew.

Goblins didn’t strike Osthia as bright enough to hide or cover their tracks.

Fool.

A surprise attack it might be, but the Goblins were no match for a Drake [Soldier]. She kept believing that right until she saw a group of eight Hobgoblins charge into the side of the [Soldiers] and start hacking Drakes and Gnolls apart.

Underestimating the enemy LIKE A FOOL.

They’d barely said a word in between sleeping together and waking. This was war. But he and she—he shook his head. “Not yet. Not unless it comes to that. I won’t risk you.” She grinned at him, as if he’d made a joke. “You are thinking with your head, not with your second tail, yes?

“Don’t fight him if you think he’ll win. We can try again if we must. But I can’t lose you.” She blinked at him, wide-eyed. Then she smiled. “Too much thinking with your other tail. I will do what needs to be done. And I will bring you the Goblin Lord’s head tomorrow, my word on it. Unless I squish it by accident, that is.” She kissed him, and left.

She's dead.

Ryoka swatted at the Frost Faerie. Ivolethe flew around her and glared at Ryoka. “Stop dithering. I grow bored with every passing moment ye stay out here, and my kind watches trees grow for sport.”

Their first impression of her was thus an angry Asian girl flipping off the sky, hair covered with snow. As first impressions went…well, Ryoka had had worse.

Wailant Strongheart was unmoved. He was giving Ryoka a look she wished she could bottle and use on everyone she didn’t like.

Wailant barked out a guffaw and slapped Fals on the back. Ryoka winced as she heard the crack of flesh on flesh. Fals kept grinning, although it looked like he was now struggling not to cry out in pain.

“Oh yes. I was a [Sailor]. Haven’t you seen the tattoos? I used to sail across the world, to all five continents!”

Does he say the world is flat??

“Minotaurs can’t be beat with bare hands. I’ve seen their black ships too many times. They’re deadly at sea and on land. No sane [Pirate] goes near their islands. But learning to fight like that…there’s some grace to it. Better than I do in a fight at a bar.”

But is the earth flat?!

“Did I tell ye to stop looking? Look at the wind, you bleeding idiot!” “There’s nothing to see!” “Exactly! So look at nothing and see where it goes!”

If ye wish to study that magic, practice. Understand, by all means. But ye shall never see the wind if you think of it as something to be understood, to be learned. The wind is the wind. I ask you to see it, Ryoka. Not understand the why of it.”

“I’ve heard it’s a unit that treats wounded soldiers.” “Whose?” “Any side’s. Apparently there’s a skilled [Doctor] working over there.

Eyyyyyy

They’d been petrified fighting the zombies, but now they had the look. It was the look that told Quallet they might survive this night. It wasn’t bravery or bravado. It wasn’t the thrill of battle, but the will to survive. That was what they needed.

There was no one there to hear that could be seen. But a voice replied, inaudible except in Geneva’s head. Because it was speaking in her head.

Oh, shit - I forgot about that!

This was her third battlefield since coming to this world. Geneva had been working non-stop since then. Saving lives. Fighting. She couldn’t remember what it was like to smile.

“I’m a [Sorcerer]. It’s not the same as the [Mage] class, you know. We cast magic by thinking about it real hard. Mages learn spells, but us [Sorcerers] are too lazy. We can’t use big spells unless we’re really high-level, but we don’t have to study. Cool, right?” “Yes, very!”

Centaurs were touchy, prideful, and reminded Ken a bit of his grandmother. They didn’t accept bad manners at all, and the slightest offense was instantly corrected, regardless if it caused trouble for all parties involved.