"How much further did you say it was again?"
We had been hiking for an hour now, a cabin being our target. It appeared nice in the advert, so our spirits were high. However, Blay was getting tired of this, and as he reached for his bottle, Ellie replied "This time, and I mean it, the cabin is not much further up. I swear". A clear groan from a kid. Evidently, Ellie is known for not having good judgement regarding comparison.
---
Before long the cabin became visible. The surrounding clearing was well-lit by the afternoon sun, popping out the plants' colours more, strongly reflecting off of the metal roof with dust in the air visible, yet easily unnoticed, and everything looked to be truly alive. Everyone sighed out of relief now that the hike was over. Only, we can almost rest.
"I'll go inside, this bag is killing my back," Leriy said.
"I told you a duffle bag would've been better," snarked Caudfey.
"It'll dig into my hands, and, unlike you, I don't have them covered in ugly calluses."
"Hey, they provide good protection!" she barked back.
Leriy was definitely just salty, but I held my peace. Not that I lack confidence. Instead, I decided to distract myself as everybody else did their stuff. Nature's smell kicked in as I did so; a hint of pollen, spring's starting. The potted flowers caught my attention… actually, there's nothing special about them upon closer inspection, even by scent. "Nevermind", I mumbled, remembering I'm not much of a plant guy anyways, and continued checking the place out. When I came back, the others all acted like someone took a wrong turn.
"What happened?"
"A lie was what happened," an angry Blay responded.
"The cabin is just a completely different world than they had shown," Ellie continued.
"Ooh, we must just be in the wrong place!" Omeri chimed in excitedly.
Omeri is an optimistic and insistent kid. It's difficult to make him understand he's wrong, so we go along with it until he matures. This time, though, we were definitely supposed to be here: outside matched the picture, and so did the furnishing. Well, the furnishing, but not the moment.
"Those pictures must've been taken a long time ago," said Caudfey.
"Decades, maybe?" questioned Ellie.
A pause, as the others stared at her, her lack of perception showing through again.
"No, just a few years at most." Caudfey had broken the silence.
---
Good thing Caudfey suggested bringing tents since it's clear the cabin couldn't be worked with, smelling like rotten wood and matted in dust, or, was that dirt? By the time the camping area got set up and we salvaged what we could from the cabin (mostly just pieces of firewood), the sun had already set. After Blay's lovely cooking, everyone still felt exhausted.
"That was too much for me," Blay sighed "what should we do now?"
"There isn't a lot during the night is there? Oh, we should've brought casual activities! How could I forget that the nights would be persistent?" Caudfey sounded exasperated.
Great, just what we needed. First we get scammed, then we have nothing to do.
"This may sound cliché," replied Leriy, "but how about a story? I already have one in mind. I'll go get the book if everybody is alright with that?"
Everybody nodded in surrendered agreement. "Well, that's settled", and he went for the book from his bag.
"How much are you willing to bet that Leriy's getting what he always recommends?" Ellie joked.
"I don't like betting but this is a guaran-" I then got cut off by Leriy's shout from inside the cabin.
"Guys? I can't seem to find it… I probably did not pack the book for whatever odd reason."
Damn, so there is still nothing. No, surely there must be.
"Ehh, no biggie. I've reread that book so many times I've basically got it all in my head." Leriy had returned, still empty-handed.
"Could you really do that?" asked a hopeful Omeri.
"Sure can! Sorry, have any of you read it before?" Leriy said, turning to the others.
There was a variation of yes from everyone except for the kid, all followed more or less by "mostly".
"Then you can help me tell this story. I'll prepare."
***
A tavern stood on the corner of a path. It was dark, so it stuck out from the neighbouring houses. Its interior was partially well-lit, and amidst groups sat a black-haired man fully clad in chainmail, mace by his hip and shield leaned against the bar where the helmet sat. Usually, in this world and many others, taverns are a common place for finding people to join your party, which is typically a group of adventurers, normally with similar goals. This time, however, the knight was here for a different reason.
"Look here, I know you're not a native, and your importance is high for many. Not me, and at one point you have to get up and leave!" the now impatient bartender spat at the man.
Despite being heavily drunk, he maintained his composure. Understanding the bartender's point of view, he stood up with his gear, paid what was necessary, and exited. He trudged aimlessly along the quiet, almost empty, path. Reeth intended to steer himself towards the inn, failing as alcohol had taken over his system. Miraculously, he stumbled upon a lone person studying the building in front of him, most likely thinking of ways to exploit its design flaws. Chem is an old man of a frail build, streaks of white hair taking over the brown ones. He doesn't like talking about his age, not even to his party. Compared to Reeth, you would not expect much of a menace to appear such as the pact-bound mage, only wearing loose, common clothing. The difference, of course, lies in his abilities. He is the smartest of the group. Turning around to face the drunk, his face contorted into visible shock through all the folds on his face from age.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Have you gone back drinking? We have been working tirelessly to get you redeemed in your god's eyes again!"
Reeth did not reply.
"Stop making this difficult for us."
Waving their hand, the godless knight dismissed the tired .
***
"No he didn't."
"Huh?" Leriy was confused.
"Sorry I interrupted, uh, Reeth didn't dismiss Chem, he apologised for what he had done." said Ellie.
Leriy attempted to recall this piece of information.
"Now I remember. Yeah, he did. Messing up already. Damn, and this early."
"Please don't tell me this will keep happening."
Oh no. Blay doesn't have a lot of tolerance. If Leriy keeps making mistakes, there might be trouble. The others were definitely thinking this too, sharing glances.
"I'll try my best," Leriy said, smiling at Blay.
***
He slurred his apology, not dismissing the mage.
Looking down, the man sighed. "Yeah, well, your god doesn't accept apologies like we do. They're getting boring, so pull yourself together. Where were you trying to get to anyways?"
"Inn."
"Fine. I should get the others."
They continued along the path, a mixture of dirt and gravel crunching beneath only the knight's feet. The mage was walking too, but no sound could be heard from him. Chem could control targets via spells in a way that reduces or even reverses their weight.
"You're lucky we don't require live, pleading sacrifices for apologies," he continued.
"Don't. Insult. My. God." Reeth said that through gritted teeth. Even drunk, he would not let anyone badmouth the god he has followed since birth, a physical embodiment of wrath. Apart from that, only insects of the night could be heard. Apart from that, only insects of the night could be heard.
Crackling.
Not the gravel, it sounded like fireworks. That sound could only mean one thing: the plan was initiated.
Reeth cursed. "Not yet. I can't even run!"
"And you shouldn't have been drinking, so pick up the pace."
Another man was running in the opposite direction, stopping right in front of the pair. This time, he was a relatively young person wearing tightly wrapped leather armour, shortsword bouncing off his side.
"I assure you it was accidental," the trickster shouted, laughing at himself.
"What do YOU think you're doing? Reeth is drunk! He might as well be a blind animal tripping over even a paved path!"
"Speaking of which," Storjatis continued, clearly ignoring Chem, "I think she's getting what we came here for. We need to get out soon, so hop on the wagon."
Begrudgingly, Chem assisted Reeth onto their almost empty cart, a lit lantern hanging while Storjatis guided the mule equipped to it. They weaved through the path in a calculated manner, almost like they rehearsed everything, reaching an exit point in no time.
A bird screeched. The trio looked back to see Simlis chasing after an owl. The animal-bound sage had used the sound to find them, who had slowed down so she could catch up. When she ran beside them, Chem and Reeth hauled her onto the cart; the sound was what led her since she was blind. Simlis mainly uses a crossbow and wore a robe that was extremely muddied, but she never minded that.
"Did you get it?" the mage asked the sage. "Once we leave, we can't just waltz back in here like it's our first time."
"Here," she handed him a bland wooden box, only containing a singular, simple latch and two hinges, "I'm going to kill Storjatis when we leave," and brandished her dagger.
"Not yet," he sighed, "the fool is still surprisingly helpful."
"I can hear you, the only ruckus is now gone."
Indeed it was. The sound of loud crackling did stop, meaning they had been successful.
"It's not common for you to stop this early. Did you cast a spell or use actual fireworks?"
"The latter."
"... Where did you use them?"
The trickster paused a little before muttering "Inside."
"Inside?" Chem pushed the question.
"Where we agreed to meet."
Almost like he had been saving the face for reusing, the same one that Reeth saw has shown itself again.
"You absolute dimwit! What made you think that was a good idea? Accidental or not, we came here to steal, not burn the place down! Did you even listen to the plan? Curse you, I am this close to keeping you suspended for a full week!"
Storjatis winced. He had been suspended in midair for a full day one time, and even an hour was torturous for his impatient soul, worsened by the fact that he couldn't do anything about the spell besides hold onto an object. Regardless, they continued as they had to get somewhere.