《White Supporter》


 Prologue: The Scarred Child

    Wind lightly blew over a large expanse of plains, the occasional brush swaying lightly. A mountain ridge spanned one side of the view, so distant in perspective it seemed like it would take several days to reach the base when in truth it would only take two. A worn dirt road stretched off into the horizon devoid of the green grass the terrain so proudly boasted. The cloudless sky let the sun shine free of obstructions, basking a small lake with sunlight distanced about 7 meters away from the road. A herd of deer drink from the lake, while some linger nearby grazing on the grass.


    A small child staggers on the road, looking to be about 6 or 7 and wearing ragged clothes. His face is devoid of color and his arms and legs are thin like twigs. A small growl emanates from the child''s torso as he continues his endless journey. He takes a glance over at the lake not too far from him, but turns his gaze and continues forward.


    The deer take notice of the child and watch cautiously with their beady eyes. Some of the fawn stray from their mothers, but quickly return.


    A small mouse scurries past, pausing in the center of the path right in front of the malnourished child. His eyes slightly widen at the sight of the mouse, and continues slowly approaching. The mouse starts to scurry off again, with the boy suddenly leaping forward, trying to grab the mouse so close to him.Even with the sudden, almost animalistic leap the boy did, the mouse quickly and easily dodged away from the boy, scampering off into the grass.


    The boy now laying on the ground stayed there, no energy to get up or even move. He slowly closed his eyes, deciding that this was his fate. To die. He was just so tired... So hungry...


    His eyes shot back open, his mind shooting back to full alertness, and with a newfound small amount of energy, pushes himself back up. His stomach growled again, sending lethargic waves across his entire body. He now sat in the middle of the road, slumped over.


    He tries to push himself to his feet, and stumbles back to the ground. After a moment, he tries again, this time successfully. He steadies himself, and pushes forward down the apparently endless road to the unknown.


    * * *


    After an hour of walking down the road, the child once again collapses to the ground. His body can''t continue any longer no matter how much harder he tries to push himself.


    "H...help...me...s-some...one..." the child huffs.


    So this is how I die...Starve to death before I even reach Arnita...


    His eyes start to close once more, but with no remaining energy to keep them open this time. As he closes his eyes, his consciousness starts to slip away as even the boy knows without help, it will be the last time he closes his eyes. At the last moment before he fully looses consciousness, he has a feeling of floating in the air, like his entire body is lightweight.


    Ah...Is this death...?


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    * * *


    The child opened his eyes, to see a wooden ceiling and what felt like sheets on top of him. He pushes himself up from a small mattress of grass and looks around. He was in a small rectangular room with two desks and chairs in opposite corners of the room, both desks facing the wall, the closest directly to his right. A door lay in the center of the left wall, with two centered small windows with wooden shutters slightly ajar on the far and right wall, letting in a moderate amount of light and a slight breeze. The grass mattress the boy lay on was situated in the corner along the back and left wall, with his feet towards the far wall window.


    The boy didn''t feel like he was starving anymore, but he was still hungry. Even if he was hungry, he was still curious as to who saved him. He pushes himself up off the mattress, and moves over to the right wall window pushing it fully open. Instead of a field of grass, a forest cabin, a small quiet town or the like, the boy was instead greeted by the face of an elderly man who was peeking through the shutters.


    "G-gahh!!!" the boy yelped, stumbling back onto the floorboards in the room.


    "Hahaha!" the elderly man chortled, as if he pulled off a particularly funny practical joke.


    "W-what are you doing, spying on me?!" the boy exclaimed, now a bit miffed.


    "What? Spying? Me? I never! You should know to respect your elders, boy!" the elderly man shot back at him.


    At that moment, the door behind the child burst open. As the boy looked behind him, an elderly woman dressed as a nun was standing in the doorway, taking in the situation. After just a moment of seeing the elderly man outside the window and the boy on the floor, she just sighs.


    "Father Samel, I believe I told you that spying on the children you save will come off as ''creepy''. What would you do if rumors started floating about?" the woman addressed the man known as Father Samel.


    "Sister Mara, I believe I responded that there is no one out here where we live, so rumors can''t spread!" Samel retorted.


    "Father Samel! It is still quite rude for you to watch the children through thewindow of all things!" Mara exasperatedly exclaims.


    The boy still on the floor just watched in astonishment as the two kept bickering as if they have had this exact conversation many times over. What made this back and forth stop was when the boy''s stomach growled loudly.


    "Oh, bother! I''m sorry, I completely forgot you hadn''t eaten anything yet," Sister Mara cried out. "Father Samel, come on inside and let''s get washed up."


    As she said that, Father Samel immediately attempts to climb through the window.


    "Father! Through the door, like a normal person!" Sister Mara exclaims. "Do you ever learn, Father Samel?"


    Father Samel begrudgingly turns away and leaves the window and walks off muttering to himself. Sister Mara bends down and offers a hand to the boy while smiling.


    "I know Father Samel can be a bit...Eccentric at times, but he means well. In fact, I''m not sure you would have survived if it weren''t for his healing magic," the nun says, almost a hint of admiration in her voice.


    The boy reaches for the hand extended out to him and takes it, pulling himself up. He holds onto the hand and looks outside the window once more, seeing the edge of the plains he had collapsed in, now at the edge of a forest with small mountainous peaks casting growing shadows as the sun dips in the west.


    "Oh! Do you have a name? It''s alright if you can''t remember it," Sister Mara inquires the boy.


    The boy looks down and thinks back to where he had grown up. His family. His home. His town.


    "I do. A name I mean." the boy says as he looks back up at Sister Mara.


    "Oh? What''s your name then?"


    "My name''s Arin."

 One: Morning Wake Up

    Arin opens his eyes. He had a dream of when he was saved and brought into the orphanage from so long ago that it now seemed like it was just that. A dream.


    Arin yawns and rubs his eyes. The tent''s ceiling was the same uninviting blue it always was, that he''d woken up to for so many months now.


    A large figure shifts to Arin''s left, also sleeping in the same tent. A light but loud snore emanates from their slumbering form. Arin pushes his body up and stretches his arms. He reaches over to the sleeping person next to him and shakes them lightly.


    "Come on, Agar," Arin says lightly, still waking up. "Time to get up. We don''t want to make the others wait."


    "Let them wait," Agar grumbles while turning over onto his side. Arin sighs, and gets up without Agar. He shuffles over to the tent entrance, and walks out to a camp set up on the edge of a forest. The sun slowly rising to in the east and to Arin''s left greets him as he fully stretches his body; Arin looks around and checks to see who''s awake.


    "Finally up," a voice calls, the person who called not even turning to look at Arin. The person hunches over where the campfire was that the group had set up the previous night. Black baggy clothes cover their entire body, to the point to where you can''t make out any distinguishing qualities about them.


    "Hey, Ajneya," Arin yawned, stretching some more. "Where''s Alyssa?"


    "Hunting," they respond. Arin was tired of Ajneya never talking much, only speaking in short sentences or a word at most if they could help it.


    "Mm. Ever going to show your face to us?" Arin asks, leaning forward, hoping to see what they look like at least once. He doesn''t even know what gender they are.


    "No." They state it simply, in a tone that told Arin to drop the subject.


    "Fine," Arin sighed. Ajneya stands up, and the fire that ran out the previous night was now crackling again.


    Arin saunters over to a backpack that had been seated on a stump nearby, and starts rummaging through it. Ajneya perks up at what Arin is doing, but says nothing.


    "I''m going to use Alyssa''s cup," Arin states matter-of-factly, noticing eyes were on him. "Don''t forget we lost Agar''s cup because he dropped his pack, mine I lost some days ago because of the racoons, and you won''t let us near any of your stuff."


    "Just don''t drag me into the argument," Ajneya grumbles. Arin slightly nods and continues rummaging for the cup. After only a couple beats, he finds the cup and tries his best to return everything else back the way it was.


    How is she always so organized? Arin wonders as he stands and returns to his tent. He finds Agar still sleeping away like a baby; Arin notices his staff laying nearby along with his belongings. He thinks for a moment, then grabs his staff, setting down the cup, and moves forward to a good position. Arin positions his staff, and quickly, smacks Agar''s head with the butt of the staff.


    Agar yelps loudly as he grabs his head where Arin struck him. "I told you it''s time to wake up. Come on Agar," Arin says unsympathetically.


    "Ow! Arin, that hurt! Is that really how you treat your big brother?!" Agar howls, scowling at Arin.


    "Yes, if they don''t get up on time," Arin coolly responds while moving back to where his belongings lay. He picks up the cup and a small pouch that had sat next to the staff. "Ajneya and Alyssa are already up getting everything ready," he adds.


    "Well, did you have to hit me on the head?!" Agar exclaims.


    "Unless you want water splashing you or Alyssa yelling in your ear again, yes, I did." At that, Agar doesn''t say anything back and just grumbles.


    "I''m going to clean up by the river. If Alyssa comes back, don''t tell her I have her cup," Arin says as he grins and leaves the tent.


    "Wait, you what?!" Arin hears behind him, before some rustling and a thud as Agar stumbles and falls over inside the tent.


    Arin chuckles as he attaches the pouch to a belt around his waist, staff in one hand, cup in the other. He starts walking north, along the edge of the forest with the sun now shining to his right. The terrain as far as the eye can see to the east stretches long fields of grasslands, with a heath far off in the distance.


    A short walk later, Arin arrives at a small river, heading off to the east as well, and according to Alyssa, leading to the port town they''re traveling to.


    Arin himself had received a summons from a prestigious noble to head to the town called Kernth as he needed something but didn''t say what he needed in the letter he sent. Arin was originally going to turn it down as he was on the opposite coast, but the insistence from his party (mostly Alyssa) made him go on the journey.


    He leans down and fills the cup with water, stands, and checks it. "Just in case," he mutters. He sets his staff down next to him, and holds the cup of water in front of him with his left hand while he sets his right hand above the water in an open palm facing down.


    Arin inhales deeply, and concentrates. The air lightly breezing by. The river running in front of him. The trees swaying peacefully. After a moment, Arin feels what he was searching for. The energy of the world, flowing everywhere, all around him. Arin exhales, this time focusing inward. The thump of his heart. The churning of his organs. The activity in his brain. He finds it. The energy flowing throughout his entire body, what was giving him his strength to move.


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    He carefully redirects some of the natural energy coursing throughout his body, and connects it to two places, his right hand and his brain. The energy that he connected to his brain retrieves an image from his memory. A circle. Intricate lines weaving together in complex patterns, each line having their own meaning and purpose. To disrupt one line would to cause the circle to take on an entirely different meaning and could cause disaster.


    Remembering the circle''s design from his mind, Arin carefully guides the circle along the circuit he created. The circle is guided from his brain, past his neck, along his right shoulder, through his arm, to his right hand, where the circle appears on the outside of his hand, right where it was guided.


    Arin breathes in deeply once again, and the circuit he made with his body''s energy starts to flow into the circle now above the water. The circle glows with a slight blue light, and begins absorbing energy. The energy that the circle is absorbing is no longer from Arin''s body, but instead from the world''s surroundings. The gales in the wind. The flow of the river. The life in the trees.


    The energy from the world flows into the circle, empowering it. Arin breathes out one last time, and pushes the circle to complete its purpose. A green light shines from the circle, casting its glow over the water. After a moment, the light fades, and the circle has dissipated from Arin''s hand.


    The water for the most part looks unchanged, albeit a bit clearer. All in all, it took Arin about six seconds to complete the entire routine. Arin takes a sip from the cup, and swallows. "Hm," he just says simply. "I feel like I''ve gotten a bit better with that circle," he mumbles.


    Arin puts the thought off as he sets the cup of water down and reaches for the pouch around his belt and searches for a moment. He pulls out a couple of herbs and a cloth from the bag, spreads the cloth out on the ground, and crushes the herbs in his hands as best he can. Arin then places and rolls the crushed herbs in the cloth and wraps the ends so that the herbs couldn''t escape.


    He moves over to the cup, and dips the cloth in the water, and starts rubbing the cloth against his teeth. Arin takes his time brushing his teeth, making sure to get every tooth. Some times passes, and Arin finishes by emptying the herbs in the cloth into the river, washing them away. Arin makes sure the last of it is gone by washing the cloth, and wrings out the cloth.


    He tucks the cloth in his belt, making sure it''s spread out so it can dry with time. He returns to the cup, takes it and also empties the contents into the river. Arin sets the cup down, and kneels by the riverbank. He reaches down, and splashes his face with the cold water. He starts rubbing, occasionally splashing more water, trying to get every part of his face, making sure no blemishes would remain if there were any.


    As Arin finishes up, a shriek fills the air, sounding from not too far, seemingly originating from the camp. Birds in the distance fly off, startled by the sudden noise. "ARIIINNN!!!" A sudden follow up to the shriek rings out in the same direction.


    Arin winces as he stands. "Guess she found out," he chuckles nervously. He dries his face, gathers his items, and sets off back to camp. Along the way, Arin tries to think of a way to explain the situation without getting an earful, but comes up with nothing as he walks back.


    Someone was waiting for him as he returned, arms crossed and fuming. Arin winces once again and approaches. "Before you say anything, can I at least defend myself?" he asks, bracing himself.


    "Go ahead," Alyssa growls, scowling fiercely. Arin cautiously takes note of Alyssa''s bow still strung, still in her hands.


    "Well, uh, you see... Agar and I lost both of our cups, and you were out, so I had to...borrow...yours...?" Arin was uncertain on how this predicament would turn out.


    "And that makes you think you have permission to go through my bag?" she snaps, making Arin flinch slightly. "You just had to ask! Instead, you go through my bag, invade my privacy, all without asking!"


    Alyssa huffs, before taking a deep breath. "If you needed something from me, just ask me before you go through my stuff," she says, pinching the bridge of her nose.


    "Yeah, sure," Arin says, trying to avoid eye contact. He could feel Alyssa''s eyes piercing him, making him uncomfortable.


    Alyssa sighs, and says, "Fine. Go help Agar pack up. We need to move quick if we want to reach Kernth before nightfall."


    Arin quickly walks by, thankful Alyssa let it go. He walks back to the center of the camp, where Agar and Ajneya were waiting. Ajneya was busy cooking some meat on the campfire, likely the food that Alyssa hunted. Agar was sitting nearby, next to his sword and shield, shaking slightly.


    Agar, seemingly like he couldn''t hold it in anymore, bursts out laughing. "Oh, shut it, Agar!" Arin yells, slightly embarrassed.


    "I always wondered why you would laughing when Alyssa yells at me, but now I get it!" Agar hollers. The laughing is cut short as Alyssa suddenly appears behind Agar and punches him on the head.


    "I believe I told you to start packing everything up," Alyssa says, trying to stay calm.


    "Why is it I''m the only one who gets hit?!" Agar cries out, clutching his head again. This time it was Arin''s turn to try and hold in his laughter.


    "Because you have a hard head," Ajneya speaks up, surprising everyone as they turn to look at Ajneya who didn''t even look at the situation. Arin and Alyssa burst out laughing as Agar just looked shocked and dumbfounded.


    "So Ajneya CAN make jokes!" Alyssa says between laughs, and Arin could swear he saw a slight change from Ajneya that resembled a smile, before he clutched his gut from laughter.


    It took some time for Arin and Alyssa to stop laughing and calm down. Agar only shakes his head and chuckles.


    ¡°We should really start packing up,¡± Alyssa says after taking a deep breath and calming down.


    Arin nods and returns to his tent once he calms down. He grabs his pack, which he checks, as it has his life inside it.


    Clothes, cutlery, bandages, herbs for use other than hygiene, a pot and pan, a kettle, flint and a small piece of steel, and a water-skin.


    Arin rolls up his blanket and puts it in his pack, making sure everything is secure. Arin leaves the tent, which Agar was waiting for him outside.


    ¡°Done?¡± He asks. Arin nods, and the both of them start taking apart the tent. They take out the stakes, and throw away the sticks holding it up. The two of them then fold and roll up the tent and secure it onto Arin¡¯s pack.


    Arin looks over to the others who have already finished packing up, the fire now out with Ajneya throwing dirt onto the ashes to make sure it¡¯s fully extinguished.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Alyssa asks the group, and when they all nod, she starts walking off to the east, to which the group follows.


    Get ready, Kernth. We¡¯re coming.

 Two: Arrival in Kernth

    The air of the sea washed over the group as the sun sunk behind them as they continued forward. With Kernth visible off in the distance, it would still take some time to reach. The sun hadn''t yet reached the horizon, still 2 hours of light remaining.


    Kernth sat below where the group was now, an occasional light or two starting to be lit in the windows of the buildings. The docks of Kernth slow down in their work, as the day slowly starts to come to a close.


    Behind three members of the party, one lags behind the rest. Arin huffs and pants for air as he tries to catch up to the group. "C...can...we...take a...break...?" he gasps as the party waits for him to catch up once again.


    "I said no, it''s because of your breaks that we''re here four days late," Alyssa says unempathetically.


    "Well...can...Agar...at least...carry me?" Arin asks, looking hopefully at Agar.


    "Sure thing, brother! Hop on, I bet I can carry all of you at once!" Agar says as he laughs. He lowers himself and puts his hands behind him to prepare to lift someone onto his back.


    Arin grins thankfully, and climbs onto Agar''s back thankful for the opportunity to rest his legs. Agar doesn''t move back up, and after a moment, Agar glances over at Alyssa.


    "What? You said you were going to help Arin, not me," Alyssa says, eyeing him as a grin washes over Agar''s face.


    "I also said, ''I bet I can carry you all at once''," Agar says, still grinning at Alyssa. Quickly, Agar grabs Ajneya nearby, and with a swift movement, hefts Ajneya up with a single arm.


    "Don''t want to par-" Ajneya starts as they are suddenly thrown unto Agar''s shoulders against their will.


    "Sorry, too late, Ajneya!" Agar shouts, before taking a step to Alyssa. "I said I could hold all of you at once, so hop on Alyssa," Agar teases with a mischievous grin.


    "Hey, Agar! don''t you think we should focus on getting to Kernth before it gets too late?" Arin asks. He slightly worries about how tired Agar will be when they get to Kernth if he does what he''s doing, but doesn''t worry to much.


    "What''s the point of traveling if you don''t have some fun along the way?" Agar asks, and looks at Alyssa like a bull staring down an enemy.


    "Hey, Agar, I don''t think I really want to..." Alyssa starts nervously, before Agar starts charging towards her. "Eek!" Alyssa cries out before starting to run away from the laughing Agar as he chases after her with two party members hanging onto him.


    Agar quickly catches up, even with the extra weight, grabs Alyssa with his hand, and once again like with Ajneya, tosses Alyssa onto his shoulders with a single movement.


    Agar charges down the road, the rest of his party clinging onto him as he laughs the entire time. "This is my revenge for laughing at me this morning!" he chortles.


    The group speed along the road to Kernth, Agar moving as if he didn''t have three people he was carrying. Arin looks up at the other two on Agar''s shoulders, and just grins. At this, Alyssa also grinned, as the two started to laugh along with Agar.


    * * *


    Night had fallen, and Kernth''s shops were now lit up, with some laughing coming from a nearby tavern. A slight breeze blows by, brought in by the nearby sea.


    Agar sits on a nearby bench, huffing and panting. "This is why you don''t run for a full two hours straight while carrying three people, Agar," Alyssa says, handing him a water-skin. "If it wasn''t for your endurance blessing, you''d probably be dead long before we even met."


    "Don''t worry...about me," Agar huffs. "I just...need to...catch...my breath."


    "Come on, Agar," Arin says, "At the very least drink some water. You need to drink some so you don''t pass out. Trust me, it''s not fun."


    "When did that happen?" Ajneya asks, looking over at Arin. He looks uncomfortable for a moment, then answers.


    "Years ago," he says. "Hey, I''ll go and look for an inn for us to sleep in tonight. Alyssa, can you let go of the funds so we can sleep in a bed tonight?"


    "Ugh, fine," she says while digging around a pouch jingling with coins and pulls out a single gold coin. She flicks it over to Arin, who promptly catches it. "I would guess it''d cost about 30 nils, but I''m giving you an extra 30 just in case."


    "Thanks, Alyssa. I''ll be back soon," Arin calls as he leaves. He makes sure to put it somewhere where it wouldn''t get stolen on the trip.


    < >


    "Why was he nervous?" Ajneya asks, looking over to the street where Arin had walked and disappeared. Agar was drinking from the water-skin like there was no tomorrow.


    "Who knows," Alyssa says nonchalantly. "Do you have any idea, Agar? You said you two knew each other since the orphanage, right?" she inquires. Agar finishes drinking from the water-skin and exhales greatly.


    "Oh, yeah. We know each other since way back. I think we first met when he was about, six, I think?" he says, thinking back. "We grew up together until I got to adulthood and left the orphanage. I believe it was then about another, four, five? Somewhere around there until we met again, then we traveled for another year until we met you guys."


    Agar thinks a little more before he responds. "I mean, when he had first arrived, he was pretty much just skin and bones. He also didn''t say much about where he came from or why he was the way he was when he''d arrived. Probably brings up bad memories," he concludes.


    "You never asked?" Ajneya questions, turning their head towards Agar. He just shrugs.


    "He''s always dodged the question. So I just gave up on asking," He says simply. He hands Alyssa''s water-skin back to her, which she returns to her pack.


    "I see," Ajneya says, letting it go. They look back over to where Arin had left the group, and lean against the side of the bench Agar was seated.


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    < >


    Arin walked through the streets of Kernth, looking at the buildings made from stone and wood. He passes a fountain with a statue depicting a creature with a human body from the waist up, but a lower body of tentacles similar to a squid trying to imitate the tail of a fish. The statue held a fishing spear in its left hand with the spear resting on their shoulder, with the right hand holding a fishing net.


    Arin stares at the statue above the fountain for a moment, and turns away. "Surprising," he says under his breath.


    Didn''t think this town would have a statue of a god that hasn''t helped them for centuries, he thinks as he walks down another street.


    Arin continues on his search until he comes across a building with a sign above reading ''Fish Inn'' proudly. Arin looks at it for a moment, thinking if it was for fish or people. He enters the building, opening the door and being greeted by an elder sitting hunched at the counter, slightly snoring.


    Arin knocks on the door, and clears his throat alerting the elder of his customer. He jerks up, looking at his customer, and clears his throat. "Ah, sir. Welcome, what can I do for yeh?" he asks, eyeing the person in front of him.


    Arin walks to the counter, closing the door behind him. "Four people, two rooms, if you''re able," he says, taking a look at his surroundings. A fish mounted on the wall stares beadily at him.


    "Ah, al''right. 40 nils," the elder says. Arin turns his head towards the man, shocked.


    "40?!" Arin says, his brows furrowing. "At the most, it should be 35!"


    "What can I say, whole town''s strugglin''. Lord recently upped taxes ''gain, so prices goin'' up," he explains simply. "Look, I have a business ta run, so righ'' now, best I can offer is 37. Ya want the rooms?"


    Arin sighs. "Sure. You able to do change?" He places the gold coin on the counter which the elder takes.


    "Fer the moment," he says, and places five coins on the counter. One bronze coin, one tin, and three copper. "Yeh also wan'' a bath readied? It''ll be an extra 5 per tub," he asks.


    Arin thinks for a moment, and responds, "Two, please." The elder nods and takes the bronze coin and replaces it with a tin coin. Arin takes the coins and pockets them.


    "I have to ask, why is this place called ''Fish Inn''?" Arin asks. The elder chuckles at the question.


    "Is'' stupid. Thought it''d bring customers in," he says. "Fishin''," he chuckles. "Should change it, one o'' these days, but I can'' let it go fer some reason."


    Arin hides a snort as it''s explained to him. "No, it''s fine. Brought me in like you intended," he says sympathetically.


    "Thanks fer sayin'' that, but yeh don'' need ta," the elder says. He reaches down and puts two keys each with a small number on them onto the counter. "Yer rooms," he says.


    "Thanks. I''ll return shortly," Arin says as he heads to the door.


    "Where'' yeh from, kid?" the elder asks as Arin reached the door. "I can see tha'' yer'' holdin'' somethin'' heavy. In my age, I''ve learned it''s not good ta hold it all in."


    Arin doesn''t move for a moment. "...ist," he mumbles.


    "Wha? Kid, I know I migh'' be wise an'' all, but my hearin''s not great. Repeat that," the elder snaps. Arin smiles and shakes his head.


    "Sorry. I said I''m from Thist," he says. Arin looks down, a mixture of pain and sadness washes over his face. The elder watches Arin for a moment, before remembering, and wincing.


    "Oh, Thist. Sorry fer askin'' kid. Have next morn''s meal on me," he says, looking down.


    "No, it''s alright. It was years ago, so don''t worry. I will take that offer for food though," Arin says, chuckling as he looks back at the elder, the expression from before gone now. Arin opens the door and leaves the building, closing it on his way out.


    The elder now alone, thinks for a moment. "Thist, huh? Kid''s seen some shit, fer sure."


    * * *


    Arin finally returns to his party, still at the same bench where he left them. Agar''s head leaned back, snoring. Ajneya leaned against the side of the bench, while Alyssa was sitting on a barrel across from the bench.


    "I''m back," Arin called, grabbing Alyssa''s attention, while Ajneya had already spotted him when he came into sight.


    "Finally," Alyssa said as she hopped off the barrel. "Where''s the change?" she asked, not wasting a beat.


    "Right here, although prices are rising; seems our client is gathering money from the citizens," Arin says while taking the change out and handing it to Alyssa.


    She quickly counts the money, and her eyes widen when she sees the amount. "What?! Only 13 nils left?!"


    "As I said, prices are rising. 37 for the rooms, and an extra 10 for us to wash up," Arin explains. "I also agree that it''s too expensive. But if we take into account the rumors surrounding our client..."


    "He''s throwing the people''s money around," Alyssa concludes. Arin nods.


    "He''s getting desperate," Ajneya comments. "Any more, people rebel."


    Arin agreed with Ajneya. It was well known that the noble who sent the summons was quite rich, and very willing to use their own riches for their goals. But if they were to resort to using the townspeople''s money...


    "We''ll meet with the client first thing tomorrow morning. Let''s go get some rest first. I''m dying to sleep in a bed for the first time in weeks," Alyssa says.


    Ajneya swats Agar on the nose, waking him up. "Oh, hey Arin. You''re back," he yawns.


    "Come on, Agar, let''s go get some great sleep," Arin says while handing one of the keys over to Alyssa. He then sets off back along the way to the inn with the party following close behind.


    * * *


    Arin and the group enter into the inn, finding the elder still behind the counter. "Got yer water ready in yer rooms," he says as they pass. They nod and say their thanks as they walk past the counter to the left where a small dining area was set, with stairs leading up directly to the right from the entrance, and a small sign next to them reading ''Rooms".


    The four of them all head up the stairs to the rooms ready to sleep. At the top of the stairs, a hallway balcony with a railing overlooking the dining area, covering three sides of the upstairs. The number one was on the first door, and the following number on each consecutive door. The first two doors lay along the first wall, with the next three along the second wall, and the last wall having three doors, the furthest away.


    Arin checked his key with the number scratched into it, reading 3. "Come on, Agar." he says.


    Arin and Agar approached the door, and unlocked it. He looks over at Alyssa and Ajneya who''ve gotten the second door. Agar enters first, opening the door. "See you guys tomorrow," Arin says as he enters the room with Agar.


    The rooms was quaint, two single beds on opposite sides of the room, feet facing the wall where the door was. A wooden shutter window sat between the beds, closed. Two desks facing the wall were placed at the foot of each bed, a single candle on each. A tub of warm water sat in the corner to the right with a cloth on the side of the tub. Small strands of stream lightly rose from the water''s surface.


    Agar ignores the tub and water, and walks to the bed on the left and starts taking his pack and weapons off. Arin closes the door behind them and walks to the right bed, doing the same as Agar.


    "What do you think''s going to happen tomorrow?" Arin asks Agar.


    Agar shrugs. "Dunno. But I do know that we''re gonna do awesome." He smiles widely. Arin grins back at Agar.


    The two finish taking their items off, and Arin stretches as he feels the bed''s cushioning. "Heh. I remember sleeping on grass most of the time. To think that I would get to be able to sleep on an actual bed," he says.


    "Come on, we''ve slept in beds a ton of times now," Agar says to Arin.


    "Not everyday. While traveling, we have to sleep on the ground. I''m just saying it would be nice if we could sleep on a bed every night of our lives," Arin says.


    "Here, here," Agar agrees. He stretches and yawns. "Damn, running earlier today really tired me out."


    "With that monstrous stamina, I''m surprised," Arin quips. Agar gives him a look.


    "Hey, I can still get tired, you know," Agar retorts. They both stare at each other and chuckle.


    "See you tomorrow, Agar," Arin says.


    "Right back at ya, Arin," he responds.