Synel stared out to the road in front of her. It was the third day of their travel in the pass, and the expedition had gone well, so far. They’d avoided losses in their travel to the north and had even managed to harvest the spring water without issue. The only problem had been this road, and it was not the problem she had expected.

Death. That was what Synel found on the road that day. She was surrounded by death.

Bodies of the rajin littered the horizon, that in itself wasn’t a strange occurrence. They were a violent, and often territorial species. Perhaps even more so now that it was their breeding season. But this was far beyond what she considered natural, or even reasonable.

There were hundreds of them, some full-fledged adults. And even Synel’s untrained eye could pick out the strange wounds that littered the corpses. Almost identical to those that marred the trophy atop her carriage.

It was as though the gods of death themselves had descended. Dozens of men gawked at the sight of a beast the size of her wagon in the distance, its head had been cracked open somehow. Even the young, reckless traders that had threatened to brave the road on their own refused to go near the bodies. To claim the kill of whatever had done this, she didn’t want to think of the consequences.

“Madame, there’s something up ahead.”

Synel glanced at the man beside her, one of those that had pressured her to move on this deal.

“Stay the course, I think I have an idea of what we’ll find.”

Those merchants, surely, they had to be behind this.

Looking out at the sea of bodies before her, Synel understood just how foolish she’d been. She’d enlisted dozens of men for this trip, each ready to gamble their lives for their chance at fortune. But this…

Had they made this trip just a few days earlier, their caravan would have been destroyed. Utterly destroyed. Toslo had offered her a small fortune in exchange for her service on this trip, she’d thought them to be desperate. The Gray Nations’ army at their doorsteps and their own men all but scattered to the winds. She would swoop in, make her coin, and leave before things went truly bad. Now it was clear they’d sent her on a suicide mission.

Then the caravan rolled to a stop. In the distance she saw them. They sat atop one of the largest, most terrifying beasts Synel had ever seen. And they appeared to be… drinking?

“Shit. Heads up we got company.” Nowak looked over at the road behind them. Dozens of wagons were coming into view, hundreds of people.

They’d decided to rest, with the alpha dead, none of the other lizards dared to even come close to them. Summers had been trying to rig up some kind of makeshift wagon from the remains of their Humvee, but so far, he’d been unsuccessful. It was starting to look like they’d be leaving with only what they could carry. So, they’d decided on trying to lighten their load, starting with the crate of booze Synel had gifted them.

Which was why Summers took so long to register the procession that was edging closer and closer.

“Right. Uh, masks?” Summers said, looking for the balaclava that he’d stashed somewhere nearby.

“Think they’re from the city?” Nowak worked the action on his gun.

“They’d send an army after us? That’s kind of overkill, don’t you think?” Cortez cradled her rifle in hand as she spoke.

“To be fair that’s probably what it would take.” Summers looked through his scope at the procession.

He spotted a silver haired woman moving to the front, the trader they’d met, Synel. She held up her right hand up, palm facing towards her. Summers remembered that was a type of challenge the elves used, so she probably wanted to talk. Or she wanted them to get close enough to stab, either way.

“That’s our trader, yeah?” Logan asked.

“Yeah.” Summers looked over to Nowak. “What’s the call?”

It was an awkward thing to walk with that many eyes on you.

Synel stood at the center of the road, hands folded in front of her. She looked as placid as any other elf Summers had seen, but there was a definite tension in her voice, even if Summers didn’t understand her words.

“She says it’s good to see you well.” Asle looked up to Summers, they’d decided he’d run point on the negotiations, if only because Synel seemed fond of him.

Now that Summers was in front of the woman, though, he wasn’t so sure that was true. She was nervous, actually given the standards that elves used to socialize, it probably meant she was two seconds from losing her shit.

“Likewise, ask her why we’re talking right now.” Summers wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries, not with the growing crowd in the distance.

Synel had come up to meet them alone, but that didn’t mean it would stay that way. If there was one thing Summers had learned in his time here, it was not to underestimate what people were capable of. Even if all they had were primitive weapons.

He registered a moment of surprise on Synel’s face as Asle spoke.

“She apologizes if she offended you. She’s… apologizing a lot? They only want to pass.” Asle explained just as Synel gave them a slight bow. “They’re offering tribute for… the honor. I don’t know what that means.” Asle turned back in confusion, or as close as the girl could manage.

Summers paused before responding, remembering the towering monster that laid dead behind them. Now that he thought about it, Synel had mentioned she was heading south as well. Which meant there was a chance their meeting here was entirely accidental.

“…Hold on, I think I’m the asshole here.”

As it turns out, the city didn’t bother sending anyone after Summers’ group. From where they’d found the bodies, and what they knew of the guards that were killed, it was pretty clear what had happened. Whether that would have helped their case should they have stayed in the city was unclear, but it was obvious that Summers and his friends weren’t the kinds of people you fucked with.

So, the city’s leaders, in their wisdom, had placed the blame solely on the dead. With the rumors Summers’ group were actually godlings in disguise, a translation that took far longer than it should have mostly because of Asle’s confusion on what exactly constituted a god, they were all but begging them to “show mercy.”

After that had been cleared up, Summers had, in the most polite way he could manage, asked for a ride. And Synel had provided. In fact, she’d provided a little too well.

“I feel kinda guilty…” Nowak walked beside the wagon whose previous owners Synel had, by Summers’ best estimation, kicked to the curb. Or rather, they now looked to be sharing a wagon three sizes too small with another group. There was an argument brewing between the two, Summers was sure it was going to end badly, but it wasn’t like they didn’t need the space themselves. Between their supplies and the gear they’d managed to save from the Humvee, the wagon was a godsend.

“I don’t. Pretty sure we just fed these people for a month.” Cortez gestured over to the growing mass of people around the corpse of the lizard alpha.

Groups of men were doing what they could to preserve the giant creature, all while taking slabs of meat, bone, and other choice cuts to wagons of their own.

Summers had sold the “rights” to the beast to Synel almost immediately. He was certain the wagon they’d received in payment was a sweetheart deal, but he wasn’t about to complain. It’s not like they could have taken it with them.

“Just be happy we don’t have to walk.” Summers agreed. Logan grunted from his side, he doubted that sword he was using for a leg would hold the weight of a full-grown man and a fully loaded pack.

“Either way, we got a lot of eyes on us, make sure you’re keeping your heads on a swivel.” Nowak called over to the rest of them, he was on edge.

The paranoia wasn’t unearned, almost every elf in the caravan had paid special attention to their group. They’d even picked out the biggest, meanest looking cow to pull the wagon for them. One Cortez had aptly named Tank 2.

Summers was pretty sure that was a status thing.

“I’ll take first watch.”

“No, you won’t.” Nowak responded. “I’ll take over your watch, I think you could use a few days.”

Summers reached to his side, he didn’t notice during the fight, but some small pieces of shrapnel must have hit him after the blast. His entire body was covered in small wounds. Most of them didn’t hurt, but in a world without penicillin, they could become a problem.

“I’m fine, Sarge. Nothing big.”

“Not up for discussion.” Nowak took a moment. “Look, we’ve been through some shit. And right now, we probably only have to worry about a few thieves. So, take the time and get your head straight.”

“My head?”

“You heard me… I can’t have you rushing in to die next time, all right?”

Summers didn’t know how to respond to that. Cortez was off the to the side looking the other way and doing a terrible job of feigning interest in a nearby wagon.

“…Yeah, all right.”

“Good.”

Summers awoke a few hours later to yelling. His gun was already in his hand by the time he registered the source of the noise.

It was the merchant whose wagon they’d taken, apparently the mild tiff they’d had progressed into a full-blown screaming match. Then one of them grabbed a spear.

“Well that’s not gonna go well.” Summers muttered. He rubbed at his face, now fully awake.

“Nope.” Cortez agreed.

He had started forward when Synel’s voice stopped him.

“She’s asking you don’t interfere.” Asle spoke up from a few feet away. She was watching the fight escalate with everyone else. “Also, this is normal.” She added.

“Pretty sure they’re gonna stab each other.”

“Yes.” Asle agreed.

“Uh, nobody wants to stop that from happening?” Summers looked at Synel hesitantly.

Asle thought for a moment.

“It’s… honor? Does that make sense?”

“Like an honor duel?”

“Yes!” Asle nodded. “He says the tall one stole from him.” She indicated the previous owner of their wagon. “So, they’ll fight to see who’s right.”

Synel said something that Summers must have missed, Asle responded in her own language.

“She’s flirting with you.” Asle paid the woman a glance before looking back to the fight. A ring was forming around the two.

“I’m sorry?”

“She says my job is hard.” Asle tilted her head. “I don’t like her.”

Summers didn’t get much time to process that as a scream went up from the fight. The tall man now had a spear in his side, as he fell to the ground, his opponent didn’t give him a moment to recover. He pulled the spear out and stabbed down, once, twice...

It occurred to Summers that he probably shouldn’t be letting Asle watch this.

By the time the man had finished he was breathing hard, barely able to get to his feet. He must not have seen the other man land a strike.

“Now he’ll take some blood so that he gets stronger. See? Simple.” Asle spoke as if she was giving a lesson.

“Metal.” Cortez said, still not taking her eyes off the display.

“Okay, first off why?” Summers asked.

“Ceremony?” Asle looked to Logan who nodded. “It’s polite to honor the spirit and bring it with you. Like you.”

“What-“

Before Summers could finish the question, Logan answered.

“I think she means the dog tags.”

“Oh.” Summers noticed crowd had already started to disperse now that the excitement was over. “Wait is that what you were doing with the general? Back when we first met?”

“Yes.”

“…I thought you were trying to eat him.”

“That too.”

Their group all looked to Asle, who didn’t seem in the least bit bothered.

“…You know what I’m just going to stop asking questions.” Summers found Synel directing a few of her men to the site, they quickly got to cleaning up the corpse. “So how was she flirting with me?”

“She said she could teach you to speak. But I speak better.”

“What?” Nowak blurted.

“Why does she want to teach us?” Summers couldn’t help but ask.

“Wants to flirt with you.” Asle looked at the woman. “Said things are really dangerous in the south and I could be hurt so she would do it to keep me safe. She’s a liar.”

“Okay Asle in the future please let us know when the important people are flirting with us even if you don’t like it. Just so we know. Okay?” Logan pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Right. Uh, sarge, what do you think?” If Summers was being brutally honest with himself, he didn’t join the army because he was a grade A student. He has his strengths and weaknesses. Learning was not what he counted among his strengths.

Of course, he’d never had a very motivated, very attractive teacher before, but that was just another reason why he should let someone else weigh in.

Nowak considered for a moment before he finally answered.

“Asle why don’t you like her?” Nowak asked.

“Merchants always want something…”

Nowak considered that a long moment.

“Well, I think she’s gonna try to find a way to get close to you no matter what, so you may as well get something out of it. Besides, don’t see how it could hurt.”

“Asle?” Summers looked to the girl. “Keep in mind that it’ll help us teach you to speak even better. Also, you won’t have to follow us everywhere all the time.”

Asle seemed to think that over for a long time before finally agreeing.

“This is stupid.” Asle muttered.

Synel sat crossed legged on the floor in front of Summers. She’d drawn a small symbol on the card in front of her. What Summers could only guess was a symbol of some kind.

“Are you mad or is that actually the word for stupid?”

“It’s her name. So, yes.” Asle responded.

Summers stifled a laugh before saying Synel’s name out loud.

Throughout the day they’d spent time making the equivalent of flashcards for various animals, objects, and now, names. Summers was actually a little proud of the progress he’d made, it had cost him a bit of a headache, but he’d at least managed to learn a few very important phrases. Things like “stop” and “don’t move” which apparently had some very important distinctions.

To Summers’ surprise the structure of the language was almost exactly the same as English, which meant that it was more of a memorization game than anything. He probably wouldn’t be a master by any means, but there was a good chance he’d have a functional understanding after a month or two.

However, the thought of spending that much time with Synel was daunting, to say the least. Summers was getting a little uncomfortable at the attention. It’s not that he didn’t like it, he just didn’t know how to process it.

To be fair, he couldn’t actually speak to the woman yet, and any body language that might be considered “relaxed” could potentially offend a powerful person they’d be spending the next few weeks with. At least, that was the estimate she’d given them before they arrived at the next city.

“I’m tired.” Asle said.

“…Right…” Summers held up a hand to stop Synel from starting on the next card. “We’ll get some rest, okay? Could you thank her for me?”

“Can I tell her we can stop?”

“No, we already started, and this is actually pretty easy for me.”

“I still speak better, I’m not afraid of soldiers.”

Summers paused.

“What do you mean soldiers?”

“Soldiers.” Asle pointed to Summers. “She said there’s a war, soldiers dangerous for me. That’s why she wanted to protect me. She’s a liar. You killed many soldiers already.”

Summers had to take a moment to remind himself that Asle was still a child.

…He was going to have to learn very fast.