His hand shook as he swiped through the air, withdrawing his armor and weapons. Ethan had showered quickly, the scalding hot water burning away the sweat and grime he was covered in. When he exited the shower, he felt renewed, refreshed. He felt more like himself again.

But now, as he looked upon his shiny metal and leather armor, his self doubt was returning. What if they don’t forgive me? He shook his head, fighting the voice in his own head. If I don’t try, then I won’t ever know.

Ethan’s fingers slipped as he adjusted once familiar buckles and straps. When his eyes fell on his bracers, his mind went immediately to Siv. Back in Skaro she’d gifted him them, she’d had the head of his axe melted down and sharped into wolves to be added to the leather arm guards.

Siv believed in me. He thought to himself as he ran his fingers over the freezing cold wolves. Hertha believed in me, the Vættir believed in me. I can do this.

“Okay,” he talked out loud to himself as he walked down the hallway, “have to figure out some way to pay Jerry, then get my horse and go home. I’ll, uh, make dinner or something as a way to start off my apology. They can’t stay mad at me with a full belly, right?”

His boots thudded heavily on the wooden steps and he had just about convinced himself that he had a plan for returning home when he entered the common room. Jerry was leaning against the bar in his usual place.

“Hey, uh, Jerry, can I talk to you for a second?” He called out as he approached his soon to be former boss.

Jerry turned his massive, bearded head to see him and then stepped away from the bar to walk over to him. When he did, Ethan could see David, sitting in the same seat he had been in the night before. He felt his stomach drop at the sight of his friend.

“How you feeling, Ethan?” Jerry asked, his voice full of concern as he approached him.

“Uh…” he stuttered, his freshly regained confidence already faltering as he looked past Jerry’s bulk to David, who hadn’t seemed to notice him yet. Or was at least pretending not to.

Jerry turned his head to follow Ethan’s eye line.

“Why don’t I give you a minute, then I’ll find you,” Jerry clapped him on the shoulder and went back behind the bar to the kitchen.

Ethan gulped nervously and forced his legs back into motion. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he approached the bar.

“Hey,” Ethan said nervously as he took the stool next to David.

“Morning,” David said, not looking up from his eggs. “You feeling better today?”

“Umm.” Ethan hesitated. Whatever greeting he’d been expecting, this wasn’t it. “A little.” He shifted in his stool, his seaxes once again made sitting uncomfortable.

“Good,” David wiped his mouth on a cloth napkin and stood up. “Let’s go home.”

Ethan turned and looked at his friend, his mouth agape.

“Wait, that’s it?” He asked, completely shocked by David’s lackadaisical reaction.

“What do you want me to say, Ethan?” David put his hands on his belt and looked at him. “You want me to hold your hand on the way back to your horse? Act like you’re a fragile glass Christmas ornament?”

Ethan said nothing.

“Ethan, I’ve known you for fifteen years,” David shook his head and looked at the ground. “I’ve seen you at the lowest points you’ve ever been, this was definitely top three. But you know what else I know about you?”

“What?” Ethan asked, his heart still pounding through his chest.

“That you’re strong.” David jabbed his finger into Ethan’s chest. “That you’re going to pull yourself out of this hole.” He ran his fingers through his thick hair while Ethan continued to stare at him. “Back home I...I would have worried you’d hurt yourself. But here,” he spread his arms out, gesturing to the room, “you can’t die. Here, no matter how long it takes, you’ll pull through it. You don’t have any other choice.”

“David…” Ethan’s voice trailed off as tears rolled down his cheeks.

“Goddammit, come here,” he pulled Ethan in for a very hard hug. “I love you brother, I’ve told you hundreds of times. It’s you and me, until the end. No matter what.”

Ethan squeezed his arms around his friend’s armor encased body and cried.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“No matter what, Ethan,” David said, still holding his friend. “Don’t ever fucking forget it.”

Ethan cried on David's shoulder for another minute before releasing him. He wiped his face on his hand and sighed, noticing tears falling from David’s eyes as well.

“I’m ready,” he said, clearing his throat and wiping his face again, “let’s go home.”

“Good,” David smiled at him, “we’ve got some shit to talk about.”

“Let me just take care of a couple of things real fast,” he said, looking around the bar. “I need to say a couple goodbyes.”

“I’ll be outside,” David nodded and headed to the door.

Ethan sidestepped and squeezed through the gap in the bar, most likely for the last time.

Jerry and Nigel were standing by the table, prepping something for the afternoon meal that day.

“Hey boss,” Ethan said sadly, “I, um…”

“I already figured you’re leaving, Chef,” Jerry snorted, peeling a large orange potato. “Been talking to David out there all morning.”

“Oh,” Ethan ran his hands through his hair as he looked at Nigel. “Look, I just want to say thank you. For everything. I know I’ve been drunk for pretty much the entire time I’ve been here, but I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

Jerry placed his peeler and potato on the table and grabbed Ethan by the shoulder.

“Ethan,” he said sternly before smiling broadly. “You’re always welcome back here.” He pulled Ethan into a tight bear hug. “I hope you find what you need out there.”

“Thanks Jerry,” Ethan fought back tears as he tried to hug the big man back, his arms didn’t reach around the large innkeeper’s back.

Jerry finally released him and clapped him on the shoulders.

“Take care of yourself out there,” Jerry nodded down at him.

“I will,” Ethan smiled, “and, um, about that gold I owe you, I’ll have to send it to you.”

“Ha!” Jerry laughed, “you don’t owe me anything. I just knew you’d believe anything as drunk as you’d been.”

He wasn’t sure if Jerry was lying or not, but he wasn’t going to push the matter further by asking for whatever pay he’d acquired, if there was any.

“Thanks,” Ethan said, turning to Nigel. “Take care of this place and remember what I showed you, Chef.” He naked in respect to the man who’d been his apprentice. “Feel free to write to me if you ever need anything. Or if you’re in Startesgarde, come to the Greenbriar Inn, I can get you a job there.

“Thank you, Chef!” Nigel said energetically.

“Take it easy, Nigel,” Ethan waved as he walked back through the door to the bar.

David was waiting for him when he exited Ye Olde Dog and Pony Inn, he was astride the horse they had earned as a quest reward months back, before the problems with Paul and his guild. They’d earned their mounts through a particularly tough quest on the first floor of the Tower, it was the last big accomplishment they’d achieved as a guild. Tae-Won had been taken only days later.

“You ready?” David asked as Ethan withdrew the small crystal that contained his mount. He hadn’t summoned it since he’d arrived in Grassmere. He didn’t think it would be fair to his amazing brown mare to leave her in the stable while he wallowed in his depression.

Ethan took a deep breath and looked back at the inn.

“Yeah, I think I am,” he rubbed the summoning crystal with his thumb and turned it over in his hand.

With a sudden whoosh of rushing air and a small flash, his mare appeared in front of him.

“Hey girl,” he smiled as he rubbed her head. She nipped at his hand affectionately. “I missed you too.”

He climbed up into the saddle, and rubbed his hand down his horse’s soft neck again, appreciating the familiar feel of his faithful mount.

“I just have one more stop, one more goodbye and I’ll be ready,” he said, sitting back up straight.

“Sounds good,” David nodded. “I’ll meet you outside the North Gate.”

Ethan turned his own horse south, and nudged her into movement.

Mihal was in his usual post, standing perfectly still as he waited for level 1 players to come for their first quests. His vibrant blue tabard fluttered in the gentle wind as Ethan approached.

“Look at you in your fancy armor, chef!” Mihal greeted him happily. “Your nips are covered and everything.”

Ethan grinned as he dismounted, his mare began casually munching on the grass near the dirt path leading into Grassmere. Without saying anything, Ethan roughly embraced the friendly guard.

“Uh… thank you?” Mihal looked slightly confused by the sudden gesture as Ethan broke away.

“No, thank you,” Ethan shook his head. “For last night. You reminded me that the people that love me wouldn’t want me to abandon them, even if I thought I was doing the right thing.”

“You’re a good man, Ethan,” Mihal placed his gauntleted hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay to forget that, just don’t let the people you need be hurt by it.”

“I won’t,” Ethan said. “Again.”

“Good,” Mihal grinned, the tips of his mustache rising. “And I’m guessing this is a goodbye?”

“It is.” He nodded.

“Well then, I think I have a gift before you leave,” the guard reached into one of the leather pouches on his thick belt and removed a tangle of teeth and delicate chain. “I know Jerry gave you one weeks ago, but I didn’t see you wearing it so I assume you lost it.”

A pang of guilt twisted on Ethan’s stomach. He’d thrown the necklace away before he came to Grassmere, it had reminded him of Alera.

Exquisite Wolf Tooth Necklace

Quality: Uncommon (Crafted)

+10 Constitution

+10 Strength

This necklace was made with respect and care for Ethan Holliwell by Mihal, Guard of Grassmere to replace the one he lost. Try be more careful with this one.

The stat window appeared unprompted as soon as Ethan accepted the gift. Unlike the previous necklace he’d received, there were no pieces of soft tissue remaining on the single canine tooth that hung from a radiant sapphire in the middle. The twine that had held the previous necklace together was replaced by a chain of tiny metal links.

“I’ve had a bit more practice since then,” Mihal said proudly. “Someone told me they’re much nicer if you use real metal and wipe away the bloody bits.”

“It’s beautiful,” Ethan said in amazement as he held the necklace up to the light. The bright sunlight refracted through the jewel, causing it to appear to glow. “Thank you, Mihal.” He quickly undid the clasp and put it around his neck.

“Don’t go losing this one,” Mihal pointed his finger at Ethan and said mock sternly.

“I won’t, I promise.”

“Good,” he nodded, “now, don’t you have to be leaving?”

“I do,” Ethan said sadly. He had been miserable the last month, but by the way Mihal, Jerry and Nigel had treated him, he never would have thought they’d ever been anything but family to him.

“Then you better get to it,” Mihal slammed the butt of his spear into the ground in a salute. “Your friend is probably waiting on you, and some of us have work to do!”

“Thank you, Mihal,” Ethan hugged him again, grateful for the guard’s gift and his talk the night before.

“Goodbye, Ethan,” Mihal said when he’d broken free once again.

It didn’t take Ethan long to ride through the quiet village. The NPCs were going about their daily routines, selling their wares and interacting with their friends. He saw the small child whose cat he’d rescued chasing after the white kitten as it ran away, a look of sheer terror on its tiny face.

“Lord Whitepaw!” The sandy haired boy shouted as he struggled to keep up, “come back!”

He couldn’t help but laugh at the small child who seemed to constantly be losing his kitty.

“You ready?” David asked as Ethan finally caught up to him.

“Yeah,” Ethan nodded. “Let’s go home.”

“About that,” David pursed his lips as he trailed off.

“What?” Ethan looked at his friend in confusion. “We not going back to Startesgarde?”

“Got a side trip first,” David kicked his heels gently into his own horse. Ethan quickly followed.

“Where are we going?” Ethan asked, now more confused than before. “The Tower?” Did they all out level me while I was gone and David wants me to catch up? I know my gear is still what I bought back before I went to Skaro, but his doesn’t look that much better than mine.

“We are going,” David paused and sighed. “To Playa de Fuerte.”

“I don’t know where that is, but you taking me on a beach vacation?”

“No,” David answered patiently. “We found Tae-Won. We’re going to rescue him.”

Ethan’s jaw fell open in shock as he stared at the back of his friend’s head.

“I told you I needed you,” David turned and looked at Ethan.