I awoke naturally the next day, the sun had risen and the sweet savoury scent of a stew hung in the air. Gen offered me a bowl for breakfast, and I accepted gratefully, gingerly avoiding my wounded left hand. It was quite a step above the bread and preserved meat I’d had for quite a while over the past few weeks. My hand was inflamed, though Page assured me it would subside in a few hours, though the cut would take longer to heal.

“Kael.” Kayio called to me. She’d been smiling and talking, bringing up all sorts of topics to liven the mood, contrasting Gen’s morose expression. I turned to her from my meal, abandoning for the moment the challenge of eating one-handed. “Remember when I first met you? I met Yinea there too remember? You think she’d be able to come see me next time we visit Hrothan?” She asked.

My face fell a little, the image of arrows and her bleeding body coming to mind unbidden. “I’m afraid not Kayio.” I replied, the table quieting for a moment. “You can meet Lapi later though, she’s a dire wolf I picked up a while ago.” I offered, and her smile returned, helping, if only minutely, to dispel the dark pall hanging over us.

I’d been separated from Lapi in the melee, and she now rested with Frejr and the others, nursing wounds sustained during its course. I’d send her back to Soren, they needed a good protector, but for now Torven had decided to celebrate our victory for the next few days. Partly, perhaps, to counter the grief that accompanied it.

“I was useful to them for alchemical knowledge, they kept Kayio as leverage over me… and killed Lin to prove that they were serious.” Gen breathed out, Kayio packing some of her things as we stood outside. “What they did…” He hesitated. “They stripped me and inflicted wounds to test them on, to make sure I gave them the genuine article…” His eyes rested on the tree. “Their names kept me grounded.” He cracked a small wry smile. “Though I suppose it didn’t keep me sane throughout.”

Gen carried his and Kayio’s travel pouch while we left Kikre, it was to be abandoned, at least until Fireboar could send people out to work the land again. Some wagons carried food into the city, from Yooln, that right now had their full attention for repopulation. Food was, after all, indispensable.

Several of them waved at us as we passed, one or two thanking me when I came near. I nodded at them, not wanting to appear callous, since I couldn’t exactly smile at them from under the helm. Lapi nuzzled against me, a small whine escaping her snout, just loud enough for me to hear. I knelt to rub her fur. Kayio stepped over tentatively, and Lapi looked at her for a moment, nuzzling her when she hesitated, just a step out of reach. She smiled brightly, and I thanked Lapi with a whisper.

Frejr and the others stood nearby as well, and I stood to greet them. I paused for a moment as I looked at them. They were quite a sight, having changed to casual clothing for the day. My gaze lingered on Numen. Is that? I thought, questioning Page as I tried to mask my bewilderment.

[Yes, it appears we misjudged her…] Page remarked, mildly amused and bewildered.

I nodded at them, Qent smiling at me. “They have some great baths here Kael. You’ve got to try them.” He enthused. “I’ve rarely even seen one like it, and we all get a free pass each!”

I removed my faceplate. “Yes, I think I will.” I replied, an easy smile on my face. I had heard of public baths from the farmers in Soren, though the tales tended towards lurid fantasies. I hoped they changed the water often though, or I’d be in some trouble.

“Lapi refused to go in with us, she was waiting for you.” Frejr said. “Hakten personally permitted her chance for the baths, she gets the private room to keep the fur from the others.”

I laughed, reaching down to pet Lapi, her tail wagged with slow movements as Kayio continued to hug her. Kayio eventually separated from Lapi, who sent her off with a gentle push of her snout. Gen would take up residence with one of the civilians, there were plans for him to work alongside the town’s alchemist until they decided if they wanted to stay here or move back to Kikre.

I shook hands with Gen before we left. “Thank you.” Gen said. He passed me some kind of box, and opened it to show me the poultice within. “This is for your wound, it’s an old formula people used before alchemical formulas, so you should be able to benefit somewhat from it at least.”

“Thank you.” I replied, a large smile spreading across my face. He smiled back, and went with Kayio to find the administrator for Torven, likely the same Hakten that had been mentioned. She waved at us as she left, flashing a large smile at Lapi, who in turn inclined her head.

I followed Frejr and the others as they led me around the town, Qent pointing out the various landmarks and important buildings like the blacksmith, market, and town hall, where Hakten passed out rulings. Tonight there would be a feast to celebrate their survival against the gnolls, survival, not victory. They stopped before one of the buildings, an inn of sorts, we were staying here for another night, after which the irregulars as a whole would disperse again.

Qent explained that I would not be able to enter in armour, if I wanted to go it’d have to be in casual clothing. That would be easier if I had casual clothes. I thought, but stripped down within my room, taking parts of the armour to convert to something that would pass muster. Some struggling ensued, and I eventually gave in calling for Qent to help me shape the actual clothing, my left hand inhibiting my dexterity. Good thing I’d already had undergarments fashioned from them at least.

“How does this even work?” Qent questioned, bewildered, as I gave him instructions to tear, join and fold the pieces of cloth into garments. “I don’t know of any magic that could do this. We learned enchantments while I was with the Tower, but this is completely different from the enchantments I know are possible.”

“I wouldn’t know myself, but I’m using it, and it helps, I believe that’s enough really.” I held onto one of the pieces with my right hand as he folded the last piece, bonding them at the seams. “Great, that’ll do just fine for casual clothes I think.” I shrugged them on, nodding to myself as I observed the handiwork. “Thanks”

“You’re welcome.” Qent replied, leaving the room. Lapi followed me down the steps, leading the way as we headed for the baths. I drew a few looks as I passed, likely due to the clothing I wore. They were really just cloth shaped to look like a shirt and pants, my skills as a tailor were rather suspect, considering the fact that I certainly had no formal training in that regard. I had a piece of the armour wrapped around my hand like a bandage, tight against the skin and waterproof.

The men in charge of the baths let me in without fuss, providing directions and instructions to me regarding where to go and what to do. The hallways got hotter as I went down them, humidity increasing until it became an almost tangible fog. I opened the door, letting Lapi into the room that they’d assigned her. Scrubbing her down in warm water and soap while she lay across my lap, eyes closed, relaxed with fur drifting in the water.

The water changed periodically, emptying out before quickly filling again. Quite a marvel to watch. Once we were done we left the bath, roughly half an hour spent within. Much longer than I would take for my own baths, but it was an interesting experience. Drying out Lapi was rather difficult considering the humidity, but she managed somehow to keep from dripping water across the floor, her fur puffed out and increasing her size by half.

The town hall was a modest building, its timbers sturdy and the design simple. It was a fairly small country, which didn’t particularly lend itself to opulence. A large well built man greeted me from across the room, walking down to stand before me. “You must be the one who went with the alchemist and his daughter. I haven’t had the chance to offer my thanks for your efforts, allow me to do so now.” He extended a hand, and as I shook it his other hand clasped firmly around it.

“I do hope that you will join us for the meal tonight.” He said, voice filled with warmth. Genetics had done this man a number of favours it seemed, he was almost two metres tall, a veritable wall of muscle. I nodded, some rest would do me good, and a celebration would be quite an experience at least. He grinned. “Good, good. I will see all of you tonight then.”

I returned to the inn, climbing the stairs to my room. Unlocking the door, I moved to the armour I’d folded onto the bed, regarding the pieces I’d removed to make my clothing. As I did so the door opened behind me, I turned, and greeted Numen. She sat on the bed on the other side of the room. “How’d you find the baths?”

“Lapi enjoyed them very much.” I said, hooking the armour and placing it on a table. “It was nice to have a warm bath for a change personally.” I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed having water that wasn’t cold. Winter was hell on my senses. “Shame I don’t make enough money for this to be a regular thing.” I said with a small laugh.

“What about the hand?” She asked. “I saw the bandage, and Rince told me about how you’d gotten it while saving Kayio.”

“Who’s Rince?” I asked, the name not ringing a bell in my mind despite my best efforts to recall. She smiled wryly.

“Rince was the leader of our group, he’s new, but Leethe said that he showed a lot of promise in the field.” She explained. “I guess it’s normal that you wouldn’t know who he is, I only learned of his name a short while ago when he introduced himself to me.”

I nodded, sitting down to pull my sword out, and laying it across my lap. Yesterday I’d only been able to give it a cursory examination, wiping blood from it in the process. I pulled out a strip of the Liaen to use as a strop, fumbling with it as I moved the blade. I sighed, making the back stiff as I rubbed the sword edge against it, my left hand using only the fingers to guide the blade properly.

“Azarint and the others were discussing forming a group and keeping in touch somehow. Make it easier to coordinate our actions if we ever need to do something like this again.” Numen said. “Some of the others have said that they can’t really join in, they’re mostly in for the thrill of exploration and wanderlust, but most of the older irregulars are in, and a few of the new ones.”

“Yew relize shad…” I blinked once, closing my eyes for a second, before removing the strop from my teeth and setting it down. “You realize that if I can I won’t leave Soren? They helped me, and I’ll be there unless cities are burning.”

“Well… you see, we were hoping for you to accept a more active role.” She remarked. “Leethe vouched for you, Frejr gave her silent assent. You’re good at what you do, besides, you’re one of the few Sensitives we know of, and against anything magic, that’ll be a great help.”

Sensitives? I thought to myself, but formulated my reply, she interrupted me before I spoke.

“Think about it, but for now we’ve a feast to get to.” She said, standing.

My hands are fine, by the way. I thought, smiling to myself slightly.