In the end, the training sessions with the Wolf provided somewhat of an answer to my mounting nervousness as the day approached. He showed me some exercises I should do daily to regain some semblance of control over my arm and he instructed me on guards and stable stances. I didn’t have much time to learn, but I hoped that now at least I wouldn’t topple over if someone sneezed at me. Hopefully not even when they supplemented their sneeze with a flurry of rather lethal strikes and stabs.

When it came to my club, he gave me the ever-insightful hint of “hit them on the head”. Or, lacking that, bashing my enemies’ weapons out of their hands.

Finally, something I can wholeheartedly support. Non-lethal takedowns, here I come.

Sadly, only a week had gone by before I was gearing up for real combat already. Not a lot of time to hope for a miracle. And I wasn’t one for relying on miracles.

I strapped Planky the second to my arm with way too many leather strips and belts. After a few light mock-combat rounds with the Wolf and a dozen adjustments, I found the ideal setup and tightness that would prevent it from falling off or wiggling around under most circumstances. He even complimented me on the idea and execution, though he also told me in no uncertain terms how it was more of a temporary measure and that he was hoping I still wouldn’t rush things.

“The time to feed your soul will come. For now, you must temper yourself into a person who can go out and come back without being barreled over, crippled, or worse. Focus on your body and mind before the soul. Even if plundering soul promises the quickest and largest gains, it comes with risk aplenty. Therefore: Don’t. Rush. Yourself.” He said.

I’m not rushing myself! Just going out to get an itty-bitty piece soul. And loot. For medicine. For hair. I want to start paying for my own stuff. I can’t lie on my belly forever.

With that, the day came, and I walked out the front of the temple, to meet the rest of the troupe. Avice was already waiting there, as well as the other four people, some of whom I recognized.

Everyone still looks like a half-corpse in places. Like me. But it's not too bad. I hope we can still be friends. Like to like and all that.

There was Ritz, the talkative guy from before. The one with the smile. He had a spear, though a short one, and wore a cushioned leather hat with flaps on the side. His thick gambeson was strung so tightly in places and spilled out in others, he looked like a cross between unmade bedsheets and a man-sized sausage.

I saw a Bekki man, too, with claws like a cat, ears like a cat and sharp teeth that looked like they’d be really hard to clean. To be more precise, it was the exact same Bekki man that hissed at me when I almost stepped on his toes some time before. He was the most lightly armored out of us all, nothing more than a padded vest and pants to cover his important bits.

I’ll just stay a polite yet… healthy distance away from him. Bekki still creep me out to no end.

The other two looked like normal humans. One was a man I could only describe as ‘yeah, I know that guy’ in the vague way that his unremarkable square face could have belonged to a brother, distant cousin, neighbor or just any random person on the street. But other than that, though the way he carried himself did seem awfully exacting. With almost military-like discipline. He was armored as much as I was, a bit better around his neck and hip. When he looked at me, he gave me the universal nod of greeting/approval/understanding.

Nod received! Sending nod of greeting/appreciation/understanding.

Lastly, the woman that stood in between the two guys was a sharp looking figure. Not just in the way that... well, I thought she was quite pretty. Which came as an absolute surprise as even most of everyone else had signs here or there of having come back from the dead where she did not. She also had an air of, well, something I couldn’t quite describe. Something like a belt worn too tightly. Like just having had a haircut from a genuine barbershop, like carrying the foremost banner on Banner-day. Like a simple gesture which could make a kingdom topple or at the very least wobble inconveniently.

Then again, it could just be her weirdly intense yellow slit eyes. Like an eagle. Or a wolf.

Makes me feel a bit nervous-hot. The intense stares. But wow, her hair looks so smooth. So long, so colorful and brown. I bet she bought some of Harris’ wonder hair cream.

“Well, you’re certainly a scrappy looking one.” She said, nearing a condescending tone.

I took it as a compliment.

“Thanks! I’m Elia Rye. But you can call me just Rye.” I offered my hand.

She just looked at it. “Vinesse. Duodecania, forty-second Loften auxiliaries.”

I have no idea what any of that means, but we’re off to a great start. She shakes hands like a pointy icicle. Maybe I can make her warm up to me with a compliment?

“I like your name.” I said. “It sounds pretty. Very noble. Can I call you Vin? Vinny? Vi–”

“You may call me ma’am.” She said, shattering my hopes that this was going to be easy with even just the tone of her voice.

Very barb-like. Very pointy. Very icicle. Absolutely not a hugger, as a guess. I’m not gonna try and find out.

“O-ok ma’am.”

“Now. Rye.” She said, looking me in the eye in a way that made me instinctively straighten up. “In this group, we take our field trips rather seriously. No one wants to come back empty handed, lose an arm or their life. To ensure success, there are two rules. First, you do what I say. No ifs, no buts. Don’t question me, don’t ignore me and don’t go against my orders.”

She waited for my response, which was a hasty and short nod.

“Second, we divide all loot evenly by our number. Any questions? No? Then all’s clear.”

It certainly seemed clear-cut and done for her. For me? Well, if she wanted to play leader, I wasn’t going to question her on that. I would be a liar to admit that not carrying the burden of decision making and planning was anything but liberating in that moment. Though it still hurt a bit to let it go.

It’s just for this mission. This short adventure. Look on the bright side. Loot! Light! Conversation and friends abound.

“Alright.” I said slowly, sneaking a peak at Avice.

She was wearing her stone mask, fastened by some extra strips of leather and cloth. I gave her my best ‘is this fine?’ look and she slowly nodded. I assumed that for now, I should run with the river-flow, so to say. Though I also couldn’t stop noting how half the party was looking at me with a mixture of expressions.

“The Runner-girl is our new frontliner?” The armored man asked.

He looked like a no-nonsense guy, well-used sword and board in hand and armor that while old and slightly rusty in places looked like he’d cared for it well. As far as I understood his tone, in his eyes, allowing me into their little group of adventurers was chafing against something. He didn’t seem all that nice, but I’d dealt with scarier things and people.

“And if I am?” I asked, making a point of looking him straight in the face.

If he scoffed, I didn’t hear it. “You can barely even hold your own shield.”

Vinesse turned to him, then slowly back to me. “Yes. A fair point, Moggen. As I was about to ask Rye myself. You are fairly diminutive and rather unsteady looking. Care to enlighten us as to how we could rely on you in a real fight?”

I was taken aback by the question but gathered my composure quickly enough.

I have practiced this moment dozens of times in my mind. I can do this.

“I, well first off, I’m not called ‘Runner girl’. I’m Rye, thank you very much. Secondly, I know that I’m not strong. Or particularly good at killing… people. But I’ve got armor. I’ve got a shield. And if you tell me to hold a doorway or fight something, anything really, by Ruthe I’ll give it my best.”

They both nearly stared holes in me. Vinesse was the first to speak up.

“Group vote. Do we let Rye join us or not? Avice, you have no vote as she’s here on your recommendation. Hands up for yay.”

A hand went up. It was Ritz’s.

“I vote for. Hey, she sure looks plenty fierce to me. Like a scary hedgehog, or a frog with a shiv.”

Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. But I’ll remember that comparison.

“Alright.” Said Vinesse. “Hands up for nay.”

The armored man’s hand went up. “I vote nay. She’s a liability more than a fighter if she can’t hold her own. Women like her have no place on the frontline.”

Vinesse shot him a neutral glare, to an immediately withering effect.

“-unless they’re otherwise qualified.”

Another hand went up. “Krah votes nay. Moggen makes good point.”

I stared at both of them and somehow, this all didn’t seem so real anymore. Was this yet another one of those times when fate pretended to give me reprieve, only to smack me over my head with an unseen club and twice the vigor? It wasn’t fair.

I can’t have been nervous and anxious this past week for nothing. I can’t have trained just to stumble and fall before it even started. I want this.

“I–“ I said, trying to plead my case, but Vinesse shushed me.

“One yay, two nay.” She remained silent for a bit to let the verdict sink in.

“We’ve got no place for a little girl playing knight.” Moggen said as if he was judging me for the entire group.

It sure felt that way. My heart sank and I wanted to scream.

It’s not fair! It’s not. You haven’t even seen me do anything. You haven’t seen me fight! The spiders, the…fish, the Bekki woman, the training. I worked so hard for this. I’ll, I’ll… I’ll kick you in the dick!

Vinesse didn’t let any of that sway her mind. “As party leader, I vote to accept her, putting us at two yay, two nay. In which case, as leader and tiebreaker, I choose to accept her outright.” She decreed empirically.

Oh. Oh wow. I was worried for a second there. Bless her. And thank the gods.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been saving. My nervousness was at eleven out of twelve and my heart just now seemed to have caught up to my turmoil, beating loudly in my ears.

“T–thank you, Vinesse.” Was all I could blurt out.

She tilted her head backwards and smiled. “Thank me by action then. I expect you to dedicate yourself as if your life depended on it, because it does. We’re going out to kill rats today.”

“Rats?” I asked.

“Up the road, we found a small fort.” Ritz answered for her as she went to chat with Avice. “We stumbled upon it while exploringthe outskirts, but we haven't been inside. Look forward to lots of unclaimed treasure and equipment. Weapons, shields, armor, but also giant rats. And rat dogs. And other grizzly buggers.”

Rats. Rats. I knew I forgot something.

“I’ll be right back.” I said and before anyone could intervene, I was off to find Pim.

George. I need George. People are nice, but George is fuzzy and fun. Cuddly and cozy. Reassuring and reliable. He doesn’t judge.

I went up and down stairs until I found Pim, who had become George’s second-best buddy, right after me. Though, I have to admit that I had neglected Pim a bit. Between my training, sleeping and idle wandering, I only really played with him a handful of times over these past four months.

I’m not a good friend.

As I looked at Pim, curled up on a small blanket he had found somewhere, I noticed that he was sleeping. And George was as well, nuzzled into the nook of his neck and looking like the most adorable little bean I’d ever seen. He was so peaceful, so content. His nose twitched as if smelling something, and he suddenly woke up, looking up at me with bleary eyes.

I can’t just tear them apart.

George had been with me through my darkest hours, through almost all of Regent’s Rest. He was there when I fell, he was there when I stood back up again. But he was with Pim for two months as well. And in all honesty, even though his fuzzy presence soothed my mind, there was a part of me that felt guilty for dragging him into a fight that crippled his back leg.

I petted him on his head, and he sniffed, leaning into my finger.

We’re like two beans in a pod, you and me. Hand and foot. Human and Rat. Head and shoulders? Maybe. But now I realize that you found a true friend. Pim needs you more than me. And that’s ok.

I finished petting him and stood back up, rubbing my face to get the tension out of it.

“You can do this, Rye. Calm as the ocean. Avice will be there. And Vinesse voted for me. She thinks I can do this too.”

I quietly stepped away and when I reached the stairwell, I ran back down and out.

“I’m back! Sorry!”

No one looked particularly annoyed at my short delay. Ritz even seemed partially amused, though I was getting the impression that he just had a face perpetually entertained by jokes and whatever nonsense floated around inside his head.

“Finished your business already?” he asked. “If I had cards, we could have played a round or two of Gwint.”

I straightened my chin and looked him in the eye. “As a matter of fact, I have. I had to pet my Rat.”

He laughed and I got strange looks from just about everyone but Avice. Though that was most likely because she was still wearing her mask. By the looks of it, she was planning to go out with it as well.

“Guys, gals, pack up.” Said Vinesse. “We move.”

I walked over to Avice and fell in line next to her as we crossed the bridge, the gem-eyed sentinel watching over our every step. He’d keep Pim, Harris and everyone else safe so I could focus on my way forwards.

“Are they always like this?” I asked.

Avice kept her tone hushed. “Who, Ritz? Yes. He only amuses on rare occasions.”

“Nono, well… Vinesse is quite commanding, that I understand. But that Moggen dude really seems to have it out for me.”

She inhaled a breath and then let it out. “I… am not good around many people.”

“But?”

“Vinesse is exacting. She takes ‘no’s’ rather poorly. As for Moggen, well… he was not as hostile towards me, though he had every right to be. Maybe he was just trying to scare you?”

That made sense, though it didn’t engender any sympathies towards him. I couldn’t hold a candle to Moggen if it came to a simple slugging fest, in size and weight alone, let alone skill probably. Though if I were to fight against him, I’d try my darnedest to at least make walking a pain for him for the foreseeable future. I’d still lose, but it would be a sweet defeat.

In fact, I wasn’t confident I’d be able to take on anyone out of the entire group. Not even Avice. She must be a fierce spearwoman if she could hold her spear in a double-handed grip with just one side of her arms.

Scary. Weird. But also, pretty cool.

“And what about the Bekki dude?”

“Oh. Krah? I am uncertain. He is just odd. He eats bugs, even small ones. Sometimes, he yells out in his weird language for no apparent reason. And that sword of his.” She pointed at the one-handed curved sword at his hip. “Sometimes I see him treat it as if it would bite him, other times as if it is the most precious thing in the world. I think it is cursed. Or maybe he is.”

I shuddered but couldn’t keep a sense of curiosity out of my eyes.

Cursed swords. Lost ruins. And mysterious companions. Smells like adventure alright. Or a trip about to go horribly sideways. Oh, who am I kidding. Of course something’s going to go wrong.

“Good to know.” I said. “But there’s one thing I can’t figure out. Why does Vinesse’ spear have no tip? And why is it fully made out of bronze?”

Avice gaze swept to the side. With all of us together, our dim light formed a large uneven dome around us while our bright light collided every now and again, banishing the dim veil between.

“Because she is a caster.” Avice said. “Magic and whatnot.”

“Ah.” I replied, taking my time to soak in that our group had an actual mage in it.

A real Wizard! Wizardess? Witch? No, not witch. Definitely not Witch. Caster. Caster works.

“And what does she do? Throw fireballs?”

“You will see. Though, you might want to lower your expectations. Her abilities are not all that snazzy.”

“Not… snazzy?”

“Snazzy.”

Suffice to say, my excitement was stoked. The prospect of seeing more magic outweighed my nervousness as the temple with its many individual light sources peeking out from arches and entryways disappeared into the distance. Though as we marched on the road paved with large rocks, a balance between both was struck. I had enough time to get my thoughts in order and focus on the fact that at any time, something could jump at us out from unseen corners.

Leaving the temple after living in it so long, even if only for a day or two, still gave me mixed feelings. It was almost like leaving a home. And for some reason, that feeling in particular wasn’t all that unfamiliar.

I just hope we’re not going back into the swamp.

I sent a quick prayer to Ruthe and Worga and off we were further into the dark.