The Wandering Inn

Book 6: Chapter 4: D

Book 6: Chapter 4: D

Night was falling on Baleros. The jungles, always filled with life and motion, died down somewhat as a calmer, cooler atmosphere swept through the continent. Baleros, the continent of war and riches, grew quieter.

But no less alive. And in the break in the jungles, in an open haven of space where the green gave way to white beaches, a Lizardgirl bathed alone in the fading sunlight. Water dripped from her scales as she washed herself in a jungle stream meeting the ocean. Her neck-frills shone with moisture as she turned, her nude body catching the last rays of the sun.

It was there he found her. A proud Centaur, his top half bare, his sweaty skin bared to the cool air. He paused for a second as the Lizardgirl realized he was standing there.

Oh. Pardon me, Miss. I didnt know the stream wasoccupied.

And I didnt realize Id have a guest.

The Lizardgirl tilted her head. She propped her hands on her hips. The Centaur looked down and scuffed at the grass with one hoof.

I should go.

Oh, but must you? Theres enough stream for both of us. And Im not intending to stop bathing for a while.

The Centaur looked back. His white teeth flashed in the gloom, and his flank rippled as he trotted forwards. With one bare arm he bent and held out a hand. The Lizardgirl smiled, her multicolored scales gleamed and the frills around her neck opened slightly. She pressed her warm body to his, feeling his short fur ripple in the moonlight. She ran a hand down his tail.

Youre quite bold, sir.

Im sorry. I thought this was enough stream for both of us. Unless I should bathe downstream?

She smiled.

Oh, no. I think we can fit ourselves in together. But ahwhy dont I help you?

She ran one claw down his flank. The stallion shivered as the Lizardgirl bent lower. And as she reached for his

Hey, Daly. What are you reading?

The young Australian man looked up. He broke off from the steamy scene of Centaur-Lizardgirl sex. The faded parchment in his hands began to roll up. Daly straightened.

A part of the jungle seemed to be speaking to him. That was, until the girl crouching across from Daly moved. Then you could see where her body started and the forest began. But for that, she was quite, quite hard to spot; she stayed still, whispering. And her body was layered in a composite of mud and lichen, so that if she was lying down she might pass for an odd splotch in the earth.

A mosquito whined past Dalys ear. He didnt swat at it, even when it landed on his arm. It probably wouldnt bite him through the similar mud camouflage on his body. And if it did? Daly had too many bites to worry about one more. Instead, he carefully handed the parchment to the girl without a word. His hands had left some mud on the parchment, so she took it by the corner and squinted.

Just like in the piece of erotica, night was falling over Baleros. Only, unlike the idyllic scene with the nude Lizardgirl, Baleros didnt get quieter with the fading light. If anything, it got louder.

Or maybe that was just how it felt to be in the jungle. Baleros wasnt all plant and dense tropical forest. Like any continent it differed in geography. But it was best known for the choking, nearly impenetrable green that marked the continent. For, while each continent had uninhabited places, patches of land unclaimed or at least, unsettled by sheer virtue of the size of the world, only Baleros could lay claim to true wilderness.

Between the jungle-cities of the Lizardfolk, or the ordered settlements of the Dullahans, the sprawling Centaurian camps, and the other settlements by the races of Baleros, there was jungle. And you could lose an army in the densest places, where even sunlight never saw the forest floor.

This place wasnt nearly so deep. But it was deep. No trails existed; Daly and his group had gone off the road and all traces of civilization had vanished. The greenery around them buzzed with insects mating, preying on each other, the croaking of frogs, andother things.

And here they were, in that chaos. Daly, the girl squatting across from him, frowning at the parchment, and six other Humans. Four were Australian. The other two, the girl included, were from Sweden. Yes, Sweden of all places. Was it that surprising? Perhaps not, but Daly wouldnt have usually bet on meeting a Swede crouching in the jungle, covered in camouflage, reading in complete silence.

Her name was Siri, no relation to the iPhone voice. It took her a minute to realize what she was reading. When she did, she looked up and raised one mud-covered eyebrow.

Erotica? I didnt know you read it.

I dont. Give it here.

Daly carefully took the loose pages of parchment and wiped at a bit of mud stuck to them. The pages were worn, and some of the ink smudged. It was no book; the parchment was loose and unbound, and the inky handwriting slanted as the writer struggled to keep to nonexistent page lines. But Daly handled it carefully as he edged closer to Siri.

It was written by a friend. I sometimes read it to have a laugh.

Really? One of us? Who?

Daly paused.

You wouldnt know her. Her name was Caroline.

Oh.

Siri understood what Daly meant from the expression on his face and didnt ask further questions. She looked down at the parchment as they squatted together, shoulders touching. Neither noticed. Or cared.

The jungle buzzed. But the two kept their voices so low that it was barely audible to each other over the background noise. And as the light vanished, the writing faded from sight completely. Neither Siri nor Daly suggested lighting anything, though. And Daly spoke into her ear.

Its funny. Ill lend it to you if you want. And its uh, not bad.

Hot Centaur sex?

And the Lizardgirl. And a Dullahan appears later in. Its unrealistic, though.

Yeah. Anyone with a bare chest would have a bunch of mosquitoes eating them.

Daly grinned.

No, I meant the other parts. Lizardpeople have cool bodies, not warm ones. And Centaurs hate anyone touching their tails.

Hah. That is funny. Lend it to me, please.

After were done.

Daly carefully rolled up the parchment and inserted it into his belt pouch. He half-rose, and looked around. The small camp he and Siri inhabited was quiet. Dead quiet. The few insects who were attracted to the living bodies went about their business, but the Humans barely moved. Even when something bit Daly on the leg, he just stomped it quickly and only checked for blood. He and Siri were quiet. They didnt ask when the others were coming. They didnt make conversation. They sat, listening, alert for any larger sounds coming their way.

It wasnt safe in the jungle at night. It wasnt insanely dangerous either of course; it wasnt as if monsters lurked around every tree, or dangerous plants and animals were always underfoot, but it wasnt as if such threats didnt exist either. If you had to spend the night in the jungle, you were best served by not attracting attention to yourself.

What happened to her?

Siris whisper was so faint Daly thought it was just a thought. For a moment. He looked up. She was invisible in the darkness. The moon and starlight were mostly blocked by the canopy. He hesitated.

She disappeared one day.

Oh.

Dalys throat constricted. But what else could you say? This was Baleros. A continent defined by conflict. By war. And it was hishome. The place where he lived, at any rate. If you could call it that. SometimesDaly closed his eyes. Things were different than they had been when hed first appeared here, bewildered, confused, surrounded by young men and women from Melbournes airport. Back then Baleros had been hell. But they had survived it. And time had passed since then. Two months and a half to be exact.

When had Caroline written this? Right after the battle, that was it. Right after theyd survived the bloody battle between the Razorshard Armor Company and the Roving Arrow Company in the forests. When theyd first formed the United Nations company. Daly felt the parchment in his belt pouch shift a bit as he drew his knees closer to his chest. Back then, theyd been so optimistic. Hadnt they? It had all seemed like everything was going to be alright. And it had been. For a while. It had been grand

-

She ran one claw down his flank. The stallion shivered as the Lizardgirl bent lower. She reached for his huge, throbbing

Kenjiro Murata broke off reading the piece of parchment and stared at what came next. He blinked, not trusting to the translation his brain provided, and then read on. He turned crimson and hastily lowered the parchment.

Well?

A girl stared at him. She was blushing too. That was somehow even more uncomfortable, so Ken jerked his eyes back down to the parchment and kept reading. He got four more sentences in and felt the tips of his ears burning. He looked up again and hesitated.

He was a [Negotiator]. A diplomat, but low-level. And Ken was from Earth. He was Japanese, a student from another world who had been accidentally (or perhaps intentionally?) teleported to this one. To Baleros, a continent defined by mercenary companies and war. He had successfully negotiated a ceasefire between two companies, survived a bloody battlefield, and even formed a company of people from his world and this one.

None of it helped in this case. Kenjiro looked at the page of what was in essencesmut. Yes, that was the English word for it. Orporn. Erotica?

The different words and definitions popped into Kens mind. He had never heard the word smut before, or erotica, but he somehow knew the definition of the word in Japanese when he thought of it. It was most likely due to his Skill, [Amateur Linguist]. Thanks to it, Ken had understood exactly what had been written.

Ah, Caroline-san. This is

Its a work in progress. Im not done with it.

The young woman broke in hastily. She was Australian, about nineteen years old and currently the color of an apple. A red one, that was. She indicated the page and Ken realized shed only gotten one page in. And amazingly, it looked like there was quite a lot of potential for more pages.

Carefully, Ken put the parchment down and looked at Caroline. He had a number of things he wanted to say, but his desire to be polite, and his class took over. Always be polite. Be accommodating. You could go far with words. Ken had no intention of going half as far as anything Caroline had just described, but he had to know.

I understand what is written, Caroline. But um, what is the purpose of it?

If she wanted his input on what the Centaur should do next, he would run away. But that didnt seem to be why Caroline had pulled Ken aside. She knew he was very busy trying to organize the budding group, the United Nations company, and all the disparate factions that made it up. People from Earth, Quallet and the former mercenaries, all of whom hailed from different cultures, backgrounds, and species. But Ken felt positive about the challenge.

They could make this world. They could form a company that would not only look for people from their world, but would support and protect each other. They had a number of brilliant people among them. Luan, who was an Olympic rower from their world, or at least, an Olympic hopeful. Quallet, a [Mercenary Captain] whod decided to stick with them even after the disastrous battle hed narrowly survived, Centaurs and Dullahans and Lizardfolk, including the [Sorcerer], Quexa, and last but not least, Geneva.

The Last Light of Baleros. The [Doctor]. Possibly the most medically knowledgeable person in the world. Ken had watched her work on the battlefield and if there was anyone whose abilities were invaluable and irreplaceable, it was hers. As a [Negotiator], Ken hoped to bring all these people together and create something special. But this?

Its what I can do.

Caroline took a deep breath. She indicated the work of fiction. Ken blinked.

This?

Yeah. Iwell, I wanted to be a writer. Um, you know, write novels. Romance novels. I practiced! I had a bunch of fan fiction online aboutuh, it doesnt matter. Some of it was about Japanese manga. Have you heard of?

Kens polite stare somehow managed to convey his desire not to reminisce about popular manga. Caroline coughed.

Well, I thought I could write something. Theres parchment in this world. And paper too, but its expensive. But I got some ink and parchment from Xalandrass before he leftI didnt spend much! And I wrote this. So? What do you think?

Its verycreative. But Caroline, what is this for?

Ken waved the parchment at her. Caroline looked surprised.

To sell, of course.

Sell?

Ken looked blank. Caroline nodded.

Yeah. Theres no, uh, romance literature in this world. Not many books at all, really. And none of it is recreational, really. So I thought why not write something like this? I mean, Twilight sold a huge amount! If you think itll sell, I could write more, maybe do a short storyor a novel! And copy itwe could sell it, right?

She looked hopeful. Ken sat back. Now he understood. She wanted to doshe wanted to be an author. And sell this. He had to admit, it was a novel idea.

I know youre trying to find ways to make money. Luans trying to be a Runner, and Dalys talking about going back to work in a suppression company. But if that Quallet guy asksIm not doing it. Not ever again.

The Australian girls lips compressed into a tight line. Ken nodded. He didnt blame her. No one would want to walk back into the battlefield, not after what theyd seen.

He had been part of Quallets company, Gravetenders Fist. Theyd been a suppression company, hired to clean a battlefield of corpses after each day of combat to prevent the undead from spawning. It had been dirty, dangerous work. But even worse had been getting caught up in the crossfire as both companies whod been fightingthe Razorshard Armor company, comprised mainly of Dullahans, and the Roving Arrow company, a Centaur group, had begun to ignore the rules of war and target third parties as well as each other.

We will try not to force anyone to fight, Caroline. And yes, every talent is needed. But are you sure this wouldsell?

He had his doubts. But then Ken remembered that there was a big market for this in Japan. It was justwould it apply to Baleros, where other species were as common, if not more common than Humans? Caroline shrugged.

It cant hurt to ask, right? Sowill you ask?

Me?

Ken looked horrified. Caroline blushed.

I cant!

But you wrote it!

I just cant! Ken, you have to! Youre the [Negotiator]. You can ask if the others think itll sell. Please?

I

Ken spluttered. This was not something hed ever envisioned having to do. But Caroline was insistent.

Its for the good of the company! And it might sell a lot! You know about Twilight, right? And Fifty Shades of Grey? They sold millions of books, Ken! Just imagine it! Please ask! I just need feedback from a few Dullahans, Centaurs, and Lizardfolk.

Only them? Ken bit his tongue. Caroline had named the three most common species inhabiting Baleros besides Humans. The stony-faced, hierarchical Dullahans encased in their armor, who could detach heads and body parts as easily as blinking. Centaurs, haughty, arrogant, and yet also intensely honorable in their own way. And Lizardfolk, who were in a word, social. Extremely adaptive, almost never found alone, and chatty. And Ken had to show this to them? He opened his mouth to protest again, and found Caroline ushering him towards the door.

Remember to get their feedback! Ask them if they liked the pairings! And thethe descriptions!

Ken stared at the door as Caroline shut it behind him. The little hut that had been his work area was one of several on the beach. In fact, the small fishing village inhabited by Lizardfolk was entirely on the beach. The slim, scaly Lizardpeople walked to and fro, chatting, casting nets together, and stopping to stare at their guests.

The United Nations company, or rather, the group of people whod decided to rally under that banner were still in holiday mode. Groups of Humans dressed in bright clothing mixed with a few Dullahans, a pacing Centaur or two, and a gaggle of Lizardfolk. They were mainly Humans from Earth, and they boasted a mix of technology from their worldiPhones, modern clothing, and jewelry the Lizardfolk clearly covetedsome also still carried weapons from their time as mercenaries. Among them was Quallet Marshhand himself, a man with several scars who was clearly out of place in this peaceful setting.

The beach was wonderfully white and beautiful. Ken had never seen somewhere this lovely in person. The waves lapped at the sand, and the food was excellent, the Lizardfolk hospitable. Theyd given up their housefor coin of courseand had fed their guests well. Being here had almost made Ken forget the blood and death of only a week earlier.

Almost. But Ken would never forget, least of all in his dreams. What was a bit of embarrassment compared to that? He took a deep breath and marched across the sands. As he walked, some of the people looked up. One of them called his name. Ken turned and waved at Daly, an Australian young man who still bore the axe hed fought with.

He was relaxing next to Quexa, a Lizardgirl. She had only one foot. The other one had been cut off in battle, but Geneva had helped create a simple peg-leg for her. And the [Doctor] was hoping to improve on that, and bring more modern technologies from her world. She just needed time and resources. And if erotica would fund the [Doctor]s needsKen took a deep breath.

Excuse me! Mister Revuc, yes? May I ask your opinion of something if you have the spare time?

-

Fucking hell. I think hes actually doing it. You owe metwo silver coins, Paige.

Daly watched as Ken approached a Dullahan wearing stiff wood armor. The Dullahan had his head tucked under one arm, but he fastened it to his head and locked it into place as Ken showed him the piece of parchment. Two Lizardboys crowded around and Ken hurriedly shooed them away. They were too young, but the Centaur and five other Lizardfolk he called over all looked interested. Daly watched and then turned to his side.

Hey Paige, I said

I hear you. Go to hell.

A young woman lying in the sand half-raised her head. Her ears were filled with two blue ear buds. She was letting the sun bathe her. Reluctantly, she looked up and saw Ken gesticulating quickly to the Dullahan, who was looking quite affronted.

Thats disgusting.

I dont know. I quite liked it

Without looking over, Paige tossed some sand at Daly. He spluttered and Quexa laughed.

Not the story. The fact that Caroline made Ken ask about it. Let her do it if shes so invested.

Some of the other Earthworlders in earshot nodded. Daly shrugged. He brushed sand off his back, and then felt something sweep across him. He looked over. Quexa winked at him as she slapped his shoulder, dislodging the dry sand.

I dont know. I think its smart, myself. True, Caroline should probably grow a pair and get out there, but if they do go sour, Kens probably the only one who could stop a fight. Hes our [Negotiator], after all.

Hm.

Paige just grunted. They kept watching. Daly didnt know what was being said, but the affront on Revucs face changed to something like amusement after Ken kept talking. The Centaur laughed, and the Dullahan cracked a smile.

See? Look at that. He made them laugh, instead of knocking his teeth out. Carolined probably get in trouble. Well, maybe. I couldnt do that. Not to one of the Dullahan fellows right now. It takes guts to smile at anyone after you see something like that.

The others grew silent. Something like that. Daly meant the battlefield theyd walked out of. Watching other people from Earth being executed. By Dullahans. Fair, it wasnt as if Revuc stood for all of them, but the memory was burned into Dalys mind. Paige looked over and plucked one ear bud out.

Any news from there?

Yes.

Quexa spoke up. The Lizardgirl sat up.

The Razorshard Armor company won. They drove the Roving Arrow forces away. It was a slaughter after we left. Both companies were reduced to a fraction of their original force. But the Razorshard Armor company secured the areafor four days. Then another company, Stelierss Ring, came in and forced them to retreat.

Fucking hell. You mean all that fighting was for nothing? They won but then had to give up?

Across from them, one of the Australians that Daly had come here with, Dawson, muttered. The others just looked up bleakly. Quexa smiled and her tail curled up a bit. Daly saw that, but no one else could. The Lizardgirl spoke cheerfully.

Thats Baleros for you! Fortunes change in an instant. Even the strongest get eaten. And its not like it was for nothing. The survivors leveled. The Razorshard Armor company probably secured a lot of spoils from the dead. Armor, weaponsit wasnt a complete loss.

Still. This place is just like a warzone. If its like this, then

Someone else muttered. Daly looked up. Baleros was completely different from home. War and battles were commonplace. No one batted an eyelash about hearing about two companies fighting. And this was where he and the others were. Stuck.

After a while, Daly spoke up. He looked back to Ken thoughtfully.

I dont know about you lot, but Im glad Kens here. Because if he hadnt beenif we hadnt run into Geneva, wed be dead. Or living like maniacs.

He saw nods from all around. Paige just closed her eyes and lay back. Daly didnt doubt he was right, either. He remembered what it had been like, living in Gravetenders Fist those last few days. He had feltalive.

Frighteningly so. The fear and adrenaline in the air, the feeling of being on the razors edgeit had colored every waking moment. Daly could remember eating feverishly, sleeping, only to wake up in an instant. That had been the mood among him and the other people from Earth. A burning desperation, the realization that they were in another world and how hopeless their situation was.

There had been something liberating in it. Wild, that called them to do whatever they wanted. Eat, drink, and relish every second youre alive. Because soon youll be dead. There had been real despair among themin everyone from their world as the realization had sunk in. But some of them hadnt given in. Theyd refused to fight, found another way out.

I killed eight guys before Ken showed up. Eight. It wasnt even that hard. You just swing the axe, use a Skillit was easy after fighting zombies every night. Zombies you have to cut off their heads. Centaurs, Dullahansthey bleed and die. If he hadnt stopped the fighting and helped us get away

Paige looked up. Daly stared across the blue ocean. He was still wearing the axe, despite sunbathing. His hand twitched. Quexa looked up. But she said nothing. She looked at the other Earthworlders, but no one else wanted to speak. Paige nodded.

I saw Anders get run down by a Centaur. Right in front of me. Makes you wonder how Humans survived at all. In this place.

No one spoke. Desperately, still smiling, Quexa looked around. Her tail curled further, and she pitched her voice up cheerfully.

Oh, I know the answer to that! Its because there are too many Humans to get rid of. Youre on every continentlots of you. Mainly because you reproduce so fast. I mean, Lizardfolk do too, but Humans are really good at it. Were both good at having sex. Our species, I mean. We might be good ourselves, but I havent had enough practice to tell.

A few of the Earthworlders laughed. Daly chuckled and Quexa brightened.

Speaking of which, I was going to ask. About sex. Is it normal for Humans to have

Hey.

Daly raised his voice. The others began laughing. That was how Ken found them. The young man walked over, holding the parchment. Daly broke off from explaining to Quexa, red-faced, why talking about intimate moments wasnt customary among Humansat least not in this public a settingand looked at him.

Ken! Whats the verdict? Are we all going to start writing Baleros fan fiction, or what?

Ken only blushed a bit. He glanced over his shoulder and hesitated. He coughed twice.

There ispotential. If Caroline-san keeps writing, we can try selling her finished story. But it will take time for her to write.

No kidding?

No. I think it might sell. Um. Among at least two of the species. Lizardfolk are veryhow can I say it?interested. They are open and liked the story. I do not think the Centaurs would, though. Their culture doesnt enjoy it the same way, as they do not like reading of intimate scenes.

And the Dullahans?

Um. Revuc was very upset. But after I explained it to him, I think he might have been interested. If it wasnt so public when he was reading it. Please do not talk to him about it. But Dullahans might enjoy it, if it was not so public.

One of the others whistled.

Closet perverts. Really? Are all Dullahans like that?

They are not all like that. But culturally, Dullahans do not express things like that. So I am saying maybe they might be interestedso long as no one knows what theyre reading.

The others laughed. Daly was joking that Caroline should just copy Twilight and trying to explain that to Quexa when he saw some other people approaching. One of the Humans who had been rowing about the waters had finally come ashore. Luan, sweating but visibly delighted, approached.

Ken! Whats happening over here?

The others looked up and waved. Daly saw Luan had his own group of followers trailing behind him. Hed been rowing with Aiko in his canoe, teaching her how to row. And he was followed by a host of Lizardfolk, all of whom had been taken in an instant by Luans skill. He was faster than any of them on the water, despite the fishing canoes being their crafts. And that was because Luan was truly extraordinary when it came to rowing.

He was an Olympic athlete, or more correctly, the Olympic hopeful of his nation. Luan had trained all his life to excel at one sport. Daly had watched him shoot across the waters. It was strange. Luan had just been one of the others when he was trapped in the jungle. But on the water, he was different.

Luan. Caroline-san has given me this. She thinks we should sell it. What do you think?

Ken turned, smiling at his friend. He, Luan, and Aiko had been a close group in Baleros. The Japanese girl waved at Daly and the others. She stuck to LuanDaly wondered if they were together. The rumor was that Luan was actually a married man, but it hadnt been hard to tell that Aiko was deeply in to him.

No one would ask. This was a different world. For his part, Luan took the parchment from Ken and began reading. He started laughing almost at once.

What? She wants to sell this? Are you serious? Its a brilliant idea! Twisted! Its like doujinshi, you know, Ken? Aiko could do illustrations!

What? No, Luan! No way!

The young Japanese woman protested vigorously. He laughed, trying to show her what was written. She covered her face and turned away. The others laughed and Daly saw Quexa looking interested. She was going to want to read it next.

Luan returned the page to Ken, who in turn handed it to Quexa when she requested it. The South African man grew serious as he took a seat in the sand with the others.

Im not saying it would sell lots, yeah? But if we could sell some copies, thatd be great. And Caroline could be aa [Writer]. Thats a class, isnt it?

Um. [Scribe] is more common to start with. Ooh. Hey, wait a second! We dont have warm bodies! Not unless were really sick. Is she sick?

Quexa pointed indignantly at the manuscript, and Daly looked over. He grinned. Luan kept smiling, but there was reserve in his tone.

Im sure Caroline could fix it. Shell gain a class tonight, right?

If she doesnt have it already. Im surprised. You all dont have levels. Even you, Luan. Even though youre fast on the water.

The Lizardgirl looked at Luan. He shrugged, glancing at the others.

Its complicated. But Ill want to level. Especially if it makes me faster. We should all be trying to level up, I think.

Weve all got [Warrior] classes, mate. Should we keep leveling those classes?

Daly felt at the axe at his side. Luan hesitated.

Thats up to each of us, Daly my friend. But we need to earn money somehow. Were the United Nations company, and we need to feed everyone somehow. Im going to make money by running messages in my canoe. Thats a good job.

Quexa nodded absently. Luan looked at Ken.

And Quallet wants us to be a company. Escorting Geneva around. And fighting. Not sure thats the right thing to do. But we need jobs and thats a fact, friends.

The others grew silent. They sat up a bit. It had been a wonderful few days here. But Luan had reminded them of the facts. They werent on vacation. And their surviving the fighting in the jungles hadnt left them rich. Theyd been paid for the fighting, but it wasnt as if Quallet and the other suppression companies had come out with money from the broken contracts.

Well, well have another meeting tonight. Caroline can be our [Writer], and the rest of us can look for proper jobs once we head to another town.

Yeah. Definitely. Well make it.

Paige smiled. But there was a bit of uncertainty in the smile. Daly could hear her turn up the music in her headphones. Luan looked around. And then he started.

Oh. Look whos coming.

Every head turned. And the Humans grew still. Some sat up a bit. Walking across the beach came another figure that everyone recognized. Her steps were quick, her gait only a slight bit uneven, favoring her left side. But for all that, Geneva Scala was distinguished. Not just her bearing either. No one who saw her could forget. There walked Geneva, the [Doctor]. The Last Light of Baleros.

She had saved hundreds of lives on the battlefield before Ken and the others had found her. Alone, working in the jungle with nothing but scalpel, needles, and healing potions. To the people of this world, her skills were unique. She could do what no potion or spell could. She had brought people from the edge of death without rest.

And it showed. Of the people on the beach, Geneva was the only one who was clearly not smiling. She lookedrestless.

Ken. Luan. Aiko. Hello. Whats happening?

Geneva paused before the others. Luan turned to her, smiling a bit.

Geneva, come and look at this.

He handed her the parchment before anyone could object. Geneva read quickly, and then visibly paused. She frowned.

This is

Its erotica. Carolines thinking of marketing it. You know, like a cheap romance novel?

Geneva looked up. She didnt smile. Her expression seemed to be a perpetual frown. Nomore like a concentrated stare. And she was restless, as if she expected to be called upon at any moment. She considered the writing and then handed it back to Luan.

Thats not the correct anatomy. But if it sells, why not? We need money. We need to leave this place soon.

The smile faded from Luans face.

Not just yet. We could stay a few more days, right?

Geneva shook her head.

Were running out of money. Do you know how much we have left?

Luan shifted uncomfortably.

I do. But some of us are worn out, Geneva. We all need more of a break. You included.

Ill be fine. But we cant keep putting this off, Luan.

Daly looked from Geneva to Luan and sat up a bit. The dark-skinned man hesitated. He looked at Ken and no one else spoke. Of the Earthworlders, he and Geneva were the oldest, which wasnt saying much. At last, he nodded.

We can leave soon. Well talk it over tonight.

Are we going to be working as a suppression company again, Luan?

Paige called out. Luan looked at them. His eyes flickered. Everyone grew quiet.

If we have to. But Quallets on our side, and a lot of Gravetenders Fist stuck with us. We dont have to go from battlefield to battlefield. He was saying he wanted to form a proper company, instead of a temporary suppression company. We could do stuff likeguarding places, right? Or we could get other jobs. Weve got money. All we have to do is stick together.

Right. And weve got the Last Light of Baleros on our sight and Luan the almighty [Rower]. Well be fine, right?

Daly joked. He heard a few sparse laughs. Luan smiled, but it only revealed a bit of strain. Geneva turned.

Were having another meeting tonight? Okay. Ill be there. We cant stay here forever.

She walked off. Quickly, not even glancing at the ocean. As if she was being pursued. The others were quiet as reality came back. Slowly, Daly shifted.

Guess weve got to get back to work.

He stood up, brushing sand from his legs

-

Dalys hand snatched a large bug crawling up his arm and hurled it off him. The biting thing flew off into the jungle. Daly rubbed at the bite. He made no sound. He heard Siri shift once, changing her stance. But neither she nor Daly sat down, despite their sore legs.

Sitting was a bad idea. Lots of things would crawl over them. And if they were unlucky enough to lie down on a nest of some kindwell, Daly had watched enough nature channels to know about army ants in the Amazon rainforests of his home. They were just a taste of the nasty things you could run into here. No. No sitting or sleeping. They didnt intend on spending the entire night here, anyways.

She was right. It really doesnt look like that.

Daly whispered to himself. He felt Siri shift, but he didnt elaborate. He felt at his belt pouch again. The manuscript was longer. But it had never been finished to the authors satisfaction. And it never would.

Caroline. Listening to her trying to come up with the right words and responding to their teasing each night had been so much fun. Hed really thought it would sell, too. Earn the money they needed. Until

Daly felt his stomach gurgle. Not exactly in hunger. But it did remind him. He looked up.

Siri. You eat anything?

Not hungry.

Daly nodded. He wasnt either. Hed eaten some dried jerky earlier, but he was too alert to settle for a real meal. Absently, he felt at his side. Lets see. By his count it had been an hour and a half. If they were any longer, hed have to

Rustling. The crunch of footsteps in the soil. Daly froze, then turned. He felt Siri jerk to attention. Neither Human moved. Slowly, Daly rose into a low crouch. He reached for his side. The worn handle of an axe fit into his hand as he drew it. Siri, invisible, readied herself. The two were tense. And then

Crikey, what was that?

Someone muttered ahead of them. Daly relaxed. He lowered his axe and grinned.

Think it was a croc, mate. Howd you lot do?

The figures ahead of him relaxed. Daly heard shuffling, then the outlines of four peopletwo male and two femaleappeared. Like Siri and Daly, they were covered in mud and bits of nature. And like them, they barely spoke. In fact, theyd navigated their way here in almost complete darkness.

Almost. As they scooted into the camp, Daly could see one of them held what looked like an oversized firefly in their hand. A [Light] spell, but so faint that it barely provided any illumination. Which was the point.

Sorry were late, boss.

One of the latecomers murmured. He and the others trooped into the small camp space theyd set up. There was rustlingDaly moved aside as someone passed him. He saw the light pass him, and then a face came into view.

Dawson was a friend from home. But covered in mud, only his eyes were visible. He looked horrific in his jungle makeup. Daly nodded.

Did you run into anything?

No. We had a clear go of it. But the damn buggers moved two hundred paces west. We had to follow them.

Can you find them again?

Definitely. Theyre already asleep. So we can go as soon as were ready.

That was good. Daly breathed out slowly in relief. At the same time though, he felt the tension racket up another notch.

Give it twenty minutes. Anyone needs to eat? Get a mouthful in you. The rest of youready up.

The others nodded. They shuffled around the camp, grabbing what supplies theyd left here. All in silence. Daly stretched. His legs were sore. Not only had he and the others set up camp here this morning, theyd spent all day tracking their quarry. Theyd expected them to sleep later, but apparently it was lights out as soon as night fell. Well, it would speed up their job considerably. Daly didnt want to wait another few hours like this.

Im gonna take a piss. I need a light.

Someone muttered. The [Light] spell travelled to Dalys left. He saw someone shuffle over. Male or female it didnt matter. They didnt get far enough away for anyone to not hear the quiet pattering sound. No one commented. Better embarrassment here than wandering too far out. And light was essential. You never knew what was around you.

That done, the others went back to getting ready. Daly already had his rucksack dropped, and he checked his weapons. He couldnt afford something breaking. Theyd only get one shot at this. The six of them had spent too much time to waste it here. And failing would have more repercussions than just wasted time and effort. It was their reputations on the line here. After all, they were adventurers.

Adventurers. Daly breathed in and out, slowly. His right index finger itched. It was an odd distinction. But adventurers were different from mercenaries in Baleros companies. They often fulfilled the same duties, but adventurers operated in smaller groups. They were hired for things like monster extermination over fighting other people. Usually. It didnt mean the job was all that safer. Monsters were quite deadly.

But it beat killing people. There was that. Daly breathed in and out. String? Good. He loaded and unloaded the bulky weapon. Hed apply the poison at their destination. The [Alchemist] had told him it needed to be a fresh coat. He could hear the others doing the exact same check.

Silence. The minutes ticked by very, very slowly.

Aldenon, or Ald as he preferred to be called, sought Daly out as the others took a brief rest around the camp.

Daly, Ive got a bite. Something jumped up and got me on the way back.

Venomous?

Daly was immediately alarmed. He looked down at his friends leg, but Ald shook his head.

I dont think so. It didnt do much more than hurt. But it did bleed a bit. I didnt want to use a healing potion until we could check it out. You know what Geneva said about venoms and potions.

Damn right. Let me see. Get that [Light] spell over here, Dawson.

The light appeared again. Daly looked down and saw dried blood on a leg. He bent, squinted. Ald held still. Daly inspected the wound for eggs, discoloration, but saw nothing as he brushed at the mud and blood.

Looks fine to me. Just a bit of blood. Not even deep.

Thats what I thought.

Ald relaxed a bit. Daly nodded.

Its not gonna slow you down, although it might attract bugs. Already got one bugger in there. Lets put a bandage over it. If its bad, Genevall take care of it when she gets back.

Ive got a roll right here. Lets wrap him up and reapply the mud.

Siri rummaged in her belt pouch. Daly nodded.

Clean it first. Wheres the med kit Geneva worked up?

Here.

One of the others tossed Daly a little rucksack. He opened it and fished out a canteen. The instant he uncorked it, a pungent smell rose from the bottle.

Its gonna sting, Ald.

Hah. I got bit by a Ghoul. Dont worry aboutfuck!

Ald bit his tongue as Daly poured the alcohol over the wound and then rubbed the blood and dirt away with a clean bit of cloth. He bit his tongue and kept silent as the bandage was swiftly applied and wrapped up. Daly slapped his knee gently.

Good as new. Let us know if it starts feeling worse, got it?

Thanks, Daly.

The operation had been very quiet, despite the swearing. Daly corked the canteen and stowed it again, resisting the urge to take a sip. The liquid within wasnt for drinking, tempting as it might have been.

Medical kits didnt exist for most companies. They had healing potions and little else. But the thing about having a [Doctor] in your company was that she insisted you be prepared. After all, healing potions couldnt cover everything. Hence the bandages and other kit theyd brought with them. Antiseptic was especially important. Geneva had been tearing her hair out over the problem. She had a Skill, but she couldnt be everywhere.

In lieu of rubbing alcohol or a proper antiseptic, Geneva had ordered them to bring whiskey, or a hard grain liquor as a substitute. That was what Daly had poured on Alds leg. And the smell was distinct. Some of the bugs flew away at the odor. Some came closer to investigate. Daly heard a grunt.

Pshaw. Whats that stuff you poured on Ald? That Firebreath Whiskey we bought? It stinks!

Yeah. We want to get rid of the smell before were on the move.

Daly scowled. He shouldnt have applied the stuff here. Sloppy. They had to be more careful. If this was a riskier mission or something had been nearby

One of the others spoke up thoughtfully.

You know, we might be able to make a Molotov out of that stuff. Good old-fashioned firebombs? Worth a shot?

Maybedont think itd do much damage against our targets this time. But itd probably scare them. I dont think it could start a fire in this wet. What do you think, Daly?

Siri spoke up quietly. Daly gave it a moments thought.

No. Not this time. We start throwing alcohol around and well be in the red for this job. Weve got poison. Well try that first, pull back and rethink if it doesnt. Remember, aim for the eyes or the side. No one speaks until we get there. Ready?

The others gave a quiet affirmative. Daly nodded.

Move out.

They stood up. In silence, the six left their camp. Dawson took point, leading the way through the tropical rainforest hed memorized. Daly walked in the middle, Siri keeping up the rear. The light spell was barely visible. The footsteps were loud in Dalys ears, despite everyone keeping quiet as possible. They were all listening for sounds that might indicate something lying in wait. They lugged their weapons with them, drawn, but not loaded. Not yet.

Bugs. Mud. Aching legs. There was only one reason for Daly to be out here, being eaten alive. And that was what motivated all adventurers.

Money. It always came back to money. Everything would be fine if they had enough coin. But they didnt. And soon theyd realized what that meant. Dalys teeth ground together for a moment before he stopped it.

If theyd only realized how much it cost to run a company, they wouldnt have pushed so far

-

Were not going to make it.

Daly looked up. Paige was counting their coins. Silver, coppers, goldall of it was in Quallets personal bag of holding. And there wasnt enough. He could see that. Even so, he asked, in case asking would change reality.

Are you sure? How much do we have?

A hundred and eighteen gold coins.

Thats good, isnt it?

Paige shot him a glance. Daly winced. He scooted over and checked, but Paige had counted the coins into even piles of five. He held his breath. Luan and Geneva were not going to like this.

Were never going to get to Talenqual at this rate. We have to stop and earn money. Somehow.

Where?

I dont know. Here. Another town? But well starve long before we get there. And well lose half our company before that. Theyre already talking about needing to be paid. Im surprised they havent brought it up until now.

The others. Daly felt a lurch in his chest. It had been a week and a half of marching. Theyd left the idyllic Lizardfolk village on the beach to march back through the jungle. North, towards one of the cities nearby. Quexa and the others had said it was a good placepeaceful, with opportunity to work. But the journey had taken longer than theyd thought.

Notheyd delayed too long. Too many days of stretching out on the beach, wasting money. And then theyd stopped at nice inns, not marched nearly as hard as they could. They were paying for it now. Quallet had insisted the Earthworlders and soldiers still with them pick up the pace, but the Humans from Earth hadnt been able to muster the discipline, and none of the appointed leadersLuan, Ken, or Genevahad had the stomach to force the issue. Daly wished they had. Desperately, he counted the coins and tried to estimate how far they had to go.

Look, if we all just eat ricewith some of that cheap meat the Lizardfolk sell, er, xelca, and we drink water, how much does it cost us each day?

Too much. Ive done the math, Daly.

Paige snapped at him. He knew she was just stressed. As the appointed treasurer of the United Nations company, she was already under pressure to save as many coins as they could. And that was before the issue in front of themthe Earthworlders were reluctant to give up the pay theyd earned and pool their funds, no matter how necessary it was, and the others werent about to do that at all.

The remnants of Gravetenders Fist might have agreed to join the company, but they were still separate. Even Quexa and Quallet. And if there was no money to be had, they might up and vanish. And then how would the Earthworlders defend themselves?

Its too expensive. Weve got too many mouths. Even rice and meat add up, Daly. We cant always cook it ourselves, and its way more expensive if were paying for meals. Thats on top of paying for rooms, Genevas supplies, materials for the Dullahans armor, bug repellant, not to mention ink, parchment, [Repair] spells for the electronics

Damn it. What do we do, then?

Daly scrubbed at his hair. Paige shrugged.

Ive done all I can. I can only relay the bad news.

Which she did. Every night, the leaders of the United Nations company gathered. In Quallets tent if they were camping, in a room in the inn if they were paying for lodgingsix of them.

Paige, Daly, Ken, Luan, Geneva, and Quallet. The six of them were, each in their own way, leaders. Daly and Paige represented the Australians, who were the largest group of otherworlders whod survived to join the company. Paige kept the money, Daly had found himself keeping people in line. Stopping them from fighting on the road, wasting money, and so on. Ken was their diplomat, responsible for negotiating prices and more of the peacemaking. Luan was Luan. Geneva likewise. And Quallet was their link to the outside world and common sense.

It was that the [Mercenary Captain] threw at them now. They didnt want to hear it, but he was insistent. He paced back and forth, looking angry and irritated.

Companies always bleed coin. The way we earn it is constantly being on contract. Or by controlling and selling a resource of some kind. If we were responsible for guarding a town, for instancebut were not. We need to find work.

You mean, by taking a fight. Going out there and killing some other poor buggers.

Not necessarily. Companies get paid to menace an area, or just patrol. We could take a job clearing pest monsters. Or even undead. Anything to get by. I thought that was why you formed this company.

The man glared at Geneva and Luan. The two looked at each other. Luan spoke quietly.

We dont want to fight, Quallet. Its too risky. People will die.

Thats what happens in a company.

Its not what we want. This company is supposed to protect its members.

By letting them starve?

By protecting. Finding another way to earn gold. Were not in this to start fights!

Luan snapped at Quallet. The man ground his teeth together. Geneva looked up.

I can do it. Ill offer my services at a battlefield. If Quallet can get together some people to guard me, Ill see if Calectus is willing to stay with us and guard me.

For free?

Quallet was skeptical. He had every right to be. The Selphid, Calectus, was already thinking of leaving. Hed done his job guarding Geneva from everything without so much as asking for a copper coinnow he was hinting at leaving more and more with each passing day. He wanted to find some of his Selphid friends and bring them back to meet Geneva. He wouldnt be happy to learn she was planning on going back to the battlefield.

Neither was anyone else. Ken protested immediately.

Geneva, please reconsider. Doing something like working on the battlefieldits too dangerous, surely!

The [Doctor] shook her head. Her hands moved restlessly on the table. Daly saw her left hands fingers moving, as if they had a mind of their own compared to the right. He shivered but kept silent.

Im no use here. I can at least earn money by saving lives on the battlefield.

That might be true. But we cant protect you. When I said we should work as a company, I didnt mean head to a battlefield as a third party. We should take small contracts. We dont have the numbers or the punch to defend a target like you.

Quallet looked at Geneva. She shrugged.

Then Ill go by myself.

This time theyll kill you straight off. They wont risk what happened last time. Word got around. You destabilize a battlefield. No [Strategist] will let you interrupt their plans.

The Italian womans eyes blazed.

Whats the other solution? Let everyone else fight?

Its not necessarily going to come to battle! I told you, companies arent always at war.

And it if does?

You were [Soldiers]. Mercenaries. You survived one battle, and did it well. Why cant you do it again

Enough!

Ken interrupted the two as they argued. He forced himself between Geneva and Quallet, speaking desperately.

Please! Friends, calm down. No one is going back to the battlefield. We could not convince our friends, I think. We must find another way.

Quallet subsided. Geneva stepped back unwillingly. The [Mercenary] looked at Ken and modulated his tone, but barely.

That doesnt change the fact that the rest of us came with your group because we thought it would be an opportunity. The Last Light, your strange lotwere with you. We are. But we have to earn a living and none of us have seen any coin.

That was true. Quallet had funded them with his funds as well as their own. Daly looked down and gritted his teeth.

We could fight. At least, do some patrolling. Im sure at least half of us would sign up for it.

He meant the Earthworlders. The Balerosian lot, Quexa included, were only too happy to act as a company. Quallet relaxed, but Geneva shook her head.

I cant let you do that, Daly. Not you or anyone else. At least two thirds of the Earthworlders are suffering from symptoms of PTSD. Im not a psychologist, but thats my diagnosis. And its an easy one to make.

She looked from face to face. Quallet looked blank. Luan shifted.

A lot of us have nightmares. Flashbacks. Theyre unstable.

Theyre green. This was their first battle. Theyll toughen up. Ill keep discipline.

Quallet growled. Geneva sighed loudly. He didnt understand what they were talking about.

Paige spoke up.

Theyre afraid. They dont want to fight. Were not warriors, Quallet. We dont come from a place where people fight. At all.

Well then, youd better learn. Because a company that doesnt fight dies.

That was the last the man said. The others looked at each other. Luan sighed.

If we stop here and let some of us take jobs while the rest work as a company, can you earn money from tending to people, Geneva? Enough to put us on the road?

Genevas nostrils went white as she inhaled painfully.

From what patients? Who needs a [Doctor] when you have healing potions? Besides, there arent enough injuries. Unless Im on a battlefield

The door burst open. Quallet turned and Daly drew his axe in an instant. Dawson froze as he saw Daly turning towards him. Quallet seized Dalys arm and brought the axe down.

What the hell is it?

He snapped at Dawson. Some of the color flooded back into Dawsons face. The young man looked around the room.

Carolines gone. Has anyone seen her?

No. Did she go outside?

The others looked at each other. Dawson shook his head.

We thought she was just somewhere else, but no ones seen her all night. She was going out.

For a walk? I told you not to go out alone! Especially this late at night!

I dont know if she did! But shes missing.

Damn it. Lets spread out and search. Daly, Paige, you follow me. The rest of you, stay here!

Quallet cursed. He led the way out the door and Daly followed, heart pounding. They searched for Caroline, asking about the inn, checking the forest. Shouting her name.

They never found her.

-

Its not going to work. We have to split up the company.

Ken announced that fact to the group the next morning. Daly looked up. He was sleep-deprived, exhausted from a night of searching. Quallet jerked. Hed been half-asleep.

What do you mean? Its over?

Luan and the others looked at Ken as well, in alarm. The young Japanese man hesitated.

No. The company is not over. Butwe cannot be together. Work under the same flag.

He turned and bowed to Quallet.

Captain Marshhand, it is clear to me that you wish to have a company that fights and operates as one. You have mercenaries, and I think, the will to earn a living that way, is that correct?

Quallet nodded slowly.

Thats right. Im done with the suppression company work. I want a real company at my back, not new soldiers. And Im willing to make your company into one.

Ken nodded a few times.

I understand that. But I think we have had a miscommunication. A terrible one. You see, Miss Geneva, Luan, and Iwe are not trying to form a company that is for hire. We are forming aa group that protects others like us. That finds other people from our home.

Earth. Your strange homeland. I understand that. Whats the problem? Larger companies control land, territory, and so on.

Again Ken nodded.

That is true. But this company is small. And those of us from Earthwe are not willing to fight. Some of us might to defend ourselves, but we do not wish to. And Geneva especially.

Every eye turned to her. Geneva nodded.

I cant be part of fighting. Even if its just me tending to the wounded on one sideif anyones hurt, I have a duty to help them.

Well thats just great. A [Doctor] on our side is our one big asset. Youre telling me you want me to fightwithout including Geneva or most of you lot?

It looked as if Quallet would burst a vein. Ken shook his head.

No, I think that would be unfair. And I think you and the others would be unwilling. So I am sayingwe should split up. Captain Quallet, you should form your company and split with ours. We will earn money ourselves. Your company will be independent.

The others gathered around the table froze. Daly looked up.

Hold on, Ken! If were alone, what will we do to defend ourselves?

The young man looked at him. His eyes were serious.

I do not know, Daly. We must defend ourselves. But I think it is better to do this than have the others leave at once.

So were going to abandon each other? Just like that? We just made this company!

We did not think it through properly. And in truth, I think this is for the best. We can remain allies. But we are not working towards the same goals.

Ken looked sideways at Quallet. The man rubbed at his face.

Thatstrue. I felt like that from the start. Damn it. I think youre right. Were not working towards the same goals, are we? Im all for fighting, but you lotarent.

So thats it? We split up?

Ken nodded.

Anyone who wants to go with Quallet can. His company will earn moneywork independently. I hope, I feel that we can keep strong ties. But he will not owe us anything. If he needs help, we can exchange help. Geneva can tend to the injured. I can negotiate on behalf of the companybut we must earn a living by ourselves. Without fighting.

Find jobs. Settle down somewhere. Ill earn money as a Runner, if I can do it rowing. Geneva can work as a [Doctor]. Maybe in a bigger city?

Luan folded his arms and looked at Geneva. The Italian woman scrubbed at her hair with her right hand and nodded shortly. Ken turned and gave an apologetic bow to Quallet.

Captain Quallet, I am very sorry about this. But I hope your company will keep good relations with ours.

The man looked embarrassed.

Itsthe best way. I wont say this isnt disappointing, but its for the best. Well split. My company will keep ties with yours, of course. But youre right. Well split. Ill tell the others. I think theyll all come with me. And well be searching for work today.

Daly watched as he sat down with Ken to work out how much each group would keep of the remaining funds. Quallet was generous. More than he had to be, really. But it didnt change the fact that when he left, the room was a lot emptier than it had been. Paige looked around.

So were alone. No more mercenaries, no more Quallet to help us.

Luan looked troubled.

They have to earn a living. So do we. And were not fighting.

So? Baleros isnt safe.

Paige shot back. She was still upset. They all were. Caroline had vanished. No one knew if shed walked into the forest and gotten lost, or if something had gotten her. Or if someone had. They couldnt stay in the town.

It was hard breaking the news to the others. But in the end, the results were predictable. None of the Earthworlders wanted to go with Quallet. Not even Daly and the others whod gained levels in the fighting. It was too much to face. His company prepared to part ways with theirs that evening. It was then that Quexa sought Daly out.

Quexa?

The Australian looked up. He saw the Lizardgirl fidgeting. She limped over on her peg-leg prosthetic. Geneva hadnt been able to get anyone to carve or make a better fit.

Quexa, are you going?

The Lizardgirl nodded. She took a breath and then spoke in a rush.

I am. Its not that I dont like you allI do! But I wanted to be a mercenary and I guess you guys dont. So Im going. And were um, not going to talk. I mean, we can talk if we see each other again! Its just that I think you and me areare

A hole opened up in Dalys stomach. He looked at her. Quexa went on, talking even faster.

I like you! But I was also really upset after I lost my foot, I mean, who wouldnt be? And Im not sure its a good idea to be together. Right now. Because were going our separate ways and I really thought youd come with us, but you didnt. But if you didbut you wont. Will you?

She looked at Daly pleadingly. He hesitated and put his hand on the handle of his axe. Daly shuddered. He stood with Quexa for a while, head bowed.

Paige found him later. Daly was sitting, staring at the axe that Quallet had shown him how to use. He stood up as Paige came over.

Daly? Are you alright? Quallets left. With the others.

Yeah. Yeah, Im good.

Daly looked up. He didnt look at Paige. She hesitated.

Youre sure?

There was no need for him to answer that. He just looked at her as he buckled the axe to his belt. Daly shook his head.

Lets just keep moving. Its not safe here.

-

Keep moving.

The present. Daly realized he was murmuring the words. He stopped. The others were glancing at him. Silently, Dawson changed their course, skirting a thick tree in the forest. Daly felt the weight of the axe at his side. And the heavy weapon in his hands.

It was weighty. Wooden, smoothed by sanding, but not varnished or polished. A hunk of wood, really. But strong for all that. And there had been skill in making it. Hard effort. The result might have been crude, but the tool was deadly nonetheless. Daly ran his hands over it carefully, checking the string, making sure the trigger was ready for a quarrel to be loaded into it.

He was holding a crossbow. A big one, far bigger than the small hand crossbows or even the regular-sized ones you saw most people carrying. This was a beast, made almost entirely of wood, save for a few small parts like the screws, sliding mechanism, and part of the trigger. But the rest was wood.

The other five adventurers carried the same. They moved through the underbrush, careful not to get the crossbows tangled on anything. It was twenty more minutes of walking before they reached their destination. When Dawson stopped, Daly knew theyd reached their target. He peered ahead as his friend beckoned him forwards. Thats when he saw them.

Boars. Or rather, something that looked like boars, lying about in the forest. Huge, lumbering things, as big as pigs bred for slaughter in his world. And covered in armor. Their fronts were covered in a dull, matted metal, smeared with dirt and plants and so on, but still noticeably metallic. It was steel, which gave the boars an impression of wearing jagged masks. Their tusks, their faces, were all covered by the heavy metal.

It made them deadly when they charged and they were incredibly aggressive. Hence their name. Stelbore. And they had a high bounty on their heads not just for the steel armor, but because of how aggressive they could be. Stelbore would kill travellers on the road. They ate almost anything. Like pigs.

They were all asleep. Lying on their sides. Nine of them. Two were very big, three more adults but Daly thought only one was male. The other four were smaller. Piglets. Boarlets. Whatever. Daly held up a hand and circled with his fist.

Spread out. The others did at once. They didnt go farbut they moved from tree to tree, hiding themselves. Peeking out. Their crossbows were prepared, strings pulled back and waiting for ammunition. Now they pulled bolts from their quivers and dipped the heads into a little bottle each of them carried. Poison, bought from an [Alchemist]. It should work on Stelbore. It had worked on other animals, but these things were big. So Daly pointed at the boar and raised three fingers. Then he pointed at theoh, the sow. That was it. The female Stelbore. He raised two fingers.

No one responded. But theyd gotten his message. Three of the team aimed their crossbows at the boar, the other two at the sow. Daly sighted on the boar as well. He waited, aiming slightly up from behind his tree, bracing the butt of the crossbows stock on his shoulder. In his head he spoke.

Aim.

The Stelbores underbelly was vulnerable. Exposed. Daly sighted. He felt the crossbows trigger pressing against his finger. Waiting for him to pull hard. The stock of the crossbow was smooth. Not entirely so; it wasnt a professional piece, but it was sturdy. Daly knew that.

Hed carved it himself.

-

Hey Paige. Money.

The young woman looked up. She blinked as Daly set down seven silver coins and two copper ones. A days work. He smiled wearily at her. She looked at the coins and up at him.

Howd work go?

He shrugged and sat down in the chair next to her. It was hard, wicker, but to him it was a heavenly thing. The little cottage they were renting was cramped, and air conditioning wasnt a thing. The shutters were open to let a breeze in, but that just meant the hot, humid air was filling the room. Daly could feel sweat dripping down his body. Paige was perspiring a bit, even though she hadnt been out in the sun.

Not bad. I got worked hard. But its good work. My boss says I pick up stuff wellyou know, for someone without the class. Shes looking forwards to seeing what Skill I get tonight.

So being a [Carpenter] suits you?

Daly grinned wearily.

Suits me and then some. Im grateful. Didnt think Id ever land a job, but my boss is a Naga. You know? Has a big shop and decided to take a risk. It helped that I told her I admired her scales.

Kens trick?

The young man nodded and leaned back, trying to find a comfortable spot in his chair. Ken had taught him and the others how to interact with some of Baleros races. They all had their peculiarities. For instance, you didnt get handsy with Dullahans unless you were best friends. And even then it was rude. On the other hand, Lizardfolk loved contact and chatter. And one of their evolutionary forms, the Naga, was incredibly vain. They loved being complimented, hence Daly getting lucky.

She gave me a trial run. I think she was impressed that I knew how to do some of the stuff she wanted already. You know, planing wood and so on? Apparently she has to explain it all to most of her apprentices.

Thats great news.

Paige smiled. She added Dalys coins to the little belt pouch she carried at all times quickly. Then she reached for her side. Daly saw her pull out her smart phone and work on it. The screen flashedbut dimly. It was at the lowest brightness setting to conserve power. Paige entered a few numbers and sighed.

Were in the black at last. Genevas gotten some more customers, and Ken thinks he can talk the Dullahan into leasing us the apartments until we can find something more permanent.

Really? I put us over the edge?

That brought a smile to Dalys face. Paige nodded.

You did. Between Luans income as a City Runner, Dawson and the others finding work as [Laborers], and so onwere good. Weve bought Luan a boat and paddles, weve got some healing potions stored away, Genevas set for materialswe dont have to worry about coins this week.

What about [Repair] spells?

Accounted for. So long as no one drops their damn tablet or laptop, we can afford to recharge our devices this week. Once. Anyone who runs out of power before then can go without.

Paige scowled for a second. She brushed at her hair and sighed. Daly noticed she was hunched over. He sat up a bit.

Anything wrong? Howd it go holding down the fort?

Paige shrugged. She hadnt worked all day like he had, but she still looked tired.

I was managing people, you know. Getting the others to get jobs. I had to kick Sofie into getting out there. And Ben was holding back some of the money he made. Or rather, he spent it.

That fucker. Want me to talk to him.

Daly sat up with a scowl. Paige looked at him.

I already handled it.

Oh. Right. Sorry.

He sat back. She shrugged.

Dont worry about it. Im just tired. Plus, I had to explain to him why I wasnt working myself.

Because you have to keep the rest of us from goofing off?

Exactly.

Another smile. Paige sat up a bit.

Anyways. Ill deal with it, so you just get some rest. Well have dinner soonIve bought more fruits.

Is it too expensive?

She waved the phone at him as she turned the screen off.

Were in the black, remember? And Geneva insisted. We need a healthy diet. So no more rice and meat for us each night.

Aw, but I like eating rice and meat. It goes well with Ken and Aiko complaining about there not being any soy sauce.

The two Australians laughed together for a second. And then Paige grew serious.

About what we were talking about last night, Daly. Ive been doing some sketches. Justfiguring things out, really.

And?

Daly sat up, suddenly alert. Paige sighed. She opened her smartphone, this time to a drawing app and showed him a few sketches. They were roughtheyd been done with a finger, but it beat paying for parchment and ink. Besides how annoying it was to write on parchment, saving coins had been a vital necessity these last two weeks. As Paige had said, until now theyd been bleeding money and barely scraping by. Daly didnt want to spend a copper coin more than necessary until they had money saved up, and he hoped his new apprenticeship as a [Carpenter] would help bring in that much needed silver.

Luan was already rowing from town to town with his canoe, learning the routes and earning money delivering for the Runners Guild. At the same time, Geneva was trying to earn money as a [Healer] would, and not finding much luck. The rest of the Earthworlders were doing what they could, even if that meant hauling goods from the docks all day. And Paige? She was working on doing more.

Im not an expert. I told you, I wanted to go into engineering, but in a completely different field.

Spaceships. Yeah. So do you have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out?

She laughed tiredly.

Better an engineer with actual experience in the workshop. Or someone who actually completed their degree. Ive never built anything like this. I studied aerodynamics, notlook. I thought it over, and theres no way I can make most of what we came up with.

Dalys smile faded.

Damn. You sure?

She nodded.

I cant make anything like a gun, Daly. Let alone something more complex. I mean, a guns doable, but gunpowderI need sulfur, which is expensive. And Id be making a matchlock. A gun you have to load by hand. You think thatd be useful?

Daly thought about the Redcoats and how slow that was. He grimaced.

Yeah. Not exactly great compared to a spell or a bow. What about an engine?

She shrugged.

Doable, I think, but a different problem. I know how some things worklike a steam engine, and I could experiment with making one. Im sure I could make it in time, but Id need specialized metalwork and lots of help. Id need to hire a [Blacksmith], get high-quality steel, do experimentsnone of which we can afford.

Right. Of course you do.

It always came back to money. Daly sagged. Everything they needed, all the ideas the group had come up with to make something from their world that would earn them moneya steam engine to automate travel, or a forge to produce high-quality steel or just a gunall of it required funds. Which they didnt have yet.

Hey. Im not done yet. I did have one idea of something we could make. Or rather, I could make while youre working.

Really? What?

Daly opened his eyes. Paige swiped across the phone and showed him a picture. He took a second to realize what he was looking at.

Is that a crossbow?

Thats right. They sell them in the markets. I visited an weapons supplier while I was buying dinner and checked one out. Apparently not just anyone can make them. Normal [Blacksmiths] cant. They can forge the parts, but a specialist [Carpenter] usually has to put it together at least. Usually a [Bowyer] who knows how crossbows work.

But you can figure it out?

Paige shot Daly a smile.

I got everything just from looking. And I took a picture when he wasnt looking. See?

She showed Daly an image of the crossbow. He swore.

Dont go showing your phone about in public! Remember what happened with Dawson?

I was careful. But I had to have an image. And all the parts make sense to me. If I can get a [Blacksmith] to sell me a few parts, the rest we can make with wood. I mean, if a certain someone can get ahold of wood.

She waggled her eyebrows at him. Daly grinned.

Wouldnt know where to begin, but Ill ask around. Im sure my bossll let me have some if I ask her nicely. Or offer her some silver. Its not like woods hard to get around here.

True. But I need it cut to very specific sizes so itll fit together. Ill have the measurements for you tomorrow. Can youfigure out how to get the best cut of wood? The strongest variety?

There was so much they didnt know. Daly made a note to ask his Naga boss. That was easyshe liked chatting as she worked.

No problem. Hell, shes probably helped make crossbows herself. Wont be a thing.

Thanks, Daly. And I think I can improve the design. Or at least, make it bigger. Im going to try and make an almost all-wood crossbow to begin with. Something cheap we can manufacture quickly.

Think itll sell?

Paige smirked.

If its good, it will. This is Baleros. But I was thinking. Maybe I can make one of those advanced versions. You know, a compound bow?

Oh?

Daly only vaguely recalled hearing about them. Paige showed him another blueprint that looked a lot less like a proper crossbow to Daly.

I dont know how they work, but the idea makes sense. Some of the Americans were telling me about them.

The young [Axe Warrior] and soon-to-be [Carpenter] nodded slowly.

Oh yeah. I remember them talking about that. Wishing theyd brought their pistols. Or a fucking rifle. As if theyd be walking around the airport with one of those.

Frankly, I wish they had carried one.

Paiges face was bleak. Daly couldnt argue with that. He looked out the window at Baleros thoughtfully. A bug flew in through the window. Both Paige and Daly eyed it, but it didnt look menacing. Just big. Daly took off his shoe and smashed it.

If one of the security agents appeared here

Theyd be dead.

Theyd have a gun. A bastard appears here with a submachine gun? Or even a pistol?

Still dead. How many rounds do you think theyre carrying? Enough to fight off a company? And frankly, a [Juggernaut] would tear them apart. Let alone a bunch of Centaurs with bows.

Daly shook his head. That was true. For a second he remembered and his hand twitched towards his axe. But he was a [Carpenter] now, a carpenter. He shook off the memory and looked at Paiges phone.

So try and make a compound crossbow if you can. Looks fucked to me. But Ill settle for a crossbow. Its not like this towns that safe. They got hit by raiders two months back. Kens saying he doesnt want to stay long, and I agree. But we have to earn enough coin and this is the best spot.

Agreed. Ill make one as fast as I can. Compound crossbows are probably impossible until Ive gotten a good bit of practice. But I can make you a good one. Even if its only made of wood

-

Wood? Crossbow. Wood? Wow, Ive never seen one made out of wood before. Ive seen metal ones made by Dwarves. But this is new. Weird.

A week later, Quexa bent over the first crossbow. Her tail waved to and fro and her neck fills opened a bit as she inspected the crossbow that Daly and Paige had labored over in their spare time. Paige held her breath as Daly just watched Quexa.

She lookedgood. Good, for someone with one foot. She could move fairly fast on her peg leg. Fast enough to keep up with Quallets company, at least. The revitalized Gravetenders Fist company had been working in the area. They were still burgeoning, but theyd earned enough to justify a vacation in the town where Daly and the others were staying. Quexa had been the first person theyd shown the crossbow tothey were hoping to impress Quallet with it.

But the Lizardgirl didnt immediately jump for joy, despite Dalys hopes. The rampant enthusiasm that most Lizardfolk exuded upon seeing a new thing was tempered by Quexas critical eye. Shed seen more fighting. Even though she was a [Sorcerer], it was still dangerous work. But shed made her choice. Daly ignored his stomach twisting as he watched her.

Well? Hows it look?

Quexa looked up speculatively. She hesitated, bit at her lip with sharp teeth. And then she shrugged.

Mm. Id give youtwo gold coins for it? Maybe two gold coins and eight silver?

Two gold?

Dismayed, Daly and Paige looked at each other. That hardly seemed like enough to justify all the effort and timenot to mention resources theyd burned on it. Paige protested.

At least make it four gold coins. Why the low price?

A decent, used steel sword could cost eight gold coins. At least! But Quexa could only shake her head.

It just doesnt look that good. I mean, compared to a metal crossbow, right? And if you made it cheap, its not that great, isnt it? And crossbows arent that useful. I mean, they have to be strong or whats the point? Your quarrels will just bounce off armor or a monsters hide. So its not that great. Sorry, is this rude? Im not trying to be rude.

She glanced at the two, giving Daly a quick look before looking away. Daly sagged. That was true. This was made of wood. And it wasntpolished. Even with all the sanding hed done and the varnish hed applied, it was still rough around the edges.

But it is powerful. Maybe not as powerful as a regular crossbow, but itll do the job. Surely thats worth something. Even if its not worth a full crossbows price.

That was Paiges argument. She repeated it when she and Daly and Quexa showed the weapon to Quallet. He grunted.

Give to me. Do you have any bolts?

Daly did. They were wood-tipped and the fletching was wood too. Quallet eyed them, but he took five and tried the crossbow out. He grunted, pleasantly surprised by the strength it took to cock the bow. He fired five shots, landing most of the bolts close to the target Paige and Daly had set up. Daly whistledQuallet had a far better aim than he did.

Not bad. Its strong. Heavy, though. Id pay you three gold coins flat out for one of these. But Quexas right. Its not worth paying nearly as much as I would for a regular crossbow. Sorry.

Would it be worth more if I used metal?

Paige was visibly upset. Quallet hesitated, then nodded.

At least sixteen gold coins, then. Its not just the power of the crossbow, you see. Metal implies its a lot sturdier. It can fire harder.

But Im sure this can compare to a smaller one.

Maybe. But its wood. Most companies will rate wooden weapons very poorly. Even crossbows. Sorry, but thats just how it is.

Quallet handed the weapon back to Daly. He stared down at it.

Well, fuck. Guess were not getting rich this way.

He looked at Paige. Then back at Quallet.

Okay. Its not worth much on the market. But you said youd pay gold for these. Can we sell them to you?

Us?

Quallet and Quexa blinked. The Lizardgirl frowned.

We dont need that many bows, Daly. And weve got [Archers] who have their own weapons.

Yeah, but everyone could use one of these. Paige is going to make one for everyone in our group. Youre not thinking of it like we are.

Daly hefted the crossbow. He pulled the string back, made sure the trigger was holding the rope, and then grabbed a quarrel. He looked at the others.

Im armed now. I get one shotmore if I have a quiver of say, twenty bolts. And thats just me. I dont need practice to use one of these. I dont need a class or Skills. One of these hits you in the face? Youre dead. Give one to each person in the company, and weve got dozens of crossbows. With wood quarrels, and practice, how many can we shoot a minute? Six? Thats a lot of shots.

Quallet frowned.

Ive heard of all-ranged companies, but I never thought Id build one. Youre saying to lug these things around? Thats a lot of weight.

For a free shot at the beginning of the battle? Why not? Bring em, fire them, and grab your other weapons. And if you teach your lot to fire them fast

Daly was staring down at the crossbow. He turned to Paige.

We might not make a fortune with this, but we can defend ourselves. And fight. Earth-style.

She nodded. Paige looked more hopeful. Defense. Theyd been worrying about that issue. A lot of the Earthworlders could fight, but it didnt come to them naturally. But this? This was almost like a gun. Quallet and Quexa didnt see the danger, but Daly had come from a time where guns could fire faster than you could see. He looked down at the crossbow and wondered if this was a good idea. Then he reconsidered.

It was better than being defenseless.

All we need nows a boomerang. Think you can make one of them, Paige?

She almost smiled. Daly handed the crossbow to her and then took a deep breath.

Paige, figure out a way to make these things even stronger. Im going to talk to Ken. Once you and I make morea dozen or so, Im going to quit my carpentry job.

What? Why? I thought you liked it.

Daly did like it. But he was doing the math in his head.

Were not earning enough money like this. Someone needs to pull in lots of coin and Luans already doing deliveries day and night. Genevas not getting much business aside from the occasional person with a chopped-off limb. So. Im going to apply to be an adventurer.

-

And so here they were. Adventuring paid more than carpentry. A lot more. At least, if you took contracts that had risk in them. The bounty on a herd of Stelbore, even a small one, was gold, not silver. The only risk was dying.

The Stelbore would gut Daly and the others if they charged. That meant they couldnt. Daly waited, aiming at the boars flank. He didnt hesitate. You couldnt. He spoke softly.

Now.

He pulled on the metal trigger and felt the crossbow kick. The string snapped through the air and the quarrel launched through the air. For less than a second it flew, and then it buried itself in the Stelbores unguarded belly. Five other crossbows snapped at the same time.

The sound was loud. Not nearly as loud as a gunshot, but still loud. The crossbows were powerful. And the impact pressed the wood stock into Dalys flesh. The bolts were just as deadly.

The Stelbore woke up instantly as four bolts slammed into it. It squealed a piercing sound in the night, and the other Stelbore woke up. The sow whod been hit shrieked. But Daly was already reloading, silently. He lowered the crossbow to the ground, put his foot in the wooden stirrup Paige had added and pulled on the string. It was heavy, but adrenaline gave Daly strength. He lifted the crossbow and grabbed a bolt.

[Reinforced Frame]. [Quick Assembly]. [Advanced Crafting]. Paige had leveled up quickly. Each Skill had made the wooden crossbows stronger. Daly aimed. He heard Siri fire before him. He pulled the trigger again as the Stelbore writhed, this time Daly aimed for one of the smaller Stelbore.

Snap.

The sound of the string snapping by his ear made Dalys ear ring this time. But the sight of one of the boars floundering was worth it. The other crossbows snapped as Daly bent, reloading his bow again.

This was his teams weapon. His companys weapon, in truth. Paige had learned to make crossbows, so they all had one. It was a simple weapon to learn to use. True, each one was large and bulky, cumbersome to haul about. But Dalys team had gotten far enough practice by now to make lugging the crossbows around manageable. As for their aim

The Stelbore were racing about, questing for their enemies. But they were blinded in the night, confused and panicking, still half-asleep. And Daly and his team were covered in mud, hiding behind trees, wearing the scent of the forest. They loaded and fired at their helpless targets. Was it fighting fair? No. But theyd die if even one or two of the Stelbore charged them. This was how you fought.

Click. Crack. Pull. Click. Crack. It was a rhythm. Daly didnt think. He just bent, reloaded, straightened, and fired. He barely paused to aim at the unshielded parts of his targets. He had practiced too many times to hesitate. Hesitation meant death. Again. The crossbow kicked in his hands. Again.

Pull.

Crack.

Pull.

Crack.

Crack.

Cr

-

The sound was a roar. One of the [Bandits], their leader, had just exploded a tree on the outside of the town as a demonstration. A warning. The townspeople raised their heads as the [Fireball]s detonation rained flaming branches down on the area. The rest of the bandits pawed the ground and shouted.

They were Centaurs. And they had come to loot the town. Or be paid a ransom. Either one worked, and they were quite willing to spill blood. But the leader of the group, a [Mage] with a staff, paused as someone came towards them, holding a white flag.

Geneva Scala walked forwards, ignoring the [Bandit]s jeers. She spoke loudly, holding her hands up as the Centaur leveled his staff at her.

I am a [Doctor]. The people in this town are armed. Please, dont do this.

Youre the Last Light of Baleros?

One of the Centaurs gave a braying laugh. The leader of the bandits grinned down at Geneva. She looked up at him.

Some people call me that. Ive taken an oath not to harm people. Please go back and leave this place alone.

He spat on the ground in front of her.

Humans and oaths? Well, you can stand there in that case. Well see what the Last Lights worth to a Chandrar [Slaver]. As for the townif I dont see gold in five minutes, we burn the place down? You hear that?

He roared at the town and the bandits cheered. They were ready to charge. Some of them had lancesCentaurs were born to charge, even more than a [Knight] on horseback. Others had bows. Theyd strafe the town, burn it to the ground.

Dont do this.

Geneva looked up at the bandit leader. He snorted at her. He raised his staff and aimed at the town

Click.

The impact of the crossbow rammed into Dalys shoulder. The sound of the string snapping was the only thing he heard. He saw the quarrel leave his bow from his hiding place on one of the rooftops. He didnt see the bolt. But he saw the Centaur stagger, drop the staff.

Companyfire!

Below him, Quallet roared. Across the town, more of Gravetenders Fist and the United Nations company rose to their feet. Others standing on the rooftops or hidden behind cover poked out and loosed a first barrage. The Centaurs jolted as the bolts struck them, some splintering on armor, but most finding flesh. They screamed and charged.

Reload! Spears forward! Hold backhold!

Daly pulled at the crossbow with shaking hands. But he was watching too. He saw the first Centaur charged down the main street

And collapse. He went crashing to the ground as the first of the ropes intercepted him. Daly aimed down at him as the other Centaurs tried to slow and another struck the rope, ripping it from the moorings. Quallets soldiers rushed forwards. Daly shot another Centaur in the chest. And then another.

Stop! Stop!

At some point someone shouted the words. But Daly kept firing. He only stopped when someone grabbed him. Dalys hand grabbed the axehe saw Quallet raise a hand. The [Mercenary Captain] looked at him. There was blood on his armor, none of it his. He pointed.

Stop. Theyre running away.

The bandits were fleeing. The survivors were just thatsurvivors. Theyd been cut down by Gravetenders Fist as well as the townsfolk and the Earthworlders armed with crossbows. They hadnt expected to run into reinforcements, let alone that many bolts flying every second. Daly descended to the street and heard cheering.

Not from the Earthworlders. They stood, staring at the Centaurs. The half-horse, half-Human folk lay in the street, dead or dying. Daly stared down at them. Then he looked up at Quallet.

This is how we do it. We take them to pieces. Ambush them. Rope traps for the Centaurs and anyone who charges us.

You mean, as adventurers?

The mercenary looked grave. Daly nodded.

Crossbows and traps. Paige can make more.

Well buy them. Wood or not. After seeing that

Quallet indicated the dead bandits. He looked at Daly.

You can make those quick. With less resources than most [Blacksmiths] or [Carpenters] would charge for. Are you thinking of creating a market?

Daly looked across the battlefield that had been the town only minutes before. He saw someone running this way. Geneva. She was shouting for Aiko, looking for survivors. Among the bandits. He shook his head, a cold pit in his stomach.

Not to everyone.

This was how they fought. It was close to home. But different. Daly knelt in the dust and looked at a fallen Centaur. He felt his hands itch. But he made himself look. Then he checked if the Centaur was carrying any money

-

The battle ended before Daly knew it. One second he was loading his crossbow, the next, he couldnt find anything to shoot at. The Stelbore were lying on the ground. A few had fled, but theyd died quickly. Still, Daly emerged from cover first. He only signaled the others forwards when he was sure it was clear.

Poison worked. Or it just bled out.

Siri checked the boar theyd hit first. It was lying on its side, a huge tusk facing the sky. Daly nodded. He took a shuddering breath. Theyd won. The jungle was filled with noise, awoken by the blood and violence. He took another breath.

Right, lets strip these bastards and get out of here. Half butcher, two on watch. Siri, Dawson?

They got to work. Daly knelt and began the gruesome task of cutting the Stelbores distinctive armor off. He ignored the rest of their bodiesthey were far too big to carry and besides, the poison bolts made that an obsolete option anyways. It was very hard to separate the steel armor from the boars heads, but they had time.

Bugs began descending on the corpses before Daly was done. He had to trade off with Siri and Dawson; his hands were numb. But they did it. After about an hour, the Stelbore were stripped of metal and Daly was working up a sled to carry the stuff.

Well be a target. So we want two people in front until we get to the road. Then were straight back to Talenqual. Got it?

They nodded. The team trooped back through the rainforest, three hauling the sled, one on point, the other two moving ahead in case something heard them. Still in silence. Daly had tried to recall all the knowledge he could about operating in hostile environments. All the stupid things you saw on TV, all the little factsall of it became life-or-death stuff here. The team didnt smile. They just put their backs into it until they got to the road. Then, muddy, tired, but alive, they headed back towards Talenqual, the city that had eventually become the home of the United Nations company.

Adventurers.

-

Bushrangers reporting in. Weve killed nine Stelbore on the contract and we have their remains. Im ready to claim our bounty, turn in the materials, and take a bath.

The [Receptionist] at the Adventurers Guild was a young male Centaur. He stared at Daly and then at the bloody pile of Stelbore steel. He opened his mouth and blinked again. He must be new.

Daly knew he was a sight. Though hed scraped off a lot of the mud and camouflage on the way back, he still had grime all over him. And bites. And he stank, to put it lightly. Still, that was true of most adventurers coming back from a job. Well, some didnt look like theyd rolled in the mud.

Wow.

That was all the Centaur managed after a while. He gulped, looked down at the Stelbore armor, and then fiddled with the papers in front of him.

Youre uh, the Bushrangers? Ive heard of you! Its a pleasure to meet you. Did you say you killed nine Stelbore? By yourselves?

Only five adults. The rest were piglets. I assume we get paid the same either way?

Of course, of course. Stelbore are counted by the numbersassuming the little ones had armor? They dont count if theyre fresh. Litters and all that. Right, right. Let me just calculateum, well need to weigh the Stelbore armor. But you can leave it here and well do the job! I just need you to signhold on

Flustered, the Centaur fumbled with his papers. Daly gave him a weary smile. The rest of his team was relaxing in the plain wooden chairs, practically dead on their feet.

Dont worry mate, another minute wont bother us.

The smile did as much as the words. The Centaur relaxed.

Thank you. You know, I really am glad to meet you. I heard about the all-Human team that popped up. Youre practically invisible on the job, or so I hear. Even some of the [Ranger] and [Rogue] teams are talking about it.

Hey, weve had some practice.

Daly shrugged. He could sense eyes on his back, and not just because of the haul theyd brought in. It was true. His team was a rising name, and in a city like Talenqual, which had a fair number of adventuring teams, that was a pretty good feat. He glanced down as the Centaur presented him a form to sign.

Right here, please. Name and team.

Captain Daly, Bushrangers.

Daly had to smile a bit as he signed it. Bushrangers. Now there was a name that would call anyone from home who heard it. Anyone who knew basic history, that was. Hed chosen it for that reason, and also because it fit how his team operated.

The Bushrangers were a Silver-rank team, by virtue of hard work more than impressive gear or high levels. They all carried crossbows, and did mostly hunting jobs. They worked in stealth, and didnt get into melees unless they could help it. They played it safe and didnt punch above their weight.

Even so, the work was hard. Daly was proud of his team and so he didnt spend time talking with the Centaur. He just collected their bounty, agreed to come back the next day for their payment for the Stelbore steelor claim it after paying the guilds tax on monster partsand headed over to their team. Dawson was complaining as Daly came over.

Fuck me, but did we have to wear all that mud? I get that its great camoI can barely see myself sometimes. But did we need it against boars?

Daly tilted his head and wondered if he should respond. But Siri, the Swedish girl theyd picked up three weeks back, responded. It had been her idea to use camouflagethat was how she and Tofte had survived after being transported to Baleros.

Its necessary, Dawson. Its our edge. The one thing weve got over the other teamsover other companies and mercenariesare our tactics and tools. Theyve got higher levels. Theyre Dullahans in armor and Centaurs and so on. We cant afford mistakes. If we have to wait for half a day for our targets, we do.

In silence.

Its part of the job. Believe me, Id outtalk you, Dawson. But if it means surviving another day, Ill go without flapping my mouth. If its too much, we can rotate you onto a break.

Daly interrupted the conversation, surprising Dawson. The burly Australian looked up and grimaced.

Aw, Im just talking shit, Daly. Dont mind me. Its better than killing zombies with a hammer, or watching a fucking [Mage] vaporize half the forest.

Too right. So what say you we get out of here and get back to a real bath? Dawson can use the ocean.

Fuck off.

That cheered up the others. They stood up, ready to get some well-deserved rest. Daly was leading them to the door when someone walked in front of him and barred his way. Several someones.

A group of Dullahans in metal armoriron, not steel, but good ironwalked forwards. They were all carrying shields and maces or axes. They looked like a Silver-rank team that Daly had sometimes seen going in or out. Hed never exchanged words with them before. But it looked like today was the day. Daly stopped as their leader, a female Dullahan with blonde hair, darker skin, and a rather Grecian nose looked down at him.

So this is the Bushrangers. Mud covered, filthy as well as arrogant. Which is to be expect of Humans, it appears. Thieves as well as vagabonds.

The Bushrangers stopped. Some of the other adventurers whod been gossiping looked around and fell silent. Daly saw the Centaur at the desk gulp and back up. He paused, forcing his hand not to move to his side. His team was tired, their crossbows were unstrung, and the Dullahans looked like they were spoiling for a fight. Why?

Im sorry, have we met?

The Dullahan glared at him.

I do not believe so. But one does not have to meet an enemy to know them? Or a thief, who steals a rightful assignment. Is that not so?

No.

The other Dullahans chorused together. Daly felt a rising urgency in his stomach. But he forced it down, forced himself to think.

Im sorry, but I still dont know what youre talking about. Thief? I dont believe weve stolen anything. Those Stelbore were our kill.

They may have been killed by your team, but it was our team, the Rustless Guard that deserved to hunt them down. We requested the assignment before you. And you took our quarry.

The Dullahan adventurer snapped at Daly. He sucked in his breath. Uh oh. He hadnt heard about another team taking on the Stelbore assignment. Requests to hunt down monsters were first-come-first serve. But there was such a thing as politeness among adventurers. How much politeness depended on which team it was. But these were Dullahans and it looked like theyd taken offense.

What should he do? Starting a fight wasnt it. Dalys mind raced. He fell back on a certainty. What were Kens rules for Dullahans?

Meet their eyes. Dont give way, but be respectful. Talk to the Dullahan in the shiniest armorthe one whos speaking. Make it clear what your rank is. Give and take in equal measure.

Daly looked the female Dullahan in the eyes. He bowed slightly, which surprised her and the others.

First, pardon me. Im Daly Sullivan, Captain of the Bushrangers. May I ask who Im speaking to?

The Dullahan hesitated. Then she slowly unfastened her head from her shoulders and held it up with one hand, the Dullahan version of a bow.

You speak to Captain Eldima of the Rustless Guard.

Daly gave her his best smile.

Honored to meet you. Captain Eldima, let me be honest. If we stepped on your toes, it was unintentional. We had no idea someone else had the contract. We only saw the Stelbore contract yesterday and went out to collect it at once. Just like us hasty Humans, huh?

His words provoked a chuckle from around the guild. As Humans, Daly and his team were in the minority. But being called hasty was an insult Dullahans applied to Lizardfolk and Centaurs. A bit of humor went a long way. And one of the Dullahans behind Eldima cracked a smile before hiding it. Her lips twitcheda very good sign.

You didnt stop to inquire about the beast? My team had been preparing. We were in the guild, making our intentions clear.

Daly spread his hands out.

Again, we set off right away. We had poison pre-bought so we didnt linger. My sincere apologies. If wed known, we would have let your team handle them.

He saw two of the Dullahans shift. Eldimas eyes flickered. Daly was giving them a good excuse, but there was something else Ken had said about Dullahans. They dont like to be seen to have made a mistake. Always offer them an honorable out. As opposed to Centaurs, who need to always win an encounter regardless of whether or not they actually do.

Daly thought quickly, and then gestured towards the door.

Tell you what, why dont we buy you a round at the very least? Then we can tell you how miserable it was tracking down those damn Stelbore, and you can tell us how you wouldve hunted them. Because, frankly, next time I think Ill let someone in armor take those freaky pigs down.

His words provoked another laugh. And this time Eldima actually joined in. She hesitated, put her head back on her shoulders, and then held out a gauntleted hand.

I accept. There is a bar we frequent. Allow us to buy the second round.

Id be honored.

Gingerly, Daly shook Eldimas hand so as not to dirty her spotless armor. He followed the Rustless Guard out, and nudged Dawson on the way. On cue, the others in his team began striking up the Dullahans in conversation, and such was the change in mood that they even dragged a few other teams out for an impromptu drinking session.

-

An hour later, Daly and his team exited the bar a bit lower on coin, but higher on friends. They walked down the street, a tad unsteady for sleep and alcohol, as Dawson burped. The cheap alcohol theyd bought was going through Daly as well and he felt the increasing need to relieve himselfand take that bath.

Captain, youve done it again. I thought for sure those Dullahans would try and mix it up.

That was impressive.

Siri agreed. She looked at Daly, eyebrows raised. He only smiled.

Wasnt a thing, boys and girls. Just a bit of the Down Under charm. Learned it from the master himself. Ken wouldve had those guys buying us the next round if he were here. Speaking of whichlets get back to base before we have to spend more money on angry adventurers.

Ive only met Ken once. Do you think hes back? With the [Doctor]?

Tofte looked at Daly. The Australian frowned.

Maybe. They were going from city to city, trying to find work for Geneva and some of the stuff she needs. All down the main roadsbut they didnt know when theyd be back. I hope they return soon. Them or Luan.

He hadnt seen the rower in a while. But Luan kept bringing gold back every time he returned. Daly only hoped all that money was going to good use. They were in the black and they had been for a while, but their company could use a lot more coin. For Luan as a Runner, for his team, for Paige

And for their home. Daly slowed as he came to a large building. It was, in fact, two apartments, but theyd been bought, converted into one place, and now housed more bodies than it strictly should. The house was on the outer edges of the city, closer to the rice fields in fact. Not far past it youd get to the roads. But it had a nice wooden frontage, and Daly knew theyd been spotted because the doors opened and someone waved at him.

Daly!

He grinned up at a girl who smiled at him.

Hey, Kirana. Were back. Is Ken back? Geneva? Luan?

None of them. But Paige is here and she told us to make you baths!

That cheered up the Bushrangers considerably. They stormed up the stairs, fighting to be the first ones up. They pushed into the door, greeting Kirana, a girl from India, and some of the other Earthworlders who came to greet them. Daly let them precede him, and then greeted the girl who came to the door.

Paige. We did it.

Never doubted it. Howd the bows work? Any problems?

Paige looked different. Two months and a half ago, shed still had something of a shell shocked look. Shed been dressed in her Earth clothing, and wouldnt let her smartphone out of her sight. Now she had on the loose, light Balerosian dress. Her Earth clothes were safely stored away, as were Dalys, for the most special of occasions only. And while she had her smartphone, it was as a tool now. Paiges hands were callused from working with designs and models and she had a different aura about her.

Crossbows worked fine. So long as we hit the bellies. It wouldnt have done a thing if they were charging us, though. We needed that poison.

Paige nodded, but she still demanded Dalys crossbow and gave it a quick inspection.

No signs of fraying or cracks in the bow. Good.

I wasnt worried.

You would be if youve ever seen one of the bows snap. But it looks good. Im working on getting steel bows made. And a mechanism for pulling the drawstring back. That way I can make the strings a lot heavier.

Sounds good to me.

Daly signed as he sat down in a chair. Kirana eyed the mud he was tracking in, but she didnt say anything. She knew where hed been, and the gold he placed on the table caught the light in a very pleasant way.

Our pay. We had to use a bit of it to soothe some ruffled Dullahan nerves. But the rests here.

Paige eyed the gold coins and silver. She took half and handed the rest back to Daly.

You can keep it. Get some more gear for your team. Ive got enough to keep us afloat.

You sure?

Daly stowed the coins away in his belt pouch. It was something, that every coin wasnt going to just paying for food and board. He still felt like they needed a lot more. Magical bolts, gear to fight monsters that actually got the drop on him

But that was an issue for later. Right now, Daly just wanted a bath.

We have enough tubs for all of us?

Youll have to wait. Getting something like plumbings on my list of things to do. But for nowbathtubs. Dont worry about water. Kirana and the girls hauled enough for all of you.

Youre the best.

Daly smiled in relief. He stood up as Dawson tramped down the stairs, half-naked, shouting about leeches in his unmentionables. Some of the Earthworlders whod come to greet them shouted obscenitiesothers just looked away. Daly laughed, found a tub, washed himself, and felt more alive.

There was no dinner with the otherstheyd arrived back far too late. But there was hot food, courtesy again of Kirana whod taken over those duties from Paige. The Bushrangers ate like starving animals, and then they sat about for a while.

Dalys finger was twitching. He covered it with one hand and looked at the others.

I think weve earned some quality time with the computer. Anyone up for it?

They looked up. Half of them were asleep on their feet, but they all nodded. Daly led them up the stairs.

Hey, whos got the movie laptop? Weve got dibs! Give it here and I swear, if anyones been draining the battery playing video games

His threat went unanswered. The laptop lay in one of the big sleeping rooms set up for multiple people. The Bushrangers found blankets, pillows, and sat together as Daly fussed with the laptop. He looked over his shoulder as Siri sank onto the ground, looking completely different from the mud-covered adventurer with the crossbow. She looked like a girl hed ask out if he saw her at the bar or in class now. An ordinary, young woman from Earth. He remembered her shooting a Stelbore from the cover of a tree. His finger twitched.

Ahwhatre we watching this time? The Hobbit?

Only if you want me to fall asleep right now.

Dawson groaned. Siri, who liked all things Lord of the Rings, elbowed him hard. He grunted. Another young woman looked up looked up.

Can we watch The Martian again?

Again?

One of the other Bushranger groused, but without any real rancor. Kami, their best shot, stared at the glowing screen in the dark room.

I just want to imagine somewhere cold. And see spaceships and computers and

And home. She broke off. No one said anything. Daly cleared his throat.

The Martian it is. Subtitles?

Go to hell.

Dawson threw a pillow at him. The others laughed. Daly left them on anyways.

A lot of the people whod been transported from Earth had brought their electronics. But not all of them had survived the initial chaos. Even fewer had survived the fighting. And of what remained, the devices and gadgets were prized. Someone had kept a USB cable, and so every laptop had been given the same software. Much swearing had taken place when it became obvious that the Macs would not accept any kind of data transfer. So the laptops that ran Windows, and in one case, Linux, were prized and fought over.

Not just for the movies. For the music, video gamespictures of home. Daly started the movie and sat back as the movies grand sound was redirected through the poor speaker system. At least the quality was goodevery time the laptop was [Repaired], it went back to perfect quality. Better, in fact, than it had been when Paige had first bought it.

The plot of The Martian was one Daly could recite by heart. Only a few movies had been kept across all the devices. The Bushrangers had all watched this particular movie at least sixteen times, even the newcomers like Siri and Tofte.

Daly had seen it twenty three. Practically every night someone would be using the laptop, never mind that theyd have to get it charged up using a [Repair] spell. Even on lowest brightness, even sitting together, necks craned to see the small screenit was worth it. It was one of the few things that kept them sane.

The others began falling asleep sometime around the point where Matt Damon began excavating crap out of the compost. Daly kept watching. His eyes began to blur. But then something exploded on screen and he leapt to his feet, reaching for his axe. He only realized it was a movie after a second.

Heart pounding, Daly sank back down again. He tried to sleep. And it closed back on him, but with dark edges. No matter how much Daly tried, he couldnt stop his trigger finger from twitching. And when Daly closed his eyes, he could still hear Centaurs and Dullahans killing each other, and he raised his crossbow and fired. And pulled. And fired. And pulled. And

And he dreamed of being home. It was the most fleeting, most wonderful of dreams. Daly slept. And his people, his family who had lost their homes, his company slept around him. The United Nations. The lost nations.

Dreaming of Earth.