That night the same sort of nightmares visited me until the morning horn woke me. I noticed that Reggie was missing from his bunk, but before I could dwell on this, a figure in a wheelchair entered the barracks. “Mak, Gus, come with me to the infirmary.” The figure was none other than Krimsun, still partially mummified, but noticeably more well put together, it even seemed like her missing arm was being slowly restored. Despite my protests, Gus insisted on helping me into my own wheelchair. We followed in silence as Krimsun led us to the infirmary. “Do you think we’re in trouble?” Gus whispered to me nervously. “I don’t know, that mission did go pretty badly, probably were just giving us time to recover a bit before our punishment,” I replied uncertainly.
After a few mere minutes that seemed to go on for hours, we finally arrived at what we believed to be the place of judgment. Reggie was already there next to Katherine’s bed. Confirming my suspicion of retribution was the presence of the Inferno, standing menacingly facing towards my teammates. He turned to us as we came through the door and looked down at me. “I-I’m so sorry!” I began to grovel at the feet of the man who incinerated my family and nearly killed me. I felt like vomiting, but I didn’t want Katherine or Gus or Re… or Katherine getting into trouble because I was too weak. “Well this little one certainly has high standards for himself!” the Inferno chuckled to himself. “I am here to award the four of you with the rank of Wolfsnake!” “What?” I mumbled, completely frozen in place as I tried to process how in the world blowing ourselves up got us promoted.
“True, you didn’t complete the mission perfectly, but you all survived, and most importantly, you cleaned up the infestation!” the guild master continued. I cringed at the word infestation but kept my mouth shut. “I should have been the one to recognize the gas attack.” Krimsun chimed in, “The four of you demonstrated your skills quite well.” Reggie smiled proudly at the praise. Katherine, noticing his smug grin, mumbled to herself “You didn’t do anything you little…” The guild master brought out the badges out of the metal case and began presenting them. He started with Katherine, “You are no longer a mere Nequese, but a mighty wolfsnake! Take pride in your power and continue to serve the guild faithfully.” I grated my teeth, “Why does every badge have to take a dump on Nequese!” I thought to myself but didn’t dare speak. The guild master repeated the verse for Gus and Reggie, who looked directly at me with that dung eating smile on his face. Finally, he got to me and repeated the same words, “You are no longer a mere Nequese, but a mighty wolfsnake! Take pride in your power and continue to serve the guild faithfully.” Without even blinking. I bit my tongue so hard it was starting to bleed, but I couldn’t ruin this for the team by complaining about my own ego.
“Well, my work here is done, I would’ve done this yesterday, but there was all that fuss.” The guild master commented as if someone had stubbed their toe or something. “I expect great things of you, for the glory of Regemendax!” he took his leave and we all just looked at each other. “So, when is our next mission?” Reggie asked Krimsun excitedly. “Next week, we have something very particular, unfortunately, Katherine won’t be joining us unless she can convince Glenda to let her out early.” She replied. “Not. Going. To. Happen!” shouted the elderly dwarf from the other room. “I’ll be there,” Katherine said confidently. “We’re going to catch a jewel thief in the city of Sudophos, he is considered highly dangerous and cunning, so we must be on our guard,” Krimsun explained. “The infamous Claudius Crowfiend. A birdfolk who specializes in stealth and agility magic. He also can manipulate with feathers into blades, and Gus are you listening?” Krimsun suddenly turned to Gus who looked lost in thought. “Oh, sorry captain, it’s just… I don’t see how someone like me will be much help catching someone sneaky like that.” Gus said sullenly. “Your role will come in once he has been cornered, this mission with depending mostly on Mak and Reggie.” Reggie and I looked at each other in horror. “This plan is doomed,” I muttered.
The next day I was finally allowed out of my wheelchair and began training with Reggie and Gus. Katherine had to be restrained as she kept trying to get out of bed to join us. Krimsun had a particular idea in mind for our training. “Reggie and Mak are quick and agile fighters, this mission is well suited to their abilities and mentalities.” I didn’t appreciate being compared to a criminal in mentality, but I could see where she was going. “You, Gus, are strong but slow, so to prepare yourself for the mission you must spend time practicing fighting against Mak and Reggie,” Krimsun instructed. While it did make a lot of sense, my entire body tensed up at the idea of being smacked by even a training weapon in the hands of a half-giant like Gus. “But… I don’t want to hurt them.” Gus said awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. “I doubt you’ll hit me, and the runt over there seems to be a bit of cockroach, I would’ve thought explosion would’ve ripped him to shreds!” Reggie commented. “You can dodge attacks? I seem to recall Kat landing a hit on your face pretty easily.” I retorted. Before Reggie could respond, Katherine interjected, “Don’t worry, none of you will be getting injured. You will be using enchanted training weapons, they don’t deal any real damage, but they do sting. Like with any battle, assume that even a single strike could end your life!”
“I’ll go first-” Reggie began, “No! The two of you will work together.” Krimsun interrupted. We reluctantly got into position on the other side of the training room and began sparring with Gus. Reggie started by turning invisible and I enhanced my limbs with agility magic. “Ouch! Ow! Yikes! Dang it!” Gus shouted over and over as we stuck him with the training weapons. His own strikes not even coming close to hitting us. If it was only Reggie he may have been able to hear where he is coming from, or if it were just me he might be able to make use of his longer reach to keep me at a distance, but with things as they were, it felt unfair. “This seems more like torture than training!” Gus lamented as he took a mighty swing at me. I ducked underneath then poked him with my weapon before darting outside his range again, “Ouch!” he yelled again. “Sorry!” I replied. “If you can’t handle these two then you won’t stand a chance against Claudius!” said Krimsun, “Stop trying to catch them after the fact and start thinking about where they will be.” Gus gave her a confused look right before Reggie got him in the leg, “Ouch! What is that supposed to mean?” Krimsun let out a heavy sigh, “Allow me to demonstrate.”
Krimsun rolled onto the training mat and got up from her chair, making a pained expression as she did so. “Are you sure you’re okay to-” Gus began to ask. “Just don’t tell the nurse and I’ll be fine.” She then picked up a training weapon and cast a spell that changed made her skin look rock-like. “Between this spell and my injuries I should be around your speed, Gus. Now Mak, Reggie, attack me!” she commanded. I tried to let Reggie take the lead but it seems he had the same idea and he slowed his approach. Shockingly, I was not eager to find out what Krimsun’s strategy was. Nevertheless, I charged forward, boosting my speed with magic and trying to decide where to strike. Her stance was strong and she had most of her body covered, but when I moved to her right it opened up a spot on her stomach. After circling her a couple of times I charged to the right and then kicked off of the wall to propel me left towards her opening. Just as I thought I was about to get her, she thrust her knee upwards at me, I tried to throw a portal to escape but as I hesitated, she struck me with the training blade. It hurt even more than I expected, “Ah!” before I had a chance to yell in pain, Reggie was knocked out of his invisibility by an elbow to the ribcage from Krimsun. “How did you do that?” asked a stupefied Gus.
“Simple, I knew where they would attack me.” She said in a melodic tone. “But how?” Gus asked again. “Because I made them, I made it look like my left side was exposed, so I knew Mak would go for it. And since Mak was coming from the front I knew Reggie would attack me from behind.” Krimsun spoke as if she were recited a poem. “This is how you fight faster opponents.” She then returned her skin to normal and sat back into her wheelchair. “Now, go back to your practicing, I need to rest.” She then exited the room and left us to continue. After a few more exhausting hours we decided to call it day. “Even after her advice I still can’t land a single hit against you guys!” Gus lamented. “Well duh, you just started! There is a whole week before the mission.” Reggie replied in a condescending tone that soured an otherwise comforting remark. Fortunately, Gus was noticeably less bitter a person than I. “Thanks, Reg, let’s go eat something!” he said before leading the way to the meal hall. We were all tired, so we ate fast and went straight to bed.
“Worthless! Traitor! Rat!” I woke up in the middle of the night thanks to another fantastic dream. Turning over, I faced the window only to notice a handprint suddenly form in the dusty windowsill. “It must be the one from the other night!” I thought to myself as I tried to make it appear that I was still asleep. This was easier said than done. I tried to listen to the footsteps of the intruder over the loud thumping coming from my heart as my body screamed to me to run. This was made even harder by the fact that the intruder was walking so softly that he barely made any sound. But if there is own sense that my doomed species was blessed with, it is good hearing. Much to my dismay, the invisible invader was coming closer to our bunks. Which, of course, they were, why not. I needed to warn Gus and Reggie, but I couldn’t let him escape either. Whatever it was, it wasn’t stopping, barely a meter away from our bunks now I needed to act quickly. “Look out!”
I tried to get up and yell, but I didn’t move and what came out of my mouth was more of a weak murmur. The footsteps paused a moment, then proceeded again towards Reggie and Gus. I prepared myself to hear a cry of pain as my teammates were stabbed because of my inability to act. CREAK, I flinched at the sound, but it wasn’t what I had expected. “Dang it!” I heard the intruder whisper to himself. “Reggie?” I got up and looked to find an empty bunk with a depression on it that looked like an invisible person was lying in it. “Sorry! I just… Went to the kitchen to steal a snack!” he said in a quiet and thoroughly unconvincing tone. “Sorry to wake you,” Reggie said before undoing his invisibility and shutting his eyes. Two “sorry” ‘s. I had never even heard him say one sorry, this must be something bad, but I couldn’t let him know that I was on to him. “Whatever, g’night,” I said with a yawn before laying back into my bed.
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