Retraining skills is such a bother. It feels like there is a part of me that knows how to do this but I just can't remember. Sencea is watching me line the arrow against my bow and says nothing. She watches me from time to time like that. She doesn't realize she has a sad face when she does. My soul hurts when I see it, I usually stick my tongue out at her to make her knock it off.

  Twang, always satisfying to hear. Sencea voice whispers to me my progress. I ran out of arrows. I hold the bow out to my sister, she takes it with a smile.

  “Are you going to practice some?”

  She considers and shakes her head.

  “I already got where I want to be with the bow.”

  That annoys me, she says it comes quicker to her because she has been tier four once. A subtle hint that I should strive for such as well. But if her sad face is anything to go by I think starting fresh is the better way to go. I can only imagine the burden of memory. Better to pick fast and brutal larks. All the thrill, none of the baggage.

  “A spar then sister, I could use some improvement with my close combat.”

  She nods and I smile. It won't be long till she heads off. I can at least spend some more time with her before she goes.

  -----

  I enter the guild hall ahead of Randan. I always like to go in first. My arms swing as I project a don't fuck with me presence. Randan follows in after. He will handle turning in our pile of ears. He made tier two recently and has been handling the talking. I head to the bar.

  “Ale.”

  “Don't be drinking all our gains without me, Vance.”

  “Best make that two then.”

  The bartender nods, Randan joins me and flips a coin to the bartender. The ears are enough for two days. I assume. Felt like we killed as many as last time. Bleeding gobs with their sharp ass teeth. A yellow skin orc is making a racket across the hall, apparently tier four today. Ain't got nothin’ to do with me.

  “We sleepin’ in tomorro’?”

  “Kinda prefer we head back to the forest to be honest Vance, we ain't going to get to the dungeon lest we get enough for gear.”

  This again, he always trying to get further. Frankly smackin’ gobs and gettin’ ale at the end is a proper life, as my father would say. Pity he got eatin’ by the little fucks. Now I just get reminded of his voice every time he approves of somethin’. Could be worse.

  There's a racket behind us. An argument has broken out in a group.

  “I just got a skill up Frank, don't fuckin’ tell me you ain’ usin’ your magic on me.”

  Seems like a good show, I feelin’ rather high class righ’ ‘bout now. Ale in hand watchin’ theater.

  “You've always had it out for me, you're just makin’ this up to get the rest of the party to kick me out.”

  Frank appears to be trying to grab the man's arm, what he gets is a punch to his face. It's a good show indeed. I tip my mug up as I watch. I doubt the [Basic Mage] got any real stones in him though. Bet he slinks off. Ha, I'm right, the coward walks our way and grabs the chair next to me at the bar.

  “I heard you be looking for a new party, Frank.”

  I almost spit my ale out, Randan can't be serious about recruitin’. Frank is just massaging his face.

  “I ain’ so far down that I need to take up with goblin hunters.”

  “Oh don't be like that, why if we can just set aside some coin, we'll be taking on the dungeon in no time.”

  And miss out on my ale?

  “I'll have another.”

  Randan looks annoyed at me. Then gets a giant shit eating grin that screams I got an idea. The idea is usually something unpleasant for me.

  “I'm sure if you can convince Vance, we'll be able to gear up real quick.”

  O this will be good, the moment whateva’ compel this shit uses on me wears off, I'm going to break his neck. The soon to be dead Frank quirks an eyebrow but just watches me drink my ale as I stare at him. When it's ‘bout time to get another Franks claps me on the shoulder.

  “Let me get this next ale for ya, Vance.”

  You know, this Frank guy ain't such a bad guy.

  -----

  Vance comes over to me with two mugs of ale. Guess he didn't want to get up as soon as he was done with one.

  “Here you go Hanki, when losing a family member one should always drink.”

  “Don't deserve.”

  “More reason to drink then, purge the memory and piss on her grave.”

  I smile at that. I take a sip. It's foul. I keep drinking cause Vance brought it. Her grave was the ashes of her burnt out hovel.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “There you go, put hair on your chest.”

  “Thought purging.”

  “Ah that's the trick of it, ale can do many things, most of them wrong.”

  He laughs at his own joke, I sip the ale. Kind grandma whispers to me, I smile. When he notices my mug is empty. He grabs it and heads for more. I don't protest, Vance has given me much.

  “Alright, let's find out exactly how much Hanki can handle.”

  By the end of the night the colors are swimming.

  -----

  The fool standing in front of me makes me think he is another Vance. Can't have too many Vances. Looks desperate enough, what with the way he is looking at the door constantly. Another fool on the run then.

  “So you want to join up with our outfit then? We got some paperwork for ya but when you finish signing up we'll give ya an advance so you can get some supplies.”

  I smack him in the arm, best to get them thinking I'm a physically expressive type.

  “I'm going to need at least three days supply.”

  The compel sinks in just fine. Good, hate when they resist and get all uppity about it. It's just a hassle. I pull out a bag of coins. I figure the boy is scrapping by so I don't need one of the bigger bags for him to agree.

  “Just sign here.”

  There is no hesitation, he can't read, even better. I pulled out another contract. The fuck you contract.

  “And here.”

  He signs, I toss him the bag of coins and then gather the pages. First one is just a standard you will fight when we tell you and this is how much you will get paid. The second is if you wish to quit you are on the hook to returning the ten large gold you were provided as a signing contract. I only gave him two large coppers. I flick a glance at Vance.

  “Come here boy, what's your name?”

  “Sam.”

  “Ah good, Sam, I'm Vance, let me walk you to the store an’ show you what ta get.”

  I smile at that, the shopkeeper will only give him two days worth of goods. Vance is always there with the new recruits, our signal to rob the poor sap blind. If I go, it means to not bother. I give the asshole pretty good odds of squeezing the coin out of poor ole Sam there. He never checked the coin bag, I doubt he can count. Going to have to make sure I get my cut.

  -----

  “Why the hell did you break Bosco's arm?”

  My father's only interest in me is when he needs to yell at me.

  “Shoulda done the other.” I sulk.

  The backhand comes quick, I'm on my hands facing the floor. This is the first time he hit me. It's rather shocking.

  “Now Sam, I asked you a question, word is that they had to pull you off him.”

  “He said I ain't have no right to be around Jesse.”

  The old man looks at me gravely.

  “So it was a matter of honor then?”

  I nod, slightly petulant but I keep my gaze at my father. He nods understanding. He walks over to his dresser and gets something out of the top drawer. He places it in my hand.

  “Its not quite your Soul day but here, don't let anyone trample over your honor Sam.”

  I grip the knife and nod.

  -----

  “Stop”

  I pick up the goblin. The new sword goes cleanly through the little fuck. Not really sportin’ to kill ‘em like this but I suppose more ale better than more bite marks. Frank starting to look as green as the gobs.

  “You doing alright there Frank. We'll make sure to head to the dungeon after a few more days of this.” Randan assures our newest addition.

  “You said it only be this once, Stop.”

  Another goblin freezes. I pick this one up by the neck and bring it over to Frank.

  “Come now, Frank, after the first one, it gets easier.”

  I give my best sneer. Fuck been looking down on us. Now he can be one of us. He stabs it with his shitty ass dagger.

  “Come on Frank, it's only worse if you don't make it clean.”

  Frank finishes the job, then promptly pukes in the grass.

  -----

  My son is dead. Vanessa died shortly after. I am left with two bodies to mourn. My constitution saved me from the plague that has robbed me of my family. That I am in shackles is worse in that I can not do what the plague failed to. The doctor who had come to take care of my son accuses me of destroying that same son's tapestry. He slit my son's throat in front of me telling me that it was for the best that he starts again. Then grew alarmed as the tapestry fell apart. So I sit here, mourning and unable to end it.

  I was born a hybrid. I found love and kinship with Vanessa. Our commonality of having one parent that always looked twenty with the other parent growing older allowed us to break the ice. We found others like us and made a community. I got to play the guard while she was an administrator. When I conceived she proposed on the spot. I want to smile at that, my heart tears instead. The cell door opens.

  “Its time for your interrogation."

  I stand and walk forward. He unloops the chains in the back and we walk in sync. They call it interrogation but it just compels. The cell they kept me in drained my magic, I have no defence. They will start with a bit of conversation and then the compels will start. They haven't gotten much.

  I am sat in front of a rather ostentatious Elf. I stare at the table in front of me, knowing it's better to avoid eye contact.

  “Sencea, I was the first to bring Binjal to this world, he had two more larks before he was cursed to come from your womb.”

  I stare straight into the Elf now, to hell with deference. There is only contempt in her eyes. I return it.

  “You are to tell us all you know of other hybrids like yourself. We are not to repeat this tragedy.”

  I say nothing. I can only hope that the others can flee before they find them. She is looking at my tapestry now. Why?

  “Do not think us cruel for what is necessary. Sencea, you are to relinquish Vanessa tapestry to me.”

  No no no no no no no. I do so. Nooooooooo. My agony ends after ten minutes.

  “Good, you are lucid again, I will bring your lover back, your cooperation will be key, on how well she is treated.”

  I say nothing. My eyes are vacant. I am brought back to my cell.

  -----

  “I don't get why I'm here.”

  Of course he don't.

  “‘Cause you stupid fuck, you can't count. Frank annoyed when you brought too many out.”

  Sam looks at me with annoyance. Frankly I wish the new elf would teach him but considering the boy's problems. It's my problem. Damnit, the first day we put him in charge of retrievin’ product the dumb shit brought ten when we needed five. Now the remainders are all spooked.

  “I don't see the issue. I took back the remain’ product.”

  “That ain't the point. We be runnin’ a tight ship here, can't be delayin’ shit if you fuck up and bring too few next time. You know noble shits be impatients. Top of all that, the rest of the product too scared to leav’ their cells.”

  The boy huffs. Perhaps pride be a better way.

  “Shit, even Hanki can count and he don't even talk in full sentences."

  Sam is looking at me annoyed, but I got his attention. It will have to do.

  “Don't worry, see my hand here, each of these pudgy bastard a numba’. Now then one, two three, four, um … five, six, se…ven, eight, damnit…. Nine and um.” The last one always trips me up.

  -----

  It's been ten months since I have seen the elf who took my love’s tapestry. The same elf who holds Vanessa in her arms in front of me. That she managed a pregnancy on the first try is astounding.

  “You have not been forthright with us, Sencea, there are still unaccounted hybrids we know you had contact with.”

  I look at her with hollow eyes. She can see I have nothing left. She never did say her name. The elf huffs.

  “The date of your execution will be set soon, I will be bringing you back as well for I am merciful. Before you are returned to your cell though.”

  She turns to Vanessa.

  “Vanessa you are Vancea, sister to Sencea, never will you strive for anything greater than a quick life and a brutal death. May your larks be plenty.”

  The baby squirms and then settles. I can only scream.