Fluid - 21

The faithful greet us all politely when the service finishes. I get far more clasped hands and kisses planted on my checks than I’d expected from the two dozen attending the dawn service. A few fisher wives I recognise from the cove are incredibly energetic in their praise, and an elderly, stooped lady starts to cry when I slip my hand free. Her distress has me stepping in and hugging her close, the unplanned action stunning her and others into silence. Taking advantage of the older woman’s surprise, her aged daughter leads her away with a smile of thanks for my patience.

Nanok keeps off to one side and watches in silence that most of those leaving seem happy to reciprocate. A few unhappy looks get sent his way when the women think he’s not watching.

“Are you going to use the same Spell as yesterday?” asks Myrto once we’ve briefed her on the day’s plan.

“No, I’ll use Greater Teleport. It's not disorienting, but it requires more knowledge of the destination,” I explain and gesture discretely to the pouch on her belt. “Have you got everything?”

“Just need to get my shield and sword,” replies Myrto, and then she rushes over to the rectory.

“Please look after her for me,” murmurs Irene, having listened quietly while we briefed Myrto.

“We’ll keep each other safe,” I say, and the others quickly echo the sentiments, getting a smile of thanks from Irene in return.

Everyone settles their gear once Myrto returns.

“We’ll stop in at my building first. This morning I set the crystal in place, but it requires proximity to link to it.”

“You’ll want to come up with a name for your place,” cautions Androkles. “Or someone will name it for you, and their name will stick no matter what you want.”

“I hadn’t thought about it,” I admit.

“The Towers,” offers Nikias.

“They’re just for defence and water creation,” argues Myrto, and I nod in agreement

Androkles motions between us. “See.”

“Sanctuary,” I suggest.

“Why that?” asks Phile.

“It's our sanctuary spot if things go wrong, but it also refers to the towers' protections,” I explain and get us moving. “For adventurers using the dormitory, that’s their nightly sanctuary.”

Teleport sets us into the room I’d secured, and the others take in the walls and ocean view. As Phile runs her fingers over the stone’s contours, Nanok approaches the doorway’s aperture, only to freeze when it spirals open. The metallic slither has Ipy’s Hawk tilting his head curiously and, after a brief flutter of his wings, adjusts his perch on Ipy’s forearm and returns to grooming wing feathers.

“Anyone can freely exit but I’ve secured it so the door only opens from the inside,” I explain

“We’ve got a private room in Sanctuary?” asks Nikias.

“It’s only intended as a recovery space, and the cupboard has clothing and blankets for anyone who ends up here. Though they’re simple garments, they’re enchanted to fit the first person donning them. I anchored the crystal at the room’s centre,” I explain, pointing to the crystal circle that is all that remains visible of the spike. “I linked myself to it last night; who wants to go next?”

Ipy signals first, and a quick melody draws the crystal’s enchantment to him. When the connection occurs, his eyes widen, and he looks at me in surprise. “That was unlike any attunement I’ve experienced.”

“What did it feel like?” asks Androkles.

“Like someone’s hand resting reassuringly on my shoulder—it felt familiar, peaceful, and kind,” replies Ipy, the last in a reverent whisper, before he shakes himself. Blinking away tears, he clears his throat. “I’ve never encountered an attunement where it was anything more than an awareness of the object’s embedded effects.”

Androkles volunteers to go next, and he hums thoughtfully when the link forms. “Not as dramatic as you made it sound, Ipy, but there was something protective there. The attunement let me sense the resurrection capability as well, Gail.”

The others don’t comment further, but Nanok nods in acknowledgement when he’s linked to it. “I’d like other adventurers to have access to something like this, but I can understand your reasoning.”

“I can’t help everyone, but I can understand that viewpoint. Shall we get going?”

“You showed me the image—where are you going to land us?” enquires Nanok.

“We’ll be on the flat rock ledge above the high tide mark which should give us a clear view of the beach to plan our approach. Everyone should be ready in case of trouble,” I reply, and set multiple protection effects across the team to deal with physical and watery attacks.

With most of her upper body covered in chainmail, Myrto wipes her palm on the underside of her forearm before she draws her blade. Nanok stretches his neck, ensuring his helm doesn’t shift with some quick motions before he pulls his long axe and settles his shield. Ipy's shoulders relax as he settles into the moment, and the others likewise have little actions to settle their focus.

“From three, going on one,” I say and count down steadily, teleporting us right on one.

The rock ledge at the base of the small cliff easily accommodates our arrival. It’s a small plateau above the sea, the morning tide has already drowned the lower rocks, regular waves send spray into the air. When nothing immediately attacks us, everyone relaxes ever so slightly.

“Downside of beach runs, you’ll need to take extra care cleaning your chainmail and weapons,” instructs Nanok, focusing on the shadow along the beach to the north. The bluff and hillside that marks the beach’s eastern boundary cast elongated shadows across great swathes.

The song Amdirlain had suggested last night makes even more sense looking at the deserted beach. Taking in the hungry chimes that nestle beneath the wind-shifting sand provides the context to adjust the song. Ipy’s hand raises and his companion takes to the air, winging into the ocean breeze to use its lift to gain height quickly.

“There is a bunch above the tide’s reach, more within 20 metres of the waterline,” I say.

“How many can you sense?”

“Over a score across the kilometre of beach ahead, but most are in the water,” I say and point off towards the deeper water. “I’d considered not marking them to let people develop their Perception, but they feel more dangerous than I had expected.”

“Giant crabs can be very dangerous foes. The largest can decapitate through even steel gorgets,” agrees Nanok, his gaze not having left the sands.

“Let me light them up, and we’ll plan our approach.”

The short song, sung in a round, sends out a flurry of wisps. Initially, they race along the beachfront, stopping above a life hidden beneath the sands, shedding a pool of illumination to mark the boundary of a concealed form. After highlighting the eight crabs above the tide’s edge, adjusting the song's focus sends out another 19 globes to illuminate those hidden among the surf.

“Interesting effect. Is the last at the limit of its range?” asks Ipy.

Shaking my head, I take in the calm melodies of the predators. “I could extend it further, but I didn’t see the need.”

“These will be more than enough to risk today,” agrees Nanok. “How are there so many?”

“A beach run normally nets six or seven sizeable crabs over about ten kilometres,” comments Androkles. “Too many years of adventurers stopping at the inlet while doing the beach sweeps. The farms this far from the village are further inland, so no one complained about crabs messing with livestock.”

“At least the closest is only pony-sized,” murmurs Nikias.

“Guess they should come past that inlet more often,” Ipy says drily, fierce Ki energy intermingles with a metallic thrum enclosing his fists. “Glad we didn’t go further afield. We might have found an old man crab waiting.”

“Too far and it would clash with teams out of Appian, but that’s another 50 kilometres away,” offers Nanok.

“How do you normally lure them out and handle them?”

“There isn’t a need to lure them. If you get close enough, they’ll rise out of the sinkhole they’ve set up for themselves,” replied Nanok. “As for dealing with them, two melee combatants in the front blocking their claws from reaching softer targets.”

Leaving the timing to the crab’s control doesn’t sit well. “How about using Taunt to bring one over? What range can you manage with it, Ipy?”

Ipy shrugs. “About a hundred metres, but normally it means seeing them.”

“Now you know where it's hidden, it should be possible to target,” Nanok disagrees. “With Enrage it doesn’t matter, but using it or Provoke without knowing what's around isn’t smart even if their range is far smaller. If I stand at the rock’s edge here, I could grab just that one in the surf and leave the others alone.”

“Ipy, try Taunt first. The one on the beach is the smaller of the two,” I decide and point ahead to where the bluff’s wall ends. “See if you can get it to face towards the rock face so the rest of us can attack it from the rear. Nanok, if you stand against the cliff here, would that keep the others out of range?”

He takes a moment to assess the distance and, at last, nods. “It would. Want me to be ready to take the pressure off Ipy?”

“I was going to ask you to alternate between you once we close the distance; I’m sure Ipy could kill it himself. Wouldn’t work with a more intelligent monster, but you should be able to have it scuttling between the two of you.”

“Wolf pack tactics and attention switching? I was worried you’d be looking to be all noble and play fair with foes,” laughs Nanok. “Glad to see you're not the type to get stuck on a particular plan.”

“Two rules: if you aren’t cheating you’re not trying hard enough, and no plan survives contact with the enemy. Ignoring new information is a way to get in trouble,” I counter. “As for the rest of us, once the crabs get lured to Ipy, we’ll set to work. First, focus on the joints of their rear legs. Getting between them could get you speared, even if the barbs on their legs don’t cut you open.”

“The shell sections around them deflect blows,” warns Nanok.

“I’ll fracture their protection and call for attention-switching,” I say. “Whenever you’re ready, Ipy.”

Ipy moves ahead and the energy running through him sets a metallic chiming across his form with every motion. Nanok gets in position near the bluff’s outer edge while the rest of us get ready where the sand meets the rock. The rise gives us a good view of the crab’s location, which erupts in a spray of sand and water.

Lifting massive pincers—longer than its body—ahead of itself, its claws are already snapping, with its attention already on Ipy. Protruding from the front rim of the oval black shell, its eyestalks are slightly bigger than some hard bumps on either side; their movements are all that distinguish them. While the shell is black on top, the inner curves between its claws and down the front are a more sandy tan.

Turning on the spot, the legs closest to us reach out across the top of the sand. There is a gathering of momentum as they pull back and, aided by the other side’s legs giving a hard push, it’s out of the depression in a single movement. The burst of motion is faster than a running dog and prompts me to reduce the head start I’d intended to give it.

“Straight, then curve,” I say, dashing ahead of them. The four follow in my wake with the unfurling of Duet, the Skill providing them with an instinctive awareness of my intent.

I hear the clash of Ipy’s block guide one and then the other claw clear, causing them to scrape against the bluff face behind him. We’re still 10 metres away, but he’s handling it easily. With my feet sinking deep into the loose sand, reaching him took longer than I’d expected.

When I get close, despite its huge width and elongated legs, I find the top of its shell is level with my eyes. It's only just out of arm’s reach when my first sharp notes spear across the crab’s rear. The impact sends an avalanche of cracks along its body and pieces fall away, exposing its back and patches across the rear, spur-covered legs. The hard granite shell did not absorb the whole impact and the song bit into flesh, causing a burst of pain that brought the crab to a halt mid-swing. As it starts to turn towards us, I wave at Nanok, my intention stretching the Skill to reach for him, and something rings within it, a noise that shifts my awareness unexpectedly.

The voiceless alpha-challenge smacks against the crab’s awareness and makes it oblivious to the pain I’d inflicted. The time it takes shifting balance to scuttle toward Nanok is enough to let Myrto and Nikias deliver their first strikes. Rushing to get their attacks in causes both to go astray. Bouncing off the shell, their hacking blows sound like badly aimed attempts to spark flint and steel.

The impacts don’t divert its attention from Nanok, and it surges for him. Stretching its legs out exposes the seam in the shell between the torso and legs. Drawn by my awareness, a conductor’s motion is enough to direct their focus. Phile’s and Androkles’ thrown daggers spike deep on a one-two beat as it surges again. Both land in the seam between the torso and the trailing leg, wounds that sour the crab’s focus and has it hesitating. The pause lets them both land their second daggers into the seam of the trailing leg.

“Ipy.”

The mocking hiss of Ipy’s Taunt nips again, and the crab tries to halt its motion, its rear legs scrambling at the sand. Four daggers returning to their sheathes give the twisting muscle plenty of room to tear itself along the damage. Caught between the two provocations, it twists indecisively and Myrto’s slash bites into a crevice, taking out a gouge of flesh. A flash of gold wraps around Nikias’s shield before his charge hammers it against the crab’s knee.

Taking advantage of a claw waving wildly in confusion, Ipy’s front kick opposes its momentum, and the rock-cracking sound resounds again. The claw’s fixed lower finger shatters back into the claw’s meaty mass.

Pain turns it back towards Ipy, and I wave to Nanok again.

I’ve barely unleashed multiple notes to shatter across the legs closest to him, but ready for my signal, Nanok’s Enrage bites fast. The primitive rage it triggers within the crab has it attempting a hard surge. The legs on Nanok’s side reach out to pull, yet its fractured shell digs into the meat, splintered exoskeleton turning into spiked hazards.

A strange sound burbles up from its stomach as the leading legs collapse, and Phile and Androkles are upon it. Her gladius drives deep into the wound Myrto had made while the hacking force in Androkles’ kopis cleave bites through the torso’s top and extends fresh breaks along the rear of its shell.

Using a Spell of compressing force drives a lance of air through its back and out the front of its body, the shock wave carving out the crab’s brain. The monster collapses unsupported to the sand, prompting the more experienced to step back.

“How do they get this big?” murmurs Nikias, poking his sword cautiously into exposed flesh as if expecting it to move.

“It's different seeing them in person to the tales and shell sections brought in,” notes Androkles.

“Arcane Theory says creatures get this way by adapting to influxes of concentrated Mana that enhance their bodies. It gives them the strength to survive their larger size without their weight crushing their bodies and changes them from animals into monsters,” I explain, noting that both Nanok and Ipy are already watching for danger, despite Ipy’s hawk happily circling above.

Stepping forward to tap against the stone-like exoskeleton, I consider its rough surface. “Does the shell sell?”

“It does, but with so many, I’d only bother taking the larger ones back,” replies Androkles. “There are only so many that folks can process at once, and limited demand. Crab meat always sells while the salt holds out.”

Touching the cleaved flesh, I absorb only the crab’s meat into Inventory.

“How much can you carry that way?” asks Nanok, moving close to our position.

“Would you like me to move the entire village?” I reply. Avoiding laughing at his surprised snort, I motion to the closest crab under the waves. “You want to get where you’re happy to grab that one’s attention?”

“Going to be closer this time?”

“We’ll shorten this distance,” I agree. “That is my learning from this first one. Did anyone else notice something that they want to do better?”

“I rushed my first strike,” grumbles Myrto.

Nikias gives a disgusted grunt of agreement. “Same.”

“What was that glow on your shield, Nikias?” asks Androkles.

The question banishes his dissatisfaction, and Nikias grins boyishly. “The Power is called Aegis Barrier; it increases the strength of armour or shields.”

“Seemed to fade quickly; shield bashes are one way to practice it if you can get the timing right. Know any details of its limits?”

“At present, the material’s hardness increases by a quarter but only lasts until one impact occurs, or ten heartbeats,” explains Nikias.

Ipy nodded thoughtfully. “Don’t deflect their strikes behind me; it left me awkwardly positioned when the crab ran for Nanok.”

“I notice you didn’t ask anyone their abilities,” comments Nanok.

Shaking my head, I smile infuriatingly. “I know a bunch about what various classes can do in theory, though Power evolutions vary. However, some people avoid particular powers and skills because they’re not an aspect of their classes they want to focus on. Outside essential abilities, like Androkles’ question regarding who had Taunt, I’d prefer to see what powers and skills people want to focus on. Hopefully, anyone with specific abilities they’d like to develop will speak up.”

My answer gets a begrudging nod from Nanok, and he heads back towards where he’d been standing but closer to the water’s edge.

“Did you use a Spell to let me know not to move?” asks Myrto.

“The Skill was called Duet. I think I might have caused it to evolve,” I explain.

“That sounds like it's for singing, not fighting,” notes Ipy.

Listening to the change in Duet’s song distracts me from his comment, but the prolonged silence draws me back. “Sorry, was trying to work out what changed. It’s for improving coordination, normally in singing, but it can extend to any activity where I’m trying to coordinate with others. It provides an intuitive feel, just as you can tell what direction your hand is pointing without looking, everyone included gains an awareness of where others are and what they roughly intend.”

Myrto nods slowly. “Is your Skill still going?”

“Yes. It’ll help you take advantage of openings others make or be aware you risk stepping into the path of another’s attack. Can you tell if Nanok’s impatient?”

“More eager,” murmurs Nikias.

My question prompts Myrto to start a rolling chant in Celestial, and flames crawl over her and Nikias’ blades when she's done. Moving forward until we cut the distance I’d allowed last time in half, I signal Nanok to begin.

The concealed crab erupts in the same way, heading for him on a direct course that is well away from us, and a quick signal sets them running forward. Letting them lead the way, I balance my shattering notes against the hardness of the crab’s shell. Sections of it flake away, leaving the flesh beneath untouched.

Myrto and Nikias lead the way, with the others easily keeping pace.

Before they catch the crab, Nanok’s shield deflects one claw high, and he twists away from the second before both Myrto’s and Nikias’ blessed blades strike down. This time, the pair cleanly hit the exposed junction of the torso and the opposing legs.

It jerks as if goosed, but Ipy’s Taunt snaps at it for attention. The crab hauls itself sideways towards him, its damaged legs dragging. With the leg closest to Phile badly wounded but not severed, she steps between the pair and her stab slides along the line of the crab’s torso. The tip pierces through the leg, causing severed ligaments to pop within. With the last support destroyed, its rear right leg buckles, and the crab ends up dragging it along as those remaining pull and push.

My short mocking melody reinforces Ipy’s Taunt, allowing Androkles time to match its movements and, as the crab passes Myrto, he chops the rear left leg free. Still a distance behind their assault, the newly exposed flesh gives me the perfect target for a Fire Bolt, and its bright blue flame sears the stump.

When it turns towards them in pain, the crab is out of position to ward off Nanok’s strike, the force of it driving the shell to a deep concave between its eyestalks. That blow doesn't kill it and, ignoring the swing of a crab’s claw towards his shield, he lands a second. The axe’s hooked blade cleaves its way between the antenna and yanks out the crab’s brains through its mouth.

As he flicks the mass from his weapon, I nod at Nanok over the collapsed shell. “Let’s keep following this pattern of you grabbing the one deeper in the surf after Ipy handles one above the tide.”

“That works,” allows Nanok. “My second blow killed it, but I should have let it move on—it was a riskier strike.”

Keeping a straight face at the surprised reaction from Nikias and Myrto alike, I don’t comment on the minimal amount of additional risk. His contributions to the running review I’ll take as a gesture of goodwill. The churned sand pulling at my boot has me considering the mess we’ve made of this small section of the beach.

“I underestimated how hard it is to move on this sand; it’s my first time on a beach.”

“Wait until you try getting sand out of clothing later; it gets everywhere,” laughs Nikias.

“We’ll take a brief break between every two crabs we fight to let everyone recover. No need to push hard when there isn’t a need; it allows reserves for desperate moments.”

“You came home exhausted the other night,” teases Phile.

Shrugging exaggeratedly, I wave my hands. “I could have taken it slower, but I wanted it defensible.”

“What sort of terrain are you used to fighting in?” asks Nanok.

“Stoney ground in canyons and deserted ruins,” I reply and gesture along the beach. “Would it be easier if I compacted this loose sand? The wet sand is harder, I could saturate the areas we want to fight.”

“Better to get used to fighting on unsteady footing against easy foes,” suggests Ipy. “The experience could serve you well another time.”

Shifting position again and feeling my feet sink, I nod. “Now I understand why people don’t come too far along the beach. It sucks at your feet, doesn’t it?”

Nanok looks at me contemplatively, and when I motion for him to spill, he speaks up. “I hadn’t expected you to move up with the others.”

“I can fight with a sword; plus, some spells are better targeted at close range.”

“Most with your capabilities would stay at range,” comments Nanok.

The idea makes me scoff. “Ask someone to take a risk I wouldn’t take myself? Also, I wanted to make sure Nikias and Myrto had an example to show what I meant.”

“Startled me, but yeah, I would have cut straight towards Ipy,” admits Nikias.

Scrubbing the gore from his weapon across clean sand, Nanok is only momentarily silent. “You’ve got weapons stored like the plates of food?”

“Tons of them,” I chirp. Laughing, I hold back the temptation to show off the armoury aunt Am had surprised me with last time we met. The weakest of the weapons was far beyond what I could make.

“Are you only carrying daggers in the open to distract?” Nanok asks curiously.

“Stops people thinking about what other options I have,” I agree.

“Is that Skill you're using going to help or hinder the development of team coordination?” asks Nanok.

“You’ve got keen ears.”

“Ranger,” huffs Nanok.

Rolling my eyes at the obvious answer to my question, I nod my thanks. “It’ll improve your ability to work with others. Some I’ve worked with have gained variations of it that focused just on physical coordination.”

Nanok grunts begrudgingly. “That’ll be interesting.”

“Shall we get started again?” Nikias asks, pointing towards the nearest glow.

Methodically clearing out the crabs let everyone ration their energy through the morning. By the time I call an end at lunchtime, we’ve dealt with the 27 crabs and an extra I located to round things off at four a piece. While none of the fights has taken long, I’ve kept the pace slow and set longer breaks as the morning went on. The melody of natural toxins within the others’ muscles spikes and ebbs away but doesn’t completely clear.

“Why do you want to stop here?” protests Nikias, and I catch Androkles rubbing a hand across his mouth to cover a smirk.

“We’ve got tons of meat to hand off to someone to cut and salt, not to mention the growing fatigue in your strikes. We’ll come back here tomorrow to see if others have taken their place or continue to those ahead,” I reply and motion to the dozens more along the stretch of beach.

“There are so many here,” mutters Phile.

“I’m pretty sure of the cause of both their presence here and existence in general: an elemental nexus is another 5 kilometres along the beach, where the ocean meets the coastline’s shallows.”

Nikias hefts his sword as if readying for a fight. “Can we close it?”

“It's not something you can close, Nikias,” I explain. “It’s a gathering of the natural Mana that the ocean’s energy has influenced. Even if we could disrupt it, and there is a lot of inertia to its presence, it would just shift it elsewhere, potentially closer to the village.”

“If we’re heading towards it, the crabs will keep getting stronger,” states Nanok.

“Yep, so time to head back, get some rest, and consider today’s lessons. Would you suggest some practice this afternoon to tidy up the sloppy habits that fatigue is tempting them to develop, Nanok?” I ask.

“Good idea, and they need to balance their attack skills with defensive practice,” confirms Nanok, fixing the pair in question with a firm look. “Guild members or not, you’re still my students, and I’m not letting you off that easily.”

The gruff tone hides his protectiveness well, and it's an effort to keep a straight face.

“I can introduce you to those in the village who are the best at handling crab meat,” offers Androkles.

Giving him a nod of thanks, I return us to Hestia’s Temple. After a morning with shifting sand underfoot, the stability of the ground feels odd. There aren’t any faithful about, but voices and noises come from neighbouring buildings—sounds like they’re preparing a noon meal.

“Given their accumulating experience, it will be another 4 or 5 days before Nikias and Myrto get their first level,” I state, and the group starts.

Phile blinks. “How can you tell?”

“I can hear the strengthening in their songs, and I’ve heard that change in someone’s first levels many times. It could depend on how many we handle each day, but let’s keep to 28—it works out, given our team size. The growing strength of crabs introduces enough variation already that it's uncertain.”

“That long?” grumbles Nikias.

Frustration snaps a little inside Myrto, but she speaks softly to keep it from her voice. “Nikias, we’ve four classes, so that’s fast, and it will be a big jump.”

“With you being the only child around, I thought you’d just accompanied experienced troops,” remarks Phile.

“I worked on military expeditions, but I wasn’t being escorted just to gain levels. The last year I worked with two others consistently, but on each trip we took two new archons gaining their first levels. I know what classes transitioning through those levels sounds like down to the last beat.”

“You helped celestials level?” gasps Myrto excitedly.

“It's one reason so many of them know me.”

“If this key is so important, why aren’t you just working with the celestials you know then?” mutters Nanok.

I try not to roll my eyes, but his scepticism has me blowing a raspberry despite myself. That response draws an immediate scowl and laughter dances in my voice. “Celestials have other concerns, and I’ve already learnt a bunch of new things, which wouldn’t have happened if I’d just continued working with them. There is much more to life than how elves and celestials view things. I need to learn about different people and cultures.”

Nanok retorts. “If you’re looking to learn, maybe you shouldn’t run people over so much?”

“I said I need to learn. Though I’d suggest you use your Ranger’s Perception to look and listen better—that group was also operating right under your nose,” I grumble, and his scowl deepens. I lift a finger at his sharp inhalation to get him to wait. “We’re both tired. I sang a lot last night, and your blood is up from the fighting. We’re in the village; let’s step back.”

A rumbling wordless mutter is his response before nodding sharply, and he stalks off.

“Men.” huffs Myrto.

Fish mouthing Nikias sputters. “What?”

Ipy pats his shoulder. “Might want to leave that one be.”

“Androkles, I need to walk on normal ground for a while. Do you want to see if they’ll have time to handle butchering the crab meat now or later?” I ask.

“Filleting,” corrects Androkles. “We can stroll down to the warehouse, drop off the crabs they can handle, and get lunch. They’ll let us know how much they can take on today.”

Nikias’ stomach growls at the mention of food. When its growling rises in ferocity, Myrto fixes him with a look of disbelief for its snarling animal imitation.

He pats his stomach and shrugs with a grin. “What? I can smell people cooking, and the last snack of nuts and dried fruit was back a half-dozen fights.”

Realising what I’d forgotten, I quickly pass out the pouches I’d set up last night. “Here are your retainers as promised, but I’ll sell off the crab meat and split the revenue.”

A quick summoning brings forth a Wind Sprite that immediately zips around me. It can barely pause for instructions before it snatches up the pouch for Nanok and blurs away with a flash of silvery wings, leaving the scent of lightning in its wake.

Motioning in the direction the pouch had sped away, Androkles gives me a curious look. “You could have given it to him later.”

“No, that wouldn’t be right. I paid the rest of you, and it was possible to pay him promptly. A Wind Sprite will easily find him in a village this size.”

“What does it get for that?” asks Myrto. “I mean, you mentioned hiring other beings.”

“The summoning bond gives it some energy which helps its growth.”

Nikias grins excitedly. “Was that a fey or something else? I barely spotted it when it grabbed the pouch; it looked like a winged Elf made of lightning.”

A flicker comes through the bond, and I feel it vanish with the job done. “A tiny fey of the Summer Court; it’s already finished giving him the purse.”