Three days. Three days have gone by since their visit to that old tower. The four of them carried bags over their shoulders as they stood in front of the inn. Stefan had two Bags of Holding on to him while Semilia and Riel had three between them. They left a few silver coins on the innkeeper's desk and they had cleaned their room. The caravan that would take them east will leave in the afternoon, to avoid the Ents that moved southward from the mountains to avoid the coming winter. The Guildmaster was waiting for them with their money and the items they left in their former inn before they dove into the dungeon that brought them here in the first place. Stefan took a deep breath.

"Where's Sirius? We still need to go to the tavern to meet with them."

"I think he's taking a shit somewhere."

"No. I pee."

Sirius grumbled as he waddled out from behind the inn. Miu crawled beside him, her blue color now a dirty yellow mixed with streaks of blue and green.

"Do we go now?"

"Yeah. You got everything you need?"

Sirius nodded and lifted the only Bag of Holding he had on him. The other one was with the Guildmaster.

"Good. I need to find a place that sells good ale or whiskey that will last me a month for cheap. Riel, you bought the food for our trip, right?"

"Elven flatbread, some hard cheeses that will go great with it, a few sausages and a few slices of ham. Any more and my back will break from carrying all of this food."

Stefan chuckled and ruffled the Mage's hair as he took the bag that held the food they will share between them during the journey.

"Hold my maps. It's lighter."

Riel nodded as she tied the Bag of Holding to her belt.

They said no goodbye to the warm and snug inn that housed them for the few nights they stayed under its roof and beneath the warm blankets. The small stack of coins they left would serve as their goodbye. They walked past the remains of the fallen buildings in Guild Street, the main street of the Adventurer's District. Many homes and establishments were in ruins. Broken buildings and piles of rubble cluttered the streets. People hauled stone, wood, and rubble onto carts while others piled stone atop stone or rummaged through the remains of what was once their shop or home. Stefan and Semilia walked past them while Riel and Sirius lingered on the site of a burnt down inn.

Riel tilted her head. The large brim of her hat obscured her face as she turned away from the remains of the inn to catch up to the two ahead of them. He followed her quickly as she briskly walked past carts, rubble, and the unfortunate people who lost many in the past few days. They quickly caught up to Stefan and Semilia just a few paces ahead of them. They looked on at the large inn whose sloped brick roof peeked over the others around it. A long line of people and adventurers stood outside of its doors. Many brought with them their travel bags and provisions, some brought only sacks that dripped with something foul. A few brought broken shovels, picks, and grievances.

"Seems that we're not the only one who had the idea to skip town."

"Can't blame them, really."

"Yeah... But it's strange that these many are heading south. It would be much more profitable to stay here during the winter months, and safer as well. Especially with what winter means..."

"And what does winter mean, exactly?"

Stefan chuckled as he turned his head towards the Goblin, who kicked a small pebble down the street as he caught up to them.

"Sirius! What do Goblins do when they don't have enough food during the winter?"

"Forage. Raid. Sex with other Goblins. Harsh snow means... Eat each other."

Sirius shuddered as the pebble he kicked rolled down the slight slope ahead of them. Steffan nodded at his answer.

"Monsters become more desperate during the winter. Some hibernate while others make trouble for adventurers since in their desperation they start attacking isolated villages and even small towns for food."

"No wonder winter and summer is when our schedules become busy."

Semilia muttered out as they entered through the doors, much to the dismay of those in line and those who cast envious glances at them.

Their business was not with the makeshift reception desk that stood in the place of the innkeep's own desk. Their business was within the largest room of the inn, the one room with walls thick enough to hide the conversations of those within from prying ears and eyes. They ascended the wooden stairs of fine wood. Receptionists climbed up and down the stairs with stacks of papers and flyers in their hands. Rooms meant for guests turned into storage spaces and a breakroom. They walked past the chaos and went straight for the room at the end of the hallway.

"Guildmaster Liam, my party and I are here for-"

"So it is true... Laknnor sent that many? Those men aren't green, but their commander is."

"Ser Amnester's passing was a tragedy unforeseen by everyone. To think that fish could fight back even on land. But from the rumors I heard from one Guildmaster to another, the commander of such a force is not from Laknnor's lands."

"Not fro- Then-"

"They were meant to ride at spring's first light. But it seems they took this opportunity to hide their intentions and to mask their own force's movements."

The Guildmaster spoke with Lord Terius, glasses of wine in their hands.

"They must've reached Lakewatch by now. Toryehelm's own forces and- Oh! Stefan! I didn't see you there! Come, come! Lord Terius and I were just discussing matters of state. Nothing serious."

"Sounds serious to me."

"War and the balance of powers are nothing serious to those not involved. It should only be serious if you lot are planning on leaving the guild's registry to become sellswords."

The Guildmaster said with a smile as he brought out two bags from beneath the table.

"A Bag of Holding with 500 gold coins minted with the Lord of Arenhein's sigil and our symbol."

"A tower and the golden salmon of my house. Its worth in silver increases the further south you go."

"Getting that much money is no joke, Stefan. Were it not for Lord Terius' help, Arenhein's Merchant Guild would not have released your money. An unlucky few had to deal with that earlier today, actually."

The Guildmaster sighed. His hands pushed the bag slightly as he turned his eyes towards the Goblin that stood before him.

"The bag you gave us is a rare one. Filled with gold, yes, but gold that mostly came from the efforts of others. By others, I mean dead adventurers and would-be looters. A bag filled with 700 gold coins minted from all over the world and from different periods. A handful of them is actually thrice their value if traded with the right people or... race. There are many gold coins there, some bear the crown and the face of Likain the Third, King of Arluk—nice collectable—along with silver Krakens used by the Deagon and Merfolk. Modern coins are also found there, most from the kingdoms east of the Arendine and from the Empire. Take care of it, Sirius."

The Guildmaster smiled as he patted the fat bag to his right.

"If all of you wish to deposit said gold into a bank, do it somewhere else. The Merchant Guild is in an uproar these past few days."

Lord Terius said with a slight smile on his face.

Stefan nodded and took the Bags of Holding from the table while the two poured themselves another glass of wine. On the table were letters marked with the Guild's seal but he pried no further. He took notice of their eyes' expressions as they looked at him. It was a... a sadness mixed with hope. He had no words for it. Stefan nodded once more as he took three steps backwards and gave the two the Imperial bow for nobles with his arm outstretched to the side and his hand on his abdomen.

"May the Goddess bring you aid in your time of need. We have overstayed Arenhein's welcome, and we now bid Lord and Guildmaster farewell and prosperity."

"Pfft... *Ehem*... Lift your head, adventurer. Take your leave in peace for I bid you farewell and luck on your travels."

"You know the words."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Stefan smiled at the familiar words of farewell.

"Of course. In my city and in the Five Free Cities of Old Arluk, I stand on the same pedestal as Kings and Queens. Whithin the Empire, I am but a Lord of a large city whose main export is wine and grain."

Lord Terius smiled at Stefan with a smile akin to that of a man meeting an old friend.

"Goodbye, Stefan. Take care and... good luck."

"... Of course."

----------------------------------------

The four of them walked through the busy street. They left the guild behind them. They left both the Guildmaster and the young Lord, who whispered about things that revolved around war, instability, and the matters of state among themselves. Sirius heard something about armies marching south and "dealing with Daru" but he didn't really care enough to listen more. He just wanted to find his way towards the tavern where they'd eat for lunch. He was hungry. A growl from his stomach affirmed that statement in his head as he trudged through the dust and rubble.

"How many will be there, Stefan?"

"Quite a lot, actually. There's Ruric and his team, Jared and his party, Katherine, the siblings, Eric, and... Elya's team."

"You think they're going to be okay?"

"Hope so. I ran into them yesterday, actually. They seem fine but it seems they're going to hang around Arenhein for a while. They say it's bad luck to leave the unburied dead within a month's time."

"Bad luck since the dead might haunt you... or worse."

"A-Anyway! We're almost there. They said they rented out half of the tavern for us but..."

"We're paying it all? Fucking hell."

"Guess they heard about the gold. Nothing we can do about it."

Stefan said as he looked around the street. His eyes widened.

"Oh. We're already here. The Jumping Crow."

"Do crows even jump?"

"I've seen a crane jump before and it's fucking scary. I'm pretty sure crows can jump."

The four of them walked into the inn, only to be met with the deafening sound of a gun being fired.

"The party of the hour comes at last! Fuckin' 'ell, y'all took yer time!"

Ruric roared as his team struggled to bring him back down to his seat. The others simply let out heavy sighs and angry grumblings as the old man hurled swears and cusses at his team that it would make even the hardiest of Sailors and Sea Captains feel flustered. Jared and Katherine were both there, although they had crutches beside their seats and slings to support their broken limbs. The siblings sat beside Lea and the three Amazonians while they ate soup and talked. There was a spot for them on the table, but it was separated and left them far from one another.

They all sat down while Ruric called for the barmaid. Sirius sat beside the siblings to his right and the quiet Qiya as she ate her chicken. Riel sat in front of him, flanked by Alfred and Tobias on both sides as they drank ale. Semilia sat at the furthest side of the table with a good space between her and Katherine. The Goblin let out a sigh as the barmaid noted down Stefan's orders. There were a few faces he wanted to see. People he wanted to say goodbye to. Like the little girl that ran into the dungeon.

"Sirius! Stop lookin' so grim and drink! Drrrink up and fill yer belly with ale, beer, and wine!"

"That's his name? "Sirius?" He should've chosen a Halfling name to better fit his disguise. Something like Pop or Farmmow, maybe Lorder if he's feeling a bit like a noble."

"Sirius is a pretty good name, isn't it Ir'la?"

One of the Amazon's directed her question at the silent Qiya, who chewed her food quietly.

"I suppose it is."

"Well, my name is Ximaya. It means "girl from the Xima" and Qiya here is my sister. I wasn't able to..."

Stefan chuckled as he watched the Goblin listen intently to the Amazonian's long and chatty introductions.

"In some places, having dogs on the table are considered bad manners. In some, having Low-Elves are an insult to the host. I wonder what it means to have a Goblin of all things on the table."

Katherine said as she took a sip of wine from her cup.

"Most Low-Elf villages knocks out the teeth of fuckers that start shit for no reason."

"Oh, I meant no offense there, Miss Semilia. I've fought alongside many Low-Elves and yours for me to know that not all Low-Elves are beggars and thieves. Only most of them."

"Heh. Don't lump me in with those city dwellers. I come from the forest villages. Anyway, I do agree with you that having a Goblin eating with us is a bit... strange. But Sirius won't do anything strange. I think."

"He won't. Probably..."

Jared and Katherine shot the two of them worried looks.

"He's just weird. He's a weird guy. He's into mushrooms and books and spent a long time in the dungeon reading and writing in the dark."

Stefan's words made Semilia and Riel twitch slightly.

"But he means well."

"True. The Go- Sirius saved our lives quite a few times now."

Lea said as she lifted the spoon towards Jared's mouth.

"It's true. He was the one who shielded Lea from the Demon's attack on the castle and he also helped clear the dungeon that was his home."

"Look, I don't have a problem with that one. But if all of ya' start fuckin' preaching about not killin' Goblins, I'm gonna lose it. Killin' Goblins is our job, and I ain't lettin' you start feelin' empathy for these things."

Jared said coldly as he lifted his cup of beer with his left arm.

"Look, those other Goblins aren't like Sirius. They're more savage. Savage and dirty. Look at Sirius over there! He knows how to use a washbowl and a towel! Not even dogs can be trained to not drink from washbowls!"

Lea said as she pointed at the Goblin as he wiped his hands dry with a towel before he took a slice of bread.

The tavern girl brought them their food; piping hot mushroom soup with cheese and ham for Semilia and Sirius, roasted chicken with pumpkin soup and mashed potatoes for Stefan, a large grilled fish for Riel. A barmaid also rushed towards them. A refill of empty cups and pints followed quickly after while Sirius focused on his food. The siblings wanted him to try a strange drink called "Cream of Honey" but he did not enjoy the sweet scent of honey, milk and some sort of brew beneath. Still, Ameera pestered him to do so.

"It's good! Wicked good! The milk complements the Whenyan Grass tea and the honey gives it a sweet taste that brings out its nuttiness. Come on, it's much better than that tea of-"

"No."

"I assure you, Sirius, that Ameera is right. It's a good drink."

"Nope."

"How about a si-"

"Whenyan Grass makes Goblin sick."

The Goblin lied as he savoured the nutty taste of the earthy mushroom mixed with the thick cream and salty goat's cheese.

"B-By the way, the two of us wanted to thank you for-"

"For saving our butts in that dungeon."

"... Yes, we owe you our lives for that. Take this as-"

"No need weapon. I have-"

"It's not a damn sword, idiot. It's something you'd like and something you'll need if you want to keep up that disguise of yours."

Sirius raised a brow as the siblings gave him a small book wrapped with a ribbon.

"It's a dictionary. It will help you with your words."

"Oh... T-Thank. Gift. Must give back-"

"N-No! No need! Please, don't give us anything back. We can't thank you enough for all you did for us down in the dungeon."

Ameera looked miffed but Orien ignored her.

"Hm. Okay. I will read often to... get better words. Thank you."

The Goblin smiled briefly. It was a nice gift, and one he would treasure dearly. He put away the dictionary in the Bag of Holding that held his most important items while he poured the pint of beer Tobias gave him onto Miu. Unlike him, the Slime enjoyed her drink. A little bit too much, in his opinion. He wanted to finish his now cold mushroom soup but someone tugged at his cloak from behind. A silent groan left his closed lips as he swivelled around to look at the person behind him. But before he could ask what they wanted, he found himself being embraced by a familiar girl and scent.

Everyone at the table turned to look at the Beastfolk that hugged the Goblin tightly. The feline features on the girl did not strike them as odd, but rather it was how the girl did not seem to fear the Goblin beneath that disguise. Sirius had a slightly happy and slightly annoyed expression, but he did not seem to mind the girl's presence. In fact, one could say he looked happy that she was there. They looked at the tavern's door as it closed. The haggard man that closed the door was familiar, the girl with him was not.

"Who's the girl ya' picked up, Eric?"

"Shut it, Jared. She's just one of the adventurers that helped at the orphanage."

"My name is Elai- Wait, Sirius? Sirius, is that you?"

His ears perked up at the blonde woman's voice.

"Miss Elair! I found the person who saved me! This is the person I was talking to you about!"

"Hello. I'm Sirius."

The girl warily gave him a glance before she sat down beside him. Eric sat down beside Stefan. He let out a sigh while he signalled the barmaid to bring him some watered down ale for himself and for Stefan. He placed a stack of silver and copper coins in front of him. Stefan raised a brow as the barmaid brought them their drinks. It was a cheap drink, but one Stefan would gladly take. The two of them nodded without a word and raised their cups. It only took Stefan a few seconds before he downed his drink while Eric took a good while before he emptied his cup.

Soon enough, the two began to talk about things. Dull things. Things like the two Guardsmen who couldn't make it due to work and plans. What kind of plans were they? He didn't care. The woman beside him didn't seem to care as well. He could tell she wanted to talk, to say something to him. A grumble. A low grumble that made him twitch. His yellow orbs quickly shot towards the source of the grumbling sound. Elair held her stomach as she called the tavern girl to her side.

"Soup. Soup with mutton if you have some. Chicken will also do fine... Seryues! How about I treat you to a drink?"

"Water."

He instinctively turned towards her. His slightly orange eyes beneath his hood turned yellow as the hood slightly slipped off of his head. Bertholdt quickly moved his hand, but it was done. The flash of dirty, brownish-red hair and a shade of green made Elair go pale and silent. She glimpsed the person—no, the thing—beside her. He looked away from her. He was about to stand up to go outside when Elair slammed a cup of ale in front of him.

"T-Thank you. I was planning on inviting you as well to come with me west... But it seems you're already in a party."

Elair said with a straight face as she wiped away the ale on her mouth.

"Anyway... Thank you. You saved my life back then with that Demon. Err, if you don't mind..."

She pulled out a pendant; a yellow jewel with a golden boar with wings with a gold flower wrapped around it.

"It's a lucky charm. It's not enough to thank you, but if you ever find yourself in trouble in Lethuan, show them this. It might save your life."

Elair said as she stood up. But before she could leave, Ruric stopped her.

"F-Friewends! I-"

"Sit down and shut up. You're too drunk for this. Ahem..."

Ruric glanced at Katherine as she lifted her cup.

Everyone followed after her. A toast. It wasn't a tradition nor a custom, but it is not rare to see adventurers that sat at the same table together raise their cups in farewell to one another. One last drink before they never see each other again. A farewell where sorrows and sadness are drowned in alcohol, food, and women if there is a brothel nearby. Katherine coughed to clear her throat. With a serious voice and expression, she addressed them all.

"Our time together was swift like arrows shot forward. But like the arrows, we must move forward to hit our mark. We came from different lands, with different stories, yet we share now the bond of adventurers. We toil to seek treasures, to protect the world, and to leave our mark in this world and the world beyond! Like Death and her sweet caress at the end of our journeys, farewells are inevitable and expected! May we meet again, in this world or the next! Onwards! To our next adventure!"

"Aye!"

"Well said."

"To the next adventure!"

It was goodbye. But it wasn't a sad goodbye like the one he expected. He let out a sigh as he leaned back against his seat while the others celebrated. This wasn't the kind of farewells he was used to, but he hoped that all of his farewells will be like this. He looked at the cup of ale in front of him. With a heavy sigh, he reached for it and lifted it close to his face. Everyone looked happy drinking it. He might as well try it before deciding if he likes it or not. He tilted the cup as he took a big gulp of the ale. Moments later, Elair and Tobias shouted at him as he spat out the liquid everywhere.

"Bitter!"