"I am here in this world as a second chance, here to make up for my lack of faith in my previous life." Cadence stared off into the distance, the others sipping on beers that they had brought up to the room.

Davin stared at them, blinking. "Man… I got here through my absolute disregard for my world's religions. I feel like such a counterpoint."

"Hmm, I do believe that you have a greater calling here then, you seem like you were meant for this life. I have been here in the Afterlife for nearly eight years, and I am only level three by what your systems say?" Cadence was looking at their status. "I have spent a long time honing my craft and traveling. I have not delved into a dungeon, I have heard that they are dangerous without allies."

"Why haven't you had allies over all of these years?" Hugh asked and then immediately sipped from his drink.

"Some of that is my own choosing." They squirmed in their seat. "When I came here, I knew that I had not come under good circumstances, I knew that I owed my patron a great act for their kindness."

"Kindness?" Davin asked.

"Before I came here, I knew not of faith, not of gods, and not of the powers that lingered in the world, I was a wretch, not worth seeing let alone gaining a second chance. So, when I walked into the Rainbow Bastion, I knew that someone out there was giving a poor soul like me a chance to repent for the follies in my previous life. I was not a pious person, so how I was seen by the powers that make up this world fell beyond what I could ever know. When I heard her voice, the angel that pulled me here, I knew that I would do everything I could to serve them and make myself worthy of their love."

Davin and Hugh stared.

"Wha… what did your patron say?" Davin stuttered as he asked.

"That I was welcome, and that I had the power to make this new life what I wanted. And I wanted to live in their name. Celeste is a forgiving Patron, but she asks that we be a force for good, offsetting the gloom and evil that seeps in from the darkness." Having placed their hand across their chest as if reciting an oath. "I sought the strength of the light for my patron's light, and I did, I carry it in my words, I am an Orator of my faith. That is my class, many call me a bard since many of the things that I do are similar and it is what others see when they examine me."

Davin had inspected the 'bard' when they had started talking.

Cadence

Aasimar Bard

Patron: Celeste

Strength

12

Dexterity

14

Constitution

13

Intelligence

8

Wisdom

12

Charisma

16

Trained skills:-

"Hmm, if you're not a bard, how do you activate your magics?" Davin asked as he looked for an instrument, purely basing all of this off of tabletop game logic.

"Similar to bards I bring it out using my words, but instead of through song, I speak in prayer, and my faith powers my magics." They began to whisper a prayer. "Celeste, I invoke thy name, protector of the weak, the trod on, lifter of the downtrodden, I beseech thee, grant me a glimpse of your power."

With the completion of the prayer a small mote of light that Davin remembered seeing when they had entered the bar.

"Huh, Prestidigitation?" Hugh asked as he watched as the mote danced along Cadence's fingers.

"That is what others have called it, for me it is 'the power of the words' it is a useful spell when I am telling stories… and to keep my clothes clean while traveling."

"WAIT just a second, that spell can keep clothes clean?! Hugh! Why don't you have this spell?"

Hugh pulled himself back some. "It wasn't all that useful at the tower." Whispering his response as he avoided making eye contact.

"It is one of the most useful spells!" Cadence stated. "Reheating cold food is one of the most useful aspects, I have not had a single day that I have not made use of it."

Davin laughed heartily, "Hey, just wait until I have magic."

Hugh's eyebrows rose. "From what? I do not know of any Rogues that cast magic."

"Then you didn't spend enough time in the guild."

"Of course not, you're all a bunch of crazies… I have no desire to put myself in that situation." Hugh stated in a huff.

"So Cadence, I have a real question for you." Davin smiled softly as he looked at the bard.

Their posture changed, back going straight as they anticipated what the question could be. "Uh… okay?" A shaky tone in their voice.

Davin looked at Hugh, and the wizard nodded, having a good idea of where the conversation was going.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Did you want to join us? We could always have another friend along for the road."

"Join you? As in travel with you on your adventures?" uncertainty in their voice. "Why would you want someone like me?" The question sounding like a judgment.

Davin shrugged, looking back at them. "Why not? You seem like a decent person to be around, and you make up for some of the skills that we lack, hell, I kind of want to see what all you can do, plus, I think that we'll need help. I almost didn’t make it today."

"You just want my help?" Their tone sounded like they were disappointed.

"Nope, not by any means, we want you to come along because we think that you'd have a good time," Hugh stated as he smiled at Cadence.

"Now I am confused… do you want my help or not want my help?" Worry ringing in their voice.

"We want you to join us on our adventure, as a friend." Davin held out a hand.

Tears weld in Cadence's eyes yet again, quickly taking Davin's hand. "Okay!"

"Don't worry, your skills will be a helpful asset on our adventure, but Davin's a good cook and it makes up for a lot of what he's lacking." Hugh quipped.

Davin punched the wizard in the arm.

"Ow!" Hugh winced away.

The group laughed and just chatted for the rest of the night, they eventually called it a night after their pitcher had run dry and Davin was failing to keep his eyes open.

The darkness that took Davin this time was welcome, being ready for sleep. The swelling of light signaling the arrival of Compass felt as if it would wake him then it dimmed to a light no brighter than a candle.

"It is good to feel your presence again, Even though it has only been a few days, it feels like longer."

"Weirdly enough, I would have to say that I'm glad to hear from you too, would have hated to have to send all that happened through text."

"Texting would have been a very inefficient way to do long explanations, especially with its limits."

"Oh yeah."

And with that Davin told his side of the story, talking about the monsters that were there and some of the things that they had found.

"Hmm, but it is now a stable dungeon? I wonder what changes it will have."

"Changes?"

"Yes, you went into it while it was unstable, a new dungeon hasn't happened in ages, I doubt that anyone remembers what happens. Now that it has stabilized, there will be a lockout while it adjusts and changes as more of the belief melds together."

"So the monsters will change?"

"No, likely not, but most dungeons will change to meld in more with their surroundings, you said it was just a door standing in the wilderness?"

"Yes, so there's still more to come?"

"Yes, I suspect that the plant life that surrounds the door will start to grow wildly and make a structure for the doors to be nestled into."

"And then what?"

"Well as time goes on, it will begin to grow and gain its own renown and belief, and in time it will evolve into a more powerful dungeon."

"That’s pretty cool. Does the fact that we have a key interrupt any of that?"

"Wait, you claimed a key? Hmmm, that is a new one on me, I will watch it, it will take some time for it to stabilize."

"Okay, what's the next direction?"

"You spend the next few days and rest, you were not in good sorts when you made it to town, I will send a message through the log book once I have a better feeling for what you should do next."

"Sounds like a plan, gives us some time to get to know Cadence better before setting out again."

"Cadence?"

"Our new bard, we invited them to join us last night, should be a good mix."

"Hmm, I will have to look into this, I do not feel them nearby like I do Hugh."

"Oh, they have their own room, we only just met."

"Ah, yes, enjoy your time off, I will keep you appraised of our next situation."

The world swallowed Davin in darkness yet again, returning to the world of blissful sleep. When Davin awoke, Hugh had already made his way out of their shared room. Dragging his aching body out of bed was work, checking his status, seeing that he was still at exhaustion level two. Groaning, he pulled himself out of the bed, pulling on some fresh clothing, the act feeling as though it was draining him of what little energy that he had. He could see the glow from behind the curtains to know that it was at least daytime, begrudging his lack of a timepiece. Opening the door hit him with the pleasant smells of baking bread and cooking meats. His stomach now grumbling louder than his own mind, he started his way downstairs to the common room.

Seeing Hugh and Cadence talking together as they sat in the corner where they had originally met the bard. Making his way across the empty room. Sitting down next to the two, they jumped slightly.

"Oh Davin, I thought that you'd still be asleep," Hugh stated as he looked the rogue over.

"Couldn't sleep anymore, plus I'm starving." Grabbing one of the rolls that sat on the table.

"Roasted meat, bread, and stew from last night, not really all that much to choose from."

"There's still stew?" Davin stood and stepped towards the bar.

"That was a surprising reaction to just stew…" Cadence stated as they nibbled at their breakfast.

"Davin is weird about food, but he's one of the better cooks that I've met. He knows a lot about food that I've never heard of." Shrugging deeply as the two went back to their chat.

Davin stood next to the bar, waiting as the barkeeper was pulling more rolls from the overly large oven. Breathing in the fresh bread smell as deep as he could, letting it fill his nose. The barkeeper set the rolls down with a heavy thud.

"What can I get you?" Looking back at Davin from over his shoulder.

"Stew, rolls, and butter if you have it."

"Butter? No, can't say that I do, but the rolls and stew I have plenty." Stepping clear of the now cooling rolls to dish Davin a heaping bowl of stew and setting it with a plate with several rolls on the counter.

"Thank you." Davin grabbed the bowl and headed over to the table with his friends.

Davin dug into the thick meaty stew, the flavors having grown more intense over the night of it slowly stewing. He let out small groans of pleasure as he enjoyed it, only wishing that it had a little more vegetables beyond the potatoes and carrots. Hugh chuckled as he watched Davin eat.

"Do you know if chili is a thing here?" Davin asked between bites.

"Chilly?" Cadence asked as they stared confusedly at Davin. "It's pretty warm in here, and summer is getting closer, I don't think that you'll have to worry about the cold any time soon."

Hugh blinked as he stared at Cadence. "Oh, I get it now, this is what it looks like?"

Davin chuckled, enjoying the stew. "It’s a stew, made with meat and using spices from peppers and some beans, it's fantastic with some cheese and sour cream." Davin smiled as he thought of one of his favorite comfort foods.

Hugh laughed. "Yes, we can get the parts, that one I know, it's one of my favorites too, but I have never tried it with 'sour cream', what's that?"

"It's milk that has been soured, similar to yogurt," Davin stated as he was using the crust of his roll to wipe out his bowl.

"I don't see what's so funny." Cadence pouted as they looked away.

"Because normally it's me questioning the strange things that Davin says, and it was nice to not be the only one. I thought that I was starting to go crazy."

"I wouldn't say that you're not going crazy, I vote that one we leave till later. Could still happen." This time it was Hugh's turn to punch while Davin chuckled.

"Don't worry Cadence, Davin will do the same thing when we start talking about magic and monsters from our own worlds, his world had neither."

It was Cadence's turn to be the surprised one. "What type of world has no magic? Let alone none of the creatures that terrify all that breath…"

"We had our own things… but I think that some of my own belief in magic was what helped me get here." Davin smiled as he ate the last of his rolls. "These would have been better with butter.

"Agreed, but butter spoils too easily outside of the city," Cadence stated as they tore a roll in half adding some of the roasted potatoes in between the halves.

"You'd think some enchanters would have put some plans together to make a cooler of some kind." Davin shrugged, sitting back in his chair, relaxing.

Hugh stared at Davin. "In the name of the patrons, that is brilliant." Hugh pulled out Leaf and added a note into one of the further back pages with a quill that he seemed to pull from nowhere.

Davin stared at Hugh as he wrote the note. "Really? This hasn't been a thing? Why not? You know what, never mind, I need a hot bath." Davin threw his hands up still looking on in disbelief about what he'd just witnessed. Getting up from the table, Davin carried his and his friend's empty dishes up to the front counter leaving them in a neat pile. Still grumbling to himself as he walked back up the stairs, to gather his things to then track down a bath.