The hike back to Helms Peak was uneventful and somber. They had lost six people: five in the event itself and Arron afterward due to his rash actions. Alina spent the entire trip in silence with her head down. Sam heard an occasional sob and couldn’t help but feel sorry for her even though, as an orphan, she had no personal experience with losing a parent.

Aside from Alina, everyone else in the event group stayed alert throughout the trip. Chad and Parish seemed confident the Church of the Light would retaliate if they could before the group returned from the event. They reasoned that by wiping out the event party before they reported back, the church would have plausible deniability and could say the event had failed with no survivors. Although that scenario was unlikely, there would be no proof otherwise.

Sam found it difficult to believe the church as a whole could be so vindictive and cruel. Still, she figured since it was an organization that openly engaged in and profited off slavery and had no qualms about murdering innocents to protect their interests, she shouldn’t be surprised. Thinking about the church turned Sam’s thoughts to the Technomancer class she turned down. Sam hoped Alexander could help her because she sure as hell didn’t want to risk contacting a Technomancer, even if they didn’t all agree with the church’s doctrine.

***

Fortunately, Chad and Parish's fears were unfounded, and the group arrived at the city gates without incident about an hour before dark. Everyone visibly relaxed once they made it through the gates and were on their way to the Adventurer's Guild.

Sam walked between Lupie and Nara; Lupie had morphed into her bipedal form when they arrived on the road so as not to draw any unwanted attention before they could register her at the guild. Sam enjoyed watching the Bloodmorph swivel her head back and forth in astonishment at the sights and sounds of the city.

Sam put her arm around Lupie’s shoulders, squeezing her close as they walked. The Bloodmorph was still getting used to walking on two legs and was a little unsteady, so Sam wanted to help her as much as possible. Sam's real reason was to make sure she didn't bolt at something or someone and get herself in trouble before Sam could go over the rules of civilized society with the summon.

"Remember what I told you, Lupie," Sam said through their party chat, "nothing in the city is prey unless it attacks you first, and for now, until you understand more, you should let me or Nara deal with it."

"Yes, I remember." Lupie responded, then said, "You never told me it would smell so delicious here."

Sam smiled, "Just wait until we get to the guild. I bet they have something scrumptious cooking!"

Lupie’s tail wagged enthusiastically at those words, and she picked up her pace, practically dragging a laughing Sam along the street.

***

It was just getting dark when they arrived at the guild hall. Chad endorsed Lupie, Naris, and the surviving event team member who was not a guild member. Then, they were quickly ushered into the hall to one of the debriefing rooms.

***

Everyone exited the room two hours later except Nara, Naris, Chad, and Alina. They stayed behind to determine what Alina's punishment would be.

Lupie proudly displayed her new silver adventurer's badge on her chest and practically drooled over the creature roasting on the firepit in the central area of the hall near the bar.

"Hey, Ken, long time no see!" Sam waved at the bartender as she, Brenda's crew, Parish, and Lupie moved some tables in the tavern area so they could all sit together. Ken's face paled as soon as he recognized Sam, and she was relieved he didn't faint. She let him off the hook with a wave, saying, "Don't worry, Ken, I am not in the mood to drink poison tonight. I'm just going to relax with my friends." He deflated, letting out a grateful sigh at her statement.

Sam opened her mouth to order a round of beers for the table, then caught herself. Looking at Lupie, she wondered aloud, "Can you drink beer?"

"She will be fine," Parish assured Sam, beating her to the punch by ordering the first round.

The table was quiet for a while; everyone was lost in their thoughts while waiting for the drinks. However, once the beers showed up, a floodgate opened. Everyone began recounting the event from their perspective, talking about their cool moves and what they could have done better. Most of the conversation revolved around how utterly devastating Sam and Lupie were in a fight. There was also some conjecture about why the church would go to such lengths to take out a single Moonblight. When Brenda wondered that aloud, Parish gave a light tap on the table to get everyone's attention.

Once everyone turned to her, Parish sent a party chat request to everyone at the table. When everyone accepted, she said, "Ladies, I don't think we should focus on that subject too much. None of us are stupid, so I think we have all figured out that Miss Evander is more than a common Moonblight." Parish looked around the table to let her words sink in, then continued, "I do not know if Nara is even aware of her significance to the church. We all have our secrets, and I respect that." Seeing everyone nodding, she concluded, "Keep in mind it could be an entirely different reason altogether. I know Helms Peak is planning an expansion to the south that will provide a second crossing into the Beastlands, so there is a possibility the church was already using that area and wants to slow or prevent the expansion for some reason." Everyone was quiet, contemplating what Parish had said.

A thought struck Sam, and she said, "Does anyone know if there have been any more bandit attacks in the Lengwood Forest lately?"

Everyone looked at her curiously, and Hannah answered for the table, "There have not been that I am aware of, but how do you know about the attacks? When the guild sent us on patrol, I thought it was a secret mission. Level forty-five and above…" She trailed off, giving Sam time to answer.

"Yeah, about that," Sam said, "I was one of the people attacked by the bandits, and I can assure you they were only looking for a healer." She looked at Parish and asked, "Is there any chance the church would have hired mercenaries to hunt for healers specifically?"

“I’m not sure,” Parish replied slowly, “but it would explain why someone would want to keep Helms Peak from expanding. It would be bad for business if they had a trafficking operation in the area.” She shook her head, “This may be nothing but our overactive imaginations. I will only suggest everyone stay more alert when traveling outside the city for the next while.”

"That especially goes for you, miss battle healer," Sam said to Parish pointedly.

"Indeed." Parish's responded with a look of concern on her face.

The somber mood was broken when Lupie asked aloud, "Can we eat now? I want meat!"

Brenda barked out a laugh, chugged the contents of her mug, and said, "That's what I'm talking about! A woman after my own heart! Come on, you beautiful furry and terrifying Bloodmorph!" She jumped up and grabbed Lupie's hand, practically yanking her from the chair.

Sam overheard Lupie asking if she could morph back to her natural form so she could eat more meat as the two walked away. She was thankful when Brenda responded, telling her she should try eating with her new form to see if she liked it that way first before turning.

As Brenda led Lupie to get her meal, the waiter dropped off the second round of beers at the table, compliments of Sam. Grabbing her mug, Parish clinked hers to Sam's, saying, "Thank you for saving us today." Sam opened her mouth to argue, but Parish cut her off, "Don't even try. Everyone knows we would not have survived without you and Lupie." Parish looked toward Nina, who was sitting at the table closest to the room where the others were still discussing what to do with Alina. The young woman was staring at the door to the room with a worried look on her face. Nodding toward Nina, Parish continued, "I'm certain that young archer would agree wholeheartedly that without Naris at the raid event, she would never see another sunset."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"She's right, you know." Ella agreed with Parish, "I thought I was tougher than any mage around my level until today." The berserker leaned across the table to clink her mug to Sam's as Parish had done, "After seeing you today, I bet you could take on half the people in the hall tonight, and I would be surprised if you didn't win." She shook her head, tussling her short blue hair about as she did so, and looked to Lupie, walking back to the table while greedily devouring an enormous beast haunch nearly the size of her torso. "And if that girl joined in on the fun in her beast form…" Ella trailed off, picturing what would happen if Lupie and Sam let loose. Coming out of her daze, she cleared her throat, "Let's just say I am thrilled the two of you are on our side."

Hannah and the other berserker, whom Sam had yet to remember the name of, held their mugs up in agreement before taking giant gulps of the delicious contents.

Lupie plopped down next to Sam. The roasted beast's haunch she was carrying made a splat sound when it struck the table. "Mmm, this is so good!" Lupie mumbled around a mouthful of food. "I never knew food could taste so good!" She looked at her untouched beer and snatched it up, taking a giant gulp to wash down her mouthful. After drinking half the mug, she slammed it down with a gasp. Looking from her mug to Sam with eyes full of wonder, Lupie said, "I want to taste everything!"

Everyone at the table laughed at Lupie’s innocent statement. Sam patted her back and said, "Don't worry, girl, we will eat it all in due time."

Nara, Nina, and Naris joined them just as the laughter died. Seeing Chad lead Alina down a flight of stairs she hadn’t noticed before, Sam asked Nara through their party chat, "How did it go?"

Nara answered, "Master Harrold will make the final decision tomorrow, but it looks like Alina will be given the option of either ten cycles in prison without the chance to level or have to serve the city in whatever function they choose for twenty cycles. If she chooses to serve the city, she will be kept under guard and forced to sleep in the prison. She will be allowed to level and paid a stipend upon release."

“Are you okay with that?” Sam asked cautiously.

Nara sighed, "Yes, after seeing her so broken after witnessing her father die twice, the second time by her own hand, I am fine with either of the punishments."

Sam let the subject drop, and the two rejoined the party, putting the uncomfortable subject to rest.

***

Chad joined them after a while, and the group continued to enjoy the excellent food and camaraderie from experiencing a dangerous battle together well into the night. Other guild members soon joined them to listen to the retelling of their exploits. Sam was sure it became grander each time Hanna told her part of the battle.

They toasted the fallen, and although the guild would provide the families of deceased members a death benefit, they all took up a collection to offset anything not covered by the guild.

Sometime during the evening, Lupie decided to morph back into her beast form to get some ear scratches from Brenda, much to the surprise of everyone except Brenda. That caused quite the commotion, although not as much as Sam had her first night. Which Sam figured was a good thing.

***

Sam tried to slip away quietly to her spatial suite as the party wound down. She planned to leave the door cracked for Nara and Lupie if they decided to come to bed later. Ken, the bartender, had been kind enough to cast a cleaning spell on everyone, likely more for his benefit than the group's. Still, Sam felt the need for a long bath, and the one in her suite was calling her name.

Sam thought she had made a clean escape but felt someone grab one of her mana threads as she slipped up the stairs to the second floor. Turning back, she saw Parish standing at the foot of the stairs with a coy smile teasing her lips and a questioning look in her eyes.

“Would you like some company?” The stunningly beautiful elven woman asked just loud enough for Sam to hear from her position further up the staircase.

Sam didn’t even need to think about her answer, and wrapping all her threads around Parish, she floated her up the stairs to gently place her on the wide staircase next to her. Grabbing Parish's hand, Sam said, "Come on, I need a relaxing bath and would love the company."

"And after the bath?" Parish asked, her eyebrows raised.

“During the bath, after the bath, by the fireplace, on the bed, on the floor, maybe during another bath…” Sam responded. She opened the door to her suite and pulled Parish inside.

Sam propped the door open with firewood, explaining it was for Lupie, Naris, and Nara to get in if they wanted. Parish chuckled and told her she only had to leave the door unlocked when the key was inside, and anyone could come and go as they pleased.

Sam gave herself a mental facepalm and sheepishly closed the door, leaving it unlocked, before turning back to Parish.

"Can you help me with this?" Parish asked, fiddling with the lacings on her leather under armor; she had already removed her robe. The piece looked like a hunter-green corset with dozens of lashings.

Sam started helping Parish get out of her armor but couldn't help questioning the woman, asking, "It's not that I don't enjoy undressing you, but couldn't you just dismiss this into your inventory?"

Parish’s voice was husky when she responded, “Yes, but this is so much more…intimate. Don’t you think?”

Parish ran a fingernail gently down Sam's cheek as she spoke, causing a little shiver of anticipation to run through her. Sam smiled at the teasing woman and decided to up her game a little. Wrapping her threads around the Elf's small wrists, Sam pulled her arms up to tie them over her head, leaving her feet on the floor this time. Parish took in a sharp breath but said nothing. Instead, she only intently stared while Sam unfastened her chest armor, her dexterous fingers making short work of the fastenings.

Even with her high agility stat, Sam was getting impatient and had to force herself to slow down and enjoy the moment. She stopped about halfway down and slowly ran her fingers across the smooth yet rigid leather protecting her captive's chest. Sam felt Parish's breathing intensify under her touch as she ran her hands behind the hardened chest piece and across her breasts. The only clothing separating their skin was the thin undergarment Parish was wearing. The feeling of the woman's soft body beneath her fingers was almost more than Sam could take, but she held out. Pulling her hands from under the armor, she slid them down the Elf's sides to her hips, and pressing her body against Parish, she gently kissed her neck before resuming her efforts to remove the woman's coverings. Sam had the elven healer panting and squirming against the mana threads from her teasing as she unfastened the small straps.

The small chest piece made a light clunk when it struck the floor. Sam stepped back to admire her prey as Parish flailed against her bindings, her breathing deep and face flushed. Locking eyes with Parish, Sam began removing her clothing, which was only a shirt and pants since she had already dismissed her boots into her inventory. Still, Sam made a show of it as she slowly unfastened the front lacings of her shirt, enjoying Parish's greedy stare.

When Sam let her shirt fall to the floor around her ankles, exposing herself, Parish moaned and jerked so hard against the mana bindings Sam thought she would get free. She quickly calmed down when Sam closed the gap between them and began unlacing her shirt while staring up into the Elf's emerald-green eyes.

With her shirt off and Parish's pulled open, Sam wrapped the other woman in a tight embrace, reveling in her warmth as their naked chests pressed together. Pressing her lips to the healer's, Sam kissed her passionately throughout their embrace. Using her tongue, Sam wedged Parish's lips apart and explored the Elven woman's tongue, moaning in pleasure at the taste and feeling.

Sam slid her hands down the Elf’s back and under the waistband of her pants until she had two handfuls of her firm rump. She pressed their pelvises together firmly, still kissing Parish; Sam moved against the other woman, feeling the heat rising between them.

Sam felt Parish's shirt and pants disappear and knew her teasing had done its job. Breaking their embrace, Sam dismissed her own pants while hungrily taking in the delicious-looking body of her soon-to-be lover. Sam couldn't help but think, "Oh, someone's god, she has to be the most sensual human, um, person I have ever laid eyes on!"

Sam took her time to soak it all in, unashamedly, staring at Parish's body in admiration. Looking from her long white hair, large expressive eyes, lusciously pouty lips, and smooth tan skin down her body to the gentle yet athletic curves of her lithe figure, which were only accentuated by her arms still being held up with mana threads, Sam could only smile with anticipation. Seeing Parish doing the same, Sam lifted the beautiful Elf off her feet with her mana threads, turned on her heels, and carried her to the large tub. The magical tub stayed clean and hot all the time thanks to the intricate runes carved into it, making it the single most functional item Sam owned in this new world, at least as far as she was concerned.

Climbing into the enormous tub, Sam stood in the middle and lowered Parish to her, grabbing her ankles and spreading the woman's long legs as she got closer. Wrapping the Elf's legs around her waist, Sam pulled her into another embrace and released her threads. Parish immediately wrapped her arms around Sam's neck and kissed her hungrily while grinding her pelvis against Sam's stomach. Sam slowly lowered them into the hot water.

There was no sleep for Sam and Parish until the early hours of the morning. True to her word, Sam ensured they took full advantage of the room during their passionate reveling. Barely an hour before the sun rose, Sam and Parish, having explored every centimeter of the other's body many times over, finally slid under the supple furs on the oversized bed and slept blissfully in each other's comforting embrace.