PART II - THE ONSLAUGHT CONTINUES

Callie and company were preparing to walk out to the garden and invite Tazrok and Vanis back to swap, when Xin got hit with another skill unlock. She handled it well, recognizing what was happening immediately and simply sitting on the floor until it had passed.

Before anyone asked, Xin said, “Gust of Wind. Not sure what it does, but maybe to knock people down or away? That feels right.”

“An effective way to clear an area, if the enemy is closing on you,” Lena said. “I can see several combat uses.”

Xin nodded, and rose. “We shall have to see.”

“Is everyone ready?” Lena asked.

“Wait!” Callie said, “we need our waterskins.”

Picking up their new utility belts, Lena and Xin had to put their current waterskins into the empty holsters, while Pixyl had been given a new smaller one like Callie’s.

They exited their house, four different people, four different races, all dressed in perfectly fitting Brownie-crafted uniforms.

It was barely dawn, but now light enough to start seeing colors. Several people were buzzing around, still setting clothing on porches, or making other deliveries. Callie and the other three appeared to be the only recruits outside their bunkhouse so far, save the white forms of Vanis and Tazrok sitting in the garden, speaking with a third recruit in white. Before they could step off to join their friends, a short little person ran up with a long, thin basket, and set it on the porch. He couldn’t be taller than a half-meter, just a little shorter than Pixyl, and he moved fast, in spite of the basket being quite oversized for him. Before anyone could speak, he bowed curtly and ran off.

“What’s that?” Callie asked.

“A Brownie,” Pixyl responded in a whisper.

“You won’t see them often,” Lena said in the same whisper. “They like to do their work in secret, so it was surprising he actually approached. They are the ones that make the clothing, and small deliveries and probably do all the cleaning when we’re all out.”

“He didn’t seem to want to chat,” Callie said, a little disappointed she didn’t get to talk to the little Fae.

“No!,” Lena snapped in a low hiss. “Don’t ever engage or try to talk to them, unless they talk to you first, especially if they are working. They do not like to be bothered if they are, and Brownies have a memory loss charm that is quite potent. I doubt they’d use one on you here, but elsewhere, you’ll wake up somewhere having lost six hours and with no recollection of them. It’s doubtful Elven charm resistance could fight it off. Pixyl might be able to, but only because she’s a fellow Fae. If you see a Brownie, just let them do what they are doing.”

“I d-d-don’t think I could hold off a Brownie charm,” Pixyl whispered, shaking her head. “As Lena said, j-j-just leave them be unless they speak first.”

“Good to know,” Callie said.

Xin gestured towards the garden and the four walked that way. A songbird of some kind was busy singing a wake-up song, with another in a far off tree singing the response. Callie looked for the bird, and finally found it. It looked like a male Cardinal, except for a tiny tuft of feathers on its head that glowed bright every time it sang. Callie moved to get a closer look, but it took exception, dive-bombed the foursome and flew off into the morning. There was so much she needed to learn about this world, and the strange variations of wildlife were just the tiniest piece of that puzzle.

Pixyl let out a grunt and grabbed her head. “A new p-p-perk!”

Callie spun and rushed towards the PIxie, catching her as she began to collapse. But the Gnome was off balance and they fell together. As they did, Callie remembered the damage to Pixyl’s wing and twisted so she would hit the ground first. They hit hard together, but Callie absorbed most of the impact, grunting from both the hard surface and the Pixie. Pixyl was not heavy, but Callie wasn’t much bigger than she was, and it had all happened too fast to be prepared. Thankfully, Pixyl’s wings never came close to the ground. Callie held the Pixie tight for a second, holding her safe, arms around her body, finding the crook centered between her top and bottom wings .

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

It was a good fifteen seconds that they lay there, Callie panting from having the wind knocked out of her, and Pixyl squeezing her eyes shut, not daring to move. Finally Pixyl slowly opened her eyes, looked into Callie’s own wide eyes, and quickly beamed a half-smile. That was until she cried out as pain from her wing injury finally registered. Pixyl gritted her teeth and breathed through it, finally getting it back under some semblance of control. Neither said anything more, and Pixyl finally simply nodded, indicating she was good to get up. Scrambling, the duo parted, Lena helping Pixyl up, and Xin lending a hand to Callie.

They heard the sound of heavy footsteps and saw Vanis, Tazrok and Koda rushing to them.

“We saw you had fallen,” Vanis said. “What’s wrong?”

“I got a p-p-perk,” Pixyl said, feeling embarrassed. “Not much warning. Callie caught me.”

“Yeah. I think I bruised my butt, though.” Callie said, brushing dirt off her back. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“N-n-not at all,” Pixyl confirmed. “Thank you.”

“No problem. Did you get something good?”

“Yes. Sword and Shield fighting st-st-style.”

“Really?” Koda said. “That is one I possess as well! Excellent perk, but unexpected in a Pixie. What class are you, if I may ask?”

Pixyl looked at the Bearkin, and then straightened. “I am a B-b-bladeweaver.”

Koda looked confused for a moment, and then shocked, and then excited. “I am sure you will hear this often, but it's a surprising class for your kind. I look forward to seeing you fight. Bladeweavers are amazing to watch! And you are able to fly as well, so that will make you even more potent!”

“N-n-not yet. My w-wing is hurt.” Pixyl said, gesturing towards her bruised wing.

“When you are healed, then,” Koda said, a big, happy bear grin on his face.

“I see you met Koda. He’s a pretty okay bear guy,” Callie said with a sly smile. “Did he teach you about back scratching?”

“Oh yes,” Tazrok said. “Feels good.”

“It was rather invigorating,” Vanis added. “I see why you recommended it.”

“Told ya,” Callie said, smiling. “How are you feeling, Koda? Did you survive the night without problems?”

“I am well, Ranger Callie. My night was … difficult. But it is not so bad now when I receive my new skills,” He then added, ”I must say to all of you, your new clothes look very nice.”

“Thanks, Koda,” Callie said with a smile. “By the way, these are my friends, Pixyl, Lena and Xin. Friends, this is Koda, also known as Bear Guy.”

Koda rubbed his paw across his face. “You aren’t going to let that go, are you?”

“Nope. Some day, years from now, we’ll meet in a bar or something and you’ll still be Bear Guy. That’s what you get for being mean to us.”

“If it must be, it must be. I do apologize once again, but thank you for forgiving me as well.”

“Vanis, Tazrok, the house is yours to get changed,” Lena said. “I think with dawn arriving, the breakfast bell should ring soon. I don’t know about all of you, but I am starving. The soup last night was delicious, but not very filling. I think I’m feeling up for it. How about you?”

Quickly Vanis, Tazrok and Xin agreed, but Pixyl was a little wary. “W-w-what if I g-g-get another skill while eating?”

“Don’t worry,” Callie said with a chipper grin. “We’ll make sure you don’t drown in your porridge.”

“You’re welcome to join us for breakfast, Koda,” Vanis said.

“Perhaps I will. My house-mates are still asleep, and I do not wish to wake them. May I come to yours to change into clothing? It would be nice to be out of my robe.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you, I will take what I need from my basket and join you.”

Lena made a shooing motion, sending the three guys on their way. “And remember your waterskins,” she called after them.

“I wonder why they are such sticklers about our water,” Callie wondered.

“I’m not sure, but we’ve been warned how many times? It must be important for something. Maybe just to form habits? Besides, that Dryad, Juniper, may show up again and we’ll need to stop Callie from running off with her.”

“Hey!” Callie said. “Even you agreed she was hot as hell!”

“W-w-what is this about?” Pixyl asked.

The foursome walked towards the garden as Lena and Xin filled in the story on what happened the day before with the Dryad. Callie was pretty sure that they were embellishing a little bit for Pixyl’s sake, but it was one of those cases where the more she might deny it, the more believable the story became. Pixyl seemed to find it funny and then hilarious, before she finally scolded Callie about Dryad charms.

They were taking turns filling their waterskins, when the warning hit Callie.

RACIAL TRAIT REVEALED: TINKER

She had the wherewithal to instinctively sit on the ground and get into a safe position.

“Callie?” Lena said

“New trait, give me a moment,” she said, almost spitting the words out as quickly as she could. Then it hit. The carnival-ride spinning and whirling. Sitting quickly became not enough, and she fell to the ground on her side. For a good thirty seconds the world heaved, before the ground seemed to make one final buck and righted itself. Callie opened her eyes to find Pixyl holding one hand while Lena held the other. “Thanks,” she croaked.

“You’ve got this, too,” Pixyl said, with a bright smile of encouragement.