When I blinked my bleary eyes awake, it took a long moment to remember where I was. My dreams had been… troubled. They were already fading from my waking mind, and I struggled to remember more than flashes of emotions. I shook my head, hair falling into my eyes as I sat up in bed. The motion made my head swim, as I struggled to acclimate, my body feeling strange, somehow ill fitting. Taking a deep breath, I stopped and just waited for the odd feeling to pass.

When I was certain I was feeling better, I stood from the bed, stretching my arms above my head to brush the ceiling, joints popping loudly. I grimaced, looking down at the pants that still clung damply to my thighs. Sometime during the night I’d kicked my boots free, but the thick wool of my socks was an unwelcome touch. Stripping down, I donned a fresh set of clothes, finding them a bit more snug than I recalled. I hummed appreciatively. The stone work at the forge might be paying dividends.

As I moved to the door, I recognized the sound of a scrub brush and low murmuring, and my face split into a wide smile. Throwing the door open, I stepped into the common area, and finding just who I’d suspected. Mrs. Havers knelt before the stew pot, her small furry hands moving with precise, aggressive motions as she scrubbed the brick surround of spilled stew… I cringed, and cleared my throat as I moved to help.

“Good morning, Mrs. Havers! I’m really sorry for the mess, I can clean that up right now.”

The tiny delphin woman whirled, wiping her hands on her apron before affixing them to her hips in a surprising intimidating pose from one so small. Her pale, furred snout scrunched up in ire as she glared. “Young man, I do not own a stable. I do not rent to farm animals, and I expect that you will not continue to eat like one. Is that clear?”

I ducked my head, cheeks burning. “Of course, I’m so sorry Mrs. Havers. I got home so late, and I hadn’t eaten in so long, I just couldn’t stop myself. I’ll clean it.” I stepped closer and began to kneel, but she smacked my knee and made a shooing motion.

“No, I’ll clean it. You probably wouldn’t do a satisfactory job anyway.” She glared at me for another moment with a single, dark eye as her long, pink tale whipped behind her, before she relented. “It’s fine Bram, I just don’t want it to happen again, alright?”

“Of course! It won’t, I promise,” I said quickly with a nod.

The small woman nodded in return, before turning back to the stains. “Now, I haven’t seen you in a while, and not since the guild burned down. Dreadful business, and I’m glad you got out fine. I assume that’s not going to be a problem for rent?”

“Oh, no, definitely not. I actually just got last night from my first successful guild job! Well, mostly successful…” I trailed off, recalling the first collapse in the sewers. “Actually, I need to go find Vera, make sure she’s okay.” I tapped my lips in a short staccato, thinking. Should probably do that first.

Mrs. Havers turned, face lighting up. “Oh dear, that's wonderful! I had been starting to worry if you’d ever give it another go. I know it’s dangerous, and I’m sure your mother is going to be dreadfully worried, but it sounds like you’re already making a go of it! And finding a friend to boot!” She clapped, a small laugh escaping her lips. “And did I hear you correctly? ‘Vera’ was it? Maybe more than a friend?”

I barked out a laugh, “Ha! No, Vera’s just a friend, and a good one. She’s a hell of a fighter, was kicking the lord’s son around before he lit the guild up. You’d like her though, she’s nice.” Something else the matronly landlady had said tugged at my thoughts, distracting me. Mother. “I actually haven’t let Mom know about this yet. I should write.”

Mrs. Havers went rigid, tail pointing straight up in an imitation of a pink spear, her rodent-like features quivering. “You haven’t even written! Bram, your workplace burned to the ground! And you went on a guild job! Unacceptable! You had best march your rear down to the post immediately, or better yet, go visit! I know it’s been far too long. You can bring your new friend, it’ll be good for you to visit.” As Mrs. Havers spoke, she was nodding more and more. “Yes, you should visit. Your mother didn’t leave you in my care just so you’d never visit!” She crossed the floor, shooing him. “Go! Out out out! I don’t want to see you here again until you’ve at least sent a letter. Out!”

Bemused, I let the knee-high woman shepherd me out of the room, only stopping to grab my satchel and spare pair of shoes before I stepped out into the day. It was slightly overcast, though enough midmorning sun filtered through to warm my chest through the wide neck of my shirt. Clambering down to the street below, I strode purposefully across town, soon finding myself before the familiar sign of the Twirling Daisy. I grinned, stepping into the dim confines of the nearly empty tavern, the smell of ale, oiled wood and the vague hint of cleaned up sick filling my nose. My smile never faltered, and I strode to the wide, clean bar, the only face in sight the thick armed barkeep leaning against the wooden fixture as he idly cleaned a mug.

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“Good morning!” I said brightly, taking a seat. “I’m looking for Vera, do you know if she’s in?” At the barkeeps blank stare, I continued. “Has a horn, red skin, could snap a human like matchwood?”

“Ahhhh. Aye, the lass nearly emptied me cellars last night, upset over something or other. I haven’t seen her pass back through so she must be up in her room.” The slightly portly orc grimaced, recalling his depleted stock. “Why’re you inquirin'? I’ll have no trouble, ‘specially not this early.”

I quickly threw up my hands in a placating gesture. “No no, I’m a friend. We got separated on a guild job, but I’m back and uh, wanted to make sure she was okay.”

The barkeep eyed me up and down, and seemed to accept my story, as he replied, “S’fine, I suppose. I’ll let you up, and here, you’ll probably want this.” So saying, he filled a mug with water from a barrel behind the bar and handed it to me, before passing from behind the bar and leading me to the stairs up to the let rooms above.

I smelled the room before we arrived at the door. The smell of sick, and alcohol tinged sweat was heady, burning my nostrils as we approached. I let out a sharp breath and waved a hand before my face. The barkeep turned, and only raised an eyebrow at my disgust, seemingly blessedly unaffected. “This’un here’s you I think,” he commented with a gruff wave to the door. Swiftly unlocking the door with a small key pulled from a pocket at his waist, the broad orc trundled back off down the hall. I only shook my head, amazed the man could ignore such a powerful scent. Regardless, I pushed the door open, cringing at the sorry state of the once tidy room.

Vera was passed out, fallen limply across the oversized mattress, one arm trailing along the floorboards with an empty bottle still grasped. Her face was buried in the sheets, muffled snores coming from within. I sighed. “At least she managed to get it all in the pot,” I muttered, noting the lack of any spilled vomit. I plucked the bottle from her hand, placing it near the door and pulling up the lone chair next to the bed. “Alright Vera, time to get your sorry hide up.” I opened the shutters, brightening the room considerably before bracing my legs, managing to flip the heavily muscled ogre onto her back.

She groaned, weakly flopping one great red arm over her eyes. “Wazzat…” she mumbled.

“I said, it’s time to get up, you lump. I do hope you haven’t spent all of the reward for the job on booze. I’m still wanting my share, you know.”

Vera grumbled, the words slurring, “I hven’t spent all ‘s coin, y’arse. Hvn’t even collected…” Her voice trailed off, and she slowly lowered her arm, blinking away the sudden brightness before her eyes caught on my smug form standing above. “BRAM!” She roared, and she moved faster than I’d thought possible, leaping to her feet and sweeping me up into a hug that threatened to crush my freshly healed ribs.

I chuckled weakly between huffed breaths, gently patting her side from where my arms were pinned. “Yeah, I lived. But I might not, huff, if you don’t let me down!” Vera set me down, face going dark crimson in embarrassment as she stepped back, still gripping my shoulders as she looked me over with a hopeful gaze.

“You’re alright? Where in the hells did you go man? I’ve been worried sick! I thought for sure…” She ducked her gaze, unable to meet my own for a moment. “I was sure I’d gotten you killed. That cave in nearly got me, and I’m a lot tougher than little meat sacks like you.” She said this last with a bit of the twinkle in her eye returning as she looked back up.

I grinned. “It’s quite a tale, and I half don’t believe it myself. But I’ll tell it to you over some food, I’m starving. And you could use some washing up.” Vera looked down at her disheveled, grimy clothes and nodded.

10 minutes later, a much cleaner and better smelling Vera joined me to sit down to a couple of plates of hearty breakfast sausage, hard biscuits and eggs. After a few ravenous bites to settle my stomach enough to talk, I launched into the story of what happened after the collapse in the kobold’s lair. Vera listened with rapt attention, eyes wide as I told her of the ancient structure I’d found, and mouth dropping open completely as I proudly revealed my greatest triumph.

“You’re shittin’ me. You’re mana-bound?!” She leaned forward, narrowing her gaze as she seemed to look through my grinning form. “Hmm, I don’t know what kind of binding you formed, but the mana sure looks hazy and weird around you now. Have you figured out any of your powers yet?”

My grin slipped, but only for a moment. “No, I was hoping you could help with that actually. I tried to do some of the exercises I’ve read about to sense the flow of mana, but I’m banging my head against a wall. Not sure what I’m missing. But all that can wait until later, because I’m not done yet. Once I finished binding, the whole damn place collapsed on me, again!”

Vera guffawed, “Seriously?!”;

“Yeah, it was a real ride of a time.” With that, I set about wrapping up the rest of the tale, finishing with my encounter with Mrs. Havers this morning. “So yeah, I’m thinking of heading back to Parma, it’s only a few day’s hike down south. Need to check on my mother. And I figured, it’ll give me some time to figure out how my binding works, as well as there might be some work available there. We just use a notice board back home, and any passing guilders pick up jobs. Anything too big they’ll send for from here, but with the guild closed…”

Vera picked up where I’d left off, “Right, there might be some jobs available. Sure, that sounds like a good time. And I’m sick of sewers. Count me in!”

We grinned at one another before tucking in to finish the meal. Vera didn’t have much to say about the cave-in from her perspective. The remaining kobolds had simply been smashed flat in the collapse, and she’d only been able to dig herself free because she’d been so close to the entrance. Apparently some merchant’s shop’s basement had partially collapsed, but otherwise there’d been no damage topside, and Vera had already spoken to Nicholaus the guild master, and it would be taken care of.

When we’d finished up and Vera had settled the tab, we strolled outside as I recalled one detail I’d forgotten. “Actually, in the cave in, did you happen to grab my sword?” It was a good blade, and had cost what would have been 2 months wages at the guild. Not only that, but I’d been working glyphs into the steel in preparation for being able to channel mana for years now.

Vera grimaced. “‘Fraid not, sorry. It was too fast, and with all that stone tumbling down… Well, I doubt it’s in any state to be used anymore.” I sighed and nodded.

“Well, just one more thing I need to resolve before we can head to Parma,” I sighed. “I’m not willing to trek the path without a weapon, even with you around. But first, my purse is getting low, and I hear there's a reward waiting for us. Let's go grab it.”

Vera nodded, a greedy grin on her face as we made our way over to the ruins of the guild hall.