The croc bellowed and hurtled toward Mrs. Percott. Her lip quirked just a little as she let lose another rocket. It slammed into the croc and just like that the thing exploded. Croc rained down around us all. I shuddered and raced to snatch up my swords. Then I turned and watched as Mrs. Percott helped Nora to her feet.

“Up you pop, dear,” the old woman said. “Can’t have you scuffing that shiny armor.”

Nora laughed. “I don’t think a scuff or two will make much of a difference.”

I worked my jaw. Unsure what I should say. Did she recognize me?

The boy we’d come to save raced over to Mrs. Percott and hugged her tight, sobbing uncontrollably in her arms.

“Thank… you,” he managed between sobs.

The woman stroked the boy's hair and hugged him back like he was one of her grandkids. “Dry your tears boy. Does you no good for the crocs to see you afraid. Gives ‘em more power than they deserve.”

Sob nuzzled Nora and blinded us all with a wicked flash of blue. Her health shot up and she sighed, rubbing his snout. I picked Stella up and carried her to the horse. He did his crazy magic and she wiggled from my grasp, running over to Mrs. Percott and sitting at her feet, barking up at her as she waited for her customary treat.

“I know you,” Mrs. Percott said, bending to pat the overly excited hound. “What are you doing here Stella?”

Her eyes lifted and she inspected me, a flash of recognition making her mouth drop open and her eyes widen.

I rubbed my neck awkwardly, “Hiya Mrs. Percott, it’s good to see you again.”

She straightened and placed her fists on her hips. “Joseph Brian Griffon, well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. It’s you.”

“It’s me.”

She beamed and raced over, giving me a hard enough hug to squeeze the air out of my lungs. “Ease up, there. I can’t breathe.”

She chuckled and smacked my arm. “You’re a big boy Joe, you can handle a hug or two. I can’t believe you lived through this fiasco. I’ve been to the farm. The entire place was in ruins.”

The pain of seeing everyone I knew die came back in a stabbing assault I wasn’t prepared for. “I know.”

She reached up and patted my cheek, the sharp lines of her face softening as the same pain danced over her face clear as day. “Chin up. You’re still alive. That’s all that matters.”

“Gordon?”

She sighed and shook her head.

Nora pushed into our pained moment. She was a welcome distraction to the hurt. “Hi, I’m Nora. Thanks for blowing the beasty to hell where he belongs.”

Mrs. Percott smiled again. “My pleasure, my dear. If I had a few more rockets I’d send them all back to the devil.”

Stella barked again, her whole body shaking from the force of her whipping tail. Mrs. Percott laughed and opened a pouch hanging from her belt, pulling out a chunk of meat and feeding it to the dog. Stella snatched it and trotted off, happy to eat her prize where no one could take it away from her.

I shook my head, pushing all the crap swirling around in there to the side to deal with later, and turned to the boy. “And who are you?”

“Jacob. My name is Jacob.”

I eyed the torn clothes he was wearing and the glasses perched on his nose that were clearly taped together. He was scrawny, dirty, bruised, and sporting a surprisingly impressive beard. What he didn’t have was a weapon or a bag of some sort to carry any goods in.

Nora had said I didn’t know enough about this new world we’d found ourselves in, but Jacob was worse off than I was.

“Well, Jacob. Gotta say I’m pretty impressed that you’ve made it this far. What class did they give you? What’s your level?”

Mrs. Percott slapped me upside the head. “Leave off the boy, Joe. You can’t go interrogating everyone you meet. This ain’t no job interview.”

“Ouch, hey!”

“She’s right, Joe,” Nora said. I glared at her; furious she wasn’t taking my side. She ignored me and pressed a gentle hand to the boy's arm. “Come on, we’ll take you to the inn where you can rest a little. How does that sound?”

“Yeah, yeah I’d like that,” Jacob said. “Phlegm is a good cook.”

I didn’t bother asking how he knew the goblin cook. Apparently, questions were not allowed now anyway. At least not when directed at the boy.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Instead, I turned to Mrs. Percott. “Will you come with us?”

“For now, yes. I can’t stay forever though. I’ve got things to do you know.”

I lifted a brow, wondering what the hell she was talking about but shrugged it off. Together, we weaved through the streets until the little out-of-place inn came into view. This time, no giant snake was guarding the place. After the day I’d had, it was a small mercy.

Taki came running out from behind the building and Sob charged up at him. Taki patted the horse's barrel chest and flashed his pointed teeth in a smile.

“Welcome, welcome everyone. It’s good to see you all again.”

We all mumbled our greetings, all a little too weary to be as bubbly as the goblin seemed to be. Sob marched around the building, heading for the stables and we all trooped inside. We fell into the mismatched chairs. Phlegm brought us all plates of food and Nora handed him a handful of gold for his trouble.

We ate in awkward silence. My eyes kept flicking to the young man we’d saved. There was something about him. Something I couldn’t put my finger on. The girls didn’t seem over-fused, however. Maybe I was just a little too suspicious nowadays.

He noticed me looking and shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes flicking in every direction but mine.

“I like your swords,” the boy said.

I reached up and fingered the hilt over my shoulder. “Thanks. They’re not too shabby. What’s your weapon of choice?”

Nora looked up. Mrs. Percott huffed and glared at me. I ignored them both. I needed to know.

Jacob fiddled with a button on his half-shredded shirt. “I had one, but I lost it.”

I gripped my fork hard. Why wasn’t he telling us? I wanted to grab his wrist and turn the thing over to see the symbol on the other side for myself.

“So, Mrs. Percott,” Nora interrupted. “Where are you off to after this?”

Mrs. Percott chugged her beer and let out an impressive belch. “I’m on a very draining questline right now. By the looks of it, I’ll be off to near Adelaide. Haven’t been down that way since I was a youngster.”

“You’re welcome to join our little band of misfits if you’d like.”

Mrs. Percott reached out and patted Nora’s hand. “Thank you, dear. But I prefer to be on my own. I’ll be off in the morning, but I’m sure we’ll meet again. Besides, looks like you have a mighty fine gunslinger to watch your backs in my place.”

“Gunslinger?” I asked.

Mrs. Percott smiled and turned her sharp eyes on Jacob. “I know one of my own kind when I see one.”

Jacob squirmed and looked down at his thong-clad feet. “I don’t much like guns.”

“It’s not about what you like, I’m afraid. We all must do things we don’t like nowadays. Don’t worry. Joseph here will get you all set up to blast a few croc asses or I’ll tan his hide.”

I choked on a potato, my mind flashing to the whip I’d once used as I weapon. I hacked up the chunk blocking my air and downed the rest of my beer. I did not need that image. Thanks, brain.

Mrs. Percott laughed and wished us all goodnight. She ruffled my hair as she walked past and said, “it was good to see you again, Joe. Take care of yourself and your friends here. Stella, keep an eye on Joe, girl. Oh, and don’t worry, I’m sure Gordon wouldn’t mind too much that you’re using his prize racehorse for a pack mule. Well, maybe he would, but not to worry, ghosts can’t hurt you overmuch.”

She disappeared up the stairs. I watched her go, a little disappointed that she wouldn’t be joining us. She’d always been an independent woman though. Even Gordon hadn’t argued with her when she’d made up her mind over something.

“I like her,” Nora said.

“Yeah, she’s a hell of a lady. Shame she won’t be joining us.”

“Hey,” Nora said, turning to face Jacob. “I have something for you.”

The boy stiffened in his seat. “For me?”

“Absolutely, I sure as hell don’t want it.”

She dug in her pouch and pulled out the filthy pistol she’d fished from the toilet. She screwed up her nose and handed it to the boy, only holding the thing with two fingers. Jacob took it and turned it over in his hands. A green tinge colored his speckled cheeks as he looked at the thing.

“Thank you, I guess.”

“I don’t have any bullets though. We might have to visit the smith before we leave this place.”

“I… I don’t think I want to leave. It’s safe here.”

“Phlegm is a good enough goblin, but unless you can pay, he’ll kick your ass out. The only place to get money is out there.”

The boy sighed and nodded, tucking the pistol into the elastic waist of his filthy trousers. I shuddered. I didn’t know if it was loaded or not but pointing it in that particular direction seemed like a bad idea.

“Are you at least a level five, Jacob?” Nora asked. “We’re planning on taking the carriage out of here.”

“Yeah, I’m a level ten.”

Nora and I both snapped back, our mouths hanging open like idiots.

“What?” I asked. “How is that possible.”

Jacob shrugged and stacked his dishes beside Nora’s. “I don’t know, it just sort of happened.”

“How… what… no that’s not…” I threw my arms up and slumped back in my seat. “Unbelievable.”

Nora tossed me a dirty look and patted Jacob’s hand. “Don’t mind him. He’s just salty because he’s only a level six.”

“Nora!”

“What? You were the one that was all interested in personal stats earlier.”

“It’s not like I wanted to read the boy's diary, woman.”

“Then what are you all upset about if it's not something to keep secret?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“That’s right you don’t. Now come on, we all need to get some sleep.”

Jacob looked between us like he was watching a tennis match. “Are you two married?”

Nora hissed like the kid had burnt her. “No, of course not!”

“What, I’m not good enough for you?” I snapped, trying to hide my own surprise at the question.

She stammered, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red. “Goodnight.”

She leaped to her feet and ran to the stairs. I laughed and followed, Jacob right behind me.

“Sorry,” the kid said. “It’s just that, well, you guys bicker like my folks used to.”

“It’s alright,” I said slapping his back gently. “It’s fun to mess with her. You’ll see. Just don’t piss her off. That axe is deadly.”

Jacob nodded like I’d just given him sage advice and maybe I had at that.