As I told the story of how I slayed the triple black diamond minitour with a greatsword it felt like the tavern slowly became more and more quiet. I wasn’t sure if I told it well, I just tried to take after how other people told stories. It almost felt like bragging, but at the same time, it felt shameful. I mean, the monster used my own weapon to nearly kill me… And then, on the other hand, it felt almost like I was talking about someone else entirely.

Before I could think about it too hard the door slammed open with a crash and I heard a loud belch. I wasn’t that surprised when I realized it was Taggart, stumbling in half awake. He staggered over to our table and sat down next to Roaren, taking food off my plate like it was his. I was too stunned to say anything.

Roaren grabbed his hand as he reached for more. “That isn’t yours!” He growled. Taggart just chopped him on the head though and he caved like a puppy being scolded. I watched him slowly continue eating off my plate, grabbing the food with his bare hands and enjoying it. ‘I guess… I can just buy more… It’s not like it’s a big deal or anything… But like…’

Ted let out a long sigh. “You know kid… Stuff like this is going to make me worry about you...”

‘Worry about me? What did I do?’ I just sighed, pushing the plate over to Taggart and letting him speak, getting whatever was bothering him off his chest.

“After you left I went with Arthur to kill the water panther. Moron cut its head off in one swing before I could take a go at it…” He grumbled.

I paused. ‘So much for having to try… I get being humble, but he might have been overdoing it…’

I sighed, ordering another meal. ‘I’m sure everyone will want to hear that story more. Water panthers are way scarier than minitours.’ I was a bit sad to get upstaged so easily, but more than a bit relieved. It was hard to explain but it was almost like I didn’t want to be some great hero they cheered for, even though that was my dream. It didn’t make any sense, not even to me.

I looked back over to Taggart. “Go ahead and eat the rest, I’ll buy you a drink too to make up for taking that potion, Ted gave to me, it was yours right?”

He bit a chunk of meat off a skewer and then pointed it at me. “That’s right. You shouldn’t have accepted a stolen gift!” He yelled before suddenly jumping as Ted kicked him in the shin.

‘These guys…’ I started feeling a strange melancholy… I wasn’t sure if I could really call them each my friend, but if I could they would have been some of the only ones I ever had. And even though I wasn’t, it felt like I was saying goodbye for some reason.

“Well, now that he’s here you have to tell the story again. You've gotten some practice so I bet you can make it even better.” Ted smiled, grinning from ear to ear as the whole tavern began to subtly gather around us.

Taggart leaned back as well, as if more interested in hearing my story than telling his. Before I knew it it wasn’t just Ted asking for the story, but everyone, making my chest start to tighten. “You don’t want to hear about Taggart’s fight with the water panther?”

He just rolled his eyes. “Would you rather watch a wolf pup kill a bear, or a dragon eat a rabbit?”

“Well, if I saw a dragon I’d probably run away, and if I saw a bear fighting a puppy I’d probably kill it myself to save the little guy.”

He lowered his head into one of his hands. “You’re more… Direct than I thought. Ok, let me put it this way. Taggart already told his story… Some big shot killed a monster in one swing… There isn’t much of a story there… Just some legendary being swatting flies.”

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‘Swatting flies?...’ “I… Think I get it…” I took a deep breath. ‘So… should I just start then?’

Trying not to look at the crowd, I closed my eyes and thought back to the very beginning. “It all started back in Rothet, with a triple black diamond quest notice, and that cute dark elf that everyone fawns over. Of course, like everyone else she called me stupid for taking the quest, but she seemed to think I’d come back alive at least. She even gave me a gift, but that part’s a secret.”

Instantly they were all hooked. As I continued on it started to feel more and more like the person I was talking about was a separate person, and after that, it became easy to tell the story, no matter how large the crowd. My heart raced faster with every word as I relived the battle. Chills ran down my arms as I imagined a scene from my past, seeing a tale-teller with my parents for the first time. At some point, someone even started playing music lining up with my words perfectly. None of it felt real.

At the end I pulled out the great sword from my storage and raised it high into the air, showing off the bloodstained blade. “And with one final swing, I cut its head clean off, taking a hit to the side so strong the ax broke in half. Even without its head It dented my enchanted armor and cracked three of my ribs, puncturing a lung.”

Everything fell silent as I stood still as stone, catching my breath. ‘It was me… I was the one that did those things…’

It felt wrong to celebrate for myself, but… “I mean… It’s not like we don’t have anything to celebrate right?” I muttered, pulling the jug of Airag out and leaving it on the table, some of it sloshing over the sides as it settled. Then I flipped a silver coin to the barkeep. “Next rounds on me!”

Everyone cheered as I sat back down and everyone congratulated me, talking about how great I did… But as the cheers got louder the lingering feeling like something was missing never went away… It all felt so good, so much so that I forgot about any pain or soreness in my body and almost wanted to go out and get in another fight right then. Still, something was off.

I never imagined I’d be an adventurer worthy of a whole tavern giving me a toast, especially looking back to when I didn’t even understand what it meant. A part of me was so happy. I was so ecstatic it gave me chills. I felt like I had done something that made my parents proud… ‘My parents…’

They weren’t there to see it… They weren’t there to share that moment with me… Even the man who laughed at me the most when I was looking for a party… Even he was there, tipping his glass. Ashton was there, and even the greedy assassin was in the back drinking along with us. No matter how much I drank my mouth felt dry, and no matter how warm it was my body felt cold.

Taggart jumped onto one of the tables. “To the one that saved the graveyard from a cull!” He yelled. Raising a glass high into the air, with the whole building, even the workers.

He then proceeded to give the entire adventurers toast, and he made me do it with him. After each line that he shouted I started to feel more and more nostalgic… I still remember the first time I heard it. Someone had just come back alive, slaying a wyvern with nothing but a grappling hook. I asked my dad what they were doing and he pulled me onto his lap. After each line, he whispered in my ear what it meant. I could still hear his voice…

“One for the money.” (For what we earn, for it was enough for this drink.)

“Two for the sorrow.” (The pain of losing friends. May it make the drink sweeter.)

“Three to get ready.” (Any more and you’ll be tipsy.)

“Four for tomorrow.” (That’s when you’ll feel it the most.)

“Five for the nerves.” (the ones you don’t feel anymore.)

“Six for the aim” (a toast to each one's goal… And a joke about how you probably couldn’t aim for your life anymore.)

“Seven for herbs.” (Another joke. You aren’t drinking alcohol for the health benefits if you made it to seven.)

“Eight for the game” (A toast to life, but also this is where most drinking games end.)

“Nine for thrill” (If you made it this far in there is no other reason for you to keep going.)

“Ten for the haul” (A toast to the long haul and the grind, the journey to always try and improve.)

“Now use you’re skill to answer the call!” (The call of adventure, as well as the call of the people that need us.)

Then I remember looking over… And seeing my mom's smiling face as she set down her mug, tousling my hair. ‘She always got so touchy when she started drinking…’

It was the alcohol… That’s what I told myself… It was so strong it was making my eyes water…

“Hey Chika… You alright?” Taggart asked, bringing everyone's attention squarely to me, only making it worse.

I wasn’t sure how but I managed to keep a straight face and just pretend like it wasn’t happening. “Yeah… Yeah, I’m fine.”

I was crying, the feeling of melancholy only growing within me. I was smiling, but they didn’t feel like happy tears… After years it was like I finally made it… Like I was finally moving forward… Moving on… I took another shot. It wasn’t strong, but it still burned on the way down. “The skies are still blue…”

Another cheer resounded out even louder than the last one but it started to feel like a knife was pressed against my chest. “The skies are still blue…” I muttered again.