The air of the sea washed over the group as the sun sunk behind them as they continued forward. With Kernth visible off in the distance, it would still take some time to reach. The sun hadn't yet reached the horizon, still 2 hours of light remaining.

  Kernth sat below where the group was now, an occasional light or two starting to be lit in the windows of the buildings. The docks of Kernth slow down in their work, as the day slowly starts to come to a close.

  Behind three members of the party, one lags behind the rest. Arin huffs and pants for air as he tries to catch up to the group. "C...can...we...take a...break...?" he gasps as the party waits for him to catch up once again.

  "I said no, it's because of your breaks that we're here four days late," Alyssa says unempathetically.

  "Well...can...Agar...at least...carry me?" Arin asks, looking hopefully at Agar.

  "Sure thing, brother! Hop on, I bet I can carry all of you at once!" Agar says as he laughs. He lowers himself and puts his hands behind him to prepare to lift someone onto his back.

  Arin grins thankfully, and climbs onto Agar's back thankful for the opportunity to rest his legs. Agar doesn't move back up, and after a moment, Agar glances over at Alyssa.

  "What? You said you were going to help Arin, not me," Alyssa says, eyeing him as a grin washes over Agar's face.

  "I also said, 'I bet I can carry you all at once'," Agar says, still grinning at Alyssa. Quickly, Agar grabs Ajneya nearby, and with a swift movement, hefts Ajneya up with a single arm.

  "Don't want to par-" Ajneya starts as they are suddenly thrown unto Agar's shoulders against their will.

  "Sorry, too late, Ajneya!" Agar shouts, before taking a step to Alyssa. "I said I could hold all of you at once, so hop on Alyssa," Agar teases with a mischievous grin.

  "Hey, Agar! don't you think we should focus on getting to Kernth before it gets too late?" Arin asks. He slightly worries about how tired Agar will be when they get to Kernth if he does what he's doing, but doesn't worry to much.

  "What's the point of traveling if you don't have some fun along the way?" Agar asks, and looks at Alyssa like a bull staring down an enemy.

  "Hey, Agar, I don't think I really want to..." Alyssa starts nervously, before Agar starts charging towards her. "Eek!" Alyssa cries out before starting to run away from the laughing Agar as he chases after her with two party members hanging onto him.

  Agar quickly catches up, even with the extra weight, grabs Alyssa with his hand, and once again like with Ajneya, tosses Alyssa onto his shoulders with a single movement.

  Agar charges down the road, the rest of his party clinging onto him as he laughs the entire time. "This is my revenge for laughing at me this morning!" he chortles.

  The group speed along the road to Kernth, Agar moving as if he didn't have three people he was carrying. Arin looks up at the other two on Agar's shoulders, and just grins. At this, Alyssa also grinned, as the two started to laugh along with Agar.

  * * *

  Night had fallen, and Kernth's shops were now lit up, with some laughing coming from a nearby tavern. A slight breeze blows by, brought in by the nearby sea.

  Agar sits on a nearby bench, huffing and panting. "This is why you don't run for a full two hours straight while carrying three people, Agar," Alyssa says, handing him a water-skin. "If it wasn't for your endurance blessing, you'd probably be dead long before we even met."

  "Don't worry...about me," Agar huffs. "I just...need to...catch...my breath."

  "Come on, Agar," Arin says, "At the very least drink some water. You need to drink some so you don't pass out. Trust me, it's not fun."

  "When did that happen?" Ajneya asks, looking over at Arin. He looks uncomfortable for a moment, then answers.

  "Years ago," he says. "Hey, I'll go and look for an inn for us to sleep in tonight. Alyssa, can you let go of the funds so we can sleep in a bed tonight?"

  "Ugh, fine," she says while digging around a pouch jingling with coins and pulls out a single gold coin. She flicks it over to Arin, who promptly catches it. "I would guess it'd cost about 30 nils, but I'm giving you an extra 30 just in case."

  "Thanks, Alyssa. I'll be back soon," Arin calls as he leaves. He makes sure to put it somewhere where it wouldn't get stolen on the trip.

  < >

  "Why was he nervous?" Ajneya asks, looking over to the street where Arin had walked and disappeared. Agar was drinking from the water-skin like there was no tomorrow.

  "Who knows," Alyssa says nonchalantly. "Do you have any idea, Agar? You said you two knew each other since the orphanage, right?" she inquires. Agar finishes drinking from the water-skin and exhales greatly.

  "Oh, yeah. We know each other since way back. I think we first met when he was about, six, I think?" he says, thinking back. "We grew up together until I got to adulthood and left the orphanage. I believe it was then about another, four, five? Somewhere around there until we met again, then we traveled for another year until we met you guys."

  Agar thinks a little more before he responds. "I mean, when he had first arrived, he was pretty much just skin and bones. He also didn't say much about where he came from or why he was the way he was when he'd arrived. Probably brings up bad memories," he concludes.

  "You never asked?" Ajneya questions, turning their head towards Agar. He just shrugs.

  "He's always dodged the question. So I just gave up on asking," He says simply. He hands Alyssa's water-skin back to her, which she returns to her pack.

  "I see," Ajneya says, letting it go. They look back over to where Arin had left the group, and lean against the side of the bench Agar was seated.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  < >

  Arin walked through the streets of Kernth, looking at the buildings made from stone and wood. He passes a fountain with a statue depicting a creature with a human body from the waist up, but a lower body of tentacles similar to a squid trying to imitate the tail of a fish. The statue held a fishing spear in its left hand with the spear resting on their shoulder, with the right hand holding a fishing net.

  Arin stares at the statue above the fountain for a moment, and turns away. "Surprising," he says under his breath.

  Didn't think this town would have a statue of a god that hasn't helped them for centuries, he thinks as he walks down another street.

  Arin continues on his search until he comes across a building with a sign above reading 'Fish Inn' proudly. Arin looks at it for a moment, thinking if it was for fish or people. He enters the building, opening the door and being greeted by an elder sitting hunched at the counter, slightly snoring.

  Arin knocks on the door, and clears his throat alerting the elder of his customer. He jerks up, looking at his customer, and clears his throat. "Ah, sir. Welcome, what can I do for yeh?" he asks, eyeing the person in front of him.

  Arin walks to the counter, closing the door behind him. "Four people, two rooms, if you're able," he says, taking a look at his surroundings. A fish mounted on the wall stares beadily at him.

  "Ah, al'right. 40 nils," the elder says. Arin turns his head towards the man, shocked.

  "40?!" Arin says, his brows furrowing. "At the most, it should be 35!"

  "What can I say, whole town's strugglin'. Lord recently upped taxes 'gain, so prices goin' up," he explains simply. "Look, I have a business ta run, so righ' now, best I can offer is 37. Ya want the rooms?"

  Arin sighs. "Sure. You able to do change?" He places the gold coin on the counter which the elder takes.

  "Fer the moment," he says, and places five coins on the counter. One bronze coin, one tin, and three copper. "Yeh also wan' a bath readied? It'll be an extra 5 per tub," he asks.

  Arin thinks for a moment, and responds, "Two, please." The elder nods and takes the bronze coin and replaces it with a tin coin. Arin takes the coins and pockets them.

  "I have to ask, why is this place called 'Fish Inn'?" Arin asks. The elder chuckles at the question.

  "Is' stupid. Thought it'd bring customers in," he says. "Fishin'," he chuckles. "Should change it, one o' these days, but I can' let it go fer some reason."

  Arin hides a snort as it's explained to him. "No, it's fine. Brought me in like you intended," he says sympathetically.

  "Thanks fer sayin' that, but yeh don' need ta," the elder says. He reaches down and puts two keys each with a small number on them onto the counter. "Yer rooms," he says.

  "Thanks. I'll return shortly," Arin says as he heads to the door.

  "Where' yeh from, kid?" the elder asks as Arin reached the door. "I can see tha' yer' holdin' somethin' heavy. In my age, I've learned it's not good ta hold it all in."

  Arin doesn't move for a moment. "...ist," he mumbles.

  "Wha? Kid, I know I migh' be wise an' all, but my hearin's not great. Repeat that," the elder snaps. Arin smiles and shakes his head.

  "Sorry. I said I'm from Thist," he says. Arin looks down, a mixture of pain and sadness washes over his face. The elder watches Arin for a moment, before remembering, and wincing.

  "Oh, Thist. Sorry fer askin' kid. Have next morn's meal on me," he says, looking down.

  "No, it's alright. It was years ago, so don't worry. I will take that offer for food though," Arin says, chuckling as he looks back at the elder, the expression from before gone now. Arin opens the door and leaves the building, closing it on his way out.

  The elder now alone, thinks for a moment. "Thist, huh? Kid's seen some shit, fer sure."

  * * *

  Arin finally returns to his party, still at the same bench where he left them. Agar's head leaned back, snoring. Ajneya leaned against the side of the bench, while Alyssa was sitting on a barrel across from the bench.

  "I'm back," Arin called, grabbing Alyssa's attention, while Ajneya had already spotted him when he came into sight.

  "Finally," Alyssa said as she hopped off the barrel. "Where's the change?" she asked, not wasting a beat.

  "Right here, although prices are rising; seems our client is gathering money from the citizens," Arin says while taking the change out and handing it to Alyssa.

  She quickly counts the money, and her eyes widen when she sees the amount. "What?! Only 13 nils left?!"

  "As I said, prices are rising. 37 for the rooms, and an extra 10 for us to wash up," Arin explains. "I also agree that it's too expensive. But if we take into account the rumors surrounding our client..."

  "He's throwing the people's money around," Alyssa concludes. Arin nods.

  "He's getting desperate," Ajneya comments. "Any more, people rebel."

  Arin agreed with Ajneya. It was well known that the noble who sent the summons was quite rich, and very willing to use their own riches for their goals. But if they were to resort to using the townspeople's money...

  "We'll meet with the client first thing tomorrow morning. Let's go get some rest first. I'm dying to sleep in a bed for the first time in weeks," Alyssa says.

  Ajneya swats Agar on the nose, waking him up. "Oh, hey Arin. You're back," he yawns.

  "Come on, Agar, let's go get some great sleep," Arin says while handing one of the keys over to Alyssa. He then sets off back along the way to the inn with the party following close behind.

  * * *

  Arin and the group enter into the inn, finding the elder still behind the counter. "Got yer water ready in yer rooms," he says as they pass. They nod and say their thanks as they walk past the counter to the left where a small dining area was set, with stairs leading up directly to the right from the entrance, and a small sign next to them reading 'Rooms".

  The four of them all head up the stairs to the rooms ready to sleep. At the top of the stairs, a hallway balcony with a railing overlooking the dining area, covering three sides of the upstairs. The number one was on the first door, and the following number on each consecutive door. The first two doors lay along the first wall, with the next three along the second wall, and the last wall having three doors, the furthest away.

  Arin checked his key with the number scratched into it, reading 3. "Come on, Agar." he says.

  Arin and Agar approached the door, and unlocked it. He looks over at Alyssa and Ajneya who've gotten the second door. Agar enters first, opening the door. "See you guys tomorrow," Arin says as he enters the room with Agar.

  The rooms was quaint, two single beds on opposite sides of the room, feet facing the wall where the door was. A wooden shutter window sat between the beds, closed. Two desks facing the wall were placed at the foot of each bed, a single candle on each. A tub of warm water sat in the corner to the right with a cloth on the side of the tub. Small strands of stream lightly rose from the water's surface.

  Agar ignores the tub and water, and walks to the bed on the left and starts taking his pack and weapons off. Arin closes the door behind them and walks to the right bed, doing the same as Agar.

  "What do you think's going to happen tomorrow?" Arin asks Agar.

  Agar shrugs. "Dunno. But I do know that we're gonna do awesome." He smiles widely. Arin grins back at Agar.

  The two finish taking their items off, and Arin stretches as he feels the bed's cushioning. "Heh. I remember sleeping on grass most of the time. To think that I would get to be able to sleep on an actual bed," he says.

  "Come on, we've slept in beds a ton of times now," Agar says to Arin.

  "Not everyday. While traveling, we have to sleep on the ground. I'm just saying it would be nice if we could sleep on a bed every night of our lives," Arin says.

  "Here, here," Agar agrees. He stretches and yawns. "Damn, running earlier today really tired me out."

  "With that monstrous stamina, I'm surprised," Arin quips. Agar gives him a look.

  "Hey, I can still get tired, you know," Agar retorts. They both stare at each other and chuckle.

  "See you tomorrow, Agar," Arin says.

  "Right back at ya, Arin," he responds.