Interlude Senior Guardsman Relc

Interlude Senior Guardsman Relc

Hi Dad,

Dear Father,

But of course, you could make out the faint charcoal marks. On the actual, neatly rolled-up parchment. A Mages Guild [Message] spell would have omitted all of that, and charged ten times what the Runners Guild did with their bulk letter deliveries.Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com

Twenty times, maybe. Especially for so many words. When he read on, he saw shed written the actual letter in ink, tracing over words. It was good handwriting. Neat, legible; the exact opposite of the kind of scribbling that got you in trouble each time you wrote in the Watchs logbooks or made a report rather than your partner.

Embria, reporting in. Liscors been quiet these last few weeks. I know you might not believe it, but there have been only two major monster incidents; both from the dungeon and wildlife.

Stray Wyvern preying on one of the farms and some kind of larval-bug creature that came out of the hole. The adult version, that is. Typically, the Watch and our 4th Company was pulled in to deal with them despite them bypassing the adventurers security. Turns out they tore apart three metal barriers to get to the surface.

Not a problem for either one. Aside from that, I hear the Watch is having to enforce more problems with civiliansyoung people. More and more are picking up crude skateboards and they are a hazard, especially since they try to do tricks on them. I am informed that Pallass has it a thousand times worse.

It read somewhat like a report, and he grinned at the first sentence. Then he just read on. Waiting. Skimming down. Normally hed read each word before laboring over a reply. This time

6th and 9th companies coming back and one more. Im familiar with the 6th, and having so many [Soldiers] in Liscor means Hectval will think twice about an offensive. More and more civilians are enlisting into the Watch offensive, and the Watch Captain refuses to petition the army for training and ranks. Of course, Im sure you know what theyd think about Antinium fighting under command. Strategically, its currently your infantry-bow mix, since Liscor doesnt have the horses to field

Hed thought the war with Hectval was strange, but the explanation about the Scalespeaker made sense on Hectvals side. Liscor? Relcs claws tightened.

Liscors own [Actors], which I caught two of the [Lieutenants] actually in a tryout for. Wasnt sure if I should enforce discipline, but if they had actually passedI decided to ignore it. Its off-duty, and mixing with civilians regular people is important. I hear theyre making an Actors Guild

Nothing. Now he saw it.

Humans in the city have doubled again. There are some fights for the Watch to deal with, unpleasantnessnothing the Watch Captain calls on

still checking for Shield Spiders, but our patrols find very few nests, almost all empty. If the city does approve mass-resettlement of farmsteads, well be needed more than ever since the Watch doesnt have outriders

new food all the time. I tried a bunch of rice-dishes; feels like Oteslia or Zeres and a Balerosian restaurant or something. Id include a recipe, but unless your city gets shipments

Nothing. Not one word. If you knew it was missinghe could see how she danced around one place. She might not visit that often, it was true. Not her.

Yet even with all the changes in Liscor, the lastfour letters? Not one word.

The Wandering Inn. He blinked a few times and read the end of the letter.

Signing off. Thanks for the tip; Ill look into the tassel-maker you mentioned if I go for decorations.

Wing Com

Embria

There it was. A very nice, long letter from a daughter to a father. A bit formal, but chock-full of details from home. Shed put effort into it. If you looked close, you could see how all the details were there to hide the gaping void.

Why didnt you tell me?

Slowly, the Drake put the letter down on the low table and sat down. He ignored the bare apartment room, which had about as much as his old apartment rooms. Everything he needed to carry could fit in a bag of holdingor a large rucksack.

Actually, there was more furniture in this place he was leasing. He stared down at the parchment, watching it trying to re-curl into a roll. Four letters since the day she had mentioned Liscor going to war with Hectval.

Not once had she mentioned The Wandering Inn. Embria had not told her father Erin was dead.

Nor had anyone else. However, that implied there were other people sending Relc letters.

There were not. Maybe, the Drake entertained, if Klbkch had still been at his job, he would have sent one each week like clockwork. Aside from Klbkch, though, who would send Relc a letter?

Well. Erin Solstice, thats who. He had thought she forgot and had tried not to let it bother him.

Now he knew.

Now, he knew.

Relc Grasstongue, Senior Guardsman, former [Sergeant] of Liscors army, and [Spearmaster], sat in the bare room, looking down at the letter. He didnt touch breakfasta two-day old scone, the last in the basket and some cheese developing a second layer.

He just sat there. Thinking of how it had happened. How it could have been stopped, if someone was there. Thinking of home, which was now different from how he imagined it. The poor kid, who would have to live with losing a parent again. He knew how that felt.

Relcs huge arms were crossed, the scars on them and his scales illuminated by the steadily-growing light, as dawn turned to morning.

His stomach growled, but he didnt bother eating. He didnt rise to perform his normal training with the spear, or fiddle with the blacksmith puzzles he hadnt solved.

Senior Guardsman Relc didnt move until it was time to stand up. Exactly then, he did rise, in one motion. He reached for his spear, walked out the door, locked it, and went to work.

-

Routine was what defined Relcs life. He was a former [Soldier]; he followed orders of course, but what he had taken even more to heart wasroutine.

As in, the day might come with surprises, but he knew how his day started and ended. Then, after he left the army, he knew how his job went. There were some things that always happened, such that while Relc was infamously bad with regulations, proper protocol, and memorizing new directives, he could tell when sewer-patrols were beginning before the Watch Captain started assigning groups and found himself other work to do, or was first in line to join up his weekly-break to the next-months rotation and create the legendary 5-day holiday (you could add one day off per month as needed).

Thus, despite being in a new Drake city, the comparably small city of Cellidel, which was smaller than the Liscor of today, Relc Grasstongue knew better than to look for the day-patrol listings on the side of the Watch Houses wall, right next to the armory.

Funny. Small changes kept throwing him off. In Liscor, they posted the patrols right by the door where the Senior Guard on desk-duty sat. That was so inquiring citizens could see who was going where. Relc supposed it didnt matter too much, but all he saw in Cellidel were differences to Liscor, good and bad.

For instance, Cellidel was a proper Drake citywhich meant far more Drakes than Gnolls, unlike Liscor, who had experienced their Gnoll-boom two decades back. No Humans whatsoever.

Thus, a more Drake Watch. In fact, Relc had counted the Gnoll [Guards]; all six of them. Even if he missed those on night-shifts or other Watch Houses, that was low.

He was in the main Watch House, which, like the one that had held Zevara, was also privy to the Watch Captain of the city. Nominally, it was for the best [Guards] and rookies, whereas experienced veterans took lead in other Watch Houses. However, Relc suspected his Senior Guardsman status was less of a reason than the Watch Captain wanting to keep an eye on him and see how he did the first few months.

For all that, the old Drake, Terigrals, was much like the Watch Captain before Zevara, and seemed happy to have a Level 30+ [Guard] of any class serving in his city. The other Drakes treated Relc somewhat warily as a newcomer, but a few were former soldiers for the city too and Relc had gotten in with them fairly easily, especially when hed thumped a few with his spear to prove hed earned his status.

One of them greeted Relc now.

Theres our [Spearmaster]!

Relc grinned and slapped the other Drake on the shoulder as the other [Guards] saw him walk in. It wasnt hard to do that.

Heyyou. Hows it going? Anything interesting happen while I was away? Monster attacks? [Bandits]? No? Mind if I take a nap?

The other Drake didnt miss Relcs omission. He rolled his eyes as the others laughed.

My name is Possel, Relc. Pos. Justhow many days has it been?

The bigger Drakehe was probably the biggest one here, certainly the most musculargrinned innocently.

Im trying! There are a lot of you.

Weve been partnered eighteen times this month.

Right! Pas, my buddy!

The other Drake made a slight hissing sound and shrugged off Relcs arm, but his tail didnt actually lash or curl up. Which was, of course, because that was how Relc acted with all of them. Of course he knew Pos name.

Relc kept smiling and joking with the others for three minutes, then was able to grab some armor and dress up. Then he was allowed to be ignored.

It was routine. The newcomer, especially the hotshot from another Watch House, was always the target. So the smart Drake played up not remembering faces, didnt make enemies all at once, and waited for someone else to be the focus of the locker-room dynamics.

Not that there were exactly lockers; hed just heard Erin using the phrase once. Relc sighed as he finished outfitting himself with his armor.

Cellidel vs Liscor. Interesting differences. In Liscor, you wore sturdy leather with chainmail underneath; the chainmail being optional for the Watch who did monster patrols or wanted some in case they tangled with criminals. It got hot, yeah, but it was solid, dependablebut a bit cheap.

Money was the thing. Like how a [Mage] could cast [Message] spells all day but charged you five copper a word. Outfitting even a few thousand [Guards] with chainmail was expensive, and so it wasnt for everyone. They hadnt really needed heavier armor, although with the dungeon, Embria had written that the Watch was looking into more serious armor and weaponry.

Cellidel on the other claw? They had a Watch who worked with their standing army. A much smaller army than Liscors roving mercenary army since it sustained itself on the citys budget; so that meant a much better Watch.

Aw. Its got rust on it. Howd that happen? Anyone have a rust-removal tonic? Or just some steel wire? Oil?

Relc poked at the padded metal armor hed been issued when they realized he only had leather and chainmail. A Drake tossed a brush at him, looking exasperated.

Because you keep storing it after it rains without wiping it down or maintaining it!

Well, Im used to leather. Thanks.

Relc amiably caught the brush and began scraping off rust. A nearby Drake winced at the sound as she put on her armor. Cellidels Watch got padded metal armor; more expensive, more protective. Heavier, though; they arrived a touch slower than Liscors Watch could thanks to it. It was a good tradeoff, though.

Leather armorRelc. You know leather gets mildew and mold and Creler-crap on it too, right? Do you do the exact same thing you do with our armor to your gear?

ErI guess Ive had a problem with that too.

A groan from the Drake whod asked. Relc just grinned, cleaned up his armor, and tossed the brush back with thanks. He put on his armor with commendable speed; there was even tail-armor for Cellidels Watch, another difference.

The Drakes stood around, metal flashing, talking, more male Drakes than female, but that wasnt unusual. Relc listened to city-gossip, and he didnt bother checking the patrol reports.

He knew what was coming next. It was the start of the month. Thus, when the Watch Captain, Terigrals, strode out of his ground-floor office and barked an order, Relc was lining up before some of the other [Guards], whod been takenoff-guard.

If Klbkch had been there, Relc would have mentioned that joke and laughed until Zevara snapped at him.

Since Klbkch was gone, he was in a different city, and Erin was dead, Relc just stood to attention.

Routine. This was how a Watch started its month. This was how you kept corruption from spreading up the ranks, in part.

Guardsman Possel. Do you swear that you have committed no crime against Cellidels citizens, broken no law of the city or of your class, and have not violated the integrity of your position as Senior Guardsman in any way?

The Watch Captain held up a crystal. The first Drake in line barked a reply.

Yes, Watch Captain!

The stone glowed white. The Watch Captain nodded, walked ahead, waited until the stone turned clear, and began again.

Guardswoman Gesa

Relc waited. When Terigrals walked up to him, he looked up, asked Relc the same thing.

Yes, Watch Captain. I swear.

Relc gave him a grin. The Watch Captains face stolidly watched the truth stone, and when it turned white, he smiled.

Well then, get to work, Guardsman! Youre with Pos. Have you memorized the streets yet?

A few

Relc hazarded. Again, it was best to stretch how little you knew until you couldnt get away with it any longer. That was how you avoided taking too much on. Terigrals still bought it; he thought of Relc as being from far, far away, as far as Fissival, despite Cellidel being only south of Pallass for a bit. Liscor was another world.

Well then, with Senior Guardsman Pos.

The other Drake groaned, but only in jest. Relc watched as the stone went down the line.

Twice it went grey, and the two Drakes gulped as the Watch Captain singled them out for questioning later. It was far from a perfect system, but it did catch the lowest-hanging fruit. Smart Watch Captains like Zevara did more than administer the truth stone.

Damn, I forget they do the truth stone checks around now. If Id walked out that door, Id be ten minutes away and jogging back. Fine way to start the day. Good thing you took your time polishing your armor. Word to the wise: normally the Watch Captain gets on [Guards] who waste time when theyve technically started their shift.

Relc grinned and winked at Pos.

I wont forget next time.

The Drake nodded. The two strolled out of the Watch House with the other patrols, as the night shift began to come in. Like that, Relc started each day as the last.

On autopilot. He didnt even need to really think, not consciously. He was so used to being a [Guard] that he justguarded. Another joke that would have made Klbkch ask if Relc was going to do this all day. And Relc would have said

Something funny?

Pos glanced at Relc. The [Senior Guardsman] blinked, schooled his features.

Just uh, thinking of breakfast.

Huh. Must have been some breakfast.

There it was. Pos seemed like a decent Drake. A bit uptight, and he kept calling Relc [Spearmaster], but he was fine to work with. He wasnt Klb, though, Relcs partner ofyears. Dead gods, it was years, wasnt it? It felt like yesterday when Relc was assigned an Antinium and told he might have to take Klbkch out if it came to it.

Relc thought of the past as he went about his day. And yes, he could do that too.

-

A Senior Guard was superior to regular [Guards] in every way. They were essentially as high as you could get in the Watchs hierarchy.

Oh, there were other jobs and it varied from city to city, like a [Watchman] who might be dedicated to a permanent position, [Trackers], [Investigators], [Outriders], etc. All of whom played unique roles, but you could still generalize them.

There were rookies, who knew nothing, got bossed about and assigned to bigger patrols, and had to train, regular [Guards] who took orders, patrolled, and you could lump up into huge groups when they had to fight big troubleand Senior Guards.

Watch Captains directed their lot, and the Watch Commander, if there was one, breathed down the necks of the Watch Captains. [Watch Sergeants] also existed as a kind of discipline-trainer medium, but Senior Guards were the glue that held it all together.

More autonomous than regular [Guards]! Able to take on threats a normal patrol couldnt! Andthey had to be respected [Guards], who could liaison with the community. You werent just appointed your position. You had to have hundreds of people willing to vouch for you and experience.

No Senior Guard was under Level 20. So a patrol of two or four or six, the biggest traditional regular patrol, meant you had a good number of [Guards] with decent Skills, ready to crack heads and write down names if they had to. They usually got assigned entire districts to patrol, unlike lower-level [Guards], who had set routes. Senior Guards got independenceso long as they used it wisely.

What that meant was that Pos and Relc took it easier than regular [Guards]. Harsh, but true. They ambled out onto the street, able to chat, take a more leisurely route. Because if they spotted trouble, theyd be on it like dogs on a bone. If someone blew a whistle, or the bells rang for monsters, they got to be first-in-line to see what it was.

That was the tradeoff Relc liked. Peace and relaxation until you nearly died. Still, he automatically did what a Senior Guard was supposed to do.

Head on a swivel, never looking in one place too long. Walk at an easy pace. Earholes open; dont walk in a straight line from street to street. Vary it up; stick near crowds. Say hi to people. In fact, that sometimes was the job.

Morning, Miss. Anything new from out of city?

Pos greeted a Drake [Shopkeeper], who was setting up. She glanced at him.

Oh! Senior Guardsmanwell, theres a [Merchant] in, I think. Prices as high as Giants eyebrows, though! You wouldnt believe.

Pos nodded, studied some hairy fruitsRelc eyed them too.

What are these?

Prelons?

The Drake and Pos gave Relc a blank look. Hed been in the city for a month and recalled the local produce.

Oh, right. Are they sweet or sour or?

Sourish. But these are matured, so they lose a bit of it. Very nice.

Relcs stomach growled, and he recalled hed ignored breakfast so he reached into his money pouch.

How much for two?

Two coppers each, but Ill do you a deal and make it three for both.

Deal!

Relc happily took two of the largest, and, as the woman showed him how to disembowel one with a knife, split the thick fruits hide with his claws. Both Drakes, Pos, and the [Shopkeeper] were impressed.

Thats some strength youve got there!

Pos commented as Relc walked on, sniffing the pale-red fruit, somewhat similar to the red-brown shell with all the long hair. Relc shrugged.

Skills. What, you need knives to open things? Everything splits if you squeeze it hard enough.

Huh. I guess you really are the expert from another city. Here I thought that was an exaggeration, for all youre good on the training field.

What, you think Im all talk? That hurts, Pez.

Pos. Well, why else would you be here?

Relc paused, chewing the stringy but somewhat tasty fruit. Why else indeed?

[Guard] trades between cities werent unheard of, although for Liscor, it was understandably rare with the Bloodfields. Sometimes it was to helpor, Relc knew, to let a [Guard] escape a mistake theyd made.

That was what Terigrals had known. Hed heard about the Golden Triangle debacle and Relcs involvement. When Relc had arrived via the wagon hed hitched a ride to, the Watch Captain had put a claw on his shoulder in a grandfatherly, commanding-officer type of way. Like the older leaders in Liscors army.

Heard about your bother in Liscor, Senior Guardsman Relc. Dont you worry; we had our share of troubles with that damned scam. Lost nearly half a gold to it myself. Not your fault, and no one will hear it from me why youre here. Im glad Watch Captain Zevara reached out to me. We could use you for a few months until you can go back. Besides! [Guards] dont abandon their own.

It was the same kind of sentiment as in Liscors army. Once you were one of them, you didnt get kicked out unless you broke all faith with your people.

Funny. Relc thought that Watch Captain Zevara would have taken his badgeif he hadnt tried to give back the money, warn people off. Terigrals? Relc had pinned him as a team-Drake, like the army from the moment hed said that. He was like the old Watch Captain, before Zevara.

Strange. Something feltoff. Relc recalled the old Watch Captain. Before Watch Captain Zevara had been Watch Captain Eresc. An older Drake in his twilight years, having served honorably in Liscors army before being granted a retirement and position in the Watch.

No one in Liscor had minded at the time. Liscors Council often took notes from the armyeven if relationships had been become strained since the Second Antinium Wars.

There was a time before the Antinium had come to Liscor. It felt like another world, another life to Relc. Another era.

Back then, the army had visited the city more often. Not super-regularly, but parts of the army often came back to rest, amid fanfare and the general goodwill of the populace. It only followed that high-ranking officials would be friends of the army, or even former members. [Strategists] like Olesm would earn their first twenty levels in the city, and then be hired into the army.

In the same way, retired [Soldiers] and [Veterans] joined the Watch. At least, before the Antinium came and Liscors army refused to stay in the city with them around. Now, Embria never talked about retiring into the Watch. She was in the army, and no one came back to Liscor.

Liscors army was becoming somewhere you lived and died; older members stayed on, or only went back to Liscor to die. The Antinium were the reason. But in those days

It meant Eresc had taken Relc in after hed quit the army; the Drake hadnt earned his ire for being dishonorably discharged. Relc resigning was a mixed thing in Erescs eyes. He understood why, if not condoned it. He hadnt hurled food and mud at Relc as the Drake left his company.

His current company, 1st, and his old friends in 4th Company, Embrias command now. They had heard Relc out, then booed him as he left the army. For quitting! For running away from the battlefields with Embria.

Because her mother was dead. Because he, Relc, didnt want to die.

Why was he remembering it now? Relc watched the street as Pos stopped again to gossip with another assistant about the [Merchants]. That was Senior Guardsmans walk-and-talk; you picked up hints. Trouble over some big order? You checked it out. Relc relaxed, standing, resting his weight on his spear.

He had a vaguesenseof the street behind him too. Like he was staring through water. It happened at the same time as he stared ahead and it had been distracting as heck until hed gotten used to it.

[Eyes in the Back]. His latest Skill, purchased with a lot of his blood. Well, it meant Relc could be even lazier and do his job. He couldnt see details, but anyone running in a hurry would be easy to spot.

Relc yawned and scratched at his side, between a gap in his metal armor. Why Eresc, though? Relc remembered him. Like Terigralsuptight, ran a strict Watch, but so did Captain ZZevara.

But hadnt he quit after? Relcs eyes opened wide. Oh, right. After they found out he had been ignoring someone killing Antinium Workers. Zevara, Senior Guardswoman Zevara, had reported it and Liscors Council had replaced him with her. He had hated the Antinium.

Relc stopped. He stared ahead and was in a mix of emotions. The past. It drifted onto him, prompted bywell, by learning Erin was dead. Only, it wasnt the same past he remembered.

Absently, Relc looked at the Prelon in his hand, uneaten. He sighed. Then turned his head.

[Thief]! Th

A Drake began to scream. Relcs eyes, his actual eyes, focused on the running figure bursting from a shop, arms full of something. Oh? Food. Relc had seen the motion with his Skill, but his eyes picked up on all the details.

The outraged Drake never got a chance to pursue the young Drake running full-tilt with arms full of dried meats, links of salami, sausage, etc. The [Butcher] was just emerging with the classic butchers knifea terror to [Guards] who had to calm down an enraged [Butcher] in a street fightwhen the Prelon bounced off the back of the [Thief].

No. Wait. The Prelon exploded as it hit the back of the [Thief] and the Drake girl screamed and pitched into the street. Relc had thrown it so hard that even the tough rind had split. The Drake sighed.

Now hed missed breakfast twice.

-

Routine. Here is how it happened. Relc walked over as the [Thief] rolled around and the [Butcher] stopped in shock. They might have tried to threaten the [Thief], but Relc blocked their cleaver; sometimes you got angry civilians who might kick or attack your criminal.

Watch business! Everyone stand back! Just a [Thief] with some food.

He bent down and picked up the burst Prelon as Pos ran over. Relc dusted off some of the good fruit and ate it. It was important to keep your strength up.

Ohthe arrest. Whatever. At this point, your classic [Thief], [Pickpocket], or so on, tried to run or gave up depending on how hard you hit them. This one might have gotten up and used a Skill to cartwheel into the crowd or somethingbut Relcs foot was on her back. He just stood there, not even with all his weight, pinning her down.

Shoplifter, eh?

Pos squatted down to investigate the now-dirty meat and [Thief]. Relc chewed his fruit.

Next, you put them in manacles, or just marched them to the Watch House if they were this young. After that, you had your partner write the report and you went on your way. Relc doubted this girl would get a stay in the overnight cells or actual prison. She couldnt have been more than twelve.

In this scenario, you walked to the parents house once you got it out of her, and talked with them, sometimes about the fine. Boring, annoying if they kicked up a fusssometimes lower-level [Guards] got the duty. Killed an hour sometimes. Two if the parents were criminals or did something stupid and you had to arrest them

Thank you for stopping her, Senior G

Not at all. Just doing my job.

Relc realized hed preempted the [Butcher]. But the Drake nodded at him, respectfully eying the burst Prelon. Some others were murmuring. Relc waited for Pos to say lets get her to the Watch House, or something stupid and not-really-funny here, like some of the [Guards] who thought you had to have a quip every time you arrested someone.

Klbkch never bothered. However, to Relcs surprise, routine failed him. Pos stood up and was talking with the [Butcher]. Relc abandoned his inner thoughts of the past for a second to actually listen.

Shes just a kid, Senior Guardsman. The meats not even that damaged. Ill cut off the dirty parts; give it to the dog. Its not even a silvers worth of damage.

Youre sure? Thats generous of you, sir. I agree. Young miss, wheres your family?

Relc blinked; lifted his foot. The Drake [Thief] glared up defiantly at Pos. The Senior Guard squatted down with a sigh.

Come on, now. Were not your enemies. You know its a crime to steal, dont you? Or are youhungry?

He eyed the [Thief]. Relc slowly chewed a gritty piece of fruit and eyed her. She did look hungry.

Street kid.Means we have to worry about if she has parents, if theyre mistreating her, find them and/or arrange for her to go into Lisms kid-thing. Wait, do they have that here?

He adjusted his routine to fit the new parameters. However, to his surprise, Cellidel did things differently. After a few minutes of talking, lecturing the girl and asking about her family, while she remained tight-lipped, staring at Relc and rubbing at her back, Pos stood up.

Alright. If we catch you againgo on now.

The [Thief] bolted. Relc nearly threw something at her. He turned to Pos. Admittedly, he had been zoning out for the last six minutes, but what was that about?

Youre just letting her go?

Pos grimaced.

You saw her. I doubt a night in the Watch Houses cell will do her good. Im not going to haul her to prison either. Are you?

He went to eye Relc, but Relc was already eying him.

Not me. Dont we take her to the Watch House, figure out if she does have parents and send her to the orphanage or keep her in custody until then?

The other Senior Guard blinked.

Wehave an orphanage. I think. Send one to? Your city does that?

They had for a while now. The only other option was to keep tossing the kids in cells or prison. Relc mentioned the way Liscors system worked and Pos shook his head.

That soundsinteresting. We dont have that. Mind you, any building would be full up. There are always street kids. Nice throw though; I doubt shell be running around, even if she is a [Thief].

Thanks.

They were done either way, but Relc thought that was what Cellidel lacked. Even so, they were back to routine in a heartbeat. He ambled on, sure that they were not going to find more work this street. Once the Senior Guard moved, only the most daring (and clever) criminals decided they wanted to act concurrently. Which was actually smart because if Relc was arresting someone, he was distracted.

Back to daydreams and history. Yes, Relc remembered that scandal. Although at the time hed been fed up with his partner, Klbkch. Only Relc had been considered strong enough to take care of Klbkch if he went rogue, so Zevaras promotion hadnt been on Relcs mind apart from her shaking things up as she took over, disgruntled old [Guards] resigning, etc.

Eresc had ignored Liscors civilians attacking Antinium in those days. Right when they came into the city, a lot of people had been gratefuland a lot more had feared the Black Tide infesting their city, even as a deal from the Antinium wars.

Mind you, only Liscor would have even considered the option. However, Relcs job back then had been to stop both Liscorians and Antinium from killing each other.

Not that a Worker ever fought back. So some got pelted with rubbish, or even killed in that case. But if they became Aberrationit was an entirely different story. Klbkch had hunted his own people down without exception, and Relcs animosity towards him had turned to curiosity about who Klbkch was.

Despite that, the Slayer and the Gecko of Liscor hadnt shared a full conversation for three years after they started working together.

Relc remembered all that. He often did when thinking of the past, usually laughing at how much he hadnt liked Klbkch and how uptight Klbkch had beenand that was compared to Klbkch now!and little else. Good memories.

Except suddenly, there was a hole in his memories. Nonot a hole. The inverse. A bit of understanding, thought, that hadnt been there in all his other recollections.

Funny. In those days there were a lot more Aberrations. Not that there were a lot. We had to stop mobs and people from hitting them, tossing stuff on them

Relc slowed, as Pos went to use a toilet. Cellidel had a sewer like Liscors and Relc had thus-far avoided sewer-patrol, although it seemed rookies were usually made to do that anyways. He thought.

Aberrations. It seemed like one had come up every two weeks. Usually, Klbkch had sensed it and they sometimes stopped it before anyone but Workers died. Yet Relc recalled that as the city had grown used to the Antinium, the Aberration numbers had gone way down.

Hed always assumed it was the Antinium settling in. Now, thoughpart of Relc thought of Pawn and Erin andwell, Eresc hadnt stopped civilians attacking Workers, had he? Zevara had. Shed arrested people and the Watch had been forced to protect Workers, much to the disgust of some.

Afterwards? Aberration numbers died down.

Was that awhat was the word Klbkch used? A correlation? Relc thought about it. He didnt like what his brain suggested, so he smacked it. Even so, it told him that maybe the Workers became Aberration because some people beat them, attacked them on the job, threw things at them.

Pawn had been the first Worker to ever take a name that Relc had ever met. Hed been consumed with Klbkch dying at the time. Buthed always thought it was a miracle, much like the funny little Worker himself. What if, though, it had just been because of the first person to ever feed an Antinium, teach one to play chess?

That was Erin. Extraordinary because shed done what was now obvious at a time when it was not. Relcs thoughts spiraled back to her.

By the time Pos got back to Relc, the past had changed. It shouldnt have. The past was supposed to stay the same, but suddenly Relc saw it a different way.

Eresc hadnt been the best Watch Captain. He was a military [Captain], not a [Watch Captain]. The difference? He hadnt seen Antinium like people.

Zevara had been responsible for helping the Antinium integrate into Liscor and smooth tensions. She had also made him work harder, which he had resented.

Relcs job in the old Watch was to laze about, show new [Guards] how to hold a spear, and hit anything that moved when the going got hot. Eresc had arranged it for him as a sort of amiable-retirement. Zevara had, on her first week, told Relc to his face he could either work harder or get out of the Watch.

Hed always resented that. Relc had never liked Captain Z as much as Eresc, because one was easier on him.

But one sucked more.

One hadnt seen the Antinium as people, and Relc had agreed with himright up until he hadnt. He had resented Zevara because she took the Antiniums side.

Like he hated Goblins. Right up until an [Innkeeper] kicked him out of her inn and drew a line in the sand.

Relc leaned on his spear and felt old. Part of him hated Goblins and always would. He had fought them, and they had killed his parents. Or so he had been told. Even so. One day, the only Human he respected, liked, had turned to him and told him to leave the lovely inn forever because of a Goblin.

He had been so angry at her. Until he realized how lonely he was without The Wandering Inn. When shed let him back in, when the door to the garden had opened for him despite all the bad words between themhed been so happy.

Now. She was. Dead.

-

The key to it was not talking about Erin. Not talking about Goblins or Antinium. Pos had asked a few times and Relc had laughed it off; Antinium? You barely saw them. We had one in the Watch. Total. Barely knew the guys name. Couldnt pronounce it.

Routine. Relc clung to it. He went through the motions.

A Senior Guard didnt run into crime often. In fact, they were often a deterrence to people who knew what their status meant. Relc stood behind Pos in one of their more-regular duties; sorting out arguments.

and then he pulled the wagon up in front of my business! Its a damned restaurant and theres no space on the street to even get in unless you kiss the wall!

I was there for five minutes, but he had the gall to order me to

Two angry Drakes over a space-disturbance. The most common dispute a [Guard] faced. Relc smiled and nodded, glassy-eyed. One Drake had light red scales; the other had summer green. One turned to the other.

This is the fourth time! I am going to lodge a complaint at the blah blah angry angry threat! If you dont threat, Ill Senior Guardsman do something!

Oh yeah? Well Im in the Transportation Guild and I blah blah your face blah insult, Senior Guardsman, take my side!

Keep your face impervious, nod a few times and pretend to write things down. Dont look at either one; dont favor either one and look more and more angry until they get nervous. Relc had found that if you did that, you got away with not listening to anything until the voices stopped seven out of ten times.

Pos handled it. He turned his head to Relc a few times and the [Guard] nodded, scowling or smiling on cue. This was what Relc said:

Thats right.

Disturbances.

Cant have that.

Good day to you.

Afterwards, Pos sighed as they walked away.

Ancestors, I hate that kind of dispute. I want to just throttle them; youre as cool as can be though, Relc. Is that [Spearmaster] training?

Absolutely.

Really? I wish I could manage angry idiots like that.

Relc hadnt actually paid attention to the last conversation either. He was still thinking of the inn. Whenhad he learned he was lonely?

When Klbkch died. When he found there was a friendly young woman who always had time to talk, and didnt get noticeably bored or irritated with him.

When his daughter returned, bringing back old memories.

When the [Innkeeper] kicked him out.

Andwhen his partner died.

When he left his city because of his mistakes.

And then when learned his friend was dead too.

Even his wallowing had become routine. Relc going back in time, looking at his mistakes, thinking of Erin was routine. So he went about his routine and absent-mindedly went through his mental routine. Relc went back to Embrias letter. She hadnt told him. Maybe shed thought it would crush him. Probably right. But she should have told him. Had they buried her? Drassi had said

Should he write a letter back telling Embria he knew? Should he go back? He had to save up vacation days. Would itdid he want to?

Relc! Hear that? Its

-

The Senior Guardsman found himself moving. He heard the shouts of pain, the impact of one fist into a face or body part, and ran.

Fight.Break it up, see whos fighting. Mugging? Hit the muggers. Civilian dispute? More carefully hit people. Murder?

This is the Watch! Everybody stop

Relc heard Pos shout, but he was slower in his armor. The Gecko of Liscor? He had run in armor across the battlefield to fight the enemy. His old spear was in his claws, the same one hed used to kill countless enemy officers, [Mages]. A hit-and-run, high-level [Soldier] who took out targets and escaped.

For a [Guard], even a Senior Guard, Relc was the very definition of overkill. His mind snapped back to the real world for a second. He saw

A street fight. Two Gnolls, probably only fifteen and seventeen, brawling with a group of Gnolls their age. Relc slowed as the Gnolls whirled.

What he saw was a stupid street fight, the kind you broke up unless someone had a knife or there was a gang, so he relaxed, went back on autopilot after surveying the scene, and lowered his spear.

What they saw was a huge Drake in armor with more muscle than any two of them combined charging at them with spear-raised. Their ears went flat, and the little group of youths bolted, shouting.

Break it up. No fighting! Blah blah you are warned!

Relc shouted after them. Routine. He went back to the two combatants whod frozen, blood on their fur, and raised a finger.

Fighting is badwhen youre not paid to do it. Wait. When youre not on the right side of the law. Fightingokay, dont punch each other in public. Got it? There we g

Pos skidded around the corner, saw the two Gnolls, and swore. Relc saw him sprint forwards, check one with his armored body, and grab the other with a club raised.

You two are under arrest! Where are the others, Relc?

The Drake snapped out of routine, looked at Pos, and stared at the Gnoll on the ground.

Hey, theyre just fighting

Another damn fight! In the street of all places! How many were there? You are under arrest. Relc, cover that one. Where are your manacles?

Relc opened his mouth. He looked at the Gnoll on the ground as the other one growled a protest, backing away from Pos.

We werent attacking anyone! Were not in a gang!

Well find out about that under truth spell. Even if youre not in a gang, you think you can just beat each other up like savages? You know the law! Youre just lucky a [Shopkeeper] didnt call for us, or that would be a charge on top ofI said, dont move!

Pos raised the club. The Gnoll ducked backwards, clearly looking to run. All things considered, Relc would have blocked him. Instead, the Drake was bending over the older Gnoll that Pos had run into.

Just winded. He was looking at Relc, but not getting up.

Im not resisting.

The [Spearmaster] gave him a blank look.

I can see that. Pos. What are you doing?

The Drake gave Relc a look.

Where are your cuffs? Dont tell me you lost them! Here!

He fumbled for his iron manacles at his side and the younger Gnoll tried to run for it. Two things happened in that moment. Pos whirled, with the power of a Skill and swung the club.

Relc yanked it out of his claw. Pos missed and the Gnoll ranstraight into Relcs arm. He bent over the immovable limb. Relc shoved him back and turned to face Pos.

Relc!

Hold on. You stay there. You can sit up.

Relc pointed to the two young males, who were both looking worried. They froze as Relc turned to Pos.

You were about to lay him flat. Whats the problem? Theyre kids. Its an alley-fight. No one had a knife.

Theyre brawling. You dont think theyre a hazard?

Pos was glowering at Relc. He hesitated as Relc, rather than get angry or retort, gave him the blankest look imaginable.

Let me get this straight. You want to haul these two to the Watch House, test them about being in a gang when Im sure theyre not via truth spell, and then write a report and toss them in a cell or something? Or have to visit their parents?

Pos opened his mouth. Relc stared at him. Then he offered Pos the club and looked at the Gnolls.

Get out of here. Dont punch each other. In public.

The two Gnolls stared at him, as much surprised as Pos. Relc made a shoo gesture with his claws and they ran for it. Pos inhaled, but one look at Relc again and he snatched his club back.

You really dont like extra work, I guess?

He gave Relc a side-long look. Relc just shrugged.

You let that little [Thief] off with just a warning. I thought youd appreciate less paperwork.

Thatsdifokay.

Pos hesitated, bit something off, and muttered. He was still breathing hard as Relc ambled out of the alleyway.

What was that about? Relc forgot about it and went back to routine. He caught Pos looking at him a few times, but when their one actual criminal of the entire patrol appeared, Relc was right there.

Marital stabbing. Which, lest it conjure the image of an angry wife stabbing a husband, was the reverse. Relc snatched the blade with his bare claw, and slapped the Drake. Then he hauled the Drake up and carried him to the Watch House.

Nothing interesting this time. Although Relc did think on the Gnoll-kids incident later. Terigrals had told him he was needed. The first two weeks, Relc had been busy. He must have helped bust at least three minor criminal gangs up. Cellidel had a minor crime-problem. Funny though. When he counted the other arrests over the last month

Relc sat up in his bed before he fell asleep.

thats a lot of Gnolls for a Drake city.

He had a hard time getting to sleep. He had an uneasy feeling things werent going to routine.

-

Routine wake up and stare at the letter instead of practicing.

Routine get to work, joke about, and get some other [Guard] on patrol. Drake.

Routine get back, check out.

A blur of routine. ThenRelc stared at the ledger as they signed in the [Rogue]. He had volunteered to write it in for once. He felt his heart sink.

The ledger wasnt spaced exactly like Liscors, but it had the same kind of thing. Name, details, brief physical description, crime details

Species. Relc flipped through the ledger slowly, ignored by the rest of the Watch House. He went back down a month.

That was a lot of Gnolls for a Drake city.

The Drake [Spearmaster] felt an uneasy chill run down his scales as he quickly filled in the report. Like his reflections on the past, it seemed obvious now, but only when someone pointed it out to him.

Pos behavior during their patrol wasnt unique. Relc supposed he hadnt noticed his patrol-partners or squad being more hostile to Gnolls vs Drakesbut then, he hadnt been paying attention.

Now he thought of it, Cellidel was a Drake city. Much higher Drake population vs Gnoll. Liscor had what was certainly Gnoll-heavy districts, like where they had apartments, and businesses that catered more towards Gnolls, but it was hard to find anywhere you didnt see twoor now at least threespecies mingling.

Cellidel? Drake streets and Gnoll streets.

The anxious pit in Relcs stomach was a familiar one. Not recently familiar; it was like the day Erin had told him the Golden Triangle thing was fake. It was an older feeling than that, though.

The feeling he got before a bad battle. Where High Command sent someone to check on you, make sure you knew you had to get your target. The kind of day when every old [Soldier] double-checked their wills and pensions were in order.

One ledger wasnt proof. Possel wasnt proof by himself. There was, unfortunately, an easy way to check his suspicions. So as Relc stowed his gear and signed out for the day, he added a new part into his routine.

I hate cleaning my gear.

He grumbled as he actually added some oil to the metal and chainmail before putting it away. It had showered briefly and some of the other [Guards] grunted affirmatives, ignored Relc; one was all too keen to talk.

Damn rain. The worst part is rookies who never maintain their gear. You know one got mold on their armor? It spread to half the Watch House I was in. We had to pay an [Alchemist] twice to get rid of it!

It was one of those tired stories you heard about three dozen times each year. Relc nodded. Routine, routine. Then he added the bait.

You know whats worse? Fur. Sometimes youre on patrol, and it gets on your armor. Wet fur especially.

Across the room, Possels head rose. He eyed Relc, and a few Drakes chimed in.

I swear to the Ancestors, sometimes it feels like I have it in my lungs after I patrol a street. Especially if all those Gnolls are shedding. Someone needs to grab a broom. And the smell on rainy days? It gets in my nostrils and I want to gag.

Mhm.

Relcs heart sank. Possel nodded though, and he glanced around, chiming in.

Ah. The fluttering feeling got worse.

His ability to pick up on clues was bad, Relc would admit. However, once someone pointed it out to him, he was far from ignorant. In fact, a Liscorian [Guard] like Tkrn or someone whod grown up there all their life might be more obliviouswell, Tkrn wouldnt be because he was a Gnoll.

Relc, though. He had been in Liscors army, which did have a large Gnoll population compared to many armies outside of Walled Cities. One of the things he learned as [Sergeant] had been which cities they were deployed to where it was fine to let your squad off to drink and have fun on their ownand which ones where you had them stick together. Especially the Gnolls.

The fur in your armor line was actually something hed heard a long time ago, when theyd been working side-by-side with another army in a joint defensive campaign. For numerous reasons it had been a bad job, but one of the reasons was that the mostly-Drake army had gotten into fights with Liscors forces for comments like that.

Fur in your armor. Relc had sometimes slept next to fellow [Soldiers] and he could count on one claw the number of times fur had ever bothered him. However, that trick was one of the ones you learned to gauge a crowd. Other telling comments were smell, comments about savages, or someone saying, I hate those furbags. That last one was really a big clue.

Relc finished his work in silence, stowed his armor, and turned. Possel tapped him on the shoulder.

Some of the Senior Guards go to have a drink with a few regular [Guards] every few days. Want to join us, [Spearmaster]?

The Senior Guardsman looked into Possels eyes, and saw a gauging look. Relc grinned.

Sure. If Im not buying

Possel groaned good-naturedly, but he visibly relaxed and some of the other Drakes re-introduced themselves. Relc called Possel, Pause, Pauws, and Pas three times before he got it right.

-

Routine. Relc went to have a drink. He told jokes, war stories, and didnt blink when someone brought up the troublemakers.

Its the Meeting of Tribes thing. I heard they always get like this. Did you hear about that damn tribe that sacked a Drake city? Gave me nightmares.

Woven Bladegrass. Were on the lookout for that lot. Anyways, theres always crime, but now there are protests. And theres always a Gnoll with a bow on their back. What about you, Relc? Ever have that kind of thing in Liscor?

Relc hesitated, with a mouth full of walnuts. The other Drakes snorted as he tried to speak through it. When Relc did speak, he grinned at Possel.

Liscor? Oh, sure, we have Gnoll troubles. But remember what I told you about Antinium? Ever heard of anAberration?

The other Drakes leaned in, and Relc told the story. They gaped, or turned horrified and were so distracted they left him alonein the sense that they pestered him about the bugs more than the Gnolls.

Relc could dodge in and out of a conversation. However, sitting there was illuminating. Gnoll problems? He went automatically through the drinking and talking and complaining, chipped in a silver coin, and left.

None of this was original, think-on-your-feet stuff. It, like all of Relcs tactics, was routine. Hed learned the obvious; what you said and didnt say in a group that leaned one way. It was easy if you knew the steps to follow along.

Strange. He kept thinking of Erin as he walked back to the empty apartment. Now, if that had been her inn and someone had said the same thingonly replaced Gnolls with Antinium or Goblinsshe would have walked on over and argued. Even if it was a full squad of [Guards].

That wasextraordinarily hard to do. Also stupid, but it was very Erin. It took a certain kind of someone to harvest acid flies. If she had been there, she would have kicked up a fuss.

Relc thought of her. Then his thoughts shifted to someone else who occasionally crossed his mind. Another Human woman, albeit one he had known less long. If differently.

Ryoka Griffin. Relc smiled for a second. Then he sighed. Hed followed her run to the north. Good on her. Flying? He wondered if he could beat her in a race anymore. He almost hoped some days that the Street or City Runner who found him with the letters would be herbut that was nigh-impossible. It had only been one night.

Anyways, he uncovered Tesy being Sellme the [Painter] by accident. Although only Relc could have figured it out

-

It was a monster attack that Relc was called to solve. And by called, it was called out of bed by the scream for a [Guard].

Monster attacks were rare. Cellidel was not Liscor, and had a record of monster swarms attacking it every eight years at most. Stray Wyverns, roaming hostile monsters, all of that took place outside the city, mainly.

However, a monster always appeared, even in Walled Cities. In this case? It was one of the nasty types, not a sewer-monster grown to unnatural size.

They were called Cericel in general. But you appended Stalker, or Warrior, or so on depending on how they grew.

The best way to describe one was to take a Ghoul, or other stringy, tough monster, and imagine they were living, feral things that travelled in packs. They were just smart enough to use weapons, but they preferred their claws. They had two longer arms and were humanoidish. They squatted a lot, but could jump ten feet into the air. Clawed feet.

What made them unique were their mouths. No mouth full of teeth; they had a sucker-type mouth and weird tendril-tongues. They drained victims, their scaly-exteriors sloughing off as they shed and grew.

But for Crelers, they might be one of the more dreaded nesting-type monsters around. The really bad variants grew wings or got big. They moved sluggishly under daylight and like the wind by night.

Typically, when this pack attacked, they went right over the walls and rampaged into the city. The Watch was already sounding the alarm, but they were chasing the rapid-moving predators that were trying to kill and run. They ran right into the apartment complex where Relc was sleeping; a bunch of helpless food only barred behind cheap wooden doors.

The Cericel Stalkers were tearing into wooden doors as terrified civilians screamed and tried to fend them off with self-defense weapons that did little against the Silver-rank monsterseach one Silver-ranked as a threat.

They were on the lower floors, going up, but some had climbed higher and one was on the fourth floor, tearing into a room with a few children inside and no adults.

One recoiled as a cheap training spear jabbed it in the chest, but Vok hadnt attached a tip and he didnt have Relcs short spear. It backed up, snarling, and then tensed to leap through the shattered door.

Relc grabbed the monster by the tail. The Cericel Stalker whirled, fast as could beand screamed as he tossed it over the balcony in one motion.

They could jump, but they didnt bounce. Relc tossed his spare short spear at Vok and snapped.

Get into another room and barricade the door!

The Gnoll fumbled; missed grabbing the spear and had to pick it up. Relc didnt see. He was already charging down the corridor. He slammed into another Stalker and hit it so hard both crashed into a room with two screaming Drakes. The monster opened its weird mouth, uttering a warbling scream; Relc punched it in the face and then speared it.

The Cericel realized something was hunting them as the second body fell from the 4th floor. They went up, flanking whatever was attacking their kind. They heard a voice coming down the stairs as four bounded up, ready to pounce and slash from all sides.

[Lightning Sprint]! [Pierce Thrust]!

A blur came at them, ran through two of them, and sent all four crashing down the stairs. The other two tried to slash, but then a sharp spear went through ones neck and chest; and the others gut.

[Triple Thrust]. Relc kicked the last one off his spear, and finished it off as it writhed, screaming.

Hed fought Cericel before. Classic tactics worked; the Gecko of Liscor just smashed into them, using basic Skills. No [Spear Art] or [Spear Dance] in close-quarters. He checked his back and ran towards the Cericel, expecting to flank with their buddies.

Relcs adrenaline was up, but he wasnt worried for himself. He got over ten Cericel before the Watch and two adventurers helped corner the rest; they were all on the run from the Senior Guardsman.

Monsters could gut regular [Guards] and even lower-level adventurers. Versus one [Spearmaster] with an enchanted spear? Relc leaned on his spear, panting, covered in their stinking blood.

I hate monster attacks.

The Watch stared at him, wide-eyed. So did some of the Silver-ranks. Relc just sighed. It was the same job as Liscor; Klbkch and Relc had fought off monsters attacking some of the farmsteads from time to time.

The entire attack would have been bloody but for Relc, and the terrified apartment-dwellers were lucky he was here. To be fairPisces, Ceria, or any Gold-rank could have done as well.

Relc spent the rest of the night reassuring people, accepting accolades, and helping chase down the rest of the monsters in the city. When he discovered Sellme, the real event of the night, it was by accident.

The Drake was going to check on Vok and get his spear back when he noticed something. Fast as hed been to take the fight to the monsters, they should have killed a number of people on the first and second floors. However, a bunch of kids had survived. As the monsters had made short work of the doors, theyd fled out the back and into the street; Relc had done the rest.

The problem was, there was no back door in these apartments. However, the children had thrown open steel-doors and the Cericel had clawed at the metal until Relc arrived. Steel doors that had not been there until someone painted them.

That was high-level. Even so, Relc wouldnt have noticed unless hed been looking for Vok and the others. He was wandering around the first and second floors, checking a Cericel wasnt therealthough his [Dangersense] was pretty good. Calling out for kids.

He felt like he was missingsomething. Relc caught himself wandering around and shook his head. His inner-intuition began going off, a lot louder than even when the Cericel attacked. Relc checked his back again, despite his Skillthen put himself against a wall.

Routine. Instinct. The Drake felt a familiar sensation and chased it down in his head. He gritted his teeththen stabbed his arm with the tip of his enchanted spear.

Pain and clarity assailed him as soon as the tip of his spear pierced his scales. Relc turned his headand focused on the two rooms hed been walking past. He narrowed his eyes, crept forwardsand saw Sellme erasing the painted metal doors and talking quietly to a group of kids.

You never saw me, understand?

The gaggle of Drakes and Gnolls nodded solemnly. They might not even remember afterwards, save that Sellme had been therenot Tesy. Relc recognized the mind-altering Skill and slid back before the [Magical Painter] looked around.

It was a good Skill that Sellme had. A classic cant see me Skill a [Rogue] might employ. Maybe even stronger given how famous they were and their level.

However, it didnt work on Relc for a few reasons. First, he had [Indomitable Will], a Skill that could beat off a [Terror] spell. Second? He was a veteran of battles where enemy illusion spells messed with perception and had recognized one working on him.

The last reason was the spear-trick Relc had learned. The anti-magic enchantment also worked on auras. Stab yourself and you were more immune to spells.

Detective Relc strikes again! Sellme, the [Magical Painter], arrested and brought to justice by the humble, good-looking, exceptionally cool Senior Guardsman

Relc didnt tell anyone that night. Nor the day after. When Vok and the other kids flocked to tell him how amazing hed been the next morning, Relc saw Tesy was there.

You killed a lot of monsters, Guardsman Relc. Im glad you saved so many.

Aw, well. Its my job. Those bastards arent too dangerous if you get them by surprise.

Tesy nodded, smiling slightly.

Thats what the Watch should do all the time.

Come on, Tesy. Senior Guardsman Relc is the best!

A kid defended Relc. The Drake laughed. He ruffled a furry head, and then yawned. Well, hed brag about it to Erin or Klbkch someday. If she actually could come backMrsha, maybe.

-

It all went bad during the fifth painting in Sellmes short tenure in Cellidel. Once again, the painting wasnt about the Watch, but this time it did have commentary on the two species.

It was of a [Baker] refusing to admit Gnolls while, behind the counter, a bunch of Gnoll assistant-[Bakers] did the baking of the goods.

Relc wasnt there when the painting was discovered. He was probably asleep or at morning practice with the kids, or heading to the Watch House when a large number of Drakes and comparatively fewer Gnolls saw the painting and caused an uproar. He wasnt there when one of the Drakes, outraged at the painting, pointed at one of the Gnolls in the crowd and accused them of being Sellme.

The Gnoll just had tar or some oily substance on their fur. It was an unlucky coincidence, but the crowd turned into a vengeful lynch mob in a second. The Gnoll was never placed under arrest; they died there in the street.

That was the breaking point the city was waiting for. It wasnt a picture of the Watch, but by the time Relc got to work, the air was tense.

What? What are you talking about? Sellme got killed?

No, a damn Gnoll got killed because some idiot accused them of being Sellme! They all tried to put him in a citizens arrest and he drew a dagger and got gutted.

Relc stopped chewing his breakfast as one of the [Guards] snapped an abbreviated version of the story.

So. How many people got arrested?

The Watch House went quiet. Relc looked around.

So no one got arrested? Sounds like murder to me.

It was an entire crowd. You want us to haul them all in here? They scattered before the Watch patrol arrived.

One of the Senior Guards shot back. Relc looked for one of the two Gnoll [Guards] on duty. They were conspicuously looking away. Keeping silent.

Maybe just cast [Detect Truth] and figure out which ones were actually the killers. How many people was it? A hundred? Two hundred? You can still

Senior Guardsman Relc. A word.

The door of Terigrals office opened. It was all cascading together. Relc turned his head and felt a familiar sensation in his stomach. A sinking one. Especially when he saw the bloodied Gnoll kid holding the imitation short spear standing in the Watch Captains office.

-

Relc. What the hell do you think youre doing?

Possel snarled at Relc, gesturing to the spear on the table. It was cheap; not even steel-tipped. Someone had made this in a good likeness of an actual short spear.

A kids weapon. Still dangerous enough if you hit someone with it the right way. Especially if you had six buddies with spears all jabbing at once. That was why they called it a spear wall. Drake tactics were built around the idea of if you run into a lot of pointy objects, you get hurt.

Relc glanced at Possel, then at Watch Captain Terigrals, who was looking angrier than Relc had ever seen him. The Senior Guardsman looked at the Gnoll; his spear hadnt done much good. Someone had given him two black eyes before arresting him, and a bloody nose.

It wasnt Vok. Possel laid it out in a few words.

Theres entire gangs running around with spears! For self-defense. My patrol ran into them and if theyd had steel tips

The Gnoll kid looked at Relc and then down. Terigrals turned to Relc.

Senior Guardsman Relc. Have you been training civilians to use spears on your off-duty hours? With no regard for the consequences?

Relc twitched at the word. It didnt suit Terigrals, not how he used it. He replied, slowly.

Some kids watch me practice, yeah. Ive been showing them the ropes. I know you

He didnt know the name. But the Gnoll kid looked familiar. Possel looked incandescent. Terigrals spoke.

This is the last thing we need at this time. Relc, I expected better of a Senior Guardsman.

Why?

The question stumped the Watch Captain for a second. He pointed at the spear.

Arming dangerous gangs

Theyre kids. Civilians know how to defend themselves. It doesnt even have a metal tip. You could barely take out someones eye with it.

If thats a [Guard] patrol which has to fight a gang with spears

Im not teaching gangs to fight. What were the kids doing?

They had weapons! We followed up on an urgent call

For a bunch of kids holding wooden practice spears. Relc kept looking at the Gnoll kid. No one was offering him a healing potion, andRelc looked at the Watch Captain and Senior Guardsman.

Routine. Relc stood there like he did when Zevara chewed him out. Hands behind his back, posture straight, face straight and staring through Terigrals head.

Yes, Watch Captain.

No, Watch Captain.

It wont happen again, Watch Captain.

Relc was getting sick of routine. He looked at the Gnoll kid as he was put into the Watchs lockup for the day.

He wanted to go home to Liscor. But how would that change anything for anyone but Relc? He was given a warning, a write-up, and assigned to patrol-duty with Possel for the foreseeable future, as Senior Guardsman Relcs reliability was now under question.

-

Relc could have listened to Terigrals chewing him out. However, among his amazing non-Skill abilities was the power to tune out things he didnt want to listen to. So he stood there, inserting routine-comments as necessary.

He was tempted to do the same for Possel. It was amazing, but the other Senior Guard had volunteered to partner up with Relc. It was to make a point. Relc knew what Possel was going to say before he said it as they walked out of the Watch House. Not the words, but the dance.

This too, was routine. Relcs grip tightened on his spear as Possel snapped at him.

I thought we were on the same page, Relc. First you kill a bunch of monsters and stop that robbery without anyone getting hurtnow this. Whose side are you on here?

What would Erin say to that? Relc looked around the streets. Not a Gnoll to be seen. Drakes looked uneasy too. Uneasy and angry. It was easier to be angry than to be guilty.

Not all of Cellidel thought that poor Gnoll should have died. Drakes were divided; the Gnolls were not. They had already locked down their businesses, not gone to work. No one had begun protestingyet. The citys Council had passed a ruling against large gatherings until Sellme was caught, for safety.

Relc had been in a city that went bad twice as part of Liscors army. Both times, hed seen it go up like this. That law was a bad one; predictable, but bad. Once you made a law civilians were going to break, it made them more likely to break another one.

Twice, Relc had been in a city that went to riots. One time he fought with the companies there, until the civilians anger broke on steel and magic. Bloody and bad. The other time, hed received orders to walk away and Liscors army had let the city go up as the army turned on the government.

Even when theyd stopped the first bad riots, Relc had felt that the city wasnt securejust waiting until they left. Cellidel had the same atmosphere to it. He felt his scales crawling.

Relc! Are you listening?

Hm?

Pos was staring at Relc. The Senior Guardsman scratched at his head. Shrugged.

What am I supposed to say? Am I on your side? Do you think Im going to stab you in the back?

You might as well be doing that! Arming street-kids at that age? What do you think theyll do if they learn how to use a spear?

Join the watch? Defend themselves? Practice?

Dont be a damned idiot. Are you blind or what?

Pos went to slap Relcs shoulder. The other Drake swatted his claw down before Pos reached him. They stopped and stared at each other. Relcs face was blank. Possel hesitated, and regrouped.

Relc. I get that youre from another city. But youre a [Guard], a Senior Guardsman, and so am I. We have to be united. Watch Captain Terigrals helped you out, didnt he?

The [Spearmaster] blinked. Possel hurried on.

I dont know what it wasbut theres not many reasons a [Guard] comes from another city. We dont abandon our own. I need you to work with me, got it? Just stop teaching them how to use a spear andits done.

He spread his claws. Relc stared at him. He was thinking hard.

It wasnt about Pos. Or even Cellidel and Sellmes role here. It was just Relc.

It would be so easy to slip into routine. One write-up, some tension, and he could get back to work. Skate on by until he got to go back to Liscor.

Unless Cellidel goes really bad. However, Relc was good at running away. Hed survive, no question, regardless of what happened.

He just wondered what Erin would say about it.

They kept walking after a short silence. Relc debated bringing up the Gnoll [Guards] in the Watch, or pointing out that the kids were not all criminals and some were twelve. He had a feeling what Possel would say in reply. Something like, good Gnolls, which implied there were bad onesthe ones not on our side.

The two walked into the heart of the problem. They didnt go deep into streets brimming with hostility, but the Watch maintained a heavy presence today. Coincidentally, Relc saw a lot of Gnolls staring daggers at them as he marched down the street.

The Watch was waiting for something. So were the people. It just took one momentand there were lots of moments when tensions were running high, when there was anger in the air.

The excuse came when Possel ordered a group of over ten to break up. Not all Gnolls, but either way, it was the no large gatherings order. He snapped.

Break it up! All of you, get moving!

One of the Gnoll workers glowered at Possel, who had a hand on his clubnot the sword he carried. He spat, narrowly missing Possels boot.

The Senior Guardsman went for his club. He raised itand Relc yanked him back.

Stop that.

It was a moment. A simple tug, but it took a lot to do. It changedwell, just what happened next.

The crowd broke up, running, and the Gnoll in front of the [Guards] ran too. Possel whirled, red under his scales.

Relc!

Possel.

What the hell was that! Did you see him spit on me?

I saw him spit on the ground. You nearly bashed his brains in.

Possel stared at Relc. His voice was trembling.

Werent you listening to what I said?

Nope. Im bad at listening.

The two Drakes looked at each other and Relc felt the invisible fissure open up. No going back now. He was trembling with nervous energy. He felt like he could see the future. The instant they got back to the Watch House

No, they didnt even have to wait for that. A whistle blew and both Senior Guards whirled. Without a word they ran.

Relc got there first, obviously. He saw a melee. More running people. The exact same scene with Possel had played out, only there was no Relc. A Gnoll was on the ground, getting kicked, and two more were flat out.

Including a white-scaled Drake. It looked like someone had clocked him so hard hed just gone over. Relc saw a squad of six [Guards] blowing a whistle; the street was rumbling, but no one wanted to go up against sixno, eight[Guards], all wearing armor and armed. Unless

Senior Guard. Stop.

Relc snapped as one of the [Guards] drew back to kick the Gnoll on the ground again. The angry [Guard] glanced up as Possel skidded around the corner.

Those bastards sprayed us with sewer water!

He bellowed. All six were soaked to some degree and hed gotten the worst of it. He drew back his leg to kick. Relc pointed.

Stop it. Arrest them, but stop kicking them.

The answer was a snarl. The boot came back, swung forwards

Relc bent down, and lifted the foot up higher. The Drake went over onto his back with a crash of metal as he overbalanced.

Relc!

Possel and the other [Guards] stared at Relc. The Senior Guardsman was breathing hard, although not from the run. Here it was. Here it came.

Thats enough. Theyre under arrest for spraying sewer water on [Guards]. Do you really want to start a fight here? Look around!

The more level-headed [Guards] looked around and saw the stares. Some of them, even Possel, realized Relc was right. A few more kicks and half the watchers might decide to stop it themselves.

Call for a prisoner-wagon.

One muttered. A [Guard] blew the short whistle-call and they all stood there. Staring at Relc. It was a long time before the wagon arrived, and it came with ten more [Guards].

Leave it there. Leave it there.

Relc wasnt talking to himself. He was staring at the angriest [Guard], who was trying to washwell, crap off him. He was so angry he couldnt even hold the water flask without it shaking.

Well load them up. Just calm down. Well clean up later.

One of the [Guards] was trying to talk him down. Relc just watched as all three, including Tesy, were loaded onto the wagon. A few began to wake up. Including the [Painter].

He was like Erin after all. Because as the Drake opened his eyes and spat a bit of bloody saliva out, he looked straight at the [Guards], including the angriest one, and spoke.

Serves you right. Full of crap on the outside, as much as the inside.

It wasnt even a great insult. True, it was hard to come up with that kind of thing when someone had just knocked you outbut one word would probably have been enough. One look.

The [Guard] threw down the water flask, strode over, and kicked Tesy in the stomach so hard he doubled up in the two [Guards]s grasps. They shouted at him.

Eisst!

Relc grabbed the Drake, Eisst, wrenched his arm up behind his back, and walked him into the wagon. Hard; the wood creaked. The dizzy [Guard] cried out; more like an exhalation. Relc spoke, deliberately looking past Eisst and into the air.

Youre under arrest for violence against civilians.

Relc! Are you insane?

You saw him. We dont kick prisoners. You

What was it Erin used to say? You have the right to remain silent? Anything you something something? Relc just said what he normally said.

Youre in trouble, buddy. Dont resist or I get to hit you. Since thats resisting arrest. But if you dont resist, then I cant hit you.

There was a distinction. It was slight, but it was the difference between kicking Tesy if he punched youor if he was in manacles and helpless.

Eisst, winded, swore and went to kick Relc. The [Spearmaster] slammed him into the wagon again. This time the Drakes armor cracked the wood.

The other [Guards] went silent. They looked at Possel, one of the three Senior guards on the scene, then the Senior Guardswoman leading the prisoner-wagon. They both stared at each other, then Relc.

Senior Guardsman Relc. The [Spearmaster]. The Gecko of Liscor. Who was tossing Eisst around like he weighed nothing, armor and all. The [Guard] was trying to rip free as Relc one-handed grabbed both his wrists together and fumbled for his manacles, sighing. He couldnt budge.

Neither one stopped Relc. In dead silence, Relc finally got the manacles free, attached them to Eisst, and spun him around.

Do you want to get into the wagon or is this going to be shackles on the legs too?

The [Guard] was dizzy, and he had to know it was a bad idea. He still went for a knee to Relcs groin. Which, to be fair, was entirely in Eissts limited character that Relc knew from this interaction.

Relc punched him. It wasnt a [Relc Punch] and he didnt shout. Tesy just saw him swing a fist, almost too fast to see. Eisst sagged and Relc sighed and tossed him into the wagon, between the three now-conscious prisoners.

The Watch was dead-silent. Relc nodded.

Lets get them back to the Watch House and write a report. I hate reports.

He sighed. His heart was still beatingfar too fast. He saw Possel hang back. He marched with the wagon as it rolled off. It was done.

It was donehe felt his [Dangersense] going off. No, his intuition. Relcs mind was racing. He felt sweaty. However, now and then, to stifle the fear in his heart, he glanced at Tesy.

The stupid Drake even grinned like Erin.

-

Watch Captain Terigrals heard Relc out in silence. The Watch House was dead silent as Relc booked the still-unconscious Eisst and gave a verbal report, then sat to write one down as well.

He knew he hadnt stopped the unrest on the streets. Even if the entire city of Cellidel heard about the incidentso what?

Relc definitely hadnt changed the Watch. He had just made himself the biggest target. He could have told you both things were going to occur. He had known it, the moment hed grabbed Pos arm.

Nothing would change, save that Relc Grasstongue was now in trouble, not the amiably-ignored outsider. He was not Erin Solstice, who could change things, even in small ways.

So why had he done it? Relc supposed it was because you had to. Or hed never be able to walk in The Wandering Inn again, whether Erin was alive or dead.

Relc. We need to talk. My place, after we sign out. Sundown.

Possel called to Relc as the Drake rose. Relc glanced up at him. He nodded. He didnt go back onto the street; Terigrals had him hold the desk instead.

-

Are you sure, Possel? He is the Gecko. Thats what they called him.

Possel shrugged.

So? Do you want to be Eisst the next time he decides he doesnt like how we do things? Were about to have riots and hes throwing his weight around. Besides.

He glanced around. There were nine Senior Guards in his private home. Possel, unlike Relc, had bought his own place. The other [Guards] were still wearing armor. They looked at each other.

It wasnt really a debate, either. They moved to the stairs, the other rooms of the house, as Possel stood in the living room. Relc was coming. Possel waited.

And waited.

The sun went down. The Drake stood there, growing more impatient by the second. When the doors bellthe actual bell on a hookfinally rang, he snapped.

Come in!

-

If he was being honest, Relc did take his time. He walked the city. He had a light dinner. He thought about the future, and what he had done today, asked himself what Erin would say.

He had no idea what she would say. He wasnt good at coming up with new things.

Relc was not super-imaginative. He didnt come up with crazy new ideas like putting acid flies in cookies. So, when he did come to Possels home two hours past sundown, he was wearing plain clothes, obviously not carrying his spear.

Pos!

He finally greeted the other Drake with his name. Pos smiled.

Relc. Youre a bit late. Come in.

Relc shrugged through the doorway. He still looked huge without his armor. Bigger than Pos, but he was smiling.

You wanted to talk about today? Bad stuff with the [Guards].

Exactly. But can I get you anything to drink first? We need to talk, Relc. It seems we dont see eye-to-eye after all.

The Drake [Spearmaster] grinned and rolled his arm, then the other, as Possel walked towards his pantry. The living room was nice. Sofa, even a few magical trinketsa bachelors place. Ah, yeah. Possel had mentioned that.

Well, I am taller than you. No drinks. Im gonna be quick.

Pos laughed. The others, unseen, waited, tensed. Relc saw Possel swing around.

The thing is, Relcwe cant have it continue like this. You understand? Eisst has a temper. Hes a good [Guard], but hed never make Senior Guardsman. Thats fine; you were right to stop him from killing that Gnoll. Prisoners too. But its the way you do it. Were the Watch.

Yup. Were the Watch. Im Relc. Youre Pos.

The other Drakes grin slipped.

Im being serious, Relc. I want you to be serious for once in your Ancestors-damned life. Can you do that?

Relc Grasstongue didnt look around. He massaged his right shoulder, and nodded.

Sure. Im glad you asked to talk, Pos. Because listenI was going to ask too, but my place is too cramped. Ive been thinking.

All Relc knew was routine. All Relc had was this: good boots, knowledge of how to swing a spear, his friends, his blacksmith puzzles, and his daughter. He didnt know how to fix any of this.

So he just did what hed do. The Drake scratched at the scales on one arm.

You dont like Gnolls that much.

Im fine with

Pos opened his mouth. Relc shushed him.

No, no. Hold on. I get to talk because Im Relc. Listen. You dont like Gnolls. I can tell. I was in the army; Ive been to more cities than you have. Way more. You told me you never left Cellidel.

Possel blinked. Relc actually remembered a detail about his life? He saw Relc twist his neck. Left. Right. The Drake sighed.

Liscor has tons of Gnolls. And Antinium. And Humans, these days. Well, I wasnt cool with Antinium because they killed my friends, but one of them is my best buddy. Or was. Humans? I didnt know em, but theyre good too. Im still not a fan of Goblins, but hey, they dont like me much either. Its a work in progress.

Goblins? What do you mean

Relc spoke over him, cheerfully raising his voice until Pos stopped.

The thing is: I dont know the other stuff. Like how you fix Cellidel. All I know is: Gnolls are fine. I was in the army. I had a Gnoll commanding officer. Gnoll buddies. Drake buddies. Sometimes we fought with Gnoll tribes. Sometimes alongside Gnoll tribes. Sometimes we had to work in cities like this. We pick up recruits from all over the place and sometimes they enlist, but they just dont like Gnolls. Or we have to serve with another army thats all-Drake.

The Senior Guards were listening, confused at where he was going with this. Relc went on, and now he was looking at Pos. Grinning slightly.

The armys not smart. Im not smart. So when we have a problem, we fix it. I dont know how to change the Watch, but I do know what we do to guys who cant handle being around Gnolls. Or beat them up.

Andwhats that?

Possel stared at Relc. The Drake began cracking his knuckles. He couldnt be serious, could he? But he was. The Drake checked the door; it was still ajar so he shut it.

Pos, buddy. This is a Liscor-army style lesson. If you pick up a sword, Im going to hurt you.

Pos laughed. It was incredulous. But it seemed as Relc walked forwards that he was getting bigger. The Gecko of Liscor glanced around. The house was so silent. He looked at Pos, who was waiting. Waiting for

His eyes flickered as Relc grinned at him.

Their [Dangersenses] are going off. And Im not even carrying my spear. Now, heres a Liscorian lesson. Dont worry. Itll be quick. Ive gotta sleep since I have a shift in the morning. We cant take all night.

He raised a fist. Pos swung first, with a shout. Relc caught the fist and the smaller Drake looked up at him.

The other Senior Guardswatched.

They just watched.

-

The next day, Relc hummed as he went to work. He entered the silent Watch House and noted Possel wasnt there. He was off sick.

The thing about routine was that you could flip it. There was the routine of a [Guardsman] who kept his head down and didnt rock the boat.

But what happened if the routine was deal with this one [Guard] who we cant handle? Well, as it happened, Relc knew that too.

The first thing you did was teach him a lesson. Generally speaking, you sorted it out in private.

Unless of course, your [Dangersense] told you that even nine-on-one, you were in trouble. And you saw one Drake hit another across a room. And they knew you were there.

It was an illustrative lesson. None of the [Guards] looked at Relc. He paused by his armor locker and opened it.

What did you do if that first one failed? Well, routine told Relc a number of ways existed. Hed seen it in the army and his job.

The second way was hazing. Tricks, pranks, and so on. He opened his locker, pulled out his pristine armor, and detached the little note from it.

Touch my armor and I will break your arms.

Relc hummed as he dressed himself. It brought him back, doing things the Liscor-army way. He hadnt changed anything. Not changed anyones minds, not changed the situationjust rearranged parts of a face. It was just something you did.

Guards, fall in!

The bark came from Terigrals office. Relc stood to attention and marched into a line as the Watch Captain came out. With a truth stone.

Surprise inspection. Guardswoman Aiss, do you swear that you have committed no crimes under Cellidel law, broken no Watch regulations, taken no bribes, and have not compromised your oath as a [Guard]?

Relc stood there, ignoring the sidelong looks and expectant, vengeful glares.

If you failed with both tactics, the last step was to go up. Wellsecond-to-last. He heard [Guards] swearing via the truth spell, and waited until Terigrals got to him.

The Watch Captain did not look happy, but he met Relcs gaze squarely. Why did he look disappointed? The other [Guards] all watched, even the ones already cleared as he spoke.

Guardsman Relc. Do you swear that you have committed no crimes under Cellidel law, broken no Watch regulations, taken no bribes, and have not compromised your oath as a [Guard]?

Yessir.

The truth stone glowedgray. A darker hue than not. Not a full lie, butthe exhalation in the Watch House could have blown out a window.

Terigrals nodded. He raised his voice.

Senior Guardsman Relc, how many incidents, to your knowledge, exist of you breaking the law or failing to uphold your oath?

Relc thought.

Two, Watch Captain.

Terigrals blinked. The stone glowed white. The Watch Captain eyed him.

Then explain both, Senior Guardsman.

Relc nodded.

I saw a [Guard] continue to attack a downed criminal and failed to stop them during the armed robbery last week, Watch Captain. I also failed to speak up when an innocent kid was arrested for owning a practice spear, and got beaten bloody because of it. Those are my failings, sir, and I will accept full punishment for both.

The entire Watch stared at the stone in Terigrals claw. It didnt change color. It glowed serenely white the entire time.

Terigrals stared at the Drake.

Nothing else, Guardsman Relc? You have not violated the law in any other way?

Relc thought about it.

Nossir. My conscience is as clear as a glass of water. As smooth as a Humans ass, sir.

Laughter. Terigrals hesitated and looked at the stone, but while it dipped into grey with the glass of water and Humans ass comment, it was only a bit. Relc was telling the truth.

As truth stones saw it, at least.

The Watch Captain looked at Relc Grasstongue. Relc met his gaze.

Do you have anything else youd like to talk to me about, Watch Captain T?

He asked innocently. Terigrals met his gaze. Relc waited. The Watch waited, uncertain of what came next.

Routine, you old Drake. If Terigrals acknowledged Pos, it meant he also knew that nine Senior Guards had waited to ambush one of their own. And if he didthe Watch Captain hesitated.

The truth stone was glowing in his claw. Relc stared at it, then Terigrals. Say something. I dare you.

No, Senior Guardsman Relc. That will be all.

Terigrals hid the stone before it turned dark. Relc saw it, even so.

-

The end. Hold for applause. An extra drink on the house and spaghetti! If Relc was telling a story to Erin, thats what would happen next.

But here, he just marched out the door. The Watch did not fall on their knees and swear to never work with bias again. The truth stone did not come to life and start reflecting their lies in how they conducted themselves.

What did happen was that Relc left the Watch House alone. Somehow, Terigrals forgot to assign him a partner. No one else mentioned it.

What happened at the last, in the army, in the Watch, wherever, was that if all else failed, then out came the knives. Not actual knives, although Relc had slept with his back to the wall, like the old days. The last part of the anti-routine was this:

They left you alone.

Alone. Not just on the job, not just in talking, but alone alone. In battle, when you were shoulder-to-shoulder with your fellow [Soldiers], there was the gap. If you blew your whistle while you were in dangerno one came.

That was how you died. Yet Relc had known that plenty of times. That was what the Gecko of Liscor did. He charged ahead of the other [Soldiers], alone, into enemy ranks, fought, and escaped.

He could survive that. He could survive riots. His life hadnt been in danger. Something else had been.

-

When the first crowds gathered in defiance of the citys ordinances, the Watch cracked down. There were counter-protests, which was really people angry at the angry people, ready to fight.

None of it was particularly unique in Cellidel, even with Sellme. This was the beginning. It was going to get worse. Citizens in Cellidel had weapons. The Watch had training and experience, even Skills designed to fight criminals.

However, when they stood in a line in the street, facing down an angry crowd ten times their size, a hundred, that was when the Watch was most terrified. They braced as stones came their way; if arrows flew, they would charge. For now it was changing; the citizens werent angry enough yet. Not yet, but it just took a spark.

The Watch might be that spark. They were nervous. Of course they wanted to do something, make an example of someone, disperse the crowd by force before it could get larger. It wouldnt work, but they were nervous.

They saw how outnumbered they were. How, if it really came down to it, even the Gnoll population in the city, minority though they were, had the Watch outnumbered. What kind of [Guard] could face down so many angry enemies and handle it?

Well, that would be the Senior Guardsman who stopped down his street as a crowd came his way. No line of [Guards] here. They saw one [Guard], and started shouting. He turned to look at them.

The Gecko of Liscor. [Spearmaster]

For a second they wavered. That one Drake was looking at them without fear. With eyes like an [Innkeeper], or a [Veteran] of larger wars. His grip tightened on his spear

Then Relc blinked. He shook his head, lowered the weapon, and looked around.

Hold on.

He looked at the crowd, and then sidled over to something. The people saw him edge over to a terrified vendor trying to pack up their stall. Relc waved at him, tried to hold a conversationgave up. He plunked down some copper, and took the cheap wooden bowl of noodles spiced hot. He began to slurp them down. Then he walked forwards.

Hey, Senior Guardsman Relc here. Best [Guardsman] in Cellidel. Can I help you all? Theres some kind of law about gatherings, but I dont see the point. So long as you dont smash anything or anyone, were cool. Cool? These noodles are great, by the way.

He looked around. Some of the people in the crowd laughed; others stared at him suspiciously.

What are you going to do about the people murdering Gnolls? Didnt you see the latest Sellme drawing?

One of them shouted. Relc waved a fork back.

If you mean whoever killed that guy a day agoIll investigate. Where was it?

The speaker went silent, confused, but the acquiescence didnt fly. It was just a [Guard], trying to calm them down. The crowd rumbled. Then someone focused on Relc.

Hold on. Look. Thats the Drake thats teaching the spear.

Some of the Gnolls recognized him. Relc nodded. He waited. The fact that they knew him was probably because his patrols had never ended that badly. Or he knew Vok. Or maybe Sellmes latest painting had a strikingly similar Drake arresting another [Guard], who was trying to hit a bunch of downed civilians.

Even so, if they went for him, Relc was going torun away. So fast theyd never catch up, even if there was a City Runner in the mix. If they didnt, hed look into that murder.

They didnt attack him. It might have been the fact that Relc was eating from a bowl of noodles, or the way he talked to them, with a different citys approach.

Maybe it was just the badge. It gleamed on his armored chest.

Senior Guardsman Relc, Liscors Watch.

The piece of metal had never looked so fitting. Never seemed so important before. But then, it fit Relc today more than other days. He had been a [Senior Guardsman] for a long time, but hed been surprisingly low-level for the position.

Below Level 20, if you could believe it. Zevara and the previous Watch Captain had made an exception for a Level 30+ [Spearmaster]. However, Relc had leveled painfully slowly in the class, even if you took his other classes into account.

Today, the former Level 18 [Senior Guardsman] stood and talked, listening to the crowd and the way the city waited. It wouldnt be long. He also doubted he could stop it. The Watch wasnt changing. Relc wasnt smart enough to change their routine. A single Relc fist could only punch one person at a time, as amazing as he was.

Nevertheless, the badge shone. With trust. Such that even those citizens of Cellidel, Gnolls and Drakes, who didnt know Relc, saw it. It was a Skill only for a [Guard], who needed it.

[Wear My Integrity]. A capstone Skill, along with another for a [Guardsman of Trust].

But what it really meant was different. Relc had once told Erin Solstice that a Senior Guard was special because they couldnt just get the job. They had to have enough people willing to vouch for them. Hundreds.

A [Guard] was not a [Soldier]. The badge meant trust. If you didnt have that, you werent a [Guard]. With it, he could do his job. You didnt run away, even if you were alone, because someone was counting on you.

Relc Grasstongue kept the peace alone, where it went badly on other streets. The next day, martial law was declared.

-

It was going to get worse. Watch Captain Zevara kept glancing at the reports from Cellidel. She sat in her office, checking over Calruzs work reports, the armys growing needs, and every other aspect of her job.

Wing Commander Embria had been by again, to make a personal appeal. Watch Captain Zevara normally resented that, but she had let it all slide because she agreed.

Cellidel. Why had she sent him there? Shed thought it was just crime, but this? Riots between Gnolls and Drakes. She didnt have to double-check Relcs claims. She believed what she was reading.

So. Why then was this the letter that sat on her desk? Watch Captain Zevara had written back; she recalled the letter, verbatim.

To Senior Guardsman Relc,

Effective immediately, you are recalled to Liscor on my authority as Watch Captain of Liscor. Watch Captain Terigrals has approved the transfer and you may proceed with your own transportation, or arrangements via the Merchants Guild.

Zevara, Watch Captain

She wanted to add that any of Terigrals notes wouldnt stick in his record. That she would have his badge if she could manage it, and that she wanted him back and his return was with honors as far as she saw it. He could give a full accounting then.

However. The letter sat on her desk, clumsily writtensent via City Runner days ago. That was then. He had to know what the city looked like, what the Watch was made of. Nevertheless.

Dear Watch Captain Zevara,

I, Relc Grasstongue, amazing Senior Guardsman, must respectfully decline to return to Liscor at this time. I believe Cellidel needs a Senior Guard who doesnt have his tail up his ass. When its over, Ill come back. I can help out here, a bit. Respectfully,

Relc, [Guardsman of Trust]. (See? I leveled up!)

She smiled as she read it again. Was this really Relc? It couldnt be. Then againshe sat back.

I need a Street Runner to find Wing Commander Embria. Tell her its a personal matter. Correspondence.

One of the [Guards] working desk-duty shouted back.

Is it Relc? Is that idiot finally getting his tail back over here? We miss him!

Zevara hesitated. Then she smiled.

Thats Senior Guardsman Relc to you, Jeiss! No. Hes got an assignment to finish. Well hold his locker. Now. Get back to work!

Authors Note: This is the Relc-chapter. It is not all of the Relc-chapter, as you can see. I actually managed to not get to 30k this time.

More importantly, its a different Relc-chapter from when I first came up with it. I hope its good. Im planning on taking my break after next chapter.

Yes, I know. The vaccine was a break, but it sucked. Im still not fully-rested from the village-Horns raid, so I feel like we need a quiet chapter for once. Will that happen? Well see, but rest matters for chapters like these.

So much going on. Situational stories. Drama, violence, Relc. Thats Volume 8 for you, but its also about pacing. Im fighting to keep a balance, but I hope you like your side story! Once I have my rest, Ill come back with more ambition! More energy!

One more chapter for now. Thanks for reading!

Ryokas Flight by LightResonance, commissioned by pirateaba!