- Interlude - A Duel of Honor

  James ducked down avoiding the Third Seat’s heavy sword.

  “Get him!” A man in the thin crowd cheered, but it was unclear which of the duelists he was rooting for.

  Maybe he just enjoys duels?

  James leaned heavily on his Rapid Calculation trait to help him anticipate the next attack.

  High and wide swing!

  “Stand and fight you coward!” The Third Seat shouted as his over-large sword missed his opponent again.

  That sword is designed for cutting down armored Cavelry. He couldn’t hit a D class Switch. He’d have an easier time paddling a boat with it.

  James whipped his spear around behind his back. He spun it in a tight circle to threaten his opponent.

  He’s as slow as he looks. Aging poorly for a Ressian. Perhaps his Stone Affinity is more advanced than it looks?

  The sword slammed into the sand of the duelist arena. In the spray of grit from its impact, the Third Seat fired off a volley of stone bolts. But James hadn’t stayed still.

  James pressed forward with multiple thrusts of his long spear. It’s two meter shaft flexed and whipped out, delivering the wide blade, as long as three hands, deep into his opponent’s guard.

  The Third Seat blocked all but two of the strikes with his hilt and trusted his heavy plated gauntlets to protect his hands.

  “Like being tickled by a feather!” He chortled. “You will regret challenging me to a duel knave!”

  I’ve got his attack patterns sorted out. It’s time to end this.

  Sure enough, the bulky Ressian charged in, massive sword at his shoulder. He brought his full weight behind the swing, trusting the magic of the gentlemen’s duel to leave the upstart alive after his attack.

  Instead of slipping back and away again, James stepped to the inside. Instead of feinting again, James kicked out into his opponent’s knee. Before the heavy sword could drop from the peak of its descent he parried the stroke with the butt of his spear.

  The Ressian grunted as his sword was knocked back and up.

  James thrust his spear in between the heavy plates of his opponent’s armor. His quality blade sunk through the heavy chain underneath and greedily sliced between ribs.

  The Third seat yelled, his lung wheezing, but he could not lift his sword before James pulled his spear back and thrust it in again.

  A Duel of Honor between James D’Aeggett, and Reginald Salley Butterworth the Third Seat of the Spring court is complete. James D’Aeggett is victorious.

  Most of the passers by ignored the notification, it was a common enough occurrence. A few looked up from their cups of tea, or small books, having just noticed the duel, several people clapped. The man who had been cheering pumped his fist in the ait and collected a few copper coins from the frowning man beside him.

  Hah! He wagered on me!

  The duel’s magic took effect and restored the wounded man to half his total health.

  The Third Seat knelt solemnly as the hole James left in his lung sealed up. He would still need to take it easy for a day or two or pay for a high grade healer to return him to peak condition.

  “The duel is done.” James said as he planted the butt if his spear in the dirt of the duelist ring. “Now hand over the cypher.”

  - Interlude - Deep in the under city.

  James slipped behind a cracked stone pillar and heaved deep breaths.

  The cave like tunnel shifted in the flickering torchlight traditional for old dungeons.

  The gap ahead of him could be classified as a chasm and he had fallen to his death twice already.

  The ancient bedrock that the intercity was carved from wept slowly as the lake water permeated it.

  Three rats tumbled around the corner, ragged and hungry.

  “Nasty things are far too big! They have to be the worst part of today,” James said. “I’m going to sponsor a kill quest myself.”

  He gauged the distance across the chasm and took off at a sprint.

  James planted both feet on the edge, careful to avoid the weakened area that had fallen out under his feet the previous time.

  He jumped out over the chasm. He tucked his arms in and flipped forward, extending the range of his jump by flinging his legs up and over his head.

  The three large rats careened after him out into the air.

  I’ll make it this time!

  James slammed into the stone ledge on the other side. He managed to catch it in his armpits and keep his head and chest above the ledge. But he was winded and as he coughed to force air back into his lungs. The three rats crashed into his legs.

  He kicked at them but the oversized monsters bit and clawed his legs, dragging him down.

  HP: 35%

  James swore and kicked his legs together to dislodge the rodents. One fell away screeching into the darkness below. The other two braced themselves and held on tightly.

  Alright then you want to be like that?

  James equipped his short bow from the cuff on his wrist and fired point blank into the rat’s face. It fell away with a pained bark.

  The second rat jumped off and scurried up the stone wall with its claws.

  “You want to race! I’ll show you how to race!” James yelled and stowed the short bow away to free up his hands.

  He heaved himself up over cliff and rolled onto the broad flat surface on top. His high agility enabled him to crouch and turn in time to kick the large rat off into the chasm below.

  His high perception enabled him to spot the new pair of large rats just before they tackled him and they all fell into the abyss.

  - Interlude - Preprepatory Information -

  Two upstanding ladies browsed poetry books in a small shop.

  The shop was a frequent stop of peruses on the promenade up to the arcane crown.

  The Bookwyrm was a respectable establishment in a small shopping district with a gilded pendant featuring a glurmak on their sign out front.

  It had a reputation as a simple hideaway, with several overstuffed chairs scattered about inviting customers to peruse and sit with a book before buying it.

  James heard it was a place where one could acquire books on poetry or other lesser known and unique written works. And with the right codified passwords of the winter court, passwords that required a cipher to translate, one could acquire illicit and contraband materials.

  With the knowledge from the cipher he had won from the arrogant Third Seat in a previous loop, and his day spent in the library looking through a journal disguised as a cook book, James was ready.

  The small bell over the door dinged as he entered the shop. His leather armor more out of place inside the store than it had been out in the street.

  “Ladies.” James said with a nod towards the two women perusing the shelves. One carried a slim book from the shelf beside her, the other held a small bouquet of flowers from a display or perennials.

  A balding, bespectacled Dwarf greeted James from behind his counter.

  “Welcome sir, I do believe this is your first visit to my store.” He said and James’s eye twitched.

  This is the wintercourt’s assumption code.

  “You know, today is my first visit,” James said. “I am here to buy a book, as I’m certain you know.”

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Of course you are sir.” The book keeper said. “You know we have plenty of books for any occasion.”

  There it is! The duke’s journals are all illegal to discuss, I have to be discrete in how I ask or he won’t offer to sell them to me.

  “I will take your best recommendation.” James said as he reached the counter. “Like all great wives, mine has a passion for poetical journals from the winter court.”

  According to the cipher this will signal him that I am a member of the winter court.

  James winked twice with his left eye and placed a silver coin on the table. One of the upstanding ladies flicked her eyes up at the clink of the coin.

  “There is plenty of poetry your wife may find appealing. Why many stores are filled with poetry, enough to satisfy a good wife, as you know.”

  “Poetry is not enough for us, you know what I mean. We need a thinkeir, somber, bound book, full of deep penetrating concepts.” James said dramatically. The one of the two ladies had surreptitiously moved closer to the conversation and he used the salacious language to distract them.

  “You know I don’t know what you mean, sir. This establishment only sells the most reputable books.”

  The dwarf was growing increasingly uncomfortable.

  James placed a second silver piece on the counter and winked twice with his right eye. He prodded the air with his elbow in a conspiratorial gesture.

  “I’m looking for the book. You know the one.”

  “I know who sent you.”

  “Then you know which book I mean.”

  “You know I do not know.”

  “Say no more.”

  “Say no more say no more.”

  What is he playing at? This fool Dwarf, I will turn him in to the Summer Court! The Council will try him for obstruction!

  “Sir,” said the well to do lady with the slim book. “I am certain the book you seek is at the Bookwyrm.”

  “My dear lady that is precisely my understanding as well!” James exclaimed.

  “But sir,” she said with a glimmer in her eye. “The Bookwyrm is the shop next door.”

  James paused for a moment, his high INT stat drew the embarrassing moment out for several seconds in his mind. He grasped the vial in his pocket, his knuckles went white.

  I could start over right now, just one little bottle, one sip and this would have never have happened.

  “Good day my lady. Sir.” He said and quickly left the shop.

  After the door closed the Dwarf lunged for the silver coins on the counter but the lady scooped them up first.

  - A Perfectly Normal Day in Valoria - Day 37

  James D’Aeggett woke up at sunrise, like he did every day.

  Alright, that’s enough, I’ve got it this time.

  James got dressed again in his adventurer’s gear before his wife and kids woke up.

  The dark leather banded armor was flexible and thin, but it had saved his life countless times.

  James took a look at his sleeping son and kissed his forehead. He winked at his daughter. He knew she was pretending to be asleep in her bed.

  “Come on and help me make breakfast Susanna,” he whispered.

  His daughter slid out of her bed and padded along silently behind him as he snuck to the kitchen.

  Together they scrambled eggs and chopped a light salad of fruit.

  James mixed up some thin flour into batter and fried cakes in a pan on their stove.

  “Daddy?” Susanna said in her precious way. “Are you cursed today?”

  “Yes baby,” he said with a smile. “But last time I was able to take the day off and play with you and your brother all day.”

  The little girl looked down at her cutting board filled with julienned stone fruit. James knew she was trying not to cry.

  When she looked up at him her voice was steady but her eyes were wet.

  Such a strong child. Nothing bad will ever happen to you.

  “Sorry daddy,” She said.

  “It is alright baby.” He replied, and flipped the cakes in the pan before they could burn.

  “We took your mother and brother to the east park to go fishing. Cast about over the parapet, in our favorite spot where the lake is deep, and you will catch the biggest fish I’ve ever seen.”

  The smell of breakfast woke his son and the boy wandered into the kitchen.

  “Susanna, prepare your brother a plate.” He said and scooped up a plate he set aside for his wife.

  “Yes daddy,” Susanna said. “Here Bub Bub, we made breakfast.”

  James took the plate down the hall and sipped silently through the door to his bedroom.

  “You are going to do something dangerous today,” Laura said.

  She was sitting up in bed with the blankets over her lap. She was beautiful in an unobtrusive way.

  The love of my life.

  “You can see right through me.” He replied and set down the plate of food.

  “It’s so obvious.” She said with a frown.

  James produced silverware and a napkin for her with a flourish.

  “Did the breakfast or the armor give it away?” He asked, knowing the answer.

  “Solve whatever mess this is quickly and come back to us tomorrow love,” she said.

  “I will be back before you know it.” He said sadly. “Oh, Susanna would like to go fishing in the eastern park after school. We went before and there’s a massive logfish if she is lucky again.”

  Laura sliced delicately into her breakfast and watched her husband.

  “So you will be heading west then?”

  “Not until evening. There’s going to be a lot to do.”

  “Well you have the time.” She said and held back from saying more.

  “That I do,” He said. “See you later.”

  -

  “Good Morning James.” The baker said as he opened his shop for the day.

  “Yes it is!” James said as he mechanically purchased five buns with Horned Rabbit meat and cheese.

  He stowed the buns in his Storage Pouch and walked briskly past merchants and carpenters going about their early morning routines.

  Carts rushed passed him and he easily moved out of their way.

  James locked eyes with the pickpocket until they slinked back into the alley they came from.

  Find someone else’s pockets to ogle.

  “High constitution! High stamina!” A debt servant called out from the intersection of two alleyways. “Two silver a day for backbreaking work!”

  James stoped before the man and made a show of leaning down and drop in three silver coins. They clinked sweetly into the beggar’s hat on the ground.

  Beside the man, the two children faltered in their performance.

  “I would hire you for a day. And the kids.” James said discretely. “There is a note with instructions. Follow them to a T, then meet me at Hero’s Plaza before 5th bell.”

  The man stopped to pick up the coins and folded paper.

  “Of course sir.” The man said. He gestured for his children to pack up their rug and drum.

  “To a T, mind you. The timing is crucial. Do not visit the fishmonger at southside, he is a cut throat. And do not buy shoes at that clothier’s in the fall quarter, the one you are thinking of, yes. They are going to be robbed.” James said.

  The man’s mouth popped open in suprise. James cut him off with a gesture and waved another silver coin before his eyes.

  “There is another silver in it for you when you are all done,” He said.

  James crossed the street and took the alley around the other side of the tenant housing block.

  I will be able to get the items I need in a day. Now to pick up a few more extra hands.

  A cool breeze blew down the street as a mage flew by overhead.

  Time to get a move on.

  James walked briskly past the Summer Court’s stand without buying a flier.

  Get the ingredients, the mirror, warn the hero, stop the chimera. All in a days work.

  He turned out of an alley, with a smile on his face, then down another without checking the signs.

  He burst into a thoroughfare infront of a pair of Ressian adventurers. They stood in the street arguing about expenses. Their names came to his mind easily.

  Clint and Marnie. He’s a Striker, wields a shield and mace. And she is their Switch. She has a Stone Affinity, but his armor is scratched and dented, he doubles as their Tank.

  “Sorry but I heard you are in need of some funds?” James said as he slid up to the pair.

  The woman startled at his sudden appearance. A slender Cassiopeian, even on the pale side, in well cared for leather armor, could still have a sharp knife.

  “Hey buddy you can get out of here or I can give you a beating you can take to the bank,” Clint growled.

  James smiled.

  “Not interested, thank you.” James said. “You are a Tank and Switch right?”

  “He is, but do we know you?” Marnie said.

  “Don’t tell him that!” Clint hissed. He reached out a meaty arm to block James from having a direct line of attack on to Margie.

  “And don’t you need more money than the usual beer and beds the usual guild quests afford you?” James said and flashed his guild card.

  “Oh! You are the clerk from the guild!” Marnie gasped.

  Clint stuttered an apology and managed a short bow.

  “No harm done,” James said. “I’ve an idea to take on a quest myself and need a team to delve into the depths today. Gathering quest, won’t take more than a day. And the pay is high.”

  “That’s a great idea!” Margie said. “We could pay off the court in no time.”

  Relief settled over Clint’s shoulders as he looked at the armored Casseopian before him with a new appreciation.

  ”What’s the quest?” He asked, but James ignored him.

  James handed Marnie a shopping list of gear, an letter, and a page of instructions.

  “Go to the guild hall and purchase these provisions. Give this letter to the clerk, they will know what to do. Then swing by the western market street to pick up lunch. Head to the Summer Court guild hall to meet me and our last two team members. Do not dawdle around market street too long or the Fools parade will block you off.”

  “There’s no fools day parade today.” Clint said.

  “Not yet there isn’t,” James said.

  “Huh, okay yeah,” Klint said.

  “And I recommend you purchase a storage bag. We will killing rats and looting several valuable resources at quantity on our way through the depths.”

  -

  James devoured two of the horned rabbit buns as he walked briskly across town.

  To any passerby he seemed like a man determined to get lost in the alleys and side streets. But he had been this way a dozen times without fail and knew the quickest route for this particular day.

  The guild hall in the summer court’s district was nestled into the wide boulevard heading down to the old undercity. Their clientele tended toward the unwashed and indebted.

  James stepped past the line of ragged adventurers. They lined up everyday for fetch quests.

  Rat catcher, dockworker, thief, archer…

  James rattled off the names and occupations of the faces in the crowd from memory as he passed.

  He met eyes with the one-armed archer. Their expression hit him hard every time. Her sad vacant eyes reminded him of himself from a lifetime ago.

  “Signitor D’Aeggett, what a surprise. Came to whisk me away to the Fall branch?”

  James forced a smile at the same desperate joke.

  “Tina, I’ve told you before, I’m not a hero, nor am I a chef. I don’t whisk anything or anyone.”

  Tina kicked at the dirt floor of her adventurers guild. Her shoes were impractical for adventuring, and her fashion sense screamed “climber”.

  “Then what has you scuffing your shoes in the lowcity?”

  “I have a quest to transfer to your branch. Should pay well, and I know that you see more parties willing to gather in the undercity,” James said.

  “We have no shortage of adventurers. As you well know.” She said and gestured to the line waiting.

  “It’s a fetch quest for the lower depths, and a couple other quests for catching rats while we are down in the old city.” James said and a few adventurers caught their breath.

  “You are escorting them then?” Tina said nodding to James’s gear. “Or did you dress up in costume for my benefit?”

  “It’s quest for a personal friend,” James consented. “I’m going this morning, and anyone who joins can split the pay between themselves.“

  A murmur went through the line and Tina shouted at them to prevent a mob.

  “Back in line! Back in line!” She shouted. “He doesn’t want all of you.”

  A couple men near the front started jostling to get ahead and Tina kicked them out of line and out the door.

  “Low level bastards.” Tina said and spat on the floor.

  “We are barely in the low levels. The hall is on the boulevard after all.” James niggled her, earning a glare that consistently sped up his conversations with her.

  “Ha. Real funny. What’s the quest you are after?” She asked, all business again.

  “Quest 230019 - Fetch Flame Aspect Lichen from the lower sewers. Two bundles of fine quality. Recomneded C rank. Two Star Difficulty. Reward 124 silver.” James said from memory.

  Tina pulled it up in her ledger and tisked at him.

  “Ledger shows 124 silver alright. You trying to impress me with your high mind stats it won’t work.”

  She read James’s face and misinterpreted his scheming for greed.

  “124 silver is all you will get from me.” Tina said. “Now, who are you going to take along with you?”