The drinks at their usual table tasted better with silver tokens in their pockets. Torvin had splurged on actual dwarven ale, Essa allowed herself a rare glass of wine, and even Kelsa seemed more relaxed than usual. They'd earned this moment.

  Arin had shifted to humanoid form for the occasion. It still cost essence to maintain, still felt slightly unnatural, but Essa had been right—the more he used it, the easier it became. And tonight felt like a night for speaking rather than spelling letters in the air.

  "To new opportunities," Kelsa said, raising her mug of ale.

  "To not dying in sewers," Torvin added with a grin.

  "To working together," Essa finished.

  Arin couldn't drink, but he raised his translucent red hand in a toast. "To friends," he said, the words coming clearer now than they had weeks ago.

  The sentiment earned surprised smiles from his party members—they still weren't entirely used to hearing him speak—and they clinked their mugs together before drinking. Around them, the guild hall buzzed with its usual evening activity. Adventurers discussed contracts, complained about low pay, and traded stories of close calls and victories.

  It was during one of these conversations at a nearby table that Arin heard something that made his core pulse with sudden attention.

  "—heard the news from Ironhaven?" a grizzled human warrior was saying to his companions. "Apparently, they're dealing with a corrupted mana well. Three parties went in, only one came out."

  "That's north of here, yeah?" another adventurer replied, this one a half-elf mage. "Heard the pay was good, but the contract got pulled after the casualties."

  "Serves them right for not warning people properly," the warrior muttered. "Speaking of warnings, did you hear about Riverhaven? Merchant guild's in an uproar over new tariffs."

  "Politics," a dwarven ranger spat. "Always politics with that city."

  The conversation continued, touching on various cities and their current situations. Arin listened with half his attention, the other half focused on his own celebration. Until—

  "What about Vyrdan?" the half-elf asked. "Anything interesting from the capital?"

  "Some changes at the Academy, I heard. Curriculum updates, safety protocols. Boring administrative stuff." The warrior shrugged. "Though I suppose it makes sense after that incident last year."

  Arin went completely still. His party didn't notice immediately, too focused on their own conversation. But every bit of his awareness turned toward the nearby table.

  They're changing things. Because of what happened.

  "What incident?" the ranger asked.

  "Student death during some training exercise. Got ruled an accident, but apparently it spooked the donors enough that they're pushing for reforms."

  Reforms. Safety protocols. All because they want to make sure their precious children don't get hurt. But it's too late for Levi. They didn't care about him.

  The rage that surfaced was sudden and hot, burning through Arin's core like acid turned inward. His humanoid form collapsed, control lost to emotion, and he puddled back into his natural slime shape before he could stop it.

  "Arin?"

  Essa's voice cut through the anger. He focused on her and realized all three of his party members were watching him with concern.

  "Your form," Torvin said quietly. "It's trembling. You alright?"

  Arin forced himself to settle, to calm the roiling anger. He knew what they were thinking—they understood exactly why he was upset. They'd known his story for weeks now and had committed to helping him eventually face what awaited him in Vyrdan.

  F I N E J U S T  T I R E D

  "You heard something," Kelsa observed, her tactical mind immediately connecting the dots. She glanced at the nearby table, listening for a moment. "About Vyrdan?"

  Y E S

  She didn't press; she just reached across the table and gently tapped her mug against his mass. "We'll get there. When we're ready."

  "Aye," Torvin agreed quietly. "And when we do, we'll make sure the truth comes out proper."

  Essa's hand hovered near him, offering comfort without touch. "One step at a time."

  They understand. I don't have to explain. They already know how I feel.

  The realization brought both relief and guilt. Relief that he didn't have to relive the story again, didn't have to form those painful words about Levi's murder. Guilt that his friends had committed themselves to a dangerous path, one that might get them all killed.

  The celebration continued, though the mood had shifted slightly. His party was careful not to push, just letting Arin process what he'd heard in his own time.

  After another hour, they finally dispersed to their respective lodgings for the night.

  Arin returned to the cellar beneath the inn. The news about Academy reforms churned through his mind, but he forced himself to let it settle rather than spiral.

  One step at a time. That's what the party keeps saying. They're right.

  Sleep came slowly, but when it finally claimed him, Arin dreamed not of Vyrdan's towers, but of his party standing beside him, facing whatever came together.

  ***

  Morning arrived with weak sunlight filtering through the cellar's high window. Arin emerged to find Thornbridge already bustling with activity. Merchants opened their shops, guards changed shifts at the gates, and early-rising adventurers began gathering at the guild hall for contract selection.

  The guild hall was busier than last night, packed with adventurers eager to claim the day's most lucrative contracts. Arin spotted his party at a table near the contract board, already eating breakfast and studying the available options.

  "There he is," Torvin said as Arin approached. "Thought you might sleep in after last night."

  D O N T  S L E E P  M U C H

  Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

  "Still processing what you heard?" Kelsa asked, her voice gentle but direct.

  Y E S

  "Understandable." She pushed a stack of contract notices across the table. "We've been looking at our options. Silver rank opens up some interesting possibilities."

  She pulled out three contracts and spread them in front of him.

  "Option one: Escort duty for a minor noble traveling to Riverhaven. Two weeks, steady pay, low risk but also low reward beyond the base payment."

  "Option two: Investigate disappearances near the Old Quarry. Three people missing in the last month, all miners. Suspected monster nest, but unconfirmed. Higher risk, better pay, plus whatever we can salvage from the nest."

  "Option three: Track and eliminate a Corrupted Treant terrorizing farmland northwest of the city. The thing's been growing for years, now it's actively hostile. Kill bounty plus extra for each acre of land we clear. Could take a week or more."

  Torvin studied the contracts thoughtfully. "The escort is safe money, but boring. Won't help us grow much."

  "The quarry sounds like a trap," Essa observed. "Three disappearances could mean we're walking into something beyond our level."

  "Which leaves the treant," Kelsa finished. "It's listed as Level 13, so within our capability if we're smart about it. And the pay is good—thirty gold plus extras."

  Before Arin could contribute his opinion, a voice from behind interrupted their discussion.

  "Taking the treant contract? Might want to reconsider."

  They turned to find a tall woman in travel-stained leathers watching them. She wore the silver token of a mid-rank adventurer, and her equipment looked well-maintained but heavily used.

  "And you are?" Kelsa asked, her tone polite but guarded.

  "Mira Thornheart. Silver rank, three years at this rank." She nodded toward the contract. "Tried the treant last month with my party. Lost a good friend to it. Things' fast, smart, and it's got root systems spreading underground for hundreds of feet. Attacks from angles you can't predict."

  "Why hasn't it been killed yet if it's that dangerous?" Torvin asked.

  "Because the farmers can't afford to pay what the contract's really worth. The guild low-balled the bounty, hoping someone inexperienced would take it." Mira's expression was grim. "Don't be that someone. Pick a different contract. Live to see next month."

  She walked away before they could respond, leaving the party staring at the treant contract with new wariness.

  "Well," Kelsa said slowly. "That's concerning."

  "Could be she's just bitter about losing a friend," Torvin suggested. "Wants to scare off competition."

  "Or she's giving us genuine advice that could save our lives," Essa countered. "We shouldn't ignore warnings from experienced adventurers."

  Arin had been quiet during this exchange, thinking about their options. They needed to build their strength, yes, but taking unnecessary risks would just get them killed before they ever reached Vyrdan.

  E S C O R T  F I R S T L E A R N  S I L V E R  R A N K  T H E N  H A R D E R

  "Start easy, build confidence," Kelsa translated. "That's actually sensible. We just advanced, no shame in taking a safer contract while we adjust to the new rank."

  "Agreed," Essa said. "Better to succeed at an easy contract than fail at a hard one."

  Torvin looked disappointed but nodded. "Aye, makes sense. Besides, escorting a noble means seeing new cities. That'll be interesting at least."

  "And Riverhaven is close to Vyrdan," Kelsa added carefully, watching Arin's reaction. "Three days downstream by river barge. We might hear more news from the capital."

  She understands. She knows I want to gather information, but she's not pushing me to talk about it.

  G O O D  F O R  L E A R N I N G

  The party claimed the escort contract, and Kelsa began making arrangements with the guild clerk. They'd be leaving tomorrow at dawn, traveling with a small caravan heading to Riverhaven—a journey that would take them along the river road and through several major trading posts.

  As they finalized details, Torvin spoke up about something that had clearly been on his mind.

  "Ye know, I've been thinking about my own goals. Once I've got enough saved up, I want to commission proper armor from my clan's forges. Master-crafted dwarf plate, none of this human-made stuff that doesn't quite fit right. It’s not that human stuff is bad… it just doesn’t fit as well."

  "How much are we talking?" Kelsa asked with interest.

  "Three hundred gold, minimum. Maybe more, depending on enchantments." Torvin ran his hand over his current breastplate. "Would take years to save that much, but it'd be worth it. Armor like that can last generations."

  "I want to pay off my temple debt," Essa said. "Another few months of tithing and I'll be free. After that, I'm thinking about studying advanced healing techniques. Maybe even learning resurrection magic, though that's... expensive to train in."

  "Resurrection?" Kelsa's eyebrows rose. "That's high-level stuff."

  "I know. But imagine being able to bring someone back if the worst happens." Essa's expression was determined. "That kind of skill could save lives. Could save our lives."

  They all looked at Kelsa, who seemed surprised to be the focus of attention.

  "What about you?" Torvin asked. "You've never really said what you're working toward."

  Kelsa was quiet for a moment, her tactical mind clearly working through how much to share. "Information," she finally said. "I want to build a network. Contacts in different cities, people who owe me favors, sources of reliable intelligence. The kind of network that lets you know what's really happening, not just the official story."

  That's for me. Arin realized with sudden clarity. She's thinking about Vyrdan. About how to learn what really happened without alerting anyone.

  "That's... actually brilliant," Essa said. "Information is power, especially when dealing with nobles."

  "Exactly." Kelsa's eyes met Arin's briefly, and he saw the understanding there. She was planning for their eventual confrontation in Vyrdan, building tools they'd need to succeed.

  T H A N K  Y O U

  "For what?" Kelsa asked, though her slight smile suggested she knew.

  F O R E V E R Y T H I N G  F O R B E L I E V I N G I N T H I S

  "We're a party," Torvin said gruffly. "That means we support each other's goals. Yours, mine, Essa's, Kelsa's—doesn't matter. We work toward all of them together."

  "Besides," Essa added, "your goal is the right one. Finding the truth about what happened? That's worth fighting for."

  The conversation shifted to logistics and preparation for tomorrow's departure, but Arin felt something settle in his core. His friends understood what he needed, were actively planning to help him achieve it, and had their own dreams they were working toward.

  This was about building something real. A party that supported each other through everything, that made each member stronger by working together.

  He would have loved seeing this. His creation as part of something good, something meaningful.

  The party spent the rest of the day preparing for tomorrow's departure. Arin used the time to practice his humanoid form in private, building his endurance and control. The transformation still drained his essence steadily, and his movements remained awkward, but he was improving.

  This form is a tool. The better I master it, the more places I can go, the more conversations I can have. Eventually, I'll need to walk through Vyrdan as something that looks almost human.

  When evening fell and the party gathered for a final meal before their journey, Arin made a decision. He shifted to humanoid form before joining them at the table, the ten essence cost a worthwhile investment. If he was going to master this shape, he needed to use it—not just in private practice, but in real situations with people he trusted.

  Kelsa noticed immediately. "You're getting better at that. The shift looked smoother."

  "Practice," Arin said, the words coming out more clearly. Speaking was still slower than signing, requiring concentration to form each sound correctly, but it was getting easier.

  "Good," Essa said with an approving nod. "The more you use it, the more natural it will become."

  Arin settled into a chair, actually sitting like a person rather than pooling on the floor, and felt the weight of purpose settle over him. Not just his own purpose, but theirs as well.

  "To tomorrow's adventure," Kelsa said, raising her mug.

  "To not dying on an easy contract," Torvin added with a grin.

  "To learning and growing together," Essa finished.

  "To the future," Arin said, raising his translucent hand in a toast. The words came out clear, and his party members smiled—still getting used to hearing him speak rather than spelling letters in the air.

  A future where Levi's murder would be answered for. Where Torvin would wear master-crafted armor. Where Essa could bring people back from death itself. Where Kelsa's network would span cities and provide the truth behind official lies.

  That was the promise they'd made to each other, and to themselves.

  And together, they would make it happen.