A soft snore rousing me in the still darkened tent. My back and shoulders cold, exposed outside the roll, but my front warm, snuggling against Daniel`s still sleeping form. Laying like that for a few minutes, the light outside beginning to change, but still predawn. Extricating myself without waking him and going outside to answer nature`s call.

　　The camp, quiet and still, had been set up a short ways from the foot of the mountain, alongside a ravine to the south. A safe area, well, safer, that Ishtar had discovered during their prior outings. The wagons had been set up in a quarter circle to provide a defensive fortification while we had set up camp within. Doing a short stretch, working out some of the knots and kinks, my breath misting the air. Fingering the simple chain Ink had given to me as payment for delivering the letter and unclasping it. The ends falling and the temperature noticeably dropping several degrees. Catching the shivers and quickly refastening it, rubbing my arms trying to calm the gooseflesh. Seeing movement on top of one of the wagons across the way. Is that?

　　Heading back into the tent to get a fresh pair of underwear and a new tanktop. Daniel still asleep, breathing softly. Fully clothed, sans gloves and armor, about to leave again but first drawing the rune on my armor, knife and hand. Exiting the tentflap. Carve. Activating all three, the shield flashing into being. Heading over to confront my voyeur.

　　"Well, hey there," Blindside`s voice coming from atop the wagon where he was reclining, "you seem especially perky this fine morning."

　　"You mind if I join you?"

　　"Aren`t you supposed to stay within fifteen feet of Grace?"

　　"She fine. Besides, Hugo`s keeping an eye on her." His cocky grin losing its luster. "Give me five minutes and I`ll take the rest of your turn on watch. You can probably catch another hour."

　　Giving me a gesture. Come on up.

　　"How are you liking it so far?" Not even looking at me.

　　"Better yesterday than the day before." My comment having no visible effect, Blindside still looking off into the horizon. Sitting in silence.

　　"So what`d you want to talk to me about?"

　　"I want to make sure I don`t end up with a knife in my back."

　　"I thought you solved that little problem with Grace."

　　"I`m talking about you, you`re a lot more difficult to read. Magpie`s fine." Getting his full attention.

　　"She actually told you to call her that?"

　　"She didn`t object. You called her something like that when I heard you two talking, so I asked her about it." No visible reaction. "Why`d you join up with Ishtar, anyway?"

　　"Well, why did you?"

　　"I haven`t. Not yet. I`m still a prospective. Still trying to get the lay of the land, still feeling things out. Sell me on it."

　　"They seemed like a good group of people. They actually are a good group of people, some quirks aside. You could do far worse."

　　"That`s not exactly a hard sell. What do you think about me joining up?"

　　"I won`t object, even after what you threatened to do, since you managed to get that out of Mags." His hand out of his glove, tweaking my nose. "And you`re pretty cute, I think you`d be a welcome addition." His cocky grin coming back. "You`re even cuter when you blush."

　　"Magpie warned me you were a sweet talker." My heart beating faster. "That was five minutes. I think you should get some sleep."

　　"I definitely hope you join up," said Blindside, landing lightly after jumping off the wagon. "You`re extremely thoughtful. Thanks for the relief."

　　Watching him walk away, then wrenching myself back from my momentary daydream to get back on task. Had hit five ranks of Transference a couple days ago, but hadn`t had the opportunity to practice using Tracing at range while being cheek by jowl with Magpie and the rest of Ishtar on the road. While being cheek by jowl with Daniel. Another daydream starting. Fuck. Stop it. Get back on task.

　　***

　　"You three help the middle. Now!"

　　During the morning`s pep talk, after he had finished giving me a short reprimand for disobeying orders, Anderson had stressed that this was going to be the hardest day of the journey. A stretch of empty sand from the foot of the mountains to our destination for the evening, an oasis that the monsters generally left alone. And his warning didn`t disappoint.

　　The monsters in the mountains the day before generally had ranged from about twelve to fifteen, with some that were occasionally higher. In the desert they were typcally between fourteen to eighteen, with a few encounters that were considerably more difficult. We`d spent the morning fending off a steady stream of poisonous snakes, giant scorpions, birds of prey and the occasional set of bleached bones held together in a mockery of life.

　　A bit past noon, while passing by a mostly sand buried ruin, the ground had started rumbling and quaking. A trio of huge stone Colossi, mostly buried, had come to life, pulling themselves out of the ready to murder unwelcome intruders. The only reason we`d succeeded as well as we did was due to Daniel, Serena, Anderson and Wallace, supported by the Bard and another member of the front group - most likely a Mystic given the lightshow. Afterwards we`d a quick lunch while assessing and repairing some minor damage.

　　So up until this point, despite all the excitement, my self imposed restriction hadn`t yet been violated. No offensive actions allowed, only drawing the monsters` attention to provide openings and blocking with the shield. For one, it was good practice. For the other, it was a sound tactics. It kept things occupied and off Wallace, who primarily used a bow, with only a bone knife as backup. It let the quick and agile Magpie easily get in close to flank. It was less impactful, but still useful, to Greene, with his longer reaching two-handed sword. Anderson also served a similar role with his sword and board - or his current kit of warhammer and board to better deal with the skeletons and constructs - except he was undeniably more effective with his bone shattering hits.

　　"Lucy," Anderson had said, moments before, "I`m getting spoiled by having you in my group. It`s really enjoyable to swing this thing around. It feels so light and it hits so hard. I could do this all day."

　　Then the sand all around the entire wagon train had erupted, a swarm of multi-legged, segmented insects with mandibles boiling out of the earth. An entire colony of Sandreavers, each about three to four feet in length, and fairly low to the ground.

　　"Get going. That`s an order."

　　It was a good rule while it lasted, but rules only exist because they`re useful, not in and of themselves. Detrimental ones get ignored or unceremoniously tossed.

　　At Anderson`s shouted command Wallace reaching into a pocket and throwing a small piece of something that quickly expanded into a web, covering a section of ground and a couple of the Sandreavers in sticky webbing. The three of us moving toward the center of the train, Greene in front, his sword giving big swings, knocking Sandreavers around, breaking spindly limbs and splitting them open.

　　These colors probably mean poison. Probably. Everything running around this unredeemable sandpit is a creepy crawly poisonous carrion eater or something barely higher up on the foodchain. Nothing good ever came out of the sand and nothing good ever will. Knocking an approaching bug off balance with the shield and slashing at it`s exposed thorax. And another. Staying with Greene. Magpie right behind, doing precision pokes and strikes, aiming at their multiple eyes and joints. Greene still in front, pushing on, his mammoth swings hacking and splatting anything in his way or crawling on a nearby wagon. My knife finally full, pulsing with energy, the next slash sending out a blast of fire.

　　The merchants in the center of the caravan were in a state of near panic trying to calm the bucking and whinnying horses, battening down the hatches and securing their wagons and loads. And also trying not to be dragged away by one of the Sandreavers. Half the group from the front coming to meet us in the center. Daniel in front, his kicks scoring goals, sending pieces flying. Blindside and another person following his lead and covering his back.

　　Swapping sides with Magpie, her graceful and precise strikes now more frenzied downward stabs. Using the shield more offensively to pull Sandreavers down and start knocking them off balance. But still a ways to go. Not going to make it.

　　The three wagons in the middle, by this point, basically overrun. They been sealed, but they were in the process of being swarmed and shredded, the insects pulling off pieces, the horses grabbed by mandibled mouths and being dragged away. A blast of lightning from the other side of the train announcing Serena`s presence, but it didn`t do nearly enough, there were still too many crawling around. Working our way closer, still not close enough, and then a pulse of energy releasing from one of wagons near the middle, one of the independents by the lack of insignia. The Sandreavers all crawling around, dragging people and animals away, and trying to rip openings immediately stopping dead and collapsing, fluids leaking out of various points. The horses in the vicinity, and the people, too, giving gurgling screams, blood starting to leak out of all their orifices, as well. Their eyes, their noses, their mouths and their unmentionables. Two men immediately emerging from one of the previously imperiled wagons trying to save the downed merchants and animals, followed shortly by a third, who kept his eyes out for anything hostile still moving around.

　　The other nearby insects seriously disoriented by the blast of magic, allowing us to quickly put them down. With the crisis in the center averted, doing an about face and starting our cleanup.

　　***

　　"I love coming here this time of year," said Serena, in between some bites of food. "The river overflows for a couple months so everything turns into this."

　　Patchy bits of scrubgrass and green on the horizon had brought welcome relief, but it took about another hour of travel beyond that point to reach our destination for the evening, an oasis firmly located inside a now verdant floodplain.

　　The incident with the Sandreavers had ended up bringing everyone together. And, fortunately, there had been four Empaths among the merchants: the two from the independent wagon in the middle and two more from Four Corners. It was entirely thanks to their efforts that only three horses ended up being unrecoverable. And then my contribution, three Mended wagon wheels.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

　　"How are you two enjoying the trip so far?" continued Serena.

　　"I`d say its been an eventful couple days."

　　"It`s actually been a nice change of pace getting out of town." A reluctant, grudging comment from Magpie.

　　"Who are you and what did you do with Grace?" Magpie ignoring her comment completely, so Serena looking at me. "You really ended up being a good influence on her."

　　Magpie`s mouth twisting, spittle ready to fly, fully preparing to give her an acid bath. But biting her tongue instead, looking away and continuing to eat.

　　"Before we pack it in I need to say something." Daniel`s voice from across the way addressing the entire group, sounding less exhausted than he looked. "In spite of a number of surprises, you all did extremely well today. Tomorrow I`m expecting-"

　　The tick hitting. Level 12. Is he saying anything important? Nah, sounds like the usual postgame claptrap, and he doesn`t even seem to have his heart in it. Let`s see, which direction now. Five ranks of Transference gave a ten foot range on Tracing and a ten foot range on rune activation. Even Runic Shield`s range had somewhat improved, slightly. At the very start it had been at my armspan, and now it`s about a foot more than that.

　　So Transference is definitely useful, but after that big jump last rank the gains will go right back to being incremental. The other choice is Decomposition. Or maybe double up Shaping, or Perception. But Decomposition seems like it could be great. Disjunction probably turns into something quite special at five ranks. It may even compete with Kate`s new spell. Well, maybe not to that extreme, but no reason not to dream big. And Rune Trap gets benefits in the meantime, as well. Yeah, no choice then.

　　Name: Lucilia Macarthy

　　Profession: Runemage Level: 12

　　Sex: Female

　　Experience: 54,888 (16,783)

　　Age: 20

　　Until Next: 12,862

　　Health

　　85

　　Mana

　　73

　　Stamina

　　36

　　Spirit

　　8

　　Strength (STR)

　　57 (3)

　　Constitution (CON)

　　64 (7)

　　Dexterity (DEX)

　　69 (14)

　　Agility (AGI)

　　87 (18)

　　Discipline (DIS)

　　77 (13)

　　Aura (AUR)

　　82 (16)

　　Logic (LOG)

　　73 (16)

　　Intuition (INT)

　　76 (18)

　　Wisdom (WIS)

　　46 (-2)

　　Influence (INF)

　　77 (13)

　　Name

　　Trainings

　　Bonus

　　Armor Use

　　6

　　29

　　Physical Fitness

　　13

　　54

　　Simple Weapons

　　13

　　54

　　Arcane Symbols

　　18

　　66

　　Magic Item Use

　　13

　　54

　　Harness Power

　　13

　　54

　　Mana Control

　　13

　　54

　　Runemancy

　　13

　　54

　　Arance Lore, Decomposition

　　1

　　5

　　Arcane Lore, Shaping

　　13

　　54

　　Arcane Lore, Transference

　　5

　　25

　　Survival

　　13

　　54

　　Perception

　　13

　　54

　　Climbing

　　13

　　54

　　Swimming

　　10

　　45

　　First Aid

　　13

　　54

　　Trading

　　13

　　54

　　Stalking and Hiding

　　13

　　54

　　Health capped. Definitely low. Low strength bonus and not great constitution bonus. Can`t test Rune of Focus. Not here, not now. Deal with that later.

　　"- is easier, but don`t get complacent. Serena, you`re going to be on first watch." Wallace, and a few of the others, with clear disappointment. "I`m going to see if I can coordinate shifts with Four Corners and Windward so everyone here can get some sleep." Daniel standing up and leaving the circle.

　　The mood around the fire much more subdued than the prior evenings, yawns and some stretches of silence replacing the energetic festivity and cheer. People drifting away, getting a look from Magpie, Anderson next to her. Oh, right. Going to Daniel`s tent but nobody inside. Stripping down and rummaging around in my pack. Giving a shake, still a little in there. Getting a not too horribly dirty undershirt and using some of the remaining water from the canteen to wash my face. The tent flap opening and Daniel, face impassive, coming in. Undressing in silence then getting in his roll.

　　"Come here." His invitation bordering between request and demand. Getting in.

　　"You smell, you know that?"

　　"Tomorrow we can all get a proper bath."

　　"I`m not complaining about it."

　　Turning on his side to face me, our feet beginning to lightly dance and play.

　　"So how many did they lose?"

　　"None. They..." Trailing off at my obvious disbelief. "Two from Windward, one from Four Corners, and one of the indies."

　　"How many from that?"

　　Just looking at me.

　　"From what the Blood Mage did. That`s an awful way to die."

　　"Three of the four." Daniel letting out a sigh. "But they`re not blaming us for it. They`re not even blaming him. Much. It seemed like the right call for a bad situation."

　　"So don`t blame yourself. Besides, they`re not actually dead. Where are they going to end up, anyway?"

　　"From here? Probably back in Lumeer."

　　"Then they`re doing better than us right now. Probably nice and comfy in their beds."

　　"This seems pretty comfy right now."

　　"Except you smell."

　　"So do you." Grinning down at me, giving my forehead a kiss. "And you`ve got a lot of hair in that braid, it kept tickling me last night."

　　"Then we`ll stay like this." Reaching out.

　　"Maybe when we get back." Smothering my groping hands in his. "Go to sleep."

　　Softly breathing in and out, face to face, my head against his chest, nose in his chest hair, taking in his scent after three days on the road, our legs entwined.