“I don’t think that was a good idea.”

  “Because it wasn’t.”

  “Be quiet. Is Talos awake yet?”

  He pulled himself up from the cold stone floor, the sound of bickering amplifying the ringing in his ears.

  “...Please shut the fuck up.”

  “Talos is awake.”

  “Observant as always,” he quipped, standing on unsteady legs.

  The dungeon chamber slowly resolved into focus. Nomi was crouched next to him, grinning, while her sister towered over them both. Lillik’zeil’s almost-human hand held the empty vials of the potions that were currently weaving his flesh back together. Rinerva stood a few paces away, shifting her gaze from the ancient mural she was studying down to Talos.

  “Tal, you alright?”

  “Been better.”

  A deep, booming chuckle came from the corner. Agon stood there, shadows pooling in his scars while the torchlight struggled to illuminate the damp dungeon chamber. The massive Thulite leaned against the wall with a small shake of his head. Beside him sat his axe, almost as old as the giant, the head of which was the size of Talos’s torso.

  Nomi poked carelessly at one of Talos's closing wounds, pulling his attention back to her. He winced and shot her a glare, but couldn't manage a counter before the antimage ducked out of range, her fox ears twitching in amusement.

  “Eh, lad’s fine. We need to get moving.”

  “You can walk, yes?” Rinerva’s tone was deadpan, her calculated eyes examining his wounds like a mechanic checking an engine. Still, beneath the cold gaze, there was a note of genuine concern.

  Talos offered a nod, balancing himself against the wall for a moment before straightening. The burning sensation of the potions was starting to fade, the alchemy accelerated by his rare condition.

  “You shouldn’t be moving yet,” Lillik’zeil’s voice chittered out from under her heavy cloak. Her mandibles clicked while assessing the damage.

  Regardless of her protests, Talos pushed himself off the wall and started marching deeper into the dungeon, ignoring the sticky resistance of his half-reformed tendons.

  “The potions might work fast on you, but you should still—”

  “Oh, stop, Lily. He’s fine,” Nomi teased her sister, bumping her hip into Talos’s side playfully as she fell into step beside him. “Right, Tal?”

  “Don’t call me that,” he replied, moving further away from her. His usual scowl deepened.

  “So cruel!” Nomi gave a mock gasp of offense before wandering over to Agon. Talos pulled his focus away from Nomi with a note of agitation, turning them to Lillik’zeil. While she was focused ahead, a few of her arachnid eyes still tracked him, ensuring the regeneration proceeded as expected. Under the cloak, he could see jerking motions where no human limbs would be, yet she glided with unnaturally smooth movements along the uneven flagstones.

  “What is it, Null?”

  Lillik’s polite, curious voice cut through his thoughts. His eyes flashed at the term. He knew that unlike his kin, she didn't intend the classification as an insult.

  “Did you finish examining the relic?”

  “Rinerva did.”

  “And?”

  “And it’s an old noble’s dagger. Not a trace of magic in it, from your people, mine or Yahaar.”

  “So not cursed then?”

  “Not cursed.”

  Talos nodded as one of Lillik’zeil’s smaller insectoid hands pulled the silvered dagger from within her cloak. Rinerva seemed to have entrusted it to her for safekeeping—even over Talos. Lillik, as always, noticed the tension, the way Talos’s eyes slid from the knife to Rinerva.

  “She knew you were liable to rush into danger and instructed me to stay back so I could heal you,” Lillik explained, the dagger vanishing into the dark recesses of her cloak. The Arachnid Witch’s throat clicked, a bestial growl of frustration. “And so, she figured it would be safest in my… hands. As I would be further from combat.”

  Talos’s focus shifted back to the witch, his jaw tensing at being so easily read.

  “It… makes sense,” he admitted with a small sigh.

  The party moved in a loose group. Agon brought up the rear, humming softly to himself in a deep bass that made Talos’s skin itch. Nomi had moved to walk beside Lillik and Rinerva, listening to the two discuss the dungeon layout.

  The creature, which had now battered Talos into the walls three times, could still be heard scratching on the bottom floor where the trap finally sealed it.

  They emerged from the darkness back into the central chamber. It was dimly lit from the large hole high in the ceiling—a small reminder of the surface. A single stone dais sat in the center. Talos was stepping around the remnants of one of Rinerva’s ice spells when Nomi approached him, her usual fox-like expression back once more.

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  He could feel the corners of his mouth turning down again.

  “What?”

  “Mm. Such a cold greeting. Didn’t anyone teach you manners?” She stepped too close. When Talos tried to shift away, she followed.

  “The irony of that question doesn’t reach you?”

  “It might.”

  Nomi took a moment before speaking again. She tilted her head to the side, her eyes narrowing into inquisitive slits as she studied him. “You know, it’s always strange to me that despite being all but turned into red mist, you keep coming back. Wouldn’t it be better to just… avoid the hit?”

  She was half-teasing him, but a glimmer of something else—maybe curiosity—played in her eyes.

  “Before we met Lillik’zeil, that’s usually what I did.”

  “Lily and I.”

  “You don’t change how I fight.”

  “...I guess not,” Nomi conceded, her head turned away from him. “Doesn’t it hurt?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you still insist on that style?”

  “Yes.”

  That made Nomi go silent. Her attention flickered to Rinerva for a moment, then back to Talos. Eventually, she just poked one of his wounds, eliciting a small hiss of annoyance.

  “Why do you do that?”

  Nomi flashed a grin, picking at his sleeve before he pulled away. “You were starting to brood again. When you do that, I can’t keep your attention.” She pouted playfully. “Wanna get a drink when we get back? Ramble about our pasts, make some mistakes?”

  “I learned my lesson last time.”

  “...Well, I thought it was fun.” Nomi replied, turning her head to look around the chamber, though he knew she was hiding her expression. When she turned back to Talos, her little smirk had returned. “Do you just like being lonely, or do you hate fun?”

  This argument had happened a hundred times, and Talos had no interest in playing along this time. Thankfully, he was spared the effort as they reentered the darkness leading out of the central room and back to the surface. Nomi’s eyes glowed slightly in the dark, a mark of her own mutations, though less intrusive than her sister’s.

  “Wanna hold my hand?” she teased, poking him again while he raised his torch.

  “Go bother someone else.”

  “No~” she hummed playfully, though for once she stayed blissfully quiet, seemingly content to just walk near him until they reached the surface.

  The party emerged from the dark, yawning abyss of the dungeon a few minutes later, stepping back out into the perpetual rain of Spindlegrad. It caused a small grumble from Talos, and a contented hum from Nomi.

  Agon lumbered up behind the two paused mercenaries, his half-giant physique casting a shadow over them in the low light.

  “How do you Northern folk live with this damn humidity?” His voice boomed, causing Nomi to turn with a small smile.

  “I thought you would’ve been used to the weather by now, Old Man.”

  “Hrng. It makes my bones ache.”

  The edges of Talos’s mouth quirked upward just a touch. “Nomi’s right. With all the wars, you’ve probably spent more time here than your homeland.”

  “Nomi’s right? I never thought I’d hear those words.” Nomi tried to step between Talos’s legs, almost tripping him. “But yeah, didn’t you live in Rethnia for a couple of decades?”

  “Aye, but the cold made it feel less like I’m constantly damp.”

  Talos started moving once more, and Nomi’s head snapped toward him, her banter cut short. She looked disappointed at him making distance, but she turned her attention to the Half-Giant and kept chatting. Meanwhile, Talos made his way to the front of their little group, matching Rinerva and Lillik’zeil’s pace.

  “Tal.” Rinerva’s eyes turned to Talos, a small smile breaking through her usually distant expression. “How do you feel? Fully healed?”

  “As usual.”

  “Excellent. Zeil and I were just discussing our next move. We’ll likely return to a tavern first, then go collect our reward from the client come the morning.” Rinerva pulled a map from her cloak, but Lillik placed one of her still-near-human hands on Rinerva’s shoulder.

  “I can guide us to the nearest settlement. No need for that.”

  “I appreciate it.” Rinerva nodded, then turned to Talos once more. “Did the numbing potion work?”

  “No. Just made me sloppy.”

  “A shame, but of little consequence.”

  “...I suppose so.” His jaw tightened involuntarily. “My sword was still stuck in the creature when we trapped it in the depths. I’ll need to make a stop at a blacksmith before we take another job,” he said, changing the topic to avoid an outburst.

  “Maybe we should invest in armor for you.”

  “With how I’m being assigned, it would break in a mission or two. Just keep saving until we can get Agon a set of real wargear.”

  Rinerva paused a moment, her smile fading, before another voice cut in.

  Agon’s heavy footsteps heralded his approach.

  “Always too caring for the elderly, Lad.” His voice carried a touch of scorn while his gaze stayed fixed on Rinerva. “Though I grow wary of this, having to watch the lad take hits that would make even me stumble.”

  “Yes, I will enjoy it when Talos isn’t vivisected in every engagement,” Rinerva replied, her tone carrying a note of weary defense. “At the very least, he’s not in any real danger.”

  “Balls, I don’t understand the wait. Even without armor—”

  “It’s far less risky this way. Talos all but can’t die.”

  Rinerva cut off the familiar protest. Both Agon’s care and Rinerva’s clinical reluctance to watch him get gutted made him feel a bit lighter. Enough at least, to keep getting cut apart. He turned in time to catch Nomi staring at Rinerva expressionlessly, before that half-second vanished behind an easy grin.

  “It would be nice to swap tactics. I’m tired of cleaning Tal’s blood off my clothes.”

  “...It’s fine. I can take it, for the time being. I’ve been through worse.”

  Talos’s voice silenced the group. Agon huffed loudly, but started to continue on. Lillik followed close behind and they spoke in low tones. Eventually, Rinerva joined the two as well, leaving him trailing with Nomi.

  “Why do you let her treat you like that?”

  “...What are you talking about?”

  “She treats you like a pawn. Do you have some kind of kink or something?” she asked while she shifted closer.

  “No. She helped me a lot when we were in the Crucible, and we’ve traveled together for a long time.”

  “Mm. Unrequited love. I can relate, though I think my taste is better.” Her tone was teasing; his glare was not. “Tal, seriously though—”

  “Stop calling me Tal.”

  Her mouth snapped shut, and for a moment she didn’t succeed in hiding her hurt.

  “...Why?”

  “I want to be perfectly clear: there is nothing between us. Not anymore.”