Clouds of steam billowed all around Jarod. The air was thick and hot and heavy with the scents of perfume and soap. He’d made it to the promised land: the bathhouse.

  Basma, Filgrin, and he had done no more than tie off the horses and check in with the innkeeper where Nikolao had left them, before they left in the direction he’d pointed. The coin he’d chucked to Jarod was enough to buy them the full experience at the bathhouse. Basma had been ferried off into the women’s section by the enthusiastic elf woman who checked them in, while Jarod and Filgrin had opted to take advantage of their extravagant coinage, and had been ushered to a more private bath with just the two of them. Now, they relaxed in the height of luxury.

  It felt wonderful to get a chance to wash off the grime of the road now that they’d arrived in Chath. Jarod hadn’t realized just how dirty they’d gotten until they saw the bathwater quickly begin to cloud and foam with all they’d accumulated. Whoever had designed the baths had done a fantastic job, because the debris and dried blood was swiftly carried away to the edges of the pool where it spilled over a grate, all while fresh hot water continued to bubble up from the center to replace it.

  Soon, their scrubbing and sudsing was finished, and they need do no more than luxuriate.

  “I can see why that Nikolao seems so full of himself all the time,” said Filgrin, head leaned back and eyes closed in bliss. “Fellow gets this treatment often enough, might start to think too much of his own importance.”

  “I hear that,” said Jarod. “I think if one of these opened up in Cleftshire, half the town might be lounging in the bath everyday. We’d get nothing done!”

  “Mmm, yeah. That was smart thinking of ‘em. Keep it hidden where all the layabouts already live.”

  Jarod had long heard the wonderful, restorative effects of such a bath, but he’d been too nervous to try one the last time he went to the city. It was one of his regrets that he’d never gotten to experience it, hence asking it as a promise from Nikolao. Now he finally got to see how much he was missing out on. Compared to the usual cold drenches he was used to, or at most, a cramped tub of lukewarm water, this experience was heavenly. It was almost enough to make a man forget the troubles that had taken him there in the first place.

  Almost, but not quite.

  In the back of Jarod’s mind, there was still that nagging sensation of how they were going to deal with their trifley problem. He could muffle and ignore it for now, but he knew it wouldn’t go away, wouldn’t be completely silenced.

  Jarod sighed and sank deeper into the water, letting the warmth pool up to his chin. He breathed deeply in through his nose, holding his breath and letting the perfumed steam fill his senses. By now the villagers should have made it to Blackpool Outlook. What were they doing now: waiting patiently by the gate for word of the king’s men to arrive? Perhaps they were working themselves to help shore up the defenses, doing what chores they could about town.

  He breathed out heavily. “What mess have we gotten ourselves into.”

  Filgrin dropped his head down from staring at the ceiling to look at Jarod. The old bowyer gave a sigh himself, and sank low into the water, as though their problems were lurking nearby, and he could hide from them if he could only sink low enough.

  “We’re doing what we can, lad,” said Filgrin. “I know it’s no comfort now, but it’s all one can hope to do in a time like this.”

  “Do you think everyone made it to Blackpool Outlook?”

  “Aye, they must’ve. Else Warin and Morine would make sure they’re never invited back to enjoy the perks of being a mayor with ‘em. No more stiff drink and good conversation. Not that you’d be eager to return to that cellar anytime soon.”

  The comment had its intended effect, and Jarod couldn’t help but chuckle.

  “Besides,” said Filgrin. “Us Cleftshire folk are a hardy breed. How else do you think we got out of that damned mine.”

  Jarod cocked his head to the side, examining a possible connection he hadn’t before. “You don’t think that magic user had anything to do with the trifleys, do you?”

  “Nay, don’t think he’s got anything to do with those creatures. Think he’s got his sights on somethin’ even bigger than the little monsters, but don’t think it’s of any concern to us.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  Filgrin stopped to think about the question, staring off into the distance as he chose his words. “Dunno what it was ‘bout that place, but it reminded me of something I’ve seen a long time ago. Something I chased after in my youth, before I settled down in Cleftshire. Like I said, though, it’s nothin’ that need concern us now.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Jarod thought over the man’s words, trying to puzzle out the origin of Filgrin’s confidence despite his vague answer. Maybe it was worth asking the question about the strange writing on the walls one more time.

  “Filgrin, when we were in the mine, in that section with the smooth stone, could you see any runes written on the walls?”

  “Aye, they were all over. Be hard to miss ‘em.”

  Jarod’s eyes went wide. He could hardly believe it. “Wait, really?”

  “I told you, yes. You’d have to have passed out not see ‘em.”

  “No one else could,” Jarod said. “I thought it was just me. Nikolao and Basma both said there was nothing there. Same thing on that weird trinket that the magic user dropped. I saw runes all over it, but Nikolao couldn’t see a thing.”

  “You sure they weren’t pulling your leg lad?”

  Jarod didn’t even care right now that Filgrin was having a hard time believing him. He had something even bigger on his mind. Maybe an answer for why he could see the runes in the first place.

  “Filgrin,” Jarod began. “Have you ever seen something strange in your vision? Not quite in your sight, but like a sixth sense. A kind of weird… message?”

  Filgrin looked at Jarod in silence for a moment, just staring him down, like he was trying to figure out if the younger man was serious. He lifted his head out of the water and sat straight up with rapt attention. “You can see ‘em too, lad?”

  Jarod nodded excitedly. “Yes!” He realized he was nearly shouting and fought to control his voice. “Yes, I can see them. The ones labelled things like ‘willpower check’ with the boxes and numbers?”

  “Aye.” Filgrin was looking around the chamber with a bewildered look on his face. He kept glancing at Jarod as he took in the shocking news, then would look around again, trying to piece together the new development. “I thought I was the only one.”

  “I did too,” said Jarod. “I think it has something to do with the runes that we saw in the mines. I think that’s why only we can see them, and nobody else can, because we can see the messages too. That means the magic user we fought down there can probably see them too.”

  “I gave up hope of finding someone else with that ability a long time ago.” Filgrin laughed. “Come to find out there was one sitting next to me in Cleftshire all this time.”

  Jarod’s face darkened a little bit when he heard that. He wasn’t sure it was a good idea to tell Filgrin that he wasn’t really Jarod. At least, not all the way. The situation was confusing, even in his own head, but he wasn’t sure it was a good idea to tell him that his blacksmithing friend, whom he’d known ever since he was a boy, was actually someone else.

  Filgrin had noticed the change in his mood, so Jarod decided to give him at least part of the truth. Enough to hide his lie. “To tell you the truth, it hasn’t been that long. I only started seeing the messages the night I got into the fight with that surveyor.”

  “Ah, no wonder you never got yourself a never got yerself a reputation as a madman. Can’t tell ya how many times I got some funny looks from people I was akin’ about it.” Filgrin chuckled. “Myself, I’ve had it ever since I was a little kid. Just about as long as I can remember.”

  Jarod could hardly contain his excitement over finding someone else with his ability. Someone else that must have been to the same place he’d been, and heard the same voice speak about the System. He hardly knew where to begin, so he started with the white void. “Do you go to a weird place when you dream sometimes too? Like an endless, white void?”

  Filgrin raised his eyebrows and nodded. “Aye, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen that place. Since I heard that Voice. Haven’t thought about that place fer many years. But now that you’ve brought it up again, can remember it clear as day, like I was there just yesterday.”

  He tilted his head back and rested against the side as he recalled those times passed. “Last time I was there must’ve been near 30 years ago. Not long before I gave up my adventuring life and came out to Cleftshire. You’ll get ‘em less regularly as time goes on, or at least I did. I take it you’ve gotten one of these progress points then?”

  “Yeah, just a few days ago. Right after we left Cleftshire.” Jarod explained his Eye for Protection ability that he’d gotten and the question he’d asked the Voice.

  Filgrin chuckled. “Asked the same thing, my first question. Got all these strange messages, figured I might as well know what they mean. I can save you some question there. Share what I know about it.”

  “That would be really helpful. I think I’ve figured out some of it on my own, but there’s still so much I don’t know yet. What about your abilities though? You said you got one every time you reached one of those ‘progress points’?”

  With a sigh, Filgrin sank back down into the water a little bit. “I did have a good few abilities. Age and disuse have claimed many things about me though, including most of my abilities. Can’t even fight like I used to. Still got one of ‘em though, might be part of why we’ve made it as far as we have. Inspiring Presence. Gives you lot a little bit of luck, and a kick in the butt when you most need it.”

  Jarod thought back to their fights with the trifleys and the encounter in the mines. It had seemed so many times like things were on the verge of disaster, yet they’d always managed to pull through in the end. If what the Voice told him was right, there was a fair bit of luck involved in the process anyway, but how much of it had been thanks to Filgrin.

  “One thing’s certain,” said Jarod. “I know we wouldn’t have made it as far as we have if we didn’t have your skill with the bow. That must not have faded over time.”

  Filgrin gave a cocky smile. “You think what I’ve been doing is impressive? You should’ve seen me back in the day. Could shoot three arrows in the time it takes me for one of ‘em now. And the draw weight of those bows I used to use. Don’t know if I could pull one of ‘em back with two hands now.”

  “That was a long time ago,” Filgrin said. “Might be worth sharing those stories now though.”

  “I’d love to hear about it,” said Jarod. “About everything you know. I just want to understand.”

  Filgrin stuck his arms up and out over the sides of the bath as he reclined. “Seems like I’ve got some explainin’ to do then. You best lean back and get comfortable, we might be here a while.”