Draconic Sphere Ω

Chapter 2: We're Gonna Be Besties!

The halfling was engaging the dwarf in a conversation that she herself seemed to find thrilling; the dwarf, for his part, looked somewhat confused and taken aback. Suddenly the halfling caught Brunhild's gaze and flashed her a wide grin. "Hi!"

"Hi," said Brunhild.

The halfling jumped down from her barstool and came over to shake Brunhild's hand. "I'm Dandelion!"

"I'm Brunhild," said Brunhild.

"Ooh, ooh, this is Kaergat, he's a dwarf too!"

"I know," said Brunhild, following Dandelion over.

Kaergat raised his thumb knuckle to his brow in a traditional dwarven salutation. Brunhild returned the gesture reflexively.

"Kaergat of the Tiefenschürfer Clan," said Kaergat.

"Brunhild Redmayne," said Brunhild, pronouncing her surname as quietly and indistinctly as she could.

"Oh, like the famous swordsmiths?" said Kaergat.

"Kinda like that," said Brunhild as noncommittally as she could. She cast her eyes about and saw Kaergat's notebook lying on the bar, filled with arcane writings and diagrams in a meticulous hand.

"Are you –" started Kaergat.

"–I see you're a mage?" interrupted Brunhild hastily. "You like... runes?"

This seemed to do the trick. Kaergat almost immediately went into a deep explanation of his studies in magical runes, needing only minimal encouragement from Brunhild.

"I'm sorry, I don't really understand," said Dandelion after a few minutes. "But you guys wanna smoke?" Dandelion opened a small, metal-lined wooden box; in it nestled a glowing blue substance. Using tweezers, Dandelion broke off a small piece and, with an air of great caution, placed it into the bowl of a pipe.

Brunhild stared with morbid fascination as Dandelion lit the pipe, took a deep puff and giggled. An apple that happened to be lying on the bar near the glowing box started to go brown. Dandelion hastily closed it. She proffered her pipe to Brunhild.

Brunhild considered for a moment before deciding that she probably needed something a little tamer for a first experience, and gestured her disinterest. Kaergat shook his head with a disgusted expression. "All the more for me," laughed Dandelion.

"So... what brought you to the adventurer's guild?" asked Brunhild.

"This is an adventurer's guild??" exclaimed Dandelion. "Cool! I just thought the red guy looked funny and followed him in."

"Oh," said Brunhild. She looked to Kaergat. Kaergat shrugged. "I came to Aqua Profunda to see if I could get some help with my magic studies. But all the inns are full up because of this tournament that's going on. This was the only place that had a free room."

"About that," came a squeaky old-man's voice. Brunhild looked around and saw Chekhov, who casually reached for Dandelion's pipe and took a smoke. "I said we technically have a free room."

"What do you mean, technically?" asked Kaergat with a look of great displeasure.

"I mean, it's a great room. Great room. Plenty of space. Four beds. Space for the whole adventuring party. Practically a luxury suite. You're gonna love it."

"What's wrong with it?" insisted Kaergat.

"Well, I was using it as a magical laboratory for a while when I couldn't use my other lab for... reasons... anyway, I kind of accidentally dropped a few crystals of pyroputrescence in there and I think they're alive now?"

Kaergat stared at Chekhov with a flabbergasted expression.

"Do you understand what that means, Kaergat?" asked Brunhild.

"It's simple," said Chekhov. "Kill the monsters and the room's yours! Enjoy!" Chekhov started to turn away.

"Hey, hey, hey, listen here," said Kaergat. "That's not what I thought I was agreeing to!"

"You're adventurers, right? Think of it as your first quest!"

"I'm not –" started Kaergat.

"Kill the monsters and the first week's free, how's that?"

Kaergat just gaped for a moment.

"I'm in!" cried Dandelion.

"Huh?" said Kaergat.

"My sister's got a new girlfriend and they're really in love and the wall's really thin," said Dandelion, wiggling her eyebrows. "Besides, this will be fun! We're gonna be besties!"

Kaergat looked to Brunhild, then back to Dandelion, then to Chekhov. "The food is free too, right?"

"Sure, sure. Here's the key," said Chekhov, handing a key to Kaergat. He started to turn away again.

"And free beer!" Brunhild shouted at Chekhov's back.

"One pint each per night! Andromalius, can you show them to their room?"

"Nothing would give me greater displeasure," rumbled Andromalius, who had returned from the cellar.

"Good good. You all have fun now, OK?"