The party was well rewarded by the guild for completing the bandit quest, and they celebrated late into the night with the extra coin earned from bringing several of the bandits back to face justice. They may have overindulged slightly, but none of them dared repeat the mistakes of last time. No one wanted to endure Mich’s wrath again, leaving the guild before any of them could get in trouble.

  Josh lay on his back, staring at the wooden beams above, the faint glow from the shuttered lantern in the hall bleeding under the door. The Bulls Head was quiet now. Too quiet. After a day like theirs, silence felt heavy, like the air itself knew what they’d done.

  Across the room, Brett was doing the same. Staring upward. Breathing slow. Not asleep.

  Josh waited. Maybe Brett would speak first.

  He didn’t.

  Eventually Josh exhaled. “Brett… you were right.”

  A rustle. Brett shifted slightly, the mattress creaking. “About what?”

  “Us.” Josh swallowed, his throat tight. “Something’s changing.”

  The word changing felt too small. Too soft. But he couldn’t bring himself to say anything heavier.

  He turned his head, looking across the darkness. Brett wasn’t looking at him, but Josh could see his friend’s jaw set, his silhouette tight.

  Josh continued quietly, “Today… when we fought those bandits… I didn’t think once about them being people. Just targets. Threats. Things that needed to die.” His fingers curled in the sheets, knuckles aching. “It should have messed with me. It didn’t. There was no hesitation or anything.”

  Brett finally looked over, eyes shining faintly in the dark. “Yeah.” His voice cracked on the word. “Same.”

  Josh felt a stab of guilt twist low in his gut. Brett always wore his heart out in the open. Seeing fear in him made the whole thing more real.

  Brett went on, voice barely above a whisper, “When it was over… when we were tying them up… that’s when it hit me. What I’d done. What we’d done.” He swallowed hard. “And what almost felt… normal. I knew I couldn't show it in front of the others either. They were all acting as if it was completely normal what we'd just done.”

  Josh’s chest tightened. “That scares me more than the fight itself.”

  Brett let out a breath that trembled at the end. “Same. I kept thinking, if we can feel nothing now… what happens in a year? Two? When it’s not bandits but… anyone? Do we stop caring entirely?”

  Josh stared up again. His heartbeat felt slow and heavy, like it was sinking deeper into him. He didn’t want to become someone who killed without a thought. He didn’t want Brett to become that either.

  He turned his head again. “Then we watch each other. Always.”

  Brett’s eyes flicked toward him, uncertain. “You really think that’s enough?”

  “It has to be,” Josh said. “If I start turning bad or something, you tell me. If you do… I’ll pull you back. Even if you hate me for it.”

  Brett huffed a humourless little laugh. “Same goes for you. I’ll drag you back by the ankles if I have to.”

  Silence.

  Then Brett added, softer: “And maybe…” He hesitated. “…maybe we avoid fighting people. At least when we’ve got any other choice.”

  Josh nodded into the dark. “Yeah. Agreed.”

  A long quiet stretched between them. Brett shifted, settling into his pillow. “Night, Josh.”

  “Night, Brett.”

  The lantern glow faded as someone down the hall shuttered it fully, plunging the room into darkness. Josh closed his eyes. For the first time since the fight, he let himself feel it all. the fear, the confusion, the fact they were still alive. And the hope that maybe, as long as they kept each other in sight, they wouldn’t lose themselves along the way.

  The next morning, mist clung stubbornly to the rooftops of Ashenfall as the party set off. The crisp air carried the scent of wet earth and distant pine, doing nothing to soothe Josh’s throbbing head. After days spent hunting wolves and clearing out bandits, they were all ready for something that, as Bhel had optimistically put it, “shouldn’t try to bite their legs off.”

  The river moss request seemed harmless enough: gather several bundles of the soft green strands growing along the slow bends of the River Talen. Locals used the moss for poultices, brewing, and half a dozen other things, but recent rains had washed much of it downstream.

  Josh stretched his arms over his head as they walked. "Nice to have a job where no one’s screaming and nothing’s on fire," he said.

  "Give it time," Brett replied with a grin. "I’m here. Something’s bound to catch fire."

  Carcan smiled faintly, though the way she tucked a curl behind her ear betrayed lingering nerves. "Let’s just hope the river moss isn’t guarded by anything terrible. I’d like today to be… easy."

  Bhel grinned at that, marching forward with renewed enthusiasm. "If moss starts biting back, we’re going home. I refuse to be shown up by a plant."

  They headed northeast along a thin dirt road that curved around a large hill before dipping into a basin where the river ran clear and shallow. The scenery shifted from open pasture to gentle woodland. Sunbeams filtered through breaks in the canopy above, scattering dappled gold across the forest floor.

  Josh drew a deeper breath. "Smells cleaner here." He glanced at Brett. "You brought enough jars, right?"

  Brett patted his satchel. It clinked. "I could’ve brought more, but then Perberos gave me that look. You know the one."

  Perberos didn’t turn around. "The look that says you’re carrying too much and will fall into the river? Yes."

  Bhel barked a laugh. "We’ll drag him out if that happens. Probably."

  "Rude," Brett muttered.

  Carcan trotted behind Perberos, her staff tapping lightly with each step. "The guild notice said the moss grows in the shallow spots. Should be easy. Peaceful."

  Perberos adjusted the strap of his bow. "Let us hope so. After the wolves, a quiet day would be welcome." His tone remained even, but Bhel nudged Josh.

  "Listen to him. Serious elf is back. Can’t even enjoy a walk without sounding like he’s narrating a tragedy."

  Perberos didn’t react, though Josh could swear one pointed ear twitched in irritation.

  The sound of trickling water reached them first, a soft, steady rhythm that grew louder as the trees thinned. The River Talen cut a winding path through the forest, its shallow edges bright with smooth stones and patches of soft green moss clinging to damp rocks. Sunlight struck the water and scattered into refracting shards of light.

  "Oh!" Carcan hurried ahead, pointing eagerly. "There, that’s the river moss. There’s loads of it."

  Perberos crouched at the bank, examining a thick patch. "The quest paper said to gather it gently. It breaks easily."

  By late morning, the river stretched before them in peaceful clarity, its gentle current gliding over smooth stones. Birds chattered from the canopy overhead, the forest the calmest it had been in days.

  The moss was everywhere, soft green mats clinging to roots, rocks, and shallow edges. Perfect.

  "Right!" Brett clapped his hands. "Let’s get mossing. Or… moss gathering. Moss harvesting? Moss wrangling?"

  "Please stop," Carcan said, though she smiled.

  Josh and Bhel waded toward a thick cluster near the bank, while Brett wandered farther upstream toward a patch growing on a half-submerged log.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  "I’ve got this one!" Brett declared, stepping onto the slick bark.

  Josh turned just in time to witness a moment he would remember for years to come.

  Brett’s foot slipped. His arms flailed. His satchel swung wildly and with a startled yelp, Brett pitched sideways and plunged face-first into the river.

  The splash echoed across the clearing. Birds shot from the trees in alarm.

  Silence fell for a heartbeat.

  Then Bhel bent over, hands on his knees, laughing so hard he wheezed. "Oh… that’s the best thing I’ve seen all week."

  Josh doubled over with him, breathless. "You alright, Brett?"

  Brett resurfaced like an offended, soggy cat. His hair was plastered to his forehead, and his cape, proudly purchased after the last quest, now clung to him like a drenched towel.

  "No one," Brett sputtered, "say a word” as he stalked towards the bank.

  Josh grinned. "Not a word. Except maybe one. Or fifty."

  "I hate all of you," Brett muttered as he gathered floating jars and soggy moss.

  Carcan covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

  They were still teasing him when the river’s surface shifted. Not a normal ripple, this one pushed against the current.

  Josh’s smile faded. "Did you see that?"

  Brett froze mid-wringing his cape. "Please tell me that was a fish. A tiny fish. A cute one. Preferably vegetarian."

  The water bulged. A shape rose beneath the surface, translucent blue, round-bodied, shifting like liquid gel. Two dark pits swirled like eyes.

  "Oh come on," Bhel groaned. "River jellies? Really?"

  The creature lunged.

  Josh grabbed Brett by the collar and yanked him onto the bank just as the jelly splashed into the space he’d been standing.

  "Okay!" Brett yelped. "Not vegetarian! Definitely not vegetarian!"

  Perberos already had an arrow nocked. "Watch its movements. They’re deceptively fast."

  Another jelly surged up from the water, larger than the first, its form rippling like a living wave.

  Josh stepped forward, drawing his sword as the first jelly slithered toward him over the stones. A tendril whipped out, which he blocked, the impact exploding into droplets across his armour.

  Bhel charged beside him, axes raised. "They’ve got cores! Break those and they’re done!" Bhel hacked into the jelly, water spraying outward. For a moment a small glowing sphere flickered inside before the creature reformed around the missing chunk. "There!"

  Perberos released his arrow. It struck the orb cleanly and instantly the jelly collapsed into a harmless puddle.

  "One down," Perberos said.

  The second jelly sped through the water and rose next to where Brett was standing.

  Carcan’s eyes widened. "Brett! Move!"

  He spun, cape still dripping, and threw out his hand. "Flame lash!"

  A whip of fire cracked through the air, slicing the jelly in half with a burst of steam.

  Josh grinned. "Nice one!"

  Brett lifted his chin. "See? All part of the plan."

  Then a third jelly launched itself from the river and smacked him square in the chest, knocking him backwards, landing on the ground, gasping his chest, the air clearly knocked out of him. The rest of the party quickly descended on the monster, turning it into a puddle like the others.

  Brett lay on the ground, rubbing his chest, contemplating if he needed to invest more in dexterity and constitution, seeing how much of his health had been wiped out by one hit. With a groan he got to his feet and rejoined his friends.

  Soon, the party had managed to gather a respectable amount of moss, their jars filled quickly, and the river shimmered as though pleased by their efforts. They followed the winding riverbank northward. The ground softened beneath their boots as patches of moss thickened into spongy carpets. Shafts of sunlight broke through the trees, glittering on the water’s surface and lending the whole stretch of river an inviting, peaceful glow.

  It was the sort of quiet that absolutely guaranteed something was going to go wrong.

  The party fanned out, filling bundles with the shimmering moss. It grew in thick, vibrant clusters near rocks and shallow pools. Carcan hummed happily as she gathered a particularly bright patch.

  Josh tucked moss into his pouch. "See? Easy quest. No wolves, no undead, no teeth trying to wedge themselves into my leg."

  "You’re not the one that got smacked in the chest by a tidal wave," Brett said.

  Josh scoffed. "Well I’m meant to be, so keep your eyes open.” Josh was rinsing mud off a rock when a low vibration rippled under the water. He froze. "Anyone else feel that?"

  Perberos lifted his head sharply. "Something moved."

  Bhel stepped forward, axes raised. "Where?"

  Another ripple, bigger this time. The water bulged upward, then split open.

  A massive creature surged out with a roaring splash, its body half-translucent and constantly shifting, flowing, reforming. Its maw was nothing but churning water crashing in on itself.

  Brett yelped, scrambling backward. "Why is everything in this river trying to kill us?!"

  "Move!" Josh charged through the water, slamming his shield into the watery beast. Spray exploded outward.

  But the creature simply flowed back together, wrapping around his shield.

  Carcan lifted her staff instinctively. "It’s some kind of water elemental!"

  "Fantastic," Bhel muttered. "Anyone have a giant sponge, or a towel?"

  Perberos already had an arrow drawn. "I doubt normal arrows will do much, but I can slow it down!" He fired. The arrow tore through the creature, splitting its body, only for it to reform instantly, his arrow floating inside the monster.

  The elemental lunged at Josh who braced, shield high. "Brett! Fire works on water, right?!"

  "Do I look like the elemental expert?!" Brett shouted.

  "Yes!" the entire party yelled.

  Brett inhaled, shoved his ruffled hair from his face, and thrust his hand forward, a whip of fire lashed out, striking the elemental. Steam billowed upward as the creature recoiled and shrank.

  Josh grinned. "It worked! Do it again!"

  The creature’s arm surged forward, reshaping into a high-pressure jet of water. It slammed into Josh, sending him crashing onto his back, bounding along the shingles.

  "Or maybe don’t, that definitely pissed it off!" he groaned.

  Bhel intercepted the next strike that was aimed towards Brett, armour ringing from the impact. "Carcan! Anything helpful right about now?!"

  "Trying!" Carcan focused, her voice rising in a melodic hum. Warm light poured from her palms, flowing into Josh and Bhel.

  Brett launched another burst of flame. "Back! Back, liquid demon!"

  Steam burst from the creature in thick waves, rapidly swallowing the riverbank in a choking fog. The temperature spiked, the air turning sharp and wet. Perberos darted wide, searching for any angle that wasn’t obscured. "If we can force it into the shallows, it might lose cohesion!" he called.

  "On it!" Josh lowered his stance and charged. His shield crashed into the elemental’s swirling torso, the impact sending a deep vibration up his arm. The creature’s liquid mass rippled violently, tendrils of boiling water whipping around the shield as if trying to crawl up and over it.

  The elemental let out a low, bubbling roar.

  Behind Josh, Brett, far too eager, thrust out both hands and unleashed a larger blistering wave of flame.

  Josh had just enough time to shout, "Brett, hold—!"

  The fire struck the water elemental dead-on.

  This time it didn’t sizzle and steam. The flame created too much pressure, and the beasts chest blew apart. A deafening crack erupted as superheated water turned instantly to steam, the pressure detonating outward. A wall of scalding water slammed into Josh, lifting him off his feet and hurling him across the slick stones. He hit the ground hard, the shock knocking the breath from his lungs as boiling spray peppered his exposed arms and cheek.

  He gasped sharply and spat a mouthful of river water. “Brett! Why?!”

  Brett froze, hands still raised, the last wisps of flame curling from his fingertips. “I—It seemed like a good idea at the time…”

  Perberos shot him a horrified glare. “Your ideas are going to kill him.”

  The blast had shredded the elemental’s form entirely. Its body collapsed in on itself, the towering shape losing structure. For a moment, suspended droplets quivered in the air, then fell. The creature’s exposed core tumbled out of the dissipating mass, landing on the riverbank with a dull crack. Deprived of its water shell, it flickered weakly like a dying ember.

  The surrounding water churned once… twice… then settled into harmless ripples, as if the creature had never been there at all.

  Josh let out a breath. "Well… that happened,” quickly picking up the elementals core, surprised it hadn’t turned into golden light.

  Bhel lowered his axe. "We just got jumped by angry water. What’s going on with this river?"

  Perberos wrung out his sleeve. “The decent reward for this quest makes a lot more sense now…”

  Brett slumped in the shallows with a defeated groan. "I was hoping today would be easy." He picked up a small pebble and launched it into the river, creating several ripples. Then the water began to churn again but this time much more violently.

  "Brett—" Perberos started.

  Something surged upward, sleek, wide, and far too fast. A glimmering shape with a long snout, rippling scales, and waterlogged fur erupted from the river, jaws snapping.

  Brett screamed. Josh lunged forward, pushing his friend out of the way, just as jagged teeth clamped shut on air where his face had been.

  A long, eel-like creature uncoiled from the water, front legs ending in webbed claws, its eyes glowing a swampy green. Its gills hissed like an angry kettle.

  Carcan stumbled back. "What is that—?"

  "River drake!" Perberos barked. "And a big one!"