Hours ter Peter found himself lying oairs of the temple. He had a bottle in one hand, and a iher; the was a deliix of cold, thinly sliced meat, chopped veggies, and small ks of cheese mixed throughout and mixed with a thick, creamy spiced, and slightly spicy dressing while the bottle held a mead that was light in the ‘kick’ it offered. He had inally deed it when offered by Jhe’fuh, but the priest had made a point that after the week he had, including his death being greatly exaggerated… an ‘indulgence’ of otle of a low alcoholitent mead would not be remiss.Peter, sipping at the sweet, dry mead, ughed at the memory of Ennalyssa asking for some for herself and Traya putting her foot down. He had ughed at her rea, earning a typical ‘teenage’ petunt pout and an expnation from Traya that while they may allow drinking softer drinks at ‘too young’ an age for Peter’s otherworldly sensibilities... that Ennalyssa was still too young.After that Ennalyssa took the proffered food and fruit juid retreated to the room she and Traya were sharing — once agaier got his own room by virtue of gender difference — and Traya decided to eat iemple’s dining area before taking a bath. When she invited Peter he had deed, politely, wanting to spend a little time by himself to think.

  And so here he was, sitting oemple steps, enjoying a chopped , and a bottle of mead.Why? Simple; he wao look at the stars; he had not enjoyed a nightly vista for years.It always struck him as odd. He used to go camping all the time in the Cub Scouts with his dad and others, even on just family trips, but one year… it was like a switch was flipped and he suddenly hated being outdoors. Is didn’t just scare him, they terrified him. Hell, he hated just going out to the grocery store.A sigh slowly left his nose and the bottle was raised to his lips.

  The night sky was beautiful, really. The two moons moved slowly across the dark velvet bhat was the night sky, and he found himself enamored once again with the stars. He had dreamed of space, the future, expl other worlds — and now he was, grahis was in a different universe but it was still another p.Another bite, a healthy-sized one. He inhaled happily, enjoying the mild spices mixing with the spicy add-in to the creamy dressing, the savory fvor of the meat, and the hard cheese squeaking against his teeth. Peter articurly enamored by the wide sea of stars that reminded him of the Milky Way… though this seemed bigger, more cloud-like perhaps? A nebu? I wish I knew more astronomy… He paused, Mh, maybe I learn here. I don’t see why not.He raised his bottle of mead, “If there’s a goddess of stars… amazing work.” He said more to himself, not terribly loudly. Then, he paused, eyes searched but not really looking. Maybe there… 「Oh, there is~」Peter jumped, sitting up, and grumbled, ying back down, You did that on purpose… 「Of course I did. Just because you called out to me doesn’t mean I’ll automatically answer you. If at all.」 I was just giving a pliment. I had no idea if there was a goddess of the stars. Peter pointed out, Besides… you’re talking to me now… 「…I… Well…」 I’d like to also apologize for my stunt the other day. If you’re a Goddess of Stars, I imagine you are, well, a night owl… Ah… or whatever the local equivalent of an owl is… 「Well, yes, I do tend to be a night person. Fitting as I am Goddess of Darkness and The Stars.」 A pleasure to meet you. 「… Yes… Well…」 You know. I really do hope I didn’t upset you — I really didn’t expe answer just because I called out to you… though I was being gehe night sky is amazing. 「Thank you. It… took a lot to fix.」 Fix? 「A story for aime. So… you really didn’t call out to me expeg an answer?」 Are people like me… otherworlders… as bad as Havengard and d’Zaier say? Peter frowned, he could, sadly, see how they could be. 「I would be over-exaggerating if I said yes…」 She admitted, 「Holy most people tend to ignore me. Sure, people like a pretty night sky but… Darkness…」Peter snorted, I always felt more fortable in the dark. Sure, I was scared of it too, but that wasn’t the Darkness’ fault. It was the people who made the stories of the things in the darkness’ fault.He paused, You know… You and Aunt Di’s and Ilin'mam'kana… sound simir. 「You didn’t know?」 Obviously not, sidering the other day… if you looked at my soul… 「… Ah… right.」 She cleared her throat, 「The Family is grouped into three ‘families’ of three aend to see each other as siblings closer than we see the others as siblings. I, ‘Aunt Di’s’ as you say, and Ili… make up one such, well, sub-group.」 You, and them two… Peter mused, Darkness and Stars, Magid Truth and Light. Then there's the Pilrs — Earth, Sky, and Sea, well, and their other influences. 「Right. The st group is Death, Life, and Bance.」 Fitting, that. Peter snickered a little, sipping more mead, I have to ask, respectfully of course… If you felt annoyed I ‘called’ you why did you answer? You could have just kept quiet. 「…」 I’m not meaning to insult you or tease you. I’m holy curious, and so I apologize for my bluntness. 「It’s been a long time since I got a sincere pliment like that… And, after the other day… I admit to being curious about you. Na’at seems to like you well enough.」 And what are your thoughts on her? 「Why do you ask?」 Well, there are dek in The Family… but your sister’s holy people… or at least one doesn’t seem to like her very much at all. 「Ilin’mam’kana’s follower’s opinions are not mine. Mine, about Na’at…」 She sighed, 「She uands. ‘Chaos’, like ‘Darkness’ is often… vilified. The same for Death really…」 Death is scary, I ’t lie. Peter sighed, Makes me gd I went in my sleep, I had no idea I was dying until… 「Let’s… talk about something else. If you don’t mind.」 Not at all. Peter agreed, Sorry if that bothered you. 「It’s fine. I just… you fuse me.」 I do? 「You want to be a fighter… but you’re afraid.」 I am. 「How you do the right thing if you’re scared to…」 …That’s a hard questioer spoke holy and was holy surprised a goddess was asking that of him, a mortal.「Is there even an answer?」 Several. And no, I’m not making a joke at your expehe ao that question depends on the person. 「And how would you a, theer took another bite of his , chewing as he thought, sipping down more mead. Then he sighed, Sadly… I have two answers. What I did do, and what I should have done… in respect to how I was raised. 「Alright…」 I was a coward. I felt the ahe indignity, all of that… when I saw the evils being done in my world… but more and more, as I grew older… those feelings were drowned in despair… my society was such that those with money had power, and those of the on folk had little recourse. We could protest, certainly, boycott… but it still felt we had little power. So… I raged, impotently. 「A coward would not have called upon dek gods and goddesses of a world they were o in order to stop unfair treatment.」 A coward went running to those in charge to stop his bullies instead of doing it himself… or so some might frame what I did. 「Fools, then. You do not call upon the unknown like that unless you are ceous, certain, or desperate.」 Desperate. Peter snorted, But, moving on. What I should have done was… anything I could have. Doime and moanizations supp a cause. Volunteered at things. I boycotted, true enough.He sighed, But more active things, like protests, scared me. I didn’t want to get hurt, because I knew I couldn’t protect myself. I was also worried if I knew how to fight, and lost my temper, I’d hurt someone and not be able to live with myself. 「You seem to be making up for lost time…」 Maybe I am. Peter whispered, I have a new life ahead of me, even if I didn’t reinate fully. You know, the whole… reborn as a baby route… but now, it feels like… I do what I should have done in my other life. I just hope I live with the sequeny as, and myself after everything. 「So… even though you feel you have the power to affect the ge you want… you’re still scared to act.」 Ce is… being afraid, yet still doing what is right. Peter said, At least that’s as best as I remember that quote. 「You are a fusing mortal.」 Sorry. Peter ughed to himself, We’re full of tradis like that. 「So I’ve noticed.」There was silend Peter thought that she left and was about to finish his and mead and figure out what to do with himself. He had already showered after his practice, wearing a simple long tunid loose pants with a cloth belt to keep them in pew socks, too, but the same leather shoes from the Temple of Ilin’mam’kana. 「Thank you… for the pliment… and for talking to me.」Peter jumped a little again but sighed, I know what it’s like to be lonely or feel like I was alone. You don’t have to be. 「… Thank you. You will have a good night.」 That was ominously positive… or would it be positively ominous? Peter paused, shrugging, ?Por qué no los dos?

  “Peytr!” A familiar voice shouted and a familiar blond head came running up looking ed, “There you are! Are you okay?!”Broseff came running up, stopping short, “Are you… drunk?” “Hardly.” He shook the bottle to gently slosh the liquid around, “Only drank half the bottle, and it’s mead… which I am told is not that strong.” Peter sat up, taking a sip, “I am, thankfully, not that light-weight by the looks of things.” He frowned, “I appreciate your … and I’m sorry I up and disappeared like I did.” “I had heard you were escorted off the grounds.” Broseff sighed, looking relieved. “Have a seat.” Peter scoot over oairs, the guard a seat, “I was. d’Zaier basically ‘dismissed’ me, and Ennalyssa, putting us in the care of The Pilrs.” He motioo the temple behind him, up the stairs, “g my own words against me. Staying close to where I’d be training.” He frowned, “Worse, it makes sense… So, we moved out. Anamea and Vaunn came by earlier, with some help, to move all the stuff we had.” He rolled his eyes, “It wasn’t a lot. At least we don’t o cook for ourselves anymore.” He frowned, “I still feel bad, like I’m imposing…” “The Pilrs would see it different, I’d wager.” Broseff sighed, “So, Ennalyssa and Traya are alright?” “Very much so. Though Enna tried to get a bottle of mead and didn’t take Traya saying ‘no’ well.” He snickered. “She’ll get over it.” Broseff chuckled. “So what are you doing out here?” Peter asked, “I was uhe impression that d’Zaier hated letting people out from under his thumb. Sure, you could leave the grounds but it didn’t seem worth it.”Broseff rubbed the back of his neck, “I … uand why you’d see that. But, holy, it’s payday and I was meeting up with some friends at the public house.” He poio the lively building right across the street from the Pilr’s temple. “I was w what that building was.” Peter admitted. “Why not join me? Maybe I leave some good impressions about our city and people.” “Oh, it hasn’t been that bad…” Peter blushed.Broseff fixed him with ‘a look’, “Friend… You called down dek gods because you were beien on almost daily for a week. you bme me for thinking you might not have had the best first impression?” “I~…” He strained, wing, “… I will give you that, Broseff.”

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  It was only a couple of mier that Peter and Broseff walked into the public house across from the Pilr’s temple with the guard waving casually to a hefty, light vender-blue-hued gentleman behind the bar who looked to have horse ears, or so Peter thought; they could have been deer-like, and a spiraling horn in the middle of his forehead as long as Peter’s hand from wrist to middle fiip, “Even’n Smitty.” “Ev’nin, Broseff!” The hefty ‘equine’, for Peter heard the tell-tale clop of some sort of hoof as the man moved about behind the bar, ‘beastkin’ waved back, “Kolmsen and your usual band of rabble are at the table in back, as usual.” He grinned, “Gimme a minute and I’ll have your usual drink for ya.” He o Peter, not losing his grin, “Wele, strao my humble public house and inn, the Dagger and Shield.” “Good Eve’ning.” Peter greeted babsp; “What I get you?” He asked happily. “Oh, nothing, I’m afraid.” Peter winced as the words left his mouth — he figured a quick ‘then you o leave’ was ing from the proprietor. Who would want an un-paying body taking up a seat that could be filled by a paying er after all? “First drink is on the house.” The proprietor shook his head, “es with an ‘endless’ snack bowl too.” He informed Peter.Broseff nodded, leadier to the bar, “Snack bowl is pretty good. chy, salty, sweet.” “Thanks kindly.” The horned man grinned, chug, “Not at all a way to get people to drink more.” “Of your stuff, who’d pin.” Broseff ughed, “Let me introduce you to Smitty, Peytr. Smitty, this is Peytr, he is…” He coughed, “A traveler…” “How far, I wonder.” He seemed to eye Peter with an appraising gh bright blue slit-like eyes, not like a cat… more so. “Oh, it feels like a world away.” Peter rubbed the back of his nebsp; “Oh?” Smitty nodded, “Well. All are wele in my inn and pub, as long as you don’t cause trouble.” “I try to avoid trouble.” He flushed a little.Broseff made a strangled cough like he was trying to hold back a ugh.Peter gave him ‘a look’ iurn for the one earlier while Smitty just raised an eyebrow. Turning to Smitty, Peter smiled with slight embarrassment, “I try to avoid trouble, but the past week… my first week here… was, unfortunately, eventful… let’s say.” “Sounds like you’d enjoy a slightly heavier drink.” Smitty ughed. “Holy the ‘hardest’ drink I’ve had since arriving was a bottle of mead just a little while ago. I don’t… actually drink all that much.” He admitted. “Fair’s’fair.” Smitty nodded, pulling a bottle from uhe ter, showing it to Peter, “Something like this?” He asked, showing the bel. Nodding, as it matched the one earlier, Peter approved, “Yeah, that’s the same kind.” “Not bad stuff.” Smitty popped the top and passed it over, pulling a bowl out and a rger tainer floated over as his horn started to glow, taking the jar from mid-air he poured out some snack mix and pushed the bowl towards Peter, “Here ya go. Enjoy, friend.” “Thanks.” Peter nodded, grabbing the bowl and bottle, following Broseff to a table off to the side, he babsp; ly a ‘dark er of the inn’ to hide in, but I’ll take it. Peter chuckled to himself. “There you are, Broseff!” Called out a jest-fully mog tone, a figure from the table the two were headed towards stood. A fairly attractive, to Peter’s view, human-looking dy was waving at them, “And yht a friend? Good! I’m a little short on !” She ughed. Peter gave a mild, me-sounding chuckle at her ent. “Ease off, Bhrenna, he’s new.” Broseff pulled out a chair, nodding to it, “Here, since your hands are full.” “Thanks.” Peter said quietly, nodding to the now-sitting woman, Bhrenna, and the others at the table. Upon now being closer Peter saw that Bhrenna was, actually, a half-elf, sp pointed ears (at least he was assuming half-elf, because of her general thinness a, to say nothing that her pale skin reminded her of Ennalyssa.), the other two at the table were another human, a male with long dark-blue hair pulled bato a tail, with spiked bangs, and another like Smitty — cloven hooves, leoail, hah horn jutting from the forehead, and bright slitted eyes, a soft amber this time with skin that was not vender-blue, bur rather a ruddy pink. She gave Peter a bright smile, “Hiya, o meet you.” She raided her mug cheerfully as Peter sat dowing down his snack bowl. “Ah, Hi.” He greeted, “And, yeah, as Broseff said, I’m new here.” He ran a hand through his hair nervously. “Ah, and how is our fair city treating you?” the male human asked, sipping from a dark brown bottle. “Well…” Peter coughed, sipping at his bottle of mead.Broseff shook his head, “He’s had a rough week.” “Ah, he pissed off the old man, did he?” The man nodded, “Kolmsen’s the name.” “Peter.” He nodded, iing. “Well, Peytr, when I say ‘old man’ don’t think I’m reted to him but I’m talking about that old goat Santis.”Broseff winced, “I wish you weren’t so… open… with your speaking against him.” “Far as I know it’s still not illegal to call someone on their shite.” Kolmsen pointed with the hand holding the bottle, “I think you o be more open about it, siderin’ how he treats that lil girl.” “She’s safe.” Peter munched on some snack mix. “Is she?” Kolmsen asked, fixing a look oer, “And how do you know that?”Broseff chuckled, “You’re talkin’ to her bodyguard, Koly-boy.” Sitting doattier’s shoulder, “He’s not oo mess arouher.” “Are y’now?” Kolmsen asked curiously, leaning foreter blushed, “I think Broseff is over-stating my abilities, perhaps… but I am, actually, her bodyguard, aor.” Peter frowned, looking at the table, “Something I take very seriously.” “Good to hear.” Bhrenna spoke up, sipping from a pint gss of a dark blue drink with a beer-like head, “Hey, Bro, whatever happeo that poor sod who called down all the gods?” She asked, “I’d heard rumors from some of the uards st night. But they were too into their cups to get straight answers from.” “You wanna tell’m?” Broseff asked Peter.Peter just blushed, grabbing some more snack mix. “Aw e off it, Bro.” Bhrenna rolled her eyes, “If he’s new he’ll not know anything, even if he is the girl’s watcher.” “Oh well. I actually do know.” Peter said with an awkward chuckle, “I was there.” He expined, “Could say I was very close to what was going on.”

  Broseff fixed Peter with a disbelieving gaze as the other young man spoke. “Were ya now?” Bhrenna asked curiously. “I hope Enna is okay.” The horned dy to Peter’s left said, “She robably scared if even half the rumors are true about what happened.’ “Rumors eh?” Peter asked, “Like?” “But if you were, apparently, there—” Bhrenna started. “Which means I know the truth, and I’m not drunk.” Peter pointed out.Bhrenna sat back, sighing, “Fine fine. Well, one is that the poor sod’s shadow up and ate his arm.” “Well, I know that’s patently false.” Peter chuckled, flexing the fingers of one hand, “Still there.” “Alright.” Bhrenna nodded, “Another was that he called down all of them, including the ohat the ol’ man hates mention of.” “Oh, that’s very true.” Peter nodded. “How is Enna taking his death?” The horned woman asked, amber eyes slightly wet with emotion. “She was hit very hard by the fact she thought he died, and she lost someohat actually cared for her well-being.” Peter said gently, “But she’s doing fine since I’m still here. I’m just tired as all-get-out from the athyr drain.” “Gd she’s doing alright. It’s hard to lose—” Kolmsen started, sipping his ale in a salute but stopped, cup to his lips as he finally registered eter said, “Are you sayin…” “That I was the one who did it.” Peter nodded, “It was desperate and dumb, but it got attention. And made a point.” He frowned, “Certainly not gonna do it again any time soon.”

  The three at the table looked at Peter unbelievingly, then to Broseff who just nodded ‘yes’, then back to Peter. “You… You gotta be lying.” “On my honor, by Di’si’thy, I am not.” Peter put a hand over his heart.All three took deep quaffs of their respective drinks. “So~” Broseff pulled out a small box which turned out to be a holder for a deck of cards, “Who’s up for some Rounders? It’s pay-day after all.”Shaking off her shock first, Bhrenna ughed, “Just remember to save some to pay your tab.” “You py?” Kolmsen asked Peter. “Ah, no.” Peter shook his head, “No either.” He shrugged, “But I’d like to watch if you don’t mind?” “he horned woman smiled, “We’ll teach you how to py!”

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