Asher's Futa Chronicles

Alistair and Brooke sidestep the mess the royals brought to The Roadhouse and make the rounds. Meanwhile, Asher and crew have to handle the royal mess.

Enjoy!

***

Chapter 20

BROOKE

It took us an hour to reach The Roadhouse. It's amazing what can change in an hour.

"By the Administrator," I whispered as the walls of The Roadhouse came into view. I'd heard the place was built like a fortress, but seeing the forty-foot walls towering in the distance was something else.

The rumor was that when The Roadhouse was first built, it was truly in the wilderness. Wild monsters roamed the land. This land had been monster domain until the Daemons moved in. The battles that took place here were legendary.

I ran my hand across the rough stone where gouges had been dug into the wall by unknown monsters. Touching it made it real to me.

"I'm glad whatever did that isn't still around," Alistair said beside me. He didn't bother to touch the wall's wounds, more than content to look at it.

"Can you imagine?" I asked, hand still on the wall. "Having to build something like this for protection?"

"What's more impressive is the fact that they defended this place without walls during the construction," Al added.

I sighed and pulled my hand back. I had a thing for history. Exploring the ruins of past civilizations was what got me into adventuring in the first place. It wasn't the promise of riches, but the knowledge of those who lived so long ago.

I lived much longer than most, which gave me plenty of time to indulge in my study of the past. Granted, some would say I was now living history myself.

But what I wanted to know more about were the ancient times--the times when machines ruled the sky. I'm not talking about the simple airships we have now. I mean the times when devices didn't run on steam or magic, but on some other power we no longer possess. We once had such marvelous technology, but it was lost to us, and we don't show any sign of getting it back.

The sound of raised voices drew me from my thoughts of the past and towards the entrance.

"Sounds like our royal friends aren't happy about something," Al said as we moved towards the large metal gates in the distance.

"Are they ever?" I asked.

I had to admit, I didn't have a ton of experience with nobles. But what I had had hadn't been good. As a Fierce, we weren't exactly considered court material. Second-class citizens usually weren't. At least, that's how we're treated nowadays. Back in my early days, before the religious shift, we were just another citizen.

When we reached the gate, the courtyard was full of the noble and his armed entourage. They were having heated words with someone and demanding the Guardians' presence. It seemed the Guardians weren't here at the moment, and that wasn't sitting so well with the impatient noble.

"Come on, let's not get involved with that," Al said as he slipped through the back of the crowd that had gathered and moved towards the inn.

"Good idea," I agreed and followed him.

Once inside the inn, the noise from outside disappeared. It wasn't that it was loud inside, far from it.

"Magic?" I asked, looking at Al, who seemed to be pondering the same lack of noise I was.

"Not sure," he said and then nodded to the far wall where a set of doors stood open. A sign beside the doors read "Adventurer's Guild."

"After you," I said, holding my arm out for him to take the lead. Al wasn't the most forward of people. Even at his age, he had a shy streak that often had me taking the lead when talking to strangers.

"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild," a young man said from behind the counter. "How may we assist you today?"

Al was still looking about the room like it was the first time he'd been inside a guild. I guessed it was his way of avoiding the conversation.

"Wimp," I whispered to him and then turned to the clerk. "Yes, we'd like to update our credentials."

"Certainly," the man said before pulling a small box from below the counter and placing it on the counter. "Please place a finger in here."

I went first, knowing Al wouldn't be volunteering.

A sharp pain that disappeared instantly touched the tip of my finger when I placed it in the box. I pulled my finger out and saw there was no wound. There never was, the magic of the box saw to that.

"Wow," the young man said in surprise, then seemed to catch himself. "I'm sorry," he said, flushing with embarrassment and standing a bit straighter as he faced me.

All of my guild information was in the air above the box for him to examine. As a privacy measure, I couldn't see it from where I was.

Alistair and I had been adventurers for a long, long time. Longer than most. As a result, we'd pretty much maxed out the system the guild used to grade adventurers. Technically, we even had voting rights amongst the high seats, though we never had a reason to get involved with those politics.

"It's been a while since we've been in circulation," I added helpfully.

"Yes, I can see," the man said, and tapped the air where my status card would be. "Well, your rank automatically waives all dues, so you're still in good standing there. There haven't been any updates that would affect your card, but you do have several messages. Would you like them now?"

"That would be fine," I said.

The man slid a small chit into the machine for a moment before handing it to me.

"Feel free to hang onto this for as long as you need while you're inside The Roadhouse. For your convenience, the chit will automatically be returned here if you leave the grounds, so you don't have to return it yourself."

"Thank you," I said and nudged Al forward.

He reluctantly stuck his finger in the box, cringing before the tiny needle even touched him. He yanked his finger out a moment later and stuck it in his mouth.

The young man tried to hide his surprise at Alistair's card, but failed miserably. Al's card was just as impressive as mine, considering we'd adventured together from nearly the beginning.

"You...you have the same status, but I'm afraid you have no messages," the man said.

"That's fine," Al said.

That didn't surprise me. Al stayed away from civilization, and not just because he was a druid. He rarely made friends, and the ones he had wouldn't have the funds to travel to a guild to leave a message for him. They were usually farmers and woodsmen who lived far into the wilderness.

"Did you wish to change your status back to 'active'?" the man asked.

Al glanced back at me before turning back and nodding at the man.

"OK," the man said a moment later. "You're all set. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Where can we get a bite to eat?" Al asked.

The young man smiled.

"Go back through the doors there and to the bar. You can place your orders there, and they'll bring your food to you. This side of the partition is primarily for guild members, but you're more than welcome to sit on either side."

"Great, thanks," Al said and turned to me.

"If there's anything else, please let us know," the young man said and appeared to relax as we moved away from the counter.

We ordered food and sat down at a table on the guild side a few minutes later.

"Aww, Kingsley died," I said. I'd been thumbing through the messages on the chit the young man had provided for me. There were messages from friends and family dating all through the 80-some-eyed-year retirement we were coming out of.

"Really?" Al asked as he took a sip from his mug.

"Yeah," I said as I thumbed through the rest of the message.

The messages appeared as a small window above wherever I held the chit. Magic protected my privacy, making it so I was the only one who could see the words floating in the air, just like at the counter.

"Seems he was caught up in a mudslide and didn't survive," I said with a frown.

"Nasty way to go," Al said somberly. "On a different note, this cider is amazing!"

I took a moment to frown at him before taking his mug and sipping from it. The cider was bright, crisp, and chilled.

"That is nice, go get me one," I said and returned to my messages.

"Just wait till they bring the food and order then," Al said.

"Don't be lazy," I teased him.

"Me?" he started, but before he could push back from the table, we had a visitor.

"Hello, I'm Fia Dilapia," the older woman said as she stepped up to us. She was wearing a pressed high-end uniform of the guild. She was a mature woman who carried herself with dignity. "On behalf of the Adventurer's Guild, I'd like to welcome you to The Roadhouse. If there's anything you need during your visit, don't hesitate to ask." She gave a slight bow with this.

Al glanced at me before turning back to the woman.

"Well, she could use a cider," he started.

"Al!" I hissed and slapped his shoulder. "This is the guild high seat, not a barmaid!"

"Oh," Al said, embarrassed as he rubbed his shoulder. "Sorry," he muttered.

"I'm sorry for my husband," I offered. "He's a bit...rusty."

"It's quite all right," Fia smiled. "It's not very often we have adventurers of your standing here. As a matter of fact, I believe you may be the first since we reopened. I hear you're just here to reactivate your cards?"

"Yes," I nodded. "With the events of the world recently, we felt it was a good time for us to get out and have a look."

"Wonderful," Fia said. "It's always a great help to have those of your...caliber, available to help. As you say, these are interesting times we find ourselves in. And while we haven't had a crisis point yet, in my experience, it's only a matter of time. All we can do is prepare."

"Well said," Alistair said, surprising me yet again. His usual was just to smile and nod when someone was talking to us.

"Well, I see your food is arriving, so I'll leave you to it. Again, welcome and please, don't hesitate if there's anything we can do for you. It's the least we can do for someone who's been such a help to the guild." With that, Fia bowed again and stepped away from the table.

My mouth started watering as soon as the smell of our food reached me. To my surprise, a fresh mug of cider was placed in front of me. I didn't know how she did it, but somehow Fia had ordered while we were talking.

"I like her," Al said, his mouth already full of food.

"Close your mouth, dear, you're making a mess," was all I said as I dug into my own food.

Al brushed at his beard, sending crumbs bouncing across the table.

"What? I was saving those for later," Al said before returning to his food.

***Ω***

ASHER

"What...the...actual...shit?" was all I could say when we returned to The Roadhouse and found a spectacle in progress.

Danu said we were all as healthy as she could make us this morning and sent us on our way. We made good time coming home. But now I was watching a large group of armored knights yelling at Angela and Sinjin. Part of me wondered if we should have stayed an extra day with Danu.

"Come on," Remmi said as she grabbed my arm and hurried us towards the argument.

"I don't want to hear any more of your excuses," a knight was bellowing. "I order you to produce the Guardians, or we will tear this place apart until we find them!"

"Love this guy already," Remmi muttered as we approached.

"For the last time, they're not here," Angela was saying, her voice straining to remain calm. "They left last week, and I don't know when--"

"Enough!" the man barked. "You will address me as 'Your Royal Highness,' or I'll have you clapped in irons!"

"Hey, dickhead!" I said, my temper getting the better of me.

This brought the shouting match to a screeching halt as all heads turned to me, and the crowd hastily parted.

"What did you call me?" the man asked.

"Dickhead," I repeated. "Which is what you're being right now."

The man was in full armor, with his visor raised. This allowed me to watch the flush creep up his face.

"Or would you prefer your royal highness dickhead?" I snapped.

"You insolent--" one of the other knights started, drawing his sword.

Immediately, the entire crowd that had been watching the spectacle scattered, accompanied by appropriate screams.

I slid into a defensive stance with well-practiced ease, but kept my hands well clear of the long knife on my waist.

"Your royal highness," Sinjin interrupted, his voice booming. "May I present our Guardians."

This stayed the man's hand as each of the knights suddenly shifted uneasily.

I'm sure that to the passerby, the scene looked ridiculous. Here was a young girl wearing simple day clothes squaring off against two dozen heavily armored knights.

"Asher..." Remmi whispered a warning.

"You?" the royal high-ass said. "You're a fabled Guardian?" he said it with mocking disdain. "You're just a child."

Instinctually, I touched my chest, where the Guardian symbol rested on my armor: the armor that was destroyed and nowhere to be seen.

I stopped when I realized what I was doing and started to drop my hand when the tower and moon symbol suddenly blazed to life on my chest without warning. I didn't know I could do that. I really needed to find an instruction manual for this whole Guardian thing.

This got a reaction as the knights seemed to look at one another in question.

A flash of light beside me marked Remmi as she also activated the symbol on her chest.

The knights took a step back as this happened, except for the royal loudmouth. He stood his ground, but his eye twitched.

"Sir," Sinjin started. "May I present Guardian Asher and Guardian Remmi."

I recognized the tone Sinjin was using. It was the same tone he used when he was trying to mediate a fight between Angela and me back in the day.

Wait, could I use the phrase "back in the day?" I mean, I think I'm almost 21, I don't think that qualifies me to say something so...old.

"Guardians, this is Prince Putner, first in line for the throne of the Kingdom of Yolig," Sinjin continued.

I locked eyes with Prince Putz and stared.

"I have been charged by my father, the king," Putner started. "To inspect this outpost for its suitability for use by the crown."

"Suitability?" Remmi asked.

Putner ignored Remmi and continued.

"As well as to order the self-proclaimed 'Guardians' to report to the capital in order to renew their fealty to the crown," Putner said with self-satisfied smugness.

I was shocked into silence. The guy basically said he was here to take over and expected us to bend the knee. Anger welled up in me, but before I could go and make things worse, I felt Remmi's hand on my arm.

"Wait..." Remmi whispered.

I glanced back at her, but she wasn't looking at me. I started to follow her gaze when a new voice rang out in the dead silence Putner's proclamation had brought.

"There's nothing to renew," Cr'eon said as she appeared, working her way through the crowd. "Guardians never pledged their allegiance to anyone but the Administrator, from which their authority originates."

I thought Cr'eon was still behind us, but she'd apparently peeled off when we hit the back door to The Roadhouse. Now she seemed to be coming from the surgery, directly behind the knights.

Her appearance rattled the knights, sending them stumbling away from her and into their nearby horses, which spooked. To say chaos ensued was an understatement.

Even Putner was visibly shaken, his face going pale at the sight of Cr'eon.

"Impossible," Putner muttered. But he recovered quickly and settled down his troops with a few barked commands.

"What nonsense is this?" Putner said. "Daemons have been extinct for half a century."

"Rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated," Cr'eon said.

Nobody laughed. Not even those of us who understood the rare joke from the Daemon.

"Asher, Remmi, do you wish to go see this king?" Cr'eon asked, ignoring the armored men around her.

"No, not really," I managed.

"Nope." Remmi snapped.

"There you have it, sir, the Guardians will remain. If your father wishes to speak with them, he will have to travel here himself," Cr'eon started. "As for fealty," Cr'eon broke out in a rare, huge grin. "I wouldn't hold my breath."

"Now see here," Putner stammered. "This is kingdom land, you will--"

"This," Cr'eon interrupted. "Is Guardian property, as decreed by the Administrator in ancient writ."

"More mythology," Putner spat. "There's no more an Administrator than there is a--"

"Daemon?" Cr'eon interrupted.

Putner frowned.

"If I may, sir," Remmi started, leaning hard into the word sir. "We are a public inn. We're more than happy to show you the grounds and offer you and your men lodging and food for your stay."

"We are?" I mumbled.

Remmi ignored me and continued.

"Regardless of who owns what and commands who, we're here for weary travelers," Remmi said in a calming voice. "From the looks of your mounts, you've been on the road quite some time. Allow us to start over and offer you and your men the hospitality of The Roadhouse."

For a minute, I thought Putner was going to snap. But one of his knights leaned in and whispered something to him.

"Fine," I heard Putner mutter to the man before the muttering knight turned to us.

"We will accept your hospitality," the new knight said simply.

"Excellent!" Remmi said with a warm smile.

I found I was still in a defensive stance. When the muttering knight motioned to the knight still holding a sword, it was sheathed, and I could finally relax.

At this point, Angela stepped in and began snapping off orders to get Putner and his entourage settled.

The look on Putner's face wasn't one of a man who was giving up. If anything, it looked like someone biding their time.

"You two, come with me," Cr'eon commanded as she stepped past us and headed towards the inn.

"Where are we going?" I asked, still eyeing Putner wearily.

"After that little scene, I think you need to replace your gear," Cr'eon said.

"What do you mean?" Remmi asked.

"While I'm glad you're confident in your fighting skills," Cr'eon said to me. "I would feel better if you had armor before taking on a knight."

***Ω***

BROOKE

"Al! Al look!" I sputtered, my hand flailing for him sitting beside me.

"What?" Alastair asked, annoyed to have his lunch interrupted. He always got testy when his meals were disturbed. It was his opinion that mealtime was sacred and to be savored, not rushed through.

"Is that a Daemon?" I asked, my mouth still open.

The red creature was towering over everyone else here as she made her way through the room, followed by two other women. As quickly as they appeared, the trio disappeared through a pair of doors next to the guild clerk's window and out of sight.

A moment later, the clerk at the window locked the doors and put up a sign that read closed.

"Was that what that was?" Al asked, seemingly unsurprised.

I turned and looked at him disbelievingly.

"You just saw something thought to be extinct for over 500 years, and you're not impressed?" I asked.

"This bread impresses me," Al said, shrugging and returning to his meal.

I continued to stare at him until Al finally put his spoon down.

"What?" he asked. "What would you have me say or do? Was it interesting? Sure. But all I saw was a red streak of a person that was gone before I got a look at them."

"You're hopeless," I said in disgust and returned to my meal.

Alistair took this as it was OK for him to go back to eating.

We toured the grounds after that, taking in what there was to see. The royal and his crew were settling in as if they planned to stay a few days. But from the rumors I caught here and there, they hadn't exactly played nice with the locals. Not that that surprised me.

The locals, in turn, had stood up to the royal. Good for them! I had no clue what would happen, but it was good to see that not everyone just rolled over and showed their bellies.