Chapter Two

 

The three young lovers walked down the streets of Darkstone with light hearts. The light of day was slowly brightening the city around them. A gentle wind blew from the west, bringing the scent of the ocean with it. Sadly, it also brought the scent of the wharf, dimming the clean smell.

 

“What quests do you think we’ll find?” Cyra asked.

 

“Delivery quest is a given,” Trish said. “There’s always a delivery quest to the connected cities down at this tier.”

 

“True, but we’ll likely see a collection quest with the delivery point being Waterrock,” Stern added. “Might be a kill quest on the way, too.”

 

“We’d be best taking those, if they’re there,” Trish said.

 

“We’ll find out soon,” Stern said.

 

“Are we going to rotate camping duties?” Cyra asked.

 

“Nope,” Trish grinned. “You’re the cook.”

 

“You are the best of us in that regard,” Stern nodded. “Trish is taking over collecting firewood. Pawly and I will do the hunting, and I’ll clean up after dinner.”

 

“Okay,” Cyra smiled. “I’m glad you both like my cooking.”

 

“You have a knack for it,” Trish said.

 

“Agreed,” Stern nodded.

 

They reached the Walkers’ guildhall and filed inside. Only two tables had people at them— the occupants gave the women appreciative glances, then soured when Stern followed them in.

 

Stern did his best to ignore the emotions from the groups. He came to a stop behind Cyra and Trish, who’d gone straight to the quest board. Peering over their heads, he looked at the quests in the lead and tin ranks. Since they had Trish in their group, they could take any of the tin quests.

 

“Waterrock collection,” Trish said, tapping a notice. “Collect twenty dark willow shoots. Take to Curmudgeon’s Corner for payment.”

 

“Off-road for that,” Stern said, “which isn’t horrible.”

 

“Kill scurriflies,” Cyra said, pointing out another quest. “Redeemable in Waterrock. Bring tails to Kuster’s Coats for payment.”

 

“Pick them up,” Stern said. “Hmm... we should officially register as a crew while we’re here, too.”

 

“We should do that, then pick them up,” Trish said.

 

Stern nodded. “Let’s go.”

 

The same male receptionist who’d given Stern the delivery quest for Brightstone was sitting behind the desk. “Walkers, how may I help you?”

 

“We want to register as a crew,” Stern said.

 

“You’re the lead?” the receptionist politely.

 

“He is,” Cyra nodded.

 

“Stern is our leader,” Trish added.

 

“Just the three of you?”

 

“Yes,” Stern said, wondering why he’d been thrust forward as the leader.

 

“Very well. I will suggest you all find at least another couple members before tackling any of the tin dungeons,” the receptionist said as he drew out a tablet and placed it in front of them. “I need you,” he said to Stern, “to place your dominate hand on this first. Speak the name of the crew when you feel the tablet get warm.”

 

Stern felt the eyes on his back in the room and could hear muted voices. He knew they were questioning why Trish and Cyra were with him. He pushed the distractions away and placed his left hand on the tablet, waiting. “Pawsitively Irregular,” Stern said once the tablet had grown warm.

 

The receptionist blinked at him, then down at the tablet. “Remove your hand. I need both of you to touch the tablet and agree that you are part of this crew. You’ll need to remove yourselves from it if you leave, and your leader can remove you from it, as well.”

 

Both Trish and Cyra agreed they were part of the crew before stepping back again.

 

“Very well. Your crew is formed,” the receptionist said. “If you come up with a crew emblem, you can bring it to any hall and we’ll add it.”

 

Stern hesitated, then sighed and unbuckled his bag. “I have one.”

 

“You do?” Cyra asked in surprise.

 

“My mother draws,” Stern said. “When dad suggested the crew name, she drew up an icon for it. I think she liked his idea.” He dropped his bag and began to dig into it. “It’ll be a minute. Go pick up the quests.”

 

Trish chuckled as she touched Cyra’s arm. “Come on.”

 

Cyra hesitated. She wanted to see the emblem, but let Trish lead her away.

 

It took Stern a bit of digging to pull out the small scroll tube he’d been carrying since he left home. With a sigh, he opened it and pulled out the parchment inside. He thought of his parents and, knowing they’d be told about the crew before they got the letter, sighed again. He put the tube back and got his bag settled onto his shoulders and hips again.

 

“We got them,” Trish said, coming back with Cyra.

 

Cyra smiled happily, as he hadn’t shown the drawing yet.

 

Bag in place, Stern held the parchment out to the receptionist. “Here.”

 

Taking the rolled paper, the receptionist unfurled it on his desk, allowing Cyra and Trish to see it. A polydactyl cat paw in multiple colors was depicted with the crew name under it. Both women giggled as they looked at it.

 

“It’s Pawly’s paw!” Cyra smiled broadly.

 

“She’s part of the crew,” Stern said a little defensively.

 

“An important part,” Trish agreed, touching his shoulder. “We like it.”

 

“Yes, we do,” Cyra nodded emphatically.

 

“I will update your crew,” the receptionist said. He placed the paper onto the tablet and then pressed some buttons on the side of it.

 

The page glowed for a few seconds, then burst into glowing lights that got sucked into the tablet. Once the lights were gone, the tablet depicted the image.

 

“Your crew is registered. The icon is unique to your crew, so only you can openly display it. Most don’t ask to have their badges updated with their crew icon, but if you want to, any hall can manage it for you,” the receptionist smiled.

 

“Please,” Cyra said, fumbling with her badge.

 

“Mine, too,” Trish said as she began to pull her badge off.

 

Stern sighed, but feeling only happiness from them, he smiled. “Okay. Might as well make it part of being in the crew as a full member.”

 

“Did you want to add that to your crew rules?” the receptionist asked as he accepted Cyra’s and Trish’s badges.

 

“Yes,” Cyra nodded. “Can we have Stern be the one who gets all the dungeon points and payment, too?”

 

“We can’t do that with dungeon points,” the receptionist said. “That’s up to the shopkeepers. We can add that quest payments go to your crew leader.”

 

“I agree with her,” Trish said. “I know Stern won’t try to screw us… not that way, at least.” Her smirk made her other meaning clear.

 

“That’ll make it harder to bring others in,” Stern cautioned.

 

“We’ll see,” Trish replied. “A lot of crews do it that way. They expect the leader to pay for accommodations in return.”

 

“It means splitting the coin differently to set up a crew fund,” Stern said. “I can do it, but are you both sure?”

 

They both agreed, and Stern nodded to the receptionist. “Please?”

 

The man handed their badges back as he fiddled with the tablet, updating the crew rules. Stern looked at his badge, smiling as he rubbed his thumb across the icon of Pawly’s paw.

 

“See? You do like it,” Trish grinned, bumping her hip against his.

 

“I do. Makes it feel more like she’s a real part of the crew and not a disposable summons,” Stern agreed.

 

“She’s never that,” Cyra said with feeling. “Pawly is special, not a tool.”

 

“Agreed,” Stern said, meeting her eyes. “But watch what others think of her when they join. Don’t get angry at them right away. Summons are used as tools for everyone else. She’ll be an oddity… another oddity,” he finished lamely, thinking about himself.

 

“All done,” the receptionist smiled. “Anything else?”

 

“We’re good,” Stern said. “Thanks. We need to get on the road.”

 

“Safe trip, Walkers.”

 

“Thank you,” Cyra and Trish said as they turned with Stern for the door.

 

Cyra’s ears twitched as they left the hall. She’d clearly heard all the comments being made by the other groups. Part of her was furious at them for thinking and saying what they had, but she did her best to ignore them. She knew she’d have to tell Trish and Stern what she’d heard if she didn’t, and neither of them deserved that.

 

Trish caught Cyra’s arm, giving her a knowing look, but then a bright smile. “This is it— the open road before us, some collecting and killing and days camping in the wilderness, and maybe a chance to grow a little closer while we wander through the woods.”

 

“I like that,” Cyra smiled back, glad that Trish hadn’t asked her to tell her.

 

“Away from people,” Stern said with feeling. “We’ve stocked up on everything else already, so we’re ready.”

 

They started walking for the north gate. Crossing the city took some time, as it was a large city. Stern felt the eyes and emotions of those who looked his way, and he started to hunch to limit his height, and maybe get the eyes off him.

 

Trish traded a smile with Cyra, then let go of her arm and moved up to take Stern’s. “Bet you never thought your dungeon crew would be like this, huh?”

 

“No bet,” Stern said. “Though, like I told you, this isn’t out of line for my family.”

 

“Yeah,” Trish acknowledged. She smiled again, when Stern stopped hunching, as he walked with her. “If I recall right, your mother— your birth mother— is infernal?”

 

“Yeah, I’m half-infernal,” Stern nodded, “not that you can tell that.”

 

“You didn’t get the wings,” Cyra said. “Did you ever wish you could have them?”

 

“Not really,” Stern said. “I did want to fly away a few times, but I didn’t dwell on it. Besides, the lack of wings might be what gave me Pawly.”

 

“There is that,” Trish nodded. “You have an infernal’s vision and fire resistance. The empathic perk and the summons must be from your father.”

 

“Also because of what I am,” Stern added a touch bitterly.

 

“I didn’t want to ask and hurt you,” Cyra said, “but what does being irregular really mean?”

 

Stern grimaced, then exhaled softly. “No one really knows.”

 

“Irregulars were killed at birth for so long. It was only in the last thirty years that they really got the chance to live. The Goddess commanded the senseless killing of the babies to stop,” Trish said.

 

“Guess I’ll have to thank her eventually,” Stern muttered.

 

“There’s one thing that’s rumored to be true of irregulars,” Trish went on. “Like the name suggests, they get unusual perks. Both the empathy and summons are that.” She hesitated, then added, “Steve had one where he could ignore any damage for a few seconds.”

 

“That’s a known perk,” Stern said. “Diamond Skin.”

 

“Which is down the line from Thick Skin, Iron Skin, and a couple more,” Trish nodded, “but he had it from birth.”

 

Stern’s lips pursed. “Oh, that makes sense, then. And yeah, I’ve heard the same rumors. But there haven’t been enough irregulars who’ve been Walkers long enough for people to get a firm grasp of it.”

 

“We’ll get a good idea of it,” Cyra said. “We’re going all the way to the Goddess, right?”

 

Stern blinked, then gave her a smile. “I want to.”

 

“And we’ll be beside you,” Trish said.

 

“Thanks,” Stern said softly. He took in their feelings and wondered if maybe his long-hated perk might not be something he should be grateful for now.