Framework of the Frontier, Sain Artwell [read me a book .TXT] 📗

then gave Lidarein a nod before returning to him. “So be it. English though it may be, you showed your good will by giving us a frank explanation rather than the evasive half-truths the others gave, though there are still questions I would like answered.”

“If we’re talking on negotiation terms now, I’d love some answers too. What happened that made you be so wary of me? Where are the others? Where am I?” William licked his lips, finding them dry. “I would also appreciate water and clothes if you can spare them. I can work for them if need be. I’m no freeloader.” Though he didn’t know what he could do to contribute to a frontier town besides manual labor.

The glow of Letter King’s eyes grew with a wicked ‘gotcha’ grin.

Damned moron. You should know that open ended promises get you the shit jobs. I need to find the old gang, if they’re alive somewhere here. Okay, just say no and politely decline…

“Very well, William. I hold you to that offer. You shall be provided with answers and basic necessities until I find a place for you.” Letter King clicked her fingers. “Ember.”

“Y-yes?” Miss Fireberry and her floppy ears twitched to a nervous attention.

“You have transcripts of what happened.”

“Uhu.”

“Share with him what you know and get me an accurate account from William’s experiences as he answers your questions. Lidarein, I trust you’ll be able to provide him with temporary lodging and see to his basic needs. Take measure of his combat abilities and report back to me with an assessment. If he is half as useful as the others, he’ll make a fine fill in for the Ranger’s position his people vacated.”

“Yippee! Finally!” Ember jumped up with a squee of enthusiasm, clapping her hands together.

“What?” Lidarein blurted out in angry surprise. “Letter King, you can’t be serious. Nevermind the danger you’d be putting him in, he’s neither a citizen of the Nibirian Empire, nor officially sanctioned to uphold the law. You can’t make a person who just arrived into the realm a Ranger!”

“You saw the powers the other wielded. Besides, granting citizenship is well within my powers as the governor of New Ea. And, as the Chief Ranger it’s perfectly within your rights to promote him into the rank of a town Ranger.” Letter King grinned wide at Lidarein, who squirmed, clearly reluctant to agree.

Being a Ranger of a frontier town sounded like it might be fun, though William didn’t like how fast things were being agreed upon, while he still didn’t know jack shit about anything.

“Hold on.” William lifted his hands in tentative refusal. “It’s a neat offer, but could I get some time to think before you go appointing me in anything I might not be qualified for. Not to mention, I might not want to take it. I need to think about this. I don’t really want to start making enemies, but I don’t think my friends would have done things you’re insinuating they might’ve done.”

Letter King leaned back on her chair as smugness grew in her grin and voice. “Worry not, William Adams. It will be a quick and simple job. You can choose not to do it, but I doubt you will be able to refuse my reward. That is, if Lidarein approves of your strength.”

4

Later, on a different spire, in an inn.

A chunk of boiled grassmaw crocodile dropped from William’s mouth as his jaw gaped in shock. “You’re kidding. Shadow Queen?”

“Uhu, that is how she introduced herself.” Ember’s tufty blonde brows furrowed in concentration as she read on, “Shadow Queen, or Mitchelle as you called her, arrived with a flash of starlight on the fifth of Sapphire in the year two-hundred-twenty-three of Emperor Ahi. ‘chosen one’. Upon entering the town, she announced herself as ‘the chosen one’, and inquired about the nearest tavern. She sat down with the old lady Griselhart at that counter there and asked about rumors of evildoers. Griselhart, bless her soul, meant no harm, but she’s an old lady, and her memory isn’t the best, so she grumbled about her grievances with the Emperor’s lack of faith in the Cursed Frontier. Before anyone could react, Shadow Queen thanked her and took off into the portal to Nibir, declaring that she would vanquish the evil empire.”

Mini, oh poor Mini went completely bonkers.

William hid in his palms as he leaned against the table. He wasn’t sure whether to feel ashamed for her or afraid for her safety. Both. Definitely both.

Not only that, but apparently Sapphire was the third month of the year.

And this — the Obsidian — was the sixth.

“All good there? You’ve got a funny look,” Lidarein said.

“Thanks. I’m good. Just… You can’t expect me to believe this.”

“Oh, it happened,” Lidarein said.

“Hundreds of people saw it,” Ember echoed.

Lidarein, Ember, a few others of the escorts squad had a late-afternoon break at the Sleepy Fountain inn. Its large open windows faced the spire with the elevator bazaar, and gave the wide open interior a spacy semi-outdoor feel. A susurrus of water bubbled in the fountain at the center of all the tables. It was a lifesize sculpture of four naked marble beauties sprawled atop each other in slumber.

At the counter sat the old lady Griselhart, a hunch-back faun with wrinkly skin and cracked horns. She seemed to be trying to explain something to a young, perhaps late teenage, bartender girl.

William shook his head. “Oh, poor Mini. You went right for the old mysterious quest giver, huh… I hope she’s still alive. Is she?”

“No clue. Probably not if she actually stirred shit with the Emperor,” Lidarein said.

Ember turned the page on her journal, continuing. “On the seventh of Sapphire, same year of course, we saw the starlight flash for the second time. The former head Ranger, Heralos and a small group of drafted adventurers, investigated