Chapter Text
A boat carrying only three people was brought up beside an old, dilapidated pier. The ruins of a small village littered the frozen beach, no doubt a relic of a group of people who either couldn't bear the cold and chose to move to more habitable areas, or were preyed upon by others. A young man clambered out of the boat and onto the rotting wooden pier. He thanked the other two men and assured them that he would be fine; that he wouldn't prefer to stay on the ship a little longer to be dropped off in a city instead. The two men shared a look before they pushed their boat away and began to paddle it back to the ship that waited off the shoreline.
The young man watched them leave until they were approximately halfway back to the ship. He then turned and took in the ruins around him. He'd known that it was unlikely anyone lived there when he saw the place from the ship and insisted he be dropped off there. Still, seeing it up close made it all the clearer that he wasn't going to find a single living person anywhere. He chose to meander through what had likely been roads between the buildings at one point. Everywhere was the same. Doors hung open, windows smashed, and any supplies either picked clean or long rotted beyond use. The most the village had to offer these days was minimal shelter from a storm…if one was willing to tear apart some buildings in order to board up the windows of another, or to set bits of rubble alight and burn as a campfire.
Having no intention of staying long enough to have need for such extremes, the young man turned his sights on the horizon. Across the snowscape he could just make out what appeared to be smoke rising into the air. A handful of quiet, gray columns turning into a foggy cloud in the otherwise blue expanse of the sky. That was an inhabited village, he was certain of it. With it being the only thing of interest that he could see, he set off in that direction.
The snow crunched beneath his feet. The ever-expanding white blanket surrounding him revealed a surprisingly active ecosystem. Animal tracks in all shapes and sizes marred the perfect scenery in many places. The young man thought back to how the ship had been stalled in its path just yesterday morning due to a heavy snowstorm and could only move again some time after midnight. If the snow was as freshly-fallen as that, it meant the tracks were even fresher.
A memory floated back to him. The whole reason he'd chosen to get aboard a ship and come to these lands in the first place. Rumors of monstrous creatures prowling the southern continent had reached his homeland far to the north. While most people were in shock to hear stories of enormous wolves devouring people whole, or of living skeletons pillaging towns and killing every last resident, the young man had other opinions of the situation.
He was pulled out of his thoughts by a sound. He stopped short and listened intently. It sounded like ruffling; of something shifting nearby. Looking around him didn't help as there was nothing to be seen. He surmised that whatever it was had to be beneath the snow. With a hand on the hilt of his blade, he tentatively took a few steps forward.
The next thing he knew, three large and hairy creatures were trying to get the jump on him. He didn't take the time to see what they were before drawing his sword and plunging it up into the belly of the first one to jump at him. The creature shrieked as it was thrown to the ground and its companions chirped in anger. He barely got a better look at them before another leapt at him, getting a mouthful of his blade as he turned to block it. The thing's large teeth bit at the sword and refused to let go, giving the third one an opening to try and strike. The man quickly abandoned his weapon in favor of punching the third creature across its head. It fell, stunned, but not dead. The second dropped the sword and made to attack again, only to also be beaten by the man's fists. He picked up his weapon again and made quick work of ending the two before they could get back up.
He breathed a long sigh and wiped blood from his sword onto the snow before sheathing it again. He eyed the creatures and leaned in to take a closer look at them. They were rats, no doubt about it. Yet they were each the size of a large dog, easily as tall as up to his thighs. They were just as the rumors described many of the monstrous creatures; like normal animals, but huge and with aggressive temperaments.
Curious about the things, he knelt down beside the first one he'd slain and carefully turned it over. He was shocked to catch something glint inside the thing's stomach. Feeling more than a little grossed out, he reached his well-gloved fingers inside the wound and dug out a…coin? There was no mistaking the shape and size, and that it seemed to be made of metal. He didn’t recognize what type it was, but he was on a completely different continent to his own and in a completely different country. He bathed the coin in the snow to clean it off before dropping it into a small pouch. He then investigated the other bodies, curious if they'd eaten anything of interest, too. He couldn't quite tell if he was disappointed or not to find their bellies empty. Having no use for the bodies, he left the giant rats to the beasts of the wild and continued on his way towards the village.
“This is perfect,” he thought. “I'm barely here for a couple of hours and already the monsters have shown themselves.”
Noon time came and went, the man not stopping other than to defend himself from the monsters that chose to attack him. He ate from the dried rations he had on him as he continued his walk. Finally, as the afternoon began to push into evening, he reached the outskirts of the village. Even from a distance he could tell it was a quaint little place. The ruins near the old pier were easily three or four times the size. For a moment he wondered what made this place stand the test of time where the other had not, but he chose not to think too hard on it. After all, for all he knew this village could be quite young.
He received some looks as he walked through the roads heading towards the largest building that he could see. He paid them no mind, however, as he assumed they were not used to travelers. The remote villages of his home country were the same way; always skeptical of outsiders. As he approached his target he became somewhat delighted to see that it was a good-sized inn. Usually a village so small wouldn't bother with one, and it would be on the shoulders of the wealthiest person around to harbor travelers. It being an inn was a good thing, as the man really didn't feel like having to explain why he should be allowed a room to sleep in.
He made for the front steps of the inn before stopping short by a few feet. Something caught the corner of his eye and made him turn. Behind what looked to be an empty stable was an orange glow that, if he paid close enough attention, gently flickered. The sun was still high enough in the sky that he found it odd for someone to be using a candle or a lantern. Curiosity now piqued, he went to see what the source could be.
He froze, stunned, by what he saw.
A little ball of fire, hardly bigger than his fist, floated mere inches above a melted patch of ground. He stared at it in awe, trying to see if there was something it was attached to; something that was burning. But there was nothing of the sort. It really was simply floating above the ground near the back wall of the stable, and the faint heat that the flame emitted had melted away the snow around it by about a foot's diameter. Cautiously, he approached the fire ball, wondering what type of sorcery was responsible for it and why it was there in the first place.
“...Please…”
He stopped and blinked. He knew he'd just heard a voice, but from where? There was nobody around him that he could see.
“Please.” the voice repeated. It was so small, so weak, that the man might've chalked it up to being over-tired had it not spoken more. “Help…me… Please…”
Confused, the man knelt down beside the tiny flame. “Are you…talking?” he asked it. His voice was barely above a whisper as he was all too aware how crazy he would have looked had anyone passed by.
“Yes. Please…” Its voice was desperate. “I need…to burn… Please…”
“Burn…?” The man glanced around quickly and spotted a wood stockpile near the back of the inn. Under normal circumstances he would hesitate to steal even a single piece of wood from anywhere, let alone an inn in a frozen tundra. But a strange ball of fire was talking to him and he was fairly certain that it was not a hallucination on his part. He hurried to grab a couple of pieces of wood, only barely remembering to be sure that no one was watching him, not that his footprints in the snow wouldn't be telling, and brought them back to the flame. “Like this?” he asked.
“Yes. Please. Give them…here…”
He set the two pieces on the ground just below the fire. Vaguely he noted how not-hot it felt to put his hands so close to it. The fire flickered before dropping, barely touching the wooden logs beneath it before catching them alight in its small blaze. The man watched in awe as the small blaze grew into a moderate one. And then, despite the wood not having the capacity to support such a feat, the fire erupted upwards until it was just taller than he was. He stood and stumbled back a few steps, suddenly very aware of how warm the area around him had become. Or rather, of how hot the fire had become.
From the unusual flame a figure began to take shape. A body of orange, different from a sun-kissed hue. Clothing of reds and yellows wrapping around a delicate, if oddly genderless, frame. Pointed ears pierced with bright red stones. And hair seeming to be alight like the brightest of blazes. Its form continued to sharpen as the wood was consumed down to ashes in extraordinarily little time. Finally, after only a minute or so, what stood before the man was no longer just a little fire. It was…a person? Made of fire? It appeared solid, but there was still something distinctly fire to its frame.
Whatever it was, it opened its eyes, revealing them to be red, and it smiled down at the man. “Thank you.” It spoke, its voice louder and calmer than before. Healed. “I'd been calling out, but no one could hear me.” It shook its head. “I don't believe anyone in the village could perceive me. I was beginning to lose all hope.” It lightly clasped its hands together behind its back and its smile grew softer. “Really, thank you. I had nearly died.”
The man merely nodded before he found his voice. “You're welcome. I…don't know why I of all people noticed you, but I'm glad somebody did.” He paused a moment before asking, “What are you? If you don't mind my asking.”
The person(?) giggled. “Of course! I am what you would know of as a spirit of fire.” When it was obvious that the man didn’t have a clue as to what that meant, it held out a hand and a tiny flame burst from and danced in its palm. “I am fire given thoughts, feelings, and agency. I have the ability to create and control flames. But as I am fire myself, I have certain…weaknesses.” It explained, extinguishing the tiny fire by closing its hand around it. “There was a bad storm yesterday. I had no shelter, and the wind and ice took its toll on me. I was badly injured, unable to move or take a form other than the small flame you just saw me as.” It stared at the ground, defeated. “I could see the wood, just as you had, but I didn't have the strength to reach it. It was right there, within my sight the whole time, and yet…” It shook its head. “I'm sorry. You didn't ask for all of that.”
“N-No!” the man interjected. “Listen, I may not be the first person to care to hear everybody's sob story, but…” He realized that he should probably choose his next words carefully, “...I'm not heartless. If you're not going to die because I brought you some bits of wood, then that's good. And… I guess I’m glad I was able to help.”
The spirit smiled down at him again. “I see. Thank you. May I have your name?”
The man narrowed his eyes. “You're not gonna pull some fairy stuff, are you? Like actually taking my name away from me?”
“Fairy-?” The spirit asked, bewildered. It giggled again. “No, of course not! I simply want to know what to call the person who saved my life.” It assured him.
“Oh. Right. My name is Eric.”
The fire spirit's eyes glinted at that. “Eric…” It whispered. “I like it!”
“You sure you're not about to steal my name?”
“No! No no no!” It waved its hands out in front of it as it continued to laugh. “It's just… It's so human. Forgive me. I've not spent a lot of time around…anyone really… Especially recently.” For a moment it looked contemplative, but it shook its head and that expression went away. “I am known as Uri. I am a fire spirit. I am neither male nor female, but you may consider me a woman if it makes things easier for you.”
“A little bit.” Eric admitted. “But I'd be fine not doing that-”
Uri shook its head again. “Allow me to rephrase; although I have no sex, I am aware that my form and mannerisms align with this region's understanding of ‘woman’. I do not dislike this descriptor, even if it isn't a perfect match. So do consider me a woman.”
“R- Right… Okay then.” Eric relented.
“Now then, Eric, I know this may be far too much to ask of you, and I would understand if you said no…” Uri clasped her hands together in front of her as she looked down at the snow around them. “When I saw the storm coming in I tried to reach an acquaintance's home. But it came in too fast and I got stuck here, in this village. My acquaintance's home isn't too far, it should be the next village over, but… Although I look like this again,” she gestured at herself, “I am still very weak. If I can get to their home, I know they'll take care of me until I'm well enough to leave on my own. So, what I'm asking you is, would you take me there?”
Eric studied her a moment, eyebrow raised. “You keep calling them an acquaintance, not a friend. You sure they'll take care of you?”
Uri nodded confidently. “They will. I'm certain of it. They're that kind of person.”
The man stared another long moment before breathing out a sigh. “I’m… I'm from Frostiahn, a city far to the north in the Snowstream Empire. The people up there would laugh calling this place a tundra. Up there, hardly anything can live. Even the people. Although we’re called an empire, we don't have a formal military, as there's not much need of that since no one bothers us. What we do have, however, are…” he struggled to find the right word, “...I guess you could call us knights. We’re trained with weapons to protect and serve our home and its people. I came here because rumors of monsters became so common. We're not obligated to help this continent and its countries, so we haven't. But I was curious. I wanted to see these monsters for myself. That's the only reason I'm here.
“That said, it's been drilled into me that I have to help others. It's kind of a pain, but it was a huge part of my training. I…don't really like people. If I had my druthers I wouldn't bother with others more than I absolutely had to. But my training has gotten me this far in life; has gotten me to this village despite those rats out there trying to eat my face. So… What I'm saying is, if it's just to the next village, then I’ll help you. I can't leave a lady to make that trip on her own, especially when she's weakened.”
The spirit smiled at him softly. “I see… Thank you. That's…a load off my shoulders, actually. That I'll have somebody to help me.” She knelt down and reached out a finger to draw in the snow. Eric watched her curiously. “The village I'm going to is just southeast of here. It's close to a pass in the mountains leading to the more populous towns and cities of the southern tundra. I say ‘close’ but the pass itself is a few days’ travel from the village. Anyway, villages out here are fairly close to each other, or else no one would be able to get anywhere. It'll still be a long day’s walk, though.”
“So it would be best to find lodging for tonight, and leave early in the morning.” Eric concluded.
“It will…” Uri sighed. “However, I don't think I have enough money to even stay in the lobby of the inn…”
Reaching into his pocket, Eric pulled out the small pouch and shook a coin from it into his palm. “I'm not from here, obviously, so I don't know for sure… Is this the money here?”
Uri's face lit up seeing the coin in his hand. “Yes! The people here usually call them ‘chips’, since they're made from enchanted wood.”
“Enchanted wood?”
“It's a long story. The king or queen of the Forest enchants all the money made here in Grande Mondo. It bears their magical signature, so it's impossible to forge even though it's all cut from trees. Every kingdom in Grande Mondo uses it, too.”
The man stared at her, confused. “Every kingdom does? Why?”
Uri shrugged. “I don't know a lot about human politics. I've only heard that it was something that was decided about a century ago and it's been that way since.”
“I see…” Eric held the coin up and examined it. “You said it's wood, but it sure looks and feels like metal.”
“That's part of the enchantment. Metals are often more durable than wood.”
Still not fully understanding it, Eric muttered aloud, “It's weird that monsters would have these. I got most of these from the rats outside the village.”
“Actually, that's not that weird. Monsters aren't completely mindless. It's not uncommon for them to loot travelers they've killed and to keep anything useful.” She shrugged and added, “Or shiny. Some people try to make a living by killing monsters for their ill-gotten gains. Though it isn't exactly easy. Most of the time those people end up getting killed by stronger monsters and having their things taken, too. Thus perpetuating the cycle.”
“I see. That makes too much sense. Though I did find these in the bellies of the rats. Meaning they ate them.”
Uri chuckled. “I didn’t say smart, I said not completely mindless… Rats are only ever going to be so intelligent.”
“So, how much is a stay at the inn going to cost? I don’t have any idea what the chips I have are worth.”
“Let me see.”
He shook the other coins out onto his palm for her to look at. He blinked when he only saw five in his hand, one being slightly larger than the other four. “What the-”
Uri hummed, cutting off his thoughts. “Only nine chips…” She reached into a fold of the cloth around her hips and withdrew a single coin that matched the large one in his hand. “I only have five myself. That's fourteen if we put them together.” She closed her eyes in contemplation. “The name of the game here in the northern Tundra is compassion and hospitality. If we give a decent sob story, we should be able to afford at least a small room.”
“I don’t like lying.” Eric said flatly.
“We don't have to. Our circumstances as they are should be enough. I’m a fire spirit who nearly burned out in the storm, and you're a traveler from the north who hardly has any money to his name.” Uri pointed out. “We don't need much. Just one room for one night.”
Although he wasn’t feeling entirely confident or comfortable with the plan, Eric decided it was best not to argue it. He gathered his coins back into the pouch and motioned for Uri to go with him. He led the way back over from behind the stable where they'd been talking all that time.
The inn was quiet. Or at least, quieter than Eric had expected from one. A few people sat eating, drinking, and chatting around a fire pit burning in the middle of the lobby. There was still some daylight, though, so Eric thought maybe the place would be livelier after dark.
The innkeeper greeted them warmly as they approached the counter. Uri did the talking for them, explaining the bind they were in as concisely as she possibly could. The innkeeper eyed them as the spirit spoke, making Eric think she couldn't possibly be buying anything that Uri was saying. To his surprise, however, the older woman breathed a sigh before genuinely expressing her condolences for their troubles.
“I swear, that storm yesterday was unnatural. I'm sorry to hear a creature like you got caught up in it. I'm shocked no one noticed you… Not to mention your friend here certainly looks like he's not from around here. I never realized silver made for such a pretty eye color.” The innkeeper shot Eric a wink, to which he internally cringed, before checking her record book. “I've got some rooms that're open. The absolute lowest I can charge for one with a single bed is ten chips.” the woman explained. “There's two of you, though. A double bed’ll run you fifteen. If you want, I could squeeze two single beds into a room for eighteen. You won't have much space though.” She sighed again and muttered, “Really though, those prices should be about half again as much…”
Eric's ears burned hearing all of that. He set what money he had on the counter and Uri followed suit. The innkeeper raised an eyebrow at the amount.
“We only have fourteen at the moment.” Eric began to explain. “I got all my coins, er, my chips from killing monsters outside the village. I can get us another four.”
“I’ll go w-” Uri started, only to be stopped by Eric raising a hand to her.
“You wait here. You're still weak, right? Stay in here where it’s warm.” He paused and turned to the innkeeper. “She can stay, right?”
The woman nodded. “Of course. The lobby is free until closing. We shut down around midnight. You've some time yet to make your money. Though I question your methods.” She swiped up the chips on the counter. “I’ll hold onto this and have another bed moved into a room. If you can't get the money I'll make you move the bed back out. You can still stay in the room, and I’ll reimburse you the chips, but you won't get the extra bed. Understood?”
“Yeah. That's fair.” Eric turned to Uri again. “I'll be back.”
With that, he left the inn. Uri stared at the door for a moment, feeling conflicted.
The innkeeper snickered. “He seems to be a kind young man.”
Uri smiled softly. “I don't know if it's kindness or stubbornness.” She admitted.
“They can often look the same in men his age.” The innkeeper stated as she busied herself behind the counter.
Having little else to do, Uri found a stool off in a corner of the lobby. Even as time passed and the world around grew darker, the place never got very busy. Locals came and drank and chatted. They sang a few songs. They laughed. But mostly things were calm and cozy. Uri found herself watching the fire and her thoughts drifted away from her.
She nearly jumped when the innkeeper came over and took up most of her view.
“Here.” The woman said, pressing a loaf of bread into Uri's hands. “I can’t offer you a full meal for free, but a bite to eat is always on the house. Be sure to share it with that man.”
Uri accepted the loaf and thanked her. The innkeeper let her be as she tore the bread in half. She only briefly considered the two pieces before setting aside the portion she thought was bigger and taking a bite of the smaller piece.
As the night went on, the lobby slowly emptied. People either left for their own homes or retreated to their rooms in the inn. The innkeeper put another log on the fire before disappearing into a back room. It took a minute, but Uri suddenly realized that she was alone. She’d been staring at the fire in the pit, hypnotized by its flickering and dancing, casting light and shadows throughout the room. She glanced around, ensuring that she really was alone. Slowly, she slid off her stool and approached the flames.
Carefully she took a step into it. The fire tickled her legs and began to climb her body until she was fully engulfed. Her eyes slipped closed as she delighted in the sensation. The heat. The sound. The way it seemed to slowly fill her soul…
The spirit didn’t notice when the door to the inn opened. Didn’t notice when Eric tilted his head at her quizzically for a moment. And didn’t notice him crossing the lobby to the counter. She did, however, notice it when he picked up the bell and rang it for service. Uri snapped out of her trance and stumbled out of the fire. Hurriedly she joined Eric at the counter before the innkeeper came out from the back.
“Well, I was beginning to worry that you'd been done in!” The woman exclaimed as she approached the pair. “So? How did things go?”
Eric retrieved a coin from the pouch and set it on the counter. “I got five more chips.”
The innkeeper smiled and reached for the lockbox. “Perfect! Then I’ll just get you your change and the room with two beds will be yours.”
“No. All five are yours.” Eric corrected. Both women shot him a puzzled look and he explained. “I did some thinking while I was out there. You said the rooms should be about half again as much as you were charging us. If your prices were ten, fifteen, and eighteen, my guess was that they usually go for fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five. I was trying to get you the full twenty-five for our room… But I only managed nineteen. So I want you to take all of it.”
The innkeeper shot him a smirk. “Not too shabby, young man.” She stated, taking his coin from the counter. “I'll take it all, then. Thank you.”
As she went about putting the money away and turning over the key to their room, she explained a few things she thought the two would like to know. Their room had a folding screen and a wash basin should Eric like to use it. There was a water pump out back for whatever they needed. The water would be cold, though. Their room had no heat source, but if Eric was quick about it, he was free to leave the basin by the fire in the lobby until closing time in order to warm the water some.
Eric thanked her and took the key. He led the way to the room, Uri following him and only detouring to grab the bread loaf from the table beside the stool she'd been perched upon.
The room was dark. Only a thin line of moonlight came in through the small window high on the wall. Uri offered to go in first and used her own flames to light a couple of candles on the walls. Eric found the basin with a few clean rags in a corner behind the screen. He stated that he was going to get water so he could at least wipe himself down before sleeping.
He found the pump outside behind the inn as described. The metal handle was freezing to the touch, but at least it moved. Eric had half-expected it not to. He suspected that it, like the ones in his homeland, had some mechanism or enchantment to prevent actual freezing. However the water that came out would give anyone hypothermia if they were to submerge themselves in it. So when he got back inside he set the basin beside the fire as suggested before returning to his room.
Uri had claimed the bed furthest from the screen. She was laying on her back when he walked in. Neither said anything as Eric approached the other bed and began to remove the pieces of armor that he'd been wearing all day. The spirit picked up the bread that she'd set on a bedside table and held it out to Eric.
“From the innkeeper. It was free. I ate the other half.”
Eric perked up at the prospect of moderately fresh food and accepted it. “Ah, thank you.” He said, taking a bite from it. He smiled as he chewed and swallowed the mouthful. “It's a lot fresher than I expected!”
Uri giggled. “See? Hospitality is everything around here!”
He nibbled a bit more from the bread and continued removing layers of clothing until he was dressed down in only a single layer covering his underclothes. He was used to the cold and knew how to dress for it, but it always felt nice to be rid of the many layers. Finally, he sat down on his bed.
“So, why were you in the fire earlier?” Eric asked aloud.
Uri flinched and her cheeks burned a darker shade. “I- I…” she stuttered. “Fires like that… They rejuvenate me in the same way as eating or consuming a wooden log does.”
“So basically you were stealing.” the man stated bluntly.
The spirit didn't deny the accusation, although she averted her eyes and the blush on her face darkened again. Eric assumed from shame. He chose not to press the issue.
Although it was still early, he decided to go and fetch his water. He wanted to clean the sweat from his body so that he could get a decent night's sleep. The innkeeper spotted him as he was leaving the lobby and bid him goodnight, which he returned.
Back in his room, he ducked behind the screen and used the rags to wipe himself down. It wasn't as good as a bath, but it would do. When finished, he wrang out the rags and draped them over the screen to dry. He would toss the water out in the morning, when the temperature was a little warmer and he wasn't still damp.
Eric blew out the candles before crawling into his bed. He breathed a sigh at how comfortable he found it to be. Sure it was cheap and the blankets weren't anything special, but after a long day it sure felt nice. He stared up at the ceiling as the day’s events replayed in his mind. It had been one of the stranger days he'd ever had, though not the worst. He certainly hadn’t expected to meet anything as fantastical as a fire spirit, who also laid awake in her own bed mere feet from him.
A thought crossed his mind. One that he mulled over a bit before speaking on.
“I'm sorry…” he said softly.
He heard more than saw Uri shift on her bed. “What for?” she inquired in a similarly quiet tone.
“I lied earlier. To the innkeeper. I hadn't been trying to get twenty-five chips. My goal was twenty.” He waited to see if Uri would respond, and when she didn't he went on to explain. “We were told that a room with one bed would cost us ten chips. I wanted to get us two rooms so you wouldn't have to share with a strange man. But I only managed to get nineteen. So I lied. I was hoping to play generous and take advantage of the hospitality thing to subtly coerce the innkeeper into giving us two rooms anyway.” Eric closed his eyes, not that he could see anything in the room anyway. “But either ten really was as low as she would go, or I was too subtle for her to pick up on. And now I feel like I wasted a chip and you still have to share a room with me.” He rolled over onto his side, facing the wall. He muttered under his breath, “This is why I hate lying…”
He could hear Uri moving on her bed again. He didn't know what she was doing, but he could tell that, at the very least, she wasn't getting up. He thought perhaps she was turning over to face him. Or away from him. He didn't know.
“I might've tried the same thing, if I were in your shoes.” The spirit admitted quietly. “So don't feel too bad.” There was a pause before she added, “Thank you for paying for me to stay here as well. I don't mind having to share a room with you. I'm not truly a woman, after all. And I feel I can trust you. I do trust you.”
Eric shrugged. “I can't just let my charge sleep outside in the freezing cold. Especially when I’m in a bed. And besides, you’ve been helpful to me. You've been giving me advice and whatnot.”
“And I’ll continue to be helpful. I wasn't lying when I tried to say I would go with you to kill more monsters for money. My flames can be very effective against them. Come tomorrow, I'll show you what I can do.”
Eric wasn't too sure of that, considering the spirit's condition. He didn't say as much, however. “Right. We should get some sleep. We're leaving early and all.”
“Yeah. Good night, Eric.”
“Good night.”
Uri was the first to fall asleep, if her calmed, slowed breathing was anything to go by. Eric laid awake a short while longer, head still swimming with what had happened. Though his exhaustion meant that sleep did find him soon enough.
*****
Morning came and Eric found himself waking first. Judging by the dim sunlight coming in from the window, he guessed it wasn't too long after sunrise. He thanked his internal clock, as he had been somewhat worried that he would sleep in because of how tired he'd been. He really did want to leave as early as possible so that he and Uri could make it to where she wished to go.
The spirit was still asleep, so he let her rest for the time being. Instead he adorned a few more of his clothing layers and picked up the wash basin from the night before. The lobby of the inn had a handful of people going about their business. The innkeeper caught him in passing and told him that if he didn't use any soaps or anything, that she’d ask that he pour the water out into a trough out back. It would be used by the village for livestock or gardens. If he did use soap, then he was to dump it a short distance from the inn.
Eric carried the basin out back and found the trough in question. In fact, a small flock of hens and a rooster were standing on the edges and taking sips from it. Unsure of how skittish or territorial they would be, he waited for them to finish their drink. A woman came around the side of the inn while he waited and tossed her own basin's murky water several feet away from the building. She offered him a nod of acknowledgement, which he returned, before heading back inside. Once the chickens had had their fill and meandered off, Eric finally dumped the contents of his basin.
Back inside the inn, the innkeeper waved him down and offered him another loaf of bread. Eric almost turned it down, but his hunger won and he accepted it. To be honest, he hadn't had a decent meal since he'd gotten aboard the ship some weeks ago. He would have to find some way of fixing that. For now he didn't have any money to his name, nor an easy way to get a decent amount. He thanked the innkeeper and returned to his and Uri's room.
The spirit had woken and was up and stretching her arms above her head.
“How are you feeling?” Eric asked as he went about gathering the rest of his belongings.
“Better.” Uri stated. “Sleep helps recharge mana. And I am essentially a being of mana.”
“But you're still not fully healed, I take it?”
She shook her head. “It'll be a while yet before I'm back to normal. That storm did a lot of damage. But don’t think that means I cannot use my flames. I fully intend to pull my own weight when it comes to fighting off monsters. I'm healthy enough for that, at least.”
Eric shrugged. “At this point, that is up to you. Just know that if you push yourself too hard, I don't know if I can carry you and protect us. And I'm not buying or stealing any wood to take with us should you burn out again.”
“It won't come to that.” Uri assured him.
The pair returned to the lobby and returned their key. The innkeeper wished them well in their travels and Uri thanked her. Once outside the spirit took a glance as to where the sun was and figured out which direction they needed to be heading. As they left the village Eric brought out the loaf of bread. He tore it in two and without missing a beat he handed the larger half to the spirit.
“What, no!” she protested. “You've been out fighting monsters, and it’s cold out! You need the food!”
“I know I got the bigger piece last night just by looking at the size of the full loaf. You said it yourself that you're still recovering. So take it. I'll be fine. I've done a lot more on a lot less.” Eric stated before pointedly shoving his half into his mouth.
Begrudgingly, Uri took the larger piece. She nibbled at it at first, clearly unhappy with how things played out. Her hunger won though and before she seemed to know it she had eaten the entire thing. Eric knew how she felt. He finished his piece all too quickly and once again thought about what he was going to do for food going forward. Not to mention that, while Uri would be able to stay with her acquaintance, Eric was going to need to consider lodging. He hoped that enough monsters would come their way for him to make some coin before reaching the village.
“You said there was a pass near this village, right?” He asked.
Uri nodded. “It's a ways south from where we're headed, but yes.”
“And there's proper towns and cities to the south?”
“There are. The southern Tundra is warmer and much more populated. The capital, Frozen Towers, is located there as well.”
“I take it the place is aptly named?”
“I assume so. I've never been there myself.”
As much as he hated to admit that the men aboard the ship had been right, he was beginning to see that a town or a city might be better suited for him to find his footing in. Making it through the pass would probably be the hardest part, but if he could reach civilization then he could potentially find work. While he'd rather be killing monsters, he'd already learned it wasn't the most profitable. At least, not when all that was around were large rats. If he could earn money another way, he could live frugally for a while until he had enough to travel and maybe find stronger monsters who had better loot to be taken.
That was his half-formed plan, anyway.
He would let the idea marinate for the time being. Eric still had to get Uri to her acquaintance's, after all.
Suddenly a burst of fire shot passed him from over his shoulder and took out a chunk of snow ahead and to the left of him. He stopped frozen in his tracks, eyes wide as he spotted four dead rats on the ground. He turned to look at his companion in shock. Uri cast him a smug grin.
“I told you my flames would be useful.”
Eric could only stare at her, completely stunned.