“We’re leagues past blasphemy now,” Glenn agreed quietly, as his keen mind worked out the many ways this new loophole changed his world. “Gods, what could we do with this?”

“Think of all the dark tales of the Shadowers Guild,” Becka said quietly. “We’ve always dismissed the rumors that they can actually assassinate people ... that would defy the Law of the Consent, wouldn’t it? ... but what if they found a way to murder someone without intending to do so?”

Glenn pondered that. “How do you murder someone without intending to do so? An accident?”

“If I place a poisoned bear trap on your front porch when you’re out, and you blunder into it when you step out your door the next morning, did I intend for that to happen? Would the Gods actually stop me, since you weren’t home when I placed the trap? What if I didn’t intend for you, specifically, to trigger it?”

Glenn felt a deepening chill. He’d always assumed the Law of Consent would keep him safe from harm, at least from other mortals, but perhaps it wouldn’t. Not if one knew a way to harm someone else without intending to do so. Like poison, randomly poured into a cup yet to be served to anyone.

“Are we really the first to discover this loophole?” Becka asked. “The Gods and their laws have existed for as long as time. How far back do your histories go? You read more than me.”

Glenn considered all he’d read. “The oldest validated histories in the chapel date back to...” He mentally counted. “Five hundred years, give or take. Of course there’s the legends of creation and balance and law, but those simply take place ‘in eons past’. Which could mean anything.”

“But even in 500 years, there’s no way some other pair of thirsty underage lovers haven’t already figured this out.”

“We can’t be the first,” Glenn agreed. “Yet ... I’ve never heard anyone mention this loophole before, and I’ve eavesdropped on a lot of Adventurers. Perhaps Adventurers clever enough to discover the loophole reserve it for themselves or their Guilds?”

“I think they do. We’ll certainly keep it quiet, after all. Just as with all the others who’ve discovered this, this loophole needs to stay between us.”

That felt wrong, though Glenn understand Becka’s reasoning “We don’t even tell Zack?”

Becka raised one elegant eyebrow. “He’s been talking about joining the Shadowers Guild for months. He seems so excited. A round in the tavern says he’s known about this loophole forever and hasn’t told us.”

Glenn snorted. Zack was a good friend and a good person, but he guarded his secrets jealously. Zack likely did know about this loophole. And if he didn’t, he’d soon figure it out.

Becka crossed her arms and tapped one foot. “I have no intention of murdering anyone, and I don’t know of an immediate use for this loophole. So how do we use it?”

“The most important thing is that we now know it exists,” Glenn said. “We can protect ourselves. No drinking from strange cups. No stepping outside without checking for bear traps.”

“True,” Becka agreed. “Though I wonder if we could find a way to unintentionally have sex.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, Glenn couldn’t help but chuckle. “If we figure that out, we’ll write a book and sell it across Balarel. We’ll be so rich we’ll be able to retire by age 20. Common age lovers the world over will make statues of us.”

“I would like a statue,” Becka agreed. “Preferably one giving a finger to the Gods.”

Glenn considered all they’d accomplished. “We really do work well together, don’t we?”

Becka tipped herself incrementally forward. “And?”

Glenn grabbed and kissed her hungrily, and she laughed against his lips. She eagerly kissed him back. Only when he was fully satisfied did he relent, though she looked to be ready for more.

Glenn hugged her, rubbed her back, and set off toward town with his arm wrapped around her. “Time to go home.”

Becka leaned against him as they walked side by side “Yes. Let’s do that.” She glanced down at her now tattered clothing. “As much as I enjoy your thirsty gaze, I am getting a bit chilly.”

Glenn and Becka walked at a brisk pace up the Safe Road, together, toward home, safety ... and breakfast. Glenn’s stomach rumbled after they’d walked a bit, and Becka teased him mercilessly until hers did the same. Glenn, of course, then relentlessly teased her back, which led to no shortage of mock anger and pouting glances. Becka did, as she happily reminded him, now know how to poison him.

Yet the moment they came in sign of the town gates, walking north along the Safe Road, Glenn’s relief all but overwhelmed him. They’d made it back to town without being eaten by Vulpor or turned to salt by the Gods. If they had indeed uncovered a loophole as powerful as it seemed to be, they wouldn’t be punished for it. And if they were lucky, not many others had figured it out.

Glenn felt confident that someone could go their whole life without ever figuring out what Becka, and then he, had reasoned out this morning. One would need multiple examples, like the collapse of the Safe Stone and a thirsty night in the woods, just to begin to make the connection, and even then, Glenn would not have made it without Becka.

As they walked toward town at a sedate pace, both Town Guards visibly straightened. One even stepped forward before his partner waved him off.

Glenn glanced at Becka, then shrugged. “They seem to be waiting for us. Should we jog?”

“Those two can wait,” Becka said grumpily. “I’ve run enough for a month.”

Glenn laughed and casually put some space between them. Technically, there were no rules saying that a common age couple couldn’t demonstrate the affections permitted by Levos in public, but the public themselves generally discouraged it. At least in plain sight.

Also, Karl Coldbreaker was a very big man, and he was even stronger than Glenn. The last thing Glenn wanted the old Blacksmith to see, as he stared out the town gate in search of his beloved missing daughter, was Becka returning, wrapped around Glenn, with the vast majority of her clothes ripped off.

As soon as they got within shouting distance of the gates, a guard raised his hand. “Redwood! Coldbreaker! We’ve already sent word to town of your return, and Azalea Whitetalon is safe!”

Glenn pumped a fist. “Thank you!”

“And there’s more!” the guard continued. He sounded almost ... happy? “One hour after the news of your brave deed was reported to the Quest Archive, we received phantom correspondence from Lakebrooke. There’s a representative of the Blazer’s Guild down in Evolan right now, and they’re coming up tomorrow to interview you both! They’ll arrive tomorrow morning!”

Glenn felt a thrill he couldn’t contain, and couldn’t stop himself from gripping Becka’s arm. “You were right! The guild’s coming here!”

Becka patted his arm. “I heard. Let go. I don’t want to upset Father.”

Glenn looked back to the town gates just in time to see a towering shadow standing within them. The sun gleamed off his bald head and wide, hard muscles. Glenn Redwood considered himself strong, with a frame like a small bear, but Karl Coldbreaker had a frame like a great oak. He was massive.

And as Glenn had feared, Karl did not look at all happy to see his daughter returning in the state she was after a whole night along with a boy in the woods.

Glenn saw no choice but to explain last night’s events plainly and clearly. Karl would understand why Becka’s clothes were in such disarray, wouldn’t he? The Monsters had ripped her clothes up like that, not Glenn. Yet the big Blacksmith simply stared from his place at the gates.

Glenn dared not slow his pace, and Becka quickened hers. As they approached the town, Karl stepped out and walked toward them. His eyes passed across his daughter and focused on Glenn.

“Redwood!” he shouted.

Glenn finally faltered in his steps, yet Karl kept walking right toward him. Becka grimaced and stepped between them. “Father, please, this isn’t what it looks like.”

Karl snatched Becka off her feet and into his arms. He squeezed his eyes shut. What looked to be tears slipped out of the man’s closed eyes. Becka ulped and belatedly hugged him back.

She limply flailed in his raised grip. “I can’t breathe!”

Karl breathed, beamed, and set his daughter down. “Thank the Pantheon you’re alive. When Azalea told us what Glenn said, about Monsters chasing after you in the Deepscorn, I feared the worst.” Then, Karl turned to Glenn and stomped over.

Glenn raised both hands. “Mister Coldbreaker, I only—”

The big blacksmith pulled Glenn into a crushing grip. Glenn found himself as helpless as a Grass Sprite in the grip of the bear. Yet though Karl hugged him painfully, it didn’t seem like the big man intended to crush him. In fact, it felt almost ... warm?

“Thank you,” Karl whispered in Glenn’s ear.

Glenn blinked. What was happening?

After a long moment of all but crushing him, Karl set Glenn down and stepped back. “Azalea told me what you did. You ran back into those woods to aid Becka. Seeing you both here, now, in the state that you’re in, tells me you kept your word to everyone.” Karl thumped Glenn’s arm hard enough to send him stumbling. “You saved her, boy. You saved my girl.”

As Glenn caught his feet, he realized that Karl wasn’t mad at him, but was instead grateful. He grinned in relief and rubbed the back of his head. “I mean ... she saved me too.”

Karl scoffed. “Of course she did. She’s a Coldbreaker. Still, I imagine neither of you would be walking back in here if you hadn’t protected each other through six kinds of hell.”

Glenn glanced at Becka, who was staring wide-eyed at them both, and then nodded to Karl. “No sir. I’d never have made it through the night without Becka, and we’d never have found Azalea at all if she hadn’t chosen that Ranger Skill and used it to track her down.”

Karl beamed at his daughter. “I don’t know how I could be more proud of you. You terrified the ghost out of me, girl, but Gods, you saved Azalea. You and Glenn both.”

Becka winced. “I lost your pack. And everything else."

“Burn everything else,” Karl said proudly. “I have you, and Debra has her daughter. And Hal and Tania have their son. That’s all the cause for celebration this town needs.”

Becka wiped at one eye and looked away. “Gods, not now.”

Karl chuckled at his daughter. “I hate to say this, but you look like you just crawled out of Crackpaw Mine. Come home right now. I’ll heat a bath so you can get washed up and changed. If you’re going to meet the mayor, you need to dress in your Feast Day best.”

“The mayor?” Becka asked.

“To turn in your Quest.” Karl turned to Glenn. “You too, Redwood. Your armor’s held up rather well, but it’s still scuffed and muddy. You should change into some better clothes. And you’re also ... wait.” Karl leaned close. “That’s old blood. There’s not a mark on you, boy.”

Glenn winced at the possible implication that Becka had done all the work while he cowered behind her, but that didn’t seem to be what Karl was implying. “I just Leveled. I’m Level 5 now.”

Karl’s eyes widened. He grabbed Glenn’s shoulders and thumped them hard enough that Glenn desperately wished he’d stop. “And a Level to boot! What a fine day. Once you officially turn in the Quest to rescue Azalea to Mayor Coleman, you’ll have a nice strong start on reaching Level 6.”

Becka moved closer and stared. “The mayor certified Debra’s Quest?”

Karl nodded proudly. “Soon as he could be rousted out of bed and payment was delivered, with a little coin gathered from everyone in town. At first we only attached your name, but as soon as Azalea returned and we learned what Glenn had gotten up to, we added his name as well. The Quest has already been sent to the Quest Archive by phantom correspondence.”

Glenn paled. “That’s too much money.”

Karl laughed. “And he says he wants to be an Adventurer! What Adventurer turns down a reward? It’s money well-earned, boy, for all you’ve both risked in service of Wolfpine and her people.”

Becka grinned at him. “You’ve been saving for some [Chain-Link Armor], haven’t you? Isn’t that what you’ve been doing all those odd jobs since you hit your experience cap?”

“Ha!” Karl said. “And he’ll be buying it at a mighty discount, too. I’ll even throw in a weighted [Iron Sword] for your trouble. Consider it my own contribution to the Quest reward.”

Glenn shook his head in rueful disbelief. “Sir, I ... I don’t know what to say.”

Karl chuckled and crossed his beefy arms. “Just say you’ll join us for supper tonight, after you get done with the mayor. Now that Becka’s only three months from trial age, I think it’s past time I had a drink with the young man who’s ensnared my daughter’s heart.”

Becka immediately blushed bright red. “Did you really have to phrase it like that?”

Glenn could not believe this was all happening at once. If this was a dream, it was one of his better ones. He nodded and gave Karl’s arm a good solid thump, using all his Strength.

The big man actually took a step sideways, then grinned even wider. He couldn’t look more pleased to be sent sideways. Glenn might not be as strong as Karl, but he was getting there.

“It’d be my honor to dine with you and your daughter, sir,” Glenn said formally. “Thank you for the invitation. Just let me know when you wish me to arrive and I’ll be there.”

“I’ll have dinner ready just past seven,” Karl said. He turned to Becka. “Now move, girl. Mayor Coleman’s not one to be kept waiting. We’ve got maybe an hour, if that.” He glanced over his shoulder. “And Redwood! Your parents are expecting you. Might want to check in.”

Glenn hurried up the main road into town. “I’ll do just that, sir. Thank you!”

====

>

Patron: Vox, Goddess of Adventurers

Description: A dexterous and agile fighter, the Duelist specializes in bladed weapons. Their Skills allow them to use mystical sword techniques passed down by Vox.

Preferred Weapons: Any bladed weapon, one-handed or two-handed.

Primary Attributes: Strength, Prowess

Secondary Attributes: Wisdom

Primary Role: Knife

Secondary Role: Shield

>

Patron: Ansin, God of Beasts

Description: A brutal and straightforward fighter, the Brutalist specializes in shields and blunt weapons. Their Skills let them easily keep the attention of multiple foes.

Preferred Weapons: Maces, Clubs, and Shields.

Primary Attributes: Strength, Vitality

Secondary Attributes: Prowess

Primary Role: Shield

Secondary Role: Knife

>

Patron: Kya, Goddess of Duty

Description: A midrange melee fighter, the Skirmisher specializes in Skills requiring either long range melee weapons or thrown weapons. Their Skills grant them exceptional agility.

Preferred Weapons: Spears, Halberds, Poleaxes, and Throwing Weapons

Primary Attributes: Vitality, Prowess

Secondary Attributes: Strength

Primary Role: Knife

Secondary Role: Bow

>

Patron: Xiva, Goddess of the Unseen

Description: A stealthy and dangerous fighter, the Shadower specializes in Skills involving daggers, poisons, and magical misdirection. Their Skills let them scout ahead and ambush foes.

Preferred Weapons: Knives

Primary Attributes: Prowess, Wisdom

Secondary Attributes: Vitality

Primary Role: Knife

Secondary Role: None

>

Patron: Levos, God of the Hearth

Description: A relentless and fearless fighter, the Anchorite specializes in Skills of the unarmed body, involving wrestling, grappling, fists and feet, as well as mystical techniques.

Preferred Weapons: Unarmed

Primary Attributes: Strength, Wisdom

Secondary Attributes: Prowess

Primary Role: Knife

Secondary Role: Shield