Since then, I’ve been recovering for two days. My eyes ached constantly and I had a headache from blood loss, but I was recovering well. They dragged me down the corridor away from the blood and bodies. It was just my ribs and shoulder blades that needed more healing from being crushed. The mage didn’t heal me often because he wanted to save his mana in case of a fight, which made sense. I also learned the name of the mage. Ryker. His name fit him. I told him mine and he nodded. We didn’t speak much, but he kept me company occasionally while I was incapacitated.

The grumbling man and the other group said a bit to me too, but they were quiet after the initial shock had worn off. It turns out it was their entry fight into the dungeon. I didn’t blame them for their silence.

Mostly, though, I rested or talked to Koda. He kept smiling and telling me that I wriggled like a worm when I was hurt. He tried to tell me a bit about his past too. His family was a bit more well off, and they could afford him tutors for various subjects. He grew up as a little kid, asking his tutors to tell him stories. Sometimes they gave him children stories, other times superstitious wives tales, sometimes they’d make something up completely on the spot.

“They just wanted to entertain me. I’m sure they said the first thing that came to mind.”

Koda told me in the voice that people use to tone themselves down to seem more friendly. I practically begged him to share some of the stories with me. I was already bloody and bedridden and begging didn’t seem too far beyond me.

He did. There were stories about fairies that would sparkle like water and gather around sick men and women to help them recover. There were adventurers who traveled the world, looking for shavings of stars that had fallen off, who crafted them into necklaces. Cloaks that could make people invisible. Shoes that would make you never tired. All of the stories seemed kind of childish, but I felt in the mood to indulge them. I listened intently and gave ooooohs and ahhhhhs.

Later in the day he’d ask me to watch his sword training. He said it was to see if I could give him any advice, which of course I couldn’t. Still, it was nice to watch. I thought he would spar with someone, but he couldn’t convince the new faces, and Ryker slept most of the day. I think casting the spells took more out of him than he showed us. One time, the grumbling man tried to fight him, but Koda told him he’d actually rather practice alone after seeing how the grumbling man swung his sword around haphazardly.

I took naps during the day too, so I would sometimes be awake while the others were asleep. I heard the burly man crying, and the other new faces toss and turn in their sleep. Ryker was mostly still, but he’d suddenly tense and scan his eyes around the room. Koda had his back to me, but he would occasionally bounce his feet and shudder like something nasty brushed up against his spine. I wasn’t much better, laying there crippled and staring around with deep bags under my eyes. I had been moving around some more, and it was starting to feel better. I thought I would be ready to move after another good night of rest.