Several miles away, the roadside vendors smoked fish still danced on Merryn's tongue. Off ahead the craggy peeks of Mount Denlitka' it's shadow fell over the region, cutting oddly though the otherwise glaring morning light. She squinted and faced the road. This huge mountain killed off any hope of going further north.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqw1S0xJeA
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Beyond the rest of the cities and towns were a mystery, really should have traveled more. Maybe the townsfolk would know of a way. Hope the water here is clean. Licking her lips did little to soothe the dry, cracked lips. Two pine trees marked the entrance and a cute picket fence encircled the edges of the town. The inn wasn't much further in. A tad ordinary, but clean.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Ejsc6a6CD
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A middle-aged woman stood outside, furiously sweeping the steps.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8FyFCbQkd
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"Have any rooms free?" she said.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQgv7oxTzt
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The middle-aged woman of sun-starved white complexion ignored her and continued sweeping, puffs of dust flew off the steps as she brushed off a large pile onto the street, each step pulled a smaller cloud of dust that clung to her feet.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sG60Exv5S
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The dangling pouch of coins clanked when she moved her leg.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3nEKjoRl9
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"The last of your kind to visit daya' near set fire to my kitchen! An left grungy muddy boots on my clean sheets! No Elvin. Go away," said the woman. She sniffed and went back to sweeping.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxnfxgfiPL
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Clenching her teeth, she squeezed the pouch, then let go. Don't make it worse, try. "I'm not them."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOcssoHZfk
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The woman sneezed and wiped the snot on her dress. "Four hundred copper." She held out a hand.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1NHgGaI9d
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She's trying to rip me off! Why most rooms cost less than 200. Still need to get out of sight, maybe even stay out of towns. "Right." The exchange was quick, and the woman brought her to a small ground-level room.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDteZZoas3v
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"Breakfast is at six sharp, don' miss it, I don't make extra."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldrSrz6LWP
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That took forever. Merryn dragged her feet inside and closed the door. The sun streamed through the thin curtains, the warm door was nice. She leaned against it until the itchy died sweat on her back reminded her of the armor. Confounded armor! The top piece finally pulled free of the buckles, she threw it on the floor. Tomorrow could be better, or worse, I'll take things one hour at a time get out of here and find a port. Stay alive and find a port. Not too hard. Doable, simple. And rock snakes could fly. She wiggled under the covers and fell asleep.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOj6kl1HrTM
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During the night, a burst of rolling laughter resounded in her head. She bolted out of bed, falling on her side.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeXZgVh1iZ
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Do not fight this. You require no others, nor spirits. Your prayers to them are wasted. I will no longer be ignored.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMsoucmlAe
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"I—am sleeping. Wake up." A punch should do it. She punched her thigh.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDbJTTYZi4
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Be glad I haven't taken all your energy now.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMKI9yzyTE
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Another punch. Come on, wake up.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fKXXesTbE
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Are you listening to me? It shouted in her mind.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8ExTgAv9G
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"Go away."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kIrtxLGQm
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Your perfect world is a lie. Everything you know, everything you see, is going to shatter. I will be all. I'm what is real.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIAAjGqdUO
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If her skin could crawl off and escape, it would.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQiAD1Egof
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Quiet spirit! Begone!14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQwWNcdCFq
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Somehow, after pacing the room, checking the windows, and washing her face, she fell back to sleep. The next morning she pulled her armor on quickly, her wound smarted, but wasn't as bad as before.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcygNLya6P
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Rushing out the door, she smacked right into someone, an eye just missed smacking the hard metal emblem on his shoulder.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImUQ5ZTgl3
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He grunted and rubbed his head, several strands of black hair fell loose from a leather tie. His warm brown, thin eyes scrunched as he rubbed his head again.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAKEMQNlpp
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She blinked. "You! Thank you, if you hadn't delayed that man..." How did that go again? She stuck her arm and hand out stiffly. Mother told me to watch my manners around these humans.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCM8CHWU2fZ
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His gaze traveled from her boots, to ears and then settled on her face, a flash sparked in his eyes. "You're that Elvin woman from before." His lips quirked as he shook her hand. "Don't try to not wilt before we meet again."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uWkRDzg6m
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"This flower has thorns. I'll be fine. Now, I have to leave. Good day." The old speech, it's pretty awkward.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGaJxplgXr
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Turning around, she walked down to the lobby and bought assorted supplies, filling her backpack, as stealing anything would grant unwanted attention. Outside a kind, cape weaver mentioned a path through the grove off to the east.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEieQRJYGj
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The guards and Maxwell would be here soon. The shoulder twinged, she rolled and rubbed them, the bones jutted out some. The god seemed hungrier today, I'm getting thinner. Lucky the injury wasn't deeper, a person could easily die from a wound here. Touching the bandages, she clamped her teeth shut to avoid crying out. Her fingertips coated with the blood. Unbelievably, it still wasn't healed yet! Healing is also taking longer now. The spirit (god?) was talking far too much energy.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhB6QhCQhhT
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An hour later, he was leaning against a tree near the town's back exit. Muttering several burning curses under her breath, she stopped. Don't panic, it's probably nothing. Doubling back to the seaport might work, can't miss the boat back home. Pushing past the slog of busy people, she made it back to the main entrance.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvh1jD7Yv8E
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She managed to make it out to the woods just past the front gate. Is he an assassin? He didn't act like one. She rubbed her neck.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc718UsdkJl
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Scanning ahead, off towards the left was a cleared area with a shack in a grove of trees. It'll be safer than sleeping outside, at least. Knocking on the door, she waited a while for an answer before pushing it open.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnA2FkdvWV
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"Anyone here?" Clenching her fists, she stepped inside and opened them. Spiderwebs glued to her ears and face. "Ach." Nasty! The sticky stuff took forever to pull off. Everything was rotted, had better camp outside. Under a pine tree near the shack, she cleared the pine needles. Mother loved camping during missions, and she always made the best hennit stew.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAHfzwGPYk
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The fire hissed as a drop of rich fat fell into the flames from the skewered bird. The sun sank lower in the southern sky. The more hostile creatures would be out soon.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUw3LF1sCdP
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Snuffing out the fire, she picked up the pack and headed behind the shack.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMqMXOYIrT
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Someone was here! The forest became silent-not even a Harper-beetle dared wax its tune. It was too soon to cast a spell. Peaking around the side of the shack, it stood.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZOPfJKAHu
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Four curved and pointed legs stepped out of the shadows. As it continued forward, the shadows parted from its middle, a white furry body where the legs attached. It emerged skittering. Its head appeared next, with a pink nose wiggling up and down, sniffing the air. The creature's eyes were vile arachnid eyes, gleaming in the moonlight. Its ears long and fluffy, like those of a rabbit, and reached about four feet high. It inched closer to where she sat a moment before, its fangs dripping poison. Only a fool messed with them. Noiselessly, she padded away, aiming for the edge of the forest.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBHGzt8NGk
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Easing onto her stomach, she crawled over behind a fat tree. A bear ambled about eating berries from a bush. Leave me alone...14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6LI8MLgOL
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She tucked a lock of hair that hung in front of her eyes, then peeked. The spider-nab was in the tree near and was wrapping the branches drawing them together with webbing, this hid all but the tips of its legs. She swallowed. Maybe call a spirit? No, it's too soon.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5n9thWrKog
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Running full tilt under the webbed tree, she scrambled behind a large boulder just past it.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3Vo3YGS7N
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Over to the tree, the bear's outline was a flat, bloodless husk. Running now would be smart. The fang holes oozed twin rivers of blood that pooled onto the grass. She gripped a dagger tight and focused on her breaths. It had to be around, eternally hungry, they always wanted more.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWojrviCVXL
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A clicking and hissing behind her.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqqQdKRotu
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With her heart damn near climbing up her throat, she faced around. To be home, home, home!14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jSc4O3qu3
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Or right, depending on your view, I have taken a portion of your energy be glad in my kindness, I didn't take it all.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbEbSMdRve
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Glad? Being hobbled is what you consider kindness?14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOI3YdpSaB
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Considering the alternatives, yes. It became silent again.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJubHnR8lAu
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Should've taken that secondary training as a priest instead.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5WhuFa0wl
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The spider-nab blocked her way, its mandibles rubbing both fangs together.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsNs7uf83d
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She dashed at the spider-nab, loping off an ear where it splattered on the ground. It screeched, turned toward her hissing. Ho boy.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtAh54sPmY
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The spider kicked her away and spun around full till just missing her cheek with its fangs. Rolling under its head, she lopped off a foreleg. It chattered, turned, and ran off limping.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8GdtEgJ4Q
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She sprinted out of the woods. Maybe I'll stay on the path after all, some of the creatures here were more dangerous than the ones back home.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCYPYcV0KU
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The branches ahead scraped together, she turned to eye the nearest bunch. Was it back again? I'd better keep an eye out for it. There were worse things to fear, must keep moving. She continued down the path.1234 copyright protection10ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcLKZ3lkEm 尼14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwaGjCo1Yp

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