I settled into a routine of sorts. First, I would circle around the house, Bonesy-maul in one hand, fire poker iher. Then, if I spotted no ghosts, I would try the front door. The people of Threewells must have beerusting because few of their doors were locked and those that were opeo a swift kiear their handles.

  The first three or so homes I snuto were all fairly simir, but I uncovered little stories and hints of what might have been. A room with a cradle made of delicately twisted wood that had somehow resisted the test of time, a small library with leather bindings that might have once been books in one home. A bcksmith’s house, with hammer heads left here and there and a cracked anvil serving as a coffee table.

  There weren’t any bodies, hat I found, anyway. Just signs that people had left in a hurry. A siess, maybe? But no, that would have left signs. Maybe the local mine dried up and the unity up a. There were some things that looked expehat had bee behind though, things too heavy and plicated to carry if you were in a hurry.

  I moved bato the main street, walking a little taller now that I had failed to see any ghosts all m. I khere were still some around, but they didn’t scare me anymore.

  Not much.

  Okay, so they still scared me, but I was oough cookie, I could stand up against a ghost. But probably not two.

  I came to the rge building where I’d seen two ghosts yesterday and slipped into it. Almost immediately my eyes grew wide and a grin tugged at me. “An inn!” I squealed to Bonesey.

  “Rerr,” Bonesy agreed.

  There were round tables and chairs all around them, a huge hearth against one wall and a long ter at one end with all sorts of bottles on the wall behind it. Rusting mps hung from the ceiling and the tattered remains of banners were crumpled on the ground. I spun around and took in the room. I could imagine gruff adventurers, pretty elves, stout dwarves and ing magis taking a seat and maybe ping the occasional barmaid’s bum.

  I giggled in delight, but the sou off, wrong in such a dead and vat pce.

  I had to explore. And then, maybe I could up a little. My ing skill was slowly rising and I was getting nearer and o the tantalizing prize of Rank D, whatever that would mean.ingRank E - 87%

  Still no other skills, but I khey would e!

  I was itg to get started with the inn, but I decided to explore a tiny bit first. There was a staircase off to one side leading up one floor, with a pretty carved rail and what might have been a carpet once; behind that was the far less decorative staircase into the building’s basement.

  I went down first, while the sunlight was still angled in such a way that I could see. The basement had a thick door separating it from the rest of the inn, which I found was locked. I frow it and kicked the door, even going so far as to y on my back to deliver a heel-strike o the brass handle, but that only made the door shudder.

  No good.

  Still, no ghosts came through so I was in the clear.

  I decided to check the rest of the first floor, then make my . The kits were big, with a couple of stoves and a big oven off to one side. I found bins that might once have tained flour and wheat and a small pantry where I got to add another jar of hoo my colle. There were also jars of what I thought might be jam, but I wasn’t going to take the risk of falling sick with those.

  The bathrooms only got a cursnd the space behind the ter was empty save for a wooden thing that might have been a crossbow tucked where the bartender could grab it in a hurry. It really was an inn for adventurers. A sign hung above the racks of bottles, just like the oside but ier dition. This pce was called the ‘Well Inn Good’ at oime. I barked a ugh at the name and moved on.

  The only other rooms were for ste, filled with rotten linens and the moth-eaten remains of bs and suchlike. One room was a small office with a board on a wall that had little keys s sitting pretty on rows of pegs. I tossed them all into my haversack just in case before I moved on.

  The steps creaked as I made my to the sed floor. I had an idea of what to expect. Probably a row of doors on both ends of a corridor, and I artially correct. There were doors on both sides of the passageway, with a paintings hanging off the walls o nterns hanging off of hooks.

  I made a o add oo my haversack ter. There had been dles here and there and I was sure that a source of light would be handy ter.

  Each door ened after some searg for the right key and the small rooms within ied. Most were small, with a little bed and just enough room to move around in.

  Those on the opposite side were a fair bit bigger, with beds big enough for two and little dressers tucked against the walls. I checked all of them, but found nothing salvageable.

  Then I found the stairs leading to the third floor--and a ghost.

  My heart skipped a beat as I took in the lonely form of a ghost h in midair, its vat eyes looking out of one of the windows overlooking part of the town I hadn’t explored yet. I moved up very carefully, sure not to make a sound and wing at every creak from the floor.

  Half the top floor was a sort of lounge area, with chairs that looked like they had been fy ond coffee tables with deg detritus ohere were only three rooms here, eae way bigger than the rooms below.

  They seemed empty, all save one.

  The corpse was ying on the bed, legs over the side and torso stretched out. It was old, little more than bones and sinew. I wondered if it’s where the ghost came from.

  “Hello?” I tried.

  The ghost didn’t move.

  A deaf ghost, or a busy one? I held up Bonesy, ready to strike, theated. This one wasn’t trying to hurt me.

  I swallowed past my fear and reached out a hand. I touched the ghost’s sides, sending chills up my arm. The ghost turned.

  We locked eyes.

  It had a pcid, calm faot a hint of the anger I say ihers. I felt as if I was being ied before the ghost dismissed me auro staring.

  “I’m sorry for b you,” I whispered and the ghost nodded. “Um, you help me?” I asked.

  The ghost didn’t say or do anything, he just turned a staring out the window to something across the street.

  I looked around it, careful in case it suddenly moved, and tried to find what it was looking for. It wasn’t hard to find. Across the road, and just visible from where we stood between the roofs of two homes, was a dark pit in the ground. The remains of bricks around it hi the presence of a well there once. A form floated above. Dark, malevolent and creepy as all heck.

  It was a ghost, but ohat was dark and broody and probably listeo indie pop.

  A ding sounded out in the bay mind.

  Quest Updated!The Hole Down UnderAn evil root has plunged into the world.You have found the hole. Explore it. Find the root. Destroy it.

  “Aww, shucks.”

  ***

  I ed the inn from top to bottom, only avoiding the room with the friendly ghost’s body because I didn’t want to strain our retionship by stepping into his fort zone. I was nearly doh the sed floor when a ‘ding’ sounded out.

  gratutions! Through repeated as your ing skill has improved and is now eligible for rank up!Rank D is a free rank!

  I whooped and cheered. Finally!

  My skill s came up , ing front are.

  ingRank E - 100%The ability to . Your profid instincts for liness have improved! faster, better.This ability is ready to rank up. Do you wish to increase ing to Rank D?

  “Yes please!” I told the menu.

  gratutions! ing is now Rank D!

  ingRank D - 00%The ability to . You are exceptionally good at tidying up and washing off. Effectiveness of ing is greatly increased.

  “,” I said. I didn’t know how that would work out, but it seemed like a valuable skill. Maybe. Maybe I should have spent more time trying to learn how to swing a club or start fires or anything else, but this, expl and unc the story of su old pce? This felt nice.

  I moved into the room, broom and duster and dustpan and trash chest armed and ready.

  I left the room ten mier and turned around to take it all in. The furniture otless, the bed well made, the floor had just a bit of a lustre to it and the air smelled fresher. All that in uen minutes. It had passed... not in a haze, I knew what I had been doing the eime, but each step felt so natural and easy.

  A giggle escaped. My parents would have flipped if I was this good at ing just a week ago.

  ingRank D - 03%

  I frow that. Only three pert for one room where before it gave quite a bit more than that. Not quite double, but close. At ten minutes per room... a bit of mental math ter revealed that I was really bad at math. Also, math was something I could do while w. “Chop chop Broccoli, these rooms won’t themselves!” I said in a gruff voice, as if I was the owner of this inn.

  An hour or so ter I found myself tidying up the main floor, setting chairs ba pd pushing a hefty pile of dust into a pan that I was going to have to dump in the baext, the bathrooms. The stalls were enough, but I still spshed some water around and mopped them up, then I used a fresh cloth to off the little mirrors above a basin that probably once held water for hand washing.

  I stared at my refle and froze.

  I was wearing a smile as I always did, hair pulled bato a not-so- ponytail that was tied together with a cloth ribbon. What drew my attention though were the three sshes ay face. One on my right cheek, two on the left. The blood from the fotten cut had stained my face red and made me look like some sort of ghoulish madwoman. It didn’t help that my hair was frazzled and my skin needed a good wash.

  That just wouldn’t do!

  I found a fresh, less disgusting cloth in my sack, wetted it with my trusty showerhead glyph and dabbed at my face, wing as I reopehe cut a little. I rubbed and rubbed and rubbed until I khat it was , then stared.

  And then I stared some more.

  It clicked after a moment. I had super-ing powers. Of course I could my face very well. But I never expected it to away skin blemishes and pimples.

  This ged everything!

  I snorted and tossed the dirty rag aside. Not really. I would never get to show off my pretty skin if I didn’t survive the adve was time to get expl again. There were more houses to see, and a monster ghost to face, and a deep foreboding hole in the ground that apparently hid a great evil, and of course more stuff to .

  I moved over to the main room, ready to move on when aruck me. If I was going to the eown to grind my mad ing skills, it would probably be best if I kept notes. A bit of charcoal from the firepd a piece of cloth served as a very rudimentary pen and paper.

  My map was crude, but it gave me something to aim for. I was going to the eown a rid of every evil ghost around!