It was a dejected group that came walking back into Cursed End. Watching them, Goliath felt a pang of guilt. Rationally he knew that it wasn’t his fault that they were subjected to this indignity, but he still felt responsible. It was him, after all, who had suggested Marbleville to them as an option.

  ‘Well?’ Grandmother Manon demanded of the group. ‘What happened?’

  ‘Such a stuck up place I had never seen. I certainly wouldn’t want to live there.’ Ranca responded haughtily.

  ‘Said they had no use for us loggers,’ Terrance added. ‘Apparently they have more than enough workers to split logs for their winter fires. As if that’s the only reason people need timber.’

  Looking personally affronted, Michael said, ‘And we don’t meet the requirements for town guards. Can you believe it? I was part of our town’s guard for years!’

  Only Samuel stayed quiet, looking thoughtful.

  In the silence that followed, the refugees looked at Ranca. She was staring at the sky, her face furrowed and her jaw working furiously as if chewing on something she had difficulty digesting. Sensing that there was more to come, Goliath waited. Well, that was until Granny Manon lost her patience.

  ‘Come on, Ranca. Stop chewing cud like an ornery goat. Spit it out.’

  Ranca glared at Granny Manon, but responded, ‘So. It would seem that Marbleville isn’t the right place for us. But we do need a place to stay. Even temporarily.’ She took a deep breath and then looked directly at Goliath. ‘May we join your village? For now. We’d be useful.’

  Goliath had barely opened his mouth before Tia responded.

  ‘Of course! I’m adding you to the settlement registry right now. It’s done!’

  He suppressed a silent sigh, smiled at their new inhabitants, and said, ‘Welcome to Cursed End!’ The way the new inhabitants flinched at those words did not go unnoticed.

  <>

  And just like that the settlement had eight new settlers. The loggers scampered off as soon as they noticed the open quest for constructing rudimentary housing. They would cover the ‘finding materials’ part of the quest. A group was also gathering around Becta, who had taken to directing the ‘Provisions’ quest. Walking past the settlers, Goliath heard snatches of a conversation between Mirabelle and Gwyn.

  ‘… puppy and we play, and cuddle and …’

  ‘That sounds wonderful, kiddo, but what is a puppy?’

  ‘You no know puppy?’ Mirabelle stared dumbstruck at Gwyn.

  Was Gwyn going to sign up for the puppy quest? he wondered. System rewards could be pretty fantastic as it sometimes involved magical manifestations. Even if it was something ordinary, it was always better than normal as his new system-rewarded room proved. He would've been tempted to pursue it himself if he hadn’t had a town to organise.

  Ranca stood by herself, a little further removed from the task groups. She was, of course, frowning. He debated on whether to go talk to her or leave it. A breeze swirled around him, whispering ‘… true leader …’. Goliath had hoped the wind spirit had moved on, but for some reason it seemed invested in his – no, Mirabelle’s, he corrected himself – settlement. Although he supposed he had just as much investment in it. Maybe even more, since he was safeguarding it for her.

  Walking over he said, ‘You look troubled, Ranca.’ He got glared at for his trouble, but after a moment she did respond.

  ‘I don’t know what to do here.’ Her mouth pulled even further into a prim line as she surveyed the budding activity around them. ‘Everyone has something to contribute to the open quests, except me. I can’t find materials or work on construction. Unless it’s labelled, I don’t know which things are edible, and Becta banned me from any kitchen long ago. And I will not run around trying to find an imaginary creature.’

  Goliath considered the problem. First off, he doubted that there was really nothing she could contribute to the quests. Even Granny Manon was purposefully hobbling out to the settlement edges. But he supposed that wasn’t the point. Ranca felt she had a speciality superfluous to their current set up. He accessed his updated list of inhabitants to take a closer look.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Inhabitants and occupations

  ‘Hmm, I see you’re listed as an administrator. I guess that’s why you’re the one who were taking the lead in your travelling group.’ It had been an off-handed comment, but the effect on her was immediately noticeable. Her pinched face relaxed (a little) and she squared her shoulders.

  ‘Yes. I was the one in charge of our town’s finances. We had a good location and I thought we might be able to develop into a trading hub. When the war started, I had almost finalised two big trade agreements. According to my projections, we would’ve been able to upgrade to city status within the next five years.’ Her expression souring again, she spat on the ground. ‘And then those cloven-hoofed-furred bunions decided to overthrow it all.’

  ‘I suppose it might be fair to call the Wolf Faction members cloven hoofed and furred, but bunions? I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.’ It wasn’t a very good joke, but Ranca still gave a bitter laugh.

  ‘Good thing they are my worst enemies. They deserve bunions on both feet for everything they’ve put our country through.’

  ‘Be that as it may, we still need to find you a purpose in our new settlement. Hang on, Tia?’ he called. Tia shimmered into existence beside them.

  ‘Yes Goliath? How may I assist you and our new settlement member?’

  ‘Ranca used to be her town’s financial administrator. I don’t suppose we have any finances yet?’

  ‘No, nothing so far.’ Tia frowned as she searched her accessible memory. ‘I do see an available spot for a resource director within the council framework from the previous town authority structure. Also, I remember the town having money but I don’t recall how much or where it was. We might have some left over in the subterranean storage —’

  ‘Subterranean storage?’Goliath choked.

  ‘Subterranean storage?’ Ranca echoed.

  ‘Yes, subterranean storage,’ Tia confirmed. ‘Although… I don’t know…’ Her image flickered as she thought. ‘I know it existed somewhere under our town, but I don’t remember exactly where or where the access points were.’ A distortion ran through her image. ‘I can’t access it, which means it’s outside the edges of our current settlement.’

  ‘Never mind that. Alan!’ Goliath called as he strode off.

  Ranca looked at Tia. ‘So, about that resource director position.’

  <>

  On the other side of the settlement stood a small group of people. They included Ana, Benji, Michael, and Tony. Gwyn was currently addressing them, with Mirabelle by her side.

  ‘… and it has four paws, and fur. It sounds remarkably like some kind of small wolf from the sounds Mirabelle imitated.’

  ‘Woof, woof.’ Mirabelle added helpfully. It did sound vaguely wolf-like.

  ‘I knew a hermit who had a wolf,’ Tony said. ‘He rescued it as a pup and they lived together in the woods.’

  ‘No,’ Ana said. ‘Mirabelle is not getting a wolf. I forbid it.’

  ‘Well, she wants a pet.’ Michael scratched his head as he thought. ‘Would a different kind of animal work, Mirabelle? How about a pony?’

  ‘Do you see any horses running around?’ Gwyn asked. ‘Our group started with an ass and that was stolen the first time bandits robbed us.’

  ‘It doesn’t have to be a pony,’ Ana said. ‘How about a bird, my little sweetheart? Or a bunny?’

  ‘No, want puppy,’ Mirabelle insisted.

  ‘If the quest says “puppy”, it has to be possible, right?’ Gwyn said, pulling up the quest again. ‘I’ve never heard of an impossible quest before.’

  Open quest: A puppy for Mirabelle

  Find a puppy for Mirabelle.

  Reward: System determined

  ‘We can ask Granny Manon to be sure, but I think you’re right,’ Ana said. ‘Benji, has she ever told you about an impossible quest?’

  ‘No, she’s never told any stories like that. Lots of stories about strange and very hard quests though.’

  ‘I’m telling you, it’s a wolf pup. It has to be,’ Tony insisted.

  ‘No.’ Ana glared at them, daring anyone to mention wolves again.

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