Chapter 12

"Another bottle, barkeep!" I waved my tin cup at the tavern keeper, then put my head back down on my arms.

"Pretty pathetic picture for the Kingdom's hero." I peeked through one bloodshot eye at Blaster, looking none the worse for nearly having his soul consumed.

"Leave me alone." I shut my eye.

"I have someone here I thought you would like to see." Since I had gotten back to town, I hadn't seen anyone. Except the barkeep.

"I'm not in right now... come back later." I murmured.

"Hiya, Gareth!" The voice made me open my eye again. It couldn't be!

"Gaku!" I sat up, quickly and nearly fell off my bench. "How? I thought you were a Zibong!"

"I was! It was awful!" The young Mage sat next to me, pouring himself some cider. "The shamans used the spirit sword to separate me from the Zibong this morning. They are really happy with us for giving them something new to play with. They have separated a lot of the Zibongs. It is weird seeing all these people walking around that we thought were dead."

"They are okay?" I asked, "Being a Zibong hasn't changed them?"

"Well, some of them are a bit quiet. None of them will talk about it at all!"

Blaster sat on the other side of us.

"We just wanted you to know that some things worked out okay, Gareth," Blaster said, "Come on, Gaku, leave him alone."

"Thank you, old friend."

I laid my head back on my arms.

"Going to sleep all day, Mortal?" I opened an eye again, then sat up quickly, as I was no longer inside the Tavern. I looked around and recognized the place. I was in my fishing spot next to the Chapel.

"Did you do this, Briar?" I asked the ever young and beautiful immortal.

"Of course, who else?" She laughed, but even that didn't cheer me.

"Isn't Summoning without permission a crime?" I asked, shading my eyes from the bright sunlight.

"Not in this case," she said, "You were in violation of a law! Was I surprised!"

"What law? I was drinking."

"No, you were trespassing, the Tavern had been closed for hours." She laughed again. Nice to see someone was in a good mood.

"Well, thanks for getting me out of trouble, Briar, I guess that makes us even."

"Even? What are you talking about, silly Mortal?"

I leaned back against a handy tree and looked up at her perfect face. "You set me up. Giving me that glove. It wasn't a guide to the Spirit sword, it was just drawing me to the matching glove that Spellblaster was wearing! Thanks for the help!"

"So, you figured that out!" She smiled at me, then touched my head.

Suddenly, I was sober.

"No! It took days to get that drunk!" I cried, "Give it back to me!"

"I don't think so, Gareth," she said, serious as only an Immortal can get. "I think I need you sober right now."

"Whatever for? I am done Questing forever," My stomach took that particular moment to remind me how long it had been since my last meal.

"Shall I summon another fish?" Briar teased.