I could feel something on my skin... Something warm. Soothing. Hot. Breathing deeply, I soaked in the feeling and drifted, half asleep, for a long, long time.

Eventually, I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn't open. I couldn't really feel my hands or feet either. It was all tingles and a dull ache. I didn't mind, though. I was enjoying the soft glow on my skin and didn't want to wake up quite yet.

"Did he wake up last night?" I knew that voice, but whose was it?

"Not yet." I knew that voice, too. It warmed my heart, even though she sounded sad.

"He will!" The first voice snapped back. So feisty. "Just because half a mountain fell on him is no reason for him to give up. He's stronger than that."

"I know." She didn't sound like she knew. Who were they talking about?

"I won't have it!"

A nearby door opened, and someone drifted into my cell. There was soft breathing, a hand on my leg that squeezed gently, lovingly, then something thunked onto what sounded like wood.

"Hey, Vral, will you go get more water? I only brought one glass."

"Sure." Footsteps disappeared down the cell block's hallway.

Footsteps approached my slab. "Come on, love. Make it back to us." Cool, slender fingers pressed themselves to my head. There was a soft pulse of magic, and then my neck started to feel good. Really good. Then, something cricked, and I could feel my fingers and toes again.

"I'm... right... here... love..." My voice came out as a harsh grumble.

"A-Alex?"

My eyes fluttered open.

Tristan was standing over me, eyes wide and filling with tears. "Are you...?"

"Hi, love." I smiled, but the gesture made my head hurt. Trying to distract myself, I did my best to look around and quickly found that I wasn't in my cell anymore. I was somewhere else. Somewhere nice. The more I looked, the more my head spun, so I focused on her sapphire eyes instead. "Good morning."

Tears fell out of her eyes and onto my cheeks. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to mine. They were so soft. I could feel her sob through our connected lips.

"Hey, I grabbed a whole pitcher. You think they'll care if—" The other voice, a woman's, said as she entered the room. Something clattered to the ground, and an instant later, she was in the bed next to me, her red eyes smoldering. "You asshole!"

Tristan kissed me again. "Be nice, Vral! He just woke up!"

"No!" She glared at me. "Do you know how worried she's been about you?!"

Tristan giggled. "You've been worried, too! Every night, you've paced up and down the manor's halls, grumbling to yourself and looking all sad. Don't even pretend like you haven't!"

"Have not!" Vral put her hand on my shoulder, softer than usual. "I was just getting myself ready to give him an earful for that little stunt he pulled, is all. I've been trying to find the right words." She huffed.

"What stunt?" I tried to sit up, but man, was I sore. And tight. Everything was tight. I'd have to start training again, and soon. Why had I taken so much time off again? "Did I do something dumb?"

"Do you not remember?" The concern was clear in Vral's eyes.

"If he hadn't had that helmet on, I don't think he'd remember much of anything," Tristan added.

"Helmet?" Oh! My new helmet. The one that... did the... thing... "What happened to it? Is it okay?"

Vral snorted. "No."

Tristan sat on the bed beside me. "Khadrel sent your armor out for repairs."

"Why?" Had it gotten damaged?

"He said a true warrior should never be separated from his armor in this life, and he knew that you'd come back for it."

"I like my armor." I sighed. I could remember my old armor had been ruined. I'd gotten a new one... from... Khadrel... who was... someone... he gave me a new set. And it was awesome. I tried to visualize it, but the image was so hazy. "When'll it be done?"

"A week or two, but you won't be wearing it for much longer than that, Mr. Iron Sentinel." Tristan had her scolding face on. I missed that face. Why did I miss her face? I saw it every day.

"He'll be fine!" Vral patted my arm. "But he needs to get moving soon. If not, his muscles will shrivel up, and all he'll have left going for him is that handsome face of his."

"Absolutely not." Tristan's voice was firm. "He's on strict bed rest until I give him my stamp of approval."

"Ugh, you're no fun."

"I'm very fun."

Vral laughed. "Okay, yeah, you are. I can't even lie about it."

Tristan grinned. "I feel the same way about you."

"I'm glad..." Vral's reply was far more shy than I was used to from the fiery woman.

"And I'm just glad we've had time to get to know one another." Tristan placed a hand on my chest. "Though I'd rather it had been all three of us."

"Pssh, he would've taken up all the space. Us girls need our time apart to..." She hesitated, "... do girly things."

"We've sparred every day for a month."

"Sparring's a girly thing!" Vral's eyes got fired up. "And we need to get stronger! I'll never let this happen again to someone I—" Her eyes went wide, and her ears started turning red.

"That you...?"

"Nothing!" Vral looked away.

Tristan chuckled. "When we go to Fairview soon, I'll treat us all to a spa day or five."

"Fairview..." I remembered that place. Tristan and I were going to go there... to... to... images flooded into my mind, and I felt my cheeks go red.

When she saw my face, Tristan blushed. "We'll do that, too. For a straight month, remember?"

I did remember. "Yes, please."

"Gross." Vral's ears were bright red.

"It's healthy." Tristan's grin grew. "And natural."

"It's gross. You two are gross."

"You didn't say that when we went at it in his cell."

"You wouldn't listen! You two just pounded it out for, like, forty-five minutes! Do you have any idea how loud you were?! He was all 'oof' and 'ugh,' and you were all 'more' and 'please' and—"

"It had been a while!" Tristan giggled. "And I don't remember you speaking up, Vral."

"I did." Vral turned her chin up. "You just didn't hear it."

"You're not the only one with good ears. I heard you over there when you—"

"When are we going?" A month of relaxation, spas, and steamy sex? Fuck yeah.

Tristan's grin was infectious. "Soon. When you're better."

"I'm not well?" I didn't remember being sick. My head was so damn jumbled up.

Vral huffed, then lay back on the bed next to me. "There's time for all that later." Patting the sheets, she added, "Now, c'mon, elfie. Get in bed. Nothing soothes a strong man's soul like his lover and his friend lying beside him." She placed her head on my shoulder. "Plus, I had to sleep with a wall between us for six months. I want to try out this shoulder of his. I can already tell it'll be a lot nicer than the rock I was using in my cell."

"I think that's a wonderful idea." Tristan lay down beside me and nestled into my other shoulder. Reaching across my belly, she grabbed one of Vral's hands. "And you're a little more than a friend, Vral, to him and me. Our roots are growing together. Can't you feel it?"

The goblin squeaked. "We're just friends!" Despite her words, she didn't try to pull her hand away.

"Mhmm." Tristan hummed as she kissed my cheek. "We'll figure it all out later, when the mighty Hero of the Pit has gotten some more rest."

I didn't know what they were talking about. Not one bit. All I knew was that my favorite people were lying next to me, and it felt good. Wrapping my arms around both, I said, "Let's get a little more sleep. I'm really tired today." Closing my eyes, I exhaled and listened to their breathing slow as we all drifted off.

***

It took another month, but I finally got my memories back. Even the bad ones. But that was okay. Even if it had been a struggle, I'd grown so much through those struggles. I wouldn't trade them away. Not a single one of them.

I'd learned that Vral and Tristan had spent all their time together after I'd gotten hurt, even sleeping in the same room and bathing together. After being separated from others for months, Vral didn't want to be alone, and Tristan needed the company, too. She'd been wracked with guilt over what happened to me, and the company helped her. After a month, they were fast friends, ones who bickered and squabbled as much as they laughed and played, but friends all the same.

However, after I woke up, they moved into my room, and we all slept in the same bed. The girls never left my side from that point on, helping me with my daily tasks and nursing me back to health. It was incredibly bonding. Those nights were some of the best in my life so far.

I'd also learned that, after the Pit's final fight, Elise had cleaned out most of the Dregs and arrested dozens of nobles for their crimes. It turned out that, once she started digging, she found more and more corruption, to the point that she knew she had to act. It only took someone telling her to be better for her to start, and she'd been doing a great job. Against her father's wishes, she decided to take Galden as her seat of power, transitioning from Elise d'Ranthir to Count Elise d'Galden.

Likewise, after a public and lengthy investigation, Khadrel was cleared of all charges regarding the death of Sophia's brother, and his title was returned to him. However, rather than ruling over Galden, he'd been given the title to the Dregs immediately after it was renamed back to its original dwarven name, Khozad'Thar. Thus, "the Count," a prisoner of the Pit, became Count Khadrel d'Khozad'Thar, where he was gifted Elise's manor as his seat of power. And that's where we'd been staying.

Khadrel said he'd give all of us room and board any time we were in the city, and he'd also given me a special room to heal in. It had a small tunnel carved into the ceiling that led to a mirror far up on the surface. That mirror reflected light from the Tower down through a series of mirrors and into the room. He said the light helped healing and wanted me to have it, so I'd unknowingly been living in luxury while I was in a coma.

Shortly after his return to power, the pair commissioned the construction of a lift to connect Khozad'Thar with Galden. Construction had already begun and was slated to be completed within six months. In the meantime, the co-rulers had hired adventurers to escort the citizens to and from the city above as a public service until the lift was completed. While expensive, Elise often said that she'd rather use her considerable resources to help her people, since that's what her cousin Sophia would have done.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

In time, when I was well enough, Tristan finally gave me her stamp of approval, and I was allowed to get out of bed. That's when I learned how messed up I'd actually been. Walking was hard at first. My balance had been ruined from what I'd later learned was a partially crushed skull, fractured spine, and dozens of other broken bones, so progress was slow. Apparently, even [Unbreakable] had its limits. I guessed that made me the mostly unbreakable man, or maybe the almost unbreakable man, but I'd take it. With Tristan's healing, I was back on my feet in no time.

The first time I'd made it to the dining hall, I got applause from everyone. All of the Templars had stayed to help the counts clean up the city. Kalnari had been knighted and given the job of knight captain of Khozad'Thar, while Davik became Elise's consort, much to her father's disapproval. Marcus, Fina, and Elena had likewise been knighted and joined Khadrel's staff, as had Lize. Apparently, she loved performing the guard work and wanted to do more. In fact, she liked it so much and was so good at it that Khadrel made her the guard captain of Khozad'Thar.

Oh!

And Nivan and Nel got married. It turned out they'd been waiting for me to wake up before doing the ceremony. When they learned I had, they scheduled it right away and invited everyone. It was beautiful, and I quickly saw that they seemed so happy together.

Spending time with everyone truly felt like spending time with one big happy family.

Slowly, though, most of the Templars returned to Light's Hope, wishing us well as they did and saying that we had a quest we needed to do. Ro and Na-Ya said they'd see us soon, to not forget to come home from time to time, and wished us the best on our next adventure. Renard said he'd return to see his brother soon, but he had duties that were calling to him. The brothers shook hands, and I could tell Renard was feeling more than he let on. Even his stony face couldn't hide everything. Ennel and Silan had left for Llyn, where the former was going to meet with his father. Piece by piece, our little family broke off from one another.

After Lady Varga blessed the new city, the Templars left early one morning. Then, only Jorn and Maven remained: Jorn because he met a ravishing red-haired beauty up in Galden he wanted to see more of, and Maven because Claws's mechanical wing still needed adjusting until he fully got used to it. Thus, we quickly found ourselves establishing a new normal.

When the three of us arrived in the dining hall one morning, I wasn't surprised to see Khadrel and Elise sitting side by side over a stack of documents, Amira and Kalnari standing behind them, armed and armored. Davik was by Elise's side, looking bored, and across the table, Jorn was grinning ear-to-ear while Maven was oiling Claws's wing. At the end of the table, Lize was wolfing down food, clearly late for her shift. That was something I'd learned about her these past weeks: The woman was always running late for everything.

When we entered, she stood, mumbled, "Morning, Alex," through a mouthful of food, and rushed out of the room.

"Hey! Alex, come sit with us!" Davik called out.

"Yes, please do," Elise added.

"Is this about work?" I asked. "Because I'm hungry and still have brain damage." Thinking was still difficult at times. Tristan said I'd probably need another month before I was back to normal. Apparently, it had taken hours to dig me out of the tunnel collapse, so the injuries had settled in by the time they got me out. As I'd learned when I first arrived in Reial, the longer the injuries sat, the longer they took to heal.

"No, no work, lad. Just conversation." Khadrel was smiling brighter than I'd ever seen him smile. He seemed far happier, now. That defeated man I'd known in the Pit was long gone.

Vral stepped in front of me and crossed her arms. "If any of you make him work, you and I will have a long, hard talk. Got it?" Vral had become my guard dog. If people wanted me, they had to go through her.

Elise chuckled. "Yes, of course, Vral."

Tristan looped her arm through mine. "Come on. Let's eat."

I let her pull me to the table, where she sat me next to Davik.

"Morning, buddy." The man said with a big smile. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like the dead." I'd been sleeping more heavily than I'd ever slept lately.

"Glad to hear it." He leaned closer. "I haven't slept much. Not that I'm complaining or anything, but I can't say I'm not a little envious."

That made me laugh. "So, things are going well, then?" I glanced at Elise, who was back to working with Khadrel.

He grinned. "Very."

"How'd that happen, anyway?"

Laughing, he said, "When he was training me, Khadrel threw me into her. After that, it was love at first sight."

Khadrel had his methods, it seemed. "No problems with her dad?"

His smile faded, and he leaned closer. "Thing is, Elise hasn't been speaking to him."

"Why?"

"After she sent out her edict, he modified it in a way she doesn't quite understand."

"Which was?"

"He requested that all freed indentured servants and slaves go to Highcliff to be recompensed and relocated."

"That sounds like a good thing. Is that bad?"

Davik shook his head. "No idea. She thinks it may be. There's no reason to have people walk to Highcliff when the duchy could easily send out emissaries to repay the people and help them get reestablished. She's trying to figure out why that didn't happen."

Elise cleared her throat. "You heard Vral, dear. No work this morning. I don't think we want to see what'll happen if her boundaries get crossed this morning."

Davik laughed and leaned away. "Sorry."

She reached out and took his hand. "Don't be."

Jorn leaned over the table. "Hey, I got some news, too."

"Yeah?" I thought I knew where this was going.

"Yeah!" He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. "I bagged an eleven. Most beautiful woman I've ever seen!"

That made me chuckle. Poor guy. "Curly red hair? Tall? All curves? Looks too young for you, but doesn't act it?"

His eyes narrowed. "How'd you know?"

Just then, Greta walked into the room, looking very satisfied, but also more tired than I remembered her looking last time we saw her. "Hello, loves!"

Tristan shot out of her chair. "Greta?!" She started shaking, and not out of fear. Her eyes were smoldering.

Taking the quarter-elf in, Greta said, "You've certainly developed finely, Tristan." Nodding at me, she added, "You're a lucky man." Scanning the table, her eyes settled on Vral. "And, if my intuition is correct, which it usually is, I believe you're the second of three."

"Vral," I offered.

Recognition entered the witch's eyes. "The Slasher, huh?" Greta looked Vral over. "She's pretty. Like a wild cat ready to pounce."

Vral leaned into me. "Who is this bitch?"

"Greta. The Witch."

"Who?"

"The Hero's companion."

"Don't know her." Vral sized Greta up. "But I think I could take her."

I shook my head. "Let's not try."

"Why..." Tristan choked out. "Why didn't you..."

"Give me a moment, dear. I'm hungry." Greta kissed Jorn before sitting down next to him.

"How do you all know one another?" Jorn asked.

Elise, her face pale and tight, cleared her throat. "It's a long story."

Khadrel, who looked equally uncomfortable, shook his head. "We've met once or twice."

Greta wolfed down a sticky bun, swallowed, then said, "Delicious."

My mind was spinning, and old resentment began boiling in my chest. "You could have helped us, you know?"

The witch smiled. "Help you? Who's to say you weren't exactly where you were supposed to be?" Her eyes sparkled, and for a second, I swear I could see stars in them. "From where I'm sitting, you've benefitted greatly from your experiences of late."

Vral scoffed. "Yeah, we really needed to be chained up and tortured by a crazy bitch. That's what everyone needs."

"Greta..." Tristan's voice was heavy. "Do you have any idea how much he's gone through since..." Her fists balled tight.

I reached out and grabbed her wrist. Pulling her back into her chair, I said, "I won't say I disagree with you. I've gotten far, far stronger. If this world needs me to be strong, then this was the easiest and fastest way to get me there. But couldn't you have at least warned me? You see the future, don't you?"

Greta shook her head. "No. I don't."

The fuck? "Explain like I'm five."

"It's not like that." She pointed to her eyes. "I see connections. Possibilities. Not futures."

"What does that mean?"

She grabbed the salt and pepper shakers. "Take these." She shook both. "Salt and pepper are connected, right? In purpose and in concept."

"Sure."

"Good. So, if they stay on this table but are separated, eventually, someone will come by and place them back together. They belong together."

"Okay?"

"But what happens if one falls and breaks?" She held the salt shaker off the table and dropped it. It shattered.

"They're no longer connected."

"Yes!" She waved her hand, and the salt shaker reappeared in her hand exactly as it had been before she dropped it. "Barring being broken, and perhaps even after being broken, they remain connected." She placed them back on the table side by side. "It's massively simplified, but that's what I see. Reial is the table, and, based on their starting places and actions, people are the salt and pepper, and fate, the gods, nature, magic—those are the hands that bring them together when the time is right."

"So am I the salt or the pepper?" Vral asked.

Tristan didn't look convinced. "I don't care about any of that. Why didn't you help us? Why do you allow so much suffering?!"

Khadrel cleared his throat. "She's not allowed to do anything about it."

We all looked at him. I spoke first. "What do you mean?"

He looked at Greta. "As a binding agreement after the Scion's War, the Hero and her companions were forbidden from interfering with the sovereignty of the kingdoms. Unless there's a clear threat involving the Dark Lord or powerful monsters that the kingdoms or adventurers can't handle, they aren't permitted to act of their own volition. Hell, they're not even allowed into most of the kingdoms; although, with Greta here beside us this morning, I'd say she isn't following that rule very closely."

Greta smirked. "I've never been very good at following the rules." She clapped her hands, and a scroll appeared in her palm. "My darling little Elise, I have something I think you'd like to see." Handing the scroll over to the noblewoman, the witch picked up another pastry and shoved it into her mouth.

Opening the scroll, Elise scanned the page. Khadrel followed, reading over her shoulder. As they read, their faces darkened. "Thank you, Greta," Elise said as she rolled the scroll back up.

"Of course," the witch mumbled through a mouthful of pastry.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing." Elise handed the scroll to Amira. "Bring this to my study, please."

"Of course, my lady." Amira turned and disappeared.

"Shouldn't we know what's happening?" I hated not knowing.

Elise shook her head. "It's a private matter."

"Don't you two..." Greta looked at Vral, "Excuse me. Don't you three already have something you need to do?"

That was something I had actually forgotten. "The alchemist?"

"Indeed."

"That's right!" Tristan said.

"The who?" Vral's brows were scrunched up.

"It's our quest. That's how we started all of this." That felt like a century ago.

"Oh. Well, when do we start? I'm down to take on a job."

"Not yet, though. Alex isn't quite ready."

I flexed my arm at her. "I'm fighting fit." I did my best not to show her how dizzy turning too fast made me.

"Next week," Tristan said, her voice firm and eyes saying that she knew what I was hiding.

"Fine." Looking at Greta, I asked, "So, you can't see the future, but you can see connections. Is there anything you can tell us now that could help us?"

She smiled. "After the war between those barons broke out, I can say with confidence that he left Galden for a time. Luckily, I'm also confident that he has recently returned. I can see his thread leading into the city above."

Nodding, I asked, "Do you know where he is?"

"Unfortunately, no. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

"Why?"

"Because then you wouldn't be in the right places at the right times if I did."

Just then, the double doors leading into the second of three great halls opened, and Marcus and Fina entered the dining room carrying a large chest. Behind them, Elena was holding a scroll. Elena handed the scroll to Elise, and the other two placed the chest beside Khadrel. Standing, he picked up the box and put it on the table. "Speaking of timing, lad, feast your eyes." Lifting the lid, he revealed what was inside.

My armor glinted in the glowstone light, looking better than it had when he'd first given it to me.

I whistled. "Wow."

Vral stood up. "I can't wait to see you in that again."

"Me neither," Tristan said, her voice breathy. She took my hand in hers.

"Thank you, Count. Truly." I couldn't wait to put it on again.

Khadrel beamed. "Think nothing of it. You earned it on account of everything you did for us. Without you, we'd be done for."

"The Sentinel earned Kalnari's respect," The Orc shouted behind him.

"Agreed," Davik said. "I'd follow you anywhere."

I held my hands up. I thought I was beginning to understand what Greta was saying. "It took all of us working together, being in the right places at the right times, to make it happen." I pointed at Khadrel. "You trained me. Helped me. In doing so, I met Elise." I pointed to her next. "You and I talked, and everything changed because of that talk." I looked at Tristan. "We met Ennel together. Through him, you met Elise, which led you to me." I put my hand on Vral's shoulder. "We met you once outside of the Galden mines, then you and are were side by side in cells. Without you, Aerell would have escaped, and, without our big fight, Elise's plan wouldn't have worked." I nodded to Kalnari. "And without you, I'd be dead. You're the reason the others made it into the cell block. Everyone had their part to play."

Greta nodded. "You understand."

"Yeah. I think so." I stood tall. "And I'll carry that understanding forward." Looking at Vral and Tristan, I said, "Girls, we've got an alchemist to find."

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