Chrysalis

Enid sighed as she stretched out her aching spine. She'd been on her feet for almost two days and she just wasn't as young as she used to be. If this catastrophe had occurred twenty years ago, she'd have been in much better shape for one, and Derrion would have still been with her.

Her heart panged as she thought of her departed husband. The memory of him still ached and she tried to avoid thinking of him too often. You could only prick your finger on a thorn so many times before you learn to stop poking.

She'd thought that with the disaster that had befallen her nation, and the hectic days that had followed, she wouldn't think of him much as she'd be occupied. And she had been occupied, to an absurd degree. Enid wasn't certain that even at the height of her trading enterprise that she'd ever worked this much. Despite the lack of rest, the endless list of problems that people insisted on dropping on her table, she found herself thinking of Derrion more and more.

He would have been the perfect person to lead these people.

His slow, warm smile, his quiet strength and the short cut hair that he never bothered to take of that hung in his eyes. Even as he aged he'd never lost his affable nature, able to talk to the powerful and the poor in exactly the same way with nobody taking offense.

A legend with the sword, able to unlock a rare class after years of training and delving, he'd achieved a level of skill that Liria had perhaps not seen since its founding. In this situation, his strength, his confidence and his compassion would have seen these people through, Enid had no doubt about that.

But they didn't have Derrion Ruther, the legendary sword demon, they had Enid Ruther, the merchant, and she was doing the best she could.

Straightening up, Enid spotted a figure in dark leathers at the end of the street and quickly called out.

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"Morrelia! Are you back!"

In answer to her call a hand was raised and soon the too serious face of the mercenary came into view.

are you holding up?" Morrelia greeted the

off her face. Old she may be but she hated when the younger folk treated her as if she were made of porcelain. She'd been running trade caravans north to the Iron

she snapped, then sighed. "Sorry Morrelia, I'm a bit tired, but

leaned

am then, I'm absolutely exhausted. I swear you're made of

say is true and people get wiser as they

Morrelia chuckled.

any time. Have you seen Beyn? He was supposed to organise the next group heading

got back!" Enid protested, "aren't

had been working non-stop, all she had to do was organise people, make decisions and calm tensions. The young mercenary had been fighting with the risk of death hanging over her head as she led the inexperienced villagers into the teeth of the Dungeon. During a wave

look on

be honest,

the village from destruction of Liria had proven to be

She sighed.

and find Beyn, I think I know

village, frequently having stop as Enid shared an encouraging word with the people she came across. The smiths were still working hard, pounding the metal that had been dug up by workers three kilometres from the village and smelted at a facility they'd completed not a

Enid and other senior members to allocate a parcel of land close

had in her mind was, what exactly he was

a fair idea she knew the answer but she hadn't felt brave enough to ask

around him, Enid recognised them as the next group to head to the Dungeon. They each

his kind. Selflessness, cooperation and unrelenting, unwavering faith. With these virtues as our cornerstone we shall fear no danger, overcome