Casey glanced over at Nikolaus, still holding the bat with a black smear running down its length. She gave the weapon a small shake, as if trying to decide whether what had just happened had actually been real.
“I don’t suppose there’s any chance you have armor in my size, huh?” she asked, only half-joking.
“That depends…” Nikolaus replied calmly, stepping aside to allow the women to pass him and head downstairs. “You have any more of those magic torches?”
Kyrie followed Casey past him, and as she did, she caught a faint scent, something warm and earthy. Spices, maybe. Or herbs. Possibly even tobacco. It was subtle, but distinct. And significantly more pleasant than the rotten swamp smell still lingering in the hallway. She quickly looked away, not wanting to appear like she was sniffing him, but the detail stuck with her nonetheless.
Casey made a face at the phrase magic torches, but nodded. “Not as good as mine, but I’ve got a spare I could part with, I guess.”
Nikolaus allowed himself a faint smirk, then called something down to one of the men near the bottom of the stairs. The soldier nodded and hurried toward the pile of their gear near the entrance. A moment later, he returned carrying a bundled collection of leather straps, buckles, and layered pieces of worn but serviceable armor.
Nikolaus gestured toward it. “Do we have a deal then, Merchant?” he asked, the word carrying just the faintest trace of sarcasm.
Casey sighed, clearly aware of the jab but too tired, and perhaps too shaken, to argue. Once she was sure the soldier had finished checking their room, she moved to her bag and pulled out a second flashlight. She handed it over, hesitating slightly.
“I should warn you that the batteri—” She stopped herself, searching for better phrasing. “It will run out of energy from use, and I don’t know if you have a way to refill it… but here it is.”
Nikolaus accepted it with a small nod, turning it over in his hand curiously.
“Some bandits had that,” he said, nodding toward the armor. “Along with other things they picked off from travelers. But it is in good condition, and looks mostly your size. It will need adjusting if you’re going to use it long term.”
Casey gave the armor a skeptical look, then shrugged.
Before she could respond, Alicia stepped forward and wrapped her in a tight hug.
“Oh my god! You saved my life, Casey. I can’t even… what was that? Wait.” she shook her head quickly, still visibly shaken. “I don’t think I want to know.”
Casey looked slightly startled by the hug but awkwardly patted Alicia’s shoulder with her free hand.
“Hey, I can help you put that on if you want,” Alicia continued, stepping back slightly. “It’s the least I can do.”
Then Alicia turned to Kyrie, her hazel eyes still shining with leftover tears. “And you too, Kyrie! You’re crazy brave to just stand there with that monster coming in.”
Kyrie blinked, caught off guard. “Oh… no… that was all Casey,” she said quietly, shaking her head. “I don’t have any clue what I’m doing right now.”
And it was true. She’d felt frozen back there. Helpless. Watching while Casey actually did something. At least Casey could fight. Kyrie, on the other hand, wasn’t even sure what she should have done. Still, her hands trembled faintly as the reality of what they’d just faced settled in.