The sound of fire filled the night.

  I watched in shock as the building burned, the flames gleefully devouring everything they touched.

  Yet I stood rooted to the spot, my eyes frozen on the patch of wall that had long since burned away.

  Why? Why was that symbol here?

  “Beeg,” I heard a voice cough beside me.

  I started, turning to see Karla, her shawl wrapped over her shoulders.

  “Karla? What are you — “

  Then it hit me. I knew where I was.

  “No,” I whispered.

  Karla smiled sadly. “Everything dear to me, gone like that.”

  Yet she didn’t sound angry, or even hurt.

  Just resigned.

  I stood awkwardly, unsure what to say. Sorry just seemed so… hollow.

  We watched as the fire brigade fought desperately to keep the flames from spreading.

  The heat was blistering, yet I remained where I was.

  If I couldn’t stop it, I could at least bear witness.

  Karla and I both stood together.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Beeg,” Karla spoke up as a main support beam collapsed.

  I turned, raising an eyebrow. The first time we had met, I was helping the AP team steal from her.

  “You know, no one showed as much enthusiasm for my wares as you did,” she continued. “Not the goblin-folk, looking for trinkets, nor the kobolds hunting for treasure.”

  “And you showed such excitement over dust mops,” she barked a laugh. “It meant a lot, seeing my things valued.”

  I listened, knowing instinctively she just wanted an ear.

  Her shop finally lost the fight and collapsed in on itself. The onlookers screamed while the fire brigade shouted orders.

  Yet we two continued to stand together.

  “I lived above that shop, too,” she continued, as if discussing the weather.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  I felt my breath hitch.

  “I’ll get you a room at the place where I stay,” I blurted.

  She looked at me and smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes.

  “I have a place with my sister,” she said, reaching out to pat my arm with her paw.

  “You make a terrible Warlock, you know,” she smiled.

  “Too kind. Much too kind.”

  She adjusted her shawl and turned to resume watching her life burn.

  “I thank you for it nonetheless.”

  “Why would anyone do this?” I whispered.

  Karla barked. A harsh, grating sound.

  “There is a price for choosing a side, Beeg. There is always a price.”

  She huffed.

  “But this won’t stop me.”

  She clenched her paws.

  “There is also a price for having done this as well,” she whispered, almost to herself.

  I watched the fire burn, and thought the fire in her eyes raged brighter.

  ____

  The night felt cold. Colder than before.

  The fire had died to embers. The brigade had left.

  The onlookers, too, were gone.

  Only Karla and I remained, watching the embers spiral lazily towards the stars.

  “I never really liked that shop, you know,” Karla coughed conversationally. “Always wanted to be an adventurer. Guess it just wasn’t in the cards for me.”

  I shrugged.

  “I never wanted to be a one-eyed, one-legged Warlock, yet here I am. Maybe your adventure starts now.”

  I found I meant it, too. Meant it fiercely as I stared into the fire-red remains.

  Karla threw her head back and barked.

  “Aye, maybe it is indeed.”

  She huffed, breathed deeply, and exhaled loudly.

  “Welp. That is over.”

  She turned to look at me.

  “Thanks for staying with me.”

  I nodded.

  “Can I interest you in something to eat, or perhaps just a drink?”

  I don’t really know why I said it… but it just seemed better than a simple “sorry”.

  She let out an odd yip that sounded like she was choking.

  I realized belatedly that she was holding back tears.

  “Maybe… Maybe not tonight, Beeg,” she said, squaring her shoulders.

  I realized then that she was strong.

  But sometimes strength needs a moment of weakness before it can keep going.

  I nodded.

  “Would you like company on your way to your sister’s?”

  She stared at me a moment.

  “That… That I could do,” she whispered.

  I nodded and waited, following when she led.

  ____

  We walked in silence, the runed-cobblestones dull after the inferno of the fire.

  Karla sniffled beside me every now and then.

  I kept my face forward, and she didn’t speak.

  We continued on, my leg sharp against the stone.

  When we finally turned down a side street, I was surprised to realize I’d never noticed it before.

  It barely qualified as a street.

  More like an alley.

  “Thank you for the company,” she spoke up, not a hint of a tear in her voice.

  I nodded.

  “I meant what I said about the food, you know. The offer still stands.”

  Karla chuckled. “And I will take you up on it, you can be sure. My sister is just down the road — this is far enough.”

  I turned to look at her.

  She was bruised, her fur singed and dirty. I hadn’t realized most of her shawl was torn away.

  I wanted to help. I don’t know why, but I did.

  I also knew by the look in her eye she could never accept it.

  Even if she needed it.

  I nodded again, this time in respect.

  She reached up and patted my cheek.

  “Don’t you worry, I’ll be by once Vaarg is back. We have business to discuss,” she smiled.

  With that, she turned and left, not looking back.

  I stood and watched until she faded into the dark.

  ____

  I made it back to my room and stood in the doorway.

  The book rested on its stand, the moonlight from the window spilling across its cover.

  I regarded it for a moment, half in the doorway and half out.

  I clenched my jaw.

  I could think of a few things I wanted to bring Order to.

  When I removed my cloak, the smell of fire and ash billowed across the room.