Chapter 17: The Monsters in the Cave, Part 4

The giant bubgear’s bellows echoed through the hills.

“GORP MORP!”

Valerie had never been more grateful for the physical conditioning Dr. Siren had put her through. The part of the wilderness the bugbears had called home was mostly hills, which meant after only a few minutes of running, everyone's legs were on fire. So far though, Valerie had managed to avoid collapsing.

Daniel had to be hauled to his feet more than once, until Arden ran out of patience, prayed for strength, and threw the boy over his shoulders. List's legs actually gave out on her as well, but she at least had insight to hang on until she reached the top of a hill, and then use her collapse to throw herself down the otherside. It wasn't dignified, and it looked like it hurt, but it kept her moving.

Valerie met her at the bottom of the hill, helping her back to her feet, and the two of them kept running.

For a fifteen foot tall behemoth with arms longer than its legs, the giant bugbear could move. It didn't run so much as push off the ground with its arms, its legs more used to stabilize itself on the landing long enough to use its arms again. As big as it was, it covered ground quickly, and its leaping stride made trivial work of some hills.

They'd stayed ahead of it so far by virtue of a headstart and Arden's pathfinding, which prioritized breaking line of sight and running uphill as little as possible. But they were running out of lead, and even Valerie and Arden couldn't run forever.

"Stubborn thing, isn't it?" List shouted.

"We're not going to make it at this rate," Valerie said.

"Just hold on!" Arden said. "We're nearly there!"

List gave him an incredulous look. It had been over an hour's hike from where they'd left their horses to the bugbear cave, and even though they were moving faster, they were nowhere near the horses yet. 

"Nearly where? Our deaths?"

As if to answer her question, the giant bugbear crested the hill behind them. Arden stopped running, and Valerie and List drew up behind him. They were all out of breath, legs on fire, and struggling to stand. But it was clear that running had bought them as much time as it was going to.

"Quite the opposite," Arden said. "

Valerie met List's questioning gaze with a shake of her head. She didn't have any better of an idea of what Arden had planned than the hellborn. But if they were done running, she only had one other idea. Her wristbow's arms snapped into position, and she took aim. Beside her, List unfurled her whip.

And then half a dozen arrows peppered the bugbear's hide. 

“Much as it pains my pride as hunter to admit, in some situations, there’s no substitute to a good old fashioned angry mob.”

A chorus of shouts rose up from behind them as the people of Shadefall arrived on the scene, some carrying bows, others swords and spears, and still more carrying whatever farming implements they had on hand that could serve in a fight. The second volley of arrows came right off the back of the second. One enthusiastic person threw a pitchfork, which didn't hit the bugbear, but Valerie appreciated the thought.

She shot a few bolts of her own, though it was more in solidarity than anything. The giant bugbear was already retreating, with over a dozen sharp objects embedded in it. The people of Shadefall gave chase, but the same things that made it dangerous pursuer also made it elusive prey. In all likelihood, the bugbear was going to get away.

After what she'd just been through, Valerie was alright with that.

---

That evening, they bought drinks and a meal at the Scaled Maiden with their own money, from their generous compensation from Samira Shen for breaking up a bugbear hovel and rescuing her son. Just as Valerie expected, the giant bugbear had gotten away. But it had also abandoned the cave they'd first found. With the rest of its pack dead and the locals hounding it, it mostly likely decided its home wasn't worth the trouble of holding it. Bugbears might be territorial, but even they knew when a cave wasn't worth the effort.

"Do we have a plan for if we ever actually have to kill that thing?" List asked.

"It did catch us by surprise this time," Valerie offered. "If we knew we were going up against it, we'd be better prepared."

"Yes, well, preparation is important, but there's something to be said for training and skill," Arden said. "If I have any say in the matter, the next time we face that creature, you'll be more than twice the hunter you are now."

He inclined his head briefly towards List. "Both of you."

List's eyes widened. "Sorry?"

"Come now, I think it's past time we stopped pretending your traveling with us is a temporary arrangement," Arden said. "You've rather neatly slotted yourself into our lives in just these past few days. Valerie could benefit from spending more time with peers her own age, and I've no qualms of taking a second apprentice. Assuming of course, you're amenable to such an arrangement."

List blinked, opened her mouth, and realized nothing was coming out. She shook her head to clear it, and shot Arden a glare. "Well, way to put me on the spot. How am I supposed to say no with her staring at me with those lonely eyes?

She gestured to Valerie, who was looking at her like a puppy daring to hope it was about to go for a walk.

"Is that a yes then?" Arden asked.

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List sighed. "When you say second apprentice . . ."

Arden's face grew serious. "Valerie and I make a career out of actively pursuing danger. Even with your talents, we can't have you continuing to accompany us without proper training, which you will need to grow those talents. I can instruct you and Valerie both, and help you grow. But I will need you to listen to that instruction, and to me, and trust my judgment. Can you do that?"

A part of List—and it was a big part—wanted to say no. She'd grown used to making her own decisions, and even in the short time she'd known him, Arden had rubbed her the wrong way more than once. But, even taking that into account, the last few days might have been the best List had had in . . . she didn't know how long. 

That was at least worth giving it a shot.

"I think I can manage that."

"Excellent," Arden said. "In that spirit, I'd appreciate knowing what sort of foundation I'm working with."

List shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you already demonstrate a degree of proficiency in combat, and an intriguing power to back it up," Arden said. "I'd like to know the extent of it. The training you have, what you can do. That sort of thing."

"Right," List said. This was it. A moment she had been quietly dreading in the back of her mind ever since agreeing to ride with Valerie and Arden to Shadefall. She’d briefly deluded herself into thinking it might just not come up. That she might never have to have this conversation.

But it was just that. A delusion. Her shoulders sagged. "I . . . don't know."

"I'm sorry?"

"What do you mean you don't know?" Valerie asked.

"I mean I don't know," List said. "I don't know how I do any of it. It just . . . comes to me when I'm fighting. Or, it used to. I've gotten enough practice with the lightshow I can make it happen on my own now, but that's just remembering how it felt in a fight."

Valerie cocked her head. List had gone quiet, and was staring down at her own tattooed arm. The girl's usual cocksure attitude had all but vanished. Now, she just looked lost. Valerie played every conversation she'd ever had with List back in her head, and a theory formed in her mind.

 "List . . . what do you know about yourself?"

The hellborn was silent for a long time as she stared into her drink and traced her fingers around the rim. She remained there, on the precipse of something, as neither Valerie nor Arden dared to press her. Finally, after taking a deep breath, she took the plunge.

"Two years ago, I woke up in the woods outside of Lochmire, surrounded by dead soldiers, and this—" she held up her tattooed arm, "glowing like it was on fire. Before that . . . nothing. Nobody else around. No history, no belongings, no name. Just this list on my arm."

Nobody said anything at first, leaving List to stew in her own self consciousness, feeling exposed. Arden's stare wasn't helping. He was keeping his face relatively neutral, but the look in his eyes was unmistakable. His interest in her had just skyrocketed, and that only made her feel more uncomfortable. For her part, Valerie didn’t know what to say, as everything she knew about List was rapidly recontextualized. Every question she’d ever asked List about herself suddenly felt cruel, even if she hadn’t known what she was doing at the time. Guilt seized her conscience, only getting worse as List continued to retreat into herself.

Valerie cleared her throat. "Well . . . at least now the name makes sense."

"Fuck you. It seemed appropriate."

"No, no, it is," Valerie said. "I just seem to remember calling that 'List' didn't sound like your real name."

"Of course it's not my real name. Do you think my parents looked at me and said, 'You know what darling, I think we should name her after that thing we make before we go shopping?'" List retorted. 

Valerie laughed, and the corner of List’s mouth twitched in a smile. Just like that, the tension smothering the table thinned out.

"Do you want to be called something else?" Valerie asked.

List shrugged. "It's done fine so far. And it's not like I've got a better idea."

Arden was still failing to disguise his overwhelming curiosity as he groped for the right thing to say to his new pupil. 

"Well, that's . . . certainly and interesting situation."

"Is it going to be a problem?" List asked. "For training or whatever?"

Arden shook his head, probably more fervently than he meant to. "Oh no. Not at all. It just means there's even more to learn."

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