A Friend Who's Dressed in Leather

“...Well, this ain’t good.”

“Not gonna lie, Hanabi. This ain’t good at all.”

“I hate not bein’ able to see. It’s all darkness and noise.”

“And the air. It’s all so-”

“Dead? Dead but crawlin’.”

“Yeah. Like the last great fart left in the gut o’ a floater or somethin’ equally vile. I don’t think this place has 
had even a whisper o’ fresh air this entire Age.”

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“...Do you think we’re gonna make it out?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. Most o’ us have been dead once or twice. But we ain’t ever been lost before.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Sorry?”

“Death. I haven’t uh, died before.”

“I don’t remember the first time all too well. But that second time? With the lava? Yeah I don’t recommend it. But you don’t feel a thin’ once you hit the Line o’ the Dead. Except loss I suppose.”

“I’m scared. I’m not… I’m not good enough for this!”

“Don’t say that-”

“No. It’s easy to rely on a swift blade in the back when all you’re up against is some high-falootin’ Aberdeenian cryin’ about his lost tiara. But… I hit one o’ those gugs square in its ugly face and I think maybe it coughed a little?”

“I didn’t ask you to join us for ability to shoot thins, Hanabi. That was well, that was my job at the time.”

“And thins have changed since then. If we get out o’ this alive, I’m going to train. Hard. I’ll ask Jaq or someone how to properly use a bow. This lovely piece of claptrap I got right now is some kind o’ drunk noble- pretty, slow and more useful when traded away for gold.”

“Good. Plans. Plans are what I like to hear. We can bust outta this mess alive with plans.”

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“Also, Pezzack…

“Shades.”

“Why do you always insist on- nevermind. I just wanted you to know. In case I… don’t make it out, permanently. Declarin’ your faith to a god whilst you’re still alive feels a lot like revealin’ your hand way too early in the game but… I want to follow Thyr. Or Bofred. Whichever one is alive enough to be grantin’ you your magic. It ain't every day that any god, alive or dead, pays attention to a bird.”

“Thyr, Bofred and I have an agreement- we’ll all do whatever we can to bring the greatest good to the greatest number o’ people out there. Right now that mostly means givin’ Orcus and his fan club hell to pay.”

“Then I’ll serve that.”