Page 6 of Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling

“Ha! Of course you do,” Yobani laughs. “After you get us into this mess by trying to play the hero.”

Greg gives him an epic side-eye. “In case you are not aware,”Greg says slowly and with great enjoyment, “Walona’s invisibility spell ends as soon as we attack or cast any spells of our own. I say we get out and regroup, now that we know what we’re dealing with.”

“Maybe he’s right,” Leela says, and Yobani falls back and clutches his chest like he’s wounded. “Hey! Don’t be like that,” she continues with an easy laugh. I’m happy that her phone is facedown and she’s back with us. “Gruldaito makes a good point.”

“Well, I don’t care what y’all say,” Yobani says, picking up his d20. “We’ve come too far to just scurry away now. We are getting that chalice. Ol’ big-head Slarog don’t scare me.”

I look around the table. Greg exhales loudly and shakes his head. Leela thinks about it, but then finally nods, relenting. “Fine. Let’s do it.”

“Okay. Roll for initiative,” I say. I know it’s a bad choice, but I can feel my body buzzing because this is going to be fun.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!” Yobani shouts. They all throw their d20s, and I roll for Slarog and the wyverns. Leela, Yobani, and the wyverns all get low numbers, but Greg gets a seventeen and I roll a sixteen for Slarog.

“Gruldaito, you make the first move.”

“Gruldaito lunges toward Slarog with his great sword,” Greg says, hefting both hands up like the sword is really there. He takes a deep breath and rolls. One again. The whole table groans and Greg puts his head down.

“You miss, and the invisibility spell falls away. Slarog wrenches the sword from your grip, his cruel laughter shaking the room.”

I roll for Slarog. Nineteen.

“Oh shit, oh shit...” Leela is practically vibrating in her chair.

“Slarog throws the boulders down—”

“Never should have dissed the boulders, Gruly,” Yobani laughs.

I roll four d10s for damage, and it’s bad. Real bad.

“The boulder breaks apart as it crashes into Gruldaito’s armor. He falls to the ground.” Greg looks crushed, and I almost feel bad. But also, that’s just how it goes. And I live for these battle scenes, when all of my plans fall away to chance and I have to think on my feet. “Yobani, your turn. What do you wanna do?”

“Trickery casts the vicious mockery spell!” Yobani yells, a huge smile stretched across his face.

I raise an eyebrow. “Against Slarog?”

“Nah! Against Gruly, for getting us in this mess.”

“What does that even contribute, Yo?” Leela asks, rolling her eyes.

“It’s for my amusement,” Yobani laughs. “Hey, probably Slarog’s too!”

Greg’s neck is getting red, like it always does when he’s upset. “You can’t attack me! We’re in the same dungeon party!”

“Says who?” Yobani asks. “We’re playing by Reggie’s rules! Not Gruly’s!”

“Well, then I’m going home!” Greg stands up and his chair falls back in the process. I can tell by his stricken face that he didn’t mean to do that, but then he scrunches his face up and crosses his arms, going with it. “I’m so tired of you always messing with me just because I want us to play this game accurately—”

“More like boring-ly,” Yobani interrupts. “Hey, Reggie, I changed my mind. I want to cast the sleep spell. On Gruly. And leave him behind to be Slarog’s dinner while me and Walona peace out.”

“Humans are not even part of the cloud giant’s regular diet!” Greg shouts.

“That’swhat you’re taking away from this?” Yobani throws his hands up.

“Guys! Shut up!” Leela rarely raises her voice, so when she does it gets everyone’s attention.

“You’re being a dick, Yobani,” I say, and Leela nods in agreement. Greg gets on my nerves when we’re playing too, and some shit-talking is pretty standard in our games. That’s what happens when you’ve been playing together as long as we have. But I don’t want him to feel unsafe at my table. This is the one place where I can be completely and totally myself, and I want it to be the same for my friends.

“I know, I know,” Yobani says quickly. “Sorry, Greg! Trickery just... brings it out of me. It’s the tiefling way.”

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