Shiba looked to the guild master as he gave the next order and it was for him to team up with the other rouge in their party and do hit and runs. He gave a nod to the fellow rouge and waited till she attacked first once she gave him the signal he charged forward and he did his best to stay in the heralds blind spot ands he slashed his katana against the heralds back but he kept moving signaling for her to go again

---

The puny adventurers were nothing but a pack of mongrels before the Herald's eyes. Before it moved, first it had to get the Paladin off of its legs; who was holding on like some petty insect attempting to resist a hurricane wind. The Herald punched the Paladin several times in the face, against his helmet before weakening him enough to peel him off and throw him away. But the Paladin held on well and it took a surprisingly long time for the Herald to move on to his next act. Next he went for the Mage with the Staff. His little tricks of healing the other humans was greatly offending the Herald. Pushing the armored Trainer and Marauder out of the way with mighty arms, Fenrir's Herald closed the distance like a gust of wind. With a Feral Strike, he slashed at the Mage. But what came after as retaliation from rest of the players proved fatal for the great lycan. His passive healing ability didn't go off in time and he was forced into submission of death by the combined magical and physical attacks.

The Fenrir's Herald, and The Hill's Sorrow dungeon by extension, had been defeated.

---

Summary

- Reylan's 2 shots dealt 80 damage. 1 arrow missed.
- Alisea's Fire Strike dealt 100 damage. Fenrir's Herald is pushed back very little, Icicle Shot dealt 200 damage.
- Aster's Triple Strike dealt 150 damage.
- Lehariel's Finger Lightning dealt 50 damage. Flash of Light has no effect on Fenrir's Herald. Luminous dealt 25 damage.
- Paralyze's 2 strikes dealt 140 damage. 1 strike to the heart crit-strike for 100 damage. 2 strikes missed.
- Polak's strike dealt 90 damage.
- Dubstepp's 5 darts dealt 150 damage. 2 missed. Totoro dealt 25 damage.
- Chari's 5 normal attacks dealt 160 damage. 2 shurikens dealt 40 damage. 2 shurikens missed.
- Solace's 4 normal attack dealt 110 damage.

---

- Dirk takes 450 damage from Fenrir's Herald's punches. Additional 80 from being thrown off.
- Polak takes 40 damage from Fenrir's Herald's push.
- Paralyze takes 65 damage from Fenrir's Herald's push.
- Karma take 380 damage from Fenrir's Herald's attack. Take additional 260 for Feral Strike. (Feral Strike deals additional damage due to "Hate (Magic)" passive)

A minute after Fenrir's Herald falls and shatters into a thousands shards of light, a flash of bright light appears. The moment the flash ends, you see a pile of chests and items appear in the middle of the Boss Room. Some of you may be set back for a second; the realism of Talrae made you forget for a moment that it was still a game. Chests of items appearing out of nowhere in flashes of light should be a common sight in these types of games... no matter though. You go through them... it's a lot. You guess that you may be receiving some bonus since your party was the first to clear this very dungeon. You find the following:

- 17 Mithril coins
- 31 Gold coins
- 52 Silver coins
- 69 Copper coins
- 251 Nickle coins
- 12 Gems (Common)
- 16 Crystals (Common)
- 30 Wolf Pelt (Common)
- 20 Wolf Pelt (Uncommon)
- 15 Wolf Pelt (Rare)
- 16 Fabric (Rare)
- 9 Red Potion
- 1 Blue Potion
- 2 Green Potion
- 4 Yellow Potion
- 2 Purple Potion
- 3 Potion of Resilience
- 1 Potion of Might
- 1 Metal Totem
- 1 Lycan Pup
- 3 Jewelry
- 2 Hatchets
- 1 Shovel
- 1 Pick Axe
- 4 Clothes (Common)

All items automatically belong to Reylan as per the game system rules. Even though there are non-Guild members who participated in the fight, the majority of the players belong to the "Legion of the Wolf" Guild, therefore all items by default are sent to the Guildmaster.
You are all automatically teleported to outside of the dungeon, where you all first started. Upon exiting the dungeon, everyone also receives the following:

- 3000 EXP
- +1 Level for first clear bonus

---

Private messages:

---

Well... it's over finally. It was a long, difficult day. But a proud one. You found new friends, met and defeated some monsters, got some cash... overall it could be described as satisfying. A gust of warm breeze tickles your nose as you notice the sun is setting over Genesis. It is beautiful, most satisfying conclusion to a great challenge.
But the day is not over. First you will need to figure out who will receive which portion of the items. Then you will need to figure out how to get all the items back into town... it is no short walk and the combination of physical exhaustion and heavy item load wouldn't make it any easier. You all turn to Reylan for what comes next.

---

- Reylan's Jaque's Bow will require repair or replacement soon.
- Aster's Katana will require repair or replacement soon.
- Alisea's Cloth Armor will require repair or replacement soon.
- Paralyze's Leather Armor will require repair or replacement soon.
- EVERYONE's Cheap clothes and Cheap Shoes (starting clothes and shoes) will require replacement. They cannot be repaired.

Heath: 585/800
Mana: 100/800




________________________________________________________________________________________________________


His eyes widened as he realized who the Herald was going after next "Karma! Get out of the-!" The leader desperately tried to alert their one and only healer but it proved pointless with the boss's raw speed. Reylan switched out his bow for his rapier and ran towards Karma ready to defend him as he stood in front. No one else was going to die, not while he still drew breath. Luckily the force of the entire party slammed down upon Fenrir's Herald, the health bar dropping all the way to zero might be one of the greatest things Reylan has ever seen. The boss's body shattered and what replaced it was a pile of chests.

A rush of mixed emotions flooded his mind, forcing him to drop to his knees simply looking at the rewards of their victory. He was happy and filled with pride that they had beaten a dungeon boss together, but at the same time two of the party nearly died. There was no way he was going to forget what Alisea did, but for now he would try to celebrate this moment with the guild and the new friends they made today. Pulling together his confidence, he stood up and approached the chests to open them. The loot that resided inside was nearly enough to make him choke, there was so much. All that loot, went directly to him as per the rules of the game. Everyone here had done their best to take down the boss, so he was going to give everyone their fair share the best he could. But first, he needed to say something.

He stood before everyone, taking a deep breath "There is not a person here that is not beat up or exhausted, but we're alive. We're alive because we worked together and did not hold back. It does not matter what this game throws at us, this is proof that we can overcome it. Talrae is our world now, and we will not be afraid." He finished strongly and now with everyone's attention on him, he could hand out the loot better. Everyone got the same amount of Renn and all the excess went towards the Guidl's Funds. For the items, he assigned them based on who he believed could use them best "The rest of the renn will go towards the Guild's funds. If someone needs the wolf pelts for crafting, just ask me for them." He hoped that the distribution of loot would be at least favorable to most of them "So Lehariel, I think we could use someone with your great talents. How would you like to join the Legion of the Wolf? I can promise you more daring battles like this one." He offered the newcomer. It was true that she might be a little eccentric but her actions in this fight proved that she would be a good addition to the team.

Regardless of her answer, Reylan was left to dwell on his thoughts. He could not help but feel like he was starting to become an outsider in the group. Everyone seemed so ready to engross themselves in this world but he was left with too much to worry about. Every part of him knew that he should be ecstatic that he led his guild to victory but he couldn't shake the feeling he got when Alisea nearly died, and later on Karma's near brush with death as well. The former still fueled anger in his heart, something he was going to try and figure out on the walk home.

____________________________________________
[@everyone] look at the OOC Page to see what loot you received

A menace had been slain - for the Fenrir Herald underwent all the punishment it could take and more. Lehariel knew that it wasn't an easy battle, for the others, at least, for some of them had suffered quite heavy hits from the opposing side. Lehariel herself didn't face too much danger, other than one decently powerful hit that struck her and a few others. It was a good fight, though - that much was certain. The Fenrir Herald wasn't a pushover, and Lehariel could only hope that the battles would get tougher the further they went into the world.

But, what really made the battle worth it was the goods. 'To the victors go the spoils', one might say. All sorts of treasure was to be claimed from the defeated Fenrir Herald, from items to something in particular that caught Lehariel's eye. An absolute load of money - how fortunate for Lehariel, for she was broke yet again!

Everyone was assigned their items. Lehariel received some clothes and a red potion - good, but they were overshadowed by the coins she'd received. The young mage began to count up the coins...

'20 nickels, 5 coppers, 4 silvers... 2 golden coins?! Holy crap...! Money, my one true love! That's so good! Imagine all the spells I could get with these! Lehariel thought to herself with a grin. But there was yet another coin she didn't notice. One that looked unlike any coin she'd ever seen. 'H-hold on... this is a Mithril Coin! Those are like, worth a thousand, aren't they...? This is so so good! I'm practically rich! Call me Rich Uncle Pennybags, because I'm, well, rich! You might even call me a rich bit- nah, I'm just gonna leave that thought there.'

But the news didn't just stop there. Lehariel was fairly sure she'd leveled up, too...! And that, truly, was always something she'd welcome. It'd help her magic become even stronger. Not only that, but the man she'd identified as leader of the group approached her, with a question.

It was an offer. An offer to join 'The Legion of the Wolf'.

Lehariel's hunch was that this was a guild, their guild... and it was certainly an interesting question. It'd be advantageous for her to join up with a guild eventually. While she'd like to think that she could take on most enemies alone, that wasn't exactly true, at least, not yet. However, her mind was made up on this choice.

"... Looks like you recognize my incredible power!" Lehariel grinned. "I don't see any reason not to, so I'll lend some of that power to your crew. So, from this day forth, you'll have the eventual master of the elements, Lehariel Leet in your ranks!"

Lehariel continued. "Your quest's gonna be a breeze from here on...! Whatever your quest is." Lehariel added, pointing out a finger as if she were lecturing. "It better have a fair bit of fighting in it, though, alright? I'll take people, I'll take monsters. Me, my axe, and my spells'll take on all comers!"

And with that, Lehariel's mind lapsed into something else. That something else was, of course, related to fighting in some way. 'Ooh... I've got a new idea for a combo. I'll stick my axe in something, jump above it, then Nether Push it into the ground! Or, what if I launch a monster into the air with my axe, then Nether Push it away in my Shadow Breaker combo? I'll try that next time...! It'll look pretty dang snazzy.'

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unfortunately for Karma the beast happened to turn his direction the second he releases the healing wave that healed to his teammates, hopefully, his teammates will be able to keep the boss off his back right...? Well as it turns out...No. The beast's ability to reason was a lot better than Karma originally thought. Before he knew it the boss decided to try to get the last laugh by zooming in on him, at that moment Karma was paralyzed by his indecision on rather he should guard or run. He had time to do either for his inability to decided earned him a rather nasty claw attack that sent him flying and screaming backward while meanwhile taking off more than half his Health.

Now on his back karma then started crawling back away from the monster in fear, thankfully Chari, Solace in the others manage to finish the boss off before the boss could do any more harm to Karma or so he thought. As Karma watched the boss deal he sudden felted another pain before he suddenly lost another chunk of health. In which Karma panicked begin to panic. "Wait the boss is dead why am i still taking damage?!!" Karma screamed out at the group before he quickly tried to turn the end his staff toward himself only he had trouble doing it cause of his shaking fingers, but eventually, he was able to do it. "Healing Beam!"

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After the dungeon, Karma used his Restore Vitality at least fourth times to make sure everyone was healed up before they sent off, still clearly shaken cause of what happened during that boss battle, and yet he tried to keep it to himself rather than talk about it. Karma would try not to talk to anyone for the rest of the way back into he is either addressed or spoken to.

---

With a grasp that was iron tight and holding on for dear life, Theo made sure not to release the monstrosity's legs - even after it smacked his head several times. Each hit, however, weakened his grasp - until with the resonating sound of fur smacking against metal, he was thrown off. Immediately, the beast ran forwards, and attacked the person that Theo wanted him to attack the least. Karma's health rapidly began to disappear, black flooding to replace the red of his health bar - The bosses final cries of pain were almost muted against Theo's ears as he ran towards the healer.

Thanks to his poor mobility, by the time he got to Karma, he had already healed himself, the treasure was collected, and the dungeon was gone.

The thrill of winning the boss fight was bitter sweet - They had succeeded, but two people had nearly died. And that was no one's fault but his own. He had nearly killed two innocent, human beings... The funny thing was, in the old world, he probably wouldn't have cared too much. But these people were his friends... and Theo wasn't strong enough to protect them.

But Dirk was.

---

Upon getting healed and having the loot distributed, the newcomer in the group was welcomed officially - Lehariel joined the guild. While she was of use, Theo questioned how she would interact with the rest of the party. But of course, the first order of business was being friendly - Dirk was always kind to others, unless they were villainous adversaries! His voice choked slightly from exhaustion, but Theo spoke out.

"I... It's a pleasure to have you on the team! The assistance is well appreciated! Know that I, Dirk Davidson, protect the innocent - especially those that are a part of the Legion of the Wolf!"

As he spoke, he posed in order to show that his character - after all, this girl seemed very interesting, and he wanted her to know Dirk and his beliefs well. Finishing, he began to allocate his stats - once more, he threw many points into his health and acting. However, noticing the slowness of his actions in combat, he chose to surprisingly raise his agility - The rest of his points were thrown into mana in order to use his soon-to-be acquired spells.

---

Aster thankfully managed to bring the group back to town with some special item, and Theo was incredibly thankful for it. His muscles were tired, especially from that last, desperate grapple. He noticed Karma's silence, but did not speak. The man must have hated Theo, and the feeling ate at him horribly. It was his fault that Karma took any damage at all - if he had only held on a little tighter, or had only a little more mana... He could have saved him from taking so much damage. Theo felt his throat tighten, only now noticing his thirst and hunger. He was going to need to buy some rations and a water skin.

Silently opening his menu, Theo sent out a single private message towards Alisea.

"I'd like to talk with you later tonight, if you don't mind."

Shiba couldn't believe that they could have done it, they beat the boss! Shiba couldn't help the rush he felt in defeating such a powerful foe even if he did it with his guild that only made it feel even better. He knew he made the right choice following them and joining them in the dungeon. He finally found a group that was willing to work together and fights this world. He didn't want to admit it but he was quickly starting to like being here after all if he didn't he wouldn't be able to have found these guys. He would fight to the bitter end like the heroes of old! Once everyone had gathered after seeing the loot the boss dropped he grinned from ear to ear, his character as a rouge couldn't help but want to grab all the coins and throw them into the air in cheer but he resisted the urge as the guild master handed everyone out their shares and Shiba was able to get two potions one was red and the other was yellow he knew that they were meant to enhance his abilities which were useful but he also got another set of cloths but they were common so no big thrill their.

He also noticed that they were really down for the count, after such a hard fight who could blame them after all. He then raised his fist up high and cheered "To the legion of the wolf!!! We are badasses and can do anything! HAHAHA!" Shiba said in adrenaline-fueled thrill at the fact they all lived through this. Even if he was meant to be sneaky and shifty Shiba still wanted to party when it was called for after a great battle. Once he raised his hand up he panted a bit and landed on his back relaxing for a brief moment and asked "If it weren't for the fact we just fought here I could take a long nap on this grass" He said with a laugh knowing that once he got out of here he would deal with his attribute points and buy some more expensive gear.

And then, the fighting was over. It hadn't taken long, no more than a few minutes, but god, it had felt like more. Aster felt her hands shaking on the katana's hilt, and sheathed it carefully, feeling it rattle a bit in the scabbard as she did. They'd done it. Somehow, they'd killed their first boss, without losing even one of their members. If that wasn't enough, there were signs that even more members might be joining soon. All was well, wasn't it?

Somehow, Aster felt unfulfilled. They'd slain a boss, which was in itself incredible, and yet... in doing so, they were that much closer to leaving... leaving this world where she was... whole. It was necessary, she knew that, particularly if she wanted to keep her new friends alive, but damn if it wasn't bitter as much as it was sweet.

With a sigh, Aster sheathed her now-damaged katana and withdrew the magically-imbued dagger gifted to her by the admin, Kadeen's Dagger. That in itself was a bit odd, that the admin would give his supposed opponents aid, but perhaps he had faith in the game he ran, that no matter what he gave the players, they would still eventually fail.

With a shaking voice, she called out over the conversations, "Umm, hey, everyone? I can take us all back to town, if you'd gather around. It's one of my items, if you don't mind coming over here." As the other players gathered, Aster took a breath, then plunged the slim blade into the earth, where it shimmered, then sent a ring of light outwards, encompassing everyone and dropping them back into town.

"I don't know about everyone else, but I'm heading back to the inn. I'm really tired, honestly. If anyone wants to meet in the morning, I'd love to grab breakfast." With that, she started back to the de facto base of operations, as smoothly as she could manage.

You emerge from Genesis City's Portal Gate, thanks to "Kadeen's Dagger of Teleportation" Aster used. There are a few people around who look at you funny. Curiously, NPCs don't seem to bat an eye. The sun has all but disappeared from the horizon, only streaks of dark blue haze in the sky are left as remnants of daylight. You look around and see that open-air market is starting to close up, with merchants and shopkeepers ready to count their earnings for the day and retire to their homes. On the contrary, restaurants, bars and inn are kicking up their businesses as many guests, both NPCs and players, seek their hospitality.

River made his way towards the bar of the Inn , his cloak billowing as each step strode him closer to the barstools that lined the counter. A bright Cheshire smile could be seen plastered across his face as the moderately tall ginger approached his friend of a NPC the Innkeeper. ”Hans! You’ll never believe what happened today!” Rivers eyes sparkled like a child entrapped in wonderment, pure innocence and hope radiating from the pair of jade stone that were his eyes.

Xenos picked his head up off the bar as his spontaneous teammate started jabbering. His head still throbbed horrible and laid the Renn on the table as he took a sip of whatever had been slid his way. He frowned a little but continued to nurse it. What today could possible demand such excitement.

“Wait no, can I tell the Inn pleeease? It’ll be great I promise!” before Hans could protest the young adventurer quickly stood on top of his stool exclaiming “Ladies and Gentlemen may I have your attention pleeeeease! I have the most spectacular story for you today! The tale of The Amazing Pepper against the Ferocious Boar!”

“Ferocious boar?” Xenos muttered to himself and then narrowed his eyes at the other. When in God's name did they encounter... Xenos groaned and let his head fall back onto the table. “This is what I get for partying up with randos.' He smiled despite himself.

He ensured to carry his voice for all to hear, eagerness dripping from each word as he spoke and began to reenact the tale ” So there I was out in the fields of Talrae gathering some flowers for our lovely florist when a pair of beady red eyes lurked in the dark of the bushes behind me.” River pretended to shiver as if in terror “ Unaware of the danger I continued to gather them when all of a sudden the sound of pounding drums could be heard…it was none other than the Boar! His hooves pounding away at the ground beneath him as he charged his way towards me, I barely had time to react as I turned around to see the largest boar I’ve encountered to date!”

“On a completely unrelated note, the man's study involves a whole whopping one boar.” Xenos said, chuckling. “Just in case anyone was interested in the numbers.”

“But wait what’s that in the sky? Is it an angel?” He began to place his hand above his eyes as if scanning the ceiling “No it’s The Amazing Pepper!” as if on cue Pepper swoops atop the audience and behind River “ She swooped in from the sky sensing I was in danger and sunk her claws deep into the boar causing it to buck onto it’s back two legs and squeal. This gave me enough time to stand on my own two and fight.”

“If anyone is curious about the glaring hole in his story, yes he did scream several decibels higher than he speaks – yes, the true marvel of this tale- and yes he did crash to the ground bolting from this runt of a creature, tripping over his own two feet.” Xenos stuck his tongue out at River.

“I pulled out my whip ready to strike the foul beast when all of a sudden-" The story was cut short as a group of adventurers wandered in looking rougher than usual. River had seen one of them before as he helped the bar from a potential robbery . ”You!” He pointed straight at Dirk in a complete change of tone giving off a very serious aura, and then it faltered into a joyous smile “You look like you’re the one in need of help today, alrighty Pepper let’s give that group a bit of your blessing!” River let out a small chuckle as he cracked his whip signaling Pepper to go. She flew straight towards the group and began to encircle them from above as a rain of green particle effects fell from the beating of her wings, Pepper chirping the entire time. River hopped off the stool as he approached the group extending his hand Names River, let me know if you’d like some more healing cuz I can scrounge up a bit more-" His stomach began to growl fiercely as he let out an embarrassed chuckle cheeks turning red ”Wouldn’t mind a hot meal though if you cared to pay, hehe, only had scavenged food up to this point."

“Wouldn't have to beg if you hadn't spent it all in one plaaaace!” Xenos stated in a smug sing song tone. He examined the group River waylaid. Exhausted but elated they seemed. Motivated to do more. And more importantly... A easy smile slid over his face as he looked each one over languidly. More importantly, easy on the eyes. Perhaps... His head throbbed painfully again. He turned back around in his seat and took a sip of his drink, eyes closed. Once he got this headache to fade, he'd work on approaching them. He needed people after all but he needed this throbbing to go away before he made his move.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

Chari had completely forgotten the rest of the world in their battle with Fenrir's Herald, and now he was defeated she was suddenly reminded of it all. She briefly looked from person to person around her, no one had been lost in this battle it would seem. A bright smile filled her face as the chest appeared before them to reward their hard fought victory. This feeling in her chest and limbs was delightful, despite a soreness taking over she felt incredible. This is exactly what she had wanted from the start, what her previous parties didn't provide. Raw thrills and adventure. Those here were not afraid to take a risk and delve into the dungeons, for that alone she settled on joining them.

Reylan's speech did an extra flair to the feeling of victory, a bit sappy for her tastes though. She approached him after his interaction with Lahariel and locked her fingers behind her head "Looks like there is quite a bit of fun to be had here, guess I'll stick around. Being in this guild should be exciting." She mentioned before heading off to join Aster in her magic circle, she sure as hell didn't want to walk all the way back to Genesis City.

Once back, she smiled at the swords-woman a bit amazed "Thanks for the lift Aster, you kicked some serious ass back there!" Their interaction from the night before completely slipping her mind. Even though the night life was kicking off, she didn't have the desire to go off in new bars to party. Instead, she was set on celebrating a bit back at the inn with a few hard drinks, having a warm bath, and then going to bed for some much needed beauty sleep.

She had only stepped in through the door when the strange looking bird-thing hovered over them, her eyes watching it fly around before switching over to its master. Chari was amused at the sounds of hunger that came from him after that eccentric display, this game attracted all kinds of people. A small laugh left her lips as she past right by him, patting him on the shoulder "You're a funny guy. Thanks though." Before she headed over to the bar with a sense of purpose filling her eyes. Sitting down on a stool, next to Xenos, she spoke after getting the barkeeper's attention "Three beers and a shot of the hardest stuff ya got." She ordered confidently, placing the appropriate Renn on the table for him to take.

The first beer arrived shortly and without hesitation she downed half of its contents in one go, letting out a soft gasp of delight as she placed it back down "Just what a girl needs after a good fight." She said idly to herself, with any luck some of the others from the party would join her.

Xenos startled as someone plopped down into the stool next to him. He glanced over, swirling what little remained of his drink. His eyes wandered over her, taking in red hair and pale skin and, most importantly, how quickly she gulped down alcohol. An easy smile made its way across his face and he tossed back his drink. He set the glass on the table and turned to the stranger next to him, leaning on the bar.

“Well gorgeous, is it hot in here or is it just you?” He winked before waving down the barkeep. “Keep me on pace with Wonder Woman here please. If ever there was a sign to keep drinking, this angel here is definitely it!” He chuckled and slid his Renn across the table, snatching up the first beer as it came his way and took a long gulp with a satisfied sigh before grimacing as his shoulder protested the sudden movement.

“River's a riot though huh? Found him outside the city, eating berries and stuff. Had been avoiding the city like the plague after a bunch of groups tried to force him to join. Healer panic and all that.” He gestured towards the hyper Trainer. He grimaced again, rolling his shoulder to ease out the soreness. Who thought programming the pain of manual labor a good idea. They should have only kept pain simulators for combat. Gathering ore was going to be unpleasant moving forward. Honestly, people played games to escape... Well, that answered that question then.

“Aaaaaaanyways, you mentioned a good fight. Come in from the fields or did you try one of your hand at one of the dungeons?” He asked.

The end of the fight had left Reylan mentally and physically exhausted, but even so he could not forget the image of Alisea’s health bar slowly fading away. She had done something so reckless and nearly gotten herself killed...simply thinking about it was enough to upset him. There were many reasons why he was angry with her, some of which he didn’t quite understand. What should have been a joyous occasion at their victory was mired by this incident. He did his best to appear happy to the rest of the guild, and he was, but he wouldn’t feel better until he spoke to Alisea. He donned his calmest look, and approached her with a serious expression. “Alisea, can we talk?” he asked, a hint of irritation in his voice.

The magess, who had been thanking Aster for sparing them the ordeal of a return journey, turned to face the guildmaster. Truthfully, she was expecting this sometime. It was a sign of how great a man Reylan was that he wanted to pull her aside to have this chat privately, and doing so while the others stepped into the inn was a good time. “Right,” Alisea answered with a nod. She wished Aster a goodnight, letting her roommate know she would follow soon, then stayed with Reylan as everyone else went in. He led them around the corner into the mouth of the alley. Now alone, she waited to see what he had to say.

His nails dug into his right hand as it clenched tightly as a way to mitigate the small rage inside him. “We may have won today but you...you nearly died!” He had tried to say it differently, but ended up getting straight to the point. No longer did he shield his emotion, a mixture of worry and anger filled his silver eyes “How could you be so foolish! Do you have some kind of death wish?!?” The truth was he had been scared, frightened that he had just lost her in that moment.

Alisea frowned. Her brow creased in consternation. ”Do you honestly think I would?” she demanded, the hurt apparent in her voice. ”If anything, I would turn that question back on you! Do you not want to be alive?” She kept her voice low, between only the two of them, but her words were edged with heat. Alisea knew she had done something dangerous. She knew Reylan had only been worried for her. She knew; but she would not accept being called the fool. Especially not for this.

He was not sure what to think, Alisea’s brush with death had been the consequence of her own actions. A perplexed look filled his features as she asked her own question. That confusion shifted into a fiery expression ”Of course I want to live! I just don’t have the luxury of being reckless! My concern extends beyond myself!” His words came off sharp, a quality he wished they did not carry.

”Well maybe you should-!” Alisea clamped her jaw shut, biting her own tongue before any more could come out. In an odd way, the pain was refreshing--a small reminder of the drive that had carried her through that dungeon. ”...be concerned...for more.” Somehow she ground the words out between her teeth. It was obvious she was forcing it--that there was something else not being said--but the accusation had dropped from her voice. ”Reylan, I… am sorry. But please, not right now.”

More, she said? Reylan was putting every ounce of his energy into trying to be the kind of leader that would lead everyone to the end alive. It hurt to hear such words come from her, but it frustrated him greater that there was more she left unsaid. He stood silent for a moment before sighing “Fine, but when?” Two fingers pinched the center of his forehead “I won’t be able to relax until I know you’re not going to put yourself in so much danger..” This time, concern seeped into his firm speech.

Alisea managed to smile at that idea--a small, sad, but amused smile. As if there was a place in Talrae sheltered from danger. ”Tomorrow morning, after breakfast,” she answered softly. ”I have no time to try something reckless before then, right?” she added, trying to lighten the air. The meager jest was inadequate, and she felt it.

Reylan, having vented his frustration, had slowly calmed down. The angry shell shattered leaving the worry inside exposed. In perhaps a spur of the moment, he moved closer and hugged Alisea. “I just don’t want to lose you, or anyone to this death game.” His voice trembled, the hug ending with the last word. It was not that he had been truly angry, it was that in that instance when her health bar dropped quickly he had been terrified he lost her.

The sudden embrace took Alisea by surprise, but she accepted it. Her arms wrapped around his torso in return, and for a moment she remained surrounded by his embrace. ’So warm…’ ”You will never lose me. I promise.”

Alisea wished Reylan a goodnight, promising again she would see him bright and early. She turned and hurried away, trying to not let him see her face. She couldn’t tell what expression she was making, but it most definitely was not one of her customary smiles.

The magess gratefully washed the grime of a dungeon from her body. Climbing the inn’s stairs after, Alisea tried to force her mind to calm. Thoughts of what she might say tomorrow swirled about. Each time she tried to cast it away. Her words to Reylan had been sincere; this was not the time. Exhausted, hungry, stressed--these were all conditions that only clouded judgment and led to more problems. For now she needed only to sleep.

Aster was already in bed. Alisea didn’t even wait for the door to finish closing behind her before she began stripping off her own gear. When she slid under the covers, their chill gripped at her skin. She slid closer to the center, seeking to the spots Aster’s body had already begun to warm. As the bed began to heat, Reylan’s words echoed in her mind.

”I don’t want to lose you, or anyone to this death game.”

On impulse, Alisea reached out and wrapped her arms around Aster. She pulled herself close, holding her gently but firmly. The swordswoman’s warmth flooded over her, reassuring her. ’I feel the same, Reylan. Stay safe. Aster, too…’ Sleep rapidly overtook the young woman.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

After he watched Alisea disappear inside the inn, he remained outside for a moment longer. He stood alone on the dimly lit streets of Genesis City, the weight in his chest lifting as his eyes watered. You keep that promise, and I'll keep mine.... A soft smile creased his lips as he looked up to the stars that slowly revealed themselves in night sky, standing at the Inn's door, and it grew a little bigger before he slipped inside.

He donned the friendly expression and smile he always wore for others as he entered, the inn was certainly lively enough as it was. The person called 'River' immediately grabbed his attention as he made a quite a scene. Karma had already healed him mostly to full but he appreciated the gesture done by the trainer, so the least he could do was follow along. It also happened that he was in a much better mood surprisingly "Thanks for the help, River. I guess you're hungry huh?" he chuckled at the sound he heard. Reylan walked up to him, taking a few renn from his inventory, and shook his hand. Two copper and 5 nickel was left in his hand as Reylan pulled his back "There's 15 renn, you should really watch your money better." His voice was friendly, they had just come back from a succesful dungeon run so he could spare the money.

The guild-master slipped past him to sit down at his usual table and order his usual meal, something familiar was all he needed right now. Tomorrow there much to take care of. Talking with Alisea, voting in the new guild members, figuring out their next course of action, getting in touch with the info broker guilds, and shopping for new equipment and skills. It astounded how fast their guild was growing, in time it would get difficult trying to get to know all the members.

As he waited for his meal, he thought of Alisea and by extension Aster. Reylan cared about all the guild members but those two...he felt a stronger connection to them. It was true that he had spent more time with them than anyone else really but he couldn't shake this strange feeling he had. A part of him felt like he had known them for longer.

Summary: Paralyze did nothing and decided to walk back to town.

It had been a long day for Lehariel Leet, to say the least. She'd traveled through a dungeon, fought off a powerful being known only as the Fenrir's Herald and its cronies, along with joining a guild - 'The Legion of the Wolf', if she recalled. But now, Lehariel found herself in Genesis City - thanks to the abilities of one of Lehariel's new guildmates. Yet, the day wasn't over, for Lehariel had business to attend to - in fact, a fair bit of business to attend to.

The young mage had split off from her guildmates - she was on their team now, but that didn't mean she was going to superglue herself to them, of course... though getting to know them certainly was something Lehariel was interested in. However, Lehariel's motive for heading off solo was to find a friend of hers. This friend of hers was one of the first people she'd met in the world of Talrae... and was none other than the Mage teacher, who Lehariel had dubbed 'Teach'. Lehariel didn't know their real name, but could only guess at what it was. It had to be something mystical, no doubt.

Through Lehariel's adventures, she often found herself heading back to Teach to tell tales of her exploits. And today was going to be another one of those days - quite a lot had happened, after all.

'I need to pay Teach a visit... I bet she'll be proud of what I did! I beat that Fenrir's Herald, after all... I reckon she'll be bloody impressed. I wonder what she'll think of my new guildmates, too.' Lehariel pondered to herself, as she hastily headed down the streets of Genesis City, giving passing glances to various vendors - who were in the process of closing up. 'Dammit... don't look at any of that stuff, Lehariel! This is my magic money! If I've got any leftover coins, then I'll use them on a new axe, then armour, then whatever's left. It's probably smart if I stock up, because... it's probably gonna get tougher from here on. But when the going gets tough... the tough get tough. Or at least, I think that's how that saying goes.'

The path to the Mage teacher wasn't exactly quick, but that gave Lehariel a lot of time to think, as she trekked over to pay her teacher a visit. What arose to Lehariel's mind first was her new teammates in the dangerous world of Talrae. The Legion of the Wolf. Lehariel hadn't had the chance to speak to many of them, but they seemed like some pretty interesting characters, to put it one way. Though... Lehariel couldn't help but wonder how they were dealing with the whole 'die in the game, die in real life' thing. They didn't give up, or hide like cowards. They banded together, and that was something she could respect.

'The journey they're embarking on... it's perilous as hell! Some of them have nearly died, but still they press on, against overwhelming odds! That's what I can respect... and I'm excited to see where this goes. I just hope they're happy to have me, though... I really hope I made a good first impression...'

And with that, Lehariel continued following her path. The path that led her to the Mage teacher, who she had a fair bit of business with.

---

"Whew, finally made it!" Lehariel spoke to nobody in particular, having arrived at the market - where she often found her Mage teacher. Yet, a worrying and previously unforeseen conundrum arose in Lehariel's mind. Chances were... her teacher had packed up for now! A truly disastrous turn of events! Gazing out through the market, Lehariel's eyes searched for the familiar visage of her teacher, yet... woe befell the young mage, for her search was fruitless. Her teacher had seemingly packed up. "B-bloody hell... I came all the way out here for nothing. And here I was, wanting to have a little chat to Teach. That's kinda a letdown..."

To put it one way, Lehariel was crestfallen. She had so many spells she wanted to learn! She especially wanted to control the fires and the flames, the frost and the frigid! But without her teacher, that was a mere dream. A dream that would only become accessible the very next day, yet Lehariel Leet simply couldn't wait that long.

Lehariel's eyes once again darted about, this time about the whole area. She checked the nearby streets for the Mage teacher, but it was all for naught... the Mage teacher eluded her. It was likely that Teach had already headed back home. With a sigh, Lehariel began to head back to the inn, where a few of her new comrades were currently residing, as far as she knew. Her magic search... had been a bust. The slightest sliver of hope remained as Lehariel walked off, though, for she walked slow and constantly peered over her shoulder...

"Well, well. If it isn't the young witch herself, Lehariel Leet. How fared your trek into The Hill's Sorrow?" A calm, feminine voice suddenly called out. It was a voice that Lehariel had grown familiar with, the voice of none other than 'Teach' herself. Lehariel had grown to hold her in high regard - she'd never seen a mage as powerful as Teach.

Lehariel, though, took issue to something Teach said. "Witch? Quit trying to press my buttons, Teach! You know I hate being called witch! Call me a Battlemage...! Even though I'm technically still a Mage. Heck, just call me Mage, at the very least." Lehariel began to answer Teach's question, a grin on her face. "Anyways, it went well! I was solo for most of it, but I ran into this group of people fighting some werewolf called... Fenrir's Herald. Long story short, we kicked the shi- stuffing out of it, I joined their guild and now I've got money!"

Teach looked at Lehariel for a brief moment, with a curious expression, though she wore a smile.

"Changed your mind, Lehariel? I recall you voicing your disdain for traveling in groups, young lady. Why the sudden change?" Teach inquired, as she adjusted her hair slightly and checking a watch on her wrist. "Ah, I do have time to chat. Convenient."

Lehariel shrugged. "I... no special reason, I guess. I helped them out, and then the leader was all like 'hey, you wanna join The Legion of the Wolf?'?. I mean... I can't really say no there, and anyway, it seemed fun enough. Can't travel solo forever, hey? So I may as well start somewhere. And... I kind of get the feeling they're aiming for the same thing as me. To beat that demon guy - so they can escape this world. I'm trying to do that, but just because I want to see how far I can go!"

It wasn't often that Lehariel saw Teach looking confused, but it was certainly one of those moments. The very mention of 'escape this world' caused her to raise an eyebrow in confusion, as she laid eyes on Lehariel, an expectant yet curious look on her face. It was this that reminded Lehariel... she was well and truly in a game, though it felt like life. And some of the people she was talking to, Teach included, were mere programs, no matter how real they felt.

And it was this very moment that brought a concern to Lehariel's mind. She enjoyed Teach's company quite a bit - she was fun to talk to, and pretty wise. Teach was one of the first few people Lehariel had met in the world of Talrae, and where she learnt her spells from. But, Teach wasn't an actual person, as real as she seemed. So... what would happen, when they defeat the one behind all of this, the one behind the 'trapping people in a game' business? Lehariel couldn't help but wonder what would happen to the people who weren't players, NPCs.

'Would the game... shut down?' She wondered. 'They'd have to shut this thing down... the guy behind this is putting people in danger, right? They wouldn't let that just continue... surely. But then, what would happen to people like Teach?'

Lehariel looked at the ground, deep in thought.

'... We'll cross that bridge when we get to it! That's how the old saying goes... no use worrying myself about this. Yet...'

"... Are you zoning out, Lehariel?" Teach questioned, with a smile. "What's up with you all of a sudden? With this talk of being escaping from this world?"

Lehariel looked at Teach for a second, then immediately opened her palm, and placed it below her face, as if she were imitating a dramatic pose. Then, she brought a finger to her eye. "That - that was my alter-ego possessing me! My shadow, if you will - the source of my great power! You'll have to forgive me - my other self believes this world to be a prison, and wishes to escape it! Yet, the great Lehariel Leet won't let that personality escape even the very vessel it tries to command - my own body!"

Teach chuckled. "Well, in that case - we can only hope that your 'alternate personality' keeps itself out of trouble, then." Teach continued, seguing into a question. "Tell me, though, Lehariel... is something bothering you?"

Lehariel didn't know what to say. At least for a moment. There was something bothering her - the whole NPC situation she was considering. However, she chose to redirect this comment into something else, something one might expect out of Lehariel Leet.

"Yeah, something's bothering me! You ain't getting your bloody spells out and teaching me all kinds of cool magic stuff!" Lehariel pointed to Teach, out of the blue. "I'm gonna be the strongest mage of them all, mark my bloody words! As your student, Teach, I'll go far... I'll surpass even you, someday! I'll reach the final floor, and defeat the guy who lives there! That's my creed!"

Teach laughed lightly once more. "I can't say I'm surprised, Lehariel. You did want to learn every spell you possibly could, didn't you? Well... I don't have much time, so I'll teach you a few spells, quickly."

Lehariel cheered. "That's what I like to hear! Now, Teach... can you pleaaase make these lessons free? You shouldn't charge me - I'm your student, and knowledge should be free! You'd cement yourself as the best teacher ever!"

"In that case, I'm afraid I cannot be 'the best teacher ever'. Just like any old student, I expect you to pay up." These words cut like a knife into Lehariel's skin. How could Teach do this?! How utterly inconceivable!

"Grr... I won't forget this, Teach." Lehariel jokingly growled. "Real talk, though, let's get onto the spell business! I need to be in tip-top shape for whatever comes my way when I'm traveling with the Legion of the Wolf!"

And with that, the teacher taught the student various low-level spells. Though, they didn't have much time, leaving Lehariel to only learn a few of the spells she wanted. However, Lehariel promised to pay a visit very soon - she still had various disciplines to begin dipping into - Earth, Water, and Air still awaited her, along with Mind... and she hoped to change that.

---

Purchases:
Lehariel purchased - Fire Burst (1). -50 Renn
Lehariel purchased - Frostbite (1). -50 Renn
Lehariel now has - 1257 Renn.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

A half smirk appeared on the side of her face facing away from Xenos, it was such a terrible pick-up line that she couldn't help but stifle a laugh. Of course he didn't just stop there, at least he was committed she thought. Finally she turned to look at him, she was feeling good after beating the dungeon and no one else was here to drink with her "Tell me, are your lips normally this loose or is is just the alcohol?" She asked coyly before taking another sip of her drink. The grin on her face after she set the drink down indicated she was simply teasing.

His immediate switch from flirts to another topic of conversation was enough to convince her that he far from a stiff personality "It's cute in a way, like an energetic little kid with their new puppy." She shrugged in reference to River. Though with people who were his age it tended to go from cute to annoying rather quickly over time.

Chari eyed up the shot as it came to her and after swirling the contents in the glass for a moment, lifted it to her lips taking it all in. A delightful, burning sensation consumed her throat as it the shot hit hard and fast causing her muscles to tense briefly "Try?" she laughed "My party just beat a dungeon's boss. It was amazing! I rode on the back of this giant white wolf before I took it down, talk about one hell of a thrill!" She was only 18 but she could handle her alcohol like a pro. She felt herself unwind as it really settled in "How about you? I hope you're more than just a looker." She smirked taking a sip of her beer this time.

---

As they appeared in the portal, Theo felt relieved to see that the night sky was present - he may have felt embarrassed about going to sleep during the daytime. The group trudged their way to the inn, with Paralyze clearly missing from the group. This mildly disturbed Theo, but considering the marauder's health and savagery in battle, he could handle himself if he wished to walk back to the city. By the time they made it to the inn they had spent almost the entirety of their nights at in this world, three members had also disappeared; Alisea and Reylan began to talk outside of the inn, and Lehariel simply vanished - considering how new she was, Theo hadn't had a close eye on her. Considering everyone was already in the city, however, there was no need to worry - no one could die in a safe zone.

The bar, as usual, was crowded and bustling, but contained the warmth and comfort that Theo (and the entire group, more than likely) Craved after such a hard encounter. Of course, this peace was not kept for long.

”You!”

The found himself at the end of an accusing finger, belonging to a blond man holding a small, furry creature. Before Theo could ask anything of the man, he began to speak again.

“You look like you’re the one in need of help today, alrighty Pepper let’s give that group a bit of your blessing!”

A calming aura surrounded Theo, and he slowly felt his wounds close - nothing comparable to Karma's healing, but extremely generous considering the two didn't even know each others names. The man continued to speak, eventually asking for a free meal - of course, he was searching for a handout. Perhaps he was simply too scared to go hunting on his own, and too lazy to find a job - tried using generosity to live off of others meals. Theo quickly dismissed the thought - Dir was a hero who always helped anyone with anything they asked!

...But Reylan had already beaten him to the punch, handing he man a few Renn and moving to his own chair at a table. Meanwhile, Chari was consuming a large quantity of alcohol, nearly eliciting a groan of disgust from Theo. He had drank once in his life, and the experience was awful - not only that, but the way she was throwing away Renn, especially at such early levels, harmed him personally. Theo couldn't care too much though - some people used that to calm down, and the group definitely needed to relax for the next few days. Theo planned on asking Karma to heal his Health and replenish his mana in order to avoid paying for the recovery services or waiting for days, but after his near death experience, Theo decided now wasn't the right time to ask Karma for anything.

Especially since his near death experience was explicitly Theo's fault.

---

Sitting with Reylan, Theo ordered the same meal he had eaten every single day he had been in this world - The Shepard's pie. It was tasty, and cheap, so there was no reason not to order it. Thoughts drifted towards the past - his old life. Theo's mother had always hated how he only ate a few things and nothing else. According to her, it "wasn't healthy for a boy to eat one type of food for a month." Theo didn't see the issue - she was simply exaggerating things. He had a balanced diet - for god's sake, he was becoming a Doctor! It wasn't like he was a picky eater. Theo's life had always just been a little plain. Uninteresting. Bland.

That was why he even created Dirk. To add a bit of flavor to his normal, quiet life. Crafting a persona to live vicariously through in private was better than changing yourself and creating risk. Theo hated gambles almost as much as he hated drinking...

Theo eventually shoved these thoughts aside. He shouldn't remember the old world - he should focus on his survival in the current one. Theo quickly unequipped his armor in the menu, switching to his common clothes - far more comfortable attire, now that he was in a safe location. Drinking his water and eating the same meal he had the past few nights, Theo chose to engage in conversation with Reylan.

"It's pretty amazing, you know. The fact that none of us died."

Theo quickly glanced at his private messages - Alisea had not responded, and it slowly made him more pissed. She risked more than her own life - she risked everybody's. Te least she could do was explain her damn reasoning.

Calming his voice, Theo spoke again, even more seriously.

"I don't mean to sound cynical, especially since I'm the 'happy-go-lucky' and optimistic guy, but I was prepared for a death. Maybe even two. One of them probably being me."

Taking another bite of his meal, Theo added an afterthought to this statement.

"Of course, I'm glad we survived. I just wanted to let you know that I'm not in a rush to go to the next dungeon - we should take our time and prepare. Maybe gather everyone and form some strategies - lessen your burden during combat."

Theo finished his meal, and listened to Reylan's response. Conversing for a bit, Theo eventually left the table, readopting his loud and brash tone of voice,

"But geez, sorry for getting all dark on ya! If you don't mind doing me one last favor, meet up with me at Town hall around Noon tomorrow. Have a good night!"

As he climbed the stairs to the room he was renting that night, Theo sent another private message, this time to Karma.

"Sorry for what happened to you - It's all my fault that you nearly died. Don't worry though-"

"It won't happen again."

"If you can, please come to Town Hall tomorrow around Noon. I have something I need to show you."

The message was sent, and Theo's heart beat intensely as he thought of what he was going to do tomorrow - Not in excitement, but in anxiety and grief.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Embarrassment flooded through River as his stomach growled. Rarely did he allow thoughts to process before they left his mouth and this time was no different. He has accidentally just pandered for a meal after attempting to do a gesture of kindness and it didn't sit too well with him, though a hot meal from the inn would be ideal and the generosity of this group would truly show through if even one person offered to help him in such times. A crimson haired girl began to walk towards him as River let off a brilliant smile full of warmth eager to accept her help so that he may have a chance to try one of the inns delicacies. "You're a funny guy. Thanks though." she spoke as she placed her hand on his shoulder giving a pat, almost as if treating a child who has just shown a great deal of ignorance. An arrow shot through Rivers heart as the help he believed she was about to give became nothing more than a small acknowledgement in passing. "Yeah no problem!" he chuckled out at the fellow ginger Heh...though i'm not doing it for the meal it sure would be a nice help...oh well next time i can buy i meal for sure! No sooner did the thought cross his mind than when a silver haired man approached him Could this be what people mean by silver fox's?

"Thanks for the help, River. I guess you're hungry huh?" the man chuckled at the sound emanating from Rivers stomach. Reylan walked up to him and shook his hand and to much of River's surprise Two copper and 5 nickel were left in his hand as the man pulled his back "There's 15 renn, you should really watch your money better." His voice was friendly much like his eyes and demeanor, though there appeared to be some sort of maternal feeling from him. Rivers eye's beamed with delight as his smile grew back towards his almost childlike wonderment as this stranger gave him enough renn to feast. "Thanks so much mister! Wow a warm meal, i wonder what to get? i wonder if it tastes as good as ingredients? So many options what to do what to do?" River shook Reylans hand vigorously thanking the man before he departed for a table. His companion followed suit though it did not appear for long and many of the others had seemed to split off in their respective directions whether to rest, bathe or simply seek solitude. Awe man I didn't get a chance to fully heal everyone...

Once Dirk had left River approached Reylan at his corner table in a meekish manner. "Hey, um...mind if i sit with you Reylan? I dont really know what to order as its my first hot meal here and well... His gaze flew towards his partner Xenos that was sitting by the bar chatting up Chari who seemed to be keeping pace with him "I'm not too found of alcohol or being near my partner when he drinks it. Beside's, I never got the chance to fully heal you guys and its the least i could do after you not only saved my friends but also helped my get a meal. River's smile never faltered as he spoke to Reylan, figuring it best not to show any negative emotions as the chances were this group with its depleted HP most likely just attempted a dungeon.

Xenos let out a low whistle. Killed a dungeon boss five days in and rode a white wolf. That sounds amazing! Definitely impressive. And here he is, struggling to get ore to update some of this… quaint tech. Color him jealous? Check. Way out of his league? Check. Is he having fun? Hell yeah!

“M’lady, loose? You wound me!” He sighed, clutching at his heart dramatically. “I would never! Well maybe... possibly... probably. But ya know technicalities.” He waved off the accusation with a wink. He watched her down a shot and, not one to be left behind, slammed his own shot down as well. He shivered pleasantly as the burn radiated through him.

"Seriously mixed signals here darling.” He chuckled and winked. “Well, you admit I'm a looker and I count that as a win! Anyways, nothing so exciting for me. Mining and mining day in and out. Some fighting and quests. And more mining. I’m jealous really!”

He grimaced as he stretched and started on his next drink. " You know, they programmed the pain of manual labor? I want to update this silly muzzle loading rifle to a breech loading one but I need iron to work with. And the soreness is murder on my hands. I'm not sure if calluses are a thing here but I’d rather not find out.” He grumbled. He took another sip and sighed before narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. He tapped on his glass absently.

“Your party cleared a dungeon hm?” He thought out loud, pulling up the dashboard and looking over the quest options. “Are you all for hire? See my mining skill is garbage so I've collected jack shit so far. I need a more consistent iron souce than gathering alone allows. Concussion grenades, grenade launcher, breech loading rifles and pistols, hell even stuff not of my own inventing at this level needs it and its insanely expensive.” He faced her fully, eyes sparkling despite the serious set of his face. “If I do the guard the mines quest, I might be able to weasel my way into a bi-annual contract with them and secure a reliable supply line! I need people to pull this off though. You think your group would be willing? I can't really pay in Renn but I’ll give you guys free repairs, upgrades, and access to specialty consumables! Please?” He had started speaking faster and faster as he got excited, gesturing wildly through his explanation before he caught himself and snatched his hands back and smiled bashfully.

“Sorry, sorry. I get a little carried away with ideas once I get them. I’ve been told it's a little overwhelming.” He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. And now she knew he was a total dork. He sighed again but looked up hopefully. “Um but think about it please? It would really help me out and I don’t mind being a repair bot for the opportunity.”