Escaping is hard

Natalia found the caravan station. It was located on the edge of the city. Even in the early evening, it was busy. Caravans arrived from the road, posting up their horses and beastburdens. Traders from faraway lands and adventurers with dreams set in their hearts flowed in and out of the station, becoming the very life blood of the city.

“Now to find a way out of here,” She said to herself, getting to work finding any wagon that could take her.

“Sorry brother,” A traveling bard apologized, “Wagon’s full.”

“I’m not taking you anywhere without coin, no I’m not bartering.” A merchant rejected her.

“Can you cook or clean? No? Then no deal.” An elven noble spat, shooing her away.

“Running away is harder than I thought,” Natalia groaned, sinking down onto a wooden bench just outside the station. “And why is everyone so rude? They wouldn’t treat me like this if I was, well, myself.”

A girl exited the station. She seemed to be traveling alone. She wore a thick cloak over her body, exposing only her head. She was blonde, her hair styled in two pigtails, black ribbons on each. In her hand she carried a wooden staff. She appeared to be lost, looking from side to side, trying to find her way. Two armed adventurers approached her. She greeted them enthusiastically.

“Looking for the adventurer’s guild are we?” One of the adventurers, a wolfman, asked her.

“Yes!” the girl beamed. “I’m looking for an adventurer. He said he’d take me as his apprentice.”

“See, that’s a problem,” The other adventurer, a lizardman, clicked his tongue. “You see, there’s a registration fee.”

“Oh, there is?” The girl asked.

“Yeah, every new adventurers gotta pay up,” the wolfman laughed.

“Well, I did bring a little money,” she jiggled a pouch of coins. “I’ll make sure to have it ready when i get there.”

“You’re not understanding,” the lizardman hissed. “You’re paying us your registration fee, to live and work in this town.”

“Yeah, big boss Kagan is a nice guy,” the wolfman put an arm on her shoulder, causing her to squirm. “Just pay up, and you’re good to go.”

“Oh, I…” the girl shook.

“You guys really are everywhere, huh?” Natalia found herself speaking and moving without thinking. “Leave her alone please.”

“Who the hell are you?” the wolfman snarled.

“Oh, it’s that guy,” the lizard man chuckled. “The one who beat up the Blade Princess. Saw ‘im on the deep delve.”

“Oh yeah!” the wolfman let go of the girl. “You took out an orc war chief too, didn’t ya? Saved a whole section of the dungeon cargo train.”

“I did?” Natalia muttered. Wait this guy took out a war chief?

“Wasn’t Leo looking for this guy?” the lizardman asked.

“Ah, nuts,” the wolfman scratched his head. “Leo told us to leave this guy alone, just remembered.”

“Well, I wouldn’t wanna shake ‘im down anyways,” the lizardman said. “I watched him fight, he’s crazy.”

“We’ll let you go girly,” the wolfman told the blonde. “But this don’t mean us, or some of our associates won’t come collect.”

Natalia walked up, grabbing the girl by the hand and dragging her away from the two.

“Well,” the lizardman sighed. “Best be seeing you, hero.”

Natalia made sure they were back in sight of people before letting go of her hand.

“You okay?” she turned to ask.

The girl had a deep blush on her face, and her eyes were shining.

“Wow wow wow!” she huffed, putting her hands together. “A real adventurer hero! Did you really take out a war chief?”

“Huh?” Natalia flustered, unsure of what to say. “Uh, yeah, I guess I did.”

The girl lunged forward, grabbing her hands.

“Hero,” she gasped. “What’s your name?”

“It’s uh,” Natalia struggled to remember. “Will! It’s Will.”

“Wow, your name even sounds like a hero’s name,” she swooned. “I’m Lina.” she leaned in.

“Ah, nice to meet you,” Natalia said, a confused look on her face.

“Hero Will,” she leaned in even closer, her face still red with a luminescent blush, “I was hoping you could help me?”

“How so?” Natalia asked, leaning back and trying to get some distance. She tried to escape but Lina had a death grip on both her hands.

“I came to the city hoping to become an adventurer, i’m also looking for someone. I was wondering if you could help get started, seeing as you’re such an accomplished adventurer yourself.”

“Get started?” Natalia asked, still trying to break away.

People were stopping to stare at the two of them holding hands in the middle of the station platform.

“Yes, like registering for the adventurers guild, and finding a party, and fighting monsters, and so on,” Lina explained.

“Oh, uh, I don’t know if i’m the right person for that,” Natalia said.

“No, I think you’re the perfect person,” Lina said, waving her hands up and down. “Who else but a true hero to help this lonely maiden navigate this crazy city?”

“Ah you see… I…” Natalia tried to tell her no, but Lina’s overwhelming enthusiasm and admiration smothered her. It felt cruel to turn her down at this point. “Allright, I’ll take you to the adventurer’s guild,” Natalia sighed.

“You’re amazing hero Will!” Lina practically soared, finally letting go of her hands.

“Come on,” Natalia directed. “They should still be open.”

Natalia decided she could find a way out of the city later. She couldn’t just leave Lina behind, she might get harassed by Kagan’s thugs again.

“You should be careful,” Natalia explained. “Apparently, those thugs have been shaking down new adventurers for gold. A lot of people have fallen victim to them.”

“Is that so?” Lina walked alongside Natalia, trying to grab her hand. Natalia eluded her. “But that’s why we have heroes like you, to stop them from doing things like that.”

“Listen,” Natalia sighed, turning down a side street. She vaguely recongized it as the way to the guild. “Being an adventurer isn’t all it seems. When you go into the dungeon, you gotta sleep on a portable bed, which really hurts your back. And then you spend all day running around, getting covered in monster guts. And the worst part is when you have to fight an enemy you can’t be in one or two hits, and realized just how outmatched you are.”

“But that’s when you want to fight your hardest, isn’t it?” Lina’s eyes shined. “I bet you give it your all every day, Hero Will.”

“I guess this guy did,” Natalia sighed.

It took them two hours, but somehow they found the adventurer’s guild. It was getting late, but at least the lamplights were still on inside the building.

“It’s amazing,” Lina gushed. “I’ve never seen a building as big as this.”

“It’s okay,” Natalia said. “I think my… I mean, the Crestfall manor is a bit bigger than this.”

Natalia wondered if the S rankers were having a meeting. Sometimes they would go late into the night. Those were the worst days. If they were still here, Natalia might run into her body. That would make her escape plans somewhat problematic.

“Let’s just get this over with quickly,” Natalia said. She noticed Lina had grabbed her hand again.

Natalia broke away from her hand, before opening the guild hall door. It was mostly empty except for a few receptionist and a small group of adventurer’s sitting in the corner.

“Will!” Mina called out, leaping from her seat and rushing towards her.

“Dammit…” Natalia cursed under her breath.

“We’ve been looking all over for you!” Alan gasped, following after Mina. Ren, Anissa, and Dan followed as well.

“Is this your party?” Lina’s smile radiated. “Wow, Hero Will’s legendary party.”

“Who’s this?” Ren asked, gesturing to Lina.

“I’m Lina,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. “Remember it, it’s a legendary name that’ll one day be heard across the world, just like Will’s.”

They all turned to Natalia, giving her a strange look.

“Don’t ask,” Natalia sighed.

“Hero Will saved me from some thugs,” Lina explained. “And he so heroically lead me here to the guild.”

“Ah, I see, sounds like Will.” Mina said.

“Wait, what do you do?” Alan inquired, looking her up and down.

“I’m a mage,” Lina explained.

“A mage? What kind?” Alan questioned.

“Black magic. Particularly fire and lighting,” Lina puffed, presenting her staff.

“And your skill?” Alan continued.

“Ah, it’s called Lamp Lighting.” Lina demonstrated. “Watch,”

Lina opened her cloak, reaching down an pulling a iron lantern that hung from her belt. She focused on it, causing it to light up. Gesturing the lantern, she lifted it up, before casting a small spark of fire from it.

“Wait, no incantation?” Anissa gasped.

“I can light multiple lanterns, and they let me cast any spell,” Lina bragged.

“That’s at least a B rank, no and A rank skill,” Dan observed.

“And you don’t have party right now?” Alan asked.

“No,” Lina shook her head. “I’m not even registered as adventurer yet,” she said.

“Will,” Alan put his arm around Natalia. “I know what your plan is,” Alan grinned. “Good find.”

“My plan?” Natalia titled her head.

“Lina,” Alan said, snapping his fingers.

“It’s our…I mean, your lucky day. We’ve been looking for a black mage for quite some time. Will here really wants you to join us, so you should consider it.”

“I do?” Natalia gasped.

“The same party with hero Will?” Lina gasped, her eyes sparkling.

“Now I understand, with an amazing skill like yours, you might get scouted by other parties, but you see…” Alan droned on.

“Of course I will!” Lina leapt with joy, jumping over and grabbing Natalia’s hands. “I won’t let you down Will!”

“Wait,” Natalia’s head spun. “This is too much for me.”

A door swung open, followed by the sounds of footsteps. Natalia’s body emerged from the meeting hall, followed closely behind by Shisa.

“Geh!” Natalia panicked, letting out a soft shriek.

“You!” Will pointed. “What are you doing!”

“Oh no it’s the princess,” Ren said.

“The princess?” Lina asked.

“Will beat her up, and now they hate each other,” Mina explained.

“To be fair, she had it coming,” Anissa said.

“She did not!” Natalia protested.

Will took a step forward, an angry look on her face. Just as she was about to say something, Lina leapt forward, putting herself between the two.

“Get away from Will!” Lina growled. “I won’t let you bully him!”

“What?” Will blinked in confusion. “Who are you?”

“I’m Hero Will’s newest party member, the wonderful mage Lina!” She declared, putting her hands on her hips. “And I won’t stand for anyone badmouthing him!”

Will looked at Natalia. She shrugged.

“Look, that isn’t Will I’m…” Will started to explain.

“Monsters!” A bloodied adventurer slammed the guild door opened, stumbling inside. “From the dungeon! They’re attacking!”