And Thus the Legend was Born!

Historians would look back on the incident surrounding Sir Gilfried's murder as the Commerce Town Massacre, and it would haunt Dreams for years to come. With less than a hundred slaves and beasts, the revolt led to an emergency evacuation of Commerce town, the looting of several businesses across the main market street, and the theft of large and valuable ships for a grand escape downstream to the west. Any creature with more than two legs took refuge underground in the tunnels, which indeed led to Dreams' sewers. Once again, the underground would be unpatrollable for the foreseeable future. This was all capped with the death of several Dreams guards and the majority of the Gilfried Slaving Company's workforce. Over fifty dead, hundreds wounded. A dark day for Dream's population.

Hideyoshi’s sixteen-man band would be marked as criminals by the king for the murder of Slave Master Gilfried, as well as the assault of a high-ranking noble and theft of a slave. They were never found after the initial attack, but they would be discovered some time later, far outside Dreams' boundaries, leading to the creation of a new black bounty poster on the guild board. While small in scale, the tale of Hideyoshi's rescue of the Lydia sisters made him the talk of many demi-humans. Soon enough, Hideyoshi's status rose to become the icon of revolutionary abolition for all demi-humans and beastmen across Glynn’s World. While there were many legends of the protagonists forming across the world, Sarugami would become the patron saint of beastmen, and in some circles, be considered an honorary beastman himself.

"For saving us, please take this humble gift," Lyshis would say to him. "It is the Cumulocloud. With your pure soul, it'll fly to you any destination you wish. May it carry you all safely on your travels."

Thus, if one ever saw a string of clouds snaking across the endless sky, Hideyoshi the Beast Hero would be nearby, ready to lend a hand to all in need.

On a lesser note, Dige was also branded a criminal. Not for the murder of Gilfried, though. That credit went elsewhere. Turns out, during the evacuation, the guards witnessed an assault on three wagon carriages carried out by a short, bearded, burly man. The first two only sustained minor injuries, but the third's riders were brutalized, with two noblemen killed and three noblewomen beaten bloody with a polearm. The only surviving man had all of his teeth busted out before the perpetrator left the carriage and returned to the city. If the reports were correct, that man sounded a lot like Dige. However, if you spoke to Dige about it, he would correct you immediately. You see, he actually used a hammer. 

Dige was labeled the Short Madman, and his crimes against the nobility could not be ignored. The king of Dreams, now with an easy excuse to punish the embarrassing hero, marked a bounty with Dige’s face. Dead or Alive, the country would pay 10 gold to whoever could bring this criminal to justice. Another black labeled quest for the wall.

“Ah, what a refreshing pint,” Dige said, sitting comfortably at a table in the guild hall. “I’m starting to get the appeal of baths. It makes the beer so much nicer.”

As he drank from his mug, he heard a chirping in his ear, and this time he remembered.

“Hello? Am I hearing things?”

“WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING IN DREAMS!?” Marine rattled his brain. “You’re a wanted criminal, Dige! Why did you do that!?”

“Do what?”

“THE COLD BLOODED MURDER!”

“They enslaved me! I couldn’t let that go, lass. The grudge, you see-.”

“Yeah, I know. You’re a dwarf. But you need to get out of there now. The whole city is looking for you.”

Were they? Now that she mentioned it, he was looking rather popular. In fact, everyone was staring at him, including the guild receptionist. Perhaps that’s why she gave him this beer, his last beer.

“Ah, I see.” 

Dige finished his pint and left it on the table before retiring to his private room. The whole guild hall let him do so, expecting something to happen, but they rushed when they heard the wall give out on the other side of the door. 

Through the dead of night, and with some minor divine intervention, Dige found his way back in the sewers, through the underground, back into Commerce, and outside the city walls within hours. The city of Dreams stood tall behind him, with its food, ale, quests, everything Dige couldn’t carry, and ahead was open hills and countryside.

“Honestly, that whole city was a bust,” Marine said somberly. “And you’ll be wanted on most of the island until you reach the northeast. I guess you should start heading to battle after all.”

“Battle, eh?” Dige looked toward the mountains. “I do like battle. I suppose this'll all work out.”

“You think so? I hope you’re right. I’m riding everything on you, Dige. I have to go now, but please, be good. Do what’s right!” 

Marine’s voice disappeared from his mind, and with that came new sounds, the sound of footsteps on the dirt path. Dige had company.

“Huh? It’s you again,” the orc said. He was more dressed this time, as in he had pants rather than a loincloth. “You came out for a rematch?”

“If ye wish to spar, maybe,” the dwarf laughed. “No, I’m a fugitive now...Wait, I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

“I ain't catching you. I'm wanted as well.”

“Already?”

“Where do you think I got this stuff?”

"Huh, so we’re in this together, aren't we?” Dige looked up at the strong demi-man. While he wasn’t a slave anymore, he did prove a capable fighter, and Dige felt like he had missed his chance with the Khylee. He ought to amend that mistake. “I’m building a party to save the world. Are you in?”

“No?”

“Oh.”

And yet they were going the same direction anyway.

“Are you sure?”

“Still no.”

A couple of days later, the mayor Artemis was slumped over his desk with a pile of paperwork ready to suffocate him.

“This is unbearable,” he grumbled. “When is that half-man gonna call me up for an adventure?”

“My lord, the half-man left the city days ago. He’s a wanted criminal ordered to be executed by the King himself. How did you not know this?”

It took a long time before the young boy sprang out of his chair.

“He left, and he didn’t even tell me!? You two! You’re with me! We’re going after Dige!”

“To bring him to justice?”

“No, are you crazy!? That’s the goddess’s chosen. I'm going to be a hero!”