Chapter 1 - First day in Oakwood

Along the outer rim of Trent Forest, four young adventurers skulked through an animal trail that wrapped around a large forest clearing. It had been designated as a future work site by the local logging company, and was the location of where their quarry had been last sighted. A burly warrior, axe in hand, returned from scouting the path ahead.

“Found the bugger, and she’s a big one too. That two gold reward is starting to make more sense.”

“Good work, Mark. Let’s not waste a single second.” The blonde duelist drew his longsword and began to walk down the path that his comrade came from. He slicked back his hair as he prepared himself for a coming battle, making sure that his sharp and handsome features were on full display.

The other young man, a thin adventurer with messy brown hair and pale blue eyes, opened his mouth to speak. “W-Wait! We should come up with a plan, if the salamander is really that big then it’s–”

“An oversized lizard that can breathe fire. I’m sure the three of us can handle it, and I suppose protect you at the same time, Eran.” The duelist ignored the brown haired adventurer, opting to rush in and subdue their quarry without delay.

“Sorry about Dimitri. Tell us if something important comes up, ‘kay honor student?” The final member of the party, a young female mage with fiery red curls, patted Eran on the back as she walked past him and followed the duelist.

It didn’t take long for the group to come across their target: a gigantic black lizard with smooth skin and sharp claws. It wrapped itself around a large tree, digging its charcoal-like nails into the bark. With every scrape, a burst of embers exploded from the impact and clung to the tree like a parasite.

“Like I’ll let you!” Mark was the first to rush forward, flinging his axe with an overhead throw. The monster quickly snaked around the trunk to avoid the heavy impact before leaping toward the clearing with a violent hiss.

“Retrieve your weapon, I will keep the beast occupied!” Dimitri sprinted past Mark, taking on the role of a frontliner. As he pulled his arm back to ready a powerful thrust, the salamander opened its wide mouth and made a distinct clicking sound as a ball of flames quickly formed within its throat. The duelist rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the fireball that shot past him like a bullet.

From a distance, Eran readied his bow and let loose an arrow aimed at the monster’s flank. The creature noticed the missile mid-flight, knocking it from the air with a single swipe of its tail. “Damnit… Hey, Wendy, how come you aren’t casting anything?”

“Eh? Well I’m a fire mage, ‘member?” Wendy pointed at herself. “I’d probably do more harm than good against a fire-aspected monster like a salamander.”

“If Dimitri had let me talk earlier, I would have been able to explain that salamanders are actually weak to fire.”

“Hold on, really!?” Aware of the ranged attackers, the salamander pushed back Dimitri with a few quick swipes before spitting out a fireball toward Eran and Wendy. “Well then, that changes everything! My flames are way stronger!” The mage woman tilted her staff forward and created a condensed mass of heat, letting it burst into flames before sending it spiraling toward the oncoming fireball.

“Wait! Dodge it!” Eran tackled Wendy to the ground. At the same time, Wendy’s bolt of flames collided with the fireball and caused it to swell in size and velocity. It grazed Eran’s back only a moment later, making him groan out in pain. A searing heat permeated throughout his torso, but there was no visible damage nor were there any flames that clung to his clothing.

Wendy helped Eran stand, glancing back and forth between him and the salamander. “I thought you said it was weak to fire!”

After taking in a deep breath to confirm he hadn’t been reduced to cinders, Eran drew another arrow and fired it to help support Dimitri. “It is, but it’s also uniquely a spellcaster. Any flames that don’t hit it directly and disperse its shield turns into ammo for its arsenal.”

“Great, now that thing has a shield…?”

Back on the frontline, Dimitri jumped backwards to avoid an overhead swipe that collided with the ground and created a burst of sparks. Before the salamander could retract its outstretched arm, Mark leapt into the fray and slammed his axe down onto the monster’s limb.

“What!?” The devastating cleave that should have dismembered the black lizard resulted in only a shallow cut. Mark’s axe bit into the creature’s flesh only for the impact to be absorbed and his weapon bounced away.

“If cutting won’t work, I’ll pierce it!” Dimitri circled around to the creature’s flank, stabbing his longsword toward its slimy skin. The tip of the blade slid along the surface instead of biting into the flesh. “Damnit all, salamander’s aren’t supposed to be this resistant!”

Another bolt of fire came hurtling toward the monster. It turned to face it and opened its mouth, shooting several sparks that erupted into a burst of flames. The flames swallowed the firebolt whole, causing them to swell into a powerful flamethrower, and the salamander whipped its head around to swing the flames like a whip.

Mark held up his axe and braced himself for the attack, tanking it head on. The surging inferno was powerful enough to push him backwards, the warrior’s feet digging into the ground as he held his firm stance.

The fearless duelist dashed toward the fire-spitting monster, sliding underneath just in time to avoid the onslaught of fire that would have crashed into him. He spiked his sword upward, piercing through the underside of the monster’s mouth. It screeched and began to rampage, giving Dimitri just enough time to regroup with Mark. “Its underside is its weakness.”

“That’s great news, but how do ya think we’re gonna get it to roll over like a puppy?” Mark pulled out a roll of bandages and quickly wrapped them around his singed arms. “I’m glad magical flames don’t catch fire and all, but they still burn like hell. I’m good for one more hit like that before things get ugly.”

“Normal attacks don’t work from above, and our ranged attacks only make it stronger…” Dimitri studied the creature as it continued to slam the ground and create sparks with its fire-starting claws. He didn’t have much time to strategize before the lizard recovered. “There is nothing for it, we have to keep attacking.”

At the same time, Wendy and Eran stood back and watched as the mage’s second attack was absorbed. “Ugh! Sorry! Geez, lunar magic isn’t working at all…” Wendy gripped her staff tighter as she studied the battle from afar. She hated the feeling of uselessness that welled up within her, and it spurred her to wrack her mind for a solution. “If lunar magic won’t work, then let’s do solar. Eran, I need you to fetch Dimitri. I’m not close enough to support him.”

“Got it, I’ll trade places with him.” Eran dropped his bow and dashed ahead, with Wendy following behind him. He had an idea of what she wanted to do if she was going to use solar magic, and he had a good feeling her plan would work. Just as Dimitri was about to rush back into the fight, Eran yelled out to stop him. “Dimitri! Switch! Wendy has something for you!”

The duelist clicked his tongue and snapped his gaze toward the approaching Eran. “You! You’ll just get killed if you face this thing, leave it to Mark and–” he stopped himself short once the young man was close enough for him to see the sharp, determined look in his eyes.

“It has a shield made of water, you can’t hurt it with your weapons alone!” Eran drew his sword and pointed it at the salamander, the determination in his eyes growing. “I can handle it, go.”

Dimitri switched his focus over to Wendy, who had finished running a short distance away and began to cast a more complex spell. “Very well. If there was ever a time for you to not disappoint me, it’s now.” The blonde young man patted Eran on the shoulder before running off to his mage companion.

“Hah! Looks like it’s you and me, honor student. Let’s see you put that brain to use.” Mark put his bandages away and picked up his axe, a fierce look in his eyes as he prepared for the next wave of blows.

“I actually don’t have a plan!” Eran smirked as he began walking toward the monster that had finally calmed itself.

Mark guffawed, feeling his blood begin to rush as the adrenaline kicked back in. “Haw haw! That’s the warrior way! Come on, let’s buy Wendy some time for whatever big spell she’s got!” He sprinted past Eran, meeting the salamander with an upward swing of his axe aimed directly at the lizard’s chin.

The salamander raised its claws defensively, catching the axe before it could dig into its unguarded chin. After a brief contest of strength, the monster won and slammed the weapon into the dirt below. With one claw free, it raised it up high before slamming it down toward the burly warrior.

“Mark!” Eran jumped in front of his friend, stopping the lizard’s hand with his shortsword before it could crush and slice the both of them. He grit his teeth and growled, his thin muscles tensing as he found himself pushed down onto his knees. The young adventurer wasn’t strong enough to hold out for long, but it was enough time for Mark to snag his axe back from the monster’s clutches and deliver a blow to its underside.

A loud screech reverberated throughout the clearing. The salamander jumped back and hissed violently at its two assailants, opening its mouth wide. Somewhere deep within its cavernous mouth, Eran and Mark could see several sparks start to form. They came accompanied with a clicking sound, and the air around them became polluted with the stench of burnt hair.

“Get behind me!” Mark took up his defensive stance once more, creating a shield for himself and Eran. A moment later, the sparks all ignited at once and transformed into a plume of flames that quickly surrounded the two adventurers. The fire diverged and split where Mark stood, his axe taking the brunt of the damage. Even from behind the warrior, Eran could feel his eyebrows start to burn from the intense heat. He could only imagine how much pain Mark was in, because the burly man showed none of it.

“Stand back!” Just when the heat became unbearable, Dimitri joined the frontline once more. He rushed toward the creature’s flank, his sword raised high and bursting with a bright flame. The duelist swung his blade downward, the magical fire burning away the aquatic shield. Steam rose from the lizard’s back where the soft, vulnerable skin was now truly revealed, and Dimitri’s longsword was able to cleanly slice through. The incessant flames spewing from the monster’s mouth ceased, and with a cry of great pain the salamander fell onto its side. “Now! Finish it!”

“Yessir!” Mark let out a cry befitting a warrior as he jumped high into the air. From above, he could see the slimy shield that had hindered him earlier starting to bubble and foam as it slowly worked toward closing the gap that had been created by Dimitri. Before that could happen, he crashed his axe down into the open wound.

The salamander gave one last shriek of pain before its entire body went limp. The slimy second skin that covered its upper half lost its stability and dispersed, wetting the ground beneath its corpse.

“Hell yeah! That was awesome Dimitri!” Mark raised his bloodied axe high into the air and cheered loudly.

Dimitri swung his sword once to disperse the flames before sheathing his weapon back into its scabbard. “I couldn’t have done it without Wendy’s quick thinking. Our victory is owed to you.” The blonde man turned back to smile at the mage who caught up with the rest of the group.

“Aww, that’s nice of you to say ‘Mitri, but I’m not the one you should be giving the glory to.” Wendy pointed at Eran with both of her hands, smiling brightly at him. “It’s thanks to honor student that I figured to use solar magic to enchant your sword. He knew that the beastie had a water shield we needed to break.”

Dimitri’s smile faltered. He faced Eran and furrowed his brow. “How did you know the salamander possessed a shield? The bestiary I read mentioned nothing of the sort.”

Eran nervously scratched behind his head while averting his gaze. “I read about it in a book. The hero had to face, uh… there was a description of a rare salamander that could cast both fire and water magic.”

“So we won the fight because you read a children’s book once, excellent.” The handsome duelist pressed a hand to his forehead, sighing in disbelief. “Nevertheless, your knowledge did end up being useful, sources aside. You also held your own alongside Mark. I will judge you more appropriately from now on.”

“Hey, hear that Eran? That stubborn Dimitri finally acknowledges you!” Mark walked up to Eran and gave him a heavy pat on the back.

“I acknowledge him as an idiot. Not a useless one, but an idiot nonetheless.” Dimitri said. Eran gave a nervous laugh alongside his thanks for the passive aggressive praise.

Wendy giggled at the exchange as she handed Eran his discarded bow. “That’s just about the nicest thing I’ve ever heard ‘Mitri say since we were kids.”

With a scoff, the duelist crossed his arms and furrowed his brow even further. “I am capable of giving adequate praise when it is earned.”

“Yes yes, according to your lofty standards. Not everyone is aspiring to be a noble knight like you.” The mage stepped ahead to the slain monster and poked at its cold body. “We need proof, right? What should we take?”

“Those claws are pretty unique, I imagine Oakwood would have a great use for them as firestarting material.” Eran said.

“Hah, took the words out of my mouth.” Mark readied his axe and swung it down into the salamander’s claw. The sharp weapon cleaved straight through, leaving the party with a large nail that they could take with them. Mark hoisted it over his shoulder and nodded at the rest of the group. “Damn thing feels like charcoal but it’s way heavier. This’ll definitely get some good use back home.”

“A job well done, then. Let’s–”

“Let’s go celebrate! I want to try Oakwood tavern food!” Wendy cut off Dimitri and repeatedly jumped for joy.

With a pump of his fist, Mark began to walk back toward the path that would take him home. “It’s pretty good! Not that I’ve had much else. Still, with fresh ingredients from Greenhorn I’d be willing to bet it’s tastier than anything you can find in the kingdom!”

Eran held a hand over his stomach. “Nearly getting crushed and burned made me kind of hungry too. Whatever they served in the tavern at the guild house smelled great, are we going there?”

“We still need to collect our reward at the guild house itself, so dining there would save us some steps.” Dimitri fixed his slightly disheveled hair by slicking it back. He was a bit exasperated at how quickly the decision to celebrate was made without his input, but at the very least there was no squabbling over a location.

With everyone on the same page, they returned to Oakwood to collect their reward and feast together while the jovial mood was still in full swing. Directly to the left of the guild house’s entrance was a bustling tavern filled with hungry adventurers and the attractive barmaids that served them. The women carried massive plates of food and towering stacks of mugs as they rushed from table to table. It was a lively atmosphere that Eran had only seen during festivals, and the thought of it being an everyday sight made his head spin.

After Dimitri collected the job reward, the four graduates sat down together for one last time before they would split ways. To everyone’s shock, Wendy ordered a platter of various hearty meats that was clearly meant to be shared with a group. Only Dimitri seemed to be used to the sight of the red-haired woman devouring such a meal in one sitting. She complimented how tender it was, and mentioned that the lack of spices wasn't an issue for it to compete with some of the kingdom’s finer dishes.

Mark told tales from his youth in Oakwood as he enjoyed the familiar flavors of a bean soup. He brought up how the stews in Greenhorn tasted better with their fresher vegetables, but he could never compare anything to the taste of home.

Eran and Dimitri ate a more balanced meal, with the former having a shepherd’s pie and the latter enjoying a simple steak and salad. It was a homely meal, and though the busy crowd initially made him feel timid, Eran learned to enjoy the tavern’s atmosphere. Laughter reverberated throughout the room, and the scent of various home-cooked dishes only served to further whet the appetites of anyone who entered. Though he wasn’t a fan of the mead Mark had ordered for him, Eran enjoyed the taste of wine Wendy had ordered for herself and shared.

Before the mage woman had the opportunity to order and drink a second bottle mostly on her own, Dimitri helped her stand and gave a nod to his two former classmates. “It has been a pleasant evening, but we have much to discuss regarding our return to Ardorlain. May the next time we meet be under circumstances that are just as enjoyable.”

“Whaaat? You’re such a mud in the stick! Let me go ‘Mitri!” Wendy drunkenly followed her friend upstairs to where their rooms were. She playfully pounded her fists against his back as she continued to whine at him to let her go, despite not being held by anyone.

“I suppose I should head out as well. Haven’t seen my family in over a year.” Mark stood up next, flashing a friendly smile at the last remaining person. “Take care, Eran. Don’t be a stranger, either.”

Left by himself, Eran exited the tavern and headed upstairs as well. The guild house offered free housing for the first week of an adventurer’s new life. It was a boon that made him feel easy about his light coinpurse. Although he actually preferred to sleep outside on most occasions, the potential dangers lurking within the town’s shadows were not something he wanted to test. His room on the fourth floor was tiny, barely big enough to fit a single bed and a desk. He couldn’t complain about a free room, and he considered himself lucky to be given one with a window. He had heard that the lower floors held larger rooms at a higher price. Eran imagined the guild house was designed that way to incentivise adventurers to work hard and climb their way up in the world, but for now he was content. He had completed his first job with trustworthy allies, and tomorrow would bring about another day’s worth of adventure.