“It’s easy!” Cherria reassures them.
Andrei grips his staff even tighter
“What if my latest vision becomes reality when we get there?”
“That… when it comes, it will come.” She pats the young adult’s head.
“At least it is a duel of one versus one”
Well, this was a change of pace. It was one Gavin relished. Going in dressed as mercenaries wasn’t his style, but he very much liked the idea of collecting a bounty. Not for the money, of course. He relished the thought of fighting someone other than the same faces he had seen for the past near-decade.
Besides, so many opportunities would arise from this encounter. It was a test, a purpose, a learning experience. Gavin was never going to put that to waste.
“I can get behind this. I’ll have to do something about my hair though, probably a bandana will fix that.”
“Seems far too light to be effective”
Dawa tightened his eyes, looking at Gavin
“Wait… Aren’t you an elf?”
“Who, me? Oh, no, no.”
Gavin flicks back his hair from his ears, to show that they are indeed human in nature.
“I can see why you’d come to the conclusion though. Long hair, tall, sort of pasty… but no. I’m human, through and through.”
“Oh, well… I’m a quarter elf or something like that, but I don’t know for sure. It doesn’t do much aside from preventing me to grow a beard and giving me pretty eyes.”
He looked to the sides, searching for someone to continue the discussion about their mission. It should just be questions time by now.
“My lord, will you go with us?”
“For the capturing of Hakix, I’ll be going along with you. I will bring you all to Thashopolis, to collect a bounty there. Then, we will have another purpose there. About the clothing, those clothes being ruffled up with the experience from this bounty will be enough to convince anyone you lot are mercenaries. Mercenaries come in all sorts of sizes and mannerisms nowadays.”
“Any questions before I talk about our target bounty?” Belrion asks.
Dawa couldn’t hide his remourse when hearing again the name of Hakix. They were on an expedition to hunt down a village raider, surely a dreadful act… which he, himself, had already commited a dozen times as a soldier. Sure, circunstances were different, but Dawa couldn’t avoid ressurecting a feeling of guilt so long supressed at the point of being almost forgotten.
“Not from me, my lord” — the guard answered quickly and in a neutral voice, as used to.
“How dangerous is this individual?”
“Hakix, he uses a staff to cast magic, and his magic is nothing to scoff at. He controls wind and light, where he specialises in illusions. Now, he’s slippery as an eel, so inform me at once through this little button if you see him.”
He hands out circular grey buttons with 3 holes in them. They look like the buttons you’ll use when buttoning up your shirt. On the table, words appear.
To use, let the button come in contact with the ground.
“And he’s skilled, do not engage in battle with him. Wait for one of the adults to come in.”
have I been just called a child.
Andrei uses one hand to let go of his staff and takes a button. His eyes narrow as he examines it more closely
“I don’t think we can notice him if we don’t know what he looks like.”
“He’s a guy with long red hair, it’s impossible to miss him. Thin and wears red hot clothing.”
“Well, I’m sure there’s something to be said about a man whose attire doesn’t match their abilities. In any case, should we expect him to be alone, or does he associate with others?”
“If that’s the case, how is this possible nobody attempted to caught him by i don’t know…The Guards stationing in city or somethin’. This seems fishy.”
“It may not be attempting, but not being able to caught the guy”
Dawa reacted almost immediatly when someone suspected of what Belrion said.
“Discernment of Hakix is difficult, due to him concealing his presence, not to mention he deploys illusions to his needs as well. Guards are not well equipped to handle a man of his prowess. But you should do just fine, being young and all.”
“Also, it’s hard for a man to storm a village by himself. There’s probably others that side along with him.”