"Are you sure we can go to the city with only us three?"

"What, are you scared?"

"No no, it's just... you know two of the goblin tribes have been having skirmishes in that area. I'm just saying it's a better idea to try and hire another group of adventurers in the guild to accompany us"

"You really think there are adventurers capable enough in this small town? Besides, we would have to pay them, and money is something we don't have. That's why we are going to that dungeon in the first place!"

In a small and mildew smelling tavern, a group of three people appear to be discussing about the planning of an incursion.

Two of the people in the group are, rather loudly, planning their outing while the third one is only staring at them. One of them is a young woman wearing a crimson colored robe and a worn out looking leather breastplate beneath it, on her head is a small gray wimple that covers her short auburn hair. The one telling her about their lack of funds is a man donning a full plate iron armor, he has long black hair and a horizontal scar running through the width of his neck.

As for the third member of the group, she is just watching silently with an inexpressive face. Her blonde hair is braided to the sides, covering her pointy edged ears. She seems to be the oldest one in the group, as well as the one with the commanding position given her demeanor.

"That is enough, you two" said the woman, and immediately the man and the robed woman stopped shouting at each other.

"Neill, Irina, I know I was the one who suggested that we go to the Giant Mines since there is said to be treasure, but if we as a group cannot get to an agreement, I will postpone it until after winter."

As she called the man, named Neill, and the young woman, named Irina, both of them looked away from the judging eyes of the one scolding them.

"But you know how it is, Valna" started saying Irina in a pleading manner "the Goblers and the Boneclaw tribes are preparing for war and right in the middle of the road to Hipotens is where they fight. We alone as copper adventurers will not survive in case we get caught by a warband of them, especially if it is the Goblers with their Ogres."

"Wizards like you are always like this, overthinking everything. We have Valna who is the same authority as me, what have you to worry about?"

As the conversation started to get heated again, Valna stood up and declared "All right, while I do agree with Neill that we are probably enough to fight off an Ogre, we are not prepared to fight a warband of them, so I think we better check whether there are groups of adventurers available for work, if there are not, we shall go ourselves. Do you both agree to this?"

Enthusiastically, Neill agreed with a loud "Yes!". However, Irina still had the shadow of doubt on her face when she said a quiet sign of agreement that could be easily confused with a sign of defeat.

After this, the three of them paid their two silver pieces per each of the meals they ordered and decided to go to the small guild post in the town.

As the double doors of the tavern opened wide at the departure of the group, Valna approached Irina while on track to search for adventurers for hire and put a hand to her shoulder, startling her.

"You really have nothing to worry about, Irina. I have enough experience as a Ranger to maintain us on a track where no Goblin or Ogre will see us. Besides, my half elven blood makes me extremely perceptive to danger, you know?" said Valna in a calming tone and gave Irina a quick smile.

"Yes, I know how strong you and Neill are, but I still cannot shake the feeling that it is dangerous"

"Of course it's dangerous, kid" said Valna "I know you just started your last steps towards graduation, but you have to know that the work of an adventurer is dangerous, although it can pay quite well"

"Anyways, why didn't you just choose investigative works like the rest of the students?" Valna continued saying.

"There just isn't that many things to investigate in this town other than Slimes and boring alchemy" said Irinia while giving herself a deprecating smile.

Before long, they arrived at the guild post. It was a small building made out of wood that had a sign to the side saying "Adventurer's Guild" with a symbol of a shield and two swords beneath it.

As they entered, the sight of a reception desk became visible, as well as the mostly empty job board beside it.

"Welcome" said the woman behind the desk "please have a look at the jobs available"

Having done so, the group stood before the job board.

"Extermination quest: kill a black bear that is hunting my sheep. 3 gold pieces. Investigation quest: find the source of the strange blood stains in the forest up north. 7 gold pieces. Fetch quest: find me a Kraulis root for an elixir. 8 gold pieces." started reading Neill, each time with a more displeased face.

"These are all shit! Who is even going to accept these?" he finally said.

"You still haven't checked the other section" called out Irina.

"Right. Accepting escorting jobs from here to Gispen. Looking for a party to the Golden Chambers dungeon, minimum authority: 3..."

Neill continued on reading the scarce job posts, and after reading them all, he turned to look at Irina.

"Looks like your little party up plan isn't going to work, Wizzy" he said with a smirk.

"You don't have to act like that to her, Neill. You'll give a bad reputation to swordsmen if you continue on spreading the rumor that they bully Spellcasters"

Then, while looking at Irina "Sorry Irina, it will be just us on this adventure"

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

✦✦✦

It was a sunny day, the weather was cold, common for the northern part of the country, leaves were changing color and painting the multiple forests a yellow and orange tincture, it was a a signal that the Fall season was starting.

"Okay group, we should review the plan that Irina and I made while you Neill were getting drunk in the local tavern".

Valna started explaining the plan while standing outside of the makeshift walls of the small town of Goldilan, northwest of the city of Hipotens at three days of travel between one another if traversed by the main road.

This plan, called "The Company of the Wolf", consisted in traversing far from the main road as to minimize contact with bandits, monsters and warbands of any of the two Goblin clans. The victims of these threats were normally passenger caravans, messengers and merchants, especially so merchants bearing a crest of one of the various noble families of the country.

Having spent last night studying the geography of the area, Irina and Valna finally considered that their best bet of a safe and uneventful trip to the city of Hipotens was to deviate a little bit to the south, near the Dirreon Plateau, that way the only possible threat would be Dire Wolves and wandering Worgs, which were large dogs tamed by Goblins.

They would arrive in four to five days, according to the Ranger Valna, if they kept a good pace with their horses.

"So, the name of the plan... why is it that?" asked Neill once Valna had finished explaining while showing him a map of the area.

"Don't you get it? It's because the most common threat in the Plateau are wolf like creatures, and we are a company of adventurers" she said with a mildly annoyed tone in her voice.

"Huh, okay then. You really take on your elf blood to give a name to everything" he said with a smirk.

The small voice of the wizard rose between the thorns of the conversation "I... I think it's a good name".

"Of course you do" said the man sarcastically "You're only saying that because you love everything elf-related"

"Okay, okay you two. We need to start moving if we want to take advantage of the morning light, so stop fighting" and after a quick checking of the contents on the horse's hind, Valna mounted on it.

Neill and Irina followed suit, each on their own horses.

"And remember, a horse isn't cheap so don't let it be killed. It will be sixty gold pieces to get another one!" said the confident Ranger, advancing into the morning sun.

✦✦✦

A bored looking man is sitting in front of a burning fire, a set of plate iron armor placed beside his feet is reflecting the flames while the face of the man, obscured by the night sky, is given a grisly contour by the shadows caused by the fire.

"Well, four practically uneventful days thanks to the expert" he said while taking a stick set up by the fire with a piece of meat at the end and giving it a bite "we only had to fight three groups of Dire Wolves and six dammed Worgs, those pieces of shit better be worth something"

The half elf of the group finished casting a spell around the perimeter of the squalid camp and said "Well, the pelts from the Wolves and Worgs can be turned into leather armors, we could sell them to a leatherworker in the city. Hey, maybe we could even give a studded leather armor to Irina, since hers is already worn out"

"Oh, no don't worry about me, I don't really have a need for more armor, it would only get in the way of casting my spells. Besides, I don't go into combat very often" said the female Wizard.

"Yeah, we could see that. Can you do something other than shoot frost rays out of that staff? Something more useful maybe?"

"Well Neill, I can also make illusions and stuff like that"

"Apparently the word 'useful' isn't in your dictionary" said Neill "Isn't magic supposed to be the pinnacle of versatility?"

Irina stood up, gripping her staff "It is! I'm just not good enough... yet!"

"Heh, whatever, nothing beats good old metal in a fight to the death anyways" he said while lifting his shining longsword and pointing its tip to Irina.

"Stop scaring her, Neill" started saying Valna "You know you can only dream with being able to do what Irina does"

"What? That's not true!"

Valna smiled "Are you sure? You could sell your body to a dragon if you want to be able to use magic"

"Really?" Neill said while lifting slightly from his seat, then quickly sitting back down again "I mean, why would I do that?"

"You see Irina? He's all bark and no bite, you don't have to feel bad because he is jealous"

"Thank you, Valna" muttered Irina while a slight blush filled her porcelain cheeks.

After more time talking and preparing supplies for the final day of trip, the group decided to go to sleep and wait for morning.

✦✦✦

The group of three adventurers were now in the final stretch to the city of Hipotens. As they went over one of the various hills of the area with their horses, they could see it: a low rock wall surrounding a small city some miles ahead. It had only one entrance and multiple farming spots of land that dotted the city outskirts.

"Finally, we are here, it took us a little bit longer but at least we didn't have to risk our lives too much" said Valna.

"A little fun couldn't have hurt, right?" said Neill.

"You call risking your life fun?" Irina asked with concern.

With not much delay, the small group hurried the pace of the horses while going up and down the hills of the terrain.

"No monsters should be here since there are not a lot of thick trees and civilization is pretty close by" Valna commented.

"Aren't goblins and kobolds known to be near cities and towns though?" asked Neill.

"Well, no monsters should be here except maybe for goblins. Besides, kobolds are a plague these days so yeah maybe some other kobold. But nothing we can't fight"

"That doesn't give me much confidence, Valna" said Irina.

"Come on, everything will be fine, there's nothing to worry about"

As Valna reassured the girl, a gentle breeze suddenly blew from the north and, while continuing on riding to Hipotens , already near the city, the group heard a sound.

"Did you all hear that?" Neill said.

"Yeah, it came from there" said Irina while pointing at a small thicket of trees a little ways away.

Then, suddenly, screams and laughter.

As the group quickly followed the sound, they could see a band of six goblins with pale yellow white skin with small brown spots. They seemed to be chasing something, or someone.

"It could be a person in danger, should we help?" asked Irina.

"Goblins laughing that loud can only mean one thing: they found someone to torture. We should help" said Valna.

What they saw at the site of commotion was a young man dressed in strange clothes being chased by these goblins and only by the blessings of Darumah dodging the arrows being shot by them. But then, the young man tripped, and was being rapidly surrounded by the creatures.

"Let's go!" said Neill as he prepared his long sword and the light of the sun shined off of his armor.