The sun was lilting its way toward the horizon by the time the group was ready to gather at the barracks. The southern horizon, Donavan was a bit perplexed to note. Wynn and Jules had each gone to collect their personal belongings after the town meeting. Leaving Donavan to sit and twiddle his thumbs. He didn't have any personal belongings. A waistcloth and a simple golden ring were all he had to his name.

It was the first moment he'd had since getting here to sit still. He'd found Wynn and they were preparing to set off on their quest. Save the villagers from the goblins. A perfect level 1 style adventure. Simple, and direct.

Donavan gazed down at the frosted mud beneath his feet. It was a relief that this body wasn't bothered by the mountain chill. But as the evening waned he grew increasingly aware of the cold if not penetrated by it.

God, he was such a stranger here. He had nothing and knew no one. Another thing that people didn't consider about their fantasies of being whisked away. They'd have to start from scratch. Find a home, find a job make new friends, and learn a whole new culture.

Donavan chuckled darkly to himself and rested his chin atop interlaced fingers. He was homeless and penniless. Hell, he didn't even know what the money here looked like.

But he shouldn't have to endure much longer. He'd found Wynn, and he was willing to put whatever currency they did have here on Wynn getting his magic sword soon.

It was almost a shame. He found himself taking a liking to Wynn so far. The plucky hero with a can-do attitude was a popular trope for a reason. Even back on earth most of Donavan's human interaction was with his co-workers. An office full of literal critics. It was a nice break to be around someone capable of optimism. Even if it ran off grade-A naiveté. That was also Wynn's, and by extension, the plot's problem.

Donavan's brows furrowed. No, that wasn't quite right. Wynn's optimism wasn't the problem. It was how powerful Wynn would get. Or more specifically, how fast. One thing he remembered from his skim read was that Wynn would become a force of nature. None of the situations he came into conflict with was a match for him and his sword. He was actually a fun character when all he had to fight the world with was a shovel.

no, not a shovel, a spade. Donavan corrected himself.

He never grew and never changed because he could force the world around him to change. Which meant he never had to question his way of thinking. He was an optimist with a nuke. Easy to make people go along with your way of doing things when you have a nuke and they don't.

But Donavan had a metaphorical nuke too. Well, at least he would if he knew anything about how to use the supposedly immense power this body had.

If Donavan was going to put any effort into fixing Erwin's story. The first thing he would do is delay Wynn getting the sword. Make him work for it. Make him earn it.

But Wynn getting that sword was Donavan's fastest way out. Once he got it, All Donavan needed was to find a way to get Wynn to kill him.

"Hey! Sorry for the wait."

Donavan looked up to see Wynn jogging over to him. He'd outfitted himself in well-sewn trousers, a beige linen tunic, and a heavy red cloak. Over his shoulder was a large pack. Camping implements and other useful tools strapped to its sides.

As Wynn came to a stop before Donavan he glanced from side to side.

"Jules not here yet?"

Almost as if he'd summoned her, she appeared from around a corner. On her back was a pack so big, and stuffed so precariously to the brim that it probably weighed twice as much as she did. Maybe more, judging from the fact her knees almost buckled with each step she tried to take.

"I'm, I'm coming. Just give me a... a minute." She wheezed.

Donavan and Wynn exchanged a look.

"Jules, I don't think you're going to be able to take all that, especially not once we go off trail." Wynn tried gently.

"Did you put everything you own in there?" Donavan continued.

"No, It's only a few of my clothes." She said, making it over to them and collapsing to the ground."

"Yeah... that's definitely not gonna work," Donavan said, shaking his head. "keep the essentials and leave the rest."

"These are the essentials!" She protested.

Wynn started to explain to her that they had to travel as lightly as possible. But it seemed that even his words were unable to reach her. So before she could react, Donavan stood up, pulled the pack off her shoulders, and opened it.

"Hey! What are you doing."

Donavan pulled the first thing he saw out. It appeared to be some kind of flower-embroidered panties. Damn, there was Erwin’s law again. But he refused to give Erwin the satisfaction of him freaking out every time something like this happened.

"Won't need this." He said and tossed it over his shoulder.

Jules blushed hard and dove to stop them from hitting the ground. But while she managed to catch it, two more random articles of clothing were already falling to the dirt.

"Don't just pull those out like that." she pleaded, cheeks turning ruby. "Wynn, stop him!"

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Wynn gave her an apologetic shrug.

Good man.

"How did you even afford most of this stuff. Some of these things look quite expensive." He said, tossing out more unnecessary bloat.

"My sister," Jules said, trying in utter vain to pull the pack out of Donavan's grip. "She likes to send me gifts from the city. Now let go."

Donavan had managed to reduce the pack by quite a bit. A few more things and it would be reasonable. He picked out one last item and held it out to get a better look at it.

"Huh?" Donavan said mildly amused. "This is an essential huh?"

When Jules saw what he was holding, The color drained from her face.

In Donavan's hand, he held out a length of smoothed and treated wood in the unmistakable shape of a phallus. It even had an inscription on the side.

[I went to Priapine village and all I got was some hard wood.]

"That... That's not mine!" Jules protested.

"Uh-huh, sure," Donavan said.

"Really! it's a gift for my sister."

"I don't know if that makes it better,"

"Just give it back." She said, leaping for the thing. Donavan easily dodged her and held it out of her reach. The game of keep-away continued until someone cleared their throat. Donavan and Jules both stopped to look.

"I assume you are all ready to leave," Caspiera said, standing at ease. She looked as if she'd been there for a moment, but she did not stand alone. A hooded figure in a long green cloak stood next to her.

Donavan let Jules snatch the dildo out of his hand, and she shoved it back into the pack.

"Ready as we're ever going to be," Wynn said stepping up.

"Who's this?" Donavan said nodding at the cloaked figure.

"This is the best hunter in the village," Caspiera said. "If you're going to be tracking goblins through the Uthgarde, you're going to need someone who knows the land. I'll let her introduce herself"

The figure stepped up and pulled the hood of the cloak down.

Donavan shouldn't have been surprised. There had been three scantily clad women on one of the book covers Erwin had shown him. He should've been expecting the other two the moment he ran into Jules. Two down, one more to go

"Asheeri." The gorgeous elf said. Her hair was the color of moonlight, tied back in a long braid that rested over her shoulder. Large lavender eyes peered out above lightly freckled cheeks. Her skin was otherwise pale as porcelain. She would've easily been a model for high fashion back on earth. High cheekbones, button nose, the works. If Jules was girl-next-door cute. This woman was beautiful in that unapproachable and ethereal way.

"Wynn," Wynn said holding out a hand to her. She didn't take it.

"I Know who you are." She said, her tone unimpressed. "I have only one question for you."

"Sure," Wynn said. His easy smile showed he was unoffended.

"What is it that makes you believe you stand a chance against the goblins."

Wynn blinked, then furrowed his brow as if in deep thought. Then after a moment let out a boyish chuckle.

"Honestly. I never really thought about it. Probably nothing."

Asheeri's eyes narrowed. "Then why are you doing this?"

"People are in trouble." He said as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Asheeri glared daggers at him. He met her gaze with easy confidence. The elf then diverted her gaze to Jules and Donavan.

"And you two?"

"I-I want to try and do something brave," Jules said.

"If you have so little faith, why bother coming along?" Donavan deflected. It was obvious the play she was pulling here. The condescension and casual disrespect. He'd take Jules's earnest bubbliness over this high and mighty bull shit any day.

"I am doing this as a favor to Caspiera."

Donavan shrugged. "If that's all then I'd rather you didn't come. It's a no from me."

Asheeri and Caspiera's eyes both widened in confusion.

"Don, reconsider-" Caspiera started.

"Do you have any idea how to track goblins through the wilderness? Or know what plants are poisonous and which ones are edible? Or now how to tell when you are near a bassalat's den?" Asheeri growled.

"Not a clue," Donavan said matter of fact. "But I know I'd rather be in the wilderness with people I can trust not to turn tail and run at the first sign of trouble because they only came along as a favor."

Things happened all at once. Asheeri dashed forward. The air rang with the sound of pulled steel. An inch from his nose Donavan stared down the gleaming blade of a shortsword.

Great, this one had an ego and a temper.

"Are you calling me a coward?" She growled from clenched teeth.

Donavan didn't move, didn't even blink. He met the elf's gaze from a breath's length away from the tip of her sword, expression calm.

"What would you call someone who pulls a blade on an unarmed man.”

"Asheeri, sheath your weapon, now!" Caspiera demanded, the full authority of the guard in her tone.

"He called me a coward," Asheeri retorted.

"He didn't call you anything," Caspiera said. "Besides, this is not a fight you could win."

Asheeri broke her glare at Donavan to turn in disbelief to Caspiera. When she saw the seriousness etched across Caspiera's features. She relented.

"My apologies," Asheeri said, sheathing her blade. "I have acted rashly, and I ask your forgiveness."

"It's fine." Wynn jumped in. "Right Don, We're all good."

"Uh no, we aren't," Donavan said. "She just pulled a weapon on me, how am I supposed to trust her. If she can't control herself in this situation, how the hell can I expect to rely on her out there."

"Perhaps you hit a sore spot." Wynn tried. "We're all a little on edge after the attack. I'm sure she's reliable, especially if Caspiera is recommending her."

Donavan eyed Wynn and then Asheeri. He didn't actually have an issue with her coming, just an issue with her attitude. But if he relented too easily she might take that as a pass to continue acting like a brat. Before Donavan could respond, Asheeri spoke.

"Someone dear to me was taken," She said, staring into the ground. Her cheeks were burning and all the bravado from earlier had left her. "I'm not just going as a favor to Caspiera. So... So please permit me to accompany you."

Silence punctuated her confession.

"Fine," Donavan said. "Make sure you keep your temper under control."

Caspiera let out a sigh of relief. "Now that, that's taken care of I have some weapons for you. Follow me."

The group followed into the storeroom of the Barracks. Donavan had expected more. The room was little more than a walk-in closet. On one wall were shortswords, daggers, and pikes. On the other a few cubbies with pieces of armor and a rack of shields.

"You're free to take whatever you think you can use."

Wynn stepped forward and started inspecting an axe hanging on the wall. Donavan went over and grabbed a long sword and presented it to Wynn.

"How about this?" Donavan tried.

"I don't know the first thing about swordplay." Wynn admitted. "but I've used an axe plenty, even if it was only lumber."

"Sure, but you're not cutting down trees, you're cutting down goblins. Doesn't that seem like a sword kinda thing?"

"No," Caspiera said from the door. "It's better to use something you're familiar with, and an axe is a fine weapon."

Damn it. Why is it only now that this world cared about practicality?

"I'll hold onto it just in case," Donavan said and grabbed a sheath so he could carry the weapon strapped to his hip. Speaking of which, he should grab some actual clothing while he was here. No one had said much about him running around in only a waistcloth. But he wasn't going to risk a wardrobe malfunction in the middle of a fight if he could help it.

Within a few moments, the group was fully outfitted. Wynn had an axe strapped to his hip and a longbow on his shoulder. Jules found herself a crossbow and a half-helm that had cutouts to allow her ears to poke through. Which would've been great if it wasn't about two sizes too big. Donavan finally got some real clothes in the form of a sleeveless gambeson, dark trousers, sturdy boots, and a heavy brown-fur cloak. Asheeri seemed to already have everything she was planning to bring.

All in all, Donavan wouldn't say they looked ready to kick ass. But they at least looked ready to not immediately die once they left the gates.

Caspiera tried her best to give them an encouraging look. It would have been nice if her 'best' had been much better than it actually was.

"I gotta say." Wynn began as they all left the barracks and started making their way towards the village gate. "I'm feeling pretty good about this."