"So, are either of you going to tell me why you brought me here?"

"We're going to leave this stupid town, join us."

"Huh? Are you crazy? Do you even know what's out there?"

"No, but it has to be better than just sitting here waiting to rot and die like all those adults."

"...But why now of all times?"

"I’m going to be sent to the clothing factory in two days. I don't want to go there and end up like everyone else. I'm sorry for being so selfish." The young man finally speaks up. It was easy to tell how distraught he was from his expression alone.

"You’ll be fine Varence, quit your whining."

"Really?"

"We'll escape soon so stop worrying so much."

"You keep talking about escape, but do you even know how?" The young elf questioned the other two.

The question bore down on the three young figures who were currently huddled over a map of the city. It was roughly made and the parchment it was on was low quality and dirty, but it was all they had. Everything else in the room was in ruins and tatters, trash laid about everywhere except the middle where the table and three figures stood. Being underground there wasn't a single window on any of the walls. Only shabby wooden support beams that looked like they could collapse at any moment, and a single rickety ladder leading upstairs currently blocked off by a trapdoor.

"I don't like this town any more than you do but I know better than either of you that escape isn't that simple. The outside world is harsh and unlivable, it's filled with monsters and even if you somehow get past them there's still the guards to worry about. They'll hunt us down for sure." She pauses for a moment with a grimace. "And to put it bluntly, I don't have any reason to leave right now. You might not have any time, but I do."

The biggest and oldest one, Varence, scratched his head as he struggled with the question and stood in silence. Like the other two his clothing was mostly simple and cheap, there were obvious markings and tears here and there, despite the many obvious attempts of repairs. Over those clothing however he had a small scarf that looked completely out of place. It was too short and wide to be a proper scarf for a man of his size. And it stood at odds with the rest of his clothing as the scarf was far cleaner, almost perfectly so, except for a single pale streak.

Next to him was a half-elf named Artemis. She stared intently at the map considering their options. The dim light flickered in her eyes as she looked from place to place. Being the shortest of the three she had trouble seeing parts of the map that were furthest away from her, and so occasionally she has to move from one side of the table to another.

"We could light the guardhouse on fire."

Taken aback from the suggestion Lilith struggled to respond. "...C-could you maybe come up with something a bit more stealthier than that."

A wood elf, Lilith, sat on the corner of the table just barely not touching the corner of the map. Her clothes were the most worse for wear among them. Various scars and bruises covered her tanned skin. But despite her injuries, there still was a certain gracefulness to her movements.

"Artemis don't do that, somebody might end up getting hurt," Varence cried out.

"So? It's just the guardhouse, who cares if those guards get hurt. They deserve a little misfortune if you ask me."

"Don't say that, we don't know whose under those visors."

"Yeah, exactly because we don't know what's under there that makes them suspicious. Who knows what's under those damn visors." Artemis scoffs as she circles the table.

"How about you try and sneak Varence out during the night? Maybe when the guards are about to change out, they'll be pretty tired around that time."

"If the guards are switching out there's only going four of them to deal with instead of two."

"Then he'll go before the guard change arrives." Lilith yawns and begins swinging her legs back and forth lightly tapping the table with the back of her feet as she does.

"How is he going to sneak past them, I know Varence, trust me he's not very sneaky."

Lilith turns over to see him nod confirming Artemis' words.

The creaking of old floorboards could be heard from above, but none of them react.

"Oh, if I could light something on fire near the entrance then maybe they'll get distracted and he could run out when they're gone?"

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"What’s with this obsession with fire?" Lilith sounded slightly exasperated at this point. "How about we try to get over the wall? It’s not too high up and I’m pretty sure there won't be any guards patrolling the border. The walls are just spiked wood but its enough to keep the monsters out so I doubt they bother with watching anything but the entrance ways."

Artemis ponders for a bit. "That could work."

"All you really need is some rope and a hook and you'll be over no problem."

Disappointed that her plans to set something ablaze was put off, Artemis turns to the old man who was just now coming down the ladder.

"Do you have any rope Mister?"

"Straight to the point as usual I see."

Colethaine Jassan, the owner of the flower shop where the four of them are current in the basement of. He was a decrepit old man getting onto his years, probably the oldest person in the entire village somewhere in his 40’s. His time wasn’t too far off.

"Rope, yes or no."

"Rope you say?" He hesitates before rummaging through some of the mess pushing aside various junk before finally producing some thin hempen rope.

"Is this what you are looking for?"

Artemis stops circling the table and walks up to the old man and takes the rope from him, testng the rope’s strength. It was thin. She was expecting that just from looking at it but it was especially so now that she got to touch it. it only took some tension before the rope began to stretch. She turned to the other two and shook her head.

"Thanks anyways I guess Mister." Artemis says as she tosses the rope back into the pile.

"Sorry the rope wasn’t the strength you wanted. It’s quite difficult to come by any good material these days."

"Thank you anyways Mr. Jassan sir, I’m sure we’ll be able to find a use for it somehow." Varence says trying to apologize to Colethaine.

"Hey, you work at the Stumbling Duck don't you?"

"Yeah what about it?"

"I bet you could find some hooks and chains or something in your boss's shop somewhere couldn't you?"

Lilith looked a little uncomfortable but still replied, "she does, what're you suggesting?"

"What else? Go and steal some, there's probably plenty enough to scale the wall with."

"I don't wanna." A blunt reply.

"Why?"

"You don't know my boss. She'll notice instantly and I don't want to get caught. Trust me, I've tried some dumb things in the past and nothing ever gets past her."

"I mean it's not like we're taking them forever, just long enough to get Varence over the wall and then you can put them right back afterwards."

"It's already decided that I have to steal it..." Lilith puts on a face at just the thought of it.

"Well of course you know your way around the shop way better than any of us here."

"Fine I’ll try, but you guys will owe me one. And you need to help me find a way to get past the lock on the door. I don’t have the key to the place and I'm sure as hell not stealing the key from my boss, that for sure would be suicide."

"I can probably find you some makeshift lockpick somewhere, leave that to me." Artemis says offhandedly.

"That doesn't sound very promising but I'll leave that to you."

While the three are going over their plans, Colethaine tended to a single sunflower in the corner of the room that had seen better days. It's leaves were barely keeping their last shades of green, on the few that still were attached that is. It was still standing but purely because of the nurturing care the old man provided it day in and day out.

Varence noticing that the sunflower looked wilted, decided to go over to see if he could help it out by giving it some light. Raising one of his hands and he began to chant.

Vuz sae li-

But was promptly stopped by the old man, knocking his hand away just as a magical light began to gather around it.

"Stop that. This plant is very delicate and needs to be cared for in a very specific way. Please don’t do anything that could harm it."

Embarrassed Varence promptly lowered his hand and stopped his chant.

"I’m sorry."

With no further response from Colethaine, Varence headed back to the table in shame.

"I’ll go and find a brick or something to test with then. The chains won’t be easy to throw, we’re gonna have to see if we can even get it over the wall. Gonna need it to grip the wall anyways, I don’t think the hook is big enough to secure itself with how big the spikes are at the top. Varence go find somewhere quiet where we can try practicing throwing a brick." Without missing a beat Lilith turns over to look at Varence as he rejoins them.

"Wait, why me?"

"Because your the man of this group obviously. You’re gonna be the one throwing it during the real thing of course."

"Oh, okay I guess, but I’m not that strong."

"Are you going to ask the girls to do it then Varence? Because we look soo much stronger than you." Artemis replied with a snide.

"No no of course not, I’ll do it. I’ll try my best."

"Ok, go find a good spot I’ll meet up with you when I find a decent practice brick or something." And with that Lilith walked away and up the ladder without a sound.

Varence gives Colethine a slight bow. "Alright. We’ll be leaving now Mr. Jessan thank you for having us."

"Come back anytime you like, you are all free to use this place as you wish." He replies with a smile.

Waving goodbye Varence began his ascent up the ladder as well, leaving just Artemis who was still looking at the town map.

After the door could be heard closing above did she begin to speak.

"What do you know about the clothing factory?"

"The clothing shop you say? Hm, very little. They do not allow non workers to enter the building after."

"And none of the adults tell you anything?"

"No, they have never spoken a single word of what goes on inside. I have tried many times but it was to no avail."

Finally Artemis looks up only to stare at the old man. "Why are you helping us so much? You don't have any reason to."

A silence filled the room as Colethaine continued to tend to his plant while Artemis continued her daggered stare at his back.

"I am not long for the world." He finally replied. "It is only right to support the next generation. Nothing good will happen from staying in this town and the sooner you leave the better."

"Are they going to kick you out of the town soon old man?"

"Yes, I do not know when exactly but the day is close I can tell."

"Don't you want to escape with us too? You'll have a better chance of survival out there that way."

A single shake of the head. "No, I will only slow you down. I have lived long enough. The three of you however, your lives have just begun. There is no point of having you youngsters carry a burden such as myself around, you will have enough problems as is."

"I’m going to go too, don’t get yourself killed yet old man."

"I don’t plan on it."