It had been several years since then, and the once orphan urchin had become a handsome catch. The hunger of his youth wouldn’t allow him to slack off and this work ethic had paid off in spades.

The well-to-do young man, known to everyone as Young Rick, had become one of the most eligible bachelors in town. Word of his success and charm spread quickly, though he seemingly remained blissfully unaware of the attention he garnered, everyone else seemed to take notice.

In the mornings, when he walked down to the market to buy produce, the many townsfolk who knew him or someone who had been helped by him would nod in recognition as he passed by.

He always stopped at the same produce stall, every day—Granny Avery, an elderly woman whose hands shook slightly as she sorted through her vegetables. She was one of the few who treated him as she had when he was still the scrawny boy with little more than dreams in his pocket.

“Morning, Rick,” she greeted him, her wrinkled hands busy sorting carrots. “Same as usual?”

He smiled warmly, pushing back the unruly curls of hair that fell over his eyes. “Morning, Granny. Yes, same as always.”

As he handed her a coin, he was unaware of the eyes that followed him. The young women who watched from across the market—some hiding their glances behind baskets of apples or cloth from the weavers’ stalls—whispered and giggled whenever he came into view. They saw him as a prize, a man who had both wealth and a mysterious air, his dashing looks tempered by the quiet confidence of someone who had faced things most could only imagine.

But Young Rick never noticed. He moved through the town as if nothing had changed, still the same boy in his heart, though his pockets were heavier and his name carried weight. His mind was often elsewhere, perhaps still lingering on the adventure he hadn’t yet found, or the life of daring that now seemed out of reach. He didn’t chase the attention or bask in the admiration; his focus was on the simpler pleasures, like the fresh scent of vegetables and the warmth of a morning sun.

The old lady looked at him knowingly, as if she could see the restlessness hiding behind his calm demeanor. She handed him the produce, her eyes twinkling with a smile.

“You know, you’ve grown into quite the young man little Ricky” she said, her voice and look heavy with subtext.

Rick laughed lightly, pretending to not understand her meaning.

“It's those green apples of yours granny, they keep me strong.” He flexed an arm and a grin for her, much to her amusement. He bid her a good day and continued on his way to his office

As he walked away, a familiar voice called out from one of the taverns nearby. “Rick! Come join us for a drink later!” It was Jon, one of his many companions, part of the network he had built, a group of men and women who had fought beside him in those early days.

“Sounds good, although I've got plenty of work so who knows what time I'll be back around.” Rick replied with a wave and a shout, though he knew his answer was less about workload and more about the weird funk he'd been in for the last few weeks. The life he had dreamed of as a boy was now at his feet, but there was something still missing, something he couldn’t quite name.

And so, the most eligible bachelor in town walked on, unaware that everyone else could see exactly what he was missing.

—---------------------0—--------------------------------------------

Everyone in Leredin knew where to find Rick. His office was small but welcoming, with a large, colorful sign that proudly displayed his name. It was easy to spot, easy to point out to anyone new to town. That was exactly how he liked it—his reputation, his connections, everything about him was accessible. He was a man who could help, and he made sure everyone knew it.

So, when Rick returned to his office one morning to find a stranger waiting at the door for him, luggage in hand, he wasn’t surprised in the least. If anything, he was a bit embarrassed.

“Sorry,” he said, balancing a bag of fresh produce under his arm. “I didn’t expect anyone to be here so early. I was just grabbing some bits for breakfast.”

The stranger turned slowly from where they had been facing the door, eyes glancing at the sign with his name emblazoned across it. When the figure turned to face him fully, Rick blinked.

It was a young woman. Quite a pretty young woman, actually, now that he took a moment to notice. Pretty enough that he would have noticed her before. She must be new to town.

“Oh,” she said, sounding surprised herself. “It’s no trouble, I’m the one imposing, being here so early in the morning.”

Her voice was soft, polite, and as she spoke, Rick couldn’t help but notice her long eyelashes, fluttering slightly as she looked up at him.

He quickly shook his head. “No imposition at all! This is what I’m here for. I help solve people’s problems. So, if you’re here, I’m assuming you’ve got something on your mind.”

He gestured toward the door. “Why don’t I show you inside? Let me set this stuff down, and you can tell me what you need.”

A grateful smile spread across the young woman’s face, her eyes brightening. “Please, if you don’t mind,” she said softly.

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Rick fumbled slightly with his keys before unlocking the door. The morning light spilled into the small office, casting warm shadows on the simple wooden desk inside. He moved quickly to drop the bag of produce onto the desk, then turned back to her.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he said, pulling out a comfortable looking chair for her. She sat, her posture poised yet somehow uncertain, as if she hadn’t done this kind of thing before.

Rick settled into his own chair, curious. She hadn’t given much away yet, and despite her calm exterior, he could sense there was something important on her mind.

“So,” he said, resting his elbows on the desk and folding his hands together. “What brings you to my humble office first thing in the morning?”

The young woman hesitated for a moment, her gaze dropping to her hands. “I... I’ve heard you’re the person to come to when you need help. And I... I do need help.”

Rick leaned forward slightly, his expression encouraging. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. Tell me what’s troubling you.”

She glanced up at him through those long lashes again, a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes.

“I’m afraid,” she began quietly. “Afraid for my sister's life.”

—-0—-----

“I’ll tell you right now, if this is an emergency, you’re probably better off going to the town guard,” Rick said, already shaking his head.

“No!” the girl exclaimed, her voice rising with urgency. “Well... it is a little bit of an emergency. Maybe. I don’t know.”

She started strong but quickly faltered, her confidence tapering off, leaving her looking self-conscious—or maybe unsure.

Rick looked at her carefully, then spoke softly, trying to ease her tension. “Look, why don’t we start over? My name’s Rick. What’s yours?”

The girl took a breath, as if steadying herself, and then met his eyes. “My name is Melina, and I’m here because my sister is missing. She’s an adventurer, so she’s often gone for months at a time, but this time...” Her voice cracked slightly before she continued. “This time, she said it was supposed to be a simple quest. She promised she’d be back in a few days. That was three weeks ago.”

Rick listened intently, his expression serious as she went on.

“I haven’t heard a word from her. Usually, when a quest runs long, she sends a messenger, but this time... nothing.”

Rick studied her as she spoke. Her clothing was quite nice—fashionable and undoubtedly expensive. She wasn’t just any girl from a small town. This was a wealthy young woman, someone who came from privilege. As he examined her further, he could tell she didn’t quite belong here. No, this girl was from the city, not a Podunk town like this.

“So, why are you here, talking to me?” Rick asked, his tone even. “Couldn’t you have gone to the Adventurer’s Guild? I can tell from your belongings you’re not without means. What about your family? Is there nothing they can do?”

Her hopeful expression immediately crumbled, and her eyes dropped in what looked like shame.

“It’s complicated,” she muttered.

Rick frowned, taking a moment to consider. Noble politics he thought to himself. Her family must not approve of her sister’s career choice. Many such cases.

“When I went to the Adventurer’s Guild,” Melina continued, her voice shaking, “they told me they couldn’t do anything until the quest timer ran out. And that’s still a week away! By then, it could be too late!”

Her desperation flared up at the end, her voice rising to nearly a shout.

Rick sat in silence for a moment, watching her closely. She was genuinely afraid, no doubt about it. Finally, he asked, “What was the quest?”

The question hung in the air for a moment as Melina stared down at her lap, hesitating. When she finally spoke, it was almost a whisper.

“...Goblin slaying quest.”

The words hit Rick like a hammer.

He stood up abruptly, his chair clattering to the floor behind him. “Shit,” was all he could say, his mind already racing. He turned to Melina, his expression deadly serious. “How far from here?”

Melina blinked, startled by his sudden intensity. “I... I believe the quest was located in the mountains nearby? A day's ride on horseback from here, I was told..." she stammered, unsure.

“Fuuuuu–,” Rick groaned under his breath. “We need to get moving. Now.” He stood swiftly, grabbing his coat and heading for the door. “Come with me,” he called over his shoulder.

Melina’s eyes widened in confusion. “Wait, so you’ll help me? What about payment?”

Rick was already halfway out the door, his coat on and a staff in hand before she’d even proccessed the situation. “We’ll worry about that later. Right now, we need to get this town ready for a goblin invasion. Then we’ll find that nest and burn it down.”

When he noticed her standing there dazedly, the young Fixer crossed back over to her in two quick strides, gently grabbing ahold of her hand and pulling her from her chair. “Come on.”

Melina’s eyes went wide, her heart racing as she stumbled after him after grabbing her bags. “G-Goblin invasion??”

Rick grunted in response as they briskly walked down the street.

“Yes, an invasion. If it’s been three weeks since the party went in to wipe out the nest and they haven’t returned, it means they failed. And if they failed, the goblins know we know they’re there. 20 days is roughly how long it will have taken them to recover from whatever damage your sister's party managed to do and for their newly spawned warriors to learn how to hold a spear. The closest human settlement will be their first target. That would be us.”

He was moving fast, his words pouring out as he led her through the streets. “That’s the problem with the Adventurer’s Guild—they’re too slow. A week from now, this town won’t even exist.”

“W-What are we going to do?” Melina asked, her voice trembling.

“We’re going to see Guard Captain Gonzo,” Rick said firmly. “He’ll rally the troops and sound the alarm. Then I’ll find my Adventurer friends, and we’re going into that dungeon to burn the whole nest out—and find your sister. That, I promise you.”

He stopped walking for a moment and turned to face her, his gaze locking onto hers with fierce determination. His words were steady, but it was the look in his eyes that made her heart skip a beat.

For some reason, she couldn’t help but believe him.