Nick followed Sophia’s gaze and soon caught sight of the group in question, three people heading out of the crowd who were looking his way. Walking in front was a middle-aged man with streaks of grey peppering his short black hair. He wore light leather armor and had several gold chains looped around his neck.
While he wasn’t visibly armed, something about the way that he watched, the way that he moved, told Nick that this man was no stranger to violence. That his calm demeanor and plastic smile were nothing more than a poorly fitting mask.
The warrior beside the middle-aged man was heavily equipped, the hilt of a long sword poking up above the profile of his breastplate. His spiky brown hair had once been well-maintained, but now sported the same self-chopped look as Nick’s own.
Something in the warrior’s eyes made Nick size him up. He shifted his stance and got ready to start casting spells when a ping of danger resounded. Nick reached for his wand and began planning out his opening move, since the man moved with clear aggression and would be a dangerous opponent if they fought one another.
“Hold up. There’s no need to start things off on the wrong foot,” the woman said as the group came to a stop in front of Nick and Sophia. Her hair was auburn, and her graceful movements suggested a dexterity build, perhaps some manner of magic using hybrid. She was in her early thirties and wore clothes that were remarkably clean, if somewhat threadbare.
Although she wore a short sword at her hip, the woman had no hostility in her posture or tone whatsoever, helping Nick to relax by a hair, despite the tension in the air. But he wasn’t about to lower his guard, considering the company she kept.
The swordsman was still radiating hostility, and Nick couldn’t get a read on the other man at all. When Nick tried sizing him up, the skill seemed to shrug rather than offering a distinct evaluation. “We’re all on the same side,” the woman continued, flashing a warm grin that clashed with the stress lining the corners of her eyes.
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“If only that were true,” the older man said. “Unfortunately, not everyone shares such noble sentiments. The regrettable truth is that there are parasites and predators in our midst. We must root them out here and now for the sake of our species and our civilization. But I’m sure that our new friends will be welcome among us.”
The man offered a smile that in no way felt welcoming. “Surely the lingering scent of blood on them is merely a testament to the danger they faced in reaching this place, and not evidence of aggression against their own kind. Isn’t that right…”
“Nick,” Nick managed a grin that stopped well short of his eyes. While he didn’t trust these people at all, except for maybe the woman, he had no desire to precipitate a conflict between other members of team Earth. Keep your guard up but try to deescalate the situation. It’s no surprise that people are on edge. Not after everything we’ve been through.
“Sophia,” she added, noticeably not sheathing her dagger. “Your turn. It’s only polite to identify yourselves when asking someone’s name.”
“Indeed. Please forgive my lapse. My manners are a bit frayed due to some recent… unpleasantness in the camp. You can call me Jim, and this is Ken and Elizabeth. Now, if you wouldn’t mind sharing your story, I’m sure that we can get this sorted out.”
“Wait a minute,” Sophia cut him off, earning her a glare that was quickly smoothed over. “Names are nice, but who are you and what gives you the right to interrogate us? Forgive me for not buying the friends bullshit, but it doesn’t really fit when two of you are emitting killing intent like heat from a bonfire.”
“Easy Ken,” Jim placed a restraining hand on the swordsman’s arm, which was in the process of reaching back to draw his massive weapon. “There are too many eyes on us and besides, what she said is absolutely correct.” He offered a predatory smirk, the first genuine expression that Nick had seen on Jim’s face thus far.
“To answer your questions, the three of us are the leaders of this little gathering.” Jim gestured to include the thousands of people milling around the base of the tower.
“We’re here to keep anyone from entering too early. At least until we can come to an understanding regarding group composition and formulate a strategy for facing the guardian at the top. Unfortunately, we’ve also been forced to deal with a few bad apples who were trying to prey upon the weakest among us. Now, why don’t we go somewhere quiet to discuss the matter at length? I promise to keep the two of you together if at all possible.”