As we came closer to the docks I soon noticed that the city guards were having problems clearing the area. While at the sametime the three ships were closing in, they were now visible and would probably arrive in less then ten minutes. The ship that had been on fire seemed to have gotten the fire under control since almost no smoke was rising from the deck. And as I scanned the group that were making problems for the city guard, I quickly noticed that they were not your normal civilians that were refusing to clear the docks but a large group of badly armed men. They also outnumbered the guards and I could see that Marcus was in a heated discussion with a big thug welding a two-handed axe.

Their discussion seemed to halt as they noticed us, and the big thug seemed to be reconsidering things. And his underlings were starting to look around for an exit or backup I guessed. Anders made us stop some ten meters from the other group, and made his way to the front so he stood beside Bjorn.

"What's the holdup Marcus, who are these men and why are they still loitering around here?"

----------------------

Amelia stood in the back of her group of guild mates, she had her hood up and we're gripping her dagger. Things had gone from sunshine to shitstorm quickly, after giving her report yesterday she had received a new quest directly from guild master. She had been frightened by him but after giving her report on the young ranger, she had been praised and given a good reward of one small gold plus the experience that had punched her to level three. Amelia would have lied if she had said that she did not feel good about herself. And as one of the few who had met the guild master, one did not easley decline a quest directly given by him. At least not to his face.

So she had accepted the harmless fetch quest, which required her to follow Bull "the retard" down to the docks and wait for some ships to arrive with the item. Everything had gone smoothly, until the city guards started to show up in force. Bull, the enforcer and muscles in the guild had of course handled everything with finesse, by calling for backup and then started to threaten the guards who's captain were on scene. Bull was one of the five so he was tier two but so was the captain.

For a moment everything seemed to be going well, even though the guards were here. Since they outnumbered the captain and his men almost two to one, it would have been messy but they would probably have won. But Bull as the genius that he is, of course felt that the odds were on his side. So instead of chasing them away, started to brag about how he was going to beat the captain senselessly, stalling the fight and look now there were even castle guards down here, and they were armed to the teeth. And if Amelia was not mistaken, the guards now had at least three tier two warriors on their side. There was even the possibility that they had a tier three, the royal guard that she had reported on. Just as Marcus of the city guard was about to answer the question asked by the royal officer.

" Hey! Move along silk pants, nothing for you to bother with! Me and the good captain here are just having a talk. Got it?"

Bull the slick silver tongue, bane of all intelligence had scraped together some false bravado. And just had to open his mouth! The silence that followed was only beaten by the surprised looks on everyone's faces. Had some low life thug just threatened a royal guard in front of a hundred witnesses. Amelia could see and almost feel how her fellow guild mates were dying from embarrassment of the situation. And she watched how one of them stretched his hand forward and pulled on Bulls shirt to try and get his attention. Hopefully in an attempt to talk some sense into him.

At the sametime the officer was leaning towards the young ranger telling him something she couldn't hear. They both didn't seem to care much about Bull anymore, but were focused on something behind them. Amelia followed the young ranger's gaze and to her surprise saw that three cogs were coming in fast. What really surprised her though we're not the ships but what was happening on the decks. Sea demons were swarming up the sides trying to board them and there was fierce fighting with the crew that clearly hailed from Riverlands.

"Marcus, take your men and get over here. Let them have the docks, we form a line here!"

She and of course Bull heard the man ordering the city guards to back up. What was happening? Did they just surrender the docks to the guild?

She turned around again and looked towards the ships that were incoming.

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"That's right Captain, the kennel master is calling. You and your dogs better back off if you know what's good for you!"

Turning back towards the guards and seeing how they had left the docks to her people, a light suddenly went off inside her brain.

" Fuck! We are about to take the brunt of the fighting."

-------------

I was totally in agreement with Anders about letting the retard and his men soften the fish people up.

"Ding!"

A ringing sound suddenly went off and a notification from the system started to blink in the upper right corner of my vision.

Warning!

The capital city of your lands is about to be invaded by a tribe of seamerians!

Luckily you and your people were warned in time and have been able to muster the guards.

Warning!

You are at the moment not of age and are about to partake in the battle without a class! To help you survive and better carry out your duty, the system has decided to offer you a chance to earn a class early.

Options:

1.Run for your life. ( System advice!)

2.Hang back and watch the fighting.

3.Stay and fight, and if you survive, gain combat class early with the experience from the battle. You will count as level zero under the engagement. (The brave fool's choice, but with risk comes rewards!)

" Elric?"

Anders' voice called me back from the system message. And I quickly described the message I had just received, with the different alternatives.

"Ah, well you are not the first one to be able to gain a class early. Though your circumstances are different, most people that gain a class early are often victims of a traumatic experience. Like defending themselves from bandits or monsters. The one thing all have in common is that they were able to kill their enemy in some kind of engagement, and thus earned their class."

"But why has no one told me about the possibility of getting a class early?"

" It's not that people don't know, it's just something that is frowned upon and is often a crime in any decent society. I would guess that most parents would want their children to not get a class before they turn twenty. At least the combat classes. It might be hard for you to see with all your training and stats building, but the thing is that most children don't even come close to your level of skills and stats. Now go and find a good window or roof to shoot from, this is about to turn ugly so stay focused and don't get cornerd."

He pointed towards the ships that were now quite close. And soon the sounds of fighting reached us, the roars of anger and crys for help drifted with the wind over the sea towards us. The thieves had all turned towards the commotion behind them and started to back away from the quay. But we had now formed up and pushed them back towards the incoming sea demons. I could see some of the thugs were starting to panick. And even though I knew that this was the better strategy my stomach still started to turn. It just felt wrong to push them into a fight that might just be their last. Some of the smarter ones tried to run along the docks towards the end of our battle line, but a sharp order from Bjorn sent crossbow bolts flying. Ending them, and crushing any hope the thugs had of getting away from the battle.

So with the words from Anders I turned and made haste towards one of the houses. It was a two story house with a small balcony and I should be able to get onto the roof from it. Giving me the high ground with a good view over the fighting that was about to take place. The crossbowmen had taken positions in the other houses surrounding the docks and were overlooking the harbor from the windows.

I rushed into the house, sprinting up the stairs all the while yelling to the surprised inhabitants. To get out and make it somewhere safe farther into the city. Belinda was following close behind me, and had absolutely no problems keeping up with me. All the adrenaline was making it hard for me to think, so when I came out onto the balcony and saw Belinda in her wolf illusion, my mind went blank. How do Iget her up onto the roof without making it look weird?

" What is it?"

She immediately noticed my empty staring look.

" Well you know that wolf's don't climb right?"

"So, what's that got to do with anything?"

I waved a hand to indicate her illusionary form.

"The enchantment makes you look like a wolf."

"Ah! I forgot. So what are we to do?"

I looked around for anything that could help, a chair inside the room soon caught my attention. After getting the chair onto the balcony, I bent down and indicated for her to get into my arms.

" What do you think you are doing?"

" I will lift you up first then climb up after you."

" You will not carry me around, I will have you remember that I'm a noble dragon!"

She bared her fangs in an attempt to look intimidating but the wolf illusion just looked cute, any other time and I would have laughed, but we were running out of time.

" Yes I know, and it would be my honor to help you up on the roof. I will just lift you up, no one will see. Trust me!"

Slowly she moved towards me and I closed my arms around her. She went stiff as I started to lift her and soon I was standing on the chair with a young wolf in my arms, trying to push her up onto the roof.

" Ready men here they come!"

I could hear Anders commanding the men, and I turned my head to look towards the ships. And a second later I saw the two of the three ships hit the dock hard. With a loud noise of splintering wood, men and sea demons yelling as they were tossed around from the impact. The enemy had arrived, and I lost my balance falling backwards hitting the balcony railing with my back. Tossing Belinda up into the air and out from the balcony.

" Soft skin idiot, I will get you for this!"

Her voice screamed in my head, and I could feel the panic in her emotions. I tried to rise as fast as I could and at the same time turn around to see how she was doing. But the chair caught my legs and I fell once more.

"Fuck! I will never tell Father of my first battle."

I swore as I laid there almost done in by a chair.