> "Fear no storms, for the booming thunder is your herald and the radiant lightning your spear. The raging winds and driving rains shall sweep away any opposing army. Those who fear the storm know not of the solace offered to those who have embraced it.”
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> - The final lines of a speech given by Wiesis, demigod of storms to his armies on the eve of the first battle of the third recorded Mithos war.
One of the many things Lloyd and I had been working on this past week was recruiting members for the team we would need for Cadius’s mission. While the two of us could move more freely than if we were in a group, the unfortunate fact was that we were weak. There was no way we could escape unscathed even if our opponent didn’t have a blessing. We had decided that the team would need a scout, someone with raw strength, like a brawler, and a sentinel.
Lloyd and I weren’t yet accustomed to dealing with the kinds of enemies you’d find in this world, so a scout would know what sorts of dangers we might face and help us avoid them. We needed muscle because we were weak, plain and simple. As for a sentinel, they were the team’s bodyguard. They’d protect the vulnerable members of our team, read: Lloyd and I, and focus on drawing attention away from them.
Ideally, the scout would have a good pair of eyes, a keen nose for danger, and the sense to keep us the fuck away from it. The brawler just needs to be our literal heavy hitter. Smash through walls, toss people around like sacks of garbage, you know, the usual. The difficulty lies in finding someone to fill the sentinel role. There was no lack of scouts and tough guys, but thieves and rogues tended not to need someone to run defense. You only needed someone on defense if you screwed up a job. We needed someone to watch our backs, for now.
We had already narrowed down the other positions to two or three candidates, using on the Vagabonds members list Wolfram had provided for us. But there was currently only one person who had aptitude to be our sentinel. They had trained here in the city to join the Vagabonds, but other than that, they were a complete greenhorn. It had only been half a month since he joined, and he still has yet to go on any missions.
Being talented and trained is great and all, but there are some things that only experience can teach you. Confidence, how to carry yourself, knowing when you can relax and when you need to stay alert. Innumerable minor things you learn while out on the field are what forges greatness.
Ugh, whatever. I’ll just let Lloyd handle the guy.
I had just finished with the stack of papers, meaning it was time to start preparing for the interviews. We had to know what kind of people we were going to be working with. Lloyd and I had argued whether or not we should be hiring them temporarily or permanently. I had wanted them to stay. Being dumped by the rising stars of the organization didn’t look good on your resume. Even if we made it clear what we were doing, there’d always be that misconception. Lloyd said that our safety and the results we got are what mattered. If we screwed ourselves down the line by getting stuck with dead weight, we’d regret it.
“So, what you’re saying is that we don’t have enough time to get an accurate assessment of them, right?” I had replied.
When Lloyd nodded, I handed him a sheet of paper with the subtlest of smug grins. “Will this solve the issue?”
Lloyd took the paper and began reading. Once he was finished, he squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed at his temples. “…Yes. Unfortunately,” Lloyd eventually replied with a resigned sigh.
What I had handed him was a poster. It was advertising this year’s Day of Thieves festival. More specifically, I had been referring to the events section halfway down the page. There was going to be a game, one the town apparently loved like none other.
The Heist Game. A multi-round event where players must use their wit, cunning, skill, and luck to triumph and ultimately win the right to make a request of Cadius himself. Basically, it was the perfect chance to see what these recruits got.
It also sounded like tons of fun.
“Von, I see that look in your eyes. Yes, you want to participate as well?” Lloyd said. What can I say, the man can read me like a book.
“Yup!” I smiled.
And again, Lloyd sighed in exasperation. Should I apologize or just ignore it? … Eh, he’ll be fine.
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We used the Vagabond’s mail delivery network to send out the invitations. The specifics weren’t revealed to us, but when we were told that the invitations would be delivered by the next morning, I was left dumbfounded. How is that even possible? Just finding out where these people were was a trial in and of itself, as no one was guaranteed to be at their residence at any given time. I’d have to ask about that at a later time. For now, we had work to do.
It was the noon following our poster conversation. We were holding the meeting in the same common room in which we had first met Cadius. The six applicants we had chosen had all arrived, some sitting, others standing. Some tried to hide their nervous fidgeting, while most seemed either apathetic or just curious.
We had narrowed our selections down to two scout candidates and three brawlers. As for the sentinel, we’d just have to see if he was worth brining along.
While Lloyd and I had been getting ready, a scout and one of the brawlers had struck up a conversation. I could see them smiling and laughing from the other side of the room.
I was relieved to see that there were some more lively characters among them. My spirit couldn’t take being surrounded by strait-laced antisocial workaholics.
Once we had finished our preparations, Lloyd and I approached the group.
“Thanks for showing up,” I began. “My name is Von, and this is Lloyd.” I had introduced us without our titles. Lloyd was against it, saying that it would garner respect from the recruits, but I had to disagree. While technically we had the title bestowed upon us by Cadius himself, not everyone was guaranteed to respect someone they’ve never even met before, title or not. I sure as hell wouldn’t have given a damn about Cadius’s title if not for the overwhelming presence the man had during our meeting.
I paused, expecting someone to point out our status as Apostle and Attendant. At least they know when to keep their mouths shut. After a moment of silence, I continued. “Before getting down to business, we’ll first conduct a brief interview with each of you. Lloyd and I just want to get to know you a bit better.” Lloyd had insisted I act at least somewhat more professional during the meeting, saying it was about leaving a good first impression or some such nonsense.
We needed to take the time to talk with each of them individually, as the records Wolfram had provided were essentially resumes; they either used vague wording to describe themselves, lied, or just didn’t mention their personalities at all. If we were going to be relying on them in the future, we’d need to know what kinds of people they were.
“Falur, could you come with us?” Lloyd requested.
A young man stood up. “Sure,” he said with a smile.
Falur was a young male in his early twenties applying for the scout position. He had short, dark green hair, I assumed it was dyed, but I hadn’t yet looked into what kinds of hair colors were common in this world, and a black headband. He was a bit on the lean side and wore lightweight clothing under a leather vest. From the way he held himself and his tone, I got the vibe that he was a bit full of himself. I didn’t necessarily have a problem with that, not unless he couldn’t get it together when we needed him to.
I discretely placed a sound dampening effect around us, preventing the interviewees from overhearing our conversation. I opted for muffling the sounds rather than outright blocking them, as that would have been too obvious and possibly intimidating.
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I had him take the seat opposite mine while Lloyd stood behind me, ready to take notes. Wait, don’t I look like some kind of mob boss? Well, I guess it’s not too far off. I smiled despite myself. I could see an almost imperceptible change in Falur’s expression. Oops.
I coughed, trying to distract Falur from my apparently unsettling slipup. “So, what made you apply for our team?” I asked.
His reply came quickly, “I’ve just got a good feeling about you two. Cadius seems to think you’ve got what it takes to be his Apostle, so there’s really not much left to say.”
“So, you just want to hang around those with power?” Lloyd countered flatly. He hid his distain well, but I still felt that he had been far too aggressive.
Falur’s expression twisted a bit. Was it because Lloyd’s assessment had been dead on, or had he just been reacting to the fact that he had been called out? I couldn’t say. He quickly eked out a reply. “Err, no, not exactly. I just think I can get better if I’m with you guys.”
Only a half-truth. Perhaps he was motivated by the prestige of the position, while the experience he’d gain would just be a bonus. In reality, neither of those factors would create strong bonds as comrades. Normally, that wouldn’t necessarily be unwanted, but for the tight-knit team we were hoping to put together, keeping each other at a distance might interfere with our teamwork.
Actually, I’m pretty sure I knew what he was after. Lloyd’s guess had been pretty close, or more accurately, it was Falur’s first step in obtaining that thing.
We asked only a few more questions, like what kinds of jobs he preferred to take and what sorts of grievances had he had with past jobs or teams. His responses were brief and shallow; they were lacking in thought and depth, which didn’t score him any points in my view.
After shaking hands, Lloyd dismissed Falur, telling him to send over the next interviewee.
A female Ratatoskr with jet black fur that was greying in places approached us. “Hello, Roska, pleasure to meet you,” I greeted her, offering my hand. We shook hands, then took our seats.
Roska was the oldest of the interviewees at forty-six years. She had wrinkles on her face and a weathered look in her burnt-orange eyes. She wore a matte black pauldron on her right shoulder and a gold ear cuff on her left ear.
“Likewise,” she responded.
According to her resume, she has been with the Vagabonds for well over half her life, though she had been inactive for the past several years. Coming out from under the woodwork to join our team intrigued me. What was it about us that made her want return?
So, I just went ahead and asked her. “Why’d you want to join us? You haven’t taken on any work in a few years, and you just suddenly show up from out of nowhere and ask to join a newbie’s group?”
I could feel Lloyd staring at the back of my head. It’s only fair. You got to antagonize Falur earlier.
She replied without hesitation. “I trust Cadius. If he brought in a complete unknown and made them his Apostle, then he had a very good reason to so. He knows it would upset many in the organization, yet still went ahead with it. I would like to see for myself what it is that is so special about you, and assist you, if possible,” she spoke with in a neutral tone. The no-nonsense type, are we?
Lloyd spoke up. “You’re saying it’s purely to satisfy your curiosity, correct?” I suppose Lloyd had decided to play the role of interrogator. Unfortunately, Roska didn’t seem like the type to bat an eye at antagonism. Only logic and order would move her.
“No. I have been contemplating returning for quite some time now. I have come to realize that I am not one who enjoys a life of peace. That is not to say that I seek danger, rather, I take satisfaction in being of use to the Vagabonds.” She gave Lloyd and I a look up and down. “And I can see no better way to benefit Cadius than assisting his Apostle and their Attendant.”
Lloyd nodded in approval.
To be honest, I wanted to just recruit her on the spot. Everything she had said was genuine, and her vast wealth of experience and knowledge were far more valuable than anything Falur could have offered. The only gripe I had was with her deadpan demeanor. How am I ever going to get her to smile?! Truly, she was solemn as a statue, an impregnable visage.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t have been fair for Falur and the other applicants. We had already mentioned a test as part of the interview process.
We asked one more brief, inconsequential question before dismissing her, having her send over the next candidate just as Falur did. As usual, we greeted the approaching figure, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries before taking our seats.
Gino, a man his mid-forties, had grey, unkempt hair. He wore a permanent scowl; I had not yet seen him make any other expression since walking into the room. His records had shown he was about as average as they come. He had been with the Vagabonds for quite some time, but only took missions below his supposed level of skill. In other words, he never took risks. Knowing your capabilities is one thing, but it seems the man has never once taken a job that would even possibly pose a danger to him. Again, it’s not cowardly; it’s only natural to look after yourself. But our team needed someone willing to stand in the thick of it, and I wasn’t sure that Gino wouldn’t hesitate somewhere down the line.
The interview itself was short, his gruff, one-word responses left Lloyd, who was standing next to where I was sitting, so irritated that I could feel it radiating from him. Gino’s motivation for joining us was money. He wouldn’t share what for, or how much he was expecting. Most likely, he assumed that the Cadius’s Apostle would have deep pockets. Which wasn’t entirely wrong; we did have ample funds provided every month by Cadius, but that deal would only last for half a year. After that, we were supposed to earn it ourselves.
Gino had a different sort of no-nonsense attitude than Roska. His was more… stilted. He only spoke when spoken to and used only the bare necessary number of words to get his point across. Not exactly a team player, this one.
I skimmed his records again. Noticing his lack of risk-taking, I wondered why he applied to join a group led by two newcomers with no prior records. I almost asked the question, but frankly, his lack of engagement didn’t sit well with me. Also, I got the feeling that, no matter his answer, it wouldn’t change my opinion of him.
We wrapped up the interview and broke for lunch, as it was about that time of day, and I was hungry myself. We all agreed to meet back here in an hour before going our respective ways. Lloyd and I returned to the Katergaris residence, our home. There, we chatted about the people we interviewed, sharing our opinions and concerns.
“To be honest, I wanted to hire Roska right then and there. Falur isn’t a good fit for the team,” I admitted.
Lloyd finished his sip of tea before replying. “Agreed. But we still need to see them in action, just to be sure.”
“Yeah,” I resigned. I went back to my meal; some kind of roasted pork dish, I didn’t remember what the chef had called it when he brought it out. I didn’t care about the name, just that it was filling and didn’t taste like sewage. Thankfully, our chef, Simon, has yet to disappoint. The man cooked food for us. He had already picked up on our preferences and was adjusting his dishes accordingly. He didn’t mind that we asked for simple dishes or commoner food, his focus was just on satisfying his clients. I admired that kind of unhindered mindset.
As I was munching, Lloyd spoke up. “You’ve already decided who you’re picking,” he stated.
I finished off the chunk of food I had been chewing. “Yeah, pretty much,” I admitted with reluctance. Once again, Lloyd proves that he is unrivaled when it comes to understanding the enigma that is Von. I smiled softly.
…Or am I really just that easy to read? Eh, I doubt it, I’m just too odd to normal people.
A few long, awkward seconds passed. Well, awkward for Lloyd. That was my intention, though.
Lloyd sighed. “Fine, I give up, I’ll ask.” Ha! I win again! “Who did you pick for the brawler position?” asked Lloyd.
I didn’t hesitate with the reply I had prepared. “Take a guess.”
Lloyd groaned in response. This is almost too easy, almost. He closed his eyes, focusing his mind on the task. Roughly three minutes had passed before he had his answer. “Well, it’s clear you’ve already ruled out Gino. That leaves Dan and Johan. I think you’d be fine with either one, so it’s tough to say. Judging from what I’ve seen of them, which is admittedly not very telling as it was only from a distance, I bet you’ve picked Dan, since he’s got more job experience than Johan.”
“Wrong,” I replied smugly. I stole a glance at his expression. Yep, that pout sure is cute. “Johan’s a diamond in the rough. Did you see the team leader’s report from Johan’s first mission? The man is a prodigy.”
“But it didn’t seem that impressive,” Lloyd pointed out.
I shook my head. “When you get the chance, compare his evaluation to the others. The person who wrote those reports is definitely a hardass. The fact that he said anything even remotely positive about Johan means the kid was actually pretty amazing.”
“Huh,” was all Lloyd could reply with.
“And,” I continued. “While he’s not got the same kind of field experience that Dan has, he’ll pick up the knowledge and habits instantly. My prediction is that Johan only need to see or do something once to be good at it.
“Is that what your gut is telling you?” Lloyd questioned me.
“Yep! Anyways, he’s also a bit stary-eyed, so he’ll be less likely to complain than a jaded Dan.”
Lloyd squinted at me; one eyebrow raised. What? Did I say something wrong?
“Von, I didn’t know you had put this much thought into it. I just assumed you would end up winging it, like usual,” Lloyd admitted, the words just sort of spilling out his mouth. He usually had a bit more tact than that.
“Hey!” I snapped. “ I don’t always rely on my instincts. I just know that this is important enough to warrant the effort,” I told him.
“Mm-hmm,” Lloyd muttered doubtfully. I’m not that bad! I swear!
“Anyways,” I began, attempt to move the topic of the conversation away from my questionable behavior. “I just hope Hartwin doesn’t turn out to be a lost cause.”
“It’ll be fine,” Lloyd said reassuringly. “I think he just needs the opportunity to prove himself.” Lloyd shifted in his seat, folding his arms. “So, I assume you’ve also decided the teams for the Heist Game?”
I nodded. “And I’ll be keeping it a surprise, just for you,” I winked. Lloyd shook his head in silent disapproval. Or was it disappointment? Both?
Thankfully, Lloyd didn’t bother me for the remainder of our meal.