There were half a dozen circular wooden tables scattered throughout the tavern. Almost all of them were packed full of patrons. They ranged from people that barely looked over the age of twelve to men that looked older than Elijah when he’d died on earth.

The vast majority of the people were armed in some way or another, but only a few of them had anything beyond a dagger or light leather armor. Elijah and Avery threaded their way past several tables and up to a small counter at the back of the room.

A young woman with her curly red hair tied up behind her head glanced up at them as they approached. She gave them a slight smile and set down the glass she was cleaning.

“Welcome to Riverside. I’m Maura,” she said, stepping out from behind the counter. She had a thick accent that made it slightly difficult to understand what she was saying. “Newcomers, I take it?”

“That obvious?” Elijah asked, smirking.

“Yep. You’re wearing the armor that we all arrived in and you look completely lost,” she shrugged. “I can give you a free night at the inn, but you’ll have to earn a living after that, one way or another.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask about that,” Avery said, stepping forward. “What kind of work is there for newcomers?”

“Depends on your class,” Maura said. “And if you want to fight.”

“We’ve got no objection to fighting,” Elijah said, giving her a wide grin. “In fact, that may be our preferred line of work.”

“Then you’ll have no shortage of jobs in any of the larger cities,” Marura replied. “There are a few things you can take care of here, but nothing that will earn you much. You can take a look at it on the cork board over there.”

She gestured to a small board hanging from the rightmost wall. There were several papers pinned into it with daggers.

“We’ll do that,” Elijah said. “Thank you. Does our free night at the inn come with a meal?”

Maura smirked. “Since you asked so nicely, I’ll see what I can do. Feel free to find a table and relax until I get your food out.”

“Thanks,” Elijah said.

The pair made their way through the crowded room, weaving past the groups of people until they reached the job board. A few tables glanced in their direction along the way, but nobody seemed particularly interested in the newcomers. The board was filled with papers asking for assistance farming and the odd job in slaying a Descrator Ape, but none of it caught their eyes. After a few minutes of examining the board, the two of them headed over to one of the few empty tables in the establishment and sat down.

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“Think we should bother with what’s on the board?” Elijah asked.

“Not really,” Avery said, shrugging. “Our time is more valuable than money, and there’s no point for us to waste it on killing something that won’t help us level up quickly.”

The two of them lapsed into silence as they waited for Maura to bring them their food. Elijah put his hands behind his head and laid back in his chair, scanning the tavern absentmindedly.

Most of the people there seemed to be locals. Their clothing was inexpensive and dirty, and they appeared completely uninterested in his presence. His gaze caught on several people in the room.

The first was a group of three boisterous, lightly armored men that were lounging in the corner of the room. They were a good bit larger than the other patrons, and their gear was well worn.

All of them had at least one scar, and the gazes they sent the other tavern goers were unfriendly at best.

A younger woman sat several tables away from them, her expression hidden behind a wide brimmed hat and her nose buried in a book. Her bright red coat looked expensive and the book was bound in a shimmering metal.

At the next table over, a mountain of a man had a short line of people standing in front of his table. They took turns in trying and failing to beat him in an arm wrestling match.

Elijah’s observation of the room was interrupted as Maura brought out a large plate of food. There were two large cuts of venison, a pile of what might have been mashed potatoes, and a large bowl of some sort of stew with two spoons sticking out of it.

“Enjoy your meal,” Maura said, smiling at them. She set the plate on the table before them. Before they could even thank her, the waitress vanished back into the throng of people.

Elijah grabbed one of the venison steaks with his hands and took a large bite out of it. Juice dripped down his chin as he chewed, a huge grin spreading across his face.

“This is delicious,” he mumbled through a mouthful of food. “Much better than that trash we’ve been eating in the woods. We need to get our hands on some seasonings.”

Avery took a knife from the plate and cut a small piece of the meat for herself, chewing it and swallowing before speaking.

“You could use a lesson in manners. There’s no need to be uncouth,” she said, pausing for a moment. “But you’re right about the seasonings.”

“Keep talking like that and I’ll eat your steak too,” Elijah said, taking another large bite out of his meal.

The rest of their meal passed silently. The two of them devoured every last bit of their food, savoring every bite. Once they’d finished, Elijah leaned back in his seat and stretched his arms out, groaning in satisfaction.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the group of men that had been sitting in the corner were gone. Their food was still on their table, largely unfinished. Elijah’s eyebrows crept upwards and he glanced around the room. The girl had left as well.

Avery noticed his expression and nudged him in the shin.

“What?” she whispered.

“They left their meals,” Elijah said quietly, jerking his chin towards the table. “I think someone’s about to part with their money.”

“Unfortunate,” Avery said.

“Indeed,” Elijah agreed, lowering back into his chair. “Do you think they’ll be coming back for their food?”