A young man loaded a crate of mushrooms onto the cart. He was joined by four other laborers as they worked on a contract given to their guild. With the Fall Festival around the corner, the demand for laborers was high. For healthy laborers like the young man, this was a great opportunity to make a sizable sum of money. The group had already completed four other contracts earlier and hoped to complete their fifth one before sunset. With coordinated teamwork, the laborers loaded all the carts with crates requested for the upcoming feast.

“Wow, I cannot believe we finished five contracts in a day.” One of the laborers said after stretching his arms. “Must be a new record within the guild!”

“If it’s a record,” said another laborer, “we should celebrate it! I heard the Adventurer’s Inn has some delicacies tonight.”

While the laborers discussed amongst themselves about dinner, the young man stared up at the crescent moon.

“Are you coming or not, Dreu?” asked a laborer who slapped the young man on the shoulder.

“Sorry, what did you say?” Dreu asked after calming his heart.

Upon hearing the plans of the other laborers, Dreu shook his head and said he had other businesses to attend to. He watched the group leave without him but the sight brought a smile to his face. He met the four laborers exactly two years earlier when he first arrived at the town of Berkton.

The Labor Guild was hiring two years earlier due to a shortage of manpower so they even took in Dreu who was described as only skin and bones at the time. Through hard work and being assigned regular heavy lifting tasks, Dreu eventually developed his bulky build. It was also at the guild that Dreu met the four laborers. They got along immediately so, without hesitation, they formed a squad which had proven to be one of the most reliable squads in the guild. The Labor Guild paid fair rates and life was great for hardworking men like him. The current Fall Festival was proving to be a very profitable opportunity for the laborers.

Normally, the Fall Festival was the only opportunity for making large sums of money. Yet, the year offered a rare second opportunity for the laborers of Berkton. Several months earlier, the Labor Guild was given a contract from the king himself. Laborers were needed to transport large crates to the capital. Dreu’s squad didn’t get assigned the task for the journey to the capital but they did aid the logistics at Berkton and were well compensated for their work.

The second opportunity benefited Dreu greatly as the young man wasn’t content with staying a laborer his entire life. He longed to become an adventurer. The stories of adventurers defeating powerful monsters and becoming heroes excited him. While handling crates, Dreu also heard about the other towns and cities with a longing to see them with his own eyes. For a long time, he thought being an adventurer wasn’t possible for someone with no magical abilities. Overhearing a conversation at the Adventurer Inn a year ago changed that perception.

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Following a long day of packing ores into crates, Dreu’s squad celebrated the occasion at the Adventurer Inn. While devouring the food, Dreu noticed an Adventurer group entering the establishment. The four members of that group were seated at an adjacent table. One of those members then spoke of the Knight Academy and how he, without any magical abilities, could still contribute on the battlefield. Since learning of the Knight Academy, Dreu took efforts to research more on the topic. The more he researched, the more optimistic he was with a future as an adventurer.

As someone with no magical abilities, his options were limited to wielding weapons. Magical weapons were only available to those with wealthy families so they were off the table for Dreu. By carefully saving up his earnings, Dreu could not only obtain enough funds to purchase weapons but he could also pay for the two years of training at the Knight Academy in the nearby city of York. The cost of being a Knight was high but the benefits easily justify those costs. For a young man like Dreu, the Knight academy might be the only option available to him that could bear fruit in a few years.

Therefore, Dreu turned down the visit to the tavern so he could pick up his purchases at the smithy. One of the requirements for new Knights was to purchase one’s own weapon and shield. Armor was optional due to their higher costs, especially if one used one of the better materials. The young man ordered the most cost efficient option of one standard sword and one shield. Due to the high demand for weapons a month earlier, the smithy ran out of materials and Dreu would be informed when his purchase was ready to be picked up. Excited to move a step closer to becoming a knight, Dreu prioritized his trip to the smithy over the tavern.

When Dreu approached the smithy, he could hear the sound of a hammer on an anvil. He found it surprising to hear a blacksmith working late at night. Unless they had huge orders to complete, blacksmiths usually took it easy in the two weeks leading up to the Fall Festival. Blacksmiths made considerably more money than laborers so they could afford to take breaks throughout the year.

“How can I help you?” asked the blacksmith by the anvil.

Dreu noticed the man staring at him warily so he quickly brought up a piece of paper.

“I’m here to pick up my sword and shield,” he said simply.

The blacksmith put his work on hold and walked over to verify the document. After a nod, he retrieved the sword and shield Dreu purchased. The young man excitedly took the two items and admired the new additions in his possession. The sword came with a standard sheath and it was slightly longer than his forearm. Meanwhile, the square shield was made of iron-plated wood. The price of an all iron shield was too costly and, for training purposes, wood would serve his purpose. By the time he looked up, Dreu saw the blacksmith back at work. He hastily thanked the man and exited.

With his sword and shield in hand, Dreu debated on where he should head next. Just then, he heard bells ringing. At first, he assumed the bells were just part of a rehearsal for the Fall Festival. He then paused and looked in the direction of the bell. Thick plumes of smoke were coming from that direction.