Shaken awake, my eyes caught Rodger's as he motioned for me to prepare for the day's expedition. The light had just begun its peak over the Emerald Hills, and they did so with a beauty that refracted upon nature's glass, resulting in a show that deserved more than a glance and awe but a lifetime of reflection. My body felt sore from last night's practice if you could call using one ability as much practice. But all the same, I got up with aching bones and a heart that yearned for answers I knew I shouldn't possess. At my core, I was a weak man after all.

Shelly, why had you come to me?

Was it simply my unconscious playing tricks or something more sinister? To be the tool of fate or the system, which was worse? Or to be simply mad? Being pulled apart by two forces was as good as any reason to break. Then, was I broken or breaking?

Stop dallying, captain. It's a beauty, but it won't be worth the tough lashing we'll get if we are late without excuse.

Shadeo's words cut through my existential tightrope walk. Even if he did nothing but interrupt my solemn thoughts, that would be enough.

Smiling, I thanked him, and we made our way from the hill where we called our watch to the main camp, which stood queued outside the dungeon entrance.

Emerald Mines*

(Dungeon Raid)

(Capacity 40)

(Level: Unknown)

(Completion 0)

As we walked closer, the system gave us the current information on the dungeon. It was a dungeon raid, which meant that the usual 5 or ten-man teams would be inadequate for such a delve. Forty strong men would be needed, which meant the dungeon would provide a challenge on the level of 40 adventurers. My mood soured at the thought.

I trusted my men; I knew their worth and that they were battle-hardened. But a group of mercs? No matter how rich Jude was, could she provide us with forty-plus fighters who had the required level to stand a chance and had experience with the realm mechanics?

Double trouble: two issues that, if not met, would mean this whole thing would be a giant waste of time, let alone the materials going into the attempt. It would be a big money sink.

Well, it's their money and just our time. Taking another moment to catch the sight of the sun as it rose higher and more elegantly across the verdant backdrop, our time was paid for already.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

As if answering in force, the reaper pulsed on my back.

Oh, I had almost forgotten about you. You are worth the dungeon itself, even if we will most likely not get any worthy drops. I doubted Jude would allow us anywhere near the top of the list regarding high-tier loot drops.

The mercs perked up as we approached. Their eyes scanned us vigilantly as if they still didn't trust us. As if we were goblins in disguise, waiting to burst out of our false skins and slit their throats at any moment.

Grumbling, Rodger muttered.

Even after keeping watch that whole piss poor night, allowing them to get their undisturbed peace, we still get those looks. Ain't that just dandy. Burn to pieces the rotted lot...

Enough, don't let them hear you. Even as tattered as they appear, some skilled men are still among them; some might even be trackers who can listen to your whispers and read your lips like letters on a page.

I scolded Rodger in a whisper of my own. This was hypocritical, given that if there had been trackers skilled enough to overhear, they would have heard my own words.

The animosity in the camp became palpable. Stiff looks were gradually becoming stiff hands on loose blades. Clenching my teeth, I traveled within my warren, searching for peace. Not to act rashly, but damn, is that hard when men who should be thanking you are thinking the worst of you instead. Just as the feeling of a line being crossed, never to be taken back, a foolish blunder on both sides, the stone-faced commander appeared.

From out of the corners of the camps, he marched in with the air to match his level that neared the mid-hundreds. This man was paid well; at least, that was one member I knew could handle whatever lay inside that pitch-dark cave. Yet, something profound, not in my soul's warren, but in something more primal, my gut told me not to trust men powerful enough to stand alone, yet work for someone who plays from the shadows.

Whatever reason led him here, I would bet my armor and blade that it wasn't charitable. He, like every other man here, who now held the face of men who had bitten off more coins than they could ever spend, was in it for their gain.

These men did not search for songs like Rafael; they did not search for their father's hopes and dreams like Shadeo or answers to the breaking happening inside him like Rodger. These men searched for the vapid and worthless. And men like that would die for less.

And that's what scared me most.

Drop those scowls, you bastards, and do not one of you dare unsheathe a blade until we are inside. If you make allies into enemies, you'll find yourself dead like the others. Is that what you want? To become EXP to some generic mob that has no thoughts, no emotions, just kills and dies only to kill and die again?

His voice did not boom or carry more aggression than needed. The men who clutched at weapons now had their hands to the sides, looking embarrassed. A bad situation had been averted just like that. With words instead of blades, saving lives that would otherwise be lost.

Thank you.

I managed to yelp, embarrassed at myself for reaching for answers before even trying my words. What a fool I was. As bad as them, looking to fight power with power, fire with fire would only destroy both sides.

No, my apologies. I was rash when I assumed you were less for wear than us. Jude informed me that you did indeed fight your own squabble; you guys just handled it much better than we did.

His eyes darted back to his band of men, who now looked doubly ashamed.

Sorry for not correcting you, but none of us told Jude this. How could she know?

Pointing a finger up to the sky, past the wooden monolith that held an ancient lumbering strength, and to the clouds that lay even farther above the most giant vibrant hill of emerald, he said:

Jude has eyes that go further than the birds themselves. No secrets are kept here. I hope you come to terms with that now.

His eyes, blue and piercing, told me it wasn't a threat, well, at least not a full one.

Staring back, unwavering, I nodded my head in understanding.

Now, you are sorry, sons of Skarsgard. Get packed; we are queuing up in ten minutes flat.

Instantly, like an army of ants, the sorry pack of mercs became a picturesque image of an orderly guild. They moved and helped one another pack up their belongings. Blades on a whetstone ground away the dullness of the night before, potions and elixirs were passed around and strapped onto side bags; everything was just as a pre-raid should be.

Under my breath, I muttered.

Maybe I judged too soon.

Let's move forward and start the queue at the front.

I said as we began to move through the camp without even more of a sight in our direction. Given a task and a promising goal, the peddler will rise to knight overnight.