Antonio looked up when the aptly named twin terrors entered his office, Brazos was a massive shaven headed former marine sergeant while his good friend Oliveira was small and weasel fast.
“So what can I do for the two of you?” asked Antonio.
“Well boss, we’ve been visiting Ceejay over in Bluestone and we came across a guild quest notice,” explained Oliveira.
“The king wants someone to find his younger brother and sister. And a senile old mage who was with them,” rumbled Brazos. “They’re kids, seven-year-olds.”
“And we figured we have some leave. Could we take it and go see if we can find the kids?” concluded Oliveira.
“Just the two of you? I’m aware you’re good but I suspect you’ll need at least a mage along.”
“No boss,” rumbled Brazos. “We’ll be taking Duke, he was in the marines with me and the mage Vitor from the local guild.”
“And we were wondering if could take Natercia along as a cleric and healer?” asked Oliveira hopefully.
“Only if she agrees. She is her own person after all whatever the offworld guild members think,” said Antonio.
At this Natercia poked her head round the door, “Yes boss, I am willing, it is to save children after all. And we could all use the reward.”
Antonio studied her carefully and nodded. “If you’re going to do this you will need a true name. Are really willing Natercia Maria Rodrigues?”
Natercia grew big eyed and her tabby tail swayed from side to side. “Yes boss,” she whispered.
“So be it.” Natercia seemed to grow slightly, and she swayed, dazed. Then Antonio asked, “How will you find the children, and how will you know it’s them and not a decoy or someone who just looks like them?”
“The guild has a supply of tracking amulets. Ceejay got us one,” said Oliveira as he pulled a small pendant from his pocket.
Antonio reached out a hand, “Mind if I take a look?”
Oliveira dropped the pendant into his hand. Antonio closed his hand around it and pretended to study it as he absorbed it and learned all about it. Finally he recreated it and handed it back. “That one will seek the girl. It contains one of her hairs.” He concentrated and a further two identical pendants appeared on his desk. “There, a couple of duplicates in case you loose the original, or have to give it back. Good luck in your hunt. Anything else?”
“No boss, how long do we have?” asked Brazos in his customary low rumble.
Antonio smiled thinly, “Let us be traditional, how about a year and a day to start. I’ll loan anyone who doesn’t have one a storage device, a G3 and a pistol. I’ll give you each six grenades and ammunition.”
* * *
The newly formed group met in the reception hall of the Adventurer’s Guild in Feira dos Namoradeiros. They joined the short queue in front of the reception desk and asked to talk with one of the guild’s officers.
Silverfin listened to their tale in his office; he inspected the poster and the tracking amulet. “Well this is an open quest. A multi-tiered one at that with differing grades of rewards depending on what the adventurers achieve. So I see no problem with you accepting this quest without informing the issuing guild office.”
Silverfin looked them over. “Vitor has the necessary standing in the guild to accept this quest. Ceejay and Oliveira, both of you just need to upgrade your memberships. You have the necessary time and experience to do so. The three of you will be allowed to take the newly joined guild members Duke and Natercia along. You two do want to join, don’t you?”
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“Yes I do,” stated Duke while Natercia merely nodded.
“Don’t be nervous Natercia. You’ll be in great demand on the other worlds. Unlike here on Midgard healers are rare and much prized. And as a priestess of...” Silverfin examined Natercia carefully, “Bast the defender, if I’m not mistaken, you are a rarity.”
Natercia looked uncomfortable and flicked one ear.
“I would recommend you first visit the guild in Verilanium, let them know you recovered the quest poster and tracker in Bluestone and apply to take on the quest. I suspect they will have more help for you.” Silverfin looked thoughtful, he looked at the charm once again. “Excuse for a moment.”
Silverfin produced his phone and hit one of his shortcuts. “Hello São, can I talk to your uncle please... Hello Antonio, I’ve just had an idea, you made those duplicate tracking charms... Yes, so any idea where they should look... No they didn’t... Alcadar? Thank you Antonio, we’ll see you on Saturday... Right bye and thanks again.”
Silverfin looked up at the adventurers, “Antonio suggested starting on Alcadar, he said the girl wasn’t on Alcadar but that he felt a faint echo there so she is probably on a world with a world gate leading to Alcadar, and probably a world gate near the Theocratic Empire of Tall Trees.”
* * *
Brazos led his group up the ramp that allowed a direct exit from the shrine that contained Antonio’s portal. They were met at the exit by a small detachment of guardsmen. Some very bored city guardsmen, Brazos grinned to himself, recognising a punishment detail when he saw one.
Once that hurdle was overcome by paying the entrance toll, Brasos and his buddies tramped along the road leading to Verilanium. It was a pleasant day, the road was adequate and the twin suns were shining in the sky. They stopped on a rise overlooking the town. It was built on the west bank of a wide river that was crossed by a long bridge that looked to include two drawbridges. They watched as a large riverboat sailed upstream through the gap made by the open double drawbridge near the centre of the river.
The town itself was completely enclosed by an impressive set of fortifications and had five major gates giving onto busy trade roads. They all took photos while Duke took a short film.
The Adventurer’s Guild was a surprise. It was housed in what looked like a fortified manor house; the reception looked more like a bar than anything else. Four clerks manned the reception desk, and that allowed them to be attended to rapidly. The man that attended them had some vague hints of elf around the eyes and ears. He was very interested in their guild id stones, and he asked them a few questions about Midgard. When they explained about finding the quest notice and location charm in Bluestone, he looked solemn and checked his records.
Brazos by now was feeling twitchy and he noted how Natercia was seeking cover between Duke and Oliveira. Brazos didn’t like the way they were becoming the centre of attention, even as he acknowledged that their gear was probably the reason. The locals were not used to firearms. Their chainmail hauberks over Kevlar reinforced arming coats didn’t look too different to what the locals were wearing.
“Can we take that quest?” he asked hoping to get out of the guild hall before something broke.
The clerk shrugged, “there are still some posters on the notice board, just fetch one and I’ll register your group. With three of you having the necessary experience there will be no problem.”
Vitor looked at Natercia huddling for cover between Duke and Oliveira and said, “I’ll get it, just a moment.”
* * *
Doonasalor watched the first group of adventurers from Midgard he had seen leave the room. They looked alert, and more worryingly twitchy, and they all moved silently despite their armour. They were on edge, never good in adventurers. They were an odd mix, and all dual classed. He gathered up their papers and went to find someone to report to.
Doonasalor soon found himself in the office of Frazee the reckless.
“I had a group from Midgard, they took the King’s Quests. A party of five, all dual classed. The two who looked like warriors had the classes Marine and Scout, then there one that had Soldier and Scout. Their Mage was also dual classed, as was their healer. A Water Mage Scout and a Priestess who was also a Warrior.”
Frazee looked incredulous, “Their only warrior was their healer? Well that is odd but why did you find it necessary to come and tell me now?”
“They were on edge, twitchy. Possibly because everyone was looking at them, but still...”
Frazee looked at Doonasalor. “So, recommendations?”
Doonasalor looked torn. “Leave it? But make a note in their records?”
“Very good. You’re learning, please do so and return to your post.”
* * *
Brazos relaxed as they left the guild building, they swung round by the small temple of Bast where they picked the small group of priestesses and their families that they had agreed to escort to Nishapur, the town that controlled the gate to Stratsiosina.
So, next stop the Mages Guild. At least all the mages wanted to open a gate to Nishapur was gold. They even had the sigils carved in a room dedicated to Nishapur. Stratsiosina might not be an important world but it was another world with some unique items for trade.