A cool breeze blew through the kitchen window; the blue veil swayed with the white clouds and the morning sun outside. Ryder wandered his prison. Two stories of opulence and decor ranging from gilded dishware, vast art of landscapes, and a small library. The noble realized all he needed was a pipe and his dreams would have come true.

But the self-realization of staying in such a lavish abode while still covered in mud and muck dawned on Ryder. He swiftly heated pots of water and filled the metal tub in the dedicated washroom that was near the backyard garden. To his surprise, jars, vials, bowls of herbs, and crushed flowers supplied the cabinets. Steam filled the room and swept into the outside air as he scrubbed himself and his blood-stained equipment. After bailing the water and pouring it into the drainage channel carved next to the house, it was time for breakfast.

Food was the only item in the house that was not such a luxury. As Ryder opened the pantry he was disappointed to only find oats, nuts, beans, grain, and flour. In the garden, he noticed a small coop housing three hens. After acquiring the eggs, Ryder searched a small spice box above the oven and found an old sticky jar of molasses and lard. I can scrounge something up with this.

The smell of a bakery and the sizzles of batter against a roaring oven awoke Durge in a heartbeat. He couldn’t throw Kalv’s arm off him and reprieve himself fast enough before sprinting down the stairs. In the kitchen lay the most beautiful sight he saw in the past two months: a roaring flame encased by bricks. And atop the iron stove lay golden discs of morning flat cakes.

“You beautiful bastard, Rye! Who taught you to cook!?”

“No one did. Just looked easy enough.”

“A damn natural… Where's the meat?”

“No real provisions in this house. But there are chickens and a garden in the back!”

“Can we slaughter one?”

“No, you oaf! Go wash and wake your lover. I’ll set your plate.”

The oaf rolled his eyes and somberly went back upstairs to spread the tidings of a fresh breakfast to Kalv. He dragged his feet with every step down the stairs and through the back door to the washroom. The starora followed downstairs as well, taking a seat at the dining table.

“Place is incredible, huh?” Kalv said, admiring one of the painted vases.

Ryder sighed, “My own dreams couldn’t have conjured such a beautiful home.” He flipped the flat cake onto a plate and drowned it with warmed molasses. As Ryder set the plates and silverware onto the table, the oaf burst through the door, his hair and body still soaking wet. Durge sat at the table, enamored and enchanted by the flat cake. Kalv jostled the wet mop on Durge’s head before he dug into his own plate.

“Savor it, would you? I’m not doing this every day,” Ryder said.

“You might have to, Ryder. I know not if more food will come,” Kalv said.

“They expect us to starve here!?” Durge exclaimed with a mouthful.

Ryder laughed, “The manager said that we have to stay here until their ‘investigation’ is complete. So for now, this is our life.”

“In a prison?” Durge snarked.

“You prefer stone walls and a straw nest to sleep in? Oaf.”

While they ate their meals and appreciated the house, a gentle knock on a pane of glass sounded from the kitchen window.

“Who could that be?” Kalv asked.

“Our jailor?” Durge suggested.

Ryder peered through the window and saw the golden locks underneath a white bandana. “It’s Rose!” he exclaimed. He stuck his head out of the window but the clerk shoved a basket full of fruit and snacks into his face.

“This is for you, criminal,” she said with a sly grin.

Durge ran over and snatched it from Ryder’s hands, tearing apart the ribbon and sorting through the produce, jerky, candies, and desserts. “Thank you, Rose!” he shouted.

She rested her head on her hands as she leaned against the open window, “You three will be out soon. I heard word from the scouts this morning.”

Ryder cocked his head, “How long is soon?”

“Less than a moon cycle. Perhaps you’ll be out before we celebrate Quest Day!”

Ryder chuckled, “But we just arrived! Shouldn’t hardened criminals like ourselves enjoy our cell?”

Rose scoffed, “You’re lucky you were placed here. We all knew you were innocent. Fike Burbary was on the short-list since he gained membership.”

“It’d be better if you kept me company,” Ryder sighed.

Rose blushed as bright as the flora she was named after.

“Wait! Not like that! No offense to Durge but I’ve been traveling with him forever now and it’d be pleasant to have someone different to converse with!”

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“Don’t fret, I know what you meant.” she smirked. “In a few days you’ll receive your reward and rank-up, Mr. Love.” Rose tapped on the window and promptly left, crossing the street that Ryder was forbidden to. The adventurer replayed the conversation in his head over and over, picking apart Rose’s words, gestures, and expressions, and imagined what his own were until one phrase flooded his mind. Wait… Rank-up?

The three adventures took advantage of the next two days of peace and the lack of travel or slaying. Ryder spent most of his time with the collection of books that lined the walls. Durge and Kalv feasted and played dice until they were bored.

“What’re gonna do after we get released, Kalv?” Durge asked.

“If we’re rewarded the 400 gold, I’ll visit my family in Drumlum with my share.”

“And after?”

“I’ll explore the country without being contracted to do so. Get to see it before it’s ruined by war. You?”

“I’m sure Rye will plan his and I’s spending of the coinage. New armor, weapons, a cart for the horse, whatever.”

“When will you stop questing?” Kalv asked.

“When we’re Glorious.”

On the early morning of the 5th of Romask, the sound of jingling keys echoed throughout the house. The front door was left open. Ryder awoke Durge and Kalv and told them the news of their freedom. When they stepped onto the cobbled streets, and headed for the Guild Hall, a crowd could be heard and the sight of a hundred people could be seen.

“Is it time for quests?” Durge asked.

“The entire day is time for quests! It’s Quest Day!” Kalv exclaimed.

The day dedicated to questing had come. Hosted by the Guild Hall, it was a holiday for the sole purpose of registering novice adventurers and spreading awareness of the trade to the commonfolk. On this day, all quests were free to pin-up, and the Guild Hall’s own coin purse doubled every quest reward. The trio walked into the dense Hall: colorful streamers decorated the walls, ornate flags hung from the rafters, and the exotic alcohol flowed.

Equipment varied from torn tunics to full steel plate armor. Even the Glorious with their elaborate and enchanted weapons swarmed the front desk. The five guild clerks and the manager could barely keep up; between registration, tracking which adventurer accepted what quest, and pinning up new ones, it was an uproar that bellowed with cheer and laughter.

Durge, Ryder, and Kalv waited in the mangled mess that resembled a line to meet Rose. Before they spoke a word, three large burlap sacks were placed at their feet by an exhausted conjuration mage.

“Your investigation has ended and you three have obviously been deemed innocent. 800 gold has been rewarded for the completion of slaying the cursed figures that surrounded Locria. You three have also acquired the rank of Copper.” Rose said sternly. She dropped her ink-soaked quill from her hands and stared at the three of them. “You’re probably the luckiest group of adventurers right now,” she smirked.

“I’m sure you helped in some way,” Ryder grinned.

“Mayhaps. Would you three be interested in purchasing copper dog tags, for remembrance sake?” Rose said with a cocky tilt of her head.

Durge already began working the rope off his bag, producing two pearls after Kalv gestured that he didn’t want one.

“We’ll be working late so the tags may be ready by this evening. If that’s all I can assist with, then I wish you all good fortune on our glorious quest day and fare well!”

With 266 gold in each of their pockets, they stepped out of the Guild Hall with grand smiles. The warm breeze of the last summer month blew the puffy clouds above. They casted great shadows on the green fields that surrounded the Hall. Durge spotted Cauliflower hitched to the side of the building while Ryder spotted Kincaid on a bench.

“I’m going to store all this in the bank before I tempt myself into spending it,” Kalv said, carrying his share with two hands. “It was nice spending such time with you both. Especially you, Durge,” he winked. “Write to me in Drumlum, sometime! Tell me of any future quests you go on!”

“Explore the world, my starlight!” Durge exclaimed.

Ryder scoffed, “Now you’re out of another starora.”

Durge shrugged, “I can still purchase an evening with the one in the brothel.”

Ryder shook his head as he made his way to the guard captain. The beast gazed at the hundreds of novice adventurers that sparred and practiced their casting. More experienced adventurers coached the younger ones, practicing stances and guiding them through possible encounters.

“And they call themselves ‘adventurers.’ Their form is terrible,” Kincaid grumbled, gripping the greatsword that leaned by his side.

“Why don’t you go teach them, old dog?” Durge said amusingly.

The beast summoned a low growl. “My days of training are over. After the ambush I hunted down every last one of those scavengers… those vultures. It wasn’t until I was led into a trap and captured by that bastard Fike. They hauled me to Rofaun and I had the pleasure of conversing with our treasurer.”

“Treasurer? You mean Sumrall? He’s alive!?”

Durge raised a brow and awaited the explanation of this stranger to continue.

“He was Mother’s coin advisor. I thought they were all assassinated.”

“The contrary, boy. He’s the reason for the attack on our lives the day after Locria fell to marauders.”

They weren’t just bandits or Vultures trying to make profit? Why him? It makes no sense, Ryder thought. But as if Kincaid could read his mind, he sighed and explained his history with the treasurer Sumrall.

“You and Lady Locria knew not of his dealings like I did. Most of the coin he acquired was ill-gotten. Sumrall would sell jeweled trinkets to some Melody noble and then rob it back once they left the harbors. He funded highwaymen and now he’s moved on to funding the Vultures in his fortress.”

Ryder was stunned. Fury of betrayal against him, his county, and his mother clenched in his fist, “You knew of this for years! Why would you aid such scum!?”

“I’m not faultless, boy!” the beast barked. “I turned away from that life and after he attacked us… I knew I had to slay him. But I can’t anymore.”

“We’ll put a swift end to him,” Durge said with confidence. “Why not join us?”

Kincaid shook his head, “I am old and I am wounded. I wouldn’t be able to swing my sword without reopening my wounds.”

Ryder stood silent, looking at the grass at his feet as shallow tears formed. His mentor gestured for him to sit next to him, and after he did so, Kincaid wrapped a paw around the boy.

“It is my fault, Ryder. I know I do not deserve forgiveness. But know my heart will always be to Locria. The county, the countess, and the count that inherits it.”

Ryder wiped the tears on the beast’s tunic and stood up, sniffling with every breath. “Where is he?”

Kincaid gazed at the young man in front of him. He pondered whether or not he was sending him to his death. But either out of hatred for Sumrall or the love of Locria, he pointed to the location on Ryder’s map. “A day and a half north. A day and a half west. He’s near Drupeton’s mountain in an old fortress called Elimor. There’s plenty of ruins near the area, you’ll know which one is his.”

“Since we’re hunting down this coinmonger… Can I borrow your greatsword?” Durge asked.

The former captain looked fondly at his blade, its shining steel reflecting the sun, its chipped guard, its dented pommel, and its history of slain monsters. He laughed and shook his head, “Absolutely not.”

Durge scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Go store or hide that gold in your purse before someone picks you,” Kincaid added.

Durge waved him off and began to walk away. “We will after we spend what we need on our quest.” Ryder said.

Kincaid nodded, “May the Fates and the Family guide you both.”