Haylane village glowed with a golden hue of warm light from the windows of several buildings. The main buildings were situated around a fairly large town center made of cobblestones, with a lovely tree that was overgrown with wide green and purple leaves. It grew within a pool of dark water enclosed by red bricks, decorated with pretty flowers of various colors.

As Dehven and Navaeh crossed the short stone bridge, they paused in the town center to get their bearings. To the left was the Haylane Inn and across from it a little ways down was the stables; and straight ahead was the blacksmith. Haylane served as a halfway point for soldiers being stationed throughout the region to defend the kings borders. It was a small, peaceful village where folk made a living farming and fishing from the nearby river deeper within the forest.

“We are in Haylane,” Navaeh said. “What do you want to do first?”

“I suppose continue to Marshall Thiar,” Dehven said. “We need to inform them of the impending attack.”

“Ok sounds good,” Navaeh replied. “We can report to him first and then visit with some of the other town folk, they should have tasks that need doing.” Dehven followed Naveah toward the Inn. Inside they found Marshall Thiar standing at the bar in his military uniform. He was a handsome young man, with short brown hair and a clean shaved face. He wore a form fitting linen shirt with an emblem of the crown upon his right breast. He wore his necklace with his pendent indicating he was a marshall, and he wore black riding trousers tucked into tall leather boots.

Dehven walked up to him and the marshall turned to him. “Greetings priest, I hear that the Ratmen have attacked Whitehall. You did well defending the Chapel and it’s resources, it seems the Ratmen are after our goods. Typical rats. I am uncertain of the numbers we are dealing with, but with all the reports coming from all corners of the region I believe it must be a concentrated attack. I sent out some scouts to investigate sightings near the river but I have not heard back from them. If it's not too much trouble, could you search for them near the rivers edge? It is important that I receive that scouting report as soon as possible, the throne is expecting an answer from me regarding these matters.”

“Sounds good,” Dehven said. “Navaeh are you ready to go?”

“Nope, not yet,” She replied. “Follow me to the blacksmith and then the stables.” They ran out the Inn and hurried over to the blacksmith. A tall, burly woman with a soot covered face and a red scarf around her neck stood out front with her powerful arms folded across her chest. She wore a heavy leather apron and thick black boots.

She unfolded her arms as Dehven approached and addressed him directly. “Greetings priest, it is good to see someone from the order showing face. I was never one to believe in the mysteries of the spirit world, but with the way things are going these days we might need all the prayers we can get. Speaking of prayers, I just may need one myself. My brother went off some time ago to the Durgen mines south of here, to check on our supplies and men, only he should have been back already. I fear the worse. With all the rumors of these filthy Ratmen running around plundering our lands, I am sure they might also try to get their nasty little fingers on our precious metals as well. I just hope that hard headed buffoon is alright. I would give anything just to know my brother was safe.”

“This is on our way to the guards,” Navaeh said. “We can check in on the mines and locate her brother. Let’s visit the stables.” On the way to the stables they were hailed by an old man standing in the town center. He flagged Dehven down and he ran over.

“Hello, fancy seeing a priest here. I assume you are on and about trying to keep the folks spirits up, good on you and the order. I was wondering if you are not too busy you could maybe check in on my good friend, Orlana and her girls, they have a farm over to the east of Haylane. I worry because they are alone and the man of the house, Mr. Duddin is off on the Wilderland borders. Someone should look out for them in these dark times.”

“Good catch,” Navaeh said as she stood next to Dehven. “I never noticed him before.” They continued on toward the stables where they found a young boy and two men standing about speaking with one another. One man, with overalls and a balding head stepped forward to speak with Dehven.

“Oy, priest you come bringing prayers? Then you best pray for the one that spawned those oversized rats. I was minding my own business down by the river you see, just fishing up some dinner when out of nowhere them stinking rat bastards jumped me. I just made it out with my life! As I run off cursing them back to hell, I saw them fiddling with my fishing gear, getting their dirty little paws all over my bait. I tell you what, if I did not have this busted knee I would head back out there with my spade, clobber them and then bury’em so deep not even the worms would find them! That fishing pole and bait is mighty precious to me, pray I find a way to get them back from those dirty Ratmen.”

“It looks like we have a lot of things to do,” Dehven commented.

“Yeah we do, so let's get started,” Navaeh replied. “We can sell our junk on the way out of town, follow me.” They headed south and stopped at a merchant who had a small cart. He had a little lamp hanging from the top with bright insects like fireflies buzzing around inside to give light. He took all the wolf parts and other random scraps from them in exchange for a little bit of copper. Dehven wondered what he could possibly use money for in this world and it was yet another subject he made a point to research.

They jogged through the forest, beneath the shadow of the trees and the light of the stars. They came across several wolves, but easily dispatched them. Dehven began to hear the sound of water as they continued forward and they soon saw the stream. On the bank were small groups of Ratmen and they looked different from the ones they faced at the chapel.

These Ratmen wore leather armor in black and brown, in a patchwork of stitches. They carried little bows and daggers on their hips. Among the Ratmen archers were large ones with broad bodies, also wearing the same worn looking gear, but they carried large axes, and wore leather caps over their flat, wide heads.

“They look to be patrolling the banks of the river,” Navaeh said.

“They also look meaner than the first Ratmen,” Dehven added. “I don’t suppose we can simply just blew through these.”

“No we can’t,” Navaeh said. “We need to pull them back carefully to avoid getting overwhelmed. I will attack first and then lets fall back and let them come at us. We can use the trees for cover from the arrows. That should draw them in.” Dehven nodded and stood back as Naveah charge up her spell at the nearest Ratman. She struck one of the large brutes carrying an ax and then fled back. The Ratman growled and the two little archers at is side aimed and started to fire. Their shorts fell short, but the brute rumbled forward with his jagged ax at the ready.

Dehven shot it with smite, and though the Ratman felt the impact he keep his forward momentum. Throwing another attack, Dehven raised his club to fight as the Ratman closed the gap. The first hit sent Dehven rocking backwards. He countered with a strike of his own and kepting attacking until the Ratman brute was overcome by his strikes and Navaehs magic. Arrows struck him several times and he felt himself getting weak.

He quickly healed and charged one last smite before closing the gap again. The little Ratmen archers shot and ran away, stopping to shoot every few steps. Using her wand, Navaeh finished off one of the archers and Dehven popped another over the head with his club. He took a lot more damage than before and had to heal up again.

“I can’t cast anything,” Dehven said. “My energy is drained.”

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“Give it time, it will regenerate,” Navaeh said. “But we should have purchased some Mana potions before leaving town.”

“Is that what the money is good for?” Dehven asked. “What else can we buy?”

“You can get all sorts of things,” Navaeh said. “You can buy gear, potions, materials for crafting, trinkets.” It was so strange to be learning, but feeling dumber each time. New words were coming up, like crafting and it only increased his curiosity more and more. He almost wanted to stop playing and read up on the game before going forward. Yet, there were many tasks that still needed doing, he could not stop now.

They pushed on down the bank of the river, battling small scouting groups of Ratmen along the way. He came across a fishing rod from one of the bodies and Naveah collected some bait. After defeating some more Ratmen, they eventually found all the fishermans items. By this time, they could see the mine off beyond the trees across the river. They forded the river and pushed onward.

As they came toward the mine, they saw a group of men hiding behind some bags and barrels. One was a tall man with broad shoulders and a head of blonde hair, wearing black overalls. He had two smaller men with him, hiding and holding bows aimed at the pit in front of them.

As Dehven walked up the blond man turned to address him. “Greetings priest, I am Ornin. My sister sent me to collect whatever we dug up for the day. When I arrived, these thieving Ratmen had already overrun the mine. Even now they plunder our hard earn ore. Do me a favor, will you? Help us clear out this Ratman menace and I promise I will make it worth your while. I am sure the order is always looking for donations, yes?”

Dehven looked over the barrels at the pit below. There were several of the archers and brutes already dead on the ground. As he watched, a Ratman came running out of the mine entrance with a bag over his shoulder. Suddenly there was a roar and what sounded like a rush of air and a figure dashed out of the mine in a blur of speed, knocking into the fleeing Ratman archer.

Dehven heard a resounding crunch sound as the Ratman was struck down with a large spear. A man stood above the body with a long wooden spear and a shield that looked like a missing piece of a wide wooden fence. He had long black hair in a pony tail, and pale white skin. He picked up an item from the corpse and turned raising his shield and spear as a gang of Ratmen came flooding out of the mine.

“Quick lets help him!” Dehven shouted at Navaeh. She nodded and they both sprung into action as the man with the spear was getting overrun. Dehven heard him crying out as the Ratmen pressed him, striking him with blow after blow. The man spun about to run but when he saw Dehven and Naveah he grinned brightly and turned back to fight.

“Toss me a heal priest!” The man shouted and he stood his ground with his shield up, stabbing with his wooden spear. Dehven tossed him a heal and the man stood tall as he confidently took on the Ratmen that were chasing him. Besides the arrows flowing at them, the brutes swing large axes as well, striking the wooden shield with a resounding boom.

Navaeh charge up her Arcane strike as the Ratmen brutes piled on the man. Dehven closed in and began striking them from behind with his club. Several arrows struck Dehven and the adventurer with the shield.

“Get those archers,” The man ordered. “They have lower HP and armor, they will go down fast!” The man dashed forward again like the flash and ended up in the midst of the archers, as if he teleported to them. He instantly struck with his spear and it was booming sound like nothing Dehven had heard before. There was a quick flash, the Ratman cried out and fell dead.

Dehven was impressed by the attack and he assumed he must be some sort of special attack. The man stood among the Ratmen and leaped up and spun in the air with a sweeping attack that struck all of them. The Ratmen tried running away from him, but they were limping so slowly that they gave up trying to escape and began to attack with their daggers. The man blocked several attacks, but he was still taking significant damage as they stabbed at him. There were nearly seven of the little Ratmen surrounding him.

Dehven thought twice about attacking and quickly deduced he needed to keep the man up. He charged up a heal on the man, but it was not enough. He had to cast it two more times back to back before it was safe for him to help with the fight. In the meantime Naveah let her area of effect spell loose as the Ratmen were slow and clumped together. After a few seconds they all fell dead.

The man jumped into the air and let out a loud whoop. “Yes! That's what I'm talking about, get at me bitches! I love this class!” Dehven realized that he was looking at a soldier. The man had a sleeveless leather vest and tough looking leather shorts, with black shin high boots. He was tall and lean with a bald head and neat blond beard.

“What was the flash you did after you teleported?” Dehven asked. “You killed that Ratman in one hit.”

“It was just a regular attack, man,” He replied. “But I crit that bitch. You see how he popped? I thought I was dead bro, I was so scared. I did not want to lose this shield, I just got it.”

“Dead? What do you mean lose your shield?” Dehven asked confused.

“You know, they were going to send me to the spirit lands man,” He replied. “When you die you lose items, monsters and players can loot your corpse. Are you a noob?”

“Yeah he is new,” Navaeh said as she stepped up. “I have been helping him, its his first time in Dominion.”

“Very cool! I’m Rohard by the way, you can call me Hard,” He said with a salute.

“I’m not calling you Hard,” Naveah scoffed. “I think Ro is the right shortening of that handle.”

“Yeah sure, that works,” Ro said excitedly.

“I’m Dehven, i’m a priest,” Dehven said.

“Yeah I figured,” Ro laughed. “The robes and mace are a dead give away my man. Hey you guys doing the miner quest? Let’s do it together.” Dehven nodded and looked to Navaeh, but she walked off.

He ran up to her as Ro leaped after another Ratman brute that showed up at the mine. “Navaeh, you want to finish this part up?”

“You want to party with that guy?” She said. “He seems annoying, we can finish by ourselves.”

“He seems cool,” Dehven said, curious to play alongside some other classes. “He can help us, he is a frontline, a tank. These tougher Ratmen will be easier to take out with him around.”

“Come on fuckers!” Ro shouted at them. “They are coming out of the mine, help me!”

Navaeh rolled her eyes. “Fine let’s get it over with. I guess since he is here we might as well finish this.” They ran up to support Ro as he was fighting another group of four Ratmen all by himself.

“Hey what's that teleport move?” Dehven asked as he tossed a heal on Ro.

“What this?” Ro did a little jump and flew forward at a Ratman archer inside the cave entrance, his shouts of joy echoing behind him. “It’s called charge and its fucking amazing!” Dehven began to think that maybe he made a poor choice in being a priest, the soldier charge ability did look fun.

“Hey you guys want to find the scouting party of this?” Ro shouted at them.

“Yeah we have to do that as well,” Dehven said as he ran into the mine to follow Ro. He heard Navaeh groan behind him, completely forgetting that she only wanted to do only one quest with the over zealous soldier.

“Why did you tell him we were doing other quest?” she asked annoyed.

“My bad, I forgot,” Dehven said. “I like his energy, I think we can get through this stuff really quickly with him.” Navaeh did not seem pleased, but she followed behind the soldier. Ro was deep in the mine, picking fights with every Ratman in his line of sight. Dehven did not have much time to do anything else but heal, but he was really enjoying himself; he got a strange statisfaction from healing the wild soldier.

Navaeh was like flash bomb of purple light as she let her magic loose to devastating effect. The Ratmen did not stand a chance against the three of them, as they fell in smoking ruins around their feet. They ran through looting the bodies for scraps of armor and grizzly trophies like rat tails and paws.

When they were done the soldier zoomed out of the mine. As Dehven ran to keep up, Navaeh addressed him when he pulled up beside her. “That was actually pretty good! I guess that’s what a dungeon group must feel like.”

“Yeah that was amazing,” Dehven said. “We kicked so much ass back there. What’s a dungeon group?”

Navaeh laughed. “If you enjoyed that, then you are going to absolutely love dungeons. Not sure what the first one is, but I am sure it will come up eventually as we continue helping everyone in this region.” Dehven was so excited he could hardly contain himself. He ran up to Ornin and the miner turned to him with a bright smile.

“You did well, priest, I thank you. Here take this coin for your trouble. Me and my boys are going back to Haylane, come see in town when you are done out here.” Dehven received fifty copper coins.

“Ok guys, let’s do this!” Ro shouted, and Dehven wondered if he had any other tone besides yelling and shouting. “Let’s find these scouts, maybe they give new weapons or something. I got a green shield but I could really use a weapon.” They left the mine and ran through the dark woods in search of the scouting party.