Over the next few days I grew to almost enjoy the time I spent in jail. We would eat breakfast and spar with Sulla’s guards in the morning. Then I’d meet with Cassius in the afternoon to plot out the guild. That used up all my visiting time, but in spite of that, Patience somehow wound up visiting shortly after. I wasn’t sure if she was sweet talking the guards or simply sneaking in without being noticed, but either way I was happy to enjoy her company, and talk about something other than the disposition of adventurers, the cost of renting a building in the city, or the various factions that were coalescing either for or against the idea.

On the last day, Tiberius and I walked out of the jail to find Patience, Nica, Tristus, Zevrack and Millicent waiting for us. Sulla wound up not giving us any additional time off, but he also did a lot to make our stay nicer, like giving us separate cells after an awkward night of us being forced to share a bunk, and feeding us bread that wasn’t so hard it could chip a tooth.

We all made our way to a small tavern with a rotted out sign that Millicent insisted had the best meat pie she’d had since she’d left Kingsland. I didn’t find the idea of that too appealing, but she seemed excited about it, and no one else made a fuss, so I figured I’d give it a try. I also thought it would be a good place to avoid any unwanted attention. From what Cassius and Patience had told me over the last few days, I’d become a bit of a celebrity, and elves weren’t so common that I could blend into a crowd.

“Has anyone heard about what Ran has been up to since we’ve arrived?” I asked, halfway through my second plate of meat pie, surprised to find myself enjoying it as much as I had.

Tristus smiled. “Well, she made a big impression at the arena. She’s been inviting people to fight her or her constructs while giving herself various handicaps, or rules. She’s also been putting on elaborate plays, taking different forms and surprising people in the streets, and generally going out of her way to have a good time. Callentus the younger has had his hands full with her, but from what I understand he’s quite enjoying himself. Sometimes it’s nice to have a handful of something.”

“Subtle double entendres aside, I’m glad they seem to have things with her under control.” Or at least, controlled chaos I thought to myself. “Have you talked with your contacts in the senate at all? Any idea how the guild will go over there?”

Tristus shrugged. “Well, the majority of them aren’t taking it seriously. Those that are adventuring party sponsors actually seem eager for it so they can show off their pets even more often. The primary focus right now is on the beastmen wars, I doubt they’ll have much of a care about what’s going on until they’re made to.”

I sighed, mulling that over in my head. I’d hoped that whispers of a strike might cause things to move in a way that avoided any serious trouble, but I didn’t seem to be that lucky. I looked around the table. Patience and Millicent seemed bored,Tiberius and Nica were whispering to one another, thinking they were being subtle as they played footsy under the table, while Tib blushed furiously.

“I’m sorry everyone. It’s no fun to listen to someone else talk about work all the time. How’re things? Has everyone chosen their new class?”

Zevrack nodded furiously. “I have chosen ‘Magitechnician’. I have mana of my own now, and spells.” He lifted the fork he’d not been using, choosing to eat with his claws instead, and it took on an emerald glow as it bent and reshaped until one tine was a spiral, another a gear, and the handle some kind of screwdriver.

“Is that considered a combat class? It seems ambiguous?” I asked.

“It’s a hybrid like my old one. Trapper. I can gain experience points in multiple ways, but it’s at a lower rate than those purely one or the other.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“How about you Millicent? I know you were torn between Earth Magus and Rune Witch.”

She sighed. “I went with Rune Witch, after Zevrack agreed to spend as much time developing magitech for me as I help him with runes. Things were starting to feel a little one sided.”

Zevrack shrugged. “It is the way of the tribe to ask until someone says no. Only the truly strong can help always, but that’s their responsibility for being strong.”

“Tristus?” I asked.

“Oh, mine’s still quite a ways off. Though I see myself moving very quickly toward the next one with the way things are going.”

“Well, I already know Tib picked Guardian. Nica?”

“Tree-shadow.”

“I’ve never heard of that one,” said Millicent, leaning in curiously. “What does it entail?”

“Many things,” offered Nica cryptically.

Millicent decided not to push, and I agreed with her assessment.

“Patience?” I asked, squeezing her hand under the table as I spoke.

“You know, you’ve had more than enough time to ask before now.”

“We didn’t spend a lot of that time talking…or if we did it may have been selfishly about what I’ve been doing regarding the guild…”

“Apology accepted. I chose Cat’s Paw.”

“I think we can all guess what direction that class leans,” said Tib, frowning.

“Let’s just say I won’t have any trouble landing when I leap off rooftops,” said Patience with a smirk.

“It’s another one I haven't heard of before. I feel as if the classes we were all given a chance to view are a lot more unique than is typical,” said Millicent, still picking at her pie. “I wonder why?”

The eyes all drifted to me, and I sighed. “I have no clue if it’s the influence of my patron or not. We haven’t spoken since that night in the woods he appeared in front of Patience and me. If I’m truly lucky, I’ll never hear from him again, though I expect I’ll hear something once the guild is up and running.” I stopped there, choosing to hold my tongue rather than go into a topic I myself chose to avoid for everyone else’s sake.

Patience sighed. “Go ahead and talk about it. I want to know what your plans are for tomorrow anyway.”

Everyone else nodded as well, freeing me to talk about what I wanted to.

“I have a meeting with Cassius and those chosen to represent the adventurer’s during the strike and to go over the plans for the guild. After that I have a letter of intent I’ve drafted to present to the senate, and from there we choose a date and give them a short time to respond. I expect them to ignore it initially, but I think they underestimate the utility of the adventurers here in Heracleum.”

“That’s almost certainly true,” said Tiberius. “I’ll back you up at the meeting.”

“And I’d like to see this letter you’ve prepared,” said Tristus. “You need someone to put it into our language. They only accept documents written in it.”

“I’ve actually been talking to a few of the younger students at the mage university here as well,” chimed in Millicent. “A lot of them are interested in doing some adventuring, but have always avoided it due to how it might conflict with their studies. I spoke with a few of the more…robust professors, and they may recommend a practical element to their schooling to the senate, and I may be able to convince them to favor your guild over the current bureaucracy.”

Zev reached into his pack he had next to himself. “I have made emblems for you. We of the buried claw have never been able to agree on one, but I thought you may like this.” He handed me a half-dollar sized coin with an emblem of a dragon flanked by boots and a sword.

Patience sighed. “I uh, may have spoken to a few contacts about a good piece of land for your guild hall. There happens to be a haunted warehouse that may be perfect…assuming we can clear it out ourselves.”

I looked at each of them, a smile growing on my face as each of them spoke. “You know, for a group that seemed to be very tired of hearing me talk about my guild, you’ve been doing a lot to help out my guild.”