Mags

"Alright, I'll what I can get with my coins. Food will be my priority." "Why don't Sleeper and I go together," Aki suggested, wanting to keep an eye on the young one. He seemed the type to get himself into trouble.

"Of course!! We can stay for a day or two!" July was clearly very excited, August was clearly very not.

"I have a few more of those dry rations left . . . everything else I've got I'd like to keep a hold of." He dug through his bag. "Do you think these will be worth anything here?" He held up a handful of Yen coins, some gold and some silver.

July smiled and nodded. It was wonderful to see them all so happy. "Hmm? Oh, sorry, my mind is just on other things. I'm glad we were finally able to find her family." He replied. "Nothing," August called back, with his sweetest people-pleaser voice. "All is well."

July stood to the side and let them have their moment. He wasn't great with people, but he did know that this wasn't the sort of thing you interrupt. August was staring off at the southern horizon, distracted.

"Like he said, just travelers passing through, maybe looking to buy some supplies."

Penn entered the portal, following everyone else, and pulling Sleeper along with him.

"Hey there!" July called. "What are your names?"

"It could be a calm before the storm," August remarked quietly, still struggling with his soured mood.

"Want me to teach you some techniques?" "Thanks!" Aki took his, and gingerly put them on his face. He'd never admit it, but he was sort of wary of this stuff. It started up with a soft chirp, and then the AI's voice was projected into his head. "Hello, I'm JAMES, your virtual assistant, how can help you." "Um . . . hello." Aki replied, restraining himself from finding it creepy.

"They will," July said reassuringly. He held his hand up against the rising sun to stare at the buildings on the horizon. "We're almost there."

"To see if your good enough for our lord, you'll be split into teams and given the same job to complete. Whoever does it best, will be hired to protect the Duke." The Lady said after the clipboard started making it's way around the room. Nera signed it quickly, under the growing list of names in different hand writing. Her hand wasn't very good, she wasn't an intellectual. Nerananananan Ana, she scribbled on the paper. "Nice and simple, right?" Genuhk grunted. "I want this over without complications. Just do your best and I'll decide who's best is better then the others." When the clipboard got back to her, she studied for a few seconds. Then, pulling out a pen she absently circled names together, dividing them into random groups. She put little thought into it, but when she read the names, it was clear she had divided the richer, more famous mercenaries up so they weren't all together. "Alright . . . group one: Eublech ( @Ancient Elantrian, Heartache ( @Just_a_Fan) Reivoki ( @BrechioSwordMouse), Nera ( @J. Magi) Allen Terick (npc, famous mercenary, half elvish ranger)." "And group two: Sleeper ( @TheRavenHasLanded), Alvar ( @Dragonheir), Lusha ( @Spark of Hope), Calum (npc, famous mercenary), and Jerani (npc, famous mercenary, Dwarish barbarian)." @TwinSouls "Do whatever you'd like with your group, the test will start in an hour," Lady Genuhk said, tucking the clipboard under her arm. "Plan, chat, make friendship bracelets, I don't care." She turned to go, but stopped and added: "We won't regulate any items or equipment going into the test, so take whatever you want. At the end of the day, that sort of stuff will be used on the actual job, so I don't care." With that, she stomped out of the room, to finish whatever preparations were waiting. "You heard her!" Master igenis said cheerfully. "We'll move to the testing location in just one hour!" Lerren rolled his eyes, and left as well, following the Lady through a door on the rooms far wall.

"Slept well?" August asked drearily, leading his horse along the road. He was clearly on edge. Whatever relief he'd felt at their early rescue of Jolane was gone, replaced by dread for how long the search for her family was taking. He wanted to help her, and seeing how close she and July were becoming pulled at his heart. But September was out there looking for them. A fate they had run from for years was looming on the horizon. August was anxious to get away, as far away as possible, and fast. July walked with Jolane, humming as they went. "I'm sure he'll be in this one," He told her optimistically. "We've checked almost everywhere else."

Calum sat back on one of the finest couches, his boots propped up on the coffee table. He looked bored at best, but was still oddly tense, as if he'd forgotten he wasn't on the battlefield at the moment. The tall, muscular women who had been standing when they entered cleared her throat loudly. The quiet chatter among the richest mercenaries quieted. "I'm lady Genuhk, as Master Igeni said, I'll be handling the selection process of this whole affair." She did not look pleased to be doing so. She ran a hand through her coarse, short black hair. "Lerren is going to pass around a clipboard, sign your name--your real name, so we can do a quick background check." One of the most decorated mercenaries snorted. "As if you don't know . . ." He muttered. "Who you are?" She finished for him. "I don't. Fame will have no factor in this." Lady Genuhk insisted, her eyes hard. "I won't have some pompous fool placed as the only line of defense for his Lordship." Leren began passing around the clipboard.

"That's a good idea," said July. "There's quite a lot of us." "I haven't been here long," August said, pulling a map out of his bag "I explored some of the other villages while I was looking for uh . . . nevermind, I just have a vague idea of the area." July added. "I guess we could just split into groups and each take a side?" He took the map from August.

"Hmmm, alright then, in a nearby village maybe? It's not too far."

"Okay!" July said. "If he comes to the tavern so often, he probably lives in town."

"Yeah . . . I guess he came in every week?" "I still remember what he looked like." July said.

"Wait . . . Remember when that weird guy came into the tavern the other day, and I overheard him talking to Robert? They were definitely talking about Jolane. Maybe he's related to her." August gave him a flat stare. "Alright, if you insist."