A feisty Guy

After leaving the back alley through the small yard and the blue gate, Jay greeted Lenny "five Fingers" while passing him.

Taking the same route back he came from, he soon left the vicinity of the back alley and with this the surveillance of that faction.

Riding through the workers-district towards the cathedral plaza and from there to the trade-district, Jay took a long detour.

Arriving at the garrison at long last, he dismissed his horse and went inside.

Though he planned to report to the military as well, he decided to go for the thieves guild first.

Taking to the left at the training fields, Jay walked to the mansion in the park with steady and fast steps. The tour towards and through the back alley had taken the whole morning, so Jay hoped to get the report done as soon as possible.

Though his stay in Arathor had been quite ...interesting to say the least, he wanted to go back to leveling more than anything. The matter about his memories was dependant to solving the mystery about the fall of the thieves guild as well, so he was even more pressed to get back to action.

Without issue he went straight to the throne room, looking for Shalina Ravencrest.

The woman herself was nowhere to bee seen but the slim girl he met last time seemed to be waiting for him, leaning next to the door on the wall.

"Hey Lina, do you have any idea as to where Shalina is?" J.

"Hey there as well, but I'm Nara...

Nice to see you again. Miss Ravencrest is waiting for you in the dungeon. Do you want me to guide you there?" N.

"Sorry for the confusion, but you two are hard to tell apart. I'd like that if you could guide me if you have the time." J.

"Heh, quite the smooth-talker you have become.

Come.... last time I was really short on time by the way." N.

Keeping up their talks for a bit as they went down the stairs, Jay was guided through the mansion until they stopped at one of the big shelves in the library. Nara pushed two different books and the shelve slid to the side, revealing a stairway down into darkness.

Following the overly slim girl downwards, they arrived in some kind of hidden prison.

Passing the closed cell doors, the pair arrived at the last door.

Jay got a slightly bad feeling as Nara opened the door and stepped to the side, urging him to walk inside the sparsely lit room.

Passing the door and going inside, he saw the Woman he wanted to meet.

She was just cleaning her hands as she walked over to him, hiding the bloody remnants of what Jay guessed to have been an opposing spy.

"There you are... so, any leads by now? Or are you just having fun in the city while getting friendly with the mages?" S.

"Heh, I knew I was right in the inn. Was it you?..." J.

Snorting at Shalina for spying on him while he did the work they should have done, Jay turned to Nara who had closed the door behind him.

"...Or was it your sister on the roof?" J.

"No, it was me." N.

"Did you think your escapades would go unnoticed? Or that we wouldn't watch you?" S.

"If you let someone else do your work, don't you think it would be best to give him some room?" J.

"What? Are you implying you found out something?" S.

"Something? I did your damn job.

I know the location of the back alley, the shop within where the human slaves are traded, hell.... I even know where the Slave-trader we are searching for is currently!

And for my visit to the Academy of Arcane arts: I am a fucking mage!" J.

"..." S.

Clearly not having thought the youth before her would reprimand her so openly for her inability, Shalina was flabbergasted.

Nara didn't even utter a single word, looking at the two others in the room alternating.

Jay had even gone so far as to get loud towards the leader of AI:7, just because getting offensive had worked out well with shady people until then.

Looking at the raven haired women searching for words proved him right again.

"So, why did you lead me down to this dungeon for real?" J.

"I... was just having a small talk with one of the double agents smuggled inside our organization. Sadly he wasn't willing to talk... So, where is this Slave-trader now, and are you sure it's the right one?" S.

"Millshire, acquiring new goods.

And yes, I even saw a human slave at her store. Going by the information I gathered while having fun.... it's save to say it's her." J.

"Her? You even know that much?" S.

"Yes, her. She should be back in two to three weeks. If you don't need me until then, I'll excuse myself as we still have the problems with the totems running..." J.

"We need to get her as soon as possible!" S.

"Huh, why is that? It's not like there will be any transactions while she is gone. And we wouldn't need to sniff her our in another town if we wait a little bit.

I don't see any downside..." J.

"Still new to this....

If we find her there, we might find the connection she has there as well or even the people backing them.

I don't believe that a single slaver would go through such length to stir up a rebellion just for some human slaves..." S.

"Not to say that the costs until now should have killed any profit..." N.

"So you want me to sniff her out and then what?" J.

"That doesn't really matter to me. If you find out the ones backing her, then she is of no use. Use any means possible for interrogation or deliver her here, your decision." S.

"Then I'll need a way to locate her Millshire. My bet would be her having connections to anyone influential there." J.

"I'll give word to Sentinel." N.

"Who's stationed there currently?" S.

"Agent Kearnen" N.

"Okay, give word that one of our freelancers will come there in a few days and needs to get contacted." S.

"So I'll do the job again, huh?" J.

"Sorry, but yes. Be sure we'll compensate you for it.

The same goes for the military I guess?" S.

"I guess I'll go there and report next. The thing with the totems really needs some attention." J.

"Yes, may be more than the problem with the defiers. You'll have to work on both parts from now on. Don't get caught!" S.

"... and be careful." N.

"Worried for me?" J.

"Who would... b-but you've got some potential..." N.

Smirking at the comment from the young woman and looking towards Shalina who also couldn't help but chuckle, Jay was glad those two at least weren't going for his throat.

That was what he thought at first as he was led down to a secret area.

Dealing with shady people was way to tiresome for him...

Leaving the mansion after he had accompanied the two woman to the upper floor and held some devoius small talk, Jay was glad to have arrived on the big training fields again.

From there on he at least wasn't spied on in every single second.

Making his way over to the main building of the fort, he was greeted by the soldier positioned at the stairs as he reached there. It was the one that had guided him some days earlier, so he recognized the young adventurer as he neared.

Without wait, Jay got guided to Field Marshal Whitmore whom he had to report to.

If he hadn't been asked to, he would have traveled back and reported to Haggard, but his orders were clear. This way he had to deal with the hard to read woman as he arrived before her office.

The woman in question had exchanged her armor for a dark blue and golden military suit and she seemed to have cut her hair even shorter.

Without her armor she revealed her very slim figure, which Jay would previously have never guessed due to her being a heavy warrior.

Strength came from energy and skills in this world more than from muscle power, that was something he got remembered in situations like these.

Greeting each other more friendly than officially as they were alone, Jay recounted his findings in the city. He even told about the Slaver and his plan to sniff her out in Millshire, as well as his plan to find the distributors of those damn totems.

Those were things he would have told to Tharynn and Haggard anyways, and if they reported it to the Marshal, Jay's still building up connection to her might crack a little.

To his surprise, this proved to be the best decision of the day.

Marshal Whitmore jumped to her feet and rummaged through some papers sorted neatly on her desk. After she seemingly found what she was looking for, she sat back in her luxurious seat and filled in some form.

Just as the Marshal had signed it, she handed it over to Jay.

"Here, with this Order Certificate I appoint you to Westfield region with full access.

The only one to report to is the commanding officer there or myself. Find clues to the people supporting this attack on our kingdom and if you can, support our troops." W.

"Thank you, that'll be helpful. Though, what about that appointment?" J.

"The kingdoms military, contrary to regional armies, has the right to deploy Adventurers in emergency situations. Their appointment has to be compensated accordingly and reported to the Guild.

I take it that's in your personal interest?" W.

"Y-yes, thanks again... how comes you..." J.

"That's only natural.

You know the background of what happened until now and even found traces faster than even our secret agency...

What? You thought I don't know? We keep our eyes on each other." W.

"Seems logical. Anything else to watch out for?" J

"No, just report to Commander Haggard when you travel through Gold Creek.

If your and mine suspicions prove true, there might be attacks coming in from Westfield any minute. And as things are now, it might not only be monsters overflowing from those totems but the Defiers as well.

They need support as fast as possible." W.

"I'll ride there immediately." J.

"Ride? I think we can speed that up quite a bit... 'Sergeant'!!!" W.

Not a second after her shouting, the door sprang open and the guard who guided Jay to the office entered. Saluting to the Marshal he awaited his orders.

"Guide this Adventurer to the city wall. He needs to travel to Gold Creek as fast as possible!" W.

"Sir, Yes, sir." Sgt.

"Oh, and Jay... If you get this task done, I want a sparring with you! So don't disappoint me in this..." W.

Gulping down the clump in his throat that had build as he heard the Marshal, Jay nodded anxiously and left the office guided by the guard.

Though Field Marshal Whitmore had said that with a smirk, he found nothing good in her fighting or training him.

Following the guard, he got guided out of the main building and down to the training field. It was occupied by soldiers sparring at that moment, filling the whole area with the clanking noises of swords hitting shields.

Passing the soldiers, Jay soon arrived at a stairway leading upwards to the left where the shooting range was located. Going up and over a passage leading to the city's wall, Jay entered one of the Towers.

His guide explained the situation for Jay and they were guided up another set of stairs.

What he saw as he arrived at the end of the stairs struck Jay with awe and fear likewise.

On a cushion made of hay, lay a winged creature.

The giant eagle head tuned towards the arriving party instantly and squawked loud to announce their arrival. Tho whom or what got clear the next second as more and more of those white eagle heads lifted up and looked in the three men's direction.

The man that lead Jay and his guide up there stepped forward and soothed the creature, clapping its way to thick neck.

And then it rose from its nest.

What got revealed was not the body of a giant eagle, it was that of a lion.

Jay stood still, eyeing the creature that extruded power way over his own.

He really had no ideas as to what to do next, when his guide came closer and slapped his shoulder.

"That's the reaction everyone has coming here the first time. Those are Gryphons, monsters with a body like a lion and head and wings of a eagle. We use them as a means of travel since ages..." Sgt.

Jay turned his head with a questioning look to what the Sergeant continued his explanation.

"...but not that many people ever see them close up, even in the royal army.

Marshal Whitmore ordered for you to travel as fast as possible, and those are the fastest way.... except you have a dragon at your disposal of course!" Sgt.

"...Dragon...?" J.

"Never heard about the Wyvern-riders of the Imperial Army?

Hell, where are you from?" Sgt.

"...you won't believe me. So, those beasts here are that fast?" J.

"You'll see!" Sgt.

Walking over to the man taking care of the Gryphon, Jay could hear the Sergeant tell him to choose the fastest monster he had at disposal.

To that the man grabbed a saddle from its stand and beckoned the other two men to follow him deeper inside the stable.

It was a strange feeling for Jay to walk the path in the middle, passing the strong creatures left and right.

The way was not too short as the stable was as long as the whole wall until the next tower. He could see that through the open wall on his right after every two Gryphons to that side.

Close to the end of the hall, they arrived before a especially large monster.

Contrary to most other Gryphons, this one had darker wings and a more wild looking mane and feathers.

"Careful! This one is a bit feisty. Even faster that the princess' white lady and most of the Great Gryphons, but ain't caring the least for its passengers..." came from the Gryphon-master as he closed in on the big creature and threw the saddle in his hands on it's back.

The Gryphon looked pretty fine with it and it took not a minute for the Gryphon-master to get it ready for Jay.

"Come. Try to clap his neck, and don't look directly into his eyes... doesn't like it." GM.

Doing as he was told, Jay closed in on the creature from the side, touching the silky feathers and lightly clapping it's neck.

Passing the wings and climbing onto its back in a swing, he received the reins.

Just at that moment the Gryphon turned his head and looked for what happened on its back.

And that seemed not to his liking as it turned further and pecked at Jay's hand holding the reins.

Lucky he got quite the agility, Jay pulled back his hand and the beak fell on empty air. But the squeak that followed sent shivers down Jay's spine.

His ride clearly didn't approve of him, what didn't bode well for the coming flight.

"Fasten the belt at your hips and try to always keep at least one hand on the saddles horn. This guy here knows the way to Gold Creek even if you don't steer the reins.

Just don't fall down!" GM.

That was all for explanations.

The next thing Jay heard was the loud swoosh of the wind as the monster accelerated and jumped out of the city wall after the Gryphon-master gave it a sign.

They had been right.

The speed that monster flew with was not something Jay could compare or really comprehend.