Kaelen

The local tavern had been filled with adventures ever since the surge of monsters in the Great Forest Of Bland, because of which adventures like me came to Wartson in search of money and fame. Wartson was a small town established at the mouth of the Great Forest by Henrey The III, the ruler of The Empire Of Bland 100 years ago. It started as a military base because of the excessive number of monsters that appeared in the Great Forest and because of the lower number of adventures at that time they mostly wandered out of the Great Forest to the nearby towns causing massive destruction, but shortly after the establishment of the base the number of the monsters suddenly plummeted until recently.

"You? An archer? Bah! We don't need some twig-snapper hiding in bushes, plucking strings like a minstrel." A barbarian built like a gorilla said to me rejecting my request to join his party, "I need warriors, not cowards afraid to fight up close. I face my enemies eye-to-eye, axe-to-neck. You'd probably trip over a pebble running away before the fight even starts."

I had been accustomed to rejection by people I requested to join their party mainly because I was an archer, archers were discriminated against by the adventures. On the surface it made sense, archers couldn't fight at close range as well as a swordsman could, and at long-range a mage had more destructive power while archers had a limited amount of arrows.

I quietly walked away after his rejection as he was laughing at my back, there was no benefit in trying to reason with him I thought in my mind.

The sun was still bright though, I should be fine with solo adventuring if I don't enter any of the high-danger zones, as I made up my mind I exited the local tavern and stepped onto the raw road leading to one of the adventurers's guild branches. I started walking towards the guild while observing the surroundings, even though it had been 3 days since I came here, I still hadn't gotten used to the small wooden huts and the lush green surroundings, which were pretty different compared to the high-standing buildings and properly paved roads and paths of the Royal Capital. 

I made a little detour on the way to the guild. There was a little material shop for adventurers it wasn't anything special just a little wooden hut that was a considerable distance away from the adventurers guild. I found this place 3 days ago when I was searching for a cheap inn. The shop didn't get many customers ever especially now that many more artisans and blacksmiths had moved here.

**********

A cluttered shop filled with arms, provisions, and odd trinkets. Grimbold, stout of frame and with a beard of impressive proportions, stands behind the counter. He polishes on a small iron kettle. The door swings open, creaking softly, and Kaelen slips inside. Silent, no-nonsense human archer, with a face neither friendly nor unfriendly. His movements were deliberate.

Glancing up with a smirk Grimbold greeted me, "Well, if it ain't the bow-slinger wanderin' in again. Morning to ya, Kaelen. Still alive, eh? Must be a slow day for trouble."

Kaelen adjusting the quiver on his shoulder with a calm and measured voice orders Grimbold, "Arrows."

Grimbold nods as he moves to grab items from the shelves, "Straight to business. Not bad. Arrows? Got steel-tipped or barbed. Pick your poison." he asks.

"Steel-tipped. Two dozen." Kaelen replies as usual without emotion.

Grimbold sets the items on the counter, "Efficient. I like that. Thirty silver for the lot." he names the prices.

Kaelen calmly pulls a coin pouch from his belt and counts out coins, "Twenty-five." he negotiates.

Grimbold raises an eyebrow, "Twenty-five, eh? Yer a man o' few words, but I'm still runnin' a business. Twenty-eight. Final offer."

Kaelen places exactly twenty-eight silver on the counter without a word.

Grimbold grinning faintly as he sweeps the coins into a drawer says, "Heh. Knew you'd see reason. Anything else? Or is that all you're draggin' outta here today?"

"That's all," Kaelen replies in a flat voice.

Grimbold nods as Kaelen turns to leave, "Try not to get yourself killed out there, lad. Hate to lose a paying customer." he tries to show a little concern.

Kaelen pauses briefly at the door, glancing back "You won't"

Without another word, he steps out into the street, the door swinging shut behind him. Grimbold watches for a moment, then shakes his head with a quiet chuckle before returning to his work.

**********

The Scaletail Mirthling is an interesting and unique creature, presenting a fascinating combination of features, like a harmonious fusion of a mouse and a lizard. The body size is around the length of a fully grown man's arm, and it is highlighted by an extensively velvety soft fur with patches of glittering scale-like skin on its appendages and tail, making a breathtaking view overall. The head of this creature is just like a rodent with its sweet big, expressive eyes and ears, which drip with charm. There is, however, the mystique introduced by a lizard-like forked tongue and an even subtler crest on the top of the head. The elongated tail of the Scaletail Mirthling, where fur and scales are seamlessly merged, is of great importance in facilitating its balance and agility in moving around with elegance in its surroundings. The slender limbs, provided with dainty claws for gripping and climbing, underline its agility and adaptability. They are strictly herbivorous and sustain themselves on a natural diet of plants, roots, and berries, a choice that bestows remarkable and unparalleled healing properties upon their blood. This special diet infuses their blood with a rich variety of strong natural enzymes and magical substances, renowned for their extraordinary powers to accelerate recovery and successfully treat a variety of ailments when used in powerful potions and medicines. The rare blood of the Scaletail Mirthling, with its healing power, is highly prized, and many are eager to get it because they know that no other substance has such great potential in healing and treatment. Understandably, these creatures have a natural tendency to be cautious, exhibiting skittish behavior and a tendency to run at the slightest hint of danger, which adds a layer of realism to their enchanting existence.

Fwoosh

The arrow flies clean through the air and hits a Scaletail Mirthling clean through the head, all life escaping from his eyes. The Scaletail Mirthling was pretty easy to hunt but pretty rare to spot, money from selling this will last me a week. Kaelen picked up the body and stored it making sure no blood was wasted. He had gotten pretty lucky finding one this early into the hunt but he didn't go back immediately after all his reason for adventuring wasn't to earn money but to get stronger.

**********

The woman moved gloriously down the hall, her golden blonde hair falling in great waves upon her shoulders, catching the faint light like spun gold. A suit of finely crafted light armor covered her, sleek and polished, fitted to perfection to the curves and lines of her body, balanced between elegance and practicality. Intricate engravings of vines and leaves adorned the edges of the armor, a subtle yet beautiful testament to the artisan's skill. A sword hung at her side in a finely tooled leather scabbard, the hilt gleaming with a faint silver sheen and sporting a sapphire at its pommel. She moved, her strides deliberate and full of purpose, boots treading softly against stone because she knew where she was moving and to. Her piercing eyes scanned everything without a tremor, so serene they seemed a breath of cold fire that held their own sense of contained strength reflection of which elicits awe and commands respect.

"Hello Roxanne," a man with red hair that seemed like it was dyed in blood said greeting the woman.

"Darian," the woman replied with a hint of surprise, "it's nice seeing you here."

"I haven't seen you since you have been granted the name Vaelstrife."