Contrary to what Michael and Micah thought, the following conversation didn’t last long. Oh, it was intense. And borderline violent. But no one actually came to blows. After all, the five had been a team for some time and this wasn’t the first time they split any loot.

The artifacts remained with them, to Micah’s grave regret, since the lycan’s eyes had been sparkling for the |Movement| Ring. Unfortunately for him, Erea also wanted it. The elf mentioned it fit too well with her direct style of fighting for her to pass on an opportunity to have it. Only she didn’t as much mention it, as she slammed her fist into the table and declared that it was hers. Alex was the one who asked her to explain why it should be hers.

The others each made a plea as well as explain why certain artifacts, such as the wands or the potions were better suited for them. The wands in any case, since everybody though the potions were nice, but they were nice in the sense that they would sell them if a right price was offered. They haggled a little more for the wands, but they distributed them pretty quickly.

Michael had half a thought to throw his hat into the ring too, at first, but he saw quickly that he had no chance. It wasn’t that he was the new kid on the block, so to say, since he was sure Alex would have taken his side. It was instead that he didn’t have a magical style yet. He did have a wand and a secondary artifact, not to mention access to Micah’s stolen tome, so he didn’t feel too bad about it. Micah instead did what was characteristic of him and went all in. He argued and argued, but even Michael as his friend though his arguments were feeble. It was no surprise that he didn’t get anything, but he still came away from the discussion with a grin.

So and so chances he just wanted to get his voice heard.

What surprised the two were the coins. The value for the… kept artifacts, the ones Gnosis refused to hand over, coupled with the prize they got for clearing that room was around 950 gold coins. Gold. Not silver, gold. Alex mentioned that even split seven ways, that was still enough to buy a nice artifact or even a Spell book. So, their surprise was even larger when they got the lion’s share of the profits. Michael got to keep 300 of the cold coins, while Micah only 150. The lycan pouted, but didn’t actually complain, since Michael was the one who got to visit the nice healer for his efforts. The five just walked away with 100 gold coins a piece, but Alex explained that was quite alright, since they got to keep the artifacts.

Well, he said it and Michael was sure he and the others meant it too, but Erea still gave him side glances from time to time.

“And that’s it. Business over.” Alex grinned. “Next time we get an assignment with a moderate threat level, we’ll call you, yeah?”

“Sure.” Michael said.

“Wait.” Micah piped up. “This mission, the one we just did. That was a moderate threat level?”

“Eh, moderate-ish.” Laen tried to help.

“Truth is,” Mihli interjected “the explorers did tag this mission as moderate, but in need of more information. But they always say that!”

“Bunch of lazy-“ Quora started.

“We knew what we were getting ourselves into.” Alex intervened, before the dwarf exploded. “But yes, this was a moderate threat mission. Next time we get one of these, but without the unclear parts, we’ll call you.”

“Fine with us.”

“Good.” He smiled. “Now, if you all don’t mind, me and Erea would like to have a private talk with Michael.”

Michael instantly tensed, though he hoped it didn’t show on his face. Laen, Quora and Mihli all said their goodbyes and smiled as they walked out of the room, like nothing out of the usual was happening.

Maybe it wasn’t? But they were too unfazed about this… Alex warned them in advance.

Only Micah stopped next to him, on his way out, the question of whether he needed help clear in his eyes. Michael shook his head. This would probably not turn to violence, even if he misread Alex. And if it did, it’s not like Micah could help much.

He left as well and only then did Alex start to talk again.

“Sorry to spring this up on you out of nowhere. We would have given you some time to adjust, but you being in the hospital again kind of took the time out of our hands.”

“Oh, I just really like the healer.” Michael smiled.

“I can see that you’re tense.” He laughed and continued when he saw Michael cross his brows. “Your jokes usually have a flair to them. Some sarcasm. This was a little too guarded of a joke.”

“A joke connoisseur. You do seem the type.”

“I try.” He casually shrugged.

So ‘connoisseur’ is a word here too. Interesting.

“Now, for the second order of business.” He said, making Michael tense on the inside. “I’ve discussed this, at length and I can promise you that what you’re about to hear is in no way something that I arranged to happen just so what I will say would sound better. It’s just something that I think is right.”

“…all right?”

“Well, without further ado, I’ll walk outside for a few minutes, while Erea apologizes for treating you as a target golem during your Class together. Call me when you’re done, Erea.”

And just like that he walked out of the room, leaving behind Michael who was still grasping his wand under his robe.

That… that wasn’t at all what I expected to happen.

He looked at the elf and noticed that she looked as uncomfortable as he felt. Which, given the elves’ natural poise, must have meant she was an absolute tempest on the inside.

“I- I… wanted to apologize.” She said, straining.

“You wanted to apologize?” Michael heard his voice say, before catching himself.

The look Erea gave him could have melted steel, but surprisingly, she gave out a big sigh, like a balloon being deflated.

“Look, it’s too big of a story to tell it to you in one go, so I’ll just give you the key points.” She said, before once again pinning Michael with a look. “Don’t interrupt.”

“Got it.” He quickly said.

“You know by now there’re factions in Gnosis. Regitris most likely tried to lure you to his and I know you know your friend Micah already belongs to one. I belong to a faction too. And we pride ourselves in what others call ‘martial ability’. Which is stupid, because others are short fucking sighted, but I’ll get to that in a moment.” She said, breathing faster. “The thing is, my faction prides itself on only taking members that prove they have what it takes. Joining a team like this, fighting duels or learning an obscure attack Spell, those are the least of one has to do to get invited. I busted my ass to learn how to fight, I sacrificed a lot, I even broke relations with some of my people, because I’m not what an elf is thought to be like… As if!”

She looked furious, but also hurt.

“And then you came. Just strolling in, completely out of the blue and getting the most powerful test anyone got in recent memory. And then acing that test! That was enough for my faction to want you. And then, Regitris approaches you. Don’t ask how we know, we just do. Which only makes my faction want you even more. So… yeah. I kind of lost my cool. I wanted to see what you were about. That was why I tested you myself, in Nahlil’s Class.”

“Tested? That was an all-out attack.” Michael said, disbelievingly. “How was that a fair test for a first year?”

“You’re supposed to be a prodigy, right?” she said, grinding her teeth. Though she forced herself to relax after a second. “And you won either way. Look… I won’t apologize for how I tested you. That’s the way we work. But… I will apologize for being a sore loser. That’s also something we don’t do. So… sorry.”

Wow. Didn’t think she had it in her.

“Well?!”

“Oh! Uh, apology accepted.”

She nodded, before peering more closely at him.

“How old are you, anyway?”

“Going on twenty. Why?”

“Because you’re less frantic than the other first years. Figured you were older than you looked. You got other blood in you or just preservation Spells at work?”

“None of the above.” Michael smoothly lied, while telling the truth.

“Fine. Keep your secrets. Look, as I said, you beat me, fair and square. And… you saved my life, probably. Back with the minotaurs. I don’t want there to be any bad blood between us… well, not any more, anyway. So, thanks. Again.”

“Yeah, Erea. Don’t mention it.”

She looked at him funny, before raising her hand.

“My full name is Ehrheahreh.” She said, as Michael raised his hand too and she shook it. “If you laugh, I will break it.”

But she smiled and the smile went up to her eyes this time.

Huh. There’s that inhuman prettiness again.

“I’m not even thinking about it. Well, maybe a little.”

Her smile turned into a grin, but his hand remained in one piece, so he called that a win.

“Alex!” she called out. “Come in. It’s all good, we’re all friends now and none of us died.”

“That was an option?”

Erea just smiled and shrugged, while Alex walked back into the room.

“Glad to see you’re both in one piece. To tell you the truth, you never know how these things will go, not with Erea in the picture.”

“Funny.”

“Now, Michael, you’re smart enough from what I have seen to realize why we wanted to talk to you, right?”

“Yeah, pretty much. But I won’t lie, Regitris did warn me that another faction, a warlike one, would try to recruit me. And Erea mentioned she was in a faction which was pretty much that. And she mentioned that being in a team like this was one of the methods by which you could get recruited. I figure the two of you are in, but what about Mihli, Quora and Laen?”

“They aren’t.” he said, nodding. “They knew we are part of it, but they are not. Whether it is because they do not wish to or because of other reasons, I will not say. That’s their secret to share.”

“Right… I have to ask, why you two?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, sounding surprised for the first time.

“I mean…my other recruitment offer came from Regitris himself. Head honcho and all that. Why did your faction send you two?”

Alex stared, while Erea burst out in laughter.

“I said the same thing!” the elf actually giggled at her friend’s expense. “A show of force, right? But nooo, Alex pleaded with our elders, had them understand reason. ‘Michael will more easily relate to someone close to his age’. Hah! Told you.”

To be frank, Michael did understand where Alex was coming from and should he have been back in the real world, his strategy might have even worked. But he was trapped in a magical world. And he played enough games to know that the side you ally yourself with matters from the very start of the game. He couldn’t afford not to minmax this.

“Yeah, guess I was wrong. I can delay this conversation, have someone else from our side make you the offer. Someone more knowledgeable or-“

“Stronger.” Erea nodded.

“Not what I was about to say, but sure.” He sighed. “Would you be open to that?”

Michael thought about it and… he kind of felt bad. Alex really did try his best. And he wasn’t a child, he could listen to the arguments being made and make a decision based on that. Sure, it would have been nice to see how a stronger member of their faction compared to Regitris, but… no. A show of force was nice and all, but arguments would win him over.

Maybe.

“Nah. And by that I don’t mean that I’m saying ‘no’ to it all. I’m just saying you could give me the offer yourself. I’ll listen to it and take it into account. No worries.”

Alex grinned, while Erea rolled her eyes. But the elf looked more attentive too.

“Alright. Then, I guess the main thing I should say is this. Most people think we are battle loving fanatics. And we are. We so are!” he laughed.

Right.

Not the best of starts.