The walk back to the city was fairly uneventful.

When we had gotten out of the dungeon, one of the guards came up to me and gave us a piece of paper. When I read it over, I realized that it was a list of every single creature we had killed in the dungeon.

I asked the guard how they had this information, but he just shrugged and told me that they had a machine that would print them out. Before I asked any further, the guard said that he didn't know how it worked and that I needed to immediately move on, so the next group could get their paper.

After we got through the crowd wanting to go into the dungeon, we began walking back to the city.

Both of us were in the beginning stages of soreness and just wanted to lie down for a week.

We couldn't do that, though. We still had to get back to the mansion.

The rest of the walk home was without any surprises. No attacks from bandits or some thieves wanting to steal our belongings. We simply talked as we walked.

Eros told me about his relationship with Elora, which I had already guessed was a thing. She had begun to like him after we rescued her from the bandits, but the real feelings didn't begin there. When we had gotten back to the mansion, Eros and Elora met up. It quickly grew from there.

We talked about many other things. Some funny, some serious, and some sad.

We became so distracted in our conversation, that we didn't even notice that we had arrived.

“Looks like we're here”, Eros said, his eyes beginning to focus.

“Seems like it”, I said, with an almost surprised tone.

Weird… I don't usually get that distracted from just talking.

For whatever reason, we were here. Had we really walked that far? We must have been walking for thirty minutes, yet it only felt like three.

Strange.

Before I got even more in lost in confusion, something else distracted me. One of the guards had seen us coming nearer, and was rushing towards us at full sprint. Not that fast, really, but what could you expect from somebody in armor?

The guard finally nears us, and stops, panting, while trying to get some words out.

“Are you… Are you E-”, He throws up, right at our faces. If we both didn't have quick reflexes, we would be covered in it.

“Take it, easy fella. Just take some deep breaths”, Eros said, in a calm voice, yet disgust slightly showing on his face.

The guards stop his sputtering and begin to breathe deeply. After about thirty seconds or so, he finally reaches a point where he can talk.

“Are you Eros and Jack?”, he asks, trying and failing to sound official.

“Yes, we are”, I answer.

The guard brightens up at that.

“Finally! I have been running around all day in this stupid thing. You two have been called in by the Lord. If you would please hurry, it would be appreciated”, the guard explained.

The lord has been looking for us? I wonder why.

“Do you know the reason the Lord has called upon us?”, I ask.

“No, I don't. When I asked, it was classified. Now, if you would please hurry”, the guard said in a hasty voice.

Classified? That doesn't sound like a party. We should probably go.

I enhance myself and Eros with the Speed Enhancement.

“Let's go”, I say.

And with that, we begin storming off towards the mansion.

When we reached the mansion, the guards did not stop us. They simply opened the doors sometime before we reached them, letting us run by at full speed.

We ran through the halls, trying to be as fast as we could while being careful to not destroy the decorations.

After doing this dance for a few minutes, we finally reach our location.

The dining hall. AKA the meeting room.

I look at Eros and notice something wrong, but just couldn't put my finger on it. I look at myself and realize a problem.

“Hey, Eros”, I say.

“Yes?”, Eros says.

“Do you think, we were supposed to be in some… finer attire? I mean, we both stink like hell”, I ask.

For a second, Eros just stares at me, before his eyes widen. Seems he sees the problem too.

“I don't think it will be that much of a problem”, Eros said, in a distant voice. “We don't really have any options either”

I sigh.

He's right. We don't.

I look over at Eros again.

“Ready to go in?”, I ask him.

“Ready as I'll ever be”

With that said, we went to the meeting.

Right as we entered, I began to hear soft muttering. I look around the room, and, surprisingly, only find two people inside. Erik, the lord(AKA Elora´s dad), and the old servant I had met two days earlier.

Just as we walked in, they were standing at each side of the dinner table. On it was a giant map that showed the city and the area close.to it.

Having heard the door open, they both instantly stopped talking and looked over to see who it was.

Upon seeing that it was just us, the scowl on Erik´s face softened to a slightly irritated one.

“Jack! Eros! So nice of you to come, just in time”, Erik said, in a calm tone.

“Anything for the person willing to house us”, Eros said, in the same tone as Erik.

Erik smiled at that.

“Knew you would say that. Come over here. I want to show you two something”, Erik said, signaling with his hands to come closer.

We did just that.

“You want to do what?!”, I unconsciously blurred out.

Erik wasn't, in any way, faced by my reaction.

“I want to invade their camp and kill every last bandit there is. Can't you see it? We have the perfect opportunity to do so! I should have done long ago, but even I couldn't have seen it coming. For such a puny group to grow into a powerhouse, Is not something anybody would see coming. When I finally began to see clearly, the bandits took notice. They took my innocent daughter and blackmailed me to do nothing about. I didn't dare lay a finger on any bandit, in fear of what may be the consequences.

Now, though, things are different.

Everything is different.

By some miracle, you came along, and, right under their noses, saved my daughter right. I haven't felt anticipation like this since my adventuring days Those people, who don't even deserve that title, will die by my, or my servant's, hands.

You said you would do anything. Will you stand up to your words?”

All the time spent explaining, Erik´s face was serious, and never wavered one bit. I didn't know whether, or now, he had prepared this speech, and, honestly, I didn't care.

It also gave me insight. Insight to what Erik must have felt like these past weeks. Never knowing if his daughter was alive. What was happening to her? Was she being tortured? Did she get any food at all?

I honestly didn't know who had it worse. The imprisoned daughter or the father in near agony.

I looked Erik in the eyes, my face full of seriousness.

“I will stand by your side, to reach this goal, to the very end”, I stated.

Erik stared at me, right in the eyes, trying to discern my truthfulness in my words. After a good amount of time, a slight smile grew on his face.

“Thank you”, he mouthed.

“If you shitheads are done talking, we have a plan to finish”, a gruff voice said from our right.

I look over and see that it was the old servant talking. Almost forgot he was here.

“Sure, Monty”, Erik said, looking over at, who I now know was called, Monty. He quickly looks over at me again.

“Ready to begin?”, he asks.

“Always”, I answer.

And with that, we began planning.