We all make our way to the living room and are greeted with walls painted a deep sky blue. A few stone busts and flowered vases adorn the sides of the room. In the middle, two large dark brown sofas with purple cushions circle a navy blue coffee table with dark golden flowers emblazoned on its surface. On the far side of the room there are several open windows with white drapes that billow in the wind and flicker light throughout the room.

Sheamus and I sit on the far sofa closest to the windows while the Queen, the Prince and Renise sit opposite us.

“So exactly what other details of your past are you hiding from us?[Sheamus in an angry whisper]

“Sorry man, but I wasn’t sure at the time if I was comfortable letting anyone know that I just killed two whole battalions by accident.[I shrug my shoulders] and to be frank, I still don’t like the idea of having to be seen as the one who is ultimately, fighting against equality”

“Aye lad, ah get it. In the colosseum ah had to work with all sorts from slave and criminals to mercenary and kids with dream of grandeur. Ah personally was always thinking that criminality was a product of the environment, the rest was secondary.”[Sheamus]

“So goblins and the like aren’t bad, they are just a product of their environment?”[I cock an eyebrow]

Sheamus shrugs “sure, I mean your not evil but because the gods demand it you’re being forced deny these suppressed races their best chance at freedom”

“AHEM, if your done pointlessly discussing morals, we still have a war to win.”[the Queen glares at us]

Sheamus and I settle down as the Queen continues.

“Our military has been secretly monitoring all our towns and cities for promising recruits since our country's founding. Currently we have three candidates among them that seem to best fit your needs.”[Queen Margaret snaps her fingers]

A large bald grey-skinned man, with arms like trees and easily 8 feet tall enters from behind me and Sheamus silent as death.

“Holy shit, where’d you come from!?”[me, very alarmed]

Without missing a beat the scary mother fucker replys in a deep gravelly voice, “Yer mama's bed”

Everyone in the room cringes at once as if flinching away from the heat of that burn. But the big guy just keeps walking and hands the queen some papers with official looking papers.

Queen Margaret takes the papers and nods to him kindly “Thank you Walter, but in the future please save the sharp wit for the guests you’re better acquainted with, rather than a stranger. You’re my head bodyguard and butler….So it would be a shame to put you down for accidentally insulting someone important.”

“Yes ma'am, sorry ma’am”[Walter says, bowing low]

Margret rolls her eyes while grinning and places the papers into three neat piles in the center of the table facing me.

“First up we have the current reigning champ of the Zolock Coliseum, a lizard man called, Dragger.”

I scoff and ask her “What kind of name is that?” but before she can reply Sheamus explains:

“Well lad, that’s just it, no one knows his real name because he’s too braindead to tell anyone. Infact the main reason he’s called Dragger is because of all the bodys that are dragged from the events he’s included in. ‘An what’s worse is that tha’ guy is nearly alway catatonic unless given a direction, so unless someone wants to risk bodily harm no one can try and stop him in the middle of a fight. The poor sonofabitch just can’t turn off.”

“Um, okay...but if that's the case why is he an option?”[me]

The Queen scoffs, “Do you honestly expect me to just give you the best our kingdom has to offer for a suicide mission? No, instead I will give you the best of our worst. These candidates are our strongest citizens but because of their… unique character traits, we have been unable to safely or morally recruit them into our services.”

Renise frowns, “But your majesty, this is our best chance to-”

“QUIET! There’s no evidence to support the idea that Jon could even hold a candle to Rei, let alone stand against his armies![the queen shouting]

Renise shrinks back at the queens sudden outburst leans into the her fiance’s arms.

“I’m sorry dear that was uncalled for, it’s just been very stressful defending ourselves from Rei’s forces.”[Margret pats Renise on the knee] “but anyways, this next pile [she points to the middle pile] Is for a Gnome named Zipper, he ran an item shop that specializes in illegal and blackmarket goods. He’s a very talented inventor with a pension for the more explosive and poisonous magic items. He is currently imprisoned in our imperial security prison with a life sentence and no chance of parole…”

“Well that sounds terrifying, but what did he do to deserve such a hard sentence? And why risk releasing him just for me?”[I lean forward with my fingers laced and brow furrowed]

“Well...to put it simply, he is solely responsible responsible for wiping out the city of Grady. The bastard revels in battle and blood nothing give him more joy than knowing he helped contribute to the bloodshed...and THAT is how I know he won’t betray you, because once he sees your strength his only desire will be to make you a plague on the masses. Just don’t engage him in any debates about philosophy or his ideology and you’ll be fine.”

Well this just keeps getting better and better!!

“And number three? What’s their story?[shivers flow down my spine]

The queen pauses and glares at the third pile when Walter speaks up “That pile belongs to a savage beast-kin whose currant identity is unknown. She's been held in the basment dungeon sinceher capture. She’s refused to say a thing to even our best… interrogators. All we do know is that she is the reason behind the former kings death, and that someone thought she was worth the best mental barrier charms even money shouldn’t be able to buy. And normally we would never consider even a temporary release but we decided that she was more than expendable. Plus It’s not as if she will run… the brand makes sure of that.”

Ok well that ended on an ominous note. But why do they have to insist on giving me their trash? This isn’t supposed to be some suicide squad, expendables, bullshit. I wanted some pillage hungry murder machine badasses. But instead I get a murder machine with no remote control, a pillage hungary midget philosopher, and a badass bitch who’ll probably be a real pain in the ass to work with…

I clap my hands together and exclaim“Sound great when can I start?”

The queen stands “You may begin your collection of your party members in two days. I suggest you use this time to buy the appropriate items you think you may need and register at the adventurers guild. The fee for registration is fifty silver but that shouldn’t matter to you as long as you have that bag of holding.”

She holds out her hand and I rise to shake it.

“Oh and one more thing, [suddenly my hand is yanked forward and her hot whispery breath burns my neck] If harm or death befalls my son, and I think for a moment that you could have stopped it… I.WILL.END.YOU. Are we clear?”

{told you she was scary}

(I dunno I kinda like it)

{Freak}

I nod and whisper “Crystale.”

Suddenly I’m released and the Queen smiles “Excellent! Now if there’s nothing else you need you may leave the way you came in”

I get to the door but turn before leaving “Actually I have a few questions.”

“And?”[Queeny]

“One, how did Walter know to bring those papers to the office?”

“Because that's what a good butler does”[Walter]

I shrug.

“....Yeah, okay, sure, why not? Second do Renise and Sheamus get to come to?”[Me]

“No, unfortunately they will both be preoccupied reporting this crater incident to Sir.Chadwick and filling out the proper paperwork, they are still soldiers after all.”

“Awww, but ‘ah wanted to kill the bad guys wit ma’h friends.” [Sheamus whines]

“Sheamus, please, I know paperwork is boring in comparison but it’s also safer and part of our job. So don’t worry he’ll probably be back anyways once he’s all trained up and has gathered the others.”[Renise]

“Fiiiine”[Sheamus grumbles]

“And Jon, don’t forget to stop by the city gate before leaving, there will be someone with the beast girl to escort you to your new partners”[Margret]