Class. I didn’t know what class to pick. Should I be a Sorceror, or a Swordsman? Maybe a Ranger, or a Rogue? There are way too many options!. I like using a sword and shield, but magic is fun too. I wish I could pick them all…

The elf girl’s name was Mariah. She has green eyes and long silver hair. She’s about level twelve, so a couple levels higher than me. Her class was Holy Fencer. She’s also a great cook! She gave me sandwiches and cookies. Maybe I should ask her for advice on what to spec into?

The humble little bookshop in the Capital was empty, saved for the six individuals huddled around the table, basked by the warmth of the heat pipes, which ran the length of the room, steam fuming from them.

“It’s almost time.” Merrill smiled.

“This will work.” Thrace said. He was a large man, tall, dark and muscular, scars running the lengths of his exposed arms and face.

“This is insane. We should at least gather more men. Spend more time planning this…” Harris, a gentlemanly looking man, said.

“The amount of men doesn’t matter. No matter how many we can gather, none of us are a match for a single Hand.” Severus waved with a sigh. He had the look of a scholar. His overcoat clung to his lanky body, his dark combed back hair and thick glasses adding to his image.

“What about the Supreme One himself?” Anton said, quivering. Anton was but a boy. He had an athletic build but had a nervous disposition. He fidgeted his fingers as he waited for an answer to his question.

“He’s probably going to kill us all with his pinky!” Milli smiled. “More tea Anton?” She asked, offering him the kettle. He gestured no.

“We don’t even know if these rumors are true.” Harris argued.

“I trust our source. He sacrificed a lot to get us this information.” Merrill said.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit preposterous?” Severus asked. “A so-called goddess, here? Under the Hearth?”

“What does that mean anyways?” Anton asked, shrinking into his chair.

“It means we’ll have the power to Awaken other Commons.” Merill affirmed. “Guys, if we do this, we could fight the Hands, even the Great Lords. Maybe even the Supreme One himself.”

“I think this is a joke. There’s no evidence that’s Blessings come from anywhere else. All the Blessings are the gifts of the Supreme One himself. He alone holds this power. I don’t care what you read in any of your banned books.” Harris snapped.

“Watch it Harris.” Thrace warned.

“We have to take this chance.” Merrill said. “It’s our only chance. No rebellion stands a chance against the Supreme One. He’s powerful enough to take out ten thousand men. At least that’s what they say. But if this book is true…” She placed it on the table.

“Nonsense! This is insanity!” Harris flared.

“I am in stern agreement.” Severus added.

“We’re all going to die!” Milli laughed.

“Guys. Look. We just need to get this goddess out. That’s it.” Merrill assured. “We aren’t fighting. I know that. We just need to do that.”

“And if the Hands get wind that we’re Blessed, what do you think is going to happen? I really wonder…”

“They’ll plow through the Capital, killing number after number of Commons till they find us?” Milli answered, titling her head, her blonde hair hanging to her side.

“We could also run into the Supreme One himself. I heard he’s been bored recently and takes particular enjoyment in slaughtering Blessed.” Harris said.

“Harris.” Merrill said, gritting her teeth. “I want you to remember that you came to me. You told me you wanted to make a difference for the people.”

“And I do. But not like this. I wanted to do it with some semblance of sanity. I wanted to reform the Empire, not sacrifice myself meaninglessly.”

“Reform.” Thrace laughed. “You can’t reform anything with those monsters. The Supreme One, all seven Great Lords, Nobles, the Hands. They all have to die.”

“I’m sorry Thrace. About your family. I really am. But I’m not a fighter.” Harris shook his head. “I want out.”

“We can’t have you out. You’re our Ranger. We need your Tracking Skill. It’s the most important part.” Merrill said. “We need you.” She sounded almost desperate.

All the while, the group did not notice Anton shifting in his seat, shifting further and further into himself. What had he gotten into?

“You have to find someone else.” Harris said.

“There are no other Rangers left in the city. I promise you. I looked.” Merrill said.

“I don’t want to die.” Harris said, fear in his eyes.

“Yet you seek to dissent against the Empire. How interesting.” Severus rolled his eyes, sipping a fresh cup of tea.

“Look. You can leave after this job. But I need you now.” Merrill said. “We need you now.”

“Oh good. I can leave. Assuming we can infiltrate the Hearth of all places and get out alive. Good. excellent.”

“If you’re going to leave, then leave you dirty Noble!” Thrace said, erupting from his seat, arms reaching across the table, dragging Harris onto it.

“Thrace! That’s enough!” Merrill ordered.

Thrace sighed, letting Harris go.

“You can leave.” Merrill said, disappointment in her eyes.

“I’m sorry Merrill. I’ll still feed you information, assuming you all live.” He said, fixing his shirt.

He got up and left, leaving the five of them there at the table.

“We should deal with him.” Severus said.

“Deal with him?” Merrill asked.

“A man like that can’t be trusted. Even if he wasn’t on his way to the authorities, a man like that would crack under torture. Better we deal with him now.”

“Agreed.” Thrace grunted.

“We don’t kill people like that. Being a part of this a choice, you’re all free to leave anytime you want.” Merrill affirmed.

“But Merrill…” Severus said, worry in his eyes.

“I trust the boss.” Thrace said, grinding his teeth. “Whatever she says goes.”

“Fine. Fine. Just trying to be safe.” Severus sighed.

“Merrill, can we go now?” Milli sighed, clearly bored.

“Not just yet. It’s tomorrow night.” Merrill said. “Now that everyone here is on board…” Anton shifted a bit. “I’ll explain the plan.” She got up, walking over to a large chalkboard. “Now, what are the issues that prevent us from infiltrating the Great Hearth?”

“Oh, oh!” Milli raised her hand.

“Yes Milli.”

“The guards.”

Guards. Merrill wrote down in chalk. “What else?”

“The Fallen Hands.” Severus added, scribbling down his own notes.

Hands. She wrote.

“Uhm…” Anton raised a nervous hand. “The Supreme One himself.”

Supreme One. She made sure to underline it.

“The gates.” Thrace added.

Gates.

“Let’s not forget the Great Lords.” Merrill said, writing it down. “Now, does anyone know how we get past these things?”

“We can’t! Can I go now?” Milli jumped.

“Nope.” Merrill said, forming an x with her arms. “That’s wrong. Any other ideas?”

“Well, you’re a Rogue, so sneaking past the guards isn’t really a problem for you.” Severus said.

“Yup!” She smiled, putting her name next to the guards.

“Oh!” Milli raised her hand. “Thrace is super strong. He’s a Bersok. He can tear through the gates and beat up the guards!”

“It’s Berserker.” Thrace sighed. “But yes, little one. The gates are like paper to me.”

“And the Hands?” Merrill asked.

“We can’t beat them.” Anton said.

“You’re right.” Merrill agreed. “It was actually Harris’s job to track them and distract them. But we don’t have him, so we’re going to have to hope we’re lucky.”

The room went silent for a bit. A single Hand could lay waste to an army. And they were so much weaker than a Great Lord. And even then, the Supreme One was so much beyond that.

“And what about the Lords and the Supreme One?” Merrill asked.

No one answered this one.

Merrill smiled, writing informant and drawing two lines pointed at each. “This is where our info comes in. None of them will be there.” She said, slapping the board. “The Supreme One is going south to visit the Oasis. He does that every year before the Autumn season. And the Lords will be busy tomorrow. It’s almost time for the Autumn Season Balls, so they’ll be preparing for that and won’t have time to be at the Hearth.”

“So that means…” Severus eyes widened.

“We can sneak in, get the goddess and sneak out, without having to worry about the biggest obstacles.” Merrill winked. “Once we snag her, we can use her to make more and more Blessed ones. Then we can start thinking about an army.”

“Harris was right.” Severus smiled. “You are a fool. But this is crazy enough to work.”

“Umm...” Anton raised his hand. “What’s my job?”

“Good question. You’ll be helping Thrace out. As a Monk, you’ll be front lines with Thrace in case we need to fight off any guards.”

“And if a Hand appears?” He asked.

“Then run. This is a high risk, high reward operation gentlemen. This is for the sake of the rebellion.”

“Milli’s job is to make sure people don’t die. And, to make the bad guys slower.” Milli smiled.

“Mil is our support. Since she’s a Priestess, she’ll oversee healing and debuffing.” Merrill said. “Any other questions?”

“What will we do after we get her out?” Severus asked. “Don’t tell me we’re bringing her back here. The Hands will tear the city apart looking for her.”

“It’ll only be temporary.” Merrill said. “We’re getting her out of the city the day after. We’ll take her to the Eastern Hearth. We have contacts there, plus the Hand’s power in that city is weak.”

“And you’re sure she’ll be there?” Severus asked.

“As sure as the snow falls.” She smiled.

They all sat there, drinking teas and going over the plan, late into the night. Milli had fallen asleep an hour after the meeting, draping herself in thick blankets. Severus was busy looking over the logistics of the plan. Thrace sat in the corner, watching the door with serious eyes. Anton pretended to meditate, trying to hide his fear. And the night went on like this, as the wind howled, and the snow fell.