“W-we’re broke!” Caleb was sitting in their room looking at the remaining thirty-seven copper coins that the two had. Jason was storing everything he could in their spatial pendant, but he found that they would have to at least carry the tent and bedrolls on their backs. There just wasn’t enough room in the pendant. Especially if Selene was going to want to take her entire collection of poisons.

“Good. That means we prepared as much as we could,” Jason ruthlessly shot down the archer’s complaints. “Alright well let’s go. Packed everything I could. I bet we’ll have to remove and carry some of this stuff later.” Jason walked over to the despairing Caleb and took the coins from in front of him, hoisted him up, and then shoved him out the door. Jason dragged Caleb down the stairs, across the street to the guildhall, and then to Marissa.

“Marissa, we're leaving. I just came to get the stuff I wanted you to have the guild make from those lizards we brought in. I’ve been waiting for two months now and I’m pretty sure they should be done by now.” Jason was a little irritated at the fact that no one had told him that the armour was ready despite it being over two months.

“Jason you had to come here and ask for them. That’s how regulations work.” Marissa said in the exasperated manner of someone dealing with a troublesome coworker. “Wait here and I’ll get them immediately.” Marissa walked out of the little desk area she had and walked straight into one of the many doors adorning the front wall of the hallway. Only a minute later she walked out again holding a bundle of grey scales in her hand.

“Jason we have two pairs of komodo scale armour. Better than the leather armour by far, but just like any other normal item it doesn’t repair itself so if it breaks then it’s gone. One sized for poor Caleb and the other sized for a… little girl…” Marissa looked at Jason weirdly for that one. “...then we have a mask. Just as promised the mask was made of face scales and looks vaguely like the head of the Cave Komodo.” Jason collected all those items and placed them in their own separate sack which he threw on his back. Caleb had the tents and bedrolls and Jason had everything else that they couldn’t fit in the pendant.

The komodo scale armour looked exactly like classic leather armour except it was made of overlapping grey scales. The joints were connected through leather as the scales didn’t bend immensely well, but the overall protection was still leagues above leather armour. Not as good as plated armour but at the same time everyone in the party needed to be able to move quickly.

Even Jason who was the tank had a very particular fighting style of needing to move quickly. He hadn’t been able to fully use that fighting style in recent months as his Aura of Misfortune would also be detrimental to his allies. Now that I think about it my fighting style has now changed. It’s now to throw myself into the attack and hope I don’t die. Disregarding all attacks thrown my way in trust of my luck. Jason recalled his scarred body which he saw a few nights ago when bathing. It hasn’t always worked out well. After all even with above a hundred percent luck a sword in my stomach is still a sword in my stomach.

Jason pulled out the mask and took a good look at it. The mask was thin and allowed for slight bends. It had straps on the back of it and covered the entirety of the face. Since it was made with the face scales of a komodo the scales seemed to get smaller and smaller as they went towards the nose. The eye holes were there as were two nostril holes so the person wearing it could breath. There was no hole for the mouth and nor was there a pantomime of a mouth on the mask itself. Jason nodded to himself at what he considered to be good craftsmanship. After thanking Marissa and putting the mask away Jason left the guildhall completely.

The members of the guild said that although there weren’t branches of the Outcast’s Resort anywhere else Jason could use its name to get preferential treatment in some places. Since they wouldn’t specify what place that information is completely useless to me. As Jason was walking through the city he found a gold coin on the ground. It was covered up by mud and gunk and was laying just on the side of the road.

Well at least my luck still holds. We’re not broke anymore. Just because Jason hadn’t been leveling up didn’t mean that random things had stopped happening. Around nine times a day random things would happen to Jason. They would happen a lot during battle. Attacks were randomly deflected or he tripped and somehow dodged things.

In Jason’s mind he could lose almost everything, but as long as he kept his luck then everything would be alright eventually. After cleaning the coin off he flipped it to Caleb who caught it in his hands and grinned. That sure cheered the bastard up. Must have a stingy personality. After another three minutes the two were at the gates. They walked out of the gates, past the lines, and stepped onto the dirt road that led away from the city.

“You know. We could walk on this dirt path and we’d be in the next city by next month.” Caleb informed Jason while looking at and flipping the gold coin. His stutter goes away completely in the presence of gold. Well at least when he’s playing with it. Definitely a money complex. Jason laughed.

“Maybe Caleb, but that wouldn’t be very fun would it. No. Guess where we’re going.” Jason grinned at Caleb who had stopped playing with the coin.

“I don’t wa-want to.” Ah his stutter is back. Jason brought out the map of the surrounding area that he had bought at the marketplace for a silver. He spread it out in his hands and tilted it so that Caleb who was a bit behind him could see.

The city was in the middle of the map with the mountain range where Baghric saved Jason being on the right of the map. They didn’t have it marked with any cardinal coordinates, but Jason honestly hadn’t been expecting much from these people. There were cities where there were actual scholars, but good old Invetia wasn’t one of those. The Academy that these people cursed was in a city a few days walk through the woods. Out the gate and then head right and walk for a few days, over the mountain range, and that’s where you’ll find the Academy. I still have no clue why they’re so hated.

When looking at the map you could see a few landmarks on it. The city in the direct middle whose gate was shown opening upwards. The mountain range on the far right of the map and a river at the bottom of the map. The forest was extending throughout the entirety of the map besides the city, past the river, and the far left of the map.

“See that blank area Caleb.” Jason felt him nod. “That’s where we’re going.” Jason felt him freeze.

“So we’re going to explore new areas.” Contrary to how Jason thought he’d feel Caleb sounded excited. Seems like there’s some adventurer in you yet. All Jason knew of adventure’s was what he had learned at the D&D table. The pure joy he felt in exploring himself in real life had overwhelmed him at first as well. Just as it was doing to Caleb. Caleb hadn’t stuttered. He was looking at that blank area in the map and smiling. A smile of pure joy of freedom.

Jason listened to the music. Felt the music within Caleb. The dichotomy of harsh and gentle were now playing together. They weren’t playing their own tunes. They were playing a duet in harmony… for once. I’ll need to figure out why his music is like that. Jason stopped listening to the music.

“Come on Caleb. It’s time to go get our other party member.” Caleb nodded and laughed. The laughing rang out in the surrounding area like the sweet tinkling of chimes.

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Selene’s POV

Jason was back. She could hear him coming through the forest. She heard the faint sounds he made by jumping from tree to tree. The branches made unnatural creaking and swooshing noises as Jason jumped and landed. Swinging from the trees like an old Ancient Ape. She also heard the more hesitant noises that meant that Caleb was coming with him.

Selen stood up and went to her wardrobe passing by the Suit of the Debonair. Reaching into the wardrobe she pulled out a pair of black gloves, a wooden mask, and a black dress that still had the long sleeves intact. She wasn’t rushed. She knew she had time. A lot of it.

It was only a few minutes after she had gotten dressed and sat back down at the table that Jason and Caleb had finally walked into the room. Jason immediately set down his sack, which didn’t seem like it was filled with the herbs she needed, and started to speak. While Caleb as always had his eyes darting around the room avoiding her. Even though I took his memory of what exactly happened that day he is still nervous around me. Maybe his body kept memories of some kind in a sort of animalistic way. After disregarding that issue Selene started to listen to what Jason was actually saying.

“... come party with us?” Selene froze. She wasn’t really paying attention at first because Jason had a habit of talking about nonsensical things for a bit before actually getting to his point, but maybe she should’ve listened closer because she swore he just asked her to join his party. Jason must’ve noticed her confusion but mistook it as hesitation because he immediately started talking and showing her the benefits.

“See I bought a few robes which will cover your entire body just like your dresses and they also boost mana regeneration. Then I also got you some leather armour and I made a set of armour for you out of some Cave Komodo scales.” Jason brought out each thing as he talked about it. When did he get a spatial item. Ah it’s that pendant.

The robes were a light blue typical looking mage robe which fell all the way to the feet. He got them in sizes fit for her as well so they were perfect. The sleeves extended to the wrists to cover her entire arm and they were embroidered with lovely silver designs on the edges. If what Jason said was right then they were enchanted as well. That was a nice plus.

The armour was more basic. Just simple leather armour and then simple Cave Komodo armour. Back in the elven cities the usual armour people wore was monster hide armour so the Cave Komodo armour was in her opinion much more normal and unimpressive than what Jason had assumed it to be. Selene was still simply overwhelmed by what Jason was asking of her. She had never thought that anyone ever would want an abyssal spawn in their party except to use as bait.

“Are you sure you---”

“Oh oh I also got you a better mask. This mask is made of Cave Komodo scales as well. I was going to get you a staff that would boost your poison effects but I couldn’t afford it.” The poor man looked upset about that. All of this that you’ve listed would usually cost you seven gold and you look upset about not spending more on me. Me! Of all people… you want me to join you. Of all the mages… you want me... if I was older then I might think you wanted me, but… you idiot! You’re just a nice person. Oh Abyss. I hope this goes well. Selene didn’t even look at the mask. She didn’t need to.

“I’ll go with you.” Selene was quiet. Quiet and subdued. She was almost whispering her final answer. When Jason heard her he grinned. I don’t care about anything else Jason. I will protect you for as long as you let me. I’ve been alone for twelve years now. For twelve years. Selene almost started tearing up. Thank god you exist. She looked at Caleb and almost immediately stopped getting emotional. I guess I’ll protect him too.