“I was just finishing up,” Montag stated.

He was holding a variety of bags, belts, and bags in addition to a chest plate, pauldrons, and a set of greaves.

Derik examined the armor pieces and commented, “Are all these belts really necessary, I mean your armor doesn’t even look like it fully covers your extremities.”

“I know you are young so I'll forgive you, but once you get a little wiser you will understand why more bags are always necessary. Any sane person would wear armor, but wearing too much is accepting the fact that you would be hit in the first place.”

Montag was taken to the backroom by the smith so Derik waited out in the front of the shop and browsed the items to pass the time.

“Excuse me,” a man pressed past Derik and made their way towards the metal fittings.

Derik looked to the side, scanning for the source of the voice. He saw a man in white robes. The priest squeezed past Derik and was sifting through different iron door fittings. Derik recognized the man was preoccupied so he decided to not bother him and instead view the miscellaneous tools on display. Montag returned as Derik had finished admiring the various intricacies in his new set of armor.

“I say, this was quite the brilliant idea Derik,” Montag remarked. “We should probably get going though, who knows if Lina is waiting for us to finish up here.”

Derik nodded his head in agreement and the duo left to shop to head towards the front gate. The two of them made some small talk as they closed in on the main plaza. Derik was in the middle of a heated discussion on the climate of the local area when he saw a familiar building and what's more a familiar face. The woman he met yesterday was loitering near the side of the building and overall looking very sorry for herself. Derik put down his visor and shielded himself from sight by hiding behind Montag.

“Keep moving,” he mentioned as he continued to shift himself to keep Montag blocking the line of sight between himself and the woman. “Don’t make eye contact with her,” Derik cautioned.

Montag craned his neck to look at Derik, “What is wrong with her, it hurts me to see a lady in distress.”

“I wouldn’t interact with her if I was you,” Derik remarked. “I never like those Jehova witness types.”

Montag merely shook his head and began to approach the woman.

Derik placed his hand to his face, “You would think this man is single-handedly keeping chivalry alive.”

Derik trailed behind Montag as he greeted the woman.

Montag gave a friendly wave, “What ails you, miss?”

“I don’t know,” she responded. “I do appreciate your thoughtfulness, but it's nothing you can help with.”

Derik grabbed Montag’s shoulder, “Welp, you heard her. We’ve done all we can. We should probably get going. Don’t want to keep Lina waiting right?”

“Know this Derik, a true soldier of Mesburg never retreats on the battlefield or off it.” Montag stood and straightened up his back.

“Is there is really nothing we can do?” he asked. “We are an accomplished group of adventures.”

“You two are part of an adventuring party?”

“I suppose you could call it that, it is only a group of three at the moment.” Montag gave a smirk, “But you couldn’t find a better party in all of the continent, that I know for certain.”

“And perhaps you could you let me join your group?” she asked.

“Of course young lady, we would be glad to have one as pious as yourself in our team,” Montag assured the woman.

“That's great, my name is Iris. I am ready to be of service.”

“Wait just a second.” Derik held up his hands, “Why are we letting you join? Why do you WANT to join?”

“Look, I can’t seem to get out of this town. The people have labeled me as some sort of savior and now I’m stuck here," she lifted her robes to show the elaborate patterns to emphasize her standing.

“Have you tried asking them to leave you alone?” Derik asked.

“You don’t think I tried that already? The one thing I can't do is convince people to leave me be. Please let me come with you.” She rapidly glanced between Montag and Derik. "With you two I might be able to actually have a good enough cover to leave. I don't want them to think I just abandoned them."

Derik pulled Montag off to the side. “I know we are lacking in the manpower department, but is this really a good idea?”.

“We can’t refuse someone in need,” Montag stated matter of factly.

Derik dismissed Montag with a wave of his hand.

“We aren't going to leave someone behind,” Montag said with a hint of hostility in his voice.

Derik turned back towards Iris, “Fine you can come along, we’ll have to see what the captain thinks of this.”

"One second," Iris ran into the chapel.

“Really, ‘accomplished adventures’?” Derik questioned Montag.

“Well if you take into account our previous experience I think we are quite accomplished.”

Iris came back out with a bag, "I just had to get my rucksack."

The trio began walking towards the gate, getting more than a few glances from the citizenry.

The group had reached the front gate and saw Lina waving them over.

“You guys took an awfully long time, who is this with you?” Lina asked.

“We picked her up on the way here, she says she wants to join our group,” Derik reported.

“Oh, really?” Lina slid over to Iris and took her hand, shaking it violently. “I’m Lina, nice to meet you!”

Iris released her hand from Lina’s grasp, “Charmed. I’m Iris and I was wondering if you would be kind enough to let me join your merry band of travellers.”

“Of course, after all traveling is more fun with friends!” Lina handed out pins that depicted a three-headed wolf in the center of a laurel wreath to Derik, Montag, and Iris. “With this, I nominate you officially part of our party!”

"Cute," Derik remarked.

Iris motioned to the group, “Let us get going then, we should leave before…”

A crowd had formed behind the group. A white-robed individual emerged from the congregation and began to speak.

“Why are you leaving us, messiah? Have we angered you? Please don’t forsake us!”

“Forgive us!” the crowd echoed.

Iris whispered to Derik, “Where are we headed?”

“Palatine.”

Iris turned and stepped forward to address the crowd. “Steady your hearts brothers and sisters for I have not forsaken you. I am on a holy mission from the one above to spread his glorious word to the heathens of Palatine, and these three brave soldiers will accompany me as my personal guards on my quest to spread the glorious light of the torch throughout the known world.”

A cheer erupted from the crowd, “We will always remember you!” the spokesperson shouted. Iris waved and turned back to the group. “What are you just standing around for? Let’s get going!”