“Remind me why we had to wake up so early, again?” Nalia asked, rubbing her eyes. Her tannish-brown hood, which she had on over her head, covered most of her face.

Talion yawned. “Just the time the guy wanted to meet us.”

Ever since they had arrived in Hackfield, they’d been looking for work. Specifically mercenary-related. They dreamed of being like heroes, but no matter what they did, it didn’t seem to be enough. Whether it be guiding a trade caravan to a neighboring town, or clearing out some rat-infested basement, nothing matched the stories of the legends they’d always heard about. So when they found an opportunity to join a mercenary band, they instantly jumped on the opportunity.

And now here they were, crack of dawn, walking to the meeting place - the tavern. It was small and cozy, filled with light oak and leather seats that faced a fire roaring over the fireplace. There weren’t many people there yet, but still, it looked busy.

It didn’t take much scanning to find out where their new boss was sitting. It was hard not to spot him. He sat in a lone corner, eyes closed. He looked like every other single person in the tavern, something about him just stood out. Not just his attire, nor how he held himself; it was more than that. Something Talion couldn’t point out. He sighed before nudging Nalia, who blinked as if coming back to reality.

“Oh, right…” she said, as they walked over to the man, sitting in the seats in front of him. She cleared her throat before speaking. “Hello, sir. We, umm, came across your job listing. To join a mercenary band?”

The man opened his eyes and turned to them, smiling softly. A deep voice answered.

“Pleasure to finally meet you both.” He casually leaned back in his chair.

Nalia and Talion stared at each other. Neither one knew how to answer. The silence between all three of them stretched on. The only sounds filling the air were from the roaring fire in the fireplace behind them, the clinks of glasses, and the occasional chuckle from patrons drinking and talking nearby. Eventually, Talion cleared his throat.

“I’m Talion. And this,” he gestured to Nalia, “is Nalia.”

The man nodded slowly and then tilted his head. Instead of introducing himself, he said, “I’m assuming you two want to know more about what you’re signing yourselves up for.” He took a swig from the mug in his hand. “Fort Direwood. Either of you familiar?”

“Old fort half-a-day's journey from here,” Talion stated.

The man nodded before taking another drink. He then placed his empty mug onto the table before leaning back in his chair.

“Good. That’s where we’ll be staying. I’ve made arrangements to allow us to stay there. I should also mention that you’ll also be joining a team. Though I bet you both already know that,” he said.

“Is this team here already?” Nalia asked.

“Funny you should mention that,” he replied. “They should be here right about…” he glanced over to the entrance. “Now.”

Right as he said those words, the door burst open. Inside stepped an odd-looking trio; a dwarf, an orc, and what Talion thought may have been a dark elf - though it was hard to tell as she had a hood covering her head like Nalia. The group made their way to the table, all sitting down. They all introduced themselves one by one.

Talion noticed that the orc, who he learned was named Dyra, seemed to be studying the man intently. Not out of any form of suspicion, but out of what seemed like wonder, awe, or fascination. Or maybe a mix of the three.

The man restated what he already told Nalia and Talion.

“Alright, so, let’s get down to business here, shall we?” he started. The man spoke slowly, emphasizing every word. “I suggest you all gather your things and come back in an hour. It’s a long way to the fort.”

The newly formed team immediately stood. Talion was first to leave his seat, moving toward the door and then to the exit. Once outside, though, he paused.

He felt someone tugging lightly at his arm, then Nalia appeared beside him. An ear-to-ear grin was plastered right onto her face. She beamed up to Talion, and he returned it.

“Can you believe it?” she whispered.

He couldn’t help but laugh at the thought. “After all this time…”

They spend their time gathering what small amount of items they had from the nearby inn they’ve been spending time in. Extra clothes, food, water, and their rusty old short-swords that are a few swings away from breaking in half. Their stuff all fit easily into one large bag, making for a quick trip.

Once everything else was packed, they made their way back to the tavern. On the way, Talion took one last look at the town. In a way, he couldn’t believe any of this. “One more step to glory,” he thought to himself as he pushed open the door to the tavern. Already sitting there was the dwarf, Aigor, and the man. Soon enough, everyone else came in as well, with gear in their hands or around their backs.

As they approached the table, the man stood up and addressed each of them.

“Well then.” He said. “Everyone ready? I have a coach driver waiting for us near the stables.”

Everyone gave nods of approval.