Everybody had business to attend to in their limited time in Dormata. So Oscar was feeling plenty grateful that Livia took the time to tag along when he went to the armourer’s district; where forges, bellows and hammers, both being wielded by hand and by mechanical wheels, were dotted all over the industrial square.

It was surrounded by warehouses as opposed to shops or auction-houses, but each of them had a sliding window with a bar for the people who preferred buying directly from a smith or his shopkeeper rather than using a [Merchant] middle-man in a clean store over in the shopping district.

Of course the artists had been through with their spray paints, taking advantage of the large, square sided buildings, and even the spots where soot gathered over time; everything was incorporated and the stand-out scene was of a brawny smith going through different experiments with glowing magic materials, while walking barefoot from station to station across the blackened floors of his smithy.

The two were merely passing through on their way to the leatherworkers, but all the gathered experts in this place put the idea in Oscar’s mind that maybe he could find out more details about his shield here, possibly even some help with figuring out its enchantment.

But when he mentioned as much to Livia she shook her head. “I don’t know Oscar, if you really want to. But honestly, since it could be anything considering where we found it, it might be best if we figure it out on our own. I know we’re just getting started working with runes and rituals, but if it’s something great it could mean it’s something worth keeping secret, yaknow?”

He figured as much, they were still keeping the thing under wraps after all; but then so were most of the people wearing shields that he’d seen so far. He doubted very much that so many had enchanted weaponry, but perhaps it was beneficial to carry that aura of mystique even if your equipment was mundane.

The leatherworker’s district was a lot calmer, if smellier. Luckily they found a shop that looked interesting rather fast. It had a sign that intrigued Livia, since it had a painted piece of leather with eyes and a smiley face, saying only LLL in a large font above, and then in smaller print beneath: ‘Living Leather’ by Lotta.

A bell announced their entry, and then they were in leather heaven.

Most of it did not look very special, but there were complete suits for any [Ranger] Class, close combat gear with chainmail in between two layers, meant for [Raider]s and their like. Even a strange sort of leather suit covered in tassel fringes all over; that would in turn slap all over your body when you moved, advertised for use with a hydra-headed flail.

The weapon was a placeholder, but you certainly got the idea that it would provide a very specific sort of protection. Maybe it’s for fighting stuff like Harold’s wasps?

It was clear that this was a place where everything could be made, even the more detailed work like quivers and proper leather guiges for shields.

Oscar looked around, feeling very optimistic–and a woman–presumably Lotta, was looking at him indulgently from the shop counter.

Livia was impressed as well, most of this stuff was light enough for her to still move well in too, even wearing it all day. I wonder if it can be enchanted to stop bolts? I don’t want to be gone for half a year, and certainly not die, hah.

When Oscar was done looking he finally noticed his observer and startled.

“Hi there, just got your Class?” She was smiling at him warmly.

Oscar could not help but relax. “Hah, yes. I’m a warrior apprentice of sorts, I just got a new shield in need of straps,” She nodded at him amicably, so he went on. “Do you make that sort of thing? It’s a shield I plan to use for as long as it holds up, so I don’t mind getting the best you have,”

They had discussed this, and considered it a [Guild] investment, not to mention thanks for Oscar’s hard work so far. His splendid luck did not factor into what he was owed, and they could certainly afford this after the sale of the lumber, even with their other upcoming expenses.

“I have just the thing, but not alot of alternatives I’m afraid. But don’t worry, my stuff does not need to be customised, so you can leave the shop with it today should it suit your needs,”

That sounded too good to be true if they were talking high quality work, but it was also the nature of Skills. Some crafters just got lucky and learned to create something special that became their trademark.

When they checked it out it proved to be even better than Oscar had expected.

Lena explained “This is the result of several of my Skills syncing up, but it is not expensive to create, so don’t worry about getting fleeced,”

The attachable leather grip was shaped like a glove on the end, with the bracer part being the portion meant for attaching directly to the shield; thereby leaving the hand completely free to strike or hold a wand or whichever tool he found himself using.

Lotta had a shield prepared for the purpose of these sales, so Oscar got the chance to put his arm forward and try it on for size.

The design had sounded a bit cumbersome at first, and like it would perhaps make releasing the shield difficult, but Lotta explained her creation: “The material is special, alive almost. When you wear it, the feeling is almost as if it breathes, practically exhaling your hand whenever you open it up fully and pull your arm out,”

He tried it out, and could not help but smile. Then it pulled tight as a mountain again when he put it back on and Livia tried striking him with the cheap flail.

Lotta looked on proudly. “I call it living leather.”

It was not the sturdiest of material, it would not replace a gauntlet; but you could totally stick a gauntlet in there, so. Yeah. She had a sale.

But the woman did not seem like she was doing this for the sake of that; Livia left the two alone to browse around.

Oscar still needed to get his own shield fitted with the new addition, and in the meantime he talked to Lotta. She let it slip how he reminded her a lot of her son, but the way her expression darkened after she said it–despite how she seemed to resist–made it seem like something had happened.

By the time Livia returned Lotta's face was back to nostalgia again, but Oscar had gotten the fuller picture, so he was less surprised when she gave them a discount after Livia announced she was now into leather.

She had gone deep and found the sort of armoured caravan-look they had seen on a couple of the more serious looking [Merchant]s on the road, like they were prepared for an ambush at any moment, now with added studs!

Oscar had to admit it looked good, even if it was a strange look to see on his [Guild Master] specifically.

But better safe than sorry, she’d commented on it a few times back during the battles how she was glad ants did not use crossbows. Which was understandable; considering how she was running around taking risks in simple working clothes from the orchard.

When they prepared to leave Lotta came to the door to see them off, happy to have been of help. “Wear it proud, little man. That is proper adventurer-gear right there, and I am sure you will end up growing into it finely. Do not let that shield go, ever. You don’t need to, your hand is free. Build strength, and good luck.”

Oscar nodded gratefully, and then they headed back to the inn to see if they could help the others.

Hopefully they were all doing just as well on their first day here.

Sten had been working on approaching Jane since the day they left Solhem. It was not really working, despite him providing her meals and being kind to the kitty.

Luckily he had found a work-around. The cat did not seem to mind him at all, unlike the limegreen stoat robbing their supplies back in the valley, maybe because he had no intention of trying to grab it for a cuddle. Certainly not with the level 40 plus Human so closely attached.

So, he had figured out the cats favourite food, and now he was luring it to where they needed to go. At least it had started that way, but Jane was not letting it go alone, but nor would she hinder it, so it ended up riding in her arms, but still being led around by a Sten doling out candy.

As soon as she stopped following the everlasting snack dispensary then it objected loudly, so now Jane was left with no choice but to be on her steady way to the Adventurer's [Guild].

They arrived to a bustling six storey house that was as wide as a street, and with plenty of people entering and going through the various doors.

It was mostly dull, but the sides of the building had a painting of the monthly rankings with portraits of the top three on top. Apparently the missions you could get were all scored, to provide some extra incentive to compete each month.

So, what they found inside were plenty of people standing in line to get their tasks registered as complete. This was one of the buildings where people from the whole region came to collect; rewards and new missions both.

Sten had filled a bag of the cat snacks in preparation, but he was still worried that the critter would get full suddenly and decide to take off before their time to get help came.

But what would be even worse than that was running out completely.

And as predicted, when he finally slowed the snack-attack the small magic beast yowled in protest almost immediately. “Hey, Jane, do you think you could pet your cat some more?” Maybe that will help.

Jane was still acting subdued behind him in the queue, not wanting to look up it seemed, but when he spoke up that got her started, and eventually the cat settled even if Sten was no longer providing the candies very fast.

When they were halfway to the desk Jane even started looking around again, seeming to have calmed down a bit despite the busy environment. Sten took another step as the queue moved, but then he heard Jane suddenly shout out behind him.

“Johnny, John, John! Come! I see him. I see there,” She was running the next second and Sten was too surprised to stop her in case she had mistaken a stranger for the wrong person.

But it seemed the man recognised her too.

The man was sitting opposite a pair of mercenary looking Casters; one a mage with an expensive-looking, red crystal staff and the white, flowing robes of a high level [Battle Healer], with the other wearing armour more fit for a close quarters bruiser in Sten’s eyes, but also with a wand only fit for a Caster at his side. Sten had not seen light armour of such quality in quite some time, not since his last visit to Dormata.

Johnny on the other hand was a rather stylish, rogue-looking fellow with a brown vest and red bandana. He did not look happy. “Johnny, I found you, I found you, where is Silvia? Oliviana?”

He had been avoiding looking at her the whole time, but at the mention of the two other female names he suddenly looked back at her in shock, and then a slow, smouldering anger.

He would still not answer though, and the two sitting opposite him were looking quite awkward. Apparently they had been in the middle of some type of negotiation.

When she repeated herself with no regard for the situation was when he finally snapped. “You know where they are, you damned child. I know you sensed it–isn’t that what your Skills are all about?”

It was Jane’s turn to be taken aback, but the confusion on her face only seemed to fuel his anger even more. “But I came back, I fight–and you,”

He pinched the bridge of his nose before violently interrupting. “How are you even the one, the only one still standing here, when you’re the frontline? When you were the one always bleeding, always in the front getting banged up to bits. How are you the one they didn’t get and Silvia is gone, huh what in the fuck did you do to deserve being the one standing here?”

The unfolding shouting match had quieted the rest of the hall, and Sten was awkwardly standing there, having no clue what to do, but it seemed Jane was not about to be welcomed home.

“Oh yes, you made another stupid mistake and finally ended up in the infirmary, and then you lied there sleeping when your sisters sacrificed their lives, you probably missed the whole thing, didn’t you?”

“NO!” She slammed her hand on the table, but it held. This place was evidently built for adventurers. Sten tried to figure out their relation, but it was the worst time to ask; he just knew Jane had said Johnny’s name first when she woke up from her coma. “I felt so, so pain, I felt ending, but you there, you save, please, you save?”

This time he just looked hurt. He seemed to have forgotten the meeting he was part of altogether. “No. They died. They are gone. You felt it? Then you know.”

“I felt all yours pain, all yours. I ran, I came there, but the insects johnny? I killed them but, th-they killed, my sisters? Not both of them, Johnny, Johnny?”

He wouldn’t meet her eyes any more. “Yes, Jane. Yes. They killed.”

It was at this point that the two recruiters sitting opposite him got up to leave, but Johnny had lost what patience he had for the situation, he got up even faster and headed for the door.

It set off another panic in Jane. “But Becka and Tomtom still waiting, we the best friends, so I help you now?”

That might have been the only thing that could still make him turn around. But now he just looked like ice. “Never. I will raise Becka myself now, and I will take in Tomtom too, but what I will not do is let you ruin another two lives with your constant needs and tantrums, you’ve taken enough from those I love, in the end you have not in anyway performed your duty, instead you endangered us when we needed you to protect us the most.”

He said the words with finality, but at this point Sten felt he had to intervene. “Wait, what exactly was she to you? We rescued her, but her mind is hurt still–from the battle–we don’t know what’s wrong with her. Come on, stop walking. What are you doing here, and why can’t you work with her more, at least get her set up somewhere if you knew her sisters?”

“What, do you think she’ll get better? You must be a trueborn moron, she has always been like that, she isn’t injured. And I am here to support my family, whilst she is nothing but a burden, always was. Let me guess, you saw she was high level and thought you could get a reward or something. Well wrong, that's all wrong. if you’ve really brought her all this way then you’re fools. She’s old enough and high level enough to handle herself, so just back off, and FUCK OFF!”

He went to shove Sten but unlike Johnny’s level 40 counterparts, this was a speed Sten was all too used to from his father. He simply shoulder-rolled the shove and then gave Johnny’s bandana a proper pull so he could see the man's face.

He had a much lighter goatee despite the dark hair on top of his head, and his green, lined eyes were looking looking pissed.

But there was no physical fighting allowed at the [Guild]–house, and so the two were quickly separated.

Jane was still standing by the table, looking downcast. Sten tried one last time. “At least tell me her name?”

All he got was the finger.