“Heros Rock Guild? You guys are having issues with Heroes’ Rock Guild?” Suzie frowned, brow furrowing.

The poacher with the crossbow tried to shake off his friend, “they refuse to do anything about the monsters killing all our livestock and game, and they have arrested a bunch of our people for ‘poaching’ all while still expecting taxes from us.”

“We aren’t from the Heroes’ Rock Guild!” Hiro piped up, “we are a part of the Three Winged Guild!”

The poacher, Whitler as his friend had called him, snorted derisively, “if you aren’t with them what are you doing in their territory.”

With a proud smile and his fists on his hips, Hiro answered, “we cleared a dungeon!”

The friendlier poacher’s eyebrows raised, “really? That’s amazing!”

At the same time the one with the crossbow rolled his eyes and shook his head, “ain’t no way a bunch of kids are dungeon crawlers.”

“We are too!” Hiro shot back, “we still have the spoils, see?” Hiro opened his money pouch and pointed it at the two men.

Whitler saw the pile of gold and his eyes shined with greed. He moved his crossbow aim from Suzie to Hiro, his companion too surprised at the sight of so much gold to stop him.

Appearing suddenly, as if from thin air, Alphonse stepped in front of Hiro, his blade already out and pointed at the poacher. With a cold glare, he said, “he already told you, we aren’t with the Heroes’ Rock Guild, so you better put that away so we can continue having a civil conversation.”

*

Kelsi crouched in a high branch of a tree, her hand shaking as she held up a knife ready to throw it if it looked like the man would shoot. She couldn’t hear a single word spoken over the pounding of her heart in her ears.

When the man turned his crossbow towards Hiro, finger on the trigger, Kelsi almost threw her knife. But she blinked and suddenly Alphonse was there. She nearly fell out of the tree in shock. Last she had noticed he was walking away from the clearing. How the hell did he get there without her noticing?