Hope Froloss's Story

Hope

Hope walked along, whistling a jaunty tune. He looked around him every few steps or so, looking around him with curiosity. He was on a path, and everything was either damp or soaked from the rain. There were no people around, so he supposed that the place was deserted or not very well known. Or that it was a good place for bandit attacks and monsters, but probably not, since nothing had attacked Hope when he woke up. And his valuables seem to be all in order, but he honestly wouldn't know, since Hope had no memory beyond a few hours ago.

He had awoken facedown on the path, with no idea how he had gotten face down on the ground in the first place. He hadn't known who he was or where he was, either, which caused Hope to have a silent freak out, rummaging frantically through his things and his brain until he spotted his crossbow, which triggered the realisation that he was a clerical crossbow wielder dressed in armor and his name was Hope Froloss and he was soaking wet and ok, how on earth had he forgotten this? Seriously, how? And why?

Ah well. It probably didn't matter for now, right? The past was the past, and since he was living in the present, best to just forget about it until he remembered something. Besides, Hope (or Froloss, he couldn't decide which for now) had gotten back his identity and remembered that he could do magic, which was mainly support and healing spells but that didn't really matter, since he had the crossbow. Hope could defend himself, and since the past wasn't inclined to show itself, it wasn't important and therefore he should focus on actually finding out where he was instead of just moping around about having no memories.

Which was why Hope was currently strolling down a deserted path, trying his best to whistle as loud as he could. The silence was freaking him out just a little bit, and the jaunty whistle (a folk song? Maybe.) helped to make the silence go away just a bit quicker. His mind was occupied by wondering whether there were people at the end of the path. Hope really, er, hoped that there was, since he was starting to get a bit lonely after walking on it for a few hours. And his clothes hadn't dried off as well, so maybe he should find a place to start a fire and warm up or something. Maybe when he reached a clearing. There should be one soon, probably around the next few corners.

Hope continued on, whistling cheerfully with a smile.

Hope Froloss

Hope grinned as he entered through the gates, taking note of the signs which declared the place to be called Briande. He had been walking long enough for his clothes and hair to dry off, and even though he was quite alright being by himself, Hope was starting to get tired of replaying the same songs in his head. On the bright side, Hope had found out he could sing; albeit not professionally. On the downside, whenever he stopped making noise, the silence came back louder than ever, so in the end Hope had given up and just wandered along in silence, humming in his head while thinking.

Hope wasn't thinking about his past, though. He didn't want to think of that at all. What if it contained something horrible, like dead parents or something? What if there was a reason he was supposed to forget, a reason that he shouldn't search it out? If it was something horrible enough to erase all memory of it, Hope didn't want to remember at all. If it was important, well, he'd remember eventually, like he had remembered his name and identity. Until then, Hope was going to travel and make new friends and live a good life. He'd deal with the past when it came back to him.

Instead, Hope was thinking about his name. He was still thinking about it, actually. As Hope wandered to a market place, hands clutching his bag strap, he was wondering whether what he should respond to. Hope, or Froloss? Or a different name altogether? He liked the sound of Hope, but it seemed a bit... Girly. Froloss was more manly, but it seemed a bit too unique and he wasn't sure whether he wanted that as a name, either. And he couldn't figure out a suitable nickname, ei - whoa, what was that?!

Hope stopped and stared at the statue, his face showing curiosity and awe. For a moment, everything went out of his mind as he stared at it, admiring the structure. It almost looked like - wait, it did move. Whoa. Cool! How did it work? Was it sentient?! How did it - Than Hope came back to reality and realized that he had stopped right beside a man wearing a hat, a Orc lady who seemed to have said something, and a man wearing a red scarf and his companion. Ignoring them for now, Hope looked at the sign board the man with the hat was leaning against, and took note of the notice saying "looking for security. Price negotiable."

For a moment, Hope was confused. Then he realized that the man wearing the hat was probably the writer, and that he was the one who probably owned the golem and was looking for security, although Hope couldn't really figure out why. The golem was really large and it was enough to make people think twice about attacking him, so why was the man looking for more protection? Well, whatever. This was interesting, and if Hope was going to travel the world, it'd be more fun with other people, right?

With that in mind, Hope turned to the man and smiled cheerily, extending his hand for a handshake. "Hi," he said, his tone light and friendly, "I'm just wondering, did you put up that notice? If so, can I take you up on your offer?"

Richard

The first one to approach him directly was a red haired knight clad in silver armor accompanied by some blonde elven woman. Oh good, looks like someones interested. She looks fairly well equipped though. I hope she doesn't ask for too much. If I have to pay more than ten gold weekly I'll be broke before I reach the next town. He already started running his mind through how he was going to approach his offer to her.

"This poster is yours, correct?" she asked in a bold, powerful voice. "Then, I can help you, if you like." Before he could even respond to her earlier query she continued on. Validus looked over to see what the other two spotted, an ogre dragging along some sort of large sword. 'There is another one approaching you sir' His helpful golem informed him, interrupting his train of thought.

Before he could finish what he was about to say the ogre dug her sword into the ground to her side before speaking to them. "I am U-Uona gel-Gahal." She appeared to possess a stutter. Either that or her name possessed two quick pauses, he wasn't quite too knowledgeable about ogre culture. "I see you are an adventurer, and request a, uh... a... thing."


"Um, yes I am requesting security for negotiable prices. If you all wish to hear about the pay before accepting my employment I'd be happy to-" He was about to finish but the red haired knight spoke up again.

"Sorry, looks like I might not be available to help you out."

Before he could address what the girl just said some villager of little note from the town started talking to the red haired knight. While this rude figure was busy interrupting him the elven companion to the red haired girl collapsed into her arms. "Wha-Lyra?!" The red-haired lady quickly caught her companion before she could fall into the mud. "Is something wrong?" Richard was quite speechless really. What was he to even say.

"U-ugh...s-sorry, Altara...I-I feel...um...kind of w-weak..." The blonde elf stammered from some ailment. The red haired knight who's name he now knew as Altara picked her up before addressing him with mild urgency. "Um...I'm sorry. I need to get her inside and dried off quickly. If it doesn't bother you, could you two maybe speak to me later about your matters? Thank you."

And like that she was now in the inn. His index finger raised to perhaps indicate he might of wanted to get a word in but both his arms just drooped to his sides after she disappeared from view.

"If it's true you are looking for help, perhaps I could be of assistance. I am an adventurer after all, and that is what we adventurers do, yes? This man here also seems quite capable. I am willing to split any payment, if you feel you'd be better with both our services." U-Uona Gel-Gahal stepped closer, her expression still one of some concern though a little more relaxed now. "It is only natural we know each others' names if we might be working together, yes? I am Uona. And you are?" She asked him his name. He nodded for a moment as he realized her name was just Uona Gel-Gahal.

"Yes, that is true. I am-" Just as he was about to introduce himself yet another person interrupted him. "Hi." The friendly looking fellow with a crossbow extended a hand to shake. Richard shook his hand while he continued to talk. "I'm just wondering, did you put up that notice? If so, can I take you up on your offer?"


Well this was quite unusual to begin with. This wasn't a particularly bustling city to begin with so he wasn't expecting much to begin with. Rarely even larger towns would yield more than one or two enterprising blokes over the course of a night. He had already gathered at least two unique looking people who were quite interested in under half an hour. Was it luck or was something really strange going down that he wasn't aware of? He couldn't tell which. All he could tell right then was he was getting sick of being interrupted and needed to move off the street as he had gathered more of a crowd than he really needed.

"Right, I'm glad and all you both are interested in my offer but we should speak inside. Come, I'll get a room set up then we can discuss this in some peace and quiet." He didn't mean to sound as exasperated as he had but between his slow and methodical manner of speaking leaving itself wide open for interruptions and the fact he was uncomfortable in crowds he couldn't help but be a tad frustrated. Quietly shuffling along he slipped into the inn, meekly weaving his way past the large cart that looked rather out of place along with the odd and somewhat intimidating patrons set about the room or moving around.

"H-how much for a room please?" He stammered, his voice getting quieter by the end. With all these people around there could be someone amongst them all spying on him and he'd never be able to tell. He kept looking over his shoulder while hoping to spend less time amongst these shady fellows than he had already spent outside. [b]"Three gold sir."[b] The rather tall fellow behind the counter repeated what he had told Altara. His long slender hand reached into his pouch to fetch the money that was asked for by the clerk.

"One gold... Two gold... Three..." He meticulously counted each gold as he set them on the counter one by one. Once the price was met without even looking up twice at the man he grabbed the key which he heard jingle as it was placed on the desk and slinked up the stairs.


Once he was at the second floor he realized he didn't stay to hear which room the key was for. Rather than go down and chat more with the bored attendant he decided to try the key on each door until he found one that the key fit. Shuffle after shuffle, click after click, he tried each door until he found the right one. It was close by to the end of the hall. Once the door yielded to his key he entered and proceeded to lock it behind him.

That settled he started to rearrange the room, moving the table into the middle and arranging chairs around it for others to sit. He set a bed sheet across the table for a cover and placed a candle right in the middle for proper lighting and general ambiance. Once the room was ready for the negotiations he unlocked the door before opening the window. An image of where he was entered Validus's mind.

Outside the inn Validus started to move, each step slow and mindful of the people below it. Even despite it's attempt at delicacy the ground shook with each large step it took. In little time it managed to make it's way around the building until it was in view of the second floor window where it needed to be. There it stood, watching for any signs of danger to Richard through the open window while he spent a little more time arranging details until he was comfortable with the setup.

Hope Froloss

Sure!Froloss grinned and waited outside for a while before entering the inn. He wanted to know what the place he was entering was called (Minstrel's Mug) and one last look around the marketplace. The golem had begun to move, and the Orc Lady with the huge sword seemed to want to talk to the Red Scarf Man. Seemed like the golem really did belong to the wizard. Cool, now Hope really wanted to travel with the man. They seemed interesting, and if he wanted to travel the world, might as well do it with interesting people, right? Though was the golem really an it? What if it was a he? Or a she? The golem seemed to be a living being...

Well, whatever. I'll call the golem "it" until said otherwise. Seeing as the man with the strange hat wanted him inside, Hope entered the inn, almost bumping into a man with red hair helping a dwarf and a half-dwarf carry a cart. At the sight, Hope stopped and stared in both curiosity and... He wasn't entirely sure what he was feeling, but it seemed to be a mixture of laughter and disbelief, along with how on earth did they get a cart in here and why is there a cart in here.

Feeling like he was going to do something very inappropriate if he didn't move fast enough (like laugh), Hope uttered an apology before speeding off away from the scene, grinning and looking back a few times. He manage to make it to an empty table at the very back of the inn before collapsing onto a chair, chuckling quietly. Once his laughing fit had stopped, Hope took a deep breath and calmed himself, looking for the wizard who had asked them here in the first place. Seeing as he wasn't here, Hope stood up and went upstairs, looking for his (hopefully) soon to be employer.

(No problem at all pal :) )
Yet again, before the steadfast group could accomplish their quest to carry the great merchants cart through the doorway of great inconvenience, more strangers decided to visit the inn. First, there was some blonde haired boy who sprinted in, nearly tumbling to Zeebarl's precious cart, giving the halfling a mild heart attack that was washed away with relief as the young bandanna wearing man stopped himself and apologized, before speeding off again. Good thing too, as Zeebarl was about launch a torrent of furious words at the strange if he hadn't done either, though his would wasn't exactly filled with joy when he realized the hasty stranger was giggling to himself in the corner of the inn.

The next bunch of patrons for the inn were a rather tough looking ogre woman, most likely a warrior from the look of her garb, being followed along by two young human men, one with brown hair and a red cape, the other with black hair and blue eyes. He stared in mild curiosity to ponder if these two men were after this warrior woman's heart? He then dashed the idea as ridiculous when they sat at a nearby table and pinched himself for his stupidity as they were clearly the adventuring sort. He tired his best to ignore the odd suspicious activity that followed afterwards, as the ogre stopped herself wandering upstairs to end up being given a note from that red haired knight he saw from earlier. He really should focus on the task at hand.

As the red haired human inquired on the method of moving the cart to the dwarf, he realized as he payed closer attention to the man's ears, that he was only but half human, the other being of an elf, which made Zeebarl somewhat thankful, due to them having more strength than the average fellow, and this example of his kind being a somewhat skinny one. His attention shifted to the dwarf however, having very politely addressed him and suggesting to balance the lower leaning area of the cart on his back, announcing he had lifted worse, which Zeebarl decided he was beginning to like the good manners of these two. Hopefully he was right in thinking these two were a good choice for moving his cart. The heavily armored dwarf then motioned for the merchant and their spiky haired friend to lift the cart, complying with his wishes to do so.
"Right then, follow my lead lads, well be done in no time!" Zeebarl exclaimed as he stared backing towards the inn's entrance, taking careful steps and occasional peers behind him.

(Collab with Alle and Zalgo)

Richard stepped out of the room not too long after Altara. With his board packed up with the rest of his stuff he was ready to look through and see about hiring another person for security purposes. While the interview with Altara went splendidly he was still quite wary of the others he might be interviewing. I wonder which one of the applicants I should see next... Definitely not the one with the red scarf. Can't allow someone questionable into the mental channel like so. He thought about who he's seen thus far, considering each possibility. As luck would have it upon leaving the room he came upon the blonde haired person with the crossbow just down the hall. Richard recalled that he had been interested in the poster's offer like the other two. "Ah! You're the other person that was interested in the security job, correct?" He asked the young man in a friendly but still business focused manner.

"Yup!" Hope replied cheerfully. He grinned, then remembered to tone it down a notch. It was business, after all. Though hopefully it'd turn into a friendly, but for now, business. "Name's Hope Froloss. Where do we go from here?" he asked casually.

"Step right this way" he gestured to the door beside him before opening it. He stepped inside and waited for Hope to enter after him.

Hope stepped into the room, noting it's arrangement and the golem waiting outside the window. He paused for a moment, wondering whether he should close the door. It was what people do, right? Last one in closes the door and all that... well, if asked, Hope'd just say that he had amnesia and go along with it. taking a seat, he grinned at Richard and took on a polite posture, preparing himself mentally for the interview to come.

After Hope stepped into the room Richard spared little time in locking the door behind them. "I do apologize if the security measures are quite high for a seemingly normal interview. As it is a security job that's offered you may understand the need." He explained himself to him as he straightened up from the door and walked back around the table. He took his time moving his seat back before sitting down, taking each step methodically. Now that he was sitting across from his interviewee he had the time to really get a good look at who he was talking to. From all appearances the fellow appeared quite friendly, not much to really peg him as a suspicious character. Still, after learning of the other one's possible nature he couldn't shake the element of paranoia in him. "Firstly I too should introduce myself. I am Richard of Dinius. I am looking for someone to help aid in my protection along my trip since there are those out there that seek to harm me. If you have any questions about what it is you are signing up for, feel free to ask." He started off the interview in the decently lit room well enough, at least as well as he thought it could start.

Hope raised an eyebrow when Hat Man locked the door, but it went down when he heard the man's explanation. He listened to the man's - Richard's spiel, and gathered his thoughts about the situation. The man was running away from someone - maybe a lot of someones - and needed protection, even though he had a golem to protect him. Then again, the golem couldn't enter the room, so that could be why Richard wanted protection from some other sources. Problem was, Hope's main job was to be a healer. he couldn't fight as well as other people, though he could shoot at them with his crossbow.

'I have a few questions. Can the golem shrink? Will this involve traveling? And I'm mainly a healer, so will that be ok?' he asked. 'I can shoot, but I normally heal people. And who are you running from?' He continued, partially serious.

Richard listened with unbroken concentration as Hope asked away. He waited until he was finished speaking and about a few seconds after to rehearse what he was going to say before speaking. "To answer your questions in order, No the golem cannot shrink currently, there will be plenty of traveling and a healer is quite welcome." He found it curious that this man spoke about being a healer. He didn't really seem the type but as with the last person he interviewed people around this area seem to be full of surprises. "I can see by your crossbow that you shoot. As we are currently absent of people with long ranged damage capabilities that should prove quite valuable." He answered his questions well enough but now came the inconvenient truth that had to be told.

"I am currently evading detection from the Dinius High Academy of Wizardry Wizard's Chess Club." The words weighed heavy with reluctance in his voice. He could only hope that Hope didn't know what the Dinius High Academy of Wizardry Wizard's Chess Club was as most who did wouldn't touch him with a 10 mile pole. Still, he was not about to go and be dishonest with someone who he was going to intrust his safety to.

Hope took in the information with a nod, feeling relief at the words that Richard needed a healer. He had been a bit worried that he wasn't going to be useful, but apparently he had been wrong. and the golem couldn't shrink, which confirmed Hope's theory about why Richard needed people to protect him. if he took this job, Hope could travel in a group, which had been his aim in the first place, but why was a school going after Richard? was it because of the golem? and just what could he do?

Well, he might as well ask, along with some other questions that had popped up in his head just now. "I'm sorry, but what's a school going after you for? Is it 'cause you stole the golem, can do great magic, or is it because you're forced to go? And, um...' Hope paused and racked his brains for a suitable way to say what he was thinking out loud. "What are your terms for this job? Not that I wouldn't travel with you anyway, but I'm just wondering about the whole situation and what I'm about to get myself into." he added hastily.

"Well..." He opened, trying to figure out how to even describe what was going on in a way Hope would understand. Before saying another word he stood up and reached into his backpack which had set near the table to the side. From it he pulled out what appeared to be a rectangular dark stone tablet. Ornate arcane sigils occupied 64 squares along the surface, all encompassed by an ornate arcane border. Holding the board out just before the table all of a sudden two glowing white spirals of solid magic emitted out from the bottom of the tablet forming a circle on the ground which supported it like a base for a center pillar table. "As a result of an incident during the finals I have been charged with the theft of this particular board, the Tabula Imperium. Right now even if I were to return the board I'd be most likely killed for taking the board in the first place." With that answered it was time to discuss terms.

"The situation is that we'll be traveling to avoid detection from the Dinius High Academy of Wizardry Wizard's Chess Club. While it is almost definitely certain that we are not equipped to deal with a head on attack from them there are many dangers in this land and though me and my golem are sufficient for small encounters anything in great numbers or of sufficient power would prove my undoing." He explained in a manner that hopefully conveyed his intentions well enough. "If you're concerned about the pay, I can offer a third of the share of any spoils of victory plus free repairs for all equipment you may have as well as..." He started to get quieter as he spoke, hoping he could simply gloss over what was to be said next.

"Four gold a week." He mumbled. He was not wealthy by any means and while he could make money by repairing items for people he wanted to leave before sunset and was fairly certain that any money that could be made from his services would still be taxed heavily by the costs of paying his security guards. With four gold he hoped that the paltry sum of money would be enough to last him until he could make more around another city. Worried about just how motivated by pay this young fellow might be he couldn't help but frown slightly as he was embarrassed by just how poorly off he was.

When Hope saw the board light up with pure magic, the first thought that ran through his mind was cool, nice light show! what can it do? followed by hey, i wonder how much magic it takes to power the thing? he didn't wonder whether or not that was an ordinary reaction when faced with a chess board supported by glowing white light. For all he knew, it was. instead, Hope focused on what Richard was saying. Wondering how Tabula Imperium worked could be done later, after the meeting was over.

When he heard of the pay, Hope didn't say anything, instead thinking it over with a slight look of concentration on his face. 'I see,' he said absently, thinking. Hope didn't mind the danger or the pay, but the way Richard had said it was almost as though he was worried about his expenses. What if Richard couldn't afford to feed himself by paying for bodyguards? That wouldn't do at all.

"Hey," he asked Richard, a bit worried. "Are you sure you can afford four gold? If you can't, then you don't really have to pay me anything except for lodging and food until you can. I'll still be your bodyguard either way." hopefully, he wouldn't ask why. Hope was pretty sure that agreeing only so that he could travel the world was pretty weird.

Richard's face softened with a look of relief as Hope offered to except minimal pay for his services. Indeed, he was quite blessed this day to find such charitable people who'd help him for such little funds. "You are most amiable. I already carry about a weeks worth of food and water for travel but I'll see to necessary supplies first and keep tally of your salary when I have the funds to pay for them. That is, if you accept the job still." He was happy to have two guards now but he didn't necessarily want to speak on Hope's behalf on whether he was going to join or not. "There is one last thing I will mention though. It is entirely optional but you can choose to attune yourself to me and receive greater benefits from my magic. All you need to say is 'I accept the Pact of Attunement'." His hands rested upon the Tabula Imperium, ready in case Hope accepts the offer. If not there was no harm although he'd be missing out on some handy benefits.

"Sure." Hope grinned and stretched, but hesitated for a moment. Now that he was about to agree, something he had forced himself not to think about came to the front of mind with a blast much like a brick to the head. Hope stood and faced Richard with a grin, shoving it out of his mind the best he could. It didn't matter, right? He was getting a travel buddy, even though it was because Hope had accepted a job offer, and Richard seemed pretty nice.

That's right Hope told himself, shoving the thought back into the recesses of his mind. It doesn't matter whether or not I travel with friends.

"Ok, I'm ready. I accept your offer." Hope said, smiling.

With that said Richard began. He placed his hands on the table, causing each of the tiles on it to glow as he started to speak arcane words of ancient power. This continued for roughly five minutes, the lights growing brighter and more elaborate as an azure blue arcane circle started to form about an inch above the table. His eyes glowed white as power flowed through his voice, speaking aloud the Rite of Attunement. "DO YOU ACCEPT THE PACT OF ATTUNEMENT, Y/N?"

"I accept the Pact of Attunement." Hope intoned, making it as dramatic as he could. He probably could have done it normally, but where was the fun in that?

Upon accepting the Pact of Attunement an Arcane Circle Etched itself upon the back of his right hand, glowing upon it with potent magical power. The moment the circle upon his hand formed in full all the lights dissipated save for the legs of the table itself. Blinking twice Richard looked around, his eyes now back to normal along with the rest of his body. He could feel it now though, they were linked. "Now you are attuned to me. We can communicate telepathically. Do not worry, any thoughts you do not wish shared will remain yours and yours alone." He tested out his mental channel, both to introduce it's function to him and to see if it went through properly.

When Hope heard Richard speaking (thinking?) in his mind, he froze for a second. A jumble of thoughts came to the front of his mind, mostly a mixture of wonder, curiosity, mindless chatter and questions all directed at Richard. Hope shove it back before it got too much; no point in overwhelming Richard and make him regret the mind link. However, in the process, the question he had been trying to keep from thinking slipped out, surprisingly vulnerable. "Do you think we can be friends?"

Evidently not used to the process of sharing thoughts through the channel Richard sat through quite a stream of what essentially culminated in noise, words only mildly distinguishable. Before he could close the tap on his particular channel it seemed Hope calmed down enough to cease spamming thoughts into his head. There was however one question that Hope asked after all the chatter. Quite a curious one it was. Richard didn't respond right away because he didn't quite know how to respond. Most of the people he had met since his amnesia have rarely been even so much as nice to him. Everyone who was willing to work with him thus far were all much too formal to be 'friends' as such. Always just acquaintances, contacts or co-workers but never friends. The only thing he knew that he'd closest describe as a friend of his would be his golem Validus. Thinking upon it he eventually came to an answer which he felt at the time was perhaps best.

"In time. After all, we only just met each other. Though I may not know how you see such bonds I take them quite seriously. I'm simply not ready for that just yet. Let us be comrades for now."

Hope hadn't realized that his question had been heard until Richard had answered him. Whoops. Didn't meant him to hear that. he thought to himself. Still, it did answer a question that he wanted to know, and that was good enough for Hope. "Cool, works for me! Is there anything else I need to know, or should I call the others up?" he thought at Richard cheerfully.

Now that he mentioned it the others who were interested in his offer came back into mind. "I don't think there's anything else that needs to be covered currently but as for the matter of the others I think I am currently good in regards to the amount of security versus the amount of money I can afford to distribute." He decided, informing Hope as to his final decision. With only so much money even if all he did was purchase food and lodgings for them he'd run out of funds faster than he could make it back and it'd be unsustainable. As it was he was happy with the people he was to be traveling with as it was.

"I'll be heading out this way personally." He packed up his board and the rest of his stuff and headed on over towards the window where his golem waited. "If you'd be so kind Validus." He mentally spoke to his golem, not really needing to explain what it was he needed. Validus raised it's hands up to the window sill, forming platforms. Before he forgot he reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys to the room for Hope to use. "Here. Use this to exit through the door." He placed the keys upon the table before turning back to the window. He stuck a leg through and climbed out the window, stepping onto Validus's hands like a balcony. As he got upon steady footing on Validus's hands it gently lowered him to the street. Now he had his feet back on the road and it was time to go see about preparing to leave. He didn't want to be in the city after sunset and the hours were waning.

He sent out a message along all mental channels save for Validus's as it was unnecessary for it to hear it. "Lets take one hour for preparations before we meet back up at the town center. If either of you need more time please let me know ahead of time." With that thought sent he started forth down the alley and out into the busy street with Validus in tow.

"wait a -" Hope called out, before hurriedly switching to thoughtspeak. "Wait a minute! what do i say to the others?! the ogre lady and the scarf man! 'we don't need more people so I'm no longer searching for them, byebye'?!"

Richard paused, dwelling on a thought before speaking through Hope's mental channel. "I don't know. I really wish I could help you there. I don't think I could come up with a better explanation, hence my departure. If you need I can have you lifted down too."

Hope frowned, thinking. a plan formed in his mind. it wouldn't satisfy everyone, but it would probably work. emphasis on probably. "I think you need more people." he thoughtspoke, grabbing the keys. he paced the room, mind going at a blur. From what I've heard, you're running from some pretty dangerous people, so it's probably best to include one more person in your team. You only have what, two, three people? Not really good enough for protection from your school. What do you think?"

He stroked his chin, weighing the variables as he considered Hope's advice. "Well... I suppose I could afford one more though it'd leave me stretched thin financially. I wouldn't recommend the man in the red scarf though, I heard from Altara that he might be an assassin out to kill me."

What, really? I didn't see much of him, but he didn't seem the type." Hope thought at Richard in surprise. "Huh. Best not to let him know that you know hes out to kill you in case he gives up on camouflage or send his companion after you. Well, since he has a companion, I'll let him know that you could only afford one more person and really only wants one more member in your party. It's pretty much the truth anyway. Ogre lady it is." Hope thoughtspoke. He was getting used to this thinking-speak thing. Apparently, you had to direct your thoughts at him for it to work.

"Alright. If she agrees to the proposal tell her to meet us just outside the gate since we'll be on our way in not too long." With that said he continued on his way down the street into the market, looking about at what he might need for the journey ahead.

Hope Froloss

When Richard left, Hope walked to the wall and leant against it, calming himself down. Surprisingly, it didn't take long. On the contrary, he was feeling pretty cheerful, considering the fact that he could now travel. It was a pity that there weren't more people, but well, small parties attracted less attention and were probably more easier to deal with, anyway. And Richard was poor, so he couldn't really afford to pay for them. Which sucked and all, but Hope couldn't really do anything about that.

Richard's words echoed in his head, stating one hour before leaving. That... Was bad, since it didn't really leave him with much time to convince the others. Hope frowned and rested the back of his head against the wall, looking up at the ceiling as he pondered his next move. Just how was he suppose to get the ogre lady to agree (if she would) without giving away Richard's whereabouts and the fact that he knew Scarf Man and his companion were assassins?

Right. He had to get Ogre Swordlady alone, without Scarf Man tagging along, and interview her. Hope didn't know whether it was true that he was out to kill Richard, but best not to take any chances. First, find where they are. Second, shove the assassin thing to the very back of the mind and treat both him and his friend as normal. Third... Screw it, he'd figure it out later. Deal with step number one first.

Leaving his belongings in the room, Hope strode to the door and unlocked it, looking outside. He found Ogre Swordlady with Scarf man outside checking doors, which was kind of surprising. They were probably looking for Richard, which kind of sucked for them since he wasn't here. Thinking quickly, Hope slipped out of the door and locked it, making sure that the inside couldn't be seen. Smiling friendlily, he walked up to them and said cheerfully "hey, I was sent out to get the ones interested in the job interview just now. It's you guys, right?"

Uona turned her head to look at the blonde human, her hand on the knob of a half-open door. She glanced over at Axel for a second, then looked back at the human in the headband. She hadn't seen which room he came out of, and suspected that may have been intentional.

"Yes, that's us," she replied, keeping her tone professional. "I'm sorry if we're late, the wizard never specified which room we were to meet him in."

She turned to face him fully, backing toward the wall so she could get a better look at the smaller man. She lowered her blade from her shoulder, placing the tip gently against the ground. "I didn't realize it had been so long that he could afford to send representatives to talk for him." she gave a small chuckle, hoping her words hadn't seemed rude. "Which room is he in? He never specified."

Hope Froloss

"No, no, your not late," Hope answered, scratching his head. He smiled sheepishly at them. "Um, he had business to take care of so he had to leave, but he remembered that you had accepted his job offer so he left me in charge of interviewing you three. Sorry."

Hope wasn't entirely sure what to do, but telling the truth seemed to be the best option for now, even if it was slightly embellished. Lying wouldn't really help matters much, and might actually make things even worse. And he wasn't entirely sure if Scarf Man (where had his companion gone?) was after Richard or not. There wasn't enough information to confirm whether he was an assassin after Richard, an assassin who just wanted a job, or if he was an assassin at all. For all Hope knew, the man and his companion could've just been people who specialized in using daggers, much like assassins.

However, that didn't meant that Richard was wrong. Best to stick to the first option until proven wrong, since it had the most proof in reality. The best way to separate them was by taking them in for an interview one by one, then try to think it through. Ogre Swordlady first, then Scarf Man and his companion. Ogre Swordlady had been with Scarf Man, so maybe she would be able to verify if Richard was right. Besides, Hope had the beginnings of an idea on how to deal with the current situation which would hopefully make everyone happy, so by interviewing Ogre Swordlady first, it would also give him more time to figure out the details.

"Here, I'll show you the room. I'd like to do this separately though, so... Miss, would you please be first?" Hope asked Ogre Swordlady politely. "It won't take too long, I promise." He gestured to the door with his hand, striding over to unlock it. "As for your companions, they can wait outside and enter when you're done." He turned around to face them, standing beside the unlocked (but not open) door.

Axel stayed quiet through the entire exchange. Something about this man...unsettled him. The guy gave off bad vibes, like he didn't like Axel or something. Through it all, Axel's sixth sense told him it could all have something to do with him not being in on this "secret." He could see the man looking around, and something told Axel the man was looking for something...or someone...maybe Cato? But why would this guy keep tabs on him and Cato? Maybe...he knew something about those tattoos on their hands?

Anyway, he'd have to play through it, maybe he could extract some info from this guy. Axel put on a smile, nodding in acknowledgement of the strange man. Cato would be back soon, and they'd hatch a plan.

Uona lifted her sword and stepped toward the headband human, stopping to wait for him to let her into the room. She looked side-eye at Axel, wondering which of them would be a better fit for the job. She didn't see Cato, which didn't really mean much to her, considering how she'd failed to notice him before, and her inability to see him now might be a result of her just not noticing his existence. Gods and spirits, that man lacked presence.

"I suppose I'll see you in a couple minutes," she said brightly. To be honest, she was a bit nervous. This was her first job as an adventurer, and she wasn't entirely sure how it would go. Might as well try to be optimistic about it.

Hope Froloss

Hope grinned and opened the door, allowing her to enter inside with a flourish. "Please wait outside, I'll hopefully be done soon!" He said to Scarf Man breezily. Once Ogre Swordlady had entered, he closed the door and locked it, placing the key in his pockets. Hope also went to the windows and locked it as well, making sure that nobody except himself and Uona was in the room before he did so. After locking the windows and drawing the curtains, Hope turned to face Ogre Swordlady with a cheerful grin.

"Sorry if it seems paranoid, but my employer did the same thing, so I'm following in his footsteps." Hope said, chagrined. It was also to prevent eavesdroppers, but no point in telling her that. He took a seat in the chair Richard had sat on before leaving via the window, gesturing to the other chair as he did so. "Please, take a seat." He said cheerfully. "What's your name? I'm Hope Froloss."

"Uona," she answered, taking the indicated seat. She placed her sword against the table and folded her hands in front of her.

She wasn't sure of what to say here; the wizard hacn't provided much information on the job, and she didn't have much frame of reference for what she should be anticipating. It probably wouldn't do to let Hope know that, however.

"So, about the job in question," she began tentatively. "What exactly would I be... protecting the funny hat man from?"

Hope Froloss

Hope grinned and sat up straight, looking as friendly as he could. "The funny hat man is called Richard, and you'll be protecting him from his enemies." Hope said, keeping his voice low. He didn't want anyone to overhear him. Hope explained the basics of the situation to Uona, leaving out Richard's location and the Pact of Attunment. "...and that is why he's hiring people. The pay might suck, but you get free repairs, so do you want to join?" He asked hopefully.

Uona chewed her upper lip slightly, thinking over what Hope had said. How did one "accidentally" steal a magic board? And if they wanted it back bad enough to kill for it, why not let him return it? Things just weren't adding up.

"If... it's alright with you, I'd like time to consider before deciding whether to take the job," she saidly quietly, thinking through the details she'd been given, sparse though they were. "Please don't hold off interviewing anyone else in the meantime, though."

"Sure!" Hope said cheerfully, still keeping his voice low. Then he remembered what Richard had said, and frowned slightly. "You only have 1 hour to decide, though. That's the time limit he gave us. Sorry." Hope said, smiling. He wondered if there was anyone else who had been hired by Richard. Well, he'd find out later, when they gathered.

"Umm, meet us at the town centre if you've decided or need more information, or come to me if you've decided before time. I'll still have the room before I leave, so I guess you can find me here. Is that alright, or do you need more time? And anymore questions?" Hope asked. At the back of his mind, he wondered whether or not to ask Uona about Scarf Man. Maybe he should, since she might be able to she more light on the truth of whether Scarf Man was after Richard.

Uona thought for a moment. "No, not really," she replied finally. "None at the moment, at least."

One hour, town square. That should be enough time to think things through, and would give enough time to speak with the red haired woman as well. She considered asking Hope if he knew anything about her, but decided against it. It wouldn't be fair if she went in knowing more about the woman than the woman knew about her.

"One hour, then," she said, rising from her seat. "I'll try to have made a decision by then." She grabbed her sword, then after a moment's hesitation, extended her hand in the gesture from earlier.

Richard

'Hey...you know that elf girl I was with when we first met? She wants to know if she can come along...moreover, she wants us to find someone who's good at breaking curses. Are you alright with her being with us? If it's necessary, I'll support her with my earnings alone.'

Richard was milling about the market cataloguing his inventory when he received her message. He frowned when he heard the news as it threw a wrench in his plans. He considered what he was planning on doing next carefully before responding.

'No need to split your earnings, I understand. She may come along if she wishes, I'll provide for her until we can break her curse. If you can do so however please come to the agreed meeting point as early as you can manage. I'm hoping to not waste too much time as staying mobile is imperative'


With that said he made his own way down to the town center. On the way he realized he should probably let Hope in on the news. No doubt it would be an unwelcome departure from whatever arrangements he's likely cooked up by this point but it was necessary he be informed.

'Altara, the red haired woman with the spear, is bringing an extra along. Sorry to say I don't think we'll be taking along anyone else. The size of this group would be simply unsustainable for my current budget. Still, I think our numbers are sufficient for the level of threats we'll be running astray of.'

That message sent he continued onward, his head hung low as he arrived at the town's center. Softly walking over he sat down upon the bench next to the fountain in the center of town, Validus casting a long shadow over him as it stood parked right next to the bench. He really didn't honestly think that hiring help would be this much trouble. Is it going to be worth it? He dwelled in his own head, thinking about what might come of it all. Even if he were to pay for ten more guards like these he was fairly sure if any of the chess club members showed up the only suitable solution would be to run as fast as possible. It was the only solution that's kept him alive so far and he was loath to depart from a method that's been proven to be effective at keeping him alive when all odds state that he should be dead or worse right now.


With a sigh he looked up at the sky. There was a gentle white cloud slowly drifting it's way across the blue expanse that was the sky. Being in a city wasn't his favorite thing in the world. Even though he had always been a city kid, living on the streets with everyone else there was a gentle serenity to the countryside that was simply lost in the everyday bustle of life.

Validus would of worn an expression of boredom if it could. Quite used to being disregarded as some large mindless automaton it took very little stock in minding the social interactions of living folk. Still, it beat mindlessly smashing itself against black duplicates of itself for their entertainment.

{Colab between Alle and Druid}

Hope grinned and stood up. He felt a bit relieved that it had gone so well, now he really hoped that the upcoming interview with Scarf Man would be the same. Hope reached out and gripped her hand, shaking it. "Ok, see you later!" He said pleasantly. He decided to ask about Scarf Man, in the hopes of getting more information about him. maybe Richard was wrong?

Hope let go of uona's hand and opened his mouth, ready to ask. Before he could get a word out, however, Richard's voice came into his head via the thought speech channel, Saying 'Altara, the red haired woman with the spear, is bringing an extra along. Sorry to say I don't think we'll be taking along anyone else. The size of this group would be simply unsustainable for my current budget. Still, I think our numbers are sufficient for the level of threats we'll be running astray of.' Hope froze for a moment and closed his mouth, frowning slightly. Not really what he wanted to hear at this time, especially when she had just kind of agreed to join. Understandable, though, and well, Richard was the boss.

'She just agreed though. Hold on, I'll see if I can come up with something sarisfactory. Oh! And tell Altara hi from me! Thanks.' Hope thought back. He turned to Uona, biting his lip, wondering how to tell her what had just happened.

Hope seemed to have something else to say, but he closed his mouth before any words came out. Uona's brow furrowed slightly. The human didn't seem the type to hold back words, and Uona couldn't help but wonder if something was wrong. The interview seemed to have gone well enough from her persepctive, but perhaps her request had been a bit selfish? 

"Is something wrong?" she asked, bending down at a nearly 90 degree angle to try and meet Hope at his own height. "Is this about my request for time to consider? If it's not acceptable, I could try to reach a decision now, but..."

Hope was startled out of his thoughts. "No,no it's not about the decision!" He said hurriedly, waving his hands. jeez, she was really, really tall. Hope wondered if he could grow as tall as her. That would be nice, although he was ok with his current height,

"Umm, its... How do I put this?" Hope took a deep breath. "It's... Well, we can't really afford to pay and my boss just told me that he doesn't really need anymore people even though I still think he does and now I don't know what to do I'm so sorry!" He said quickly, wincing.

Uona straightened. She bit her lip, eyes narrowing as she thought about what Hope had just told her. Richard - the funny hat man - had just informed him that they didn't need anymor-

Wait. Just informed him? But no one other than Uona had entered the room in at least five minutes, and she didn't think Hope had left in at least as long. So how had Richard "just" informed him? Unless they had some kind of system which Richard could use to pester his chums from across great distances, like some kind of mystical gift of gab, Uona didn't see how Hope could've been informed of this so suddenly. Unless he forgot, which Uona supposed was possible. but she doubted that was the case.

"When you say... he just informed you..."

"Huh?" Hope looked up at Uona, confused. Didn't she - oh, right. He had forgotten to tell her about the pact. Crap. He'd thought that he could leave Richard to explain that particular piece of information (it wasn't his to share), but now Hope couldn't do that. well, here goes nothing. Standing up, he began to talk in a low voice, hands in his pockets.

"when you accept to be in Richard's service, he offers you a pact which you can choose to accept. It increases magic and latent benefits and also gives you a connection with Richard via thoughtspeech. You need to direct your thoughts at him for it to work, though, otherwise he can't recieve it. Kind of like talking in your head. And I'm not too sure about the increased magic thing, but you do get latent benefits and a voice connection with Richard. It's pretty cool." Hope said, smiling sunnily at Uona. He wondered if that turned her off from the job. It wasn't compulsory (he thinks) so if she didn't like it, she could just decline the invitation.

"He can't read your mind through that connection, and you can't read his. It's just... Like talking with each other, only in your head. And he just told me that he doesnt really need people, but you already accepted and I've still got Scarf Man waiting outside, so now I'm not too sure what to do. And I still think he needs more people, but he can't afford anymore. umm, I think thats about it, any questions?" He finished breezily.

Uona leaned against her sword, staring up at the ceiling. So the wizard had a telepathy spell. That was... interesting. She ran through everything she knew about this job in her head, trying to get her thoughts in order.

Richard "accidentally" stole a magic chess board from his guild. The guild was willing to kill him to get it back, but wouldn't let him return it. Richard wanted to hire adventurers to keep him safe, but her couldn't afford more than two or three. He also had a spell of telepathy which he could use to commu... ni... ca...

Oh. Just like that, an idea. 

Richard needed protection, but couldn't afford to pay her or Axel, if he wanted to take the job. Richard's guild was willing to kill to get the board back, but wouldn't let Richard return it, and Uona wanted to know why. The board was clearly quite valuable to them. Axel was (supposedly) quite skilled at stealth. Richard was uncomfortable travelling in too large a group. Hope insisted he needed more protection, even if he couldn't afford it.

There was more than one way to protect someone.

"You pay me," Uona said, leaning down to look him squarely in the eyes, her nose almost touching his. "You want Richard to have more protection. You pay me."

hope stared back, fearless. His grin gained an edge, and he said lightheartedly, "Geez, lady, didn't know you were that desperate for a kiss. Move back a bit, would you?"

"Stay on topic please," Uona said, annoyed. She didn't move back much. "You want more protection for the wizard man, but he can't afford to pay me. So you pay me. Or rather, you pay me and the scarf man."

Hope thought about it for a moment. It made sense, from a certain perspective. If his hopefully-soon-to-be-friend-but-currently-employer couldn't cough up the money, and hope wanted protection for him even though it wasn't wanted, then hope himself should pay up. Simple. However, common sense and almost everything else dictated that he shouldnt do this since he barely knew Richard and should therefore not go this far for the man.

Well. Hope never did have much sense, anyway.

Hope grinned. "Sure," he said cheerily. "However, you and Scarf Man get the same as we do - four gold. what do you propose? And what is Scarf Man's name anyway?"

"No, you misunderstand," Uona said impatiently. "You aren't paying us."

She tried to think of how to best explain this to Hope so he could understand.

"You want more protection for Richard, but Richard cannot afford to pay us, so you pay us, but you don't pay us."

"So act as though you're doing it out of your own free will? is that it?"

"No, you- Gaah!" Uona backed away, throwing her free hand into the air in exasperation. 

She ran her fingers through her hair, thinking of how to explain to this tiny man. "You said Richard pays four gold, yes? Hand me two gold. Now, hand me now." She held her hand out to him."I will explain."

"Yes, your highness. I'm not entirely sure whether they'd accept the split pay, though." Hope took two gold out of his pocket and passed it to her. He had a hunch about what she was going on about, but best to let it play out in case he was wrong.

Uona held the two gold coins up so Hope could see. "Up-front costs," she enunciated clearly. She held the handle of her sword between her upper arm and her chest so her other hand would be free. She grabbed Hope's left hand and held it palm-up between them. She flashed the coins in front of his eyes again, then placed them in his upturned palm, closing his fingers over them. "For Axel."

Hope gripped the coins in his palm. Knew it. "Pay Axel - he's Scarf Man, right? - two gold up front, then pay him two gold later, after he's accomplished whatever mission - like finding intel or beating Richard's enemies, I dunno - I give him? And the same goes for you too. Am I right?" He looked up at her steadily.

"No, no you still aren't understanding," Uona said, he voice calm. "What did I say? You pay, but you don't."

She pointed to the hand holding the two coins. "Up-front costs, paid to Axel. I only asked you to hand me two coins, yes? That is because that's all that will be paid." She kept her voice quiet as she explained, lest she be overheard. "You said Richard payed four gold, yes? But only I and those already paid know this. You tell Axel he will be paid..."

She did some quick math in her head to determine how much this kind of job would normally pay, based on what she'd heard from adventurers back home.

"300 gold, payable upon completion of the job. I know how these jobs tend to work out, and by the time this is relieved you should have easily found that much." Based on stories told by strangers was left unsaid. "I will not require payment."

Hope listened, frowning in thought. he did a few quick calculations in his head. Richard's enemies were a whole school, which could contain up to a few hundred students. The teachers might be after the board, too. And so might the alumni and other people who might want the board. It'd probably take months, maybe years, to get rid of the threat completely, and by that time, hope would have already saved up enough gold to pay them. "I see." He muttered, his already quiet voice going even quieter.

it would require lying, but was it really a lie when it would grow true in time? Alright, it was a lie, but screw this, Hope couldn't really think of anything else and he'd definetely make it come true, so it didn't matter. all he needed was time, which was what he had in loads. And he didn't have to pay Uona either, so that was a great help.

"You're a genius, thank you." He said, overcomed with emotion. He grabbed her in a bearhug around the waist, making sure to avoid the sword. No point in getting sliced to bits from a hug. "Thank you so much!" 

Uona' sword fell to the side with a crash. Uona looked awkwardly down at the human, unsure of what to do, her arms held out from her sides. Her voice died in her throat, prompting her to attempt an awkward sort-of hug where she patted him lightly on the back, but her arms themselves didn't touch him. 

"U- uhhh," was all she could manage to get out of her constricted  vocal chords.

Hope didn't notice the awkwardness, instead filled with gratitude at her helping him figure out the problem. He squeezed her one last time before letting go, looking up at her with starry eyes. "No seriously, thank you. And ok, I'm shutting up before I get too babble-y and start to talk your ear off by praising your genius." He grinned widely and placed his hands in his pockets.

Right, back to business. "the mission is to find information on Richard's enemies and eliminate them if possible, and give us said info. The problem is how to communicate with each other to share the information. Letters might work, but we have no idea where the other might end up, so no. The only way I see to have a sure chance of not backfiring is by Richard's thought speech spell. I think we can convince him to let you do the pact if you say youre doing it for free and travelling apart from the group, unless you can control pigeons or animals for a homing device. Can you?" He asked uona.

Uona thought for a bit. Control pigeons or animals for a homing device... Oh!

She extended her left arm in front of her, palm down. Her eyes began to glow, and a runic circle appeared beneath her which illuminated the space around her. A long, slender being which resembled a snake rose up from the circle, winding around her before travelling along her outstretched arm towards Hope, where it wrapped itself around his chest and shoulders.

"I don't know about pigeons, but I could try something like this," she said, grinning and lowering her arm.

Hope blinked in surprise, looking at her in curiousity. He wasn't sure what she was - whoa, what did she just summon? Then it came up and wrapped around his shoulders and hope froze for a moment, unsure what was happening. Then he relaxed. uona probably wasn't going to do anything harmful to him. He stared at the being, curious.

it turned out to be a snake. As hope was watching, it changed from a shimmery, translucent purple to a light, flickering yellow, almost like the color of straw with the sun reflecting off it, like the yellow of a fire. it had huge blue eyes the colour of the sky, and it had a round head. the body was smooth to the touch; coiled with muscle, and it had a huge reddish diamond on the forehead which blended in with the yellow. It hung on hope, and tried to bury under his shirt. his surprise, it didnt actually weigh anything, amd only felt slightly warm.

"that was awesome!" He said to Uona, smiling widely. He tried to pet it, noticing that it had shrunk a bit. "What can it do?"

"It lets me know where you are, and can transmit messages between us," Uona replied, stretching her left arm. "Oh, I feel I should mention that it sustains itself by feeding off your aura, so you might notice a slight increase in appetite."

With that done, Uona moved to pick up her sword. Doubtless Axel had noticed the light from her summoning, and she'd need to think of something to tell him.

Hope nodded, taking note of Uona's words. a slight increase in appetite was a small price to pay for communications. He made a mental note to help her out if he could. He owed her big, and Hope wouldn't forget. The light from the summoning was pretty bright, though. Axel probably caught sight of it... "For the light, I guess you could say that it was a demonstration of power?" He said to Uona, keeping his voice low. It was technically true.

Uona was a little confused for a moment before realizing Hope had also thought of Axel. She smiled and nodded, then looked to the door. It had been... what, ten minutes since they started? Fifteen?

"Is that all, then?" she asked. 

"yeah," Hope said sunnily, walking to the door. He checked the clock against the wall. It had been... Twenty five minutes? Huh. Hope thought it had been longer. "Again, thanks!" He grinned at her, unlocking the door. "You are free to go."

"Uona nodded once more, then turned and walked out into the hall. She turned, bowed slightly, and said, "Thank you for your consideration," before turning to Axel.

Hope bowed slightly back to her, then also turned towards Axel, smiling. He mentally prepared himself for what was to come, making sure that it couldn't be seen on his face. Richard might think of the man as evil, but Hope was prepared to give the man a chance. "You're next, please come in!" He said to Axel cheerily.

Axel waited outside patiently, trying not to observe anything in particular. Taking in more information just makes the time seem to pass slower. Staring at the floor, he heard a familiar voice.
"Didn't really come across anything... Cato was back, not a tad bit to quick either. A curious look crossed the other man's face as he recognized Axel's composure. "Are you...waiting for something?" It wasn't too difficult to decipher, Axel's back was against the wall, putting weight on it. He gestured for Cato to come a bit closer before speaking in a hushed tone.

"I'm sure you've realized something's going on." Cato nodded to show he was following along. "I'm pretty sure I'm about to find out what it is. Probably something to do with these wizards from what I've seen. In the room right there," Axel gestured towards the door Uona was being interviewed inside. "I'm up next, that ogress you saw earlier is getting interviewed by some wizard. I think he knows what's going on, so I'm gonna need you to help me out a little..." Not long after the two exchanged hushed words, a bright flash of light emitted from inside of the meeting room. Hands already on their concealed daggers, the two advanced towards the room, and were met head on with...Uona, and the friendly greeting of the wizard.

The duo quickly let their cloaks cover the hilts of the weapons at their hips and exchanged glances. Axel gestured with his head for Cato to enter before himself. He caught onto Uona's presence however, before going ahead and entering the "interview room." The smile, posture, tone...it was back.
"How did it go?"