The common room of the Vincha Cask was alive that morning with the low drone of conversation and the rich, earthy scent of roasted malt as breakfast was being served. The place was crowded, but the Valiant Cry party managed to secure a table. Richard sat at the head of their table, and the rest of the party sat around him listening to his report. Alessia sat slightly apart from the others, looking as though she was trying very hard not to touch anything sticky.
“And there you have it,” Richard said, leaning back as he finished summarizing the situation. “Alessia will be joining us for the remainder of our Divinium trip. For the rest of the team, treat this as an additional objective on top of Heron’s training. Speaking of objectives…”
He reached into his coat and pulled out a crumpled envelope with the seal already broken. He had received it days ago, when they had registered their stay at the Cask.
“This is a quest I picked up. We’ve been given a timeline to finish, and now it expires in about three days. It’s tight, I know, but given the situation as it was, the deadline couldn’t be helped. The request is simple: slay a pack of Ulvs that have been spotted up the north road. They’ve settled near a spring famous for its naturally carbonated water.”
He tapped the paper on the table. “The villagers have enough stock for now, but they need access to the well to produce one final round of their sparkling vintage before the snow makes the trail impassable.”
Richard shifted his gaze toward Heron. “Heron, since this is the first quest for your provisional training, you’ll be our vanguard along with Almir and Alessia. The rest of us will provide support if things get out of hand. Between the three of you, this should be easy enough. But considering we also need to keep you and Alessia in one piece, we will be vigilant and step in at the first sign of real trouble.”
Alessia frowned, crossing her arms. “Why do I have to participate? The emissary hasn’t even shown up yet, so why am I being dragged into this?”
“Consider it a test of your skills,” Richard replied smoothly. “This is a low-risk entry. Ulvs aren’t ranked as a major threat; organized villagers can usually handle them without magical tools, so I find them a perfect choice for a warm-up.”
Alessia sighed, looking defeated. “Right, but I don’t have a weapon.”
“Worry not. I’ll lend you my sword,” Richard said, unbuckling his scabbard and setting it against the table leg. “I will be coordinating from the backline anyway. With Icarus, May, Lucia, and Irene providing cover, I think I am perfectly safe with just a dagger if it comes to it.”
Irene leaned forward, her brow furrowed. “What is this emissary business you mentioned?”
“Oh, nothing of concern,” Richard waved a hand dismissively. “Jan asked me to test Alessia’s skills during our talk. And because he doesn’t really trust that we won’t just make stuff up, he will be sending someone over to verify that we actually do what I report back to him.”
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“I don’t like having someone around looking into our every action,” Lucia muttered, her eyes narrowing.
“I don’t either,” Richard admitted. “But this was the deal I had to strike. Otherwise, I think he would have labeled us accessories to a kidnapping.”
He caught the eye of a passing hostess, raising a hand to signal that they were finally ready to order.
“Alright, if that is all, let’s order up,” Richard said. “You have one hour to prepare after breakfast. I managed to secure transport with a merchant yesterday. He’s agreed to shuttle us up the north road in his steamtruck. If all goes to plan, we’ll be back here before nightfall.”
One hour later, the party stood outside the bistro, gathered around the transport Richard had managed to procure. It was a rugged, industrial steamtruck, with the merchant waiting by the cab, checking a pressure gauge.
Richard climbed into the passenger seat of the cab, leaving the merchant to drive. The rest of the group hauled themselves into the open cargo bed. It was lined with wooden crates and smelled faintly of dead animals, but it offered enough room for them to settle in.
The vehicle started to move, and the cottages of Vincha began to blur past.
“Are you excited for your first real quest, Heron?” Almir asked, his voice raised slightly above the engine's rumble.
Heron gripped the edge of the truck bed. “More nervous than excited, honestly. Considering how my trial went… I truly don’t know if I’m ready yet.”
“No need to be nervous,” Almir said with a reassuring tone. “I’ve watched your practice sessions with Richard over the last few days on the road. You’ve got good instincts; you’ll do fine.”
He gestured vaguely toward the road ahead. “Here’s the plan: I’ll take the lead and engage the Alpha. Your job, along with Alessia, is to handle the rest of the pack. Ulvs rely heavily on a shared consciousness; without the Alpha to direct them, they can’t coordinate their attacks. That will make them much easier to kill.”
“Is the sword managing alright for you?” Irene asked, nodding toward the borrowed blade hanging at Alessia’s hip.
Alessia adjusted the belt, grimacing slightly as the weight shifted. “It’s a bit heavy for my taste, but it will do. I debated buying a pair of gravitational gloves to help with the weight from an adventurer back in town, but the learning curve is too steep. I’d rather not accidentally crush my own hand. I’ll commission a proper sword once we reach Tejen.”
“Well, you’re better equipped than I am,” Irene said with a self-deprecating smile. “I’ve just got a dagger, so I won’t be much help on the front lines.”
“I’m more at peace knowing you are back here to heal me if anything goes wrong,” Alessia replied earnestly. She reached into her satchel, gently patting the wombat hidden inside. “I am also counting on you to protect Mr. Wussums.”
Irene laughed. “I’ll guard him with my life. Don’t worry about him; just focus on the battle. Everyone is here for you.”
The conversation was cut short as the vehicle began to decelerate. The engine slowed to a heavy idle, with a final hiss of vented steam, and the truck ground to a halt. The cab door swung open, and Richard stepped out onto the gravel, followed by the merchant.
“Please wait for us here,” Richard said, giving a small pouch of coins to the driver.
“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll park it over there,” the merchant said, pointing toward a patch of flat land just off the main road.
“Right. And do lock yourself in until we return.”
The merchant chuckled. “Don’t worry, sir, I know the protocol. It wouldn’t be my first time alone in the wild.”
Richard turned to the rest of the party as they hopped down from the cargo bed.
“Everyone, listen up,” Richard commanded. “The spring is about half an hour ahead, but we are already in Ulver territory. Eyes sharp.”
Novicius in Arte Medica A Novice in the Art of MedicineMedical School is a Warzone. Ashrahan was failing. Then, the System woke up.
Quote: Synopsis: Sleepless nights, borrowed notes, and caffeine. When exhaustion drags Ashrahan to the edge, a silent system awakens, transforming patients into interactive lessons and textbooks into living networks of surgical precision.