"Walt! Oi, Walt! I'm here for a job!"

Gauge shouted casually, waving the contract paper above his head as he pushed through the doorway and into the establishment.  The main room was akin to that of a tavern, littered with tables and chairs, with a bar counter to the far side.  A middle-aged but attractively mature woman glanced up from the side of the tables, where she had been carefully sweeping the floors.  Seeing Gauge she smiled, offering a small wave as she leaned upon her broom.

"I'm afraid Walt is out today, dear."

"Ah, hello Eli. Thanks! Who's uh.. Manning the counter, then?"

"That would be me."

A younger man, probably in his later twenties, stepped out from the back rooms behind the bar.  He was wiping down a rocks glass with a fresh white rag, which he set carefully upon a shelf once he was certain it was spotless.  Turning his attention back to the two members of Class X13 and flicking his barkeep’s towel to rest over his shoulder, his eyes narrowed as he looked them over, dark brown hues rife with suspicion.

“Not that it’s much my business, but you two look a little young.. DCA Students, I take it?”

Argent nodded instinctively before he could even think about the question, earning himself an elbow in the ribs from Gauge.

“Mm.. And you’re third years, then?”

“Yep.  I take jobs from Walt all the time.”

The rogue didn’t miss a beat, but the man behind the counter only hummed curiously at the statement. Leaning his elbows on the counter, he looked the boy dead in the face and motioned for him to approach the bar.  Gauge did so fearlessly, at which point the man held out his hand palm up.

“You won’t mind showing me your Crests, then?”

Argent felt the hair on his neck stand up, the momentary stalemate causing a veritable charge in the air between the two at the bar as they stood off from one another.  He wasn’t sure how Gauge was going to play this one off.  A sinking feeling gathered in the pit of his stomach as he watched the rogue set the job contract down on the counter.

“Hi hiii, Eliza! Rahndal!”

The tense atmosphere was shattered as a lively girl who looked to be their age came bursting through the doors.  Her long violet hair was tied back with flowered ribbons into a knotted ponytail, with bangs and edges cut short to frame her face like slender blades.  Her eyes were a curious mix of cerulean and gold, their irises offset from one another, with flashes of colour that swirled occasionally and then subsided through their depths.  Her right eye in particular was entirely abnormal, it’s iris a strange diamond shape marked with a clearly defined cross inside of it.  She maneuvered through the room in an energetic swoosh, all smiles and spins as her clothes fluttered behind her.  She was dressed in something similar to a loose-fitting martial artist’s Gi, with the sleeves tapered short and the waist held tight with a sash. Beneath it she appeared to be wearing several sets of silken wrapping, along with high rising socks and pair of steel-plated geta. 

“Oh, It’s you two! Hello! That’s a surprise~”

She turned her gaze between Gauge and Argent, raising a hand in a ‘V’ with her fingers sidelong over her eye as she made her greeting.  Her skin was tanned but fair, with a scar along the bridge of her nose and a beauty spot just below her left eye, and her friendly smile shone like the sun. The boys exchanged a wordless look, ‘do you know her??’ painted across each of their faces.

“Ah.. Hello..?”

Gauge almost asked.

“You know these two, Kotomi?”

Rahndall spoke up, putting his focus now on the high-spirited young woman.  She nodded her head with gusto, playfully tapping her hands on the counter as she slid onto a barstool.

“Sure! They’re from the Academy, after all… Are they here for a job?”

“They are.”

“Good for you guys! Better that than sitting around the grounds, wasting the weekend away. Right Rahndal?”

“..Mm..”

The barkeep frowned as Kotomi slapped Gauge encouragingly across the back, drawing a nervous laugh from the rogue.  It seemed to be convincing enough, as the man sighed in resignation and knelt down to retrieve a workbox from beneath the bar.  Taking a stamp from inside, he pressed the rubber into a pad of wet red ink and applied the seal to the contract with it.

“Fine. It’s all yours, approved.”

Gauge swiped the paper with a grin, immediately moving away from the bar before anyone could change their mind.

“Thanks, Kotomi!”

He gave the girl a mock salute as he backpedaled towards the rear staircase, using her name in what he hoped was a convincingly familiar manner.  The girl waved happily in response, and Argent hurried to follow his companion upstairs.

“What was that??”

“Hell if I know, but i’m not gunna question the help. Let's get the hell outta dodge.”

The two spoke in hushed voices as Gauge led the way into the back of the upper floor.  Strange as the encounter below had been, it was almost immediately lost from Argent’s mind and instead replaced by the shock of finding an active teleportation pad nestled away in the furthest room of the establishment.  Even more surprising was the revelation that those undertaking contracts were permitted to use it for free.  The runestones were carefully inlaid, glowing strongly with world energies that drew Argent in like a moth to a flame, so much so that Gauge had to virtually shove him aside in order to organize the coordinates.

“So it’s an open point? That’s amazing! How did you find this?”

Argent exclaimed, receiving an annoyed grunt in reply. Teleportation magicks affixed to waypoints functioned one of two ways; either it was directly linked between two specific locations and would travel only between the two, or it was an ‘open point’, accessible to any other similar device so long as one knew the proper designation.  This was what Gauge was currently managing, adjusting a series of shiftable stones along the far edge of the pad to match the line of runes written along the bottom of their contract.  Argent watched with earnest fascination, always thrilled by the devices no matter how many times he saw them.  Standing over Gauge’s shoulder he reached back into the side-pouch of his bag, withdrawing his trusty notebook and taking a moment to record the runestone designations for both their destination and place of departure.

“..Alright, that should be that.  Step on, let's blow this place.”

Once the two were on the pad, the thrumming of channeling arcana began to fill the room around them, and soon they were overtaken by an incredible flash of light.  That horrible, unnatural feeling of falling and flying all at once rippled through Argent’s gut.  Straining to hold himself together, he closed his eyes tightly against the spin of the world relocating around him, opening them again only after the sensation ebbed away. The chirping of birds and chattering of squirrels filled the air around him, a gentle breeze carrying the scent of a far off river and the notes of wild trees.  Slowly regaining his composure, his vision swam back into view in the image of Gauge standing several paces away, looking back at him with a hand on his hip.

“You coming?”

Argent nodded, gingerly stepping forward.  He waited for the full sensation of his boots settling against the soil to wash over him before releasing his breath, visibly relieved that he hadn’t puked.  Gauge gave him a look.

“I’m good. Sorry.”

“..If you say so, bud.  Let’s go find the Elder.”

It wouldn’t be a hard thing to do. Several eyes from around the town had already zeroed in on them from the moment they appeared in the square, as one might expect when it came to the matter of travelers appearing in an isolated location.  The village itself was quaint and quiet, backed right up against the edge of an expansive swath of mountainside forest.  Argent found it curious that a place so isolated even had its own teleportation device.  He’d never heard of the Eve’lln forest before, nor the town of Thrylld itself, and therefore had no idea how far away they had traveled… But the crisp mountain air and untamed trees lead him to the assumption that they were very far from Tenebris.  The pair had only made their way perhaps twenty paces down the main path before they were approached by a hopeful looking half-elf, his sea-green hair a tangle of braids and wooden ornaments which his pointed ears barely managed to peek out from.

“Ah, welcome! You.. You wouldn’t happen to be here about the Jellycaps, would you?”

He asked, his voice lifting slightly in anticipation as he took note of their weapons and equipment.  The prospect of help seemed to bring a glimmer of joy to him, but beneath it Argent could feel the exhaustion the man was hiding.  It was crystal clear in the dark spots beneath his honey coloured eyes.

“That’s right. Could you take us to see the Elder?”

Gauge responded, holding up the stamped contract.  The half-elf looked it over, tipping his head a little bit as he verified the origin and approval.

“From the Endless Horizon?  Now that’s a name I didn't expect to see.. Very well, let’s get you over to Elder Brandubh.”

The half-elf introduced himself as ‘Teo’ while they walked, explaining that he was the overseer for the Orchards in the region. His family had tended the many miles of apples and pears for generations, turning a profit not only from the raw produce itself, but from a variety of hard ciders they created from the fruit.  Eve’lln Pear Cider was, or so he claimed, their most valuable export; one that had helped build the town into what it was today.  Teo seemed to be very proud of his work.  The heavy melancholy which hung over him otherwise melting away during the moments he spoke passionately about his orchards and products.  Argent was curious about the process of fermenting and distilling the ciders, but their short walk across town brought them to the Elder’s door before he could ask any in-depth questions.  Their guide knocked twice, cracking the door open to peer inside and say something before pushing it open and showing the boys inside.  Stepping into the Elder’s home, they were bidden to have a seat at a long wooden table.  Apparently their age, or perhaps more specifically their lack of age thereof, did not trouble either Teo or the Elder one bit, as they were offered glasses of the aforementioned alcoholic ciders as refreshment.  Gauge and Argent politely declined.

“Thank you, but we’re here to work.”

The rogue let them down easy, and the Elder nodded in understanding.  Sitting at an ornate chair at the head of the table, he cupped his hands together as he began to speak.

“Very well, very well... Let me offer you what I may in terms of information, then.”

He stated, his voice old like the forest around them.  In the background, Teo moved to stand dutifully at a position just behind Elder Brandubh’s right shoulder.

“First, let me apologize for having to call you here.. The Jellycaps propagate every year, typically around the early spring, and we normally have no troubles controlling them ourselves...  I believe, their increase in number can be attributed to the Fae’s annual festival times.. The more of their magic in the air, the more animates are given life.”

Argent nodded, following the train of logic.  It made perfect sense, but he was waiting for the hook.

“Every year, the bodies we can spare from the Orchards go out to whittle down the population before spores can be spread.  When the Jellycaps begin to germinate, they fill the air with such great clouds that it becomes dangerous for the younger villagers..  But in recent years, more and more townsfolk have been moving away to find work in the cities, leaving us with old timers such as myself… We haven’t been able to hunt off as many of the Jellycaps this season, and now they seem to be multiplying in numbers we haven't experienced before.”

He paused here involuntarily, interrupted by a small fit of coughing.  Teo gingerly reached down to grasp the Elder’s shoulder, steadying him, but the Elder raised a hand to indicate he was fine.

“Thank you, Teo..  As I was saying, we have been unsuccessful in reducing their numbers this season, and we are drawing close to the time when they will begin to release their spores...  It’s left us with no choice but to seek help via contracts, lest we risk the health of our little ones..”

“About that, your contract mentions proof of extermination?”

Gauge led into the question, setting the piece of parchment on the table and tapping on it lightly.  Elder Brandubh nodded his head solemnly, reaching a gnarled hand down into one of his pockets and withdrawing it with something clasped inside, which he slowly revealed by rolling it out onto the table. The boys' eyes fixed on the pale green crystal knowingly, but they did not comment.

“If you’re out working contracts, you must know what this is?”

Argent nodded his head, the Elder nodded back.

“Very good, then you understand? Very good...  The path leading out the back of the village into the mountains, to the west, will take you towards the orchards.  There is a river there which stems from runoff at the mountain’s peak. We divert water from it to irrigate the trees... We are not hunters, nor rangers by any means, but the last group of townsfolk sent to root out Jellycaps reported that the source of their spawn is most likely somewhere upriver.”

“Do you have a map you could spare?”

The Elder considered this for a moment, before nodding at Teo.  The green-haired half elf disappeared into the back rooms for a moment before returning with a simple map.  It was hand drawn on a weathered piece of parchment, but it detailed the locations and dimensions of the town and all its surrounding orchards.  Charted clearly in blue was the river, leading west towards the edge of the map until the drawing faded away.  A single footnote on the very edge of the parchment simply read ‘Beyond West -- Emerald Spine’.  Now that was a landmark Argent recognized.  The vast range of mountains that ran down the eastern edge of Orodae, dividing the highland plains from the heavy jungle. The fact that they were still on the eastern side of the Spine meant they were on the same side as Tenebris, but the fact that the forest here was deciduous and the environment much more arid had to place them much further south. Argent took the map and carefully stowed it away in his belongings as Gauge thanked Teo and the Elder for the information, before the two excused themselves and headed back into town.  Looking around, Argent couldn’t help but feel a rush of happiness from the scenic outdoor terrain, even if he was standing in a village suffering from a monster infestation.

“Alright. Prep time. Last stop before the wilds.”

Gauge said with finality. 

“Anything fresh on your list after our little meeting?”

“Well.. I’d like to see if the town has an herbalist, or an apothecary of some sort.”

Argent started, looking downward and pulling back his cloak in order to run his fingers along the shells slotted at his belt. There were three specialized points for affixing the ammunition fired by his pistols, each capable of holding five pieces.

“I wasn’t expecting this kind of work, you know. I’m not carrying a lot of rounds.”

He stated pointedly, taking another jab at the rogue for hiding the fact that they were going out for contract work.  Gauge shrugged, still unapologetic for his decision on the matter.

“Sure, but what are you looking for? Can you make shells out here?”

The alchemist shook his head.

“No.. Well, yes, but not reasonably.  Enough that it may as well be a no… But I have a plan.”

“Oh? Care to tell?”

A few minutes passed as the two discussed their options, Argent laying out his intentions in detail whilst Gauge brought his own suggestions to the table.  The implementation of tactics would require both of their skills in synergy, but it was a level of joint operation the two of them could easily pull off.  Nodding in unison, the pair consolidated their ideas and headed off in search of an apothecary.  They found one with the help and direction of a few locals, nestled away on the west side of town closest to the forest.  A logical spot for it, as it were.  The boys made their approach, but the atmosphere around the small herbalist's hut took a turn for the worse the more of it they saw.  Outside under a makeshift partition were rows of bedrolls, perhaps a dozen or so, laid up with injured townsfolk.  They seemed to be delirious, in and out of consciousness, some groaning in their fitful sleep whilst others stared into the leather canopy stretched above.

“... I don’t like this.”

“Shh.”

Gauge quieted his companion, pointing to a pair of young girls moving between the rows of bedridden townsfolk administering aid.  Neither could have been older than twenty, but the taller of the two took notice of their observation and stood up, brushing herself off.

“Ah, apologies.. Did you need something from the shop?”

She asked, moving towards the edge of the makeshift medical enclosure to be closer to the boys. The smaller girl glanced over for a moment, looking them over before going back to what she was doing. Argent found it difficult to pull his eyes away from the casualties.  He couldn’t see well from where they stood, but something about their condition didn’t seem right. He swore there was the faintest tinge of purple leaking from beneath some of their bandages...  Gauge cleared his throat, giving Argent a nudge.

“Right, sorry.. Yes.  Would you happen to have the items and quantities listed here?”

He handed over a piece of paper torn from his notebook.  The girl looked it over curiously, nodded her head, and called out to her younger sister.

“Julie, can you gather this up for me?”

She asked while holding out the paper.  Julie took it carefully and read it over, heading into the shop without a word.

“I’m Eophi, by the way.. That was an interesting list, seems you know your herbs. Dare I ask what you’re using them for?”

Argent hesitated to answer. He wasn’t sure if the word to describe the slight tone to Eophi’s voice was skeptical or suspicious, but it was definitely one of the two.  

“Just a little bit of work.”

He responded at last, as Julie came out with a basket containing the requested supplies. Argent paid for the goods with Tenebrian coins, something which earned him another sideways look from the girls. Just as they were about to start making him feel as if he had done something wrong, Gauge took him by the shoulder and turned them away from the shop and towards the woodline.

“Thanks much!”

He called back to the girls with a smile, though no sooner than they were out of earshot, he scowled and swore under his breath.

“That bitch.. Makes me uncomfortable.”

“She’s.. Probably just stressed out?”

Argent tried to defend her a little, not certain if the exchange had been extreme enough to warrant calling Eophi by obscenities. Gauge shook his head.

“No, you don’t get it. I mean she makes me uncomfortable. She’s off.”

He stressed the point again, with an emphasis on specific words that Argent had gradually learned to understand from the rogue’s point of view in context. Gauge possessed the aspect of Psyche, a sphere which gave him access to a wide array of intuition based arts...  Arts like Sense Aura, Sense Alignment, and Empathy.  All abilities which could help one peer through the true windows of someone’s self, if their mind was not well defended.  Deciding not to ask specifically what that meant, Argent tucked the tidbit away and moved the subject along.

“It’s unfortunate.. I would have liked to look closer at some of the wounded. I might have been able to help.”

“Maybe, maybe not. It doesn’t really matter either way.”

“Hm?”

“We’re not here to treat a symptom, Argent. We’re here to stop the cause. You can’t get distracted trying to help every little thing along the way.”

“..A-...ah…”

It stung when Gauge put it that way, but he was right.  They weren’t here to do everything for everyone. It wasn’t as though he were capable of doing so, either.  Priorities. Several of Instructor Liamra’s lectures stuck out in his mind, lessons about the importance of accepting limitations and applying oneself within practical limits. Solving what was solvable, and avoiding what wasn't until it was. 'Knowing when to hold or fold', as Gauge might put it.  Admittedly Argent wasn’t very good at that yet. His companion patted him knowingly on the back.

“You’re too soft for your own good... It’s not entirely bad, but I don’t want to see it hurt you someday, either.”

“Thanks. I’ll do my best to remember.”

“That’s the spirit. Now lets hoof it, it's almost midday."

Argent looked up at the sky.  Sure enough, the sun lingered near the middle of the crisp mountain air, casting a warm light over the town which seemed deceptively cheerful. If they wanted to get into the woods with enough daylight to get any work done today, then time was of the essence.  The ratios on the map suggested they had a hike of at least six miles inland before they reached the final edge of the orchards, and another mile beyond that to reach where the river flowed into the natural forest beyond.  Given they were traveling relatively light, if the two of them kept up a good pace they ought to be able to get there in two hours.

“I wonder what time the sun sets around here…”

The alchemist mused, shielding his eyes as he continued to watch the clouds. He stared out at the shapes they formed and lost for a while, taking in the sights before adjusting the final details on his pack.  That was that.  It was time.  Any hesitancy founded in their unauthorized contract work was lost in that moment, overwritten entirely by excitement.  Argent felt a rush as the wind kissed his cheeks, his boots crisp against the dirt trail beneath them.  With everything in order, the two members of X13 nodded purposefully at one another, beginning their trek into the forest depths.