Aunty May packed us a bunch of food like before but also made a package for Grace and Helen. We thanked Aunt May and Uncle Ben for their generosity, bidding them farewell and promising to visit as often as we could.
"Stay safe!!!!" Aunt May yelled at us as we made our way into the city, Uncle Ben staying silent giving us a nod.
"Can you believe how much food we have???!! Everyone at home would be so jealous!!!" Helen said full with glee.
"Your Aunt is amazing for feeding us and giving all this for free..." Helen said to Daisy.
"Yeah she's awesome." Daisy replied.
"Yeah... She did the same for us the first time we came around..." I added.
"So where we off to???..." Daisy asked.
"Hmmm probably ask some guards." Jay replied.
"Ohhh there's one!!" I pointed at a group of three similarly armoured men armed with spears and plate armour walking amongst the crowd.
"Excuse me!!!" Grace yelled causing the guards to instantaneously turn around and walk to us.
"What can we do for you citizen???!!" they asked as they arrived.
"Hi we wanted to help in the evacuation operations." we replied.
"Ohhh ....." they looked at us in shock.... "You will need to sign up at the barracks." they answered and proceeded to give us directions to the barracks.
"Thank you!!!" we replied setting off.
"Good luck!!" They shouted back.
Making our way through the town it got less and less busy as we approached the Barracks, the high raised walls blocked our view inside, the sound of clanging metal and yelling could be heard within the walls. Looking around for the entrance we came upon two stationed guards on each side of a large gate.
"Halt!" they yelled seeing up heads towards them, the other gave one a nod before bang on the gate causing three to appear on the wall with crossbows aimed at us.
"Wait wait wait....." Jay yelled, "We came to help in the evacuation." He explained.
The two outside looked suspiciously at us, "come closer he" instructed us. We carefully walked closer to the two at the gate making sure we didn't look like we was doing anything dodgy.
"Someone call the captain." One yelled over the gate, as they both walked up to us. "You want to join in the evacuations???.." they asked.
"Yeah we was told by someone that there might be some Paid work...." Jay replied.
"We aren't paying much..... But the extra hands does help..... What experiences do you have??.." They asked.
"First year Atlantis students." We replied.
"Hmmm..... You'll defiantly need to convince our captain....." they replied.
"But you said extra hands would be nice..." I replied.
".... Atlantis students are very important.... and only allowed to assist if the king permits it." One explained.
"Yup.... we can't risk losing you precious snowflakes...." the other said sounding extremely obnoxious disliking us for no reason.
"Now Now George stand down... there's no need to be so rude to our guests." A tall armoured gentleman walked out of the gates adorned with very impressive looking ornate plate armour with a Tabard of a Lion, his long flowing golden blonde hair along with a full thick beard made him look very important almost aristocratic.
The two soldiers instantly withdrew saluting as the captain came walking between then.
"Sir this group-" One solider began briefing the captain.
"Enough Private back to your posts." He said interrupting him and waving them off.
"Greetings I am Captain Diaz, what brings you young Adult here?.." He asked.
"Umm... Captain... Sir... we would like to help in the Evacuation efforts." Helen politely asked.
"Please just call me Captain." He replied with a smile, "Certainly .... Do you have any previous training or combat?.." He asked.
"Ummm.... We have been in combat... If that counts.." Helen replied.
"Okay.. follow me we'll talk somewhere more private" He said leading the way, one of the solders banged on the door a three times letting the solders inside know to open the gates.
The barracks consisted of only large building filled mostly with men sparring and doing drills with swords and other weapons, it was similar to Paul's Training room.. there was a large sand pit.... Archery Targets.... Assault Course. Some of the Solders whistled at us as we walked pass earning them clap to the back of their head. "Boys will be boys..." The Captain commented opening the doors to the building to let us in "Please ignore their childish behaviours." He replied. We entered into a hall way with more guards posted every few meters on both sides of the hall way, saluting as the captain entered.
"This way." he said leading us through the hall way into a large room reeking of Tabaco. It was extremely messy in the centre stood a large rectangular tables, behind it stacks and stacks of papers and a large padded comfortable chair. Surprisingly one tidy cabinet stood on the side adorned with fine ornaments and ornate weapons, on top of it various small frames of beautifully drawn and painted pictures of people, one picture of a beautiful fair skinned blonde elf stood out standing with a young man with short golden blonde hair wearing simple clothes.
The captain began ruffling through some papers, "Ahh here we are..." he said pulling out a stack of papers taking a seat.
"So... what sort of combat experience have you had?.." He said looking at us clasping his hands together eagerly waiting for our response.
"....... To be totally honest with you... we are First years of Atlantis.... Some of us have had combat experience." Jay explained to him.
"Well..... That changes everything.... I'm sorry to tell you that we aren't allowed to take you with us." He replied.
"But why not we just want to help..." Helen asked.
"I know it sucks... but that is the way we operate.... I can't allow you to help us unless the King has or his council has allowed it..." He answered us.
"But why?..." Grace asked.
"Because Atlantis students are important..... Losing one is a big deal so I'm not allowed to put you at risk..." He replied, "If I was ever caught doing such a thing they would strip me of my rank." The captain explained.
"Hmmm..... Okay... We understand..... Thank you for your time..." He thanks the Captain.
"I'm sorry, my hands were tied." He replied with a wave.
"Come on guys lets go..." Jay instructed us leaving the room.
"Bye..." we all bid farewell to the Captain.
"Well that was a waste of time...." Grace said as we made our way through the hallway.
"Yeah just a little bit.... but there's other ways we can find the information we need." He replied leading us back to the market district. "If I remember correctly there should be a town crier..... Somewhere..." He said trying to listen for the bell sounds.
"Ohhh yeah... they normal yell the recent news right?.." I asked.
"Yup..." Jay replied.
"Ohhh I think I hear some bell sounds!" Grace and Helen said pointing down a crowded street..
We made our way through the streets into what seemed to be another town square, huge crowds of people walking around, children playing on the streets, a small park area where children and family seemed to be spending their weekend.
Near the fountain stood a slim man on a makeshift pedestal made of a wooden carrying box with a bell in one hand reading a sheet. "Ohh I think that's him." I said pointing at the gentleman.
"Ohh looks like it..." Jay said quickly running towards him. "Excuse me Sir!.... May I ask you a few questions?..." He asked.
"You can ask anything for abit of coin." The gentleman replied to him.
"Really?... you literally tell the news... to everyone." Jay argued.
"Aye... but this seems like a perfect opportunity to earn some extra coin." He said winking at Jay.
"Fine... How much..." Jay asked looking unamused.
"Hmmm depends what information you're looking for." He replied to Jay with a smile.
"I would like to know which cities were most recently hit by goblins." Jay asked him.
"Hmm..... that would cost you 20 silver..." He replied to Jay.
"....... Fine..." Jay begrudgingly agreed taking out some silver coins and angrily putting it into his opened palm.
"Thank you sir your business is much appreciated.." He said with a smug smile happily pocketing Jay's coins in his shirt. "Well the most recent sightings Stonemill, Silvermoore, Pinecrest and Fairhill." He answered him.
"Hmmmm they're all still pretty far..." Jay replied.
"What else is on the news..." Jay asked.
The town crier gave him another smug smile raising his eyebrows leaving out an open palm without even saying anything.
"....... how much to see your paper?.." Jay asked.
"Hmmmm 60 silver." The town crier asked after taking a few seconds to think.
"THAT'S RIDICULOUS!!! I'm not gonna pay that much!!!" Jay complained at him.
"Well..... Looks like you're not gonna see what's on my paper." he replied to jay pulling it away from him, "Now go away I have a job to do." He said turning away from Jay.
"How about I give you 1 gold for your paper." I offered.
"Deal Madam." He replied handing me the paper courteously.
"Thank you." I said taking it off him and flicking him a gold coin faking a smile.
"A pleasure doing business Madam." He said taking a bow.
Walking off we looked for quiet place to read the paper. "So what shall we do?.." Grace asked.
"Hmmmm.... Sadly the places Goblins have been sighted are still over 3 days travel away.... so.... we can't help out there...." Jay replied and began reading the news.
"Says here.... increase disappearance of children, someone seems to be robbing the dead, increase in animal attacks due to the goblins....."
"Ummm.... Excuse me..." A very small elderly woman wearing a brown cardigan and glasses said to us.
"Hi…. Yes?...." Daisy replied looking a little confused.
"Hi... are you boy and girls from Atlantis?.." She asked.
"Why yes we are... may I ask why?.." Daisy asked her politely.
"Ummm..Ummm... could you help me find my son?.....please..." She asked
"Ummm..." Daisy looked around panicked, quickly taking her hands she led her to some empty steps and helped her sit down.
"Guys.... this lady needs help." Daisy said to us.
"So I'm Daisy this is Helen, Grace, Emilia and Jay." She said to the elderly woman introducing us to her.
"I'm so sorry to trouble you.... The Guards say they don't have enough hands to launch a search party..... And I'm awfully worried I haven't seen my son in over three days..." She said pleading us.
"Okay... okay... calm down..... First tell us your name...." Daisy said with a smile trying to comfort her.
"Ummm..... mmmm my name is Josalyn." She answered Daisy.
Helen sat next to her to try and make her feel more comfortable, "Can you calmly describe to us what happened?.." Helen asked.
"My son..... He told me he accepted a job to go into this cave not far from here... and now I haven't seen him for days! Can you please help me..." She begged.
"Don't worry we'll help...." Jay reassured her.
"Could you tell us his name?.." I asked.
"Tolum, Tolum Feathermore..." She answered.
"Okay.... we'll take you home..... And then we'll head to the cave to search for your son okay?.." I asked.
"Ummm.... Okay..." She quietly agreed.