I started walking around the camp alone after separating myself from the rest of the group. I head in the direction where I believe Raziel's tent is, but after searching for a while I haven't found it.
Could it be that my luck is that bad and his group isn't at camp, come to think of it that's a pretty realistic scenario. My team hasn't been at the camp very long since this part of the test started, why should other teams stay here then?
When I sighed because I thought I was in trouble I saw my salvation, Ryas is walking in front of me with her hair wet, where did she shower? The water near the training ground is not very good for showering.
I run towards her.
"Ryas! I was looking for her team, I have an important topic for conversations with her team."
Surprised at my arrival she looked at me like I was an idiot she doesn't know, if I hadn't been so close to her, she would have kept walking away. Did I offend her without realizing it?
"What you want?"
"What hostility. I wanted to talk to her team about an alliance to do a mission."
"This is unexpected, why should I help you? We are not friends and I have no reason to trust your team."
She's annoyed with me for some reason, if her problem with me was something about not knowing or trusting my team she wouldn't have emphasized that we're not friends, which is true, but the way she said it it sounds more like we're enemies than known.
"To be precise, it's an alliance that both teams win, but it's not interesting to talk in an open place. How about we go someplace more enclosed, like some of your teammates' tent or your team leader's tent?"
"I hope this isn't a joke or a stupid idea. The team captain would not only be extremely angry but she could end up cursing and this curse would last until the end of the test, are you sure your idea is a good one?"
"Yes, but she's also crazy and risky. Would that be a plus or a minus?"
Ryas's hostile face dissolved into a sigh of defeat, her behavior today is quite strange.
"Unfortunately positive, the captain is pretty wild when she thinks the fight is going to be good. Please don't convince her to go on a suicide mission, we've almost died a few times since this test started."
"What a coincidence me too, but as we are 'friends' I will let you know that your captain will love my proposal."
About a chilling death glare that wasn't even focused on me, but was meant for me. I followed Ryas through the stalls until I entered a cheap stall which is normal, but there was a black circular symbol painted on the stall signaling the identity of the bar's owner.
I don't know this coat of arms, but when I enter the tent, I see a dark purple haired mage that is tied in a twisted braid. This hairstyle is very practical for a forest, this mage who should be the leader of Ryas and Raziel's team has the element of curse and shadow.
This is a pretty deadly combination of elements and when combined with the fact that she's in the final stage of the gray core having her on our side will make the hunt for the dragon's head easier.
She must have come from a family in the capital with a lot of power, her equipment is well customized and of good quality, all the pieces in the set are level three and the core of her staff is a dark purple crystal that contains a very large number of runes. engraved on it and a well-concentrated elemental energy of its two elements.
She is strong, I think I chose correctly this time. With an alliance of the two teams, we will be able to kill the little dragon.
"Good morning, I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I asked Ryas to bring me here so I could discuss an important matter with you. My name is Ulric and it's a pleasure to meet you."
As much as Ryas and I were stared at by her captain's deadly eyes.
"My name is N贸tt Gullveig, you must come from the southern region of the kingdom as you are friends with Ryas, but that means nothing to me. If this conversation is a waste of time, I will make you regret it."
"He's not my friend, he's Raziel's friend."
She's exactly like Ryas said, I hope after she finds out about the dragon she'll be excited about the hunt.
"I've been warned of this condition of yours before and I like it just like you I don't like to stall; I want your team and mine to form an alliance to hunt down a small flaming dragon."
From her shocked face it looks like she still doesn't know about the new missions. This is very good news.
"By your surprise I think you didn't find out about the new missions, today a new blackboard has been put up with six missions for students to choose from. Of the six missions my team opted for the possibility of taking a chance on two of them and the one we have the best chance of is hunting a small dragon."
"What are the other quests and their rewards?"
"The rewards are hidden, but they promise a lot of merit points and the group or groups that manage to complete one of them will have their rank shot up to a better placement. I will not waste my time explaining each mission to Lady Gullveig, time is of the essence for us."
"Killing a dragon is hard for my team to do alone, but it's still our best chance. For our hunt to have a much better chance of succeeding I need the help of a group that can weaken the dragon which is quite a challenge. Your team is perfect for this I know two members of theirs and they know members of mine, an alliance in these conditions is much safer as they don't screw up your allies for a chance of momentary profit during a test that separated you from your old allies."
A wild smile is on N贸tt's face, she is excited at the prospect of hunting a dragon. Ryas really knows their fearless leader.
"I don't like being cornered in a forced alliance, but I can bear it this time because of the urgent situation we find ourselves in right now. I want to know your exact plan no matter how superficial it is, during our conversation Ryas will meet the rest of my team and yours and have everyone prepare and verify that this mission still exists, do you agree to my terms?"
"Yes, see you soon Ryas. Our conversation here won't take long so you'd better run."
"I'll be off, try not to kill yourself in case you disagree about your suicidal plan to slay a dragon."
Ryas leaves the room, I turn my attention to N贸tt who is smiling.
"Obviously I don't know all of your team's capabilities so we'll have time to get to know each other better on the trip to where the dragon was seen, so my plan is one more idea. I want to attack the dragon at night to take advantage of the night and that the dragon should be slightly weaker or slower at night he is a cub after all."
"My team has a wind mage with a lesser focus on offensive spells, but that doesn't mean we have little firepower, but that his magic will be aimed at weakening the dragon and strengthening our movement ability. Without the air element for the dragon's flames to feed the dragon's main weapon will weaken, along with the water element, shadow and your team's curse the dragon will be even weaker."
"Obviously I don't know all of your team's capabilities so we'll have time to get to know each other better on the trip to where the dragon was seen, so my plan is one more idea. I want to attack the dragon at night to take advantage of the night and that the dragon should be slightly weaker or slower at night he is a cub after all."
"My team has a wind mage with a lesser focus on offensive spells, but that doesn't mean we have little firepower, but that his magic will be aimed at weakening the dragon and strengthening our movement ability."
"Without the air element for the dragon's flames to feed the dragon's main weapon will weaken, along with the water element, shadow and your team's curse the dragon will be even weaker."
"I see, even though each of us can weaken and bind the dragon for a short time when we stack all the skills and spells at the same time, their effect will be stacked on the dragon's body, but who will be the offensive the wind element? intensified by a mage and good but it would still be better to have more firepower than fire."
"Besides the wind we have ice and a bit of lightning enough to burn his flesh, but with the mobility of wind support magic in knots and chains restraining the dragon. We have a good chance of bleeding him to death, he is fierce but not very smart."
"Viable, we have Ryas and an ice warrior as well and a defensive warrior to stop the dragon. The ten of us together should be able to slay a baby dragon if we get good ground."
"A dark cave where the dragon rests are a great battleground, very dark and if it rains at night, we have the advantage in that area too."
"I'm in, but we have to discuss the division of loot."
"Half for each undiscussed group, the dragon body we recover and any other gains during the trip will be evaluated by the examiners and will be divided exactly into mine. That way there won't even be a form of quarrel or dispute over gains, any change or preference on the part of the spoils will be resolved with the help of a third party."
"I like you, Ulric, and the way you make an alliance. Sincerity and focus, this is the beginning of a great friendship and business partnership."
I shook N贸tt's hand and her predatory smile gave me a bad feeling, I don't think she's going to betray me, but I think I should keep my distance from her and keep her and Hilda far away.
"It's a pleasure to work with her team, but I think we'd better leave. We have the momentary advantage against the other groups, but this hunt is a race too."
"Yes, we better go. Is your team ready?"
"Basically, in less than an hour we should be in front of the matrix, but before that we should both go get the mission and register our alliance."
I think we have a good chance of slaying a dragon.