Taking the request tag to the raven-haired receptionist that had helped him earlier Marcus tired to get her to register him for the request.
"Are you really sure you want to take this request, the journey to Loursend is long and dangerous especially if you are guarding cargo. I really would recommend that you take some easier requests before trying this. Please I do not want to hear about how another newbie adventurer who got in over their head and ended up dead, and with your looks it is likely that something a lot worse than simply being killed will happen to you."
As the thoughtful but nosey receptionist fervently tried to get Marcus to reconsider his decision, he shook his head and said, "I really have to get to Loursend no matter what, and you need not worry about me I am pretty tough and can handle myself."
Resigned that Marcus would not change his mind the receptionist signed him up as a member of the escort mission and handed him a tag and saying that when he arrives in Loursend to give it to the guild hall there and he would receive his payment.
'Well, she made a bit of a scene there but, I managed to sign up for a mission to Loursend, and hey maybe I will get lucky, and a high-level adventure will be part of the guard and I will not have to do any work.'
After leaving the adventures guild Marcus went in search of something he was hoping to get ahold of but was not a necessity. Unfortunately, after searching around for a few hours, he came up empty.
'It was a bit of a pipe dream, but I could not find a portable tub that I could buy, the cheapest one I found was ten silver which is currently way out of my price range.'
Mourning his inability to obtain a portable tub Marcus made his way back to the Invulnerable Tortoise Inn and requisition the tub for another long soak.
'Ah this hits the spot; it feels great to let the hot water seep into my muscles and wipe away the fatigue. Too bad this will be my last bath for a while, from here on out it will be dumping water on myself from a bucket.'
Once he had thoroughly bathed Marcus got out of the tub and began practicing magic until night fall, and astonishingly during his training session Marcus made a breakthrough right as the sun was setting.
'Nice lightning magic level two and with it the tier two spell lightning javelin. Now that sounds like a cool name for a spell, I bet it is pretty powerful too.
Marcus then cast the lightning javelin spell and a one and a half foot lightning bolt manifested in his hand.
'Awesome now this is a spell, it is kind of like the flame blade spell except I imagine I can throw it at enemies from afar. It cost eighty MP to cast so I cannot just go around slinging these like crazy, but it is another weapon for my arsenal. Um how do I get rid of it, maybe it will dissipate if I wait a bit.'
After waiting for a few minutes Marcus grew a bit impatient and figured that the bolt would disappear if he let go of it. However, contrary to his expectations, when he let go of the lightning javelin it shot forward and into the wall of the room striking a hole into the wall and catching it on fire. Marcus then frantically ran over and dumped some water from his item box on the fire and after it was out, he moved the chair in the room in front of the hole he had just made.
'That should cover it up, I really should not practice spells for the first time in indoor spaces, next time I could burn down a whole building.'
Once he had finished critiquing himself Marcus crawled into bed preparing to get a good nights rest knowing he had an early day tomorrow.
Waking up before the sun Marcus prepared himself while being excited and nervous. Once he was finished with his morning preparations he headed downstairs and returned his room key. Making his way towards the adventures guild the first beams of light were beginning to crest over the horizon.
'What a nice sunrise really gets me pumped for my first mission like the sun is cheering me on.'
When he arrived, he noticed three carts waiting outside on the street near the guild hall. There were already four other people who looked like adventures standing around having arrived even earlier than Marcus.
'These guys must be real professionals since they made it here before me even though I left around an hour early. Oh well I guess I should introduce myself.'
"Hello, is this the caravan that is heading to Loursend today I am one of the adventures that signed up to be a guard."
Everyone then stared at Marcus in disbelief as this unarmed, unarmored young girl had just announced herself as a guard. However, Marcus did possess the tag proving he was indeed an adventure tasked with guarding this group of merchants, that was when the young leader of the merchants stepped up and introduced himself.
"Um hi there my name is Tha-THAdieus, and I am uh leading this trip for my father's company, what might your name be miss."
'Wow he is nervous I figure this might be his first big journey without his father. Oops I need to introduce myself before this gets more awkward.'
"Ah yes my name is Irene, and I am a copper rank adventure, I will make sure to do my best to make sure you stay safe during this journey."
Hearing Marcus's introduction the other adventures gave him slightly disdainful looks hearing his rank, while the young merchant on the other hand was looking at him like a lost puppy ready to follow him home.
'Augh I get that Irene is attractive, but I am certainly not going to reciprocate this guy's puppy love, he does not even look like he is older than sixteen. Whatever I am just going to have to get used to being ogled for now.'
Once he had introducing himself to the other merchants Marcus headed over to talk with his fellow adventures.
"Hello, I am Irene nice to meet all of you, I guess we will be working together on this mission."
One of the less polite members of the party then responded to Marcus.
"Yeah, we heard you earlier, I cannot believe your nerve, you are just looking for a safe trip to Loursend hoping that the rest of us will protect you."
After his rude outburst, the leader of the party interrupted him and chimed in.
"That's enough Jasper we do not know her situation, though miss you should reconsider going on this trip. I have seen plenty of adventures hoping to get a free ride to certain destinations going unprepared and they often in up hurt or dead. You do not have any weapons or armor that I can see, and you must have recently become an adventure. I do not mean to be rude, but we do not have time to take care of you just because you are pretty."
Marcus then understood why they had been treating him with ire, he looked like a completely unarmed young girl they would have to protect along with their clients.
"Sorry I realize I may not look like much, but I am pretty tough and can hold my own."
Marcus then cast his iron skin spell followed by flame blade making sure to use the chants as to not arouse suspicion.
"As you can see, I can use magic to produce armor and weapons whenever I need so you do not have to worry about me being dead weight."
Seeing Marcus' spells, the four men had shocked expressions on there faces with their mouths hanging open and their eyes bulging. The group then started a round of apologies when everyone noticed four more adventures approaching the carts, rounding out the adventures signed up for this mission.