A frail-looking girl blinked her sharp orange eyes as she stirred from her slumber, feeling the rhythmic jostle of the carriage through the wood beneath her.
Her long ginger hair, tied back at the bottom with a red ribbon, swayed gently with the motion.
She cast a glance around her and at the three armored figures in the carriage with her, their faces obscured by helmets and visors, noting the tension in their postures.
Outside, the landscape rolled past in a blur of greens and browns, the occasional flash of sunlight breaking through the dense canopy overhead.
They were traveling through a dense forest, the air thick with the scent of pine and damp earth.
Nect shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable. She wasn't sure how competent the three musketeers were or why they were so heavily geared, but it was adventurers' etiquette to not to pry into others' business.
Instead, she focused on her surroundings, taking in every detail with keen observation.
The carriage rattled on, the only sound the steady clip-clop of the horses' hooves on the dirt road.
Nect leaned back against the worn wood of the carriage wall, her mind drifting as she watched the trees pass by.
She was used to the solitude of travel, her only companion, her staff and money in her pockets.
'Being partnered with a trio of dorks is going to be such a hassle.'
Nect sighed softly to herself, resigning to the company of the strangers for the duration of the journey. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at the disruption to her solitary routine.
'Nevertheless, adaptability is a necessary trait for survival.' She reminded herself.
Nect glanced out the carriage window, watching as the forest thinned and the landscape gradually shifted from dense woodland to open fields.
She could see the distant silhouette of a village on the horizon, its rooftops gleaming in the sunlight.
The armored figures opposite her stirred, their movements restricted by the bulk of their gear.
Nect noted the way they glanced at each other nervously, exchanging terse whispers beneath the clatter of the carriage.
Curiosity tugged at Nect's thoughts, she tried to push it aside.
But as the carriage drew closer to the village, her curiosity got the better of her. With a quiet sigh, she decided to break her own rule and speak up.
"Are we nearing our destination?" she asked, her voice calm but carrying a hint of authority.
The three figures turned to look at her. For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the creaking of the carriage and the distant calls of birds in the trees.
"Yes," One of them finally replied, his voice muffled by his helmet but still noticeably shakey. "We're approaching Wildhallow."
"Jeez, if you're all so scared, why take this request in the first place? Why even become adventurers?" Nect was now officially pissed.
She could tell by their body language and tone of voice that they were inexperienced, likely greenhorns fresh out of training.
The realization only served to fuel her annoyance. She had little patience for incompetence, especially when it came to matters of life and death.
At least she guessed it was life or death, what other reason would the guild have to forcibly assign her this request.
The armored figures exchanged uneasy glances, clearly uncomfortable under Nect's scrutiny. Finally, one of them, a young man with a nervous stutter, spoke up.
"We... We didn't have much of a choice," he admitted, his voice wavering. "We're just recruits, sent on this mission by the guild. They said it was urgent."
Nect arched an eyebrow, her sharp orange eyes narrowing with skepticism. "Urgent?" she repeated, her voice laced with disbelief.
"I didn't know urgent insinuated sending a squad of rookies in before the veterans."
"Honestly, what is the guild doing nowadays?" Nect shut her eyes and rested her head back on the wall of the carriage.
The young man shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his gaze dropping to his hands clenched tightly in his lap.
"We... we weren't told the details," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Just that there's something in Wildhallow that needs dealing with. Something... dangerous."
"Quit bitching around, it's not like you guys have to do anything." Nect remarked, her tone sharp.
She understood the apprehension of the recruits, remembering her own early days as an adventurer.
But she couldn't afford to let their inexperience jeopardize the mission.
"Wh-what do you mean?" A female voice rang from one of the armored three.
Nect sighed inwardly, feeling a twist of frustration at the naivety of the recruits.
She shuffled in her seat once more, adjusting the strap of her satchel as she turned her attention back to the conversation.
"I mean," she began, her voice calm but firm, "that you're in the hands of one of the guild's top three."
"Second in S-Rank, third in overall contributions and first in strength displayed in the entirety of Pearlmire. Nect Arine."
As Nect's declaration hung in the air, the armored figures exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions hidden behind their helmets.
The weight of her reputation settled into the cramped space of the carriage.
"Y-you're Nect Arine?" the three of them stammered, their voices tinged with awe.
Nect gave a nonchalant shrug, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the carriage window.
"That's right," she confirmed, her tone betraying none of the irritation she felt at being interrupted from her thoughts. "Believe or not, it'll all be shown once we reach Wildhallow."
The recruits fell into a stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief.
It was clear they hadn't expected to find themselves in the presence of such a renowned adventurer.
"You're... you're a legend," The final person whispered, his voice barely audible over the clatter of the carriage wheels.
Nect couldn't help but smirk at the remark, a hint of amusement dancing in her orange eyes.
"Legend, huh?" she mused, her lips quirking into a wry smile. "Well, I suppose everyone needs a hobby."
The recruits exchanged uncertain glances, unsure how to respond to Nect's dry humor.
Suddenly, the carriage lurched to a halt, jolting Nect from her reverie. She blinked in surprise, casting a puzzled glance at the armored figures opposite her.
Outside, the sounds of bustling activity filled the air, mingling with the murmur of voices and the distant clang of metal.
"We're here," the carriage driver announced, his voice tinged with nervousness. "Wildhallow."
Nect nodded in acknowledgment, pushing aside her irritation at the interruption.
She knew there was no time for hesitation, no room for error in their mission.
With a resigned sigh, she rose to her feet, her muscles protesting the cramped confines of the carriage.
"Alright, let's get this over with," she declared, her voice firm with determination. "Any more human interaction and I'll burn myself out."
With that, Nect stepped out of the carriage, tossing one shiny, golden coin to the driver as she departed into the bustling streets of Wildhallow.
Her fiery hair caught the sunlight as she strode purposefully forward.
Behind her, the recruits scrambled to follow, their armored forms, visors up and helmets off, clanking awkwardly in her wake.
One of the recruits was a woman with long blonde hair and big green eyes with a visible scar running down the side of her head.
The other two were men, one with a rugged appearance and a thick red beard, the other with a wiry frame and a head adorned with a crown of floppy black hair and milky brown eyes.
As they navigated through the crowded streets of Wildhallow, Nect's sharp eyes scanned the unfamiliar faces, taking note of the varied expressions that passed her by.
The recruits trailed behind her, their footsteps hesitant as they struggled to keep pace with her brisk stride.
She could feel their eyes on her, their awe and apprehension palpable in the air.
Nect resisted the urge to roll her eyes, reminding herself that their inexperience was not their fault.
Instead, she focused on the task at hand, her mind already calculating the best course of action.
"What do you all specialize in?" She asked, her voice cutting through the din of the bustling marketplace.
The recruits exchanged uncertain glances, their expressions tense. One of them, the young woman spoke up with a nervous tremor in her voice.
"I-I'm a Mage of Light," she stammered, her hands fidgeting nervously at her sides. "I specialize in restorative magic and support spells."
Nect nodded in acknowledgment, filing away the information for future reference.
A healer would be invaluable in their mission, especially if they encountered any injuries or setbacks along the way, but there was one issue.
"Why so heavily geared?"
As the healer hesitated, unsure how to respond to Nect's inquiry, another of the recruits, the burly man with a gruff red beard, spoke up.
"We were given orders to come prepared for anything," he explained, his voice rough with tension. "The guild didn't specify the nature of the threat in Wildhallow, so we had to err on the side of caution."
"Even so, what good healer jeopardizes their agility for defense?" Nect asked, her tone sharp with criticism.
"You won't be of much use if you can't keep up with the pace of battle or dodge the enemy while we attack."
The healer flinched at Nect's words, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, the third recruit, the wiry young man with a nervous twitch in his eye, stepped forward.
"I-I'm an arcane mage," he stammered. "I specialize in offensive arcane magic and can cast a few elemental spells."
Nect nodded in acknowledgment, her expression unreadable beneath the shadow of her hood.
"And you?" she asked, turning her attention to the final recruit, the man with a beard.
"I'm a guardian," he declared, his voice strong. "I specialize in heavy melee weapons and tanking attacks."
Nect let out a sinister smile, revealing a sharp set of teeth. Her body trembled as she attempted to stifle a laugh, the sound low and menacing in the crowded streets.
"Hey, hey, hey! This team is utterly shit," Nect's words cut through the air like a whip, causing the recruits to flinch in surprise.
She paid no mind to their discomfort, her gaze fixed on the bustling marketplace ahead.
She craned over, still trying to stop herself from laughing. "A Mage of Light unaware of the basics of being a healer."
"A half-baked arcane mage with no real mastery over his magic. An elementalist and a guardian.
Three mages and a guardian, could they have come up with a shittier team composition?" Nect's voice boomed.