A new day dawned over the refugee camp, the air crisp with the early morning chill. Sunlight filtered through the thin canvas of the tents, waking some villagers who rose to start their day while others remained nestled in their makeshift beds, savoring a few more moments of rest. Among them were Arnolt and Xiona, sharing a small tent together.
Arnolt stirred first, blinking against the light. He found himself tightly held by a still-sleeping Xiona, her arms wrapped around him with surprising strength for someone so petite. He sighed quietly, knowing she had insisted he get proper rest, but he could not stay in bed much longer. Gently, he nudged her.
"Xiona, wake up," he whispered.
"Mmm… no…" she mumbled, burying her face into his shoulder. "Five more minutes…"
Arnolt chuckled softly. "Come on, we should get up. There's a whole day ahead of us."
Reluctantly, Xiona loosened her grip and opened her eyes, blinking sleepily at him. "You're too stubborn," she grumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "But fine… I'm up."
They stretched and yawned as they exited the tent, the cool morning air hitting them. Outside, the camp was already bustling with activity as some villagers prepared breakfast over open fires. The scent of cooking food wafted through the air, making Arnolt's stomach growl.
"Let's go find your parents," Arnolt suggested.
They weaved through the rows of tents and soon spotted Xiona's parents, Meredynn and Erleed, near a large fire where they were helping prepare breakfast. Meredynn was busy stirring a pot of porridge while Erleed sliced bread. They looked up as the children approached.
"Good morning," Meredynn greeted warmly. "Did you sleep well?"
"More or less," Xiona replied, still looking groggy. "We were just about to grab something to eat."
"Join us here," Erleed said, gesturing to the food they were preparing. "We're making sure everyone gets a good meal this morning."
Before Arnolt and Xiona could reply, Tyrina approached with a cheerful smile. "Morning, you two!" she called out. "I was just about to fetch you. How about we go into town for breakfast? There's a place that serves the best morning rolls—you have to try them."
Meredynn glanced at Xiona and Arnolt with a knowing smile. "You two should go with her," she said, wiping her hands on her apron. "Your dad and I have plenty of work to do here."
"Are you sure?" Xiona asked, glancing between her parents and Tyrina.
"Of course," Erleed replied. "There's bound to be better food in town than porridge and bread. You two go ahead. We'll see you later."
Tyrina grinned, clapping her hands together. "Great! Let's get going before the best stalls are sold out. You don't want to miss this."
Arnolt and Xiona exchanged a glance before nodding, their spirits lifting as they followed Tyrina toward the town gates, eager to see what kind of food awaited them.
As they approached the town center, the lively atmosphere of Dharmeis greeted them. The streets were lined with stalls offering everything from freshly baked bread to sizzling meat skewers. The scent of roasting meat, pastries, and spiced cider filled the air, making their mouths water.
Tyrina led the way, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "This is one of the best markets in the region," she said, barely containing her enthusiasm. "You can find almost anything here if you know where to look."
Arnolt and Xiona followed closely, their eyes wide with curiosity as they passed stall after stall. One vendor sold crusty wheat bread, golden loaves piled high on his cart. Another grilled meat skewers over an open flame, the savory smell irresistible. They stopped to sample a few items, Tyrina insisting they try everything.
"Here, you'll love this," Tyrina said, handing Xiona a small, meat-stuffed bread roll. Xiona took a bite, her eyes lighting up as the warm, flavorful filling hit her tongue. "It's delicious!"
Arnolt grabbed a meat skewer from another stall. The meat was perfectly seasoned, tender, and juicy, just as Tyrina had promised. "You're right," he said between bites. "This is amazing."
They continued exploring, eventually finding a cozy spot near the town hall where they could sit and enjoy their food. Tyrina, true to her generous nature, paid for everything, waving off their attempts to contribute. The three of them sat together, enjoying their meal in the warmth of the morning sun.
Arnolt bit into his toasted wheat bread, savoring the hearty flavor that paired perfectly with a bowl of meat-vegetable mix in his other hand. Xiona was delighted by her choice of meat-stuffed bread, warm chicken soup, and sweet apple juice, each sip lifting her spirits. Tyrina enjoyed a large meat skewer, a hefty sandwich, and a tankard of ale, her good mood infectious.
As they finished their meal, Tyrina stretched and stood up, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Ready for the next stop? Let me show you the guild. It's just around the corner."
They followed her through the bustling streets, the market gradually giving way to quieter, more organized sections of the town. The guild building stood grand and distinct, its large double doors bearing the insignia of Venatoria—steel etched with the image of two hunters, each holding a dagger and a magic staff.
Inside, they were greeted by many new faces, and among them was a familiar one—Jaaka, who grinned widely when he saw them. "Good to see you both! Tyrina's taken you on a bit of an adventure, I see."
Xiona nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. "She definitely did."
Grennyn appeared soon after, his expression brightening when he saw the two of them. "Well, look who's here," he said. His words caught Arnolt's attention. "Want to look around your future workplace? Go ahead."
Before the conversation could go further, the guild master entered the room. A man of impressive stature, his presence commanded respect. He greeted them warmly, his eyes briefly scanning the group before settling on Arnolt.
"Welcome to our guild," he said, his voice a deep rumble. "You must be the survivors from Hingr Wynd, Grennyn has told me about your village. You have my condolences."
Arnolt nodded, more firmly this time. "Thank you, sir."
"I heard you'll be joining the guild. I also heard that you are a gifted spear user," the guild master said.
"I wouldn't say that, sir. I've been training for years, but I still have much to learn," Arnolt replied, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Ha-ha, ever so modest, these young ones. Please, call me Garthen," the guild master said, introducing himself.
"Since you'll be joining the guild soon, why not prove yourself if you're ready to be an adventurer?" Garthen suggested, walking toward the guild quest board.
Arnolt looked confused, but before he could say anything, Garthen pulled a monster subjugation notice from the board.
"Tyrina! This is a beast subjugation quest for Veir to Uiri-ranked adventurers. I believe you should take our young friend here with you and see it through."
Arnolt, surprised, exclaimed, "Wait, what?! Hold on, I—"
"Excellent idea, Guild Master!" Tyrina said excitedly, cutting off Arnolt. "This young man is definitely up to the task, and I will prove it."
Arnolt, growing more confused, tried to protest, "Wait, please! I'm not even an adventurer yet. I can't just go on a monster hunting quest."
"As a matter of fact, you can," Garthen corrected. "It's called apprenticeship, and it's a common practice for soon-to-be adventurers to be paired with their seniors. And I can tell you're already qualified for this kind of quest. Praise to you!"
The whole guild erupted into cheers, the adventurers celebrating while the guild receptionists clapped their hands. Xiona, excited, encouraged her cousin, "Arnolt, did you hear that? You're going to have your first guild quest before you're even an adventurer! That's great! I just wish I could go with you."
Arnolt, frightened by Xiona's enthusiasm, looked at Tyrina, knowing what she was about to say, and tried to stop her in vain. "You can, Xiona! I'll ask the guild master to let you join us."
Xiona's face lit up with excitement, while Arnolt's expression was one of shock, his hands grabbing his head in disbelief.
"I see the younger one wants to join too, hmm," Garthen pondered, then glanced at Grennyn, who gave a simple nod. "Very well, you shall be allowed to join them. Have a great hunt out there. Ha-ha-ha!" Garthen ended his sentence with a hearty laugh.
Arnolt, in utter disbelief, looked at Grennyn with an intense frown, silently showing his displeasure.
"Hey, I didn't foresee this, okay?" Grennyn said, raising his arms in a gesture of innocence. "You guys came to the guild by yourselves."
"Ugh… how did things turn out like this? We were here for breakfast." Arnolt muttered, feeling defeated.
With no other choice, they prepared to leave the town and headed to the location where their quest awaited them.