"What do you think I should get the repair enchantment on" Casey asked as they made there way to the blacksmiths. "You could do a harness like mine" he said. "Maybe just a belt I don't with some pouches. I don't think I need as many as you tho." They both laughed. "I actually I need a backpack to. Oh and a bedroll" Casey frowned "are you leaving?" She asked sadly. Casey had just started to get used to him being around and after her father's death she didn't like losing anyone. "No but it's good to be prepared. I don't know how to explain it. There's just like this feeling I have that won't let me relax, I always feel like I need to be ready for something bad to happen." She nodded " I understand, well ill get ready to. Maybe we'll go on a adventurer someday." Casey picked out a really good set of daggers and set them to the side. "We'll take these and you can have his old one" Casey said putting the cheep dagger on the counter as well. "I also want these" he said holding a nice shield wrapped in steel along with a matching short sword. "Do you want sheaths for any of these?" The smith asked "just the daggers" they paid and made there way back to her uncle's shop. "I was wondering why you bought those rings" she said watching as the shield disappeared from his left hand, followed by the sword in his right. He had bought a matching set of rings and placed one on each of his middle fingers. He reached out his hand like he was grabbing something and the shield appeared. Then opened his hand again and it disappeared. He repeated doing this several times really fast. "Thats pretty awesome, my uncle is the best." The last thing he had bought was a little metal flask with a leather holder for his belt. Her uncle had made it years ago when he was drunk. It would make any liquid inside never ending. But he had put water in to test it instead of booze and couldn't change it. When he sobered up he realized how dangerous something like this could be so he never created another one. He probably wouldn't have sold it but something about this boy and the way his niece looked at him change his mind.
They had delivered their gear to be enchanted by he uncle before heading out to do more shopping. That's when they ran into Jessica. "So I finally get to meet the mysterious Hardfall." Said Said playfully. "Hey Jessica, oh and by the way he is just are gest . There is absolutely nothing going on between us so stop spreading rumors." Casey said trying to be as clear as possible. "Oh is that why I seen you holding his hand earlier?" She shot back. Casey's face turned bright red again. "OK ok I'll stop teasing for now." Jessica loved to make people feel uncomfortable and Casey was a easy target. They had been best friends for ever, they were just like sisters. Jessica's dad had also died during the last war in the same battle as Casey's dad. "Hay can we catch up with you later we have to finish shopping." Casey asked hopeful to avoid any more embarrassment. "What are you shopping for?" Jessica probed. "Just some supplies. Hardfall here seems to be worried about something and wants to be prepared. And you know with the war so close by I figured I'd have some preparation ready to." Jessica took a good look at the strange guy standing behind her best friend. "Is it possible adventurers instinct or a similar skill." She said to herself almost under her breath. It was clear she was thinking about something hard. Suddenly she turned "I'll catch up to you in a few days I need to" her voice cut out as she ran off.
Casey had picked out a simple satchel that would hang over one shoulder and a small bedroll that could be carried on her back. He had gotten a more standard backpack that held the bedroll at the top. With a few other supplies inside their bags they returned to her uncle's shop. "Just in time" he called out as soon as they walked in. "I added the Enchantments you asked. I had a few extra cores leftover so I added a sharpness enchantment to all three blades as well as something special for your shield. It will almost eliminate all the recoil from blocking attacks. Something very strong will still send you flying tho." He said very satisfied with his work. "Thank you so much sir" he said pulling the weapons back into his rings. "Just promise me one thing. Take care of Casey." He nodded "I will sir" Casey pushed him out the door "will you two stop gods" she said rolling her eyes.
They spent the next few days training with their new gear. Casey had asked him to show her how to use her dagger properly. He showed her some of the training forms he had been doing. As time passed Casey found something interesting about her boomerang. As the repair enchantment did its job a peace of metal had formed on the edge of it and it was sharp. Apparently it had originally had a bladed edge that was removed before she got it. He had told her it would be better to use the dagger in her off hand incase an enemy got close and focus on ranged attacks. This style seemed to fit her very well as she grew confident with her new weapons. She figured even if the enemy army never attacked she wanted to see the world as an adventure. After almost a week Jessica showed up with a mischievous grin on her face. "I borrowed this from Mr Graves" she said holding up a small crystal rod. "What is that" they both asked in unison. "You hold onto it then roll it on to some paper and it will show you your statistics." Your what" they asked dumbfounded. Jessica slapped her forehead, "you statistics you know your stats like what spells you know ands skills. I can believe you never heard of a states rod before." "Thats sounds pretty cool let's do it" Casey said looking at the leather book in Jessica's other hand.
Before they could get it set up the house exploded. Just moments before Teresa had been watching them from the window. She had waved at her daughter with a smile on her face just before she was vaporized in seconds. They had no time to comprehend what had just happened before another explosion hit near by. Casey was in shock as she felt her bag being pushed into her arms. Jessica grabbed her arm and started pulling her off towards the woods. From nearby she heard her brother yelling "Hardfall get them to safety!" As he rushed into town. Commander Vincent emerged from the destroyed guard house seemingly unharmed. Golden white wings sprouted from his back as he leaped into the sky. Lightning rippled from his hands as he soured above the city. From atop his tower in the center of the city Mr Graves lifted a staff with a large gem atop it into the air. Blue light unfolded from it gradually growing as a barrier rose over the city. Volleys of fireballs and other spells smashed into the barrier from a fleat of ships approaching the harbor. Guards and citizens could be seen running to put out fires and rescue the injured. Commander Vincent unleashed streaks of lightning from his hands sinking several ships with each strike. On the other side of the city thousands of soldiers rushed into the city clashing with the guards doing their best to stop the onslaught. That was the last thing they saw before going over the hill behind the city. "We have to keep moving" he said dragging the two crying girls behind him. They ran for hours deeper into the forest before taking any time to rest. No said a single word for the rest of the day. "Should we go back?" Casey asked through bloodshot eyes. "No the city is gone." Jessica responded hugging her and crying uncontrollable. "Did you see how many soldiers there were." The next few days passed in a haze as they traveled aimlessly away from the enemy. It was on the seventh day when they had finally decided they were safe enough to set up a proper camp. As a way to distract them from what had been on their minds too much, Jessica pulled out the state rod and book. "Come her" she said turning the rod between her fingers. She had Casey hold his shirt up as she rolled the rod down his back and then across the paper in the open book. "Let's see here" she said looking at the top of the paper "it says your name is Berry Hardfall."