"There's an attack!"
A shout echoed through the barracks, jolting both guards and Adventurers alike from their slumber. Blake, Lillia and I all shot up at once.
"Monsters at the gate!"
"Damn!" I spit, rushing to throw on my equipment.
Armor first. I quickly throw everything on and secure it firmly to my body, but not too tight. Next I strap my dagger and my sword to the left of my waist while my potions go on the right.
Both Blake and Lillia are doing the same, though Lillia is shaking slightly as she moves. Blake, however, is quick and concise with each movement, not showing even a hint of fear.
"Let's go!" I shout to them, running out the door as they race behind me.
Rushing outside, a crowd of people are gathering just inside the gate, pushing as much as they can to get further into the city and away from the entrance. Guards are shouting directions every which way in an attempt to regain control of the situation, but the crowd is too panicked.
All of the Adventurers are just outside the gate, weapons drawn and at the ready, waiting for their chance to put them to use. A few guards stand near them, their own weapons drawn, shouting orders to the guards as they keep close watch. No sight of any monsters, but I couldn't help but notice that three of the Adventurers from that strange Monster Party were missing.
We need to take care of this crowd, the gate is secured for now!
Turning, I look to the guards working to gain control of the situation.
"How can we help!" I shout, tapping one of the guards on the shoulder.
"We need to calm the crowd!" he shouts back. "Help me provide directions! Let them know they are safe within the walls, and that they need to calm down!"
I nod, turning to Blake and Lillia.
"You heard him, let's get to work! You need to appear calm yourself, or they won't trust us!" I shout.
Lillia nervously gulps, grabbing at her shaking hands.
"Put them in your pocket, you will at least seem more calm if they can't see it!"
"Mmm," she answers, shoving them out of sight.
"Good, let's do this!"
Splitting up, we surround the crowd with the guards and the other Adventurers who had been woken up with us, weapons sheathed and calm looks on our faces.
"You all are inside the walls! You are safe! Calm down now!"
"Breathe everyone, we're here to protect you!"
"Don't panic! Everything is under control!"
Shouts from everyone working to bring order to the chaos could be heard all around the group.
"Please calm down! We're here to help!" I hear Lillia shout from my left, soft and reassuring despite the situation.
"Calm down, now!" Blake shouts from my right, firm with his voice.
"Everyone calm down! There is no need to fear!" I shout, my hands raised slightly to show that I mean no harm.
Slowly, like a kitten frightened by a stranger but reassured by their actions, the crowd begins to calm down, their shouts turning into to soft voices as they glance nervously around them. We were gaining their trust.
"Good! Now that you all are calm, I need all of you to stay right here! As none of you have yet been authorized entrance to the city, we still need to go through each of you to determine whether you may be allowed stay!"
The crowd is antsy, uncertain about everything.
"If you turn us away, will we be forced to go back out there with the monsters?" one man in the crowd asks, concerned for his own safety.
"No, you will be allowed to stay the night within one of the cells! Of course, you are not in trouble, but we can not allow you to roam the city if you have been denied!"
"What? But we aren't criminals!"
"Like I just said, you will not be in any trouble! No fines or criminal records! Think of it like a shabby inn for the night!"
The crowd still looks nervous, but they seem okay with that decision, although still reluctant.
Thank goodness, it doesn't seem that anyone is hurt. The crowd is under control, and the monsters are gone. Things turned out much better than I would have expected.
I can't help but sigh as a small wave of relief floods through my body. Still, I maintain my focus, aware that the job is far from finished.
As I stand there, watching as the guards start to go through the crowd before them to determine if they are allowed entry, a shout from just outside the gate catches everyone's attention.
"The three missing Adventurer's," I whisper to myself. "I wonder where they were?"
One of the guards is scolding the three Adventurer's, clearly upset about something.
Maybe because they were missing?
Whatever the reason may have been, they all turn towards the gate, making their way inside.
"It's him, the Adventurer that saved our lives!"
Immediately the crowd rushed forward, abandoning their place and crowding around one of the three Adventurers in particular, the one with bright blonde hair and strong, confident brown eyes.
"Oh, thank you for saving our lives!"
"We would have died without you!"
"You are our heroes!"
The man has an oddly smug look on his face as he whispers something to his companions before turning back to the crowd.
"Please, we were only doing our jobs! Now then, let the guards do their jobs and sort through the rest of you while us Adventurers keep you safe!"
The crowd cheers at his words.
"Focus people! We need to go through each of you! Remain calm and let us finish our jobs!"
The guards are quick to surround the crowd once more, regaining control of the situation. As they do, the Adventurer who had captured everyone's attention moved forward to help the guards, standing directly next to me on my left.
"Say, you were the one giving our group a rude look earlier," he whispers, glancing at me while smiling and waving for the adoring crowd. "You got some kind of problem with my group?"
"No," I whisper back, my eyes locked on the crowd only. "I just thought your group name was in poor taste."
"Poor taste?" he scoffed. "Please, it's a funny name! I worked hard to come up with it."
"What exactly is funny about it?"
"Well, everytime we go to fight with the monsters, it's like a party for us with how easy it is."
"You think it's easy?"
"Yeah, I do," he laughs. "Afterall, we've easily managed to make a name for ourselves doing it, and a lot of money as well."
"I see," I say quietly, my mind having been made. "It would seem I was right to judge you all in the first place."
The man only laughs.
"The name is Chris by the way, though I'm sure you knew that. I don't imagine I've ever heard of your name before," he says, a smirk on his face.
"Lionell Mukes."
Chris pauses, as if confused by what I just said.
"Lionell Mukes? As in the one from the from the-"
"Yeah, that's me," I say, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence.
He stands there, shocked, rendered completely unaware of the fans in the crowd standing before him.
"No, you can't be. Your group was disbanded years ago!"
"It may have disbanded, but it wasn't because I died. Now, focus on the quest you fool."
Chris seemed angered by the, his fists balling up at his side, but he didn't dare to do anything, instead biting his tongue as he faced back towards the crowd.
The guards continued their work for about an hour before everyone had been sorted through. With their work finished, those of us who had been sleeping were dismissed to continue our rest. The guards and Adventurers who were on watch were sent back out to finish their shift.
As I turned to leave, ready to sleep for the rest of the night, a hand grabs at my arm, stopping me.
"If you really are Lionell Mukes, show me your ID."
It was Chris. He was clearly suspicious on whether I was who I said I was.
It wouldn't hurt to show him.
I pull it out, holding it in front of his face. His mouth drops, completely agape.
"Why are you here instead of living life as a celebrity? You are a hero!"
"None of your business. Go do your quest and leave me alone," I say, pulling away from him and heading back inside the walls.
He shouts after me once more, but I don't bother turning, too tired to care about whatever it is that he has to say. I make my way back into the barracks, where both Blake and Lillia are already removing their equipment to go to sleep.
"What held you up?" Blake asks as I walk in.
"Just some fool of an Adventurer."