The party arrives back in Ashborne, and knock on Constance's door. Michael answers the door and greets the group before leading them back into the living room. "Master Constance Rorytima will be with you all shortly." Michael stated.
I don't think I will ever not be weirded out by this home. Felix thinks to himself.
The party sits down on the many pieces of furniture Constance has acquired just then "Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, you've all returned to me and I can only imagine what's wrapped up in that tarp you're holding Zunder." Constance said with enthusiasm.
"Zander." Zander corrected.
"Whatever." Constance rebutled carelessly. "All I care about is my staff, hand it over."
"Not so fast." Felix spoke up. "Why did you lie to us? The chieftain was friendly enough, did you even try acquiring the staff by other means, did you even try to go talk to them, are you really that selfish?"
"Yes." Constance said nonchalantly. "I as far as any of you are concerned am the most important person in this room, town, country, and world. Don't forget it."
Roxie looked absolutely disgusted with Constance "How does your ego fit under one roof?" Roxie asked.
"My mom says I'm important." Zander says woefully.
"I see brains run in the family." Constance rebutled.
"Thank you." Zander replied.
"Oh dear." Roxie said as she placed her hand on Zander's shoulder.
"I'm starting to think you're not gonna get this staff." Felix exclaimed.
"To think I admired you as a man of culture." Krysis scoffed.
"When do we get paid?" Dabi asked impatiently.
"Ah yes, payment, the real reason we're all here today, Michael payment please." Constance demanded.
"I just said I'm not giving you this staff." Felix proclaimed.
"Yes, you, are." Dabi said softly as he drew his dagger and pressed it against Felix's neck "I've spent six days stuck with you imbeciles, I'm getting my payment, and I'll take all five shares if I must, this wouldn't be the first day I disposed of four bodies, and it certainly won't be the last. Hand the staff over." Dabi's voice started to increase with anger.
"Gentleman, and lady, please let's all calm down. You will each get your payment, as promised, and I will get my staff, as promised." Constance said calmly. "So I told a little white lie, to be frank, no I did no research beyond the existence of the staff, and had no idea of the position of the village or its chieftain, so for all y'all know sending the five of you with intent to fight was a smart move, cause it could have gotten violent real fast. That's what makes y'all such a great adventuring party, finding creative ways to solve simple problems. That's why I like y'all."
"We are not an adventuring party." Dabi said aggravatedly.
"But I think you are." Constance said with a smug look. "Oh and thanks again." Without realizing it the staff had ended up in Constance's hand as Michael began to hand each member a bag of platinum coins. "Thank you Michael"
"What the FUCK?!" Felix yelled. "How did you get the staff?"
"Life is a mysterious thing is it not." Constance said as he began to laugh. "Ha ha ha, anyways I have a little bit of a bonus treat for y'all. In my hand, is a piece of paper, do you wanna know what it says?"
"No." they all say in unison.
"Well you're no fun, I'll tell you what it says anyways, this is an introduction letter from me, to the adventuring guild The Champions of Milos." Constance says with a huge smile on his face "I think an introduction letter from me is the most valuable thing I could possibly offer you, please hold your applause."
The party all looked around at each other. "Are you trying to make this?" Felix said as he pointed around at the group. "A thing?"
"Sure." Constance replied with little interest.
"I just said I don't like them." Dabi stated.
"And we don't like him." Roxie said pointing at Dabi.
Dabi squinted his eyes at her. "Look I don't really care what y'all do and don't want, remember, most important guy." Constance said as he pointed at himself with his thumb. "Y'all are gonna take this letter, go to the guild, hand it to the front desk, and you're gonna be grateful, because I'm great."
"I don't think you know what grateful means." Krysis stated.
"Well what could it hurt?" Felix asked.
"My pride." Dabi retorted.
"Good, it's settled." Constance said as he handed Felix the letter of introduction.
The party left Constance's house reluctantly, but mostly just for the sake of getting out of there, they headed across town in the direction of the local guild hall till it began to appear on the horizon. "Must I go with y'all?" Dabi asked.
"Believe it or not, I'd actually like it if you did." Felix said, forcing a smile.
The party got to the top of the hill right in front of the guild hall when a shadow fell over them. They turned around to see the shadow was cast from a very large man, so large he partially dwarfed Zander. He was clad in fierce red colored armor, he had a red bow across his back and carried a long red sword currently in his hand with the blade resting on his shoulder, but you could see the sheath across his hip. He had the brightest blue eyes, fiery red medium length hair slicked back, and a smile with more charisma than Constance. The party was in awe. Just then the man began to speak, and his booming voice shook them to their core and gave Roxie goosebumps. "Hello folks, is there something I can help y'all with? Have you come to the guild hall to request some aid?" The man asked. Just then he set his sword down blade first into the ground in front of him and without thrusting in any way the sword began to sink into the dirt from the sheer weight of the blade. He begins to point in a direction. "If you head in and to your left you'll find where people post job requests for the adventurers. Ha Ha Ha" The man began to laugh a booming laugh "Mention my name and they'll cut you a deal depending on the job, I'm Mario Reinhart by the way, it's my pleasure." Mario said, smiling at the group.
"Act, actually we're here to reg, register as a, an adventuring party." Felix said, stuttering as he shakingly handed the large man the letter of introduction.
"Real smooth." Roxie said laughing.
"He's scary." Felix replied back to her before smiling back at Mario.
Mario took the letter and read it. "Well I'll be darned, ol Constance sent you huh? Mario asked. "Long time supporter of the guild."
Roxie thought to herself, long standing supporter of the guild with pull, but he couldn't hire anyone here to get the staff? Stinks to high Vitos.
"Well like I said I'm Mario Reinhart, Hero of Cokphist, or so people like to call me. I'm one of ten Lithium ranked adventurers in the guild, and ranked number one. Fortunis surely smiles upon y'all to run into me on your way in as I return from a quest." Mario stated.
"Yea, real lucky." Dabi snarked.
"Let me walk y'all into the hall to give y'all an introduction to y'alls introduction, ha ha ha ha." Mario says, laughing.
As the group begin to walk towards the hall, Zander notices Mario has left his sword and points it out to Mario. "Your sword." Zander says.
"Oh don't worry about that thing, I don't think there's a soul in this city strong enough to lift it, ha ha ha ha." Mario says, laughing.
The party look at each other concerned as they walk into the guild hall for the first time.