She grunted, rolling over to find the source of the sound. It was only after she started to really wake up that she realized that this might be a bad situation. Someone looking like a Barbarian all alone in the woods, wearing full armor and hiding? Astrid sighed quietly, hoping whoever was nearby wasn't going to find her at all, and if she was unlucky enough to be found, they weren't particularly unreasonable.
"... understand that I just don't want to do that, you know? The gnolls are an interesting monster and not too hard, but bringing people like them through the Dungeon is just, well, there's no good outcome to it for us, you know?"
"A fat purse isn't a good outcome for you, Markus? I'd call that a good ending."
Two voices, the worried Markus and the laconic unnamed one, were both masculine and gruff, though generally unconcerned. Delvers, by the topic they were speaking about.
"Ok, yeah, it makes money, but you need to keep them safe through it all! It's not like keeping your backline safe, it's way worse! They don't know how to keep themselves out of trouble, and then there's always some idiot that thinks that they should try to get the last hit in to get a bonus experience point. They're not damned fighters or delvers, but they always pull the same stunt."
"Yeah, it's a pain, but need I remind you: money. They pay whatever you ask, and if they don't want to pay what you ask, you don't do it."
"It's not that easy, Bogdan! You need to keep a good relationship with—Who goes there?"
The easy conversation immediately died, and Astrid knew it was time to get diplomatic. She raised both hands and walked slowly as she spoke.
"My name is Astrid Warrior, I just hit level 6 a couple days ago down in the Dungeon at Schteld. Coming to Kznietch to keep delving. Just spent the night here because I was a little worried about coming into town looking like I do in the middle of the night."
While she walked out, Astrid saw the two men. One was obviously a Scout or a similar Class while the other was some kind of physical fighter, though she couldn't see his weapon. The Scout had a short bow out, an arrow nocked but not drawn or held aloft. She hadn't put her helmet on, and she felt its absence in the cool breeze as it whipped through her hair. The two men kept their eyes on her, careful and cautious, but not nearly as terrified as she thought they would be.
"Hey, Astrid. My name's Markus, and this here is Bogdan. I hope you forgive us for being cautious around a stranger fully outfitted in armor." The fighter spoke, gesturing with his hands to his fellow. As she saw his hands, Astrid had a guess as to what kind of Class he had—thick cloth wrapped around his hands and wrists, his fingers barely visible through the end of the tightly wound linen. A Pugilist, so he'd be quick, focused on combos that slowed, stunned, and distracted. Made her think of the Juggernaut Class she'd read about.
"Nice to meet you Markus and Bogdan. I don't blame you at all. I hope my letter of recommendation made its way here to town?" Astrid knew it was a vain hope for it to have arrived and for these two ordinary members of the Guild to know who she was. Surprisingly, Bogdan nodded.
"Yeah, it has. Given what's going on down south, there's been a lot of talking about who we don't give trouble to. As soon as your letter got here, we had some instruction on making sure that whoever we think is a Barbarian actually is one, and anyone we find isn't actually someone we know. Would you show your teeth and ears, please?"
A part of Astrid wanted to complain about how she obviously wasn't a Barbarian, but that they were confirming it instead of just attacking meant that things were progressing well enough. She showed her teeth as she turned her head and pulled her hair back from her ear. As soon as they saw that, both men nodded.
"Story checks out. However, we'll probably need to escort you into town just to be sure that there isn't anyone who gets the wrong idea. That ok with you?" Markus spoke again.
"Yeah, of course." Astrid shrugged. "Can I get my things real quick?"
"Yes."
"No."
Markus and Bogdan answered in unison, and Astrid and Markus both looked at Bogdan at the same time. At that moment, the Scout grinned. It was a boy's smile, one that knew he'd never get away with the mischief he pulled but still wanted to do it.
"Figured if I was quick enough I could see how you'd react."
Astrid pursed her lips. "I couldn't say exactly how I would, but I'd like to hope that I wouldn't overreact by much."
"Well, that's fine. I'll lead the way." Bogdan spoke as he walked with what seemed to be forced nonchalance towards her camp. Astrid followed, though Markus jogged up to stand beside her.
"I'm sorry about him. He's a good Rogue, but seems to think that the Class means he needs to be more roguish. It's… a character flaw." He smiled apologetically as he explained it to Astrid. He wore leather armor, though it was heavily layered as if it were plate armor instead of the simple leather armors that Astrid had usually seen on the people in Schteldt. The shoulders were mostly unencumbered for freedom of movement, but his forearms had the only metal armor he wore in thick bracers. Loose-fitting pants finished the look, and Astrid couldn't tell what color his close-cropped hair was besides dark.
"Better than most people who get ideas like that in their head." Astrid shrugged. "I can deal with something as harmless as this."
"Thanks." Markus's smile was broad and honest, his eyes crinkling with the motion. "I appreciate it. So, are you a frontliner?"
"Finisher, though I can fill in as frontliner in a pinch." Astrid corrected.
"Damn." Markus cursed. "I was hoping for a frontliner. Our party just needs a frontliner now. Sure you don't want to switch over?"
Astrid shrugged, a tiny bit disappointed, but mostly excited to finally have an opportunity to delve with other people. And he was hoping to party with her? A blessing.
"Well, maybe the Duchess will bring one for you soon. It won't be me, though." Astrid replied.
"A frontliner almost never is without a party." Markus complained. "Everyone we've found is already taken and doesn't want to switch parties. I don't blame them, but…"
"Yeah." Astrid replied as they walked around the fallen tree to see her "camp". Bogdan was there, and he was observing where she'd slept, but blessedly, he'd left her pack alone.
"Seems like it's just an overnight camp." Bogdan reported as they came around. "Glad you were telling the truth, Astrid."
"Sure." She answered, looking at Markus. He didn't look particularly embarrassed by this, so she was left wondering how much of what he'd said was performative. Maybe a bit less trustworthy than she'd thought? Even so, it was heartening to see two people take their jobs seriously while also being pretty easy to get along with. Astrid took the time to get her pack and things all situated and turned to her two escorts.
"So what were you two doing out here so early?" She asked, gesturing for them to lead the way.
"Going on a hunt." Bogdan said as he walked in front of them. "There's plenty of rabbits and smaller deer around here and buying meat from the inn gets expensive. On our off days, I usually come out here with someone else to help me with the load if there's anything too heavy for me alone."
"And in the off chance that there's any gnolls that managed to slip out, we have two people together to make sure they kill it and get back safe." Markus added. "Doesn't really happen, but it's not unheard of for one to get out."
"Ok." Astrid let out a long, slow breath. "Probably better that I slept in my armor, then, huh?"
"Probably," Bogdan shrugged. "but there weren't any that appeared, so you could have just slept in comfortable clothes instead. But, you know, there's no way to know."
"By the way," Markus said, cutting off the further conversation, "now that we're pretty sure you're who you say you are, I'll give a proper introduction. I'm Markus Pugilist."
"And, as my companion over here decided to say before I was ready, I'm Bogdan Rogue." He swept into a sarcastic bow as he introduced himself. As he stood back up, he looked back and forth, then sighed. "No nearby prey. We're paying today, Markus."
"About what I figured when we found our new friend today."
They continued talking as they walked, the two delvers engaging each other in easy, comfortable discussion as Astrid occasionally chimed in or was asked something by them. She didn't quite know how to act as they made their way to a gate leading into the town. A couple of guards stood there, not at attention, but at a respectable parade rest.
"Hey boys! Find a new Barbarian somewhere out there?"
A part of Astrid bristled at the words, but there wasn't any malice in the title. It was almost like asking if they'd found a deer or a dog. Still confused and a bit unhappy, Astrid didn't react before Markus spoke.
"No, this is Astrid, and she's not a Barbarian. Maybe she has some extra mana in her, got her big and strong, but she's human. The Guild knew she was coming, so we're just happy to have her here. Now, please don't go around insulting our new friend."
"Oh, I wasn't trying to—I mean, you just…" The guard stumbled over his words, seeming to be referring to something specific, but Bogdan just waved him off.
"It's whatever. Just be careful. Now, can we come in?"
"Is she a member of the Guild?" The other guard asked Bogdan.
"I can speak." Astrid ground out of a forced, toothy smile. "And yes. I am a delver with the Guild. So please let me in, unless there's anything else?"
"Uhm… no." The guards cut their losses and waved them through. Astrid kept from audibly or visibly reacting but she kept walking forward. Fortunately, her skin was dark enough that her flush of anger wouldn't be particularly visible. Once they were through the walls, Markus stayed to say something to the guards, something she didn't listen to but she could hear the subtle chastisement in his tone. Bogdan wasn't nearly so subtle.
"Sorry we've got a buncha hicks over here who don't think people who don't look like them are people. I promise most of the people around here aren't too bad, and they've got exposure to enough of the world that they aren't so miserable to be around." He deliberately spoke at a volume that could be overheard, but Astrid didn't look back to see what the reaction might be.
"I appreciate it." Astrid said as they slowed their pace for Markus to catch up. "It drives me crazy when people do that."
"I get it." Bogdan nodded, resuming his forced laconic walk.
"Yeah, just as soon as they're used to you, which will probably take at least a week, you won't get any more trouble." Markus shrugged helplessly. "Not really anything else you or we can do than to just… let them slowly adjust to you."
Astrid nodded. "It honestly isn't as bad as I'd feared it would be, but I just… it just drives me crazy, you know?"
"Specifically?" Bogdan replied. "No. I don't. I can still sympathize with you, though."
Astrid just looked at him, not sure how to deal with the Rogue. He was well-intentioned, happy, and easy to get along with, but he had a special sense of humor. Eventually, she settled on just saying, "Thanks."
"So…" Markus said, drawing out the word. "You're the only one coming right now?"
"Yeah, just me. At least, from Schteldt. The next closest is a Healer who might have hit 4 by now."
"So how'd you end up as the only delver moving on at the same time?" Markus asked. "Shouldn't your party have been about the same level?"
"There was a surge, and most of the delvers died or quit delving after it." She wasn't sure how to express the emotion there. Should she be dispassionate? Hurt? Angry? In the end, she could only be honest, and she shrugged helplessly. "So, then one party stuck around, but they hit level 6 and moved out months ago. I was the only one who really wanted to delve, and the wargs there were fast, but I could deal with them pretty easily so I got at least 100 experience a day from there."
"Damn." Bogdan replied. "That sucks. I haven't been near a surge before, but isn't there a plan and Dungeoneers that make it so that there aren't a bunch of people who die because of them?"
"There's supposed to be." Astrid replied bitterly before shaking her head. "Something about it was weird, and we were given incorrect information. Before that could be corrected, we didn't have enough high Bronzes or Irons available to save everyone. Level 2s and 3s against a level 6 or 7 Boss can only really go one way."
She said nothing about her own experience as a level 2 taking out a level 7 Boss. There was no reason for it, and instead, she just nodded knowingly as Bogdan and Markus gritted their teeth in commiseration.
"I'm sorry. That must have been hard. Why did you stick around after that?" Bogdan asked, disregarding the look that Markus shot at him.
Astrid sighed. This would be the moment.
"I want to become Adamantite."
Markus nodded as if that was something normal to say while Bogdan had a muted version of the reaction she'd gotten so frequently throughout her life.
He scoffed, then tried to hide it. Then, knowing he hadn't been able to he shrugged. "I mean… you've seen what it takes to get to the first Bronze watershed. You honestly think you can keep on pushing like this as the watersheds get further and further apart, as the monsters grow comparatively stronger and stronger, and experience grows more and more scarce? It just… it doesn't happen, you know? Steel's a great aspiration. Duchess above, even Mithril is something that almost nobody ever sees!"
"You're not wrong." Astrid allowed. "I'm not stupid. I know that it's nearly impossible. There's too much that can go wrong, and it requires years and years of dedication. I've spent since mid spring to get to level 6, and it's not going to get any faster. I know, and I'm still happy to keep trying. Keep pushing, and become someone that can protect others."
Bogdan stopped walking and stared into Astrid's face for a moment.
"What?"
"I wouldn't have pegged you for an idealist. That's all." He shrugged. "Not bad. Kinda a funny juxtaposition."
"What?"
"It means like a comparison, like—"
"I know what juxtaposition means." Astrid shook her head, unable to keep from chuckling a little. "I just meant what are you saying is a funny juxtaposition?"
"Oh. The giant scary Warrior with flaming hair!... wants to be a hero. You'd scare me as a kid."
"Bogdan! Duchess bless you with something resembling prudence! I mean—"
"It's fine." Astrid smiled a little, even though that was a comment that could have set her off. "I can tell you're not being a goblin's arse or a prig about it. Plus, I get it. I'm really tall and for most people I look like a Barbarian. There's plenty of reasons to be scared of me. The hammer and armor don't help. I decided to be even more heroic to try to offset that. I'll let you know once I hit Steel how that's going for me."
"That's good." Bogdan grinned again. "You know, I like you. You wanna join our party?"
"I already asked." Markus sighed, looking at Astrid and hoping that she'd be patient with his Rogue. "She's not a frontliner."
"Really?" Bogdan frowned. "Seems like a waste."
"No, I'm a finisher." Astrid insisted. Did she have any active Skills that would help her with that? No. But that was beside the point, because hammers could still kill plenty of monsters, as the wargs had been shown again and again.
"Well…" Bogdan trailed off. "You could switch with our finisher!"
"I'm right here!" Markus said, his voice high with disbelief. "Are you… I'm gonna punch you in your sleep."
"You may try." Bogdan intoned with a serious voice, though his eyes still crinkled at the corner in mirth as he said so.
Astrid allowed herself to laugh, a real full bodied laugh, and it felt absolutely divine. She stepped forward and took both men under her arms and walked forward with them. "Oh, if it didn't ruin things with your friends, I might take you up on that offer. However, I'm fine finding my own way, at least for now. Thank you again for the offer, Bogdan. I appreciate it greatly."
To her surprise, though, Bogdan had gone very quiet and very still. He nodded stiffly as she pulled him and Markus forward. Before she could release him and ask what was wrong, Markus started to laugh.
"He's always like this! Oh, that was perfect! Astrid, I'd almost offer you my spot in the party just for that, if I could watch it happen!"
"What?" She asked, pulling back from the two other delvers.
"It's just…" Markus trailed off, still giggling. "He gets real nervous around women. Even in our party."
Bogdan blushed, turned around a corner into a dark alley, and when Astrid poked her head there to see where he was, she couldn't see anything.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." Astrid called out loud enough for Bogdan to hear, she hoped. "I didn't know, but that's no excuse. I apologize."
"No, Astrid, you don't need to apologize." Markus said as he walked forward. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have laughed. My bad man! I'll see you to–"
A pebble flashed towards him, and though Markus saw it at the last second, it still hit him on the head.
"Yeah…" Markus trailed off. "I deserved that. So, over here is where the Guild's inn is, since—"
A voice Astrid didn't recognize in a language she didn't speak cut off Markus as a woman, even taller than she was, appeared out of nowhere and bore her down to the ground. Then, she held a knife to Astrid's throat as she grinned wildly, sharp teeth on display.