FSE

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Ch. 1

There the group sat in that old pub and brothel, known as Dick's Drinks, right next door to the Grand Guild Hall Perilous within the magnificent walled castle town of Magnes.

The grungy old pub was a frequent gathering spot for adventurers and those looking for an exciting time alike, with barmaids and waitresses catering to all sorts of needs within the dimly candlelit walls Many sorts, both rugged and naive, gathered to share tales and tips over a round of drinks to get more information on possible marks around the surrounding lands. Oftentimes, the citizens of Magnes would post deeds they needed done, and paid (hopefully) well for adventurers to put their asses on the line, sometimes quite literally. On occasion, blades were crossed in a sometimes-friendly duel. Others were here just for the eye-candy, as the old boar-orc Dick knew what his customers liked, with bosomy ladies with low-cut outfits catering to the clientele's every whim and need.

The pub was well-lit, filled with the noise of clinking mugs and loose lips telling tall tales all around, and a good time was being had by all throughout the day. A young goblin polished the counter-top spic and span as his eyes scanned the area.

Around one of the tables within Dick's, a lioness in an oversized silk witch's hat raised an annoyed glare from the old parchment she was holding in her hand to her akita companion. She adjusted her frilly camisole upon her ample bosom with her free hand with a snap of the elastic band, which sent a light ripple along her well-proportioned form. "This is the best job you could get for us?"

The akita rolled his eyes as he took a swig of his mug, before wiping his lips dry of the ale with a sigh. He shot an annoyed glance at Vivian. "Look, Vivian, Guild Perilous has a lot of smaller guild groups seeking to go on fantastic adventures, and we just arrived in town yesterday. Even if we're a gold-ranked group where we come from, we gotta work our way back up the ranks in Magnes to get the good, well-paying jobs. People hire based off of word of mouth and rank around here-and while our guild is well known back in , they've only heard about us here." He straightened himself and beamed with a grin. "Besides, a wise adventurer once said, sometimes you gotta get your toes wet before you plunge in feet first! Anyway, an easy bounty like this is just what we need to get acquainted with this town and this land!"

"Mind you, we only left because you thought it was a bright idea to shack up with the princess you just finished saving." Vivian sighed, drawing her hat a little further over her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose while shaking her head. "Couldn't keep it in your pants for a single night. I don't think we'll be able to return to Hammershire for a while."

The squirrel to his side snorted, readjusting the bandana tied around his neck as he balanced on the back two legs of his chair, supporting himself with only his bushy tail. "Mates, I'm wit' Ronan on this one, actually. Gotta get yerself moistened up before you really getta go to town." He flashed a cocksure smirk, as he tossed a cheap throwing knife up and down, flipping it into the air and catching it absentmindedly by the blade with two fingers.

"I swear your grandfather was a monkey of sorts," Ronan observed, tracking the knife with his gaze.

"Well, I AM a bastard. Who knows?"

Their busty red panda companion giggled pleasantly as she brought her gloved paw to her lips with her other arm snuggled underneath supporting her ample, bountiful motherly pair, barely contained by the holy garments of her order with a window in the cloth allowing a peek at her surplus of cleavage. She looked to the squirrel with her usual cheerful, tranquil smile which pressed up against her plump, rosy cheeks. "Tsk, tsk, Aaron. But...you're also right. We can't be too careful. A little familiarity with the area wouldn't hurt."

The river otter with them pondered most of what was said during his silent closed-eyes meditation. He opened his good eye as he spoke - the remaining eye sealed shut with a single vertical scar. "I will have to agree with Maya. It would be wise and prudent to know what sort of beasts roam this land before we start taking on the more ambitious quests." His eye darted to Vivian. "In addition, we would be able to build trust with the locals so they grant us more tasks worthy of our skills. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so the wise say."

Vivian huffed, and rolled her golden irised eyes as her tufted tail swished and lashed back and forth behind her with annoyance. "That's...a fair point, admittedly, Hanzo." She let out a resigned sigh, before looking to the behemoth of a wolf with them. "Camir, what do you think?"

The massive wolf barbarian shrugged his broad shoulders, and grunted, as he crossed his arms across his chest, with each arm being the size of a tree trunk as he tore off a huge bite of medium-rare meat off the bone the size of some of their weapons. That was the most they could hope to get out of Camir half the time anyway, given that he was mute.

"Well, I suppose majority rules." She let out a deep sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Still, were-hares? Really?" The witch grumbled to herself, hiding the disdain in her eyes with the shade afforded by the wide brim of her pointy hat.

Ronan took a deep breath, before offering the lioness a smile. "Well, that just means we can get onto the next job that much faster. And it pays well enough. So good pay for easy work."

Hanzo shook his head as he spoke up. "Do not take were-hares lightly. Therianthropes, when blessed by the moon, grow in size, strength, and speed. And we aren't hunting a lone one. We are dealing with an entire tribe of them that have been absconding with travelers who wandered off the beaten path in the Fertile Plains near Whitewater Brook." The river otter monk's eyes opened as he looked to the Akita. "Strategy is still paramount. The wise master once quoted an ancient philosopher: to know the enemy is to defeat the enemy."

The akita rolled his eyes. "I appreciate the wisdom, Hanzo, but I think we're all making a little too big a deal out of this. They're were-HARES. What's the worst that could happen?"

" . . . I-I would be careful."

They all looked up to see a white-furred mouse warrior with a paint-splotched pattern on her fur standing before them stiffly, clad in a leather breastplate which exposed her midriff. At her side, she held a naginata that was at least a head taller than her with a militant rigidity. Her face, though gaunt, still carried a bit of youthful naïveté. She bowed lowly to the party at the waist.

"Pardon my interruption. My name is Kari. Kari Kazushige. A newcomer to this city, like you. I'm part of the Silver-Rank Guild, Twilight Vigil." She bit her lip. "I do not wish to lecture you, seeing as you're all clearly veterans. But I must warn that were-hares are known for being um...well..."

Ronan looked to the stuttering mouse, narrowing his eyes. "...well what?"

"The last adventurers that tried to assist with that quest suffered from...shattered pelvises. One had a ruptured colon, and was unable to walk for days even with an entire team of clerics administering healing over time."

The group eyed each other for a moment in silence, exchanging glances as they pondered the mouse warrior monk's advice. Were-hares, dangerous?

During the silence, Hanzo's eyes studied the mouse for a moment. His facemask hid any smile or frown he may have had.

Aaron interrupted the silence with a forced snort. "Bah, they're still just a bunch of rapscallion rabbits. It'll be no problem lil' miss. You just watch the pros at work!" He flipped the dagger, caught it, and twirled it in his fingers, before pointing it to Kari with a charming grin from ear to ear.

"I...I do not question your skill, but-"

Ronan set a gloved paw on her shoulder. "Thanks, kid. But I think we'll be alright. Party of six of some of the finest a leader could ask for. I don't think we'll have too much trouble."

The mouse warrior backed away from the paw on her shoulder - a slight frown at the term he chose. Still, she allowed the paw to slide off her as she bowed to him formally. "Just be careful. All I ask."

"And what of you? What job is your group taking on?"

"Believe it or not..." Her eyes darted to a scruffy looking fox with bright and shiny armor. Completely unmarked, unscathed, and most likely unused, which was not unnoticed by Ronan's discerning eyes.

Aaron raised an eyebrow, pulling down his bandana to get a better look. "Oi, dat's the prince of Magnes. What's he doing 'ere?"

Kari took a deep breath. "Prince Percival is to go on his first adventure of his choice, and he chose the adventurer group."

"A maiden voyage then. Hope that no foul beasts manage to till that virgin soil," Vivian quipped and snorted.

"Well, it's my job to protect him. Shhh, here he comes." She cleared her throat as he approached, and forced a smile to her lips. "What job did you pick, your highness?"

"Going to be a hero renowned by Carnaleria in no time!" Prince Percival grinned, unfurling the contract scroll to show off his ticket to fame and fortune."

A contract for the dragon known as the World Ending Flame. A beast who was rumored to be between 10 and 20 feet tall, breathing fire and death from her fanged maw. Wanted for kidnapping, assault, public disturbance, and arson, her list of captives included several family members of the aristocracy and nobility of Magnes, which had made the bounty upon her head quite sizeable and attractive to many, many adventurers. Peculiarly, after a few months, she would release the members of the aristocracy, along with the adventurers who would try to claim the ever growing bounty upon her head. These adventurers were often a few pouchfuls of coin lighter as well as bereft of their equipment and clothes, bound up with chains and their own undergarments in the nude and left near the gates to the walled city of Magnes.

These victims stuttered out tales of the crimson-scaled dragon who would fight them one by one and conquer them handily. A great warrior with a thick tail that could shatter trees with a single swing, and breath that could reduce a man to ash, as well as claws that sheared through a knight's armor effortlessly like a farmer would cut down stalks of wheat. These tails were often told with a deep crimson blush upon the cheeks of those who told it.

Kari's ears flattened against the top of her head, suppressing a deep breath. Her tail stopped and stilled itself as she considered her words carefully. "A-are you sure there were no better choices, your majesty?"

"Nope! What better way to attract attention than to slay and lay the dragon who has been terrorizing Father's city?"

"B-but..." Kari inhaled deeply, biting her tongue. "Nevermind. Of course it is an excellent choice, Prince Percival. I'm sure you will succeed without problem. I will meet up with you at the sundries store to stock up on supplies.

Prince Percival's floofy tail swished to and fro with reckless abandon behind him as he nodded frantically, before he practically skipped to the entrance while his head was in the clouds, upon which his castle in the sky was built, with the daydream of slaying and laying the dragonness and being cheered and hailed as a hero by his people.

Ronan looked to Kari. "So much for being careful."

The mouse's ears wilted. "...one of the biggest job hazards of being an adventurer is an escort request in over their head."