On the outskirts of Rostock, the Shooting Stars take a cart to the ruined village of Rahm.

  John (Current Rank E 14/40): “Man, we should totally buy our own cart next, what do you think Sherry?”

  Sher Aka (Current Rank D 5/40): “I think you’re right but only once we all start traveling cross country, until then taking care of an animal is too much of a hassle.”

  Thoma Ahad (Current Rank E 4/40): “I think it would be fun, having a pet sounds nice!”

  Rayla (Current Rank E 4/40): “They’re not pets though, they’re work animals, that’s different.”

  “Do they like being pet and fed?”

  “I guess.”

  “Then they’re pets!”

  “Pfft, by that logic you’re a pet too oki.”

  “Hmm, I guess that’s true. Go pet me then!”

  “Haha, sure.”

  As Rayla brushes through my hair, John gets annoyed,

  “You guys are way too happy for where we’re going. We’re about to go to a destroyed village, maybe show some xxx.”

  Sher Aka puts her hand on his shoulder, “Don’t be like that John. If we were going to mourn every bad event that causes us to go on a quest, we’d never be happy. Have you gone through the list yet, Rayla?”

  “Yeah, it’s gonna take a while to collect all the valuables people left behind. It might be smart to split up. John, I recommend you and Thoma go collect the lighter and smaller items while Sher Aka and I go for the heavy stuff. Do you want to take on the business district or the residential district?”

  John quickly answers, “I call dibs on residential. I don’t want to sift through oil and coal the whole day.”

  “Okay, Thoma are you okay with the business district?”

  “Yeah, I don’t mind.”

  “Alright, good. Even though the Forest Orcs that destroyed this village have been killed I still want you to stay vigilant. If you see anything suspicious even from a distance I want you to come running to the town center and team up again.”

  Leaning back on the cart, John asks, “What’s up with those ugly pigs anyways? Is it normal that they’re this aggressive?”

  “Not really. From what I know, they’re looking into it. There is a chance that they had too many children during the warm winter eight years ago and that’s why they start attacking people now.”

  “But even so, they’re animals not monsters so why do they keep attacking people? It looks like they are somewhat organized.”

  “I don’t know, finding out is above our pay grade. Our job right now is just to save as much as possible of what’s left of the village. Anyways, look ahead, it looks like we’re here.”

  In front of us, as we go around a curve, a village comes into view. Where once a bustling town stood, now a reminder of ruin remains. Houses partially broken, rotten food left from the attack and the occasional human bone placate the once lively streets together with lots of rubble. Now the only thing that still lives here are rats and insects.

  Looking ahead in horror, John asks, “Shit man…How many Forest Orcs does it take to do that?”

  “According to what I’ve read in the quest info, about twenty to thirty.”

  “Isn’t that the amount we killed?”

  “Yeah, but we’re adventurers and had time to prepare. These people were attacked out of nowhere in the late evening.”

  We then move the wagon to the town center and get everything we need for the search.

  Taking out a map of the village, ane says, “Alright John, you start here. Sher Aka, you and I will start here with John and move clockwise through the village. Thoma, you go up ahead to the business district, here is the list of the houses and belongings they want back and a small map of the town.”

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  “Alright see you later, ane.”

  The smell of rot is heavy in the air. Passing by multiple ruined residential buildings, I come upon a bakery that's on my list.

  Looking at a little plaque, it says, “Opened a hundred and fifty years ago, may this bakery be forever the heart of the village…How sad.”

  I unscrew the plaque and go inside to search for a few tools that have been here since the bakery opened. Next on my list is a tannery, it seems they are looking for their wedding ring. The smell of rot from the uncured hides is nauseating but I still sift through the area as described and about ten minutes later find the ring.

  “May our love outlast this metal…I hope both of them made it.”

  I then go through the rest of the businesses on my list and slowly collect the belongings. I couldn’t retrieve all of them but most are here.

  “Alright…I’m done with the inner town, now only the smithy, miller and charcoal burners are left.”

  Going to the outskirts of town, the air quickly starts to get better again. Entering the smithy, I’m supposed to retrieve the hammer of the forge master. Apparently this forge was built 350 years ago by a Dwarf and the fires have not gone out once during that time…Until now. Looking around the forge, I find a beautifully decorated hammer that seems to have had much use throughout the years. Then, out of the corner of my eyes, I notice a small dim light coming out of the forge oven, checking up on it, there is a small fire elemental the size of my palm inside in the shape of a salamander. It looks like it's dying.

  “Woah, woah, hey are you okay?”

  It doesn’t seem to be able to answer and is just staring at me with eyes almost completely devoid of life. I quickly get my oil lantern out and start a small flame.

  “Come in here, it will help.”

  It seems like the salamander is trying to move but it can’t so I pick it up and put it in the oil lamp.

  “Do you need mana too!? You can have some of mine! Let’s make a contract where you can take as much mana as you want without taking advantage of me and both of us can cancel the contract whenever we want. Does that sound okay?”

  The salamander nods and weakly puts up its foot, waving me closer. I put my face next to the oil lamp and take off my mask. It then licks my forehead and I feel a short burning sensation before noticing some of my mana moving to the salamander as it seemingly falls asleep inside the oil lamp.

  “Phew…Seems like it worked. I should get some firewood and oil while I’m here…”

  After some time of picking up firewood and oil for my lantern, I continue to the mill, keeping a close eye at the lamp to make sure it doesn’t go out.

  Despite the flour being completely wet and overrun with bugs, the mill itself seems to still be mostly functional. After a bit of searching I find the lucky coin on top of the grindstone and pick it up.

  “Alright, one more to go…”

  Moving towards the river, I go to the charcoal burner camp. It’s completely destroyed. It seems they’re missing a children's toy. Using a rake, I sift through the ashes for about twenty minutes until I find a small doll with a missing arm. I then search for a bit longer but I can’t find the missing arm so I call it a day and move towards the town center.

  “Hey guys, I’m done!”

  “What!?”

  “I said I’m done!”

  “Nice! Come over!”

  Briskly, I move towards Rayla’s voice and meet up with them again, it looks like John has been crying.

  Putting my hand on his shoulder, I ask, “Is everything okay John!? Did you get hurt?”

  “I’m fine…I just need a bit of time. Also, I’m never taking the residential district again if we have another quest like this.”

  Looking at Sher Aka, I whisper to her, “Did something happen?”

  She gives me a gentle smile, “No, he just had to spend most of his time finding children's toys and very personal items. So he is very sad right now since he doesn’t know whether the owners survived or he’s just collecting things to remember the dead.”

  “I see…”

  Calmly, I walk over to John and sit down next to him.

  Pissed off, he says, “What do you want? I don’t need anyone to talk to.”

  “Alright, I’m just going to sit here.”

  “Fine.”

  Then after about five minutes of me silently watching Rayla and Sher Aka work, John speaks up, “I know what you’re doing. I’m not going to speak about my feelings just because you’re sitting there.”

  “Okay.”

  Another five minutes of silence pass, “Gee…Fine. It's tough, okay? That’s what you wanted to hear, right?”

  “I’m just sitting here and listening and when you need a hug I’ll give you one.”

  “Fine…”

  Another few minutes pass and he leans his head on my shoulder, “Don’t say anything…You damn xxx.”

  I stay and support him silently and after a bit more time, he stands up and pats me on the shoulder, ”Thanks Thoma Ahad,” before returning back to work.

  Happy I could help, I walk over to Rayla, “Hey ane, what does ‘Himbo’ mean?”

  Almost spitting out the water she was drinking, Rayla asks, “Pffft, what? Where did you hear that?”

  “John called me one.”

  “I see…That sly bastard…”

  “Is it a bad word?”

  “Not really, it means a very kind and attractive but stupid man.”

  “Huh…Is that a compliment?”

  “Kind of. It’s both a compliment and an insult. Why are you smiling like that?”

  “Well, I got a compliment so I’m happy!”

  Ane suddenly gets serious and puts her hands on my shoulders, “Wait a second…Thoma, be honest with me, is your heart beating fast? Do you feel like you want to cuddle John a lot?”

  “No?”

  Wiping some sweat away, Rayla lets out a sigh of relief, “Okay, phew. Still…I’ve got to keep an eye on that guy…”

  “Why?”

  “No reason! Uhm…Anyways, you forgot to turn your lamp off.”

  “Oh! No, actually there is a fire spirit inside. It looked like it was about to freeze to death so I put it in there and I’m giving it some mana till it recovers.”

  Her tails wag excitedly, “If you’re giving it mana does that mean it’s your familiar?”

  “Technically yes, but it’s only temporary till it has a new home.”

  She looks slightly disappointed, “Huh, okay. What does it look like?”

  “Like a very small gray salamander.”

  “Oh nice! Is it cute?”

  “Yeah, but it also looks pretty sick. I'm sure it will look even better once it recovers.”

  “Nice! Sher Aka and I are gonna need some more time, so why don’t you start practicing in the meantime?”

  “Sure, sounds good! I’m also going to start a bonfire for the salamander, just to be sure I don’t take out too much natural fire mana while I practice.”

  “Alright.”