Jamtara, Kingdom of Divinium, Eastern region of Rohana Federation, 2051 S.C. 150th day
The eastern gate of Jamtara stood silent in the darkness, its massive wooden doors still sealed against the night. Heron arrived early, his breath misting in the cool air as he adjusted the simple pack on his shoulders. He'd spent half the night debating what to bring: a water skin, some dried meat, basic medical supplies, a sword, and a small knife. He'd left everything else at the tavern, trusting Marcus to hold his belongings until his return.
The crosses above pulsed with their dimmed yellow glow, casting strange shadows across the cobblestones. As Heron waited, he ran through everything he knew about the local flora and wildlife, everything he'd learned about survival in his years since Haugstad. Whatever this "forest trek" entailed, he couldn't afford to fail.
"You're early."
Heron turned to find Richard approaching, his red military uniform stark against the darkness. Behind him came two more men. One was Icarus and the other was also familiar. Since rags covered Icarus's eyes, you couldn't tell if he was tired, but the other guy seemed like he didn't get any sleep.
"Better early than late," Heron replied, straightening his posture. "I see unfamiliar faces?"
"I gave the women a day off. On the other hand, these two vouched for you, so they are getting up early with me."
"I apologize," Heron bowed to Almir and Icarus. "I don't know who you are, yet you vouched for me." He was now thinking over if he knew the other guy from somewhere.
"It would be rude of me not to know your names, since you went out of your way to vouch for me."
"Right," Richard said. "Well, you are more familiar with Icarus because of your brief stint with the local guards. Which reminds me, you are an idiot."
Heron lowered his head. "I apologize for causing you trouble." He then turned over to Richard. "But how did you know it was me? I mean…"
Heron thought it was rude to point out that Icarus is blind. Richard caught on and started laughing. "Oh, no need to hold back. Icarus can't see like you and me, but trust me, he can see what he needs to, so let's say you left an impression."
"Yes, you left an imprint, which I recognized when we entered the tavern. But I was pretty sure I noticed you in the guild hall the other day too."
"Um, I appreciate you noticing me. I am Heron, hoping to be a comrade in the guild." Heron lowered his posture.
"Nice to meet you," Icarus replied, but his tone didn't convey if he meant it or not.
"I'm sorry if I'm rude, but have we met?" Heron asked the other guy.
"Not formally, Heron of Haugstad, though your words left an impression the other day. It is noble that in your heart you carry the spirit of your village."
Heron blushed a bit. He remembered he was a bit hyped about joining a guild, that he may have some things that sounded embarrassing to say out loud.
"My name is Almir, and I hope you will be our comrade indeed." Almir towered over both Icarus and was a bit taller than Richard. He had dark skin, blonde hair and a blonde beard, and was quite buff. One thing Heron also remembered was his hat with a peace sign that he wore.
"Thank you!" Heron cheered. "And I am sorry you had to get up this early for me."
"It's alright," Almir yawned. "If it weren't you, it might have been someone else when we posted the new recruitment post."
"Don't be ridiculous; clearly no one but him was dumb enough to want to join," Icarus said flatly. On that note, both Richard and Almir grinned at him. Are you that dense is clearly what they were both thinking.
Richard turned back to Heron. "Your task is simple: gather three specimens of the Crossus. It is a medicinal flower that grows on the outskirts of the nearby forest. You have two days to return with the flowers intact."
Heron frowned. "That's it? Just gather some flowers?"
A small, wintry smile played at the corners of Richard's mouth.
"Crossus only grows in areas where soil is fermented with monster excrement. And where there is excrement..." He left the implication hanging.
"The flowers must be intact," Icarus added, his voice carrying that same emotionless tone from yesterday. "Damaged specimens are worthless. You'll need to harvest them properly, roots and all."
"And how will I recognize them?"
"They glow with a faint blue light," Almir explained. "But only when the crosses above are at their dimmest, during the darkest hours of night. During the day, they look similar to other white flower species."
"Which means you'll be searching for them in darkness," Icarus added. "This will make it challenging as there are nocturnal wildlife and even monsters in the forest."
Richard produced a small leather pouch. "These tools will help you harvest the flowers correctly. The rest is up to you." He held out a map. "This is the map of the forest area. You can use it to map out locations where you think flowers are. There are at least three locations where they were spotted. Whenever you succeed in finding these locations and gathering the flowers is up to you."
Heron took the pouch and map, securing them in his pack. "And if I succeed?"
"Then you'll have proven yourself worthy of consideration," Richard replied. "But first come back alive."
The gates began to creak open as the morning guard took their positions. Richard gestured toward the road beyond. "Your time starts now. Remember: two days, three intact specimens. May the Creators watch over you."
Heron nodded before stepping through the gates. As he walked the path leading into the wilderness, he could feel their eyes on his back.
They are probably betting if I'll return at all.
The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon as Heron consulted the map. Three main areas were marked as potential Crossus locations. The closest was perhaps four hours' walk, while the furthest would take most of a day to reach.
He studied the lay of the land, remembering Richard's words about monsters being drawn to areas where the flowers grew. If I want any chance of success, he thought, I need to scout the locations during daylight and return at night to harvest.
With a deep breath, Heron shouldered his pack and began walking.