The hum of his sword woke him up. Michael groaned and fished his hand around, trying to grab the handle while being half-awake. The attic had gotten a complete makeover and looked more comfortable to live in. He didn't mind the size being half as the rooms downstairs but it was the privacy he always wanted. Apart from the bedding that Mave gave to him prior, there was only a chest for his spare clothes and armor. It was a little depressing but he wasn't the one to complain.
He grabbed his sword and turned his head away from the flash.
"Wake up," she shook him around. "Do you really sleep this hard?"
Michael thought the past few weeks were the best he'd ever slept. Even how hard this attic floor was, nothing at the union compared to this. He never felt so comfortable to have someone like her next to him.
Evelyn laid beside him, staring into his eyes. "Too tired?"
He softly groaned in response. There wasn't a smith around that manufactured child-sized armor for Ellis so he had to walk across the city for anyone that could. It was so draining that Evelyn quit halfway through and became a sword until he reached back at the house.
She caressed her hands on his face.
Michael thought he was falling into a deeper sleep. Then he suddenly snapped awake.
"Wake up," she pinched his cheek harder. "Now."
He pried her hand off and could hear the sounds underneath him more clearly. Someone was shouting his name downstairs. They must have made it back from their quest, too early than he thought.
"Stay here," he mumbled. He opened the hatch and climbed down to his name.
"Well, someone's been sleeping well," Stefan flopped Ellis off his shoulder onto the couch. "You eat anything yet?"
"No," Michael rubbed his eyes. "Did you complete the quest?"
"Look at us," Mave followed behind Stefan. "Do you think we completed it?"
Michael squinted his eyes. It was still early in the morning for him to wake up but Ellis was completely knocked out, too tired to even greet Michael. Their armor was more than dirty as if they were rolling around mud and dried in the sun. He didn't want to mention the smell but it was worse than whenever they came back from the quest to protect a farm from hungry dire wolves. Mave limped whenever she walked, holding the side of her stomach that looked worn with bandages. Ellis looked like he slept through the ride back home. Stefan was the only one that appreciated how clean the place was every time he came back.
"We're running against time now," Stefan said. "The guild is doing everything they can at the moment."
"All of a sudden we're called up," Mave grumbled. "It's like they think we're some kind of joke."
Michael rummaged through the kitchen for clean first-aid. "What was the quest again?"
"Retrieve the magical artifact," Stefan gently unstrapped Mave's armor. "We have two days left. The only issue is that it's already dragged by mana beasts deep into their nest. Other parties already tried and now the quest falls into our hands."
"Did they die?"
"They became lunch for the beasts if that answers your question."
Mave grabbed the packs of salve and bandages from Michael's hand.
"No, I got this," Stefan took it from her. "I know what I'm doing."
Michael saw her wound. Apart from the claw marks that ran across her abdomen, there were some that went deeper than others. Some even looked like it came from the teeth of a beast.
"If we had a priest," she grunted. "This wouldn't have—ow!"
"I said, stop moving," he patched her wounds tight. "If we had a priest then that person would be the first to die. No point in casting spells if they can't even protect themselves."
"What happened to your supplies?" Michael asked. "I thought you packed enough for emergencies."
"Did Ellis even tell you anything, kid?" Stefan turned to him. "Scary monsters aren't the only thing out there waiting to get us."
"You were robbed by bandits?"
"Not bandits, just other competitors. We're not the only people fighting for that magical artifact. I'm pretty sure other parties were promised a sum that could change their lives."
"Why would other adventurers attack you? Isn't that breaking some rule?"
"No rules in the uncharted. Whatever happens in the uncharted, stays in the uncharted. You could die there and nobody would even know."
Michael felt a shiver down his spine when he heard that. He thought adventurers were fighting for the means of good, not for the sake of greed.
"And neither the guild nor the nobles care," Stefan continued. "Not even the almighty Xander. Hell, I wouldn't give a damn if I had the numbers to expend."
"Then…why are you guys still trying for the quest?"
"Because we have to. The guild only runs on two things from you, your commitment and your consistency. Without that, you're nothing but an worthless adventurer to them. We already build a strong reputation for ourselves that we have to uphold. In other words, we can't fail this quest."
"So, you're heading out again?"
"Bingo," he finished closing Mave's wound. "And you're coming with us."
"Wait—what?"
Mave gritted her teeth. "I can't believe this is happening."
Stefan wrapped the bandage around her abdomen. "I don't hear any objections."
"Why would I object?"
"What about you," Stefan shouted to Ellis in the living room. "Are you okay with Michael tagging along with us?"
There was no answer from Ellis.
"You're coming along," he assured. "Hurry up and gear, we're leaving right now."
Michael didn't know if he should feel scared or excited. He rushed upstairs to the attic. He pulled down the string and climbed up, finding Evelyn sleeping on his bedding.
She turned over, noticing his frantic movements. "Michael?"
"I'm finally going on a quest," he said, strapping on his armor. "Can you believe it? They're asking me to help them!"
"Are they sure about that?"
"They're sure."
She snorted. "Alright, then show them what you got."
"No," he reached for her hand. "We'll show them."
Evelyn smiled and held his hand, flashing into a sword. He sheathed her and slung it across his back. He can't even remember the last time he wore his leather armor since Stefan had bought it for him. From all the times he's fantasized about going on an adventure, this was it. The training that he's had to endure will pay off and he's going to show them that he was worth every second of it.
He headed back down and helped the party re-pack their supplies. Their spare gold hidden under the floor and the closet of adventuring tools. Stefan said there wasn't any time to repair or clean the armor despite that being Michael's job but he didn't complain. They needed to head back to the place before things got too hectic. It was literally the race for the magical artifact and Stefan was determined they would win.
Ellis woke up in the middle of them running around and refused to be carried again on Stefan's shoulder.
Everyone strapped their gear tight and headed back outside. Apart from Stefan being overly excited that Michael would join them, Michael felt some sense of uneasiness. The idea of his adventure was something too heroic in his mind compared to some death race that Stefan forced him to join. They rented two big horses that pulled a wagon and rode through the city to their destination.
Michael watched them ride further away from the home he was starting to appreciate. He watched countless buildings passing by and wondered about the individual lives of each commoner that looked at him. Was this what being an adventurer felt like?
They rode out of the city and onto roads as Ellis directed Stefan where to steer. This was the second time he was outside of Aldoria, remembering the last time he had almost died fighting the lich. Adventurers had no idea how their quest would play out and only hoped for the best.
Stefan and Ellis sat in the front in charge of the horses while Michael and Mave sat in the back across from each other.
"Are we going into the uncharted?" Michael asked the front. "How would you know if we're there if it isn't marked on the map?"
"I would know," Ellis said. "Roads are cut off and forests are overgrown. If you see areas that aren't suitable for human life, that's the uncharted."
"But I thought bandits live there."
"They do, just not that obvious. They found some way to make the beasts inside to leave them alone."
Michael imagined that notorious criminals must be dealing around in those parts of land. They probably spend their time conspiring how to ruin other kingdoms. He still didn't understand the moral behind the bad or good.
Mave rested her sword beside her. "The uncharted is land that's not discovered or taken by anyone. Not all of them are under bandit territory. I would even think some are scurrying around Wilmere, right under our noses."
"That's why our quest became so popular," Stefan pointed out. "The moment you hear gold, everyone already heard it before you."
Michael kept his hands still. "What happens if we run into any bandits?"
"I mean," he chuckled. "We're not trying to—"
"If we do," Mave interrupted him. "We force them out of our way. We're adventurers, we take quests and complete them. You swear that the moment you join the guild. Any bandits that want to steal our reward already know they're going to have to fight for it."
"Have you…" Michael hesitated. "Have you killed anyone?"
The ride turned silent besides the trotting of the horses. Michael knew it was a sensitive question to ask but he couldn't stop battling against that thought. Mave didn't teach him how to fight against beasts, she taught him how to cross swords with another person. The only time he's ever taught how to defend against a wild beast is when Ellis explained about them. It was like the dangers of man were greater than an animal.
"Michael," Ellis said, cutting the silence. "People die every day, even in the worst way possible. You could be trapped in a maze, you can be eaten alive by packs of wolves, and you would die knowing that you were alone. Death is common, more common among adventurers. You already knew that once you registered, didn't you?"
Michael kept his head down.
"We're not good people, but we aren't bad people either. There's people out there that find killing as a sport. It's only fair that we have the chance to defend ourselves."
"It's us or them," Mave added. "You decide who you're going to fight for."
Michael held the sling across his chest.