The Damned Seven. A party famous not for their power but for being a walking disaster held together by bad decisions, worse trauma, and also held together by a particular bullied knight. They are a shitshow.
**
A group of people Walked down the narrow forest road, leaves crunching under their boots, the sunlight slipped through the branches. Hitting the forest road and lighting it, the smell of damp Moss was thick with twigs snapping under the steps.
"SHUT UP ROWAN!"
Two nearly identical beastkin with short red hair shouted at a knight in full armor, who was doing nothing but breathing while they argued.
"Im not–! Im not even doing anything!"
"Well, the great Mimi and Miro,"She exclaimed proudly."Is annoyed by your breathing and stupid face." Mimi placed her hand on her chest proudly with a hint of smugness and proud in her tone as her twin brother nodded beside her
"Yeah! Miro is annoyed by your breathing and your stupid face." Miro added with exaggerated sweetnese, mocking every word.
Suddenly, the sound of turning and groaning came, the sound of a man getting off a bed and staff scraping againts the floor as a man with blonde hair which currently has insane bed hair and eyebags voice came out groggy, tired and, annoyed
"For the love of... Can the both of you shut up?" Caelum groaned. Still half asleep as he slid off the floating mana cloud that dissolved into mist and walked up to the twins glaring at the two catkin who was arguing just before picking on rowan.
"Mimi says Rowan started it first!" Mimi pointed at Rowan, Pouting. And rowan just sighed in defeat, his breath fogging the inside of his helmet, muttering something about hating this party.
"I was just sitting between you two before you suddenly told me to shut up... For not absolutely doing anything." Rowan muttered under his breath, and rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"Shut up Rowan!" the twins shouted again together, ears twitching in sync. Birds startled from the branches overhead at the sound.
"Sulking over your lost of sleep sweetheart~?" A sultry and teasing voice came out from the other side, its a curvy high elf and has long silver hair who is very clearly a smug son of a bitch which you can see from her smile.
"Yes." Caelum exclaimed, annoyance was clear in his voice as he took out a bag of coffee and making it while walking. "I am sulking over the lost of my sleep Sylvia"
"Jinx If you keep fucking poking me i WILL maul you alive!" A angry snarl came from the back of the group as we see a man with brown hair, and a stubble. currently being poked by a annoying jester.
"Whaaat~? But Im not doing anything Kael~" she very obviously lied, while poking kael face and floating slightly above ground.
"Jinx i swear to god, i will skin you alive!" Kael exclaimed while jinx kept her act on
"How annoying." A cold voice came from beside Sylvia, it was a dark elf wearing a hood and Sylvia currently has her arm around. "Being this loud this early is an annoyance to everyone."
Rowan who was now walking beside her. "Its always this loud Veyrah" Rowan replied, keeping a tight grip on his sword because the twins kept trying to take it, and also insulting him.
Veyrah ignored him. She turned her head towards Sylvia and asked "Still, i would prefer going to basilika instead of silverport"
Sylvia chuckled, waving her off. "Oh please~ you immedeatly agreed when i agreed veyrah."
Jinx floated towards caelum, her bells jingling and mockingly frowning.
"its so boring without bullying Rowan..."
Rowan voice came from behind, slightly annoyed. "I Heard that!"
Jinx ignored him, she turned back towards caelum who was drinking his coffee "are we there yet my tired caelum~?"
"Yes."
Caelum replied finishing his coffee and putting it away. He then grabbed her face and pushed her away.
"We're already here, get out of my face."
They finally stepped out of the forest roads and was now in Silverport territory, The sprawling city of Silverport stretched before them—tall white walls stretched tall, the top crawling with guards. banners snapping in the wind, the smell of sea-salt and spices drifting from the harbor. guards patrolled.
The air was filled with the smell of salt and spices from merchants, wagon wheels creaked as they rolled to the gate. Their carts filled with barrels and crates.
The party approached the gates. the guards looked them over carefully, their hands on the hilt of their swords another instinctively grabbed the hilt of his sword when jinx gently landed on the ground. A older looking one stepped infront of them.
"State your business." He calmly said.
Caelum, Wanting to get this over with quickly stepped forward, the guards eyeing him and the others.
"Guild quest. Party called Damned Seven"
He could hear a merchant from the back "Damn it... Its the Damned Seven. Should i turn back now?" Caelum just frowned and his grip on his staff tightened.
Caelum responded, he then showed the paper quest with a bright red stamp on it.
The older guard looked at it closely before stepping to the side, signaling the other guards to open the gate.
Rowan frowned, the wind making his red hood fall. "Damned Seven? Thats a name given by others–"
"Shut up Rowan." Said in unison for their bullied knight as they strode past him.
"Right... Of course. I'll just go along with that name."
**
They were finally inside Silverport, so naturally their first destination was a tavern. The Drunken Gryphon was loud and bustling, serving many races, with bards singing, drunks yelling, and serving girls weaving through the crowd
The tavern air reeked of Ale and smoke pipe, layered with a greasy aroma. Bards played a frantic tune in the corner, dices slammed onto the table as gamblers cheered and cursed.
Caelum told them to gather information before they went doing their own thing.
Rowan sighed in relief when he found an empty seat at the end of a long bench. Finally, maybe he could drink in peace.
But the moment he lifted his mug—
"Rowan, move," Kael growled, shoving him out of the way so he could sit closer to the barmaid, him eyeing the barmaids that wore a dangerously low cut blouse.
Rowan nearly spilled his ale. "…I—okay. Fine. Standing it is."
He shuffled over to another table, only to find Mimi and Miro already perched there, tails swishing, eyes locked on him.
"…What?" Rowan asked.
"You can't sit here," Mimi said flatly.
"Why not?"
"Because we said so."
"…I'm going outside."
They ignored his absence.
Sylvia and Veyrah was practically eye-fucking each other and aggressively flirting warning a few... Stares, Jinx was manipulating and pranking other customers, Kael was hitting on the barmaids and being successful, Mimi and Miro demanded attention and praises from others.
Meanwhile caelum sat near the bartender, he ordered their best coffee, the bartender handed him his coffee
"Thanks, here's your money and... Some info."
He slid five bronze coins and a single gold coin as the tip, the bartender took it.
"Now. Anything intresting happening the past few weeks?" Caelum asked, putting down his coffee and raising one brow.
The bartender finished up wiping a glass clean and serving another customer, before finally turning towards caelum.
"Rumors circulating of the Baneknights staying in Silverport for some time, sightings of them near the harbor"
The bartender whispered while sliding another customer ale again
Caelum finished up his coffee and the chair creaked as he stood up, tossing the bartender the cup and headed towards the door. He sended a telepathic signal to the others expect Rowan, he already knows his outside.
"We're done here."
Jinx who was having fun stressing out the gamblers and being yelled at went over to caelum
Mimi and Miro was enjoying all the glory of praises and pets but their ears perked up at the signal and looked over to the exit before quickly running over.
Kael who was hitting on a barmaids who rolled her eyes but smiled at him, he scowled at the signal but went ahead of everyone outside.
Veyrah and Sylvia still aggressively flirting and eye-fucking each other stood up at the signal and walked over, ignoring the stares from nearby patrons.
**
Rowan for once was slightly enjoying himself, he was sitting on a pair of stairs, his hood was pulled down and his helmet was lifted halfway showing his stubble, only showing his mouth and he was eating freash bread and soup he BOUGHT for himself.
"Pretty relaxing for once– Gah?!" POOF! Jinx appeared floating upside down infront of his face in a puff of red smoke, startling Rowan and making him nearly drop his soup
"Hey there rowan~! We ignored you not being at the tavern." She exclaimed, she twirled herself before floating to the spot beside him and plopping herself there.
Rowan stared at her blankly, sighing before shoving the piece of bread into jinx mouth which she happily ate. "Figured."
Jinx put her hand on Rowan shoulder and in a puff of red smoke they appeared with the others
"We're gonna search for their base tomorrow so for now we should rest up and get supplies." Caelum explained, the twins was clearly not paying attention as they were arguing again.
He pointed towards Rowan and Sylvia "You two are gonna pair up to do a quest at the guild hall."
Veyrah scowled at the fact of Sylvia and Rowan pairing up and glared at the poor man, Sylvia just smiled at it.
PROLOGUE END