Lance's eyes widened, then darkened. His hand reaching for his sword. "Did you just laugh at me?"
Stein didn't want trouble, but he couldn't stand being threatened especially when the aggressor couldn't follow up on it.
He made a show of glancing around before looking back at Lance. "Strange. I could've sworn I saw a clown."
Lance's face reddened, his sword was already halfway halfway out when a slender hand caught his arm.
"We are in Peltra," she said, her voice stern. "Don't let your emotions get in the way of rational thinking."
Stein pointed at Lance, forcing out a short laugh. "Oh—there it is again."
Lance's nostrils flared as he gritted his teeth, but slid the sword back into its sheath.
"A level one rat isn't worth my time," he looked around at the other adventurers in the square. "No one is to accept this fool into their party. Anyone who does will face the scorn of the guild."
Keeping his eyes on Stein, he shook the girl's hand off his arm. "You are done for!" he spat at Stein, then strode off.
"We would love to have you in our party," a voice cut through the silence and tense atmosphere.
It belonged to the oldest adventurer Stein had seen. He stood tall with a roughly trimmed beard and the body of a warrior, toned and scarred. He was at least twenty-three. On his back rested a large dark grey shield, while a sword hang from his waist.
"Veteran," Lance's face was strained and his voice low, "you dare go against the guild?"
"I was here before the guild," the man lifted his head. "You don't scare me, kid."
Their eyes met in silence for a moment before a smile formed on Lance's face, one that did not reach his eyes. "Very well." He spun and stormed off. The rest of his team also spared hostile glances before joining him.
Stein sighed, he had destroyed whatever chance he had of joining the guild while gaining a troublesome foe.
He turned to observe the man who had invited him to a party, the one they called Veteran. How had this man not ascended to the next world yet? There must be something Stein did not know. He found the man looking back at him curiously.
"You've got guts,kid." Veteran nodded approvingly. "While I might have timed my invitation to piss off that brat, I really meant it. You can join my party. We don't pay as much as the guild, but you'll be treated with respect and your safety will be in capable hands." He offered his hand to Stein. "You can call me Veteran."
Stein did not need to think too much about it. His actions had burned every other bridge but this one.
"Call me Stein," he said, accepting the handshake. His gaze drifted past Veteran."Where are the others?"
Veteran's eyes softened and his lip curved slightly. "Follow me."
The two made their way to the edge of the square, away from the ruckus. There, three adventurers sat, a boy and two girls, all many years older than Stein. Unlike the adventurers from the guild, they were not dressed in pristine coats or donning fanciful equipment. Their clothing looked lived in. Some had patches. Those with armor had scratches and dents. Cloaks were sun-bleached, yet there was a certain confidence to them even as they lounged around waiting.
"He's young," a boy with bright red hair stood up as the approached. Two swords crossed behind his back making an X shape.
"You were also young when you joined us," Veteran waved at the group. "Everyone, meet Stein, the newest member of our party."
The red-haired boy stepped forward. "I'm Axe," he offered a hand. "Level twenty-nine Warmonger."
Stein shook his hand and tried not to wince at his strong grip.
"Morgana, level twenty-nine Invoker." The girl's hand felt soft and fragile. One would not guess it was the hand of a powerhouse on the brink of ascension. She wore a long slit ceremonial gown that had managed to stay white in such a dusty environment. With long black hair and dazzling green eyes, she seemed ethereal, like she was plucked right out of a fairytale.
"And he falls," Axe did a dramatic show of flailing his hands as he fell to the floor.
Veteran shook his head like a disappointed elder sibling.
"It was love at first sight," the other girl chuckled, lifting her hat to show brown, tanned skin. A tall fanciful wooden bow lay beside her.
Stein felt his face grow warm as he released Morgana's hand. She was really pretty.
Morgana smiled at him awkwardly. "Don't take them seriously. Axe and Tasha like to tease any boy who joins us."
Axe scoffed. "Charm him hard enough and we might finally get one to remain in Razaaham with us."
"Okay, that's enough," Veteran took a palm to his face before pointing. "Ludacra, our ranger, isn't an adventurer. She's a native of Raazaham."
"What?" Stein looked at the tanned girl again. Of course, it made sense. There was no rule saying only adventurers could team up together.
Veteran nodded with a curt smile. "She can't ascend and has no access to the system, though half a decade with us might make her seem otherwise. Don't be fooled."
"Hello," Ludacra waved at him. "I'm familiar with most of your slangs, you guys have amazing curse words. There was this one Axe taught be about—"
"That's enough," Veteran cut in with a polite smile before turning to Stein. "Well? Tell us about yourself."
Stein stood up straight. "I'm sixteen years old, level one, and still Pathless." Might as well get that out of the way. He thought.
"The full package," Axe applauded.
Morgana shot him a disapproving look.
"A clean slate," Veteran cut in. "No mistakes yet, and we can keep it that way."
Ludacra and Morgana nodded in agreement.
"All right, that's enough lazing around," Veteran clapped his palms together. "Let's introduce Stein to the Oasis."