There was a Torokin standing over a man in overalls who had a huge wound to his stomach. There were several humans, gnomes, and even a Uldannish healer, his green hair cropped short. The Torokin placed a glowing hand on the man’s stomach, and he stopped writhing. Rook could see that his wound was actively stitching shut. I don’t know why I didn’t think a Torokin could be a healer.

  “Please sit, humans.” Rook looked over his shoulder at a row of chairs against the wall and sat.

  A gnome walked over with a stool and examined him. “You’re fine, minus basic muscle overuse. I can heal that, but it’ll cost you the same as if you came here actually injured,” the gnome sucked his teeth. He turned his attention to Reina. “Migraine, and slight bruising on your right shoulder from overuse. Same thing as the other human, I can heal your aches if you need.”

  “There, here with me,” Jody said, sitting a man with a bloody bandage down beside them.

  “Ah, now here’s some work,” the gnome said excitedly. “Fractured orbital socket, fractured sternum, and bruising on your liver.” He placed his hand out. “That will be 100 copper, please.” The gnome’s hand twitched in anticipation.

  “I don’t have that kind of money,” the man said, with a groan.

  Rook grabbed one hundred copper and gave it to the gnome man. “Thanks, doc.”

  The gnome placed his hands over the wound on the man’s face. He twisted his eyes shut at the stark, bright palm. Jody sat beside them, wiping his forehead.

  “Long day,” he said, pulling his pipe out.

  “Sentinel, please don’t smoke in the tent,” the Torokin called out.

  “Of course,” he placed it back into his sleeve. “There’s been an attack on the way to the Mine of Struggle. We’ve also received some alarming intel about the place, recently it seems there’s reports of a monster infestation,” Jody said, an adventuring party accepted it, but never came back. “This will be your culminating event. You want to be fully fledged Sentinels, this is it.”

  Opportunity Quest (Sentinel)

  Investigate the Mine of Struggle.

  Rewards Unknown

  Would you like to accept

  Y/N

  Yes. The title and perks of Sentinels were so close that Rook could taste it.

  The tent flap opened, and in walked the Torokin forge shopkeeper and Stonewall

  “Oh, Kaylee,” Reina said, surprised to see the woman walk into the tent. “Why are you here?”

  “It’s Mara, they got her again.” The woman’s normally cheerful nature was sour and flat. Her appearance was disheveled, strands of hair hung to her sweat-slick face, and around her shoulder was the near limp form of Mara. “They heard about the Conversation between us and the Stonists, and some retaliated.”

  Rook walked over and helped the Torokin to a table and glared at the gnome healer, with a I wish you’d tell me to wait my turn. Rook guided Mara gingerly onto the flat, cushioned surface and grimaced after looking at her injuries. Why do you let them do this to you? You could kill them so easily, I bet.

  The gnome looked her over, running a glowing hand on her shoulder, knees, and chest. “Extensive internal bleeding of the liver, and torn semimembranosus ligament in the knee, partial tear to the patellar tendon, finally a torn labrum tendon in left shoulder.” He glanced at the Torokin healer after the grim diagnosis. “Singore, I need your assistance if you please. Heal the tendons, I will take the bleeding.”

  “Kaylee, get a guard. Reina and I will stay here and ensure she’s taken care of,” Rook said, his eyes not leaving the wounded Torokin. He tried to get her to join the party yesterday; their goals even lined up. His mind flashed to that feeling of resistance when he tried his Silver Tongued Bastard skill.

  Jody walked up to the Torokin and crossed his arms. “Damned Stonists! Someone’s gonna die over this one,” he said.

  “What did those bastards do to you? Why didn’t you fight back?” He asked, the doctors looked at one another as if they were just as frustrated.

  Moments later, a guard returned with Kaylee. “What happened here?” He asked, walking forward, then took a halting step as he noticed the torokin on the table, a Bloodstone symbol carved into her shoulder. “I see.” He removed his helmet and placed it on the table.

  “Guard.” Rook ensured the word was cold and flat. “You tell Captain Phane, Sentinel Rook needs him here.”

  “Of course, Sentinel,” he said, giving a salute, donning his helmet, and running out of the tent.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Jody nodded respectfully. “Power comes with the name, Rook. A rule of thumb, though, if you have to tell people constantly that you are a Sentinel and in charge, then lad, maybe you’re not as in charge as you think.

  Before Rook could respond, the tent flap burst open again. Phane arrived just as Mara was stirring. They briefed him on the situation and how it’s gone unchecked for a long time in the small Torokin section of the city. He promised to keep Troy or another trustworthy Lieutenant on shift to patrol near the Torokin forges. He didn’t, however, promise to stop the Stonists, and Rook didn’t ask him to, because he knew the task was near impossible.

  “Do you feel well enough to travel?” Phane asked Mara after helping her off the table.

  “I’ll be fine,” she responded. “Rook.” Mara looked at him in the eyes for a long moment. “Try asking again.”

  Try again? The words made sense on their own, but there was no context. He mulled it over for a moment, then mentally slapped himself. Try and invite her to a party again.

  “Mara Redcloud, join our party. Let’s make sure this never happens to another person, Torokin or not.”

  “Yes.” Mara nodded with a hopeful smile. “Let’s crush the Bloodstone.”

  Quest Updated

  Join the Circuits:

  Find a way to Join the Circuits

  Join the Circuits and slay the Generals 0/1

  General Lan Slain 0/1

  General Krai Slain 0/1

  Reward Oath of the Blood God (Diamond)

  The notification that she entered the party popped into Rook’s vision. He haad a momentary stupified moment, as the realization of the quest hit. The Bloodstone are an actual target I can hit one day.

  Reina smiled and embraced the large bull woman. “Welcome, Mara. It never ceases to amaze me,” she said, her gaze resting on the Torokin. “How do you keep your composure after all they did to you?”

  “Kaylee and my brother. If anything were to happen because I acted in retaliation, I wouldn’t forgive myself.” She let out a breath. “Those days are gone, though. I’m defending myself from here on out,” Mara said, returning the hug.

  “As you should,” Kaylee said, teary-eyed. “I’ll bring your travel pack to the Stumbling Ogre. You’d better visit every now and again, damn it.”

  “Of course,” Mara responded.

  Jody walked with them before he abruptly stopped. “Listen, while I appreciate the young miss joining the party, she’s not a Sentinel. She will have to go through the candidacy and initiation process,” Jody said. “Joining you on your culminating quest is her business.”

  “Thank you for your concern, Sentinel,” Mara said. “I can handle myself.”

  “We’ll see about that, lass,” Jody responded, taking a turn down a side street. “I’ll see you three in the morning.” He called over his shoulder.

  * * *

  Walking down the cobbled streets, Rook noticed that they were getting more than a few looks.

  “We can take the alleyways and back streets if you want.” Mara looked around, stark discomfort in her face.

  “Mara, you don’t have to hide anymore and won’t hide anymore,” Rook said, punching the woman’s shoulder.

  She nodded, a little more comfortable with the assurance. Her stride shifted from hunched shoulders to a more comfortable, open neutral stance. Whether it was his command presence or the fact that they were sentinels, it didn’t matter. Rook was happy she felt safe enough to walk as equals.

  The midday sun rose to its peak as they entered the Stumbling Ogre. The patrons greeted them, and none of the lot really seemed to care about Mara’s presence. He led Mara up to the roof, and she had to duck to get inside.

  “Well, Mara, welcome to our humble room for rent,” Rook said, spreading his arms out in a grand gesture. “It’s not much, but it will do. Reina’s downstairs speaking to Brianna about getting a different room.”

  “Thank you, it’s an honor to be roomed with Sentinels.” She set down her greatsword on the edge of Rook’s bed.

  The metal beast of burden was so heavy that the bed creaked with the pressure. How heavy is that damned sword? He inspected it, closer. The double-edged blade was meticulously sharpened and cared for. He wasn’t a weapon smith but could tell she’d spent countless hours on it.

  “It was my son’s,” Mara said, bringing him out of the trance. “He was a Swordwall, like Strike and I.” There was a sadness in her eyes.

  Rook gazed at her but didn’t pry. “That was good of Jody to invite you in his backwards way, but are you sure you’re ok with adventuring with us?” He thought of the potential danger in the Mine.

  Her ear twitched as a fly buzzed around. “I need to leave Ollar, we can’t stop the Bloodstone with me here, right?” She gave him a leveled stare. “This will be a test of my skill.”

  “That’s right,” he said.

  Rook jerked his head to the noise of a key being inserted into the lock. “Hope for some good news.”

  “Brianna said we could have the room across the hall. One of the bartenders will bring up an extra bed,” Reina said, stepping into the room.

  They packed up their few belongings and went into the new room. The place was similar, but the view of the courtyard was different this time. The window was alive with activity and felt like an idealistic scene to people-watch.

  “You ladies can take the beds. I’ll take the new one.”

  Mara looked uncomfortably at the bed, then back to Rook. “It’s fine Sentinel, you should take the bed I know you’re still recovering.”

  The gnome’s diagnosis ran through Rook’s mind. Torn tendons, internal bleeding.

  “Absolutely not, you’re way worse off. Get settled and I’ll wait.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me,” Reina said, and then scowled at the Torokin. “You’re more hurt than Rook’s muscle aches, and I’m sure he feels the same. So rest.”

  She relented and sat down, her large bulk sinking into the twin bed. “It’s very soft, Scribe, I’m used to sleeping on a bedroll or canvas cot.”

  He really thought about the Silver Tongued Bastard Skill. Though it was passive, he tried to channel mana into it.

  “Mara, I don’t know how a party is supposed to run, so stop me if I’m out of line. This is going to be like a family.” Rook regarded Mara and Reina. “I’ll earn your trust, respect, and confidence, but will only say this once.” He rolled one shoulder and stretched his sore neck. “It’s Rook and Reina. Not Sentinels.” He looked over at the enhancer. “Don’t you agree?”

  Command presence- Silver Tongued Bastard skill upgraded.

  -Diplomat: Caster can use mana on passive Silver Tongued Bastard skill in order to give favorable outcomes from any race.

  That’s probably why she refused despite my skill activating in the weapons shop.

  “Of course. I’m still feeling weird about the Sentinel title,” she responded.

  Mara smiled, her rounded teeth showing up and down her snout. “I’m forever grateful, Rook.”

  “Good, now that that’s over. Have you noticed any weird skills since joining?”

  “Weird Skills? I didn’t get any notifications,” Mara’s voice trailed.

  Reina glanced at Rook as if to say You’re not going to tell her, right? He pursed his lips and nodded. It feels like the right thing to do. They watched Torokin’s eyes widen as she stared off into the distance. Yup, weirdness.