Richard saw red... blistering, fiery red. He had always scoffed when people talked about anger that way. Seeing red before attacking someone? It had sounded so absurd. But now… he realized how angry you had to be to see red.

“Its you! You damn midget! I’m gonna kill you!” Now, that wasn’t the most intelligent thing to say when you’re in room full of medieval cops, but Richard didn’t care. He lunged across the desk at the nastily smiling midget… who jumped backwards out of his chair laughing like a damn hyena. Not giving up, Richard scrambled on top the desk growling like a mad man. The little twerp scooted back a bit, showing an exaggerated, scared face and saying, “Oh, I’m so scared… Please save me from the big bad man! HAHAHAHHAHAHAH!”

“Why you little…!” Suddenly, Richard was dragged backwards by someone pulling on his shirt. Slightly hanging in the air, he flailed a bit until he was turned around so he could see the man holding him up by the back of his shirt.

The bearded, square jawed man had a stern expression on his face. His black eyes were relaxed, however, like he had done this a hundred times before. “Please show some respect. Assaulting a guardsman here is an insult to all of us… no matter what the fool of a guardsman might have done to deserve it.”

Richard jerked a nod before he was dropped on his feet. The large guardsman calmly glanced over to the midget and said, “And Welks, show some decorum… at least while you’re wearing the colors.” With that, the large guardsman walked away, with all the eyes in the suddenly quiet room following him. When he finally walked out the door, all the eyes turned back to look at Richard, who nervously smiled, especially when he caught sight of half a dozen other guardsmen looking at him with their hands holding drawn daggers or metal clubs.

“Ahem…!” Turning, Richard saw the elf looking at him with an annoyed face. “If you’re done, we have some things to discuss.” Looking behind Richard with a stern face, the elf said, “And a particular guardsman has a report he needs to finish rewriting, I believe.”

Behind him, Richard heard high pitched grumbling but didn’t dare turn around. Instead, he mechanically followed the elf to a separate office. The inside of the office was very utilitarian, with the prominent features being a large wooden desk and a glass window with light spilling through it. The elf sat down in his chair behind the desk. When Richard moved to take a seat as well at an available chair, the elf coughed lightly. Looking up, Richard saw the elf looking at him with a raised eyebrow, so he remained standing a bit awkwardly.

The elf nodded in a businesslike manner and pulled out a clean sheet of paper from inside his desk somewhere. Dipping his metal quill in a little ink well, he asked, “Your name, please?”

Richard said, “ahh… Richard… Jaeger.”

“Age, please?”

“20.”

“Let’s see... physical description… black eyes, black hair… Weight… hmm….” The elf glanced up at Richard a couple times as he continued to jot down things describing Richard. Eventually, the elf asked, “Any skills?”

Richard felt a bit of déjà vu. Not wanting to hear ‘average’ thrown around, he blurted, “Cleaning…. Ummm… inventorying… customer service… ahhhh… pest control… “ Getting a bit desperate, he remembered his compass. It was still on his left wrist, probably left there since it looked kind of worthless. “I ahhh… might be able to find things as well… like lost things.”

The elf continued to methodically write until he finally picked up the sheet of paper and waved it in the air to let the ink dry. Then after glancing through it, he pulled out a large bound book of some kind. Flipping through the book, the elf seemed like he was comparing a few things with the sheet of paper, wincing at times. When he finally looked up, his face was back to its neutral expression. “Well, Mr. Jaeger… there’s bad news and good news. Which would you prefer first?”

Richard fidgeted a bit before sighing. “The bad news, please.”

“Alright then. Your skills, though useful sounding, are in limited demand right now in Serenthal City and its surrounding environs. If you had something like ‘Nature Affinity’ or ‘Clothier’s Touch,’ they would be in high demand at this time. As an adventurer, you might have been able to also find mercenary work as a body guard or caravan guard, but your unfamiliarity with everything and appearance seems to indicate you recently arrived in the World Labyrinth. I suggest you quickly fix your lack of knowledge and at least change your clothes. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee how safe you will be even inside Serenthal. Lastly, your lack of funds places you in a difficult position in regards to paying off you fine and surviving here. Also, your physical description will be forwarded to some of the guard posts in the country side, so you will not be able to leave the city’s jurisdiction until you pay your fines. “

Richard gulped at the almost unsympathetic tone the elf was using. “Soo… what’s the good news?

The elf laid the paper down on the desk and replied, “There are a few tasks that you may be able to complete for the Guards. It will not pay you anything, but it will at least give you a place to sleep and three meals a day for now. Though, if you don’t make any progress with the tasks, the benefits won’t be included. All in all, it’ll at least give you some time to look around the city and figure out what you wish to do. I will be honest with you. The only reason I am even offering you this is because of the adventurer Martin. Otherwise, it may have just been simpler to auction you off as indentured servant.”

When the Elf first started describing the good news, Richard had felt thankful for the kindness, but the last sentence completely disgusted him. The fact that the elf said it so nonchalantly, like it was no big deal, annoyed Richard, but he just smiled while keeping his anger in check. After the Elf paused expectantly, Richard said, “It seems I have no choice. I… ah… will help with what you need.”

“Good…” Looking though his desk, the elf pulled out a stained piece of paper that looked out of place in the clean office.

“Take this to my assistant. He should be at the table to the left right outside my door. He’ll get you sorted out. Good luck.” At the curt dismissal, Richard nodded and collected the piece of paper before turning to leave. His nose twitched a bit as smelled a faint, stale odor coming from the piece of paper. It reminded him of the prison cell, but he didn’t give it much thought at the time.

A short while later, he wished he had. Standing in front of what looked like the stables, he stared at the rows of horse stalls and something that looked like a very tall diving board. The secretary, a bland, expressionless man had guided Richard to the stable entrance and walked off holding his nose after telling Richard to find the stable master, some man named Haroken. Based on the description the assistant fellow had provided, the stable master was an old man with an attitude.

Richard had no clue where to start looking, so he walked into the nearest wooden building. There were more than a few horses standing in their stalls, and a few of them stuck their heads out, whickering as they caught sight of Richard. He gingerly touched one of them on the head, letting it butt up against his hand. From looking at what was written on the paper, he knew he would helping out at the stables, and though it wasn’t a dream job, it was at least better than starving on the streets or in the wilds.

“You there! Geh away from the horse!” The loud shouting made Richard jump a bit, and he quickly turned to see an old, man purposefully walking towards him. The grey haired man was well built, with a slight paunch, and his craggy face was stuck in scowl, which made his graying moustache stand out even more. “What do ya thing yer doing boy? Messing with the gentle creatures wih your useless hands.”

Richard didn’t know if he was being yelled at or questioned, but he knew one thing for sure: he had found Haroken. “Ah… I was sent to find you, sir.” Holding out the stained paper tentatively, Richard was hesitant to say anything more.

The old man scowled some more and snatched the paper before quickly glancing at it. The scowl faded a bit, but an annoyed expression still remained on the man’s face. “So Finovin finally found a poor sap to send over. But you don’t look like no drunk or beggar. Clothes are a bit dirty, but they look to be good quality. So, speak up boy. Who are ya, and why did Finovin figure it’ll be a good thing to saddle me with ya?”

Richard sighed and quickly recapped his story, just sticking to the basics, including the small fact he was penniless and had a fine hanging over his head.

The stable master laughed roughly and said, “So, that’s why that miserly elf sent ya here. Hah! Usually, I get the damn drunks and hobos, who the guard bring in for sleepin on the streets. Of course, most of ‘em either pay up fer their fines or get sold off as labor en the mines or the fields. The fact that yer not dead or being packed away means you got lucky with that damn elf. “

Richard winced at the brutal honesty spilling out from the stable master. “So, I’ll be helping with the horses?”

“HAHAHAH… GAHAHAHAHA! Helpin with the horses, he says! HAHAHAAHAH!” The stable master hunched over, laughing like a madman for a while. Eventually, he caught his breath and began walking while waving at Richard to follow. “Thas’ got to be the funniest thing I’ve heard in a while. Letten a brainless fool touch one of my beauties… I’m not an idiot to be doin that.”

A minute later, Richard found himself standing in front of a couple piles… no mountains would be the best word. Dozens if not hundreds of flies were buzzing around and relaxing on the twin peaks, even as foul smelling steam wafted up from them. Richard tried not to gag, but it was kind of difficult, considering the fact that he was looking at the two largest piles of shit he had ever seen in his life.

The stable master grinned evilly and asked, “So, would ya be wantin yer lunch now… or a bit later?”