Bandits, it's always bandits [DragonSong]

[Scyrus42]

Areus walked into town at a leisurely pace,  he had lived in the forests outside for a few weeks at this point and had become a more common sight to the townsfolk. Having just finished constructing the actual forge in his new house, he was looking to make some coin with an adventure or something similar to stock the forge. He made his way to the center of town where he took a look at the bounty board.

It was covered in run of the mill bounties, someone needed a magical artifact recovered, another person had an infestation of rats in their basement, someone needed help finding their uncle who had gone crazy ranting about "forums" and "creators", all relatively common until his eyes drifted to the last bounty on the board.

"A group of bandits has taken a bunch of hostages for a ransom, we cannot pull together enough coin for their demands so we need a group of adventurers to strike at the camp and save our families"
signed- Gary.

His eyes widened a little, stealing gold and livestock were one thing, people were another. He scanned the paper for a location and found a meeting place in town, a small tavern. He picked up the pace, his cloak waving behind him and his staff making divets in the dirt road before entering the tavern.

He walked over to the barkeep, ordering a glass of ale before scanning around. He asked the keep about the bounty and the keep pointed at a large table with an exasperated man sat at it. The only other person at the table was a woman with a staff leaned against it. Areus sat down and leaned his staff against the table, folding his hands and looking at the man.

[DragonSong]

Maka tensed as the newcomer just plopped down and made himself comfortable. She narrowed her eyes, looking him over critically, but didn't say anything. It was her nature to listen, to watch.

"Oh." The man who'd offered to pay for her drink while he explained this job started slightly and blinked at the stranger. "Um...hello. It's-- are you h-here about the job?"

[Scyrus42]

Areus nodded at the man. "Was looking for a job and your flyer led me here. Apparently, you have people that need saving?" the man cautiously nodded, his eyes darting over Areus. Areus looked over to the woman and found her doing a similar thing, though more calm analysis than the worried glancing the man was doing. "I am here both for coin and the fact that these bandits kidnapped people. I can't speak for her, but I am here to help"

The man swallowed and nodded. "The bandits made camp a way's north of here, at least that is what their messenger told us when they asked for the ransom. The only thing I know for sure is that they have an advantage of numbers. I would have waited for more adventurers such as yourselves, but the bandits said that if they didn't get their gold by tomorrow, they'd begin kil_ killing hostages" The man turned his eyes down at the table. "My wife, m-my son were taken"

Areus stood up in a bolt, his chair clattering to the floor behind him. His face changed from casual to stern, his eyes glowed violet as did the tattoos covering his torso. " I promise you, we will save your family. We will save everyone, and if a single person was harmed, every damned bandit in that camp will feel the fury of an Archon, I swear on my name"

A small smile came on the man's face, a spark of hope in his eyes. He nodded and pulled a small bag from his belt. "this is an advance payment, you will receive the rest when you bring our families back." He tossed it on the table and Areus heard the telltale sound of gold coins. He picked it up and tied it to his belt. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather split our shares at the end of this adventure"

[DragonSong]

Maka raised one already arched brow further. She smiled, but it was more an expression of bared teeth. A wild animal.

"As it happens, I do mind." She stood, swinging her staff back over her shoulder to strap across her back. "But I'm not callous enough to divvy up the gold in front of our employer." She nodded to the man curtly, then turned on her heel and made for the door.

"Meet me outside, and be quick about," she said over her shoulder, short and sharp.

[Scyrus42]

Areus watched her leave with a grin slowly spreading across his face. "This is going to be interesting" the people of the town had grown used to his presence, but none had looked him dead in the eye while taking a pouch of gold from his hand. he wasn't ashamed to admit he liked her spark.

He finished his ale and walked outside at her command, interested on her take on the money split.

[DragonSong]

The mercenary was leaning back against the wall of the tavern, examining her nails as she waited for the soldier-- well, she thought he was a soldier. He had that sort of look.

She glanced up when she heard footsteps, popping one foot back up against the wall. "So. What's your game here, ser?"

[Scyrus42]

"came for the coin, stayed to save people" he crossed his legs and leaned against the wall. "what's your story?"

[DragonSong]

Oh, great. A martyr. Maka rolled her eyes and shrugged away from the wall. "Long and boring," she replied briskly to his question. "C'mon. The sooner we get moving, the sooner we can help these people."

[Scyrus42]

With a flourish of his staff, Areüs began the trek into the forest. Looking back to see if his companion was following along. "He didn't say where the camp was, I say we find one of the bandits and have him lead us". He stepped into the wooded edge of the town and focused arcane energy to his eyes, searching for people. Too many animals and spirits interfered with his sight to see anything so he headed deeper.

[DragonSong]

Maka trailed behind him, keeping her staff in an easy, loose ready position at her side, tilted diagonally. She decided to stay quiet, eyes scanning the woods and ears perked for any sign of something out of the ordinary.

[Scyrus42]

He continued walking when he heard some muttered thoughts. It sounded as if someone was whispering with their mind, enough that he could hear. His stance lowered and his breathing slowed. He didn't use his magic to scan, thinking that they would be given away.

He felt a thump on his back and looked behind him, an arrow lay broken on the ground. He looked in the direction it came from and used his sight. A Human with a quickening heart beat was sat in a tree a ways away. Areüs raised his hand and the air smelled of vanilla, lilac, and ozone. A thin bolt of electricity sprung from his fingers and weaves through the trees, striking the bandit down from the tree.

Areüs approached and let go of his staff, it staying upright by itself. The bolt was weak enough not to kill the man, but he was still dazed. Once fully conscious again, he took one look at the mage towering over him and struck with a hidden dagger, the blade snapped off from the handle when it struck.

"Zero Tang, you would have a Hard Time with somebody wearing a thick coat," Areüs grabbed the man by the neck of his jerkin and held him up "where is the camp where the hostages are?" His tone was sharp and angry. The bandit looked terrified and squeaked out "in a clearing to the west, the whole place is cloaked. Please don't kill me"

Areüs dropped the man and turned to head in the correct direction.

[DragonSong]

Watching the whole exchange expressionlessly, Maka narrowed her eyes slightly. It seemed the man could handle himself, so she didn't feel the need to step in beside cracking the informant upside the head with the butt of her staff, sending him into unconsciousness.

"You didn't say you were a mage," she noted blandly as she fell into step beside Areüs again.