Rudina was smiling as they walked down to the next level of the ten-story tall Tower.

An ancient Stone Throne was empty as Garth the Village Elder sat on a small chair in front of it. The rest of the community elders sat at a pair of large tables which made a crescent circle in the room facing towards the throne. Standing against the walls where about a hundred young warriors, mages, and bards.

The hall had a large stained-glass window on the ceiling which lit the great hall with uniform light. This puzzled her slightly as she was sure that the floor directly above this hall was where she just was, and there was no place for light to shine down.

“must be magic” she whispered to no one in particular.

She then took a moment to study the art on the window. It had an image of Roman soldiers in a pike formation with large shields and red plumed helmets, there was also a Roman standing over the dead body of a slain red dragon with its severed head held in his hands.

Willow tapped her side to have her move forward, and interrupted the meeting by commenting, “The Lady Rudina, High Human of the mysterious World, and Savior of the village of Herod.”

Rudina blushed as she had never been introduced before, and to be given what was basically titles was slightly embarrassing.

All eyes looked at her. Those sitting at the tables had to rotate their bodies and look behind them to see her. She realized that the men had wolfish eyes for her.  

“Umm, … thank you,” she stated while quickly looking around and giving a slight curtsey, “where should I sit Garth?” She looked to the village elder hoping it was ok to talk to him like this.

“My young lady, High Humans sit on the Throne,” he pointed at the stone Throne across the hall, which she then realized was set so everyone was looking right at it.

She gulped and walked to it and sat demurely in the throne asking, “what is a High Human, and what are you guys anyway? I’m sort of new to this world after all.” She then pointed to the stained glass on the ceiling, “Also are those Roman Legionnaire?”

Garth moved his small chair and set it down to the right of the throne and sat next to her, “High Humans are Humans from the world you came from. All Humanoid beings descend from your kind. Even my people the Tieflings. Millions of Years ago Dragons pulled humans from your world as slaves and reshaped our bodies to fit the roles they needed. My kind were mixed with infernal energies and were used to help keep other slaves in line. Ours is one of the few communities on this world with records left from those dark days. These days, Elves claim the Gods made the Mortal races in their images, and that elves were the first born,” the elder sated with a huff. “Most people accept the Elvin story.” He pointed to the overhead light. “That is a representation of when the Hysponian helped overthrow the Dragons who used mortals as Slaves about nineteen thousand years ago.”

“Nineteen thousand, not nineteen hundred?” she asked puzzled because she was sure Rome was about two thousand years ago, nineteen thousand years ago the Earth was still in a great Ice Age, and humans had yet to develop civilization. She also seemed to recall that Modern Humans were at most two to three hundred thousand years old, no more. Three million years ago Human ancestors were basically still chimpanzee-like things.

 “From what I know from our records, your world and our experience time at a different rate.” The Elder replied

“Oh,” Rudina replied.

The Elder in a more serious tone while looking back to the gathered community leaders, “Well the ‘demi-Arachne giant’ has been severely wounded and has fled back to the abyss. Until we know it is truly dead, and that it was alone, our community is not safe.”

Pointing at the woman next to him, “I used my strongest buff spell to aid Rudina during the fight, and she saved the day. But now it is time to decide who goes into the abyss to track and destroy the beast and to ensure our community remains unseen by the denizens of the dark. First a show of hands who is willing to volunteer for this quest.”

Rudina stood up, with her hand in the air, “I’m game. He killed a lot of your people and destroyed my home, which had all my worldly possessions in it. I feel better than now than I have my whole life. So, I have no issue chasing him down, and putting a final bullet in its brain.” She looked to Garth, “However, I do want to check somethings before I head out. I want to see if I can use magic like the spell you used on me, and also to see what kinds of weapons you have here. As my own weapons have limited ammunition, and I am unsure I can make any more while I’m here.”  She sat back down. With her legs crossed, but in a more relaxed fashion, as if something dawned on her “Oh yeah, I have no idea where I am, or where I’m going so, I’ll need some help from you lot.”

Four of the Men and one of the Women Stood and raised their hand, and each stated they would help track the beast.

They all gathered in front of Rudina, in turn, they each took a knee and said their name, and what they could do.

I am “Alfred a Wizard. Garth our village Elder trained me personally” the first one said.

“Ferdinand, although you can call me Fred. I’m a Ranger and Scout I will be able to track the beast, I also have a magic sword passed down from ancient times by my forefathers. It’s called in the ancient tongue, ‘Sancti plus tria Ultor’, which means, ‘The revenger of more than three things, the Holy.’ the next person said as he took his knee.

The next person with a flourish of his hands, “My fair lady, I am Asher, a Bard. Besides increasing our spirits, I am well versed in healing spells”

The last of the men was a grizzled man in dull full plate armor, using his Halberd as the support he took a knee, “Brenner, ma’am I am a Warrior and a town guard. I was guarding the tower gate, you saved my life. The beast was reaching for me when you hit him hard in the back”

Rudina looked to what she had to admit was a stereotypical Paladin, the woman was standing tall in full plate armor which was designed to look good on a woman and might not have been as practical as Brennan’s armor. The woman spoke up with authority, “I bend no knee to any man,” she then used her shield as support and took a knee “But your ladyship is no man, and the goddess herself has informed me to always be at your side. I am Helga a Templar of the ‘Templum Luna’ I wield the power of the goddess while being a frontline warrior.”

Rudina was impressed, she was actually a Paladin. If she was building an adventuring party, then she was sure that this party was good.

“I guess we're an adventuring party of six,” Rudina said. She then walked up to face them directly, “Please rise, I am uncertain of the rites and traditions of your people, but for mine,” She gave a fast and crisp USMC salute and released it just as fast and crisply, “Stand at ease, we are going forth to face a monstrosity we need not be so formal.”

The Elder spoke to the Six Heroes, “You should prepare to leave as soon as possible, however, give yourselves a day to rest and to prepare for the worst with your families, because the Abyss is a dangerous place. Rudina, I’ve had the villagers remove the wreckage of your home from the courtyard, they pulled out everything that wasn’t building materials, and set that aside for you. You should go through your possessions, we can use magic to fix most of it, and I have a gift for you once we are done sorting it.”

He turned to the rest of the party, “Go prepare, and come back late this afternoon, so you can work out your roles as a party and get to know each other better. You’ll be sleeping here in the keep tonight as a Party in the King's Chambers. As you will set out first thing tomorrow.”