“So these are the capable bodyguards you mentioned.”

 

Kurt scratched his beard while he observed the scene in front of him. Eight people were busy carrying wooden crates inside two worn wagons, and neither of them seemed normal to Kurt. Their armor was worn and battered, and in some cases covered in dark dried blood. Only three of the group were dwarves, the rest were different species.

 

“I don’t know, it might be easier to slit our throats ourselves, might as well save them the trouble.”

 

Rennar glared at Kurt, the first having taken on the responsibility of finding suited travelling companions. The group in question consisted of three dwarves, three elves, a beastwoman and a figure whose features were obscured by dark clothing and a black mask with a comically long nose.

 

“They are our travelling companions Kurt, not our bodyguards. And don’t be like that, you haven’t even spoken to them. Besides, they are the only travellers we can afford at the moment. We’re not rich yet, remember?” Rennar answered, wispering the last part. Kurt gave him a sceptive look and noticed his friend was fidgeting with his sleeve.

 

Kurt sighed but didn’t say anything. Rennar was right, caravans going all the way towards the human plains were mostly infrequent and expensive. Still, he was permitted to a least be a littly wary of a group like this.

 

His pondering was interrupted when one of the elves noticed the two of them observing the wagons and walked towards them. Kurt watched as the tall elf covered in dark leather armor coming closer, walking faster than Kurt ever could with his short legs. The elf smiled and raised his hand as a greeting, Rennar raising his as well.

 

“Are you the ones joining us?” The elf asked and Rennar nodded nervously. “My name is Enir, nice to make your acquaintance.” The elf held out his hand and Rennar shook it vigorously.

 

“Rennar, pleased to meet you. This is Kurt. We’ll be in your care,” Rennar released Enir’s hand and smiled awkwardly. Kurt looked into the elf’s light blue eyes and shook his hand as well, a little more stiff. The elf smiled brightly again, and Kurt noticed his teeth were white as snow.

 

“I’ll introduce the others tomorrow, we’re quite busy at the moment and we still have to take care of something with the guard about our cargo. If you have any large furniture or luggage you want to bring along, please do so before nightfall. We depart at sunrise, if you’re not there we leave without you. Oh, and did you bring the money?”

 

Rennar handed Enir a small pouch with coins. The elf opened it and counted the money quickly, after which he nodded and put it away.

 

“Nice doing buisness with you,” he grinned. “And by the way, some in our group have better hearing than others, so I would refrain from openly discussing your distrust of team members. Just a tip.”

 

Kurt turned a little red with shame and anger while Rennar just nodded. The elf returned to his group with a sly smile and resumed his work.

 

---

 

“This is Kanry, our ice mage,” Enir said pointing at the uninterested looking elf equipped with a long staff. “And this here is Yara, our healer and tank, a deadly combo. We believe she has some human blood mixed with her own, although she continues to deny it.”

 

Kurt and Rennar bowed a little towards the elves who nodded back.

 

“Pleased to meet you,” Yara said, cracking her knuckles with a grin on her face that was a little too wide for Kurt’s liking. Two short axes dangled on her belt. Kanry didn’t say anything, the elf just staring bored at a dandelion growing through the cracks of the street.

 

“The three idiot dwarves here are Remi, Reni and Reli. They are all offspring of the most stupid dwarves I’ve ever met, so forgive them if they are a bit more… simple than us,” Enir continued, adressing the three indignant dwarves, one of them throwing a hammer at the elf’s head which he dodged with ease. The dwarves seemed to be young adults, their beards not as long as Kurt’s or Rennar’s.

 

“I’m joking of course. They are here to repair our tools, weapons and clothes, as well as preparing food. I think their cooking will suit you taste.” The three brothers shook the other dwarves’ hands and introduced themselves. Kurt already had trouble keeping them apart, the three dwarves looking almost identical, except for their clothes.

 

Enir introduced the beastwoman and the mysterious figure lastly, both of them not part of the group but traveling along like Kurt and Rennar instead. The woman called herself Furr and introduced the black figure as Raven. The man, at least Kurt thought him to be a man, didn’t greet them and remained silent.

 

‘Suspicious bunch,’ Kurt thought. ‘Probably not their real names either.’

 

“And lastly, there’s me. I’m a swordsman, as you may have noticed,” Enir said while tapping the sword on his hip. It looked normal, but sturdy.

 

Alright, that’s all for the introductions. I suggest we better get moving, soon this place will be crowded with merchants. Everyone agrees?” Enir asked, equipped with his usual smile. None objected, so the odd group started climbing inside the wagons.

 

---

 

Weeks passed in a flash while the group travelled south, between the borders of the Great Forest and Great Mountain Chain. The group handled the few beasts that attacked them with ease, Kanry and Yara forming a capable defense for the rest. The slain creatures were processed further by the dwarven brothers, Reni taking care of the skin, Reli removing any valuable monster parts and Remi cooking whatever was left. Kurt admired the last especially, the cook skillfully transforming the seemingly disgusting monsters into delicious meals.

 

When night came, the group would search for a suitable place to rest inside the forest. They always made sure to camouflage their camp with foliage in order to avoid large creatures finding their camp at night. Sometimes Kurt and Rennar would help, the two dwarves having an affinity with plants. The extra camouflage the green vines and branches would provide made their camps almost unnoticable, even for experienced trackers.

 

The group also became friendlier towards eachother as time passed, Kurt noticed. The conversations came easier and lasted longer, especially with the other dwarves. The elves were a little crazy sometimes, Yara in particular, the woman clearly loved fighting a little too much.

 

One time she had completely chopped off a drake’s head with one of her axes, all while smiling maniacally as she regenerated her injuries. She got injured often, and Kurt doubted that she would have even survived the first week, were it not for her healing magic.

 

Kanry had been a little distant in the beginning, but the ice mage became more social the longer they traveled. Enir helped tremendously in that aspect, the elf having the charisma of a true leader. He was the one who really kept the group together in the beginning and helped out whenever fights broke out, resolving them quickly. Although Kurt initially cared little about the man, he had developed at least some respect for him over time.

 

Raven had yet to say anything, Furr speaking for the two of them instead. Kurt was still a little apprehensive of them, but the two had not shown any signs of hostility, at least not yet. They remained in the carriages most of the time, only coming out to eat or to change the night shifts.

 

---

 

Kurt was sitting inside one of the carriages, talking with the dwarves while enjoying the coolness of the shade. The five of them were having a heated discussion whether or not bone was suited better for armor than wood.

 

“I’m telling you, when treated well, it will hold out! Smashing wood will just splinter it, while bone armor will survive impacts much better! Besides, bone is much easier to enchant, giving it the option to become even sturdier!”

 

Rennar just shook his head. “Well crafted wooden armor won’t splinter, not if it’s made by a capable woodmage at least. As for enchantments, wood can be enchanted so that it will regenerate, making it much more practical that strapping bones onto your body. Whatever you say, you can’t just ignore that.”

 

Reli wanted to comment on that but was interrupted when the wagon stopped. The dwarves jumped out, seeing that the other wagon had stopped as well.

 

“Why are we stopping?” Kurt asked Enir with a questioning look, the elf smiling back.

 

“We’ve just crossed the border, we’re in the human empire now,” he said. The other looked around, but no guards or even buildings could be seen. “This road is a little less guarded than you would expect, even for humans. Still, I suggest we take a break here. There should be a river close, we can refill our water supply there,” the elf explained, Remi and Reni jumping up to collect the empty water canteens.

 

Kurt looked around. ‘So this is the human empire? I must say I must say I’m glad the journey so far has been pretty smooth. It’s only a matter of time now before we reach the human settlements, I hope I can sleep in a bed for once.’

 

He turned around to help the others when the sound of an arrow hitting something resounded through the forest. Kurt immediately turned around and saw Rennar holding his chest, an arrow piercing the dwarf’s lung. Kurt turned pale as he felt his heart sinking in his chest, watching his friend falling onto the ground.