Hell no!

Chapter 2 - Going Solo

"No?" Ginny said, completely taken aback.

"You heard me. I won't do it. I have no reason to help you people. Especially not after you dragged me from my home unwillingly."

Hella looked shocked. Ginny looked like she was about to breath fire.

"Look, I'm sorry you're in a really crappy situation, but I did not agree to come here. Now I would appreciate it, if you would send me home now."

Hella locked eyes with Erin. A single tear began forming but she quickly caught herself and wiped it away.

"Ah, I...suppose you're not wrong. We did bring you here against your will. If going home is truly what you want, then I can try."

"Thank you." Said Erin, exhausted."

"However." Hella began to speak. "We won't be able to send you home for some time."

"What? Why not?"

"It took a long time to prepare the spell that brought you here. It also took a lot of expensive materials."

"What type of materials?" Erin asked, now feeling a little trapped.

"Well, the most expensive item was a small diamond. Took us months to afford one of those. The other ingredients aren't as time consuming but will require foraging."

"Foraging? Like picking mushrooms?"

"We only need one mushroom, any will do. We will also need a forest lily and a hatcher carp scale."

Erin looked at Hella confused. He had no idea what any of that was.

"So...how do we get those?"

"We?!" Ginny suddenly interrupted. "We will already be risking our hides enough sending you home in the first place. You want to go home so badly, you can get the crap yourself."

Erin, a little shocked at the aggressiveness from Ginny, looked to Hella.

"I'm sorry. She's right. We won't be able to help you find these items." Hella said looking a little sad.

"But you literally just said that you brought me here against my will. The least you can do is help get me back."

"Even if we wanted to, we couldn't. The forest where you find the final three ingredients is strictly off limits. It took a week of mana aligning just to get one ingredient last time. You will be able to go in their without a tracker however."

"And the diamond? How much is that?"

"We managed to get one for five hundred gold last time, though that was the smallest one they had available."

"Five hundred gold? How the hell do I get five hundred gold?"

"There are only a few ways to make money here. Work in a designated place, which requires a rune, or compete in the Forfeit Royale which without our help, will also require a rune."

Erin did not like the sound of this. His options were slim and getting slimmer. He wondered about the Royale for a few moments. Would he really be able to fight? Hella did say that he wouldn't die from fighting, but it still sounds painful. And the punishments if he lost would be embarrassing as hell. He knew that either way, if he was adamant on getting home, he was going to need a rune.

"How do I get a rune?" He asked to the surprise look of Hella and Ginny.

"You're serious?" Ginny asked "You actually want to get this thing and be **** into this crap by the queen?"

"It doesn't sound like I have a choice. I either work, or I fight. Either way, I'm going home. So how do I get a rune?"

Hella made a small squeak like she wanted to say something. Erin turned around to see her messing around in a bag near the bar. A few seconds later, she pulled out what appeared to be a stamp.

"My mother used to work in the rune initiating building. I kept this just in case. I think...if I stamp you with this, and channel the right amount of magic into it...it might work."

Hella didn't sound very confident in her words but Erin had very few choices.

"Would you mind keeping that on hand then?" Erin asked.

"Of course. I assume you are holding off until you have the forest ingredients?"

"That's the idea at least. How I'm going to do that, I have no idea."

"Best of luck to ya." Ginny said sarcastically.

Erin simply grunted back.

"Better get going quick there champ." Ginny said as she picked up her armour. "Sun will be setting soon. You gotta find somewhere to stay."

Erin hadn't thought about that part. Where was he going to stay? He felt as though he had already overstayed his welcome in this tavern and had no money to pay for a night to stay. However, just as he was considering what to do next, Hella gave some advice.

"The palace have a hostel of sorts in the southern most point of the city. It's usually jam packed with homeless people but if you get there quick enough, you may find a place to stay for the night."

"I thought it was illegal to help out the people who refused to partake in the Royale?"

"The queen wants people working for her and battling, she doesn't want them dead."

"I suppose that makes sense then. I appreciate the tip. I'll probably check this hostel out then."

Hella once again looked as though she wanted to say something but held back.

"I'll be off then. I'll be back as soon as I can with the ingredients. Keep that stamp on hand ok?"

Hella nodded and Erin, feeling a little apprehensive, left the tavern and walked out into the dimming city streets. Unsure of any other options, Erin decided to go to the hostel before it was too late. However, he had no idea where to go. He didn't know which way south was. He finally came to the conclusion that he would have to ask someone. The first person he saw looked like a very grubby looking old man who Erin did not feel comfortable talking to. Instead, a short woman, wearing tattered leather armour came into view. Despite the armour and the clear lack of a bath in a few days, this was Erin's best option. He walked as quickly as he could towards the woman before tapping her on the shoulder. She quickly span around and put her hand on a dagger by her side. Erin took a step back and froze for a moment.

"You tryna steal from me ya little thief." She said as Erin noticed she was missing at least three teeth.

"Oh, no apologies. I was just wondering if you could point me in the direction of the hostel."

The girl looked Erin up and down for a moment. She must have come to some sort of conclusion because she took her hand off of her dagger and relaxed a little.

"Aye, I know where the hostel is, but it's gonna cost ya." She said, now with a greedy grin on her face.

"I don't have any money." Erin told her.

"I don't care about money. I just went an won my fifth fight so as it 'appens, I'm in the market."

"In the market?" Erin looked at her confused.

"Yeah, in the market? For a new opponent dim wit. You fight me, right 'ere right now. Win or lose, I'll take ya to the hostel meself."

Erin quickly realised that this person was going to be no help. Even if he could fight in the Royale, he knew this woman would absolutely trample him. Apologising to her, Erin made a quick get away.

Shortly after, Erin found himself wondering the street in a random direction, hoping to bump into the hostel. Though he was beginning to get a funny feeling, almost like he was being watched. He would spin around to have a look but didn't notice anybody. Until he walked around a corner and bumped head first into another person.

"Ow, sorry, sorry." He exclaimed, looking for the person he had just bumped into.

He had to look down to meet her eyes. A very small girl stood before him. She couldn't be much older than eighteen. Her hair was short and tatty, sticking out at random points. She wore a black cloak of some kind with a hood up over her head and the rest of her clothes didn't look much better than what he was wearing.

"Are you ok?" Erin asked.

"No thanks to you." The girl responded. "What were you thinking walking down here?"

"Sorry, I know it sounds strange but, I felt like I was being followed so I turned down here to get away from them and bumped into you."

"You were being followed." The girl said, smiling up at Erin. "I was following you. Didn't think you would turn down here though"

"What?! Why?"

"Because I just so happened to notice, you aint go no rune." She finished looking up at him with a mischievous grin.

"I don't know what you mean." Erin said, poorly lying.

"Listen, I don't care who, what, where, when, how or why. I just think you could be useful."

"Useful?" Erin said, starting to get a little anxious.

"Yeah, how about we make a deal?"

"What kind of deal?"

"A mutually beneficial one." The girl said, still smiling. "Look, I need something from somewhere we rune carryin' people can't go."

"What is it you need?"

"Oh nothing special. Just a forest lily."

Erin raised an eyebrow. This girl was looking for one of the same items that Erin was looking for. He wondered weather making a deal with this girl would be a good idea or not. On one hand, she could help him find the hostel and help him find the ingredients he needed to go home. On the other, this girl had a strange vibe coming from her and Erin worried that getting involved with her could cause more trouble that it was worth.

"Names Jass by the way. Waddya say? We got a deal?"