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Chapter 5 by cuddlefish cuddlefish

Who shows up to the rendezvous?

A mixed group, five in total, one famous dragon slayer

The first to arrive was a broad-shouldered blonde man in polished plate armor. I could tell at a glance exactly the type of person he was. I suppose I asked for it by playing the 'damsel in distress' card in my recruitment pitch. He's the type of guy who thinks being an adventurer makes him irresistible to women. Usually these types stick to hanging out in taverns, trying to seduce serving girls with obviously exaggerated tales of their adventures, but maybe that's only after they realize that actually adventuring is dangerous. Once he saw that there were no maidens about to swoon over him, he started to settle in and strip off his armor, which was much too heavy to be practical anyway. He's older than me, but still young - maybe in his early twenties. When his posture is relaxed he's actually kind of handsome. As soon as he heard someone else approaching, though, his chest was puffed out and his chin raised, making him look like grade-A asshole. It didn't slip by me that he reached for the hilt of his sword only as an afterthought once he'd made himself 'presentable'.

The second arrival is a much more genuinely intimidating man. He isn't particularly larger or more muscular than Mr. Adventure, but he exudes the confidence of an experienced fighter. The parts of him that aren't covered in studded leather are instead covered with scars. As he surveyed the area, his gaze passed over the previous arrival without a moment's hesitation. Without so much as a word, he crouched in a corner and set about sharpening one of what looked to be at least half a dozen blades stored on his person.

During the awkward period that followed, Mr. Adventure tried several times to strike up a conversation with Grizzly. I was too far to make out all of the words. Mostly, though, he only responded in grunts, if at all. At one point, Adventure said something about how "a seasoned adventurer like you must have some tips on how to survive". At this point Grizzly finally acknowledged his presence, looking him up and down like a farmer inspecting livestock. "You wanna survive, go home. You ain't cut out for this." After that, Adventure didn't try to talk to him any more.

The third arrival was a woman with some sort of robe and an irrepressibly cheerful disposition that radiated off of her. Not to mention an irrepressible bust. "Hello, nice to meet you, I'm an apprentice draconologist from the academy in Theria, that means I study dragons, I can't wait to see a local dragon up close, at least I hope it's a local dragon and not a displaced southern dragon, it's too bad we have to kill it, but my instructors will be so happy if I bring back the viscera of a local dragon - you didn't have plans for the liver, did you? Wait, which one of you is in charge? I thought it was supposed to be a woman? But anyway, has there been-"

"Our employer has not yet arrived," Adventure finally cut in, placing a hand on the Apprentice's shoulder, "but I'm sure she'll be here soon. Why don't you sit down and relax. We can talk more about the dragon." He was obviously torn between between a desire to show off for the attractive woman and his doubts about whether a flighty scholar should actually be around for a dragon battle. The Apprentice managed to ease his concerns by showing off the various potions she was carrying, presumably describing their effects. It didn't take much to ease his conscience enough so he could focus on flirting. Grizzly wandered off after a few minutes of this. If asked, he probably would've said he was scouting the area, but he was obviously eager to get away from his new compatriots as long as he could. I was beginning to consider leaving as well - if it was just the four of us against the dragon I didn't like our odds.

It wasn't long, though, before the fourth and fifth arrivals appeared, alleviating my concerns. They were travelling together - by which I mean that one of them was clearly following the other. The leader of the pair wore the fanciest armor I've ever seen. It was adorned with a variety of gems, runic seals, and teeth which could only have belonged to dragons. He had a jeweled sword at his hip, and his companion, though wearing much cheaper armor, was carrying several equally flashy weapons. On closer inspection, it appeared that this was the followers job - to carry back-up weapons for his boss.

Within moments of his arrival, the Apprentice squealed in delight. "You're him! You're actually him!" she shouted, "Jonar of Argion, the most famous dragon slayer in the world, this is so cool!" She continued gushing over him, but I wasn't paying much attention. I had heard of Jonar. If he was here, the dragon didn't stand a chance. His armor, supposedly, is completely impervious to flame, and he only carries weapons capable of piercing the thickest hides. He was a living legend.

Apparently not much of a people person, though. He didn't have anything to say to the awestruck apprentice except "stay out of my way."

I was just about to come down and introduce myself - there wasn't much point waiting for more arrivals at this point - when I felt a hand grip my ankle. Next thing I knew I was on the ground with Grizzly's knife at my throat. "Oh, you must be the girl. Cautious type, huh? Good." Was all he said, before leading me back to the clearing for introductions.

So, what's the plan of action?

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