The first of the three days

As John and Ember split off from the rest to go towards Ingrid’s office, the other members of the team travelled the other way. They headed to the Explorer offices, where each of their teachers stayed. Charlotte was the first to split off from the rest.

“S-see you guys l-later,” she said to the others nervously and wandered off through one of the corridors, heading down a familiar path.

It wasn't long before she reached the dusty old room her teacher's office was in. The hallway around it was entirely abandoned, and filled with cobwebs and dust. The wooden door itself was almost rotting and everything inside reeked of something that was not quite alive.

She knocked on the door, completely relaxed, as she had done so many times before. The figure that opened the door stood in stark contrast to the environment around her. Yet it was incredibly natural to see her there as well. The blue-haired woman in her late twenties had an aura about her that radiated everywhere. And it was that exact aura of something that was between dead and alive.

"Oh, how are you doing Charlotte, it's nice to see you again!" her teacher said, a little distracted, and the healer took the chance to look her over once again. She was an attractive looking woman wearing a short skirt and stockings under a crop top which looked to be part of a uniform and that barely covered her midriff and chest. Almost all of it was overshadowed by her large black cape supported by silver shoulder pads that flowed all the way down to her knees. It was remarkable how strange the outfit was, but no more than the rest of the area around them now.

“I’m doing ok…” Charlotte responded, nervously trying to keep her eyes on the woman in front of her.

“Well, that’s encouraging to hear,” her focus had been directed at the healer exclusively now, and she reached and placed her hand on the younger woman’s shoulder, “so, did you come here for a lesson?” she asked, her tone kind.

“I did,” Charlotte responded, her tone more confident than before.

’I’m glad they introduced me to Lena. She understands how it is to have these powers…’ Charlotte thought to herself, a smile almost covering her face.

As soon as the rest had gotten out of view, Matthew headed back quickly. His destination was quite different from the rest, and he would make sure the others didn't notice.

He walked swiftly but steadily, his face taking on a serious expression. Explaining his actions would be an infuriating waste of time, and he hoped that would be enough to dissuade anyone from asking. Soon the wooden corridors turned back to their industrial counterparts and it wasn't long before the door of the warehouse stood before him.

"You could have just told them, that was the perfect chance," the lieutenant stood there, waiting for him, and laughed heartily.

"No, I refuse to involve my personal life and my shame with the rest of my team," Matthew responded curtly, barely hiding his almost seething anger.

"At least you call them that now! That's a good start," Strong walked into the warehouse, signalling the ice mage to follow him. Inside the warehouse, the lieutenant turned right almost immediately.

"They have shown they are worthy of that, at least. All of them," he responded, his voice calmer and clearer now.

Strong laughed in turn, “of course you’d say that!” he headed to an area behind the main counter, and turned a corner, Matthew followed him, “maybe my old lord is finally getting some humility,” the lieutenant smiled back. The ice mage shook his head in response.

“You’re lucky I have to study under you, or I wouldn’t let you get that kind of nonsense out of your mouth,” he stated, but his tone was not angry, nor authoritative.

'I couldn't do that to him, he's the only thing left of my family's legacy except me here…' he thought to himself, the situation bringing up bittersweet memories.

“I know you too well to believe that,” he said, looking back at Matthew with a knowing expression. A door soon came into view in front of them. It was situated in their corner of the warehouse. Almost hidden, its black metal door blended in with the shadows of the area around them. Light shone through as it opened, and the door creaked. Behind it was a much more welcoming structure, a small training room designed to look like a gym of sorts, with all the modern features one could ask for. “let’s get to training,” Strong stated as soon as he stepped in.

“What do we do now, boss?” Bass asked John, somewhat less enthusiastically than usual, as soon as they all got back to the classroom. Which they had decided to use as their planning room for the next few days. Yan was sitting close to them, intent on hearing what they both had to say. Charlotte was sitting on the far end of the room, though clearly paying attention. Matthew, however, was looking elsewhere and sat a row behind the rest. Ember was nowhere to be found.

“We need to come up with that list of equipment now,” John answered, his tone remaining casual, while looking at the others, “first of all, we need the basics. Food, water, and some kind of mundane or Abyssal breathing equipment. Hopefully something that we can easily carry and won’t get damaged by anything we encounter. Our pocket spaces should help with that…” he paused to think, not sure how much exactly they could all bring.

’I should just ask them how those work,’ the Gamer decided quickly.

“How much are you able to store in those, anyway? I need to know if we want to figure out what we’ll be able to get there. My own pocket space is seemingly capable of holding around 24 individual items, of any size. But some items such as food may stack, I’m not entirely sure…” he explained as well, it was important for them to know too, and he trusted them all far more now.

“Stack?” Yan asked first, confused. Then she continued, “I think we all have the standard pocket spaces. They’re usually around fifty litres, though which spell exactly it’s from can change that…” she trailed off, clearly trying to think of something.

’Huh… Guess it’s around twice a normal backpack then, that’s quite useful.’

“Great! That should allow us to carry pretty much everything we need, especially if we carry more on us,” he responded, that would hopefully solve most of their problems with storage.

"I'm quite sure we could all have thought of that list, given its simplicity," the ice mage said, clearly annoyed, "anything else you want to add… John?" he continued.

"I do have some other ideas, but before that, I'd like to hear what you four think. Anything you want to take there specifically?" he looked at Matthew directly, but it wasn't a look of anger.

"If we need to map out the areas we explore I need mapping and scouting supplies. Paper and ink at the very least but preferably more magical solutions and ones more readily available to share with the Council than your map. No offence John," Yan paused and shot a serious look at him. She was clearly measuring her words as well, "also a mundane or magical compass and something else to guide us. Perhaps an Arcane beacon for where we set up our FOB at."

"Ok, I should probably actually write this down…" John was about to pull out paper and a pen from his inventory when Bass got his attention.

"Already doing that, boss," she laughed as she showed the piece of paper with a clearly organized list on it.

"Thank you, Bass! I don't know how I could manage without you," he laughed back. It took him only a moment until he had realized what he had said, but luckily the tension broke immediately.

"It's what I'm here for," John was sure she winked back at him, "I don’t really have any suggestions to add anyways.”

“Our group will require shelter, and enough materials to create and maintain a campfire,” Matthew started, almost interrupting Bass, who shot him a look, “in that vein we might consider taking some other form of self-defence than our own skill sets. For all your proficiencies,” he looked at the rest, but John didn’t feel it was scathing, “guns are still occasionally more effective,” he finished and looked at John.

“Add it to the list please Bass, we should at least consider if we can find something of that nature,” John retorted.

“I-I…” Charlotte started, obviously nervous, “I’ll n-need some m-medical supplies, so I can help you guys if you’re h-hurt...” her voice became more certain as she went.

Before John could say anything, he noticed Bass had already started writing that down.

“Anything else?”John asked, looking at the others one by one. The silence spoke to their answer, but that was broken when Ember entered the classroom.

“Your time just ran out on my stealth class, so it seemed appropriate I join you,” she said flatly.

‘I suppose that’s true, but now we need to decide our next move…’ John tried thinking about it for a moment and the quiet returned to the room, but the answer came to him from outside.

“One of us should probably go to CQC, the others should head to the warehouse to start on whatever work Lieutenant Strong wants us to do,” Bass stated.

"And how do you suggest we decide who gets that privilege? We all need further training in that area in particular," Matthew shot at Bass.

“If you want, you can do it, Matthew,” John fired back.

“Oh? I’ll take you up on that offer then,” he got up a second later and walked out of the classroom, not even bothering to say anything.

“Guess that’s out of the way now. Let’s head to the warehouse?” Yan suggested, genuinely relieved, and looked at John.

“Yeah, time for us to start earning our equipment.”

All of them but Ember, who had disappeared again, and Matthew got to the warehouse a short time later, where they were met by lieutenant Strong once again. The man was already familiar with the others, but not with John, so he was the first to speak once they had reached the warehouse’s counter.

“Hey, I’m the new explorer, my name is John Newman,” John tried introducing himself when he saw the rugged older man. It had been the first time he had the opportunity to do that, and the mundanity of the statement felt just right.

“It’s nice to meet you! But I’ve already heard of you from my colleagues. There’s barely anyone who hasn’t by now,” he smiled kindly back at John and stretched his hand out, clearly expecting a handshake. It was a gesture the Gamer wasn’t used to since he had found the Abyss, but he grabbed Strong’s hand nonetheless. His grip was firm, but not forceful, and the shake didn’t last more than a few seconds, “they say you can know a man’s character from the way he shakes your hand,” the lieutenant laughed.

“So what can you tell about me?” John asked, both intrigued and joking.