Chapter 1

Darkness filled the streets of Rondon, the heavy rain falling from the sky creating a murky mist that obscured the horizon. Through the dim light, Stella, the knight of the Midnight Sun, traversed through the dark and rainy streets of Rondon, seeking refuge from the elements. As she stumbled upon the tavern "The Slaughter Prince," her curiosity was piqued. Enticed by the ominous name, she stepped inside and as her eyes adjusted to the low light, she took in her surroundings, she was greeted by a lively and bustling atmosphere. Despite the late hour, the tavern was filled with customers, both locals and travelers alike, all engaged in spirited conversations and laughter. Her senses were immediately inundated with the smell of stale beer, the roar of drunken patrons, the sound of raucous laughter and the sight of boisterous brawls. In the midst of the chaos, Stella's eyes settled on a dimly-lit corner and a figure sitting alone, his back turned to her and deep in thought. Stella walked up to the figure in the corner and politely tapped him on the shoulder, gently snapping him out of his thoughts. "Excuse me, mister," she started, trying to cut through the raucous din of the tavern. Drake slowly turned to look at her, a faint smile playing at his lips. "What can I do for you, miss?" he responded, his voice a deep and raspy drawl. Stella swallowed her nerves and asked: "Are you a mercenary, by any chance?" Drake gave her a hard look and a small smile as he examined her, "I am indeed, what do you need of my services?" She could feel the threat in his words and the tension in the air. Stella nodded slightly and introduced herself first, "My name is Stella and I'm a member of the Knights of the Midnight Sun." Drake leaned forward in his seat, his tone mocking as he responded, "Ah yes, the fearless Knights of the Midnight Sun. Well met, knight, I'm Drake the sellsword. The pleasure is yours, I suppose." He gave her a faint smile and his eyes were cold and piercing. At this point, they had each introduced themselves and Drake seemed to have a bit of a sarcastic and antagonistic nature.

A faint smell of alcohol lingers on Drake's breath as he turns to Stella, "Why do you want to hire me, I assume not for the company." Stella looks past him and nods, "I've heard great things about you, I need your help, I need you to help me find a friend of mine, a member of The Knights of the Midnight Sun who has gone missing, D'arce." Drake raises his eyebrows in surprise, he takes another sip from his mug. "And what is in it for me? You haven't offered payment yet." Stella remained calm despite his coldness, "Payment for your services, of course." Stella looked at Drake with a slight smile, "I'll pay 10,000 silver coins; 5,000 in advance." Drake took a moment to consider her proposal, the promise of a lucrative payout clearly piqued his interest. "Very well, I accept. Who was this D'arce to you, I assume not someone you would hire me to find if it were just a casual acquaintance." Stella took a deep breath and paused, considering her words before answering, "D'arce was... a friend. We trained together since we were children." Drake nods in understanding and asks Stella, "Where was D'arce last seen?" Stella explains that D'arce was spotted by a local merchant leaving the city and heading towards the Dungeon of Fear and Hunger. Drake gives Stella a sharp look as she mentions D'arce's disappearance and the fact that her last known location was the Dungeon of Fear and Hunger. "The Dungeon of Fear and Hunger?" Drake asks, his face showing a hint of surprise. "It's a dark place filled with danger and dread. Why would your friend willingly enter such a place?" Stella takes a deep breath, "I'm not sure, but I know in my heart that D'arce is alive and in danger... please, just come with me, D'arce's life depends on it." Drake tilts his head and squints at Stella, "What a foolish fool. Who in their right mind would go there for any reason?" He pauses for a moment, considering the risk. Just as Drake is about to finish his sentence, a mysterious bard suddenly appears in the tavern, seeming to have manifested out of the shadows. His voice is soft and soothing and his appearance is vague, he has a small lute slung over his shoulder and a self-satisfied grin plastered on his face. Drake and Stella are taken aback by the sudden intrusion, but the mysterious bard seems unfazed. "Excuse me, my ears picked up on your conversation. May I join you on your quest?" The bard asks Stella and Drake, his voice full of charm and mischief. Stella and Drake look at the bard with surprise and skepticism. Neither of them had noticed the bard sitting in the shadows, but now they were aware of the bard's presence. Drake steps forward, his scimitar drawn and his guard up, ready to strike if necessary. The bard raises his hands, trying to ease the tension, "Easy, friends, I come in peace." The bard smiles and gestures towards the corner of the dimly-lit tavern, "I heard talk of a daring quest into the darkest depths of the Dungeon of Fear and Hunger." Drake narrows his eyes and cocks his head at the bard, "And what exactly do you hope to gain from this mission of ours?" The bard continues to smile, unfazed by Drake's skepticism, "It is not a matter of gaining or losing anything. I am simply bored and seeking an adventurous quest." Drake scowls, "I don't know whether to be impressed by your audacity or concerned for your well-being. Why don't you just return to the safety of the tavern and leave us to our quest?"

Stella nods at the bard, "Very well, you have our permission to tag along, but you won't be receiving any payment from me. You may have been bored enough to seek out a reckless, dangerous adventure, but that's no reason to expect others to do your work for you." The bard's smile widens, "Of course, my lady, no payment is needed. The journey itself is enough payment for me." Drake grunts, his expression grim, "If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?" The bard bows slightly and introduces himself, "I am Silvertongue, a traveling bard who has sought adventure and excitement throughout many lands." Silvertongue's voice is melodic and smooth, his words gentle and soothing. His demeanor is charming and disarming, but there is an underlying hint of danger about him. He carries himself with the confidence and competence of a veteran adventurer, but there is something darker beneath the surface. Drake eyes Silvertongue, "Is that your real name?" Silvertongue gives him a small smile, "No, but it is the name I have chosen for myself." Drake rolls his eyes at Silvertongue's introduction, "So what's your real name, then? What are you hiding?"

Silvertongue laughs lightly and replies to Drake, "My friends call me Silvertongue, no one else knows my true name. If you want to get to know me better, you could start by telling me yours." Drake scoffs and tosses another quick glance at Silvertongue before answering, "Drake, sellsword." Stella, on the other hand, presents herself with a graceful bow and a respectful nod, "Stella, Knight of the Midnight Sun." Silvertongue's smile widens as he studies Drake's scowls and Stella's kind gesture, "How curious, a knight and a sellsword working together, and I thought I had seen everything." Drake rolls his eyes and returns to glaring at Silvertongue, "I'm working for the money and nothing else, understand me?" Silvertongue nods at Drake's statement.

Stella looks towards the window and nods, "Yes, it seems the storm has subsided. We should set off as soon as possible. Perhaps it would be best if we left at the crack of dawn?" Drake grunts, "Fine, at least it'll give us a few hours to rest before heading out, i can't wait to get out of this miserable place." Silvertongue bows his head in agreement, his voice calm as he addresses the group, "I too am ready. Shall we head out at first light?" Stella give a nod and the group settles in for the night, making final preparations for their journey to the Dungeon of Fear and Hunger. The following morning, Stella wakes up to find that Drake and Silvertongue have already risen and are preparing for their journey. She takes a moment to clear the sleep from her eyes and stretches her muscles to loosen her limbs. As she makes her way to the tavern door, she catches Silvertongue studying her with a slightly amused look on his face, "Good morning, Lady Stella, ready to embark on our journey?" Drake walks up next to her and gives the bard a scowling look, "That depends, can this bard hold his own in a fight and not slow us down?" Silvertongue gives a small smile, "I have never been one to boast about my fighting prowess, but I can confidently say I am more than capable of taking care of myself in a fight. As for slowing you down, we'll see." Silvertongue's reply is laced with a subtle hint of sarcasm, but his friendly smile quickly returns. Stella looks between them, slightly amused by the banter between her two companions, "I think we're all ready to go, shall we set off?" Both Drake and Silvertongue nod and the group sets off for the Dungeon of Fear and Hunger.

 End of Chapter 1