the great corruption Chapter 60: Search crew

Chapter 60: Search crew.

Once the conversation was over, Noah and his brother walked over to the table to greet the people he would be working with. As they got close, a man with short hair noticed them.

"I’m right, but it doesn’t matter at the mont.

We’ve got new guests." The man waved his hand at them "hello strangers. You on the team too?"

"Yes actually, Im Daniel and the ugly one is Noah." Noah looked like he was going to say sothing but ignored the urge, instead offering a hand to the gentleman in front of him. "And who might you all be if you don’t mind

asking?"

The man shook his hand. "I’m Henry." Henry has a scar on his right cheek and a pendant in the shape of a diamond around his neck. On the side of the table sitting on the wall was a spear that seed to belong to him.

Henry gestured to the others at the table—two won and another man, all grinning like they’d just heard the punchline to a joke they weren’t sharing. "This is Lira," he said, nodding to a wiry woman with her dark hair tied back, her fingers drumming absently on a dagger hilt. "She’s our scout when she’s not trying to stab people for breathing too loud." Lira flipped him off without looking up.

Henry continued the introductions. "That grumpy bastard in the corner is Jareth," he said, jerking a thumb toward a broad-shouldered man hunched over his tankard, his beard streaked with ale foam. Jareth raised his drink in mock salute but said nothing. "And this," Henry added, gesturing to the last woman at the table—a freckled redhead with a bow slung over her shoulder, "is Mara. She’s the only one here who can actually shoot straight." Mara smirked and tossed a peanut at Henry’s head, which he caught without breaking stride.

’Well, she’s not the only one anymore.’ Noah thought to himself, before asking a question.

"This is an interesting crew, but when will we be ready to leave?" Henry noticed that neither had their weapons, keeping note of the storage rings on their fingers. It seed like their company already had a bit of coin.

"Just a mont. This drink will prepare

for the tis ahead." Jareth was seemingly getting more joyous the higher his intake.

Minutes later, they were all in a carriage, going down a road, to the sa location Chase and his crew had been so long ago. Barktown.

As the carriage approached the entrance into barktown everyone saw a bunch of destroyed buildings, people in terrible condition and others trying to minimize damage or fix what they could.

"Damn! Sobody did a number on this place. Least we won’t have to deal with the fighting part." Jerath said the quiet part out loud.

Henry put a hand over his head. "Maybe be a little quieter now that we’re getting close up?"

A sigh left his lips. Once they got out, they began looking for people to ask for directions.

Everyone split up.

Noah began looking around for authority figures, patrols. Surely soone had to see so adventurers co into town.

Eventually a mber of the guard told him of a person he could ask. A man nad Harold. He’s responsible for most of the rebuilding efforts in this town. "He seems like a nice man. I’ll be sure to say hello."

"He seed like a prick but it looks like even he realized he can’t rule over a slum. Keep going right and you should see a man with a beard and a ponytail, one arm that’s the big one."

Going down the path set for him, he stumbled upon a man holding out the designs with one hand and giving orders. "Hey sir, would you be the man nad Harold I’m looking for?"

Harold turned around, a little shocked that his na spread that far. "Yes it is. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Harold gave off a more commanding presence, focused eyes and a calm deanor, he’d changed a bit since before everything happened. He also got a new pair a glasses as his old ones ended up cracking.

After taking notice of these things, Noah continued. "I was wondering if you had seen the adventurers party that was sent here a day or two ago. They were supposed to be investigating, once they were done they were to report back."

Harold’s eyes widened, before he smiled. "Thank whoever sent them. If not, I don’t think any part of this place would be standing right now. And sure, I’ll bring you to them. And they are more than fine."

A tent was sitting at the edge of town, near a forest. This was where Chase was situated,

Laying down with Jasmine at his side.

He heard footsteps approaching his tent, his amateur version of mana sense was telling him that nothing dangerous was approaching.

"Hey, Chase! I never got your na by the way, as embarrassing as it is. But it’s Harold. I brought a friend. And apparently, he owes you a drink!"