Ben waved the guards goodbye and entered the city gate. Sollen was a lot. He was used to tall buildings, he lived in a castle tower after all, but there was something different about the city. The roads were just wide enough for a cart to pass if the walkers squeezed to the side—this process usually involved a lot of swearing and throwing, with occasional spells mixed in.

  Ben was walking through this chaos when someone shouted at him: "Hey boy! You there!" Ben turned and noticed a huge man with puffed up cheeks standing behind the market stall, pointing at him.

  "Hello," Ben walked closer.

  "Hello to you too, young mister." The shopkeeper grinned. "You look like you come from a good family, where's your pa' and ma'?"

  "They stayed at the castle," Ben smiled.

  "Castle you say..." The shopkeepers grin widened, already thanking gods. “And pray tell… Would you like to buy something?” He spread his hands over his table and began pointing at displayed items. “Something for protection mayhap? This necklace makes the arrows fly by so they can’t strike your pretty face. The wind spell you see…”

  Ben looked at the necklace and frowned, it barely sparked with magic. “I think it’s empty.” he said, looking up at the shopkeeper.

  “Not possible!” the man raised his voice. “It’s a top tier quality. Adventurers from all over the world come for my wares and you would call it faulty?!” The man’s face was reddening, his cheeks puffed up even more than when Ben first saw him.

  Ben just cocked his head. “No really,” he said, still smiling. “The magic is almost gone. Look.” Ben pointed at the necklace. Passersby were stopping now, pointing and smirking at the shopkeeper. “You yelling at a kid, old man?” Someone shouted from the crowd. “Are your wares so bad even kids can tell?” Someone else said and the burst of laughter followed.

  “Unbelievable,”the shopkeeper muttered under his breath, then he looked down at Ben, still standing there and smiling at him. “Off you go!” He grunted. “Nothing for you here. You are just losing me business.”

  Ben just shrugged and left, thinking about how strange those city folks are. He didn’t turn around, if he did he would see the shopkeeper frowning and glaring at him, as he chased away the laughing crowd. It was a bad glare. The kind of a glare that makes people worry.

  After a few wrong turns, multiple misunderstandings and one collision with a very angry cart driver, Ben finally stood in front of the adventurers guild. He could hardly believe it. All those stories he read, all the journeys, trips and tracks… all the adventures.

  It always starts in this building. Well, maybe not in this particular building, but surely in a very similar building. Maybe, maybe here he could find some friends. Friends he read about; the comrades in arms, and then do adventures together and defeat foes and all that business proper adventuring comrades do. He took a deep breath and knocked at the door. Nothing happened. He looked around, hoping for some manual, but nothing helpful in sight. He then shrugged and pushed the door inwards.

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  As it opened a wave of sound, smell and heat pushed on his senses. A fireplace in the center of the room made everything look slightly reddish, as windows were hidden behind heavy curtains. Most tables were empty, but few were occupied. To Ben’s surprise they were mostly the same age as him. He hasn't seen a single adult, except the older lady standing behind the tab. She nodded at him, but then just continued clearing the glass in hand.

  He closed the door behind him and at first noticed a boy, sitting in the corner, all in black. Ben was about to come over, but his attention was drawn by a group of kids by the center table. Four lads and one lady sat there and laughed and shouted and overall acted as you would expect from children without supervision. He took a few steps towards them, unsure if that’s appropriate, but one of the boys noticed him and pushed the one next to him and so on until they were quiet, all staring at Ben.

  “Ehm, hello.” Ben shifted on his feet, not quite sure what to do with his hands. They exchanged a look. Then the biggest one, a blond boy with chest armour piece stood up and made a face at Ben. “What do you want, kid? This is a place for adventurers, not for children.”

  “You are the same age, clown.” Came from the corner; the black dressed boy spoke.

  The group leader grimaced, but didn’t say anything. His eyes stayed on Ben. “Why don’t you get-” he didn’t finish the sentence as one of the other boys pulled his sleeve. “Hey Wert,” the rest of the sentence was lost as the boy lowered his voice. Wert listened to him with his head tilted, then nodded and turned back to Ben with a smile.

  “Sit down. I mean, why don’t you sit down, friend.” Wert gestured the boy next to him away and held the chair for Ben.

  Ben smiled. It must have been just a misunderstanding. He walked towards them and sat next to Wert. “Hello, I am Ben,” he said.

  “Well, hello Ben. I am Wert.” The other boy shook his hand and so did the rest of the group. “What brings you here Ben?” Wert asked after the greetings were done.

  “I- I am looking for someone to adventure with,” Ben said sheepishly. “I am quite new, and I-” he shifted on his seat. “I have never actually been on an adventure. But-” Ben looked up at Wert. “You said you are adventurers, right? I was hopping…”

  “That you can join us?” Wert asked with a raised eyebrow. “Well…” he scratched his chin, pretending as if he had any facial hair. “I don’t know. What do you think Pep?” Wert looked down at the boy who tugged his shirt before.

  “I don’t see why not.” Pep grinned at Wert, not even looking at Ben. “Someone needs to carry our stuff.”

  “True that, true that,” nodded Wert with the self importance of a tax collector. “What do you say Ben, my friend?”

  Ben couldn’t believe his ears. He can join them on adventure! And Wert even called him a friend! He has a friend now! Is it really this easy? Ben smiled and quickly grabbed Wert’s hand. “Of course!” he added.

  “Very well,” Wert said. “We are about done here and will go on a bit of a dungeon expedition. Nothing dangerous, of course, if you are with experts like us.” The kids cheered and clunked their mugs as Wert got up. It’s worth mentioning, they were not drinking ale, as the barlady refused to pour them alcohol. They had hot milk with honey

  “You don’t mind going right away Ben, right? I know you just arrived, but we want to go already…”

  “Of course!” Ben jumped up immediately. “I don’t need to rest, it’s fine, it wasn’t a long journey.” The truth was, that he was tired, the journey was long, but he refused to lose his one opportunity to make friends because of a bit of tiredness.

  “Great,” Wert said. “Our bags are there,” he pointed at the corner of the room. “Grab them for us, alright?”

  Ben quickly ran over to the corner and picked up many bags left there. He piled them up and hurried after already leaving group of young adventurers. From another corner of the room, a young black dressed boy watched them leave. His cold, sharp eyes piercing Wert’s back.