“Tell. Me. Now,” Lucas demanded. He reached out and grabbed the guard’s shoulder, preventing the petite-framed Alfar from turning and leaving.

“Later!” the guard shouted back.

“Fine,” Lucas snarled. He released his grasp, and the guard took off the moment he was free. Time to play the stupid hero then. “Come on,” he said, turning to the others. “Ready those weapons. We’re going in.” He had no idea what to expect inside the city, but given the heightened level of security and how insistent the guard had been about attending to the excitement inside, he knew this was something that couldn’t go unaddressed.

“Really?” Bonnie smiled. “You gonna pay me market rate if it turns out to be a battle, right?”

“That depends on how well you do,” Lucas replied.

“Lucas, you need to find a woman that doesn’t charge you every time you pull out your staff,” Nick said, patting Lucas on the back.

“Every girl costs money,” she answered flippantly. “The boss knows that. I’m just more upfront with my fees than most.”

“Shut up,” Lucas barked. “Both of you. I’ve got a bad feeling about this, and I don’t need you two distracted.”

“Got it, boss. I’ll just make sure to only let you—” She grimaced and fell silent when her continued chatter drew a glare from Lucas, at which point she made a show of “zipping up” her lips.

Weapons drawn, the trio pushed past the stairs, entered underneath the city above, and began making their way toward the center of town at a quick pace. There were hundreds of trees on all sides, each one as thick as a Californian redwood, but they were thankfully well-spaced, affording them unimpeded visibility. Women and children soon began flooding around them, heading back in the opposite direction.

What in the heck is going on? Lucas wondered as the screaming hordes ran past. By the time the fourth cluster streaked by, screeching like they had been set on fire, Lucas could hear the cries from the center of town. Unhesitatingly, he took off sprinting toward the uproar while simultaneously channeling three spells into his staff. Even before he arrived, the source of the problem was obvious. There, right at the edge of a river, a group of Alfar guards was fighting off giant, horrendous-looking sea creatures.

Quest: The Defense of Waldberg.

The town of Waldberg has come under attack from an unknown aggressor. As a neutral party, you are not obligated to take sides in this conflict. However, if you choose to assist a party, different benefits and rewards may become available should your side both win and recognize you as an ally.

Warning: Depending on both your choices and your success rate, financial transactions may become either available or restricted in the future. Depending on which NPCs are alive after the event, more or less information will be available to you as a player.