Warning: If you use these men to complete The Noble Hand, then they will each have their own expectations of you after the quest is finished. If those expectations aren’t met, negative events may be triggered.

Warning: Those who die during this mission will not respawn, and others will remember who followed you on the quest. Their deaths may or may not impact your reputation.

Lucas’s eyes opened slightly when he read that. So, I can still add more to my party, Lucas thought happily. Although, the fact that it lets me add four additional people means that this is either going to be very difficult, or they aren’t going to be worth their weight in dirt. The only time anyone ever lets you exceed the party limit of six is when things are about to get tough . . .

“What do you mean?” Gunter asked, finally breaking the silence. “You want to kill Kegan?”

“I’ve heard well enough from the people around here about the things he’s done,” Lucas said, “and so I’m going to kill him. Whoever comes after has to be better than what I’ve seen here.”

“That’s . . .?” Gunter trailed off, leaving his thought unfinished, and Jason stepped in for him.

“That’s exactly what we should have done the first time,” he said quickly. “That bastard should have died, and he would have if there weren’t so many cowards among us.”

“Think about what you’re saying,” Gunter cautioned.

“I am thinking!” Jason yelled. Everyone else in the room was already attuned to their conversation, so he wasn’t likely to draw any more listeners now by raising a ruckus. “It’s like you said: This tin-can saved my life, so I’m going with him if he lets me help him kill Kegan too. If he wants to kill that copper-clinging slave driver, then why shouldn’t I help him?”

“But . . . But what if he fails?” Fiddle asked. “Failure happens, you know. What then?”

“There won’t be an issue,” Lucas said, waving his hand. “I’m not the only one who heard of the problem. Dray von Maidbanger has as well. I conveyed to him your words about how Kegan treats you all, and he said he plans to send men. The only reason I plan to do this myself is that I can’t wait the week or two for Maidbanger’s soldiers. So, don’t worry. You’ll be saved no matter what happens. The only question is, really, whether you plan to wait for someone else to rescue you or do it yourself.”

“I’m not waiting. If you’re going, take me with you,” Jason said, his attitude completely different than before.

The people torturing him must have told him who was responsible for his suffering, Lucas thought as he observed Jason’s over-eager desire to kill Kegan.

“Fine, you won’t leave me behind again either,” Gunter said. “I’m coming too.”

“If Gunter goes, we go,” Ash said as well, putting his fist on the table.