THE MOMENT
"Bring food and drink," The Tavern Matron added as she appraised Rigel's slight form. The boy with aqua-blue hair was short for his age and this side of scrawny, but he carried himself with an impeccable air of high status. Clearly, he was already a believer. "We got another one...," she said as she slid into the booth opposite Rigel.
"Another one what?" Rigel asked with far more enthusiasm than the quaint Tavern merited that early. There weren't even that many patrons, and none of them were fully awake. "Another summoned hero, like me?"
"Another innocent soul summoned from a different world and promised they were special," the matron shook her head. "It's best you hear this harsh lesson now before you go and get yourself killed. There's nothing special about you, nor any of the dozens of so-called Heroes they try to use against the Dark Lord. You weren't chosen by destiny, just random chance."
"No...," Rigel subtly shook his head and the disbelief was apparent in his quiet voice. If anyone was actually paying attention, they would've seen the wounded look he gave the Matron through watery blue eyes. "I'm special...," he said "the Paladin that will finally defeat the Dark Lord and restore peace to the kingdom."
"A Paladin!?" She asked with unrestrained amusement. She shook her head as she laughed. "Is that what they told you? Paladins aren't real either, boy," she shook her head. As she laughed at him, the burly innkeeper came out from the kitchen holding a cloth-wrapped parcel. "Husband?" she was distracted and questioned him. "Why did you wrap it?" He looked at her, then nodded at Rigel.
"Wife, dear, your explanations tend to drive away the very children we're trying to help," he chuckled as he set the bundle in front of Rigel. "You're already fed up with her, aren't you?"
"VERY much!" Rigel nodded as he stared coldness into the Matron. Maybe she was trying to help, but he didn't appreciate being told he wasn't special. "Thank you, kind Sir," Rigel nodded at the innkeeper as he stood from the booth and collected his bundle. Then, he glanced at the Matron again. "These supplies will help me reach the Dark Lord's domain," he said.
"Do what you must," the Matron shook her head and stood as well. The innkeeper wandered off and the Matron went back to work behind the counter while Rigel stood there, wondering what to do next. He had a lot of options. Then, someone else entered the Inn while he was lost in thought.
"Hi, Rigel," the voice startled him out of his thoughts and he looked up to see a teenage girl with light brown curly hair and pink highlights.
"Hello, Alis," he smiled. "What brings you here?"
"Uh, that, I think," she nodded at the bundle still in his hand. He hadn't decided on a course of action yet, and didn't know if he was going to put it away yet or keep it out for something. "Free supply kit?"
"Yes, indeed," Rigel nodded at the Matron wiping the counter. "The lovely NPC requires knowing you're a summoned hero, and you should also inform her of your Class," he said.
"Thanks, Rigel." She waved at him as she approached the Matron. He always liked seeing how others interacted with the quests, and he decided to watch. Most players tended to speed through the keywords, but he enjoyed honing his stagecraft; it was easy to lose himself with scripted NPCs.
"Hero?" The Matron repeated the same phrase in the exact same tone she'd used with Rigel, even as she grabbed Alis' hand. "By the Makers, you believed every word they said. Come on." Rigel laughed as Alis glanced at him, and he nodded. She dragged Alis to a different table, since Rigel was still at the one she'd taken him to. "Sit, sit. Time for a common sense lesson for the Summoned child. HUSBAND!" she yelled. "Bring food and drink. We got another one." Rigel took a bit of time to explore her conversation, but Alis was apparently not interested in any of that. She went ahead and revealed her class.
"A Ninja!?" She asked with unrestrained amusement. She shook her head as she laughed. "Is that what they told you? Ninjas aren't real either, girl," the Matron said. As she spoke, the husband appeared in the kitchen and walked out with a different bundle to place it on the table in front of Alis.
"Husband?" The Matron asked. "Why did you wrap it?" He looked at her, then nodded at Alis.
"Wife, dear, your explanations tend to drive away the very children we're trying to help," he chuckled as he set the bundle down. "You're already fed up with her, aren't you?"
"Sure. Yes, please, thank you!" Alis nodded as she collected the bundle and stood up again.
"See you around, Rigel." She waved at him as she walked out the door, and he waved back.
"No doubt you will," he smiled. Once she was gone, Rigel's thoughts returned to the vast options available to him. He was definitely planning on defeating the Dark Lord at some point, but that wouldn't take too long. His biggest question was whether to get that out of the way first or try to complete it last, with the hope of collecting other related quests along the way. "Oh man, so much pressure," he sighed as he sat down again. "I think I'm gonna have a snack first," he decided to check what was in the bundle of free supplies.