It was the seventh hour of the first day of Spring. The air was warm, save for a mild cool breeze that flittered by every so often. Cotton-like clouds hung in the distance, seemingly unmoving, filling the sky with their softness. The gentle sunlight fell upon the buildings and the pavement that a pair of leather boots clicked against as they walked. The young man reached inside his coat pocket and withdrew a relatively large piece of parchment, unfolding it carefully.

So this is Tharsis.

According to the rumors circulating his hometown, the count of a far off town issued a nationwide challenge to whoever were to uncover the secret of the Yggdrasil tree. Knowing that a prize given by nobility was not something to be taken lightly, he left his home and travelled for countless days in search of the town that held the count.

As he approached the border, a figure caught his attention. Standing just at the edge of the town, gazing up at the cumbersome structures and lush trees further into the city was a small girl. A pale turquoise dress with golden etchings fit loosely on her miniature figure, and a chullo rested on her soft, aqua hair. Her bright, curious eyes danced from side to side, surveying the entrance for a solid amount of time. The young man folded his map of sorts and called out to the girl.

"Excuse me!"

"H-huh? Ah...!"

The man walked over to the girl with a friendly smile and wave. "I suppose normally someone in my position would ask if this were the right place, but you seem to be lost. Can I help you?"

The girl seemingly recovered from her daze, smiled bashfully while discreetly trying to avoid eye contact. "Ah, no, I know where I am. This is the town of Tharsis if I'm not mistaken. I've just...been a little hesitant to enter is all."

"Why is that?" The man raised a troubled eyebrow.

The girl started to squirm, likely due to prolonged exposure to a stranger. "Ah well, you see... I w-want to join a guild here but I'm not too certain that I'll be accepted, so I g-guess I'm a little scared to find out."

"Oh, is that all?" The man straightened himself and smiled warmly. "Why don't I go with you then? I'm also looking to join a guild while in town. It might do well to have someone there to support you, and to be honest, I could use the moral boost as well. What do you say?"

She held her arms close to her chest almost defensively, but smiled meekly and nodded. "Alright. Oh, um... I never got your name..." Her voice trailed off.

"My name is Tristan. It's a pleasure to meet you." Tristan extended his hand to the girl.

The girl reached out to accept the gesture. "My name's F-Fiora." Upon contact, her face turned a brighter shade and she withdrew almost instantly.

Tristan nodded and began to make his way into the town. Fiora scrambled after him, struggling a bit to match his pace before eventually falling into sync. They took in their surroundings with wonder, observing the brick buildings at least a couple stories high with lime, slanted roofs, and the abundance of trees the deeper they got in.

With the helpful guidance of the signs, it didn't take long until both were standing before a large marble building with pillars marking its entrance. From the inside, shouting between two parties could be heard. Emerging from the entrance was a dark, well-built man with long gray hair and a mustache that matched. He seemed to be donned in a silver tunic of sorts, golden buckles fastening the metal plate on his chest in place. In his hand was a tuff of blonde hair, with the girl attached to it struggling to break free of his grasp.

"Ow ow ow! Lemme go, that hurts!"

The man grunted. "We've told you once and we'll tell you again: We don't have any guilds for you to join! Either be patient and wait for a position to open or go and form your own guild!" With a mighty heave, he tossed the girl a good distance away and stormed back inside.

Looking closer, the pair that had travelled to the guild together could see the girl in more detail. She looked thin, despite having a broadsword and buckler attached to her plaid skirt. She aligned herself and dusted off her tights, her equipment clinking as she did so.

Tristan extended a hand. "Are you okay?"

The girl gladly took it, grunting as she pulled herself up. "Yeah, I'm okay. Damn guildmaster still refuses to let me join though."

"We heard about that. What exactly was that all about?"

The girl stretched, cracking her joints. "I dunno. They claim that all of their existing guilds are filled and in order join one you'd basically have to make your own from scratch." The girl turned her head, finally noticing the figures she had been speaking to. She smiled widely. "Hey, you're new to Tharsis, aren't you?"

Tristan frowned. Was it that obvious?

"Uh...yes, as a matter of fact, we are."

"Awesome! You guys have gotta try the food at the Saehrimnir Inn, it's other-worldly!" She began a light jog, stopping a few meters ahead to beckon those behind her. "C'mon!"

Fiora's sapphire eyes were filled with concern, but Tristan shrugged and walked after the girl who had extended him the offer. Fiora chased after him quickly, keeping close as if he were a lifeline in the foreign city.

After following the energetic girl seemingly all over town, the finally stopped in front of a small building. It looked the same as most others, but a sweet and powerful smell wafted from the entrance. Without thinking, Tristan was led up the cobblestone steps to the door handle, pushing his way inside.

Opening the door almost overwhelmed his senses, had he not fought to control them. Taking a more objective view on the inn, he found the squeaking sound he had been hearing in fact came from his boots on the floorboard. The warm glow of candelight melded with the natural light of the sun coming from the window next to it. A fresh meal was waiting on the table, likely the source of the wondrous smell.

After realizing he had completely forgotten about Fiora, he quickly spun his head around to find her. Fortunately for him, she had fallen into the same, sweet-scented trap as he had. The girl who had led them there danced around them, crossing her arms behind her back and leaning forward with a charming smile.

"See? I told you it was great! Let's dig in!"

From the other room, a woman's voice called, "Now hold on, dear." Stepping out into the open was likely the owner of the voice, a woman who appeared to be in her mid thirties. Her mahogany hair was tied off to the side, likely to not get it burnt by the heavy pot she was carrying. She set it on the table and removed her checkered oven mitts. "I don't run a charity, you know. I would be more than happy to share my cooking with you, but only after you pay for it!"

"Of course. Give me one moment..." Tristan reached into his coin pouch and removed several en. "You can return the change to me after I've finished."

The woman smiled warmly and clapped her hands. "Oh! I haven't seen your face around before. You must be new! My name is Dalla, I run this humble business."

"I see. My name is Tristan, and this is Fiora." He gestured to the girl hiding behind him, who waved shyly.

"There's no need to be shy, dear! Please, come in and make yourselves at home. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." She bowed her head and hurried into the other room.

As Tristan took his place at the table and bit into the food, he could see that his guide made no exaggeration. After living off of bread and whatever he could find in the wilderness during his travels, a home cooked meal seemed to feed his soul just as much as his stomach. Fiora attempted to eat modestly, though he assumed that she had been in a situation similar to him and any table etiquette she would have had was tossed aside.

Their guide on the other hand was the most savage in appearance when devouring her food. As she slurped every liquid and chewed with her jaw hanging open for all to see, Tristan began to wonder if she was ever taught any table manners. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve and began her attack on the next bowl.

In this line of thought, it also occurred to him that he still didn't know her name. "Hey," he called out. "You never introduced us."

"Mwa namph wipha!" she responded, with a mouth full of potato.

"Swallow your food before talking!"

She gulped down half her mug of water and let out a refreshed sigh. "My name's Lisa! It's nice to meet you two!"

As they continued eating, Dalla reentered the room, this time holding a few coins in her hand. "Your change comes to twenty en."

Tristan looked up at her with confusion. "I thought I gave you around fifty. Thirty en for one meal seems kind of steep, don't you think?"

"Oh? I thought you were paying for your friends here."

He shot a glare of daggers at Lisa, who could only smile sheepishly. Jumping up from his seat and reaching across the table, he pinched Lisa's cheeks.

"You damn leech!"

"Ow ow ow ow! I'm sorry!"

Fiora timidly raised a gloved hand. "I apologize. I don't have any money on me and I thought you were treating us..."

Seeing her sincere apology, he let go of Lisa and threw himself back into his chair. "I don't mind treating you, Fiora. It's this sneaky devil that I'm angry at."

Lisa rubbed her cheeks, acting hurt. "Hey, that's mean..."

"So is cheating people for food!"

"Well, I'm sorry! Until I can join or make a guild, I can't exactly make any money of my own!"

At that moment, a young woman clad in armor approached the table. "Excuse me, did you say you all were interested in making a guild?" Her short copper hair hugged her mature features, and a large shield hung on her back. Underneath the armor, she wore a white tunic.

Tristan smiled apologetically and scratched his head. "Sorry but, who are you?"

The woman let out a small gasp. "Ah! Forgive my terrible manners. My name is Anastasia, though you may call me Anna if you wish. I couldn't help but overhear that you desired to make a guild. I too, wish to be a part of a guild but have not had any luck. If it is no trouble, might I join yours? I may not have much, but I can become a shield for any ally."

Lisa clapped her hands together with glee. "Perfect! We've got myself as a landsknecht, Anna as a fortress, Fiora as a runemaster and Tristan as medic! We've got just enough to form a party!"

"Um, I'm actually a runemaster in training... I haven't learned any spells ye-"

"Hold on, did you call me a medic?"

Lisa blinked once, innocently. "Is something wrong?"

"There are many things wrong here! First of all, you didn't even ask Fiora or I if we wanted to be a part of your party and second of all, I'm not a medic!"

She frowned and tilted her head. "You're wearing a white coat aren't you?"

"Yes, but-"

"And you have a first-aid kit on you, don't you?"

"Yes, but-!"

Lisa grinned triumphantly. "Then you're our medic! I don't see a problem here!"

Fiora tugged on Tristan's sleeve, pulling him aside. "A-actually, this might a g-good idea. We aren't really in a position to say no..."

She was right. At best, they would just be on the waiting list to join a guild and at worst, they would get stuck with worse party members. Anna seemed decent enough, but he foresaw Lisa getting them into several problems. He sighed and turned back to the table.

"Alright, we'll form a guild. If we leave now, we should still have plenty of time left in the day to register and enter the lush woodlands to the north of here."

The mood of the three girls visibly lightened, and they all hurried to the door. Tristan followed them out, and down the same winding paths as they all chattered excitedly with one another. Before long, they were back at the guild's entrance where the same dark man that tossed Lisa out was waiting.

"Back again, I see. It looks like you I should have reinforced the previous lesson more." He cracked his knuckles.

Lisa frantically waved her arms, laughing nervously. "No, wait! I actually brought others to form a guild with this time!"

Hearing this, the guildmaster relaxed somewhat. Eyeing up the three standing behind Lisa, he chuckled with amusement. "Be careful with this one. She can be quite the troublemaker if left unchecked."

Noted, Tristan thought.

"Very well, come inside and we'll fill out the necessary paperwork." After entering the explorer's guild, he looked over his shoulder. "Have you put any thought into what you want yourselves to be called?"

Without hesitation, Lisa raised her voice and said, "Herogard!"

Tristan took a step forward. "Now wait a second, I didn't agree on-" He was stopped by Anna's gentle hand on his shoulder. She shook her head.

"She's been waiting a long time to use the name. Why not let her have it?"

Fiora smiled sheepishly and raised her hand. "I um... I actually kind of like how it sounds..."

Tristan sighed and shrugged. "Alright, fine. Herogard it is." He furrowed his brow at Lisa. "Next time at least ask us, though."

The guildmaster scribed a few things down on his parchment and after several minutes of exchanging various bits of information, finally cleared his throat.

"That concludes all of the paperwork, then. Congratulations Herogard, you are officially registered to explore. Just head over to the count and give him this letter of introduction."

"Yes sir." Tristan took the letter and stored it in his pocket.

"C'mon guys, what are you waiting for? Let's go!" Lisa shouted from the entrance of the explorer's guild.

The guildmaster smiled. "Do keep an eye out for that one. She's mischievous to no end, but she has a good heart."

Nodding, Tristan ran after Lisa and the rest of his newfound party. Finding the Mark Grand Court where the count resided wasn't too difficult, considering its massive size and the plaza that lay out in front of it. Lisa and Anna did not seem to have any noticeable reactions, but Fiora and Tristan were taken aback by its size. Lisa was the first one to enter, leaving the rest of Herogard to pick up their pace to follow her.

Upon entry into the Grand Court, a noble looking man cloaked in green and gold with a small dog in his arms approached the group and straightened his silk cravat. His mustache hid most of his mouth, giving off something of a comedic appearance. Without speaking, Tristan withdrew the letter and handed it to the count who read it silently. After he had finished, he folded the letter and placed it in his own pocket.

"Welcome, adventurers. I am the count of Tharsis." He seemed to size up the group in a similar way that the guildmaster had earlier. He coughed once into his gloved hand. "I see you have an able bodied party with you. However, I can't just let you into the labyrinth that easily."

"What? Why not!" Lisa shouted, visibly upset. "We've got our guild, we've got some equipment, why the hell can't we go in!"

Tristan grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. "Lisa, you're being rude!"

The count took a step backward and held a hand in the air defensively. "Please, listen! We have had many eager explorers enter the labyrinth and never return, so first we simply wish to test your skills in navigating before we let you delve any deeper."

"Um... What sort of test?" Fiora took a cautious step forward.

Straightening his coat and clearing his throat, the count continued, "You see, just on the outskirts of town is an old mine where we used to harvest Iridescent Ore. Long had we thought the well on such a valuable resource had run dry, but an adventurer discovered that there was still more to be had. Your task is to retrieve some. Do this, and I will fully acknowledge you lot as explorers."

"What does this Iridescent Ore look like?" Anna inquired.

"Ah yes, I suppose that is an important detail. When the light hits it, it refracts into every color imaginable. Its true worth lies not in its beauty, however! You shall understand when you yourselves see it." Finishing his explanation, the count sat behind a wooden desk a fancy and expensive looking chair. "Any more questions?"

Tristan shook his head. "No sir, we'll be on our way."

As they were about to leave, the count called out to them again. "One last thing! A soldier should be waiting for you right outside of town. He'll guide you to the mine."

A test seemed reasonable enough. In fact, it worked out for both the count and the newly formed party. Not only would the results determine if they were worthy of being explorers, but also if they were cut out for the job. It was just as much a safety measure as it was to protect the count's reputation.

"Man, I do not like that guy!" Lisa grumbled. "I could take on the Yggdrasil Labyrinth singlehandedly! Stupid tests..."

"We don't know what's lying in wait for us," Tristan countered. "For all we know, whatever is in the labyrinth too strong for us. We should be careful."

"Too strong for me? Ha! There's no such thing!" Lisa gave a prideful grin and skipped ahead.

He wanted to say something else, but their discussion was cut short but the appearance of a guard. His face was obscured, so Tristan couldn't make out the details, but he looked to be young for his position, possibly in his late twenties or early thirties. His plate armor shifted as he saw the party approach.

"Are you the Herogard guild the Outland Count spoke of?" he asked in a firm, commanding voice.

"We are," Tristan responded simply.

"Very well, follow me."

There was an electric buzz throughout the party, everyone teeming with excitement. As they departed from the city, the feeling only grew. It was all Lisa could do from walking in front of the guard, leading the way herself. Anna and Tristan kept behind the guard modestly, with Fiora keeping close behind Tristan. Their first adventure, however small, was beginning. Taking in his companions' company, Tristan could only hope that it went well.