Chapter 3 - Remoraf

"Hey, Rem wake up!" Rin is whispering while shaking me awake.

"Hmm, time to go?" I reply.

"Yes, now get up!"

"Uuuuuugh," I groan, getting off the bed that's about as hard as the floor.

In the corner Miles is throwing on his gear quickly while I simply grab my bag being pre-dressed in my black combats. After about a minute we head down to the tavern level, the kitchen is obviously closed as who gets up an hour before sunrise?

Stepping into the brisk morning air we head to the North District loading bay. The wooden buildings glow faintly red as the morning light comes over the mountains far to the east.

"So who's going to deal with the stables this time?" I ask.

"I did that last time and not doing it again, that artificer is a prick!" Rin says with quiet hostility.

"Alright then," I reply, "Miles? Can you do it?"

Miles sighs, "yeah sure, I just don't like waiving my status card around when the guy gets feisty."

"Ok then, in the meantime Rin and I will try to get us onto that caravan of carts heading north. Sound good?" I say.

"Deal", and with that Miles deviates a path towards the stable-house while Rin and I walk to the slowly assembling caravan of carts.

As we get closer a tall red-headed female elf wearing some leather armour over a green cotton shirt with brown pants approaches us. Naturally I walk towards the elven lady.

"Good morn' fair lady" I say once she's close enough to greet.

"Fair morning to you as well sir, what brings you and the lassie here this early?" the elf says with a strong but sweet voice.

"My party was hoping to travel up to the north to start a new life away from the harsh regulations of the main population." I say with a sincere look, "and I was hoping we could find a caravan that was also going north at least to Neverspring."

"Neverspring…" she muses, "can I see some identification, you never know with Hunters all over the place."

"Oh yeah sure," I try to hold back my emotion as this is the common case for many civilians nowadays. With my left hand I take my index and middle finger and swipe down in the air in front of me. A split second later my fake ID shimmers into place reading:

Name: Remoraf

Age: 21

Sex: male

Class: fighter

Adventure Level: 7

Archetype: ranged

The elf raises an eye, "well then, my name is Sora and I am the commanding leader of the caravan. The plan is to go as far north as Frostwind Dale. Assuming you have your own horses, you may accompany the caravan as well."

Rin and I both bow a bit, "Thank-you m'lady Sora." we say in unison.

The elven lady then turns and starts walking back to the caravan to assist others for the road ahead.

"That was close," Rin whispers in my ear.

"Remind me to get Miles a second ID tag later," I whisper back.

"He already has one, a monk class."

"Right"

Just as I say that, the sound of hooves can be heard approaching from behind us.

"Hey guys, I got 3 horses, a cart, and get this, the old man even supplied enough feed on the house to get us to the next available town!" Miles says happily.

"Great!" I reply, "Do you happen to know a Sora, shadow marked elf, 5'6"?"

"How'd you know she was shadow marked?" Rin asked quickly.

"You could see the edge of the same tattoo as Miles peeking out from the sleeve on the left arm."

"Sora… hmm nope. I don't think we've met or if we have then it was over a decade ago," Miles replies at the same time as I reply to Rin.

With shrug I say, "Come on lets go join the caravan before they leave without us."

We quickly loaded up the cart and joined the rear of the caravan just as the gates began to open with the sun cresting the mountain peaks several clicks away.