It ticked away, every minute that stole more sleeping time from him, and at this point, it was clear that this group of four couldn’t grasp the situation fast enough. That angry child had the right idea, but couldn’t act upon it, while the sole male in the group appeared to be naught but an incompetent who spent more time thinking than acting. A sigh. A waste of time, really.

But a job was a job, and the faster he got them all processed, the better.

[b]“I’m sending you bunch out,”[/b] the man replied to Aoi, shuffling through drawers before pulling out four simple necklaces, accompanied by four bags of clinking metal. Simple bronze tags, marked with a crescent moon, hung from the necklaces, while the brown, cloth bags themselves were tattered and looked to be constructed from scraps. [b]“The necklaces are identification, marking you as trainees. Replacing one is five silver, and takes three days to process the request. The guards won’t let you come back into the city without them, and you get some added benefits with them. You can pay more for more benefits, but that's not relevant for you. The bags have ten silver. That’ll get you started.”[/b]

A pause, as he finished what remained of the crystalline glass, putting away his bottle and rising from his seat.

[b]“It’s half past midnight, but it shouldn’t be hard to find your seniors amongst the crowd. With the objective of monster slaying as guidance, use your individual skills and judgment to figure out how to proceed.”[/b] Bony fingers reached out for his glasses, removing them carefully before he slipped them between the folds of his clothing. [b]“Now the office is closed. Get your shit and get out.”[/b]

And a few minutes later, whether they decided to get their ‘gifts’ or not, the torchlights within the paper-laden room were snuffed out by an errant wind.

[hr]

With heavier pockets than before, the four found themselves outside the empty plaza once more, now in almost total darkness as whatever warmth was within the recruiting office was blown out. Above, the stars shone brightly, and around, the city still called.

To the west, the familiar revelry and festive chaos they had bore witness to called for them.

To the east, the wind carried salt and water, promising the nostalgia and peace of nighttime currents.

To the north, the great shadows of tall mountains loomed, white light emanated from certain parts of the sheer face.

To the south, the revelry was decidedly more seedy, aggressive, an edgy counterpoint to merrymakers of the west.

Four directions. Four people. But that did not mean they need to split up, nor did it mean that they must seek union amongst themselves first.

The night was growing long.

Shelter, food, water, warmth, security.

What would they pursue?
[@Denny][@changejar][@Buzzkill][@Burger]