The young Shield Hero understood what Cole meant regarding not feeling that big a deal.  Hell, it had taken three of them, two supposed legendary heroes and the battle tested guardian angel.  Out of the three, Fer felt as the most useless.  He had done his job, true, but he needed to bring more to the table.  To show his agreement, the young hero nodded to his companion’s assessment.  

[color=0054a6]“I have not been keeping and eye on my stats, as you say.  Honestly, I don’t really understand them much.  Being able to see writing with not book in front of you is honestly a bit weird.” [/color] He proclaimed truthfully to his partner.  Back on earth, he did not have the opportunity or the ability to play videogames.  Those that existed were definitely not advanced enough to have compared to the real live application that was possible in this world.

[color=0054a6]“I don’t even know how levels work but I have heard you and Marcino talking about them.  I can only assume that the higher the level the stronger we are.  If that is the case, then I hope we are able to get that number higher and that the monsters we are to face in the wave are not that much higher than us.  But even as I say it, I am sure we will not be that lucky…” [/color] he trailed off.  If Cole himself was having doubts about how proficient they were and he was their main fighter, then the party was in dire straits. 

[color=0054a6]“Well, I agree with you that we still have a long way to go.  But I think comparing us to Marcino might not be the best thing.  The man was a gladiator for years and even now does mercenary work.  We have about a week here.”[/color]  Fer shrugged, he knew that Cole was only trying to prove a point but it was like comparing cats and tigers.  Marcino being the latter. 

[color=0054a6]“Like I told you before buddy, I will support you and defend you as best I can.  I will follow you not because you are some great hero or because you are in some pedestal, but I will follow you because we are the same.  I know you are just human like me so you have real weaknesses and problems.”[/color]  Again he patted his companion on the shoulder.  [color=0054a6]“You may not feel like much but you have already proven you have what it takes to one day be that hero you envision to be.  I don’t really know what special task you want to do but the way I see it, you are a stranger in this land and have agreed to put your life on the line for people you don’t know and owe nothing to.  That is pretty special to me.  You ask nothing in return.  You have not demanded riches, or women, or anything like that.  Trust me Cole, just that is pretty special.”[/color]

[color=0054a6]“I guess we will find out when the waves come how ready we were.  There really are only two outcomes to a battle, either you survive it or you don’t.”[/color] he chuckled,  [color=0054a6]“At least you have a damn sword to hack your way to victory.  What the hell am I supposed to do…bitch slap them?”[/color]  he chuckled again to hide the pain in those words.  Oh how he wished he could use his old bow.  He was not a master, but he could put arrows down range pretty decent. 

Fer looked around again at the mention of their angelic friend.  He nodded when Cole mentioned the Dragon Hourglasses. [color=0054a6] “Yeah, from the little I gathered, those things are special.  Anything that can help in our upcoming fight will be worth looking into….heck even if I have to rub some fat man’s belly.”[/color] 

A pensive frown appeared on the young Shield’s face at the mention of the other heroes.  He had never met the bow, but from what had heard from Marcino and the local gossip, the girl was a loose cannon liable to kill anybody in their path, friend or foe.  He remembered meeting the Spear briefly before the man had declared he would adventure solo.  It still baffled Fer how other humans could leave each other to fend for themselves in a foreign world and with a wave looming in the future. 

[color=0054a6]“To be completely honest, I don’t think about them much.  Some times I forget they even exist.  They would have sure come in handy fighting Rayla.  At least, so that there was some more people who could actually use their weapons for offensive.” [/color] The ex rebel felt like he was complaining too much so he added.  [color=0054a6]“I am sure that we were given our specific weapons for a reason but I am at a loss as to what that reason is.”[/color]

The mention of a person having been summoned before him made him raise one eyebrow. [color=0054a6] “Wait, you are saying there was somebody summoned before me?  What happened to that person?  Were they killed?  Maybe that is why they don’t really worry too much about sending us out on dangerous missions if they are just able to summon another person to take up the fight”[/color]  The implications of that did not sit well with the young hero.  This meant that they could bee seen as disposable.

[color=0054a6]“I would like to talk to you more about what you know of this previous shield.  For the time being, I do hope they have some food after this ceremony thing.  Now that we are back amongst civilization, I want to have a warm meal instead of our travel rations you know.”[/color]  Fer stood up, feeling antsy and wanting to get the whole ordeal over with.