![Senior [500]](https://i.imgur.com/Nmfn8cD.png)
![Novice [250]](https://i.imgur.com/lrYlde6.png)
Diana had received a contract in Hargeon Town, but the objective was not to kill someone. Rather, this one was to protect a person from harm. Diana had done some protection work before, but she usually ended up killing someone who tried to kill her client. This job sounded it would be a low-intensity job... escort someone from the library to their home and made sure they got home safely.
Wearing a white long-sleeved button-up shirt with black coat and black knee-length skirt with black shoes, Diana looked more like an office worker than a mage. That everyday look was exactly what the blonde was going for. Practitioners of her trade tended to live longer if they did not draw attention to themselves. Overly fancy outfits tended to draw attention, attention which made jobs a lot more difficult than they had to be. Diana had made it this long by dressing appropriately and not drawing attention to herself with lavish spending or ostentatious attire.
Diana walked up to the Hargeon library and saw a distressed young woman with brown hair in a bun, blue eyes, and similar office worker attire except that her jacket and skirt were gray instead of black. She also had a laminated I.D. tag clipped to the right side of her jacket. That similarity was unintentional, but it could prove to be handy if the pair were set upon by local toughs.
"Are you Diana Winchester, the Guildless mage?" The young woman asked.
"Yes." Diana replied, presenting the job notice as proof of identity. The young woman read it and nodded.
"Great! You see, I had to work over at the library because one of the staff called in sick and I was the only worker available. Now I'm late getting home and night's when the hoodlums come out." The young woman explained her quandary before going on a tangent about a developing crush on a male co-worker she talked to during closing time. Diana listened patiently. Part of being a professional was being... well, professional. Professionals did not act pushy and aggressive unless the situation warranted it. They knew when to be aggressive and when to be patient.
"Oh. Sorry about that! I tend to ramble sometimes. I don't want to waste your time, so let's get going." The brunette meekly apologized before she took the lead and started on the walk home. The pair walked under the yellow glow of street lights and kept quiet. Both of them were listening out for trouble as they passed by some seedy-looking back alleys with all manner of colorful graffiti spray-painted on their walls. When no one jumped out to accost them, the pair relaxed a bit and the mood lightened.
"Are you a model?" The brunette asked.
"No, Miss. I am not a model." Diana replied politely.
"You look like you could be a model. You're a good dresser and you have the look." The client defended her statement. Diana could see why people would think that. She had the look and the body type to be one, but she lacked the training and the inclination. She also hated being the center of attention, and models were by necessity the center of attention whenever they strode onto the catwalk.
"I appreciate the compliment." Diana replied as they walked by a bar with a few inebriated patrons clutching beer steins and sitting on a deck overlooking the street. The pair went quiet and watched for trouble because inebriated people typically did not make the smartest decisions. Other than a few catcalls and whistles directed at Diana, there was no trouble from the patrons of the bar and the duo kept going on their way.
"We're almost there." The client informed Diana. Diana was pleased to hear that. She did not care how long a job took to complete, but hearing that the end was near lifted her spirits. Completing a job meant a Jewel reward. She liked Jewels.
They set foot in a nice-looking middle-class neighborhood with clean houses and clean doorsteps. Everything looked the same, but Diana did not suspect that there was any danger here. Not any overt danger, anyway. She was sure that the residents plotted behind closed doors to advance their position at the expense of rivals. "Nice" neighborhoods tended to act like that.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" The client blurted out.
"No, Miss. I do not have a boyfriend." Diana answered politely.
"Do you... have a girlfriend?" The client asked with a blush.
"No, Miss. I do not have a girlfriend." Diana answered politely. The client's blush intensified to consume her entire face.
"S-sorry. It's none of my business." The young woman meekly apologized and looked away. A few minutes of awkward silence passed before they stopped in front of a nondescript home with a brown door and a brass doorknocker in the shape of a book.
"We're here!" The client informed Diana. She went inside while Diana waited outside. The blonde kept an eye out for trouble in case they were followed. A minute later the young woman handed Diana a bag of Jewels.
"Thanks for walking me home. I know it was a boring job, but I appreciate the help. I was scared to walk home by myself. And thanks for putting up with my questions!" The young woman thanked Diana for taking the job. Diana did not take the awkward question about her romantic life personally. She completed the job and she got paid for her effort. That was all Diana cared about.
"It was no problem." Diana assured the client. The brunette waved goodbye and shut the door. Diana pocketed the Jewels and walked away. The job was completed with no muss and no fuss. Diana liked those kind of jobs.
[Word Count: 964]
[Total Word Count: 964/500]
Wearing a white long-sleeved button-up shirt with black coat and black knee-length skirt with black shoes, Diana looked more like an office worker than a mage. That everyday look was exactly what the blonde was going for. Practitioners of her trade tended to live longer if they did not draw attention to themselves. Overly fancy outfits tended to draw attention, attention which made jobs a lot more difficult than they had to be. Diana had made it this long by dressing appropriately and not drawing attention to herself with lavish spending or ostentatious attire.
Diana walked up to the Hargeon library and saw a distressed young woman with brown hair in a bun, blue eyes, and similar office worker attire except that her jacket and skirt were gray instead of black. She also had a laminated I.D. tag clipped to the right side of her jacket. That similarity was unintentional, but it could prove to be handy if the pair were set upon by local toughs.
"Are you Diana Winchester, the Guildless mage?" The young woman asked.
"Yes." Diana replied, presenting the job notice as proof of identity. The young woman read it and nodded.
"Great! You see, I had to work over at the library because one of the staff called in sick and I was the only worker available. Now I'm late getting home and night's when the hoodlums come out." The young woman explained her quandary before going on a tangent about a developing crush on a male co-worker she talked to during closing time. Diana listened patiently. Part of being a professional was being... well, professional. Professionals did not act pushy and aggressive unless the situation warranted it. They knew when to be aggressive and when to be patient.
"Oh. Sorry about that! I tend to ramble sometimes. I don't want to waste your time, so let's get going." The brunette meekly apologized before she took the lead and started on the walk home. The pair walked under the yellow glow of street lights and kept quiet. Both of them were listening out for trouble as they passed by some seedy-looking back alleys with all manner of colorful graffiti spray-painted on their walls. When no one jumped out to accost them, the pair relaxed a bit and the mood lightened.
"Are you a model?" The brunette asked.
"No, Miss. I am not a model." Diana replied politely.
"You look like you could be a model. You're a good dresser and you have the look." The client defended her statement. Diana could see why people would think that. She had the look and the body type to be one, but she lacked the training and the inclination. She also hated being the center of attention, and models were by necessity the center of attention whenever they strode onto the catwalk.
"I appreciate the compliment." Diana replied as they walked by a bar with a few inebriated patrons clutching beer steins and sitting on a deck overlooking the street. The pair went quiet and watched for trouble because inebriated people typically did not make the smartest decisions. Other than a few catcalls and whistles directed at Diana, there was no trouble from the patrons of the bar and the duo kept going on their way.
"We're almost there." The client informed Diana. Diana was pleased to hear that. She did not care how long a job took to complete, but hearing that the end was near lifted her spirits. Completing a job meant a Jewel reward. She liked Jewels.
They set foot in a nice-looking middle-class neighborhood with clean houses and clean doorsteps. Everything looked the same, but Diana did not suspect that there was any danger here. Not any overt danger, anyway. She was sure that the residents plotted behind closed doors to advance their position at the expense of rivals. "Nice" neighborhoods tended to act like that.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" The client blurted out.
"No, Miss. I do not have a boyfriend." Diana answered politely.
"Do you... have a girlfriend?" The client asked with a blush.
"No, Miss. I do not have a girlfriend." Diana answered politely. The client's blush intensified to consume her entire face.
"S-sorry. It's none of my business." The young woman meekly apologized and looked away. A few minutes of awkward silence passed before they stopped in front of a nondescript home with a brown door and a brass doorknocker in the shape of a book.
"We're here!" The client informed Diana. She went inside while Diana waited outside. The blonde kept an eye out for trouble in case they were followed. A minute later the young woman handed Diana a bag of Jewels.
"Thanks for walking me home. I know it was a boring job, but I appreciate the help. I was scared to walk home by myself. And thanks for putting up with my questions!" The young woman thanked Diana for taking the job. Diana did not take the awkward question about her romantic life personally. She completed the job and she got paid for her effort. That was all Diana cared about.
"It was no problem." Diana assured the client. The brunette waved goodbye and shut the door. Diana pocketed the Jewels and walked away. The job was completed with no muss and no fuss. Diana liked those kind of jobs.
[Word Count: 964]
[Total Word Count: 964/500]
