The falcon statues are even cooler up close!

"Do you think that means there's more heroes in Falconreach than in other cities?"

"Yep! Heroes come to Falconreach from all over Lore, because it's on the way to lotsa places!" 

"That's really cool! Is Lore the country or the planet?"

"Lore is the whole planet, and the country is Greenguard," Twilly starts to explain as they reach the gates. 

Two people in shiny gold-embellished armour are standing guard. Their weapons look very sharp and very real. 

"Hail, adventurer!" one of them says. "Are you here to help us with the war effort?" 

"Um… I didn't know there was a war on. I have a quest in the Surewould Forest that I don't know how long it will take, but I think once it's finished I'll be able to help with other stuff?"

 "We've received word of a massive undead army on its way to surround the town," she explains. "We've already had a few skirmishes, and we're expecting a big attack tonight once the sun goes down. We'd appreciate any help you could give while you're here—talk to a boy named Ash in the town square." 

"Oh! I helped drop a bunch of bombs on an undead army that was going towards Oaklore earlier. Undead and also slimy. But that was probably a different army…"

Elan goes quiet. He was already planning to spend the night in Falconreach so he'd have plenty of time for sneevil-finding tomorrow, so it's not like he has to choose between helping out tonight and trying to find the Black Dragon Box. But he's also not sure how much help he would even be, and what if the fight ends up being like Azure City?

"I knows Ash! Come on, Elan, let's go talk to him and find out more!" 

Twilly leads the way through the gates and down the main street.

"Okay!"

Elan looks around at the buildings and people going about their day.

Timber-framed houses with cheerful whitewashed walls line the streets. Most of them are only a single storey, but they look cosy rather than cramped. There aren't many people out and about other than more of the armoured city guards, but as the light begins to fade, candles flicker to life in the windows, lending a warm glow to the evening. 

Past a shop with a potion bottle painted on its hanging sign, they enter a wide open square at the centre of a crossroads. On the north side of the square, there's an inn (one of the few two-storey buildings) and a smithy, both identified by similar picture-based signs. To the south is a bank and a large, official-looking building that might be the town hall. The north road looks like it eventually winds its way up the hill to the Guardian Tower.

Twilly waves enthusiastically at someone standing just outside the inn. 

"Hiyas, Ash! Meet my new friend Elan!" 

Ash turns out to be a dark-haired boy of about 13 or 14, wearing a few bits and pieces of armour and carrying a sword that's a little too long for him. 

"Hi Twilly! And...Elan? It's very nice to meet you! My name's Ash, and I'm going to be a knight one day! Are you an adventurer?" 

Elan loves how cozy it is! And all the picture signs. It's pretty different from the big cities he's been to before (Cliffport and Azure City) and he likes it.

"Hi Ash! Yeah, I'm Elan and I'm an adventurer. The guards said there were a bunch of undead coming to attack the city tonight and that you would know more about what to do."

He's still apprehensive about this, but he weirdly feels better that the guy in charge is a kid.

"That's right! I've been running messages and coordinating volunteers," Ash says proudly. "I know I'm just a kid, but it's better than taking one of the Guardians away from the front lines. We need every able body we can get to help defend Falconreach! Will you help?"

"I can try! What kinda help do you need? I'm okay with a sword and I can do illusions… wait, I think those don't work on undead… but I can also play inspiring music that helps other people do their best!"

"Inspiring music sounds great! Does it work best if the other people are really good fighters already, or if they're not, or does that not matter at all? Sorry, I've not heard of a class that does inspiring music before..." 

"…um, I'm not super good at math, but it gives a plus two. So maybe that means it works best for people who are already good enough at whatever they're trying to do that they do it right sometimes but not all the time? Oh, do you know if the undead attacking are the kind that can do magic fear? I can also play a different kind of music that makes people braver."

"I, uh...haven't had any reports about magic fear? Mostly people seem a normal amount of scared of the army of undead that's attacking the city! I think a song that makes people better at fighting is probably more useful than one that makes them braver. Most of the people fighting are Guardians or adventurers, and they're already really brave!" 

"That's true… I think my bravery song helps for attack rolls and damage rolls? I usually use the competence song because it's pretty all-purpose."

A thought occurs to him.

"I'm not wasting your time trying to figure this out, right? I wanna do the most helpful thing, but if it would be better for me to start doing stuff right now I can."