Plot: A mysterious man recruits five stranger:a Ranger, an Elf, a Dwarf, a Paladin and a Sorcerer to retrieve an ancient artifact with unknown power. Set in a Alternate Fantasy Medieval Universe (AFMU) Okay I just made up the the name but I'm sure it will work!

Genre: Adventure/Friendship

Rating: T for Teen

Language: English (and some Elven)

Principal Character: Shikamaru, Sasuke, Ino, Choji

Status: In Progress (and I intend to finish one story for once!)

Chapter 1: The Ranger, The Boar and the Oracle

A man lazily stood against the wall of a tavern, taping the handle of his short sword. 'The tailless Boar' He remember what his employer had told him.

"There is a statuette hidden in a Dungeon. This Dungeon belongs to a sorcerer named Izalgar. I need you to retrieve it for my master. I have already contact others to join you there and help you. Meet them at the Headless Boar in Valtrench. This little town is situated about 10 kilometre of the Dungeon." He handed over a map of the region. "You will have five days to get there. In ten days counting now I will meet you at the same tavern which mean you will have five days to accomplish you mission. 10 000 gold piece for the team once it is accomplished"

"What about my partners?"

"You'll see in time."

So there he was, waiting for unknown partners. He turned his head and his eyes met with a young man. He stood out of the crowd with his raven hair and his dark eyes. Such features were common in the Northern island but in the middle steppe of Ren those trait where most of the time rare. But the most particular thing was his blue Magi dress and his dark brown Oak staff. Dress and weapon only sorcerers were allowed to have. The man didn't stop and continue without even looking at the man staring at him. He enters the tavern and closes the door behind him.

"And that make three. Only one left."

"So you're one of my partners I guess?" Some said. The man waiting turn around to meet nothing but air. "Lower my friend. I am Choji, of the Druril Mountain." He cautiously detailed the new member. He was an average height for a member of his species. He had a braid red beard the same color of his hair. He wore a chainmail armor completed with a plate helmet.

The human rubbed his neck. "My apology Master Choji. I did not expect to meet one of your kind. It is always a pleasure to fight at the side of a Dwarf. I am Shikamaru."

"Stone met my friend. Now if you wouldn't mind I had a long journey that would require a cold beer and this establishment seem a rather pleasant place."

"After you Choji." He opens the door, letting Choji enter.

"Well mannered. So If I heard right you said the three other were already here?" Inside the tavern was the usual population of a campaign pub. Some merchant sitting on a table drinking expensive drink; some adventurers talking louder than everyone and seemly celebrating a complete quest; Peasant smelling manure and dirtying all the place under the despaired look of the waitress

"Yes. An Elven woman. She's sitting there." He pointed to a platinum blonde woman wearing a leather green tunic. She also had a dagger on her waist and a Longbow next to her. "There's also this Paladin and the Sorcerer In the corner."

"Then let's meet them. Hey you, the shinny!" The dwarf yelled at the Paladin. The concerned look at the man of the mountain, visibly offend.

"Excuse me? Have you talked to me?"

"Well is there anyone else here with shinny steel plate armor? Anyone? Of course I'm talking to ya moron!"

The paladin raised his halberd. "How dare you insult a paladin of Koras!" The whole room suddenly went silent. Fights were common in Tavern and pub but never liked. They tend to be messy, making meaningless causalities and costing a leg to the owner. Speaking of him he had stopped pouring drink and silently prayed Ceraza, God of Alcoholic beverage and Patron of all Bartenders to descend on earth and put this Paladin under an alcohol induce comatose state.

Somewhere, in another universe, Cereza heard the call. "Hell no!" He said as he poured a cup of mead for him and his party slaves.

The dwarf gave a questioning look to shikamaru who explain it. "Koras is the divinity of Action and physical deed. She is minor and doesn't have that much follower." He whispered to Choji.

"Paladins are bunch of Zealot easily angered when you insult them. Bunch of self-righteous bastard in my opinion." He replied.

"He's been recruited like you and I. Try to stay professional at the very least." The dwarf nodded. "Hi. I am Shikamaru and this is Choji, from the Northern Mountain. My apology for his behaviour."

"You see in Dwarven army soldiers with armor like yours are normally rookies. We call them Shinny because their armor hasn't been tainted by blood and battle. We dwarf doesn't believe in Gods like the human and Elves does. We believe in a Power of Nature and a cult of Ancient called the Paragon so we don't have Paladins."

The Paladin lowered his weapon while everyone let out a sigh. "I am Lee Rock. And this man I was talking to before you interrupt is Sasuke. He is a Sorcerer of the Yshal Arcane Academy of the Northern Islands."

The concerned looked annoyed at the shinny. "I can present myself Rock thank you. But before it might be good if the lady would join us before. I hate repeating myself."

"You really are a bunch of Tysyl."

"Sal o tia paes thys si tystostael sher sor shor byr caer." Shikamaru replied.

She was astounded. "You... You speak elven?"

"I lived with some in the past." He didn't explain further. "Why don't we sit down a minute so we can know everyone better?" He points an empty table in the corner the Paladin and the arcane user were sitting a minute ago. "Honor to the woman. Tell us about you, your skills and level" He said before he sat.

"I am Inora 'Galurka Sgylata Yamanaka. Just call me Ino. I am an Elven Archer . My speciality is using my Bow. I got skill in use of dagger but I'm not a melee fighter."

"Please to meet you. What about you Choji?"

"I am Choji CopperAxe Akimichi, Son of Choza. I am a Dwarven Warrior. I am brawlers who fight with my battleaxe.

"Very original! A Dwarf fighting with an axe!" Said Ino.

"Yourself! An Elven archer! Like the elves were good at other than fighting from distances!" Choji replied.

She pressed her hand on her hips. "You have something to say shorty?"

"Say what bit..."

"Alright that's enough." Sasuke raised his voice. "Aren't you supposed to be the team leader?" He asked to the ranger.

He received a yawn as answer. "Never said I was the team leader. It would be too troublesome to be it. Anyway let's continue. Tell us about yourself."

"I am Sasuke. Like Lee said I am Sorcerer of the Yshal Arcane Academy. I specialiste in elemental magic. Fireball, lightning, Ice cone."

"Ice cone? Like the treat for kids?" Lee asked.

"Not even close. It's a spell that freezes you opponent, making him unable to fight. If someone hit him hard enough he will even broke into pieces. Not pretty to see." He added as Ino let out a disgust sigh.

"And what's your level?"

"I'm still a newbie . This is my first adventure." They send worried look to their partner. "But don't worry I was the best of the class. A natural as my teachers said."

Shikamaru yawned again. "Glad to hear it. Next!" he said unenthusiastic.

"I am Ser Lee Rock, Paladin of Koras. I'm still new to this job and I am in need of fund in order to purchase the legendary training Mattress."

Ino and Choji chuckle while the Ranger yawned and Sasuke looked away.

"A training mattress! Why not a leather black and white balloon? Or a steel mace? Oh no! I got better! A black wooden disk!" The dwarf said between two snorts.

"Let it go Choji, we go better thing to do than laugh at someone's religious belief." The Ranger said as he stood up. "Now then, let get this mission over with. The sooner we finish, the sooner we'll get rid of each other."

"Wait a minute." The Wizard said. "You haven't talk about yourself."

Without even facing them, Shikamaru present himself. "I'm Shikamaru, you can call me that way, or the ranger, or Shika or any way you might want. I'm a Ranger which means I can as well fire with a bow than fight with a sword. Happy now?" He didn't wait for a reply before leaving the tavern.

"Weird guy." The elven woman said. "But smart and cute." She thought.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At the same time, 486 kilometres away from Valtrench, People reunited around the Oracle. Those people represent the highest level of power in the Land of Anderon. People from the Northern Island, Teyrn of the plain, Even an emissary from the Sand Tribe had came to hear of the grave danger the world was about to face.

"Thank you everyone for having come this fast here. The Oracle Shion will speak to you in a moment. Please remain silent until what she has to say is over." The Oracle's bodyguard said.

The red curtain suddenly moves, letting everyone see a young blonde haired woman. She looks like any average girl. But unlike everyone, she was special. Oracles were children designed by birth, chosen by the god to deliver message to the mortal realm. An oracle was to always stay pure and untouched. She open her eyes, letting a purplish light come out. Then it started.

"In the month of the God of Love will birth the burden of the world. Ancient evil will wake up and in his shadow swallow the land of the Man. Beware of Pale Sorcerer. The nine shall be given for the ritual to come. Find the Antler. Only him can either save or burn the land of Man." She closed her eyes and fell on the floor. The power required for such a divine speech drained the Oracle. People in the room started discussing how to stop it from happening.

"Can you believe it? Apocalypse. Again! It has been what? 3 years since the last time the Oracle predicts something like that?" Someone said.

"Yeah. One of my towns burned to the ground because some idiot leaked the info." Another replied.

But in a corner, alone, a young woman rolled up in beige and brown thin cloth re-read her note.

'In the month of the God of Love will birth the burden of the world.' The month of the God of Love. Aphrodia is the god of love. The month of april was in her honor. They were February 28th , so in about 2 to 3 month the world would end.

'The nine shall be given for the ritual to come.' Given... given meaning sacrificed. Nine people around the world needed to be killed for the ritual to work. Nine people. It remember her something she heard long time ago when she was still a kid. "Maybe Lord Gaara will know about it."

To be continued...

A/N: So here some though you might want to know.

1: No I don't play Dungeon and Dragon, I just though creating a world like that would be nice.

2: When Ino talk in Elven, she said 'Idiot' and shikamaru replied 'Thank you my dear for the compliment but this won't help us do the mission."

3: Don't worry dear followers! I didn't turn on the dark side. They won't be a ShikaIno here (at least not mutual) and Temari will appear in the story sometime in the second arc (which will be after about 10 chapter or more)

4: If you have any question, commentary or insult please feel free to review me

5: The name of the fic is temporary, before I found a better name I will use the name of the world where it is set: Anderon

6: I know Choji is out of Character. But he is a dwarf! Ino too is Out of character (since she is an Elf) And I will change Choji's love for food for a love for gold. Ino will be a little the dumb blonde style.

7: Character will die in this story. And sometime even good character will kill other good character (for different reason that I won't say now.)

Next chapter: The Dungeon, the first level and Izalgar (title might change)