The Adventurers Guild

by Phoenix Grey

  His eyes flitted from Lonnell to Azure. “If you get in trouble on this quest, I'm not saving you again. You need to learn to stop being a moron or you're going to die. Maybe that would be for the best. The last thing The Adventurers Guild needs is more incompetent adventurers.” He gave Azure a final look of distaste before handing the quest sheet back to Lonnell. “Sit down, and I'll fill you in on the details.”

  Azure felt rigid. Red flashed in front of his eyes, blinking like a warning light. The only thing keeping him from losing his shit again was that his mouth was shut. If he opened it, he'd probably end up back on the table and then kicked out of the tavern. Damn, did he ever hate this guy.

  "Sit," Lonnell told him firmly. "You can sit at the end of the bench if you want, but for the love of the Gods," he said this last part under his breath.

  Feeling like anything other than obeying might cause him to explode, Azure did as he was told, sitting at the far end of the bench and keeping his eyes down. Sir Thornton snorted at his childish behavior but blessedly said nothing. Perhaps he could sense that Azure was at the end of his rope.

  He caught the conversation between Lonnell and The Asshole Knight in bits and pieces. It didn't help that Sir Thornton was practically whispering so that no one around them could hear. Apparently, the quest was extremely confidential.

  Azure had thought that the staff they were going after would be a powerful weapon, but instead, it was the opposite. Sir Thornton called it Gaia's Staff, and it held the priceless power of revival. This piqued both Azure and Lonnell's interest, and Azure was certain that they both immediately thought about using the staff on Uden.

  Unfortunately, and not surprisingly, the staff would not be their reward. Lord Blakemore wanted to use it to revive the elven race. It was admittedly a noble cause and made Lonnell all the more interested in taking the quest on. I mean, how cool would it be to see a race that had been wiped out for over two-hundred years brought back from extinction? It hadn't worked out so well in the Jurassic Park movies, but this was something entirely different.

  Lord Blakemore's spymaster had come across the location of the dungeon where Gaia's Staff was being kept. Various adventures, magic users, and fanatics were now flocking to the site to try to claim the staff for themselves. Securing it was of the utmost importance. At least, Sir Thornton had thought that until he discovered that Lord Blakemore had submitted the quest to The Adventurers Guild under the Designation: E.

  "This is going to be a difficult quest," Sir Thornton told them both seriously, his haughtiness dissipating now that they had all settled on working together. "I had hoped they would have sent better-equipped men for the job. We should go back to my place before we head out. I'll see if I might have some better armor and weapons for you."

  Charity? This seemed out of character for The Asshole Knight, Azure thought. He was reluctant to take it. From what he knew of Sir Thornton thus far, nothing came without a price.

  They sat in near silence while Sir Thornton finished the beer that Lonnell had bought him. Apparently, his alcohol tolerance was high, because he didn't seem phased by it at all. Then they left and made the fifteen-minute trek back to Sir Thornton's cabin. He had them wait outside while he went in to see what leftover armor he could scrounge up. After a few minutes, he came back out, tossing random pieces at their feet before returning back inside to retrieve more.

  When he was done, he stood before them with his hands on his hips. “Well, check it out.” He nodded down at what he had laid before them.

  Reluctantly, Azure knelt to rummage through the items.

  Bronze Helmet

  Defense: +5

  Type: Heavy Armor

  Durability: 16/20

  Item Class: Common

  Quality: Average

  Weight: 1.8 kg

  Bronze Cuirass

  Defense: +15

  Type: Heavy Armor

  Durability: 18/20

  Item Class: Common

  Quality: Average

  Weight: 9.5 kg

  Bronze Greaves

  Defense: +8

  Type: Heavy Armor

  Durability: 9/20

  Item Class: Common

  Quality: Average

  Weight: 9 kg

  Wooden Buckler

  Defense: +5

  Durability: 8/25

  Item Class: Common

  Quality: Average

  Weight: 2 kg

  While Azure really didn't want to trade in his Armor of Light, he had to admit that the bronze armor had better stats. He left on his Vambraces of Light but donned everything else that Sir Thornton had provided. His body immediately felt weighed down by all of the metal. Moving about in the armor would be a laborious task, but he'd eventually get used to it.

  Lonnell was given a matching set, though Azure was sure that the durability of the items differed slightly. This was used armor, after all.

  "Thank you," Azure told Sir Thornton grudgingly as he picked up the Wooden Buckler.

  "Don't thank me. I want it all back when this quest is complete," he replied roughly. "Now come on, ladies. The day is a-wasting."

  CHAPTER NINE

  THE REALM – Day 53

  The quest took them further away from Squall's End than Azure had ever been before. They walked for a full day, made camp, then walked some more. Conversation was sparse, mainly because Sir Thornton snapped at them every time they tried to speak. Azure decided that he hated the man. There were several times he regretted going along with the quest, but it was too late to turn back now. Lonnell would have a bitch fit if he disbanded.

  It wasn't until they had located the mouth of the dungeon, a cave peeking up unnaturally from the middle of a field, that Sir Thornton was finally willing to party with them. They'd traveled as a separate group for so long that Azure was surprised to even receive the notice.

  Sir Nash Thornton is requesting to join your party. Will you accept?

  No, Azure thought bitterly.

  "Oops. Sorry. I wasn't paying attention," he said, trying to sound sincere.

  The Asshole Knight gave him an irritated look and then sent the request again. As soon as Azure accepted and the notification went away, he pulled up Sir Thornton's stats to see just how much stronger the knight actually was.

  Name: Nash Thornton

  Race: Human

  Level: 14

  Health: 350

  Mana: 290

  Stamina: 350

  Yup, he could definitely kick Azure's ass.

  "Are you ladies ready for this?" The Asshole Knight asked as they stood in front of the dungeon, staring inside.

  It appeared to have just sprung up from the ground like a burrow that a giant rabbit might have made. Soft soil circled the mouth, and there were grass and flowers on top. This extended into the dungeon itself as well. How the sun had reached inside, Azure didn't know, but that was half of the magic of it, he supposed.

  "As ready as we're going to be," Azure told him, feeling nervous all of a sudden, perhaps because he hadn't had a great experience with dungeons in the past. The last time he had gone inside one, one of his friends had died.

  "That's not a derogatory comment, you know." Lonnell glared at Sir Thornton. Apparently, he had picked up a distaste for the man along the way. Anytime The Asshole Knight had referred to them, it had been as 'ladies'.

  "What?" Sir Thornton grunted at him. It was clear he wasn't listening.

  "I know a few women that could kick your ass," Lonnell told the knight, surprising Azure with his usage of words. It was so rare that Lonnell cursed.

  "You're too sensitive." Sir Thornton rolled his eyes as he walked past them into the dungeon.

  Lonnell and Azure shared a glance before trailing behind. Meat shield, Azure thought as he looked at Sir Thornton's backside. The knight was broad and very tanky. He had a military cut that made Azure hate his own hairstyle, not that they matched anymore after all the time that had passed since he'd first come to The Realm.
>
  Trying to concentrate on other things besides his loathing for The Asshole Knight, Azure took in their surroundings. The walls of the cave were made of packed earth, moist and dark brown. Thin roots jutted out from the sides as if the plants and tubers above had been sucked in and were now buried. A carpet of flowers lay at their feet, creating a comfortable surface to walk on. Round, smooth stones about the size of Azure's face were placed strategically in the walls every four feet or so. Judging by their translucence, Azure had at first thought they were windows. But upon closer observation, they appeared to be lights, each casting a soft hue around them. They did well enough to illuminate the area that the men didn't need to rely on torches or Lonnell's Small Flame spell.

  It wasn't long before the tunnel opened up into a small room with four figures standing before a wooden door. There were two men and two women, all clad in white robes. Azure glanced at Sir Thornton, who didn't appear to be alarmed by the presence of the random people.

  "Turn back, friends. This place is not for you," one of the women spoke in a singsong voice.

  The four stood like sentinels guarding the door, unmoving, their hands clasped in front of them. There was a serene look on each one's face.

  "This place is not for any of us," Sir Thornton mumbled as he glanced around. Then his gaze settled on the woman. "Step aside. I don't want to have to hurt you, but I will."

  Were they really going to fight these people? Azure cast a panicked look in Lonnell's direction. The white-robed individuals seemed to be completely unarmed. Hopefully, it would be as easy as pushing past them, but Azure doubted it.

  "We are The Children of Dyasitet, and we will not allow you to take Gaia's staff. You are unworthy. All mortals are unworthy," one of the men spoke up. Again, the way the words flowed from his lips sounded almost like a song. Azure found himself wondering what being a child of Dyasitet actually meant.

  "Have it your way." Sir Thornton slid a foot back and reached for his longsword.

  "Wait!" Lonnell interjected as he watched The Children of Dyasitet all take a defensive stance. They raised their hands as if about to go ninja on the Adventurers' asses. "Is there no way to appease The Children of Dyasitet to allow us to pass?" he asked, trying to keep the peace.

  "You're wasting your breath," Sir Thornton told him. "These are nothing more than religious fanatics."

  "So they're human?" Azure asked hesitantly. Surely, there had to be some gimmick here. As soon as they entered into combat, the robed-figures would morph into monstrous beasts. That's the only thing that would make sense to him.

  The Asshole Knight's entire body drooped for a second as he stared at Azure as if to say, 'Are you fucking serious?'

  "They're most definitely human," Lonnell assured him, "which is why I'm certain we can come to a peaceful resolution."

  "The only resolution will be you leaving," the other woman said, her face set in determination. Her voice was far less singsong than the others, probably because she felt threatened. Peace did not appear to be on the horizon.

  "It's your life." Sir Thornton shrugged before drawing his sword. "Throw it away if you want."

  "We're not doing this," Azure declared, almost in a panic, but it was too late. The Asshole Knight was moving forward to attack, and The Children of Dyasitet were weaving their hands in strange motions.

  They weren't on the defense, Azure finally realized. They were each about to cast a spell. The thought that they all knew magic somehow hadn't occurred to him.

  One of the men shot forth a dark liquid from his fingertips. It landed on the ground with a 'blech' sound and spread out, effectively creating a six-foot barrier between the Adventurers and The Children of Dyasitet. The way the light danced off of the black surface in rainbow shades quickly told Azure that it was grease.

  Sir Thornton immediately stopped in his tracks and barked at Azure, “Pull out your bow.”

  Azure was still hesitating, caught in a moral dilemma. He'd killed goblins before and more animals than he could count, but he'd never killed a human. The thought sickened him. After all, these people weren't being unreasonable. They weren't seeking the staff for themselves. All they wanted was to protect it from falling into evil hands. There was nothing to indicate that they were bad people, worthy of being murdered.

  "The man we're working for wants to use the wand to resurrect the elven race," Azure told them quickly.

  The three that hadn't yet cast a spell were busy buffing each other.

  "Even if that is your true intentions, we cannot allow you to upset the balance. Elves went extinct and were not meant to be brought back," the man who had cast the Grease spell replied.

  Azure spun toward Lonnell, his expression clearly showing his inner conflict. “I don't think I can harm these people.”

  "I know it's not ideal, but this is the job," Lonnell whispered back through gritted teeth.

  Azure couldn't tell if he was mad or not. He had also tried to reason with The Children of Dyasitet, but they weren't budging. And neither was Sir Thornton.

  "Oh, fuck's sake. You're both useless." Sir Thornton rolled his eyes as he began to charge forward. Though he had been heading full speed into the grease, as soon as he stepped foot in it, he instantly slowed. It had to be a status effect, Azure surmised.

  Azure watched as one of the women raised her hands and wove them in a circle. As she did, the air around her hands began to frost. In the center, something was building. A few seconds later the spell was complete. It looked like someone had broken an icicle off of a roof. The frozen shard was a good two feet long with a sharp point. With an outward thrusting motion, the icicle flew through the air toward Sir Thornton. He raised his sword in front of him and the projectile struck his blade, shattering into a thousand pieces.

  "Come on, you lazy twats," he yelled back to them. "Do your share or I'll kill you too once I'm done with these assholes?"

  Sheer fear of Sir Thornton got both Azure and Lonnell moving.

  Just as Azure unshouldered his bow, Lonnell called out to The Asshole Knight, “Get back here, I have a plan.”

  "We're not talking to them anymore," Sir Thornton growled at him.

  "No, we're not," Lonnell replied with a steely gaze, reaching out a hand to disturb Azure from nocking an arrow.

  All was confusion for a few moments. The Children of Dyasitet stopped attacking Sir Thornton as he retreated back to where Azure and Lonnell were standing, backstepping so as not to fall prey to a surprise frontal attack. Azure hoped that Lonnell had thought up a new diplomatic solution that would work.

  As soon as The Asshole Knight was beside them, Lonnell turned to him. “You're going to want to get farther back.”

  "What are you going to do?" Sir Thornton gave him a skeptical look.

  Lonnell glanced over at Azure next. “I'll need you to cover me with your buckler.”

  Azure still had no idea what was going on, but he went to step in front of Lonnell. When he did, Lonnell touched him on the shoulder. “No, to the side of me. Try to hold the buckler in front.”

  Sir Thornton and Azure shared a glance and shrugged. The Asshole Knight moved back as instructed, and Azure raised his buckler.

  Lonnell knelt and closed his fist. The second he did, Azure knew what the plan was. Thankfully, The Children of Dyasitet didn't until he opened his palm and they saw the small flame there.

  Almost instinctively, the caster with the ice spell began weaving her hands again, but it was too late. All that Lonnell needed to do was put his palm to the grease, and the whole six feet of puddle turned into a raging fire.

  Azure and Lonnell both stepped away from the heat.

  "Well, that's great," Sir Thornton said sarcastically as he watched The Children of Dyasitet all run for the door behind them, trying to escape the suffocating smoke that was pouring in on their side of the cave, "you let them escape."

  "I got them out of the way of the door," Lonnell told him. "They won't be able to see when the fire burns off, bu
t we will. And they all Analyzed as blue to me. So with any luck, whatever is on the other side of the door will take care of them so that we don't have to."

  It was a move that might possibly have saved him and Azure from having to murder a bunch of innocent pests with good intentions. Azure sure hoped that if The Children of Dyasitet hadn't met their demise on the other side of the door, they'd at least be willing to leave peacefully. While he had figured that a bounty would likely involve killing humans, he hadn't quite mentally prepared himself for it. In his world, killing, even when it was the right thing to do, typically came with grave psychological consequences. At Radical Interactive, he had worked with an ex-army guy who had some pretty severe PTSD. Every time they had gone drinking together and he'd had a bit too much, the guy had seemed transported back to whatever horrors he had lived. Maybe it was selfish of him, but Azure didn't want to end up like that, even if it meant that elves stayed extinct forever.

  "Hey, let's talk," Sir Thornton said, dragging Azure's attention away from the fire. "Both of you."

  They retreated further toward the mouth of the dungeon, though not far enough to lose sight of the fire, which was making their armor uncomfortably hot. Being covered in bronze had Azure feeling like he was slowly being roasted alive.

  "How long do you think before the fire will go out?" he asked as they walked.

  "Probably about fifteen minutes," Lonnell told him.

  When they finally stopped, Sir Thornton turned to them. “You've never killed anyone before, have you?”

  "No," Azure replied, and Lonnell shook his head as well.

  The Asshole Knight cursed at the sky. “Damn E Designation. What were you thinking, Blakemore?” He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, obviously trying to still the anger welling inside of him again. Sir Thornton's eyes fell to them, and he very calmly tried to explain, “It's no different from killing a bugbear or any other creature. Humans bleed and die the same as the rest.