“So how does one go about turning in a quest?” I asked Dem.

Dem and I were sitting by a small fire in Gilcour Thicket. After killing the Lurker everyone decided to head to the next closest town to restock, turn the quests in, and get the fuck out of this place. Alce and Silent were on guard duty tonight but I wasn’t quite ready to head to bed yet. I’m honestly really tired but I didn’t want to be the first person to go to sleep around a bunch of unfamiliar faces.

“Pretty simple really. If it’s an extermination quest like the Lurker and Drone quest then all you have to do is bring a piece of the monster back to the guild. You get paid if the monster part is worth anything on top of whatever the initial quest reward was.”

“I see… What’s stopping someone from hoarding monster parts and lying about completing quests?” I asked.

“That’s a great way to get your ass kicked and banned from the guild for life. If they sniff out that kind of stuff you are done for. Good luck showing your face anywhere that has a guild building… And that’s nearly everywhere that isn’t some podunk village,” Dem said while stretching. His gaze turned serious, “Take this advice to heart, kid, the guild will always figure that kind of stuff out. Sure it might take them a while, you could get away with it for a few months, maybe even a year if you are lucky. But it’s never worth it in the long run. After all, lying about quests gets people killed. And if it’s your fault, best understand people are coming for you.”

“Makes sense,” I replied.

Lying about killing a monster could be fatal for many people. Take that Lurker for instance, if the monster was kept alive and Dem and his team took the credit for killing it the Lurker would probably kill more people before it was taken down. It might even catch other adventures off guard.

“Are monster extermination quests worth a lot?” I asked.

“Depends really. The guild isn’t the one that set the bounty. I mean they have rates but not every quest is the same. Like… This Lurker quest, for example, was funded by some farming village. As you can imagine a bunch of farmers can’t really pay all that much.”

“So why did you take the quest then?”

“Because killing the Lurker is worth more than the quest. We got dibs on both the Drone and Lurker quest and under normal circumstances, we have three days to complete the quest without any other group interfering. And killing all of those monsters and harvesting their parts without competition is a great source of money. Of course… unexpected things happen,” Dem smiled at me.

“I said I was sorry…”

Of course, I wasn’t really all that sorry. I did do all the work.

“I’m just busting your balls, kid. Besides, nobody here is going to complain to the guy who took down a whole Drone nest by themselves. And it’s going to make a great introduction to the guild for you,” Dem chuckled.

“Really? What kind of rank could solo a Drone nest?” I questioned.

“If you are asking what your rank is going to be when you first join… Don’t get your hopes up. There is no way you are going to get anything higher than Topaz and reaching the third rank upon entry is pretty rare,” He said with a dismissive flick of his hand and closed his eyes.

I was about to ask more but Dem opened one eye and grinned,

“But… If it was my decision I’d place you straight into Amethyst without a second thought. I don’t know a single Opal or Topaz adventurer who could take down a Drone nest by themselves and be willing to be Lurker bait all within the span of a few days. You got balls and the Alce said you’ve got the skills to match. As long as you got a good head on your shoulders I can’t see you being below Amethyst for very long.”

“That’s good to know.”

Dem chuckled and poked the dying fire with a stick,

“Little more juice, please?” he asked while piling a few more tree branches onto the fire.

I formed a spell core for Ember and floated the tiny orange spark into the fire. The dying fire crackled to life and became a small fire once more. Fall was nearly in full swing so it was becoming quite chilly out here during the night. Although this region never got that cold, the dark damp forest did. The silence between Dem and I drifted on as the snoring of Ilme could be heard from her sleeping roll.

“Say, Dem… Why did you become an adventurer?” I asked to break the silence.

Dem eyed me then sighed, “Another tip for you, don’t ask people why they become adventurers. It’s sort of… taboo… I guess. Everybody has their reasons. The guild wants all of us to have the image of outstanding individuals that do good things for people in need. In reality… It’s not like that.”

“Oh… Would you mind explaining to me?”

Dem laughed, “So persistent… Well, I guess it’s better if someone tells you before you make the same mistake twice. Why learn the hard way, am I right?”

Dem poked the fire a few more times and continued, “I guess the best way for you to understand why the way that it is is to imagine a scenario with a grieving mother. She shows up to the guild and is begging for somebody to hunt the monster down that killed her child. She doesn’t even have enough coin to fund the quest but is on her knees begging for somebody to help her. How many adventurers do you think are going to risk their lives for a woman they don’t even know for a pittance? The answer is as you imagine it.”

Dem stopped then shuffled the fire a bit more while sighing, “That’s the reality about this job. We risk our lives for good money and the perks that come with living this kind of lifestyle. No way in hell am I going to go tangle with a monster for some pocket change. I like helping people but not if it costs me a limb or even worse my life. Doubly so if the guild isn’t going to recognize or reward me for completing the quest. You get what I’m trying to say right? When I talk about this stuff makes me feel like I’m some kind of bad person,” he chuckled.

“Yeah, I get it. And I don’t think you are a bad person. Or any adventurer for that matter. In that scenario I probably wouldn’t help either,” I said honestly.

My days of fighting for nothing are long gone. I wouldn’t want to be the one to venture into the unknown for little to no reward. With the proper incentive, I might be willing to accept some things but that just depends. I guess that’s why adventurers consider this taboo. Even though most people wouldn’t risk their lives for another, it's one thing to act in the moment and another to say it out loud in a casual conversation. People don’t like seeming cruel or uncaring.

Dem continued, “As for why I joined up? Money. I like the lifestyle that I live. Most of us here do this job for the money. We can’t all be like Anna, spreading her faith and trying to do good. Alce is from the Republic and was a former ranger over there, she wanted to leave home so now she is here. Ilme fought as a mercenary in the last war and with no war left to fight she has few opportunities to use her skills. Silent is… Well, I don’t know why he does anything but I know he likes money.”

Then to break the serious atmosphere Dem laughed, “It was either this,” he said while gesturing his arms wide as if pointing out the entire forest. “Or being the fourth son of a farmer and spending my days working fields for next to nothing and marrying my cousin. I’d rather not do that…”

“I guess everyone has their reasons. Should you have told me about everyone’s past?”

“They won’t mind,” Dem said dismissively. “Now, I gave you some juice. Now it’s your turn to tell me something about you. Why are you wearing that mask? You didn’t even take the thing off to eat dinner. And what happened to your hand?”

Damn, so he noticed. Guess hiding the fact that I don’t use an entire hand is difficult. I’m no stranger to losing limbs so I thought I could get away with it but I guess not.

“The hand I lost to a monster awhile back. Haven’t found anyone who could regrow it for me.”

Dem nodded then rolled his hands for me to continue.

“As for the mask, It’s because I’m ugly and I don’t like people seeing my face.”

Dem stared at me and blinked a few times. Then he laughed, “You? Ugly? Haha, I can’t imagine that one. I’ve never seen an ugly Elf in my entire life.”

“Well, then I guess I’m the first.”

“I don’t care what anyone says about you, Voker. You might be a little odd but you’re a funny one. I think you are going to do great things as an adventurer.”

I grunted in response. I don’t know if he was mocking me or being genuine but at least he accepted my answer. I don’t really know how to explain why I’m wearing this mask. Maybe I should have said I was disfigured or something… Guess I might do that in the next round.

With our little conversation finished, Dem and I both rolled into our sleeping bags and drifted off to sleep. I didn’t sleep very well.

I rarely do these days. The nightmares never cease, I’ve just gotten used to them.

—

“So, this is Anderfield?” I asked while a carriage rolled past us.

“Yup. This town isn’t as nice as one of the city-states or even Nactus but it beats going to any of the smaller villages. And there is a guild branch office here,” Alce said while adjusting her pack.

“Do all towns have guild branches?” I asked.

“No, most around here don’t. Too many small villages in this area for there to be an office in every single one. But the guild tries to place one within a few hours of horseback for the smaller villages so they have a place to go. Anderfield is the biggest town this far north of Sandervile. After that is Nactus which has a bigger guild office and is our next destination,” Alce answered.

“Nactus… That’s the fortress turned city right? What’s the deal with that place?”

“The story behind that place? It’s just a fort that swapped hands over and over again between Sandervile and Whieland when they fought more often. Over time the fort continued to grow since neither side burned it down once they captured it. Eventually, the fort grew and grew until it became the size of a city. A few years back Whieland took control of the city so it’s under their control now.”

“There was a war?” I asked confused. I don’t remember hearing about a fight over a city.

“A war?” Dem chuckled from the front of the column. “No, whichever side doesn’t control the city after a few years they will “siege” the city. And by siege, they just send a small army over, and the other side sallies out and leaves. The fighting consists of small skirmishes, most soldiers don’t even die… it’s just a weird routine the city-states do every year. They are allies but this is one of the ways they keep each other in check I guess,” Dem scoffed with a shrug.

Mmm. That’s right, I remember reading in Deguzman’s book that this was the kind of relationship the city-states had with each other. They fight amongst each other in small skirmishes but never full-blown war. Each city-state has something the other doesn’t. Ostela has money and trade, Sandervile has food and soldiers, Whieland has natural resources and craftsmen. And they just trade amongst each other for what they need.

Also, if a city-state controls another city are they even considered a city-state anymore? And they all control a vast amount of land… Perhaps it’s just the name they kept after so long.

I mulled these things over while looking over the town of Anderfield. It wasn’t very big but it was definitely bigger than the small farming villages I slaved away around Sandervile. The town didn’t even have fortifications but there were a sizable amount of homes and infrastructure. Even the roads were maintained this close to the town.

I remember there being a decent-sized town just past the forest that separates Ostela and Sandervile but my memories are a little fuzzy. That was before I met Squeaks… I wonder if you are alright out there Squeaks? Of course, he is alright. That guy is probably going to outlive me at this point.

Anna moved to walk next to me, her light blue hair bouncing off her shoulders as she stepped. Her hair wasn’t the only thing moving about. Most Elves had small builds and Females didn’t tend to be well endowed. But I guess there are always outliers.

Even in a casual stroll like this, the party remained in formation. Even though we were out of the forest and in the open fields now monsters were still a threat. Some monsters even exclusively lived in these open fields.

“Say, Voker… Are you going to travel with us to Luminar?” She asked.

“I don’t know. It depends on how quickly you plan on moving along. I don’t want to waste time in these places if I don’t have to.”

“In that case, there shouldn’t be a problem!” She smiled. “We are getting paid to bring Sylvia to Luminar and we don’t like wasting time either. We will probably spend three days max here to rest, resupply, and turn in our quests. Right, Dem?”

Mmmm…. Three days doesn’t seem that long. I have to “resupply” as well. Perhaps I will accompany them for the time being.

“Right. Besides we have to cross Keldrag Pass before the first snowfalls,” Dem confirmed.

“Keldrag Pass is the passage through the mountains that leads to Luminar, right?” I read about it but it’s different hearing about it from people who have experienced the place themselves.

Ilme huffed, “Indeed. Once the first snow appears, crossing the mountains is impossible for those who wish to see another day. Emperor Kaldrag saw it fit that none bother him during his favorite season.”

I looked over at Dem who rolled his eyes with a smile.

Ilme didn’t bother to hide her distrust towards me. Or perhaps she was just naturally like this pouty.

Everyone else just shrugged their shoulders and accepted the fact that I was some wandering kid in the forest who could use magic. It made me wonder if it was common… And when I said I wanted to be an adventure it seemed to pacify most of them. Maybe they just see me as a potential ally or colleague. Maybe they are just pitying the crippled Elf child. Either way, I’ll accept the kindness they are giving me.

“Emperor Kaldrag? Whose that?” Anna asked.

Ilme huffed once more and was about to answer Anna but another voice spoke up first,

“Aren’t you from the Holy Kingdom? Kaldrag was the first Ice Dragon Emperor. It’s said he created the mountain range that separates the center of Illcyirum from the northeast and those mountains where is home. Although, that’s not true.”

Everyone turned and looked at Sylvia in surprise. Silent never spoke, Sylvia and Ilme rarely spoke. The girl has said only a few words to me and that was when she complained about me killing the Drones. Anna tries to talk to her but Sylvia acts uninterested and even the outgoing Anna can’t talk to a brick wall forever.

But Sylvia’s voice… Why is it so pleasing? And her accent… It’s like she's trying to hide it. Now that I think about it, what is her accent? And why does it sound so familiar? The mask was muffling her voice but still… I wonder.

Her one dark blue eye gazed around at everyone, “What? What are you all looking at me for?”

“Didn’t know you could say anything that wasn’t a complaint or an order,” Dem quipped.

It seems Sylvia is quite the taskmaster. The group chuckled a bit and I swear even SIlent let out a noise. Sylvia turned her head away but the tips of her ears gave away her embarrassment. The only person who didn’t find Sylvia’s information interesting or Dem’s quip funny was Ilme.

“And what makes you say Emperor Keldrag didn’t create those mountains?” Ilme narrowed her yellow reptilian eyes at Sylvia.

“Because he was a dragon. Not a God. Dragon’s might be able to destroy the mountains but they can’t make them,” Sylvia shot back in an even tone.

Ilme must not have liked that response because she let out a low rumble. The kind of rumble big lizards can make. “Dragons are Gods, little girl. What would a child like you know?”

The light-hearted atmosphere had all but disappeared. The tension between the small masked Elf girl and towering Dragonkin warrior was palpable. But Sylvia never backed down or averted her gaze. She was about to refute but Dem stepped in, his usual demeanor absent,

“That’s enough, Ilme. Sylvia isn’t paying you or us to argue with her about religion. If she says the sky is red then the sky is red. If she says there is only one moon in the sky then the other three don’t exist. Besides, there are different beliefs out there. No need to get worked up.”

Ilme was about to protest but Dem eyed her, “Enough.”

Ilme huffed once more and strode off back to the front of the formation. Dem sighed and rolled his shoulders.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Sylvia spoke quietly.

“It’s fine. We know you didn’t mean anything by it. Ilme just takes her faith seriously that’s all. In the future-”

Sylvia finished Dem’s sentence for him,” I won’t bring it up again.”

Dem nodded and plastered on another smile, “Good. Alright, let’s get some lunch and a few drinks. I could use a soft bed… ugh but first, Voker.”

“Yes?”

“First thing you need to do when we get in here is come with me and register at the guild. I’ll corroborate your accomplishments and make sure they give you the proper awards. Sounds good?”

“Sounds good, Dem.”

With that, we made our way into Anderfield. It seems I’ll be becoming an official adventurer. Hopefully, there isn’t an age restriction… I doubt most people would believe me if I told them I’d be turning thirteen in a few months. Maybe I’ll just say I’m part Dwarf?