"Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my!"

Lone slowly opened his eyes only to find himself back in Urd Grun with a smug-looking Hamish staring at him.

"Hello to you too, Darkness," Lone said as he sat down on the floor and crossed his legs. "If you're going to gloat, go ahead and gloat. I don't care."

"Well... I do recall telling you it wouldn't exactly be the wisest of choices to tell them about our little nightly rendezvouses, now didn't I?" Darkness chuckled with Hamish's body. "I told you so and all of that. Not much need for me to reinforce the idea you were wrong when you already think so, in truth."

Lone frowned. It was weird hearing a dwarf who had only spoken with his natural accent now talk without even a hint of dwarvish in his tone. 'I wonder what language is even being spoken right now? Stone Dwarvish? Altros Common? Maybe a Primal language? I should put some time into actually learning the local languages. Could be some skills to gain there.'

It was a topic he didn't put much thought into usually since everything was translated to English in his head. However, since he saw little-to-no value in chatting with Darkness, he was willing to explore ignored subjects while he was here.

"You do have some interesting thoughts from time to time, Lone, I will give you that," Darkness said before sinking into the floor. The next moment, he appeared from out of Lone's shadow and leaned against his shoulder. "Things will only get worse from here, y'know?"

"Oh really? It doesn't matter. I'll be leaving the krieg soon," Lone replied. "And you can read minds, can you? Then read this," he added before thinking, 'Fuck you.'

"Haha, how cute. But anyway, will you now? Interesting, very interesting. I do wonder if the council will look into that apprenticeship of yours with little old Wilbur. He's going to be an epitome, after all. Can't be having such a renowned figure teaching his secrets to a non-dwarf. Why that would be outright scandalous," Darkness laughed in a whisper.

"He's a man far beyond my years. He knows that better than I do. It was his choice to teach me and it was also his choice to protect me from Hamish, unneeded as his protection was," Lone said. "Unless you're inferring you'll clipe on me. If so, be my fucking guest. You'll at least prove I'm not totally crazy to the council."

"Ah, still got some pride in you, huh? Good, good, great, even. I do wonder though if your lack of guilt also translates to the group of dead dwarves who now call this place their home," Darkness said as it wrapped an arm around Lone's neck and then waved in front of them with the other.

A group of corpses appearing strewn around Lone in a perfect circle. Each of which was mangled, bloodied, and partially eaten.

"They didn't stand a chance, really. You sent them to their deaths. Not exactly the kind of thing you expect from one preaching his distaste for snuffing out sentient life, hmm?" Darkness questioned with a big smile on Hamish's face.

Lone closed his eyes and chanted to himself, 'Don't let it get to you, you couldn't have known about the monsters. Don't let it get to you, you couldn't have known about the monsters...'

"Y'know, Lone, some people break under even the slightest of pressures. Others remain unaffected, uncaring about the world around them. The best people though, why, they grow, they flourish, they become better under stress. Which category do you think you belong to?" Darkness skipped away from Lone and assumed the form of Kyuubi. "I'll give you a hint. It's the kind I desire the most."

Lone furrowed his brow with his eyes still firmly shut. "Is there a point to saying this? Trying to shake me up or something? You fully intend to take over my body at some point, right? There's no way I'll make it easy."

Darkness snickered softly. "I am just waiting for the perfect moment. It'll come sooner or later."

"I'll be ready to strike you down when you try, buddy," Lone threatened.

"Oh, I'm sure you will. Haha... hahaha... hahahahaha!... Until tomorrow, Lone," the Primal bade farewell after calming itself.

Lone awoke to a shiver. He then immediately felt the warmth of the duvet and Sophie's back pressed up against his chest.

"That fucking... thing." He felt it was impossible to truly know the being's actual goals but if it wanted to rattle him, it was definitely working to some degree. 'All of those dead dwarves... Am I really responsible for that?'

He bit his bottom lip a little then denied the thought. 'No. Like I said to Hamish, they knew a Primal was involved at the very least. Nothing can compare to Primals in power bar maybe demigods. Maybe these Ancients I've heard whispers about too but normal people at B and A-rank? Not a chance in hell. It was partially their own fault for not being prepared enough.'

Lone wasn't exactly in the business of victim-blaming but he certainly wasn't going to endure all fault when he did nothing wrong.

Sophie stirred in his arms and rolled over to face him. "Good morning..."

"Morning, Sophie," Lone answered with a kiss to her forehead. "I've made a decision."

"Hmm?" Sophie's dreary eyes blinked as she raised an eyebrow. "Pray tell."

"We're going to go to Urd Grun and clear it out. We'll kill all of the monsters there and collect the bodies of the Black Iron Company. When we've done that, I'll say my goodbyes to Gramps and we can leave this place. There's a few kingdoms and empires between us and the Crimson Foxkin Clan. Sounds like a good opportunity to go on some adventures before returning Breena to her people, doesn't it?" Lone asked with a small grin on his face.

Sophie stared into his eyes for a few long seconds before she, too, grinned. "You are sexy when you are so assertive, you know? Provided you have no intentions to hold back against mere monsters, we fully support you. Both Soph and we do."

"Of course," Lone replied before planting his lips on hers. "What do you say to a morning quickie though before a bath and breakfast?"

Sophie rolled her eyes. "We say no. We've hogged you enough as is. Enjoy Soph instead."

"She's a gentler lover than you anyway," Lone said with a shrug.

Sophie leaned into his ear and whispered, "Just try to tell us you do not like it rough."

The next moment she had swapped out mentally, leaving Lone holding a very shy but excited Soph. "Damn do I love you two."

Agar Mudborne scowled as he looked through the newly listed quests of the day at The Adventurer's Guild.

'Bunch ah feckin' shite,' he thought. ''Ow's ah dwarf meant tae ever get ah silver plate when feckin' 90% ah the quests 'ere are fae just busy-body work? Where's the adventure? Where's the dang'r?'

However, despite his grumbling, he did spot something interesting. 'Body recovery? Ah. The Black Iron Company. Feckin' right ol' shame. Well, if nothin' else, ah got tae see 'at fox get beat tae next week an' back. Been a bloody while since anythin' 'at excitin' 'appened.'

The very next moment, the doors to the guildhall opened and two foxkin and a short human girl entered.

Agar grinned. 'Speak ah the Primals an' they shall cometh. Wonder why 'e's 'ere though? Ah wouldnae step within ah hoondred meters ah the guild were ah wearin' 'is boots. Lad does look pretty healthy though considerin' 'e was just ah few scraps ah talkin' flesh yesterday. 'Ealing magic sure is somethin' else.'

Agar found himself a nice spot on the wall and leaned against it, deciding to enjoy himself and watch the foxkin and company, curious as to what they would do. or, more pressingly, what everyone else would do in reaction to their presence here.

Predictably to him, a less than sober dwarf stumbled down from the second-floor bar and walked right up to Lone.

'Beld. C-rank'r if ah recall. Nae 'at impressive but one 'ell of an arm on 'im,' Agar commented internally.

"What're ye doin' here, fluffy arse?" Beld asked with a chuckle as he pressed his index finger into the Golden Foxkin's chest. "Yer kind isnae welcome 'ere. Not nae mere. Naw after what ye wen' an' gone did."

Agar watched in interest as the foxkin smiled slightly.

"And what exactly is it that I 'wen' an' gone did', friend?" the foxkin asked.

Beld seemed to push his finger in harder and his rosy cheeks flushed in anger instead of intoxication. "Dinnae give me 'at kinda cheek, ya mangy mongrel! Ye murdered the most well-known an' beloved crew ah miners an' adventurer's this city's ev'r seem! Ev'r... seen!"

Agar chuckled softly. 'Fox doesnae like 'at tone, it seems. One helluva ah frown on 'at face.'

One of his friends snuck up to his side and nudged his shoulder. "Hey, Agar. Five coppers says the foxkin gets backhanded across the room. Lad spoke ah lot ah shite an' preach'd tae Hamish. Dinnae see why he won't do the same 'ere."

Agar grinned. "Ten says Beld's the one 'oo gets ah whollopin'."

"Yer feckin' on," his friend agreed, already thinking about what he'd spend his winnings on.

Agar shook his head faintly. 'Beld's tough but did ye nae see 'ow quick 'at fox was movin' when he was fightin' Hamish? Fecker also 'it the bloody bloke ah few times, 'ard at that. Beld's gonna get sober pretty feckin' soon, ah reckon. 'At or unconscious.'

The foxkin slowly raised his hand and pushed away Beld's finger that was digging into his chest. "I killed no one. Perhaps you're just thick but being an adventurer can actually come with some dangers. Who would have thunk it? Now piss off and go be a miserable cunt elsewhere."

Agar watched the tall man walk past Beld before a lightning-fast fist flew towards the foxkin's head.

He could have sworn he saw the foxkin sigh briefly before he lightly stepped aside, dodging the blow from Beld with ease. He then reeled back his own fist and slammed it straight into the side of Beld's skull, sending him flying across the room.

He smashed through a table before impacting against the stone walls, hard. He was out cold.

Agar glanced back at the foxkin only to see him shaking his fist a little. He was wearing an incredibly fed-up expression. "I am not paying for his healing nor for that table. He started that so it's his responsibility. Any more speciesist dwarves who also think I am why the Black Iron Company got wiped out and who need a fractured skull as well?"

A few uncomfortable chuckles filled the hall but no one rose to the challenge. 'Bloody wise not tae,' Agar thought. 'Bastard's faster than most everyone fae this guild, even ah few ah the A-ranked solo adventurers lurkin' aboot. They need to fight seriously tae slap 'at pup around, at's fae sure. Like Hamish did. 'Ow talented does someone 'ave tae be tae 'ave 'at much Agility at only D-rank? Fecker didnae even apply the stat...'

Agar watched the foxkin and his two companions approach one of the employee counters. "Is there a quest to clear out Urd Grun and to recover the bodies of the fallen?"

The worker slowly nodded. "Yes to both but you don't meet the requirements to do either. Your plates are too low ranked being only copper for yourself and iron for the human and the Crimson Foxkin."

"I think I just proved my capabilities, no?" the Golden Foxkin asked. "I just incapacitated a... C-ranker? His aura felt too weak for a B-ranker. Anyway, I incapacitated him with one move. I also fought evenly with Hamish for over an hour. If you don't give me the quests I'll still do them anyway. I'm clearly not welcome here anymore. Everyone says I essentially killed the Black iron Company, right?"

The employee nodded a bit hesitantly.

"Then I'm sure they'll be ecstatic to know I'm going to go kill myself on the hordes of monsters Hamish claimed were in Urd Grun. Win-win, right?" the foxkin said in a tone that spoke of how little he truly thought he'd be in any danger.

''E's either really desperate tae prove everyone wrong or 'e's ah scary motherfecker who's way more powerful than 'e's previously let on. Also, evenly? O'w in the name ah the Stone was 'im getting one-sidedly beat tae near-death by Hamish even in any way shape or form?' Agar thought.

Out of the corner of his eye, Agar saw the guildmaster walk down from the bar floor. "Let 'em, Greg. If the lad an' his friends say they're gonna go an' avenge the Black Iron Company an' retrieve their corpses, ah say let 'em. Ah do trust ye dinnae plan to just go in magic blarin' and swords drawn with nae plan at all?"

The foxkin nodded. "Of course not. What do I look like to you, a dwarf?"

Agar chuckled at that. It was true, his people weren't the best of planners when it came to anything bar architecture or crafting.

"Then ah give ma consent for ye's tae piss off down the Farwinds. Maybe Hamish'll cool down too if he 'ears what ye'r doin'," the guildmaster stated.

"I couldn't give a fuck less. If it's being put on our records that we accepted the quests, then we're done here," the foxkin shrugged before turning around and heading for the door.

He was stopped by his human companion who whispered something in his ear. "Ah, right." The foxkin spun around and asked, "Do you sell pickaxes here? I need, like, 10 or so. Or an enchanted one with extra durability."

Agar spoke up. "Ah've ah spare."

'Fella seems like ah genuinely good bloke. When was the last time ah saw someone speak to Guildmaster Hilda like an equal? Lad is done with oor prejudices an' unfair accusations but 'e's still trying tae make amends. Least ah can dae is gae 'im ah feckin' pickaxe,' he thought.

Agar then approached the foxkin. He reached into his adventurer's pouch and pulled out a pure white wooden pickaxe. "Rare piece ah work. It's nae enchanted but it's just as durable as ah steel one with second or third level enchantments. Made fae ah rare species ah birch tree, is ma understandin'. It's fae topside, ye see."

The foxkin carefully took the weapon and inspected it closely. "An excellent piece of workmanship. I don't think I could have shaped the wood so exquisitely myself. How much is it worth?"

'Fella works wae wood? Respectable 'obby.' Agar shrugged and waved him off. "Ah never use the feckin' thing. Stone to metal fits ma 'and better than some tree branch does. Treat it as an apology fae ma people actin' just like those we condemn. If ya dinnae kick the bucket or just run off, return it wae ah story or two. 'At'll do."

The foxkin stared deeply in Agar's eyes for a few moments before saying, "Thank you. It is people like you who make my principles worth upholding. I'll be sure to return this when we're done. What's your name?"

"Agar Mudborne," he answered.

The foxkin smiled. "Lone Immortus. Until next time."

Agar watched him and his companions leave the guild. His friend approached him and laughed. "What's gotten into ye? Givin' away ah Rare-tier item like 'at tae ah non-dwarf? Want me tae start scourin' the floor? Ah think ye may've lost ah marble or two doon there."

Agar just held out his hand to his buddy with an expectant look on his face. "Ye owe me ten coppers."

"Ah, feck. I thought ye'd forgotten... Can ah open ah bettin' tab?" his friend asked with a cheeky grin on his bearded face.

Agar chuckled. "Feck no ye cannae, it's only ten bleedin' copper."