-[Act 3 * Part 10]-

A well-dressed Guild greeter announced Basil’s arrival to the reception hall in a voice that could make butter melt. “Lord Basil von Doom and his attendants!” He bowed before the dungeon keeper and his entourage as they made their way inside the Guild’s headquarters.

The demon stationed at the door then pulled out a small crystal ball from the pocket of his vest and spoke into it. “Reception, this is Western Door reporting. Please, inform the staff that that this wing will be off limits until further notice. We have a Code Red in progress. I repeat, Code Red. How copy, over?”

The arcane communicator sprung to life with a purple glow. “Code Red, understood. Reception out.”

Once Basil had moved past the greeter a different Guild official stepped forward and introduced himself. “The Lord Administrator has been expecting your arrival, Lord Doom,” the demon said as he bowed. “May I take you to him?”

“Regrettably, I got held up in a private matter,” Basil remarked. “I do hope that I have not kept Zaharion waiting for too long.”

“Not at all, My Lord,” the demon reassured him. “But the Lord Administrator did express his desire to meet with you at your earliest convenience.”

“Then let us proceed,” Basil said and waved for the Guild representative to lead the way.

The reception hall of the Guild headquarters was filled to bursting with conversing officials, servants and guards. The menials and officials alike were quick to make way for the towering demon lord as he made his way through the crowd. Their expressions were polite, but tense, as if Basil’s very presence was a cause for alarm.

“What is Code Red?” Elnora asked. “And why does everyone here seem to be on the edge?”

“They have a good reason to be concerned,” Schwartz answered. “A dungeon keeper has just arrived. And, since they have issued a Code Red, I can only assume that another one is still somewhere in the premises.”

“This is the Guild HQ,” Elnora pointed out. “Why would they worry about having dungeon keepers here?”

“The Guild is wary of a potential conflict,” Scarlet said. “Given the immense power of dungeon keepers, did you really think that the Guild would ever willingly risk having two of them in the same room at once?”

“Is that bad?” Elnora asked.

“Not always,” Basil answered. “Some of my peers I actually quite like. But there are many unsettled grudges and unresolved disputes among the top tier dungeon keepers, so the Guild takes precautions against stoking them. There have been… incidents before.”

“This is not the first iteration of the Guild HQ that we have had the pleasure of visiting,” Schwartz noted. “Some have perished in the firestorms of unsanctioned mage duels. Others have been toppled to the ground by two headstrong dungeon keepers slugging it out over matters of pride and honor.”

“So we could be attacked at any moment?” Elnora asked. “Even here?”

“Dungeon keepers have long memories and hold grudges like no one else,” Scarlet said. “Unfortunately for the Guild, they are too powerful to be restrained. You do not want to be around when two high level [Legendary] creatures get rowdy. Entire sections of a district can perish in the wake of two such monsters deciding to settle a score.”

Elnora turned pale. “I didn’t realize that we were in danger here. Are all the high level dungeon keepers so hostile to one another?” she asked.

“They will usually try to avoid clashing on Guild ground,” Basil answered. “But some of my peers can be rather… reckless at times.”

“Is that why we took such a clandestine route to get here?” Elnora asked.

“Exactly,” Basil answered.

Through the long hallways of the Guild HQ they eventually arrived at a large gold plated double door. As the Guild representative escorting them placed his key inside the lock the frame flashed once with a blue light indicating that a spell had been lifted.

“The Lord Administrator is waiting for you inside, My Lord,” the official said. He then stepped out of the way and bowed his head.

When the doors parted Basil and his minions were introduced to a pearl white room with tall pillars and gold trimmed tiles that ran the entire length of it. The chamber was bright and clean—sterile, almost. Positioned in the middle of the room was a desk with several chairs arranged in front of it. The magically enchanted seats adjusted their shape and size so as to fit the body proportions of the visitors the moment they crossed the threshold of the door.

Behind the desk sat the titular Lord Administrator himself—a skinny middle aged demi-human with a sharp nose and raven black eyebrows that matched his short, but rigid hairline. The head of the Guild of Chaos and the most powerful bureaucrat in the Nine Hells was dressed in crimson cloth and adorned with a jewel encrusted chain of office made of solid gold. The cut of his garb was reflective of his paramilitary rank, as was the norm for Guild officials—it was a service, not a job. On his hands he wore white mageweave gloves with the distinct outlines of rings visible through the fabric. The power or purpose of these rings could not be appraised before removing the layer of cloth covering them, which was probably why he wore the gloves in the first place.

The Lord Administrator rose from his seat and bowed his head to greet the dungeon keeper. With his full body now on display, his demonic bloodline was revealed to be rather weak, with his human heritage dominating his slender features.

Basil returned the greeting.

“It’s been a while, Zaharion,” Basil said as he bowed his head to the master of the Guild.

The Lord Administrator straightened out the sleeves of his uniform jacket. “I am glad to see that you finally found the time to pay me a visit, Lord Doom,” Zaharion replied. “Perhaps I was a bit too insistent with my requests for a meeting—I hope that you won’t hold it against me.”

“Not at all,” Basil said as he took his seat. “My return to the 9th Hell was long overdue. I had to visit some of my associates anyway, so this was a meeting of convenience.”

“Well, it’s good to know that you are taking some interest in the Nine Hells,” Zaharion remarked. “Most other dungeon keepers probably wouldn’t even notice if it disappeared one day… until they came around demanding more minions or cash, that is.”

“So, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me this time?” Basil asked.

Zaharion smiled. “Straight to the point, I see,” he said. “Very well…”

The master of the Guild pulled up a folder tagged ‘House Doom’ and browsed through the recent reports pertaining to the dungeon keeper’s work. Having put on his reading glasses the half-demon in control of the Guild of Chaos—the single most powerful organization to ever exist in this realm or any other—looked even more like the exemplary cleric. He left a dull first impression and seemed rather harmless as he skimmed through the pages of the folder with his frail hands.

“You have been quick to fulfill your obligations to the Guild in the recent years,” Zaharion noted. “Ah, I see here that you have captured the holy elemental masquerading as a god to the last civilization you were assigned to destroy. Well done. We can’t let an instigator of her power level run free so soon after a purge.”

He looked up from the folder. “I trust that she will be of use to you in some capacity?” Zaharion asked. “If not, the Guild will gladly accept the soul stone for the usual price of recompense…

“But I’m afraid there appears to be some cause for concern, considering your performance,” Zaharion continued. “Say, in regards to this assignment in particular: a mage rebellion on a world called… Haidonur. I see that it was successfully put down in under four months following your intervention.”

Zaharion once more looked up from the report. “The Guild was very pleased with how low you kept the collateral damage on the world.”

“Can’t have mages running rampant,” Basil said. “That is bad for everyone.”

“Indeed,” Zaharion said and glanced at the report, “but the assignment called for an extermination of the entire cabal of mages responsible for it. It says here that you moved on to a new world immediately following the deaths of their leader and his circle of elder mages.

“The contract stated explicitly that they had to be eradicated. Every—single—last—one of them.”

“Such dull matters don’t hold my interest,” Basil proclaimed. “Once their forces had been suitably thinned, I directed my subordinate Guild agents to cleanse the world of any remaining undesirables, before my departure. My considerable talents would have been wasted on a cleanup operation like that one. I made sure that the Guild minions I left behind were up for the task.”

“Of course, Lord Doom,” Zaharion said, “Of course…

“But please understand that the Guild’s agents cannot and will not be considered a suitable substitute for a dungeon keeper. What if they had failed? We can’t just leave half-purged worlds to the whims of fate. No, no, no… that would be against the rules of conduct. And we can’t just ignore the rules, now can we?”

“It was an insult to even send us there,” Scarlet announced.

Zaharion directed his suspicious gaze towards the crimson paladin. “Please, elaborate, My Lady?” he asked. “What exactly was the insult you suffered?”

“The Guild had no business sending our Lord to such a weak world in the first place,” Scarlet proclaimed. “The level of challenge provided by these mages was pathetic. There was no glory to be had there.

“We need stronger opponents!” she said.

“My dear Lady,” Zaharion said and placed the folder down on the desk. “I am well aware of the power and abilities of House Doom, but there are guidelines to follow when handing out priority assignments. The Guild’s rules of conduct clearly stipulate that any imminent threat on a world under our jurisdiction warrants an intervention. The contract between the Guild of Chaos and all of its dungeon keepers exists to enforce swift action on such immediate matters.

“If we had to go begging to our dungeon keepers to deal with these, admittedly minor dangers, we would soon be facing a death by a thousand cuts. I know that few priority missions are as challenging as a full on conquest, but they must be handled none the less.”

Scarlet scoffed. “You should know better that to waste us on these petty assignments.”

“The decision as to which priority mission to assign to whom is not mine to make,” Zaharion explained. “Whenever such a request is issued by the Guild it is done through the use of a raffle system. It is done this way so as to avoid the inevitable spread of corruption, which is otherwise bound to emerge between the Guild officials and the dungeon keepers. We cannot play favorites, lest we undermine the integrity of the entire Guild. I am sure that you will find such a system to be a fair compromise.”

Scarlet growled expressing her displeasure, but did not press the issue further.

“My past performance reports do not concern me,” Basil said. “I have come here today to discuss a different topic entirely.”

“Oh!” Zaharion exclaimed. “Well, I am listening.”

“It has come to my attention that there has been an upsurge in criminal activity in the Nine Hells,” Basil said. “My sources tell me that the Guild has already tried and failed to contain it. Is that true?”

Zaharion took a deep breath and sighed. He then removed his spectacles, closed the folder and pushed the previous topic aside.

“I have already made all the necessary preparations to deal with the issue of rising crime,” Zaharion said. “As of this moment, I don’t consider it to be something that the dungeon keepers need to get involved with.”

“That’s odd,” Basil said. “The Guild has failed to mention such an outstanding issue in its quarterly reports. Such disruptions can severely impact our ability to receive quality minions and equipment. That alone makes it worthy of concern. Or am I mistaken, Lord Administrator?”

“As I said,” Zaharion repeated, “it is not an issue worth bothering the dungeon keepers with. The Guild considers the criminal activities of its subjects within the Nine Hells to be an internal matter and they will be handled as such.

“Our top enforcers are already cracking down on the parties responsible for the smuggling and distribution of illegal firearms. I can assure you that the appropriate military response is being prepared to crush these criminal activities. This is not the first time in our history that gunpowder weapons have found their way into the Nine Hells and, unfortunately, it probably won’t be the last. But it will be dealt with like the rest—harshly and decisively. Order will be restored, I assure you.”

The Lord Administrator perked up as an idea crossed his mind. “I don’t suppose you have had the inclination of volunteering your services in tackling this problem?” Zaharion asked. “That would be an interesting solution to consider…”

“No, I have not,” Basil replied, “but I have my vested interests in the Outer Districts to protect. I hope that you can understand why having your assurances could be important to someone in my position. The Guild, after all, was initially created with the sole purpose of keeping order in the Nine Hells. To hear that there might be some problems on that front… is troublesome.”

Zaharion nodded. “And the order will be kept, Lord Doom. The Guild is working hard to eradicate the smugglers. Soon enough we will rid the Nine Hells of any superfluous weaponry that could… khe-khemm… cause harm to our valuable dungeon keepers.

“Now, if your concerns have been sufficiently addressed, then I would like to shift the conversation back to my original question. I was hoping that I might persuade you to adhere more closely to the Guild rules in the future…”

“My future collaboration with the Guild is exactly what I have come to discuss today,” Basil said.

The Lord Administrator directed his full attention to the dungeon keeper.

“The apprentice that you assigned to me,” Basil gestured at Elnora, “I believe it is time for her to take the next step in the Guild’s dungeon keeper program. I would like to supervise her as she takes on the management of a full on dungeon next.”

Zaharion turned his prying gaze upon the succubus. “Is that so?” he asked. “And you believe her to be up for the challenge? Managing an entire dungeon? At her level?”

The Lord Administrator opened up the folder on House Doom and flipped it over to the last page. “It says here that she is barely a level 23 [Elite],” Zaharion said. “She hasn’t even unlocked her second combat class yet, let alone mastered her warrior abilities. Admittedly, she does possess the racial traits of a succubus, so leadership should come natural to her. But… don’t you think that running a full on dungeon, even on a modestly hostile world, would fall well outside of her current capabilities?”

“It is my belief that, yes, she is ready,” Basil answered. “More than that, given the existing state of turmoil in the Nine Hells, I am of the opinion that we cannot afford to be picky on the matter.

“Zaharion, you created the apprenticeship program for a reason—you wanted more dungeon keepers to help curb the staggering rate of unemployment, which we all know is the root of most of your problems. Well, here is an opportunity to advance your goals. Was it not the purpose of the entire program to create new dungeon keepers?”

Zaharion considered the dungeon keeper’s offer.

“Well,” Basil continued, “here she stands, ready and able to serve in the capacity of a dungeon keeper. It would be a waste to deny her the position any longer than necessary. As for her abilities in dungeon management, I can personally testify to their adequacy.”

The dungeon keeper gestured at the folder in the Lord Administrator’s hands. “Read up on her performance if you must, but it will only repeat what I have already told you.”

“So, you would like to mentor her further?” Zaharion asked. “For it to happen, I would have to strike her name from the list of apprentices. She will lose all of her perks and Guild support.”

“You mean the pittance you were going to pay her to help set up her first dungeon?” Basil asked.

Zaharion forced a polite smile. “Her Guild allowance, yes. She will also be denied any further education and funding from our institutions until such a time as she registers herself as a fully-fledged dungeon keeper.”

“That will not be a problem,” Basil said. “I will take her under my wing. I have no doubt that under my guidance she will far outperform any of your star students. There is no academic substitute for actual dungeon keeping.”

The Lord Administrator looked to the succubus. “Are you sure of this decision?” he asked. “Now that your apprenticeship with Lord Doom is almost over, I must inform you that you no longer are his subordinate. You are free to make your own choice on this matter.”

“I agreed to this,” Elnora said with conviction. “I thank the Guild of Chaos and the Academy for all that they have done to elevate me to this position, but I cannot refuse an offer like this. So, I must refuse your patronage instead.”

Zaharion shrugged. “Well, if you want to serve a dungeon keeper, then how can I stop you?

“Very well, then. Once you leave this room, you can consider yourself a free agent. Thank you for your service, Lady Elnora. The Guild will await your return.”

Zaharion addressed Basil next. “I assume that you will cover the fees associated with terminating her contract? It was not cheap to get her this far.”

“I will cover any expenses she owes to the Guild,” Basil answered.

“Then I see no reason to dwell on this issue,” Zaharion said. “Once again, thank you for your service, Lady Elnora. We will draw up a new contract for you once you return a fully-fledged dungeon keeper.”

“It was an honor to serve the Guild,” Elnora replied.

Zaharion directed his attention back to Lord Doom. “Now then, am I safe to assume that you will be picking the world for her first conquest yourself? If you wish, you could consult our ledgers and ask for more information form the contract brokers.”

“I will go through the list of available assignments before we leave the Guild HQ,” Basil answered. “There is bound to be a world out there with the appropriate level of challenge for a novice dungeon keeper.”

“I am sure there is,” Zaharion said. “If I’m not mistaken, at this moment just over four thousand worlds are estimated to be in need of a purge within the next fifty years. About a thousand and a half of those are slated for the fast track due to their highly overdeveloped civilizations, so I would suggest that you avoid those.”

Basil rose to his feet and made ready to depart. “Noted, Lord Administrator,” he said and looked to Elnora. “Don’t worry; I will take good care of her.”

The Guild Master rose from his chair and approached Basil. “You know,” he said as he offered his hand, “I had always considered your House to be a wild card. My predecessor had a hard time working with your father, but I have never doubted your dedication to our cause. I am glad that we can rely on one another in these trying times.”

Basil shook the hand of the Lord Administrator. “We share a common vision of the universe,” he said. “”

“True… true… Oh, and it is good to see that you have fully embraced our new apprenticeship program,” Zaharion noted. Too few of your fellow dungeon keepers were so willing to lend a helping hand in fostering the new generation. They probably see them as competition in the making.”

“That is a shortsighted view of the Guild’s intentions,” Basil said. “I am sure that these apprentices will prove themselves to be a valuable asset in the long run.”

“I am certain of it,” Zaharion said.

Basil let go of the Lord Administrator’s hand. “Then I believe we are done here.”

“Indeed,” Zaharion answered. “Good luck on your adventure and… do inform me if you need any Guild assets to aid your apprentice. Understand that, since Elnora has broken her contract, she will have to requisition her supplies and minions through you, Lord Doom.”

“I am well aware of that,” Basil said, “but I intend to rely on my household for the next few years.” He gestured at Scarlet. “As you saw, they have grown restless and belligerent, so I intend to work them to the bone in the coming campaign.”

“So you will not be drawing from the Guild minion pool for this mission?” Zaharion asked.

“That is correct,” Basil said. “Since we will be taking things slowly at first, I believe that my personal reserves should be more than enough to support us through it. After all, I would not want to deprive Elnora of the challenge that is setting up a dungeon on minimal support. Whenever possible, I only intend to provide her with a safety net and my advice.”

Zaharion smiled. “Well, how can she fail when she has you to guide her?

“Still, should you ever need to call on the Guild for support, you know where to find us,” he said. The Lord Administrator winked at Elnora. “Under a contract or not, you are still one of us. All of us demons here are working towards the same goal—a sustainable universe for all.”

Zaharion returned to his seat, picked up the next folder from a large pile of unread documents and tore right into it. Their meeting was now concluded.

As Basil led his entourage out of the Administrator’s chamber, he looked to the succubus walking at his side. “How are you feeling, Elnora?” he asked.

The succubus pondered her response. “Excited?” she said. “A little worried, perhaps… I don’t know.

“It was only a few days ago that I was worried that you were going to send me back to the academy. And now? Now I am not even sure of where I will go next; what I will do… It all just happened so fast!

“The assault on the dungeon core—I almost died,” she said. “Then the siege of the imperial capital… and now I have an emperor’s crown in my wardrobe to show for it. And next we will be building a new dungeon on a faraway world… a dungeon that I will be in charge of!”

The ecstatic succubus looked up at Basil. “It’s almost like the stars themselves have aligned to grant me the greatest opportunity of my life.

“Am I really going to get to run my first dungeon? And you will be there to help me? If this is a dream, then I hope that I will never awaken from it.

Basil smiled. “This is no dream. Our journey begins now.”

He gestured down the hallway towards and expectant Guild operative. “Let’s go and pick a world to conquer. Together.”