Chapter 74: Quest Accepted

News Around The World

Storm Bee Honey May Be The Basis Of The Next Major Antibiotic

Magic Related Bank Robbery Results In One Dead And Several Injured

Death Toll From Flooding In The South Pacific Islands In The Hundreds Of Thousands

SETI Discovers Second WOW! Signal

VVVVVV

Nike had just finished filing her daily report when her communication orb flashed several times with a dim green light. She sighed and then picked up the orb knowing what to expect. Nike's mind was connected to a cloudy realm where all the Guild leaders from around the world were gathered.

With the Guild leaders was Oto Vetor, the mediator and an Orc. He was the previous Guild leader at the Skysign, but he retired to a role where he moderates any meetings between the Guild leaders. Oto was hunched over with a cane. Despite his posture, his eyes still had an energy to them and he exuded a friendly aura.

"Nike Lazael, it's good to see you again," he greeted. "You look well."

"So do you, Master Vetor." Nike glanced around to the others. "I know why you called me here."

"Then you know that we would be curious to know why you promoted not one but six Adventurers directly to rank one," one of the other Guild leaders said. He was an Elven man with platinum blond hair. "First rank is not something to be given out without discretion. There are only a hundred of them in the world. To not only add an additional six without consulting with us, but to do it to new Adventurers."

The other Guild leaders muttered in agreement.

"What possessed you to think this would be acceptable?"

"Had you all given me the opportunity to submit my report, you would have all known," Nike shot back. "Mordiggian and Ithaqua is dead."

Shocked looks came across all of their faces.

"I've already confirmed the Proofs of Deaths. Those two monsters are gone and those six were responsible for their deaths."

"Th-They're dead?" Vetor muttered.

"They are. With that achievement along with their levels being around forty, I found it would be a waste of their talent to start them off at a beginner level."

Vetor looked back to the other leaders and said, "Maybe it is best we put our discussion on hold until after we have received her report."

The other Guild leaders nodded.

"Before you all leave, there's one more thing you should know about these Adventurers. Four of the six of them are the daughters of several of the six Heroes."

VVVVVV

Tom's team's entire day, yesterday, was spent in meeting after meeting with politicians and military leaders in how they can deal with the Eikoryu Empire. After hours of discussion, it was decided that the UN would send a diplomatic envoy to the Eikoryu Empire's capital to try and stop things from escalating into a full-on war. This decision was made despite Tom's protest. From his previous talks with Reia about her interaction with the Prince, he could tell the kind of person he was.

Despite the distance between worlds, they still hold many similarities. The kind of people like the Prince existed on Earth among Humanity. People who were handed everything they own and believed the were owed everything. While Tom grew up well off, he was taught by his family to show humility, compassion, and empathy. This Prince was devoid of all these qualities.

Tom predicted that the diplomatic trip is, at best, going to end in failure. Despite his misgivings, the decision was made and all he and the others can do is wait and see what will happen. For now, his group is to focus on raising their Fame and finding the other Elementals to eventually take down Hastur.

Tom and his team teleported onto the streets of Skysign in front of the Adventurer's Guild.

"Okay, try two," Vivian said. "We can finally go on our first Guild quest together."

"Vi, remember what I said about tempting Fate?" Tom reminded.

"Don't do it?"

"Don't do it."

"It looks like the area is free of any Eikoryu soldiers," Reia noted. "Looks like we really scared them off."

"There's been a surge in Humans," Tala said. "Look all around."

They did as she said and noticed that there were a lot more Humans around than there were in the last two days. There were a few soldiers in the streets who talked with city guards. Workers continued to clear any snow that piled up around places of business. People dressed in suits were inside some of the stores and were talking to the store workers. On the streets themselves, there were dozens of reporters and cameramen who were interviewing the locals and asking them questions about their lives and their world.

"Humans don't waste time," Sylmae muttered.

"We spent our entire existence without the SYSTEM or magic," Tom said. "We have to hit the ground running and learn everything we can."

"Okay, okay, enough talk and speculations!" Reia said.

"Yeah, come on, adventure!" Vivian said.

The two pushed everyone towards the Guild entrance and through the door. Their sudden entrance attracted the attention of everyone in the Guild. Their stares lingered for a few seconds before they returned their attention to their breakfast.

The group approached the front desk where the Elven receptionist stood with a smile on her face.

"Good morning," Ilena greeted. "I'm glad to see you're all alright after the confrontation yesterday."

"We were stuck in meetings all day, yesterday, as Humanity weighed their options with the Eikoryu Empire," Reia sighed.

"Do they plan to go to war?"

"They are going to attempt a diplomatic solution first," Tom answered. "From there... we'll see."

"So you all want to go on a quest?"

"You betcha," Vivian said.

"Alright, our quest board is just over there," Ilena said while she pointed to the side of the room.

There was a large board that was about three meters tall and five meters wide. The board had its quests organized into ten columns. Each column had the rank difficulty listed above. Ranks ten to five was filled with different requests. Rank four had half as many requests as the previous rank. These numbers decreased until rank one which had no requests under in the column.

"Which one should we take?" Amber thought out loud.

"We should take one that is made by a village," Tom suggested. "I have some packets to give away."

"How about this one?" Vivian said as she pulled down a request from the rank six column. "A village north of here has been experiencing goblin attacks. So far they have only lost food and livestock, but the attacks are getting worse. They fear for their women and girls."

"Ugh, goblins..." Tom groaned.

"South Africa?" Tala asked.

"South Africa. It was a shitstorm. If Reia and I weren't fast enough, they would have eaten a lot of people. And I don't want to imagine what they would have done to the women and girls."

"All the more reason to help this village," Amber reasoned.

"Is everyone okay with this quest?" Tom asked his team.

They all nodded in the affirmative.

"Alright. Do we take this up to the counter?" Tom asked Vivian.

"Yup." Vivian replied.

They walked back to the counter. Tom placed the request in front of Ilena.

"We'll take this quest," Tom said.

Ilena looked at the quest.

"Ah, the goblin quest. That would be Baga village just north of us. About a day's travel on foot. Please be safe."

Quest:Goblin Marauders

DifficultyDGiverBaga

Time LimitOne week

Goblins have been harassing the village of Baga. They require aid to wipe out the goblin threat or they risk having their village overwhelmed.

Reward

250 EXP

20 silver

50 fame

Consequence For Failure

Baga could be destroyed

"Excuse me," a stranger's voice interjected from behind Tom's group.

They all turned around to see the bandaged man they saw a couple days ago. His voice was raspy like he sported a long-term smoking habit.

"I heard you're taking the goblin quest," he said. "Is it alright if I come along? I prefer to do goblin quests and this is the only one at the moment."

"I can vouch for his competence," Ilena said.

"Sure, I guess," Tom said. He has Ilena's endorsement and he figured that he could learn more about Adventurers by fighting alongside them. Tom glanced back to the girls to see if they gave any signs of being against his addition. None of them opposed. "But I usually give orders on the field."

"The field?"

"On a quest or mission."

"Ah! That's fine."

"I'm Thomas Everett. What's your name?"

"I go by the name of Yang. While I'm not as high as a level as anyone in your group, I can hold my own. I'm rank five and I am an Assassin class."

They shook hands.

"Come on." Tom waved for Yang to follow.

They all walked outside of the Guild.

"So are we walking or do you all have transportation?" Yang asked.

"We drive there; I'll be right back with our ride," Tom said before he vanished.

"Does he do that often?" Yang asked the others.

"Yup," Sylmae replied. "You get used to it."

After a couple minutes have passed, Tom teleported back in with a large armoured six-wheeled vehicle. The vehicle resembled a heavily armoured truck with a long back end.

"A gift from the UNDF," Tom presented. "The Caiman transport vehicle. It was part of the Mine-resistant Ambush Protected program in the States. This thing can take a beating. The UNDF felt like this vehicle would serve us best in our travels."

"I've seen vehicles like this before. Like those snow clearers yesterday. What are they?" Yang asked. "They looks like metal carriages."

"It's a self-propelled vehicle. It has a machine inside of it that turns its wheels." Tom kept the explanation simple to avoid overwhelming him with meaningless information. "Humanity has many vehicles similar to this."

"Fascinating. I should visit a Human city someday."

"If you do, be sure to visit one of their food places," Vivian suggested. "Even their worse restaurants are better than anything we have. Just make sure they accept Xothican currency. Many will only use the currency of the Human nation that they operate in."

"I'll be sure to then."

Tom and the others entered the Caiman APC. The back end of the Caiman was slightly modified to have more seats that folded out from both sides of the interior walls. A first aid kit, a repair kit, and a rations box was placed behind the driver's and passenger's seat. A blue cooler sat in the middle of the back area. The cooler was filled with vitamin water and other snacks.

Tom took the wheel and Sylmae took the passenger seat. Since she had a the highest Perception Attribute, she would be used to keep an eye out. The vehicle started with a loud roar which made everyone nearby jump in place. The Caiman slowly drove down the street.

"In case you're wondering, the bandages are meant to cover scars," Yang suddenly said.

"We didn't say-" Tala tried to get out.

"Everyone wonders about my bandages. It's fine."

"You know, we have pretty high healing skills, we might be able to heal your scars," Reia suggested.

"No!" Yang blurted out. "Oh, I mean. It's fine. I prefer my scars. Acts as a reminder of my past." Yang tapped his finger on his thigh. "I should mention this. You all should be a little more subtle when you try to read Statuses. Anyone with a close eye on you can see your eyes move to read Statuses. Some might take some offense."

"W-We'll take that advice to heart," Amber muttered.

"I'm sorry for intruding on your privacy, but we have been burned in the past for not being thorough for checking Statuses," Tom explained.

"So I've heard," he replied. "I spent my time yesterday talking to the Humans in the city. Learned about your achievements. Wanted to see you all in action for myself."

"Well, I hope we don't disappoint."

"I look forward to seeing you all in action," Yang said.

"So, Yang, how did you become an Adventurer?" Reia asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Was a traveler from a nowhere hole in the ground. I randomly encountered a caravan a few years ago that was under attack by goblins. I went in and killed the goblins. I was only able to save one person. That person happen to be Ilena. She recommended that I'd join the Guild."

"Really?" Reia gasped. "She never mentioned that before."

"It was a bad time. I understand that she doesn't want to talk about it."

"So why goblins?" Vivian followed up.

"Well, many Adventurers do find a niche they fall into. An enemy they like to fight. I'm good at fighting goblins and someone needs to constantly keep them in check." Yang leaned back in his chair. "So... can I asked some questions about you all and the Human world."

"It's only fair," Tom replied. "Do your worst."

VVVVVV

Zokot Kingdom

The royal family was gathered in the dining hall for breakfast. Their mood was sour as they were informed that their top assassins had died due to alcohol poisoning.

"How long must we wait for our food?!" the king roared. He slammed his fists on the table.

"Stay calm, dear," the queen cooed.

"We just lost a dozen of our best assassin's due to their drunkenness! Hundreds dead at their hands and they were taken out by alcohol!"

"Father we can still find more assassins," Dellik suggested. "While it will take time to train them back to the same level as the ones we had but it will take time."

"Hey, where is Tuilene?" Daed asked. "Usually her moping self would be at the table."

"I sent General Deicayn to her room last night," the king said. "They might still be busy..."

A chill spread through the air. A black cloaked figure appeared in the room across from the king. The figure's body vibrated and faded from opaque to translucent. The pattern continued as it moved around the table. The royal family were frozen in place in presence of the guest.

"M-Mistress Alala," the king sputtered. "Wh-What a pleasant surprise! Had we known that you would come, we would have created a welcoming party for you."

Alala was one of the unknown beings that served under Hastur. She specifically served Hastur's twin sons, Zhar and Lloigor. These two sons oversaw the Zokot Kingdom in Hastur's stead. Alala was given the task of delivering messages or basic orders to the kingdom.

Alala reached for her hood and pulled it back to reveal her face. Her face, while humanoid, was devoid of a nose. Her two eyes were large, black, and seemingly stared at everyone in the room at the same time. Alala's body continued to vibrate and shift in opacity as she slowly walked around the table.

"A party would be a waste of my time," she emotionlessly said. When she spoke, her voice emitted a hum that caused everyone's insides to throb. "Time is a precious resource at this point."

"Ah, yes, yes," the king nervously replied. "M-My apologies."

"I was sent here on Lords Zhar's and Lloigor's behalf. They wants to know what your plan is towards the elimination of the human known as Thomas Everett and the Elementals."

"Ah, yes. We have a plan. We are putting out a call to all our top assassins who will be directed to eliminate the human and his harem."

"The same assassins who just drunk themselves to death this morning?" she asked. Even without the emotional inflections, her words ascribed annoyance to her question.

"Uh, what happened was unfortunate, but we have many assassins at our beck and call."

"Hopefully, they do better than your previous best. Need I remind you what happened to the previous family that ruled this kingdom?"

"N-No!"

"Regardless, let me show you."

Alala picked up a green, grapefruit-size, spiky fruit from the table. The fruit vibrated in her hand. Its frequency went up until it exploded a couple seconds later.

"Ithaqua was Lord Hastur's and Mistress Shub-Niggurath's favourite son. They want this resolved."

A servant approached the table with a bottle of wine. She saw Alala and froze in place out of fear.

"Don't stand there and gawk," Daed said. "Bring us our wine!"

The servant jerked out of her stupor and quickly went over to the table and popped the cork. She poured out its contents into the glasses around the table.

"At least the wine is here." The king lifted his glass along with his wife and two sons.

Just before their cups could touch their lips, a guard rushed into the dining hall out of breath and interrupted them. He didn't even registered that Alala was in the room.

"Your Majesty!" he gasped out. "It's General Deicayn! He was found dead in Princess Tuilene's room."

"What?!" the king roared.

"It seems a lot of people of importance are dying here today," Alala commented. "Suspicious..."

"How did he die?" the king demanded.

"He was found by one of the maids. Black veins all over his body. It seems like he was poisoned."

"P-Poisoned?! Poisoned!" the blood vessels in the king's face bulged and looked ready to burst. "Only one person would have the tenacity to poison someone like him."

"You think Liberator was responsible?" Dellik asked.

"More than likely. Shame. His death is a great loss for our kingdom."

"What about Tuilene?" the queen asked. She showed little concern in her voice. It was said in a tone similar to someone asking if it was raining out.

"I'm afraid that Princess Tuilene has gone missing," the guard replied.

"Breaks into our castle, kills one of our most prominent generals, and kidnaps Tuilene!" the king yelled. "Liberator will die!"

"If you don't mind, mother, father, I would like to go to her room and investigate," Dellik suggested.

"Please do," the king said. "I just want to eat my breakfast."

"I will join him," Alala said.

Dellik got up from the table and Alala followed behind him down the hallway towards Tuilene's room.

The king looked towards the guard and ordered, "Go get other guards and investigate the surrounding area. Find any clues as to where Liberator has gone."

"Yes, your Majesty." The guard ran off.

The king sighed. "What a disaster... And right when Alala has arrived."

The king picked up his cup of wine. His wife and son did the same.

"To a better to tomorrow."

Down the hall, Dellik walked at a steady pace with Alala behind him. He found himself constantly looking over his shoulder as Alala followed him. The two reached Tuilene's room where two guards stood by the doorway. When they saw Alala, they stood straighter. They trembled in her presence.

"How many people have entered the room?" Dellik asked the guards.

"Three, my lord," the guard on the right answered. "The maid, the guard that delivered the message, and me. We didn't move anything."

"Stay outside. Mistress Alala and I will investigate the room."

They walked inside the room and saw that the place was tossed up. The mattress of the bed was leaning against the wall. The general was on the ground. His body emitted the odour of decay and fecal waste. Dellik held his hand to his face to cover his mouth and nose.

Dellik crouched near the body to examine it. He grabbed him by the chin and tilted Deicayn's head.

"Injection point is in the neck. Definitely Liberator's method of execution."

Alala leaned forward over the mattress-less bed and saw that the bottom was opened to a compartment. It was empty but its existence alone was enough to elicit her curiosity. She grabbed the open cover and swung it up and down a couple times. There was a pressure that pushed the cover open. Alala looked closer and saw a switch that she concluded was used to lock the cover in place.

"It seems your sister has been keeping secrets," Alala stated.

"What do you mean? What did you find?"

"Your sister had a secret compartment under her bed."

"But why?"

Alala walked into the center of the room and ordered Dellik, "Get into the corner of the room."

Dellik immediately went into the corner and watched Alala. Alala stretch our her arms. Her hands left her sleeves to reveal them as tentacle-fingered hands. A high-pitch squeal was emitted from Alala as she stretched out her hands. The sound increased in frequency until it was inaudible.

Phantom images appeared in the room. This image was of a maid that entered the room and discovered Deicayn's body.

"Oh, god! Guards! Guards!" the phantom screamed.

"What is that?" Dellik asked.

"Echoes of the past," Alala replied. "Sounds make micro-imprints on the environment around it. I use those imprints to see events into the past to a point."

Alala waved her waves and caused the images of the maid and guards to disappear. New images appeared in their place. It was of Tuilene and General Deicayn in the middle of a conversation. It intensified until Deicayn was on top of Tuilene on the bed to try and force himself on her. Dellik and Alala both watched Tuilene thrust her left palm at Deicayn's neck.

"No way..." Dellik muttered.

The echo of Deicayn backed off of Tuilene with his hand on his neck. Tuilene had a needle extended from her wrist. The images shuddered and skipped further ahead to Tuilene placing her mask on.

"I've seen enough," Alala said and allowed the images to fade away. "To think that Liberator was under your nose all this time. I'll admit... I admire her gall."

"That bitch!" Dellik roared. "To think it was her all along! She was just supposed to be a bargaining chip towards building political alliances. She was nothing! How did she become capable of this?"

"Maybe by ignoring her her whole life, she has had the time to train to become a killer?"

Dellik brought his fist to his mouth. "I need to notify mother and father."

Dellik left the room with Alala behind him. The two guards stood at attention.

"Clean up this room and see that the General and his family is given proper arrangements."

"Yes, my lord!" the two guards replied.

One of the two ran off while the other went into the room. Dellik quickly walked back towards the dining hall.

"So your sister was Liberator this whole time? What do you plan to do?"

"She is no longer my sister," Dellik growled. "She will be hunted down and executed like the traitor she is."

They entered the dining room and saw the king, queen, and prince all lying on the ground with blood dripping from their eyes, noses, ears, and mouths.

"No!"

Dellik rushed over to his father and cradled him in his arms. His skin was cool to the touch. Alala picked up one of the spilled cups and smelt it.

"Poison," she stated. "Your assassins probably met the same fate. Clever girl. She made sure to burn every bridge on her way out. She certainly saves me the trouble of punishing your father."

"Wha-What?!" Dellik dropped his father's body.

"Your father has failed to eliminate Liberator for a long time which has cost the slavery market many platinum coins. To find out that she was living with him all this time is unforgivable. This poison was a kindness compared to what I would have done." Alala sighed under her breath. She found the king's crown on the ground and picked it up. Alala tossed it towards Dellik who caught it. "You're the king now. Congratulations."

Dellik quickly got it his feet and placed the crown on his head.

"Th-Thank you, Mistress."

Alala suddenly teleported right in front of Dellik and held him by his neck.

"This will be your family's last chance! Have your sister killed and see the end of Thomas Everett and the Elementals. Fail us once and, not only will I have your lineage replaced, you'll wish that you died with your family. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes," he coughed out.

Alala released her hold on his neck. Dellik collapsed to his knees and gasped for air.

"Good." Alala walked towards the door that led towards the balcony area. She opened the glass doors. "I will keep in touch."

Alala's body greatly vibrated as she leaped outwards and then vanished. Dellik managed to regain his breath and pushed himself to his feet. A glare appeared on his face.

"You're going to die, Tuilene."