Guild of Life and Death, Council Hall

The Senior members of the Guild of Life and Death were lively discussing Orma’s military future.

“Undead insist on launching offensives down the borders! Why can’t Caesar make an attack declaration!?” said a Senior as he slammed his hand on the table. His evil tone left little doubt on the extent to which he agreed with the King on his government policy.

A dagger hissed through the air from the far end of the long table. It jabbed right onto the back of the Senior’s hand. He raised his baffled eyes to gaze at who had thrusted him. At the head of the table stood a middle-aged Goblin with the expression of he who has seen it all. His face was unshaven, the hand that had just threw the dagger still tense; there stood Big, the leader of the Guild of Life and Death. He approached those who were sitting around the table, his eyes filled with reprimand: “You’ve heard the King’s orders. Many are the fellows we’ve lost in the last missions. If we strained our forces to weakness, every balance in Orma would break. What do you think would happen if Caesar and Aure were wounded on the battlefield? If Orma loses one of its two Immortals, some ambitious new Nation will easily conquer us.”

Big cast a scornful glare at the Senior, who was currently trying to dig the dagger out of his hand. “You really wasted too much time listening to those idiots from the Sect of the Worthy, Sextious. They go with their gut. But it’s not like they can afford that. We’ve built all we have through cunning, strength and brains. As soon as we begin to imitate the aristocracy, our Guild will fall down. We have no blood ties.”

Big was the father of one of the best promises in Orma, and a top-notch Tenth Phase warrior. Immortality lay almost within his grasp. Just like many before him, however, he wasn’t powerful enough to overcome in the bottleneck between the Tenth Phase and Immortality.

Sextious gazed at him as his face grew darker. He finally pulled the dagger out of his hand without the slightest hint of pain on his face. The members of the Guild had overcome the worst adversities in their life. No background made their lives any easier. They were no moany sissies. Sextious knew he had done wrong and slightly lowered his head. “You’re right, Big. But those Undead are smarter and smarter. They have a couple Immortals in their ranks now, after their new alliance. This balance can only be upset by a war or…”

“Caesar’s son will come back an Immortal one day,” Big said laconically, “an we’ll launch our offensive without running risks. If we attacked now and something went amiss, we might face heavy losses.”

Sextious shook his head and nodded. “I know. Forgive me for my shamelessness. Ruling a country isn’t the same thing as being a mercenary.”

A true broad smile widened on Big’s face. He walked towards Sextious and patted on his back, stretching his hand to have his dagger back. “I see your point. I do. But we can’t discuss this. Let’s skip to other subjects. Business has been going smoothly lately, takings are rising and our-”

“DAAAAAAAAAADDY,” a voice echoed out on the opposite end of the room.

“Shit,” Big cursed.

A girl wearing a black tight bustier and a cloak slammed open the doors of the Council Hall of the Guild of Life and Death and walked into the room.

“My little one, dad is now busy with the Seniors,” said Big as he visibly nodded at the Guild Seniors.

“I got something to tell you, daddy!” Circe yelled shamelessly.

“Why don’t you tell me later?” Big asked, helpless.

“Does mama know you were in charge of women recruitment last time?” asked Circe as she winked at the third most powerful man in Orma, Big, the guild leader of the Guild of Life and Death.

Big wore his broadest smile: “My lovely daughter, what turns of fate have brought you here? You look more radiant than usual!”

The Seniors slapped their forehead as they rolled their eyes.

If something could scare the crap out of powerful Big, that was his wife. In his life, Big had led armies through carnages. And yet, they said no prospect of death could shake him more than the sight of his wife. Unfortunately enough, his daughter seemed to have inherited the same fiery temper as her mother.

“I want to announce that I’m officially engaged!” said Circe as her majestic bosom boinged out of her crossed arms.

“Again?” said Big, his mouth wide open.

“DAAADDY.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Who’s the poo- the lucky one who’ll spend the next five day- rest of his life with my beautiful daughter?” Big asked miserably.

“Helial, Caesar’s pupil!”

Big suddenly knitted his brow in a distressed frown, and so did the Seniors inside the room.

“Helial?” Big asked doubtfully.

“Helial. The idea doesn’t appeal you? I might as well call mama and ask her too,” Circe said maliciously.

“It DOES appeal me! It’s always good to… blend races, you know? Daddy is happiest with your choice. I will announce myself to the whole city that my daughter has found yet anothe- ehm, an eligible man!”

Circe jumped at his neck and planted a kiss on the cheek of her father, who gazed at her in resignation. For how hard he tried, Big couldn’t compete with the vexation of his wife and daughter.

After announcing the news, Circe turned on her heels and disappeared just like she had come.

Big turned towards the Seniors. Before they could say anything, he shrugged and raised both hands: “I know, I know. But what can I do? The boy is talented, he could even hope to rival that freaking Pseudonym. It’s not necessarily bad news.”

One by one, the Seniors agreed with him. Sextious was the only one who dared say what they were all thinking: “At least, we need to make sure the boy gets married inside the Guild, so that he’ll become a member. Caesar, that old bastard, he wants all the benefits, and he hasn’t even taken him as a Clan member yet. I say, let’s fuck this guy who fucks your dau-”

PENG

A sudden slap hit Sextious in the face. The poor Seniors made a couple summersaults in midair and badly slammed on his backside.

“Sometimes I think it would be nice to be surrounded by uptight oldies. But I wound up with a bunch of crooks instead,” Big said melancholy as he tidied up his hands on his tunic.