Ablan is a relatively small country that is covered by untameable forests, unfarmable flatlands, and high mountains and is surrounded by powerful nations that are constantly at war. But it managed to prosper beyond what it should be capable of thanks to the only city in the country, Llomeryn.

Llomeryn, in itself, was a wonder in every sense of the word.

The sparkling jewel of a city, sitting on a river and covered by lofty buildings that seem to scrape the sky. The city is fenced off by the mighty Deadbark forest, a forest known for its evergreen trees that tower over it. But even those gigantic trees are overshadowed by the structures found in the metropolis that sprawls right in the middle of the forest.

The city was a collection of small factory buildings, medium-sized complexes, and lofty palatial skyscrapers, while markets, parks, hotels, grand shopping centers, arcades, and other attractions lured citizens from all over the world to visit the city.

But underneath the glistening towers, it’s a city covered by gambling halls, fight rings, and trafficking dens. Various gangs, syndicate criminals, and the numerous cartels fight for control. But despite all this crime and corruption, it remains prosperous and is even a contender as the richest city in Aelmion. All of this is thanks to a group of people who built the city from the ground up and ruled over it like kings: the Brotherhood of Bounty Hunters.

Bounty hunters are mainly individuals or groups of people that litter the continent and offer their talents in exchange for gold. But in order to become one, they need to go to the city of Llomeryn and prove their abilities to the several guilds or individuals who speak for the brotherhood. There they need to swear upon the hunter’s code and pledge their loyalty, service, and a cut of their profit to the city, but also answer to those who represent all the bounty hunters in Aelmion, the group known as the council shadows.

The shadows govern not only the city, but the entire country. Many nations have tried to conquer the small nation, envious of its wealth and influence, but it is the shadows that have kept the small nation independent throughout the centuries. Llomeryn was a maze of a city, shaped like a gigantic circle that is divided into three rings. A person would know where they are as each ring has been built with a theme. The inner ring in the very middle is called the heart of the city or sold to tourists as the diamond ring.

Sky-high apartments made of marble, wide open boulevards lined with trees and flowers, street after street of shops, boutiques, restaurants, hotels, museums, parks, and famous attractions reside here. But the most important building in the country is the floating oasis casino.

It is the largest gambling establishment in the world. The massive marble and gold building, forty stories high, with its name in bright lights visible for miles even in the fog, is a symbol of what made Llomeryn the most unique city in the world: lawlessness and excess.

Behind closed doors, on this bright sunny morning on the top floor, the ten shadows, or rather their representatives, have been locked in a meeting for an hour now. They sat at a long table that seated each of them in the middle of a large circular room that had a magnificent view of the city below.

Treese Batts, the newest shadow, had just spoken his argument while the nine representatives listened to his proposal.

"-Lifting the ban on state contracts is the best method for us to reinvent ourselves, and if you are not for it, then you are against the future of Llomeryn and Ablan. " Treese said proudly, while four other representatives agreed with him.

Baldric, on the other hand, barely paid attention. He rolled a coin in his fingers as he stared at the beautiful day outside.

Luna warned him about Treese and how he committed murder a few days ago in a small mountain town. He had already completed an official request for an investigation, but it was dismissed due to a lack of evidence. Yet again, even with a shadow status, he was reminded of the failure of the justice system.

The only woman in the room was the one to respond with a counter argument. She was a brown-skinned young woman and wore a black and gold full armour set adorned with carved lotus flowers. Her long black hair was tied into a braided tight bun, she wore a beautiful gold nose ring, and her rich brown eyes were fixed on Treese.

"I’m not saying you are not entitled to a decision, Treese. But your argument is just so idiotic that I cannot help myself to question it." Baldric chuckled at her reply, but the woman continued. "I am just stating the facts. Why would we, a neutral nation, start accepting state contracts? It would put us in a position where we would be worse off financially. "

Treese retaliated quickly. "The case is that we can double our profits when we start accepting state contracts."

"But accepting state contracts would limit our clientele." She lifted a piece of paper and smacked it to prove her point. "We are making more money accepting individual contracts. The amount is small, but it stacks up against catering solely to an exclusive group. If we accept state contracts, that would mean imposing limitations on those with whom the current contractor is engaged with."

A gavel banged three times when another representative began to speak. He had short brown hair and was smoking a pipe as he put down the gavel. He was a tanned-skinned man who was rugged and had a battle hardened appearance that matched his long black faux leather coat.

“Listen, we are already an hour overdue for this meeting and I have something else to do." As he puffed on his pipe, he said. "So let’s do what we should have done and let’s put it to a vote. Who here votes that we should start accepting state contracts?"

Five representatives that included Treese raised their hands.

"And who is against it?"

Baldric, the young woman, the man with the pipe and two more shadows that included a fully armoured combat automaton raised their hand.

"Alright, It’s a tie. In this case, Baldric, Tia, and I are representatives for the top three hunters, and in the event of a stalemate, we can break the tie. I voted against it. How are you two voting for it?"

"Nay." they both said.

"The motion brought forward by Treese Batts has been defeated."

The man with the pipe banged his gavel.

Treese rose from his seat. “What the hell was that? This is an outrage! You call this a system when it is rigged from the start! This Bullsh-"

"Aww, don’t be like that, Batts." Baldric cut him off. "It can’t be helped that your argument is completely senseless. Look, I know it’s hard. You want to make a name for yourself and your guild, especially coming from a blank background-"

Everyone reacted when they heard the word "blank."

"You, Motherfu-" Treese prepared to draw his gun while Baldric put his hand on his holster, prepared to do the same. The other shadows attempted to calm the situation, all except for the man with the pipe and the combat automaton who sat still.

"Yeah, come on." Baldric egged Treese. “Come on! Bring it!"

An ink bottle in the middle of the table exploded with a gunshot that silenced them all. The man with the pipe then placed his gun back in his holster.

"Hey, that was mine!" Tia said as she used a piece of paper to shield herself from the splatter.

"Mister Batts, seeing as how this is your first meeting, I would ask that you compose yourself. Your motion has been denied and if you are unhappy with the decision, you can improve your case and present a counter argument in the next council meeting.

And Baldric, as a representative, please put your comments in check and refrain from making any more antagonistic remarks. Now, with all the issues already addressed in this meeting, I will call this conference to a close." He banged his gavel again.

Treese stormed out, escorted by the other representatives who agreed with his case. The man with the pipe and the combat automaton were the next ones to leave, while Tia gave Baldric a stack of papers for him to sign off on. They worked in silence, and when he signed a few more papers that regarded the plans for a new housing district in the outer ring, Baldric was the next to leave the room.

He was already about to board the elevator down when Tia caught up with him. She carried large stacks of papers in her arms, with some that fell to the floor.

"Baldric, wait up!"

"Hey T. Come on elevators here." Baldric held the door for her. Once inside, as the elevator began to go down, Tia groaned loudly.

"The new shadow was so insufferable today. Well, that guy is not making any friends, I will tell you that. He thinks he can muscle his way through everything! Look-at-me-I’m-the-new-shadow-listen-to-me. Blah blah blah!"

"Someone needs to put that blank in his place. Just because he got into the shadows doesn’t mean he can step down on everyone. Did you hear about his tax plan? What a joke." Baldric rubbed his face.

"It doesn’t help that he was the only actual shadow in the meeting. Did you see Droghron sucking up to Batts? That parasite has no self-respect." Tia said as she straightened the papers in her arms. "This whole day just makes me want to swallow a bottle of painkillers."

"I don’t get why we call it a shadow council when none of them ever attend to these things." Baldric helped Tia by taking some of the papers she was holding to lessen the load. "I hate these useless meetings."

"No, you don’t. You love it. Hell, you are doing a better job than anyone else. It's better than Luna's or Alexander's. That free trade agreement you proposed was a stroke of genius."

"That is because no one has common sense."

"See, you are perfect for the role." Tia said as the elevator began to slow down. "Thank goodness we are holding the breaking vote; otherwise this country would be going down in the pipes."

"Let’s talk about something else. So what’s next for you, my dearest jasmine flower named Tia? How’s the guild, by the way?"

"Not too bad actually. We are actually expanding the guild. Fenia is working everyone to the ground, including me. But she promised me time off very soon. I’m going to Xian by the end of the year. See the family and all that."

They reached the middle floor of the casino, which leads to the public elevators. "Then that sounds like a perfect reason to drink T. Come on, I’m buying."

"Pass. I have tons of work to do. Approving contracts, signing bounties, you know, actual work, unlike a certain someone." Tia said as they waited for the elevators along with other people.

"Hey, I can’t help it if my guild allows me to have tons of spare time." He said defensively as they got inside.

"I wish we had all your problems, Baldric, just lazing around selling garbage and hustling gamblers all day long."

"Woah garbage?! You are angry at your life, not at me. And by the way, I sell quality goods at discount prices. "

"Sure you do. Sure you do." Tia did not even look at him as the elevator headed down to the main casino floors. "That stove bot you sold me broke down after ten uses. I want a full refund."

"Store credit only." Baldric said instantly.

Tia’s floor arrived first, and Baldric handed back her papers. "Right well, enjoy your days off, you jerk. And give Luna and Annie my love." She said as she stepped off. "Tell them we should have a get together soon. There is a new thing called a… cat… café that we should try out. It sounds cute."

"Will do."

Baldric headed down to the main casino floor, which was beautifully decorated with bright lights, gold statues, and loud party music. There were hundreds of slot machines, gambling tables, and large crowds of people that played and partied.

In the middle of the casino floor was a massive cage with a waterfall and tonnes of plants inside to make it look like a jungle. Inside a drake, an adolescent land dragon with a long body and four legs was currently eating live goats inside its cage, and it acted as an attraction as there were people that had their photographs taken along the sides of the cage.

On the ceilings above, there were ten large banners with the faces of the top ten shadows of the brotherhood. Baldric noted how Treese’s face was already up there with his brand new banner. Meanwhile, Luna’s banner made her portrait look monochrome due to her pale skin.

A female skunk bestian greeter approached Baldric and asked if he wanted a drink. He declined, and the worker then continued to welcome other tourists. Baldric looked back as he stared at her bushy tail, which made up almost half of her body. He approached a table without any players. The dealer, who seemed to have just sat down, was still preparing the table.

"I’m sorry, sir. This table is not open yet."

"That’s fine, I can start. Give me ten thousand blue chips." The dealer stopped and looked at Baldric.

"Of course, sir, if I may, can I recommend you to our high rollers area?"

"Lead the way."

The dealer then escorted Baldric across the room and up a grand staircase made of marble and gold. He led him to a glamorous room where the activity was more reserved. It was more moderate, and the few lights on the walls made the room quite dim.

The thick smell of tobacco smoke filled the air, while laughter was heard on some tables as people dressed in lavish clothes enjoyed their games. Some of the other guests in the room were being entertained by female dancers of various races, and Baldric could see some of the guests were armed as well, no doubt bounty hunters that spent their rewards.

He proceeded to a table in the middle of the room where there was no one playing. Baldric sat down, and within moments, a female ork worker asked if he would like anything to drink.

"I got our drinks right here, Ghorza."

A husky, grey-skinned ork with a thick yet well-styled grey beard sat across from Baldric while he carried a bottle of whiskey and two small glasses. He was a remarkably hairy ork as he rolled up his long sleeved shirt and revealed his hair covered arms. His beady brown eyes had a sharp stare that mixed with his features made him look feral.

He poured Baldric a glass and slid it towards him. "You got here quickly. I only sent the message yesterday morning."

“Well, it’s not every day you mention a big payoff. Now deal me in."

The dealer then started to shuffle some cards and they both started to play. As they played a couple of rounds, they engaged in small talk. When their bottle was half empty and both of them were more relaxed, their conversation moved to more formal business.

"So did you bring her proof of completion?"

Baldric got a folded piece of paper from his coat and placed it on top of the pile that the dealer took.

"Ah, she did marvellously fine work, and she met all the requirements too, which made the employer give her a substantial bonus. Anyway, here is the payment."

The dealer then placed ten purple chips in the pile. Baldric took it and shuffled the stack of purple chips and pocketed them. They continued with their game.

"So are both of you interested in another contract?"

"We want to pass actually. We were planning a vacation after this one." Baldric said as he took the bottle and poured himself. "Getting a bit choked, you know. Felt we could take it easy."

"That’s a shame." The dealer leaned in and talked softly. "There is a whale in the diamond room right now that is contracting bounty hunters for a deep pocket contract."

"How deep?"

"Cha Ingots." The dealer said seriously.

Baldric looked at the dealer, unsure of what he had heard. "Cha ingots?"

The dealer nodded.

"Cha ingots? The cha ingots? You mean Midas ore, right?"

The dealer smiled.

"Who has that type of money to throw around? Who is the whale?"

"They won’t say. But judging from the Silvus envoys that arrived this morning, I bet it’s a senator or higher."

"Count us out. I’m not working with those animals." He took a shot of his drink.

"Baldric, come on, hear me out first."

"Nothing good comes from Silvus. I would rather take a contract from a plantir than from them and they pay in seeds." Baldric placed his cards down.

"Look, I know you and Luna have a history against Silvus, but come on, think this through. This is Cha ingots, and I would rather that amount go to both of you than anyone else."

“Get Fenia or Alexander, or even Theobald if you're desperate, and they'll guarantee you a commission. It's not as large as ours, but it's something. It does not sit right with us taking work from Silvus." Baldric tried to walk away, but the dealer would not let him go.

"I know this is... hard and conflicting. But I have very good information that the payment is huge. If you were to consider it this way, you would be taking precious resources away from Silvus. It's better in your hands than in theirs, after all. And I know that Luna’s... project requires massive funding. Take this offer and that payment can help a lot of people."

Baldric sighed.

"Where is the whale now?"

"The client is at the lounge, but I can recommend you for a face-to-face meeting."

He knocked on the table a couple of times while the dealer watched him intently.

"Do it. But there are no guarantees I will take the contract though." The dealer smiled and immediately left the table. He forgot his cards, so after he was gone, Baldric took a peek at the dealer’s hand.

"Dammit." He took a drink from his glass.