[Chapter 20 part 1] Hope - The Adventurer's Guild

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Hope struggled to contain her excitement. It’s tough. Electric streaks were flashing overhead. They’re fast. The fairies’ forms couldn’t be seen, only the static in their wake. It’s my first experience with this type. The energetic sprites were congregating around the luminous stone in the room’s center. The Lighting Core, a relic fashioned by the second guild leader, Eseil Thorn. Part crystal formation and part glowing bolder, small figures covered its surface, resting and playfully zapping around.

In Eseil’s time, the circular bunker had served as a ‘war room’. They were installed in the parlor section between a conference table and an over-sized desk. Bookshelves lined the walls except for the nearby bar alcove. That reminds me, I better not let Kate see the bottles. She’d get upset. The place was Miki’s domain, Headquarters’ second-in-command. Also doubling as spokesperson, she was currently concluding a press briefing.

With my luck, something will go wrong today too. Tempered expectations had made yesterday less soul crushing. It wasn’t all bad. She’d walked out of the arena a winner. I want that again.

A spark dropped, and a miniature figure hovered before them, its voice crackling softly, “Miki is on her way.”

Then it was gone. “They speed around every inch of the guild, day and night, only returning to replenish their energy.” Kate commented. “They serve as our communication network. If you look up and wave, one will respond. They can answer questions and relay messages. It’s useful even with wrystals.”

“If they recharge, doesn’t that make them permanent summons?” Silver asked. “Do they have their own personalities?”

Kate shook her head. “What makes the Lighting Core so valuable is that its fairies possess a shared consciousness. What one knows, they all know. This limits their individuality.”

They remind me of Fayla. Within their territory, they could go anywhere and see everything. Hope glanced at the flaming wall they’d come from. The Obsidian Cavern’s other exits are supposedly more discreet.

The chamber’s doors flew open, and a young woman strode in. She commanded immediate attention with her beauty and bright pink skin. Those are horns… They were small, but unmistakable. More of the HEAVENLY DAO’s meddling. People near the new crust were born with such features, gaining advantages such as heat resistance and reinforced lungs.

“Hello, I’m Miki.” The woman said. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” Noting their stares, she smiled. “As you can tell, I’m a third demon. You’ll get used to it.”

“A ‘third’? How does that work?” Free asked.

“Three factors determine the inheritance of demonic traits. In addition to parentage, location matters. Someone like me, conceived in the human world with a single demon parent, only meets one requirement.”

“Isn’t it customary to change skin tone?” Silver asked, staring intently. Hopefully Astra warned her about him. Kate noticed too and elbowed him in the stomach. Nice.

Unperturbed, Miki tapped her head, “The horns are more disturbing if they’re flesh colored. That’s why demons don’t follow the convention.”

“So if there’s nothing else——” Miki began.

“Excuse me,” Soul interjected. “But I didn’t catch your last name.”

“I don’t have one.” Miki declared forcefully. An awkward silence followed while Kate fidgeted. She knows something.

“Must be inconvenient…” Rose said.

“Not more inconvenient than having one.” Miki retorted.

“Hellspawn…” Wise whispered.

Miki glowered before sighing, “So that’s why Astra told me not to hide it…” Seriously? What kind of lineage is that? “When demonic traits first emerged, many were upset. Others openly embraced their new identity and thrived with it. My last name is a remnant from those times.”

“That’s not the whole story though.” Kate chimed in. “The Hellspawn name is royalty in the Demon World. Miki is distantly in line for the thrown.”

“Very distantly. There’s no way they’d accept a ‘third’ as leader. Besides, I don’t want to live down there. I like the sun.”

“Anyway…” Miki clapped, sending a dozen fairies whizzing about. “No need for introductions since I issued your guild cards. The Tartarus situation has made things hectic so let’s get straight to business. Hope and Wise are meeting their instructors. I’ll lead you to Radin Lockworth since it’s nearby. Follow me.”

While they marched through the underground, Miki continued, “Radin’s skills are top notch. Since he doesn’t leave the Isle, he’s always available. That said, some warnings.” She looked back. “Respect him. He’s by far management’s longest serving member, administering our finances over the past three millennia. Next, he’s intimidating, even for me. Actually, especially for me. He believes it’s his duty to keep expenses in check. He loves saying, ‘If someone doesn’t have the resolve for a request, it’s probably not worth it’. Most are too terrified to approach his office, so it always falls to me. It’s the worse part of my job.”

Miki stopped apprehensively before a set of polished doors, “Last thing. There was a half-hearted push to replace Radin recently, but it never got anywhere. He’s been indispensable since Arther’s death.”

“Who wanted to get rid of him? And why?” Rose asked.

“Many, both inside and outside the Guild. It’s not because of anything he’s done, but rather what he might do. You see, he’s on the other side.”

“The other side?” Silver asked.

“If a Dark Age begins, he’ll join the next Sola.” Wise explained, surprised at his own words.

“Correct.” Miki nodded. “While Radin declared his intention centuries ago, it wasn’t until the Laughing Man’s message that concerns circulated.”

Miki reached for the handle, but Soul stopped her, “You’re saying everyone knows he’ll be an enemy, and nothing is done about it?”

The demoness shrugged, “The Black Citadel wouldn’t tolerate interference. While Xarst is neutral, its members aren’t. Taking preemptive action against Radin would deprive him of the right to chose. Moreover, he’s indirectly saved millions through his work. How do you punish someone like that for misdeeds which may never come to pass? It’s not possible. All we can do is pray.”

Inside were rows of desks separated by partitions. Doors to private offices circled the room. The financial department… The grey floor and the somber decor created a gloomy ambiance despite the ceiling lighting. A man and a woman, wearing black uniforms with white shirts, walked by speaking quietly. I feel out of place.

“He’s waiting.” The receptionist motioned left.

Miki lead them to an ominous wooden door and warned them, “Be ready.” For what?

Death assaulted them from all sides. Battling the panic, Hope identified its source: scattered objects drenched in necromancy. They couldn’t compare to what the Necronomicon had radiated, but there were more of them. The place was hard and oppressive, with no carpets or wood furniture. Everything is valuable… The liquor bottles were nothing compared to the room’s contents. She knew this instinctively. Ticking sounds echoed around them. Searching, Hope found a towering steel grandfather clock. The only other sound was a pen’s scratching.

Radin sat behind his desk, not acknowledging them. He looks old… His hair was whitish grey. His facial features sagged, and his hands were covered in wrinkles. So this is what time does to a body. He finished his markings and picked up the paper. In his hand, it folded on itself once, twice, then a dozen times. Once the size of a finger nail, he held it up and a flash of lightning snatched it away.

“Are you surprised by this aged appearance?” Radin spoke. His voice had a raspy raggedness to it, yet boomed with power. It’s my first time hearing an elderly, Hope realized. Do they all sound like this?

“It’s by choice, of course. In finance, physical age carries a certain weight to it. A gravitas if you will. It aids in my dealings with petitioners. Isn’t that right, Miki?”

“You still haven’t approved the budget for Arther’s funeral.” She responded tersely.

“With cause.” Radin focused on Miki, and Hope swore she saw her flinch. “There are unresolved issues we need to discuss.”

Radin’s eyes shifted over them until reaching her brother, “You must be Wise Skyfall. I’ve agreed to teach you necromancy. It’s not a role I play often, but I was pleasantly surprised by your mother. I can tell she isn’t the type for frivolous expenditures. Arther was too indulgent. We are NOT a charity. Moral boosting events are NOT necessary expenses.”

Hope winced at those NOTs. The two utterances had assaulted her consciousness like concussions. Can mere words have such power? She was shaken.

“Anyway, Astra requested this favor and I acquiesced. We’ll start tomorrow at nine AM. Until then, you’re dismissed.” Radin turned back to his work. I’m so glad he’s not my instructor. She was dying to escape.

“I’ve a question.” Wise said. Can’t it wait? Or better yet, use your foresight. While irritated, Hope was also relieved. If her brother could muster the courage for a query, perhaps his training wouldn’t be a disaster.

Radin smiled. Why’s that so sinister? “Are you surprised your ability doesn’t work on me? Don’t be. I’ve interacted with Nero extensively during the Dark Age when I was in charge of war funds. At the time, I grew frustrated that his foresight put me at a disadvantage in our dealings. To rectify the situation, I learned to mask my fate from his vision. Don’t worry. As far as I’m aware, I’m the only one who’s accomplished this feat.” Scary…

Wise shook his head, “That’s not it… Why are you on the other side?” That’s a real question… If Radin was to be believed, her brother couldn’t extract information. It must be a first for him.

Laying his pen aside, Radin crossed his fingers in front of him, peering piercingly, “Because I’ve come to believe Sola was ultimately correct. I can no longer pretend otherwise.”

A chill ran down Hope’s spine. He’s like Sola’s disciples. It hadn’t been just chimeras, monsters, and undead. Humans had chosen to follow her, and most were practitioners from Xarst. Rumor was some had returned to the Black Mountain and lay among the sleepers, waiting for the next opportunity. While Radin had sided with mankind once, he wouldn’t again.

“How was she right?” Wise pressed on.

Radin held his stare a moment then tilted his head, expression easing imperceptibly, “How old are you? fifteen? Far too young. It’s not a perspective that can be reached from so little experience. Some truths must be learned first hand. Forget this matter. Focus on your immediate challenges, such as surviving the next few weeks.”

Radin released his gaze, and the sound of scratching resumed. Miki grabbed Wise’s arm, “time to go.”

They all relaxed once the door clamped shut. “I’m not sure it is a good idea for Wise to train with that man.” Free said.

Miki sighed, “The atmosphere inside Radin’s office is similar to that of Xarst. It may not be pleasant, but it’ll produce the best results.”

Outside the financial department, Miki declared, “This is where we part. Kate will guide you to Agata Nimrod. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a great deal of each other. If you ever need me, I spend most of my time in the Core Room. Find me there.”

“I thought you liked the sun.” Silver joked.

“I do.” Miki scowled. Did he hit a nerve? “It’s a depressing story, really. I used to be an active guild member: taking assignments, responding to crises, running dungeons… Tragically, I’ve an unusually high electric affinity. Once Arther found out, I was drafted, and my adventuring days were over. The Lightning Core’s functions are too important to be left attended. While I’m stuck down here, I haven’t given up on the wall. Sadly, the Core Room best suits my cultivation…”

The long path… Most pursued the faster approach to immortality by racking up accomplishments and letting the HEAVENLY DAO pull them up. The second method was to climb there yourself. If one channeled sufficiently, they’d eventually strengthened their connection to the ether and become part myth. The difficulty lay in doing so within one’s lifespan. Judging by her appearance, Miki has plenty of time.

“Sorry for rushing off. Tomorrow should be better. I’ll introduce you to Sars. Until then, don’t get into trouble.” With a wave, she was gone.

Everyone turned to Kate. “The elevator is this way.” She said nervously. Elevators… Why doesn’t the Inner Palace have any? Kate pushed a button, and a set of doors opened. The control mechanism must be complicated. She could see Lily not wanting to deal with it. Also, she can fly.

“Why’s the financial department so deep underground?” Free asked.

“After the Fracturing, Radin chose to rebuild there due to his aesthetics.” Kate answered. “It’s ground level in a way. If you walk South, you’ll reach the outer guild and the city. Remember Headquarters is built on a rise.”

(continued in part 2)