Unlike the very casual room that Haggart had met with Simone in, Melrose’s office reminded her more of that of a college professor’s space. The room was narrow and long making room for a desk framed by several bookshelves and a high-backed chair. A pair of smaller seats were set in front of the desk and beyond them was what looked more like a museum than a personal office space. There were several podiums with old pieces of equipment and material set beneath shimmering transparent domes of what appeared to be some kind of magic. On the left was a heavy armchair next to a free-standing green chalkboard that had had that milky quality to it that made it look well used.

Melrose gestured to one of the seats facing his desk and made himself comfortable in his own chair. Simone sat after a moment’s pause, taking it all in. Melrose leaned back in his chair and smiled at her, “What do you think?”

“You guys really settled in, didn’t you?” Simone said as Kik climbed off her shoulder and began walking around the little podiums, gawking, “Kik! Don’t touch anything!”

Kik grumbled something about treasures and she rolled her eyes. She turned back when Melrose cleared his throat. “I was meaning to ask you, how did you come across that greklin?”

“Kik?” She asked, glancing back at the creature as it hopped into the armchair and sank into the comfortable surface with a wide, silly smile on its face. “We met while I was down in some tunnels after I first arrived. It helped me out and eventually opted to tag along.”

“Strange, Greklin are normally hostile,” Melrose said, rubbing his chin, “Is he-”

“It. Kik prefers Kik or It,” Simone corrected him.

Melrose raised his eyebrows and looked down at Kik again, “I suppose that answers my question in its own way,” He chuckled and shook his head. “At any rate, we aren’t here to talk about that.”

“Right,” Simone said with a nod. “I’ll be honest, I still haven’t decided whether or not I want to join up at all. Though Haggart definitely gave me a better impression.”

“He’s a good man,” Melrose said with a gentle smile, “Most of us in the administration try to be. We’ll start there, I think explaining how we’re structured might give you a better idea about how all this works.”

“Fair.”

“At the top of our organization is the Guild Master, he is the direct point of contact between us and the Archduke who is our primary supporter and source of funding. Without the Archduke none of this would have been possible,” Melrose began, “Guild Master Two-Lane-”

“Tulane?”

“Two-Lane, as in a two-lane road.”

“That’s a bit… weird.”

Melrose laughed, “You’re right, even he will admit that his choice was a bit strange but he had a different view of the world when he was first summoned here five years ago.”

“So he’s one of the first?”

“Yes, as am I,” Melrose said soberly, “It was a bit harrowing at first, to say the least,” He paused and shook his head before letting out a sigh and continuing. “There are six administrators: Myself, Haggart, Berg, Slice, Starlight, and Mordret. While the Guild Master is in charge of larger-scale decision-making and interaction with the royals. We are responsible for day-to-day affairs within the Guild as well as managing our own sub-groups. I am the leader of the non-human league.”

“What’s that about anyway?” She asked, “Like, are none of you human?”

“Quite the contrary, about half of the league is made up of those who picked human as their initial race. We take exception to the rather stark condition of interracial relations in Katal and the world abroad. Frankly the more I hear about the war between the Humans and the Azar the more I think that the humans brought it on themselves,” He said with a shrug, “Though that kind of talk can get you in trouble with the Archduke,” He rolled his eyes and moved on, “That said, almost all of us in the league have taken on a racial aspect of some kind and more often than not, one that is not our chosen species.”

“Racial Aspect?”

“There are as many aspects out there as there are concepts, ideas, or things,” Melrose explained, “There are even Aspect Stones that contain the purest nature of a particular race including an encoding of their living history. It’s more effective if you take on a Racial Aspect that matches your current race but to be honest any combination is viable. Though a few of us have learned from experience that trying to absorb multiple racial aspects is a bad idea.”

“Like yourself?” Simone asked, a bit of a smile creeping onto her face.

“Thankfully, no, but if you ever happen to run into a man named Yaver on your travels, please be kind,” Melrose said.

“He doesn’t stay at the guild hall?”

“More like he can’t,” Melrose said with a shake of his head, “Poor man.”

“So don’t go absorbing aspects willy-nilly, got it, how many can I absorb anyway?” Simone asked.

“Five,” He said.

“So I’ve got three slots left, I’m guessing I can’t change them out, can I?”

“No one’s ever figured out a method to do so, no,” Melrose said and cleared his throat, “Back on topic, the groups within the guild are largely informal and some of our members are part of multiple groups. Even so they each exist primarily to serve the guild in some way and support it. Talis’ is a very extreme example of a member of the Lorekeepers. Though he isn’t the only one like that. Haggart has his own opinions of the group but they aren’t exactly wrong for wanting information to be shared to every member of the guild.”

Simone’s lips thinned, “Not a fan, no offense. I’ll share what I want to share.”

“That is entirely your right,” Melrose said with a nod.

“So you talked about how things are set up, but how does it all work? What do I get out of being part of this whole thing?” She asked. Nothing was free, there was always a catch, and that included her help. She wasn’t going to do anything unless there was a damn good reason to play nice with others.

“The Guild supports and protects its members. Members of the Guild have special rights in Katal, discounts on services in town, you will be given your own room to stay in as well as room and board of course. We have a private bank with magic tools developed to access your funds remotely. We have a training hall, classes on magic, doctors and therapists, as well as a number of other perks and benefits. These benefits extend to anyone who you have made a companion.”

Simone blinked, that was way, way more than she was expecting. “What’s a companion?”

Melrose frowned and glanced over at Kik, “You didn’t invite Kik to your party?”

“I can do that?” Simone asked.

He let out his very first, genuine laugh, “Yes, of course you can. Non-Adventurers added to an Adventurer’s party gain the ability to use the Outsider’s Toolkit as well as level up.”

“Normal people can’t level up?” She blanched, looking over at Kik and back at Melrose. “Woah, wait, doesn’t that mean that adventurers are crazy strong compared to-”

Melrose’s face suddenly became stormy, “That is exactly what that means. This power comes with responsibility. At level two you are already significantly more dangerous than the majority of the population of Katal. Especially having already gained two aspects. Aspect Stones are rare, young miss. They’re basically a national resource. You can’t just dig them up or farm for them like this is some kind of game. Some people go their entire lives without even seeing one.”

Simone felt a chill run up her spine, she swallowed, “Oh.”

He let out a breath and resumed his more pleasant expression, “I just want you to understand that this is not a game. This world is dangerous and we need to band together as much as we can, especially with Teyva Akura looming over our heads.”

“Who is she, anyway? Like, she just appeared out of nowhere five years ago, right? Is she one of us?” Simone pressed.

“That’s a going theory and I suspect the Archduke might have the answer to that question, though he has not shared it with me,” Melrose admitted, “That said, she was already in power when the first of us arrived on Orum. So many doubt that is the case, including myself. Apparently the general populace learned that she was the daughter of the previous Demon Lord who was killed during a subjugation raid lead by Katal five years ago.”

Simone nodded, “Makes sense. But if they could take down the last Demon Lord why don’t they just deal with her the same way?”

Melrose deflated a little, “Because she wiped out every single soldier that was there that day after she slaughtered the powerful ascendants that were the backbone of the army. According to scouts the Katali army gave as good as it got, though, and the Azar army was pretty much decimated in exchange.”

“So is that the ultimate goal here? Beat her?” Simone asked, trying not to think too hard about the implications of what he was saying. She wasn’t sure she could handle it right now.

“That’s one-” He was cut off by the sound of raised voices in the hall. He frowned and got up from his seat, “Who on earth would be brazen enough to-”

The door to the office swung open with a bang and an older man in fine clothes stormed inside followed by a very frantic-looking elven woman. She looked positively mortified, “Oh goodness, My Lord, please, Admin Melrose is in the middle of an orientation!”

“Melrose!” The old man barked, turning to look at Simone. His eyes twitched once before looking her up and down, his lips forming a thin frown. “Is this her?”

Melrose’s expression paled, he looked between Simone and the old man and cleared his throat, “If by her you mean the new recruit, then yes, My Lord Archduke.”

Simone hopped to her feet and spun, pressing herself back against the desk. The old man appraised her again, his expression softening before eventually breaking into a smile. “To think one of your people would finally pick Azar. Magnificent. You look just like one of them,” He said before extending a hand, “I am Archduke Bertrand Otel. And I want to personally implore you to join the Guild.”