4-13 Wanted

EnroItzal

There were a lot of jeers and abuse thrown back and forth among the audience due to the bet in place. Small infighting even erupted from that squabble but Erin made no move to stop it. It was neither her fault nor her responsibility after all.

“The Guild Master is ready to see you now, Lady Erynthea,” the female clerk, Layla, strode up to Erin and told her the moment the duel ended.

It immediately became apparent enough to Erin that the Guild Master might have orchestrated this whole farce. But for what reason, Erin did not know. However, it certainly did make Erin wary of whatever scheme the Guild Master might cook up in the future.

“Just you, Lady Erynthea,” Layla said when Erin’s companions started following.

“Bollocks,” Lyra and Nivia said in unison.

“Suspicious,” Siv muttered.

“It’s nothing of that sort, m’ladies,” explained Layla. “The Guild Master believes a subject or topic can be quickly discussed and resolved with just two people in a room rather than a room full of people.”

Lilian tittered. “Sounds like a very wise person, this Guild Master.”

“That will depend on who you ask, Lady Lilian,” Layla replied. “Lady Erynthea, if you would follow me?”

Erin nodded and followed Layla. She glimpsed back and gestured for her companions to stay put but be on constant vigilance.

The Guild Master’s office was on the fifth floor of the building but they weren’t taking the stairs. It would take too long by stairs, the clerk had told Erin.

“Then how do we reach the fifth floor? Jump?”

Layla giggled at Erin’s response and simply pointed in front of them. There was a small platform with magic inscriptions carved onto it behind the reception hall. It was placed at the middle bottom of a spiral staircase that spanned until the uppermost floor of the building. Before Erin could even ask what the platform was, she was inadvertently given a physical demonstration.

“Don’t move around too much,” Layla lightly told her as they stepped onto the platform.

The inscriptions shone and a beam of light shot upwards, raising the two along with the light beam. Erin did not feel empty under her feet. It still felt like she was standing on something solid even though there was nothing under her feet but light and air. It was a little unnerving and discomposing but she held herself upright until they reached the fifth floor.

They disembarked from the elevator of light and walked down a corridor full of doors and rooms that was paved with marble floors and pillars. As they walked, Erin noticed spells of various kinds were imbued or enchanted into this corridor alone, but she couldn’t tell what spells they were exactly.

“There are a lot of spells in place,” Erin muttered.

“They are necessary, Lady Erynthea. The Adventurer’s Guild has a lot of enemies after all. Most of these spells are counter-spells against espionage.”

“And the remaining some?”

“Defensive spells against those who wish to do an employee of the guild any harm.”

This level of security was truly unlike anything Erin had ever known. She couldn’t help but be awed and slightly worried at the same time. It was an acknowledgement of the danger that lurked in this very city.

They came upon a door at the end of the corridor. The door did not look different from all the doors they passed through. This one was simply larger. There was no doorknob on the door. Without knocking or even announcing her presence, Layla simply pushed open the door and walked in. Erin followed suit.

As soon as Erin entered the room, a piece of rock flew her way. Erin brandished her spell sword of Bespoke and cut down the rock. Immediately, two more pieces of rock came and Erin too quickly cut those rocks down.

A larger piece of rock came at Erin after those smaller rocks. She twirled out of the way, letting the rock fly out of the door. Her tails moved in front of her, shielding her from dust that could have blinded her. When her tails withdrew, a cluster of stone shards shot towards her like a volley of arrows. She simply conjured Arcane Aegis and let the stones shatter into fine grains against the shield of magic.

“Impressive,” said a sharp-pitch voice that was laced with a tinge of elderliness. “Most impressive. It would seem that the rumours did not exaggerate. Absurd, yes. Untrue, no. It’s not often you see a person living up to the rumours.”

“Guild Master!” Layla shouted once the flurry of attacks stopped. “What in the Divines were you trying to do?! Was the performance before not enough!?”

“So I was right,” Erin muttered in her heart.

“You called that a performance?” the Guild Master scoffed with a mocking flinch. “That’s a travesty of martial arts and a farce. Anyone with a proper brain and training could beat that sham, Ronan.”

Layla sighed exasperatedly. She looked at Erin with an apologetic and tired smile. “I beg your forgiveness, Lady Erynthea. Regrettably, this eccentric person right here is none other than the Guild Master of the Sephrodia Valley’s branch, Rigetta.”

“Pleasure,” Erin responded dryly but her face was a stark contrast to her indifferent-sounding tone. Aside from the sudden assault and the Guild Master’s blunt tongue, what was more astonishing was the appearance of the Guild Master.

“What’s the matter, Lady Erynthea? Never seen a Dwarrow before?” asked the Guild Master, who was a female Dwarrow, which meant she bore a short stature.

Erin wasn’t stupefied by the fact that the Guild Master was a female Dwarrow or she had an eccentric character. Neither was it because she was sitting on her desk as she was swinging her legs that were dangling off the edge. What was stupefying was the fact that the Guild Master looked just like a little girl around the age of twelve and Erin was sure without a doubt the Guild Master wasn’t a teenager even if she didn’t use Appraisal.

As if reading the confusion from Erin’s gaze alone, Layla explained, “Madam Rigetta has a high affinity with the Spirits for a Dwarrow. She’s able to use the power of the Spirits to retain her youthful appearance.”

Erin quickly confirmed this fact with her Spirit Sight. Sure enough, the Spirits were swarming and spinning around Rigetta like she was a lamp and the Spirits were moths.

“Heavens, Layla,” Rigetta scoffed frivolously. “You made it sound like I’m exploiting the Spirits for some petty selfish gain.”

Layla rolled her eyes and ignored Rigetta’s eccentricity. She just led Erin to the reception couch in front of the desk and began pouring two cups of tea that was on a trolley beside the couch.

“Can we get to the point of this meeting already?” Erin asked as she took a seat on the couch but she refused the tea. It didn’t smell like any tea she knew and knowing just how eccentric the Guild Master was, Erin was further discouraged from accepting the tea.

“Of course, Lady Erynthea,” Rigetta answered with a bow and hopped off the desk. She beckoned for Layla to leave and the clerk quickly did so after bowing to Erin.

Layla left the room with a sympathetic expression, which Erin caught but made no remark of it. Not verbally, at least.

“I know why you’re here, Lady Erynthea,” Rigetta said as she plopped herself right down on the couch across from Erin.

“You do?”

“I have heard of the endeavours and plights you face on your journey to this city and in this city alone.”

Erin made a face.

Rigetta grinned slightly. “News travels fast, m’lady. You certainly have a knack for enticing troubles. Well, rest assured, I won’t pry. But I will say this; don’t.”

“Don’t?”

Layla waved a hand and magic inscriptions revealed themselves in a dazzling glow that covered the walls, floor, and ceiling of the room. “Don’t prod the hornets’ nest. You have seen what the faction can do. You have even encountered some of their unsightly experiment subjects.”

“Those thug-turned-Demons?”

The Guild Master nodded. “Demoids, everyone has taken to calling them as such,” Rigetta continued after the glow died down. “They retained their sanity and reasoning. Though they are not as powerful as a full-fledged Demon, they are still significantly stronger than the average fighters. And they can assume back their human forms at will. Unless one was a Priest or one possessed the Spirit Sight skill, there’s no way to tell them apart from the usual thugs. As you can see, m’lady, the Covenant is not a faction you can take on by yourself,”

“I’m already taking them on and I don’t think they will leave me alone even if I leave them alone first.”

“You have a point there, m’lady,” Rigetta said and drank the cup of tea on the table. “You don’t like tea?”

“I’m not thirsty.”

“Suit yourself, m’lady.” Rigetta took another sip of the tea before putting the cup down. “Are you aware of what’s happening in this city?”

“Not entirely but I know there are random acts of violence and the guards are doing nothing to stop them.”

“Those commotions are distractions. The Covenant can’t bribe the whole city to turn a blind eye. They are moving their base of operations to another place.”

“Moving? Why? Where?”

“I don’t know where but I know why.” Rigetta pointed at Erin. “You are the reason they’re moving.”

“Because I’m a Fae?”

“They can’t kill a Fae, certainly not one that is extremely favoured by the Spirits. This whole valley will be cursed and it wouldn’t just be the people, the lands that will be cursed too. Not even the magic tools and items will be spared from becoming a stigma.”

“Non-living things and inanimate objects can be cursed too?”

“Why else will there be cursed swords and weapons and such?”

“I suppose that makes sense… probably.”

“So, until the Covenant has completely moved away from Sephrodia Valley, they can’t afford to kill you nor incur your unbridled wrath, though your normal wrath seems to be alright alright for them. They can only delay and stall you. If I’m being presumptuous here, I say they are trying to keep you trapped in this valley and finish you off once and for all after they are done with their moving.”

“And how would they go about that?”

Rigetta shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just a presumptuous guess of mine.”

“I’m not hearing a reason as to why I should stop pursuing the Covenant. In fact, I’m hearing a reason as to why I should keep fighting them.”

“The city is already in enough chaos as it is. Your attempts to uncover them will only lead to more disaster and collateral.”

“Maybe if the guards did their job, there won’t be so much disaster and not so much collateral.”

“You’re right about that. Things would certainly be better if the guards could do their job but… ironically and unironically enough, they were paid to not do what they were supposed to be doing as guards.”

“By the Covenant?”

“Yes but not exactly. Through one of their many allies in high places. The highest, I dare say. The viceroy of Sephrodia Valley, of course, Lord Rylan Grid.”

“So that’s the viceroy's name. Finally.” Erin cleared her throat. “So why is the viceroy doing such a thing?”

“Greed and bribery,” Rigetta scoffed. “Need I say more?”

“Bribe with what? Money?”

“Among other things. Rare stones. Spell tomes. Women. Human resources. Just about anything, there is that could be gifted. And beware, Lady Erynthea. Rylan Grid has a liking for fine women like you.”

“What will happen if I just—” Erin drew her fingers across her neck, “—to him?”

Rigetta tittered. “As there is no concrete proof of the viceroy’s misdeeds, you will sour the relationship between the Faerie-kin and the humans, more than it already is. Depending on who you ask, that can be a good thing.”

“Not for me,” Erin muttered. Conflict would only breed catastrophe and she preferred peace over violence if it could be helped. Though she loved a good duel and fight, wars and mass killings were just means to a terrible end.

“Also, be careful of the Venerers. We have three of them in this city. ”

Erin raised an eyebrow. “Who are they?”

“Ruvan Paladins but these Paladins answer directly to the Pontiff himself. Only the Pontiff and the Venerer’s commander can dictate their deeds and actions.”

“Sounds like a very dangerous group. The Guild’s doing nothing?”

“I concur but it’s the Ruvans and we’re just a bunch of idiots who pledged neutrality. And that’s all I have to say, Lady Erynthea.”

“That’s it? That’s all?”

Rigetta nodded. “I just want to make sure that we are on the same ground and page. I just want to make sure that you are aware of my understanding. But please, for the sake of this city and the adventurers, don’t—”

“I can’t do that, Ma’am. It’s not just about me. Innocents will suffer regardless of my decision. I might as well be doing something after all.”

“Is there nothing I can do to change your mind?”

“Unless you plan to stop me physically, no.”

“Well, if I can’t stop you, maybe I can give you some advice.”

Erin crossed her legs and straightened her posture. “I’m listening.”

“You are still an adventurer, Lady Erynthea. You are now a three-star adventurer even. Everything you do will be reflected upon the Guild. So… if you want to help these poor people who were ruined by these plights—”

“—do so under the pretence of it being a quest from the guild.”

Rigetta chuckled with delight. “Yes, precisely. I’m glad you caught on quickly.”

“I was just about to propose the same thing, Ma’am.”

“Oh, please stop calling me Ma’am. I’m only eighty-five years old. Just call me Rigetta, or Riggy if you will.”

“How old is that in human years?”

“Around the late twenties or so, I reckon. It’s around a hundred and forty in Fae’s years.”

Erin stopped her counting when the numbers became too much. She was never good with numbers and arithmetic. “Well then, Riggy, I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Ah, I almost forgot. I already have something prepared for you. How about you start with this?” she said and unfolded a rolled-up paper onto the table. The paper was a handbill of a bounty, issued by the Guild itself. “This person here is a suspected novice member of the Covenant and the one responsible for the Rune Drake’s queer behaviour.”

“This person looks familiar…” Erin mused as she stared at the face printed onto the bill.

“He should be. This man here is Edmund. He’s the former lover of one of your companions, Lyra, if my investigations are true.”

Erin frowned as she recalled. “Oh, right. This fucking sod exists.”