The lobby hadnt changed one bit since the last ti Dallion was here. Even after spending close to two years in the awakened world, Dallion still felt as if he were entering a bank. Four wooden desks were placed at strategic spots, with doors behind, each occupied by an administrator whose job it was to go through the jobs the guild got and assign them to mbers. Back when Dallion was part of it, he constantly wore a guild ring with an echo of an admin inside. Several tis per day hed enter the ring realm, to check if he had to drop by the guild.
There was one major difference, though: the reaction of the people. From the mont Dallion walked in, several of the guild mbers stopped what they were doing and looked in his direction. So knew him from his ti at the guild, the larger part had only heard the rumors.
Newbies, Dallion thought. He recognized the looks of eagerness on their faces.
Dal! a loud yell bood through the room. Youre back!
Heya, Estezol.
Estezol was the person who had helped Dallion fill in the application forms all that ti ago. He was a small, funny man, with an increasingly large beard, who took care of a large part of the practical administration of the place. Officially, he had next to no power. At the ti, Dallion had considered him an over-glorified secretary. However, it had soon beco obvious that he had far more access than people gave him credit for. In all his ti there, Dallion had only seen the guild master, probably twice from a distance; Estezol had weekly talks with him and everyone else of importance within the guild.
Its so good to see you! The bearded man rushed from behind his desk. So, youre a hunter now? Ive been hearing all sorts of rumors. Is it true that you actually fought a dragon on your own?
Thats slightly exaggerated. Dallion smiled. While it was technically true, the creature was a shadow of its forr self and weakened to the point that Dallion managed to defeat it. Whats been going on here? Any new promising newbies?
Compared to you? Estezol laughed. Not a chance! Hey, how are the Lurs? Any chance theyll be joining us anyti soon?
No idea. Im not as close to them as I used to be.
Oh The mans smile faded.
Its nothing serious. We just have different interests now. Theyre working on putting Dherma on the map, and I Well, youve heard the rumors.
Estezol nodded.
I heard what happened to Jiroh. Sorry about that. I miss her a lot.
I know. Shes fine, though. Its what she wanted. Anyway, I heard that there might be a job for .
Looking for work here? Estezol arched a brow. Dont you have enough on your plate? Hunters are very in demand lately.
Estezol Dallion whispered. I know theres a job for . Do you prefer I went ho and wait for soone to call ?
Thats not necessary, a female voice said a short distance away. Looking up, Dallion saw a woman wearing full plate armor.
March, Dallion thought.
When he had learned that she had asked for him, there had been a mont during which he hoped that his current level would put him on an equal footing. He couldnt have been further from the truth. All the experience hed received, all the achievents, the level increases, even the familiars, and weapons, didnt seem to have narrowed the gap by an inch. March was considered the golden girl of the guild: a current captain and forr imperial soldier, she was the main drive that brought recruits to the guild, and unofficially the third most important Icepicker. She was also probably the only person who walked about in full armor more often than not, even when there was no reason for her to do so.
You look well, Dallion, the woman said. Join upstairs.
There was an awkward mont of silence. People stopped pretending to do whatever they were doing and openly followed the exchange.
Good to see that you still have an impact on this place, Nil laughed.
Yeah, Dallion thought. Almost as great an impact as when I quit.
Yes, maam, he replied, and followed her upstairs.
The two made their way to the fourth floor.
Thereve been a few changes I see, Dallion said as he saw the single tal door. In the past, all of them had been wooden. This one not only was made of a solid alloy, but Dallion could feel that the walls beyond it were as well, making it more vault than room.
A few changes were needed after your last adventures, March said calmly. There was no anger in her or her voice, although Dallion could sense lingering traces of disappointnt. Go in. She pulled the large door open, revealing nothing but darkness inside.
There was a slight mont of hesitation, but ultimately, Dallion did as he was asked. The woman was at least ten levels above him, possibly twenty. That was quite impressive, considering Dallion had reached the mid-fifties; it also ant that she wouldnt have a problem forcing him inside, if that was her intention.
Slightly on edge, Dallion stepped in. March followed and closed the door. The mont she did, the entire ceiling lit up. No less than a dozen light crystals were visible, all glowing in a bright white light. Given the cost of each so far east, soone in the guild had spent quite a lot of money on this. Though that wasnt the most astounding thing Dallion witnessed. He had expected to find the world sword in the room. However, he had never seen two side by side.
Another request from our patron, March said.
I didnt think hed have two, Dallion whispered. He had heard of their existence, but he never imagined hed actually see them.
At first glance, the weapons seed quite normal, even if skillfully made. What few knew was that each contained a whole world in which millions of dryads had been sent, long before the race had been banished out of existence. It was said that there were a handful of world items in the empire. Two of them were in this very room. It was one of these items that had made Dallion quit the guild a year back. He had been recruited by March to beco part of her expedition to explore and restore the world sword. As a result, he had gone solo, all with the goal to gain the skill gem that the realm hid, and through it gain the zoology skills that allowed him to discern the behavior of creatures, and even talk to them when combined with his writing skills.
Weve reached the hilt of the first sword, March said. All cracklings and other nasties have been defeated, though not the last two guardians.
I bet. Dallion hadnt co close to defeating any of them on his own. So youre going to start a new expedition in this one? he pointed at one of the swords. Unlike its neighbor, its entire blade was covered in rust and cracks.
Eventually, yes. Thats not the reason I requested you.
So, it sounded that she was the driving force behind that. That was to be expected. The guild master was more a behind the scenes type of guy.
Captain Adzorg is thrilled, Im sure.
Within Dallions realm, Nil coughed diplomatically. Captain Adzorg was the original who had created him and given him to Dallion, along with an entire library in the realm of a ring.
The guild master agreed with on this, so I dont care what he thinks, Marchs tone beca icy. She and the old man had never gotten along well. I need you to find sothing for in the wilderness.
The wilderness? Dallion blinked. That was unexpected. Ever since hed known her, March had rarely left the city, if at all. For her to make such a request, there had to be sothing serious at play. And you want ? I doubt I can offer any skills that you dont have. Dont you usually use Vend for that?
Your forr ntor is unparalleled when it cos to combat splitting, but hes not adequate for this request. Besides, hell never be allowed a hundred miles from where well be headed. And Im not entirely welco there either.
Dallion remained silent. There were consistent rumors that March had ssed up big ti, resulting in her being kicked out of the imperial guard and outcast to Nerosal. That was the role of the city, after all: a place where all awakened that ssed up could live and, potentially, get a new start.
My na was erased, she said calmly. Also, Im forbidden from using my awakened powers to their full extent in the real world without the archdukes permission.
You never told that, Nil, Dallion grumbled.
It was not for to say, the echo replied. Besides, I thought youd have figured it out at so point. All the awakened who have nas based on months, flowers, or objects have had their nas removed.
Im not talking about the na.
You dont need to decide right away, March continued. Theres a lot that needs to be prepared, on many fronts. Not to ntion that the festival this year will be rather unusual. The countess doesnt want a repeat of last years chaos.
I bet. I take it there wont be any imperial visitors this ti?
The woman glared at him for three full seconds, then shook her head.
The imperial family had respectfully declined the invitation, as they have consistently done for years. Archduke Lanitol did the sa, though for different reasons. Bottom line, you have until the end of the festival to decide.
That was almost three months.
I was thinking of giving the festival a pass this year, Dallion said.
Wise choice. Thats why the expedition wont start imdiately after. Ill remain here for a few more weeks. If youre not in Nerosal, Ill assu that youve either decided to decline the offer, or the Moons have done it for you.
That was a good way of putting it. Being the deities of the world, the Moons had the power to do pretty much anything, even if they followed a long set of complicated rules. In this case, though, what March was saying was that there would be no hard feelings should Dallion choose to have nothing to do with the expedition.
Do I get any details or only once I accept the request? Dallion moved closer to the swords on the far wall.
So believe theres another world sword out there. Supposedly, it was found in the ruins beneath Nerosal and smuggled out centuries ago. Thereve been hundreds of rumors of such nature throughout the decades, but in this case, our patron believes theres enough to it for us to go on a search. Once we reach the capital, well be told what to do.
Red flags popped up in Dallions mind. There was no way sothing this important would be entrusted to rcenaries. The only reason that the Icepicker guild was involved had to be that the Archduke couldnt trust anyone else in his imdiate vicinity. That opened all sorts of cans of worms.
One more thing, March added. There are signs that the sword might be involved in the poisoned crops.
Just when Dallion thought he had pieced everything together, this caught him completely by surprise.
How? he asked before he could stop himself. The poisonings didnt start in the empire. They began all the way west.
That might be so, but there havent been any in more cases since then. Most of the new cases are in the middle of the continent, and according to so of the information from our patron, the sword has also been on the move for a very long ti.
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