Chapter 11 – The Guild.

“What are you talking about? That’s impossible.”

“Say that to my party member that got pierced by a damn arrow! That bridge was supposed to be safe, we followed the guild instructions and now both of them are dead!”

“We would need to confirm your claims, the dungeon is set for another shift in another five months, it’s impossible that something changed this early.”

“How will you do that, they both fell into that bottomless pit, are you going to have someone climb down here? Even if they did, what would that accomplish, the dungeon would have swallowed up their bodies already!”

“I understand, but please stop shouting…”

“How can I stop? You sold us faulty information!”

A large man was shouting at a smaller woman wearing large glasses. She was wearing a unique uniform that marked her as a member of the Adventurer Guild’s management staff. The woman took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure despite the heated confrontation.

Her adventurer guild uniform was a striking blend of functionality and style, designed for both practicality and recognition. The rich navy blue fabric, though understated, carried a strong visual identity. The outfit featured a floor-length skirt that gracefully reached the ankles, and a prominent guild badge adorned with a layered arrangement of sword, shield, and staff, indicating her affiliation with the guild.

“Is there a problem?”

A man asked, his voice calm but authoritative.

“Ah Sir…”

Amidst the commotion, a person materialized beside the woman, who served as one of the many receptionists in the expansive building. The counter they occupied was just one of many within the vast structure. For her safety, especially from the adventurer elements, her section of the counter was segregated and protected by thick metallic bars. The man who appeared stood on the adventurer’s side, who showed no signs of backing off despite the circumstances.

“The problem is your guild selling faulty information.”

Other adventurers and onlookers began to turn their attention toward the unfolding scene. In a place where reliable information was crucial, claims of a disturbance attracted the curiosity of those seeking help. The man who had appeared seemed prepared to request the adventurer to quiet down, but before he could speak, another adventurer chimed in, adding to the growing interest and speculation among the onlookers.

“Hey, haven’t some of the new parties not returned yet? A priest from the church was here the other day, I think that he was asking for a cleric who didn’t return from an expedition.”

“Now that you say it… I think another group had also gone missing…”

Everyone started mumbling and the news that something strange was happening within the dungeon. The woman behind the counter exchanged a quick glance with the man who had appeared beside her. It was clear that they were not expecting such an uproar over what seemed like an isolated incident. The adventurer guild took pride in providing accurate and up-to-date information to its members, and any suggestion of misinformation was a serious matter.

“If this has any validity… then we need to investigate.”

The man looked to the receptionist who quickly turned to the man who had been shouting before.

“Sir, could you please calm down and provide us with more details? We take these matters seriously, and we will investigate the claims. This gentleman here will take your statement, so please follow him.”

The adventurer exchanged glances with the brawny man from the guild, who sported an eyepatch over one eye, reflecting a grizzled and experienced demeanor. They eventually moved to a more secluded spot where the younger man gathered himself and began to explain the situation. He recounted the events that unfolded in the dungeon, emphasizing the strange attack coming from a faraway location.

“An arrow? Was it a Skeleton Scout?”

“No, I saw it for a moment, it looked different… it was reflecting light and wearing armor.”

“Armor?”

The man with the eyepatch furrowed his brow, deep in thought. The details provided were intriguing and raised questions about the nature of the dungeon’s inhabitants. He took notes on the adventurer’s statement, making sure to document the discrepancies between the reported incident and the guild’s information.

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. In the meantime, please refrain from spreading panic among the other adventurers. We don’t want to cause unnecessary chaos.”

The brawny man spoke with authority, and the adventurer nodded in agreement. After managing to calm down a bit the man that reported the issue went away and the adventurer guild staff remained.

“What do you think, guild leader? Was that person making it up?”

The receptionist lady asked the man after the issue was resolved. The adventurers inside the guild continued to whisper and chat, it was now something that they couldn’t ignore.

“It might be a lie but…”

“But?”

“We can’t ignore it now, the guild’s name is on the line, schedule a meeting for the scouting party and let them check those claims.”

“Of course, sir.”

“Don’t call me sir, I’m not that old, I’m only thirty eight!”

“Uh…sure…”

The man scratched his beard before walking away, leaving the lady receptionist to roll her eyes in annoyance. Once he was gone, she resumed her work, realizing that it was now her responsibility to get to the bottom of this situation. Assembling a scouting party became imperative; while adventurers going missing wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, the fact that they vanished within a seemingly safe zone added an unusual element to the mystery.

*****

‘What was different that time around? I’m not getting the same feeling with these creatures now…’

Rusty pondered, reflecting on the successful adventurer slaying he had executed some time ago. Memories of his first kill resurfaced, the necessity to use his helmet to incapacitate one adventurer, and the subsequent struggle to deliver a finishing blow to an injured woman, which then led him to almost being discovered. Over time, he had slain multiple adventurers, and any initial remorse had faded. Instead, he found himself fixated on leveling up and growing stronger.

‘Was it because they were injured by another person? Hm, that’s not quite it…’

Since his visit to the soul forge, Rusty had experienced a surge in strength and wisdom. He now knew that he had swallowed two entities, which somehow fused with his essence. The black orb claimed that the knowledge inside him belonged to these two orbs. Rusty could only deduce that his actions might be influenced by those memories or the entities themselves. However, as he grew stronger, their hold on him seemed to waver, and he considered the possibility that he was becoming more of his own person.