Ascension: The Immortal Emperor IC

Athevna is an empire of power, growth and culture. In this whole world no civilization had reached as far as Athevna, uniting an entire land together under one rule. But that the golden age of such empire, now Athevna is a land of corruption, doubt and tyranny. It's once powerful Emperor has vanished and no one knows what has become of him, some even believe that he is simply hidden inside his palace.

However, among the corrupt cities, one remains untouched by the empire's grasp. Miros, the city of mercenaries is the second largest city. Built by those who reside in it, the empire had little to no control over it's growth. In this city the Emperor is not the ruler, it's Mercenaries are. But despite it's greatness the city is simple in design, majority of it's buildings are simple houses where the Mercenaries rest before going out to work, the few who were not Mercenaries were traders, people who's goal was to sell goods and equipment to the Mercenaries.

In the center of the city stood the Mercenaries Guild, here Mercenaries would gather, socialize, trade and argue, but more important, this is where they would find their work. In front of it was the Main Road where all of the commercial existed and all around that were houses.

There were no guards, instead Mercenaries would be given work to watch over the city in case bandits tried to raid it, of course only madmen would attack a city where 90% of it's population are warriors, but one could never be to careful. However today was different, today there were guards, just outside the city was an encampment of an army from the Emperor.

Spoiler:

The one leading the army was Adam, a young prodigy that had recently become an Elite Captain, he was in a mission, to collect taxes from the city of Mercenaries. To do this he stood inside the office of the Guild Master.

"Really? Haven't I already said that we work independently from the Empire? If we use nothing from them, what exactly are we paying for?"

The one Adam was talking to answered, it was female voice that was both powerful and convincing.

"I understand your argument however, this land belongs to the Emperor, as such you must pay the fee for living in this land."

But Adam would not back off, he did not get his position by just swinging his sword, he had to use his wits and words to get to where he is now. And besides this was not the first time he was arguing with this person.

The woman sighs, she likely does not agree with his answer but at the same time can not find away to counter it.

"This is unfair you know? Did they send YOU here on purpose Adam?"

The woman opens a drawer in her desk and begins to take out sacks of gold.

"Quite likely, as much as it pains me to do this to my former teacher, the law is the law, you should know that already."

The woman hands out several sacks of coins, there was likely a fortune there, but considering she was paying for everyone in the city, it was a reasonable amount.

"So, how are things in the capital? Did the Emperor finally show himself?"

Adam frowns as he looks through one of the windows.

"Bad, people are getting restless, they want their leader back, but he refuses to show himself. Even myself have not been allowed to see him and I'm Elite Captain, only those corrupt advisors are allowed to see him."

The woman sighs, it seems things were as bad as she had expected them.

"Now then, if you will excuse me, I will be leaving, perhaps we will meet again under other conditions."

Adam bows and leaves with the taxes, he had triumph, given he had only been able to do so because he knew the Guild Master on personal level.

".....There goes my savings....How unfortunate."

The woman picks a cup of glass and pours wine into it.

Thevana's door creaked open once more, and a figure posed in the door, smirking and self-assured.

"Fortunately, my lovely Thevana," he said. "My company is free."

He strolled into the office uninvited and leaned against Thevana's desk, his eyes twinkling with mischievous pleasure.

"You know, you seem to get more beautiful every time I see you," he said, grin broadening. "Ah, don't worry. My compliments are free too."

--------------------

"Tch. Useless."

There was a clang of metal as another weapon was tossed onto the mounting pile. By now, it resembled a monstrous porcupine, with blades jabbing out of it from all angles.

This newest sword was quite exceptional and special - they all were - but it still wasn't enough. Not for Echidna's purposes.

Echidna sighed and removed Phobos from its sheath, examining the blade.

"I am all the weapon you need, Master," it said, the voice reverberating in her head.

Echidna rolled her eyes. Ever since the Guild Master Thevana had gotten her wily fingers on it, the stupid thing had begun to develop a mind of its own. She didn't need a thinking weapon, but it was too valuable to get rid of. She would just have to put up with it till a better one came along.

"Shut up," she muttered, sticking it back in its sheath. Perhaps she'd visit the Guild and have Thevana shut it back up. Or, at the very least, get tip-offs on some legendary weapons.

--------------------

Failures were just steps toward successes.

Viser knew this. It was a lessen his master, Argus, had instilled within him. And yet, it pained him each time his alchemy failed to produce the desires results. It was not a matter of time or energy; he would devote as much as needed.

But atlas, it meant a depletion of resources. That meant buying more, which meant using gold, which meant losing time to head to the guild and offer up his services.

Well, it couldn't be helped. Patience was the key.

"A dime is fine pay by me, kid." Said the man, giving the cat to the boy. "but-" the boy looked at the man with its watery eyes, the man messed up the boy's hair with his hand. "I said it's enough, take your pet and go back home safe." The man smiled at the boy and so did the boy, and the boy gave him the short bow and quickly took off.

The boy was going back home, safely, with his precious cat.

The man, who had passed the cat to the boy smiled, then sighed as the boy finally disappeared from his sight. "Oh well, who knew cat's owner was the poor kid..... Right, partner?" He asked the question in mid air, then answer came from his dagger that was on his waist. "You knew it from the beginning..."

The man smiled, "Yeah, well... But wasn't it worth it? To see a smile of the kid?" There was an awkward silence, then the dagger answered with a sigh. "I do not have actual eyes to see, but yes, the boy sounded happy."

The man stretched his arm to the sky, "Well that was a good hunt, I must say." he commented, the sword also made a comment. "You don't call that hunt. You call that game of hide and seek. Well, I give you the credit of scaring the bear before you rescue the cat, Basil"

The man who was called Basil, grinned, "Thanks pal," then he started walk towards the direction that was called 'home', well that was what he called 'Miros'.

Basil suddenly pick up speed and ran towards the cliff, instead of making fall from the cliff, he was in the air and started flying. Soon, as the job he just had wasn't far from Miros, he reached his destination. He landed ever softly to the ground. He was home.

But, he was surprised to see armies marching out from 'Miros'.

Basil curled his lips, "I guess it's that kind of the day? Hmmm what was it again... Ah, yes, tax paying day..."

He rubbed his neck, "Well... hopefully guild master isn't in great bad mood..." He commented and entered the city, walking towards the guild hall, well, he was not going to enter it though...

Basil was going to look through the job commercials again.

Thevana - Illya

Thevana eyes the man that has entered her office without notice. Had it been anybody else she would have been annoyed, however this man was Roland and she had grown to expect this behavior, not even his bold flirt caught her by surprise. Given the first time she had stuttered and almost fallen off her chair.

"Ah Roland, your company is as timely as ever."

She praises him for knowing when to show up. She picks up another cup of glass and begins to fill it with wine handing it to Roland.

"So? Have you come here for the usual court or are you here to impress me with your work?"

She taunts him, as she begins to pick up a couple papers, she was used to his flirt, it almost a daily thing by now, however she couldn't really reject him, he really knew how to be persistent.


_______________________________________________________


Adam - Echidna

Adam walks out the guild hall, he had done his job and was now setting up to leave the city back to the capital. While walking away he notice a figure that sparked his attention, it was a woman, younger than him, he could tell she was step above the average mercenary just from her composure.

But that was not what caught his attention, it was her face. He was certain he had seen her before.

"Halt."

He ordered with a strong voice.

"I wish to make a couple questions to you."

Recognizing faces from mercenaries was not unusual, however he had a gut feeling he had seen the woman's face without the context of a mercenary.


_______________________________


Basil

Outside the Guild Hall was a large board filled with papers with requests. This board was known as the Beggars' Quest. It was board where the Guild had no responsibility for, anything you gained from it was yours to keep, but there was also no security about it, in other words, anyone could go there and put up whatever they wants. It was not the first time someone had been fooled into doing something they were not going to be payed for.

Still it was easiest and fastest way to get recognition from the Guild until they started to call you for serious quests.

The quests available there right now were numerous and varied.

"Hunt Gorm meat."

"Find my pet."

"Get me resources X"

"Find my weapon back."

"Find my pet"

Basil read the title of the quest, and he decided to look into it deeper.

"Again hide and seek? Basil... are you trying to bored me to death?" Basil grinned, "Come on, Nihaya. It's going to be fun, making people smile is always fun."

The dagger shook, but it settled down. "no wonder people calls you a 'Free Sword'...." It commented, but Basil was still grinning, he looked at the details of the job.

Roland took the glass from Thevana and gave a her a small toast before downing a large mouthful.

"Why not both?" he said, wiping a trickle of wine from his goatee with the back of his hand. "I see no harm in mixing business with pleasure. It was on my last job to the far south that I learned the haunting poetry of the wastelands. I'll have to give you a recitation sometime."

He winked, then downed the rest of his wine. When he had finished, his expression became a bit more serious.

"So, tax season already?" he murmured, setting the glass down. "Collecting taxes for a king we don't even know lives anymore. Hardly seems fair."

Of course, Roland had never stayed still long enough to pay a tax in his life, so perhaps he was just a bit biased.

--------------------

Tax Day.

Echidna had completely lost track of what time of the year it was. If she had remembered, she would have laid low in her hideout till the coast was clear.

As it was, that was no longer an option. She was already in Miros before she noticed the concentration of soldiers. She no longer acted, dressed, or appeared the same as she once did when she was in the army, but to the keenest of eyes. These low rank men probably wouldn't notice. It might be safer to press forward and hide out in the guild.

To her alarm, however, she came across someone just leaving the building who, unlike the rest, might just be able to place her.

Adam...

This could be bad. Very bad.

"What words could one of the Emperor's elite captains want with a simple mercenary?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest, eyes narrowed.

A large house was a luxury amongst a city of Mercenaries, and King had managed to secure herself one. Or perhaps today she felt like being called Alice? Maybe even Revya? First she needed to fully wake up and decide. Right now she was way too groggy to think. And her head hurt. Why was that again? Yesterday she ended up in a fight and...

Turning over in her bed, she saw a mostly-drank bottle of fire rum. Oh. Yeah. The guy had repaid her with a case of booze. What a nice merchant he was. Well, waste not, want not. She picked up the bottle and finished what little was left. It stung like sin on the way down, which was well enough to put a slap to her senses. She got up and went through her morning routine, grabbing a bite to eat from her Pantry.

...There was no one else in this large house.

Ah, right. She had to sell her slave the other day. It wasn't that she was short on money, she just didn't have enough cash value. Some of the items she... ahem, 'inherited' from her village were still being sold. ...The house was much to uncomfortable and silent without someone else in it.

Yeah. She supposed she had to work now. ... Well, today certainly wasn't a good day. She supposed today her name would be King. Maybe today somebody needed to be killed. She was good at that. King could do that. And enjoy it too.

On her way out, the young woman took down and put on the ridiculous cape she was known for. Or was she known for leaving most of her upper-body uncovered? Well, whatever. King left her home and headed for the Mercenary's Guild. The traffic was heavy, considering that was the main hub of the entire city, but it seemed heavier than usual...




Ah. That's why. There seemed to be a bunch of soldiers around. ... Oh, and a person called out to someone. ... He seemed to be an Elite Captain? Joy!


With a whir of the air, she stopped in her tracks and swung out her large sword from her back, her cape flowing back. Slamming the sword into the ground with her hands resting on it, King merely smiled. The source of this was pure anticipation, and the action was unquestioningly an unnerving sight. Her presence was as oppressive as a bear inside a hen house, and for those who knew her reputation as 'insane,' was perhaps just as frightening. However, she wasn't saying anything or approaching the soldiers. She wasn't trying to intimidate them.

Basil

As Basil looked into the the quest, he read.

Quote :

Find my Pet

Please help me, I haven't seen my dog for days, I think he got lost in the desert.
Please if you can come to X so I can describe him to you.

Reward: Anything I have.

Basil can tell from the handwriting that this was written by a child and by the condition of the paper, likely a poor one.

_____________


Thevana - Roland

Thevana giggled at Roland's attempts to court her, she took a sip of her wine as she enjoyed hearing his words. There was something about Roland that fascinated her, he wasn't the first one to court her, but he was the first to do so so adamantly.

"Hmm, maybe one day.~~"

Which only made her want to see how far he'll go for her. She knew Roland was cunning and was likely also only continuing because she was not rejecting him, even if not inviting either.

"Unfortunately anything is hardly fair and so long as the royal advisors are in their seats, they will keep the farce up. I mean, really, when not even your own army knows your face, what can you call that other than farce."

Thevana wasn't happy, she didn't want to pay taxes, she didn't see why she had to. But if she didn't the army would just run them down. The fact that Miros was the only city that had an army at it's doorsteps every year when it was to collect taxes. It really showed how bad the situation was.

"We'll just have to wait and see, I guess. By the way, of the current mercenaries we have, any that caught your interest?"

She asked him in a serious tone, this was a request she had made him some time ago, to be on the look out for mercenaries that had potential to be on the top. She hadn't explained at the time why she needed that information, only saying she would tell him if he did his part first.

____________

Adam - Echidna


Adam's eyes narrow at her behavior, very defense, but he made his question nevertheless.

"Sorry to bother you. However your face is familiar, have we met before? Could you tell me your name?"

His voice is sincere but strong. The more Adam talks to her the more he seems to be certain that he knows her, however it was either from a brief exchange or a long time ago. Perhaps even both.

Echidna could tell one thing for certain, whatever Adam was remembering about her, was not negative.

Roland scratched at his chin, looking thoughtful. Most of the ones who'd caught his eye had probably caught hers long before him.

"Well, Zaid and Echidna come to mind, but I hear you hand-picked them yourselves. I don't think even I'd like to scrap with them. There's that Reyva woman, too. She always looks like she's out for blood."

What was it with this Guild that attracted such fearsome women? Of course, Roland liked a strong woman, but one with a little more grace, like Thevana.

"I've seen that alchemist a few times around. Viser?" he continued, helping himself to Thevana's wine bottle and pouring himself another glass. "Seems competent and pretty powerful. Not your usual mercenary type."

He took a long sip from his goblet, humming thoughtfully to himself.

"Heard a few people mention Basil Zahir and Izlazak Roho as being pretty capable. Personally, from what I've observed, they don't seem to have both feet quite on the ground though. They don't make this new brood like they used to."

Polishing off another glass, he smacked his lips and smiled - his stamp of approval on a good bottle.

"You got something big lined up?" he asked, raising his brows. "I want in."

--------------------

Echidna pursed her lips. Adam was no less perceptive than he had been at the time they'd known each other. He showed promise, perhaps more than she had. After all, he was now an elite captain, and she a failed assassin.

"I don't see how that's possible," she said. It didn't seem as if he'd be deterred, however.

"Echidna," she replied. It wouldn't matter. He might recognize the rumors of her accomplishments as a mercenary, but he would only remember her as Selene, former imperial guard.

Selene... her formal self. The self that had died so Echidna could live. So that her revenge could live on.

One young man sat stood at the doorway of the Guild Hall, watching the events transpiring outside. He watched intently, as if expecting something amusing to happen. Roho was, after all, bored.

While he stood there leaning on the doorway, however, his presence seemed faint, as if he were simply a fleeting illusion. After watching a while without event, Roho eventually gave up seeing any action here, and instead headed inside, where he collapsed into an armchair, and proceeded to continue reading the book that he had been holding in his hand. Really, if nothing interrupted him, he may just sit there for several hours. It was rare that he read a book after all.

Basil smile faded, and sighed. "What is it? I sense the change of your emotion." Nihaya asked, Basil, who was grinning, had a toned down smile.

In fact, Basil was not happy at all. Lost dog in desert? For days? The dog won't survive.... "If I go there and I could only find the worst outcome.... Is it worth it, Nihaya?"

Then the sword gave out a chuckle, "You humans never fails to amaze me with this 'if' sentences. How would you know the outcome of the event when you are not even looking for one? Time changes, Fate changes.... every single detail changes... Even one does nothing to change it, change will come. Inevitably. Thus, 'outcome' will change too. I don't mind if you sit here and do nothing. But, I do not want you to be troubled by something so minor, Basil."

Basil was taken a back, "Wow, words of encouragement? That's new," The dagger shook, then settled down. "Hey, I am pretty old and unlike your kinds, I become wiser as I grew older."

Basil then scratched his chin, "So how old are you again?" The talking dagger sighed, "No comment."

Basil had his smile returned, then stretched his arms to the sky once more. "Alright, since you are very encouraging today, I shall see this boy and play hide and seek with his missing dog!"

"What? Seriously? Another hide and seek game? You know what? Forget what I said earlier!"

"Too late!" Said Basil, grinning and he jumped, and unlike ordinary jumpers (who jumps and usually lands back on the ground), he did not land to the ground, instead he started to float in mid air, then he was flying towards the location X where he would find the boy.

As he reached the location, he landed on the ground gently, he looked around the place. "So how do I find this boy?" He commented.

Thevana - Roland

Thevana took note of the names were given, most of them she knew off, but did not have enough information about them to make the decision. In her mind she was thinking of quests that she could provide to them that would allow her to test them.

"Hmmm, yeah I got a quest with a really good reward, but equal danger. In simple words, even if I sent Zaid and Echidna together, they would likely die."

That wasn't good, these two are known for being not just solitary mercenaries, but also as the strongest mercenaries right now, if them together cannot get a quest complete, than the quest must be ridiculous.

"Unfortunately I'm not allowed to explain the details until I have a team set up, but luckily I don't have a time limit, so I can take my time with selecting the members. And yes, you are in."

Thevana explained him the details she was allowed to tell while she took another sip of wine.

"So far I have Zaid, Echidna, Reyva and you. The others ones I'll have to run some tests to figure it out."

She started to look through some papers putting them in order and organizing them.

"By the way sweetheart if you happen to pass by Viser, Basil and Roho, tell to come to my office."

Her final words were both charming and absolute. It was clear she was done with the conversation as she began to dig through the dreaded paperwork of one who works as a boss.

______________


Adam - Echidna

Adam frowns in disappointment. He was sure this was some he knew, but apparently he was mistaking her with someone else. Regardless her name did ring a bell, he had heard of this mercenary, quite a violent one, the local guards always had to clean the bloody mess she left behind.

"Hmm, it would seem I was mistaken. Sorry for wasting your time."

He apologizes for interrogating her. Although many soldiers complained about this particular person, he didn't care about such minor things. One thing did bother him though, if he was right, Echidna should a really violent person, yet here she was acting defensively.

"Although I would love to continue to chat, I must be on my way."

He brushes off his feeling, although he knows something was up, his job was simply to collect taxes from here, not to open an investigation.


_________________



Boy - Basil


As Basil looked around for the boy in question, his actions would not go unnoticed by the preying eyes. By then he should have noticed a kid coming close to him. The boy was skinny and only wearing a piece of cloth covering his body. This was not an uncommon sight, like any city Miros also had it's poor section, those who dreamed of becoming mercenaries, but failed leaving those they brought in misery.

"Are you here to find my dog?"

The boy asks, his voice scared and humble.

"In simple words, even if I sent Zaid and Echidna together, they would likely die."

Roland stared. A statement like that was too surprising for him to grasp.

"Must be one hell of a gig," he muttered. Thevana explained they were going to need a big party, and fortunately, he got a spot on it. The other potential candidates would need to be tested.

He shook his head wryly. Thevana's tests were nothing to scoff at. If they survived them, they'd have to be good.

She promptly dismissed him and went back to his work, but he wasn't bothered. He'd latched onto the word "sweetheart," his lips parting into a rather pleased smile, not one of flirtation, but genuine happiness.

"Of course, my flower," he said, closing the door behind him. He strolled into the main lobby of the guild and spotted Roho seated in the corner.

"Yo," Roland said, approaching him. "The Guild Master wants a word with you."

Unnoticed by Roland, Viser had entered while he had his back to the door. The alchemist ignore the job board and went straight to the Guild Masters office. The particularly high paying jobs weren't displayed out for just any members.

"Excuse me," he said, inclining his head slightly in a show of respect. "But I need to know if you have any jobs with at least this much payoff. I have some expensive materials I need to obtain for my research."

He placed a paper on her desk with an amount scrawled on it, waiting her verdict.

--------------------

It bothered her. Echidna wasn't quite sure why, but it bothered her. Was it having a reminder of her past? Was it distaste without having to hide who she was? Was it something else? She couldn't be sure.

Adam seemed satisfied with her response, at least enough to decide not the press the issue. He turned to walk away, but she spoke before she had time to wonder if it was a good idea.

"Adam, right?" she said, looking over her shoulder at him. "If you were going to ask my name, you should have at least given yours."

He would probably just assume she'd heard of him. At least, she hoped so. It had been stupid to call out when he was good and gone. But she realized that if she kept to her plan, she was probably going to have to kill him. It seemed wrong to do so without never being properly acquainted in this life, as they had been in her previous one.

She began to walk off for the guild when she noticed Reyva standing nearby watching, an unsightly expression on her face.

Echidna's lip curled. She generally avoided everyone at the guild for one reason or another. Either they weren't worth her time, or they were the type of people no sane person would spend any time with. Reyva fell firmly into the latter category.

"You want something?" Echidna said, eyes narrowed. This whole altercation had put her in a rather unpleasant mood, and she wasn't one to curb her temperaments.

As Roho was buried deeply in his rare activity of reading, someone finally snapped him from his daze.

"Yo, the Guild Master wants a word with you"

He heard these words. Closing his book after a moment's pause, he looked up to see a better-known mercenary, Roland. Swiftly springing from his seat, Roho gave the other man a curt bow before promptly heading in the direction of the guild master's office. He wasn't much for conversation most of the time.

Roho went straight to the guild master's office, book still in hand. He did not bother to knock, and simply pushed open the door and walked in. Inside the well-decorated room, the guild master seemed to already be preoccupied by another guest who had shown up just a tad earlier. Roho decided simply to stand at the side until she either noticed or addressed him. After all, it was her that called him over in the first place.

Basil smiled at the boy who ran towards him and asked him, if he was here to find his dog. "Yeah, that's right." He said cheerfully, "care to describe him for me?" He asked.

"I will draw it on the sand, as you describe him to me. Let me know if it looks like your dog." Said Basil.

Thevana - Viser, Roho


The daily life of Thevana wasn't easy, although she didn't go on quests like the rest, she was the one who had to take care of all the paperwork regarding which quests were available, whether they were real or fake, dealing with the people who made the requests, among other issues.

Put it simple, some days she would just spend all day in her office organizing a signing papers.

And today was not any easier, with the taxes issue she had to take care off, she lost valuable time dealing with it. Well, now she could focus on that. Or so she had hoped.

"Excuse me."

Thevana looks up towards the person who was entering her office. It was Viser, one of the people Roland suggested. That was faster than she had expected, Roland and her had just talked and Viser had already been sent here. Roland was fast.

Picking up the paper and looking through it she noticed the materials he needed, expensive indeed, she had no idea why he needed them, but she was just the Guild Master, her job wasn't to pray on other people's life. Given she did know he worked with alchemy so, she could guess what he needed them for.

"Hmmm, I should have something like that..."

She starts to search through the pile of papers she had just organized, luckily she organizes by importance, danger and reward. So she could select one that fitted his demand, while also being a test run.

It was at this point that Roho entered the office, Thevana noticed him but decided to let him stay there quiet while she looked for the quest.

"Ah, here they are."

She says as she takes out two papers. Reading them carefully to make sure she wasn't mistaken and then hands out one paper to Viser.

"This one should suffice, no?"

The paper had:

Quote :

Emergency: Need a protector.

Respected Guild Master, my name is Ralph Endu, I am the leader of a settlement group to the west of Miros. We were a project of the Empire to try and build a city away from the great river. But we were attacked by bandits multiple times during the construction process. The Empire not wanting to waste anymore resources in protecting us, and left us to rot. Please send someone capable of helping us. We need someone who can both fight and help us maintain our morale.

Letting Viser read first, Thevana explain the details.

"As you already read, they are quite in the situation, they need someone who's not only capable of helping them drive off the bandits, but also someone that can keep their morale. Not an easy task, but not impossible for someone like you. There will be wagon waiting for you outside the city, he will take you there in roughly a night. So get yourself ready."

She starts to look at her other paper she took out before, until she remembers about a detail.

"Ah before I forget, there's something I should tell you. There's indication of there being a traitor amongst them. However they don't know that, and it would be while not to inform them of that if you don't want a blind hunt to begin."

Finally she explains all she had to and lets him leave. After Viser left she puts her attention to Roho, handing him over the other paper she had picked up.

"And this one is for you."

The paper had:

Quote :

We need a escort.

We are a group of merchants who recently arrived to your city. However now we wish to move to another city and find ourselves without guards. Please send someone to protect us during our journey to Olrio.

"This is a simple mission, protect the merchants until you get to Olrio, then come back. A trip of 2 days."

___________________


Kid - Basil

The boy begins to describe the dog. However you begin to blindly draw you start to notice that your drawing does no resemble a normal dog at all. Two heads, wild like fur, large and muscled, and finally a tail that has a snake head. This was no dog, it was Kobolt. A wild beast, dangerous one too.

However before you could even question if the kid was playing tricks on you. The boy enthusiastically explains how the drawing was the dog he lost. Leaving you to conclude that someone had domesticated the beast for the boy. The only noticeable feature that would allow you to distinguish this Kobolt from other is the massive start shaped scar it had on it's belly.

"How long have you been keeping him?" Then he pointed at the scar, "And how did he get the scar?"

Basil asked the kid, smiled at him gently. "I am just curious. Your dog doesn't look like ordinary dog." he commented as he stood up.

Basil wondered what kid had been feeding this so-called dog as well. Something was not right...

Viser's eyes scanned the page, committing the details to memory.

"Very well. Thank you," he said, his dour expression never wavering. With another incline of his head and not so much as a fleeting glance at Roho, Viser left the office and made his way out.

He gave a slight pause as he spotted the imperial troops, lead by Adam, making their way out of the city. He made note of their armor, their weapons, and their numbers. Those, too, were important factors in his calculations.

He found the wagon as Thevana had described on the outskirts of town. He held up the parchment for the owner.

"I am Viser, a representative of the Guild," he explained. "I'm here to take on the request of Ralph Endu."

Boy - Basil

"I've been keeping him for a year now... He was father's favorite..."

The boy's voice grows silent as he mentions his father. You can deduce that this was likely originally the pet of a mercenary, the father of the boy, and with how the boy acted, the father was likely dead.

"Please find him!"

The boy begs Basil.

______________________________


Wagon Owner - Viser

The owner examines the paper given to him and nods in aproval.

"Then what are you waiting for? Get in, we're leaving now."

The man briefly explains. He goes deeper into the subject, repeating the most of what the Guild Master had told.

"Okay, I will look for him." Basil smiled at the boy, his voice being warmer. "So, you are sure it went to the desert, right?" He asked, making sure he won't be flying to the wrong direction.

Then he lowered himself to the level of the boy, "Well I'm sure he is really strong dog, so it's going to be alright. Don't worry too much."

As the boy gives him the confirmation, Basil would lift himself from the ground and start to fly towards the dessert, looking for the lost dog.

Prisma*Illya wrote:

It bothered her. Echidna wasn't quite sure why, but it bothered her. Was it having a reminder of her past? Was it distaste without having to hide who she was? Was it something else? She couldn't be sure.

Adam seemed satisfied with her response, at least enough to decide not the press the issue. He turned to walk away, but she spoke before she had time to wonder if it was a good idea.

"Adam, right?" she said, looking over her shoulder at him. "If you were going to ask my name, you should have at least given yours."

He would probably just assume she'd heard of him. At least, she hoped so. It had been stupid to call out when he was good and gone. But she realized that if she kept to her plan, she was probably going to have to kill him. It seemed wrong to do so without never being properly acquainted in this life, as they had been in her previous one.

She began to walk off for the guild when she noticed Reyva standing nearby watching, an unsightly expression on her face.

Echidna's lip curled. She generally avoided everyone at the guild for one reason or another. Either they weren't worth her time, or they were the type of people no sane person would spend any time with. Reyva fell firmly into the latter category.

"You want something?" Echidna said, eyes narrowed. This whole altercation had put her in a rather unpleasant mood, and she wasn't one to curb her temperaments.

"Nah, I was hoping you would start a fight or something. I would of helped you out." And by that, Revya meant massacre everyone who dared to draw a weapon. Excepting Echidna. The crimson hair tilted her head. "Well I guess the Guild Head would say something like: 'If you're going to get buddy with a government dog, then leave us out of it?' Or some other stiff arsed comment." She shrugged, pretty much forgetting everything that had happened in the single moment. "Eh, whatever."

And with that, Revya's feet were moving her in the direction of the Guild Hall.

Roho simply observed as the guild master addressed her business with the alchemist. It had nothing to do with him, so he didn't pay much attention to it. His eyes would even wander around the room at times, taking note of important aspects of it.

Eventually, Viser's business with the guild master was over with, and she presented a paper to himself. Neither he, nor Viser payed any mind to the other as Viser exit. Roho quickly proceeded to scan the contents of his assignment.

"Where may I find my quarry then, Guild Master?"

Roho finally spoke. The situation demanded such of him. After all, neither she, nor the paper told of where he was to meet these merchants he was to guard.

Nexius

Look as he might through the desert, Basil soon realized of how dumb he was. The desert was vast, literally the whole empire is one giant desert, it would take him months to search it all, and there would be no telling if the beast wouldn't just randomly move to an area he already searched through.

Perhaps it would be a great idea to ask someone for help. The Guild Master might know something, after all the beast belonged to a dead mercenary.

__________________________________________

Thevana - Roho

"Ah sorry almost forgot. They should be outside the city waiting for a mercenary to show up. Just look for a large group of wagons and people and show them the paper."

Thevana explains where they are and what he has to do while apologizing for forgetting to tell that earlier. After that she goes back to her paperwork.

___________________________________

Zaid - Revya

The sun bathers against Zaid's body as she walks towards the city. She had been away for almost a month now, but she was finally returning after her big hunt. Just behind her was prey she had caught, a massive Dorm. She was given a ridiculous mission, to hunt down a Dorm that had been preying on passing merchants.

A Dorm is essentially a giant worm, except that it was heavily armored and it had a gapping mouth that it would use to devour whole wagons. It's sheer size and appearance make it seem more like a monster breed for war than a natural animal.

But the difficulty of the mission wasn't it killing it, it was in finding it, Dorms live and travel under the sand, only coming outside when it was to eat something. For that reason it was a ridiculous mission. Zaid was a master hunter, it might have took her a month to find it, but in the end, she did and killed it.

Now she walked towards Miros, passing by the stationary army without looking, although when she passed by Adam she greeted him by nodding her head. Leaving the Dorm behind at the city's entrance. She walked towards the Guild Hall.

By this point most people were looking at her, likely due to her condition, she was covered from head to toe with blood, Dorm blood, a green-grayish like blood.

Zaid walks pass Echidna greeting her with a nod. As she walks pass Revya, she would notice that unlike with Echidna, Zaid did not greet her, although it was not the first time, Zaid seemed adamant in not greeting Revya.

VISER

The travelers didn't seem to have much patience for niceties. That suited Viser just fine. He was better being left to himself.

As he climbed into the wagon, the man began to recount to him much of what the Guild Master had already told him. Viser nodded, half-listening as he checked his supplies.

Conduit was always with him. It would serve him well enough, if nothing else.

He had some alchemic crystals he'd prepared, infused with magical spells. Good in a pinch.

He fingered the threads of the bag covering one of his prototypes. It would be his last resort, if it came to that.

--------------------

ECHIDNA

Echidna eyed Revya, unsurprised that the other woman was itching for a fight. The fact that she planned to support Echidna was a surprise, but not something she planned to place much stock in.

"Thanks" wasn't a word Echidna really used, and she didn't plan to now. She gave Reyva a curt nod, then turned to head for the guild. As she did, she spotted Zaid and stopped.

Zaid...

Echidna frowned. She had great respect for the other woman, the only one she considered her match at the guild. That in itself also generated some hatred. The fact that a mercenary could match her meant she still wasn't ready.

She matched Zaid's nod, then headed for the guild. It seemed the place to be today. But with Thevana's hands tied up with so many, Echidna decided to take a seat and wait in the meantime. She wasn't a drinker, as obscuring her mind wasn't something she wanted or could afford, but a shot couldn't hurt. She signaled for a glass, then downed it, wincing at the bite as it burned down her throat.

She slammed the glass back down, thinking of Zaid. Of Adam. Of the Emperor.

Maybe another couldn't hurt.

"I don't think I've ever seen you take two hits," Roland said, sidling up and smiling at her as he ordered a pint. Echidna set the glass down and glared at him.

"Piss off," she muttered, turning and heading for Thevana's office. Hopefully, her business with the rest had concluded.

Revya
She ignores the people ignoring her and goes to the guild hall to bugger around for a job. The board was the first place she looked. "Find Gorm Meat." Drats. If it was Dorm meat, she could have just taken the thing Zaid brought in. Well... she sure as hell wasn't going to go looking for a pet. Resources and... a weapon?

Shrugging, Revya ripped the paper off that was about finding a weapon. If the guild master didn't have anything for her, she may as well go get whatever weapon it was.

So King just strolls right into Thevana's office. "Got anything?"