Leo stopped in his tracks as the door opened. The back of an armored adventurer stood in his way, and in front of that adventurer was another. Leo leaned to the right.
His jaw dropped.
The line from the main desk led back to the door, and two other lines curved around tables that led to other guild desks as well. He remembered seeing plenty of adventurers on the street earlier, but this many? He didn't think it was going to be this packed. But everyone looked like they belonged. Maybe there were this many.
Leo pulled his hood down and sighed. His jaw still buzzed from that punch earlier. He wished he was stronger, honestly, if he was a human, they might've stopped right then and there. And that elf girl...
His head shook the thought away. Sure, he was pissed, but that wasn't an excuse to be stupid. Keeping cover as long as possible was the smartest move for now. He didn't know what would happen if they found out he was a Dwendol. From what just happened, they might kill him.
He scanned the room from under his hood. There was no sign of the red-headed elf, but the group of four adventurers was sitting in a corner, eating like nothing had happened. The pearlescent sword glowed beside one of the warriors.
Leo's fist clenched. His blood simmered. How did they get away with this? Surelyâ
He didn't notice the line was moving.
"Hello," a voice cut in.
Leo jumped. He was already at the front?
"Hi, I'd like to register to be an adventurer," Leo said. He flinched at how defeated it sounded.
The guildworker looked at him blankly, like he'd seen this many times before. His black hair had streaks of gray, and a trimmed beard wrapped around his jaw. Their gray eyes pierced into Leo's.
"That's fine, what's your name?" the man asked.
Leo sighed. This again? Every time this comes up, he wonders whether or not he should say his real name. At this point, it was easier to just tell the truth.
"Leo," he answered. "Leo Somberthorn."
"Okay," the guildworker scribbled something down. "Now take off your hood."
Leo's heart dropped.
"Do I have to?" he asked.
"Yes, please take your hood off," the guildworker sighed.
Leo took a step, leaning forward. "Do I have to do it here?" He looked around and sure enough, people were looking at them.
A lump formed in his throat. The skin on his face burned. If he pulled down his hood, then they'd see he was Dwendol. Those four adventurers were inside the Guild, and he didn't know who else was lurking.
"Yes, we do that to everyone to have a face for a name," the man set down his pen. "Now, please take off your hood."
"What's taking you so long?" A voice said from behind Leo.
Leo jumped at the sudden voice. His jaw clenched.
Fine.
He leaned forward, fingers gripping the edge of his hood, then he flicked it back. Leo angled his body, hoping only the guildworker would see. But he wasn't sure if it worked.
The guild worker raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Well, I can't let you be an adventurer."
Leo blinked, then his eyes widened. "What? Why not?" he asked, leaning over the desk.
His heart sankâwas it because he was a Dwendol? Wasnât this what they wanted, though? A Dwendol willing to die?
"We only accept people who have above a fifty percent chance of surviving a quest," the guildworker explained. "You don't meet that criterion."
Leo's jaw dropped. "Why? That doesn't even make sense, can't I just be one?" If he couldn't be an adventurer, he did all of this for no reason.
"It's for our Guild's reputation and survival rate," the man said. "We're trying to rank in the top ten."
That was ridiculous. Leoâs eye twitched in disbelief. Why couldn't they just not report him dead if he died? They were making a big deal out of nothing.
"Please, just let me take a quest," Leo pleaded, but fatigue dragged the life out of his voice. "I want to be an adventurer."
"Sorry, but we can't accept you as an adventurer," the guildworker replied, straightening papers on the desk. "Alright, neâ"
"Give me a quest, if I come back, you accept me as an adventurer," Leo cut him off. "If I don't, then you're right, and it doesn't affect the Guild."
The guildworker paused, setting the stack of papers down as he looked at Leo. Leo's heart pounded. His skin tingled from the stares.
He had to become an adventurer. This was his only path forward. He couldn't work a normal job because everyone hated Dwendols. That left him with nothing. Adventuring was the only way out of that pit.
"So you want to take a quest without registration?"
Leo nodded frantically. "Yes, that's what I want to do."
"If it gets you out of here, then sure," the guildworker said. He opened a drawer, sliding the papers into it before snatching a quest off the wall.
Then slid it across the desk.
There it wasâhis quest.
Leo didn't even read it. He snatched it before the guildworker could change his mind.
"Thanks!" Leo shouted. He turned and bolted towards the door.
The cool evening air filled his lungs, sharp and merciless, but it reminded him that he was alive. He clutched the paper against his chest like it was going to fly away.
This was his ticket. A way for him to have freedom. The chance for him to live and dream.
After a few breaths, Leo unfurled the sheet. His eyes scanned the paper.
[Quest]
'Defeat 5 Stonesnakes in the Kamit Fields'
QUEST DIFFICULTY: C+
RECOMMENDED RANK: Silver
REWARD:
MONEY: 30 Alders, 15 Senns
A C-plus ranked quest. It was doable, but that's if he was a normal adventurer taking this quest. If what Ellgrad said about Dwendols being weak was true, then this could be worse than the Sewer Slime quest. He had to fight five Stonesnakes in an open field. If the snakes were actually made of stone, then this wouldn't be fun at all.
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Leo grabbed the hilt of his dagger, trying to chase away the chill in his chest. Then the world brightened as his eyes lit up. This dagger wouldn't break. Ellgrad said it was perfect for low-power, high-skill people. The world dimmed again. That was the problem: he had low power and low skill. Swinging a dagger a few times didnât mean he knew anything. And who was going to teach him?
The wind pushed against him. Leo side-stepped. The Guild door jingled as it swung open.
"Let's head to the armory before we go on our quest!" a cheery female warrior said as she stepped out.
"Yeah! Let's go!" a short, long-eared girl shouted, rushing beside the female warrior.
Leo squinted. That girl wasn't an elf, but she had the ears of one. And that female warrior wore a necklace with a pendant dangling on her chest. A silver glare reflected off it. It took a moment to register, but then it clicked. That was her rank.
Two male adventurers and another female adventurer filed out the door. Each with their own ranks. Leo couldn't help but stare. For some reason, he was evaluating them like a scout, taking in their appearance and how they carried themselves. They werenât like the other partyâolder, more balanced. Even their movements felt sharper. The two silvers were the oldest, while the other three were younger and bronze.
"I can't wait to get new weapons, it's about time," said the other silver adventurer.
Time seemed to freeze as Leo looked at them. The other silver adventurer was a male elf. He had long, white hair and wore a navy robe layered with scarlet plating on top. In his hand was a scepter and what seemed to be a golden sword.
But someone else caught Leo's eye.
The last member of the party stepped out. Elegant, red hair flowed over their ivory-colored gear, and sharp, green eyes scoured the street. A red mark stained her cheek. The pendant on her chest was dull and gray, the color of stone.
Her green eyes burned, like she saw nothing but trash. Leo tensed.
It was her.
Their eyes locked.
Leo's heart skipped. From shame, fright, or attraction, he didn't know which. His eyes snapped back onto his quest sheet. The paper tore as his fingers dug into it. What was happening? She was in a party now? Where were they when she was getting beaten?
He glanced up at the group as they walked away. Only that small, elfish girl was talking to the red-headed elf. Everyone else tried to acknowledge her, but their shoulders leaned away the closer they got. It was like they weren't aware they were doing it.
Wait. Why did he care so much anyway? Why did he care so much? He had a quest to survive. Worrying about some rich elf wasnât going to help. Besides, with how rich she was, quitting adventuring was her next move if anything went wrong. He should start worrying about himself, because no one else would.
The quest sheet looked like gold in the sunset. The cool breeze was gentle, like a reassuring whisper. It was like someone was looking after him. Who? He didn't know, but for some reason, a part of him just knew it was true.
His heart ached. This world was beautiful, but beauty didn't mean it was good. No matter how alluring the sunset was, or how graceful the elves were, it didn't matter if it was all rotten to the core.
But maybe, just maybe, it was just his world that was like that. To them, maybe this world was beautiful and good. They saw the suffering, but didn't live in it. Maybe, to them, beauty and goodness always came hand in hand.
A chuckle slipped past his lips. When was he so sentimental? Maybe he could be the world's Shakespeare, although there might already be one. Leo sighed. Time wasn't waiting for him. Where were the Kamit Fields?
The sound of strings rang through his skull. But nothing showed up.
Was the interface broken? He wanted to know where to go.
Leo exhaled, taking a step forward. Great. Everything was going bad again. Nowâ
His feet froze. An odd sense of clarity washed through his mind. Then he took a step forward. Then another. Leo's eyes widened.
And somehow, he just...knew.
The odd instincts brought him to a small, shabby farm on the outskirts of the city. The wind howled here, nearly blowing Leo over as he trudged forward. His feet ached from all the running and walking. Better-fitting boots were a must, unless he just wanted to have blisters on his feet.
There was also another problem. He was a Dwendol.
He didn't know how the farmers would react to a hooded stranger strolling up to their door at sunset. With his cloak on, he might've looked like the Grim Reaper. Leo pulled his hood down. And who knows what they would do if they saw what he was?
The wooden stairs creaked beneath his feet. Leo's heart dropped as a step bent too far under him. Without a second thought, he bolted past the remaining steps. He skidded across the floor, cringing as the heels of his boots splintered the wood. Leo braced himself. He reached out, trying to catch himself before he slammed into the door.
Leo shut his eyes as the house rattled from the force. Then it stopped. Nice. He did what he tried not to do. A sigh left his chest. He was off to a bad start already. Hopefully, this person was a sweet old lady. If not, then he was at their mercy.
Footsteps echoed from inside the house. Leo's chest tensed, heart drumming with each step. He swallowed hard. Please be a nice person. Just this once.
The door clicked, then it creaked open.
Leo looked up.
"Are you here for the quest?" an older man asked, a frown on his face.
The man wore a red and black flannel and a pair of jeans. Rough, blonde hair framed his weatherworn face.
Leo licked his lips. "Yeah, I took your quest. Five Stonesnakes, right?"
The beating in his chest was deafening. He was never bad at social interactions, but maybe being a Dwendol just made it harder. Cause it was never this hard before.
The man rubbed his chin, eyebrows furrowing into a point. "Since when did adventurers look like assassins?"
Leo's mouth dropped. The drumming in his chest got louder. He wished it hadnât gone this way. But it had. It was easier not to lie, because if the farmer asked to see his face, then there was no point. But still, his tongue stiffened.
His heart ticked like a clock. The farmer's eyes began to narrow into a glare. Leo nearly choked.
Say something. Anything.
"I-I have bad burns on my body," Leo lied, hoping the man wouldn't ask any further. "I don't like showing my face. I'm here to take care of your quest."
The farmer's brows relaxed slightly. "Alright, well as long as you take care of the snakes, I don't care."
"Thank you," Leo sighed. He flinched as the farmerâs eyes narrowed again.
"You sound awfully relieved," the farmer said.
Leo bit his tongue. This couldn't be real.
"Heh, I guess I am," Leo chuckled, taking a step back. "It's hard to find a job when I look so scary. Thanks for letting me do this."
"Alright, well, the snakes are in that wheat field over there," the farmer said, pointing his thumb behind him. "Once you're done with the quest, you don't have to come back. The reward is at the Guild already."
Leo nodded, taking a few slow steps backward. Then the splintered rips on the porch came into view. He forgot that happened. Leo glanced upâthe farmer didn't seem to notice. Then, in a blink, Leo hopped off the porch and raced towards the field.
He couldn't see anything except for a wall of dull yellow. The wheat soared just over the top of his head, completely engulfing him. Leo contemplated chopping a path down, but the farmer probably wasn't going to appreciate that. Besides, if he did, maybe the Stonesnakes would notice. So it might be a blessing in disguise.
Occasionally, a strong gust let him peek over the wheatâand what he saw chilled him. An endless field. It was the same color as far as the eye could see. There weren't even any trees eitherâjust a vast sea of wheat. It made his stomach sink. If he took a wrong turn, he might never find his way out.
Something bristled behind him.
A zap of electricity ran through Leo, freezing him. His eyes strained as they snapped wide. What was that?
Then a slither.
His blood ran cold. The hair on his skin raised. His heart was all he could hear. It slammed against the cage it was in. He couldn't breathe. Each breath shook and vanished like it was being erased. His limbs turned to stone.
He was paralyzed.
A dark gray form the size of an alligator slid behind the curtain of wheat. Its body was boulders linked like beads on a string, creating the shape of a bracelet. The ground quaked as it slithered along.
Leo's arms trembled uselessly at his side. This was the C-plus ranked quest? Fighting five of these? He hadn't even seen the head of the snake yet, or its tail. How could anyone even imagine beating this? Leo winced as his bottom lip split.
The world buzzed in his skull. He'd never experienced this feeling before. This was more than being scared. It wasn't even fear.
This was terror.
Something hard brushed against his nape.
That was all it took.
A scream of terror ripped through his chest. Leo twisted away from whatever touched him. His hand yanked the dagger from its scabbard as the world rocked before him. The blue-tinted blade looked like gold in the field of wheat. On its surface was a face contorted in fear. Their eyes were full of despair.
Leo's chest drummed, not from his heart, but from the air. A vibration rippled through the air, splitting the heads of wheat. It was like a speaker's bass that was turned up too loud. The vibrations couldn't be stopped. It was a form of energy he was powerless against.
He screamed again, or thought he did. But Leo couldnât hear it. His eyes burned as tears filled them. In front of him rose the head of a snake. A cruel, brutal face. Cracked and rugged, the size of a small car. It had no eyes in its head, but Leo could feel it stare into his soul.
This was a monster.