Eternal Rest

"Mr. Rayne."

"That's Guild Leader Rayne," corrected Rayne, his tone firm.

scoff "Right, Guild Leader Rayne, for now," said the elderly bureau member in a derisive tone.

"You seem to have a problem with authority! Your report described the attack but not how it happened and why? You even went so far as to let the culprits escape after killing so many civilians and not even mentioning the damage done to the guild property! Do you have any—"

"Are you serious right now?" Rayne interrupted, his disbelief evident.

"Mr. Rayne! You'd do well to speak when asked to speak!" the elderly man spat out a warning.

"Why you little sh—"

"Enough!" The old man sitting at the head of the bureau interjected, his voice carrying undeniable authority. The squabble between the two ceased immediately,and a tense silence filled the room. The windows of the building vibrated, nearly shattering, and dust fell from the ceiling —an indication of the immense power wielded by the ascendant.

"Guild Leader Rayne," the old man continued, his tone grave, "we are not here today to judge your actions during the assault, but to ascertain why and who was behind the attack. According to the guild’s sources, the undead army was summoned approximately a month ago in a clearing in the forest outside the town's safety zone. From there, they marched through two settlements, mercilessly exterminating the villagers before vanishing without a trace. Several days later, they resurfaced within the town's borders and launched a brutal assault on its citizens."

“Guild Leader Rayne," the old man paused, "are you aware that there were tunnels beneath the town of Westbrook?"

"No sir, I was not aware," Rayne replied, his expression betraying his surprise.

"I'm not surprised. They date back two hundred years ago," the old man explained.

Rayne frowned, questioning why he wasn't informed of this when he assumed the position of branch guild leader.

"Because not many knew about it. In fact, the tunnels were sealed and completely forgotten in the last hundred years or so. They were intended to be a refuge for people during the monster surge. Could you take a guess where the tunnels lead to?" the old man inquired.

Rayne pondered for a moment before responding with a frown, "To the village of Tenby, the second village wiped out by the undead army?"

"Yes, the first village we think might have been a mistake while searching for the entrance or, most likely, was attacked on purpose to hide the real goal. Now we know how they entered the town. We still don't know who and why," the old man concluded solemnly.

Rayne nodded and continued recounting the details from the report, highlighting the valiant efforts of his vice-leader in attempting to apprehend the culprits. Despite the significant number of casualties, it was the stain on the guild's reputation that troubled the bureau members the most. As the meeting drew to a close, Rayne found himself stripped of his position as guild leader, alongside his soon-to-be-ex vice-leader. However, due to his esteemed status as a gold ranker, he would retain a prominent position within the guild and resume his office duties until further notice.

As the old man dismissed the meeting, he motioned for Rayne to stay behind. Rayne met the disapproving gaze of the elderly bureau member who had been openly opposed to him throughout the proceedings. Alone in the room, the old man leaned back in his chair, his demeanor softening. “Sorry about that, kiddo. You know how these meetings go.”

Rayne rolled his eyes and settled into the chair next to the old man. They exchanged a knowing look.

“So, are you going to tell me who was behind the attack?” Rayne asked, dropping all pretense of formality. It was clear that his relationship with the old man was far from formal.

hmph “What? You're not even going to ask me how I am doing? Haah “What did I do to deserve such a shameless pupil?” the old man exclaimed dramatically, feigning offense.

“Master…,” murmured Rayne, a playful smile tugging at his lips, “you're the guild leader of the Adventurer's Guild. Shouldn't you be acting more according to your position?” He teased, earning a blank look from the old man.

“Brat, for you to be lecturing me on how to act…” Master shook his head in mock defeat.

“In short, they are a bunch of misfits. Ex-guild members, outcasts, and exiles. You can find all sorts in their little group. They've been operating not just here, but outside of our kingdom as well. Their activity has increased in the last thirty years or so. Some have already been identified, and there are bounty contracts posted on the wanted board. The two Belle met, along with the librarian, will be added to the list.”

“How haven't I heard of them until now?” Rayne inquired, a sense of frustration evident in his voice.

“Hm? Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention. The group's name is Defiant Hounds. The same one you've been...“

“Yeah yeah, I know who they are,” Rayne snapped, his fists clenched tightly. Silva... The name stirred up a whirlwind of emotions within him.

The old man sighed heavily and leaned in closer to Rayne. "Rayne, you and your vice-leader should follow up on this lead discreetly, without the guild's knowledge. There's someone in a high position within the guild who's furthering their own agenda by sponsoring the Hounds." He paused, his expression grave. "Meanwhile, reinforcements have been dispatched to Westbrook and nearby towns and villages as a precaution in case of another attack."

After the meeting, outside the Adventurer’s Guild building, Rayne met with Belle and explained their new directive. Their first course of action would be to find Guntar, the man who conveniently disappeared not even an hour before the attack. Now that he knew how the undead appeared in town, Rayne was certain it was an inside job. He suspected the old librarian to have a major role in the assault, but he knew next to nothing about him. Guntar and his associates would be easier to track down, and Rayne had an idea of where to start looking.

In the heart of the capital, like any other city, there existed a rundown district where shady deals unfolded and self-proclaimed crime lords ruled the streets. On a particular street, tucked away on the third floor of a brothel, Guntar and Trevak occupied a private booth, immersed in conversation over drinks while a belly dancer performed before them, adding a touch of entertainment to their discussion.

“We need to find the rest of the stones, otherwise, it's coming out of our pockets, and our pockets aren't that deep!” Guntar practically growled, taking deep gulps of cheap ale. “You've been awfully quiet these days. What's up?”

Trevak frowned, pondering how to broach the topic. “Remember when you told me to look into what Vol was into?”

“Vol? Are you talking about that nonsense about a dungeon? There hasn't been a new dungeon in Wezar since what? Eight-nine hundred years ago? I sent a few men to check the cave where the supposed dungeon was, just in case, but they found nothing of the sort,” Guntar scoffed.

“Well, not just that. He sent Horus to track and kill someone, but Horus came back annoyed and pissed off. It got me thinking as to who it was he was supposed to kill and if there was a connection between them and our lack of mana stones,” Trevak explained, his voice tinged with suspicion.

“You think some no-name newbie adventurer took our stones? chuckle “We'd be the laughing stock on the streets if it gets out… On second thought, keep looking into it!”

“Sure thing. Have you made contact with the old man, the librarian?” Trevak inquired.

“Nah, I think we've been screwed. I knew it was too good of a deal to be true. He was a fuckin’ gold ranker and I wasn't exactly in a position to refuse him!” Guntar lamented, vexation evident in his voice. Just thinking about his losses got him riled up.

“Gun,” Trevak called out.

“Yeah?”

“This ale tastes like piss.”

chuckle Guntar couldn't help but laugh at Trevak's blunt observation.

While they were engrossed in conversation on the upper floor, one of their lackeys rushed through the entrance of the establishment and hurried upstairs. Breathless, the lackey reached the third floor and entered the booth where Guntar and Trevak were seated.

“Boss! We’ve found the stones!” the man exclaimed enthusiastically, interrupting their discussion. Guntar turned to the man with a scornful expression before berating him.

“Manners, lackey! Have you never heard of knocking before barging in? Come now, have a seat,” Guntar chided, his tone sharp but tempered with a hint of amusement.

The lackey, a young boy freshly joined Guntar’s ranks, nervously approached and took a seat across from the two men.

“Now listen, boy,” continued Guntar, his tone softened but firm. “You need to learn the ropes around here and learn them fast! I didn't mean to undermine your enthusiasm by calling you a lackey, but I literally don't know who you are!” The boy's face fell, and Guntar paused for a moment before continuing. “Now, start from the beginning with what you need to report to me, yes?”

“Yes?” The boy replied sheepishly, nodding in response to Guntar's prompting.

Guntar raised an eyebrow, and the boy, all flustered, repeated firmly this time. “Yes, boss! I have an urgent matter to report!”

“Good! Better! Continue!” Guntar encouraged, leaning in to listen.

The boy quickly reported the message he received from the men in Stonefalls, downed the ale Guntar practically poured down his throat, and promptly left. Trevak remained silent throughout the exchange, observing the interaction between the two with a watchful eye.

“Why are you even in this kind of business? You'd do well as an officer or a member of the guild,” Trevak teased, a hint of jest in his tone.

snort “I was a member of the guild! Besides, we're basically doing the same thing, only on different sides. The Adventurer’s Guild, the number one criminal organization in the world!” chug Guntar retorted, punctuating his words with a hearty swig of ale.

Trevak didn't comment, sensing that bringing up the Guild was still a sore spot for the boss. “So, the stones? We learned who had them. Should we go after him, collect the stones?”

“Can't right now! You know it would only complicate things further. We're gonna place scouts to be on the lookout for this Mr. Jones, but once he enters the city… Hm?” Guntar's attention was suddenly diverted.

[Trevak: ?]

“Girl? You're still here?” Guntar addressed the dancing girl.

Both men focused on her, realizing she had been privy to their conversation the whole time.

“Uh umm I could leave if sirs want me to?” The startled girl replied and stopped dancing.

“Yeesss, move along now. Go on…” Guntar shooed the girl away. After she left, he turned to Trevak, exhaled, and gave him a knowing look.

“Alright, alright.” Trevak said and left after the girl.

“On second thought, I might as well send people to intercept this Jones fella.” With that thought, Guntar finished his drink, left the private booth, and then the brothel.

crack A crunching sound of bone breaking was heard as Bones was sent flying by the backhand strike from what he recognized from the book, and now confirmed with Identify, was a mountain troll.

“Blasted troll. Guarding a bloody bridge,” he murmured under his breath while getting up.

“What are you getting pissy for? This could hardly be called a bridge!” he yelled at the troll, pointing his hand at the "bridge."

After departing from the city of Stonefalls, Bones determined that the road route was unnecessarily lengthy, opting instead to traverse the mountains and halve his journey to the capital. Now, just a day later, he stood before the troll guarding a fallen log over the ravine he needed to pass.

Mountain trolls weren't prone to attacking unprovoked, yet they were fiercely territorial. Intruders into their domain, even unwitting ones like Bones, were considered provocation enough. The troll towering before him stood over two meters tall, its hunched posture a testament to its formidable strength. Its gray, rough-textured skin spoke of its resilience against physical harm. Thick arms, almost as sturdy as its legs, dangled down to its knees, each capable of delivering bone-crushing blows—as Bones had just experienced firsthand. Despite the pain, Bones activated his mending bones skill, working to repair the damage inflicted by the troll's powerful strike.

Speaking of his skills, Bones couldn't help but notice that his Mend Bones ability wasn't performing as effectively as before. It seemed that the skill hadn't kept pace with his own growth and development, resulting in reduced efficiency in repairing his now considerably stronger bones.

Thankfully, trolls were notorious for their sluggish movements, allowing Bones to easily evade the next few attacks. However, the troll surprised him by picking up a large rock and hurling it in his direction. Though Bones dodged the rock, the troll continued its assault with more projectiles.

"This is pointless," Bones thought to himself. Without hesitation, he closed the distance between them, sprinting forward to engage the troll directly. But just as he reached the creature, he unexpectedly lost his footing and tumbled forward, narrowly avoiding a potentially devastating strike aimed at his head.

Bones took a few steps back, his mind racing as he observed what had just occurred. Tripping and falling wasn't characteristic of him, especially now that he had honed his agility. As he glanced down at the ground next to the troll's feet, he noticed a distinct imprint of a foot. Connecting the dots, he took a wild guess at what had happened.