The Astral Dogma

Chapter 11: Job search 1



While walking along 490 Roselia Street, Belial and Xin were waltzing by the apartments around them. Electric-powered wagons were busy moving between pedestrians and shops on the bustling streets. Belial's gaze remained on one of the wagons briefly, a slight smile appearing on his face.

"I can't ever seem to adjust to these," he whispered to himself, observing another one whiz by, its quiet electric buzz mixing into the background of the city's commotion.

Xin took a quick look around. "They are helpful, though" he mentioned, but his focus appeared to be elsewhere. 

I wonder if we should get one too 

Belial nodded distractedly, still staring at the wagons. "I suppose so." "He just feels... aged," he whispered to himself, remembering the superior technology of the demon realm in comparison to oasis.

Following a twenty-minute walk, the pair reached their destination: the public Quest board of the guild. The tall building was adorned with numerous parchments, some old and worn, while others were crisp and recent. They looked through the different missions that were offered, excited to see what they could do.

Xin recalled Natalie's rule that missions should match our level while examining the available quests. He caught sight of one with his eyes. "Here, a security task for 10 gold coins."

He gave the paper to Belial, who swiftly scanned through it.

[Mission:

Rank: D

Objective: Escort employer

Reward: 10 gold per day]

Belial frowned, clearly unimpressed by the reward. "What about this one?" he said, pulling another quest paper from the board and handing it to Xin.

[Mission:

Rank: C+

Objective: Explore ancient demonic ruins

Reward: Based on exploration]

Xin studied the paper, considering it for a moment before sighing. "I don't know… it's a bit higher rank, but sure, let's give it a shot."

The two picked up the papers and made their way to the receptionist desk. Behind the counter stood a woman named Emily, her short red hair tied back neatly as she greeted them with a professional smile. She took the two quest papers from them and scanned their guild cards, confirming their availability for the first mission.

"82 Pine Street, that's where you'll find your client for the escort mission,his name is azick Reed" Emily said as she handed them back their cards and pointed out directions on a small map.

Belial leaned in. "Can you also confirm the C+ mission for us?" he asked, his tone hopeful.

Emily glanced at the paper and frowned slightly. "For this mission, you'll need someone with a higher rank to go with you. Preferably a B rank, at least. If you want, I can put this one on hold for you until you return from your current quest."

Belial nodded, understanding the rules. "Thanks. Go ahead and put it on hold."

After thanking Emily, they turned and headed toward the exit.

"82 pond Street," Xin said, looking over the map. "It's about thirty minutes by train from here. Let's get moving."

Belial nodded, his mind already shifting to their next challenge. Even though the escort mission seemed like a low-paying task, the prospect of exploring demonic ruins in the future lingered in the back of his mind, sparking his curiosity.

The duo stepped off the electric train as it came to a slow halt, following the directions they'd been given. 82nd Pond Street wasn't far from the station, and they easily made their way down the cobblestone road. It was a quiet part of town, the streets lined with neatly kept homes that all looked similar—modest but sturdy, each with small, well-tended front gardens. The hum of electric wagons passing by filled the air, though this neighborhood seemed more laid-back than the bustling city center they had just left.

Belial adjusted the strap on his shoulder as they approached the house. He glanced at the paper in his hand to confirm the address. "This should be it," he said, eyeing the large brick house with a weathered, a large yard with sidewalk leading to the house. a wooden simple stone steps leading up to the house came to view.

"Doesn't look like much," Xin muttered, his gaze sweeping over the house.

Belial shrugged. "We've dealt with stranger things. Let's see what this guy wants."

The two exchanged a look, and Xin stepped forward to knock on the door. They heard shuffling from within, and after a moment, the door creaked open. Standing in the doorway was a man in his early thirties, barely taller than the two guild members. He wore a simple brown button-down shirt tucked into well-worn trousers. His dirty blond hair was neatly combed, though it looked like it could use a wash. His eyes lit up as he saw them, though there was a nervousness in his gaze.

"Are you Mr. Azick?" Xin asked, his deep voice rumbling.

"Yes, I am," the man replied, his voice polite but cautious. "And who might you be?"

"We're from the Phoenix Guild," Belial said, stepping forward. "We accepted your escort request."

Azick's expression shifted from wary to relieved. "Oh! Right, right. Sorry to keep you standing out there. Please, come in." He moved out of the way, signaling for them to come in.

The interior of the house was just as humble as the exterior. The furniture was simple yet practical, with some scattered decorations like small paintings and a shelf holding old books. The cozy house felt lived-in, offering comfort and warmth without being too extravagant. Belial detected a subtle magical hum in the atmosphere, but he couldn't identify its source.

Azick led them into the small living room and gestured for them to sit. "Please, make yourselves comfortable."

Belial and Xin sat down on a worn but comfortable couch, While Azick took a seat right across the two. He fidgeted for a moment, as if unsure how to start, before finally speaking.

"S, i'll get straight to the point," Azick began. "I need you two to escort me while I deliver an artifact to another town."

Belial leaned forward slightly, his curiosity piqued. "What kind of artifact are we talking about?"

Azick's expression stiffened, and he shook his head. "You don't need to know the details about it. All you need to know is that this artifact doesn't like the daytime. It has to be kept in complete darkness at all times."

Belial raised an eyebrow. "Complete darkness, huh? That sounds… tricky."

Xin crossed his arms. "How far is the place?"

Azick hesitated before answering. "It's about a two to three-day journey if we use an electric wagon."

Belial frowned slightly, running the calculations in his head. "Why not just take the train? Wouldn't that be faster?"

Azick shook his head quickly, his expression tightening. "No, no, it's not safe to take the train. The artifact… it could act up with so many people around. It's better to avoid crowds, for everyone's safety."

Belial and Xin exchanged a glance. Something about Azick's explanation didn't sit right with either of them, but they decided not to press further for the moment.

"Alright," Xin said, his voice steady. "We'll follow your lead. When do we leave?"

Azick sighed in relief, clearly glad they weren't pushing too hard. "Since you're here now, I'll inform my client. We'll be leaving tonight, under the cover of darkness, as it's the safest time to transport the artifact."

"Understood," Belial said, though he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this job than Azick was letting on.

Azick stood up, brushing his hands together. "Feel free to wait here in the living room for now. I'll be just a moment."

He disappeared down the hallway, leaving Belial and Xin alone in the quiet room. The two sat in silence for a moment before Belial spoke up.

"Something's off about this guy," Belial said, his voice low.

Xin nodded. "Yeah, I feel it too. He's not telling us everything."

"Think the artifact's dangerous?"

"Probably. We'll have to keep our guard up."

Belial leaned back, stretching his arms. "Figures we'd get roped into something like this. Escort missions always sound simple, but they never are."

"At least it pays," Xin muttered, though his expression was still serious.

They waited patiently for what seemed like an eternity, the only noise filling the room being the ticking of a clock close by. At last, they noticed activity coming from the hallway, and Azick returned with a small glowing bird sitting on his shoulder. The bird's feathers softly shone, emitting a gentle light while singing quietly.

"I've reached out to my client," Azick said, speaking to them while softly stroking the bird. "I only have to pass on the message, then we can depart."

Afterwards, Azick directed his attention to the bird and spoke in a gentle tone. "Inform them that we will arrive in three days."

The bird tweeted once more, its tail feathers glinting green as it flapped its wings and flew away through the window. The bird shimmered and disappeared from view as it flew high into the dark sky.

The bird chirped again, its tail feathers flashing green before it flapped its wings and flew out the window. As it soared into the night sky, the bird shimmered, turning invisible as it vanished from sight.

Belial watched the bird go, intrigued. "A messenger bird, huh? Haven't seen one of those in a while."

Azick smiled faintly. "It's old magic, but reliable. Now, everything's set. We'll leave as soon as it gets dark."

"Good," Xin said, standing up. "We'll be ready."

Belial stretched as he stood, his mind already racing with possibilities. Something told him this job was going to be far from simple, but they had accepted the mission, and they were bound to see it through.

Azick gave them one last nod before retreating to gather his things. 


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