The Main gate is closed and only a small door on the side is open. The wall around the gate… Massive. Huge bluish gray stone blocks make up a giant of a wall of at least 50 meters high, calling it a rampart might be more appropriate. I don’t know what they’re trying to keep out but I get this presentiment I will find out sooner or later without having to ask. Maybe it’s the deep gashes in the wall that look like they were made by a giant bear on steroids that are tipping me off.
Behind us is a long line of heterogeneous looking people, it seems we cut the line, sorry pals.
Two tall armored guards stand before the gate, Eisures. My own race is very easy to recognize. They both have black hair and tanned skin. I’m glad my own skin at least is a normal color. My hair sticks out like a sore thumb, as I thought, and the cape doesn’t even have a hood… The taller one on the left has a halberd but strangely enough the other one looks unarmed despite the heavy armor.
They soon spot me and the mage, and both fall to one knee in a weird salute.
“We greet High Priest Veneron!” They say, head turned towards the ground.
“You may rise.” The old man sounds clearly tired of this.
“I’m going through with this one, keep up the good work.”
We walk past them to the small side door and only then do they stand up and resume taking care of the long line of people. Well, that was easy. Turns out the old man is even more of a noble than I thought, but after witnessing his magic I had a suspicion that was the case, I doubt society would exist for long if any random old man could teleport like that.
Inside the wall is a long stone corridor sporting five high wooden doors on both sides every five or so meters, garrisons maybe, two lit torches light the way. Crossing halfway, I feel watched. I turn around trying to spot someone peeping at us but all the doors are still closed, I see no one. Veneron looks at me and nods slightly, then resumes walking. Maybe he felt watched too? As we exit the corridor, the radiant sun at its zenith blinds me.
Zenith? Before the priest cast his spell it was clearly the evening. The implications of this scare me. Especially with how casually he cast that spell. His strength ranking in my mind just went up another level.
While my eyes adjust I take a second to feel the pavement under my feet, I’m still barefoot, and this is way nicer than all the grass and rock I’ve had to walk on until now.
“Are you alright? We are going to the guild, it is a few minutes from here.”
There are tall buildings all around, almost all the same height and facades, made with dark wood and the same blue gray stones that make the ramparts just more polished. Storefronts occupy the lower level, and they all look like high end noble shops, with golden lettering on the street facing hanging signs. I cannot read a single word. The main road is quite large, all paved, no sidewalks.
“I’m… fine, my eyes are just slow to adapt. Is this a rich part of the city or is it like that everywhere?” I decide to keep acting casual and lost, the man seemed quite bothered by all the formalities so it should help me appear friendlier. Having such an obviously powerful acquaintance is a huge boon if I play my cards right, there’s a lot of things I need right now and this one old goblin could help me have it all.
“This city of Krel is quite large, most of it is in relatively good shape but there are slums much like everywhere else, this used to be a small coastal town built around a cove but it evolved a lot these last three centuries, now it’s extending far into the plains, we’ve entered from a gate at about midway, you could get to the ocean by walking in this direction for another three or four hours and… Sorry, I have lived here so long I tend to ramble a bit whenever I talk about it.”
“No worries, this is all very new and interesting to me.”
He nods.
“This is the guild’s district so it is particularly well maintained, my tower is also nearby.” Saying this, he stops for a second and points somewhere up and to our right. Indeed, there’s a white stone tower a few hundred meters away, clearly very tall and the only thing I can see above the first line of buildings.
“Speaking of which, I should explain what the guild does. The guild is an independent association detached from the kingdoms, they manage a lot of different things but their main focus is on mercenaries, craftsmen and contracts management. Guild Masters are all very powerful people and they accept to protect the cities, that’s why they’re allowed this special status.”
“The reason why we’re heading there is twofold, firstly so we can set you up in a decent situation, and secondly to use the Identity Stone, which will hopefully tell us your name, if you’ve ever registered to any guild branch.”
“What’s an identity stone?”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“Identity Stones are linked artifacts that can read your magic and display information about you, if you are already registered at the guild it would also show your name, date of birth, family members, affiliations and last known place of residency.”
We keep discussing the guild for a while during our walk, I learn a few things about contracts, which have magically enforced breaching penalties, and the mercenary and craftsmen guild sponsorships, which amount to paying an annual fee and doing some odd errands related to your profession for various benefits and direct protection or counseling from the guild.
Veneron stops in front of a taller than usual building sporting a big round clock atop the front side. I count 28 different markings along the periphery, a single hand is pointing almost straight down.
Before we enter, the staff Veneron held until now disappears with a weird, electrical feeling sound. I have no idea where it went, maybe in some space pocket somewhere. But I thought he was a time mage… maybe an artifact, I wonder why he still carries a pack if he can just do this.
“This is the guild headquarter for Kerl, just follow me and don’t say anything.”
“Alright.”
As we enter, a receptionist in a desk room built in the wall catches sight of us and immediately bends thirty degrees in a formal salute. The old man just nods to her and we keep walking. The place is luxurious but lightly decorated, a lot of sunlight comes in from the wide windows. We climb five sets of stairs until we’re on the last floor. There were still people of multiple races doing paperwork or various things on the previous floors but this one is devoid of any presence or sound. Veneron leads me to a richly decorated room with a small table and two large red silk quilted sofas.
“Wait here.” and he leaves the room through a big double door opposite the one we entered from.
I debate sitting on the expansive looking sofa for a bit. I'm still wearing a leaf for boxers and no pants after all, but my feet hurt a lot after a whole day of walking, so I end up sitting down anyway. It’s very comfortable.
The old man probably went to tell the Guild master about my situation, he mentioned previously they’re old friends. I wonder what that identity stone will show about me. It’s an artifact so my blessing should have a suppressing effect but it might not be wise to let them find out about it, if I have to touch it I’ll use my left hand.
I space out looking at the fantasy landscape paintings on the walls.
At some point the double door opens. Veneron comes back, he signals me to follow him.
As I go through the door, I feel a weird tingle go through me from head to toe, like some electricity coursing through me and dissipating through the metal frame of the entrance.
Past the door is a large office, lined with half filled bookshelves that also hold a wide array of odd trinkets. In the middle stand a massive wooden desk, the whole place gives off presidential office vibes. I don’t know why I expected the guild master to be a man. Behind the desk is a truly gigantic woman, even sitting she’s taller than me, she’s an Eisure as well, and she’s a beauty. Her wavy golden hair cascades down her shoulders, her softly curved ears are capped by long form fitting golden earpieces. She has clear, inquisitive purple eyes and fine light pink lips.
Despite all this, she exudes a clear pressure. Her posture is straight and firm, and she wears a military looking navy blue and white uniform, with multiple golden buttons, straps and embroideries. Around her waist is a line of characters woven in her jacket from a single red thread. I am getting quite frustrated at my inability to read.
Behind her are two double edged straight swords, in their scabbards, laid against the wall. They look like antique swords of the new mandarin empire, Jians I think they were called, they have a short guard and a somewhat narrow blade. Going by the handle length, these are one handed swords. But the woman is huge. And so are the blades. They look at least 150cm long. I’m older and beefier than her but I feel she could remove my head from my shoulders before I even have time to react.
She also inspected me from head to toe while I was gawking, sorry girl, there isn’t much to see besides wildly colored hair and a wooly cape. I wonder how old she is, I wouldn’t give her more than thirty. She must be quite muscular, she still has a narrow frame for her height but wielding these swords can’t be easy. Wait, she's that guy’s old friend. She can’t just be thirty…
“Are you done looking?” Her voice is a bit deep but clearly feminine, quite loud, it exudes authority. I don’t think she’s really offended. Her expression is very relaxed. I’m a gentleman, I didn’t even try to sneak a peek at her bust. But I guess I did look for a few seconds too long.
“Not quite, but it will do, my name is… actually I have no idea. I’m honored to meet you, young lady.” I say with an involuntary smirk and execute a short polite bow, copying what the receptionist did earlier.
There’s a short silence. She sits even straighter and starts speaking in a formal tone.
“I’m Eviniel Fel Arta, Third Guild Master of Krel, certified Archmage, Punisher Corp of the Frivian Church, and incidentally first in line to inherit the Fel Arta Dukedom.” She crosses her right leg over her left on her chair, and rests her jaw on her fist, slightly tilting her head up, she’s smirking even more than I was now.
“But simply Guild Master will do.” She briefly adds in a relaxed tone, still smirking.
I’m thoroughly beat. Well, I blame the loss in this battle of charisma on my plant based underwear.
“You did well to bring this young man here, Veon, you can go now, I can handle the rest, you must be itching to get out of the city by now, remember to come say hi next time you pass by.” You’d think she’s talking to her butler. To this same man the guards were kneeling to at the gate.
The priest shows a wide smile, nods towards her, then gives us a small hand sign, I guess it means farewell, his staff appears in his hand out of nowhere and his eyes briefly glow blue. He’s gone without a trace.
Just yesterday I slept in the wild, far away from civilization, having no idea where to go, and now I’m here.
It’s crazy that I can meet such powerful people so quickly. Back on Earth it took eight years of astronaut training before I could even catch a glimpse of the head minister.
I must have secretly reincarnated as a mooching speedrunner.