A small clearing in a forest. It’s ground covered by various colourful flowers swaying gently in the wind. The scenery is accompanied by the chirping of birds in the surrounding trees, granting their audience with a song only known by a small group of listeners. The sun shining from its throne in the firmament baths the field in the warm embrace of its light. Butterflies flying through the air, some landing for a rest some others dancing to the tunes of the birds‘ song.
A small giggle sounds through the clearing.
In the midst of this harmonic display of nature sits a small child. Her white sundress dirtied by playing around shown through the green and brown stains. Her long silver hair braided together hanging over shoulder. Her violet eyes with a sparkle in them directed on the small project in her hands.
„It’s done. So pretty!“
The girl giggles again as she puts the small flower crown on her head. Standing up carefully so she doesn’t lose it she makes her way to the line of trees where a silhouette of light stands. The silhouette, a mix of colours which radiate calmness and peace and warmth, picks her up and starts walking deeper into the woods.
„Mama, Mama, look! I’m now the pretty princess from the book!“
A sound similiar to that of a wind chime comes from the silhouette as she pats the little girl carefully. A small shift in her colours causes her to radiate a feeling of love.
„__-&#!!@?€“
The girl enjoys the ride as she and „her mother“ follow a nonexistent path leading through the maze of trees surrounding her. The trees slowly starting to block the sunlight but the silhouette doesn’t seem to have problems navigating.
„Mama, do you think papa will find me cute?“ The girl asks nervously.
The silhouette stops and „turns her head“ towards the little girl. Her light shifts, the feelings change to worry.
„_&€-€!!“
The girl shakes her head. „No, that is not why I asked! Papa just never tells me I’m cute or pretty and always seems grumpy.“
The silhouette shifts again, the feelings of amusement, love, warmth and joy radiate away from her as she pats the girl again.
„#€@-&'?)!_“
The girl was about to say something else as a feeling of dread fills the area. It starts to drill into her, causing her to shiver in fear. Sweat starts to gather on her body, her breath became quick and shallow, her heart beating so loudly in her chest as if it was trying to rival a war drum. The Feeling of dread intensified, now bordering on a death sentence. The darkness starts creeping close, Pulling her into its embrance and whispering her of a promise to help. She was about to accept as she remembered.
„I thought I told you nightmares to leave me alone!“ Violet, now being aware of herself again, realized how close she was to losing to the Nightmares.
The darkness surrounding shifts and swirls around her. „And weeee… told youuuu…. that… youuuu… just needed to accepttt… and weeee… would help… to find them……“
Violet no longer in the form of the small child that the dream turned her into had a smirk on her face.
„You seem to forget that I know exactly what your form of help would mean, Nightmare! And we both know that I may be desperate but I will not accept your help even if it means I will never find them! So, scram and leave me alone!“
The darkness shifts once more revealing a small group of shadows surrounding Violet with no way of escape. „youuu… will… help…. Us… There issss…. Noooo… other way.“
With these words the Nightmares retreat and allow Violet to wake.
Opening her eyes Violet takes a look out of her window. „I really hope the rest of the day has some good news.“
~At the adventurer’s guild~
„Selfiya, please tell me you at least took a nap!“
Selfiya with a smile on her lips as she always has while at work replies. „Of course I did. A small two hours nap after the first receptionist and the vice-guildmaster arrived. Oh, and her is your reward for your scouting quest.“ She reaches for a small pouch before giving it to her.
Violet takes it and puts it into her own. „Money is good and nice but shouldn’t you take more rest?“
A sigh escapes Selfiya. „I would love too but first of all I’m the chief receptionist and responsible for the others as well as only one of three people that can take the nightshift for our guild. Second of all we already have too much to do because of the strange monster behavior so I help where I can especially since the guildmaster hasn’t returned yet from his trip. And third of all and the Most important of them we are preparing everything for the ‚buddy sytem' that we intend to implement soon. But now you came with news about a strange new cult that appeared in our area.“
„Alright, I won’t tell you to rest but just promise you will. But what is this ‚buddy sytem' you mentioned?“
„Don‘t worry, I will and I wanted to tell you about it anyway so just listen.“ Selfiya takes a piece of paper out of her desk.
„So, the ‚buddy sytem‘ is a project and service we plan to integrate in our guild. It would pair high-ranking adventurer like you with newbie adventurer so that they could learn the ways of their new job while receiving tips and temporary protections from the more experienced ones. It would also help to provide work for retired veterans that have nothing else. It could also help reducing the death count of newbies as they could make some mistakes but have someone with them that can get them out of trouble.“
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Violet nods as she thought about what she was told. „It really would help especially now if we can’t predict the monster behavior. Can we choose to participate? And how long would that go?“
„It is left to the adventurer’s choice if they want to be a part of it. For both, the veterans and the newbies. The duration of it is decided between the parties involved. And if the veteran would take a quest that would be too dangerous for the newbie they of course will remain behind. Of course you can also decide for how often you want to accompany him on a quest every week. It leaves a certain amount of freedom based on the learning speed of the newbie and their overall abilities.“
Violet nods again. „Could you write me in for the veteran part of it? It could be good to switch things up a little.“
Selfiya smiles genuinely at her request. „I was about to ask you anyway, so yes I can. Oh, and before I forget. Mr. Jones came this morning and left a message for you.“
Violet is surprised at that. „He did? That’s unexpected. What did he say?“
Selfiya nods. „He didn’t say anything specific but he did say he wanted to talk to you about I quote ‚Another try to find the path for what you seek‘. More information can only he tell you.“
Violet’s eyes widened a little as she hears his message. She nods and thanks Selfiya before making her way out of the guild.
At a corner of the market place stands a small house made from stone with some wooden highlights. Ivy covers part of the front clinging upwards toward the roof. A sign hangs over the door, written on it stands „The seeker of knowledge“.
Upon entering Violet is greeted by a small bell chime echoing in the room. The walls are filled with shelfs and rows of books. Some books are even lying on the ground building small towers reaching up to her hip. At the other side of the room was a small counter, behind it a door that leads deeper into the building. In front of the window to the left of the door was a table with two chairs for visitors.
From behind the counter comes the sound of footsteps as Jones steps into the storefront. As he sees Violet a small smile tugs on his lips.
„Ah, Violet, what an honor for you to visit again. So, how can I help you today?“
„Good day to you too, Jones. And I came today because you left a message at the guild if you remember.“
Jones steps around the counter. „Ah yes, I did leave a message. I think I have finally an adult-entertainment book you will love.“ As he says this he steps towards a box hiding in a corner before pulling out a book with something colored in pink on ist cover.
Violet frowns at him and crosses her arms. „If you just tried to trick me by leaving that message I will leave. This would be a new worst joke even for you.“
Jones chuckles a little as he puts the book back. „Alright, I will stop joking but i did mean it with you loving that book. But jokes aside I thought about our last talk a little and I might have an idea of something you could still try so sit down, please. I’m going to make some tea and then join you.“
A short while later both of them sit at the table with a cup of tea in front of them.
Violet took a sip. „This is good tea. So, what is this idea you spoke of?“
„So, based on what you told me in your little outburst last time, you already tried everything you could think of or others told you about.“ Violet nods to confirm. „It made me think about it a little but everything you tried was something we already knew exists and is real or has been proven to work for someone.“
„Yes, that would be true but what are you on about?“
A smirk plasters itself on his face. „I had thought that instead of looking for something we knew exists or was proven succesful we should looking for something we don’t know if it will work, things from myths and legends.“
Violet puts down her cup of tea and starts rubbing her temples. „I know you meant it good but we both know that I did look into some of them and it never worked because they were either too exagerated or just complete lies so far from the truth that you could sell them as a book. What would change this time?“
Jones takes a sip of his tea and takes some time before he answers. „Easy, two things that are different. The first of them is that I look through them and not you-“
„Ey, what do you mean by that?“
„-and second of them I already have something of an idea for your search.“
Violet looks up into his eyes. „what do you mean you already have something?“
He puts down his cup after taking another sip. „Tell me, Violet, how much do you know about the history of this world?“
„Not much and probably not nearly enough to know whatever you're going to talk about.“
Jones looks out of the window. „Let me ask another question. What do you know about ‚religion‘?“
Violet pauses for a second seemingly deep in thought. „Wasn’t that a practice the people a long time ago followed? Something about worshipping some kind of higher entity and asking for it to help them?“
He looks back at Violet and takes another sip of his tea. „Yes, that was a part of it. At least if we believe what was found in old texts, something called ‚scriptures‘ and ancient ruins. Based on what we could piece together the practices connected to ‚religion' involved making offerings to this higher entity, following a lifestyle dictated by rules set by it and ‚praying‘ to it and asking for guidance. Before you ask we still do not know what ‚praying' means but historians think it was a method commonly used to communicate with this higher entity. It saw at least more use than the offerings and sacrifices.“
„So, let me think for a moment.“ Violet leans back in her chair and crosses her arms. „Your idea is to use these old practices to ask this entity for help? A practice so old that nobody knows if it would work or if this entity would listen and answer me? That’s your idea? Because in all honesty it sounds even less useful of a plan than asking the Nightmares.“
Jones shakes his head and sighs. „First of all, a plan is a plan and there doesn’t exist a plan that would scale lower on the stupidity scale than asking Nightmares for help. Something you are well aware of as it was proven more than once.“
„Oh, you talking about-“
„Second of all, Violet, stop interrupting me and listen to the end. Third, yes I meant that and last but not least I have another idea. Even I know that that would be something with a low chance of success but better having one plan with almost no chance of it working than having absolutly no plan. An arrow you shoot has a higher chance of hitting than the arrow that stays in the quiver. I’m sure you heard of this saying before.“
Violet fills up her cup with some fresh tea before answering. „I think I do? Can’t remember where I heard it but I do remember it for some reason. So, what’s the other idea?“
Jones stands up and disappears behind the counter before returning with a book and giving it to her. „This is my idea.“
Villet takes the book and rises an eyebrow as she reads the title. „Really? A fairy tale for children? ‚The Kingdom of Dreams‘. Would you be so kind to explain how a story about a dream children all over the world can enter would help? Because I’m pretty sure a 24 years old adventurer doesn’t count as child.“
Now it is Jones turn to raise an eyebrow while looking at her. „I’m surprised you even know that story. But I’m sorry to disappoint you. The fairy tale itself won’t help us.“
She puts the book back on the table and takes a sip of her tea before asking. „Then do tell me, what does help us that has something to do with this fairy tale?“
Jones takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. The sun starts to set and the background noise of activity on the market place Starts disappearing. A few candle light up to help illuminate the bookstore.
He opens his eyes again and drinks the rest of his tea before he looks into her eyes.
„Do tell me, dear Violet, what do you know about Dungeons?“