Gesald narrowed his eyes suspiciously as the vampire and the boy approached. Ranloo sneered, planted a hand against Gesald's chest, and pushed him backwards as he passed by. Gesald hit the wall behind him with a grunt and glowered after the elf. He straightened and brushed himself off with jerky motions before following, his face hot with indignation.

Sern glanced back with a slight frown but soon returned his attention to Ranloo, talking softly.

Gesald followed them at a bit of a distance until he realized where they were going.

´Hey!` he called out and blanched as the vampire turned his weird eyes on him, giving a cold stare. ´Where're you going?` he asked, avoiding Ranloo's gaze.

´Nowhere that concerns you,` Ranloo replied in a low voice.

´Jackal is sleeping and may not be disturbed,` Gesald told them anyway, guessing where they were headed.

The vampire snorted and Sern shrugged apologetically.

´I need to speak with him,` Ranloo said.

´He's sleeping.`

´I don't care,` he snapped. ´This is important.`

´You're to follow guild rules,` Gesald retorted and pointed at Ranloo. The vampire stared at his hand and Gesald lowered it, the feeling he'd get bitten overwhelming. Almost like he'd pointed towards an angry animal.

´If you don't get us in, I'll get in myself,` Ranloo stated and continued towards the guild leader's room.

Gesald fretted for a moment, angry and stressed by the situation. Then he hurried along. He was in no mood to help the vampire, but neither was he sure he dared disobey. He had to keep Ranloo from revealing what he was as well, which was proving much harder than he'd initially believed.

As Ranloo and Sern approached the guild leader's room, the two burly bearded men guarding the room gave them suspicious stares.

´I need to speak to Jackal,` Ranloo announced as he got close enough.

´He's not available,` one of the men gruffed, eyeing Ranloo with an unreadable expression.

Ranloo smelled the guard's unease however and knew he didn't trust him. It didn't matter, they didn't need to trust him. They just had to let him in.

´Wake him up, it's important,` he demanded.

´Don't think so, elf,` the other man sneered.

Ranloo felt a twinge of annoyance but composed himself. ´I need to speak to him now. I can't wait until morning,` he said slowly, deliberately.

´Too bad for you then,` the first man laughed.

Ranloo's canines extended as his anger rose and he fought to keep them back to no avail. Snorting, he stepped closer to them. ´Let me in now, or I'll break the door with you,` he threatened and leaned forward, staring at the big man.

The guard swallowed audibly and took a step back. ´I can't do that,` he stubbornly replied.

Ranloo clenched his fists and advanced, forcing the guard back another step. The man's hand went to the sword by his side.

´I wouldn't recommend fighting him,` Gesald intervened to Ranloo's surprise. He pushed past, forcing him back, and indicated for the guard to come with him.

The big man glared at Ranloo but followed Gesald out of earshot. Or at least, that's what they believed they did. Ranloo heard Gesald telling the guard in hushed tones that it was a really important matter and that the elf would become great trouble if he didn't get what he wanted. He also reassured the guard the guild leader was quite safe from the elf. After a while, the guard nodded and muttered an angry reply about cursed and stupid elves. Ranloo didn't care, as long as he was admitted. He nodded his thanks to Gesald as they came back, but only got a glare as a reply. The guard opened the door and went inside. A few minutes later he returned and nodded.

´You're allowed to enter, but don't you dare try anything,` the guard threatened.

Ranloo gave a quick nod and slipped inside.

The room was pleasantly dark. A faint flickering light emerged through the crack of an opened door further in. He walked towards it, hearing someone moving inside. Ranloo knocked on the doorframe and waited outside. Soon the door opened and Jackal emerged, dressed in his customary brown clothes. The Eldon-medallion on his chest gleamed unpleasantly in Ranloo's eyes and he squinted in annoyance.

The guild leader peered at him, his short brown hair messy from sleeping. ´What brings you here this late?` he asked slowly.

´I need your help.`

Jackal ran his fingers through his hair and yawned. ´It's late. Way past midnight,` he commented and eyed him sleepily.

´Of course it's late,` Ranloo replied, a slight smile tugging on his lips.

´Of course,` he agreed with a half-smile. ´What ails you?`

´I need assistance,` Ranloo began. ´Tomorrow night. The vampire hunters –`

´Have they found out where you are?` Jackal interrupted sharply.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Ranloo shook his head. ´Not as far as I know. But they have... something of great importance to me. I must get it back,` he explained hesitantly. ´I'll have to meet them.`

´That's a terrible idea,` Jackal said needlessly. Walking over to his working table, he sat down on his chair, tapping his fingers on the desk.

´I know,` Ranloo replied, his jaws working.

´Then don't go there. Problem solved,` Jackal stated.

Ranloo wished it was that easy, but he couldn't walk away. Not from this. ´I can't,` he said. ´I have to go there. But I'd rather like to survive...` Jackal gave a sharp laugh to his annoyance.

´You have a choice here,` Jackal said flatly and steepled his fingers in front of his face. ´You either don't go there and live or you go there and die. Surely you can see that's what they want you to do? If they have something you want, it's only for one reason.`

Ranloo ground his teeth, angry at the straightforward words. He knew it was true, but he couldn't abandon Minira. He wasn't a monster. Not yet. ´I must,` he said again. ´But I need your help.`

´No,` Jackal said with a passive face.

Ranloo flinched and stared at the guild leader. ´Why?` He didn't understand.

´You are a member of the guild. That means you have our protection. But you're also an expense. You cost more than you bring in, generally speaking.` He studied Ranloo coldly for a moment and Ranloo fidgeted.

´I let you stay because of Sern, and you know this.` He nodded to emphasize his words. ´I won't put others at risk to help you battle two vampire hunters. There might even be more for all we know. But that's your problem, not the guild's.`

´But,` Ranloo protested, feeling helpless and desperate. ´I just need some assistance. Maybe an assassin or something?` Jackal laughed at his words, grating on Ranloo's nerves.

´An assassin?` he asked, incredulous. ´You're the best assassin we have. Besides, what you'd really need is probably magical protection or some blessing from a cleric. And that's something we don't have,` he stated. ´We're a thieves guild, not some unholy or religious organization.`

Ranloo fretted, knowing it was true but desperation asked for stronger measures. He took a step towards the guild leader, angry and frustrated. ´You must help me!` he demanded, louder than intended and raised a fist.

Jackal's eyes narrowed and he lifted the medallion in front of him. ´Step back, please,` he said coolly.

Ranloo squinted at the symbol before taking a step back. ´I'm sorry,` he mumbled.

´You better be,` Jackal snorted, ´after all the trouble you've caused.`

Ranloo looked up sharply. ´What do you mean?`

´You don't think your little outbursts lately have gone unnoticed, do you? Storming in, glowing eyes and bloody sword in your hands?`

Ranloo stiffened, rooted to the floor. Of course he'd know about that. Lowering his eyes, he stared at the carpet.

´Then you attacked Felisei and they had to flee and hide from you, along with several others.`

´I didn't mean...`

´I don't care what you meant,` Jackal snapped. ´You caused a lot of trouble. I've had to bribe and threaten several people in the guild to keep this quiet. And you have the audacity to ask for more help. I've already done all that I can for you and more.` He gave Ranloo a frigid stare.

Ranloo was ashamed of himself, but he'd been so angry. He hadn't even considered the consequences of storming in like that. Not thinking. As usual. He poked his fangs with his tongue, annoyed at them for not obeying him. Swallowing his pride he bowed his head, even as anger simmered under the surface. ´I'm sorry. But... they took my... they threatened my family. I was furious.`

Jackal nodded and stroked his thin beard. ´You can always ask your friends,` he said in a friendlier tone. ´They might help you.`

´I don't want to risk their lives,` Ranloo retorted.

Jackal raised his eyebrows. ´So, you don't want to risk your friends' lives,` he said slowly. ´But other members of the same guild, their lives can be wasted, hmm?`

Ranloo opened his mouth to protest but realized it was exactly what he had said, even if he hadn't meant it that way.

Jackal nodded knowingly as Ranloo closed his mouth again. ´The answer is still no. Ask your friends. Or better, don't go there at all.`

Ranloo turned and paced around the room, clenching his fists. ´I have to.` Anguish and fear closed in on him like a giant hand crushing him. ´I have no choice.`

Jackal sighed faintly. ´You always have a choice. The question is what you want.`

Ranloo eyed him for a moment in silence, then he nodded and inhaled. ´I'll go alone then,` he said quietly.

Jackal gave him a pitying look. ´As you wish. Good luck, vampire.` He stood and walked back to his bedroom, giving Ranloo a nod before closing the door.

Ranloo stared at it for a while, unwilling to leave but well aware the guild leader was right and there was no point in arguing further. Frustrated, he left the room. Sern and Gesald waited outside, together with the two guards. He barely glanced at them as he passed but heard them scramble to follow.

´Well?` Sern asked as soon as he caught up. ´What'd he say?`

Ranloo grunted and shook his head.

´That bad, eh?` Sern continued. ´We can help you, though. Just say what you need.` He looked up at Ranloo, worried about him. Sern wanted to help him so badly it almost physically hurt, but Ranloo was so stubborn. The stupid elf didn't see his friends when he really needed them.

Ranloo walked swiftly, staring ahead. His composed face betrayed nothing.

´Look, I'd love t' help you, but you gotta tell me what t' do,` Sern prompted.

Ranloo turned towards him, his amber eyes cold. ´You are not going to do anything,` he said flatly. ´I need you to stay right here and not get yourself into dangerous situations where I can't help you.`

Sern laughed in disbelief and shook his head, hiding the pain of rejection inside. ´Look who's talkin',` he said, forcing a smile. ´You're the one usually gettin' into situations, not me.`

Ranloo kept walking, a slight frown creasing his forehead.

´Where're you goin'?` Sern asked after a while, noticing Ranloo wasn't going to his room.

´To Diquarl. I need to ask him a few things.`

´Diquarl? What can he do?` Sern asked, confused and feeling betrayed.

´He's a chemist,` Ranloo replied and finally smiled, even if it was only for a fleeting moment. ´I don't know what he can do.`

Sern huffed but understood Ranloo's reasoning. ´He can blow things up, I assume.` He grinned, waving his arms in the air to illustrate an explosion.

´That's a good thing,` Ranloo laughed.