The Yellow Vanguard, once my cherished haven, a place I once deemed my home, as if we were bound by blood, family tightly graven. Yet now, all that remains are unwanted memories, broken fragments of our once-shared happiness. To boil it down to a single word, regret is what lingers on my mind. Had I made different choices or kept my feeling shut, perhaps we would all be together today.

Sitting in my office chair, opening the letter sent from the council, in my mind, I could predict what the contents would hold. Information telling me where to begin, attempting to guide me through the slums of the outer city as if I had lived this life of opulence since birth. However, I cannot complain. On the surface, life within the inner city is bliss for the majority of those who reside within it. You could say I was privileged despite my humble beginnings. Others would call me lucky if they knew the fate of those that I left behind. Something I myself do not completely know. Yet, my soul remains veiled by a thick cloak of guilt, one that is wrapped tightly and has no intention of leaving.

I placed the paper down on my desk and sighed as I looked out the window onto the school grounds. “Why now?” I thought. Things were stressful enough. Everything seemed to happen at the same time, all this work that has been placed in front of me felt too coincidental for it not to be orchestrated. Or perhaps that was just my way of thinking to justify the fact that I couldn’t keep up.

“I know what I have to do,” I thought. As much as I didn’t want to do it, tying broken connections with the past is what will help me the most with my job. “Besides, it’s been almost twenty years. I’m sure Raja doesn’t hold grudges. Right?”

I turned back to my desk and resumed the work I had put to a halt. I decided I would begin the council’s assignment tomorrow as they had given me no time limit, they just wanted it dealt with. A common trait for those in power. They wouldn’t care how long something takes, as long as it gets done. They wouldn’t care how many lives are lost, as long as the killing comes to an end eventually. As long as their problems didn’t affect them directly, they would let “nature” take its course.

However, this time, they’ve invited a third party. Me. I have the opportunity to help my ex-guild members and raise them from their state of shame. I don’t know exactly what they’ve gotten themselves into, but whatever it is, I won’t make a mess of things again.

ELEX VINSPEAR (POV)

“Its slightly . . . daunting,” I said looking up at the towering door. We had left our camp once the sun had risen, making our way up along the grassy path, we stood at the foot of the looming tower.

“I know, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Christina replied.

It was much taller when you were right next to it. Having to turn your head straight up to see its height was troublesome on the neck and its ominous figure cast shadows that caused a sense of uneasiness to the eye. Its structure looked like something out of a fairy tale, there was no single building - to my knowledge - in Lumerick that was similar in size.

The group stood together around the grand doors, waiting for Leo and Chrollo to make their way over before we entered.

“This thing is insanely huge,” Zack exclaimed to both of them as they approached, “I know we have a year to do whatever it is we have to do, but this - despite its beauty - is kind of disheartening.”

“We’ll really see how big it is once we see the inside,” Chrollo said approaching the doors. He placed his hands on its surface and looked around at the group, “No objections to me opening this, right?”

“Well it’s now or never,” Erika said with her arms crossed.

And with that, Chrollo followed up with a mana-infused push on the double doors. Its rusted hinges groaned as it protested against its movement, causing it to creek and resist the entry of the outside world. With a final effort, the doors swung open with speed, smashing into their inner walls with a slam, giving us passage.

We were faced with a large room, in fact, calling it large would be an understatement. Its sheer size was breathtaking, and yet, we knew it was just a small portion of the building. Upon entry, we saw a large staircase in the center, which led up to higher floors, while behind it held doors to other rooms on the bottom. The place was filled with carpet that had lost its color to time, walls that were beginning to peel, and broken ornaments that lay cracked on the floor.

“Wow,” Zack gasped as we walked in. “What is this place?”

“The place where we complete our mission,” Chrollo replied looking at a damaged picture hung up on the wall. “I think we should split up,” he said, turning to face the group.

Leo called out to everyone to huddle in so we would discuss the plan. “Let’s think about this.” Leo said, ” This place is extremely big, it could take us weeks or perhaps even a few months to explore its entirety. We simply can’t tell. So, as Chrollo already suggested, we could split up and make our way through the tower in smaller groups or we can clear this place out all together as one big unit.”

“So it’s either we split up, cover more ground faster but with the added risk of vulnerability to danger, or we stick together and take longer to potentially find a clue to what we actually need to do to complete the dungeon?.” Erika said with a tone in her voice that jarred me.

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“Pretty much” Leo replied.

I don’t know if it's just me, but Erika always seemed to give off the impression that she was irritated about the choices we made or actions we took. I have nothing against her, but she always seems to be leashed to Christina and very closed off to anyone who isn’t her.

“I say we split up,” I said aloud. “If this place doesn’t hold any meaning as to why we need to be here, then it's better to figure that out sooner than later. And if it does, then we will have more time to complete our task. I'm confident that if anyone runs into danger they can rely on their other party members.” I finished.

“Well then, that settles it,” Leo said. We split ourselves up into tiny groups and chose to wander the tower on our own accord. However, just as we were about to go our separate ways, Zack said.

“Do you guys hear that noise?” We were all silent.

“There it is again!” he exclaimed. A muffled, distant banging could be heard from somewhere within the tower. My senses told me that it was coming from below, and when I looked at Chrollo for confirmation, he agreed.

“Over here,” Christian said, pointing behind the staircase in the center of the room. It held a trapdoor, and once we opened the entrance, the banging was much more prominent.

“Should we go down?” She asked.

“Why wouldn’t we?” Zack replied. “If there is a chance that whatever is making that noise is important, it would be pretty stupid to ignore it.” He explained.

“Chrollo, you take the lead,” Leo said. I moved up next to Chrollo for support as he approached the entrance. The rest of the group followed suit behind us as we descended the stairs, heading into darkness.

It would have been pitch black if it weren’t for Chrollo using his flames to bring light to our path. Pitchforks rested along the stone walls of the staircase unlit and spiderwebs took their place in corners. We reached the bottom of the steps where we were introduced to a long dark stone corridor leading to where the supposed noise was coming from.

The banging almost became deafening as we approached its source. The group was completely silent. No one wanted to talk, as confident as I was, even my thoughts felt shunned by the ominous banging coming from below.

Soon, we approached a room, that held a grand metal door at its far end. “Chrollo, light those torches on the wall,” Leo whispered closely.

The dark chamber now illuminated by the blue flames, created a scene that felt threatening. Leo approached the door cautiously, attempting to analyze the words inscribed along its frame. The loud banging continued and I put my guard up - Chrollo doing the same.

“Apertia,” I whispered under my breath as I felt the ring my grandfather had given me fill my mana storage. The overflow of fuel also provided me with the self-assurance that I had previously lost entering this place and would ready me at a moment's notice if anything happened.

Leo put his hand to the metal door as the rest of us watched in silence, anticipation gripping our voices tightly. Through the loud bangs that came from the other side, Leo let out a call, “Hello?” he yelled.

The banging came to a stop.

“Umm, hello,” he repeated, “Is anyone there?”

No response.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Zack whispered.

Leo stepped back from the door after waiting a while longer, “So do I,” he said, “let's leave this place.” he turned away from the door and headed back down the stone corridor we came from.

“Wait!” an eerie voice said coming from the other side of the door. The voice echoed and bounced against the walls of the room, running through my body as it approached our ears.

“Don’t leave me here,” It spoke again. A hint of pain or suffering could be heard in its tone.

Leo turned back slowly, and replied, “Who are you?” His voice was shaky, and it didn't take a genius to tell he was hesitant about replying.

“You should know that already, no?” It replied. The more it spoke, the more soothing the voice appeared to be as if it were the voice of a gentle individual in need of help. “Or has my name been forgotten after all this time?”

“W . . . We, were not from here,” Leo replied. “We merely stumbled upon this place.”

“We?” The voice asked.

“Yes, there are multiple people here with me,” Leo said.

“What about the man before?” the voice asked again.

“We don’t know who you speak of.”

It took its time to reply. In fact, it seemed as if it had stopped talking after Leo had said that. So, I took my chance and whispered close into Leo’s ear to let him hear my thoughts.

“I don't think we should be speaking with who or whatever is behind that door,” I said.

“What?” he looked at me surprised, “Why not? This could be the clue we've been looking for, it was your idea that we split up and search for a hint as to what we have to do. Well, it seems that the clue has called out to us.” He said nodding his head toward the door.

“I know but . . . this feels wrong.” I couldn't explain it, one part of me was saying that we should find out more about the person on the other side of the locked door, while the other side slightly nudged me, saying that I should be cautious of them.

“I don’t doubt your skepticism, but I think we should pry a little deeper into this,” Leo acknowledged. “Besides, what's the worst that could happen? You and Chrollo are here.”

I smiled slightly. For someone who decided to leave out the physical cultivation of his body as opposed to his mind, he sure didn't seem as if he were against the acts of battle. He put his trust in me and Chrollo, knowing that if anything happens we would be there to protect him and the group. As he should. I suppose I should do the same. Putting my trust in Leo’s mind wasn't something I was against, in fact, I would gladly let the brains of my scholarly friend take control - depending on the situation. However, something about this still didn't feel right to me, and I couldn't understand why. Of course, who wouldn't be suspicious about a voice that was locked behind a fortified door on top of a mountain within an ominous-looking tower secluded from the rest of the world? But something different, something deeper within me felt like I shouldn't trust it at all. However, I will put my trust in my friend above my own. He was chosen as the captain of our party and for good reason.

“Rosh,” the voice spoke again.

“Sorry?” Leo asked.

“That is my name, Rosh,” it answered.

Leo looked over at me and then back at the door. “Ok, Rosh. Why is it that you are locked behind this door?” he asked.

“I was unfairly blamed for the acts of my father. As his son, the people assumed I was just like him, as he was . . . different. And so, they locked me up. Fearing the things I would do or at least what they thought I would do.”

“How was your father different?”

“He came from a different place, a land far away,” he said. “My mother claimed he came from the stars. A place that I can not go to, not ever.”

“Because of this tower?” Leo said, “You're trapped here, aren't you.”

“Yes, I am. The man who was here with me before planned on helping me to get out, he said the castle held the keys to open this door. However, he disappeared some time ago. I fear he may be dead.”

Leo’s face had turned into a big smile and I can assume that's because he thinks he has found it. Our goal in order to complete the dungeon,

“We will help you to get out” he replied still smiling.