Chapter Fifteen: Turning point, Cautious, Perilous

The registration process was-

“That… was terrible.” Shadow’s exhaustion was expected considering the long wait and need to rewrite the contract given.

“I can’t believe how many times they tried to scam us.” Her voice whispered, navigating the cramped interior.

“How long did that even take?” Shadow checked the quest timer.

Quest:

Reach [Hollowed] Rank 1.

* Reach the stats required to break through to the [Hollowed] rank.

Consequence:

You lose your innate ability.

Time Limit:

Two days, 21 hours, 51 minutes remaining.

“Too long,” Waynev huffed.

“I understand once but why would they even try to make us fight for the city in times of war… Do they think we were id-” Her voice rising, she felt the shield-shaped band on her left hand.

“Not idiotic. But ignorant. I know from the people around us, most would’ve signed it without a second thought.” The voice of reason delicately replied.

“Thinking to some is hard work, but it’s what sets us apart.” Waynev listened as she walked out of the disappointing guild, but for all the disappointments it gave, she couldn’t deny it's uses.

An inn, a bar and another safety net.

Unlike the city’s contract, the adventurer’s guild contract is a band, which enforces that you cannot take it off while inside a dungeon or inside of the guild building, much like the city’s contract.

“To our first job OR try and infiltrate the nobles library?” Shadow’s shrouded in fake excitement.

Looking up the sky was just beginning to darken, the rays of red swiftly turning to rays of blue.

It would be a full moon tonight, the scent of the city changed again to a cool nature’s embrace.

The crowds were beginning to thin and to Waynev’s surprise red orbs began to light around the obtrusive walls and main streets, only the alleyways and buildings gave way to the darkness that was beginning to infiltrate the wide world.

“We should do our job.” Waynev didn’t feel tired.

Especially when she considered what the book had claimed about getting to [Hollowed] Rank 1.

“I’m sure doing our job is the only reason. Not the possibility of ranking up. Avoiding sleeping in a ditch. Or going hungry for a night.” Shadow snickered at her blush

Still following the crowds she split off at the gates and left the relative safety of the town, from the looks of the people around her they were also going to the same place.

The Dungeon.

“I still can’t believe there’s a place like this…”

“It’s not a rumour, that's for sure, I’ve eavesdropped on too many conversations about this place so far.” Shadow proved to be a better user of Waynev’s own body, to the extent that Waynev wasn’t aware anything had changed.

“I can also sense living beings around us so long as we take it slow and steady…” The implied meaning got through to Waynev, causing a slight blush.

As she got closer to the entrance the small road gave a wave to a small camp, filled to the brim with shops, tents and merchants.

Weapons, equipment and even arcane books illustrated the lit up tents, their candles and in some cases floating balls of fire illuminated the darkening landscape.

“No. Look to the entrance.” Looking at the massive cave opening, guards and statues surrounded the entrance, then all of a sudden one of the adventurer’s tried skipping the line.

That’s when Waynev saw the statues weren’t statues.

“They were moving… people? Were they robots?” Waynev eyes couldn’t believe that she saw moving inanimate objects in Temporous, on Earth it was every day but by the looks of the people around her, the statues weren’t uncommon.

“We did see a few of them posted near guards, I can’t believe I didn’t think about moving status as an option...” The last part was said offhandedly as Shadow went deeper into her pondering, while Waynev watched the ongoing scene.

The two statues began moving back to their past positions, the adventurer was left on the ground in their wake, bleeding however his chest was coughing up blood.

Nearby Waynev noticed a small group with flashy armor wait patiently nearby, their expressions hidden by the mixture of white and grey gradient.

“-ey, the clearers showed up late, wonder if their contracts nearly up” A misshapen voice whispered loudly behind Waynev.

“Don’t be stupid you warm toilet seat,” A grizzled female tone spoke up.

“Pfft-”

“They’re [Contracted] for life, probably the nobles that held ‘em up again.” She continued.

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“Or… they could’ve gotten sick and tired of always having to clear the halls of [Hollowed] Ranked monsters as [Forlorn]s. If I was at that rank, servants, gold as far as the eye can see-”

The man continued rambling as Waynev saw the last of the [Forlorn] clearers disappear into the Dungeon.

Looking back at the statues, Waynev remembered a detail that Shadow preferred to be forgotten.

“Hold on. Shadow, weren’t you really into robotics?” Waynev’s voice sounding teasing, devilish which Shadow instantly went on the defensive.

With a sentence, their roles were switched.

“It was just a phas-”

“A phase that lasted 4 years! You kept nagging for years to read this book and that about robots, controlling moving parts with my brain!”

Hearing Waynev complain about her earlier fangirling was-

“Wayne, please-”

“I wasn’t that obsess-” Hiding her interest in the failed lifeline, failed hope of a body also failed with Waynev’s continued outburst.

“I had to watch Netflix with a book to my right constantly just so you could nerd out about how to make your own!”

“Wait, wait wait. I’m sure your misremembering-” Shadow tried to shut out Waynev and move the conversation at her pace.

“-but it’s cool to think how it operates right? I-mean-what powers i-” Shadow’s rushed explanation and cute mash of words wouldn’t stop her onslaught.

“Probably something to do with mag-” Waynev did, however, shut her mouth at a group of voices.

Hearing the nearby conversation, Waynev leaned on one of the posts and listened in, Shadow thankful for the distraction also stopped and tried to calm herself.

“... anyone have patience anymore? Honestly, they're just slowing down that line every night.” A red-faced shieldbearer complained.

“Ay- ..elieve that girl is going to try th- d----... erely has a chan---...” Their voices became harder to hear as they purposely lowered them.

“Wayne. Did you notice anything about the people here?” Shadow’s question proved rhetorical when she answered.

“They're in groups. We're not in a group. Otherwise...” The truth was never best left unsaid.

“Oh-” Looking around her there were pairs, groups of three and foursomes. But no other loner was in sight.

“-Crap. Do you think we can make it without a group?” Waynev’s voice dropped when she noticed the obvious error.

Waiting a few seconds Shadow was about to start her careful manipulation but was interrupted by a loud voice behind Waynev.

“-eh Kres!”

“Why do Paladins wear chainmail?” Without waiting for his teammates' reply he blurted out.

“It’s holey armour! Ahahahahahah-” Sneaking a look at the speaker she saw a large dragonkin with faded red-tinted, devoid of pattern yet despite this, his armour still put them to shame, instead of luxurious red plated or blue plated armour it was a default brown leather.

Like hers.

But unlike hers, he had holes in the back of his chest piece instead of the front. Peculiar.

“Forgotten or intended?” A familiar whisper toned.

“Come on Vaud.” A voice slick with exasperation came out.

“Don’t you think the joke’s old? Gods, even my Grand Den didn’t have Paladins since they were banned!” Taking another peek she saw the speaker was definitely a man, his voice being the telltale sign. But unlike the tailed creature next to him, he had no tail, an easy way to determine his scaled race.

However unlike the other serpentfolk, she had met, he had…

Hair?

“Hair that blinks isn’t hair. Those are snakes.” Shadow’s perception enabled Waynev to see what she had missed.

Where before she had seen grey hair with red spots at the ends she now saw the numerous eyes.

“Glancing, dancing, they’re peering to seek. Or to hunt.”

“I’m probably wrong but-” a small voice appeared in the rabble.

“-having a paladin would be good with their innate healing but I don’t know if we could have a paladin because we worship different Gods-d-didn’t they only form parties with followers of the same God?” A young woman, tanned and bright green eyes, her voice, however, betrayed her otherwise stunning composition.

“This group looks promising. Check their stats.”

At Shadow’s pushing, she checked and was surprised to see-

“They’re similar enough to form a bond and their age close enough to fit in.” Shadow egged her forward.

Waynev on the other hand felt nervous.

What if they said no? Hands clammy, the post she was leaning on began to feel like a wall between herself and the new adventurers.

“Waynev, don’t hesitate.” Urging her she continued.

What if they didn’t want her? Her stomach, sinking, falling.

The familiarity of being an outcast, unwanted, a flash of white came to her eyes as she remembered the school environment.

“Wayne. Release the reins, let the horse ride free. Don’t think about your emotions, act now and focus only on meeting them.” Shadow edged Waynev forward more.

Eyeing the small group she slowly moved her feet despite her own emotions compelling her to do the opposite.

What could go wrong going into the dungeon alone?

Everything.

“Yeah. I know what to do.” She kicked off the ground, pushing forward taking Shadow’s well-meaning advice.

Steps away now.

“Listen, guys.” The slightly taller dragonkin spoke up, gesturing to his companions with his hands out and palms up as Waynev neared her target.

“Paladins would be good but for us unranked?”

“Peh. [Contracted] can’t even enter the church until [Hollowed]-besides instead of a forbidden class realistically we just need a front line fighter.” The red patterned serpent swivelled his head, however, his voice was practised. Sounding more human, as if he were trying to imitate someone.

“Mind if I join in?” Waynev poked her head between the two lizards. “I’m Waynev… and since I’m at the front of the line does that mean I get to be the fighter?”

Her joke, although very cringeworthy did break the ice and helped meet the warm centre.

Sensing the change in mood the patterned serpentfolk stepped forward.

“Waynev! My group does need a fighter-I am Pillar and my affinity is mainly for buffing!” He bowed his head upward, his long neck accomplishing the task easily.

“I am the team's leader and my time is precious. Tell me why I should let you join.” He said almost pompously, his voice also betrayed his appearance.

“The high and mighty Pillar of the party. Sounds like an act and from his teammates looks…” Waynev glanced at the young woman and dragonkin, the young woman was looking away while the dragonkin looked like he wanted to interrupt.

“I’m a good fighter and my affinity is mainly for-” Thinking on her feet she blurted out, “-getting close to enemies.” Waynev’s lie seemed to have worked even though the serpentman was about to rebuke, already raising his head. Was interrupted.

“Pill hold on. Waynev I’m Vaud, a dragonkin of Dockern. My affinity lies in defence and like Piller, it’s a physical ability.” Looking over at their female member he continued.

“Kresley here, works well in surprise attacks.” Suddenly Kresley’s dark outfit, a skirt that covered her thigh paired with a leather top with a small outlier of dark red and blue at its edges made more sense.

“She seems our best targ-” Shadow stopped as Vaud continued, not minding Waynev looking at their ally.

“Her affinity is in sneaking or scouting ahead.” Patting her on the back she shifted in the leather vest.

“I-I’m happy to meet you Waynev.” Her small voice came, and eyes peeked out through her brownish hair, a stark similarity to Waynev but unlike her shy personality, Waynev knew when to power through with a confident veneer.

“It’s good to meet you too, I’m new at dungeon-diving and know just the bare minimum from the clerk. So some advice would be gr-” Years of mimicking others and trying to fit in gave her the edge that these slightly younger and slightly older adults didn’t have.

She put herself in a calming stance, palms out and voice relaxed.

“Waynev please.” Pill’s body rolled upwards, his earlier discomfort forgotten while Waynev’s subtle manipulation worked well. Courtesy of Shadow’s gentle influence.

“It’s simple, too simple. We simply have to grab and collect certain resources such as rare herbs while avoiding the Graveirs or hunt down some of the monster’s attracted or born from the dungeon else it will overflow and Aestern will have to beg Dockern for another [Gilded].” Already he was walking towards the entrance, Vaud grabbed a mace off the ground while Kresleys hand kept sliding over her belt.

Back and forth her hands went, each time checking the holster for their tool almost certainly in the same manner someone bites their nails while on the way to a presentation.

As they walked and Waynev listened to Pill’s incessant monologue about the best types of Bliss weed to grab she couldn’t help but look over at Kresley, her eyes were drawn to the lookalike.

She almost looked like a tanner, shier Elise of this world. Glancing at her two companions they walked probably without realising it like two bodyguards protecting a politician.

Kresley looked like she needed advice from a girlfriend.

Some of the best advice she’d been given though never admitted was from Shadow.

A few years back when Waynev did have problems making even basic conversation with others Shadow had been like usual talking, grouching and monologuing trying anything to grab her attention which was as usual anywhere else. That was until a certain day when she heard the clique line-

“Fake it till you make it. It’s that simple.” At the time it was overused, but it’s what she needed and looking at Kresley she wanted to talk. But they had a dungeon to dive, and the entrance was in front of her, bringing out her badge like the others Waynev felt excited.

“Well.” Looking around at the group she stepped back to give them a view of the entrance.

The guards stood like beacons to the few adventures not already inside while the grass that had led them to this point had stopped and become smooth stone.

“It looks manmade, artificial, unnerving. Yet the smell is fresh and wild. What does the inside hold?” Shadow’s observations lead to action.

Looking back at the group Waynev’s eyes dazzled with a fire familiar to them.

“Let’s dive.”