The clean-up after the clash with the sect of the Void was on its way as more and more people were recovered from the iron cages and prepared for transportation back to Veer. Teams of guilders on site did their hardest to liberate the people from their bindings until the night came, and more beasts came out of hiding, making the whole endeavor cumbersome.
Just as the sun was about to reach the tree line behind the gloomy castle, Elsa noticed a trio of familiar guilders arrive, each carrying a person wrapped in a dark cloak on their shoulder. They went to the central tent erected next to the tree line and dropped the bound and gagged prisoners behind the prison arrays. It did not surprise Elsa that the prisoners were bound in repression collars, which were frowned upon in Hersis as semi-illegal items. Serves them right, she thought, observing the ongoings next to the central tent.
Clay suddenly appeared on Elsa’s side and asked with caution, “Do we go and report to Lilly?” She turned away from the scene, hiding her contempt, and looked at him, saying, “I am not sure I want her to know that you attacked a civilian, mistaking him for a sect member. Or explain why that happened in the first place.”
Clay nodded understanding and said, “Still, we must report on the progress and our first raid with Hunter’s guild. If you want to chase and find this guy, I cast [Mark target] on him just before he fell. The mark is still active last I checked.”
Elsa looked at him, then at the central tent, and stood up. “You had the time to cast a tracking spell but not to pause and talk?” she asked, then shook her head, not wanting to hear the answer, and motioned for Clay to follow.
They walked across the clearing where the leftovers of the fight and the interrupted ritual remained, slowly drying out in the chilly evening air. Elsa approached the trio of guilders, who had finished arguing with the guard just in time to hear the man at the front calmly explain something to his two companions.
“… and that is why you always ask for money when meeting a maiden next to a tavern. Oh, Elsa, how are you doing, darling?” the man dressed in comfortable leather armored asked. Elsa turned her gaze to him, and his kind, bright blue ones met hers as he moved with noble grace in front of her, carrying a longsword on his hip.
Elsa looked at him, noting his short dark hair was not even slightly ruffled after the fighting, answering, “Finlay, so nice to see that you came back in one piece. We are doing fine, thank you very much.”
Then turning to the woman on his left, Elsa continued, “We came to deliver a report to you, Lilly.” The woman looked between Elsa and Clay. At her scrutiny, Elsa noticed that her fiery-red hair lit up brighter somehow in the evening air as a slight pressure of her rank came off her.
“Oh? And how was your first fight in an official team with Mr. Warfield?” the woman asked, her fire-red eyes piercing her very being. Elsa had not known Lilly for long, but even so, she knew that behind the dark, alluring leather armor that matched her woman’s beautiful face hid an entirely different beast.
She stepped back slightly at her gaze, knowing well the horrors of training he would have to endure after her report. Lilly was no flower, after all, managing to keep the laid-back Finlay in line. Nobles and their games, she thought to herself.
“It went better than I expected. Although, I am not surprised that raid leader Walter did not mention the real purpose of this raid. You would expect the vice-guild leader to be honest and tell us lowly apprentice ranks these things,” Elsa said, as Clay snorted at the thought of them being kept in the loop of important things.
Every guilder in Veer knew that while the vice-guild leader did his best, it was just too hard to keep up with the work dumped on him by the guilder leader. As such, it led to certain issues affecting the operations of Hunter’s Guild in the area. Organizing the largest raid in the last six months and keeping everyone in the loop only of the things they needed to know - being only one of the latest problems. After all, only a few knew whom they were attacking this evening.
She continued, “Instead of the promised bandits, we got a full contingent of sect members. But, per your suggestion, we stayed at the back, avoiding the initial volley and melee, and took care of stragglers. Clay here, actually, performed the best, managing to push one person from the cliff there,” Elsa said and pointed to where their fight had taken place.
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Finlay, Lilly, and Aya looked toward where she was pointing. Aya clapped her hands and said, “Good job, Clay! Was it one of their riders?” Elsa smiled at the question from her timid healer mentor and said, “No, it was a civilian, by the looks of it. Not a local. If I am correct, he had a translation power from the few words we exchanged.”
“Oh,” Finlay said, interested. “Did you manage to get anything out of him then? It will be worrisome if the sect has secured support from the plains. It was bad enough that they had a master rank leader here. Did you know it was some old man from Veer? The city has fallen to new lows, colluding with the scum.”
Elsa nodded at Clay and said, “No, we did not. Although, it is not surprising from what we have learned of the ongoings in the city. I overheard multiple accounts of finding missing people from the city or the surrounding villages. Walter has it tough keeping the guild together these days.” The trio of mentors nodded, knowing full well what she meant.
Elsa continued, “Back to the topic at hand. Clay here thought it would be a good idea to rush off to get the man once we noticed him hiding in the tunnel, observing the proceedings. So we did not even get to question him. By the looks of it, he was not a part of the ritual here, though he had the same cloak as the sect.”
“Elsa, how many times do I have to explain to you,” Clay started. “Do you not remember he was covered in blood and had this mad look about him? I mean, how many guys have you seen that are that tall? And who has some kind of pictures painted on their hands?” Clay said defensively, crossing his arms.
Lilly evaluated the two and asked, “Looks like we need to put more work into your team dynamics.” Clay shuddered at the thought of more hellish training back at the Guild’s compound in Veer. Lilly continued, “Elsa, you have an ask behind this report, correct? Is there something you want to do?”
Elsa nodded, “Yes, Clay marked the man with his skill and said we can track him if the skill has not expired, correct?” Clay nodded at the question, and Elsa continued, “I would ask you to allow us to go into the forest and track him before the mark vanishes….”
Lilly interrupted her by raising her gloved hand, “No. We are at the frontier where the beasts spawn randomly due to the high magic saturation. You will not catch up to him alone if you have to fend off a critter every hour or so. Not at your rank and without a full team.”
“Lilly, I think she wants us to help find the man,” Finlay interrupted. “I believe that would be a good exercise for both of them. To see what actually lies behind city walls. Maybe they will be able to take part in some fights if we find a few apprentice-rank monsters along the way. What do you say, Aya? You remember how you were when we took you out of your village for your first mission, right?”
The healer looked at him, shook her straight brown hair and corrected the position of glasses on her nose, raising them higher, and said, “Yes, Fin, I remember. That was the worst day of my life. And to believe you thought jumping in a nest of [soil claws] on your own was a good idea?”
Finlay grinned and said, “But it worked out in the end. You learned to evaluate the situation and heal me right up. Besides, the monsters were only apprentice-rank at the time. I knew that nothing bad would happen.”
Lilly interjected, “You managed to kill two before you were knocked out, and I had to clean up your mess. But it is beside the point. These two are not ready to face a true monster from the north alone. Be prepared to assist them then, Fin.”
“And if there is an adept-rank one or even master?” Elsa asked, looking between Lilly and Finlay. The man shrugged, twirling a conjured sword construct, “Then we will take care of it. As we always have, right, Lil? You got the damage. Aya will keep them off with her barriers. At the same time, I will do what I do best. What is the worst that could happen?”
Aya coughed timidly, “We might be late for the Ball of Sommerstice. You know how I wanted to go! I even commissioned that green dress the tailor had on sale. It cost me the whole eight Mithril tokens.”
Lilly looked pained at the arguing pair beside her, grimacing at the mention of a ball. Formal wear, I will be damned. Better fight monsters than nobles in their court, she thought.
Shaking her head, Lilly interjected quickly, “I believe we will make it to the ball. Do not worry, Aya. After all, it is a week or so from now. I understand that Clay and Elsa would love to get more real experience right before the tournament this year.” Lilly looked at the pair expectantly, doing a hundred-eighty on her stance about them going out at the mention of a formal event.
Seeing her chance, Elsa elbowed the rogue, and he nodded in agreement. Lilly sighed, relieved at possibly avoiding the dreaded ball, and said, “All right. But do not think we will take you on your little expedition for free. You will need to repay me.”
“How?” Elsa asked seriously.
“With more training, of course!” Lilly smiled and twirled her hair. Clay groaned, his shoulders slumping, regretting that he had cast the tracking spell in the first place. Finlay looked at the rogue and laughed, knowing full well what awaited them when they returned.
Lilly turned around and motioned for them to follow to one of the tents on the side, asking, “Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go and plan our little trip.”