As the children walked up the steps, Eris studied the building that the Chief was supposed to be working in. The building looked more like a homestead than a Town Hall. Eris thought that using a home was probably a good idea when the town was started, but the odd atmosphere of the town now raised flags in her mind.

As Zeais reached for the door to open it, the door instead had come for him. A woman with light vanilla blond hair and dark red eyes had poked her head out before he could even touch the knob.

[???: Why hello there young ones!]

Eris examined the woman as she brought the rest of her body outside. She wore what looked similar to Anya’s worker uniform, except for her button shirt being pure white, and the light brown knee-length skirt that freely flowed. Her face, she thought was lovely. The beauty mark below her right eye and her small lips gave her a youthful look. In fact, Eris believed couldn’t possibly be older than twenty years of age with how refreshing her warm beige skin was. Eris was puzzled as to why the young woman didn’t seem to be leaving.

The woman looked down and covered her mouth lightly with a hand, adoringly she softly said,

[???: How cute!]

Eris’s eyes met with hers and tilted her head in confusion.

[Eris: Um, this is the Ch—]

The woman had suddenly grabbed the young girl and gave her a loving surprise hug. Eris thought to herself at the moment that this was the third time today, she was pulled around like some sort of doll. She hadn’t known that people outside of Don’te could be so accepting of others. “It’s okay. This woman doesn’t seem to be like them”, She told herself, reminding her hands not to grab the knife hidden beneath her sweater. The young woman continued to squeeze the girl close with her arms around her shoulders. Eris didn’t squirm or push away from the woman but had her eyes closed and seemingly embraced the hug in return.

Softly touching the young woman's hands, images of a warm campfire pleasantly heated her mind. The darkness of the forest, the distant sound of monstrosities roaming and the brisk breeze were all blown away from the softness of that woman's embrace. The dark metal of the blade stuck in the ground reflected light casting split shadows across the ground. She missed her, missed the tenderness in her voice, missed the way she would throw her into the air, the way should tap her nose if she made a mistake, she wanted all of it to come back. Everything about that woman dissipated as the unknown voice of a young lady came from above her. The girls flushed cheeks disappeared, her eyes no longer held the pasts memory of happiness, and her face slowly faded into the stoic look she always had since the day she was born.

[???: You have to be the children Chief Reg wanted to see! After all, you two look just like what he mentioned this morning.]

Eris looked up to see the woman give a benevolent smile.

[Eris: Mm, we're here just like he asked.]

The young woman let go of Eris and backed away. Delicately gripping the lower part of her skirt and moving a leg back behind the other, she bowed with a curtsy.

[???: Welcome Children. I hope you enjoyed your stay.]

She stood up straight and with a triumphant look and put her arms on her hips.

[???: I do have to look the part at least sometimes! My name is Celty, and I work here as the Chief’s assistant's assistant.]

Eris looked to Zeais for confirmation on if she had heard right. He nodded to her and held the same expression of confusion.

[Zeais: Assistant’s assistant? ]

[Celty: Yes! I’m basically just here because to fool around!]

She proclaimed her position with a confident tone, but the children's faces scrunched up into an untrusting glare.

[Celty: Now now, don’t make such faces. I still kind of work here! Come, I will take you to the Chief upstairs.]

Celty turned around and motioned for the children to come inside.

The inside of the house looked much more official. There were desks for people to work and couches for visitors to relax. Hung along the wall were all types of documents and pictures. The most attention-grabbing detail that caught Eris’s eyes was the large glass mounted on the wall, holding a copy of “Grand’s Map.” She had seen the map that was posted in her town, but it had only displayed the regions around Don’te. This version, however, held the entire land mass and was long enough that a lot of it was rolled up. The long rectangular glass case that held the map was closer to the ceiling though she couldn’t make out any landmarks that would show Rigas. Eris let out a delighted,

[Eris: Ooooo amazing. ]

[Celty: Ah you must be looking at the Grand Map. It really is amazing even though its a copy.]

Zeais had walked past her to get a closer look.

[Zeais: It looks just like the one in Brights, although ours looks a bit older and beat up.]

[Eris: There's one there too huh. Hmmm]

Eris thought copying a portion of the map might help her out in the long run when she decides to leave and explore. She kicked herself for not bringing her supplies, she pondered over asking if she could borrow ink and paper to draw a copy.

[Celty: As unbelievable as it is, I should get you two upstairs the Chief got a letter not too long ago to head to another meeting.]

The girl felt a hand suddenly envelop her shoulder, the young woman put a hand on each of them and steered them toward the stairs.

[Celty: Now now, let's go.]

As the three ascended the stairs, she noticed the extreme care taken in the wooden steps and the walls were painted in all types of pictures from what she thought to be children’s drawings. At the top of the staircase, oil lamps lit up the windowless hallway, which gave the girl an eerie feeling. It was a long hallway, but the first door was the most eye-catching. If nothing else, she knew it had to be the Chief's office, the large bold letters inscribed into the door saying they arrived at their stop hadn’t been needed.

They stood in front of the door, which boasted excellent details of animals mixed with other abstract designs in its casing. The metal knockers in place, Eris thought, were quite normal aside from the small markings of facial expressions littering the handles. Celty reached out and grabbed the knockers and gave it three light taps to the dark wood.

[Celty: The two children you mentioned this morning have arrived Chief, are you ready for them?]

A muffled mans reverberated through the door,

[???: Ah, you’re still out there playing assistant little girl… No matter, bring them in.]

Celty opened the doors revealing the room hidden behind. Eris thought that the house had to be full of more unique furniture or colorings, but the room that appeared was actually, very ordinary. One large desk for the man of action to sit at and four chairs in front of it to speak with guests. An extensive library of books lined the shelves on one wall and a burning fireplace was on the other. A giant glass window behind the desk brought forth plenty of natural light through the curtains, the sun was still high in the sky but Eris concluded it must be near evening from the color of the light shining through the curtains.

The sole person in the room was the same Chief they saw last night. His gray hair was still as shaggy as the night before and his emerald eyes told of his old age. He wore the same black vest but instead of the blue one he had previously, it was now a scarlet red. He sat behind his desk putting away documents and items. With a quick hand gesture, he beckoned the children to enter.

[Chief: Yes, these two are indeed the children who arrived last night.]

He gave Celty an annoyed look.

[Chief: Go find the old lady and stop playing around up here!]

Eris looked to the young woman, she gave the nod to the Chief and looked down to the children.

[Celty: As you wish!]

She smiled to Eris and quickly left the room. Her steps could be heard as she hurriedly ran down the stairs.

[Chief: Come, sit children, take a seat.]

He gestured to the chairs in front of them. Eris didn’t particularly like formal establishments but she had no choice but to take his offer and sit. Zeais sat down next to her but his attention seemed to wander around the room.

[Chief: Alright children. Let's get started. I never game my name since this town only ever calls me Chief, but I am Reginald. Sorry you had to wait so long, I had other matters that needed me. I hope the Inn treated you right.]

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

[Zeais: Not problems at all, Sir.]

The old man stroked his beard.

[Chief Reginald: Such mannerisms.]

Eris could see him eye the boy, his dark green eyes didn’t sit right with her and she felt a chill run down her spine.

[Chief Reginald: Your caretakers must have instilled the seeds to help you grow, am I correct?]

[Zeais: Um, yes. Someone taught me to be polite during travels.]

He turned removed his eyes from the boy and turned to look at Eris. Once again his eyes seemed cold and off-putting. Maybe it’s his old age? She thought. She did not speak or respond to his gaze.

[Chief Reginald: A quiet one hm. Manners are nice but silence is good too, it can be calming at times…]

The old man’s eyes softened and almost showed some sort of warmth but this brief look disappeared as quickly as it had come. Delving in his moment he quickly snapped to.

[Chief Reginald: Ahem, about the compensation you children will be doing. Right. Since that man and his nephew have both been in the doctors ward and the use of the volatile crystals were used. All I ask of you, children, is that you fetch supplies from the Lucent forest closest to here.]

[Zeais: A lucent forest? I refuse.]

The chief raised a brow to the boys sudden deny.

[Chief Reginald: I do believe you children are the ones who brought that monstrosity to the village. Its only right that you pay an equal fee for a rescue using such rare materials. I even provided you with a bed to stay the night.]

[Zeais: Even so, sending a child into that kind of place is no small task. I’ve been once before and know its no place to go unless you’re well equipped or have a few people at your side.]

[Chief Reginald: Children these days really have grown quite bravely I say. Well how about thi—]

A knock from outside the door too the attention away from his attention. The Chief sighed in disappointment, and raised his voice to the door,

[Chief Reginald: Yes, Who is it?]

[???: It’s Summers. The children are inside already are they not?]

Eris felt the voice sounded familiar.

[Chief Reginald: What is it you need?]

[???: I told them to wait in the lounge but it seems they went ahead and started already.]

Zeais looked to Eris and they both looked one another wide-eyed

[Eris: I completely forgot.]

[Zieas: Me too...]

The Chief overheard the children and asked the voice,

[Chief: I’m guessing you planned on joining in with them Mr. Summers?]

[???: Yes.]

Once again the Chief sighed. Eris couldn’t quite figure out what the old man was thinking or why he seemed so disappointed.

[Chief Reginald: Fine, come in.]

The door slowly opened and the behemoth of a man, Yale, walked inside.

[Yale: If you’ll excuse me.]

Yale took a seat next to Eris. He eyed Zeais and had to have seen the look on the boys face because his own turned into the same grimace expression.

[Yale: Please continue.]

The Chief adjusted his vest and continued his statement.

[Chief Reginald: As I was saying, how about you two instead help bring in a some precious metal.]

[Eris: Precious metal?]

[Chief Reginald: Yes. There are deposits of ore in a mine close to here. The miners who worked there had triggered a collapse on accident and the cave had its only entrance closed. The only way in now is through a crack the size of small child. We haven’t had enough volatile crystal to blow the entrance open, which is why going to a lucent forest would quickly help us.]

Eris furrowed her brows and gritted her teeth. She couldn’t shake the ominous feeling she got when speaking to the old man.

[Eris: Why not just send some of your guards or ask the miners who messed up to do it?]

The Chief gave an understanding head nod and crossed his arms.

[Chief Reginald: Good question. Unfortunately all the guards are busy and the miners are being charged with purposeful negligence on charges of blowing the mine on purpose to get out of work.]

[Zeais: Fine.]

The old man raised an eyebrow in surprise.

[Zeais: I’ll go visit a Lucent forest.]

Eris wasn’t expecting his answer to be the one he so quickly refused.

[Eris: But you just SA—!]

She received a quick nudge to her side. She looked to Zeais who looked into her eyes intently, she understood the message.

[*Zeais*: I’m not getting good a good feeling from him.]

[*Eris*: Me neither. Why accept the forest though, you said no so quickly before.]

[*Zeais*: There's no telling what the miners blew the mine for. I was taught not to believe everything so quickly and man-made places could have quickly fallen prey to dangerous animals.]

[*Eris*: And why does visiting the forest sound any better? There are plenty of dangerous creatures there.]

[*Zeais*: I will trust nature before I trust another man. Besides I have a couple people who can join me, I won’t go alone like I did the first time.]

[*Eris: You’re saying this as if I wasn’t coming along.]

[*Zeais*: It’s not like we’ve known each other for a long time and I do trust you. But. I can tell you haven’t been out farther than Don’te.]

Eris stared at the boy, feeling like he saw straight through her faced.

[*Eris*: Still. I want to come along. I’m not so useless to have never been hunting.]

Eris stared at the boy fiercely but she sincerely wanted him to accept her. She could use another reason to get away from that town, and the family couldn’t possibly punish her for being tasked to do something she wasn’t expecting. Zeais stared at her for a quick second then finally answered,

[*Zeais*: Alright. Only because there will be others with me.]

Eris was elated in her mind but her face said otherwise.

[*Eris*: Great. Thank You.]

Their conversation was no more than seven seconds of silence. The Chief was staring at the two of them.

[Chief Reginald: Always such an amazing thing to see. Even though I am not taking part, the abilities of your generation are really a sight to behold. Hahaha, get it! Sight!]

The unexpected joke earned no laughs from Eris or anyone else in the room. An awkward silence fell down upon them for a moment.

[Chief Reginald: Haha, Ahem… If you accept, good. I really wish I didn’t have to depend on the help of children but even at your young ages the ability to fight against nature is astonishing.]

[Yale: It’s not like children are powerful Chief, they have their limits.]

Yale looked to the children for a second and quickly turned back to the Chief.

[Yale: And they are still young. It is their choice though.]

[Zeais: We will go, thank you for the worry but we have our methods. So Chief, how many crystals and how fast do you need them?]

The Chief stroked his beard and said,

[Chief Reginald: Around eight unstable cored crystals and if you can bring a bit of Angustic Dust. If you can bring a bit of dust back I will give you goods in return. If you are able, within the next week will work.]

[Zeais: Good deal. I’ll see what we can do.]

[Chief Reginald: Great! It’s settled then.]

Eris didn’t like that they owed so much in the first place but going against a towns Chief could easily disrupt good relations provided a good reason. Bring an Earth Walker to a town of people was no laughing matter either, even if they were prepared.

The Chief stood up and reached out for a handshake over the desk. A glint from a golden circle hanging from the pocket of his dark trousers shined into Eris’s eye. She squinted her eyes and looked to the side a bit. When she looked into the corner of the wall, there was a crack and for an instant she saw something that almost made her heart stop. Was that. Someones eye? She thought.

[Chief Reginald: You too young lady.]

The Chief was holding his hand out to her, she must of missed initial handshakes. She reached her small hand out and gave the old man a firm shake. She looked into his eyes once more, unlike the chills she felt before, she got a specific feeling when she peered into his pupils this time. She had seen it many times before but it was well hidden through his speech and actions. The look of greed in his dark green eyes angered her.