“Anabelle, what the actual fuck?” Rayne stormed angrily into the room.
"What? You. Are. Angry. At. Me?” Belle shouted back, her frustration matching his intensity. “How the fuck do you start an interrogation with the sentence: 'Are you a monster'? Also, 'cahoots'? Really, Rayne? Where did you even find the word 'cahoots'? How old are you?”
“Enough, Anabelle!”
Belle flinched, realizing she may have gone too far. “Sorry.”
“Never mind about that, what do you think?”
Belle paused, considering her thoughts carefully. “It fits, with Horus and all, but this guy, Bones, is definitely hiding something.”
“I agree. I couldn't get a proper read on him."
"What? Seriously?" Belle felt a twinge of surprise, assuming she was the only one struggling to glean information with Identify, but for a gold ranker to fail…
"Are we really letting him go?" she asked in disbelief. Despite her reservations, Rayne explained that orders from above dictated they release Bones.
"Any news on Guntar?” Rayne changed the subject.
"Yes, he was last seen in Nightingale Row."
"Of course he was, he is practically untouchable there," Rayne added, a note of defeat creeping into his voice.
"Yes, unless you want to sneak in and grab him out of there," Belle suggested with a chuckle.
Rayne laughed along but then fell silent, lost in thought.
…?
"Rayne, no!"
----------------------------------------
As Bones stepped out of the guild, he silently thanked his luck for revealing his true identity in time to avoid any complications with the former guild leader, Rayne. If he hadn't, crossing paths with Rayne could have led to unforeseen consequences.
However, his relief was short-lived as he was promptly greeted by a cheerful voice. "Took you long enough! Interrogation, eh?" Bones glanced up to see a young man in his mid-twenties, a smile playing on his lips. Taking a moment to assess the situation, Bones turned to survey his surroundings before returning his attention to the man.
"Relax, I was ordered to meet you alone," the young man reassured him.
Bones raised an eyebrow. "I don’t recall ordering anything though." The young man paused, processing Bones' words before bursting into laughter, drawing curious glances from passersby.
"You're funny," the young man chuckled. "Silva sent me to fetch you as soon as he heard that a certain undead was escorted back to the guild by guards."
"S-silva?" Bones stuttered, trying to place the name.
"Yeah, you know... Silva?" The young man's expression turned quizzical. "Don't tell me you don't know who Silva is? He mentioned inviting you to visit us if you ever came to the capital!"
"I think you might have the wrong person. I'm not familiar with any Silva," Bones replied as he descended the stairs and walked past the man.
"Wait, that can't be right! Oh man. The old man's gonna nag me again."
Bones stopped and turned, a familiar face coming to mind. "Old man? Silver goatee? Silver hair, fashionably combed? The librarian?"
"The librarian? Wait! Yeah, the old man was the librarian I guess. That does sound like Silva. He never introduced himself?"
"No, he did not."
"Senile old man. Don't tell him that! So…are you coming with me?"
Seeing how he would be taken to the destination he was heading to anyway, he didn't see the reason not to follow the stranger who had yet to introduce himself.
"Sure, lead the way," Bones said and pulled the hood over his head, covering most of his skull.
"Great! Come, we need to ride on public transport for a while."
"We need to ride on…not again!."
Bones didn't enjoy riding public transportation. Whether in Stonefalls or here, it felt unnatural to him. He preferred walking; it may have taken longer, but at least it felt right. Plus, he had all the time in the world.
The supposed advantages of public transportation eluded him. It was crowded, slow-moving, and lacked any sense of comfort.
When they reached the second stop, they disembarked and made their way down the platform, entering an alley. Glancing out the window during the ride, Bones noticed the striking similarity between the buildings here and those in Stonefall and Westbrook. "Do all the buildings look similar?" he couldn't help but wonder aloud.
Solin, finally introducing himself, paused and surveyed the buildings before addressing Bones. "They should be similar! I don't recall all the details, as it predates my birth, but after the damages caused by the last monster surge, the King consulted with the construction guild to devise the most cost-effective and practical method for building and repairing structures. They began using molds to shape and produce stone blocks in advance. All the stone blocks you see were made from the same mold.”
“The king did this? Wezar?"
"That's correct. He rules with an iron fist, but no one can deny that he's led the kingdom towards prosperity. However, in recent centuries, he fortified the city and walled in most of its citizens, as you can see." Solin gestured toward the high walls visible in the distance.
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"With the city walled off and the population expanding, there wasn't enough space for traditional housing. So, instead of individual houses, he allocated space for everyone within these buildings. Over time, as the population continued to grow, additional floors were added to accommodate more residents."
Bones listened intently, processing the revelation. "No homeless?" he repeated incredulously.
Solin nodded firmly. "No homeless. Is that so difficult to believe?"
Bones paused, considering Solin's words. "Well, yes, it is. I mean, in my previous life, homelessness was a pervasive issue. It's hard to imagine a society where everyone has a place to live."
Solin shrugged. "I understand why it might seem unbelievable, but after the last monster surge, which occurred around a hundred years ago, the king took decisive action. He didn't tolerate the sight of poverty in his city, in his kingdom. And with the abundance of high-level earth mages, constructing buildings became a relatively straightforward task."
Bones furrowed his brow. "Wait, the last monster surge was a hundred years ago? And about King Wezar... Wasn't he supposed to be a tyrant?"
Solin raised a cautioning hand. "Careful with your words, especially in public. King Wezar may rule with an iron fist, but you don't want to underestimate his power. Many noble houses and even guilds have fallen because of him in the past. He is The King, and his word is law."
Bones nodded, absorbing this information. "Noble houses and guilds? Like an adventurer guild?"
Solin chuckled. "No, not quite like an adventurer guild. I'll explain more when we get to the tavern. We're almost there."
As Bones and Solin strolled through the buzzing streets and alleys, Bones couldn't help but notice the array of shops, bars, and restaurants lining their path. "People need to earn a living, I suppose," he mused to himself.
Eventually, they arrived at a small square and ventured into another alley. At the end of this alley, a sign above an entrance caught Bones' eye. It read “Horned Dog.” People were gathered outside, enjoying drinks and conversation.
"What do you think?" Solin inquired.
Bones took a moment to survey the tavern. It had a quaint charm to it, with two floors and a combination of stone walls and wooden frames—a familiar sight in these parts. "It's a nice-looking establishment," Bones remarked genuinely. Without hesitation, they made their way inside.
As Bones stepped into the tavern, he was greeted by a dimly lit interior, swirling smoke, and the soulful strains of blues music. The atmosphere was exactly to his liking. Glancing around, he noticed heads turning to catch a glimpse of the newcomer, only to quickly look away and resume their activities. Despite the early hour, the tavern was already bustling with patrons, the air thick with conversation and laughter.
“Come,” Solin urged, leading Bones past the bar and through a back door. Solin stopped and knocked on the wall at the end of the hallway. To Bones' surprise, the seemingly ordinary wall opened, revealing a burly man standing on the other side. "An orc?" Bones blurted out in astonishment.
The burly man raised an eyebrow at Bones' comment, his deep voice rumbling as he spoke. "Huh? What was that?"
Quickly realizing his mistake, Bones recovered, offering a nonchalant response. "Ah, nothing, my good man. I must have mistaken you for something else." With that, he hurried past the orc, leaving him looking puzzled in his wake.
Behind the wall, a short hallway adorned with pictures on the walls led to a grand hall, revealing what appeared to be a crowded gambling den. The air grew thick with smoke, the distant strains of blues music melding with the murmurs and chatter of the crowd. At a table sat an old man, holding two drinks and wearing a foolish grin as he gazed at Bones.
Removing his hood, Bones couldn't resist mirroring the smile. "Stop that, you're scaring the customers away," Silva quipped. "So, this is the real you?"
"Surprised?" Bones asked casually as he approached the bar, taking the second drink from Silva's hands. Silva shook his head in response. "Not really. I am surprised to see you so soon though."
"Really now?" Bones remarked with a hint of skepticism. "After the mess you made in Westbrook, there was no reason to stay there any longer."
Silva coughed awkwardly. "Yes, well, it’s good to see you again. As you can see, this is our little hiding place, and you are welcome to stay with us. The invitation still holds if you wish to accept it."
Bones turned his attention to the lively casino, where a neatly dressed crowd was engrossed in gambling. "Don’t take this the wrong way, but what would you want with me?"
Silva cracked a smile. “I’d be disappointed if you hadn’t asked. I want nothing more than for you to join me. I’d like to help you out, help you start on your new path. We can offer you a place to stay, a party to level with, possibly do dungeon runs with, and anything else you might need…within reason.”
Before Bones could pose a question, Silva continued, answering what Bones wanted to ask. “It’s because you are different from others. You don’t belong, just like us! If you stay, you’ll come to see that everyone has a story to tell, a reason why they are here and doing what they do. Besides, I take it you don’t have any long-term plans?”
Bones took a moment to answer. “No, nothing long-term.”
“Great! Then stay for a while and decide if you want to stay for good or not! If you do stay, Bones, I’ll try and answer any questions you have about who we are and what we do. Do we have a deal?”
Bones would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted to take on the offer immediately. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find here; he just wanted to come and visit, if anything. “You said something about a dungeon? The Tower?”
“Yes, you don’t know much about the Tower I take it?” Bones nodded in confirmation and eager to learn more, accepted Silva’s proposal. “Then I’ll shamefully accept your proposal to stay.”
“Great! Then welcome Bones, or is it Mr. Jones?” asked Silva, while lifting his glass.
“Bones will do.” Bones smirked while lifting his glass. "Cheers!" clink
Bones figured Silva kept tabs on him since he decided to send someone to meet him the moment he stepped out of the guild. He couldn’t help but be doubtful of Silva. Who wouldn’t be? Nothing is ever free in this world. Behind the silver hair and the wrinkled face hides an intelligent persona full of hidden motives! He was sure of that. As to what they were, Bones had no clue. Regardless, he would gladly stay and take every opportunity he can to advance himself. Starting with the slow leveling of pesky skills.
“There’s a room for you on the upper floor. Just ask for a key at the bar, it will be waiting for you there. Now, let’s switch seats to somewhere more comfortable and private.” Silva stood up and led Bones to a separate, private booth.
“This establishment is owned by Defiant Hounds and if you haven’t heard from Solin yet, it’s what our little organization is known as. Don’t ask about the name. It was named by someone else, but that’s a story for a later time, when you officially join us. Now, let’s talk. Do you have any questions?”
“Sure, a lot,” Bones answered, a glint of curiosity in his eyes as they both chuckled. “Since you mentioned it, could you tell me about the Tower first?”
"Of course." sips "The tower you see is not an external appearance of the dungeon."
"Oh? That’s intriguing!"
"Don't interrupt!” smirks “Around nine hundred years ago, there was a mountain in this place right here and a natural dungeon manifested right inside of it."
Bones felt a surge of fascination. "I knew there used to be a mountain somewhere around here…” he thought to himself.
"The dungeon was massive and as you might have guessed, people quickly crowded to get in. One of the people queuing to enter was an adventurer named Wezar, together with his party. However, soon the need to conquer the dungeon turned from competition to war. That war lasted almost 200 years. Wezar eventually conquered the dungeon and established the city Hagos. It wasn't hard for the city to prosper with riches gained from the dungeon.”
“Fast forward a few hundred years and it was confirmed that the dungeon was still growing. The massive entangled roots that made the outer walls of the dungeon were covered by the dark shade blocks of greystone you see today. The walls covering the dungeon were inscribed with a formation to isolate the mana signature the dungeon excludes."
" What do you mean by…" Bones was about to ask when Silva's hand motioned him to stop.