"Miss Rose?" Red muttered, recognizing the person who had just appeared at the door. It felt like a dream, surreal, as he couldn't comprehend why she was here. He thought her team had gone to Hoak, a town nearly halfway to the next city. She also didn't know the way to Dwindle's house or how to navigate the often obstructed and broken streets of the Classy Slums.
How did she manage to find her way here?
Rose pointed an accusing finger at Red, her silver gauntlet glinting in the dim light. “So, you aren't a hero," she declared. "You're just like Welsen, a sly dog preying on unsuspecting women.” Welsen, the archer on her team, was notorious for his wandering eyes and unrelenting pursuit of his targets. When Rose saw Red kiss Nasset's forehead, she couldn't help but think he had seduced her.
In Rose's mind, heroes had to embody a pure and righteous image.
Outside, a disgruntled voice muttered, “Um, my lady, I’m right here…” Red leaned over to look past Rose and saw that the entirety of Rose’s team was there, including Welsen. A short figure stood among them, but their face couldn’t be seen, though the bundle of packs they were carrying could.
Polopp, Red thought with annoyance. He must be the reason…
Rose extended her hand towards Nasset and spoke with an air of righteousness, "Come with us, young lady. Men like Red and Welsen cannot be trusted to be alone with women." Welsen groaned outside at Rose's comment.
Nasset turned to Red and asked impatiently, "Who is she?" She was keen to complete her mission and didn't want to waste time in a city that her people viewed as debaucherous and pathetic, feeling as if she were surrounded by losers.
“She’s a Hunter,” Red answered solemnly, then was struck by a sudden idea, “And someone I need help from.”
Rose scoffed in disbelief. “Help you? Why would I help someone like you? You hid a dark magic user from us and care more about chasing after women than fulfilling your duties as a Hunter.”
Red's expression softened as he explained, “My friend has been taken. I need the help of Hunters, of heroes.”
Rose was taken aback by Red's heartfelt plea, but still stood firm. “You can't just ask us for help when you aren't willing to give us what we want.”
“The necromancer?” Red asked, already knowing the answer.
Rose nodded.
Red's expression fell as he asked, “Do heroes always make sure they get a good deal before helping someone in need?”
Rose fell into silence as she reflected on the stories and legends of heroes she had admired since childhood. What came next to her was what Red had asked her in the carriage, “What is a hero?”
Those who do the right thing, Rose thought, her face becoming weary.
“What blithering nonsense,” Welsen crooned. “Why should we help someone who is clearly taking advantage of us when they aren't willing to help us in return? We are Hunters, not priests.”
Hawl, the cleric of their group, rolled his eyes, clearly being forgotten about by the self-absorbed archer.
Welsen concluded, “To be a hero is one thing, but to be a fool whose morality is used against them by those who don't follow the same code is another.”
Welsen had a point but Rose didn’t want to side with the archer. She was already displeased with him since he had suggested that they go to his room in the sage symbol carriage on their way here, which had disgusted her. But she also couldn’t allow Red to use them for his needs when he wasn’t willing to offer the same assistance to them, even when it came to stopping a dark magic user.
“The Hole is where the necromancer is most likely hiding,” a voice with a higher pitch spoke. For those familiar with the slums, The Hole was notorious for being a place of wickedness, also a dwelling where those who practiced forbidden magic could blend in.
The humans turned their attention to a gnome wearing a red tassel hat—Polopp. He had wanted a red cone cap, but since no human shops sold gnome clothing, he had to settle for what he could find.
Upon hearing Polopp's words, Rose commanded with enthusiasm, "Let's go to The Hole!" Her team remained silent and did not move. "Hmm?" she murmured, looking at them with confusion. Although Rose had the potential to be a leader, she occasionally displayed her youthful nature and lack of experience.
“My lady," her old servant, Dawrite, bowed and said, "That is not a place for us to enter.”
“Why not? We're hunters. We pursue monsters and villains to the ends of Eronia. This is no different.”
Hawl spoke with a pale face, “That place is evil. It is dreadful to think that humans can create such a hell.” Like others from the upper districts, he was frightened to behave by his parent through the use of stories from The Hole.
“I’m not going there,” Welsen said flat out. Opalstein let out a sigh of relief hearing the others. He also did not want to risk entering The Hole.
Rose stamped a foot and complained, “If we don’t go, we’ll have to tell the guild that we failed!”
Opalstein coughed awkwardly and said to her, “Well, my lady, we did fail.” Rose threw him a fierce gaze that caused him to tug at his collar nervously. “Failure builds character, my lady. It is not entirely a bad thing.”
“My lady,” Welsen said warily, “I must be off. Find me at my manor if any changes occur with the necromancer.” The archer knew the quest was as good as failed and only wanted to keep good ties with Rose. “And about what we discussed regarding the Jerbryne merchant association…” He wanted to discuss a possible connection between the Verdinant Transport Company and his family’s businesses.
“Enough, Welsen,” Rose exhaled wearily, looking away. She struggled to fathom the notion of their party failing under her leadership. The archer then bowed to hide his scorn and leapt away from one ramshackle rooftop to the next, covering his mouth and nose with a handkerchief to keep out the stench of the slums.
“I am sorry, my lady,” Hawl apologized sincerely with a bow. “The Hole is ruled by powerful dark forces, even the king would have to think twice before contending with it.”
Opalstein stood by the gnome without any hint he would leave.
“Human,” Polopp said to him, frowning, “I don’t take apprentices, especially ones who are bothersome.”
Opalstein tried to protest, “But master!” However, Polopp averted his gaze, indicating that he had become fed up with of Opalstein's persistence. With the limit of the gnome’s patience reached, Opalstein’s shoulders slumped and he trudged away. Hawl had been waiting for him on the street, knowing the outcome of Opalstein’s ambitious aims to become Polopp’s apprentice. They both then walked back to the upper districts as Hawl’s face made a “told you so” expression.
Rose stamped her foot again and began to pout.
“They are not worthy of your leadership,” Dawrite cooed in attempts to assuage her anger, though he too felt relieved not to be forced into The Hole where protecting Rose would become impossible.
“I hope you’re happy, Mister Rombell!” Rose whined, crossing her arms and glaring at Red.
Red apologized sincerely, but he couldn't regret helping Zini. "I'm sorry, Miss Rose, but I do thank you for agreeing to help me," he said, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Who said I would do such a thing?" Rose retorted, trying to maintain her tough exterior.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
“We are one and the same. We were meant to help people.”
Rose let out exasperated breath hearing her own words echoed back at her. She couldn’t deny him. She had meant every word that they were similar in that they found joy in helping others. But still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was getting the short end of the stick.
“Dawrite, leave me for now,” Rose commanded her servant. Dawrite seemed unwilling but he heeded her command as he was trained to do. She had to get rid of him. Her parents would not like her intermingling with commoners, especially a man and Dawrite would report on her if he remained.
With the old servant gone, she bargained with Red, “I will not be taken advantage of. If I help, you will have to become a permanent member of my team.”
“Agreed,” Red replied to Rose, showing no hesitation. “Now, we need to recruit some members from the Hunter's Guild. We're going to raid a brothel.”
Rose was taken aback. “Mister Rombell, that's against the law!” Rose objected urgently. “The Hunter's Guild doesn't conduct raids on businesses in Soalde, no matter how corrupt they are. That's the responsibility of the City Lord's Hall and the Justice Hall.”
“I have no other choice. My friend was taken there. Let us go to the guild and see who is willing to stand with us,” Red urged.
Rose slapped a hand to her face but regretted it soon enough feeling the metal of her gauntlet slap harder than she liked.
“Red,” Nasset glowered, reminding him, “We had a deal.”
“I see you’ve made more deals,” Polopp said to Red, stepping into the house, looking about with distaste at the unnatural angles the house had. He preferred bark dwellings or caves—homes made from the natural world.
“You led them here,” Red accused him with a hard edge to his voice.
“What was I supposed to do? They were the ones with the carriage and my very important research has yet been started.”
“I’m guessing you put something in the soul enhancement potion you gave my kickboxer entity,” Red surmised. Red guessed that he must’ve been tracked by some magic of the gnome’s laced within the potion.
Polopp shrugged, “I didn't want to lose you before our deal was completed.”
“You’ll do anything to accomplish your goals,” Red stated, his tolerance for this gnome alchemist waning. If Rose and the others had arrived a few minutes earlier, Zini would’ve died.
Polopp only kept an even stare with him without speaking, allowing the tenseness between them to linger.
“Red, stop dawdling wasting time with that tree dwarf, come here and put a baby in my belly already,” Nasset demanded.
“W-what?!” Rose stammered hearing her. What kind of woman spoke in such a way?
“Unless you’ve figured out how we’re supposed to mate,” Red said tiredly to Nasset, “then we will have to figure it out later.”
Rose couldn’t stop her cheeks from reddening. Why were they speaking to each other in such a crude manner so openly? And what was so confusing about mating? Her reddened face deepened in color as her thoughts took her down a path she didn’t care to go.
“Let’s go,” Red said to an embarrassed Rose.
“Not without me,” Nasset said, refusing to be left behind. “I will join you on your visit to this brothel.” Her plan of wanting to watch other people mate for reference was too obvious to Red that he had to sigh.
“And what about our deal to help with my research?” Polopp inquired as they walked out. Rose led them to her sage symbol carriage parked on the street, standing out like a diamond amidst the surrounding squalor.
“We’ll have to postpone it, I’m afraid,” Red replied to the gnome.
“But you said you don’t back out of deals,” Polopp reminded him.
“My friend has been taken by bad men, so you’ll have to wait. And I also have to trouble you for another soul enhancing potion. I need the entities’ help once more.”
“You like to accrue quite a bit of debt, don’t you?”
Red stiffened visibly sensing he would have to make another deal to gain what he wanted. “…what do you want?” Red asked warily.
“To peek into your soul,” Polopp answered, his expression unreadable, though Red sensed a mass of hidden intentions behind the gnome’s words.
I’ll save Poly, Red resolved himself in that moment. Whatever it takes.
“Fine, Polopp,” Red nodded. “Whatever you mean by peeking into my soul, I will allow it.”
A wide smile spread across Polopp's face like sunshine. “You smart, best, brave, prosperous, kind human,” he said, producing a vial of golden liquid from his pocket as if he had anticipated Red's need for it beforehand.
“What's in it, Polopp?” Red asked suspiciously, eyeing the vial sideways, unsure of what poisons or tracking magic might be inside.
“Do you want it or not, human?”
“You're a tricky demon, gnome,” Red grumbled, reluctantly accepting the potion. As he held the vial up, he saw his new face set with determination, reflected in its golden surface.
Poly, I’m coming for you.
Their carriage pulled up in front of the Hunter’s Guild, the surrounding streets quiet given the time of day. Spheres of light, powered by sage symbols, floated in the air above the city, illuminating the grandeur of the upper districts. Red stepped out and marveled at the immaculate buildings towering high above him like majestic trees reaching for the heavens. In their presence, he felt as if he had shrunk.
In front of them was the three story Hunter’s guild building. Sage symbols inlaid within pulsed with power, exuding a presence the other buildings did not have. According to some, each Hunter's Guild was constructed like a fortress, fortified with enchantments and robust materials that made them impervious to siege. This was one of the reasons why the City Lord was uneasy about the Hunters' audacious behavior within his dominion, accurately measuring their potential for staging a successful revolt.
Red looked to a black and gold sign that stood above the entrance which read, “Hunter’s Guild” in ornate script. Red let out a small laugh.
“What is it?” Rose asked, noticing an expression on Red's face like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.
“I can read,” Red murmured, feeling his emotions rise. It was a skill he had never been able to master before, despite his mother pulling out her hair trying to teach him. He wondered if her teachings had actually sunk in, but he couldn't access the ability to read until now. He recognized the techniques she had taught him in sounding out the letters. His eyes suddenly fell on his pocket where the golden vial lay.
What if he returned to being a fool after consuming it?
“Most people in this day and age can read,” Rose chuckled, assuming Red was joking. “Shall we proceed?” Red affirmed with a nod, and together with Rose, Polopp, and Nasset, they entered the Hunter's Guild.
As soon as they crossed the threshold, a refreshing wave of cool air washed over them, emanating from an intricate sage symbol system that was unlike anything in the slums. The area was sparsely populated, with only a few Hunter groups present, who seemed to be quiet due to the late hour. Each small cluster of Hunters huddled around the furniture in what appeared to be a waiting area. Red and the others found themselves in a large lobby, dominated by a massive desk that dwarfed even Dwindle's house. Despite the late hour, people dressed in black worked busily behind the desk.
“Poorly designed…” Polopp said to himself, looking around. The gnome wouldn’t know good architecture if he was standing in it which he was.
“Mister Rombell,” Rose said, capturing his attention.
“Yes?” Red replied before offering, "Just call me Red."
“Sure, Red," Rose acknowledged with a nod then smiled, “Well, I’m Rose to you then.” Her smile then faded. “I'm afraid I can't help you find members to raid a brothel. You'll have to do it on your own."
“Is there nothing you can do?” Red persisted.
“My family won't approve of what I'm joining you to do. If word gets out, they'll make sure I'm no longer a Hunter.”
“What kind of person are you, a princess?” Nasset mocked, snickering. Rose didn't find the comment amusing.
When Rose was greeted deferentially by a receptionist at the front desk with "Welcome back, Lady Veridinant," everyone in the lobby turned to look at Red's group, causing him to instinctively step back in surprise. He wasn't prepared for the sudden and intense attention from the numerous people present, but he soon realized that they were all fixated on Rose.
Most of the onlookers appeared to be admiring her, but a few women in their own groups had expressions of venomous hostility or cold ambition. It was evident that power games were being played among them and Rose. In just a few moments, Rose was surrounded by others, who spoke only flattery and admiration.
Red sighed in resignation, "Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. Someone here must be willing to help." He noticed Nasset's shocked expression, as if she had been splashed with cold water. "Nasset, what's wrong?"
Gritting her teeth, Nasset muttered, "I didn't know she was a Verdinant." Red couldn't help but be impressed that even someone as isolated from society as Nasset had to respect the Verdinant name.
Red soon approached a group of women where each member wore mage robes of a different color. But before he could utter a word, they spoke first.
“Handsome,” one of them appraised him, eyeing him from head to toe, “but you need more than that to woo any of us.”
Another woman with blonde hair commented, "I don't like the poor," her gaze fixed on Red's low quality attire.
“You should probably go,” scoffed a third, rolling her eyes.
The apparent leader of the group then addressed him sternly, “You won’t make it in this guild if you are here to chase women, Hunter. You would do well to remember this.” Her companions nodded in agreement, but when they turned away, the leader gave Red a suggestive wink and blew him a kiss.
Red left them, puzzled. He couldn't understand what just happened.
The young man from the Reeking Valley wandered around the lobby, attempting to strike up conversations with anyone he could, but most either ignored him or declined when he mentioned his plan to infiltrate a brothel owned by a dangerous gang, despite his explanation that it was to rescue someone. His status as low born, someone not of noble birth, also dissuaded some from interacting with him.
Rose observed him from afar as a group of Hunters vied for her attention with their incessant fawning. Although she had a strong desire to help the young man, her aspirations as a Hunter were at stake. She knew that her family would never allow the Verdinant name to be tarnished, so she hesitated to get involved while witnesses were around.
Suddenly, a dreamy and raspy voice called out, "My, oh my! Is that a new recruit I hear?" A woman wearing a pointy hat too large for her head stumbled out of a side door. Her sky blue robes had excessive frills and embellishments more typical of a gown than mage robes as if the seamstress couldn't decide which to make. With closed eyes, the woman walked into people, apologizing with phrases like "I'm sorry" and "Excuse me."
As she passed, people quickly moved away, their expressions wary.