Vera strode into the Adventurer’s Guild with Ivilandra’s stuffed dragon held under her arm. Button followed on her heels with a jar full of rattling baby teeth. One for each of the missing goblins.

In the dining area, Warriors and Mages mingled with everyday folk and richly dressed clients. Vera stifled a sniff of disdain at the over-the-top armor and robes both types wore. Everyone was so eager to garnish themselves with gaudy jewels and dyes. As if appearance dictated how well one fought mired in the trenches of a dungeon or quest.

Vera led Button toward the actual reception hall, ignoring all the familiar sights. They had to hurry. Who knew what would happen to Ivilandra, or the other children, if they took even a moment too long?

Button lingered behind her. Vera glanced over her shoulder and saw her eyes widen at the sight of the library to their left. Wooden bookshelves enchanted to hold the overwhelming burden of meticulous bestiaries and tomes rife with any information that would give an adventurer every edge they could get.

In the middle of the library rested desks full of strange boxes called Tomes artificed through the combined cunning of gnomes and dwarves. Vera did not understand how any of it worked. Somehow they interfaced from structure to structure in a… forest of obscure information.

Wizards and their bizarre inventions always took the world by storm.

“I thought the Guild would look different,” Button whispered.

“It used to. Come on,” Vera thought the whole dining area was a waste and distraction. The library had value at least. And yet, Guildmaster Ollirock insisted they needed food and drink to pull in more revenue.

“Guildmistress Vera! We didn’t expect to see you today. Did you want to send a message to the Moonsparks?” Anala asked, one of the Guild receptionists, once they approached the main counter.

“The Moonsparks?” Button asked, incredulous at her son’s poor taste in team names.

“My son and daughter-in-law’s team. And yes. Tell them that Ivilandra has gone missing along with other children from Everglade Park. Would you post a bounty too for their retrieval?”

“Y-yes, of course, Guildmistress. I will submit the bounty at once. Anything else I can do to assist you?”

“Can you also pull up Arwin Birchleaf’s information from the Archives? We’ll be in my office.” Vera nodded at Anala who vanished into the stairwell leading down into the Archives in the basement.

“What’s in your office?” Button asked while they walked past the armory and shop toward the suite of offices and conference rooms upstairs.

"All my old equipment. Some artifacts. Alcohol if you want some.” Vera listed each detail as if she were an auctioneer trying to sell Button on the merits of her office.

All she knew was that they had to do something.

No self-respecting Paladin waited for others to do the saving. Salvation for her granddaughter and those other children rested in her hands.

“… drink something. I’ll definitely take a look at your artifacts and weapons if you don’t mind.”

“Sure.” Vera tore the door to her office open, ignoring the dents of her fingertips smudged into the metal. Pale gold curled off her body in near-invisible streams.

“Wow, looky here. How many goblins did you have to kill to get a room this nice?” Button grinned widely at Vera while she studied the room.

“Too many.” Vera stomped past her desk piled with papers and folders about various issues. Maps of the local region covered the wall behind her desk. Pinned notes outlined dungeons or problem areas. She ignored all of that to stare at the magipictures framed in glass on her desk. Ivilandra’s round face beamed at her, hemmed in by the almost accusatory stares of her parents.

“That was supposed to be a joke, Paladin. Have you heard many of those?”

“Nope. My Oath prevents me from experiencing humor.” Vera tore herself away from her desk. Four mannequins stood sentry along the back wall. Each mannequin was outfitted in either plate, chainmail, studded leather, or enchanted cloth.

A tap on the enchanted cloth mannequin transferred its full body dress onto her with a flash of arcane light. Vera knew the other armors would be too heavy for her now in her advanced age, even with the aid of her Light.

“You have a nice collection of weapons.”

“Thanks. Feel free to borrow what you want.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Button cackled with glee. “Can’t wait to bloody one of these beauties with some kidnapper’s fluids.”

Do not tempt me, Vera thought to herself. She found and prepared cushioned pouches full of potion vials. Healing, stamina, and mana. All were vital to any adventurer’s or would be savior’s success.

Next up was her jewelry box secured behind an extensive array of wards. Vera undid the clasps, opening the box. Tingles of arcane and divine power washed over her fingertips.

“Do you already have rings or amulets?” Vera asked, studying the rows of jewelry sourced over the course of her career.

“Not anymore. Sold everything I had to buy a house when we moved here.” Button pulled a massive longbow off its pegs on the wall. “What does this do?”

“It’s a manifold enchantment with aim correction, arrow reinforcement, and dual velocity and acceleration boosts. A blunt, wooden arrow will pierce arch-Smith forged. Within range, of course.”

“Nice. Penalty?” Button took the supplied bowstring off the wall to lock the bow in between her legs. A flex and twist, let her guide the string from end to end.

“Stamina strain. Multiple shots at maximum power will drop you flat. I’ve had marathons that were easier. I could only Smite with it two or three times at my best.”

“How bad of a strain are we talking? Just exhaustion and swollen muscles or…?”

“More like internal bleeding and popped organs if overdone. I don’t recommend you use it unless you want consistent correction or weak power shots. As a Paladin, I could heal myself, at least a little, you will not have that luxury.”

“Hm, I’ll take it anyway.”

“It’s strong, so your aura might only be able to handle one or two more items.” If that.

Vera prodded at the rings, bracelets, and amulets in her jewelry box. Baubles enchanted with spells, attributes, and special abilities. Most were merely nice or wondrous, only a few were additions that she had worn longer than a couple of excursions.

Trelnoir, her ex-husband, always joked that she was a loot mule. Anything she could use, now or in the future, she saved for later. Friendly, flirtatious fights over it had turned into bitter conflicts long after Sevren was born.

Apparently, Paladins should not be so avaricious. Especially with an elven husband and half-elf son’s honor on the line.

Vera always thought that was more backwards than a Extara Vilelord raising cattle.

What else was honor except for a lust for righteous greed? Forcing others to live within the confines of her oath over decades of service left its toll. Was that not arrogance, even if it was for a worthy cause?

“What do you got there?” Button asked once Vera selected her two rings and an amulet.

“Rings of Grace and Armory. This is an Amulet of Light.” Vera slid both rings over her bent, gnarled knuckles. Lashed the leather cords around her neck that shrank in contact with her aura. A stylized platinum sun rested over her sternum.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“You don’t fuck around, do you?” Button cackled. “Got any more portable Armories?”

“Here.” Vera grabbed a bracelet and tossed it at the goblin. She caught it and dropped her bow into it. “I doubt it can hold much."

“Oof you weren’t kidding, it’s nearly full already!” Button ripped quivers of mundane arrows off the wall, depositing them into the bracelet. Everything else refused to drop in except for a single steel dagger.

Vera deigned to comment.

She busied herself with stuffing her own ring full of disposable, mundane steel armaments. Shields, daggers, javelins, and swords.

Only two other armaments were worth brining. Vera glanced at the gleaming, truesteel longsword hanging from the display on the wall. A resplendent kite shield rested beside it.

Candor and Virtue, her sworn longsword and aegis waited for her to wield them again. Vera had baptized both with her oath and Light. Tempered them in the Ivory War with Vilelord Eysuri’s heartblood.

Lost the will to carry them after giving birth to Sev. So many fellow Paladins and Clerics forfeited their lives in the Ivory War leaving nothing but hollow, broken homes behind.

Her hand trembled on Candor’s filigreed hilt. Dull barbs scraped her palm, eager to draw blood if she strayed into dishonesty. Tears stung her eyes.

Vera Bloom was finished with her service. To take up Candor and Virtue again would mean swearing herself anew to the full tenets of her oath. Her only release would be her death. Vera knew she would swear it in a heartbeat if it was her only chance of saving Ivilandra.

She drew back in favor of selecting a slender alfblade enchanted to be as light and sharp as thought and memory. Trelnoir had gifted it to her on their honeymoon.

It was the perfect weapon to save her granddaughter and the other children.

“You all set?” Button asked from her perch in Vera’s spare seat for guests on the other side of her desk.

“Nothing else to do except wait for Anala to find out where Arwin is.” Vera sheathed the alfblade and cinched it around her waist. It took a few more notches than she remembered in her heyday.

They idled, uncertain what to do next. Only their grandmotherly duty was propelling them along this path. What else did they have to speak about?

“Do you want a shot while we wait—“ Vera offered when a heavy thud rang on the office door.

“Come in,” Vera said, moments away from picking up an exquisite dwarvish barrel aged whiskey.

“I found out where the Wizard Arwin Birchleaf is located, Guildmistress. Did you want to use a Message scroll to contact him?” Anala pushed her way into the office with a sealed scroll in her hand.

“Yes, please. Thank you, Anala.” Vera said, taking the scratchy parchment. She waited a beat for the Guild aide to leave. “Was there something else?”

“We put out the bounty like you asked and… well, Geomancer Trelnoir responded. So have a few others, in fact.” Anala winced at Vera’s nostril flare.

“What did he have to say?”

“He’s on his way and he’ll be here in four hours.”

“By the fucking Nine, of course he is.” Vera scoffed at the notion that Trelnoir could do anything. As if she was not perfectly capable of handling everything herself.

“Would you like me to leave him a message, Guildmistress?”

“Tell him we’re heading out to Arwin’s. If he wants to be helpful, he can join us there or meet us here. We’ll send a Message if we find out anything worthwhile. Who else reached out?”

“Bractus said he’s out by Hollowleaf dungeon with the Rimestone Axes. Wanted us to let you know that once they cleared a path, they’ll retreat back to town and assist the search. And Grenuin offered her sympathies.”

“Excellent. At least Bractus will be able to help.” Vera sighed with relief. “Anything else?”

“No, Guildmistress.”

“Thank you, Anala. Let Bractus and Grenuin know the same thing if they send another Message to the Guild. We’ll be heading out now.” Vera snatched Ivilandra’s stuffed dragon off the desk and marched out the door.

Arwin better have answers or she would be more than willing to burn bridges to make sure proper answers came to light. Nobody liked an overzealous Paladin pushed over the edge.

Everyone in the Guild stared at Vera with pity marred with disbelief and even anger.

“If she can’t protect her own, is she even fit to be a Guildmistress anymore? Losing her own granddaughter in bro—“

“Something to say, Adventurer Robin?” Vera loomed over the balding middle-aged man. Two wand handles stuck out from the holsters over his waist as if he were a wandslinger out West.

“Only that it’s a shame…” Robin shouted in outrage before he noticed she was fully kitted out. Her hand rested easily over her alfblade’s hilt. He licked his lips. “Nothing, Guildmistress.”

“Oh, really? I could have sworn I heard you say something just now.”

“I didn’t hear nothing. Did you Garthow?” Robin asked the Scout across from him.

“Nope.” Garthow shook his head vehemently. He watched Vera with the wary gaze of someone used to navigating a dungeon’s traps.

“Good. Let’s keep it that way.” Vera turned to leave.

“Or else what? You’ll let someone steal more kids?” Robin muttered under his breath.

Vera found herself holding her knife embedded in the table next to his hand. Dark rage shuddered along the crevices of her remaining oath’s light. How dare he.

“Be silent or I will strike you do—“ Pain lanced her right in the heart. Multiple coughs rattled out of her chest into her throat. Iron welled into her mouth.

“Problem, Guildmistress?” Garthow rounded the table until he stood next to her and Robin. Button drew her own dagger from her bracelet.

“Not yet,” Vera said, after swallowing the blood in her mouth. Reigned in her temper. Harming an innocent was far too much for what was left of her oath. “Come on, Button.”

Guildmaster Ollirock glared at her from the sidelines with his warhammer already clasped in his hands.

“Mind yourself, Guildmistress. I know you are undergoing quite the trial, but if you continue, I will bring you before the rest of the Council.”

“Do as you will, I do not care as long my granddaughter is found and returned safely.” Vera burst out of the Adventurer’s Guild, slamming the door behind her.

Her and Button strode across the sunlit street outside. Fury seethed inside of Vera, smothering the goblin’s babbling commentary.

New shadows bubbled out of the rusty cracks of her oath. Light refused to respond to her attempts to draw it out. Blind vengeance, retribution, and malice were unbefitting of even a retired Paladin.

“Planes to Guildmistress Vera, are you paying attention?” Button waved a hand in front of Vera’s eyes.

“Doubt I will be Guildmistress for much longer.” Vera smiled. She would not care as long as she got to be a grandmother still.

“Most likely. I thought you were going to break that guy’s face like I would have. Guess you Paladins really are diffe—”

“I was going to. Regardless, none of that matters.” Vera said while she unfurled the Message scroll. “Let’s get in contact with Arwin. Message Arwin Birchleaf!”

“Hello? Who is this?” Arwin’s disembodied voice spiked into Vera’s psyche.

“Vera Bloom. We have a situation. Can you—“

“Oh wow, I have not heard from you in nearly twenty years! How are you doing? I saw your son’s wedding announcement in the newspaper a few days ago. What a stunning couple!”

“Thanks, Arwin. They actually got married about eleven years ago.” Vera’s left eyelid twitched. “I have a favor to ask you. Can we meet?”

“Sure! Where are you… oh, you’re outside the Adventu—“ Silence cut off the Message for a scant few seconds. Crackling lightning tore the air in front of her revealing Arwin’s tall, blue form. “—rer’s Guild. Hello!”

“Hi, Arwin.”

“Oh hey! A goblin, how neat! My name is Arwin Birchleaf, Wizard extraordinaire. Who are you?” Arwin reached out to shake Button’s hand.

“Look, buddy. We don’t have time for this. Children are missing including our grandchildren. Vera, here, says that you can scry where they are?”

“You two have a grandchild together?” Arwin blinked in shocked disbelief. “I thought Adula was a gemera based on that announcement? Is she actually a goblin? Trelnoir must not be pleased about that.”

“She is a gemera.” Vera sighed, exasperated. Arwin was as chaotic as a hive mind of cats loosed in a barn.

“Oh how… Okay, never mind. Sure, I can scry for them. Is that what that stuffed dragon and jar of teeth is for?”

“Yes. Here.”

“Scry. Let’s see here… I see a lot of magic. Something or someone powerful is obscuring wherever they are. I can tell they’re both together. That’s good,” Arwin muttered with his eyes closed.

He tapped on nothing, sinking glowing fingers into the air. Melodic chimes rang out with a pulse of magic. He flourished his hand creating a glowing, shimmering path that led them forward.

“This will take us to them?” Vera immediately followed the trail.

“It should. However, I will warn you that this is serious magic. Stay behind me and we’ll find your grandchildren, okay?” Arwin nodded at them with his eyes still closed. He took a step off the curb, tripped, and stumbled.

“Is this guy for real?” Button whispered into Vera’s ear. Arwin caught himself with a levitation cantrip.

“Don’t let the act fool you. Arwin is a Tier 6 Wizard. I do not trust anyone else to help us more than him.”

If this did not work, Vera was certain she would have to call in more favors. Dark aches pulsed from her cracked, glowing oath with a pang.