“A dwarf is approaching the gate with the guard.” Tabula relayed what she was viewing from Rain’s position flying a hundred meters above us.

“That was pretty fast.” I put my iced lemonade on the counter of the breakfast bar and stood up. “Would you mind inviting him in, Tab?”

“Tab?” She echoed curiously.

“You don’t like it?” I asked.

“I like it very much!” She looked to Jade with a superior smile and puffed her chest out.

“It’s only because your name is long and boring just like the rest of you.” Jade scoffed.

“Oh don’t start you two. Tabula your name is just fine, it’s common to give close friends with multiple syllable names shortened nicknames.” I intervened quickly. “Jade don’t antagonize. Tab greet the guildmaster properly. Niiya you’re doing great keep it up.” I finished with a careful tussle of the little cat girl’s hair.

“Right away.” Tabula pushed her glasses back into proper position and exited the carriage.

“How come you two don’t like each other?” Niiya asked Jade after Tabula was gone.

“It’s not that I don’t like her.” Jade took a second to think about her response. “It’s hard to describe, it’s like we have to compete over everything. It’s just our nature I guess.” She shrugged as she answered.

“The closer two people are, the more they rub against one another.” I said. “Friction is healthy, it’s indifference that hurts.”

“You can sound smart sometimes Master.” Jade conceded.

“What’s friction?” Niiya asked.

“Rub your hands together like this.” Jade pressed her palms together and rubbed them vigorously. Niiya mimicked the motion. “The heat you feel is caused by friction, it’s just a fancy word for when things rub together.”

“You’re like a big sister.” I remarked with a smile.

The comment got a bigger reaction than I expected. Jade looked down and away, cheeks flushing and Niiya’s eyes lit up happily.

The door opened then, and Tabula announced the dwarf’s arrival.

“Mr. Gray, Guildmaster Hurstag Karom Stonesong has arrived to see you.” Tabula bowed and Karom stumped past her, bushy eyebrows nearly touching his hairline in his surprise as he looked at the spacious interior. He accepted the cold glass of lemonade Tabula handed him numbly.

“Welcome guildmaster.” I stood to greet him with a slight bow. “I understand your surprise. Our base is an artifact with the spatial attribute, enabling the interior space you’re seeing now. Please have a seat.” I walked to the open living area and gestured to one of the stylish leather sofas.

“To think such a thing might exist, and that I could see it myself...” Hurstag muttered in bewilderment as he walked to the offered seat, then suddenly sat up straight as he realized the image he was projecting. “Ahem, yes of course Mr. Gray. I see you have acquired some new allies. What was it you wished to see me about?”

“These are actually old friends, aside from Niiya here whom I rescued from Braverton and have taken into my care.” I explained and continued. “The Warlord and a force of several hundred monsters will attack Filam from the west within two days. I want you to speak with the town’s leadership and make sure the citizens stay out of the way while we handle it.” I dropped the details of the situation in a matter of fact tone. Pretty sure I got this manner of official speaking from my old man. It wasn’t really me but damn could it move a fuckin’ mountain.

“How did you come by such information!?” Hurstag stood up swiftly as though he might run away.

“We dispatched a group of the Warlord’s minions outside of Braverton, and are keeping their commander in submission. He was a victim of The Warlord himself, and voluntarily joined our side.” I kept my seat and stared hard at the dwarf. He settled down a little.

“That is incredible, what manner of minions were they?” Hurstag pressed.

“Twelve ogres and their commander, a mountain giant named Yugal. The warlord expects them to join in his attack from the east, giving us a substantial element of surprise.” I replied, anticipating the coming outburst.

“A dozen ogres killed, and Yugal? That’s The Warlord’s second in command! He’s a legendary monster capable of defeating a full party of B rank adventurers by himself! You’re keeping him in submission!? Where!?” Hurstag seemed on the verge of a meltdown.

“He is a safe distance away waiting for my orders.” I patted the air, trying to restore some calm to the sweaty guildmaster. “There’s something I’ve been wondering. Why are there no high level adventurers in the area?”

“Oh. That.” Hurstag slowly sat back down. “Well the king’s recent tax hikes on the outlying settlements have made it impossible for us to pay the rates those adventurers demand. It can cost hundreds of gold to hire a single B rank adventurer, and thousands for an A rank. S rankers can be counted on your hands and their demands are far more than we could have managed even before these hard times. The war effort in the south has all but drained the kingdom’s coffers and monsters have been getting bolder as a result. The people have been all swept up in the hope that some mythical champion from the goddess will actually appear to save them, the poor fools.”

“That reminds me, I also need to access the temple today if possible.” I said in a not subtle hint.

Hurstag’s face screwed up as though the gears in his mind were grinding against themselves. Then realization slowly dawned on his features.

“Damn my thick old skull, it’s you! I was so wrapped up in pessimism that I couldn’t even put it together while it shook me by the beard! A stranger shows up on the same day as the prophecy holding Blackfang’s head and I still don’t catch on!?” The guildmaster hopped to his feet yet again and looked around as though he felt like he should be doing something.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Please keep that between us for now.” I urged the excited dwarf. “I’ll be more effective without the hassle of fame.”

“As you wish.” Hurstag calmed himself and regained his seat. “What is it you need from us then?”

“I just need you to ensure that the people of Filam stay safely within the walls. That includes any militia members and adventurers. They would only slow us down and most likely die in the crossfire.”

“Incredible. You really truly believe you’ll win against that demon and his entire army with just you three?” Hurstag was mystified but not incredulous.

“There is a fourth that you haven’t met, but yes we will win.” I paused, knowing what he said next would be met with resistance. “I have a plan to deliver a preemptive strike against The Warlord’s army tonight before they leave his camp. I’ll thin their ranks and weaken their morale.”

“Gray no!” Niiya was predictably upset. “Don’t leave...”

“Miss Niiya.” Tabula surprisingly interceded. “Mr. Gray is a warrior. This is something you must learn if you wish to join us. If he weren’t a warrior, then you would not be alive and your family would not have been avenged. He must go and we must do our best to support him. Do you understand?”

“Those monsters are weaklings compared to Master.” Jade added. “He’s just getting some exercise.”

I stood up and knelt before the girl, noting both the welling eyes and quivering chin. She was trying so hard to keep it together. I locked my eyes onto hers and held out my pinky.

“I’ve never had a reason to come home before. Do you think I’ll let anything stop me from coming back now that I finally do?” I asked her, then smiled. “Besides Jade’s right, those monsters don’t stand a chance.”

She knocked my hand out of the way and jumped into my arms, tears flowing but not sobbing.

“Hurry back.” She ordered in a voice muffled by my suit.

“I’m not leaving right now.” I reassured her, returning the hug carefully.

“What preparations should we make in your absence?” Tabula asked.

“You three and Yugal will post up in the western field between Gnollwood and Filam. The terrain will funnel the enemy between the lake and the ridge. I do not want a single enemy to make it to Filam’s walls. If you encounter the Warlord, subdue him without killing him. We need him alive to free Yugal’s sister. The details are in your hands, there likely isn’t a better tactician in this world than you.” I finished with a compliment that made the android’s face light up.

“Is ‘Subdue the Warlord’ something to say so casually?” Hurstag asked exasperated.

“You’ll see.” I assured him. “Now, would you mind smoothing things over with the gate guards and escorting us to the temple?”

Having an objective seemed to steady the guildmaster. He cleared his throat and stood up resolute.

“Certainly Mr. Gray - no I should at least address you as Sir Gray.” The dwarf amended.

“Whatever you want.” I conceded. Titles were the way of the world, and people could call me whatever they wanted. In the end as long as I was free to do what I wanted I was perfectly happy.

With matters settled, we were finally allowed access to Filam. The carriage trundled along the main streets drawing crowds of open mouthed gawkers as Jade pulled the carriage in her tiger form with her mighty head held high.

We reached the surprisingly modest temple five minutes later. It was made of wood, and painted light blue with white trim. The only indicator that it was a temple at all was the carved statue on the small courtyard before it.

“That’s supposed to be Ariel?” I asked the dwarf. The statue was of a tall, elegant woman with her hands held to her sides. In one hand was held a bundle of wheat, in the other a bow and arrow.

“Our goddess of Hunt and Harvest, indeed.” The dwarf answered. “Though I also worship Thragnofir, The Dragon God of the Self as any dwarf must.”

“I haven’t heard of him.” I shrugged. “Sounds pretty epic though. What’s he all about?”

“He represents the Self that one must destroy in order to become. Anytime one stands before a worthy task, Thragnofir will oppose them from within. We must slay him by doing the work of our lives, so he may make us stronger so that we may face him yet again.” The dwarf was animated as he described the enigmatic deity to me.

“I’ll have to think on that but I think I get it.” I lied. I didn’t need to think at all. It was the literal personification of what made me a fat turd in Tucson, Arizona. Thragnofir had beaten me into submission a million times. He had my fear and respect already, but I don’t think I’d ever worship him.

I steeled myself, and entered the chapel, having no clue what to expect. Some instinct told me to enter alone, and I told the others to wait outside.

The doors closed behind me of their own accord. I could hear deep and obnoxious snoring coming from one of the benches near the front of the large room. A bare, dirty foot hung over the edge where the snoring figure slept.

I walked to the front of the temple where a smaller statue of Ariel stood in front of the wooden altar. I glanced at the sleeper as I passed. It was a chubby man probably in his fifties with a horseshoe haircut of grey and brown hair and a bushy beard covering most of his rosy cheeks. The empty wine skin on the floor next to him told me he probably wasn’t waking up anytime soon.

Following another instinct, I placed my hand on the altar. Just like the moments before my death, the world around me froze in a colorless stasis. Ariel’s voice broke the silence behind me.

“It’s about time! Did you even read my info packet?”

“After I saw your map, I didn’t bother.” I couldn’t help retorting as I turned to face her. “How’s the Abyss going?”

“Hey that map was perfect, it got you here didn’t it?” She crossed her arms, pushed up her anime sized boobs, and pouted. “I just passed six hundred. Wait if you didn’t read the packet how come you speak the local languages already?”

“Appraisal. Was there actually useful info in there?” I was surprised, maybe I should have read it after all.

“Tons. You were supposed to come here right away and get my high priest’s blessing which would have taught you the common language and other common sense stuff. How can you have appraisal? You’re a meathead.” She narrowed her eyes, and they glowed in a flash of green. She then proceeded to jump back three feet and squeak like a mouse caught in a trap.

“What... what... what THE HELL DID YOU DO!?” She shouted and yanked on her ponytail in exasperated shock. “World Boss!? Blood Lord!? Eleven HUNDRED Health!?” She quieted suddenly and her eyes vibrated back and forth rapidly as though she were sifting through a massive amount of data. “I see, that weak dagger interacted with the Age Stasis effect, causing that layer of buffs to snapshot and stack and finally trigger the self correcting Evolution process... just exactly as I always planned obviously!” She put her hands on her hips and gave a superior smirk.

“You can’t claim that after saying the whole thing out loud!” I cried, dumbfounded.

“Shhh. It’s okay you just can’t comprehend a god’s mind. I knew you’d figure out that loophole I left totally on purpose. Be careful of Soulthirst though, that’s a really dangerous effect.”

“What does it do exactly?” I asked, worried. “And what makes a ‘Worthy Soul’?”

“It causes your power to multiply and makes you go on a rampage until you consume a Worthy Soul, which is any Named Creature. Most beings have names they use for themselves but aren’t acknowledged by the system as worthy of a True Name in the world. You have Appraisal 6 so you should be able spot Named Monsters with Field Appraisal. It eats up more Soul Energy but if you say ‘Field Appraisal’ while focusing on a group you’ll be able to spot them in a crowd.” Ariel finally dropped some useful information and I was grateful.

“Thanks for the info that helps alot.” I said sincerely.

“We’re about out of time did you need to know anything else?” She asked.

“Oh speaking of names, can I change my name here?” I asked her.

“That’s not hard for me to do. What name do you want?” She asked me with a curious expression.

“Gray.” I answered. “I’ve been using it as an alias and I’m used to it already.”

“Never took you for an edgelord, but okay done.” She snickered at me.

“That’s the last thing I wanna hear from you, Hot Topic Poser Princess!” I retorted.

She flipped me off as color slowly returned to the world and she faded away. Her finger may have been telling me to fuck off, but she was smiling when she disappeared. I dropped a few silver in the donation bowl and left the priest to finish sleeping it off.

I felt really refreshed as I opened the temple door to find Hurstag in a heated shouting match with a very wealthy and important looking twenty-something year old woman in a yellow embroidered dress. My smile melted into a scowl. Now what?

“Impotent!?” Hurstag shouted at the woman. The four armored and armed men behind her didn’t look anxious. This must have been a common occurrence. “Why you lazy excuse for a duchess! If it weren’t for me, every last adventurer would have fled the city six months ago.”

“What kind of guildmaster thinks he has the power to authorize a suspicious party of level frauds entry into my city?” She pointed to her left where the Appraisal mage cowered behind one of the guards. “And one with the audacity to claim a level of three hundred no less! We’ll be detaining these people until we figure out their real motives. Guards!”

“Oh for fuck’s sake. Okay I see where this is going.” I grumbled and then looked at Tabula. “Go ahead and give ‘em a warning shot.”

“I was waiting for you to say that.” Tabula grinned. “The rock ridge to the south has been confirmed to house no life forms. Rain’s AM-7 ordinance is primed and awaiting order confirmation.”

“Confirmed.” I said, and then leaned down to Niiya. “Cover your ears and shut your eyes.” I stood and pointed to the thousand foot tall bare ridge of dark stone roughly a half mile from the the city, clearly visible towering over us even from this distance. “The rest of you pay attention to that ridge and then think hard about what you do next.”

“What is the meaning of...?” The woman’s voice stopped when a high pitched whistling sound suddenly erupted from above us.

It carried on and softened as the projectile grew more distant toward the southern ridge.

The noise suddenly ceased as deafening silence overtook the entire region. A giant sphere of pure blackness appeared, obscuring the entire area. The clouds above suddenly swirled and were sucked into the blackness. The sphere began to shrink then. Everything touched by the darkness was simply gone, erased from existence. It looked as though a perfect circle more than two hundred meters in diameter had been cleanly punched through the solid stone, leaving a clear window to the sky beyond.

“Ordinance delivered, hit confirmed, Mr. Gray.” Tabula unnecessarily informed me.

“Okay, Duchess was it?” I turned to the trembling blonde who could not tear her gaze from the moon sized hole in the distant landscape. “Will you still be detaining us or would you prefer a civil conversation?”