Chapter 118

Jay was escorted to a black ornate wooden door with silver details worked in to the wood itself. It did not lay over the wood but was a part of the wood itself, the border seamless between the two. The young woman knocked before she opened the door and waved Jay inside. She did not make any move to enter the room herself.

“Thank you,” Jay said with a smile and she waited until he had entered and the door had closed behind him before she turned and left.

Inside Jay found himself in a ten foot by ten foot square room. One side had a double cushion couch and the other side of the room held a rickety looking desk.

Behind the desk sat an older looking gentleman dressed in a gray suit with a bright violet tie. The suit coat's breast pocket would normally hold a bit of bright cloth, a handkerchief for example. Tonight however the pocket was set up a bit differently. There was a white kerchief in the pocket, but there was also a tiny snake curled up in the pocket as well with just the hooded head sticking out, its jewel like eyes locked on to Jay's form as he entered the room.

The white background of the kerchief contrasted remarkably well with the snakes coloring – bands of red chevrons across a body of green. The snakes eye's were like two orbs of obsidian and shined brightly. The snake's hood was extended and surrounded the snake's head in a display of alertness and possibly aggression.

Jay focused on the snake for ten seconds while the man continued working on some sort of paperwork. After a moment he was rewarded with a notification.

Pygmy Serpent – Pet – Rare

This pet will remain in hibernation until bound. Once bound this item will become a living pet. At common rarity this item will follow the user wherever they go, for life. At Uncommon rarity the pet will obey basic commands but will not participate in combat. At Rare rarity the pet will be capable of transmitting basic emotions to the user as a way of simple communication. Further rarity upgrades will result in new abilities. This item must be bound to be used.

Jay smiled. He had actually been on the dungeon run when the man had won the companion snake item, it had been quite the learning experience.

“Evening M'tthew.” Jay said happily as he watched the little snake sway back and forth in the man's breast pocket. It was perhaps the most use the pocket had ever seen.

M'tthew looked up, startled. His snake did not look startled and its eyes were still locked on to Jay's face. “Jay!” he said as he got up out of his chair, “I didn't hear you come in! This paperwork has been driving me crazy! I miss running dungeons, I don't know why I ever thought running a club like this would be better than adventuring.”

Jay grinned and exchanged bear hugs with the man before he dropped himself on to the sofa. M'tthew sat back down. The snake kept staring at Jay's face.

“Does it always stare at people like that?” Jay asked.

The snake flicked a tiny pink tongue out. It disappeared a split second later as if in disapproval.

M'tthew laughed, “Not an it, she's a she. And her name is Snick. And before you give me a hard time over the name just know that it was her choice, not mine.”

Jay looked about the room for a moment. The walls were painted a primary blue, the floors were covered in dark polished wood, and the ceiling was studded with a number of magical devices that helped light up the room. M'tthew had an incense cone burning on the corner of the desk. Jay took a deep breath.

Vanilla and.. cinnamon? Interesting combination, Jay thought to himself.

“So she can talk?” Jay asked.

M'tthew's face lit up as he began talking about his favorite subject – Snick.

“She doesn't use words but when she approves or disapproves of something – you know. Or at least I know. She can't make her feelings known to others yet, just me. She's amazing though – she was trying to get my attention when you came in but I ignored her because I was in the middle of something. But she still tried to tell me. She's amazing. Like having a second set of eyes and ears.”

“Snakes don't have ears, do they?” Jay asked as he peered at M'tthew oddly.

“I asked an opyologist about that actually. They're like a mage that specializes in snakes! There was one that lives over in the crafting district that a friend of mine turned me on to. Ophologist? Ophiologist! That's the one! Ophiologist! Anyway, he said that snakes don't hear the way we do. They sense vibrations but can only 'hear' a limited range of sounds.” M'tthew explained. He used his hands to talk when he got excited and anything to do with Snick was exciting to him.

Jay watched him swing his arms around while he spoke until he wound down and finally placed his hands back on the desk in front of him.

“So how do you guys communicate?” Jay asked curiously. Jay didn't want a pet snake but a pet something else might not be so bad. Jay was oblivious to the fact that M'tthew may be one of the only people in all of K'tharkle with a rare-ranked companion, or an item-companion at all.

“Oh, I ask! Yes or no questions. Other times she sends a feeling of intense displeasure or approval. There is very little room for error. Her feelings are vibrantly unique.” M'tthew explained with a hand wave as he used his other hand to give Snick a scratch on the head.

Snick allowed the scratch for a moment before she let M'tthew know 'that was enough.'

Jay smiled, “Sounds like you two are getting along well then. Good to hear.”

Jay waited for a moment before moving on to the next topic. “I invited some people here tonight. I hope that is alright?”

M'tthew grinned, “Of course! That is what this is all about! Who'd you invite?”

Jay watched M'tthew's face as he answered him. “Redguard. We owe them a debt.” he answered seriously.

M'tthew nodded his head slowly in understanding. “I will see that the front doorman is made aware. One moment actually.” he said as he pressed a button under his table and moments later the young woman that had escorted Jay to the room reappeared. M'tthew held a quiet conversation with her before she quickly left to ensure that preparations were made.

“I arranged for them to be set up in the Dungeon Room area. There's a private booth in the back that you all can use. Is that ok?” M'tthew asked.

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

Jay nodded, “That will work perfectly. They should be here around 9 at the earliest I think.”

M'tthew clapped, “Excellent. They'll have food and drink and something to watch. What more could they ask for, right?”

Jay grinned, “Right. Hey how is the rest of your group doing? I kind of miss going on runs with you and C'nthia and Jon.”

M'tthew laughed, “From what I hear you've been keeping yourself plenty busy without us.”

“What do you mean?” Jay asked. He looked a little confused. He hadn't thought that his adventures were public knowledge.

“Jay,” M'tthew said as he got up and walked out from behind his desk. He leaned up against it as he continued, “one of the things you need to be aware of is that word gets around in the Guild. What you do is not a secret and word of what you do will spread. Quickly. The rest of the Guild talks, constantly.”

Jay swallowed and found that his mouth was suddenly very dry. “What do you mean by that exactly?”

M'tthew laughed and waved as if he were trying to wave Jay's anxiety away. “I mean that what we do – you, me, the Guild, all of us – is meant to be common knowledge. We are meant to share our exploits with each other, to learn from each other. We don't keep a lot of secrets unless we have to. So what we do in a dungeon tends to get out and become common knowledge.”

After a pause M'tthew explained, “Let me rephrase to help you understand it, what YOU do in a dungeon, if it is interesting, is passed on throughout the Guild to other interested parties. Once you're a member you'll see. We've been keeping an eye on your group's adventures. A lot of people have. Your group tends to find themselves in unique and interesting situations.”

Jay looked a little uncertain, “I'm not sure how I feel about others watching me live my life.”

Jay thought he could hear musical laughter for a moment and actually looked around the room but M'tthew acted as if he hadn't heard it at all so Jay assumed he was imagining things.

“Jay, we're not looking over your shoulder as it happens. We're reading summaries after the fact. A mysterious delve in to a Traveler's Dungeon that still is in operation, surviving a Glimmerhide attack, activating a long lost Church dungeon mechanic, venturing in to a long lost multi-dimensional library – and then escaping, not to mention all of the others – how could we not be interested?” M'tthew said with waving hands. “Jay, you got us TITLES for Goddess sake! Titles! You walk around as if you have no conception or understanding of the waves you've made not just in the Guild but outside of it as well!”

M'tthew paused for a moment as he tried to find another way of explaining it.

“There's nothing nefarious about it. You will find yourself doing the same thing eventually – watching certain people or groups to learn how they handled a specific situation. No one is out to get you Jay. You just seem to have knowledge that the rest of us lack at times.” M'tthew rubbed his head and Snick looked up at him for a moment questioningly.

A tiny pink tongue flicked out and in. Snick's obsidian eyes shined.

“I'm fine,” M'tthew told Snick, “just tired is all.”

Jay thought about it, “I don't know about that – I feel like I'm constantly missing information that everyone else has.”

M'tthew nodded seriously, “Ok, let's talk about that. When you feel like you're missing information what do you do?”

Jay shrugged, “I ask M'redith or Aiden usually.”

M'tthew nodded, “So you keep track of two people because they seem to have knowledge that you lack at times. Sound familiar?”

Jay thought about it. “I still feel a little uncomfortable about it but I can't articulate why exactly.”

M'tthew shrugged, “Well if you figure it out let me know. We'll talk about it. Anything else going on with you?”

Jay sighed and just let the whole thing go. So other people were keeping tabs on him, so what? That kind of thing seemed natural in Eden if what M'tthew was saying was correct.

“Just the normal stuff. The Church of Gaia is after me to run a dungeon for them. I found a treasure chest in my backpack and I don't know where it is from. I have a grand opening this coming week for a project I set up, mini-golf – you and the others will have invites to that, promise. I mean, there's more but I can't think of them at the moment.” Jay said as he shrugged.

M'tthew stared at Jay before speaking. “I can't tell if you're messing with me or telling the truth. I love it!” he said as he slapped his desk with one hand.

“Oh, what time is it!” Jay suddenly asked.

M'tthew reached over his desk and flipped a clock around. “8:30, why?”

“My group should be arriving soon. They're probably looking for me.” Jay said as he got up and stretched his arms over his head.

“I'll call your escort back. She can tell you if the rest of your party has arrived as well as help you get set up for Redguard if you have any other ideas. Now, I have to get back to work. I hate it by the way, did I mention that? If I don't take care of this no one gets paid. And then the employees will kill me. So can't have that happen.” M'tthew said with a smile.

Snick looked directly in to Jay's eyes and waved its head side to side as if saying goodbye.

“Good seeing you again M'tthew. I'll talk with you later.” Jay said with a smile as he shook M'tthew's hand and left the room. As he closed the door he turned around and was startled to find his escort from earlier in the night waiting for him.

“You're good, I didn't even see you coming.” Jay said with a smile.

The woman tried not to laugh but Jay had caught her off guard. “Some of your brethren from Glimmerhide Group have already arrived and are seated in the Dungeon Room competition area. The front house has been notified of Redguard's arrival tonight and preparations are in progress.”

“Wait. Preparations?” Jay asked as his escort led him in to the crowd.

“Yes sir. Runners have been dispatched to the crafter's district and should return before your guest's estimated time of arrival. The kitchen has been notified and have called in additional chefs who should be here imminently. Staff have reached out to Redguard already to determine if any of their attending members have dietary restrictions. Our senior sommelier has been reassigned and will be available for your guests throughout the night. There was some argument over who would attend your table. It seems that a number of employees desire to have the honor but were overruled by one in particular claiming seniority.”

“What now?” Jay asked, a bit stunned by the sudden long list of things he hadn't even considered.

“Yes, seniority. Your table will be attended by our only half-elven hostess. Have you ever met a half-elf before?” the woman asked as she led Jay through another room packed with people.

“I think so, once?” Jay said, unsure of himself.

The woman laughed before she looked at Jay absolutely mortified. “My apologies Sir, I meant no offense.”

Jay looked bewildered. “Uh, that's ok?”

“Sir I only meant that if you had ever met a half elf, you would have known. You would have absolutely no questions on the matter.” the woman said as she led Jay around a corner.

“Well this should be fun then,” Jay muttered.

The woman overheard him and laughed again, this time without apology, “Yes, Sir, it should be.”