GRANDMASTER

The weeks passed by and everything had begun to return to a semblance of normality by the time winter arrived. Quests were submitted, Iris did paperwork, and Sera kept things running smoothly. She managed to keep her spirits up by knowing that Kaira and her sisters would be back soon.

Entering the guild hall one crisp morning, Iris was greeted by the repaired structure whose hearths were roaring and keeping the winter firmly outside.

“Good morning, Iris!” Neri's upbeat voice rang out from the front counter.

A smile automatically pulled at Iris's lips as she approached the eager receptionist. “Morning, Neri. How's everything?”

“Fantastic!” Neri chirped, shuffling some papers on the counter. “I have a couple of messages for you, but before that, are you thinking of grabbing some breakfast?”

Iris patted her stomach playfully. “Definitely. Falene isn't swamped, is she?”

“Just Bree's team at the moment. Sera’s in her office and Tanith is helping Lucille retrieve a shipment of goods from Fenren’s,” Neri informed, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Ready to raid the kitchen?”

“Always,” Iris grinned. “But first, any notable quests come by?”

Neri nodded towards the grand wooden quest board mounted on the wall. Her eyes flitted over the parchments, smirking as an honest-to-goodness request to find a lost cat was there. But then among the multitude of quest parchments, mainly in the novice area, a fresh one stood out in the Bronze section. Intrigued, Iris approached and scanned the details. “A Bronze quest?” she quirked an eyebrow.

“Indeed! Kaira managed to persuade the City Guard's commander about the merits of posting here,” Neri stated proudly.

Iris frowned. “But Kaira and the girls left last season. It took the commander that long to post a quest?”

The telv woman rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Well, the bureaucracy never claimed to be quick. But I reckon this issue just surfaced again.”

Iris let out a low whistle as she read the details. “More ember rats? Damn. Any casualties?”

“Fortunately, none so far. The Balladseekers are prepping for it. That's what they're hashing out over breakfast,” Neri pointed out.

Nodding thoughtfully, Iris replied, “I'll head over and join them, see if they need any assistance.”

Neri's enthusiastic voice trailed her as she moved toward the bar area. “Sure thing! Holler if you need anything!”

Stepping inside, the savory aroma of Falene’s cooking wafted through, and Iris was reminded once more of the little things that made the guild feel like home. She threw a friendly wave to Jonik, who was wiping down a table while Lyra was moving some bottles around behind the bar.

“Morning, Grandmaster!” Jonik’s boisterous voice boomed, followed by Lyra’s more demure, “Good day.”

Before Iris could request her usual breakfast, Falene appeared in the doorway leading to the kitchen. The high elf’s hands, covered in what looked like flour, brushed against her apron, leaving white streaks. “You're a creature of habit, aren't you? I'll get your favorite plate ready in a jiffy, Grandmaster.”

“Thanks, Falene,” Iris chuckled, her stomach already anticipating the meal.

Casting a glance over the nearly empty establishment, Iris's gaze settled on Bree's group, gathered around a table in the dead center. She made her way over, noting the spread of maps of the city, notes, and gear on the table—clear signs of a quest in the making.

“Morning, Balladseekers,” she greeted warmly, pulling out an empty chair and settling down. “So, what's the plan for those pesky ember rats?”

Bree glanced up from what she was working on then caught Gryff’s eye and motioned for him to talk. Iris chuckled.

“There’s been four sightings, all in the same area where you found them before. We’re trying to figure out the source, rather than just constantly having to be called in the future to kill more,” the bearded telv man said.

“That makes sense,” Iris replied. “Have you guys fought any yet?”

“Yes, we killed one over the weekend,” Laken confirmed. “It… I’m happy for healing goop and Bree’s [Song of Healing].”

Iris winced. “Yeah, trust me, I know just how rough they can be to fight. You guys need any help?”

Bree looked up and shook her head before going back down at a map that she was circling different locations on.

“We think there’s a concentration of mana somewhere that we haven’t found that’s causing it. Bree is looking for a pattern,” Divaro said. The telv from Silstead had been invited to join the former guards and was learning a lot. Iris was glad that they’d taken the man under their wing after his friend died.

“There’s got to be something! I just…” Bree growled. “The Guard cleared out the sewers weeks ago. There was nothing… so what the…”

Iris's brow furrowed slightly, her memory tugging her back to the woman’s basement where she first encountered those damned ember rats. “Have you checked near where I initially stumbled on them?” she pressed, leaning forward.

Bree's green eyes met hers, a glint of curiosity within them. “We didn’t. I mean, you got rid of the ones there, right?”

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Resting her arms on the table, Iris sighed. “I did. But going back to ground zero, if you will, could give you a lead. It’s always worth retracing our steps.”

Pursing her lips, Bree cast her eyes over the map again, her slender fingers drawing a deliberate circle around a specific area. “You have a point,” she conceded. “Alright then, revisiting 'ground zero' it is.” She glanced up at the team, her usually soft features now determined. “We set out as soon as we're geared up. Everyone on board?”

A series of affirmatives echoed from the team, their nods filled with renewed purpose. Iris wished them luck, and after a few pats on the back, or a hug in Bree’s case, the quartet began their preparations, before leaving Iris in a temporary bubble of solitude in the bar.

As Iris moved to a table closer to the bar, the methodical motions of Jonik clearing the remnants of the earlier meal caught her eye. He worked with a practiced ease, stacking dishes with one hand and wiping the table with the other.

Lyra brought over a teapot with hot water and a mug for her along with two varieties of tea. She drank the root tea first, wincing slightly at its bitter taste, before moving to a more palatable black tea that had a bit of oil from a fruit that flavored it with a sweet and slightly floral note.

She sat there and just relaxed, trying to come up with a plan for the day, when her contemplation was disrupted as a hearty plate of food was placed before her, the tantalizing aroma causing her stomach to grumble in response. Looking up, she met Lyra's amused eyes. “Hungry, Grandmaster?” The bartender teased.

She chuckled, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks. “Apparently more than I realized. Thanks, Lyra.”

Lyra winked, her smirk playful. “Always here to serve, Iris. Have you heard from Kaira?”

Iris shook her head. “Nope. But she and my sisters should be back this week sometime.”

“Good, I know we all miss Akane and Mocha around here. And I can tell you miss your partner.”

Iris smiled longingly. “Yeah… I do.”

Lyra left her to her breakfast and went back to working behind the bar.

As Iris took her first bite, the blend of flavors melted in her mouth, making her close her eyes briefly in a silent foodgasm. The sausage was tender and perfectly seasoned. She scooped up a bit of egg, the yolk golden and runny. It was breakfasts like these that she savored—those fleeting moments of quiet and a well-cooked meal before the day's chaos truly began.

She smiled, taking a drink of her tea before her hand moved to pick up her fork, piercing a succulent piece of meat that dripped with a hint of gravy.

It was great.

As Iris was delving back into her food, the ambiance of the hall shifted. The wooden doors creaked open, bringing a burst of laughter and chatter into the room as a quartet of people entered. Recognizing them, Iris’s eyes lit up.

The first was an imposing orkun woman, her arms adorned with intricate tattoos, along with a pair of contrasting telv men—one wiry with swift, assessing eyes and the other with a bulk that suggested he was no stranger to the front lines—and lastly, a regal high elf woman, her silver tresses falling like a shimmering waterfall, eyes sharp and poised.

Each had a red tattoo of a wolf head on their arms, something they’d gotten as a commitment to their team. Iris thought it was silly.

What if they break up? Never get a tattoo like that. Relationship tattoos are such bad luck.

But still, she knew they had known each other since they were young. The best of friends.

These were the former House Guards who had heeded Lady Arden’s call, forming a party of adventurers now known as the ‘The Redwolves of Brightburn.’ The team's camaraderie was honestly a bit inspirational, and as they conversed and joked, their unity was unmistakable. It was heartening to see such a solid unit form.

They approached the counter, bantering amongst themselves but not before the orkun woman waved at Iris and gave a tusk filled smile. The woman, whose height and muscular build were definitely contrasting with Lucille’s despite their similar country of origin, greeted her with quite the animated tone, “Good morning, Grandmaster! Looks like another busy day for us all!”

Iris lifted her fork in acknowledgment, a piece of her breakfast still skewered on it. “Indeed it does. Good to see you, Yvonne. And the rest of the Redwolves. Ready for another day of adventure?”

The high elf, Iselene, gave a polite nod. “Always. We’re discussing the available options now. We heard that the Balladseekers managed to grab the Bronze quest that popped up. That means we’ll likely be spending the next few days knocking out all of the more… busy work.”

Iris shrugged. “That’s the life of adventurers. Don’t worry, things will pick up as news spreads.”

The two telv men, one lean and the other bulkier, both greeted her with friendly nods. The lean one, Jareth, said, “If the ember rats are any indication, I have a feeling we won’t be waiting long. Our first quest is one out in the farms.”

Iris winced. “Be careful. Sometimes those can get away from you. Don’t be afraid to make a strategic decision to come back for help. I don’t mind joining if it’s more than the quest giver thought. Always assume it’s worse than the information given.”

The man’s companion, Borin, nodded. “That is sensible. Don’t worry, we’re not completely new to this, Grandmaster. After the last quest, we’re definitely loading up on that healing goop Lucille sells.”

Iris chuckled. “That stuff has helped me through so much. Still, good luck out there. I know Sera’s working on expanding our reach. With that, we should get more quests.”

Borin grinned. “Well, maybe toss in some word about my impressive hammer skills—”

Yvonne smacked him on the back of the head. “Oi! That’s the grandmaster. None of that. Plus, she’s sensible. She likes women.”

Iris choked on her sausage and looked up. The orkun woman winked at her.

“Woah, easy there killer,” Iris said with a chuckle after she regained her ability to breathe. “Kaira would kill us both.”

Yvonne let out a hearty laugh, her voice filling the bar room. “Only if she catches us, Grandmaster!”

Iselene raised an elegant eyebrow and lightly elbowed the orkun woman with a teasing smirk. “You love courting danger, don’t you Yvonne? It’s all in good fun, but we do need to decide on our quests. And perhaps keep our flirtations at a minimum when in the company of esteemed guild leaders.”

“Especially when they’re currently eating,” added Jareth with a teasing glance toward Iris.

Iris merely waved them off, resuming her meal. “Please, continue. I’ve endured more awkward conversations before breakfast than this with Akane around.”

The bulky telv man, Borin, tried to hide his chuckles behind a sip of a drink that Lyra had given him, though it wasn’t particularly successful.

“Well,” Iselene interjected with a slight glare at her party mates. “We will leave you to your meal, Grandmaster.”

The Redwolves of Brightburn nodded and began their trek toward a more secluded corner of the room. Yvonne, with a final nod of acknowledgment and a wink towards Iris, followed behind them.

That woman… Yikes. Kaira, get home quickly.

Taking another bite from her breakfast, Iris couldn’t help but observe the camaraderie amongst the guild members. They only had three groups at the moment, so parties like the Redwolves and Balladseekers brought a sense of unity and ambition that was much needed in the guild’s founding teams.

The third will be back soon…

She took a moment to appreciate the atmosphere as the Redwolves started laughing and enjoying their breakfast while discussing quests. It wasn’t much yet, but she knew the Guild Hall would soon be a hub of community, connection, and camaraderie. And at its center was Iris, guiding and nurturing it all.

Just call me the mother of adventure.

She winced.

Okay, that was bad even for me.