“Damn it! Damn it all!” Wings spread out, in flight, I cursed myself. A year later, I had met the very same bastard who killed my mother. And I did the same thing. I simply fled, helpless. I feared the strength hiding beneath that eerie smile of his. “Ugh, damn it!”

“Luqa, that should be enough. We can return to the ground once more.” The girl I carried spoke steadily.

“...You’re right. Sorry.” Gradually, my flight slowed, and I descended to the ground with Shara. “Guess, I can’t show you my village, then, huh? Haha… sorry about that,” I said to her offhandedly.

“Then, let our journey return to its main destination,” she said. “Let us see the city you’ve been pining for, no?”

But I couldn't hear her words. My own thoughts were too deafening. I remained silent. My hands were shaky, seeking to grip onto something, anything, before clenching into fists. No matter what, I could not remove the image of the smiling knight from my head. With those hands, he had taken away Clara’s life.

Without prompting, Shara began ruffling my hair, opting to play along with my silence.

***

Fleeing from my home village’s vicinity, Shara and I finally made the trek I’d been planning since I left Arnulf’s cottage. We turned around, journeyed through the tailed demons’ abandoned village, around, following the nearby lake’s shores, and headed south.

Eventually, the miasma-filled wasteland gave way to grassy plains. Wisunts, large, furry, docile, horned bovines, populated the plains. They ate and chewed at the grass beneath their feet in peaceful herds. And they looked utterly delicious. Scrumptious under the right preparations, I’d bet. But Shara dragged me away before I could get my hands on one and indulge myself in dish experimentation.

As we drew closer and closer to our journey’s target, a grand construction began peaking over the horizon. A wall of colossal proportions, standing many meters tall into the sky.

“Woah…” A sigh of wonder left me helplessly.

“Indeed. This was not here the last time I passed by here. You mortals…” Shara remarked.

It extended on both sides, endlessly, like a horizon of its own. Quickly, I realized what this was. Orson’s Wall. A great fortification raised from the earth with the unparalleled magic of Paladin Orson, the Sage, three centuries ago. It was a demarcation between the organized human nations and the land of the demons, living free, isolated as villages or as cities. But, my mind couldn’t help but wonder, what compelled him to raise this wall? What happened in the last years of the Great Demon War?

As we continued walking, we passed by several travelers, most of them armed and equipped like adventurers. Drawing close, we finally caught a glimpse of our destination. The city of Lefke. It was enveloped in its own wall of stone, attached to Orson’s Wall, but of different height and construction. Leading into the city was a gate guarded by armed sentries.

I readied myself. Entering the city would no doubt be an obstacle on its own. The two of us were unknown travelers without proof of identity. They were in a position to refuse us entry, if we played our cards carelessly.

“Shara, remember, okay?” I urged her.

“Yes.” She nodded eagerly. “Tears on signal?”

“Right, exactly. Tears on signal. Let’s go.”

With determination, we approached the awaiting first step to becoming adventurers. We needed to fight with all we had.

Step by step we approached the gate. On the outer side, a pair of guards stood by, each with a spear in hand.

With their mismatched armor, their weapon, their stance, they looked all-in-all… unassuming. But, no, I could not let appearances deceive me. After all, that strange mask-wearing man turned out to be a foe that almost claimed my life.

With our purposeful strides, we were now at the gate’s front. I gazed with full attention at the two guards, in order to read their intentions. One of them wore an expression whose intentions and emotions I couldn’t interpret.

Because they were fast asleep. While standing?

“Hey, g’day.” The other, looking tired himself, greeted us while raising a hand. He said nothing else as we walked through the gate.

“...Good day?” And so we entered the city of Lefke without an issue.

Suddenly, I felt silly for the preparations I made for a clash of words that never came into being.

***

Strolling down the city’s main path, we eventually made our way to the central square of the city. The facades of many stores and businesses faced in, towards the square. Half-timbered buildings surrounded the square, rising up around three or four stories high. A few buildings had ground stories built of stone brick.

A hurried, bustling crowd stepped through the cobblestone-paved square. The currents of travelers and city-dwellers were filled with a diverse sort of people, from young to old. I stared at them with unabashed interest.

The majority were humans, of varying skin-tone, from the light complexion characteristic of those native to the area to the darker complexion telling of a heritage to the southern reaches of Nicaea. But a sizable number of non-humans traveled through as well. As I searched through my head for names for them, I remembered the days spent in childhood, lazily reading about the many peoples that populated the continent. I looked on, fascinated. The text’s descriptions I had read so long ago came to life before my eyes.

Adult humanoid beings standing only half the height of a typical common human walked among the crowd. These were halflings, with childlike frames, despite beards and mature faces.

Some other figures looked a bit similar to the halflings, of similar height, though somewhat stockier. Many of them wore extraordinarily long beards. These couldn’t be anything but dwarves.

And taller, lither, humanoid beings with pointed ears. Though they weren’t true elves, they were the children of elves coexisting with humans long ago, and still their elven heritage manifests powerfully. Referred to as common elves.

There were also some beings who would look human if not for a few-markedly beastly features. Animal-like ears and tails told me these were the beastfolk. Some had more cat-like features, some more dog-like, a few others of another similar mammal.

And lastly demons. Several demons roamed through this crowd as well. Many stood out despite mostly human-like appearances, whether it was the horns some had, the scaly tail some carried, the unnaturally grayish or purplish skin tone some had. A few others appeared less decidedly human. One appeared fully lizard-like, scales and all. Another had fully black eyes and fangs sticking out from his mouth.

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“I… can’t believe it.” I muttered to myself quietly, soaking in this overwhelming view before me. “This… is… amazing!” I cried out with raised arms, unashamed, despite the attention my shout drew. My nostrils flared in joyful excitement. I didn’t care that a few eyes looked at me critically or in confusion. I had finally, truly made it.

To the city of Lefke. The famed city of adventurers.

Had Clara, Ersham and Helena been frequent pedestrians through this square in their adventuring days years ago? How did they react to the sights and smells of this city? How–

My round of emotional reflection found itself quickly turned over due to my own excitement. There was still a lot to do, today. I couldn’t simply sit here, fawning, busying myself with people-watching, nor could I lose myself in thought.

“Well, what now, Luqa?” Next to me, Shara shook me away from my reverie.

“Now, we could head for an inn… or we could head straight to the adventurer’s guild and register as adventurers,” I said. “I say, the latter!”

“Great. But, where… is this adventurer’s guild you speak of?”

Great question, indeed. My eyes darted, scanning the buildings of the square. Surely, an important building such as an adventurer’s guild’s headquarters would be placed snugly here. My eyes examined the signs some buildings wore. Quickly, I found myself overwhelmed.

What… was I looking for again? And was I this scatter-brained usually?

Giving up, I lowered my eyes to search among people. It would be wiser to approach someone to ask. My eyes were drawn to a short, old dog-man, with folded ears and a white tail. He had dropped his cane on the ground, and he was obviously straining himself, struggling to pick it up himself.

Eagerly, I approached him. I swooped in, picking up his cane, and handed it to him in one smooth motion. His wrinkled eyes looked at me warmly, and he gave me a heavy nod.

“Thank ya, boy. Ah ‘ppreciate it.” With two more quick nods, he began to walk away.

“Wait, mister, could I ask something of you?”

“Hm, excuse me?” The old man said gruffly, under his mustache. His tail had sprung high and alert. “Now, how can ah help ya, boy?”

“Thanks, I want–”

“Oooh, of course,” he suddenly interrupted me with a hoarse voice. “How can ah forget. A boy like ya has his needs, dun’t he?” His fingers crept into his pocket and pulled out a shiny silver coin. “There ya go now, okay, boy? Buy yarself somethin’ good with that, why dun’t you? Dun’t go to one of ‘em sneaky massage parlors with these, though.”

“No, no, thank you, but I’m good, mister. That’s not it.” I raised my hands in front of me, declining the eager hand with which he sought to give me his coin.

“Okay, okay, ah gotcha. Ya’re but a kindhearted boy. Right, there’re more important things than this shiny old thing. Oh, it warms my heart to see it. Well, g’day, boy!” Pocketing his coin once more, he started to turn around to leave.

This was an utter nightmare. I knew my judgment was wrong when my eyes fell on this old man. But my pride did not allow me to give up, damn it!

“Sorry, mister, but I wanted to ask you about something. Is that okay?” My raised voice stopped him before he could leave.

“Oh, do you, now? Sorry ‘bout that, this old man’s in no hurry to leave, I swear,” he said, turning back towards me. Slowly, he laid a hand on my shoulder. “Okay, so tell me, what is it now, boy?”

“Do you know where the Adventurer’s Guild is, mister?” I asked, trying not to be impatient.

“Adventurer’s… what?”

“Adventurer’s. Guild.” I said more slowly.

“Build?”

“Guild!”

“Oh! Guild… Guild… oh, sorry, dun’t know anythin’ ‘bout that. Ah do know ‘bout some adventurers, though. But, Guild…”

“Oh,” I responded, deflated. “That’s fine. Well, excuse me then, have a good day, mis–”

“Wait, wait, gimme a quick moment, ‘kay? Have a bit of patience. Guild… Guild…” His grip on my shoulder grew tight, holding me in place as he continued muttering under his breath.

What did I get myself into? Behind me, I could almost hear Shara’s snickering.

“Oh, Guild!” he continued. His dog-like tail was wagging behind him excitedly, obviously pleased with himself. “Ah do know what you’re talking about, in fact! That’s the place for adventurers. They tend ta hang out there. And take quests right there too. There you go. Well g’d–”

“Do you know where it is?” I asked quickly.

“Oh, that’s what ya wanted. Why didn’t ya ask earlier? C’mon, don’t be shy, boy! Your generation's a bit too weak hearted, ain’tcha!” With hearty laughs he patted me on the back as if he were my only grandson. “Well, come now, come with me, boy.” Coughing, he began walking. I glanced back at Shara, who was standing in front of a building, and motioned her to follow. “Ah, wait, wrong way.” He then turned around, towards Shara’s direction.

Then he stopped and pointed a shaky finger. Right at the building the two of us had been standing in front of this whole time.

“There ya go, boy. See that? Look with yar two clear eyes. That right there is the adventurer’s guild. You see it?”

“I… see.”

“Ya do? Great! I can’t. Eyes too blurry. Now be on yar way, boy. And be careful in that guild there, okay? Two swords, a staff, a pack stuffed to the brim,” he said as he carefully eyed my belongings. “The way ya are, ya stand out. That’s not a good thing with adventurers, many times.” The innocent, harmless air about him earlier had faded away, replaced with shrewd, sharp eyes. “Now, g’day!” The shrewdness disappeared. A paternally jovial wrinkly smile accompanied his farewell. The old dog-man walked towards… the adventurer’s guild. He gave me one last wave before entering through its doors.

“So, Luqa, what just occurred?” Shara had appeared next to me. She asked her question with a curious grin.

“What just occurred? Many things actually. For one, we’re stupid. Second, I met a strange old beast man,” I said numbly. My eyes blinked as I stared at the building ahead of us. A sign hung over the building, depicting a symbol of a… boot? Above the boot the word “Adventurer’s” was carved in, and below, the word “Guild.” “Well, let’s not waste the old man’s help. Let’s go, Shara!”

Recovering my earlier enthusiasm, the two of us stepped towards the bricked building. With a nudge, the wooden door swung open and we stepped into the guild.

My first observation was how dimly light the inside was. My eyes took a few moments to adjust to the change in lighting. Candles and torches made for the only lighting, aside from thin-slit windows.

Tables and chairs were arranged in the room, pub-style. And the room itself was rowdy, filled with many adventurers, a majority being male. Some talked intensely among themselves around a table, laughter booming now and then. Others sat and drank ale with merriment. A few others stood by a bulletin board, in quiet, serious conversation, gazing at the notes posted on the wall.

The musky, humid air! The rough-housing! The boisterous energy! I smiled giddily. This was indeed the adventurer’s guild Ersham had described those years ago.

At our entrance, silence descended upon the room. Many looked at us, curious to see who had entered. And laying their eyes on us, a snickering resounded through the room before the adventurers went back to their own business. Though, a couple lingering eyes remained, whether out of amusement or out of irritation.

“Heh, sick of these damned kids, man,” a drunk adventurer, at a table near the entrance, garbled. “Really ruin the mood, y’know?”

“Yea, what’s up kids? Ain’t no candy store here!” his bearded companion howled. “Though I got two candies right here if ya wanna hold ‘em, haha!” He pointed between his legs.

Ah, nice, just like Uncle Ersham said. This really is an adventurer’s guild. What next, is a drunken adventurer gonna challenge me to a fight?

Ignoring their words with a proud grin, I walked on adamantly forward, Shara close behind. My goal was the desks at the back of the room, behind which a woman with cat ears sat. That was surely the receptionist’s desks.

However, a tall, muscular man wearing leather armor stood in my way, his face flush with alcohol. He looked down at me with a toothy grin. I attempted to go around him, but he leaned each way I tried to pass him. This was a man who, out of his own volition, was firmly set on blocking this boy’s path.

Well there it is.

“Hey, boy. Let me see that sword of yours. Or is it just a toy? Uhahauhua!” At his own words, he chortled loudly, as if he had delivered the wittiest wisecrack in all of written history.

“Haha, that’s funny, mister!” I said. “But, no, it’s not a toy. So you can’t play with it. Now, excuse me, please.”

“Shut that little mouth of yours boy! I ain’t begging!” He leaned closer. His breath absolutely reeked. The scent of alcohol hung onto him. “Now, let me see that sword…” His hand extended towards me. Towards the curved scimitar on my hip. The sword Ersham gifted me.

Really, it is just exactly like what that beautiful bastard said.

My smile rose into a cocky grin.

“Sure, if you really want to see it…”