The “check-in,” as it turned out, was just the guards nodding as the guild members flashed their badges. The only real issue was when it was Colin’s turn. The guards stopped him and asked a simple question.
“Who are you?”
“Colin. I’m… with them?” He looked around nervously, worried about breaking some law he didn’t know about. Thankfully, Bram stepped in to save him from further questioning.
“We found ‘im on our adventure. ‘E got into a knife fight wit’ a goblin. ‘Nd won. ‘E’s wit’ us for sure, takin’ ‘im t’ the guild ‘nd such.”
The guards nodded and waved Colin through into a bustling market street. Awestruck, he stood in the middle of the cobbled road as vendors called for his attention from nearby stalls. People flowed around him, narrowly avoiding him as they hurried to their destinations.
The party stood nearby, letting him take it all in. Eventually, Nectarine stepped up beside him, gently nudging him with her elbow.
“Hey. We gotta get to the guild; you coming with us?”
Her voice pulled Colin from his trance, and he nodded silently, allowing her to grab his wrist and lead him toward the rest of the group as they continued down the street. They wove through various main and side streets, taking only twenty minutes to go from the loud, lively market to the regal and silent guild hall.
The Guild was massive, hundreds of feet wide and at least a hundred feet tall. Majestic golden doors marked the entry to the main hall, covered in intricate scrollwork that would have put most artists in Colin’s world to shame. The building itself appeared to be made of pure marble, with huge, seamless slabs making up much of the exterior walls.
Stepping inside felt like walking into a classic fantasy novel. Adventurers filled the hall, their tales ringing through the space. As they passed, Colin caught snippets of conversations, each one almost stopping him in his tracks.
“Then the basilisk tore his arm clean off—”
“I slammed my hammer into the troll’s knee so Karn could strike it right in the—”
“The dragon burned the town to a crisp, but we managed to—”
By the time they reached one of the many desks in the hall, Colin’s head was spinning. Bram stepped to the front of the group and began speaking to the clerk.
“Dusk Rose, back from patrol. Picked up a straggler along the way,” Bram said, motioning to Colin. “Seems ‘e wants t’ join the guild. Wonderin’ if ‘e could come along wit’ us fir a few contracts.”
The clerk looked Colin over, and he took a moment to examine her as well. She appeared to be the same race as Nectarine, with bark-like growths on her cheeks and forearms. Her skin was a bright orange, softening to yellow in certain areas.
“You got the fee?” she asked Colin pointedly.
Colin froze, realizing he had no currency in this world. “Uhhh…” He started patting his pockets, growing more panicked as the seconds dragged on.
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“Ye, we got the fee,” Bram said, coming to the rescue again. He handed the clerk a small pouch filled with silver and copper pieces. Colin breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thank you. Sign here, please.” The clerk flicked her hand, and a screen appeared in front of Colin. It was a simple contract explaining the guild’s rules and their cut from any contracts he completed. Nothing too restrictive; a person could leave or quit at any time. Colin quickly signed.
“Perfect! Here’s your Guild Ring. Please wear this at all times while on contracts.” She slid a brass ring across the desk, and Colin slipped it onto his ring finger. “There’s a tracking spell on it, allowing the guild to find you if you go missing on a mission. It also enables telepathic communication with any party you join.”
“And how do I join a party?” Colin asked, confused. Suddenly, a screen popped up in front of his face. Colin read the prompt:
[Would you like to join Party: Dusk Rose?]
Yes
[You have now joined Dusk Rose. Leader: Bram]
The woman at the desk smiled as it all took place. Bram grunted something to her before turning and walking away. Colin and the others followed him to an empty table in an area that resembled a tavern.
“Glad t’ have ye’ fully aboard, kid. If ye ‘ave any questions, we’ll be glad t’ answer ’em,” Bram said as everyone took their seats. Colin definitely had questions.
Several hours and a few ales later, Colin had asked every question he could think of without revealing himself as an “otherworlder.” By the end, he felt reasonably confident he could pass as a local. He knew he might slip up occasionally, but he’d figure things out as they came. Hopefully, his cover story about being from a tiny, isolated town would hold up.
“I think that’s it for me, guys. Thanks for all the help. I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed by the big city. First time here and all that. Is there anything else I should know?”
This time, Kae answered. “Don’t go down the side streets at night. Stick to the main roads.”
Cryptic, but alright. Colin assumed it was just pickpockets or similar types prowling the city at night. He nodded his thanks and moved to stand up.
“I can show you to a room if you’d like!” Nectarine jumped up, grabbing Colin by the arm and pulling him away from the others.
She led him up a couple of flights of stairs and down a long hallway. They passed several doors spaced a few yards apart, and Colin guessed these were the rooms he’d read about. Nectarine stopped in front of one and looked up at him.
“Here you go. Just hold your ring in front of the door handle, and it should unlock for you if the room’s empty. Then the ring and door magic will sync, and it’ll be ‘your room’ until you decide otherwise.”
Colin did as she instructed and felt the ring vibrate slightly. When it stopped, there was a soft click as the door unlocked.
“My room is right across the hall. Kae was right, by the way—avoid the alleys and side streets at night. Honestly, it’d be best if you stayed in your room or out of the city as much as possible after dark.”
Colin nodded, though he was a little confused. Everyone he’d met here had been incredibly kind, and he hadn’t seen many guards on the way over, so he’d assumed the city was pretty safe.
“Can I ask why? This seems like a nice place, not somewhere where you’d really need to worry about anything.”
“Just… trust us, Colin. This city isn’t somewhere you want to be at night. I’m off to bed, but I can stop by in the morning and take you to breakfast if you’d like?”
Colin nodded and watched as she crossed the hall to her room. He opened his door, stepping inside and taking a few minutes to look around before heading straight to bed.
Lying in the surprisingly comfortable bed, he reflected on the last few days. He still wasn’t sure how he’d gotten here, but he wasn’t upset about it. Life wasn’t the same, but it wasn’t worse, either. He knew he still had some things to sort out, but overall, he felt good about where he was.
Sleep took him quicker than he realized, and before he knew it, it was morning.