Episode 7: The Mystic Elite Guild

Episode 7: The Mystic Elite Guild

Gamba Harbor continued to welcome the infamous Mystic Guild that returned from their adventures. The hard-working men and women of Gamba aided the guild persistently. Hawk and his guild laid claim to this part of the Pale Nation. Looking after the poor country, from possible outlaw adventurers. Always two sides of the coin, with adventurers. For one, you have the regular adventurers who travel for their dreams and the thrill of it, like Hawk. Then, you have the bad adventurers called outlaws, who are hunted with bounties on their heads. Those same adventurers terrorize and claim countries for their selfish gain. This is why the “good” guilds claim territories to protect smaller countries.

“Good work men. All the cargo is unloaded. Get this to the villa now!”

“Oi!”

Malakai hurried towards the docks in excitement, nearly running through his sandals. His excitement was always normal when he saw the guild return. The young child continued to rush through the crowd of poor villagers.

“Hawk is back! Hawk is back!”

“Hey watch it!”

“Sorry! Not sorry.”

With some of the guild exiting the ship, Hawk and a couple of his loyal guild members still tallied up what was left of the cargo. Hawk rested his hands on his hips in a short moment of rest. A bigger fellow and a long-bearded man continued to carry a couple of boxes from the ship's hull.

“Where to Master Hawk!?”

“A couple of cases of rum we can sell off to some of the villagers ah?”

“Indeed. Put them over by the mast with the rest of the remaining cargo.”

Malakai arrived on the ship. His hands hung like a statue to his side, unsure whether to approach Hawk or watch from afar. He gulped in anxiousness. The young man's eyes widened further out, as he saw a beloved hero at work.

Hawk turned his head and saw the young boy. He smiled with a faint sigh to acknowledge his presence.

“Ah, young Malakai. Wondered when you would be coming around. Haven’t seen your father either so I gained curiosity”

Malakai tenses up like a soldier getting approached by his superior in the line of duty. Hawk tapped his right arm on the small soldier of the boy, bringing him in for a hug. Malakai tension is the easiest case of celebrity nervousness. The master of the guild always sat on a pedestal in the young boy’s life.

“Easy, now.”

“Hawk, can I join your guild now, please?”

Hawk released his hand from Malakai’s side. He looked to his side with a brief smile frowning on his face. Hawk came in disbelief, the same way a person who heard the same thing asked repeatedly would.

“Still persistent on joining, eh?”

“I can help work the cannons or put supplies up. Just let me join.”

“Fraid not little one. You see we have a height requirement on this ship. And you aren’t six foot tall, now are you.”

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Malakai's tense nature eased up with his fists balled up. His eyes narrowed in on his mentor and inspiration. He loosened up his shoulders after his request was denied by the great mighty Hawk. Hawk turned to his crew and walked over to help sort out the cargo, with the larger man.

“That’s no fair! I am only sixteen. I’ll grow if you take me out to sea.”

“Ah, that is the point. Were no Buccaneer Outlaws, young Malakai. Were adventurers. We get in more harm than good, for various reasons.”

“Hehe! Right, you are Master Hawk. Those Terrorclaws from Grand Bay would have you as a late snack.”

“Come now, Bigsby, you’ll scare the poor lad.”

Malakai gulped after Bigsby the large man told him about the various monsters in the world. The young child continued to hold firm to his statement, about being ready to sail with the guild. Bigsby and Hawk continued to sort through the collection of storage from a cargo container. Sorting out two piles, one for giveaway, and another to sell away.

“He says he wants to go out to the world with us. Laddy has to know not everything is like the Pale. Not much you can relate to.”

“I understand that Bigs. You can’t try to spook him. He is going to be a big bad adventurer one day he says.”

Malakai hung his head down, grinding his teeth together. His eyes shut as he waited for the right moment to speak his mind. Hawk and Bigsby continued to poke at Malakai. The boy felt disrespected by the adults picking their fun.

“Shut up! I am going to be the greatest adventurer in the world. I am going to find the Lotus and become the Legend King!”

Hawk and Bigsby froze in shock at the response of the child. The rest of the crew members turned to the young child. Malakai could feel the eyes of everyone staring at him. One of the guild members even dropped a piece of cargo they were lugging around the ship. The second in command to Hawk, a man named Merek, walked over to the boy. He always wore a large fur coat, with leather pants and boots, carrying a large two-handed axe. Malakai turned in fear of the man, who had a cigarette lit up in his mouth. Malakai sighed.

Merek took the cigarette out of his mouth, tossing it outside the ship, before using the same hand to cast a spell on it. He dowsed the burning bud with an ice magic spell. One cast from the palm of his hand, froze the bud three layers deep into ice. Malakai sat in disbelief about how easily he was able to do that.

“The King of Legends and finding the Lotus Blades, huh?”

“Quite a feat, if you ask me.”

The seriousness in the face of Merek simmered down. The closer he got to the child, the more his sarcastic expression mocking Malakai became. He laughed in the young boy’s face.

“I guess we better fear and acknowledge the future king of the world, huh, guys?”

“Gah haha! You got em’ good, Merek!”

Malakai’s eyebrows slanted inwards after seeing how the second in command mocked him. He bit his lip and wrapped his arms around his body. Malakai spit out a whiff of air, from seeing the disrespect of the entire guild.

“I can be tougher than any outlaw or monster out there. My fists are going to be bloody from my enemies and hit harder than any of you guys’ missiles!”

“Stronger than our magic missiles, huh? I doubt that.”

Malakai’s teeth became the jaws of a great white shark. His eyes were completely white, as he yelled into the face of Hawk. “Are you doubting me?”

“The opposite actually…”

The rest of the crew with Bigsby in front of them all rallied together behind Hawk and Malakai. Most of the happy guild smiled and bravely nodded the approval of the child. Bigsby had his hands wrapped around two of his guild members.

“Relax, Malakai. Adventurers are fun and never anxious about anything.”

“He’s right. Were free to adventure and travel wherever we want.”

“We live our way!”

Malakai was in awe. He listened to the crew members all celebrate their return thrillingly. Bigsby and a couple of other members danced around the ship. Hawk and Merek sat with Malakai smiling to the members of the guild. The sun shined through the middle part of the day. Malakai looked at Bigsby and thought about his future adventures.

“Woah. That’ll be me and my friends when we set out in ten years!”

“Your friends? You mean Jericho and the little munchkins?”

“Yeah, we toasted with water today to set out for our hopes and dreams!”

“So that is why the big one left so quickly, Merek.”

“We were missing a good bottle of water. Had to kill a man for that one you know?” Hawk laughed.

“You know what? If you want to keep doubting me fine. I’ll show you how strong I am!” Malakai stormed off from the ship angered. Hawk and the others were in awe, yet they refrained from chasing after him.

“Too harsh?” Merek asked.

“Not at all. Little bird has to learn to fly on his own and then follow the strong. He is meant to be far more than his father.”

Bigsby interjected with a stern in his voice. “You gonna visit him? Or even tell him?”

Hawk turned to the open sea. “No need to. My brother knows all too well the cost of secrets.”