“That’s quite a haul,” Silori counted the coins Maria had placed on the desk.

The guild hall was bustling once again, with a flood of adventurers shuffling about, mingling and discussing the quests on the board. There were significantly fewer requests asking for the guild's assistance in dealing with the Shadow Jesters. Now that the Ringleader had what he wanted, he probably had moved on from Oxfell. That didn’t bode too well in their search for him, but at least Oxfell was safe for the time being.

“I have to say, I like your new look.” Silori gave the witch a seductive smile.

“Thank you!” Maria beamed. “I still don’t think it looks as good as your outfit though.” She looked at the red bodice over her white dress shirt and, of course, the one thing she could never avoid looking at. Silori must have caught onto Maria’s staring again because she puffed out her chest and spoke proudly.

“I’m just wearing a uniform. It’s nothing that special. Besides, I know you really prefer what’s underneath.”

“I certainly do.” Maria grinned.

Silori giggled and rustled the sack of coins before she started counting them. “Are you free tonight?”

“Uhh… maybe. I don’t know. My party and I are going to restock on potions, then we were talking about looking for a dungeon on our way back from Eimdon.”

“You can’t spare an hour?”

“Just an hour?”

Silori peered up at Maria with her tantalizing gaze. “Who knows? I want to hear all about your first adventure. I’m sure that will take up quite a bit of time.” She finished counting the gold coins and slid over a few remaining ones to Maria. “You gave me more than you needed.”

“Oh, alright, thank you.”

Silori nodded. “Go on, don’t keep them waiting on my behalf. Unless of course you just want to keep talking to me. I always enjoy your company.”

“I know you do, so I’ll tease you a bit and head out. Have a good day.”

“You too, dear.”

As Maria spun around to leave, she ran face-first into another person in line.

“Ow! Hey, watch it!” Irra barked, rubbing at her chin.

Maria pressed a palm to her forehead. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“Because you’re not observant,” Irra scoffed. She was carrying with her a small rucksack of gold, one significantly smaller than the one Maria had just turned in.

“I am for some things,” she muttered, glancing at Irra’s chest before noticing the rucksack she was carrying. “Oh, are you turning in your percentage as well?”

“Mhm.” Irra crossed her arms. “I saw your reward or what you were turning in any way. It wasn’t bad for a first quest.”

“You think so?”

Irra glanced away. “Of course. It’s a decent amount.”

“Let me guess, not as decent as your first reward?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Do I need to bring up your first quest, Irra?” Silori leaned over to glance at Irra. “If I recall yours wasn’t as profitable.”

“No, you don’t have to,” Irra said.

Maria grinned. “Oh, no, I want to hear it now.”

Irra’s face turned bright red.

“Her first quest as Craftsmen was ridding our sewers of a rat infestation,” Silori said smugly. “She smelled something awful stepping back in here.”

Irra scoffed. “Well… of course I did! Did you expect me to climb out of the sewers smelling like freshly bloomed spring roses?”

“No, but you didn’t receive quite as much gold as Maria did.”

Maria shot Irra a sly grin. “So… who’s off to a better start here, hmm? Sounds like my first quest was a lot better than yours. What I turned in is only my percentage. That’s not counting the people we saved and the Pythor King we killed.”

Irra crossed his arms. “Shut up. Just wait until you get to do harder quests. You’ll see it isn’t so easy to keep up the reputation of being the best in your tier.”

“That sewer quest you did wasn’t easy?”

“Do you know how much resistance you need to not vomit your guts out down there?”

“Maybe you’re just weak,” Maria teased.

“What did you say?” Irra fumed.

“That you’re weak.”

“I am not weak! If anything you’re the weak one! What level are you?”

“You’re acting really petty right now.”

“What level are you?” Irra repeated.

Maria sighed. “Fourteen.”

“Fourteen? Oh, you are significantly weaker than me.”

“Oh really? What level are you?”

“I am level thirty.”

Both Maria’s and Silori’s eyes widened. “Thirty?” they said together.

“Mhm. I wasn’t level one when I started here. I trained for months with my father to be the best I could.”

“So he is who I have to blame,” Eardwulf’s voice boomed from the right.

Maria and Irra spun around, both jumping as the old Guild Master appeared behind them. A crutch rested under his arm as he carefully hopped on one foot. His eyes were droopy and his hair was slightly more disheveled than usual.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Master Eardwulf!” Maria smiled.

“It’s good to see you up and walking again,” Silori said.

“Thank you,” he said first to the receptionist, then looked to his two previous apprentices. “Good morning, Maria.” He looked the girl up and down. “Interesting attire.”

“You like it?”

“I think it suits you far better than those old rags we had you wear. Wouldn’t you say, Irra?”

Irra looked Maria over and pursed her lips before scoffing. “It looks fine,” she said, glancing away.

“How are you doing?” Eardwulf asked Maria.

“Good! I’ve leveled up a bit. Not enough to take on The Ringleader, but it’s a start.”

“Taking on someone like him is going to take more than levels. You’ll need gear and experience.”

“I got this cool sword.” Maria flashed the Serpent’s Blade to her master.

Irra glared at Maria and her new sword.

Eardwulf chuckled. “One sword isn’t enough.”

“I know, I know. We’re working on it.”

“You found a party, I take it?”

“Mhm, Chariot and Tanalia. We all met back up and we’re going to work together to find The Ringleader.”

“At least you’re in good company. I’ve been keeping an ear out for any word of The Ringleader's activities. None of my contacts seem to have heard of him before however. Then again, the demon king's army was vast, and he had many generals and subordinates. I’m sure there were at least a few who weren’t well known.”

“Something will turn up eventually. It just gives us more time to prepare. We need some better gear.”

Irra cleared her throat. She had puffed out her chest and was glaring angrily at Eardwulf. “Not to intrude, but what was that you said about my father just before?”

Eardwulf shook his head. “Nothing important. Now that I’ve overheard where you got your training before me, it makes sense as to why you fight the way you do.”

“Are you insinuating something?” she growled.

Maria glanced between the two. “What am I missing?”

"Vrad Illenwood is the Royal Captain of the Kingsguard. He led the armies of Mytharia alongside Santiago Saldaña against Moldark.”

“You're damn right he is, so don't you dare disrespect him.”

“I'm not disrespecting him. I'm simply stating a fact. He's an excellent fighter, but a terrible teacher. I've seen him train young cadets of the Kingsguard before he was promoted to captain. The man couldn't teach a baby to walk.”

“I said don't disrespect him!” Irra growled as though she was about to leap up and attack.

“Or what?” Eardwulf said tauntingly. “You'll always lose a fight against a disabled man.”

“Oh yeah? How so?”

“You either lose to a disabled man or you defeated a disabled man. There is no winning.”

Maria laughed. “He has you there.”

"You shut up," she snapped at Maria, then glared back at Eardwulf with her pissed-off eyes. "And you, keep my father's name out of your mouth."

"If your father is so important, why are you here?" Maria asked.

"That's not for you to know," Irra said.

“I’m just saying, it sounds like you should be—”

“Enough! Don’t bring it up again, you got that!”

Maria held her hands up defensively. “Yeah, yeah, I got that.”

Irra huffed and recomposed herself.

“I take it I was interrupting something when I approached,” Eardwulf said.

“Yes, you were,” Irra said.

“The two of them were debating who was the strongest,” Silori chimed in.

“Eh, it was more like I was putting Maria in her place. I’m at a higher level.”

“A high level doesn’t ensure strength,” Eardwulf said. “Strength comes from within, teamwork, intelligence—”

“And gear,” Irra said.

“True strength lies not only in the gear one possesses but in the wisdom to outwit one's adversaries. Even a destitute soul armed with nothing but wit and a stick can strip a warrior of their armor and leave them naked on the street. Intelligence is the key that unlocks the path to victory regardless of the weapons at hand.”

“I feel like I could outsmart Irra,” Maria said.

Irra snickered, a smirk spreading across her face, one exuding an aura of unwavering self-assurance. “Oh really? Well, if you’re so confident, why don’t we put it to the test? What do you say we participate in a little friendly competition?”

“Like… right now?” Maria tilted her head.

“Yes, right now.”

“Well, my party and I were about to go potion shopping. We’re looking to tackle a dungeon, remember?”

“Even better,” Irra said. “I know of a dueling dungeon not too far from here.”

“Oh, I would quite like to see this,” Silori teasingly joined in and rested her elbows against the desk.

“A dueling dungeon?” Maria asked.

“There are some dungeons designed to be taken on by two opposing groups at once. It’s sort of like a race. The dungeon will generate a layout for us both to complete. Normally it’s the first one to finish a dungeon, but sometimes they end with duels or some challenge. Bring your party to the front gate, and I’ll bring mine. We’ll see who can complete it faster.”

“Honestly, I’ve never done a dungeon before,” Maria said, a little hesitantly.

“All the more reason to do it.”

“Ah, I may know of the dungeon you speak of,” Eardwulf said. “The Challengers Tomb, it’s name is, I believe. It’s maybe a day's walk south. You’ll find it hidden behind a wall of vines and foliage against the side of a mountain. I’ve been through it a few times, it can give you some valuable loot if you’re looking for it.”

Maria pursed her lips and pondered the possibility. “Friendly competition… Are there going to be any stakes?”

“Winner keeps the other's loot.”

"Unfortunately, I'm working with Maria and her party on an important assignment,” Eardwulf explained. “Her party needs better gear for this assignment, so giving up what they find in the dungeon would be ill against the guild's intentions."

Irra rolled her eyes. “What’s the point in there being low stakes then?”

“Pride?” Maria shrugged. “You wanted to do this so that you can prove to me you’re not weak.”

“You could gamble whatever gold you earn in the dungeon,” Eardwulf suggested.

Irra raised an eyebrow and lifted the sack of gold she was carrying. It sounded light. “That could work.”

Maria sighed. It still wasn’t great, but it was better than losing their loot. Besides, if they found an excess of loot, they could always sell it to make some profit after the fact. “Alright, fine. If you let me and my party finish up our business in town, we’ll meet you outside the dungeon. Whoever finishes it first earns the other team's gold.”

“Very well,” Irra said, her head held high.

“I can send the two of you the coordinates,” Eardwulf said. “I wish you both luck.”

“Oh, Maria’s going to need luck.”

The witch narrowed her eyes at Irra. “We’ll see about that.”

Irra again puffed out her chest as she pushed past Maria, and approached Silori. She handed in her owed percentage to the guild for a finished job. Maria rolled her eyes and wandered away before getting pulled aside by Eardwulf.

“You mentioned you were looking for potions?”

“Yes. We really, really need some,” Maria said, then leaned in to whisper in his ear. “We almost didn’t make it out of the last quest because we didn’t have any. We forgot to restock, and it just… it didn’t go quite well.”

“I can imagine. There’s a potion master who lives here you can go visit. Have you ever heard of Moffavan Blunog?”

Maria shook her head.

“He owns a shop on a corner street a few blocks from the church. Tell him I sent you his way, I’m sure he’d be happy to help.”

“You know him well?”

“You could say that. He’s a world-renowned master of his work. I’ve helped him a few times with some sticky situations he found himself in.”

“World-renowned, huh? And he does business here?”

“That he does. Business has been slow, but from what I understand he set up shop here to get away from the bustle of busy work he had in Berlington. He isn’t quite the young, energetic man he once was.”

“Alright, thanks we’ll go check it out.”

“Stay safe out there,” he said and waved her off. “And as I said before, good luck.”