Chapter 58
As promised, Quill introduced us to the Overseer of the Hunters Guild. The Overseer, a burly, greying man missing an eye and an ear named Jax, looked intimidating, but had been extremely friendly. Much like Alexandra, he’d seemed more than willing to help any and all newcomers and had said nothing of our status as new Climbers when he recorded our information in his logbook. Once he’d taken care of processing our intent to accept the quest, he assigned us to a team. And not just any team. Apparently, Quill wasn’t just hunting gorillas toady. He was acting as a team lead.
“So, Quill,” I said as we stepped back into the courtyard. There was still nearly an hour to go before the Tower opened. Plenty of time for other climbers to show up, and more so, time for us to get as prepared for our task as possible. “You didn’t tell us you were going to be the leader on today’s hunt.”
“Because I’m not.” Quill said with a laugh, running his hand through his hair as he spoke. “I’m a team leader, yeah, but not the actual hunt lead.” He thumbed in the direction of a woman with fiery red hair, who was currently speaking with a few other hunters. “That’s the leader for our hunt today. Master Hunter Pren Flare.”
She didn’t look much older than Quill, and compared to the other hunters I’d seen so far, she was more… put together? From where we stood, I didn’t see any noticeable scars or injuries, no signs of wounds she’d gained during her time as a hunter. Was that something unique? Did it denote her skill? I figured it had to. After all, if she’d earned the title of Master Hunter, then there was no doubt in my mind she had to be quite proficient as a Hunter. Especially considering what Echo had told me about the ranking system for non-climbers. Becoming a Master was no small feat.
“What’s that make you?” Lyn said as I continued looking over Pren. The hunter, whose red hair was tied in a tight ponytail, glanced, ever so slightly, my way. I made eye contact with her for a second, before she looked back to the individuals she was conversing with. Had she sensed my gaze somehow? Where her skills of perception that sharp?
“It still makes me your boss for the day,” Quill said, grinning. “Just, not the overall boss. The second floor is large, and hunters spread out in order to ensure we can cover as much area as possible, in an efficient and safe manner. Pren’s job is ensuring each team is balanced and properly provisioned. She’ll keep track of all the team’s progress and manage communication across the groups. Her role is in ensuring we have the most successful hunt possible, with ideally zero casualties or injuries.”
“When you say they spread out,” I drew my attention back to the conversation at hand, “you mean were going to be hunting gorillas in small groups? In that jungle?”
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“Scared?” Quill smirked. “But yeah, the smaller the groups, the better our hunts can go. Gorillas are smart. They’re not going to run headfirst into a large group. If they sense they’re in danger, they know enough to leave us alone and go the other way. Smaller groups give them less cause to be concerned and makes it easier to draw them into our traps, to capture, and to kill.” He pointed at the three of us, “and besides, as Climbers, your job is to keep us safe from the gorillas. A gorilla, after all, isn’t a threat to a proper Climber.”
I opened my mouth to speak, to voice concerns, and maybe to defend our low levels to him, but he cut me off.
“I know you’re only level 7.” Quill began, “and honestly, that low level does mean on your own, you’d probably not be able to handle a gorilla. I get that.” He tilted his head back in Pren’s direction. “She’ll assign one of the regulars to our team no doubt, to help things go smoothly. As long as you do as I say, and are smart out there, your low levels won’t be too much of a detriment. Besides, the fact you’re already level 7, after one proper day of being Climbers. Well, I don’t know much about how things work for Climbers, but I know that’s not a small achievement. Nor is taking on the Den Mother on the first day. At the very least, that puts you slightly higher in my view of competence.”
“Well, I’m not completely sure what a gorilla is like,” Nyle began slowly, “but I promise we’ll do our best to ensure your safety.” Nyle spoke with conviction. Having someone else’s life in your hands would do that to you. Sure, yesterday we were technically responsible for the farmers. However, it was the first floor, and Ryker had been there to ensure everything went smoothly. The second floor though, was dangerous. And while we’d not fought a gorilla yet, from what we’d heard, they weren’t easy foes. Knowing the very real danger of the Tower, and the fact that unlike us, Quill could die…forever, within the Tower, the gravity of the job we’d accepted was starting to settle around us. For us, the day was just one of grinding out Tower Essence, gaining levels, and acquiring materials for better gear. For Quill, it was a day with his life on the line. A weight that honestly, felt uncomfortable on my shoulders.
“I appreciate that. Though, speaking in such a somber tone is somewhat discouraging.” Quill let out a laugh. It seemed forced. “Keep the mood light and cheery. We’re not going to a death sentence. We’re going on a fun little hunt. We’ll do our jobs, and we’ll do them well. And then, at the end of the day, we’ll all come back here, with the success of our day in our inventories, and stories of our adventures on our tongues.” He smiled at Nyle then, a true smile. “Besides, I’ve got the three of you with me. You’re much better targets for the gorillas to focus on. As long as I’ve got you three as decoys, I’ve no doubt I’ll be able to get to safety.”
While I knew our job was to keep him safe, being called a decoy didn’t feel right. And while I knew it was our duty to give our lives in the Tower, if we had to, so the non-Climbers could live… I had to wonder how willing I would be to do just that. It was one thing to say we would. But when the danger was there, and death was imminent. How easy would it be then? To face down a monster, to stare death in the face, and to accept the pain and loss that came with it, so someone else could get away? Once again, I heard the words echo in my mind, as I pondered just that. What type of Climber do you wish to be?