I woke up in a cold sweat, my heart pounding in my chest. The dream had felt all too real, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease creeping over me. What did it mean? Who was the black-haired man, and why did he seem so familiar?

As I got dressed and prepared to leave the inn, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Cacyier’s offer and his knowledge of my past had stirred up a sense of curiosity in me, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of impending dread for our next encounter.

“Hey, are you ready to head to the guild?” Veronica’s voice broke through my thoughts, snapping me back to reality.

“Yeah, let’s go,” I replied, trying to shake off the unease that still lingered within me.

We made our way through the city, the bustling crowds parting before us as we walked. We approached the guild’s front doors excitedly before bursting into the humongous lobby. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement and apprehension as I gazed upon the crowds of adventurers gathered throughout the ornately decorated room. Large tapestries hung down from the ceiling, and chandeliers of silver and gold lit the giant lodge.

The Adventurers Guild was an organization that offered jobs and contracts to adventurers and mercenaries alike. It was known for its dangerous and often lucrative missions, and many had lost their lives in pursuit of glory and wealth. But the rewards were worth the risk; if we played our cards right, we could make a name for ourselves in Lethandersberg. Or at least that’s what the twins would tell me as we traveled.

The noise and chatter of the patrons filled our ears. The guild was a large room with a high vaulted ceiling lined with tables and benches. People of all shapes and sizes milled about, some discussing jobs, others looking to recruit members for their party.

I followed Vayren and Veronica as they plowed through the crowd towards the front counter. We stood in line behind a group of rugged-looking adventurers, their armor and weapons clanging as they discussed their next mission. As we waited, I couldn’t help but notice the stares and whispers directed towards us. We stood out like sore thumbs in the sea of battle-hardened mercenaries and adventurers.

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Finally, it was our turn to approach the counter. The guild attendant, a grizzled man with a thick beard, looked us up and down before speaking.

“What can I do for you?” he asked, his voice gruff.

“We’re looking to become members,” Vayren replied, his voice steady.

“Just the two of you. Aren’t you two a little young to be adventurers?” The attendant asked skeptically.

“It’s not just the two of us. We are traveling with this guy, too.” Veronica says, gesturing towards me.

“My sincere apologies, young ones; I had no idea you were in the company of a devil.” The entire guild fell silent. I could feel their eyes on me, judging and scrutinizing me.

Vayren and Veronica stepped forward, their hands on their weapons. “He’s with us. And we’re not here to cause trouble,” Vayren said, his voice low and smooth.

The guild attendant looked at us for a moment before nodding reluctantly. “Very well. But you need to be careful. There are many who would seek to harm your kind.” The attendant said, looking at me.

With that, Veronica filled out some paperwork before he handed each of us a copper guild emblem, a badge that identified us as members of the guild. Since we were a brand new party, we had to start at the bottom of the food chain. This means we can only take low-level jobs such as fetch quests or lost pets until we increase our rank to iron, where we can start taking beginner-level mercenary work.

“Good luck to you,” he said as we turned to leave.

As we made our way out of the guild, I couldn’t help but feel relieved that we had gotten in. But at the same time, I couldn’t shake off the sense of unease that had been plaguing me since our encounter with Cacyier.

“Let’s take a job,” I said.