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"Fallen what?" Reinhold asked confusedly.

"The Sisterhood of the Fallen Maiden." Armagus repeated it slowly, stressing every word clearly. "It's an adventurer's guild or even a mercenary group. But the members are mostly women. You know...like the waitress." He pointed to the short-haired waitress, who was cleaning up the mess on the floor.

Reinhold blinks twice and then nods his head. "I see." He mumbled softly. He couldn't help but stare as she walked past them, carrying a bucket filled with water along with some cleaning utensils to clean up the mess. The smell of alcohol and sweat filled the air, making his nostrils flare up.

Armagus continued, ignoring his disciple. "This group is not like the regular ones. The girls here have all been rejected by society. Most of them are orphans or abandoned. Some of them were abused by their fathers or husbands, and they ended up being prostitutes because no one would hire them, or worse, became slaves."

The old man's voice grew softer and lower as he talked about each girl's story. He seemed very sad, but also sympathetic towards them. Reinhold could see the pity reflected in Armagus's eyes.

"But they are no ordinary girls," he continued. "They are fighters and warriors. Each one is capable of defeating a dozen men single-handedly. They are skilled enough to earn money for themselves. They also desire a secure environment where they can generate income while taking a break from swords."

"That's why we call this place 'The Den of Lust'," the old man said after a brief pause. "Because... well, here, you can enjoy the company of beautiful and strong women, not like any of the other taverns."

Reinhold raised an eyebrow, surprised by Armagus's words. "Is that why it has such a name? I thought the name was intended to attract more customers. I mean, it's a tavern."

"Hahahaha..." Armagus laughed heartily. "Well, it does indeed attract many customers. And it's quite popular among youngsters. So yeah...I guess that's part of the reason. However, most importantly, they serve great food and drink, plus there's entertainment." The old man explained proudly.

Reinhold glanced around the bar once before asking, "So, what kind of jobs do the girls do here then? Do they fight monsters? Kill bandits?"

"What a silly question; of course they do, and this tavern is just an extra. By the time you set out west to conquer the blood orcs, the guild was still in its infancy with only five members. But now they are one of only five guilds that have conquered both dungeons and elven tombs. Currently, the number of members has reached more than five hundred." The old man replied, smiling knowingly while patting Reinhold's shoulder.

"Five hundred?" Reinhold's eyes widened in shock. He was surprised to hear such numbers, considering they were amateurs a couple years ago. "How can they grow that fast?" He inquired with a curious voice, wanting to know more details about these women.

"Well, I did help them a little in the early stages, but they have grown rapidly by relying on their own strength," Armagus answered truthfully, smiling broadly.

"I helped them establish connections among various noble households. They ensured the safety of nobles and merchants on perilous paths. Some were also hired as bodyguards for high-ranking officials, protecting them from assassination attempts." The old man explained further.

Reinhold nodded thoughtfully, listening intently to his mentor's explanations before finally asking, "But strong enough to conquer a dungeon by themselves?"

Armagus suddenly became confused and avoided this question. "Yeah... Well... I mean..." He scratched his head awkwardly. "They are quite capable in their fields."

"Surely it wasn't because some old magician came along and blew up the dungeon?" Reinhold teased, raising a brow playfully.

"Oh, shut up." Armagus huffed, rolling his eyes sarcastically. But then he burst out laughing and said, "Okay, I admit it. Maybe I did help them out a bit here and there, but not much though." He added sheepishly, grinning widely.

"Anyway," the old man changed subjects abruptly, "Let's get some drinks first and chat more later. The waitress is already here with our orders." He pointed towards the waitress carrying their food.

Reinhold followed Armagus' gaze and spotted the short-haired girl weaving through the crowded pub with ease. She balanced two frothy mugs of beer in one hand while carefully carrying a bowl of hot soup in each arm. Despite her heavy load, she moved gracefully, navigating through the throngs of people without spilling a drop. Her demeanor had softened since their earlier encounter; she wore a serene expression on her face as she approached them, dressed in the same outfit except for the hidden knives on her thighs.

As she arrived at their table, she placed their drinks and bowls before them with practiced grace. However, instead of leaving immediately, she stood upright and bowed her head to Armagus with a serious look on her face, preparing to deliver some important news.

"'The Fallen Brigade', code name Valkyrie, is on its way back, master. They should arrive within the hour." The young girl stood with her hands clasped behind her back, her posture rigid and proper, as she delivered the news.

"I thought you just helped them a bit here and there, 'master'?" Reinhold teased, grinning mischievously.

Armagus coughed uncomfortably before replying, "Well, it's complicated..." He trailed off, scratching his chin nervously as he avoided Reinhold's gaze.

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"They have successfully completed their mission to eliminate all the threats around the magic tower, Osanor." She continued, her tone tinged with hesitation. "But this time the casualties seem to be more than half, master."

The old man let out a long sigh and closed his eyes, resting his chin on his hands. "Thank you; I heard about it in the letter they sent last week. It looks like we'll have to discuss this further when they get here." He muttered quietly before motioning for her to leave.

"Yes, master." The woman bowed once again before departing swiftly.

Reinhold watched as the old man's gnarled hand grasped the mug, his knuckles turning white from the effort. He brought it to his lips and took long, desperate gulps until the mug was emptied. With a rough swipe of his sleeve, he wiped away any lingering traces of ale on his beard. His face bore a somber expression, lines etching deeply into his weathered skin.

"So... what happened to your guild?" Reinhold prodded, intrigued by the heavy atmosphere between them. He leaned forward expectantly, eager to uncover the truth.

Armagus's ancient face was etched with worry as he stared off into the distance. The corners of his mouth twitched downward before he let out a heavy sigh. "The Fallen Brigade, code name Valkyrie, was the most powerful force in our guild. They were hired to protect the magical tower Osanor for two months, with an unusually large sum of money as payment."

Reinhold leaned in, feeling intrigued by Armagus's serious tone. "What happened?"

"Spiders," Armagus muttered bitterly, his eyes filling with sadness and anger. "As soon as they arrived at the tower, they were ambushed and outnumbered by them." He paused, staring intently at Reinhold. "I don't know if it was planned or just a natural occurrence, but something about that tower is dangerous."

Reinhold's mind raced with questions but kept quiet as he listened to the rest of what the old man had to say.

"You also need to be prepared, because one day you might encounter such situations as well. So please remember everything I taught you. Keep a level head and don't let your emotions cloud your judgement." The old magician warned gravely, his eyes piercing intensely through his student.

As the old man spoke, Reinhold's mind raced, wondering if he should reveal what he knew about Threhbor. His eyes flickered back and forth between the old man and his tankard, trying to gauge his reaction. 'Should I mention that this incident could be related to what happened at Threhbor?''

After a few moments of tense silence, he finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"Actually... I've encountered something similar before, old man," he said cautiously, choosing his words carefully. "It may be relevant to your case."

"What?" The old man's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he leaned in closer, urging Reinhold to continue.

Reinhold's grip tightened on his tankard as he spoke, his voice filled with conviction and determination. "I saw it with my own eyes, Armagus. Threhbor has fallen to the Monarch of Arachnids. She has returned."

The old man's face turned pale as he stared at Reinhold, his expression shifting from confusion to disbelief. Suddenly, he burst into laughter, a sound that echoed through the whole tavern.

"Haha... Hahahaha!" He cackled, tears streaming down his cheeks. But then, just as quickly as it started, his laughter stopped, and his face turned serious. "You must be mistaken," he said gravely, locking eyes with Reinhold. "That thing has been gone for almost two thousand years now. There's nothing left except legends and stories passed down by your own ancestors. It's just an old legend now."

Reinhold shook his head adamantly. "Thoran is dead," he declared. "When he transformed into a monstrous creature, I had to crush his head with my bare hands. It can only be her doing."

Armagus's eyebrows furrowed, and his lips twitched in disbelief. He muttered, "Impossible," before glancing at Reinhold with a conflicted look. "That greedy bastard, too?" he murmured under his breath.

Reinhold's fists clenched at his sides, and he took a deep breath before speaking. "I swear, old man. He was consumed by despair." His voice grew louder with each word. "Thorin knows more about it, but I can't bear to relive that memory."

The old man's jaw clenched tightly as he glared at the tabletop, his expression darkening. "I don't believe it," he whispered, his voice trembling slightly. "If that's true, then doom has descended upon us. That thing and its army can devour entire cities in one night."

A chill crept up Reinhold's spine as he listened to Armagus' ominous predictions, images flooding his mind of destruction and death spreading across the land. "Then we must prepare ourselves."

The old man sighed heavily and shook his head sadly. "It's not that simple. Now it may be too late. She may have already infected and manipulated those in power. She is not stupid; she will never fight without careful preparation. War seems to be closer than we know."

"Then this must have something to do with the attack on Osanor," Reinhold pressed, his tone growing urgent. "We must gather more information."

"No, I doubt it. The spiders that attacked them were normal ones; they didn't have any unusual abilities." The old man waved his hands dismissively, his voice firm and resolute. But after a few seconds, he added, "Maybe, but probably not..." His words trailed off and he fell silent.

The silence lingered uncomfortably between them. Armagus' eyes glazed over as he stared blankly ahead, lost in his own thoughts and fears, while Reinhold fiddled nervously with his tankard, his fingers tapping anxiously against its wooden surface.

Reinhold snapped out of his thoughts as the old man's voice faded into background noise. "I've been getting word from other adventurer guilds lately," he said, leaning forward in his chair. "It seemed like they were also suffering a large loss of manpower as they ventured deep into the forest." Armagus let out a chuckle and flashed a wry grin at Reinhold. "Looks like those damn spiders are trying to keep outsiders in the dark about something big they're planning."

Reinhold's brow furrowed as he listened. "The wood elves are resisting very weakly, with almost no resistance when the spiders attack their settlements." he added, his tone growing grim. "It's not like them to go down without a fight."

The old man's expression turned serious as he stroked his beard in thought. "Eliyen won't take this lying down," he mused, looking around the room for answers. "She'll come charging out of her fortress and make sure whoever's behind this pays dearly." He paused for a moment, pondering the situation further. "Something is off about those elves."

Reinhold nodded in agreement. "Indeed, it feels like they're being controlled or influenced somehow, but how?"

The last word had barely left his lips when a cacophony of sounds echoed through the air. In the air, the distinct sound of hooves thundering against the earth and metal clashing echoed. It was clear that a large group of soldiers on horseback were fast approaching, heading straight towards Armagus and Reinhold.

Reinhold's gaze shifted to the entrance of the tavern, where a small army of armed men marched toward them. At the forefront of this group were two figures riding side-by-side on black horses; their faces were hidden behind fierce dragon-shaped helmets made from solid steel. They wore thick plate armor etched with intricate designs depicting mythical creatures. Each one carried a sharp spear topped with a shining blade, and their powerful steeds had coats that glistened like polished bronze under the sun's rays.

At this moment, Armagus's face seemed to relax somewhat; a faint freshness had returned to his wrinkled face.

"It looks like we're about to get more information." The old man grinned broadly as he stood up, stretching his limbs. A hint of excitement danced across Armagus's weary eyes.