A sinking feeling settled in his chest. He hadn’t expected them to escalate this quickly. “How bad?”

“Bad enough that even the beastmen are starting to take action,” Elara replied, her eyes narrowing. “They’ve caught wind of what’s happening and are preparing to strike. We can’t do this alone. We need your friend Neil. And we need you. Adventurers and a few good, talented people.”

Cliff’s thoughts raced, his gaze flickering to the letter again. The Silverchain Guild’s offer had come at the worst possible time. Was this a test? A moment of truth? He thought of all the work he had put into his shop, the bonds he had formed with ethical beastmasters like Elara. He couldn’t let it fall apart now, no matter how tempting the guild’s offer seemed.

He grabbed the letter and tore it in half, then again, and again until the pieces fell like paper snow onto the floor.

“I’m in,” Cliff said, his voice steady. “What’s the plan?”

Elara let out a breath she had clearly been holding, her expression softening with relief. “Some of the beastmen are meeting at the edge of the Dalsea Woods tonight. They’ve tracked down the guild’s camp where the captured creatures are being held. We’ll need to move quickly, before the guild can transport them out.”

Cliff nodded, his resolve hardening. “I’ll get my gear. And I’ll send word to Neil. We’re not letting them get away with this.”

Elara placed a hand on his arm, her voice gentle but firm. “Thank you, Cliff. I knew you wouldn’t turn a blind eye.”

As the evening shadows lengthened, Cliff prepared for the confrontation ahead. This wasn’t just about protecting his shop anymore. It was about standing up for the creatures, the land, and the values he had fought so hard to uphold.

With Elara by his side and Neil soon on his way, he knew they had a fighting chance. The Silverchain Guild wouldn’t know what hit them.

___

Neil arrived at the edge of Dalsea Woods just as the sun finally dipped behind the hills, bathing everything in an eerie twilight. The forest loomed around him, shadows stretching between the trees, but Neil’s mood was anything but grim. Spotting Elara ahead, he straightened up, running a hand through his hair as he approached.

Elara was leaning over a rough map spread out on a flat rock, her green hair nearly camouflaged against the moss behind her. She looked up as he arrived, giving him a nod. Dawnclaws, perched on a branch above, studied him with one unblinking, fierce eye.

"Glad you're here," Elara greeted, all business as usual.

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Neil gave her a friendly grin. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. But I have to say, I didn’t realize Cliff’s newest ally would be so, ah... enchanting. Makes me wish I’d joined the cause sooner.”

Elara raised an eyebrow, unimpressed but clearly amused. “If charm could liberate magical creatures, Neil, we’d be done here already.”

Dawnclaws gave a low, grumbling squawk that might have been a griffin’s version of a chuckle. Neil laughed, undeterred. “Ah, but imagine the possibilities if it could.”

Elara rolled her eyes with a hint of a smile, tapping her finger on the map. “Let’s keep the flirtation to a minimum, shall we? We have a job to do.”

“All right, all right,” Neil said with a smirk, stepping back with a mock bow. “Lead on, brave druid.”

Dawnclaws dropped from her perch, landing with a soft thud. Her feathers ruffled as she stretched, eyes serious and intent. “The Silverchain Guild’s headquarters are heavily guarded,” she said in a low growl, her voice deep and rough. “The creatures are being kept in the eastern enclosures. There’s a gap in the patrols that should give us just enough time to get in and out. We’ll need speed, precision—and no distractions.”

Neil nodded, though he couldn’t resist a quick glance toward Elara. “Promise I’ll stay focused.”

Cliff was already inside the Silverchain Guild’s headquarters, handling the guild’s representatives, and each of them knew he’d have his hands full with their slippery charm and high promises. Neil imagined him, keeping a perfectly neutral face as they tried to sway him, and chuckled to himself. Cliff’s nerves of steel would keep the guild talking long enough for them to set the creatures free.

As they leaned over the map, finalizing their plan, Elara filled them in. “Neil, you’ll take the north path and head straight to the enclosures. Dawnclaws and I will be right behind you. Cliff’s only got so much time to keep them talking before things start getting suspicious, so we have to be ready to move.”

A distant shout echoed from the guild’s camp, and Neil’s smirk faded into a determined frown. The weight of what they were about to do settled over them, the sound a reminder that their margin for error was razor-thin.

“Right,” Neil said, swallowing down any lingering nervousness. “Let’s go free some rare magical animals.”

___

Meanwhile, inside the guild’s headquarters, Cliff was in the middle of a very different ordeal. He stood in front of Marshal and his associates, his face carefully composed as they ushered him down a wide, glistening hall. High ceilings arched overhead, polished marble gleaming, and display cases lined the walls, each containing a preserved magical artifact or rare ingredient. The guild members spoke with pride about their collection, highlighting their “sustainable” methods.

“And here we have our prized elixirs,” the woman leading the tour said, gesturing toward a large glass case. Inside were rows of shimmering vials, each labeled with ingredients Cliff knew all too well, ingredients that had cost lives.

“Oh, impressive,” Cliff replied, his voice even. He feigned interest, leaning in slightly. “But tell me… these ingredients, you mentioned they’re gathered sustainably?”

One of the guild representatives, a tall, lanky man with a sly grin, scoffed. “Well, of course. Sacrifice a few lesser creatures, gather some rare herbs. All for the greater good. A few beasts to save countless adventurers.”

Cliff’s stomach churned, but he forced a smile. “I’m sure that’s very… efficient.”

“Efficient, indeed,” Marshal agreed, nodding as if Cliff were an enthusiastic student. “We’re saving lives here. Think of how many adventurers’ lives could be protected with a steady supply of armor and gear crafted from these ingredients.”