Tim was woken from the hard bed before dawn had broken. Rin and two other equally scary guys roused him roughly. On the floor behind them sat a large trunk.
“We need to get moving, quickly.” Rin stated flatly. “The empire has taken the news poorly. Grab your stuff and get in.”
Tim didn’t think there was room to argue when he threw on his grimy clothes and jacket. He gave a pleading look to Rin, who just stood there like a rock. A large and very muscular rock that carried a sword. Tim squeezed into the wooden trunk and the lid shut down on him. Sealed in darkness he fumbled for the phone in his pocket. Four thirty seven AM.
It was like a ride to a burial inside a coffin. Tim reminded himself what he needed, more than anything, was information. Research. He needed the guild library. Something brought him here. If he could reverse engineer it, he could get home. And if he couldn’t get home in time, he might as well be dead.
Tim was jostled about for several minutes as they went down the stairs and left the building. He grew bored and grumbled frequently. He wondered just what the Empire had done. And was this kind of uncomfortable treatment was really necessary. He had to remind himself, frequently, that if he could just make it back this would all be worth it. As he Tim left the reception office, stowed uncomfortably in a trunk, five others were being carried out at the same time.
Long after feeling had left his legs Tim felt his coffin being set down. Tim squinted as bright artificial light poured over him. Blood flowed back into his legs as he stepped out in to a spacious circular room. Plaques, propaganda and etchings of people in AG uniform lined the walls proudly. In the middle of the room a round green mosaic was inlaid into the floor and surrounded by seven stone pillars.
“Sorry, but you’ll have to wait in here until the others arrive.” Rin said in his husky voice.
Tim nodded and his stomach gurgled.
Rin came back a few moments later with a tray of food before heading back out. Tim quickly ate the dark bread and soup. It was saltier than he expected. Unknown meat and vegetables sat lifelessly at the bottom. It wasn’t much and it wasn’t good, but it filled his belly.
Time crawled as Tim waited. He got up and wandered around the room. In the middle of the mosaic was a podium with a copper plate as big as a drafting desk. A curious circular design was etched upon the surface. Tim snapped a few pictures and then tried pouring a little mana into it. He could feel the energy sifting around, but it wasn’t enough to do anything. The pattern was so different, so strange, that Tim almost didn’t recognize it as a sigil network. But as he explored it he noticed a repetition, almost like a coding language stretched throughout.
Tim ground his teeth as he wandered the room. He absently read the stories below the photos, but he couldn’t get that sigil network out of his mind. Something was there, but without a frame of reference he had no hope of deciphering it.
It wasn’t even ten o’clock and Tim was already exhausted. He finally plopped back down on a chair and pulled out his cell phone. Randal said that they had gotten their residency cards that morning. But it was really expensive so they picked up a job from the AG. McKenzie had insisted on a quest to hunt some Okami wolves that had killed several villagers.
Apparently it was a good choice as it was near an area they passed a few days prior. The eight of them were getting equipped and would leave by noon. Randal hoped he they would be back in four days. Tim wished them luck as his heart sank. The last chance of rescue, his safety net, was walking away without him. He was committed to the end, although it never really felt like a choice.
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He flipped though photos for a while and then pulled up a book on neural nets and began to reread it. He was already into chapter seven on DPCNs when the door opened. Mr. Kubo walked in with several other professional looking men and women, dressed in burgundy uniforms. One of them carried an excessively large scroll case. Tim thought they looked like a cult out recruiting.
“Mr. Nelson, this is Dongbao Sano. He is the head Ceremony Specialist for the Contract Office. He will be leading the process today.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Nelson. It is not often that we get to add special circumstances to these contracts. So this has been a pleasure to prepare.” He took out a large document from the scroll case. It was about the size of a blueprint, but made of heavy parchment. Novels worth of finely printed words blackened the page. Dongbao set the contract against the large copper plate and affixed the corners.
“Here it is for your review. The parts to note are the sections specially pertaining to you. Please ensure that your name, duration of service, pay grade and special request are all correct.”
Tim uneasily got to his feet and walked to the circle. The document was massive, and filled with primitive legalese. After a few minutes Dongbao interrupted him softly.
“I’m sorry, but please just review the sections pertaining to you, specifically. If you want to read a copy of the standard employment contract we have copies at our office for you to read at any time. Down here are the terms of service, and over in this section is the special conditions regarding your employment.”
“Oh, ok. Thanks.” Tim mumbled, unsure at what he was looking at. He didn’t really want to trust them, but he had already given up the right to choose.
“I think I have one more request,” Tim asked timidly.
“What is it?”
“I’ve got seven days before I start officially working. Would it be possible to have someone show me around for a day or two?”
Mr. Kubo stroked his chin for a moment. “I think I know just the fellow.”
“Then that’s everything.”
“Very good. Mr. Kubo, do you have the emblems?” Dongbao asked.
“Yes sir, right here.”
Dongbao took the gilded emblem emblazoned with the Adventurer’s Guild sword and shield and attached it to a long green strap. Then he adorned the sides with two gold and six silver chevrons. He put it on a small table next to a towel and a small bottle of red liquid. Tim thought more and more that this was some cult meeting.
“Ok, Mr. Nelson, if you are ready, step up to the podium. Good, thank you. Next put on the contract collar. It’s loose now, but it will tighten up in just a moment. Make sure the emblem is centered in front. Ok, now the next part will hurt. You may want to turn your head away if you’re squeamish. Place your and in the signature square. Press down hard. Good. Just a moment and…”
“Yeouch!” Tim yelped. Dozens of razor sharp barbs pierced though the paper and gouged out his hand. Blood flowed out and onto the paper. Tim jerked his hand away leaving a bloody handprint on the parchment.
“You did it! Now drink this.”
With his good hand Tim drank down the bottle of red liquid. It tasted like nasty liquorish root and bark. But the wounds on his hand closed up without a trace.
“Here is a towel to clean up. And now we can begin the last steps.”
The seven members of the Contract Office took position at the pillars and started to pour out masses of magical energy. It flowed through the contact signed in blood and circled around Tim. It drew in like a cage and Tim knew his chance to escape was over. Slowly the collar grew tighter around his neck. It was comfortably snug, but not enough so to chafe.
“Welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild, Mr. Nelson.”
Tim reluctantly gave up his hand for a shake, the memories of torn flesh fresh in his mind.
The Contract Office personnel packed up and left with the completed parchment. When they had left Branch Manager Kubo ordered Rin out. Alone together he turned to Tim with a dangerous look behind white brows.
“Now tell me, did you come from another world?”
Tim stumbled backward, not wanting to answer, but already showed the truth. How could he know? Taken aback Tim fumbled for words.
“Answer.”
The hesitation caused the collar to tighten. Quickly it squeezed tight and dug into Tim’s neck. Air was cut off and he could barely gasp out “yes.”
“Was it Ikoutou?”
“No,” Tim squeaked.
“Earth?”
Tim nodded as he clawed at the collar.
“Damn it. Ok, collect yourself and follow me.”
The collar loosened back to its former state. Tim sucked in air and momentarily forgot his body as his mind was filled with questions. While he wondered how much the old Guild Master knew. He wondered if it was a mistake to trust him.