Soren found himself almost curiously wondering about things the day after his and Syr’s all to “brief” little tour to other Guilds.
Admittedly he knew she’d made plans to go and do her research on other Guild Halls and it wasn’t like he expected her to make any solid decisions the next day, that’d be unrealistic to expect of anybody for any reason.
But he couldn’t help but say he wasn’t curious. Enough so that even while standing in front of the job bulletin board to look for his next venture, he’d found himself totally losing track of what was available in favor of pondering what Syr was getting up to that morning.
If anything, because his own instincts kept trailing back to it.
It’s something about her… thought the half-Alf. I can’t shake the feeling she’s not just some Sorcerer’s College graduate who decided to go off and start digging into the Ascian’s. It’s clear as the Guardian Lake that idea of hers is genuine. But it’s something else… can’t quite pin it down though…
As he was thinking, his left hand wound up grasping his right forearm, tight enough to press into the compression sleeve. Dómhall just had to go and yammer about Hyperion, did he? Not like the story isn’t a bad one to tell… but it’s the details about it I try to leave out that are the problem. Someone who wants to know about Ascians is absolutely going to want to know just why in the hell me and the other three ran into a Destructor of all things… how it even turned on for one…
“Well, if that isn’t a rare sight! Soren the Sword Saint zoning out in front of the job board!”
Speaking of women involved in my life… Soren sighed as he received a rather hearty smack to the back, one a bit too strong for his comfort.
Greeting Soren as he glanced to the side was what looked to be a Dynor woman. Only a tad shorter than he was, with long, feathery silver hair that was currently left to hang loosely, falling down her slim back like a wide curtain. Skin given a light tan from time in the sun let her green eyes shine even more, giving her striking features more to stand out for.
Casual clothes of a layered, grey and black shirt and somewhat loose work pants with sturdy shoes. The only thing that would have shown the woman wasn’t Dynoriath like she appeared would be the metallic headpiece she “wore”, it’s mirrored three-fin structure occasional adjusting by the moment.
The sign someone was an Ars Machina, the living remnants of the Ascian Empire’s technological might.
“Sellen,” Soren gave a dry, playful drawl to his return greeting. “Figured you and the others would’ve been off on another job by now.”
“Everyone needs days to cool off and take care of things. Despite what my team likes to rib about, I’m not some slave driver y’know?” Sellen’s tone was just as playful back, and Soren couldn’t help but contrast her smooth contralto with Syr’s trilling soprano. “Anyway, what’s got you staring so sullenly at the job board today hmm? Nothing catching the eye?”
“Just lost in thought a bit is all,” Soren didn’t protest when Sellen elected to toss an arm across his shoulders. “Had a few things on my mind, and it wound up taking over as I was browsing. What about you? What made you decide taking a break after… what? Four consistently run jobs was a good stopping point.”
“Like I said, I’m no slave driver!” Sellen gave a faux-wounded tone to her voice, Soren giving a countering scoff. “That and you know how the Master gets if we spend too much time working without breaks. Though I wouldn’t have been against a couple more. Buuut…”
“But ol’ Sharzok would’ve given you the what-for if you didn’t, right?” Soren’s chuckling prompted Sellen to look to the side. “Speaking of chewing people out, how badly did Ard and Branmek get it for starting another one of their fights?”
“Reminded them what Sharzok’d make them do if they’d actually broken anything during their little scuffle.”
“Eugh… sewer rat duty. Never a fun thing to be thrown onto.”
“Also remind me to find Zenver first chance I get. Need to remind that little instigator to quit looking for reasons to start fights because he likes backing them.”
“You know it won’t stop him.”
“Eh, not entirely. But for a week at least,” Sellen finally elected to step away from Soren, getting to browsing the job board herself, flicking between listings without any real attention to more than the title. “So, how was Vanira? Those College researchers still a bunch of stiffs?”
Soren snickered. “The ones who hire me are the fun ones. The kinds dragging your butt into dangerous research and the like. Managing magically produced drakes is always something with some risk involved after all. At the least I got to spend a while enjoying their cities. A good change of pace from Clearharbor.”
“You say that like you dislike the hustle and bustle here,” Sellen looked back to Soren with a smarmy grin.
“I’d be lying if I said that. But I didn’t.”
“Did hear from the rowdy ones after I got through lecturing them about what happened after though. Getting all involved with a smuggled in Armaros Drake not even a day after getting back, dragging in a new prospect in the process!”
“I didn’t drag her into it,” protested Soren. “She jumped in herself.”
“So, what were your thoughts eh? She as good as those college grads are talked up as being?”
“Well, I can say I’ve hardly ever seen anyone use more than two elements as smoothly as she did. Whatever talent she’s got as a sorcerer, it’s clear she did a damn good job refining it at the College.”
“Oooohhh, sounds like fun!” Sellen’s eyes gleamed at the idea no doubt rolling through her mind already. “Just using two elements together is considered impressive, and it’s rare as hell for someone who can do more than that… ahhh man, I hope she joins our Guild!”
“Don’t go thinking you’ll be able to just poach her to your team first thing. You’ve already got a damn fine spellcaster with Ard in the group. He ain’t much to sneeze at either.”
“Psssh, killjoy.”
“Well, you two are certainly having fun,” Manas then inserted himself into the situation, the two veterans facing the Keeper as he approached the board. “Seems Miss Fleyldis is one hell of a topic if you’re curious too, Sellen.”
“It pays for a senior to be interested in who her new comrades could be,” Sellen snickered, Manas giving a hum as he inserted his Deck into the board’s terminal, new windows flashing onto it no doubt with a slew of new jobs for the taking. “Ohhh, new lineup already?”
“Well after that incident with the Wyrm there’s been some digging into potential Magic Beast smuggling out of the College,” said Manas. “So, there’s been a few requests to check things out where law enforcement isn’t allowed to go digging their noses around. The usual.”
“Hmm, could be good pickings,” remarked Soren. “Any other interesting news?”
“Well, that’s part of why I’m here. Master Sharzok wanted me to get some of the HRs together. There’s a set of newcomers coming in, so it’s time for the usual.”
“How many this time?” Sellen leaned forward as Manas opened a window on his Deck.
“We’ve got ten who passed through the written portion earlier today,” Manas then gave Soren an amused grin. “And guess whose name showed up on the list?”
“No freakin’ way…” Soren couldn’t help but let an excited grin show as the scrolling list stopped on a certain file. The thing that stuck out was the mug shot of none other than Syr. “Well… this sure as hell isn’t going to be boring.”
----------------------------------------
Those who went to apply to Guilds, be it Freelancers or other professions organized as such, typically went through a similar if differing-by-profession process of application and acceptance into their chosen area.
Common to any of them were basic interviews and written tests. Basic things any business would do to vet those desiring to join them to ensure both due process and actual intent behind things. Especially when it came to Freelancer Guilds, which would specialize their process for Mercenary, Investigator, and Guardian Guilds to ensure those joining them fit the criteria of their intended activities.
It wouldn’t do after all to go hiring people with ill-intentions or certain tendencies that could end up leading to a bad name falling to the Guild… not that it stopped some Guilds from hiring whoever they could to bolster their numbers.
After those more basic exams both written and personal came the one more specialized for each Guild in particular. Perhaps a smithing Guild would require applicants to show their talents at craftsmanship, a merchant Guild set their aspirants out to settle a deal to show their wit and business sense. Or in the case of a Freelancer Guild such as the Amber Dawn, put the aspirants to the test in trial-by-combat to prove their mettle in the field.
In older times the task would have been personally handled by a proctor, typically a veteran of the Guild with a wealth of experience and skill to back them up, who could be trusted to fairly judge the skill of their examinee and decide if they had what it took to pass their standards. However, with the advances of technology and furthered emphasis on making such exams safer, the role of the proctor had shifted from a direct participant in the exam to a more watchful role.
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Nowadays, ether-projection was advanced enough that examinees could be tested against magical constructs tuned by the exam proctor to suit their expected level of skill and ensure the most accurate results possible, all while ensuring maximum safety during the process so, say, nobody came out of it horribly maimed because someone slipped in pulling back on a swing or properly regulating a spell’s output.
With how easy it was to have applicants who were either themselves experienced due to prior careers in stations like the military or, in cases such as Soren, graduates of well-known institutions meant to foster skills like swordsmanship or magic, it meant some tests had to be more fine-tuned than in the cases where the one who was joining was a much greener sort.
And while Soren and Sellen hadn’t been chosen to be exam proctors for the testing, it was a simple routine for Guild veterans to observe the exams and give their own input on the aspirants regardless of the proctor’s own results.
Exams took place in the Hall’s themselves, which had facilities included for such purposes built into them. In Amber Dawn’s case, their testing location was on the rooftop of the building, set out as a tree-bordered testing field, the zone having ether projectors lining it both to create a barrier to keep the stands where the observes watched clear of any stray blasts and to produce the intended opponent at the same time.
And of course, that day, the one with all eyes on her as the other examinees were tested one after another was Syr, who by sheer fortune perhaps was the final one for the day, leaving plenty of time to build up anticipation for her turn.
“Not that many newcomers coming in from other places this time,” Sellen made the note after the second to last examinee finished up. “Numbers are about the usual too… cocky idiots who pass the written part thinking they can blow through the practical test getting bodied first thing, and the ones who’re actually levelheaded keeping their cool.”
“About fifty-fifty as usual,” Soren added, Sellen nodding along.
“Oi, Soren, Sellen!” a third voice entered the chat. Shuffling down from a higher seat, a limber Halfling man hopped into the chair to Soren’s left. His chestnut brown hair kept in a slicked back yet somewhat messy style with notable sideburns while his skin was a decent bronze shade, which accented the bright hazel eyes gleaming with the desire for mischief. And like many of his kind, he wore rather simple but clearly well-made clothing, a simple enough blue tunic and contrasting off-white pants to match.
He was the same one who’d been providing the music for Ard and Branmek’s little fight the other day, and the no doubt soon-to-be target of Sellen’s next tongue-lashing, Zenver the Swiftsong, himself a rather well-known bard if also quite the trouble-stirrer. A perfect fit for the rowdy Amber Dawn.
“Anyone among these newcomers catch your eyes yet?”
“Don’t kick this up to try and get off the hook for stirring up my teammates the other day,” Sellen bit, Zenver letting out a stilted chuckle.
“Ahhh c’mon Sellen, it was all in good fun! Besides, Ard and Bran are always starting something! And what well-meaning bard wouldn’t provide backing to that kind of thing? Not to mention Soren jumped in anyway.”
“Yeah, after a chair got thrown at my damn head right as I was getting back,” bit the victim of said chair.
“I can admit the chair was an unfortunate victim,” snickered Zenver. “But c’mon! There’s got to have been at least a few here who were worth the watch.”
“Eh, most of ‘em have been standard fare,” Sellen sighed, leaning back as she slouched. “Nothing too interesting or out of the ordinary… so far. My interesting is in that Fleyldis girl Soren met.”
“Ahh that one! I saw her file on the roster, eye-catching for multiple reasons!”
“Careful now,” Soren teased “She told Ard she’d send him through a few buildings if he got funny ideas.”
“So, what you’re telling me is she fits right in at this place.”
At this point any attempt from those three to even pay attention to the current practical test had totally vanished, not even paying much mind as the barrier was crashed into by more than a few stray magical blasts as the poor sap was thrown around by the solid projection of a lesser type of Wyvern, a Bird Wyvern species known of the theropod type.
Specifically, a Lagunan species known as the Plains Raptor. Like all theropod types it was known for its bipedal stance and large tail for balance, with thin forelimbs tipped in razor sharp talons meant for latching into prey so it’s powerful jaws could rip into its flesh. They got their name for the rather notably red, sharp crests on their heads, which stood out from their otherwise green scales.
It was a simple creature, and something even newcomer Freelancers wouldn’t face too much difficulty in fighting on a hunting job if populations ever got a bit too out of hand.
Needless to say, the poor sap now being tossed around the testing field by the projection of one, which didn’t even carry the risk of being slashed open by the talons or mauled by its fang lined jaw, was hardly holding the attention of the observing veterans.
“Well, let’s just say I’m confident in how her test is going to go once her turn is up,” Soren looked to the field as the buzzer finally sounded, the poor victim of the Plains Raptor projection shuffling off to the side after hearing the obvious results of the test. “Eh, poor guy. But, if you can’t cut it against a Plains Raptor, you need more bloody practice.”
“Now the real show should be starting soon,” Sellen’s eyes gleamed as the anticipation built, looking to the entrance to the testing zone as the door opened.
“Examiner Ten, Syr Fleyldis, please take to the testing field so your combat exam can begin.”
At the prompting of the proctor, Syr strode out from the waiting area. Dressed in her full combat-ready attire, one hand was to the brim of her hat and the other gently gripping her staff as she strode to the designated spot on the testing field. As she took her spot, a small pylon rose from the ground, glowing softly as its top panel flashed.
“Please place your hand to the top of the reader and focus ether into it. Once it gets a proper reading, your opponent for the rest will be generated. Simply defeat it, and you pass.”
Syr nodded as she moved her left hand from her hat, placing it on the glowing spot and focusing. Her palm glowed with swirling green light as ether gathered at it. As the pylon took on the same glow as what Syr had created, that light ran along the ground and to the opposite side of the test field, gathering at the set of projection panels.
The panels gleamed emerald from the ether gathering in them, the light then swirling as it rose and took form into a new projection. Shining into emerald form was another type of Wyvern, wide wings spreading out from its slime body, a spined tail swishing through the air as the projected creature let out an electronic rumble, the angular head glaring forward Syr as it rumbled. A type of Wyvern classified as a Flying Wyvern, and this one was a type that made the observing crowd perk up immediately.
“A Reiath?!” Sellen gasped in excitement as she leaned forward in her seat. “Something like that popping out for a test of all things… ohhhh this is gonna be good!”
The safety barrier rose as the projected Reiath began to stalk towards Syr. The Alf couldn’t help but give a sigh as she adjusted her hat, glancing out at the artificial beast from under the brim.
“Just had to be something like this huh? Not my first go at one of these… but would’ve wished for something easier. Ah well… least this one won’t have that troublesome poison tail the real thing does.”
Giving her staff a twirl, Syr raised the item up as its gem gleamed with green light. Wind gathered around the staff, Syr’s swing sending out a razor-sharp gust that rushed along the ground, blowing away the simulated fireball that Reiath launched from its maw at her. The Beast followed up with another blast of fire, Syr dodging to the side, letting the false flames crash into the barrier as it shot past harmlessly.
“Heh, even if I know it won’t hurt me, it’s still making all of my instincts fire off… that’s good then!”
A smile coming to her face, Syr slashed her staff through the air like a blade, a slash of emerald colored wind flying forward and slashing into the projected Reiath. The beast let out a warbling cry as a spray of “blood” flashed from the “wound”. Clearly not happy with the injury, the Reiath threw its wings down, taking to the air with the limited space the barrier provided, attempting to swoop down on Syr as the spines of its tail went rigid.
Syr dodged the flipping strike from the tail with a quick dash, sped up by a burst of air from her off hand. Keeping that hand raised, Syr lifted it to the Reiath as it turned back around, lightning crackling at her fingers as it began to ready another fireball at its maw. With a tightening of her fingers, a bolt of lightning cracked from Syr’s palm, slamming into the Reiath before it could so much as loose the gathering flames in its maw.
As the projected beast shrieked from the shock – Syr had to admire how well this system even worked – the opening wasn’t wasted.
Whirling her staff around and aiming it, water began to swirl at the tip as the gem brightened. The swirling water than grew colder, crystals of ice forming as the swirl began to change into an icy spike at the tip of the staff. The spike grew larger as the swirling magic grew more intense by the second as Syr kept her aim locked on the Reiath, which finally snapped free of its sudden shocking.
The beast rolled to the side as Syr fired the ice spike, barely scraping a wing. But rather than let up, Syr kept the pressure on with a volley, forcing the projected beast around the breadth of the arena as she kept moving, making sure it couldn’t look for an angle to get a bead on her as it retaliated with blasts of fire.
“Gotta say, she’s moving damn well for a mage,” Sellen noted. “And like you said, she’s switching elements with no problem at all. Though so far, we’re only at three.”
“Wind, Water, and Ion…” Zenver said, Soren nodding. “Two Elements and one Force. How much more can she use, eh?”
“Just wait and see,” Soren murmured. Show us what you got Syr… this test is about a lot more than just taking down some projection of a monster. You’ve gotta show us what you can offer as a Freelancer… so don’t go holding back for any reason at all. With that thought, Soren let a small grin come to him. Even if he’d only known the Alf for a few days, he felt he knew she’d fight hard to prove herself.
The volley of ice and fire eventually ended, the Reiath landing on the ground as Syr kept her staff raised towards it.
The Reiath let out a roar, charging forward with its head lowered like a battering ram. As it came near, Syr leapt over the beast with a gust of air flaring beneath her. Swinging her staff around, stones began to form around its head, Syr’s following swing gathering them into a three tight spheres, the swing bringing them down like a series of fists, slamming it into the Reiath’s back and right into the ground mid-charge in a three-hit combo.
“And to follow it up!”
As she came down, fire began swirling around Syr’s staff, gathering into an increasingly larger blaze. And when Syr landed, the growing fireball then condensed inward until it was about the size of a large shotput. And as the Reiath shrugged off the remains of the boulders to rise back up, the fireball was launched at the speed of a bullet towards the beast after Syr spun around like she was launching it from a sling. When it contacted, the condensed flame exploded outwards, the Reiath’s static filled roar following the sound of the blast. And when the flames died down to a smolder, all that was left was an ashen mark on the ground, the projection having shattered in the blast.
“Examiner Syr Fleyldis, success!”
At the proctors call and the barrier’s shut down, Syr turned to the crowd of observers, giving a bow as several of them stood up and clapped, others hollering in excitement from the display while others kept their excitement contained to their chatter.
[All four elements and one of the forces?! What kind of mage is she?]
[Really can’t go underestimating College graduates, can you? Talk about skill.]
[Oh man those guys at the Silver Scale are gonna be PISSED!]
“Well, everyone else is clearly enjoying this?” Sellen chuckled, scanning around the other observers with an amused smirk. “Now I see why she caught your eye, Soren. Someone like that’s gotta be their own kind of special.”
“And she knows how to put on a good show too boot!” Zenver laughed as he energetically clapped. “All that different magic right after another! Even if it was just a simulated Reiath that was a hell of a showing! How’d you get so luck to find a talent like that huh?”
“Maybe it was just luck… or fate,” mused Soren, spotting Syr looking right to him as she walked off while waving to the observers, being sure to give him a proud grin as she shot a thumbs up his way. Soren returned the gesture, giving a chuckle. “Welcome to the Amber Dawn.”