Jade and I walked back to the guild, it wasn’t long but he did ask me to explain during the walk, I told him it’s something I can’t risk having others hear. He took it well, maybe ‘well’ isn’t the best word since he had a grave look on his face, but nonetheless I think he understood and waited until we got back to the guild hall.
When we entered the guild hall many came to greet him, but I guess the news I was about to tell him made him far too curious to stop to say hello to friends so he waved them off and went straight to Carla at her desk. He asked her for keys to some ‘conference room’ and insisted it was urgent, when she asked for a report on his quest he said “That’ll come later, it’s urgent.”
The conference hall door looks like an ordinary wooden door, but the lock on the door looks big and hefty, and not to mention that it looks like someone just put the door where there will be less room than in a broom closet. No doubt it’s the same magic as the dorm rooms, but to a much higher degree. It’s the size of the entire guild restaurant downstairs, and it has many tables in different sizes, with one standing out as the biggest that has… 40 seats?! I just noticed but the floor isn’t wooden like most of the guild interior, it’s a fancy stone tiling, the ceiling too looks fancy and the lights are from large pretty chandeliers. The interior of the door too?! It looks like a conference room that wouldn’t shame a king.
“Wow” I let out
“I know, right. I had the same feeling the first time I was here.” Jade said, leading me to sit at a small table for two. “I still feel it’s amazing, the guildmaster has some amazing magic. You can take it all in for a minute, but then we have something to discuss.”
I take a short minute to look around, this is like a pocket dimension, no, it’s like we teleported to a completely different building. It feels different, the guild’s first floor looks like a tavern, but it feels like a royal palace, the air smells sweet. I wonder what it’s used to normally, it feels Grandiose.
“Right,” I reposition myself in my cushioned seat to begin the conversation properly.
“I Know, it’s about the monster beneath the village.” Jade starts to get down to business first.
“Um… yes, it’s that too. But it’s about me.” I kind of forgot about the monster under the village to be honest, that is the reason I’m here in the first place. Actually, it might be a good place to start.
“It’s growing nearer, I know. Did the village send you out too? Or did they send you to call for me?” He asks.
“It’s the first one, I guess, but you need to understand I’m not Dan.” I begin to explain.
“You’re not Dan? What do you mean?” Jade makes a face that gives him thinking folds in his forehead.
“I’m… this is a bit embarrassing to admit… I’m a spirit.” I tell him, his eyes widen, he tries to look at me at a different angle, probably thinks I’m joking. I continue to explain. “I was summoned by the elder, I don’t think I was ever told his name, but I Barn explained to me that I’m an outsider from beyond. They entrusted me with setting out to become able to defeat the beast below the village.”
Jade takes time to think and even more time to reply. This news is no doubt hard to believe to say the least. “But then-” He starts to build a reply “But then why do you- I mean, you look like… did they put you in…” He can’t finish the sentence. “What about Dali?! What did he say?! I know you had differences but he’s still your father! Well, not yours but-”
“They did put me in his body first.” I answer quietly. Jade has been so erratic I try to calm him… no It’s not why I’m quiet. I’m not collected, I’m just ashamed that all he feels is also what I feel about the situation.
“What do you mean ‘first’?” Jade asks.
“The village elder summoned me to Dali’s body. Dali himself… was sacrificed for me to have a body first. Then after fighting some goblins I died.” I feel so ashamed admitting it. I know, if I would have been more careful and hadn’t died, that Dan wouldn’t had to be sacrificed too.
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“Goblins? What the- the ones at the old mine? Gaveng?! Why? Don’t you know a named monster is dangerous? And after you died they sacrificed Dan instead? Why not someone else?!” Jade makes a valid point, Dan wasn’t the only option, he shouldn’t have been any option. “Calm down.”
Huh? Or I didn’t notice, I made an angry face, a discontent face. I was thinking about all the village cowards of Duhndale that let Dan volunteer. “I’m sorry, but the thought alone makes me livid. Dan was actually the one that came up with my name, ‘Fren’, he said it’s from a story he heard as a kid… he was so kind.” Tears begin to drop from my face.
“Calm down,” This time it’s Jade that tries to settle down. “I understand, you didn’t have a choice in the matter.”
“But is it worth it? They gave their lives, and for what?! Do you really think I’m the one to take out a monster so great it had to be sealed?” I try to gather myself.
“It is!” What? Out of all the replies I did not anticipate this one. “It’s hard to explain, but the elder said it, and other powerful mages I met, they all agreed on one thing; The danger beneath the village of Duhndale cannot be defeated by anything of this world as it currently stands. Or at least that’s what they used to say.” Does Jade really mean that?
“Am I born from the Adversary?” I ask, I had time to gather myself and dry my tears.
“I was at a dungeon that was connected to the Adversary’s Domain, his name is Nanoglich by the way. He has no concern for us- For the children of Mythos, I mean. But he isn’t truely Evil, no god is, he is just following what he finds as the truth. I can’t say for sure about you, but I hope you are from beyond, because if you are not, Fren, you have no hope of saving the village.” This conversation with Jade is surprising.
I proceed to ask about what he had seen in this realm of the Adversary and he tells me a strange tale about monkeys with no faces or arms or legs, a Giant toe and more. It’s a place where logic stops to work and the only rules are the ones dictated by the God who rules over it himself.
“That’s amazing, I’m glad it turned out that none of you were seriously injured.” I tell him after his story.
“Yes, maybe I should have told you next to Clara, now I’d have to say it twice when I report to her.” Jade gets up from the table.
I get up too but before he reaches the door I tell him “Don’t tell anyone I’m an outsider. I learned that I might be seen as a threat to everyone, no matter who finds out.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell. The folk outside Duhndale don’t understand, we’d do anything to defeat the monster under the village.” He replies, I don’t know if that statement puts my mind at ease or makes me more nervous, but at least I know that I’m safe.
We exit the room and go down to the guild hall’s first floor. Jade stops at Clara’s desk to return the key and report his quest to her. I might be able to go back to the restaurant, maybe the others are still there?
Just as I think that I see Paio and Grey enter through the door.
“There you are!” Grey walks over to me with an angry look. “You ditched us! What were you even doing?”
“I’m sorry, Jade and I had to catch up. It was important.” I tell him.
“You could have done that there, with us. You’re just keeping secrets.” Grey is not happy with me, I knew he might be angry. To be fair he was doing kind of the same with Delvin, but I’m happy he also wants me around.
“Calm down, it’s his loss anyway.” Paio slowly walks over too.
“I hope you had a good meal at least.” I tell them awkwardly, Paio replies with a big smile.
“I ate six servings!” He gleefully admits. Wow, did Jade and I talk for that long? He walks over to Jade and Clara, smiling ear to ear.
“Sounds like you had fun,” My stomach makes a sad noise,I didn’t eat because I anticipated eating outside, then I met Jade and… I didn’t eat at all. “Did you save some for me?”
“Sorry, I thought you’d eat here.” Grey apologizes but his tone indicates he’s not so sorry.
“Care to join me now? Please? I haven't eaten anything since breakfast.” I hope this makes it up for him.
Grey sighs and sits down at one of the tables at the first floor restaurant of the guild. “Fine, you best be grateful though.”
“I am, I hope my words are enough to convince you.” I speak overly formal to break the tension.
“You’re words? Hmph you best show your gratitude using your fried potatoes.” He answers, over sounding overly formal too but asking me to buy him fries.
We both laugh it off, I knew he’d forgive me.