"So, what do you need my assistance with, Master Vaelwyn?" Elina, the lady at the counter, asked.
"I'd like to enroll as an adventurer," Kael replied.
"Alright, I understand." She gestured gracefully. "Please, have a seat over there while I prepare your Adventurer's Card."
Kael nodded and walked to the seating area beside the counter.
It was a pleasant place. The counter stood right at the entrance of the floor, welcoming visitors the moment they stepped in. Beside it stretched a spacious hall, designed as a grand seating area. Kael made his way toward one of the sofas and sat down.
The guild really put effort into this, Kael thought.
He glanced around, impressed. The decorations weren't just antique — they looked expensive. Each sofa was large and comfortable, and every pair of opposing seats shared a lavish table between them. The tables held luxurious pen holders and a strange switch.
What's this switch for? Kael wondered.
Driven by curiosity, he pressed it.
Nothing happened.
Maybe it's broken... he thought.
Suddenly, a woman in a guild uniform approached him.
"Yes, sir? Is there anything troubling you?" she asked politely.
"Ah… no," Kael replied, caught off guard.
"I see. You pressed the switch, so I came to assist," she said with a slight bow, then returned to the counter.
Kael blinked, amazed by the difference between the two floors.
As he looked around, he noticed a grand wall adorned with portraits titled: "The Wall of Fame."
Next to it was a huge chart.
"The rankings…" Kael murmured.
Each name marked a different rank.
"So, the ranking goes from Kindling… to Starborne? Hmm…"
"But if I remember correctly, Liam told me Gloamforged is higher than Emberlight… and there aren't many Emberlight-ranked adventurers in our kingdom. Maybe ten or fifteen, at most," Kael muttered to himself.
"And if Gloamforged is above that… there might not be a single one in the entire kingdom."
Then, a line from an old book echoed in his mind:
"One is a dozen when forged anew."
That thought led to another:
"But that brings up a question… Who created this ranking system then? If there are no Gloamforged or higher in the Kingdom…?", Kael thought aloud, when…
"That was Argune," a deep voice interrupted him.
Startled, Kael turned.
A man stood behind him — clad in a heavy leather jacket, a striking sword at his waist, and a gold chain hanging proudly from his neck. He was huge. Nearly the size of Segeford. His smile was charming, and weight behind his presence.
Kael stood up instinctively, sensing the man's seniority.
"Are you the newbie?" the man asked, offering a handshake.
"Yes, that would be me," Kael replied, shaking his hand.
"Hahaha… Don't you think you're a bit scrawny for an adventurer?" the man said, patting Kael on the shoulder as he walked toward the sofas.
"Haha… wouldn't you be too big for this place?" Kael replied with a sarcastic grin.
The man stopped.
He turned to Kael as he sat down.
"…And that's why I have a floor of my own, kid," he said.
Kael suddenly felt like he had stepped into a tiger's den. A tension clung to his spine. He could feel sweat forming at the back of his neck.
Who is this man?, Kael thought.
"Sit down. We're going to discuss the terms and conditions," the man said, gesturing toward the opposite seat.
Kael obeyed, but a question gnawed at him.
"Forgive me if I'm being ignorant... but are you the Guildmaster?"
"ELINA! BRING ME AND THIS MAN SOME LEMONEID!" the man bellowed across the hall.
As Kael sat stunned, he heard the pens on the table rattle with a soft scrik.
The man looked Kael dead in the eyes.
"Yes," he said. "I am the Guildmaster … ROKAN VEYLOR."
Kael said nothing.
He knew that presence … the hum in the air, the weight pressing into his chest.
It was the scream of an Ember… as it lit.
"You're an Emberlight," Kael said. "Guildmaster."
Elina arrived, placing two glasses of lemoneid on the table.
"And how did you assess that?" Rokan asked, picking up his glass.
"I know someone…" Kael replied, doing the same.
"Hmm… that's why you sat there unshaken by the pressure," the Guildmaster nodded, his tone more respectful now.
"Maybe you're not so scrawny after all… hahaha," the Guildmaster laughed, acknowledging Kael.
Kael nodded, taking slow sips from his glass.
"What did you say your name was, kid?" the Guildmaster asked.
"Kael. Kael Vaelwyn," Kael replied, putting down his glass on the table.
"Oh… then you'd be the son of our Headmaster," the Guildmaster finally realized.
He leaned back, studying the boy more closely.
"So why do you want to be an adventurer," Rokan asked, "when you already have everything?"
Kael looked down into his glass. A droplet slid down its side as he gently set it back on the table.
"I feel like… it's my goal. My destiny. My reason to exist," he said, his voice low and thoughtful, eyes still fixed on the glass.
Silence followed.
The Guildmaster sipped his drink, quietly watching Kael.
"I got the letter," he finally said. "Your father wrote to me. Asked me to place you in a team and only allow you to go on missions then. As an adventurer… you're under my command."
"Hmm." Kael looked up and took another sip from his glass.
"I'll assign three people to your squad. Do you have anyone in mind?" Rokan asked.
"If I can choose anyone… I'd like to have someone named Terren Thorneback," Kael said. "The rest you can decide."
"A Thorneback, eh…" the Guildmaster nodded, a small smile forming. "Alright then."
He pulled a folded paper from a drawer and slid it across the table.
"These are the terms and conditions," he said.
"You sell all beast droppings to the guild. You're required to go on a hunt at least once every six months. You must submit a full report of your mission when you return — that helps us prepare for future dangers. If you commit a crime or land yourself in jail, the guild will not protect or claim you. You'll be removed from the registry if found guilty."
He paused to sip before continuing.
"You'll be paid based on the missions you complete, your rank and the droppings you provide. Your rank will grow naturally — up to Emberlight. Since that is the final rank you can climb in this land."
Then, the Guildmaster leaned forward, his voice a shade darker.
"And lastly... if you die on a mission—" He looked Kael dead in the eyes. "—the guild will not be held responsible."
The silence covered the entire room.
"Fine," Kael replied.
The Guildmaster grinned, as if he had expected the answer. He gestured for Kael to sign the paper.
Kael picked up the pen and signed, just as Elina arrived at the table, carrying a small case.
The Guildmaster took it from her and opened it.
"This is your card. You can begin your journey tomorrow — I'll assign your team members today. Best of luck to you. You may leave now," he said, concluding the business.
Kael glanced at the card in his hand.
"Hmm... This is different. Terren didn't have one like this, and our ranks are the same," Kael muttered, inspecting the material.
"Yes. That's a VIP card," the Guildmaster replied. "Since you're the son of our Headmaster — a VIP."
"I see… I have another question," Kael said.
"Go on."
"Who is this Argune you mentioned earlier? And why is Emberlight the highest rank you offer?"
The Guildmaster grinned at the question. Instead of answering immediately, he rose from his seat and walked toward the Wall of Fame. With a thud, he slammed his hand against the polished surface.
"Do you see any portrait named Argune?" he asked, without turning.
Kael scanned the wall carefully — names, faces, frames... but no Argune.
"No," he replied.
"Exactly," the Guildmaster said, turning back to Kael. His eyes gleamed with fire. "We couldn't even capture his picture."
"What do you mean?" Kael asked, thoroughly confused.
"It's a story from a century ago... You know the saying about the Spine of Zha'ath?" the Guildmaster asked.
"You mean the one that says: 'So long as the Spine of Zha'ath stands, Virelya shall never kneel'?" Kael recalled, still puzzled.
"Yes. But Virelya did kneel — once. To a man who crossed the Spine."
The Guildmaster's voice deepened, his words echoing with reverence.
"His name was Argune. Argune Starborne."