Kingsland Arc: Chapter 33: A Desperate Plea for Aid
The afternoon sun streamed through the high archways of the Adventurer's Guild Hall, illuminating a bustling scene. Adventurers of all ranks mingled, their chatter a low, constant murmur of quests, glory, and coin. Near the grand entrance, Sir Kaelen stood, a strikingly handsome figure in his gleaming golden armor, its polished surface reflecting the sunlight. He leaned against a stone pillar, a picture of easy confidence, charming a fellow female adventurer with a practiced ease.
Just then, the heavy double doors of the Guild burst open with a jarring thud. Chou, Yue Xin, and Rafaela stumbled in, their clothes torn and dusty, their faces streaked with soot and profound despair. They paid no attention to the curious glances, their eyes wide and panicked as they rushed to the main reception desk, their footsteps echoing with a desperate urgency.
Kaelen, mid-sentence, saw them. The grin vanished from his face, replaced by a look of grave concern. He excused himself with a quick, preoccupied nod and strode after them, his heavy boots making a determined sound on the stone floor. The low hum of conversation in the hall slowly died, replaced by a tense silence as others watched the frantic group.
Chou slammed his palms onto the counter, his voice raw with desperation. "We need help! Our friend—"
Kaelen arrived, his imposing presence a sudden weight behind them. He placed a firm, steady hand on Chou's shoulder. "Chou, what happened?" he asked, his voice low and serious, the last trace of a flirtatious knight gone.
Chou's head snapped up, his eyes pleading. "Ronin... he fell. The dungeon collapsed and he fell into the depths. We need a rescue party. Now!"
The receptionist, a young woman with a kind face, gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. The stunned silence in the Guild Hall deepened.
Kaelen's mind worked quickly, a cold resolve settling over his features. "Alright, calm down. Don't worry. I'll organize a rescue party and head straight to the dungeon. But you need to go to the Guild President and explain everything. Go! Now!" he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll go get my party ready."
While Chou, Yue Xin, and Rafaela, now with a shred of desperate hope, rushed towards the President's office, Kaelen's long legs carried him swiftly out of the Guild and through the bustling streets of Crownfall. He ran without pause, his golden armor clinking with every stride, his breath coming in ragged gasps that fogged the cool air
His boots struck stone with heavy echo as he broke into a sprint. The warmth of the sun still kissed the Crownfall streets, but Kaelen's blood ran cold.
He burst through the door of Freya's house, his chest heaving. He leaned against the doorframe, gasping for air, finding Freya in the living room with the remaining members of their party, Lamus and Miya.
"Kaelen, what's wrong?" Freya asked, standing up in alarm. "You're out of breath, and still in your gear. What happened?"
"We have a problem," Kaelen panted, pushing himself upright. He recounted the frantic scene at the Guild and Chou's desperate plea. "Ronin... he's gone. He fell into a collapsed section of the Whispering Abyss Dungeon. We need to go now."
Freya "First Calm Down and tell me what happened ?."
Kaelen explains to Freya about the dungeon and Ronin.
Freya's expression hardened, her eyes narrowing with a look of grim resolve. "Miya, Lamus, go get your gears ready and gather all necessary supplies. Meet us at the Adventurer's Guild as soon as possible. We need to leave immediately."
As Lamus and Miya scrambled to obey, Freya quickly donned her own gear, her movements efficient and precise. She turned to Kaelen. "Let's go. We'll head to the Guild to speak with President Albert."
Back at the Guild.
The doors to the Guild office opened again, not with a crash like Chou's panic, but with unshakable purpose. Freya entered like a blade unsheathed—silent, steady, and honed for what lay ahead.
her face a mask of determined focus, entered the office of President Albert. The man, a hulking figure in his fifties, was a former adventurer with a massive, muscular frame and a deep scar running from his temple to his jawline. His presence filled the room. Chou, Yue Xin, and Rafaela sat silently in front of his massive desk, their shoulders slumped with exhaustion and grief.
"President Albert," Freya began, her voice unwavering. "I would like to discuss the rescue party for Ronin."
"Go on," Albert rumbled, the sound like shifting stone.
"My party, the Blades of Dawn, can handle this rescue mission alone," Freya declared, her gaze meeting his without flinching. "We are the strongest party in Kingsland. We can bring him back."
Albert looked at her for a long moment, a flicker of approval in his scarred eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Freya said simply, her tone a testament to her resolve. "I am."
Albert leaned forward, massive hands folded over paperwork that suddenly no longer mattered. "Whispering Abyss doesn't give back what it takes easily… but if anyone's bringing a soul out of that hole, it's your party. Just don't turn a rescue into a death march."
"Yes, President Albert," Freya answered without hesitation.
Freya left the office, with the exhausted members of the Shadows of Wrath following close behind. Her demeanor was firm, but her expression held a deep-seated empathy as she turned to them. "Tell me exactly what happened," she said softly.
Chou, his voice strained with emotion, recounted the incident again, detailing the dungeon's collapse and Ronin's fall into the abyss.
"I see," Freya said, her gaze distant as she processed the information. She put a reassuring hand on Chou's shoulder. "You guys rest. Don't worry. My party will bring Ronin back safe and sound, no matter what it takes."
"We are also coming with you," Yue Xin said, her voice filled with a fierce determination.
Freya's eyes widened slightly in surprise, then she shook her head firmly. "It's too dangerous. I can't risk your lives. You're inexperienced, and you would only slow us down."
"We will not slow you down!" Yue Xin retorted, stepping forward. "And we will take responsibility for ourselves."
"It's a party's responsibility to protect its members," Chou added, his tone echoing Yue Xin's unwavering resolve. "Ronin is our party member. We're coming."
Freya looked at the three determined faces before her. She saw not just young adventurers, but a loyal, cohesive unit, united by their bond, Chou's wounded pride, Yue Xin's blazing resolve, Rafaela's quiet courage. Against her instincts, a trace of admiration crept into her voice.
"Alright. But from this moment on, you move when I say, and you stop when I say. No lone heroics."
The group agreed, their faces a mix of relief and renewed determination.
The clock tower tolled above the city as Lamus and Miya arrived in a sturdy carriage, with potions, lanterns, and extra weapons. Everyone climbed in, the wheels groaning as they rolled from cobblestone into the wild.
As Crownfall's spires faded, the mood inside grew somber. The forest loomed ahead, shadows casting shifting patterns across each face. The wind stoked the grinding tension in the carriage—an unspoken question hung between them: Was Ronin even still alive?
A brief stop: Lamus checked harnesses, Miya double-checked supplies, Freya ran through names and specialties. Yue Xin pressed her cheek to the window, fighting the crushing uncertainty.
For a moment, only the steady rattle of wheels and the heartbeat pulse of hope broke the silence.
By twilight, as the faint light faded and Dearthwood Forest's trees closed overhead, the two parties caught their first glimpse of the Whispering Abyss' haunted maw. Lanterns flickered on, flickering across anxious faces.
Freya hopped down first and surveyed the fading road, her silhouette framed by firelight.
"From here on," she announced, her voice carrying clearly through the gloom, "we move as one. Ronin is counting on us."
The Blades of Dawn and Shadows of Wrath fell into step together, united by resolve and fear. They crossed into the darkness—toward the unknown, toward their lost comrade, and toward a destiny no one could predict.
[To Be Continued]