Today's finally going to be the day. I can finally sign up to the adventurer's guild. No more moping around, no more waiting. I can finally set out to find the truth hidden in the darkness.
I hurriedly start eating my lukewarm bowl of porridge, getting any scraps of nutrients that I can. There isn't much else to eat at the moment. I stir my ruddy, wooden spoon across the porridge, gathering the remaining bits of porridge to the side to ladle up with my spoon. Just as I was about to pick it up I hear a boyish and bright voice.
"Well, well, well, looks like someone's finally getting out of here". I look up and see an older teen with flat, medium-long black hair, big dark eyes with blue tinged pupils, and a slight smile, it's Ralko, my roommate. "Better eat as much of those shadow-grains as you can, you'll need it" he says with a jeering tone.
"You bet I am, it tastes like crap but nothing we can do with that cloud in the way. Anyway, what rank do you think I'll get?" I curl my lips and ask with a beaming smile.
"Heh. Probably rank 2. I look forward to seeing you bring back heaps of black rabbit fur for us!" He replies with an even bigger smile.
"Not funny Ralko, I better be able to hunt a Frost Lycan this Winter. If I'm stuck collecting materials for the village I don't know what I'd do with myself. I have to be able to explore." I say half-jokingly, half-serious.
Ralko opens his mouth, but then closes it again, he gives a smile of penitence and says "I'm sure you'll be at-least a rank 4, try not to worry so much." as he sits down onto the empty seat next to me in preparation to eat.
"We both know how excited you are for this. I'd sure as hell would be too if I could stop having this porridge" he chuckles to himself. He grabs my shoulder and says suddenly serious, "It's a treacherous journey Xander, you have to prepare yourself." He lowers his tone and whispers softly "I've even heard that there's a Seer-class monster on the prowl."
"Seer!?" I blurt out with a louder-than-intended voice, and lower it again to say "I understand the dangers, Ralko, we all do, headmaster has drilled it into us ever since-" I stop myself from continuing in spite of the anger and despair stewing within me.
We both sigh, and in doing so, Ralko suddenly holds the porridge near his head and proclaims "Throw this at them and they'll run away faster than a black rabbit!" We both chuckle, easing the tensed atmosphere, with the other kids besides us pointing at Ralko's idiocy.
I continue stirring the porridge with my spoon while listening to Ralko ramble about his morning escapade to the apothecary.
"You won't believe this but, five, five whole frog legs they had." he explains with a monkey-like gaped mouth, I pretend to be intensely surprised despite having already seen it before him.
We hear a noise from door to the mess hall and sharply turn our heads, it was coming from an aged voice, breaking each sentence with a hearty cough. "Xander my boy, are you here? The adventurer's guild is here for you".
I sit up straight as if I was jolted by lightning.
I can feel Ralko's gaze on me, and I give him a knowing look while curling my lips, "It's time to go hunt a Seer."
Ralko's mouth opens again in a monkey-like fashion as he watches me stand up from the wooden seat and look towards the entrance. It's the headmaster, Ralge. His kind eyes betray a mix of happiness and worry and next to him is a short, stout man, with scruffy, short black hair, a pig-shaped nose, and a muscular stature, looking towards me patiently.
I take a deep breath. The torches on the walls move as if in sync with my breathing, the warmth emanated from the torches, and the golden-yellow glow across the walls and floor, urge me to go on.
I look around at the other children and teens and see a mix of sad, forlorn gazes, and bitter-sweet smiles. It's not like I won't see them again, feeling embarrassed inwardly. I also see Ralko look at me with a stone-cold expression for a lengthy two seconds, before sticking out his tongue like a baboon.
"I'm here, headmaster." I say with a respectful tone. "Thank you for keeping me safe for all this time, even back when they wanted to cast me aside." He coughs slightly, his long white beard which reaches close to his chest and his thick white moustache tremble, "You have nothing to thank me for my dear boy." He proclaims with a genial expression and kind half-squinted eyes, while patting my head softly. "I do hope you will be back to visit us very soon." I feel my chest swirling with sadness and heavy emotions, but manage to hold myself back from tearing up, "Yes, headmaster."
He nods wholeheartedly.
He then looks towards the man next to him, gesturing for him to come over. "Hello Xander, pleased to meet you. Please accompany me to the adventurer's guild. As you know, once you come of age, you will get your rank as per the protocol." the stout man says as he moves his gaze from the headmaster to me. I can't help but notice the way he talks, it's incredibly professional compared to the rag-tag common speech we hear in the village.
"Yes sir." I say without hesitation.
I follow the man who walks ahead with a brisk pace as we step out of the Orphanage.
I feel the chill of the night trickle into my bones again as I step out the large, wooden door. The night sky is flush with a large, pitch black mushroom shaped cloud, with tendril-like protrusions made of soot, emanating doom as it always has.
The history books tell us that there was a time, when there were at times, no clouds in the sky, revealing a bright, blue horizon, as far as the eye can see. Of course, it seems ludicrous now, given the bleak environment we now live in, and the countless demons and devils lurking in the pitch-blackness outside the town.
As we pass by the market, apothecary, tavern, and other avenues, our shoes knocking against the clumps of mud and stone, we finally arrive at a medium-sized, sturdy building. I've seen this building at least a thousand times as I go to and from the local markets. But I've never been allowed inside. The stone outlay of this building glimmers radiantly to me despite it's aged and ragged appearance.
He stops abruptly outside the door and clears his throat, "My name is Doris. Once we get inside, I'll guide you to the receptionist." he explains, and gives a faint smile. I nod slightly, waiting eagerly for the well-dressed man to push open the doors. I hold my breath as I wait to see what my new 'home' will be like. I squint my eyes as it opens fully.
My mouth gapes open unwittingly. It's much larger than I imagined. The 'ceiling' is nowhere to be seen despite it being there while outside. The 'ceiling' reaches as high as the eye can see, a mysterious white fog covers the border between the assumed ceiling and the infinity that lurks beyond it. I involuntarily shudder thinking about it.
In front of me are lines of pews on either side. Heavy, brass pews, with a distinctive aged appearance. In the middle, there is a clear path with some adventurers leaning on the pews, some sitting on them and conversing, and some intently reading a notice board.
There is a spire towards the end of the hall, with steps leading towards a stage of some sort. The architecture looks majestic despite its yellowing-rusted appearance. It gives it an ancient, solemn feeling.
There is the sound of musical instruments abuzz, giving the hall a paradoxically small and cozy flair despite its grandeur. The adventurer's sitting on the pews join in, merrily shaking their cups full of black-grape juice and singing.
The striking disharmony between the church pews and the merry singing, dancing, and drinking, creates a rich and intoxicating atmosphere which draws you in. My face can't help but contort into a slight smile.
I quickly close my mouth again before Doris sees it agape. "How is the inside so big?" Doris curls his lips slightly, "This is a form of spacial magic."
"But this- This huge building is entirely warped with spacial magic? From what I know, spacial magic is power-intensive so it takes a lot of mana to control and maintain." Doris nods slightly and says "Yes, quite right. You'll learn more about it as you join the guild."
I nod. Following this, Doris points to a good looking silver-haired girl with tired, bright-green eyes, hair which flows down to just below her forehead and beside her elvish ears down to her arms.
"That's the receptionist. Tell her your name and she'll let the examiner know you're here".
I nearly forget to say thank you due to the beauty of the lady behind the counter.
"Thanks, Doris."
He heartily slaps the back of my shoulder, which felt slightly out of character for him, and says "It's not a problem. If you need me, I'll be in the office down that way." as he points towards the north-east, to a rather small but obviously well-looked after office in the building.
I move towards the receptionist behind the counter, pretending not to feel the numerous gazes on me and point my gaze towards the beauty behind it, and she looks up at me and returns my gaze.
Out of nervousness, I start rapping the table lightly.
"Hi. Been told about you. That way." I nod quickly, taken aback by her to-the-point manner of speaking. However, I didn't feel offended. One look at the gorgeous lady behind the counter could tell you that she had insufficient sleep, with dark circles under her bright-green eyes, and her head bobbing slightly downwards if you paid close enough attention.
"Thank you." I say hurriedly, copying her style of speaking, as to not make her struggle to keep up with my rambling. Her well-endowed chest draws my attention but I look away as any good teenager would do.
I bow my head towards the fine lady and see her curl her lips ever so slightly as her head starts slowly bobbing up and down again.
I return my gaze towards where she pointed at. I can make out a stocky figure and what looks like some sort of apparatus. I walk over to the stage with anticipation and worry stirring in my chest.
"Take a seat." It was a stocky, older man, who was draped in a refined black suit, it's edges complementing the broadness of his shoulders, with a short, white, trimmed beard, a moustache that curled slightly, and hair that was neatly combed back, the edges of his hairline demonstrating the advance of his years.
The most striking thing about this man were his glasses, they were circular, with pitch-black lens, and a thick eye-brow shaped reflective rectangle protruding above each lens. Not being able to see his eyes through the pitch-black lens felt as though you were staring into an endless void, with galaxies spread across the horizon.
He stood besides a pillar with a square cut-out in the middle, a circular basin-like hole was at the surface of the cut-out.
Without standing on ceremony, I listened to him and took a seat on the chair about ten inches away from him. "I'm Jorgen, the Guild master here. What you see in front of you is our ranking device. The basin here connects to the underworld spirits, and depending on the level of the spirit that resonates with you, it determines your rank." he says with a unhurried and serious tone.
"Spirits?" I say with a perturbed expression. Jorgen chuckles slightly and replies, "You may be more familiar with the term monsters, and spirits are a type of monster, but they have the ability to traverse the underworld in their ethereal form, hence allowing us to make the connection between them and you."
"That sounds quite dangerous." I blurt out without thinking as I inwardly facepalm.
He reveals a wry smile and chuckles heartily "Gah ha ha ha" and replies "That's right. That's why I'm here watching over this process to prevent any unforeseen incidents. As you can imagine, although quite a few spirits are relatively harmless, there are indeed wicked and malevolent spirits that roam the underworld. Some are particularly dangerous."
I open my mouth to ask more about the dangerous spirits, but seeing the guild masters unnaturally imposing expression, I keep my mouth shut.
"That is why, Xander, you have the choice to continue this ceremony, or retract your decision. This is no light matter."
I steady my breathing and my memories flash through my head. The things that brought me here. The suffering, pain, and agony that's carved itself into my flesh and soul. The madness that lurks in every corner of the land. The death, the blood, the glory. My mouth slowly contorts into a smile.
Jorgen sees my expression and chuckles heartily. "Guess there's no point in asking further. Let's get on with it."
I stand up and move closer to him at his urging. Although I can't see it, I can tell he is peering into my eyes. It feels like my darkest secrets are being expelled from my soul as he grabs my wrist with his aged hands. He slowly brings it over to the basin, which I can now clearly see has an unnaturally still liquid inside it. It almost looks like it's reflective, like a piece of glass melded perfectly to the basin. But, I can still tell it's a liquid from it's physical properties.
My mind starts racing as my hand draws closer, my mind becomes subdued with irrational, violent thoughts, only for Jorgen to peer into my eyes, feeling as though I've been splashed with cold water, I regain my focus, ready to press on.
I steady my breathing once more. My hand draws closer and I feel my fingertips touch the mysterious liquid in the basin. I involuntarily shudder at the biting cold that it brings to my fingers. Jorgen smiles slightly and continues moving my hand forward.
As my fingertips continue disappearing into the liquid, the biting cold extends from my fingertips to my fingers, and to my entire hand, deepening the illusory cold's hold over me.
Like jumping into cold water, I slowly get used to the sensation. My fingers slowly regain their ability to move, and a cacophony of voices creep into my mind, a mix of aged and young, male and female, incessant murmuring of their desires, hopes, feelings. Like a school of fish, following a singular flow or direction. I try to focus my attention and dive deeper into the spirit world.
Creeeeeaaak. Without knowing where it's coming from. I hear a heavy, rusty door, slowly open. It's arrival indicating immense danger.
In an instant, I feel a heavy sense of dread, like my bones have been twisted and malformed, contorting into impossible shapes, my hairs standing on end, and my teeth chattering at an abnormal speed.
I feel my eyeballs shrink and turn soft, they're melting.
I feel them droop down from my eye sockets and down to my mouth and towards my neck.
Thick, scarlet-red blood oozes out of my eye sockets, as if in chase.
I feel a treacherous smile, one that's grinning ear-to-ear.
"Begone!" Jorgen shouts. I snap back to my senses and touch my face with my free left hand, sighing in relief after feeling my eyes still in their sockets.
"It's okay, these things happen from time to time. Although, for a malicious spirit to dive up to such shallow waters..." he says with a contemplative expression.
We steadily continue on. I hear a cacophony of breezes, gentle singing and humming, I feel illusory hands and fingers brush against mine, leaving as quickly as they came.
"These are friendly spirits, they are a sign of good tidings. We will wait here. Once you feel a spirit that resonates with you, it will traverse through the liquid and flow into you."
I feel warmth circle around my hand, easing my tensed nerves. The gentle hum of the spirits caress my beating heart, undoing the countless knots caused by strife and misfortune as I let my head bob downwards.
As time gently passed, I feel a presence lingering near my hand.
Not feeling any maliciousness from it, I gently wrap my hand around it.
I feel a fuzzy, circular ball.
It could almost be mistaken as something inanimate, but the small jolts of lightning and heat emanating from it betrays it's liveliness.
I feel it swirl around my fingers, bouncing from each fingertip to the next, familiarising itself with me until it slowly starts heading towards my palm, gently merging with it.
With one final jolt, it extends rapidly through my palm, into my hand, across the mysterious liquid and then into my arms, until I feel it swirling towards my chest, and then permeating throughout my body, filling my pores with a paper-thin lining of ethereal blue.
I look towards Jorgen and see him give a bright smile with his teeth visible, "Very good Xander, I can te-"
My eyes involuntarily shut and my head is suddenly pushed backwards with a force powerful enough to crack the bones in my neck.
My face towards the sky, I hear a mix of crackling, thunder and I see two humongous eyes that are closed shut.
My breath is stuck in my throat.
The eyes suddenly open, causing shockwaves sent through the sky, and I glimpse intricate symbols painted with a dark and solemn azure lustre in the recesses of where it's eyeballs would be.
I hear a single word, "Awaken."
I fade into pitch-blackness.