Lore/Story THE SOULBOUND GUILD - An Unofficial Wynncraft Story [On Hiatus]

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Spoiler: CHAPTER 18

PART TWO
THE PROVINCE OF LIGHT​

THE NEXUS​

There was no group that Nemract’s bar appreciated more than the Amber Knights. Around the same time each year it would be filled with their aspirant contenders, all of whom were grabbing a drink before the Nexus opened up. Most of them were rowdy, arrogant, and left a mess behind, but they all paid well. Usually. Faris was one of the bar’s patrons today, sitting alone at a table drinking a cup of Nemract whisky. He wasn’t the type to drink normally, but this was a special day. The one he’d been waiting for since he first got his dream to join the Amber Knights years ago. Perhaps a drink would calm his nerves.

“Is this seat taken?” A man close to Faris and Oliver’s age was approaching. He wore an ill-fitting suit that didn’t match his gelled hair and well-trimmed beard, and sheathed in a scabbard on their belt was a scimitar, indicating to Faris that he had met a fellow swordsman. And, going off of this stranger’s eyepatch, one who had been in more dangerous encounters than he had.

“Not at all! Take a seat.” Faris had felt awkward sitting alone here and thought it would’ve been nice if Oliver could join him, but someone had to look after Horace.

“What drink do you have there?” the gentleman asked, sitting down with a beverage of his own in hand.

“Nemract whiskey. It’s… not bad.”

“The commoner’s drink. I myself prefer something more refined, such as Cinfras Wine or Maex Pale Ale.”

“Those cost too much. We need to save our emeralds for when we’re in Llevigar, y’know?”

“Me? I have more than enough to spend. And I know how to make my money back within the day,” he smiled, and reached out for a handshake, “Let me introduce myself, I’m Faust, Faust Varalen.”

“The name’s Faris. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Faris reluctantly shook his hand. He wasn’t sure if he liked Faust very much. Oliver probably wouldn’t get along with him either.

“That’s the attitude I’d like to see from a fellow contender! Carving a new path out for yourself. But of course, I think continuing your family’s legacy is important. Mine has been fighting against evil for the past few generations and I vow to continue that legacy.”

“My family is a bunch of farmers.”

“And you want to join the Amber Knights to provide for them, right?” Faris felt guilty about how that was only partially the case, but Faust continued talking before he could reply. “It’s okay if you don’t feel that way. Deep down inside I think we’re all in it for the glory. Don’t tell anyone, but I sure am.”

“It was either this or join the army,” Faris finally answered, “And all of us in this room know which of the two has the better chances for survival.” Faust merely stared back, contemplating his words. Faris wasn’t sure how wealthy this stranger was, but perhaps he had the luxury of not needing to make a choice.

“You know what,” suggested Faust, “why don’t we head down to the Nexus? We don’t want to end up stuck in a line, do we?”

“So soon? You’ve barely touched your drink.” Faris would prefer to stall the nerve-wracking task of trying to actually get accepted to the guild, but he’d prefer his new cohort didn’t know that.

“We can procrastinate later, like once we’re actual Amber Knights.”

“Alright, alright,” conceded Faris, “If you insist. Just let me finish my drink.” He took a final big sip, and then set his glass on the table. “Let’s get on with it.”

Upon stepping outside of the tavern, Faris glanced around. There was no sign of Oliver or Horace anywhere, and he presumed that they’d already gone to the Nexus.

“Looking for someone?” Faust asked.

“Yeah, my friend Oliver.”

“Oliver?”

“Oh, he’s a friend of mine, heading to Gavel.”

“I see. I knew an Oliver once; we were classmates. I wonder if he’d want to become an Amber Knight too, but I doubt it's the same one.”

“He’s definitely not the same one, then.”

The two of them made their way through the streets of Nemract, staying not too far from a group of young travelers who were presumably also Amber Knight contenders. A few faces, ranging from beggars to merchants, watched the procession of warriors. People like the Amber Knights were what their town needed, but help would not arrive. There were few who truly cared about Nemract.

And then, on the horizon, Faris saw something he had dreamed of for years. To the residents of Nemract passing through or working on the docks, the ocean that separated the provinces was a part of everyday life. For Faris, it was something he dreamed of witnessing, as he knew that if he’d made it this far from his village, he’d accomplished what he wanted to in life. As impressive as the ocean was, Faris did have some reservations about sailing across it. It was pretty from afar, but he didn’t know if he’d be able to keep this positive outlook after a month at sea. “At least Oliver would be there too, assuming he had snuck on whatever ship the Amber Knights are using.”

“Wait,” asked Faris as Faust guided him around a bend, instead of straight ahead to the docks, “Where are we going? The boats are that way.”

“We’re not taking a boat to Gavel. That’s far too amateur for the Amber Knights, don’t you think?” He smiled as he pointed ahead to what was literally a large hole dug behind a house.

“Oh… I get it now. I jump in that hole, and I just pop out at Gavel?” It would explain where the other travelers they were following had gone off to.

“It’s a bit more impressive. Follow me.” The two of them tumbled down into the hole, landing not in mud but on a wooden platform. Faris was disoriented not just from his fall, but also from how much brighter it was. A large blue orb was in front of him, and as his eyes adjusted, he realized it was a lantern inside of a massive cave. Despite there being no sun wherever this was, there were a multitude of incredible plants that were thriving. Vines hung down from the ceiling, and flowers the size of houses grew by the shores of a small lake.

“Where are we?” Turning to face Faust, he saw the swordsman was as in awe as he was.

“Welcome to the Nexus!”

“You know about this place?” Faris was hoping to get a good answer, since Faust did seem like an expert on all things related to the Amber Knights.

“Normally this is used as a passage for exclusively mages heading to their magic academy, but let’s just say the Amber Knights slide them some money each year… so let’s just take some time to enjoy the sights, since we’ll probably never be here again unless we’re lucky.” There were only a few others in the cave: a couple of other people seeking to become Amber Knights and a few of the guild’s full-fledged members acting as guards. There seemed to be an even split between those who were observing the scenery and those were lost.

“Hello, sir,” Faris asked one of the guards, “Do you happen to know where–”

“No need to call me sir, we aren’t the military,” the guard answered in a monotone voice, “Follow the path from Nemract’s gate straight to its end. You’ll find a gate you can just walk through.”

“Thank you!” Faris almost called him sir again in his gratitude. Now, all he had to do was find Faust, who had run off somewhere. He wouldn’t be worthy of the title of friend, but he was someone too valuable to ignore. It was also possible that Oliver and Horace were still here, somewhere.

There was someone nearby who was recognizable, although Faris wasn’t sure why at first. Then they turned around and became instantly recognizable. It was the half-corrupted man referred to only as Scalon. Down here in the depths of the Nexus, he looked normal in an almost uncanny way. Since the incident in the tomb, he had gotten a change of clothes that let him blend in with all the other applicants for the Amber Knights. His infected-looking arm was now covered in bandages, and the only possible indication of his embrace of the corruption were bloodshot eyes.

Faris contemplated why he would even be here, with one of the options being that he was fleeing Wynn due to being a murderer. The other, more sickening one was that he was after him, Oliver, and Horace in search of revenge. Faris would likely get an answer soon: Scalon had spotted him and was approaching.

“Hello. I… I think I recognize you.”

“I don’t. Who are you?” Faris moved his hand closer to the knife on his belt as he lied.

“You were at that tomb. I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize? We both know why you were there that night; you attacked a man in cold blood and looked like you would attack a child too.”

“...All I want is to move past this. I want to start a new life in Gavel.” It felt like Scalon hadn’t heard a single word Faris said.

“Fuck off with that.” Faris leaned in closer, glaring at the man he’d seen murder for money or revenge days earlier.

“What’s going on here?” Faust had noticed the commotion and had come on over. “How much of the conversation did he hear?” Faris wondered.

“We were just finishing up!” Scalon spoke like he was just finishing a business deal. It was convincing to the point where Faris felt like he had lied like this many times before. If he’d survived this long without the Wynnic military locking him up, he probably had past experience.

True to his word, Scalon turned and walked away, straight towards the part of the Nexus said to lead to Llevigar. “The Amber Knights won’t let you get away with this!” Faris called out, prompting a few stares from the cavern’s other visitors.

“What was that all about? You’re not even an Amber Knight yet, and he was just, you know, some person.”

“I never had a chance to tell you this Faust, but before I came to Nemract, that man attacked me and my traveling companions. He’s no normal delinquent, he’s corrupted.”

“You know what they say, corruption is within a lot of us…”

“It’s not figurative corruption, it’s literal. I watched him move across the ground like a wolf and tear a man apart with bare hands. I’m not sure if you’ve ever witnessed one of the undead in action, but he acted exactly like one.”

“First off,” began Faust, “you don’t know a single thing about what I’ve seen or haven’t. I’m not some coddled rich man who has been sheltered from evil his whole life. Second, just let him go. Gavel will take care of him.” It wasn’t a bad point. Gavel was a massive region, and Faris may never cross paths with Scalon again.

“My friends are in Gavel, remember? I told you about Oliver and Horace right? Well I’m worried for Horace in particular. He shot Scalon in the chest with a fireball, and I think he may be after him now.”

Faust took a bit to contemplate these words. “If Scalon is truly out for revenge, then go and warn your friends. I remember something my father said a while back, although I don’t remember the exact context for it. He told me that if someone is determined enough to extract vengeance, then there’s nothing that can stop them.”

Spoiler: CHAPTER 19

LIFE OF CRIME​

Allen’s double life was exhausting. His work in the black market as the “Librarian” kept him awake until the break of dawn, where he would then sneak back to the Scholar’s Guild Hall. It wasn’t far away, but he couldn’t risk being spotted on the open road by someone who would know him. Once he was back home, he’d get only a few hours of sleep, maybe less if one of the guild’s council members woke him for some pointless business meeting. To most there was also the issue of corrupted roaming the roads of Wynn. In this hour between night and what most typically called morning, they’d still be roaming the roads in higher numbers. Allen didn’t need to worry; he was an accomplished mage. Simple undead were the least of his worries. It was the living that he needed to be wary of.

“Don’t move,” said a deep voice behind him. He turned around and almost fell down in shock. It was her: the thief who masked their face with a welding mask. He had previously met her when she was unarmed, but now she was pointing a simple wooden relik at his face.

“How did you find me!” Allen exclaimed. Even though she escaped the black market, he never considered her a loose end. The girl had strayed too close to death, and most thieves who found themselves in too deep tried to get out fast.

“It took a while, but given that you have something I need, I’m willing to spend a few days staking you out.”

“You’re getting nothing from me. You try to kill me and I’ll get you first.” Allen knew this was potentially a hollow threat. He knew nothing about this shaman’s abilities and was merely counting on the fact that she was weak. In reality, the two of them were evenly matched but neither of them knew it.

“I don’t plan on attacking you directly,” Lillian negotiated, “but I take it that your valuable texts are in that pack you’re carrying. So how about this, you try to kill me, and I immolate your life’s work. I’d imagine you have a lot of clients who wouldn’t take kindly to their deliveries being gone…”

“Alright, alright, I get it! Just tell me what you want.” Lillian grinned behind her helmet. “Does he have that little confidence when he isn’t surrounded by guards?”

“I would like to procure a specific parchment you have. It seems to be some sort of activity log, listing names and their last incident. I don’t know what that last part means, but perhaps you might.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have so many documents and ledgers, you’re welcome to search…”

“And give you an opportunity to backstab me? I don’t think so. Let me be a bit more descriptive. There was the name “Victor” on there. It said his last incident was 1-2 months ago.”

“...I still don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lillian could tell that her bit of extra detail had led to a different reaction. The so-called Librarian was lying, and she could see it in his face.

“So be it then. But I’ll only sift through these pages myself if you allow me to burn each one that’s not important to me.” Just to drive the point home, Lillian’s relik began to glow a crimson color.

“Okay, I get it! No more likes, I’ll give you what you want.” Allen began rummaging through his bag while his masked assailant loomed over him. He knew he’d probably have to relinquish the document to her, but he believed he’d get his revenge one day, somehow.

“Do you know what that paper is?” Lillian asked.

“I don’t, I promise that this time. It came second-hand to me. Apparently it was from someone who holds a lot of power, and they didn’t need it anymore, or something. Here, I got it.” Allen pulled it out from the bag, and Lillian immediately knew this was the same sheet she’d seen what felt like forever ago. Victor’s name stood out immediately to her, despite not being different from any of the other inscribed text. Lillian had hoped that she’d find some answers here, but instead was left with more confusion. It seemed like nothing more than insane ramblings that only happened to be of interest to her because of Victor – and the man who tried to murder him not long ago.

“You did well. Thank you for finishing our deal.” Allen didn’t look the least bit pleased. For once, he found himself embarrassed at how this masked marauder got the upper hand. Right then, he decided that she wouldn’t be allowed to win.

“Thank you too for giving me a chance to get payback. You think you’d actually get away with stealing something from me once, let alone twice?” He pulled out his wand again, ready for a duel. He no longer cared about any of Lillian’s threats.

The shaman too pointed her magical weapon of choice forward. Neither dared make the first move; if possible, Lillian preferred no fight at all. She had no intention of getting her prize from this morning damaged. Judging by the hatred on Allen’s face, her opponent didn’t feel the same about his own treasures any more. He stood prepared to cast a barrage of magical attacks at his opponent as soon as she moved, and he watched her intensely.

With her face obscured by the welder’s mask, Allen hadn’t seen Lillian’s eyes dart to the side. And with his concentration on the standoff so great, he hadn’t noticed who was sneaking up behind her. Using all of his strength, Victor brought the flat part of his sword down upon the black market dealer’s head. He collapsed immediately, and was left sprawled on the ground like his wares.

“Well done,” Lillian remarked. She could’ve handled this on her own, but appreciated the help. Bringing Victor along seemed to have paid off finally.

“You think we should get help? I just wanted to frighten him, not leave him unconscious!”

“Get help? That’s ridiculous.”

“So we should just leave him here for the corrupted to feast on?”

“He’ll wake up soon, or some merchant will find him. Remember, he knew these risks when he decided to become a criminal, and he would kill either of us. Let’s go, I have what we need.”

Victor turned back to glance at Allen’s body one last time, and then followed his recently-found companion deeper into the Detlas countryside. Lillian still did not consider Victor a friend, but as someone with his powers who also tolerated her, he was too useful to not seek out and take along.

The real reason she had acquired that paper was not because of Victor, but because of who tried to take his life. That masked man was someone she had heard of countless times in stories: Alaire Vexev, the famed leader of the Amber Knight’s guild. For some reason, he had forsaken his role as a hero and had gone on the path of a murderer, and perhaps this list of potential victims would tell her why.

Spoiler: CHAPTER 20

FIRST IMPRESSIONS​

The room Faris found himself in was dimly lit, with the only light source being an ornate chandelier hanging from an unnecessarily high-up ceiling. It gave the place an ominous feel which he felt was somewhat fitting during the occasion.

“It’s great to meet you, Faris.” A member of the Amber Knights reached out to shake the contender’s hand, which he accepted without hesitation. Chances were that she was one of the guild’s higher-ranking members; a fact that intimidated Faris significantly. This was a person he could be working under one day if all went well this afternoon.

“So,” the interviewer said, “What made you choose the Amber Knights over the numerous other guilds in the provinces? What about us stood out to you?”

The obvious answer, and the one she had likely gotten half a dozen times today, was that her guild was by far the most prominent. Most guilds had a meager presence and could be summed up as a small band of like-minded adventurers. “The Amber Knights were the only guild that bothered to recruit in my town, if you could even call it that. Population of less than a hundred people! But as I was saying, one of your members came to my home many years back, and it inspired me ever since.” It was either this or the army, he thought.

The interviewer smiled at the compliment her organization had received. “Next question: what would make us choose you?”

“I’m proficient in sword fighting, whether it’s a longsword or two sabres at once. I’m also quick at reacting on the go, good at working with others, and efficient.”

These were all easy questions for Faris, with the main obstacle here being that he needed to remain confident. If he acted like he was made to be a part of their group, then maybe he’d get in. Yet there was still a major worry he had; one that he hadn’t spoken of to anyone for fear that he’d be shrugged off. The Amber Knights were a group for the children of the well-off and all others who wanted to avoid fighting against the corruption. For someone born to Wynn’s peasants, the last question he’d be asked would be a true hurdle.

“Now, there’s one final thing I would like to ask you. What’s an item of value you have; one great enough that you would regret parting with it for a chance to become an Amber Knight?”

It was time to make an offering to the guild. “I know it might not look like much to you, but it means a lot to me.” Faris reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pendant. It was nothing more than string tied to a pebble and wouldn’t even fetch an emerald at Detlas. What made it valuable to him was the fact that it was a gift from a beloved and deceased member of his village; a man who would’ve been happy to see his pendant being put towards a cause such as this.

As Faris explained the meaning behind this seemingly mundane rock, Faust was telling a similar story in the room next to him. They had arrived at the Quartzite Hotel at the same time, and after an hour of waiting in line, had begun their interviews at nearly the same moment.

“Let me tell you my story. You see, growing up, I had what you would call a very carefree life. Anything I asked for, I got. But eventually, the real world crashes into you, just like,” Faust stumbled briefly, searching for the perfect choice of words before ultimately choosing to leave the sentence incomplete.

“At the great age of sixteen, my father decided it was time for me to grow up. And little did I know, I would soon decide it was time for me to grow up. That night, I packed my stuff, because my father told me that we would be going on a trip to Ragni. Naturally, my naive self was overjoyed to hear this, as I loved Ragni, so this news made me overjoyed. However, the place I actually went to was completely different, and it turned out to be for the best. With nothing but a hunting knife, my father dropped me in the middle of the Dernel Jungle.”

Faust had never been to the Dernel Jungle in his life. All had to work with were sparse accounts of journeys below its treacherous canopy, so some exaggeration was needed, along with hoping that the Amber Knight he was telling all this too hadn’t been there before. Above all else, Faust had to sell him on a tale of his struggles. He told the story of a boy who had lived a sheltered life and then found himself dropped into the bottom of a proverbial well, only to now have to climb out alone. In that story he succeeded, with only a hunting knife to work with.

“…And that’s why this hunting knife is what I will be offering to the guild today. It helped me survive in the hardest, most stressful, most difficult week of my life. The week where I learned humility. Whenever I feel depressed, whenever I feel like life is too hard, I glance towards this knife on my desk, and remember what real hardship is like. Thank you for listening to me, and I hope you consider allowing me to join your guild.”

The knife, which seemed to not be for hunting but rather for bragging rights, given the jewels embedded in its hilt, was not a gift from his father. He had robbed it from a nobleman back in Wynn.

“That’s a very interesting story. If you don’t mind me asking, was that how you injured your eye?” Faust felt like that was a bit of an insensitive question for the interviewer to ask, but at the same time, he was probably worse for faking such an injury.

“Oh, that’s a story I’d rather not talk about.” The words slipped out in a moment of panic, and he hoped they wouldn’t be held against him.

“My apologies then, I meant no harm saying that.” Perhaps his next statement was out of pity as a result of this, but the Knight then told Faust what he’d been waiting to hear. “We’re willing to give you a chance to join our guild. We’d like to see how you perform in the physical part of the application process. Here,” he reached into a desk and pulled out a key made of chiseled quartz, “Your room is 1214. You’ll find everything you need there. Please be at the city’s front gate by seven o’clock sharp.”

“Thank you.” Faust reached out to shake the interviewer’s hand, relieved that he didn’t have to resort to a method like bribery or theft. With his prize now in his pocket, he opened the door to find that Faris had finished his interview at roughly the same time.

“Did you make it to the next stage too?”

“You doubted that I would?” Faust flashed a smile, and showed Faris the key he’d obtained.

“Listen,” Faris began as the two of them walked away from the lines of contenders, “I got told to pick up something from a hotel room, but I was hoping I could find Oliver here and warn him about Scalon. I don’t know how long that’ll take, this city is such a maze, so could you grab the stuff from my room for me? I’ll meet you at the front gate in…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll check the time.” Faust conveniently pulled a watch from his pocket and glanced at it, immediately ascertaining how soon the next meeting would be for the two of them. “We have about three hours.”

“In that case? No need to give you my key then, I’ll have enough time to get what I need on my own.”

“Oh no, I have absolutely nothing better to do. Consider this an offer from a friend; I don’t want you to not find Oliver and then worry about him.” Accepting his generous offer, Faris placed his key into the palm of Faust’s hand.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~​

Every couple of weeks, one of the nomads would speak of Llevigar and its opulence. It was the greatest of dreams for them; the only place untainted by the corruption, piracy, or whatever lay deeper within Gavel. Yet even if one of them were able to sneak aboard a merchant’s vessel, they’d still be lacking a home or job. For a day they’d be tourists, and then their life as a nomad would resume.

At least, thought Oliver, he had some sort of a quest to embark on. It wasn’t much, as Horace had very little information about his parent’s whereabouts, but it was something. And perhaps Oliver would finally hone his magical abilities just a bit more.

“Wait, where did Horace go?” He had been by his side just moments ago, but had vanished into the sea of villagers and fellow travelers. It was the time of day where the city’s central market was at its busiest, and thousands were taking a look at what wares were for sale today. Of course, there was nothing Oliver would dare waste their money on, and he had been keeping his few emeralds within his pocket so Horace didn’t spend them anywhere.

After a bit of stumbling around he finally located the young mage. He was conversing with a villager wearing the gaudiest clothes one could buy. Oliver hoped this stranger would be on the charitable side.

“Hey!” Horace exclaimed, “Look who I found! A treasure-hunter!” It looked to Oliver like the villager, who was extending his hand towards him, had already found his fair share of a fortune.

“The name’s Damriel!” he exclaimed, shaking Oliver’s hand like he’d known him for years, “I was just telling your brother here about the treasure of Captain Hastor.”

“He’s not my b–” Oliver began to say, but he was cut off by an excited Horace.

“He has treasure right here in the city! And Damriel said he’ll help us look for it if we pay him! I know, it’ll cost us all our money, but we’ll be some of the richest persons in the city if we find it!"

Oliver didn’t want to state his thoughts about this out loud for fear of being overly rude, but he felt like his sour expression gave them away. He had no idea how someone as smart as Horace could fall for one of the oldest tricks in the book. Wondering how he could break this news to him without Damriel overhearing, Oliver noticed Faris waving to him in the distance. “Perfect.”

“Well, thank you for everything Damriel, but we have to be on our way now!” Oliver grabbed Horace by the hand and pulled him away from the so-called treasure-hunter. While the boy was clearly annoyed at losing a chance to make a profit, Damriel didn’t seem discouraged by the loss of a customer. Upon glancing back, Oliver noticed that he was already talking to a group of unsuspecting humans.

“I’m so glad I found you,” Faris remarked upon reuniting with his former companions, “I was looking around the entire city for you, for an hour!”

“What for? Did you not get accepted to the Amber Knights?”

“I made it to the next stage,” Oliver opened his mouth to congratulate him but stopped, as Faris clearly had something more to say. “But I needed to tell you two something. It’s Scalon. He’s in Gavel, he went through the Nexus just like we did.”

“Are they after us?”

“I don’t know. I tried talking with them, but they don’t seem honest at all.” Faris could clearly see that Oliver had gained something new to worry about in Gavel, but Horace seemed unscathed; more confused than anything else.

“Listen, I know entering the guild is important for you, so you focus on that. Horace and I will deal with this issue.”

“Stay safe,” Faris replied, “And since I don’t know when or if we’ll meet again, thank you both for traveling here with me. You’ve both taught me a lot about this world.” He smiled, but his expression still somehow appeared somber.

“Thank you for everything too, I hope we can meet again.” With Oliver’s farewells given, the swordsman waved goodbye and then darted back into the crowd.

“Hey,” asked Horace after a brief pause, “Who’s Scalon?”

Oliver had a choice to make here. It seemed like the kid either forgot or didn’t catch the name of the assailant in the decrepit tomb, and it was possibly best to lead it that way. However, lying, especially to someone of his age, felt like the wrong thing to do. “He… he’s the person who attacked us when we were with Cole.”

“But this is Gavel. We’re safe here, right?”

It was a statement only one oblivious to the wider world could make. Scalon wasn’t the only threat: sooner than later, Horace would have to learn that Gavel was a place of as many dangers as Wynn.

Spoiler: CHAPTER 21

ROYALTY​

“Hey, is something wrong with the engine?”

Joyce had spent the past hour laying in her bunk, staring at the ceiling as wind shook the airship back and forth. Her contemplations had been abruptly halted by a shrill grinding noise coming from the engine room. Knowing nothing about mechanics, she saw it fit to leave this area of expertise to Nora by virtue of her being the only other person here.

“Uhh, it should all be good,” Nora shouted back.

“Are you at least going to check?”

“Why don’t you check? I’m actually doing things, you’re just slacking off.”

Joyce felt like her copilot was giving herself too much credit for acting as the ship’s lookout. Nora had said her airship had been on a stable course since they’d left, and the skies were currently clear. The only other known danger this high up were the skyraiders; and they weren’t exactly a threat to them in particular. One of their ships had passed by them earlier that day without any incident - all Nora had to do was unveil their flag over the side of the aircraft.

“Aren’t you wanted by them or something?” Joyce had asked back then.

“I’m pretty much a speck in the distance for them, relax.”

Joyce considered Nora to be a bit too overconfident, but at least she wasn’t dangerous. This meant they could spend the journey through the skies without much conflict, with any arguments usually stemming from Nora losing a game of bridge. Both of them were a lot more open to each other about what they had done in the past, even if Joyce only could remember the past year of her existence. Nora on the other hand remembered enough information to make her a valuable double agent for the province governments; not like Joyce expected her to choose that career in the future. Her escapades ranged from running away from her training to getting into sparring fights with other skyraiders, but there was one piece of information about her past that paled in comparison to the rest.

“Wait,” Joyce had exclaimed the other night, “You’re a princess then?”

“I’m not… well I guess I am? At least I’m happy to be called one!” Nora grinned. Just earlier she had revealed who her adoptive mother was. It was the queen of the skyraiders herself. Being her daughter didn’t even provide any privileges, and Nora had been forced to endure the same trials as any other skyraider would.

“I’m pretty impressed that you decided to walk away from that life. I mean, if you had stuck it out, you’d get the crown eventually, right?”

“Well if that was the case then I would stay - I’m joking of course! But when she dies there’s apparently going to be a huge debate over who gets the crown next. A lot of people are waiting for her to kick the bucket,” Nora took a final sip of the ship’s old ale, “and I’m one of ‘em!”

Joyce figured there was a significant chance that Nora was lying about being skyraider royalty to impress her. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d told a tall tale, as her descriptions of the “void” as it was called seemed highly exaggerated. The sky islands, Joyce assumed, had to just be floating above a lake or vast plains. Still a hard concept to grasp, but it made more sense than them being above a literal bottomless pit.

“Doubt that’ll happen for a while. I mean, back in Wynn it feels like we’ve had our king forever. If he dies I don’t know what’ll happen.”

“Oh trust me, mum’s gotten pretty reckless. She still goes out on raiding expeditions all the time.”

“You don’t reckon we’ll pass by the queen, do you?”

“Who cares, I can fly faster than her. Take it easy! We’ll be at Levtus in no time.” She then leaned back in her seat, clearly relaxed.

That was the gist of what Joyce remembered from the night before. Nora clearly seemed as reckless as her adoptive mother was, but after months of the army’s rigid rules, perhaps it was time to take a few risks as well.

[CLICK TO GO TO THE NEXT CHAPTER]

 

New chapter posted! It's in the post right above this one.

Yeah, I haven't written much in a while, as I haven't been playing Wynn much in general these past months. I definitely want to finish this story as I pretty much have the whole thing planned out, but inspiration to actually write has been low lately. Still, I hope to have chapters posted more frequently now.

 

Decided to start working on this since Wynn's updating, hopefully I'll have a new chapter here by Tuesday!

 

There are like ten new chapters since I last looked at this... I have to reread it...

 

[CLICK TO GO TO THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER]

Spoiler: CHAPTER 22

CEREMONY​

As grateful as he was for getting a chance to warn Oliver, Faris was starting to worry that it wasn’t worth it. Upon reaching the hotel, it turned out that nearly everyone had already left for the front gate. Already somewhat exhausted from walking around the vast city of quartz, he now had to sprint down to the designated meeting spot for contenders like him. He pushed his way through the crowd until he had reached a mass of bodies visible from even the upper levels of Llevigar. Faris had arrived just in time.

“Attention to all potential recruits,” bellowed a voice both amplified and distorted by magic, “Please follow the guild captains as we head towards our annual recruitment ceremony.”

“Recruitment ceremony?” Faris asked a girl standing next to him. He expected that they’d immediately proceed with another test, rather than whatever this was.

“My brother told me about it. It’s this big show they do, Alaire shows up and everything.”

It took a while to find Faust, who had swapped out his suit for plain trousers and a cloak befitting a hunter. With his hood down and hunched-over posture, it was hard for anyone to get a good look at his face. “Hey,” Faris called out, “You ready for the ceremony?”

“It should be interesting, that’s for sure."

“Did you remember to grab whatever was in my room? I don’t know if we’ll need it for the ceremony or whatever comes after.” Or maybe both, Faris wondered.

Faust was a man of his word. He slung a small bag off his back and handed it over to Faris, who opened it up to find a map and a compass. Immediately, he figured out that the map was for the surrounding areas, given its depiction of rolling plains; the mark at the bottom could be where the ceremony was. The compass, which lacked the emblem of the Amber Knights unlike the map, seemed a lot more mysterious. Rather than pointing north, its needle spun around as if it had a mind of its own.

The ceremony was held on a raised platform close enough to Llevigar that the bustle of the city could still be faintly heard. Surrounding it were tents belonging to Knights from all over the provinces, many of whom were talking amongst each other and greeting the group of contenders. On the platform itself a small orchestra was playing the “Waltz of the River Sage”, with a bonfire keeping them illuminated as the sun vanished behind the hills of the Llevigar plains. There seemed to be no sign of Alaire yet.

It was well-known among the provinces that succeeding in some sort of special competition was a requirement for joining the Amber Knights, but what that competition was changed each year. Strangely, it seemed like nothing was set up apart from the stage this night. With only a few exceptions, everyone who trickled in from Llevigar was equally in the dark as to what awaited them next.

“Welcome everyone!” These words came from a group of mages on the stage that were barely visible in the growing darkness. If not for their jolly tone they would likely come off as ominous. “We know you’re all gathered here for a chance at joining the most prestigious guild in Wynn and Gavel. But first, we’d like to tell you a bit about the guild.”

All at once, the group of mages conjured an apparition of a muscular figure in an orange mask. “Born to the remnants of one of Wynn’s old noble families, Alaire Vexev’s early life was one of struggle. But they said his soul was unbreakable, and he survived hardship to get a chance to study with the best mages on the seas.” Fireworks were set off at this point in the story, while the apparition waved around what was supposed to be some sort of stave.

“Eventually, Alaire traveled to Gavel, where he founded the Amber Knights. Slowly, he sought out those who shared his ideals for a world that wouldn’t let people struggle as he once did. Today, our numbers are well in the hundreds. But we haven’t forgotten our humble beginnings, which is why we present…”

This was the moment Faust had been waiting for. Feeling so nervous he thought he’d collapse, he braced himself as the mages parted to let an armored figure take center stage.

“...the guild’s second in command, Katya!”

A light was shone on a woman who was distinctly not Alaire. In spite of the disappointed sighs from the audience, she still had a confident expression on her face, and began her speech as soon as the chorus of voices settled down.

“Thank you for the reception everyone, I’m glad to be here tonight! Unfortunately, Alaire was unable to make it, but said I could show up in his place. I have been serving as the guild’s second-in-command for two years now and couldn’t be happier with the progress we’ve made in assisting those who need our help. And now, YOU have the chance to become a part of it.” Katya pointed towards the crowd, hoping to get some sort of a reaction from the group in front of her.

“We have prepared what is our greatest test of strength, ever. If you looked inside the satchel you received, you should’ve noticed you were given a copper coin.” Faris looked around in confusion. He’d received no such item. “Your goal tonight, within the next six hours, is to return here with four of them.”

“I don’t even have one coin!” Faris quietly exclaimed to the person next to him, “Is this normal, or?”

“Well, sorry pal. You’re out of luck.”

Faris was beginning to panic in a way he never had before. All he’d been working towards the past few years was at risk of being erased, all because of supposed bad luck. These emotions were soon replaced by fury, as he glanced around with the realization that this might not be bad luck after all. Finally, he found a new resolve. His plan was simple: find someone who had four coins already and seize them.”

“...And the final rule,” Katya concluded, “You may not seriously injure anyone. As with the other rules, anyone found breaking this is subject to the laws of the Gavellian government, who graciously allow us to operate here. Now, on the count of three…”

Faust braced himself for what was about to happen next. This night hadn’t gone the way he wanted, but his back-up plan was already underway.

“Two…”

Faris picked up a small rock from the ground. He planned on tossing it up in the air and seeing if anyone would fight over it.

“One…”

All the contestants were looking at whomever was standing next to them, sizing up who they’d fight first.

“Begin!” Magical fireworks cast by the mages of the guild exploded in the air, and those distracted by them found themselves punched or tackled to the ground as a bloodbath commenced. Around a third of the contestants ran away from the stage while another third pursued them, with the rest of the group duking it out right where they’d been standing. There was no consensus on how to obtain the coins. Some wanted to get them through a noble duel, while others wanted to get them by force. Knocking someone out wasn’t against the rules: they’d come to and be healed by a mage eventually.

Faris spent a bit of time on the sidelines of the central brawl, making sure to keep just enough distance. Then, when the time was right, he ran. Within his satchel the compass was now pointing towards the stage, serving as a reminder he only had a few hours to finally show the world what he was capable of.

Spoiler: CHAPTER 23

RECOVER THE PAST​

Lillian had proven to be an exceptional hunter. She was able to move quietly enough through the thicket as to not disturb her prey, and then once she was in range, her conjured totems would get the job done from afar. This had allowed her and Victor to enjoy a meal of cooked hare, and she was confident they could move up to venison if they desired.

“So,” the Shaman asked, “Fernpath is a real place? A secret document making up locations doesn’t sound unreasonable. It was never on any of our maps back in Elkurn.” With the list of names in their possession, the two travelers had decided to seek out the nearest one: a farmer by the name of Brighton.

“It’s real, I promise. A few months back some peasant came in asking for troops. He said that bandits were attacking his village, and directly mentioned Fernpath by name.”

“And did you send anyone?”

“I don’t really know.” Victor knew little about the bureaucratic workings of Detlas’ army, but he wanted to have faith that his former city would lend a helping hand. “It was on our maps too, if that means anything.”

Victor had a lot of reason to be optimistic, given that someone was finally helping him out, even if it was secretly one-sided. Lillian knew that back in Elkurn, Captain Spader had a point. Someone immortal like him would be invaluable for saving the province, or at least anything else more productive than chasing the slightest lead as to why a revered guildmaster tried to kill him. She even had some doubts that the page they got meant anything at all; perhaps it was insane ramblings touted as something valuable.

Lillain took the last bite of her meal and set her plate down. She and her newfound companion were spending the night in a dilapidated house lost to the corruption some time ago. They weren’t its first visitors judging by numerous crude messages etched into its walls, and they wouldn’t be its last either.

“What a sad place we’re sitting in. Wonder why no one’s tried to make this their proper home.”

“Would you want to have this as your home, Lil? It’s probably bad luck moving into an abandoned house.”

“Lil?”

“Oh,” Victor responded, feeling as though he had messed up somehow, “I’d assume someone back in Elkurn called you that at some point.”

“No, that’s the first time I’ve been called that. I don’t think I’ve had a nickname my entire life, actually.” It made sense to Victor, between the two of them it felt as if she took her role as a soldier far more seriously. Yet he still didn’t know the truth of how she hated her time as a soldier, and how she only kept doing it out of a fear of no one taking up the mantle after she left.

“Back in Detlas I’d have all sorts of nicknames, like ‘the greatest’, or ‘the king of Detlas’.”

“How humbling.”

It was around this time that the two of them decided to call it a night. Their journey through the regions surrounding Detlas had left them tired, and there was nothing else to discuss apart from who would take the first few hours of watch duty.

“I’m fine with taking it,” argued Victor, “If I die I’ll just come back to life, and you can use that time to run away.”

“It’s all good, let me take it. You’ve been carrying that sword around all day while I haven’t.”

“Well, if you insist!” This was a debate that he didn’t particularly care about winning or losing. Laying down on a tattered cot he stole from the house’s bedroom, it didn’t take long for Victor to fall asleep. It was the most comfortable bedding situation he’d had since being thrown into the dungeons of Elkurn.

For him, sleeping felt like being thrown into some calming abyss. Victor would awake, finding himself revitalized and ready to begin the day or nighttime duty, but he remembered none of his dreams. He distinctly remembered the horrible nightmares that came to him when he first arrived at Wynn; ones where the walking corpses of the corruption tore him to shreds or stared at him with his companions’ lifeless eyes. It got to the point where it was preferable to just stay awake all night, even if it came at the cost of the training instructor to reprimand him.

Slowly, as he became more courageous, Victor’s dreams became happier and reflective of a better life he could’ve had. It was only as he started enjoying this part of his routine that they disappeared entirely. Tonight, it only took a few minutes to fall asleep. Despite sleeping for what he felt must’ve been hours, no time passed at all.

Something felt different to Victor this time. Normally, Lillian would wake him up so he could stand watch for the rest of the night. For some reason, he had woken up all on his own.

“Lillian?” he muttered. With his eyes still adjusting to the darkness it was impossible to see anything.

“Good morning.” The voice caused Victor to recoil back before he realized it didn’t come from an intruder, but rather his traveling companion. She was sitting in a chair, staring outside the window as if their current situation was at all normal.

“Shit, you scared me. Don’t do that.”

“My bad. Wasn’t expecting you to wake up on your own. Guess your brain is used to exclusively getting five hours of rest.”

“Want me to take tonight’s watch?”

“Ehh, I’m not really tired.”

Victor took a seat as well. Using this moment to glance out the window, he saw that a lot more time had passed than he’d expected. Unless the constellations were lying to him, it would soon be morning.

“Come on, you need some sleep. I don’t want you passing out tomorrow.”

“I’ll go to bed when I’m on the verge of collapse. I don’t think I’ll get any rest right now.”

“And why’s that?”

“Just have a lot on my mind right now.” Victor thought she was being reasonable enough. The threat of Alaire kept him awake from time to time as well. But out of curiosity, he chose to enquire further. Lillian was always the more stoic of the two of them.

“Let me ask you something,” Lillian began, “Do you ever think of Fruma?”

“I mean, of course it crosses my mind. With a shitty name like that why would I forget it.”

“No, really.” Even though it was dark, Victor could sense that his smile wasn’t being matched. “Do you think about home at all, before the war?”

“Maybe back in Ragni, but now? My life’s here. This is where I have to live it.”

“I never asked, but you lost your memories too right as you stepped off that caravan, didn’t you?” Victor wasn’t sure exactly; he felt like he’d been forgetting a lot of events that happened in his early months in Wynn. Nonetheless, he decided to nod as it would be easier that way. “Well, I heard of some people who got them back.”

“Were you one of them?”

“No, but–” Lillian paused for a moment as she contemplated revealing her secret, “–I knew some of the men who were. And you know what their biggest memories were? Getting arrested.”

“Well, I’ve been arrested too. It’s probably just a coincidence.”

“Think about it Victor. We’ve been cut off completely from Fruma; from our past selves. It’s as if this war we’re fighting is a hellish prison. At least they spared us the memories of our past lives and loved ones.” Lillian sighed. “I know, this is a lot to take in, I’m sorry for–”

“Here’s something else to think about. If this is a prison, then we can break out. You helped me do it, so… maybe I’ll help you.” It was a bold statement that Victor didn’t entirely know how to back up. “To be fair, maybe we already did it, since we aren’t in the army.”

“...Because we’re runaways. Thank you though. It feels a bit better to get this off my chest.”

“And you’d probably be better too if you got some rest. Come on, I’ll take watch duty for the last few hours.”

“Alright, I’ll get some rest. Don’t let me sleep in too late, okay?” Lillian crawled into the cot, much like she had many times before back in Elkurn. Something about it was different now, however, as if she was finally getting a glimpse of a life beyond Wynn’s army. She fell asleep almost immediately, and her dreams were that of a woman wandering through a picturesque town.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~​

Something had woken Brighton up. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, but he’d slept horribly for the past few days and was frustrated that an actual good night of sleep was broken. Whatever the presence was, it couldn’t have been too disturbing; his wife was still fast asleep.

He heard it again now. What had woken him up was a knock on the door. As the honorary guardian of his measly town, people would always visit him for various things they couldn’t solve on their own. Given the loud but low frequency of the knocks, Brighton assumed that it was an important matter, but not too important. “At least it probably isn’t those bandit bastards…”

Upon opening the door he expected someone from his village, but instead Brighton was met with a familiar face. Or rather, the absence of one, hidden by an amber-colored mask that glowed in the house’s candlelight. Since their last meeting something had happened to it, for a bandage was plastered over where one’s eye would normally be. The knowledge that someone managed to screw this intruder over filled him with more happiness than he’d felt in weeks.

“Does your wife know you’re out here?” asked Alaire. The casual way he said it only made Brighton more terrified. He acted as if the two of them were old friends.

“Let me ask again: does your wife know you’re out here? We have work to do, and I’d prefer that no one sees me.”

“I…” Brighton mustered up what little courage he could tonight, “I said I never wanted to see you again. I told you to go to hell.”

“Please. You have to understand that we’re close, close to saving the world.” It was the same lie Brighton had heard over and over again, ever since they first met, and he’d never fallen for it for even a second, Nor was he even sure if he was the one meant to believe it. He knew their work, if one could even call it that, would do nothing to save the world. There was only one person Brighton could save. Glancing back at his house one last time, he told Alaire his illusion of a choice.

“I’ll do it for her.”

Spoiler: CHAPTER 24

UNFAMILIAR LANDS​

“Joyce! I think I have some bad news.”

“Uhh… what is it?” Something had woken Joyce up from her sleep a few minutes ago and she still felt a bit lightheaded. It didn’t help that the airship was shaking back and forth more than usual.

“Well, you see, we maybe ended up a bit off course from what we originally planned.”

Stumbling out onto the airship’s deck, Joyce glanced down at the landscape beneath her. It was too dark to discern anything in particular, but it did appear that they were over some sort of a canyon. She wondered if it was the Canyon of the Lost that some of her military textbooks spoke of. If what was said about its labyrinthian magic was true, it would be second only to the volcanic wastes in the northeast as the worst place to land.

“How far off course.”

“We were supposed to be arriving at the Levtus airbase tonight… but we’re actually pretty close to Llevigar.”

“That’s a good one Nora. Not in the mood for this right now though.”

“I’m serious. Look down, I think we’re flying over where those rich bastards get their quartz from.” Up above the clouds, the unfamiliar province of Gavel might as well have all looked the same to Joyce. “And before you get all upset at me,” Nora followed up, “As a skyraider this airship would’ve had a whole crew with a proper navigator, so don’t get upset if this trip isn’t perfect.”

“Could you have at least warned me sooner?” Joyce felt as if she should be more annoyed at these circumstances, but instead she mostly felt apathy. Perhaps her time in the army had made her used to unexpected circumstances. “No matter, it is what it is.”

She continued staring down, almost in a trance as the obscured lands beneath her seamlessly changed. It was calming, so much so that when a bellowing noise was emitted from somewhere in the airship it caught Joyce off guard.

“I’ll go check on that!” There was a hint of nervousness in Nora’s voice as she darted into the engine room. Whatever powered this airship was something that had been repaired, if it was ever damaged to begin with, by the former skyraider herself. She’d assured Joyce that nothing needed to be done. Yet now, the engine was unleashing an odd bellowing noise, one that had been heard from time to time in days before but had meant little to the two travelers. After a few tense minutes Nora re-emerged from the engine room only to immediately open up their storage compartment.

“Nora? Is everything alright?”

“Well, you see,” Joyce was handed a backpack that didn’t seem to have any clear opening despite something being inside. “Put this on, I’d say there’s a fifty-percent chance you’ll need to use it.”

“What is this exactly?”

“Experimental Corkian technology. We stole it from them a year or so ago–” Nora was cut off from the engine’s loudest cry yet; one that seemed to be endless. Slowly, flames began to engulf the wood surrounding it as the pilot loudly cursed.

“Do you have some sort of plan for this?” Joyce asked. Nora was in a clear state of panic, but reassuringly it also felt like she had some idea on how they’d survive.

“You see that string on your pack? Jump out of the ship, pull it, and you’ll get… a sail… I’m not describing what it is now. Just jump!” Her last sentence was blurted out before Joyce could ask another question. It seemed as if there was no other way out: the heat of the inferno was becoming noticeable, and a leap of faith was seeming like the only way out.

What Joyce felt upon jumping off the side of an airship was unlike anything she’d experienced before. First there was a rush of adrenaline, and then the feeling of moving with a furious wind. This whole time she had been gripping the end of a string attached to whatever her strange contraption was, and after a pause she finally pulled it. It was nerve wracking knowing that stolen equipment was all that prevented her from dying. Then, the backpack opened up, causing the winds around her to halt their roar as her descent turned to a slower drift.

The final feeling during her fall was one of calmness. Whatever this device was, it had unraveled to slow Joyce’s descent to a crawl. She watched as the airship traveled further and further away, yet it only continued to burn brighter. It ultimately collided with one of the canyon’s ridges in an explosion more glorious than anything she’d seen before. Her journey through the skies had come to its end, and she felt calm about it.

When she had her feet on the earth for the first time in days, Joyce began her search for her traveling partner. Nora may have been a lousy pilot and mechanic, but she was also a Gavellian, and right now Joyce needed someone who had some idea as to where they were. She had a good idea as to where: the massive bonfire of a failed flight in the distance, no doubt attracting the eyes of whomever else lived in these canyons.

“Fuck…” Kneeling not far from the ship’s remains was Nora, looking distraught for the first time Joyce met her. She hadn’t even bothered to remove the parachute from her back yet.

“I’m sorry about all this, but there’s not much we can do. We should be grateful we’re both alive.”

“I lost everything. I lost my ship, I lost everything in it.” Even though she sounded like she was in shock, Nora stood up and took a few steps forward. “Wait, maybe I can save some things!” She tried running forward only for Joyce to outright grab onto her parachute, nearly causing Nora to fall down.

“Just leave it there, you’ll burn yourself! And look… we’re already late I guess.”

Standing dangerously close to the flames was a squadron of small green creatures, bearing their sharp teeth as they looked at the two women intruding on their prize. Joyce had read about Goblins when she was at Ragni but never expected to see any in the flesh. One of them picked up a small rock and chucked it, nearly hitting Nora in the head. Others attempted to climb into what remained of the airship, only to reel back in pain as they got too close to the flames.

“Just let it go, Nora.”

She finally gave up, and turned to follow Joyce towards the nearby dirt road, although that didn’t stop her from glancing back at the inferno every now and then. Smoke was still visible in the distance even as their time traveling neared an hour. By then, Nora looked like she’d collapse any minute, and even with military training Joyce was getting exhausted. The only reason they had managed to continue at this pace was because of how safe Gavel was. While the archer spotted the occasional goblin scurrying through the darkness, she knew the corruption wouldn’t find them here.

At last, by which point the stars were in far different places in the sky than when their trek began, a peculiar yet inviting town came into view. Its houses and crop fields were built around a strange bridge-like structure that spanned a great river, and Nora was confused as to why such a place was so unimportant that she’d never learned about it. The town had no gates or walls, but plenty of iron golems standing ready at its perimeter, and a villager guard sat by the main road.

“You two aren’t Amber Knights, are you?” he asked in a gruff voice.

“No? We just really need a place to spend the light, I mean night. We’re exhausted.”

The guard sighed. “First building next to the guard barracks, it’ll be on your left.” With a thank you from Joyce, they continued on. The town’s inn was fortunately right where the sentry said it would be, and from the outside it looked nearly as impressive as the one from Detlas. Inside, they found that it wouldn’t be out of place in Nemract, with its rotting floorboards and dim candlelight.

“Hello?” In contrast to the guard, the innkeeper seemed nearly asleep herself.

“Uh… six emeralds for a room.” Joyce rummaged through her pockets. She’d always kept a bit of money on her person in case it came in handy. There was barely enough for a room, and she received a rusty key upon placing the emeralds on the counter.

“Room one-oh-six. Mind the gap in the stairs.” The warning didn’t give the new guests much hope for what their room situation would be like, but both of them had also decided that they’d take anything at this point. They made their way up the stairs, making sure to mind the missing plank, and entered their room to find a single bed that barely seemed like it would fit a child.

“I call the bed,” Nora declared.

“Alright, take it.” Joyce didn’t want to argue here; a former soldier like her could take a day of sleeping on rough terrain. “And Nora’s been through enough already.”

They were both asleep within the next five minutes.

[CLICK TO GO TO THE NEXT CHAPTER]

 

I love this because it makes the world of wynncraft seem so vast!

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
​

Spoiler: PART ONE (Prologue - Ch. 17)

[Prologue]
[Chapter 1 - Reunion]
[Chapter 2 - Mask of the Unknown]
[Chapter 3 - The Hero of Detlas]
[Chapter 4 - Alchemism]
[Chapter 5 - A Journey Begins]
[Chapter 6 - Nora]
[Chapter 7 - First Steps]
[Chapter 8 - Studying the Corrupt]
[Chapter 9 - The Prodigy]
[Chapter 10 - Absolute Power]
[Chapter 11 - Swarm]
[Chapter 12 - The Thief]
[Chapter 13 - The Fallen]
[Chapter 14 - Imprisoned]
[Chapter 15 - Crossroads]
[Chapter 16 - A God Among Men]
[Chapter 17 - On The Run]

Spoiler: Timeline - when was each chapter posted?

Prologue - Jan. 2 2023 (Revised Jul. 4 2023)
Chapter 1 - Jan. 2 2023
Chapter 2 - Jan. 2 2023
Chapter 3 - Jan. 9 2023
Chapter 4 - Jan. 9 2023
Chapter 5 - Jan. 16 2023
Chapter 6 - Jan. 23 2023
Chapter 7 - Jan. 30 2023
Chapter 8 - Feb. 6 2023
Chapter 9 - Feb. 13 2023
Chapter 10 - Feb. 20 2023
Chapter 11 - Feb. 20 2023
Chapter 12 - Mar. 6 2023
Chapter 13 - Mar. 13 2023
Chapter 14 - Mar. 20 2023
Chapter 15 - Mar. 27 2023
Chapter 16 - Apr. 3 2023
Chapter 17 - Apr. 3 2023

Spoiler: PART TWO (Ch. 18 Onwards)

PART TWO - THE PROVINCE OF LIGHT

[Chapter 18 - The Nexus]
[Chapter 19 - Life of Crime]
[Chapter 20 - First Impressions]
[Chapter 21 - Royalty]
[Chapter 22 - Ceremony]
[Chapter 23 - Recover The Past]
[Chapter 24 - Unfamiliar Lands]

Spoiler: Timeline - when was each chapter posted?

Chapter 18 - May. 5 2023
Chapter 19 - May. 5 2023
Chapter 20 - May. 31 2023
Chapter 21 - Jul. 4 2023
Chapter 22 - Jul. 18 2023
Chapter 23 - Jul. 18 2023
Chapter 24 - Aug. 16 2023

 

[CLICK TO GO TO THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER]

Spoiler: CHAPTER 25

WARPATH​

“Hey, did you hear something outside?”

“You’re too paranoid, Leon.”

Two young men were loitering in a damp room below the ground, their backs against a moss-covered stone wall. Their only source of light came from a crack in the ceiling that moonlight shone through, providing only a glimpse of the outside world. It also allowed one to hear what was going on up above them. These men, Leon and Jerry, had heard many footsteps and even some cries of frustration since arriving in the cellar, but none of the other contenders had yet to find them.

“I’d rather be paranoid than an overconfident dumb ass!” Leon was the younger and more wary of the duo, and had been roped into this scheme by his long-time friend. He was on board with the plan from the start, but Jerry now saw that he was having some doubts. “Hopefully it isn’t about the morality of this.”

“Then can you keep it down too? That’s how we would lose, but we are not—“ Jerry paused his attempt at whispering. He heard it too now: someone was outside. Unlike past individuals they sensed, this one wasn’t quickly running past these ruins, but rather pacing around up above. Both Leon and Jerry unsheathed their swords.

“You two!” Faust cried out, “Come out and have a talk.” The voice came out of seemingly nowhere, and Leon found himself scanning the entire room to see if someone had broken in. No one had, but with how hard it was for one to discern the figure visible through the hole in the ceiling, the cautious swordsman wasn’t at fault here.

“You want our coins?” Jerry negotiated, “Come down here and fight us!”

There was no response from up above. “Yeah that’s right, look at this flea-ridden dog! Too scared to fight us!”

“I’d say you’re the ones ridden with pests here; I overheard everything you said about your little plot.”

Leon’s heart sank while his friend was filled with rage. Neither of them was participating in this game on fair terms: Jerry’s father was a high-ranking member of the Amber Knights and was by extension one of the few who knew what the test for new recruits would be. He had taken some of the newly-minted coins and handed them over to both his son and Leon. Faust knew nothing of this until he started doing some reconnaissance on his prey; he just assumed these two would have the final two coins he needed.

“If you snitch— if you fucking snitch on us—“

“I thought the son of a nobleman was more polite than that. Come outside, I think we can make a deal. I have no intention of claiming your coins.”

“What’s gonna make us believe that?” Leon asked.

Faust’s response came in the form of a dagger dropped into the cellar. “There. That’s my only weapon, stab me in the chest with it if you want to lose something valuable.”

“Just fucking explain yourself already.”

Faust smiled. “I think we could become friends.”

It took a bit more explaining, but Leon and Jerry finally emerged from their subterranean hideout. To their surprise, Faust was legitimately unarmed and had his hands raised in the air.

“...and what makes us believe you won’t snitch when you’re done?” Leon asked.

“Because I have nothing to gain and everything to lose.” Faust’s plan was confusing to the two noblemen's’ sons, but in the end, all they cared about was how it benefited them. While Faust would end up most rewarded, Leon and Jerry would end up with something to gain as well. The plan was to scour the plains of Gavel as a team, seizing coins from whomever they found. Faust would get his last two coins, and his newfound teammates would get any extras, helping to draw suspicion away from themselves. “Now hand me my dagger back.”

Leon tossed it, leading to Faust barely catching it by the blade as it spun through the air. “You’re going to lose your other eye, man.”

The three of them set out, with Faust leading the charge. Most contenders for the guild were within a mile of the ceremony stage, and using their compasses, the group was able to circle around it. A routine was quickly established after an unfortunate mage got knocked out: Leon and Jerry would charge in, and then Faust would appear from the shadows to flank them. Even without that coordination, the group would likely be unstoppable. It seemed as if no other contenders wanted to band together.

The second coin, and the last one Faust needed, was taken from a villager who asked his opponents if they could settle matters with a debate rather than a duel. Leon immediately punched him in the face. The third individual they fought put up a far greater battle but ultimately awarded them three of the coins. Faust almost pitied him, for they had been so close to achieving their goal.

“Bastard burnt my arm,” Jerry whined after the battle, “You don’t happen to know healing magic, do you eyepatch?”

“Wish I did,” Faust responded with a shrug. He wouldn’t mind being a mage, but if people he knew in the past showed him anything, it was that magic wasn’t too easy to learn.

Even as the three of them got increasingly fatigued, they carried on with their conquest, inching ever closer to the center of the battlefield so they’d be there when the sixth hour ended. As the sky began to turn gold Faust sat on the stage with satisfaction: their group had obtained thirty-three coins total.

“You hear that whistling sound?” Jerry asked.

“It’s coming from the compass. Have to assume it’s to let everyone know they need to make it back here.”

“You think it’ll just be the three of us? Don’t see anyone here except full-fledged knights.” As the three of them chatted Faust glanced to the side to find Katya staring into the distance, likely waiting for the rest of the contenders to arrive as well. Despite being second-in-command, Faust knew very little about her. This wasn’t a good variable to have in his plan.

As the whistling of the compasses got louder, a few others trickled in. Their numbers were small: two humans, a villager, and a fourth figure with a long black beard who seemed to fit in neither group. “A dwarf?” The last of them to arrive before each compass let out a shrill ring was someone Faust hoped wouldn’t show up: Faris. They were limping and covered in bloodstains, but seemed satisfied with what had happened tonight nonetheless.

“Time’s up!” shouted a stern-looking knight on horseback.

“Congratulations to all of you who completed tonight’s challenge,” Katya sounded pleased as she took the stage, but internally she was shocked at how few had succeeded. “You have all proven your abilities in combat and shown yourselves to be someone worthy of joining the most prestigious guild. Take a few minutes to rest and introduce yourself to the men and women who could spend the next decade fighting beside you.”

“We did it!” shouted Leon, “We actually did it.” He and Jerry cried out in celebration.

“Not too fast.” The knight on horseback had dismounted and was now strolling towards the trio of victors. “Let me see your coins.” Rather than needing to rummage through their pockets for all four of their newfound valuables, Faust and his friends merely had to reach in and scoop out as many as their hands could hold.

“Bovine… that’s a lot. Glad you’ll be on our side.”

“Equals.” This was a title that Faust had worked towards achieving over the past several months. It had been his entire purpose and would continue to be so for the future. And as a familiar face approached him, he remembered that it wasn’t without sacrifices.

“Hey, you there. I know what you did.” Faris would’ve made a good companion, but getting into the guild superseded that. Faust also felt like having an enemy or two wouldn’t be that unusual.

“And? Have any proof?”

“My bag, which YOU gave to me, was missing a coin? I’d say that’s proof enough?” Faris rarely raised his voice to this extent, and his peers and family had always praised him for being level-headed. But after over twenty-four hours spent without sleep, a quarter of which was spent doing grueling trials, and he found that he didn’t care about being kind to those who wronged him.

“Why would I steal your coin? What would I need something like that for?” Faust opened his palm to reveal not four, but almost a dozen of the coins needed for victory in this tournament. Behind him, Leon and Jerry laughed like they had heard the most unforgettable joke. Faris was left fuming at this and was prepared to lash out further if not for an interruption.

“So what if I only had three!” whined one of his nearby competitors, “I’m good enough! I even gave up my family heirloom to the guild!”

“Rules are rules!” a veteran knight shouted, instantly silencing the contestant, “It’s back to Llevigar for you, kid.”

In the end, there were seven who had seemingly obtained the title of Amber Knight. Each of them was almost as exhausted as they were proud. Yet apart from Katya’s congratulations, there was little fanfare. Apart from a few bystanders who had failed to get enough coins, no one was there to celebrate them.

“Are we leaving already?” asked Leon. Close by, Katya and the rest of the guild’s higher-ups in attendance were getting on horseback. “You sir,” he asked again, this time to the nearest knight, “Where are we going?” He got no answer: all but one of the knights rode off into the distance.

“The fuck?” exclaimed Jerry, “Is this some kind of a joke? Dad didn’t tell me this would happen!”

Out of curiosity, Faust decided to check his compass. It almost appeared to be pointing north, but at a slight angle. It was the same direction Katya and the others were riding.

“Alright! Listen up!” It was the same knight who had derided that one contestant for not getting into the guild. “This is your final test. As this young man has seen here, your compasses are pointing somewhere new. That’ll be our base. You have a week to make it there, otherwise you forfeit your role as a recruit.”

“Can we rest fir–”

“There are some rules I must state first! One: you may not steal anything or bribe anyone for help! Two: you are not an Amber Knight yet, and may not trick anyone into thinking you’re one! Three: I will only be watching you. You’re on your own. I’ve been watching hotshots attempt this part of the recruitment process since the guild was founded, and not one of them has failed. Do you want to be remembered as the first?”

Faust knew this was coming, as it turned out it was very easy for a drunk knight to spill his guild’s greater secrets. Upon finding this out a month ago, he knew it would be ideal to fight with a group during the previous challenge: it would conserve strength and reduce likelihood of injuries. Judging by the reactions of those around him, he was the only one prepared for what was to come. It was time to prove his worth as a leader.