Weeks have passed since I joined the Guild. Emilia, Claire, Clark and I have been going on countless contracts. Throughout those contracts, I have definitely seen progress growing in the three adventurers I am travelling with. Their fighting styles and strategic planning have gotten smoother and more precise to fit a quick and efficient contract. Our ranks have also went up from Copper to Iron. Not a rank fit for high-class, but it is definitely better than before.
With the current rank up, the three, instead of being a laughing stock of the Guild, have now become respected adventurers in their own way. Seeing them like this put a smile to my face, but the ulterior motive that I have buried deep within still worries me the most. Weeks have passed and I still don't have a lead on Rhythian and his whereabouts which made me restless, leading to sleepless nights and a heavy load on my shoulders. Rhythian was always there for me, I should be there with him...
"Hey Miss Mileena. We have another contract to do..." Emilia called out to me as she shyly grasped her Nature's Wrath staff. Emilia certainly had noticeable progress throughout my days as an adventurer. When I first met her, she was a beginner level mage with low confidence and was certainly scared of most monsters. Now, she has become an Adept level mage with a better personality than before, still shy however. Her magic certainly has gotten stronger, especially since we got her the staff of a Nature Guardian. Tough battle, but was certainly worth the fight.
"Man, I'm not so thrilled about this one...We only get to babysit some soldiers..." Clark complained as he walked towards us. Clark hasn't changed one bit, but his fighting style certainly gotten better. Clark, from a novice warrior, became an Adept Dark Knight ever since I came along. He was still the loose cannon of the group, but that was what made him as himself. Just like Emilia, Clark had also gotten better equipment. He now wears a Dark Footman armor and wields something that he calls a "Dark Reaper Sword". He certainly isn't good with names...
Claire hits Clark on the back of his head when she eventually got to us.
"Its not babysitting Clark, we are going on a raid..."
"Wait we are?" Clark spoke out enthusiastically, wanting to fill his intrigue.
Claire simply replied with a sigh and faced towards me. I simply shrugged in her direction, causing her to giggle a little bit before talking to some adventurers that were calling out her name. Claire, despite her mature look, certainly is fun to be with. She hasn't changed much since the past few weeks but she had gotten better with her skills. Her magic and marksmanship have gotten more precise, making her even stronger than before.
I, on the other hand, have earned the title "The Black Fog". There are a lot of reasons behind that title, some saying it's because I mostly wear black now. Some saying it's because of my speed and agility. Besides from the title the adventurers gave me, I've certainly gotten a little bit more training, allowing me to hone my skills in the art of weapon combat ever since I was locked in Rhythian's Study. The monsters I have faced were certainly not as strong as Rhythian, allowing me to fight them with ease. To put it simply, I haven't changed much in the past few weeks.
As I stayed, lazing about in a chair inside the guild, Claire walked back to us as she called out our names. "Alright everyone, we are heading out now, let's get moving." Claire, as usual, gave us orders. She was always the leader of the group...
I let out a sigh as I holstered my dagger and went to regroup with the others. Emilia and Clark followed behind me afterwards. I walked out of the building to see a huge crowd of adventurers and guards, all busy with either talking or preparing. I looked around and saw my group hanging around with another party. I walked closer towards them as Claire looked at me and waved. I waved back as I eventually reached them. Emilia and Clark were talking to the other adventurers as Claire was talking to who seemed to be the leader of the other party.
"Mileena, this is Tyke, the leader of the Ashen Owls, the party that is grouped with us in this raid." Claire explained as Tyke reached out for a handshake. I shook his hand and looked at him. He was a heavy paladin. A warrior that wields a hammer and a shield with heavy armor.
"So you are The Black Fog everyone was talking about, finally nice to meet you." Tyke spoke out as he looked at me. "Well, it's nice to meet you as well Tyke of the Ashen Owls" I replied as a man yelled out, signalling that we were setting off.
"Well, Let's meet each other again in the battlefield Guardians!" Tyke spoke out as he walked off with his party, setting off. I looked at Claire and she gestured that we should set out as well. I let out a soft sigh before nodding and walking, catching up with the group.
The raid party walked for a few hours, eventually reaching plains near the dungeon we were about to raid in. The man leading the party yelled out, saying that we should set up the raid camp in this location. The whole party agrees and started unloading and setting up tents, campfires and more. Our party did the same and eventually, everyone was out doing their own thing. Soon, the Ashen Owls and our party gathered around our campfire. everyone started telling stories, some about their own adventures, some about normal lives, while some being actual stories, but one certainly got my attention.
"Have you guys heard about the Iron Giant?" A man from the Ashen Owls spoke out as he looked around the group. At first I was slightly confused, immediately setting my mind to Golemancy, however, a reply from a fellow adventurer was what peaked my interest.
"Oh! That myth involving an armored beast standing three horses high that lives in the forest? I've heard that it is the so-called guardian of such forest because of it's magic, my mother used to tell tales of that thing..."
"Bah! That's only a story to make children behave..." An Ashen Owl joked as he took a sip from his cup of booze.
"Yeah, that's what I thought at first, but I've heard a rumor that some knights and the Arch-Wizard of the Yorthos kingdom brought back a captive that fit the Iron Giant's description a couple weeks back. They say they brought him to the Iron Keep, the heavily guarded prison..."
As the conversation went on, I trailed off into thought. An Iron Giant that wields magic? It must be Rhythian, who else could it be...However, it could also be another rumor, but it is a lead on where Rhythian could be. It is a risk I was willing to take.
A few hours hours have passed and most of us have already fallen asleep to get ready for tomorrow's raid. However, I stayed up as I sat by a hill near to the camp as I hugged my knees whilst looking into the dark blue horizon. My thoughts eventually trailed off to the usual things that I'd worry about. The thought of Rhythian disappearing for almost 2 months had me worried sick. The thoughts of what I believed that they could have done to him made my imagination go wild, which also brought back a few memories of when I was captured myself.
As the thoughts clouded my mind, I buried myself into my embrace as tears started to fall and ran down my cheek. As I sat there in my sorrow, a quiet voice spoke out as I felt a warm touch of an embrace hold me. "Don't be sad, I know you can push through, my young draconian..."
This had me startled and caused me to turn around quickly, seeing and feeling nothing of the sort. I was now confused as to what was that and eventually kept it aside for now. I wiped off my tears as I stood up, about to head back, until I felt a slight tremor in the ground. I thought it was simply a slight shake in the ground, but then the tremors quickly gotten stronger, but this time, it was followed by a roar that could be heard for miles. I looked around to see what could've caused such roar.
My eyes eventually locked on to the cave dungeon where a very bright glow was emitting from it. The light grew brighter and brighter until the light revealed to be a gigantic worm-like monster that broke through the entrance of the massive cave. The worm curled up to be in a steady position before it roared again.
I looked at the thing in terror as I immediately knew what that monster was. It was stated in the books back in the study. That monster...That worm...was I'ch'Thrall...The Devourer...