"Here we are," stated Kaper, stopping abruptly "the guild's hall. You three will be taking tests in there to find out your levels. Here's hoping you're all within two ranks of each other." He finished, pushing open a large wooden door that was hinged to the only building within a small distance.
A sea of noise escaped from within the tavern-looking building, most of it drunken gibberish and the slamming of mugs, with a few gravelly hurrahs mixed in. The four of us entered, and the noise erupted upon seeing the bald hunter, who raised a fist in acknowledgment.
"What'll it be then, handsome?" A boorish voice hollered from behind the counter, which I was shocked to see belonged to a woman. She lazed on the counter, her head resting on a hand that was propped up by her elbow. "The usual?" She continued, standing up to reveal a tight corset that clutched at her waist and caused her breasts to bulge.
"I'm on job. Here to get these three," he pointed to us, too distracted by a new sight to look to us, "tested and get them passes." He managed to peel his eyes from the barmaid's chest and looked into her green eyes which stared back with a tinge of annoyance. "But I could go a drink whilst they're away." He fumbled, causing the irk to leave the lady's eyes.
"I don't know if we're meant to be seeing this…" Randall whispered, in between mine and Petra's heads, causing us to chortle slightly and nod in agreement. "What do you reckon the test is, anyway?" He added, watching the wheat-haired girl fetch a bottle of alcohol from the backroom.
"Are you an idiot, or is it just for show?" Petra spat, a genuine look of confusion on her face as she raised an eyebrow to the boy, who simply shrugged and turned to me, looking for my answer. "It'll be the same as every other Guild's test. A practical test. Because this is for the Hunter's Guild, I assume we'll be fighting a beast." She cut in, not allowing me to insert myself.
"Sounds straightforward enough," I muttered, and Randall nodded in agreement, "I wonder how strong I am by their standards." I thought aloud, remembering I had tripled my level and then some from the trip to the markets. Petra's lips pursed into a smirk, and she leaned her head past Randall's, nearly hitting my horns due to her speed.
"If I get ranked higher than Randall, you need to spar me." She ordered, glaring into my eyes. I opened my mouth to retort, but she once again cut in. "And if I don't, I'll do one thing you ask of me. No matter what it is." She blurted, not taking the time to process her words. I nodded feverishly, gaining a silent fit of laughter from Randall.
"Alright, you three," called the girl, looming over our close triangle of heads, "it's time to get your tests done. She ordered, tugging me out of the huddle by my shoulder. I followed behind her and glanced back to see my two other companions following behind us. "Through here," she ordered her monotonous voice beginning to get on my nerves.
We walked through the door, which lead to the outside of the tavern, and walked for a small while until we arrived at a small, gladiator-like stadium. Rows of seats ascended, encircling a patch of dirt in the center where a man stood, a cup with three sticks in his hand.
"Any idea what that's about, oh Knowledgeable One?" Randall mocked, directing his words to Petra. The girl didn't acknowledge his question, seeming to be lost in focus, her hands inching to the two small blades which sat on either side of her waist.
"What that is," replied the barmaid, "is how we'll be deciding which monster you all face." We arrived at the man, and he raised the cup. Petra, without a doubt in her actions, reached up and snatched a stick from the cup. I followed suit, and Randall sighed at his lack of choice.
"Mines is the shortest," I stated as we all brought our sticks close, "what does that mean, Miss?" I turned to the barmaid, who shook her head. She looked over Randall's shoulder to double-check, before snatching the sticks from our hands and putting them back in the cup, and dismissing the man who was holding it.
"Since Randall got the biggest one, he's fighting first. He'll have the easiest opponent," she began, but raised a finger to hush the polearm-user's argument, "but this won't be reflected in the final score. It's luck of the draw, after all. You two go take a seat and watch."
Petra and I walked to our seats in awkward silence and sat a few feet from each other. I caught her glancing at me a few times, but ignored it. I was caught glancing at her also, the length of time it was taking for a beast to be brought in to face Randall leading me to look to the mysterious girl for a distraction.
"Have I got something on my face?" She asked flatly, looking at the boy, now stood alone, pacing the arena instead of to me. Her hair's ends fluttered in the wind, and I felt a slight pang in my chest that her beauty didn't match her personality.
"Certainly not a smile." I sighed, which caused her to startle, staring at me with a look of irritation. She opened her mouth to argue back, but closed her mouth and returned to looking at Randall instead. "Why do you want to fight me so much?" I asked, the question leaping out of my mouth of its own volition.
"My father was a hero," she began, a sense of knowing gnawing at my chest as she continued, "a good one, mind you. He knew that not all demonfolk were evil. He died fighting one of the Sins, sacrificing himself to save one of his allies."
I clenched my jaw and felt a cold sweat begin to form on my brow as I was lost for words. She looked to me, and upon seeing this display of nervousness but mistaking it for sadness or anger, she suddenly spoke, trying to redeem her apparent mistake.
"I know your people like them, and that they have done a lot for their kind. I can acknowledge the power they granted to you all, and I hold no anger if you worship them also. So long as you do not pray to Envy, I don't care." She announced coldly.
"And you see me as a marker for how strong the Sins are," I concluded, which gained me a nod from Petra in return. I watched as a beast of the same species of spider I had already devoured scuttled into the arena's center. "I can say, wholeheartedly, I do not pray to any of the Sins," I stated, which was true in a roundabout way, and took a deep breath as I realized just how improbable it would be for Petra and me to build deeper trust.
[Name: Envy (Levi Elbrus)
Species: Leviathan.
Level: 10
Magic Skills: Devour, Electric Discharge, Electricity Resistance, Water Manipulation (+5), Web Secretion.
Physical Skills: Transform, Night-Vision.
Innate Skills: Mountain-Splitter Style Swordsmanship (Advanced) ]