Once Artie found his way outside of the clinic, Mayumi, who'd waited for him, motioned for him to follow.
"We'll be going on another hunt soon," she informed, walking ahead.
They traveled through the northeastern part of town. The zone mainly consisted of larger buildings, each with a steady flow of traffic going in and out.
"The goblin?" Asked Artie, lingering a few feet behind.
Artie hadn't noticed the volume he took and alerted those nearby.
"We don't mention the hunts in public spaces. But to answer your question, yes," replied Mayumi.
Artie shrugged off the unwanted attention and continued.
"Why bother?"
Mayumi turned slightly and looked at him from the corner of her eyes.
She sighed as if finding whatever she wanted to say, or do, to be pointless.
"To level up, I suppose."
"Like in a game?" Asked Artie.
"Similar concept. Rachel believes the number in the moonstone is an indicator of strength. So, we fight to improve ourselves," explained Mayumi.
Amid their conversation, her head turned to a food stall. Without exchanging words, she walked up to the booth, grabbed an apple, then exchanged a look of gratitude with the shop's owner. Artie watched the act take place, then as she walked off biting into the fruit, his interest quickly shifted.
"I've been wondering, how are you paying for goods? There was no use of currency at the armory or the market."
"I'll explain once we're there," replied Mayumi, taking another bite of the fruit.
**
Artie followed the woman for nearly 3 minutes. That was how long it took to travel from the northeastern part of town to the center. Once at their destination, she introduced it.
"This is the Guild Hall."
The Guild Hall she spoke of looked a lot like a fantasy tavern. It was one floor but stood as tall as two-story buildings. The establishment was modular, so there was a central building, then one additional structure on each side. The leftmost building was slightly lowered, while the rightmost building was raised to elevate with the uneven land. All three parts were coupled together with gray stone, but the rest of the hall was made of dark woods.
From where Artie stood, the roof looked flat or too thin to be noticed. Windows were not installed; however, there were lengthy vertical cut-outs where glass could be placed. The entrance consisted of two long heavy doors with a wide archway built above.
Entering, he noticed an opening in the roof like in previous buildings. About 80% of the ceiling was open space, so most tavern was irradiated with natural lighting.
Straight back was a large bar area where people sat and ordered food and beverages. Twenty feet left of the entrance were two hefty pillars spaced far apart. In between were three long steps leading down to the second building. At the bottom of those steps was an open area that lodged a wooden bulletin board.
Lastly, right of the entrance was another set of pillars and three more steps leading up to the rightmost structure. The right side looked similar to the left but resembled a dining room area.
Impressed, Artie's gaze bounced around, admiring the design. It wasn't just the appearance, but the vibe was exactly how he'd imagined it.
Several steps left from the entrance, a stealthy presence surfaced at Artie's rear.
"Boo!"
Startled from behind, Artie quickly tried to turn, but, in his hastiness, he tripped on himself and fell down.
"Ahahaha!" Sebastian laughed hysterically.
"Sebastian!" Yelled Artie, flustered and trying to catch his breath.
"Hmm?" Sounded Mayumi curiously as she watched the two men.
Hearing her, Sebastian repressed his mad laugh and looked at Mayumi.
"Hmm?" He repeated.
"He called you by name," she noted, looking at Sebastian with puzzle.
"What else would he call me?" He giggled, leaning over to lend a hand to Artie.
"I don't know. I suppose it's just unexpected," Mayumi responded, observing Artie as he accepted the man's hand and stood.
"We have a mutual understanding," laughed Sebastian, grinning at Artie childishly.
While they had their episode, people walked around them, giving them strange looks and muttering to themselves. Artie, who had a good sense of hearing, could make out some of their words.
"Sebastian <3"
"What's the guild leader doing with Ryu's Lieutenant?"
"Is that doofus causing trouble again…"
Artie advanced the conversation wanting to quickly escape the two and the stage light they brought with them.
"What are we doing here anyway?"
"Here to celebrate your first hunt?" Asked Sebastian freely.
Sebastian, like Artie, had poor control of volume. Once he mentioned the hunt, the nearby crowd stilled.
"What's there to celebrate?" Said a hostile voice.
Knowing all too well who the bitter voice belonged to, Arite's blood began to boil. Turning to his right, he saw Ryu approaching.
"This bastard again," Artie mumbled, looking menacingly at the approaching man.
As Ryu made way, the tavern was silent and nosy bodies strode closer in anticipation of what could happen.
The heavy man had a broad walk. His muscular arms swung stiffly away from his body, and his bulky legs took far steps apart. Likely intentionally, so his thighs didn't rub against each other and create fire.
"RYU!" Shouted Sebastian excitedly as he waved.
…
There was a prolonged silence after the man's outburst.
"Don't leave me hanging! Aren't you going to wave back?!" He shouted, running up to Ryu.
The bulky man stood stiffly with an agitated expression as Sebastian arrived within range and began poking his solid chest muscle.
"Why do you keep ignoring me?!" He pouted.
When Ryu still did not answer, Sebastian began to repeatedly kick his ankles.
The beaming sun overhead made it difficult for the burly man to mask how baffled he'd become. Ryu looked to his tormentor with a silent plea in hopes he'd give up, but it only continued.
"Oh!" Blurted Sebastian, his face once again beaming.
The eccentric man swung around, kneeled on one knee, then held out his arms towards Artie.
"Behold, a fellow edge lord," he exclaimed, lowering the bass of his voice to sound more serious and heroic.
Sebastian's white shirt had the graphic of a once-popular anime "magical girl." His long black hair blew wildly whenever a gust of wind passed through. That, combined with the overhead lighting of the sun, made him look like an oddly dressed prince of a fairytale.
"Introduce yourself, comrade," he whispered loudly, winking at Artie.
Mayumi quietly turned away from the gag and walked further into the tavern. Artie held place, fixated on finding a way out of his predicament.
…
Still kneeling, Sebastian began to giggle nervously.
"Comrade?" He chuckled shakily.
("Even someone like him gets embarrassed, huh….") Artie thought, looking at the keeled man.
Finally taking action, Artie cleared his throat, lowered his head modestly, and then stepped forward.
"First, I should think about a nifty name to go by… You know, like yours," said Artie sheepishly.
"R-right! We'll have to hold off until you reinvent yourself," exclaimed the man, quickly standing and straightening himself.
Artie nodded, then turned around. He held his head down as he slowly trekked further into the tavern.
"What just happened…." He thought as bullets of sweat rolled down his back.
He'd followed the same direction that Mayumi fled in. There was no particular reason; it was just where his legs drew him.
"What's with this atmosphere?" Asked a familiar female voice as it stepped into the tavern.
"Ah! What a pleasant surprise," she exclaimed excitedly.
"That's you, isn't it, Bandage!"
"It's me!" Yelled the woman again.
Still walking away, Artie grinded his teeth and stared angrily at the wooden floor.
"Give me a damn break," he grumbled.
A delicate hand landed on Artie's right shoulder, followed by sharp pain racing throughout his body, painful enough for him to stop moving and stiffen. Audibly, he groaned, then tightened his teeth.
"I thought I heard you," spoke Mayumi, approaching Artie and the woman behind him."
"Hmm?" She sounded, observing them.
Artie's face scrunched up as his left hand quivered over his shoulder. Behind him was the woman in glasses who appeared worried. One of her arms rested against her chest while the other reached out towards the tormented Artie.
"I didn't mean to," she assured, her voice glum and cracking.
Once his agony leveled out, Artie started to pivot his head angrily towards the woman but cut himself short. Instead, he calmed himself, then wandered further into the establishment.
Aimlessly roaming, Artie found himself at the far right of the building. There, he found an empty table and carefully sat on a stool below it. He stared at the wide bulletin board against the wall from his seat.
"A quest board?" He guessed, watching the crowd pull paper-like forms from it.
"It's nothing that remarkable," commented Mayumi, pulling back a stool and sitting across from him.
Following her was the woman in glasses who placed herself next to Mayumi. The moment she sat, she adverted her gaze down at the table.
Artie continued to look towards the board, not acknowledging the two accompanying him.
"You'll only find demand for materials. Wood, beast fur and skin, plants and anything that requires leaving the town," Explained Mayumi.
"The community rewards anyone that helps out. Food, clothing, weaponry, much like an exchange of services for goods," she continued.
Artie nodded, then looked away from the board. He'd sat slightly hunched over and placed his skinny left arm on the wooden table while worriedly looking down.
"I can supply you until you've healed," blurted the woman in glasses.
"No thanks," replied Artie.
There was a moment to recover before she spoke up again.
"We haven't had the best first impressions of each other," She commented, reaching her left arm across the table.
"I'm Rachel," introduced the woman.
Artie picked up his gaze and looked at the woman's extended hand, then at her face that stiffly smiled.
Mayumi, who still sat across from Artie, placed her hand over her own face and sighed disappointedly.
"Your left hand," snarled Artie, his demeanor crumbling.
"Huh?" Questioned Rachel, looking nervously at Artie, who grew increasingly furious.
"You're holding out your left hand," scolded Artie, using his left hand to point to his ruined right arm.
Dumbfounded, Rachel quickly withdrew her arm. She sunk into her seat and her face turned red as she stammered.
"I- My- S-sorry…"
Interjecting, Mayumi placed her hand on Rachel's head reassuringly.
"She's a talented researcher, one of the best we have. But as a result, she lacks key social skills," justified Mayumi.
Artie looked away sulkily. Disinterested in the woman's defense.
"Let's stop this," sighed Artie.
"Whatever you need from me, just come out and say it."
Mayumi turned to Rachel, also curious about the answer Artie sought.
Rachel crossed her arms on the table and then placed her head down. She looked sapped as she revealed to Artie the reason for her genuine interest.
"Except for two hunters, the moonstone has remained transparent while displaying the number within."
Rachel raised her gaze to Artie, and light shimmered in her eyes.
"We only have our presumptions about what causes the moonstones to glow. With more research and time, we could have an answer," she continued, speaking more enthusiastically.
"Are you saying he's colored?" Questioned Mayumi, taken aback.
"It was dim, but there's no mistaking it; the moonstone shined blue when he held it," grinned Rachel, lifting her head from the table and peering at Mayumi.
"All this because of a blue stone…." Artie murmured, dissastified.
Unexpectedly, Mayumi jolted up from her seat.
"All this?" she repeated, infuriated by his lack of concern.
"Were you not listening?" Argued Mayumi, hovering over the table and looking down at Artie.
"Only two people out of over a thousand have colored stones, both of them significantly stronger than the rest of us."
The woman's voice became irritable, and she spoke a great deal quicker and louder.
"I WISH that I had the opportunity to obtain that kind of strength."
Rachel reached up and tugged on Mayumi's top, urging her not to cause a scene. The woman Complied, disengaged her harsh gaze, then returned to her seat.
"I appreciate all you've done for me, but I have no intention of doing more than the minimum to survive here."
Artie was evident in his message; however, he conveyed a hint of guilt.
A low screech sounded as a stool quickly slid back, and Mayumi departed without a word.
Just Artie and Rachel remained, and they sat without uttering a word. The silence ended when Rachel scooted her stool back and then pushed herself up from the seat.
"..."
("Why are you just standing there?") He thought, not hearing the woman part.
"Bandage," Rachel breathed shakily.
"Don't call me that," retorted Artie, raising his view toward Rachel.
"What are you looking a-"
Artie observed the woman's startled face. Her eyes squinted and peered toward the open ceiling. It wasn't just her that was behaving strangely; the entire room became dense with anxiousness.
Artie traced the direction of her gaze, looking up at where others had been quietly staring.
…
He raised his left hand over his throat and then squeezed. Terror nested on his face as he shivered and fell short of breath.
An object of his fear returned, and much sooner than expected.
Even under the sunlight, its fur was as black as night. Its sharp yellow eye's swayed from one side of the building to another. Electricity surged from its black claws, somehow keeping it afloat.
Its sights studied the room, sending chills down the spines of anyone unlucky enough to make eye contact with it. There it was, the godly being that Arite encountered during the landing massacre.
The beast emitted a low bass growl when it found what it sought. The sparks on its body began to fade, deliberately lowering its body onto the floor.
There was a faint tap as the beast touched down on the ground. It wasted no time in making way for its mark. The creature took two giant steps from its landing area, and Artie understood he was the prey the mythical beast sought.
"I-it found me," stammered Artie, his chest convulsing like his heart was planning an escape.
Hearing this, Rachel faced him, puzzled by what he'd said.
"Run!" Shouted Rachel as she dashed around the table and grabbed onto Artie's uninjured wrist.
The beast had landed dead-center of the establishment, so she led Artie against the back wall of the building and made way for the exit.
In his fright, Artie blanked. His body was tugged along one step at a time, not processing what his following action would or could be. He simply followed the woman's lead while looking at the back of her head.
The mighty beast ceased its movements as it adjusted its sights to the two attempting to flee.
"So that's what you're after," Sebastian murmured, a troubled smile appearing on his face.
A soft creak echoed as the wolf-like monster's body dipped down. Quickly pushing against the wooden floor with its hind legs, the flooring cracked, and the beast rocketed forward towards Rachel and Artie.
The second the beast flung itself, Sebastian too blasted off. He raced straight for the two, jumping off a table and while mid-air, spinning 360 degrees vertically and extending his muscular leg's outward.
Only a few feet away from being torn into, Sebastian's heavy drop kick crashed against the beast's readied claw, redirecting it off course.
Sebastian fell and clutched onto his knees. The man's well-timed attack subsequently caused his legs to ache and immediately become sore.
"What the hell is that thing made of? " Sebastian grunted, looking up at the beast whose attention was still fixed on Artie.
Painfully unaware their life was almost over, Rachel continued to pull Artie behind her.
The dark creature released another low growl, then took a quick effort after them, advancing into a run.
This time, the creature was intercepted by Ryu, who'd run up and bashed a stool against its side. There was a loud CRACK upon impact, and wooden fragments scattered everywhere. The attack itself didn't deal any noticeable damage, but the creature did stop in its tracks when its route was blocked.
"You stupid mutt," Ryu snarled, gathering himself and confidently walking from the monster's side to its front.
"Ready!?" He shouted back intensely.
Twenty riled-up hunters stood behind Ryu, blocking the exit that Artie and Rachel fled through. None of them carried actual weapons, just random furniture they'd picked up. Chairs, tables, whole benches; anything they could find became a tool for battle.
Prepared for war, the mob roared while shaking their makeshift weapons intimidatingly at the enemy.
"What's the plan?" Asked Mayumi, walking forward bare-fisted and planting herself at Ryu's side.
"We'll hold it back until the others arrive," asserted Ryu, raising his hands and cracking his knuckles.
"Understood," replied Mayumi, calmy rotating her arms and stretching her limbs.
The beast straightened its posture, displaying his immense size. Three feet larger than their average hunter, the wolf-like creature looked down at them mockingly.