Izik has a problem.
He always had a problem but right now, it felt like a serious problem that will change his life for good. The thing was in Serene there was a royal decree that if one was classified as a Class S Guide, they would have no option but to serve either the Imperial Palace or some dukedom where they will be assigned. Though there was a significant number of Guides, there's a scarcity of high-level ones.
Izik doesn't want to think that it was all due to Xanthe Soleil but he was not excluding the possibility that the Crown Prince candidate must have something to do with it.
The main problem was the moment they found out he was a Class S Guide, he can kiss his freedom goodbye.
Fixing his hood, Izik was determined to avoid getting shipped off to the Imperial Palace. He entered a bar at one of the suspicious alleys. When he was young and had to accept any job that would allow him to eat or get some money, he stumbled into guilds. There were guilds that were recognized by the Empire but there were also guilds that thread in the gray area. He guessed his sob story of childhood was paying off as he knew where he could find the right people he needed whether they were operating legally or not.
The first thing he saw upon entering the bar was a group of mercenaries, eating and drinking. They were all talking loudly about some nonsense such as new weapons and their magic. Ignoring the noise, Izik went straight to sit down in the bar, watching the old bartender wipe the glass on his hands.
Placing down a gold coin, he pushed it toward the edge of the wooden bar, "Two shots of virgin /Subrosa/." Izik kept his head down.
The bartender briefly stopped what he was doing, he let out an almost inaudible sigh before he began mixing a drink. "Any specific request, dear sir?"
"About the dungeon that appeared days ago..." His voice was as quiet as possible.
With a small hum, the bartender continued to mix his drink as he began giving Izik what he really asked for. "The dungeon was said to be a Class C dungeon." Izik's brow shot up. That dungeon was definitely not a Class C dungeon, not with those monsters and not with the artifact he got. The bartender pushed a drink in front of Izik. "However despite being a Class C... it's a Mythical dungeon."
Izik almost let out a loud 'what?'. He managed to contain himself, fists clenched tightly while he bit his lower lips hard. There wasn't much information about Mythical dungeons, Izik was only lucky to come across one book in the main library of Bizevau about it. There were at least 2 paragraphs about Mythical dungeons there. It talked about how it's the most dangerous dungeon with god-like beings inside those dungeons. One paragraph of that explained how it was theorized that the fall of the Kingdom of Isis was due to a Mythical dungeon.
His jaw went rigid. No wonder it looked like that. No wonder the monsters looked like those. And no wonder that even Xanthe Soleil had a bit of a hard time. Although, he'd like to think that if it weren't for those limiting spells, he most likely cleared the place in no time.
"Sadly, no other Hunters were able to get inside the dungeon as it seemed like no one can just enter it." Izik didn't reply and just reached for the drink, downing it. He thought of how the kids must have clung to the hope that Hunters will arrive and save them. He did too... Izik was bitter of the fact that it was only Xanthe who came to the dungeon despite knowing the capabilities of the latter.
But now he understood a bit. He doesn't know whether he liked what he learned or not... it felt like he lost the privilege to blame others for the deaths during that day.
"Even Prince Ravignac couldn't enter the dungeon. The only one who was able to enter the dungeon was..." He didn't even need to hear who it was... Izik was there after all. "Prince Soleil."
The bartender continued, "However because of this, mercenaries and Hunters from all over the Empire had been visiting the town in hopes that the dungeon will open again."
Placing down the empty glass, "The drink is fantastic." he commented blandly.
Of course, these damn greedy people would want the dungeon to open again. They wanted the treasures and artifacts inside especially it's a Mythical dungeon. Izik grabbed his wrist, feeling the protruding crystal under his sleeve. His mind went to the memory of the kids as their bodies were thrown like rag dolls by a gigantic marble lion.
Izik remembered the helplessness he felt. He was burdened by the fact that he can't do anything. That he was not powerful enough nor fast enough.
"Can I fancy you with another drink?" He was pulled back to reality by the bartender's question.
Izik smiled, "I did order two shots."
"Indeed." The old man began mixing another drink, something different this time. "What would you like, dear sir?"
"I need an Acolyte," Izik kept his head down. No one really goes to this place to ask for an Acolyte. Unless they're looking for unregistered ones. At some point, some Acolytes had figured out a way to cheat their designation. It was true that a single malicious intent can corrupt them and turn them into Heretics however through years of research, some found a way not to become one.
If there was one thing that Izik could count on in this world was the ability of human beings to find a workaround for something. May it be legal or not. May it be for the greater good or to destroy mankind.
The bartender pushed a new drink toward him. "I was told that there's a great one at the end of Lotus street. You just need to look for Tri Radha." Izik reached for the drink.
He drank it in one go. It was a bit sweeter than the first one and notably refreshing. Looking up at the bartender, Izik smiled at him as he placed the glass down. "The drinks today are great." Pulling out two silver coins, he tossed them to the bartender before he left the bar.
On his way out, he bumped into a soldier. Izik was quick to apologize as he continued his way. Outside the bar, he heard one of them announce, "We're looking for Izik Arden! This is his portrait and if any of you is able to see him, please contact us. Prince Soleil is willing to give 5,000 gold coins as a reward!"
That made Izik almost dash away, hiding in an alleyway, he teleported himself to Lotus street.
Did Xanthe Soleil finally lose his mind?
Izik knew he was insane but he didn't expect him to be that insane. Why in the world was he even looking for him? And with that reward? It's even higher than some wanted criminals!
Wait...
Izik held his head with both hands as he weakly leaned against the wall of some narrow alleyway. So the place where he was staying last time was Soleil. Knowing that it was Xanthe looking for him, it only meant that he was in the infamous north mansion. That mansion of the Soleil was known for the amount of bloodshed all over it.
"This is insane," he let out a sigh, head hitting gently the wall behind him. "5,000 gold coins! Who in the world will not sell me for that amount? That's all the money I saved!" Izik wanted to say he worked hard for it but if he was honest, he probably worked hard for the 20 gold coins while the rest came from his mysterious generous sponsor.
He was aware that such money and investment in him will come with the right price one day. Izik will no longer be surprised if some perverted noble knock on the door of his house one day saying they want him as their slave for all the money they gave him and not to mention that expensive fee for him to study in Bizevau.
But right now, that's the least of his problem because Xanthe Soleil just launch a manhunt for him.
"If I surrender myself, will I get that 5,000 gold coins?" Izik wanted to laugh. Just thinking how the new school semester was about to start within the next two and half months was enough to drive him nuts.
Well, Izik guessed, he now has /two problems/.
Taking a deep breath, he pulled himself together and began walking to the house that the bartender told him about. One problem at a time, he told himself. After knocking on the door of the house at the end of Lotus street, Izik stood and waited for a minute before the wooden door creaked open.
"What can I help you with?" A child, probably around nine years old, asked him.
"I am looking for Tri Radha." Izik replied with a friendly smile.
"Uh, get in, sir," the child replied.
Izik placed a hand on her head, patting it gently, "Thank you."
He heard the door was closed behind them. The child was quick to lead him to a room. It was like any other room until she pulled the carpet off and revealed a door to the basement. If it was like before, Izik would have been nervous but now he wasn't even a bit scared.
Was it because now he wasn't just any Laic?
Crazy how a person suddenly lose their fear once they knew they have powers. They have weapons. Suddenly, they have this confidence in them that wasn't there even before.
They went down at least two flights of stairs that were only lit by oil lamps that were attached to the wall. At the bottom, they then walked through a corridor that at least have six wooden doors. The child led him to the last door which she then pushed open. "We have a customer, master."