About three hours later, we got to the Blue Lake City.
Was it just me or did we descend the mountain faster than when we climbed it? I thought to myself.
We had already had breakfast before we left the dungeon, so we decided to go straight to the guild first. Maybe we could get a little information about any change that has occurred during our three months adventure, other than what we heard from the different people we happened to meet in the dungeon.
The city hadn't changed from the way we met it months ago. It was still a busy city filled with adventurers of the four races. But now we were able to notice some other people.
Engineers! We did not know much about engineers until the party we met in the dungeon a month ago. But now, thanks to them, we are able to tell the difference between adventurers and engineers.
Adventurers mainly wear armours, whether light or heavy. But engineers didn't need to. Unless they were in missions to dangerous places.
We got to the guild, and as usual, it was packed. Receptionist talking to adventurers, and clients, here to drop complaints or quests. Adventurers drinking and chatting away at the guild bar.
"Hmm... It seems the front desk is full. How about we wait at the bar until a receptionist is free." I said.
"Sure."
"Alright."
They replied. Then we headed to the bar. As I scanned the side of the large room set aside as a bar looking for a free table, I noticed someone that looked fairly familiar.
"Dorian?" I said.
Then the man, whose back I was staring at, turned to me revealing his face.
"Jordan?" The man said. "Yes, it is you. Ace. Jade. Nick. And Grey." The man was Dorian. An adventurer we helped in our first two days in the dungeon.
And he wasn't alone. He was with his party. Gorm. Hina. And Jack.
"Hey guys." Ace said. "It's been a while."
"Yes. It really has." Dorian said.
"Hey guys!" Hina exclaimed. "Wow. It's been so long. Come. Sit, sit."
And so we sat with them at their table. We hadn't seen them since they left the dungeon after completing their quest.
"Gorm. How are you?" Jade asked.
"Fine." Gorm said. He was still a man of little words.
"You all seem good." I said. "Guess you have been doing well since you left the dungeon?"
"Well, yes. We have." Dorian said. "We have been taking quests and gradually increasing our strength."
"Yes!" Hina said. "We also want to evolve. We don't want to remain C rank forever. So we are trying to increase our strength slowly."
"So we can finally conquer the Innate realm." Dorian added.
I nodded and said. "That's nice. Guess you didn't give up after all."
"Yes! So when did you guys finish your expedition?"
"Uhm. Literally, just now."
"Really?!"
"Yes. We haven't really met the guild yet, so I guess we can't really say we have finished yet."
"Oh! Then you guys must not know yet!" Hina said whispering.
"Know what?" Nick asked.
"Wellll! I think Dorian should tell you."
"What's wrong?" Jade said to Dorian.
"About a month ago," Jack started. "news began to spread about the north. Apparently, the north has been unified."
"Oh!" Jade exclaimed.
"Well, before that," Dorian added. "some rumours about a particular prophecy had already spread everywhere. So when the news about the north spread, people began to talk. And some speculation began to grow."
"Yeah. We know about the prophecy." I said.
"Really? How?"
"We met some adventurers and they told us. Continue what you were saying."
"Oh yeah! A few days ago, Margrave declared war on the north."
"What!?" I shouted. "Why?"
"Well they said something about the north taking, or, stealing their lands. So they want to go to war to reclaim their land."
"Really? So war has began?" I asked.
"Well no. Not yet at least. They only declared war a few days ago, so..."
"War! It sounds like the prophecy right?" Hina said.
"What do you mean?" Jade asked.
"You know. The prophecy. It said that once the one true king returns, then war follows. The new king of the north must be the one true king mentioned in the prophecy."
"Oh! Well you might be right."
"So?" I asked. "What are the other nations doing."
"Nothing really." Dorian answered. "Only Margrave has taken a firm stance on the north. But the weird thing is, the north still hasn't done anything. They didn't announce to other nations when they unified. They also haven't related since Margrave declared war. I am starting to doubt if the news is even real."
"What do you mean?"
"Well. The way they found out the north had been unified was after they found a wall covering the northern borders. But no-one has actually seen this nation of monsters. We only know that the we were told. And now Margrave is going to war because, the north stole their lands. I don't believe that."
"Dorian!" I said. He had been saying what he liked without thinking. "Are you sure you should be saying these things?"
"Yeah. It's okay. This is the five guild. The only neutral party in Mavis other than the Demon Lords. That's what this bar is for. So people can discuss things without worrying."
Really. That's interesting. "I didn't know that." I said.
"Many people don't."
"Wow! We didn't know so much was happening while we were in dungeon."
"Yeah." Ace said. "Things really have changed. Just like the prophecy said."
"Exactly what I was thinking." Hina said. "The Diviner's prophecy was accurate. It was just late."
*
*
As was planned a month ago by the six heads of the Merchant Guild, they were all, but one, back at the Merchant Guildmaster's office for another meeting.
But this time,... Doris was absent.
The other four Master Merchants and the Guildmaster, George, were already present in his office seated on the couch they seat on for these meetings.
They had planned to meet to discuss things if something had changed in the course of one or two months. But in only one month, the most drastic change has occurred. War.
"Where's Doris?" George asked the room.
"We don't know." Nina answered. "We came to the meeting as we planned. I think we should just begin without her."
"I don't think we can. She is head of all trade in Margrave. And Margrave is a major subject in today's discussion."
"Then should we just postpone?" Ronnie asked George.
"No!" George said. "We can't! We'll just have to continue without her. This meeting is important."
He sighed loudly then shook his head, before he continued. "Now, as we all know, the worst has happened. Margrave has declared war on the north."
"Yes. The news has spread everywhere." Nina said.
"Even to Salvador." Sven added.
"But why?" Ronnie asked. "Why did Margrave declare war?"
"They claimed that the north stole part of their territory when they built the wall. But, according to the information I received from the head guild, the north did not steal any of their land. Which means Margrave wants to use this war to expand their territory and also reduce the strength of the Monsters."