Astakolpis was a city that was recently gaining prominence in the trade routes in the realm of Infinity Unleashed. It was a rising star in the eastern province of Tenumi. For what I managed to gather, Astakolpis is a place that the powers at be are very keen to be uplifted to success. For that reason alone, players flock to the city for the benefits that come with a city of that status.
Everywhere we look, there are storefronts that are blossoming into existence. The city is incredibly populated, so it isn't surprising to see many of the advanced NPCs roaming the streets. It was always impressive that the NPCs here are so realistic in both appearance and personalities. I have had the opportunity to interact with them, and I was actually surprised.
They are actual beings within this virtual world, and they live in it as such. The place that we were currently headed to was our guild hall. Since actual players have more control over their destiny compared to the NPCs, that meant that we were capable of lining our pockets at a more efficient rate.
While the NPCs struggled in poverty in certain cases, the average player was basically within the middle class. There were several ways for upward mobility for players, but there is no greater way to improve other than joining a guild.
Not only is there strength in numbers, but you are also in the presence of more experienced players on your server. Working together allows all of those who manage to pull their weight to have more success than those who work in solitude.
All of that hard work culminates with an official guild hall within many cities and towns on Tenumi Island. Our guild's headquarters is located within Astakolpis for reasons that are above my paygrade, and since the Gold Coin Brigade has the most influence in the region, then it is showcased with our hall.
It is the largest building within the city, excluding the city hall and the local church branch. Although it is predominantly run by the NPCs, the guild elders within the Gold Coin Brigade have true power over the affairs. It is located almost in the dead center of the city, so it is only a few minutes' journey from the gate to the location. It isn't all too ornate in design, looking more like a large shop than anything. There was one thing that helped distinguish the building from the rest, and it is the large gold coin insignia locked at the front of the structure.
"You think that they'll ever update the design of the building? This one is a bit bland if you were to ask me.", I questioned Tomika.
The woman didn't offer me an immediate answer as she opted to pull open the door to the facility. The inside of the building was relatively barren compared to the outside of it. There were a few items on stands placed towards the walls.
Paintings of various individuals and events were mounted on the wall, but none of them were actually notable to me. There was one crop of paintings that I did recognize, and they were self portraits of the elders and upper echelon of the organization.
"No one asked you.", Tomika finally answers. Her voice was as sharp as the point of her ears.
"Maybe they should then. If I am going to stay here with this guild, then it needs to at least have cool aesthetics."
Tomika shook her head at my words. Looking at her clothes, Tomika enjoyed having the guild hall as boring and uninspired as the clothing that she was wearing. Despite the unoriginal design, there will still guild members and affiliates going throughout their own tasks inside of the building.
"Flashiness is an indicator of arrogance. We work and serve the guild for the betterment of those around us and ourselves. We should remain as neutral as possible."
"It is good to have a little pride, T. Separates us from the wild beasts that the guild sends us after. Speaking of which, this event in Stormpass. Is it one of those monster extermination events?"
Tomika merely shrugs off my question. Though I believed that it was out of true ignorance.
"We have a handler. We are supposed to meet them here, so we will have our answers then.", Tomika replied.
The way the Gold Coin Brigade operates is usually with a multi-person party system. There are normally four or five members, depending on the circumstances. The one who is in charge and operates the event is referred to as "The Handler." The Handler gets their information from the guild itself and leads the often preselected teams to complete the objective. These setups are usually required for events that have a high casualty rate, so I was a bit surprised that we would be placed with one.
"We're getting a Handler for Stormpass? That is quite the surprise. If it is that important, then isn't it weird that we are selected as representatives for this event?"
Normally, Handler required missions are reserved for members of the Guild that are B ranked and above. In this situation, I am a relative newbie at D rank, while Tomika's a C rank. We're both under ranked, yet the guild wants us on this team. I needed answers for why now. I can only assume that Tomika is also curious since she was leading us to the receptionist's desk in the guild office.
The receptionist was the same one as usual. The other players in the guild refer to her as "Mother Bear" since she was a bear beastman. Her tall, lumbering features are expertly maneuvered within the finite area around the desk. Despite her bearish features, Mother Bear wore a friendly smile on her snout. Before meeting Mother Bear, I had never come across a bear beastman since they were incredibly territorial. I also heard that despite being regular NPCs, bear beastmen who are members of the Ursa Major clan are incredibly formidable. You could hardly tell with the large red dress that Mother Bear was wearing.
"You two…You are The_Dominator and… Lady_Tomika, correct?", Mother Bear asks.
The NPCs in this world are capable of learning and evolving when it comes to acquiring information. Some possess a keen intellect as well, but others only recognize the players due to their gamer-tags. Mother Bear was one of the latter. She would not properly remember the shortened version, no matter how many times I informed her.
Tomika was already aware, so she merely nodded to the woman. Mother Bear would then accept the confirmation from my companion and move on to the next event. She shifted backward before collecting an item from behind her desk. A soft thud occurred as she placed a head sized orb onto the wooden surface. A bright blue light lit up as Tomika placed her hand on it with no hesitation. As a result of her action, a small screen illuminated when it showed its contents.
"Not that guy. Are you serious?"
I couldn't help but grip as I absorbed the information on the screen.
~ Missive: Investigation into Stormpass!~
Mission details: Stormpass has been a mediocre town up to this point in its history. Recently, things have become more prosperous for the town, and as a result, it was blessed with an event. The event is Territory Domination!
Within the town of Stormpass are citizens with information on the last few attempts of our domination. The Gold Coin Brigade has dispatched several units in an attempt to pacify the region, yet the last three squads have been wiped out. There has been no indication of the affiliation of those who are responsible, but it is up to the next unit to investigate.
Handler: Fernad0_Da_Man
Party Members: Harris_Burger, Lady_Tomika, and The_Dominator.
Investigate and, if possible, pacify the region under Gold Coin Brigade control. The meeting will take place in room 105.
[Blurred Section]
~Missive Close!~
Overall, the mission that seemed to be bestowed upon us was an information gathering one. It was a peculiar choice considering neither Tomika nor I were stealth specialists. We are both attack type character builds, so it was out of the ordinary to send us on a reconnaissance mission. I also found it strange that there was at least another paragraph that was blurred for me. She didn't seem to have any trouble perceiving it as I could spot her eyes following the lines.
"Hmm- Let's get prepared.", Tomika instructs.
Although her frankness is unsurprising, I was surprised that she didn't say anything about the contents of our mission. She knew just as well as I did that this mission broke the routine. Tearing her gaze from the missive on the orb, Tomika instead placed her focus on me. Her gaze was enough to send a shiver down my spine. A bead of sweat trickled down my temple following the action.
"Wait. Are you sure that this is the right mission for us, Tomika? This is a reconnaissance mission, and all we are good for is throwing around bodies."
Tomika didn't offer much of a response but instead spoke with her actions. She merely walked away from the desk. I followed her without hesitation since it was obvious where she was leading me. After all Room 103 is also located within the guild hall. To my surprise Tomika moved with uncharacteristic haste, and before I knew it, we had arrived at the door.
The hallway that we were currently in actually stood out. There was a crimson carpet that ran the length of it, and the walls were a deep chocolate color. There were many more portraits of members of the guild; each was lined with a golden frame. The door that we stood in front of was a lighter brown, with a small label on the top of it. The number of the room was cursively written in a reflective, golden text.
We were in a section of the facility that was resevered for those that were placed on Handler missions. I guess you can say that the upper echleon of the guild meet here occasionally. I wouldn't know too much since this would be my first mission of this type. I could help, but feel uncertain about it considering the odd behavior of my partner.
"Tomika. What's gotten into you recently? It isn't nice to ignore a person when they are -"
"Shut up.", She scolds. Her sharp gaze latched onto me, and she covered her lips with a single finger.
"Tch-"
While she can be rough around the edges, Tomika can be disrespectful for no reason. It actually was an annoying trait of the tiny Japanese elf.
I heeded her demand, but I wasn't too happy about it. My scoff was proof of that, and I let her hear it. I wasn't one that usually backed down, but I had no choice when it came to Tomika. Maybe it's because of tthe narrow eyes that she possesses that could pierce my soul.
'What the hell has gotten in her? Moving quickly and telling me to shut up. This whole mission seems strange, and she knows something. Just what aren't you telling me, Tomika?'
Her actions were quite peculiar, but I guess I'll have to wait for the others. Harris_Burger, or simply Harris, seemed to also be placed on this mission. This is supposed to be a simple one, but everything seems to hint at something else. I just couldn't wrap my head around the necessity of this mission with this unit.
There was an option to pacify the region as well, but there were supposedly others that were sent before us. That just raises even more questions than it gives answers. Turning away from me, Tomika reaches her hand towards the door, but she hesitates before it reaches. That was a red flag to me. Just what could have been written that caused Tomika to hesitate?!
My eyes quite literally widened at the action, but before I spoke, she managed to follow through. Four sharp knocks occurred before finally a response was granted.
"No need to wait. Come on in. There is much for us to discuss."
There is indeed much to discuss. Tomika reached out for the doorknob, but the woman again hesitated. Once was a fluke, but a second time sprouted the appearance of a second red flag. There is indeed much to discuss, and as the door creaked open, perhaps I will finally acquire the answers that I require.