Gale stood frozen still while looking at the woman. Tall with long limbs, she briefly glanced at him with hazel eyes, only a slight hint of green mixed in, before turning away. The blonde color of her hair shined bright as it curled around her neck and up to her cheek.
"Gale? Are you okay?" Lukia pressed her hand to his left arm and examined his expression. It didn't take much thought to put two and two together. Caleb and the rest of the group understand Gale has a history with her.
"Are you all going to stand there and wait by the gates or follow me to central?" Kayla spoke in a harsh tone. Some of it was directed at Gale as she continued to walk into the Guild Headquarters. Gale dragged his feet briefly, nearly tripping over himself, but followed after her. Caleb and the party stuck close to him silently.
Passing through the gates and entering the building, Caleb adjusted his hood so his eyes could look at the ceiling of the main entrance. It was filled with lights powered by machines and steam, showing that this place and the city of Barou were more advanced than many of the areas in Heistorm. Gale ignored the sights, his eyes loosely trained on Kayla as she continued to lead them.
Small whispers of Guild members surfaced, and Gales's name was mentioned in the distant whispers, with words like "It's him, right?" and "What is he doing here?" are common.
"You're late, Phantom Blades. You were supposed to arrive within a month of accepting the job. Several weeks late is a grave mistake we can't overlook here, and as one of the representatives, I am not enthusiastic about your performance thus far." slicing into him, her words pierced their ears. Gale doesn't speak, only continues to move in silence.
Herk steps forward and speaks up. "A month to reach Barou from Saiana is nearly impossible. We faced many encounters, and several members needed to recover from them."
"Excuses will only make me disapprove further. Best to keep it short." Herk lets out a worried chuckle before stepping back. Lukia, feeling the situation, takes her chance to step up, but Caleb stops her, knowing that it won't make a difference.
Licking his lips nervously before speaking, Gale recites a few inaudible words before getting cut off by Kayla opening the large doors to the main offices. A large chamber that is decorated with a central hub of secretaries and Guild members speaking with adventurers turns their attention for a small moment before returning to their previous discussion.
"Head up these stairs and announce your presence to Guild Leader Iori; he has your current contract. Now, I have important matters to attend to other than leading you like a group of children around." Pointing us toward the stairs, she turns into the side offices, where she most likely conducts her work.
"She didn't have to be a bitch about it." Lukia blurts out. Ivian and Yann burst out a chuckle, and Caleb shakes his head.
"Watch what you say about her." Gale finally speaks.
"What..?" Lukia confusingly looks at Gale. "If you know her, fine, but she could have been a bit more professional about it."
"She had every right to criticize us. She doesn't tolerate failure or inadequate results..." Depression leaks out of Gale's tone, and his hand shakes while holding his head.
"Sigh...Gale..." Lukia turns to him and places a hand on his cheek, slowly bringing him back to his senses. "I've had enough of random drama in our party. Let's be adults and move forward. If you want to talk about it later, we'll do that, okay?" Gale softly looks at her and nods with his eyes closed.
Caleb steps up and takes charge, "Let's go, guys. This way." Following the stairs to the main office of the Guild Leader, a woman steps out of the doors before they can reach them. She was an elf with dark brown hair and yellow-tinted eyes. Storming out, she turns with a disgruntled look and shouts.
"If you're going to be a prick, do it on another day, Iori! Get me that information on the Empire!" Before she can gain a response, she turns only to bump into Caleb, knocking him to the ground in her fit. "Shit, sorry, I-" Her eyes widen when the hood uncovers his hair. Her teeth clench tightly, and she begins to speak again but continues to storm off with the parting words, "Flithy Nixen..."
Lukia quickly grabs Caleb and drags him to his feet, asking if he's alright. Waving away her concern, he simply ignores the comment and spots a man holding his head in his hands behind a desk. "It's not that simple, you know..." The man speaks under his breath.
"Ehem!" Caleb approaches, looking around the room. Catching the man's attention, he lifts his head to see the party. Dark circles cloud his eyes from lack of sleep and nutrition, his pale skin, greasy hair, and raspy voice comes across as someone who should be dead than alive.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. My friend she...well, I hope she's still my friend. She can be a bit mildly hot-headed for her people. Pay her no mind, please. Now, what can I do for you?" His expression continues to be that of a depressed man barely awake, causing everyone to look at him suspiciously.
Gale clears his throat and steps forward. "We're the Phantom Blades here to report on the Plantinum quest you gave Saiana village. We're here to speak with Guild Leader Iori. Is he here?"
The man looks at Gale with a dreadful glance before taking a long sigh and leaning back into his chair. Gasps of air leave his windpipe before he gets from his seat. "That would be me, Iori Zun, the current head of his location for the Guild."
A string of shocked expressions finds everyone staring at the slim, ghoulish-looking man. His face shows no ounce of a leader in such a high position, let alone to be a part of the Guild. Caleb notices that Iori has the same eye structure as Zoafain and Mei. Iori catches his gaze and spots the bright white hair of the young soul.
"I heard about the Phantom Blades having a young Nixen in the group. This must be the great Caleb Aris, son of Valum Aris, the lord of Heistorm and head of the Crimson Knight order."
"H-How did you know that?" Caleb's expression slowly drops.
"I have my ways of gathering information in this network. Finding out who we hire for jobs is one of my greatest responsibilities. The Empire has a big price on your head to go to war with your father. I wonder why you would even pursue a profession that may expose you to the Empire?" Iori's smirk is twisted upon his lips. Ivian and Herk look at each other, then back to Iori, who clasps his hands together, gaining their full attention. Gale, Lukia, and Yann don't know how to react to this sudden confrontation.
"Sorry, didn't mean to cause you to be alarmed." His expression shifts to an innocent smile, and his body relaxes. "I'm so so so so so glad you guys made it! I was worried sick that something might have happened to you all!"
One after another twist to his character, everyone again looks at Iori, confused and conflicted with their thoughts. This ragged-looking man presents himself as the Guild Leader and seemingly knows who they each are individually. He knows about their secrets based on his information gathering, yet he expresses himself in a childlike manner afterward.
"Why the long faces, everyone? Please, sit down; we have much to discuss, don't we?"