Chapter 20 - The Messengers

[ Caleb & Caspar | NightLanders Guild] 

"Welcome to the NightLanders Guild!" Kavan laughed. 

Heath and Ava were speechless as he laid on the ground in pain from her spell. They looked at each other then back at Sim.

"Did you really expect anything less when we're living in an alternate reality?" Heath whispered.

"Do you need any help Kavan?" Sim asked. 

"T-This is fine…" Kavan muttered. 

Caleb and Caspar walk by as they see Kavan slumped over  with exhaustion.  Caleb gives a sympathetic look and Caspar offers a quick pat on his shoulder. Neither speak, knowing that Kavan could curse them out. Caleb glances down at a piece of paper in his hands and frowns.

"What's wrong?" Caspar asks him.

"I guess he had his friend join…" Caleb noted. 

"Are we hitting the board?" Caspar questioned. 

"Truthfully we have our own quest to take care of from Kavan," Caleb noted. 

"Huh?" His partner asked, confused. 

"Someone asked for help from the Spiral Tower," Caleb explained. 

Down the hall and outside they were met with the Messengers of Damuzen standing at the door. The Messenger stood on his left and a smaller man on his right. Both had the same long white hair and dark complexion. The Messenger held a staff with a golden star in the middle and a large red orb at its end. Both men wore robes with a symbol of a spiral on their shoulders.

"We came to give you this," A man stated. 

Handing over an envelope  he was given a strange look as the messenger took it back. Caleb glanced at the seal on top as his thumb imprinted into the wax before placing it back into the messenger's hand almost robotically.

  "We are sorry you may no longer come to the Spiral Tower," The Messenger said.

"Wait, what just happened?" Caleb asked. 

"Nothing, anyways you don't need to come to the spiral tower now so please go along with the rest of your day," The Messenger announced. 

"Why did you take the message back?" Caspar questioned. 

"This is why we hate doing business you assholes! We were gonna waste our time on your problems!" Caleb shouted. 

"Grade A? You aren't even the best guild out there that the king could have chosen!" The Messenger laughed. 

"I will give you a taste of the serpent's fang!" Caleb threatened. 

"I doubt its fangs are anything more than a pinch!" He cackled. 

"Excuse me!" The Water sorcerer shouted. 

"It's not worth it!" Caspar shouted. 

Caspar had to hold Caleb back in rage "Come on, let's go back to the guild Caleb," Caspar said. 

"I don't think I want to know what they mean by being the best guild out there…" He added under his breath.

With that the two walked away, Caleb still seething with anger. As much as he loved his teammates, he couldn't deny that the Messengers had a knack for messing with his head. It was like having a bad case of jinxing it, every time he thought he had gotten past it. It seemed all his attempts were fruitless until recently though.

"Caleb, let's go level up!" Caspar begged. 

"Hell no! Tsunami Lance!" Caleb howled. 

A bullet of water shot out of his palm as the sharp projectile was nulled by the messenger's shield of light. Caleb roared and fired another wave that hit both messengers in the gut. He was rewarded with two more balls of water. Once again the messenger's shields blocked them while Caleb used the next volley of attacks to force his way through. Each time he would get slammed into the walls of the house next to the guild before being able to shoot off another attack. 

Caleb stomped angrily over to the messenger's as he gawked down at them holding his fingers out like a gun as if preparing to fire. He had to remind himself that he was in control here. With each step he took he kept his eyes fixed firmly on the messengers.

"Alright you bastards, I'm done playing nice," Caleb spat.

The two messengers shared a moment and a brief nod. In the same instant, the Messengers raised their palms and pointed at both Caleb and Caspar simultaneously. In unison, a wall of water sprung forth from the wall and crashed against both of them.

"We are going home!" The Messenger shouted. 

"Caleb, stop fucking around" Caspar shouted. 

Both of them drenched in water  and looking miserable as Caleb continued to aim his water ability towards the messengers.As he tried to focus, the messengers were quickly dashing off, trying to escape their assault.

"Dammit Caleb! Just stop!" Caspar shouted.

"What the fuck guys?" Zina yelled.

They jumped to their feet horrified as they gawked at the damage being done to the walls and ceilings. There were large chunks of rock, stone, wood, and steel littering the floor. Caleb was sitting cross legged in the middle of it, completely untouched, but also covered in water. A stream flowed down his face which was contorted into a mix between a sneer and a smile.

"Those stupid guys were here!" Caleb bragged. 

"What stupid guys?!" Zina growled. 

"Messengers of Damuzen, it's so dumb they pissed him off and blah, blah…you know Caleb's game," Caspar noted. 

"You will be playing a new game!" Zina shouted.