Padrin returned to Llyn with a light heart, his guild quest finally completed. The journey had been longer than he anticipated and grueling, but successful. As he walked through the familiar streets of Llyn, the bustling market, the busy shops, and the chatter of townsfolk brought a smile to his face. The sun had just begun its descent, casting a warm golden glow over the town as evening set in. Padrin and his group made their way to their favorite pub, eager to unwind after the hard-fought battles and the long trek back home.
Inside the pub, the atmosphere was lively, the air thick with the smell of food, ale, and the sound of laughter. Padrin took a seat at a table near the corner with his companions, ordering a round of drinks to celebrate their return. As the night wore on, his thoughts drifted to his last sparring match with Amukelo. That fight had stayed with him, not only because of Amukelo's skill but also because of the potential he had seen in the young warrior. Padrin had been looking forward to seeing how much Amukelo had improved while he was away.
The next morning, Padrin awoke with a renewed sense of purpose. His body was still sore from the guild quest, but the excitement of seeing Amukelo again pushed him forward. He headed to the training facility. He wondered if Amukelo had continued to grow, sharpening his skills and pushing his limits in their absence.
When he arrived at the facility, Padrin walked in with a high spirit, his eyes scanning the familiar faces of the trainees. He made his way to the front counter, where a man sat reviewing a pile of documents. "Morning," Padrin greeted, his voice filled with anticipation. "I'm looking for Amukelo. Is he around today?"
The man behind the counter looked up, furrowing his brow in thought. "Amukelo?" he repeated, scratching the back of his head. "We haven't seen him in a while."
Padrin's smile faltered, confusion creeping into his expression. "In a while? What do you mean?"
The man leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing some hushed gossip. "I don't know much, but there are rumors," he said, "that he got into some trouble with the Nameless Dynasty."
Padrin's heart skipped a beat at the mention of that guild. His mind raced as he whispered to himself, "Nameless Dynasty!? But why?" His brows furrowed deeply in concern, knowing full well the reputation of that infamous guild. But they weren't barbaric to pick fights with just everyone, especially not without reason. For them to target someone like Amukelo… it didn't make sense. "What happened? Do you know why he's not there?" Padrin asked, his voice now tinged with urgency.
The man shrugged, shaking his head slowly. "I don't know much about that either. Just what I've heard. Rumors, you know."
There were so many questions swirling in Padrin's mind. What could Amukelo have possibly done to attract the attention of the Nameless Dynasty? Did his friends got in trouble with Amukelo? What happened to them? It didn't add up, and the gnawing sense of worry that had begun to bloom in Padrin's chest wouldn't settle.
Padrin was about to thank the man and leave, his mind already spinning with possibilities, when the man behind the counter suddenly remembered something. "Ahh… I almost forgot," the man said, rifling through some papers. "I was told to give this to you if you asked about him."
The man handed Padrin a folded letter. Padrin looked at it with a mix of confusion and dread. The sight of the letter made his stomach tighten. He accepted it wordlessly, nodded to the man, and quickly left the training facility.
Outside, he found a quiet spot under a tree just outside the building and sat down, the letter clutched in his hands. His fingers hesitated for a moment on the edge of the seal before he finally opened it, unfolding the paper with a sense of foreboding.
---
**Padrin,**
I suppose I didn't have the chance to say goodbye to you in person, and it doesn't seem likely that we'll meet again.
Something terrible has happened. My entire guild… they're gone. Killed. I don't want to get into too many details—it's not something I can bear to write about in full—but I had no choice but to leave Llyn. I don't know where I'll end up, but I have to keep moving. There's no future for me here.
I just wanted to say goodbye, and thank you—for the training, for the competition. It's a shame we didn't get to sharpen our skills together for a little longer. I had always looked forward to our next match. I guess the gods didn't see fit to let that happen.
Take care of yourself, Padrin. You're one of the best fighters I've ever known, and I'm sure you'll only get stronger. I'll carry the lessons you taught me with me wherever I go, for however long I'm able to keep going.
Good luck, my friend. And goodbye.
The best,
Amukelo.
---
The letter left Padrin in complete shock. He stood under the shade of the tree, staring at the folded paper in his hands as if it would somehow change if he looked at it long enough. Amukelo's words echoed in his mind—*"My entire guild… gone. Killed."* He couldn't wrap his head around it. How could such a tragedy have occurred while he was away? The Amukelo he knew, strong, sharp, and relentless, couldn't have allowed something like this to happen. And yet, it had. His friends, his guildmates, were dead, and now Amukelo was out there alone, lost to the winds of fate.
The more Padrin thought about it, the more questions swirled in his mind. Why had the Nameless Dynasty targeted Amukelo? What had his guild done to provoke such a powerful guild? And why hadn't Amukelo left more information in the letter? The more he pondered these questions, the more restless he became. His hand clenched the letter tightly, knuckles turning white as his mind raced through every possible option. He knew he couldn't leave things as they were—he needed answers, he needed to know where Amukelo had gone and what had truly happened.
Padrin's first thought was to gather more information. The Adventurers' Association would be the best place to start. After all, Amukelo's guild had been well-known in Llyn, respected for its fast growth and its rise to a golden rank. If anyone knew anything about what had happened, it would be the association. With a renewed sense of urgency, Padrin folded the letter carefully and tucked it into his pouch, then set off for the association with determined steps.
When he reached the Adventurers' Association, the familiar sight of the building brought no comfort. Padrin pushed open the heavy doors and walked inside, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on a woman behind the front counter. She was busy sorting through a stack of papers, but as Padrin approached, her attention shifted to him.
"Excuse me," Padrin said, his voice tense, "I'm looking for information about Amukelo. You should know him and his guild."
The woman blinked, and for a moment, recognition flickered across her face. "Amukelo?" she repeated. "Yes, I remember him. I saw him about two months ago, but..." She hesitated, her eyes searching Padrin's face as if deciding whether to say more.
Padrin's heart pounded in his chest, his sense of urgency rising. "What happened?" he asked, his voice more forceful than he intended as his hands came down hard on the counter, rattling the papers in front of her.
The woman flinched slightly, intimidated by the sudden intensity in Padrin's demeanor, but she quickly composed herself. "I don't know exactly what happened," she admitted, "but he left this letter for you. He said I should give it to you if you asked about him."
She reached beneath the counter and retrieved another folded letter, holding it out to Padrin. He accepted it, his hands trembling slightly as he looked at the familiar seal. It was from Amukelo. Again.
Before he could say anything more, the woman continued. "When he gave me the letter, he was hiding his identity. I didn't recognize him at first, but when I accidentally said his name aloud… a group from the Nameless Dynasty overheard. They followed him."
Padrin's breath caught in his throat. *Nameless Dynasty*—again, that cursed name. He muttered it to himself, "Nameless Dynasty..." What had Amukelo done to provoke such a dangerous group? And why had they been in Llyn, waiting to pounce on him?
His mind raced as he tried to piece together the puzzle. "Is there anything else?" Padrin asked, though he already feared the answer.
The woman shook her head, her expression apologetic. "I'm sorry, I don't know anything more. That's all I know."
Padrin clenched his fists in frustration, his mind churning with unanswered questions. "Thank you," he said, his voice tight as he turned and walked away from the counter.
Outside the association, Padrin leaned against the wall, the weight of both letters feeling heavier than ever. He unfolded the second letter and began to read, his eyes scanning the words, but to his dismay, it was nearly identical to the first. It offered no new information, no additional clues as to where Amukelo had gone or what had truly happened. It was just another goodbye—a final, painful farewell that only deepened the mystery.
Padrin read the letter over and over again, hoping that he had missed something, some hidden meaning between the lines. But there was nothing. Just the same bleak words, the same tragic conclusion. Amukelo was gone, his guild slaughtered, and the Nameless Dynasty was involved. That much was clear. But where had Amukelo gone? And what had he done to provoke such a powerful enemy?
Frustration boiled inside Padrin. He spent the rest of the day asking around town, seeking out anyone who might have seen Amukelo in the last few months. He visited the markets, the guild halls, even some of the seedier taverns, hoping that someone, anyone, might have more information. But the results were the same everywhere he went—rumors, whispers, but nothing concrete.
Most of what he heard confirmed what he already knew. There had been a fight between Amukelo and Neclord, a powerful figure within the Nameless Dynasty. The confrontation had been brutal, and Amukelo had apparently tried to kill him. No one knew the exact reason for the conflict, but many speculated it had something to do with Amukelo's legendary sword. Neclord had coveted it, and the trap that had killed Amukelo's guild had been set to take it from him. But beyond that, the trail went cold. No one knew where Amukelo had gone after the fight, only that he had left Llyn, disappearing into the wilderness.