****
"How much longer do you plan on sleeping?" Mashel, a slender man with dark brown skin, tossed a pillow at a young Eziel.
"Just a few more minutes," Eziel pleaded, but Mashel was not having it. "I told you to wake up, you scoundrel!" Mashel threw another pillow violently at Eziel, who jolted awake.
"Hey!" Eziel complained. "Get yourself to the tavern, Jaeck is already furious," Mashel explained urgently to Eziel. "Damn it, you could have mentioned that earlier. Let's hurry before he loses his temper," Eziel, fearful of their team leader, rushed down. Jaeck, a muscular man, sat by the window, his bald head emitting smoke as he patiently waited for his companions.
Jaeck munched on his sausage, the dry bread a meager companion on his plate. A commotion erupted as his companions burst through the tavern doors, skidding to their knees in a flurry of apologies. Their frantic pleas for mercy were directed at Jaeck, their leader.
"Enough of this nonsense," Jaeck growled, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "We're already behind schedule. Finish your breakfast. I'll deal with you two after we complete the commission." He kept his voice low, avoiding an outburst that would draw unwanted attention in the tavern.
Mashel and Eziel exchanged a nervous glance, the unspoken message clear: Jaeck wouldn't be easily appeased. With their breakfast finished, a heavy silence settled over them as they exited the tavern and headed towards the imposing halls of Fólkvangr, the guild's headquarters.
The bustling city of Freiheitsstadt thrummed with its usual morning energy. Merchants heaved cargo onto their steeds, while vendors hawked their wares from rented stalls. Jaeck, ever the optimist, tried to lighten the mood. "Talk about a busy morning, huh?" he said, nudging his companions despite his own disappointment in their tardiness. After all, they were his closest allies, the ones he trusted with his back in a fight.
Eziel, catching on to Jaeck's attempt at cheer, offered a weak chuckle. "Yeah, boss. Hehe, that's why I prefer the nighttime city."
"Wait, but isn't it even more chaotic at night, especially with the red-light district around?" Jaeck countered, a playful glint in his eye.
Eziel's grin widened as he recalled his, ahem, "adventures" under the cloak of night. "Yaaap," he admitted with a suggestive nod.
Jaeck roared with laughter. "You gotta love the prostitutes over there," he added, still chuckling. Mashel, however, remained unconvinced.
"Nope," he declared, shaking his head. "I'd rather be home, fellas."
Eziel, a hint of jealousy lacing his voice, shot back, "You lucky scoundrel. Having a girlfriend does that for you, huh?"
Mashel smirked, offering a slight bow. "What can I say?" he chuckled. "I pay my respects to the lost gods."
****
"Hush now," Jaeck hissed, his voice low to avoid drawing attention as they reached the enormous, intricately carved doors of Fólkvangr. Opening these behemoths would take at least ten normal men or a single master. Thankfully, magic imbued the doors to slide open automatically.
Eziel, ever the admirer, couldn't help but marvel, "This place never fails to impress, even after all this time."
They proceeded to the reception desk, where a stunningly beautiful receptionist greeted them. "Well, well, Jaeck," she said with a hint of amusement in her voice, "fashionably late as always, I see."
"Apologies, lass," Jaeck replied, his gaze flickering towards his sheepish companions. "I'll definitely be giving these scoundrels some time management lessons." Mashel and Eziel gulped under their leader's scrutiny.
"Here," the receptionist said, handing Jaeck a slip of paper bearing the guild's official seal. He scanned it briefly. "A scouting mission, then?"
"Indeed," the receptionist confirmed. "Your team was identified as the most suitable for the task."
"I see," Jaeck muttered, his eyes lingering on the destination - "Sylvanbrook Village."
"We've been receiving unsettling reports that defy explanation," the receptionist explained. "That's why a scouting team is needed to assess the situation firsthand."
"And we're the ones tasked with this investigation," Jaeck concluded, his voice firm.
"Indeed," the receptionist acknowledged with a nod.
Jaeck rallied his team, "Alright boys, let's move! We've got a mission." Eziel and Mashel exchanged excited glances. Direct commissions from the guild were uncommon, and the promise of a hefty reward hung heavy in the air.
As they were about to leave, the receptionist stopped them. "One last thing, Jaeck," she advised. "It's best to focus solely on investigating the village for now."
Jaeck, however, brushed off her concern with a dismissive wave of his hand and exited the hall.
"Tsk," Eziel clicked his tongue once they were outside. "Looks like she thinks we're incompetent to resolve the matter." A hint of anger simmered in his voice.
Mashel chimed in, offering a more grounded perspective. "What can we say, Eziel? We're still Silver-ranked adventurers."
Jaeck, clearly frustrated with their current rank, frowned. "Enough with the complaining. Let's focus on proving ourselves. We'll become strong enough to make them see that our team is the best!"
Eziel, fired up by Jaeck's words, declared, "That's the spirit! Let's get out there and show those stuck-up bureaucrats what we're made of!"
Jaeck and Mashel grinned, bumping fists with Eziel in a gesture of solidarity. "Hell yeah!" they echoed, a shared determination burning in their eyes.