"I've done many things in my life. I've swam with the fishes(against my will), I've climbed Mount Fuji (against my will), and I've been chased by wolves(the smaller kind at the dog park)...(against my will). This was the first time I've wanted to do something for myself and I hope to never do this again." Torell thought, eyes rolling into the back of his socket as the ship broke the sound barrier. Faster and faster and faster and fire. Skullcraker clutched his seatbelt- eyes sealed. Jejj couldn't hold back their smile, the adrenaline they felt from crashing into another planet felt euphoric.
"Www-w--weeewee aaaaaare aaaalmooooost tthththereee. Ddddddon'ttttt wowowowoworrrrryyyy y--y-y-youuu twwwwoooo." Clark lifted his thumb from the yoke, making it barely visible to the two teenagers in the back.
"Fffffocccus oooon llllllannnndinnng." Zein chided, hands covering Wu's ears while curled into a ball in his lap. The little monkey cried under his breath as Zein stroked his head with his thumb.
"OooOOoooOOOkkkaay." Clark forced a smile, his pearl-white teeth shining through his thin lips.
In the back, by Jejj, Skada stared at the ceiling emotionless, trying to steady her breath as the fire grew around them. She mumbled to herself, words inaudible.
5.4.3.2.1. A runway leading to a white, trapezoidal tunnel. Clark pressed a button on the yoke, forcing the ship to slow down and releasing the wheels. Everyone inside jerked forward, necks outstretched, and slammed back into their seats. Zein held Wu close.
"Why... Did you not install a calibration mod…" Zein huffed.
"I thought... We already discussed this…" Clark huffed.
"....right…"
"My head hurts." Skuullcraker held his head.
"Aww, it's probably cause it's your first time! You'll get used to it." Skada comforted.
"Shit rocked." Jejj stretched their arms and left them behind their seat's headrest.
"Oogie?" Wu freed himself from Zein's arms and climbed onto a knocked-out Torell. He began smacking the back of Torell's head. Zein lifted the monkey by the nape of his neck.
"That's not going to work, Wu?" Zein raised the monkey to meet his eyes.
"Oogie?" Wu tilted his head.
"Need more muscle, lil' man." Jejj flexed their triceps and abs.
"Oogie…" Wu's head drooped.
"Cheer up, Wu, you'll get stronger." Zein kept the monkey on his shoulder, who perched with sadness. "Let me try calling him."
Zein tapped Torell's name, hitting the call button.
Ding. Ding Ding. Ding Ding. Ding Ding. Ding Ding. Ding Ding. Ding Ding. Ding Ding. DIng DIng. Ding Ding. Ding Ding. Ding Ding.
"Huh…Wha…" Torell scratched his forehead, eyes forming slits.
"It's time to go go go, Rell! Wake up!" Clark roared.
"O-okay." Torell jumped awake, unbuckling his belt. The rest followed suit. They raced into the tunnel, wheels grazing the runway. Strips of blue neon lead the ship towards a dock.
"I-is the tunnel supposed to be this long?" Torell leaned forward, getting a better view of their surroundings.
"Nooo but there are a lotta people entering right now! The tunnel works like one of 'em loading screens. Sooo, the longer the tunnel, the longer the load!" Clark explained.
"Sick." Jejj commented.
The tunnel came to an end as the ship reached a circular room with a flat roof. White metal sheets lined its walls, glowing ever so slightly.
Clark smacked a button on the side of the airship's door. Pshhht. The door slid open. The stairs shot out. One by one the adventurers exited the plane.
"Home sweet home!" Skada jumped from the stairs. "For now!"
"This space is so much bigger Mr. Kal!" Skullcracker marvelled.
"Aha…Yeah… It sure is." Clark slumped.
"Oogie oogie." Wu patted Clark's hair.
"Thank you, Wu." Clark shed a tear.
"Alright, let's get going, no need to mope around." Zein kicked Clark's behind, walking ahead.
"Shut up!" Clark pointed with aggression. "You aren't the one being called Mister!"
"How do we get out anyway?" Zein looked around- not a door in sight.
"Tap the wall and find out!" Skada imitated a game show host.
"Bet."
"Wait what."
Jejj dashed to a wall, banging it with their open palm… Silence.
"Sure somethin's supposed to-"
Whzzzzzzzz. A noise from within the walls.
"Wha-what's that noise!" Torell staggered.
"You'll see, you'll see, Rell!" Clark massaged the orc's shoulders.
Clark dragged Torell to Jejj. The rest trailed behind. Now clumped together, they waited with bated breath. Ding! Whoosh. The wall extruded and rose, revealing an elevator; its suddenness scared Torell and Skullcracker. Even Zein couldn't help but be caught off guard.
Ding. Please enter the elevator. Taking you to Babel's First Platform.
Jejj rushed into the elevator, examining its glass interior. "Holy shit."
"I knew you'd like it!" Skada wrapped their arm around Jejj's.
"Do we just get it? I don't see buttons." Zein studied the interior, looking for elevator buttons.
"Get in get in get in, Zeizei." Clark pulled Zein's arm, bringing him closer to himself. "You're asking too many questions! Just get in."
"Alright, alright, don't drag me around." Zein freed his arm.
"I-is it safe?" Torell knocked on the glass walls.
"I'm sure it is if Mr. Kal thinks so!" Skullcracker examined the wall with him.
"O-oh true." Torell stroked his chin.
The party piled into the elevator and the door closed in tandem with the wall. With a click, the elevator began its ascent.
The five of them were taken on a journey. A journey through layers upon layers upon layers of bridges and elevator tracks, all interwoven with one another. Crossing and twisting. There was a sense of harmony in its chaos. Chaos painted in reds and blues and purples and pinks. All bright and flickering. Adventurers roamed the labyrinth-like station with ease. An everyday experience for those at the top.
"How they navigate this?" Jejj watched the adventurers traverse the station.
"Once ya traverse the place enough, it basically comes to ya like breathing." Clark explained.
"Woah…" Skullcracker basked in the station's complexity.
"H-how high are we going?" Torell gazed into the neverending layers of the abyss.
"What's the hurry big guy!?" Skada leaned on Torell, gazing with him. "Scared of heights? We were just on a mountain yknow, hehe."
"N-no. I'm fine." Torell backed away, eyes wide.
"Aww, aren't you cute." Skada poked his cheek.
Clark leaned into Zein, who couldn't help but have stars in his eyes as he stared at the clusters of people and colours.
"Enjoyin' the view?"
"Yeah. I am. This is cool."
"I'm glad, Zeizei. I'm glad."
"Ooh, I see our exit!" Skada broke up the two.
The elevator made its way to a platform dotted with adventurers hanging around and making conversation. None of their levels were below 100. None of their armour worth less than a fortune. Dragon skin helmets. Red Wyvern Scaled Armour. Swords smelted with Mythril and Gold.
"I can never get over the equipment. It's all so good!" Skada squealed, clapping with excitement.
"Is that right?" Zein asked.
"Yeah! How often do you get to see this!? It'd take months to get to this level! And even then, this is all stuff that'd take forever to grind." Skada explained like a teacher.
"Oh, I know."
"Wha-?"
Ding. You have reached the First Platform. Please get down.
"Why are you so surprised?" Zein hopped off the elevator. "Didn't I tell you? I was pretty good." Zein smiled, eyes locked with Skada. "Come on, let's go."
"Where the guy at?" Jejj asked, holding their hand to their forehand, looking around. Similar to Aria City, shops with neon signs sold perishables and items, some even selling special souvenirs. Flies made regular appearances at these stores alongside the arriving adventurers. Under the moon's glow, Babel came alive.
"Riiiiiiiiight..... There."
Surrounded by skyscrapers reaching the stars, Clark pointed to a towering white building with red and gold stripes down the side right in front of them. Every two levels had a bridge connecting to the station.
"W-woah. Are all the buildings this big?" Torell gulped.
"This is so much bigger than our guild!" Skullcracker tried to measure the building with his arms.
"Hey! Our building is just as big!" Clark interjected.
"Put the fries in the bag, Kal. Take us there already." Jejj punched Kal's shoulder, making his arm ring.
"Bah!" Clark threw his arms in the air.
Adventurers parted like the Red Sea in confusion when Clark led the group to Guild Chivalry. "Why is the leader of Blue Lightning wearing level 30 armour."
"Likin' the stares?" Jejj nudged Clark's shoulder.
"Que sir-a, sir-a." Clark replied.
"You doin' this shit on purpose ain't ya." Jejj's eyes narrowed, face contorting. Clark shrugged his shoulders, hiding his grin from the annoyed elf.
"D-do they need such a large building." Torell asked, eyes scaling the building.
"They have thousands of people in their guild, so, I guess they do." Zein explained.
"W-woah…" Torell paused, thinking. "I don't know if I'd ever wanna join them."
"You'll get a lot of benefits though." Zein glanced at the orc.
"B-but they were the ones who like did the bad thing to you right?" Torell kicked a pebble in the direction of the building, unable to meet Zein's eyes.
"That's true, thank you then, Torell." Zein smiled, ruffling Torell's hair.
"O-of course. Y-youre-uhm-" Torell bounced in place, feet drawing circles. "you're my like-uhm-friend. Right?" He turned his body away from Zein.
Zein's eyes softened, warmth flowing from his body "Of course I am."
"N-nice." Torell pumped his fists. "Hell yeah."
"Alrighty kiddos! You ready to go in?" Clark posed- fists on his hips.
"Ye-"
"Okay let's go go go!" Clark interrupted the armourer. He swung the door open, bringing everyone inside to a halt. " Hello, Guild Chivalry." he said with excitement.
Guild Chivalry's members watched each other, looking for a saviour.
"Kal!?? What's up, buddy!? What brings you here? Why you got that cheap shit on?" A voice boomed from behind the frozen adventurers. His name was Rhodes, a half-man half-wolf whose hands were wrapped in bandages and eyes covered in a bandana. His chiselled body was barely visible under the light grey fur. The wolf dressed his bottom half with Wyvern Leather pants and Mammoth Fur Boots.
"Ahh, Rhodes! My man! How we doin', how we feeling, how we living, how we dreaming?" Clark matched the energy.
"Ohh you know how it be. We out here, livin'. You ain't answer m questions though." Rhodes pushed.
"I'm here to meet Himmel. Set up a meeting and everything too." Clark answered.
"I ain't mean that one but alright." Rhodes said to himself. "Those people behind you goin' to meet him too?"
"Everyone except pink beanie," Clark pointed to Skada. "You mind if she hangs out here?"
"Hiii, I'm Skada, nice to meet you cutie. I love the fur." Skada outstretched her hand.
"Oh, mama mama." Rhodes' jaw dropped. "How you doin' baby girl." he shook her hand with vigour.
"Ookay, we're gonna head up, ciao!" Clark ushered the rest of them away.
"Can I talk to you about something," Skada twirled the fur on Rhodes' chest. "It's important."
"Anythin' for you baby." Rhodes brought Skada closer. "Lemme take you on tour. Show you around the place."
Skada's giggles could be heard in the distance while the rest of the party made their way to an elevator.
Jejj cleared their throat. "How you guys flirt? Askin' for somebody."
"U-um. Maybe being nice to them?" Torell replied.
"I agree with that!" Skullcracker chirped. "That's what my mom tells me at least."
"Like complimenting their eyes... I think?" Zein said, unconvinced by his own words. "Apparently, that's how my dad got my mom to fall for him. He used to brag about it." he shrugged.
"With a girl? I don't know. I just walk into places and it usually works." Clark said with nonchalance.
"Oogie oogie! Oogieee." Wu jumped around on Zein's shoulder, arms waving.
"Bet. Bet." Jejj nodded, taking in their information. "Thanks, boys."
Ding. The elevator door opened before them, furnished with marble and glossy steel. The soft orange lighting gave the elevator a sense of luxury- a place for the privileged few. Floors ran into the 30's with the lowest floor being the basement.
One by one, the party entered. Clark clicked the button for the highest floor. 37.
Ding. The door closed behind them. The elevator took its time to climb, letting adventurers in and out. All greeted the Blue Lighting Leader. All continued about their day in confusion.
"Is the armour that bad?" Clark checked his armour, dusting off any dirt.
"I don't think anyone is used to you wearing level 30 armour since your usual is bright blue mythric steel." Zein folded his arms, unbothered by the dust on his robe.
"But they're being so mean about it!" Clark cried.
"Well, we are meeting their boss, so, why not complain to him?" Zein offered a solution.
Ding. Level 37. The doors opened. Standing before the five of them was an elf with a tablet. "Welcome. Kalel. Himmel is waiting for you." they peeked from their tablet.
"Reol! How are ya!? Thank you for makin' space for me on his schedule." Clark's teeth shined through.
"Please make sure it's about something." Reol sighed.
"Always is always is." Clark laughed, skipping out of the elevator and gesturing to the rest to follow. Zein made eye contact with the elf. He bowed to break it. They returned the gesture.
Walking down the hallway, Zein's anxiousness grew. This was the man who ordered his death. What was he gonna be like after a year? What was he going to say? What if he already knew of his identity? It wouldn't be surprising if he did. What if he just didn't care about his or his friends' plight? What was going through the leader of the most powerful guild's head? Zein wanted to know.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Yoohoo!" Clark called.
"Come in." A stern voice replied.
Clark barrelled through the door, revealing a man hunched over his desk.
"Kalel. And guests. Welcome to my guild. Do take a seat." A man dressed in gold welcomed.
"Himmel, buddy, long time no see! How are ya?" Clark greeted, walking towards a set of chairs placed in front of Himmel's desk.
"I didn't know you started seeing me as your "buddy", Kalel. I feel honoured." Himmel tapped the table.
"Of course, I see you as my buddy. How else would I see ya?" Clark forced a laugh. "British prick." he mumbled to himself. "Anyway, why are all your underlings so judgy? They keep givin' me and my armour the stink eye!" Clark took a seat, followed by Jejj, Skullcracker, and Torell.
Himmel studied the armour, holding his tongue "I will speak to them so you don't feel offended. Would that be alright?" Himmel said unflinching.
"... Yes. It would." Clark answered. During their conversation, Zein stared at the guild leader, like he was stuck in a trance. He stared at his face, his desk, his hands- his hands.
"Is there something on my face? Kalel's friend." Himmel asked.
"I like your ring." Zein dug his claws into his palms.
"Oh. Why thank you. I like it very much as well." The ring glinted under the moonlight.
"How'd you get it? I'd like one for myself." Venom seeped into Zein's voice.
"I see." Himmel stroked his chin. "Well, unfortunately, the man I got this ring from is no longer playing. So, I don't know. A fact which still annoys me to this day." he chuckled.
"Is that right?" Zein felt his heart in his throat, every beat clear to the ears. His eyes dyed red- breathing uncontrolled. Clark tugged at his robes, shaking his head. Zein shut his eyes for a moment and took a seat by a worried Clark.
"So, tell me, what brings you here, Kalel." Himmel inquired.
Skullcracker took a deep breath in, sitting up straight. Clark glanced at him, collecting himself. His eyes sharpened. "We need to talk about Skull Kidds."