Chapter 23: Joining the Brotherhood
Torrack had a lot on his mind. The mysteries surrounding Lyra's growth, Kaelith's budding abilities, and the elusive nature of enchanted gear all swirled in his thoughts. But at the forefront was a more immediate concern—money. Now that Kaelith was with him, their expenses had doubled, and traveling wasn't cheap. He needed more coin, and quickly.
After spending some time doing smaller quests, Torrack realized they weren't going to cut it. He needed bigger rewards to support both him and Kaelith. For that, he had to take on more significant tasks, but that meant he'd need a bigger group to tackle the higher-level jobs.
Determined to find a way, Torrack returned to the guild. As fate would have it, he ran into the same group he had traveled with before arriving in the city—the three companions who had helped him escort the merchant. They recognized him immediately, greeting him with familiarity.
"Back in town, I see!" one of them, a tall woman with a quick smile, said.
"Yeah," Torrack replied, "but I'm in need of more coin now. Bigger jobs. I was hoping to find a steady group to work with."
The three exchanged glances, and the largest of them, a burly man with a thick beard, grinned. "You're in luck, friend. We've got a brotherhood—a small one, but it's ours. Just the three of us, plus two others. Five in total. We take on contracts either together or in smaller teams, depending on the job."
Torrack's interest piqued. "A brotherhood?"
"Aye," the woman said. "There are many of them spread around the city. Some large, some small. Ours is on the smaller side, but we get by. We could always use more hands, though."
The man with the beard clapped Torrack on the shoulder. "You interested in joining?"
Torrack considered it for a moment. With a steady group, he'd be able to take on larger quests with greater rewards. It seemed like the perfect opportunity.
"Count me in," he said.
The group exchanged satisfied nods, clearly happy to have a new member. "Good to have you," the woman said. "This means we can tackle some bigger tasks."
They went on to explain how the brotherhoods worked in more detail. There were different levels of quests posted at the guild, with tasks ranging from simple deliveries to dangerous monster hunts. Once the task reached level 2 or higher, it required more than three people to complete. This opened up a whole new world of opportunities for Torrack, as his small group had previously been limited to the easier, low-reward jobs.
Now that he was part of a group of five, they could take on tougher quests and split the rewards. It was exactly what Torrack needed.
The very next day, Torrack looked over the quest board at the guild. His eyes landed on a level 3 quest that caught his attention—a beast had been attacking merchants along one of the major trade routes. The creature was reportedly massive, with enough strength and size to cause serious damage. The reward was ten gold coins—two for each member of their group if they succeeded.
"This one," Torrack said, pointing to the quest.
His new companions glanced at it. "A level 3 quest?" the bearded man said, rubbing his chin. "It's risky, but with the five of us, we should be able to handle it."
The group agreed, and the quest was accepted. Torrack could feel a weight lifting off his shoulders. If they completed this job, they'd each walk away with two gold coins—a decent haul for one job.
Before they set out, Torrack made his way to the market. He had a plan in mind. If they were hunting a beast, there was a chance they could sell parts of it for additional coin—its hide, bones, meat, or even its teeth might fetch a good price.
At the guild, he inquired with one of the clerks about this. "Is there any money to be made from selling parts of a beast after a hunt? Hide, bones, that sort of thing?"
The clerk, an older man with spectacles perched on his nose, nodded. "Indeed. Some merchants and traders pay good coin for beast parts, depending on what you bring back. Fur, hide, meat, bones—it all depends on the condition and the type of beast. I'd recommend bringing whatever you can carry. You can sell it here, or at the market."
That was exactly what Torrack had hoped to hear. With that information in mind, he headed to a nearby vendor to purchase something that would allow him and Kaelith to carry the spoils of the hunt. He settled on a pair of sturdy, leather-bound packs. They weren't expensive, but they were well-made and would allow them to carry whatever beast parts they could salvage. He handed one to Kaelith and slung the other over his shoulder.
Kaelith, still new to the adventuring life, looked at the pack with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. "Do you really think we'll be able to carry that much?"
"Maybe not everything," Torrack said, "but enough to make some extra coin. Every bit helps."
With their supplies ready and the group assembled, Torrack and his new companions prepared to set out for the merchant road, where the massive beast awaited them. Torrack felt a surge of anticipation. This was the type of challenge he had been waiting for—one that would test his abilities and help him secure the resources needed for the journey ahead.
The journey to find the beast was long and tense. Torrack, Kaelith, and the rest of the group followed the trail of destruction, deeper into the forest where the creature had been spotted. Signs of the beast's rampage were everywhere—trees uprooted, massive claw marks gouging the earth, and remnants of shattered merchant wagons.
The air was thick with tension as they finally came upon their target.
It was massive—a hulking creature with black fur and enormous tusks, its eyes glowing a fiery red. The ground trembled as it moved, and its roar shook the leaves from the trees.
The group spread out, trying to flank it. One of them fired arrows while another charged with a sword, but the beast dodged and lashed out with terrifying speed. Torrack, standing back, clenched his fists, realizing that his usual hand-to-hand tactics would be ineffective against something so enormous. He had to think quickly.
Kaelith, on the other hand, focused on her magic. Her connection to nature had grown stronger, and with a sharp command, she sent her energy into a nearby tree. A large branch descended from above, wrapping around one of the beast's legs and halting its movement for a moment. But it wasn't enough.
The beast, enraged, broke free and swiped at one of their comrades, sending him flying across the clearing. His body hit the ground with a sickening thud, motionless.
Torrack's heart raced. They were losing. He needed to act. But how?
In the chaos, a thought struck him. Torrack had spent years tapping into the auras around him—sensing, manipulating, even directing them. Could the beast's aura be vulnerable? He had never tried something like this on such a scale, but it was their only chance.
Taking a deep breath, Torrack focused on the creature. He reached out with his mind, feeling the pulsing, chaotic energy radiating from the beast. Its aura was wild, ferocious—a reflection of the beast's strength and fury. But Torrack had an edge. He could manipulate auras, even attack them.
His hands extended, and he concentrated on the flow of energy from Lyra's world—the source of his power. He sent tendrils of his aura toward the beast, wrapping them around its own energy like invisible chains. The creature roared, thrashing wildly as it felt the intrusion, but Torrack didn't let go. He gritted his teeth, pouring more of his will into controlling the beast's aura, holding it in place.
It was a battle of wills, and Torrack could feel the immense pressure building. Sweat dripped down his face as he fought to keep the beast bound, every muscle in his body tensed with the effort.
"Now!" he shouted to the group, his voice strained.
The archer fired another volley of arrows, this time striking the beast's exposed flank. Kaelith focused her energy on the ground beneath the creature, roots bursting forth and coiling around its legs, pinning it down even further.
But the final blow didn't come from them. One of the remaining adventurers, sword in hand, saw the opening. With a fierce cry, they charged forward and plunged their weapon deep into the beast's neck, twisting it as they drove it through.
The beast let out a final, blood-curdling roar before collapsing in a heap, its massive body hitting the ground with a thunderous crash.
Torrack collapsed to his knees, panting. His body ached from the strain of holding the beast's aura in place, but it was over. They had won.
Back in the city, the group mourned the loss of their fallen comrade, but there was little time for reflection. They had to salvage what they could from the beast's carcass. They sold the tusks, hide, and bones to a merchant, but much of it had been damaged in the battle. Still, they managed to earn an extra gold coin each from the sale.
Torrack pocketed the coins but couldn't shake the feeling of the battle—the strain of using his aura in a way he had never done before, the loss of one of their own, and the realization that the road ahead was only going to get more dangerous. He glanced at Kaelith, who had shown impressive growth with her magic, but there was still much for her to learn.