caspercadence

[caspercadence]

On the brink

It was a rather slow day, one of many as of late, and Klein seemed to notice that I was just twiddling my thumbs at my station. The young boy walked up to me, asking me to accompany him and his sister to the church.

I looked at the other guild receptionists, many of them in a similar state to my own, and decided to take my lunch break early to indulge the kids. He left to fetch his sister, and I waited outside the building for the both of them to leave.

It was a nice sunny walk to the church, with a small stop at Luya's place to get some flowers. We arrived at the tail end of a sermon, not that we were here for it in the first place. Trying to attract as little attention as possible, we moved curtly toward the rear of the place to visit the graveyard.

The kids made their way to their parents' grave, offering flowers and getting down on their knees and murmuring their thoughts to the ether.

I watched over them while we were there, and another person joined us in paying respects. Tayzen, who was on his day off, came for the sermon and went here to strike up conversation once it finished. It was silent for minutes, the kids wrapping up and coming up to us with tears in their eyes and sniffly noses.

We began to head back to the guild hall, with the healer joining us on the way back, wondering what to do for lunch. As we pondered our options, seeing all manner of eatery walking our route.

We were not given the luxury of a peaceful lunch. We heard footsteps approaching us from behind, and I put myself between them and the kids as Tayzen turned around to see who was following behind us. That was a mistake.

It was his old party, now with two new members to replace the ones they lost. The swordsman, the leader, still having a chip on their shoulder, came up and began taunting him in the middle of the street.

Passersby turned their heads, after all these guys were practically celebrities in the city, and people flocked to loud sensational outbursts.

Their words carried venom, their eyes cold and calculating, looking for every sign of weakness that Tayzen let out through his posture, his fidgeting, his mumbling.

The kids couldn't stand to watch this, Klein turning around and marching up to the swordsman. The fervor of the kid was refreshing, inspiring, a light of hope when there were more and more scum running amok that technically were following the rules. He pointed out this behavior, the lack of morals, the pettiness.

And then, with a calm tongue and swift hands, he created a cloud of smoke and I felt a tug on my arm. I struggled to keep up, but I managed to not fall over while hovelling along with my cane. We'd managed to arrive at the guild hall without being followed.

The four of us caught our breath inside, those present understandably curious as to what could've caused this. I got everyone to a staff room in the back, taking time to decompress and reorient ourselves.

Hunger caught up with us, and I asked the kids to go out and get some food for the four of us, leaving me alone with Tayzen. He was shaken, his eyes wild in recollection and wet with tears. All I could do was sit with him, to show that he wasn't alone. He grabbed at the cuffs of his shirt, scratching at it vehemently until I stopped him.

There he cried. He cried and cried, becoming an incomprehensible mess that melted in my arms. All I could do was hold him, and so I did.

[caspercadence]

Bloom

Henz came up to my desk one slow morning, stealing my attention away from the paperwork that was almost complete. The young man struck up some small talk, a sparkle in his eyes the more he learned. There was something different about him now, a warmth that wasn't there on his first few days here.

Then it came, what he really wanted. A house, here, and he came to me to ask how much it would take. There was a fire in his eyes now, blazing with purpose even as I named the prices of homes nowadays.

With that, he marched over to the job board and grabbed as many as he could, eager to get started with his long trial of riches. However, there was one thing that bravado couldn't get him... harder jobs.

It should come as no surprise that the higher paying jobs entail greater danger to our adventurers, which is why we require teams to take them. An adventurer that believed themselves to be strong enough to take these quests on alone can apply to prove themselves to the guild.

As I moved to put up one of the quests in question, the door swung open and a group of new recruits came in, excitedly chattering amongst themselves about their recent acceptance into the guild.

Among their ranks were a pair of sibling swordsmen, an elder mage who liked to hide under their hat and their familiar's feathers, and a cleric who seemed to be the swordsmen's friend from childhood judging by how familiar the trio acted with each other.

They bounced with every step, moving toward the job board like everyone else today. With little deliberation, they snatched up an easy excursion into the nearby forest to exterminate some monster camps.

Gil, Maris, Vusten, and Prendalis their guardian. The mage sent the others off to the market to make preparations, and I took the chance to have a one on one conversation with them.

Prendalis was quite well known in the city, perhaps even the country, so it was a shock to find them here of all places, and with a seemingly random group of young faces. She took off her hat, allowing me to see the mournful ocean that were her eyes. As she told their story, I couldn't help but stay silent.

Orphans, but not always. Those three were part of the unfortunate many that had lost everything in that great misfortune. Spectators in the colosseum on that fateful day, their parents were only barely able to get them to safety, literally throwing them out of harms way and into the safe areas created by the guards and mages as they arrived.

With few options left and fewer people to turn to, the three of them decided to join the guild in order to survive. But that still left a handful of questions, of which I asked her the most important. Why was she with them?

Her face turned grimmer, her gaze lowering. The reason was simple, but covered in barbs that stabbed at her heart. Her brother was Gil and Maris' father. I thought that it was best to end it there, as powerful as Prendalis was, she was still a person. She and I discussed the details of the quest and she waved me farewell, vanishing in a swirl of magic and leaving me a coin for my time and conversation.

And as I went about my business for the rest of the day, I couldn't help but think of all the adventurers out there on quests. Be they mundane or monstrous, I hoped for their safe return.

[caspercadence]

Settle

It had been a few days since the incident was resolved, being recorded in texts as the great decay, and the city was on its way to returning back to how it used to be. Today, however, we decided to face the monsters that still plagued us all.

The bells of the church tolled, the building packed with people from all walks of life. All of us gathered here today to mourn those who couldn't, silent solidarity as we placed our heart in our thoughts, our feelings into silent prayers that we could only hope would give them peace in their eternal rest.

The casualties were in the hundreds, most of whom lost their lives during the catastrophe at the colosseum; those who could not escape the fog and were turned into shambling undead. Most were identified by surviving family or friends, but...

As the priests began to chant, leading the crowd in a unified prayer, names made of light began to appear, etching themselves into the large stone at the center of the room. Our fellows, our comrades, our heroes. We owe them our lives.

The ceremony ended and everyone began filtering out. The guild master gathered me and the rest of the senior staff members, and we headed to our next destination under the midday sun. The mayor was waiting for us, along with the heads of the other guilds.

There was still the matter of the new magic that was discovered in that dungeon. A terrifying magic that played with the one thing that we could not replenish easily: time. The various research guilds in the city were of great importance, being able to find ways to nullify its effects enough for the subjugation of the dungeon, however...

With its discovery came many potential uses, as well as many potential risks. At its core, decay magic was an accelerant, forcing whatever it plagued to go through its life at an accelerated rate. The various resource related guilds eyed it as a potential profit multiplier, allowing them to age crops or fermented foods for increased supply. The combat applications were obvious, though it hung as a shadow above all our heads. And while they managed to create something great, the researchers in the city know that they'd only scratched the surface.

And there was our guild leader, herself being afflicted with that malady in her investigation, her affected body parts noticeably different to the rest of her body, being roughly ten years older than they should be. A reminder that every time that spell enters our world, there is no reversing its effects.

The debate raged on for hours, with the mayor calling for an anonymous vote for or against the outlawing of this incredible power. I've lived a long life, I've seen others who were unfortunately unable to, and the pain of those who were able to in their place. I wonder if they thought they'd spent their life, their time in the way they wanted to. We have precious few years.

I placed my vote and joined my coworkers on our way to the hall, silent, but heavy.

[caspercadence]

Drain

I woke up one morning to a clear sky. As I got ready, I shuffled over to the window to look out at the city and smiled when I saw the rooftops unobstructed by that mist. It was time.

When I arrived at the guild hall, I was greeted by the other staff, the guild master, and the guards, as well as the best of our forces. Organization and planning was done quickly, and they set off to conquer the dungeon. There were still many unknowns, many questions left to answer, but we've given them everything we had. All that was left was to pray for the favor of the divine.

The crisis had still cast a strange spell on the minds of the people, and there were fewer adventurers taking quests, a symptom that wouldn't leave until the dungeon was cleared.

There was nothing we could do, the air was too tense, and as I pondered what to do with the lack of work, I found myself sweeping silently as the sun streaked across the sky.

Minutes turned to hours, then to days. At this point, everyone began to worry, wondering if the expedition had met an untimely end. But what could we do?

Relatives of those adventurers came over to visit daily, and it broke my heart every time I told them that they're still down there. Some began bringing dishes of their favorite foods, or flowers, or just staying until the sun went down. What else could they do?

It was late one night, right when I was about to hand it over to the night shift employees, when the doors swung open and a loud boisterous cheer filled the room. A smile crept onto my face as I manned the desk, congratulating them on a job well done.

While I processed everything and questioned the squad leaders for their account of the events, the ruckus attracted the people of the city, and relatives of these heroes began running toward the hall and flooding the streets. A grand party was held on the spot, and just as quickly as it popped up it was over.

But still, there was an air of melancholy in with the glee. I held a paper in my hand, looking out to the mostly empty guild hall save for a few of the laypeople. They saw me and asked, but most seemed to already know the answer. All wept, some were mad at me, others just broke down and had to take a seat, and others still ran out the doors and wailed through the streets on the quiet night as peace returned to the city, but not to its people.

[caspercadence]

Soak

I placed both hands on my cane, standing in the guild hall with the team of adventurers that assembled to retrieve that scepter. The air was tense, their eyes focused and their breathing steady as we briefed them on the plan one final time. The rest was in their hands, all I could do was pray.

With the meeting over and the small army on their way, I walked out the door to check in on the guild leader, her recovery going undisrupted since the day of the tournament. She's as chipper as usual, already walking about albeit assisted by some magic.

She welcomed me into her home with open arms, gesturing to the table and chairs that were already prepared with pens and another magic device that recorded visuals. It was time to see what she saw down in the depths.

It began where I last saw her, in the guild hall talking with me right before she left. Then, in a blur of color, she found herself at the entrance of the dungeon, other adventurers around her wanting to get in or crawling out of its ever consuming maw. With a deep breath and a firm stomp, she transported any adventurers inside back up to the surface and erected a barrier to hold them away. The investigation began.

The uppermost floors were nothing out of the ordinary, low level intelligence monsters like slimes and small beasts. But there was already a thin veil of green in the stone brick halls. She breezed through the early floors, taking only half an hour to get where we assumed was halfway down.

As she began to explore the 20th floor, the appearance of the dungeon itself began to change. From stone masonry to walls of glass and floors of dirt and mud. Its denizens becoming more ghastly and gaunt, save for the machines which began to show their rust. The mist of green became darker and thicker, enough to start obscuring vision.

Barren and devoid of life, the guild leader explored cautiously as she lit a torch for visibility. I paused the device, freezing the image at a point that I thought had a lot of information for us to glean.

We began throwing ideas together, hoping that we'd get closer to the truth. Necromancy was the most obvious path, but the fact that it affected automatons and constructs led both of us to exclude it. It was far too neat for generic destruction or simple force, there would have been much more chaos in the environments.

As she got up to get some water, I noticed something from her injured limbs, they looked a lot like mine. Piece by piece it began to make sense until I eventually blurted out a single word. Age.

Mulling it over for a bit longer, we were sure of our idea, and I began making my way back to the guild hall to send a missive to the guards. I didn't need to, however, with the guards already inside to send a report of the colosseum's activity.

All we could do now was wait for that scepter, and soon success would be within our grasp.

[caspercadence]

Spill

The guild master's return had been a few days ago. We rushed over any and all forms of healing we could reach, but like everyone else their efforts bore little fruit. Thankfully, she was conscious and willing to talk about what she saw down there.

The dungeon was flooded with a green smoke, with monsters composed of bone or rusted metal. Descriptions matching those of the harder dungeons in the continent, those so old that historians question if they were the cities of people long gone. Myself and the rest of the staff combed over all the records we could find, trying to find a connection between these disparate creatures.

Passage after passage with nothing to show for our efforts. Some of the younger members began voicing their complaints, saying that they had planned to watch the melee organized by the city officials. I was told that they mayor paid a visit a few days ago, but someone else talked to him in my stead.

I looked outside to check the time, the orange hues of a sunset clear as crystal in my eyes. I used my cane to knock on the floor, getting everyone's attention to give them the rest of the day off. Unfortunately, that did not come to pass.

The ground shook violently, a pillar of light shooting out from the stadium as the visage of a large skeleton appeared in the sky. As we walked into the streets to get a better view, we could see the green smoke the master told us about billowing in clouds from the stadium, as well as an army of undead and rusted machines walking through the streets.

The lot of us instantly entered emergency mode, running back inside to contact as many guild members as we could. Organizing everyone we had, majority of the adventurers were to assist the guards in evacuating the civilians, but any and all wind magic users were sent to deal with the smoke.

Just when we thought that we had a handle on things, another rumble rushed through the earth. The spectral skeleton in the sky raised its boney hand in the direction of the dungeon, closing its fist around it before it vanished into nothing.

We had no time to worry about that at the moment, though a handful of us had our theories as to what was going on, our energy was spent in stabilizing everything in the city. After hours of fighting the army and blowing the smoke back, we and the city guard regrouped enough to have a meeting.

We got a telling of the events in the stadium. Apparently the prize, the scepter the mayor talked about, was given to the winning party's mage, who raised it skyward and pumped it with ether to celebrate. It was then that the smoke and skeleton appeared. When pushed for the scepter's whereabouts, the guards stated that it had been left there as the contestants succumbed to the smoke and began to turn into skeletons as well.

They pulled out a magical image, animating the events as they unfolded. Indeed it was quick, near instantaneous, but another thing caught my eye. The gem that acted as the scepter's focus was familiar, the very same gem that had been given to the guild not too long ago.

I conferred with the others present, and soon we all came to an agreement. Reclaim the scepter and research the gem. We would send a party soon while the guards made sure none of the scepter's influence spread beyond the walls of the stadium.

I could feel my heart pumping in my chest. I can only hope for our adventurers' safety.

[caspercadence]

Bubbling

It had been a few weeks since the guild master left for their expedition. As far as the guild is concerned, things have been running as usual thanks to the combined efforts of the senior staff.

As has become the norm, I was handling another meeting with another organization, this time it was one of the city's many apothecaries. I had asked them to come over, to check on a handful of adventurers that recently returned from a delve in horrible condition. He drew some blood from each, placing them in labeled bottles before storing them away.

The two of us mulled over the evidence we had. It only afflicted those who returned from that dungeon, and those that caught it became lethargic, physically weaker, and had slowed mental functions. A truly dreadful malady had come for us.

None of the typical antivenoms worked, and the priests in the city couldn't cure them of their plights either. It made me worry about the guild master, no matter how competent she was she was still alone facing unknown dangers.

We hit a dead end and bid our farewells as the apothecary left the office to conduct some testing. He added that he'd share some of the blood with the alchemists nearby, in an attempt for a breakthrough. I hope it came quickly.

I walked to the main hall for a change of scenery, and it was quiet in the most eerie of ways. People praying to their gods for the safety and recovery of their companions. Tayzen walked up to me, now sporting the receptionist uniform that I wore, and asked if I would be willing to spend my break with him.

Seeing no reason to refuse, I followed him out of the hall to the church of Oluma nearby, the god of life that he drew his powers from. I wasn't surprised to see him affected by the recent plague, even if not directly. As we knelt there in solemn silence, I could feel the anguish his emotional heart felt.

The words he uttered carried great guilt and depression, of wishes to be stronger to help those around him. I could see on his face, however, that there was another thought that stirred the pot of his feelings. I let out an audible exhale as I grabbed my cane, patting his shoulder as the two of us left hoping that our voices were heard by those on high.

Buying some fruit on the way back, we parted ways and returned to our duties in the hall until sundown. Just as all of us were about to transition the place for nightshift, there was a slam at the front door. Bloody, delirious, and exhausted, the guild master swung it open before collapsing onto the floor, a piece of a broken stone tablet crashing along side her from her hand.

[caspercadence]

A concerning trophy

With the guild master out on the exploration, their responsibilities were divided among the senior staff. My part came as no shock, negotiating deals with other local organizations came easily to me, who was just as recognized as our leader just by sheer longevity.

Taking temporary charge of the office, the first person that came through the door was the captain of the city guards, who only came to have the paperwork signed to officially put me in charge for the moment. I asked if there were anything out of the ordinary that they've heard of that could be shared, but thankfully there was nothing dangerous afoot.

I was in the middle of a stack of paperwork when my next visitor arrived, a representative of the merchants guild. They spoke about running low on potions antidotes to common poisons, as well as their ingredients, offering a hefty sum of money to assist in alleviating their burdens. After negotiating the price and time, we came to an agreement and I saw them off at the front door.

While I was outside of the office, I took a look around the hall and noticed what the merchant said. An influx of adventurers needing and subsequently purchasing antivenoms and potions, as seen by the color of their bandages. I called over some of our newer members, giving them a job to inform the apothecaries, farmers, and herbalists in the city of the increased demand and to brace themselves for the increased workload.

Kleine stopped me while I was adjusting the job board, wondering where I was all day. I knelt down and explained everything as best I could, and he seemed to understand. He then asked if I would be free to eat lunch with them like usual and I couldn't help but place my hand on his head and say yes. When I asked where his sister was, he said that she paid a visit to their parents' old party.

But before that, there was work to be done. The mayor came next, reminding me of the date by saying that the festival of sun is fast approaching. They planned to host a tournament and reward the victor with a scepter that they've commissioned from the city's greatest craftsmen, however they had run out of materials and were looking to set up a private job to avoid leaking the information as much as possible. We worked out the details and I was to send adventurers to his manor only if they promised to forgo the scepter and instead accept a cash reward for their work and silence.

With that finished, lunch came around and I waited in the back, soon joined by the two kids who arrived with fruit. I set my cane to the side and sat on the ground, feeling the wind against my hair for the first time today as I asked Vill what she and the old party talked about.

The young girl pulled out a note from their father, still sealed, with the only instructions being to read it before their first adventure. By the handwriting, it was the kind of message that needed to be heard behind closed doors. All three of us continued to eat, using the food as a distraction before I asked them on their training.

The day continued on, becoming more hectic somehow as a party returned from their delve and everyone crowded around to inspect the loot. And there was quite a lot of it, to the point that it needed three of the staff to handle it all. There was the usual fare of coins and swords and tomes, as well as a collection of monster parts and assorted potions in unlabeled bottles.

Myself and the three other receptionists went through their spoils, setting aside the items that needed further and more thorough identification in a box to return to them later. As we neared the end of the haul and had the sunset's orange hues coloring the room through the windows, there was a peculiar monster drop that left everyone puzzled.

Certain monsters, particularly those with some kind of affinity like elements or magic, have a chance to condense their energy into hard stones. These stones shine brilliantly with a color associated with their energy, like lime green for nature or healing, or orange for fire. In all records of these stones, there was never any mention of one that was olive green.

With a touch, my finger flinched away, cold and moist and sluggish sensations coursed up my arm for a moment before it returned to normal. When questioned as to what monster created the stone, they described one that shot acid that instantly melted wood, crumbled rock, and ate through steel. This was not like any acid stone that came before it. I asked if they were willing to part with it and allow the guild to research it, and they were quite pleased to be rid of its sinister aura.

What do I do with it now?

[caspercadence]

Day off

I seldom have days outside the guild hall. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Today was one of those rare days. But truthfully I didn't know what to do with the time. The morning of, I spent a lot of time just tidying my home and finding mementos and trinkets from days past.

When the clock struck noon, I decided that my house was clean enough and so I left for lunch. It's been a while since I pranced about and sampled the eateries in the city, long enough that some have closed while others opened their doors. With cane in hand, the streets of the city felt so lively.

But it would have been quite lonely if I had just gone by myself, so I decided to drop by the guild hall anyways. My coworkers were quite shocked by my arrival, but I quelled their confusion by saying that I would just enjoy some company.

Semma, who overheard my explanation, offered to join me for lunch. Not one to deny an old friend, I gratefully accepted and the two of us left to try out a bakery that opened up a few years ago.

We sat down at the park with our bread, talking about the recent happenings in our lives. She had just joined a new team, which took me by surprise considering that she'd been acting alone for so long. When I asked her what changed, she simply smiled as her eyes glazed over with a wistful mist. The way she spoke of her new team, it felt like coming home after a long trip away.

We finished our bread and bid our farewells as I went over to find something more substantial for my stomach. Following my nose, I was drawn by the smell of spices and meat until I arrived at a restaurant that sold food from the desert countries from the south.

As I was about to go in, I caught sight of a familiar face walking over with their hands full. Ingo was coming over, delivering a shipment of meats to the restaurant that I was about to dine at. The owner, an elf with long hair and tanned skin, her muscles glistening with sweat as she took the delivery and entered the kitchen.

Instantly, I was enveloped by a wave of heat, finding the interior of the building decorated in rings around a central ring of hot sand with an employee inside holding small pots which I could only assume were filled with liquid. Alluring smells surrounded me as I made my way over to the ring of sand.

A delicacy of the land of sands, the gentle smell of roasted plants and earthy spices framed the server's face, a smile appearing as they noticed my arrival and seating before them. He gestured with his hands, setting down the pots in the sand; a couple coins for a drink which I gleefully paid, and so he got to work.

Or he would have, but it seemed that everything had been prepared in advance, for not long after he obtained payment and set it aside did the pots bubble and nearly spill. Hands on their handles in just the last second, he held both up and poured them equally into a waiting mug. The first regular hot water as clear as the sky today, the second a rich dark liquor from roasted seed. When asked why he added water to it, he simply said that it was brewed too strong to drink even by dwarven standards.

I took the drink in my free hand, it was warm to the touch even when using the handle; I nestled myself in its comfort as I walked over to a table for a meal. I placed my order and waited, finding a pair of familiar faces walk in through the door. Luya and Henz also decided to eat here for lunch, and the two of them were too engrossed in their conversation to notice me.

As I ate, I snuck occasional glances toward them, smiling as their visage at this moment brought back many many scenes of others I've known doing the exact same thing in times past. Even as I ate, I couldn't help but be a spectator in the children's young love.

Once I had paid and finished my meal, I returned home, content with my own little adventure, mundane as it may be.

[caspercadence]

Peace and Bliss

Zweisse the knight was at my desk, having returned from another quest and here to claim her reward. As I handed her the pouch of gold, I could vaguely see a look of worry on her face as she put on her helmet. Looking at the lack of line behind her, I pressed her for her woes, stepping out of the counter and shuffling over to an empty table in this slow day.

Our rising star told me that she'd been eyeing the reward for a certain quest, a retrieval mission in the depth of a nearby dungeon. She had attempted it a few times before, being able to best the monsters but not having enough potions to sustain the long trip nor the skills to search for the items in question.

Naturally, I asked why she hadn't partied up with anyone. She said she tried, but every time she tried to suggest something they would but heads as a group and disband soon after. I let out a sigh, this was not uncommon; adventurers tend to have larger than average egos after all.

It wasn't helped that her armor was quite imposing, and her manner of speaking was direct and firm. Many would be afraid and others would become intimidated and try to wrest some conversational power for themselves.

I brought my observations up, suggesting humility and a gentler touch. At first she was offended with the idea of lowering herself, but she too saw the signs that things needed to change. Striking that balance is a quest that every person that walks through our doors takes on, whether they want to or not.

I suggested that she stay for a while if she could, on the small chance that she could form a party with someone even on a slow day like this. With that, I got up and walked over to the back to take my lunch break.

The guild leader was there when I arrived, checking on her gear and the dungeon reports before she sets off for her expedition. Cheerful as always, she was practically bouncing with excitement just thinking of what she'd find there; even the responsibilities of the guild couldn't quell her adventurer's spirit.

I asked her if she planned to go alone, or if she contacted her old party for help. She shrugged, saying that her old friends were busy with their lives and that it'd be selfish of her to drag them out of their peace for something that didn't concern them.

When I suggested she bring along some of our top members, she reassured me that everything would be fine. I couldn't help but be concerned, but I wasn't in any position to stop her. Her record of success should have been enough to quell my doubts, but it's hard to stifle them all knowing the kind of woman she was.

She waved as she left the room, leaving me with the fruit I planned to eat. I grabbed an apple and walked back to my desk, seeing Semma talking with the knight. The healer from the other day walked through the doors, a few cuts and bruises on their skin. I could only imagine what caused them, or why they haven't healed them off yet.

Walking up to me, he asked if there was a job available. When I was about to point him toward the job board, he stopped me and I needn't another word. With the event still fresh in both of our minds, I asked him if he wanted to heal or if he just wanted to do paperwork like me. He chose the latter.

I handed him the form I was handed so many years ago, helping him fill it out while offering him slices of my apple. Whether Tayzen would join the staff wasn't up to me, but I hope he finds a quiet place to process everything.

[caspercadence]

What comes next

Klein and Vill had been living in the hall ever since that day, and they've been training their bodies and minds every chance they got. They were mindful of others, trying their best not to impose on any of the adventurers or staff when they can.

I was about to have my lunch break, bringing a tray of food and water with me to the training grounds behind the hall. The moment I opened the door, I was engulfed in a warm air and orange light. Klein was stood with his back to me, staff in hand pointing toward a smoldering training dummy.

I was about to walk over to the nearby well to extinguish it, but Vill had beaten me to the punch, unsurprisingly. With the fire doused, I took a seat on the ground and called the both of them over to have our lunch together. Klein was chatty, asking me if the guild had any better wands or staves in storage in between mouthfuls of fruit.

I had to disappoint him, sadly, noticing the strain in his other hand as the magical recoil took its toll. Vill, on the other hand, ate silently and swiftly, standing up before either of us and picking up a bow that was on standby nearby. I handed her some blunt training arrows and watched eagerly to see her progress.

She steadied her aim, but struggled to draw the string with her strength. Try as she might, she kept shaking and eventually lost the strength to hold it back. As the arrow flew through the air, it soared over the bounds of the training and shattered the window of a nearby building.

We all watched, still for a few moments as we processed the events that had just transpired. Being the adult in the situation, I got up to deal with the aftermath, grabbing my cane and making my way back inside.

I made my way to the home in question, talking to its owner who happened to be a very understanding old lady around my age. Thankfully, nothing was broken aside from the window itself, making compensation an easy affair. We agreed on the guild paying for the repairs which would only amount to a few copper coins.

As I returned to the guild to put in the paperwork, I was met with a commotion that wasn't there when I left. One of our elite parties, a group of five of our strongest adventurers, was having a verbal spat in the middle of the room. The swordsman was stood in front of their healer, who was seated with his head in his hands. Two of the other members were standing nearby, averting their gaze by staring at either their hands or the floor.

I was barely there for a few seconds, but I understood everything when I saw the broken bow in their wizard's hands. The priest kept pleading in his weak voice, wanting to retire. I could see it in his eyes, fear and guilt. The swordsman called him a coward, telling him that he couldn't even honor their archer's wishes, whatever they were.

I moved over to break up the argument, with the rest of the guild coming in to quell the carnage that was slowly bubbling to the surface. The three party members left for their lodgings for the day, with a mix of emotions on their faces.

I took a seat next to the healer, the young lad still mortified by the events that I could only assume were still fresh in his mind. It wasn't the first time that party lost members, but he along with the swordsman were the some of the founding members. There were few words that should have been said in that moment, and I had found none of them. I simply placed my hand on his back and kept him company until he stood up and left the building to his own lodgings. I hope he didn't need to stay together with his peers.

Change comes for us all, sometimes good sometimes. Even now I find myself asking what comes next in life.

[caspercadence]

New and Shiny

I was having my breakfast one day, a simple sandwich I could eat with one hand while I used my cane in the other. The changing of seasons usually brought a lot of work for the guild, myself included even though I never venture beyond the walls. But it was always nice, seeing an influx of new faces eager to take fate into their own hands and start exploring the world.

The door swung open and I was ready to help the new recruits with their paperwork, so imagine my relief when the one that walked in was the florist, Luya. A frequenter of our services, her requests were quickly put up onto the board despite the amount of them. Taking advantage of her presence, I asked her to help me with watering the decorative plants around the building, to which she agreed to chip in. Henz, who was still in town nursing his injuries, came in to see if there were any quests that he could do in his current state. As he approached the building, he stopped for a moment, a new look on his face, but an expression familiar to me. I chuckled to myself, meeting his gaze and giving him a nod before I handed him my bucket of water and returned inside.

My expectations of the changing seasons came to pass just a few hours later, with a flood of new faces pouring through the doors to sign up for the guild. I've been through these enough times to have the process perfected, taking only the minimum amount of time for each person; which was still a lot but enough of a difference that I'd be able to clear the queue multiple times a day.

The signup process was itself quite simple, the town's artisans often need the same resources regardless of season, like meat for the butcher or iron for the smith. As such, there are some perpetual quests that will always be available and are used to measure a person's qualifications. I handed them a token marked with magic to keep track of them, then told them to pick one and complete it to the best of their ability. If they do a good enough job, then they're in the guild; if they barely miss the mark, they can come back and study under a guild member until they've improved and try again.

There was one that stood out, however, a knight clad in black plate from head to toe, a walking castle with footfalls so heavy I worried that the floorboards would crack. Unlike the others, they were here before and were coming back to finish their registration. They handed me their work, a bag of the local game to complete the butcher's quest. But that wasn't all. Inside a second bag, the remains of a small lizard. A rare species that even the best of the guild had trouble tracking down, let alone felling. Needless to say, they was accepted. As I was taking out a tool to finalize their ID, they took off their helmet and let out a sigh of relief. She smiled as I captured her visage, imprinting it on the card and handing it to her. Zweisse, the elf knight.

Nearing the end of my shift, the guild master came out and told me that the storage room was getting full. I already knew what that meant, so I quickly finished up the last of the new aspirants and headed to the back. The guild acts as a middleman between adventurers and various institutions in whatever place they found themselves in. As such, our storehouse was never empty, holding the quest items until the ones that asked for them came to collect. However, in times like these, we send someone out to deliver the items instead.

Metals to the smith, plants to the apothecaries and bakeries and the florist, treasure and artifacts to the various studies, and anything that didn't have a home was ours to use for ourselves. Of course, if the adventurer who delivered an item from the last category wanted it for themselves, they could have it, but often they'd find things they couldn't use. We usually sell them to merchants anyway, so they'll find their way to their rightful users eventually.

The lizard corpse from earlier was one such item. As prized as it was, it wasn't for its meat. It was seen more as a collectors item, like a vase or a head mounted on a wall. Wyvern spawn are resilient to magic, taste horrible, and their scales offer no protection. As I walked around town delivering the goods to people, I talked to every merchant I could, testing the waters to see what kind of price I could sell this for.

I was about to settle for 10 gold coins when a merchant cart rode past. I called out to them and the owner met me graciously. Gus had traveled throughout the whole continent, making a pretty penny along the way. As soon as I showed him the lizard, his eyes lit up like stars. I sold it for 20 gold coins and we both left quite satisfied.

The end of the day was quiet, save for the sound of training coming from behind the hall. I couldn't help but think back to my younger days as I watched them, to the adventurers I've met throughout the years. I told them to take a break and have a drink, handing the building over to night shift and heading home.

[caspercadence]

A somber meal

It was a rainy day, and the guild hall was full of people taking shelter from the oncoming storm. The guild master and I, however, weren't among them. Instead the two of us were having our lunch on the go, one step after another splashing water as we went to our destination.

Few words were said on our short journey, our small lunch, cups of warm stew, heating our hands and lips as we finally arrived. A simple flower shop. Its owner was soaked, taking advantage of the water and setting pots outside to drink. The guild master walked up, a pouch of coins in her hand, and the two began talking. I was soon tasked with carrying an armful of flowers with me, water dripping off of every leaf and petal. The florist bid us farewell, nodding knowingly as we made our way back to the guild hall.

The noise in the room went quiet when we returned, not that there was much to begin with. It was a common sight, an undeniable truth that comes with their line of work. It doesn't mean the pain stops. My eyes locked on to the odd ones out in the room, a pair of children with wet faces. I limped over, kneeling down on my good knee to be eye level with them. Offering both my share of the flowers and my condolences, I put my hand on one of their shoulders; they were the ones that were hurting the most.

The whole room surrounded a pair of bodies covered in white sheets, their party members holding back tears behind trembling lips. We offered our prayers, finishing the ceremony by covering them in flowers. A bowl of stew was served to everyone as the guild master and I ushered most of those present into a different room. As I closed the door behind me, I could hear muffled wails.

Painful as the moment was, time moves on. Once most had processed their immediate feelings, one by one they left to continue their own quarries, offering one more set of condolences as they left the front door. As the day continued, people entered and exited the building, coming and going as they pleased as the night set in. As I swept up the floor, the bodies being taken away by the broken party for a proper burial elsewhere, I sat down at one of the tables where the two children had been seated this entire time, unable to move.

Orphans, it was a hard reality to stomach after seeing them all together for so many years. I asked them what they wanted to do, if they had anyone that would take them in. They didn't answer, both of their eyes fixated on the weapons those fallen adventurers used to wield. I tried to dissuade them, but their intentions were clear and they were far from rare. I let out a sigh, welcoming Klein and Vill as new members of the guild.

[caspercadence]

The start of something new I was at the desk helping out an adventuring party sign up for a quest like any other day. As we were crossing our T's and dotting our I's, another adventurer came in dragging his feet and dripping blood with every step.

The other people immediately rushed to his aid, stopping him from falling onto his face. I finished up the paperwork and sent the party on their way, going to the injured adventurer's side and looking around for a healer. Unfortunately, there wasn't one present, so he had to heal the old fashioned way.

He'd fainted from his injuries, and they weren't ones to scoff at either. I asked the others to help me bring him to the back, laying him down on a couch in one of the meeting rooms. While they did that, I went into the store room and carried some medicine and potions with me, using them to stabilize the unfortunate soul.

While I was patching him up, I got a glance at his identification, Henz, a swordsman from two towns over who took on a find and deliver quest that was coordinated with the branch from the last town. Unfortunately, I couldn't process the quest while he was unconscious, so I wrote him a note and returned to the front desk to get back to work.

That day was particularly hectic, with the hall buzzing with news of a previously tame dungeon suddenly becoming much more active with dangerous monsters. A price to pay for the recent bountiful harvests, I suppose. I went to the guild master to bring it up, to update the ranking, and she agreed to update it after she personally verified it in a few days.

With that matter on the to-do list, I went back downstairs and started sweeping the floors, with the sun setting soon and my shift about to end I was eager to rest my head. But before that, someone who was resting had finally opened their eyes. Henz walked over and we finalized his quest.

As I gave him his reward, I suggested that he stay the night here, telling him that the nightshift employees had a healer in their ranks. He was about to refuse my offer, but the fact that he couldn't even stand up straight was enough evidence to refute his argument.

I filled Nerlyle in on everything that happened that day and left the building and those within it in their hands.

A day like any other

I can hear chirping from the other side of the wall, sunlight streaming in as dawn hits my home. I take in the cool morning air, sitting up in my bed as a smile creeps onto my face. Time for another day.

Dressed in my uniform, I combed my beard and grabbed my cane before I headed toward the guild hall. It was quiet, hours away from rush hour when our usual guests arrive. I was the only soul there, and I got to work right away.

Sweeping, dusting, mopping, polishing, I busied myself with the relaxing mundane when someone came through the door. Ingo, the town butcher, came in with a request of some specific game animals. I sat him down and not too long we had another job on the quest board.

Ingo was the first, but he wasn't the last. Janice the farmer asking for some pest control, Gingla the smith wanting some more ores, the usual fare. Not something too difficult, managing all these quests. As I sat by my desk counting the coins and splitting out the rewards, the first of the adventurers came in.

Semma, an old archer that joined the guild when I first started the job and a great friend, came up to say hello before walking over to the job board. After a few seconds of perusing, she came up to me with the flyer for Ingo's bounty and I gave her a token to track her. She handed me her badge, and with the link made she waved and left with a smile.

That was my day, meeting many faces and linking problems with their solvers. My boss came around lunch time, having a few more quests in her hand and the chief of the town guards enraptured in a conversation.

All in all, a day like any other. As the sun set and I handed off to Nerlyle for their shift, I grabbed my cane and walked over to my home, waiting for the next sunrise.

[caspercadence]

[caspercadence]

sometimes you need dialogue tags and don't want to use the same four

[caspercadence]