Story Notes: Though this is the fifth adventure following this Guild, the series as a whole is meant to be structured so that reading them out of order does not impede the reader's experience.

Chapter 1: Starting Up

Within the vast continent of Arcania, a social change of a grand scale has just begun. The embargo upon the Yggdrasil Labyrinth has been lifted by order of the united council of the collective regions, allowing for exploration to commence. Explorers of all manner, make, and race make way for Iorys, the city that rests at the base of the Yggdrasil Tree. One such explorer, a woman 22 years of age, has traveled from the far-off Ocean City of Armoroad to traverse this Labyrinth. She currently sits at a small table in one of the city's most popular inns.

Her shoulder-length blonde hair has been tied into two separate twin-tails that rest limply in front of either shoulder. Her crystal blue eyes sport a dull faded countenance, suggesting that she either just rose from slumber, or is suffering a bout of internal anguish. After a single sip of the coffee in front of her, however, her eyes adopt their characteristic glow, and a smile graces her lips. A content sigh escapes her before she looks to the woman who offered the cup. "I appreciate it, Jenetta, thanks."

Standing before her is a woman presumably in her mid-20s. Verdant green hair tops her head, along with a pair of long rabbit ears. She currently wears a frilly white apron over a deep green ensemble that clings to her frame. A cheery smile commands her expression, accentuated by the luminescent blush on her cheeks. With the addition of the incredibly puffy tail protruding from her back, the mere sight of this woman is cited as an uplifting remedy for any and all so fortunate as to gaze upon her. Her eyes are closed, and apparently none of her patrons have ever seen them open.

The atmosphere of the dining hall takes a turn for the cheerful as this woman's perky voice fills the air. "Think nothing of it, Fiona; it wouldn't do to send you out looking so groggy." As her patron takes another sip of her coffee, she presents a question – "Have you come to a decision yet?"

Setting the cup down, Fiona closes her eyes to contemplate. Before long, she opens them again, making eye contact with Jenetta in turn. "I'm going to check in with the Guildmaster right after I suit up; whether I start up a Guild or join an existing one…I will make the call when I arrive."

"You are a veteran, so I imagine you'll fit in well regardless of your choice, but if it were me, I'd like to party up with old friends…or maybe my sisters."

Fiona's eyes widen at the notion, her mind having turned to a sudden revelation. "That reminds me. Lissa said she was going to study as a knight in this city; I wonder if she'll have enough free time to join…" She downs the remainder of her drink in a single go before rising to her feet. "I better get moving; thanks for the coffee, Jenetta – I'll be back later."

Jenetta's returns the statement with a smile and a nod. "Yep, yep; be safe out there, and have a nice day!" She then watches as Fiona dashes out of the building, which causes her to place a finger on her chin. 'Didn't she say she was going to suit up before le-' her thought is promptly cut off as Fiona rushes back inside, sheepishly proclaiming that she'd forgotten her armor and rapier. Jenetta merely stifles a giggle as she silently observes.

The Explorers Guild is far less quiet, boasting an uproarious atmosphere in comparison. Guilds of varying skill levels are in constant movement, be it to handle paperwork, assemble squad members, or even to simply catch one's bearings. Among the lot, two explorers – a man and woman – stand out. Both exude a calm and collected air, presenting them as a duo at peace with the surrounding chaos. The male member of the duo, 21 years of age, has the look of a wizard about him, with his attire sporting dark colors – primarily black and blue – and various gems adorning his person, presumably to bolster the power of his spells.

Dark brown hair tops his head, though it appears to be black unless observed in the appropriate lighting. He sports a pair of heterochromatic eyes, with the right being brown and the left being red. In addition, the left eye appears to have a circular runic pattern engraved around the pupil. He lacks a left arm, but conceals this from the unobservant through the use of a navy blue cape. Embossed upon this cape is a soaring eagle, golden in color, wielding a short sword in one talon and a spell tome in the other; after the Yggdrasil Labyrinth in Armoroad was cleared, this became known as the signature emblem of the Seekers Guild.

Many of the explorers present in the halls of the Explorers Guild took note of this cape, and have accidentally taken to staring at its bearer for longer and more intently than was intended. The woman at this man's side was quick to point this out. She turns to face him, her long flowing raven black hair swaying as she does so. A pair of sparkling blue eyes gives a stern countenance as she remarks, "Cyrus, it would appear that your cape is serving opposite to its intended function."

Cyrus chuckles at this, a gesture that causes the woman at his side to let out a huff and cross her arms. "You think so? It's meant to draw attention away from my arm, and I'd say it serves that purpose quite handily."

She then places her hands on her hips, striking a rather indignant stance with her companion's lax behavior. She stands as tall as her companion, presenting herself as quite the overbearing force. Whereas other passerby found themselves subconsciously taking a step backwards in recognition of this notion, Cyrus simply cracks a smirk. The woman's attire lends to bestowing upon her a regal and important air, but not much for intimidation. A frilly dress, gray in color with lavender accoutrements, is her choice of attire, complemented by a pair of form-clinging black boots that rise just below her knees. Curiously, her boots match those of her companion.

"At the cost of drawing unwanted attention to your person? Not a fair trade if you ask me."

The pair's minor squabble is interjected by the voice of a gruff older gentleman, one clad in ebon and gold armor. His pauldrons are further adorned with auburn fur and some sort of silvery blue plating. His facial features are impossible to discern, courtesy of the helmet donned atop his head; atop this helm is the golden bust of a wyrm. Crossing his arms, the armored man takes a long glance at the two explorers, sizing them up and gauging their skill. Looking to the woman, he gives a reply that strikes her as a quip. "The man at your side might make for an impressive Phantom Fencer someday. I take it you are both here to join a Guild, yes?"

Cyrus nods in response to this. "Yes, though Milady and I intend to start a Guild of our own. More specifically, our intent is to create an Iorys Branch for the Seekers Guild."

Looking to Cyrus, the armor-clad man lets slip a sound of intrigue. "Ah, yes, your face did strike me as familiar. That left eye of yours is quite distinct at this point; you are Cyrus Coelistis, the original founder, are you not?"

"I am he, yes." Directing the man's attention to the woman at his side, he continues, "This is my liege, Gwenivere Concordia." Gwenivere performs a curtsy in greeting, which the armor-clad man returns with a bow.

"Well met to you both. I am Egar, the Guildmaster of Iorys' Explorers Guild. It is my hope that your exploits will produce great results, and perhaps inspire your fellows to rise above complacent mediocrity." Cyrus dons a despondent look upon hearing this, to which Egar follows, "Do I ask too much of you?"

"Oh, no, it's not that, it's just that you're the fourth Guildmaster to say that. The masters of Etria, Armoroad, and Tharsis made similar comments."

Egar chuckles at this, though his helmet's filter gives the impression that he may be scoffing instead. "We sentient beings certainly have a bad habit of letting the peaceful times weaken us." He gestures for the duo to follow him towards a table. "Come, let us register your Guild." Pulling out a clipboard, he sets it down on the table beside a fancy fountain pen. "Skilled though you may be, it is standard procedure to recruit a party of five before ascending the Labyrinth."

Raising an eyebrow to this, Cyrus comments, "Ascend? Iorys' Labyrinth soars to the heavens?" Egar nods in response, but shows no signs of his extended intrigue. "Every other Yggdrasil I've traversed has required explorers to brave its depths; I heard from a few allies that Lagaard's Labyrinth ascended, but I was not present for its exploration."

"Then this shall be a new experience, even for you. I look forward to seeing how you adapt." Stepping away, Egar quickly returns with a book in tow. Presenting it to Cyrus, he says, "This encyclopedia details every available Class used by the explorers of Arcania. Under normal circumstances, humans such as yourselves would only be able to select Earthlain Classes as your starting line, but given your prowess for magic, you could easily pass for Celestrian half-bloods."

Gwenivere glances at the pages of this encyclopedia alongside Cyrus, soon asking, "Will you not enter a spot of trouble for such an act?"

"Normally, yes, but from what I was told by the Outland Count some years prior, you Erdboden-native humans are quite different from residents of this world."

His attention caught, Cyrus asks, "The Count? Did he mention the spirit animal transformations?"

"Aye, that he did. In that same vein, the two of you could adopt your transformations and pass as Therians as well." Cyrus and Gwenivere glance at each other, both adopting nervous expressions as they make eye contact. Privy to this, Egar asks, "I assume the matter is more complicated than that?" They nod in unison. "How curious. Whatever the case, I leave the choice of your starting Classes to you; choose carefully, but know your decision is by no means permanent."

Knowing the pair will need some time to pour over the contents of the encyclopedia, he takes a momentary leave to provide his attention to other aspiring Guilds. Cyrus and Gwenivere take seats beside each other and get to reading. After reading through the explanations of Fencer and Pugilist, the latter takes to resting her head on the shoulder of her companion. She absently comments, "Amy would have to take Pugilist."

Cyrus chuckles at this, turning another page as he voices his agreement. "Yeah, she's been training to better hone her technique ever since our time in Armoroad; I have no doubt that she'd handle this Class masterfully." He soon finds himself stuck on Harbinger, a scythe-wielding class that specializes in capitalizing on ailing opponents. "Lady Mayrune and Valerie would make good use of these Skills." He gives a quick glance Gwenivere's way before casually adding, "This sort of dress would look quite fabulous on you as well."

Her brow furrows as she gazes upon the illustrations of the Harbinger. "I may very well have a dress just like this back at the palace. I cannot say I am too keen on wielding a scythe, however. I much prefer my katana."

"In that case, you could adopt your raven visage and run as a Masurao; I can see you switching over to your Depth Dancer form just to make use of this four-sword style."

"That sounds incredibly dangerous; I'd give our comrades nightmares." Having made it to the Celestrian section, Gwenivere immediately finds her attention caught by the Warlock Class. Her face lights up as a smile graces her lips. "Ooh, now this looks promising." She lifts her head from Cyrus' shoulder to take hold of the book. "Love, what say you to my choosing of this Class? I'd have to drop my katana, but I have been meaning to take my magic training beyond its current level."

"I have no qualms with this; I'll support you in your decision, as ever."

"Excellent! Then it is decided. Now we have to choose a Class for you."

A voice sounds from behind the duo, one that calls out to Cyrus in an attempt to ascertain his identity. Upon turning around, the two are greeted with the sight of Fiona, who has taken to donning light armor. Gold and silver gauntlets adorn her arms, with the left gauntlet sporting a small mounted heater shield. Half of the shield's face is colored light blue, with the other half being white; it serves to match the sleeveless dress Fiona is wearing. Beneath her dress is worn a tight black top that covers that which the dress leaves bare. A pair of black tights is worn in complement, with a pair of gold and silver greaves worn above it. A rapier with a decorated circular guard rests within its scabbard, which is mounted on her left arm just beneath the shield.

Upon seeing the Runic Eye gaze upon her, there can be no doubt. "Wow, it really is you; uh…hey, Cyrus." She is then taken aback by how swiftly Cyrus rises from his chair and rushes over to her. Fiona suddenly finds herself in a tight embrace, suspended less than a meter off the ground as Cyrus proclaims his joy to see his comrade once again. Once she returns to solid ground, she looks upon her old comrade's countenance to find a joyous expression upon it. Her face turns red at the sight, and soon she feels the contagious effects of the smile overtaking her. "Yeah, it's good to see you, too." Looking to Gwenivere, she asks, "Who might your friend be?"

Gwenivere rises from her seat and extends a hand to Fiona. Having the gesture returned with a firm shake, she elects to introduce herself on Cyrus' behalf. "I am Gwenivere Concordia, soon to be the next Overlord of the Province of Nature in Erdboden's Land of Mages. You are likely aware of me as Cyrus' liege, but know that I am also his first wife."

Fiona turns to Cyrus, a mischievous smirk upon her lips and her eyes likewise shaded into a conniving leer. "So you went and married your boss after all, eh?"

"It was bound to happen eventually. And before you ask, yes, I married Amy's older sister as well."

"I'm surprised you survived the ceremony…and your wedding night." Cyrus clutches at his chest, feigning as if he's been mortally wounded by Fiona's jest. "I'm happy for you, truly. It's honestly quite nice to hear that things are starting to work out for you back home." A frown is suddenly fixed upon her countenance. "You always…looked rather somber whenever you spoke of Erdboden. Amy even commented once before that remaining here in our world would be better for your health."

Cyrus sighs at this, though his expression doesn't shift to reflect Fiona's current mood. "The war is over and the Void Dweller has been dealt with. Life is finally calming down for me." He cracks another smirk. "Now I need only worry about being a family man and running my business."

Resting a hand on her hip, Fiona shoots him a questioning look. "Aren't you going to be ruling that Province alongside your wife here?"

"Yes, but I've spent my entire life preparing for that; I'm not worried."

"Have I ever told you that you're lax at the worst of times?"

He shrugs. "Maybe once or twice." Fiona can only frown at his quip, which forces Gwenivere to stifle a giggle. "If you haven't joined a Guild yet, might I trouble you to join ours?" He hesitates, remembering that the air between the two of them hasn't been exactly cleared up as of yet. "We clashed quite often during our time in Armoroad, but I'd be more than happy to stand at your side in battle again."

"Yeah, likewise. I've done a lot of thinking since then, and I'm sure you've done the same. I…" she trails off, momentarily glancing at the encyclopedia on the desk and letting her mind wander away from this unpleasant topic. She takes in a deep breath and exhales before resolving to look Cyrus in the eyes. "I still don't quite understand what you said to me back then, nor can I say I am willing to just accept your methods." She takes a step forward, extending her hand before him. "In spite of that, I know you're my ally; I staked my life on protecting you for that very reason."

He takes hold of her hand, affirming their camaraderie with a firm shake. In an effort to move the topic to something lighter, he asks, "So you're a Fencer? You're finally taking a shot at leading a Chaser-focused party?" She nods, causing Cyrus to glance at the Class encyclopedia on the table once again. After thinking it over to himself, he nods and lets a soft smile form on his lips. Looking to Gwenivere, and then to Fiona, he says, "I believe I have made my decision; I shall enlist as a Fencer, one with the focus of evasion. I shall serve as the Tank to keep enemy aggression off of you."

The two leer at him, boasting worried expressions. Between the two, Fiona is the first to express her concern. "Aren't you physically frail? Can you handle that much exertion?"

"All of that exercising I do isn't just for show, Fiona; I ask for your trust."

"You already have it, as you've been in possession since our time in Armoroad. I jus- we worry about you."

"Cyrus does have this nagging habit of causing his friends no shortage of worry."

"Yes, yes, thank you, dear."

"Anytime, love." She motions to pick up the encyclopedia, casually waving it as she says, "With our Classes decided on, we should return this to the Guildmaster. Other explorers may be in need of it." She takes the lead of this trio as they make way for the Guildmaster. Egar's distinct presence is impossible to miss, and he is rather tall, making the task of locating him a simple affair. At present, he is speaking with two individuals, both of whom appear to be children. They are both quite short in appearance, but having encountered dwarves in Erdboden prior, Cyrus and Gwenivere know better than to simply assume.

One of the short individuals is a girl with pink hair and bright green eyes. Her attire is akin to that of a grade-schooler, complete with an adorably fancy hat and small backpack. A nervous expression is plastered upon her countenance, and she looks to be incredibly fidgety. A tome rests on a clip at her hip, suggesting she might be a caster of some kind. When the trio draws near, she bows to them in greeting, but says nothing. The three return the bow in kind, but elect to give their names. The lass speaks up to introduce herself in turn, though she stumbles a bit. "M- My name's F- Fae; it's nice to meet you!" Her voice is definitely indicative of a child, but even this is not good enough as confirmation.

At her side is a lad with brown skin and silver hair. His garments are quite decorative, and he wears what can only be described as a shimmering golden crown atop his head. His eyes are a sparkling purple, filled with purpose and determination in equal measure. The lad carries himself with the disposition of a young prince, or at the very least someone who handles his responsibilities with a serious approach. He waves to the trio, offering up a greeting. "I am Hayato Yasujiro, first prince of the Yasujiro Clan." Cyrus and Gwenivere adopt blank expressions in response to this, which causes Hayato to adopt a look of concern. "Is something the matter? The wizard looks frazzled."

Unbeknownst to himself, Cyrus' skin has turned pale. He is quick to rebound, collecting himself and regaining his composure. "My apologies, Lord Hayato; it's just…your family name is familiar. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, may I have the name of your father?"

"Ah, of course; my father is Nagato Yasujiro; he wrenched leadership of the clan from its previous ruler, who was little more than a relentless tyrant. If it will spark your memory further, my mother is named Mina; her origins lie with the Takeda Clan."

Gwenivere falls silent at this, as does Fiona. The two are worried for what Cyrus' reaction might be, but are surprised to see Cyrus crouch down to make eye contact with Hayato. He asks, "How is he? Nagato, I mean. Is your father well?"

"Oh yes, quite. He has the full support of the clan, and mother makes sure he never takes on more than he can handle. A just ruler, and he's done well to keep himself from shouldering his burdens alone." The young prince wears a wide smile as he boasts of his father; his expression alone is enough to bring Cyrus some degree of peace. "Truly, I couldn't be more proud of him."

Another soft smile fixes itself upon Cyrus' lips before he nods. "That…that is good; be sure to look after him, Lord Hayato."

"Might you be an old friend of the family? I admit that I do not dabble in much socialization, nor do I ask my father to speak of his youth."

Cyrus rubs the back of his head in embarrassment, letting out a weak chuckle before he can give a proper reply. "Your father and I go way back, but not in this world. I'm from…"

Hayato unintentionally cuts him off, his expression brightening as he realizes who Cyrus is. "You're the famous interloper! The original leader of Seekers, yes?" Cyrus nods, opting to remain silent. "That means you know of two separate iterations of my father; I'd love to hear any tales you might be willing to share, even if only for the sake of comparison." Cyrus nods again, to which Hayato jumps for joy.

Breaking his long silence, Egar directs his attention to Cyrus and says, "Fae here is a Botanist in training; though young, she shows much promise. Lord Hayato is a Shaman; the closest equivalents you might be aware of are the Troubadours of Etria and the Dancers of Tharsis. Both are members of the Brouni race, known for their medical wisdom and talents within the realm of spiritual arts. Your party seems to have two slots remaining; I recommend adding these two to your ranks."

Looking to the duo, Cyrus says, "We'd be happy to have you both, if you're willing to join."

Hayato affirms his decision immediately, lacking any semblance of hesitation. Fae, too nervous to give a verbal reply, simply walks over to take her place at Cyrus' side. She grabs hold of his pants leg and nods to the Guildmaster. Egar, pleased with this development, directs the group's attention to the clipboard he prepared earlier. "The leader will sign this sheet first, providing the Guild's name in turn. The remainder of the group may sign in any order after that." This task is handled swiftly; taking the clipboard in hand, Egar nods, pleased with everything being in order. "Very well; the Seekers are registered. Your next step will be the Council Hall; the initiation mission awaits." Placing the clipboard back on the table, he crosses his arms once more and gives a parting word. "Good luck to you all; I look forward to hearing of your exploits."

Stepping out into the city, the party of five huddles close together in an effort to force its way through the early morning traffic. Fiona groans at this, making no effort to hide the displeased expression plastered on her face. She finds herself needing to press the side of her face against Cyrus' in order to avoid being shoved to the ground by a much larger and incredibly muscular Earthlain, presumably a Pugilist. "The first of the Emperor is quickly becoming my most hated day of the year."

Gwenivere sticks close to her allies, sometimes pulling herself closer to Cyrus by way of hooking an arm around his waist. "I have been to parades less crowded than this. Is this the population density at work or are there truly that many explorers?" Cyrus comments that the traffic for Armoroad was much worse than this, to which Gwenivere looks at him with an expression mixed with horror and disgust. It does not take long for the party to escape this chaotic sea of people, placing them in a clearing just beneath a decorated branch converted into an archway. "The denizens built around nature instead of tearing it down." She smiles at the sight. "The city is more beautiful for the choice; it's a lot like home."

Cyrus takes a seat on a nearby bench, with Fae quick to follow suit by taking a seat at his side. "Might as well take a moment to enjoy the scenery; I'm sure the members of the council could make do with one less Guild bothering them." He breathes in the fresh air on this crisp spring morning, letting out a rather content sigh soon after. "Indeed, let us give them a moment of respite."

Taking a seat beside her husband, Gwenivere silently concedes to the notion of taking a break. She looks to Fae, who has been silent since before the group departed the Explorers Guild. Her expression betrays no semblance of discomfort, but her silence is disquieting. "Fae, dear, is everything alright?"

"H- Huh?" She lets her nervousness show, revealing that the stoic expression from moments prior was little more than a façade. "I, um…I don't do too well with crowds." She twiddles her thumbs, looking down to the ground below as she follows, "The only reason I made it into the Explorers Guild the first time is because of a nice Pugilist. He, um, was kinda lost, and needed someone to help him find his Guild. We found them right by the entrance." She looks to Cyrus and Gwenivere, cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "I didn't even realize I didn't have a way back out…th- thank you so much for being there. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't let me join."

Gwenivere shoots a warm smile Fae's way. "You needn't think anything of it, sweetie. We're happy to have you." Her expression suddenly shifts to display minor concern; a sudden thought has just occurred to her. "Is there any age limit for being an explorer?" Looking to the three people she's just met, more specifically Hayato and Fae, she follows, "I can't quite pin the ages of my new comrades. Cyrus is 21, and I am not far behind as far as the Erdboden calendar is concerned."

Fiona rests a hand on her hip, electing to reveal her age first. "I'm 22; my birthday is the 14th of Dormouse." She glances at Cyrus, that mischievous look in her eyes returning. "Be sure to get me something nice this year too, Cyrus ol' buddy." He rolls his eyes in response, but shoots her a smile all the same.

Hayato is the next to speak. "I'm 16 years old; I'll be 17 come the month of the Tiger."

Fae, despite her nervousness, looks up to say, "I'm 10," a revelation that causes everyone's eyes to go wide. "U- Um, is something wrong? Is there a ghost behind me?!" Her head turns half-way to assess the danger, but she quickly relents and maintains a forward stare. 'No, you can't look back! What if the ghost gets angry at me?!'

Cyrus runs his hand through his hair, letting out a sustained "Hoo~" as he takes the moment to let the information settle in his mind. He takes another look at Fae and tries to speak, but can only let out another "Hoo~". The girl tilts her head inquisitively at the man, quite confused by the collective reactions of her comrades. Before long, Cyrus collects himself and says, "That makes you the youngest member of Seekers to date." His countenance takes a serious turn, enough to send a shiver down Fae's spine. "The Labyrinth is dangerous, Fae, incredibly so. You're going to see things that will unsettle you; we of the Seekers Guild always find ourselves in the thick of it, always the first to answer the call of the most dangerous threats."

Fae balls both of her hands into fists and performs a fist pump close to her chest. She musters the toughest-looking expression she can make in an effort to show her determination. It comes across as being adorable instead, causing everyone except Cyrus to snicker. "I can do this. I- I won't get in the way!" Cyrus shakes his head to this, to which the lass' expression momentarily deflates. "Bu- bu-"

"This isn't about you getting in the way, Fae; it's about you being prepared for the danger."

"Who's going to heal you when you get hurt?!" He reels back at her sudden outburst, taken aback by the child's surprising degree of intensity. Her expression is quite furious now, likely a result of her feeling insulted. "I'm an explorer, too! I trained for this…I can keep everyone safe, so please let me stay. I mean, I'm scared, but so are the rest of you! I can handle this." She stares at the Guild's leader, knowing that, above all else, she has to prove her resolve to him if no one else. The emotions behind her outburst are slowly creeping up on her, bringing her to the verge of tears, but they are held back. One last plea escapes her, barely a whisper as it sounds. "Please?"

Though silent for a long moment, Cyrus' expression makes it quite clear that he's not going to refuse Fae's declaration. Looking to Gwenivere, it's all he can do to force back his smile. "Gwenivere, when we have our first child, I think you're going to need to play the role of the strict parent; I don't think I can do this." Fae recognizes this as his acceptance, and opts to lunge at him, burying her face in his chest as she thanks him. "See? Even she realizes the fact."

Fiona looks on in disbelief, crossing her arms and shaking her head in disappointment. "And yet you were perfectly capable of getting strict with Amy."

"Amy is my sister-in-law, Fiona; quite different from either a niece or a daughter."

Hayato rests a fist beneath his chin, adopting a contemplative stance. "How strange. Father acts the same way towards my younger cousins, especially the girls."

Smirking at the notion, Cyrus adds, "Nagato's always been like that with infants. He loves small animals, too. I still remember the kitten he brought back to his palace. Made the little one a throne, a scaled down replica of his own – named her Nala."

"Ah, Nala exists in your world, too?! She's such an angel. Oh, but here she's a tigress, rather than a normal cat." Gwenivere and Fiona can't help but widen their eyes at this, though Hayato is too busy reminiscing to notice. The party's moment of respite ends shortly after this, leaving its members to tarry no longer as they make way for the Council Hall.

The building is grand, befitting its station, but Fiona and Cyrus can't help but comment on how its scale is less than that of the Senatus in Armoroad. Letting out a sigh, Fiona shrugs. "The Senatus is a pretty high bar, though; those guys make everything in jumbo size." The interior is likewise quaint in its regal presentation. With a focus of gold and blue, the design opted for subdued hues. Vines and branches twine around the supporting columns, giving the royal hall an aged visage. "It looks as if nature is taking over, but there is a distinct lack of the forest's scent."

A voice rings out from further within the building; "You have our countless documents to thank for that, young Fencer." Looking to the voice's source, the party is met with the sight of a young man advancing towards them. Garbed in beautiful gold and blue regal attire, this young man adorns himself with a red shoulder cape and carries his person with both grace and confidence. Curiously, he lacks an attendant, in spite of what is expected of someone of his supposed station. Purple hair tops his head, covering most of the diadem that can be seen between his parted bangs. A pair of grayish-blue eyes studies the party, presumably gauging their mettle as explorers. "You are new explorers, yes? I have not seen your faces prior to now."

The Seekers introduce themselves, making small talk with the royal before settling back into the important task at hand. "I am Ramus, royal prince of the Earthlains. It is my hope that your bravery in the Labyrinth will help build a better future for our city." He steps away to a side area, soon returning with map parchment; Cyrus cannot help but find a smile etching onto his face as he thinks towards the future of charting another Yggdrasil. Fiona is privy to this smile, and chuckles in kind. "Your first mission is to investigate the Labyrinth, but you will require a map of the forest to accomplish such a task." He hands the parchment over to Cyrus, who accepts the yield graciously. "As you chart the first floor, we ask that you also endeavor to procure a sample of Yggdrasil's roots, as well as its soil."

"How curious. You're studying the tree more thoroughly and readily than past cities I've visited."

"It is just as well. Unlike the various cities of the other continents, we of Iorys have long since held a distant relationship with the Yggdrasil Tree. Yggdrasil was once considered too sacred, too dangerous to warrant study; the devastation wrought by the one who abused the tree's power was…beyond compare."

Though intrigued by this city's past, Gwenivere reins in her curiosity. "I should like to pour through this city's library at some point; might that be permissible?"

"Yes, of course. We would never turn away an aspiring scholar. Before you depart, I recommend visiting the marketplace to stock up on supplies." He glances about the party again, attempting see if there were any details he might have missed during his initial scan. "You lot look well prepared, especially for beginners, but there's no such thing as being 'too prepared'." The Seekers nod to Ramus' suggestion, and take their leave soon after. The early traffic is beginning to subside, though the path to the Explorers Guild still retains its visage as an endless sea of people. Fae takes point, claiming that she will lead the group down a more convenient route to their destination.

Author's Notes: Indeed, I have been absent for a long, long time. My ability to write in any meaningful capacity was taken away as a result of life circumstances that have remained pressing for over a year. Now that the situation has slowed to an acceptable point, I feel that I can get back on track. That said...there is a lot to take care of, so I apologize in advance if I ever start lagging. I do intend to focus on EOV for now, but I will endeavor to backtrack to finish FDW and upload the stories for EO2U, EOIII, and EOIV.