CHAPTER ONE:
GOBLINS AND GUILD MEMBERS
Eslwiess's hand was slippery on the grip of the Rapier.
She swallowed hard and gripped it tighter, her other hand clenched on the leather handle of one if her daggers. Aware that Esri stood a few feet away watching, she shook herself mentally and concentrated on the task at hand.
Before her stood her opponent, a goblin welding a vicious looking Gladius. Despite the fact that it was almost half her height, a goblin was not to be underestimated. It wore crude, but durable leather and metal armour, and a metal helm topped with a spike. It was faster than it looked and struck harder than most humans. Her brand new Rapier had a dozen nicks and scratches along the blade already. In all of twenty seven minutes, she hadn't been able to land a single blow, but by some unlucky blunders on her part she had two cuts already. One burned across her right cheek, the other a dull pain just below her left elbow.
The goblin had given her the most trouble yet. With her new Rapier and light leather armour she had succeeded for the first time in defeating a ghost. This she had done on her own, last evening after receiving her new gear. The following morning however, Esri had come to the Shop to pick her up.
"We are going to gather some small articles today and it's a good opportunity to see how well you fight, Wiess."
She had been excited at first when she heard this, but soon the excitement was replaced with panic as she realized where they had to go.
The Ruined Temple.
She had heard tales of the temple; mostly about the powerful monster sealed their that sometimes broke out and had to be resealed by top ranking warriors. Farther more, small articles were no small task to gather for someone of her skill level. When she had asked Smith about them he had told her, in a very short and direct way, that goblins carried them around and the only way to get one was to defeat a goblin in battle.
As easy as Smith made it sound, she knew she had her work cut out for her and worst: Esri would be watching.
"Focus, Wiess. You can do this."
As if her thoughts had called him, Esri's voice reached her from where he stood watching a short distance away. Close enough that if things got difficult he could step in.
No, she would do this alone.
The goblin smiled at her from under its helm, as if it was mocking her. It knew she stood no chance against it. She gripped her weapons tighter and crouched slightly.
She wasn't going to lose.
With an odd eerie cry the goblin charged, brandishing it's Gladius like a club. Eslwiess took an involuntary step backward and brought up her dagger to fend off a chop that otherwise would have opened her stomach. She jumped to the side, going into a tumble and coming up a few feet away. This took the goblin by surprise and before it could turn to face her, Eslwiess charged.
As she rushed in the goblin swung it's Gladius in a wide overhead chop but she was ready. She brought up her dagger, her left foot stepping in to bear the weight as she parried the blow, her knee nearly bending at the force. Her right hand drew back, the Rapier pointed directly at the goblins chest. She infused a great amount of mana, all she could muster all at once , building it in her feet and her right arm. The goblin tried to retaliate but she was ready for that. She pushed hard with her dagger arm, forcing the Gladius up and high, causing the goblin to stumble backward, it's hand held above its head. Then, she struck.
Forcing a blast of mana from her feet with a shout that pushed her forward at a deadly speed, she trusted her Rapier into the goblins chest as hard as she could, throwing all her body wait behind it. The point of the Rapier struck the goblins metal chest guard, striking sparks from it but didn't penetrate. She smiled as her momentum pushed her forward, forcing the goblin to slide backward on its heels as well.
With a second shout she released 5he mana she had built up in her arm, letting it flow into the Rapier and out though it's point in a spiral. The force shot her forward and the Rapier tore though the goblin's armour like paper. It was blasted backwards off its feet and hit the wall ten feet away before crumpling to the floor.
Eslwiess stood completely spent, all her mana gone, her breath harsh and fast. Did she dare hope? Had she finally done it?
The goblin burst into a million small particles with an agonizing scream and dissipated, leaving nothing behind but it's Gladius, a scrap of torn cloth and a small metal discuss inscribed with a strange symbol she had never seen.
She sat down hard on the floor, dagger and Rapier slipping from exhausted fingers. She almost jumped as Esri's hand rested on her shoulder.
"Very well done, Wiess. I knew you could do it."
She was to out of breath to reply so she just waved a hand in acknowledgement of his praise.
He chuckled.
"And you not only got a small article." he said as he went over to collect the goblin's drops. "You also got torn cloth, not rare by any means but useful for making cloth materials. Also..."
He held up the Gladius. It was all silver with odd scroll work along 5he blade. In his hand it looked like an exceptionally long dagger, not like a short sword.
"Your first weapon drop. Congrats."
Despite her exhaustion she gave a small smile.
"It took me a while but, I did it." she said, she could feel her mana regenerating slowly as she rested. "I really suck though."
"Nonsense." Esri replied sternly, coming over and sitting next to her on the marble floor. "Everyone has to start somewhere. I was once where you are now. All you need is practice, like any other skill: adventuring takes time to master."
Eslwiess nodded.
"Here."
He handed her the Gladius, the torn cloth and the strange metal Disc which she now knew was a small article.
"Small articles are very useful, some people will buy them at a reasonable price. However that us not how we will be using them. They are a great source of metal. They can be processed by an alchemist or a blacksmith into metal materials for use in crafting."
"So why give me back?" she asked bewildered.
Esri smiled.
"You farmed it. Place it in your bag and keep it to give to Smith. The same goes for the torn cloth." he told her. "As for the Gladius, you may keep it, sell it or use it as metal materials just like the article. It's up to you."
Eslwiess sighed and looked up to the ruined ceiling of the temple far above. Her mana was almost rejuvenated and she had calmed down from the panicked determined rickshaw that had gripped her whole fighting the goblin. It dawned on her, really dawned on her what she had just done. She began to giggle.
Esri smiled indulgently. From the corner of his eye he saw goblins lurking a short distance away. They did not approach because of him, and the aura he exuded, but they wanted to attack because she was here, a weaker warrior. He stood slowly.
Eslwiess stopped laughing as she realized that Esri had risen and drawn his crossbow.
"What's wrong?" she asked looking around and only then realizing the other goblins at that moment. She counted at least twelve. Her hand reached for her weapons automatically.
"Today, you will be my backup." Esri said as he infused his mana. An aura of magic enclosed husband body in its light. "Just keep goblins at a distance, but don't take any risks. Your main goal is to gather the drops. Leave the rest to me."
Eslwiess got to her feet and went into a slight crouching position, dagger and Rapier poised to strike.
"Good." Esri said with a wide grin. "Let's begin."
With a burst of magic Esri shot an bolt upward from his crossbow which curved and came back down. To her surprise the bolt split into hundreds of other bolts and rained down around them, just as the unfortunate goblins decided to charge. Six goblins fell writhing to the floor, stuck fatally by the falling bolts. The other remaining goblins nearly avoided the attack but had no time to attack. Esri spoke an incantation, his body glowing with magic. The words of the spell stuck the air like hammers on anvil.
A tornado of wind sprung up amidst the remaining goblins, sweeping the hapless creatures up into the air and bring them back down to land hard on the marble floor, breaking arms and legs and heads. Five more goblins burst into particles, destroyed completely by the spell.
Eslwiess was so shocked she almost wasn't ready when the last remaining goblin ran at her. She sidestepped it's wild Slash and drove her Rapier though it's ribs from the side destroying it instantly.
In the aftermath of the attack, a few small articles, torn cloths, Gladius and bandanas, worn by some goblin, lay strewn across the floor. Eslwiess hurriedly gathered the drops stowing them in her bag.
"Leave the Gladius. They will take up to much room in your bag." Esri told her pointing his crossbow skyward again. "Make haste. Another set are coming."
She gathered the drops quickly, stowing them away then took up position at Esri's back again, her weapons at the ready.
"Here they come." Esri said.
He fired his crossbow once more.
Eslwiess was tired, sore, sweaty and scratched, and not entirely in that order. Her frown also showed displeasure at how notched and battered her gear had become.
It was an hour before sundown and she and Esri had finally returned to Sofya. It irked her how relaxed he seemed. It didn't look like he had even bothered to break a sweat.
Her bag and his bulged with small articles and torn cloth. After they had kill gods knows how many goblins and gathered their drops, Esri had told her to take just a certain about of the Gladius. They where well over fifty, but the ones that held slots that could be filled with gems were the ones they had taken. Those they sold to the merchant Sololo. They would make good weapons for beginners would could not afford fancy weapons.
After that Esri had told her they were going to the government building.
Eslwiess wasn't sure why they were going there but at first she thought that they were going to see Pino. However when they arrived at the government building. Esri led her up an unfamiliar stairs and down several long corridors until they came to an ornate door on which was engraved the sign of the Revenants Guild. He pushed open the door and gestured for her to go in ahead of him.
As she entered she realized that she stood in a bar. The long polished counter gleamed under the magnificent chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Individual tables surrounded by chairs occupied mist of the space before the bar and a huge staircase curved up and away on the right side of the room. High barstools lined the bar and sitting there were four other people.
Elswiess almost jump as the door closed behind her. Esri brushed pass her, tossing his bag on an empty table and greeting the others heartily.
"Hey guys, getting in some late drinking?"
The four turned in unison, greeting Esri in return. The tallest was a young man with unusual light lavender hair that always struck Eslwiess as odd. Adventurers came from all over the planet and it wasn't particularly strange to find some with oddly coloured skin and hair, but she had never met another person with hair the same lavender hue as Three.
Three was the first Vice Captain of the Revenants Guild, she had met him on many occasions as he was the main member of the guild who came around to the store to collect new gears and weapons. He was often fun to talk to, very helpful and kind and sometimes he would tell her interesting things. He was a mage, said to be one of the best in the guild. She had never seen him fight but she had helped repair his staff and shield which were both magnificent pieces of equipment.
There though, the familiarity ended.
Sitting at the bar along with Three were one female and two male adventurers she didn't know. One of their number, the boy, looked to be about the same age as her. He had short spiked hair that was the most usual colour she had yet seen; pink that faded into a light blue at the ends. Eslwiess found herself wondering if he could be a distant relation to Three with such bright hair.
As there guild mates chattered on, asking Esri questions she let herself look over the other two older strangers. Both where in Esri and Three's age range. The woman had grey hair but her face was youthful and pretty. Looking at her, Eslwiess found she couldn't quite place the lady's age. She had sleepy looking green eyes and hugged a staff close with her left arm, while caressing a wooden mug resting on the bar with the fingers of her right hand.
The other man seemed quiet and reserved. He was well build with broad shoulders and thick arms. At his belt hung a one handed sword, battered with use and a pair of sturdy looking fighter knuckles. A number of scars adorned his face and fair skinned arms, but not enough to take away from his rough charm. He looked so familiar that Eslwiess was caught staring and looked away when he met her eyes.
"And who might this young lady be?" his voice was deep and cultured.
Everyone turned to her at once, falling silent. She immediately became nervous and began to fidget, tugging at her plait.
"Ah." Esri said with a smile. "Allow me to introduce our newest recruit."
He walked over and place a gentle hand on Eslwiess's shoulder.
"This is Eslwiess. I am sure you all have heard about her."
"Ahhh. I see. You are my brother's ward." The older gentleman said rising and holding out his hand. "A pleasure. I am Wizzor. Smith's bother."
Then it clicked. The fair skin and dark hair that stuck up in the back. It was just like Smith. Eslwiess took his hand and marvelled at how much smaller her's was in comparison.
"I though you would be a mage." She said with out thinking and bit her lip.
Wizzor gave a booming laugh and patted her hand gently.
"I get that a lot. Must be my name."
Eslwiess almost jumped as the woman who had been sitting at the bar looking all sleepy moments ago poked her in the cheek gently.
"Heya." her smile was so nice that Eslwiess found herself smiling in return without realizing it. "You look down right dreadful. Hold still."
She whispered an incantation under her breath and suddenly Eslwiess's whole body felt warm and tingly. Then slowly all her cuts and bruises stopped hurting, her exhaustions lifted away and her sore muscles eased. She looked up at the smiling lady eyes wide.
"Your a priest!"
It was more of a statement than a question and the strange woman gave a small giggle.
"Well yes you could say that. Kinda. I am Zellr, but you can call me Zell." she turned and waved over the boy who was standing to one side observing. "And he is Laconix, Wizzor's ward."
The boy nodded and smiled. He seemed the quiet type.
"Eslwiess and I were farming small articles today. It's as good of a starting point as any. She has gotten accustomed to the flow of battle. So starting tomorrow I am putting her on the secondary farming party along with Laconix here."
Wizzor looked Eslwiess up and down.
"What's your fighting style like?"
Eslwiess opened her mouth and closed it. She was at a lost. Her fighting style wasn't like other adventurers she had ever met. Esri had told her he wanted her to fight using only physical piercing skills. Trust, jabs and pokes, along with dagger parries, dagger throwing and lots of dodging and evasion. He had not told her what this style was called.
"Eslwiess is using a unique style I suggested. With a Rapier she can't really hack and slash like a normal swordsman. Rapier are good for trusts and stabs and I cooperation of dagger skill seems to augment it perfectly. I haven't named it yet but it's getting there. It seems very interesting as well."
Wizzor gave Esri an appraising look.
"I see. I am interested to see how this new style of yours turns out. Your last one was exceptional."
Esri smiled but didn't reply. He walked over, grabbed his bag and handed it to Eslwiess.
"Take this to Smith. He will need metals for crafting. Also, get some rest. You did a great job today. I bought you here today so you will know the way I'm the future. Meet Laconix tomorrow at the land unset development outside the city, you will be joining up with the secondary farming party."
Eslwiess nodded, strapping Esri's bag around her waist to sit next to her's. She barely felt the wait of both bulging bags.
"Good. I'll see you again soon."
On her way home, purse heavy with the coin she had earned selling Gladius and Bandanas, she stopped long enough to buy some ingredients to make Smith his favourite dish, the thick beef stew she made of special occasions. She was in a good mood so why not.
She got home just as the sun had finished setting and found Smith closing up the shop for the day.
"Welcome back Eslwiess. Did you have a good hunt today."
She smiled nodded and helped him finish the closing up and stocking any of the new materials.
She cooked a wonderful dinner of thick savoury stew and the best bread Sofya had to offer, fresh and soft.
They lit the fireplace and sat near its glow enjoying their meal as they chatted.
She told him everything and he was proud...
And she was happy.