I'm still kicking everyone. Just a lot going on. So I hope to be able to write more so you all can enjoy it during this crazy time. Everyone stay healthy.

Read, review, enjoy!

Chapter 13: Guild Meeting

The next morning Karol made a large breakfast spread for them. They were able to get back to the city with no problems and Karol sent them to bed as soon as they got back. The guild building had a lot of open beds for its members and guests.

Breakfast was fairly normal with the Capel family and Paul at the same table. It was like Tammy hadn't ran off into a dangerous forest the night before. Raiden was a bit interested to know what Uncle Karol would say. He couldn't imagine him scolding. It seemed strange to say since Karol was a guild leader, but he seemed too kind to scold or punish his own child. But he didn't say anything on the matter. Karol must have talked with Tamara last night.

"Matthias, this is your first time in Dahngrest, right?" Karol suddenly asked as they were nearing the end of their breakfast.

Matthias seemed started, he must have expected to stay quiet throughout breakfast. "Oh, yes. I've never been into a guild run city." Even before the rising conflicts, Matthias' mother probably wouldn't have let him anywhere near guilds. He had rarely left Aurnion at all. Raiden's father was probably the only guild member Matthias had met growing up.

"Then I think it'd be a good idea to take you on a tour of the city," Karol suggested. Then he looked at Raiden and the others, "It had been a few years since you all had been here. Things have changed a lot."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Raiden said. Seeing the city would bring back a lot of good memories. It'd also give Matthias an opportunity to learn more about guilds.

"Have fun with that," Paul then said as he stood up. "I've got some jobs to get done while I'm in the city."

"What a surprise," Elena began, "you're actually doing work."

Of course that got under Paul's skin. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm an important member of this guild."

"Then you should probably get started on that job then," Karol stated simply. Even he was aware of how Elena was skilled at getting to people.

Paul was still irritated at Elena. But he left without another word.

Karol then stood up in his usual happy demeanor. "Well, finish up so we can get going," he said cheerfully.

/~/~/

Karol sent his girls to school and they spent the whole morning wondering around the city. Though things were different, a lot of the streets were the same. Raiden remembered fondly when his dad would take him to a sweet shop. It was their secret from his mom. He wasn't supposed to ruin his dinner, and yet his dad would say it was okay to bend the rules a little bit.

Matthias acted like a fish out of water. It was clear that he'd rarely went anywhere without some sort of escort. In Heliord, he was trying really hard to pretend to be a knight. Raiden felt like he was starting to get a look into what Matthias' personality.

Of course if he ended up gawking at anything, Elena would end up making some snide comment. She did all of that without looking up from her book.

"If you think that's interesting, I'll have to show you the city's underground mural," Karol said after they finished their lunch.

"You mean the one that the guilds used as a secret underground tunnel to get the upper hand on the Empire?" Elena stated. Again, without looking up from her book.

"Yeah, Rune and Matthias hadn't had a chance to see yet," Karol told them. Raiden and Elena had seen it a few times. They turned the secret tunnel into sort of a museum for the next generation to see what they did during they're conflicts with the Empire. Before relations grew worse, it was to serve how far they had come. "It tells you all about how we became the Union."

"The Union," Matthias muttered.

"Rune, you really never went into the underground?" Raiden asked.

"Whenever mother and I came to Dahngrest, we always went to research guilds," Rune explained.

"Always research with Rita," Karol commented fondly.

Just as they were finishing up, someone ran toward them calling to Karol. Raiden didn't know who they were, but Karol did. He handed Karol a note before giving a small nod and running off. Karol looked at the note briefly before stuffing it in his pocket. "Sorry guys, change of plans. Some guilds are meeting together and I need to be there. Do you all mind going on your own?"

"No, but is everything okay?" Raiden asked.

"Of course," Karol reassured with a big smile. "Just some guild stuff a guild leader has to attend every now and then. I'll see you kids this evening and we'll make a big dinner. Stay out of trouble." Karol said. The last thing he said seemed like it was directed right at Raiden. Karol then walked off normally.

/~/~/

Karol Capel walked into the guild building and into a room at the side. He was immediately greeted by the president of Fortune's Market, Mary Kaufman. "Prompt as ever," she said. "Glad to see some things never change.

Renaud Tasse, leader of Soul Craft was there, as well as three other influential guild leaders in the Union. Renaud was an older man but still looked like he could work at a forge. "Did someone change their vote?" Karol asked. He kept calm after he had read the note Kaufman had sent him "Important Meeting. Now." Was all it said. It could have meant all sorts of reasons. So he stayed calm until he heard.

The guild leaders that were in this room would gather for meetings like this for only one reason. To keep the guilds from starting a war.

"No, but something almost as concerning," Renaud said. "Two women called for a meeting with the Five Master Guilds this morning. Apparently, they're from that group that claimed Zaphias."

"They're even calling themselves the Sylvarant Kingdom," Kaufman added.

Karol absorbed this information. Of course he couldn't help but think about Yuri's death around that time this group came about. He really always thought they were just so large wannabe guild trying to make their own name. But no name had been given. Until now that is.

"So what did these women say?" One of the other guild leaders asked.

"They say they wanted their Empire known and to start trade," Kaufman said. "But I really think it was to establish that attacking them would be foolish."

"I guess you'll be having another meeting with them then," Karol asked her.

"Of course," Kaufman stated in her business tone. "I'd never turn down a profitable business deal. Plus it'll give me the chance to figure out more about them."

"I will say, the so called ambassador is a very strange woman," Renaud said. "I can't imagine what negotiating with her will be like."

"But a challenge is always the best," Kaufman said with a smile.

"What was Baylore's reaction to them?" Karol asked, meaning the guild leader of the Citizens of the Sea.

"Out at sea, thankfully," Renaud said. "We'll have time to formulate a strategy when dealing with him."

Just then the door opened up and all of them fell silent when they saw it was the leader of the White Sentinel Guild, Hayden. He still had dark hair and an expressionless face. But he was looking more like Alexei. It startled Karol just because he hadn't been expecting him.

"So you finally decided to show up," Renaud complained.

"Hayden, did you finally pick side?" Karol asked.

"I'm not picking a side until I have to," Hayden said. But Karol may have been one of the few that knew just why the White Sentinel's haven't cast their vote. Right now Harry, the Union Leader, didn't have to publicly cast a vote yet about war, even though most of the people knew what his views were. Regardless of what Harry voted, there was bound to be an uproar within the guilds. Some might even leave. Of course Hayden could have just sided with them and they wouldn't have to worry with a vote 3 to 1. But he must have his own reasons for that.

"Why are you here then?" Karol asked. This group was about getting more guilds to be against going to war. Karol didn't lie to Raiden and the others. There was plenty of safety space before the Union officially declares war. It was just best to keep working to their goal.

"Because I don't trust those women," Hayden answered as he leaned against the wall. "They're up to something and I have someone following them."

"Sounds like the current goal is to find their true goal then," Kaufman said.

"I'm sorry guild leaders," a young man with red hair suddenly exclaimed and stood up from his seat. "But I don't see why we have to have these secret meetings and spending all these resources preventing something that might not even happen. Also wouldn't be better for the Union to go to war? There is a lot of profit that could be gained from-"

He didn't finish it because Kaufman struck him in the head with her clipboard. "Sorry about my idiot son," she said casually. "I'm trying to teach so he can properly run Fortune's Market someday. I've got a long way to go, obviously." Her son instantly sat down with his cheeks matching his hair.

"On a technical level, you're not wrong," Renaud said. "After all, Soul Craft used to be Soul Smith. We made anything from our forges from everyday items to weapons for the Great War. When I officially became Guild Leader, I decided to make a clean slate and we would never make another weapon."

"And while that move faced initial financial and leadership loss, he was able to turn it around to remain as one of the Five Master Guilds and to even be a healthy competition with Fortune's Market," Kaufman went on to explain to her son who remained quiet.

"What is your read on these women?" Karol asked Hayden to get the conversation back on track.

"Weirdos," Hayden said. "But they are planning something."

"Nothing else? Just that they're weird," Karol commented and couldn't hide his disappointment in that.

"Trust me, you'd think the same thing," Hayden said.

"Just thinking about that woman…" Ranaud started to say. "But it's still hard to wrap my head around that there's now another group of people that have formed their own community."

"Where could these people have come from to make their own to rival the Empire and the Guilds?" Karol wondered.

"This could just be a bluff," Hayden suggested. "It was just those two women and it didn't seem like they had any hidden guards for such an important ambassador. Maybe they're really just a small group of people."

"But they were able to drive the Empire from most of Ilycica," Karol pointed out. That group all but destroyed Halure and almost got New Aspio if it wasn't for its natural defenses.

"It was mainly a surprise attack,' Hayden argued. "A well-coordinated attack like that threw the Empire off. They couldn't even properly assess the enemy."

"Certainly, that would be possible," Karol admitted. "But don't think it's the sole reason. They have to have numbers or something else." Karol had nothing to back it up. Just from what Estelle said when she had to escape with her children. And Yuri…

"Look, we can guess all we like," Kaufman interrupted. "But we can all agree that we need more information on them."

There were some nods and even Hayden agreed with that.

"Establishing trade business with them wouldn't be a bad way to do that," Renaud said. "Our goal is the same. But our number one goal is for the Union." At the last sentence, he stood up.

"Do you have somewhere else to be?" Hayden asked.

"I'm sure this has reached the ears of my guild members," Renaud said. "I'll need to do some damage control."

There wasn't a big divide among members of Soul Craft's ideas. There were a few that wanted to go back to making weapons and believe that weapon craft was the superior smithing skill. Nothing too serious for them to worry about. But it wouldn't hurt for Renaud to get a head on it with his guild.

"Are all of your meetings short like this?" Hayden asked.

"If we say yes, would you attend more?" Karol asked in a semi light tone.

Hayden didn't say anything. His head turned toward the door Renaud was at like he heard something. "Hold up," Hayden snapped at Renaud.

But the old smith was slow and had already opened the door some. The following happened so fast.

The door opened a little wider without Renaud's doing. The guild leader made a strange sound before falling to his knees and then falling against the wall.

For a split second, Karol was able to see a hooded figure with a mask holding a bloodied dagger where Renaud's throat had been. In the next blink, the assassin made a sharp turn and ran down the hall. Hayden was the quickest on his feet and out the door behind the assassin.

Karol was next. He didn't have his preferred weapon, but he did have his backup axe in his bag. He pulled it out as he entered the hall. The assassin wasn't in view, but there was some blood on the floor.

"I was able to throw a knife at his arm," Hayden said.

Karol looked back to the room. Kaufman and some other guild members were next to Renaud. But it was too late for him.

"Come on," Karol ordered as he hurried down the hall where the assassin headed. Hayden was right with him. There were so many questions in Karol's head over what just happened. But right now, he was only focused on getting the person that killed Renaud right in front of him.

/~/~/

Raiden led them to the mural in the underground. His mother had told them all about it. It was still hard for Raiden to imagine it was all once a part of the sewer system of Dahngrest. Some guild had worked hard to reconfigure the sewer system to separate the mural from it. Although there were rumors that you could still get to sewer to keep up that it was secret tunnel.

The paintings along the wall were done by local guild artists and historians depicting the Unions birth and becoming their own people. The art was something to see and told the story well enough. The Union leader, Harry Whitehorse, must have wanted to make sure this was well known to everyone in the city. These pictures told the stories of the people who weren't here anymore to tell their stories.

But the real reason to come to the underground tunnel was to see the oath. It was where the Don and the other Union founders wrote their oath as they were fighting the Empire.

Rune and Matthias were taking their time examining the murals on the wall. Both were silent for the most part. Raiden couldn't help but wonder what Matthias' opinion was on all of this. The Empire didn't go into great detail about the guilds fighting back to become their own independent state. Raiden, Elena, and Rune grew up hearing the stories from their parents. So was all of this brand new to Matthias?

Elena was reading her book, clearly board about seeing this again. Elena could certainly recite the whole thing.

They went around the corner to where the oath was written, when Raiden saw a familiar person standing in front of the oath. "Oanez?" Raiden blurted out.

Hearing her name, the strange woman turned to look. And at that, Raiden saw that her arm was in a sling now. He was a little bit afraid to ask how she got that. "Oh, Raiden, right?" She asked. She looked at them all and added, "There's one more of you than last time."

"This is Matthias," Raiden introduced, airing on the side of caution about giving his full name. "Matthias, this is Oanez, we met her at Aurnion."

"It's nice to meet you," Matthias started hesitantly. "But are you sure your okay ma'am? Those injuries look serious."

"You talking about my arm?" Oanez asked. While Raiden and the others were curious about this new injury, Matthias was clearly worried about everything else bandaged. "I was admiring the river around this city. I must have leaned too far because I ended up falling. I must have hit my arm on a rock or something. Oh it hurt so bad, I really thought I finally died. But then these hansom men pulled my out of the water and started to revive me. When I came to and saw them I immediately asked them if they'd drown me because they were just my type. But they just looked at me like I was crazy, can you believe it?"

Raiden had thought maybe he had exaggerated this aspect of Oanez. But it looked like this really was the type of person she was. With this being Matthias' first interaction with her, he was horrified and speechless. Raiden could tell he had so much he wanted to ask. But could get them out.

"What are you doing here in Dahngrest?" Rune asked to change the subject.

"I just had some business to conduct," Oanez said simply. "Also had to see this famous oath of the Union. This is pretty much where the Union began. As someone who likes stories, I had to visit this place."

"Pretty brave of you to come down here considering you have a fear of being buried alive," Elena commented. She still didn't look up from her book.

Before Raiden could scold her or apologize for the insensitive comment, Oanez gave a good-natured laugh. "Trust me, I'm ready to dash out of here the second I hear or feel any rumbling. But risks like this are worth it after all. This is the core of guild culture."

There was something about Oanez's tone. Was it mocking? Raiden couldn't tell.

Matthias walked closer so he could read the Union Oath "We offer our swords for freedom, our shields for friendship, and our lives for the common good. Here we renew our ancient oath," Matthias read out loud. He just looked at the words as he seemed to take in the words.

"Big words, huh?" Oanez commented about it. "If you think of the context for when they wrote this, they had some pretty big ideals while they were fighting off the Empire."

"Maybe they're not their words," Elena commented. "They talk about there being an oath before."

"Good catch," Oanez says. "So who do you think the oath was too?"

Elena didn't say anything, not necessarily because she didn't have the answer, but because she wasn't sure if she should answer. Their families told them about all their adventures. But it can still make them wonder how much they could share with people.

But they were soon all distracted by Sable's low growling. Oanez seemed to sense whatever the dog did. Raiden also turned around when Oanez did.

Standing not far behind them was a hooded figure. Raiden quickly noticed why Sable was growing. There was blood on the new person's arm.

And before any of them could say anything, the hooded figure ran so fast that they couldn't respond in time as the figure pulled out a knife and attacked Oanez.