AN: I fortunately had this done a few days ago but wanted to stay on schedule~ Also the last couple of days were spend nursing migraines and trying to keep the Christmas tree unscathed and upright. But with two kittens, well, I'm sure you know how well that went. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and be sure to check out the characters post to see what our new characters look like. And do let me know whether you like it or not~

Chapter 4:

Drayce made his way quickly through the streets, paying attention only at the street signs and markers. Ashton said that the healer he knew of lived relatively close by, so he was rushing to meet with him and ask for his help.

He rounded a blind corner quickly, paying no mind to whether or not someone else was close by and taking the same path as he was. And, just his luck, he found himself colliding with someone. Someone taller than he was by at least half a foot. They also seemed to be quite muscular too.

Uttering a low 'oof' from the shock more than anything, Drayce stumbled back a step only to feel someone latch onto his upper arms and holding him in place. Startled, Drayce blinked as he found himself staring into an obviously male chest, a chest that was completely free from any type of clothing. Muscular, taut, the skin was a dark mocha brown and seemed to have several jagged scars.

Tilting his head back, Drayce found himself looking into a pair of narrow blue eyes. The blue of the person's eyes were quite striking; a vivid blue, like that of crystal clear water.

The man appeared to be a Celestian. His elven like ears, however, were scarred, as if torn and was forced to heal quickly, but roughly.

When the man blinked slowly at him did Drayce realise that he was standing chest to chest with him, the man holding Drayce by his arms, essentially holding him in place. Against his chest.

Naturally, Drayce uttered a sound of surprise before placing his hands on the man's chest and launching himself back away from.

"Whoa, hey, totally sorry about that!" Drayce exclaimed as he stumbled back. "I was in a hurry and wasn't looking where I was going."

The tall Celestian said nothing, didn't seemed to make an attempt to reply. He just stared back at him. Though his eyes were narrowed, he had this rather curious expression on his face. As if something was piquing his interest.

"You should not be in such a hurry," he unexpectedly said, his voice quite deep and surprisingly lethargic. "You could hurt yourself."

Drayce gave a nervous laugh. "Y-yeah, I normally don't rush like this," he said. "But I need to find a certain address as it's really important. Are you, ah, a local? I'm new, you see. Arrived yesterday and stuff."

"What address are you looking for?" the man asked, thankfully interrupting Drayce's surprisingly nervous ramblings.

Drayce snapped his mouth shut as he lifted up his hand that had the now rumpled piece of paper with the address on it. He handed it the other man, who took it from him wordlessly.

As the man unfolded the paper to read it, his eyes unexpectedly narrowed further and there appeared to be a flicker of realisation on his face that lasted only a minute. He wordlessly folded the paper and handed it back to him.

"Why?" he suddenly asked.

Drayce was honestly caught by surprised by the man's short and abrupt question. At first he was a little irritated by the man's abruptness, but he remembered that brief look of realisation and wondered if, perhaps, the man knew of the Botanical Genius that Drayce was looking for.

So he decided to simply tell the truth. He didn't want to be forced to make something up and lie. One, he wasn't good at it. Two, he didn't want to be caught out in a lie.

"There's someone very ill back at my guildhouse," Drayce explained. "He has a fever and is unconscious. I only moved here yesterday, so don't know anyone really. Someone suggested I visit the Botanical Genius as he might be able to help."

The man seemed to listen intently, though his eyes never straying from Drayce's. It was a little unnerving, to be honest. But Drayce couldn't look away. He didn't want to appear as if he was being untruthful, which he wasn't. And he didn't want to appear intimidated, which he kinda was.

There was also something...strangely familiar about his eyes. Something that was drawing him into them. That...was also a little unnerving.

"A friend?" the man asked abruptly, of which seemed to be his usual speaking manner.

Drayce shook his head. "A kid, he passed out in front of my guildhouse. I couldn't just leave him there."

The man arched an eyebrow at him, somewhat sceptical. But Drayce was being completely honest. And he was also starting to become annoyed.

"Look, I'm telling the truth," Drayce said as he frowned. "Come back to my guildhouse if you want. I don't care. I need to find a healer for this kid. And I need to find one soon, ok? Since you seem to known this Botanical Genius, either show me the way or tell me. Or don't, I'll just find him on my own."

Once again the man just stared at him. This time, however, his gaze was that of contemplation. And interest.

"He is close by," he said as he suddenly turned on his heel and started to walk away. "This way. I will show you."

Relief flooded Drayce as he followed the Celestian. "Thank you," he said in earnest.

The man simply glanced over his shoulder and nodded his head at him, seemingly giving him a sign of acceptance. He then turned his attention forward to the path in front of him.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, the man leading Drayce through the crowded streets seemed either oblivious to the bustling people around him, or simply did not care for their presence. Perhaps a bit of both.

After a while they reached a small white building. A small shop it seemed. Or maybe a clinic of sorts. There was a small group of people outside and they appeared to be dressed in the garbs of explorers. And they were talking amongst themselves.

As the man daftly led Drayce past them and up the small flight of stairs of the front poach, he overheard a few sentences from the group. Eavesdropping was a habit of his. An unfortunate one, according to others, but as a treasure hunter, it was sometimes the only way to get any information.

And from the sounds of things, they were complaining. About some 'shorty' being a right jerk and he is the one who should be grateful that a guild was allowing a 'useless' healer into their party.

Honestly, if the short conversation he heard was any indication, the short healer was indeed wise to turn down a bunch of ungrateful little snots.

"Ignore those fools," the man suddenly said to Drayce as he opened the door at top of the porch. "They wanted a healer, not a teammate."

"Yeah, I overheard," Drayce said as he followed the bronzed skinned celestian inside.

He stopped awkwardly at the foyer, though, as the man continued inside. Though he needed to meet with this healer quickly and though it was his treasure hunter nature to simply launch himself into any new environment and look around, he felt it would be at least polite not to do that.

This healer was the only healer that he was aware of.

The man that had led him to the address stopped and turned to look at him, probably puzzled that Drayce hadn't moved further than that of the foyer.

Drayce scratched the back of his neck in a nervous manner. "I, ah, do need to speak with him, but this is his place, right? Would be rude to waltz in without invitation, yeah?"

The man tilted his head to the side to, yet again, stare at him curiously. He, however, soon straightened and nodded his head. "It is fine," he said. "Follow me."

Ah, well, that appeared to be an invitation to enter.

Silently, and honestly quite awkwardly, Drayce followed the still unnamed man as he stepped through the closest doorway from the foyer. As Drayce moved closer he could hear another voice. Rather high-pitched and squeaky. They also sounded agitated.

Very agitated.

Must be the Botanical Genius he needed to find.

Stepping into the room and choosing to stay behind the Celestian for now, Drayce's gaze fell upon a Brounii, male in appearance, with pinkish-red hair, light-coloured skin, and green eyes. He was also pacing back and forth as he waved his arms irritably at his sides.

"Standing in a hole indeed! Bitch, try me! I'll put that bitch in a hole!"

Drayce tilted his head to the side as he watched him continue to pace and rant. He was a Brounii, so he was naturally short. Something that couldn't be helped. Could anyone really be that rude to mention it to him? Sheesh, some people.

"Fiorello," the Celestian called out.

The Brounii that must be named Fiorello stopped mid-pace and turned to face the one who called his name. His annoyed expression stayed on his chubby face as he planted his hands on his hips and frown at him.

"Zohar, where have you been?" he asked. "You will not believe the stupidity of these new explorers. A fencer asked me if I was standing in a hole. Can you believe that? Have these explorers no manners?"

"Rude indeed," the man now known as Zohar replied in a deadpan voice. He then stepped to the side to allow for Drayce to be fully seen.

Fiorello immediately locked eyes with him and his annoyed expression morphed into that of genuine confusion and surprise. "Eh? Did you actually bring a friend home?" he asked.

Home? Oh, so Zohar lived here, too? Now wonder he was so protective to start with.

"He requires the aid of a healer," Zohar answered, to which was met with an incredulous look from Fiorello.

"Really now?" Fiorello mumbled before he turned his attention back to Drayce. He looked cautious, yet there was a sense of intrigue in his eyes. "Let me guess; new explorers looking to conquer the labyrinth and be the strongest guild in Iorys."

Drayce shook his head and took a second to muse about how he should request assistance from Fiorello. Ashton had said that he received invites to join other guilds daily. That would mean that he was quite the skilled healer. But that also meant that other guild saw him as someone to ensure the success of their exploration.

From the suspicion in his eyes and the protectiveness Zohar had shown previously, Drayce would surmise that the guilds who had approached him weren't interested in him as a living being, but as a means to an end. As a healer. Someone to patch them up if needed, to give them free healing, and to stay out of their way as they continue their goal of being number one.

That was...really quite sad.

"Ah, no, you see," Drayce started to explain. "I'm not looking for a guildmate. I mean, I am and I am looking to enter the labyrinth, but not right now."

Fiorello arched an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest, so Drayce decided to screw it and be totally honest with him. As plainly as possible. Though the Brounii was reputed to be a skilled healer, the kid back at the guildhouse had to be getting sicker by the minute. If he was unwilling to help, for whatever reason, Drayce needed to know quickly so he could go in search for someone who was willing to help.

"I'll be honest with you; yes, I am looking to form a guild. And yes, I am looking for guild mates. But as of right now, that's been put on hold. At my guildhouse is a young rover who is very ill with a fever. He's unconscious but clearly suffering. I don't know his name or who he is, but I won't stand by and watch as he suffers. Now, all I'm asking of you right now is to come to my guildhouse and help him. I promise that there is no ulterior motive here. And yes, I will pay you. That doesn't matter. Just...will you see him now?"

After he was done, Drayce felt slightly breathless because, wow, he said a lot in a short amount of time.

The silence that followed, though, was a little uncomfortable. Especially with the way Fiorello was looking at him with a somewhat surprised look on his face. And though Drayce couldn't see him fully, he felt that Zohar was also staring at him.

Talk about being the centre of attention.

Unexpectedly, an impish and cheeky smile appeared on Fiorello's lips and his eyes held a mischievously curious glint.

"Ok!" Fiorello said cheerfully as he spun on his heel and headed toward another door in the far corner of the room. "Let me grab my bag and books."

To say that Drayce was relieved would be an understatement. "Thank you," he said in earnest.

He could finally get that kid some help. And maybe scold him later for walking around with such a fever in the first place.

Before that, though.

Drayce turned his attention back to Zohar, only to realise that the other man was already looking in his direction. "Ah, thank you for leading me here. It would probably have taken me a while to find the place."

"Not at all," Zohar replied rather quickly. "I am relieved."

Relieved? About what?

Before Drayce could wonder if he should ask him what he meant or not, Zohar simply picked up a coffin that was leaning against the wall by the door, called upon a light green spiritual light to pull the two pieces apart and floated them on either side of him. Without another word, or even a glance back, he left through the door and seemed to exit through the front doors as well, opening it before allowing it to slip silently shut behind him.

Ah…ok?

Jeez, that man was quiet, wasn't he? He was obviously a necromancer, so that was a given?

It didn't matter. Each to their own.

After a few seconds of standing awkwardly in the room by himself, Fiorello thankfully reappeared with his bag and medical book with him. He glanced around, no doubt looking for Zohar, only to roll his eyes when he realised he wasn't around.

"Zohar just took off again, didn't he?" he asked. "Honestly, that boy."

"He does that often?" Drayce asked.

"All the time," Fiorello replied. "Such a loner. Prefers to do things on his own. Never mind that now. You have my attention, best show me to your guildhouse pronto."

"Yes, thanks once again," Drayce said as the two of them made their way to the front door.

... ... ... ... ...

Drayce had remembered the way back to the Crescentia. Only natural, really. He always had uncanny navigation skills. He was still relieved that he had them. One, it would be embarrassing after going on a mini-rant about needing Fiorello's help only to lead him around lost. And two, a treasure hunter and explorer needed reasonable navigation skills. If he somehow got lost in town, he would definitely have gotten lost in the labyrinth. Something he and his future guildmates didn't need.

Thank goodness his dad and grandfather taught him well.

As Drayce invited Fiorello into the guildhouse, the botanist looked somewhat surprised. Probably from the sheer size of the place. Not even Drayce himself hadn't even been to the third floor yet.

Ashton had been waiting for them, and he seemed somewhat surprised himself. And yet, he smiled knowingly and greeted Fiorello politely.

After a short meet and greet, Ashton led them both upstairs to a bed located closest to the stairs. Blayke was waiting outside, keeping one eye out at the stairs, the other in on the kid.

Upon being shown the room, Fiorello wasted no time in making his way over to the dog-eared rover. After a quick once over, the botanist made a light tisking sound as he opened his bag and pulled out a few bottles, along with a mortar set to crush more herbs if needed.

"You had the right to be worried," Fiorello said. "Despite the fever, I can see that he's malnourished and dehydrated. You said you found him?"

Drayce lingered near the doorway so not to get in the way. "Yeah, he collapsed outside on the sidewalk. I obviously couldn't leave him there so brought him here."

Fiorello nodded as he mixed a couple of the bottles of medicine together. "And you don't know him?"

"Nope, not at all."

"Hmm," Fiorello murmured. "This is a little surprising, to be honest. Anyone else would have left him or dumped him at the inn to have someone else take care of him. But to bring him into your own residence without knowing a thing about him takes quite a bit of courage."

Drayce frown slightly. "Does it? I mean, I couldn't leave him. And I can't imagine anyone else leaving him."

Fiorello unexpectedly chuckled. "New to Iorys, aren't you?"

"Yeah, so?" Drayce asked, confused.

"With the reopening of Yggdrasil, explorers had flooded the city," Fiorello explained as he concentrated fully on the mixture of his medicines. "Some are interested in the legends, others focus only on whatever they can get. Money, weapons, fame. They're willing to use anyone or anything to get their guildname known. Anyone who could be a liability, or heaven forbid, slow them down in anyway are promptly replaced and forgotten."

Drayce...couldn't comprehend that.

He grew up in a community. A community that took care of each other. A family. A tribe. Whatever it was called, he grew up with other people. His dad. His grandparents. Blayke's parents. He was never on his own. He never had to struggle with anything on his own. He had people willing and waiting to help him with just about anything.

To him, that was normal. Was it...not normal here?

"For a stranger to help a stranger," Fiorello continued as he finally turned his gaze away from his herbs and medicine to look at Drayce with a peculiar smile on his lips. "It something unusual indeed."

Drayce shook his head. "No. This might be unusual to you, to Iorys and to the explorers, helping a stranger like this. But it's not to me. I grew up in a community. A community that took care of each other. Helped each other out. That was how I was raised. And I'm not going to stop doing that. If someone needs help and I'm able to do just that, then I will. There are no ulterior motives with me."

For the second time since he had met him, Fiorello looked at him silently, probably gauging whether or not he was being truthful or was just saying it because it sounded right.

"I like you," Fiorello unexpectedly stated as he smiled that same impish smile as before. "You're a good kid. A rare one, but a good one."

Drayce wasn't sure how to take that, let alone respond to it, so was thankful when Fiorello turned his attention back to his medicines.

"I can make something that will bring down his fever, but he really needs some proper food and liquid. He'll also need to rest for a couple of days, so if you're willing, he will need to stay in bed here."

"That's completely fine," Drayce said before he made a motion with his hand to their surroundings. "It's not like he's taking up too much space or anything."

Fiorello gave him a sideways glance. "I'd take up less room."

Drayce arched an eyebrow. That was totally a test, wasn't it? Not falling for it. "Not making a comment to that."

"You are a good boy," Fiorello surprisingly chimed with a sing-song voice. "Because if you mentioned my height, I would have cut you like I did with that fencer bitch."

"If I made a rude comment like that, I'd deserved to be cut."

Fiorello laughed high-pitched and cheekily. "Good. In any case, I do need to stay for at least a couple of hours to ensure this medicine sits right with our patient. He's in good hands now, don't worry."

"Ah, that's a relief," Drayce replied. "And stay as long as you need. I'm not adept at healing, so it would be best if I stay out of your way."

He needed to do some more cleaning, anyway. He hadn't seen all the rooms of the guildhouse yet. Heck, he hadn't even been to the third floor!

"Ashton, Blayke, and I will be hanging around somewhere, so give a shout if you need anything."

"Will do~"