X
Lightbringer
Chapter 8
=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=
"The forgotten noble Lord Lucifer Morningstar!" exclaimed the ranger dramatically, then he toned it down a notch and said, "I've never heard of such a name before, lord, so you're definitely not from around here, are ya? I do gotta admit that's a pretty cool name you've got there. Hopefully you've got some skills to go with it."
"From another world...?" whispered the priest curiously to himself, though Lucifer was able to hear him well enough. The holy man had been listening to their conversation after all, as he had suspected.
"Hmph," grunted Arnauld, unimpressed, rolling one of his sizable shoulders. "I'm leaving now. Getting food," he said, no longer interested in what was going on. He trudged off towards the main entrance of the Guild Hall.
"Ignore them. Well met, Lucifer Morningstar," River spoke more politely this time, confidently crossing the distance between them and holding out her hand to him. She looked through the slit in his helmet straight into his eyes up close and was astonished to see two almost glowing golden orbs staring right back at her from between the slit of his helmet. She had never seen anyone with golden eyes like that before.
Recovering quickly, she continued, "Being an adventurer is no easy task, but it is a noble profession in my opinion. I wish you well on your journeys ahead."
"You're gonna need it!" added the ranger as he waved goodbye and followed after the big warrior who had left, though not before draping an arm around the priest and dragging him along too.
"I appreciate your kind words, La-... ahem... River." Lucifer took her arm in a warrior's grip, his hand grasping close to her elbow as he had seen countless ancient warriors do in the old world media.
Surprised at the gesture, since she had been expecting a simple handshake, River returned the grip with a solid one of her own and grinned respectfully. "Should you need some advice or even a little training, feel free to seek us out. As you probably heard, we're staying in town for two nights before heading off again."
It was an offer he didn't want to refuse. "I'd like that. Where might I find you?"
"The Ogre's Head Inn in the northern quadrant of the city. Not too far from here, actually," she informed him as they stepped back from one another. "See you around, Lucifer."
River went over to wake up her party's mage with a little bump to the head with her leather gloved hand. The man scrambled to his feet in a panic, staff at the ready, but then he realized where he was and looked quite sheepish. He ran after the departing group, River already at the doors by the time he had gotten to his senses.
Lucifer watched them leave with interest. That had been somewhat entertaining. He was looking forward to learning more about this world from their perspective.
"Mister Lucifer Morningstar, sir?" a familiar female voice called out to him. It was the Guild receptionist from earlier.
"Yes?"
"I've entered you as a provisional Guild Member pending the results of your practical examination," she informed him, "Your test instructor will meet you at this location in two hours. Please prepare yourself... and don't be late!"
Lucifer accepted the small piece of paper that she offered him and read the one line scribbled onto it.
"Lucifer Morningstar - Entrance Examination - Oldaven Grand Cemetery"
He wasted no time and left the Guild Hall almost immediately. He was informed that the cemetery was located on the southernmost end of the city in a special walled section that protruded beyond the outer main wall that protected the city. From a bird's-eye view one might liken it to the nub at the bottom of an inflated and somewhat misshapen balloon.
Why the exam was to be conducted at a graveyard, the receptionist would not say, though Lucifer could certainly guess well enough. He didn't bother asking any of the other adventurers at the Guild lest he break some unwritten rule about it. If the Guild itself was tight-lipped about the nature of the Entrance Exam, he imagined that officially registered adventurers were not allowed to openly talk about it either. Or maybe he was overthinking it.
Considering the location, there was a high probability that he was going to face some kind of low-level undead enemies. The kind that a normal person probably wouldn't stand a chance against, but that any aspiring adventurer should be able to deal with. After all, they wouldn't throw aspiring new adventurers into a fight they weren't likely to be able to handle.
For him, this Exam was merely a formality he was going to have to put up with. The hardest part of this whole ordeal was likely going to be trying to keep his power levels in check so as not to arouse much more notice than his armor was already attracting.
The more he thought on the coming exam, the more hopeful he was that there might even be a hidden dungeon full of undead deep beneath the cemetery. If that were the case that would also mean that other similar dungeons existed throughout this world. That thought excited him.
Clearing dungeons would certainly make things easier for him to practice his fighting skills in this new world while also gauging the strength of this world through the creatures and magics that he had to deal with within their dark depths.
It was definitely going to be disappointing if it turned out there wasn't a dungeon of some kind, though he tried to keep his expectations in check.
Arguably the most disappointing but still very possible scenario was that there wasn't any undead there at all, only a secure training area within the cemetery that the Guild used for the exam. Though if that was the case they probably would've picked a better location than the middle of the resting place of the city's dead.
Unless they were trying to get into the heads of any would-be adventurers, which was plausible. Cowards had no business being in the Adventurer's Guild. And anyone who couldn't cut it would probably end up with a tombstone at the cemetery.
Walking straight to the cemetery without stopping would probably take at least thirty minutes at a brisk walk, which meant the two hours they had given him were more than enough time to do a few other things before taking the test. That was probably on purpose so as to provide ample time for new recruits to prepare themselves both mentally and physically.
There were shops and markets all over the city, but most of them were concentrated in the city center, which Lucifer would have to traverse on his way to the cemetery. He was curious about the kinds of goods and services that were available and what better way to find out than to go to the biggest market in Oldaven?
He was moving along at a measured pace through the steadily busier streets when his eyes drifted to what he considered to be a monumental eyesore in the middle of the city.
At the very heart of Oldaven was a small, almost perfectly square castle with high walls that looked almost impenetrably thick. The castle itself dominated the skyline alongside the much bigger profile of the arena as both structures were well above the castle walls. The thickness of the walls meant the castle within was likely a little cramped, though the smaller space was probably thought to be well-worth the trade-off to make the walls so thick as to be extremely difficult to breach.
The keep had a single large square tower at the center that thrust high into the sky with big windows that provided a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside. Surrounding the castle was a moat dug deep enough that falling into it, especially with armor on, would probably break some bones or even kill someone if they landed at an unlucky angle.
The only way in and out of the castle was through the main gate, which was elevated to about halfway up the castle wall and was secured by a drawbridge that angled downwards 35 degrees at full extension - meaning that anyone who assaulted the castle from the front who somehow managed to get the drawbridge down would face an uphill battle to get into the castle. Easy pickings for the defenders manning the walls and defending the gate.
All of this were of course only the easily seen physical defenses of the castle. Lucifer could sense several magic barriers surrounding the castle as well. All of them were pretty weak in his opinion, but at least they tried to add some magic defense.
The castle was hard to miss and the massive banners hanging from the ramparts caught his eye. There were two different banner designs alternating across the walls at even intervals. One was the now familiar Imperial Banner with the Empire's Coat of Arms while the other was likely a banner that belonged to the noble lord of the castle. A coat of arms on a shield with halberds crisscrossing behind it.
Whoever lived in the castle was most likely in charge of Oldaven. A member of the nobility no doubt. What was the name of that noble who owned the farm where he had found Kiah? He looked down and thought for a moment and then it came to him. Lord Rubeon.
Directing his gaze over to the castle one more time, Lucifer wondered if this Lord Rubeon was the one who lived in the castle. The noble better pray that Lucifer never came across him.
In front of the castle was a wide open square full of hundreds of people and dozens upon dozens of merchant stalls selling goods of every variety. Some of them even sold food, and the smell and smoke of their cooking wafted through the air. This was the supposed Grand Market of Oldaven.
Lucifer took a moment to observe the crowd and the countless stalls that they filtered around. Most of the people looked to be working class, with maybe a handful of nobility and wealthier persons walking about. The stalls themselves were of various shapes, colors, and sizes, offering all sorts of wares and services for sale to the public. After a few minutes of quiet observation, he decided to join the sea of people.
Now was a good time to browse some of the stalls, see what the merchants had to offer, and maybe ask some questions to learn about the economy here.
=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=
Prince Jaque paced in his study, one arm across his chest and the other bent up with a hand grasping his sharp chin.
This was not how things were supposed to happen, and he was feeling torn.
On the one hand, his father was apparently going to recover and that was well and good. But on the other hand, he was no longer going to become Emperor, at least not as soon as he had planned. That was totally unexpected. He hadn't even thought that a possibility when he started putting his plans into motion.
"Damn it all!" he growled in frustration as he proceeded to rub a hand across his face. Perhaps there was time to call off the plans he had made with the nobles for now. Or should he still go through with it? It might be more trouble to take back some of the moves he had already made. He would have to modify things given the changing situation.
Resuming his pacing, he deliberated with himself on what he needed to do and how to go about doing it. If only he had someone to confer with. Unfortunately for him, he trusted nobody but himself. There were a few who knew bits and pieces of the plan that they were involved in, but only Jaque knew the big picture.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
The sound startled him as he turned towards the door. He wasn't expecting anyone and he had left explicit instructions with the guards not to permit entry, so it must have been someone with something very urgent to say. He secretly welcomed the intrusion since it helped to distract him for a moment, though he would pretend to be royally pissed off.
"Didn't I say I am not to be disturbed?" he called out angrily as he settled himself behind his desk. "Enter and be quick about it! I swear if this isn't important I will have your heads!"
The door opened to reveal one of the guardsmen who bowed low almost immediately upon entering, never meeting the prince's eyes. "Forgive me, your highness. Your uncle, Duke Wimburg, says he has urgent news for you. We tried to tell him that you didn't want to be disturbed, but he would not liste-"
"Uncle Hendrik is here?" the prince said quickly, cutting the guard off as his face scrunched up in confusion, no longer angry. Had he forgotten some business he had with his uncle that day? No. He would not have forgotten something like that. This was something new. Something... urgent?
"Yes, your highness. He is waiting outside."
With a loud sigh, the prince beckoned with his hand and said, "It's fine. Send him in." What did his uncle want from him? And why would he show up now of all times? Did he somehow hear about the Emperor's improving health?
The soldier exited swiftly and a few seconds later Duke Wimburg strode into the room with a smile on his chubby, mustached face.
"Ah! Well if it isn't my dear nephew, Prince Jaque Milos Farlord el Nix! You're looking a little worse for wear, your highness. Have you been skipping meals and sleep? Working yourself to the bone improving your position again? If you don't take time to relax then playing these courtly games may be the death of you far too early than it should."
Duke Hendrik Wimburg was the youngest child of five and was the cousin of the current Emperor. Two siblings were killed in battle over the last few decades and the other remaining sibling was their sister Duchess Annika Cristelle.
Much like Jaque's older brother Jersei, the Duchess Cristelle didn't really care much for work or politics and rarely ventured outside her lands, content with what she had. She only showed up to Court Council meetings when specifically asked to, otherwise she allowed her brother Duke Wimburg to hold her vote on most matters.
Duke Wimburg was without a doubt the chattiest one of the family, and though it could be grating at times, the man was no stranger to the goings on at the court and was an invaluable ally should he take a liking to you. Jaque, of course, had the advantage of being related to him and had just enough patience to endure his seemingly endless chatter, which the Duke enjoyed.
Still, sometimes such chatter proved helpful since his uncle had loose lips at times and would let slip information that was probably supposed to stay confidential with the people involved. Though some part of him thought that perhaps those mishaps were all carefully orchestrated.
"Everyone's so down and moody these days! People should lighten up a little. All because my dear older cousin is near death? Please! Death comes for us all in the end, it's nothing special whether you're an Emperor or a slave," he remarked casually as he plopped down on one of the comfortably cushioned chairs.
"Although I suppose you normally get to choose how to die when you're in a higher station in life, but I digress," continued the Duke with a spark in his eye, "Death is only the beginning of a new adventure. Death is but the next chapter after life! Wouldn't you agree?"
With an audible sigh, the prince looked at his uncle and wondered what really went on inside the man's mind these days. To anyone who didn't really know him, the Duke might sound a touch mad at times. And even those who knew him sometimes thought he was crazy at times.
"What brings you to the capital, uncle Hendrik? The guard said you had something important to discuss with me?" asked Jaque, not in the mood to entertain his uncle's ravings at the moment.
The prince was certainly curious about what this important matter could be. His uncle was an odd one but rarely did he make an appearance at the palace without some agenda, even though it might seem like something he would do given the way he spoke and acted.
The Duke's grin stretched even wider, straining his pudgy face as his eyes narrowed and turned towards the door. "Ah, yes of course. I'm here on a most important mission. Very, very important. One that will shape the future of our great Empire. Nay, not just our Empire, this mission would shape the future of the whole world! It's all rather exciting to tell you the truth, and boy let me tell you, I haven't been this excited in a long while."
Could his uncle be any more dramatic? The prince groaned inwardly. He had no choice but to bite. "And what mission would that be exactly, dear uncle?"
The Duke let out a snort that sounded like he wasn't going to tell him and then got to his feet and walked over to the door without saying anything.
Jaque stared. He was having a hard time understanding what the old noble was up to. Was his uncle about to walk out on him? Did he really just say all of that and then leave him hanging? He couldn't believe it and yet it looked like that was about to happen. His uncle might be insane after all and he was starting to get very upset.
Instead of leaving, however, the Duke simply stopped in front of the door and pulled something out of one of his pockets. Jaque couldn't quite see what it was, but after a short while of him fidgeting with it, a bright green light flashed briefly over the door. Then his uncle quickly pocketed the item he had used and turned around with mischievous eyes.
Prince Jaque slowly got to his feet, leaning against the desk with his hands, confused and bewildered. Did his uncle just cast some kind of magic on the door with whatever object he had in his pocket? For what purpose? All manner of theories popped up in his mind and most of them troubled him.
"Uncle?" he asked warily as a cold feeling swept across his body. "W-What is the meaning of this? I demand that you explain yourself at once."
He was suddenly very aware of the letter opener on his desk. It was well within arm's reach should he need to use it as a weapon. That would be an act of last resort though because Jaque was not much of a fighter. Sure, he was trained in swordsmanship when he was younger and could handle one if needed, but he had little experience in actual fighting and he hardly practiced anything other than politicking and governing these days.
After all, what was the point of having all these guards if he had to get into actual fights himself? Speaking of guards, Jaque calculated that even if he shouted for help, his uncle would likely be able to finish him off by the time they broke down the door and got through whatever enchantment the Duke placed on it, which meant he had to fight for his life if it came down to that.
Not that his uncle was any better than he in the martial arts, but the sudden knowledge that the Duke had magic items at his disposal made the prince worry. There was no telling how many magic items he had or what those things could do, and some magic items didn't need any real talent to wield them. One only needed to know how to properly activate the item without accidentally killing one's self.
Damn magic and it's supernatural abilities! If only he had been gifted with the ability to use such a power himself.
With a mischievous grin, the Duke stepped closer to Jaque. There was a strange gleam in his eye as he spoke softly, almost conspiratorially, and Jaque instinctively tensed.
"No need to worry yourself, dear nephew. I'm not here to harm you or anything like that. In fact... I'm here to help you get the throne!" The last part was said in a harsh whisper as he made a show of looking around as if to check for any unwanted eavesdroppers.
The man really loved being dramatic.
"Huh?" Jaque blinked for a while in stunned silence. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Surely this had to be some strange dream and he had somehow fallen asleep in his study. He reached a pinky into his left ear and cleaned it out. He must not have heard him properly.
Sensing his confusion, the Duke returned to the seat he had been occupying only moments before, clasping his hands together excitedly as he made himself comfortable. He was clearly enjoying himself.
"Oh yes, I'm very serious. Very serious indeed, dear nephew. The throne is within your reach, all you need to do is stand up and take it," said the Duke with an almost fiendish grin. "Now then... let's talk about how we're going to crown you the next Emperor."
=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=
Leinas and her small band of soldiers emerged cautiously into yet another clearing, but found only empty air and more tracks in the dirt waiting for them. They had been on the move for almost an hour now, or at least it felt like it, and they still had not come into contact with the enemy. Around them, the wood had grown denser and wilder as they had gone deeper into the heart of the forest, and the light that filtered through the branches above had weakened noticeably.
"Tracks are fresh," remarked Jethro, as he had said several times already.
They were still in pursuit, it seemed, but now Leinas was starting to wonder if perhaps they were being led into a trap. Though why their foe would go to such lengths when they could simply overrun them with their sheer numbers was a mystery to her. Even with all her skill, Leinas was unable to fight a whole army by herself - and she only had six other soldiers with her. Surely the enemy knew that.
"What do we do?" asked her lieutenant as he knelt on the ground, bow in hand.
They could return to the survivors and await reinforcements, which might take some time to get to them, or they could press on and hopefully confront the leader of the menace that plagued them and put an end to the threat they posed. But continuing on did entail possibly walking into a trap.
The fingers of her off-hand idly played with her hair as she debated what course of action to take. There was a chance that their enemy had overestimated their strength and that their attack had resulted in greater losses than expected, which was why they were now retreating to regroup. If that was the situation, then surely now would be the time to strike before their enemy could gather their strength again and cause even greater harm. Besides, she had to make the enemy answer for taking the lives of so many of her soldiers.
"We go forward," she said finally and her men accepted that without question.
=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=
Lucifer was unimpressed by the selection of goods available for purchase at the Grand Market of Oldaven. Oh sure, there were plenty of options. The items for sale at the market numbered in the hundreds if not thousands, but of all the quantity therein there was very little quality.
While he was intrigued by the food options, he had not felt hungry enough to purchase anything, though he did make a note to possibly get something on his way back to The Rose Moon Inn. It was likely that Kiah would be hungry upon his return, and he still wasn't quite trusting of the quality of the food at the inn.
He was at least happy to note that bartering and haggling with merchants in this world was perfectly acceptable, and in some cases seemingly expected. It was always a fun little exercise when buying and selling things in-game back in YGGDRASIL to see how much haggling he could get away with, though those opportunities were few and far between for him, he still enjoyed those moments.
Most of the time he had someone else he could rely on to deal with the buying and selling, for which he would of course pay a fee. The reason he had a middleman was because finding the right buyers and sellers across the nine worlds would take too much time, time that he thought was better spent actually out grinding and hunting for loot and quests.
Leaving the market, he made his way further south towards the cemetery, and with a little less than an hour to spare before his examination, Lucifer turned onto the street where the Temple close to the cemetery was located. He stopped to gaze upon it for the first time.
The temple itself was a grand stone structure that actually resembled a mosque from Lucifer's old world, with a handful of towering minarets and a big dome of white stone. Clearly the architecture of the Empire was somehow influenced by his old world's Middle Eastern culture. Whether that influence was due to former YGGDRASIL players in the past or if the architecture style was independently created, he could not say for sure.
Though simple in its design with few exterior adornments, the temple was still an impressive work of construction and definitely pleasing enough to the eye. It was certainly nicer than the drab-looking buildings in its immediate vicinity. Lucifer walked closer.
The temple's sturdy front doors faced the street were made of a dark wood and were thrown open wide as if to invite all the world inside. Standing at attention to either side were two guards with spears and blue-tinted iron heater shields. Though they were supposed to be on guard, their expressions and body language appeared relaxed and friendly.
They wore armor that was markedly different than the City Guards Lucifer had encountered at the gate when he first entered the city, and he guessed that these were guards specifically under the command of the Temple. A religion having their own little fighting force was not out of the ordinary, but he wondered how skilled they were in comparison to one another.
Large stone steps about twenty feet wide led up from the street to a small courtyard in front of the temple entrance. In the center of the courtyard was a small round pool with a stone fountain in the shape of a massive fish that looked like it was jumping out of the pool. Water shot out of its mouth straight up into the air, falling back down into the pool as the sound of running water echoed across the stones. Tall palm trees lined the edges of the courtyard, with thick flowering bushes covering the ground directly beneath them.
There were only a few people milling about outside due to the heat, most of them staying close to the slightly cooler air and the little shade found around the fountain.
Some of the people in the courtyard appeared to be wearing religious garb in a similar style to that of Christian priests in the old world, but instead of the simple black and white color scheme, they were actually allowed to have different colors in their wardrobe. Most of them were wearing blue and white, though a handful had brown and white. A select few were even armored and armed, and Lucifer judged them to be Templars or something akin to them. Another thing to ask about.
If he remembered correctly what he had learned about the religion, the Four Great Gods each governed one of the major elements: fire, water, wind, and earth. The color of their religious attire was likely an indicator of which god they directly served, so it was highly likely that the temple before him was a temple to the God of Water, judging from the number of blue-robed clergy.
There were also blue banners hanging from some of the windows of the temple and on the stone walls that further supported his theory. On the banners was a spiral shell design with white feathered wings to either side, and at the center of the spiral shell was a teal droplet of water. All of this was ringed in a golden halo with light shafts that spread outward.
While he was standing still at the foot of the steps and taking in the view, a young man in blue robes and a blue hood thrown over his head tentatively walked over to him. He had friendly gray eyes and stray strands of dark brown hair escaped from underneath his hood, hanging over his unblemished face. He was young. Lucifer guessed he was perhaps no more than twenty years of age.
"May I help you, sir knight?" he inquired politely, smiling at Lucifer while beads of sweat were forming on his youthful face due to the heat.
The angel turned to face him. This was exactly what he was hoping for. Someone to ask questions of and maybe even show him around the temple. A brief moment passed while he thought to correct the religious man on the fact that he wasn't actually a knight, but he decided it wasn't worth the effort. Besides, perhaps it was beneficial to be thought of as a knight in this situation.
He did his customary slight bow as he introduced himself, "Hello there. My name is Lucifer Morningstar, and I'm a traveler who has come to the Empire for the first time. This is my first visit to a major city in this country and I'm hoping you might enlighten me about the Four Great Gods and the Temple that serves them since I'm not very familiar with all of this," he gestured around at the temple.
"Lucifer Morningstar...? What a strange name," said the younger man softly as if speaking to himself.
"That seems to be the common reaction to my name around here," remarked Lucifer, chuckling with amusement.
"Oh!" exclaimed the young man, mortified, his cheeks flushing red in embarrassment as he put a hand to his mouth. "D-Did I say that out loud? Please forgive me, sir!" He immediately bowed to him apologetically, causing more of his dark brown locks to spill out from underneath his hood.
"Please! There's no need for all that. I took no offense so raise your head," Lucifer said as he leaned forward quickly and motioned for the young priest to stand up straight, feeling a bit embarrassed himself to see the young man bowing to him like that out on the street. He looked around but thankfully no one seemed to have noticed their interaction.
"My sincerest apologies!" said the young priest once again when he straightened his back, then he slapped a hand to his forehead and frowned while shaking his head. "Sometimes I accidentally blurt out what I'm thinking without even realizing it..."
"All is forgiven," Lucifer assured him. It wasn't really that big of a deal to him, but he appreciated the younger man's apology nonetheless. He tried to get them back on track. "So about the Temple... based on the way you're dressed, I take it that you are in their service? Would you be able to tell me more about your religion? I am quite curious about it."
"Oh r-right! Yes, of course. I'd be happy to tell you anything you want to know about the Temple of the Four Great Gods," he replied cheerfully, his embarrassment from earlier already beginning to fade thanks to the change of subject. Bowing once again, the gray-eyed young man introduced himself this time, "My name is Julius Hawkins. I'm a Priest of the Temple of the God of Water and I'm at your service."
With his introduction out of the way, the young priest tucked some of the stray strands of his hair back underneath his hood and looked at him seriously. "Tell me, Sir Morningstar, how much do you already know about the Temple?"
"Just Lucifer is fine, Julius," he said and then shrugged as he continued, "I don't know much beyond the basics. I know that each of the Four Great Gods governs a prime element and that they actually appeared in the flesh about six hundred years ago, helping to protect humanity from extinction at the hands of monsters that once overwhelmed the world. I also know the Temple has healing and burial services for the people."
Of course, he actually knew a little more than that, but he wanted to get the full explanation from someone on the inside. Someone who had surely studied closely the teachings and doctrines of the religion. Not that he didn't trust the information he gathered from Chief Sprigg, but it was always better to get information from a primary source, and what better source was there for learning about the Temple than a priest working within said Temple?
Julius nodded. "Those are indeed the basics, Sir Lucifer. You are correct that the Four Great Gods each govern a prime element - there is the God of Fire, the God of Water, the Goddess of Earth, and the Goddess of Wind. These divine beings graced us with their most holy and divine presence over six hundred years ago at a time when humanity was on the verge of being wiped out by monsters.
In fact, there were so many monsters back then that they had pretty much overrun the whole world with only a handful of human settlements left standing, and then the Gods arrived and not only saved us from such a fate, they also helped humanity grow stronger by teaching us how to use a new branch of magic, what they called Tier Magic, which we are most familiar with today."
Lucifer's eyebrows went up. These guys were definitely YGGDRASIL players then if they were the ones who introduced Tier Magic to this world. Six hundred years ago though? That was insane! How was that even possible? The game had only been ten years old by the time the servers shut down for good. There was no way that should have ever happened, and yet it apparently did.
Unless... did these players somehow travel back in time? Or did he travel forward in time? Or maybe time simply passed differently in this world compared to the old world? There were definitely time spells in YGGDRASIL, in fact Lucifer knew a few, but none of them were powerful enough to accomplish such a feat, especially over such a prolonged period of time. His mind was going a hundred miles a minute trying to come up with valid theories, but there was no way to know for sure what the right answer was without questioning these other players.
Figuring that Julius probably didn't have an answer to the time travel question, so Lucifer chose to ask something else. "So Tier Magic was a new branch of magic? Before the Four Gods arrived and showed you Tier Magic, what kind of magic did your... I mean our people use?"
"Wild Magic," responded the priest matter-of-factly, "However, it was extremely rare, significantly more so than the ability to wield Tier Magic today. There were only a handful of humans capable of tapping into that ancient wild power, and of those that could, they struggled to control it. There was the potential for terrible disaster anytime someone tried to use Wild Magic, which is why it was called that in the first place. Thankfully, in all their divine mercy and kindness, the Gods gifted us their Tier Magic, which was far easier and safer to learn and control."
So there did exist another magic system in this world, one that Lucifer did not recognize from YGGDRASIL, though from what the priest was saying Wild Magic was unstable enough to have a high risk of being disastrous. Lucifer filed that away for further research and then asked, "I see. And how much do you know about Wild Magic, Father?"
Looking apologetic, Julius said, "Only what I've told you, but I'm sure you can go to the Imperial Magic Academy for more information. They should know more since theirs is the study of magic after all."
"Do they practice Wild Magic at the Academy?" Lucifer asked curiously.
"Unlikely, sir. Wild Magic was slowly replaced over time by Tier Magic once it became known to us, and particularly after the arrival of the Eight Greed Kings who used Tier Magic themselves. There may be some people today who have studied Wild Magic in the Empire, but to my knowledge no one has dared to openly practice it. Wild Magic is all but obsolete in humanity's eyes. From my understanding, the only ones who still know how to use it are the Dragon Lords. And perhaps even the Dragon Queen of the kingdom to the south since she is their kin, half-dragon though she may be."
Lucifer had heard of both the Eight Greed Kings and the Dragon Lords before, and once again the Eight Greed Kings sounded like they were players from YGGDRASIL as well given their proficiency in Tier Magic. And he had also heard of the Dragon Kingdom that was ruled by the Dragon Queen Draudillon Oriculus, descendant of one of the Dragon Lords. The thought of a dragon mating with a human intrigued him, and he wondered how on earth they were able to make that happen, but he supposed that was something else to learn for another day.
"These Dragon Lords that you speak of are actual dragons, yes? Large fire-breathing magical creatures with wings, claws, and all?" he asked.
Julius nodded sagely. "Yes. Though I've never seen one with my own two eyes. There are only a handful of them remaining, and the ones I know of are all part of the Argland Council State far to the northwest of the known world, and they never travel outside of their territory. Most of their kind were slaughtered by the Eight Greed Kings in their quest for world domination, but the ones that are alive today, like Platinum Dragon Lord, are extremely powerful. They were the ones who helped defeat the Eight Greed Kings, after all."
Lucifer wondered how he would fare in a fight against one of these Dragon Lords, though he hoped he wouldn't have to find out anytime soon. If only he had a monster encyclopedia or guide or something that could tell him the Dragon Lords's base stats and powers or something. He supposed that would make it too easy though. Still, the fact that YGGDRASIL players who had previously been in this world had defeated them meant that they couldn't be all that powerful, and that gave him some comfort at least.
"How big are they? The dragons."
The priest shrugged. "Truthfully, I do not know. Some say they are as big as mountains while others say they are about the size of a castle. Very few people alive today have ever seen one. Suffice it to say, they are far larger than most living creatures and it would be wise not to make yourself their enemy."
"I see," said Lucifer as he made a mental note to find out more information on these so-called Dragon Lords. "Is there anything more you can tell me about the Eight Greed Kings?"
"Well, not much else," said the priest as he began to stroke his chin, "I'm no historian and didn't really study their era much, but I do know that they treated humans well and only sought to destroy non-human races. I also know that they built many cities and made many advancements while they were in power, but as their name suggests they grew greedy and eventually began to fight among themselves, which ultimately led to the Thirteen Heroes and the Dragon Lords taking them down one by one as they remained divided even as they were hunted."
He was learning a lot from this young priest, and he was glad that he had decided to stop by here. He was running out of time to talk to him at the moment though, so he decided to press ahead with gathering more information about the Temple.
"Well, Julius, your help has been most invaluable," Lucifer said gratefully, "What else can you tell me about the Temple?"
Julius' voice was enthusiastic as he responded and it was clear that he was very much enjoying teaching Lucifer, "Well, the Temple has four equal branches, one for each of the Gods, and each branch is led by a High Priest. The High Priests reside in the capital city of Arwintar and preside over the Grand Temple of the Four Great Gods there. Above the High Priests, and elected from their number, is the Archon of Holiness. The Archon is the central leader of the whole Temple and is supported by the High Priests. Below the High Priests are the Head Priests of each major city, and then each Temple across the Empire has a main priest who is supported by their peers in their duties."
"I'm going to assume that you're not the main priest of this temple," said Lucifer with slight amusement.
A small grin touched the priest's lips and he shook his head. "I was only recently ordained as a priest, so no, I'm not the main priest here. That designation belongs to Father Carlos. He has been in charge of this temple for the last seven years now, and he has done an excellent job caring for the people and serving our God of Water. We are all blessed for his continued leadership."
"I see," Lucifer said thoughtfully, his mind still reeling from the revelation that there were players here more than 600 years ago. Could any of them still be alive? The Eight Greed Kings were dead for sure given what he had been told of their downfall, but maybe... "What more can you tell me about The Four Great Gods? What are their names? Where are they now?"
Julius let out a quick laugh, "You sound as if you'd go find and meet them yourself if I told you where they were."
"Can I?" asked Lucifer earnestly. These players seemed to be nice enough, given their apparently benevolent behavior towards the human inhabitants of this world, so he didn't think they would deign to fight him if he were to approach them. They might even be able to give him some answers about how and why he was brought to this world, and if it was possible to even go back to their old one. Not that he was inclined to pursue that path if it existed.
Julius' mouth fell open as his laughter died in his throat. "Eh? Are you serious?"
"Extremely."
"Oh." Julius shifted on his feet. "Unfortunately, that's not possible, sir. You see, they visited our world with mortal flesh, and in the end their earthly bodies perished and they returned to heaven. So unless you make your way into the heavens somehow I'm afraid you're out of luck... And please don't think of getting yourself killed just to meet them!" He added the last part really quickly, thinking that the knight might perhaps seriously consider such an act.
Lucifer frowned at him. "That is unfortunate to hear... And rest assured I have no plans of ending my life anytime soon."
Looking relieved for the second time since their conversation began, Julius regarded him with curiosity. "If I might ask, Sir Lucifer, where are you from? Not knowing much about our religion is one matter, but you don't seem to know much about world history either. Everyone the world over should know about the Four Gods, the Dragon Lords, and the Eight Greed Kings at the very least. Were you not taught the histories of our world where you're from?"
"I'm from very very far away. Somewhere where they do not, in fact, teach such things... and I would prefer it if we just leave it at that," replied Lucifer with a serious tone. His expression was severe as well, but hidden underneath his helm.
Julius nodded in understanding, "As you wish. Forgive me for prying, Sir Lucifer."
Lucifer waved off the apology.
"Now, regarding the names of the Four Great Gods," continued the priest, "There was Ballzrog, God of Fire; Neptuseidon, God of Water; Gaia-Belle, Goddess of Earth; and SylphLorien, Goddess of Wind. They all manifested in human form when they graced the world with their physical presence, though the elves claim that SylphLorien actually manifested as an elf. Others say that she was actually a human simply disguised as an elf all along. There has been long discussion over that matter, particularly why she would even bother pretending to be an elf, but so far the accepted version is that she was always human."
Yep. Those were definitely player-created names from YGGDRASIL. He found himself feeling a bit relieved that none of their names were vulgar, though the game was very good at filtering that nonsense out so it was extremely rare for anything offensive to get through those filters in the first place.
Still, he had definitely seen some creative ways to slip something past the censors, and it would have been both amusing and embarrassing if he had learned that one of the revered Gods of this world was someone with a name similar to 'BigDong69'. He cringed and then shuddered at the thought before banishing it.
He had a few more questions left to ask before time was up. "Do you know how and when they died?"
"Well, I know that the Gods all shed their physical forms peacefully at an old age. I learned this from the scriptures and other firsthand accounts of that era that were part of our religious education," answered the young priest as he brought the back of his hand up to wipe away some sweat on his brow that threatened to reach his eyes. "Which was approximately somewhere north of a hundred years after they arrived."
That would be about the very top end of a normal human life span, which made sense. He wondered if any of them considered trying to prolong their lives. "And SylphLorien? You said there was the possibility that she manifested as an elf?" he asked, curious if the player's potentially non-human form had an impact on her longevity.
"This is where the scriptures and written accounts are not so clear, and why the debate rages on today despite the majority claiming she was a human through and through. Even though most say that she was indeed a human, others say she was an elf or a human disguised as an elf. But whatever the case, she definitely remained in this world longer than the others," said the young priest.
"Some say SylphLorien died fighting the Eight Greed Kings who arrived some 200 years after the Four Great Gods first appeared. Others say she killed herself shortly after the other Gods returned to the heavens, unwilling to continue to remain here without her divine peers. And there's a third theory based on a handful of discovered texts that suggest she was actually murdered by fanatics shortly after the other Gods ascended because they believed she was somehow trapped and therefore by killing her they were helping her return to the heavens to be with her peers."
Lucifer raised an eyebrow at that, not that the priest could see it under his helm. "And what is the official stance of the Temple?"
"The Temple doctrine says that she died fighting against the Eight Greed Kings, who were rumored to have stolen the power of the Gods and were therefore capable of defeating them."
"Which meant that she lived far longer than the others, then," said Lucifer thoughtfully, "And what do you believe?"
"W-What?" Julius stared at him.
"Surely you must have an opinion, Father. You're an ordained priest of the Temple after all, and you studied their teachings. What do you believe to be the truth?"
"Well," he hesitated, looking contemplative, "I believe..."
"Julius!" a decidedly older male voice called out from the temple's main entrance, startling the young priest and making him jump slightly. "Julius! Where are you, boy?" called the man once again, louder this time.
They both turned their heads in the direction of the man who was shouting out Julius' name and causing quite a few others to glance his way.
The voice belonged to an older priest wearing the same attire as Julius, with graying and thinning hair on his head and a sour expression permanently resting on his face. He seemed the impatient sort.
"That's Father Charlie," said Julius with a hint of resignation in his voice, "He must have some work for me to do before tonight so I'm afraid I must leave you to attend to my duties, sir knight. I'm sorry I was unable to answer all your questions, but if you wish to return some time I'd be more than happy to continue teaching you more about our faith."
"As it happens, I do have somewhere else to be shortly so it's not a problem. But I will take you up on that offer and stop by again later, if that's alright with you." Lucifer reached out his hand, which was encased in an obsidian black adamantium gauntlet.
"Julius!" called the senior priest again with mild annoyance, his eyes finally settling on the young priest. "Get over here now! There is still much to be done!"
Julius smiled and took Lucifer's hand in a firm shake. "Sounds good, sir Lucifer. May the Four Gods watch over you."
Lucifer walked away too, his steps leading him towards the cemetery. The hour of the Guild Entrance Exam was drawing close, though his mind was distracted by the information he had just learned. Elves were known to have significantly longer lifespans than humans, with some iterations even said to be immortal. Was it possible that one of the Four Gods was still alive?
=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=
It was most definitely a trap.
Leinas and the others were stood with their backs to each other as they watched their enemy close ranks around them. More goblins. Dozens of them, all with their crude weapons and armor, and a hungry look in each and every one of their eyes. The odds were not looking good for Leinas and her men.
While it was not wholly unsurprising that it was a trap, Leinas had been hopeful that there would be less of the enemy to deal with than this. But it seemed that the enemy commander had left more forces in reserve than she anticipated. Still, she had not yet lost hope that they would make it out of this alive. If she could challenge their commander and win, the others would surely turn tail and run. The problem was that she couldn't find anyone who looked like a commander among the ranks of the enemy.
"Where is your commander!?" she yelled defiantly at the encroaching goblins, "Where is your leader!?"
The green-skinned goblins only laughed as they slowly encroached on the trapped soldiers, as if they were actually savoring this moment.
"Where is the filthy coward who commands you?" she continued, her voice unwavering as it carried through the forest. "I am Lady Leinas Rockbruise, commander of the army that opposes you now, and I challenge that cursed coward to a duel."
Again the goblins laughed, but then there was a roar of anger in the distant trees that silenced them, halting their advance.
Leinas smirked.
The sound of heavy footfalls accompanied by the slight shaking of the ground with each step told her that she had successfully goaded the enemy commander into showing themself. It also told her that the enemy commander was large, perhaps the size of an ogre, though she doubted very much that one of their ilk was responsible for all this. No ogre she had ever met was smart enough enough to compel an army of goblins and ogres to follow them, so what could this fiend be?
From the depths of the forest came a beast that stood on two legs nearly twenty feet tall, and the goblins scattered in its presence as it stomped close to the group of humans. The beast dragged behind it a massive crude hammer made out of a weathered tree stump and large, roughly hewn rocks. It's skin was mottled green and it's eyes burned with unrestrained fury. Two large fangs jutted out from its lower jaw, and it roared in challenge, exposing the rest of its sharp, misshapen teeth as the air around them suddenly became rather foul.
"A troll," breathed Jethro from behind her.
Leinas recognized it as well, but it was unlike any troll that she had ever seen before. There was something very wrong with it. Almost unnatural. It took her longer than she cared to admit to notice what it was, for she at first thought that it was a part of its armor. But when she looked closely, she realized that it was actually something else entirely.
There was something attached to the troll, and it was wrapped around the left part of its chest all the way over its shoulder and around the neck area. It appeared to be some kind of parasite, almost like a leech, but it was a putrid dark green color and from where it was attached to the troll she could see black veins spreading out as if it were injecting poison or corruption of some kind into the beast.
Leinas thought it must be some kind of parasite, and that somehow this was the reason the troll was able to influence all these goblins and ogres. Nothing else about it could explain how it was able to command such numbers, because even trolls, while smarter than most goblins and all ogres, surely were not cunning enough to plan out such an assault as they had just mounted against her troops. Was it perhaps under some kind of mind control from this parasitic creature, which was the actual mastermind behind it all? Or was their battle plan and tactics all just sheer coincidence and dumb luck?
Shaking her head, she concentrated on the beast before her. "What are you?" growled Leinas as she tensed. She had never seen anything like it in all her years of slaying monsters.
"Your doom!" roared the troll.
=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=
Lucifer arrived at the big gate that led into the cemetery, where he found a dozen guards stationed on the ground, half of them sporting the Imperial crest and the other half the sigil of the Temple. There were several more guards atop the ramparts, keeping watch out over the battlements, though they appeared to all be Imperial soldiers.
The gate itself was a simple heavy metal portcullis, which was currently drawn up into the gatehouse, leaving the entrance to the cemetery open. The wall was made of solid stone about forty feet high and maybe almost half as thick.
Lucifer raised his eyebrows at the number of guards and wondered just how dangerous this cemetery could be to warrant so many soldiers manning the walls and the gate here. He approached the gate without a word, eliciting a challenge from one of the Imperial soldiers.
"Halt! State your name and business here," demanded the soldier who stepped up to him, raising a hand out and blocking his path.
"My name is Lucifer Morningstar," he did his usual bow and could feel the soldiers nearby appraising him, "I've newly registered with the Adventurer's Guild and I'm supposed to meet someone from the Guild here for my Entrance Exam."
"Do you have documentation?"
For a brief moment, Lucifer was confused since he had not been given anything official by the guild as the soldier seemed to suggest that he should have, but then he realized that perhaps the small piece of paper from the receptionist was what the soldier was looking for. He reached behind him, causing the soldiers to tense but then relax as he pulled out the small piece of paper from the Guild and handed it to the soldier.
The Imperial glanced at it briefly before turning it over, noting the Guild seal on the back that Lucifer had actually failed to notice. It was embarrassing really that he hadn't. Lucifer made a mental note right then to always check the back of any paper he received henceforth, regardless of size or importance.
"Alright, you may pass," said the soldier as he returned the paper to him and then moved aside.
Once he was through the gate, Lucifer found himself alone in a large mostly flat field enclosed by walls that stretched further out than he anticipated. The Grand Cemetery was large enough that the far wall that marked the other end seemed quite small. Dotting the landscape between the walls were countless tombstones, crypts, and trees both dead and alive.
He noted that the trees on the outer edges, the ones closest to the walls, were the only ones still alive - or at least partially so - while the rest of them were dead and half-rotted from the looks of them. Dead as the people that were buried here.
This was turning out to be more and more like some kind of trial involving undead, though he couldn't see any undead at the moment. They probably only spawned at night. Or maybe there was a dungeon underneath the cemetery? The thought excited him and he had half a mind to wander around to try and find the entrance on his own, but decided it would be best if he simply waited for the examiner. If there really was a dungeon here, he could always return later to clear it.
Lucifer wasn't sure how long he stood there, but at one point he had resorted to counting the tombstones to pass the time. It was a grim game, but it kept his mind occupied. He was beginning to think that he would be the only one taking the Exam today when footsteps from behind him broke his chain of thought, and it sounded like there was more than one person approaching. Three, by his estimate.
"Hello sir, are you here for the Guild's Entrance Exam?" asked a clearly eager male voice.
Lucifer turned around to face the newcomers and was pleased to see that there were indeed three of them.
A young man with messy black hair, a wide nose, and plain brown eyes looked up at him with interest. He wore a light leather vest over a plain cotton tunic, leather elbow and knee pads, and leather boots. His hands were covered by thin leather gloves that looked like they were more for grip than protection. On his hips were several daggers of simple make that appeared to have been recently polished, judging from the way the sunlight glinted off of them.
Behind him were two other young men, one who looked about the same age as the dark-haired one and another who perhaps looked a little older.
The former was approximately the same height and had longer but similar messy dark hair to the first, only with sharper features. Strapped to his left arm was a small round shield of dense wood with a metal boss (a metal cap at the center that helped deflect blows and also made it easier to attach the grip on the interior side) in the middle, and hanging from his opposite hip was what looked like a normal woodcutter's ax.
The latter boy was taller - although still a few inches shorter than Lucifer - and had what looked to be a few years on the first two from his appearance and the way he carried himself with a little more surety. He had long dark brown hair tied into a ponytail behind his head and dark brown eyes that looked almost black. In his hands he held a spear and on his left hip was a short sword. The spear looked old but still serviceable. While Lucifer could not judge the sword for it was secured in its worn leather scabbard, he figured it was of the same quality as the spear.
Both of them wore nearly identical sets of leather armor to the first young warrior and Lucifer couldn't help but think they all bought it from the same merchant at the same time. They probably even got a package deal for it if he were to guess, though there was also the strong possibility that they did not since they were likely naive enough not to try and bargain with the merchant for such a deal.
All of them looked eager and a little nervous, though the taller one less so. To Lucifer, they looked like farmhands or street urchins who had grown up enough to wield a few basic weapons and he was most interested to see how they would fight in the upcoming Exam. Would they be coordinated and work together well? At the very least they had opted to choose somewhat different weapons so that they had different styles of attack.
"I am," he replied calmly to the boy's question, "Are you three taking the Exam as well?"
"Too?" The dark-haired young man with daggers at his hip appeared to be the leader of the little group and he looked startled. So did his friends. "S-Sorry, but I thought y-you were the examiner!" His eyes traveled up and down Lucifer's body, examining his armor and equipment, his surprise turning into confusion. "Is... Is this a test, sir?"
"I'm afraid not," said Lucifer with a hint of amusement, "I'm here to take the Exam, just like you."
"B-But... you look like you're already an experienced adventurer. That c-can't be right... why would they need to t-test you?"
"He doesn't have a plate!" exclaimed the shield-bearer, staring at Lucifer's chest and neck area.
"Are you a noble?" asked the taller one curiously.
"You're right! That must be it," said the leader, a look of understanding crossing his face. That was apparently the only way to explain this man's high-quality gear while not being an already seasoned adventurer.
Lucifer inclined his head. "I suppose you could say I'm noble."
"Lucky..." muttered the shield-bearer, looking at Lucifer's equipment with barely contained jealousy.
The tall one nodded in acceptance, the kind that admitted to knowing that this was how the world worked. That many things in life weren't fair, especially when it came to wealth and the luxuries and advantages it afforded those who had it.
The leader of the trio sighed then looked to steel himself as he turned to his friends with determination. "Ah... well, it doesn't matter. We can pass this test even without fancy equipment, right guys? We've been working hard to get to this point and there's no backing out now!" He pumped his fist confidently as he glanced between the other two.
They grinned, sharing his enthusiasm, and said in near-unison, "Right!"
A small smile played on Lucifer's lips, and then he noticed movement by the gate and watched as another figure entered the cemetery. This one had an adventurer's plate.
Confidently striding up to the four of them was a woman with fiery red hair clad in deep emerald green robes, gold-plate shining in the sunlight from around her neck, and the others twisted around to observe her approaching.
Her robes were long-sleeved and ran down to just past her knees, with a tantalizing slit on one side that went nearly all the way up to her waist and allowed for easier movement. She had a leather belt with several pouches and satchels and other little trinkets strapped securely onto it. Across her back was strapped a staff of gnarled wood with an overly large red crystal at the end that looked like a ruby on steroids.
Her fine leather boots scrunched the dirt path they were on as she came to a halt in front of the group, placing her arms at her hips and giving them all an appraising look with her bright blue eyes. Her gaze settled for a while on Lucifer, a lone thin eyebrow rising slightly in curiosity.
When she finally looked away from him, the woman frowned and said, "There are supposed to be six of you." The way she said it made it seem like it was their fault that the group wasn't complete and they should start explaining themselves.
The three younger would-be adventurers all stepped closer together and shared looks and shrugs, stammering apologies and saying that they had no idea who the other two could be.
Lucifer stayed silent while folding his arms on his chest, drawing the woman's eyes again.
"Well, it's not my problem if they don't make it in time, but if they show up late they had best have a good excuse," she scowled, left foot tapping impatiently. "My name is Rionach Creary (pronounced Ria-nock), but you may call me either Miss Creary or Miss Ria. As you can see, I am a Gold-ranked adventurer and I have been assigned the task of overseeing today's Guild Entrance Exam. If you are having second thoughts, you may leave now with your honor and your life intact. But if you stay, know that you will be facing death."
No one moved. Lucifer could practically feel the determination in the younger lads and he silently commended them for it, though there was undoubtedly an undercurrent of fear rippling within them.
"Good. Bravery and commitment are important traits to have as an adventurer," she said sternly. "Since we are still missing two, I will allow an additional ten minute wait before we begin, just in case they decide to show up. And please save your questions for later. I will allot some time to answer any. I don't want to have to repeat myself too much should the two stragglers decide to show up after the ten minutes are up."
The three friends started whispering to each other about their surprise at being tested by a Gold-rank just as the woman steadied her gaze at Lucifer once more. Apparently it was rare for someone that high in rank to be conducting the Exam, even though it was only a middling rank from Lucifer's recollection.
Lucifer didn't know whether it was unusual or not to have a Gold-ranked adventurer conducting the Exam, personally he thought he would be far more surprised if Platinum or higher were involved, but what he was interested in was how proficient the Examiner was at magic. The staff across her back was a dead giveaway that she was a magic caster, and he resolved to question her after the Exam was finished.
Or perhaps there was a way to get her to use some of her magic during the exam. The thought intrigued him.
Ria's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as if she were trying to peer through his helmet to see the man underneath. She didn't seem to give a rat's ass about staring so blatantly at him and Lucifer wasn't sure how to feel about it. At least her gaze didn't feel hostile, just hungrily curious. His armor was the likely reason for it though, and he hoped he would get less attention and questioning looks once he actually became an adventurer.
The minutes passed by agonizingly slow.
The three boys spoke in hushed tones, their excitement and nervousness still very much present. Lucifer just wanted to be done with it already.
Before anything else was said, the sound of running footsteps could be heard coming from the gate, followed by a sing-song voice and a small set of figures approaching.
"Sorryyy we're laaaate!"
"We're so sorry! Please forgive us!" added a different, similarly high-pitched voice.
Two nearly identical young girls who looked to be in their late teens ran through the gate, doubled over and panting with their hands on their knees once they joined the group. The slightly taller one had dirty blonde hair that fell to her shoulders while the other had her similarly colored but straight hair cut shorter to a little past her ears.
Both of them had sky blue eyes and innocent-looking faces, the kind that shouldn't be found in the middle of a cemetery in the company of aspiring adventurers looking to fight monsters for a living.
"You're late," Ria glared at them and the two winded girls immediately wilted before her angry features, dropping to their knees with fearful, teary eyes.
"W-We're s-sorry, ma'am!" the slightly taller of the two managed to find her voice while the other one stayed silent.
Lucifer couldn't help but mentally facepalm. What were these girls doing trying to register as adventurers? They looked like they couldn't hurt a spider even if it fell on them let alone face down an undead creature who would likely make mincemeat of them.
Taking a deep breath, Ria shut her eyes and collected herself. Lucifer figured she was probably going through the same thought process as he. When they opened back up again, her glare was replaced by an intensely serious gaze.
"Now that you're all here, let me explain what you will be doing for the Exam."
=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=X=x=x=x=x=
AN: I appreciate all the support. As always, comments, constructive criticism, and suggestions are welcome. I hope you're not having too much trouble with the number of characters/names so far... they'll only be more in the future muahahaha... ahem. Most of them won't feature too heavily, so fear not, but there will be some recurring ones and of course there are the main ones that will definitely be constants throughout. Some are obvious for now, others perhaps less so. :)
Btw, I completely scrapped the original outline for the story because the more I thought about it the more I didn't like it anymore so I'm kind of starting from scratch again from this point. That's also why I haven't updated in a while because I've been trying to come up with something better. My sincerest apologies! I'll be revamping the rest of the story from here on out. Currently working on a new outline so please be patient since chapters will come out slower because of it. That being said, a good chunk of the next chapter is already planned and somewhat written so hopefully you won't have to wait too long. Take care, friends!