Their plan had been good on paper, but bad in practice.  Alklair had refused to take them all up on the honor duel, claiming that it was dishonorable to try this tactic with him.

They had tried to tell him that they were going to spread the word that he was a coward, but he had opened the window and shouted it out for the entire Huergaz to hear. Then he had summoned light golems, and they had all run.

So, now the swarm of light golems were protecting the entrance of the guild, and the adventurers were gathered in front of it, blinking dumbly at the thin beings which were made from light.

"Lemon cake, we need a new plan," Jean muttered and Leander groaned.

"To Hell with this guild and its quotas!" Leander screamed, loud enough so that his voice could be carried to the open window. Alklair then shut the window loudly, and nervous snickers were heard from the crowd.

"Listen to me, everyone," Leander had never been as bold before. Almost like he could do anything. If he convinced everyone of the new plan, then not everything was lost. "We will make up our own guild! With blackjack, a Naga, goblin, three pixies, a tribe of leprechauns and all the rest of the battle companions."

"And a hamster named Pumpkin," Armaros shouted, lost in the moment.

"Yes, and Pumpkin too," Leander agreed. Fluffs was no fighter. But Pumpkin could become their mascot.

"Who will be the leader? Jean?" Someone shouted and Leander pointed at himself.

"Me! I will be the guild master. And I will make sure we rise to the position of the best guild. Sure, initially, you won't have insurances, or a lawyer. Or even counselors. But, if we work hard, we can still put bread on the table. And it all starts now," Leander pointed at the door of the guild house.

 He had skipped breakfast today and dinner last night because he had been trying to make ends meet. Thanks to the decision of the guild master to leave them on a training regimen for three months without any way for them to earn anything. Now, his anger was fueled by hunger.

All around him, others had sunken cheeks, too. Alklair had not looked hungry, and that made the blood of the adventurers' boil.

"Leaders, call the formation. March," Leander roared and got back in his place in platoon 23's formation. Dorian moved to the door; shield raised. Then, the shuffling of feet followed and people got into formation. How this plan differed from the last one was beyond them, but they were hungry, sleep-deprived and desperate. And, as the great philosopher and necromancer Asmodeos had once said: Give me a fat man, content and happy. Keep me from the lean wolves and their hungry looks.

Bravery is a funny thing. It can show itself with the first charge at a golem made of light that could shoot spikes from its chest. Or in a water spell that would sweep a good half of the door to the guild house and pave the way further up.

Maybe a cry of: "For the blackjack!" Was less brave than a call of: "All hail guild master Leander!"

But that would be left up to interpretation. The important thing was that the guild made its way back to Alklair's office, slowly and with much perspiration, but they made their way indeed.

They had luck because there were a couple of F ranked dark mages, who 'killed' the downed golems after they were too weak to get up. A product of much hacking and slashing.

Without them, the guild wouldn't have made it pass the door, much less up the staircase to the office.

"Dorian, Morris, knock on the door," Leander spoke and both warriors turned to him with raised eyebrows.

"You mean: break the door?" Morris tried to correct him.

"Hm, maybe I should knock," Leander went to the door and knocked three times, much to the amazement of the guild. Was the healer all talk? Was he backing off?

"Come in, Leander," came Alklair's voice from within, and Leander opened the door.

"Former guild master Alklair, I challenge you, myself alone, to an honor duel," people gaped openly. Their new guild master was going to get himself killed.

"Lemon cake..." Jean began, but Leander turned to him. His face was serene and he was smiling. Jean grew silent, deciding to believe in Leander.

"And I accept. Come down to the training hall," Alklair placed the document he had been looking at down and stood. Leander raised two fingers, and the leaders of the parties and platoons moved down the staircase. Alklair gaped openly.

"How did you do that?" The elf asked. Not believing that the unruly adventurers had followed orders so easily.

"You are right that we need a lot of work. On our manners, consideration of others, fighting abilities and common sense," Leander admitted and Alklair nodded. Still not understanding how the adventurers were going down the stairs without pushing or shouting. "But you turned us into cornered, starved animals. Asmodeos once said: Always give your enemy a way out, or he will kill you. You left us no way out, and now I will kill your good name."

Leander turned around and followed the guild back to the training hall. Alklair barked a laugh, then clutched at his stomach.

"Asmodeos, I kicked you out of the guild, but even people from after your time admire you. Do you think I was wrong all along? That you were right to say that leading the guild will make me blind? No, as long as I remained undefeated, I can't believe that," in a certain house, a man with a certain white cat sneezed. He had no idea of the drama that was unfolding in the Huergaz's adventurer's guild. And he was supposed to be in the heart of the world.

But Asmodeos was crafty and peaceful, innately. He knew how to blend in. He wondered what Alklair, his one-time party partner and lover, was doing now. Maybe he could go and pay him a visit? Disguised as the author who couldn't get his textbooks published.