Lloyd Glader POV:
Glasses clung and beer spilt, candles illuminated the guild as the cheers of men and women alike celebrated, hung out, organised themselves and even discussed raids. Dungeon raids, that is. The loud chatter and screaming was common here and became a normality, rather the lack of such a presence would disturb the flow of things as they were. The incoherent babbling would rile up further throughout the day, and commotion such as duels, threats, fights and thrown chairs would quickly follow suit.
This was the expected and usual atmosphere found here at my workplace, the adventurers guild, where I served as the receptionist.
However in recent months, to be exact three, stories have begun to emerge and rumours spread about a fresh adventurer that joined only three months ago. A frequent topic that would be discussed every new day. Few people had actually seen this…almost legend around this place, but many were intrigued by his accomplishments recorded in adventurer guilds all around. The rookie that became the youngest ever adventurer at a measly seven years old, and the fastest person to ever advance from the given C-rank to A-rank, which he had accomplished in those meagre three months.
Apart from his obvious promotions, it is said he has totalled in earnings in these months a rough estimate of 15,000 gold Percy’s. A staggering amount of wealth for someone so young and for anyone that is fresh to such a dangerous business. Totalling that number after a few years for a veteran adventurer is almost expected, but with the rate people die on these missions set out by the official kingdom for adventurers belonging to an officially registered capital guild to resolve, is much lower for anyone under A-rank.
He has even claimed my interest, as a matter of fact. And I do enjoy hearing the chats that were now commonplace.
“Hey guys, did you hear about that rookie legend?” A young man, roughly the age of sixteen, spoke in an excited tone, his face lit up in sparks. “Doesn’t it almost sound like a hero out of a fantasy tale!?”
The woman next to him, slouching over her beer and tracing her finger along the rim flipped her purple hair back and stared straight at him, her cheeks flushed an indescribable red. Clearly and heavily intoxicated.
“Pleashhhe…Don-, don’t telh…me about some fake person made…by theee guild to motivate ushhh.” Her words slurred in a mess and spit flew from her flailing tongue. She tried to raise herself up and lightly smacked bother her cheeks sobering herself up. “Please…healing.”
“Look at yourself, you always get into that kind of mess.” The young man scolded, holding out his palm and casting a ray of white glitters that descended on the women.
“Thank you for that dear. Anyway, as I was saying, such a thing is merely the creation of the capital. A myth I tell you, a myth!” Her voice shrieked and others began hoarding around the table. A large man with a black rusted longsword slid across his back, approached them with his drink in hand and slammed it down at their table, collapsing to the chair.
“I know right, what bullshit is a seven year old adventurer anyway?” His large, muscular frame took up most of the space on the table forcing the young man to go back to standing after he tried calming himself in a seat.
“I’m an A-rank adventurer though, so if you need my services we can always join in a party. You won’t even need that kid with us.” His brazen approach surprised multiple listeners, but the woman just flipped her hair for the second time and poked his nose with her long fingernail.
“Thanks, but I’ll think I pass. I can’t let my precious brother go all by himself now can I?”
“Really? That’s a shame. But kid,” He continued rambling, turning to the standing kid now, “there is no such thing as that incredible prodigy adventurer with any of those feats everyone’s rambled about. If he were real, then he’d just show up right this moment! Who the hell even gets a nickname like “Swordspell”?”
His voice cut off right at the end of those words as the heavy oak guild door busted open. The wind hurled with a distinctive whisper, interchanging with the air in the building and flowing in eddies. All went silent, with celebrations chatter halting in an instant. Footsteps began to drum in the silence and a small hooded figure dressed in black that was covered by armour like his iron gloating chestplate, vambraces and his scaled faulds. A sword sheathed at his waist and a small convenient bag for travel at his back. None of his features revealed even in the light until he slammed the door behind him and walked further into the artificial light of the candles.
Two glaring scarlet corneas focused on a single place, the counter at the front near me. An overwhelming sensation of dread came over all of us and time seemed to stop flowing. Boulders formed in our airways as we desperately gasped for air, as the people around him cowered beneath the walking incarnation of what felt like death. He casually made his way towards me, no one daring to move an inch as sweat poured down everyone's faces.
Only one man, even when all his instincts told him not, tried to stop and speak to the boy. Everyone recognised his bravery. Or rather his stupidity, his lack of preservational skills.
His gigantic coarse paws pressed against his chest to stop him moving past him. He began standing up from the table where he spoke to the woman and the young boy.
He desperately attempted to put on his usual gruff and stern voice that intimidated others, but in the lad's presence, only squeals were audible. “H-h-hey! Who are you a-and w-where do you think y-you’re going!?”
His body trembled and his hairs rose. The boy's head only seemed to marginally tilt upwards to notice the towering giant over him, cowering before his smaller stature, before responding. “Who do you think you are to concern yourself about my business? Go along with your day if you wish to live past today.”
His words weren’t just empty threats. The menacing tone present in his voice. The lack of care or any will, but just imposing dominance, strength and power remained. Everything else was discarded. He then barged his hand out the way and tried to pursue me again, his eyes zoning on mine.
“W-WHO ARE YOU!?” The whole room's eyes jumped from their sockets. The man couldn’t take his advice and instead tried to continue his interrogation, shoving the lad, only for him to miss.
His hood finally fell from his head and revealed a young boy. Roughly the age of seven, adorned in a head of argent hair flowing past his neck, scarlet eyes that seemed to purge our souls and will to resist, and earrings that weren’t especially designed as such. His sharp eyebrows seemed to edge as he stared down the man and leaned close to him, only letting go a quick breath that sent the big guy tumbling to the floor. He realised he couldn’t stand up. His legs refused and quaked in fear.
“You are the biggest dumbass I’ve met in a while. Fortunately, since I’m trying to be a forgiving and loving person…I suppose I’ll only destroy your crux.”
Multiple men upon hearing that tried to jump in the way and so did I.
“Sir, you can’t do that. We understand he’s upset you and compensation as such will be made, but this is a crime. You can’t just cripple someone like that. Another problem is that you could also kill him in the process.” I tried to reason with logic, slowly creeping towards him with my hands gestures animated, ready to sprout a surprise attack to contain him.
“Dear receptionist, please think twice about what you are doing. Back away and stop trying to pull a fast one on me with those hands.” His scarlet leer glossed over to them and I instinctively pulled my hands behind my back.
“As for you, big guy. To who I am, that is. I’m someone you should be well accustomed to. Or at least the rumours spreading around me. I know right, shocker. I am, the supposed myth, Swordspell.” His words rang out like an echo. The reception to that news was mixed. Some people's faces twisted into excitement and ecstasy, others to dread and everyone else's was a combination. But a single question riveted through our minds.
How can we stop him?
The big guy tried to piece words together, but his mouth only contorted in multiple different shapes before falling into pleading eyes with tears welling up in them.
“As they say, ignorance is truly bliss.” He smiled deviously and cocked his fist back, mana coalescing at a rapid pace around his limb before slinging through his body leaving him with a hole. He then quickly wafted the crimson of his arm, discarding the excess onto the floor and began healing the hole in his chest, but not the crux.
“Hang in there, big guy. I didn’t hit any vitals or important areas so you’ll live. For a bit anyway. Until you succumb to the pain and die from your body's incompatible anatomy to this mana plentiful world.”
*Welcome back to Destined. This is the official start of Volume 2! Get ready for a ride because there is going to be a lot of content in this volume! Have a great night or day and bye!!*
