As Pascel energetically woke up the next morning he gathered a few items, notably the mask, a small knife, and some rough-looking leather armor, followed by the hood he used the day before. Assembling them into a pack, he set off on his way to a guild.
His steps echoed down the merchant's street, bustling with life. Like a shadow, he skillfully navigated the labyrinth of stalls, deliberately avoiding the weapons shop and the bearded man inside. Pascal had meticulously planned his attire, ensuring a change of clothes concealed any recognizable features when he donned the green mask.
"So many people out today; I wonder what's happening," Pascal mused to himself, observing a swarm of individuals congregating around a street. A private carriage, bearing the crest of Sir Allistare, a renowned nobleman, hinted at the presence of someone pretty important arriving in town.
After an hour of traversing, Pascel marveled at the sight of the building he was heading too—the Stone Lions Guild. The majestic grey structure adorned with lion heads was imposing.
"50% discount for all Stone Lions on weapon orders," yelled one merchant's stall. Another quickly interjected, "51% discount for all Stone Lions on weapon orders," sparking competition for customers as the first stall owner quickly glared at the second.
He walked inside the imposing building, and took a few seconds to look around. The atmosphere within the building was pretty barren, Pascel could tell that there was even some dust and cobwebs on a few tables. A young receptionist greeted him with a question,
"Hello, would you like to register with the guild?" Pascal, beneath his mask, marveled at her ability to identify him as a newcomer, considering the rarity of new Stone Lions applicants.
"Yes," Pascel responded, his tone serious.
"Welcome to the Stone Lions Guild! We're thrilled to have you. To register, first, I will need a demonstration of your abilities." She said as she got up from her seat behind the counter and walked toward a hallway signifying him to follow.
‘Huh, that's a little odd,’ Pascal pondered with a confused expression beneath the dark green mask. Confusion lingered as he wondered why they required a display of abilities over the customary paperwork or personal information.
‘Whatever, works better for me anyways’ He thought to himself as he followed the receptionist into a back room.
Entering the room it was adorned with an array of weapons—swords, spears, shields, and more.
‘My skill with any weapons would likely wouldn’t impress her all that much, tier 2 at the most,’
“Ok, so would you like to quickly spar with me to get a demonstration of your abilities? I am Tier 4 within the guild,” the receptionist said proudly, a warm smile on her face as she stared at Pascel.
An internal realization struck Pascal. 'They have a Tier 4 as a receptionist? Not only that, but she's also the examiner. Talk about being overworked.'
There are 8 tiers within guilds. Tier 1 is the lowest, this being the newest members, and tier 2 is the average rank of guild members. The receptionist must be quite powerful if she is tier 4.
“No, I will demonstrate my abilities on the training dummy,” Pascal asserted.
“Ok then, are you some sort of mage?” The receptionist queried as she got out a notepad from behind a desk.
Pascal, unveiling only a hint of his mysterious nature, responded, “Something like that.”
“Well just start whenever,” She said, pen and paper in hand.
‘Here goes nothing,’ Pascel thought to himself, trusting in the small amount of ability he had.
Raising his hand, the sharp weapons on the rack started to vibrate slightly before levitating a little. At first they levitated not even an inch above their starting position, but after a few seconds they were suspended in the air before being expertly flung at a straw training dummy. Most weapons impaled the target, leaving the receptionist in genuine awe.
"Wow!" Her face showcased her genuine surprise.
Pascel’s seemed nonchalant about the display, as if this much was below him. But in truth, the cost of his abilities became palpable. Beads of perspiration formed, and a slight tremor betrayed the strain. The receptionist, immersed in the spectacle didn’t seem to notice though, eagerly noting down the demonstration. Though as he wanted to remain anonymous, his display was more to make him seem valuable than it was to get him into the guild.
“You are definitely qualified to join and be of the Tier 3 rank! I will just need your name, address, and some other info," she declared. Pascal, however, concealed the weariness in his eyes. As the receptionist prepared to gather basic information, Pascal firmly declined.
“No.”
"Excuse me?" The receptionist was taken aback, clearly confused.
Pascel visited the guild that had been struggling the most in recent years hoping that they would be desperate enough for new members to not try and question his background.
The refusal hung in the air, and the receptionist, seemingly intimidated, paused. Pascal's determination to remain anonymous overshadowed any potential acceptance risks.
Pascel caught his breath a little after remaining silent for a few seconds, unbeknownst to him this pause made his intimidating aura that much more grave to the receptionist.
“I wont give any personal information,” He added coldly.
The receptionist only took a couple of seconds to think, obviously not wanting to keep the person in the mask waiting.
The receptionist cautiously admitted, "You see, we are really desperate; I will accept your conditions, but instead of Tier 3, you will have to work your way up from Tier 1,”
‘Huh, thats smart..’
Instead of become tier 3 directly after recruitment into the guild, which would be a pretty deal, he would work his way up from tier 1. If he stayed at tier 1 then it wouldn’t matter that much and if he quickly ascended, he would earn a reputation making him seem all that more valuable to the higherups, at least enough to not question his identity.
Pascal accepted, a mix of satisfaction and anticipation filling his mind. The receptionist offered a small badge made of light metal, its color reflecting its rank like the academy. Pascal noted, ‘Tier 1 badges are completely black.’
“So, um, mask man, what may I call you?” The receptionist inquired.
“Arlo.”
“Well, welcome to the Stone Lions, Mr. Arlo,” she declared, extending her hand.
As Pascal shook the receptionist's hand, a broad smile emerged beneath his mask.
—--
Accepted without scrutiny, Pascal found himself on an unexpected trajectory within the Stone Lions Guild. The revelation that he wouldn't be assigned Tier three tasks but would ascend from Tier one was actually a blessing, offering a less time-demanding path. It dawned on him that a Tier 1 member could attempt Tier three tasks, though he wasn't expected to complete them once accepted. His quota involved attempting two missions a week, whereas a Tier 2 member only had to complete one, and Tier 3 members weren’t obligated to fulfill any missions.
The receptionist/examiner shook Pascel from his thoughts, “Would you like to take the tour and initiation now, Mr. Arlo?”
“That soon?” Pascal responded, his curiosity evident in his tone.
“Well, usually we take a day or two to check the person's information and run a small background check, but you are a special case. If you want to get it out of the way now, we can.”
“Sure.”
She led Pascal, or Arlo within the guild, through a series of rooms, most of which seemed void of any other guild members. ‘All this space but no people, it's a shame really,’ Pascal thought, noting the impressive facilities that, despite their quality, have cobwebs and dust from the lack of use.
Pascal's guide, the receptionist turned examiner turned tour guide, walked him through the Stone Lions Guild's many facilities. Their every step echoed through stone hallways, and the silence within the guild carried a sense of ancient strength. The guild's architecture looked nearly impregnable, prompting Pascal to briefly ponder the practicality of such defenses. Though he supposed it was mostly built like that probably for aesthetic purposes.
Most rooms appeared mundane and empty until they reached the training ground – an expansive battleground where the clash of steel resounded through the stone hallways. Warriors of diverse backgrounds practiced with fervor, their movements precise and purposeful. Pascal observed the scene, his guide gesturing towards a swordsman engaged in a solo duel against a training dummy. A somewhat tall, lanky man with grey hair and a huge grin, Rey, a Tier 4 member, showcased his swings with enthusiasm. Pascal, however, couldn't help but find amusement in the disparity between Rey's reputation and the reality of his strength.
‘His swings and strength are worse than mine…’
The guide continued, "Sir Rey is one of the strongest members of the last few years, though his personality is a little… uh, how should I say, unconventional. Unbearable is probably a better word."
Which prompted pascel to raise his eyebrow in confusion
‘That guy is one of the most promising newer members in the guild?’
The guide then Moved on to the Meeting Rooms, seemingly not wanting the man named Rey to notice them. The meeting room was reserved for independent guild teams, Pascal witnessed guild members strategizing over maps and mission briefings.
The mystical library came next, guarded by an ancient librarian. Pascal learned that only the most trusted could access the wisdom within its pages. And not figuratively, the pages were blank for anyone the library didn’t accept. Likely an enchantment left a long time ago by a powerful person.
There were a few more rooms like an enchanted forge, though Pascel was seemingly not very interested in them.
Throughout the tour, Pascal refrained from asking too many questions, gathering details about key guild members and their respective tiers through the unusually chatty guide. As the guide detailed their personal accomplishments.
"That's Captain Elara, a beacon of leadership. And there, Master Thorne, an unrivaled mage of our time." The guide even went through their personal accomplishments and in extreme detail of their lives.
However, she turned pretty red whenever she realized she was fangirling over them in front of a recruit.
As the tour concluded, the guide turned to Pascal with a knowing smile. "The Stone Lions embrace those who seek strength and purpose. You'll find allies, mentors, and challenges that will shape your journey."
"Oh, and by the way, your first mission is tomorrow."
‘Huh?!’ Pascal's eyes widened in surprise, the abrupt announcement catching him off guard.
