0010 - Visiting the guild

As soon as I left the inn, I started focusing on my senses and used Sense magic using my eyes, ears, skin and nose. I felt the proficiency increasing little by little, as my range increased slowly. I passed the various buildings and came in front of Brianna's shop.

The bell jingled as I entered the shop, "Good morning, dear Dave," said Brianna looking at me with a smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure of having such a fine man, today?" asked Brianna as she bent over the desk.

"Good morning miss Brianna, it's my pleasure to meet you. As for today, I would like to gain some kind of information," I said with a smile. "What kind of information?" said Brianna as she tilted her head towards the left with curiosity.

"All I want to know is which book comes after 'Basic of Magic' and how much does it cost?" I asked, sounding like a kid concerned for the future. With a chuckle Brianna looked at me and said, "after you read the book, there's only specialization. First, you have to know which magic class suits you best, do that by using magic spells written in your book. Then, come to me to buy the book you want. As for the price, the first books of fire, earth, water and air magic cost around 25 gold each. The light and dark ones are expensive at 35 gold each. The neutral magic book is on the cheaper side, costing 15 golds."

"Oh and what about basic alchemy books?", I asked as I solidified my doubt, that learning magic will be expensive. As I was lost in thought she said, "the basic alchemy book comes for 10 gold, though cheaper but in the long term alchemy is very hard and expensive to learn. The materials basic alchemy demands are not expensive, but the rate of success is very low." "Thank you, for your time," I bowed and thanked her.

I seriously need money because of magic being expensive. I must train my body. Though I will be able to pay for one magic class, I would rather not because then I will have to live on a tight budget as I have to pay for other things as well. Running my business mind, I created a superficial budget plan. While thinking about what to do I reached today's main destination. The adventurer's guild.

****

I stood before the huge 15 feet high and 6 feet wide door of the adventurer's guild. As I hardened myself I approached the gate as it opened automatically, I entered the guild with an anxious feeling.

"Kid, you won't be forgiven if you don't post a job. Even if you're a kid, rules are rules," I heard someone say as I entered the guild. I turned towards the voice on my right, to see a lean muscular man standing with crossed arms, he wore a thin leather gear on his chest with a sword hanging from his side. His face was average and he smelled like alcohol.

Before I could say anything, he looked at me, smiled creepily and exited the guild. As if taking a picture of my face, he left the area. I turned towards the front and noticed just how big the interior was. There was a big notice board with many posters pinned on it. Due to sense magic my eyesight got better and I realized it was 'quests' written on the top of the board.

The posters had many jobs so to say, like 'killing goblins', 'visiting elven kingdom', 'delivering something, somewhere', and many other jobs. The board was filled with posters whereas, the front of the board was filled with people. There was a smaller board a little further from the 'quest' one.

The smaller board had 'teach' written on it. The posters were very few in number, all demanding for someone to teach various techniques. That's where I want to go.

As I was mesmerized with the grandeur building and the systematic things, a sweet voice came to me, "you're a few years too early," as I turned my head towards the direction of voice, I saw a big rectangular table with many ladies standing behind the desk. As I was finding the source of the voice, one of the ladies waved her hand towards me. I walked towards the desk unconsciously, most probably bewitched by her beauty. The lady had long pointed ears, pink lips with a medium stature, she had a great figure. Her muscles and ripped shoulders were forming a proper shape on her green colored outfit.

The same colored outfit was worn by other ladies as well, realizing it was their uniform, I reached the desk and said, "hello I am Dave Martin" as I handed my identification card to her. "You are someone special, I can see it from the energy of the card," I was surprised to hear her reaction. Noticing me she handed the card to her colleague and confirmed something. Both the ladies said in unison "no way,". The lady who took my card initially, collected herself and said to me, " I am grateful to God, giving me the opportunity to meet someone pure like you."

I chuckled a little and took my card back, embarrassed and red from ear to ear, I asked her "I want to post a job,". She smiled and said, "you're too cute. I am Marleen, one of the managers at the adventurer's guild of the town Draka." "I am happy to meet you, Miss Marleen," I bowed and greeted her. Continuing with my request I said, " I want to train myself in hand to hand combat and sword play. So, I would like to hire 2 different people, who will teach me and train me on alternate days." I made my request very clear and waited for her response.

"so, you want a brawler and swordsman as your teacher. Your card says, you're a 12 year old wanderer, I see what you're trying to do. It's not uncommon to see requests like these. We have the people, may I know the pay?" she said and waited for my response. I thought for a moment and said "I can pay 9 coppers a day for one and 7 coppers a day for the other. Their tenure will last for at least 3 months, only if I find them worthy."

"The tenure is not important and thus not required, you can end the job tomorrow, there's no problem. The budget is good, so you'll be able to get decent people as your teachers. I will prepare the poster, as for our fees, it will be 1 silver, 5 coppers for each person. One last thing, where will you practice?" said Marleen, properly explaining everything to me and guiding me like a professional.

I had taken a slight look at the empty area behind the inn, it had access from the kitchen of the inn and one small door from the stable, which had 24 hour access to the customers. I took out 1 silver coin and gave it to Marleen. As I said, "I am staying at Moonlight Inn and will be training at the ground behind it. Also I am not using that place without permission, I have Marcel's permission," I tried to clear all her doubts.

She acknowledged everything and posted a poster in front of me on the jobs board. The poster was decent and before even being properly posted, many men and women got lined up at the desk, demanding the job. "Word travels fast, in this world as well," I said to myself, surprised by the sudden crowding of people for the job.

Marleen was still standing by my side when I said to her, "I leave the job of finding the best ones, to you. Thank you, I wish to meet with the selected ones tomorrow morning around this time." I left the building leaving everything to her. "I must make use of the money I paid. I am now spending 8 coppers a day on average. I can manage it with the chest money but not for long," I reminded myself as I left the guild building.

****

I exited the building and turned into an alleyway to take out my lunch box, when suddenly a man's voice was heard, "It will be pretty easy," his voice was normal but I had a feeling that I've heard it before. "The lamb itself entered the cage," another man's voice was heard, this voice sounded like someone was eating something and saying it.

As the man with the eating-like sound stopped talking, an image started forming from the dark of the alleyway. The image formed the shape of a human and I realized that the man before me was the same as before me in the guild. The one who said "rules will be rules."

I was getting robbed, as I realised it I backed up a little from where I've come, but was unable to do so. I was stopped by a soft yet hard foam like wall of some kind. "My barrier will last for an hour. Before that you have business with us," said the man who had an eating-like voice. He came out from behind the other man, he was a short man with big stature. He had a double chin and was eating some kind of meat with a bone sticking out of it.

"I am Maxwell and this short man is Alex," said the man whom I saw in the guild, first pointing towards himself and then to his friend. "You must be wondering why we cornered you? You see I saw you in the guild while posting the job, 7 and 9 copper a day, you're a rich wanderer, kid. So, why don't you make us your guardians and give us some protection money? Sounds good, right? This short man is the one who put up the barrier and I am the one who will beat you if you don't cooperate," said Maxwell, blabbering about how strong they were.

"No, if you want money, take it from me over my body," I said, sounding like a mad kid. I clenched my fists and got in somewhat of a boxing position. Though I wasn't good at that sport, I always tried to copy the styles of various boxers in front of the mirror and got good at copying their initial stance.

Seeing me in that pose, Maxwell laughed and bolted towards me, with his fists.