An Unexpected Visitor

"Father, I heard there was a stabbing!"

Swinging open the door to her father's office, Althea quickly scanned the room for any sign of a scuffle. Knowing the relationship of Voz and her father, there was bound to be one.

As Caduceus sat comfortably in his chair, his bearded lips twist into a smirk.

"Fret not, the matter had already been settled."

Althea knit her brow, "Settled how?"

The Grand Wizard glanced upwards, Althea's eyes followed soon after.

There it was, the armored goblin sticking into the ceiling like a bastardized decoration. Was it a cruel punishment for stabbing that newcomer? Nay, it was merely Caduceus' whim clashing against Voz' temper.

To better understand what had transpired, let us rewind and witness the events a few moments ago...

Upon retrieving the battered goblin from the clutches of the monk turned butler, Caduceus dropped his aching body into his office's sofa.

"You must be aware that stabbing your ranking partner is no 'small' thing." Caduceus giggled before resuming his serious tone. "I am within my rights as Guild Master to boot you out!"

The Goblin clutched his aching rib, he would gladly part with all the coins in his pocket just for someone to whisk him away from this childish wizard.

"But alas, I am a merciful Guild Master. I shall let slide this 'little' transgression of yours IF you become that kid's mentor! Show him the ropes, if you will."

Voz coughed blood, their Guild master really lives up to his reputation as someone with a few screws loose. He just stabbed the guy and he expects Voz to mentor him!?

The Wizard heartily laughed, "A 'dinky' price to pay for this stabbing incident, don't you think? A 'teensy-weensy' task, I must say so!"

Voz groaned, amidst the pain assaulting his body, he remembered why he fucking hated this shitty wizard.

"Why don't you just call me a midget and be done with it!?" Voz shouted, immediately coughing blood since he still hasn't received any healing of some sort.

"Nonsense! I am simply making sure that you aware of the gravity of your actions." Caduceus squatted down on, face to face with the Goblin in terrible agony. With a smirk, he said, "You really should work on that 'short' temper of yours."

Using the last ounce of his reserved strength, the goblin struggling for his dear life suddenly sprung up with vigor, likely fueled by the anger in regards to the Guild master's snide remarks about his height.

His tiny hands ready to choke the life out of the Grand Wizard, hands that would never reach their target as Caduceus gravity spell made Voz float and stick into the ceiling.

And now we are caught up, the scene resumes to the present.

"Father, Voz looks injured, why in the world would you stick him into the ceiling like that!?" Althea questioned.

"Well, he made an attempt on my life!"

"I will skin you alive you old bastard!" From the his awkward position up above, Voz shouted before following it by a cough.

Althea sighed before negotiating the release of the poor Goblin. A part of the negotiation mentioned about him showing a greenhorn adventurer the ropes, the one Voz just stabbed apparently.

As usual, father's head was filled with insane ideas, why would he even pair Voz and this newbie, Althea had no idea.

~~~~

Since the matter with the Goblin stabbing incident had been taken care of, Caduceus had disappeared once again, leaving Althea to look over the documents that her irresponsible father had no intention of sifting through.

Althea's eyes wandered to Yazmin who was gazing at the Guild arena below from the office's window.

"If you're bored, Marionne and Telmano are at the lounge." Althea said.

"Nonsense. Just being by your side is enough." The masked Gorgon confidently declared.

She did not cross the desert to play assistant, but merely spending time with the spell blade was enough to fill Yazmin's chest with happiness.

Althea smiled, "If you say so."

Yet another point added in favor of Yazmin in Althea's imaginary scorecard of considering the Gorgon as her lover. A scorecard whom another had already aced.

The door opened to reveal a tiefling clad in pristine red armor. Someone Althea was all too familiar with.

"Well well, the rumours are indeed true." Yulia flashed a vibrant smile at the Gorgon. "Wait, I remember you, you're the Gorgon we negotiated with at that tavern! The one Althea... yeah, it is you!"

That was close, Yulia almost blurted out how Althea severed the Gorgon's arm. Sore spots needn't be poked, but since Althea and her are now being linked as an item, maybe that sore spot is already healed? Yulia decided it would be best to play it safe and not bring up the arm dismemberment regardless.

"And I remember you. You're the tiefling that slaughtered both of my men." There was no malice in Yazmin's tone. She wasn't that attached to those two subordinates anyway, but the fact remained that the tiefling murdered them under her watch, leaving a bitter taste in Yazmin's tongue.

Yulia avoided chuckling, but a grin slipped regardless. So, this Gorgon was going to put her on the spot like that? Yulia can play that game as well.

"Those two were about to kill Althea. Choose, your subordinates, or Althea?"

"Both of you, stop it! Yazmin, you don't have to answer that question." It was question that caught a reprimand from Althea. Yazmin's statement might be a bit heated, but with Yulia being a paladin, it's not in her nature to start arguments.

"You're right, I don't have to because the answer should be obvious." Yazmin's heartfelt smile directed at Althea should be enough of a clue.

"Smooth, real smooth, Gorgon." The impressed tiefling smirked, she and this Gorgon might just get along. "The name's Yulia, paladin of Zariel."

"Yazmin, an assassin from Warija."

Yulia wondered if Yazmin knew that she and Althea used to fuck before, but it was something that she isn't going to go out of her way to clue the Gorgon in. Althea was a friend, and although past circumstances had tangled them together between the sheets, Yulia knew that nothing serious would come out of it. Yulia was a free spirit while Althea was always buried in the work her father would leave unattended. Romance just did not or they both chose to not develop it.

Or so Yulia thought, unaware of the hidden feelings that Althea harbored.

"How's the trip, Yulia?" Althea asked.

"A failure. Our target has eluded us, a target that you're all too familiar with. Ellamir had informed me of your rescue. Listen, there's something we need to discuss about your father and his connection with Vicious. But, since the Guildmaster might drop in on us, I suggest we continue this at Moon World tonight."

Without any sort of contemplation, Althea agreed, "Alright, I'll meet you there once all my work is done."

Unbelievable, Yazmin was in no position to complain, but how come Althea agreed at the snap of a finger?

"Awesome. Bring Yazmin with you, I'm going to introduce you to Magna. It's going to be a double date!"