Inasphyr Rheimsworth

Two hours had passed since I first set foot in this quaint little town, and I'd almost covered every corner of it. Batustone was small, but it had a certain charm that made me feel at ease. Everyone here was… well, really nice. I even found myself kicking around a rattan ball with some of the local kids, laughing and enjoying the simple moments. Not something I expected to do today.

Eventually, I settled down at a small shack that overlooked a garden filled with strange, pinkish fruit. I took a deep breath, letting the quiet wash over me for a moment before I began to wonder.

"Is Tia done yet?" I muttered to myself, leaning back against the wooden post.

"Given the elapsed time, I'd estimate an 80% probability that she's finished by now," Ellen's voice chimed in my mind, her cool and logical tone always a contrast to the laid-back mood I tried to keep.

I chuckled. "And what's that probability based on?"

Ellen didn't answer, though I could feel the slightest hint of amusement in her silence.

Before I could dwell on it, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. A young woman wearing a green hood was walking by, carrying a basket full of groceries. Her steps slowed as she caught sight of me, or more specifically, the mechanical arms that protruded from my sleeves. It wasn't the first time I'd gotten stares, but something about the way she stopped dead in her tracks felt different. Unnerving, even.

She turned toward me, eyes fixed on my arms before speaking in a straightforward, almost blunt tone. "Your arms… where did you get those?"

There was no hesitation in her voice, no awkwardness like I usually encountered when people tried to dance around the subject. I looked at her, maintaining a neutral expression, though my instincts flared up in warning. Something about this woman felt… off.

"Accident," I said casually, giving her a nonchalant shrug. "Had to get myself some prosthetics after that."

Unlike the others I'd met in this town, she didn't offer an apology or express sympathy. Instead, her gaze shifted, locking onto my eyes with an intensity that made my skin crawl. Her eyes weren't normal—there was something about them, something wrong.

I didn't flinch, keeping my cool as I asked, "Is there something on my face?"

She blinked, realizing her stare had been a little too focused, then quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. It's just… your eyes. They're unique. They almost look… mechanical."

I laughed, waving off her comment. "You've got quite the imagination. They're just regular eyes, nothing special."

She gave a small, polite nod, though I could see the curiosity still lingering in her expression. After a moment, she introduced herself. "My name is Inasphyr Rheimsworth, but you can call me Ina if my name's too long."

"Inasphyr, huh?" I repeated, locking the name into memory. "I'm Zal. Nice to meet you."

She smiled faintly, then reached into her basket and pulled out a pocket watch—one I knew all too well. She held it up, showing it to me. "You wouldn't happen to be the one who fixed this, would you?"

I was the one who repaired it, but something about her set me on edge, so I didn't admit to it. I kept my response vague, casually shaking my head. "Nope, not me. Sorry."

Ina's expression didn't change. She didn't seem disappointed or frustrated. Instead, she nodded again and apologized for bothering me, then slipped the pocket watch back into her basket. She fished out a small piece of paper and handed it to me. "Could you give this to the person who did? It's important."

I took the paper, and with another polite bow, she turned and walked away. Strange woman, I thought. Polite, but there was something… unsettling about her.

As I watched her go, something fell out of her basket, landing in the dirt. I picked it up quickly, intending to return it to her, but when I looked up, she was gone. Completely vanished.

I narrowed my eyes, scanning the street. "Ellen, you didn't happen to catch where she went, did you?"

"Negative. Her movements are beyond prediction," Ellen replied, her voice tinged with mild frustration. "I cannot trace her."

"Great," I muttered. "We got ourselves some freaky woman."

I glanced down at the paper she had handed me and, curiosity getting the better of me, unfolded it. The note was simple but direct: Meet me in the woods just outside Batustone after sundown.

Ellen's voice cut through my thoughts. "Caution: I strongly advise against going. There's no telling what her intentions are."

I nodded, agreeing with her assessment. "Yeah, no joke. I'm getting bad vibes from this whole thing."

But despite my better judgment, I couldn't shake the feeling that if I didn't go, this woman—Inasphyr—would continue to linger in my mind like an unsolved mystery. "You know what? I'm going anyway," I said, tucking the paper into my pocket. "I need to know what she wants. Chill, I'll be careful."

Ellen's response was flat, almost sarcastic. "Careful? Like how you were with Zephyrbane?"

I rolled my eyes. "Umpf. That was a completely different situation."

"Understood," she replied dryly. "I'll be observing your 'carefulness' once again."

I sighed, already regretting my decision, but I couldn't help the pull of curiosity. Whatever Inasphyr wanted, it was something I needed to find out—even if it meant walking straight into something I wasn't ready for.

…

..

.

With some time left before sundown, I figured it wouldn't hurt to check out the Rover Guild. It was the one place in town I hadn't explored yet. As I walked through the streets, my thoughts drifted to the idea of rovers. There had to be more to them than just being hired muscle for random tasks, right?

"Rovers are part of an organization that helps civilians," Ellen chimed in, as if reading my thoughts. "They accept commissions from ordinary people and important clients alike. Whether it's helping someone find a lost item or dealing with a monster terrorizing a village, the rovers step in. Even the military occasionally requests their assistance."

"That sounds… kinda impressive," I admitted, kicking a loose pebble along the road. "They must have a lot of responsibilities."

"Indeed," Ellen continued. "But most importantly, their mission is to uphold justice and protect civilians. The guild here is just a small branch, though."

I hummed in thought. "Interesting. What about the ranking system? How does that work?"

Ellen's tone shifted, playfully. "Planning to become a rover, Zal? I thought you were more of a tinkerer."

I smirked. "Hah. I'm not planning to join, no. Just curious."

"Ranks go from F to S," she explained. "Most people think it's based on strength, but that's only part of the equation. A rover's rank is determined more by their contributions to society and the impact they make."

"That's… actually kinda cool," I muttered. Ranks based on more than brute strength? There was something admirable about that.

After a short walk, the guild building finally came into view. The emblem hanging above the door—a shield-like design—caught my attention. Ellen's voice returned. "The emblem represents protection and justice. It's symbolic of the guild's mission."

With a nod to myself, I stepped inside. The interior was simple, but it gave off a sense of purpose. Less than four rovers stood near the quest board, scanning through requests. None of them seemed to notice me, but the receptionist behind the counter greeted me with a friendly smile.

"Welcome to the Rover Guild. How can I help you?" she asked.

I smiled back, a familiar sensation washing over me. The whole place reminded me of those old adventurer guilds in video games—only this one was the real deal.

"Hey there. I had a question about transportation. I need to get to Avaros. Any rides available?"

Her expression shifted slightly as she checked her records. "I'm afraid there aren't any trips to Avaros for the next three days."

I let out a small sigh, scratching the back of my head. "Aw, shucks. Guess I'll have to find something to kill time."

Still, three days wasn't so bad. I could manage. I then remembered Tia, wondering if she was around. "By the way, is there a rover named Tia here? I've been looking for her."

The receptionist gave me an apologetic smile. "Tia isn't at the guild right now. Would you like me to leave a message for her?"

I nodded. "Yeah, just tell her Zal's looking for her."

"And how should I spell your name?" she asked, politely.

"Z-A-L. Simple enough."

With that, I thanked her and left the guild, stepping back outside into the cool evening air. For a brief moment, I considered walking to Avaros on foot, but the idea quickly faded as Ellen's voice piped in again.

"Technically, you could walk to Avaros… but it would take over two weeks. That's not exactly an efficient use of your time."

I groaned. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Walking's not exactly an option."

"The ride to Avaros only takes three days by wagon," she added, as if I needed more reason to wait. "Conclusion: it is most efficient to wait until there is an available ride."

I sighed again. "Fine. I'll stick around until then. Guess I've got to find something to keep me busy."

I wasn't sure what I'd do to pass the time, but with the sun beginning to dip toward the horizon, my mind wandered back to the note from Inasphyr. There was a certain weight to the words she'd written. Something was pulling me toward that meeting, whether I liked it or not.

The anticipation for the upcoming encounter hung over me, but for now, I had some time to kill.