Chapter 1.4

If the Alf had been impressed with the varied architecture of the main city, as she and her escort finally arrived at the Guild District, her breath was taken away yet again as the roads turned them into an area that looked like an utter amalgam of different places all squished into a single location. Buildings in typical Dynor brick and mortar fashion, mixed in with Vulcan stone-carved masonry, ever recognizable to her Alfish nature-architecture causing branches and leaves to mix in with the hand-built structures, and more buildings of styles she didn’t recognize lining the district.

“So many different kinds of buildings!” said the Alf, the Freelancer laughing as he took the lead.

“Well, people do like their aesthetics. And it’s just no fun if every Guild Hall in the district follows some basic template. Not a single one of these places is the same, outside or in.”

“Makes sense. So… how does the Guild Hall thing even work? I kind of know the basics of how the Freelancer’s Guild operates, but the need for varied Guild Halls… somewhat eludes me.”

“Hmm, guess I can see that. Alright then, how about an explanation there?” The Freelancer stopped at a free bench along the walkways of the area, leaning against it as he produced his Deck. “Let’s cover the basics you know. You do know that, first off, the Freelancer Guilds are overseen by the Guild Association, correct?”

“Of course,” the Alf nodded, “The Guild Association is of course the grand oversight committee of the various guild organizations across the continent. While other places that count as Guilds are to a degree mostly independent, such as institutions like the Sorcerer’s College or Sword Saint Academy, the Association helps supply additional funding and resources these Guilds cannot acquire easily on their own. The heads of these Guilds as such are all members of the Association’s primary staff. The Freelancer’s Guild is one of many groups that are part of it, and the main body overseeing the wider organization would be the Grand Guild.”

“Correct,” The Freelancer angled his Deck’s screen so his companion could get a better look. It was displaying a tree-diagram with various organization emblems across it, showing the overall hierarchy of the Guild Association. “At the top of course, we have the Association itself. Further down you get those mentioned independent Guilds that then make up the grander scope of the organization. Further down from that you have the other sub-groups that follow after. Now, if the Freelancers are headed by the Grand Guild, what would you assume the Guild Halls are?”

“Hmm… they would be the sub-groups, yes?” The Alf got an affirming nod. “I see… so the different Halls are just smaller subsidiaries of the Grand Guild.”

“It gets a bit more complicated than that, depending on where you are,” noted the man, “Some of the Halls also associate with other Guilds that suit their intended operations. A Hall that hires Freelancers focused on economic aid would associate themselves with Trade Guilds to lend their help in caravans or investigating new opportunity zones to ensure their safety. Others like the Hall I work for are generalists, who take requests from all over and send us out to manage whatever those jobs may be.”

“Somewhat reminds me of the Recordkeepers back home,” commented the Alf, “It’s often that they get the aid of Freelancers to assist them in their archival tasks, usually in acquiring records from various ancient ruins… what can be salvaged in useable condition at the least. The remnants of the Ascian Empire are truly fascinating…”

“Ahhh, a scholar on the old era?” Mused the Freelancer, the Alf’s eyes going ahead to gleam.

“I mean why would I not find the Empire interesting?!” said she, obvious excitement in her voice. “The Ascians have been a mystery nigh ever since the beginning of the Modern Era, even before! The technology they left behind, even the very nature of their civilization! We know so little about them despite there being those in the world who are old enough they should remember it, yet nobody does! It was as if the Empire’s fall two thousand years ago wiped all but the faintest of memories of it from the world itself! The Recordkeepers are absolutely driven mad by this fact, and yet were it not for those lost technologies we never would have returned to the level of civilization we exist at now! The topic of study on the Empire has so many mysteries to find, so much to solve! Like did you know that it’s theorized within the Flying Cities…”

As it became clear by now that she was just incessantly rambling, at high speed no less, to the amusement of her guide, the Alf’s face suddenly burst into a bright red going all the way to the tips of her ears. The Freelancer burst out laughing as she pulled the brim of her hat over her face, doubling over himself in his mirth.

“Not just a scholar, but a total geek for the stuff huh? Hahaha!” The laughter didn’t help stop the embarrassment the Alf felt for sure. “Ahhh, sorry for busting out like that. I just don’t hear people rattle off that quickly about that topic. Though now I think I see why it is you wanted to join the Freelancers. We do often get hired to delve into those old ruins. Hell, this sword of mine was forged out of some of the alloys we found in a place like that. Though that’s a story about my time at the Sword Saint Academy…”

“You’re an SSA alumnus?!” Gasped the Alf, the Freelancer nodding. “No wonder you use such an exotic Martial Style! The only place you could learn such an old fashion of Sword Arts would have to be a place such as that. I thought I recognized those flowing motions… it’s the Continuation Style, right? The one used by the Wolkenritters from Laguna’s pre-First Great War era!”

“Seems history is a thing you know plenty of in general, Little Miss Alf,” mused the Freelancer, his companion giving a proud chuckle. “Well then, no time to waste in getting you to finding a place that suits you. For now, how about I just show you to the place that took me in?”

“Lead the way!”

Feeling that excitement for a new discovery returning to her, the Alf followed along as the Freelancer took the lead. Taking in the sounds of the crowd, the music carrying across the air from all different sources, and even the small Magical Beasts flitting about through the buildings, it sank in how this area of the city just felt different, welcoming to those who sought to explore and make their way as adventurers across the world.

Their walk stopped after a turn into what was no doubt one of several plaza areas in the district. The circular plaza featuring multiple buildings, some of them clearly shops instead of Guild Halls, likely meant to service said Halls among other such things. The building they approached was the tallest one of the plaza, its stone-work construction done out of an ocher stone, giving the structure an almost amber color.

A sign of magical light gleamed as they approached, shifting between different scripting as the Alf looked at it. And no doubt each one read the exact same thing: Amber Sky.

“And this is my little home amid the mess of the city,” The Freelancer turned about, putting his hands into his pockets. “The Amber Sky, one of the largest Guild Halls in Clearhabor, and one hell of a place to work out of… you’ll see what I mean when we’re inside.”

“And I look forward to it,” Though before following some of the crowd entering the Hall, the Alf stopped. “It only just hit but… neither of us have given each other our names. Quite rude of both of us, wouldn’t you say? Despite having spent the past few hours exchanging so much.”

“That it would be,” mused the half-alf. “Then allow me: The name’s Soren Luris Ragnvald, Freelancer of the Amber Sky, and graduate of the Sword Saint Academy.”

“Syr. Syr Fleyldis. Graduate of the Sorcerer’s College, and hopeful Freelancer hoping to unravel the mysteries of our world’s past. A pleasure to meet you, Sir Ragnvald.”

“Just Soren. Way too formal if you use my surname.”

“Then feel free to call me Syr.”

The two shook hands, Soren turning and opening the door to the hall. Syr gripped her bag tightly as the excitement welled up in her, all kinds of wonder in her eyes as she followed Soren into the hall.

“So also, just don’t be surprised if you meet these guys and-GWAK!” As they entered, whatever Soren tried to tell Syr was quite abruptly halted when a chair of all things went flying into his head, sending him flying back through the door as Syr looked on in rigid shock.

There and then, Syr realized things were perhaps going to be a different kind of interesting.