The Blade Engineering Guild
The Beast Carriage pulled up to the main entrance of a renowned compound in Portal Bay. Its sturdy wooden structure and the Hexalope's powerful strides had made the journey smooth, albeit slow. Hao handed over 25 Blade Tokens to the driver, telling him to keep the change. The driver's eyes sparkled with appreciation as he tipped his hat, offering a genuine smile before guiding the Hexalope and carriage back onto the main road.
Before Hao, stood the famed Blade Engineering Guild, an impressive compound that seemed to stretch on for miles. Its vastness was only matched by the sheer number of sword enthusiasts that populated its grounds. Each person Hao spotted, thanks to his Vibe Sense, had one or two swords attached to their person, along with various engineering toolkits. The air buzzed with the collective intelligence and ambition of the people gathered there, their shared passion for swordplay echoing through the grounds.
"Alright, time to get this show on the road," Hao said to himself, feeling a spark of excitement. His destination was the guild's archives, a place where he hoped to find more information about the mysterious X-Class sword, Judgment Day. Remaining vigilant, Hao made his way through the main hall, his footsteps light and careful.
Shortly after Hao disappeared inside, a sleek, black vehicle pulled up outside the guild, the Imperial Hounds emblem prominently displayed on its side. Colgate, a muscular black man, and Diana, a red-haired beauty with a figure that could only be described as sensuous, dismounted the vehicle with a purposeful air.
"Diana, let's split up. We'll cover more ground that way and remember not to cause a scene. Unlike the squalid Wranglers district, this is a prestigious institution. Do you comply?" Colgate said with his tone low and controlled.
"Sure thing, Colgate. My gut tells me that the dirty snake, Hao, is here. I'll take the west side." They split up and commenced their search, attempting to move covertly. Diana's allure and sensuous body, however, drew plenty of attention, her voluptuous curves impossible to ignore. Colgate fared no better, his tank-like build and serious demeanour drawing just as many stares.
"Who is that big guy?" one guild member whispered, unable to tear their gaze away from Colgate.
"He's so macho," another chimed in, sounding impressed.
"Is he on something? How did he get that type of body?" a third asked, eyes wide with wonder.
"My guess is he underwent AGT (Artificial Gene Therapy)," someone suggested, nodding sagely.
"Do you think he would get angry if I ask him?" the curious onlooker inquired.
"Go ahead, it's your funeral," a fellow guild member replied, smirking. "Just don't bring your ghost to me to bury you later." Hearing this, the other person decided not to approach Colgate.
***
Hao delved deeper into the Blade Engineering Guild while he remained blissfully unaware of the Imperial Hounds that stalked the grounds, searching for him. The tension thickened, setting the stage for a dramatic encounter.
He continued his strides until he came upon an expansive hall filled with people. Its grandness surpassed anything he had ever seen, with towering ceilings, intricate carvings adorning the walls, and a breathtaking chandelier made of shimmering Kem Crystals.
Shortly, His Vibe Sense began to glitch, having trouble keeping track of everything going on. The blue beat tones that painted the world around him started phasing in and out, flickering like an old television screen struggling to maintain a signal.
This momentary lapse of perception made Hao vulnerable to a mysterious hand that crept up behind him. The hand seemed as if it was reaching for Judgment Day but touched his shoulder instead. Hao felt a shiver run down his spine, his fears bubbling in his chest. Turning around, he narrowed the range of his Vibe Sense, and the blue beat tones began to stabilize. To his surprise, the person standing before him was someone he knew well.
"Ciara?" Hao asked, trying to hide his relief.
"Hi, what's up?" Ciara stood there, her beauty unmatched. Her long, wavy hair framed her delicate features, and her eyes sparkled with intelligence. A skilled Blade Engineer, she wore a form-fitting outfit that accentuated her curves, drawing the attention of everyone around her. Despite her sex appeal, she had always maintained a friendly relationship with Hao, although secretly, she harboured deeper feelings for him. "I didn't see you at the meeting yesterday. Remember that important project you and I were to be working on? The one where we were developing new energy sources for sword upgrades? What happened? Does that job at the Imperial Storehouse have you working overtime?" she wanted answers.
"Something like that," Hao tried to play it cool.
"Oh, okay. What's that thing on your back? Did you get yourself a new sword? I never thought you would ever wield something different aside from Vibe Edge. Can I see?" She reached out to touch it.
"No!" Hao hurriedly swatted her hand away. "Don't touch."
"Ouch!" Ciara recoiled, a sting of pain shooting through her hand. She was taken aback by Hao's unusual behaviour, her facial features painted with hurt and confusion.
"Sorry, Ciara," Hao apologized and formulated a sort of true-ish lie. "I'm just a bit on edge. I didn't sleep well last night. Well, uh... I've got to go do something. See you later." He began walking away swiftly.
"Where are you going?" Ciara called after him, her voice tinged with disappointment. She watched him leave, disappearing into the crowd. Little did she know that Hao's life was about to take a dangerous turn and that their seemingly ordinary conversation would mark the beginning of an epic adventure that would change the world of Crossblades forever.