Guild Quest

The cool evening breeze swept through the city streets as Ray and Seraphine made their way toward the Adventurer's Guild.

Ray's steps were measured and calm, though his mind churned with plans. He had to be careful, very careful—everything depended on the next few steps.

But as always, his mind would wander back to Seraphine and the fleeting image of her that had momentarily derailed his thoughts earlier. He'd need to get it together.

The road leading from the inn to the Adventurer's Guild was alive with activity. Merchants called out their wares from stalls, children ran laughing through the streets, and travelers passed by, their armor gleaming in the sunlight.

Among them, Ray and Seraphine stood out—not just because of their unusual pairing, but because of her.

Seraphine walked with a natural grace that seemed to command attention. Her freshly cleaned hair shimmered in the sun, and her simple adventurer's attire did little to dull her beauty. Heads turned as they passed, whispers following them like shadows.

"Who is she?"

"An elf princess?"

"She must be a noble…"

Ray sighed, pulling his hood a little lower. The attention wasn't unexpected, but it was still irritating. He could feel the stares burning into their backs, and it wasn't hard to guess who they were all looking at.

"Don't let it get to your head," he muttered under his breath, his hands stuffed into his cloak pockets.

"Who, me?" Seraphine's voice was light, with a teasing edge. She turned her head slightly, catching the gaze of a passing merchant and offering a polite smile.

The poor man nearly stumbled over his own feet.

Ray groaned. "Yes, you. You're like a walking beacon of distraction."

Seraphine tilted her head, her lips curling into a sly smile. "Aw, is someone jealous?"

Ray shot her a sidelong glance, unimpressed. "Jealous? Please. I'm just trying to keep us focused. We're supposed to be heading to the guild, not hosting a parade."

She laughed, the sound soft and melodic, but her words carried a bite. "Oh, I'm focused. It's not my fault people find me enchanting. Maybe you should take notes, guild leader."

Ray shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips despite himself. "Let me guess—your charm is going to win us discounts and allies?"

"Exactly," she said, her tone smug. "You're lucky to have me. Imagine trying to start a guild with just your grumpy charm."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that. Seraphine's eyes gleamed with amusement, but before she could tease him further, they arrived at the guild's entrance.

The grand wooden doors loomed ahead, the emblem of a sword and shield etched into the heavy oak. The hum of activity inside could already be heard, and Ray felt his focus snap back into place.

"Alright," he said, adjusting his cloak. "Let's get this started. You're taking the lead."

Seraphine blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, what? Why me?"

Ray smirked. "Because my reputation with the Light Faction isn't exactly stellar. If I walk in first, they'll probably assume we're here to pick a fight."

She crossed her arms, her lips pursed in mock indignation. "Using me as a shield already? Bold move, guild leader."

He shrugged, already pushing the door open. "You're the one who wanted to show the charm. Now's your chance."

With that, they stepped inside, the chatter of adventurers and the faint clink of armor welcoming them into the guild. As Seraphine straightened her shoulders and stepped forward, Ray couldn't help but smile. This was going to be interesting.

The walls were adorned with maps, notices, and trophies from past quests, while the air carried the faint scent of parchment and ink.

As Ray and Seraphine approached the front desk, a guild clerk—a young woman with auburn hair tied into a neat braid—looked up from her work.

She offered a polite smile, but the moment her gaze landed on Seraphine, her expression froze into one of pure awe.

"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild," the clerk stammered, her professional tone faltering. "How can I—uh, how may I assist you today?"

Seraphine shot him a look as if telling him to behold and turned back to the clerk with a warm smile. "We're here to register a new guild," she said smoothly, her voice calm and poised.

The clerk blinked, struggling to regain her composure. "Oh! A guild, of course. Right this way!"

As they moved to a private counter, the clerk couldn't seem to stop glancing at Seraphine. "If you don't mind me saying, miss, you have an… extraordinary presence. Are you, by any chance, descended from nobility?"

Seraphine's lips twitched in amusement. "Not quite. But thank you for the compliment."

Ray muttered under his breath, "Here we go again…"

The clerk didn't notice, her attention firmly on Seraphine. "Alright, we'll need some details for the guild registration. First, the guild name?"

Ray froze. Seraphine turned to him expectantly. "Guild leader, what's our name?"

"Uh…" he hesitated, scratching the back of his head.

Seraphine raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "You spent all this time talking about creating a guild, and you don't even have a name?"

"I got caught up in the… logistics," he said defensively, avoiding her gaze.

With a sigh, Seraphine folded her arms. "So, what are we calling it? Don't tell me you're naming it something ridiculous like 'Ray's Rangers.'"

Ray smirked, suddenly inspired. "Nope. Seraphine's Vanguard."

The clerk stifled a laugh, while Seraphine blinked in surprise. "You're naming the guild after me?"

"Obviously," Ray said, clearly enjoying her reaction. "You're basically the mascot—everyone's going to remember you."

Her expression darkened. "Mascot?"

"Leader," he corrected quickly, though his grin betrayed him.

"Keep this up," Seraphine muttered, "and this guild will start without its so-called 'leader.'"

The clerk, now smiling openly, tapped her pen on the form. "Alright, we can proceed. However, there's a minimum level requirement to start a guild. The guild leader must be level 20 or higher. Let me check your levels."

Seraphine stepped forward confidently, allowing the clerk to scan her status with a crystal orb. Numbers shimmered in the air: Level 48.

Ray blinked, genuinely stunned. "Wait… 48?!"

Even the clerk looked impressed. "That's incredible for someone your age! Most adventurers take years to reach that level."

Seraphine tilted her head, amused by their reactions. "Is it that surprising? I thought it was average."

"Average?" Ray muttered, his mind racing. No wonder she was the Celestial Princess. Level 48 was unheard of for an NPC her age. She could probably decimate entire dungeons without breaking a sweat.

The clerk cleared her throat. "Well, that's more than sufficient. Congratulations! Now, all we need is for you to complete a qualifying quest to finalize the registration. I'll pull up some options for you."

Magical parchment fluttered to life on the noticeboard nearby, listing available quests. Seraphine began reading them aloud.

"'Escort the Merchant Caravan to Brightwater,' 'Gather Mystic Herbs in the Whispering Woods,' 'Investigate the Disappearance in Ironvale'…"

She stopped at Ironvale knowing fully well what his choice was going to be.

Ray's eyes locked onto the last one. "Ironvale," he said firmly.

The clerk looked at him skeptically. "You're sure? That could be dangerous. Wouldn't the caravan be easier?"

"No," Ray replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Ironvale."

The clerk hesitated. "That's a higher-tier quest for beginners. It's been on the board only today, it's difficulty and validity has not been estimated yet."

"Perfect," Ray said, his voice decisive.

Seraphine studied him for a moment before sighing. "Alright. Ironvale it is."

The clerk handed them a sealed scroll containing the quest details. "Good luck, and welcome to the guild!"

Ray opened the scroll triggering the quest by the system -

System Notification: Guild Quest Details

Quest Name: Shadows of Ironvale

Quest Type: Investigation (A-Rank)

Quest Description:

Ironvale, a quiet mining town, has been struck by tragedy. Several villagers mysteriously vanished overnight, including a young girl, Elara.

The villagers whisper of strange shadows lurking near the mines and unnatural cries heard in the dead of night. Fear has taken hold of the town, and the villagers dare not investigate further.

Your task is to uncover the truth behind these disappearances before Ironvale succumbs to panic. Time is of the essence—find the missing and unravel the secrets hidden in the shadows of Ironvale.

Objectives:

1. Investigate the disappearances.

2. Follow the trail of clues within Ironvale.

3. Bonus: Discover what happened to Elara.

Failure Conditions:

• The disappearances escalate.

• The source of the threat remains unresolved.

• ???

Reward:

• Guild Registration Approval.

• 100 Gold Coins.

• Reputation boost with the Adventurer's Guild.