Chapter 10: You Reap What You Sow (part 2)

9th day of summer, 189 NE (New Era).

Leonard woke up with a tremendous headache. He brought his hand to his temple as he struggled to open his eyes, seeing only blurry images. He felt his body heavy and tried to get rid of the white sheets covering him. Soon, his eyes got used to the bright light, and he realized he was in a place he had been before, a long time ago."Why am I here again? Was I hurt that bad?" Leonard asked himself.

The room was big, simple, and white. A long line of rows of beds, many of which were occupied by soldiers who got hurt. The air smelled like antiseptic and something else that he could not put his finger on. He heard the soft moans of pain and the hushed voices of the nurses.

Leo looked at the door and noticed some women in white uniforms passing by in the hallway.

"Ahh hospital..." he bored. He slowly got up and sat on the edge of the bed. Looking out the window, he noticed it was morning. Then the door to his room closed, demanding his attention.

"Finally, you're awake!" Liam said, his voice full of life, as he ran to hug him.

"Ahh, it's you, Liam. Get away from me! What happened?" Leo asked, pushing Liam away.

"Nothing much; you just slept for three days," Liam shrugged as he placed Leo's armor, now repaired, on a small bedside table. There was also a basket of fruit on the table.

"Three days?... Wow." Leo threw himself back on the bed.

"For the hero of the south gate, three days are well-deserved," Liam said with a captivating smile.

"Bullshit… Well, I need to go. I don't have time to rest." Leo was apprehensive; his eyebrows furrowed. He had wasted enough time already.

Liam tossed an apple to Leonard. "Here, eat this first."

Leo caught the apple and took a big bite; he was starving. The sweet juice was the best thing he had tasted in days.

"Your wound was healed with magic, so you won't even have any scars," Liam winked at Leo.

"Who did it? The church?" Leo asked, his mouth still full.

"Who else would it be? Healing magic is considered divine; everyone knows that," Liam said casually.

"Right... I see my armor, but where are my weapons?"

"I repaired them. They were in pieces. Iron weapons are no good; you need to invest in steel or something better." Liam was just warning Leo that, although his armor was decent, his weapons were of much lower quality; after all, they were beginner weapons given by the GH. "We'll get them from old Ashton later."

Leo was already on his third piece of fruit and said, "Thanks for the meal, Liam. I was starving," giving a thumbs up.

"Huh? I didn't bring it." Liam's face was full of doubt.

"Then who?" Leo said as they looked at each other, more perplexed than Liam.

"Who knows? I've only known you a short time. I don't know your life." Liam shrugged, giving an apologetic smile.

Leonard also shrugged, then caught himself staring at Liam and noticed how peculiar his appearance was. He was a young man of about 17, with blond, spiky hair and orange highlights at the tips, framing a face with delicate features. His eyes, a vibrant orange that resembled the fire of the forge, gave him an intense and expressive look. His body, shaped by the sweat of the forge, was athletically defined and strong. He moved with the dexterity of a tiger, and his hands, calloused from blacksmithing, were agile and skilled.

"Sometimes, you force me to be an older brother," Leo said with a wry smile.

"BROOO! GIVE ME A HUG!" Liam approached Leo with wide arms open and an irritating smile on his face.

"Don't even try..." Leo raised an eyebrow, feeling uncomfortable. He wasn't used to this kind of physical affection.

Liam laughed and took a paper from his pocket saying, "Since you seem well enough..." Liam handed Leo the flyer.

"What's this?" Leo asked.

"Go on, read it." Liam gave a big smile.

"To the Illustrious Equalizers,

The Guild House of Gothia summons its Neumond members for an urgent mission in the Wailing Wetlands.

Recent information indicates that the local Gnoll tribe has been weakened after being significantly defeated in their attempted invasion. This is a strategic opportunity to subdue the remaining Gnolls and ensure regional peace.

The mission requires combatants who have experience fighting Gnolls or with tracking and survival skills in hostile environments. The Guild counts on your support and effectiveness for the success of this endeavor.

Rewards will be granted according to the importance and risk of the mission. Additional details will be provided to confirmed participants.

We request confirmation of your participation by [9th of Summer, 189].

In the name of the safety and prosperity of humanity, we await your response.

Sincerely,

[Jake Legacy]

Master of the Equalizers Guild."

"So it's a summons?" Leo let out a deep sigh. "As they all say—while you rest, carry stones." Leo got out of bed and put on his armor.

"Finally, we'll go on a mission together!" Liam was more excited than ever.

"Did you take the test?" Leo asked him as he washed his face in the room's sink.

"Of course! I already have my GHMC." Liam took the card out of his pocket and showed it to Leonard, and with the other hand, he gave a thumbs up.

Leo glanced at the card.

________________________________________

Profile Stats/Guild House Membership Card

Name: Liam

Surname: Ironwood

Rank: Iron

Strength: 16

Agility: 13

Cognition: 22

Constitution: 16

Mentality: 11

Characteristic: Psychological Neumond.

Battle Traces: Cognition Type

-Affinity: Crafts intuition, S+ motor skills,

Class: —

________________________________________

"It's not that hard to be stronger than me." Leo thought frustratedly but said, "Congratulations on becoming an Equalizer," with a slight smile.

"By the way, you've never told me anything about yourself," Liam said to Leo.

"What do you want to know?" Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Anything, come on, friends share things." Liam shrugged.

"So are we friends?" Leo thought to himself. Since the Besen incident, he had never thought about having friends or anyone to share the weight of everyday life. "I'm just a guy from a small town who lost everything and wants to get rid of some monsters," Leo said to Liam. Despite the simple words, the weight they carried made the atmosphere tense and somber. An uncomfortable silence lingered between them.

"Jeez, I even got chills." Liam rubbed his arms in protest. "Lighten up, bro," he let out an awkward laugh. "I'd better not touch that subject for now," Liam thought.

Leo spoke with one of the nurses, informing them of his recovery, and they rushed to the Guild House to sign up for the incursion. Leo wasn't very confident; he wanted to go to Besen soon and have some peace.

He and Liam entered the Guild House. Leo waved to Silica, who smiled when she saw him and promptly came over to them.

"Are you feeling better, Mr. Leonard?" Silica asked, checking on him.

"I'm 100%," said Leonard, giving a thumbs up.

"Thank the 7 Gods; he's okay," Silica thought. She had developed a fondness and admiration for Leo. She really didn't expect someone like him to survive all the tribulations he had gone through. It made her feel hopeful, and now she was rooting for him.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Silica said, taking 5 gold coins from her pocket and giving them to Leonard. "Here is your share for helping with Gothia's defense." She smiled sincerely.

Leonard was startled by Silica's attitude; she had always been very curt and formal with him. Leo took the coins, his heart racing. "Finally paying off, almost dying several times!" he thought, mocking himself. A small, bitter smile touched his lips.

"Now you can throw away those old swords of yours and buy something decent," Liam said, poking his nose mockingly.

"You're a poet when you're quiet, Liam," Leo said disapprovingly, but for some reason they looked at each other and laughed.

"Ahem," Silica cleared her throat, getting their attention.

"I'm sorry, Miss Silica." Leo bowed gently as a sign of respect.

"Come on, you're here for the incursion, right? I'll sign you both up." Silica said, her voice regaining its usual formality.

After a few minutes at the Guild House, they finished all the paperwork. Silica warned them that they should be at Gothia's south gate in 2 hours, as the caravan would leave today. They then headed to old Ashton's shop. Leonard needed to get his swords back.

Ashton wasn't at the shop; he had left early to get raw materials for projects requested by clients. Normally, this was Liam's job, but since he was taking care of the personal matters of becoming an Equalizer, in addition to rescuing Leonard from the hospital, old Ashton had given him some time off.

"They look new and exude a different energy," Leo said, evaluating his two refurbished swords.

"Of course they're better. I'd say around 20% because I was the one who improved them." He gave a proud smile as always. "But, Leo, garbage will always be garbage, even if it's recycled." Liam tapped his forehead twice with his fingers as a sign to "use your head" to Leo.

"I know, I know... You said iron isn't good for weapons. I'll take care of it later." Leo shrugged. "I'm rich now. I'll do it when I have time," he quipped, patting his pocket with the gold coins.

"Let's go," Leo said, touching Liam's shoulder.

Liam picked up his updated crossbow sling. While Leo was recovering in the hospital, he had time to improve it considerably. Now it fired iron balls, had a spring and better elastics, and the wooden parts were replaced with metal, making it much more reliable and resistant.

Leo saw that pile of iron and elastics in Liam's hands and commented, "That looks really heavy."

"About 5 kg," Liam replied, trying to estimate the weight by swinging it in the air.

"Monster..." Leo said, looking at him with wide eyes. Liam laughed.

Armed and prepared, they headed to Gothia's south gate.

More than 20 Neumonds were there waiting for the arrival of the horses sponsored by the GH. The atmosphere was tense. On an incursion, you never knew how many would return alive or even if they would return dead for a proper burial. The only sound that broke the silence was the clash of horses' hooves on the stone street as they got closer. Leo shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his gaze fixed on the approaching horses. He could feel the weight of his new armor, a stark reminder of the dangers ahead.

A group of horses, their coats gleaming with sweat, was led into the staging area by Guild stablehands. Someone shouted orders, and the Neumonds began to mount up.

Leo took a deep breath and approached one of the horses, a sturdy mare with a dark coat. He ran a hand along her neck, feeling the powerful muscles beneath her skin. He then checked his gear one last time and mounted."One day I will have one like you," he thought.

Ten minutes later, they rode out of Gothia's south gate, leaving the safety of the walls behind them. The sun was already high, beating down on them. Leo looked to Liam and then back at the city, its walls shrinking in the distance. He touched the pendant beneath his armor, a silent prayer on his lips, and urged his horse forward.