Call From Above

Fin woke up slow, his head foggy like he'd been hit by a truck—again. His eyes cracked open, and he squinted at the ceiling. No hospital tiles this time, just a very expensive roofing.

The air smelled like paper and coffee, not medicine. He was on a couch, a very soft one, with a thin blanket tossed over him. His body ached, but it wasn't the sharp, broken mess he remembered.

He shifted, groaning, and felt tight scars pull across his chest and arm.

"Awake, huh?" Mara's voice cut through the haze.

He turned his head—ow, bad idea—and saw her sitting at her desk, scribbling on some papers. 

"Yeah," he croaked, voice rough. "Where…?"

"My office," she said, not looking up. "Some Hunters found you outside the dungeon. Half-dead, covered in blood. They read your card, saw you are part of this guild, and dragged you back here."

Fin blinked, sitting up slow. His shirt was gone, replaced by bandages wrapped around his torso. He touched his arm—scarred-up, pink and jagged, but not bleeding. 

"They fix me?"

"Potions," she said, finally glancing at him. "Expensive ones. You're welcome. Couldn't do much about the scars, though. You'll live with those."

He ran a hand over his chest, feeling the rough lines. "Cool. Makes me look tough, right?"

She didn't laugh. "What happened in there?"

He froze, the memory slamming back—the black monster, the team getting ripped apart, the fight, the cores. He swallowed hard, looking at his hands. 

They shook a little.

"Dungeon warp," he said quiet. "Something big came through. Not a crawler or snake. It was… wrong. Fast. Killed the team like nothing."

Mara put her pen down, leaning forward. "A warp? You're sure?"

"Yeah," he said, meeting her eyes. "Read about it in the book. Rare, right? Monsters slipping into other dungeons. This one… it was strong. Too strong for a Rank 2."

She frowned, tapping her fingers on the desk. "Describe it."

"Black. Oily. Weird arms, like they bent backward. And teeth—too many teeth. Moved like a nightmare." He shivered, remembering its grin. "I tried fighting. Used my power, absorbed some cores. Barely got out."

Her eyes narrowed. "You fought it? Alone? An F-Rank?"

"Didn't have a choice," he said, shrugging. Hurt to do that. "Team was dead in seconds. I ran, then… I don't know, I just got mad, really mad and went at it. Almost died though."

She stared at him, quiet for a long time. "You're an idiot," she said finally. "But you're alive. That's something."

He grinned, weak but real. "Yeah, I'm good at not dying. So far."

Before she could say more, a knock hit the door—sharp, loud. Fin jumped a little, and Mara sighed, annoyed.

"Come in," she called.

The door swung open, and Fin's jaw dropped. A woman stepped in—tall, curvy, stunning. Her hair was white with streaks of blue, falling past her shoulders like silk. 

She wore a tight black skirt and shirt that hugged every line of her body, and her walk was smooth, confident, like she owned the room.

Her voice hit next, low and sweet, wrapping around him like a warm breeze.

"Mara, darling," she said, smiling. "I see your little Hunter's awake. Good to know he's not completely useless."

Fin's brain short-circuited. He couldn't stop staring. That voice—it was doing things to him, making his face heat up.

Mara's chair scraped as she stood, cutting through the spell. "Juna," she said, sharp. "What do you want?"

Juna's smile didn't fade. She leaned a hip against the desk, crossing her arms. "Guildmaster wants a word with your boy here. About that dungeon mess. Seems it's caused a stir."

Fin blinked, snapping out of it. "Me? Guildmaster?"

"Yes, you," she said, turning that charm on him. Her eyes sparkled, blue like her hair. "Don't worry, sweetie. He just wants to talk."

Mara glared at her. "He's mine. Tell the Guildmaster I'll handle it."

Juna laughed, soft and teasing. "Oh, Mara, always so possessive. Don't be greedy. He'll be back in your claws soon enough."

Fin just sat there, caught between them, feeling like a kid watching adults argue. Whatever was coming, it didn't sound good.

He trailed behind Juna as they left Mara's office. His stomach twisted into knots, and his hands wouldn't stop fidgeting with the edge of his vest.

'Guildmaster? Me?' he thought, swallowing hard. 'What does someone like that want with a slum rat like me? Probably gonna yell at me for screwing up the dungeon run. Or kick me out for good. Yeah, that sounds right.'

He glanced at Juna, her hips swaying as she walked ahead. That tight black outfit hugged her like it was painted on, and her white-blue hair bounced with every step. She was gorgeous—way out of his league—and it didn't help that his brain kept tripping over itself every time she looked at him.

"You're quiet back there," she said, tossing a smile over her shoulder. Her voice was smooth, playful, like she knew exactly how it messed with him. "Nervous?"

"Uh, yeah," he admitted, scratching his neck. "Never met a Guildmaster before. Don't even know what they look like."

She laughed, light and teasing. "Oh, you'll see. She's… something else. Loves her gold, that's for sure. Ever been to the top floor?"

"Nope," he said. "Barely been past the lobby 'til today."

"Well, you're in for a treat," she said, slowing to walk beside him. Her arm brushed his, and he stiffened, face heating up. "The view's killer. You can see half of Arclight from up there. Makes you feel small, you know?"

"Already feel small," he muttered, staring at his boots. 

She nudged him with her elbow. "Chin up, sweetie. You survived a dungeon warp. That's not nothing. Most F-ranks would've been monster chow."

'Sigh, how did they find out it was a dungeon warp so fast. Hunters are on another level.'

"Yeah, guess so," he said, forcing a grin. 

'Still feels like dumb luck. Absorption's all I've got, and I barely know how it works. What if she asks about it? What if she tests me? I'm toast.'

They turned a corner, heading up a wide staircase. The walls got fancier—polished stone, little carvings of swords and shields. Fin's nerves buzzed louder with every step. 

'She's gonna see right through me. Slum kid pretending to be a Hunter. Probably laughs at guys like me over breakfast.'

"So," she said, breaking his spiral, "what's Mara like to work for? She's all ice and rules with me, but you're her special project, right?"

"Uh, she's… tough," he said. "Doesn't mess around. Saved my ass with the hospital bill, though. Guess I owe her."

She smirked. "Mara doesn't do favors for free. Watch yourself—she'll squeeze every drop out of you."

"Yeah, figured that," he said, grimacing.

'Already feels like I'm her errand boy. Now the Guildmaster? What's next, cleaning her fancy shoes?'

They hit the top floor, and the hallway stretched out long and quiet. At the end, a door loomed—big, gold, shining like it cost more than his whole life. he stopped dead, staring. 

'That's it? That's where I'm going? Holy crap.'

Juna knocked twice, sharp and quick. "Here we are," she said, winking at him. "Go on in. She's waiting."

"Alone?" he asked, voice cracking.

"Yep," she said, stepping back. "Don't worry, she doesn't bite. Usually." She turned and sauntered off, leaving him there.

Fin took a deep breath, wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, and pushed the door open.