A Guardian From Hell

In the Guild, there was a room in which Layla was lying on a bed. Her whole body was covered in bandages, and only her right eye was visible.

She stared at the ceiling, her eyes indifferent and empty as she hummed a song.

Clad in a suit, an old man was sitting on a chair next to the bed with a defeated expression. His hair was white, and his eyes blue; a massive scar ran over his left eye, reaching the forehead.

"You really aren't gonna say anything, kid?" He sighed.

"No, I won't tell anything unless Orion tells me to, " she said coldly, not even bothering to look at the man.

"I am too darn weak for my position!" The man groaned, leaning back into the chair in frustration.

Layla's humming was interrupted by the voices coming from outside the room. She grimaced. "Who dares to interrupt me?!" She yelled with anger.

"For the love of God... why are you so aggressive, child?" The man sighed again.

A girl barged into the room with an excited look on her face. Her messy violet hair reached her waist, and her eyes were crimson with purple pupils. She wore black combat boots and a short purple tunic with a black corset. A belt on her hips carried small potions and pouches.

Behind her stood Alis, who seemed to be trying to stop the girl from coming in.

"I'm sorry, Sir! She just wouldn't listen to me at all!" Alis said, breathing heavily out of exhaustion.

The old man stood up, a firm look on his face. "Get out of here, Summoner!" He said loudly.

The girl's eyes widened, and she ran up to the bed, examining Layla like a treasure. "No way... It's really you..." She smiled widely.

Layla looked at her with disdain. "Get away from me, stupid! I don't want to smell like you!" She spat on the girl.

The girl looked down at the saliva on her clothes, and she smiled even wider. "You're... just like I thought you are... amazing!"

She then grabbed Layla's hand and shook it softly, making her grimace in pain. "Nice to meet you! My name is Electra, but you can call me Ellie!"

"Don't touch me!" Layla groaned, trying to pull her hand away, but the pain prevented her from doing so.

The old man finally had enough, and Alis could immediately tell. She backed away as the man stepped up to Electra and grabbed her by the head.

"Listen, kid." He said loudly. Electra slowly turned her head, her eyes wide. "H-Huh?"

"I don't want to force you, so it would be best for you if you just left right now, okay?" His voice and gaze were soft, but there was just something intimidating about them.

Alis stood by the door watching everything helplessly. She was already tired and wanted to just go home, but she knew that she couldn't.

"I'm... uhh... I-..." Electra stuttered, fidgeting with her shaking hands. "I just wanted to see the newbie... who beat up that monster... in the cleared cave... I'm sorry..." She uttered, swallowing hard.

"Move it, kid!" Maeryn softly pushed Orion into the room, almost pushing him into Alis.

Layla's eyes widened with joy, and she tried to sit up, but ultimately failed. "Orion! Finally!" She said, her eyes wide with joy.

"Layla!" Orion said, pushing Electra out of the way and grabbing Layla's hand in relief.

Both Electra and the Guildmaster looked at him with confusion.

The Guildmaster looked at Alis. "Who is that?" He asked firmly.

Electra stared at Orion, her eyes full of rage as she curled her hands into fists.

Layla fought through the pain and hugged him softly. "I waited for you for so long! That's very mean to just not come here!" She pouted. "But I'm glad!"

"Who the hell is that, huh?!" Electra pointed at Orion, her voice carrying a lot of anger.

Maeryn walked in. "That's the other one, Sir. The other kid who took the job." She said calmly, smiling softly as she stared at the two of them.

Alis just stared at them, feeling invisible and unwanted.

Maeryn noticed that Electra is already in the room. "You're here, Summoner? That's perfect. I need you to check something for me." She said calmly as she reached her hand into her satchel.

Electra turned around, looking at Maeryn with an annoyed expression, upset for some reason. "Fine! Fine!" She groaned.

The Guildmaster couldn't help but stare at Layla and Orion in confusion, not understanding the change in the girl's behavior that happened all of a sudden.

"What's up with you, Summoner? Bad day or what?" Maeryn asked as she reached the crimson gem out to her.

Electra took the gem, softly tracing over it with her fingers. "It's not like I'm in a bad mood... It's just..." She looked at Orion. "Who even is that, and why is the new girl so bubbly with him?!" She stomped to the ground in frustration.

"Oh~? Are you mad because she already has a companion?" Maeryn smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "Too bad! The girl is... ugh... how do I say it... She's completely dependent on him. So if you were looking forward to forming a squad with her, it's better if you try joining them instead." She giggled.

Electra's grip on the stone tightened. "But isn't it very bad if she's dependent on him?! I mean, she's pretty strong for a newbie and has a lot of potential and promise, so she will grow even stronger!"

"I don't quite get your point here, Summoner." Maeryn frowned.

"My point is that look at him!" She pointed at Orion. "He's frail, has barely any mana, and I haven't even heard anything about him from the others! Only the things about her! That guy will hold her back! She should be with people much stronger!" She gestured at herself. "People like me!"

She looked down at the gem in frustration. "Where did you even get that from anyway? It's not like you find a Gem Of Dominion lying around on the ground." She looked up at Maeryn in confusion.

"Shit," A worried look appeared on her face as she looked at the bed. "Those two... They are fucked." She said coldly.

"What are you talking about, Tempest? Why are they doomed? Don't play riddles with me!~" She pouted.

"Do you even know why that girl over there is so beat up?" Maeryn asked.

"She probably had a tough fight, no?" Electra smirked.

"You, out of all people, should know that we would never send newbies into a clearing, Summoner." She paused, her hand instinctively gripping the hilt of her blade. "I don't know how and why, but someone has set up a trap for them on their cleanup mission."

"What kind of trap?" Electra stared down at the crimson gem.

"Our people checked the cave, and there were a lot of dead goblins there, but all of their hearts were simply gone, just like if someone had removed them and closed the wounds," Maeryn said firmly, looking down at the crimson gem. "But this thing... It was in the champion's brain, meaning that-"

"Someone was controlling the wild beast, huh?" Electra handed the crimson gem back to Maeryn.

"That's why you'll run an investigation, Maeryn." The Guildmaster cut in, his tone full of authority.

Maeryn looked at him. "The girl might be able to protect herself, but she's wrapped up in bandages, and on the other hand, the boy is alright, but too weak to protect himself! Someone needs to look after them, Sir!"

"Then it's decided!" The Guildmaster looked at Electra, a smirk on his face. "As a punishment for your earlier disobedience towards me, I give you a new mission of protecting and introducing them to the world we live in." He said firmly.

"But I don't want to! If it were only the girl, then sure! But I don't want to waste my time spending it with that weak prick!" Electra groaned, shaking her head.

Maeryn smacked the back of her head, rolling her eyes. "Listen, Summoner. You have no experience in using Sage Arts, in fact, it's only your Special Magic that has made it possible for you to climb up to the 2nd Tier-"

"Special Magic is my thing! I was born with it, and I will be proud of it! He has no Special Magic, nor even the slightest amount of Sage Arts mastery! He's a waste of time!" Electra yelled.

Layla heard all of that and glared at the girl. "You...!" She roared furiously.

Orion sighed and smiled faintly. "Calm down, Layla!"

The Guildmaster pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

Maeryn flicked Electra's forehead softly, pushing out her chest in pride. "Well, I don't have any Special Magic either, so what? Does that make me worse?"

Electra shook her head. "No! You're different! You're one of the only people I respect because of your strength!" She then looked at Orion. "But he has no strength, so I won't respect him!"

"Nevertheless, you're taking care of them, Electra." The Guildmaster pulled her ear softly.

"Fine, fine! But don't blame me if they never return here!" She pouted.