The guild was like usual, parties celebrating after the completion of a huge quest, newbie adventurers looking for parties to join, rookie adventurers who got separated from their party either through expulsion or death, looking for a new one to join, and of course, there was that one archer still trying to get recruited.
******
"Ehh, why would we want an archer who is just gonna be hiding in the bushes or running away as fast as he can when the real members get in trouble?" As soon as the words left the barbarians mouth, he started laughing like he had never heard a joke. I had grown quite accustomed to the constant mockery I had been facing ever since I arrived at this place, trying to find a party to join.
Even though I know that adventuring alone in The Great Forest Of Zailum was dangerous, I had no other choice because of the constant discrimination that archers face. Like, on the surface, it makes sense, in close combat an archer isn't as good as a swordsman and in long range sneak attacks a mage will do you much better.
But there is much more to an archer than it seems.
Thinking to myself isn't gonna make the problem go away, I thought to myself, I had developed this habit when adventuring alone in the forest. Now then, let's get to work before I die talking to myself.
As I made my way out of the guild. Walking through the guild's wooden floors that used to creak before the influx of adventurers in Zailum due to the monster tide, adorning the paintings on the polished wooden wall of the 2 Ancient Gods defeating the demon lord and bringing peace to the world, although the painting was wrongly depicted, it was still a gem to the eye.
I made my way out of the guild, walking through the roads which looked like they hadn't been renovated since the time of William The 2nd, mostly because they actually hadn't been.
Finally arriving at my destination, which was a small yet sturdy hut with flower pots hanging on the outside to give it a soothing look. I entered the hut as I saw the familiar small figure.
"Ohh.. Kaelen, how ya doing?" The dwarf asked me, his face radiating with the usual smile, combined with his orange locks that were long enough to reach his waist and he looked like an innocent little dwarf. But I could see his other side, the side that loved seeing the blood of monsters all over his hands, his eyes bulging out as his mouth starts watering at the sight.
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Pretty sure I once saw him licking the blood.
"Fine, Grimblod," I murmured.
I placed the quiver on the desk that was in front of him.
"30 arrows, a healing potion and and some bandages," I said, my voice as stale as ever.
"Straight to the point, just like the regular Kaelen." Chuckling slightly he reached for the quiver as he filled it with arrows, placing all the items on the desk, he gave the price, "15 silver."
"10," I bargained.
"12," He argued.
"Deal." I placed the payment on the desk, placing the quiver on my back and storing the supplies, I turned back and exited the Hut.
******
The Great Forest Of Zailum
The lizard-like being with the face of an alligator moved through the tall grass with nimble and precise movements as if it had crossed the terrain a thousand times. Its rainbow-like skin reflected light in such a way that it made most predators scared of it. This creature was young for its kind and hadn't thus fully developed, but to an unknowing eye, it might be seen as a divine being. Auralisk was a creature of unknown origins and had been known throughout history as the perfect creature; many books and tales depicted it as such, many even say it would be the perfect being if the ingenious races(humans, elves, dwarves, etc.) didn't exist.
Suddenly, the creature came to a halt, and in the blink of an eye, an arrow pierced through it.
"Nice catch!" The adventurer who shot the creature exclaimed in joy.
******
I carefully removed the arrow from the creature, making sure the least amount of blood fell. and wrapped it in bandages to cover the wound.
I couldn't believe it, I had caught an Auralisk!
Every part of an Auralisk's body is valuable, even the blood. For that reason, I patched up its wound. Even though it's young, I would at least get 300 silver or 3 gold for this. I knew today was i lucky day.
I started to celebrate in my mind while not lowering my guard.
I gently placed the body of the creature in my bag, as I decided to return so that I could sell it, because if I get attacked by another monster and he manages to damage the creature's corpse, I might die from shock.
******
On a secluded piece of land surrounded by bodies of water that kept unimaginable horrors contained in them, a man was desperately clinging to his life as he landed on the shore, his body drenched with water, his skin unimaginably cold. His red hair which seemed like it had been reddened with blood, was sticking to the ground.
He was loudly gasping for air, trying to get his body warm as quickly as possible.
Suddenly, another figure emerged from the water, his face covered with a mask in the shape of an alligator, and his dark black clothes drenched.
The red-haired man looked behind in horror as he gathered all his energy to try to scream, but before he could, his face was impaled by an arrow as his body stopped moving, he was dead.
The masked man started exploring the small piece of land, trying to find some way by which he could leave this island.
The island wasn't entirely small, but it wasn't sizable either. He noticed the skeleton of a person in the middle of the island, most likely a sailor who had met with an accident. His clothes were in rags. The only thing left by his side was a book.
The masked man having nothing better to do, just picked up the book and opened it.