Black Sword and Fragments [Vol. 1: Unforeseen Conspiracy]

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Adventurer's Guild

At that moment, it is as if Allastor's world stops spinning. He couldn't accept this sudden dark revelation. His Aunt Ishara admitted that his grandfather has gone and will never be able to return again. However, even though indirectly, he still realized what those words mean. He realized that his Grandfather Allan has passed away.

Allastor felt his body weakening. Even though he doesn't want to believe it, the tears dripping down from his eyes are showing his real emotion.

“You are kidding me again, Aunt Ishara,” Allastor smiled bitterly as he looked at the lady with a teary eye. “You are just kidding, right?”

"But you should know it soone-"

Allastor did not give enough time for Ishara to finish her word. He vigorously runs inside the wooden Orphanage house as he keeps on wiping his uncontrollable tears. “You are just kidding me!”

Ishara tries to reach Allastor's shoulder, however, only the wind was left in his former place.

“Allastor...” Ishara couldn't do anything at that moment but sigh his name.

Half a year has passed...

After knowing the truth from his Aunt Ishara, Allastor starts shunning away to people. Just like the first time he became a part of the orphanage, his words and interest to interact with the other people are back to their minimal state. He seldomly goes out of his room to interact with the other children. It is because when he chooses to go out, is only when he just wants to eat or do his training. He was always frowning every day at the idea that it seems like he was the most unlucky child in the world. He was sad about the truth he have known, to the point that he wish to rewind the time to when he is still ignorant and believed that his grandfather will return someday.

There was also a time when the thought of his biological parents came to his mind, but Allan Frauzz didn't even mention them once. He has no idea who they are and where they are now. nevertheless, he is not hoping anymore that he can see them in the future. no, the truth is, even if there's a small portion in his heart that's telling him to find his biological parents, he knows that he doesn't care about them that much. For him, Grandpa Allan is his one and only true family. And now that he was gone, he feels as of this world is so unfair to let him fight alone.

On a typical occasion, perhaps a little child that carries such a serious problem is being mourned right now. In recent months, still, even though it is hard for a child, Allastor to carry such problems, he fears the idea of death. He's indeed afraid to be alone in this world, but he's more afraid of death. No one knows about the mystery of death and what can happen when someone dies, and this child has no courage to solve that mystery.

After five years...

Allastor was now eleven years old and he is also been training his sword skills for almost seven years. It can be said that he has already perfected his Grade E sword mastery technique, but, even after gaining profound knowledge from the sword mastery, he still can't feel the magicules just like before.

Some of his friends from the orphanage were now gone, it is because some of them can now feel the magicules. That is also why they have already begun studying inside the Free Academy of the Kingdom—where they hone their skills relevant to their chosen profession—the profession of Blacksmithing or metallic alchemy, the profession of becoming a Royal-Soldier or the respected soldiers of the Kingdom, and becoming a good doctor or the Herbalist profession. About the others whose profession isn't listed in the academy, they are now starting to work as an Adventurer. 

Unlike becoming a Herbalist, Royal Soldier, or Blacksmith, becoming an Adventurer is the Kingdom's most liberating and flexible work that can also be a profession of a man inside the kingdom. Unlike the other professions, this doesn't require further mastery of knowledge about something. Their job is simple—it is to terminate the notorious magicule beast that can endanger the kingdom and its people, to collect wild metallic materials and herbs that has a medicinal property that they can sell to those who chose the professions of Herbalist and Blacksmith. nonetheless, all of these roles and jobs of an Adventurer are related to their chosen quest that came from the people of the kingdom. Most of the time, the adventurer's job is dependent on the Kreo Kingdom's citizens.

Outside the wooden orphanage, where the green wide lawn is located, earnestly sat a young man with his ash-gray hair waving at the small ripple of air. He can be seen staring at the night sky full of different colors of stars. Even though the night stars were such an amazing scenery from the sky, his eyes are locked only to where the two glowing moons are located. Those moons emit a different color of light—one is red and the other one is yellow. The beautiful combination of bright lights coming from the moons is incomparable to the glittering stars. Aside from the sunset, those two moons are the ones he always waits to see after his training.

Near where he's sitting, his wooden sword is stabbed on the ground. His hair is still waving to the ripple of the air, and when it stops, he then stood up and picked out his sword from the ground. However, just when he was about to store his sword to its sheath...

“Arg!”

The young man's teeth gritted and his expression became violent. He feels as if the left side of his nape is being burned by a very hot and burning-red metal. He couldn't see what is happening, but little by little, a number “Zero-One” started forming on the left side of his nape. And when the burning sensation came to stop, his expression became brighter.

It is not that the burning sensation from his nape was gone as to why he is smiling right. Instead, he is really happy with the unique feeling he has at this moment. With his eyes, it is as if the surroundings have changed.

He looked from his left to right just to see the dancing and waving pale glittering energy. He also looked at his own body which seemed like swimming in the sea of colorful but very pale smoke. These energies are giving Allastor a very soothing sensation over his whole body. He can now see and feel what he couldn't before.

Ting!

[The System has given you the ability to feel, see and manipulate the energy of magicules!]

Ting!

[From now on, this user will be acknowledged by the system as an official “Ranker”]

Allastor paused for a moment when he heard a mechanical voice from his head. He had read something like this before, that a human, once become a ranker will start hearing the mechanical voice inside their mind. There are also studies conducted by the people about this mysterious voice before, yet, until now, no one still knows to whom this voice belongs or where this voice came from. The most and only popular study that is commonly acknowledged inside the kingdom is that this mechanicanical voice is the voice of a god whose name is “System”.

Allastor smiled and forget about what he had heard.

“I did it!” He breaths in a lot of fresh air. And as he sigh, he smiled. “I can finally feel the magicules!”

*   *   *   *

Three days have passed. After those days, Allastor easily learned how to manipulate the flow of energy inside his body, and now, he is ready to become an Adventurer!

“Hmmm, I understand that you now have the ability to feel the magicules, but are you really sure that you want to go now, Allastor? Wouldn't you want to wait to say goodbye to your Aunt Ishara first?” asked the confused Old lady. However, She isn't only confused by the sudden decision of Allastor to start working as an Adventurer, she was really confused right now because this isn't the usual expression of the always frowning Allastor he used to know.

This Old lady's name is Isabel. It was only four years ago when she became part of the family in the orphanage, but, Allastor treats Isabel just like how he treats his Aunt Ishara. Allastor might not be interacting with them that much, still, he is gratified by the care and love he receives from them. In addition, he couldn't hide to himself that he already sees them as his true family.

Allastor shook his head to the question of the Old lady and smiled sweetly. “It's all right, Great-aunt Isabel, aunt Ishara will understand.”

“And also, thank you so much for the Space bag. I'll take care of it.” Thankfully continued by Allastor, bowing his head. This Space bag was a gift he received from his Aunt Isabel last two nights when he told her that he have become a ranker.

He brought out from his space bag two mail letters and gave them to Isabel. “One of them is for you, Great-aunt Isabel, the other one is for Aunt Ishara.”

On the other side, the old woman Isabel finally stops persuading Allastor to stay for a while. It was sad for her to know about this sudden goodbye of Allastor. She might want to stop Allastor to go, despite that, she instead chooses to be silent. After all, she somehow becomes used to it now either. Every time there was a child from the orphanage who awakened as a ranker, they also go just like Allastor, to seek their dreams and goals as a human. Isabel just smiled sweetly as she finally let go of his feelings. She nodded to Allastor. 

“Take care of yourself, Allastor. And if you have time, don't be shy to visit us here, okay?” She sighed. Her motherly nature is attacking her again. She shook herheadas she smile sweetly. “We will miss you. You know that you are the one and only Allastor of your aunt Ishara and me.”

As his response, he also nodded back to the old lady. He smiled a bit. 

“You can count on me, Great-aunt Isabel. I'll go ahead now.”

*   *   *   *

Inside the running carriages, Allastor earnestly looks outside the small window. He is now in the Kreo Kingdom's capital, that is why the buildings here are huge and are mostly made of stones. It is as if the running carriage is on the wide stage because of the wide space in the Kingdom's capital. The surroundings are also loud and noisy due to the different merchants selling and promoting their products. There are fruits and vegetables, Magicules-beast's meats, ordinary weapons with a pair of shields and armors, different kinds of luxurious accessories, and many more. To what Allastor can recall, this was his Fourteenth time arriving at this place. The first one is when he was with his Grandpa Allan, and the second to fourteenth time is when he was with his Aunt Ishara, Isabel, and the other children from the orphanage. howbeit, just like his first and last arrival at this place, his feeling about this Kingdom's capital remains the same—he is still admiring the fresh scenery here.

As the carriage continues to run, after a few minutes, finally, it has stopped.

“Hiya! Building of Adventurer's Guild, we are finally here, young sir!”

Allastor immediately dismounted the carriage after hearing the carriage driver's words, and after giving his payment, the carriage driver finally run his way to find a new passenger.

Allastor was currently standing on the wide stone pebbled road. Different colors of carriage and the huge number of people come and pass by on his back and front. The merchants of different items also spread across the side of the wide roads and alleys.

It was true that he was mesmerized by this place. But, he became even more mesmerized by the huge building from his side. Compared to the other buildings here, this building is only made out of wood. In spite of that, this building gives Allastor a unique and nostalgic feeling. There is a huge sign on its highest roof, and to that sign, is sculpted a burning sword. Allastor was so familiar with that symbol, he can never be wrong, it is none other than the Adventurer's guild's symbol!

Aside from the symbol of Adventurer's Guild, three long lines of people queue from the side of the building's gate. At the beginning of three queues, lay three small desks with a person in formal attire—assisting the people from the queues. On the table, a pile of papers can be seen. A little bit of tiredness lit up the three person's eyes while marking some of the papers being submitted to them.

“It should be the quest booth where the requests of the community to the adventurers are being approved.” In Allastor's mind.

Even though this is his first day of becoming an Adventurer, he still has some pieces of knowledge about the Adventurer's guild. He knows that the people from the kingdom couldn't enter the Adventurer's guild that easily—except when they are also a member of the Adventurer's guild or they are working as an Adventurer. It is also why the quest-booth is located outside the Adventurer's guild's government. 

Allastor gave his one last glimpse to the quest booth and again turn his attention to the wooden gate of the huge wooden building. He breathed deeply and smirked. Not long after, he continues moving forward inside the gate. 

When he was about to open the wooden gate, he was violently bumped by a young man of his age—causing him to lose his balance. Now that he can feel and manipulate magicules, he can feel that the other young man's energy is stronger compared to him. That young man also has his group of young men, making him more intimidating. Allastor tries to look straight into the former's eyes, hoping that he will say sorry, but he did not expect that the group of young men will immediately just pass through him, forgetting what happened.

“Where are we now, James?”

“Drunken bat's trapping, Young master.”

“Oh, right, right. The smell of their urine should be enough to ward off those pesky Green Cougars. Hahahaha.”

Allastor's forehead wrinkled when he realized that he was just ignored. He whispered. “What was that for? Did they not learn some good manners?”

Even though Allastor wanted to be angry, he instead chooses to be silent. He knows that it would never be good if he will make a commotion about a simple matter, besides, he did not get any injuries from the fall after all. Making a commotion will just attract the attention of the roaming Royal Soldiers in the area. In addition, it was just three days ago since he became a ranker, it isn't practical to pick out a fight with a group of Adventurers stronger than him. At this moment, he realized that being weak will make you surrender and follow the strong. He doesn't have enough strength right now to let his words be heard by the others. Let alone being noticed, he was completely ignored as if he is not a person.

Allastor clenched his fist and he did not wait for another moment. He stood up and brush off the dust out of him. He then finally entered the Adventurer's Guild. 

Inside the building, a breathtaking scenery greeted him. At this moment, it is as if he had already forgotten what just happened before. The emotion of excitement can be traced to his sparkling eyes! Just like what he expected, the flooring of this floor was also made out of wood. There were twenty tables on this floor with Adventurers dining in and talking about their adventures and nonsense stuff. He can feel their strong magicules, but it was not intentionally directed at him, so he doesn't find any difficulty swimming across the ocean of profound magicule energies. Aside from that, is that he noticed that there is a stair pointing upwards and downwards on the left side of this floor.

Allastor sighed and immediately smiled. “I should make myself comfortable in my new home first, right?”

The trace of his smile is still on his lips while taking a glimpse at every detail from Adventurer's guild. He noticed that aside from its infrastructure, all the types of furniture, designs and decorations that can be found here are all made out of wood. It looks so ancient that he admires the place even more. There is a large balcony on the upper floor that can be seen from where he is right now, and there are also ancient texts and symbols that were sculpted on every edge of the wooden ceiling. In the middle of the ancient text, sat a vicious-looking dragon that is made out of black wood. This scenery gave a soothing feeling and respect to Alastor. In his mind, he knows that only an amazing artisan can create such designs. It was simple but also anciently elegant to the eyes.

His smile has reached the heavens at this point, and it can be seen from the strange glittering in his eyes. even so, when he took another step, his wide smile finally dissolved when a strange shadow blocked his path. He came to a halt and looked up just to meet the serious gaze of the huge muscular man. There is a bit of irritation that can be traced from the huge man's eyes and it gives an uncomfortable feeling to Allastor Frauzz. Even the other people could feel uneasiness when suddenly confronted by the irritated and huge man.

“I worked here for the past few years and did not see you here before.” deep and earnestly said the huge man, “are you sure that you are not lost, kid?”

Allastor, feeling startled, paused for a moment. He looked at the huge man and noticed that on the left side of his suit was a patch of burning sword symbol, also known as the symbol of the Adventurer's guild. At this point, he now has an idea as to why he was blocked by the huge man.

“Do you not know that you can not enter this building unless you are part of the Adventurer's guild's government?”

To be continued...

----

Votes and Feedback are highly appreciated!