The Fate of The Reincarnated

13. Codename: Crosstail

"Ah-choo!" Hiakam sneezed loudly as he crawled through a small hole, with one party member's buttocks in front of him and another's nose right behind him. "I'm sure loving this," he exclaimed, though not entirely sarcastically.

"Shut up, Hiakam!" She cautioned as they slowly moved through a small tunnel within the cave.

The movement of their hands and feet echoed throughout the tombs. Their task here was an extermination request suited for all ranks of adventurers. However, things were not going as planned by the guild. They discovered a Keeper, a gigantic monster capable of soaring through the air, among the goblin herd they came to slaughter. They couldn't assault from close range without their swordsman, who was out sick, and their spells would be rendered ineffective due to the creature's mobility in the air.

"I thought they couldn't hear," Leia, the sorcerer of the group, said.

"Do you really want to put that theory to the test?" Leyla, the thief of the group, said as she crawled through the small tunnel.

"Ladies, ladies, stop bickering. It's not our fault that a Keeper suddenly decided to help a bunch of goblins out. How the hell should we have known that would be the case?"

"I wonder if anyone told Hiakam not to pour cold water on Milenna during the cold," Leyla continued moving, and Hiakam, who crawled behind her, gulped.

"I didn't know it would make her sick," Hiakam said defensively.

"Cold water in freezing temperatures won't make her sick. I wonder if throwing her in a volcano won't burn her skin off," Leyla stopped swiftly when she heard wings flapping. Though they sounded heavily reminiscent of the Keeper that should have been in the ruins behind them, she continued moving when she realized it was just an echo. "If Milenna were here, the party would have been complete, and we could have killed the Keeper and goblins today."

"Well..."

"Now we have to go back to the guild and hire an attacker class before we can come back here," Leyla sighed. "Spending money we don't have. If I wasn't a good person, I would've used your cut to pay the hiring fee."

"I'm sorry, okay, damn."

"Yeah, I know it's a bother, but Hiakam is sorry. He even apologized to Milenna when he found out she had a cold," Leia chimed in, and Hiakam held his mouth as if saying, 'What a kind lady!'

"Anyways, let's get back to the Ianbris guild as quickly as we can. If all goes well, we can get the attacker and return here today," Leyla jumped out of the tunnel and onto a patch of concrete, signifying they were successfully out of the ruins.

Finn's stomach churned with anticipation as he removed the last succulent piece of meat from the stick in his palm. The savory aroma of the food floated through the crowded streets, drawing him even more. It was a present from one of the pleasant sellers he had met on his recent tour with his client, Kyla.

He'd had various luxuries and sweets on the trip with Kyla, but this simple meal felt like a rare privilege. He eagerly strolled towards the guild, anticipating that today would be the day he could finally enjoy a satisfying, robust dinner. "Buffalo wings, buffalo wings!" Finn sang as he entered the guild, although his palette was gradually being overtaken by the smell of sweat and oil, he didn't let it bother him. The faster he was paid, the faster he could quench his mouth-watering excitement for a meal he had been thinking about since. "Umm Yelan, I've completed the mission."

"Oh Finn, good work, and yes. You have completed the mission, the client has sent your pay to us." Yelan stated.

Even though Yelan was talking about money, something felt off. He knew this feeling very well from his past life. "Is there any problem?"

"Well, your funds have been used for the treatment of three men you reportedly injured during your escort." Yelan shook her head. "Your lucky you were off with just paying for their injuries."

"What do you mean injuries, they hurt Kyla first!"

"Yet Kyla doesn't have any injuries, plus she isn't responding to her stat pad notifications."

"You did stop them before they could injure her," Dusk said.

"Christ." Finn sighed and put his head over the table with Yelan smiling casually as he did so.

The air inside the guild was filled with the vibrant banter of experienced explorers and the exciting whispers of newbies, creating an atmosphere that was imbued with the spirit of adventure and fellowship. The bustling scene had a rhythm given by the clinking of armor and the repetitive sound of swords being sheathed and unsheathed.

While looking around the room for any potential job posts or fellow adventurers in need of aid, Finn stood tall among the sea of faces. He had spent countless days with other explorers, so he was familiar with the bustling atmosphere of the guild. He was also as poor as it was possible to be. So he had to take action right away if he wanted to have the buffalo wings for tomorrow.

He was about to approach the bulletin board where quests were posted, a soft thud on the counter grabbed his attention. Turning his head, Finn’s eyes met those of an another adventurer. A young woman flopped onto the table. "Yelaaaaaaaaaan!" The staff-wielding adventurer jumped over the counter hugging Yelan in the process with Finn quickly looking away once she did.

"Leia, you guys are back already? How was the quest." Yelan asked and she could already see Leyla who approached get slightly annoyed. "I'm guessing there was a problem."

Hiakam holding his palm behind his head smiled while avoiding Leyla's gaze. "Kinda."

"We need an attacker, someone who can hold the frontlines. Since Milenna is out sick." Leyla dropped her daggers on the counter next to Leia's staff.

"Plus, there's a keeper in the ruins we have the quest in. It's not that far above our class, but killing it has to count for something. I mean, we can't kill it for free." Hiakam made the argument and Yelan nodded as she patted Leia on the head.

"An attacker." Yelan's eyes drifted toward Finn and before he could even make a gesture with his head she continued. "Well, we might just have your answer right here." She pointed at Finn and all the members gaze turned to him.

"You're an attacker? What rank?" Leyla approached Finn who slowly backed away.

"Umm." Finn put his hands up trying not to touch her, he didn't know what a Keeper was so he didn't want to get himself in a mess he couldn't get out of.

"He's a Granite-5." Yelan nodded in approval.

"Granite? Wait, wasn't I in copper just yesterday?" Finn questioned the recent promotion and all got back was a wink from Yelan.

"Are you sure you're an attacker?" Leyla backed off from Finn with his wallet in her hand, which she quickly peered through. "Damn, your broke."

"Happens to all of us." Hiakam sympathized with him.

"How did you?" Finn tapped his pockets before concluding that she was a thief, he had seen the class once before when browsing through the available classes on his stat pad.

[Kaleidoscope: Thief]

Finn walked toward her, reaching for the air trying to grab his wallet back and although she didn't tease him with it, she raised her hands and moved back. Right before he could reach it. "If you can't take care of your belongings from a thief, how are you gonna help us when faced against a beast three times your size."

"I would say the same for you." Finn lifted his hand in the air, revealing a brown leather pouch and once Leyla recognized it she looked at her waist.

"Wow, you're good." She tossed back his wallet and he did the same.

"You're rich." Finn's stomach grumbled.

"So what do you say about helping us exterminate the goblins and the Keeper?" Leyla proposed with a handshake.

Finn looked at her hand once more, he was scared. He had no idea what kind of creature they were talking about but this was a new world and his new life. The best thing he could do was meet new people. "I'm in," He shook her hand and she pulled him closer showing him his wallet once more.

"Welcome to Crosstails. I'm Leyla Halterglaide." She tossed the wallet toward him once more.

"I'm Hiakam Sinvow," Hiakam walked over to Yelan.

"I'm Leia Youngsbreath!" Leia said while still hugging Yelan.

Finn grabbed his Wallet from Leyla who tossed it back. "I'm Finn Crest-Angel, it's a pleasure to meet you all."

"Now let's go kill some beasts!" Leyla grabbed her daggers off the counter and the rest of her team grabbed their respective items and followed her in suit.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Finn looked at the party as they walked out of the guild. "Of course, it's going to be right now, it's never tomorrow or the day after. It's always today" He followed them, with an empty stomach and a slight migraine.