We Are Taking Down the Goddess

Life of an Adventurer

A massive doorway stood in the middle of the grand hall, inviting the visitors to a new journey. Aiko and Ren followed the archer inside. 

It was a vast space, to say the least. Warm light radiated from the windows, while the warmth from the fireplace served as a beacon of comfort, soothing Aiko’s wary heart. The walls were covered in a warm brown color, completely different from the outside scenery. Each brick was placed with such dignity that created the ideal welcoming place. The floor was a rustic parquet with a mix of homely yellows and browns. At the center of the room, there was a long wooden bar that shone brightly under the suspended chandelier supporting about a dozen candles made of animal fat.

The air was thick with the scent of booze and noisy chatter. Laughter and the loud happy music soaked the place, inspiring the listeners to enjoy and dance to the beat. There were hand-crafted wooden tables and chairs scattered all around the grand space. But, very few of them stood where they were supposed to. Countless chairs were knocked on the ground and people preferred to sit on the table, dance around, and chug their drinks until they got drunk, rather than to show some courtesy. Some even laid on the floor with an empty jug in their hands completely passed out from yesterday’s drinking fiesta.

It was mayhem. But, one of the good kinds.

-        “Welcome to Blue Lust! This is what the adventurer life is all about! You get to kick some ass and then enjoy some good ol’ beer. We have the world in the palm of our hands.” – the archer cheered.

-        “I agree. We landed on a gold mine! I couldn’t have asked for a better guild. I’m so happy we chose this one.”

Another young man approached Aiko. But, this guy was different. He bowed, pushed the edge of his long white robe to the side, and kissed the back of her hand, like a proper gentleman. Aiko blushed.

-        “This is James, the wizard in our group!” – the archer slapped the man by the shoulder.

-        “Tsk…”- the wizard frowned, obviously annoyed at the archer for ruining his moment with this fair lady.

-        “Oh, I completely forgot to introduce myself.” – he chuckled and continued. “I’m William and who might you be? And what on earth is that furry creature? It’s so adorable!” – he smiled and reached for Ren with the intent to pet him.

-        “Keep your filthy hands away from me!” – Ren frowned and scratched the archer, leaving a small cut behind.

-        “Forgive my companion’s rudeness. I’m Aiko.”

The girl immediately placed her hands at a thigh level, bent the waist, and bowed with the utmost respect. Then, she grabbed Ren by his head and forced him to bow as well, while keeping her eyes downward. The pup finally realized what he had done and the shame he brought Aiko, so he bit his lips and swallowed his pride. Something like this would often happen at the mines, whenever the guards would force them to work. And even back then, Ren never fought back just to avoid getting her in trouble.

-        “Wow. No big deal. Chill!” – Her unexpected actions made William titter.

-        “Chill?” – Aiko looked at the man dumbfounded, seemingly unfamiliar with the term. “I see. We have insulted you greatly. I must place my hands in ice and wait for them to chill so that we can redeem ourselves.”

-        “What!?”

Without a moment’s notice, the girl reached for a bucket of ice that was placed on a nearby table to keep the booze cold. She took out the bottle and stuck her right hand inside. Ren was distraught. Although problems such as these often appeared when Aiko was still a slave, she made him promise that no matter what happened, Ren would never get in the way. But, the archer and wizard were stunned. James just stared in disbelief, while William cracked up laughing.

-        “My bad. I keep forgetting that I come from a different world and very few people in Elidy can understand what I’m saying. I’m sorry. That’s a word we use in my homeworld when we want to tell someone to relax.”

-        “Oh, I understand.”

-        “And, look!” – he extended his hand where Ren had cut him, but the wound had completely healed. There was no trace left of the pup’s tiny claws. “It’s gone.”

-        “Wow! I’ve never seen a wound heal that quickly.”

-        “Our bodies are different than yours. The elves here tell us we, adventurers, get blessed by the goddess Elidy the moment we set foot on her planet. So, our wounds heal faster than we can possibly imagine. That’s why we are summoned here to battle monsters.

-        “I see.” - after a short pause Aiko took out her hand from the ice. Ren exhaled in relief.

-        “The only thing that has been bothering me is why the wounds from the breach are still here. They should have been gone by now.” – the archer kept explaining.

-        “Indeed, mine are here as well.” – The wizard miffed as he pulled his left sleeve to reveal long claw marks.

-        “Ah…yes. You did say you were in Wolfmore.”

-        “You know about the breach?!” – the wizard was puzzled.

-        “Yes, but I don’t know anything useful that can help with your wounds.

-        “Understandable.” – the wizard chuckled.

-        “If you don’t mind me asking…”

-        “Go ahead!”

-        “You mentioned a homeworld. Where are you from then?”

That’s when the archer gestured for Aiko to take a seat. He didn’t plan on talking with the girl just standing there like an uninvited guest. He wanted her to feel comfortable.

-        “Thank you.” – Aiko took a seat right between William and James.

-        “I’m from Sweden, and James is from the United States. Although we are summoned from different regions, we immediately got the power to talk your language on Elidy. It’s like a magic spell that’s covering this planet.”

-        “I apologize. I’ve never heard of such kingdoms.”

-        “Oh, no.” – the wizard chuckled. “They are countries.”

-        “I’m unfamiliar with such a word.”

-        “Well, that doesn’t matter.” – the archer laughed. “What matters is that we came here to this fantasy world and we have the power to battle monsters. What’s better than that?”

-        “Yup, it’s the adventurer life for me.”

The wizard took a sip of beer and handed Aiko a mug full of booze. The girl never touched a drop of the drink, after all, alcohol was never allowed to slaves. So, she subconsciously tried to avoid it.

-        “I’ve only heard stories of adventurers. But I never really understood them.” – she continued.

-        “Oh, it’s quite simple really.”

William recalled the first time he landed on Elidy with shear confusion in his eyes. After being stripped from his desk job, he magically appeared onto unfamiliar territory – a massive field with long golden seed heads that moved like steady waves with every breeze. The first thing he remembered was the fresh air, almost sweet and floral; a rare beauty that was foreign to everyone who lived in a big city in his homeworld. But, he wasn’t alone. There were other people, just like him, who stood there stunned. 

-        “We were summoned.” – he explained. “The royal family is summoning people like me from Earth.”

-        “That’s right.” – added the wizard. “They are using massive teleportation spells and are summoning over a dozen people at the same time.”

-        “The royal family? You mean the sovereignty of Azidora?” – Aiko wondered.

-        “Yup, the elves that rule this country.” – William explained. “They told us only a specific number of people are chosen. Those who are most suitable to become adventurers.”

-        “I have no idea how they chose us. But, I’m happy they chose me.” – James took another sip.

-        “To be honest, Aiko, when I saw that many elves standing in front of me, I thought I was hammered. It took me a while to grasp the reality. That was six months ago. Now, the rest is history.”

-        “I see. So, you’ve been fighting monsters in Elidy for six months straight. You must be so strong right now.” – Aiko’s eyes widened with excitement.

-        “Oh yea! I can behead a pack of wolves in under a minute!” – the wizard boasted proudly, expecting to get some sort of praise from the young girl.

-        “That’s amazing.” – she smiled softly.

The wizard blushed.

-        “Don’t let this idiot fool you.” – the archer grabbed James by the shoulder and pushed him to the table to mock him.

-        “We still have a Copper rank. There is a long way to go before we can become as strong as some of the other adventurers here.”

-        “Copper rank?”

-        “Oh, you don’t know?!” – William chuckled. “The strength of an adventurer is based on the rank they have. The stronger the monsters they fight and kill, the higher the rank they will get. Also, completing difficult quests will raise their rank even further.”

-        “It’s harder than it looks!” – the wizard pushed William so hard, he fell on the ground. “We’ve been killing monsters for six months and we still can’t get a higher rank. We even took that impossible quest in the mining village. Almost died and still got nothing. Copper rank is bullshit. Can’t buy jack-shit with what we earn.” – that’s the first moment the wizard dropped his gentlemanly act.

-        “So, how many ranks are there?” – Aiko asked.

-        “Six in total. Copper is the lowest. It is what we get when we are summoned to Elidy. Then, comes the Silver rank. It means you’ve improved your skills and saved plenty of people along the way. After that is the Gold rank.” – the archer explained.

-        “That’s when things get juicy. The pay is amazing. I can buy a house, own better gear, and enjoy the most expensive wine.” – the wizard added.

-        “So, Gold is the rank every adventurer is striving for. Right?” – Aiko continued.

-        “Gold is something a huge chunk of adventurers can get. What comes after that is on a completely different level. You see, after Gold, there is the Iron rank.” – William’s eyes shined with joy. “When adventurers reach this rank, they could be hired as generals in the elven fleet. They could lead squads in their guild, plan missions, and even defeat dragons.”

-        “Iron ranks…not only do they get some amazing payment, but they can also own a mansion in the capital of Azidora or buy a business. But, not every adventurer can achieve such glory. It takes plenty of effort, trial, and error, to get where those people are.” – James added.

That’s when Aiko recalled the assassin that killed countless succubi at the Demon Apple. He had an iron necklace wrapped around his neck. That must have been his rank. It’s no wonder why so many warriors had trouble defeating such a fearsome target. She flinched.

-        “There is more, Aiko. Next is the Platinum rank. This rank is so valuable, adventurers get the chance to work as private guards for his royal majesty, the queen, and the prince. They too are treated like royalty.”

-        “Wow!” – her eyes widened in surprise. “What about the last rank?”

-        “Emerald! Those guys are LEGENDS!”

There was an explosion in William’s mind, but the good kind. He stood up and waved his hands around as he explained. Whenever he pictured these adventurers in his mind, his thoughts would buzz with electricity. Asking him to take a seat was like trying to tell a fire to stop burning.

-        “They can defeat whole armies! They can conquer a country. They can become royalty. They are so strong, even the nobles tremble at their feet!”

-        “What’s stopping them?” – Aiko wondered.

-        “The goddess Elidy. She is watching over them. Whenever an Emerald adventurer tries to take down the royal family, Elidy would descend the skies and put them in their rightful place. Although I’ve never seen that happen, I’ve only heard about it in stories.” – said the wizard.

Aiko’s heart trembled at the thought of such power. Adrenaline flooded her system and her eyes widened with fear. If the succubi couldn’t defeat an Iron ranked adventurer, what could save the world from such powerful abominations?

-        “How many are there?” – she couldn’t help but ask.

-        “Only ten of them exist in the entire world. But, I’ve never had the honor to meet a single one.” – the archer answered.

-        “Some say, one can only see an Emerald adventurer when the world is in grave danger. But, from all we know, they could be myths.” – the wizard chuckled.

That’s when a tall man, with a muscular and well-toned body, raised his shaky hand to call a server. When no one paid attention, he barely managed to push himself off the floor, while wiggling his massive body. A harsh scent of booze radiated from his lips and the last drip of beer he had, simply flowed down his thick beard. Since he struggled to keep his balance, he grabbed the nearby table where Aiko sat, and his muscles popped right out.

-        “Oy!” – he yelled, “'other 'und 'eer now!”

-        “You’ve had enough, my friend.” – William chuckled.

To intimidate everyone in the room, he roared. His chiseled chest had a healthy glow. His biceps were the size of Aiko’s head, while his triceps looked even more menacing.

-        “Who is that?” – the girl asked.

-        “That’s Baro! Our Russian friend and the warrior in our group.” – the wizard smiled.

-        “That guy has saved our lives more times than I can count.” – added the archer.

-        “If it wasn’t for him, we would be dead meat.” – confirmed the wizard.

 But, the friendly chatter was put to an end when the girl clutched her left arm in agony. Burning pain seared through Aiko’s body. It came in waves and small lulls, giving the girl false hope that they would disappear. But, once it reached its peak, the pain felt like something was trying to crawl out of her skin. All Aiko could do is writhe.

-        “What?! What’s wrong, Aiko?” – Ren rushed to her side.

-        “Eh…What’s the matter?! Did I do something wrong?” – James was shocked.

-        “Woah… You’ve gotta be kidding me!” - William jumped in surprise.