When I stepped inside, I was enveloped by the familiar smell of the mercenary guild. The interior was at once imposing and fortress-like, with stonework and rich decoration, every detail showing respect for the art of war. The Guildhall in Greenhaven would have looked like a ramshackle hut compared to this building.
The high ceiling made it feel tiny, and the walls were adorned with coats of arms and banners made of bright, luxurious fabric that fluttered in the barely perceptible drafts. To the right stood a massive counter where the guild staff worked, taking applications from mercenaries willing to risk it for a good contract. On the left side of the room was a small bar with dozens of tables where the fighters rested, each busy with their own conversations. In the back of the room, against the far wall, hung a long board with announcements of assignments and contracts, and my eyes wandered from one detail to the next, greedily absorbing the grandeur and richness of the place.
- It's breathtaking, isn't it? - Goliath's voice was loud, and he slapped me on the back, making me jump.
- You two stay in the bar, I have something to do. Helen, come with me," Zenaris said, and the two of them headed off into the distance, leaving us behind.
Goliath, Michael, and I walked toward the bar. I remembered my debt and took out the four silver coins I owed Michael. He accepted them quietly, and we sat down at one of the available tables. Goliath was a little cramped at the small table, but he didn't seem to be complaining. He beckoned to the waitress and ordered himself a Dragon's Blood. I was about to ask him for permission to try it, but I decided to wait for the drink to arrive. Michael refused to drink, and so did I-I was still very young.
When they brought Goliath his order, I involuntarily recoiled. The silver bowl was filled with a bright red liquid, bubbling and sizzling like a sour mixture. The mere sight of it made me uncomfortable, and I realized I would never try it. Goliath, without hesitation, drained the cup in a gulp and burped so loudly that almost the whole hall erupted in shouts of joy and approval. I couldn't help but grin a little.
Soon Zenaris and Helen returned to us. Zenaris' face shone with joy, and he placed a roll of paper on the table.
- Guess what? We won the toss! - he announced cheerfully.
- What?! No way! - Goliath opened his eyes wide in surprise.
- We don't even qualify," Michael said with a thoughtful look.
- With the joint decision of the Capital Guildmaster, the Chief Counselor of the Grimsleigh Archives, and the Mortheim City Government, we were given a contract to explore the dungeon! - Helen added with a smile.
- That's right. Although our group's overall rank doesn't reach the professional level, we were given a chance to participate due to my Bladewind lineage and the prominence of our team," Zenaris explained.
- The budget has been allocated, and we'll also be sending a monsterologist from the capital's Bestiary with us to the dungeon. We have a month to prepare, but we won't have enough money for all the supplies, so I'll add some from our group savings," he finished.
Upon hearing this news, I felt somewhat confused and asked, feeling a bit out of place:
- Wait, I don't understand. What draw? What monsterologist? And what dungeon?
Zenaris gave me an understanding look, remembering that I was new at this.
- A draw is a competition among mercenaries of a certain rank for a contract to clear dungeons. We were given the benefit of the doubt and were allowed to enter despite our lack of rank. A dungeon is a place full of dangerous floors and traps with an artifact stored at the end. The reward for the artifact is significant. And a Bestiary Monsterologist is a specialist who will have to record the structure of the dungeon and its inhabitants, which is required to replenish the Bestiary data," he explained.
- What's a bestiary? Is it like a book? - I asked curiously.
- Not exactly," Zenaris replied. - The bestiary is a library of knowledge about the monsters of our world. The main bestiary of Grimslein is located in the capital, and its branches are located in other cities. In it you can not only learn about the monster and its weaknesses, but also purchase the necessary antidotes, weapons and defenses.
I nodded and answered Zenaris:
- Okay... I think I've got it more or less figured out.
Zenaris laid out the budget in front of him with a serious look and handed it out to each of us.
- We need to gather a month's worth of supplies. Helen and Michael will do that," he continued. - Goliath will buy camping gear, and I'll meet with the monsterologist and see what I can find out about the dungeon. After that, I'll take care of you, Alex. We'll start preparing you for the creatures that dwell in the depths.
I received five gold coins, a small but sufficient sum for my needs. Each of us went off to do our assigned tasks, and I was left alone. There was no special task for me today, so I just had to wait. In the evening, as promised, Zenaris gathered everyone in the tavern, handing out room keys to each of us. He had rented us a place to stay for a month, and when I entered my room, I was immediately surprised by the difference between the local rooms and the ones we had rented in Greenhaven. It was a much richer arrangement; the furnishings seemed more refined, and the bed seemed much softer.
I slammed the door behind me and walked to the bed, touching it lightly, and sat down on the floor at the foot of the bed. The silence of the room made me think and practice. I couldn't afford to forget about my abilities, so I decided to dedicate the evening to practicing. Concentrating, I began to circulate mana, saturating my body with magical energy. This activity was familiar to me, but I didn't stop there. I was simultaneously trying to scan my surroundings, activating my inner vision, and experimenting with external mana, trying to give it new forms.
However, I soon found it hard to keep my attention on several tasks at once. My mind felt like it was overloading, sinking into mental tension. I decided that I would rather focus on one thing at a time. I could use the mana and eyesight I'd been training with Zenaris, but for now, I'd do something else.
I slowly let the mana out of my body, trying to control it, and to my surprise, I was pretty good at it. I gave it simple shapes at first, then more complex shapes, hoping that I could create something new by accident. I tried, but the shapes fell apart every now and then, and never looked right.
Then I decided to go further and understand mana on a deeper level.
"What is it made of?" - A thought flashed through my mind. I created a small clot of mana, which slowly hovered in the air, and focused on it. Gradually my gaze penetrated deeper, each tiny fragment becoming brighter and clearer. My attention went farther and farther into the depths of the mana matter itself, and at some point I could see nothing around me - only fluctuations of energy, like a fog, swirled in front of me, gradually plunging me into a meditative trance.
The world around me disappeared, and with it the sense of time. I no longer felt my body, as if my consciousness had separated and remained in the void. Weightlessness, a fleeting fear, but I persisted. As if dissolving into my surroundings, I was losing my sense of the boundaries separating me and mana. At some point, I felt that I could no longer tell where I was and where the energy was.
It took several endless moments before I could make out the tiny particles, little sparks that wove themselves into complex structures. They gathered in orderly rows, forming patterns like molecules in the pattern of life. I tried to manipulate them, and to my surprise, I succeeded. By creating shapes from them, I was changing the density and shape of the mana.
At low density, the mana turned into the lightest smoke rising upwards. As I slightly increased the density, I noticed the energy settling like a stone falling to the ground. A new thought soon occurred to me - if mana particles can indeed be compared to atoms, then they can probably create friction. Perhaps I could heat them up if I made them move faster.
Gathering my thoughts, I carefully induced tension in the mana particles, causing them to vibrate, and soon noticed its color begin to change. It was a moment before the mana burst into flame.
I blinked fearfully and opened my eyes to see a small fire in front of me, which began to greedily consume the air in the room. Without a second thought, I grabbed my cloak and began to knock the flames down until they went out. The flames died down, and the room was silent again, broken only by the sound of my labored breathing. I felt the sun streaming through the window, illuminating the charred spots on the floor.
"Is it morning already? Have I gotten so engrossed that I've lost track of time?"
My musings were interrupted by a knock on the door. I heard Zenaris' voice:
- Alex, it's time. Come downstairs.
Drowsiness immediately came over me, but I knew there was no time to rest. Sighing, I quickly cleaned myself up and went out, figuring that this was just the first step toward something more, and that there was more training and discovery ahead of me.