Chapter 35: Settling Scores
By the time Rei and Ailith emerged from the forest, the sun had already started its slow descent. The orange glow of evening cast long shadows across the dirt path leading to Asha's town gates. Their boots carried the faint scent of iron and moss from the battlefield, the air behind them heavy with the echoes of what had happened.
The guards at the gate were at their posts, helmets glinting in the fading light, halberds resting against their shoulders. They didn't bat an eye when the pair approached; routine travelers passed through all the time. But for Ailith, there was a tension in her steps, and Rei, as always, moved with unshakable calm.
Inside the town, the streets hummed with evening life. Merchants were closing stalls, calling out final discounts. Children darted between wagons. The faint sound of a blacksmith's hammer echoed somewhere deeper inside the market district. But Rei's gaze was forward, fixed on their destination.
They didn't linger. The guildhouse loomed at the end of the street, a sturdy structure of stone and timber, its emblem catching the last of the light. Inside, the familiar buzz of adventurers and clerks filled the air. Behind the counter, Leyla was working, as tirelessly as ever, her quill dancing across parchment.
Rei didn't wait. He stepped up, voice level. "Hello there."
Leyla looked up, startled only for a moment before recognition softened her expression. "Ah, Rei. Did you finish the mission?"
"Yeah." His reply was simple, without flourish.
Leyla leaned forward slightly, curious. "And the corpses? Where are they?"
Rei lifted a hand and pointed at the necklace resting against his chest—a simple wire holding a teardrop-shaped gem that gleamed faintly. "Here."
Leyla's brows rose. "So you got a storage stone, huh? That's efficient. Let's move to the storage house." She stood, gathering keys from the desk.
They followed her through a side corridor, the quiet hum of conversation fading behind them. The storage house smelled of dust and faint decay, as expected. Rei didn't flinch. He reached for the gem, focused, and with a faint shimmer, three large Raptalian corpses emerged, laid out cleanly on the stone floor.
Leyla's eyes widened slightly, impressed despite herself. "I see you've kept them intact. Not damaged at all."
"Yeah," Rei replied casually. "So can we move? It smells here."
Leyla chuckled lightly, nodding. "Yes, it does smell. It is the storage house, after all."
Satisfied, they left quickly, retracing their steps back to the main hall. They stopped at the counter again. Ailith's tone was sharper now, urgency in her words. "So can we settle the rewards already?"
"Ok, ok, wait," Leyla said, lifting her hands slightly. She disappeared into the office beyond the counter. Moments later, she returned, a touch of excitement in her stride. "This is a Level Seven mission. We need to move to the Guild Master's room."
"Alright," Rei said calmly.
They followed Leyla through a side hall until they reached a polished door. Inside, the guild master Reka sat behind a broad desk, papers neatly stacked, her presence composed and authoritative. She looked up with a small smile. "Hello, Rei."
"Hello, Reka," he replied with equal calm.
Reka gestured. "Please, both of you, sit on the sofa."
They settled on the cushions, the quiet of the office a contrast to the lively guild outside.
"So," Reka began, folding her hands, "you'll be paid here. And I must say, you've done an exceptional job. Three Level Six Raptalians, all intact. That's rare." She smiled faintly. "The commission alone is fifty gold. Each beast is worth fifty. That's two hundred gold total."
Rei's eyes flickered briefly at the sum but his face remained composed. "Good."
Reka counted out the coins with practiced precision, handing the pouch to him. "Here. So, what's next for you?"
Rei considered briefly. "I've got money. I'm going to travel."
"I see. Another city, then?"
"Yes."
Ailith, quiet until now, finally spoke, her voice softer. "So you're going to travel…"
Rei's answer was simple. "Yeah."
Reka's gaze moved between them, sensing unspoken thoughts, but she said nothing more. "Well, good luck. Safe travels."
They rose, exchanged brief farewells with Reka and Leyla, and left the guild. Evening deepened as they made their way to their familiar inn. Inside, the warm glow of lamps greeted them. They sat at their usual table, the weight of the day still present but lighter now.
"So," Ailith began, leaning forward slightly, "how will you split it?"
Rei didn't hesitate. "Fifty, one-fifty."
Her brow lifted. "You're okay with only one fifty?"
"Well," Rei said evenly, "you prepared the lure, didn't you?"
"It cost two silver," she replied dryly.
Rei's lips curved slightly. "So what?"
She sighed, amused despite herself. "Alright. I'll take fifty."
He nodded, handing her the agreed share. "And the pay for killing them? I don't need it. You've given me information already."
"I see," she murmured. "So that's what you wanted—info."
"Exactly. We're settled now, right?"
"Yes."
Rei's expression remained calm, but his words carried quiet purpose. "Then one last thing. Which direction is the capital?"
Ailith thought for a moment. "The capital? East. You'll have to pass through the Savannah Forest."
"I see." Rei rose, adjusting his cloak. "I've got pharmacy bills to settle. I thought it would take months, but it's done in a day. I'll visit the pharmacy before night."
Ailith nodded. "Yes."
With that, Rei left the inn, footsteps light, fading into the evening streets.
---
Far from the warmth of the inn, the lake lay quiet, the surface broken only by ripples of wind. From its depths, a figure emerged—Kealric. His body was battered, wounds raw, water dripping from his armor. Each step was heavy, dragging, but his mind was clear.
His gaze fell on the shore and froze. Althara's lifeless body lay crumpled, headless, the ground stained. For a long moment, he stood still, pain and disbelief twisting his face.
"I have to report… to the Count," he muttered, voice hoarse. Without another glance, he turned, each step away from the lake a promise and a burden. His silhouette disappeared into the darkness, leaving only silence and the memory of the merciless hunter.
—