I stepped out of Harold’s office, shut the door behind me, and leaned against it. Madeleine shot me a curious glance, both of her eyebrows raised questioningly. I gave her a smile and tiredly waved a hand. She just nodded and turned away, giving me my moment of peace.

  My hands were trembling and when I yawned, my jaw cracked. I was exhausted after hours of dodging hammer blows, except the blows were questions, and I had to be so damn careful with every answer as not to incriminate myself, my friends, or my family. Hell, even the guild. These officials were something else entirely, giving off a friendly air that took you by surprise and your bones rattling with some of their questions.

  Vos’ last smile had been thin and knowing. I’m not sure whether he ended up viewing me as a ‘promising young adventurer’ or a ‘problem to be dealt with later’. After I shared my stats, Mara had gazed at me, barely blinking, as if she was trying to communicate mentally, yet never said a word. It had seemed odd at the time, and now that I thought back on it, everything seemed even weirder. Did she have some kind of ability that could read minds? Or…something else entirely?

  I’d kept the details of my breakthrough as vague as I could, unsure what Edwin had told them, though I’d been very specific about the pain. Didn’t have to fake that part at all. When they'd asked me about the Hive Mind, I'd told them I was interested in the column and traced a groove around it several times until suddenly I was in a different room, a tree-like monster had attacked and knocked me back through a portal that had appeared out of nowherel. Vos had asked about how people said I'd been running around it, but I pointed out how things always grew more dramatic with retellings.

  They seemed to buy it for now. Hopefully I was done with guild politics until I could get rid of the Domitius headache.

  I forced myself to move, boots thudding on the floorboards as I made for the exit.

  But near the quest board, arms folded like a fortress, stood Edwin. His face was set in lines so deep they looked carved by a chisel. He spotted me and headed over, a genuine purpose to his strides.

  “How bad was it, Ash?” he asked, voice pitched low.

  "It was fine," I said, yawning. "I think. Just long. Too long. They liked my stats and were highly interested in my Hammerlord class, wanting to see if it could be replicated by other blacksmith apprentices, if you can believe it. But the main thing? They’ve banned me from taking Eryn Riftside until she’s classed or we have a full party of five adventurers.”

  Edwin muttered something under his breath that would’ve earned me a slap from Ma.

  “Bureaucrats,” he spat. “They see the tip of the steelhusk, never the trunk. They have no idea what they’re doing. I know Eryn will get her class gem. You'll be fine. But look at this.” He jabbed a finger at the quest board. “Rewards for quests have all been slashed by a quarter. Harold’s had to cut payouts. Last night he told me he might have to pull several scouting quests altogether. Won't be gems left to pay for them."

  "Why? Where are the gems going?" I asked. "Is he hoping people will just head out and scout for fun?"

  "The gems go straight back to the rift rotten central Guild vaults. Sure, they are supposed to fund defenses, but those are miles away while we'll be starved for resources here on the front line! Always defense with those cowards, never offense.”

  I looked at the board.

  He was right. The green quests barely paid enough to risk a stubbed toe, and even the yellows looked thin.

  “Rift rotten wall huggers," I said. "So what are we supposed to do? Another raid on the Twisted Titan? Or another bigger dungeon?”

  Edwin shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

  “Too soon. We need to rebuild first, recover from the siege. The gates need repair and walls have to be reinforced. Besides, not all adventurers heal as fast as you, let alone scavengers and guards."

  "Didn’t you just talk of how we need more offence and less defence?" I said, smirking, letting a bit of my frustration leak through.

  He let out a rough, humorless chuckle.

  “Fair point but it’s not about charging in blind, Ash. It’s about striking from strength, not desperation. But to do so we need gems."

  He hammered a fist lightly against the wall.

  Before I could answer, Mara strode over, her axe slung across her back. She moved with a confidence that seemed to say she could break anyone in the room in half. Somehow I believed that.

  “Commander Edwin,” she said, voice flat as an anvil. “Focusing on local expansion when the entire world is seeing increased Rift activity is shortsighted.”

  Edwin’s eyes narrowed.

  “And what would you have us do? Let the monsters batter us down until the walls fall?”

  Mara didn't blink.

  “Your job is to defend this portal and trust Guild Command to manage the broader strategy. Sending resources centrally ensures our entire world holds.”

  “And what happens when the line holds everywhere, but the monsters simply take their time to grow too numerous to defend against?” Edwin shot back. “We sit back and wait for the next attack, stronger will surely be stronger than the last. What will the central office do when another massive wave arrives? Watch us die?”

  She folded her arms and shot us a look that could only be explained as condescending, but her demeanor felt off. The woman was a genuine mystery, and more than the other two officials, she felt on a much different level.

  “Are you suggesting we divert forces for offensive pushes, potentially weakening critical defensive points elsewhere? Rifts are flaring up across the continent, and let me tell you, without those gems, places like Dawnwatch wouldn’t exist. The funds funneled into this place was ‘taken’ from other places, just like yours, Commander. You should know better..”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  “That’s not what I’m saying, but perpetual defense is a losing strategy!" Edwin shot back. "If we let them attack us again and again, eventually they’ll break through!”

  “Not if we use their attacks to learn, adapt, and strengthen our defenses accordingly. That is the Guild’s way.”

  Mara’s gaze flicked to me, eyes hard as steel.

  “And you, Hammerlord. Your rapid rise is exactly the kind of destabilizing factor Command worries about. Focus on integrating, not disrupting or you will be prevented from doing so at all.”

  “Are we, though?" I asked, unable to hold my tongue. “Disrupting? Or are we actually doing more good than your kind? We don’t go waltzing into other people’s homes and try to tell them how to live while taxing them and putting rules in place that prevent them from even being able to live. As that is what you’re doing.

  "We are what?" she asked, sounding amused.

  "Let me rephrase. Are we actually using these attacks and all the sacrifices to build towards an offensive capability? Or are we just building higher walls?”

  Mara’s eyes lingered on me.

  “Guild Command allocates resources based on strategic need, Mr. Aldrich. Proving yourself against regulations won’t save anyone if the line breaks elsewhere and our world is flooded with monsters. You seem uniquely talented. Congratulations. And you know what unique talent gets you?"

  "What?" I asked, figuring it was my turn to ask the hypothetical.

  "Scrutiny," she said. "Ensure your actions result in positive attention. You want to do good on your own terms? Stay off the radar. And no, I am not telling you to disobey guild orders, that would be very irresponsible of me.”

  She turned and strode away, and I wished Roq was there to say on what I knew he'd say.

  Edwin watched her go.

  “That’s the problem with the Guild, Ash. For all the good they do, they think they can plan for everything from behind a desk. But it’s us who pay the price when things go wrong.”

  I nodded, feeling the weight of what they both just said along with my own words.

  “I’ll let you know if I come up with any brilliant ideas.”

  He managed a thin smile.

  “Just don’t let them see you coming. And make sure you do stay under the radar this time. We can’t afford to keep you locked up for disobeying orders. You’re part of the guild now, Ash, like it or not, but this is what it means having a boss.”

  We shook hands and I made my way out of the guild. It was heading towards evening by the time I walked home, my head spinning from all the questions and conversations. The Guild was a fortress, but that could feel like a cage, too. A big one that allowed you just enough rope to hang yourself.

  When I reached our home, I found Eryn, Knut, and Nabeeh waiting at the table, Arclight out in front of Eryn.

  I slumped into a chair, setting Roq on the table, too.

  “Well, that was fun.”

  “How bad?” Knut asked.

  “About as bad as you’d expect. They grilled me on everything—class, stats, breakthrough, battle tactics, the whole lot. And two pieces of news? I’m banned from taking you," I nodded at Eryn," Riftside until you’re classed, or we have a full party of five adventurers.”

  Arclight’s voice slithered into my mind, cold and sharp.

  "Unacceptable. Denial of optimal prey necessitates adaptation. If the Guild denies us monsters, then secondary targets must be considered. Efficiency dictates it."

  Eryn stiffened, glaring at the bow.

  “No. I’m not killing any more humans. One was more than enough. At least if I don’t have to.”

  Roq’s laughter echoed, deep and mocking. "So young, so naive. They view others as part of the family. Stupid, but true."

  "When there’s nothing to hunt, you hunt family," Arclight said. "Practice makes perfect."

  "You think our wielders have so little restraint, stick-thrower?" Roq said.

  "The perfect hunter needs discipline," Arclight replied with a dignified voice. "But if denied the hunt, even discipline must bend. My wielder, we must find prey."

  Knut grunted.

  “Officials are fools. Always have been. Never trust man in clean cloak to know what good for you. Or everyone else.”

  Nabeeh rolled her eyes.

  “Guild politics are the same everywhere. It’s always someone in an office deciding who gets to risk their life and who gets to reap the rewards. And the rest of us get to bleed for their decisions.”

  "And that's the other part," I said. "They've got power over Harold, and the rewards for missions are down. I don't know if its like a tax or something, but gems will be flowing from here and towards the central guild from now on, and not the other way around."

  "Thieves," Knut said, and I couldn't help but agree. “Why bother hunt when get nothing?”

  Eryn pushed back her chair and stood.

  “At least we’ve got luck on our side for one thing. I have Katherine's offer, and I'm going to take her up on it, right now. The sooner I’m an adventurer, the sooner we can get back to work.”

  “Wait,” I said, holding up a hand. “I have an idea. About your breakthrough.”

  She paused, her head cocked to the side and a curious smile playing on her lips.

  “What kind of idea? You haven’t said anything about that.”

  I leaned forward, lowering my voice.

  “When I broke through, Roq was healing me the entire time. Your class gem will use the energy from the mind gems you've consumed to rip you apart and rebuild you. But it’s inefficient. With extra healing, the process is faster and more focused. It won't be less painful, but the energy may be used better and won’t be wasted. What if Katherine could heal you while you’re breaking through? You might get an above average breakthrough as well. Especially since you have Arclight to help guide you, too. In a way at least."

  Eryn nodded.

  “That… makes sense. But how would we explain it? Unless we’re ready to tell them about Roq and Arclight.”

  Nabeeh chuckled.

  “Why don't you play the immigrant card?"

  "What?" I asked.

  "Azbara isn’t that well-known here. Blame it on me. Say I have shared with you a secret known only among the Azbaran nobility." She raised her hands and wiggled her fingers mysteriously. "Highly guarded knowledge, only for the most important heirs. But I’m a wanted traitor, so what do I care about sharing secrets? Who’s to say it’s not true?”

  Knut nodded approvingly.

  “Good plan. Guild love secrets. Makes them feel important.”

  I grinned.

  “That's a great idea, Nabeeh. Eryn, when you talk to Katherine, ask not just for the gem, but for assistance during the breakthrough. Tell her there is a secret you want to test, and if it works, it could help others here, too.”

  "I'll do it," Eryn said, nodding. But, ever the healer, she added, "Besides, if it works, maybe we can help more people survive the process.”

  “Perhaps not tell what need to do. She is hardheaded like northerner, my Katherine. Only explain when she already here.”

  Arcligh spoke, her voice soft.

  "A wise hunter adapts. I will lend what strength I can, Eryn. We must not stagnate."

  "Roq and I will do everything we can to help, won't we?" I said.

  Roq grumbled.

  "For Eryn, yes. Because when she gets strong enough, she might not need that abhorrent stick-thrower anymore. But remember, pain is part of power. This will not be easy."

  Eryn gave me a tense kiss before leaving to head Riftside.

  For a moment, the house was quiet, the kind of quiet that came before a massive storm.

  Then Knut and Nabeeh started debating the finer points of Guild resource allocation. Nabeeh insisted the central Guild was siphoning off Dawnwatch’s future, while Knut grumbled about being unable to trust anyone who’d never held a shield. Neither was wrong. I held back and had a drink, resting in my reclining chair and just staring at the fire place.

  A while later, a frantic knock shattered the tranquil moment. Knut opened the door to find Richard's fire mage practically falling through the entryway, hair wild, eyes wide, gasping for breath.

  “Ash! Knut! You need to come, now! It’s the smithy!” he blurted, voice shaking. “Serona, the air mage, is there with Benedict and two of her guards. She’s demanding Thomas hand over the forge. Right now! And your father's about ready to stab someone.”

  My blood turned to ice and everything I knew about myself just went out of the window. No, we didn’t want to kill people, but if they kept coming at us, they would never live long enough to go home.

  I glanced at Knut and Nabeeh, and they both nodded. The bastards were making a move.