In the quiet room at the Orlando Adventurer's Guild headquarters, the scents of expensive incense and aged parchment mingled.
The walls were built of polished obsidian, shutting out the noise beyond and swallowing the light.
At the center of the room, a man-tall communication crystal gave off a steady, gentle blue glow. It was the only source of light, illuminating Leon and Liana.
Leon lounged against the velvet cushion of a high-backed chair, casually tapping his fingers on the armrest.
Liana sprawled in another chair, utterly lacking in ladylike grace, with both legs propped on the low table. She held a cup of Sweet Kiss Rainbow Ice Pop, cold mist curling from it, and absently scooped at it with a silver spoon. Her half-lidded, dead-fish eyes made her look like a lazy cat.
Ripples spread across the crystal's surface, and a magically altered, unidentifiable synthetic voice came from within, flat and even:
"Captain Leon, member Liana. We have received your preliminary report on the Orc attack along the eastern highway of Changhe City. Guild headquarters commends you for handling the crisis efficiently and preserving as much of the caravan's property as possible."
Leon sat up a little straighter, wearing his usual smile. "It was nothing. Still, the timing and location of those Orcs appearing in the heart of the kingdom were rather suspicious."
"'Rather suspicious' doesn't even begin to cover it," Liana mumbled around her spoon. "Those green skins were fighting like mad, and there was this huge guy in an iron can who nearly tore that man's guts out. If not for me..."
"Ahem," Leon coughed softly. "Liana means to emphasize that this group's fighting spirit and individual strength seemed to exceed those of ordinary raiders."
The voice in the crystal paused, then continued. "Your observations confirm recent reports. Over the past month, more than thirty Orc incursions have been reported along the kingdom's eastern and southern borders. None were large—most involved small bands of a few dozen—but they moved with unusual speed and caused extensive destruction."
"That many?" Leon's smile faded. "Where are they coming from?"
"Analysis of captives and Tracking reports suggests that these Orcs aren't here to raid," the voice in the crystal explained. "They appear to be remnants fleeing after losing a war of unification among the Orcs."
"Losers in an internal war?" Leon mused. "So the ones we ran into were defeated stragglers? That's no ordinary Orc feat. Usually, they fight tooth and nail over who gets the bigger piece of meat."
"Maybe some unlucky deity lost a bet and got sentenced to serve as a strategist for the green skins?" Liana guessed gleefully, scooping up another big spoonful of ice pop.
"Exactly. For now, these defeated troops are just roaming around causing trouble. They aren't organized enough to pose a serious threat to the kingdom." The voice in the crystal grew grave. "But what truly concerns us—and the royal capital—is the 'strongman' who may have already united, or may soon unite, the Orc tribes."
"Understood. We need to prepare for the worst," Leon said, grasping their intent at once. "Even in its infancy, a unified Orc empire would be a sword hanging over the kingdom's head."
"Easy for you to say." Liana scraped the last of the ice pop from her cup and pouted. "Unifying the Orcs? That sounds terrifying. Does this guy have eight arms and breathe fire or something?"
The voice in the crystal got straight to the point. "His Majesty's position is clear: we cannot sit by while a potentially enormous threat quietly takes shape on our flank. The Guild has accepted a commission to investigate the Orc's identity and assess his true strength and intentions. If he is confirmed to be a major threat..."
"...we kill him and make the green skins go back to beating each other senseless over territory and food. Got it." Leon finished the sentence for the other party, his tone giving nothing away.
"The Guild's position is to maintain the status quo," the voice in the crystal said without emotion. "Neither a unified Orc force nor Orc tribes that pose no threat is acceptable to the Guild."
"There's nothing new under the sun." Liana set down her empty cup, stretched, and yawned without the slightest hint of decorum. "Oh, great Randall, great Lord of Radiance, I mean no blasphemy."
The voice in the crystal acted as if it hadn't heard Liana's complaint. "Captain Leon, you are capable of handling this assignment. The detailed briefing and advance funds will be delivered to you shortly by the Orlando branch president in person."
"I'll take care of it." Leon rose to his feet.
He knew that this so-called preparation for the worst inevitably involved the kingdom's and the Guild's strategic considerations and competing interests.
But what mattered more to him was preventing a war that could sweep across the border and leave countless civilians homeless.
"I'll investigate thoroughly," Leon said calmly, but with resolve. "As for that Orc... I'll make the judgment I believe is right based on what I find."
The voice in the crystal made no objection. "We await your report. Communication ended."
"Ugh, always working." Liana stood too and stretched at length.
Leon opened the door to the quiet room, and the branch president, who had been waiting outside, hurried over at once.
"Lord Leon, Lady Liana..."
"We'll take the assignment." Leon nodded. "Leave the briefing and funds on my desk."
He took a couple of steps, then stopped and turned to face the branch president, his expression turning serious.
"By the way, Mr. President," Leon said, "there's something I need you to take care of."
The branch president immediately bowed. "At your command, sir!"
Leon leaned in and whispered a few words.
The branch president nodded repeatedly, a hint of confusion in his eyes, but even more respect.
With that settled, Leon didn't linger. He left the Adventurer's Guild with Liana, who was still yawning.
The branch president remained where he was, silently pondering the instructions of this Gold-rank heavyweight.
Later that night, outside Orlando City.
Twin moons hung high in the sky, casting a cool, clear glow across the land.
The towering city walls loomed in the darkness like silent beasts. The gates had long been shut, and the drawbridge raised.
Xia Lin and Sera finally reached the eastern gate, dragging their exhausted bodies along.
"Curfew," Xia Lin muttered, glaring at the closed gates.
"Sleep in the wilderness?" Sera's hoarse voice was heavy with fatigue.
"Are you kidding?" Xia Lin straightened up, walked beneath the gate, took a deep breath, and shouted up at the wall. "Hey! You up there! Do us a favor! We need to get in urgently!"
A rustling came from atop the wall. A bleary-eyed guard poked his head out and yelled impatiently, "What's all the shouting for? Can't you see it's curfew? Come back at dawn! Get lost!"
"Come on, sir!" Xia Lin immediately put on a smile. He fished a silver coin from his Space Bag and held it up in the moonlight, making sure the guard could see its tempting gleam. "We just came from the east and ran into those damned Orcs on the road. It delayed us! Just a little something for you and the other guards to buy yourselves a midnight snack and stay awake. Please make an exception—we really need your help!"
The guard on the wall spotted the silver coin, and his attitude changed at once.
"Don't let it happen again!" A small side gate creaked open.
Xia Lin slipped the silver coin through, then hurried inside with Sera.
Once inside the city, they found broad streets and rows of buildings. Even in the dead of night, the place still felt prosperous.
Xia Lin perked up and pointed toward the lights in the distance. "There's the Drunken Dragon Tavern over there! And the Moulin Rouge..."
"Shut up, human," Sera interrupted him. "Find a bed."
His enthusiasm dashed, Xia Lin reluctantly began searching for an inn. But every place they asked was full. Even the smallest, most out-of-the-way inn had hung up a "No Vacancy" sign.
"Is there some kind of festival in Orlando tonight?" Xia Lin asked, standing outside an inn and listening to the roar of the crowd inside, his spirits sinking.
"Maybe you're just unlucky," Sera said mockingly, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
At last, the owner of a large stable on the outskirts of the city pointed to the nearby horse stalls. "No rooms left. The stable's five copper coins a night. Take it or leave it."
Sera stared at the shed, which reeked of hay and manure, her brow furrowed.
"Better than sleeping in the street." Xia Lin didn't seem to mind and headed straight for the stalls.
The two of them found a pile of hay in a corner.
Xia Lin placed his weapons within reach and made sure his Space Bag was tucked close against his body. Almost as soon as his head touched the hay, he sank into a deep sleep. The endless fighting and travel had already drained him of all his energy.
Sera looked around in disgust, but fatigue eventually got the better of her. She curled up on another pile of hay and closed her eyes, which burned with dark red flames.
In the stable, the horses occasionally snorted, providing a monotonous background noise.
For this pair of temporary partners, who had only just survived a deadly ordeal, the night proved to be a rare moment of peace.
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