Highest Price

=Great Isthmus, Capital City of the Kingdom of Atira, 556.3km Northwest from the Machine Base=

Theodore was walking through the busy commercial district of the capital. Many people flocked the cobblestone streets buying from stalls and shops which sold basic necessities to luxurious magical items. He was wearing his casual wear of a blue-laced leather shirt and pants. He also wore a brown leather coat which hid his short sword from outside view.

The day was cool. The storm that came last night had just left, leaving puddles and a drenched capital in its wake. Theodore's golden hair danced with every step he takes. His handsomeness attracted gazes from many who came across him. It was a widespread knowledge in Atira that he was the best student under the Great Warrior, a handsome and talented young man who may even become the next Great Warrior of the kingdom.

But behind his shining public character was a scheming trickster, an informant of the highest efficiency in gaining information from anywhere he wants and outmost loyalty to Izrael. He was on a mission. To form a suicide squad who'll try and infiltrate the Eastern Fortress City. As he walked through the district, he began to notice peculiar eyes fixed on him and his movements. These gazes followed him unlike those of simple folk.

He then turned towards a tight alleyway between a restaurant and a bar. He walked through the smelly passage and kept his attention at max. Using his Inner Magic to increase his senses, he noticed a group of men following him from behind. The men just behind him but his enhanced senses could not make out their appearance. They appeared like shadowy figures against the dark walls.

"What an annoyance." Theodore was rather annoyed than threatened, he was used to being followed by people who want his head and thus he just do what he does the best.

Without turning his back and facing his stalkers, Theodore activated a spell after a few complicated flicks from his fingers. The walls around him began to glow bright yellow and shook. The group of stalkers was caught off-guard as the walls around them crumbled and fell on the alleyway. Half of the group was crushed under the heavy bricks while the other half managed to evade but their path was blocked and Theodore was nowhere to be found and so they had to retreat. Each man ran away with their tails between their legs, leaving behind the greatly injured and those who had perished underneath the rubble.

Theodore came across a lone wooden door at the end of one of the alleys. The door was fairly new and had a mark on its center. The mark was a golden lion wrapped around by a snake. This was the hidden headquarters of the adventurer's guild of Atira. Theodore's plan was simple, meet up with a few adventurers and promise them good pay to infiltrate the Eastern Fortress City.

He twisted the wooden doorknob and was followed by a scraping noise. He pushed the door forward and opened it wide. As he went in, a small and cramped storage room was inside. The cramped space was littered with boxes full of fake items to mask the obvious trigger to open the doors of a secret passageway which would lead down to the headquarters. Using his magic, he summoned a magic circle on the wall of the room which illuminated and gave him a better vision. From there he restacked the heavy boxes by hand.

He then came across a small rod protruding from the ground. He pulled it towards him and out from him in specific intervals. The wall in front of him then began to shift. A magic circle appeared and covered the entirety of the wall. The wall's materials then seemingly disappeared, revealing the secret passageway which was lit up by torches one meter from each other.

Theodore made his way down the tunnel, his face was ever the more indifferent and his dubious smile gave him an aura of lies and trickery. As he went deeper and deeper, the echoes of men and women whispering, laughter, armor scraping and music playing began to become more and more apparent.

He finally came towards the other end of the tunnel, contrary to the simple brown bricks the tunnel was made of. The floor which he was about to step on was shining silver. As he finally takes the final step down the stairs, he had arrived at the secret headquarters of the adventurer's guild.

The lobby was comparable to that of a grand throne room. There were leather couches, silver tables, and fine-silk, linen and drapes intricately placed across the ceiling and walls and connected to the high pillars of the massive lobby. The floor was made of silver and laced with metal and fine stones, a red and blue striped carpet were placed near the guild counter and mission board. Two huge chandeliers hanged on the ceiling with brimming candles and torches placed in 3-meter intervals across the walls gave the room a fine shine.

Men and women, both warrior and mage alike filled every corner. They were in groups of three, four and more but solitary figures could still be seen minding their own business. Half of those in attendance had powerful and expensive equipment, their weapons shining with power and staffs brimming and boasting their wielder's immense magical aptitude.

The other half were the average adventurers, low-skilled, low class and almost broke individuals and groups who struggle to make ends meet but somehow still manage to pull through. The two groups were divided as the Lion's Alliance and the Vulture's hole.

The Lion's Alliance were those of the half with immense power and money, they claimed to have the strength, wisdom and cunningness of a lion while the Vulture's Hole was the name bestowed upon the lacking half of the adventurer's guild. They were often labeled as vultures that feed and benefits upon the success of the Lion's Alliance and avoid the dirty work.

Coupled by this division in class and prestige, these two factions were always hostile and unforgiving against one another and would most of the time never join forces or even fight amongst one another with the Lion's Alliance always winning.

The high prestige and position of those within the Lion's Alliance made those who ascend the Vulture's Den leave their condemned faction and join the upper-class instead. Despite such turmoil, they still agree that they are part of the adventurer's guild and follow the oath of fidelity of the guild.

Theodore's arrival went unnoticed, he was not a regular visitor nor did he display any qualities which the guild members would likely notice. They all knew full well who he was and what his position and prestige was worth but according to them, those who serve the Warrior of Death and confine themselves to the kingdom's safe interior were have no prestige among their adventurer kin.

Nonetheless, even the most powerful of these adventurers wouldn't dare insult Theodore, for an insult towards the student is an insult to the student's teacher and the power of the Warrior of Death was something they could be fear the most.

Theodore walked through the crowd, avoiding exposed spears, swords, bows and staffs as he made his way across. He approached the beautiful lady on the counter who greeted him with respect and enthusiasm, forced enthusiasm.

"Hello there Theodore, how may the guild be of service?"

Theodore pulled out a piece of brown paper containing his request along with a letter, a letter with the signature of the Great Warrior himself.

"Spread the word, the Great Warrior is rather impatient and also the Queen needs this request done before the end of the month. The reward is as stated in the paper." Theodore looked down on the lady over at the counter staring with cold eyes. His voice was the complete opposite of the voice he would regularly speak in the audience of the public or anyone of high position. His voice was cold, deep and threatening. He makes the words coming from his mouth sound like those of a coldblooded assassin.

The lady jumped into flurry of fright. What was in front of her was a Theodore who doesn't seem to be the usual at all. The man moved and spoke more like a spy, a killer or a ruthless assassin. The lady was shaking while she took the paper and the letter.

The Guild Receptionist first opened the letter and noticed the signature on the bottom right on the back of the letter. She was further terrified when she saw Izrael's signature.

This doesn't look joyous

She thought as she read through the contents of the letter.

Theodore stood and waited. His posture was as solid as ever. He ignored the gossips which came from behind him. They were mostly talking about his status. Adventurers were more like glorified mercenaries in his eyes.

The receptionist finished reading the letter and her hands were shivering. Not by terror but by shock. The letter stated the mission to infiltrate the occupied Eastern Fortress City, gather information about the enemy army and report back to Izrael himself. The reward... the reward was what shook her the most.

'Whoever accepts and completes the request will be paid 30,000 Aureus'

The receptionist's mind went blank. Thinking of all the possibilities that money could bring to those able to receive such reward.

30,000 Aureus is not merely a meager amount of money.

1 Aureus was enough for a loaf of bread.

2 Aureus was enough for a stay in an average inn.

10 Aureus was the average pay of almost every working citizen in Atira per week, equaling 40 Aureus per normal month.

40 Aureus was barely enough to accommodate an entire family's needs and even the most paid adventurer would gain only 10,000 Aureus. 30,000 Aureus would bring them wealth greater than a noble family and respect that comes with it.

Theodore, while standing and watching the reactions of the receptionist was getting rather impatient and the receptionist's lack of prudence and work ethic to process his request was beginning to annoy him. A few more seconds passed and Theodore has had enough of the receptionist's incompetence.

He slammed the reception desk with his fist. The immense power from his hand destroyed the desk in half and silenced the entire lobby. Part of his powers were in display and the receptionist fell to the ground in fright, his eyes glowed yellow and his face became even the more void of emotions.

"Announce it already." He's words were like a chain wrapping around the receptionist's neck and the receptionist felt it like so. Scared for her life, she quickly stood up and flailed Theodore's request letter up high.

With everyone's attention focused on the two, she announced the mission.

"The mission is to infiltrate the occupied City of Halledge, gather information about the enemy army and report back to Izrael himself." The receptionist stopped speaking. The adventurers then began to lean in and hear more of the announcement.

"...whoever accomplishes this mission will be awarded 30,000 Aureus from the Great Warrior!" The receptionist shouted and then silence prevailed inside the lobby.

"WHAT!?!??!" It took the entire lobby a moment before they erupted as they heard the reward. All of them were optimistic and were eager to accept such reward. Unaware that the enemies occupying their mission objective were no fools and were monsters. The adventurers began to talk with their team members and those who are alone stood in silence. Others then began to boast of getting the reward for themselves and the glory of liberating the Eastern Fortress City.

Theodore smirked at the sight and faced the receptionist.

"Only a group of 10 from each faction is needed, they must complete this before the end of the month." Theodore instructed.

Theodore then walked through the partying crowd and headed back to the surface and into the streets of the capital.