Aldwyn goes on a Monster Hunt

He retreated to the rooftops, his heart racing. The adrenaline of the fight still pulsed through his veins, making his senses sharper than ever. He could feel the vibrations of the city beneath him, the whispers of secrets carried on the wind.

„The vision was actually true! Caius is dead. But my body reacts quite extremely to the action I performed. Could it be, because it's the first time I've acted like a real assassin? I somehow feel stronger than before."

Aldwyn's thoughts were cut short as he heard the distant clanging of the city's alarm bells. His actions had not gone unnoticed. He knew he had to leave the area before he was discovered. The rooftops of Helgarde stretched out before him, a labyrinth of shadows.

He dashed from roof to roof, his boots making no sound on the slick tiles. His increased reflexes and senses served him well in this dance of shadows. The world blurred around him, a kaleidoscope of moonlit rooftops and dark alleys.

As he reached the Hall of sword, Aldwyn's thoughts turned to the consequences of his actions. The death of Caius would surely send ripples through Helgarde's underworld.

He slipped through the back door, the cool metal handle cold to his touch, and made his way to his chamber.

Once inside, he collapsed onto the bed, his mind racing with the implications of what he had done. "The Cube of Possibilities," he murmured to the darkness. "What have I unleashed?"

....

The next morning, Aldwyn woke to the muffled whispers of the Hall of Swords. News of Caius' death had spread like wildfire through the city's underbelly, and the air was thick with tension and speculation.

He rose from the bed, feeling the weight of his decision from the previous night. His reflection in the mirror showed a man with the same shoulder-length black hair and silver eyes, but there was something new in them—a hint of darkness that wasn't there before.

As he descended the stairs, the murmurs grew louder, and the glances from his fellow patrons more furtive. Word had spread, and the air was electric with whispers of the Red Baron's wrath and the impending retribution.

Aldwyn sat down at a secluded table in the corner, his eyes scanning the room. The smell of sizzling meats and freshly baked bread filled his nose, a stark contrast to the metallic scent of blood that still lingered from the night before. He ordered a simple breakfast of eggs, black bread, and a cup of steaming tea.

While he ate, he thought about his next steps. „I still have more than a week to complete Enigma's assignment. Even if the guild doesn't have any specific requirements as far as contracts are concerned, I could accept a contract again. Even if I don't have any financial concerns at the moment. I would probably choose something simple."

The Hall of Sword was abuzz with the day's gossip, and the name "Red Baron" was on everyone's lips. The atmosphere was palpable with fear and excitement.

Aldwyn made his way through the main hall and went upstairs towards Master Sewell's office. The door was ajar, revealing the dimly lit room beyond. He knocked three times and the sound echoed through the corridor.

Master Sewell looked up from his desk, his expression unreadable. "Ah, Aldwyn," he said, his voice gruff. "How can I help you?"

Aldwyn stepped into the room, the scent of old parchment and candle wax thick in the air. "I wish to take on a new contract," he said calmly, his silver eyes meeting the man's. "Something straightforward and quick."

Master Sewell's gaze sharpened, and he leaned back in his chair. "Very well," he said, his voice carrying the weight of unspoken questions.

He reached under his desk and pulled out the big ledger. All the current contracts were registered there.

"We have a few options," he said, his eyes scanning the pages. "There's a thief who's been pilfering from the lower quarts, a renegade mage causing trouble in the university district, and a rumored monster terrorizing the countryside."

Aldwyn leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Tell me more about the thief," he said, his voice low and measured.

Master Sewell's eyes flickered over the pages before landing on an entry. "Ah, yes. The thief goes by the name 'Whisper'. They've been quite elusive, slipping in and out of the poorer districts like a ghost, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, or so the rumors say." He paused, looking up at Aldwyn. "The reward is substantial—200 silver coins, but the challenge lies in finding him.

„Whisper? The Whisper? I could use my brief contact with him to get closer to him..."

Aldwyn nodded, considering. "And the renegade mage?"

Master Sewell's expression grew grim. "That's no simple affair. The mage goes by the name of Godwin Veliz. They've been causing havoc in the university, using their dark arts to manipulate and threaten the students and scholars. The council has placed a bounty of 50 gold coins for their capture or elimination."

„Not a bad sum, but that sounds like a lot of work and danger." Aldwyn rubbed his jaw.

Aldwyn's interest grew. "And what of the monster?" he asked.

Master Sewell's eyes narrowed as he turned the page of the ledger. "A creature of the night, they say," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "The beast has been preying on the travelers who dare to venture beyond the city walls after dark. It leaves no survivors, no clues. Only blood and fear in its wake."

Aldwyn felt a thrill of anticipation. "What's the reward for its head?"

Master Sewell's gaze remained fixed on the page. "The bounty for the monster is substantial, 200 gold coins."

„That's a decent reward, but I don't really need it at the moment. There's barely any information about this monster... It would be foolish to accept this contract unprepared." Aldwyn thought to himself.

Aldwyn's mind raced, weighing the risks and potential rewards of each contract. The thief sounded like a challenge of stealth and wit, a game of cat and mouse in the city's shadows. The mage, on the other hand, offered a different kind of danger—the arcane kind, which he knew all too well from his encounter with the Red Baron. And the monster? That was a creature of the night, something that could test his limits.

After a moment of contemplation, Aldwyn made his decision. "I'll take the monster's contract," he said, his voice firm. "The gold will be useful, and it seems like something that needs to be dealt with swiftly."

Obviously, Aldwyn had an ulterior motive. He knew he could deal with dark creatures, which he had already done several times. He could get valuable objects from it again and also the 200 gold. All in all, it's a good deal. If necessary, he could use his abilities to escape quickly.

Master Sewell raised an eyebrow, but he did not question Aldwyn's decision. He knew that Aldwyn was capable of handling himself, despite his lack of expression. "Very well," he said, scribbling something down in the ledger. "The contract is yours. But beware, the countryside is not as forgiving as the streets of Helgarde."

Aldwyn took the contract, feeling the weight of the parchment in his hand. The details were scarce, but the location of the last known attack was marked on a small, rolled-up map attached to it. The creature's lair was rumored to be somewhere in the ancient, forsaken forest that surrounded the city.

It was still early in the day, so Aldwyn made his way to the market to look for something, that would be beneficial for the hunt.

He walked through the crowded streets, his eyes scanning the stalls for any useful items. The vendors called out, their voices a cacophony of desperation and greed.

At the first stand, he was presented with a luminous object with a radius of around 50 cm. It pulsates continuously in different colors, primarily blue, green and purple. The object emits a faint buzzing sound and reacts to human presence.

According to the vendor, it has the ability to create projections of holographic images after the first touch, each of which reflects the innermost desire of the person being touched.

Aldwyn had no interest and continued to look around.

The next vendor tried to sell him a seemingly endless ink cartridge that releases a black, slippery liquid when it comes into contact with paper or another writing surface. This ink is said to have extraordinary properties. Not only can it produce text, but it can also produce events described in the text within 24 hours.

Aldwyn was intrigued, but the price was 3500 gold and the merchant wouldn't tell him the risks, so he declined.

Then he came to a stand that was specialized in killing monsters and supernatural beings.