(XXXVII) Flaming Dawn

A large crowd was gathered around Flaming Dawn's recruitment office. It was a large structure made from polished stone with intricate masonry etched into the side of the building.

Numerous windows lined the side of the building, allowing bright sunshine to enter while breaking up the stone's face. Multiple white flags with an orange and red emblem in the center were hanging outside the walls.

As Jackson entered the plaza, he could hear excited chatter from people as they congregated outside the entrance. Away from the crowd, a couple men looking like guards stood, talking to one another, wearing full steel armor with a cloth tabard with the guard's symbol in the center.

He slowly approached the crowd as everyone excitedly chatted with each other as he pushed through, trying to make his way to the front.

"I can't believe she's actually here!"

"Flaming Dawn really is letting her climb with them!"

"I can't believe The Immortal Winter didn't prepare a team!"

"Why would they? Have you seen how powerful she is? It's crazy!!"

'It couldn't be...' Jackson thought as he approached the front of the crowd. The man inside was dressed in a black suit, with a black shirt underneath a bright purple vest. He wore a bright red tie and had a pair of glasses on, reading a clipboard of papers in his hands.

When he noticed Jackson coming in, he put it down and got up from his seat, smiling. "Welcome, Jackson!"

The man shook Jackson's hand and introduced himself, "My name is Gabriel, and I'm the head of recruitment! We've been expecting you."

"Who would be expecting me..?" Jackson asked as he looked at the man's face, still not entirely convinced who he could and couldn't trust.

"Please, come this way!" He gestured with his arm, ignoring the question as he was led through the lobby.

On the walls of the office were paintings with gold frames of various Guild Masters, each showing them with glowing orange wings and bright golden rings around their wrists.

There were also several portraits of prominent Flaming Dawn members hanging on the walls. In one picture, the group was gathered on a mountaintop smiling for the photograph. Another showed them in combat, fighting off a small group of Hollows.

The room had a bright orange glow, with soft lighting coming from the candles and lanterns positioned around the walls. The whole building was filled with members wearing white cloaks with an orange circle and a red flame.

Gabriel knocked on the doors and opened them as a blonde-haired young woman turned in her seat while a dark-haired man with a goatee sat behind a desk and stared at them in surprise, "Oh! Excuse me, sir! I didn't realize you were still meeting with Ms. Snow! Please, excuse us!"

"YOU!"

"You!"

Jackson and the blonde woman shouted simultaneously, pointing at each other while the man with the goatee stood behind his desk. Gabriel raised his brow, turned, looked between the two, and asked, "Oh? You two know each other??"

Gabriel sighed before standing in the middle of the room and clearing his throat. He took a deep breath, looking over all three of them, while the man with the goatee nodded. "Well, this is quite the situation," He chuckled, looking at Jackson and gesturing to the woman, "This is Viktoria Snow; she's the youngest daughter of Immortal Winter's Guild Master. Ms. Snow, this is Jackson Seraphin; he's an up-and-coming Climber!"

"We've already had the displeasure of meeting!" Viktoria proclaimed, turning toward the goateed man, "Don't tell me you're thinking of recruiting him, Ramus!"

"Well, Ms. Snow, that was the purpose for today's meeting; why? Is there some problem?" Ramus asked, his plate armor rustling as he placed both fists against his hips.

"I cannot allow this; he doesn't belong within Tetrakyts!" Viktoria shouted, stomping her foot on the ground while staring at Jackson, her hand resting on a long, ornate rapier's hilt at her waist.

She wore a tight white dress underneath a white cloak with a blue snowflake on it. Her tall, white leather boots were decorated by thin chains dangling down from the laces above her knees.

"Ms. Snow! Please... We can talk about this later..." Gabriel said while putting his hands together before taking another deep breath. Viktoria turned towards him, crossing her arms under her breasts as she gave him a condescending smirk.

"Fine! Then he will have to go through me!" Viktoria announced, huffing angrily as she glared at Jackson.

"What if I don't want to join..?" Jackson asked, raising his hands in defeat.

"Irrelevant! If you want to even speak with Ramus, you'll have to go through me!" She shouted, stamping her feet. A moment later, she turned, lowering her head, and smiled apologetically at Ramus. "Heh. My apologies."

"What do you mean you don't want to join?" Ramus asked, stepping from behind his desk, brushing past Viktoria, and standing in front of Jackson.

"I'm taking the solo route." Jackson answered, raising his head and staring into Ramus' eyes. Standing defiantly, he crossed his arms over his chest, feeling confident enough that no one could challenge what he had planned for his future.

"Wh-" Ramus opened his mouth and started to gesture with his hands but was immediately interrupted.

"Solo? You're crazy! Do you actually believe that childish fairy tale bullshit?!" Viktoria asked, folding her arms across her chest under the cloak as she glared daggers at him, "Ramus, why would you waste your time on someone who can't even tell fantasy from reality!?"

Gabriel put his hand between them before they could escalate further; he sighed loudly while looking down at Viktoria and shook his head at her, "Are you serious, Mr. Seraphin? No one has even made it off Tutorial Island solo! Joining a Guild is the only way to guarantee you will make it!"

"The Progenitor did." Jackson countered; he had no argument against the crazy path before him; he knew himself that it was crazy.