Bound by Rules

=Madam D. Apartelle - A.I's Room=

A shadow of a woman appeared standing on the side of the window. Her mere presence sends unpleasant feeling.

A.I: "Can you put your visitation in a normal way? You always do this." Seeing this woman entered her room without any notice made her furious.

Shadow: "Feisty as always, my dear." She said teasingly.

A.I: "You don't have any reason to be here…and how did you manage to--"

Shadow: "…to enter this place? Or your room?" She finished the statement. "Let's say I have the free pass. That tiny little cube in the entrance is useless as always. Seriously, it never once notice my presence. The security in this apartelle is quite alarming. I insist you move to a better one."

A.I: "Drop it." A.I bit her lip with annoyance. (Every time I have a conversation with this woman, I always lose my patience. She never fails to provoke me.)

Shadow: "Easy, my dear. I'm not starting anything. I'm just giving a sisterly advice. You never listen though."

A.I: *sigh* (Just hold it in. Take a deep breathe.) She sat on a couch and tried to calm herself.

Shadow: "So what did you think about my greeting?"

A.I.: "Lousy." She promptly responded.

Shadow: "Kukuku…but that is the only appropriate greeting for the guardian of the underground city of Ambeist." She smiled.

A.I.: "You need to put an end to that terrible habit of yours.

Shadow: "Terrible???" She gave an astonished reaction.

A.I: "!!!" (Okay, that's it!) "Do you even call that a way of greeting?! You planned to create a commotion! Are you trying to kill everyone in the guild?!" A.I was raging mad fumes literally appeared on top of her head.

Shadow: "Oh, but you managed to catch my attack. Good thing you have a very nice reflex and a keen sense, I commend you for that, otherwise probably the Guild of the Shield of Faction will be wiped out so as your statue. It will completely turn into dust."

The room was filled with laughter.

A.I: (Ugh! This crazy woman!) "You better stay put when you're here. I am fully aware that the last time you came, you destroyed one of the dimensional portals.

Shadow: "Oh you mean the portal leading to the Lost Forest of Ambeist?"

A.I: "So you do remember?"

Shadow: "I didn't destroy the portal okay. I just accidentally broke the crystal stone which serves as the main mechanism to run that thing. The city has a large depository of crystals, surely it can be easily replace." She defended.

A.I: "Really? You are justifying your action."

Shadow: "Why?"

A.I. can't helped but to touch her forehead. "You…I don't know what to do anymore with you."

Shadow: "What's the problem? It was still fix in the end."

A.I: "It's useless to argue with you." She got up and faced the shadow.

Shadow: "What? I'm just giving my point. You don't have to interrogate me aggressively."

A.I: "Enough with that! Whatever is your business here, finish it quickly and leave." (..and don't ever visit!)

Shadow: "I just came here to observe."

A.I: "That's sound convincing." She said sarcastically. "If you have a lot of time then observe the child while I'm going to sleep for a week."

A.I went straight to her bed.

A.I: "You better think before you act. If a single pebble in this city got destroyed, it will be the end of you." She gave her last warning.

Shadow: "Kukuku. You really know how to joke. Here." The shadow tossed a bright red crystal stone.

A.I: swiftly caught it with her hand. "This is---?"

Shadow: "It's a token of apology." The shadow of the woman instantly vanished.

A.I: "I can't believe she gave me this." She said with amazement.

The bright red crystal stone in her hand was the Tears of Phoenix, a legendary stone no creature has ever seen. The stone is so rare that all the adventurers and travelers coming in and out of the city strive to find but no one yet succeeded.

A.I: "One of the most delicious candies in the realm." A small smile formed on her face.

A.I tucked herself in and went to sleep.

Ray had the best experience waking up. He scanned his surrounding. The room was a paradise. Surely, an expensive place always has the best accommodation. Madam D's Apartelle lived to its name.

He was even more amazed when he saw an extravagant breakfast laid on the table. Ray immediately get out of the bed and rushed himself. There laid upon his eyes, a two-sliced toasted garlic bread glazed with honey, a warm mushroom soup, a pasta filled with white creamy sauce shredded with cheese and a delicious cup of chamomile tea. A perfect course of meal for the morning!

Ray: "What a day to start!"

Ray went straight to the restroom and washed his face. He immediately start digging in and enjoy his sumptuous meal when he came back.

Ray: "Hah! I never felt satisfied before!" He quenched his thirst with a sparkling glass of fresh water. "This seems like a miracle food!"

The meals being served in the Apartelle rejuvenates energy in the body. It boosts the physical strength and relax the mental state. Ray felt his strength came back and his energy restored.

After enjoying the breeze and inhaling the clean and fresh air in his balcony, he decided to pay a visit to A.I's room.

*Knock! Knock! Knock!* The door remained close.

Ray: "Is she still asleep? Hmm…Well, I'll just head to the guild now then."

=Guild of the Shield Faction=

Ray: "Hey Miss Kara!" He waved at the head receptionist.

Ms. Kara: (This kid again.) She stopped at entrance. "How come you're here, kid?"

Ray: "I want to explore the parts of the city. A.I told me to report before heading out."

Ms. Kara: *sigh* "Okay go on. I'm listening."

Ray: "Here?" (We're still in the entrance.)

Ms. Kara: "I forgot. I was tired yesterday. Let's head inside."

Both of them entered the guild's doorway. Inside the wide reception hall, people are still busy and lively doing their own business. Miss Kara went to the reception desk and brought out a document.

Ms. Kara: "What was your business again?"

Ray: *sigh* "Didn't I state my business earlier?"

Ms. Kara: "Yes." The head receptionist stared deeply at Ray. "Would you mind repeating it again then? Everything needs to be black and white here, so bear with me." She said flatly.

Ray: *sigh* "I plan to explore the city."

Ms. Kara: "Okay." She started jotting down notes. "So you want to explore" *Scribble* *Scribble* *Scribble* "Have you ever thought of getting an escort?"

Ray: "Why do I need an escort, Miss Kara?" He had a questioned look on his face.

Ms. Kara: (Ugh! Isn't it obvious?) *sigh* "You're still a minor. A kid like you is not allowed to roam the city without someone to watch over you."

Ray: (I'm not a weak kid.) "I don't need an escort, I'm strong enough to protect myself." He protested.

The head receptionist gave her professional smile and continued. "I understand. But we have rules to follow. You don't want to be labeled as a *rogue, do you?"

*rouge is an individual who broke the laws of the city and was exiled by all the faction in the land.

Ray: *gulp* "No."

Ms. Kara: "Good. We will have to hire someone to escort you…and I know a certain person who is suited for the job."

Ray: "Okay?"

Ms. Kara: "Just wait for a moment." The head receptionist proceeded to call the person.

Ray was left sitting on the reception hall.

Ray: (I guess I couldn't explore alone huh. Tch! Everything here is bound by rules, rules and rules. They're so high maintenance!)

Ray was absorbed by his thoughts, he didn't notice a group of men appeared close to him.

Guy 1:"Brother, look there's a kid here."

Guy 2: "Probably, he's lost."

Guy 3: *nodded*

The three men approached Ray.

Guy 1: "Hey kid!" He tapped Ray's shoulder.

Ray looked up and stared at the man. He eventually realized the people around him. It took a while for him to answer.

Ray: "Yes?"

Guy 1: "So you speak. I thought you're a mute for a moment."

Ray: (Huh? I'm not mute.)

Guy 2: "Bro, don't be that hard."

The third guy nodded with approval.

Guy 1: "Yeah, my bad. So, why are you in the area? This is no place for a kid. Unless, you're lost."

Ray: "No sir. I have some business here." He answered seriously.

The three men were shock by Ray's statement. Suddenly, the two men burst with laughter.

Guy 2: "You sure know how to joke, kid." The men wiped his tears on his eyes.

Ray: "I'm speaking the truth. I even beat the guardian of the 50th Labyrinth. (Well, I was part of the beating up.)

Guy 1: "Whoa! You got big dreams too! I'm starting to like you."

Guy 2: "Same here, bro. This kid has the same dreams like us. We're on the same page." The two men happily agreed with their statements.

Guy 3: "Brothers, I think you need to stop bothering the kid. We also have our business." The silent guy finally spoke.

Guy 1: "Oh right. We almost forgot about that."

Ray: *sigh* (Good thing this guy interjected. I don't know how to deal with them anymore.)

Guy 1: Well since we don't have much time, I guess we need to introduce ourselves hastily. By the way, we are called Band Wagons. I'm Midos, a fighter." He's muscular guy with a weird moustache on his face.

Guy 2: "Haron, one of the great mage." The chubby looking-man proudly stated.

Guy 3: "Wel." He plainly answered. Unlike the others, this tall lean man seems more decent.

Ray: "Ray, a traveller?" *sigh* (I hope that ends our conversa--)

"Mingas! The first one to slay *Melapruza!" The sound were heard in all the corners of Ambeist City.

*Melapruza is an undead vile creature roaming the plains in the higher levels of the labyrinth.

"Someone slayed Melapruza!" A young robust lad blurted.

"The undead! That's impossible!" The old man with a long beard retorted.

"The adventurer must be an SSS fighter!" A young lady wearing a scarlet dress exclaimed.

Almost everyone in the guild gave their own thoughts and opinions.

Midos:" Have you ever heard of the Tune of the Wind?"

Ray: "Yes, sir."

Midos: "So you are already aware that the Tune of the Wind is responsible in announcing every achievements that happens in the labyrinth?"

Ray: "Uh-huh."

Haron: "Well, we haven't heard your name though. Haha!"

Wel: "Brother…"

Haron: "Hehe! Right, my bad."

Wel looked at Ray. "In addition to that, the names and the achievements of the adventurers are recorded on the obsidian tablet located on the center of the earth."

Ray: "That's new to me, thanks."

Wel: *nodded*

A receptionist approached them and handed a small brown parchment. Midos opened the parchment and read its content.

Midos: "Dear brothers, our Tanker has arrived. He will meet us at the 2nd district of the city."

Haron: "Well, bro. Let's set out and make our names known to Ambeist!"

Wel: "Bye."

Ray: "Un. Good luck."

With that the Band Wagons walked away.

Ray: "Wait!" I forgot to--"

"Ahem…" The head receptionist came back with a young girl.

Ray: "Yes, ma'am!"

Ms. Kara: "Is there any problem, kid?"

Ray: "Not--nothing…" (…I forgot to ask the name of the adventurer who slayed the Melapruza…)

Ms. Kara: "Well, anyway. This is Nympha. She will serve as your escort…" (…more like a baby sitter.)

Nympha: "He--llo Ray."

Ray: "Hi." (She seems like a timid girl. I think Mr. Berdo will serve as a better companion.)

Ray glanced at the head receptionist. He looked uneasy.

Ms. Kara: "Yes? Got a problem?"

Ray: "Where is Mr. Berdo?"

Ms. Kara: *smile* "Mr. Berdo has a lot of things to do. He is quite a busy man.I am too." Her smiled gave Ray a cold feet.

Ray: "I---I see."

Ms. Kara: "Yes. So whether you like it or you like it, Nympha will escort you in exploring the city." Her smile gave an icy feeling.

A drop of cold sweat appeared on Ray's forehead.

Ray: "Ye—es ma'am. Absolutely. Let's go Nympha!"

Ray immediately rushed out from the guilds' doorway without waiting for his escort.