Compensation!

"Due to Mark taking more of our forests resources, we don't have enough to give next month, or the month after that. So firstly, we'd like a few months without having to pay you with materials for the Pact." Treena says causing Brandon to nod.

"How long do you need until you can continue the monthly payments?" Brandon asks.

"Three or four months at the least." Treena replies, Mary nods and Brandon sighs.

"Then we'll discontinue your monthly payments for six months. This way you'll have some time to restock your reserves too." He says causing Layla to get taken aback.

"Thanks for your understanding, now onto the second. We want to alter the Pact. We Dryads want the power to change the messenger and the collectors if we deem them dangerous. We also want the ability to ban certain individuals from entering the forest." Treena says, her tone making it clear she won't back down from this. Brandon thinks it over before responding.

"We can give you the ability to ban certain individuals from entering your forests. However, I'm not sure we can allow you to change the officers we send as the messenger and collectors. As I'm sure you saw on your way in, we're understaffed. We're already short on those agents. That's why Mark was able to flee to your forest as he did. We didn't have any agents on hand who could apprehend him right away." Brandon says, surprising me.

"Is the government really that short on hands?" Liz asks, apparently surprised as well.

"Yeah, most Lyna prefer to join the Guilds. Their pay is typically a bit less than ours, but their workload is much lighter than ours. That and the government rarely sends us into Dungeons." Dale replies.

"Okay, then for the third and final part. We insist that you compensate the Steele Wolves for this. Not only did their Guild Master receive a blow from Abyss magic, one of their members was targeted too." Treena says and Brandon nods.

"Yes, we agree wholeheartedly. That's why we brought him after all. So Eric, before we get to your compensation. I do have to ask, what were you doing in the forest? Dale told me that the Dryads had asked to meet you since Liz is a Daughter of The Forest. Sorry for the suspicion, I do trust you. But it seems too convenient for me that you happen to show up when Mark did." Brandon asks me.

"It was. The Dryads were, rightfully worried that Mark would pull something. They knew of my strength from Liz, and asked me to visit them when Mark did on purpose. They had hoped that my being there would prevent Mark from trying anything. But it seems he was more **** than they thought." I say causing him to look at Mary. She nods, since I've told the truth.

"Then Eric, how would access to some Ruins sound?" Brandon asks causing me to go speechless. I know Mark offered them to me in exchange for keeping quiet. But I never thought the government would give it to me as compensation. "There's a new Ruin that popped up in Colorado. However, no guild near them can take it. Colorado has mostly small Guilds, and they don't have the numbers to complete the Ruins. Your Guild may be small, but your members are all strong enough to start their own Guilds if they wished. So we can give them to you."

"That would be great, but how are we supposed to get to Colorado? I do still have school y'know." I say causing him to look at me stunned before laughing.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just, that with all you've accomplished, I've forgotten you're still in school." He says before recollecting himself. "The government will set up a Dimension Door, it's a stone door that's linked to another. Once you type in the code to unlock it, the magic will activate. Then you can walk through it and you'll come out to the door it's liked to. You do the same on the other side to get back. We'll set up one of these Doors at the Ruin's entrance, then deliver the linked Door to your Guildhall. This way you can come and go as you wish."

"Before I accept, I do have to ask. Do you have any other reasons for giving me these Ruins? I came here expecting money or materials, maybe a Legendary grade item at best. Not that I'm complaining, I just find this odd." I say causing Brandon to nod and chuckle.

"You have a sharp mind." Mary says. "There is another reason we're giving this to you. It's because we have to pay you. As Brandon pointed out, no other Guild near it can handle it. However, if we went and gave it to another Guild for no reason, then the other Guilds would get mad. They'd demand a reason why they didn't get chosen for it. Truthfully, we've had this particular Ruin for nearly a month now. We're at our wit's end trying to find a reason to give it to someone that the other Guilds would accept." Mary says and I turn to Liz she looks at me confused before nodding.

"Then that'll work." I say. Mary takes out four pieces of paper. I see they have some words on them, but they have a lot of blank underlined spaces. She quickly writes something down on each before passing them to Brandon. He signs each before passing two to Treena and the other two to me. I take it and read it. I see it's just a contract that states they'll hand over the Ruins as compensation. It also states that I can't go after them under the pretext of demanding more payment should the Ruins not contain many artifacts.

"One more question, how long will it take to get the Dimension Door?" I ask while signing the papers.

"It'll take a few days, four or five at the most. We have to bring both Doors there and link them. Then we have to take it all the way here. Again, we are understaffed, so we can't start until tomorrow." Brandon says and I nod. It sucks that I'll have to wait. I'll be back in school by that time too. Oh well, at least Luna and Innu will be excited. Actually, Innu didn't join us last time. She hatched while we were fighting the Ruin's third-floor boss. I think before looking at the paper expectantly. I had thought it was a Pact, but it seems like it's a regular contract. I hand one back to Brandon as Treena does the same Once we're done he looks them over.

"Now that that's done, is there anything else you need?" Brandon asks and we all shake our heads no. "Then Dale and Yuya will escort you out, I need to get back to work." He continues and we all get up. We walk out with Dale and Yuya leading the way. They offer to drive me back but I decline, saying I'm fine.