I scratch yours.

"Please, have a seat." The man poured each of us a small glass of the brown liquid. Probably a liquor of some kind at my first guess. Though when he passed it over it bore no strong scent. Nothing offensive to the nose. In fact it was rather mild and sweet. "An aged mead. Black berry, honey, and honey sap."

"Ah, interesting. Thank you, sir." I sat the glass down after a moment. Watched as he sat down across from me. He reached out and slid a platform out of the way. Something I'd find out later is called a writer's slope. He studied me for a long, rather awkward, time. Making me swallow the discomfort.

"I can understand that coming here is... jarring. You've only been with us for less than a month. Less than a few weeks even. Yet... here you are."

"And... why is it that I'm here? I completed my quest, brought payment back to rhe guild, though not originally agreed upon, and I know for a fact that the people are satisfied with their aid."

"Ah, yes, no. You completed your task to a rather satisfying degree. Something Brie was rather impressed by given what you returned with." The man reached into his desk and pulled out a small crystal. Something very similar to the one I brought back. Though this one was carved into a kind of classic gem shape. A kite style I'd guess. "Do you know what this is?"

"A crystal?"

"A crystal it is. But further. Do you know what these crystals can do? Who they're for?"

"I know they sell for a hefty sum, and they grow in boulders along creeks. Next to that, I've nothing."

"Yes, boulders in the forest. Brie accepted that explanation. She knows exactly as much as you do about these. They're... rare. Exceptionally so. Hold out your hand, please." As I did so the man laid the crystal into my palm. Just as before it almost seemed to glow. The light hitting it in just the right way filling the space of my palm in a soft blue hue.

"That, is a Covenant. A promise to fulfill." He stared at the rock in my palm as a smile crept across his lips.

"What? Do you mean like I just agreed to a contract?"

"No, nothing like that. This... this is above us. Above living men or elves or dwarves or even the forest folk." He held out his palm once more and I passed the rock over. Setting it into his own palm where the subtle glow began to fade. But... it had just been the light, right? "A covenant is a powerful item to discover. Not something you find in random rocks along the creek or river."

As he spoke the man bowed respectfully. Rising out of his seat to do so. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Tront Gallio. Master of the Forll Adventurers Guild. Platinum 3 rank. Swordsman and mage."

"Okay... so multiple questions there. Blame the humanity." I adjusted myself in my seat as I tried to find the words forward. He'd just dropped a lot on me that I should have had explained much sooner than later. "From the top. What do you mean the crystals are a promise from a god? Am I some kind of... chosen? Prophet? Cursed?"

"As for you, you're the master of the guild. What does that really mean? Are you basically just the boss or is it more than that? What about your rank? I'm only silver and I also don't know what you mean by '3'. Are they're additional ranks above the standard?"

"Ah, forgive me." Tront said with something I can only think of as second hand embarrassment from my ignorance. "I forget your people aren't often well versed in more civilized matters." There it was again. By Eros I'm going to fix the damn stigma against humans. It's almost insulting. "The covenant is a promise from a god given to mortals. We can't begin to guess what those promises are. Sometimes they're simple prayers answered, other times they're prophets. Even still there are legends of heros given life by the old gods."

"Yes, I am master of this guild. As for my role, that greatly depends. In some areas the guild master is akin to a politician. Sometimes voted for, sometimes not. I was elected by the guild members some years ago. Though I'm no politician. Just respected. I see to the guild's affairs and ensure that our people behave themselves. Rather than the guards handle our people, we keep it in house, so to speak. Other than that I also manage the quests and rewards."

"Finally, the ranks are simply a way to show your talent and abilities as they've progressed. Most often due to exemplary acts and testing. Your rank is silver, a third rank. Below you are iron and copper respectively. Copper is the most common among our new members. Most people fit in this." As he spoke Tront pulled out a medallion for each example. Laying them out in order. Copper, iron, silver, gold, and two more silverish metals.

"Above you are gold, titanium and platinum. Platinum is the highest rank, but within it are other levels. Given for exceptional acts. I myself am a rank 3 Platinum. Each given for acts such as saving the city from a horde of orks. That earned me my second rank some nine years ago. My third coming from the queen during a battle I took part in. Saving her eldest daughter. I became the guild master four years ago, earning my third rank five years ago." With this Tront pulled out a small set of rings, three of them. Each made of a silver like metal, likely platinum, with a bright ruby in the center. Each ring a different size. Likely for different fingers as a status symbol.

I did my best to take it all in. To understand it all. It wasn't horribly complicated but it was a lot at once. Things I probably should have asked about when I was first signed on, but was just too focused on other things. Now I was getting a pull on crash course. "Is there a limit to the amount of rings you can have?"

"Well... there is and isn't. While technically you can receive an infinite amount of rings, after 10 you technically stop. At platinum 10 adventures are most often inducted into the Legendarium Knights. A sect of royal guards. I think there's.. 2 of them. Both well beyond fighting age, but still serving as trainors. The highest I know of personally is one of the generals with 13 total."

Alright, so now we have royal knights out of legends. Fantastic. "Okay... okay. This is all... well, a lot. Frankly I probably won't remember all of it. Can we get to why I'm here? I was supposed to be paid but instead I'm getting a civics lesson. A very much appreciated one, but I'm confused. Why am I here?"

"I see. Forgive me, Mr. Kross, we did go on a little side tangent, didn’t we? I hope I've at least explained everything to a satisfying degree." Tront leaned in. His elbows digging into the desk as his hands folded in front of himself. Like some kind of spy villain interrogating the hero for answers they already knew.

"I understand it that you've earned the ire of our local guard captain. And specifically of his lord. Please, don't bother denying it, or feel that you need to defend yourself. I know little of the reason, only that it involves one of his concubines. Cecilia, I believe."

"I..." Of course it couldn't be as simple as wanting to congratulate me and shake my hand. Give me a bonus grand and a house on the beach. "You've summed it well."

"Indeed. Being the master of the Adventurers Guild comes with certain boons. A great number of eyes and ears being some of them." Tront sat back in his seat after a moment. His hands still clasped, yet they rested on his torso, his stomach. His eyes watched me with that same studious manner. Looking for any scrap of information he could muster. "Mr. Kross, you've come into possession of rather impressive crystals. These covenants are worth far more than just for those who believe. They're also rather powerful alchemical ingredients."

Reaching back into his desk Tront brought out a small bag. Pouring it out onto his desk, a pile barely the size of a quarter. Though it still gave off that familiar blue hue. "This is simoly a ground up version. One of the very rocks you yourself brought in. Now, do you know what this is?" Tront then lifted his hand to show a small metal object. On one side it had a long black rod.

"A striker?"

"Correct. Impressive. This was made by the very blacksmith in our square. Now..." Tilting his hand Tront snapped the sides together producing a small set of sparks. Yet the moment on of them collided with the powder it exploded into a mushroom cloud of smoke. A painfully loud crack that made my ears ring, and left a visible burn on the table. "This is called Grecius Dust. Rather impressive, no?"

"IT'S FUCKING GUN POWDER!?"

"I've... no idea what a gun is, and no, Grecius Dust. So named after the man who discovered it. Rare, so very rare, and incredibly dangerous. While in its normal crystal state it's perfectly safe, but when ground into dust it has a rather... energetic reaction."

"You ask me why you're here. Well, I believe we can benefit each other. You see, I have a certain... associate I would like to see a package delivered to. You're no fool, so I won't lie about the content. Better you know now before you light a candle." Tront watched me with that damn knowing gaze as he spoke.

"My offer is simple. In exchange for you being granted access to a certain concubine for a night, I simply wish for you to deliver this package that same night. You'll not know for who, nor for what. Just know that this will not be traced to you or yours. Well?"

I stared at that damn scorch mark for what must have been half a minute. Tront's words falling somewhere into the depths of my mind as I tried to understand what exactly he was asking me. "You want me to hand over a pack of bombs? Is that seriously what you're asking me?"

"No, not bombs. Only the powder. It has many uses beyond this, and should you complete yhis, you'll also be rewarded with your little human for the night. What you do beyond that is your business and yours alone. Trust this, I will do nothing that will bring harm to this guild, nod the people of this village. Does that help?"

"Considering what you're asking me, no, not really." I tried to think of a way out of this. If I didn’t agree, I'd probably not walk out. If I did, I'd be an accomplice to whatever was being planned. The only thing that made it even remotely desirable was the offer to see Cecilia witbout Interruption.

"On one condition. First off, this isn't the condition, I still want to be paid." Tront grinend and nodded his head. Gesturing for me to continue. "Secondly, and this is the condition, you'll say nothing to anyone about these crystals, who brought them in, or where from. You may not believe my story, I don't give a rats ass, but I won't let the people of that hamlet come to harm over this."

Tront's smile grew wider as I spoke. As my only real term was laid out onto the discussion table. He sighed softly and rose out of his chair. Waving his hand for me to follow his lead. "Without question, I agree. You'll be contacted tonight. Come back tomorrow and we'll set your appointment. Should be in no more than three days. Be easy, Mr. Kross, you're a memberof my guild, and I take care of my own."