Venture forth

2 DAYS LATER

Goetia, Vinmark continent;
Gazim, capital of Vinmark;
The Main Guild of Vinmark;
Guild Master’s room;

Unknown; “Thank you for your presence in our humble guild, Bishop Heahmund.”

Heahmund; “What tea is this? Guild master, Harold?”

Harold; “I believe it’s called Earl Gray, my bishop.”

Heahmund; “Ewww! Never serve me something of this quality you mutt,” the bishop said, knocking the tea over from the table.

Harold; “I’m sorry my bishop, I didn't mean to offend, I promise to have something better prepared for you if you decide to grace us with your presence again,” Harold responded, bowing down.

Heahmund; “Anyway…. Is it done?”

Harold; “Yes, the gate should be closing as we speak, the council should call back with information of what happened soon.”

Heahmund; “That’s good, I hope no one is left alive from that guild, for both our sakes…”

Harold; “I’m sure the cardinal will be pleased with the outcome, that guild could not have possibly cleard an A ranked gate, and even if they do, we’ll find ways to make sure… no one did.”

Heahmund; “That’s good you mutt, you have served the cardinal well so far... yet a simple boy still eludes you,” the bishop said, getting up from the sofa and going towards the window’s curtains.

Harold; “The cardinal’s son is still in hiding, I have my best men looking for him, I don't know who hides him this well…. But I will find out eventually, nothing and no one can escape from me, you can assure the cardinal of that.”

Heahmund; “Keep in mind that the cardinal wants him alive, if he finds even a scratch on his body your head will be rolling at my feet…”

Harold; “I can assure you my bishop that….”

Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!

Harold; “Yes?” Harold asked, whilst going towards the door.

Unknown; “I’m sorry for disturbing you guild master, the council called back with information, I was told to inform you as soon as possible!”

Harold opens the door.

Harold; “What happened? Did they manage to close the gate? Are there any survivors?”

Unknown; “Gate A ranked, from the ruins of Fafnir, was cleared, only one survivor remains, guild master of Crimson Dawn, Meliana Redgrave.”

Harold&Heahmund; “WHAT!??”

---

Goetia, Arthas continent;
Holy capital, Ariel;
Elysian Bastion;
The King’s chamber;

Damien; "You need rest my dear, come to bed," Damien asked of her, in a a gentle voice.

Helena turns around.

He observed the silent storm raging within her, a tempest of regret and longing. Damien rose from the bed. He approached Helena, noticing the pain that had become an uninvited guest for years now, in her life.

Damien; "What's this? Again? I told you, my love, he's gone. What we did on that day was unforgivable, but drowning yourself in sorrow won't bring him back," Damien questioned.

His lips pressed against her neck in a tender attempt to offer solace, though he knew that no amount of affection could mend the shattered pieces of her grieving heart still.

Helena; "I've felt it, Damien, his presence, right beside me, as I've never felt it before…" Helena murmured, her voice barely audible over the echoes of her own sorrow.

Damien's eyes bore into hers with a mixture of sympathy and helplessness mirrored in their depths. He took her hands in his, attempting to draw her away from the haunting memories that clung to her like shadows.

Damien; "He's gone, Helena. You should be focusing on this," Damien urged, gently placing his hands on her rounded belly, a symbol of life amidst the palpable **** that lingered in her heart.

Helena; "I know.... What type of mother will I be this time?" Helena whispered, her voice a fragile melody on the edge of despair. She crumpled to her knees, the weight of grief pulling her down as if gravity itself had become a cruel ****.

---

30 minutes ago;
Ruins of Fafnir;
Vinmark continent;

Ramiel and Meliana walk out of the gate.

The gate closes and disappears behind them, a light comes down from the heavens on Meliana, a potion drops into her hands.

Meliana was clearly changed from her training, she gained a little bit of muscles, her posture was far better, her mana was far higher then when she entered the gate, she gave away a more intimidating aura around her. Her cheerful look changed into a more dominating one.

Ramiel; “No reward for me, huh? I guess that makes sense, my reward being my freedom… I guess,” Ramiel stated while looking at Meliana.

Meliana; “What’s this? Just a potion? From clearing a A ranked gate?” Meliana asked, clearly not happy with her reward.

Ramiel; “Hmmmm…. let me see,” Ramiel said, grabbing the potion from her hand.

Something was written in Lilim at the bottom of the potion.

He started translating it.

Ramiel; “Drink and let your mana double in size, drink and let your mana regeneration be faster than ever before, drink and learn your new spell...”

Meliana; “Why is my reward written in your demon tongue?” Meliana asked, slightly intrigued, with googly eyes looking at the potion in Ramiel's hands.

Ramiel; “Hmmm…. I don’t understand this myself, I’ve never seen a reward given to humanity to have its description written in Lilim before….. but I’ve never seen a demon and a human come out of a gate either, so ….” He stated, giving the potion back to her.

Meliana; “Selling this will probably make us a fortune…..” Meliana said, opening the potion, smelling it.

Ramiel; “Your reward, your choice,” Ramiel responded, shrugging.

She ponders on making a choice for a few seconds.

Meliana; “Screw it! I want to get stronger!” She said, gulping down the entire potion.

As soon as she drinks the entire potion she drops down to her knees, light magic starts surrounding her, the trees around them start moving, the entire area shakes. Ramiel could hear all the animals in the area starting to run around in panic. The wind that the light magic was creating started pushing him away from her.

After one more minute, the magic stops and Meliana gets up.

She starts jumping up and down in excitement.

Meliana; “WOW! I’ve never felt better!” She says giggling and jumping.

Ramiel; “What skill did you get?”

Meliana; “Not telling!”

Ramiel; “What did I get myself into….”

Meliana; “Hehe…” she says giggling.

They were both stopped as a galloping sounds could be heard coming towards them.

Meliana; “The council!” She shouts.

Ramiel; “Deal with them, I don’t want them to see me right now,” he stated, moving with lighting speed away from her, choosing a spot far enough so he could see but not be seen.

Three hooded men, riding horses, came near Meliana.

Aleric; “Aleric Dadarion, gate dealer and member of the council.”

One of them said, getting down from his horse and going towards the place where the gate was, with a notebook in hand.

Meliana; “Meliana Redgrave, Guild master of Crimson Dawn.”

Aleric; “Only survivor?” He asked, while getting down on his knees and with his index finger touching the mold on the ground, from the gate that used to be there.

Meliana; “Yes...”

Aleric starts writing something in his notebook for about 3 minutes, afterwards, he looks at Meliana.

Aleric; “Do you need a lift to the closest town?”

Meliana; “No, I lost too many friends today, I need time to think, I’ll take a walk,” she responds in quiet and saddened tone.

Aleric; “Good,” he responded with a a dejected look upon his face.

Aleric puts his hand near his right ear, a magic circle appears.

Aleric; “Contact me with the guild of Vinmark....”

He waits a few seconds.

Aleric; “Hello, gate A ranked, cleared, one survivor, Meliana Redgrave,” he says, his hand still on his ear.

Aleric; “Yes….Yes…. Understood...”

Aleric gets back on his horse.

Aleric; “A word of warning Meliana Redgrave, guilds that clear a gate with only one survivor remaining are targeted by everyone for the rewards, be careful, Hyaaa!” He said, as he whips his horse with the belts he used to guide him.

Ramiel waited for them to get far enough before coming back to her.

Ramiel; “What did they say?”

Meliana; “Council things, nothing too important, I don’t think he noticed you either.”

Ramiel; “If they did, they would’ve been dead right now...”

Meliana; “I see…” she responds with a downhearted tone, looking down at the ground.

Ramiel; “What was that thing? The thing he used to talk to someone or something?”

Meliana; “It’s called Zone, a type of magic device invented a few months back by someone called Vian, it’s used to communicate at large distances.”

Ramiel; “Ughh….. That fucker!” Ramiel shouted, kicking a tree down.

Meliana; “Ehhh? *She responds, still in amazement of Ramiel's brute strength* What? Do you know him?” She asked, as she watched the tree slowly falling.

Ramiel; “Now that we’re here you should at least know some things, one of my main goals is to kill certain people from your world, Vian Baskerville is one of them.”

Meliana; “I see, with his inventions he put humanity way too far ahead, are you scared of him or what he can become? No wonder you want him dead, and I'm assuming many more that have his potential are on your list,” she responds, looking at Ramiel.

Ramiel; “It has nothing to do with his creations, you’ll understand... eventually… but now… Where the fuck are we?” Ramiel asked, looking around, noticing that he's definitely not on the plains of Tavel.

Meliana; “Vinmark… more specifically the ruined forest of Fafnir,” she responds, sitting down on a rock.

Ramiel; “Vinmark? We’re in fucking Vinmark? Ughhh…. That’s half a world away from my goal…. not to mention we’re in the fucking boonies…. do you know where the closest town is?”

Meliana; “Yes, we’ll have to walk … .for about…. 5 hours? Maybe more… depends if we make any stops.”

Ramiel; “Does it have a guild?”

Meliana; “Yes, a small one from where we usually get our quests.”

Ramiel; “Good, as long as it has a guild, we can create ours and I can take my test.”

Meliana; “Ramiel, this town… Baten… It’s a small town, left to fend on its own after the noble of the area was imprisoned for treason, the crown as far as I know hasn’t sent anyone else in place or to investigate these accusations either. I know everyone there by name, they’re good, hard working people, mostly children and women as the men were sent to the capital by the prince's request to train for the royal army. Please promise me, promise me you won’t kill them....” She asked, with a look on her face that felt more like she was begging him.

Ramiel; “Yes, Yes… No killing people, I promise.”

Meliana; “Thank you,” she responds in a quiet soft voice.