Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The keep of the Ice Priest

Dorian felt uneasy at having to lead two guild masters, one, the former, and one, the current. It had been bad enough with Jean in the party. Dorian knew that nothing had changed for Leander, apart than the five of them going on dates between quests, but everything had changed for Dorian.

He felt inadequate to lead such a party. Leander was the guild master; he had defeated Alklair in an honor duel. Something they had all wanted to cheat their way through.

Alklair and Valerie were SS ranked. What right did he, an A rank tank, had to order them around? And Jean, despite not holding the rank of S anymore, was still more experienced than Dorian.

Morris jogged to him, braking formation.

"What got you down, Dorian?" The ginger asked with the same lopsided smile he approached the blues of everyone.

"I...do you think that I should lead still? I mean, shouldn't it be Alklair, or Jean? Maybe even Leander?" Dorian aired out his worries and Morris sighed.

"You are a great leader, Dorian. You get us through the quests with a no-nonsense attitude. Alklair and Valerie knew full well you will be the one leading, and they still joined the platoon. And Leander did not try to demote you, despite having the power to — now. So, how about you stop worrying and cheer up? How do you feel about a picnic? Just the five of us?" Morris wiggled his eyebrows and Dorian frowned at him.

"Morris, get your mind out of the gutter. We are on a quest. And get back in formation," Dorian snapped and Morris snorted.

"As you say, leader," Morris saluted and got back to his spot to the left of the party. Florifel, who was next to him, poked his arm.

"What got tanky lover boy down? Don't tell me he thinks he shouldn't lead?" Morris nodded and Florifel brought her hand over her face.

"Well, you tell him that, if he quits leading, the Budding Lilies are going to find a new platoon. None of you airheads have what it takes to lead, and neither Alklair nor Valerie want to," Morris nodded, a bit peeved at being called an air head, but agreeing, for the most part.

"We are here," Dorian stopped, not having heard the whispered conversation. The keep of the Ice Priest loomed before them. Looking foreboding with its walls made of black granite and the fact it had no windows.

"What are the chances that the wacko priest is still inside?" Morris asked, and all eyes turned to him.

"Morris, the Ice Priest is a war hero. I am disappointed in you for speaking about him like that," Alklair told him in the tone everyone had duped "guild master voice". 

"He claims to be able to speak with spirits. No one can do that," Morris countered, and Alklair sighed.

"You are still young, so you think that if you deem something as impossible, others do, too. But that is not the case. The Ice Priest knows the secrets of the dead. And nothing can change that," Morris looked down, not willing to argue. The priest had been a sort of circus act, until he had this keep build. Then, he had shut himself inside it and weird things began happening around the keep. And now, they were here.

"Alklair, sir, do you think that the Ice Priest really had something to do with the failed crops?" Leander asked. Alklair rubbed his chin.

"The summer was not kind to the land," Alklair began. There were failed crops everywhere in Alcandino. "And the autumn brought little rain. But, we were paid to bring the court notice to the Ice Priest, and that is what we should do. No matter if he is innocent or not."

Valerie nodded and Dorian made a step towards the keep.

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"Let us hope he doesn't try to fight us," the SS ranked healer murmured, what was on everyone's mind. They might not believe that the Ice Priest was capable of talking to ghosts, but everyone knew that he could use necromancy.

Dorian knocked on the door of the keep, but got no answer. He pushed at it, and it opened. The keep was dark inside, its walls sucking out the light of the candles.

"Light, Alklair, sir," Dorian commanded, and Alklair made ten wisps to hover over their heads.

"Hey, what about us?" One of the pixies of the Budding Lilies complained. Alklair chuckled and created mini-wisps for their heads as well.

"I am sorry, ladies. It won't happen again," the pixies giggled and proceeded to poke at the wisps.

Dorian took out a pebble from a pouch that was tied to his belt and threw it into the darkness. Small arrows flew in all directions.

"Leander, barrier," Leander stepped to the middle, and he summoned a barrier. Not one with his staff, but one using his own mana.

"Let us move out," Dorian commanded, as it was too dark, and the wisps too blinding, for him to communicate with hand signs. And, he didn't want to alert anything with the whistle.

They were escorted by arrows, tar and even fireballs. But Leander's barrier held.

"I don't think he will come back to Huergaz peacefully," Lilia murmured, edging closer to Alberta and taking a hold of her hand.

"Don't worry. Platoon 23 leaves no quest undone," Valerie chimed, using the Try Hard Party's motto as the platoon's one.

They went down a staircase, and then Leander's barrier sizzled out of existence.

"Mana suppressors," Alklair told them. The wisps were also gone.

"It is good we are not an all-mage party. Leander, Armaros, Jean, do you have normal arrows on you?" Dorian asked, and the three archers nodded.

"Yes," Jean managed after he realized that Dorian couldn't see him anymore. "Give me time to pull mine out of my bottomless bag."

"Same here," Leander was already rummaging inside. He found the quiver and took it out, strapping it on his back. "I have fifty arrows."

"I have twenty," Armaros blushed. He had not thought to bring more. So sure that he would need just their mana-made equivalent.

"I have fifty too," Jean informed them, and Dorian could breathe lighter. Mana suppressors meant that, if there were mobs up ahead, they also couldn't use mana. And, one hundred and twenty arrows were great crowd control.

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