Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Summons

Chapter 46: Summons

When they got back to the ranch, Lucius was waiting for them. All three of them were ready to protest. They had drunk truth potions, surely, they were beyond any doubt now?

Lucius held his hands up in defense, when he saw their expressions.

"Hello," the vampire said, a small smile on his lips.

"We are innocent," Teri said, and he was ready to take another truth potion to prove it.

"I know. Yima does too. Still, you are going to Yaranhold. Some of our leads lead to there," Lucius finally lowered his hands, and his gaze turned stern. "It is the guild master's desire to see you all before you leave. Also, that I am to accompany you, in case there are nesting dragons on the road. Which, to be perfectly frank, is very likely."

"We will be taking the road through the Alchemist Lair," Thomas told him. His two companions sent him angry looks.

"This quest is ours, Tommy. Don't tell the guild how we are going to complete it!" Rina stomped her foot on the ground, and an apple fell from her pockets. "Oh."

She bent down to pick it up, and dusted it off before turning to Lucius.

"Quest stealing is against the Multinational Adventurer's Codex. Not even top shot guilds can get away with it," she snapped. It still stung that she had been denied by the guild. Especially now, that she knew that she was a capable adventurer.

"We can't go into the dungeon at the same time as the three of you, considering that Drumm village didn't hand us over the quest, that is true," Lucius spoke, and three sets of eyes narrowed at him.

"So, you did try to steal the quest?" Teri pointed at the vampire. Lucius was something of a legend in the guild. For him to have done something so underhanded was something the tank had thought him incapable of doing.

"This is more than a quest, Teri. The balance of the entire country hangs on the road to Yaranhold. I take it you three thought you will get to do some good by going there and clearing a road. Yaranhold thrives at being isolated. You uncover the road, and its markets will be flooded with cheap merchandise," the three shared a look.

"Are you telling us we will doom the people there to starvation, if we uncover a road?" Rina asked. She didn't want that. This was not what she imagined doing when she became an adventurer.

"That is precisely what I mean. Yaranhold in turn will flood the markets of the rest of the country with the wares of the island chain in the North Sea. Do you know anything about them, lady elf?" Lucius's eyes were twinkling in amusement.

"They are weapons, mostly. The island chains pride themselves on their weapon's craft," Rina's eyes widened then, realization hitting her. "Thomas told me that the hag tried to get at the weapons in your guild's vault."

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"They all originate from Yaranhold, true. Now, I am not saying that you three shouldn't complete your quests, but there are times when being an overachiever is frowned upon. I will be coming with you to make sure that you go through the dungeon safely, and get back safely. The core will not be touched by any of you," Thomas began to shake his head. This was not right. Yaranhold was part of Kaien. It should be connected to the rest of it.

"And, if monsters overwhelm Yaranhold, the only way for them will be the island chains. Dungeons become unbeatable with time. The Alchemist's Lair is more than five thousand years old!" Thomas protested.

"The Orestria guild will help the survivors," Lucius told him. Thomas blinked and stared at Lucius for a long while.

"The...survivors?" The summoner murmured. "You want for this to happen. For Yaranhold to fall."

"All things must end, Thomas. It is guild master Yima's will that now is Yaranhold's time. Us going through the dungeon will stir up the monsters in a frenzy. One from which they will see no other way but to attack the place where we stop at. By the time they do regroup, we would have teleported back to Orestria," all three made a step back.

"We won't stand for it," Teri yelled. "No matter what you offer us. We won't let this much blood stain our hands."

"You three know I am S ranked, yes?" Lucius made a step forward, and they all made a step backwards. "S...what is your highest rank again? I believe it belonged to Teri. Something meager, but I can't remember."

"Lucius," Thomas had his harp out, and he wondered what tune will be best for this catastrophe.

"Thomas, the choice is simple. You either come to Orestria and speak to Yima, or I will end the three of you and make it look like an incident. Now, I do believe that Owen was baking bread for you all. Go, see him. Be reminded of what you stand to lose, if you decide to play the heroes," Lucius winked at him, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Each one of them felt a tap on their heads, and then heard laughter in the distance.

"He just threatened Owen," Thomas whispered. "Just like that."

"He could have just killed us right now," Rina whispered back.

"I am not playing to his tune," Teri took off his shield, and rose it high. "As a defender, as the shield that guards the lives of others, I cannot let the people of Yaranhold become scattered. I am afraid, but not cawed."

Teri then placed his shield back on his back, and made his way towards the farm house.

"We can't leave Yaranhold to crumble," Thomas followed Teri down the walkway.

"Yes, but then we will be outlaws. Although, if there is more honor in that than what the guild wants of us, then..." Rina nodded to herself, and followed her partners to the farmhouse. They needed to find a way to ward off the farm. Permanently.

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