Kael drummed his gauntleted fingers on Garland's desk. The choice had to be made here and now.
Seeing that distant look, the branch-master hurried to reassure him."Whatever decisions you improvise on site, the Guild will hold you blameless."
"Requests like this aren't common," Kael noted.
"Exactly. Most mercs shy away once they hear the danger is… undefined."No one knew the foe's shape or strength, walking into a beast's jaws blind. If the creature proved weak, you won; if stronger, you were dinner. Few sellswords accepted such terms unless the pay was obscene.
Garland anticipated the unspoken question."Your reward scales with what you uncover, but I promise it won't disappoint. I'm vouching for that personally. And because no one else stepped forward, the merit points attached are substantial."
Merit and coin—ordinary blades might still balk, yet Kael was not ordinary. He had no luxury of cherry-picking contracts; an unknown monster meant fat souls for Umbral Draw.
Unlikely, the thing is so strong I can't even escape, he calculated. Unless it's an actual demon…
"I'll take it," he said at last. "Do we leave immediately?"
"I knew you would." Garland smiled. "But you'll need comrades. None have volunteered, so you'll have to recruit."
Kael hesitated. Recruit… him? A Dread Sentinel?
"Going solo is unwise," Garland warned. "Variables multiply in the field. Even top-grade adventurers keep teams—save rare cases like the Mercenary King."
Kael understood. He'd run lone-wolf builds during his gaming years and learned the price."I don't want to march alone," he admitted. "But finding people who'll follow night-forged plate is… difficult."
"Treat it as part of the evaluation," Garland said, sipping his tea. The head office wants to see whether our new iron plate can lead."
Kael eyed him. "So this is a test?"
Garland chuckled. "Middle-management orders, I'm afraid. Impress them and red tape vanishes; fail and doors close."
"Fair enough. I'll gather bodies."
The Sentinel rose. In the common hall below, contracts fluttered and bravos bargained; talk dropped to whispers when he appeared. Kael let his gaze prowl—predatory, measuring.
"Why's he staring at us?""Just don't meet his eyes…"
Nobody seemed promising—until a mop of curly hair bounced toward him.
"Sir Kael! Long time! Remember me—Thorne?" The shieldman beamed, voice pitched loud enough for every hireling to hear. "Heard you cashed in big after gutting that Mawbear job!"
Kael stared without speaking. Sweat beaded on Thorne's brow.
"Er… did I offend—"
"You on contract right now?"
"Me? No, just hunting work after yesterday's… festivities."
"Follow." Kael turned for the door.
Thorne blinked, then scrambled after. Instinct warned him that refusing would be worse.
One secured, Kael thought—a second-rank shield, competent despite the mouth.
Outside, Thorne trotted beside him. "We aren't headed anywhere dangerous, right?"
Kael outlined the mission: missing scouts, unknown threat, decisions in the field. Blood drained from Thorne's cheeks.
"Madness. Who takes a blind job?"
"If trouble's overwhelming, we retreat. I'll see to our escape."
"That's… comforting, sir, but—"
"Avoid only easy fights and you'll never reach third rank." Kael tilted his helm. "Isn't it time you grew?"
Thorne swallowed. He's right… and travelling with him means survival, surely."Ha! Loyalty's my middle name. Lead on, Lone Wolf."
"You called yourself a lone wolf last time," Kael reminded.
"Figure of speech, sir."
The Sentinel halted before the sunlit cathedral. Thorne's eyes bulged."Oh no. Not the church—"
Inside the forecourt, Lira confronted them, silver-ring badge newly sewn to her robe."Clarify this," she snapped. "You barge in at dawn and order me onto some mystery expedition?"
"Not an order," Kael replied. "You pledged aid whenever needed."
"Technically, yes, but I have duties—midday devotions, scroll copying, senior sisters—"
Thorne leaned close and whispered, "She's still an apprentice. Barely useful."
"I am not an apprentice any longer!" Lira shoved her sleeve forward: one gleaming band—an official priestess.Thorne blinked. "You… passed the trials already?"
Kael nodded, satisfied. "Then you can heal."
Her face soured. "I haven't agreed. Skipping assignments angers the hierarchy, tarnishes my record—"
"Understood," Kael said, turning away. "It seems your vow in the Goddess's name meant little."
Lira froze, breaking an oath sworn by light, risking losing grace. Deflated, she muttered, "Fine—I'll go."
"Pack quickly."
She stomped inside, grumbling, "What am I doing with my life?"
Watching her retreat, Kael said, "Recruiting isn't as hard as I feared."
Thorne wiped his brow. "Sir, you strong-armed a cleric and kidnapped me."
Kael gave a rare, thin smile behind the visor. "Efficient, isn't it?"
Within the hour, Garland's wagon waited at the southern gate. The odd trio climbed aboard: an armored shadow, a chatty shieldman, a reluctant priestess clutching her staff. The Sentinel set his helm, eyes on the wild horizon.
Unknown prey awaited—and Kael intended to feed both blade and Umbral Draw.