Spirit Harvest

While Aurelis was in the dungeon talking to Lilith, the adventurer’s guild prepared for its yearly main event. Amalia rushed into the adventurer’s guild hall of their small town, completely out of breath. Hundreds of adventurer parties all around were packed with swords, canes, daggers and all other kinds of weapons. Most of them were glowing, carrying a spirit inside.

The adventurers were growling and screaming loudly, some even brawling with each other. While the headquarters of the adventurer’s guild were of course in the capital, it was only the centre of administration. Since adventurers were mostly working outside the borders, they were assigned to border towns.

“Madelyne!” Amalia looked at a middle-aged woman scolding an adventurer who attacked another one. She wore a white coat, which complimented her black braided hair and dark brown eyes. Embroidered wings decorated the chest-part of her coat. She was the head of the adventurer guild for this town.

“Amalia! It’s rare to see you without armour!” Madelyne mustered her.

Amalia wore a white attire, which included a blouse, jacket and wider pants. On her head she wore a peaked cap. It was the captain’s uniform that she had to wear when she was at official events. Still, she carried her whip with herself.

“That is my responsibility when of the noble seven comes. I don’t like the formal attire though. I feel too light. Nonetheless. Is he here already?!”

Madelyne shook her head. “At least not in the guild. But he should be in town by now. The adventurers are ready to go. I’m fed up with them sitting all around here. Alois needs to send them off finally, before my hair turns grey.”

“Preferably, we would call off the spirit harvest altogether. Can’t we?”

“I wish we wouldn’t need them. But humanity is weak. I know you grew up along the noble seven who are all virtues, but they are insanely strong. You can’t compare those ascended ones to us humans.” Madelyne looked at Amalias whip. “Didn't you love your spirits though?”

“I do, I really love them. They are cute and pure. In contrast to us. It’s just the way we get spirits…” She held the whip tightly.

“I understand your feelings, Amalia, I really do. But you have never fought outside there. You have never seen how brutal it can get. You are a young woman, you weren’t there when humanity didn’t have the might of spirits.”

The door opened. A young man came in, tall and broad-shouldered, roughly the same age as Amalia. He was also clothed in an all-white court uniform, with the wing and the number six embroidered on the jacket over his chest. His red short hair poked out beneath his peaked cap, which had a black visor. He wore white gloves with golden seams.

Madelyne and Amalia both saluted to him. The rest of the adventurers also turned silent immediately, “Saint Alois!” they said in unison.

He went over to Amalia, giving her a kiss on her hand. “I yearned to see you again, Amalia.”

She smiled awkwardly.

Alois turned to Madelyne. “Thank you for keeping the guild in good hands in this town, Mrs. Madelyne.” He took off his cap and held it in front of his chest, bowing to her slightly.

“Of course, guild master,” she said. “But it’s time for the parties to leave. They have started fighting each other out of boredom.”

“That’s the spirit we need.” Alois turned to the adventurers. “The time of the year has come again. You are the last of the eighteen towns to be sent out.”

The adventurers growled. A young woman stepped forward, followed by big men. She was the leader of the adventurer party that Aurelis met at the market. “Saint Alois,” she said, bowing to him.

“Minerva.”

“Before we are sent out, I wanted to tell your highness something that might be of interest.”

“Go on,” Alois said.

“There is a demi that actively looks for and attacks adventurers in the empty planes. She exorcizes their spirits. We fell victim to her, too.”

Alois frowned. “She exorcizes spirits, huh. I have never heard of that. Did she inherit one? A sin?”

Minerva shook her head. “Not that I noticed. She also seemed to not use any spirit in her weapons.”

“Then how was she able to win against you? You are one of the strongest adventurers. I bestowed you a devil spirit. Was it one of the clan leaders?”

Minerva gulped and nodded silently. “No, your highness. The demi wielded a katana and had a small horn on her forehead. She was definitely an oni.”

“An oni?” Alois raised his brow.

The adventurers around began whispering again.

Alois sighed. “So, the report about the onis being exterminated was wrong. Do I have to handle everything by myself?” He looked over to Madelyne. “Investigation on who filed the report. And send them to Saint Beredugo’s court.”

She nodded silently.

Alois clapped his hand. “We need more spirits. If there is somebody outside that exorcizes them, then we will need spirits even more. Their numbers are finite. That said. If you make out a demi with one horn, flee on sight and notify the noble seven or Abel. Pass the word to all other adventurers out there. Do not allow that oni to exorcize more spirits.”

He looked around. “With that said. It is time to start the spirit harvest. All parties up to B-rank, go find the hidden spirits. Investigate all dungeons and ruins in your scope. Turn around every rock. And to all parties of rank A and S.” His gaze turned darker. “Ensure that the number of spirits grows. Depart!”

The adventurers saluted to Alois and dispatched. While they have been silent after Alois entered the hall, they were heated up again outside.

Madelyne shook her head. “What a bunch of fools. But they are doing honest and hard work. I will have my leave.” She saluted to Alois and left.

“Should we also take a leave?” Alois asked.

“Of course, your highness,” Amalia said.

They left the building and walked down the street. Alois took off his peaked cap and carried it in his hands behind his back. “Saint Leopold sadly was unable to leave the capital. An urgent matter came up. He asked me to receive your protocols for him. Did anything happen?”

“General Leopold always has to attend urgent matters, it seems. There were no sightings of demons close to the borders. No guards were harmed, no spirits nor weapons lost and only one crime recorded. A burglar.”

“That is a good quota. As there was only that small case, you don’t have to transfer the reports to the capital. Good job over here, Amalia.”

Amalia halted. “May I ask something, your highness?”

“Please drop the formal talk when we are alone. We grew up together. Please go ahead.”

She nodded. “What exactly is the punishment for somebody that enters the empty planes without permission?”

“Luckily that has never happened before. But of course, that person would be sent to Saint Beredugo’s court.”

“And that means what exactly?”

Alois turned to Amalia. “Most likely the end of that person’s life.” He looked her deeply in her eyes. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Amalia bit her tongue and shook her head. “What are those laws for though? What is the worst that could happen?”

“It is to ensure the safety of our kingdom’s citizens.”

“Just like the spirit harvest? I don’t think it is needed anymore.”

“We were lucky enough to grow up with spirits all around us, Amalia. The previous generations didn’t have that luck. The king didn’t like the decision himself. But sometimes there must be a certain sacrifice for the greater good.”