Chapter 14: "Is Iskatl just a nerd?" ~You, the Reader

Iskatl and Amani had made it back to the city and the Guildhall within. Iskatl's furs were damaged beyond repair, yet thankfully they still covered his most inappropriate areas. The quest granted them a Treasury Token and validated the one they already had. Surely he could get some new clothes. Hopefully.

A deep exhale as they entered the Guildhall before people began staring at his near-nude form. Trying his best to avert their gazes as he covered his body in harmless flame, which covered his form. A soft sigh as he quickly handed the Guild request to Amani, who put it on the counter in front of the green-haired girl. She'd nod and look to the pair.

"Judging by the state of your clothes, I'd assume the dragon is gone?"

Iskatl nodded before he started, "Yeah... Kinda burnt my clothes. I was hoping to get something more resistant using my Treasury Tokens."

"Of course. Follow me, you two. I'll lead you both to the Treasury."

"Thank you, ma'am." Amani smiled softly before the Guild attendant led the two to a back room. Iskatl did his best to sneak about, trying to go unnoticed, but his fire only drew more attention to him. Cheeks flushed red, and Amani couldn't help but create a curtain of light to block the sight of their exit.

Finally, they were brought into a back room, where the woman greeted them with a chest. Then, she'd hold out a key and put it into the chest, and the room shifted, transitioning into a black room with nothing in it.

"I want you both to close your eyes and think with all your might about what it is you want, and how many tokens you're willing to part with, and the Treasury will grant you an item most fitting."

Closing their eyes, the pair both thought of what they desired: Iskatl wanted clothes to replace the ones he had lost, and Amani thought of a way to ward off the sun's rays. They both cared not for the cost, but only for what they could get.

"Okay, now focus more. More specific."

Iskatl wanted clothing more modest and easier to blend in with the darkness. Amani wanted something pretty that stood out.

"Open your eyes."

The two opened their eyes, and within Amani's hands was a tiara, which caused her to squeal like a little girl, to an almost ear-piercing extent. Iskatl sighed before looking down at what he got: black robes with no specific details, which made him feel a certain emptiness.

"Iskatl, you seem to have a lot of mana, which I don't think you'd mind parting with. These robes are known as Galahad's drapes. They drain a portion of one's mana to create a sort of barrier of mana around them, and this barrier can also suppress one's mana with a little extra spending, of course. Amani. This tiara doesn't ward off the sun exactly, but it can convert some sunlight into moonlight, which helps with your affliction as a Lunar Elf but doesn't remedy it entirely."

The pair nodded before Iskatl looked around and then asked, "What manner of spell is this?"

"Hmmm? Curious about the Treasury? Consider it mine and Lady Izalith's love child. A spell we both designed together and weaved into the chest from before. It creates magic items from nothing. It's part of why the Adventurer's Guild is so successful. The only limit to your rewards can be your imagination!"

She seemed very proud of herself, a smug smile plastered across her face as she looked to the pair.

"Well? I assume you guys want to test out your new gear. Wanna slay another dragon, then?"

"Of course, ma'am." The pair said simultaneously before looking at one another.

"Now, I'll warn you both. All of these dragons' identities are unknown. Just that a dragon was sighted is all we know. So, hopefully you don't run into anything like the Emerald Tyrant."

"Heh? Emerald Tyrant?" Amani tilted her head.

"A dragon with scales of emerald. Probably the most powerful one I've encountered from back in my glory days. It's a hulking monster that's slain hundreds of adventurers."

"Hell no." Iskatl thought aloud.

The Guild Attendant laughed loudly before patting Iskatl's cheek. "Cute..."

Amani shot her a glare before she pulled away.

"Well? Go get your quest and bring it to me. I'll be at the counter."

Iskatl pulls on the robes, and Amani puts her cute little tiara on, beaming with joy. Like a little princess.

They'd look around at the Guild hall, and Iskatl's ears perked up at a conversation he overheard. An older woman wearing a pointy hat with long, purple locks. A witch from a fairytale, by all means. He just heard the words, "Gods of Knowledge," and immediately bounded over and sat down.

"Pardon. Gods of Knowledge?"

"Hmm? Oh, hello. You're the boy that was naked earlier, hmm?" A bit of a tease in her tone, Amani scoffed and went over to the quest board.

Iskatl's cheeks went red before he sighed and nodded. "Yes. Tell me about the Gods of Knowledge. Whatever you know!"

"Hmmm? Fine... I couldn't say no to a cute face like that. Well, first things first, there are twenty-four of them. Formerly mortals, and primarily humans. The Knowledge Gods hold dominion over one aspect of knowledge. To name a few, there's the newly appointed Goddess of Magic, Belial. They all take on new names when they ascend to Divinity, so I don't know her name. Then there's Vaaz, the Knowledge Keeper. He's essentially the main one. Honestly... The others aren't too spectacular."

"Mmmn... Is there any way to meet one?"

"Pursue knowledge, I guess? Listen, cutie. Don't ask me. I just know about Belial. She's someone I wish I could be like. A witch of such immense potential, she ascended to godhood. So amazing! So cute... I love her so much!"

"Right... Anything else you can tell me?"

"Nope!"

Iskatl blinked twice, almost unamused, and felt his collar gripped from behind before he felt himself dragged away.

"Noooo..."

"We have a quest to do. Dragon deep in the forest near your home. It's more important than whatever this is."

She already had the stamp and was dragging him out of the Hall, clearly annoyed.