CATPURR 21: I want to be an Adventurer

CATPURR 21: I want to be an Adventurer

Entering through a sidedoor, Adam was brought to a room built with circular walls that housed a massive sand pit in the middle of the room. Inside, he passed a couple of men that had iron badges on their collars. Another question forming in his mind.

His eyes swept the now empty room, taking stock of the weapons on the racks that lined the walls before Sehn pushed him inside.

“Alright kid, first things first, what’s your class?”

Oh crap. Adam froze, unsure of whether or not to lie to the man, or tell him the truth. After all, from his experiences, telling people he was a necromancers usually resulted in torches, screams, and demanding his blood.

“What? If I’m gonna help you survive, it’s best I know what class you have and your starting skills.” Sehn said, dropping his coffin on the floor and kicking it open.

“I’m a rogue.” Adam replied, lying through his teeth.

“What skills do you have?” Sehn asked, taking out a pair of wooden daggers from out of the coffin.

“None. I uh… rolled poorly on my starter skills.” Adam said nervously hoping that Sehn would buy his lie.

The man frowned, looking at Adam before he shook his head. “Yea, well, that’s not too uncommon, sadly.”

Oh good, he bought it. Adam sighed, It was bad enough that he was a demi-human, but adding necromancer? A recipe for bad news. He didn’t know how the man would react.

So he kept the information to himself as he picked up the small bucklar Sehn laid out. With the man eyeing him, he looked back, observing the small emerald badge he had in the inner part of his collar.

“Whats that badge you’re all wearing?” Adam asked, attempting the dreaded small talk to gain information.

“This?” Sehn raised a brow, pointing at the emblem. “It’s our guild rank emblem lad.”

“And you’re emerald?” Adam surmised.

“Yup. B ranked Emerald.” Sehn replied proudly before boasting. “Comes with tons of privileges and perks.”

Adam’s ears twitched at the word perks. After all, if there was something, anything he could use to help himself he would take it.

“Such as?”

‘Ah, how about we focus on training first?”

“Is it possible for me to get a badge?”

Sehn’s face twisted. “Errr lets-”

“If you can earn it, sure.” The Guild Master said, suddenly appearing from a flurry of shadows with a stocky man in a maid outfit. However, upon closer inspection Adam realized it wasn’t a man, but rather a woman, a very vascular, and dark-skinned woman with blonde pigtails who rivaled Arnold in his size. “Thank you Lunafreya.”

“Of course mistress.” The maid posed before disappearing in a flurry of shadows.

“So you’re interested in a guild pin are you?” Valentine said, the woman’s heels clicking on the smooth tile as she walked around the massive sand pit toward the pair.

“Depends on the perks and what the guild can offer me.” Adam replied immediately.

Valentine crossed her arms, putting on a small smirk.

“For a child you’re very articulate.”

Oh crapbaskets! Adam inwardly panicked, realizing he’d been talking to them as if he would any other meatsuit.

“Oh… I’m.. a very quick study.” Adam replied sheepishly, hoping not to trigger the woman to use her truth gaze upon him again.

“Is that so?” The woman said rhetorically, eyeing Adam up and down with her purple irises. “The perks are; discounted room rates as they are available. Contracts, secure spacial storage space, discount item and material processing, and access to our guild’s contact’s list for adventuring needs and gear. All at a guild discount as well.”

Well that would be certainly useful. Especially if I’m being made to stick around for these trial things. Adam thought to himself, rationalizing the benefits.

“So what do I need for a badge?”

At Adam’s words Sehn seemed to find some courage and spoke up, voicing his objection. “He’s just a kid, isn’t there an age limit?!”

“Which is determined by me, the guild master.” Valentine said, folding her arms with a glare at Sehn who backed off before she fixed her gaze back on Adam. “Simple, pass a small five minute combat test and I’ll admit you as a bronze tab adventurer. You’ll get a spacial storage unit here and a room too with the backing of the guild. Of course you’ll have to pay a small guild tax, assuming you survive your contracts."

Pondering it for a moment, it seemed like a no brainer.

"Sounds like a good deal." Adam said, extending his hand to seal the pact as his teacher had taught him to do. "When do we start?"

Valentine blinked, a look of surprise before she lightly smiled and shook his hand, the first time he'd seen an expression from her that wasn't fed up.

"Oh boy." Sehn huffed, a look of concern on his face as Adam turned to him, spotting Ruebella entering from the door they used to enter with a frying pan in her hand.

Sehn shook his head and stepped away, dragging his coffin alongside him with a weak "Good luck." As he abandoned Adam.

"Now." Valentine replied, releasing Adam's hand. "Temperance, engage."

What?

At the Guild Master's words, Ruebella's expression suddenly shifted, her eyes going wide before abruptly darkening into furrowed angry slits.

Oh… crap baskets.

Immediately Adam ducked, reading the woman's arm movement and her hand releasing the frying pan that was aimed at his head.

ARE YOU INSANE! Adam wanted to cry, yet another frying pan forced him to jump, abandoning the position he'd just been to avoid being turned into debri like the pulverized tile floor.

Twisting midair, he landed in the dirt on all fours, ears folded, eyes wide. His heart pounding in his chest as his vision pulsed.

The dust settled, revealing a glaring red-eyed Ruebella. Gone was the shy and nervous girl, instead, what replaced her was a furious woman. A battlemaiden with her arm outstretched and at her sides, a dozen floating frying pans, all aimed at Adam.

Oh... oh crap.