The Arena's Call

by Tao Wong

  Skill Proficiencies

  Double Strike

  Shield Bash

  Perin’s Blow

  Find Weakness

  Mapping (II)

  Inventory (Adventurer Special)

  Spells

  Minor Healing (II)

  Healer’s Mark (I)

  Gifts

  Martyr’s Touch—The caster may heal oneself or others by touch and concentration, sacrificing a portion of his life to do so. Cost varies depending on the extent of the injuries healed.

  Chapter 2

  As Peel held no appeal for the band of Adventurers, not since clearing its Beginner Dungeon, the trio moved on. By common agreement, they would repeat Asin and Daniel’s initial trip, taking the journey to Silverstone. The large Dungeon City held not one but two Advanced Dungeons – Artos and Porthos. In Silverstone lay numerous Adventuring Guilds, enchanters and blacksmiths. All that a trio of eager young Adventurers could want.

  “This is a very big city,” Omrak said, his eyes slightly glazed as he constantly craned his neck from side to side. Three times the size of Karlak, Silverstone was both a major trading hub and a Dungeon City. Built at the confluence of three main roads and further boosted by the nearby Arq river, the city hosted caravans and merchants from all across the country. Even entering the city had been simple, a matter of flashing their Adventurer cards before being let in.

  By unspoken consensus, Asin and Daniel took turns guiding the young giant by his elbow around the numerous pedestrians. Walking in the city was not for the faint of heart, even if Silverstone had a working sewage system. After all, pedestrian dangers included too-fast-moving wagons, Workers and Labourers carrying tonnes of cargo on their shoulders, and tamed pets of various ilk. In a city whose economy was driven by the presence of a pair of Dungeons, the use and keeping of war dogs, savage lizards, hunger beetles and other, more exotic, pets was not unexpected.

  It was something that Daniel and Asin had only vaguely noticed on their first visit. Now, old hands at the city, they had begun to realise that there was still much that neither had really paid attention to. Up close, the gleaming, clean white image of the city gave way - the white, insulating clay grimy with dirt at shoulder level. Constant application and cleaning spells did little to stop the constant wear of tens of thousands of civilians pressed together, living their lives.

  As they walked through the city, Asin was rubbing her nose, distracted by the stench and constant noise. Her expanded senses were under assault once again after the relative silence of the wilderness, forcing the Catkin to readjust. It thus lay to Daniel to take the lead as he guided the group to the inn that they had once stayed. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that residence at the inn, or any other inn, was going to be difficult to achieve.

  Time after time, they were ejected from an inn before they could speak, their backpacks and travel-worn appearance a clear indicator of their needs. Finally exasperated and finding a particularly sympathetic older Innkeeper, Daniel leaned over the bar and asked, plaintively, “What tournament?”

  “Oh, you poor boy. You didn’t know of it?” Erin the Innkeeper tutted. “A month ago, the Adventurer’s Guild announced that there would be a tournament held three weeks from now. Artos is scheduled to reopen in three months.”

  “I have not heard of this Artos,” Omrak rumbled softly.

  “Well, you’re pretty young, so that’s no wonder,” Erin said. “It was all the rage thirty years ago. And fifty before that. And fifty before. It opens every fifty years you know?”

  “But…?” Daniel said with a frown, brows drawn down as he did the math.

  “Oh yes, it’s a big mystery why the Dungeon’s opening now. But all the Mages say it’s for sure opening, so we’re holding the tournament early. All the Advanced Adventurers were informed!” Erin chirped.

  “Not fair,” Asin said with a growl, whiskers turning. “Experienced.”

  “Oh pish-posh. Of course, it’s fair,” Erin said. “There are three tiers of experience, and everyone gets allocated according to each tier. The Guild has even announced that there will be a total of seven spots this year. That’s two spots for Advanced Adventurers just starting out. Like, well, you.”

  The group quickly traded glances, their interest peaked. This was good news for them. Obviously, if so much fuss was being made about such a location, the rewards had to be good as well. Even if the tournament had created a temporary housing problem as Adventurers from around the country streamed in along with the Merchants, Alchemists, Trainers and other supporting Classes looking to take advantage of the event.

  “Are you sure you have no place for us?” Daniel said, doing his best puppy dog impression. Asin let out a low snort, but Erin, falling for the little boy lost charm that Daniel had on older women melted slightly.

  “Well, I do have an attic…” Erin hedged.

  “We’ll take it.”

  “It’s a bit drafty, and it hasn’t been cleaned…”

  “We’ll take it.”

  “And I don’t have bedding…”

  “WE’LL TAKE IT!” Omrak roared, his voice accidentally raised too loud. Instead of looking put off, Erin just smiled enthusiastically at the giant blond man.

  “Okay, you’ll take it. Rent will be one silver a day for each of you,” Erin said with a smile as she turned away to get the attic key. “Paid in advance.”

  The team hissed in unison, the high rates taking their breath way for a second. Most labourers only earned a single silver for their work in a day. But then again, it made sense. The city was packed to the brim, was larger than Karlak, and had two Advanced Dungeons in it. Of course, it was going to be more expensive.

  “You coming?” the matronly Innkeeper called out, hand on the stairway bannister as the three Adventurers slowly came to their senses. With a quick shake of their heads, the trio grabbed their bags and followed her up. While the trio had access to the Adventurer’s Class Skill ‘Inventory’, it was still severely limited and could not store all their belongings. At least, not at the level that they had right now.

  Hours later, they stood in the newly cleaned attic, their sleeping bags laid out on fresh straw, a small pile of the inn’s belongings in one corner and a larger pile of junk near the trapdoor. Asin was in the corner with a newly brought up pot of water, a brush and towel, fastidiously cleaning her fur. Omrak was by the trapdoor, his arms held out for Daniel to pass the next piece of junk for the giant to carry away.

  “I shall be back!” Omrak grunted as he lifted the broken and half-rotten chest in both hands.

  “I’ll be here. And ask Erin about dinner!” Daniel called. This had not been how Daniel had envisioned his first day back in Silverstone. But as he turned and surveyed the now clean abode, he could not but consider it decently spent. At least, unlike so many others, they had a place to rest.

  And tomorrow, they had a Dungeon to clear!

  “What do you mean we aren’t allowed into the Dungeon?” Daniel said, almost choking on his words.

  “Your Guild identification is invalid for Silverstone,” the guard at the Dungeon entrance said, his voice filled with boredom.

  “But I got it updated in Karlak!” Daniel protested. “And I entered this Dungeon before!”

  “You might have been brought in by a registered member, but you, yourself are not qualified. You’ll need to visit the Adventurers Guild and receive your grading. This is Silverstone,” the guard stressed the last word, almost as if the very name could underline the difference between their grand city and a small Beginner Dungeon town like Karlak.

  Daniel sighed, finally giving up on convincing the guard to let them in. Muttering under his breath, Daniel led his friends to the Guild Hall. It seemed that being an Advanced Adventurer had significantly more rules than he had expected. On further thought, Daniel nodded his head in agreement. Since the gap between Advanced and Master Classes were so high, it made sense that the Guild would want to categorise Adventurers more. It e
ven made sense why Beginner Adventurers were generally not included in this – many Beginner Adventurers never progressed beyond that rank. Many never even progressed past the first few floors of a Beginner Dungeon as they found the danger and violence of the lifestyle too great for their constitution. Better to focus development on those that truly desired to grow.

  Having been to the Silverstone Guild Hall many times before, neither Asin nor Daniel was at all shocked by the sight that greeted them. However, for Omrak who was still struggling with the grandness of the city, the lavish and magnificent Hall was a revelation. While intellectually the Northerner had known that being an Adventurer was a profitable business, it was for the first time that he understood concretely both the reach and wealth the Guild could command.

  Silverstone’s Guild Hall was a three-story building that took up two normal building lots with two separate, massive entrances and a gated yard for training laid out behind the hall itself. Considering the hall was built in the middle of the city, even the unpolished Northerner understood that such use of land was expensive. The building itself was set above ground-level, with wide, bannister-less staircases leading to the two entrances. The building itself, like many others, was clad in the same white clay, insulating those within. Unlike other buildings, however, enchantment runes gleamed in regular intervals across the building, ensuring that the clay and the building itself were both protected and clean. It made the entire Guild stick out even further in this crowded city. Early in the morning as it was, Adventurers streamed out of the entrances at a rapid pace, many fully armed and armored while enterprising merchants hawked their wares and services.

  “Come on,” Daniel urged Omrak, breaking the blond from his trance. Omrak nodded firmly, quickly following the pair.

  “Why are there two entrances?” Omrak asked. The perceptive Northerner had already noted that one entrance was less popular. Many of the Adventurers passing through those doors were both less expensively clad and less well equipped, often wearing lighter armor than the Adventurers who passed through the more popular entrance.

  “Quests and Dungeons. We’re headed for the Dungeon entrance,” Daniel explained to his friend.

  “Ah! I recall Hero Asin and Hero Daniel speaking of their outstanding deeds in Silverstone!” Omrak said, crowing.

  “Yeah, outstanding,” Daniel said, his face going carefully blank as he recalled one particularly memorable incident with an Alchemist. Never again would they be guinea pigs.

  Inside the Guild Hall, a long snaking line lead to a familiar scene. No matter the size and location, Adventurer Guilds always seemed to look and feel the same. A single line that led to tables or counters where harried Guild Clerks awaited the Adventurers, taking loot and Mana Stones. Overseeing the Clerks were the Administrators, on-hand to deal with potential problems, assess rarer loot pieces and confirm assessments of Mana Stone prices when challenged. Hanging above, a large sign indicated the current purchase price for the most common loot items and Mana Stones.

  Standing in line, the trio looked around curiously in an attempt to soak in new knowledge. There were a significant number of things to review and learn for the newcomers. The type of weapons commonly wielded both indicated the kind of dungeon environments and monsters they might meet as well as trainer specializations in the city itself.

  The sword was, as always, a popular weapon, though Daniel noted a higher than normal number of individuals wielding maces and hammers. There were even a few Adventurers who carried such blunt weapons as secondaries. That likely meant either a preponderance of skeletons or heavily armored monsters. Unlike Karlak, shorter pikes, quarterstaffs and spears were carried by some groups, an indicator that tight and often cramped quarters were unlikely – at least in one dungeon. Lastly, all groups had at least one, if not more, ranged weaponry. From Asin and Daniel’s experience, this was likely to deal with the flying Imps and other, long-ranged and flying monsters.

  Armor too told its own story. Not a single Adventurer in sight was bereft of a type of armor, whether it be lighter and more mobile untreated leather or chainmail or bulkier and heavier defensive equipment like Daniel’s plate armor. Daniel absently did note that even here, his full set of iron plate was rare, most Adventurers both preferring either lighter fare or had progressed to full steel plate. Still, the overwhelming presence of such pieces of armor showcased the greater danger these Dungeons held.

  Asin, on the other hand, was the first to note the prevalence of enchanted equipment. Unlike Beginner Dungeons where most Adventurers had at most one piece of enchanted equipment, the Adventurers in this building often sported multiple pieces of equipment. The most common sight was an accessory of some sort, protective gear and an enchanted weapon. Omrak, with no such equipment, was an unusual sight, one whose presence highlighted their newness.

  Team mixes were less useful as an indicator. After all, teams might have injured, sick or otherwise indisposed members who were not present at the Guild Hall. Few teams had the luxury of a Healer on hand and as such, must either soldier on through pain and injuries, use precious and expensive healing potions or make do without that member. In addition, not every team member was required for the sale of Mana Stones and loot. With most Adventurers having a keen idea of the value of the goods they had collected – and the in-built trust that guarding each others’ backs engendered – the distribution of earnings later on in a more comfortable environment was common.

  As such, it was of no surprise to Daniel to see what looked to be teams of two, three or seven standing in-line or outside it. Still, a few things could be gathered. The makeup of Adventurers in Silverstone was more varied than Karlak. Ranged weapons, polearms and sword wielders were common, but so were lighter clad Adventurers, many who seemed significantly less muscular than their compatriots. These were fast moving fighters like Asin or potentially spellcasters or their ilk - individuals who harnessed the power of Erlis directly. Still, like most things involving magic, they were rare. Even in the cavernous hall that was the Guild, Daniel could only easily spot maybe a dozen such individuals.

  Loot that these Adventurers carried told their own story. While Mana stones continued to the majority earnings for most Adventurers in the Dungeon, loot drops could appear. Sometimes, those loot drops were of no use – Kobold Shivs from Karlak came to mind – but like the pack rats that they were, Adventurers would often bring up anything they deemed even mildly profitable. And so, before their eyes, they saw rolls of carpet, obsidian pincers, gooey eggs sacs and even a live fish deposited on the loot tables. The Clerks, used to such scenes, never even batted an eye, only on a few occasions calling for help in valuation.

  The last thing the trio noticed was the preponderance of guild badges. Some were badges that Asin and Daniel had a little experience with – the wreath of red roses for the Red Roses, a simple Green Robin on a background of blue, the Burning Fields ornate badges – but there were more, many more. The badges were all simple, easy to note and process. A skull with a sword and mace crossed over it, a single pair of cat eyes, purple flames on a field of black, seven simple stones. There were so many that it was more of a surprise to see an Adventurer without a guild badge than the other way around.

  “Next!” The Clerk’s voice broke Daniel’s observations. Together, the three Adventurers hurried forward to the waiting bureaucrat.

  “Yes?” the Clerk said impatiently.

  “We’re new Advanced Adventurers. Just cleared Peel and Karlak. We need to be registered?”

  “Registered and tested,” the Clerk said. “Hand on the ball. One gold piece registration fee. You’ll be given your testing chit once paid. Go out the backdoors to the training field and give it to Seth.”

  Reluctantly handing over the gold piece, Daniel watched as the crystal ball glowed, registering his new home Adventuring Guild in Silverstone.

  “Who’s Seth?”

  “The man behind the table,” the Clerk snorted, sliding the gold coin away and handing over
a simple wooden board marked with a pair of scales on it. “Next!”

  Daniel paused, uncertain for a moment, but he stepped aside as the Clerk shot him an impatient look. Asin quickly stepped forward, whispering the word ‘Same’ and proceeded to receive the same spiel. Rather than crowd the table, Daniel walked to the back door to wait for his friends.

  “Newbie Adventurers eh? We can do this two ways,” Seth said when the trio offered him their chits. It was obvious, now that they were here, why the Clerk felt explaining who Seth was did not require any additional words. He was the only Clerk in the back and, being a Turtlekin, extremely obvious.

  “Two ways?” Omrak asked. “I seek not to receive false accolades.”

  “Northerner, aren’t you?” Seth said with a roll of giant eyes. “No false accolades given here. We’re the Silverstone Adventurers Guild. No, the first way is easy. I mark you guys as Red Advanced Adventurers, and you can start delving immediately.”

  “Red?” Daniel asks, Asin quietly nodding behind.

  “Red is the lowest form. We use a colour system to stratify Adventurers. Goes red, orange, yellow, green, blue and white. You can advance in your colour standing in one of two ways. Either breach the necessary level in the Dungeon – the Dungeon level standards are posted in the foyer of each Dungeon respectively – or you come back here to test. Which is option two,” Seth says.

  “Test?” Omrak asked, tilting his head towards the training fields. Already, his eyes sparkled at the thought of testing himself.

  “Test,” Seth said. “That’s what the gold piece is for. But to run the test properly, we got to push you, so you can get injured. Fair warning.”

  “That is of little concern,” Omrak said, one hand over his head as he stretched out his arm muscles. “Hero Daniel is a mighty healer.”

  “Healer eh?” Seth said, swivelling his long neck to stare at Daniel with sudden interest. “Well, that changes matters. Depending on your Spells, we could upgrade you to Yellow rank immediately!”