The Dungeon's Worst Little Mistake

Introductions are done in a dusty old corner of the church turned office for those fighting back. With nothing but curtains for privacy, anyone curious enough to listen in is basically free to do so, and Catherine can already see some bored kids milling about the area like a little pack of gangsters pretending to be innocent. They've probably all dreamed of becoming adventurers or knights in the future. When she gives them a look, they all sheepishly look away like the walls had suddenly become interesting. Nope, no eavesdropping going on here. One even starts to poorly whistle, like that isn't suspicious or anything.

At least even in situations like this, kids can still find ways to have fun.

I hope they survive…

The thought instantly pains Catherine, knowing that that probably isn't going to be the case. Faces of other dead children suddenly overlap their own in her eyes, her blood going cold as a breath catches in her chest. It takes everything she has not to visibly flinch, the vision fading away like a bad dream as she blinks. Quickly burying the painful thoughts away in a corner of her mind, Catherine slaps a smile on her face for the children, making one of the older boys blush in a panic and become sheepish.

I hope this doesn't take long, I want to get out of here and start doing something. Catherine thinks as she keeps smiling and gives the children a wave before moving into the makeshift office.

Old desks are tightly packed together like sardines in can, every inch of space being utilized to the fullest and almost every inch of it be stacked tall with papers and supplies. Manning the desks are several of the guild receptionists that Catherine recognizes alongside government employees and several volunteers. Some of the faces she looks for, she can't find. Not everyone had made it out of the adventurers guild when the city's center was lost. Despite knowing that she won't be able to find her, Catherine can't help but to look around for the receptionist that she had promised to help. Just another person she had failed. Another soul lost because she wasn't good enough…

Catherine needs to get out of this church. The longer the she stays here, the more painful it becomes. Thankfully, she can already see who it she is meeting, a group of tired looking men wait by the wall, standing in full gear as they try to stay out the way of people going about their business. They perk up as they see Catherine's group approaching, it being virtually impossible to not notice the pair of giant Paladins walking towards them in gleaming armor. How it is the two of them are able to move around without bumping into anything in this crowded space in all that armor is a mystery to Catherine.

Guild Master Alaxander steps forward first and gestures to the men, starting from the left.

"These are the volunteers chosen for the mission. From the Silest Knights Order, we have Sir Orwel Gwin, specializing in defensive combat and is a talented Earth Mage as well. Beside him we have Brandon Miller, an Earth Mage from the local masons guild. While he lacks in combat experience, his skill in shaping earth will be valuable for this mission. Next, from our own adventurers guild, is Hank and Falor, a swordsman and a brawler, both highly experienced in close quarters fighting and durable to boot." He says as he points to each and the men each bow or nod their heads in turn.

Catherine looks them all over, and isn't left wanting. Even with all of them looking just as haggard and tired as anyone else, it doesn't take a trained eye to tell that they are all talented at what they do. The Knight stands tall in full plate armor, though not as tall or as heavily armored as the Paladins, but is still looking thick enough to be mistaken for a steel wall; especially with the slab of a shield he is carrying around on his back. The adventurers for their part definitely feel the part. Armor and weapons that have clearly seen years of combat, and plenty of scars that can back the stories up. Hank is dressed in thick leather and metal armor, with furs from some kind of large, black wolf draped across his shoulders like a cape, a pair of swords hang from his belt, one larger than the other and both looking like they are crafted from monster parts rather than something as mundane as steel.

Besides Hank is Falor, and Catherine is really wishing that he would a shirt on. Aside from some leather pants, boots, and a pair of meaty looking steel gauntlets, the man is leaving everything of his muscular body on full and proud display. Arms like tree trunks, pectorals like hills made of solid stone, and abs so defined that you could probably shred cheese on them. Catherine is admittedly having a hard time looking away, even despite her current depression.

S-So indecent… Oh, six pack~ NO, bad Catherine! What would mother think?

… Actually, mother would probably be enjoying this. Still!

Catherine had heard of this class of fighter before. Brawlers, berserkers, monks, they have many names for themselves, but at the end of the day they are fighters who believe that their bare bodies can beat steel and monster claws both. And from Catherine is seeing, she is having a hard time doubting them.

It takes all her will to finally rip her eyes off the man, and it most certainly isn't because he noticed her staring for too long and gave her a smile, nope.

Trying to hide her blush, Catherine's eyes go back the man that she had skipped over. It was hard not to, as he is rather scrawny when compared to others. Brandon Miller, probably the third son of some lesser noble considering that he is working for the masons guild instead of being elsewhere, is a rather plain looking gentleman wearing your typical brown robe and holding your typical staff like you'd see with any other run of the mill mage. If Catherine had walked past him on the street, she would have never even noticed. He is simply that ordinary looking. But it is what is inside that draws Catherine's attention.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Like with Sir Orwel Gwin standing beside him, Brandon Miller is an Earth Mage. But the difference between the two might as well be night and day. While Sir Gwin's core is radiating with the power and certainty of a large boulder blocking your path, an obstacle that must be overcome in order to pass, Brandon Miller is a finely crafted wall of stone and mortar, much like the very walls surrounding the city now.

A notable quality about mages, is that as they grow stronger and further define themselves as mages, the Aura that surrounds them takes on qualities of their personality and skill. A double edged sword for some, as it makes it quite hard for some mages to hide their character. For some, their Aura can grow and develop to the point of even having a sort of taste to it, or even a smell, slightly warping reality just by being in their presence.

A powerful Water Mage for instance could have an Aura like the sea. In their presence, you could feel waves pushing against your body, and even taste and smell the saltwater in the air despite being nowhere near the ocean.

That is what Catherine is feeling as she looks at this unassuming man. A wall. Stone perfectly cut from the earth and layered one over the other with expertly smoothed out grout in-between. Catherine can practically feel as her fingers sliding over the stone and finds no purchase. It can't be climbed, and breaking through will take nothing less than the power of a siege engine. And even if it is broken, it is just a wall. It can always be repaired.

Catherine has no idea what sort of life he must have lived to obtain such an Aura, and as a fellow mage, she can't help but feel disheartened that hers hasn't taken own qualities of its own. Though, with resent events, she worries about how her Aura may turn out if she survives and ever manages to reach that point.

Still, he is reassuring to be around, and even now, under his Aura, Catherine is already feeling much safer than ever before.

Once the Guild Master is done introducing them, he turns to Catherine and her group and does the same.

"This is Miss Catherine Raingarden and her bodyguard Zenith. Miss Raingarden is a talented young Water Mage with a skill for healing and will be the one responsible for getting the water treatment facility back up and running. You will protect her with your lives or this will have all been pointless. As for Zenith, she is a retired adventurer and used to go by the title of the Assassin. Some of you may recognize her?"

Catherine can see Hank smile and give Zenith a wink, though he doesn't comment. If Zenith has anything to say or if she recognizes him, she doesn't say and chooses to keep it to herself.

Alexander continues, now gesturing to the Paladins standing behind them like a pair of golden mountains.

"And joining you all as a final addition, is Sir Arthor, apprentice to Sir August and a holy Paladine of the Goddess. May her light aid us in these dire times."

Arthor steps forward and gives a short bow with his right hand over his heart, "It is a pleasure to be working with such capable individuals. I am sure that this mission will be a successful one and the Goddess shall guide us to victory."

Even lowering his head, Arthor still towers over the other men making them take a half step back. With an awkward smile, Hank looks up and responds. "They really do make you fellas big, don't they? First time I'm seeing one of up close like this. Is it true that Paladins undergo a special surgery to get this big, or do you just have Giant's blood in ya?"

"Hank!" Alaxander reprimands, sweating as he fears angering the church's guardians, but Arthor just smiles and waves him down.

"No, it's quite alright. There is no offence taken. While I can't go into the details of how we became like this, as it is highly secret, I can proudly confirm that I do not have any Giant's blood in my veins. I am one hundred percent human, just as the Goddess intended." He says as he lovingly caresses the holy symbol adorning his chest, a warm smile filling his youthful face.

Alexander bows thankful to the young man and then sends a quick glare to Hank, the message to keep his mouth shut being clear. With a quick cough to clear his throat and get himself back on track, Alexander picks up where he left off.

"Now then, with introductions out of the way, on to the mission. As I had said previously, your mission is to escort miss Raingarden here safely to the water treatment facility so that she may restore operations and bring clean drinking water back to the city. Easy enough. Though, of course there has to be complications."

The adventurers in the party grunt, not surprised in the slightest. Of course nothing ever goes as planned.

"As you know, the facility is located past the slums, near the water's edge on the south-western edge of the city. Our scouts have reported in the past couple of days that unrest has been growing in the remaining populace there, and that disease has been spreading at accelerated rates. Concerningly faster than the rest of the city by far. Unfortunately we have reason to believe that a breach may have occurred somewhere in the sewer system, allowing sickness to leak out of containment from the center of the city into the slums. This is, if it turns out to be true, potentially a dire situation and must be rectified before anything else. With the underground compromised, there is potential for the Undead and the mushrooms to spread into the rest of the city and if that happens, restoring the water will be the least of our worries."

Sir Orwel Gwin nods, "Thus the reason for including myself and Mr. Miller here."

"Exactly. Along the way to the water treatment facility, you are to enter the sewers and find the breach, if any, and seal them shut. I don't want even so much as a rat being able to make their way through. Further, in the slums themselves, I'm sure I don't have to worn you all, but you must watch out for the people living there. They are scared, and they are desperate. You can't predict what they may try, and desperate people will do stupid things."

Beside Frank, Falor raises his hand a little to get Alexander's attention. "If it comes down to it and a fight breaks out, how do we respond?"

Alexander frowns and a beat passes before he responds. "Any means. If you must, lethal force is permitted. Completing the mission takes priority above all else, and anyone who gets in the way may be removed as you see necessary."

The men all nod seriously and suddenly Catherine finds her mace to be hanging from her belt with a little more weight.