Chương 22: The trip back
PH1RE'S P.O.V
The rest of the ride was spent in relative silence, save for the occasional small talk from Briar. When we finally neared the outskirts of the city, Tristan cleared his throat, breaking the quiet tension.
"Listen," he said, his tone serious, "be careful who you associate with from now on. The Red Ravens are not without their enemies. Keep your guard up."
"Thanks for the advice," I replied, sensing the weight behind his words.
As the carriage slowed to a stop, Briar leaned out, waving us off with a wide grin. "Well, this was fun! If you ever need help, just give us a shout."
"Hopefully, we won't need rescuing again anytime soon," Maya said with a chuckle, waving in return.
Tristan gave us a nod before they both took off, leaving Maya and me standing at the edge of the forest trail leading back to the guild. The rumble of the carriage faded into the distance, and soon it was just the two of us and the sound of the wind rustling through the trees.
"Well, that was... something," I muttered, scratching my head.
"Yeah, no kidding," Maya replied, starting to walk ahead. "What exactly did we get ourselves into?"
As we made our way back to the guild, I couldn't help but reflect on everything we'd learned. The encounter with Edmund, the cryptic warnings from Briar and Tristan, and the bits of history about the Red Ravens all painted a picture, but it was still unclear how it all connected. What really happened to the Red Ravens? And why was everyone so hostile toward them?
"Still, it might explain why they're not exactly overflowing with new recruits," Maya mused, her gaze fixed ahead, deep in thought. "But that shouldn't make people treat us like we're criminals. What happened with the Red Ravens must've been bad, but the reaction we're getting feels... extreme. It's like people think we're guilty by association."
I nodded, sharing the same realization. "Yeah, it's definitely more than just a bad reputation. It's like there's something else fueling it."
"Do you think Ethan knows?" she suddenly asked.
"Probably" I responded after thinking on it for a while.
"Then he could have at least warned us at the very least." she grumbled.
"Also, why would he join if he knew?" she asked.
"How should I know what goes on in that head of his?"
The forest path stretched before us, and the air was thick with the smell of pine and earth. The quietness of our surroundings offered a sharp contrast to the thoughts swirling in our minds.
"Do you think we made the right choice joining the Red Ravens?" Maya asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
I glanced at her, surprised by the question. "What do you mean?"
She shrugged, her expression conflicted. "I mean, I know we didn't exactly have a ton of options, but with all this... tension... maybe it would've been smarter to go with a less controversial guild."
I thought about it for a moment before answering. "Maybe. But I think we're already too deep to back out now. Plus, from what we've seen, the Red Ravens aren't what people say they are. Sure, they've got enemies and a shady past, but the people we've met—Bryn, Gwyn, Ethan—they're not bad. They've got their issues, sure, but who doesn't?"
Maya sighed. "I guess you're right. It's just... this is a lot. And we haven't even officially started yet."
"You also have to wonder, what group of people would take in a bunch of strangers, especially when they know one of them is being chased by the Cephurian military" I added.
We walked in silence for a while, the only sounds coming from the soft crunch of our boots on the forest path. Despite the uncertainty swirling in my mind, there was something comforting about the quiet of the woods. It was peaceful, even if only for a moment.
Eventually, the familiar sight of the Red Ravens' guildhall came into view. The towering stone building stood like a fortress among the trees, its spires reaching toward the sky. The flags bearing the Red Ravens' insignia fluttered in the breeze, and for the first time since joining, I found myself looking at them with a new perspective.
"I don't know if being loyal is enough to repay them, but it's a start" I muttered to myself.
We entered the courtyard, greeted by the usual silence of the guild. Ethan waved to us from across the courtyard, calling out names.
"Back already? How'd it go?" he called out, jogging over to meet us.
"It was... Interesting," Maya said with a tired smile.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Define 'interesting.'"
I exchanged a glance with Maya before answering. "Ran into some... complications at the registration center. But nothing we couldn't handle."
Maya snorted. "Yeah, if by 'handle' you mean getting rescued by a former member of the Red Ravens."
Ethan's eyes widened. "Wait, what? Who?"
"Briar and Tristan," I replied, expecting some recognition in his eyes.
Ethan whistled, clearly impressed. "No kidding. Those two? Haven't seen them in a while. What'd they say?"
Maya filled him in on the details, from the confrontation with Edmund to Tristan's warnings about the Red Ravens' reputation. As she spoke, Ethan's expression grew more serious.
"Yeah, that sounds about right," he said when she finished.
"Didn't you think to tell us?" said Maya.
"No, not really. Didn't seem that important" he answered shrugging, at which we both sighed.
"How much do you know about it anyway?" I asked.
"Not that much, I joined after it happened" he responded.
"Are you serious!?" I remarked.
"Joining a guild with a sparkling reputation isn't really my thing"
The both of us decided to stop asking him questions, and just move on.
"Come on," he said, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "Let's get inside. You can tell us more about your registration over dinner"
When we reached the dining hall, Bryn and Gwyn were already busy with their meals, though they seemed to be making more noise than actually eating.
"Hey, look who finally made it back!" Bryn called out, waving us over with a piece of meat in his hand instead of the cutlery set neatly beside his plate.
"Come sit! We've got plenty to eat," Gwyn added, pulling out two chairs for us with a welcoming smile.
Maya and I exchanged a glance, and for the first time that day, a small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
We sat down, and almost immediately, plates of food were passed our way—roasted meat, thick slices of bread, and fresh vegetables. The smell made my stomach growl in anticipation, a welcome distraction from the events of the day.
"So, how was the big registration day?" Gwyn asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
I hesitated, unsure of how much to say, but Maya, as usual, dove right in.
"It was a mess," she said bluntly, picking at her food.
"Really, how so?" Gwyn asked, her smile faltering slightly.
Now that I thought about it, Gwyn had been really excited when she found out we were new recruits. Maybe she was worried we might reconsider staying after hearing about the guild's reputation. Was that why no one had told us anything?
"We ran into some idiots from the Boar Battalion. One of them tried to break Loid's legs." Maya continued, as if discussing the weather.
The chatter around the table instantly quieted, and all eyes turned toward us.
"Wait, what? Someone tried to break your legs?" Bryn asked, his brow furrowing.
"Yeah, this guy named Edmund. He didn't like that we were Red Ravens," I explained, feeling the weight of their gazes on me.
"Eugh, that guy's got an axe to grind with everyone," Gwyn muttered, clearly trying to lighten the mood with a joke.
Bryn's expression darkened, and for a brief moment, the usually carefree adventurer looked downright dangerous. It was a look that didn't suit him, and frankly, it was unsettling. But as quickly as it appeared, it was replaced by a grin that was somehow even more unnerving.
"Hey, Gwyn, do you happen to know when we're going to renew our adventurer's licenses?" he asked, the smile on his face not quite reaching his eyes.
"Oh! I'm sure it'll come up soon," responded Gwyn, her own smile taking on a dangerous edge.
"Great. Maybe I'll run into Edmund," Bryn said, his tone disturbingly cheerful.
Maya and I exchanged wary glances, "You're... not going to break his legs, are you?" I asked.
Bryn laughed. "Nah, nothing that severe" he said the smile not leaving his face.
"I'm just glad you're both okay" said Gwyn, letting out a sigh in relief.
"Yeah, I mean, we had some help," I added, not wanting to take all the credit for getting out of that mess.
"Oh? Who helped you out?" Gwyn asked, her interest piqued.
"Briar and Tristan," I said, watching her reaction closely.
Both Gwyn and Bryn froze for a moment.
"Briar and Tristan?" Gwyn echoed. "As in... they were at the registration center?"
"Yep," Maya confirmed. "They stepped in when Edmund got a little too axe-happy."
Bryn let out a low whistle. "Didn't think I'd hear those names again."
"Yeah, they seemed like they hadn't been around for a while," I said.
Gwyn nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "They left the guild a while ago, but... well, they were good people. If they helped you, you're lucky."
"Lucky doesn't even begin to describe it," Maya said with a wry smile. "Honestly, if it weren't for them, we'd probably still be scraping ourselves off the floor."
The conversation eventually shifted to lighter topics, with Gwyn and Bryn talking about some of their past quests and adventures, though I couldn't help but notice the subtle glances they kept throwing at each other whenever Briar or Tristan's names came up.
As the evening wore on, the tension eased, and the dining hall returned to its usual lively atmosphere. But beneath the surface, I knew that there were still questions left unanswered—about the Red Ravens, about our future with the guild, and about the people who had decided to stick with it despite everything.
For now, though, I was content to just sit back, enjoy the food, and let the weight of the day's events settle. There would be time for answers later.
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