Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider - Chapter 029 - Choices To Make (Patreon)

The woman had motioned to two massive doors that were a good twelve feet tall.  Gold and silver outlined the door in a pattern of trees, birds, and other small animals.  The door appeared to be made from the same wood as the rails.  Kaen could see small runes running the entire door length from the bottom to the top.  He could only imagine what kind of wards and spells might be enchanting it.

Hess gave a slight bow and motioned for Kaen to follow him. They stood outside the door for a few seconds before Hess put both hands on the doors and pushed them open simultaneously.

Even though Kaen knew Hess had used a lot of force, they only opened a few feet each, creating a narrow path for both of them.

Stepping into the room behind the door was like being transported to a library.  The walls were easily fifteen feet tall, and books were lining huge shelves around the room.  A glass dome sat at the top of the room, allowing the morning sun inside.  Light globes hung along the walls giving off just enough light to keep the entire room looking like it was bathed in sunlight.  A massive desk sat at the back of the room where the rounded half-circle section came together, covered in books, papers, and more, but in the middle were two couches.  Green and etched with gold tread.  The one on the left had a woman who appeared to be maybe forty or so, but Kaen knew she was much older than that if she was an elf.

Her beautiful blond hair was tied down her back in a single braid with gems and other adornments in it.  Her outfit was composed of flowing silk-like material that he had seen only a few times in his life.  It seemed to breathe as she breathed.  Her skin was white like snow but in a way that screamed life, not frigid.  Her face, however, screamed cold steel, ready to be plunged into someone.  Her blue eyes gazed at Hess with a look of anger and frustration.  Her elegant fingers tapped together as her hands rested, clasped together on her knees.

“Hess,” the woman spoke with a voice that sounded soothing and terrifying at the same time.  “It has been far too long.  Please sit across from me and have your charge join you.”

Hess sighed and then gave a bow.

“Guild Master Thaola, it has been far too long.  Thank you for personally taking the time to see me and Kaen this morning.”

Hess moved toward the couch and motioned for Kaen to join him.  Kaen gave a slight bow before sitting down next to Hess.

Hess scooted all the way back on the couch and leaned back.  His massive frame allowed him to lean back and still keep his feet on the floor, making him look at ease and relaxed.  Kaen could not reach the floor if he sat all the way back, so he stuck near the edge lest he look like a child with his feet dangling off the ground.

“Hess,” Thaola tsked.

“Thaola,” Hess replied with a smile.

“Are you trying to goad me on the day your charge is supposed to test, or are you still as pleasant as a thorn in one's backside?”

Hess smiled and shrugged.

“I am the same man I have always been, except a little softer now that I have cared for my charge.  Today is not about me or the problems you and I might have.  It is about Kaen Marshell and his testing.  Perhaps we can call a truce for his namesake.”

As if Hess had somehow managed to land a strike on an unguarded foe, the rough exterior of Thaola gave way to a soft smile for the first time since Kaen had entered the room.

“For his namesake, I will forgo our problems and deal with them later,” she replied as she glared at Hess one last time before turning her attention to Kaen and smiling.  “Welcome, Kaen.  I have been waiting for this day.  I must say you look so much like your father it is uncanny."

"Thank you, Guild Master Fiola," Kaen answered with a slight head nod.

Fiola nodded and leaned forward a little.

"Now I have heard of some exploits you have already accomplished.  As rousing as the story I heard you shared with some people at an inn you stayed at, do you have anything to prove what you say is true besides your word and his?"

Kaen almost said something he knew he should not.  This woman was doubting the word of Hess, and it upset him more than he had thought it would.

"I do.  I have a few letters from our town's mayor and most of the ears or heads of the ones we defeated."

"Most?" Fiola inquired as she raised an eyebrow.

"Sometimes heads get destroyed, and I did not know I would need the ears until after we had destroyed the goblins.  Only after we found out the woman was dead Hess informed me we would need the trophies."

Fiola nodded as she tapped her fingers on her knee.  He could see she was considering everything he had said.

"Very well.  Turn the trophies in at the counter.  I will take the letters if you please."

Kaen nodded, reached into his small pouch, and pulled both letters out.  Hess had given them to him earlier this morning as he said Kaen would have to present the letters himself.

He watched as Fiola broke the seals and read each letter twice.  Her fingers followed the lines, and occasionally she would tap a word or two on a page as she glanced back up at Kaen.  He realized she never glanced in Hess's direction.

"So a slayer of three orcs and thirty goblins.  That is an impressive feat for a tokened adventure, to say the least," she declared as she paused momentarily and finally glanced at Hess, who was not moving.  “I am torn with such a feat by one like yourself.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, what do you mean when you say one like yourself?”

Fiola smiled and nodded.

“You know who your father was and what rank he held?”

Kaen nodded slowly as he watched her, wondering what she was getting at.

“The son of an almost mithril adventurer has some mighty large shoes to fill.  Do you not think?”

Kaen frowned and shook his head no.

“I am not here to fill his shoes.  I am here to do what I have dreamed of since I was a child.  To be an adventurer who would help keep this land safe and accomplish something great.  I never thought I would live in my father’s shadow until you said something.”

Hess let a small snort out, and Kaen glanced at him and saw his face was back to a blank look.

Fiola glanced at Kaen and then at Hess.  Her eyes seemed to shimmer with fury.

“Did you coach him to say those things?” Fiola asked as she glared at Hess.

Hess leaned forward, and his face became hard and almost ugly.

“I would not sully his name by doing such a thing. To even ask that proves a point I made almost eight years ago.”

Fiola flinched backward as if Hess had struck her with his hand along her face.  She sat there quietly for a moment and trembled.  Her whole body seemed to shake, but with what, Kaen was not sure.

No one said a word, and Kaen did his best to sit there still like a statue as the two adults stared at each other.

Finally, Fiola moved forward, put her hand to her forehead, and bowed it.

“I must ask forgiveness from both of you.  I was wrong to accuse Hess of coaching you on how to respond, and I was wrong for doubting your sincerity of why you are pursuing this path.  For that, I will make amends in the only way that I can.”

Fiola stood up from the couch, moved over to the desk, and set the papers Kaen had given her down.  She moved a few things, found a small silver box, and opened it, pulling some items from it.  Closing it, she then moved back to the couch and leaned forward as she sat and the edge of it.

“Kaen, based on your achievements before even coming here, I can offer you two choices normally.”
Fiola held up a bronze and iron adventurer token.  Kaen gazed at both of them, doing his best to calm his hands and not shake.

“I can offer you the bronze token right now,” Fiola declared as she held the bronze one closer to him.  “You can leave today with it in hand and start your journey here today as our newest recruit.  No need to take the test.  No need to prove yourself since your deeds have already done that.  Just reach out and take it right now, and we are done here today.”

Fiola held the token just a few feet from Kaen.  He wanted to be an adventurer his whole life, and here it was.  Starting as a bronze was more than he had dreamed of.  Now though, he knew that was not enough.  He wanted more.  He had earned more.  He had trained all those hours and worked so hard, cleaning, hunting, practicing, and even breaking those rocks to be able to be strong enough for this moment.

"What is your second option?" Kaen asked.

Fiola smiled and pulled the bronze token back.  As she did, she extended the iron token toward him.

"You will take the test, and I expect you to pass it easily.  Simply pass, and I will start you as an iron-ranked adventurer.  An impossible task except for the truly mighty and amazing men and women of our guild.  Those who have done this have often gone on to rise to the rank of gold or platinum with ease," she stated as she smiled.  "Pass the test with a perfect, and I will start you halfway to silver.  With a perfect score and the trophies you have brought to prove your feats, I am within my power to start you there.  Your name would be known throughout this land and other lands as one of renown.  Undoubtedly, many would try to woo you to join their team or squads to help take down higher-ranked quests."

Fiola extended the iron token toward Kaen and watched as his eyes grew as wide as a roll he had this morning.

Kaen could feel his mouth going dry and wet all at the same time.  His heart was beating faster, and he was trying to breathe normally and slow it down.  There, right there in front of him, was a token he had not even considered earning for years.  Years!

Hess had said he would be able to get a perfect score.  Why would he not take this?  What else could she offer him that was better?

"What is your third offer?" Kaen asked with a slight tremble in his voice.

Fiola laughed and nodded, and as she pulled her hand back, she extended the other.  Nothing was in it, but a moment later, a silver token on a chain fell a few inches from her fist.

Hess sat up and glanced at Fiola and at Kaen.  He knew that for one to start as silver was all but almost impossible.  A guild master would have to have some very good reasons for such a thing like this to take place.

"This seems too good to be true," Kaen said with a wary look at Fiola and the silver token.

Fiola laughed and nodded her head.

“Oh, Kaen, it is far worse than you can imagine!”