A Cracked Star

[Stella]

 

“I see. So you’re wanting to become an adventurer?” Palra says, setting the letter down onto the table. I nod in agreement to her question. I’ve always wanted to become one, even outside the fact that it’s probably one of the best ways to get back home. 

 

Seeing my response, Palra stares at me more seriously than before. The air in the room starts to turn cold as we sit there for a bit. “Tell me why you’re wanting to become an adventurer, this occupation isn’t safe. The chance you get injured is very high, even easier for you to lose your life in this field.”

 

“I understand that, I really do. My father is an adventurer himself, sometimes he has come back injured from his quests. I know it’s a possibility for me as well.” I replied, taking a deep breath.

 

“So then why-” Palra starts.

 

“Even then, it’s my best shot at getting back home. Adventurers normally have easier times getting through borders when traveling.” I said.

 

“Please, I’m trying to make you understand that being an adventurer is not worth it.” Palra says, almost pleading with me not to become one.

 

“I’m sorry, but I have to.” I said.

 

Palra almost looks sad for a moment before getting up to head towards the other door. Knocking on it a few times before taking her seat again. Shortly after, another receptionist walks through the door. 

 

“Yes?” The receptionist asks. 

 

“I need you to get me the paperwork for a first time adventurer. Once I’m done I need you to assign a room for miss . . . “ Palra stops to look at me. 

 

“Stella Vanir.” I said.

 

“For Miss Vanir, also if you can, look to see if we have anyone from her family that is associated with the guild. If that’s fine with you.” Palra states. 

 

“It is, if possible, I would like to send a message to my family if you can send it to them.” I say.

 

“If you have family in the guild’s system then we can.” Palra says as she waits for the receptionist to bring back the paperwork.

 

“Can I ask you something about the skill I have related to Dryads?” I ask, breaking Palra from her thoughts.

 

“Hmm? Oh, go ahead.” She replied, her face carrying a smile now.

 

“How exactly does it progress? Do I have to increase my familiarity with nature? About the different types of plants, and how to use them?” I asked.

 

“What did you call it, ‘Dryad’s Knowledge’?” She said.

 

“Yes.” I replied.

 

“You’re on the right path, but it’s not just how to use them, and it’s not just plants either. You forgot about the small critters and beasts that live within nature. The skill also pertains to the circumstances they live in, if it’s a desert, rainforest, mountains, that sort of thing. When they bloom, how they interact with their surroundings. The relationship they have with other plants and animals.” Palra said as the other receptionist came back with a stack of papers and a key. “Thank you.”

 

“That's a lot more to it than I believed. Now I see why I’ve never managed to level it yet.” I said to myself. 

 

“I believe you would also have a more friendly relationship with spirits that reside within forests right?” Palra said.

 

“Yes actually, I’ve only ever experienced it a few times but I’ve gotten their help sometimes when I was looking for plants. Though I believe they only help when I know specifically what I need and if I know how to use it.” I replied as I thought back to the few occasions I’ve received their help.

 

“Sounds about right, they’re sweet things, those spirits.” Palra said. “Now, let's get back to business shall we?”

 

~~~~~

 

“And that’s about it.” Palra says as she gathers all the paperwork. “I’ll get that put into the system later, and for your message to your father, I’ll get it transcribed and sent along, also don’t worry about the cost for the message.”

 

By the end of it all, I find myself mentally exhausted. I didn’t think it would take over an hour to get through all the paperwork, did Dad have to go through with all this too?

 

“How long do you think it will take for him to get the message and to send one here?” I asked.

 

“Well the process to send messages is fairly quick. They take anywhere from a few hours to a couple days depending on the distance. Seeing how your father is affiliated with the guild branch in Wolfendorf, it will take a few days. As for a response, well that depends on when your father sees it.” Palra said.

 

“A few days? What type of carrier system do you have?” I asked.

 

“It’s not a carrier system, it's a magic system that our mages in the guild have figured out and created. I can’t say much about it until you’re an actual member and of a high rank. But we’ve managed to convert messages into mana and send them between guild branches.” Palra said.

 

“Sounds like a glorified email system.” I hear Dawn say, slightly surprising me. They left halfway through the paperwork since Arya was forcing Dawn to take a nap, guess it didn’t last long.

 

“Once a message has been received, I will send someone to notify you if you’re in town. The test will be two days from now so make sure to get the supplies given to test takers. And one more thing, please, be safe.” Palra said, before leaving the room.

 

“Did she say what type of test it was?” Arya asked me. 

 

“No, only that it takes a few days to complete and that it’s different for each person taking the test.” I said.

 

“Does this mean we have time to explore the place now?” Dawn asked, almost as if she had stars in her eyes. 

 

“We can, but let's make it short for today. I'm mentally exhausted from asking so many questions. Actually, one of you take over please. I’ll just hang around and interact with you. Been a while since we’ve all been out of our soul domain.” I said.

 

We make our way out of the room eventually as I feel and see multiple people staring at us. Guess it’s not often someone is grabbed by a receptionist and taken to a room away from prying eyes.

 

Dawn looks around for a bit to find the stairs as I look at the adventurers that walk around the guild hall. Some can be seen cleaning their weapons and maintaining them, others seem to be coming in with drinks for their friends and party members. 

 

The overall atmosphere is open and cozy, like the people are trying to relieve stress from their quests. I hear a couple people call out from behind me but Dawn, Arya and I ignore them as we continue making our way for the stairs to go to the park on the roof. Dawn looks to be very excited as she looks around at the new sights. 

 

“Yeah I know magic.” I hear someone yell out. We look over and see an extremely built dwarf with no shirt flexing his arms as he looks from bicep, kissing it, before going to the other. 

 

“Thunder! And lightning! Hahaha!” He yells out before laughing loudly with the group of people around him. 

 

I notice Dawn laughing a little before stopping in her tracks. Wondering why until I feel an intense anger growing inside me. Looking down I see someone grabbing our tail forcefully. Looking at the person currently holding onto our tail, I recognize him as the guy who was originally talking to Palra at the receptionist counter. 

 

“Remove your hand.” Dawn slowly says as her mana flares up with her killing intent, making the guy clench harder as he flinched from the pressure. “Before I knock you the fuck out.”

 

Killing intent, how does Dawn know to do that? Did Arya know? 

 

Looking over I see Arya isn’t surprised, just growing more angry at the man like Dawn. I understand why but this isn’t the time for this. I get near Dawn’s ear to try and pacify her.

 

“Dawn I know you’re angry, but you need to calm down. If you don’t, your mana will start to go out of control and it will force some people to step in.” I told her. This seems to work as she starts to draw her mana back in. 

 

“What makes you so special huh?” The man, a dragonborn, says as he collects himself after that outburst of mana. “I was trying to get the receptionist to go on a date with me and you barge in and grab all her attention.” 

 

Dawn grabs the man’s wrist before clenching, forcing the man to let go. “Who I am doesn’t matter, what does matter is teaching a child to keep his hands to himself.”

 

“Child?! I’ll have you know I’m a gold rank. I won’t stand for this bitch.” The man’s throat starts to light up blue as he prepares something.

 

“Gold rank? Hah, you’ve barely scratched the surface of being an adventurer. You can barely fight a manticore, you overgrown lizard!” I hear a familiar voice explode, the man who was flexing earlier is now sitting on a chair with a mug off to the side. His party members, I assume, smack him on the back of the head. 

 

Ignoring the remark from the dwarf, Dawn quickly summons her ax with her free hand as she places it near the guy's throat. The ax flickering with flames down the handle. The heat around us quickly rises, making other adventurers back up. 

 

“I would consider your next action very carefully.” Dawn says, applying more pressure to the guy's wrist. I swear I heard something crack that time.

 

“So do we just have to sit here and watch?” Arya asks, probably annoyed that we can’t do anything. 

 

“Regretfully so.” I replied.

 

Seeing that the guy wasn’t going to stop anytime soon, Dawn pulls down on his arm before kicking his leg out from underneath him, throwing him to the ground. Right as she was about to twist the guy's arm, the wood on the floor grew rapidly as it entraps the guy. 

 

“Heh, looks like a casket. Looks like I’m not the only person you’ve pissed off.” Dawn says as she puts away her ax. 

 

“Well well, I leave you for a few minutes and you’re already getting wrapped up in something.” I hear Palra say as she walks over. “Hmm, your eyes changed. A dark purple, like the ends of your hair. I won’t ask about it. I’ll leave you be as I deal with this nuisance.”  

 

She grabs the guy and drags him away as she starts to complain to herself. “I’ve told that damn boss that he was gonna be an issue but nooo, don’t listen to the woman who can make your grandmother look like a child.”

 

“Wow.” Arya says off to the side. 

 

“Fucking lizard, does he not have a tail of his own? Should know not to grab another person’s tail.” Dawn says as she massages the area that was grabbed.

 

“Haven’t you been living with a tail for only a few months now?” I asked.

 

“You may be right but I’ve already come to like having it. Why didn’t you tell me how bad it hurts to have someone grab it?” She asked.

 

“Because I didn’t think you would already experience something like this, especially from an adult. If it was a child I could understand, cause I doubt they’ve seen a beastman’s tail often, if ever.” I told her. 

 

“Aye Lassie, best keep that ax in good condition.” The dwarf that made fun of ‘lizard’ walked over. 

 

“What’s it to you?” Dawn asked.

 

“Notin’ to it lass, just grew up round ol’ forge. Tho hav’ to say. I’ve no seen any workmanship like that ax before.” He says.

 

“I wouldn’t doubt it, her technique has probably been lost to the years by now.” Dawn says.

 

“May I see it for just a tad?” He asks.

 

“I don’t mind.” Dawn says, as she summons her ax and holds it out.

 

“Aaahh, ye’ weren’t kiddin, can’t say to ever seen this work before.”  The dwarf says, as he reaches out to run his hand along the handle, before yanking his hand back. “Aye, a feisty one ain’ she?” 

 

“That she is.” Dawn says, smiling lightly.

 

“I’ve satisfied my curiosity. I’ll let ye go now lassie. Gots to work me magic! ” He says, once again flexing before waddling back to his table.

 

“That is one interesting dwarf.” Arya says. 

 

“You can say that again, most times, I only ever see them working the forge or drinking back at the tavern. Though this one might have something going on in his head.” I say.

 

We hear the dwarf scream out from the distance, “Aye will ye get me a glass of Knuckle Duster little Rei.” 

 

“For the last time you old man, my name is Rin not Rei!” I hear a woman scream out.

 

“Reminds me of my uncle.” I said.

 

“You have a -” Arya starts before she turns over, clutching her head. Dawn and I look at her with worry, knowing there’s nothing we can do about these sort of attacks she has. Only wait for the pain to pass to comfort her.

 

“Haah. I’ll take her to the room, you just continue on, I’ll be quick.” I tell Dawn.

 

~~~~~

 

Coming out, I find Dawn outside, wondering why I could feel her being agitated at the moment. Her face and ears twitching as she talks with an elven mother. 

 

“Something the matter, Dawn?” I asked.

 

“Look behind.” She muttered.

 

Looking behind her, I find a young girl hugging her tail, who has seemed to have fallen asleep while holding on. The mother is apologizing for her daughter as she tries to pry her off our tail. 

 

“Only you Dawn.” I say lightly laughing. “How have you managed to get more people grabbing our tail in one day than I have in years?”

 

“You’re lucky you’re not in control right now. Her grip is stronger than you think and I don’t want to hurt her.” Dawn says.