Chapter 14 Grotsk
Tommy headed back towards the adventurer’s guild.
As he passed through the red light district he noted the corpses of the six thieves were gone.
Paying it no mind he continued on his way before crossing the bridge over the canal out of the eastern district back into the central district.
Soon he passed the Forest Inn before reaching the Adventurer’s Guild.
He pushed open the door and entered inside.
Looking around, Tommy noticed that Rizi was at her spot behind one of the counters serving the adventurers and general people who came to post jobs on the boards.
Tommy took his place in Rizi’s queue and patiently waited until it was his turn..
As Rizi looked up and saw who it was she broke out in a smile before saying.
“Tommy you're here, did you speak with Erden?”
“Yeah, I came to inform you what he requested as you asked and also to acquire some information.” Tommy replied before adding.
“Also if Kele is available I need to ask her something.”
“She should be free, after all she also wants to hear what task Erden set for you.” Rizi replied with a giggle before getting up from her chair and saying.
“Let’s go see her now.”
Rizi led Tommy towards the stairs before she started to climb them as he followed behind.
People who witnessed this on the ground floor were curious why Rizi was escorting a newbie to the higher floors which were usually off limits before you reached at least C rank.
As they climbed the stairs up through the floors people would often wave and call out to Rizi.
Rizi smiled and greeted each of them in return.
That was until they reached the fourth floor.
“Rizi, why are you not at your post on the first floor? what are you doing up here?”
Turning to the voice Tommy and Rizi saw a pudgy man walking over to them.
Tommy noticed from the corner of his eyes that Rizi stiffened slightly for a second and showed an annoyed look on her face before it quickly vanished and she returned to normal.
“Vice guild master Grotsk I was just escorting Tommy here up to see the guild master.” Rizi replied respectfully.
Grotsk looked at Rizi with undisguised lust before saying
“You should know the guild master is busy, if you need assistance with something you can always come to me.”
“I know vice guild master.” Rizi replied respectfully but Tommy noticed he was balling her fists as she continued.
“However the guild master asked to be informed immediately upon Tommy’s return to the guild.”
“If she asked to be informed why are you taking this person to see her directly?” Grotsk asked before turning to Tommy and saying.
“You show me your guild card.”
Tommy however did not respond and just stood there with his hands in his pockets looking at the man.
“Didn’t you hear me?” Grotsk asked in an annoyed tone.
Tommy saw Rizi give him a nod so he sighed before pulling out his guild car and showing it to Grotsk.
“F rank? Are you kidding me Kele, why would the guild master waste her time on some trash newbie F rank?” Grotsk asked angrily before saying.
“Rizi, you will follow me to my office so we can discuss this.”
He said, while licking his lips and staring at her breasts, before he turned to Tommy with a disgusted look and said.
“As for your F rank.”
Grotsk turned his head and yelled.
“Guards.”
“Almost immediately two guards hurried over to Grotsk and said.
“Yes, vice guild master?”
“Escort this individual from the fourth floor back to where he belongs on the first.” Grotsk ordered.
“But vice guild master.” Rizi tried to say.
“Silence Rizi, you're already in enough trouble, don’t let this low rank make it worse.” Grotsk said in an authoritative tone, before saying to the two guards.
“You two, get to work.”
“Yes sir.” They said before approaching Tommy where one of them reached out and grabbed his shoulder.
“Boy, if you know what's good for you, come with us.” The guard holding his shoulder said in a tone that showed he enjoyed this line of work.
Tommy didn’t respond and only turned his head to look at the hand holding his shoulder.
“Oi, did you hear me low rank?” The guard asked again.
“If you don’t want to lose your hand I suggest you let go of my shoulder.” Tommy said in a voice so low and cold that only Rizi, Grotsk and the two guards could hear him.
For some reason when Rizi heard Tommy’s tone she felt a shiver run down her spine.
“What?” The guard asked, surprised.
“You heard me, you have three seconds to release me.” Tommy said in the same voice.
“Brat watch where you're talking, this is the Adventurer’s Guild, not even A ranks would dare to course trouble here let alone a lowly F rank like you.” The guard said angrily, tightening the grip on Tommy’s shoulder.
Tommy didn’t move or respond except to say.
“One.”
“Enough of this, get rid of him already.” Grotsk said with a dismissing motion of his hand.
“Two.”
“What's going on here?” Another voice suddenly called,
Everyone on the floor, who had by now stopped their work to watch the show, shifted their attention to the voice except for one certain young man who was still looking at a hand holding his shoulder.
Everyone saw guild master Kele coming down the stairs with a curious look on her face.
After she had completed all her important work she decided she needed to take a break.
She thought this was a great opportunity to go find Rizi and ask if she had delivered the letter of introduction to Tommy and if there was any other news.
As she left her office and walked down the stairs she was surprised to see that Tommy was actually on the fourth floor with Rizi, however something seemed to be wrong.
The vice guild master was looking at Tommy with an annoyed look while two guards were standing next to him, one of them had a hand on his shoulder like he was going to escort him somewhere.
As Kele looked towards Tommy she noticed the cold look on his face and where he was looking.
She suddenly felt her survival instinct kick in big time and so she hurriedly said to the guard.
“Release…”
“Three.”
Faster than anyone could follow, even Kele.
Tommy jerked his shoulder knocking the man's hand away from it then in a swift movement something shiny seemed to appear in his hand before an arc of shiny light was made across the guards arm.
Then the shiny something vanished as if it never existed and everyone heard a loud thud.
Looking towards the noise everyone saw a severed arm lying motionless on the floor before.
“AHHHHHH”
A cry of pain so loud they heard it on the ground floor, causing everyone to look up in surprise, came from the guard's mouth as he collapsed to the floor on his knees gripping the stump of his now missing arm.
Blood was flowing out of the stump and covering the floor in a crimson red as everyone suddenly smelt a metallic scent.
They all stared in shock and horror at what happened.
Never in the history of the adventurer’s guild had anyone dared to dismember a guild employee on their premises.
While in some extreme cases the guild master may order action to be taken against one or more individuals, or even take action themselves.
No one had ever purposefully harmed an employee of the guild as they all knew it came with severe consequences.
“Oh fuck.” Kele groaned.
“Tommy.” Rizi said with a shocked and sad tone.
“BRAT DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DID?” Grotsk shouted in anger as his face turned red from rage.
Tommy turned to look at the man before calmly saying.
“I kept my word, I warned him what would happen if he did not remove his hand from me.”
“YOU.. YOU.. YOU..” Grotsk had trouble forming his words from his rage before finally gathering himself to say.
“You are hereby expelled from the Adventurer’s Guild for attacking an employee, furthermore if you try to escape you will have a bounty placed on you head”
Tommy raised an eyebrow before turning a quizzical eye to Kele.
Kele sighed before closing her eyes and nodding as she said.
“Grotsk’s is correct, that is indeed the punishment for attacking a guild employee, even I am unable to prevent this, only the adventurer’s guild grandmaster has the authority to rescind such an order.”
“I see, that's a shame.” Tommy said simply before tossing his identification card to Kele who caught it with surprise.
As she was about to speak Tommy beat her to it.
“However I still owe you and Rizi a debt and I will pay it now.” As he finished speaking the shiny object appeared in his hand again and the same shiny arc as before appeared and this time flew across Grotsk's neck.
By the time the shiny object had vanished Grotsk’s head hit the floor with a thud while his body collapsed.
“It was only a matter of time before this man used his authority to force Rizi into something she didn’t want and that would also cause you trouble Kele.”
“I said this before but you really need to hire better staff.”
After he finished speaking Tommy turned and started to descend the staircase while everyone was still staring with shock at the corpse of the now former vice guild master.