It is only known that the most powerful and iial guilds iire world are those that have great and sistent profit streams. Because of this, the Mert, Smith, and Mage guilds hold the highest influehe profits of [Merts], the strus of [Smiths], and the advanced and diverse magical versatility of [Mages] gives these three groups a great deal of power. Not that they are a singur anization, but a bined political and financial one posed of many smaller guilds pooling resources to create beneficial ge for the whole.

  After those three major types, the ranking down is almost pletely in the martial csses. [Meraries], [Soldiers], [Marines], [Knights], and especially [Bounty Hunters] have acceptably iial guilds. Acceptably iial in the sehat though they in theory have a lot of power as a group, but are knowere anized enough to make such power a reality. For example, though [Bounty Hunters] have several majuilds in Magnis, many of those guilds are in direpetition with each other. [Bounty Hunters] from the Raven Guild and those from the Shark Guild do not see eye to eye as they generally pete for the same bounties.

  With supetition and ck of coordination, these [Guilds] naturally have a loose hold on their members. So, if a member of the Shark Guild decided to open up a branch of the Guild in a city for three years so as to wait for a possible prey to return, the [Bounty Hunter] may never be punished for wasting such valuable time. It is in this specific sario where a certain woman finds herself in.

  _____________________________________________________

  Egressa Dlero her former [First Mate] while her hahe adorable kitten on her p. A very rge p with very rge hands. The woman is tall, broad shouldered, short haired, and built like a line-backer. On her left arm is a tattoo of a shark's mouth, and on her right is a picture of several winged sharks in the midst of a feeding frenzy. o her is aly runed give that has an open shark's mouth design with the bde stig out of its mouth. The shaft is made of wood reinforced with metal. The hilt has something of a fin design to go with the shark aesthetics.

  “Three fug years I’ve been waiting in this shithole of a city for my prey, and my prey has just returned. Finding and killing the girl takes far more priority than wasting time to find this killer,” Egressa growls.

  The man sighs. “Yes, we’ve got all the members sc the city- but it’s important to look into the killing. Someone slit an [Apprentices] neck ht within the fines of the building.”

  “And we’ll find them, but the hunt es first.” She tinues petting the cat, even scratg us .

  “Egressa, this is important- where did you evehe cat?”

  “Fluffles? Yesterday, it just walked into the guild and started rubbing its head on my arm.”

  “You already?”

  “Of course, I even gave it a colr.” She slides a finger on the leather piece around the cat's neck.

  “I thought you didn’t like animals.”

  “I don’t dislike animals, it’s animals that dislike me. But this little guy is a brave boy.”

  The man sighs. “Fine, but we o address the killing. Just give a speech or something, or threaten to gut the killer.”

  Egressa rolls her eyes. “Fine, after everyourns. For now, focus on finding the child- or even the old man. He be used to lead us to her.”

  “Everyone is looking.”

  “Then look harder. If we get the kill, I’ll get my level and we'll be financially set for life.”

  “I still ’t believe waiting for the child to return worked.”

  Egressa chuckles. “Remember that woman at the tavern three years ago? The bitch refused to give me information no matter how much I hurt her. Now that is loyalty, loyalty enough to return and che her. Did you post ao the Tavern?”

  “Three of our best. When they return, hopefully they will have some news.”

  “Good. The moment you find them, do not ehat old man shouldn’t be uimated. He injured me st time, but I won’t have my guard down again.”

  ____________________________________________________________________

  “An underground tunnel. You seem to have prepared rather well. Does this lead to another building?” Myers asks.

  Adriana rexes on her wheelchair while the old man pushes her. On her p is Cy, sleeping fortably in her arms.

  “It does. After I lost my legs, I found it imperative I have a way to escape from the Grounded Gardener. I bought a building, renovated it into a small jewelry shop, and installed an underground passageway to it.”

  Myers nods. “You were always excessive at dealing with problems.”

  “I did learn from the best.” Adriana looks up with a grin.

  The old man blushes at the praise. “That was a long time ago.”

  “Maybe. But it was a good time, and it would have still been a good time if I didn’t get pregnant.”

  The two tinue walking dowunnel in silence.

  “Do yret getting pregnant?” He asks.

  “No.” She goes silent again.

  “I regret who I allowed to get me pregnant.”

  “You’ve avoided telling me who the father is.”

  “It’s better that way.”

  The two tinue in silence for a bit longer. Eventually, Myers stops.

  “It’s not,” He finally says. “You showed no i in any uy while serving under me. Then, all at once, you said you’re pregnant a. I- I o know.”

  She looks down, sad. “The truth will hurt.”

  “I have lost muy time alive. Few truths will bother me.”

  She squeezes Cy’s sleeping form closer to her. “Promise me you won’t bme yourself.”

  “I-”

  Her eyes look upon him with several decades of hardness. “Alistair! Promise me you will not bme yourself.”

  He matches eyes with hers.

  “I promise.” Then he tinues walking.

  She takes a breath. “Remember the battle of Greenfe?”

  He nods. “My fleet was caught by surprise by both the bined might of the rebels, meraries, and a member of the Corsair. I was forced to order a retreat but your ship was far too close to the isnd. They overlord the runes of your ship and you were forced to surrender. You were arrested and fio the isnd for a week until I returned and quelled the rebellion.”

  She frowns. “I told you that they only tortured me for information… That was a lie. They did far more than that.”

  Myers releases a heavy breath.

  “You should have told me,” He says.

  “Would that have ged anything?”

  “Yes. I would have taken responsibility.” He stops walking right before a closed door. “We’re here.”

  ________________________________________________________

  “Well, are they genuine or what?” Cillian asks with a grin on his face. He is currently in the hold of the Timbergrove with Sale his side. Both are watg a Guild [Ruh] kneeling and thhly cheg the chests.

  The [Ruh] finally gets up. “They are genuine. Exceptional quality, all of them. The kingdom markings also be ged without damaging the runes.”

  Salence smiles. “Good, good. Do you by ow the kingdom's markings?” He asks, to the frown of Cillian.

  “No. They are old, easily over three hundred years if we go by design.”

  Salence grimaces while Cillian’s griurns. “I’ve a map- even a book about said kingdom I offer.”

  The [Journeyman] tiaring at the chests on the floor. After a moment, he g the short man. “I’m going to be ho here. I know you have something worth far more than a bunch of exceptional quality chests. sidering these chests are desigo be stored in a treasury, I am led to believe you found something far more valuable.”

  Cillian shrugs. “Possibly, possibly not. Maybe your skill is faulty, or maybe the map I’m is worth far more than the chests. Maybe the map is worth so much that selling it on the open market would put such a rge target on my [Captains] back that not even Memphis could protect him.”

  Salences' eyes widen in reition. “That’s why you’re demanding such a low pertage for the chests.”

  “Perhaps,” Cillians says with a grin.

  The [Journeyman] chuckles. “It seems everything is in order. Let us return to the Guild Hall, sign a tract, and then I will have meo retrieve the chests for au.”

  “Lets.”

  The three exit the Timbergrove, pick up hes, travel down the ramp, and then halt at what seems like a frontation.

  “I am part of the Timbergroves crew,” Myers argues. The old man is pushing a disabled woman with a sleeping her arms.

  “You have no Job and your name is nowhere listed under Timbergroves crew.” The [Guard] expins cooly. “As of which, I ot allow you to board the vessel.”

  Myers gres back, and then notices the Scot.

  “Cillian,” he calls out, “do mind assisting me here?”

  Cillian chuckles and walks up to Myers. “He’s part of the crew, so is the child,” he expins to the [Guard]. “Where's the [Captain] and who's the cripple?”

  Myers grimaces at the word cripple. “Quasi left to hunt someone down and this is Adriana. He has a deal with her for information in exge for healing.”

  “Healing? Really?”

  “Yes. Quasi believes hes fix her broken spine.”

  “I will require excess nourishment and adequate time depending on the damage,” hes expins.

  “Later, once I’m doh the paperwork,” Cillian says. “I need her as a bodyguard for the time being.”

  “Is nard or Boriss avaible?” Myers asks.

  “No. Boriss left for a drink and Irmgard went with Emma to restock supplies.”

  “It’s fine.” Adriana pces her hand on Myers. “I’ve been crippled for many years, what is waiting a bit longer? We try to fix my back when the [Captaiurns.”

  The old man sighs. “Alright. We’ll wait on the ship. Don’t take too long.”

  “Money waits for no one. Salence, let's get this traderway.”

  Myers watches them leave before pushing Adriana up the pnk and into the ship's hold.

  ____________________________________________________

  After a rousing speech by Egressa, the rest of the [Bounty Hunters] part of the Shark Guild have their worries assuaged. She promised a massive payout, levels, and that she would find and kill whoever assassinated one of her members.

  A very rousing speech from Egressa’s point of view. But, from the point of view of those who listened, all they heard was an angry woman yelling about money, levels, and a promise to slit the throat of whoever killed one of her members. It also didn’t help that she cursed out several members on at of not finding any leads on the girl. Angry and pissed, she trudges to her room to sleep the night away, as do the rest of the [Bounty Hunters] living in the guild barracks.

  With night fallen and most members asleep, a kitten finds itself roaming the empty hallways of the building. The kitten, as silent as its species be, finds its way into the guild mess hall. There, it searches the cupboards for whatever it find. A bottle of bleach, some kind of liquid soap, and other various chemicals. Eventually, it finds a bottle with a skull bel. The tents of the bottle are of a powder that would add an iing taste to, say- a refrigerated broth.

  Finished with the kit, the kitten sneaks bato the hallways and makes its way to the barracks. Here, the rooms house two [Bounty Hunters]. Sneaking in and cheg ead every member, the kitten finds those that were the most heavily berated by Egressa. With a practiced ease, throats are crushed and severed as silently as possible so as not to awake anyone.

  With the job dohe kitteurns to a little bed in Egressa’s room. It sets its tiny head down on the fy cushion, closes its eyes, and dreams of sughtering those it siders its enemies.