❝ dungeons ❞╭──╯ . . . . . shxtou

Part 1 (taken down)

TW: blood, violence

I heard tell from many villages of this guild. That it was rather unique. Nothing quite as special as this guild, they'd say. 

But what made this guild so exceptional?

I was simply dying to know. 

I strolled my way down the emptied path. I was currently traveling through a slum village, with tattered houses and shops lined down the road. 

I strolled down the street with pride in my steps, kicking forward as I marched. My head was raised, eyes closed. I paid no mind to the random people I passed, nor the looks I was given. 

"Hey! You! Girl in the witch costume!" A musky male voice called. I stopped in my steps, taking in a breath of air, then sighing it out. 

"A bit rude calling it a costume, no?" I said cockily. 

He walked up closer behind me. His hand began reaching around me.

"Just gimme your money, and we can all walk away from this harm-free," He muttered in my ear. 

"I'd prefer you walking away bloodied and in pain," A smile crept to my face. I didn't care how weird I sounded, out creeping a creep is a personal goal of mine. 

"That's a bit gruesome for a lady, isn't it?"

"You're pissing me off now," I warned. 

"Just gimme your damn money!" He shouted, clearly not getting my hint. With a gleam in my eye, I heard the man choke out, depleted of air.

Blood began pouring from his mouth, pooling beneath his feet as he was held up by a pillar of metal stabbing through his abdomen. His eye twitched as his life drained from his body. His blood seeped into the cracks of the sidewalk. 

"Perhaps... that was a bit far," I mumbled, walking away without sparing even a glance. I retreated the metal, letting his corpse fall to the ground with a thud. 

I returned to my blissful state and strutted out to the forest just ahead of the village. 

"That man deserved worse." Frionier, my familiar, stated.

"There was no need to go as far as I did, let alone worse," I responded, knowing full well what Frionier was suggesting. 

The petite, dark, fox flew at my side, looking down in shame. His body was a dark shade of black. He had red accents on his ears and the tip of his tail. His irises were a flaming, deep red with pupils darker than the night sky. 

At night, the stars would often reflect in his eyes. It was a magical sight to see, but he always gets embarrassed by it so it never lasts long.

"Why must you always be so violent, FrieFrie," Pershiona sighed. FrieFrie was a nickname I gave him so his name wasn't as difficult to say. Frionier is also technically a nickname, as his real name is practically unpronounceable in the common tongue. 

Pershiona was my other familiar. She was light half to Frionier's darkness. They are siblings, twins to be specific. She had white fur with a brighter red secondary color. Her irises were a bold shade of red with prominent heart-shaped pupils. 

They would keep me company on my adventures. Their constant banter was rather amusing. I've known them ever since my master left. They stuck with me through thick and thin. 

Though they can't show themselves in most public places, they are always around. Whether in the spirit world or not, they are connected to me. 

"Guys, shut up for a second," I sputtered out at a loss of words. "We're here,"

They went silent, looking up at the large gates that welcomed us in. The three of us shared a look before walking in. 

It had been a long journey. 

But we made it. 

The village was protected by a tall, thick wall. They had their gates open during the day, so we wandered on in. There were guards pressed against the sides. 

"Halt! State your name and age," A guard said, stopping me in my tracks.

"Uhm," I had to think quickly. I couldn't afford to be caught now. "Hie..ra... Hiera! My name is Hiera Globbenwok. I'm 23." I lied.

"Could I see some ID?" 

"Sure thing!" I began to get nervous. With a quiet poof, an ID card appeared in my pocket, I pulled it out, quickly read it over to double-check how correct it looked, then showed it to the guard. 

"Everything checks out. Sorry for taking up your time. You may proceed." He said, backing away.

"Phew," I let out when he was out of earshot. That was getting close! If someone identifies me, I'm practically dead. I nearly forgot about my reputation. Good thing I improvised with that. 

I looked around at all the hustle and bustle of the big city. I had never seen so many shops, houses, and people all in one place. 

I passed boutiques, restaurants, souvenir shops, convenience stores, and many others before I noticed an old, worn-down-looking tavern. A sparkle appeared in my eyes as I went over. 

I gently pushed open the splintery wooden door, the smell of old booze and cigarettes filled my nose. 

There was a bartender washing out a glass with a dirty rag. There were intense-looking people scattered around the small bar. There was a wine rack just behind the bartender, washrooms to the left, a kitchen to the right, and tables dotted around the floor. 

I quieted my presence and walked up to the worker. 

I took a seat at a stool, the guy next to me giving me cut eye. The man was three times the size of me. He wore a leather jacket and was smoking. 

"What can I get you," The bartender asked with a dull tone. 

"I'll just have a glass of Primerence, please." I requested in the politest voice I could muster. The man just sighed. 

Where is the guild? I didn't see it my whole way here. Perhaps I missed it? I can't sense the magic power that should be illuminating from the immense amount of magic users compacted into one place. 

The bartender passed me my drink by placing it on the table in front of me. I placed the money on the counter.

"Excuse me, do you perhaps know how to get to the guild?" I asked the bartender. 

"Just down the street." He gestured with his thumb. "If you see the inflated marshmallow you've gone too far."

"Thank you," I offered a smile, to which he just rolled his eyes. Asshole. 

I chugged down my drink and darted out of the tavern. 

I rushed down the street, looking left to right for the guild. 

'Ah! There it is!' My face lit up. 

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hope u enjoyed this first chapter despite its cringiness

[2022-03-22]