Somnus's Descent

Prologue: The Bell Tolls in the Guildhall

The adventurer's guild of Alta was abuzz with activity. There was a large crowd at the notice board looking through all the available job requests. At the receptionist's desk there was a long line of adventurers waiting in front of the lone unfortunate receptionist. She kept a consistent smile as she processed each of the adventurers, however fatigue had begun to set in.

"Why did Aliya and the others have to turn up sick the day everyone suddenly decided to start working hard?" The long-haired guild receptionist thought to herself.

"We worked really hard to make sure the roots weren't damaged this time Miss Kei, we're gonna catch up to him in no time" The group of newly promoted bronze adventurers in front of her beamed.

They were young, likely in their mid-teens. If it wasn't for a certain adventurer, the speed of their rank up would be commended. They had climbed out of the beginner copper rank after only a few months after all. Most new adventurers usually take half a year to be promoted to bronze.

"I guess it can't be helped, with how fast most were outranked by a relatively new face, it was bound to happen for a few of them to get self-conscious. If only they were always like this." Kei silently muttered.

Suddenly an angry voice shouted

"Hey idiot! I saw that first!"

Kei turned to the notice board where a commotion had started.

"Kehoda baldy, first come first serve!" Replied an adventurer holding a request notice.

"Piss off, everyone knows you'd just get yourself killed hunting dire wolves so let the real adventurers handle it." Replied the large bald brutish man from whom the original shout came from.

"What'd you say? Why don't you go fark a goat, you might actually satisfy someone for once." The roguish adventurer retorts while drawing the scimitar at his side. An iron tag hung from his necklace.

The brutish adventurer smiles with eyes full of rage and draws the large two-handed warhammer at his back. A similar looking iron tag was attached to his right ear as an earring.

Kei looks around trying to think of a way to resolve the situation peacefully. The trio of bronze adventurers she was serving were eyeing the two iron rank adventurers and seemed to be thinking of moving in to de-escalate the situation. However, stopping the two iron ranks without injury to any side may be too much for bronze rank adventurers.

While she was thinking desperately, a familiar sound rang clearly throughout the hall for all to hear.

"Ding...ding...ding"

The quiet sound of a bell began to echo in the ears of every person in the hall regardless of the other noise, this caused all the adventurers to freeze.

"As showy as ever, but the help is appreciated" Kei remarks.

All the adventurers who had frozen began to slowly look tired with their eyes beginning to close from fatigue. However, they eventually realize what is happening as this is a familiar sensation for a decent number of them.

"That asshole"

"Again"

"Seriously"

Fatigued curses began to be muttered as adventurers one after another slumped to the floor.

After a few moments, the guild hall becomes silent except for the soft sound of bells, Kei sighs.

A hooded figure appears entering the guild hall holding a tied sack in a gloved hand, he stops at the entrance in-sight of Kei and begins walking towards her. His face was covered by a black wooden smiling mask.