My Shadow Monarch's System
Chapter 44: Dian The Mercenary.

Chapter 44: Dian The Mercenary.

Leaves fell in the courtyard just across the bar where Shadow happily spent his time. Staying in the Silver Blades Guild had become something he was getting accustomed to. It’s not like he had another choice as to where else he could go.

So he happily spent his day lazying about, Liora had someone else to talk to. The Spirit Mage. Although he wasn’t sure what that entailed exactly but she seems happy enough to stalk about spells and whatnot with Eryn. That gave Shadow the peace of mind he always wanted, except something ruined this precious moment for him.

Standing in the courtyard, looking directly at him was Dian. The man who he had battled the night before, he hadn’t given up and still wanted to talk with Shadow for Lord knows what.

’What the hell mate? I need to sleep!’

He cursed inwardly, but unfortunately Shadow knew the kind of man that he was, the kind to never relent till he got exactly what he wanted. And in this case, it was Shadow.

Sighs.

Shadow finished the mug of wine that rested on his table, his enjoyed the torrent of chill fermented fruit rushing down his throat. Of course he had made it cold himself.

’Let’s get this over with already’.

He stood up and shook a step, dissolving into the shadows. He stood outside the inn. Just meters away from Dian who seemed to notice that Shadow wasn’t in his room anymore. The man looked around and spotted Shadow at a corner covered by shadows. He grinned and trotted over.

"What do you want...." Shadows asked tiredly. He didn’t appreciate the eager look of the man, he looked as though he respected Shadow, gave him reverence even. That made Shadow uncomfortable.

"I know what you’re doing and I want it on it" Dian said boldly.

’Oohh, interesting’

Shadow cocked his head to the side. "Do tell, what is it that I am doing?" He asked feeling a stroke of amusement.

But Dian seemed confident, perhaps he had been following Shadow around much earlier than before he went to the Ashen Wastes? He wasn’t sure but he sure as hell was going to find out.

"You hate the cult as much as I do. You want to see the end of that damnable cult. Although I don’t know your reasons why, the fact that you know of their existence is already enough reason for me to accept you..." He paused for a moment.

"And you’re strong!" He finished.

Shadow felt his chest swell with pride. Aah, how he had missed this feeling for being adored and respected by everyone. It was something common for him back on Earth. Now it was but a fleeting dream, he decided not to focus on it.

"When did you start following me?" Shadow asked, a grim expression riddled his face. Shadow was confident in his ability to throw people off his tail, his stealth was unmatched as well as his wits. Yet this man... He had to know.

Dian shifted uncomfortably, from one foot to another but answered.

"Remember you cut off a man’s hand for challenging you? That was just the start of it, others assumed that perhaps, the adventurer had been dead drunk to get his arm sliced off by a kid. But after I saw the stump, it was too clean. The skill it takes to slice off an arm that easily couldn’t be found among these adventures so I took a certain interest in you" he smiled gently, a bead of sweat trickled down his face.

"I tried following you and the other girl. But I suddenly lost track of you at some point, I was stumped for the first time in my mercenary career, not being able to track down someone. So I went back to the guild and looked for any clues and talks around, of where you might have gone."

"Sure enough I found something. You took the mission everyone had been avoiding, to kill Scar of all people." Dian chuckled. " To be honest, I thought you were either mad or arrogant. Or perhaps, you were just that good" he shrugged.

"After that, you came back with Scar’s head and cleared the mission, that was enough for me already. At that moment, I had decided to follow you. Although I do admit that I went back to look at the traces left behind by your battle with Scar.... I was... I couldn’t believe it" his shoulders slumped.

"And after that, I began tracking you, losing you most times but I decided to focus on tracking the girl. She was much easier and oblivious. Thus, here I am" he said at last.

Shadow was silent for a few moments, more than necessary.

’Damn that girl!’ he cursed.

"And now, you want to join my party?" Shadow asked.

Dian nodded. "I don’t need your gold, I have a personal grudge against that cult. My family. No, my village, they were kidnapped, they used goblins to take away almost all the women. They took my mother..." He stopped himself from talking, his eyes grew distant.

"Ten years ago?" Shadows asked.

Dian looked a bit shocked, but nodded.

Shadow was a bit stunned. What were the odds, he remembered that day so vividly, how he had laid waste to the goblins who raped the women and mutilated the men. He sighed, looked at Dian once more and shook his head.

"Alright, I guess so can let you follow us. Although I haven’t told them what my mission is yet, but you know already right?" Shadow asked.

"To destroy the cult and whatever it stands for" he finished.

Shadow chuckled. "Do you even know the name of the cult?"

"Uuhm. The cult? It’s called the cult. What else would it be called " he said matter of fact.

Shadow shook his head. ’Aahh, this one is dense. Much more dense that Liora’. His lips cracked into a smile.

"It is the cult of Erevos." Shadow said at last then tapped Dian on the shoulder. "Come on, I’ll introduce you to the group" he finished.

***

Shadow walked into the bar and met with Ben just at the counter, Ben waved him over while Dian stood at the entrance, not entirely sure what to do.

"Hey there, got a minute?" Ben called.

"Sure, what’s up?" Shadow replied.

Ben looked behind Shadow, at Dian who stood clueless at the door. "He’s a friend of yours or a fan... Or trouble?" Ben asked, his tone grew grim at that.

"Aahh, let’s just say he’s part of my party" Shadow answered.

Ben looked relieved and sent a maid over to offer his some drinks, then faced Shadow. "So about the thing you brought over. Someone might want to see you" he said. It was quite unusual for Ben to feel nervous, but it was happening.

"Okay? Who wants to see me?" Shadow asked curiously, he knew that Ben wasn’t a loudmouth who would go around telling just anyone, at least that was what he hoped.

"The Guild Master" Ben finished and looked away.

Shadow was stumped for a few seconds. "Ben? Did you say the Guild Master wants to see me?" He asked in a low tone.

Instead of answering, Ben simply drank more beer.

"Don’t avoid the damn question Ben. What the hell is going on?" Shadow asked in a hurry, this definitely posed as a problem or a blessing. But knowing his luck, it was most definitely a curse.

"I think it’ll be better if you just follow me" he said at last, dropping the empty mug.

He stood up straight and walked towards the door behind the counter, the same one that he had gone into to show Ben the demon head.

Shadow sighed and followed him. What else could be done? It was the freaking Guild Master, a high ranking official in the country. Although Shadow didn’t know much about the country either.

He walked through the doors and was led towards the very last door that lay at the end of the hallway. That particular door seemed different this time and he hadn’t known how he had missed it the first time?

"Was that door always there?" Shadow asked.

"Aahh, you noticed huh?" Ben chuckled. "No it wasn’t there the first time you came in here but you’ll soon understand why".

With that, he opened the door and stepped in, Shadow looked at the door with caution, he could see a room inside with a table and a chair with two drinking cups but that was about it.

As soon as he took a step inside, something shifted, he wasn’t certain what it was. Perhaps his perception, his sight? No it couldn’t be something so meager.

He passed through and opened his eyes, his jaw dropped in shock.

Indeed he did understand after waking through the door, it was spatial magic. Because right now, he wasn’t at the Silver Blade Guild any longer, the table and cups he had seen earlier were all an illusion.

Rather, what he could see was an old man, not by any means weak. He sat observing Shadow with his fingers interlocked with each other.

Shadow shivered under his gaze, the place they were at. It had to be, he was in an office somewhere in the Royal Capitol.