130 Guild Master Malta
Arad walked down the second layer of the dungeon, looking around to speak with the Axols, but he was disappointed. They acted more like cats than anything he could reason with.
“Aella, are you sure they are normal?” Arad asked as one of the Axols started purring on his leg like an affectionate cat.
“I don’t know,” Aella replied, “My eyes are closed,” She didn’t want to risk it for a moment. Arad looked at her, smiling, “Come on, they aren’t that bad now. I’m not protecting my eyes either.”
Aella slowly opened her eyes, seeing the Axols for the first time.
The Axols is a cat-sized, pale-skinned lizard with a flat face and feather-like fins on their head. They are a type of salamander kin.
“They are somewhat cute,” Aella smiled, patting the one closest to her. CRACKLE! “AH!” She got zapped with electricity, and the Axols hissed at her.
“HOI!” Arad grabbed the Axol that zapped Aella by the head and lifted it, “Do you want me to eat you again?”
Purrrrrr! The Axol started purring again, “Don’t purr at me.” Arad glared at the Axol, opening his jaw, and the poor thing started freaking out.
“Don’t, I’m fine,” Aella stood, rubbing her hand, “That wasn’t a deadly shock,” She stared at Arad and approached him, touching the Axol again.
CRACKLE! Aella got zapped again, “AH!” She cried, shaking her hand, “He didn’t intend to zap me. Their bodies are always electrified.” She glared at the Axol.
“But I don’t feel anything,” Arad asked, looking at the Axol in his hand, [The power is weaker than what could hurt you as a dragon. To you, it’s a passive discharge. Axols are of the salamander kin. You can call them lightning salamanders.]
“Mom says they are lightning salamanders,” Arad explained, and Aella sighed, scratching her head.
“Of course.” She looked at the Axol, “It’s the same with how salamanders are always hot and burning. This one is just electrified all the time.”
Arad put the Axol on the ground, “Well then, little ones,” He smiles, looking at the Axols, “You keep this place well guarded while I’m napping down.”
Arad and Aella went down to the giant ant layer, and to their surprise, the ants froze. “How are you doing?” Arad lifted his hand, trying to start a conversation.
One of the ants rushed back toward the queen’s room in a panic, “What is their problem?” Arad looked at Aella.
“You burned them alive. I doubt they want anything to do with you.” Aella replied.
“AH! Master!” A voice rang across the tunnels, “I can’t wait!”
“That was weird.” Aella looked around, “Who are you?” She asked.
“Shut up, elf. I’m talking to Master.” the voice replied. “Master! I’m the queen. Come meet me in my room,”
Arad and Aella looked at each other, “Let’s have a look,” Arad asked.
“Yeah, we need to go through her room to reach the fourth layer anyway,” Aella sighed, feeling that meeting the ants’ queen is a bad idea.
Arad and Aella walked toward the queen’s room, seeing her sleeping in the same spot.
“AH! Master, I’ve been waiting for you,” The queen said, wigging her body and glaring at Arad, “You elf can go away now, hush! Hush!” she shook her head.
Arad looked at Aella, “Did you do something to her?”
“No, should we kill her again?” Aella asked with a smile, pulling her bow.
[The ant queen sees you as a mate. To her, Aella is but a hindrance.]
^What? No, thank you, I have more things to do. Is that even possible?^
[Technically, yes. Dragons are compatible with every living being or monster, but I won’t recommend it since the queen is weaker than her own ants.] Mom explained, [I would have encouraged it if she was a legendary monster with a humanoid shape, like an Arachnoid queen, nymph, Medusa, or Scylla.]
^I don’t know who those are, but I sure don’t want to meet them,^ Arad sighed, imagining a bunch of ugly monsters.
[Come on, Even if you tried to ignore them all, you can’t refuse a nymph. Those monsters look basically like humans, but they are called the incarnation of natural beauty.]
Arad looked at the ant queen, “I need to head down to nap in the kobolds’ lair. Can you let us move?” He asked.
“Sleep? How about you sleep here with me? I will keep you protected and tend to all your needs,” The queen ant lowered her large head, looking at Arad.
“How do I say it nicely?” Arad scratched his head.
Aella looked at the queen, “You’re weak. Arad wants to most protection while he sleeps.” She approached the queen, “Only the kobolds can provide that with their traps, and it will also allow you and everyone to protect him by not allowing anyone to the kobolds’ lair.”
The queen looked at Aella, “You know? I’m starting to hate you more,”
“That’s fine with me, just don’t be a problem to Arad,” Aella growled, glaring at the queen.
“Come on, you two, don’t fight here,” Arad walked between them, trying to stop them from clashing.
“HA!” The ant queen sighed, shaking her massive head, “But she’s right, go down. I don’t want to hold you back.”
Aella stared at the queen, “You’re more understanding than I expected,”
“Don’t take my words as acceptable to you,” the queen growled, “I just want the best for my mate,”
Cough! Aella choked on air, “What are you talking about?” She growled, pulling her bow, “He’s mine, monster,”
“Ant queen,” Arad glared at the queen, “You’re too weak, be stronger before standing to Aella,” His eyes flashed purple. If she and Aella fight, Arad won’t hesitate to kill the queen again.
The queen went silent, sitting back on her bed. She understood Arad’s glare, “Sorry, please go ahead,” She pointed with one of her legs a the entrance to the kobolds’ layer.
Aella put her bow back and sighed, walking toward the kobolds layer. Arad walked past the queen and looked at her, “If you got strong enough and attained a humanoid shape, we can discuss the matter further,” He walked into the kobold’s layer.
***
The mage returned to the guild, approaching Nina’s desk, “I just got attacked by a crazy armored woman carrying a long blade. She is at least a level twelve fighter. I want to put a bounty on her head,”
“Sorry, but I can’t put a bounty on someone’s head unless you have proof,” Nina replied with a smile, glaring at the adventurers in the back who started whispering.
“You want proof? Look,” The mage pulled his want a small glass ball from his pocket, [Divination: Display memory]
The glass ball glowed, shedding a small projection of the scene when the Armored woman attacked the mage. “How about this? Is it enough?”
“Sadly, no,” Nina smiled, “Since we can’t see the woman’s face, I still can’t set a bounty. Please refer this quest to the guards first.”
BAM! The mage smacked the dest, “Don’t tell me you don’t have anyone to investigate here?”
“All of our reliable adventurers are busy in quests now. Please refer to the guards operated by the lord’s estate. Or the diviners of the holy church first,” Nina replied with a smile. The mage glared at her for a moment and then left, mumbling curses.
Nina sighed and looked at the other receptionists, “I’m going to talk with the guildmaster,”
One of the receptionists gasped, glaring at her, “Wait, she’s back?”
Nina smiled, “I just felt her aura appear in the locked room. I don’t know how much she will stay, so I have to hurry,” She walked upstairs.
Knock! Knock! “Guildmaster, can I enter,” Nina asked.
“Come in. I don’t have much time,” A woman’s voice replied from inside the room.
Nina opened the door, seeing a red-skinned Tiefling woman standing beside the desk and reading the paper stacked there. Nina approached her and bowed slightly, “Guildmaster Malta, there are two urgent matters I like to get your advice on,”
Malta turned her head toward Nina, “That mage and Abel,” She sighed, “Don’t kill the mage before getting solid evidence against him, something that can’t be tampered with by magic,” She sat on the table, putting one leg on the other, “And for Abel, leave that kid alone for now.”
“He said a cubus is visiting his brothel,” Nina said, “Other receptionists are suspecting him to be behind all of that, also the fact he didn’t bring this up earlier,”
Malta shook her head, “Leave Abel alone. I don’t want to start any problems with a certain someone,”
“That can’t be. I’m sure we can work it out with lord,” Nina replied.
“The lord isn’t the problem,” Malta scratched her head, “Listen, even Abel might not know it, but hurting him can get us all killed.” She approached Nina, “I’m trying to reach that person and get her permission to deal with him. Until then, don’t make a move.”
“A party would deal with him next week. Can you find her by that time?” Nina asked.
“Damn it,” Malta scratched her head, “Pull the quest back, and if you can’t, just investigate and don’t do anything drastic,” Malta pointed at the door, “All other guild matters are within regulation, you’re dismissed,”
Nina left the room, and Malta smacked her hands on the table.
“Damn it, Mistress Alice.” She glared at the ground, “I hope you’re happy at the bottom of hell. How the fuck am I going to reach you now? You know I can’t go into churches.”
Puff! Malta disappeared in a puff of ash and fire.．𝗻𝐞𝘁